Fist of the Evening Mist [Closed RP]

Los Haven, Awekia / 5:33PM

Staring into the posture of a Buddha statue that mirrored his tranquil posture of meditation. Sitting on a large stone, they were parted by a cobblestone pathway. Stretching and winding through the lush undergrowth of the park, Sheng sat in the heart of his valley. A residential town to the north of Los Haven, the central city of Awekia, the lad breathed in the refreshing air that swallowed the entire country. Bathing the exotic island country in the tropical dew of the southern hemisphere, the small region was surrounded by rainforest and moist fog. With a light drizzle coming down from the cloudy sky, the sun still shined somewhat bright with glorious afternoon light. A sun shower of rare proportion, the greatest benefactors were the beautiful greenery. From the windy grass blades that covered the park grounds, to the broad flourishing trees that hovered overhead, the area had a very nature scenery, as if the Latin architecture was built into the hilly jungle.

As a stream of crystal blue water poured through the area, the sound of a small waterfall rippled from the pond that lied behind him. Closed from the world, he sat with the smell of bushes’ coloured flowers and trees’ plump fruits. As the statue lingered in his harmonious thoughts, he held his reserved position on the rock. Feeling the earth pulse with life, with the branches above him homing critters, Sheng soaked up the natural world. Olive toned skin kissing the yellow sun rays, he posed his head held in a content breath of air. While his protégée was away on a family task, leaving his home empty for the day, he planned the rest under the setting sun, tenting the gloomy clouds in cozy tents of orange and purples. Preparing for the night to come, the park was nearly empty of human activity, leaving the scene to the animals.

Hearing the crickets and chirping birds, they filled the branches with their feathers of rainbows, as the pond harmoniously contained koi fish and turtles. With swans and geese swim along the stream and walked through the pathway, the brightly nourished trees bared lives that the meditating lad absorbed the many sources of of positive energy. Releasing them back as soon as he gained it, his body acted as a funnel, taking it in and pouring it out in a strengthened state of his power. In a yellow skintight exercising suit, the muscular man rejuvenated himself with the pure essence of natural energy flowing through him. Bringing a soft smile along his youthful face, he felt as light as the breezy air around him, starting to gently hover off the rock. Only an inch from the stone, Sheng’s warm hands rest in his folded lap like a bowl. With lengthy hair of shaggy strands, he glowed with passive power and forces of a composed figure of enlightenment.

(@kaija)

d^_^b

@superstay:

The tranquil scene's only disturbance was a loud banging at the young master's front door. An ambitious mind and a determined heart driving forth an impatient fist that hoped to garner the attention of a certain man of renown. A young girl, 18, had traveled across both sea and state to meet the head of the house and make herself known. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, it was obvious at first glance that she wasn't a native of Los Haven. Brown knee high boots, tight denim jeans, and a plaid flannel shirt consisting primarily of the color red only served to confirm that analysis even more. As moments passed without an answer, the impatience of the hand became all the more evident. It struck the wood harder and harder with each consecutive knock, all to no avail.

"Sheng! Sheng! You've gotta be kidding me, after the trip that I've made, you'd better be here, Sheng!" the girl yelled, her voice, heard or not, failing to illicit a response.

Unreasonably vexed, the girl began to explore the premises in search of her target. She marched through the valley, it's soothing ambience obscured by her focused intent. Her trained senses picked up on everything around her, but the only thing that she could truly observe on her obsessive pursuit was the man in the yellow jumpsuit. Finally, she located the Buddha statue, it's sheer size drawing her attention immediately. Afterwards, she found it's halcyon mimic. She smirked as she eyed down her man.

"Hey, you're Sheng, right? Name's Kaija. You run this place, don't you? You must be pretty good. Show me. Fight me." Kaija announced, wasting no time with formalities.

@kaija:

A stump-like stone of smooth blacks, the statue was bronzed with a rich surface that held an appearance similar to tanned amber. Radiating a heated warmth and glow that could be felt from across the pathway, Sheng positioned himself with a stretched figure as the lady emerged from the distance. Holding a delighted face of softness and ease, his face matched the marvelous figure that sat across. Beautifully bouncing lively power off of the olive lad, the two bathed in the sound of stillness. Like the calm stream and free flowing wind, they took in as much as they could, with love and happiness. While the falls flushed the pond behind his with its vibrant sound, the Awekian lad listened to the pleasantly intruding hummingbird. Zipping around his aura of peace, the small creature sung as it fluttered before the man of his late twenties. An invited tune, the martial artist soaked in the critter’s company, at the lovely moment. Although, the scene was soon additional in another prowling figure.

A young girl with pep in her step, Sheng could hear her coming from the unseen distance. As the bird hovered high into the air, over the man’s thick head of hair before landing on his broad shoulder, the lady came around the trees. Smiling with a face of greeting, the monk was still in his tranquil state of meditation. Lowering himself slowly back onto the stone, he prepared himself for her presence. Feeling her steps on the firmed ground, along with her resistant stride against the wind, he continued his harmonious isolated look, as if he hadn’t noticed her. Listening to her speak out in an assertive tone, his left brow eased into an arched position, as he hear her commanding request for a dual. While still holding his stilled posture, like the statue that grandly sat opposite from him, he parted his thickened lips with a deep smile. “…you’re quite a straightforward one, aren’t you…Kaija?”, he asked the girl, standing before the three foot rock that he made his seat.

Thinking to the energy source that flowed around him, he felt he had connected enough for a small break. Leading to the opening of his browned eyes, the man took a long look to the sun before lowering his head to see her. Bearing the feature of both his Greek and northern Chinese descent, he tipped his black haired head to her. "Yes, I'm Sheng...Sheng Mathaíno̱s", he Noting the foreign appearance match her lacking of an Awekian accent, Sheng assumed she was likely from elsewhere. Probably travelled here in search of his teachings, or a dual, the fighter defused his assumptions in a successful attempt to keep himself from cluttering his mind. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he spoke again. “…but, why search for fights?”, he began with a thought for the trouble that could come from these type of duals. Wondering what her moral want was, for such a dangerous act, he continued. “a lot of bad could come…..surely, a cool dude, like you, wouldn’t be a troublemaker?”, he smiled friendlily, as his ‘dudisms’ began to seep through his harmonious point of being.

d^_^b

@superstay:

The monk's final question drew a smile upon the girl's face. She took a moment to observe her surroundings, taking in measurements as opposed to the ambience. After a complete analysis of the area, she shrugged her whimsical shoulders and gave a reply.

