[Flashback] On The Outside looking In [Marishka]

[Raiha]

Closed. Marishka Timandre only, please.

Time Stamp: Spring, 502 AV

Raiha did not like to fight.

Konti, in general, were not supposed to like to fight, her mother had told her often, when Raiha had complained to her of not having anyone to wrestle with. That was why so few wanted to train with her. But, Raiha knew, if she did that, practicing how to fight, it made the voice in the back of her head quiet down, even if only for a little one. Even if she derived no enjoyment out of hurting others. She supposed it was a good thing to train the body, especially since she was still gaining weight now that she was healthy enough to keep it on her skinny frame. One needed to develop muscles, and you got those from exercising and physical activity. Her mother had given her a pair suvai for her fifteenth birthday, just a few days ago, and while she could have taken them to learn how to use the weapon with other Kontinese daughters, Kanikra had been far too excited at the prospect.

Which was why she was carrying the suvai on her belt, not for any particular ability or like of it, but because of a deal she had made with her black twin. She would shut up for a few days and leave her some peace if she would get herself a proper weapon. So Raiha had. But Kanikra hadn't said anything about learning to use it... The suvai hung there, a weight at her hips and on her heart, a constant reminder of just how different she was. Stop complaining, Kanikra consoled. Just think. Once you learn how to use it, people might actually start to respect you.

There's always someone who is better than you at a blade, and carrying one around openly is to invite them to prove it, Raiha remonstrated her. She was sitting astride a old, fat Zavian gelding who was more or less retired from everything but occasionally carting the girl around... which was just as well of a way to learn, Raiha supposed. Horseback riding was supposed to be good for your body, so she supposed she could go worse. The old gelding didn't seem to have much interest in going beyond a walk, and with Raiha's long legs, she could probably go faster, than he was now. But that was beside the point. She held the reins carefully in her hands, mindful of her legs and posture. Really, it was just pointing him where she wanted to go and hanging on. There wasn't really any problems with stopping - the problem was keeping him moving. The strawberry roan was getting interested in some of the grass at the side of the path outside the city, and Raiha had to nudge him with her heels, click her tongue, and flick the reins all at once to get his attention back. He wasn't wearing a bit and bridle, just a halter, and the teenager had to give the reins a tug to get the gelding back on track.

She had decided to leave Mura for the day. To ride Mangle, as the old horse was called (such an undeserved name, if you asked her), and to go out somewhere nice and quiet... where she could practice. She was loathe to admit it, but Kanikra made some sense there. That is why you need to practice. What part of that don't you get? Kanikra scolded her. You're being a weakling again. It's sickening. Just stop it, and stop denying who you really are. You think we're separate? We're two halves of a whole. I'm more like you than you want to admit! That stung. And that bothered her. Raiha didn't want to be like her. She didn't want to hurt people and make them miserable. She just wanted to be herself... But what is yourself? the black twin persisted. Who are you? You don't know, do you?

I'm me, Raiha insisted. I'm not like you. I don't want to hurt people. I don't need to hurt people to be happy, not like you. I'm not like you. Just be QUIET! She put her force of will into trying to quite her other half. It worked. Sometimes. Sometimes, Raiha thought she just liked to try to trick her. But for now, Kanikra seemed to be quiet. Raiha was taking her new weapons out to practice on her lonesome. Regardless of what forms she was going to mess up, at least there wouldn't be someone around that she could hurt by mistake. Though, she had a feeling, she'd be more likely to hurt herself than anyone else, considering her proficiency in weapons... or lack thereof.

The beauty of Konti Isle wasn't the sand and and beaches that the tourists liked, Raiha had long since decided. It was the beautiful deciduous forests. The colours, the creatures, the cover. She had been riding for a while, and taking a look around, she decided this was good enough. There was grass for Mangle to munch on, space for her, and hopefully, peace and quiet... without others and without Kanikra constantly harassing her. She eased back on the reins. "Woah, Mangle," Raiha told the horse, visualizing him stopping, and he lifted his head to have a look at her around his shoulder. Oh, he wasn't going anywhere, the look told her. He was just going to pay attention to this marvelous outcropping of grass here... She leaned forward on the saddle once he stopped, and worked her feet out of the stirrups to swing it around to land on the grass. Neither forest nor meadow, here, but a mixture of both. Like her?

On the grass, the teenager was all legs and arms. She was gangling, almost awkwardly so, like someone who wasn't entirely used to her limbs yet. Her white hair, contrasting so much with her dark blue skin, was pulled back in a half-bun at the nape of her neck, leaving the ends to explode like a starburst all around it. She stretched, flexing her knees and legs, reaching for the sky with her hands, inhaling happily, taking in the scent of nature all around her. She stood at 6' tall despite her young age, but she would finish growing soon enough, likely within the next few years. Grimly, Raiha drew one of the Suvai from her belt, feeling along the handle of it before gripping it, lowering her body down a little before stabbing at nothing, testing the weight and the alien, alien movement.

