Hey readers, here we are. Ready for the fight that will set the standard of the story and the fights to come.

To be honest, I feel I need to point something out that I'm sure you've all noticed and that is that I have been procrastinating this fight. Yes, I have because I always find that the first real fight that I ever write for a story is the one I am most nervous about. This is because this is an introduction as to how good the fights are going to be for the rest of the story and I always wish to deliver a high quality of writing for my readers.

But that being said, I have resolved myself to make this awesome and here we shall start.

So, saddle up, grab a snack and drink and let the mayhem begin!

To Explode With Excellence

The two teams of mutants, the senior X-Men and the junior New Mutants, gathered in their respective locker rooms to get changed for their scheduled training session, the one that Todd and X23 were going to join.

The amphibious mutant sighed as he stretched out his arms before undid his belt and switched his pants, tossing his blue jeans aside as he grabbed a pair of red and black pants. These were the same style of pants that he used for Capoeira but were a much needed newer pair. A red stripe ran down the outside of the legs and the insides of the legs were same crimson color, with the rest of the pants a solid black. Todd wore a fond smile as he threaded the green rope through the black belt loops, proud to be wearing his instructors belt again.

While he was in China and studying at the Dragon Tiger Temple, he made the choice to wear only his white sash while he trained with the other students. It was a small sign of respect to the new arts he had been studying but now that he was home, he felt content that he could wear either one of his belts.

As he finished knotting the belt, Todd nodded pleasantly to Scott, Ray, Jamie and Sam as they put their gear down near the green teenager. Jamie gave him an odd look as he eyed the belt around his waist, before voicing his question.

"Hey Todd, I know you got your instructors belt in Capoeira, so what did you get in that Kung Fu stuff?" He asked curiously.

"It's Wushu, I got a black sash before I left. Kung Fu means the process of one's training, rather than to what was being trained, yo." Todd explained, the other three listening in closely.

"Really? I didn't know that." Ray admitted in surprise. "So it's not all the fighting stuff."

"All the strengthening of the body and the mind, the learning and the perfection of one's skills that someone endured, that is Kung Fu. You could say that a chef or an artist has really good Kung Fu because they practice their art so much, yo." Todd clarified as he pulled his shirt off. "What I studied up in China was a variety of Wushu, which directly translated means War Arts."

Scott and few others had seen Todd without a shirt on before and they had to admit, he was pretty toned. Before he left, he had a set of smooth abs, sculpted chest and defined arms, looking more akin to a dancer rather than a fighter. It had been amusing for those that didn't him to find out that Todd had been hiding a near perfect six pack.

But now he looked like he had literally been training for war, the lines becoming extremely prominent as he stretched back and rolled forward.

His chest was a little broader and thicker than before, still smooth instead of bulky. But his abs looked like they could have crushed a coconut, his three rows of abdominals now baring a forth. This new row was almost hyper defined by his hip definition and the ripped muscles that lined around his ribs. His arms had also thickened slightly, but if anything the definition had grown.

The boy had definitely improved himself.

"Damn, Toad. Those are some killer abs, man." Ray said, impressed by what the other teenager had accomplished.

Todd gave a weak chuckle. "Thanks, yo. Doing two thousand kicks a day for the past year really paid off for me."

"Two thousand kicks…?" Scott asked in a daze.

"Every day?" Sam finally spoke in surprised confusion.

"Yup, one hundred kicks for twenty different kicks and if I was really unlucky, yo, I was timed." Todd said as he pulled a button shirt onto his shoulders and paused. "I think the worst I ever had to do was complete them in seven minutes, I think."

The others looked between themselves in a mixture of admiration and horror; admiration that Todd had managed to complete the torturous exercise and horror that there was a more sadistic teacher out in the world than Logan.

Todd began to button up his shirt, smiling at the silky texture of the shirt. The shirt had been one of his Wushu uniforms in China and he found that it was perfect for all of his other activities. The shirt button up along the left side of the shirt and the top was a high collar, the shirts sleeves removed for safety reasons during sparring. Across the neck of his shirt were two animals; to the right was a tiger and the left bore a dragon.

