Secret Helping Hand

When the morning broke and Maxwell had awoken, not a single person was in the dorm. After freshening himself up in the lavatory, Maxwell found himself in a fresh pair of clothes. His first instinct was to check the training facility, where he'd figure to see Spaz patiently waiting for his fight. If he was present, Riley had already planned to 'wake up sick' to avoid the tussle.

Now having to shift plans, Riley made his way down into the centerfold where he'd hope to not run into anyone he knew.

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"At least four or five corpses. All causes of death had to be puncture wounds caused by a sword. Assailant in question carried a katana. It had to be the weapon used in the incident. I identified it as a cursed blade." Takeshi spoke softly, sitting behind Charlemagne's desk in his office. A pot of tea had been steaming on the edge of the wood, a small cup served next to it for the captain.

"Could you identify the victims for me? What were they wearing?" Charlemagne asked further, etching Takeshi's response onto parchment.

"Members of Nightingale. They were in lackey uniform, as usual. They must've been searching for weak spots in our entrance when it happened. From what I could tell from the blood stains and their wounds, the victims couldn't have been dead for more than an hour."

"Good observation skills. You've already described me how he looks. I have his incident reported, as well as the weapon he used and the location of the event. We will have the bodies disposed of today. Now, you mentioned something about Maxwell?"

"Yes. He managed to steal the assailant's weapon, albeit subconsciously via his black hand."

"He is in possession of the murder weapon?"

"Somewhere, yes. He is unable to tell where it has gone, though."

"A shame. Well, you did clash with the blade in the encounter. Can you use its abilities with Kagami's power?"

"I tried as much as I could earlier this morning. The assailant made a note of how unique the power was and how I wouldn't quite be able to use it. I still cannot figure out what to do."

"An investigation for a later time. We have all the information we need, so I'll be releasing you now. Enjoy the rest of your morning, Captain Tanaka."

Promptly, Takeshi left Charlemagne's office as he found himself among the crowd morning rush to the mess hall.

It wasn't long until he bumped into Maxwell, who was surprised to see him.

"Hey, Maxwell. Just got up, Eh? Well, why don't you join me for breakfast. Everyone else is down there now." Takeshi suggested.

A grumbling in Riley's empty stomach agreed to the notion. The two marched onto the mess hall, which was of course packed for breakfast.

As expected, in the corner of the room, mountains of empty plates could be seen, and behind them, two incredibly hungry individuals.

"I sense you're challenging me, Spaz. We are equal in our plate count currently. But do you honestly think you can out-eat a man of my size and demand?" Oxford barked, shoveling food from another plat ringtone his mouth with ease.

"Maybe I am...maybe I'm not. Why don't we see where this goes, Master?"

Just as the two were about to engage in an eating competition of big proportions, Takeshi and Maxwell arrived through the door, making their way to the table.

"Ah, isn't it my rival Maxie! Ready for our fight!? I'm itching to get started." Spaz declared, rising from his seat.

"Uh Yeah...about that…" Riley began nervously, slowly turning away.

"Yes. He'll be fighting you shortly. Allow me to talk to him for a minute, Okay?" Akemi spoke up.

Spaz with a raised eyebrow questioned the notion, but then let it fly.

"Don't make me wait too long. I'm all riled up now." Spaz grinned childishly. Akemi rolled her eyes as she escorted the brown haired boy out of the cafeteria. Grabbing his hand and gripping it tightly, Akemi took the reigns as she navigated through the crowds before Maxwell.

The two finally arrived at the training arena. It was completely empty, as it was too early for anyone to be already working out.

"What'd you bring me here for, Akemi? Look, I know I'm gonna get my arse kicked by Spaz, but please don't beat me up too…"

"I know you would. After we fought that one day, I couldn't help but lose all faith in you. I know you can't fight. I don't know if you ever could. If you get more injured than you did against me...it's on you. But I suppose I should at least help your efforts slightly."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that I am going to give you a small boost. You don't deserve to get totally washed by him. Take this and see how you do." Akemi subtly handed Riley a small clear vial, a sloshing yellow liquid inside.

"The hell is this?" Maxwell asked, observing the concoction.

"It's an adrenaline potion. Felix cooked one up for each member of every squad in use of emergency. It boosts the human prowess for a few minutes. That should give you a slight edge against Spaz, at least."

