5
Varanus ship was an old shokan war ship that he purchased 3 years ago. Big enough to carry almost 12 tons of cargo and house 10 people. Though the sleeping quarters were built specifically for shokan so the tarks had more than enough own open space to stretch out and sleep. The dock of the ship had a wide open space with a rubber matted floor for sparring. Millikan was thankful for that, a place to train and work out to pass the time. Aside from the sleeping quarters and the cargo hold, there was a small dining area and cooking area for them to socialize and eat. Not that tarkata spent much time sitting around to eat. As for food, Varanus was stocked up on fruit and loaves of bread to feed a small for 2 weeks. Plus there was plenty of fish in the sea around them for the tarkata to feed on.
"The firssst ssstop isss here." Varanus points at a spot he crossed on his map. Millikan and Rain were standing at his side looking over his shoulder. They had set sail just an hour ago and the tarks had already claimed there sleeping quarters. While Millikan and Rain discussed the route with Varanus at the wheel of the ship.
"You have to go there." Rain sounded a bit surprised. "That's the sea of Ice, true to its name."
"Yesss…I have to pick up a few cratessss then deliver them to a buyer in the golden desert that is where you and your men get off." Varanus rolled up the map and tucks it under his arm.
"And how long will this take?" Millikan asked.
"A week or more…depends on the weather." Varanus grabs onto the wheel of the ship and turns it slightly to the left.
"Is there anything I can do for now?" Millikan looks over to see Rain walking over to the side of the ship. Varanus just shook his head no, nothing much to do at night. "Let me know if you do need anything." He walks over to where Rain was standing and leans back on the rail. "You seem…upset."
Rain was looking out at the sea, more like the peir that was getting further away. "I…I just hate the cold."
"Is it due to your powers?"
"No. not really." Rain placed his hands on the rail of the ship and sighed. "Do you really think shao khan is dead?"
"I don't know for certain. If he is, that's good for Outworld and if he isn't…well it's back to serving under him again." Millikan shrugged. "This time I will make sure I stay at my mother side instead of my father."
"Don't like your father that much I assume."
"We see things differently."
"Be lucky you still have your father around. Not many get to see their fathers again if given the chance." Rain stepped back from the railing with a sigh. Millikan tilted his head, giving Rain a sympathetic look.
"You lost your father?"
"He died when I was ten years old. Killed in battle."
"Sikitika."
"Don't pity me, that's what comes with war. You should know that very well."
"Yes." Millikan nodded, pushing himself upright. "My first kill was my own brother and his death still haunts me."
"You had your reasons."
"We were 14 and it was a ritual, rite of passage. I had no choice." Millikan looked down at his feet. Rain crossed his arms over his chest, staring up at Millikan.
"It's hard to believe that you are tarkatan, if anything you seem more tame then Baraka."
"My father says I think too much and that I tend to use logic more over instinct which is a double edge blade."
"Good to be smart but use it to much you abandon what makes you a tarkata in the first place. I suppose you are still prone to tarkatan rage."
"I have more self-control if that's what you're implying." Millikan snickered.
Rain shrugs, looking at the moon in the sky. "You should get some rest before the sun rise."
"What…why?"
"I want to test your skill in kombat, that's why." Rain teleports, leaving behind a splash of water. Millikan frowned as some of the water splashed onto him.
Varanus entered the sleeping quarters and looked around for Millikan, finding him sitting in the far back reading a brown leather back book. Walking pass the other tarkatan, Varanus holds up a small metal hook.
"I already cast the fishing net. It ssshould be full within the hour." With that Varanus placed the hook on a nearby barrel and leaves. Millikan closed the book he was reading and looks around at his men who were just laying around.
"Benzi and Jabari, you got fishing duty for today." Millikan stood and stretched his arms over head, his back cracking.
"Where are you going?" Chuma got up from his sleeping spot as Millikan walked pass.
"To spar with an Edenian." Millikan chuckled as he walked upstairs to the dock of the ship. Squinting as he stepped outside, clear skies and warm weather. Perfect for a spar. Looking around Millikan spots Rain on the mat. Wearing his usual black tunic and dark purple kilt, his feet were wrapped in black bandages. Millikan took note of the purple mask covering the bottom half of Rain, it looked new.
"How long you been up here?" Millikan asked as he walked over to the mat.
"Before sunrise, you are late." Rain took a few steps back and turns to face Millikan. "Do you possess the ability to teleport like your mother?"
"Yes, I do."
"We are on a ship and I think it be unwise to use our abilities so will strictly do hand to hand." Rain looked Millikan over then at his teeth. "Do you have a mask?"
"I do, why?" Millikan brows raised slightly. But he digs into his back pocket and pulls a violet color veil that was given to him as a gift from his mother.
"I feel better if you wear that during our spar. Don't need you accidently biting me." Rain pulls a small black hair tie off his right wrist and pulls his shoulder length dark hair up in a ponytail. "Do you need a hair tie?"
"No thanks." Millikan put the viel over his maw and made sure it was tied securely around the back of his head. He ties his dreads back with a single lock, tucking it behind his ear. "Alright, I'm ready." Rolling his shoulders and bouncing a bit, Millikan inhaled and exhaled before taking his fighting stance. A simple silat fighting style that was taught to every tarkata from day one. Rain nods and takes his stance, Zi ran men, s style that Millikan had little to know knowledge of.
Like every spar, it started out slow. Each person trying to feel the other out. Assessing their technique speed and waiting for the right time to attack. Rain was the first one to approach, closing the distance in two strides, throwing a quick jab towards Mill chest. Millikan blocked the punch with his right arm and counters with a sharp kick to Rain front leg. Watching Rain stumble a bit, Millikan throws left jab aiming for his shoulder. Rain catches his forearm and hits Millikan with an open palm to his side.
