Ok, I know the last chapter had a bad ending, but trust me, I think this one is a lot better. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming, I really like suggestions. If you want to sue me go right ahead, I will just change my name to Tebor and move to Switzerland. Anyway, here we go with CH 2.
Hidden Power
Jim lay across his bed watching his fish tank. It had only been a day since the bar fight and Jim's wounds had completely healed, he had always been a quick healer and seemed that he always felt great after he did heal. Todd had a sudden change of heart and returned the money after Gene had tied him to a chair and threatened to set the bar on fire. Jim felt like crap after the fight, not because he got his tail whipped, but of the expression in Aisha's eyes. He pictured them over and over again, how the tear made blue eyes sparkle. "Damnit!" he said aloud.
"Not again." He said as he rose to his feet and headed to the training lot.
He was hoping to find the lot empty, but instead found Aisha doing backflips. Aisha spotted him before he had a chance to leave.
"Hey Jim!" Aisha said, stopping the retreating human.
Jim turned. He didn't feel ready to talk to Aisha yet, and was just about to ask her about the night at the bar when she broke the silence.
"Ready for some pointers?"
He figured what the hell, God knows he needed them.
"Sure Aisha, but go easy on me, I'm only human."
Aisha was surprised Jim accepted, usually he just shrugged his shoulders and made excuses. She was also amazed how quick he healed, if Gene had been hit with that pipe he would be in the hospital.
"Ok Jim, first things first, try to hit me." She said with her hands on her hips.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I am, now stop stalling you wuss and hit me."
Jim felt hit temper rise but pushed it back down. "Ok Aisha."
Jim leapt forward and swung at Aisha who just casually stepped back. With each punch and kick Jim unleashed Aisha just stepped out of the way or let her head rotate just enough to let his hand go by. Jim's temper flared again, he hated this, *she's doing nothing but toying with me* he thought. Finally, feeling her point had been made; Aisha jumped high into the air and landed at the other end of the lot. Breathing hard, Jim turned around to find her looking like nothing happened.
"What's the matter Jim, out of breath?"
"I wouldn't be out of breath if you didn't move so fast."
"I'm not moving too fast, you're moving too slow."
Jim's temper rose again with that comment. "Well Aisha, what do you propose I do about it, you did offer pointers." Jim said finally catching his breath.
"Each one of those punches would have probably knocked me down. Don't try to put all your power in each punch. That way you'll move faster, got it little Jimmy?"
Aisha kept trying to piss Jim off; she could sense a great fighting power in him. *If I'm able to make Jim lose his cool, he should be able to whoop anyone, except the greatest Ctarl-Ctarl fighter of course.*
Jim fumed at Aisha's last comment, *ill show you I'm not a little kid*. He ran forward doing as Aisha had said and speeding up his attacks. Aisha was still dodging them, although not as easily. After a few moments she leapt to the other end of the lot.
"Much better Jim, but..."
Aisha stopped in mid sentence as Jim continued the attack. He sprinted towards her causing her to lose her footing and stumble backwards. As Aisha regained her balance she looked up and saw Jim right in front of her *no way to dodge this one* she thought. Jim connected with a left hook directly to Aisha's stomach that sent her skidding back across the dirt.
Suzuka's head rose from the magazine she was reading. *something's wrong* She grabbed her kitana and ran to the training yard.
"That was good Jim, knocked the wind right out of me." Aisha said as she stood up catching her breath. She looked over at Jim and found herself staring at someone completely different. Suzuka entered the lot and only stared at Jim in horror.
Jim stood halfway across the lot from Aisha. His arms curled 90 degrees, fists clinched, straining in pain. Small rocks and dust flew from under him as a small crater began to form. Sweat beaded up on his face as he ground his teeth in agony. His hair was swept upward like he was standing in a wind tunnel, however their wasn't the slightest breeze in the yard. Small bursts of electricity shot from his body and his eyes had gone completely white. He screamed and a wave of energy shot from his body that bounded off buildings shattering glass.
"Sorry Jim" Suzuka said as she leapt upward bringing down her kitana down full force on the back of Jim's neck. She hit him right on target but Jim only turned and looked at her, unaffected.
"JIM DON'T!!!" Aisha screamed as he reared back and backhanded Suzuka across the lot and into another building. His gaze returning back to her.
"Jim, don't make me do this." She whispered looking down.
