The first day of autumn is also the first day of the school year. This year, it is a cloudy but still warm day, with gentle winds just strong enough to allow comfortable strolling in sunlit parks. Commonly, children are sent off to the schools with huge packs of candies and warm wished of their parents. If one had the time, one could see them thronging the lanes around numerous public schools. All those uniformed kids, wearing happy smiles, chatting with their classmates and holding candy paint a bright image of the future.

This is not a story about them.

Our heroes wind find themselves navigating narrow gravel paths through the nondescript forest that surrounds Final Stand High. Sounds of the city are more than muted by the dense foliage, and students are left with the rustling of leaves and crunching of gravel underfoot as the only sounds to keep them company. A feeling of alone-ness, along with a contemplative mood creep up upon them as they advance. It takes about fifteen minutes to traverse the forest and arrive at the school building.


Arrayed in front of the entrance are the seven teachers that will care for the new generation. Standing at the forefront is a tall, gaunt man, white-haired and bearded, dressed in the saffron and red robes of a Buddhist monk. The beads of the rosary hanging from his hands are polished to a glass sheen.

"Amituofo." He greets each new student with surprising warmth of voice, and shows them into the pagoda. You know that this is Teacher Sun.

From inside, the building seems hollow, stone walls littered by classroom-sized galleries; ladders and thin walkways connecting the wooden platforms. Numerous windows allow the sounds of the forest to be heard even inside. Many of those have a small bell hanging in them, and occasionally wind or a stray bird might ring one of those, producing a musical tone. Every bell has a different sound. Far above your heads, a golden pearl hangs from the roof. The walls are glazed brick, some carved intricately in various scenes, allegories, and even martial arts techniques.

The space fills up quickly; there are about two dozen beginning students and seven teachers after everyone is assembled. Teacher Sun coughs and takes centre stage. He seems at ease, friendly, and wholly unconcerned by the wild mishmash of students this year has brought in.

"Amituofo. You all know who I am." His gaze seems sharp enough to cause physical pain as he spends a moment to stare at each student. "And I know who you are. I know I will do my utmost to help you grow into respectable persons."

The monk pauses for a breath before continuing, to put particular emphasis on his next words.

"Benevolence. Loyalty. Courage. Righteousness." He pauses to take another deep breath. "Take your time to think about those concepts. Those are the measures of your growth. Those are the measures of our school's success. Those will be your shield against the lies of heretic sects, and help guide you along the shores of rivers and lakes." He smiles thinly, and turns to the other teachers. "These are your teachers. Remember to respect them, always. In return, you will be treated like their treasured children."

"Teacher Ma." A grotesquely fat woman dressed in a flower motif dress (or possibly a sail from a ship?) stands, and gives a friendly wave. "She will teach you about getting into places, unseen."

"Teacher Wang." A slick, athletic man in his late thirties, cocky, with a winning smile. Even the way he bows ever so slightly is flamboyant. Oh, he keeps grinning at the girls like an idiot too. "His expertise is in acrobatics. Learn well from him."

"Teacher Zhang." An almost unassuming man in a sharp black suit, with friendly eyes and a ready smile. "Don't let him talk you out of your allowance. He will teach you about persuading others. A dangerous occupation." Zhang looks almost embarrassed.

"Teacher Li." A short, thin-limbed girl of barely twenty years steps up, dressed in a fire-red traditional dress, and wearing wooden sandals. "She will teach you about using your strength efficiently." There's something familiar about her face - she must be the daughter of Hostess Li.

"Teacher Cao." A bespectacled, hunched man in his late seventies, hands clasped behind his back. "he will teach you about how to do the most with what you have. From improvising shelter to fixing gadgets. If you get on his good side, he might even let you try out some of his inventions." Cao also seems to be embarrassed by this praise, and tries to ward off the words as if they were sharp blades. Teacher Sun just smiles.

"Teacher Hu." A middle-aged man with no real discerning characteristics... until you note the tiger tettoos barely showing around street clothing - and the clothing itself seems to be custom-tailored to appear ordinary. He smiles. One of his teeth is solid gold. "He will teach you to manage your acquaintances better. Don't become an acquaintance of his in the process." Hu laughs and shrugs.

"Finally, my surname is Sun. I shall help you to see Truth more clearly." His modesty comes naturally and easily. "Do you have any questions before we proceed?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:18, Mon 09 Oct 2017.

Lu Zhang made her way through the gravel path, looking around the place every five or so seconds. The first day of school brought, as expected, some butterflies in every student's stomach, and Lu was no different. She was finally at a real martial arts school! Still even with all her excitement, Final Stand High was an odd place. It was hard to believe they were still inside city limits, what with all the greenery and silence. Every detail evoked inner peace and discipline, and the atmosphere felt like they were in a temple. No - at times, it felt like they were in the gardens at the Imperial Palace, minus the luxury and the cronies with silly hats. She frowned for a second and then decided to chat briefly with a nearby new student, to distract herself from thinking about the Palace.

After walking inside, Lu Zhang watched the teachers' introduction, getting a bit fidgety with all this elaborate speech. Part of her wanted to prod some other student and whisper a joke about Teacher Ma's appearance, but Teacher Sun's sharp gaze was enough to dissuade her of any funny ideas for the time being.

When asked for questions, Lu Zhang briefly remembered all the ordinary school kids she'd seen on the way to the school - all neat, uniformed, well-behaved... that reminded her of something very important. "Haaai~" She raised one arm as she called Teacher Sun's attention. "What are the rules at this school? Any uniforms, for instance?" Not that she really intended to follow every rule, but it was useful to know what could and couldn't get her into trouble.

Kagero walked into the school with a bored expression on his face. Despite the far out cry of how different the entire setting of the school was more than different from the dark of the Red Light District, Kagero never cared too much about it. As Kagero walked, taking in the view, he had his minds on other things, things not related to the school at all.

As Kagero entered in with the others, Kagero stood next to Lu Zhang, more out of chance than anything. As Teacher Sun gave each student a stern and sharp gaze, Kagero returned his gaze with a simple raised eyebrow. Afterword, Kagero focused on some of the other students than fully listening to Teacher Sun's introduction. Kagero was more wondering about the other students that he would be spending time with, rather than the teachers he would most likely have little interaction with.

Though Kagero did give a lasting look at the Teacher Li, as she did remind Kagero of the hostess from way back when. He also wondered if she would make the same mistake the Hostess did. Afterwards, Kagero didn't say much, and listening to Lu Zhang's question, he briefly looked at his own appearance for a moment. Though brushed it off, as he was determined to keep his appearance the way it was, at least for now. Other than that, Kagero listened to Teacher Sun's awnswer.

A lit cigarette hung from Daigo’s lips as he walked with the rest of the students. He wore a white tank top with a big black jacket slung around his shoulders. He also wore grey pants and black boots that crunched against the pathway. Daigo was a big kid for his age, skin stretched over pounds of muscle.

Daigo surveyed the other students, sizing them all up as they got to the teachers. He was excited to begin, his time in the Red District gave him a platform to practice his skills, but the thugs he beat up were getting boring. Daigo wanted some real action, he wanted to bleed and sweat for his victories.

He looked Teacher Sun dead in the eye, taking a big drag from his cigarette and grinning.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 14:50, Thu 12 Oct 2017.

Mei strolled onto the grounds casually. She was dressed pretty much how she was always dressed, with slightly dirty coveralls, dusty red hair, and a faded shirt. A pair of old sneakers adorned her feet. She mostly wore them to the school because she expected they'd probably not let her walk around barefoot.

She ended up in the same general vicinity as Kagero and Lu Zhang as the latter asked her question. She stayed quiet and attentive for the moment, not reacting overly much at the introduction of the teachers. This was just a general welcome to the year type of thing. Nothing huge to get excited over, in her mind.

Teacher Sun shrugged. "Uniforms? Why, we had some a few years back. It all ended... in an unfortunate avalanche of events, caused by someone altering the cut of the girls' uniforms. Made them a bit... short." He shoots an accusing stare at teacher Wang, who seems to be absorbed in studying the tips of his feet just at that moment. "So, no uniforms. They are a pitiful material trapping anyways. You ought to better your character instead of paying attention to such trifles." He doesn't comment on Lu's fancy battle-gear. "As for the rules - I believe I outlined them already. Listen to your teachers and work on yourself." He seems to count on his students to find the right path.

