Beyond Gods 73 Anastasia

The others nodded in agreement.

[h.e.l.lo son,] said JD.

[Dad!?,] thought Johan surprised, [you are back, where have you been?]

[Long story,] said JD, [but before we get into that, why did you shave off your hair and eyebrows? You look terrifying!]

[I had a fight in the tournament,] said Johan, [and the night before, after you left, I got into a fight with the local soldiers. I didn't want them to recognize me on TV.]

[I see,] said JD. JD paused a moment and then said, [Son, I hope you know, no matter what happens, no matter what you may do, I'll always be on your side and have you best interest in mind. You can always trust me. You know that right?]

[Yeah dad,] said Johan with a sigh, [I know.]

[It seems we have a lot to talk about,] said JD.

[Yes,] said Johan, [but after the fight.]

Johan's father grunted in agreement.

"START FIGHTING!," yelled the announcer on television.

Jabber stood there with his guard down gawking at Anastasia frozen to the spot.

Anastasia charged at Jabber like a rabid rac.o.o.n and kicked him in the b.a.l.l.s.

THUD!

"OOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Groaned the crowd.

"Is that even legal!?," gasped Johan.

"This is an anything goes compet.i.tion," said Kru Bu. "If you kill an opponent and it wasn't intentional you won't be held responsible. But it must not be intentional. Breaking bones is okay. The best medics and technology to mend injury was obtained by the tournament organizers and if that fails, they will take you to the upper realms where you can be regenerated with mana pills. Head b.u.t.ting, gouging, biting ... all allowed, much like it was allowed in ancient compet.i.tion forms of martial arts like in ancient Sumo and originally in bare knuckle Boxing."

Jabber turned red in the face as he sunk to his knees in pain holding his groin. Tears ran down his face.

"It hurts!," he whimpered. "How can such a beautiful woman be capable of such extreme cruelty? Yet, my heart still belongs to you!"

"AIYYEEEEEE!," screamed Anastasia as she threw a front kick at Jabber's exposed face.

SWOOSHHHHHHH!!!

Instinctively, Jabber moved his head to the side.

"I can't believe she hit Jabber!," said Pedro.

[Ha! Ha! Ha!,] echoed a voice in Johan's mind. [How entertaining ...]

It wasn't his father's voice.

[h.e.l.lo?,] thought Johan nervously.

[A fight,] said the voice, [without restraint. It brings back memories of my youth and to think that my current host has the privilege to partic.i.p.ate in it. I will have a front row seat!]

[Yes,] thought Johan uneasily. [Who are you? Where is my father?]

[We met before,] said the voice.

An image of an old man flashed through Johan's mind.

[The old man!,] thought Johan. [Your name was ...]

[Hanuman]

[Where is my father?,] asked Johan.

[He is here,] said Hanuman, [but to keep stability within your mind, only one of us can communicate with you at a time. Otherwise, strange things tend to happen.]

[So why did you want to speak to me?,] thought Johan.

[Fighting is the one thing that has continued to peak my interest throughout time,] said Hanuman. [By coming forth, I can more clearly observe what is happening. I myself was quite renowned in my time and fought in many battles. I single handedly set the heavens asunder. Perhaps, through listening to me, you can develop your fighting craft. Take my presence as a blessing.]

For a moment, Johan thought of bringing up the fact that Hanuman had chose not to help them previously. But his gut told him that Hanuman's knowledge would be invaluable in the times to come so he bit his tongue. Hanuman's existence might even have predated the machine since the dragon in the s.p.a.ce time array knew who he was!

"HISSSSSS!," Anastasia hissed at Jabber on television.

"You are so beautiful!," stammered Jabber still holding his groin, "I was wondering if you'd date me! Can we just stop for a minute!?"

"DID JABBER JUST ASK ANASTASIA OUT!?," yelled the announcer in disbelief. "WHAT AN INSANE TURN OF EVENTS!"

Anastasia struck out at Jabber with her knee.

"CRACK!"

Jabber's nose was broken. Yet, he seemed unphased by this.

"I DON'T DATE LOSERS!," yelled Anastasia, "THIS FIGHT IS MINE!"

"OHHHHHHHH!!!," whaled Jabber as tears poured out of his eyes and he grasped his chest with one arm while continuing to hold his b.a.l.l.s with the other. "MY HEART! MY HEART IS BROKEN!"

