Footlose Foxy

[Rain Gunji]

I snarled hearing Gudo again for the fortieth time instructing me without me asking him to do so. "No Rai, keep your elbows in!" He yelled and I tried to do so moving my feet as best I could to dodge the hook of my sparring partner.

He was a tall lanky black man, a good young fighter with tons of potential, he favored his right and was still a little clumsy but he'd learn better with some good hard fights. Gudo was angry though, I could tell it in his voice and the way thick veins popped out from his forehead when he yelled.

"What are you doing Rain!? Get your head back in the ring!" He was right I wasn't really focused on the fight, my mind was elsewhere, stupid Hotshot flyboy, fuckin with my head. I threw a jab and it missed, not that I was surprised it was a pretty weak and misplaced throw. He clocked me in the chin and I fell back on the ropes.

"Rain you stupid! Get in there and glober him!" Yeah my uncle was pissed at me, the Italian came out as he cursed. I growled bobbing to the right and tapping the man's kidney. It wasn't like I was trying to mess up, I just couldn't concentrate. It wasn't like I actually knew what to do when all I wanted to think about wasn't what I was supposed to.

Gudo had to admit my footwork was good right... at least I was still dodging and dancing, the man clocked me again and again I fell back. I could hear the old Bulldog bellow out curse after curse in the language of the old country and I couldn't help but laugh he acted like he never got popped in the head before.

[Mendebras]

Oh, this was just sad. Who was that clown she was fighting? And why on earth hadn't she pounded him into the ground already? If he wasn't worth her time, she needed to bash him down and get it over with. If he was, then she had fallen from a dang great height. Back in the day she had actually managed to put up a decent fight here and there. Now, what was this he was seeing?

Mendebras leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms over his chest. He would put her through the paces over this later. For now, he would watch her flounder through the saddest decline he'd ever seen.

[Rain Gunji]

I ducked my head and moved in popping my partner in the nose a couple times before he could back away. I backed up just a bit and brought up my head. Gudo seemed to be satisfied and I hit him again when he came back at me, but I missed the counter and he hit me straight in the gut. It winded me and I fell.

Why couldn't I get into it. I never sucked this bad, but I just couldn't get that smile, that laugh out of my head. I wanted to see him, it'd been awhile and it was all my fault for avoiding it. This was exactly the reason, or part of it. All I could really think about was this 20 year game of cat and mouse.

I just barely made the count and I shook my head to clear out the cobwebs that were forming. Pay attention Rain, this guy's an ameture you were practically conceived in this place.

[Mendebras]

Mendebras felt himself bristle when Rain hit the mat. This was ridiculous. She was making sloppy mistakes and losing to a whelp she should have already been able to grind into the dirt. But her moves were still crisp and quick as ever; she wasn't lapsing on a technical level. She just wasn't executing according to her skill. The problem wasn't with her body, but with her mind. Something was distracting her, keeping her off her game, focusing her attention where it didn't belong. Part of Mendebras wanted to get up in that ring and backhand her mind back to the matter at hand, and the other part wanted to beat her opponent down and show him that he didn't deserve the edge he was getting.

[Rain Gunji]

He wanted to circle me. Well that was lovely, I hunched over and did the same, he wouldn't get the drop on me again. My eyes widened and I could no longer see the man I was fighting, only the man over his shoulder. How? Why was he here? The man slugged me in the nose and then right across the jaw as I stared dumbfounded at a man I thought I'd left behind ten years ago.

Ten years ago, I wasn't in love. Ten years ago I didn't want to leave my new found home with constant fights and beautiful country just so I could go back and watch a world that went on without me, but I had a son to care for and Thailand is not the place to educate a child. But years ago I found myself in the ring and between the sheets with this man.

I knew that face. It was so easy to read... I knew what he was thinking, I'd grown week in the states, I snarled. I'd show him a thing or two. I lowered my stance and pounded on the man's left kedney before slamming my fist in his chin. Sonofabitch didn't know a damn thing, I'd show him weak!

[Mendebras]

There it was. There was that fighting spirit he remembered from the old days, back when she was just a whelp with something to prove. And now she was snarling again and actually landing a decent blow or two. Finally.

Mendebras let a faint shade of a smirk tinge his features. Now it should start getting more interesting to watch.

[Rain Gunji]

The man was surprised I'd still had fight in me, as well he should be I'd came back fighting like the lion I always was, with his surprise he let down his guard showing just how much a rookie this fighter was. I popped him in the face and then in the gut and again and again. Fucking Mendebras! I'd show him, what the fuck was he doing here? What was that fucking smirk all about. The man his eye brused and swelling, nose bleeding, lip busted tried to get me in a clinch and I hit him right across the jaw as hard as I ever had. He fell, the lights were off, no one was home.

I spit out my mouth guard and moved to my uncle to remove the gloves. "What the fuck are you doing here Too Strong!?"

[Mendebras]

Goodness, Mendebras had almost forgotten that old nickname. He had to admit, it was almost flattering. It was a grudging acknowledgement of his superior power, and there was no respect better than respect you had to earn from someone who didn't want to give it readily.

"Came to see a fight," he answered and stepped into the room, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Figured there might be some decent talent in a city this big. Sure hope that slob you just beat down isn't a representative example."