Lu's perception is just good enough to pick out one of the students - a tall, dark haired military brat - she's seen him around the palace before. A son of one of the minor noble families. His being here is surely a coincidence, right?

Kagero knows that teacher Zhang has strong connections to his Black Tortoise Gang, and favors are owed both ways. If necessary, his advice and even protection can always be counted on. The two are semi-acquainted, having seen each other numerous times in the Red District, and even participating in some negotiations - on the same side, of course.

Apart from Zhang, there's another face Kagero finds familiar. The big, scarred kid with a cigarette is Daigo Tatsuya, a low-ranking member of the Black Tortoises. There was never any direct dealings between the two, but they knew each-other by reputation.

Meanwhile, Daigo tries to fix Teacher Sun's gaze, but without success. The old monk is far too experienced to let such a young whippersnapper challenge him. Perhaps the day will come... but not this year. But it's not like Daigo's entrance and demeanor didn't bear any fruit, however. One of the female students, a short and pretty thing, stares at him, starry-eyed.

In contrast to the others, Mei is apparently invisible. She can't shake the feeling that someone is watching her, however. It's a disconcerting sensation, unlike any she's experienced before. After a few moments looking around, she finally determines that the sharp gaze fixating her comes from somewhere far above her - from somewhere near the golden pearl hanging from the ceiling fifty meters in the air.

Mei didn't like feeling like she was being watched, not without knowing who was doing the watching. She glanced around a little bit, noticing that she hadn't attracted that much attention so far, which was fine by her. But still, there was that feeling.

She glanced upwards, noticing the pearl above them all. That was where the source of the watching sensation was coming from. But with it being that far up, someone would have to make themselves known to her in order for her to spot who it was watching her.

She was glad to hear there wouldn't be uniforms though. Those were just another hassle and there was no way that, with where she lived, she could keep it clean enough. Not with her job.

Lu Zhang lowered her arm and nodded as Teacher Sun finished his answer. "Listen to your teachers and work on yourself"... those were quite liberal rules, huh. Just the way she liked them! At the very least, the bit about uniforms meant that clothes were mostly a non-issue - surely a benefit for Lu, who liked to dress stylish.

As she directed her attention to the other students, Lu Zhang saw a familiar face from the Palace. That guy was from a noble family too, wasn't him? His father was... and certainly his style was... hm... she couldn't remember right away. She kept looking at him for a while, though. Even if her memory wasn't helping now, maybe he would show some telling reaction if he noticed her. She waited to see if their eyes met, and if they did she would wink at him in response.

... They were on good terms, right?

Daigo scoffed at Teacher Sun, but he knew that one day he'd be able to challenge him one day. Just a matter of time. He thought, dropping the cigarette to the ground and stepping on it with his boot.

He glanced to the girl staring at him and chuckled. "See something you like, sweetheart?"

Daigo stood there, the sleeves of his jacket flapping lazily in the wind. He was grateful for the lack of uniforms, he liked to fight with as less clothes as possible.

Qi-yun had walked into the school in a daze, seeming almost like a vagrant in his Ratty loose fitting canvas clothing, and his eyes half lidded. As every one Gathered in front of the Teachers Qi-yun took a spot next to Daigo and craned his neck to peer into the shining reflections of the large golden orb over head.

"See something you like, sweetheart?" Daigo's voice snapped Qi-yun to the present where he had zoned out through Teacher Sun's introduction's.

Qi with out so much as glancing in Daigo's direction, or thinking to check if the man had been talking to him responded. "Yeah, the ceiling ornament is really pretty."

If Qi-yun seemed almost like a vagrant, Leng hit the mark like a bulls-eye.  While his rather generic clothing was fitting for a student attending a school like Final Stand and seemed to actually be of decent quality, they were extremely worn to the point that any more respectable person would have replaced them long ago.  If that wasn't enough, he was entirely barefoot as well, bare soles padding near silently over the floors of the towering school.  It was enough to draw curled lips and pointed gazes from some of the more haughty students, but if Leng noticed he didn't acknowledge them.  In fact, while he was paying attention to the announcements made by Teacher Sun, he seemed preoccupied by some other nebulous thought.

Unsurprisingly, he didn't recognize any of the other gathered students; his list of acquaintances was incredibly short, and only three people on that list were in the "good company" portion.  New faces, for the moment, were good faces.  Although he was sure that would change soon.  He welcomed it.  Like Master Li said, "As fire cleanses the forest, conflict hones the Warrior.  Seek out conflict, and you will grow".  As far as Leng was concerned, that meant everyone here were his Rivals.  Whether they could be friends as well remained to be seen.

Lu Zhang's efforts to make eye contact are successfully countered. It seems the young noble is intent to not have any contact with her, which is extremely suspicious. She recalls his name - Fu Zhen - and that he was always training with the bodyguard regiment of the house guards. Funny that he should be here...

Daigo's voice and attention makes the girl blush beet red; she averts her gaze downwards immediately and starts stammering some sort of apology. She didn't really mean to stare, it seems. If Daigo would forgive her, she'd be very grateful. Here, she made lunch for today, would he like some? She can get him some cigarettes as well if he's out...

Loud, booming laughter echoes inside the pagoda. Students and teachers look up, bewildered. A figure pushes off from the pearl hanging far above, and plunges head-first straight down to the center stage, where the teachers stand. About ten meters up the person flips over, and despite all logic the fall becomes a gentle descent, until it ends in a soft, noiseless touchdown between students and teachers. The person must be using a high-ranked lightness skill to have such control.

Once close up, everyone can get a good look at the intruder. It is a powerfully built, bald man, garbed in browns and yellows. Tattoos in black ink dot his scalp and arms. His eyes are pitch black, with no whites at all. Green veins stand out on his arms.

"Yes, work on yourself. But don't work in the wrong direction. Or you might end up like the Demon Whip Empress." The short pause in his words is spent staring poisonously at teacher Sun. "Dead!" The words are spat out like deadly missiles.

But the monk brushes the sharp words aside. "Getting immersed in heretical arts has its price." Sun sounds reasonable, even conciliatory. "I warned her."

"You killed her!" The intruder roars, pointing at the monk. The very force of the man's voice forces the other teachers a step back - but not Teacher Sun. The old monk looks almost regretful, toying with his rosary.

"So I did. I regret taking a life." Sun shakes his head; his sincerity holds back the accusation like a vast dam holds the endless ocean. There is an uncomfortably long moment of silence, and a fight seems inevitable.

At least until Teacher Zhang steps forward. He cups his hands in a polite greeting. "The Five Venoms Dragon honors us with his visit. Would Sir not rather sit down and discuss this calmly? After all, there are students here." The other teachers would not stand by idly if a fight starts, his posture implies. Teacher Ma is right behind him; the murderous glint in her eyes makes her seem like an ill-tempered, excessively violent bear.

After an endlessly long couple of seconds, the intruder turns around. His eyes rest on Mei Sung; then he lightly jumps up to one of the windows in the first gallery, and is already outside.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:38, Thu 19 Oct 2017.

Mei remained calm and watchful as the man descended. Having determined there was someone up there made his appearance less surprising to her than to some of the others, she imagined. She didn't immediately recognize the man and was unsure exactly why he gave her such a look before he left. Perhaps it was because she had sensed him well above them, or perhaps he had some other reason. It would be a question for another day, and perhaps for someone else.

She remained silent as the man left and turned to face the teachers, waiting to see what they were asked to do next. This was a school and she was reasonably sure the teachers would be telling them something akin to staying here for the time being. It was a place to train in their martial ways, so maybe this stuff was comparatively normal? None of the teachers had seemed that surprised either.

Kagero gave a look towards Teacher Zhang and Daigo, as they seemed to be slight acquaintances of his, and more importantly of the Black Tortoise gang. For a moment, Kagero wondered that if they were here, who else could be apart of a gang from the red-light district.

Kagero would notice Daigo's small comment and was surprised to see that he already had a fan of some sort. Though whether it was that girl, or the boy who responded to him, Kagero was unsure.

As the situation went on, and the laughing occurred, Kagero looked upwards, bewildered as the others were as to the source. As the man came down, and did his song and dance, Kagero watched quietly and calmly. Kagero wasn't scared of the man, nor of what he could do, not because of confidence of his own abilities, but more confidence in the teacher's ability.

As the mysterious man gave a stare at Mei Sung, Kagero cracked a small smile, as he involuntarily uttered to himself.

