Chapter 3

“So! let's see... do I have everything?” Zine scanned his small amount of luggage.

“It seems so, good! Thank god I've moved out of that town…I'm away from it all, I can start all over again.”

Zine let out a sigh, feeling relieved.

Well, I need to hurry up and get acquainted with the fighting ring in this town. It's supposed to be under the basement of an abandoned building, he thought.

Apparently, in the sewers there was a room that was never used by the city and eventually became an illegal fighting ring.

Can't be helped, I need the money. Part time jobs just aren't going to cut it. Besides I need to save up for college. Although I do not have a whole lot of strength, I'm quick on my feet and have a lot of experience from other fighting rings and gang fights. I should be fine, Zine nodded to himself.

He scanned his small apartment, he had finally put the essentials away and was getting ready to find the new ring. He had gotten permission from the owner, and was going to fight tonight. The owner had heard of his fights in the last town he was in, and had agreed to let him join.

Zine put on his boots and leggings, along with the black sweater he always wore whenever he fought, and it said “I Bite” in white lettering.

He had a mask he always wore over his mouth and nose, although it was more like a piece of dark cloth.

It felt kind of childish, but he always thought of himself as a ninja, except without all the stabbing and smoke bombs.

He pulled on his favorite black fingerless gloves, the ones with grips on the palms. Then, he grabbed his dark glasses out of his sweater and put them on. They were like sunglasses, but didn't make the room darker, and he made sure to cover his head with his hoodie so his white hair wasn't as noticeable.

He grabbed his favorite dog collar and clasped it around his neck. It was a black choker and had an actual silver dog tag shaped like a dog biscuit. He had seen a dog-tag-making machine at a store and couldn't resist. All the tag said was “WOOF” in big letters.

He found it hilarious.

Time to go, he thought reluctantly.

Zine left his new apartment, and it was about an hour after dusk in this town.

He was rather surprised that it took so long to get dark. He knew it was about 9p.m. and he needed to be there in half an hour.

Walking down these new streets, he quickened his pace checking all around him, reading signs and making sure he was not lost.

Big place, he thought lightly.

He focused his hearing on the disorder of the town with his overly sensitive ears.

Thugs hiding in alleys, getting high and counting the money they had stolen. Dirty cops, trying to pick up prostitutes. Drunk men, trying to hit on random women and getting a face full of pepper spray.

He had to laugh at that last one.

“Ahhhh.” he mumbled out loud, with a slightly creepy grin.

“This city is bigger, but has the same amount of crime I guess. At least it seems I will be able to earn some money at this place. With this amount of crime there will be a lot of stupid or bored people gambling away their cash.”

He turned down a slightly quieter, but darker street.

Probably about a block away I suppose, he assumed.

Over at a bus stop with a crooked sign that must have gotten rammed by a car, there was a man to his left.

Whoa, he’s giving off some strange vibes. Best to steer clear of him, Zine thought.

He continued to walk on the other side of the road, ready to turn down the next street.

Is it my imagination or is he totally staring at me? Zine had avoided eye contact, but quickly flashed his eyes to the side.

The man stiffened slightly.

Yup I’m being stared at…yay I’m going to be mugged now! First day in this city and I am already being targeted, he thought with distaste.

Wait I'm wearing my glasses…how did he know I looked at him? Freaked out, Zine quickened his pace and turned down his street.

The man stayed at the bus stop.

Good, he thought.

It was just his imagination.

He took another turn down an alley, and saw the half collapsed building that was described to him.

Zine found the giant grate at the side of the structure, and carefully pulled it up, slipping inside.