"One of the greatest fighters in Looking Gla.s.s City," said Pedro, "is holding his b.a.l.l.s and publicly whaling about having just gotten rejected. This is an embarra.s.sment for boxers everywhere ..."

[So,] said Johan, [if you are such a great fighter, how would you fight an opponent that is much stronger and bigger than you?]

[Stronger!?,] laughed Hanuman, [Ha! It was a rarity in my youth, but I did often dealt with challenging opponents before I mastered the art of battle. When fighting a human or a being anatomically similar to one, I target soft spots covered by very little to no muscle. The soft part above the abs, the knees, the throat, the floating ribs, kidney, liver, gouge their eyes, pull their hair, or like the woman just did, kick them in the groin.]

[What if those things were not allowed?,] said Johan.

Johan didn't want to permanently injure an opponent intentionally.

[Hmmmm,] said Hanuman, [you could always throw sand in his eyes and then snap his neck.]

[What if I don't want to kill my opponent or critically injure them for life?,] thought Johan, [knocking them out at most. This tournament is a show of strength.]

[Then stick to attacking soft tissue spots,] said Hanuman.

"WAIT! WAIT!," yelled Jabber holding Anastasia away from him. "IF IT IS ENTRY INTO A SECT YOU WANT! I HAVE CONNECTIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU OUT!"

CHOMP!

Anastasia grabbed Jabber's hand put it in her mouth and bit down on it.

"OUCH!!!! LET GO! LET GO!," howled Jabber as he started shaking his hand around in the air trying to remove Anastasia from him. But Anastasia's jaw strength was too strong and she wouldn't let go. She flailed around like a rag doll in the air as Jabber shook his hand in a panic.

Yet, despite all this, Jabber was still reluctant to attack her.

"Whoa!," said Pedro, "she's good!"

"Beware of women," said Gracie in a gloomy disappointed voice, "they might pull something like this on you ..."

"This isn't a fight," said Johan. "This is a crazy women attacking someone who doesn't want to fight! Is this some gag or joke?"

Anastasia let go of Jabber and bounced back making distance between them and then took a fighting stance.

"Are you ready to fight me seriously?," she said, "or do I need to inflict more wounds on you?"

"You are just a woman," said Jabber, "I don't hit women."

"JUST A WOMAN!?," yelled Anastasia angrily. "JUST A WOMAN!? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A WOMAN CAN DO!"

With that, Anastasia flew towards Jabber at an alarming speed.

"Wait?," said Kru Bu, "Anastasia Yankova ... that name. It sounds familiar ... speedy Anna?"

"Also known as crazy Anna!?," said Pedro looking at Kru Bu in disbelief.

"The chick that slit her husband's throat in his sleep ten years ago?," said Tommy looking surprised at Kru Bu.

"The heir to the Shotokan Karate dojo?," said Gracie looking surprised at Kru Bu. "That speedy Anna?"

"She looks a bit different," said Kru Bu. "Older. But I think she is the same women. She must have been released from prison recently."

"Oh mi dios," said Gracie, "she was a top contender before she had that mishap with her husband. She was known for her speed! I think you are right, she looks older. Wasn't her name Anna Yankovich?"

"She must have changed her name to detach herself from her original reputation," said Kru Bu, "But I think undoubtedly this is her. The announcer's and Jabber haven't even realised it. I don't understand how she got out."

"She was dangerous!," said Pedro. "In fights she wouldn't hold back, she would often cripple unskilled and skilled opponents alike! She was banned from partic.i.p.ating because of her unusually cruel tendencies. What are the tournament organizers thinking?"

"Watch closely Johan," said Kru Bu, "chances are you might fight her if she doesn't loose here or get discovered. Don't take an opponent lightly just because of their gender. Exposure to mana negates the effects of hormones. Many women are more than formidable."

"I won't," said Johan with determination.

Anastasia suddenly disappeared and reappeared hitting Jabber.

"Did she just disappear?," gasped Pedro.

"Naw," said Tommy, "it is probably just her speed. It is legendary."

[How'd she do that!?,] thought Johan.

Johan was capable of observing G.o.dly Monarchs fight, so why hadn't he been able to see this women move in for the attack?

[Ha! Ha! Ha!,] laughed Hanuman, [how interesting!]