After the Second Fall Pt. 02.3

"You'd like a demonstration, though," Pip stated with a smile.

"It would be nice," Esther replied, tilting her head.

Nodding, Pip looked around. "Usually, we use a standing jump, but I don't know if you'll care about that, so maybe we should try something different. It needs to be something athletic."

Esther thought for a moment, then said, "From here it's about three quarters of a bell back to the village at a good pace. You want to race?"

"Great idea, that will work well."

Esther folded her arms smugly and smiled. "Surely you realize I've been running on these roads and through these fields my entire life, right?"

Pip lowered himself to a knee so that his head was closer to Esther's level. "It doesn't matter even the tiniest bit." Hearing his words, a cold shiver ran through her body, from the back of her neck all the way to her toes, and she knew he was completely serious.

"I believe you," she said, her smile gone, "but show me anyway."

Pip nodded and stood, then stepped aside and held out his arm. "When you're ready."

Esther squatted, then did some basic standing stretches, since they had barely been moving during Pip's story. When she felt appropriately limber, she turned to Pip, who was standing casually, entirely unconcerned and completely confident, which was disconcerting on both counts. Pushing her doubts down, Esther narrowed her eyes, took several deep breaths, then set off at a run.

The initial pace was too fast to sustain for the entire return trip, but Esther wanted to put some distance between Pip and his long legs. There seemed to be a good chance that he would beat her, but Esther was determined to give her best effort, so she cleared her mind and focused on her breathing, keeping her heart rate under control despite the strenuous exertion.

In less than a hundred beats, Esther heard three steps behind her before Pip ran past, moving at what looked to be a sprint, except that she had never, ever, moved that fast. The young woman was so startled that she missed a step and almost crashed, despite the even surface. In a surprisingly short time, Pip was out of view, dispelling her expectation -- hope? -- that he would have to slow down.

As she stumbled into town and leaned forward to put her hands on her knees, strong arms grabbed her shoulders to keep her from pitching over, which was good, because tunnel vision had been closing in. It was some time before she could speak, and when she stood up, dizzy, she realized a small crowd had gathered.

"You were right to be confident," Pip said encouragingly, "because you are very fast." He handed her a drink, which she sipped gratefully, then led her over to sit on the edge of the fountain. Taking off his shirt, he dipped it in the fountain, then draped it over her head while she continued to sip.

Sheena and Anne walked up, curious and more than a little confused. "What was that about?" the blonde asked her sister.

"How long has he been back?"

"Pip? A quarter bell, maybe more."

'Definitely more,' supplied Anne. 'Why?'

"We had a race from the field where the old apple tree used to be when we were kids, the one struck by lighting."

Anne and Sheena shared a glance. "You left at the same time?" Esther nodded and took another sip. "E, nobody's beat you in a footrace since you were ten. It's just not possible that he beat you by almost half a bell, not if you were trying."

"I was, and it is. It's the same reason he plowed six acres in two days; right, Anne?"

The Speaker's eyes flashed to Pip, who nodded. 'Pip is special,' she signed to Sheena. 'He can do things nobody has done before. For now, just accept it as best you can.'

After a moment's hesitation, Sheena nodded and pulled her sister up. "You need to walk or you'll cramp." Then, leaning close, "Did you really do your best?"

"I've never pushed myself that hard before," Esther whispered back. "I've never seen anything like him."

Chapter 22

'I cannot leave here. The Vale is my home.'

"You won't have to, Anne, we're going to move here."

'Why?'

"Because you're here, and there isn't much more I can learn at the Complex anyway."

'Will your *** accept this?'

Seeing Pip's confused look, Rachel explained, "She asked if Lilith would accept you moving here."

"Thanks, Rach. Please, just tell her what's going on. It feels like I'm so slow."

Rachel patted his hand reassuringly, then started signing. 'Pip and I talked to the director this afternoon, during the storm. She was not pleased, but will support our decision.'

'I do not understand. Pip is her best fighter.'

'He still will be, and the director agreed that he will be happier here. There are bad memories for him at the Complex.'

'And you?'

Rachel smiled. "My main priority is to be together, so the location isn't important to me. I even tried to resign, but the director wouldn't let me. Instead, she wants me to act as your liaison, which means I would go back and forth each week for our Council meetings and do my best to settle any differences between the Complex and the Vale."

Anne was thoughtful for some time, hands folded in her lap. 'Does she want to control us?'

"She wants to form stronger ties. The Vale would become a part of the Complex, but with autonomy. No one will tell you as Speaker what the Vale must do, but the Complex will make requests, the same as you did when asking for help from the Adams."

'Our agreement for help from the giants, this will continue?'