With a burst of energy and a bloodcurdling yell Jim flew forward to attack her. Tears flew from Aisha's eyes as she looked up, screaming as she turned to her primal form.
Suzuka managed to sit up and could only watch the rest of the fight.
The white tigress leapt forward catching Jim in mid air and driving him to the dirt. He flipped back and charged her again still yelling in agony. She then speared him again, this time hearing some ribs crack. Still on top of him the tiger raised its razor sharp claws aiming at Jim's head. Aisha hesitated a minute, *I might kill him* she thought; when a voice echoed through her. "Do It Aisha", it was Jim's voice. The tigress retracted her claws and brought her paw full force across Jim's face. Jim spat blood and passed out, his hair stopped swirling and his eyes returned to normal.
The tigress stood over Jim, howled and morphed back into Aisha collapsing across Jim's body. Suzuka walked over and wrapped Aisha, who was beginning to regain her senses, in her outer cloak. Aisha drew the cloak around her and stood up noticing Jim's lifeless body for the first time.
"Oh my God, is he..." Aisha screamed, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
"No," Suzuka said checking his pulse, "but he will be soon if we don't get him to a hospital."
Aisha fell at Jim's side picking him up and running to the door. As if on cue Gene came through the doorway with his caster drawn.
"What the Hell is going on here!!!" Gene yelled as Aisha ran past him with Jim. He and Melphina had been having a romantic moment when the blast hit the house. It had taken him this long to stumble out of bed, get his paints on, and get to the lot.
"Aisha, what happened to Jim!?!?!"
Suzuka grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the lot "Gene I suggest you get in the car, we have to get Jim to a doctor. Ill explain what happened there."
Aisha climbed in the back seat pulling Jim in behind her. She raised him close and nestled his head on her chest. Gene gunned the engine and sped to the nearest hospital.
Aisha bent her face down into Jim's hair.
"Please be ok Jim, Please be ok." she mumbled as her tears dropped onto his face.
~~:*:~~
The group sat in the hospital waiting room; it had been about an hour since they had wheeled Jim in. Suzuka sat explaining to Gene and Melphina what had taken place in the lot.
"And that's the whole story." Suzuka finished.
Melphina sat pondering Suzuka's story. She had personally seen Suzuka slice a bus in two with her kitana before. *It doesn't make sense, Jim would of never acted that way* she thought as she looked to Gene. Gene just stood there, staring out the window. Suzuka pondered Gene's reaction; he had just stood there seemingly unaffected, almost like he had already known.
"So it took a skilled assassin and a Ctarl-Ctarl warrior just to bring Jim down? Guess I've been underestimating him." Gene said in his usual carefree voice. He turned his attention back to the window watching the sun set. He knew he had to tell Jim what he knew about his past.
Aisha finished changing into her new uniform that Melphina brought her. She walked over to the sink and began washing her face. "What the hell happened to you Jim?" she asked herself as she dried her face and walked to the waiting room. No sooner than she entered a doctor came through the door.
"Jim Hawking?"
"Yes." All four members replied at the same moment.
"First of all you friend is going to be fine. He just suffered a few broken ribs and a mild concussion. I have to say, that must have been some hit and run he was in, when he first came in it looked like he wasn't going to make it."
The group breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing their friend was ok.
"When can we see him?" Melphina asked.
"They are moving him to a room now, if you want I can lead you up there. But theirs no hurry he is still out with the effects of the drugs and concussion."
"When is he going to regain consciousness?" Aisha asked.
"Could be five minutes, could be five days. It's still hard to predict what effects a head injury like his has on each individual."
The four followed the doctor to Jim's room. He lay in the bed with a single IV drip in his left arm. Aisha and Suzuka sighed in relief as they saw him; he looked normal, just like he was sleeping. They stayed in the room for a while, each overlooking Jim and satisfying their own skepticism. Gene took Melphina home remembering he still had to unpack the XGP's cargo hold and get it delivered to Fred Lowe before morning. Suzuka left soon after leaving Aisha alone with Jim. Aisha sat by Jim's bed just looking at him. Her mind was full of hundreds of questions: what happened to you?, what made you so strong?, how did you talk to me telepathically? She laid her head on the small roller table, and drifted off to sleep.
