Day at the Dojo (Odin)

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou walked down the sidewalk that led to his old karate dojo. He hadn't been there for 3 years, having stopped going after entering high school, but he still practiced everyday, even though he was sure what he did daily was old. He still kept in touch with his old sensei, talking with him whenever he met him. Even now, he had called on his sensei and asked him for a favour, which his sensei had gladly agreed to.

- Four days ago-

Ryou picked up the phone, and dialed the number of his sensei's dojo. " Hello?" a familiar voice answered, making Ryou grin. " Hey Sensei." he replied. " Ryou! How've you been? When was the last time I saw you, a month ago was it?" " Yeah sensei, I've been really busy lately." " Really? That's good." " Sensei, I need to ask a favour of you." " What is it?" " I'd like to use your dojo to have a sparing match with a guy from my school, it's just a friendly match." " Hmm, well, let me check my schedule...Ah! How about four days from now, I have no plans or classes on that day." " Sounds good, thanks sensei." " You're welcome Ryou, goodbye." " Bye." Ryou placed the phone back on the cradle, and then picked it up again and dialed Odin's number, to tell him and confirm with him the time, date, and location.

- Present-

Ryou smirked as he reached his old dojo, the familiar sign on the window still. He pulled open the door, and walked in, letting the door close behind him. It was the same old dojo, nothing had changed, not that it needed anything to change. The building was in surprisingly good shape, and his sensei had completely redone the inside, everything, including the equipment, was in good shape. " Ryou!" a voice called out, as his sensei came walking in from the back. " Sensei!" he replied, as he bowed before his sensei before shaking his hand. " You're looking well." " You too Kazuya-san." he replied. Although his sensei looked like he was in his twenties, in actuality, he was 32. " Is your friend, or should I say opponent coming?" " He'll be here soon sensei. This place hasn't changed. Even after three years, it still looks the same." " Well, there isn't much for me to change, the students still come, and I still keep teaching." " Heh, same old sensei." Ryou thought, as the sound of the door opening behind him made him turn his head slightly to see who had come in.

[Odin Reeves]

-Four days prior-

With a sharp exhale Odin bent his knee’s and dropped the box of kitchen ware on the floor with as much ease as he could when carrying it on his back. It was the last box to bring up into his new apartment, and now all that was left was to unpack and place all his possessions away. What a bothersome task to do, but alas it needed to be done… Just, not at this minute.

Heading down stairs from his third story apartment he went and paid the U-haul truck driver for his help with the larger items, like his couch and bed frame, and the transportation since Odin wasn’t confident in his abilities to drive such a large truck. As he waved good-bye a ring in his pocket caught his attention. Staring down at the noise for a few seconds he didn’t realize that his cell phone was ringing. Typically speaking he only received text messages from friends, and when work called it was usually a bit later in the day. Pulling out the cellular device he flicked it open and brought it to his ear, a seldom ‘Hello?’ his only response to the call.

As Ryou explained his arrangements for their sparring session Odin remained calm and silent, only speaking at the end when he agreed and spoke the time and date again for confirmation. It had been awhile since he had just sparred someone so Odin was looking forward to taking it easy for once. Running up the three flights of stairs he grew excited for the upcoming day and became rather restless.

-Present day-

Carrying a black duffle bag Odin entered the gym, wearing a casual attire of jeans and a t-shirt. This wasn’t someone he had to rush into, he had time to prepare, and so he was careful on what he brought. He didn’t want to hurt his opponent, and so he brought a few more pads then usual, just in case. Getting changed into a pair of boxing shorts and a white muscle shirt he went into the main room with a nod and greeting from Ryou’s sensei. Seeing Ryou already ready he headed toward him, a friendly smile across his face as he continued to carry the duffle bag, though left his shoes back in the changing room.

“Do you want a casual sparring session, or a serious one?” His question was needed in Odin’s point of view. With a casual spar he’d pull his punches and strikes, slowing them down and just showing Ryou that yes, he’d be hit without actually hitting him. A serious one, well he wouldn’t wear as much padding, just some 4oz gloves and he’d stop only after some damage had been done, with Ryou’s consent of course.

