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[Logan Storm]

10th of Spring, 515 AV

A cage fight. That's what they called it. Two people go in, become locked inside a metal box, and duke it out until only one could stand, sometimes until only one survived. It was a great way to gain skill and win a lot of money.

A while ago, Logan's friends had warned him of this place. It was brutal but sometimes clean, unlike another fighting arena in Sunberth. But, there were a lot of tough challengers, each looking to make a name for themselves and gain some cash. They said that if Logan wanted to join the arena, he would need a tutor to show him how Tall Johnny's caged fights worked.

He reluctantly agreed after his friends beseech him, over and over and over again. He had skeptics about needing a teacher, but if it kept his friends mouth shut he would pay for an instructor.

Logan strolled into Tall Johnny, taking in the sights and sounds of the establishment. It was a slow day today, and the only group that filled the area where the group that all awaited near the ring for the instructor. Logan joined them, taking off his coat and shirt to feel a little more comfortable. His figure showed him as a very muscular man, but his wasn't the only that showed that. Almost every student near the ring looked like they could lift over three hundred pounds. He was a little glad that he had some strength to him, he would have looked weak if he didn't.

[Ssafirsotibones]

10 Spring 515 By now in his second season of work at Tall Johny's, the fighting area was a well known sight. The ten foot tall metal fencing about it, the dirt floor within that was so often soaked in blood... And the people within who he'd taught many times. While some people came occasionally, perhaps when they really needed some extra money, and some did not make it out of their fight, most of those who came were the same each day. Usually all that varied was the state of them, which depended upon how recently and often they'd fought, and who'd won. Though usually even the winners suffered a good beating. He'd yet to see anyone skilled enough to be able to enter a match and leave without at least a half dozen bruises. More common were black eyes, broken bones, and especially a broken nose. Which was why Bones was surprised on that day to see a new face, one relatively unscathed. By the time he'd arrived his regulars were already within the cage, waiting to begin. He knew their skill, had crossed fists with each of them, and knew how to teach them. This new one... He'd need to be felt out. And Bones only knew one way to feel out a new combatant. With a fight. Gesturing at the new person with an extended finger, Bones gave him a good stare in the eyes, examining him, seeing him. Seeing his metal. Many a man had flinched from Bones' gaze, let alone one who was about to face him in combat. Bones' gaze was a well practiced weapon, and quite intimidating. Part of a fight was psyching ones opponent out, winning before even a single punch was thrown. If an opponent was uncertain of his own skills, he would lose this initial crossing. “You. We fight. Now. You all, out for now. First him.” At his instruction Bones' students filed back out of the cage. As one passed, a boy/man who didn't even have fur on his face, Bones removed the pair of gladius strung over his back, loosening and taking off the strap that held them, and handed it all to him for safekeeping. Entrusted it too him. He'd certainly not just lay it down, not such valued weapons as Bones own gladii. Not in Sunberth. He knew him, Jon, knew he could be trusted, at least while Bones was near enough to keep him in line. He'd been at every practice of Bones' since the first he'd held. As Bones headed inside of the cage, he removed a few more things, leaving himself in just his pants. He kicked off his sandals in a lazy motion, and then took off his own shirt, throwing it atop his shoes near the edge of the cage, though still outside. Bones body was misleadingly slim. While he was somewhat solid and stocky in appearance, little visible muscle was to be seen. Not compared to the more musclebound men more common in the cage. It was a fact of his Dhani heritage that he didn't show muscle overly much, despite the fact that he was naturally several times stronger than a normal man. Though he usually did not display his true strength, instead limiting himself to something closer to a normal human. Looking the human within the fighting cage down once more, Bones gestured at him in a "too him" motion. As he did he dropped into a lazy half fighting stance, his legs apart and bent, arms pulls in close to his sides with elbows bent. “Come at me. What have you got?” Bones spoke slowly, careful to enunciate his words. Also careful to not say anything that would show his speech issues.

