Way of the Samurai

[Kurenai Yumi]

Yumi sat still next to the water fall near the temple on Tython, on-top of a rock in a traditional Riben-Jin Seiza style, eye closed, the only sense active where those of the ear and nose. It had been a day or two since her and [member="Karren Trask"] had arrived on the planet, somewhat unconventionally but they where here non the less.

The young Jedi had been shaken up by the events that transpired on the cruise liner, but slowly Yumi had been showing her ways to vent pent up anger and emotion in a controlled fashion without giving into hate. It had been a bit difficult, Jedi teaching forcing the girl to bottle up her emotions, a stupid sentiment in her mind. Emotion were what made them, well them, denying that was not something that should ever be done, Yumi wondered if she had not met Karren the young Jedi would have fallen completely to the dark-side and be completely consumed by pain and suffering.

"......... *sigh*, this galaxy has not changed a bit", her eyes opened, taking in the sight of the cascading water fall, "History just keeps retreating itself over and over again, rise of the Jedi, rise of the Sith, fighting, darkness death". Her hand moved to her left kidney, the sight of her last battle wound, inflicted on her by Kyrel Ren, "Then an empire, which soon falls from the indies, then the cycle starts all over again". Some would have given up hope on the galaxy and just don what they wanted to without a care for others. She was like that, but her family had found purpose in preserving the knowledge of the galaxy in preparation for any cataclysmic event, passing on said knowledge and teaching was just another way to do that.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren nodded. She had her hair braided this time, on her right shoulder and nothing but her tan tunic and trousers on. It had been a little while since their last lesson. Her arm was recovering faster now, though not yet fully healed. It was snug under a wrap, with a few spots of blood from the wound pushing out infection. Even as healer herself, the process was not fast nor perfect.

"I agree. But I do have duty to stand by the institutions that protect the free folks of the Galaxy."

She opened her eyes and cocked her head to the side, regarding the strange Mercenary woman who had become her teacher.

"What is it we are learning today?"

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenais head and eye continued to look forward as Karren addressed her, she respected the girls wishes to protect uphold the law, unlike the Sith and other similar her duty had a sense of fulfillment, not hallow power that results in nothing. "You may do as you wish, and I encourage you to continue in your endeavor, perhaps the galaxy may return to the day before the clone wars, just without the Sith lurking in the shadow".

She smiled a bit at the woman eagerness o learn, even despite the wound, but Kruenai was more then willing to pass up more knowledge, "If only my children were as eager to learn from me as you are". Streching her arms the aged woman stood up, walking over to the same training ground they had used for their last bout, the sighs of the fight still evident, her arms beconing Karren to follow her.

"You have problem with taking down opponents without giving into anger or hurting them, now some Jedi would teach you mraital arts of some sort, or a froce trick to take them down, but both methods require time to use in combat and do not always work, so I will teach you the basics of my own CQC".

"This type of fighting specializes in disarming your opponent fast and following up with an attack to stun or stagger, which then follows up with a downing move, to put them into the floor, it relies on flowing though enemy attacks and performing the moves one after the other, almost as a single action, making it hard to counter" Kurenai took a defensive like fighting stance, left arm in front on her right. both at 45 degree angle to one another, "I want you to try and attack me, and I'll show you what I mean, use your light saber and all".

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren nodded, drawing her lightsaber from a holster at the small of her back. The blade sprang to life with a snap hiss and she took her familiar Makashi stance. One foot slid back and sideways and her lead hip and foot pointed towards Kurenai, presenting only her right side. Now as a small target her only vulnerability was her back being too exposed. Which could be mitigated by foot work.

Then she raised the emerald blade, moving the tip in a small circle, searching for an opening.

BUZZZ

With grace she shuffled forewords one step and flicked the blade with her wrist. It was a graceful but powerful strike, a flourish in a V across the front of her body, aiming to catch her guard up in the tangle of bladework. It was on stun of course.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai stayed still ad Karren moved her emerald blade around, looking for a chance to strike, normally this stance was better suited for offensive fighting, but the same lesson on defensive art could still be taught using it. The strike came, in a v shape aimed at her center, coming from the bottom, a type of guard beak that was not to uncommon.

Kurenai kept her ground allowing the blade to pass in front of her with a slightly back step on one foot, but keeping her left arm froward, putting it close to the arm Karren held the light saber in, shifting forward to the side as the blade passed. In a quick movement Kurenai borough her left foot behind Karrens and right arm below her saber, attempting to lock her arm and trip the young Jedi over in one move.

In addition the veteran mercenary push off her right foot, aiming to drive it into Karren chest, though did not put much force behind it as to not hurt the woman if it hit. If such an attack was successful the Jedi would find herself suddenly in a backwards flip, that would make her land face side up.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

The attack worked. In quick succession she tripped over the foot locked behind her, and the additional attack impacted her with a puff of air escaping her chest. She fell backwards, the last of the air driven from her as her back struck the ground. She growled in frustration, locking eye's with Yumi.

"How, just..... how?"

Karren was quick to regain her composure however and rose, pushing her self off the floor and then letting her saber fly back to her hand from where it had skidded off. This time she would not use it, a already it had been established that Yumi was too good for her tricks. Even her changing forms probably wouldn't help.

Instead she stashed it in the holster at the small of her back and nodded, then copied her position, one foot slightly back, the other forward, hips squared with both hands in front of her. One high one low.

"Again."

