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Chapter Three: Training Camp

Rion "Mystro" Monroe had entered the gym early six o'clock this morning ready to train. His training crew wasn't due to be there til 8am. This gave Rion plenty of time to do his regular cardio. He changed into his training gear and began to stretch his six foot frame. He stretched his legs, arms, back and neck. Once done, he began to jog around the gym on the mat. Rion was lost in his thoughts again. He hadn't quite been the same since the events at Ellis Island. Even more so the wedding. Rion had still been hurt behind not being asked to participate in the Wedding party. He kept his distance from the others, especially Jean and Scott. He also made sure to keep his thoughts to himself so Emma wouldn't read his mind. He could see how frustrated it was making them not to know what he was thinking or feeling for that matter. Jean tried talking to him but figured he needed his distance. Anytime he was around them, he gave everyone short answers. He especially kept his distance from Ororo. He knew how she felt about him and didn't want another confrontation. The only person to get close to him was Alex. Alex didn't ask him if was ok because he already knew. John felt Rion's distance as well. He didn't talk to him. Rion caught John's thoughts about the fact that he couldn't wait for Logan to get back. That Logan would teach him to use his abilities during a sparring match. Rion had a couple of times asked John if he'd like to train with him one on one but John refused. Rion felt bad about that realizing the only time he'd get to train John was during classes. Rion sighed deeply needing to drown out the negative thoughts.

He decided to put his ipod music on to drown out the bad thoughts. As he jogged around the gym, he threw short imaginary punches in the air to the rhythm of the music catching him. He must've jogged for forty minutes. Then he began doing sit ups to rock music. He did pushups as well as crunches and legs up then did some pull ups. Rion is in tremendous shape but you have to be if he is to compete as a fighter. After doing his cardio, Rion sat down to rest. He glanced at his watch and realizedher had 15 seconds til his crew arrived. He sat there staring at the door. Moments later Ray along with his training crew walked into the gym.

"Dude, what are you doing here so damn early?" Ray asked as he and the guys placed their bags down and began changing into their gear.

"Cardio workout." Rion told him.

"You're sweating bullets man." Nick his sparring partner told him.

"Good cardio does that for me." Rion told him standing up.

"You ready for another training session?" Ray asked him taking out all the equipment.

"I'm always ready." He said only needing a short rest before his enhanced endurance kicked in.

"Alright. Let's do it." Ray said as Rion nods.

First up was kickboxing. Ray held up the punch pads while Rion went to work hitting them. Rion throws in several strategic kicks. A roundhouse kick here, a spinning heel kick there, a knee kick, Rion utilized his martial arts skills to a fault. Next up was sparring. Rion and Nick his sparring partner worked on his jujitsu. Nick took Rion down to the mat. Rion immediately pulls him into a submission. Rion is an excellent submissionist. He maneuvered his body to pull Nick into an arm bar. Rion then puts Nick in eighteen more submission moves.

Rion is a great fighter but what he lacked in his fighting style was his wrestling. That's where Nick came in. Nick taught Rion how to wrestle and Rion has been able to utilize this in his fights.

Nick tested him by putting wrestling moves on him. He responds by countering with moves of his own. This impressed Nick who got a little winded.

Rion took a moment to catch his breathe before using the speed bag. Rion hits the bag with persission. Next was the punching bag. Rion continues to utilize the bag for his training purposes. Using a combination of kicks and punches, Rion lit the bag up like a man possessed. It was as if he was letting out frustration. Ray watched a moment wondering where all that fire was coming from. Rion's training sessions are sometimes intense and fun. He's usually cracking a joke or two and made training him seem like child's play. The last three weeks had been a different story.

The first day of training in preparation of his upcoming fight, Rion seemed like he was a different person. He hadn't joked around, he hadn't smiled. All he did was train. He even came into training early as he did today. Ray knew it was only one reason he did this and that was to getaway from Ororo. He didn't want to argue with her so he'd leave the mansion earlier than normal. Maybe that was the case but Rion's was off by a lot. His sister getting on him never bothered him this much. It had to be something else. Ray would ask later. For now it was back to training.

Ray held the pads again as Rion hits them hard leaving no part of the pad untouched. He moved the pads around in a fighter's motion as Rion followed hitting it and kicking it. He even threw in a few knee kicks here and there. Once the training was over, Ray sat down with Rion on the mat. He wanted to know what's got into him.

"Rye, what's up?" Ray asked. Rion looked up at him and frowned.

"What?" He asked pretending to be clueless. He knew what he was asking having read his mind.

"What's going on with you? You never train this hard." Ray said looking at him. Rion stared back at him. "I mean you train hard but not like this. What's going on?" He asked.

"Nothing." Rion answers.

"Is it your sister again?" Ray asked. Rion rolled his eyes. "Ok what she do now?"

"Nothing I care to talk about." Rion said to him. Ray read his emotions and could tell he was hurt. He was right but Rion won't talk about it.

"Alright look why don't we call it a morning and grab a bite? I'm starving like Marvin." Ray said earning a chuckle from Rion.

"Ok. But first we need a shower." Rion said. Ray nods. Both got up from the mat heading in the locker room with their bags.

"Yeah you stink bro." Ray said as Rion smiled.

"Look who's talking."Rion said playfully shoving him.

After the shower, Rion felt refreshed. He grabbed his jacket, duffle bag and headed towards the door.

