After the Second Fall Pt. 02.2

"And this is Gina Lewis," Geo continued.

The woman appeared to be in her late thirties and like Briggs, was dressed all in black. Where his clothes were functional and form fitting, her attire was more professional, consisting of a suit coat and slacks, although her well worn black boots made it clear she didn't just stay in an office. Like her counterpart, she, too, stepped forward with outreached hand, although she remained silent.

"You probably already know this, but the fight is in just less than two weeks, so we don't have a lot of time for preparation -- I already talked with Cap, and he agreed that additional help makes sense. Briggs will work with you on fight prep, and Ms. Lewis will make sure your prep is carried out properly, and that the fight strategy is clear. Cap will still work with you, but in a more passive role.

"I know this is sudden, so do you have any questions?"

Mars was silent for a moment before responding. "Sir, how much choice do I have in the preparation?"

"I guess it depends. What's on your mind."

"With all due respect to you and Mr. Briggs, I would rather Pip act as my trainer. He already showed me this morning that there are things he can teach me, and I think he has a plan in mind."

Geo shot a suspicious look at Pip, who shrugged. "It's fine with me, and if I have questions, I can get Cap to help."

"What do you think, Briggs?"

The man's face scrunched as he thought about the situation, finally answering, "It's difficult to argue with experience, and Piper has more Arena experience than anybody alive. I didn't know Carson was back in the game, but he's good, or at least he was. I don't see a specific problem with the suggestion, especially if that will make Mars comfortable." At this point he looked up to the young Adam, "But when you win, I'll take over full-time so that Pip can go back to his own training."

Mars smiled, as did Pip, and both shook hands with the trainer, who then turned and left.

"What about a handler?" Geo asked. "Ms. Lewis is top notch, probably the best we have now."

Seeing that Mars was looking to him for guidance, Pip shook his head. "I can't help with any of the planning, but I can offer some input on the strategy, so long as there's no objection." Ms. Lewis shook her head, dismissing his concern.

"What about Emily?" Mars asked.

"Not the right fit," answered Geo. "There's a lot more to fight prep than just getting everything scheduled."

"I understand. So what now?"

"Now you listen to your handler and your trainer, and then you win."

Mars smiled. "I can do that."

"Yes you can, and yes you will," stated Geo firmly, but the intended sternness was spoiled somewhat by the corner of his mouth turning up. With a parting nod to the handler, Geo made his way back across the training yard, leaving the woman alone with the Adams, staring up at them. After a hundred beats, she finally spoke, but it was halting and garbled, like she was forming sounds in the very back of her throat. In the open air with a slight breeze blowing and birds chirping, it was difficult to make out what she was saying, as some of the vowels sounded the same and 's' tended toward 'sh'.

The woman huffed, irritated, and tried again. "I wird like yir tir teh meh about yirshef, Marsh."

Before Mars could respond, Pip grabbed his elbow. "Ms. Lewis, maybe we can step inside where it's easier to hear." Letting out a resigned sigh, she gestured them to go ahead, but instead of proceeding, the two waited for her. With another sigh, she began walking, and from closer, it was clear that she was favoring her left leg, which moved stiffly. Further, her left hand was tucked into the pocket of her jacket, swinging oddly back and forth with her choppy gait. As they reached the nearest training room, Mars moved ahead and opened the door, confirming it was empty, and then stepped aside for the others.

Once inside, Mars' new handler eased herself into a chair, sighing not in frustration, but relief. "Are you in pain?" Mars asked, not knowing that such a question was probably rude.

"All the time," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sitting is easier than standing, but I get by."

"What happened?"

"You know, Mars, you are direct, even for an Adam," she said without rancor. "I had a stroke about two years ago, and it damaged part of my brain," she said, pointing to the right side of her head. "Speaking is hard when I have to yell, and the left side of my body doesn't work so well anymore." Even as she explained, the Adams noticed that the left corner of her mouth was drooping, as was the corresponding eyelid. "It's not necessary, but if we can have some of our interactions like this, it's a bit easier on me, even if it is embarrassing."

"Is there anything you need?" asked Mars.

