What a Reunion (Pain Killer, Taiku)

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: I know, don't ya feel special? Anyway, shorter post, sorry.

ic:

Whilst the blow had been partly stopped, it was not completely halted...Adam had lucked out, the arm not being raised enough to fully stop the arm brought with it enough of a problem as it was, but with Taikus arms currently occupied on holding the limb, he wasn't going to be able to stop it from coming at him. Though he was aware that in the process, the power of the punch would be sapped considerably from colliding with his prone limb, the sudden tense of the muscles had made it clear it had hurt his opponent, and it would be worthwhile in the end.

'Very impressive, even if it meant you had to make me think about telling you to quit hitting yourself...'

The brief moment of internal amusement ceased as he began to pull his head back and to the side as much as he could in the brief moment he had, tightening his neck muscles in preparation as the fist struck the side of his forehead, knocking his head back and dealing a decent strike in all. However, still holding the arm, he used the tilting motion to lean back further and brought his right leg up once more, the entire sole of his boot driving for the left side of Adams gut with a vicious kick that would, along with Taikus own force, be accented by the rest of Adams weight that would be coming forward, pushing away with it as it landed, his intention was clear as he drove the leg firmly and pushed himself back with it, releasing the arm as the force was implemented.

Rather than rely on the blow to damage his opponent, he would bide time with it. The strike to Adams ankle would hopefully put the slower fighter at even more of a disadvantage, left to limp slightly on one leg against the much quicker, older man. However, with the punch that had caught him, he found himself comfortable keeping that distance between the two of them he was trying to get...

"I'll give you this much, Adam. You're strong. Stronger than a lot of the folk who come through those doors. Answer me something, if you would...What drives you to be the best so much that you need to come looking for the former champions of Varron in order to do so? Surely your own generation would suffice in making yourself a name...."

[Pain Killer]

OOC: No problem. Your shorter posts are longer than my mid-sized ones.

IC:

Adam's upper body continued to turn to the left, slowly, as he attempted to dig his fist into Taiku's head, intent on making up for the lost momentum with the after effects. The attempt, however, would be short lived, as the former Legion leader slammed his foot into Pain Killer's stomach, which had taken the place of his side due to the continued turn, and shoving off, causing damage and distance between the two fighters. The self-proclaimed Pain Killer let out a small exhalation of surprise, his eyes widening from the sudden pain momentarily before shrinking back to normal, his focus regained.

By this time, though, Taiku would have managed to create his desired distance.

He's givin' me trouble... Heh, I suppose he'd have to be this good, if beating him were to mean anything... His breaths were coming much faster now, the exhertions on his body as well as the blow to the stomach beginning to take its toll on his stamina, in the short term at least. There was no point in trying to pretend his arm wasn't hurting however, as red marks had begun to form where he'd been struck, and in an effort to begin working out the kinks, Adam began to shake out the limb, careful not to take his eyes off of Taiku, who had taken the opportunity to out more about his opponent.

It's about time he realized what he's up against... The thought was satisfying, though the rest of what Kazuki asked was considerably less so. The reasoning behind his actions, beyond the obvious, weren't something he'd thought about, and the realization kept him from immediately continuing the battle.

"My own strength is all that matters. I have to be at the edge of my limits, constantly pushing against them, or I'll wind up the same as the rest of you. Complacent. Average. An average man can't sa-..."

He cut himself off, not liking where that thought was going. Such words weren't right for the ruthless warrior he desired to be, and so, he quickly changed tactics.

"As for my generation... they're all a bunch of nobodies. Anyone of worth, I've already beaten. Hell, I've kicked the crap outta the kid more than once already. But they aren't well known. They aren't special. They're the same, reputation-wise, as me. But you and your kind, you're already established. And that's my golden ticket to the top."

His right fist rose up to shoulder level, palm facing towards himself as he placed his left foot back. Turning his body, Adam brought himself so that his right side faced Taiku more, so that his right shoulder would be at a 45 degree angle from his opponent rather than the 90 degree should he remain square to the Legion leader. His left hand was low and at his side, the fist formed by his stomach, keeping the already damaged parts of his body back from his more experienced opponent.

"You ready to continue? Don't tell me you're done already from just one punch..."

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: Urgh, delay. I had this done about five hours ago, but I had to go into the city, pick up some books, come home and make dinner....The joys. >.>

ic:

"I think you might be paying attention to the wrong fight, Adam...Complacency I will admit to in some degree, because I don't particularly care about this fight. Unlike you, there's no benefit in it for me, it's just another kid who wanted to test his worth. But average? I doubt you can consider that accurate. I've yet to fully exert myself against you, and you've already had one leg weakened. Are you really so desperate to risk being hurt just to prove your own strength?"