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou grinned back at Odin, he had already changed into his old karate uniform before Odin had arrived, he was worried that it wouldn't fit, but even after three years, it still fit him comfortably. " Serious one, I want to see what it is that got you the title of Tournament Champion." Ryou replied to Odin's question. His clothes were in a messenger bag he had brought with him, which was in the changing room in the back. He tightened the black belt around his waist, the last thing he needed was his uniform falling apart on him.

Before he stopped taking lessons, he had achieved a black belt, meaning he had a sound understanding of the techniques and principles taught to him. There was room for him to learn more, but he didn't have the time, but it didn't mean he got lazy, he practiced everyday, he had refined the techniques he already knew. He grinned at Odin, who was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a white muscle shirt as he walked to the ring.

" If you're worried about hurting me, don't, I want you to give it everything you've got, no holding back okay?"

Ryou wanted to see what got Odin his title, he knew it wouldn't be an easy match, but life was never easy to begin with, why should this be any different? Kazuya stood at the edge of the ring, he would be the judge, deciding when the sparring should stop. " Are you ready?" he asked, looking at Odin. " Then begin." Ryou then went into the regular stance, his legs spread apart, about from the edge of his shoulder to his arm, his right arm in front of him, and his left arm slightly behind, ready to pull a defense technique if needed.

[Odin Reeves]

“Alright then. Try to keep up.”

Turning away from Ryou he took a few steps away, bringing his 4oz gloves out from underneath his arm and slipped his fingers past the softly faded leather. Tightening both wrist straps he didn’t even bother to check back over his shoulder, knowing that Ryou wouldn’t attempt anything of a cheap shot. What he did check out however was the gym itself. Unlike a boxing ring the area they were sparring in didn’t have any ropes, and so it was harder to back someone into a corner. Although, with a judge/referee there it would make sense to have rules established like perimeter to avoid running away. If Ryou were to pass that, well then the fight would be stopped and repositioned in the center of the ring.

Taking a deep breath he retightened his right glove, adjusting it one last time before dropping his hands to his side. Closing his eyes he titled his head back, embracing his thoughts and changing his mindset. For the past four days he had been adamant about telling himself that this was just a friendly sparring session. That he won’t go overboard. That he’d control himself. But his opponent’s words changed that. This wasn’t just a friendly exchange of techniques; he was there for blood.

Opening his eyes he lowered his gaze, tucking his chin in with his lips pressed firmly together. He was looking out past his eyebrows, the ridge of his nose pushed up as though he was snarling. Spinning around he faced his opponent, a look of anger present in his eyes as he stepped forward with his left foot. Raising his hands up he tucked them into a tight guard, the back of his fists facing his opponent as he brought them up to his cheekbones. Rolling his shoulders forward he ducked down with his lower body until he was hunched forward.

Moving toward Ryou he stared off with a slow and steady pace, at first coming in with a straight body until he reached about half way across the ring. Then he started to sway from left to right with soft weaving motions, his left foot always leading with his hips and shoulders square to his opponent. He took his time moving, in no hurry to rush forward. His eyes were fixed on his opponent’s stance, analyzing the right side forward posture. Thought it was gradual with each step his feet were slowly getting wider and wider apart to accommodate with his weaving motions. As he came in closer the weaving seemed to varying, the speed of it getting faster despite his body moving further and further to the outer edges of one’s balance. Recently Odin had been training his stabilizer muscles more then anything else, and that was one reason why he didn’t remove his shirt. The added group of muscles meant he could throw the same power punches from different angles, but this was just another test to truly find his style.

Odin moved in past his own range without striking, and then came into Ryou’s range, yet still there were no strikes thrown. Currently his weaving was more in the shape of a U, dipping down in the middle but coming back up on the outsides. He wanted to see how far he could push Ryo before the pressure became too much. And so he’d just continue forward, either stalking Ryou as he retreated around the ring, or until he was close enough that they were butting heads.

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou's grin quickly disappeared and was replaced with a serious look. He circled around the ring, never taking his eyes off Odin for even a second. His hands were toughened up from all the sparring and training he had done by himself, but Kazuya still made him wear hand guards, not that Ryou didn't mind, since Odin was wearing boxing gloves, now they were on even territory, instead of Ryou just fighting barehanded. He was use to pressure, having participated in tournaments for most of his life, his every move watched and scrutinized by dozens of people. Far from making him nervous, it pumped him up, he was in his comfort zone, even Kazuya could tell just by looking at Ryou's eyes.

