*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 21

A Little

Showdown

 

                "Babe?..Babe, I've got the clothes..."

                "Sarah, over here."

                Sarah walked behind some bushes, "Here..."

                Babe took the clothes and wrapped himself in them.  When he had finished covering each metallic part, he sighed, "Okay...let's go home, Sarah.  I'm sick of this place."

                She nodded, "Same here.  How did it happen?"

                Babe got up, and they started walking home, "I got hit with some damn cannon they'd set up ahead of time.  The thing had perfect aim.  It got one of my wings and forced me to the ground.  That's where the second one blew up.  If Kain hadn't been so caught up in all his gloating I don't think I would have made it."

                She held Babe's arm, "Well, I'm glad you're still here.  We can get you fixed up..."

 

                "Not from the ISLAND?!!!!  Where the hell..."  A look of understanding came over him.  He smiled, "I get it...some sort of joke, right?  No offense, but you REALLY need to work on--"

                "I'm not joking.  I've never been on this island before.  I've always lived in the humans' part of the world."

                "The where?  Listen, You AREN'T being funny."

                "I'm not trying to be.  This isn't a joke."

                "Humans are just a bunch of damned myths left only for those idiotic periodicals crazed numbskulls like to read."

                Griffin scowled, "I've LIVED with them!!!!  Do you honestly think I would joke about something like that?!"

                "Humans.  Don't.  Exist."

                Griffin held himself in check, "Blake, I DO NOT JOKE, about myself!"

                "Then give up that stupid story you're trying to tell me!  I'm not believing a word of it!  It isn't true!"  Blake sighed, "I still need the birth certificate if you want a job here.  Please, just give up on the story.  It won't work with me."

                "Hey Blake!  Who's the new meat?"

                Blake glanced over to see a very large, very muscular blue dragon.  He shrugged it off, "Hey Kale.  This is Griffin.  He wants a job here but insists on making up this completely fake story about where he grew up.  He'd be a match for you if he joined up, you know."

                "He would, would he?"  Kale stepped forward and eyed Griffin closely, "Good muscle build, even structure...nah, he wouldn't stand any more of a chance than every other guy here."  Kale smiled, "But I haven't had a challenge in a long time.  You know Griffin.  Blake over there doesn't say stuff unless he means it.  If he thinks you're a match for me, I'll TRY to believe him."

                "What are you saying?"  Griffin felt THIS CLOSE to knocking the guy out.  His chat with Blake had left him with a temper.

                Kale laughed, "Nothing...I just don't think you'd stand very well against me.  I'm the best there is...but, like I said, I'm in the mood for an actual challenge.  Tell you what.  You beat me, and I'll make sure Blake here hires you, even WITH your little story.  What do you say?"

                Griffin needed to blow off some steam..."Bring it."

                "Sure...but let's fight in one of the lower levels.  All the arenas are downstairs."  He motioned to someone just walking down the stairs, "You.  Griffin and I are going to have a match.  Get my usual warm up equipment, and make sure someone around here tells Griffin what he's got to do."

                The man quailed when Kale spoke to him, then dashed upstairs to shout out his orders.  Blake scolwed, "That's quite enough of that, Kale.  You know what I told you about teaching MY employees."  He stood up and held Griffin's shoulder, "I'll show Griffin what's going to happen.  The next time you shout at my men, Kale, expect the fight of your life."

                Kale laughed, "YOU old-timer?  You only TAUGHT me what I know.  You can't really use it anymore!  Face it, you're NOTHING!!!!"  Kale shook his head and left, still laughing.  Before he had gone all the way, he turned back, "Oh, and Blake, while you're at it, could you tell what happens to the New Meat if I win?  Thanks, old man."

                When Blake was alone with Griffin, he broke down, "He's right you know.  I can only threaten now...I've lost my touch.  I can only teach them the moves...tell them what they're doing right or wrong.  I'm too old to do any of that anymore."