Whilst his own breath was heightened slightly, he showed little outward signs of fatigue as a result of having made far less movement than Adam so far. Thus far into the fight, he had only exerted himself in brief moments to react against his opponents blows, one such reaction having had left Adams arm he had caught appearing in worse shape than he might have thought. Picking up on the clear distrust this young man had toward anyone, apparently, he lowered his hands from the slight raise they had been given beforehand as he spoke. A savage fighter he may be, but a man without respect and fairness he wasn't. As he continued speaking, remarking on the current generation and hinting towards having beaten Tyler already, Taiku simply shook his head in exasperation at the benign thinking of his opponent.

"Yes, we're established, and yes, we're far better than a lot of your generation, but you should remember, Adam....We weren't always as skilled as we were. So you beat Kyukaku, give yourself a pat on the back. He's still young and has a long way to go, in time it's very possible he will exceed your ability. As for some.... 'golden ticket' to the top? There's no such thing. Not one person from the graduate class of Varron was gifted to the top, they fought for it, they struggled for it, we fought hard fights against great fighters, and the best part? We enjoyed it. It wasn't about your own strength, because there was little of a heirarchy of fighters. There were a handful of elites who were nigh untouchable, fighters beyond compare, but beyond that small group, you couldn't prove who was any better than the other."

Pausing a moment, he gave a moment before he continued, thinking in silence of how to word what he wanted to say next.

"An average man can't what, Adam....? You see, you say to me that your own strength is all that matters, but that is only ever enough for the most exceptional of cases. Everyone has a purpose to fight, something that screams out to you in the back of your mind when you're at the furthest you can go, something that makes you fight that little bit harder...Tell me what it was you were going to say."

Slightly demanding in his words, he shrugged as Adam turned into his stance again, however this time he was clearly favouring the limbs that had taken punishment in the last affray. Nodding in silence to an unasked question, he once again stood facing his opponent, his body loose and relaxed as his arms lingered lightly by his sides, an unnoticable flicker of movement as the muscles down each one flexed slowly.

"A punch like that? Not a chance, kid. Unlike some of your generation, your punches are nothing but carbon copies of fighters I've faced before. The question of course, with one of your ankles weakened and your left arm no better, what do you think the odds are of you managing to hit me are, now?"

[Pain Killer]

OOC: I had something witty here, but I forgot it after my browser closed on me, so just imagine something funny here.

IC:

I have to learn to shut my mouth. Damn people and their curiousity...

Rather than take his chance to attack the older man as he spoke, Adam had stood patiently and listened, taking in every word as opposed to brushing it off as he usually would. It seemed to be a trend in his life since he arrived in Varron; he'd fight someone, and either during the battle or immediately after, they'd feel it was necessary to start talking, and whether it was the adrenaline or the mere fact he was getting tired, Adam would always listen. Yet this time, he almost wished he hadn't, Taiku's words were getting a little too close to the mark for his liking, and in typical teenage fashion, he responded in the only way he knew how.

Stubborn defiance.

"Don't lecture me, old man. You don't know a thing about me. Drift around from city to city like some street urchin, and tell me that being recognized for something isn't the world to you. Watch your bloodline dwindle to a handful, and tell me what has more meaning than your own strength? Just try. Because I'll call you a goddamn liar."

The fist raised in front of him began to shake, his hand clenching shut so tightly that had he not been wearing gloves, he surely would have drawn blood. His anger had taken hold of him, and try as he might, Adam couldn't thrust it back down, the past few months having taken their emotional toll on him. His teeth ground together, trying to relieve the pressure in his head but to no avail, while his gaze dropped to his own shaking hand, as if noticing it for the first time.

"Strength is all that matters in this world. The ones with power, whether they're good or bad, do whatever they want. How can you protect what's important to you if you can't stop someone from taking it?"

His voice, though soft at the start, rose in intensity, images of purple hair and a smile that never seemed to fade flowing through his mind. Suddenly, his eyes snapped up, glaring at Taiku with an intensity not seen before, his fists still clenched but with less pressure than before.

"You're not stopping, I don't care what you say, I won't let this get taken away from me as well. Now put up your hands and fucking fight!"

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: -Imagines witty remark, laughs heartily- Oh Adam, you witty dog, you.... ^^; -cough- Anyway, shorter than usual again, but I really don't know what else to say in this fight.....

ic:

"You're right...I don't know a thing about you. I will admit one thing, however. You and I seem to share a few common factors in our existances, with the clearest difference being the choices made along the way...Call me a liar if you want, I know otherwise, I assure you."

