The Bull

As Skull looks back to Beu with wrath in his eyes, a man in an olive colored shirt and brown pants drops down from above. The floor moves with a ripple, disrupting Skull's balance.

"Ridner, what are you doing!?" Beu tries to regain her balance from the sudden attack.

"My job." The man slams his hands onto the floor, causing strips of earth to wrap around Skull and removing the wave effect.

"No!" She watches as Skull is encased in an earth cocoon.

"Now listen Beu, it would have been simply impossible for you to defeat hi-" Ridner stands and turns to Beu, who cuts him off with a punch to the gut that sends him back. "Beu, what are you thinking!?"

"That fight was mine!" She stares dagger at him.

He grits his teeth. "I don't have time for your stupid childish tantrums." His hand sinks into the ground and when he rises he takes out a massive stone hammer.

He faces away and smashes the cocoon to pieces.

"W-where did he go?" He stands over the empty pieces of the cocoon.

Beu charges at him with a war cry

"Will you cut it out already!?" He pinches the ridge of his nose as he faces Beu again.

His face suddenly goes pale, looking down as a pair of armored hands are latched onto his ankles.

"Don't you ever…" Beu winds up her fist.

"Beu, he's underneath me!" Ridner calls for her help desperately.

"... take my fight away from me! Or I'll kill you." She uppercut Ridner in the jaw and a blast of force sends him to the floor.

Beu looks down to see Skull's hands reaching out for her own. She smiles, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the ground.

"You're a good fighter." Praises her skill while dusting off his armor.

"I had a good teacher." She looks away with a blush.

"I understand how much you would like to fight me, however I have an even bigger issue to deal with first." Skull looks around the room for his sword and Beu's energetic smile begins to fade.

"Neither of you are going anywhere!" Ridner holds his hand to the floor causing the entire room to quake.

"How about we fight together?" Skull watches his sword being swallowed by earth.

"Y-you really mean it!?" Beu looks at him with starry eyes.

"Yes, I just need to get my sword and helm." He points to his weapon.

"Of course, I'll help you get them." The duo dash forward.

A giant stone hand reaches for Skull. The hand crumbles to pieces after Beu thrusts her fist at it.

"You little runt." Ridner grits his teeth as the image of a bull appears behind him. He dives into the floor as if it were water.

Skull grabs ahold of his sword and easily shatters the rock that was encasing it. Ridner comes out of the wall above Skull, holding a large stone hammer above his head.

"Julius!" Beu calls to Skull in desperation.

The dragon flashes in front of Ridner with an evil grin. Regret and terror fill his eyes. a bolt of lightning strikes, sending him through the wall again.

"Skull, you got him good!" Beu runs up to Skull.

"He's still alive." Skull studies every inch of the room. He then walks to a lumb on the floor, and stabs it, using his sword as a shovel.

"What are you doing?" Beu clocks her head in confusion.

"I'm looking for my helmet." He stabs into the floor again.

"Oh, I know how to help!" Beu stomps once and the entire floor shatters into rocky splinters. "I found it!" She runs towards the skillfully crafted helm.

"Beu, be careful!" As Skull calls out he is too late.

As soon as Beu touches the helm, a jagged slab of earth reaches out towards her. Skull swiftly slides between her and the stone. blocking the attack using his sword, he crushes the rock.

"Thank you for helping me, but I can handle him myself now. Make sure to come back so you can fight me!" She hands Skull his helmet.

"Okay. This battle is no good if people like you aren't around to fight for what's right afterwards, so try not to hurt yourself." He turns away, donning his helmet and sheathing his sword.

Two giant hands of stone block his path to the door. He stops their grasp with ease as he splits them apart with only his hands.

"Alright Ridner, it's about time I kick your ass!" Beu cracks her knuckles while scanning the room.