"You have a very potent calming air about you, you know that? Since you're the only person who seems to be here, I suppose I'll tell you the truth. The answer to your second question is yes, I am a troublemaker. The answer to the first, I don't want to be anymore. Just watch..." she explained.

The girl then reached up to her forehead and removed a thin layer of skin from around her eyes.

No...

She removed a skin colored mask, the effects of which faded as soon as it lost contact with her visage. She assumed the form of a demon. Her eyes became as red as blood and she donned proud horns on her head. Next, she began to unbutton her red flannel shirt and... strip?

No...

She shed her civilian disguise, revealing a much more unique and purposeful apparel, her underarmor. She neatly packed all of her belongings into a neat pile and put them aside in a location where she would easily remember, then met eyes with the monk once more. She sighed, wondering if she'd regret her decision, then grew. She expanded until she was 3 stories tall, not a height that she would normally settle at, but a height that she could display in this specific environment without causing any damage. In her new form, she spoke calmly, yet slowly.

"I was born with the ability to grow as large and powerful, or as small and weak as I wanted with the only limitations being what was necessary for survival. I can walk alongside ants, becoming completely undetectable as shadow, or I can tower above mountains and destroy cities in single steps. The one thing that my powers didn't come with... was control. See, my job is to defend against giant monsters and the like. Kaiju, if you will. Unfortunately, I usually end up... losing quite a few of the people that I fight to protect in my confrontations. That's why I'm here. Right now, I'm not towering high in the sky. From my perspective, you've simply shrunken to the size of a squirrel. Regardless of my size, my body feels the same. To me, it's the world that changes size. The more control that I have over my body when I stand as a human, the more control I have when I stand as a monster. As I do now. I've come to fight you to see who has better control over their own form. Who has more power. Who has more skill."

After vaguely explaining her situation, Kaija returned to a human size, crossed her arms, and finished her speech, "I will fight as a human however, the only proper way to test my skill. If I win, then I'll apologize for wasting your time, and leave. I have no interest learning from someone who can't even beat me as I am now. If you win, then you've just earned yourself the best student that you could hope to find. Your motivation for taking me in under your wing? I'll be the one to stop the demons whose shadows blot out the sun and shroud your entire home in darkness. And I'm sure you'd prefer it if I had the skill to do so without killing you all in the process, yes? So what do you say? Fight me."

Kaija ran her thumb across her nose and assumed a combat stance. Confident and ready for battle.

@kaija: @kaija:

With a smile on his face, the man took in all that the lady had to say before breaking contact from her. Looking to the many colours that glares across the sky, he inhaled again. Beginning to chuckle a bit, he finally pulled his hands out of the meditative position, raising his right fist it his wondering chin. Sheng shirked as he recalled training a man of a similar predicament. Knowing she would need her own determination and strength to deal with her problems, which he would not be able to comprehend, the monk knew the lady only required a understanding of herself, more than she needed his teachings. “…you don’t need me”, his smile uttered the exact words he talk the lasted demon-reddened gentleman, as he stretched his legs out in front of him. Stand before the ready girl, he straightened his spine and stretched his skeleton into a passive stance. As long as a needle, to stood to his six feet of height with his hands behind him. “…I once had a friend…troubled by his own demons. I told him the same”, he stepped around her at to the statue. Positioning himself on the grass before it, the energy brought a pulse of force to him.

“…he spoke of the same apocalyptic circumstances, if he wasn’t taught to control himself.”, the artist thought to her unfortunate predicament, and how it nearly paralleled that of his English friend. Feeling the strong wind blowing through luscious he reflected on what she had to say. As the bird zipped into his opened hand, he slowly lowered his palm to that of the Buddha. Welcoming the critter to take its place there, Sheng returned his attention to her plight, once the hummingbird left his hand. “With all thought in mind, you can handle these issues. I am just a monk…I can’t make you strong”, he stepped back onto the path, with the memory of how his comrade did the same, long ago. As the wind blew around them, whistling across the bushes and lifting flower petals around the park, the olive dude backed up a few paces. Accepting of her challenge, out of the joist love for fighting, he stood in a humble position.

Straight and still, the yellow suited man shined under the setting sun, glowing with brightness in his figure. “…but, if a physical test is what you desire, than I am more to accompany you…dude”, he smiled before loosening his stance. Flexing his neck until it cracked, he began to loosen his shoulders and back muscles. As the stretched and expanding in relaxation, he did the same with his lengthy legs. Cracking and popping his thickened bones, aged with fighting experience, his muscles pumped up when he began amping up his frame with a practice series of straight-armed quick jabs and flexing axe kicks. Preparing his entire body, he gently bounced on the balls of his padded feet, staring at her with a smile. Feeling the warmth build up within him, he immediately halted back into his passive stance. Bring his right hand up to flick to tip of his browned nose, he licked his lips before gesturing for her to the girl to start when ready. While still holding his subdued position, he waited for her attack to start them off.

d^_^b

@superstay:

Kaija was honestly surprised by the man's humble words, but they didn't provide her with the comfort that she assumed they were supposed to carry. Regardless, he had accepted her challenge and she was determined to give it her all. Years of training had refined her body into a well oiled machine, and years of torture had sharpened her mind. She gave the man one last reply before she launched her first assault on the monk.

"Thank you Sheng. I appreciate the words, but I'm sorry to say that only the results of this test will hold any meaning for me. Still... it means alot."