Not bothering to give Adam a history lecture on himself, he figured that despite his single-track mind, his opponent would be able to make some sense of what Taiku had just said to him. Watching him as his body was beginning to tremble slightly, no doubt a subtly nuanced mix of adrenaline, anger and desire rushing through him all at once, it was all Taiku could do to sigh, an almost inaudible noise that could only be noticed through sight.

"You've really lost it...I had some hope you'd see sense, but it seems you're just another power drunk idiot blindedly desperate to try and climb the ladder. If you think those little bumps are anything to go by, I'll warn you now. I won't humour you any longer. You come at me with the desire to fight because you believe strength is all that matters, that nothing else is justified. You've no place to speak to me of such things, you insolent little shit..."

His fists clenching momentarily by his sides, his face yet to show anything besides a dry complacency to Adam or this little tussle, he relaxed his arms again, his body loose and limber once more. He was a touch irritated by the manner of this guy, his single-mindedness unsettling in the fact that Taiku saw snippets of how he had acted once upon a time...

"If I want to stop, I will do so at any time I please. It's clear that unless you can start making magic that this is just another busy afternoon for me, so like I told you before Adam..."

Raising one of his hands slightly, gesturing with the fingers almost idly to usher his opponent on, he smirked but faintly..."Watch that tongue of yours, lest it ends up removed from your mouth...."

[Kyukaku]

(OOC: Short, since I'm not really doing anything. ;D )

"Oh Rene, you really don't know the half of it then."

Kyukaku spoke with what could only be described as a tired laugh. Many people knew so very much about his encounters with Trent, and he only assumed Rene would be one of them.

"I thought you knew, but I guess Kaz decided to keep it more of a secret til things were worked out between Dain and I. You weren't wrong, I was set up by someone. He's not so much part of the Hand as he is someone who helps in their destruction. He makes Kvist look like a kitten. He went after Dain's sister while she was in the hospital, framing me for it. I don't know if you've heard, but Dain's sister woke up too, clearing me afterwards." Kyukaku paused, letting all those events soak up in Rene's mind.

"But you know what's interesting? That guy who did all that to Dain and I....thats his brother fighting the boss man down there."

Kyukaku added, pointing down to the scene as he followed Rene out the door. Their fight was still in the beginning stages, but Taiku did seem to be taking the upperhand. Still, that meant little. Kyukaku had never known anyone to take more damage and continue a fight like Adam had. These were chicken scratches to that man. Kyukaku was confident in Kazuki's abilities, but he would never discredit Pain Killer's either. There was still a lot left of this fight in him.

They stopped and began to converse, Kyu couldn't make out most of the words but a few things were obvious. One, Taiku was trying to talk him down and two, Adam was very pissed off.

[Pain Killer]

As if a switch had been flipped, the instant Taiku gestured for Adam to come at him, he did, with surprising speed for someone whose ankle was injured. The time spent talking had served a double purpose, renewing Adam's commitment to this battle as well as giving the pain a few moments to die down.

Still, the damage had been done, forcing Pain Killer to perform what would effectively be a half-limp/half-run, not quick by any means, but definately faster than simply walking. The Senior student kept his teeth clenched, attempting to block out the stabbing pain in his leg, while his right hand moved to his left shoulder, preparing for the attack to come.

As soon as he was within arm's reach, Adam's right foot slammed down to the ground, being the leading foot after his limping run. The right hand whipped forward, a vicious backhanded fist that would spin his body to the right from the sheer strength behind it. The majority of his weight would be on his right foot, so as to minimize the damage done to his weakened ankle, while his left hand remained close to his stomach, cradled against it.

At the same time as the right arm began it's action, Adam's leading right leg would bend slightly at the knee, the muscles tensing. He knew full well that the fact his weight was concentrated there could spell disaster for the leg if it was struck while straightened, and he couldn't afford to have both legs handicapped.

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: Rene first, since Tyler FINALLY posted

ic:

Nodding slowly, she shrugged at his words with a semi-understanding expression...She had heard snippets of the incident, but Taiku had as a whole kept the details personal. Likely for her own benefit, she mused, but the fact that the girl in question had outright stated he had done nothing was enough to her. What kept her attention was the note about the aforementioned individuals brother being the one down on the main floor, roughing it up with Taiku....

"Brother, huh....? I wonder if he knows that....."

The words were almost silent as they left her lips, pushing through the doors out to the main floor a short distance away from the two as Adam charged at Taiku once again...

-Taikus Perspective-

A barely audible growl escaping his lips as Adam burst off at him again, he would shift his feet a touch to give him a small degree of physical leverage. Adam had drastically screwed up in this instance, giving Taiku a clear space of time to react to him, much moreso than he had been granted previously. Though his arms were not raised, it was Adams initial burst of 'speed' that brought about a sudden switch in his demeanour...No longer were his hands aimlessly by his sides, or his stance straight forward and neutral, he now twisted his body, leaving his right foot forward as his left slid back around a foot or so, his hands raised forward and up a little, hanging roughly around his stomachs level.

