Getting rid of the weakness (Victor)

[vagus32000]

Adam Vagus walked along Hollywood Boulevard dressed in his normal casual attire, a polo shirt and blue jeans, both rumpled as normal. Aside from that though he was well groomed, his black hair neatly combed and his face clean shaven. As he walked along he thought back to why he was here. It was all Crapgame's fault, she was the one that insisted that he meet this Victor Ambrose. She said that he was a great fighter and could teach Adam how to fight. Teach him how ta fight, was he that weak that anyone could see it? He'd fought in several battles and had survived, had taken out a vamp or two along the way. Was he that wimpy in actuality?

He continued walking, mentally growling at the thought. Not because it had entered his mind, but because deep down inside he believed it. He was weak, if it hadn't been for Rose there was a good chance he would of died at Sevanni's hands. He couldn't hold his own in a fight, and that truth drove him crazy. He was a pack leader, he should be the strongest of that pack not the weakest. Yet he was, at least that was his belief. He also believed that he wasn't the wolf he wanted ta be. He wanted ta be respected by those he loved and trusted and feared by his enemies. However he didn't believe he was, he believed he was just a punching bag for even those he loved.

After several minutes he stopped, having caught a glimpse of the man he was looking for. Should he go through with this? The man hadn't seen him yet, as far as he could tell. He could still leave and claim the guy never showed. No, that was the cowards way out and besides, he'd given Crapgame his word. He had no choice and started walking up to the man.

[Victor Ambrose]

Punching and kicking at the bag as fast as you could, getting in the most out of his work out as he could.
"Ten Minutes Victor. Keep it up!"
Ten Minutes. He wasn't even breaking a sweat!
Grunting and yelling, he hit that bag with all his might.
Focus Victor! Focus. Just ten more minutes and you will have beaten your record!"
Nothing was going to take him away from this. He worked long and hard for this. Stamina was his weak point. He had the speed, the power, the flexibility, everything, except stamina.
Luckly I took Yoga. That should help with my breathing problem.
"Fifteen Minutes!"
The burn wasn't affecting him yet. He was grateful for that.
He hasn't lost in a fight recently, but Victor wasn't about to get cocky. He knew his weaknesses and he knew his strengths, and wasn't about to stay with those weaknesses or keep his strengths at the same level. He doesn't want a second of weakness to show. He doesn't want a a hint of flaw to seep through in a fight. He wanted perfection, grace, and lethality. He wasn't about to let anything take that away from him
"TWENTY MINUTES VIC!"
He heard that, and with a final blow, he used a TaiChi move and ripped the bag from off the ceiling.
"Sorry Joe!"
"Nah, it's cool Vic. I'll put it on your tab."

[vagus32000]

Adam walked up ta the man and introduced himself, making sure ta say that he was a friend of Crapgames. The man nodded and started walking down the street. "Crapgame says you wanna find Vic," the man began. "What's the deal? She owe him some money? Never thought that she was the type ta rely on bouncers. Hell, every time I owed her she came herself. Her and that crazy switchblade of hers." He shivered at the thought, Crapgame could do some nasty things with her most prized possession.

"No, I no collector. I just want ta meet the guy is all. Heard he was a pretty good fighter," Adam replied.
"Pretty good? He's the best I ever seen. No one can touch him. Believe me, they don't get any better than Victor."
"Let's hope not," Adam said then silently followed the man as they entered a large gym. Inside were several men Adam's size and larger working out, lifting weights, hitting the punching bags, and everything in between. Adam did his best ta hide his anxiety. He'd never worked out like this before, these guys were hard core.

"Vic's over there," the man said pointing to a guy who was just finishing up on one of the punching bags. "Tell Crapgame we're even now. I want my marker erased."
"I'll tell her," was all Adam said before walking over to Vic and clearing his throat. "Victor Ambrose," he stated matter-of-factly. "Name's Adam Vagus, pleased ta meet ya."

