3: Heights Not Yet Attained
"Not at all. I just don't think that's a very good idea, is all."
You were not starting a fight, but you may have been taunting him a little. Your little smile probably didn't help.
For that reason, you were not exactly surprised when you spotted a blur of movement coming from your right. You leaned back seamlessly, the swipe of the half-oni's hand, fingers arched like rakes to tear at whatever flesh they caught.
Your grip on his wrist tightened, unwilling to let him get a second shot with a different hand. You tracked his free arm as it came back across.
An opening. It was born of being underestimated, you could tell that much, clear as day.
You swivelled to your left, forcefully shoving the captured wrist away while your other arm shot across to parry his returning arm. With the motion, you crouched slightly, minimizing your frame, and forced your right shoulder forward.
The force of the blow came from the earth and the movement of your torso. Firmly rooted, it exploded out through the blunt contact of your shoulder against his chest, creating an audible boom. The half-oni slid back a few feet, admirably not dropping to the ground, his teeth bared throughout.
You were conscious of Nao and your brother. You created that much-needed space between him and them. With their leader being knocked back, the group looked like they were about to get involved, only to be stopped by a raised hand from the half-oni. He brought a hand up to his chest, feeling the area where your shoulder collided.
"That felt like baji. Weird lead-in, though…"
He wasn't phased. Surprised, for sure, but he stood upright without any sign of the blow taking anything out of him. That in and of itself was somewhat concerning. That should have been enough to send a grown man to the ground, with something broken to commemorate the fall too.
"Oi. You a competitor, stringbean?" he said, shifting on the spot. He brought his fists to his chests, then slowly lowered them, his feet apart. It was a familiar stance, simple but effective. Eight Sides Open. It didn't tell you much, other than that he was probably a karate practitioner, and that in and of itself was useless. There were simply too many schools of karate in Japan for it to be all that meaningful.
You ignored his question, dropping into your own stance, mindful of Nao and your brother just behind you. It wasn't reasonable to deduce his style then and there, but it went both ways. Right leg and foot back, toes pointed outwards and knee bent. Your hands out and open, your left drawn closer to your body than your right. Stand Against Heaven, while having the firm and rooted stance of something akin to Hung Ga Kuen, had fluid and flexible arm positioning closer to Baguazhang, emphasizing the agility of the hands rather than strength.
You fell into the mindset of the rock and the river.
While your eyes were firmly locked onto your opponents, you were not blind to your surroundings. There was a crowd now—an audience, waiting for the distance between you and the tall half-oni to break.
"Yeah, stupid question," he said, his carnivorous grin fading. "Fuck it. I'm in enough trouble with my boss as it is." He relaxed his stance, folding his arms with a sigh, eyes pressed shut. "But I wanna fight…"
He went into deep thought, leaving you just a bit confused.
"Wait, didn't they say you weren't supposed to fight, aniki?!"
"Yeah, yeah. I just remembered that, ya mook. But, I don't want to leave this unfinished…" the half-oni groaned, tapping his foot against the floor. "Aagh! Fine! You, skinny! You're a competitor, right?!" His eyes snapped open, grin returning in full. "Keep an eye out for me, because I'll be lookin' out for you! You got me good, and I ain't lettin' that slide. I'll beat you, and I'll talk to that lil' cutie there when I've won!"
"...I don't think she agreed to anything like that," you said with a quirked brow, not dropping your guard. "In fact, I'm not even a competitor, yet."
He just completely ignored your first point and ploughed on. "Yet. Yet! You're part of the last group, then?! That sucks, means we'll face each other later on. Don't you lose, stringbean!" he growled, fists still clenched tightly as he unfolded his arms. Your mind was still telling you that this man was only seconds away from striking you again, the genuine desire to fight still there. "Let's go, boys!"
With that, and in spite of the aggression rolling off of him in waves, the half-oni and his posse stomped off, hands in their pockets. You made note that even he was dressed in a more modern fashion than you. Maybe you were the strange one.
"That was ridiculous," you heard Nao mutter behind you. You were inclined to agree. "Fukutsu, I am more than capable of warding of uncouth suitors from disreputable backgrounds."
"Really?" you asked, finally allowing your guard to drop and turning to look down at your little friend. "I remember that time with the bear that thought you were its cub. You didn't ward that off."
She regarded you with indifference. "It meant no harm, and it was warm."
"Sure."
You both left it at that.
Your brother rubbed his chin, and you could already tell his mind was fixed on something else other than the trouble you almost got into "What was that, sis? The shoulder move? I don't remember you showing me anything like that before."
"Gramps showed it to me while you were gone," you answered honestly. It's relatively simple and by no means special, but it's not something you really figured would be part of Stand Against Heaven. Still, it felt nice to use. "It's a good way to use built up momentum. You two alright?"
Nao grunted. "Tired."
