Fred and Garrison: A Whoopin'.

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Kane schools Fred in more ways than one



"Fred, Fred, Fred... I'm getting dangerously close to breaking sweat here." Kane slapped down another punch, pivoting it to one side and driving a punch into the younger man's ribs. The Danger Room environment was constantly moving underfoot, like the deck of a ship during a storm, taking away Fred's ability to anchor himself.

"Close!?" Fred would've been more incredulous, but he didn't have the time. Move your feet, keep your arms up, and don't take the hit. Now do it all at once. Now keep doing it. Block, then block, then for a change of pace block some more. Fred had been trying to learn everything he could about fighting-actual fighting, not just smashing crap-since Nimrod had handed him his ass on a silver platter. Kane had assured him he was getting better more than once, but all it felt like was getting was tired and bruised.

Well, tired bruised and maybe a little clever. Fred waited for the sway of the floor to angle back towards Kane, and actually did take the hit square in his ribs, despite his recent lessons. Getting hit by Garrison Kane could easily be equated to shaking hands with the business end of a shotgun, but Fred took the hit and waited for the swaying floors' momentum for one reason: it put him close enough. moving both his arms in a grab for Kane's chest, Fred swung at him with a mudslide of head, neck, shoulders and torso is what could be called a 'Controlled, Directed Plasmatics' Pit Headbutt'. Well, at least now it was certain learning didn't make him smart overnight...

Fred's bulk and strength could easily overwhelm a person, but Kane wasn't about to stay still. As Fred drove at him, Kane planted a foot into his gut and faster than the other man could see, a second on his chest and pushed. The momentum allowed him to backflip back out of the way of the attack, earning him nothing more than a kick to the chest for it.

"Good. Better."

Fred tried to get his hands on Kane when he landed, but the kick slowed him down and took his breath long enough to put it out of his ability. But he didn't try to overreach and he didn't get upset and he didn't try the same thing again. It was time to try something else. Fred took a step back; he didn't want to be this close to Garrison right now. What he wanted was to get his footing and his breath back. One thing everyone always forget about Fred, one thing that saved his bacon more times than he remember, was that he moved his girth around at the speed of a typical man at Garrison's size. Kane, however, knew it and had his number. Fred waited for the next attack, gave his best feint, and tried to jab anywhere there weren't arms blocking him...

He dropped a forearm block on Fred's punch. It stopped it dead and the other man rotated his arm, forcing it back on the joint. Fred stumbled, the lock on his arm effective regardless of strength or powers. Kane kicked him in the inside of the knee and released his grip, dancing back out of range.

"Not bad. But your eyes telegraphed your punch. You need to disguise your intentions. Otherwise, it shows up where you're trying to hit."

Fred hit the ground...and bounced back at at nearly twice the speed. He'd been waiting for Kane to take one of his legs out from under him. In his experience anyone who knew anything about fighting had eventually targeted him there. He'd been practicing for a while, and came out of the fall facing Kane and in his best defensive position. Had the floor been more predictable he'd have been able to attack, but...

"Kane, I'm just now figurin out not tah shout at people when Ah throw stuff at em," Fred huffed out around a smile, "but Ah'll do my best."

Fred lumbered in, slower than he'd have liked due to the floor, and pivoted into a strong jab, a right cross...and then, further on Kane's side then he'd gotten in the entire fight, Fred kicked into the side of Garrison's leg. It wasn't the best form that anyone could hope for, but Fred was about as used to using his legs in a fight as a fish was to an engine block, and he hoped the surprise would be enough to give him an edge.

"Fighting isn't just about landing punches, Fred. It's about being efficient. Hit them where their defense is weak. Only take hits where your defense is strong. Make the decision to continue to resist as painful as possible for the other person." Kane moved in again, just ahead of Fred's blows and pivoted, using his leg to catch Fred's behind the ankle. As the man grabbed, Kane straightened, bringing his elbow up into Fred's mouth. The movement and the impact pulled his trapped leg up, and left him with no choice but to crash heavily into the mat.

And there was his old friend the floor. Fred grunted as he laid there, and blinked a few times up at Kane. While his voice was annoyed, he was still smiling, "...lemme ask you, sir: are you as sick of throwin me on tha floor as Ah am of endin up here...?"

"Not at all. You're getting better, Fred. Much better. Tossing you to the floor gets a little harder each time." He held out his hand to help him up. "Now, that doesn't mean you aren't years from doing the same to me, but you're making progress."

Fred took the hand, still grinning. It wasn't often there was really anyone who could help lift him, after all, "Think it's good enough yet?...Ah mean..for X-Mannin'..." Fred was nervous, even though everyone he'd asked about it before told him not to be. Still, it was hard not to after a serving of what he'd come to call 'Kane-Learnin'...

"Depends what you mean. You've got a long way to go before I'd call you a hand to hand expert. But, you've got the training to hold your own against most trained people, and combined with your powers, I'd trust you to handle yourself in a fight. Even against other mutants. Why do you ask?"

Fred shrugged, picking up his jacket from where he'd taken it off before the training and rifling through the pockets. How did he always manage to lose his cigarettes just by taking off his jacket? "Ah've been a Trainee longer'n most are. Ah know Ah haven't seen as much action as a lotta folk have. Ah've always really been worried that Ah ain't got what it takes..."

"Do you think you're ready?" Kane wandered over to the stack of towels by the change rooms and grabbed one to dry his wet hair. "That's the more important question right now."

It was also the hardest question. Fred had never been the best at self-analysis, "...Ah want to say 'yes'. No hesitation. But that seems...too prideful, Ah guess? Ah dunno..." Fred rubbed his chin as he put a cigarette in his mouth. He had finally taught himself not to simply light up wherever he felt like, "Ah've had friend's lives in mah hands. Ah've relied on them tah watch mah back. It doesn't scare me. Ah know Ah can do it...but Ah also know Ah don't know half of what's gonna happen out there, an that thinkin Ah'm totally ready for it is about tha dumbest thing Ah could do, iffen that makes any sense..."

"False humility is a poor trait in this line of work." Kane tossed the towel aside. "In my professional opinion, I'd have no qualms with you at my side as a full X-Men. You have a long way to go, but that's always the case with training and experience. You've got the dedication to be very good, Fred. You want to be better. That matters a lot to me."

He paused and took a seat. "But, before you make this decision, remember that being an X-Man involves a lot of sacrifice. Your life is consistently interrupted being on call and it makes a relationship with people outside of the mansion very difficult."

Fred knew Kane was being serious, but he couldn't help but smile, "Ah ain't tryin tah be rude, but...Mah life is literally here. Mah friends, mah girlfriend, mah job, mah home. All of it. Ah don't really...have any relationships outside the Mansion."

Saying it made Fred think it, and he blinked a few times, "Ah, uh, yah know sayin it like that...Ah'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing..."

"I'd say it's just a thing." It wasn't like Kane was much different. "I'd suggest maybe having a sit down with Scott, go through the details of what full status means. From my perspective, as long as you understand the responsibility you're going to be taking on, you've got my support."

Fred grabbed his own towel, finally remembering to wipe the sweat off himself. He took his boots off, much more comfortable now that his feet were making contact with even, stable ground, "Ah understand it, Ah would say, an humility aside, Ah guess Ah'm as ready as Ah could be..."

"That, my friend, is what I call a decision. Go talk to Scott first, but after that if you still feel this way, I'd say you're ready to be an X-Man."

Fred grinned, offering Kane his hand, "Ah'll go find him. Once I sort it out with him, Ah'll buy yah a beer?"

"Never turned that down."