(The Eighty-First Day) Chapter Three: Clash and a Promise

by **Elhaym** on February 11th, 2011, 9:42 am

61st Day of Winter, 510 AV

Weapons class. Pain had taken the words of the first Acolyte she had met quite seriously. Treyu had warned her not to be late, and so true to his words she had actually arrived early. Kota and Pain stepped through the sliding panel door into the large training room with the Shinyama Pavilion almost thirty chimes ahead of the classes scheduled starting time. Pain stared nervously across the room... countless racks of training weapons lined an entire wall, several mounted on the walls themselves.

"Don't be discouraged. There are many to choose from... you must simply find the one that suits you. Go, inspect them... pick any that catch your eye up, feel their weight in your hands." Kota said softly, reaching out and placing a hand on Pain's shoulder. She turned to him, nodding slightly. He seemed to answer her questions before she even spoke them. Kota wasn't an exceptionally powerful Shinya as far as Pain knew, but he seemed so intuitive... perhaps his ability to guess her moods and needs was what was already creating a bond between them. She felt as though in his hands, she could actually learn all of these different aspects of a life she knew nothing about.

Pain stepped forward, feeling a slight tingle in her body as Kota's hand slipped from her shoulder. What was that? Damn, she hadn't noticed but... she hadn't really minded his invasion of her personal space. She'd slugged men in Syliras for doing less, yet this near stranger had placed a hand upon her and... no time for this. Pain shook her head, rapidly blinking her eyes as if she'd gotten some sand kicked in her face. She tried to focus on the racks of weaponry, immediately glancing at a particularly long and deadly looking sword. It had to be nearly as long as Pain was tall... and it looked pretty intimidating.

"Pain, don't you think that weapon is a bit... advanced for you?" Kota said, and though she couldn't see him standing behind her she detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Ah... yes Dian, I guess so." She said, rolling her eyes. That sword had looked pretty interesting, but she supposed he was right. How could she possibly use a sword as big as she was? Foolish. Her eyes moved from side to side, eying a couple of swords that were a bit smaller and of the same style. There were some that were straight and double edged as well. She had noted that many Shinya seemed to carry those, and thus excluded them from her search. As her eyes moved up, she saw an impressive looking spear of sorts mounted on the wall. It was long, and had two crescent shaped blades on it's end as well as a wavy spear tip.

"What about this, Dian Kota?" Pain said, reaching up and taking the spear from it's mount. She held it awkwardly, and moved back to give herself some room. It became obvious very quickly that she had no idea what she was doing as she waved the spear about.

"Again, that's a bit advanced... Pain, try this." Kota said neutrally, walking towards a smaller rack of wooden weapons. He reached forward with one hand, pulling free a weapon that looked like... a stick.

"This is a Tonfa... I believe that with your already establish skill in martial arts, you will be able to use this weapon fairly well."

Pain looked at the Tonfa, and then back down at the spear in her hands. The spear seemed to almost command respect... but a tonfa? What the hell, it looked like a stupid club! "Uhh... Dian, I mean... that doesn't look very..."

"Pain, it's a very powerful weapon. No, it is not flashy or impressive to look at... but if you recall, judging something based solely on appearance is a mistake. Your peers made that mistake in regards to your skill, and you surprised them all. Look..." Kota said, stepping towards Pain and reaching for the spear. He pulled it from her hands, and placed the Tonfa in her open palm. "Just... try it."

Pain raised her arm to inspect the tonfa, gripping it's handle tightly and feeling the length of the weapon against her forearm. She immediately felt comfortable with it... perhaps Kota was right. With practiced grace, Pain slipped into her fighting stance. She held the tonfa with her left hand, in roughly the same position she would have had she not been holding it.

"I think you're right. I can use this thing in my normal fighting stance... I think."

"We shall see, Acolyte." another voice boomed, causing both Pain and Kota to turn. A slender bald man with a ponytail on the back of his head stood a few feet away, both hands clasped tightly in front of him.

"Ah, Udasai. It's good to see you, brother." Kota said, bowing slightly as he spoke. Pain turned to face the other Shinya in the room, replicating Kota's bow.

"This is Pain, my charge. She'll be joining your basic weapons and fundamentals of combat training for the first time..."

As Kota spoke, the first few Acolytes began to file into the room. Pain noticed Rei and Hashin out of the corner of her eye, but quickly snapped her attention back to the Shinya named Udasai. Apparently, he would be her new teacher.

