A Family Spar.. [Open]

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: This is a storyline thread for Taiku, but it's quite open to anyone who wishes to join.

ic:

"Haaa!!!"

The girls verbal exertion was a fine representation of her attempt as she swung the kick, extending the blow perfectly without losing her balance, her posture exactly as it should be, though she would not succeed with the connection of the attack. She was still not of the caliber her elder cousin was trying to rise her to, though she was quickly improving with every single training session, and the sensation of walking on air a moment later was immediate knowledge that he had slipped through the blow, moving around and under her with a sharp twist as his foot struck out in a sharp, sudden arc, knocking the back of her heel hard enough to take it clean from under her.

The difference, however, betwen now and before was that instead of landing in a crumpled heap at the sudden counter-attack, she continued to exert her kick, twisting her body through the air before she caught herself, palms to the ground, in something akin to the position one would assume to perform pushups. The foot that stepped down onto the middle of her back between her shoulders drove her into the grass below with a rather firm 'thud', but she was expecting it. Whilst she had been told that she had to find a way to deal with the counters he would use and return them as an attack to him, it was proving harder than she'd thought. He was upping his ante against her, not to prove a point, but to ensure a clear distinction of skill remained constant.

"You're just wasting energy, Reiko. Whilst I'll admit you could turn a situation like that around into your favour, you lack the strength to make it successful. Concentrate on how to use your speed, it's your best chance."

His foot relieved its pressure as he stepped back, shifting into a loose but prepared guard as Reiko stood again, rolling her shoulders slowly. She already knew this, but surely he knew it wasn't as simple as he said it...Her lips pursing slightly, she advanced again before throwing a punch to his chest, a blow that was quickly knocked to the side with a straightforward palm to the wrist. In response, she used the displaced force he had applied to continue twisting around, bringing her opposite elbow around in a reversed strike. However, once again, it was an unsuccessful attempt as she struck nothing but air...

'Where did he...'

Reiko would find her thoughts broken sharply as her initial attack, the punching arm from before, was seized. Quickly doubling back in the opposite direction to her movement, her entire body followed with it as she was thrown firmly over the elder Akimotos shoulder and to the ground a short distance away, this time with little to do to protect herself from an uncomfortable angle but curl her body against the impact. Thankfully it was grass, or she would likely have taken a rather hard hit from the landing. Though she had no idea of it, it was Taikus own concession that she did not need to endure everything he had. Her body was nowhere near as hardened as his was when he was the same age as her, for now, she would be allowed to train on the softer ground here, in relative peace from outsiders.

Of course, he knew well from prior experience that even while one might train in 'solace', there was always someone watching, there was always someone who thought the same way and chose to train in the peace of the woods. It didn't particularly bother him when someone came across them, more often than not they simply left the two in peace, but on occasion they watched in silence from a distance, thinking themselves unseen. They were sadly mistaken, if that was the case. However, his thought was left aside as Reiko got up again, nursing the arm he'd thrown her with a moment before leaving it be.

"You took your eyes off the target, even if only for a second, if they're fast enough it's all they need to disorient you. The execution was correct and the method was acceptable, but you need to be careful to protect yourself even when your eyes can't help you..."

Her nod was taken as acceptance as he stepped back again, his arms flexing instinctively as she made yet another approach...One thing he couldn't deny, her enthusiasm to train was almost limitless. Her stamina and body would give up on her long before her mind would, and he would admire that without any qualms. This time, rather surprisingly, she repeated the punch from before...With a brief sigh, he repeated the palm deflection again. However, he found that this time he had made the mistake as this time she continued to push forward, allowing the deflection to push the blow aside from her fist, but her arm folded at the elbow as she shifted her body in to drive the pointed joint toward him. In a rather rushed and slightly surprised reaction, he twisted on the spot, bringing back his heel as his upper body twisted a quarter turn. The elbow still grazed his midsection slightly, the result of his own inattentive state, but it still wasn't a direct hit...This time, however, she was almost completely vulnerable. In order to execute the elbow, she had put her body into it, turning slightly herself, leaving Taiku after his evasion effectively behind her.

'What!?'

Surprising him again, he was greeted by another very swift twist of her upper body as she spun her heel around, a hooking kick to his torso that, due solely to the fact he was still so close to her, would only strike with the back of her leg as opposed to the more powerful heel. This blow on the other hand was more simple for him to deal with, his arm driving back against the leg before his palm pushed the inside of her thigh up, taking her completely out of her intended field of motion before landing on her back, clutching her head in a brief spell of pain...