"Wow, sounds like a tough regiment for a martial art." Jamie said, Todd shrugging as he took off a wooden bracelet and his watch.

"Yeah, and to think I was also taking extra classes while I was there, yo." Todd began to fold and place his clothes back in his bag.

"Extra classes?"

"Just what were you studying up at that school?" Scott asked dubiously.

"Well besides taking four martial arts classes and three weapons classes, I was also studying meditation, acupuncture and art classes." Todd explained. "I got a chance to change classes, but I only change once in the six terms I was there and I subbed out meditation for Chinese history, yo."

"Four martial arts? All in the same day?" Scott whistled. "I'll admit, Todd, you're a braver man than I am."

"Oh, I suffered for it in my first month but I kind of, you know, just got used to it." Todd said offhandedly, leaving the locker room with the four other teens.

"So what had you doing all those kicks?" Ray asked curiously.

"Mostly it was a style called Tan Tui, but the another style, Nanquan, had it's fair share of kicks in them. Shequan and Xingyiquan were mainly upper body styles but they were fun anyway." Todd said as he stretched his arms. "Also, Tan Tui required me to do a lot of acrobatics and evasion, so leg strength was key."

"Hmm, acrobatics, huh?" Jamie said with a grin as they entered the Danger Room. "Like the stuff in Capoeira?"

"Kind of, but more like this." Todd said before he leapt forward.

He didn't up as much as he jumped into the room, rolling on the ground and springing straight up in the air like a rocket. As his feet cleared the floor, Todd tucked his chin to his chest, brought his legs up and flipped forward in the air as he rose up. He managed to get two rotations before he straightened out his leg, Todd's heel coming around in a power kick. He came about in the and landed on his toes, crouching down until his knees reached his shoulders and then Todd twisted as leapt into the air. Perfectly straight in the air and spinning like a top, Todd managed to get three perfect rotations in before he landed.

Todd's left foot touched down before his right foot and the amphibious mutant held both hands out in front of him, level with his face as his right foot swept around behind him. He suddenly pivoted on his front leg and swung his back leg in diagonal arc up, the force of the kick lifting him up in the air. The sweeping action of the kick lifted Todd up again and he managed to bring his other leg around midair in another kick, land in the same stance as before.

The amphibious mutant twist backwards, twist around so his body was vertical and held up by one leg. Todd, without breaking his current motion, kicked off the ground and spun in the air. But instead of landing on his feet again, Todd landed on his back and flipped up without hesitation, his right hand shooting out in a palm strike. With a shrug, Todd dropped his stance and as he looked back at Scott, felt his face flush.

Because now everyone was standing there, staring at him.

Todd sheepishly as X23 walked forward, clad in her black uniform and arm bracers, and he laughed as she gently punched his arm.

"You such a show off, Todd." She chided him lightly, the green teenager shrugging.

"I needed a release, what can I say?" Todd defended, leaning close to her ear. "Just like I know you do."

"Yeah, we spent way too much time together." X23 laughed as she pushed her boyfriend back. "Finish warming up, you silly frog."

Todd just dropped onto the floor from her push and rolled up onto his hands, sticking his tongue out before he rolled off to the side. Soon he was just a twister of kicks as he practiced his first martial art, sweeping along the floor before he rolled off to the side.

"Okay, seeing as the only one who is warmed up is Toad, I think a good obstacle is in order." Wolverine spoke up, drawing most of the kid's attention from Todd and they all shuddered at the sight of his smile. One that promised mountains if pain. "Does anyone have a preference?"

Nobody wanted to even suggest a level because that was just opening themselves up to be shot down. You see, the kids had once tried asking for a low level course to run through and they ended up with running an advanced level that no one finished. They all felt that this was just something that Logan did to get their hopes up.

"Could we do something with drops?" Todd asked, everyone looking at him for explanation.

"And maybe something with ledges." X23 suggested, Todd nodded in agreement.

"Drops and ledges, why not." Logan said as he entered in the adjustments to the control panel. "What level do you want to start on?"

"Seven or eight." X23 said with a shrug. There were only nine levels of the Danger Room.

Soon the began to alter its format and there was a yellow line with big bright white letter screaming Start, Todd and X23 lining up to go first. The others hung back so they could watch and see how they would deal with, the couple nudging each other as they prepared to start.

