Chapter 2: Suprising Fights, and Flights

Max was having an off day. Usually, he would be up to stealing around, trying to grab what he could, and sell what was for a valuable price. Today, he was running, jumping off rooftops, and trying to hid. So it was a terrible day.
He hated to run. It wasn't meant for his body, which was only made out of skin and bones. His stomach was purely hallow, he had to make extra holes for his belt to actually hold his pants. Max Cater was a toothpick, and could be easily broken.

If there was one thing Max had in physical traits is his flexibility. Max could be an acrobat, heck, even a cat if he wanted to be one. He could run, and jump pretty good too, maybe that's why his buddies call him, Moon Cat.
Max grabs onto the fire escape ladder, putting his feet out of the steps to slide all the way down to the bottom. He watched as the one man followed his motion. Couldn't he just find someone else to chase down? This was getting tiring some. Max flew left causing himself to be cornered.

He cornered himself in fear of the man chasing him. Max's eyes were wider then usually, like two oversized balloons. What was this man going to do to him? He shadow came closer, and closer. Each step was fear imposing on Max. Max cursed at himself for not taking a right, when he clearly needed to take a right. Max look at the shadow, it stood inches away.

He was breathing hard, Max could have sworn he heard him mutter, "...Out of shape...Kowalski's smart ass..." Maybe it was just the fear inducing him hearing this, or maybe he did say that.

After his panting spell, he composer straighten, "Moon Cat, right?" He offered his hand to Max. Max looked at him strangely as if saying 'aren't you going to kill me?'. He rolled his eyes, "I just wanted a few question answered, nothing drastic."

Max took his hand slowly, but surely. He kept his eyes down from embarrassment he had misjudge the whole scenario. He slouch his shoulders, and leaned against the wall, "Whatda' want to know?" He crossed his arms, he was angry with himself for being so stupid.

Max Cater wasn't just the Moon Cat, but he knew mostly what went on in New York City. He was the eyes of the city he knew a lot about the city: The gangs, the underground fights, and most of the criminals in the city. Some went to see him for his 'seeing eyes', because Max didn't ask for anything in return. Others hated what Max did, because the answers he gave corrupted them. Max was consider the city's snitch too.

Max would always get beaten up for it. Truth was he wanted a way out from knowing, but his eyes were what kept him alive. He sometimes got reward, Max never begs, nor asks for the reward. He wasn't going to be that type of scammer, or con man to get money. He wasn't that type of guy.

"Do you know this girl?" He pulled out a picture from his pocket that was crinkled, and stained with coffee. Max unfolded the paper, and studied the face for a moments to see if he pictured her anywhere in the city. She had waves of dark chocolate hair whipping around, as if she was looking for a person who took the picture. Compared to her hair, that was only really dark part about her. Her eyes where a bright green, and her skin was the color of a elephant's ivory tusk, though it was ruffed up with dirt, and beaten bruises.

Max had saw her, he narrowed his eyes at the man. What did he want with a pretty, young girl? Max had met the girl at least twice in his life. She seemed pretty decent, not on the top of the food chain, but enough to get notice, like Max himself. So why did this guy want to find her?

"You've seen her." He states to Max.

Max nodded, "What do you want with her?" He worried what he was going to do to this young girl.

He pulled out another paper handing it to him. He said nothing to Max as he read what it said. Max looked up at him, "Yeah, I know where she's at, Mr. Caldwell." Max nodded, handing the papers back. Asking no further question as to why. The papers said it all. "Mr. Caldwell, this place were going to isn't one of the legalist places..."

"I've been on the streets before, Moon Cat, I've seen it all." He notes to Max, as they start to walk along together, no longer running anyone.

Max shakes his head, "Not like this."

Skipper watched her from the other side of the cage. She was eager, her adrenaline was probably the only thing that kept her mind going. He would smile every time she would shout at the fighter to get up. She was full of life as Kowalski had said before, and wild too. He forgot to mention that.

Max tilted his head at the girl, who was unknowing that she was being watched, "I remember now, she works for the Rat King. He lets her fight time from time mostly for the profits. He keeps a close eyes on her, because he knows that she pretty good." Max sighed, "She going to find out soon that there's no way out once your in."

Skipper nods, she was close to being in real trouble with Ramsey King, aka the Rat King. His name came from his last name, and the base of his underground fighting ring was in the sewers. And what to you mostly fine in the sewers of New York, rats. The Team could take down Mr. King if they wanted too, but really he wasn't the biggest threat New York had to offer.

Skipper looked up in the corner of his eye he saw the Rat King overlooking the fight. His beastly arms dangled out of his white tank, and his suspenders that were wrapped around his huge musclier body were to the point they could have snapped at any moment. He looked as if he had eaten two of himself, since Skipper had seen him last. The Rat King caught Skipper prying eye. Rat King bent over the railing he was sitting above, and gave a intense gaze at Skipper warning him to leave now.

