Chapter 25 - Issue 25 Special: Linda's starring role!

Linda had waited a long time to face Shihan James again. She had briefly thought of him as brilliant, and somewhat attractive. Then he had attacked her home, after she had defeated him in a sparring match, more or less exposing him as a money-hungry fraud. She wondered how Ekyt’s problem with the Shihan had come to fruition. She forced that from her mind as a knife slashed at her. She blocked it with her forearm, knowing she’d get a small cut. She snaked her arm around and rotated her body, breaking the arm and freeing the knife in one motion. He followed through by stabbing down, towards the man’s leg. It struck home, in the meat of the quadriceps. Nowhere vital, but it would slow put him down.

Ekyt stepped aside, punching a little too hastily, a sweeping knife meeting his hand. He pulled up short, exposing his tricep muscle in a costly mistake. The knife cut through it, not deep, but it hurt. Ekyt breathed out, as if he could exhale the pain, and struck with his other hand. From behind a bo struck him in the back of the knee, forcing him to the ground. He knew his ankle was hurt. Unable to stand, he fought from his knees, and then from the ground, so he could see his attackers better. The knife slashed into the stone in the street, blunting it. Ekyt had rolled aside and kicked just as the knife struck the ground. It clattered away. Unfortunately, that left his head open to a kick that scrambled his brains, but good. He felt the knife plunge down one more time, and put a hand up to block it. Pain seared through it, seeming to intensify, before he finally gave in to the pain.

Linda’s backfist struck hard. She looked over at Ekyt briefly. She couldn’t pause to check his vitals, but she KNEW he was alive. Somehow. But the blood coming from the back of his head and his exposed muscle was disconcerting. With a small “Kiya!” of effort, she slammed her knee upward into an oncoming attacker’s groin, folding him over in pain. Her knee rose again, hitting the nose this time, shattering it. One more kick, this time a front snap kick, broke the orbital bone. In the same motion, she kicked backward, striking someone’s stomach. She spun to face THAT enemy, a roundhouse kick meeting his lips, knocking his two front teeth backward.

Ekyt laid still, the pain ripping him apart. Was he dying? Was he ALREADY dead? He lifted his head up, nearly vomiting as the world spun for a few moments. Concussion for sure…what the hell hit me? Another voice answered that one. Not important…the mission…find Linda, protect the innocent…damnit, why won’t my body respond? MOVE! The last word was an order to himself. It didn’t work. He had never felt this helpless. Lay still…don’t sleep…Linda needs you… Those three thoughts plagued Ekyt. He couldn’t move, and didn’t know what kind of damage he had sustained. He found he couldn’t care. His one emotion was hate. He HATED being this helpless. He cursed, before swearing to himself that he would be in better shape next time.

Linda fist struck home, buckling the last of her foes. The sound of clapping reached her. Shihan James was clapping, smiling that annoying, false smile that he had made his trademark. “I always knew you were bright Linda.” “If I was so bright, I would have caved your head in as soon as I knew what a fraud you were!” she snarled in reply, tossing her bangs out of her eyes. “A fraud? I trained those warriors. You caught me at a moment of weakness…One I have not forgetten.” “Then let’s settle it!” Linda snarled. James laughed. “No. Not here. Not on your terms. When we fight, it will be on MY terms. Besides, you would be at a disadvantage now…you are injured…and your friend, once my star pupil…Maybe he’s dying.” “You’re lying, just like you lied about everything else!” “Perhaps…perhaps not…Perhaps you had better find out for yourself. Farewell for now.” He barked a few words in some foreign language- probably Japanese- as his warriors withdrew. They disappeared in a flash of smoke and fire. Linda looked back at Ekyt. Her eyes widened with fear. She expected the worst…

Ekyt tried to sit up once more, a more or less futile effort. You’re stronger than this! Get up! he commanded himself. No more rest. “Take it easy.” A comforting voice told him. “It’s just me, the fight’s over. C’mon, we’ve got to get to safety…hang on tight!”