[Logan Storm]

Been around for two ticks and already i'm being judged, Logan thought as he noticed someone stare at him then point him out. This man was very tall, his hair black and fuzzy, eyes silver and sharp. Logan stared into them, and as he did so his heart nearly shot out of his chest. Such intimidation, such power and Logan did not face him already. He wanted to look away, turn his head and walk to where the man could not see him. But, Logan could never call himself a bodyguard if he did. If he turned and walked away from a tough looking man who just stared at him now, how would he handle the real killers in the future?

Logan stared the tall man down, begrudgingly towards himself. He was intimidated, but he wasn't going to show it. He would stare for as long as the man stared and not break his gaze until the man did so first. It was the way of the bodyguard, intimidate but do not be intimidated. Look tough even when you can't stand or fight. Logan had to be a giant wall that, when looked upon those trying to climb it, made people give up before a fight would even start. Against this man whose walls were far higher, wider, and probably pact with weapons, he could not lose.

After a brief staring contest, the man said,“You. We fight. Now. You all, out for now. First him.”

On queue, everyone left the ring. At least I know who owns the arena.

While the man removed his gear, Logan began to stretch. He would need his limbs very flexible for this match. For a man to have control over everyone in the arena, he must have been extremely tough. The way they followed his order showed that he had earned their respect through sweat and knock outs. Logan wasn't going to take this fight easy, he was going to give this man more than wished.

His challenger took off his sandals. Realizing that they where going to fight barefooted, Logan knelt down to unstrap his boots. He shimmied out of one boot then the other.

Logan walked into the cage and stepped inside when the tall man had revealed his belly button. He smirked a little when he saw his challengers small physique, but as he stepped closer to the man he realized that muscles actually existed on him. Either they where very small or the man didn't like prancing them about like everyone else did.

Logan took a moment to breath in deeply. To everyone around, it would look like he was meditating while standing up. He extended his fingers far from his body. His arms moved up, contorted near his chest, then tensed once a proper guard was formed. His left foot moved to the side and behind, his legs spread apart to match those of his opponent.

The entire world went silent and time slowed for Logan. His eyes dilated, his heart pounded harder, he felt no hunger and thought one thousand thoughts. He also felt blood flow through his system, faster than normal. As time continued on his heart began to calm itself a little, but the silence still remained. The only thing that broke it where the words of his opponent.

“Come at me," he said. "What have you got?”

Logan narrowed his eyes then moved forward. His steps where not graceful, some would be close when calling him near barbaric. He moved like a man with less flexibility in his body than a bear. His skill looked sloppy and the way he formed a move seemed unimpressive, but if one payed close enough attention then they would possibly see the true amount of skill he possessed.

When Logan thought himself close enough, he reached in with his right hand for a straight jab to the face. He would follow it up with a left jab to the mans side stomach then a right hay maker back towards his face. But Logan wouldn't stop there. The man wanted to see what Logan got, and he would show it. Immediately after the hay maker, Logan would send his right leg into the mans stomach, turn suddenly then send a left leg to the mans face.

