When to Fight

----Jaya POV----

My Dad sat in front of both Percy and me. I wanted to explain what had happened. How it wasn't my fault. How it wasn't Percy's fault.

"Dad. It wasn't our fault. It was that kid. He said-"

My dad spoke with a stern voice, "Jaya. I do not care what that kid said. You both threw the first punch correct?"

"But he-"

Dad's tone was very cold as he said, "Correct?" It made me freeze up.

Percy spoke up. He looked on the verge of tears. "Correct."

Dad's face softened as he began speaking. "Kids. I know that kid probably said some mean things. But everyone says mean things. Throughout your life, you will constantly be told mean things. But I have raised you since you were little. I have taught you how to fight, not to hurt but to protect.

I want both of you to listen closely to what I am about to say. I have spoken about it before, but I raised you to be a bigger person. Kids, what does it mean to be the bigger person?"

Percy answered with a choked-up voice, "To not fight back when someone tries to fight you?"

Dad shook his head carefully, "No Percy. I have fought all my life, but I only fight when I choose to fight. Being the bigger person means choosing to rise above conflicts and negativity. If someone tries to escalate a situation, you de-escalate it. That is what being the bigger person is.

Children I know this may be hard to understand but I want you to remember the measure of a person is not determined by the words they say, but by the actions they take.

In this world, you will come across people who may try to bring you down or treat you unkindly. It's important to remember that their words are just that, words.

They hold no power over you unless you allow them to. Instead of letting their hurtful words affect you, focus on your inner strength and self-worth.

Always strive to be the better person, to turn the other cheek when faced with insults or negativity. Choose to respond with kindness and understanding, even when it's difficult.

Remember, it takes more courage and strength to walk away from a fight than to engage in one."

Dad stared me in my eyes, I felt like he could see my soul. Then he continued,

"However, there may be instances when walking away is not enough. If someone physically harms you and gives you no choice but to defend yourself, then you have the right to protect yourself.

This is the reason I train both of you. My teacher taught me that it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war."

I was confused and spoke up, "What does that mean?"

Dad answered calmly, "It means it's better to have the skills to fight and not need them than to need them and not have them.

When others give you no other choice but to fight, it's important to stand up for yourself and rise up to the occasion. If you need to defend yourself, do so with all your might and make sure you come out victorious.

But always remember, the true victory lies in rising above the conflict. Seek peace, understanding, and empathy whenever possible. Treat others with respect and kindness, regardless of how they may treat you.

Be the example of compassion and strength that others can look up to.

By doing so, we refuse to harbor anger or bitterness in our hearts which will always lead down a path of regret and pain.

My dear children, life is a journey filled with challenges and obstacles. I have crossed many in the past. Let me be a bridge for both of you so that you do not make the same mistake I did as a child."

Percy asked from beside me, "Why do we have to be the bigger person, why do we have to restrain ourselves when others do not."

Dad responded, "How we choose to respond to those challenges defines our character. Choosing kindness, empathy, and determination allows us to be the best versions of ourselves. Remember, you may not have the power to affect how the world treats you, but you do have the power to choose how you react to the world around you.

And remember kids, I am here to guide and support you through these experiences. I can help guide you and support you, but it is you who must choose to stand tall with integrity and a compassionate heart. Always remember, the greatest strength lies not in physical force, but in the power of love, understanding, and choosing to be the bigger person."

My dad's face as he spoke held the same softness that it usually held. Then he spoke once more, "But kids, I will not always be there for you. I'm an old man at this point. I will die before either of you. But even when I am gone you have each other. Friendship is one of the most important things to have in life.

I am proud of you Jaya for backing up Percy today. But remember friends and siblings such as yourself have to also keep each other in check. If one of you goes astray, down a path of pain and anger, please help them back on a path of strength, forgiveness, and redemption."

----Marcus POV----

The two kids in front of me sat silent after I said my peace. They both had blank faces. I don't think they understood me all the way. I wasn't even sure if it was a good speech. I was just trying to speak from the heart. I never got any of that advice as a kid and it lead me to make a lot of enemies and blunders.

But I can't stay serious for too long. They were too cute. Percy's hair matched his uniform and his little school bag made him look adorable. Sally made Jaya's hair into two cute pigtails. They both looked so serious. But they were so little it just made them look more cute.

I reached over the table and ruffled their hair. "Either way kiddos, remember my words. M'kay? But for now," Marcus looked at the waiter waiting awkwardly beside the table who had brought over some chicken tenders for the kids and pasta for himself. "Let's dig in."

