Harley noted the approach of the three strange men. For whatever reason Maggie and Eliza had agreed to help them she would follow along until they proved her kind hearted friends wrong. She kept hitting the bag mixing in some kicks. She ignored the men as she glanced past the swinging bag to see Maggie upside down on her hands toes pointed perfectly on the balance bar. In a flurry of movement she flipped herself upright clutching her leg over her perfectly arched back. Her normally modestly dressed friend had stripped down to tight running shorts and a sports bra.

She heard the men gasp as they noted her skill at speed flexibility and delicate strength. Gymnastics was a whole other ball game compared to fighting. A lot of the skills required was strengths when put up against what most fighter possessed. It was what had sealed their friendship right after graduation. She hadn't known what to think of the shy quite goody two shoes that strolled toward her bruised and bested body as she iced down int he locker room.

She had told her what she could improve on and how. When she in all her charm had cussed her out and told her where to shove her I'll revived advice. Maggie had smiled so softly and shook her head telling her that when she was tired of being beaten to come find her at the college sometime. After three more lost fights she had gone looking for the strange girl and she had never lost since.

Maggie had turned her around. Even with the small league fights that she did and just for an outlet for anger winning helped her more than losing. She had been the loser enough in her life. She was glad her friend had made her a winner. Maggie was the balm her anger management counselor had advise that she find. Maggie brought it out of her or inspired it inside her whichever it was she was grateful. Just like Eliza was the intellectual logic that she and Maggie as younger women sometimes lacked.

She stopped to watch Maggie flip her way back ward down the balance bar and then forwards back up it until she dismounted in a surprising move of strength feet perfectly planted. She glanced at the three men who wore stunned faces.

"Hey Harley give me 15 and we will spar. We need to see how those kicks are coming." She said her back toward them as she fiddled with her I pod. Once she was set with her music she dashed up the stairs and toward the small running track that went around the whole room.

Maggie running was yet another display of speed and stamina. She walked away from the bag and began stretching and lessening up her muscles.

"If you don't close your mouths a bugs going to fly down and choke you to death." She said cryptically as she watched them openly gaping at her friend who she knew wouldn't appreciate the attention. The youngest man was almost moaning at the dirty thoughts he was having. The sandy haired one turned his dancing steely eyes toward her. There's the lust she thought she might see.

"Careful be anymore winsome and may very well find yourself with a man showing you exactly what he likes best from you. "

"Whenever you want to see how well that works for you personally just let me know sugar plum " she said in a sickly sweet voice as she stretched out her legs and arms.

It felt like the longest run Maggie had ever taken. Probably because of her audience that was raptly watching her prepare for the spar. All except the youngest one she swore had some form of brain damage. His eyes remained locked on Maggie in a way she didn't like.

"Hey dilly you see your boy there." She nodded toward the young one whose head snapped down to lock gazes with her. " you had best let him know that Maggie is a good girl and by good I mean pristine physically and mentally and emotionally for that matter. And any untoward moves he makes towards her that she doesn't appreciate or reciprocate and he can't take a message then I can promise you one thing hell will be light to what he will experience if anything hurts that girl." She softly spoke the words in a tone that told them exactly how serious she was in the matter of her friends virtue.

She hated dilly turning to the young man and pulling him away and speaking in low tones in a language she had never heard before. It was a good time considering Maggie jogged up barely out of breath.

"Are we ready to spar?" She asked her eyes didn't go toward the men and a smile didn't go toward greeting them. All of those slight signs told Harley that her friend was either scared of them uncomfortable or had dealt with them quite enough today. "Try to go easy on me I've had a bit of a rough morning" she answered Harley's unasked questions.

The gloves were on and ready their mouth guards in and clenched tight. And like always she made the first strike which missed by a long shot as Maggie leaned away. Her left went to catch her as she leaned away and Maggie's arm blocked her and her leg came out and in a powerful kick sent her flying backward.

She rose again and started using her legs and her balance as Maggie always tried to teach her. If Maggie was a violent person or enjoyed fighting she could have easily dominated mixed martial arts fighting. Not in strength but in the art of using your opponents strength against them. It was a wonderful game and a beautiful art form and Maggie was a beast. She was a damn good coach. Suddenly she had Maggie in a choke hold and she tapped with a good nature.

"You know I think you just give up at the end because you don't have the heart in the game" she said once she removed the mouth piece.

"Yeah you have it about right. I gave you a good go at me though nearly twenty minutes." And bless the girl she still had her breath coming in a little fast but totally in control.

"I'd suggest a cool down run another set of stretches and then I'm taking a shower. " she called grabbing her I pod and then running out the door.

"Try not to trip into anymore naked men" she yelled back.

She watched her friend disappear into the woods again. When Maggie followed her on her walks after a bar fight or getting too stressed with drama at work she was quite the clutz but when Maggie had her mind set to being active instead of day dreaming she was extremely focused and serious about it.

**********************************

Astinos gazed after the nymph... Woman... Warrior. He had no idea what she was anymore other than completely enthralling. He noted the red heads furious gaze blazing at him. He quickly turned from the bewitching woman. Dillios had explained in great detail what the red head had warned and his own sage advice about the matter.

He watched the red head begin to run before he and stelios paired up to fight. Training was something that even in this new strange world they couldn't afford to be lax on. They needed their training even more so now that they were in unfamiliar territory.

It was a glorious fight. A beautiful blood bath and each of them lived for it. Glorious.