|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:29 pm
"Well, trying to kidnap my mom isn't exactly what I'd call a good quality."
And in this he had his own justification. Yet, Aekepi wasn't all wrong in this regard either. Carl subconsciously rubbed his collarbone. A distinctly lighter ring of color could be seen penetrating through the feathers where a scar had formed. Dragon and Rouge had fixed that for him...despite the ill feelings he was sure his uncle harbored towards his mom. Why? Well, he wasn't sure...but this seemed an opportune moment to find out.
"Why does Dragon dislike my mother so much? Did he ever say?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:07 pm
Aekepi thought for a moment. Had Dragon said anything about disliking Donna? Now that he actually thought about it, he remembered a conversation that he'd had with the man before he moved in with the other two. And it hadn't been... dislike, that Dragon felt for the red-headed femme.
"He doesn't dislike her. He's worried about her." a shrug. "Says that the best way to keep her safe is to keep her home."
He chuckled a bit. "On the other hand, he also said the same thing about me, so whatever. But yeah - I don't think he's trying to kidnap her. Maybe he just doesn't know how to ask properly?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:38 pm
"Maybe...but maybe he'll get it right one day. I like my uncles well enough, so it'd be nice to be around them."
The bird offered a disarming smile to the conversation and pushed himself up. From the coyote's chest he leapt down onto the edge of the bench and then further down to the ground. He turned and waited for him to follow, intent on clearing the air of such serious stuff with some fun.
"You're sounding a lot better, Aekepi. Maybe you're up to a little one on one?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:42 pm
The coyote nodded, and rose himself, giving a cocky grin. THAT bird, beat HIM? Oh, you had to be kidding. He snickered, and tossed the ball to the eagle.
"Alright. One on one it is. First to five points shoots a free throw. If it misses, it's back to zip."
He moved to the defense side of the court, and slid into position, rocking from foot to foot as he prepared.
"Got it?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:50 pm
Carl caught the ball and began getting his rhythm. The sound of the rubber smacking the pavement consumed his senses as he carefully got into place. True, the bird was at somewhat of a disadvantage, being much smaller but what he lacked in height...he made up for in more than adequate strength.
With a nod of recognition to the opponent, Carl shot off hard to the right, taking the ball with him. He ran two feet and ducked left, hoping to catch the other off guard as he lifted the sphere above his head and threw at a high angle, force backing the ball as he lent it his ability.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:54 pm
Aekepi raced after him, and leapt high, smacking the ball away from the hoop, and stealing it. He came around hard, dribbling the ball back and forth under his legs, grinning. He watched for an opening, and swirled out of Carl's way, driving to the basket, when he found out HIS disadvantage. Carl was FAST. And small enough to zoom just about anywhere. He turned again, and made as if to dribble to the right, but took to the left, and spun before making a full-on charge, and stopping to turn, attempting an over-the-shoulder one-handed shot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:00 pm
Before the ball could be shot off, Carl ducked between Aekepi's legs and shouldered into one of them. It wasn't hard enough to topple him or cause injury but enough to offest the shot from its intended goal. From there he sped off, careful not to be stepped on, and took charge of the offensive again. Instead of veering in a faint, the bird drove straight forwards for what seemed a full assault. However, in the last moment, he pushed himself backwards and shot the ball. This time he was rewarded with the sound of a beautiful swish as it fell through and back into open play.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:05 pm
Aekepi didn't wait to congratulate the bird - he zoomed in for the ball, grabbed it, and dribbled out to half-court, where he made an impressive drive straight to the basket, turning and veering to avoid Carl. What he wasn't counting on was the sudden fact that he couldn't see the basket for a moment because of the sun. He shot blind, aiming the best he could for the glare in his eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:15 pm
The ball hit the court and then the claws. Carl dashed and snatched it, dribbling it center line down the court. He stopped only upon the three point line, hurling the ball arched skywards. The basket hummed as it hit, spinning round so many times...before gracefully falling on the wrong side, denying him a point. Carl wasted no time in reclaiming the defenses and swiftly made to await Aekepi's next move.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:21 pm
The coyote scooped up the ball from the court, and went straight to the three-point line. He tripped over his own paw before he got there, and sprawled. Scrambling, he grabbed the ball in a dribble as he got back to his feet, and completed the drive. Once he was at the three-point line, he turned and shot. Perfect form, perfect arc! .... Horrible aim. It bounced hard off the rim, and over toward the left side of the court.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:41 pm
Carl had to duck and weave around Aekepi before reaching the far left of the court. There he snatched the stagnant sphere and ran off towards the right end and around mid center. He paused to aim, eyeing his assailant from the corners of his vision before he shot. The ball slowly ascended and fell dead center in the basket, chalking him up another point. The bird couldn't suppress a moment of show as he relished his luck before returning to defensive standings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:54 pm
Aekepi grabbed the ball from the court, and dribbled back up the line, darting and weaving to get away from Carl's surprisingly tough to beat defense. He yelped as the bird landed on one of his paws, and dodged another attempt to steal the ball, using a one-handed back-shot. It was fancy, but also a bit simplistic in terms of trick shots. But, lo and behold, it went in! He slid back into defensive stance, and waited for Carl's shot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:03 pm
The ball was back in his offensive and Carl began to play with a bit more tact to his actions. Instead of going forward, the bird backed round and about, circling the defense which strained to keep eye on him. As soon as he'd gotten a quarter of the way around, Carl merely turned to the appropriate basket and shot an easy in for his third point. He then ran about the rest of the way to take up the other side, swaying side to side, anticipating the next move.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:17 pm
Aekepi had to think as well. He wanted to impress the bird, but he also wanted to win. One of the best ways to do that was to start thinking about his shots. He planned out a full-on charge in his mind, erased that thought, and went with his second idea. He dribbled head-on... then changed direction, spinning fast, and jumping high to sink another basket. The score was 3 - 2. They were tied. And Aeka was tired. But he wasn't going to lose! He passed the ball to Carl, sliding into position once more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:21 pm
Carl took the pass and dribbled it thoughtfully. He wouldn't do well to make a charge this time, knowing it was expected. So, falling back on what he knew, Carl pushed off right, left, back center, right and then, once he was close to Aekepi, he shot. This was not the graceful ease the others had been and caused the hoop to resound loudly as the ball smacked into it and upwards. For a moment it looked lost, but the backlash of the hoop was enough and the ball sank through another point, falling to Aekepi's side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
