This time, Chen falls for the bluff completely. He takes the full brunt of the punch and lands heavily on the mat, gasping for breath.

[OOC: 23:22, Today: Gamemaster rolled 13 using 1d20+12. Acrobatic Resist.
23:23, Today: Gamemaster rolled 5 using 1d20+2. Toughness Save.

Jiro - Bruised 2
Chen - Staggered, stunned and so loses his action]

The man starts to snear at Alex, until her fist finds his jaw. His head snaps backwards, and she grabs him by the throat. With almost casual ease, she throws him clear across the room to land with a heavy thud against the far wall.

"YOU BITCH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT." He shouts, as soon as his breath returns to his lungs.

[OOC: 23:30, Today: Gamemaster rolled 10 using 1d20+9. Toughness Save.
Staggered, Stunned. Auto-fails the Grapple check.]

As Chen falls, Jiro felt his smile pull into a smirk, but quickly schooled his features into something less... bragging. "A good spar," he began, offering the other man a hand up. "I underestimated you, and nearly paid for it. You have impressive-"



Eyes widening, he whirled towards her and watched one of the locals flying across the room. "Kuso!" Oh kamis, I should have known something like this would happen.

He drew on his power, took a long step towards Alex as Ki-born light began to flicker around him. "What did he do, Alex-san?" He eyed the crowd, wary of their reactions.

(EDIT: GM posted as I was writing this up; responding)

He fixed the man with a glare. "Back down, baka, or she will not be the only thing for you to worry about." Alex, I trust you wouldn't have tossed a man for shits and giggles. And to think, it'd been going so well. Of course one of them decided to do something stupid to her.

[OOC: activating the array, now in ki focus. Intimidate on the idiot.
20:38, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 23 using 1d20+10. Intimidate check.]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

Alex either doesn't notice or chooses ignores Jiro. She bends her legs slightly and, from a standing start, makes a flying leap and triple front roll that ends with her using the full force of her fall to add to impact of the attack.

"CARE TO TRY THAT AGAIN?" Alex screams in his face.

[OOC: 23:35, Today: Alex rolled 28 using 1d20+10. Acrobatic Jumping. Beats the DC by 13, adding 13 feet to the base jumping distance. She makes a standing Jump as a move action. With Leaping, that should be about 75 feet.
23:38, Today: Alex rolled 28 using 1d20+17. AOA 5, unarmed.
23:40, Today: Alex rolled 31 using 1d20+19. Grapple Check.
Pinning him for the moment. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

Jiro managed to stop himself from swearing when Alex launched herself at the man who'd offended her - it was a leap he could have likely made himself, but still impressive. He started to move to assist her-

He doesn't need our help, began a mental voice, and it stopped him cold. Whatver body s/he wears, Alex is a guy mentally, and if you do your damned 'honorable samurai' schtic with her too much - if you treat her like a defenseless waif - that's about the cruelst thing you could do to her right now.

Just like you hated it when Uncle  Tetsuhara did it to you, after you got cursed. Alex has the situation in hand. Let her handle it. You know she's gotta be riding the edge of a freakout right now, and you're the closest thing she's got to a friend here. Don't patronize her, for kami's sake.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

The man takes the hit and scream to the face without flinching. Alex goes to lock his arms behind his back, but he is stronger and angrier then he looks.

This is proven as he starts frothing at the mouth, screaming incoherent Chinese profanities, and pulls a large knife. He takes it in a two handed grip and brings in down with full force towards Alex's chest.

[ooc:23:47, Today: Gamemaster rolled 19 using 1d20+9. Toughness Save.
Bruised.
23:51, Today: Gamemaster rolled 33 using 1d20+13. Grapple Check. Escaped
Free Action to activate Rage feat, and another to quick draw a knife.
23:54, Today: Gamemaster rolled 20 using 1d20+9. Attacking Alex, power attack 5, AOA5.
Hit. DC 30 toughness save.

Jerk - Bruised, Staggered.]

Alex cries in pain as the blade sinks to the hilt in her chest. She grits her teeth, pulls the bloody dagger out, and tosses it aside.

"Won't put me down that easily, scumvermin!" She growls, seemingly still steady on her feet.

[OOC: 00:04, Today: Alex rolled 29 using 1d20+10. Hero point re-roll.
00:02, Today: Alex rolled 19 using 1d20+10. Toughness Save.
Bruised 1, Injured 1.]

As Alex shrugged off the knife blow, Jiro forced himself to relax. I know she heals quickly, but that had to hurt. A lot. But still... She's up, and I don't think she's lost it to the point of killing this idiot...

He started forward, face a mask of conflicted emotions. Fish or cut bait, Koji. Do you trust her or rush in like her noble, heroic Samurai protecting the maiden? He crossed most of the gym, neared the fight.