Linda leaned over Ekyt, her fingers automatically checking his pulse, her head pressed against his chest, listening for breath. She was relieved to find both, normal as they could be under the circumstances. “Take it easy.” She told him, breathing a sigh of relief. “It’s just me, the fight’s over. C’mon, we’ve got to get to safety…hang on tight!” She picked him up, thanking God he was so light. Supporting his neck the best she could, she ran as fast as she dared to Soleanna’s medical facility. She knew Ekyt would object, but she couldn’t do anything for an injury like this. She hoped some of their “voodoo medicine” would work.

Ekyt sat up, panicked. He found he could move again. “Relax! Someone get him down!” Linda was the one, knowing she was the only one he wouldn’t fight right now. “Okay, you’re okay. Easy. Easy. You took a hard shot to the head, and we had to reboot your body to” “I was in a coma?” Ekyt demanded. “No! Some medicine of theirs snapped you out of this…stupor, I guess.” Ekyt looked at his bandaged hand and arm, then felt gingerly for his leg. “No breaks.” Linda informed him happily. “But, for God’s sake, take it easy!” Ekyt closed his eyes, getting up slowly and looking out the window. “So…I am mortal…human…I always hoped I’d be something better…” Linda didn’t here any of this. He turned around. “Thank you for saving me Linda. Not that it’s the first time you’ve done that.” Linda blushed at the compliment and managed to sputter “Thanks”, though Ekyt’s attention was already divided. “Can I leave anytime?” he asked a nurse. She nodded. “Most stay for a couple days after this…but your friend tells me you’re not average.” Ekyt shrugged. Linda jumped up. “Hey, wait up!” she called, chasing after him.

“What are you going to do?” Linda asked Ekyt, her voice mellow despite the fact that she was worried about his answer. “I’m going to take a rest in the forest, I think. Get my head clear.” He said, gesturing at Soleanna’s rich countryside. “What about you?” Linda shrugged. “I’m going to stick around, and just try to rest up.” After Ekyt admitted his feelings for her, the akward tension between them rose and fell like a roller coaster. Now was one of the akward times.


Ekyt climbed up the hill in the forest. It was rocky, with little grass growing. Ekyt found a rock large enough to sit on, to think. He needed to figure out his situation. All the times I’ve fought…I was working with an expert…Who knew? How did it go? Chaos suppression? Two steps…first…that was it…Isolate your mind, block out distractions. Easy, since there isn’t anything here…Two, analyze, let logic take over… His swirling torrent of thoughts were anything BUT logical. Ekyt screwed his eyes shut. Okay, settle for isolation for now…damnit! He was the better man…and she was the better woman…I am most certainly below what she could accept for a person…Loyal to a fault, they told me. It got my head kicked in…but then she saved me, regardless of my weakness…could my weakness be an endearing trait? That’s a horrible thought!

Linda sat at home, sipping at some tea she had made, grimacing. It tasted horrible. With nothing else to do, she kept drinking it. She wondered how Ekyt was doing. She couldn’t tell what, but something was behind his stoic eyes. Something deep, emotional. It wasn’t her rejection, she had figured that out. She wished she knew what it was. She could help. With a sigh, she stopped the attempt at drinking the foul swill currently in the hot mug in her hand. She needed to find a solution, or she’d never relax…It hit her. She got ready to try her hand at being something she wasn’t. Maybe it takes one to know one, she thought.

Ekyt went over the kata again, not certain he had it correct. He moved slowly and deliberately, a drastic change from his usual quick pace. He breathed deeper too. Finally, in frustration, he gave up on the kata. He had hoped the wilderness would settle him, force him to think things out without distraction. Unfortunately, he had no luck doing that. His hand, where the knife had hit him, hurt like hell every time he moved. His tricep was more or less healed, as was his ankle and head. The hand wouldn’t stop bleeding, so he had wound a bandage around it, ripping off a length to tie around his head as a sweatband. He was beginning a rigorous workout, shadow boxing empty-hand, with a dagger, with a stick, throwing knives, every kata he could remember, innumerable sword draws, and then the basics of everything he had just done.