Logan knew the mans weakness, his height. The man was taller, therefore needed a good reach to do some good damage to his opponent. So if Logan stayed under the mans chin he would feel less pain. Of course, he still had to worry about the mans elbows and knees, but a good defense could surely block those type of attacks. So, every time he made a move he made sure that there was always a hand and a leg of his by his side to protect him.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones watched as the man entered and prepared himself to fight. He knew there were two things to be watched. His feet, and his eyes. Those were what were important. Often enough ones eyes told ones intent, even if unintended. And while arms were used more commonly to fight, they also were more commonly used for feinting and pretending. Legs however carried one closer and further away, moved one about, and where the vehicle of ones motion. When they closed in the hands and arms would be watched, but till then it was the legs and feet. Legs and feet betrayed motion. The tensing of the legs, the pushing off of the feet, the forward motion. The body had tells that a skilled combatant could read, and see moments before the action was to be fully formed what might move or be thrown. Bones did not lower his guard at the man's sloppy fashion of movement. Fighting was too often about deception. Pretending to have less skill than one did was a simple enough tactic. One Bones had seen before. He did not let down his guard. When he did attack it was in a series of motions, not just a single stray blow. But then any half wit who'd fought more than a chime knew to send more than one blow forth. The first blow was easy enough to dodge, with a sideways motion away and back. Starting out with a quick jab at the face. As the arm slung out Bones reacted without thinking to avoid it. Right after that was another jab, aimed at Bones' stomach. Bones let it hit, turning his body slightly so that instead of sinking in with a good hit, it brushed by, barely making contact. Bones did nothing offensive against him just yet, even though he could have. A person could only make so many attacks in a moment, without leaving time open for their foe to react. This man however did not seem to be considering that, instead unleashing a full salvo of blows at once. A foolish tactic, and one Bones could have taken advantage of if he'd wished. As another blow came at his face, Bones brought out a palm, pushing with his palm at the wrist to attempt to force it wide, and redirecting the mans force away from him and his face as the intended target. A simple technique in theory, though difficult in practice, but one Bones had regularly used and trained for years. Using his other hand Bones grabbed at the offered leg, attempting to seize control of the limb and yank on it. By kicking so close he more or less was offering the limb to Bones as a means of leverage and control. But then, that wasn't a standard unarmed combat tactic. Instead it was a wrestling tactic, something that fought at a much closer grappling range than traditional unarmed combat was comfortable with. But then, Bones didn't just use one fighting style. Along with that by extending his own hand outward and forcing against the kicking motion, he would be able to stop it before it hit him in the intended area, effectively blocking the specific blow. Turning the palm push into a grab Bones would attempt a two handed seize of the offered limbs, hand and leg, attempting to yank the man clean off his feet and send him flying in a flip, using his own forward motion of his attack against his foe. Using the mans own energy to make himself flip by taking over and controlling the limbs, and adding energy and force in the right places and directions. While usually unarmed combat was about force and direct conflict, wrestling was all about leverage and contact, positioning and grappling. Something a person without the specific experience inherent in wrestling likely wouldn't be familiar with. When combined with Bones skill in more traditional unarmed combat it was a potent combo.

[Logan Storm]

So Logan struck. But his attack pattern did not work as he wanted it to. Every hit he went for was either missed or cleverly took with less damage dealt. And when he moved in for the hay maker and the kick, Logan suddenly found himself laying on his stomach with stars dancing around his head.

What the hell just happened?

Logan shuffled away from his opponent while on the ground, then stood when he felt that he was in a safe position to. His opponent was clever, faster, a bit stronger, and wiser. Not only that, but he was sure that the trainer had a little bit of another fighting style inside of him. But being sure didn't always mean being correct. At least he knew a few things, the man had far reach but knew how to block a close kick.

No kicking then. Kicking is overrated anyway, he thought.

Logan psyched himself up, jumped a little to get his blood pumping, then moved in again. If his opponent didn't have enough, he would close distance again then throw a left hook between the eyes of his opponents face. This hook was a lot lighter than his last attacks. It would feel like a light feather if it actually met contact with his opponents head. Instead of landing, it would quickly move away from the mans face while Logan's right arm would extend to the center of his opponents chest. Often times he had land blows in this general area to knock the wind out of people. It would hurt, but it wouldn't be enough to knock the guy out. Logan had to count on his next hit to do that.

