Grappler Baki: Way of Tai Chi

Chapter 3

Momotaro howled as the ground got closer. Back clenched Momotaro tightly, before finishing the fall. The ground beneath Baki cracked. As Momotaro leapt out of Baki's arms. His bare foot touched the ground gracefully as if without weight. Thanks to having to wear a hospital garb. Momotaro's body could be seen somewhat. He seemed to be quite lithe, despite the grace of the leap. His body seemed so wound up and tight, Baki scratched the back of his head. "You're pretty heavy ya know?" Baki pointed out as Momotaro got flustered. "I'll have you know I have very dense bones!" He exclaimed as Baki laughed at his reaction.

"Dense bones, Uncle Tatsuro conditioned you well huh?" Baki said with a smirk as Momotaro jumped at his words. "N-No! It's my genetics! I was a heavy baby, my Mom had a complicated birth. It's a gross story I am not getting into it!" Momotaro rebuked Baki. "Say, why don't you show me some Tai Chi? I know guys who know Chinese Kenpo, but I never fought Tai Chi specifically," Baki challenged as Momotaro shook his head.

"No thank you! Baki-san! I must return, the nurses are worried about me!" Momotaro said as he began to walk past Baki. Yet as he passed Baki, something happened. In five hundred milliseconds, Momotaro suddenly tripped over. Falling on his face, Baki narrowed his eyes as he turned on his heel. Looking down at Momotaro. "I know you're awake, get up," Baki said as nurses and doctors.

"Get away from him!" A red headed, buxom nurse yelled at Baki. Getting in front of him to protect Momotaro. Baki was unamused by this whole thing. Watching doctors grunt and struggle to lift him up. Once his face was hit by the sun. His pupils reacted, Baki gritted his teeth. "I knew you were awake!" He exclaimed as he jumped over the nurse and kneed Momotaro in the face. Sending him sliding across the ground.

"Baki-san! Why...?" Momotaro whimpered, much to Baki's disgust. "Come on man, you're better than this. I saw your fingers twitch when I jumped over her. You had plenty of time to react, but you chose not to. Why don't you wanna fight? What's stopping you?" Baki asked as he rested a hand on his hip. Trying to figure out what's going on.

"Dad's right about something. Everything about this is off. So tell me about your classmates or I will beat your ass back into that hospital. I'll wait until you wake up and we can try it again. Unless, Dad didn't actually knock you out?" Baki asked as he looked at Momotaro's arms. "Your muscles would've stopped tensing and squeezing tightly like that if you were knocked out. You had a suit on, so you did good hiding it. Now I know, so this playing weak act won't work..." Baki said as he walked closer. The two doctors got in the way of Baki. However he placed his hands on their shoulders and shoved them to the side.

Baki walked right next to him. Momotaro was slightly taller than Baki. As such, Baki looked up to whisper in Momotaro's ear. "You're afraid of letting loose, right?" Baki asked as Momotaro's eyes widened. "I know that look on your face. You feel trapped, alone, scared out of your wits and not knowing what to do next. But in reality, deep down, you know the path forward. You just gotta take that step," Baki advised as Momotaro finally responded. "How can you gleam all that from my face?" He asked. "Because I looked at that exact same face in the mirror," Baki answered and Momotaro looked down at the ground.

"Hm, not gonna budge huh? I'll give ya some time to think about it. But we started a fight, so best believe I intend on seeing it through. Next time we meet, I won't let you run away again. When you're done with being a coward, hit up a guy named Mitsunari Tokugawa. Tell him Baki Hanma wants to fight me, and he'll get it all ready for us," Baki finished as he turned around. Beating on someone not willing to fight puts a bad taste in Baki's mouth. So he decided to let it slide for now.

As Baki had his hands in his pockets while walking away. He began to think about what he's gonna do next. He might ask his father about how the investigation is going. Momotaro is a key figure in all of this. Baki's gut is telling him that. His instinct has never let him down before. So Baki decided to head out and get in contact with Strydum. Because contacting Yujiro Hanma is a task in of itself.