She approached the man with swift, small, controlled steps. She presented her left side to him, keeping her arms in a defensive position and her weight on her toes. After getting within the range of her legs, she launched her first attack. A kick. Her right foot accelerating as her body rotated on the forefoot of her left leg that had been leading her advance. A blow directed directly at the man's head, an attempted attack on his left temple. Then a follow up. Using the momentum gained from the first blow, Kaija would curl her left leg in anticipation, land on her extended right for a short advance, and then fire a second forward kick at the man's midsection. Then a final move in the combo, she would immediately kick off of the ground with her trailing right foot to make another short advance at the man, curl her leading left leg, and launch a third, far more rapid kick from the the man's right at his midsection to finish the assault.

@kaija:

Smiling at the lady’s reply, the tall man watched as she held her fighting stance. Beginning to come towards him in attack, he held his ground. Standing with his legs straightened and his arms calm, his eyes locked onto her. As his face lit under the gentle sun, and the wind shuffled his hair, Sheng watched her core section. The root to all movement, he tracked the base of her body, as opposed to the footwork or eye contact. While she trekked across the distance, he prepared to dodge wherever may come. And sure enough, he was met with the first attack in the dual. A right roundhouse kick to his head, he noticed the jerk of her right thigh and the turn of her core, though surprised to see the attack directed for his high-stretched head. Even with the movement being as fast as it was, there is always a major risk when directing a leg attack that high towards one’s opponent; especially so early in the match.

But, it was as it was, and Sheng began moving once he realized her waist twist. Shifting to the heels of his foot pads, he leaned backwards with an arch of his spine. Enough to narrowly miss the ripping leg, which blew a gush of wind against his face, he was again surprised by the second attack. With a lot of control and skill, she pulled in and shot out the opposite foot. Landing it straight into his exposed abdomen, as a strong sound patted out of him, the force sent him sliding back. As his lower body finally parted under the pressure, with his left foot moving behind his right, to center his balance, he felt the sting of her dominant kick. But, before he could make any sort of a move, the girl was moving again. Hearing the slight sound of her shoe pads kicking up from the ground, with help from his keen ears, he did the same with his leading right foot. Kicking himself into the air, the passive monk trailed backwards with her. Following her mighty momentum, Sheng continued pulling his right leg up and in to block her quick aerial kick with his shin.

Flying back from her forceful attack, the olive one landed on the grassy edge of the cobblestone pathway. With joyful smirk on his youthful face, he was very amused by her skillful attacks. “…you’re good, sis…..”, he stood up straight and walked back to the center of the path. Stopping and shaking off the sting of his shin and calf, he playfully patted it off and began lightly bouncing on his feet. Into a stilled halt, he resumed his passive posture, before looking down at the shoe mark on his stomach, his smirk grew big smile and be properly bowed to her. In respect of his foe, he finally took to his own fighting stance, as he rose again. Anticipating her next strike, with another hand gesture for her to bring it, he softly positioned himself in a bouncing Jeet Kune Do stance. As the water poured in the background, he heard the birds chirping from above head, as the sun covered them in light and warmth.

d^_^b

@superstay:

Kaija again ran her thumb across her nose and winked at the man as she prepared for her second attack.

This time, a new stance in which she presented her front to the man. A form commonly associated with boxing. Her arms assumed a new guarding position with her her forearms almost entirely parallel to her torso. She advanced, her tactical steps each moving her forward and yet slightly in the direction of the leading leg, producing a somewhat serpentine movement. She got in closer than she had in her first assault, spread her legs a bit to assume proper stance, then attacked. A handful of expertly performed forward jabs, one fist constantly remaining by her side for extra defense while the other was away. They were light, but they were quick, accurate, and required little commitment on her part. Her patterns were erratic, sometimes alternating between the fists, sometimes sticking to one, keeping her attacks as unpredictable as she could. She maintained proper spacing to ensure that each fist would whip it's intended target upon contact and not push, her arm reaching full extension at the moment of impact. Her attack was not intended to do the job alone, but instead to open her opponent up to a superior attack.

Throughout the engagement, Kaija would keep her eyes locked on Sheng's face, but she'd be paying attention to his midsection. She'd watch for a lean or a dodge that would force him to maintain his footing, and then begin her true attack. Whenever an opening presented itself, Kaija would then faint a heavy haymaker. Unlike her light jabs, she'd intentionally cock back her right arm and advance out of proper jab range and into haymaker range. At the moment before she'd launch her fist, she'd instead swing it back and divert the momentum to her right leg for a kick instead. A low sweeping kick aimed at his shins that was intended to knock at least one of her opponent's legs out of place and upset his balance. She'd commit to this kick, allowing her right leg to cross over her left completely, and then she'd raise it to the sky until the point where she was dong a vertical split... and then she'd bring her right heel downward. This final attack was intended to drive her right heel into either the shoulder or torso of her off-balance opponent, assuming that everything went as planned.

@kaija:

As the lady came in close to the bouncing man, he was ready for another fury of kicks, and swell to be surprised by her honing in to close quarters. He continued smiled at her with a lighthearted expression, slowing his movements into a sudden halt to match her pace. Squaring off his feet, he watched her frame as he did before, and saw her fist shoot out in jabbing form. Quick and blurring, he bobbed to the inside of the punch before sliding his opposite hand up in an open palm style. Similar to the Chinese style of Wing Chun, his open palmed moved to smoothly deflect her second fist. In a flowing motion of speed and gentle guidance, his fluid movement acted a barriers to try to redirect or control the massive amounts of energy she was sending towards him. Tapping his blocking forearms and upper chest, his arms hovered between them, rotating around each extending punch, like snakes around a branch. Lightly winding around and aiming to sliding them off kilter, he felt the intensity of each blow as they rushed past his thick arms.

Watching her furious speed and strength, his eyes were deeply enjoying the action, until she broke away for a haymaking hook. Causing him to immediately lock his arms around his head in preparation, he was too late to see her drop to the floor for a spinning sweep kick. Hitting his calves with enough force, he stumbled like a log and dropped to the ground. Brushing his back against the hard cobblestone, he quickly acted on defense. Bring his legs up and over his head, he rolled off into the grass. Away from her last strike, Sheng was again on his black. Almost instantaneously the strengthened power of his back blades, he kicked up to his feet. Without the use of his hands, he held his arms up in guard, encase she was in the midst of an attack. However, before he could move, he exhaled a whimpering breath from the string in the shin. Energetically rubbing his calves, he soon stood again.