"Good. Shai spoke to me earlier... it seems that Pain has a bit of a reputation to live up to." Udasai said, his face hardening as he spoke. Kota shuffled a bit uncomfortable next to Pain, but he kept his gaze leveled on Udasai.

"I'll just, uh... head over to there other Acolytes, I guess..." Pain said meekly, having read some sort of odd hostility in Udasai's voice. Kota quickly took a hold of her arm, halting any movement on her part as he quickly bowed to Udasai again.

"Udasai, I assure you that she will live up to your expectations, and more." Kota said with a smile, before quickly ushering Pain off to the side of the classroom. By now, the Acolytes had filled up the far end of the room. Each was busily taking their preferred training weapon and getting reaquainted for the day's lesson. Pain's head was rapidly moving around the room from Udasai, to Rei and Hashin, and finally back to Kota.

"What's going on, Dian?"

"Well, you see..." Kota said, stiffling a grin. "Udasai and I have a bit of a... competition between us. We were rivals, so to speak, back in our days as Acolytes. My last Acolyte ascended to the rank of Shinya before his, and he was a bit bitter about it... so I suppose he wants to redeem himself by making sure his Acolyte can best you today."

"Oh. Well, who's his Acolyte? I bet I can take any of em'." Pain said confidently, spinning the tonfa that still rested in her hands in circles as she spoke. She was already pretty comfortable with the weapon, despite not really knowing how to use it.

"Ah, well. You see, his Acolyte is a young man named Tomo... you met him, already. He's very skilled, but... well, he's one of the better Acolytes we've seen to date in terms of his skill with his sword. Don't worry though, i'm sure you'll be alright. Just try to remember what i've taught you thus far, and..." Kota said, leaning in a bit closer to Pain as he spoke the last bit. "... just make sure you don't make a fool out of us." He whispered, leaning back to expose an ear to ear grin.

Pain's mouth curled into a lopsided smile, probably the first her mentor had seen. She didn't know how to use this tonfa, but damned if she could back down from a challenge.

"Don't worry, Dian Kota. I'll knock the shyke out of the little bastard." She said, for the first time unveiling her rough speech on her mentor. Her eyes and tone let him know it wasn't meant as disrespect, and as she tapped his shoulder with her tonfa and turned to leave, his grin grew even wider.

Kota and Pain, against Udasai and Tomo. This would be an interesting class.

by **Elhaym** on February 11th, 2011, 4:20 pm

Pain stood in the formation of Acolytes, settled in between Rei and Hashin. Their instructor, Dian Udasai, stood before them giving the Acolytes a brief rundown of the classes schedule for the day. Udasai spoke in common, as Pain had approached him shortly before the class officially began and explained to him that she didn't understand Lhavitian yet. He had nodded solemnly, surprisingly without any snide comments or gestures. Pain was a bit surprised, but as she watched the man from the formation she began to understand that though he desired to showcase his acolytes talents he placed role as a teacher and mentor first. Something about these men and women inspired Pain. They were individuals, but at the same time they all seemed focused on their goals. Personality differences and bickering gave way to shear focus when they put on their uniform.

It was something she was beginning to respect.

"You all have your instructions. Do you understand?" Udasai said in a booming tone, running his eyes across the tight formation of Acolytes before him.

"Yes, Dian!" Pain yelled in unison with her peers. They immediately moved to different areas of the room, but as instructed Pain alone approached Udasai.

"I see you have chosen the weapon you will be training with for your duration as an Acolyte..." Udasai said, his eyes moving towards the tonfa Pain held at her side. "A wise choice, if what I have heard regarding your skill in the martial arts is true. Seeing as this is your first class, I will be giving you some personal instruction to get you on a more level basis with the rest of the class."

"Thank you, Dian." Pain said, bowing her head slightly. Udasai bowed quickly himself, before walking towards a wooden rack of weaponry and withdrawing a wooden training sword. He returned to Pain, holding the weapon idly in his right hand.

"A tonfa is an excellent weapon, balanced in it's ability to act defensively and offensively. When the length of the tonfa is set against your forearm, you can use it to deflect incoming strikes... and upon successfully defending, you can spin the weapon into an attack position for a swinging attack, or simply let it remain in it's defensive position and thrust with the shorter edge as though you are punching." Udasai said, gesturing to Pain to raise and lower the weapon as he spoke. The basic idea seemed to make sense, and Pain assumed it would be fairly easy to use. It couldn't be too different than using her forearms to deflect a blow, after all.

