Fight

“Let's fight!” You say hurriedly. There was not much time. The Martial Artists were being put on the back foot by their former friend, and the two Centaurs. You could see them dancing around the two with their Soft-Step technique but as the third entered the fray they began to get cornered and out maneuvered. You could also see in the male and female the shock of losing a friend and having them turn so quickly. You felt anxiety by proxy... But also a faint excitement. You were not sure where it came from. You were intrigued by the Centaur. How did the change work? Why is their former friend so eager to help his captors? They were questions you wanted answers to, but you were able to set them aside for the sake of rescuing the two in the meantime.

Milk cracked her knuckles, grinning excitedly. “I was hoping you'd say that. I might have to find a new name for you. You're proving less and less of a meekling by the day!” She complimented, jumping over the lip of the hill to slide down on her hooves. You saw the trail of dry dust spit up behind her as her heavy body surfed down the incline. You were surprised she went in so gung-ho, but you understood after the fact that it was a bit silly to be. You carefully threw your legs over the side and tried to 'surf' down as milk did. Instead you found yourself losing balance and tumbling head over feet. You caught your footing half way, but all that did was allow you to get down and roll more like a log, instead of a cheese wheel. Even as you were tumbling your ears rang with Milk's powerful voice shouting.

“Make way!”

There was so much noise and ruckus that both the Martial Artists and the Centaurs turned to stare at the both of you as Milk landed at the bottom and you... 'Landed' at the bottom. Surprisingly, as far and as badly as you fell you did not feel injured. You got up slowly and tried to dust yourself off. As you stumbled to the side you found yourself to be more dizzy than you were hurt.

“Ughh...”

“What?” The woman uttered in disbelief.

The male pointed and covered his mouth with his free hand. “F-fuck it all! Now there's a Minotaur!?”

“Don't lose composure Sun!” The woman demanded.

“Maybe they'll fight each other.”

“That's the plan.” Milk took three long strides towards the Centaurs, like a long jumper. At the end of the last one the creatures reared up and jumped back nimbly out of caution.

“This isn't your territory, Cow!” The Centaur warned harshly.

“Back off.”

Milk looked around casually. “I dunno.. A few of these trees look pretty familiar.”

“Idiot! They're trees. Go home to your herd.” He snorted.

“I'm with my 'Herd.'” She lifted her hand and spun a thick, heavy glaive with a wide, curved blad on the end. The Centaur noticed for the first time that she was holding it and glanced back at his hind.

“Thanks for the weapon, by the way.”

“Thief..” The new Centaur, formerly the man that warned you kindly, snarled.

“Calm down, Neonate...” The Centaur you assumed to be the lead groaned.

“You have no interest here. Why interfere in our hunt?”

She cocked her head to one side. “My Meekling said fight so we fight.”

“You make no sense. Kill them, too! Capture the girls!”

The remaining male martial artist, Sun, began to back away discreetly. He motioned towards the woman.

“Cai!” He shouted in a tone that was in your world reserved for shouting while trying not to wake your parents.

“Let them sort it out. We need to regroup.”

She snaps back in a similar, low voice. “Coward! You can't leave them! What about Hao?”

“Hao is gone. Look at him!” He glanced from the Minotaur to the Centaurs, ignoring you completely.

“Come or don't...” he uttered shakily.

“Your funeral!” The man jumped up and rapidly retreated through the boughs in the direction they came.

“Dammit...” The woman grimaced. She looked at you.

“Just go. Things could turn bad, here.” She thought you were normal. It made you smile. When wondering whether or not she was still correct about you leaving, you glanced over at Milk. She had a mad look in her eyes.

'Is she... Excited?'

“I was named the Queen of Battle in my time!” She gripped the shaft with both hands hand and held it in front of her as the Centaur leader swung down with his own. She blocked it, then deflected him away and used the blade pointed at the second Centaur to ward him off. Centaurs were as weak against spears as horses, it seemed. Then the man grinned and grabbed the shaft just below the blade, attempting to pull it off of her. The first laughs and took the opportunity to turn and kick her with his hind legs while Hao, the new Centaur flanked. Milk did not look the least bit perturbed.

“What names have been given to YOU in your lives!?” She slid her hand up the shaft of the glaive and shifted her body weight to the side while lifting. The Centaur, intead of letting go, pridefully gripped it with both hands. His face went red with strain as he attempted to control the weapon. He was shocked to be lifted up off his hooves and slammed into the side of his leader before the hind kick could connect. The two tumbled off to the side while the third mindlessly completed his flank. He screamed **** at Milk.

She merely turned, once again having control of her weapon, and stood her ground. When he was right upon her she stepped to the side. It was so fast that it could be missed. As the Centaur passed she brought the blade of the glaive down at the center of the horse-half's mass. In a gruesome display, the thing was chopped cleanly in two. Both halves tumbled away from one-another. Milk walked up and stepped on the front legs while pulling Hao. She surprisingly manage to drag the human from the 'mouth' of the horse. You rushed to him, as well as the woman. She was tearful.

“Hao... Brother.”

You inspected his body. The legs looked... quite burned as if by acid but they were still there. You could also see chunks of other foreign flesh hanging on as if assimilating, or the other way around. You blushed, seeing more flesh in stalks attaching at the base of his spine and running through his skin like veins. Then, looking lower, though you wished you missed it, you saw a thicker 'vine' of flesh like a great tentacle writhing in his rear, torn off when Milk pulled him out. You covered your eyes with one hand.

