Sanctuary (Dunham)

To no surprise I get thrown back once again but instead of attacking Brody counsels me on how to fight.
It's what I want and what he should do since he's hte guy who took it upon himself to school me.

Nolan, who obviously taught his son what he knows, can't sit still and also explains some more about the sword being and extension of the arm and shield a broader part to defend myself. So I decide to think of the whole thing as a boxing match. Only that I have to make sure not to loose that heavy sword and shield. Both hands tighten their grip and I nod and make another move to attack.
This time I come in like I would if I stepped into the ring with a boxer.

I raise my defense arm and get on my toes to cirlce my trainer back and forth until I find him on his weaker foot for a second, change direction and throw a punch (with the sword.) Of course it's directed towards his head this time and a second one follows with the shield.

My knee comes up towards his balls as a distraction before I hook my own shield into his and push it up leaning my whole body back as support. Brody's own shield moves up with great velocity threatening to knock the upper part against his chin if he doesn't get it out of the way at the speed of light.

"Like that?" I raise my brows with a grin but make sure to keep my focus on his retaliation.

I know I shouldn't get cocky but it happens to me all the time when I succeed just a little.

Of course Brody doesn't simply take the shield on his jaw but throws his own at my face. I can only duck to dodge the flying metal object but it still graces me head and distracts me enought for him to body check me foot ball style and throw me backwards. The knock in the chest hurts a little but I suck it up and dig my heels into the slippery grass.

The shield falls to the ground with a thud while my trainer grabs his sword with both hands.
"Much better." He lets me know that I'm on the right track. "Though you realize this means I'm not gonna take it so easy on you now."

"Never assumed you would." I tell him.

The way he stands there, even though unprotected, he looks pretty dangerous. Slightly intimidated by the unfamiliar weapon in his hands I shift my weight back.

Then it's his time to act: He feints from left and right and I counter each time but he never goes through with his attacks.
From one moment to the next the force of his blows against my shield increases making it vibrate beneath my fingers. It's hard to keep a hold of the thing with one hand while he goes at it with both of his arms.
I have no choice but back up. Then he uses my own shield against me just like he did at the academy. I should have seen that coming but his blows were too fast and before I know it I'm on my back with my shield pressed again my chest and his whole damn weight pushing me against the ground beneath my back.
My right arm becomes his target but he only taps it lightly to let me know I would have lost that one if it was a real fight.

I knew that this would happen but I stilldon't like being underneath him getting the first point. So I push him off me and spring back to my feet with a rather gri expression.
With only one arm left my shield has become useless so I mimick his previous move and throw it at him frisbee style. With one swift move my sword is switched to the left hand, which makes using it all that much harder. But I still have my feet.

As I hold my right, supposedly wounded arm, to my side I come at him with a straight kick for his right knee. At the same moment haul off to 'punch' him with a nice 'upper cut' from my left but neve let go of Nolans sword. With all these tricks, faking and dancing around he might not expect a simple straight forward move.

Not for the tiniest of moments my eyes leave my opponent because I'm taking this as serious as a real fight.

"Having fun with that left arm?"
Great joke. He knows I'm right handed for sure because he's very perceptive.

"Loving it." I comment but try not to let him distract me.

The way Brody attacks is fast and relentless. I can barely see his moves so I have to rely on sensing them. What I don't sense is the stuff on the grass behind me when I step backwards away from his sword. Not until my right foot gets caught on it and I threaten to fall backwards.

That moment of distraction is enough for his swivelling sword to get me on my right collarbone. It stings but not enough to give up.
'Pay attention' I remind myself.

Before I fall completely I duck down low, then use my right hand to push myself off the grass right towards him. Since i'm underneath his sword, up close to his body he can't really use it against me. Instead I knock it upwards with my shouder and let go off my own sword to grab him with both hands and tackle him, then throw him around and try to push him to the ground.

For a lack of better options I haul off and sink my left fist into his gutt. Behind us the shields and my sword decorate the lawn.
"How are you liking my left arm?"

OOC: really,too bad. I didn't quite get how he's attacking...with the butt or blade and are these things blunt or do the cut?

The sword between my shoulder blades hits a nerve and momentarily really wants to make me scream. Instead I bite back the pain and grunt angrily. It does piss me off though.

As soon as he drops his sword as well chances become even between us so I Try to throw him to the ground to fill him in.
He stays on his feet somehow, resilient bugger! Brody grabs me and pulls my head down until I'm in a very uncomfortable headlock, that makes the blood shoot to my head until I'm read in the face but can't wind out of it.

He throws us forward and almost manages to trip me but I let my weight drop behind him so he can't simply toss me around like a rag doll. I'm too heavy for that.