The right hand that had coiled back against his shoulder spoke volumes, with his hand where he'd placed it, Adam would not be able to strike effectively with his left arm, not without having to move against his own body.

'Backhanding? You really are getting desperate....'

His body tightly held, his rear foot bearing the majority of the weight for the time being, it took Adam to get within reach for Taiku to even begin reacting. Adam would indeed find his backfist would meet no interruption in its path. None at all, including Taiku himself, as he slumped down suddenly into a near-crouch, pouncing from his mark and towards Adams leg as quickly as he could. Utilising his lower position and forceful lunge, his body would have a considerable amount of power behind it as he shot past his opponent, his right leg finding ground just behind Adam as his left arced around, turning him in a complete half-twist to bring him facing his opponent once again.

However, he did not make such a move with the sole intent of evading a hit, and at the peak of his turn, his body roughly facing Adams right, stationary leg, his palms would strike forward simultaneously to collide with the leg at both the side of the leg and the lower section of the thigh, using the resistance applied to assist in pushing himself away and completing his movement. The strikes would, in theory, render Adams leg in some severe pain, far worse than what he had done before to his ankle, with the muscle deadened in the upper leg and the kneecap jarred sharply from the side, he would be surprised to see him able to stand comfortably at the moment...

'If you're so willing to continue this fight, then perhaps realising a flaw or two in your methods is in order...'

Should he succeed in his attempt, the revolution completed, he would bring himself to a halt, his eyes kept on his opponent as he did so. His hands striking the ground to push him to his feet, stepping back with his right to leave him standing with his left foot forward, he lowered his hands briefly again.

[Pain Killer]

One for two, at least I'm battin' .500.

The thought was somewhat amused, a strange contrast to the anger etched on Adam's face. Furious as he was, Pain Killer still had managed to form a plan in his mind, and it appeared as if Taiku had walked straight into it. The backhand had never truly been intended to land, the setup taking far too long as well as being too powerful to simply block with ease, leaving the older man to do the next best thing; evade. Adam had prepared himself for Kazuki either stepping back or ducking under his blow, and while the sudden movement towards himself was unexpected, it was certainly easily adapted into his plan. His left arm began to rise higher, the elbow being raised to chest height, even as he began the simple actions which would hopefully sway the battle in his favour.

The ball of Adam's right foot rose, putting the majority of his weight on his heel, as he lifted his left foot off the ground. Coupled with the force of his backhand, Adam's body twisted on the spot, performing a quick 180-degree turn on the spot, before dropping his right foot flat to the ground once more, relying on friction to stop his turn. Even with Taiku being much faster than the self-proclaimed Pain Killer, it would take him a moment to rush past his larger opponent. By the time Adam had spun around, Taiku would have reached his destination from which he was launching his attack from, only instead of finding the relatively unprotected rear of Pain Killer's leg, he would find the youngest Rydell boy facing him instead.

Deciding the best defense was a good offense, Pain Killer allowed his knee to buckle, the right leg bending and sending his body downwards in a rapid descent. His left elbow slammed downwards, aimed at Taiku's spine, right where the neck and back connect, in an effort to slow the man down somewhat, while Adam's left knee would slam against the ground, bringing him in a kneeling position behind Taiku should the older man remain where he was. During this attack, Adam would begin to pull his right hand back towards his body, intent on defending himself from potential counters/reactions towards his upper body.

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: I'm wondering how you ended up behind me, but let's see if I can't be a pain....Wait, 'pain'....I made a funny! woo Also, I apologise for a horribly cruel reaction to this, but I -did- say I wasn't holding back on ya

ic:

Adams leg lifting, something that in principle would happen almost directly in front of Taikus face, was not something that would be left unexpected. Attacking a prone limb on a fighter who was worth anything tended to bring reactions to it, and whilst he wasn't exactly gifted with a wide range of reactions at the moment himself, he was not entirely caught out...

Though his slide across the floor had intended to bring him further away from Adam than it inevitably had done, during his turn the distance between the two was dropped dramatically enough to put Taiku back within range of his opponent, likewise putting Adam in a convenient striking distance against the still-crouched man in front of him...

'No, you will NOT get a hit on me for nothing'

Lunging upward, his body leaning in closer to the elbow, rather than attempting to evade it he would meet the blow almost head-on, however with the shift in his body's angle and position the elbow would likely not strike cleanly against his back, instead the underside of his upper arm and elbow would effectively hook over Taikus right shoulder. During such, in a particularly vicious move, Taikus head would butt directly into Adams, his forehead lunging for his opponents nose and jaw with a savage blow.