Liking her vividly thought-out attack, he left no time to waste, as adrenaline pumped through him. Leaping into the air, he jumped back into the fight. Landing right before her, he felt the momentum sending him forward. And, as if he was a rotating door, he straightened his posture and turned counterclockwise on the balls of his feet. With his arms stretched out, his left back fist was furiously whipping around for her head. With a bit more power than a boxer’s hook, the extended back arm attack soared with his opposite forearm swinging not too far behind. In one complete motion, his spin was swift and blurring. Intended to make her act fast, the monk prepared for her to dodge the speeding attack.

Ready to drop into a sweeping kick of his own, using the same counterclockwise spinning momentum, encase she ducked the punches, he’d also send a higher sweep with his second leg, if she hopped over the first one. But, if she stepped out of the striking range of the punches, the olive fighter was set to leap after her. Turning with that spinning momentum and delivering a flying tornado kick with both legs. Forwarding a great amount of power in any directing she would head, he would aim for her upper body.

d^_^b

@superstay:

Kaija smirked as the man rose to his feet in a rather theatrical manner. Her muscles tensed as her scanning eyes locked onto the man's fist as it approached from the right. Unlike the man's choice of evasion where he relied on his center, Kaija kept her midsection forward and dodged with a circular motion relying on her legs. She allowed her body to sway to the right as the fists approached and then ducked under them, leaning forward as her midsection's path carved the lower half of a circle. Then, rising up and bringing her center of weight full-circle, she leapt over the man's sweeping kicks and way from him. She was familiar with cross-ups such as these and was always vigilant.

Her jump helped her to evade his low kick, but it left her vulnerable, unable to move preemptively without the leverage of the ground beneath her feet, and in recovery for a moment after landing. Sheng leapt at her, launching two kicks directly at her sternum. She crossed her arms to guard, the violent blows were absorbed by her well-defined arms, yet sent her flying onto the cobblestone road below. She bounced once and rolled a few paces before coming to a stop with her back to the ground. She held her arms up to the sky and shook them for a moment as her jaw shot open, taking a second to overcome the pain in her stinging arms.

"Alright, that was a good shot..." she commented, rolling into a kneel and getting up in a much less visually appealing manner.

Kaija then approached him in her initial stance, presenting her left to him once again. She maintained her tactical advance but was moving far faster this time, her approach akin to a sideways skip in fact. Her next assault was a rush down, an attempt to both wear down the man's stamina and overwhelm him. A flurry of kicks were fired from her ever active legs, all executed by the leading leg as she attacked. High kicks directed at the sides of the skull, straights to the mid, descending heels to counter attempts at crouching rush-downs. If the man began to retreat, she'd commit to a kick and use the momentum to land on the extending leg, converting the attack into an advance, and switching the roles of her left and right leg.

She'd burn through quite a bit of stamina with this attack, but she was confident that her opponent would as well if he hoped to defend.

@kaija:

In a series of spin, the monk moved like a tornado of velocity and speed. Delivering all of his kicks, he travelled to the floor and into the air in a continuous flow of energy. As the wind whistled along his whipping attacks, Sheng knew he landed in motion, before his eyes even pulled out of the blur of movement. Like a tornado of pressure, building up with each missed attack, his mouth exclaiming to the anticipation. “Whaaa”, he drew out the lengthy sound, feeling his force grow more and more before crashing into her. Sending the energy into her blocking forearms, the artist cried out the conclusion to his actions with a forceful exhale, as he landed on the floor. Straightening up his posture to its passive saluting stance, the olive toned man walked a few paces down, to the right of her.

Standing to her feet, the smiling monk bowed to her continuous nature, joyed by her good health. As the falls filled pond with mist and dew, the smell of water was rich in the area. “…you’re a strong one”, he complimented her strength and durability, as she began to take to her stance. Alerting him of their resume, he did the same and rejoined her. As the sunset dimmed a bit more, if only to the slightest, the shade of the region with coated with a tent of purple. As she stepped closer, stalking him with the eyes of a predator, the lass closed the distance quickly before being directed in front of him. Waiting for her attack, he stood straight, with his right foot pointed towards her. Further stilled by the sight of her frame and positioning, Sheng watched as moved for him. Continuing the pace he set earlier, she threw a left kick at his foundation. Expecting it to be a set up for something more, he stuck his right leg out into a defensive kick.

A low kick that was originally meant for the inside of an opponent’s knee, in close Wing Chun styled combat, the passive monk protectively used to kick to block hers. As his right knee pocked out, he swiftly swatted his right shin out against her zipping left attack. With a light thud upon impact, Sheng was slow and steady in his concentration, yet quick and nimble in his reaction. Thinking she’d come for a high range attack, next, he was thrown into a rushing haze as she brought in the same attack again. Dragging his right leg up and in, to protect it from being hit in a vulnerable position, he skipped a bit back to avoid her attack. Taking smooth and precise breaths to cool himself and lower his chances of burning out, he stuck his right foot behind his left, before shooting it out to block her next low kick. As he matched her speed and motion, he met each of her attack with a defensive attack, meant to block her powerful legs.

The lady popped her attacking limb up to his face. Forcing him to arch back and dodge the gush of momentum that blew his hair back, Sheng was hit with a kick to the gut of his. Paved in yellow fabric, it held no protection from the intensity, which pushed him back into a full standing position. As her leg halted in mere instances and shot for his head again, he pulled himself to the floor, before hopping over her next low kick. Landing on his hand for leverage, he bounced back to his feet in return to form. But, her active fury was so fast in movement. Tearing through the air with repeated fury, her shin drove into his face, throwing him back a bit in pain. And as he staggered on his muscular legs, ringing from the connection, she continued pursuit. Leaping after him like a tiger on its meal, Sheng felt her next wind-ripping kick and kicked himself back to the ground. “…you’re a little tiger, dude!”, he exhaled in a groan of pain, complimenting her again. Sliding away, he watched as the girl landing on her vicious leg and used it to catapult herself into another attack of similar severity. Huffing for air, each strike hit him with heat and forcefulness, as he rolled into a clutter of shrubs and trees. Avoiding a collision with the vegetation, he desperately dove under her next attack and threw himself behind her. Landing on his bent hands, he smoothly spun in a Capoeira type flare, until he gain his footing in a kneeling motion.

