Dolores Park, Illinois

Brandon looked around as the factory was literally mass-producing an army. When they noticed them, they began to move toward them.
"Let's do it," he said as he knuckle bumped Scott.
He then proceeded to lay into the minions, hitting them with a complex array of martial arts moves.
"This feels like Dream Mode of Fist of the North Star!"
He spun around and took out a wide circle of enemies with a jumping kick, but more were pressing in.

"You read my mind! It's also kinda like God Hand!"

Scott leaped into the air for his own spinning jump kick, taking out a crowd of attackers coming at him at once, shouting something about pound cake, and emulating Brandon's techniques, as he himself wasn't as skilled a martial artist as his friend yet. But none the less, he would still try, being a spirit detective now, and his world on his shoulders.

Suddenly, instead of attacking all at once, groups began to come together, making four giant demons by merging together.

"I kind of liked the beat'em up deal." mentioned Scott. "I guess this is the quadruple boss fight."

Brandon looked around as the horde of demons became four giant demons.
"Oh, great. A quadruple boss fight and no Double Shaolin Blast in sight."
He charged the first one and jumped, hitting it with a forward flying front kick to the face. The demon went into the wall, but was ready for more. Brandon was soon engaged in a fight with two giant demons, trying to dodge giant fists and hit back when he could.

Scott himself, rather than immediately waste his own precious energy, simple focused on running around the two giants, allowing them to cause harm to each other, and eventually have a little internal conflict. One fell down, Scott fighting off the enraged beast, before leading it in turn towards one of Brandon's enemies to have them scuffle too. two more fell, and now only one remained for both Scott and Brandon to pummel together.

"Not too shabby, eh?"

Brandon turned to him and nodded.
"Well played, Scott."
He gestured for Scott to take one of the creature's knees while he delivered a snapping low kick to the other knee. One great strategy for taking on an opponent larger than oneself is to chop the bigger person down like a tree. It seemed to have an effect on the creature, and it reached down to grab him. Brandon slid through the creature's legs and kicked it in the face when it reached through its legs.

Enraged, the creature turned and went to punch him. Brandon stepped to the side and jumped to capitalize on the opening. An excerpt of the poem "Battle With the Bengal Tiger", written by Japanese boxer Shihoro Okada says, "When you encounter a giant enemy, aim for the eye. No one can train one's eyes..." With this in mind, Brandon put all of his remaining spirit energy into his fist and struck the creature in the left eye. It reeled back with a scream and toppled over before all the demons that comprised it exploded into ash.

However, just because the first wave was down, that did not mean that the machines were not functioning.
"Scott, destroy the machines while I head after the fugitive. When you're done, come back me up."
He knew that fighting a crafty demon without Spirit Energy was risky, but he needed to hurry before the mastermind retreated. He ascended the stairs and dashed for the office overlooking the conveyer belts. He saw a door fly open in there and busted down the door into the office to give chase.

Scott nodded, and began to force outwards all the energy he could, using it to strengthen himself, allowing him to tear apart and pick up random demonic factory machines, leaving the demon to Brandon.

"Just remember I'm still here, and I don't mind whuppin' that bastard alongside ya, if the almighty Mister Kahill needs the back up!" He chuckled, taking great joy in from the destruction of the enemy.

Brandon just barely heard what Scott said as he dashed through the open door. He could hear retreating footsteps, and vaulted over the railing to give chase. He tucked and rolled on the ground and kept going in the alley, trying to catch up to his prey. Brandon saw the demon come out of nowhere with a pipe and swing it in a vertical arc toward his head. There was not much distance to work with or time to react, but Brandon managed to duck in time so that it scraped his scalp instead of hitting full force. A trail of blood blinded the sight in his right eye, something he did not have to worry about too much as he was hit in the left temple with the pipe.

Brandon staggered over to the alley wall, barely conscious and using this wall to hold himself up. The demon prepared the death blow, raising the pipe high to send it crashing down on the top his skull. Brandon turned and grabbed it with his bare hand, using it to pull himself forward and hit the demon in the face with a forearm blow called a "stiff arm". He then pivoted on his heel and stuck his hop against the demon's, throwing him over his shoulder so that the demon's back hit the wall and he slid down to land on his head. The pipe was no longer a threat, but the demon still was. It kicked Brandon in the face, causing him to hit the adjacent alley wall with the back of his head.