Ryou kept eye contact with Odin, his eyes no longer had a friendly look, they held the look of bloodlust, wanting to draw blood. Ryou moved closer and closer to Odin as he continued circling, gradually, inch by inch, until he was in a close enough range to strike, but he could still defend himself if needed.

Ryou fired a rapid punch with his left fist, not at Odin's gut like most people would usually aim at in Ryou's position, he instead aimed for Odin's arms that were in front of him, near his cheekbones. Ryou's arms weren't the most muscular in the world, but they held enough strength to inflict quite a bit of damage. Facing against Odin however, Ryou didn't know how much damage he would inflict. Most people would be wondering what Ryou was thinking or doing, as he began firing rapid punches, focusing on one spot, alternating which fist he used so he wouldn't wear his arms out, he had a plan, and he wasn't about to change his plan, though if something unforeseen happened, Ryou would have to change what he planned.

Kazuya could tell Ryou had his plan set in motion, just by looking at Ryou's face, as he stood on the outer edge of the ring, his arms folded across his chest. Ryou stopped punching, and once again strafed around the ring, his hands in a defensive position. " It's your move Odin, show me what you've got!"

[Odin Reeves]

[Just so you know, Odin’s wearing 4oz gloves, MMA gloves. Not boxing gloves, which are 16oz-practice and 8oz-boxing]

Paying no attention to Ryou’s eyes Odin pushed forward, his steps albeit slow were taking effect. He had effectively pushed Ryou to the outside of the ring, claiming the center as his own as the younger, much lighter male continued to play around the ring. Whether he was taking it serious or not didn’t matter, Odin was in prime position to advance and only had to wait for an opening to do so. The reasoning was simple, when you think of a circle in a square you see that the circle cuts corners. Put a dot in the middle and you find that the circle can remain perfectly separated on all edges. However, if the movement of the center object pressures the object traveling that circle, say, then its path can vary. Thus, with Odin slight steps forward and quick turns he was distorting Ryou’s rhythm, even if the boy didn’t realize it.

Getting Ryou to attack was the second half of his plan, yes, Odin actually had a plan. When Ryou snapped out a light left Odin’s body weaved to his right, letting him catch a glimpse of Ryou’s left side. Weaving back to a centered position Odin was ‘forced’ to continue moving to his left, ducking under the right that was fired right after. He once more gauged the time and distance, knowing that they had very similar reach in terms of their arms. The only thing he needed to really focus on was the speed of the punches. A second left came toward him, and he continued his back and forth pattern and swayed underneath it while moving to his right. Once again the left side became visible to him, almost enough to make him hunger for the feeling of his fists crushing muscle and bone.

Patience. What a cruel mistress it had become.

Odin continued weaving back and forth, ducking underneath a second right, and a third left. When he was moving back toward his left side he felt that he thoroughly understood the speed and length of the punches, and their rapid pattern was more then understandable. It was a two-dimensional attack, and now was the time to strike at his weaknesses.

As Ryou’s third right punch came toward Odin the Varronite changed from his normal pattern of motion. He still swayed under the punch, showing his comfort when it comes to hand to hand fighting, especially strikes, but pushed forward in a lunging motion as he closed the distance on his opponent. With his opponent’s arm still out stretched Odin planted his front left foot, having already drawn back his left fist, hips, and shoulders, and torque’d his body and foot inwards so that his toes were pointing in Ryou’s direction. Throwing out his left fist he went for a good ol’ fashioned liver blow. Meanwhile, his right hand was still up in guard as his left was unleashing its presence of speed and, more importantly, power on his opponent. To put it bluntly, if Ryou thought that Odin’s fight stance put a deal of pressure on him, then just the sight of his punch would overwhelm the boy.

As a follow-up Odin’s hips would torque back in the other direction, his front foot pivoting back over as he stretched out further on his right. His right fist would come in on the inside of Ryou’s right arm with an overhand right to the face. The liver-blow, while effective in both catching his opponent and hurting them, was just a set up for the overhand right that could, and in most cases, would finish the fight via knock-out.

