Wafer D. Kite - Challenge accepted? Kite's unyielding spirit!
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Pike grinned wide like a maniac as Kite approached him, accepting the challenge.
”Yeah, there is something else you should know,” he answered. The large man took hold of the cigar from his mouth, dumped the ashes in front of him toward Kite’s feet, then blew smoke in the young shipwright’s face.
”I don’t go easy on pirate scum. Don’t go crying if I break a few of your bones, or you die! YARHARHARHARHARHAR!”The man’s laughter was deep, and guttural. He projected it from the belly. Once his fun at Kite’s expense was done, he placed the cigar back in his mouth, and kicked the cannonball up using his foot like a scoop, and sent it toward one of the refs, who struggled to catch the thing.
“Take your places!” The second ref ordered. Pike took to his side of the center field, waiting for Kite and waiting for the ball to get put in play.
Kite stared down the man as he laughed. He wasn’t much bothered by the smoke from the man’s cigar as someone else might have been. He was a smoker himself after all. He simply shrugged it off chuckle of his own as he pulled his bandana out from his pocket and tied it into place around his head.
”I’ll keep that in mind.” He said as he moved to take his place on his own side of the center field.
”But don’t whine if things don’t turn out the way you want them too.” He remarked, taking a moment to stretch.
This’ll be tough. He’s confident in playing with a cannonball, which means this is a regular occurrence. He thought as he stared down the arena. He was no slacker himself, and he was sure his own training regimen would provide a surprise or two for the larger man. He’d always felt he would need strength to properly work on a ship. His muscles and bones could more than hold up to a little pain. After all he’d managed against Krabbe. But that was a problem in and of itself.
I haven’t had a proper rest since I bordered that bastards ship.The shipwright sighed. Between nightmares revolving around his own crew, his capture, the ongoings with the Red Rums, etc., he was far from tip top shape.
Can’t let that stop me.The two referees joined the players near the center, setting the cannonball dead center between them. The other pulled out a coin and addressed Kite. “As the challenger, you get to call the toss.” He flipped the coin in the air and caught it, out of sight, waiting for Kite to call heads or tails.
Kite took a breath and watched as the coin flipped through the air for a brief moment.
“I call heads.” He said, hoping he was correct.
Slowly, deliberately, so as to show that there was no sleight of hand or other form of cheating, the referee lifted his hand up to reveal the coin: tails. “Challenger Kite has lost the coin toss! Capt-er, sorry, first mate Pike, do you want to start on offense or defense?”
Pike blew his cigar smoke into the mook’s face and casually placed the roll of tobacco back in his mouth.
”The hell do you think I want?! You’ve been in my service for what, three years now? OFFENSE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS! CRUSH YOUR OPPONENT BEFORE THEY CAN MAKE A MOVE WITH LIGHTNING FURY!”Pike left the ref to stand in the middle of his side of the field, the ref standing back at a 45 degree angle on his heels, his hair frozen behind him from the sheer force of Pike’s yelling. The second referee had to step in. “Uh, ok. Well then challenger Kite kicks off to Pike!” He left the cannonball in the center of the field, by Kite, then picked up his peer to run off the side. A few seconds later and a whistle was blown. “BEGIN!”
Kite winced at the news of the coin toss and then again at the scream from the larger man.
“Fuck, this is gonna be tougher than I thought.” He mumbled to himself with a slight chuckle as he took a step back and geared himself up to begin. Thus, when the call was made he charged forward. He couldn’t necessarily kick it straight. It wasn’t the best moved. It’d be a better called to kick it a little out of Pike’s way so he could work to get to it. Otherwise, his offensive moves would be that much easier.
Luckily, Kite was strong. Working on ships. Lifting and molding the wood, moving beams. He might not have matched up to Feya, but he could hold his own.
Still, the smarter move would be to try and preserve my legs if possible. He thought as he slipped the top of his foot into the curvature of the ball and lifted it slightly. He used that movement to launch the ball forward, but aimed towards the left of the field. Pike would have to run for it if he wanted it, but it wasn’t so far out of the way that it’d be better to let it fly out of bounds.
Let’s see how he handles this.Pike scrunched up his face at the kickoff serve he had just received, rolling off to his side.