"I can't take this. This is for emergency use. What if we go on mission soon and you really need it?"

"Don't underestimate me, Maxwell. I can get by just fine without it. Now, take it in secret just before the fight. It should last you approximately three to four minutes depending on your physical condition. From what I've seen, the more healthy and fit you are, the longer the effects will last. Oxford was Felix's guinea pig during the creation of the potion. After lots of testing, it was concluded Oxford could use the effects for an entire ten minutes. If I were to go by your standings, I'd say you'd last a little under three."

"Gee, well thanks." Maxwell said sarcastically.

"Oh, don't give me that tone. I'm just being honest...and giving you help you may not deserve. Why you gave Spaz the impression you were strong in the first place is beyond me."

"It was a little something I picked up from Takeshi, alright."

"You used it as a bluff. He uses it as a threat. He has the power to back up his actions. You don't. Now, this fight will tell the truth. The cost of your lie was just greatly reduced. So go on. Be happy I've given you something to soften the blow."

Maxwell gripped the vial in his hands.

"Right. Thanks, Akemi. I know I won't beat him. But if I can somehow get an upper hand with the time I have, I can at least give off the impression that I'm not a total failure."

"Again with the lies, Maxwell. Just be honest. Take your wounds like a man and own up to your mistakes. Forget your pride and act with honor for once. Ugh...I really can't stand the lower class…"

"Look, Akemi. I see why you don't have faith in me. That's rightfully so. I'm not a good fighter, and I don't know if I'll end up as a good thief. But I am going to at least try. I was born with a lot of hope and a lot of luck. It's brought me here today, and I'm going to use this opportunity to its fullest. I don't expect you to believe in me, but I do expect you to give me a chance. I am the son to some great parents...after all."

Akemi turned away coldly at the notion.

"Don't screw this up. I'm not taking any sides here. Just try not to die."

"Okay."

The boy took off down the hall, only to run into Oxford and his pupil, along with Cutter and Takeshi.

"Just who I was looking for. Ready to finally throw down, Maxwell?" Spaz jeered, popping his knuckles.

"Yeah. Let's get this started." Maxwell said with an air of confidence. He at least needed to seem tough to be convincing. Spaz, who bought into this, threw his leather coat to the side as he took center along the long mat in the arena.

As Spaz stretched out and prepared for the fight to come, Maxwell hunched over with his back to the boy, quickly ingesting the contents of the vial and tucking it in his pocket. Immediately his body underwent a surge of energy.

"All ready and set. Do you stretch before a fight too?"

"No. I like to stay tense. Helps my reactions." Maxwell said strongly, taking an amateur fighting stance.

"Heh, whatever suits you. Let's have fun, Okay? Don't hold back…"

"Wasn't planning on it."

Maxwell's pupils had now noticeably turned a bright yellow, his veins now surging with raw uncut adrenaline. The two were now ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

"Alright. Let's dance." Spaz shot forward with with no hesitation, quickly starting his advance with a clear punch to the face.

In response, Maxwell rolled his head to the side, dodging the attack with a second to spare. Punching his gut backward, Spaz stumbled lightly, easily regaining his balance as he followed up with a few jabs to the chest.

Maxwell surprisingly caught each fist, tossing it back lightly as he anticipated the next punch. In his eyes, Spaz's attacks seemed slower than they actually were, giving the illusion he was moving in slower motion. Each action had a reflection to it, one that Riley could easily identify and counter. On top of that, he felt no pain as each hit connected with his hands, only a slight sensation on the palm.

Spaz was quick to change strategies, pushing back as he put distance between him and his opponent. Clearly upfront attacks weren't doing much. It was time to try a new plan of attack. Spaz now charged forward even quicker this time, appearing much faster in Maxwell's eyes as he did before. With a slight hop, the boy shot forward in the air, his foot extended outward as he went in for a lunging kick. Still able to counter, Riley pulled the boy's foot with a firm grip around his ankle, bringing him closer as he slammed his fist at the center of his chest. The boy fell back onto the floor, his wind slightly knocked out of him. With a single motion, the boy jerked upward, recovering quickly on his feet.

Now in close quarters again, Spaz left it to his bloodlust to land a hit. With even faster speed, the black haired brawler unleashed an onslaught of punches that were hard to track and almost impossible to grab, leaving Maxwell open and unable to counter. Pummeled by each speedy hit, Riley's body jerked backward with each solid blow, the attacks sending shockwaves through his body. Even now, he still felt no pain from the attacks.

