BALETE CHRONICLES

Chapter 9 - Tournament Part II: Boro-boro

Ezra's pink pigtails were suddenly covered by a black pointy hat that was half her height—arched behind her. Her round pupils became slits like a viper's and her iris vanished. The school uniform she was wearing was replaced by a purple jumpsuit that had 5 pockets around the waist and each had a doll. Each doll was different. One was made of straw, one of clay, one of stone, and there were two made of cloth; one had a smile on its face and one was painted with an angry face.

Carlo, who won the first match, transformed back into his human form and then hurriedly climbed up to where Hanz and Sam were seated right next to each other. He sat on the vacant seat that Barbara was previously sitting on.

"Those dolls around her waist look like trouble." Carlo immediately said after his butt touched his seat.

Hanz and Sam didn't say anything.

"Ready?" Wilda glanced at the two who both looked itching for a fight. "Second match, begin!"

Ezra took the doll made of straw which was barely 5 inches long and threw it to the ground. "Wake up, Jemma!" She said, and the doll immediately began shaking as it grew into a 5 feet figurine with straws of hay as its head and limbs. Its makeshift hands were on its waist and right leg in front of its left.

"That doll looks like it has an attitude," Tris said.

"She names her dolls after the people she hates. Jemma was her Aunt who physically abused her as a child." Willow, who was seated behind her, leaned forward.

"That's tragic."

Ezra began twitching her fingers like a puppeteer then the doll sprinted toward Barbara. "Here she comes..." she said in a melodic tone.

Barbara, in her tribal outfit, jumped up and then hopped onto the doll's head which almost grabbed her foot. She landed right next to Ezra who looked surprised. "Ezra, did you call me a moron and stupid?" With bugs crawling on her left arm, she started chanting an incantation. "Hashna ishta..." Right away, her bugs began flying into Ezra's ears and nose.

Ezra jumped to the center of the battleground as she tried to fend off the bugs on her face. She was able to spit out some of the bugs in her mouth. "I..." she spat once again. "Th-That's disgusting! By the way, I didn't say you're a moron. I was asking you if..." she suddenly started mouthing the words, "...if the color on Wilda's lips is maroon."

Now that Barbara was in her original form, she was able to hear everything more clearly. "Oh..." she shifted her weight from her left leg then onto her right, "that makes sense now... Honestly, I don't think—"

The doll who was standing on the far end of the battleground sprinted toward her. Before she could even react, she was slammed into the wall of the arena by a powerful kick.

"Barbara! Don't forget you're in the middle of a fight!" Carlo shouted.

"You let your guard down," Ezra said as she watched Barbara crawl out of the debris of the concrete wall that covered her.

Barbara coughed with her right fist over her mouth. "A-Alright, then..." she brushed off the dirt from her body, "it's on!" She said.

"Heh!" Hanz scoffed. "Barbara's not going down that easily," he said.

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A long table made of mahogany embellished with golden carvings on its four sides was surrounded by chairs that had the same build and designs. The chairs were all occupied by Council members who wore the same black robes. Two of the chairs were vacant.