[Marishka Timandre]

They had been nagging at her consistently, trying to tell her to calm her spirits down, which only made the impulses surging within her pulsate even more. If it wasn't the fiery resolve to improve that is being doused off, it was her own dissatisfaction marring her confidence and thoughts. There was nobody in Mura who could sate her drive to excel, not even the plethora of hallowed suvaimistresses who had been more than eager to train her in their ways. No, what she wanted was not instruction from them, but encouragement, for while they had been more than generous in patronage, she knew what they were thinking. She is a Timandre, and getting her injured could be a disaster for anyone of them. High Oracle Shahal has always been more than protective of her clan; each member has been groomed to be konti of the highest order, and each one has committed to this creed dearly. Yet suvai training was something so violent, something so dangerous. Despite her preference for the bladed arts, she knew that in some way or another they were coddling her behind her back. She wanted to train with the suvai, and in time it became bland to her, like an overused doll. She wanted to be different, and that difference can be found away from Mura. But they didn't want her to leave. Maybe it was because they will miss her too much, maybe for her safety. Whatever the reason, it did not suit her well. Part of her did want to stay, but how was she going to be the best at what she does if she remained cooped up inside their peaceful home? It made her so flustered and disappointed that they thought so highly of her, and yet she couldn't find the means to fulfill their respect. They have always been so tolerant, but why is it that she felt so alone through everything? In time nobody wanted to train with her, thinking her to be too difficult and abrasive, and when the boiling inside of her finally keeled over, she declared her intentions with impunity: she was going to leave Mura one day and make a name for herself. And nothing, nobody was going to stop her. There was something hollow within that made her wonder often. What else is there in life beyond this majestic isle of dreams? What lies for her out there, away from the tedious and uninspiring suvai training she's undertaking as a headshrinker? And most importantly, wasn't she born here so that she'd be able to freely pursue these very aspirations? Yet how ironic it was to her: her dreams most certainly did not reside here. She loved Mura, yes. But her destiny wasn't here. The day was fresh and bright, just as it has always been. Peeking out from her window after getting dressed in her elegant tunic and pants, she decided that it was a good time to take a walk, for the history book that she had been reading has quite hit a dead wall in her interest. Packing her suvai and her new silver sword--a gift from a rich suitor, alas there have been too many of them nowadays--she started to push towards the verdant forests to see what could be found there. She did not know how many bells and chimes had passed by before she paused and sat on a rock to rest. The trees towered all around her, and the sunlight burst through the leaves in rays down to caress her gently. A cool wind was blowing, with the taste of the sea lacing it perfectly. She inhaled a whiff of it, and for the first time in a while she was able to smile; there was peace here in the middle of the woods for her, away from the rest of her kind. Someday she was going to sit just like this somewhere else. In the depths of her peace, however, she quickly caught the sound of somebody's breathless repetitions, the sound of someone in training. Perking an eyebrow, the Timandre in white went to see where it was coming from, stopping by some bushes in observation when she beheld the sight from whence the sounds came. She was startled by the sight she saw: the creature's hair was definitely konti white, and her beauty was also extraordinary. But lo and behold! Her skin was a deep shade of blue, and her strength was beyond those of normal Konti. "An Akontak?" she thought to herself, her gaze sharpening to observe what she was doing. While she has heard of such creatures residing in Mura, she had never thought that she'd ever meet one. She was holding an intricate suvai, using it to make awkward and uncontrolled movements. The length and power in her swings and stabs was definitely not something to be missed, yet she could clearly see that if they weren't too wild, they would be too lax. A true novice, she thought. There she just watched her until the constant mistakes she was committing made her heart surge with irritation. "Has no one taught her how to even hold it properly?" she whispered to no one. A few more ticks, and she could take it no more. Emerging from her observation point, she grabbed her own suvai and called her attention with a "Hey you!", not caring in her uptight mood if she was being rude or not. "Here, this is how you do it." she said strictly, swinging her suvai from left to right in a more controlled and relaxed fashion, then extending her legs apart to give her more balance. "If you are going to swing your suvai, be relaxed, watch your hips and position your feet like this. You are going to get hurt with what you are doing. Don't swing too lightly, and don't stab too roughly, they are easy to parry that way. Also, hold it like you're holding a piece of sponge, allow your hand to shape into the handle. It is more comfortable that way." She then paused, looking at her sternly. "Do you get it?" she asked, then lapsing into silence and waiting for her to say something.

[Raiha]

Akontak were exceedingly rare... and rarer still were the ones that survived. Marishka may have heard of one being born to a jewel crafter named Tana some fifteen years ago, but for the most part the Akontak had been certainly out of sight. Regardless of the best efforts of the Opal Order, Raiha had had more than her fair share of health problems while she was young. She had missed out on a lot as a child, and everything that she should have learned and experienced in the last ten years was still quite new to her.

And, it grew painfully obvious as Marishka watched, the suvai was one of them.