The handler chuckled softly. "No, but I appreciate the thought; as I said, I get by. The more pertinent issue is figuring out what you need, and to do that, I need to get to know you better. So tell me about yourself."

Being a relatively new graduate of the training program with limited life experience, Mars' description of himself lasted less than two hundred beats. Ms. Lewis jotted down notes and asked a couple clarifying questions, and the interview was over quickly. "Well, at least you're not bringing a lot of baggage with you."

"Baggage, ma'am?" Mars asked.

"Never mind." She reached into her jacket pocket and unfolded a sheet of paper with a neat, tiny scrawl in well ordered lines, like ants marching to their nest. "This is the master schedule for the next two weeks. For the first week, I would like you two to work as much as your bodies will allow, but no full-contact sparring.

"Piper, realistically, how much progress can you make in a week?"

"I prefer Pip."

"What?" Ms. Lewis responded, confused.

"Pip is my name; Piper is just something that Director Collins dreamed up."

"Oh, okay. Well, I guess you should call me Gina then."

Pip nodded and reached out his hand, but when she did the same, instead of shaking, he bumped hers with his. Mars smiled and reached out, doing the same. "Are yoush two teasing me shomehow?" Gina asked suspiciously, her words starting to slur again.

"That's how we seal agreements," Pip answered simply, and Mars nodded. "Now, to your question: Mars will be significantly better when he steps into the Arena than he is today. I can't tell you how much, because I don't know, but in two weeks, we can do a lot."

"One week. The second week needs to be rest and final fight prep."

"I understand," Pip said respectfully, "but what we're going to be working on is more mental than physical, so we can go right up to the day before."

"I'm not convinced."

"That's okay," replied Pip with a smile.

Chapter 16

Mars was alone in the large room he shared with Pip and the girls, uneasy without fully understanding why. A knock sent his heart racing and he took a deep breath to get it back under control as the door eased open. Emily stepped inside, her dark skin counterpointed wonderfully by a light yellow dress, set off further by the dark hair hanging loosely against the shoulders of her open white sweater. She looked as anxious as he felt, and the realization allowed him to calm, triggering a small smile, which she answered in kind.

"I'm glad you're here," he managed.

Emily's smile broadened, showcasing white teeth and full lips. "Me, too."

"I, uh... don't know what happens now."

The laugh from the young woman was light and easy, racing around the room like a warm breeze, and Mars relaxed further. "They really don't teach you much of anything, do they?" she teased.

"That's not what I meant. I know how the... sex... works, but you're so much smaller than me. How do we do that?"

Emily found Mars' consternation adorable, and she momentarily felt bad for what she had planned -- like she was a dirty old woman taking advantage of a helpless teenager, which was at least partially the truth -- but her hesitation passed as quickly as it had come and she sashayed her way slowly toward the young Adam. "Let me start by telling you, 'Happy birthday, Mars.'"

Mars' lost control of his breathing as Emily approached, and his heart rate quickly jumped again. When she climbed onto his lap, standing to look him in the eyes and wrap her arms around his neck, his breathing became ragged and he started to see spots. Their first kiss -- a one-sided affair controlled by Emily -- left him at the point of blacking out.

His sudden intake of breath caught Emily by surprise and left Mars dizzy, so he laid his head back against the chair, eyes closed and smiling. "Are you okay?" Emily asked gently.

"Definitely," he replied without opening his eyes. "I liked that -- I just forgot to breathe."

Emily's relieved laugh filled the room again and she began to plant small kisses on and around Mars' mouth. Back in control of himself, he soon raised his head and began tentatively returning them, learning quickly and displaying remarkable aptitude and adaptability. With very little warning, he stood, picking Emily up and eliciting a delightful squeak. In two steps he was at his bed, gently laying her down.

From his knees, he began to undress her, sliding off her white shoes first. The sweater came next and was soon deposited on the floor next to them. As he addressed the buttons on the front of her dress, he found immediately that his fingers were too large to undo them. A hundred beats turned into two, and his normally calm demeanor was beginning to show signs of strain. Emily waited patiently for a while, then decided to intervene, but when she undid the top button, Mars pushed hand away and gave her a look that make it clear he was committed to unlocking the mystery.