[Victor Ambrose]

"Victor Ambrose, Name's Adam Vagus, pleased ta meet ya."
He looked at the man as he whipped off his forehead and started jogging in place. He wasn't going to give up his endurance day. He jogged over to the machine where you pull on the chain while sitting on a sliding part.
"So, Mr. Vagus. How can I help you today. I hope it's not...."
"HEY VICTOR! YOU GOT SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU! AND IT'S NOT THE GUY STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU!"
He stopped what he was doing with a cool look on his face, but deep down inside he was wishing, 'God I hope it's not another person asking for a fight. Please. I'm begging you, no more fights.' He got up and excused himself.
"Excuse me Mr. Vagus, this should only take a minute."
Before he could get up, a guy was running at him and jumped, ready to assault him. He pushed Adam out of the way, and ducked before the guy could strike him in the face with a flying knee Muai Tai strike.
"YOU AND ME! LET'S GO!"
"Sir, I suggest you remain calm or you might start doing things that could end up being very fatal to you."
"Is that a threat?!"
"No, it's a fact. Fighters who rush always hurt themselves."
The guy looked pissed at his comment and came at him with a kick to the face.
Victor didn't move a muscle except his arm to grab and stop the kick.
"Firstly. I don't appreciate you walking in and being like everyone else who wants a fight."
He sweeped his leg as hard as he could, and struck the opponent as hard as he could at his achilles tendon. The guy landed on the floor, full force.
"Secondly, I don't like all you macho fuckers who come in here and think that if they take me and beat me, they will be considered the best."
He kicked the guy in the groin as hard as he could.
"Lastly, when you are fighting me, make sure there is no one else in the cross fire."
He waited for the guy to get on all fours.
"Now, this is going to end with you looking like a bitch."
Last finishing move, he kicked the guy in the head as hard as he could, practically knocking the guy out while sending him a couple of meters from where he was originally.
He turned to Adam, and looked at him. "Sorry about that. Now how can I help you?"

[vagus32000]

Adam nodded that he was excused and stood back and watched as Vic fought the man that had interrupted them. Victor was good, VERY good and Adam could see why Crapgame wanted him to come to see this guy. He winced at some of the blows that Vic landed and was glad that he wasn't the one to piss the fighter off. "Ow," Adam said when Vic kicked the guys head. Yeah, he didn't wanna piss this man off.

"No problem," Adam replied instantly regaining his composure. "I take it from what ya said that this happens a lot. Well, I can assure you that I'm not here to fight you. On the contrary, I'm here on advice from a friend of mine, Crapgame's her name, to ask you to train me."

Adam didn't know whether to be insulted that Vic didn't seem to know him or glad. Adam was a prideful man and he was kinda embarrassed to be here asking for training but he wasn't about to let it show. Not in the least. It would be beneath him to show it. Make him less of a man.

[Victor Ambrose]

"No problem. I take it from what ya said that this happens a lot. Well, I can assure you that I'm not here to fight you. On the contrary, I'm here on advice from a friend of mine, Crapgame's her name, to ask you to train me."

"Well, Mr. Vagus, I've never met your friend and I don't know if you or your friend know this or not, but I don't teach people. I quit teaching a long time ago."

'Let's see how much he wants to learn. I want to see his spirit and his motives.'

"I'm sorry you came all the way up here, but like I said, I quit. I'm sure someone will take you under their wings. I was never much of a good teacher anyway."

In truth, Victor only taught people he found worth of being taught. Very few ever get the 'honor' of being taught by him. He preferred it that way. He was thinking about opening a gym, but bartending didn't really quite cover the expenses of running a gym. Also, he didn't really have much time, seeing as he was still in college.

[vagus32000]

Adam was disappointed and shocked by Victor's reply. Not teaching? Crapgame had never told him this and she was rarely wrong. Crapgame said that he was a martial arts teacher and that he was accepting students. Maybe this was one of those weird eastern things, only those WORTHY would be accepted. Well whatever the reason Adam giving up. If Vic wouldn't teach him personally then Adam would just learn by copying the fighter.

"OK, I understand Victor," Adam said not letting any emotions but calmness show in his face, eyes, and voice. "Now if you'll excuse me I must get to work. I intend to get stronger and will do so with or without your help." With that he walked over to an empty space and started doing some stretches, warming up for the exercises he would do. The life of a pack leader and company executive had softened him up and it showed. While still muscular his body was soft and a small gut was beginning to show. As he warmed up Adam kept an eye on Vic, wondering what the leader would do that the follower would have to mimic.

