As Beer Beard lay collapsed in the middle of the desolate street, a survivor of the hair kingdom, a beautiful woman with a tanned complexion and a long black ponytail, came across him. 

 

Dressed in short blue jeans, a black rolled-up biker jacket, and a sports bra, she exuded excellent charm. 

 

Upon seeing that Beer Beard still possessed his hair, she decided to shelter him in an abandoned building nearby.

 

Beer Beard's consciousness slowly returned as he found himself sheltered in the abandoned building, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. 

 

The woman, with concern etched on her face, knelt beside him. 

 

"Ya you awake? You took quite a blow there, but you're lucky your chest hair saved you," she remarked, her voice laced with a mix of admiration and curiosity.

 

Beer Beard gingerly touched his chest, feeling the remnants of the scorching curling rod. "Mah chest h’air? It protected me?" he asked, still amazed by the fortuitousness of his hair.

 

The woman nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Yeah, it seems your untamed hair acted as a shield against the scorching heat. Quite impressive, I must say."

 

Beer Beard chuckled loudly, appreciating the irony of his situation. "Well’ shit… W-wait! Where’s the old man!"

 

Beer Beard looked around frantically for the old man, but to no avail.

 

Leaning against the wall, the woman glanced outside, her eyes scanning the desolate streets.

 

"We're in the ruins of the old hair kingdom, not far from Sword. Your friend was probably taken there… they all do...” Her eyes seemed to close gently as if remembering something, But she continued.

 

“Black Beard, ever heard of em?"

 

“Huh?” Beer Beard retorted. “Yeah, the ol’ man said he waz mah father.”

 

“He’s the one who runs the show around here, and if you want your friend back you’ll probably have to deal with hi-.”

 

The woman's brain caught up to what she heard and paused in reflex.

 

“Y-Your father?” She replied

 

“Heh, something like that, but I hardly k’new em.”

 

The woman's expression hardened, her eyes reflecting confusion of whether to hate Beer Beard or not. 

 

"Well your father stole the hairs of everyone here you know. My friends… fami-"

 

“Huh?! W-wat ya blam’in me? Hell you still got hair what the hell!”

 

In her mind she knew it was pointless, but the anger and loneliness of it all took considerable toll, she wanted someone to blame.

 

Meanwhile, Beer Beard noticed a modified motorcycle behind her, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "Da hells this!"

 

The woman's gaze shifted from the Beer Beard to the motorcycle behind her, she sighed faintly, "It’s a Tri-nax, or ‘war horse’ I guess depending on who you ask I guess."

 

“Practically everyone in the hair kingdom had one, but now they're practically all dead.”

 

“Except for mine of course.” A smug smirk made an appearance on her face, feeling proud of the fact.

 

After clearing her throat she waves her hand getting Beer Beards attention, “Anyways, listen up, I need your help, maybe with you it's possible.”

 

“Fo, wat?” Beer Beard Replied.

 

“To save the hair kingdom of course.”

 

“Da hell I am! I barely survived with mah chest hair, hell if I’ma do that again!”

 

“Oh come on you big oaf, you're planning on saving that friend of yours no?”

 

Beer Beards face seemed disgruntled, he looked at the motorcycle once more and pointed at it.

 

“Huh?! Hell no, get your own!” She yelled.

 

The two argued for a bit longer, unfortunately for the both of them no agreement was made.

 

Realizing that Beer Beard was just an idiot she decided to back down.

 

To the women’s surprise Beer Beard headed back out but rather than to the Sword he went in the opposite direction.

 

When pressed, Beer Beard replied that he was going to get some backup.

 

Ninjas he said, the best shinobis he knows.

 

>>>

 

After parting ways with the woman, Beer Beard embarked on a treacherous journey back to Omega Sector, the dystopian mega city. 

Determined to locate his friends Mike and Frank, two shinobi ninjas, he delved deeper into the city's labyrinthine streets, navigating the shadows and remnants of a world gone awry.

 

However, his search proved fruitless, and frustration began to weigh heavily on Beer Beard's mind. 

 

As he wandered through the darkened alleys, his thoughts were consumed by memories of his old master.

 

It was during this introspective moment that Beer Beard found an unlikely individual, General J. Bottle, emerged from the shadows. 