"Well, talking will only get us so far. You'll learn more quickly if you actually use your weapon. Ready yourself." Udasai said, pushing his feet apart and raising his wooden sword in front of him. Pain complied, shifting her body into her fighting stance. She balanced her weight on the balls of her feet, with her left hand gripping the tonfa and leading slightly further out than her right. Both hands were about level with her chin, a habit Pain had made in order to protect her face.

Udasai moved forward, a bit slowly and perhaps dramatically, but it seemed he wanted to give Pain time to react. He swung his sword in a downward motion, a blow that would collide with the top of Pain's head unchecked. Pain instinctively jerked her arm forward into position, but the motion was awkward. Instinct mixed with the addition of the tonfa and it's differing technique caused Pain to position her arm correctly, but fail to put the tonfa in the right position. Udasai's wooden sword slapped sharply onto Pain's forearm, the wooden edge of the tonfa uselessly pointed at Udasai, rather than up where it would deflect the blow.

"Guh..." Pain gasped, pulling her arm back with a grunt as Udasai retracted his weapon, and resumed his stance.

"Your reflexes are good... but keep in mind, just putting the tonfa there won't stop the attack. You must be aware of your enemies weapon, as well as your own. This will become second nature... now, again."

Udasai brought his wooden blade upon Pain once again, this time in a sweeping arc from her left. Pain immediately saw the blow coming, and thrust her left arm out to intercept the sword. Udasai's wooden blade however, never made contact with her shielded forearm. His blade seemed to weave it's way through her defenses, earning her a quick pop on the hip.

"Urghh! What... what am I doing wrong?" Pain grumbled, pulling herself back into her fighting stance.

This was like learning to walk, all over again.

by **Elhaym** on February 11th, 2011, 4:45 pm

The shouts of the Acolytes as they attacked and defended during their practice swelled in Pain's mind. She felt so stupid... with her body, she had always had full command over her movements. With this damn stick, she seemed as if she were only a fraction of herself in terms of ability. What was that point? Pain looked at Udasai, then to his feet. How could she do anything different to succeed? For a moment, she stared at the glossy wooden planks that comprised the floor, and her gaze shifted to the paneled walls and the weapons that adorned them.

"I see this often with Acolytes who are skilled in one area, and weak in another. You are wondering to yourself... why would I use such a weapon if I am capable of fighting more effectively without one? The answer is simple... you cannot simply master one aspect of being a warrior and consider yourself complete. You must always test yourself, pushing the boundries of your skill and knowledge in order to acquire more... and further complete yourself."

And then it clicked. Pain had once explained to Tanny, her dog of all things to talk too, why she loved to both fight and draw. It was because in art, she practiced things that she would never learn through fighting... and vice versa. The lessons learned in each different activity could often be applied to the other... thus, Pain had told her Tanny "In order to master art, I have to master the fist". It was the same logic here. She understood. Pain glanced about the room, until she saw him. Kota was not her teacher here, but he stood on the far side of the room watching her. She nodded to him, before returning her eyes to Udasai.

"Yes Dian... I think I understand. What I don't understand is how you managed to strike me even though I put my guard up."

"Your timing was off. Raise your guard too soon, and your opponent can adjust his strike and evade your defense like running water. If you raise your guard too late, your opponent's force will overwhelm you. You must wait until the instant your opponent has committed to their attack... that is when you raise your guard."

That too made sense. It was the same as when she fought with her hands... why was it that placing a wooden object in her hands had caused her to doubt what she already knew? Pain watched as Udasai took his position, and adjusted her posture back into her fighting stance. She waited, now watching his body rather than his sword. She always watched her opponent's center of mass when in a fight. It belayed their movements, physical intentions, everything... and in doing so, you did not focus on any one thing, but everything at once. Thus, she could see the dramatic movement in his arms, the probably angle of his strike; a fourty-five degree slash coming from her left side, top to bottom. She held her hands still, time seeming to slow to a crawl. Pain took in everything; the gleaming floors, the shadow of the Shinya dancing in front of her, her own labored breath... and as her eyes fell upon the arch in Udasai's back, she knew he was committed to his attack. He had applied force into the downward motion. Now was the time.

Pain jabbed her left arm forward, the wooden edge of the tonfa colliding with Udasai's wooden blade. The clash rang out a sharp note, and Pain reacted by pushing Udasai's blade away. Udasai took a step back, returning to his stance.

"Excellent. You will do well enough with what I have shown you here to practice with the others." Udasai said, moving his sword to his side and bowing from his waist. Pain bowed in return, quickly moving toward Rei and Hashin's group. She wore a smile, confident that she could learn to use this weapon after all. She'd realized as she managed to deflect Udasai's strike that without such a weapon, she would have been at a severe disadvantage against a swordsman such as himself. Perhaps learning to use this little stick wouldn't be such a bad idea after all...