”Pathetic,” he grumbled, darting off to the cannonball with surprising speed for someone his size.
”Using your foot to scoop it is smart to avoid damaging your legs, but!”He reached the iron ball in under a second, kicking it up into the air, then began juggling it in place by alternating his knees.
”If you want to defeat me! You’ll need to go! On! The attack!” He juggled it up much higher, then spun in place like a windmill. The side of his foot slammed into the cannonball with tremendous force, sending it rocketing forward… Straight for Kite’s torso.
It was coming right at him. For Kite, it seemed almost like slow motion. He had to make a choice, move out of the way, try to redirect it, or perhaps try to kick it back. At the cannonball hurdled towards him he took a deep breath. The decision he’d made would surely hurt a bit, but he could take it. Especially since this ball didn’t seem to be more as fast or with as much force as the cannonballs Caesar had been dealing with. And so, he lifted his leg, bent at the knee, with the sole of his foot set to stopped the ball’s momentum.
Kite grit his teeth, feeling the impact of the ball, but managed to stand his ground. He used his own strength to push it down and into the ground, grinning at Pike before beginning to run. Sure, he slid back a few feet, but that was better than possibly losing a point. Kite was now making his way down the field, dribbling the ball as he’d done so many times. It wasn’t that different. Just required a little more force.
“Understood, sir.” He laughed confidently. Hopefully, that display had showed that he was a little more than Pike probably thought at a first glance. He didn’t take kindly to being underestimated afterall.
Pike scrunched his eyebrows up at the sight of Kite resisting one of his standard kicks. The kid had more grit in him than he originally thought, he had to admit. Still, it wouldn’t be enough. He charged straight for Kite at blinding speed, propelled by his massive leg muscles which left cracks in the floor. Of course, Kite was slowed by the burden of an iron ball.
”Better than the average man,” Pike called out, kicking the ball straight up from in front of the Red Rum.
”BUT NOT NEARLY GOOD ENOUGH!” Pulling more or less the same maneuver he had to shoot the cannonball toward Kite, he flipped around like a fan and struck the ball in a slapshot with the side of his foot. The cannonball was sent flying over Kite’s head with greater speed than the initial kick, and slammed into the goal unobstructed. A referee’s whistle blew out, signalling the score.
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! One point for capt-er, I mean, for first mate Pike! Pike now serves to Kite!”
The tall, imposing man grinned with sheer malice and superiority down at his opponent, taking the time to blow more cigar smoke in Kite’s face before heading over to retrieve the ball for the game’s second kickoff.
Kite was completely and utterly caught off guard. And just like that Pike had scored himself a point.
“Shit…” He grumbled as he ran back to take a possession of the ball. He had to do better. Be more on guard. He took his mark.
I won’t be able to beat him in a game of shear strength. I’m gonna have to play smarter. He thought to himself as he awaited the large man’s kickoff. Problem was, he was already started to get a little annoyed. He hated being looked down on, but more than that he hated when he couldn’t prove his opponent wrong. He had to be better than that.
”Are you ready, pipsqueak?” Pike chided, juggling the ball with his knees.
”Because now that I’ve seen you can take a kick, the kid gloves come off! TIIIIIGERRRR! STRIIIIIIKE!” As the cannonball fell down, Pike gave the thing a standing kick, his leg perpendicular to the ground. Interestingly enough, he kicked with his toes pointed straight forward, as though his leg were a spear. The air distorted around his leg thrust, and the impact sent the cannonball hurtling straight for Kite’s torso as before, only with much greater force and speed!
”You should know my policy by now! TEAR APART THE OPPOSITION! YARHARHARHARHAR!”Kite’s eyes widened. The speed and power behind the ball was far greater than before and he wasn’t entirely sure he could stop it this time.
”Well I’m not backing down old man!” But that was easier said than done. What could he do?
Kite turned, and braced himself. With the wrenches on his back he could take less of the brunt of the damage, though it’d still hurt like hell.
“This is gonna hurt.” He spoke quietly to himself. If it hit, he was hoping it’d stop in place. If it did there was a chance it would lodge between his wrenches. Then, he could charge to the net. If it didn’t play out like that, he’d have to turn around and charge the net with the ball properly. But then, he’d have to throw in a few feints in his next attempt at dribbling. Either way he wouldn’t be using his hands and would still be abiding by the rules.