"Or even expand. There are plans in progress that will improve how Adams interact with people my size; not now, but in the future. You may not know this, but most people in the city have never seen an Adam up close, and while they respect and appreciate what they do, they're not comfortable being around them. The director had hoped to learn from the Vale so that she could make these changes sooner, which is why we made our visit in the first place. It didn't work out the way we envisioned, but we still need to learn.

"It's up to the village, but the Executive Director, Lilith, would like to continue to offer the Adams that don't want to fight the option to come here. Seeing how Adams interact with others will tell us a lot about what is ultimately possible. Do you follow the reasoning?"

Anne sat back in her seat, frowning 'I do, but it seems too good to be true. What is the cost to the Vale?'

Rachel scrunched up her nose, thinking. "Change. Life in the Vale will change."

After considering for a moment, Anne nodded. 'I understand. Who else will stay?'

"Maggie and Rosie, and probably Esther."

'Why Esther?'

"She and Pip have become friends, so we're hoping Esther will stay on as my assistant while her sister goes to work for the director; Lilith is probably talking with them now."

'It seems like a good solution, but they will be sad to be apart.'

"Esther will travel with me, so they can see each other every week."

'Even better. What about the other giants?'

"I expect Mars will visit to train with Pip for a week or two at a time, and others will probably come, too, but I don't expect them to stay." Anne nodded, so Rachel continued. "There is one more thing: we would like to invite Pip's trainer and his wife to move here. He knows a lot about training, and about maintenance, which will be useful, but he's not the easiest person to be around."

'It is not a problem. We have many difficult people, but must the constables stay?'

"Not when it's just us, and even when all of the Adams come to work, there will be fewer. We were overly cautious this time."

Leaning forward, Rachel switched back to signing. 'This is only if you want this to happen. It is your choice, and you do not need to choose now.'

'Yes, I want this to happen,' Anne signed. 'After last night, I already felt like part of your group. This morning with Pip made it even better. As for the rest, I cannot find fault in any of the proposals. I need one day to talk with Joanna and several others, then I will provide an answer.'

'It will not be easy,' cautioned Rachel. 'The life Pip has is hard, and the fights are difficult for all of us.'

'I am confident it will be worth it,' Anne replied with a small grin. Taking a deep breath, she continued, 'Would you like to see your new home?'

The Speaker's house was easily the biggest residence in the village, with three large bedrooms and basic indoor sanitary facilities. While not luxurious, it had more charm than the white and gray rooms of the Complex. It was also located next to the main hall, so it was quite obvious the following morning that Pip and the three women from the Complex had spent the night.

By the end of breakfast, Anne was done with the whispering and furtive glances and stood, calling for attention by smacking a table with her hand. Signing quickly, she painted the picture with broad strokes, then left before anyone could ask questions.

Pip found her by the fountain, staring up into the mist that would prevent them from working for at least the day. "What are you doing?"

'Waiting for you. Will you teach me again?'

"In the rain?" Anne smiled and nodded, so Pip pulled off his shirt with a grin. The Speaker rolled her eyes and snickered, then did the same.

From back by the main hall they heard a squeal and a clap, then Esther came charging up with a broad smile. Unfortunately, she misjudged how slippery the dirt had become and skidded when trying to stop, instead crashing into the lip of the fountain and tumbling forward, only for her be abruptly halted by a massive arm.

"Hey, thanks," Esther said as Pip set her down, relieved, but still excited. "We're doing the kata thing again?"

'That was it, was it not?' Anne signed. 'Your Effect?' Pip confirmed her assertion with a nod. 'It was amazing to watch. I understand better now why you fight so well.'

Pip made a non-committal gesture, then paused as he caught movement in the periphery of his vision. Turning, he watched Esther's tunic came off, then took a few beats to examine her. The result was a crimson blush across her cheeks and a self-conscious smirk, which made him smile in return.

Backing away, Pip settled into the starting pose, but the footing was terrible and he soon called off the attempt. "What do you do when it rains?"

'Sit by the fire and tell stories,' Anne answered. 'Or if you want to work, I can teach you to *** or *** ***.'

Pip held up his hands, warding off additional chores. "I like stories. Maybe you can tell me the history of the Vale." Anne nodded and walked off toward her house, but when Esther didn't follow, Pip went back and grabbed her hand, pulling her along. "Unless you have something better to do?"

The next weeks followed a similar pattern to those first days. When it was dry, Pip worked, and on the rare occasions that it rained, he learned. Inside of three months, Pip was a different man.

The young Adam had always been muscular, but hundreds of hours in the fields had chiseled deep lines into the rocks his muscles had become. His already dark skin had turned the color of rich leather, and the fearsome black tattoo that covered his back and chest was barely visible.