To put it simply, if Ryou managed to avoid his liver-blow then there was a strong probability that he’d run face first into Odin’s right hand. Given the angle and position of both bodies, no matter how Odin tried it he’d only be able to strike with more of an elongated hooking motion. So, he’d actually he attacking the left side of Ryou’s face, though should the boy turn, lean back, excreta then it could easily strike the nose/front portion of his facial features.

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou knew he had been pushed to the outer portion of the ring, that didn't really matter to him, he'd been in situations like this before, the opponent pushing him, trying to elevate the pressure on him, seeing how long it would take before he'd crack. As Odin closed the distance between himself and Ryou, Ryou began the second phase of his plan. Ryou's face was complete devoid of emotion, all it showed was pure concentration. Ryou knew his punches were basic and obviously very predictable, but if Odin though that was all Ryou knew how to do, he'd be in for a huge surprise.

What came next caught Ryou off slightly, but he adjusted his plan accordingly. Ryou knew his options, if he dodged Odin's hook, he'd most likely end up ramming himself right into Odin's right fist. Not going to happen. He could try and deflect Odin's punch, but given the speed, angle and power, it would more than likely fail, and Ryou would leave himself wide open to get his ass kicked. Ryou knew he had only two options left, one that would be painful, but it'd give him a good chance to counterattack, the other was very risky, one that could make or break this fight. Ryou decided to go with his first option, he'd save his second option for a later time, and he changed the target that Odin was aiming for.

Ryou bent down, and felt the punch smack right into his gut, making him grimace in pain, but he fought the the pain, feeling the second punch from Odin's right fist connect. A double blow, in normal circumstances, would instantly KO anyone, especially from punches with such power, but Ryou had suffered pain like this before. He took the opportunity given to him to fire a counterattack, a powerful left uppercut. Given the position he was in, knees bent, his center of gravity low, his balance was much better, and his powerful legs gave him even more power as his rapid but powerful uppercut aimed straight for Odin's chin.

Even if your arms weren't muscular, your legs were used everyday, and muscle is built up slowly over time, even if you didn't realize it. Ryou practised everyday, not just his arms, he also used his legs, building up the muscle and strength in his legs. Ryou was in a good position to block Odin's punches if he decided to attack, or connect a hook or uppercut. Ryou had stepped up his game, his ferocity had gone up to another level, the hook connecting was one of many variables that could've happened. The pain was still there, but Ryou fought it, he did sustain injuries before, some on the same level of pain as Odin's punches. Ryou fought on, phase two had come and gone, phase three was about to commence.

[Odin Reeves]

In the world of boxing they say you need strong legs for two things: offence and defence. Offensively you needed your legs to move and provide a strong pivot point when applying your weight to a punch. But when it comes to defence you need strong legs to absorb the shock of the blow with your knees, limiting the force of the blow from your opponent. The fact that Ryou had taken two of Odin’s punches, one being a counter shot to his exposed body, seemed rather impressive and only went to prove that they boy did in fact train daily in order to sustain the blunt of his force.

Yet, taking the blows and reacting to them remain two different things. Despite having taken the force of Odin’s punches and remained standing he hadn’t staggered back, providing the conclusion that he was taking the damage as it were. A dangerous plan, especially since the powerful hi-low combination would, without a doubt, causes his opponent to stall in action, if only for a moment. But Odin wasn’t planning on continuing with a barrage of punches, which would set a rhythm and wouldn’t prove to be the best of his capabilities. Whether his opponent truly wanted it or not he was getting Odin’s best, the challenge was to see whether or not he could take it.

After connecting with his right hand Odin dropped it down a bit, relaxing his fist as he remained in his hunched position. He was still well under Ryou’s height, even if his opponent’s knees had buckled a bit. Moving out from his one-two combination Odin snapped his right arm to the side, pushing his palm against Ryou’s left shoulder as he stepped forward with his right leg. Stepping past any offence from the left side Odin would use his weight, strength, and positioning to take Ryou down with a single leg sweep. As he stepped through with his right leg, still in a crouching/hunching position, he’d wrap his leg behind Ryou’s and push with a twisting motion. His body would twist counter-clockwise, meaning he’d push Ryou over his leg so that he’d fall on a slant with his left side leading.