"Very good, Reiko. Let's take a short break, we'll continue soon."

He reached down, pulling the girl to her feet as she puffed and panted. He couldn't deny it, in those last three movements, she'd effectively taken a path of trial and error before exploiting his expectation of her to repeat herself to full advantage. As such, she'd come closer than ever in striking him, actually managing to connect the blow partially in the elbows case, and striking his arm off-guard for the kick. Neither would have done much in a real fight, but the fact was, she was getting better, and quicker than he could imagine....

'At this rate, she'll start reading me as well as I can read her....'

The concept was both exciting and worrying for him, partly because when she was able to read him properly, he'd need to exert real power into his attacks to keep up the challenge for her. It would be risky, she could get hurt, but at the same time, she'd come this far in a short space of time, who was to say she wasn't capable of handling it...? The thought remained with him as he sat down underneath a tree, unzipping the holdall he'd brought with him and taking out two bottles of water. Underhanding one straight up, to Reiko who sat in a branch above him in the shade of the higher ground in the crook of a branch, he opened his own and took a long drink of the cool liquid before he caught the sound of footsteps through the dried grass, a few twigs snapping underfoot. It was understandable he'd not noticed anyone in the last few minutes with the fact he'd had to concentrate further on Reiko than normal, it meant anyone could have been watching them.

The question remained whether it was actually a person, of course, or just a squirrel or something. Regardless, his eyes remained sharp as he skimmed the nearby area in the prospective search.

[rougestar21]

"Gotta keep it goin... Keep it up Spartan..."
Jonas muttered to himself as he ran through the woods, half paying attention to his surroundings, half paying attention to the placement of his feet, and not even halfway paying attention to what he was saying. Somehow, Jonas enjoyed running through the woods a lot better than the streets of New York; the way he was running now reminded him a lot of his home in Tennessee. This was the one thing about running Jonas enjoyed; just the ability to see new things. Now, in the gym, Jonas wouldn't even bother to lift weights, mainly because he was just staring at an empty wall for an hour, and that kind of monotony drove Jonas nuts. Out here, things were different. Around every corner, over every hill, there was somthing different that kept Jonas' mind active, and not focused on his pain of training. Even after his fight with Fletcher a week ago, Jonas had managed to get back on his dislocated ankle and get back to doing what he did best; running for hours on end.

Suddenly, Jonas saw somthing move in the forest as he ran by. He twitched his head toward the movement quickly, without even breaking stride. Sure enough, there was somthing there; it was a girl, just sitting down out there in the clearing. Normally, Jonas wouldn't even associate himself with any girl; not that he was gay, but the scars of Lydia's betrayal still had taken their toll on Jonas. Suddenly, he stopped. There was something else in that clearing, somthing that seemed familiar to him....
"This is one of those instances where you need to be very certain about what you say, boy. What the hell are you doing in my club?"

Dio Santo, I know that guy. Jonas muttered as he stood in the clearing. With that, Jonas began to start up his running again. Suddenly, Jonas' injured foot missed the ground, and he landed on his ankle, causing him to curse out in pain,
"Cazzate! Damnit, that hurts..." Jonas moaned as he moved toward the clearing.

Maybe I should sit down for a second... Jonas thought as he limped into the clearing. I ain't in his club now, so I believe he may be a little more hospitable. With that, Jonas slowly began to move into plain view.
"Ciao, come voi mio amico?* Jonas said as he moved his way onto a log. "Do you mind if I sit here for a second?"

* (Italian) Hello, how are you, my friend?

[Pain Killer]

"You're slowing down, old man."

The words came from the opposite side of Taiku, the direction Jonas had been running towards rather than from, and while they came out gruff and mocking, the one who spoke them had a wide smirk on his face. While it was doubtful that Pain Killer would ever manage to sneak up on Taiku, given his size and overall clumsiness, but the running boy had done a good job of disguising the larger man's footsteps. Still, it was possible that Taiku would've heard him coming, but nevertheless, Adam's mood would remain the same.

"Then again, I'm surprised you're fighting a girl after all. Especially a younger one. I'd have figured you'd pick on someone in your club, you know, troublemakers and that."

