To Seek Power: Glutinous Fall Ch.5

Chapter Five:  Sleeping Dogs, Old Dogs

Kenneth attacks first catching Rico off guard.  Rico steps back but catches another solid hit from Kenneth.  He puts his arms up to defend, but Kenneth pushes them down and strikes him to the ground.  Rico rolls away and into a crouch.

{Rico}
He’s fast.

Kenneth advances on Rico quickly forcing him to stand up.  He blocks an incoming punch and returns fire but Kenneth ducks it and gets behind him.  Rico stumbles after get hit from behind, he recovers quickly catching Kenneth with a spinning kick.  Kenneth returns the kick, sending Rico spinning onto the ground.  He starts to get up, anger now present in his face.  He looks in Kenneth’s direction only to see he was on the offensive again.  Kenneth slides across the ground sending Rico airborne.  Kenneth quickly hits him a powerful double palmed strike.  Rico barrels across the ground and recovers on his feet.

[Rico]
Okay kid, you’re antics are starting to piss me off.

The ground under Rico craters in itself and the dust hides him.  Kenneth stands there, unsure what to do but keeps focused.  The dust settles revealing Rico, whom had grown darker in appearance.

[Rico]
I don’t have all day, let’s go!

He runs at Kenneth and throws a punch.  Kenneth blocks it but steps back.  Rico trips him and spears him to the ground.  He lifts Kenneth up into the air by his jacket but lets him go after being kneed twice.  Kenneth advances and attacks but Rico blocks it.  Rico responds with a kick, but Kenneth nudges it away with a block.  Rico quickly goes for a punch but Kenneth ducks it.  He swings again but Kenneth sways backwards and comes back with an attack of his own.  Rico deflects it with his forearm and pulls back for a powerful swing.  Kenneth leads him into the attack, forcing Rico to stumble forward.  Kenneth kicks him into the dirt and stands him up.  Rico attacks with a back fist, but Kenneth evades it hitting him with an uppercut.  The blow forces Rico off his feet and with a spinning motion, Kenneth knocks him back down into the ground.

The ground violently erupts, sending debris into the sky.  Rico begins to crawl out of the ground.  The power surge made Kenneth retreat back to avoid losing his foothold.  He watched Rico emerge from the ground and vanish just as fast.  Kenneth stands up and looks around.  With a deafening boom Rico appears in front of Kenneth and lands a hit scare in his face.

{Rico}
I’m in my second state… and he withstood the attack like it was nothing.

He looks Kenneth in the eye and freezes.  All he could see was sorrow and nothing else.

[Rico]
Stop looking at me like that with those sad eyes!

Kenneth forces his hand out of the way and punches Rico in the face sending him flying backwards.  Images of Oxomoco flood his mind.  Rico hits the ground hard, pushing up sandstone.  He stands up in his final state, blood running down the side of his right eye.

{Rico}
Moco…
I said I’d be home soon didn’t I.
I’m sorry, I’m not so sure on that anymore…
But I’m going to damn well try.

Rico steps down on the ground and disappears.  Kenneth who was moving to his position was stopped by a powerful hit to the jaw.  Kenneth hit the ground, but Rico sent him flying with a kick.  Rico grabs him out the air and slams him back into the ground face first.  He slams his fist into his head and drags through the ground several feet before lifting him up by the collar.  Black blood dips down Kenneth’s face, his hair now white like snow.  Rico punches him in the face repeatedly.  Each hit sounding like a boom of thunder.  He lets him go and with a thunderous uppercut sends him skyward.  He jumps and vanishes, reappearing above Kenneth.  He pulls back and slams his feet into Kenneth’s back and like a missile, they plummet to the earth, leaving a large crater where Kenneth’s body struck down.

Kenneth lay under his feet seemingly unconscious.  Rico jumps out of the crater and looks down at his body.  He exhales and falls to a knee, gripping his left arm.  His eyes widen as giant wings materialize out of thin air.  The force they generate makes him stand up and shield his eyes.  

[Rico]
What the hell is he?!!

When the wings disappear he moves to the crater’s edge and looks in.  Looking back at him was a hooded figure.

[Rico]
No way in hell you’re a demon…

Kenneth jumps into the air and with a burst of wind from his dematerializing wings he and Rico engage in battle again.  They trade punch for punch and then catch each other in the ribs.  They stand up and trade blows again and punch each other in the face.  Rico recovers first and lands a powerful blow on Kenneth sending him into a backwards tumble.  He recovers quickly to block Rico’s continued attack and forces his arm down.  Rico’s eyes widen, un- expecting the counter attack.  Launching him in the air with a powerful uppercut, Kenneth crouches materializing his wings before he jumps after Rico.  He grabs him out the air and the two rise higher into the sky before descending.  Kenneth flaps his wings increasing the speed of their descent and slams Rico into the ground.

Rico lay unconscious; his lower half slumped over his upper body.  Kenneth lands on the ground in a hunched crouch, back in his normal state, black blood dripping from his mouth.  He slumps down on his knees.  His vision blurred from battle, he looks up to see the feet of a black figure.  It kicks him over with a chuckle.

[Gluttony]
Good Boy~