Backing away completely unaffected, Maxwell readied himself again, to Spaz's surprise.

"I really gave you a wallop there. I knew you'd be tough, lad." Spaz huffed, catching his breath as a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead.

Off to the side, Akemi was in complete shock.

"There's just no way. Even with that adrenaline, he shouldn't know how to counter and block punches like that. Spaz should have struck him a lot more. I just don't understand. Where and when did he learn to fight like that? Why didn't he use those techniques against me? I intentionally left myself open to counter attacks to see if he could respond. Even then he was oblivious. He shouldn't be able to do this." Akemi thought, her arms crossed with a frustrated look on her face.

"I've been training a bit just for you, Spaz. So, let's see your very best here. I wanna know if I can keep up." Maxwell taunted lightly, extending his hand out as he flicked his fingers towards himself.

Spaz, with a grin from ear to ear, accepted the taunt as he bursted forward yet again, this time with no clear preparation to his stance.

As soon as he got within striking distance of Maxwell, the boy jerked to the side of him, then quickly pivoting behind him on one foot. With a solid blow, the boy struck Maxwell square in the spine, sending him forward as Spaz slid under his legs, rising to his feet and slamming his elbow into Maxwell's Abdomen without turning back. Now vulnerable, Spaz grabbed Riley's head, securing his neck and shoulders as he violently flung him over his shoulder, mashing him into the ground with a loud thud. At this point, Maxwell's adrenaline had already well worn off by the first hit. Now the boy's eyes had returned to normal, and the pain he had sustained while in combat now rushed through his body. Unable to move, Maxwell tapped out.

"Whew. You really had me for a second there, Maxwell. That was a good fight. You're a very calculated fighter, from what I could tell." Spaz said, kneeling as his heavy breathing began to subside.

"You're very talented, Spaz. I gotta hand it to you. You were born to fight."

"I would hope so. I'm not good at much else." Spaz giggled.

"Very impressive from the both of you, I must say. But it's clear something isn't right here." Oxford said as he stepped forward, his arms crossed.

"What is it, Oxford?" Spaz said worriedly.

"I'm afraid this fight wasn't as fair as I would have presumed. Maxwell here was utilizing a performance enhancing serum. I could see it in his eyes." Oxford declared.

Spaz's expression was quick to change. The boy now looked down in disbelief.

"Is this true, Maxwell?" Spaz asked with a sharpness in his tone.

"Damn. Well, I have to own up to it." Maxwell thought.

"Yes. I used Adrenaline because I'm not strong. I wouldn't have been ever able to match even half of your strength without it. I don't know how I did so well. I should have given you an honest fight, Spaz. Even if it meant me getting pummeled, at least you would have known then and there I wasn't as strong as I had played myself up to be."

Spaz laughed a bit, shaking off the negativity.

"Hey. It's alright. The fight you gave me was very good. Even if you were enhanced, I still had a good time. And even without that stuff, you still have a lot of potential to be a strong fighter. Don't give up now. Keep training. You'll get to that level again without having to take anything. It's my promise." Spaz said surely.

"You really mean it?"

"Definitely. Those were some great moves for someone acting solely on instinct. Keep it up. You'll be strong enough in no time."

"Yes, Maxwell my boy. You demonstrated great prowess and movements. All you need is a bit more power and attacking maneuvers. I'll teach you everything I can as well." Oxford offered, a tiny wink of stardust in his eye.

"Thank you both. I'm definitely going to train and get stronger from here on out. This is the new life I have to adapt to, so its only natural. I'm ready for it." Maxwell said with confidence, Spaz slowly helping him to his feet.

"Excellent attitude. Now, Keith. I am to start your training with an aptitude test of sorts. Are you ready to face me now?" Oxford said.

"That I am, Master. I want to show you even more of my ability. I will go all out in this fight."

"Good. Get ready. You will be facing half of my full power. Do you think you can take it?"

"I'll try my best. That's all I can do."

"That's the spirit. Now, let's get on with it." Oxford grinned, taking battle stance as Maxwell was carried off to the side of the arena. The battleground was now set, and the two combatants were in readied position.

"Here it goes. Show me the limits to your strength, Keith."

"Don't have to ask, Master. Here comes everything." Spaz said with an even bigger grin than before.