"Hey sweetie, beat me and I'll give you that massage you've been aching for all day, yo." Todd promised with a wink.

"Hmm, that would be wonderful." X23 purred, leaning over to his ear. "Beat me and…"

No body really heard what she said but whatever it was, it was sending shivers down his spine.

"Get ready….Go!" Wolverine barked, the two shooting off from the mark.

Todd quickly took the lead, his stronger legs allowing him to plow right trough while X23 kept a steady and even pace. As they passed about ten yards, the floor suddenly rose up around them and a barrier shot up in front of them. Todd lowered his head down and just ran faster, jumping as he got near to the wall.

He kicked off the barrier and then the side wall, grabbing the edge of the wall to pulled himself over. X23 stabbed one set of claws into the way and swung herself up, kicking her foot claw in to continue her motion. As she came around, she rolled over the top and used her claws to slow her self down. She watched as Todd was bolting along the corridor, the floor suddenly dropping out before him.

The amphibious mutant then leap to the wall on the right, running along side it for about thirty feet and flipped off so he could keep running. X23 followed in his suit except she hooked her claws in the wall to hold herself up. She then breezed past him, sliding under a metal bar and lunging over a barrier. As she rolled up, a cable flew out from the wall and raced toward the side of her head.

The clone leapt up and rolled horizontally, her claws tearing through the metal as she did so. Todd landed on the barrier and rolled off in a handless cartwheel as a cable lashed out at him, his eyes sweeping to his left as another cable snaked towards him. As it shot off, the other mutant gaped as Todd side stepped the cable and slammed the cable between his elbow and knee. The cable flattened in the center and Todd spun away, racing past X23 as she shredded another cable before she chased after him. The green teenager kicked off wall as he rounded a corner, rolling before he came up on his feet. And not a second too late as spike shot up from the floor, Todd slamming his foot against it and flipping and flinging himself back.

X23 just ran forward, cutting the spike in half and flipping over another spike. Todd ran back in, twisting and turning as he avoided the various spines that shot out at him. The amphibious mutant arched back as one shot at his chest, dropping and rolling on the floor to avoid the one shooting up from the floor. X23 hesitated for a moment to watch him and a spike shot through her thigh, the clone snarling before cutting the spike off.

The hole stopped bleeding as her healing factor kicked in and X23 managed to cross her arms as Todd flipped up, both of his feet colliding with her. She gritted her teeth as his kick sent her through the rest of the spikes. She looked up to see him run towards her, flipping and somersaulting around the spikes. As he neared the end, one shot at his side and the X-Men witnessed a shock.

Pivoting on his left leg and pushing with his right leg, the teenager's eyes darkened for about three seconds as he spun and his left flew down in what looked like a block. X23 grimaced and forced her self to stand, so she didn't have to see him do this. The glimpse of her boyfriend was enough to tell her what was happening; darkening eyes, the air shimmering around his arm, the veins surging around his shoulders. He never listened, not even when it was to save his life.

The X-Men expected to see Todd get skewered by the spike and then they would have to rush him to the infirmary, hopefully in time to save his life. Except when his arm hit the spike on its downward angle, it went straight through the metal.

Todd didn't even stop to enjoy his victory. He just finished his spin and raced for the end, side by side with X23. As they got closer, X23 leapt forward and sudden shot back with a brutal elbow into Todd's chest. The unexpected blow flattened him and she barely paid him any mind as she turned back and ran across the finish line, Todd laying on the floor as he tried to catch his breath.

He slowly picked himself up and jogged to the finish line, where X23 was standing. Her face was close off from all emotions and she gave him a cold look as he stopped by her. Todd flinched as he stretched his arms back and she softened her gaze on him.

"You know what they told you; unless it's a fight, you don't ever use that meditation. It doesn't give you enough time to use it all." X23 said gently, running her hand over his chest. "Did I hit you too hard?"

"Nah, not when I'm like that, yo." Todd said offhandedly, giving her a small smile. "I was hoping to save it for sparring later, but I didn't have much of a choice. Besides, I know my body. I know when it's goanna crack."