He would move in as close to the man as he could, stare into his opponents eyes, then send a right uppercut to the mans lower jaw. Normally when an attack like this was made, it would send the brain inside the body into a spiraling mess, knocking into the skull as it would try to recenter itself. This was how a concussion was given during a fight, and one of the main reasons why a kick to the head was so powerful.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones' flip went as well as he could have hoped for. One moment the human had been rushing forward in an attack, the next that same forward motion had been turned into a flip, sending him off his feet and to settle in a heap on his front. His particular style was a mix of several, but focused mostly on redirection and guiding force. It meant he rarely had to use his full Dhani strength, instead using minimal force and energy while he used his own foes strength against them. It also meant that often his foes would tire themselves out with boisterous attacks, while Bones in turn used little energy and stayed relatively fresh. But then Bones' combat skills had not been developed with single combat with one foe and then time to rest in mind. It had been developed fighting for his life, in prolonged and multiple battles one after another. And so it had been made with endurance and staying power in mind. It worked well enough in other circumstances, but also meant he was less likely to quickly finish off a foe as a more high energy and force style might. Bones gave the human time to regain his footing, not striking while he was down. He would after all learn nothing from that. Already the lesson had begun, even if the human thought it to be a test. In truth it was the first of his instruction by Bones. Bones was a student of more or less any type of fighting. He had decent skill in the more unstructured street brawling more often seen in bars and alleys. He had a small understanding and training in boxing, a more structured fighting style centered around foot work and punches. His greater skills though were in wrestling and the more traditional unarmed combat, particularly the latter. After a bit of a time for a breather, his foe came at his again. Bones himself was not yet out of breath, not even having exerted himself overly much as of yet. Once more he started off with a quick punch at his face. Bones swatted at it with his open palm, as one might swat a fly, sending it wide past his head. As he did he simply looked back at his foe, his face calm and neutral. While the human attempted to use brute force, and to psych himself into a frenzy, Bones kept himself clear and calm. He knew all too well what happened when his blood lust rose... Pain to himself, or bloodied opponents, or simply his survival instincts kicking in due to danger, all could raise Bones' hunger, and his more feral side he had freely released back in the jungles outside of Zinrah as he hunted. When that happened it was tough for Bones to stop, and so he usually tried to keep himself from getting that far, and instead kept himself calm and cool, keeping his snake side dormant and within control. The next blow came as he was still finishing his palm thrust at the first, another chest hit. Bones once more turned his body so as to let it graze past without hitting solidly. This one didn't work quite as well as when he'd used it the first time, and a small flare of pain did rise from the contact, but nothing significant. It faded within a few moments. But by then many more things had happened, as often did in the quick speed of combat. Without fully thinking Bones took a half step back, his instincts perceiving the threat and reacting before he had fully understood the incoming attack. Using the same arm again, he'd launched an upward strike, aiming at Bones' chin. Instead of blocking of evading it, Bones had simply stepped backward out of range. Though since the human had also just stepped forward, this kept them at more or less the same spacing, and meant the blow only just missed his face by a few inches to spare of his nose. As soon as the upward punch was finished and reached its apex, Bones stepped forward again, attempting to come in under his guard and before he could bring his arms to bear again. Instead of coming at him with a punch though, Bones came at him with a long armed bear hug. A grab around his sides and torso, Bones would be attempting to pin his limbs to his sides in a grab, or to leave them at an awkward angle where they could not be moved well or brought back down, such as in the case of the arm thrown in the missed uppercut. In the same motion Bones would flex his arms and legs, and if the grab was successful then he would turn it into a lift, taking him off the ground where his feet could not touch, bringing him up till his feet had a good foot or two of clearance, and then dropping him all at once in a slam, bringing his own body down on top of the human and landing atop him to attempt pinning him. Of course if the other maneuvers worked properly, the pin would be the easiest part.

[Logan Storm]

Miss, connect, miss. That seemed to be the pattern with this instructor. Miss one hit, connect with another, then miss again. It was rhythmic in a sense.

As Logan faked with one punch, another connected. It was the punch to the mans chest, which should have knocked the wind out of him. But obviously this opponent was no push over like the others Logan faced before. This one had proper footing, more control, and an open mind to every possibility.

Logan pushed forward with his uppercut and the man moved backward almost instinctively. It was a near hit, but the man was fast enough to see it coming, clear proof that he was beyond anyone Logan met in battle. Maybe if Logan had used his other arm instead of his right, he might have been able to connect.

Before he could strike again with the same arm there was always a rest period, a small portion in time where the arm has to stop in order to strike again. During that period, anyone could see the shot coming and dodge effectively.

