Shards of Kairos

XVIII -- Into the Fire

Julian refused to stay down long. Mostly because he didn't feel like he had the luxury to lay quietly until his body stopped trying to kill him - and doing an incredible job of it too. They had a war to fight and at the moment, that war felt just inches away instead of miles. He could have almost ignored that war completely up until Rei. And now that he'd found Evie and the book, this was it. It felt like, for whatever outcome good or bad, something was going to come to an end. Julian was hoping that 'end' wouldn't be Evie's dimension but at the moment, he felt that he couldn't make any promises. At least she wasn't holding him to any. She was fighting just as hard as he was.

He gave Evie more than she'd probably expected later that afternoon with what little combat training Julian could give her - with as little time as they had. It wasn't nearly enough. And it wouldn't be if the Blight really decided they wanted Evie dead. But Julian had to know something before they left for New Mexico. And he had to find it out before their lives depended on it.

"Come on, Evie." Mitch laughed, sounding a little winded himself, back covered in gravel dust and hands on his knees. "You're getting your ass kicked by a girl."

"Oh. Ha, ha. Very funny, Mitch." Evie glared at him around a smile but she turned that glare at Julian. "What am I supposed to be learning here? That you can kick my ass? Very helpful."

Julian fought back a smile and wasn't sure he succeeded, it was more like a disappointed grimace. "I'm teaching you what it feels like to get your ass kicked so that you can make it less painful." he looked to Mitch. "And what's your excuse?"

Mitch laughed, standing and pointing a finger at Julian through a squint against the midday sun - which Julian had his back against. "You're kidding me right? I'm already well aware of just how much you can kick my ass-"

Julian grabbed Mitch's wrist and pulled him forward, off balance, deliberately moving slower for both Mitch and Evie. And himself - if Julian had to be completely honest. What he didn't expect, or he had to be more tired than he'd previously assumed, was for Mitch to sweep a leg behind his boots and send them both to the ground. Both - because Julian got a better grip on Mitch's arm and took the man right down to the ground with him.

Julian was competitive, he'd admit that. Mitch... Mitch was almost atypical to his gender on this side of the mirrors. So to say things spiraled would have been pretty accurate. Julian didn't want to lose and Mitch wanted to prove a point and defend his own ego. It had even happened on Kairos among the females. Sometimes things just got a little out of hand, despite their empathy - or maybe because of it.

Julian got a leg up and around Mitch's stomach, using his superior strength and flexibility to flip the man off where he'd had Julian pinned to the ground - with Mitch's arm still in his grasp. Not letting go of that arm, Julian grabbed a hold of a pressure point that would have left any other lesser man compliant and begging for mercy as Julian put his full weight squarely on Mitch's hips. But Mitch instead surprised him for the second time and not even a fraction of a second from when he'd been thrown off and pinned - he threw a punch that Julian barely avoided. And Julian had to let go of Mitch's arm to catch it from hitting him right in the face.

"Okay boys!" Evie said.

Julian didn't pay attention. Mitch was fighting intelligently. He hadn't lost his head. The former police officer was very determined but he wasn't being stupid. And that was impressive. And it was what Julian had wanted, needed to learn from this entire exercise. Julian couldn't teach them to defend themselves against a threat that was nearly unbeatable without his own armor. Not in a day. But he needed to know what they'd do if they had to fight for their lives. Beyond what he'd already seen. He needed to push them.