Consequently, as time stretched on, Emily began to giggle. She didn't want to, knowing Mars was nervous and frustrated, but the look of deep concentration -- like a far sighted woman trying to thread a needle -- was becoming increasingly hilarious. She was soon laughing aloud to Mars' chagrin, and he stood and stepped back, placing his hands on his hips. The sullen look ratcheted up her her laughter and Mars' eyes flashed as his anger boiled over.

In less than a beat he was looming over her, staring directly into her eyes from a hand's width away. Emily's breath caught and her pending laugh died, unborn. There was a tense moment when Emily was sure she had pushed him too far --

The jerk of her dress being torn open suddenly, the sound of ripping fabric, and the feeling of buttons bouncing against her now exposed chest combined to pull a shriek from deep within her. Her short-lived trepidation vanished when she saw the lust in his eyes and she grabbed at him, finding an ear with one hand and hair with the other, pulling him down into a kiss while her legs wrapped around his sides.

Despite being much larger, it was soon evident that Emily was still in control, even as he stood, raising her up with him. Since she couldn't lock her ankles around his massive chest, her legs soon slid off, so he supported her bottom with his hands, taking the opportunity to explore. Emily had once again wrapped her arms around his head and was alternately chewing and sucking on his lips, leaving them swollen and sore. Mars couldn't have cared less as he turned and sat, then reclined on his bed, feet still on the floor. As his back hit the sheets, Emily changed her approach, nipping and sucking on his chin and neck, scraping her nails across his chest and abdomen, pinching his nipples, slowly moving down his body.

Her attention remained aggressive, sometimes painful, but Mars still didn't care. His whole body was on fire as she continued to mark her territory. He looked on, nearly overwhelmed at the combination of physical and visual stimulation. Feeling the tension build in his body, Emily paused and looked up, the intensity in her face relaxing for a moment. Seeing that he was watching and clearly enjoying her attention, a fiendish grin formed and she reached down to his groin, seizing his penis firmly through his pants.

She was neither gentle nor smooth in her movements, but Mars' body reacted nonetheless, and he cried out his release as his hips arched suddenly. Emily would have been tossed entirely off the bed except for her firm hold on his member, so instead she crashed down next to him with a thump, smacking her face off his thigh in the process. It wasn't ten beats before she started giggling again, thinking about how she would have had to explain the situation if she'd have been hurt.

Her journey back up his body was much gentler and included soothing the many marks she had left with kisses or gentle rubbing. "I may have gotten carried away," she said apologetically as she laid down on chest.

"Was perfect," Mars replied deeply, too overwhelmed to say more.

"Really?" she inquired tentatively, lifting her head to look at him, but Mars was already beyond the point of answering.

While Emily settled back in to take a nap of her own, Pip and Gina were sitting side by side at the lunch table in the Courtyard, discussing the upcoming match.

"I've tried to give you two some space the last few days, but I need to know how the training is coming along, and especially if you're going to keep going like you planned."

Pip sat up so he could look at her, having had his ear near to her mouth so she didn't have to shout. "He's working very hard, but it would be difficult for you to see the difference between today and a week ago." Gina's shoulders slumped and she let out a sigh. "It's not as bad as you think," Pip offered encouragingly. "We've been retraining his brain to process information a little differently, so there will be an initial time investment, then rapid progress -- at least, that's what I'm hoping for."

Gina didn't have to say anything to convey her skepticism.

"My honest opinion is that he's right at the edge of being able to do what I think is possible, and if we can push through that barrier in time, he'll win. If not, it'll be an even proposition."

"You really think he can win, even without this breakthrough?"

Pip nodded. "Yes, he's that good."

'Okay, fine,' Gina's gesture indicated. "So what exactly are you working on?"

"The general idea is that if Mars can identify the little shifts in the way his opponent transitions from one movement to the next -- maybe a subtle transfer of weight or a change in posture -- he can take advantage of them. More specifically, if we can make his reactions automatic, he'll be able to interrupt combinations and put his opponent into a defensive position. We already do this kind of thing for blocking strikes so it isn't really a novel concept, but I think it would be enough of a difference to swing almost any match, especially given how skilled he is offensively."

'Oh, yeah?'