But Pain had a lot to learn. After all, class had only yet begun.

by **Elhaym** on February 11th, 2011, 6:57 pm

"YAH!" Rei yelled, bringing her wooden staff in a downward arc. Pain was a bit late with her block, her tonfa leveling and emitting a pop against the force of Rei's attack. Pain's arm sunk, and the tip of the staff made a glancing blow on her collar bone. Pain reacted quickly, pushing up on Rei's staff and then to the side. Rei stepped back, attempting to maneuver her weapon back into a defensive position as Pain engaged, but on the inside Pain had the advantage. Pain brought her tonfa in quickly, hoping for a strike against Rei's padded torso. To Rei's credit, she handled the assault well. A quick step back and to the side, and she was able to maneuver her staff with some twisting of her arms back into the fray. Their weapons collided again and again, but Rei consistently beat Pain back into a defensive position. The third time Rei landed a blow, they halted their exercise.

"Good job, Pain." Rei said in Lhavitian, bringing her staff to her side and bowing deeply. She had been teaching Pain some basic phrases for use in spars with the other acolytes as they went.

Pain returned to the bow, having a newfound respect for her roommate. She wasn't just a slight girl with a cheery smile... she was a warrior as well. "Rei thank you, you too." Pain said slowly. Her Lhavitian was sluggish, unnatural, and her sentences were jumbled... but she tried.

Rei smiled, conceding to ignore Pain's incorrect grammar for the moment. Udasai was motioning for the Acolytes to return to their formation, so such things could wait. The two Acolytes jogged towards the center of the room and took their position within the grid of sky blue. After a moment of silence, Udasai spoke.

"I've seen a lot of work today, well done Acolytes. Typically I would administer a lecture at this point... but, because of your diligent work this afternoon we will be doing something a bit different. A spar, between two of our Acolytes!"

Pain's mouth went slack. She knew what this was all about... Udasai had done his duty as a teacher, and instructed her in the use of her weapon as he should. Now it seemed, was time for his competitive spirit to live vicariously through his student. Pain gritted her teeth as he spoke the next words. She knew this was coming.

"Tomo. Pain. Please step to the front... the rest of you, form up along the walls to give our combatants some room. The two of you will be sparring... the rules are as they were in training. Full force is not to be used, merely strike the torso or head in order to receive a point. After each point, the two will reset and begin again. Three points wins the match. Understood?"

Pain nodded as she stepped forward, holding her tonfa snugly in her armpit as she tightened the cords that fastened the padded leather chest piece she wore. They had been given padded armor to soften the blows they received in training, as well as a half helmet of the same padded material that covered their head save the face. Pain approached Udasai, while Tomo was already positioned on his other side. Pain glanced about the room, finally finding Kota among the line of Acolytes along the wall. He gave her a nod, and a slight fist pump as if to say "You can do this".

"Just focus on defense... wait for an opening, use my strengths..." Pain thought to herself, but she was riddled with self doubt. She had lost to Rei, and she had seen Tomo practicing. He was significantly better than her roommate... things did not look good.

Lost in thought, she had only a second to realize that Udasai had moved to the side. Tomo was in the middle of a bow, a pre fight ritual. The match was starting already? Pain returned the bow, quickly trying to move into her fighting stance...

"Begin."

by **Elhaym** on February 12th, 2011, 4:18 am

Tomo came in quickly. He was a flash of blue amidst the gleam of the vast wooden flooring, his wooden dao training sword a blur of whirling movement. He was quick on his feet, but that much Pain could handle. She leaned her body forward, clutching her tonfa with her hand and keeping it hovering near her face, while her other fist hovered closer to her chin. She watched his center of mass, growing larger in her vision by the split second. And then, his blow came.

CRACK!

Tomo's advance was as fast as lightning, and the sound of the two wooden weapons colliding was the thunder. Pain shoved her tonfa forward, attempting to throw Tomo off balance. The young Acolyte saw through her use of force, spinning his body to the inside. It happened in an instant, his blade snaking through her defenses and lightly slapping her on the back. Pain was left stunned. In a matter of seconds, she had last a round in the spar.

"Cease. Tomo has won the first round. Return to your positions." Udasai said, somehow keeping his face and tone neutral as he spoke. Pain took a deep breath, and stepped backward. She bowed to Tomo as he returned to his position, but inside she was wondering what had happened. Why had she let that happen? Pain found Kota among the crowd, but he could offer little in the way of advice. She was detached from her teacher, her only source of confidence in the room. With the sound of Udasai's voice signalling the two combatants, the second round began.