Adam started to walk closer, his hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat as he regarded the three in front of him. Aside from Taiku, he had no idea who the other two were, though he had an instant dislike for the other male. He'd never been good with other languages, and from such difficulties, had decided that all those who alternate between languages in a conversation were just pretentious pricks. As such, Jonas was a step down from the generic dislike Adam gave to everyone who he hadn't bothered to get to know, which meant Pain Killer would simply ignore him until he did something worthwhile to catch his interest.

The girl, however, gave off the barest bit of familiarity. At first, he couldn't place it, and Adam simply stared from underneath his bangs, his mind working on overdrive to catch the reference. With a glance in Taiku's direction, the puzzle pieces fit, it seemed that Taiku had a relative.

"So who's this? Your daughter, or something?"

Well, maybe not a perfect fit.

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: Firstly, Reiko isn't sitting 'out in the clearing' at all. She's sitting in the branches of a tree above Taiku. Please pay some attention to that, because it'll only get complicated if we start misinterpreting one another.

ic:

'What the hell is that, Italian..?'

His eyebrow peaked at the young mans words before his switch back to English, a deep mental sigh at the fact the youth chose to speak to him in two separate languages, one of which even he didn't understand, aside from a single word.

"Sit where you want, it's a free forest, but I'm not your friend, kid."

He had suddenly remembered the face, actually, he remembered the injured limb from the youths appearance at Legion a little while back, and his distaste was not given any cover. He was still rather irked at the audacity shown by the youth when he'd met him in the club, and as such was not quick to offer anything aside from a turn of his head in the young mans general direction. Whether he sat or not wasn't terribly relevant as Taiku himself stood, zipping the holdall closed and tossing it into the air above his head, Reiko taking it from him and setting it next to her in the branch as she watched the newcomer rather intently.

'How does he know Kazuki....?'

The addition of a second set of words, however, along with the general noise associated with his approach, brought a very subtle smirk to the elder males face as he turned to face a particularly new rival, if nothing else. He wasn't quite comfortable in calling Adam Rydell a friend by any means, but he had enough respect for the young man after his endeavours in the past encounters they'd shared with swinging fists.

"Slowing down? I could still outrun you without breaking past a jog, boy..."

The smirk was given in a decent nature, the simple fact that he wouldn't offer any weakness to the self-proclaimed 'Pain Killer' without a fight..."Well, the last time I had to deal with someone in my club, I remember he got pretty badly hurt. Busted ankle and all that. I dunno, the memory's kinda blurry, since it all happened so quick. I figured I'd take on someone who was able to keep up with me today, y'know?"

Leaning against the trees weathered, aged trunk, he glanced up and gave a nod before a small blur dropped down a little to his side, Reiko rising to her full size, albeit the little amount of it she had in comparison to the others, and gave a glance toward Adam, her head tilting.

"The way he talked about your fights, I expected someone bigger. But hey, I guess that's why he likes to spar with girls, it's a good comparison..."

Even Taiku lowered his head with a brief chuckle at her remark, his head shaking before he looked back up at Adams faux pas. Daughter? Not by a long shot...

"Or something, I suppose. She's my cousin. Hell, do I look that old, Adam...?"

[Pain Killer]

"Well, I suppose I don't get as much practise running away from fights, as you do."

With a soft shrug, Adam dismissed Taiku's second response just as quickly, though not in an attempt to be rude. He'd lost that fight, that was true, but the events that had occurred afterwards had done him a world of good in terms of his outlook on things. Besides, if push came to shove, he figured he'd be able to beat Kazuki the next time they fought. Such a challenge, however, would not likely come forth from him today, however, as he had the desire to have his long-awaited victory in a more public setting.

The only female present hopped down from her branch, the motion naturally catching Pain Killer's attention, though not as much as the words that followed. His right hand pulled out of his pocket, covering his mouth as he debated whether to laugh or start cussing. It was an odd situation, being mocked by a little girl, a scenario he never thought he'd have happen, as such, he had no idea how he was supposed to react. Finally, he decided upon the former, letting out a brief snicker or two quietly to himself, before dropping his hand and looking towards Taiku, who had started to speak again.

"Hell, I have no real idea how old you really are, Taiku. And I didn't much care to find out if you had a girlfriend or whatever, seeing as how it's not my business."

