Closed True Form of Combat (Ssafirsotibones)

[Riluc Lorrani]

10th of Summer 516

The Wilder of Caiyha walked the streets of Sunberth once again. He wasn’t just randomly walking the streets as he used to as a wild child being raised by dogs. Today he was going to some lessons. Lessons in unarmed fighting at that. A younger Riluc would have found the notion ridiculous and a waist. If you wanted to learn to fight then just go find another dog and fight. Riluc had done that a few times a child, but time with his second mother Gaelsa had taught Riluc that sometime lessons could seriously improve your skills. Riluc could fight, that wasn’t in question, but he had been taught by wild dogs, and other animals. Maybe now was time to learn more about how humans and similar races fought. Riluc did still believe that fighting with out weapons, but your own strength and body was the purest form of the combat art. He know could see the practicality of weapons, but that still didn’t change his mind about the methods he used to defend himself.

Bare Fists and Broken Bones was a new school that had opened to teach people how to fight unarmed. Riluc had seen it and decided to give it a try. So it was that he had signed up for a private class. He would prefer the one on one instruction that instructor could give also it made him feel more comfortable as he has less people around he has to watch. So dressed once again his normal loin cloth/diaper wrap, and his leather boots, he had decided to wear his cloak as he felt the need for a little, but just a bit, more formal. Riluc did own regular clothing, but he didn’t feel comfortable in them and they were designed for winter weather anyways. So they were packed away in his tent for later use. Riluc arrived at his lessons a few minutes early. Time was something that Gaelsa had harped upon as Riluc had grown up not even knowing that there was such a concept. So he had learned it and now practiced it. As the young man approached the building he looked it over. It appeared to have been a shop of some type at one point, but Riluc couldn’t have said what type.

Riluc strode into the place with his confident gait. To some Riluc might appear arrogant, but it wasn’t arrogants that fueled his walk but and acceptance of who he was. He knew his strengths and many of his weakness and despite that like himself. He had also lived much of his life fighting for life, and so had a walk similar to a predator. He wasn’t always on the hunt but he could change his mind at any moment. Riluc paused in the entrance. Yes he had lessons here, but this wasn’t his den, his territory, it belong to his instructor and so he respected that. He would wait here until he got some indication that he was allowed to come on in.

He didn’t have to look to far to find his instructor. The large man was sitting in the middle of the front room. He appeared to be waiting for Riluc which won respect from the young man. The man knew what he was about and wasn’t one of these absent minded teachers who just floated through life. Riluc bowed his head in respect and glance around the room. It was an open room, with various equipment for fighting. Riluc looked at the various items with interest. Once he had looked around the room he returned his gaze to the man in the middle of the room.

”I am Riluc Lorrani. I have a lesson with Bones at this time. Am I correct that you are Bones.” ”

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones had been sitting with his eyes closed when Riluc approached. At the moment he had been meditating, trying to close off his mind. So far he'd not managed to do that, though it did seem to help in calming him down and focusing him on a task. Focusing on his breathing, Bones waited, taking in a slow measured breath, and letting it back out equally slowly. He did this over and over, till the breathing became meaningless, fading into the background. From outside he could hear people walking by, people talking, people living. He sensed as much as heard the person approaching his front door, the sound of someone else breathing, someone else existing. Bones opened his eyes, taking a moment to meet the gaze of his newest student come for his first lesson. With a wave of his hand he invited him inside, while continuing to gaze at his eyes. Inspecting. He didn't even spend a flicker of notice on his clothes or apparel, instead focusing on his eyes, trying to see what he could understand and observe from them. Having lived most of his life among Dhani, people who didn't wear clothes except in human form, he didn't pay much attention to such things. “I am.” Bones paused after his short statement, staring back at the man. Measuring. Questioning. “Before we begin your training... I inquire, why do you fight? Why do you want to learn? What will you do after you learn?” Slowly Bones rose from his seated position, raising himself up to stand as his new student did. “Once I know, we can begin.” Once his new student answered his questions, in whatever manner he answered, Bones would gesture once more. Gesture for his student to come at him, to begin their first lesson with a spar to test and measure where his student's skills lay.

[Riluc Lorrani]

Riluc Lorrani

Riluc stared at his new instructor as the man opened his eyes and looked up into Riluc's. His instructors silver eyes meet Riluc's green eyes. The eyes look at his instructor was that of a hunter, but not like the kind of human hunters you would find in Sunberth. No Riluc's gaze was more animalistic then that. Not wild, but calculating just as the gaze of a wolf. It evaluated it situation before choosing any action.

