On a Sunday morning, the streets were quiet and Balland stood outside his bakery, leaning on the wall as he was wearing a black coat, black inner wear, blue jeans and a black shoe.
While Balland waited, he checked the watch on his wrist for the time and saw it was nine-thirty in the morning. Suddenly he heard a feminine voice speak.
"I'm here."
Balland raised his head and saw the person to be Caesar who was wore a blue T-shirt, black jeans and black shoes.
"You've arrived." Balland said.
"Sorry if I came late. Should have asked for the time yesterday but I was too tired and upset, so it slipped my mind." Caesar replied.
"I see. Get in." Balland said as he walked towards the entrance of his bakery.
Balland opened the door of his bakery and gestured for Caesar to enter and as soon as she did, Balland followed and placed the closed sign on the door of his bakery.
As soon as Balland closed the door, he clicked on the lights and glanced at Caesar.
"So... Uh, you said I should come here for the details. For you to ask me to come here on Sunday of all days, that tells me how big the information is." Caesar said as she crossed her arms, "So what are they? You found the one willing to help?"
"Yeah, and more." Balland answered, "I told you before that I have a friend who is an EBW wrestler. His name is Cedric Gray, who they call the madman ... And for a good reason.
He's been in the business for a long time and he is about to retire, but... He agreed he'll train you. He owes me a favor, after all."
"That's nice. Thanks for asking him... But... Madman?" Caesar asked with an arched brow.
"Like I said... For a good reason. EBW matches are usually intergender but Cedric in his prime was a menace to all genders, and races." Balland replied as he crossed his arms, "He once used the stage pyro to set his male opponent on fire in a triple threat match and once slammed his female opponent on a table filled with barb wires and explosive, and yet that's the least diabolical thing he has done."
"Least? And that's the guy that is supposed to train me?" Caesar asked.
"Beggars can't be choosers, right? Plus, he is the only guy willing to teach for free right now." Balland answered, "He'll teach you what you need to know in surviving that industry long enough, but I should warn you... No backtalks, no ego. Whatever he tells you, do it. You got that?"
Caesar stared at Balland for a moment before nodding her head.
"Tomorrow, we'll head to his gym." Balland said.
"Wait? Tomorrow? We're not going today?" Caesar asked in confusion.
"No." Balland answered.
"So I have to come to his gym tomorrow? why didn't you just tell me all of this on the phone? Why didn't you just tell me that and where to meet you on Monday, rather than coming here?" Caesar asked.
"I made that mistake once." Balland said as he turned his face away, "It didn't end well."
Balland recalled a burning building
"Had to keep it short and simple on the phone. It's better that way." Balland continued after the recollection,"One more thing: I also requested help from a powerful family. They helped me survive the Mizukais and they might help you, too."
"Okay, who are they?" Caesar asked.
"For now, all you I can tell you are the conditions for their help." Balland said.
"Conditions?" Caesar asked.
"Conditions to prove you're worth helping." Balland replied.
"Conditions to prove I'm... Okay, and how am I supposed to do that?" Caesar asked, "Prove that I'm worth helping?"
"By showing you can take the heat. That you can take everything EBW and the Mizukais throw at you and yet still thrive in the company." Balland answered, "And you have a whole year to do that.
Once it's done, they will step in and set you free."
"A whole year? Okay, hold up. You're telling me some 'powerful' people I don't know, are giving me conditions for their help and it will take a full year for them to step in?" Caesar asked with a raised brow.
"From their perspective, they are being generous." Balland said, "They don't know you and they wouldn't have if I didn't bring your case to them... Not to mention, they have anything to do with you.
You're not their blood or family friend. They could have just said no. After all, they owe you nothing.
As for their identities... They are among the twelve most powerful families in Neo-earth. The families that control the media, the businesses, the courts and many more, and they are among the few families that can put the Mizukais in check."
"They are basically doing you a favor." Balland continued as he shifted his head to the left , "All you just need to do is prove that you are worth their time and help."
After Balland's explanation, Caesar stayed quiet for some time and rubbed the back of her neck before she closed her eyes and sighed.
"Fine. I'll do it " Caesar said.
"Good." Balland said as he turned towards the exit, "I'll ask Gura to manage the bakery while I take you to the gym tomorrow."
"Remember... Just like you took the risk of telling me your truth, I took a lot of risk doing this and I'm still taking more. Don't blow this up." Balland said as he glanced at Caesar.
As Balland turned back to the exit and opened the door, Caesar tilted her head down and narrowed her eyes.
Elsewhere within the Mizukai mansion, Akari Mizukai dwelt in her room, scrolling through her tablet in irritation.
"Not good enough. Not good enough,either." Akari muttered.
On the screen of Akari's tablet were faces of several EBW male wrestlers and Akari kept scrolling past each one while biting her lips in annoyance.
"Not one of them is good enough."
Akari stumbled across a picture of a bald, fair skinned male EBW wrestler with yellow irises and had green scales on the side of his head and face.
"Hmmm. Damien Bane. He seems interesting..." Akari said within with a smile, "Exceptionally brutal... But..."
"He is not the one I need right now." Akari continued as she scrolled past.
While she was working, a sudden knock sounded on her door.
"Come in." Akari said while paying attention to her phone.
The door opened and Toma Mizukai entered Akari's room.
Toma walked towards Akari and performed a formal bow.
"Elder sister." Toma said to Akari, "Eldest brother Raizan has requested for a family meeting."
"Tell him I'll be there shortly." Akari replied without shifting her gaze.
Toma nodded and turned his back to walk away. However, Toma glanced at Akari and noted the troubled look on her face while she was on her tablet.
"Is something bothering you, elder sister." Toma asked.
"Yes. It's Caesar." Akari answered.
"The beastfolk debtor?" Toma asked with a raised brow.
"Yes. I have been trying to find an opponent to teach her a lesson. An opponent that is more than capable of giving her a beating far worse than what Cardinal gave her.
One who would absolutely scar her in that ring." Akari answered, "I have seen a list of brutal wrestlers in the roster but none of them have what I'm looking for.
It is sad really. Is there truly no one in the roster that fits my ideals?"
Toma walked towards Akari and extended his arm forward.
"May I?" Toma asked.
Akari finally gazed at Toma and handed him her tablet.
Toma began to scroll through the tablet and gave out a slight smirk.
"What about this one? He should do." Toma said as he handed Akari back her tablet.
Akari took the tablet and gazed at the picture of the man on her screen.
The man had a fair skin, long messy jet- black hair, black irises and a devilish smile.
"Oooh. This is good." Akari said with a smile, "The most controversial talent in EBW. Themaddog- NeroRogue."
"He hates beastfolks and would go over the top to destroy one in the ring." Toma said.
"Yes. Yes. Yes! This is so good!" Akari said, "He fits the description I need very much."
"I am glad you like it, elder sister." Toma said with a smile.
"Like it? I love it." Akari replied as her smile darkened, "He is perfect. Just the right person to teach that silly beastfolk a lesson."
"Good to know." Toma said, "Well-"
"You know, if I were a man right now, my member would be standing." Akari cuts in on Toma.
Toma, feeling the devilish pressure radiating from Akari stepped back a little in fear.
Akari chuckled and let out a grin while the upper parts of her face were overshadowed.
Akari then raised her head and her grin widened.
"Thank you, little brother. You've given me the perfect gift." Akari said.
"I... I am glad I did." Toma nervously replied, "I will be going now."
As soon as Toma left the room, Akari gazed at her screen once more and slightly tilted her head.
"Oh, 'this' will be entertaining." Akari said within.