Slowly, his eyes went back to the girl, a mischevious smile on his face. It had taken him this long, but finally he'd come up with a come-back that was acceptable for him to use.

"You might want to be careful, pup. Not everyone's as 'nice' as I am, and Unky Kaz' won't be around forever. Though I suppose that's why he's out here smacking you around, eh?"

[Kazuki Akimoto]

ooc: After this, wait to let Jonas post, kay?

ic:

A shrug of the shoulders with a very plain smile on his face was all he offered to the youth, his eyebrows calmly raised in amusement at the comment. Adam knew very well that he had no intention to run from a fight, especially one that, with no exception, he had little troubles in winning from the current record they shared. Sure, Adam had come close on one occasion, and whilst the true outcome of that match was still under debate, the records spoke in the Asians favour...

Reiko, it would seem, had already garnered a touch of interest from Adam however as he, to Taikus surprise, actually emitted a laugh. Sure, it was one that wouldn't have been heard unless you were looking at Adam, but nonetheless it was there. A touch of incredulity on his face at the expression, he barely registered the remark made back to him before his eyes narrowed sharply at the following one directed at Reiko.

"Watch you--"

"Well, the way I see it, big guy, I'm not the one who needs to be careful. After all, if he can whip you like a bitch...."

"Enough, Reiko."

"...Besides, I'm sure he'll get back to smacking YOU around in perfectly good time, just wait your turn and unbunch your skimpies."

"Reiko, enough!"

The young girl flicked an eyebrow before she turned away, a sour look on her face before she walked away curtly and sat in the shade of a tree a short distance away, sipping from her water bottle. The other youth who had entered the clearing was closer to them now, and with a glance in his direction, she gave a short nod at him.

"Hey. So, what did you do to piss Taiku off...?"

In the meanwhile, Taiku would still be standing opposite Adam, a rather clear position between the larger man and his younger cousin. Her words were out of line, even he could admit that, but he was not about to incite trouble as a result of it. Today wasn't the time...

"Aside from picking fights with a fifteen year old girl, what else are you doing here?"

The words left his lips as he turned slowly, walking back to the tree Reiko had put the bag up in before taking a step or two back, jumping at the trunk and using the rough bark to gain traction up to grab it down. Unzipping it, he took out another bottle of the water and offered it to the larger youth. Much as they weren't about to reminisce on old times, he was courteous enough to make the offer.

[rougestar21]

Jonas turned his head away from his busted ankle toward the girl, apparently called Reiko, a smart-alek look on his face.

"I asked him to help me out. Surprised he didn't kill me when he saw me."

Of course, after he had said that, Jonas immediately regretted it. This guy seemed like a decent business owner; a bit of a jerk to people he didn't like, but Jonas could understand that. Save the fact that he was still in America and he was a bit egotistical, he would be everything that Jonas wished he could be. Turning toward the other guy that Reiko had fired insults at, Jonas could tell that his Italian speech annoyed him. A few years ago, somthing like that would have annoyed Jonas, but ever since he had lived with Uncle Vince in NYC, he had gotten used to mixed Italian and English from Vince, and had even picked up on it himself. With that, Jonas pulled out a red bandanna from his running pants and patted it on his face, cleaning some of the sweat off. He slowly staggered to his feet and tried bouncing around on his ankle.
"Hmmm... I think I can balance on it..." Jonas muttered to himself, "but let's see if that's it." With that, Jonas threw his injured leg straight up in a thunderous side kick, and, at its apex, Jonas leaned his heel on a tree, an inch above his eyes, and slowly relaxed.
"Ahhh, now that's better..." Jonas sighed as he pushed his weight onto his good ankle. He slowly turned around, his leg still on the tree, and looked around at the group of people that had gathered.

"So, I know this guy," Jonas motioned toward Taiku, "And this one's his cousin..." Jonas motioned toward Reiko, "That just leaves me the question of who you are." Jonas said politely as he motioned toward the other large guy in the clearing.

[Pain Killer]

"Ha! The pup's got teeth!"

A full out grin made it's way onto Adam's face, genuinely amused at Reiko's words. Already considering the next response, his thoughts were cut off by Taiku's question, as well as the offered water. Never one to pass up a freebie, Pain Killer raised his hand, the motion clear to indicate to Taiku to throw the bottle towards him. Provided that happened, Adam would nod his thanks before answering.

