Stan wakes up and starts his morning with his old work out. A hundred sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and squats. Then one thousand punches and kicks. Stan leaves his room and grabs himself something to eat and stops to smoke a blunt. He can hear Dariűse snoring in his room. Stan chuckles to himself. He looks at Quiet's room. He knows Quiet isn't in there. Ever since Stan had made his mind up to leave things were never the same between them. And then once it came out that Stan was The Mortificator G.B.P’s golden boy and face of the games. He didn't dare show his face to Quiet after that. Needless to say after last night there was no telling when he'd see Quiet again. Stan finishes his breakfast and blunt and proceeds outside the apartment to have a look around.
Everywhere Stan goes he is left in awe by the beautiful scenery and architecture around the country and also with the hospitality of all the people living here. While out he is invited to join in a fútbol game going on in a field. Stan does his best to keep up but clearly lacks the skill to truly compete with the locals. He has fun all the same and the locals compliment him on his skill anyway. Afterwards the players invite him to join them for lunch. They all talk and get to know each other. Stan learns that they play for fun but hope to one day become a real team and compete in Africa's fútbol tournament they host every year. Stan tells them how he plans to meet with Mansa Musa but doesn't come clean with exactly why.
Later Stan catches up with Dariűse. He is practicing his sword techniques. "Did you get into anything interesting out there?" Dariűse asks. "Not really just some soccer and a small lunch." Stan answers. "You play a little of the fútbol?" Dariűse inquiries. "No, just having some fun?" Stan replies. "I'm guessing you do though?" Stan asks. "Yeah I was actually pretty good back on my island." Dariűse replies proudly. Dariűse continues to practice his sword technique but this time he purposely goes after Stan with his techniques. Stan just barely moves to keep himself outta the way of his sword. "Still sharp I see?" Dariűse says and chuckles. "I guess some things just come natural." Stan replies. He picks up a stick. "En Garde!" Stan exclaims at Dariűse. They both assume attack stances and begin to have at it. Stan swings at Dariűse with all his might with the stick. Dariűse relies only on his reflexes and technique to fend off Stan. Stan's sword skills are no match for Dariűse's skill with the blade. With Stan's reflexes and speed though he gives Dariűse a good challenge. "What are you training to meet Mansa Musa too?" Stan asks jokingly.
"Well not exactly. See long ago Pharaoh's would host a tournament and the winner would become the pharaoh's new personal bodyguard. Skilled soldiers from all over Egypt would come and compete for the honor. For only the best of the best would survive the tournament to the death."Dariűse continues to explain as they spar. "Mansa Musa is keeping the tradition alive with some modern reworks. No death, no restrictions on who can enter, and best of all the chance to be crowned the weapons master of the N.O.A." Dariűse finishes. "Ahhh yes your never ending goal to be the man who ruled them all." Stan responds. "Yes, the greatest samurai to ever live. No weapon will ever be able to stand against me." Dariűse says. He flicks his Nodachi and cuts the stick apart right above Stan's hand. Stan looks at his hand and chuckles.
"Wanna take a little smoke?" Stan asks. Dariűse and Stan down and spark up. They pass it back and forth a second before Dariűse asks. "So what's the plan?" Stan groans. "Ugh here we go." "Nah, nah I'm being serious, you win the tournament, you talk to Mansa, and then what?... we go to war with the G.B.P." Dariűse responds. "We get justice for my wife and unborn child. I never said I wanted a war. He said that. I'm just asking for a little help finding the people responsible for this. I clearly don't have the resources. What's the big deal with tryna find someone that does?" Dariűse softens his tone. "I just wanna make sure you're thinking clearly and being realistic with your goals man. That's all." "I know man. I know." Stan responds.
AmpingaFiaroFahafahana or Ampinga(The Shield) for short. Wakes up like he always does, just as the sun is rising, he meets with his brother and his father. The three of them run a bush taxi business. Technically it's just the three of them but they are the most famous of the taxi men and others often look to them when wanting to start their own taxi service or help in general.
Ampinga does his morning workout as the trucks get loaded with people trying to get into town. A mix of squats, jumping push ups, crunches, and rounds of heavybag work using a tree is what makes up his morning workout. Once the trucks are loaded and everyone is set they head off. The trucks can only hold about 15 people max but a little more than 20 will pile in. Ampinga runs behind the two trucks as they drive down the N5. Which is nothing more than a dirt track worn down by decades of use by the locals. It's a 250 kilometers drive and Ampinga will make the whole trip jogging behind. Along the way they will come across other taxi men who will also be making the trip from their villages. The dirt track is very rocky, uneven, muddy, and there are several rivers they will need to cross bridges and catch ferries to get across along the way making it difficult and dangerous for most vehicles. So it's never really that difficult for Ampinga to keep pace with the trucks.
As he jogs along many people come out to cheer Ampinga on. He is the King of Moraingy and wears the title proudly. Moraingy is one of the most popular sports apart of the N.O.A's games they host every year. Ampinga will be the candidate Madagascar sends to compete to see Mansa Musa and favorite to win the honor. To the locals of Madagascar he is a hero of the people.
Ampinga has used all his money from fighting to not only build the Bush taxi business and buy his brother and father the best and newest trucks he could buy, but he also has funded the redevelopment of his village. He plans to use his chance to speak with Mansa to ask for money to build roads along the N5 to make passage easier for all commuters in the surrounding villages. For now he focuses on helping his brother and father safety traverse this perilous journey ahead of them. – end of the sixteenth issue???
