Max: By the way, ....

Ken: Hmm?

Max: ... now that I think of it, ... what are your powers anyway?

Ken: My... powers?

Those watching the fight were just as confused. It was a truly out of place question.

Max: Yeah. You said you had a lot of... what was it... odd powers here and...? Yeah, something like that.

Ken: What are you getting at?

Max: Well..

Max started counting with his fingers.

Max: You can scan stuff like a robot, fire lasers, search the internet, ice and heat breath.... well... what else is there?

Ken: Hmmm.

That really was an odd conundrum for Ken. He himself didn't know what to say. That was the last thing he'd expected Max to ask him.

Ken: Well, .... to be completely honest with you, ...

He sighed.

Ken: ... quite a number of my abilities rarely have any real purpose in battle.

Max: Huh?

Ken: For example...

At that very moment, Ken's body begun to glow a bright green light.

Rose: Woah! I didn't know Ken could do that.

Luke: Yeah... he's only ever used it like once. Although it did come in handy.

Max: Huh?

Ken: Bio luminescence.

Max: Wha...!?

Ken: Kind of like... fireflies.

Max: O... ooooohhhh. Man! That is useless!

Ken: Yes, in most cases it is.

Max: Like really... really useless.

Ken: Yes. It is...

Max: It's kind of like a....

He started to chuckle.

Max: ... like a night light.

And then started to chuckle at Ken

Ken: (sighs) Yes.. yes, ... I suppose so.

But Max only continued laughing.

Rose: Oh Max....(thinking: Is he hurting Ken's feelings?)

The rest simply quietly watched.

As for Max, he continued to laugh.

But as for Ken, he didn't seem even the slightest bit sad. In fact, he just watched Max. And then... he smiled.

Ken: Heh... yeah. I suppose it is kinda like a night light.

And Max slowly stopped laughing.

Max: (sigh) Ok ok. Any other abilities?

Ken: Hmmmm.... How about...

His eyes suddenly turned towards Max.

Ken: ... we fight, and if and when one becomes useful..?

The look in his eyes was undeniable. He wasn't bitter about the joke. Not in the least. He was simply daring Max.

And Max being Max.

Max: Ok. If that's what you want.

He brought himself into a fighting position.

As for those who'd watched this whole spectacle.

Rose: (thinking: Phew. So he didn't make Ken upset.)

Julianne, however, was even more perturbed. It was one thing hearing about friends from her son, it was another to see them. But, seeing Max get along with them, even bond with them, even be himself around them. That feeling.

Had she been a weaker woman, she would have cried.

But no. All those years learning about crying while acting had also taught her of the ways of not crying.

And taking a moment to cry, risking interrupting, slowing down or missing being their for her son's match. There was no way on this good green Earth she was letting that happen.

Max: So... let's go.

Ken: Hmph.

The next move?

It was obvious.

With his super speed, Max dashed and smashed right into Ken. Not with the same amount of force as he did with Tiffany, but rather with just enough force to knock him down.

Ken fell on the ground with a massive thud.

Max: Gotcha!

Rose: Ken...

Tiffany: (thinking: Well, Ken... you seemed to know what you were doing. So... what now?)

Max turned back to him.

Max: You good, Ken?

Ken: Meh... yeah.

He simply got up without any issue.

Max: Huh?

Ken: Amongst my abilities, is the ability to heal from damage at a much faster pace than that of a normal human.

Max: What!?

Ken: Yes. I suppose you could call it a healing factor, albeit not a very strong one.

Max: Woah, really?

Ken: Yes. That being said....

Max: Tch...

Ken: If you want to bring me down, you're gonna have to do better than that.

The language of fight. As a cartoon character once said, them's fightin' words. This word being, the dare.

Max: Hmph. Ok then.

It was well understood and well received. As, of course, the true depth of the language of fight is not based just on words, actions and situations. It is also based... on the thing behind the words.

The battle was about to get serious.