As Brandon dropped to his knees, the demon got to his feet.
"You've got some moves, Spirit Detective. I'll give you that."
The demon took a couple steps forward and stopped just inches from Brandon's face.
"But without your Spirit Energy, you're just another weakling human."
The demon grabbed the side of Brandon's head and shoved him over so that he laid face-down on the alley ground.

The demon mastermind picked up the pipe and bounced it in his hand as he walked toward Brandon.
"I never thought a Spirit Detective could give me this much trouble. But you've been a monkey wrench in my operation for far too long."
He raised the pipe above his head, the blood lust evident in his gleeful smile.
"What say we pick up where we left off? This is the curtain on your career, Spirit Detective!"

The pipe was nothing however, as Botan's broomstick flew into it with the most surprising amount of force, before lodging itself in the wall: Hanging from it was none other than Scott's Spirit Energy Lantern, glowing magnificently as it beckoned Brandon to make his way to it. The force the broom had displayed, likely with the lantern's energy, had thrown off the demon and broke his wrist, the beast roaring in terrible pain as the lead heel of the operation scrambled to attack Brandon, unaware that the Lantern was of any use.

-

Scott was bashing machines apart with several hard-light construct clones of himself, all brandishing construction tools while Botan watched from the sidelines.

"I gotta say, Bo' you came at a great time!" Laughed Scott. "I just hope Brandon grabs the lantern"

"Well, it looks like you're just about done here, Scott." Noted Botan. "I'll supervise the other Scotts until you two get back!"

-

"Presenting, the amazing Mister Duncan, about to kick some hellion ass!"

Scott proceeded to run in and leap up towards the demon, performing a lariat that landed his bicep (infused with a layer of spirit energy), causing it to reel back, and clutch its throat, its larynx, or whatever else it had, was likely damaged, making speech incredibly difficult now.

"Brandon! Go for the lantern! I got your back!"

Brandon looked up as Botan's oar crashed into the wall, with Scott's Spirit Lantern hanging from it. He crawled toward it, and locked his hand around the handle. Instantly, he felt energy surge within him, and he stood as his aura glowed a bright blue. He turned to face the demon, who was being held by Scott.
"Time for a little payback."
He assumed a boxer's stance and moved in.

Brandon kicked it in the ribs, then loaded its stomach up with punches. He gave it a left uppercut, head-butted it, and then punched it in the jaw with his right hand, causing the creature to collapse. He picked up the creature and carried it back to Botan.
"All four fugitives have been recovered," he said as he dropped him at her feet.
"Well done, you two."

She came down from the rafters.
"Brandon, today you learn the Spirit Shotgun, which fires a spray of Spirit Gun bullets. Scott, your light construct clones now last longer, and your Spirit Sniper is more accurate."
She picked up the demon and disappeared back to the Spirit World on her oar, dropping Scott's Spirit Lantern in his hand. Brandon exited the facility.
"Man, I could use an Aburger after all that."

"Amen to that." Replied Scott, drifting afterwards. "You ever wonder if we could get more training for this job? I mean, we're some of the toughest, baddest dudes around. But I'd sure love to start getting some XP's a little more quickly…"

Scott looked at his ring-hand, smirking at the fact their victory resulted in a new upgrade. "I mean, I like the sound of all the stuff we just got, but there's gotta be someone out there that's probably mastered Spirit Energy to the point they could probably give youngsters like us some killer pointers. Y'know?…"

-

Right before the two entered the diner to have something to eat, Scott began to dig through the pocket that held twenty dollars for a 'victory feast,' when he suddenly realized he had gotten holes in his pocket.

"…Brandon, I know I brought the cash, but I think my pockets got torn up in the fight…"

Brandon thought about it.
"Botan and Prince Koenma are probably doing what's best for us, giving us experience and everything slowly so that we have time to learn it in time for our next case. But you're right, a little study into it would do us some good."
As they approached Good Times, he remembered something Scott had said back at the library.
"What about those brothers you mentioned? I don't know how well-versed they are in spirit energy, but they could surely help us with our fighting abilities."

Brandon stopped when Scott said that he had holes in his pockets. Scott's fingers had gone through his pocket, and there was no way that he was walking all the way back to the factory to look.
"It's okay, Scott. I have enough for one meal apiece."
When they went in, Mrs. Abernathy hustled over to them.
"You both look like you could use a nice meal and some rest."

Brandon collapsed into the booth.
"Yes, please."
He was feeling sore from the beating and exhausted.
"I'll take an Aburger, some fries, and a Pepsi."
After Scott placed his own order, Mrs. Abernathy took their menus away.
"I just hope we get some time to rest up and heal before the next job."