"Great! That was cool. I didn't think I'd get to see anything of yours so soon! But, it's probably a good thing you didn't actually fight him…" your brother said in a lowered volume, nodding his head over to the sidewalk. The crowd had dispersed, but there was still one person watching you; a slim… man? Maybe a woman, in an official-looking uniform, police-like even, with a cap to match. They gave you and your group a slight nod, a knowing smile on their face.
Yeah, maybe it was a good thing you didn't get into a street fight. There's no reason the Ring of Heaven wouldn't have its own security to handle things like that.
Yoshitoki snapped out of his thoughts, giving you a strange look. "...Sis? Your cheek."
You brought a hand to your cheek. It was a little bit wet. You drew the hand back, looking at the tips of your fingers.
Blood.
When had he hit you…?
[ ] Commit his face to memory. You didn't catch his name, but it seems like you may have started something. Best to keep him in mind.
[ ] Be dismissive. It wouldn't be the first surprise injury you'd get while you were there. There was nothing special about him. If you faced him, you'd beat him as you would anyone else before you.
---
One band-aid later, and you were finally back on track.
Located closer to the centre of the island, beneath the first ring, was the registration area. It was clear that the area they were using wasn't actually intended for fighting or anything, more of an out of the way spot where things were stored in units. Of course, they had lit the area a bit better, and put up a few fancy signs and rails to help guide people, but ultimately it was just a lot where trucks dropped off their cargo.
Nonetheless, it was bustling. A quick headcount told you that there was over a hundred people there, standing around and waiting for something. Some had found individuals to talk to, but others just chose to stand around alone.
Among the notable of the heads you managed to count was the tiger. It was just a tiger. In the middle of the crowd. Sitting there, and waiting.
As much as you wanted to find out why there was just a tiger chilling out with the potential fighters, you were in a rush.
You moved through the crowd, getting your fair share of curious and dirty looks as you did so. There was a building suspicion that you may have been the person they were waiting on.
Breaking through to the front, you saw a humble desk, not too different from the one you had when you went to school, with a rather small creature manning it.
Garbed in a dark blue and silver uniform similar to the person who had been observing your little confrontation with the half-oni was a… grasshopper person? It was hard to place an exact analogue, but they probably came up to your mid-thigh. It stood on the table, crouching over one of those high tech holographic screen pads which you had heard a lot about, relaying information to its glowing orange eyes.
It stood up to its full height once you approached, clicking its mandibles. For a moment you were taken more by the fact that the uniform it wore fit well, even around the long pair springy legs it stood on.
You could appreciate good tailoring when you saw it.
"Oh, here's the late newbie. Planning to make us wait all night, were you? Nevermind. Name?"
The tiny grasshopper man had one of the deepest, most grizzled voices you had ever heard. He raised the screen with a gesture of his hand, and you heard the sound of him taking a picture.
"Fukutsu Ryuutei."
The cricket-man got a shifty look, or what you would describe as one, and then leaned forward, a hand blocking off one side of his mouth as he muttered. "Yeesh. Go screaming that name to the world, would you?"
"There is no issue with her name," a second voice said. From beside you. Where nothing had been standing seconds earlier. "The deeds of the parent shall not be carried over to the child, in this place."
You looked up, your body threatening to go into defence mode. A tall, pale bald man had appeared in the half second you were responding to the grasshopper-cricket man, and you hadn't even noticed. Your eyes widened as you got a feeling, or rather a lack of feeling, for the man before you.
There was nothing.
His breathing was perfect, and you could not feel an ounce of power coming from him. He had no physical tells beyond the absence of them, a serene void of aggression. His shut eyes were ominous to you in a way the half-oni's glare and grin could never hope to be. Garbed in the kimono and robe of a temple monk, there was no reason to assume anything dangerous of the man…
Yet your body screamed at you, cursing you for not noticing him.
"Master Pillar," The small bug-guy bowed his head momentarily. "I get that. You get that. But will these other assholes get that? This ain't exactly your respectable and exalted tower, is it? This is the Gauntlet." The cricket-man gestured behind you and the monk to the gathered. It had become incredibly quiet, you noticed.
This man was a Pillar, a member of the eight most powerful fighters to come out of the Ring of Heaven.
"Similarly so, the deeds of the child may surpass the parent. Give it time, Billu," the monk said in a firm, mentor-like tone. He inclined his head to you, looking at you without the use of his eyes, and then glanced back to the bug-man. "If she is the last, then I will begin the first stage of the Pools stage."
"Got it, boss. Am I getting overtime for this?"
"It will be no more than five minutes extra, so I do not believe so."
The bug-man, Billu, let out a weird noise from his mouth, clicking his mouthbits together. "Whatever. The things I do to keep this place running."
"Your work is appreciated, my friend."
Billu waved you off to join the rest of the crowd. You backed up into the front row, finding yourself next to a very familiar blotch of blue.
It was fluffy-mullet-gi-guy from the train. He recognized you, and gave you the double thumbs up again, looking like a giddy child.
Sure, you were excited, but there was that looming ghost of anxiety which simply wouldn't leave you alone. You both envied and absorbed his positive vibes, and smiled in return.
The monk took the centre, not requiring a stage to look out over most of the gathered.
