Mixed emotions flooded through Kosis head on his walk to the school with Brodie. "What's wrong little bro you've been quiet" he asked with a smile. "Oh..well I... don't know how to feel" Kosi muttered in response still unable to look Brodie in the eye.
"The thing I want is here and if I can't get it then it's my fault. No one else's just me and that's terrifying" he continued now walking aimlessly.
"Well going into a tunnel that could cave us in is terrifying, you still want to do that don't you?" Brodie asked. "Well yeah, I don't know... thank you though, this is your dream too and you're gambling it on me" Kosi replied with a pained smile.
"You're my brother and I don't do this without you. Enough said" Brodie replied with a shrug. The pair hugged then went on their separate ways.
By the time Kosi got back to the school a large crowd had formed. With all the hectic changes to his life and relationships he'd completely forgotten he agreed to fight Dell. Still emotionally drained he had not even realized this was the reason for the crowd.
Walking closer his eyes met a cheerful Jay who had orchestrated this audience and whipped them into a bloodthirsty frenzy. Seeing him finally made the situation click for Kosi who promptly let out a low groan.
"Ahh damn" was all he let out before finally reaching the murmuring crowd. Several of the crowd made way for him to walk through and into the center of the juvenile make shift ring. There he saw Dell. Head now shaven and as beady eyed as ever his week away was not spent lounging around gorging his face but clearly spent preparing to try maiming Kosi.
"Why does he hate me so much" Kosi thought to himself. Seemingly unable to summon any emotion in his current state he brazenly reached down and pulled up his shirt. Underneath lay a large metallic belt.
"Ha! Freak what the heck is that" Dell laughed. Kosi looked him in the eye and unhooked the belt. Taking it off he took it off he held it to his side and dropped it.
The loud thud it emitted shocked the onlookers. All except Rue and Jude who laughed when their eyes met. "Oh my days he's doing the Lee thing" Rue said looking at Jude thinking back to the animated show they watched where a hero wore weights to make himself faster for when he took it off to fight his opponents. "Nerd but wow that thing must be heavy" Jude said laughing.
"What the?" Dell asked unsure what to make of what he'd just seen. Much to his surprise and absolute annoyance Kosi was clearly unfazed by his intimidation tactics and was now gleefully bouncing up and down.
Improvising on the spot Kosi made a plan. Assuming that Dell was simply big and had no real fighting experience because he'd never seen him do anything more than shove or strong arm people. He thought back to the martial arts cartoons he watched with Jude and Rue.
If they were not all completely fiction the most effective way to subdue any opponent was to hit then square on the nose. So that was now the plan, hit him in the nose to at least daze him then win somehow.
Facing off Kosi squared up to Dell who promptly ran for him arms out to grab him. Keeping his wits about him Kosi almost effortlessly ducked the attack. Stumbling forward Dell collected himself right before he clumsily fell over.
Looking at the people right in front of him he was angered to see some of them snickering at his bumbling. He turned to focus his frustrations on Kosi who was now looking back at him with an almost smug grin.
Charging forward in much the same way he stopped right as Kosi was attempting to duck and anticipated which way he'd go. Just about grabbing his shirt he had enough of a grip on it to pull Kosi back and get a hold of him properly.
He effortlessly threw him across the dirt ring watching him unceremoniously rolling across the floor. "Gah!" Kosi groaned in pain writhing around in pain.
He clutched his chest and felt a sudden spike in adrenaline rush through his body. Rising up seemingly fine he rushed towards Dell.
Charging straight towards him he punched Dell straight in the nose. Despite the trickle of blood Dell was still able to reach out and grab Kosi by the shirt again. In a panic Kosi grabbed Dell's arm and failed to break his grip. Holding on he watched Dell raise him by the scruff of the neck.
Attempting to raise Kosi overhead was a miscalculation as it put Kosi at an angle to pull his foot back and put it through Dell's head. Dazed and now in pain Dell's grip on Kosi loosened ad he stumbled back. Now grabbing Dell by the shirt Kosi pulled him in for a ferocious headbutt.
A loud CRACK emanated from the fight as the now hushed crowd watched Dell fall to his knees. Going on instinct Kosi grabbed Dell by the hair and began rapidly punching him in the face.
Staining the sand with Dell's blood Kosi was suddenly grabbed from behind. Jay flung him away from Dell and he awkwardly landed on his knee.
White as a sheet Jay turned to face Kosiand Before anything else could happen Jude jumped in between Jay and Kosi. "You're not going to do anything to him" he said staring daggers through Jay.
Jay backed away and helped Dell to his feet. "Look man I don't want to fight I'm just going to get him home" he said looking at his bleeding friend. Dell attempted to protest lamely but just slumped over onto Jay's shoulder.
The pair walked off with Dell muttering expletives and the crowd watched in awe as Kosi rose to his feet. Cheers emanated from some with others still in shock at the bloody state he had left Dell in.
Rue walked up to the bruised Kosi and without saying anything hugged him and said into his chest "never do that again" with a clear crack in her voice. Jay stood by his best friends side and asked with a smile "how do you feel man?".
Unbeknownst to them Kosi began to slump forward before leaving back and sitting onhe ground with Rue's help. "I..my knee, I hurt my knee" Kosi said panicked.