Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn't Work Hard

Free-Roam Name: Hard Work Beats Talent when Talent Doesn't Work Hard
Free-Roam Type: Filler
Objective Level:Intermediate 

The time was 5am, the day was Saturday. In one of the rooms of the Haoquin household, a cell phone started to ring - the ringer of the phone, to be more precise.

Brr. Brrr. Brrrr. Brrrr.

Moving slowly - a natural reaction of a body who had just awaken from a night of sleeping - Hao struggled to turn off the noise that haunted his hears. Blindly, his hand tapped around trying to find where that damn device was. Then, after some tries, he remembered: the cellphone wasn't near the bed like it usually was, but in the desk near the door of the room. Yeah, Haoquin figured that, if the cell phone was in his reach, he would just turn it off and go back to sleep. This new position meant that, if he wanted the noise to stop, he had to get up. And getting up meant not falling asleep once more.

Damn it, he thought, regretting his decision of the previous night.

So, keeping up a slow pace, he got up and headed towards the phone. He wondered who could possibly be calling him at this time. The life of a vigilante is a lonely one for sure. Ever since Hao disbanded the gang he hadn't established any relationships with anyone. Haoquin doesn't even interact with the customers of his small pub, nor his employees either. Come to think of it, Hao only had three contacts on his phone, would he even answer the phone? He stood there scanning the screen of the phone as he read the number that appeared on his screen.

Pressing a button on his phone, the noise stopped. Then, Haoquin turned the lights of his room and began undressing to put on different clothes. He wore sports gear, something soft, flexible and easy to move with. Then he turned the lights back off and went downstairs.

Still half-sleeping, he made himself a good breakfast and ate somewhat fast. His destination was already decided: the dojo. Near downtown Chicago, there is a dojo that has their doors open 24/7. Hao couldn't remember the last time he actively trained but it was time to get back in the habit of it. He didn't have much time and he had many areas he needed to revisit. The best thing about the dojo, the allowed the use of quirks within the confines of the dojo. This makes it a hotspot for many people in Chicago. The area itself is heavily guarded, so anyone who even attempts to go overboard with their quirk will be apprehended. With a last check around his place, Haoquin was out, jogging toward the dojo.

Entering the building,the dojo master was right at the middle. People often called him Dad or Father. Hao knew him his whole - obviously - so it didn't faze him at all, but sometimes - just like now - looking at Father reminded him of monstruous he could look for someone who didn't know him. Sweating like a fountain and in a white tank top with black pants, the man stood at more than 7 foot talland surely weighted more than 150kg - that weight was, however, pretty much all muscle. With his spiky hair - the same color as Hao's - now cut short and his beard a little long, it was like a beast was there, waiting for his next prey. But an angry carnivore was everything that the rock of a man was - he was more like a friendly herbivore.

"Hao"? - he took notice of him entering the dojo - "What are you doing here so early kiddo?"



"Hey dad" - Ryuu said as he stepped closer to Father - "I just... Well, I want to ask you something."



There was a surprised look on Father's face. Haoquin being up so early was already strange. Being at the dojo even more. Asking for something just made it seem like there was somebody else inside Hao's body. However, he answered with a laugh while placing his enormous hand on his shoulder.

"Shoot it my boy!"

I know this is kind of awkward but... I want you to teach me how to fight.

Father was, with reason, confused. In the short time, he has known Haoquin, the male has hardly said a word to him nor ask for anything. Father had seen Hao fight before, he definitely had some technique to him, but never did he think that he would need some instruction. Hell - Father was Quirkless and still fought without losing, that should be enough for someone to be interested. Just what could he teach Haoquin? He stroked his beard a bit as he thought to himself. Such a thing made Father happy, but, at the same time, curious about how Hao never wanted any instruction but for some reason, he does now... So why now? He didn't know Haoquin enough to know his past or his plans for the future. Dropping his hand to his side, he glances toward Haoquin and comes out and ask the million dollar question.

Really? - he bent his knees in order to be at Hao's height, keeping his hand on his son's shoulder - Of course, I'll teach you, but why you want to learn that now? Out of all the people who have come to the dojo, you seem like the one who wouldn't want or need instruction."

Haoquin thought of his recent encounter with Cumber and his small tussle with the diamond girl. There are some tough people out there if he ever wanted to accomplish his goals he would need to grow stronger. This would be done by starting at square one and refining the basics. This is why he was here.



"I want to reach them."

"Reach what?", Father was quick to ask. And Hao quick to answer.


"The stars", he said in a determined tone.


Father's eyes - also the same colour as Haoquin's - started to shine. He laughed loudly as he got up. Then, with his biggest smile, he placed the hand that was on Ryuu's shoulder on the boy's head, starting to mess with his hair. He was proud. This slightly agitated Haoquin. The man acted as if everyone in the dojo was a child of his.

"My little one is getting old, my my!!!!" he continued to laugh.


Yeah, yeah... Hao mumbled wanting to get started already.


Then, after some small talk between the two of them, they both sat down on the wooden floor. Hao's first class of martial arts was about to begin. Little did he know that Minato's view on the subject was a really particular one.


"So, tell me, what do you think are the most valuable aspects to have in a fight?" Father's tone was more serious than usual. If he was going to teach he would do it well - just the way he did with the others.


"Probably power and speed."


"Ahhh you and all the others are the same.... really are the same..." - Father laughs a bit more before gathering himself. He slowly shakes his head a bit at Haoquin before speaking again. "You're wrong."


Haoquin was a little surprised.


"How am I wrong?"


"Precision beats power, timing beats speed. Learning from me and from how I fight, this will be the first and most important rule you must remember. "


Hao then pointed out something obvious.


"Then why do you work so hard on maintaining your physical strength?"



"Because, like any rule, there are exceptions. Out there, in a real fight, everything can happen. And how well you can take a punch and how hard you can hit can make a difference on whether you win or lose. But make no mistake: if you keep calm, focused and maintain your timing and precision there isn't a fight you can't have a chance on winning" - Father continued - "Besides, no matter how hard you train, my physique is something unatainable for you right now. This is the result of years upon years of hard work, so it's better for you to focus solely on this one rule than on raw power and other stuff."



It made sense. A lot of sense, actually. It also explained a lot. Without Father knowing, Haoquin would sometimes sneak inside the dojo to see Father and the other masters spar and he always found it weird. Not because of who they were to him, but because of the style: it was never striking, it was deflections and counter-strikes; weird angles and positions, unorthodox ways to hit and avoid hits. It always fascinated him how freely such a huge man like Father was able to move, even if Haoquin himself never had much interest in it.



And so they trained for the entire morning, not only theory but also practical stuff. And so they would keep on doing for a lot of mornings in the future. A new way of fighting. A new way of being able to grab a chance to win. It was tough - but it was hidden.

But there was also something more important than that.

"Same time tomorrow kiddo?"


"You bet."


This might've been the first relationship Haoquin had formed ever since the disbandment.


WC:1525