Bear: Why So Serious ?! [Chronicles of a Thousands Fists]

[cyl]

18th of Resplendent Fire,


It's been almost a week now that you have been training intensively by your three lunar Masters to only use your barehands to attack and defend yourself. So far, you still have deathknight reflexes, aim right, strike to kill, and deep within, you are still wondering why you need to change that... neutralizing temporarily an opponent is not a permanent insurance that he will not stray from the right course of action... while killing him is...


But every time you tried arguing your point, Scarlet Tsunami has proven you wrong, displaying her mastery of the Mantis Style.


"Pain and fear of pain can become extremely efficient tools of persuasion, master your emotions and desires, and you will reach the peace of mind and will be able control the pain and fear of others so you can bend their will to yours ! Just as I am bending yours now !" she repeated while holding your hand in a powerful hold before breaking one of your finger, and then a second to make sure you understand what she meant.


M'Aiq however is not convinced by Scarlet Tsunami's methods and on the end of a painful day of training in the middle of a forest he finally speaks while lying on a stone like a tiger:


"Perhaps we should give Bear some challenges... I know there is a serie of tournaments throughout the Chayan Republic this season, we should go there, and try to make him use the techniques you are trying to vigorously to teach him...


What do you say Bear ? Won't a little live practice be better than getting your ass kicked by a Tsunami ?"

 

[Ooky Spooky]

Bear took a deep breath as he held his arm steady in his other hand and as he slammed the shoulder into one of the trees to knock it back into it's socket. While he was used to pain, experience didn't do anything to make it hurt any less. And whenever Scarlet Tsunami lectured at him, Bear has to resist the urge to start thinking of how many different ways he can spell "Eviscerate". It might be one of the hardest things he's ever done.


Now live targets (well they probably wouldn't let him kill them, so live opponents at least), that could be a good change of pace. "I think that might be... productive" He might even come across someone that he use as an excuse to sneak out and kill, at least in good conscience. Everyone else had to sleep sometime. Of course he didn't mention his thoughts, but he did smile.

 

[cyl]

"He is not ready yet" answers Scarlet Tsunami crossing arms "He still has the instincts of a killer... his moves are too deadly, his heart too vibrant. He needs to learn to control his emotions."


Tu'kan replies with a grin:


"Well we're not teaching him how to cook pastries either..."


M'Aiq laughs: "Enough you two, he needs practice anyway. Pack your bags Bear, we're leaving tonight."

 

[Ooky Spooky]

Bear looks at the Lunars with that baffled look he gets when Tsunami goes on like this. What was wrong with being a killer? He doubted that there were any Exalted pacifists running around Creation, and weren't they supposed to be weapons in the first place? You don't get mad at a sword because it's sharp.


Sometimes it seemed everyone was crazy except him.


He nodded without saying anything, since he really didn't want to give Tsunami a reason to follow him around harrassing him while he packed (not that it would take long since they took away all his weapons). It's not like he was doing aything to anyone that didn't deserve it, so what was her problem?

 

[cyl]

As soon as the Sun god goes down, your masters take the shape of some wandering travelers and you start walking out of the woods and on the roads for two days, sometimes resting, sometimes training.


The dawn of the second day Scarlet Tsunami comes to you:


"We have spoken with M'Aiq and Tu'kan and it's been decided that I will be the first to train you.


As you know I'm a Master of the Mantis style, and you will learn this style as it mainly uses unarmed techniques and focuses on the discipline, focus, technique and determination of the exalt." She makes a pause and continues with a firm tone.


"Your first exercize will be to wear these" and she drops two pair of heavy iron circlets which fall on the floor with the sound of small bells ringing "two around your wrist and two around your ankles. I want you to attack each of us at least three times today without a warning.


You must be at least five steps of us when you try this one.


The weights will make it difficult for you to move and react quickly, you'll need to jump to close in the distance between you and your target.


The bells make a lot of noise so don't try to be sneaky, that's not the point. Instead try to be fast and to concentrate your essence on your senses and your legs.


Think you can do this... deathknight ?" she adds defiant.

 

[Ooky Spooky]

Oh, he was getting sick of her condescending attitude. The circlets clip into place, making a deceptively light jinglejingle-jinglejingle sound that he feels is somewhat... demeaning.


"Well... Steward. It isn't like it's any more difficult than being courteous, and at least I've managed that for long enough." But before Tsunami can respond to that statement, Bear performs a standing jump, kicking off the arm Tsunami reflexively brought up to defend against the expected strike (and she had to expect that he'd attack her first, especially after his statement) and launching himself at M'Aiq, who is more than ten feet away.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Bear rolls 7 dice to Join Battle


5 successes 3,9,9,7,7,3,9


Strength + Athletics is 8, so he can make a long jump of 16 feet, if I'm not mistaken.


I'm waiting for Stunt dice and any other Join Battle rolls before rolling any attacks.

 

[cyl]

***


2 stunt die

 

[Ooky Spooky]

Bear rolls 2 dice to JB Stunt dice


1 success 7,5


6 total JB successes.

 

[cyl]

***


M Aiq: 10xD10: 2 3 9 5 2 5 9 9 8 10 : 6 suxx


Scarlet Tsunami used Leaping Mantis Technique: 13xD10: 7 3 2 10 1 10 6 8 3 6 4 4 10 : 8 suxx


Tu kan: 9xD10: 1 4 9 9 5 3 9 8 10 : 6 suxx


T0: Scarlet Tsunami


T2: Bear / M Aiq / Tu kan


***


With an incredible speed Scarlet Tsunami turns to you as soon as she hears the bells ring and before you get the chance to kick her, she closes the distance between you enrolls her left leg around yours and catches your arms and puts them against your chest in a X form, preventing you from moving.


***


Scarlet grabbing you


12xD10: 8 1 3 7 2 3 4 10 10 9 7 7: 9 suxx attack connects.


She holds you.


***


"It is not about courtesy and trying, it is about speed and resolve, two things you lack and that I can teach you if you are willing to learn." she says with a suprisingly gentle voice.


She lets you go a second after. And takes a few steps back.


"I am the quickest of the three, picking me as your first target was a mistake. Being close to me is another one. I sensed your intention was good, but my reflexes are better than yours.


Everytime you will attack me I will use essence so you can sense its flow, and control yours to resonate with mine, so try to ambush the others, they are slower.


The point is to get the upper hand on your opponent before the fight has even started." she says with a firm voice.


She slightly nods at you to make sure you have internalized her teachings.