“…but, can you handle another tiger?”, he grunted and he threw himself up into the southern Shaolin kung fu stance of a tiger. With his thick open hand resembling the big cat’s claws, his stance was that of power. Pulsing with growling adrenaline, his legs were furious with muscle as he pounced at her. Taking a quick continuous retaliation. His sweating figure threw heavy power into his attacks. Striking claw swipe and jabs, open palm uppercuts and throat grabs, the fighter presented her with the power of the predator. Knowing this burst of energy wouldn’t last too long, he was ready to use his knees and shins to deflect any low attacks, as a Muay Boran practitioner would, as his body throbbed with burning testosterone. Aiming to overwhelm her with the same ferocity she intensified the fight into, he flowed with aggression and might. Trying to push, hit, and grab at her, he was set pull her into a Thai boxing clutched position, if he happened to get a hold of her head or upper body. Locking onto her head, he'd send some battering knees strikes into her core, if he could. But as of now, Sheng planned to trap her with frightening strength, like a tiger did its prey.

d^_^b

@superstay:

Kaija was pleased with the results of her last assault, but unfortunately, she would need a minute to recover her energy that her adversary was not allowing. Although her legs were tiring, her arms bore little fatigue and she would rely on them to defend her for as long as she could. As the tiger pounced upon her, she leaned back, utilizing wide rolling steps to propel her backwards while guarding on each pace. As the claw strikes came down, Kaija would block with one arm, and lead her retreat with the opposing leg. One pace per blocked strike to help her maintain her balance and cover her retreat with his recovery. He threw jabs at her, she narrowly avoided them by rolling her torso and dragging her visage out of harms way while continually retreating. Her posture itself defended against his palm strikes, yet a few of his grabs would get through only to be sliced away by her her own powerful hands a moment afterwards

She maintained this defense for a while, but the fatigue finally set in and her movements began to slow. More and more blows began to slip through the tiring combatant's defense. A blow directed at her nose slams into her jaw as she turns her head defensively. A claw from the right connects, narrowly missing her eye. A grab to the neck manages to fully clamp down before she can manage release. And just as her defense seemed to fall apart, he grabs her in a Thai clutching position.

A fierce knee to the chest knocks the much needed wind out of her lungs. Unable to immediately break away, she reaches out and attempts to grab her opponent's skull with her left hand, her palm and fingers resting on the back of his skull if successful, and would yank his head closer towards her and into a thrusting elbow blow directed at the front of his skull. Another knee connects to her torso. Another attempted elbow to counter him. A third knee to the chest. Kaija finally draws enough strength to break away.

She stumbles backwards and finds support on a nearby tree. She struggles to force breath into her lungs for a while as her diaphragm's every constriction is laced with pain. Sweat glistens all over her body as she takes the moment to recover and to compose herself. She wipes a bit of blood from the edge of her lips, no doubt the result of a few of the jabs that he recently threw. After taking one last long inhalation, she speaks to her worthy adversary, a few gasps for air slipping in between her words.

"I'm glad I came here. So, *pant* you ready to give up yet? I think I've got one more go in me *pant* if you do? What do you think about taking me on as a student now?" she asked, a bloody smile parting her lips and a fire ever burning in her gaze.

She would not assume a fighting stance unless he wished to continue, more focused on regaining stamina at the moment.

@kaija:

Taking each stabbing hit from her sharp elbows, he could not resist the separation. As blood ran from his busted nose, it poured down his chin, by the second well aimed hit. Causing him to stumped back, he watched her fall against a nearing tree, while he forced his body into the tiger stance. Holding it was weakened force, he licked a bit of his blood and felt a numb swell in his upper lip. Breaking from the hardened fighting pose, he stood up straight before exhaling a sigh of exhaustion. Staggering and stumbling backwards in a lightheaded gasp for fresh air, he slumped down onto a small stone that was positioned behind him. With a faded smile, he took a deep breath of air and held his head up to the sky.

As the sun was lingering over the horizon, the blue night began to ease out from around them. As he noticed a few of the stone lanterns lit around the park, Sheng looked slouched his shoulders and looked to the words that the lady spoke. Impressed by her spirit, he could sense her strength, and a deep smile dawned across his face. Catching his wind, soaking in the radiant feeling of the misty natural world around him, he held his hands on his frozen knees. Absorbing as much energy he could, he basked in the harmony for a while, lowering his dripping facing to the grassy floor. “You are tough, sis…..tough enough to find your own way.”, he breathed out in heated inhales, assured into her being well enough to survive whatever problems lied before her. As the wind around him grew cold, the monk’s eyes turned up to the dragon statue that stood on a podium in their square of violet and crimson tipped bushes. Constructed within the wall of an small white stone temple, surrounded by the a garden square of lush undergrowth. “…you need no singular teacher. Life in enough of one…”, as the lantern in front of it sparked a flame, the man soon stood.

“…take a deep breath and it will guide you enough…no need for me, bro…”, he looked to the fainted stars, still blanketed by a bit of faded sunlight. Feeling the heat of the soothing flame, as it grew thick with richness, he stood straight and before it walk away. With his head held high in pride, Sheng walked up to the pond and basked in the tranquility of the night’s reflection.

As the pale moon filled the pool, as it did with the sky above, the man’s eyes were fixed on the two fish that circled each other in the pale reflection. Breathing in a second long piece of the peaceful scenery, the monk felt the cool air enter and rejuvenate his body with a new spirit for battle. He stepped before the large wooden footbridge of cherry colour, turning to face his dueling mate. Flicking his olive nose and spitting out a tiny bit of blood, Sheng again gestured for her to continue the fight. Waiting by the crossing, he listened to the rippling water and stood in the open. Finding himself wondering his his roommate had returned from her duties, he held his harmonious position with a sturdy posture.