"Gloves are off, baby." I press out and from my awkward position hammer my fist right into what I assume are his kidneys, which should help to loosen the grip on my head.

Then my right leg hooks behind his knee to push him down.

What his parents will think of the sudden change of style I'm not sure. But I can tell both of us are too stubborn to stop.

With my 'gloves are off comment' and the punch in the kidney something in Brody shifts. I can tell that he's holding back a scream but instead of this becoming and intense sparr it looks like I really pissed him off. For a split second I catch the look on his face. It's unlike the stoic expression he usually wears. He's pissed.
A moment later he whirls us around, brings me out of the headlock and just when I think I can duck under his arm his hand grabs me by the windpipe and tightens so fast it chokes me up completely in a very scary uncomfortable way. His nails are digging into the skin on my throat and I can't breath.
At first I try to claw at his hand but then I haul off and punch him in his ribs as hard as I manage in such an unfortunate position. It doesn't work.

Before I run out of air his father is on his feet and pulls his son away from me.

Holy shit. That look in Brody's eyes. I think he wants to kill me.

His father is a little over cautious and pulls him away completely. He probably doesn't want his pretty little morning sparr wrecked.
"Brody. Control this. Matthew is your friend. You don't want to hurt him."

I can feel somebody elses hands pull me back and when my head whirls around I see his mother with a serious expression. Quickly I pull my hand from her grasp but stay with her to signal that I'm good.
I roll my neck but this kind of anger directed at me sparks my own temper. It's a surprise it hasn't come out earlier in this fight...like it always does.

Nolan directs a question at me "Matthew. You good?" but I chose to ignore it.
I roll my neck but then growl out loud. "Let him go!"

Briefly I touch my neck and give him a wave towards me. "C'mon. We're not done."
As intimidating as my trainer might look, my super sized ego still tells me I can take him on.

While I'm angrilydemanding for his father to let Brody go and keep on fighting I briefly look at the guy. To say that he looks scary is almost and understatement. I've fought a few guys. Some even in the arena. The looked determined, trying to scare me, gritting their teeth, nostrils flaring, veins popping...but I've never seen such a cold, yet aggrovate look in anybody's eyes. If his dad lets him go he might really try to choke me until he's finished me. It's slightly irritating. Is this the same guy who swore he will have myback?

"Brody Casey O'Rourke, you'll control this yourself or I'll control it for you."
His father is trying to talk him down to a level where he's ready to interact normally again and it seems to work.

How the heck did I piss him off this bad? With one unfair punch? He's got issues.
Maybe O'Rourke isn't that picture perfect after all.

He gives in to his fathers demands before the older man comes over to me and places his big palms on my shoulders while his wife let's me go.
"You are done. Brody's not himself, and you're riled up. Both of you need to calm down."

I'm panting but otherwise okay. Angry and ready to fight yes, but not out of controll.
Briefly I look at Nolan and endure his hands on me but then look past him to see Brody pace the green grass of the back yard.
"What's his problem. It's just a spar?"
I look back at Nolan but then shurg his hand off and nod.
"Fine."

Then I turn away and walk a few steps to calm down as well. I would have loved to keep fighting and see who comes out on tp no matter what my physical shape was. I tend to forget about my condition, especially when I'm in the middle of a fight. It might be better this way.
"Maybe it's better...but next time." I point in Brody's direction.
"We'll find out, right?"
What is happening to the oh so in controll trainer here? I don't get it and it bugs me but I undo the straps of the armor before I hand the gear back to Nolan, who is still casting concerned glances in his sons direction and staying nearby.

It doesn't dawn on me that Brody's fury might have full justification because it's fuelled by the pain I inflincted. Only when he doubles over groaning and still holding the spot I punched him in do I realize that I actually managed to target his kidney full blast. In a headlock it was hard to predict where that fist is going to land. Ribs, back, kidney. Apparently I managed to hit the most painfull one of these options, hence the fury.

"Ah shit." I arch my back and cock my head to the side when he groans again.

"After I stop pissing blood. Fuck."

Needless to say my own anger gets reduced quite a bit by the bad conscience building up with every groan from my friends mouth.
"I got your kidney, damn."
Is this the moment where I should apologize? It's one thing I truly hate to do. After all he knew what he was in for and who he was going u against...plus he grabbed my windpipe in a rather unpleasant way that still makes me feel his finger prints.


I get over myself enough to step closer and extend my hand to him...as an apology so to say. Hopefully he'll accept.

Nolan pressed his lips together with a frown next to us while McKenna is getting closer to her son with a sigh and asks. "Are you alright?"
After all a shot in the kidney can rupture the damn thing.