With Uncle fully recovered, the group made for the clock tower not far from the chocolate factory, likely owned by the same company. Jackie was confused by it at first, as all he'd been told was that was where the Talisman was. It was only when they reached the top from the inside that he saw what they were talking about. The pig caricature that banged cymbals together to chime the hour had the Pig Talisman embedded in his green hat.
"Elwin's sporting a pork pie hat," Jade explained as Jackie stared. "I spotted it earlier when the clock chimed-"
Heavy footfalls went unheard as they spoke, and Tohru grabbed Jackie from behind.
"Tohru!" Apple Bloom cried out in shock as the group turned to face him, Scootaloo quickly taking to the sky on Cumulo.
Hak Foo stepped up from nearby. "Many thanks for leading us to the prize," he purred menacingly, like a hunting cat who'd just cornered its prey.
"You are not welcome," Uncle stated irritably as he stepped into Hak Foo's sight from behind Tohru.
Hak Foo's eyes widened as he stepped back in fear. "But...Elephant Punch!" he stated worriedly, lifting his fist as he glanced from it to Uncle, shaking like a leaf as Uncle stepped forward.
Tohru glanced between Hak Foo and Uncle in confusion. He readily admitted to being afraid of Jackie Chan at times. He knew the fillies had their own powerful magic, and that Jade could be fiendishly clever. He also knew that Uncle was a powerful chi wizard...whatever that meant. Still, he couldn't think why any of that would terrify someone as ruthless as Hak Foo. "What did you do to him?" he asked Uncle curiously.
"Well, after he tried to attack Apple Bloom-" Jade started to say, but Tohru heard no more than that.
His eyes narrowed to slits as he dropped Jackie Chan unceremoniously. "You what?" he snarled angrily, turning to face Hak Foo.
Hak Foo snarled defiantly. "I was hired to find the Talismans, and eliminate obstacles! If they are an obstacle-"
Before he could get another word out, Tohru had lunged forward with an angry yell, his massive hand grasping Hak Foo's entire head. Yanking him forward, Tohru punched Hak hard in the gut before flipping him over his head, slamming him into the floor several times before spinning and slamming him bodily into the gear works of the clock tower. The sheer force of the charge and slam caused many of the gears to crumple, causing the entire gear works to start to fall apart and the tower to begin to collapse.
"Run!" Jackie screamed in fear. Uncle, Jade, Audrey III, and Sweetie Belle were quick to take the advice and follow, racing out of the clock tower.
As they got well out onto the street below, they turned back and saw the entire structure collapsing. As it fell, one large gear flew free of the tower, spinning rapidly, before coming down on the chocolate factory. For some reason, this impact caused the entire building to catch fire.
"Bad day..." Jackie murmured softly as he stared at the devastation.
"Aiyah..." Jade, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle agreed.
"So...we're booking before the cops show up, right?" Scootaloo asked hopefully, the Pig Talisman clutched in her hooves as she floated down, having gone out via the roof when she'd raced for the Talisman as soon as Hak Foo had made an appearance.
"Excellent idea," Uncle agreed, leading the race back to the hotel.
Behind them, Tohru slowly sat up from amongst the wreckage of the clock tower, pushing it aside as he uncovered himself and a badly injured Hak Foo. He hadn't realized just how badly he'd lost his temper, and found himself more than a little afraid he'd caught Apple Bloom and the others in the destruction he'd caused. Catching sight of the group racing off in the distance, he sighed in relief.
An angry groan from below caught his attention. "You..." Hak Foo snarled. "Valmont will hear of this. You will pay for your betrayal."
Tohru let out a 'tsk' sound as he once more lifted Hak Foo by his head, but this time leaving his face visible. "Master already knows that Chan is more than capable of cold blooded murder to protect his girls," he countered, a minor - in his opinion - exaggeration of the facts. "It is why the rest of us know better than to actually attack them. If I crush your skull now, then go back and tell Master you tried to hurt the girls leading to Jackie snapping your neck, or being eaten by Apple Bloom's size-changing carnivorous plant kaiju Audrey III, or being crushed to death beneath a collapsing clock tower due to your own incompetence and misuse of Talisman magic, Master won't even question. He'll write you off as a loss and purge all records of official contact or employment of you before the day is out."
He pulled Hak's face close to his own. "So if you expect to make it back to San Fransisco in one piece, instead of dying by my hand or being pushed into shark infested waters from the plane while bleeding...I suggest you come up with a story to explain your injuries and failure that doesn't involve what I did to you...and stick to it."
Hak Foo stared into Tohru's cold, merciless, remorseless eyes, felt the apathy and antipathy within that gaze...and whimpered.
"I'm glad we understand each other," Tohru stated bluntly. He threw Hak Foo over his shoulder and turned to walk back to the Dark Hand jet. "I look forward to hearing your story. I'm sure it will be...creative."
Aw, I thought for SURE that would've justified a Heel-Face turn to Tohru!
go mama bear uncle and Tohru
Whoops!
GO TOHRU!
I'm sure that must have been a bit cathartic for the big guy. No more questions, no more doubts, just pummel the mustached moron who thought threatening ponies was a good idea.
7773804 Mama Ursa Major you mean right? because, damn that rage!
7773798 I was expecting a Heel to Face SOMETHING.... Maybe a Heel Dropkick from the top of a Clock Tower via an Angry Tohru would've convinced Hak Fu to QUIT.
