*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 7

Fight!

 

                James didn't take time to listen.  He was already half-running down the hall, "Didn't hear ya.  What was that?"

                Griffin jogged up beside him, "This is my HOME.  Why would I want to leave?"

                "You're joking, right?"  James asked, not stopping, "C'mon.  There probably isn't much time.  We've gotta get Don and Johnny out before some wacko finds us."

                Griffin scowled and held James still, "Stop that!  I opened the door so we could talk!  I'm NOT letting you out of here unless Father wants you gone!"

                James did stop.  In fact, he turned around, "You want to fight then?  I can whip you.  No one can beat me...never have."

                Griffin shook his head, "No!  I DON'T want to fight!  I want to TALK with you!"  James shrugged and started turning around.  Griffin held him in place, "...but I'm NOT letting you go unless Father wishes it!"

                "Yeah?  So which is it?  You want to talk or fight?  We can fight right here, but if you really wanna talk, get walking.  I want to get me and my friends out of here fast."

                "And you aren't going anywhere!  Listen to me!"

                James brushed Griffin's hand off and started walking again.

                "Damn you, I said LISTEN!"  Griffin threw himself at James.  He was tired of no one giving him answers.  This guy looked tough.  Griffin could FINALLY let himself loose and not have to worry about killing somone...so long as he didn't resort to his martial arts.  It had been FOREVER since he had a punch up with someone.  The last time had been when he was child size...and back then he hadn't been able to do much except get beaten up.

                James accepted the challenge quickly, almost like he had been wanting to do this himself.

                He did.  Ever since waking up in this place, he'd wanted to pound something.  The door was too strong to make much more than a tiny dent.  The WALLS wouldn't have been much better; it isn't wise to kill your bed.  This guy was strong...maybe even as strong as himself.  If James didn't get a workout he doubted he EVER would again.  Griffin acted like someone who knew how to fight, too.  After ramming James to the ground, he tried to punch his face out, even managed to hit James once before James pushed him off.

                Well, James knew how to fight.  He scrambled to his feet, keeping his eyes on Griffin at all times.  There.  Now that he could stand, he watched Griffin waiting for the next move...looking for an opening himself.  They slowly circled each other, crouched and ready to pounce at a moment's notice.  It made James impatient.  With a roar, he lunged at Griffin.  Griffin sidestepped at the last second.  He was FAST!  Good.  That suited James just fine.  Instead of stopping, James continued forward, swung his tail at Griffin's chest, stinger first.

                Griffin grabbed it before it touched him and threw it aside.  James circled back, crouching to all fours.  He snorted a couple of times, bared his teeth, and lunged again.  THIS time he was too close for Griffin to dodge.  He forced Griffin to the ground, snapping at his opponent's neck.  Griffin blocked it with an arm.

                He was smart, that Griffin!  James was left wide open with that attack.  Griffin, seeing a chance, brought his knee up and jabbed it into James' stomach.  James, stunned for a tiny moment that someone had been able to hit him THAT HARD, lost his grip on Griffin's arm.  He jumped up quickly before Griffin could get on top of him.  James watched Griffin with a new, grudging respect.  Griffin knew how to fight well.  No one James had fought before this had ever been so fast, so quick thinking.  He was still no match though.  James could become a giant, then all he'd have to do was step on the guy.  But then the fight'd be over.  James still had energy he wanted to burn, "That the best you got?"  He smiled grimly and jumped, this time extending his wings a little to keep a small glide.  Griffin, not seeing this move before, couldn't block it well enough, and James had him on the ground once more.

                But Griffin hit him with a hard uppercut.  It dazed James enough to let Griffin up, and GRIFFIN soon had HIM on the ground, "The best I got?  Not by a long shot!"  Griffin raised his hands in a double fist.  Brought them down.

                James' arms weren't pinned to his sides though.  A big error on Griffin's part.  He held the double fist away with one hand and slammed his other into Griffin's stomach.  It felt like punching something close to a brick wall, but James managed to stun Griffin and get up.