This time, Pain did not stay on the defensive. Tomo had been agile while up close with his weapon, and his speed was expectedly high. She had witnessed this before when they sparred in hand to hand combat, but then she had the advantage of superior martial arts skills. Now, she relied on her ability to strike with her tonfa to win... to throw her opponent off balance, Pain did what she would do if she was fighting without a weapon at all. She attacked, and focused as much aggression into her assault as possible.

Pain met Tomo halfway as they charged, spinning the length of her tonfa forward and bringing it down to strike from overhead. Tomo's wooden blade caught her tonfa, and pushed it backwards. The two moved in unison as if engaged in dance... Pain spinning away, attempting a slashing strike. Tomo, deftly parrying and smoothly guiding her bludgeon away as he thrust his blade in return. Pain managed to pull her body aside, the thrusting motion harmlessly impaling the space she had vacated only an instant ago. Pain and Tomo danced on, this match lasting a full chime as the exhaustion of the continuous movement began to set in.

The final moment of the round came as Pain brought her tonfa down to strike Tomo's leather padded head. He met her attack with his blade, and with a surge of power from his legs pushed his entire body up. Pain's arm and tonfa rose, and as her guard crumbled Tomo simply pulled his blade down a bit and flicked his wrists. The tip of his wooden dao briefly pecked Pain's identically protected head, and the round was over. Another loss.

"Cease. Tomo has won the second round. Return to your positions."

Pain exhaled heavily, gripping her wooden weapon so hard her fingers and knuckles turned white. She really had tried that time, and had done much better than before... but Tomo was simply too skilled with his sword for her to match him at this point. If only she could... but her thought process was interuptted as she noticed Kota moving forward, bowing politely at Udasai and asking for a brief intermission. Udasai nodded, allowing his rival a moment with his Acolyte. Competitions were one thing, but learning from your mistakes and receiving instruction took a far greater role in anything the Acolyte's did in these rooms than simple rivalries.

Pain heard hushed whisperings among the Acolytes, apparently discussing the spars as Kota's image filled her view.

"Pain, you did well... but you are holding back far too much." Kota said in a stern voice. Pain had a feeling that he desired to show his nemesis that his Acolyte was capable, but more so she felt that he truly wanted to teach her something in this moment.

"Dian, I'm trying... but I can only do so much with this thing right now. I've barely used it for a day, and he's really good with that sword. I just can't get a solid hit in."

"Pain, Tonfas are typically wielded in pairs... this puts you at a distinct disadvantage at this point. Normally, you would be able to utilize the other tonfa for attack once you have crafted a defense... in the stead of another weapon, you have to use your body. Kick with your legs, or push with your hands. Create openings that way."

"Uh, Dian... but the rules are, 'only strikes to the torso or the head with your weapon count in the spar', what's the point of kicking or pushing if it's not counted as a strike? Won't I lose or get disqualified, or something?"

"No, it's common in sparring. You simply won't receive a point until you strike with your weapon... but that is what I meant by creating an opening. Control his weapon, and utilize your body to maneuver him into your attack. Control his sword with your tonfa, and then control his movement with your body. Weave a complicated web, and he will find himself stuck... and you will see an opportunity to strike. Do you understand?"

It seemed like cheating. It seemed dirty, and unfair... Pain liked this concept. If she utilized all of her skills to create an opening, she was positive she could find the right moment to strike. She nodded to Kota in response, and turned back to Tomo. He bowed once again, Pain quickly mirroring his motions.

She positioning herself back into her stance with a new look of determination filling her features. Her dark almond eyes were hard, and her body was beginning to lapse into a continual motion that seemed to exude confidence. As Udasai signaled the beginning of the third round, Pain demanded better of herself.

She flew forward, challenging herself in both mind and body.

by **Elhaym** on February 14th, 2011, 10:59 am

Pain and Tomo almost collided as they charged each other, their weapons clashing briefly before the momentum of each warrior's charge carried them past one another. Tomo spun on his heels, righting himself and twisting his body to face Pain... but the spectacle he witnessed dampened his confidence. Pain wasn't going to rely on just her crude knowledge of her weapon's use this time; all of her skills would be deployed. Pain launched herself into the air, tucking her body inward and twisting her hips. The momentum and shift of her body spun her back to face Tomo, and she landed with a solid thump on the wooden floor with one knee on the ground as well as one hand pressing against it's surface. Her other held her tonfa at the ready... and she charged again.

