Budo Zen Dojo: Standing Strike Tournament Announced!

Retire the South School?

Yes	15.4%	[ 2 ]
No	84.6%	[ 11 ]
Total Votes:			[ 13 ]

[Samayou Tamashii]

Samuel followed Tres, wondering if perhaps what aspect of his presence they did not like. True he was a wealthy man and known on Gaia for having such wealth flaunted, usually during charity events for others. But Samuel was a man of the other, however even though not present his heritage was easy to guess, in fact many if any on Gaia had seen him on the news knew he was inhuman.

He could only best guess that his demonic heritage was an insult to their humanity, and thus an insult to their holy school. He considered all Dojo's holy and in fact it had been taken some convincing to let him walk the grounds of Lu Bu by its master.

"I fear I may not be welcomed here, is my appearance that disconcerning?"

Samuel would whisper this as he moved along side Tres, his eyes locked on the young man guiding them to the seniors of this place. He hoped to not offend them as well with his presence.

[Tresondros Ecstuffuan]

Inside the South Dojo

"Aww

Don't feel bad big guy. We can't all be pretty like me. Woo!"

Tresondros said to Samuel, poking fun at him about what he said with a wry grin on the psion's face. Tres whipped his dreadlocks back to get them out from in front of his eyes so that he could examine the architecture of the place. The smooth expansive wooden floors of the dojo reminded him of Lu-Bu and despite his less than warm welcome, he felt at home here.

Tres walked up faster so that he could speak to the Young Man who invited them in while looking him in the eye, Tres didn't want to speak at a man's back. "Its cool man. Just tell your boy's that if any of them's feeling froggy, that they can jump any time. I'll be there heckle bearer. hahaha...", Tres joked again, being in a dojo again seemed to put the psion in a good mood.

"So, Where's the Sifu...?", Tres said, anxious to begin learning about what was taught here.

[The Vansin]

[The North School]

"Tsssss...." the firebender hissed. His hands slowly spread apart, his eyes were closed. He hissed with all of the power of a snake preparing to strike. Suddenly, the man opened his eyes.

"TSA!" he cried!

"TSA-TSA-TSA-TSA!!!"

Each yell was accompanied by a massive gout of fire, a burst of flames which shot out from his whipping fists and feet like so many flamethrowers. There was an audible "boom!" with each strike which shuddered the air as combustion rent it apart. columns of flame slammed into one of the fireproof punching-bags on the side of the room. The fire itself pushed back the bag as though it had been hit by small punch after small punch. While Chōnan had mastered making concussive fireballs, he still struggled to put the same explosive force behind his everyday fire-attacks.

His master could shoot a flame the size of a candle's light and send a man through a wall. Chōnan could only just move a punching bag. He had a long way to go...

"Brother!" A voice called out. The firebender turned to see Sam, a fellow student standing in the open frame of the doorway.

"We've got guests! I think new students, and strong by the look of them!"

Chōnan raised his brow and followed.

Moments later the firebender was standing in the South School, the forward-most school where students trained in grappling and groundfighting. He had only been an average groundfighter himself, but he trained with his friends and brothers in the South School often enough to be passable.

Chōnan saw Masataka at the entrance already engaging the new guys. The airbender had proven himself a cut above the rest since coming to the Dojo, and even though there hadn't been many challenges for him yet, Chōnan was sure once more students came the airbender would be a tough opponent to unseat from his position.

"Welcome to the Budo Zen Dojo, guys." Chōnan said. His voice was restrained, formal though not as unfriendly as it had been when he had first arrived here.

"My name is Chōnan. It's a pleasure to meet you."

In response to Tres's question, the man said:

"Oh, uh. There is no one master. We're all students here. We learn our style from the writings of the former Grand Masters and the more advanced students tutor those beneath them. We have a system of trial by combat, so that the best students achieve recognition. But they can be challenged by anyone who wants to move up."

[Samayou Tamashii]

Samuel smiled a little at Tres comment, it reminded him of his father when the man was young. Humans always seemed concern about their looks, it was a problem he had with his public relations department all the time. They said his face screamed evil, it was too serious and rough, he needed to smile more, joke more. Let the public know that he wasn't a bad guy but he always figure if he did good things then what judgment could be passed on his appearance. Gaia's Propaganda had a field day with his appearance all the time but the tabloids got little attention from it now.