                "What?  But you look so young!"  Griffin stared at Blake, trying to see if the man looked old at all.  He didn't, and that's what baffled Griffin the most.

                Blake smiled at him, "Thanks for the compliment, but I'm past my prime."

                "But your daughter!  She couldn't have been more than ten years old!"

                "She's adopted.  My wife is sterile.  We both wanted a child, but it was hard raising the money to adopt her...and raise her.  This job I have is one of the few that actually pays enough to keep our family going...if only we had more people willing to use the bodyguards I train..."

                "What about your other job?  Why doesn't that work?  Shouldn't you be getting money from that?"

                "Yes, but it's barely enough to cover the basic expenses.  Considering what I have to earn to keep my wife alive...that's another matter."  Blake tried to brighten the mood, "But we manage.  No worries.  Now come on.  I think you'll enjoy the place."

                Griffin didn't let the mood get much better, "What did Kale mean?"

                "About what?"

                "What happens to me if I lose?"

                "Oh...yes, that...well, it's a bit complicated..."

                Griffin rolled his eyes, "Spit it out, Blake.  I'd LIKE to know just what I  have to expect."

                Blake tried to stall by showing Griffin another room, "Here, this is the place...in here you'll find whatever you need for a basic warm up, and--"

                Griffin slammed the door shut, "What's supposed to happen, Blake?"

                Blake sighed, "Persistent...I hope you win, Griffin.  I really do..."

                "Stop stalling and tell me."

                "Alright...alright.  Are you familiar with the steriotypical bully?"

                "The one who makes the wimps do everything he wants?  More or less."

                "Well, let's just say it's a version of that, shall we?"

                Griffin rolled his eyes, "Fine...he's not going to beat me though.  I know more than enough to take on an amatuer like him."  Griffin punched the air, pretending he was hitting Kale's face instead.

                Blake smiled and left, "He acts just like I did at that age...I hope he wins...I might have a successor on my hands!"  He jerked and called back, "Oh, by the way, watch out.  Like the same steriotypical bully, Kale has his own version of a gang.  He won't be against using a few dirty tricks."

                Griffin nodded, "Thanks.  I'll watch myself."

 

                About five minutes later, Griffin found himself in an interesting room.  It looked more like it belonged in the center of a basketball court!

                Kale smiled, "It's simple.  You get pushed out of the circle, you lose.  In this fight, ANY move is allowed.  If you get pushed out of the circle, you lose.  Nothing else disqualifies you."

                Blake called off from the sidelines, "THOSE RULES ARE WRONG, KALE!!!!  YOU KNOW I WON'T STAND FOR THAT!!!!"

                Kale whispered something to one of the people close to him.  The guy nodded and ran off.

                Griffin frowned at that, "That doesn't make sense...the way this looks, no one would want to miss this fight.  Why would someone run off after Kale talked to them?"  He glanced back at Blake and understood, "You're going to take over, aren't you?"  He asked quietly.  Griffin didn't want to shock Blake at all.

                Kale sneered, "So, you caught on?  Alright, tell you what.  Let me win this, and I'll let Blake stay in charge.  I'll even make sure he hires you anyway.  Keep fighting me, and things are going to get bad.  Small...mishaps might start up...Blake'll have to watch his back a bit more than normal."

                Griffin snarled, "So what?  I'd rather humiliate you.  No one would take orders from you then!  Mark my words."

                "And how are you going to beat me?  I'm the best of the best, pal!  I've taken on thugs stronger than you!"

                Griffin laughed, "No you haven't.  I've met the strongest on this island."

                "Oh really?  And who might that be?"

                "James Elias."  Griffen smiled at Kale's reaction, "You look surprised.  The two of you fought when he still lived on the streets, right?  He win?"

                Kale scowled, "And what if he did?"

                "I've beaten him."

                Kale laughed.  Hard, "If you did then this is going to be one HELL of a fight!  START!!!!"  He rushed Griffin an instant later.