"I wonder at times." She sighed as the doors to the Danger Room opened up and the X-Men came in. "I was also hoping we could prolong the twenty questions game."

"Eh, some things are just inevitable, sweetie." Todd said with a shrug and cupped her cheek. "We better clear the room for the X's, yo."

"Okay, X-Men. Let's see if you can keep up with the level they set." Logan's voice sounded out over the com systems.

"Man, Toad, how did you-" Scott began asking but Todd waved as he walked past.

"Sorry, Scotty, but you gotta go now. Have fun, yo." The amphibious mutant cheekily waved as the doors closed.

"Oh yes, that was so very tactful, darling." X23 said as she rolled her eyes, Todd sitting against the wall as Logan and Xavier approached them.

Once the X-Men managed to plow through the obstacle course and the New Mutants managed to scrape by, Logan rejoined them with X23 and Todd following him. Scott could see that they had been talking with the older man and whatever had been said had been a final matter judging by X23's neutral face.

"I guess that you kids need to spend more time in the Danger Room, especially if these two have a minute and half lead on you."

"Aw, be nice, Wolvie. We did have a slightly more intense training every day for a year and half." Everyone gaped at Todd's support for them, who shrugged. "I'm sure they'll make up for in sparring."

"Hmm, they better had." Logan growled, although his last glance at Todd told a different story. "Okay, New Mutants; your free to go. X-men, get ready."

Todd nodded and squatted down, stretching one leg out to the side as he leaned over to his flexed foot. X23 unzipped her jacket and moved her arms back and forth in the form fitting sleeveless shirt. She then lowered her torso down to her knees, Todd switching sides before opening up into the splits.

"The two of them, against all of us?" Jean asked in disbelief. "That seems a bit unfair, Logan."

"Yeah, me and X are goanna have a hard time being nice to them, yo." Todd mocked Jean's tone.

"You really think you stand a chance, Toad?" Bobby scoffed in disbelief.

He swung one leg around and stood up, crunching his back together as he and X23 went to stand in the middle of the room.

"I honestly couldn't tell you, Snowman." Todd said as he walked past and paused by him, glancing at him. "But I know I'm not going to underestimate any of you."

Bobby seemed visibly shaken by the words that Todd spoke. There was just something very terrifying about them and the way Todd looked at the teenager, the feeling not leaving as Todd walked by him. Whether it was because nobody knew exactly what they had done in China exactly or whether both of them had the reputation of being formable fighters, no could exactly place it.

"Remember, save the Internal Fist for when your sparring against Dad, none of the others would be able to stand it." X23 cautioned in Chinese as he joined her. "No one else could stand it."

"You could." Todd said cheekily, smiling his goofy grins again and this led her to smile as well.

"Naturally, giving my superior skills and intelligence." X23 said in a mockingly tone.

"And you look so hot in leather." Todd quipped, jumping from her back hand as he laughed.

"I better not hear that again." X23 said curtly, shooting him a pointed look as he was about to say something else. She beat him to the punch though. "Todd, bai duo an jing yidian!" (Todd, We will enjoy your silence now!)

"….Say what now?" Scott asked in bewilderment.

"Nothing, it's nothing." Todd said as he tried to hold in his laughter. "Just reminiscing." X23 growled and rolled her eyes at that. That would be the last time that she ever let her boyfriend see her training uniform, the one she had before she joined the X-Men.

She then looked at just who they had to fight. Cyclops, Jean, Rogue, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Bobby and the newly promoted Sunspot. It was a scary prospect to fight but she smirked as she recalled the time she had managed to walk through each and every single one of them. She knew Todd had done so as well but he had also had a distraction when he had brawled with them in the park, what with the Brotherhood had their fight there.

But there was a drastic difference in skill, both in the X-men and in Todd. She just wondered if they realized this as well.

Todd spun around and pressed his back to hers, X23 lining her foot up with his. They then line bent their elbows so that they overlapped, while their other hand was loosely held at their midsections.

"What is that from?" Scott asked in bewilderment.

"Oh, a master and his wife showed us this martial art that requires a partner to do. It was all for a bit of fun but the application does work in real life, surprisingly."

"Partner?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"Means we fight as one, Fuzzy." Todd teased.