Alex, a stranger to this world with few enough reasons to trust anyone, and every right to flip out and run screaming into the night after we took on those vampires, trusted you. Be worthy of it.

He stopped, outside of easy lunging distance of the fight, and shifted the flow of his ki. He would trust her.

[OOC: array shifted to healing mode.]

Not wanting to get hit like that again, Alex leaps backwards and lands next to some exercise equipment. She picks up one of the empty bars for weight lifting, and tosses it like a Javelin towards her foe. It flies with surprising accuracy, all things considered.

[OOC: 00:18, Today: Alex rolled 14 using 1d20+8. Javelin Throw. DC 25 toughness save, if that hits.]

Designed for the task or not, Alex's arrow is true. It strikes him in the chest, impaling him and then embedding itself in the wall. He grunts in disbelief, and gropes at the improvised weapon for a few futile seconds before losing consciousness.

There is total silence in the room. For an instant, it isn't even broken by the sounds of breathing.

It looks like some of the men in the gym are preparing to attack the pair. They are interrupted by Chen Ming clapping his hands twice and then bowing to Alex. Soon, the entire room follows his example.

[OOC: 00:21, Today: Gamemaster rolled 11 using 1d20+9. Toughness Save. Lethal damage. Fail by 14. Staggered and Disabled. Double staggered = KO'D ]

Alex froze, staring at the results of what she had just done. She didn't seem to notice the bows, or anything else for that matter. Just the sight of blood dripping onto the floor. Bloody she had spilled.

Jiro exhales slowly as the residents of the gym bow. Catching Chen Ming's eye, he gives a bow of his own, deep, thankful, and respectful. Then he walks up to Alex.

Quietly, he said, "I realize it was he who first drew steel, but was that entirely necessary? You could have simply knocked him out." There was some bite in his voice, but the edge of it was blunted as he stretched his ki to aid her healing. "Merciful Spirit's Grasp." He wanted to rail, to scream, to berate her for such an attack, but he did not.

It was my brilliant idea to start searching for Dragoneye right away. She just got her powers last night. You saw her in the aftermath of the brawl with those vamps, she doesn't have a clue what she can do, and you knew it. Merciful Kamis, you should have talked her into taking half a day to experiment. This city has parks, we could have found a remote corner of one of those and sparred; help her learn her abilities in a more controlled way.

But no. No, you had to get searching, haring off after your cure. Baka. Sure, you rationalized it as helping her focus, helping her cope, but it was all self-righteous bullshit. Honorless, greedy fool. A man is dying because you couldn't stop thinking of yourself. This is why you'll never be worthy of Omi.

After healing Alex, he moved to the impaled man, one hand catching her wrist to pull her along. "Whatever offence he gave, we cannot just leave him like this. Get that bar out of him, and I will heal."

[OOC: array is in healing, first healing Alex, then, assuming she'll yank the bar out of his chest, the asshole. For him, I just want to stabalize his condition so he's not dying anymore, not wake him up, if possible.]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:37, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

Alex is in shock. She doesn't respond, just allows Jiro to drag her along. She yanks the bar out of the man's chest with ease, and stands there staring at it. The blood running down it's length and covering her hand.

The tears in her eyes threaten to fall, but stay there.

Both healings go as planned. Physically, Alex is once again fine and the man no longer seems to be in danger of dying. He should recover in time on his own.

Glancing around, Jiro spots a bottle of spray-cleaner and some paper towel. Normally, they'd be used to wipe sweat off of a bench, but for the moment, they'd work nicely to clean off the bar. He took it out of Alex's hands, set to work cleaning. It's no cleaning kit, but this is no sword, so it evens out. Quietly, he said, "Alex-san, I have done you a disservice. Once this is cleaned, I believe it would be in both our interests to practice some basics together. In my haste to see Dragoneye, and in my desire not to deride your skills as 'unearned,' I let myself forget they you do not know their limits. Some training to learn them can, perhaps, help us both to prevent such as this in the future."

Replacing the cleaned bar on its rack, nodded again to Chen. "Arigato, Chen-san, for defusing that situation. If you had not, I may not have been able to save that man."

He moved to one of the mats, gesturing for Alex to follow. This is not the best idea, but it is better than fleeing would be. I will deal with Zhang when I he arrives. For now, I must deal with Alex.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:00, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

As though hearing him for the first time, Alex looks at Jiro. She blinks once, and nods shortly. She turns and walks silently towards the locker room.

She emerges a few moments later, blood washed from her hands.

Chen Ming approaches Jiro. "In truth it would have been no great loss, for he is scum only barely tolerated. I doubt he will show his face again in this place." He glances at Alex as she steps out of sight and continues with words only for Jiro's ears. "I did it for her. She is no killer, and does not need that stain upon her soul. At least not this day. Someday, when she is ready, I would like to know her story."