"Definitely. He has enough creativity already that he isn't going to need to throw the same combination twice, and he hits like a... I don't know... a big animal? If he gets into a brawl like Rover, my guess is he would come out on top because he's so big, but who knows if he would ever be able to fight again. I think the better chance to win, and to be able to win again, is to take his opponent completely out of their game."

"But how do you train that kind of reshponse without actually fighting?"

"You've seen the rally video, right -- the one where they tried to shoot me?" Gina nodded her head. "So you have an idea of how fast I can move?" Another nod. "I don't need to actually hit Mars. We stand in front of each other and I do different combinations, slowly at first, and then faster. He's starting to react instinctively to some of the movements, but not every time."

"You do this all day?"

"All day, every day, for the last week. Like I said, it's a lot of effort at first, but I think we're almost past that."

"So why aren't you doing it today?"

Pip smiled mischievously. "It's his class' promotion day, so I thought he should take the day off from training."

"It shounds like what your doing is intensh, so resht ish a good idea."

"I don't know how much rest he's getting," said Pip with a smirk. "Our assistant has had her eyes on him for a while and promised him something special for his birthday. I just hope he's not too tired to get back to training tomorrow."

Early the next morning, as they squared off to one another again, Pip chose not to mention the various scratches and bruises adorning Mars' arms or neck, nor did he ask about what was hidden underneath the sleeveless black shirt. Instead, they jumped into their training with both Gina and Emily looking on. Both women had insisted on being present, albeit for different reasons.

After a full bell, satisfied that her charge wasn't in any actual danger, Gina made her exit. Emily might have done the same, but had fallen asleep less than a quarter bell into the session, trying to catch up on the time she had missed the night before. As if by magic, Emily woke in time to prepare lunch, then sat happily next to Mars while the group ate in the Courtyard.

The breakthrough two days later wasn't exactly what Pip had expected: instead of an epiphany accompanied by a metaphorical choir of angels, there was a shuffle step to the right.

From that point on, however, any time Pip tried to throw a wheel kick with his left leg, either by itself or in combination, Mars shuffled right. Two bells later, the step was less to the right and more toward Pip, and by the end of the day, Mars' reaction was so immediate that Pip couldn't even fire the kick before Mars had closed the distance.

The following day brought more success, this time in avoiding a front kick from either leg. By the end of the week, Pip was finding it difficult to get close with any of his kicks, and both Adams were feeling optimistic about Mars' first visit to the Arena.

On the morning of the match, all four managing directors were present to see Mars off, shaking his hand and wishing him luck; Rover, sitting in a large wheeled chair, knocked fists with him in solidarity. Next came hugs from Maggie and Rosie, and then there was just Emily left. The two looked at each intently, then Mars dropped to his knees and pulled her into a tight embrace. When he let go, he saw there were tears in her eyes. He leaned in to kiss her goodbye, but unsatisfied with a chaste parting kiss, Emily grabbed him by the head and kissed him fiercely, ending by biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

The ones sharing a room with the couple were unsurprised, having seen worse over the past several evenings, but Lilith's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She looked to Pip, who smiled and shrugged, then climbed into the waiting transport, sitting down next to Gina. Mars entered shortly after, smiling and trying to rub the soreness out of his lip as the vehicle lumbered off.

The three bell trip was uneventful, but Pip found it exceedingly odd to hear Gina go over the pre-fight routine, as John had done for him not so long before. The parting at the Arena was brief and Mars looked at peace as he strolled confidently toward the white building.

'What do you think?' Gina asked silently with the raise of an eyebrow and tilt of her head.

"I think he's got a great chance, so long as Marbelo doesn't have some secret advantage."

'You mean like your new training?'

"Yeah, something like that," he replied with a smile, stepping back into the transport.

With nothing better to do on the ride back, Pip and Gina talked, his ear always close to her mouth to combat the road noise. Underneath a generally tough exterior, Pip found that he liked the handler. She was direct in her communication style, which he appreciated, and she clearly knew her business. They debated the merits of different fighting styles and strategies, and the ride was soon over. As the doors opened, Gina gave him her lopsided smile -- the broadest he had yet seen from her -- and held up her fist, which he bumped and answered with a smile of his own.