"Well, when ever you all are ready." Logan said, the X-Men getting into formation before he blew a whistle.

The room was tense with its silence, the two nearly frozen in the center as the X-men shifted uncomfortably. X23 didn't look at Todd and she knew that he didn't either, the young man well enough aware of what he had to do while they were like this.

And slowly, he began to thump his back heel, with very small movements, on the steel floor.

Bum….

Bum…ba-bum…

The clone slowly paced her breathing to the rhythm, subconsciously matching Todd's as well. X23 closed her eyes and bumped Todd on the elbow, the green mutant suddenly spinning around in front of her. He hook his arm with hers and flung the clone over the X-Men. Tucking her self up, the waited till she was near Scott and shot her foot out. Her shin was blocked by his arms but she backhanded his face, clawing at his visor.

"Dammit, they were just screwing with us!" Scott managed to bark out as he tried to punch X23, with no success.

As she tangled with the leader of the team, Todd had dived forward. He rolled up nearly Jean and clipped her feet out, flinging his arm into Rogue's midriff as he spun up. Jean caught herself with her telekinesis as Todd used Rogue as a pivot point and flipped backward, the Goth gasp for air. One of his feet landed while the other kept swinging around and the flat of his foot struck Jean in the side of the face.

Rogue jumped away from Todd and he ducked under a punch from Sunspot and blocked his punch by using his left hand to pull on his forearm. Backhanding Rogue with his right and catching Sunspot across with his left elbow, the green teenager jerked back to his left. Todd swept his body down to the ground and his hands planted on the ground, his left leg hooking around. His foot caught Sunspot and slammed him into the ground as Todd came up, his body sweeping from side to side in form to his first martial art.

X23 managed to remove the visor from Cyclops and ducked as she avoided Nightcrawler with her heightened senses. The clone kneed Cyclops in the stomach and then the face before focusing on the German, growling as she leapt back from him. He would attack, teleport, attack again, teleport and repeat. The problem was that X23 gave up using her eyes to see him in time and was listening for the bamfs and feeling the rush of air for his vacuums. As Nightcrawler swept over her for a kick and vanished again, X23 spun and threw her leg up to her right.

Her foot met fur and she smiled victoriously as the sound of German filled the air, the clone flipping towards him. She then opened her eyes to see Nightcrawler kicking as her and she spun inwards. Using the heel of her palm, she struck the blue mutant in the solar plexus and then in the jaw, hooking him in the side of the head with a closed palm. She then rolled away as Rogue punched at her.

Todd flipped back onto his shoulders and hands, his legs folding over him as Sunspot punched at him. He kicked the boy back with both legs and rolled up at the same time, groaning in annoyance as the fiery mutant kept standing. He blocked the next kick and swept around Sunspot, changing his stance as he did so. He bent his hands and pressed his thumbs to his finger tips, one legs sliding out the back with the other bent out in front of him.

"What bullshit is this, Toad?" Sunspot yelled, kicking at the green teenager.

"Shequan…snake fist." Todd said with a sly smirk.

Todd spun in towards his kick, his closest hand striking into Roberto's hips and the struck the underside of his knee. Both attacks nearly simultaneously, the hand that struck his hip slamming down on his ankle before that same elbow flew into his stomach. Sunspot stumbled back and Todd advance, thrusting his fingers into Roberto's right shoulder. The Brazilian gasped in pain and then yelled as the other hand rammed its fingers into his kidneys.

Todd ducked away from Roberto and then stepped in, his fists flying at blurring rate. Each one hit him squarely in the chest and then pulled back to his chest, only to fly out as soon as the other hand was done; the green mutant's attack were giving him no chance to fight back, so he fell back and tried to put some space between them.

But before Todd could continue and finish Sunspot, a long leg flew at his head. Todd ducked and flipped away, twisting around in a butterfly twist kick to see Shadowcat at the ready.

"Fuck, not this one…" Todd grumbled as he blocked her next kick and tried to take the offense.

There was just one problem with this idea; she could phase through all of his attacks and then solidify again from her attack. Todd knew that he absolute had to finish this the first chance he got because she would be his worst opponent. She could lock in the ground or a wall, even drop him out of the room.