[Victor Ambrose]

Victor sighed and walked to Adam Vagus. "You will never excel if you just give up. You have the passion to learn and the fire to achieve your goal, but you lack the motivation to use the tools at your disposal."
He then fixed the stretching position Adam was in before he got himself hurt.
"Look Mr. Vagus, I'll make an exception in your case. I only teach those who I capable of using my time effectively. You seem to be that kind of person, but I need you to step it up a notch."
He sighed again. "Tomorrow at 7:00 AM SHARP. Be here with some training gear like sweats and stuff. From there we can decide your training course and schedule. But be ready to run and work like you have never worked before. Punctuality and effectiveness are my standards and requirments..with out them, I will, as they say now-a-days, "drop you like it's hot. For now though, it seems that I need to teach you a few basic things you can do at home with any item you can find at home."

He extended a hand to Adam to help him up off the floor. He showed him a coulpe of excercises he could do with some rope and a bags filled with anything heavy. He also offered him to come to his house and rig a room his house so it can be a work out room while he had free time. If it was one Victor hated, it was a person who used his free time wastefully.

[vagus32000]

Adam listened to him speak, ignoring the part about him just giving up. He wasn't really for if he was he would of just walked out of the gym instead of trying to do it himself. But then perhaps that was more of that eastern wacko stuff, like not dodging a sword stroke because a tree would be damaged. Nonsense like that Adam had no time for and was in no way willing ta make time for either and as Vic finished his speech and helped him up Adam voiced his own expectations of Vic.

"Very well, I'll live up to my end if you live up to yours," Adam began giving Vic a look that said that he meant every word he was speaking. "I want ta be strong, tough, someone who people wouldn't wanna mess with but also someone respected as well. And I will not listen to an ounce of any eastern jibber jabber about not swatting a mosquito. You try and brainwash me with that crap and I'm walking. I'm hear ta learn how ta fight and will do my honest best ta learn and train but I will not suffer any jibber jabber. We have a deal?" Adam held out his hand, waiting for Vic's answer.

He then watched Vic show him some exercises, getting down after each one and doing them ounce or twice to make sure he was doing it right. It wouldn't do ta work so hard only ta find out he'd been doing it wrong all along. Getting up he said, "OK, I'll see ya at six thirty."

[Victor Ambrose]

He sighed one more time. "Eastern Jibber Jabber? If you think my instructions and advice are all 'Confucius says,' you are free to leave. Everything I say has a purpose to it Mr. Vagus. I would kindly appreciate it if you listen to it all, even if it does have a tendency to have a biting edge to it. Also, please come ready with a style in mind. If you want to learn MMA, then come with two styles in mind, preferable one dominant in offence and one dominant in defense."
He heard Six Thirty and knew he was ready to start as soon as he could.
"Oh, and Mr. Vagus, please understand that when I say I will train you, I mean it. You will endure a lot of physical and mental pain. So if you feel like this may be too much for you, please tell me now. Like I said, I don't like having my time wasted."
He knew Adam wouldn't give up, but there were things he needed to set straight with Adam, such as he was going to be relentless. He could keep him in the gym till it closes if he has to until he does it right. Also he isn't afraid to injure his students. The injuries in lessons builds up their pain tolerance as well as introduce them to the fact that fighting is real, and not like in the movies, allowing them to hone their reflexes to the point at which they can wave their hands across a dripping stream of water and not get their hands wet.
"Seven Sharp Mr. Vagus. I won't be here till then." He tosses Adam a digital watch. "Synchronized with mine, so we won't have any disputes on time. Return it to me when your training is over." He was about to head the other direction when he remembered something. "One last thing. You will never mention my name outside the privacy of this gym or your home, and there will be no fighting what so ever outside the gym until your training is complete. The only exception is self-defense. This does not mean defending your pride and honor. It means if attacked, attack back. In other words, don't start a fight, but don't run from one."