The cannonball struck his back, driving into his muscle between the wrenches. It didn’t get caught between the tools, but he wasn’t as injured as he would have been taking the shot head on from the front. There was little doubt the bruise would be absolutely massive, and black. Pike didn’t lie when he said he wasn’t playing around.
“Goddammit…” Kite growled as he felt the ball’s impact followed by the its descent to the ground.
”Plan b then.” He said as he turned and began his charge down the field with the ball. He was kicking harder and running faster, pushing the ball at an incredible pace given the circumstances. This time though, he paid attention. Pike could appear in front of him in the blink of an eye and he had to be ready for that. Whether it be a sudden stop and turn, or a kick in retaliation to defend his control over the ball this round. He wasn’t gonna let him score again so easily. He
couldn’t let him score again so easily.
Right on cue Pike appeared from Kite’s right flank, almost in a flicker.
”Tiger stalks its prey!” he chanted with fervor. Then he lifted his right leg, and swung it straight for Kite’s neck!
”Ambush Strike!”Kite glared at Pike. He’d actually been ready this time. He ducked his head, only narrowly avoiding the quick and powerful kick.
”It’s not gonna be that easy!” he yelled as he maneuvered the ball to the side away from Pike. He was banking on Pike’s attention being fixed on the ball, the target of the game, and launched a kick of his own aimed at Pike’s chest with his left leg. If Pike went for the ball, he’d be walking right into an attack. If he avoided the attack, Kite could take the chance to deliver another kick to the ball and actually score a goal. Of course, there was a chance that things didn’t go his way at all, but he was hoping his on the fly planning was better than that.
As it happened, his way is exactly where things didn’t go. Pike hadn’t focused on the ball at all, but on Kite himself. Yet dodging was not on the pirate’s list of priorities either. As soon as Pike’s right leg went over his target’s head, he spun around in the air and met Kite’s kick his his own left leg, striking the shipwright along the side of the knee. Running and dribbling would be painful from now on.
”YARHARHARHAR! You’ve learned to try crushing your enemy! That’s good!” Off he went in the opposite direction, and a somewhat leisurely pace kicking the ball for the goal.
”But not good enough for a veteran like me, kid!”Kite bit his lip to avoid crying out in pain at the impact of the larger man’s kick. He turned and chased after him.
Dammit… Dammit dammit dammit! He mentally cursed himself as he forced his body to catch up to the man. He needed another plan. Tripping him was out of the question. And the man was clearly not taking him seriously given his lackadaisical attitude. It was possible it would be in vain but he dove feet first, sliding across the ground in an attempt to kick the ball, and Pike’s feet, out from under him.
”I’m not gonna make it that easy for you!” It was then that something miraculous happened. Through the pain, Kite slid across the floor and knocked the iron ball away from Pike, despite the man being far more healthy and physically able at the time. The former captain turned first mate jumped upward to avoid getting tripped up himself, but it was quite clear from the expression on his face that Pike had utterly failed to expect that Kite might actually make a bold offensive move like that after getting his knee wrecked. If there was a time to turn the tables, that time was now!
Kite grit his teeth, forcing himself back up to his feet. It wasn’t just his knee. His leg was in incredible pain. Still, with adrenaline coursing through him, and determination to get a point of his own, he began dribbling again. Still, this was likely a once in a lifetime moment for this match if he’d learned anything at all. He put all his weight on his injured leg and wound up.
Go in! He screamed mentally, as he sucked in a deep breath and swung his leg, the impact with the ball reverberating through his entire body as it sent it hurtling toward the goal.
Please! Go in! He thought as he brought his leg back down and began to move forward after it, just in case. He wanted to stop moving, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t an option as of yet.
Kite could plainly see Pike zoom right past him in an effort to catch up to the ball, but it was to no avail. Kite put everything he could into that kick, and the man’s surprise had delayed him just barely long enough. Pike swung his leg up in an effort to knock the ball back, and successfully made contact, scooping it from the air and back into the field… But not before it had clearly past the goal line into his net.
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!” cried both of the refs, blowing into their whistles. Atop the stands, Bill narrowed his eyes at Pike smugly.