"Ugh" Jim mumbled as he cracked his eyes open. He began to sit up in bed only to lay back down. *Where am I?* he thought as his eyes scanned the room. He could tell he was in a hospital by the IV in his arm and the rails on the bed, but why? Last thing he remembered was training with Aisha and her calling him "little Jimmy". He blinked hard trying to get his vision to clear up and finally made out 4:40 on the wall clock. As he scanned the room his eyes rested on Aisha, fast asleep, resting her head on the food table. He thought about waking her up and asking what happened but couldn't. He lay there silently watching her until morning. Taking pleasure each time her back rose with a breath and her facial expressions changed.
~~:*:~~
The next morning Aisha yawned and stretched her arms over her head only to find a sharp crink in her neck. *Should of known better than to fall asleep on that table.* She thought as she rubbed it fiercely.
"Wondered when you were going to wake up."
Aisha's ears perked up as she turned to see Jim awake in bed.
"Jim your ok!!" she screamed as she leapt forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"OW OW OW!!!" Jim gasped as Aisha continued to squeeze him.
"Thank God your ok Jim" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Ribs... Broken.... Please Stop...."
Aisha broke off her bear hug and sat at the corner of Jim's bed.
"Sorry, I'm just so glad to see that you're ok."
"What happened anyway, why am I in the hospital, and why do I feel like Gene and I stayed up all night doing shots again?"
"You mean you don't remember what happened in the training lot?" Aisha said in her usual gravely tone.
"Last thing I remember is you calling me little Jimmy."
Jim sat staring at Aisha in disbelief as she told him what took place in the yard. How he had taken a direct hit from Suzuka and not been effected. And how it had taken Aisha's primal form to bring him down. As Aisha finished telling what had happened Gene stepped in the room.
"Aisha, I need to talk to Jim in private for a minute."
"Ok gene, but I think he's a little miffed about what happened." She shot one last glance at Jim, smiled and left.
Gene turned the chair Aisha had fallen asleep in around and sat next to the still dumfounded Jim.
"Jim, I got to tell you something."
.... I love to leave you hanging. Does anyone have any name suggestions for Aisha's parents and little brother (who will probably be around 15 or 16) if you do review me with them. If I use them you will receive either one hundred billion dollars (said with right pinky in the corner of mouth) or be thanked in that chapter, its up to me to decide which one. Anyway, please review.
Hidden Power
Jim lay across his bed watching his fish tank. It had only been a day since the bar fight and Jim's wounds had completely healed, he had always been a quick healer and seemed that he always felt great after he did heal. Todd had a sudden change of heart and returned the money after Gene had tied him to a chair and threatened to set the bar on fire. Jim felt like crap after the fight, not because he got his tail whipped, but of the expression in Aisha's eyes. He pictured them over and over again, how the tear made blue eyes sparkle. "Damnit!" he said aloud.
"Not again." He said as he rose to his feet and headed to the training lot.
He was hoping to find the lot empty, but instead found Aisha doing backflips. Aisha spotted him before he had a chance to leave.
"Hey Jim!" Aisha said, stopping the retreating human.
Jim turned. He didn't feel ready to talk to Aisha yet, and was just about to ask her about the night at the bar when she broke the silence.
"Ready for some pointers?"
He figured what the hell, God knows he needed them.
"Sure Aisha, but go easy on me, I'm only human."
Aisha was surprised Jim accepted, usually he just shrugged his shoulders and made excuses. She was also amazed how quick he healed, if Gene had been hit with that pipe he would be in the hospital.
"Ok Jim, first things first, try to hit me." She said with her hands on her hips.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I am, now stop stalling you wuss and hit me."
Jim felt hit temper rise but pushed it back down. "Ok Aisha."
Jim leapt forward and swung at Aisha who just casually stepped back. With each punch and kick Jim unleashed Aisha just stepped out of the way or let her head rotate just enough to let his hand go by. Jim's temper flared again, he hated this, *she's doing nothing but toying with me* he thought. Finally, feeling her point had been made; Aisha jumped high into the air and landed at the other end of the lot. Breathing hard, Jim turned around to find her looking like nothing happened.
"What's the matter Jim, out of breath?"
"I wouldn't be out of breath if you didn't move so fast."
"I'm not moving too fast, you're moving too slow."
Jim's temper rose again with that comment. "Well Aisha, what do you propose I do about it, you did offer pointers." Jim said finally catching his breath.
