Some Loose Ends

[masterofmatter]

 Michael had worked hard to keep the whole thing with Liv out of his mind. It wasn't because he was mad, no. That part was already done and over with. This was for some closure. He was now standing outside of Grants Gym, looking at the place that he had originally met Liv to see with the person who was actually in Livs heart. He had been doing some reading, and saw that Brandon Gardner was an OIympic hopeful.

Time to see if he really was for it.

Michael went into the gym, looking for the boxing ring. Hopefully he was going to find Gardner there, training as the summer season started with only scant weeks before the Olympics actually started.

Comments

[bfg]

Brandon is really easy to find. These days, his life is pretty much defined by training. He's been living in the gym even more than normal, working with Liv and Ted in preparation. He made the team, and not even just as an alternate, so the first big step was achieved. Now, its all studying every possible opponent, their styles, their strengths, their weaknesses, and trying to work til each fight is practically muscle memory.

Thankfully, he's near the end of a long session when Michael walks in. He finishes up, and heads straight for the training table. That's the other big change - any second he's not sleeping or in the ring, he's eating to try and keep up with the workouts. Once he grabs a couple things, he finally heads over to greet Michael directly.

"So, uhm... hey.." Yeah, little awkward, this.

[masterofmatter]

"Hey."

Yeah...this was more awkward than Michael was expecting. Okay, big thing, talking to the guy who got the girl who he was trying to make good with after some bad stuff. Nothing on him. Brandon didn't know. So...better to get it all out.

"I hear that you're Olympic bound, Gardner. I was thinking I could be of some help with your training."

[bfg]

"Yeah, Mr. Grant said you had some moves. Even distracted, not many people can handle Bird in the ring. I can always use more sparring partners and all... so, appreciated."

[masterofmatter]

"Cool. That's not the biggest thing, though. I am not the same fighter Mama Grace is, and I don't have a whole lot of Amazon in me, except in one place: I can take hits," Michael said, with a tiny bit of bluster. Hopefully that'll rile Gardner up a bit, so he cam prove it and show he means what he said.

Okay, so Michael isn't the most logical of people.

[bfg]

Brandon rolls his eyes. "If you weren't much of a fighter, you wouldn't have lasted thirty seconds with Bird. But hey, if you want to volunteer to be a punching bag that can dodge a little, s'fine too. Gloves and headgear are over there."

[masterofmatter]

"Just said I wasn't like Mama Grace. Didn't say I was bad," Michael called over his shoulder as he went to where Brandon indicated. After a few moments of pulling the gear on, he rolled his neck and did a few stretches before jumping up into the ring. He really hated headgear. Always messed up his sight...

"Let's go."

[bfg]

Brandon has gotten used to the headgear. He has to wear it in the ring, so best to practice in it too.

"Alright, let's see what you've got then." he replies, having finished his snack while waiting, before getting his gloves back on.

[masterofmatter]

Boxing was not Michaels main mode of fighting, and his stance is a clear read of that: His arms are a bit too far out to affect a good defense, his leg stance not all that good for the proper footwork, and Michael hands are improperly placed.

But once Brandon is ready to go, the punching starts and it's obvious there is some serious strength, even with those problems.

[bfg]

The strength is a little bit of a surprise - but not much of one. He mentioned Amazon blood and all. There's a reason, aside from just Ted Grant's word, that he's an Olympian - Brandon comes in, not just throwing punches, but working to assess his opponent, figure out his range, his mobility - strengths and weaknesses - before working to exploit them.

With Michael's wide open stance, than means trying to crowd him in close. It cuts down on Brandon's ability to get in big swings, but he tries to make up for it with rapid body blows and quick mini-uppercuts instead of big crosses.

"Let me guess, some Amazon weapons work, and some type of kung fu?"

[masterofmatter]

"Yes on the weapons, no on the kung fu," was Michaels reply as he tries to compensate for the closeness. The way he moves, Brandon can tell there is a movement Michael us more used to. He keeps moving that way, as if waiting, and then actimg as though he can't.

"Mom's a Bana. Well, one of them, anyways," Michael says as he starts to fight close with close, and even with the blows Brandon is striking they don't affect him as much as they should.

[bfg]

"Thought it had to be one or the other, anyway. The wide stance, the shifts like you're trying to rebalance for a weapon trip or throw." he replies. He may not need to worry about that in the ring, but he trains with Liv, and watches other fighters. He's even keeping his weight on balance, sticking with quick body blows and short uppercuts, as if used to fighting someone with a martial arts background.

He's not nearly as versatile as Liv, nowhere close, but boxing is a viable style on its own - as long as you're aware of your opponent.