'Not yet....Let's see if you're able to live up to your name now...'

A brief, internal smirk on his face, he brought his right knee up with a devious intent, the joint thrust directly towards Adams crotch with no hesitation. The blow was a particularly cruel one, but he had made it clear he wasn't going to pull his punches any longer. Indeed, such an attack would bring even the strongest of men to their knees, and with the situation as it stood, Adam, in Taikus eyes, had only a handful of choices...He could risk trying to dodge both blows, should he strike it lucky enough to realise what was happening, or sacrifice one for the other.

All things considered, his fists would have set against Adams stomach, pushing the two apart forcefully once again after the conclusion of the confrontation....

[Pain Killer]

OOC: Well, I probably misinterpreted your move in the post before your last, but I guess we're rollin' with it. If I'm wrong again, don't be afraid to PM me sayin' "Hey, moron, fix it!"

IC:

While his intelligence was questionable, Pain Killer tended to have a knack for understanding when he was in trouble. As Taiku's head grew larger in his vision, Adam caught a glimpse of the knee heading somewhere low on his body, and being only able to assume where it might be heading, turned his hips to the right a small amount, believing that regardless of where the knee was aimed, it would be less effective if its intended target was moved. With that matter out of the way, Adam's mind worked quickly in order to find a way to evade the headbutt coming towards him, attempting to find something of pure genius to save him the pain that would surely follow.

...Aw, hell.

The best Adam could come up with was moving his head up slightly, taking the blow full on in the mouth rather than in the nose as well. His bottom lip was slammed into his canine teeth, slicing through the flesh and letting loose the blood underneath. Pain Killer's head was knocked back somewhat, his eyes closing briefly in reaction to the pain even as the older man's knee was driven painfully into his hip, though it did not deter him from wrapping his left forearm around the back of Kazuki's head and driving his face into Adam's chest as tightly as he could, using all the strength he could muster in that arm to keep Taiku in place.

While there was certainly the possibility of Taiku being smothered into unconsciousness after a while, Adam would not wait that long. His right hand would form a fist, and come tight across his body in a hook to the side of Taiku's head, an inch or two above his left temple. While the close quarters may keep Pain Killer's punch from having its potential knockout power, Adam was confident that a few more would accomplish the same result. After all, against a blinded opponent, what was there to fear?

[Kazuki Akimoto]

The brief flash of white that descended over his eyes as his forehead butted viciously into Adams mouth fading, he felt his knee collide with something other than flesh....With an apparent twist of his waist, Adam had lucked out, dodging the blow to take the impact against his leg. Whilst he had not gone unscathed in that regard it had taken away one thing Taiku had hoped for in landing the blow, it would incapacitate Adam enough to halt the fight, perhaps completely, and stop this farce from getting any more severe than it already might...

Then I really don't have much else to go for in terms of choice...'

Knowing full-well his move would leave Adam in a fine position to grab him as he had, he twisted his head to his left, presenting the back of his head as the clearest target for any flailing punches Adam would throw at him before the first one struck, the same white flash in his eyes as before taking hold of his vision a moment from the unprotected blow...

A muted grunt of pain escaped his lips, his teeth clenched tightly as he resolved himself to bringing down his opponent before he took another hit like that, before he lost his mind and ended up doing something far, far more dangerous than he was about to.

Both hands, with a sudden shunt of power, buried themselves into Adams flesh, the loosely coiled fists driving the pointed knuckles into the prone body before drawing back, this time his palm held rigid and open, the points of his fingertips wrenching against his skin, pushing back against Adam forcefully and driving the fingertips upward in a savage attempt to dig under the ribcage, the fingers curving slightly as he did so to withstand the resistance of his opponents body....

'If you don't let me go, I'll shatter these ribs of yours like toothpicks...'

Blinded though he may be, he was equally, if not more dangerous than many, in close combat when he was being cornered....If Adam were to land another of those punches, he would likely be brought back to earth with a crash. The one time Taiku had seen this move performed, it had been a killing blow, when Maverik had, that day back on the rooftop, taken his step-brothers life. His eidetic memory had served him well enough to work out what had happened, and whilst he had no intent of dealing such a method to his opponent, the blow would, in principle, do enough damage to either force Adam to release Taiku or serve as a severe kamikaze, relying on his opponents stubborness and refusal to back down to finish him off in return for taking another few of those punches.

Against a blinded opponent, there was often little to fear...A blinded Taiku, on the other hand, was something to bear respect and caution to....

[Pain Killer]

"Gah!"

