Every fight ended like this, Augustus would throw the last punch and the explorer would stay on the ground with shattered pride.
And today wasn't that different from all the other fights they would always have.
There he saw Augustus standing firm in front of him, a fond smile placed on his lips, a smile the explorer would never forget and will always despise.
He groaned as he tried to make words come out of his mouth, yet only a painful whimper could be heard “It's not fair...”
Augustus looked at him, not changing the cold and unmerciful expression on his face, before mumbling “.... You're lucky I'm a nice guy.” before flying away from the alleyway the explorer was backed up in.
––––
Octavius jolts up awake, sweating heavily from the dream he had just woken up to. He looks around and sees a dark room with only himself and pieces of furniture around him. Right now, he'd want someone to comfort and to hug him.
“Calm down Octavius, it was just a dream...” he tells himself. He always tells himself this when certain dreams appear.
The man sighs, getting up to go and get a glass of water from the kitchen.
On his way, he sees his cat Henry sleeping peacefully on the couch. ‘At least Henry's having a good sleep’ Octavius thought to himself as a smile was placed on his face.
––––
“Excuse me mister, but do you know any books about bunnies?” a small voice calls out to Octavius from behind his desk to see a little girl with black colored braided hair wearing a floral dress.
“I think I have something, let me just check dear.” The man said, immediately clicking the keys on his keyboard before smiling fondly.
“What about Pat the bunny? They say it's a nice book for children your age.” with that, the little girl's smile widens “Yes please!” she exclaimed, “I'm glad you're excited dear but, please lower your voice.” he gently told the little girl, she covered her mouth and whispered a sorry.
“I'll get the book, you just stay here alright?”
“No mister, i can get the book on my own.” the little girl said with a determined smile “Okay then, you can find the book in the children's literature.” he said pointing towards the near bookrack
The little girl nodded and smiled “Thank you mister.” she whispered before leaving to go search for the book.
“She seems like a very nice girl.” a calming voice said wich caught Octavius’ attention.
He turned his head to see Sacajawea standing behind his desk, his very helpful coworker “Good afternoon Octavius, is there anything I can help with?” she asks, Octavius thinks for a while before shaking his head “There isn't much work to do any ways Wea, we can just relax for a while. Anyways, how are you and Teddy doing?” Octavius asked, changing the subject.
Sacajawea blushes a bit, before scratching the back of her neck “Well, not that much know but...” she gestures him to come closer and as he did Wea whispered something into his ear wich makes Octavius smile even wider.
“I'm so happy for you, I'll treat you and Teddy later along with the others, how about that?”
“Oh, I'll see if Teddy is available later.”
––––
There he stands in the alleyway near the bank, revolver in his hands and a mask to conceal his identity.
“Alright now Smith, this is for you and yer brothers..” the man mutters to himself.
There was one mission this guy needs to accomplish, and that is to rob this bank and take enough money to feed his family.
“Here I go...”
––––
Octavius and Wea were out for their lunch break, Wea brought her purse while Octavius brought a bag with him happily chatting where to eat for the short while, but a woman's scream had startled them.
“HELP! IT'S THE EXPLORER!”
Lots of people are running towards them and are yelling incoherent words. “WHERE ARE THE POLICE?!”
“FORGET THE POLICE, SOMEONE CALL AUGUSTUS!”
Wea and Octavius look at each other in an unsettled and worried way “Octavius, you should go now.” Sac stated, although the other man looked hesitant, he kept shaking his head “Octavius, go!”
“But what about you?!” Octavius exclaims back at her, Wea just furrows her brows and tells him in a commanding tone “I'll be fine, just go!”
With that, Octavius runs to the nearest alleyway carrying the bag in a protective way.
–––
“Put the money in the damn bag!” the explorer yelled, as he held a revolver in front of the man wich was the bank teller. The employee obliged to that order, not wanting to be shot today.
“Yeah keep all that cash coming.” the explorer said as a smug smile appeared. As long as no cops or no annoying heroes come to ruin this day he can finally put some bread on the table for his brothers.
Everything was going as planned, the bank teller was putting all the cash into the bag, the onlookers were all silent and stayed in one place, the explorer can leave peacefully after this.
“Explorer!”
He spoke too soon huh.
The explorer turned to see Augustus, this small city's hero. Augustus always interfered with the explorer's business and always tried to put him behind the slammer. But he will never do that, the explorer will always deny that idea.
“Well lookie here everyone, your favorite hero's come to save ya!” the explorer said in a jokingly cheerful way. He reloads the revolver and readies his trigger finger. “ We're gonna do this the hard way or the easy way, spandex boy?”
“Ha! Those guns don't even work!” Augustus says with a pompous smile, the explorer becomes more irritated because of this.
“And how'd you know? I haven't even shot this thing yet!” he holds the revolver upwards and shoots.
BANG
The glass ceiling breaks from the bullet and everyone stops moving, too terrified of being shot, even Augustus happens to be stunned.
The explorer cackles “That's what I thought, now keep filling up that bag!”
––––
Augustus doesn't know what to do, the explorer has never brought a fully loaded gun before, it was just a prop to scare him and the spectators.
He looks at the explorer, trying to formulate a plan before taking action. He looks around his environment first, looking for certain things that may be useful for stopping the explorer.