Skipper stood his ground, but nudged Max, "Moon Cat, Your work here is finished, take this, and leave." Skipper handed off an envelope to Max secretly, "Looks like things could get rougher." Max nodded understanding what he meant, and headed off without another word.

Skipper continued to watch the fight, and the girl herself. The cage jangled as the opponent's face was being scraped along the cage. The face gritted his bloody teeth, and shoved the victor away. There were no rules here. They all played dirty none of this was fair, that's why it's so easily to get in a good gamble here. The chances even out.

"Skipper Caldwell." Skipper turned at ruff voice, the Rat King had made his way to the crowd, as the roar of fight was still going on, "Been awhile hasn't it? What happened to that pathetic team of yours? Especially, that little runt of yours?" He mocks to intimate him.

"I could ask the same questions about your face." Skipper snarls back at him.

He crosses his arms defensively, "What the hell are you doing here in my sanctuary?"

Skipper keeps his eyes straight at the fight, "Looking for someone." He takes out the picture and shoves it to him, "I'll I want is her, and I'll leave you to your 'sanctuary'."

The fight had ended, and the opponent had to be dragged out of the cage. Skipper saw that his eyes were showing the white, instead of the pupils. Some sanctuary, he thought bitterly. He looked over to the girl who had now started to focus her attention on the Rat King, and himself.

"What makes you think she'll be willing to come with you?" He asked, popping his knuckles still trying harder to make Skipper scared of him.

Skipper now turned towards him, and shoving him the other paperworks he had, "This." He brought it closer to his face, "You can read, right?" He teased, he rather enjoyed making fun of him.

He looked over his shoulders to check on the girl, she had left her post. She was heading right towards the Rat King, and him. She had a look of confusion, "What's going on? The crowd wants another fight, and you're over here chattering?" Skipper knows what the girl is after. She wants to fight.

Ramsey looks at Skipper, "How about this? You fight me." He demands, "And if you win, then I'll let you leave with her."

"Her?" The girl spats out in between both of them, hoping that their not talking about her. "Hello? Gonna answer me?" She pesters them both.

Skipper thought long, and hard. He checks on the girl her curious eyes finds his eyes. That kind of curiosity made Skipper think of his little brother, Private. How his eyes would wondered back, and forth at each of his teammates, wondering what choice, or attack they were after. Skipper wasn't going to let the Rat King take the young girls life away.

He takes off his overcoat, and rolls up his sleeves. Ramsey smirks slouching his way to the cage dangerously as if anything could set him off. Skipper mind jumbles up in the cheers. He finds that he is standing inside of the locked cage with no way out, but only to fight...

Private was were the cheers were more quieter, but he could still hear the echoes of them. His knees hanging over the railing of the sewer. Boy, did it smell down here, but it was worth it to see his leader fight.

Private had the night off from his employer he decided to check on his team. They seem to be doing all well. Kowalski was still blowing things up, Rico was making sushi, and Skipper...Well he wasn't there in the apartment, so Private had to find a way to sneak into his old room. He did not want to go through detail of what he had to do, but once he was in the flat he became surprised.

He was surprised to see that all of his items were gone all his posters, bedspread, and his old clothes look as though they disappeared from the Earth. He couldn't believe it, Skipper hadn't taken his things down for eight years, and now it was all gone. Just an empty room, making it look like no one ever had been in this room before.

It was strange.

He creaked his door open to hear Rico, and Kowalski's voices from down the hall. He could hear the chopping of Rico's knife blazing across the cutting board. Private's stomach awed for that sushi. Rico's was always the best.

"I told Skipper he should of just called for Moon Cat, that way he doesn't have to chase him around the city." Did Kowalski mean Max Cater? What would he want to ask Max for? "I guess he won't get into too much trouble. The girl herself is trouble enough." Girl? What was going on?

Then it click: He was being replaced. By a girl? Not cool. Private dove out of the window quickly, maybe he could catch Skipper, and Max to really see what was going on. And of course he did, in the mist of the shadows he followed easily. It worried Private that Skipper didn't even flinch from paranoia of being followed. Things had changed, and so do people. Private wasn't use to seeing Skipper so un-alert.

He heard a loud pound of a fist grinding into a jaw. It was a common sound for the underground fights, but this one...It bounced off the walls of the sewers. Private's eyes widen. Skipper was losing. His gum was bleeding from the punch he was wobbly. Rat King look happy, Private held his fists at his side.

What was going on? Skipper could take him down in a instant. With a snap of his fingers he could. So why did that horrible punch happen? He got closer enough to be over the crowd, and looking down. Skipper didn't seem to have his head. He was practically falling from his dizziness.

Private had enough.

His fingers curled onto the railing, and he flipped himself over on top of the open part of the cage. His landing was perfect, kneeling on one knee looking as if he was bowing. Ramsey was astonish, then anger replenished the astonishment, "Runt," He growled, "Come here to help big brother, how sweet."