[Rain Gunji]

I shook my head, "A rookie, I was supposed to be puttin' him through his paces. Probably went too hard on him." Gudo looked between us and turned to me with a 'Who is this?' written all over his face. I'd tell him later. "There's plenty of fights in this city, what you do beat up everyone over there?" My voice was hard but my head was reeling, The father of my child was a strong man, he was harsh and he bit hard. He had no pity for weakness, and less for vulnerability. "Or did they kick you out of the league?" My eyes narrowed for a bit, he was here? What was he expecting from me? Much more important, how would Jr. feel about this?

Jr cried when we left, but of course he did, the boy was five and he loved daddy then like any child, he had friends there, he had Master Chu. I didn't expect to go back and I didn't expect to ever see Mendebras again, it wasn't like we were ever in love, what we had was more instinct then emotion, a woman needed more then what Mendebras knew how to give. He was incapable of tenderness, or I just wasn't worth it, either way it wasn't love.

[Mendebras]

Mendebras felt his eyebrow twitch. "Nobody kicked me out of anything." Which wasn't to say that some of them hadn't wanted to and hadn't invented a dozen supposed offenses to accuse him of. But when it came down to it, they were just fishing for an excuse to level the playing field. And any field that had to be leveled forcibly was no longer realistic. If they were afraid to accept that someone existed who would always be stronger than them, then their minds were as weak as their arms.

"To be honest, I got a bit bored. Figured I'd come see how my son's doin'. And his mother too, though I sure didn't expect to see her wasting her time on flunkies even a monkey could put down."

[Rain Gunji]

I nodded crawling between the ropes and out of the ring. "Right." I stopped for a moment, I should have figured the answer would be as simple as that. I caught Gudo with a lifted chin and pointed glare. He didn't know who Mendebras was so it made him uneasy. I let out a sigh. "Just helping my uncle out, JR-I mean Sarta normally does it, but he's at school and this is my day off." I grabbed a bottle of water from my bag and took a long swig. Let Mendebras think whatever he would, it really didn't matter much anymore.

"Gudo, this is JR's father Mendebras." I told the old man. "Mendebras this is my uncle Gudo Genginni, 'The Bull Dog.'. "Sarta always heads straight here from school, if you hang around you'll catch em'." The boy wouldn't be happy, but the man was his father, and I couldn't rightly refuse his rights.

[Mendebras]

Junior? Why was she calling him Junior? She had never told him that Sarta was named after anyone, and he certainly wasn't named after his father. Who was this Sarta Senior?

But instead of asking, Mendebras stepped closer to Gudo and took one of his hands out of his pocket, extending it to the big man to shake. Hard to believe Rain actually hung out with someone as strong as that. Maybe he was training her to some extent. She was skilled, sure, but she could always use some work.

Which made him wonder what kind of a fighter his son had become.

[Rain Gunji]

Gudo smiled feeling the other man's grip and returned one of his own. "Nice to have the mystery solved." He said making my blood run cold, almost felt like I'd been caught in the head lights of a semi. Why should I be worried, wasn't like he owned me or anything. I didn't have to tell anyone a damned thing about Mendebras if I didn't want to.

"I hear things are gettin' pretty bad back there, is the Master alright?" I probably should have visited, but I had a city to protect, I had a son to care for, and... I didn't want to leave him again. Gudo grinned ignoreing that I'd asked a question.

"How bout you show me what you got, Rain, wrap yer wrists and get back in the ring." He ordered with the smile of a child. He always did like to see a good fight but this would be torture. I haven't had a real ass whooping since I left, it was so unfair, but I followed Gudo's orders and took up the tape that would secure my hands. I didn't dare challenge Gudo.

[Mendebras]

Mendebras was in no mood to answer any questions from Rain. She hadn't thought the old land was good enough for her back then, so she could just stick to her big-time American lifestyle now for all he cared.

Instead he glanced skeptically at Gudo. "What, you gonna fight her?"

[Rain Gunji]

Gudo laughed. "You know all she told me about you was you were extremely strong, you can fight me or you can fight her." I shook my head.

"Uncle Gudo, I wont fight him. That was a long time ago, that was when I had something to prove to him, I've got nothing to prove anymore... I don't have to be strong enough for him only strong enough for me." I never would be good enough for him, and I'd never be strong enough for him there really wasn't any point in trying. I just hoped he didn't look down at our son, he was a good boy. He didn't need to know what kind of asshole his father was.

There was a time when all our fights ended up the same, he always had me on my back at one point I really coulda felt something, I don't know I was so wrapped up in his streagth, but that infatuation I felt, when I was so impressed with him it was over now and yes I would probably always be impressed with his power and skill I wouldn't feel that way again.

I walked away and out of the gym. Gudo could fight him for all I care. I headed to the Dennys and sat down with an order of coffee. Mendebras was here... why did he have to come here, he was a very handsome man, and all those conflicting emotions rushed me by surprise. I was glad in a way that time hadn't changed him much. Made him easy to not rush into the ring with him.

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Gudo laughed and shook his head. "Women." He said with a thick Italian accent and got back to his chores around the gym only to hear the door jingle and the only son of Rain bounce into the place. "Uncle Gudo, sorry I'm late, math teacher wanted to see me." he tossed his bag off his shoulder not noticing who was in the room and removed his hoody.

Then he looked up. He froze. You know most little boys think they're fathers are giants, mountains of men towering before them with the strength of gods. Then they come to know they're fathers as mere men of various sizes... The first had never changed for Sarta Jr. "D-Dad." He said his face scrunched up in confusion. "What are you doing here? Does mom know?"