Should everything go as planned Odin would be able to apply pressure to Ryou’s midsection, on his right side, by dropping down on his right knee. From there he’d have the option of either beginning a ground and pound session or securing any chance of an attacking arm before ending the match through complete and utter dominance.

[Ryou Jackson]

As quick as Ryou had followed up with his uppercut, Odin had sweeped Ryou's legs right out from under him. Ryou was falling backwards, at a slant, and unless he did something, he would land hard on his back, open to a complete and utter pounding. It was a lot sooner than Ryou had hoped for, but now was the time he had to bring out his trump card, the option he had saved when Odin managed to land two clean hits on him. Ryou threw his left arm behind him, and prepared his right arm to make contact with the ground, almost like he was trying to do a one arm handstand in mid-air. His left hand flat, aligned with the ground, he threw his body weight behind him, so his left hand would land on the mat, he twisted his body and planted his right hand down beside his left hand, allowing Ryou to regain his balance briefly.

His hands planted firmly on the ground, close to the edge of the ring but not so far out that Kazuya would have to stop the match, he began rotating his hands counterclockwise, all the while his legs were spread out, he was spinning almost like a top, moving forward towards Odin. The move, while risky, if successful, would give Ryou enough room to execute a move that he only used once. If this move failed, well, Ryou couldn't deny that he'd given his best, and he had asked for Odin's best, which is what he got.

Ryou's eyes were closed, his face set with concentration, as sweat ran down his face and dropped down to the floor, only to be flung sideways as Ryou continued with his spin kicks. This move wasn't meant to injure or disable an opponent, if anything, this move looked akin to breakdancing. Ryou had practiced this move dozens of times, he had to get the rhythm and movement of his hands perfectly, eitherwise he'd topple over from the sheer dizziness. Once the movement was down perfectly, the speed of the move was all up to the user, Ryou was firing his kicks at a moderate speed, his legs were moving fast enough so they appeared blurry, but not so fast that Ryou would wear himself out in mere moments.

Whether Odin blocked or tried to counter Ryou's move was yet to be seen, but Ryou knew one thing, the rapid jabs and punches he had executed against Odin weren't for nothing. By now, given that Odin had used his left arm in a powerful punch, the one spot that Ryou had focused on might have started to hurt, Ryou didn't know, if it did hurt Odin, he sure as hell wasn't showing the pain of it.

" I don't have time to worry about that, it's time to step my ferocity up a level!"

[Odin Reeves]

‘This kids an all-or-nothing fighter… I like it.’

Having pushed back with his right leg forward, remaining in a make-shift-to-stable boxing stance, Odin watched as the evasion of his slam turned into a unique, and albeit odd technique. If Ryou had thought that he had worn Odin down then he was misleading himself. Up to this point the larger, bulkier of the two men had been the one who had not been hit, through simple evasion tactics that anyone can learn. The rapid-fire punches, while accurate, didn’t change course and were easy to weave under. It was Ryou’s lack of attention that made him miss this small fact, then overlooking Odin’s attacking pattern was yet another small mistake made up to this point.

The last mistake was repeating himself, it had failed him in the beginning, and now he was trying another move filled with repetition. To say the least, Ryou was moving like that of a bicycle tire: Through a stick in the spokes and it’ll come to a screeching halt. Odin was that stick. First he watched Ryou advance, watching the spin of his body by looking at his thighs rather then his feet. By this he was able to memorize and calculate the timing, and from there he’d be able to step in to end the fight.

Still with his right leg forward Odin pushed off with his left leg, stepping into the advancing Ryou. This step wasn’t just one to change sides so he was in a more comfortable position, he really stepped in, not to the point of another lunge, but it was still further then one would think. As he stepped in he was struck in the left side by Ryou’s leg, more notably the thigh. The damage was limited because the area carrying the least amount of momentum compared to mass struck Odin. Wrapping his left arm around the thigh he stepped forward again, planting his right leg on the other side of Ryou’s body. Planting his feet, bending his knees, and leaning back were all that was required to lock in the one legged submission hold, mostly known throughout professional wrestling as the Boston Crab. Odin’s left arm was still holding on tightly to Ryou’s right leg, still position around the thigh, though sliding back to the crease of the knee. Targeting the lower back of his opponent Odin was applying weight and stretching it back further then it should ever go.

