Four older kids surrounded Tyler, Nikko and Carlos. They had been holding in their urges but couldn't resist anymore, they felt like they should be at the top of the detention centre hierarchy but had all been brutally beaten by Nikko. One thing they could take was the fact that Nikko was always alone and was practically excluded from the detention hierarchy but seeing him act like a normal person, freely talking and making friends, they couldn't help but forget why Nikko was always left alone.
Without speaking, one of the four older kids a tall boy probably at the age of sixteen pulled in very quickly and punched Carlos who was at the side.
Immediately the two groups started fighting, Tyler was doing pretty well but he and Carlos were still getting folded. It was Nikko alone who out performed everyone.
He was actually glad that this happened, deep inside him there was still an urge to fight and this was perfect justification.
When the first punch headed for Nikko arrived, he headbutted the fist causing the boy that attacked him to hurt. Then he ducked and dodged an incoming punch as if he had eyes behind his head causing that attacker to fall over. He quickly landed a kick to the head of the boy that attacked him first and then jumped on the boy that fell over.
The other boys beating Carlos and Tyler didn't have time to react. As soon their friends were on the floor very heavy punches hit them.
Nikko was like a demon, every hit he landed always put someone on the ground. He was fifteen but hit like a proper adult and soon all four of the older boys that came to attack them were on the ground moaning in pain, this didn't stop Nikko though, he still hit them until guards came to stop him.
This fight reminded anyone else who had wrong ideas about Nikko to readjust especially Tyler who couldn't help but recall the scene of Nikko beating four boys to a bloody mess. It made think a lot about Nikko's adherence to street ethics, the way he saw it someone who could do that was not obligated follow any moral code, at least not in an environment where he could easily dominate.
The next time they met again was at another recess, this time no one bothered the three of them.
Tyler was a bit amazed by how Nikko was completely untouched while he and Carlos still had bruises that were healing.
"Nikko, how do you fight like that? You completely took all four of them out on your own." Carlos was the first to ask.
"I don't know either man, I just like to fight a lot and got good at it."
"Nikko. Could you explain what you meant by ethics the other day?" Tyler suddenly asked.
Nikko again thought it was odd question since he assumed Tyler and now Carlos both understood. "What do mean by that? Tyler, you good?"
"Yeah Ty, you ok my man?" Even Carlos was confused.
"Um, you said what you do isn't bullying and I thought it was cr*p because even though you say don't go looking for kids to beat up you actually just beat up the bullys and they beat up who they can. It's like you say you're setting a standard for yourself but then whose to say if you decide to change what those standards are..."
Nikko burst into laughter when he heard what Tyler said, but he composed himself back quickly.
"The standards of street ethics isn't something you can just change. It's all about respect, even if i can f*** you up i have to give you the respect. The first time got here they tried to beat me up but i put them in their place, earned the respect to sit alone on a table. But you're not wrong either when no one watches i like to break the street code but when i do that its also like disrespect for myself you know."
"That's wild. But it's not like we're in the streets though, we're just kids."
"No, Carlos we're not just kids. We're disciples."
Tyler and Carlos laughed at Nikko calling them disciples, they thought it was funny how he took street life seriously.
"I don't know about being a disciple but I'm gonna leave the hood when i make it as a rapper" Tyler said then he looked at Nikko again, "Nikko you should definitely be a rapper, the way you talk sounds cool. I bet you could rap really well"
"What aboutme Ty?"
"Carlos, you? You ain't leaving the hood bro"
All three of them laughed really hard this time, Nikko didn't realize it yet but these two had just become his first official friends.
The rest of his stay in juvy was occupied by these two. They spent most of their time together freestyling and arguing over ideologies, giving Nikko enough time to learn a little more about the two boys, Carlos was in for drug possession charges like Tyler but was actually guilty of it and Tyler was genuinely a person that believed the only way out of Gehenna was through rap.
Tyler was the first to leave, before Carlos who went home two weeks before Nikko himself would be released. When it was time time for Nikko to be released his uncles girlfriend came to pick him up.
The car ride was awkward, she half heatedly scolded him for always getting into trouble deep down inside she didn't believe there was much hope for him. She had been dating his uncle for a very long time and knew Nikko's father very well, it seemed like Nikko inherited his violent nature from his father.
When they got home finally Nikko could only wash himself and change clothes before going back out, his uncle Dionne had a lot "FRIENDS" over so he really couldn't be at home.
After that he met up with his cousin Tyrone, who was with his friends at a basketball court, they were all very happy to see Nikko, he didn't consider them friends and actually never talked too much when they were all together but they were still important to him, after all these were "the homies", people that in his mind would eventually join same gang as him and obviously they were his cousins friends so Nikko could only reciprocate the affection.
Nikko joined in the game, he was practically the best player on the court. He had a very athletic body with perfect reflexes and an inhuman ability to see where he wasn't looking.
Out of frustration from playing with Nikko who was in a league of his own one of the boys joked about Nikko joining the NBA and making it out of the hood.
Normally he would stay silent or pretend to laugh it off but after remembering that his probation officer told him he was going to have to go to school, specifically the same high-school as Tyler and Carlos he couldn't help but argue.
"What if I end up a rapper though?"