”Yer doin’ a fantastic job o’demolishin’ everyone,” he commented with a smile.
”Maybe it’s tha smoke in’yer lungs slowin’ ya down? Boomboomboomboomboom!”Down below Pike growled.
”He’s not worth dropping my cigar. I just underestimated his will.” He turned to look back at Kite, then strolled up the field to take his position.
”But that won’t happen again. Two more goals. I will crush you beneath my heel, kid. Now kick off to me.”“Greahahaha…” Kite laughed under his breath at the display as he took his time walking back over to his starting position. His blood was pumping, his body was still moving, so that was something. The pain hadn’t dulled, but it’d been overwritten by what could only be described as an adrenaline fueled numb. He stared down at Pike, now finally in position and ran forward, each step on his bad knee sending what felt like jolts of electricity coursing through his body.
”Off to you, mate. He called as he kicked off as was the rule of the game.
”Time to see if your head is as hard as mine!” Pike decreed, intercepting the ball before it even touched the ground. Rather than kick it, he used one of the more flashy, and difficult, maneuvers in football… And considering the ball in questions was made of solid iron, in this case one of the most dangerous. He slammed his forehead directly into it without remotely hesitating, sending the cannonball careening straight back at its source. Well, a few feet higher than where it was originally, straight for Kite’s face.
Kite’s eyes widened. He had taken many blows to the head in his time, but was he up for this.
If I move I don’t know how I’ll stop it. He’s likely to get the goal. He thought as the ball came at him. But it was about more than that wasn’t it? The man was still questioning, underestimating, Kite’s resolve. He growled as planted his feet.
Fuck off if you think I’m not willing to put everything on the line for my new home. Especially when he’d watched them do the same. Kite tried to steel himself as he move his head forward and forced the ball to collide with his forehead.
Immediately, he felt how powerful Pike must have been to use this ball as if it were a simple plaything. He couldn’t do anything, but stand there until finally it dropped to the ground before him. Blood trickled down from his nose, but he managed to stay standing.
”I told you. I’m not making it easy for you.” He barked. ANy sign of fear that might have been in Kite’s eyes, any nervousness, anything negative was gone as he glared at the larger man. He understood that he might not win this match, but more was on the line for him now than a simple victory. More than the ship. It was about his pride, his worth, and everything that he knew would only get in the way of the crew he’d joined should he continue following them deeper into the Grand Line.
Without another word, despite the now added pain to his growing collection, Kite stepped forward. Part of him wanted to collapse right then and there. But he pushed the ball forward as he took another step, and another, and another, until he was now charging down the field again with the ball, still weary of a possible attack from Pike, watching him like a hawk, though he true focus was as it should have been the goal. The second Pike tried to come at him, he’d kick the ball with as much force as he could muster and send it rocketing towards the goal. Then he’d throw another kick at Pike to try and distract him. It would seem like the same plan as early. Attempt to land an attack to keep the ball, but this time he’d be trying to score a goal and keep Pike from stopping it. But could his body hold up?
Sadly Kite’s plan was never placed into action, as Pike never approached him, which isn’t to say that the large man did not engage in some way. Tiger stripe’s course of action was utterly unpredictable, and borderline impossible to avoid coming from Kite’s blind spot.
”Ground Pounce!” he called out, but Pike did not pounce forward, nor pounce at all. The attack name could only be described as painfully literal. Angling himself and tilting his toes to form a spear shape with his leg once more, Pike stabbed into the floor with great force, piercing the stone. A fissure trailed all along the floor in two separate directions, and the man lifted his foot upward to complete the attack. He had accomplished flipping an entire section of solid stone floor, including where Kite was dribbling the ball forward! It was indeed a “ground pounce” in the most absurd of ways.
The floor tilted up, tossing Kite and the iron ball backward, where he inevitably lost control. Pike flipped backward, slamming his foot hard into the ball and sending it rocketing back into his target goal for his second point of the match.
“GOOOOOOOOAL! The score is now 2-1 in favor of first mate Pike!”
Pike blew more smoke down at Kite, then turned to retrieve the ball from his net.