"If you say so."

Samuel followed the tall student in, the kid seemed much more welcoming and was willing to bring them straight to someone in charge. He was also much more friendly then the others, however he could not blame the stereotypical mistrust his presence brought, after all...he was a Devil.

-Edited cause I am a slow reading 350 pound monkey-.

Samuel soon felt welcomed as a young man came forth to greet them. his nose going to work as he sniffed the air, remnants of something burning. The big devil smile and nodded, giving a slight bow of respect as he introduced himself.

"People call me Samuel, it is nice to meet you."

[Masataka Daisuke]

It seemed Daisuke's trusting, optimistic nature hadn't done him wrong, as he allowed the two gentlemen into the dojo he never doubted for a moment that they had good intentions. Even the big, scary one.

Daisuke gulped, shifting his gaze toward Tres momentarily he offered yet another kind smile, unable as-of-yet to discern the exact relationship between these two men. Friends, or, rivals, maybe? He was unsure. "All in good fun I suppose..." He thought to himself with a small chuckle, as Tres gave the larger man a modest verbal jab.

He proceeded inside with the two newcomers, as well as the entourage of rightly-curious students. Glad to find Chōnan inside, ready to greet the two, Daisuke was content to slip his hands inconspicuously into his pockets and let them have their chat.

[The Right Honorable MG]

"WHOOHOO!!" An exhilarated outcry cut through the solemn silence, coming from outside. The echoing shout was the precursor to a red-haired young man arcing across the sky, skimming the tops of the tallest spires of bamboo on what appeared to be a burning, upside-down coffee table. Random bits of magazine pages caught in his tailwind fluttered about on the gale-force breezes caused by his arrival. The bizarre, makeshift surfboard soon slammed down on the ground and skidded a good thirty feet before the young man leaped from his flaming conveyance, soared through the entrance of the school--narrowly missing Tres, Samuel, and Daisuke--and hit the wooden floor of the dojo in a heap, bouncing and ragdolling another dozen feet before coming to a stop flat on his back.

Looking to be in his mid-twenties, the red-haired stranger was tall and wiry, with narrow shoulders and slender arms and legs, but he had the compact musculature of a gymnast that gave him an impressive level of strength without weighing him down with a bulky physique. His face, while slightly angular, was moderately handsome; his gold-hued eyes (which were visible over the tops of a pair of thin-framed sunglasses riding low on his nose) were sharp but held warmth due to his good-natured--if slightly mischievous--grin. He sported a two-day growth of stubble across his chin and jawline and two silver piercings in each ear. However, what was most noticeable about him was the black-sheathed Japanese sword at his left hip, tucked through two of his three belts.

"Ah-ha-ha-oww." He let out a pained groan and sat up, coughing and patting out the singed tails of his coat. "Definitely not my best landing." Outside the burning coffee table collapsed into a pile of tinder and ash with a quiet crackle.

[Tresondros Ecstuffuan]

The Southern Dojo

Tres remained silent as Chonan explained. Though moments of long silence seemed almost unnatural for the loud and sometimes obnoxious martial artist. Tres hadn't achieved his renown by being brooding and mysterious, the people loved him because he was vocal, explosive, and he backed up every word with skill and guts. "Makes sense...", Tres's casual nature that opposed to most in a stuffy dojo environment was something that he had since he was a kid under his father's tutelage. It wasn't from a lack of disrespect, it was simply a result of his devil-may-care personality.

"So what's the first step to earning the right to be tutored by your best students.", Tres knew that most dojo's had some sort of passage to earn the right to study, Tres wanted to get that out of the way as quickly as possible. It wasn't that Tres believed he needed to be trained, he was extremely well trained already. However, Tres knew damn well that he wasn't perfect and that he didn't know everything. One thing he already liked about this place was that they used the concept of 'always a student' and Tres could appreciate that.

While only a year ago, Tres was a cocky a*****e who wouldn't accept teachings from anyone because he felt they were inferior, HARD TIMES had taught him otherwise and he had found strength through humbleness. He was sure that Samuel, a man who he knew had been training for thousands of years, was here for the same reason.