She took what she knew of unarmed combat, to keep her body fluid and loose, not locking any of her long limbs. Grip the blade. Her grip was off, Clenched in a fist, almost, and she failed to stab so much as punch. You watched your stance, always watched your stance. That was important. She used her free hand, and formed a fist before lashing out in a left-hook, and tried, that was the key word, tried, to follow it up with a similar movement while she held the suvai in a poor grip, punching with it. It would work better, Kanikra advised, if you would realize that it doesn't work that way. But I suppose the fact you are holding it is a massive improvement... Raiha recovered her balance quickly enough, and began to try slashing once more. Better. Stop over extending yourself. If you weren't so scared of being around other people, you could learn this from people who know what they were doing. But you're afraid of your own shadow.

I am not, Raiha retorted, stopping briefly to regain herself, her hand holding the suvai dropping to her side. I know you. I know what you want me to do. I don't want to gut someone because you won't leave me alone. Sometimes you distract me. she breathed, stretching herself out again, before picking up the movements again. Move forward on one leg, follow through, stab. Come back on your other leg, straighten, and try again. Lunge, thrust, return, lunge, thrust, return. Lunge, thrust, return. She tried switching hands. Raiha could use both hands fairly well, she had found, and now she gave her left hand a shot, testing the grip, rotating her arm and wrist before starting the lunges once more.

She didn't seem to notice Marishka's approach or that she was even being observed, although the fat gelding did, but was more intent on grazing on the tender green shoots than he was in watching Raiha's attempts to swing and stab with the suvai. By now she was back to her right hand, even as Kanikra encouraged her to put some strength and speed into it. Balls to those that said to take it slow and gain speed later. She didn't have time for that. Trying to speed up, it seemed, was a miserable failure, and Raiha dropped back down to her normal speed, practicing her lunges once more. Lunge, stab, retreat. Lunge, stab...

And then someone spoke to her. Raiha froze, whipping around to face Marishka. On guard, warned Kanikra. If someone approaches you with a weapon like that, they mean to do you harm. YOU need to learn how! See how she holds it? SHE knows what she's doing. Watch out, here she comes. Hold your weapon up and act like you know what you're doing with it, for Akajia's sake! Raiha felt the clamouring in the back of her mind, that she had to force back down and away. No. No, no, no!

Be quiet! Raiha ordered her black twin again. She's not trying to kill me. Why would she? I haven't done anything to her. But her golden eyes were wide in her face, contrasting against her dark skin as she looked down at the new arrival. Marishka was shorter than her, dressed in white compared to Raiha's mid-to-darker colours. Some of her long hair had come out of the bun, gathering in tendrils around her face, and with her long limbs, there was something deer-like about her, that she would burst into action and movement and race away. But after listening to her, the young Akontak lost that alarmed look, and kind of relaxed, though only to a certain point.

Are you going to let her talk to you like that? Kanikra wanted to know. I said she knows what she's doing, but that doesn't mean you have to take that attitude. She was bristling, and spoiling for a fight. There was no way that Raiha was going to let her give in, and forced her down and back as best as she could, listening to Marishka's words over Kanikra, letting the almost aggressive Konti instruct her, silently grateful for the help. She could relate some of this to unarmed combat, the need for fluidity, and the way that her movements were uncontrolled and rough. She adjusted her grip as best as she could.

"With all due respect," Raiha said tentatively, "doesn't a sponge more or less shape to your hand instead?" She tried it nonetheless, letting her fingers settle around the handle of the suvai. "I'm not trying to be flippant... I just want to make sure I understand. I'm thankful for your help, really and truly. Will you practice with me?" Despite her ineptitudes, the teenager did seem to want to improve, and there was almost naked hope and longing on her face of the possibility that someone would, in fact, practice with her. This woman, Raiha figured, was more than likely able to handle herself against the youngster. She wasn't supposed to enjoy fighting. But... this strange woman did, and she was a Konti. So perhaps... perhaps it was okay. Just a little bit. "May I ask your name? I'm Raiha."

See? I am you. You are me. Just because you don't want to admit it doesn't mean it's not true.

[Marishka Timandre]

