The market noise faded behind them. Jack and Minny took the old alley route home. Fewer people, more shadows. Quieter.
Too quiet.
"Hey don't you think we should taken the other route Jack?" Minny said.
'I hate it when we take the route home, it's kinda scary here, huh...if only that stubborn brother of mine would listen to me' Minny thought with a Scown.
"Chilaxx Minny, there is nothing bad about this route,just don't make your thoughts get a hang on your eyes" Jack said as if trying to tease her sister.
' Hmm sorry Minny but I just want to get to training real quick, besides is not like any bad thing is going to happen here'. Jack thought.
Just as Jack was still lost in his thought he heard a thud which made him aware of his surroundings.Three shapes dropped from the rooftops ahead, blocking the path. Same boys from the market. Same grins, now with bruised pride.
"Running now, weaklings?" The tall one cracked his knuckles. Steve. He had wide shoulders, Barrel chest, thick neckb and forearms like dock ropes. The kind of kid who spent years hauling crates at the wharf instead of training with wooden swords.
"Geez...I guess luck wasn't on ourside this time, right Minny." Jack said but there was no reply.
Standing behind him Minny had a big frown plastered on her face and there was something uncertain about her. All around her forearms steam flared up and disintegrated the fabric around both her forearms.
"I hate it when someone deos not play fair, how can you be three against two" Minny muttered beneath her breath.
"Haha! Well then let's finish this real fast" stanter the gang leader said as he took a step back.
Sly moved first. Small, fast, already circling Minny like a blade of wind. "Mage, huh? Academy tryouts start with you."
'Huh weirdo... deos that even matter right now'. Minny thought a little confused.
"Don't you worry am going to go easy on you". Sly voiced out with a cocky smile.
That was the signal. Fists flew.
Jack met steve head on.Steve came in swingingin on Jack.No warning.
First punch went in toward Jack.straight, heavy, aimed at Jack's nose. Jack ducked. The wind of it ruffled his hair. Steve didn't reset. He followed with a hook to the ribs.
Jack caught the wrist on instinct, twisted — but Steve was too solid. The twist did nothing. Steve's other fist was already coming. Jack took it on his shoulder. Pain shot down his arm. Numbed it.
"Is that all?" Steve grinned, pushing forward.
He threw a combo now. Left to the gut, right to the jaw, left again. Jack backpedaled, gloves up. Two landed. One to his stomach folded him for half a second. One to his jaw snapped his head sideways. Blood on his tongue.
'This guys punches packs alot of force behind it, I need to be quicker.' Jack analysed the situation.
But Jack wasn't a brawler. He was a reader of bodies.
Steve threw wide. Always wide. Power over precision. Jack let him. Let him burn energy. Every swing Steve missed cracked the stone wall behind Jack or kicked up dust.
Jack's turn. He darted in under a wild hook. Short jab to Steve's floating ribs. Steve grunted, but didn't budge. Hit him again. Same spot. And again.
Steve laughed through it. "Tickles." Then he grabbed Jack by the shirt, lifted him half an inch off the ground, and drove a headbutt down.
Jack saw it coming. He twisted his torso. The headbutt grazed his temple instead of shattering his nose. Still saw stars.
Both breathing hard now. Sweat and dust on their skin.
Steve charged, shoulder down, trying to bulldoze him. Jack sidestepped at the last second and caught Steve's momentum. He drove his elbow into the back of Steve's knee — the one spot all that muscle couldn't armor.
Steve's leg buckled. Just for a second. But a second was enough.
Jack stepped in, wrapped an arm around Steve's thick neck, used the guy's own weight against him. Pivot. Hip throw.
Steve hit the ground hard. The impact knocked air from his lungs. He tried to push up, but Jack was already on him, knee pinning Steve's chest, forearm across his throat. Not choking. Just holding.
Steve strained, veins popping in his neck. Couldn't move. Couldn't breathe enough to fight.
Jack leaned down, voice low so only Steve heard: "We're not like you. We don't break people."
He got up. Steve stayed down, glaring, ribs screaming with every breath. Not broken. Just too hurt to stand.
Jack rolled his shoulder, winced. His arm would be purple tomorrow. But no worse.
'Alright let's see how she is faring" Jack said as she turned to find Minny and was surprised about the result he was seeing.
Minny wasn't just doing fine,she was dominating the fight in anyway one could think of. Sly was fast always coming in circles around Minny. But Minny never chased she waited for the right time and when Sly tries to make a move in she realese her spell.
"Incinerator " she whispers with her arms. Stretched .
And right from her palms a sea of flames would burst out and hit Sly of balance making him vulnerable to hit. But Sly was fast which made it hard to hit. But it was only a matter of time until he losed.