 

The tension between them crackled in the air, both parties poised for a confrontation. 

 

“W’aat the hell!” Beer Beard yelled. “Ah! Came here for y’a usual ass whoop’in did ya?”

 

Their eyes locked, and for a brief moment, it seemed that a battle was imminent.

 

But then, a strange realization washed over Beer Beard. 

 

The fire of animosity within him began to wane, replaced by a mutual disinterest in engaging in further conflict. 

 

Beer Beard broke the silence, his voice laced with weariness. "Humf! What’s wrong Bottle? Well’ if’ya ain't here to fight then get outta the way, I need to find Frank and Mike."

 

General Bottle's expression softened, a vague smile then appeared. "Funny, I’m looking for someone too. And the last thing I remember was you breaking into my apartment."

 

"Oh ya? And what’s so important that you would want to find me out here? The girl?”

 

Bottle lights a cigarette and nodes. (Clink!) (Hiss)

 

“The hell if I know where she is, the last thing I remember was running from her."

 

A flicker of uncertainty passed over General Bottle's face, "I've been searching for her but nothing, I thought you might have some leads."

 

Beer Beard's features hardened, determination seeping back into his voice. "Listen, I'm on a short timer he’ya go to the MPD or something." (Military Police Department)

 

As Beer Beard walked past Bottle he could hear him trailing behind him.

 

Rather than parting ways, General Bottle unexpectedly decided to follow Beer Beard, his curiosity outweighing his lingering hostility. 

 

The two adversaries turned reluctant companions, Bottle who had no leads believing that following Beer Beard would be more fruitful than wandering alone.

 

Little did they know that their journey would lead them to revelations beyond their wildest imaginations, intertwining their fates in ways they could never have anticipated.

>>>

 

General Bottle, intrigued by the possibility of obtaining information about Gesus, decided to follow Beer Beard relentlessly. 

 

Their journey took them through the desolate streets of Omega Sector, where the remnants of an old shinobi temple, well hidden among the decrepit buildings around it.

 

As Beer Beard stepped inside, the air carried a bittersweet nostalgia, reminding him of the countless hours he had spent training with Mike and Frank in this very place.

 

In the dimly lit chamber, Beer Beard found solace amidst the familiar weapons that adorned the walls. 

 

His hands gripped shurikens, kunai, and paper bombs, the weight of the weapons bringing a sense of purpose and determination.

 

Shoving it all into his afro hair for storage he began to lay his eyes upon the gleaming katana sword, it was worn down, no doubt it had been used countless of times.

 

Shoving the katana sieve into his belt Beer Beard emerged from the Shinobi hideout, the weapons securely fastened to his person.

The clinking sound of the tools resonated with each step..

 

Together, Beer Beard and General Bottle embarked on their journey, leaving the Omega Sector behind. 

 

The path ahead led them to the East of Omega, beyond the Sun's Edge, a treacherous valley littered with shattered glass that refracted the sunlight into dangerous laser-like beams. 

 

The valley's lethal beauty served as a warning to those who dared venture further.

 

As they crossed the threshold into the Sun's Edge, Beer Beard's chest tightened with a mix of anticipation and unease. 

 

The sharp rays of sunlight, now concentrated into perilous lasers, danced around them, threatening to cut through flesh and bone. 

 

Each step was measured and cautious, as they navigated through the hazardous terrain, their lives hanging in the balance.

 

It was a tedious effort, in fact it may as well be impossible for any vehicles to travel through here without some sort of special equipment.

 

General Bottle, never one to show fear, rather he seemed out of breath.

 

Breaking the monotony of their journey, Bottle spoke with some fatigued gasp for air, (Huff~) (Huff~)  "Bloody hell, where I thought you were looking for the ninjas in the city."

 

Beer Beard, his gaze fixed on the perilous path ahead, "I did, but they weren’t the’ya.

 

“Uh huh…” Bottle replied

 

With the Sun's Edge challenging their every step, Beer Beard and General Bottle pressed on, beyond it to the ruins of the hair kingdom. 

 

In the distance not too far, a mighty tower stood alone surrounded in ruin, the Sword.

 

With caution etched in their movements, Bottle and Beer Beard scouted the area surrounding the Sword. 

