Weakness

Chapter 16 Breaking the Rules

"Come on Lost Girl lets see what you can do."

Ace sat on a log in the training area drawing. She was a natural at it, and something she had done quite often. She was in the middle of drawing Jacks who seemed to be the best fighter here. At least now that both Pan and Felix had gone after Hook. Jacks had purposed a sword fighting tournament to pass the time till Pan came back, and now Ace could see why. He was clearly the best sword fighter in the camp. The funny thing was his style was oddly similar to her own. The way he held the sword. His starting position. Even the way he swung it. Where all the same way she was taught too. She had finished drawing his lop sided grin. In the picture she drew he had just won a match. His sword was at his side relaxed as he waited for his next opponent. His hair was messy from the effort, and he grinned victoriously. She put the finishing touches on the details of his sword when she heard something coming toward her. She turned around and caught the stick that was about to hit her arm.
"What do you think your doing?" She asked the boy in front of her. He was older probably 16 he had dark green eyes and black hair.
"Oh come on Princess" he replied pulling the stick out of her hand, "It's only a bit of fun." His smirk unsettled her.
"Well take your fun somewhere else." She retorted as she turned back around to finish her drawing only to have it ripped from her hand. Her eyes met cold brown ones. The boy the same age as Green eyes has brown hair and matching brown eyes. His skin was tanned but he didn't look as buff as some of the other boys. He looked at the book in his hands.
"What's this your diary?" He mocked opening it to the page she had been drawing on.
"No, now give it back!" she demanded standing to her feet. She caught sight of a familiar buzz cut, blond leaning up against the tree beside her. She put together these must have been the boys Chris was talking to the other day after his failed attempt to hit on her, she hadn't seen him much.
"Ohh... look someone has a crush." Brown hair taunted as he open the page she had been drawing Jacks on.
"I do not. I draw people it's my thing. Now give me back my sketch book!" She yelled trying to grab it from him. He stretched his hand up over his head with her sketch book in it.
"Make me." He smirked as he leaned close to her.
"Fine." She smirked back grabbing his shoulder swinging her foot around and knocking his knees out from under him. She then caught the book as his knees buckled and he dropped it. She smirked at him as she clutched the book to her chest and went to walk away. Green eyes grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her roughly against the tree Chris had been leaning against moments ago.
"You don't get to do something like that and walk away, Princess." He smirked his eyes darkened, "You need to be taught some manners." Chris looked away having a bad feeling he knew where this was going.
"What do you say Matt?" Green eyes questioned Brown hair as he got off the ground behind him.
"I don't think she knows how a Lady should act, Diego." The boy Ace now knew as Matt smirked coming up to stand beside Diego. Her book was knocked from her hand as Diego pinned her hands above her head Matt placing his hand on her hips holding her firmly against the tree.
"Now do everything we tell you, and you'll be the perfect girl in no time." Matt smirked shoving his knee between her legs.
She glared daggers at the boys in front of her, "pigs." She muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Matt asked getting closer smirking. His lips coming dangerously close to her own. He was surprised when a smirk toke over her features.
"Pig." She said loudly before head butting him. He stumbled back his hands leaving her hips. She used this as an opportunity to knee Diego in the groin which made him let go of her wrists. She then grabbed a hold of his shoulders bringing his head down onto her knee. Matt had recovered and ran at her she ducked as his fist collided with the tree behind her. She rapped her arm around his outstretched hand using it as leverage to punch him in the temple knocking him out immediately. Then Chris who had been more or less a pacifist came running at her from behind making the mistake of yelling. She dodged his fist grabbing his wrist and bicep and flipping him over onto his back before delivering a strong kick to his head knocking him out as well. She looked down at the three unconscious boys, amateurs. She picked up Her sketch book to spin around hearing a slow clap from behind her. Her eyes widened to see Jacks clapping for her, and the rest of the boys in the field looking on wide eyed.
"I saw them pin you against the tree." Jack started, "I went to help, but you didn't need it." She shrugged innocently. So much for keeping a low profile then again she did want to train. Maybe now Pan will let her. He grinned at her before passing her a sword.
"Come on Lost Girl lets see what you can do." Jacks smirked.
"Pan said I couldn't train." Ace informed unsure.
"It's not training it's a tournament besides what Pan doesn't know can't hurt him." Jacks whispers the last part smirking at her. Offering her the sword again.
"No need I have one." She responded removing her cloak to show off the long sword strapped to her back. Jack was Surprised to find it was about the same size and make as his own. She swung it in her hand taking up a starting position. She was disappointed to find Jack had placed her against one of the less experienced boys. He was small and lean, but that only made him fast. He would make a fine swordsman he just hadn't learned all the tricks of using his speed as an advantage over strength. There deadly dance began their swords clanking. He swung high and she ducked knocking his feet out from under him sending him sprawling on his back. He looked up to see her standing over him the tip of her sword on his throat.
