Nightmare kind of Dream

Fight 2

After a few more battles Bill led me to the training wing to be ready for my fight. I plan on spending a good portion of time here to be able to go against Bill if I can.

It was like I was at the bottom of that pit. There were seats above the rim I could just barely see with the view.
"Mr Cipher." a welcoming voice greeted, catching my attention. Up close with standing straight dark chocolate hair, bright blue eyes, respectable build, and a black ninja-like uniform, I'm guessing this is Norman. He bowed deeply to the demon. "I've heard rumors that you have found yourself a Companion so I took liberty to order new equipment."

I glared unamused by the suck up attitude when he raised his head and looked at me.
"Good work Norman." Bill praised. "I expect him to be ready to fight this evening so take care of him and don't do anything that would put suspicion on you again." The chain disappeared and the demon left. Norman straightened his posture and glared at the shrinking exit then at me. "Willing or no?" he asked.

"What?" I questioned.

"Did you come here willingly or not?" he rephrased.

"God no, if I actually had a choice." I answered pinching the bridge of my nose. It was an act, ingenious. But put suspicion on himself? Again?

"Well then welcome to the training arena. The observation seats were just put in because one of the demons thought I was having my way with their Companion." Norman gestured around the oval shaped pit.

"Were you?" I asked curiously.

He grinned mischeviously. "We made a show of it for amusement."

I let an approving smirk sneak on to my face.
"Ingenious."

He held out a hand. "Norman Babbcock, battle and stunt trainer." he introduced himself.

I took a hold of his hand and shook it. "Dipper Pines, unfortunate companion of Bill."

Norman snickered and guided me to one side of the arena. A hole opened up in the wall showing a locker room.
"Locker 666 is yours and your training uniform awaits you." Norman explained pushing me inside. "I'm not allowed in while Companion's are changing so I'll be readying the equipment." he added and the hole shrunk into nothing but a simple cinder brink wall.
I walked along the multicolored walls of lockers until I found the obnoxiously bright glowing gold one with the numbers 666 engraved in the metal. With a roll of my eyes, I opened the blinding locker to find a surprisingly plain black uniform. I picked it up, it was the same style that Norman wore but only with a yellow triangle stitched on the right shoulder.
I switched from the eygtian attire I wore and into the ninja suit, then back to the wall where the hole was. I tapped on one of the bricks and the hole opened up into the arena again, I stepped out of the locker room.
My teacher was setting out a variety of false weapons on one of the longer sides if the pit. I walked over curiously examining the assortment.

"Perfect timing for the new equipment to arrive isn't it?" he asked without looking at me. "Dried bamboo shoots and tied together with thin rope. Just like the swords they use for kendo tournaments in Japan." He looked up at me excited. "Best place to learn fighting ever."

I looked over the line up that mainly consisted of rods in varied sizes or actual kendo swords.

"The demons don't want to risk actual injury on their Companions so no real weapons allowed." he continued looking past me as if expecting someone. "I should explain the rules of the ring but they are beyond simple. First one on their knees loses, no head or pressure point shots."

I nodded picking up one of the smaller rods, about the size of an axe handle. "Shame about no real weapons, I'd use a gun. My miniature double barrel to be exact." I murmured as I examined the rod.

"A lot of people would actually take a gun to these. But rules are rules." Norman replied casually. I swung at him, the bound shoots making a hollow noise as it sliced through the air.

There was a clack as the rod smacked into another that Norman used to block my attack. He grinned at me amused as he stood.
"Abrupt attacks, how low of you, Pines." he stated tilting his chin up like he was royalty. "But good swing, I'll give you that."

I put force on to the bigger rod he was using until I was close enough to do a physical attack. I put a strong blow into his stomach with my right fist, making him keel forward I took the chance to step back and wait.

Norman wrapped an arm around his stomach, sucking in a lost breath and exhaled. "Brutal...." he croaked. "You're definitely going to piss some demons off with fighting like that."

I shrugged, "Wasn't a head shot, wasn't a pressure point."

"As true as that is," he nodded in agreement. "They won't appreciate the bruises."

"Pampered much?" I asked with a raised brow. "When surviving outside no one cares about a bruise. If theirs a deep gash in your shoulder then your dead." I growled gripping tight to the bundle of shoots in my hands. "I lived on my own since I was twenty-one, took in and cared for my niece since she was five while dealing with a town that most of the people there could care less if my family died and went against hell animals just to get home alive." I glared into his bright blue eyes coldly. "Now you tell me if I care if I bruise a few pampered pets of demons here."

What I had said earned a chuckle. Norman straightened up and grinned at me, "You definitely aren't the usual Companion I'll be training."

I smirked, "Far from."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Evening came around, dinner passed and I was being guided through a tunnel that will lead to the battle arena I'm expected to fight in.
"I expect good results, Pinetree." Bill's voice rang in my head.

Finally the wall opened into the spotlight lit pit. I took the solid rubber rod from my guide and strutted to the center where tonight's referee waited with my opponent.

Tall, long red hair pulled back into a grey ribbon, steroid style of build, obvious from his stance he didn't know how to give a proper fight.
Norman looked from him to me and back with a firm stare. "Alright," he began, all outside chatter silencing. "Rules are simple; no head shots, no pressure points, first one on his knees loses. Got it?" He looked up at the redhead, getting a silent nod.
"Got it?" he asked looking at me.

I nodded, gripping my weapon tight enough to expect my knuckles to be white.
"Raise your weapons." Norman ordered. We did as told, he crossed the rubber sticks into an X and backed up a safe distance. "Fight!" The call was like a blowhorn that sent everything into motion. My opponent lunged forward aiming for my shoulder. I slunk under the attack and rounded behind him, swung at his back leaving an angry red mark.

He turned on me and tried another swing, I blocked and shoved my knee into his rib. Unaffected but angered he shoved me backward towards one of the walls. My grip on my weapon slipped but held tight when I forced one end of it into his gut.
He stumbled, apparently surprised by the attack, giving me a chance to slip from his advancement and hit the back of his knees causing him to fall.

Voices roared in outrage and support. Norman threw up a golden piece of fabric for the champion's side. The redhead stood, glaring at me with animal-like hate.
I spared him a shrug and walked to the exit waiting for me.