"Now that's interesting"

Kagero gave a small stare at Mei Sung as well, as he wondered more about why she was the one he decided to look at, instead of every other person here. If Mei Sung were to look back at Kagero, he would give her a smile before turning back to face the teachers and see what they would say, and if they would address what had just occurred with them.

Daigo smirks at the girl. "Just playin' around, stare all you like." He flexes slightly, looking proud.

His show is interrupted by the laughing. Daigo looks up and watches the intruder descend and make his piece, cocking his head a bit at the whole thing. He wasn't sure who the hell this guy was, but he knew he had some beef with the teachers.

Daigo watched the man leave, and chuckled. He stepped forward from the group of students.

"You just gonna let him bounce like that?"

His baritone voice broke the silence, directed towards the teachers.

Fu Zhen's behavior was very suspicious. Lu Zhang was sure their eyes should have met at least once... maybe was he doing it on purpose. She raised an eyebrow, but decided to forget the issue for now; there would be easier ways to interact with him later.

And besides, something else had attracted her attention - the man's sudden entrance from the ceiling. Some kind of assassin? He seemed to be after Teacher Sun only, but as he spoke Lu Zhang mentally prepared herself for a fight to break out.

And then he... left. Really? No fight?

When Daigo broke the silence, Lu Zhang turned her head to him and spoke as well, arms crossed before her. "I'm more surprised that Mr. Five Venoms agreed to go away. He sneaks into the academy, waits until there's a crowd to make his big entrance, and then just leaves? How indecisive." She sounded mildly disappointed; you don't often get the chance to watch a real fight between masters. She looked back to Teacher Sun, waiting for some kind of explanation.

Qi-yun replied once again to Daigo "I intend to stare til I no longer see its beauty."

When the Dragon descended from his roost Qi-yun never lowered his head, merely closed his eyes, and listened to the banter. After hearing Lu Zhang, Qi-yun answered her question. "The angel did not fall, to spite the gods. He fell to warn of their wrath. A god is a righteous being blind to the shades of gray that dot the morality of mortal life, and that blindness sees all but white as black."

He then turned he conversation partner Daigo. "And god does not punish his enemies in the sight of his creation. It paints him in the same shades if he were to act on his ineffable notions of righteousness."

Daigo's question causes the old monk's eyes to fill with infinite grief and guilt; the air of dignity and power is gone from him, reducing him to just another old, tired, heartbroken man.

Obviously, this just now was the culmination of a long and convoluted relationship between the two. Looking at the state the old monk is in, you can't be sure that they exchanged only words. For the monk's steps are slow and painful as they take him out of the pagoda.

"I forbid you to chase after him. That would just increase the number of corpses. Your teachers... will split you into groups." He waves off the help of a student. "I will see you all later, if Buddha is willing."

A quiet fals over the rest of the teachers as they watch Teacher Sun limp out. Some shake their heads, some shrug. None want to aid the old man, almost as if there was danger of being poisoned...

Mei felt Kagero's gaze settle upon her. She looked over at him and shrugged her shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine. Mei Sung, by the way," she said to him, being reasonably sure why she was being looked at by her fellow student. It didn't seem to bother her though, Kagero might pick up on. She was used to being stared at.

Then the teacher was talking and moving off, albeit in slow manner. She had a few theories herself, but she didn't have proof and wasn't going to voice them without any details. She would ask Hiroka Furuta about it later. Perhaps she would have some information for her.

She then waited for the groups to be split up and for the rest of the teachers to continue with their training.

Fresh from his bout with Mei Sung, Te Sung had watched the spectacle with varying degrees of quiet interest and quiet boredom.



Te Sung thought about them, as instructed. Benevolence was highly desireable, in oneself and in others, but he'd seldom found it in others, aside from his mentor.

Because of that, he felt the same way about Loyalty. Loyalty meant nothing. Trust was what was important, not Loyalty. Character was important.

Courage was certainly important, but wisdom, more so.

Righteousness was like Benevolence... wonderful to think about, but seldom found... and just as benevolence was dangerous to expect, Righteousness was often poorly-founded.


As for the rest...
--Teacher Ma did not interest Te Sung.
--Teacher Wang's acrobatics might prove somewhat useful, in spite of being some sort of lech...
--Teacher Zhang's lessons would probably prove even more useful.
--Teacher Li seemed worth studying under, no pun intended...
--Teacher Cao's lessons, uninteresting.
--Te Sung didn't know what to make of Teacher Hu. He would give Hu a chance to impress him...

Master Sun, however, seemed to have a lot to teach. Te Sung was impressed with how he handled himself when the brute showed up.

Of the other students,
--Daigo seemed a boor,
--Mei Sung, interesting and intelligent enough... maybe even deep. The same went for Qi-yun.
--Beggar Leng didn't seem like a bad fellow so far... maybe not much to him...
--It was too soon to judge Kagero and Lu Zhang, but he wasn't terribly impressed by what he could discern of their characters so far... Kagero might have hidden depths, though... it was hard to say, this early in their acquaintanceship.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:20, Fri 20 Oct 2017.

Kagero gave a silent laugh as he heard Mei's response, not out of mocking or anything like that, but that Kagero was genuinely surprised at her awnswer. Giving a nod back towards Mei and would respond to her

"Kagero Touma, and who knows, you guess may reveal something new, don't you think? Though I have a feeling that next time we discuss this, we'll have a bit more to think on, yes?"

Kagero gave another silent laugh as he had an idea of where everything was going to this point. With Kagero having responded to Mei, he returned his attention back to the stage, where Master Sun was walking away slowly, and Kagero was slightly disappointed in the Master, that a few words could shoot down this man.

As Kagero watched the self-pitying monk stumble away, he also caught word of what Qi-Yun spoke of, mostly since Kagero was next to Lu Zhang, and he decided to respond to his 'analogy', though Kagero continued to watch the stage.

"An interesting analogy, but a premature one, don't you think? After all, the folly of the righteous is that they always believe they are in the right, and most of all, others paint them as such. Meaning that they could punish whom they want, in front of who they want, and everyone will scream divine righteousness. Though it's more than clear that what we are seeing isn't a being blinded by their own righteousness. But a person shackled by the chains of grief and morality."

Kagero would turn to Lu Zhang and would give her a more definitive awnswer to her question, after all, Kagero felt that Qi-Yun's response wouldn't be as satisfying as saying it straight out.

"Though to awnswer the question you had earlier, I believe it's because he wasn't her to fight. Like you said, he waited for all of us to gather her just for that show and dance. If he wanted to fight, he most likely would've done it when Master Sun was alone, or when we weren't around.

In fact, I think he was here to tell us something. Perhaps investigate the term 'Demon Whip Empress' and it's history with Master Sun or this very school itself, after all, he went through the pains of making such things obvious before leaving."

Kagero would give a shrug and would finish off

"Though this is all speculation of course, I could very well be off the mark entirely. Apologies if my response wasn't as definitive as you wish. Though if we do get split into the same group, I would be more than happy to discuss more."

After, as the others, Kagero waited to see what group he would be split into, and which teacher would train them.

The girl staring at Daigo managed to get her wits together and... well, stop staring. Perhaps it was his roguish charm; or perhaps she was just starved of some "real men" in her life. Be it as it may, the girl manages to look up just in time to see the intruder descend, and then elope. "Oh my, only my first day, and already this!" She could just squeal aloud from all the happiness and elation filling her little heart. But she won't. At least not yet. If Daigo spares another look, he'll find her well-developed, with ample curves and extremely well shaped, almost overly muscular legs - she probably specializes in kicks and acrobatics. Her gaudy clothing marks her as someone from the Red district.

Teacher Zhang walks over to Kagero, casually, wearing a non-expression on his face. "Young master. I'll trouble you with some boring lectures and exercises for the time being. I hope I can aid in sharpening your leadership skills further." There is no trace of irony in his voice. Bringing up Kagero's father and the network of obligations between the two is unnecessary. He also waves at Daigo and the girl almost clinging to him. "Mister Tatsuya. Miss Jewel." He intentionally uses their first names, in clear contradiction of custom. "I will be honored to help you on your initial steps in this humble school. Let us take a walk in the woods to discuss your needs, first. Teacher Sun already has something for you in mind, but I want to get a better feel for you first." He leads the way out. The lightness of his steps is immediately noticeable - even on gravel he makes no sound, and leaves no footprints at all.