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@superstay:

The horned devil in lavender and white took a few more deep breaths as she finally acclimated to her aching diaphragm and acknowledged the possibility of a cracked rib. She stood upright and made her approach with an unguarded pace.

"Hehehe, was afraid you were gonna say that." she replied to the inviting gesture.

This was her final assault. She once again took up a proper boxing stance and rushed in. She started with a fairly effortless attack that she could maintain for an extended period of time without tiring. She launched a flurry of quick jabs in much the same manner as before, but this time, something was... off. Her spacing. To any trained eye or experienced boxer, it would be apparent that she was launching her strikes from a little too close. Unlike before when her rapid volley of strikes would whip into place, these jabs seemed to extend just a tad bit beyond the desired point of impact. Kaija assumed that Sheng would chalk it up to errors and carelessness derived from exhaustion, but it was in fact her method of obtaining an opening.

She was watching for a particular moment to strike. A narrow evasion. A moment when her forward momentum was lost, but when his head was positioned just next to the failed strike. It was then that she would begin her follow-up. It wasn't an attack that she would launch from below, like before... but from behind. She was confident that his eyes would stay locked on her form as she continued to strike, for what danger could an already extended jabbing fist hold when the next was ready to make it's approach? On that narrow dodge, her eager hand would burst open and attempt to grab him by either the back of the neck or the skull, hair and all. She'd pull him into a fierce headbutt (using her forehead, not her horns, lol) that would hope to daze him and stun him momentarily. Regardless of how effective that attack was, she'd immediately launch a second strike after the first was attempted.

Kaija would lean back, dragging her left leg up with the motion. Then, while driving her center of mass forward with her right and extending her left, she would launch a heavy forward kick from their exceptionally close range. This attack, much like the last, would hope to open him up for the next and further knock him off of his balance. And then, she'd begin her final blow.

A short retreat immediately followed by Kaija crossing her right leg over her left. She would being a rotation around the advancing right. She'd kick off of the ground with her now leading right, her momentum sending her spiraling through the air as she advanced. She extends her left leg out and to the side, her heel constantly accelerating as the diameter of the circle that it traced grew ever larger. Finally, it would come down upon him, her greatest blow this evening. A fierce left heel moving straight downwards that was directed at the center of his head, but that would follow through to hit whatever was below. It was meant to finish the fight with with a spectacle for the eyes. That was her final assault.

@kaija:

Watching the woman’s approach, she closed the distance with speed and rushed into a flurry of jabbing thrust. Stepping in close and tight, the smiling monk took inching steps backwards. Not enough to actually make separating movements, the lass gained ground and was directly under him. Forcing him to start taking steady step onto the wooden bridge, he again utilized the subdued art of Wing Chun. Centered on the same momentum she drove his way with her forward movement, he stayed very close, within at least two feet of space, while rotating his core to dodge of strike. Throwing winded blows of gushing air and driving force, each punch was met with a quick reaction. Narrow and frantic, he head weaved and his shoulders turned. Like the ocean to a nearing jet, the olive lad repelled himself away from the forcefulness. Slinging sweat and blood from his maneuvering head, the fighter followed her lead.

But, as the furious fist cluttered the air around him, he rolled along as well as he could. Hearing the creaking boards in the arched floor, Sheng backed up onto the bridge front, and standing in the hurling breeze that travelled across them. As her hands dove in and gripped his head in a tight pull, he was dragged down into her heavy held. Bouncing back in pain, his face exploded in blood, as it popped out of his mouth. Sending him stumbling backwards, he was further pushed by the barrier kick to his all-so-bruised abs. Knocking the wind out of his core, he flew to the center of the cherry bridge and land on his upper back. As his lower body straightened out over him, Sheng folding like a door hinge before immediately spring his lengthy legs up into the air. Into a whipping kip up, he bounced back onto his feet and regained his stance, just to dart rearward for safety. With a smile on his bloody face, his blurred vision caught sight of her leaving the hollow ground and taking to the air.

Hissing for breath, he watched his kick with silent amazement for her form. Stumbling to the side, his shaggy head moved against the wooden railing. As she brought her foot down with vicious force, the monk hit the railing to the left of her, watching as the kick whistled with power and grace. Pushing himself back off of the barrier without hesitation, he jumped to his feet and began to match her blow with equally devastating axe kick of his own. Kicking off of his padded shoe, with all of his might, he threw himself high off the ground. Turning his body along with the spirally momentum, beginning a spinning motion, he moved in a full turn of pressure-building power. Applying his Tae Kwon Do background, lifted his hooked heel high to the sky, Sheng rotated himself towards her before ripping the air with his powerful leg. Whipping down upon her person, he returned the pressure of the moment. A flying axe kick, bring his lead across diagonally, he sped to the center of the footbridge.

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@superstay:

A sadistic smile tore open Kaija's lips as her first set-up succeeded. It grew even more malicious as did the second. And as she descended from the heavens with her final blow... it faded. She missed. As her left heel slammed onto the wooden bridge, she almost completely snapped one of the treated wooden boards below her feet, cracks running through it and the board itself bending as it absorbed the force. Her eyes shot open as she caught movement from the yellow-clad monk in her peripheral vision. She turned her head just in time to see the incoming blow.

With fatigue weighing down her legs, unstable footing underneath her left foot, and no time to move, she simply crossed her arms over her left temple in preparation for impact. The flying axe kick lands. Her arms absorb some of the force, but both forearms are slammed into her head. The force sends her sliding across the ground for a moment, only for friction to catch up and send her rolling down the curve of the bridge and onto the cobblestone after it. She lay still for a moment, her face buried in the dirt. She was conscious, but spent.

There on the ground pain shot through her from many locations. The pain in her arms, a result of absorbing one too many heavy blows from her opponent. The pain in her legs, a result of overexertion and fatigue. The pain at her core, a consequence of one too many knees to the gut and possible broken ribs. And the ringing in her ears, a side-effect from the last blow. After moments of recovery, she rose to her feet.