"Each one of those punches would have probably knocked me down. Don't try to put all your power in each punch. That way you'll move faster, got it little Jimmy?"
Aisha kept trying to piss Jim off; she could sense a great fighting power in him. *If I'm able to make Jim lose his cool, he should be able to whoop anyone, except the greatest Ctarl-Ctarl fighter of course.*
Jim fumed at Aisha's last comment, *ill show you I'm not a little kid*. He ran forward doing as Aisha had said and speeding up his attacks. Aisha was still dodging them, although not as easily. After a few moments she leapt to the other end of the lot.
"Much better Jim, but..."
Aisha stopped in mid sentence as Jim continued the attack. He sprinted towards her causing her to lose her footing and stumble backwards. As Aisha regained her balance she looked up and saw Jim right in front of her *no way to dodge this one* she thought. Jim connected with a left hook directly to Aisha's stomach that sent her skidding back across the dirt.
Suzuka's head rose from the magazine she was reading. *something's wrong* She grabbed her kitana and ran to the training yard.
"That was good Jim, knocked the wind right out of me." Aisha said as she stood up catching her breath. She looked over at Jim and found herself staring at someone completely different. Suzuka entered the lot and only stared at Jim in horror.
Jim stood halfway across the lot from Aisha. His arms curled 90 degrees, fists clinched, straining in pain. Small rocks and dust flew from under him as a small crater began to form. Sweat beaded up on his face as he ground his teeth in agony. His hair was swept upward like he was standing in a wind tunnel, however their wasn't the slightest breeze in the yard. Small bursts of electricity shot from his body and his eyes had gone completely white. He screamed and a wave of energy shot from his body that bounded off buildings shattering glass.
"Sorry Jim" Suzuka said as she leapt upward bringing down her kitana down full force on the back of Jim's neck. She hit him right on target but Jim only turned and looked at her, unaffected.
"JIM DON'T!!!" Aisha screamed as he reared back and backhanded Suzuka across the lot and into another building. His gaze returning back to her.
"Jim, don't make me do this." She whispered looking down.
With a burst of energy and a bloodcurdling yell Jim flew forward to attack her. Tears flew from Aisha's eyes as she looked up, screaming as she turned to her primal form.
Suzuka managed to sit up and could only watch the rest of the fight.
The white tigress leapt forward catching Jim in mid air and driving him to the dirt. He flipped back and charged her again still yelling in agony. She then speared him again, this time hearing some ribs crack. Still on top of him the tiger raised its razor sharp claws aiming at Jim's head. Aisha hesitated a minute, *I might kill him* she thought; when a voice echoed through her. "Do It Aisha", it was Jim's voice. The tigress retracted her claws and brought her paw full force across Jim's face. Jim spat blood and passed out, his hair stopped swirling and his eyes returned to normal.
The tigress stood over Jim, howled and morphed back into Aisha collapsing across Jim's body. Suzuka walked over and wrapped Aisha, who was beginning to regain her senses, in her outer cloak. Aisha drew the cloak around her and stood up noticing Jim's lifeless body for the first time.
"Oh my God, is he..." Aisha screamed, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
"No," Suzuka said checking his pulse, "but he will be soon if we don't get him to a hospital."
Aisha fell at Jim's side picking him up and running to the door. As if on cue Gene came through the doorway with his caster drawn.
"What the Hell is going on here!!!" Gene yelled as Aisha ran past him with Jim. He and Melphina had been having a romantic moment when the blast hit the house. It had taken him this long to stumble out of bed, get his paints on, and get to the lot.
"Aisha, what happened to Jim!?!?!"
Suzuka grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the lot "Gene I suggest you get in the car, we have to get Jim to a doctor. Ill explain what happened there."
Aisha climbed in the back seat pulling Jim in behind her. She raised him close and nestled his head on her chest. Gene gunned the engine and sped to the nearest hospital.
Aisha bent her face down into Jim's hair.
"Please be ok Jim, Please be ok." she mumbled as her tears dropped onto his face.
~~:*:~~
The group sat in the hospital waiting room; it had been about an hour since they had wheeled Jim in. Suzuka sat explaining to Gene and Melphina what had taken place in the lot.
"And that's the whole story." Suzuka finished.