Teacher Wang seems embarrassed as he walks towards Lu Zhang. "Erm. Ah, hello there, Miss Zhang. I have the pleasure and duty of being your first... err, teacher." He smiles, hoping the girl won't notice how sweaty his palms are. Lu's (or rather her father's) status were a clear reason not to follow his usual pattern of behavior. Teacher Sun probably arranged it that way just to irritate (or educate) Wang. "You and young Nam..." he waves over the young man she noticed before. Now that she knows his surname, it is easy to place him in the Imperial Bodyguards. "Now, I know you two have a different relationship, but inside the school, you are equals, understand?" Wang went on. "Also, you, young man. Sung, Qi-yun. Come over here. Leave your philosophy behind for a second. We'll start on your training right away. But first, let me see your aptitudes. See the pearl hanging from the ceiling? Last one to touch it will have to do one hundred pushups. Go." Nam stares at the teacher for a long moment, then at Lu, questioningly.

Teacher Li pads over comfortably to Mei Sung. "Hi. I'll take care of your first day here." It was obvious there were other matters troubling the teacher, but she pushed them aside. "Teacher Sun picked me because you practice the Iron Cobra style. Or at least he thinks you do - and he is rarely wrong. I happen to have a basic understanding of that style. Shall we do a round of push hands?" She offered a hand - the push hands drill is a well known one where both players try to unbalance the other via forearm contact only. No striking is permitted, and the Iron cobra school is one of the most adept at this.

Te Sung, Beggar Leng, and Silver Moon (a girl with a mechanical left arm) are rounded up by Teacher Cao. "You've been picked by Honorable Sun, but... well, let's give him a moment to recover. After all, it's a family matter. Too sad, too sad." Cao's voice is a wheezing rasp, almost as if his voicebox was made from rusty metal. "I'll try and fill in for him for now. So. What do you think about our humble school? Did you notice anything peculiar about it? And even more importantly, did you connect Old Sun's words with the Old Classics and the Five Ways?" You are not sure what he is referring to. Perhaps it's just a mindgame, or a test of your abilities to spin an answer from things you've heard somewhere else...

Mei Sung bowed to the shorter woman. The two made a somewhat odd pair at the moment, with Master Li being in the traditional dress while Mei was more appropriately dressed for a shift on the railway line. "Certainly, Master Li. And it is the Iron Cobra that I've been trained in," she responded. The girl offered her hand in response, getting into position to begin the round. She knew this could be done in a cooperative manner, with each trading off the pushing method as a form of training, or as a competition between the two. Mei wasn't sure how Master Li would want to structure this, so she waited for further instructions.

Lu Zhang turned and listened to Qi-Yun Sung's explanation - and was taken aback by the flow of cultured speech. Her high class education (or what she remembered of it) allowed her to make sense out of his lyrical sentences, but he had her lost at "ineffable". That's one of those words that only dead writers use! She had no straight answer after he finished, and so she held her chin and pretended to reflect. "Notions of righteousness. Hm. Yes, that's an eloquent way to put it."

Kagero's abridged explanation came just at the right moment, and Lu Zhang nodded to him as silent thanks for the clarification. "True. And the other masters seemed even more bothered with him than Teacher Sun himself... they must know the details about this whole business. Though I suspect we first-year runts won't get any straight answers right away." She then shrugged her shoulders and looked up at Kagero with a slight smile. "I guess all our theories right now are far from definitive, huh? Oh well. I just hope we get a chance to watch the masters fight for real some time." She gave him and the others a last nod as they were split among the teachers.

Lu was pleased at first to be chosen by Teacher Wang, but his once cocky attitude soon became all too familiar to her. He had been her favorite teacher so far: muscled, confident, charismatic... almost her perfect idea of a Master. Aside from the flirting bit, perhaps. And yet here he was, sweating before a girl half his size. Why did physical strength yield to status so easily? She ignored his hesitance and made the customary bow. "I'll be in your care, teacher." He was probably like the others - she would have to show him she wasn't made of porcelain. And Fu Zhen... she had an idea of why he might be here, but she would rather ask later. For now, she just decided to finally look him into the eye before turning back to Teacher Wang. "Different relationship? We are equals. Period."

Wang might have been timid, but at least his instructions were to the point. Suddenly, Lu was in a race with Fu Zhen and the Cultured Gentleman from earlier. Without even looking at the others, she crouched low and looked up, like a cat ready to pounce. "Alright!" She grinned and, in a split second, she was in the air, darting straight towards one wooden platform above her. Ah, nothing like some action after all that talking! She would try to pounce from platform to wall to platform all the way to the top.

Daigo nods at the girl, looking her up and down. "Yeah, should be a kickass time if this is our first day so far." He clenched his fist, feeling his knuckles pop.

He watched Teacher Zhang wave to them, grinning as he beckoned them to follow him into the woods. He gave the girl a gentle elbow to her arm and nodded with his head to follow. "Let's get this show on the road, yeah?"

He walks toward where Teacher Zhang departed, eager to begin.

Qi-yun looked like he had been struck when Kagero spoke. His eyes focused, and his face scrunched in recognition, causing him to lose some of that daze that had been on his features since his arrival. Qi-yun opened his mouth only for his words to fail him, as Lu also seemed to respond to his rambling. It wasn't often that the people of Boat town listened to him speak, It was less common for people to actually respond to him. Really it was only those who either knew him, or else had business with him that gave Qi-yun a second thought after hearing him speak. It was less common for one to respond in kind.

"B-But are all gods not bound by such chains?" Qi-yun's voice quavered, and lost some detachment it had carried before since he now knew someone was listening. "The Queen found herself unable to smite her namesake for fear of how she would be seen..." His voice trailed off sounding incredibly uncertain. He was visibly relieved when the teacher called him over in the same normally dismissive tones Qi-yun was used to hearing.

When Teacher Wang said go, Qi-yun didn't hesitate as he jumped straight to the wall. He found foot hold on windows, ladders, but mostly on the uneven sections of the stone walls. Every foundation he found he would use to jump straight up towards the next, taking the hardest, but hopefully the most direct route towards the top.

"I am willing to absorb any pointers you have to offer regarding the school, Teacher Cao," said Te Sung. "As for Master Sun... and the Old Classics and the Five Ways... I will profess my ignorance of the subtleties and nuances you surely observed... except to say that Master Sun's words strongly suggest a laudable reluctance to act until it is absolutely necessary, and then only with the appropriate amount of force needed... and in a manner free from bloodlust. These are character traits of which I personally approve. Of course, it is sometimes hard to know what level of force is best for solving a problem... but that is why one seeks to be educated, is it not?"

Mei Sung finds her teacher to be quite too short for comfort. Bending down and twisting to accommodate teacher Li's short stature is sure to look funny from the side. Not that anyone thinks of making fun of Mei at the moment. The teacher, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice anything amiss, and leads through the usual, well known routine. Expand, press, thread, ward off. Huh, it sounds familiar, right? It's almost as if Mei was being invited to correct teacher Li, or apply some sort of trick. What she chooses to do now could have serious consequences on her time in the school...

Try as she might, Lu Zhang just can't win the race to the pearl. Despite her movements being close to those of a professional acrobat. Qi-yun almost sleepwalks, barely paying attention at all, yet he somehow always is ahead of her. The way he ascends straight up the rough stone wall seems impossible. The third contestant, the bodyguard, seems content to trail behind Lu. There is still time for a trick, if she wishes. Perhaps this is the actual test, seeing how she behaves when defeat is all but certain.

Teacher Zhang ruminates on the necessity of having a light step as the first and most important element of good kung fu. Kagero, Daigo and Jewel do sound like elephants, stomping after the teacher. "Well, children." He stops in front of a big oak, the tree's think branches hanging over the gravel path. "We'll practice your lightness skill. Please climb on the branch, and jump down on the gravel path while making the minimum of noise." He smiles apologetically. "A hundred times, please. Start now."

"You are modest. That is a characteristic worth nurturing" Cao replies as he chats with Te Sung, Leng, and Silver Moon. "Walking without leaving a shadow, being present yet invisible - those are some of the allegories the ancients have left us with to guide our thoughts. In any case, making an irreversible choice is something we should avoid. For example, killing is one such irreversible choice. The rivers and lakes community never tolerates needless death, and a bloodthirsty fighter will find himself hunted and put down like a rabid dog, or at least imprisoned for a long while. So, what are your views on giving people the benefit of a doubt? How far should they be allowed to bend and stretch to justify their misdemeanors?"

