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ArthurgazedatPhilip’ssternfaceanddidn’thesitateanylonger.TurningtoApollo,whowassittingonthecouch,hesaid,“Let’sseewhatyou’vegot.”
Hefeltatwin
ofdifortashesaidthis,asifhewereintimidatingachild.
It’snot<b>a</b>fairfight:it’sone–sided aggression!
Oh,well.Ican’tdisobeythmander’sorders….
I’lljust stopwhenIhavetheupperhand.He’sjustakid.
MillyhadbeenlivingwiththeButsforawhilenowandwasfamiliarwithArthur,soshe<b>was</b>surprisedtoseePhiliplettingArthurspar<b>with</b>Apollo.Hereyeswidenedinshock.
“Grandpa,shouldwejustforgetabout<b>this</b>?”
Philipremained<b>calm</b>,hisexpressionunchangingashefiddledwiththebeadsinhishand.“Ifthekidwins,I’lllethimcarrytheButsstname.
“Whenyoustartschool,I’lltakecareofhimandguidehim.Whatdoyouthink?”
MillylistenedtoPhilip’swords,bitingherlipandremainingsilent.
Theconditionswereindeedappealing.IfApollohadPhilip’sprotection,evenifhewasdifferentfromeveryoneelse,no<b>one</b>woulddaresayanythingtohim.
Butshestillfeltuneasy….
“Grandpa,Apolloisstillyoungandhasn’treceived<b>any</b>training.Hecan’tcontrolhisemotionsyet.Iftheyreallyfight,I’mworriedsomethingmighthappen
Philiphadn’trespondedyetwhenArthurspokeuptoreassureher,‘Don’tworry, Ms.But.I’llmakesuretoholdbackandnothurtthisyoungboy.”
Millywasspeechless.
<i>I’m</i>not worriedaboutArthurhurtingApollo;I’mworriedaboutApolloharmingArthur!
Nevermind.Theconditionsareindeedgood.It’saonce–in–a–lifetimeopportunity.I’lljustpayattentionandinterveneifthingsgetoutofhand.
Thinkingaboutthis,sheturnedtoApollowithaseriousexpression.
<b>“</b>Apollo,remembertostopwhenIsayso.Don’tkill,okay?”
Apollolookedpuzzledandtiltedhishead.“Ah–<b>woo</b><b>?</b>”
“Justknockhimdownlikeyoudidthatbigckdogearlier.Assoonasyoudothat,youhavetostopfighting,okay?”
Apollo’sbrighteyessparkledashenoddedenthusiastically.“Ah–woo!”
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“Ah–wool”
ApollostoodupandwalkedtowardsArthuratMilly’sorders,butwhenheturnedaroundand<b>faced</b><b>.</b>Arthur,hiseyesshedwithimpatience.
Arthurfeltashiverrundownhisspineattheintensityofthoseredeyes,whichremindedhimoftheWolfKinghehadencounteredwhenhewasonamissionalongtime<b>ago</b>
HeclearedhisthroatanposedhimselfbeforelookingdownatApollo’ssmallform.“Don’tbescared.Themanderjustwantstotestyourstrength.I’llletyoumakethreemovesfirst.Afterthat,I’ttack.”
Apollo’seyebrowsfurrowedinannoyanceashethoughtArthurwasreallynoisy!
Apollo’seyesseemedtozeover,hisfaceamaskofcalmnessashegazedatArthurwithanintensitythatborderedonunsettling.BeforeArthurcouldreact,Apollohadalreadytakenhimdowninash,hisgriponArthur’sneck<b>like</b>avice.
Thewholeencounterwasoverinthreeseconds.
Philipbarelyhadtimetolifthisteacupbeforethefightconcluded.
Thelivingroomfellsilent,asiftimeitselfhadstopped.
Theonlypeople<b>looking</b>somewhatnormalwereMilly<b>and</b>George<b>,</b>whoknewthetruthaboutApollo’sabilities.
“Ah–woo,ah–woo…Apollo’seyesshonewithexcitement,asifhewasgloatingaboutfollowingMilly’sinstructionstotheletter.
Milly’slipscurledintoasmile,despiteknowingitwasn’ttherighttimetopraisehim.Still,shecouldn’thelpbutacknowledgeApollo’senthusiasm,soshegavehimagenuhumbs–up.“Goodjob,Apollo!”
Apollo’seyeslitupatMilly’spraise,andhebeamedwithjoy,bobbinghisheadupanddown.“Ah–<b>woo</b><b>!</b>”
Incontrasttothehappyscene,Arthurseethedwithanger,hisfacedarkeningwitheachpassingsecond.
Heppedthefloorboardsinfrustration,pantingheavily.“Noway!This onedoesn’tcount!Ilethimmakethreemovesfirst,Commander!Thisrounddoesn’tcount!”
Philipregained<b>his</bposure,andhe strokedhisnose,stilltryingtoprocesswhathadjusthappened.Hefiguredhiseyesightwasfailingduetohisage.
Ididn’tevenseewhathappened!
Ashethoughtthisover,henoddedslightly.“That’sright…Arthurdidlethimmakeafewmovesfirst.Let’stry<b>again</b>.Arthur,youdon’tneedtogoeasyonhimnow.”
“Yes,Commander!”
HearingPhilip.MillypulledApollobackuptohisfeet,cautioninghim,“Apollo,becarefuter,okay?”
ArthurhadunderestimatedApolloearlier.Asaspecialoperative,hemightdefeatApolloifhefoughthimseriously.
Apollo’seveswerewideashelistenedtoMilly’swarning.Itwasn’tclearwhetherheunderstood.“Ah–woo…
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Thetwoofthemfacedoffoncemoreforthesecondround.
Philipwasmorealertthistime,<b>his</b>eyesfixedintentlyonthetwofighterswithouttouchinghistea.Hedidn’twanttomissanything.
Arthurwasjustasfocused,hisexpressioncoldandserious.
ButApollowasstillunfazed,hisusualcalmdemeanourunwavering.Suddenly,hepuckeredupandtookofflikeashot.
Twosecondter…
Arthurfoundhimselfbeingtackledagain,withApollograbbinghisneck,thistimewithinonlytwo
seconds.
Arthurbegantoquestionhisownidentity<b>and</b>reality.WhoamI<i>?</i>WhereamI?Whyam<i>I</i>seeing<i>the</i>familiarceilingagain?
Philip’sjawdroppedoncemoreinshock…AmIreallygoingblind?HowcouldInothaveseenArthurattack?
TheonlyoneenjoyinghimselfwasApollo,whorodeArthurlikeabuckingbroncowhilegazingatMillywithwideeyesandahappysmile,howling, “Ah–woo,ah–<b>wool</b>”
Millysmiledawkwardlyandgavehimanother thumbs–up.“Wow,Apollo,that’simpressive
Apollo’seyessparkledwithexcitementasheclimbedupfromthegroundlikeapuppyyingfetch.HeseemedtohavediscoveredanewgameandletoutadelightedhoshekickedArthur,whowasontheground.“<b>Ah</b>–woo,ah–woo…
HewaseagertomakeArthurgetbackupandcontinuefighting.
Thisisgreat!EverytimeIknockhimdown.Millywillpraiseme….
Icanythisgamealldaylong!
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