Aces Low

"How long exactly do you plan to go about impersonating me, huh?" Ace's arms were crossed as he glared at his lookalike from across the clearing. The grassy field was far enough from any of the buildings that it wasn't in the public eye, although this confrontation wasn't exactly hidden. "Is it because you're jealous of me or something? Because I can definitely tell you that there isn't much to be envious about." It was late, and the night was dark like Ace's expression. He wasn't screwing around, nor was he underestimating his opponent this time.

"What, you honestly think I'd stoop to such a level as to impersonate someone as incapable as yourself? If you're really that worried about someone stealing your identity, then perhaps you should attempt to act in a more unique way. Walking around slouched over and ignoring everyone that tries to ask you for the time of day isn't exactly something that's hard to mimic." The man scoffed, narrowing his eyes to show his uncanny resemblance to Ace's sour demeanor. "If you're that desperate to throw your own weight around, I suggest hunting down one of those Kishin Egg creatures that you love to eat so much- Ah, wait, my apologies. That was rude of me. I'd nearly forgotten that you are completely incapable of gathering souls due to your stubborn nature and inability to work with others. Is it REALLY because you're better than them, or is it because you're just afraid committing yourself to a meaningful relationship? Sounds like an excuse to me." There were no breaks in his speech, as though every thing he was saying had been planned out and practiced days in advance. He also seemed to fluctuate in tone very little. Even interrogative sentences seemed to come out as factual statements.

Of course, Ace wasn't all too happy with being talked down to. He already didn't like this guy, and his arrogance was just icing on the cake. "Alright, jackass, I was planning on asking you nicely give up this hoax, but since you're not playing by the rules, neither am I." He crouched, ready to take off at top speed and prove his point, before being cut off.

"If I know that much about you, do you honestly expect me not to know about your fighting style in depth? Aren't you supposed to be some sort of child prodigy? If that's true then let me ask you this; Are you refusing to take this fight seriously because you believe me to be some sort of plebeian human that stands no chance against you? A reasonable conclusion, I suppose, since I'm too sane to be a Kishin Egg, nothing like a Witch, and you certainly would have noticed me if I attended the same school as you. However, did you seriously not at all consider the fact that I would be ready for a fight?" He took a break in his monologue to drive his foot straight into the air, as Ace reappeared taking the blow to his chin. The Weapon flew back and landed face down, having been wholly unprepared to take the hit. "Aren't you listening to a single thing I'm saying? Hmmmm, guess not. After all, if you were, you wouldn't look like a beaten dog. As I stated, I'm more than just an average human. You have a gift. Unnatural speed, so fast that a normal person could never follow it with his naked eye. Unfortunately for you, being unable to follow something with one's eyes and being unable to see that thing are not equivalent states. So long as I can verify something's existence, I can catch it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter how fast you are, you'll never be able to defeat someone that can predict your every move. I guess that just leaves us at checkmate now, doesn't it? Or should I use card terms since that would be more fitting given our namesake? Of course I forgot to introduce myself to you, so someone of your intelligence must be confused. I am King Jack, and it's rather nice to meet my apparent father. And by father, I simply mean the man that gave rise to my existence. In case you were worried, I can certainly confirm that no woman was crazy enough to take the seed of an inbreed. I would hope that you were capable of figuring that out from our ages."

"King Jack?" Ace picked himself up and growled furiously. "What kind of shitty name is that? And what the hell do you mean I gave birth to you?"

"I can't explain my origins all too well to you, as, in retrospect, it isn't something that even should have happened or been possible. I myself am an anomaly, so we're going to have to pass on that story for now. As for my namesake: Even though I am clearly above you in every way, you already took the highest card in the deck, so I chose the King and the next highest card that didn't denominate a feminine gender for obvious reasons. I suppose in this deck, we'll just have to assume that Aces are low. That should, after all, be a fitting comparison to the difference in our abilities now, wouldn't you agree? Of course you wouldn't, you're far to stubborn to admit your insignificance. You can't even accept the fact that you're just a pawn in a much larger game- Oh that's right. I nearly forgot that chess references are unfitting of our state of being. I suppose it would be more appropriate to compare us to a pair in a single hand of poker where the people up above us, like Lord Death are the Royal Flushes or even the players themselves. Are you understanding the things that I'm saying? No matter how much you try to act like you're important you never will be, just as how no matter how much you try to act like you have the upper hand you'll never be able to defeat me in a fight. Everything about you is inferior to me, because my thoughts aren't clouded by petty things like revenge. Let me ask you this; do you really think that driving yourself solely on revenge is making you stronger? Personally I think it makes you look weak from a willpower perspective, but that's just me. Factually, the answer is no, it doesn't make you stronger. Having a goal to pursue is one thing, but it doesn't actually give you strength, nor does it necessarily detract from it. Being consumed by a goal, however, causes one to lose sight of their own state of being and can lead them to forget to prepare themselves for things that they don't foresee in their immediate future. Is any of this sinking in, or am I going to have to prove my point by shoving my boot into your face again? Personally I dislike the use of violence. A battle of wits is much more amusing, but you act far too much like a brute for that to seem even remotely possible."

Ace was steaming with rage. It was a wonder that he didn't charge again before King had finished his monologue, and he did so if ONLY to listen for some sort of clue in this rant as to how he could flip the tables on this guy. Deciding he wouldn't spill anymore information, Ace took off again as King took a step backwards to avoid a blur coming from his flank. After a brief moment, King too vanished, reappearing with his knee buried deep in Ace's stomach a few feet away from his original position.

"We're the same person, remember? Anything you can do, I can mimic. Of course, I can do so much more efficiently." He grabbed Ace by the hair and tossed him to the side. The silver haired tactician coughing up some blood as he tumbled back. "As much as I would love to discover how the soul of my clone tastes, I certainly can't kill you where you stand now can I? If you and I have a scuffle in the middle of Death City, you look like the same cretin that you always do. However, if I kill you, I suddenly become a wanted man, and I can't exactly have Death siccing his hounds on me just yet. Even someone as skilled and knowledgeable as myself couldn't hope to outperform the entire DWMA without any sort of preparation, so as much as it pains me I will have to take my leave now. I bid you adieu." King gave a mocking bow before walking off in no particular direction, leaving Ace clinging to his stomach in pain.