Tri-Force

Tri-Force (plus two) - A night on the town

5 Weeks Later.

1. A Night on the Town

Tobi silently offered Kim a bag of popcorn, holding it out for her. She raised her eyebrows at him, confused. ‘Popcorn? In a fight club? I don’t think so,’ Kim pushed his outstretched hand away. Tobi shrugged, ‘Your loss,’ he said, taking a handful and shoving it into his mouth. Kim shook her head and walked back into the main room. They were downtown, in a building that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. It was only one storey, and the walls looked like they were made out of coal. The floor was covered in dirt, and all the windows were broken. There were three rooms. Two looked like they were once offices and the third was a hall. Not a very big one, but it still fit what looked to be about 60 people. The club’s location was moved every month, and those involved were somehow notified everytime. Tobi and Kim had joined the club for kicks a year or two ago, and only went every few months.

The guys involved in the club weren’t people you wanted to make friends with, and the few girls scattered throughout the crowd didn’t exactly look like their wives. But Kim wasn’t afraid of anything – even though she was 100% sure she wasn’t the only one with a weapon. A giant of a man in the centre of the room yelled at everyone to gather around him. They obeyed like puppy dogs. Kim wasn’t surprised, she had bet Tobi the first time they went that the guy ate concrete for breakfast and tackled bears in his spare time.

Kim and Tobi pushed and shoved their way through the crowd to get to the front. Someone grabbed Kim on the backside, and she gave them a fist to the groin. The groan of pain from behind her was music to Kim’s ears. Tobi smiled, but didn’t say anything.

‘Alright, alright - shut up,’ Mr. Giant yelled. It took a few seconds, but the room eventually fell silent. With a cocky grin on his face, Mr. Giant smoothed back his greasy black hair. ‘So, gentlemen. And ladies,’ he added, smirking at Kim, who flinched automatically. Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice, and carried on. ‘Tonight we have a treat for you. Yesterday, I ran into an old favourite uptown. I trust you all remember Little Nico?’ A not-very-little man stepped into the middle of the circle, and the crowd erupted in shouts and swears. Kim and Tobi clapped loudly, joining the crowd in chanting his name. ‘Little Nico’ hit his fist into his palm, and smiled to reveal many missing teeth. It made sense; the guy had never lost a fight, and had taken home a fat wad of cash everytime. But he had dropped off the radar for a few months, for reasons unknown.

‘Before you all start betting on Nico, let me introduce his opponent,’ Mr Giant’s voice managed to overpower that of the crowd’s. ‘Brand new, but promising. I think you’ll like her.’ The crowd went silent. Her? Tobi looked at Kim, confused. She shrugged, just as clueless as everyone else. Even Little Nico looked bemused, looking questioningly at Kim, who shook her head and looked at her feet. No way would Kim ever willingly fight this guy without using her powers. Even if she did win, it would cause a lot of pain in the process. The hall was dead silent until the opponent strutted into view. She looked to be about Kim’s age, so did the other girl standing with her. The fighter was wearing casual clothes – ripped jeans, a yellow midriff top with a blue T-Rex on it, and rabens. Her brown hair was cut unevenly, some strands reaching her shoulder, others just brushing her chin. Her brown eyes looked confident as she stood next to Mr. Giant. Her fingerless gloves weren’t made for fighting, rather for keeping her hands warm for when she went back outside.

Kim was beyond confused, but her thoughts were drowned out by the sudden explosion of sound that came from all around her. Everyone was yelling at the girl and Mr. Giant, some using very colourful language. Even Tobi threw in his two pence. ‘What the hell? She can’t fight, she’s a freaking girl!’ he threw popcorn at the girl, earning a vicious look from her friend. When Kim met her eyes, she was momentarily scared. The girl’s blue eyes were so cold and frightening that Kim almost immediately dropped her gaze.