Chapter 7: Marco

"It might be a mafia organization taking the child captive to be experimented on..." deducted the commander

Marco seeing Roger pause his track, called out. "Hey, Roger---"

"Shh..." Roger silencing Marco, who pouted at him.

He peeked at where Roger listening to. "Aha! so you were eavesdropping on them, aren't you--- hmmph." Marco's mouth was hindered by Roger's palm, making him pluck his lips. He looked at serious-looking Roger then grinned, and licked Roger's palm, making Roger jolt but still didn't let go.

Roger glared at him, but Marco's eyes turned crescent moon, showing how he enjoys playing with stiff-looking Roger and wanting to extract more reaction from him.

Roger warned him with his eyes toward Marco but he could feel him grinning on his palm.

The next thing that has been heard is the shrieking of Marco on the floor, his face on the floor, and his arm on his back.

"I give up! I give up!" Marco shouted in pain.

"What's going on in here?" The commander asked.

"Ro-Roger, let go of the commander's child." Tristan helping Roger to stand up, while the latter was still glowering at Marco.

"Ah, that sure was painful. You are surprisingly strong. My arm still hurt. What will you do if my girls cry because my arm was broken by you---Ouch! hey! why did you hit me, old man!" Marco cried out, trying to soothe his scalp that been hit.

"Oldman?! why you little rascal!" roared Marco's father, the commander.

"I will tell you to mommy!"

"You are already old and you still need to run to your mother. Let me see if I don't beat you to bring that manliness in you!"

"I am already manly! I also have a lot of girls who are asking for me!"

The commander was about to argue back but Tristan already goes between the two, stopping them. "We should just go and eat dinner for now." Tristan smilingly trying to pacify the two.

The father and child glared at each other and turned their back, while walking toward the table, having a competition who will sit first.

Roger on the other hand walked toward the bathroom and wash his hand.

The only information he got from listening to their conversation was that Children being gone, some found evidence of monster-like attacking to kill. With their eyes turning red and sclera turning black.

After washing his hand, he joined them to eat, but they prayed first and eat their food.

"Why do you need to go to the bathroom?" Marco bitting the chicken with one of his hands, while on the other one was the spoon.

"Cleaning off the rabies," Roger replied and then took a bite of the dish.

"Hey, hey, hey. I am not a dog!" Marco yelled.

"You don't need to admit." then he drinks his juice.

"Hey, I am not--- Ouch! old man you keep on hitting my head, what will happen if It deformed and I became a fool, will you take responsibility if my girls cry!" Marco glaring at his father.

"You are already a fool, and what girls? All of them were not even into you."

"I am not a fool! They are into me. See this muscle, I got muscle-"

"That's too thin to be a muscle. This is muscle" then the commander showed his biceps.

Marco pout. "That is just fat, mine is genuine- Ouch, you been smacking my head. Ah, I really gonna tell you to mom!"

"You already grown up and still need his mommy."

"Hey!"

Roger continued his food, with his brow furrowed, and look up when Marco suddenly stood up and raised the sleeve of his, ready to fight it off with his father. Roger then pushed Marco's leg, making him sit. The father and son quarrel stop while watching Roger.

"Eat," Roger said, then he also continued to dig in.

Marco scratched his head, while the commander observed Roger.

"You... I have noticed it since a moment ago but you are really strong! Let's spar next time, I wanna see who is stronger. Hey, why don't we spar today, before I go home? If you didn't know I had been learning to fight since I am 5 years old." Marco proudly spoke.

"Eat," Roger then drank his juice.

"Oh come on now. It just one fight. come on, come on." Marco insisted.

"Not interested."

"Oh come on now! The fight makes a man handsome! Just like me," he even winks while beaming.

"No,"

Tristan felt a bit of trouble with Marcos being pushy. "Now now. Roger --"

"I agree, Why don't you two spar," the commander cut off Tristan.

"Commander." Tristan looked at the commander. He couldn't believe he would let the two children brawl.

Marco glower at the commander. "Hey, old man it was our fight, not yours," he said as he puffed.