Skipper blinked at Private, "Private?" He reach his hand out to see if he was real.

Private felt his older brother's hand touch him. Private glanced at him, my god, Skipper was aging. It was ruff seeing him, so...Hurt. It wasn't because his right side of his jaw was starting to swell, it was seeing Private. He was hurt seeing that Private wasn't who he was. It was like his eyes were swollen with hurt that Private caused. Private wanted to wince seeing him, but he had no time the Rat King's fist were coming in...fast. Private pushed Skipper just in time away from the punch. Instead of it hitting Skipper, it made contact with Private's ribs.

Private coughed, "Y-You shouldn't have done that."

The Rat King's laughter echoed with the audience, "Just what are you going to do, Mr. Tux?" Private cringed, at the word of his name. Word, had travel fast that the littlest brother of The Penguins had turned into a villain. He saw Skipper's face, sadden by what he heard. Disappointment.

Private had enough.

His fist connected to his nose. Instantly, blood gushed out like a bad nose bleed. Private didn't stop there, he went for ribs. He gave a good few punches, until the Rat King flung him over to the side of the cage. The Rat King lifted his hands for cheers, and then dove in for Skipper, who finally decided to fight back.

Private registers to get up, using his elbows, and hands to find himself back up, and ready. Then he saw the girl. His fist drop, as he meets her eyes. Her eyes looked confused watching the fight, and himself. She mouth something to him: "What's going on?" She might have actually said it, but Private's ears were ringing.

Mr. Tux pointed at Skipper, and she nodded understanding where he was pointing too. Private grimly said at her, "He's adopting you."

She starts to shake her head violently, pulling her hair along too, "No, no, no, I've went through that before, and it's not going to happen again!"

Private snaps at her, "You should be thankful. Be thankful your not a slave like me! That man that you were working with he would have made you his toy, he would have hurt you more than others before. But him," He points at Skipper again, "He cares, and he protects. You should be thankful." She lets go loosely of her brown tangled hair from hearing this, and tilts her head. Private's ears starts to ring once more when she asked:

Who are you?

Who are you? Private's throat seems to try, and close on him. Who are you? What are you? A monster...A death sentence...A lost hope. He was something...Something terrible. He betrayed so many people he cared about, and can't even begin to apologize to them. He wasn't Private, that's for sure...Private had lost who he was eight years ago...He lost himself. To him it seem like he would never gain being 'Private' ever again. He was in a prison, and he only wanted out. But the only way out was with a key that shape into the form of a letter, and himself, Mr. Tux.

'He' had enough.

He turns back on the girl, and runs out at the Rat King. He jumps for his turned neck. He locks his arm to his neck, and starts to choke. Gripping harder, and harder, as his fearless ex-leader watches. Skipper yells, "Private, stop! Don't kill him!" He pleads, "Just end the fight not his life!"

Private is face is solemn, "Mr. Caldwell, take the girl, and leave." Skipper is taken back with his words, "The girl's life, or his?" He asked him, but really it was a threat. He knew what he would chose. Skipper shook his head in disgrace, as he did deep down Private wanted his approval, but this was Mr. Tux. Skipper ran for the cage's door, knowing that it was unlock. Mr. Tux let go of the Rat King's head, as he gasp for breath.

Mr. Tux crossed his arms with his expressionless face, "Let's finish this, your highness." Mr. Tux glanced over his shoulder he could spot Skipper, who limped, was tugging the little girl along. He was glad for their safety. He popped his knuckles, and glared at Ramsey, who panted for breathing, "Come on now, the crowd wants more."

The crowd applause was wild, chaotic, and crazy begging for more violence. Their cries, sickened Private, but this was Mr. Tux. Their cries made him crave it, that was what the cries were supposed to do. He felt though the cries were telling him to end it, end it, end it. But really it told him that...

Mr. Tux had enough.


Anyone still there? XD I feel so bad for updating so late! I got school going on, and other writings I'm working on. Also...It doesn't help getting caught up in these amazing fanfics I read. I gush at the creativity for story ideas! Soooo I'm sorry for the late updates, and just bear with me. Hopefully, when summer comes I been writing non-stop!

Okay, so anyways what did you think? Did you like what I did with Max, because I could honestly see him as being this beaten up all knowing guy. And of of course the Rat King, I really see him working an underground fighting ring. Anyone else? Or is it just me? Oh, what did you think of Private? Or should I say Mr. Tux? Hehehe. ;) I'm really trying to think how he would act if he ever did turn into this really bad version of Mr. Tux. So am I getting it?

Please, tell me what you think, and what you might think will happen! Sometimes that gives me ideas from your reviews! So your reviews are very welcome!

Thanks so much for reading it means so much!

-aDORKable Rosy