The two kids seemed to snap out of their serious state. They protested about their messed up hair but I just laughed it off. I loved these kids. And I would never let anything hurt them.

-That Night-

Well, I lied to the kids. Sometimes it is good to fight first and ask questions later.

As we were finishing up at Applebee's, I spotted a man just staring at us from outside the restaurant. I say us, but I had the gut feeling that he was staring at the kids, not me.

He didn't seem to be a part of Viktor's gang, nor did he have any tattoos or colors associating him with any local gang. But he was big, bigger than I was, but he looked slightly homeless. Two very contradictory things. Something was up.

After the kids finished I ushered them quickly to the car. The man slowly began to amble over. So I walked over to meet him halfway.

"Can I help you?" I asked as I approached, but as I got closer the smell hit me like a bag of bricks. There was no way this dude was normal. He didn't even acknowledge me, just looking past me and at the car where the kids were.

Before I could have done anything, he walked away slowly.

I drove back home and didn't see anything, but now as night fell he was outside on the street staring at my house.

"Sally. Come over here quickly." I whispered. Sally looked up from the book she was reading and quickly walked over to the window. As she looked outside I heard her gasp. I asked quietly, "Is that a human?"

"No, it's not," Sally looked pale, "It has one eye. It's a Cyclops. How did it find its way here?"

I squinted at it, but no matter how hard I squinted, the guy still had two eyes.

"I saw it at lunch earlier. I'm guessing it followed us back from lunch today." I said before turning and looking at Sally. "I'm going to try and shoo it away."

Sally looked at me incredulously, "Shoo it away?"

"Well, it's that or I beat the snot out of it. Would you prefer the second option?" I said sensibly.

"That thing wants to eat the kids and you want to shoo it away?" She gave me a look like I was stupid, and I felt stupid.

"It wants to EAT the kids?" I asked in shock. I hadn't thought about it like that. Maybe I was stupid. Sally just shook her head. "Okay, then I'll go beat the snot out of it then." I walked over to the door but as I walked out I heard Sally behind me say,

"Be careful."

I closed the door before approaching the big guy. As I approached slowly he looked at me duly. The only thing behind those eyes was elevator music and going by the drool from his mouth, hunger.

That part pissed me off. This thing wants to eat my kid? Tough fucking luck. I was going to beat the piss out of this thing.

I approached and swung my leg as hard as possible toward his face. It knocked him to the side and he stumbled a little bit before rubbing his face and looking at me with a dumb look on his face.

'Are you serious, that kick would've knocked out a world-class fighter if it landed like that.'

A flash of anger appeared on the Cyclops' face before he threw a punch at me. It was slow and full of openings.

I stepped inside the punch, towards him before using his own momentum to throw him over my shoulder and he hit the ground with a sickening crack.

'If I can't use heavy hits against the guy I need to target his joints, no matter how thick this guy is he needs joints to move.'

I heard a groan as I held onto the hand I used to throw him and put him into an arm bar and pulled hard. I heard a sickening crunch as I shattered his arm in the arm bar.

The thing roared in pain. I rolled away as his other arm came around slamming the ground where I was. He got up unsteadily, his right arm hanging uselessly by his side.

The Cyclops then ran at me swinging his uninjured arm and yelled coherently, "BAD MAN!"

I slipped under his arm to the left twisting my upper body to face away from the beast before twisting my abs, rotating my shoulders, and keeping my arm locked at ninety degrees to deliver a hard blow where his liver should be.

I continued under his left arm and positioned myself beside him, the cyclops falling to the ground on its hands and knees gasping from the blow. I dashed toward his left side kicking the outside of his elbow and snapping it inwards. With both of his arms out of commission, his face smashed into the pavement.

Before I could pummel the beast further, a shadow darted from the other side of the street. It jumped up, and I jumped backward facing the new threat.

But the shadow ignored me and jumped on the slumped-over cyclops and swung a golden bat at its head, bursting the beast into dust.

The shadow turned around revealing who it was. It was a man with a wispy goatee who stood shorter than me at around five feet tall. However, he was buff and stocky, not dissimilar to a battering ram. He wore a bright orange shirt, nylon workout pants, pristine white Nikes, and a baseball cap.

I called out cautiously, "Who are you?"

The man snorted and with a loud and almost arrogant voice said. "Names Gleeson. Gleeson Hedge. Remember it, kid."