[The Vansin]

[The South School]

Chōnan watch Daisuke stare at the big fellow. Even he had to admit...the man's size was intimidating. He was clearly a solid wall of muscles. Even still, Chōnan knew that the special nature of this place limited even the strongest creatures. Even this massive guy would only be as strong as the strongest humans here.

In this Dojo, all were equal. All were defeatable. All were united.

Daisuke knew that as well. So Chōnan wasn't worried for the guy.

"Well. We teach elemental martial arts here." the firebender explained. "Most students wish to manipulate the elements while in these walls, as a way to focus their mind, body and style. Everyone has an elemental affinity in them, even if they've never used it before. It frames the way you are, it guides and limits you, but also allows you to express yourself. We have a room downstairs you can meditate in, it has a special way of unlocking the elemental potential in you. If you'd like, Daisuke can show you to it. If you spend about an hour down there, the room will reveal your inner self to you. If you can face it, it will bestow power on you that you can use in the Dojo."

Suddenly, the firbender heard something...something coming closer...fast.

"Watch out!" he cried, and leaped out of the way as the red-haired man came crashing into the Dojo.

[Epic Myth]

The Dead Goblin

The whirl of a motorcycle roared through the dirt road leading towards her destination. It was an impromptu maneuver to cut down the time of having to walk as the daring rider moved to and fro between the stalks of plant-life. This rider was clad in all back from the motor-cycle helmet adorned on the head to the boots on the feet. At some point, the ride would turn off mysteriously by itself and no amount of fussing from the owner could get it back in control. Thus, it led into a crash, a dangerous one that left the rider slung into the trunk of a tree. What would have been a body breaking blow, was easily shaken off as the rider stood back up. The helmet was pulled off, and the face of a woman was revealed.

"Tsk, I should throw this bike at Conner for giving me this crap." Casting an icy dusk blue gaze of disdain on the stained and dirty motorcycle, a street cycle at that, the dread headed and chocolate skinned woman gave it no further thought. Leaving behind the wrecked vehicle, she continued her trek towards sacred grounds.

As she went, her movements felt lighter, her insatiable hunger lifted and her blood seems to be warmer than usual. It was as if, the closer she got, the more she felt...Human. Since the journey was only a mile, it was not too difficult to transverse if it was not for the forest life and vegetation that turned out to be obstacles in her way. This woman's patience was short, evident in how she swiped at branches or buzzing bugs that seem to get in her way. It got her winded too, sweating lightly even and this was nothing new other than providing more difficult than she last remembered it usually was. At last, after half an hour of trekking, Azima broke through the vegetation and onto an actual road that led to the marveled Dojo.

"Oh what the hell..." She looked back down in anguish and in anger at the road. She remembered clearly the person she asked for directions said right at the fork, that's where she went then she left pavement and rode onto dirt in a wild ride through the forest. Apparently, she was supposed to take the left, but the lady back at the restaurant had either been a forgetful idiot or she did it on purpose as an act of revenge against Azima's rude and impatient remarks to the waitress.

"I'll kill her later. Painfully at that." Spoke the vicious black woman before rolling her shoulders and square off to face the Dojo. Apparently, there were others that had arrived before her. Most noticeably, big, large and fight ready men. Men... she thought with a sigh before strutting forward with a sway in her womanly hips. For now, she'll walk in silent like the Dead and observe from a short distance away. If they notice her, then fine, if not, then that's fine too. From what she could hear and see so far, they were a rowdy bunch.

(EDIT) And add in a man flying on a burning coffee table and crashing into the Dojo...well, Azima could sense this place was going to be difficult to cope with. I came 'ere for a reason. I'll be damn if I turn back now.

[Location :: In front of the Dojo]

((OCC: Yo guys! Meet my female OC Azima. =D ))

[The Vansin]

(Pooooooooost)

[Samayou Tamashii]

Samuel smiled and nodded, he had heard about the attunement from peter first hand. However as the man explained he smiled and listened. As he finished Samuel thought back to what had been said to him, long long ago.

"Thank you but meditation will not be needed, I can not attune. I am a Psion, my mind, body and spirit are bound to the Universal Eyes, to my people. I fear I must go my stay here with only my hands to aid me, but that is fine I much pref-"

His world shifted as he heard the sound of rushing air, the splinter of wood as the doors blasted open and instinct took over. He thrust his bag to the side as the same time he rolled forward, his powerful legs lunging him to the right as he rolled down onto his right shoulder and out of harm's way. He rolled a few more times before landing on his back, his shoulder bruised at his last second duct before standing to his feet rubbing his head.