"As much as I enjoy fighting those weaker than me," He started, giving a rather pointed look towards Reiko, "I was actually taking the day off. You could say, looking for a new way to fix my problems."

The problem was, with Stern's incarceration, he'd been left with nothing. The one man he'd put his faith in had disappeared, leaving Pain Killer to fend for himself, a situation he'd had before but hadn't expected to be thrust back into so quickly. Hell, even his roommate had disappeared lately, leaving Adam to wonder just what exactly was happening in San Francisco. Hearing the other male speak, he turned his head nonchalantly towards him, frowning in a clear show of his displeasure at having to deal with him.

"I'm the guy who'd put a hole in you just to see if your foreign blood looks the same as the kind around here. Grown ups are talking, why don't you chat with the pup, there?"

Typically hostile, Adam looked away from the boy, well aware of the fact he was being rude, but caring very little for it. As far as he was concerned, his anger was justified, and extended to all those who he didn't bother to get to know. He unscrewed the cap on the water, downing a good deal of it in a matter of seconds, before replacing the lid, silently reflecting on what had, exactly, driven him to approach Taiku and his cousin.

"You know... San Francisco is almost as bad as Varron. I'm surprised, actually. It makes you think why someone would bother being here if they could help it. Soon as I get Mya back, we're leaving. I guess I just figured... I should tell somebody."

[Kazuki Akimoto]

"Much as he doesn't take to people well, I severely doubt he'd have killed you. Besides, he could probably do without the trouble, that's why he didn't do anything when he saw you..."

Reiko, like her elder cousin, was very astute and curt in her wording, and whilst she was both capable of being far more polite and far more rude than the elder male, she was also very much uninterested, still paying the majority of her attention toward the two others a little ways away as they talked quietly. Adams remark about her as she paced away had been taken with an inward smirk, and whilst she was set on the notion of him being a prick, the fact her cousin wasn't swinging limbs yet spoke volumes on the situation...

With an underhand, flicking the bottle to Adam when he raised his hand in anticipation of the throw, he gave a briefly raised eyebrow at the remark before it clicked to him. After all, he'd been there himself, but he'd not seen Adam there personally, only heard about his involvement through others about being restrained by the riot police. It would seem that inevitably, he'd been right about Stern and his overall manner towards anyone he allowed close to him, but to avoid rubbing salt into a very open wound right now he simply nodded to it. The exchange between him and the Italian youth caught his attention briefly as he shook his head slowly, rolling his eyes at the very 'Adam-like' manner before sipping some of his water quietly.

Reiko, however, giggled quietly at the remark made before glancing at Jonas, shrugging her shoulders as if stumped for what to say. "Guess that settles that one, so what brought you out here on a busted foot like that? Better yet, why the hell are you swinging it around?"

A little aways, Taiku would give a very solemn nod to Adams remark. It was no better, but they made do, they got through with little trouble and things weren't half as bad as they used to be, in fact, for the club owner and his circle, things were rapidly looking up. The sad thing was, he knew the same couldn't be said for a lot of others, in particular Adam.

"I see...Well, much as I'm not about to clasp onto your ankle and stop you leaving, I will say it'll be a shame to see you leave. Besides, unless you forgot, we have a rematch..."

Shrugging his shoulders loosely, he leaned back against the trunk of the tree and slumped down to sit with his back to the stump, folding an arm behind his head calmly. "..Still, you gotta do what you gotta do. In any case, don't go too far, you never know when I'll want that rematch, y'know."

It was oblique and somewhat egotistical on his part, but the smirk on his face was the closest he would give to a genuine smile to the younger male. He'd always given respect where due, and he knew that Mya was the main priority in Adams current agenda. Still, if he could persuade him to stick around, it would be better for everyone in the long run, even if it was only long enough for the two to come to a conclusive finish...

[Pain Killer]

OOC: Short, I know. Not much else to say, I figure.

IC:

"Well, to tell you the truth, I hadn't planned on coming back."

With those around him sitting down, it was only natural for Pain Killer to do the same. He plopped himself down on the grass, legs extended out in front of him while his left arm propped his upper body up. He wasn't sure if Taiku minded if he stuck around, but the fact the older man had been talking to him was reason enough to put that feeling to rest. He glanced over towards Reiko, simply looking for something to catch his attention, as Taiku wasn't moving, but since she wasn't standing either, his gaze wandered back to the former gang leader.

