Basic Boy (Complete)

Chapter 22: Challenge

  "I'm telling you guys, something's wrong with these people." Nathan whispered as he grabbed his fork. We were now eating breakfast, the day after my incident with Lucinda. She must have not told anyone, but she did keep her eyes on me the whole time I ate. The others noticed the cut on my cheek, it wasn't noticeable but still.

   "Hey you ok? You seem off man." Chase asked me as he looked at my cheek. "Yea, just have a headache." I answered as I took a bite.

  "Well I hope everyone has rested, now we shall discuss the plans for today!" Chris stood and announced. His kin started clapping as we just stared. "Plans?" I overheard Rale murmur as Chris eyed him, smiling. "Why yes! See my kin would love to test the skills of each and everyone of you." He laid out his hand showing off these tabs.

  "In this game your opponent shall keep this tab using any means necessary, all done before the time limit." Chris looked towards me. "What type of means?" I asked Chris. He looked at me and said anything was allowed. "So kind of like Lanes, that's fine." I thought as Chris continued.

  "So he wants us to fight then, but who is going to fight us? Hopefully not Lucinda!" I kept thinking as he continued.

  "So we just had to get the tab from the opponent and keep it until the timer stops, easy." I murmured as Chris continued.

  "All of you will get a chance to try but you can sit back and spectate if you wish." Chris said to all of us. I stood up as did Rale and Chase. "Wait! How long is the time limit?" I interrupted Chris as he held out three fingers. "Three minutes." We all looked at eachother before we assured that we would fight.

   "Fine then us three will take on whoever you throw at us, bring it on!" Chase clutched his fist. "You guys sure you don't want to try?" I asked Nathan and the rest. They all nodded, Nathan speaking up.

  "Look man, you three are better than us at this stuff. Go ahead, we will be fine." Nathan said taking a sip of water. I nodded to him amd grabbed the tab Chris handed to me. I was actually longing for a real fight, this time to test my training!

                         *********

  As I grabbed my gi, Zushi stopped by and told me to put the white gi on that they left already. "Oh ok, thanks Zushi. Are you going to watch the fight?" I asked him as I prepared the clothes to change. "If I am allowed to master Jo." I looked at him and started laughing. "Are you kidding me, of course you are Z!" I pat his back and told him I was going to start changing. The gi was much different than mine. It didn't have any sweatbands but it looked like actual monk type clothing, except it was white. I looked at the urn on my desk and patted it smiling.

  I grabbed the wraps the left me and put them on. "Why is everything white?" I thought as I was fixing myself before I opened the door. Zushi then took me to the stadium where we would fight. "Holy..." That was all I could say when I walked in. In the seats there were many people that had a rose emblem on their coats and some tattoos. Roses, why roses?

  "Well someone looks ready! That looks good on you babe!" Vanessa yelled from the seats. There beside her was Michelle and Nathan. In the seats more closer to the ring, I saw the family, Mary, Chris, and Gabrielle. That meant that we were up against Giovanni, Colt, and yep, Lucinda.

  I groaned at the thought of her. She was so weird, but it depended who fought her. If I did I would have a edge, she was sneaky. If Rale fought her, he would catch on quickly, but Chase? We got this, but I was worried about the boys. I grabbed my arm as I walked up to them and said my hellos.

  "Hey so do you guys know who's fighting first?" I asked the family. Chris smirked as he began to speak. "Oh why your tall friend, Chase was it? Then Rale and, last you."

  "Ok that's fine, just depends on who Chase fights." I thought. "Then who's his opponent?" I asked Chris while looking at all the people around me. "And who are all these people?" I added.

  "Oh these, are my associates, and the first opponent is my son, Giovanni." He said stretching his hand to me, handing me the tab. Then walked in Chase and Rale, both wearing white gi as well. "Woah not bad Rale, you guys look good!" I told them and they came to get info. "Yeah not to bad yourself, Joseph." Chase told me as I explained to him that he was fighting first and Chris handed him the tab.

   "Ok then wish me luck!" Chase waved as he stepped on the ring. Now we saw that the croud started going wild as our three opponents stepped foward wearing red and white. I spotted Lucinda and blushed. She looked so hot in that outfit, but no I stood straight as I saw the two walk towards me as Giovanni walked up to the ring.

  "Well then, we wish your friend the best of luck as well to you two." Colt bowed to us as Lucinda just licked her lips, eyeing me. "How the hell does she do this without nonone noticing!?" I gulped as I said thank you and Chris grabbed a microphone and started announcing the fight to begin.

  "Well then everyone, give up to our guests who have chosen to fight!" Chris yelled as the room started cheering. "Now we have a very talented fighter with us, give it up for the Rank A fighter Chase!" The crowd started cheering as Chris presented his son. "Now we have here the oldest son of my children, Giovanni! He has showed excellence in may fights before and now we will see how he does with the American fighters!" Now the crowd went even wilder as they started chucking fresh roses at the ring.

  Chase looked around and I could see the uncomfort in his eyes. It was weird to be here, but I was sure he could handle it. He gave me a reassuring thumbs up and I smiled. As Chase and Giovanni started to step in their positions, Chase clutched the tab as he had to have it out at all times. I took a seat as Colt walked up to his father and sat beside him. Lucinda stayed near me and Rale, who was standing.

  "Ready, set!" Chris yelled into the mic as Giovanni started stretching his legs. Chase was clutching his fists, ready for whatever was going to happen. I looked as Chris allowed them to begin. "Go!"

   Giovanni charged at Chase, throwing a hard punch but Chase dodged and made his way around him hitting his neck! See the thing was Giovanni was big but he wasn't slow. He grabbed Chase's arm and took the tab, kicking him to the ground. Chase tried to hit him back but it wasn't good for him.

  Giovanni turned as the hit did nothing to him and countered using his elbow to hit Chase to the ground. "That was impressive, he's fast." I overheard Rale raising his eyebrows. Chase got up and ducked and hit Gio in the shin as he growled at Chase's effort. He jumped overhead grabbing Chase and slammed him to the ground. Chase wasn't going to sit there and wait the pain out and jumped up and kicked Gio in the face as he trotted back getting in another hit. Gio stood back as the hits actually seemed effective. I smiled as did Rale when the crowd was booing. Then Chase ran back and ducked hitting Gio's ribs and making him lose grip of the tab, Chase grabbing it and making his way back.

  Chris stayed silent as he started muttering. "2 minutes remain, better make it quick Gio." He said as Giovanni rushed towards Chase, now confused. Chase was backing up now, his hits now just looked weak compared to Gio's counters. Chase was bleeding now, his crimson liquid splattered on the white shirt. He backed up and dodged a incoming hit countering with a elbow to Gio's face.

   He kept dodging out of the way as Giovanni kept up with him. His stamina was amazing! Then out of nowhere, Chase recieved a upper cut from Gio and he fell down as the tab slipped out of his hand. But before either could reach it, Chris spoke.

  "Times up!" Chris yelled into the mic as Chase let out a breath of relief and started to relax. Giovanni helped Chase up as the crowd started cheering and some were booing and some just stayed silent. I clapped my hands as Rale frowned and Lucinda smirked. "A draw!" Chris shouted. He explained how if the tab was in neither of the fighters hands before the time was up, it would be considered a draw.

  "Quite a tough friend you have there son, I assumed he would actually last. Well now we will see the next one." Chris walked over to us as he handed Colt his tab. "Ok that's a draw for us, just me and Rale need to win!" I thought as I clutched my tab. The boys were no joke.