A slim eyebrow perked at the reproach over the sponge analogy, but she quickly brushed it off. For some reason she felt a kind of affinity for her. It was strange, because she doesn't normally warm up to people so fast. Raiha's overly-polite and cautious way of speaking somehow gave Marishka the impression that she was under some sort of stress, like her reactions and words were more forced than free. Konti are naturally perceptive about emotions, and she has read about the Akalaks in her books as well. It's just strange to her that there was so much of the blue skins in her while she seemed to be perfectly Konti in her demeanor and beauty. She crossed her arms atop her chest, her gaze remaining quite stern and blank, despite the tinge of pleasure she felt in Raiha's eagerness to learn. In a way, the modest and zealous Akontak reminded her of herself. "My name is Marishka, of the Timandre clan." she said, nodding slightly as a gesture to go along with her introduction. The latter request has been granted, but what about the other one? Closing her eyes in thought, she lapsed into silence, letting the cool winds fly by all around them as she considered everything in full. Frankly it has been a long time since she had trained with anyone in a light and jovial mood. The other Konti in Mistress Val'mara's suvai school have all either gone lily-livered or pretending to be cold, and she has grown flustered over their whisperings and discrimination. As bad as the thought is to her, there are so many others there who are equal or better to her skill. What was it about her that frightened them about her? Potential? Her sullen attitude? She has always been like this, and cold and distant as she may seem she does have her friendlier side, though it is a rare thing for anyone to ever see it. Perhaps it was her refusal to smile as often as people smile at her. Whatever it is it had only reinforced her desire to leave Mura, and in a way, she was thankful for their attitude. However it was never too late to make a new acquaintance, and something about Raiha told her that she'd be the type who'd listen much and talk a bit less. Just the right combination for her. Nodding her head again, she finally acquiesced to her other request. "Very well, I will train with you. I'll show you some of the basics before we begin sparring." She honestly did not know if the kind of training she was referring to was merely weapon drills or actual combat, but she didn't mind providing both at all. It is a good chance to get her sails up before she heads out of the isle. Reverting back to her defensive stance, she flipped her suvai over to her right hand by tossing it and catching it in midair by the handle. Then Marishka pulled the short weapon behind her, leaving her left arm raised if to use it as a block. "This stance is often used to parry the opponent's arm, either by catching the shoulder with your free hand as he stabs forward, or when your suvai is on your left," she paused as she tossed it back to her left, positioning her now-free right hand above her abdomen in a clenched manner, "or by smacking the opponent's blade aside with the suvai, following it with a strong punch to the gut for a stun." She demonstrated both afterwards, but in a whirling, lightning quick combination. She used the left stance first, with the whalebone blade being used to hack at the space in front of her, upon which she shuffled her right leg forward to thrust her right hand in a snappy punch. Once more tossing the suvai to her right hand and snatching it overhead, she coiled her armed right once more, using her left to seemingly haul away the air simultaneously before slicing the blade forward in a horizontal arc. Blades of grass flew all around them as her boots dug fiercely into the earth with every shuffle, with the wind throwing her silky white hair in rhythmic waves and cascades. Inside her, thrill and naked exhilaration ran within her veins; she had not felt so relaxed in a while. Turning her face back to Raiha by throwing her hair aside with a quick heave of her head, she nodded in satisfaction at her own performance, her breathing a little heavy after the effort exerted. A bead of sweat ran down her marble-like cheek. "Now, you try it Raiha."

[Raiha]

"Of the Timandres. It's nice to meet you," Raiha murmured. She knew about the Timandres. Who on Konti Isle didn't? Kanikra had spent plenty of time deriding the clan, though she did this to pretty much everyone. Their daughters, the black twin felt, were treated with velvet gloves and raised to elevated positions not through their own abilities, but because of who their ancestors were, and now Kanikra was repeating that litany of hers once more. They didn't depend on any fine name. They would earn respect their own way. Once Raiha got her act together, they would...

Raiha forced Kanikra back down once more, which only made her shout louder. The teenager was beginning to feel the process of a headache, but exhaled slowly. There was tension in her stance, in her face, in her emotions, like someone who was engaged in a constant, unending inner battle over something she couldn't explain if she tried. Despite all of this, Marishka could tell that Raiha was trying very hard not to show it, or give any inkling. But Marishka had many more years than Raiha, probably thrice her age if she was a day. Still, she took a deep breath. Just let it pass. Focus on suppressing her. Focus on Marishka. Focus. Discipline. The concentrated, intense look left Raiha's features, as if the raging waters within had been soothed, calmed down to a still mirror, like the Silver Lake when the wind was still. Serenity. And a delight that was slow to burn, but beginning to spread, reaching her golden eyes. There wasn't quite a smile, not yet, but it was getting there. It wasn't a false smile meant to try to curry favour... but because the girl felt genuine delight at the prospect of a master teaching her. And if Marishka wasn't a master, Raiha certainly didn't notice.

"Please," she was in control again. "I would like to learn... but I'm... a bit wary..." she hesitated, trying to think of how best to put it. "Of learning with other beginners. I've been told I can get a bit rough when I do not mean to." She had gotten much better at separating Kanikra from herself, at separating what had been dark, feverish whispers years ago into what she now knew was a separate entity. She felt it was only fair to warn Marishka. When instincts told her to push and fight, and Kanikra cheered her on, as adrenalin surged its electrifying way up her spine to the tips of her toes and fingers... sometimes she overdid things. She was working on it and progress was steady... but slow. But this older Konti was brisk and knew what she was about, and thankfully, she had agreed to work with her. Raiha felt relief.