Todd grunted in annoyance as he proceeded to chase Shadowcat around the room, the girl phasing through all his attacks. He would punch, kick, knee, elbow, even use his tongue and she would go intangible. So that left him with one single choice. And it was sneaky tactic but no one ever said that they had to play nice.

"X! Bobby's a priority!" Todd said as he suddenly turned to run at the ice covered mutant, X23 nodding as she dodged around Rogue.

"Hey! I'm not letting you-urk!" Kitty started to say as she grabbed at him but never finished.

Because Todd had spun around with the grace of a ballet dancer and clocked her in the temple with his closed palm, the girl falling to the ground.

Rogue's fist was left hanging and X23 capitalized on the distraction, flipping forward as the Goth called out to her roommate. Her feet clamped on Rogue's hand and the clone twisted her body around from her shoulders. Rogue's arm swung out and all the joints in her arm locked up throwing her face first on the ground. As the poor Goth tried to pick herself up in a small bit of a daze, X23 rolled up and struck. Her hand chopped on the back of her neck where the hair covered her skin and the girl slumped on the ground.

X23 glanced back at Todd and they both back flipped at the same time, landing to face Iceman. As the ice generating mutant shot ice at them midair, Todd spat his tongue out and grabbed X23 around the waist. He jerked her from the path of the frozen attack and X23 hooked her claws in the floor, pulling Todd down to the ground.

Both rolled on the ground and jumped up side by side, his right and her left foot flying into Bobby's chest. The combined attack not only flooring him and sending him flying back but Wolverine had to leap over him as he decided to join the fray. Todd leapt back as he lifted his arms as Wolverine attacked , the kick sending him flying back and X23 popped her claws the same time as her father.

She caught his first two thrusts but he then locked her claws in with his and flipped her onto the floor, kicking her in the face. Before he could drop his knee on her head, a streak of green speed across the floor. Wolverine managed to turn his head in time to brace as the closed palm plowed into the side of his head and he was sent stumbling back until he fell over.

Wolverine flipped up and when he got a good look at Toad, he knew that the young man was going to give a good fight.

His right leg was stretched out to the back of him and his left leg bore the majority of his weight, his knees bent so his hips were low and his center of gravity was secure. His left hand was outstretched, bent slightly at the elbow and the palm that had struck him was impressively still. His right hand was held at his ribs and facing down to the ground, his fingers curved in to protect them.

But it was Todd's eyes. They were both young and old, bright with youth and dim with wisdom. His face was pulled to a solemn face, the most he showed was his burrow eyebrows. The rest of him was loose and collected, ready to begin at the twitch of a hair. Wolverine snarled and leered at the boy with a feral grin, the animal in him eager for the fight to come.

This was what he lived for.

"X, don't interfere, babe." He said to her, almost as if to remind her.

"I won't." The clone answered him as she stood and sheathed her claws, turning to the others littered across the room. "I'll check on the others."

"Laura…"

The clone paused and looked at Todd, the young man taking a long and measured breath before he released it. He glanced at her as he slowly exhaled, a message passed between them. Wolverine wondered, what was being said between them?

"I'm going to use Terasu. Make sure that the others don't involve themselves." He asked, but by the look his in his eyes he was begging.

She nodded. "Remember, Todd, only use the Defeat Intention."

He nodded and drew another breath, straightening his body out into the correct stance. Todd's feet shifted into a slightly altered L stance, both of his feet shifted so they pointed at Logan as the breath was released. Another two breaths moved his arms, his right hand rest near his forehead and his left hand crossed diagonally across his body. The green teenager pulled his body slightly straight as he took another breath and lowered his hips as he exhaled.

But there was something else Wolverine sensed, a faint sound just on the edge of his hearing as Todd breathed out his fifth breath. And since his hyper-keen hearing was pretty damn sharp, it was puzzling why he couldn't this sound.

It was like some was ringing a bell on the other side of town….

Then it happened again and the ringing chime lasted longer as well, but this time it was louder and the air just above Todd's skin began to shimmer. Like his own skin was venting intense amounts of heat, to keep himself from exploding into a fireball. His eye lids sliwly slid to about half way shut, his lips parting.