Upon shaky legs, she progressed towards her opponent. She forced four steps out of herself before stumbling to the left edge of the bridge and grabbing onto the railing for support. She stood their for a moment, still trying to catch her breath, and then slumped down to her knees, her left arm still draped over the railing. Anger welled up in her as her body grew unresponsive and she slammed her right fist into a board below her, cracking it. She hung her head low, her eyes brimming with rage and growing ever more red... but she controlled herself. Now was not the time. For the moment, for the hour, she was done.

With one final sigh and frustration evident in every word, she spoke. "I already told you that I only had one more go in me. So that's it. Go ahead and say it monk. Say what you're gonna say, Sheng."

@kaija:

Landing in the central summit of the bridge, with bended knees, the fighter felt the pressure recoiling back up his legs and into his core. Hitting his stomach, he yelped in the pain of his sore abdomen. Dropping to one knee, he wrapped his thickened arms around his bruised gut, with a twisting throb. Heavily breathing took hold, as he grunted through a strong return to his feet. Biting his teeth, his nerves walled in the scoffing blood and bellowing sound of agony. On a weak foundation of rockiness, Sheng began to take subtle progressions for the barrier. As the lady lied in the dirt, the monk kneeled over the wooden rail and tried to sooth his stomach with deep breaths. Although each inhale expanded his belly to the dismay of his soreness, it cooled his burning insides. As the adrenaline drained and awakened the full extent of his nerves, the Awekian monk lowered his head in concealed thought.

Emptying him throbbing head, he closed his eyes and began to savor the remaining trinkets of energy that lied within him. Unsuccessful in drawing oxygen into his swollen nose, it instead poured more blood. As his tongue naturally licked at his soaked mouth, he listened to the chilling mist the vibrated out of the pond that mirrored his image from a few feet below the bridge. With a hand on the natural wood, his other positioned itself along the top of his pulsing thigh. With a dimmed smile on his face, Sheng entered a state of contentment. Ignoring his pain, he turned away from the thought of suffrage and onto the beauty of the breeze. The howl of a far off wolf, and the rippling water the soothingly splashed down from the falls. Guiding his attention to the positive essence of the life that lived around him, Sheng opened his eyes and looked to the crystal clear moon.

As the monk’s posture was still and loose, he watched as the pale glow hugged his bruised body. Accompanied by sprinkling stars, the Awekian skies were moist and drenched with dew. As the pond water glowed blue like a reflected mirror, it drew out the beautiful sight of lightning bugs. Filling the garden with glistening beans of their lit bottoms, they floated on the wind and brought a mind of peace to the man. Bringing him to force himself to his feet, he bit his lip in the pain that his mind pushed away. Turning to see the girl now falling under the cursed limitations of her own body, he heard her angered words. Forming a thought, he smiled at the thought of a remark he once made to his roommate. “Empty your head, bro…..”, he replied to the frustration in her voice, “…anger is a heavy emotion, which weighs down the body…”. As he lively eyes found the sights of a firefly, buzzing in front of him, the olive dude enjoyed the weightless movements of the worriless insect. Standing on his good left leg, since his right shin was still numb of feeling, Sheng just held his place on the rich coloured footbridge. Too limp to presently walk over to her, he held his position on the other side of the bridge. “Frustration is confliction……..what’s dividing you, bro?”, he asked in his usual upbeat tone. Looking over to her, he leaned back against the railing.

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@superstay:

Kaija took a minute to let the man's question sink in and to formulate a proper answer. The more she thought about it, the calmer she became. Although her face was still hidden, her eyes slowly returned to their normal color and a smile slowly found it's way onto her face. After a few more moments, she began laughing, and heavily at that. She slowly pulled herself up with her left arm and met the monk's eyes.

"HAHAHA, you are the first person to ever call me bro, you know that? Actually, you're the first person to refer to me by anything even remotely pleasant after having their nose broken by me, hahaha. I have a short temper, that's all. I already told you, I'm a troublemaker. It's just part of the package. Although, I admit it's hard to stay mad at you. You're just so d*mn calm and nice, it's a nice change of pace yet absolutely frustrating at the same time. Ah well, let me get out of here, before I send the Feng Sui more out of whack, yeah?," She slowly walked over to her things and got dressed, assuming the appearance of a normal American girl once more. The Devil's Visage seemingly cleared up the bit of swelling and blood scattered about her face with its illusions.

Before she departed, she stopped to assess the situation for a moment and then turned again to speak to the monk once more, "Actually, do you mind if I crash here for a bit? It's cool if you want me gone, but I've got quite the trip ahead of me and I know I probably won't be able to take a rest anywhere in-between here and my destination, so... figured I'd ask? I'm cool with tatami mats or even a twin sized if you have it, just somewhere for me to lay down for a bit. Also, I'm sure you want me to take some responsibility for that board... both of them, right? Plus, if you let me stay, I'll be sure to spread word of 'The Legendary Sheng', eh?"

Kaija waited there with a small forced grin as she awaited the monk's response.

@kaija:

With a passive stand of stillness, as his weight balanced on his good leg, the monk rested his hands behind his back. Smiling at the lady’s polite comments, Sheng couldn’t help but feel the pressure growing in his tired legs. Without the help of his natural abilities to help, he endured the stiff pain of soreness. As his body began to lumber back against the sturdy support of the wooden bridge, he quickly used his hands to grab the rail and lift himself onto it. Sitting down on the cherry bar of timber, the shaggy haired monk continued listening to her kind words. A relentlessly positive personality of optimism, he hoped it was his good-natured vibes that kept those around him in good spirits. Blowing a cool breeze over his heated back, the moon glowed upon his back as he looked to the woman, who announced her exit. Getting to her exhausted feet, the monk was sure the fight was done, as he hopped to his own wounded legs. Grunting into a near buckle, he caught himself before limping off behind her.