The cry of surprise burst forth from Adam's mouth not from the fists driving into his flesh, but the attack that followed, the invading digits attempting to push past his stomach to reach behind his ribs. Pain Killer flexed his stomach muscles in a vain attempt to keep the fingers from reaching their goal, and while it would not be enough to stop the attack, it would buy him a few moments to act as Taiku's assault was slowed.

Pain Killer's feet went flat to the ground, and in a supreme amount of effort, he thrust himself up as fast and hard as he could, the pain in his ankle coupled with the finger-digging ways of Kazuki bringing tears to his eyes. Still, his body hadn't given out on him yet, and in what may come across as an odd move, Adam jumped in the air, a good foot off the ground. However, his thrust was not just up, but back, borne from an instinctive reaction to get himself away from the objects causing him such pain. However, the leap was not intended to make him land on his feet again, as doing so would surely cause his left ankle to give out on him. Instead, as he fell back, Adam thrust his right foot at Taiku's left leg, aimed at the knee but due to the hasty targetting, likely to be on course to strike the thigh instead.

Regardless of if the strike landed, Adam would have bought himself a few seconds of time, during which he would send another hook at Taiku's head. After landing on his back, his defense would be limited, but there was no way in hell he'd allow the older man to force him to give up from the pain. After all, he was the self-proclaimed Pain Killer, his pride demanded that he be able to take the abuse longer then Taiku could hold out.

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: I debated two possible ways to open-end my post here, if you don't like the way I did this just say so and I'll change a few things ^^

ic:

Whilst his fingers continued to press forward, the amount of power his entire body was putting into those two concentrated areas of pressure was enough to that he was effectively pushing himself away from Adam all at the same time. He knew it was only a matter of time before Adam either backed off or collapsed from the pain, knowing full well that, even as strong as he might be, this was no feeling to simply shrug off...

'Back away, just move back and save yourself the trouble of this getting any worse...'

For as quickly as Adam reacted, to Taiku it was a long enough time, long enough for the damage of his blow to be done as the slightly larger male left the ground and began to leap away from the fingers that would, if left unchecked, damage him severely...In leaping, however, Adam had dealt to himself his undoing, not so much in the initial jump but in the kick to his knee.

Shunting his knee up when the foot was intended to land against him, Adams kick would indeed strike Taikus knee, but not in the manner he had initially intended. With the added force he applied to it with his left arm, scooping down and pushing up sharply, Adams body would likely be distorted in mid-air, his landing already appearing to be on his back, the extra push would hopefully end up making him land much more awkwardly, the top of his back or his head striking the ground first...Consequently, the manouvere would entitle Taiku to a few extra moments to react against his downed opponent, already having had to regain his own balance after the altercation.

Hopping up quickly, he sprung forward into a short run, taking a couple of steps before cocking back his right leg, lunging a viciously heavy stamping motion down against the already weakened ankle he had struck earlier...If he managed to land the hit, it would more than easily break the joint and leave Adam with the choice either to hop for the rest of this fight, or to accept a defeat that, one way or another, was graduallly arriving...

[Pain Killer]

OOC: It's all good. Forgive my shortness, a loss never makes Pain Killer particularly eager to start chatting someone up.

IC:

Pain Killer was many things, but graceful he was not. As a result, when he lost his grip on Taiku's head, the best he could hope for was tucking his chin against his chest and attempt to break his fall somewhat with his hands. Such a feat was near-impossible, however, given the angle he was falling, and while the impact was lessened to a degree, the back of Adam's head slammed against the club's floor without mercy, stunning the youngest living Rydell, and causing his to grip his throbbing skull.

Such pain was the least of his worries, it seemed.

In the next moment, Taiku was pressing his attack, slamming his foot into the already weakened ankle of the self-proclaimed Pain Killer in a particularly vicious fashion, breaking the joint and giving Adam something else to grip in his agony. His left hand dipped down, clutching the injured joint, his body sitting up slightly in order to take the pressure off the limb.

"Fine... Alright... I give."

There wasn't much else left to say, as it was obvious from the injury that Pain Killer would not be able to continue the fight. Instead, he remained seated on the floor, silently raging in his mind over the loss.

My one goddamn chance, and I blew it... If that's not bad enough, I don't even know how the hell I'm going to get home now.

As it was, there wasn't much he could do, as he wouldn't even attempt to hop/crawl out of the club until the pain died down at least a little. Instead, it seemed he'd have to wait a few minutes. His eyes roved across any nearby seating, trying to estimate whether it was worth the pain to hop up on a stool for a while, or whether he was better off remaining on the floor.

[Kyukaku]

(OOC: Yay! Something for me to actually say!)

"Knowing him, he's put two and two together at this point..." Kyu trailed off in response to Rene, focusing back on the continuing fight.

