Fighter's Brew – S2: E8 (Audio + LMA Transcript) (Patreon)

• Fighter's Brew

[Note: Read the manga images from right to left.]

The doctor checks on Meguru and says he's low on oxygen and needs to rest.

Meguru is lying down with an ice pack, and Yudai goes to the hospital.

Since Kagaya can't continue in the finals, Takashi Yamabuki is declared the winner.

At the hospital, Kagaya runs into Yudai.

"Waiting for a CT scan?" Kagaya asks Yudai.

"Yeah. You?" Yudai asks.

"I got 14 stitches. That kid, he's strong."

"Of course he is," Yudai says proudly.

"I'm not giving up on going pro," Kagaya says. "I'm entering the regionals to fight for a spot in the nationals. If you keep it up, we'll probably face off someday."

Outside the venue, Furuya finds Meguru sitting by himself.

"There you are," Furuya says. "I thought you went home before the closing ceremony."

"Furuya-san, I've been thinking," Meguru says, "about why I'm exactly doing MMA. I'm soft, and I've always hated fighting. If I had to pick, I'm more of an art guy. I don't really care about 'manliness' or whatever."

"But I still want to get stronger. After my knee hurt him, I could hear you and Yudai telling me to get in there. But I just couldn't move. It made me realize I have no stamina. Or strength, really. I got taken down three times in four minutes. It's no wonder I lost."

Meguru puts his head down. Furuya sits beside his pupil and puts his big hand on his head. Meguru starts to cry.

Back inside, Meguru gets his certificate. He tied for third with Yudai.

"Maki-chan," Meguru says. "Sorry I never landed a left mid kick."

Maki's face turns red, and she doesn't know how to respond. Meguru did throw one against Kagaya, but it ended up being a knee to the face, which was a better outcome.

Takashi walks up to Meguru. "You better win regionals," he tells him. "I'll be at nationals. Waiting."

Meguru is at the vending machine, trying to get a drink, but he drops his change. Kaoru helps him pick it up.

They end up talking and walking out together.

"Were you and Kagaya in the same gym?" asks Meguru.

"Uh-huh. He's the kind of guy who goes overboard with getting stronger. He'd say things he didn't mean to teammates. But after your match, he gave you a hand to help you up, right? I hadn't seen him do something like that in a while. Maybe I misjudged him. You made me realize that. So, thanks."

Kaoru waves goodbye as she joins her team. Meguru watches her leave. Maki kicks Meguru from behind and knocks him to the ground.

"Let's go," she says.

Despite taking third in the Kanto Amateur Championship, since it's not a club activity, nothing changed for Meguru at school. He's still a ghost. Most of his time is spent training or cramming with Micchi. Finals are approaching, and then it's summer break. College entrance exams are also this year. But Meguru wants to spend the summer training.

At Fighter's Brew.

"Regionals?" Furuya says. "Not happening. You went down twice in that tournament. Recovery comes first. No full contact for six weeks."

"But the regionals will be over by then!" Meguru cries.

"Well, there's ten tourneys held in order around the country, so we might be able to get you ready for the last one."

"Okay..." Meguru says.

In the meantime, Meguru is working on his defense and conditioning. This means more training with Watanabe.

Maki grins as she watches Meguru getting smashed by Watanabe.

Meguru is exhausted and lying at the entrance of the gym.

Maki has changed into her school uniform to leave, but Meguru is in her way.

"Meguru, get out of the way," she says.

Meguru slowly opens his eyes, but since Maki is standing over him, he accidentally stares up her skirt. However, she's wearing compression shorts underneath. Maki notices his gaze and steps on his face as she walks out.

"Meguru!" Urasawa says, "You're bleeding on the mats. I just wiped that!"

At Meguru's house.

"Once the September tournament is over, you'd better buckle down and study!" Tamaki growls.

"I know..." answers Meguru.

Meguru's grandmother is at the community center. She teaches flower arrangement there three times a week.

Meguru is doing the dishes.

"Meguru," Tamaki says.

"Sup?" answers Meguru.

"That man said he's coming to visit for the tenth anniversary of Mom's death."

When their grandmother isn't there, Tamaki calls their father "that man."

Back at the gym, Maki is training hard with Take. She has a kickboxing match coming up.

Yudai is still out of the gym with a fractured collarbone and injured elbow.

"I hope he doesn't quit," Urusawa says.

Momoko is puzzled.

"Oh," Tamiya says. "It's just that a lot of times guys who come in here determined to go pro are the ones who end up quitting the soonest. And the guys who treat it like a hobby often wind up as pros before they know it."

Tamiya smiles at Meguru as he trains with Watanabe. "Well," he continues, "you've really gotta enjoy it if you wanna be in for the long haul."

After training, Meguru is exhausted again, lifeless on the gym floor.

Maki has also finished up her training.

"Good work today," Maria says.

"Thanks," Maki tells her.