                Griffin rubbed his stomach for a second after standing up, never taking his eyes away from James.  They faced each other again, both determined to be the victor in this contest of strength.  A sardonic smile lifted one corner of Griffin's mouth before he lunged again.  This time James met him halfway.  James grinned, caught up in himself, "You don't stand a chance.  I've been in countless streetfights.  I know every move there is to make!  I invented most of  'em!"

                "Yeah?  I've studied martial arts.  I know some moves that could kill you in an instant.  Father wants you alive though.  I could STILL knock you out in one hit!"

                "Yeah?  I can do that too.  WATCH OUT!!"  He aimed at Griffin's head, knowing Griffin would block that while his tail did the work he wanted to do.  Griffin managed to stop the fist, but James felt sure he wouldn't stop the tail...so why didn't he fall over?  James glanced down, saw Griffin's tail wrapped around his, keeping it inches away from Griffin's body.  James was impressed!  He stopped trying to poison his foe and slapped him with a wing.  Griffin, knocked off balance, was too slow to stop James from hitting him with an uppercut.

                Griffin fell back, but was soon on his feet again, "DAMN!  you're a LOT better than I thought!  What I would give to have a sparring partner like you!"

                James managed a laugh, "You aren't so bad yourself!"  But if Griffin had meant to distract him, he hadn't done it.  James was used to this tactic too.  His streetfights had consisted sometimes of people who knew some form of a fighting style.  He knew how to react quickly...but Griffin WAS hard to hit!  It made James wonder just how good Griffin was at his martial arts.  The people who bragged about it were usually the ones who didn't know less than a quarter of what they were doing...though sometimes there came one who knew extensively what he was capable of.  Griffin seemed like the latter.  They squared off again, this time neither one willing to strike the next blow.  James, not given to patience, eventually went first.

                Griffin was ready.  James had come in a round-about way, not completely unguarded, but Griffin, seeing SOMETHING, flapped his wings and gained height.  James smiled and prepared to grab his legs...

                ...his arms met air, "What the h--"  He was knocked to the ground with such force that it actually knocked the air out of James' lungs.  The result left the wall closest to him charred with flame breath.  He had to catch his breath, FAST, but he was too slow.  Before James could completely start breathing again, Griffin had landed and kicked him in the side.  James thought he heard a crack.  He stood up, holding the spot he'd been kicked.  It hurt a little...but not much.  James took it for a bruised rib.  He could live with that.  Again he lunged.  Griffin, obviously not used to having an opponent like James, jumped out of the way instead of trying to attack.  THIS time, James was able to get his tail to connect.  He had a high respect for his victim however, and stabbed him only long enough to slow him up, make him tired but not enough to knock him out.

                The effects were almost immediate.  Griffin slumped over; grabbed vainly at the wall to keep himself standing.  James had won, "Now.  Are you coming, or do I have to beat you up again!"  For some reason, Griffin didn't answer.  He stayed where he was, breathing hard.  James found his own breathing a bit more strained than usual.  He approached Griffin, "Hey, c'mon...I didn't stick you that hard.  Help me out.  You were the only one strong enough to break down my door...I need you to do that for Don an--OOAF!!!"  He grunted in surprise at the fist in his stomach.  There was no way--Griffin COULDN' T have--how?..James fell to the floor, unconcious.

 

                Griffin wiped his forehead, "Damn that was close!  He almost beat me!"  He let his guard down now, knowing James was out for the count.  If it hadn't been for Griffin's excellent immune system, he felt sure he would have lost this fight.  For the next few minutes, Griffin could only stare at James in amazement.  This had been one hell of a fight.  Maybe Griffin could use a less strong partner...this one had ben a fraction away from winning!  He hauled James back to his cell and propped up the door.  It wouldn't hold for long, and James would mostly likely want another fight.

                Well, Griffin wouldn't mind another fight...but he wasn't about to heal James.  He was tired...needed his cool containment capsule.  Needed the numbing effects it had so he could get his breath back.  He stumbled through the corridors until he found his sleeping chamber and began to climb in.  Touching it though, he realized it was warm...it had never been warm before.  Never!  What was wrong?

                Well, he'd figure that out later.  He still hadn't gotten those answers...Maybe Johnny had them?  He'd been willing enough to share the last time.