Other changes were also happening, albeit not so obviously. Pip's command of the hand language continued to improve, as did his relationships with both Anne and Esther. Every morning they practiced their kata together and many evenings they would stroll through the fields or sit by the fire.

Although sexual intimacy with Anne had not progressed, the easy comfort they had developed assured Pip that it would happen without being forced. With Esther, their banter had taken on a physical side, and they often rolled on the ground, which mostly consisted of Pip trying not to fall on her while she tickled him. Not surprisingly, there were times when the group dynamics felt strained, especially with Esther so obviously wanting more from Pip, but Maggie was able to alleviate the tension by kicking Pip out of the house for what she referred to as 'female bonding time,' although she refused to tell him what it meant. Altogether, it allowed Pip to unwind the emotional knots that had formed since John's death.

Two months before the Marbelo fight, Cap and his wife, Megan, took up residence, and Pip's routine returned to a more traditional course, heavy on cardio and technique work, which was, honestly told, a nice change.

Consequently, Pip was well prepared for the match, physically and mentally. Going through the Arena routine after such a long break felt both comfortable and familiar, made even better by seeing Marbelo's Number One step through the door opposite.

The fighter, whose name was Montana, circled, but Pip held his position, pivoting to keep the man in front. After several tentative punches from Montana, who was indeed a hand taller than him with a significantly longer reach, Pip smacked away a left jab.

Instead of throwing more punches, the man disengaged and switched stances, his right foot now forward. As he re-engaged, his punches were even more cautious. Baiting his opponent, Pip stepped closer and received a tentative right jab, which he ducked. Another followed, and then a left elbow, but it appeared Montana wasn't going to throw any more punches from his left side. Pip was focusing too much on figuring out if there was some sort of trick that he almost missed the front kick, and would have, if not for the Effect. Instead, he shifted his weight and side stepped, letting the leg pass by as he kicked the other out from under his opponent.

Montana landed in a heap and tried to get up, but was now struggling to make his right leg work properly. Deciding to be more aggressive, Pip made several feints and lunges, then landed a kick, and another. When Montana tried to roll away, Pip dove onto his opponent's back, and with a vicious elbow, shattered the man's cervical vertebrae.

Fortunately for both of them, death came swiftly, and Pip rolled his opponent over. Montana's left hand seemed uninjured, but the wrist was broken in at least one place, as it made a crunching sound when Pip moved the hand around. Similarly, the right tibia had given way just below the knee.

As he waited for the end of the bell, Pip was confused. He hadn't put all his weight behind either strike, and yet the bones had snapped. On the ride back, when he inquired of Dr. Shepard what might have happened, he received a couple theories, but nothing rang true. Pip asked Cap what he thought, and after contemplating for almost a day, the trainer decided empirical data were needed and ordered two sides of beef. Lilith balked at the extravagance, and the expense, but relented like both men knew she would.

Being careful to protect his joints and digits, they learned over the course of a long day that Pip could readily break the carcass' rib bones with something less than half of his full effort. Their experiment provided the answer Pip was looking for, as well as enough tenderized meat for the entire village.

The second fight with Marbelo -- on behalf of Hammersfield -- was similar to the first in that it only lasted a short while. The opponent was young and not particularly skilled; Pip had no idea what he was called. After a short right to the ribs, the man collapsed; two well placed kicks to the head and the match was over.

Arena matches were starting to feel routine, and this worried Pip deeply.

When he brought up his concern with Cap, instead of the lecture he expected, the old man said simply, "Let's take a walk." As they moved steadily down the seemingly endless dirt roads of the Vale, Cap told of a great warrior from the forgotten past. Entirely fearless. Skilled without equal. Immune from pain and injury.

"What happened to him?"

"He died, struck in the heel by an arrow." Pip grinned, knowing the tale. "We all have weaknesses, Pip, you included. There will come a time when somebody figures out yours, and your journey will end."

Pip was silent for a long stretch, turning over the story again and again. "So what should I do?"

"Figure out your weaknesses before they do, then guard against them."

"Like wearing a pair of steel boots?"

Cap chuckled. "For example."

Back in the Arena's waiting room once again, ready to contest for Theiss, Pip was as focused as he had ever been. The door opened and he stepped out quickly, then stumbled to a stop. Across the Arena, just moving onto the sand, was his opponent; shorter than him by at least a hand with close cropped hair and heavily freckled skin that covered both face and chest, she wore a look that was equal parts determination and terror.

Author's Note

I hope you've enjoyed Part 2.

The final novel in this trilogy embodies another shift, away from the triumphs and tragedies of Lilith Collins, following a pair of heroines whose lives intertwine tightly with our protagonist as he sets off in search of a new kind of conquest.

Your feedback, comments, and votes are genuinely, deeply appreciated.

Cheers,

Simon