 

The once-bustling buildings had long since been abandoned, their hollowed shells standing as solemn reminders of a lost era. 

 

The desolation seemed to seep into the very air they breathed, casting gloom as they looked around.

 

As they moved stealthily through the dilapidated streets a chilling sight caught their attention. 

 

A group of civilians, their heads bald and devoid of hair, stood listlessly in the vicinity. 

 

Their eyes gazed into nothingness, as if the essence of their beings had been drained away along with their hair.

 

Beer Beard's curiosity compelled him to approach one of the individuals, his heart aching with a mix of compassion and horror. 

 

“Aye yo, man you gud?” He asked.

 

However, as he drew closer, the vacant stare of the bald civilian sent a shiver down his spine. 

 

Bottle, on the other hand, walked past the lifeless figures with an air of indifference, his focus unswerving. 

 

He seemed immune to such despair that clung to the atmosphere. 

 

Beer Beard, unsettled by the lifeless eyes that haunted him, moved to catch up with Bottle, his emotions swirling within him. "Hey’a Bottle, don't you feel anything when you see them? Like hell they got no hair!"

 

Bottle turned to face Beer Beard, his expression masked by a veil of detachment. "Uh huh..."

 

“What I’m more concerned about is what caused it.” Bottle replied.

 

“Ah, you weren’t the’ya, There’a these pychos called hay’a hu-”

 

“Hair Hunters!” Someone screamed in the distance, correcting Beer Beard’s slurred speech.

 

It was a man slouched over, bald with several other bald men surrounding him.

 

They wore formal suits, sunglasses and some earpieces.

“You boys sure are unlucky rolling up to here with that hair of yours.”

 

The man who talked had lit a cigarette and walked up to Beer Beard, examining him as if a statue.

 

“Geez that’s a lotta hair, haven’t seen that many since oh i don’t know, eight or nine years ago?”

 

“Ey… I think it's been a decade Boss.” Someone else replied

 

Beer Beard replied, “Boss?”

 

The man smirked, brushing his cigarette with one hand, “heh, ye well at least for this small part of town I am.”

 

As the man spoke, his gang slowly surrounded the two with an arm reaching inside their suits.

 

“Well then… I’m sure you and I wil-” (WACK!)

 

Beer Beard threw the first punch, surprising everyone there.

 

“Wey’a the hell is da ol’ man! Bring him out here!” Beer Beard screamed.

 

And in an instant a brawl occurred. 

 

Several hair hunters pulled out exotic looking hair cutting tools and began to lunge at their hair while others tried to grapple the two.

 

Each swing with their claw like hands were dodged and kicked away with equal ferocity.

 

In reflex however, both Bottle and Beer Beard instinctively protected their hair from those attacks.

 

Causing the both of them to maintain unnatural fighting positions and taking hits which they could’ve easily avoided.

 

Bottle who noticed spoke, “What the hell! Why the hell am I blocking these attacks?”

 

One of the hair hunters explained, “Heh, heh, so you noticed huh? This is the curse of having hair.”

 

“Curse of having hair?” Bottle replied.

 

“Yup, a sickness like no other, something that can only be cured by shaving bald!” (Swoosh!) (WACK!)

 

The man lunged in for a strike but was struck with a swift kick to his stomach.

 

It was comical in a way, both Bottle and Beer Beard only threw kicks and rarely threw fists as they were constantly guarding their hair. 

 

With each precise strike, a hair hunter succumbed to the overwhelming force of Bottle and Beer Beard's legs which would often out reach the arms of the assailants. 

 

One by one, the hair hunters crumpled to the ground, unconscious and defeated, their scissors relinquished in the wake of the warriors' surprising endurance.

 

Breathing heavily, Bottle wiped the sweat from his brow, a grim satisfaction etched across his face. 

 

(Huff~) (Huff~) (Huff~) “Bloody hell, (Huff~) t-that was a lot h-harder… (Huff~) than I thought…” Beer Beard said, as he sat on the ground.

 

(Huff~) “Argh!” Bottle jerked 

 

“Huh?! They got you?” Beer Beard asked

 

(Huff~) “Stomach cramp,” Bottle replied.

 

The surprising amount of effort it took to take down the group of eight goons seemed overwhelming for the both of them.