Kagero would have a bit of a smirk on his face as he listened to Lu Zhang's response to his explanation, since he believed that she was right on what she said, about both the theories and on the chance to see the masters fight. Though some of that did come from Qi-Yun's stuttering, and while Kagero wished for the chance to respond once more, Kagero too was called by Teacher Zhang.

Kagero wondered slightly, as he gazed over the others called with him, if there was a certain reason why each of them were paired off like this. Since Kagero didn't think it was mere coincidence that the people of the Red-Light District were put into a singular group all together. Though, Kagero's line of thought was broken slightly as he heard what Teacher Zhang had said. Kagero would simply give a small bow of his head, to say that he understood. Than, followed Teacher Zhang outside.

As Kagero listened to Teacher Zhang, Kagero noticed that this test was more than just being light on one's landing. Especially since going up and down the tree, a hundred times, could be quite fatiguing if done improperly. It would be especially interesting, since Kagero was trained to be more agile and powerful, rather than the finesse that would be more useful in this test. Though, Kagero wouldn't waste time analyzing, since it wouldn't help Kagero be any better at this. Deciding not to wait for any of the others to go first, Kagero would climb the tree, and land as quietly as possible. The first one, being more of a test to see if he would be able to land quietly or not.

Lu Zhang couldn't believe it. Here she was, trying to show off her speed to Teacher Wang, and yet Qi-Yun outran her seemingly without even making an effort. Was the race over? Was she really going to lose to... to some kind of poet? There was no way she could just forfeit like this on her first day at school.

How could she outrun him? At this moment, she remembered a saying from some ancient strategist, which her brothers often paraphrased in more crass terms: "In war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak." If Qi-Yun was so impossibly fast, maybe she had to avoid racing him all the way.

After all, if going up wasn't working, all she had to do was bring the pearl down!

Lu Zhang balanced herself onto one platform and, pausing her ascent, she took off her metal circlet. In one spinning motion she threw the circlet like a discus; up it went, bouncing off two walls before careening madly towards the pearl. If all went right, the force and angle of impact would be enough to dislodge the ornament, causing it to fall in an unpredictable path - and Lu alone would be ready to catch it as it fell.

Of course, this was a gamble. If Qi-Yun was sharp enough to notice her trick in time, he might be able to react and catch the pearl before her. But she was willing to take a risk, and besides, the Mystic looked like a distracted type.

In reply to Laozi (msg # 28):



Allegories? wondered Te Sung. Master Noric can do those things without half trying...



"People should always get a chance to change, if they are sincere about wanting to change. The problem is that the worse their selfish actions, or the longer such actions go on, the harder it becomes for anyone else to believe that such a person might be sincere about changing his or her ways..."

So far, Master Li hadn't indicated that this was a competition between either of them. The difference of height was simply a challenge for Mei Sung to deal with. Instead of trying to apply some sort of trick or comment on the obvious, Mei Sung positions herself into more of a squat position to continue to the exercise. It was more challenging, but the only true competition to improve one's strength and skill was yourself. Mei felt she could hold herself in the isometric squat position and still perform the push hands exercise. She also felt it would be a signal to Master Li that Mei Sung wanted to be pushed harder if Master Li was to be her long-term trainer here.

Daigo looks at Master Zhang incredulously. He watches as Kagero begins the absurd task, reaching the branch and falling to the ground like a leaf. He stands there for a moment, mouth agape.

Finally, he begins chuckling. The chuckle turns into a laugh, Daigo dropping his hands to his knees as he struggles to believe that this was really the first assignment.

He stands back up straight, tremors of laughter escaping his lips as he wipes a tear from his eye.

"That's it? That's what you brough us all the way out here for?"

He shakes his head, stepping up to the tree and picking a branch. Daigo had hoped they would dive straight into combat training. Maybe some sparring to show Zhang what they were made of, but the man wanted them to climb trees. Not gonna even take my jacket off for this one. He thought, looking upwards to the branch.

He launched from the dirt, clasping the branch in one huge hand. He hung there for a moment before descending to the ground, trying to be as quiet as possible. Agility was never his strong suit, but he knew he could show up the other guy if he really wanted to.

Kagero's landing is positively thunderous. Any louder, and it would startle teacher Zhang, who is raising an eyebrow even now. "Oh my. Are you trying to punish the gravel path, young master?" He chuckles. Kagero's raw power shined through the attempted soft landing. "Then again, with your station, this kind of skill isn't required. But still. Hmm." He taps his finger against his lips.

Daigo's antics didn't as much as wrinkle Zhang's eyebrows. The landing, while much better than Kagero's, still left much to be desired. "Huh. It seems, you both really do need my pointers. Sung's eyes have only improved with age." Jewel lands right next to Daigo, the petite girl displaying about the same aptitude for acrobatics as the scarred teenager. "You too, miss Jewel? Oh my." Zhang shakes his head. "Teacher Sung asked me to show you the Willow Step. It is a type of lightness kung fu. The first step on the road to learning it is feeling every pebble on the gravel path as you land. After enough repetitions, you will understand why I'm making you do this. Judging by your talent... we should be done with this by the evening." He smiles thinly. "You have only ninety-nine repetitions to do. I'll fetch the paper for the second part of the training." He turns and walks off, steps inaudible.

Just as you contemplate whether continuing the jumping up and down business is worthwhile, you hear a rustling deeper in the forest. Is that a black-clad person hiding behind that tree there?

Do you pursue, or feign ignorance?

---

Lu's circlet throws sparks as it bounces from stone walls, startling one or two other students standing on the shelves an watching the competition. The circlet follows an erratic path - then bounces off an outcropping, and in a shower of sparks, cuts the chain holding the shining pearl suspended. For brief moment as the pearl seems to refuse falling down; then the circlet strikes it as well, and it bounces off the walls...

...right into Lu Zhang's hands. Only... Qi-Yun is already there. His fingers close around the pearl in the same moment as Lu's, and the two find eachother holding hands, balancing on a thin beam a few dozen feet from the floor.

Do you fight for the pearl, or does one of you yield?

---

Teacher Cao stops and regards Te Sung for a long moment. "So do you put change above steadiness, or the other way round? Too much change, that might be much more trouble that you think. Suppose everyone thinks like that... then there'd be nothing unusual in me suddenly attacking you, no?"

The killing intent suddenly erupting from the teacher is very real, however. The dark aura rising from the seemingly frail ancient bespectacled man quite disturbing to someone as perceptive as Te. Cao turns to face his student - Te could swear a punch is thrown, fast and vicious enough to smash his skull...

...suddenly the killing intent is gone, the punch disappears as well - there's just the benign-appearing old man with the shadow of a sardonic smile.

"Yes, sometimes it is difficult realizing what is real, and what isn't; what is changed, and what is constant. I can't help with that... but I can teach you how to ignite your intent. Unless you want something else?"

---

Teacher Li smiles. Was this kid really challenging her to push... harder? This was almost too good to be true. So Li stretches out her hand. A single forefinger touched the middle of Mei Sung's chest.

Next thing  Mei knows, she's flying upside down through the air; the landing is quite a bit more unpleasant. She rolls and stands, the acrobatics training paying off dividends right now. A throbbing pain on her chest makes her take a peek - the spot where teacher Li's finger touched her displayed a large bruise.

"If your breath is strong enough, you can balance the entire Cosmos on one finger." Teacher Li smiles at Mei. "I'll teach you how. Unless, of course, you have different ideas."

Mei had been going through the push hands exercise with Master Li until the other, well, Mei didn't think she actually took offense to Mei adjusting the height difference between the two (and making it harder on Mei). Rather, she expected that the other woman appreciated Mei showing that she wanted to be pushed and not coddled.

The being sent flying through the air certainly confirmed that coddling was not on the list. The woman crashed into the ground, kicking up dust and stone with enough force to send her bouncing back and up again. The second time she managed to land on her feet with a midair flip, driving her legs into the ground to halt the backward progression.

Mei walked calmly back towards Master Li as she spoke, glancing at her chest briefly where she'd been struck. That was a ton of power. But was that physical strength or something else? she wondered to herself as she passed the crack in the floor where she had initially landed.

