After the badminton game, Zack is playing against Cleo in basketball with the others watching in amusement.
Pelusin: Poor child. He has no idea what he's in for.
Colitas: You can do it, Zack!
Cuquin: Against Cleo? (laughs) I don't think so!
Zack tries to get the ball from Cleo but she dribbles it all around him.
Zack: Whoa!
She even bounces the ball off his head.
Cuquin: Ooh, that's ugly!
Cleo: Guess it's another win for me!
Cleo goes to shoot it but Zack swats it from her before she's about to make a slam dunk.
Cleo: [stunned] What?
Zack gets the ball, dribbles it, and makes a basket.
Zack: Yes! Whoooooop!
Everyone gasps.
Pelusin: Awesome!
Maripi: {sighs} He sure is...
Colitas: Ooh, a pretty butterfly!
She chases after it.
Cuquin: [laughs] Come on, Cleo! I want to play with you guys!
Cuquin joins the game but Cleo is too busy scowling at Zack.
Cleo: That was just a lucky shot! I'll get you next time!
Zack: We'll see about that, Cleo the Awesome!
Cuquin has the ball and dribbles it around.
Cuquin: I wanna be on YOUR team, Cleo! We'll take Zack down!
Cleo: No, Cuquin, this is a one-on-one!
Cuquin: Huh? B-but we always play together!
Cleo: Not this time! It's me against Zack!
Cuquin: Are you serious?
Cleo: Dead serious.
Cuquin sighs and lazily tosses Cleo the ball.
Cleo: I'm gonna shoot CIRCLES around you, Zack!
Zack: Calm down, Cleo, I thought this was just a game!
Cleo: B-ball is life!
She tosses Zack the ball and he tosses it back. Cleo dribbles the ball past him and she dodges his swipes, but Zack manages to get the ball from her and dribbles it over to the net. Cleo lunges at Zack and smacks the ball out of his hands. Cleo tries to make a basket but Zack swats the ball over to the other side of the court. And then, they just try to take the ball from one another.
Finally, Zack throws the ball at the hoop in desperation and he makes another basket.
Cleo: NO!
Zack: Another point for me! I'm on fire!
Pelusin: I think Cleo's met her perfect match!
Maripi: What would you know about perfect matches, Pelusin?
Pelusin: Hey, Maripi, what's a kiss?
Maripi growls and chases Pelusin in anger.
Cleo: This is so not fair! I'm usually the best at this!
Zack: I played a lot on the Overlord, since there isn't much to do when you're a kid like me.
He chuckles.
YOU ARE READING
The Telerin Force: Beginning
Science Fiction11-year-old Zack belonged to an organization known as Eyezakorp, run by Admiral Ove, a cruel monarch who wants to enslave the universe by creating her new army, the Soldiers of the Shadows. But after crash-landing on an unknown planet and meeting a...
