Chapter 11 - Axxel vs Jules

A couple of minutes later, Jules waved her hands, dismissing the debriefing. Everyone launched themselves outside the temple as if the inside had become unbearably toxic.

Axxel judged their lecherous reactions, knowing it will, and by his estimate, the brothels would get a discount for the synthezoids. Turns out, this type of stress relief was important inside the Speed Force as well.

Axxel would also have liked to join the men and women in their conquest, but when he thought about what Anissa said about 'Temporal HIV/AIDS'.

Well, he didn't think there was medication for that.

"It comes at random times," He mumbled.

So, instead of flocking to the entrance like everyone else, Axxel cut through the crowd exiting the temple, and luckily, he managed to find Jules still standing on the podium.

Usually, Axxel would be jumping at the opportunity to escape from the claws of a woman he had fucked more than ten times, but Jules had housing, food, and futuristic appliances,

Those were things the current him lacked.

There was no shame for a woman to take care of a man, especially if the woman was a beauty like Jules. But if only she could do something about that mouth of hers.

Of course, Axxel kept such thoughts to himself.

"I know your dick isn't so heavy that you couldn't be here sooner," Jules scolded as Axxel approached.

He shrugged in response.

Axxel had long learned not to argue with the woman because… honestly, he would end up crying. Even Al-Qaida's torture techniques could not do what five minutes of Jules's speaking could.

Still, though Axxel didn't verbally respond, Jules got the message loud and clear – Any woman would be lucky to wait on me.

Jules sighed, not liking when Axxel's attitude was more arrogant than her own. "Your pride will get you killed someday," she reminded, flashing a foreboding smirk in his direction.

Axxel frowned, knowing what Jules's next suggestion would be, but there was something equally important he had to acquire first. It was a matter of life and death, or at least, that was what he told Jules.

"Believe it or not, women have stabbed me many times in the past," Axxel groaned, reminding himself for the thousandth time to be humbler. "I need to listen to Kendrick Lamar… did you get it?"

Jules noticed the expectant glint in Axxel's eyes, and couldn't bear to play tricks. "Here," she said, tossing over a small cube.

She tossed the device nearly thirty feet in the air just to see if Axxel would catch it. After all, this was Savage World – a place where the future met present and past – so she could have just as well tossed a nuclear bomb in the air.

It came down to a simple decision – is Axxel desperate enough to get the device that he would risk his life? This simple decision would tell Jules a lot about this casual boyfriend of hers, and of course, she was instantly disappointed.

Axxel didn't even wait for the device to fall into his hands.

NO…

He impatiently leaped into the air, snatching the device at the peak of its crescendo.

"Is it really that important to you?" Jules frowned. "It's just a TPLD, after all…"

"Is that what they call it?" Axxel similarly frowned, examining the cube in his hands. "TPLD? What does it mean?"

"We pronounce it as 'Pleed' and it means 'Though Projection Listening Device'," Jules corrected, hopping off the podium, and hooking Axxel's hands with her own as they made their way outside the temple. "It's very antiquated in the future, but since you're from the past – I can see why you'd like it."

"So, you are from the future?" Axxel nodded in understanding, storing that bit of information away for future use. "I guess you guys no longer appreciate music?"

"No, we download music from the Cosmic Strings like everyone else, but Pleeds are kind of a meditation device," Jules mentioned, then flicked Axxel on the head. "What you want to do is extract music that is already in your head and listen to it, right?"

"Problem?" Axxel's brows quirked.

"The music will only be as you remember it – so if you can't remember the lyrics, the Pleed will download the closest approximation to what you remember," Jules explained.

Axxel frowned. "Anything else?" He inquired.

"There is one more minor detail," Jules pretended to hesitate a bit.

Axxel could spot her fake acting from a mile away, wondering if their relationship had reached the negotiation phase – the only thing he could currently offer was a better dick.

Sadly, before Axxel could offer anything, Jules gripped him around the shoulder and tossed him with the speed of a bullet leaving a muzzle.

Almost on instinct, Axxel clutched the Pleed in his embrace as if not willing to release his long-lost lover.

BANG

Axxel felt his back kiss the ground twice before a wall was kind enough to stop his momentum. He barely managed to push himself off the wall before Jules's fist left a gaping hole where his head previously was.

"Stop running!" Jules complained almost as if attempting to murder her boyfriend was just another Tuesday for her.

COUGH

COUGH

BLAWRGH

Axxel coughed and threw up whatever was inside his stomach, which was strange since he couldn't remember the last time he ate something.

The pain was intense, especially since his body was extra-sensitive – something that just increase inside The Speed Force.

"What the fuck!" Axxel growled, a ferocious glint flashing in his eyes before he quickly quelled it.

"That's what I need!" Jules beamed at the almost-concealed look of ruthlessness. "The next mission we are taking on will be very dangerous, and I need to know you are ready. If you die, I can just look for another version of you to fuck."

"I am a soldier…"

"But what type of soldier? SHOW ME!" Jules growled her demand in a voice more beast than the most savage creature. "I can't have a soldier who won't break omelets watching my back."

It was only now that Axxel realized they were on the training grounds, and many spectators came to watch his daily beatdown.

Sadly, Jules was the one usually doing the beating, but Axxel was indifferent at best, and a newfound feminist. One could argue that taking a beating had done wonders for his appreciation of women.

That would do the world well when he escaped the Speed Force. Knowing Jules was a bit more serious about this fight compared to all the others, Axxel decided not to hold back anymore.