"Why do you stay here? Hell, why'd you come to San Fran in the first place? It's a long way to go to simply follow some former classmates, not to mention a dangerous place for a little girl."

It wasn't intended as an insult, though Pain Killer tended to rub people the wrong way sometimes. Instead, it was genuine concern, spoken without the filters most people had in order to keep from being offensive. Rather than wait for the man formerly known as Kazuki to respond, Adam simply went on, deciding to get the rest out before he was misinterpreted.

"I mean, I heard about your club back in Varron. What happened to it, at least. That's a lot of shit you'd have to come to grips with, but to come here? I mean, isn't the guy who did it here too? You really want to go through that again?"

[rougestar21]

"Wait, wait a minute!" Jonas glanced over at Taiku, "that was YOUR place that got toasted by Kvist?" While Jonas didn't know this personally, everyone who had ever been in Varron knew about it, and Jonas had managed to keep in touch with Bryan Higdon, his friend from elementary school, and managed to hear about it before Bryan left the country on a full foreign scholarship.
"Y'know, maybe I misjudged you, Mr. Akimoto." Jonas nodded toward Taiku. "Anyone who can deal with that Kvist boia dosen't deserve to be treated like crap. However, I have to know, why would you follow this guy all the way to San Francisco? You have a plan to get back at the Hand of Fate or somthing?"

[Kazuki Akimoto]

Figuring it best to simply offer a nod right now, he acknowledged the remark Adam made quietly before sipping his water some more, glancing back up at what Adam said with a slow shrug, his head leaning back against the wood of the trunk.

"She wasn't part of the equation when I came here, but I didn't know what else to do when The Edge was destroyed. Sure, I could have stayed in Varron or somewhere else in the state, but it wouldn't have been the same for me. I got used to you guys, to the old Academy and the others, and I guess nostalgia was a part in it as well as Kira."

His tone changed rather quickly as he addressed the touchy matter of Kvist with a calm, but clearly more sour note to his words. "As for him, I was under the impression he'd been caught and jailed. Apparently he managed to escape with some help, and now he's here. Still, much as I would rather avoid all conflict now and just enjoy some peace, I'm ready to throw whatever semblance of normality away to deal with that problem, just as you were willing to do so with 'him'."

He never addressed Adams brother by name, the simple fact being that the other two in the clearing didn't know nor had any NEED to know about the issues that it entailed, but he knew full well that the larger male sitting near him would know crystally what he was talking about, or more to that note, whom. A voice interjecting from the side made his head turn slightly as an eyebrow popped up, listening to this youth as he made note to apparently knowing about The Edges fate.

'That's an inconvenience....'

Still, despite his particular disdain for the young man, he offered a reply rather than simply shrugging off the boy. "Since I'm clearly under interrogation at the moment, I'll answer that question a second time. I didn't come here with the intent of following anyone, I came here because I liked the idea of leaving New York. That was all. The mere fact Kvist is breathing, present and within a thousand miles of me is an inconvenience to us both, but not something I set out with intentions of making happen."

With absolutely no intentions of answering the last question, he dropped it quickly and continued speaking, the words directed to Adam again. "Leaving for good though, that's a hell of a leap. I mean, where did you plan on going, or is it just a case of getting away from here?"

[Pain Killer]

Physically, Pain Killer did little to react as Taiku answered, simply listening carefully, though inside he felt anger beginning to flow. His brother, as always, gave him more than enough cause to be upset, especially lately. Still, he couldn't help but wonder whether that situation would ever change. His musing was thrown to the back burner as Taiku posed another question to him, Pain Killer not even bothering to acknowledge the fact Jonas had asked the same question as him moments ago as he answered.

"I figured, we'd head back home. See how it changed, pay our respects to our parents, well, what's left of them after being buried for so long."

There was a general disrespect in the way Adam spoke of his parents, though given their actions, he didn't regret it. Even so, talk of what he would do once Mya was freed only went so far, since she was still in the clutches of his psychotic brother. Even though he was getting better, he simply couldn't fight his brother, and not due to the gap in skill, either. In a rare moment, Adam felt the beginnings of a plan begin to form in his head, his eyes widening in excitement slightly before he looked towards Taiku, the excitement replaced by stern concentration.