The Akontak didn't know the difference at the moment between battle drills and training drills. One was as good as another, to her. She was practicing so that she wouldn't have to fight. You're being delusional... the whisper was faint. You practice to fight to kill so that you may live. Learn it. Pay attention. Raiha was about to tell her to be quiet, when Kanikra hushed on her own, leaving Raiha free to study her new teacher's movements. Her eyes followed Marishka's suvai, and she wasn't even about to attempt trying that. With her luck, it would probably end up point-down in on her head.

Hm. She could see some similarities between the suvai and unarmed combat. Both worked here. While Marishka was better trained and clearly more comfortable in her own skin, Raiha's longer limbs might give her a bit of an advantage there - she could get closer to Marishka while keeping her own body a little further back. But she'd have to see. Slowly, she shifted herself into the stance Marishka was demonstrating, lowering her center to allow for looser, more fluid movements, to strike and recover more quickly than she had been before, bending her knees and adjusting her feet so that she was ready to move back and forward on the balls, to dance in and out of reach. The different stance, with an arm up, was unfamiliar to her, and it took a few moments of practice to get it up to something she felt comfortable with. Kanikra already wasn't so sure about this, leaving one arm exposed... but if she was sharp with that hand, and worked on blocking with it... Then she could strengthen her ability at hand-to-hand in the same time. After some more preliminary shifting, Raiha was finally satisfied with her position, holding the whalebone dagger the way that Marishka had explained and demonstrated. The first practice stab at the air was choppy, and the only thing Raiha could do was back up, regroup, and try again.

Watching Marishka was like watching poetry in motion, to see her so beautiful and graceful on the ground. She had all of the elegance of a bird on the wind, wings outstretched while she soared the skies... and made Raiha feel ashamed to be so ungainly a creature as she was. Every movement Marishka made was harmony, was designed for maximum efficiency. This will be good for you, Kanikra told her as they watched in silence. She could see she was going to have to practice the tossing and catching. Maybe she'd find a stick of a similar size and weight, whittle it down, and attempt this tossing and throwing, in an attempt to be able to move this blade fast enough from hand to hand.

And then Marishka told her to give it a shot.

Raiha sincerely hoped she didn't let her new tutor down or send her spiraling into despair within the first ten minutes. She had no idea how much of her rather pathetic attempts the Konti had seen, or how long she had been observing her before she could take no more and charged out to question and guide her. Raiha lacked the skillful ease that Marishka demonstrated, although she valiantly tried to keep up. Under her tutelage, Raiha had developed a better grip, and she seemed more aware of her body's movements and how to control and apply them in the case of the suvai. But she was far from perfect. She didn't seem to have any natural connection with the weapon - maybe it was the stress that Marishka had sensed, even if Raiha had tried very hard to relax, maybe it was some fear or worry that came from the weapon. Maybe she was scared of herself. She punched the air, aiming at the midsection of an invisible opponent, as she brought the blade down in a motion that was half-stab, half-slash. It wasn't proper form, but at the same time, it was better than she had been managing on her own.

Raiha focused on her breathing, too, making sure not to hold her breath. If you held your breath, your movements got jerky and slow. You had to keep moving, had to keep breathing. She moved on her toes, pushing off, stepping back, and moving her entire body, trying to develop the same smooth rhythm, that dance to the music of the suvai, a look of intense concentration on her face. Over and over, she put herself through motions, determined to get better at this. If she didn't, her mother would be disappointed, Kanikra would never shut up, and Marishka would scorn her. Well, maybe she wouldn't, but Raiha estimated a severe ear-blistering. Her chest was heaving by the time she dropped her arms to her sides, and looked to her new acquaintance for validation and corrections, apparently content to be quiet.

[Marishka Timandre]