7773798 Tohru's already pulled it. He's only sticking around to minimize the threat against Applebloom.
poor Hak Foo he should never hurt apple bloom near Tohru
Holy shit. Tohru attacked hak because he attacked A.B. I would say shipping if they ever got close in age BUT I don't think that is happening
One big happy family...until you threaten the kids. Then everyone puts on their berserker pants.
7773814 yes, never hurt apple bloom near Tohru. Or you get Tohru angry. You do want get Tohru.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good work.
7773812 Agreed
And THIS ladies and gentlemen...is what you do NOT let Tohru get the drop on you!!
This? This was satisfying. I like this.
7773798
Oh, give it a little more time.
Now... what if a gremlin, because magical creatures are real, were to be messing with their plane and Tohru is on camera strapped in to his seat when the plane suddenly does a weird maneuver and has a look of surprise on his face as Hak Foo steps out of the restroom just in time to bounce around the cabin and out a suddenly open exit door for a plunge into the ocean????
On his next day off, Tohru needs to come by the shop with a stack of pizzas, half of them vegetarian, to ask just what Uncle did to Hak Foo.
7773811
Took the words out of my mouth, AND that scene is just PERFECT to show pretty much what Tohru did to Loogie Fool. (Joke on Hak Fu's name since the way Hak is pronounced sounds like hocking up a loogie, and fool because nothing else came to mind that rhymed with Fu. Thus, Loogie Fool.)
7773905 THIS. Tatsurou, if you see this comment, read this comment, it's brilliant.
7773919 I still wish his name was Hak Fui (Hak Ptooie)
Damn Tohru, you scary!
7773936
Nah, too close to the old Hanna Barbera cartoon character Hong Kong Phooie for me. I like Loogie Fool better.
Still rather funny though. Wonder if both the nicknames we came up with for Hak will be used in the story?
7773839 The Big Brother Instinct at it's finest.
7773889 Hey, you seem familiar… I think you gave me some Brain Bleach earlier, but it's hard to remember. Probably because of the Brain Bleach.
And it was right about then that Hak Foo knew that he was in for a whole heap o' trouble
7773839
Wait, berserker translates out to bear shirt... So, will they have accompanying bear pants too? Or am I just overthinking this?
"Overthinking it."
Thanks mustachioed Spike!
Well played, Tohru! Well. Played!
Well... Wasn't expecting that.
Go Tohru.
What 7774046 said...
7774022 if you need more brain bleach, I know a supplier. he's already setting up a shipment of grade A' memory replacer (AKA, brain bleach) for 'loogie fool'.
Translation: Hak Foo done fucked up. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
7773838 Think less shipping, and more this universe's version of Big Macintosh. Tohru is big brother. You mess with little sister, you better pray he don't find out.
Why post anymore comments on this chapter when everyone else has already said everything that can be said?
7774237
Because comments give me the drive to keep writing, even if they just say more of the same thing, as long as said things are positive?
Had a couple terrible puns prepared for this chapter. However, I find they no longer apply...
7774249 Point but still, what could I say or hint at that these guys haven't already said better?
The closest is parroting "GO TOHRU!"
7774180 AIYAH! tundra was looking for something like this comparison. oh one more thing , i also wanted to say i will be sad/mad if tohru dies
I do believe Hak Foo got put through a meat grinder first Uncle then Tohru. Sorry Ham and Cheese.
Oh Faust I think I just had a vision of the future and made Uncle go Aiyah
A family photo if you will in the front row of course are the girls and Jade, The cloud and Audrey. Behind them is Uncle and Jackie with with a thief trying to steal a kiss. The next row Valmont in his Prison Orange looking not happy Then there's the Enforces who are all various states of them being them. Behind them is El Toro with Poco riding on his shoulder the mexican wrestler arm and arm with Tohru who's holding his mother much to Uncles annoyance. Hanging on the wall behind them is everyones favorite Dragon still trapped even if his face is not moving it's still annoyed surrounding him are series of masks in various states ranging from amused to angry. Off to the side of course is an old evil chi wizard bond and gagged in Audrey vines, while on the other side Captain Black is just grinning.
It's moments like this that make me think of things with Hak's naming system. Take Tohru's sudden burst of rage here. The phrase that ran through my head after the initial "Tohru SMASH!" was "Fool Awakens Sleeping Dragon". I can't wait to see how Hak plans to get out of this!
Guess this chapter was really geared for a bad day for Hak Foo.
Seems Hak Foo's confidence crumbled quickly this time around.
Man, that chocolate factory owner is gonna go Wonka for that fire. Not like he can just Willy nilly after all.
7774404 Gentle Giant Knocks Sense Into Moron!
Either could work.
Just one talisman to go now after what I expect will be a prologue. I am curious as to what 'cost' Uncle will now pay for using the Dog Talisman that gives you unlimited energy and immortality?
HELL YES, GO TOHRU!
I knew there was a reason i named my Snorlax after him.
Applebloom OP. She's got what amounts to two video game Bosses on her side.
Is going to try again in the hospital now that she know the combo Dog-Horse?
talking of Combo, suddenly I can imagine Scootaloo using the combo to fly
7774022 That just means it works.
Tohru beating the heck out of Hak Foo for trying to hurt Applebloom reminds me of the Big Daddies from Bioshock defending their Little Sisters...
7774847 i know right nearly unstoppable especialy on survivor with no revies and getting the good ending
Hak Foo you dun goofed. Go Tohru.