White Thorn | On Hold

The Two Bonebreakers

Jacob flew.

There was no other way to describe it.

He sailed through the air, slamming into the building—and even that failed to stop his unplanned flight. Ryu was inhumanly strong. Just like the pair of them... though apparently he was far stronger than Arya, judging by the sheer amount of destruction his fist had caused. It took five buildings to stop Jacob. Arya had barely managed to punch through one.

Still, she wasn't complaining.

Ryu was on her side. Jacob wasn't.

Clearly though, they could go toe to toe with each other, unlike her.

Relief made her relax, her body slumping against the cool grass, her mind too tired to worry about any thorns that might've made their way into the area.

"Are you alright?" The voice made her stiffen, turning to face the man who'd spoken from where he crouched next to her. He was no threat, though. She knew that much, having kissed him twice.

"Do I look it?"

"Not particularly," he replied.

"Well, then there's your answer," Arya grunted, blinking as she was lifted from the ground. She sagged in his arms, her limbs feeling like wet noodles. "Will blondie be OK?" she asked, turning her head so she could see the fight going on around them.

They were evenly matched.

Or so it seemed at that moment, but she couldn't be too sure.

All she could see were two blurs, her eyes too tired to keep up with the pair of them as they punched the living daylights out of each other. It was a fight of endurance, she soon realised, and Arya wondered who'd tire first... and in how many hours that'd be.

She wasn't blind.

She could see how hard the pair of them had trained to reach that level of skill—how hard she'd have to train if she ever wanted to stand on equal footing with the duo.

Only Bonebreakers could survive more than a few hits from each other, thanks to the fact the training also built up their body's defences to a ridiculous limit. Though that was only while they were using their inhuman strength. Sure they still had ungodly amounts of stamina, which Arya could testify to, but in her state she was as weak as a new-born kitten. Just one of their punches would completely obliterate her, and she meant that literally.

"Ryu will be fine," her rescuer said, startling her out of her thoughts, leaping up to the roof with barely any effort on his part. "He's a Bonebreaker."

"So is Jacob Thistlewood."

"They'll be able to survive each other's punches." He shrugged, pausing there on the roof, staring down at the man Arya assumed to be his friend. "Ryu is strong. He's trained for this—for taking down Thistlewood. It's one of his goals."

"He'll have to beat me to it," she muttered.

"He already is."

"You weren't supposed to hear that." Arya shook her head, resisting the odd urge to snuggle into his chest.

She blamed puberty.

Plus it was a really nice chest—not that she'd sneakily felt it up or anything. She sighed, shaking her head, trying to clear those thoughts out of her head.

"My other... colleagues have taken your friends to the hospital... and I think it's high time I got you there."

"But there's a fight." Arya pouted.

"And?"

"I really wanna watch it..."

He simply rolled his eyes, carrying her away from the sounds of smashing glass and crumbling brickwork, running across the tiles with barely a sound. Well, aside from her complaints. She wanted to learn more Bonebreaker techniques... or at least see them in action. The Old Monk wasn't about to teach her anymore, though apparently he wasn't as dead as she'd thought. Dimly, she reminded herself to keep an ear and an eye out for any signs of him. Still, she told herself day after day not to get her hopes up. Jacob Thistlewood's words couldn't necessarily be trustworthy. He was an enemy.

"Come on. Let's get you to the hospital," he said, looking unamused. "I'm sure Rian will be pleased to see you again."

"At least I'll actually be conscious when I go in," Arya replied, smiling faintly until she was met with a familiar set of sterling grey eyes and a set of arms crossed over his chest.

"Arya."

She nodded. "Rian."

"Why must you always end up here?" he muttered, pointing to an unoccupied bed with one hand while the other slammed into his face as she opened her mouth.

"Because I'm special."

Rian rolled his eyes, not bothering to watch as she was set down on top of the stark white sheets. "That you definitely are."