"Ace wins!" Jacks declares as Ace moved her sword back to her side offering the younger boy a hand to help him get up. He toke it gratefully.
"Your good, but your focusing to much on strength. Your smaller, but your also faster. Use your speed to keep your opponent on their toes. Then it won't matter how big your opponent is." Ace instructed what can she say once a teacher always a teacher.
Jacks looked on dumb founded. She was helping the boy to beat her? The boy smiled great fully.
"Thanks Ace." He said before limping off the tournament circle. She winced softly she didn't realize she had kicked him so hard. She had to remember these boys weren't as tough as her girls. Which she found ironic considering how sexist Pan is. Her girls could take these guys any day.
"Alright, alright. Settle down now." Called Jacks as he stepped up in front, "who wants to fight our lost girl next."
"I would." A voice called from the back of the crowd making Ace wince at the familiar British accent. The boys stepped out of the way clearing a path for Pan. He approached the red heads arms crossed with a scarily calm expression on his face. Ace watched him warily ready to run if she had too. Pan watched her muscles tense and feet shuffle. He figured if he didn't approach this right then Ace may never trust him.
"Ace I specifically told you no training!" Pan reprimanded angrily. She disobeyed a direct order.
"It was my fault." Jacks spoke up making both Ace and Pan snap there head to look at him, "I was curious I wanted to see what she could do so I talked her into it."
"She could have been killed." Pan glared turning on Jacks. Ace scoffed under her breath.
"Pan I think your underestimating her. She toke out Diego, Matt, and Chris like they were nothing, and she beat Ty in a sword fight in less then five minutes. Besides she is a lost girl." Jacks defended. Making Ace smile happily.
"Regardless you both disobeyed a direct order. You were told not to train." He said pointing at Ace, "and you were told not to let her." He pointed at Jacks.
"You are going to fight each other." Pan finished making them both look at each other.
"What!?" They said at the same time making Pan look bewilderingly between the two. If it wasn't for the fact that Jacks is a couple hundred years older then Ace he would of thought they were twins.
"You heard me. You'll fight each other no holding back, Jacks, I'll know if you do. If Ace wins she can train. If Jacks wins Ace will stop trying to disobey me. The loser will have to clean the camp." Pan explained seriously.
"That's not fare, Pan. She just started..." Pan cut Jacks off.
"Are you questioning me?" He demanded a fire in his eyes Ace had never seen before. A shiver ran down her spine of how much it reminded her of her father. Immediately she had to do something to draw the attention to herself and away form Jacks.
"Oh don't worry Jacks. I'll help you clean." She cooed drawing both the boys attention towards her she stepped into the center of the ring, "there really is no shame in losing to a girl." She batted her eyelashes at him making him scoff.
"Ace. I don't think you realize-" Jacks started only to be cut off by her.
"That I have an advantage." She responded as Jacks moved opposite her.
"How so?" He questioned positioning himself.
"I've seen you fight. You've never seen me." She winked swinging her sword in a circle and placing herself in the perfect starting position.
"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you." Jacks replied in a sing song voice. Ace simply smirked, he did say he wanted to see what she could do. The two circled each other a few times. The boys whipping themselves up into a frenzy, most chanting Jacks name, but Ace when pleased when she heard "go lost girl." And a voice that was distinctively Slightly say, "you got this Ace." She smirked waiting for Jacks to go first, and eventually he did.
He lunged at her and she dodged his attack poking his back with her sword gently before jumping away. He whirled around quickly sword ready. He swung where she had been only moments ago. She swung her own sword which clanked against his.
"Missed me." She taunted in a sing song voice.
"Well I wasn't trying to hit you just pin you." Jacks retorted as their swords clanked against each other again. She shoved him back and their swords began to dance again, "can't be killing our only lost girl can I?" He asked sneakily as he pushed her sword. She twisted her sword forcing him to swing high to try to hit her. She crouched and nocked his feet out from under him. He fell flat on his back his sword knocked from his hand. Before he can even think about shuffling towards it she placed her sword to his neck.
"Don't worry you won't." She replied smiling victoriously.
There was an eerie silence from the boys none dared speak a word. They all knew Jacks was the best sword fighter. Jacks laughed. He was on the ground sword to his neck laughing. His laughter seemed to be contagious as Ace giggled herself. She put her sword back in its sheath on her back before offering Jacks a hand up. Which he accepted. Once on his feet Jacks clapped the girl on the back, "Well done, Ace."

Author's Note:
Sorry this chapter toke so long. College has been so crazy, and finals are coming up in three weeks so all our big projects and papers are due. I hope to update this a lot more over the summer. I hope you are enjoying the book. Feel free to comment I love hearing from you. Thanks for reading.
-Becca