”You’ve had a good run, kid, but you’re not at your best. Even if you were, this match wouldn’t go any different. Hell, it might have gone worse for you. I wouldn’t have held back and crushed you that much faster. Yarharhar.”Dammit! This guy’s barely even been trying and I’m like breaking apart here. He thought as he mentally kicked himself. He wanted to be of use to the team, but he just wasn’t strong enough. It was clear to him, and if his state of being was clear to Pike, it was likely clear to others as well. Maybe he should have sat this one out, but when else would he have competed? Even so, he moved back into position. He wasn’t about to give up. Even if he didn’t have a shot in hell, he was giving it his all to try and win.
”Just kick off. I can still move. So, I can still compete.” He said simply, though he was clearly he was just barely holding it together.
”Hm. Impressive will. I respect that, even if you are pirate scum. So take this! My Striped Drill Kick!” The large man gave the cannonball one last kickoff, but it was clear this was no normal kick. Pike spun in the air as he extended his foot out, slamming into the thing like a drill. The impact sent it shooting forward with force equal to his last great kick, but the added piercing ability of a spinning shot. Thankfully it wasn’t heading straight for Kite’s face this time. He still had a chance to be useful, to take this man down a peg!
Kite watched on as the ball came flying down the field at him. It was like staring down the barrel of a gun. Everything felt slow. He could feel the air against his skin, particles from the sea air traveling to surround them. He narrowed his eyes. He didn’t have a vast amount of experience, but he still had things to draw on. He thought about it all. The biggest threat in the cannonball right now, was it’s spin. How could he stop it? No, he couldn’t. He could maybe slow it. Or redirect it. He grinned. He didn’t want to go down without a fight.
Kite took another deep breath. He could feel his lungs expanding and deflating. He could feel the blood move through his veins. He waited until the ball was close enough. He moved himself in front of it. It was lined up with his chest. He turned as he felt it make impact. It took everything he had not to scream in pain. At the very least he’d have fractured a rib, or a few. Maybe even broken. He turned his body to direct the ball and lessen the blow. He lifted his leg as it passed his body and brought up his knee. It was already injured, but he knew it was a risk going in. The ball struck and he could feel that he wouldn’t be walking on this leg for a bit. It rolled along. It had lost momentum, but it was still moving. And now, he was redirecting it. As it rolled down towards his foot he kicked forward, sending it flying back at Pike. He wasn’t sure where it would hit, or if it would hit at all, but if this worked, the big man wouldn’t walk away unscathed, even if that meant Kite wouldn’t be able to compete anymore.
Meanwhile, Pike had already considered his victory a done deal; the tiger striped, cigar chopper had already turned round and was strutting off of the field. So when the cannonball struck him in the back of his left knee, to say the injury was unexpected would be an understatement.
”GAH!” Of course, it was nowhere near as bad as the injuries Kite had already taken. Pike’s leg muscles tensed up by reflex, gripping the ball right where it had struck him. He gave pause for a moment, breathing harshly to vent his fury.
”That. Is. THE LAST TIME I UNDERESTIMATE YOU STINKIN’, DIRTY, PIRATES! I’LL SEND YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL! REVERSE CLAW SHOOOOOOOOT!”Pike swung around backwards, flinging the iron ball from his leg like a catapult. He didn’t aim at Kite, there was no time to do so: he had merely flung it right back in the direction of the net.
”Tell the devil that Captain Pikes says, ‘I’m comin’ for ya too!’”“GOOOOOOOOOOOAL! With three points, first-mate Pike wins!”
Pike rolled his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, then aggressively shrugged.
”Get my next challenger down here. I’ll send you all to Hell.”Kite chuckled under his breath at the reaction from the larger man.
That’s all I’ve got. He thought to himself, believing he’d said it outloud for a second, before realized that his lips hadn’t moved. The ball flew passed him. He watched it from the ground. It was over. He couldn’t really walk himself off the field though. He looked back up at Captain Boone, then at the other members of the crew. He really wasn’t going anywhere without a little help. He attempt to ask for it, but it seemed that given the possible mess up ribs, and the other injuries he’d sustained it was taking a lot to even stay awake. Still, he hadn’t given up. And Pike hadn’t crushed him completely. That was enough for him. At least at that moment.
ChronoBovino