"Ray, I'll meet you out back." Rion said. Ray nods while on the phone. Rion walked towards the alley where his car is parked. He spots five thugs scoping out his car. The thugs looked like bikers looking for trouble. The first thug was tall with dirty blond hair and a skull bandana covering his head. He has a long blond colored beard with an average build. His breath reeked of alcohol. The second thug stand next to him was taller with brown hair. His beard matched his hair. The third thug was much fatter. He had a bald head under his bandana and was sporting a red gotee. The fourth thug looked to be a bit younger. Maybe of he was the fresh blood of the group. He has a dark black beard. His hair color matched his beard as well. The last one was just as young as the fourth thug. His auburn hair color matched his beard. All are sporting the same skull bandanas. Rion figured they belonged to some sort of gang. He sighed. The last thing he wanted a fight. One of the thugs looks up recognizing him.

"Well, well. Look fellas. It's the Mystro himself." Thug One said. The others laughed. Rion smirked. "He's a fighter in the UFC." The thug said as he and his goons surround Rion. They really don't know what Rion is capable of doing to them. He stares at them.

"Guys look I don't want any trouble. I just wanna get in my car and leave. That's it." Rion told them. He really didn't want to hurt anyone. The thugs get closer and Rion doesn't like this one bit.

"You found trouble boy." Thug Two said nastily. Rion takes a deep breathe.

"We wanna see just how tough you really are boy." Thug One said. The five pulled out various weapons. They were looking to rob Rion and take his car or just to hurt him in general. Big mistake. Thug one pulled out a knife. Thug two pulled out a chain. Thug three had small sized baton in his hands. Thug four had brass knuckles while Thug five simply had a stick. Rion dropped his bag readying himself.

"You guys don't wanna do this." Rion tried to warn them.

"Yeah we do." Thug One said. "Get him!" He instructs as Thug five swings the stick at Rion who immediately ducks and slams his fist into the guy's stomach. He snatches the stick from him then hits him in the face with it. Thug Five tried to swing at Rion but he ducks and uses a spinning hook kick to knock the young thug off his feet. Thug Four then goes in trying to fight Rion using the brass knuckles. Rion easily evades his blows and threw several of his own connecting with thug four's jaw. "GET UP!" Thug One yells. He's not happy his guys are getting their asses kicked. Thugs four and five get back to their feet. Both are angry and both attack Rion at the same time. Rion breaks the stick in half and tosses them away. He frowns hard at the thugs. Rion grabs thug four's arm punching him the face while kicking thug five in his face. He spins and kicks Thug four in the face as both are down for the count. Thugs Two and three attack Rion at the same time. Thug Two grabs Rion from behind using the chain trying to restrain him. Thug three smirks thinking they have Rion right where they want him. Rion squirms a bit but he's baiting thug three into come at him. Thug three takes the bait then swings the baton at Rion's head. Rion ducks in time. The baton hits Thug two in the face and he promptly let's Rion go. Thug Three still has a hold of the chain. Rion grabs the baton from thug two and hits him several times to his body with the baton. Thug two groans in pain as he hits the ground. Thug three seems to have recovered from being hit in the face and goes at Rion trying to fight him. Rion goes on the attack using a serious of punches and kicks knocking thug three down. He takes the chain and tosses it. He turns his attention to thug one. "Alright boy, I guess I'm gonna kick your ass myself."

"Bring it." Rion said as he readies himself in a martial arts position. Thug One tries stabbing Rion with the knife. Rion moves to keep from being stabbed although if he is stabbed, he can simply heal himself. Thug one goes at him again with the knife. This time Rion catches his hand and twists his arm. Thug one groans in pain. Rion twists his arm further back. Thug one drops the knife as a result of the pain he is in. Rion wraps his arm around thug one's neck pulling him into a choke hold. The hold is met to subdue the thug. He soon loses air and passes out. Rion sees the carnage he's done as the thugs laid passed out. They will no doubt be pissed off that they got their asses handed to them by a UFC fighter. He had to erase their memories. He sticks his hand out in front of him and concentrates hard. His mind links to all five thugs affectively erasing this incident from their minds. Rion blinks coming out of his trans. He had no idea he was being watched.

Ray had heard the commotion leaving from the gym. He watched Rion take the thugs out. What he saw next caused him to be concerned for Rion. He watched as Rion stared at them as if he was concentrating on the five of them. His hand was out in front of him. Ray had no idea what Rion was doing but then he sees him blink a few times. Rion's breathing was heavy but slowing to normal. Rion turns to him staring at him reading his mind. How much of this had he seen? Rion cocked his head to the left side. His eyes went wide as he realized Ray had seen everything. He didn't want to but he had to do it. He stared at Ray who found himself in a trans unable to move. Rion concentrated on removing the last ten last minutes from Ray's head. The memory erased in Ray's mind like re-winding a tape in a VCR. From Rion wiping out the thugs memory to the fight he witnessed with the thugs was erased. The only remaining memory was of Ray walking out of the gym. Rion adjusted his head up right taking Ray from his trans. Ray shook his head standing in the alley confused.

"What happened?" Ray asked. Rion didn't answer right away. He sees the thugs behind Rion. "What happened to them?"

"Not sure. I found them lying in front of my car." Rion said lying smoothly. Ray looked as if he didn't know if he believed him. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah let's go." Ray said. Rion picked up his bag and both got into his car then drove off. Leaving the thugs with lost memories.