I honestly thought he could win over her regarding the huge height gap, yet I guess height doesn’t really matter here. If one can climb on you, you’re dead.
I also like Nathalie’s leg lock. I guess it’s her signature move.
“Anyone else?” Nathalie asks as she pants. Everyone seems scared as she looks around them, their faces and limbs now showing some bruises.
She really doesn’t care about their injuries, does she?
Dan clears his throat, raising his hand. “I guess you’re mistaken. You’re not the way of proving some guys can fight. It’s me. If you can win over me, you can lead the whole group.”
“I guess things change, Hoodie Guy. But show us what you got.” She gives a slight nod as she prepares herself in a stance.
Dan rolls up his sleeves which makes some girl squeal behind me. Everyone seems to be looking at some good guys even at the most difficult times.
Sure, he’s wearing a long sleeve shirt and a vest paired with dark slacks. Can he fight with those slacks? I don’t know. A pair of glasses shimmer, covering his eyes as he drops his head. Then, his shiny, messy, curly hair hasn’t even been fixed or combed yet. Or I guess he doesn’t need that since it’s too slick.
Yet, I’m still the only one who calls him by his name.
“Assassin versus black belter,” Lenore mutters as she stands next to me. “At this point, I’m not sure who’ll be taking my bet.”
I furrow my eyebrows as I glance at her. “Len, this isn’t a bet or something.”
“Yeah, but a trained assassin and a trained martial artist. It’ll be a draw, don’t you think?”
I don’t answer. The fight starts when Finn counted on three. Dan hops from side to side, lifting his hands into fists. Does he think this will go to a boxing fight? Or is he not taking it seriously?
Nathalie approaches him and throws her fist which Dan immediately dodges. He stays moving spontaneously as if he’s only playing. Nathalie then throws more punches and kicks that make Dan take steps backward. He blocks them one by one, and when Nath gives off an open space on her side, he then throws back a punch on her cheek.
The people around gasp, feeling bad for her. Nathalie pauses her attacks as she felt the hit, her face now is scratched, blood forming around the injury. She flips her flaming red hair off of her face and glares at Dan.
Dan squats to level her, his face close to hers. “Ooh. Did I hurt you?” He asks with a smirk.
Nathalie throws a fast punch at his face when Dan lets his guard down, sending him away from her. I bet she broke his nose as he places both hands on the middle of his face. The crowd reacts again. As he puts his hands down, his nose now forms a little C. That must hurt so much more than getting kicked in the crotch.
“Endure the pain, spy,” Nathalie mutters as a grin appears on her face.
That seems to make Dan furious. Being humiliated in front of the crowd isn’t really what he wants. Without a beat, he throws back a punch at her face, making her almost out of balance. Now, both of them have broken noses.
Dan presses his severed injury with both palms and groans loudly when he treats it back straight. Blood then flows out of his nostrils. Nathalie doesn’t look like she was in pain by his punch. As soon as she shows her face, the middle of her forehead reddens. So, that means Dan missed.
Nathalie throws herself back to him with a flying kick which Dan evades. As she lands, she throws a punch but she misses. The fight keeps going, now I think Dan is taking it seriously.
“I don’t think this is still training,” Adam says as he walks to me. “They’re breaking bones now.”
“Shh… Let them be. Whoever gets tired first, loses,” Edward replies, putting his arms on each of our shoulders.
Adam furrows his brows and drops Edward’s arm, walking away.
“Ow,” He whispers and then smiles at me. “That kid is very moody.”
My sight goes back to the fight in which I catch Dan being on his knees, both hands clasping his groin. The crowd feels the pain as they react. Nathalie stays in her stance, watching Dan slowly fall onto the floor with his side.
He then rolls, facing the floor, and then hysterically moves like a worm as he writhes the pain.
Now, how did that happen?
I want to go to him and help him up. I knew his first experience made me feel bad and yet now he’s had to feel it again. I don’t make a move.
George and Mark help him up, dragging him off the space by holding him by his armpits. His hands stay grasping his crotch, and his face stiffens and reddens.
As they pass by me, I hear Dan mumble, “Now, I don’t think I could still make my generation.”
“Now anyone else?” Nathalie pants as she speaks.
“Nathalie, that’s enough,” Bucky responds in a calm voice.
“Or maybe you wanna come to try to take me down?”
“Nah, we all know who taught you those moves back then.”
Nathalie’s sight falls on me as she looks over him. “Riley, maybe?”
I lift my eyebrows in confusion. Now, why am I mentioned?
Bucky turns to see me and then back to his sister. “No!” He says in a piercing tone.
“Well, you only like her cos you thought she’s tough.”
“That’s not true.”
“So, let’s see if she really is.”
“No. You’re done, Nathalie.”
“Come on now. This is only one way to prove she can be trusted. If you want these people to listen to her and start calling her by her name, I’d say, she comes over here and fights me.”
“Nope. No way. Uh-uh.”
“It’s not up to you.” Nathalie then looks at me again. “What do you say, Riles?”
I stare at her, baffled. Then at the worried Bucky. Then the people around who are completely expecting me to come up and do it. Though, I know I can’t. I’m not as good as she is. I’d only end up humiliated just like how she did Dan.
Dan is even a trained assassin. He’s killed many people before, and his training would have been along with martial arts. And yet, he lost. He’s got his balls kicked again. He left being dragged out.
But she’s making a point though. If I’d win over her, I’d gain their trust, and probably that would make me popular. But the cost would be a damaged face.
“Riley, you’re never gonna make it to the Protector team if you won’t face me.”
“Wait, I’m already part of the team.”
“Not yet until you make a move. I’m the leader now remember?” She winks.
“Nathalie, don’t you dare hurt her.” Bucky shakes his head as he threatens.
“You hurt me in every training and I’m your sister. And you don’t want me to teach a lesson to someone you like but you don’t even know. Where’s the fairness in that?”
“I’ll…do it. I mean, you’d take easy on me right?” I say reluctantly. I know she’s not gonna take it easy on me. I notice Bucky shut his eyes in disappointment. I continue, “I mean, not that easy, I guess.”
“Sure,” Nathalie replies.
I hear my friends cheer for me in a low voice, yet I ignore them and proceed to walk toward the space. I shouldn’t let my guard down anytime, or else I’ll embarrass myself. Not just in front of the people around me or my friends, but also of Bucky.
He walks out of the fight space, concerned for both of us. I know he’s worried about her too. And she’s right. She’s his sister, and I’m just a stranger to him.