"What in the world in the name of Ethoera! Be careful someone could have died!"

[Tresondros Ecstuffuan]

Tres listened to Samuel and then spoke immediately after, however before he could begin speaking he was cut off.

"By Ioun..."

He lunged out of the way to his left into a low crouch. He stood up slowly, while saying; "Who in the blue hell is this Jabroni.", eventually he seemed to just be another person seeking training. With that, Tres finally was able to respond to Chonan.

"If your arts can be learned without attuning then, Like Samuel I would request that I go without. I am also a child of Ioun, a psion like brother Samuel. I would rather see if I can apply my mental arts outside of your dojo, to the teachings of your elemental martial art's rather than taking on a new power."

Tres said with a small humble nod.

[The Right Honorable MG]

[The South School]

"My bad, my bad everybody." The strange, red-haired swordsman pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he put his hands on the small of his back and leaned backward, cracking his spine noisily. Sliding his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose with his index finger, his gaze passed over the assembled martial artists with only passing interest. "You know, now that I think about it coffee tables are really poorly designed for riding through the air; though at least it worked better than that wicker cabinet I used last time. Maybe I should have gone with the roll-top letter desk..." The swordsman nodded sagely, his hand resting on his chin. "Like my grandpa always used to say-"

Whatever bit of crazed advice he'd been about to recall, the swordsman paused and tilted his head as though listening to something. "Hang on... my hot chick sense is tingling." Wearing a predatory grin, the red-haired oddball turned back and forth until he spotted the black-clad vixen with dreadlocks. The swordsman bobbed his head slightly, as though he were listening to music no one else could hear as he looked her up and down appreciatively. "Oh yeah... I definitely like the scenery around here."

[Elliterate]

Zazen Room > South School

Jun Kaze did not walk up the stairs, she floated. Cross legged upon a ball of swirling air.

The woman had been meditating downstairs in the Zazen room when the sound of commotion from the Dojo floor had broken her concentration. As she reached the top steps the ball of air upon which she rode disappeared and her feet touched the soft mats upon the dojo floor, she let her head tilt to one side, listening to the array of different sounds. It seemed most of the commotion was coming from the South School and so she made her way towards its source, peering around the edge of the doorway to assess the scene within.

It was full with people.

New people.

Her fingers tightened softly about the handle of her fan, in a moments notice if necessary she could spread the rice paper wide and send a gust of powerful air flying towards anyone who tried to spring an attack.

[The Vansin]

[The South School]

Chōnan raised his brow.

"There are many lessons that you can't learn without the ability to control one of the elements. That said, we don't force anyone to do anything they don't want to." he said. He looked at the larger of the two men and added: "But I assure you, this place is connected to the heart of the world. Every creature on it can benefit from the spiritual nature of this place, regardless of their history."

And with that, the firebender shrugged his shoulders,

"But it's not mandatory. If your body is all you want to train, we have ample facilities for that." the firebender said with a professional smile. He had met types like these before. Some shunned the power for selfish reasons, most concerned with wanting to prove themselves without having to rely on anything but their own bodies.

Such men often only found shame at the hands of defeat. A few even became bitter and cynical toward people who used the powers, despite their own nature waiting for them to accept it in the Zazen room.

Other men abstained for positive reasons, or simply didn't compete in the inter-school combat. Some men literally did come simply for a great work-out and a way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Chōnan didn't begrudge those people.

"The South School is this one we're standing in, and focuses on the groundfighting and grappling arts combined with strikes. It's a far cry harder than sport wrestling. I lead the North School for fistighters and weapon users. Both schools teach elemental imbued arts as well as hand to hand technique. Sparring is the basic form of training. Controlled sparring allows us to try new moves in the safety of the Dojo. We refrain from ever intentionally causing any damage to our opponents which may not heal. Is that clear?"

The situation might have been more stern and reverent, but everything Chōnan said was punctuated by incredulous stares whenever MG spoke. The man carried a sword, but the firebender questioned whether he could really use it.

What a goofy guy...