The Lands of Ralosia & Ranuulo (Books 1-3)

Fighting Academy Chapter 3- Temp's Showcase

~Chapter 3- Temp's showcase~

Temp sat with Aero and the other kids at a bench around the small fighting stage. Fitsu returned with four others, all dressed in the same white garments. There was a young brown haired-woman who Aero seemed to recognize, a stalky man, a plump man who towered over the others, and a little girl with short brown hair down to her shoulders. Each of them took seats around the stage as well.

Tyro looked to everyone, "Alright, we're going to be using the same rules as the preliminaries of the tournament. You score by landing one substantial strike on your opponent or knocking them off stage. If the strike doesn't do any noticeable damage to your opponent, it doesn't count. You can also score through a ring out. We'll just be fighting to a single point, then we'll switch fighters. We'll keep fighting until one side doesn't have any fighters left," Tyro turned to the plump man wearing white garbs, "Sunno, you're up first!"

Tyro stepped off of the stage, and the giant Sunno took his place.

The kids muttered to themselves before deciding to send the 11-year-old Corri to fight Sunno. As the red-haired girl stepped on stage, Temp chuckled at the sheer size difference between the two. He had to have been twice her height and quadruple her weight. But she stood bravely in front of him.

Sunno took a low sturdy stance and Corri took a light on her feet one. Tyro tapped the drum next to the stage, and the little girl launched herself at him.

Corri planted her foot directly in Sunno's chest, but he was unaffected. Sunno promptly grabbed her leg and tossed her into the water around the ring.

"Ring out! Sunno wins!" Tyro said as he tapped the drum.

Corri stormed out of the water muttering, "Stupid tournament rules..."

She sat down, crossed her legs, and began to wring out the water from her hair.

"Your turn, Temp!" Aero hollered.

"Why do I have to go next?" Temp asked.

Jirro glared at him, "Cause he's paying you. Now stop whining and get out there."

Temp glared at Jirro. Normally he wouldn't take that sort of disrespectful talk, but he knew the blonde boy was much stronger than him. Temp stepped on stage with Sunno.

"If you beat this guy, I'll pay you for it," Aero said, being especially brazen with his money. That was all the motivation Temp needed.

Temp never received any formal training in fighting; everything he learned was from scraps and brawls from his youth. He discovered that the easiest way to get yourself knocked out was to come out swinging with everything you had. The cooler head would more often win.

Temp looked over Sunno; it would be best to keep his distance. If Corri couldn't hurt him, he wouldn't have much luck either. He'd have to go for a ring out.

Tyro tapped the drum to signal the beginning of the match.

Sunno stayed low and Temp circled around and avoided him. He kept his distance until Sunno charged. Temp grabbed one of his arms, ducked under him, and using his own momentum against him, rolled the man over his shoulders and into the water with a splash.

"Ringout! You're out Sunno!" Tyro announced with a drum beat.

"Good job Temp!" Aero shouted.

"Yeah, I thought for sure he'd knock you out," Jirro said much more hostilely.

As Sunno returned to those on his team, they all lectured him on what he did wrong. Tyro turned to those on his team, "Fitsu, show him what you got."

A young man took the stage, tearing his shirt off dramatically and taking a boxing stance whilst flexing. Temp couldn't help but roll his eyes at the man.

Temp turned to Aero, "Will you pay me more if I take down more of these guys?"

Aero answered, "I guess so."

Temp could hear Aero's friends chastising him for being so frivolous with his money.

Tyro beat the drum to signal the two to begin. Fitsu approached with a few quick jabs to test Temp's reflexes, the Mecarne blocked each of them. Temp immediately saw how we would win. Temp had longer arms than his opponent.

Fitsu kept throwing quick jabs to keep Temp on his guard, and Temp saw his opening. At the same moment that he threw a punch, Temp threw his own. His punch met his opponent's cheek, while Fitsu's fist dangled in the air.

"Point to... Temp! You're out Fitsu!" Tyro announced with another drum beat. Temp had won yet again.

Tyro turned to those on his team, "Kika, you're up!"

A long-legged young woman stepped onto the stage, gathering her hair into a ponytail behind her. She looked to Aero watching from the sidelines, "After I beat this friend of yours, I want a rematch kid."

"If you win, I'll jump in next," Aero responded with a smile. Temp figured the two must've fought in the tournament a few months ago.

Temp squared off against Kika. She folded her arms and took a stance, emphasizing her legs. The drum was beat, signaling them to begin fighting. Kika didn't hesitate, tactically swinging her legs at him.

Temp did everything he could just to avoid being hit. The woman was fast and precise, fighting with minimal use of her arms. But she was a little wild. She wanted to take him out as quickly as possible, probably to get a shot at Aero. Temp could exploit that.

Temp dodged another swift kick and brazenly wrapped his arms around her from behind, lifting her off the ground. Kika kicked and wriggled to try and get back to her feet, but Temp had a strong grip around her.

Temp took her to the edge of the ring and pushed her into the water. Kika cursed him as she fell out.

"Ringout! Temp wins again!" Tyro said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

Kika stood from the pool with an angry look, "You got lucky!"

Temp looked around and saw many shocked faces.

"Who else you got?" Temp said with a smirk. He impressed himself, taking down 3 of the 6 fighters of the Fighting Academy. Only the little girl, a stalky man, and Tyro remained.

Tyro looked at the remaining fighters in his team, "Khab, your turn."

The stalky bearded fighter known as Khab stepped into the ring. He was short, almost as short as the actual children. He transitioned into a low wrestling stance on the stage. Temp had the superior reach against him, he figured he could beat him in the same way he beat Fitsu.

Tyro tapped the drum to begin the match. Neither fighter attacked; they simply circled each other, waiting for the other to slip up. Temp threw a kick, certain that with his superior reach, Khab wouldn't be able to counter.

He was wrong.

Khab snatched his leg out of the air and pulled it away, knocking Temp onto his back. The stocky fighter rushed him, quickly wrapping his arms and legs around him to prevent movement of his limbs. Temp futilely kicked about while Khab threw an arm around his neck.

"Just tap out if you give up," Khab said as he squeezed around his neck.

Temp struggled to try and get out of his grip, but he could tell Khab was a master in grappling and submission fighting.

Temp's vision became blurry. He could feel himself losing consciousness. He tapped Khab's arm in surrender, and he was released. Color suddenly returned to Temp's sight, and he coughed as he caught his breath.

As soon as Temp could stand, he walked to Aero and asked for his money. The black-haired boy handed it over with a smile.

Aero stood with a grin, "My turn."

The Densius, Ruben spoke, "Do you mind if I go next, Aero?"

Aero halted his stride to the stage and turned back, "If you feel up for it, sure!"