Apparently she was right; there was something bothering her inside. The way Raiha's face twitched in shows of turmoil did not faze Marishka, but it did make her curious as to what kind of person her other self would be. Still it wasn't her place to ask. And little did she know that she wouldn't need to, for just a moment later Raiha answered it herself. Her sleek eyebrow once soared to the very ends of her forehead at the warning. Though she truly appreciated the warning--for she knew just how dangerous Akalaks can be, even for the most seasoned, battle-hardened veterans, which she isn't to begin with--she couldnot help but let out a tiny fraction of a smirk. "Don't concern yourself over me, Raiha." she replied, sheathing her suvai back into the safety of her slim waist. "I know just what kind of task I have taken for myself. Just concentrate on your movements and put your mind at ease. Flow like the water, dance like the clouds." Secretly she did harbor some doubts, not in Raiha, not in her skill, but in her ability to teach. Much like what she had thought, Marishka was no master. While she is skilled and knowledgeable of her own arts, she did not know how to translate these into the necessary words. All that she held onto was the fact that much like herself, this Akontak too harbored some deep sentiments regarding herself. She lapsed into silence, letting her move as she would. There was something that was so earnest about her efforts that made Marishka's marble eyes widen at intervals, and sharpen at the next ones. While they would seem to be the suit of a strict, aged schoolmaster, they were expressions made not in disdain or scorn, but in keen observation for anything else that she might help her with. One try, two tries, three tries. On and on the young Akontak went, flinging her limbs in wide swings. While her brief oral teachings have obviously given her a slightly better grasp of the basic concepts, it soon became clear to the Konti that teaching Raiha to move like she does is going to be futile, if only for the sheer difference that can be seen between the two of them. It was going to be difficult to get her long, gangly arms and legs moving in compact and precise movements, but she felt that there was both power and resolve that can be exploited for her own good. "Hmm." she let the thought pattern out loud, bringing her lithe fingers to her chin in contemplation. "If you are not comfortable with my methods, you can find your own. Your swings may be wild, but they are hard. All you need to do is learn how to control your strength." The Konti's mind then delved into a bit of searching, quietly feeling out her own appraisals for any good analogy to make her understand. Looking around her, she spotted a walnut on the ground. Marishka picked it up and started to toss it up and down casually a few times before she exerted a little more force to raise the elevation it traveled in. Then she quickly pulled her suvai back out of its sheath and, twirling around in a circular arc, slashed it into two in midair viciously and precisely. "Suvai training has two very important aspects," she began, her gaze blankly looking at her new protege. "The first is grace, which allows a fighter to move quickly and accurately to both attack and defend. For now, you don't have this." The words were straight and true, as she was never the type to hold her words back on anyone. "However, you definitely have the second, which is power. As you can see," she paused to show the walnut's cracks. They were uneven and jagged. "I don't have much of that myself. But grace is something that can be learned, power is something acquired. You should concentrate on harnessing that power first, in any means that you know. Integrate not the steps that I have shown you for now, but use your power with the basic concepts of swing and slash and thrust. Just swing and slash and thrust with power and control, grace will come later." She then tossed the half nut away as she commanded, "Now , try again, with whatever you're comfortable with!" in a firm voice.

[Raiha]

Raiha nodded as Marishka spoke, listening, absorbing, understanding. She had a ready mind when Kanikra wasn't distracting her to the point of having a nervous breakdown, which was only every so often. And fortunately, Kanikra was being quiet now. This was useful to her, too, after all. Raiha appreciated the criticism - it was hardly that, when one got right down to it, as the Konti was remarkably nice about it, which she hadn't expected - and was grateful. Learning with Marishka was learning in an environment where she felt more at ease in her environment and with only one other around who could more than adequately handle herself against the Akontak and any loss of control she endured. Kanikra seemed to be biding her time for now, just letting her learn.

Maybe she had spoken too soon. There were murmurs of approval from Kanikra at Marishka's display with the walnut. Look at that... the black twin's words were almost dreamy, the nut never stood a chance. If she was able to do that, imagine what we could do to bone... splitting them open from head to toe. You know, I bet we could take her in a fist fight... Raiha was gearing up to shove Kanikra back down at that. Oh, relax. See how fast she draws her suvai? She'd gut you before you managed a punch. So much to work on. If you think holding back on that practice is helping to make sure that I can't use those abilities to beat on others, you are sorely mistaken, Raiha! Now, LEARN!

Then would you kindly be quiet so that I can? Raiha retorted before exhaling slowly. But she knew in her heart of hearts that Kanikra was right. Would she learn nothing in an attempt to keep her black twin, her other half, from using it against someone else? Raiha would lay a very good bet that Kanikra had her own strengths, and not working on any of her own would be only detrimental to her efforts. She brought herself back to what Marishka was saying. Controlling her own strength. That made sense to her. She had to do that. It was all about practice and discipline. She smiled faintly. Wysar. Rondo had told her years ago that their own worst enemy was their own self. If she wanted to control Kanikra, she had to practice and learn discipline. It applied everywhere, no matter what she was doing. Practicing staying in rigid control of herself would be important in the years to come... especially as she became more proficient in combat and in the suvai. Figuring the whalebone blade out would give Kanikra more and new ways to hurt people; therefore it was up to her to ensure that that did not happen.

She worried on her bottom lip, the smile fading. Her cheeks were slightly pink from the workout, and she thought her hand might hurt. Hard practice. But Marishka was right. Grace could be learned and came from endless practice. The first punches were always choppy; the first kicks were always weak and wrong in balance. That her wild swings were about as graceful as a rock made sense to her, and they didn't really trouble her unduly. Sure, the Konti had a surreal grace about them, an advantage she likely would never had. But power... could be strengthened through discipline. She had to harness it, and that would allow her to use her strengths to her own advantage. In time, she could get that way, if she tried hard enough. She could glide if she had a mind to do so. But they would have to work a lot harder to gain the natural strength she had. Once she got some meat and muscles on her bones, she wouldn't look so gangling, either. And that came down to what she was doing here. The physical training and discipline.

Wysar was always watching. She had to do him proud.