Maki can easily walk around Meguru this time, but she walks right up to his face.

"Hey, Meguru," she says. "You're in the way."

"Ah, shut up," Meguru says. "Go around me or step on me, I don't care--"

But before Meguru can finish his thought, Maki steps over his face, and Meguru sees her tight pink underwear.

"Night guys," Maki says from the entranceway as she walks out with Momoko.

Meguru is catatonic.

"What's wrong with him?" Take asks.

"I don't think he's breathing," says Maria.

Meguru makes it through finals with the help of Micchi and doesn't have to quit the gym. Summer break is here, and so is the kickboxing competition.

Maki, along with two other fighters, are representing the gym.

First up to compete is newcomer Takuya Takagi. This is his first fight.

"Watch me knock this fool out, Shizuka," he tells his girlfriend, who isn't paying attention.

"Go get him, Takkun," she says.

"Come at me, bro," Takuya tells his opponent.

Takuya comes out strong and turns the fight into a slugfest and is knocked out.

"Just watch my comeback story!" he tells his girlfriend, who still isn't paying attention.

The competition rules vary depending on the skill level. Maki was in the top amateur class. Each match consisted of 1.5-minute rounds. No headgear, clinches allowed, and knees only to the body.

Maki easily wins her match with a KO in the second round. Meguru and Momoko congratulate her.

Since only three fighters are in her division, Maki agrees to fight twice in one night to give the other girl a match.

Last up is Keiji Mochizuki. He's 35. He has done amateur kickboxing for nine years after switching from karate. He can't go pro because he's a government worker. He still trains for two hours, Monday through Friday. He's been a quality sparring partner for Meguru.

He wins his match by decision.

Maki sees a distraught girl in the waiting area.

"You okay?" Maki asks.

Startled, "I'm fine," the girl says. "Thanks for your concern." She bows to Maki and runs off.

She finds her team.

"Hey, Ayako, feeling any better?" someone from her team asks.

"Relax, will you?" Someone else says.

"Match 47, featherweight division," the announcer calls. "In the red corner, from OST Martial Arts, Ayako Nagamine!"

"Well, well, well, look who it is," Maki thinks.

"In the blue corner," the announcer continues, "From Fighter's Brew, Maki Kamiya!"

"Her shoulders are too tense," Mochizuki says. "This must be her first fight. I didn't see any kickboxing record."

"She's got the jitters," Meguru says. "She looks like me during my first fight."

Unlike a typical kickboxer, Ayako is crouched low.

Maki lands an inside low kick.

"She didn't even check that," Meguru says.

"She's leaning too much on her front leg," Mochizuki says.

Maki throws a high kick, which just misses.

"That high kick..." Mochizuki says. "The fact she backstepped instead of swaying back is a bad sign for us."

"What do you mean?" asks Meguru.

"She's maintaining that forward lean despite the kick to the leg, despite the high kick. That girl must hit hard."

"But her shoulders are too tense," Meguru says.

"It's true if she doesn't relax, she'll be too slow," Mochizuki says.

Maki throws a left mid kick, but Ayako blocks.

"But if she takes a few hits," Mochizuki continues, "she'll naturally loosen up. And she's staying on the move. That's proof she's well-trained."

Maki lands another inside low kick.

"She won't be moving for long if she keeps taking leg kicks like that," Meguru says.

"No, she's actually parrying quite well," Mochizuki says. "She can't do the conventional method of checking from her stance, but she's relaxing the moment the kick lands. Her leg is going with the kick, which mitigates damage but keeps her in line to attack."

"That girl can take a lot of punishment," Take tells Maria.

"She's deflecting well," Maria says.

Maki misses with a mid kick as Ayako back steps.

"She's starting to dodge altogether," Maria thinks. "She might have already figured out Maki-chan's range."

"Weird," Maki thinks. "I'm fighting at my range, so why am I out of breath?"

Maki looks to her right and is startled. She's been pushed back to the ropes. Ayako charges in. Maki times her with a counter knee, but Ayako dodges and lands a left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut. Maki sways back in time to avoid getting hit.

[Maki is a southpaw, so when she threw the knee and missed, she ended up stepping forward into an orthodox stance. Since she was congruent with Ayako, and since she's not used to defending from the orthodox stance, Maki was wide open for the left hook to the body.]

The ref rushes in and stops the action. The round has ended.

In the corner, "She'll loosen up in the second round. This could be a tough bout," Maria tells Maki. "She's starting to read your leg and mid kicks, Maki-chan. Focus on front kicks and clinches in round two!"

Maki doesn't say anything.

"That liver blow must have done some damage," Maria thinks.

"Nice work, Aya!" her coach tells her. "She's gonna go for a clinch next. Bring the fight to her. Circle around to the left. Aim for her stomach and face. Beat her kicks with your punches."

"Okay!" Ayako responds.

"Seconds out!" the referee shouts. "Final round."