“It- It looks like he hadn't been fully assimilated yet. Maybe he's-”

Hao screamed and pounced at you. The girl, Cai held him back and pushed him to the ground. She curled his arms behind his back as Hao frothed at the mouth in an attempt to get them.

“Let! Go! Gaaah!:

“Dammit, Hao...” The girl lamented.

“He may just need time?” You wondered out loud.

“There's no way it's permanent...” As you were thinking, the two Centaurs untangled themselves and got up.

Milk glanced back. “I trust you two to take care of that one.” With a nods from you she walked towards them, hooves kicking up dust from her heavy steps. She twirled the glaive around herself skillfully like a baton. The second eyed Hao, and then the split lower half and screamed, rushing her.

The leader screamed. “No! We go together, you fool!” He rushed to catch up but he was already too far ahead to be supported. Milk winked at him and took out his front legs in one sweep. Before he could even fall or notice those legs were missing another spin and another sweep at the waist, then another at the neck. She side stepped him and let the Centaur pass her. He felt his legs finally give out, causing him to fall forward.

“Bitch...” He muttered, looking down at his waist, a thin line of red. He felt it with a finger, then as he was looking noticed his world begin to tumble. He watched upside down as his body fell into two pieces, then nothing the moment his head hit the ground nearby.

The leader reared up and backed himself away. Milk cocked her head at him and pointed her Glaive as a dare.

“Not today...” He judged, staring down his broad nose at all of you.

“We will come in greater numbers. I hope you do not run, 'Cow.'”

“Don't worry.” She mocked. Milk spat on the ground as the Centaur turned tail and ran back into the forest.

“Why aren't you chasing him?” You asked.

She lifted a brow. “Because I need to protect you.”

“From w-” Your eyes shook, then turned slowly to see a glint of metal, then a fraction of a second later the clang resonated within your ears.

“Sun!” The woman shouted angrily. She was too occupied with holding down Hao and could not intervene. You saw the Milk had extended her glaive well past arms length to block Sun's blade from stabbing you through the neck. The fear finally hit you and you stumbled back, shaking.

He ground his teeth and gave up on the clash as he made no progress against Milk's block. “That one is a Beast!” he then pointed from Milk to you.

“That one was WITH it.”

“Sun...” The woman seethed.

“That 'Beast' saved us and possibly saved Hao.”

He whipped his blade to one side and stared at Hao coldly. “Hao needs to be put out of his misery, as well.”

“He's our brother!”

“You saw him too! He's on of them now.”

“You are completely insane!”

“No! No I'm not! You are!” He yelled at her pitifully. His gaze flitted between her and Milk. She was so at ease around him that you could tell it was making the martial artist uncomfortable.

“I'm- I'm going to tell the Master!” He retreated again.

“Wooow.” Milk sighed.

“Wait!” Cai called out. She cringed.

“Bastard... Get me something to restrain Hao, please.”

You took a few deep breaths. You were still shaken but you stood up on shaky legs and nodded. For a moment you wondered if you could even find restraints, then you looked over at the fully equipped dead Centaur. You rushed over and found a rope for capturing prey at his side. Strong, reinforced.

“I got something!” You rushed back to Cai's side and gave her the rope. She smiled at you warmly and used the rope to tie Hao up with your help.

“Thank you.” She offered.

“I'm so sorry for my Brother.”

“You're family?” You asked.

“We're disciples. We grew up in the Sect together so we are like family. All of the people in the Sect are my Brothers and Sisters.” She glanced at Milk.

“Your friend fights like a Master. It's... Incredible.”

You smiled awkwardly, consider that she finds Milk incredible while all you could think of was the Cat that casually wiped out a nation. You wondered just how insane it was to be around so many people of that level in one place. The girl's mind might actually be blown if she thought milk was 'incredible.' You nodded.

“Yeah... She's really strong, it seems.”

“Is... It is true? She's a Beast, right?”

You tried to be very insistent as you claimed. “She's a friendly Beast. Believe me.”

Cai closed her eyes and sighed. “I believe you. What now? I'm worried about Sun getting back to the Sect before us and weaving all sorts of lies about what happened.”

“I think if Sun gets back and tells them lies about you, if you don't show up to clear the record soon those lies will become truths.” You observed.

“Wise words.” Milk agreed.

Cai stood up and opened a palm in front of her, pressed a fist into that palm then bowed. “I am Cai of the Soft-Step Sect. May I have your name or is it...” She smirked.

“Simply 'Queen of Battle.'”

Milk scratched her chin. “Wouldn't that be something? Nah, you're gonna embarrass me if you call me that. Milk is fine if it's just you and I and the Meekling.”

“Meekling?” Cai looked at you with a bemused expression.

“That's me... I suppose. But for similar reasons you can call me Eve.”

“Eve and M... Milk. I see. I will remember your names.” She hefted a struggling, bound and gagged Hao up and strapped him to her shoulders like a backpack.

“Wish me luck.” You watched Cai getting ready to go out on her own. The girl had a very endearing face, in general. Short black hair and bronze eyes. She wore on the exterior something like a black gi and underneath you could make out the hint of tight red clothes. She had an athletic little body that certainly got you going. Milk in particular admired her perky rear as she turned to leave. The beast waggled her eyebrows at you expectantly.

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