Using a small bit of his energetic abilities to hold himself up, a small breeze balance his body. Hearing her request for a temporarily stay, the smiling lad followed her back to his original meditation spot before the life-sized Buddha statue. “Ey, I’m no legend. I’ll leave that title to the fantastic…..and the vain.”, the humble man stated in jest, as his eyes stared into the trees. With a deep breath of fresh air and a smile, he thought to his roommate, who he shared a two bedroom flat with. “…I would have to ask my roommate…she if she’d be alright with it…..”, he spoke up with gusto, before noticing the dawning figure of distance. “…speaking of the devil”, he stared into the dim park with a bright smile on his face. As he waved into the night, before sneaking a look at the moon’s location in the sky. Not being the best at tell the time from the placement of the earth, he waved it off as being late enough for her return.

“Sheng, Sheng…are you still meditating?!”, she called into the misty area, before speeding up her walk, once she caught sight of him. Standing at a reasonable height, the lightly tanned woman soon stood before them both. With her dark black hair wrapped into two tight buns, Sheng’s roommate beamed and politely bowed to the unfamiliar lady before addressing her mentor. “Haiden, are you alright?”, run up to the bruised and battered monk, once she noticed the fresh bloody glazed over his face and chest. Looking around, as if a threat was still near, the East Asian woman saw that the accompanied girl was also visibly hurt. “What Happened?”, she gasped before a her masculine companion defused the worry. “I’m alright…we got into a match…its fine”, he attempted a reassuring smile, but forgot about the sheet of blood that covered it. Getting a stream of frightened brown eyes from the glares from the protective woman, he quickly tried to change the subject, “How was your mission?”. Seeing the minor slice wound she had on her upper neck, and the left arm of hers covered in red soaked bandages, the shinobi remembered her own injuries. And, with a lowering of her head, she passed off her wounds. “…oh, it went okay…I mean, its done…”, she muttered before her glowing eyes caught sight of the young girl. With a smirk stretching across her face, she politely bowed again.

“Hello…”, she finally greeted herself, as Sheng laughed off his forgetful manners. “Kumi, this is Kaija…..Kaija, this is mi aprendiz, Kuminashi…”, he introduced them, before continuing to explain. “…she’s wanted to know if she could say with us, before leaving off, for her duties…I told her I would have to ask you…”. Looking down to his fit roommate, she examined his swollen nose, until he stared at the girl. With a friendly expression to cover her unsure feeling towards the figure, Kumi looked to the monk before putting aside her doubt, “…we only have a two bedroom...”. Figuring the man must have trust in her, the blue clothed shinobi thought to if their home could accommodate her. “But, I guess we could fit you”, she said in a peppy manner of politeness. Holding her hands together, she giggled at the obviously gleeful yelp for happiness, show in his overwhelmingly impactful hug of his female counterpart. Joyed that she agreed to take in the traveler, Sheng grunt through his laugh and lifted his partner up in celebration. As she scoffed off a giggling laugh, before the tall olive toned man placed her down on her feet. While the night lit with flamed lanterns, glaring moonlight, and dazzling fireflies, the two exotic figures prepared their departure.

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@superstay:

Kaija watched the two greet each other as the young girl arrived. After witnessing how caring and physical the two were towards each other, a single worry weighed upon her mind. She only hoped that… tremors wouldn’t keep her up at night during her stay. Much to her relief, the night went as smoothly as one could’ve hoped, and she was back in fighting condition the next day. After readying herself in the morning, she provided the monk with a number that could be used to reach her in order to take responsibility for the damages done to the man’s bridge.

As she departed for home to resume her duties, a single thought filled her mind, “I’ll have to come back for the scenery next time, won’t I Sheng?”

@kaija: @kaija:

Heading back to their home, the Kumi helped the limping monk get through the streets of cobblestone and brick. Small curving roads of cyclist and mopeds, the nightly paths were lit by lantern post. As the buildings stood at modest heights of two floors, three at the most, they bared the southern European inspired architecture that Awekia created its ambiance. With undergrowth riddling the sidewalks and ivy wrapping around the mostly brick and clay surface of the warming structures. As the group wandered through the breezy walkways, side alleys and cobbled vicolos until they found their street, they knew their home because of the large tree that stood grandly in front of their home. A lust evenly groomed and kept bonsai tree, it abnormally stood far bigger than any normal bonsai. Stretching up to the height of the two storey building behind it, the tree had richly green layers of leaves and a brown curling trunk. Like a beautiful mushroom sticking out of the residential city, the tree’s upper branches even covered the top of the second floor balcony.

They headed up the cement stone steps before finding themselves at the door of their Italian styled residence. As pots and vases of greenery and flowers sat around the area, leading to the garden square that formed a few feet down from their door, the tight opening between their home and the house that formed the opposite wall of the stone staircase was lit by the misty image of glowing stars.

Resting within the quiet townhouse apartment, the two spent most of the night on the balcony. After the girl had fell asleep, Sheng and his partner sat facing each other on the airy patio. With the moon hovering above them, the area was covered in nature. From the art covered clay pots and vases, harmoniously patterned ceramic caddies, and beautiful vases filled with lovely greenery, that filled the inside and outside of the house, to the many calming artifacts that pieced together a serene tranquility in the space. The two beings sat in lotus positions, with heads held high, as they meditated under the night’s sky. Feeling the natural world around them, they absorbed the essence of life, recycling it through themselves. Bouncing power off of each other, they meditated to bring forth their healing. Feeling the essence of one another, they used their abilities to nurture each other’s wounds.

As small glass bowls of blue flames lied along the floor that surrounded them, they inhaled the aroma of energy, as their body used the life-force around them to heal their battered figures. With the minimum of clothing on them, they sat in under wrappings, fully exposed of their bodily bruises, the two radiated a source of vitality that riddled the area with rippling vibes of liveliness. Throughout the night and into the thick fog of dawn, they eventually woke and broke from their meditation. Rejuvenated and refreshed, they were up and attending to their duties before the sun was fully up in the sky. While the sleeping lady risen and prepared for her departure, Kumi sat in her room reshaping her sword, as Sheng sat at the dining room table. Sketching a picture of a cat the stood in his windowpane, he smiled as the lady gave him her contact info. Though, the monk already planned to repair the bridge himself, he was still very appreciative of her concern and responsibility in the matter. “Surely, you should…”, he smiled through his reply. Bowing to her, he walked her to the door.

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