Adam appeared to put himself into another bad position, but from what Kyukaku had experienced it was far from such a thing. For as simple of a man Pain Killer was, when it came to battle he was able to instantly bring up a strategy and deliver. There was a quick motion from Taiku and Kyukaku bobbed his head on habit in a vain effort to try and see what he had done. Though from the current angle, the only thing Kyu could make out was Adam's head being thrown backwards.

While the fight seemed rather one-sided at this point, Adam had managed to grasp ahold of Taiku's head. Adam smashed his fist into the club owner's skull with such force that it would of downed any lesser of a man. Once again, Taiku moved from an angle where Kyukaku could not make out the moves. What he did see however was Adam jump back in pain before what eventually ended in the large fighter getting dome-rocked on the floor.

To make sure this was the end Taiku delivered an attack to Adam's already injured limb. Kyu winced at the act, always empathizing with such an attack even when he knew Adam would of done the exact same thing.

"Looks like it's over." Kyukaku observed, giving Rene a gentle pat on the back before turning and walking down to the dance floor where the battle had commenced.

Kyukaku flashed a smile at the standing Taiku before turning his gaze back to Pain Killer. "Happy?" he asked, not bothering to wait for a reply before continuing. "Would you like some help getting up?" Kyu knew he would definately not like the help, but the larger man had to know he would need it.

If so, Kyukaku would help Adam to his feet, placing his shoulder easily under the larger man's armpit as he provided support for his weakened side. "Where are your keys?"

[Pain Killer]

OOC: I love breaking post order! It makes me feel like a real man! And the fact that the boss told me to doesn't hurt either.

IC:

In his slow decisionmaking, Pain Killer would notice Kyukaku head towards him, and sigh audibly. It was bad enough that he'd lost, but for Kyu to see him lose so easily was like a double shot to his pride. His thoughts made him lose track of the pain in his ankle, and he allowed it to rest on the floor for a split second, before the nerves informed him of the unfortunate circumstances. Hissing in pain, he jerked it back up, lifting his eyes to Kyukaku as the smaller man spoke.

"Would I like your help? ...Hell no! Get the hell away from me, kid."

His right hand palmed the ground, giving himself something to push off as he attempted to force himself to his feet... well, foot. Still, with his left hand clutching his broken ankle, he only had two awkward supports to work with, resulting in Adam falling in a less-than-graceful fashion to the floor once more, rather unceremoniously landing on his rump. He slammed his right fist into the ground, throwing a miniature temper tantrum at his own helplessness.

"Goddamnit!"

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: I'm surprised you wouldn't have just dodged the shot to your ankle, I'd actually put that in as something of a filler to spur you into moving more ^^;; Well, I assure you, I'll want a rematch soon


ic:

With his foot landing squarely on the joint, his other foot followed swiftly behind to stabilise his balance, backing away from Adam after the bone gave way under his weight and lowering his hands...The fight, it would seem, was over. The so called 'Pain Killer' did, in fact, feel pain....Unhappy with the means he had needed to take in order to end this fight, he glanced over his shoulder at the sight of a black suit moving towards the downed fighter.

"Back to your posts, please...There's nothing to see anymore..."

Halting the bouncer in his path towards Adam, likely to escort the young man off the premises, Taiku took a few steps to the site and picked his coat back up off of the bar, reattaching his smaller belongings and his watch with a calm glance to Adam as Tyler approached him, attempting to help him to his feet...However, the beaten fighter, even in the state he was in, seemed adamant to refuse any assistance from the young man he spoke so callously of beforehand. Sighing, with a flick of his wrists to pull his coat back on, he turned and approached the two as they bickered...

"You're making a mess of my floor. If you're really adamant not to accept my friends help, then at least sit your ass on a stool so my customers don't have to sidestep you....."

Reaching down, his eyes solidly watching for any sly punch that might be sent his way, he scooped an arm under Adams left shoulder, quickly and surprisingly carefully hoisting him to his foot, turning him towards the stools a few feet away and releasing him. He wasn't going to insult the guys pride, but helping him to his feet had nothing to do with Adam. He genuinely didn't want the guy sitting in the middle of the floor. Giving a slight nod to one of the barmaids who was eyeing Adam warily, she returned a polite smile to her employer before pouring two short tumblers with a little rum in each, with one set down in front of Adam and the other set nearby him...

"Well, this isn't how I'd figured you and I would meet each other again, but a reunion is, after all, a reunion. Come, sit with me and join me for a drink, Tyler...."

Turning his head to crane over his shoulder, he gave a friendly smile to one of his former Legion members, motioning for him to join him as he strode over the the stool a couple over from Adams right, slipping onto it and taking the glass in front of him, swirling the liquor briefly before tipping a fair gulp of it back with a slow breath...