The commander faced Tristan, smiling at him while ignoring Marco who turned enraged because of his reaction. "It will be a good experience for them, and see if Roger can keep up with the training in the camp."

Tristan peeked at Roger, whose brow was knitted. He didn't know what was going on inside his mind.

Roger's eyes went to Tristan whose face was written in worried.

Roger got one problem since before. In his eyes, all people look alike and the color around him seems monochrome, they don't have faces, but he could distinguish people through their voices and body shape. No, actually there was one person who is different and got color. It was Hananiah.

Roger furrowed his brow, thinking what they want is too troublesome, but then he was being fed by Tristan. "Okay."

"Yipee! So let's fight. Let's fight!"

Roger nodded, but his eyes were on the dishes.

"We will handle these after. You guys go toward the gym." Tristan told Roger, knowing that Roger wanted to take care of the dishes first.

Roger's eyes went toward Marco whose face full of excitement. "Let's go! let's go!" he said while pulling Roger. "Where is the gym?"

Roger wrinkled his brow trying to remember where the gym was. He only remembered his room, kitchen, living room, and bathroom because those are the place he usually went to. He looked behind him hoping to get some help from Tristan, but he was not around.

"What are you looking at? You want to be with your uncle Tristan. I didn't know you like your uncle very much." Marco grinned teasingly, but Roger disregards him. He really couldn't remember where the gym was. "Uncle Tristan will follow after us. You guide me first where the gym is."

Roger stared at Marco. "I forgot."

Marco gawked at him in confusion. "You forgot what?"

Roger pursed his lips, while Marco kept on staring at him waiting for him to continue.

"Oh, why you two still not in the gym?" inquired the commander.

"Roger? You forgot where the gym is?" Tristan's question, but his voice more on stated than questioning.

Roger looked away because of being exposed, his ears had a tinge of red on them.

"Eh, eh. You forgot. tsk, tsk, tsk. How could you not memorize your own home?" Marcos then nudged him while snickering, getting a glare from his father. He fake coughed and smile at Roger. "Don't worry, this big bro of yours had a good memory, so when you got lost I will sure to get you!" he pumped his chest to show his confidence.

Roger just eyed him then wait for Tristan who shook his head in helplessness. "I will lead you guys then," Tristan said while he escorted them toward the gym.

The gym had a lot of equipment. From barbels, squat rack, there was even a boxing ring.

"Nice nice. Uncle Tristan your place is good, but could never compare to ours!" Marco spoke with a voice full of pride. "Ouch! old man why need to hit me again!" Marco feeling aggrieved. His father is too much, always hitting his head. Ah!

"Stop saying those words," The commander said.

"Yah, yah. I was just stating the truth anyway." Marco whispered in a soft voice, while his plucking.

"You two just go to the ring." The commander ordered them.

"'kay~" then Marco went toward the ring.

Roger also went up, while watching Marco whose playful nature turned to seriousness. "This will be 1 round only-"

"Why one round only?" Marco cutting off Tristan's words.

"Rest after." Roger suddenly spoke out.

"Oh, okay... I see I see. So our little Roger had a very delicate body. hehe." Marco mock.

"The rules are simple, whoever gives up or unable to stand will lose." both nodded their head in agreement. Tristan raised his hand, signaling them to fight.

Marco jumped, while his eyes focused on Roger who was just standing in front of him. He was finding any blind spot to hit him, but couldn't find one for some reason. He even has this tingling feeling that he wouldn't land even a single strike on Roger's, but that was impossible. He fought with a lot of older people, even some in militaries, and he always able to at least land a hit, except for his father.

Marco shook his head, He does believe that he will be able to land a clean hit and win against Roger. He bolted at Roger readying to punched but fake it and kick him, but Roger just simply evaded it. Marco then jumped and do an Asian kick but Roger just stepped back.

"Hey, stop dodging. Fight." Marco said in annoyance. "Stop looking down on me! I am strong, so fight!"

Roger sighed. He then disappeared in front of Marco giving a surprise to the audience, the next thing that happened was Marco falling and losing consciousness, while Roger walked down the arena, unscathed.