Her agility was something no one in the room had yet seen, not even in the martial arts course. Tomo's surprise gave way to instinct as he parried her incoming strike. Pain brought her tonfa down hard, putting so much force into the blow that she hoped it would dislocate his shoulder. Yet, Tomo's skill nullified her attempt, and his body began to spin... Pain could see in that moment that if with her tonfa on the other side of her body, she would be struck from behind and lose the match.

Pain wasn't always reckless, but here and now... she pulled out the stops. Pain thrust her left arm upwards, sending her tonfa spinning into the air in an underhanded toss. As her arm crept into motion for throw, so too did her legs. Pain kicked them out from her under her, purposely sending her on a crash course with the gleaming flooring. Yet, as Tomo's wooden blade passed harmlessly above Pain's sinking body, her hands shot forward. Her palms impacted the ground with a thud, her elbows compressing as her full weight came upon her. Beneath her azure robes Pain's biceps roared with strain, finally conceding to her wishes. She pushed up, going into a hand stand that moved her legs quickly upwards as if they were following Tomo's sword.

Tomo spun quickly, trying to understand her movements. His heart sank as he witnessed something even more elaborate than before. Pain pushed her arms hard and kicked with all the force her hips and thighs could muster. It was enough. She launched herself into the air from her handstand position, turning her body in mid-air as before and landing confidently on her feet. A quick glance up...

And Pain's left arm reached out, and snatched her descending tonfa out of it's freefall. She slowly slid her right foot back, shifting back into her fighting stance. Tomo stared wide eyed, as if he didn't really understand what was going on. Pain did.

It was on.

She quickly moved to his inside, thrusting the shorter end of her tonfa as if she were attempting to punch him in the sternum, but Tomo retorted with his wooden blade's edge. The two were locked in a struggle for a moment, the blunt edge of Pain's tonfa pressing against the flat of Tomo's sword. The pushed back and forth, neither able to press the advantage... Pain decided to monopolize. She shoved her left arm forward as hard as she could, simultaneously throwing her right arm backwards and pivoting her hips. Tomo detected the movement, knew what she was doing... but he was simply too close. Her final shove had put him off balance, and as her right leg rose sharply and began to curl at the knee he knew he could do nothing to defend himself. Pain's right leg exploded into a kick, impacting Tomo upon his armored diaphragm and sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Guh..!" Tomo cried, his body cracking against the wooden flooring. The room had gone completely silent, as if a breath hadn't been taken from the start of the last round. Kota's eyes almost bugged out of his head, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "She's doing it!" he thought, "With all of her skills in combat, she can easily compensate for her lackluster skill with her weapon... will it be enough?"

Pain sprang forward, her left arm bearing her bludgeon arcing high and preparing to strike Tomo on his exposed chest as he lay stunned on the ground. Her body was a blue flash, hurtling forward with both grace and intensity. The sound of wood impacting wood was not what she expected. Tomo had spun his body to the side, and quickly hopped to his feet.

Pain couldn't recover from this like she had before. No acrobatic display would get her out of his striking range in time... she was on all fours literally at his feet. There was only one thing to do in her mind as Tomo reclaimed a proper grip on his weapon and prepared to strike her exposed back. She would have to fight dirty. Pain relaxed her right arm; it had been supporting her weight and as she eased her muscles, she began to collapse to the ground. All according to plan, she twisted her hips and landed squarely on her butt. Sweat was flung from her brow, sloshing into her vision. She could barely see, but she saw all she needed to. In that split second before Tomo's blade came crashing down and ended the match, Pain's left arm snapped forward like a whip with her tonfa accompanying. Pain could have done a number of things; the knees are naturally weak. She could have struck him there, hard enough to injure him and end the fight... but that wasn't the point. Kota wouldn't have approved, and Udasai would have been furious. What's more, Pain had no ill will towards Tomo. He was simply a challenge, not a threat. Taking this into account, Pain did the only thing she could think of... she hooked her tonfa behind his knee, and pulled it towards her. Tomo yelped as his balance was destroyed, his own leg coming out from under him and sending him in a freefall onto his back. His wooden sword seemed to wildly veer away from Pain's back, but the attack wasn't entirely without consequence.

As his foot rose into the air, it impacted Pain on the side of her face. She recoiled from the blow, knowing full well that she wouldn't walk away from this spar without a black eye at this point. But, as she assessed the situation and watched Tomo's body impact the ground in slow motion, she knew she had him. Pain readied herself to spring forward... a slight tap on the chest, and the match was over.