"You know what? Nothing's changed since that fight in your bar. I can't beat my brother, he does... things. Things that brothers shouldn't do to each other. But I think I can get around that."

The barest of smirks formed on Adam's face, though the next words didn't necessarily warrant such an action.

"We both know your problem and mine are connected. All I'm asking you is that you tell me when you're solving yours. No doubt he'll run to his rescue, which leaves the door open, so to speak. Can you do that for me?"

Pain Killer wouldn't go so far as to say it was a favour to him, though the fact remained that if such a scenario unfolded, he would definately owe Taiku one. All that remained was to see whether Taiku accepted or not, or whether he had a better plan.

[Kazuki Akimoto]

Offering little besides a small nod at the suggestion made on returning to wherever it was he and Mya called home to pay their respects, considering his own circumstances in that light had been rather tetchy themselves, he found no words to interject at the thought. His own personal desire to give the self-proclaimed Pain Killer their 'finale' bout taking a comfortable second place at such a consideration. However, soon enough the conversation approached a matter Taiku himself would have personally bet against ever occurring, and whilst he paused briefly to take in the words, he was able to return the small smile with one of his own.

"Revenge is a horrible thing, but for people like us, it's a valid course of action. Assuming of course that you arrive in time to exact it, I'll ensure you're kept in the loop. After all, I can't have you skipping out, and I'm fairly sure my hands will be kept full enough with Kvist and the rest of his little pets."

There was no favour asked, no dues to be paid if the action was carried out, after all who would he be to expect such a thing? Should it be a reversed situation and Reiko was in danger, he would hope for the same courtesy if it came around...However, one thing needed to be borne to mind for the younger male.

"Only thing to keep in mind, it's not just me who wants Kvist. He's not exactly flavour of the month, and as such I can't guarantee anything considering the circumstances. As such, I've an offer to make of you. A temporary one by all means, but an offer all the same. Legion is one of those places where if it's going to happen, people will know about it first-hand, and if you wish, I could use an extra set of hands around the place...."

Shrugging his shoulders at the offer, something he wholeheartedly expected to find rejected, he continued briefly.

"It's money in the bank, and when you get to going, it's always good to have. Once Mya's back, you can leave at your own accord."

After he finished speaking, his head would lean back against the tree-trunk, his free arm folded across his lap as he sipped from the water bottle and sighed quietly. Passing a glance over to Reiko, his eyes caught hers a moment as he silently asked her if there was any problem. Seeing nothing but ambivalence in the girls expression, he nodded and returned his attention to Adam.

[Pain Killer]

"You want me to work at Legion? And here I thought your staff didn't like me."

Once again, Adam found himself surprised at the amount of generousity Taiku extended his way, despite their rather frequent and brutal bouts. After all, at the end of two of their three fights, each of them had taken a trip to the hospital. The idea of working in a bar again was vaguely comforting, however, working for someone he already felt indebted to was something else entirely. Well... I'm starting to run out of the funds I made in Varron... Goddamnit.

"What would you have me do? I used to work as a bouncer in a smaller club back in Varron, so I have something of an idea of how to do some things. But you've got security already, I doubt you need more. I just don't want some charity position where I do nothing."

He purposefully avoided thanking Taiku, or outright accepting, though that in itself was not unusual. Pain Killer simply wasn't the type to enjoy being indebted to someone, though at the rate this was going, it seemed he would indeed owe the older man quite a bit. He leaned forward, pulling his right foot closer to him in order to rest his forearm upon it.

"Well, if what you're saying is true, though, then you won't need my help dealing with him anyway. That'll be perfect timing. Looks like you've helped me yet again."

A small snort of contempt accentuated Adam's remark, though it was directed towards himself for being in need of assistance once again. He took another drink from the bottle of water, draining it completely before getting to his feet. He'd take the bottle with him, no sense in littering or inconveniencing the former gang leader any more than he already had.

"Well, I suppose I should let you two get back to training, or whatever would be coming next. I guess we'll go over whatever details in a few days, hm?"

After hearing Taiku's answer, Adam would nod and give a small wave with his free left hand, nodding to Reiko as well in order to keep from being overly rude. After all, she'd entertained him, unlike the boy she had been talking with, and so, had been labelled as being worthy of respect. Everything had been settled, and there was no reason for him to remain present any longer, and so, he began to make his way out of the forest, off to spend the rest of his day off training alone, as he preferred it.