Riluc like what he saw in his teacher’s eyes. His presences radiated strength and confidences. Riluc realized that his instructor was strong and knowledgeable. Riluc's gaze reflected his repect for his instructor as Riluc turned his focus to his instructor’s question. The question itself proved the man didn't actually come from Sunberth. No one questioned why you learned how to fight in this town. That being said Riluc also knew that there was a chance that this man could see beyond the next theft.

Riluc final answered the man's question, his baritone voice thoughtful. "I fight for several reasons. I first learned to fight from by pack and then I thought it was sole to protect myself and so that was my first reason for fighting. As I grew older I discovered that there was beauty to fighting. When done for friendly competition it can a true test of skill. That became the second reasons. My last reason was shown to me by Caiyha and that is to protect others and the balance of nature."

Riluc watched as teacher then moved out into the center of the room and indicated that the spare had started. Riluc again felt respect growing for his instructor as the man clearly wanted to see Riluc’s skill. Riluc moved in towards his instructor, the space wasn’t particular far but in that time it took Riluc size up his opponent. Riluc covered the distance moving with a grace that spoke of being comfortable in his body. He approached ready for combat but also on the aggressive. He wanted to show his instructor what he could do and what he need work on.

As he came in he was prepared to dodge against possible attacks coming from his instructor, he could tell Bones was strong but had no real clue on spead. Once he was in range Riluc slowed and started with a basic kick towards his instructors knees. It was something he had learned from the animals go for te crippling spots. He didn't stop with that kick but continued to moved. The dance of fighting was a dance in many ways you moved from one step to another. And so moved to the left as he had noticed most humans were right handed and so didn't give the right hand much room to swing. He himself moved in closer to strike out with left arm towards his instructors side, and then once again danced back contintous of his balance at all times.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones listened silently as his newest student explained why he wanted to learn how to fight. He'd yet to hear an answer that meant he'd turn down a lesson. He so far would teach anyone, whether a citizen, a gang member, a slaver, or whatever. He taught all equally, probably one of the few reasons he'd not yet had trouble from any of the gangs. He currently chose no side, and gave no favor to any group, though he didn't doubt that in as socially charged a place as Sunberth that such a thing wouldn't stay. Eventually one of the groups would try to exert their influence and control, and he would be forced to react. Until then he waited, not dwelling on problems not yet arisen. He noted his mentioning of Caiyha, a goddess he'd worshiped his entire life, though did not respond or show any reaction. Instead he simply stood calmly breathing before him as he waited. Once done explaining his student came at him, somewhere between a rush and a charge, though not as headlong as some he'd seen. When Riluc finally moved within range Bones reacted to the attacks at a moderate pace. His speed was more akin to one cleaning a floor, taking a regular and measured pace to their actions, not rushing or hurrying. Taking the actions when it was needed, not before or after, which at times made his actions seem casual or easy. In truth his actions were simply a combination of planning, instinct, and hired wired reaction's his body took to certain things he'd seen enough times. Something usually only decades and decades of combat could wire into ones body. Something Bones had in surplus. When the first move was launched, a kick aimed at his knees, Bones took a step backward out of range, letting the blow wiz by without making any contact. Once the kick was performed and missed Riluc continued on, trying to press his attack, coming in on his left side. Once more Bones' foe darted in an attack, attempting a quick left jab before moving backward out of range. This time Bones didn't retreat or give ground, instead taking a step forward into the attack, moving within the range of the strike and more into grappling range of wrestling than the traditional unarmed range. Darting out his own left hand Bones aimed a clench at his foes wrist on the hand he was punching with. When he was fully committed and the punch had nearly reached the point were it drew closest to Bones and thus had the greatest forward motion Bones would go for the grab. If he landed the grab aimed at the wrist of the punching hand he would turn his body and pull, attempting to use his foes forward momentum to flip him over to land on his rear before he had a chance to retreat or move backward out of range. As it mainly used his foes momentum and energy, it didn't take a great deal of Bones own strength, let alone did it show off anything more than the normal human level of strength Bones usually showed in simple spars. The fight wasn't easy, as his student wasn't completely outclassed, but with Bones giving the fight his full attention it wasn't overly difficult. Bones own style was an unexpected mix and match of styles, focusing mainly on traditional unarmed combat but also unexpectedly mixing in other combat styles when they worked better, something a lesser trained fighter often had trouble reacting to. He had long since seen that each of the unique styles had their own moments and focus, and that using them in tandem allowed for much greater capabilities than someone using only one.