Someday We'll Be Together

Chapter 25- Roman Gladiators and Mortal Kombat

"Hey, Lena."
Lena turned to Tyler, who called out to her.
"How about going for a little walk together?"
Lena looked at Max, who seemed too preoccupied asking Mr. Davis endless questions about the guns.
"Uh, sure," she said, turning back to Tyler.
Lena and Tyler started walking toward the backyard of the Davis farm.
"Um... there's something I wanted to tell you. That's why I wanted to be alone," Tyler said, breaking the silence.
"Oh, really? What is it?"
"Lena... I want to be more than just friends with you."
Upon hearing this, Lena was filled with mixed emotions.
"We said we'd decide on that after the big game and remained friends, but I can't hide my feelings for you any longer," Tyler continued.
Lena stopped walking and looked at Tyler.
"Uh, Tyler, I don't know... I think there's something I need to tell you too."
Tyler looked at Lena curiously.
"I didn't even know you until a day ago."
Lena had told Tyler everything about him. Tyler felt very strange.
"That's why Max changed his clothes when he came to get me, and, most importantly, you came too."
"Yeah, that's right."
"I can't believe you've seen me at 42. If Max hadn't left me there, none of this would have happened," Tyler said, shaking his head.
"It's not Max's fault. The picture was accidentally taken by this little dog, Roger, and you weren't in the photo."
"Yeah, but because of what happened, I feel like a stranger to you now," Tyler said with distress.
"I'm sorry about that, Tyler. But I'm doing my best to get to know you."
"I wish... I wish we could start everything over. I wish none of this had ever happened. I wish we all belonged to the same universe."
***
"Well, it's time to start walking towards the Mrs. Lincoln's house," Lena said. Mr. Davis's wall clock showed 4:30.
"The woman's house hasn't even been built yet. How will you find the way?" Max asked.
"It's simple. We'll pass through the town center and walk towards the train station. If you remember the train station, it was built on top of the old one in 2008 too. Since the train station is in the middle of the forest, Mrs. Lincoln's house should be around there too."
"If there was a desert where there used to be a forest, how did the forest form?" Tyler asked.
"A mayor, I guess, planted trees on the land where the Indians ran their horses in the greening project, and that area became the forest we have today," Lena explained.
"Wow, I thought that forest had been there since the dinosaur age," Max said.
"That's nonsense. That forest isn't even that big. Besides, how many green areas like that are there around here? It's obvious it was made later."
When Lena, Max, and Tyler reached the town center, they saw a new clock being installed on the town hall building.
"Wow, look at the clock! It was here even in 2008."
"It's almost 5:00. We better hurry," Lena said. Just then, they heard a voice coming from behind.
"Let me go!"
Lena, Tyler, and Max turned to the direction of the voice. Howard had cornered a woman, with Tyler's great-grandfather William beside him.
"Howard, if you let my wife go, I'll give you two of my horses," William pleaded helplessly, while Max, unable to bear seeing his struggle, walked towards Howard.
"Let the woman go, you bastard."
Howard let go of William's wife and turned to Max.
"It's you again! Haven't you learned your lesson?"
Max walked up to Howard confidently as he made a sign to William and his wife to go away.
"As long as you disturb these people, I won't let you be around this town anymore."
Howard turned back to Max's words.
"If you want to get rid of me, let's have a duel. May the better one win."
Max's courage had caught the attention of the townsfolk, and a small crowd had gathered around them.
"Well, well, well... The duel offer is accepted. Tell me the time and place."
"Here, now. Right away."
Howard grabbed Max by the collar and laughed towards the crowd. "Looks like someone's too brave."
Max broke free from Howard's grip and looked at him confidently.
Meanwhile, Lena and Tyler were looking at Max as if to say, "What are you doing?"
"Don't worry! I won't let Howard be a trouble to you anymore."
Howard clenched his fist and attempted to reach for his gun. Max, however, landed a blow on Howard and made him drop both of his guns.
"Come on, take me down like a man," Max said mockingly.
The townsfolk were holding their breath. Tyler whispered to Lena, "Hey, how is he so good?"
"He took karate lessons as a kid. He thinks he's a Roman gladiator or something from Mortal Kombat*," Lena said.
"Did you know I'm descended from Roman gladiators? For God's sake, I even have a rank in Mortal Kombat!" Max teased. All of Howard's punches were going in vain. Howard was on the brink of madness with anger. Unable to bear it any longer, he jumped onto his horse.
"All right, you're cheating," Max said, panicking. Howard wasn't listening to him. "Think, Fontana... think... think!" Max looked around with his eyes and spotted a wheeled fruit crate. It was empty. "That's it!" Max immediately jumped on it and started riding it like a skateboard. He was heading straight for the newly constructed town hall building and the new clock waiting to be installed on the ground. Howard was chasing after him at full speed on his horse. The townsfolk scattered and started watching the chase.
"I can't believe he's riding a skateboard in 1883," Lena said, shaking her head.
"I'm gonna eat you dead you Roman!"
"Over my dead body!" Max was moving towards the new clock with the danger of collision.
The townsfolk started whispering among themselves.
Just as he was about to crash, Max jumped into the water fountain next to him. Howard couldn't stop his horse and crashed straight into the new clock. There was a loud crash as Max emerged from the water and grinned when he saw Howard and his horse collapsing to the ground.
All the townsfolk, including the mayor, had gathered around the shattered clock. Lena and Tyler rushed to Max's side.
"This was the craziest thing I've ever done!" Max yelled as he emerged from the water.
"What were you thinking! You could've been hurt," Lena said worriedly.
"That was sick!" Tyler said, giving Max a high five.
"You just proved how effective the martial arts that became widespread in the 20th century are," Lena said, rolling her eyes. They saw the mayor catch and handcuff Howard.
"And I just saved our town from another bully," Max said, laughing.
In no time, all the townsfolk had gathered around him. Everyone was interested in Max.
"Here, my man, a brand new set of a rifle. You earned it," Max examined the brand new rifle set the owner of the gun shop gave him with excitement. And the owner of the horse shop had given him his best horses as a gift.
"He's become a real Wild West character," Lena said.
But Max walked towards William and his wife, who were watching him from the crowd, with his horse and rifle. He handed the rifle and the rope the horse was tied to over to William.
"I want you to have these, buddy."
William looked at Max in disbelief.
"But you earned these."
"Well, I don't need these. Where I come from, you defeat your opponent with your mind."
William looked at Max in awe.
"Thank you, man."
After patting William on the shoulder in a friendly manner, Max returned to Lena and Tyler.
"Well, now that you have defeated Leonard Smalls, can we go?" Lena said.
"Sure we can."
"Teach me how to have a top rank in Mortal Kombat too!" Tyler said excitedly.
"I'll teach you as soon as we return to 2008."

*Mortal Kombat: a popular 1992 fighting video game franchise known for its intense battles and iconic characters