"Cease. Tomo has won the third round. The spar is over... Tomo is the winner."

"What tha...?!" Pain thought, her head snapping around the room in confusion. Her eyes fell to Tomo, who eased himself to a sitting position from his back. He seemed just as confused as she.

"In that last maneuver, Tomo's blade briefly grazed your backside. Though slight, it is considered a point." Udasai said aloud, as if addressing the entire room. His statement replayed in Pain's mind several times, trying to understand. Had he hit her? She hadn't felt it... but Pain assumed it was the truth. What's more, she hadn't detected anything but a hint of sadness in Udasai's voice as he had spoken. There was no gloating, no sarcastic tint to his words. Perhaps he too was a bit upset by the way the match had ended.

"A brilliant spar, the both of you." Udasai said, bowing quickly and deeply to Pain and Tomo as they got to their feet. Pain returned the bow quickly, shifting her body to face Tomo. She bowed again, as she had seen everyone else do countless times.

"We are finished for today." Udasai stated bluntly. He approached Tomo, taking him by the arm and gently ushering him from the center of the floor.

***

The match had been over for a few minutes, but Pain had stayed put. Kota had been discussing strategy with her, and assessing her use of martial arts prowess in the last round. Before long however, he seemed in a rush to leave. Quickly, he departed the room leaving Pain seemingly alone.

Or not. The sound of soft footsteps crept into her ears from behind. Pain spun to see whom was approaching...

It was Tomo.

by **Elhaym** on February 14th, 2011, 11:44 am

His face was hard, a mixture of what appeared to be anger and regret. At the sight of him, the memory of his foot colliding with her face flared, sending a spark of agony that instinctively sent her hand to her face. The adrenaline of the fight hard worn off... and it really did hurt.

"Elhaym? Or Pain, if you prefer. You fight like a demon. The last round... I am impressed by your courage." Tomo said, tilting his head to the side and closing his eyes. He almost looked sad... was he?

"Zintila, guide my words so that they bear fruit, not decay..." Tomo said softly in Lhavitian. Pain barely picked out a few words, but they were of no consequence. "they", and "my" didn't help much when that was all you could translate.

"What are you say-" Pain began, but she was interrupted.

"I'm sorry. It was a prayer... forgive me, but I will be blunt. You fight well, but I question your motivation here... in this place." Tomo said, extending his arms in a sweeping motion as if to speak of the room, no... the entire city. "When you address Dian Kota or Dian Udasai, your words are not filled with respect... they are hollow. When you bow, it is not for the love of your fellow Acolytes and masters, it is a crude reflection of what you see others do. When you fight, that is the only time I have seen you. Everything else has been fake. What are you? Why are you here?"

Pain was stunned. Her first impulse couldn't be anger, because even as he spoke she knew he spoke the truth. In fact, she had been dreading the moment when this was brought before her. However, She had expected it to be Dian Kota who questioned her motivation, not another Acolyte.

"I... Er... I didn't mean to..."

Tomo approached Pain, motioning for her to sit. She complied, her body fixing itself into the lotus position she had practiced with Kota earlier in the day. Tomo's body mimicked her own, his hands neatly folded in his lap.

"Pain. I'm not trying to antagonize you... I am trying to understand you. Center yourself, find the words..." Tomo said, his voice rising in tone. It was almost as if he was pleading.

She had nothing heavy, nothing to burden her body. Her mind was on fire, the mental assault that was comprised of so few words acting as a spark that fed the flames. A wildfire that Pain herself had been fighting throughout the entire day. How could she explain what she was doing here? To her, it did seem fake. A Shinya? She didn't even understand what that really meant. To bow? Sure, only because that's what everyone else did. Dian? Dama? If that's what it takes for someone to answer a question, so be it. That had been her mindset. It was all fake. Pain forced herself to concentrate, pushing her thoughts into corners and organizing a response. It took almost a chime, but Pain came to a conclusion. She would tell him the truth.

"I didn't come to Lhavit to become a Shinya." Pain said, her posture upright but her eyes closed. "I came here to find a woman. She murdered my brother, and maimed my father and uncle. You say I fight like a demon, but she is a demon. I just want to end her... that's why I am here. I was given a chance to do it... but this was the price I would have to pay. It seemed easy to say yes, but every second I'm here... aww, shyke." Pain muttered, shaking her head and searching for the words once again.

"Every minute i'm here, I feel like i'm just using this place as means to an end." She said softly, tilting her head forward as if in shame.

