Training Day (Adrian)

[Adrian]

Mathew took the punch, much to Adrian's surprise. He didn't give himself time to think about it, though, as he found that he might have actually gotten the upper hand, or at least had a chance to take it.

Mathew backed up, and with another taunt, entered a boxing stance. So he wanted to play at Adrian's game, eh? He shook his head slightly. This could go well, or terribly. Time to roll the dice.

Adrian came in, quickly, but calculated. Mathew's stance mirrored his own. What was it that Adrian had more difficulty guarding against? Ah, that's it.

Adrian wouldn't let Mathew's fancy footwork get to him. His boxing trainer gave him an important lesson: Always look at the midsection. Every other part of a man's body can lie to you, but his midsection never will. Stepping forth, Adrian would step out with his right foot and punch with his right hand, delivering a low hook punch to Mathew's lower left ribcage.

[Mathew Amtrum]

Mathew had no real intention on fighting Adrian boxing style, it was a ruse, a decoy. His midsection hadn't lied and the blow would land, causing a loud grunt of pain from Mathew. Everything else had lied though, his style and everything. Mathew's right fist turned in to a palm as he sent another quivering palm at Adrian, he was aiming to just slap Adrian in the head, but it would be enough to send waves of pain through his body.

Assuming the attack landed and Adrian was once again in terrible pain that would keep him from fully functioning Mathew's left hand would also turn in to a palm. His hand flexing so that his fingers were like claws. His left hand shot outwards, aiming to hit Adrian in the solar plexus, his fingers digging in to the flesh, it would hurt a lot, but it wouldn't cause permanent damage.

If the attack his Mathew would look at Adrian with a grin. He had won, though that was natural.

"Fights over, I win. If I finish this move your chest collapses." He said yanking his hand away from Adrian's chest. He could have twisted it to tear and stretch the muscles causing his body to curl up from the tension of the groin muscles against the chest muscles. But he didn't want to harm Adrian to badly. This was training, not a real fight.

[Adrian]

*thunk*

Owwwowowowowowowowww!!!

Once again, a Quivering Palm. Wracked with pain, Adrian was powerless to stop the next move, a straight grip forward that literally dug into his flesh. Suddenly, the pain went from being fake, to being real. Adrian's eyes widened to see Mathew's fingers torn right through his vest and shirt, and into his actual skin.

"You... you ripped my shirt," was the first thing Adrian would stammer, after Mathew withdrew the grip. He fell onto his ass, the pain overcoming him for the time being. "You... you fucking ripped my shirt."

Letting out a sigh, Adrian leaned back, putting both hands behind him to keep him sitting, and gritting his teeth harshly together in an attempt to block out the pain.

"So..." he tried, after some of the pain had subsided. "You really do have superpowers, huh?" A painful grimace of a smirk showed up on his face as he looked up at Mathew.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Pfft remember what we told you before. Everyone can do it. You just got to learn to use them. It's your own power. Most people can't do it because they think they can't, everyone is extraordinary Adrian. Remember that."

Odd words coming from Mathew, a man who considered himself above everyone. Hell, he had only met two people in his life that had egos to match his own. David Blaze, and of course the young Adrian Hanlon. The ego was strong in that one.

"Don't get me wrong, I am still better then you and everyone else. But it isn't because of Qi. I was better before I discovered it, this just makes it all the more painfully obvious." He said smugly.

[Adrian]

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Amtrum," Adrian said, dusting himself off and getting back to his feet now that both the real and the fake pains had finally receded. "Truth is... I'm still prettier than you."

Adrian laughed, and rolled the kinks out of his shoulders. Everytime he fought Mathew, he always came back with another bruise. Even so, he also came back with a little bit more experience in how to fight in a street setting. One thing was becoming more and more unfortunately clear: As much as he hated to go against his trainer's wishes, fighting a clean boxing match against people who were willing and able to go that extra mile was simply not going to cut it.

"So... let me guess... Earth Dragon. Earth Powers. Right? Doesn't that fit the whole gay anime shtick you guys got going on?"

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Pfft the rumor about Blonds having more fun is just that. Trust me I am way sexier." He said with a wink. After all he did have the whole bad guy thing going on. He was good looking, rich, powerful, he knew he had it all. Adrian was much the same, he saw a lot of himself in the kid. Which was why he kept him around. A lot of people looking at Adrian saw Mathew's minion, Mathew saw something more.

What he saw was more then a minion or a slave, it was a replacement. Mathew would always be the Earth Dragon in his mind, but if he was going to go in to politics it would be better to transfer the title. Hope his deeds were attributed to Adrian, he wanted to be as clean as he could be. Working the political angle on one side, and using criminal activity on the other. He would manipulate the world.

"Bad anime thing? Is that what you think this is? Qi is a representation of your inner power. Earth is more then a title for me. It is my element, my natural energy, and my affinity. I feel most comfortable around trees and dirt. It is only natural that I harness that. Though I suppose you will just try dropping your wallet on someone." He said laughing.

He needed to teach Adrian how to use his Qi. He wasn't sure how good he would be at that. But it was worth a shot. Not today though, another day.

"Tell ya what." He said with a grin, "if you ever change your mind about it being for anime rejects. Give me a call and I will see about training you in how to use your Qi. How does that sound?" He asked.

[Adrian]

Adrian heard Mathew's offer, and he scoffed. Outwardly, at least. Inwardly, the idea of honing one's inner energy into yet another weapon at their disposal was intriguing. But, Adrian, as stubborn as always, made out like it was much the opposite.

"Oh, please, then what would I do? Start dressing like you and going to conventions?"

He smirked, and finally lifted himself from the ground. His hands skirted around to his back, dusting the dirt from his backside. He checked his million-dollar watch for the time, glad to see it hadn't stopped or become broken during the fight. Thus far, he had been lucky, and none of the fights he'd been in had resulted in such a fate. After checking the time, Adrian looked around the courtard for a moment.

"Alright, well, I'm gonna head home," Adrian said, "unless there's something else you wanted other than another chance to beat me up?" Adrian waited for a reply, and if he got one or not, would continue on. "I'll get some things from my condo, but most likely I'll end up at your place tonight, if that's cool."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Yeah it's cool. And don't worry, you are not nearly cool enough to wear my stuff. Trust me." He said grinning.

In the end it didn't matter to Mathew that much if Adrian wanted to use his Qi or not. He would find a use for the young Hanlon, though he fully expected the boy to take him up on his offer. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow. But eventually Adrian was going to come against something that he will want to overcome with all of his might. Something that he will know he will need his Qi for, all of his strength. That is when Mathew expected the call.

Mathew caught sight of the watch as Adrian walked away. He grinned to himself, he decided he was going to fuck with Adrian and next fight he was going to break it. Just for shits and giggles. It would be good times.