Post by Ayami on Jan 17, 2021 12:08:40 GMT
[Babystep Weights Applied, PL gains doubled!]
The family techniques...Martial Arts considered too dangerous for the unprepared to make use of. That was what Grandma said time and time again, but even as Ayami became stronger, even as she encountered so many different people, still Aya refused to teach these techniques to the young elfen. The inventor just couldn't figure it out. If she wasn't prepared with power, or with experience, then what was she missing...? As she walked the streets of South City her mind raced with thoughts, with doubts...Was she just incapable of what was required to wield the true Tensoryouken's power? Would she ever find the answer? It seemed a distant answer as the elfen wandered in search of distractions. But everything seemed to remind her of how she fell short. Posters advertising martial arts classes, or signs with martial arts stars; both things that normally drew interest from the girl were instead things that made her wonder repeatedly if her form was incorrect. Were minute errors enough to draw her short of what was required?
But that couldn't have been the answer, she practiced her form every day for hours. It had been drilled into her mind and body from a very young age. So if it was none of these things that she lacked...Then what? What could have caused her to fall short of something she wanted to inherit? Was it her mental state? Was it greed? Had her desires all along been utterly selfish ones without even stopping to realize as much? For once the enthusiastic inventor's demeanor was a solemn one. With her hands in her pockets and her head held low she walked...Up until she ended up bumping into a rather burly man, all due to not looking where she was going. The hell? Why was this guy just standing there with his back facing her? The man only glanced back for a second before turning his attention back to whatever was ahead of him. The whole accident knocked Ayami right out of her doubt driven stupor, and she realized it wasn't just one guy - It was a whole crowd. A large crowd was gathered in a circle on the street watching something unfolding! From the sounds of it...
"... A fight?"
Street Fighting usually wasn't the elfen's thing. She preferred something with flair, something showy. A battle that drew hordes of fans to watch the spectacle. Street fighters too often lacked what a real martial artist should have. They TURBO lacked it, like a kid at an arcade. But this...? Despite being right here in the street it drew tons of people! Ayami quickly pushed through the crowd to get a glimpse at just what was going down. Within a few moments she was able to nudge her way to the front and it was there that she got her first glimpse of what it was that drew so many people in with great interest. The thing that had people cheering and raising their hands in excitement as they watched what should have been an ordinary scrap between talent-less thugs.
Well, that assessment was half correct anyway. a rough and tough delinquent was hunched over in a primal fighting stance. Everything about them screamed "Brawn and no brains". His hair was a mop of black unkempt locks, his clothing was a pair of tattered blue jeans, a yellow t-shirt, and a black jacket. His hands were covered in bandages - Clearly from getting into scraps. Against someone unprepared he would wreak uncontrolled havoc and tear them asunder. But against his opponent? Unlikely. His opponent was odd...But flashy. A woman sporting blonde slicked back hair, a red track suit, sunglasses with a golden frame, and a black dress coat draped freely over her shoulders. Unlike the brute she was up against her "Fighting style" was...Unconventional. Her movements were fluid and graceful, like the opening of a dance as her feet slid across the paved road underneath and her arms danced around through the air. The thug rushed at the dancer, and in response she quickly dropped down, performing a spinning brake dance by tilting on a pivot point with her legs splayed outwards. The thug's moment was far too great to stop himself and it resulted in her swift moves tripping him backwards. With the brute utterly disgraced, the dancer hopped to her feet by pushing herself off with her hands, and then slid away as if skating on ice, all without losing an ounce of grace the entire time.
The crowd roared in excitement as they bore witness to the spectacle. Even Ayami who had been down suddenly found her spirits lifted as the show of it all was too much to resist. The thug got up off of his back and was now brandishing a scowl. With a shout of anger he drew a pocket knife and rushed the woman again, aiming to stab her with it in revenge for the disgrace brought upon him. Rather than panic under the pressure, the woman simply smiled.
"How cute."
And with her singular taunt she proceeded to dance a circle around him, grabbing hold of the arm which held the pointy poker and within an instant she delivered a swift raising kick right into his elbow, causing him to not only drop the knife but clutch his arm in pain as he let out a grunt. With him stunned and slowly backing away the woman danced forward before delivering three swift spinning kicks. - The first two to his chest, the last to his jaw. The flurry of graceful strikes sent him falling right to the ground unconscious. The crowd once more cheered as the fight had come to its conclusion, and as for Ayami...?
"That's rad!!!"
The elfen's eyes opened wide in surprise, she felt...Inspired! Perhaps what she lacked all along was grace in movement? That special kind of rhythm that drove not just dancers, but martial artists as well. Ayami rushed over to the woman as the crowd began to disperse, she had so many questions! But chief among them was obvious:
"Where did you learn to fight like that?! I have to know, please!"
The woman turned back towards Ayami, with a hand clutching the side of her sunglasses she lowered them to get a look at the elfen who was now asking her something like that. Rather than take offense however...The dancer smiled and gave a greeting nod before speaking up.
"I learned it from a disco place here in South City. The Citrus Sands Disco Palace."
So she had learned it not from a martial artist, nor an instructor, but a disco palace...? The inquisitive inventor gave an enthusiastic nod and a bright smile, acknowledging the answer given and making a mental note of the business's name.
"Thank you!!! I'm gonna go there right now!"
The graceful dancer simply nodded to affirm the thanks given. But it seems she had a word of advice before the elfen ran off to see this style of fighting for herself.
"Sure, but watch out for that Miraculous J. He plays fast and loose with the art of dance. Nobody there can beat him!"
Miraculous J...There was a name Ayami was SURE she had heard once before...Back then when she was at that arcade! That man in the bright red jacket had challenged her to a dance-off. One that she summarily lost in short order...She knew she had her work cut out for her but she just HAD to learn this sleight of foot first hand. There was no time to waste! If she wanted to live up to her Grandmother's expectations this was exactly the route that would lead to that!
[END OF PART 1]
