This chapter pick up right where the other left off

A Rough Lesson

"Are you ok, Dick?" Slade asked as I ate the hot soup.

"Yes...I'm fine...I just...I'm sorry."

"Tell me what happened."

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to recount what had happened to me on the trapeze...

"I...had a flashback...a memory that isn't really there...I don't remember... but...something...someone...Died." I said. The memory was vague...but it was still there.

"I'm fine, Slade. Don't worry about it."

He gave a subtle nod.

"Ok." He said solemnly, "Hurry up. We have things to do." He said more briskly as he stood and headed to the gym. I quickly finished and followed. It was pitch black when I got there. I stood still and listened. It was a test, I could tell. I couldn't hear anything. I took a few steps forward…still nothing. Then, I heard the faintest sound of air to my left behind me. I ducked just in time before the bo staff hit me in the head. I continued to listen. Once again, I heard the slight sound of a foot being put back down. I lunged to my right, barely glancing the shoulder of my attacker. It was enough. I quickly spun around and sent a round house kick in the area where my opponent had just been. My foot met nothing as I landed on the ground almost silently. Again, I heard the whoosh of air as the bo staff came at me. This time, however, it was aimed at my knees. I jumped over it and kicked out. Still hitting nothing.

"Well done, Stygian." Came Slade's voice as he cut on the lights. He stood right in front of me with his hands and staff clasped behind his back. I did a back flip and moved about ten feet away from him.

"Very well done, indeed. Now, let the real fight begin." He said darkly. I pulled out a bo staff. As soon as it was in my hands, I felt powerful. With a deafening battle cry, I lunged at Slade. I brought the staff down with a tremendous force, aimed for his face. He quickly blocked the blow with a grunt. He pushed me back and tried to land one to my ribs. But I was quicker and jumped out of the way. I tried to land one on his thigh, but just barely missed. As I came back to the ground, he landed a hard blow to my ribs with a loud WHOMP.

"AH!" I yelled as the pain blossomed through my side.

"Forget the pain." Slade instructed, "Let your energy flow. Don't let your opponent bring out your emotions. Fight to win."

"HIAH!" I screamed as I aimed for his lower back. He jumped and landed on my staff with both feet. I gasped as he landed and uppercut to my jaw. Stars popped up in my vision as I stumbled back.

"OW…Slade…" I lost the grip on my staff. Slade kicked me in the chest with the bottom of his foot, sending me flying into the wall. I lost my vision for a moment. When it returned, Slade was standing over me with the end of the bo staff at my throat. In that position, he could easily crush my trachea and kill me. I looked up at him defeated. I couldn't do anything, I was trapped.

"Damn…" I mumble. He nodded ever so slightly and moved the staff, offering me his hand to help me up. I pushed up off the ground and walked around Slade to my own bo staff. I turned to face him defiantly.

"Again." I demanded, as I lunged at him. The time, I didn't give him a chance to think after I said 'again.' I landed a hard blow to his ribs.

"Ungh!" He grunted as he tried to ram his staff into my spine. I dodged the attack. I leapt up and over his head. On my may down, I aimed my bow staff at his heart. He only reached up and jerked it away. Throwing it across the room at the same time, he thrust his upward aiming for my stomach. Perfect. I grabbed it and jerked it out of his hand. On my way to the ground, I placed one hand on his shoulder for support so I didn't hit the ground improperly. I landed behind him and sent a hard blow to his lower back. He quickly turned around.

"Smooth. Well done." He said as he punched me in the exact same place as before: an uppercut to the jaw. Again, I lost my vision…I could feel a bruise forming.

Again, He punched me, this time in the gut.

"OOF!" I gasped. As I recovered, he used the palm of his hand and landed a blow to my chest. I stumbled backward. He continued to push me back up against the wall. He hit two pressure points in my shoulders, sending pain shooting down my arms, neck, and back.

"AHHHH!" I screamed. He kicked me in the chest and sent me flying into the wall. My back hit hard, sending all of the air from my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I slid down the wall and landed on my hands and knees, gasping desperately for air. I rolled over on my side and then onto my back. I couldn't breathe…I sounded terrible trying to get oxygen into my stinging lungs. It hurt…my chest was on fire…

Slowly, I got my breath back and managed to sit up. Slade was standing over me.

"Even after you unarm your opponent, this is how you go down?" He asked, "You let your pain get the best of you. That's your problem. You must block it out."

I didn't respond. What could I have said? I just sat there and concentrated on breathing. Slade handed me a bottle of water. I quickly uncapped it and drank it down. My hair was glued to my head with sweat and my shirt glued to my back in the same fashion. Once I finished the water, I felt much better. I felt stupid for still being defeated even after he had no weapon. Once again, Slade offered his hand and once again, I declined, choosing to stand on my own.

"Again." I panted as I walked to the other side of the room to retrieve my staff.

"As you wish…" He said darkly. I heard him run towards me, but I was too dazed to allow the sound to register.

"Wh-What?" I mumbled. I turned just in time for his staff to glance my shoulder. Then, the fight was on again. I did a back flip, grabbing my staff as I did so and aimed for his neck. He ducked just in time to avoid the blow. He tried to throw me off my feet by swiping a low blow. I jumped over it. I turned around and launched myself up into the air over Slade. I shifted my body so that my foot was aimed for his face. Slade dropped his staff and grabbed my ankle. He swung me around, my arm and chest scraping the rough concrete floor. My armor sparked at the contact. He let go and I went. I tried to land on my feet, But ended up smacking into the wall and rolling back to him.

"Ohhhhhh…." I moaned as I tried to get back up. I hurt all over.

Blood fell from my jaw and nose where he'd punched me. My jaw was badly bruised. I got to my feet shakily, bow staff in hand. I got back into my defensive crouch and waited for his next move. I had to win this. He lunged at me, retracting his bow staff and rammed it into t my ribs. An easy blow to block, had I been expecting it…

"AHHH!" I shouted as I tried weakly to ram my staff into his face with my sore arms. He easily grabbed it and jerked it from my hands. He retraced that one also and hit me upside the head with it before placing it in his belt with the other. I tried once again to land a blow on Slade, but he took hold of my wrist and held me still. He threw me into the wall yet again. I hit with a loud thud and slid down to the floor. I bowed my head and sat against the wall, resting my forearms on my knees. I focused once again on slowing my labored breathing.

In…out…in…out…in….out….

"Had enough?" he asked.

"No." I answered. I was surprised at my rough voice.

"You can't win every fight, Stygian." Slade said.

"Maybe you can't, but I can…" I said somewhat uncertainly.

"Yes, you have certainly proved that today, haven't you?" he said sarcastically. I didn't respond. My body began to tremble from over exertion. I continued to breathe in and out deeply. After a few minutes, I tried to get up without success.

"Ohhhh…." I moaned. I was exhausted.

"Come on, Stygian." Slade said, once again offering his hand. I considered it for a moment and finally took it. Slade pulled me off the ground gently. I stumbled on my shaky legs. Slade led me to a bench and I sat down tiredly. I glanced up at him through my mask.

"Why so rough today?" I asked curiously. Usually, he didn't overpower me so much during training.

"I wanted you to feel the pain of defeat." He said. "You can't always win. Sometimes, you must give up before you get yourself killed."

"Ha." I scoffed. "Message received."

He handed me a towel. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and draped it over my neck.

"Thanks…" I mumbled, running a hand through my loose hair. I hadn't gelled it that day.

"Come on. Let's get some ice on that bruise." Slade said as he began walking back to the house.

"Yeah…Ok." I said tiredly as I followed my Master.

He could be rough. But it was that roughness that kept me strong.

R&R!