"Okay," she nodded again to show that she understood. "Thank you." It may have seemed oddly formal and funny, but Raiha meant every word. She didn't want Marishka to think she was ungrateful for her kindness; quite the opposite. Determined to show it, too, Raiha redoubled her efforts. Marishka didn't want to hear flowing words of gratitude, the teenager figured. Mariska would want to see improvement, to see that Raiha had been listening and not wasting both of their afternoons with half-hearted, poorly-made attempts to uselessly wave a weapon and not improve a bit. Swing, slash, and thrust. Tighten the movements, she told herself. Swing, slash, thrust. Raiha stayed largely on the spot that she had been working in, trimming her wild arms. Stop windmilling. Windmilling wasted energy and wasted valuable moments. You had focus. Conserve your energy and use it for what counted.

Raiha's efforts got better as she knuckled down, her golden eyes darkening, narrowing. She lunged to swing the whalebone dagger down, extending herself another step to slash, and pushing off of her legs to thrust before retreating backwards once more, as if dodging and weaving from the movements of an opponent who was doing the same thing to her, having ducked and dodged their way from her own sweeping strikes. She was visualizing the attacks of an opponent, but she seemed to be imaging them as having the tighter, more compact movements of one such as Marishka. Mental preparation? Yes. She would have to deal with someone coming at her before too long... so she might as well get used to it. By the time she stopped again to see what Marishka thought, her skin was almost a dusky purple at her cheeks and neck, and half of her hair had come out of the bun. She put her suvai back in its sheathe and pulled her hair back roughly to twist and pull it into the spiky bun that it had been before. Her hand hurt and her arm was beginning to shake. Her next round, she had a feeling, would be using her left hand.

[Marishka Timandre]

Marishka folded her arms across her chest, letting her breaths soothe her skin as she watched Raiha do her drills. It was refreshing to watch how this clumsy and awkward being was exerting so much of herself into her efforts, wasting no amount of words from her. Quietly her eyes perused every swing, every thrust and every slash she made, seeing the marked improvement in every aspect of her stance and speed. It was amazing to see how quickly she had helped shape this girl. Maybe there was something left for her to do in Mura before she left after all. By the time Raiha had stopped her repetitions and taken the time to collect herself, Marishka's face had turned from cold and strict to something more appreciative. She did not say too much, knowing that the faint smile, pleased glint in her eye and a simple "Well done" would probably be more than enough for now. Nodding to the taller girl, the Konti warrior took hold of her own suvai's hilt, feeling the need to do repetitions herself. Was she just inspired by a novice? The thought was somewhat amusing to her, and she sniffed at it as she began to dance with her blade in rhythmic patterns. She looked more like a beautiful tornado of poetic motions than anything else in her actions, alternating from side to side, left to right, top to bottom in a variety of swings, cuts, feints, kicks, punches, thrusts and slashes. If the air had been a sentient being, it would have been minced meat by now, with all of Marishka's efforts put forth in full view. Letting her left heel fly sideways in a high-arching half kick, she followed this with a twirling thrust from the suvai in her right hand, spinning around on one leg like a ballerina on ice. Then she leaped slightly on the foot, replacing it with her left as she simultaneously kicked out her right in a straight flush. What followed was a 1-2 side cross slash, a powerful left elbow thrust, a right backhand stab and then, flicking her suvai to the air, a double one-leg kick followed by a perfect catch and slash using her right boot. It was aimed high, as if it was seeking some opponent's face to bash in. Stopping her training for awhile, she calmly sat on the grass to return to an observer's role, catching her breaths as she relegated back to motionlessness in open-eyed meditation.

[Raiha]

Raiha rotated her shoulders, flexing her arm and muscles. She knew that if you just quit after a hard bit of physical exercise, you didn't cool your muscles down, and you would hate yourself for it later when you started to ache. Basic anatomy. So even if she was just taking a bit of a break, she kept stretching. She smiled faintly, and inclined her head when the Konti told her that she had done well enough. Marishka had been right in that regard. Where others might have seen a 'well done' as lackluster, Raiha felt it was high praise indeed.

Raiha retreated a safe distance and lowered herself to the ground to watch Marishka practice. The demonstrations left the teenager mute as she wrapped her long arms around her folded legs, and rested her chin on her knees. She made a tidy package that way as she watched her new teacher, looking for tips and tricks she could pick up. For a while, it was impossible to follow the lightning-fast movements. But as Raiha watched and concentrated, she could start to pick out a pattern to the whirling dervish. It would take a lot for her to get there, she knew. But with the right amount of practice... She found she didn't entirely mind the suvai. Sure, it was a weapon, and a weapon could be used to inflict undue harm on someone...

Watch her feet, Kanikra told her, interrupting her thoughts. See how she moves her feet and her legs? You need to do that. Tight, sharp movements. You should practice catching it to go back and forth like that, from side to side, like she does.

Are you insane? I'd shred myself to threads trying it with a suvai, Raiha retorted. I'd need to practice on a stick or something first.