"Gather….target….center…." His body took another two breaths, breathing out much harsher as he glared at Logan. "Set…I will defeat my opponent…align."

The ringing was now crystal clear and sharp, Todd's amber eyes darkening to an amazing golden color and it looked like his eyes were on fire. The way they flared and seared in his face, Wolverine thought that Todd wanted to do a lot more than defeat him. The air that shimmer out of his skin blew past his hair and took all the light tone from his green hair. Now It was a dark jade color and it all was point back, held there by an invisible hand.

"And it is ten…." Todd spoke in a hollow but electric voice, despite its quiet tone. And the bell chime beautifully and clearly and he spoke his next word. "Release."

Toad lunged forward and Wolverine had to jump to the side as Toad cleared the space between them in three steps, the amphibious teenager stretched out in a lunging palm strike. But this also left him facing Wolverine as well. The feral man thrust his claws forward only to have Toad smack his hand away and then catch the blades

Wolverine saw how too; using his index and middle finger, he had pinched the top blade. His ring and little finger were also bracketing his middle claw and this left his outer claw free but not that helpful. Wolverine knew that this was more than likely to happen, since the boy had been training with his daughter on the side but it was impressive.

As he swiped with his other hand, Toad spun in and Wolverine just dodged the elbow strike aimed at his head. The amphibious mutant released his claws and then struck him in the stomach, kicking him in the side as he was pushed back. Wolverine pressed his chance, thrusting both claws in Toad's face with a primal roar.

Toad pushed the claws up as he leaned back and Wolverine took the chance to knee him in the side, Toad rolling his and Wolverine's hands outwards as he stumbled back. He then shot forward and jumped, putting one knee in Wolverine's chest and the other knee caught him in the face. As Wolverine stepped back, the young mutant began to kick.

And he kicked Wolverine all over the body; a roundhouse was followed by a hook kick, which came with a front kick and three side kick landed in quick succession afterwards. Wolverine was able to block some of the attack but the boy had so much skill and talent, that even he was going to have to start fight a lot more seriously. As he tried to back hand the boy, Toad crouched down and jumped at him.

The first front kick hit him so hard in the chest that Wolverine could swear his heart stopped from the impact, so it was a good thing that he came in with a another front kick. But before he landed, the boy managed to twist his hips around and land a powerful roundhouse to the older man's head. Wolverine crashed and rolled on the floor, ramming his claws in the ground. The energy he had that made him roll spun his legs around and put them under him, pulling his claws free as he stood up.

Yeah, this kid was ready for a real fight.

As Toad ran at him, Wolverine rolled at him and his claws shot out at Toad's approaching foot. His blades sunk into the floor as Toad jerked his foot back and swung around as he dropped, his heel clipping Wolverine across the chin. Taking the blow without blinking, the immortal Canadian slashed as Toad who promptly dropped to the floor.

As the claws flew over him, Toad sat up and blocked the next arm. Wolverine then felt the boy roll back while gripping his shirt and kicked him over with both feet. The feral man stabbed both claws in the ground and dropped his legs down, elbowing a rising Toad in the side of the head. The green teenager stumbled from the blow and then used both forearms to block Wolverine's kick.

The unbreakable silver blades screamed silently in the air as they slashed at Toad, the teenager only pulling back enough so that the razor tips just missed his head. Wolverine growled in rage as this kid danced on the out skirts of his blades and pressed the attack, Toad catching one of his forearms as it passed. Wolverine snarled lashing out with other but that got caught as well, the amphibious mutant pinning both arms with just one hand.

He then elbowed Wolverine in the face, which seemed odd he would something so close instead of punch him. Until the boy fell back and shot his foot up, smashing Wolverine's teeth together as his arms opened up.

He landed on his hands but couldn't attack, forced to roll to the side as the Canadian brought both his hands down at Toad's stomach. As he came up, Wolverine pulled his claws in and sucker punched the boy. Toad stumbled back and in his daze, Wolverine managed to knee him in the chest and then upper cut him.

His eyes widening and gritting his teeth, Toad kicked Wolverine in the side but it wasn't as before. This time, Wolverine felt himself fly from this kick and he scrambled to his feet. Toad glaring at him, his hands raised and ready to go; Wolverine responded by unleashing his claws again.

