Jaren knew that boksen didn't favor him anymore. He just felt it, from the way Boksen looked at him, to the way he talked to him with short sentences. The big Boned goblin only saw the worst in him.
It made sense though, from the first day of the tournament Jaren put him against unfair odds, making him fight with his string of a hand. But he just wanted to see if they could persevere against hard injuries.
But that only drove boksen away, especially after they ran to the hill, causing the death of their two bretheren. 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 jaren thought, he had already beaten the rebellion out of them, they were to scared and weak to oppose him. So Boksen was still more of asset than a burden.
That is how Jaren's bullies made him submit. He was so afraid of them, that he would do the most shameless things to avoid getting punishment.
A sour memory came back to him, one he'd rather forget, one that pissed him off, one he would dream about.
Unless Boksen got Bleux to betray him, the extras didn't stand a xhance 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐲, 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐞 Jaren thought.
Opposite to Boksen was Pipin, who had shown blind loyalty. Didn't complain during the tournament, and even enjoyed it, that is what jaren needed, someone to do everything no questions asked.
He looked at them both and threw shaka's in their hand 'You two end the tournament.'. At this point it didn't matter who would win, Jaren already chose his four squad leaders, he needed reinforcement on their skills.
Boksen and Pipin were completely silent when they received there Shaka, Pipin throwing worried look at Boksen, but he got ignored as Boksen walked to the arena.
'I wil make you proud boss!' Pipin said, loud enough for it to get on Boksen's nerves.Jaren lowered his head so he could whisper in Pipin's ear 'Show me you can handle him.'
Sure Boksen wasn't a threat, but an extra leash on a dog can help. 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐰𝐢𝐥 𝐠𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭 jaren thought.
Both went to their sides, both of them had words to be spoken. The clouds turned the summer type day into a cool afternoon.
Pipin had two wooden spears on his back like always and the big Boned goblin his club. His arm now fully healed, leaving a impressive scar.
Boksen was on the right side, calmly sitting on the ground, in an open patch of the forest encircled by trees, the Shaka between his legs.
He knew how Pipin thought, he was an ambush type of fighter, hiding in the shadows to strike at the perfect time. His slender build made him very agile and fast, able to keep up with a Jumper if he chased it down, making him a hit and run type of guy.
Boksen already knew that Pipin was waiting for him, to head in the forest and exhaust himself, to either steal his Shaka, or to knock him out, so he had to keep every advantage he had. Staying out of the shadows, in a safe spot so Pipin had to face him head on, a fight he would lose.
Boksen sat in his spot for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and eventually an hour. At this point there were no clouds to hide the burning heat of the sun. Boksen began to see figures in the woods that weren't there. He fantasized about a little cloud blocking the sun and raining down on him.
That wasn't happening. He and his chapped lips decided enough was enough, put a firm grip over his Shaka stepped under the shadows of the trees.
His baking body and boiling blood almost being cooled. 'You see this Pipin!' he held his hand with the Shaka in the air over his head 'if you want to Burst this, then you need to grab it directly out of my hand.' Pipin did not say anything, but his silence told Boksen that the ninja took his challenge serious.
Boksen already knew that Pipin didn't have his Shaka with him, it would occupy a hand, and he needed all of them to slither thought the trees.
He continued to walk towards the ninjas starting spot, indirectly talking him. 'But why, why do you stil choose to follow that bastard?' he asked 'I thought she where on the same page but I guess your just like him. Do you even care about those who died?'
'i do, but stop using them as a excuse.' Pipin's voice echoed in the forest, unable to specify his location 'They chose to attend on their own, it happens, the boss only wants the best. I wil be the best. You just hate that you aren't, so you blame him.'
'So you truly will be like this?'
'I don't try to be.'
It felt like a split between the two was growing, keeping both of them on separate islands, unable te see eye to eye. The fact saddened Boksen
Boksen arrived at a boulder, with on top of it the Shaka, so he put his fruit in his mouth, and used his hands to climb it.