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

The move worked in quick succession, though Kurenai did not put as much force into the attack but it still had the desired outcome, the frustration on Karren face becoming apparent again, she was very competitive, how did they become a Jedi in the first place? "Remember what we talked about, I have 8 centuries of mercenary training with me, trial and error, battlefield testing", she released Karren from the hold and stepped back, giving the young Jedi some space. "Do not get frustrated so easily, there will always be people stronger and more powerful, don't view it as a discouragement, use it as something to aspire and reach".

A small smirk appeared on Kurenai's face upon Karren mimicking her stance, she was an eager and fast leaner, though a little rash often. "When using this stance picture yourself as a piece of rope, as it is hit the ends come down and strike the person that attacked, like that piece of rope buckle under the strike, move with it, but the limbs that are not being used, strike with them... ready"? Kurenai edged closer to Karren before throwing a right jab, seeing how the she would react to a simple attack.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren nodded and then stepped forwards and left. As the jab came racing for her, her left arm shot up and swatted it wide with an open palm chop. then her arm snapped in, gripping Yumi across the body, trying to hook behind the left side of her neck and force it down.

Into her waiting knee, which was driven up with a quick snap.

"Ungh!"

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai did not put much force into the attack, her inhuman most likely would have sent the young girl flying, it was a test, to see how her body would move, what way would she buckle and strike back. Practice made perfect, and Kurenai did not mind being the punching bag to pass her skills on, nor did she have any problems with the amount of time it took, she was very patient.

The move Karren put on was good for some bigger, using their weight against them. the wind being knocked out of her lungs when the knee came, now all she had to do was finish off the move, lest Kurenai decided to get out of it. A simple shift in wight to make her tumble over the Jedi knee or using a free hand to lift the armored mercenary up would do the work, and leave her on the ground face up.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren readjusted her grip, removing her hands, and dipping one to catch Yumi below the chin. Then she lifted, trying to fling her back upright, and trip her so she fell flat on her back.

A basic Tenet of Teras Kasi, where the head goes, the body goes.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

It seemed Karren had other Ideas about how to finish off the move, personally Kurenai would keep using the moment up of the opponent to flip them froward but to his own and all. The chin grip was firm and she allowed Karren to follow through with the move, falling on her back, but placing on hand down and doing a backwards roll, bringing herself back up onto two feet.

"Good, a bit different to what I do, but combining different elements from other marital arts and staying unpredictable is a key aspect of CQC, do you want me to strike again, or would you prefer a spar"?

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren backed up, resetting her guard. Her hips squared with Yumi and she crouched, digging her heels in as her right foot slid back a bit. Both hands came up in half closed claws, fingers towards her palm and thumbs tucked in.

"Let's combine the techniques. You fight me with yours, I'll adapt yours with Teras Kasi."

She nodded, casting her stern stare into her teachers eyes. The force flowed through her once more, though this time much more subtle. A blend of hurricane rage, and calm ripples of serenity across a pond. It invigorated her, keeping her centered, but bolstering her strength beyond that of a normal Jedi's ability.

It was tiring as well, draining her focus.

"Your move."

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

She gave a nod to Karren, "I agree, in your line of work using Teras Kasi will be very useful when you fight force users, and what I teach will make you able to take on much larger and stronger proponents as well as disarming and no lethal take downs" Kurenai gave a deep breath, calming herself for the coming spar, , allowing the force to run through her body, providing strength and percussion.'Its show time'. she whispered to herself, entering combat stance once again, arms at 45 degrees to each other, though in this case her left are higher then her right, both pals open and relaxed

Kurenai stood still for a second, allowing a leaf in the distance to drop before acting, her right and left legs shifted in unison, coming within arms reach of Karren. Keeping her left arm set in place she launched a quick jab aimed at Karrens center of mass, though she would not put full force into the punch, she was not going to go easy on her new student.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

Karren growled.

"Ugh!"

The strike landed, but it was a necessary sacrifice. As the air left her lungs she wheezed and then reacted, launching an open palm strike up and under Yumi's chin. If she managed to force her head back, she'd gouge for the face, trying to catch a hold on it and follow through.

Her opposite hand grabbed for Yumi's, to try and pull her off balance.

Then she finished with a high knee towards her center mass, leaning into the attack.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Yumi allowed the open palm to hit her jaw, it was on not much concern, what she was looking out for was grapples, holds and other attack to put her off balance, small hit here and there were not of importance, unless they caused some sort of injury. With two arms free to reach Yumi threw a side back hand against Karren free arm in an attempt to knock it aside, while delivering a left elbow to her knee to counter act the.

After this she moved her right leg around to try and knock Karren on her one foot, if successful Yumi would follow up with placing her hand on the woman stomach and forcing her not so gently into the ground.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

It was fast. Much faster than Karren anticipated. Yumi's move lammed her down and she grunted, air leaving her lungs again. This time she tapped. The ground was an indefensible position for her. Her palm tapped a three beat pattern on the floor, signifying surrender. Then she stood and hunched over, wheezing to catch her breath.

"I still have.....a lot....to learn."

The hour was getting late. It was time for Karren to take some rest, meditation, and reflect upon her days learning...

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai gave her student a small but kind smile as she was held on the ground, "you may have a lot to learn, but I have a feeling you will catch on very quickly". She relaxed the hold on Karren and pulled her back up onto their feet, "Come, I think that is enough practice for today, don't want you to wide up with a broken bone like I did". Yumi beckoned the young Jedi to follow as they made their way back to came, both deserving a nice rest.

[member="Karren Trask"]

(story end)