"I would learn, Teacher Li," Mei Sung replied with a respectful bow as she returned to the woman, still appearing to be perfectly ready to train despite the bruise as though it wasn't bothering her at all. This technique wasn't dissimilar to what Mei Sung used in her own training, but it was far more advanced and certainly wasn't Iron Cobra, from what she could tell.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:09, Sun 05 Nov 2017.

Landing on the Support beam pearl in hand, Qi-yun breaks a small smile. For he can not help but be proud. It takes him a moment to register her other hand. Frowning his eyes follow the hand down the arm, and to Lu's face. Qi-yun's eyes grow sharp, focusing in a way that makes his previous expression seem-not dead-but devoid of any actual life. He stares into Lu's eyes looking for something just beyond them.

With out letting go of the pearl Qi-yun closes his eyes, and crouching down he speaks in a slow metered tone. "You are sitting on a boat staring into the vast distance. The sun, and clouds are reflected on the water making the ocean seem as if it were nothing more than open air. And you, you are flying across the expanse chasing the sun, Desperately hoping that it never sets on you. Why is it that the night brings such fear?" Qi-yun waits for her answer, and assuming Lu answers introspectivly, he lets go of the pearl.

In reply to Laozi (msg # 34):




"I feel that, as with many things, the issue of change versus steadiness is one where, in both cases, moderation is best."

"As for 'igniting my intent...'" Te Sung shrugged. "I'm willing to listen, and learn... such things are why I am here."

Teacher Li nods and smiles. It's difficult to see her as a thin, mousy girl wearing noisy wooden footwear after that display of power. "Good, good. You'll need to pick up a couple of herbs for the ointment first. It will make practicing this much less painful." A faraway look in her eyes as she remembers her own training; she shakes those memories away. She gets out a note block and scrawls a few lines on it, then hands the paper to Mei. "Here, the prescription. There's a herbal shop in the east part of Red District, called "Green Eternity Pearls and Sundries".  Go.  She waves Mei away. The shop just might be reachable before the lunch break, if Mei hurries.

---

Teacher Cao adjusts his spectacles and gives Te Sung a long, evaluating look. "Really? I sense a lack of excitement there. Teacher Sun was certain this is the skill you lack. He argued that the dominance of yin in your essence would imbalance your personality, and make you... too girly and indecisive." Cao's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. "Yes, yes. Well, perhaps you could have more use for the Virgin Boy Golden Bell Hanging. It's a yin aligned defensive skill with amazing benefits. It does require a particular kind of discipline, however. Or we could work on your basics, even though I see your foundation is more than adequate."

Before lunchtime? Mei knew the rail lines inside and out, along with a lot of shortcuts and that her strength greatly aided her speed. She'd expect to be there and back by lunchtime, unless it was one of those ointments that took the maker a long time to make. "I will retrieve the ointment," she said.

With that, the girl was off to the Red District at top speed, using the routes learned over a lifetime of working on the rails to make excellent time. She had a permanent rail pass due to her job and took advantage, literally jumping onto trains and hanging from the door handles of cargo cars that were going her way already and riding them until she needed to jump off and run some more.

"I have found that displaying excitement is not always a necessary part of the learning process. Since you appear to be offering me a choice of direction regarding my curriculum... given the choices you offer, I think I shall choose the first choice you originally offered... but perhaps my perceived lack of excitement relates to the choice's description thus far. Please, tell me more... what exactly do you mean by 'igniting one's intent?'"

As soon as she spotted the pearl falling, Lu Zhang leapt towards it with a triumphant grin - but her fingers locked not just around the pearl, but also around Qi-Yun Sung's unfamiliar hand. Just how fast was he, exactly? With palms now locked, she landed just opposite the mystic on the wooden beam and looked up at him, responding his sharp gaze in kind. Qi-Yun wouldn't have much trouble reading her eyes and her posture, which all harbored a brash willingness to compete.

Of course, after that trick, she wasn't willing to let the pearl go so easily. As she waited some kind of physical reaction from him, her grip tightened ever so slightly on Qi-Yun's hand, but instead all she got was another round of poetry. "...?"

For a moment she said nothing, looking at his now crouched figure for some hint of his real plan - but, for all she could tell, there were no second intentions to his question. "Look, I'll admit, I didn't get all of that, but I'm here because I have something to prove." Her hand remained firm around the pearl as she improvised an answer - competitive as she was, she at least had to respond in kind. "How would you feel if a great dragon lurked right underneath your boat, always keeping you trapped in still waters? Even if the surface looks safe, you want to break free from what's hidden below." Not too bad, she thought to herself.

What now? A fight? No. She felt Qi-Yun letting go, and at last her hand closed completely around the pearl. Lu Zhang confirmed its presence for just a few seconds before looking back at him. What an odd victory. "Ahem. My name is Lu Zhang. I must say, your acrobatics just now were impressive, Mr..."

Teacher Li would certainly have been surprised at some of the shortcuts Mei took. So were some of the other commuters, as she brachiates along at a breakneck pace. The staff of the trains, already familiar with her antics, just shake their heads and wave. She's the incorrigible type anyways.

Red District is a jumble of back streets, street vendors, and disreputable businesses. The morning crowds are relatively light, but you still can't spit without hitting anyone. In the evening, streets will be chock full. Gang colours are everywhere, and an atmosphere of tense truce pervades people's behavior. Asking for that particular shop, she is quickly directed towards a four-storey wooden building, with a spacious porch littered with benches intended for tea connoisseurs.

The door gives off a soft squeak and a silver tinkle of bells as she goes in the shop. It is spacious, tidy, and lit in soft, steady, yellow light. The smell of hundreds of tea flavors assault her, making her eyes water for a second before she gets used to it. Just one customer is inside at the moment. It is a powerfully built man, cloaked in browns and yellows. He turns to take a look at Mei; his pitch black eyes regard her with cold interest. It is the Five Venoms Dragon! The salesman is in the back, judging by the rummaging sounds that can be heard from the storage.

"You are Mei Sung." It is a statement of fact, not a question. "Good. You can't return to that school."

---

Teacher Cao's grin widens slightly, and becomes a bit more unpleasant. "You surely know that correct strength comes from correct breathing. Correct intention  directs both breathing and strength. You might even say, harmonize. But there can be no intention without heart. No passion, means no heart."

Cao smacks Te Sung on the head with a walking stick, in the same way countless teachers did for thousands of years in a vain attempt to get their pupils' attention. The sound and slight pain often produce an enlightenment.

"I can't believe you're such a cold fish. Wake up."

---

Teacher Wang looks up at the pair on the beam, hoping to catch a panty shot of Lu Zhang.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Tue 07 Nov 2017.

Mei knew she couldn't get away with half the antics she did if she hadn't done a good job with fixing trains and the railway lines. Her work was always done well, and today she wasn't carrying a bunch of gear or materials with her when she did her train hopping, so the staff could be grateful for that. She didn't really care if the other commuters were surprised or not though; they could use something to liven up their day. The staff got waves in return from the girl before she departed.

The Red District was one of those where you kept aware of everyone but made eye contact with nobody unless you were looking for trouble. She made her way to the shop and walked in. Then there was Five Venoms Dragon.

"Five Venoms Dragon," Mei replied, her voice even. Her biorhythmic control allowed her to keep any natural fear or nervous reactions from cropping up. Showing such things did nothing useful and would give him an advantage. It was better for her to come across as unphased. Instead of stepping back, she crossed her arms casually as she glanced around the store briefly for the items on the list before returning her focus to him. The glancing around would also afford her the opportunity to check for traps, ambushes, or anything else that might be useful if the man tried anything, such as improvised weapons or an escape route "You've been watching me. Why? And do you have another name I can address you by?" She didn't address the question of why he told her she couldn't go back to the school.

There are no traps or ambushes here, as far as Mei can determine. It's just a well-appointed tea and herbal shop, with all the fittings one would expect from this. The ceiling is high, the yellow light coming from faux candles. Her experience allows her to notice that the building is quite fire-proof, with flame retardant building materials, and well hidden sprinklers, even though everything is built to appear ancient.

Five Venoms Dragon folds his own prescription in half, then straightens the paper again. "En" he says, seemingly unsure whether Mei is testing him, or simply ignorant. It takes him half a minute to decide that the latter is the case. "I am An Sung." He makes a weighty pause, sizing her up again. The "An" in his name means "Proud" in the ancient dialect. "You already found a teacher before coming to Final Stand, it seems, but they haven't initiated you into our family arts. You don't have anything to learn from the hypocrites, charlatans and murderers in that school anyways." The tone of his voice acquires a poisonous edge. The woman teacher Sun killed must have been someone precious to him. "I can teach you. You can assume your rightful place in our family. Even if you choose not to come with me... Sun has surely picked up on who you are by now. Final Stand is not safe for you."