"Though I really don't expect an answer from you, it's clear there's more to this entire farce than you just wanting to make a name for yourself. Start talking...."

[Kyukaku]

"Fine."

Kyu shrugged, sliding a nearby chair over in front of Adam before spinning it around and sitting on it backwards. He crossed his arms over the back of the chair and leaned forward, looking down at Adam. Kyukaku made a plain face, disappointed in the fact that Adam hadn't been humbled by this event. Pain Killer tried to get up, only to fall back on his ass quite literally, proceding to throw a small temper tantrum.

"You know, I might be able to find you one of those small square scooters grade-schoolers ride in gym class. You'd be able to roll yourself around, and its more low key than a wheelchair. You know, if you want one."

Kyukaku quipped on habit from spending so much time with Dain. However, he didn't show any changes to his his facial expressions to show that he really didn't want to be joking around about now. Kyukaku felt bad for Adam, and even worse for how Kyu was picking on him but at the same time he couldn't help but poke a little fun at the big bad Adam.

Taiku returned, scooping Adam up off the floor whether he wanted it or not. At his request, Kyukaku nodded to his former leader and stood up, sliding the chair back across the wooden floor with a backwards push of his foot, sending it near its original table. He sat down next to Taiku, placing the club owner between both students as he spoke.

Kyu spun sideways on the stool, turning to look in the direction of both men. It would be interesting to hear if Adam truly would reply or not. Pain Killer wasn't usually one to give insight to his life, though it had to be an interesting one. On one side of the spectrum there was his cute, perky sister Mya; and on the complete opposite side was his elder brother Trent. The one who was a serial killer, putting Kyu in jail after trying to kill him on more than one occasion.

[Pain Killer]

OOC: Maybe I'll make you wait a year for your rematch, like you did me.

IC:

"Shut your mouth, Kyu. You find me that, and I'll shove it straight up your... Ugh."

His sentence was cut off by a throb of pain from his ankle, causing Adam to grit his teeth in anger. There was simply too much damage to walk away on, and while he could sit on the floor all day contemplating his mistakes, it wouldn't get him anywhere. Still, now that he'd turned down Kyu's offer for help, he couldn't very well just take it back and expect help. Luckily, it seemed Taiku had grown tired of Adam dirtying his floor, and stooped to help him up. During this action, Pain Killer spied his trenchcoat on the floor next to him, and snatched it up. Another man may have made a reference to the fact that he had wound up in the same place after the fight that he started from, but such observations never quite reached Pain Killer's mind, and so, he simply slid onto the stool and waited.

The drink that was placed in front of him was surprising, and Adam stared at it as if it had been poisoned. Who buys a drink for the guy he just brawled with? I could understand if we knew each other before... but... Such a concept was beyond him, and it took Adam a few seconds of wonder before he allowed himself to sample the offered beverage. A healthy swig was taken, Pain Killer drinking a fair amount of the rum before placing it back on the bar, his face scrunching up momentarily at the strength. The amount of times Adam had drank alcohol in his life could be counted on two or three fingers, and each time had only been a beer or two, tops. As a result, his tolerance for alcohol was very close to someone who'd never had it before, and he could already feel it beginning to affect him.

Sighing slightly, he rested his elbows on the bar, his arms folded in front of him as he turned his head to face Taiku, listening to the older man speak. Still, he didn't answer right away, his mind preoccupied with the friendly way Kazuki and Kyukaku interacted. It was strange, the apparent understanding between them, one that he'd seen many times before but never particularly cared about until now. Blinking slowly, he cleared the thought from his mind, focussing instead on the answer that had begun to form even with his usual reservations, the alcohol as well as the fact that the situation caught him off guard loosening his tongue somewhat.

"I wasn't lying before, when I said I was pushing my limits. I need to get better, or one of the most important people in my life will be gone."

His gaze dropped back down to his drink, taking a smaller sip this time so as to not make the same mistake twice with a strength he hadn't gotten used to yet. The next words would be the hardest to say, as it would admit a weakness that he hadn't wanted made public. However, he felt he had to say it, if only in the hopes that by saying it aloud, it would grant him some insight on how to deal with it.

"My sister... Mya... She was taken from my apartment in Varron, right before the school closed down. The police were no help, as they said there was no evidence to my claims, but I could tell she'd been taken. But I know who did it. That's the problem. There's only one person who's decided to make my life hell, which is why I'm sure he'll follow me here. But despite everything I've tried, I can't beat him. I mean, I'm not the brightest, and I'm not the stealthiest. The best I can hope for is to face off against him and win. But I can't yet..."

He sighed again, hating his weakness, hating the fact he had to say it aloud.

"...He always wins... goddamn Trent..."