'Besides, she deserves an ass whooping.'

Over the past (however long he has been inside the Speed Force), Axxel managed to tame his body as if he had possessed it from birth.

Previously, his body felt as if a sock with several holes sown into the fabric, but now, the fit felt just right, and this meant Axxel could utilize the full advantages of his physique…

Jules smiled when she saw the concentrated expression on Axxel's face, and she held out her left hand as a dagger from the weapons on the nearby wall floated into her closing fist.

Axxel copied Jules's action, and though it took a couple of seconds longer, he also managed to command a magnetic, plasma-dagger into his palm.

Their techniques and control were clearly different.

SWISH

SWISH

SWISH

Latera Slash – Reverse Grip…

Hand Switch – Heart Pierce…

Hands Crossed – Divert Blow…

The first exchange was a blur, and Axxel had obviously lost. The first to force a block was the favored winner, and Jules had done just that.

Axxel took a deep breath, and Jules did the same, only her breathing seemed to follow a certain pattern while Axxel's was simply an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

It was time for round two.

Axxel leaped into a lateral slash, and Jules leaned back and struck for Axxel's unguarded ribs, but their attempts were both for naught.

The moment the duo realized it would be an exchange of injury, they both diverted their attacks and took a couple of steps back. A round of circling ensured – Jules and Axxel observed each other, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

A single blink would be enough.

A split-second to become lethal.

Jules knew the moment would come, but Axxel couldn't be so sure. Jules was more skilled than The Aspiring Speedster, so to win, he had to think a bit outside of the box.

Hell, he had to get rid of the box entirely!

SWISH

The next instant, Axxel titled his head to the left, barely dodging Jules's tossed dagger, but the fraction of a second taken to respond came with consequences.

Axxel felt a fist press against his cheek before he could truly respond.

BANG

Axxel's head shook with the blow, but he also managed to toss himself backward, drifting with the momentum instead of fighting against it.

Not that it made the blow hurt any less.

Then, Axxel realized something as his mind cleared for an instant. He flicked his dagger with a backhand, intercepting Jules's dagger that would have struck a fatal blow otherwise.

It took a bit of mental prediction to control the daggers.

The daggers were magnetized, so that meant they would return to the hands of the combatant, and obviously, the dagger didn't care if it had to go through a heart or a couple of bones to accomplish that feat.

Axxel predicted the trajectory of Jules' dagger and sent his own dagger to intercept; though, he could only alter the trajectory enough to avoid a fatal wound.

The dagger slid across Axxel's cheek and back into Jules's hands.

Axxel rolled on the ground, raising his hand to retrieve a new dagger, shifting into a combat stance once more as he did. A long laceration could be seen on his cheek.

It had become obvious to the spectators that Axxel had lost the second round as well.

"This is enough," Jules sighed in disappointment, pointing at the laceration on Axxel's cheek. "You have failed the exercise today as well… you can't participate in the next mission. I could have easily diverted my magnetized dagger a little to the left."

"I don't think I've lost – at least not alone," Axxel corrected. "I learned to take my women with me when I die – I don't wanna share them with guys even after my death."

Jules's eyes turned sharp and violent. "You don't want to admit the loss?" she questioned, no longer with the playful tone she previously possessed.

If there was one thing Jules disliked, it would be pretenders.

"No," Axxel shook his head – partially in panic - and pointed at Jules's hand clutching the dagger. "I don't want to admit loss because it's a tie."

Jules glanced down at her hand and realized something startling – it was bleeding. Her hand was bleeding since she was clutching the dagger that had returned on the blade and not the hilt.

"What?" She was confused.

Axxel took the opportunity to explain. "When I blocked your dagger – I altered the trajectory so my dagger would head towards you, while your dagger would become embedded in the ground… and since we can somewhat control our daggers through magnetism – just like you could have sliced my neck and not my face, I could have increased the speed of my dagger the moment it touched your hands, sending it directly through your palm, into your lower abdomen."

"It wouldn't have killed me," Jules corrected.

"I never said it would… my objective was just to draw blood, and I did… so I pass," Axxel smiled softly.

Jules returned the smile wholeheartedly. It was in moments such as these that she recalled why she chose Axxel in the first place – he had something the others lacked.

Then again, everyone had it at some point.

In the Speed Force, it was always a question of how long?

"Good job!" Jules paid a rare compliment to her lover.

"What?" Axxel shouted, placing his hands near his right ear in a mocking gesture. "I can't HEAR YOU… CAN YOU SAY THAT LOUDER?" he requested shamelessly.

"WOAH!"

Before Axxel could react, he found his body on the ground and Jules was straddling him, hurrying to loosen the combat pants that clung tightly to her slim, muscular figure.

"Jules… everyone is watching…"

Even Axxel, as experienced as he was, didn't particularly try exhibitionism a lot – not that he exactly minded as long as a few of the spectating girls joined.

"Stupid man," Jules giggled maniacally, finally removing her pants. "You're much bigger than most of the wannabes here… do them a favor and show them how a man should rough-fuck his woman!"

Axxel needed no more reasons as his combat pants slipped to his knees, and with one solid, earth-shaking thrust, he entered Jules's abnormally tight insides.

What followed was a display so freaky and environmentally devastating that even the eternal warriors inside the Speed Force could not watch without blushing.

Many even ran away two minutes into the intense display, crying desperately as they questioned their manhood. And of course, some of the braver women in the bunch joined the debaucherous display.