Logan knew this, but he wanted to play against his opponents better judgement, trick him into thinking that Logan had a pattern that would never change. Right, left, right, left. Always through the right and then throw the left for quick attacks in hopes that one would land.

Beings where use to these type of patterns. 12, 12, 12, 1_. What's the next number gonna be? Used often in fights because most would answer 2, almost none would answer 3, 4 or infinity. It was combat psychology that Logan tried, but he wasn't advanced enough to use it effectively.

His opponent, his extremely clever opponent, took advantage of Logan's falling period, the moment when his arms and body come back to the resting period for the next attack. His opponent grabbed Logan's right arm and pulled it behind his back to come in for a hug. Logan knew this tactic, it was definitely a wrestling move some of the Monks would use in Nyka. The bear hug, which normally led to two things. One, squeezing the life out of the opponent, or two, bringing the opponent in for a slam to the floor. Both where dangerous, though Logan would prefer the submission over the slam.

Logan kept one hand away from his body to make grabbing both limbs hard for the instructor. He had lost one arm to his opponent, he wasn't planning on losing another. The man brought Logan in close to him, as is custom, then bent his knees to leap Logan into the air.

The human had little time to make a decision before his back would meet the ground, so he decided to exhaust all his power into one attack. While in mid air, Logan brought his left elbow onto the mans side throat, specifically a pressure point that, if attacked, would surely leave the man breathless, but not dead as the body would recover. Part of Logan's medical learning was understanding the many pressure points that would prevent the unsteady flow of blood. Some where good for medical uses, others where perfect for fighting uses.

This particular one Logan used should stop the flow oxygen into the lungs, though he could be mistaken and it could serve as another use, but from what Logan understood, that was what it did. It wouldn't kill his opponent, Logan wouldn't be able to live with himself if he killed someone, but it should slow his instructor down. And that was what Logan wanted, to slow him.

Unable to change the flow of time, Logan had his back slammed hard unto the cage floor. His back felt near crippling pain as the sound of body to floor contact registered in his ears. Logan lost his own breath, forcing a gasp to leave his lips just so that he could continue breathing, and to also bear the new pain he was given.

He forcefully thrust his hips up so that his backside would not touch the floor any longer, as though it would burn him horribly if touched. When the aftermath of the slam became bearable, he realized the position he and his challenger were in. His opponent was above and him pinned below.

"Petch me..." He silently said as he imagined the kindd of difficulties that would be given for him to get out of this.

[Ssafirsotibones]

While Bones' maneuver did more or less work, it didn't quite work as well as he'd hoped. Part of such an attack was the element of surprise, and moving before the foe had time to fully comprehend and react to the attack. While his grab and lift did work, his foe managed to keep his one limb free, and Bones wasn't quite as successful at keeping it out of the way as he'd have liked. Moving quickly, the human had brought his elbow down on Bones' neck. He hadn't managed to hit a pressure point, or anything that critical, but he'd still managed to elbow him in the throat. At the best of times that was not good, and made breathing tricky for awhile. Luckily for Bones he'd already done the main part of his attack, and dropping him in a slam didn't require taking in another breath of air, nor much force. Plus since they were so close, his foe wasn't able to gather as much momentum and force as he could have with a more drawn out attack. Hitting someone that close to you with a blunt force attack wasn't easy, and in general wasn't as effective as a similar attack with more room to move and build up speed and force. As for the slam, gravity did most of the work. With the dirt floor it didn't do as much damage as say being smashed on stone or other hard surfaces, but it still wouldn't be pleasant. But then Bones wasn't attempting to kill him just then, so perhaps it was better that the attack wasn't any more damaging. Letting out a cough, Bones rose, waving the human off. If he'd wanted to he could have continued, having pinned him, but he didn't trust himself to do so. With the lack of air, and the pain, he could already feel his anger rising, burning in his eyes, and the urge to snap the humans neck with a twist of his hands was harder to fight than it had been chimes ago... Instead he took in a labored breath, resulting in several more coughs. “It'll do for now...” Turning from the human he motioned for the others to return to the cage, to begin the lesson. He'd tested him well enough. While he clearly still had room to learn, he wasn't a complete novice. But he clearly needed to expand his style if he wanted to last in a match where the foe was fighting with true intent, not just trying to incapacitate. Still, Bones gently rubbed at the spot on his neck where he'd been elbowed. He'd probably have a nice bruise there later.