 

Beer Beard who had fought them before had relied on his gatling gun at a distance, but fighting in melee proved troublesome.

 

Beer Beard continued, “Shit, come’on lets get outta he’ya!”

 

Together they made their way into another abandoned building, the home though partially destroyed made sufficient of a hideout for them to rest.

 

Bottle who seemed the most relaxed out of the two, asked, “So… What’s the plan Beer Beard.”

 

“He hell, if I kn’ow. I would just mow’em down with my gatling gun but we don’t got none do we.”

 

As Beer Beard retrieved a protein bar from his pack, anticipation painted his features. He unwrapped it, revealing a compact bar packed with nourishing ingredients.

 

As Beer Beard took a hearty bite, savoring the blend of flavors, Bottle's expression soured with disdain. 

 

He wrinkled his nose, visibly repulsed by the artificial nature of the protein bar. "Ugh, that's not real food, Beer Beard."

 

Beer Beard chuckled, unaffected by Bottle's disapproval. "Well, it keeps me going. Besides, in a world like this, beats starving hey’a?"

 

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Bottle leaned against a dilapidated wall, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. 

 

Beer Beard seized the opportunity to pose a question that had nagged at his curiosity. "So Bottle… why are you even helping me? We both know you ain’t the type."

 

Bottle's eyes made their way to meet Beer Beards, it was an uncomfortable feeling as they seemed as empty as the bald civilians that they had just met not too long ago. 

 

"Heh, well the truth I think I know where to find her, But, I'll need help. Your help."

 

Beer Beard's brows furrowed, the weight of Bottle's revelation sinking in. "Gesus? You mean the little girl who waz with you?"

 

Bottle nodded. "Yeah."

 

Beer Beard mulled over Bottle's words, "So, wat? You think I’ll help just cuz you’re help’in me right now?"

 

Bottle sighed, his gaze fixed on a distant memory, "If not, so be it….”

 

Beer Beard smiled, at the opportunity, “Awe, don be like that Bottle. Tell’ya wat I’ll help’ya!”

 

“If you could say plEaSe.”

 

“Could you please help me rescue Gesus.” Without a moment of hesitation Bottle replied surprising Beer Beard

 

“Eh?” O_O

 

It was an ingenious maneuver, preying on Beer Beard’s ego, leaving Beer Beard two choices, to keep his word or to lie.

 

Realizing what just happened Beer Beard became angry, “Why you son’of a bitch!”

 

As the weight of their conversation lingered in the air, Bottle reached into his pocket and withdrew a chocolate bar, its wrapper gleaming with the promise of indulgence. 

 

Bottle smirked as he took out a chocolate bar and took a snap out of it. (SNAP!)

 

The scent of rich cocoa permeated the air, intertwining with the remnants of the protein bar's artificial sweeteners.

 

Beer Beard's eyes widened with a mix of curiosity and envy as he caught sight of the chocolate bar. 

 

His mouth watered, the desire for a taste awakening his senses. "H-Hey… Bottle, mind sharing some of t-t-that chocolate? I-I hear it rots yo teeth if ya’ eat too much."

 

Bottle chuckled, a mischievous glimmer dancing in his eyes. "Weren’t you satisfied with your protein bar a moment ago? Didn't you say it kept you going?"

 

A playful grin tugged at the corner of Beer Beard's lips as he shrugged. "Well… but a little chocolate won't hurt, right? Come on."

 

Bottle's smile widened, his tone tinged with amusement. "Ah, well I could… If you’re willing to say please.”

 

Beer Beards face blushed red, seeing the karmic debt being repaid from earlier. (Snap!)

 

“The hell’ I will Bottle! I ain’t gonna let you play me again!!” Beer Beard retorted.

 

With a contented sigh, Bottle leaned back against the worn-out wall, a subtle satisfaction playing on his features. 

 

"Ah man… sometimes those things can be too sweet, you know what I mean?" Bottle said, enjoying every moment of the exchange.

 

“Hell, I’m start’in to remember why I hate your guts Bottle.” Beer Beard said.

 

As they both shared the moment of respite they readied themselves to venture once more.

 

“Ight’ we don’t got all day let’s roll,” Beer Beard said.

 

Bottle took a second longer to finish his cigarette before tossing it to the side, to join him.

 

(To be continued.)