“Tap.”

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou knew his last tactic had failed, but you couldn't deny that he had given it his all. He wanted Odin's best, and that's what he got. He didn't regret his decision, if anything, this fight helped him improve, even if Odin himself didn't realize it. " Heh, this is it, my final move for this fight." Ryou opened his eyes, Odin had trapped him, he had Ryou's right leg in an hold, his knee right up against Ryou's lower back, applying pressure to it. Since Ryou was facing away from Odin, Odin couldn't see that instead of looking worried, Ryou was actually...smiling.

Hard to believe, but yes, Ryou had a grin on his face, the first indication of emotion he had shown in the entire match. Ryou knew that in the stance Odin was in, he wouldn't as hell be able to throw him, so he did the next thought that came to his mind. Putting his left foot that was free on Odin's left shoulder, Ryou bent his right knee, and fired his foot in a swift motion, almost like he was going to bury his foot in Odin's face.

Instead of that however, his foot flipped up at the last minute, which gave Ryou enough momentum break the hold and flip backwards, and land on his feet. Sweat ran down his face, landing on the mat. " Remind me to clean this mat afterwards." Kazuya made a mental note, sighing. He could tell that Ryou was almost finished, he had trained his former student well, but there are some things that you can't teach someone, and an opponent with a different fighting style was one of them.

" You're...a good opponent Odin..." Ryou gasped out, a smile on his face. " You showed ferocity through this whole match, making me bring out my best. I'd like to fight with you again." he said, before falling on his knees, the pain had finally caught up with him, as he succumbed to his injuries, including the pressure Odin had applied to his lower back before he managed to escape.

" Winner, Odin." Kazuya said, making the final judgement. He walked over to the unconcious figure of Ryou, and bent down to examine him. " You certainly gave Ryou a run for his money." Kazuya noted, turning his head to look at Odin. " Congratulations." Kazuya placed his hand on Ryou's chest, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. " This is unusual. His heart is beating faster than normal, more faster than when he's finished a tournament, but the punches you inflicted on him shouldn't have injured him this much." Kazuya said, looking worried. " I'd better take him to the hospital, just to be safe. I trust you can let yourself out, I have to lock the door after you leave." Kazuya said to Odin, as he walked over to the counter and pulled out his keys.

" You've taught my former student a lot, I won't forget what you've done for him."

[Odin Reeves]

‘I only struck his body once, and it wasn’t even in the chest. Perhaps he has some sort of heart condition.’

During the final moments of the spar Odin suppressed, crushed, and avoided Ryou with the simplest of ease. When he fought against the hold for a way to escape Odin could’ve bent down lower, possibly cracking the lower spine of his opponent and paralyzing him for life. Instead he loosened up, allowing for the glimmer of hope to reach his opponent for a last moment of hope. Having backed up when the kid tried to use his legs to strike him.

Grabbing his duffel bag he nodded politely to the boys sensei, feeling adequate about just leaving it there and not beginning any discussions. He’d grab his shoes on the way out, but aside from that there was nothing prohibiting him from leaving. Simply put, he had done his job, and upheld his part of the bargain made at Legion.

Turning his frame he looked down at Ryou one last time, knowing the kid had tried his hardest. That was admirable, but also foolish. Trying your hardest isn’t as strong as doing your best. The kid focused too much on his body and not enough on his mind. Albeit, Odin was like that in his earlier days, but now he was more mature – at least in the ring. Taking a step outside he sat down with his back to the building, not hindering anyone on the sidewalk, nor blocking the instructor from getting outside. Slipping on his shoes he sighed softly, only able to let out a shrug.

‘Next time I see him I’ll make sure to avoid the spar, shouldn’t tell him that it was hardly a warm up.’ Giving his head a shake he felt worked-up without an outlet for his energy. It was time to find something to do, anywhere he could.

---END---