Chen casts another glance around. "You have proven to be an honorable man, Jiro Koji, and so I will give you a warning. You are known to some here, at least by reputation. I do not think Zhang Peter will attempt to have you killed, but others will see your death as a way to curry favor with some of those with influence. Be on your guard at all times, most of all should you meet Dragoneye. I can not predict how he will act."

Jiro's smile was rueful. "A risk I knew I was taking. I know that I have enemies, and that they will talk. Still, you are an honorable man. Arigatou gozaimasu for your assistance.

Well. Shit. They might know me from Nakamura's smears on my name, but, well, I doubt they'd care. If this place is a Triad front company... oh merciful kamis, this could get very, very ugly.

Chen bows once more, then begins to get the mess cleaned up. He gestures to two of the men who had looked ready to attack. "Take him away." They rush to do as he says.

One young man has already grabbed a mop and starts cleaning the area without prompting. All in all, it looks like things of this nature happen often enough that it is routine. Certainly the regulars have all gone back to their own activities.

At this point Alex finishes washing up.

Alex walks up to where Jiro. She kicks off her flip-flops, raises an eyebrow at him, and briefly tilts her head towards the mat.

Jiro slid into a ready stance across from her and quietly said, "Your fighting skills are impressive, but they are your power's, not yours. I think we would do well to make them truly yours; and help you master them. Let us start with some basic drills."

So saying, he begins to instruct her in some basic martial arts and drills, low end stuff, but stuff he's fairly sure she'll be able to do. That it was basic would be obvious to any watchers, but their bluff had already been called. All he could do now as try and get his companion back into good mental shape for whatever was to come.

So try some honesty, baka.

Leaning in to correct her stance, Jiro quietly said, "I fear we could be in danger. Not due to your actions, Alex-san, but due to my own some time ago. If what Chen has told me is true, there are many here who are... associates of foes of mine. My appologies for placing us in danger, but I do not think retreating at this point would serve. We must see how things play out; I could be mistaken."

Alex nodded, and slid into her own ready stance. It's a bit different from Jiro's, but she looks just as comfortable as he.


It only takes moments for Jiro to realize that Alex is as far beyond the basics as he is. She gets each move first time, every time. The only places for correction would be strong differences in style, which is probably the case.

Alex gives Jiro a smile and shrugs. She makes a tossing motion over her shoulder, shakes her head, and continues with the training.

Not only is Alex far beyond the basics, but now that Jiro has a chance to really watch her, he sees that she is just as defensively minded as he is. On the attack she is actually his superior, at least if he is not channeling his Ki. Calling upon his Ki would even the odds there.

Style wise Alex relies more on brute force and grappling; while Jiro is more focused on trips, throws and mobility. Jiro has a notable edge in speed, while Alex is tremendously strong, far stronger then she looks and probably borderline superhuman.

To those watching, and make no mistake people are watching, it looks like a warm up or cool down exercise rather then any attempts to teach.

Jiro doesn't see any signs that Alex's skills are not fully her own, at least not in the current situation. Considering her earlier claims of not knowing how to fight before this happened, that is a bit unnerving.

Noting their audience, Jiro did his best to school his features; to keep his growing unease out of his expression. His mind was racing, and it had started, in its fashion, to start putting things together. First, I must remain as calm as possible and give the appearance of total calm. If this is a Triad den, so long as they think I am just some foolish, ignorant Japanese, I will have some small advantage. That can be leveraged.

Alex was fighting with admirable skill; with what seemed to his experienced eye to be a mixed style. He firmly approved - all martial arts were created by mortal, failable men, and thus none were perfect. Learning multiple styles would make one's own personal ability stronger, each style covering a weakness or reinforcing a strength of another. He was stepping up his game to keep her challenged.

Alex herself was... almost eerily calm, given the circumstances. She'd bounced back extremely well for someone who was new to combat. She'd taken his revelation about the possible dangers here utterly in stride. Something niggled at him, but he could not pin it down. She was on the edge of tears after she realized she'd impaled that guy, but she's been fairly good since. Given how bad she reacted to the vampires I'd expected more hysterics.

Wait. Backup. She hasn't said a word. She's steady, calm, perfectly collected. Like someone who is familiar with physical violence.

Oh. Oh, kuso.

She was granted her powers last night. She was also granted the knowledge to use them. What else got put in her head? He looked upon his companion with a feeling of dawning horror, fought to keep it from his features. Deal with it later. For now, concentrate. Zhang. Dragoneye. Surviving the night.

After recent events, no one else moves to trouble the pair. The practice passes enough time for the guide to return.

"All is in readiness. Come, the Second Test awaits."

He only smiles in response to any questions, saying "All will be made clear."