[Logan Storm]

That was pathetic.

Logan sat up, back still burning from the recent fight. He stretched to rub it, give it much comfort needed, but not even a good nights rest would make the discomfort go away.

However, something else irked inside him, some far greater distraction from the pain. It was the sudden realization that his instructor was angry. When he looked into the eyes of the man he just fought, he saw blood boiling, spine tingling, pupils of fury. Before, he was so calm, but after that latest slam he had become something entirely different.

Logan didn't know what to make of this now, all he knew was that he knew deadly intent when he saw one. He would only watch his instructor for now, make evaluations on who the man really is later.

Everyone entered the cage, one after the other. They flooded in the place like a flowing river. Logan rested towards the back, where he had been before. He would most likely stand there for the remainder of the time, not because he had to but because it was where he preferred to be.

Everyone stared at the instructor, waiting for him to give them orders or teachings. Logan waited as well, and also anticipated the next challenge. He had showed nothing but weakness in that fight, which probably would have lasted longer if he would have avoided the slam. He wanted to prove that he was far better than any of these pupils in the cage and well worthy of a real fight with the instructor, and he wasn't leaving until he did so.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Now that everyone was inside the fencing, Bones began breaking up the people into pairs. Since there were three other students present, plus the new one Bones had just faced, that made two pairs. Bones paired off the new man with Jon, after retrieving his weapons from him. Jon was a willing pupil, and comparable in fighting skill to this new trainee, even if not yet fully a man. Though to Bones who had lived over a century, all of the humans he'd met seemed as children by comparison. A Dhani wasn't even considered full grown till they were a century old, which was when they began to learn to take on human form. That however was over thirty years past for Bones. He'd been taking on his human form for longer than many of these fighters had been alive. That perhaps was a easier way or relating to them. Once the paired off fighters were ready, Bones would begin circling them, barking out a order that made sense to the students who'd been around for awhile, but would likely require explaining to the new one. “Pair off and fight. Practice dodge, redirect, and block, each of you in turn.” The other pair went ahead and started, one of them coming at the other, while the other defended with one of the three basic defensive techniques that were the core of Bones' defense program. Bones headed over to Jon and the new fighter, giving further input. Since he still hadn't been told the new students name, he simply called him you. “Jon, you defend. You. Come at him... Half pace.” He'd been about to say speed, or half speed, but Bones changed words at the last second, so as to avoid any confusion. It was difficult training with such short explanations, but then since he usually paired it with physical examples it seemed to work well enough. It made most of his students think he was a gruff man of few words, while in actuality he was simply avoiding showing his lisp while in Sunberth. So far he had... But the longer he kept at it, the longer he knew it'd only be a matter of time till he slipped up. Jon would wait for the new fighter to come at him, at half speed as Bones had ordered, and then defend himself in various ways. First he'd dodge, avoid the attack entirely, probably stepping out of the way. Then he'd redirect, a much trickier technique that he hadn't fully mastered. It worked by applying pressure in the right way so as to make the blow miss the intended target. If one was realy good at it, they could make the blow miss entirely. If not, as Jon was, one could make the blow miss its intended target, forcing it to an unintended and hopefully less painful and critical area. Finally he'd block, stopping an incoming attack with direct force, or by blocking with a body part held up defensively. Many of these techniques had been used by Bones throughout the fight earlier, though Bones hadn't explained it at the time. Once Jon had used each of the three, it would be his partners turn, and Jon would come at him at half pace, giving him the chance to try each in turn, the trickiest being the redirection. Even Bones hadn't fully mastered it, and he was the teacher. Since it was likely this other humans first time using it, it'd likely take a few exchanges and turns before he got the principles down.