Wolverine ran at him with slash, but this time Toad backhanded the older man's hand to a stop. His foot then crashed into his body; a roundhouse to his ribs, a heel in his kidneys, a knee in his solar plexus and then a powerful kick from a flip to send him stumbling away, all from one leg. Toad's foot kicked Wolverine's left leg out and the Canadian blocked a stomp but this also pinned him to the ground.

But he was worried about that, he was looking at Todd's face. The golden eyes of the frog-like mutant were impassively staring at him but at the same time glaring at him with unbound rage. His spiked hair hung over his face like a shroud and his face seemed blank like statue.

This was Toad fighting, but not with Todd's mindset. So what had this kid learnt?

Wolverine pushed the boy back with a roar and rammed him with his shoulder, Toad stumbling back. With the kid's back to him, Wolverine lunged at him with both arms sweeping in. Toad spun and thrust both of his hands forward, both stopping in a lunge.

"Oh my God…" Rogue whispered.

"What the hell did you two do in China?" Scott asked, looking at X23 for answers.

"Besides make Toad into a weapon?" Bobby quipped.

"We grew, into our potential." X23 answered, solemnly yet proudly.

There was Wolverine, his massive arms outstretched and claws hungrily shaking at Toad. There was Toad, his shaking arms holding Wolverine at bay and staring into the wild man's eyes. With the smaller mutant's arms inside the older man's arms, he was holding the world's deadliest assassin arms from touching him as they held out against each other.

The green teenager's arms suddenly push out, his eyes flaring with a bark of defiance, and then shot forward. Both palms hit Logan square in the chest, the left in the center of Wolverine's chest while the right hand was upon the top of his stomach. And with the force of both hands and Toad's legs pushing forward, Wolverine was sent flying back into the wall.

As the dust settled, Toad warily advanced and looked over his opponent; the man was slumped over, not stirring and his breathing seemed to be easing. Toad bowed his head and turned to go to X23, his worst mistake of the whole session.

"Stupid move, kid."

Todd tried to spin in time but Wolverine had grabbed his neck and power slammed him into the hole he had been in. He then pinned the amphibious mutant to the ground, the boy not struggling since he felt Wolverine's knuckles rest by his right ear.

"Damn…." Todd breathed, panting as Logan let him go and he rolled. An action that seemed to labor him slightly. "I honestly thought I was better than that."

"Don't knock yourself short, tree-frog." Wolverine said encouragingly, as he offered his hand to the defeated kid. "Not many people can say that have gone as long as you did or as hard."

Todd smiled and accepted the hand, groaning as he was pulled up. He then promptly ended up in the arms of X23 and smiled as she looked at him with such pride and happiness. She giggle lightly as he rested his head on the smaller girl's brow, sliding under his arm to help him leave the room.

"Your okay?" She asked, although she didn't check him for wounds.

"I'm good, promise, yo." Todd assured her, breathing deeply. "Just a little burnt out."

She was relieved that he hadn't killed himself, but the others in the room were less aware of what had just occurred.

"What the hell just happened and what the hell did you two do in China?" Scott asked in disbelief, the two martial artists looking at each other.

They then looked at the others in the room after a long moment and Todd sighed while X23 stroked his chest, almost in concern. "We didn't just learn martial arts and meditation. We came close to mastering ourselves, yo."

Hmm, well, now. That was quiet the fight and I do believe I have made some people scratch there head or at least curse me furiously for doing a cheap remix of DBZ. I assure you I have not done the latter and I promise that all shall be explained in the next chapter.

Well, mostly.

But yeah, that was a nifty fight, or at least I think so. I must have written this scene at least a dozen times and this is, by far, the better of the many drafts. I think I covered how far these two have grown in their abilities, or so I hope. I do hope that I have lived up to everyone's expected standards of CDT and this story because I do love this idea and what it has grown into.

And so, I feel I have rambled enough. So please, review and lemme know what you all think of the story. Comments, questions, suggestions, flames are welcomed and shall be taken into advisement but I can't say I'll change much.

Peace out all

- Lin