"Welcome, hopeful souls, to the Ring of Heaven. You stand at the base of the greatest organized combat institution on the planet, a place where one may gain the power to make their earthly dreams reality. Fame, fortune, mastery, power; all can be yours, should you exceed the limits of your frail body. However, not all are capable, most are not. Many will fail, be it later on in their career or right here, right now. Many of you will not leave here as competitors."
The Pillar paused, doing a sweep of the crowd with closed eyes.
"I am called Rajjit, the Seventh Pillar, and Twofold Master of the Mind and Soul. I wish you luck."
With his last words, the air turned to lead.
The sound of people dropping to the ground under the weight of Rajjit's unrestrained presence hit your ears immediately.
You stood strong, but your legs shook. What you had felt from the man before, the void of feeling, was instead replaced with the depths of power.
For all your training to control your breathing, it just didn't work. You stopped breathing. A shaky glance to the guy in the gi showed… excitement, but it was mixed with fear and wide eyes, an uneasy grin on his face.
You were not alone in the fear that had suddenly emerged. When was the last time you were scared of something? You couldn't recall. For however long it lasted, you didn't know. At some point it felt like you were going to pass out, your vision getting fuzzy.
And then it stopped, as quickly as it arrived. You almost choked on air as your ability to inhale returned suddenly, your hands going to your knees to support yourself.
It was just a few moments. For a few moments, the bald monk at the front of the room had felt like a titan, staring down at you, threatening to crush you and everyone around you with a flick of his finger. The next, he was simply there, unassuming and calm.
As your sense returned, you noticed that not many people had been as sturdy as you or gi-guy, either on their hands and knees, or just on the floor.
"To those who are both conscious and standing, take a step forward."
You moved your leg, despite some initial difficulty. The gulf of power between you and a Pillar had been communicated not through combat, but from raw presence. It left you feeling almost disturbed, that such a gap could exist between two humans. Gi-guy joined you, one step ahead of where you both started.
Could you be considered human, once you were at that point?
Either way, the prospect of that being an attainable future for yourself was exciting. That excitement pushed aside the harrowing negativity of the experience, focusing you on your goal.
You could reach that height.
You would reach that height.
"Congratulations. You have made it past the first stage of the Pools. In the next few minutes, you will be paired up with one of your fellow remaining hopefuls, and in the coming day you will face one another for the right to progress into the Gauntlet. Rest well, and hopefully I will see some of you in the future."
The Pillar left quietly, walking around the edge of the gathered crowd.
It was a simple test of fortitude and progress, you realized. Anyone who couldn't handle what the Pillar had just made you go through simply wouldn't be cut out for the experience of fighting past the Gauntlet. At least, that's what you took from it. What the Pillar had done was something like… projection of his inner energy. Not in an offensive sense, but just turning the valve a little.
You tilted your head back, looking up at the first ring looming above you, and the sky just past it. The meditation and breathing exercises had paid off.
Billu, who was completely unphased by the display of power, began calling up people in pairs.
Gi-guy was called Taiko Higebana.
"Fukutsu Ryuutei."
You approached the desk once more.
"Miguel Saint Cordiero."
And so did your future opponent. The first thing you noticed about him was his cybernetic eye, rotating as it took you in. He was only a little bit taller than yourself, his skin dark but with short, sandy coloured hair. His natural eye was strikingly blue, similar to yours. A scar ran up the side of his face, the tissue pink. Everything else was hidden behind clothing. Even in the current heat, he dressed heavily but in a manner that could probably be described as 'with the times'.
Goodness, you felt like a granny, thinking like that.
"Tomorrow, 12:30, SimArenas Unit 3. If you don't know where that is, then it's out the way you came, but before heading out into the recreational section, make a right. Can't miss it. Big neon sign," Billu explained, handing out a card to you both. "Provisional fighters license. It'll get you into the SimArena for the day. All clear?"
You both nodded.
He extended a fist to you, holding it out. He nodded to it.
The gesture was new to you, from one fighter to another, but you understood the intent. You smiled at him, and brought your own fist up, and bumped it.
With no words, he made his way towards the exit, hands going to his pockets.
Miguel Saint Cordiero. He was going to be your opponent, tomorrow.
That was it. That was all you had to do for the day, other than getting some rest. Yoshitoki supposedly had living arrangements set up, so all you had to do was return to him and Nao.
Choose one:
[ ] Try to strike up a conversation with Billu, when he's done. The way he talked with the Pillar seemed incredibly familiar and casual, and it seems like he has been around for a while. Maybe he could tell you why exactly the name Ryuutei might be a problem, among other things.
[ ] Talk to Taiko Higanbana, otherwise known as Blue Gi Guy. He handled himself well during that little test, and he doesn't exactly seem like a jerk. Wouldn't hurt to get familiar with a few faces around the Ring of Heaven, especially if he's going to be your peer.
[ ] Get going. You need your rest, and you don't want to make your friends wait. The incident with the half-oni is still on your mind.
---