"Of course you feel that way. Of course you do." Tomo nodded, contemplating her words. "To my knowledge you have been in this city but a day, yet here you are in these halls... mingling with those who's life's work stands before you. How could you comprehend what all of this means...?"

"I can't."

"You can. Your words may have been hollow today. When you bowed to me today, it may have been out of reflex rather than respect. Pain, what I am asking of you is... well, what is terrifying to me is with your ability, your skill, and your courage that you will simply fade away from this place once you have accomplished your goal."

Pain opened her eyes, and looked to Tomo. His eyes had been closed, but now they were open and deadlocked with her own. She hadn't really considered... but had she really intended to stay? To live as a Shinya?

"I..."

"All I ask of you Pain, is to try. Try to understand us. Try to fill your heart with love for your fellow Acolytes. Try to harvest a love in your heart for all that you see in this city. Open your heart, so that when you speak to Dian Kota it is with the respect one would give his father. So that when you best a fellow acolyte in training, your bow shows them you care about them. You and I, we are just Acolytes... but in truth Pain, it is men and women such as ourselves that are the future of this place. If our love of Lhavit is not pure, and strong... what will remain when those who protect it today are gone?"

Pain was speechless. In Syliras, an eighteen year old was a kid. A dirty specimen of his species who drifted the streets, struggling to find his lot in life. Yet here, in this simple hall everything was different. An eighteen year old man sat in front of her, vocalizing ideas and feelings she hadn't yet even acknowledged.

"Promise me, Pain. Promise me that no matter the outcome of your personal trials that you become pure in your love for Lhavit. Promise me that you will become a pillar in which this city rests... Can you?"

Damn. Pain's cheeks flared red, her throat closing up and seeming to rise up into her mouth. Her eyes stung, but not from sweat as earlier. There were tears, and they flowed. She felt selfish, and stupid, and humbled... but she did not feel angry. How many times in her life before this point would she have met a situation like this with anger? With force? Every single time. Yet here she sat, crying... there was no rage. Sadness, disappointment in herself... that's all there was.

"I think..." Pain said, her words stymied by sobs. "... I think I want too, Tomo. I really, really do..."

Because they accepted her. Because they valued her. Because they actually cared to speak to her, and tell her when she was wrong.

Because they wanted to make her better.

Tomo inched forward, to the point where his and Pain's knees touched. Pain collapsed forward, Tomo's arms wrapping around her to comfort her stifled wails. She cried hard, harder than she had in a while. It was a moment of pure emotion. Her brother was the catalyst of her fate, his death driving her forward on a crash course with destiny... and her brother had brought her here. To this moment. When she finally realized what it meant to be.

"I promise... I promise i'll be better... for Lhavit."

Tomo simply held her as her words poured out, and he continued to hold her as she cried. There was no hint of triumph on his face. His touch wasn't like Kota's, a warm tingle that lingered on her body. It was the soft clutch of a kindred soul, someone who could understand her and fight her battles with her. Just like Erik. Like her brother.

---

"She will be a great Shinya one day, Kota." Udasai said. They stood far away in the open doorway to the classroom. His vision was settled on Pain and Tomo as they were embraced.

"I know. They aren't so different than we were, back then. It will take some time... but soon, she will understand that she has the power to mean far more to this city than just the woman who killed a fugitive."

"Do not fail her, Kota." Udasai said, turning away from the door. "Her fate rests in your hands, and in your words. She is fragile... do not let her break."

Kota dropped his head, briefly allowing his gaze to return to Pain as she sat in the middle of the classroom. He could bare this burden. Every Shinya who trains an Acolyte discovers the connection, the weight of it all. His voice was firm and full of purpose as he replied.

"I will not fail her."

-FIN-

by **Ophelia** on February 16th, 2011, 4:21 am

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Thread Award. ‎‎<3

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‎EXPERIENCE.‎
‎+5 Weapon: Tonfa
‎+2 Acrobatics
‎+1 Body building

‎LORES.‎
Intuitive Shinya sponor
Tingles
Don’t judge a stick by it’s cover
My Acolyte is better than your Acolyte
Similarites between tonfa and unarmed
Losing the first round suddenly
Using hands, feet and tonfa
Pulling out the stops
Losing the spar
Having your motives questioned
Tears of humility
Hugs of comfort
To be a pillar of Lhavit

‎ADDITIONAL NOTES.‎
I have to admit I cried. In the middle of class.

‎Don't hesitate to pm me with questions, queries, or anything else!‎

Love,‎
Ophelia <3

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