King of the Hill

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 19 December 2016
Setting: Koffiefontein, FS, South Africa.
.
Maarten, walking backward, rounds the corner into the alley through Christiaan's and Kabibe's block.
::I've missed these smells,:: sighs Pietr.
::You've missed dust and asphalt?::
'Funny,' says Pietr's eyebrow and he wrinkles his nose. ::That place smelled like metal and freezer burn and drying dam-shore and dirty socks.::
Maarten snorts, drawls, ::Yea, I'll take dust—even cow—over that any day.::
Pietr laughs.
““Well look who's back!””
Maarten stops short—
““Little soldier boy ready to show us how to fight proper?””
Pietr freezes mid-step, rocks back, eyebrow raised.
::He wants trouble.:: 
Pietr nods, draws himself up—
Maarten turns to face Young Fourie, counts five guys in his entourage—
—takes a flanking position.
—sighs, “I don't think you want to go there with us.”
“Don't care about /you,” scoffs Fourie. “Want to see if [derogatory nickname] there's learned anything at that fancy foreign school.”
Pietr bristles.
“You /really don't want to go there.”
“Why not? Afraid I'll humiliate him?”
“More like I'm afraid he'll put you in hospital.”
“Not likely,” Fourie mutters. “The two of you might've been kings of the hill, but that was before. I think it's time for a new king.”
“What are you, /twelve?”
Pietr gently pushes Maarten aside.
Maarten taps his arm. ::Don't hurt him too bad.::
::Just gonna embarrass him,:: smirks Pietr.
Maarten snorts and backs away.
Fourie raises his hands.
Pietr beckons.
Fourie circles.
Pietr's motionless.
Fourie rushes Pietr from behind.
Fourie lands on his back at Pietr's feet.
Pietr tips an imaginary hat.
He scrambles to his feet and lunges at Pietr's knees.
Pietr's not there and Fourie has a mouthful of dust.
“Stand an' fight, Vos!”
Pietr sighs.
Fourie closes.
Pietr shifts his weight.
Fourie aims a punch at Pietr's face.
Pietr pivots, seizes Fourie's arm and twists it.
Pushes the man to the ground.
Kneels in the center of his back.
Pulls the arm until the shoulder hyperflexes.
Fourie taps the ground with his free hand.
Pietr releases him.
Raises an eyebrow.
Fourie snorts and stomps away, entourage following and tossing nervous glances over their shoulders.
Pietr turns to Maarten and shrugs. ::Are we going to be late?::
::Should be right on time.::
Pietr thumbs up and they start walking again.
.
== Original text ==
King of the Hill
7 February 2019
Koffiefontein, South Africa
2019 February 7
Koffiefontein, South Africa
"So yer gonna fight monsters n'save us all, Scrawny?"
Pietr shrugs, flicks his eyes through one-hundred-eighty degrees.
"I don't think ya wanna go there wi'him now."
"Why not? Afraid I'll humiliate yer hero brother, Maarten?"
"More like I'm afraid he'll put'ya in hospital."
Fourie laughs. "Th' two a'yer mighta been kings a the hill, but that were years back. I think it's time fer a new king."
Pietr smirks and gently pushes Maarten to the side.
::Don't hurt him too bad.::
::Just gonna embarrass him.::
Maarten snorts and backs away.
Fourie raises his hands.
Pietr beckons.
Fourie circles.
Pietr's motionless.
Fourie rushes Pietr from the back.
Fourie lands on his back at Pietr's feet.
Pietr tips an imaginary hat.
He scrambles to his feet and lunges at Pietr's knees.
Pietr's not there and Fourie has a mouthful of dust.
"Stand'n fight, Vos!"
Pietr sighs.
Fourie closes.
Pietr shifts his weight.
Fourie aims a punch at Pietr's face.
Pietr pivots, seizes Fourie's arm and twists it.
Pushes the man to the ground.
Kneels in the center of his back.
Pulls the arm until the shoulder hyperflexes.
Fourie taps the ground with his free hand.
Pietr releases him.
Raises an eyebrow.
Fourie snorts and stomps from the courtyard.
Pietr turns to Maarten and shrugs.
::Is it time to meet Pappa yet?::
::Just enough time to walk there.::
Category:Ficlet
Category:Koffiefontein (setting)
Category:Maarten
Category:Maarten (ficlet)
Category:Maarten's POV
Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet)
Category:Christiaan (mention)
Category:Kabibe (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Forging of a Skeleton Key storyline