There is no obvious sign of subterfuge in his demeanor. Then again, how often do people show up, claim to be long lost relatives and try to pull you into a whole new mess?

"Family arts?" Mei Sung replied. "Look, I know I was orphaned and all that sort of thing, but Sung is a fairly common name. Have you any proof to back up such a relation?" the girl replied. Sure, as a kid she had fantasies of some noble family coming to meet her, but that was long in the past.

"Why did you come to the school today?" Mei questioned. She didn't expect it was to just make a big show of himself and then leave.  It would make sense if he didn't start anything because of her presence, but then again, why reveal himself at all when he'd already identified her from above?  "And why would I be threatened there because of who I am?"  She didn't necessarily have anything against this man, but he was making some bold claims and would need to back them up if he wanted her to give them serious consideration.

Te Sung raises an eyebrow. "Please do not do that again. If you attempt to do so, I will do my best to injure you, as badly as I can without killing you. I do not think it will be a problem for you, though, for my respect for your abilities is such that I would expect that I would be the one who would be hurt. But if you start to do that to me again, I will do my best to harm you. It seems to be what you desire from me. I hesitate, even now, only out of concern for my own safety."

An Sung spent another long moment looking at the girl. "So... you really don't know. I see. Your teacher worked you hard to protect you from this moment. I see, I see. But thinking that you'd avoid attention just because you practiced a watered-down kungfu and worked on the railroad is wishful thinking."

"Your father was a scion of the Five Venoms Sect. Your mother was a master from the Qingchen sect. One a heretic, the other orthodox. As it is so often, opposites attract." He smiles thinly. There's a romantic story with a tragic end lurking behind his brief description. "They came to the palace to flee the martial societies and live as a common married couple; this cost a lot of favors. They wanted a perfect child, perhaps. Or they might have been genuinely tired of it all. But they were found out nevertheless."

He waves his hand. "That is all in the past. Dead people will stay dead. But every student being accepted in martial arts academies is screened. I came today to see for myself, and I am certain."

"I could describe the birthmark on your inner thigh if you still refuse to believe me." He tries to put a little humor in those words, but fails. "You'll be dragged into the war before long now that your identity is known. In the end, you can only choose between being a pawn, or a more valuable piece. All sides will want something from you... but I hope you'll choose to return to your family. We'll do our best to protect you."

---

Teacher Cao adjusts his glasses. "My mistake. You're not a cold fish. You are a dead one." He chuckles. "Perhaps I can find some dead fish technique that would compliment you? Inverted Floating of the Golden Carp?" He laughs aloud. "No, no. A dead fish would at least move when hit with a stick. You need something dynamic, such as Dance of the Buried Turtle. Yes, that sounds appropriate." More laughter, as he sits on a bench.

Silver Moon, the girl who Cao picked with Te Sung, looks thoroughly uncomfortable. She was working hard to ignore the whole business until now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:45, Tue 07 Nov 2017.

Kagero gives an unimpressed scoff, as he landed on the ground. Mostly due to how much rw power shined through; Kagero was always disillusioned with the fact that Kagero was "heavy handed". Though, when Kagero heard Teacher Zhang's small quip, Kagero couldn't help but respond in kind as well.

"But of course, the gravel is hard upon the soles of my feet. So they must be punished, Teacher Zhang."

Kagero would than listen to what Teacher Zhang would say afterwards, and would raise an eyebrow to what Teacher Zhang said afterword, about this Teacher Sung. Though, for the moment, Kagero brushed it off for another time. Afterwards, Kagero decided to think more on the landing business, though noticed the figure watching from behind.

Kagero didn't make any eye contact with the strange figure watching, mostly since Kagero wanted to know what that figure's intentions were. Also, it was because Kagero was sure of his athletic abilities. It was true that he had raw power, but he also had great speed as well. So, for the time being, Kagero would feign ignorance. Kagero also wanted to see how Jewel and Daigo would interact with this as well.

Kagero would give a shrug and speak to the others

"Well, I think I'll try this a few more times and see if I can improve, after all I have nothing else to do. Also, who knows, the view up there can reveal some things to us, yes?"

Kagero would once again ascend the tree, but as he did, he would try to subtly watch the strange figure watching them.

Te Sung does not move, not even a little bit, except that he speaks: "I'm afraid this approach is even less likely to succeed. My respect for your presumed martial ability is high, but it does not seem that you have the cleverness required to properly insult me in a way that would cause me to be so foolish as to attempt to attack you over mere words. If you feel you must enrage me, I suggest you try something else." He pauses, then: "If it means anything, I sympathize with the frustration you must be feeling. Your private shame at behaving in such a demeaning way must be great."

Secretly, Te Sung wonders if Cao will come, now, and attempt to kill him, but if that is what must happen, so be it. Te Sung watches for any sign of impending attack. If he is to die, he will do his best to take his attacker with him, or at least to scar him in some way that will never be forgotten.

"I will consider what you have to say, but I must verify the authenticity. Even if it were true, however, I would be family in name only. I did not grow up with the family or with the same philosophies. I will return to the school, however. I do not know you well enough to take you at your word or to know that you do not also wish to use me as a pawn in the war. Additionally, I may learn more there. I have lived with danger most of my lif and this will be no different," Mei replied.

She shrugged a little bit. "Perhaps you will be right and perhaps I will see that. But that is something I must discover based on my own observation and investigation, and I thank you for the warning. If I may ask, what relation are you to my parents?" If he was family, he shouldn't have a problem revealing that information.

Teacher Cao seems amused at Te Sung's words. The bench creaks softly as he shifts his weight, leaning on a walking stick. "Yes, very nice. If a fish struggling on dry land can be called nice. And to think your apparent modesty misled me so much. I must really be getting too old. Now, note that those are not insults, merely weak attempts at trying to wake you up. But you are a stubborn, proud, and egotistical turtle - and I give up on you. You are free to remain just as you are. Perhaps it is your destiny? I see why the honorable Sun wanted you in his own group. He likes difficult cases, and probably had something planned for you."

His attention shifts to Silver Moon. "So you use the iron fist style? Show me." The girl stood at attention, bowed, and started a practice form. Her artificial arm whirred and made metallic sounds during the punches.

"We'll have to work on that arm a bit. I think I already know how to increase its movement range. Your form could use improvement as well." He seems to pay no further attention to Te.

---

An Sung grunts. "Sure. Just ask your mentor. He probably knows. But hurry up - you probably have only a day or two before things go to Hell. And then, you'll have only one safe place to stay - and that's with your true family. Family i blood, not just growing up together or sharing philosophies. As for my connection to you - well, you can call me uncle An."

The shopkeeper, an ancient white-bearded old man, had arrived a few seconds before with a jar, and stares slack-jawed at Mei after having heard those last few words.

"Grandpa shopkeeper knows how to find me when you need me." An gives the shopkeeper a few silver coins and collects the unguent he came for. Then he reaches out and gently closes the old man's gaping mouth. In turn, the shopkeep comes to his senses and laughs embarrassedly.

"Sorry, sorry. This old man really was surprised. Can I offer any service to the young Miss?"

Qi-yun stayed still for a moment as he absorbed the answer, cutting through it to another truth. Without opening his eyes he spoke in a voice that rang clear through the noise of training below. “A dragon can circle a ship, it can breath fire in hopes of causing one to alter course. What a dragon can not do however, is stop a sailor from plowing through the flames. Your ship may burn, and you may find yourself swimming half dead for the shoreline.” He now opened his eyes once again glazed and unfocused, but now a touch forlorn. “You are never trapped. You are just rightfully afraid of what the cost of freedom might be.” And with a sigh a subtle tension was released from his posture.

“Hmm..? Qi-yun, my name is Qi-yun.” His eyes once again trail back to lu’s face though his expression traded in the intensity for consternation.  “I feel your ascent was more impressive Mrs.Zhang. I was meant to fly, but you moved as if carried on the currents even while attached to the ground by plates of iron.”

Considering that all of Mei Sung's mentors were currently female, this told her that An perhaps didn't know as much as he let on. Or that perhaps he thought that Sun was her mentor.