Using all his mental energy to not give up. When he finally got on top of it, the Shaka turned out to be a rock of the same size. Exhausted and disappointed he scaled back down.
sweaty and gasping air for dear life, leaning on the boulder like an old man who went down a few stairs, or even a teenager of the twenty first century. Boksen normally should handle stuff like this, he jogged with the group everyday.
It was probably the storm of the day before that made him sick, or the sun that gave him a heatstroke, or maybe some kind of infection, he didn't know.
When he saw the deep forest infront of him, he knew that if he entered back in, pipin would knock him out cold before he knew what happened. And even if they fought face to face the match would be even now.
'You want it, you can get it!' he yelled out, as he threw his Shaka to the air. A rustle followed a tree upwards and jumped of the tip. Out of the shadows Pipin came, stabbing the Shaka midair.
But when he tried he only poked it further away. That is when he realized the Shaka wasn't rainbow colored, he looked at the top of the boulder and saw Boksen's Shaka lying there. 'You switched them!' he called out
As he was being casted back to the ground he looked beneath him. Boksen standing in a baseball position, ready to swing. With a solid *BATS* Boksen swatted Pipin to the ground, making him bounce before he stopped moving.
'Now I have em' boksen thought. Pipin laid on the ground motionless, no shriek of pain, no grabbing the spot that hurts, making Boksen worry. But Pipin stood up, his spears facing the enemy.
Boksen could have sworn that he wouldn't be able to stand up after one hit. He held his club in both arms, and prepared. Pipin shuffled forward, till he was but an arms length away from the big Boned.
'what did you even say when the during the rainstorm yesterday,' Pipin asked looking straight in Boksen's eyes 'you've been cold since after that.'
'i said that if you keep supporting that guy, we will not be hunting together anymore.'
'if you want to be like that sure'
They started exchanging blows, the ninja rapidly started stabbing Boksen at a dizzying pace occasionally trowing in a wide swing and immidiately after continued with a straight jab.
Boksen was kept on the defensive, using his huge club as a shield, paying close attention to Pipin's repetitive attacks. After another straight jab from the Ninja, Boksen saw the opening, and made a wide swing towards Pipin's body, the air being blown out his body.
As if he was a doll with no child to keep him up, he flopped to the earth. Boksen his shadow lying over him. 'You should off ran as soon as you stood up again.'
When Jaren arrived he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed with Pipin losing, but it was a good fight. As he put the ninja on his back he couldn't help but feel Boksen his eyes stabbing his back.
Pipin woke up at the camp in his hut. It was already dark outside with the light of a campfire partiality covering the inside of his hut. He saw the bosses looking over him and behind him threea other goblins, Gooba, Eli and boksen.
All of them just as sleepy as he was, but boksen kept a poker face that said:' no I'm not tired I'm ready to go.'
'Can you stand?' Jaren asked
'Yes' Pipin responded
'Then do that and follow me.'
He led them to the river where they would all sit down next to eachother looking at the other side. 'All of you listen,' Bleux said 'don't look away when you see it. As you are now the squad leaders, it's your duty to face this first.'
'Squad leaders!' Eli suddenly blurted out. Pipin his heart beat began to raise, and while the bosses looked completely serious, everyone else was trying to hide their smiles. 'yes squad leaders.' Bleux added.
'But I lost' Pipin said.
'It doesn't matter, it just matters who had shown usefulness,' Jaren said 'The reason why Boko and Cycle aren't here is because Boko is more muscle than brains, Cycle is to bloodlusty'
Boksen faced Bleux completely 'I wil serve yo-'
He became completely silent, as a presence appeared at the other side.
The wnew squad leaders looked infront of them with absolute horror, two red eyes staring back at them. The rivier stopped flowing, and the heat of the campfire didn't warm their skin anymore.
The feeling was all to familiar for Eli, she wanted stand up and run, but Bleux held her by the shoulder preventing her from running.
'Someday we are planning to kill it, and finally Move further north, if you run now you won't be ever be able to face it' Bleux said it in confidence.
'Everyday it comes a little closer, and one day it will come and kill us all, we must be the ones to act first' Jarens words inspired them all.