                Griffin had been expecting something like this, and sidestepped it easily.  He hadn't counted on Kale's tail catching and tripping him a moment later.  Griffin stood up, scolwing, "That's the best you got?"

                Kale laughed, "No.  But once that venom hits your nervous system all I've got to do is kick you out."

                Griffin sighed and waited for the stuff to take effect.  He fell to the floor, suddenly numb...but it lasted a second at most.  Griffin faked the rest, waiting for Kale to get close...Kale was a step away when Griffin made his move.  He grabbed Kale's foot andpulled at it hard.  Kale fell too.  Griffin stood up and grinned down at his opponent, "Still think I'm going to be easy to beat?"

                Kale was staring at him, "That does was enough to send anyone else into the hospital!  There's no WAY you could have gotten up so quickly!"

                Griffin laughed, "That's what James thought too.  Now get up.  I'm not finished with you yet."

                Kale scowled and stood up, "Remember.  If I don't win I'm gonig to make things hard on Blake over there.  I've got my men all set up.  Once they get the signal, Blake's life will be hell."

                Griffn grabbed him...put their faces inches apart, "And what if I stop you from doing that, too?"

                Kale jabbed his knee into Griffin's stomach without answering.  The two squared off again, "You think you're so tough?  I haven't even tried usng a move on you yet!"

                "Keep talking, loudmouth.  You haven't seen much yet, either.  You've got holes in your defense a mile wide."  He held a fighting stance and waited.  Just as he'd hoped, Kale didn't have the patience to wait.  He started rushing Griffin again.  Griffin smiled and executed one of the simplest moves he'd ever learned.  For those who watched, it looked more or less like Griffin had picked Kale up and thrown him backwards.  Griffin had done that sort of thing, but he'd used Kale's own speed to help...and his chip, a little.  No one saw the glow.

                Kale landed just barely inside the ring.  One guy came up to him, "You aren't doing so hot, boss.  Want me to start?"

                Kale shook his head, "I can take him...he got lucky, that's all."

                "Luck had nothing to do with it, Kale.  Now get up.  I'm still not finished with you yet."

                Griffin spent more than the needed amount of time just tossing Kale back and forth.  Kale never found a defense against any of Griffin's moves...and by the looks of things, his pride wouldn't let him just up and quit.  Griffin smiled, "Have you had enough, or are you hungry for more, Kale?  I can keep this up just as long as you."

                Kale growled and held stood up, wiping a bit of blood off his lip, "You're good, New Meat.  I'll give you that.  Tell you what.  If you let me win, I'll make you second in command."

                Griffin shook his head, "I'm happy with the current leader, thank you very much."  Griffin walked up and pushed Kale back down.  The guy didn't have enough energy to get out of the way, and he was standing so close to the edge that, when he fell, he landed out of the circle.  Griffin smiled and helped him back up, "I win."  He walked back to Blake to tell him what Kale had planned.

                Kale scowled at the two and whispered to one of his gang members, "Get rid of Griffin.  He's too good for this place.  We don't want him to start taking away all our jobs!"

                The guy nodded, "A knife?"

                "Make sure you're alone, otherwise they might be able to figure out who you are."

                Griffin heard this and waited.  It wouldn't take long...he even went down what looked like a deserted hallway to make them come faster.  Fortunately, Blake was too busy explaining the place to him to notice how empty it was.  Griffin closed his eyes and tuned out Blake's voice.  He could hear footsteps coming...trying to be quiet, and failing.  He could even hear the knife being thrown at him.  He stopped it, and the attacker, with his chip.  Griffin turned to Blake, "Kale was trying to kill me, Blake.  Do I have your permission to trounce him again?"

                Blake was staring at the knife Griffin's chip held in midair, "Turn him and this guy over to the police.  I've been wanting to get rid of Kale for a while, anyway."

                "Okay.  Call them up.  I'll keep this guy busy."