"Oof."Millikan pulled his arm back and sticks his right leg forward and hooks onto Rain left leg causing him to make a split. Rain brows furrowed as he was thrown off balance, hitting Millikan with hard hook to the gut followed by an uppercut to the jaw. Millikan fell back and lands butt first on the mat.
"Strong but slow." Rain took a step back and waits for Millikan to stand back up. Millikan jumped back to his feet and took his stance once more. Rain came at him again, this time throwing a combination of punches at Millikan. Clenching his teeth, Millikan stepped backwards, blocking everyone of Rain punches with ease. He waited for Rain to throw another punch, a straight right. With his left arm he blocks and twist his arm, shoving rain arm to the right and counters with a left elbow that connects hard to Rain nose.
"Oh…" Millikan steps back as he heard Rain hiss in pain. Rain touches his nose, checking for wetness. Thankfully his nose was still intact and no blood was spilled on his mask.
"Good counter." Rain commented. He attacks Millikan once more. Mixing punches and kicks this time. Impressed with Millikan ability to block each hit but noticed he rarely countered. With a shout Rain feints a left hook which Millikan tried to counter and ends up with a kick to the left side, knocking the wind out of him. A sweep kick knocking him flat on his back. Before Millikan could breath, Rain already had his hand on his throat, pinning him down. "Please tell me you don't fight like this in an actual battle."
"…No."
"Then why are you holding back. You let me attack you and you are hesitant to counter. Throw more counters, try to knock me down before I do." Rain removed his hand from Millikan throat and stood up taking a step back. "Get up."
"Fine." Millikan got to his feet and charged at Rain. Rain quickly goes on the defense, dodging Millikan straight left but wasn't fast enough to block the kick to the gut. Much better, Rain thought to himself. Now the spar was getting intense as they tried to knock each other down to the mat. Unaware of the small audience of tarkata standing around, watching them.
"He fights better than his father." Chuma says to Jabari who nods in return. "But he seem to be having a hard time fighting the Edenian."
"Want to spar?" Jabari nudged Chuma shoulder. Chuma shrugs and walks onto the mat, a few feet away from Millikan and Rain. Soon all the other tarkatans had paired up and sparred. Varanus watched the sparring from his spot on the upper level of the dock with slight interest. A long white scaled tail holding onto the wheel of the ship to keep it steady.
Time seem to fly by when you spar, especially when your opponent was giving you a run for your koin. Though there was no actual koin at stake. Millikan was already starting to breathe heavily, his body covered in a sheen of sweat. His tunic was tossed aside moments ago to keep it dry. Rain was looking slightly breathless, strands of hair falling over his face. Even though he looked like the fresher combatant, his shins were aching from Millikan countering his kicks with his own. Either Millikan had steel legs hidden under his pants or the half haired tark had some really strong legs.
"Getting tired already Mill?" Rain smirked behind his mask as he noticed Millikan deep breathing.
"You stopped throwing kicks. Did something break?" Millikan snickered, wiping the sweat off his brow. A loud growl made him turn his head, seeing two of the tarkata were wrestling on the ground. The one with his back on the mat was holding the other back with his forearm, trying to keep the other from biting him. "Shit." Millikan ran over and grabs hold of the snapping tarkatan, wrapping arm around his neck. The tark continued to snap his teeth, twisting in Millikan grip. Due to him being sweaty, the tark managed to slip his chin under and bite down on Millikan forearm hard. "Damn it." Millikan growled, lifting the tark off the ground and slamming him back on the ground knocking him out. Millikan pulled his arm out of the tarks maw and steps back.
"Mill, you ok?" Chuma was the first to run over and look at Millikan bite wound.
"He bit down to the bone." Millikan snarled, reaching with his other hand to pull out a broken tooth. "That's enough for today, put him in the holding cell for the day." He walks over to the side of the ship and sit down with his back against the wall. Hissing as he tried to dig out more broken teeth in the wound.
"Need help?" Rain approached Millikan, kneeling down on one knee in front of him. Millikan nods, leaning his head back against the wall with a groan. Rain grabs hold of Millikan injured arm carefully. Using his powers to flush out the wound, getting out a total of 6 broken teeth. "Is this common?"
"Hmm?" Millikan lifted his head, looking back at Rain.
"What just happened a moment ago."
"Oh yeah. Sometimes it gets worse, someone ends up dead. That's tarkatan sparring for you." Millikan chuckled then hissed as Rain flushed out the wound again.
"You need stitches." Just as Rain said that, Chuma comes over with the small brown box and hands it to Rain. "Asante." Rain placed the box down beside him and opens the top. Taking out the needle and thread. "Good spar though."
"Yeah. You're going to teach some moves right?"
"Is this part of my repayment because I think that's too much." Rain joked as he prepped the needle and thread. He moves to Millikan right side and pulls his arm over his lap. Millikan stayed quiet as rain started to stich the bite wound as if it was an everyday thing. "I'll teach you all I know. I think you can benefit greatly from it."
"Asante, Rain." Millikan looks down at his arm, rain was halfway finished with the stitching. Suddenly his stomach growled making Rain pause and look up over at him. "Sikitika, I forgot to eat this morning."
"Then I should hurry up and finish this huh." Rain continued stitching up the wound. He finished in under two minutes, running a finger over it to make sure it was secure. "All done."
Millikan lifted his arm and looks it over, it should start healing soon. He stood up and removes his viel, stuffing it back in his pants pocket. His stomach growled again, a little louder this time. He needed something to eat right away or else he was going to start chewing his arm.
Author note: Thank you for the reviews. Im glad you guys are enjoying the story so far