Miguel and Anna smile, walking around Tondo while eating really good food. The civilians, including pregnant teens, heavily gentrified neighborhoods, and posters of politicians on buildings and vehicles, smiled back at the public. There are just so many tricycles, and in Tondo, it was the older model, just a bike stamped together with a mini cab side cart instead of a motorized tricycle mini cab you see in good places like BGC or EDSA. Other parts of the neighborhood were poor communities, slums, and squatters trying to make a quick buck.
Miguel smiles, just enjoying his time with Anna, eating isaw, betamax, and balut, exotic meats they both enjoyed.
The next day, Miguel slept on her couch as she slapped a newspaper on his face.
She sighs, drying her hair with her hairdryer. “Dude… Get up. It’s Saturday and we have a huge problem.”
“Newspapers? Who still uses these? Old people looking for a crossword?”
“Read, dude.”
Miguel facepalms. “No, I didn’t threaten to eat the robbers to get them to rob the bank…” he sighed.
“I say we out the Prez,” said Anna. “I mean, HE IS the guy who started all this crap, right? Nephew of a Dictator. Started Martial Law. Killed so-called criminals and Splooge addicts instead of going for the head of the snake.”
“We have to out him in some way… But the media is far too ingrained in our politics. We can’t do anything.”
She smiled. “Incredibles 2. How did they get the public on their side?”
“Disney paying off critics?”
“Perception! What if we livestream your adventures to the world?” she smiled.
Miguel asks. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we both watch MyTube, right? How did Dingdong win the election in the first place?”
“Social media.”
“Which are the MOST POPULAR pieces of social media in the Philippines?”
“Spacebook. MyTube. ClickClock.”
“What if they block the video in this country?” asked Miguel. “Plus, my fights are violent… We need our own app, dude.“
“I have a kickstarter,” smiled Anna. “I love coding and you darned well know that, dude. So, what if we reprogram it into this app that bypasses the signal of the Philippine common television?”
“How the heck are you so smart?”
Anna shrugs. “Eh! I’ve been coding since I was a kid, blud and playing with ant farms. I could probably do that…”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
“Sheesh. Scared of ants… And… Isn’t that illegal?”
“You’re a vigilante fighting against a corrupt system. And you have a problem with freedom of speech?”
“Technically, this is forcing people to watch us instead.”
“Damned straight,” she smirked. “Fighting fire with fire, here!”
The next evening…
“M-. I mean… The Aswang. We’re live to every web and cable watcher and every radio listener in Tondo.”
“Uh… Um um… hey…” said Miguel.
“Hello, everyone! This is Myrmex! Today, the Aswang is gonna be fighting off against a corrupt congressman’s cock fighting and human trafficking underground industry!” she smiled in the voice of an announcer. “The Google Drive containing the recording of this livesrtream will be available very, very soon! Sub for more, dudes! Aswang?” she smiled.
“Got it… Got any info about the-...”
The people watching silently in their apartments scoff and smile.
“I liked that Congressman, James Tupatupa,” smiled the man. “No way he actually…” his eyes widened upon seeing the strippers being whipped underground and cockfighting at the center with various rich politicians gambling over it.
The Aswang lands on the stripper’s stage by teleporting into the building. A gush of smoke had lefts his body.
The women and young children run out of the underground area, running up stairs and elevators.
Three politicians try to run away, but the Aswang teleports before them and knocks them out.
One politician, who knew FMA, kickboxes against Miguel .
Miguel teleported around, weaving from the punches and strikes, and eventually knocking him down with his eskrima stick.
Miguel spins his stick, but then, suddenly, a man emerges from outside the facility, entering from the shadows revealing his cockroach-like spandex.
This… is Undying.
Miguel’s eyes widen. “You…”
Undying augmented and tossed an icicle as Miguel jumped up and dodged the icicles.
Miguel gets stabbed thrice, but he manages to weave away from most icicles, even striking them away and slapping them from his wounds.
Undying tosses another icicle at Miguel as he dodges, somersaulting and knocking him into the walls.
Miguel roars. “WHERE ARE THE OTHER CHILDREN?!!?” He grabbed Undying and stabbed him in the shoulder.
Undying grunted and stabbed Miguel in the face over and over again.
The people at home are horrified as Miguel’s blood leaked out of his face.
Miguel sweeps his leg and knocks him down, over and over.
Undying smirks. “Kill me. Do it.”
“I don’t kill, Cold Roach King…” said Miguel.
Undying smiles and stabs him through the jaw, but Miguel knee kicks him and knocks him down. Undying tries to crawl away, trying to open the vents, but Miguel catches him with his own tail and beats him over and over again.
Miguel roars, growling and trying to knock him out, but Undying just kept regenerating. He laughed, but Miguel started getting tired, grabbing his eskrima sticks and choking him down.
Undying slowly closes his eyes, and falls to the ground, unconscious.
Miguel grabs the 3-inch wide metallic doors and tears it open.
The children back away in horror.
“It’s okay… I’m a friend…“
The children still back away.
Miguel sighs and removes his mask, as the children sigh in relief. “Can the stream see my face?”
Myrmex speaks. “No.”
Miguel sighs in relief and smiles. “C’mon…” he smiled, guiding them outside. “Let’s bring you guys to a new home…”