‘There isn't much I can do, I can't risk any civilians getting hurt.’ he thinks to himself. A few more moments of processing then it hit him.
––––
“Is that everything?” the explorer asks, the bank teller quivers “You wanted more?” the explorer rubs his temple as a headache starts to form “Of course I do you nitwit! Now give ‘em to me!”
The bank teller shakes as he puts more money into the bag, it looks like the explorer's gonna go home with a bag full of money tonight.
He looks around to see Augustus standing still across his revolver, finally the Explorer has the upperhand today.
“What's up spandex boy? Afraid that you'll be seen as a failure of a hero?” he teased, a satisfied smile forming on his lips. Augustus just furrows his brows before saying “I don't think you'll be successful today Explorer.”
“Oh yeah, and why's that?”
Before he reacts, Augustus sweeps his feet and he suddenly falls on the floor, making him drop his revolver. Before the Explorer could reach for his weapon, Augustus kicks it away.
“Oh, I see. Ain't playin’ fair huh? Two can play at that game.” the villain said, quickly recovering from the fall and grabs his lasso. He swings the lasso and aims for Augustus and makes a successful attempt to capture the hero.
“Ha! Not so fun, huh August?” he watches as Augustus struggles with the lasso, the Explorer chuckled, clearly fond of his expert lasso swinging skills. But before he could take his attention off the hero, Augustus breaks free from the tight lasso “Ah!” the explorer muttered something under his breath “Ah crap...”
Augustus threw a punch to the villain's face, making the explorer's left cheek bruised “Lucky shot!” Explorer said, as he himself throws a left hook, making Augustus wobble a bit.
“Go Augustus! You can do it!” a small child's voice called out from the crowd, the Explorer turned his head to see who that was before his eyes widened.
With the explorer's attention on something else, Augustus quickly gave a jab to the other man's jaw, causing the villain to fall on the floor and knock out.
“cacas” Augustus muttered, he bent down to see if the Explorer was still breathing and he hopes he is. He tilts the villain's head and checks if he's still still breathing, and thanks to a miracle, the explorer is still alive.
“He's only knocked out, everything is alright now everyone!” Augustus states and everyone in the bank cheers the hero's name.
––––
The explorer wakes up, still dizzy from earlier's punch.
He looks around him to see only a table, a few chairs, and a door in front of him. No, no, he knows where he is now. He shouldn't be here!
The door opens to reveal Augustus and a female officer “Oh, you are already awake. I was starting to get worried.” Augustus says with a sincere smile– to what the explorer could interpret.
“And when did you care?” he talks back bitterly, he tries to move and he just realized now that his hand were handcuffed to the chair. He groans before looking at the two people in front of him.
“Explorer, we just want to ask you some questions. All I'm asking for is your cooperation and it'll make things easier for both the tree of us.” the female officer said with a tired voice.
The explorer just rolls his eyes, like a child rolling their eyes because their parents told them not to do this or that. “Like imma give you any information. You ain't getting’ a word outta me!” the explorer exclaims, Augustus and the female cop sigh heavily.
The both of them take a seat across from The explorer “You're lucky we still haven't ripped that mask from your face–”
“Ms. Cruz” Augustus calmly said as he turned to the explorer “Please, we don't want to make this as hard as it already needs to be.”
The explorer hesitated, before thinking of ways to get out from this situation. The others should've already known what happened to him by now and are already on their way to come and get him.
“Alrighty then” he said, trying to buy some time for himself. Augustus and Cruz widened their eyes and Augustus smiles “I hope you are being true ti your word Explorer.”
‘I just need a bit more time...’
Cruz asked the first question “Alright, i need you to tell me who you're working with, and why.”
The explorer trues to dodge the question, trying his best not to give out any real information “I ain't working with anyone, I'm a lone wolf..” he trails off, Cruz just rolls her eyes “Oh please, we suspect that you work with The Pharaoh and his other goons.” she said firmly.
The explorer was starting to sweat buckets die to this “How ‘bout we just get to the next question.” Augustus clears his throat and it makes Explorer's head ache.
“If you aren't going to answer that explorer, maybe we can know what your motives are?”
The explorer pauses, he doesn't say anything and just looks down on the table “Explorer!” Cruz said to where Augustus just calms her down “Look, I don't need to answer personal questions like this... And besides... My ride's already here.”
The wall behind the explorer gets destroyed to reveal three other villains with a sinister grin “Explorer, nice to see you again.” The Pharaoh, or known as the ringleader in their group said.
Cruz and Augustus immediately stand up, ready to fight “One more step and I'll shoot!” the second villain dressed up in a black jacket with a black tie and a fedora said as he held out a Tommy gun.
The third villain dressed up in a modest uniform, an overcoat and paired with a bicorne hat that made him look like a french revolutionary untied The explorer, releasing him free.
“Ha! Police are no match for us.” the fourth villain who was wearing terlik taunted.
The Pharaoh smiled sadistically “You didn't just lose an important villain, you also have to pay for this wall that WE broke.” he said before leaving with his crew.
Cruz and Augustus stand there dumbfounded of the events that just happened.
Tbh, I'm not that proud of the fight scenes in this chapter, I promise I'll try my best to learn more about fighting techniques and write more better fight scenes 😥