She turned to the shopkeeper and offered the list. "These will be fine please," the girl said to him. She looked back to An. "I'll find you if I determine it is the correct course of action." She wasn't completely sold on the man's story and needed to do some additional snooping around. There were other things he'd said that she wanted to look into.

Te Sung remained still. He was interested in Silver Moon's arm, and the strangely named "iron fist" style... but he never took his eyes off Cao. For all he knew, this was a feint, and Cao might attack at any moment. If so... Te Sung would be ready. If not... he would still be ready, until he was told to go somewhere else.

Frankly, he would probably remain on guard for quite some time, even if he did go somewhere else.

Te Sung realized he had been almost eager to die, if the process of dying meant he would be justified in attempting to destroy Cao.

He wondered what that said about him.

He would think about it later, when he was certain that neither he nor Cao were about to try to annihilate one another.

An Sung shrugs and turns to leave. "Fair enough. If you find yourself in more trouble than you can chew, look for me."

The proprietor takes a look at the prescription. He's friendly and professional. "Oh, the Songshan recepture. I'll mix it right away. Here, have some black tea while you wait." He serves Mei with a cup of fragrant tea, then retreats to work on the mixture. "Should be done in a few minutes," he said.

The lull gives Mei a chance to take stock of her situation and determine whether to return to the school, or try and find out more right away.

---

"Yes, I had a student or two with a silver arm before. A long time ago, I remember there was a black-haired girl from a ship. Her arts revolved around the silver arm - she called them... ahh, it was a long time ago, and she had a terrible accent. Panzerkunst, I believe it was called. I can show you one or two things from it."

Cao warmed up to Silver moon quickly, and seems to have forgotten all about Te. The third member of the study group, Beggar Leng, seems to have simply disappeared.

What will Te Sung do?

She had some extra time and knew how to get to the school rather quickly due to her knowledge of the railway.  Teacher Li had given her no timetable for her return either. She also wondered if Teacher Li was in on this. It was rather a coincidence to run into An Sung this quickly. There was no reasonable way for him to have followed her. The railways were too fast and there were few people who could jump from train to train like Mei and actually know where they were going.

But she had a name to work with now. There would be records, and she could go look into those briefly. Not for long, but long enough to know what she had to work with. They would be present in the lists of nobility that were present in some of the libraries. She could guess at a few, but her best bet would be in the Palace district.

Fortunately, as a worker, she could enter there easily as long as she didn't try to just waltz into the palace itself. But the library, that she could manage. Once she got the medicine, she would go do a quick bit of research before returning to the school and planning her next move.

Unfortunately for Teacher Wang, there were no pantyshots to be had that day - Lu Zhang was wearing spats underneath her clothes, and everyone knows those don't count as underwear. Fiddling idly with the pearl, she adopted a more relaxed posture on the beam as Qi-Yun answered. What he said sounded motivational, but it made for difficult conversation. "That's... deep. I'll keep that in mind."

Even if his advice was cryptic, his praise was on the spot - the whole "plates of iron" metaphor was just the right line to flatter a tomboy like Lu Zhang. Her face softened into a half-cocky, half-flustered smile as she put one hand behind her head. "Oh my, you know how to flatter a lady!" Maybe having a poet friend wasn't so bad after all. "But you'd have won if this was a straight race. I see I have some catching up to do if I'm to achieve the results I want."

"And speaking of catching up..." Remembering the race's third competitor, Lu Zhang peeked down to find Fu Zhen. They had stayed in place for a good few seconds now, and the bodyguard still hadn't caught up. Fishy... "I'll see you down there, Qi-Yun." With a leap, she would rush in front of wherever the bodyguard was, hoping to catch him offguard. She grinned and held the golden pearl in front of him. "You weren't racing seriously back there, were you? There's no point in attending a fancy school if you don't try to do your best. Or... are you fine with just staying behind and trying to catch my fall?" Hopefully, she would confirm her hunch about him.

In reply to Laozi (msg # 55):

Te Sung watches Cao carefully. If he was going to ignore him, or more likely pretend to ignore him, he would watch Cao dealing with Silver Moon. After all, he might have to spar with Silver Moon someday... might as well see if he could observe anything useful.

Te Sung remembered to keep his guard up, though...

Mei takes a detour to the public records section in the Palace. It's just off the biggest train station on the edge of the district, and tens of thousands of people have business there each day. She faces a new opponent now. The huge ornate building and its hundreds of labyrinthine hallways, filled with schizophrenic bureaucracy that makes acquiring information a nightmare...

(Mei has a single level of persuasion, so she succeeds with some large flaw.)

Soon enough she realizes this search will take forever, even after having gotten help from quite a few officials. She can either be satisfied with partial information, and still make it back to school before evening - or get full information from the public records hall, but spend until evening there.

---

Cao  put the girl through some stances, giving pointers, while Silver Moon acted servile and self-depreciating towards the old man. Before long, it's almost like watching a grandfather play with his granddaughter.

Given Te's high Perception, he noticed a thing or three about the girl's fighting style. Her over-reliance on the artificial limb can be exploited, he reasons. It weighs more than her natural hand, making her stance asymmetrical, and slowing movement in certain directions.

(Te gets to reduce the Force of one of Silver Moon's moves by 10 next time they fight; you can pick highest or lowest, attack or defense)

Cao glances sidelong at Te, aware that the young man is sizing up his classmate, and planning how to defeat her. "Well, as long as you are here. Would you two like a sparring match? I have nothing else planned for today anyways. Silver Moon seems to be eager to try out some of the things I told her about. What do you say, little Sung?"

---

Fu Zhen was never far off; a few meters below, behind, and generally out of sight. After the faux confrontation is done, he waits on the ground. Lu pokes fun at him, but he bears it with a stoic little smile. "I'm just... doing my duty." He offers a smile. Bodyguards are a strange kind of person, Lu decides. Throwing away their own lives...

Teacher Wang was disappointed about the lack of opportunity. He was also clearly miffed that things didn't end in a fight. Oh well. Can't win all the time, right?

"Good, good. Lu Zhang gets a cookie. Now be a darling and put the pearl back on its place. " He scratches his chin, thinking about ways to provoke the two into fighting nevertheless. but comes up empty. "You're all quite skilled. I can't really teach you anything significant about wallcrawling, it seems. So, let's move on. Is there something in particular that interests you? Any special technique? History? Oh, the toilet is outside behind that big oak, by the way." He grins.

Mei needed to return in time. Satisfied with partial information, or at least with the fact she could always return later, she left the public records section and returned to the school, using her shortcuts to shave time off the trip.

Te Sung bows. "I would be honored to spar with Silver Moon. I accept."

(OOC: If I understand you correctly, I can knock 10 off a certain thing? I'll choose to knock 10 off her strongest attack.)

Daigo watched Teacher Zhang walk off, gritting his teeth. Ninety-nine more of this shit? He thought, pulling his crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lit it, looking around at the trees around them.

His eyes stopped at the figure lurking among the foliage. He put his pack back into his pocket slowly.

"Dunno if it's just me, but you two see that fucker in the trees?"

Without letting Kagero or Miss Jewel answer, Daigo jumps forward. Cigarette clamped between his teeth, he yells, holding a fist back for a punch.

Qi-yun stared off into the middle distance for sometime. Something felt off about the previous conversation that he just couldn’t put his finger on. Something had gone unsaid, and he felt it looming like a great shadow. He trailed his eyes up in hopes of seeing what thoughts may be sitting just out of reach, and locked his eyes on the damaged chain the had been holding the pearl.

“Oh, right still more questions to be found.” Without thinking on his actions Qi-yun lept to the chain. He climbing it to the cut from earlier, and removed that link from the whole, and carried the length back down to where Teacher Wang was waiting.

“I don’t believe it is in our interest to tell you how to lead your lessons. Do you not have a grand scheme in mind like so many of your kind.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...mon_Chinese_surnames
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxia

Intrusion - Teacher Ma - nicknamed "cow" - a fat lady. You'd never believe how small a space she can squeeze through.
Acrobatics - Teacher Wang - cocky perfectionist, flamboyant, weak spot for girls
Persuasion - Teacher Zhang - smooth operator stereotypical in every way.
Raw Strength - Thing young girl - Teacher Li - daughter of Hostess Li
Perception - headmaster - Teacher Wang - monk
Contacts
Independence - Teacher Cao