That was his plan, anyway. But depression had taken up residence in his mind, rooting deep. He sat down hard, wondering why he was bothering. Soleanna had enough skilled fighters, couldn’t he do something else to help? He wasn’t great at medical procedures, he didn’t have the stomach like he used to. Running a shop was too mundane for him. What he needed was a good trainer, one who could help him get better, better than he was at his peak. Wishful thinking…waste of time…what about being “normal?” Maybe I should drop the damn ninja act…find a girl who’s in my league, settle down…what am I thinking, I’m 18! Wait, crap, I forgot! My birthday…the 25th…19? Big deal. One year closer to my body quitting on me.

Linda stepped out of the hall, checking her reflection. That wouldn’t do. Her hair was fine, but her face…might attract attention…She wound a bandage over it, thinking that she could always explain it with an injury.

She found Ekyt quickly. She was alarmed he didn’t get to his feet and grab a weapon. He didn’t ask who she was, nothing. Then she realized how deep in thought he was. She shook his shoulder. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “Oh my God!” he toppled backward, away from her. Linda rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. “It’s just me! Take it easy!” Linda removed the bandages.

Ekyt saw it, but didn’t believe it. She was human again! “Linda…” “Relax. This is temporary (Maybe, she thought). I’m guessing that if it takes one to know one, it takes a human to know a human. So don’t fight me on this, I read about this.” “I COULDN’T fight you off if I tried.” He said with a wry grin. Ignoring the remark, she placed her fingertips on his temples. She gritted her teeth, finally jerking her hands away in pain. “So THAT’s what you’re feeling…pain…blinding pain…and I’m guessing it’s not physical. You’re sad too. Most likely because of me.” Ekyt gave her a sideways glance. “When the heck did you learn to read emotions?” “It’s not hard. I know you too well, you might as well tattoo them on your sleeve. Now, the WHY is eluding me. Care to tell me?” “Nothing to tell really. I’m just a little down because I’m not as competent a fighter as I should be.” “Who the hell told you that?” “Think about it. I’m always getting hurt. I might win, but I’m stupid along the way. That’s to make up for my personal shortcomings as a fighter. I’m familiar with four martial arts, but I never have the guts…never did…” “To what?” Linda asked.

She made quite a site as a human girl. She was different from the last time she tried this form too. She had a ponytail, like usual, with the bangs falling over her left eye in front. But her hair stayed pink, with purple highlights. Last time her hair had been red. Her body composition stayed the same. She kept her clothing from the fight, which was a pair of black gi pants that fell just past her knees. So it wasn’t a true gi, but that was the best way to describe it. She had put her vest aside in favor of a white T-shirt that seemed to fit just perfectly without being too revealing or too show-offy. She had to cut it slightly down at the neck, hemming it so it looked as if it were made that way. Over that she put a new vest, a black one with red symbols etched on it; her name in Kanji. The vest buttoned, so it was less of a detriment in a fight.

“To what?” she repeated. He looked at her beautiful green eyes. “To kill…to destroy someone else’s life to preserve my own. If I had just done that, I wouldn’t be hurt. Linda shook her head, her hair tossing back and forth getting his attention. She grabbed his right hand (The one not hurt) with both of her (Now gloveless since the transformation) hands. She made eye contact with him. “You can’t beat yourself up like this. You’re a better fighter than you give yourself credit for.” “But I’m not good enough…I never was. Is there really a place for me around here? People were perfectly happy before I came to town, and chances are it wouldn’t register if I left.” “And go where? Where would you find the support you have here?” Linda knew her point had struck home, at least in this respect. Looking up at the rapidly darkening sky, she decided not to press the issue anymore tonight. Still holding his hand, she forced him to look her in the eyes. He had a scary, hollow look to him. Whatever was eating him up was becoming a huge problem- fast. She had no idea how to cure it. So she did the only thing she could. “You’re tougher than this…stronger…all you did just to get here…saving the princess…you might not be something bigger or better than human yet, but you’re on your way. Don’t give up on yourself.” She didn’t get a verbal response, but she was sure she felt his hand tighten for a split second. Then he DID respond:

“I need to learn. To reboot myself, and master these arts. James will be back. And I’ve got to be ready.” “WE’VE got to be ready.” She corrected. She released his hand and set up camp for the night.

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