No pain, no gain, the black twin scoffed. You're being weak again. What would Marishka say if she knew you were being weak? Does she look weak to you? Of course not. SHE is an example of where you should at aim to be at in at least in five years. They would laugh you out of Riverfall if you do not improve drastically. You windmill. You wave your arms. You shuffle. You can, at least, throw a punch. But you need to get better. Forget all about Konti not fighting and not liking to fight. You see her? She does. And she's good at it.

Once Marishka sat down, Raiha pushed herself up, and drew her suvai with her left hand to begin to practice with her other hand. Slash, stab, thrust... the repetitions began again, this time with the left. The movements felt alien on this side of her body, particularly in that particular pattern. So Raiha tried to mix it up. She didn't dare attempt the more complicated moves that Marishka had demonstrated - she knew she was far better off getting the building blocks of a foundation set, and get the basic moves, but she was slightly encouraged by the variety of activity and movements. She lunged, stabbing with the suvai, bringing her powerful limb in line in a hard, powerful movement before pivoting, slashing with the suvai as she crouched, and swept one long leg out. Marishka could almost see where she was going with it: when the shadow enemy moved to avoid the suvai, she would try to catch them with that leg of hers, and force them to fall, only to spring upwards, her weight behind her whalebone blade before drawing herself back up, and lowering herself into a fighter's crouch, shifting her center to slash downwards with the suvai while throwing a hard punch with her right fist, recovering, and trying the repetitions once more.

As she put herself through the drills, determined to master them, she glanced at where Marishka sat. Not to see if her teacher was watching, but to look at her. "If I may ask a personal question..." Raiha spoke up between drills as she drew her arms in to tighten her movements, "...but do you ever feel like you're meant for something beyond the shores of Konti Isle?" she stopped, then, bringing her weapon to rest. "I ask because I... get that feeling, too, even if I try to fit in... that I'm not meant to stay here. We're supposed to not like to fight, to abhor it, but you... you are a dancer with the suvai, and you seem to love it. I like to fight, to wrestle... but I'm not supposed to like that either." She hesitated. "My question, I think... is how do you make peace with what you feel inside, and with the other Konti?"

[Marishka Timandre]

Watching Raiha practice was like watching a caterpillar in the fast stages of metamorphosis. Each time she handled the blade, she made huge strides in her progress. Observing her carefully, each stroke and each lash seemed to reverberate with power, and now they seemed much more precise, much more poised. A tiny smile crept up her face again; either she was a good teacher, or Raiha is a natural. Either idea seemed fine to her. She felt content watching her protege improve by the minute. Perhaps she'd be ready to go beyond the drills and spar? She didn't think it would be so soon, but it was an excellent chance to see not only how much she's really imrpoved, but also how much she can really handle. Her thoughts drifted towards images of Raiha's movements, gauging what kind of style she'd use if ever confronted with one of such power. Will she be aggressive? Defensive? Will she focus on counters or parries? She was no master of any of these, but she knew enough of each to act with proficiency with everyone of them. A bit of surprise washed over Marishka when Raiha began to talk while in the midst of her practice, with the questions startling her even more, though she didn't show any of it on her face. It was like Raiha had read her mind and heart. An ache of relief came biting down on her, and she felt an exquisite level of bliss serenade her. Finally. Someone who'd understand how she felt. She averted her gaze from the twirling girl for a moment, sending her sights towards the far reaches of the dying horizon. Birds peppered the sky all around them, coming from the Silver lake and Laviku's seas in troves. She followed the birds, leaning back on a grassy incline until she could follow them with her eyes no more. "Yes, I feel the same way Raiha." she said solemnly, closing her eyes in contemplation. "I am going to leave Mura very soon. If you are going to leave here, perhaps one day we'll cross paths again somewhere else. And..." she paused, taking in a breath and entwining her feet together before continuing. "Peace seems like a fleeting thing, doesn't it? It is. It comes and it goes. This is why we hear of wars happening in places away from Mura, or we read about them in our books. Mura is known for its peacefulness, and this peace is everlasting, it seems. This is why warriors..." she turned her head towards Raiha with a very sweet and serene smile, highly contrasting with her stern and quiet demeanor earlier, "...like you and me are not meant to stay here. The others of our kind may not understand it today, maybe even tomorrow. But someday, when you have made something out of yourself, they will. Follow your heart, make peace with the one inside you. Let go of your fears and charge forward with faith. There is a grand world outside of Mura waiting for you. For us." She pushed herself up from the incline, unsheathing her long sword this time, with the sun painting the glint with hues of gold and fire. She raised it over her head and began to bring it down thrice in quick succession, her feet shifting and stepping forward from left foot to right foot and back to left. She ended this with a backlash slash going in a half-crescent and a huge sweeping swing upwards. It felt like her heart had been at the tip of her sword, and that she had catapulted it away from Mura with her last vertical swing. She smiled as she let it go, vowing to follow it soon, wherever it landed.