Melphina sat pondering Suzuka's story. She had personally seen Suzuka slice a bus in two with her kitana before. *It doesn't make sense, Jim would of never acted that way* she thought as she looked to Gene. Gene just stood there, staring out the window. Suzuka pondered Gene's reaction; he had just stood there seemingly unaffected, almost like he had already known.
"So it took a skilled assassin and a Ctarl-Ctarl warrior just to bring Jim down? Guess I've been underestimating him." Gene said in his usual carefree voice. He turned his attention back to the window watching the sun set. He knew he had to tell Jim what he knew about his past.
Aisha finished changing into her new uniform that Melphina brought her. She walked over to the sink and began washing her face. "What the hell happened to you Jim?" she asked herself as she dried her face and walked to the waiting room. No sooner than she entered a doctor came through the door.
"Jim Hawking?"
"Yes." All four members replied at the same moment.
"First of all you friend is going to be fine. He just suffered a few broken ribs and a mild concussion. I have to say, that must have been some hit and run he was in, when he first came in it looked like he wasn't going to make it."
The group breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing their friend was ok.
"When can we see him?" Melphina asked.
"They are moving him to a room now, if you want I can lead you up there. But theirs no hurry he is still out with the effects of the drugs and concussion."
"When is he going to regain consciousness?" Aisha asked.
"Could be five minutes, could be five days. It's still hard to predict what effects a head injury like his has on each individual."
The four followed the doctor to Jim's room. He lay in the bed with a single IV drip in his left arm. Aisha and Suzuka sighed in relief as they saw him; he looked normal, just like he was sleeping. They stayed in the room for a while, each overlooking Jim and satisfying their own skepticism. Gene took Melphina home remembering he still had to unpack the XGP's cargo hold and get it delivered to Fred Lowe before morning. Suzuka left soon after leaving Aisha alone with Jim. Aisha sat by Jim's bed just looking at him. Her mind was full of hundreds of questions: what happened to you?, what made you so strong?, how did you talk to me telepathically? She laid her head on the small roller table, and drifted off to sleep.
"Ugh" Jim mumbled as he cracked his eyes open. He began to sit up in bed only to lay back down. *Where am I?* he thought as his eyes scanned the room. He could tell he was in a hospital by the IV in his arm and the rails on the bed, but why? Last thing he remembered was training with Aisha and her calling him "little Jimmy". He blinked hard trying to get his vision to clear up and finally made out 4:40 on the wall clock. As he scanned the room his eyes rested on Aisha, fast asleep, resting her head on the food table. He thought about waking her up and asking what happened but couldn't. He lay there silently watching her until morning. Taking pleasure each time her back rose with a breath and her facial expressions changed.
~~:*:~~
The next morning Aisha yawned and stretched her arms over her head only to find a sharp crink in her neck. *Should of known better than to fall asleep on that table.* She thought as she rubbed it fiercely.
"Wondered when you were going to wake up."
Aisha's ears perked up as she turned to see Jim awake in bed.
"Jim your ok!!" she screamed as she leapt forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"OW OW OW!!!" Jim gasped as Aisha continued to squeeze him.
"Thank God your ok Jim" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Ribs... Broken.... Please Stop...."
Aisha broke off her bear hug and sat at the corner of Jim's bed.
"Sorry, I'm just so glad to see that you're ok."
"What happened anyway, why am I in the hospital, and why do I feel like Gene and I stayed up all night doing shots again?"
"You mean you don't remember what happened in the training lot?" Aisha said in her usual gravely tone.
"Last thing I remember is you calling me little Jimmy."
Jim sat staring at Aisha in disbelief as she told him what took place in the yard. How he had taken a direct hit from Suzuka and not been effected. And how it had taken Aisha's primal form to bring him down. As Aisha finished telling what had happened Gene stepped in the room.
"Aisha, I need to talk to Jim in private for a minute."
"Ok gene, but I think he's a little miffed about what happened." She shot one last glance at Jim, smiled and left.
Gene turned the chair Aisha had fallen asleep in around and sat next to the still dumfounded Jim.
"Jim, I got to tell you something."
.... I love to leave you hanging. Does anyone have any name suggestions for Aisha's parents and little brother (who will probably be around 15 or 16) if you do review me with them. If I use them you will receive either one hundred billion dollars (said with right pinky in the corner of mouth) or be thanked in that chapter, its up to me to decide which one. Anyway, please review.