To Hold Back the River Acheron

[Subtleknifewielder]

She nodded enthusiastically. "That's fine Anthony when ever your ready. You know you're always welcome here at anytime, day or night. Just I'll have to remember not to come into your room when you're asleep." She giggled. "But yeah, I'm excited to start something like this. Probably should start hitting the gym a bit more. Not that I'm in bad shape right now, but I'm definitely not in fighting physique, so a few days would be good just so I could start to get my endurance back up. But yeah, definitely looking forward to it."

Sarah yawned and got up off the bed, pulled him up next to her and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "But there's no rush either way. Anywho, its getting late and I want to get a little sleep for tonight." She said realizing that Anthony's attack had sapped everything out of the her body and the fears from before were totally gone. "Good night Anthony, and if you're leaving tomorrow morning, make sure you say good bye before you head back to to Promised Land."

His smile widened at her enthusiasm, and he was even able to take the joke she made at his expense in the manner it was meant, rolling his eyes. They both knew that he had never intended to harm her, so the fact that she was joking about it was a good thing.

He considered teasing her right back, but as she kissed his cheek, he yawned, and that thought vanished as quickly as it came. "Yeah, I'll probably head out in the morning. I'll say goodbye, but you can be sure I'll be back." He considered mentioning the surprise he had in store for her, but that could wait. He rather thought he'd enjoy her reaction more if she had no warning about it.

He kissed her on her cheek, another yawn preventing him from speaking again as he climbed back into the bed. It was barely a minute later that his even breathing indicated he was asleep once more. This time, the nightmares did not bother him.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Two days later, Sarah stood in the ballroom staring down at Archon Mykep's corpse. She had always been a good duelist, but to admit fairly, it had been the luck that her pistol was embedded in her military jacket. For the next few days, she didn't do much, mainly from the fact that she was still recovering from her wounds and couldn't do really anything until the stitches were taken out. But she didn't want to do anything, she just wanted to fade away into the darkness that seemed to be over taking her life. But there was nothing she could do to stop it, it was her duty to continue to press on. When the stitches were finally taken out, Sarah could feel her strength returning to her body and so, as she had promised Anthony she started to get back to the gym. It also took her mind off of what was still laying dormant in her mind.

That evening, after she stepped out of the shower and sat down in her robe. She sent a letter to Anthony telling him that if he wanted to come and see her about the training that he could. She also told him that, a complication had arisen and that she had to explain a few things when he arrived of a most grievous nature and that he needed to promise that it wouldn't diminish what he though of her as a person. But as Sarah sat back on her chair and looked at the letter, she couldn't help but shed a tear. She just wished things could turn to normal, she wished she could become normal again.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Anthony had actually been in one of his rare good moods, at least until he read the letter.

He'd stayed in Promised Land a little longer than he'd intended to do. What with the fact that he'd been intent on ignoring his birthday, he'd been taken off-guard when his friends had insisted he sit back and enjoy himself. Not one to disappoint them, he'd obliged, and despite himself, had actually managed to have a little fun. But it was time to get serious.

Not sure what he would find, he packed the things he'd come for, and a few others, just in case they were needed. But this time he wasn't leaving alone.

The person in question, he dropped off at a hotel room, where he'd payed for them to stay for at least a week in advance, and then he rushed to Solidor Manor.

His mind was still dwelling on the ambiguous wording of the letter she'd written when he pulled up to the mansion. This would actually be the first time he'd arrived in any manner other than on his own two feet, but he hardly cared about that as he parked the car, nor when he entered the mansion. He wasn't sure why, but something about this situation had him on edge...

[Sarah Tintagyl]

When Anthony arrived inside Solidor Manor, there was a sudden gloominess to the entire estate. The guards were slow and suspicious to take Anthony's papers and identification cards and even once inside the gates, their eyes followed him up to the door steps. Lillian Guards, abruptly moved to the sides of the doors, but their hands lay gently on their swords as if watching every move that the gentleman would make and run him through if necessary. Entering inside the mansion itself, the lights were dim and since the sun was hidden behind massive gray clouds there was nothing really to brighten the mood inside. If he looked close enough, he might even be able to see oddly misplaced stains on the marble, soaked into the stone, as a memory of what horrible thing had happened here.

He was directed up the staircase to the private rooms on the second floor, just as the sound of thunder rocked the crystal chandeliers leading up the stairs. The crystals bounced angrily back and forth and the cleaning maids upstairs immediately shied away from the stranger. New faces, many new faces, and the door to the ballroom was slightly ajar.

The room was dark and rain began to spit steadily against the windows on the edges of the room. Sarah sat near the center, her body sprawled over a large leather chair. A bottle of red wine in one hand and her rapier in another. Her blonde hair was dried and almost appeared platinum white to the untrained eye, her eyes were a silver gray, and her skin, pale white as a ghost. "You know, this was the atmosphere when Mykep tried to kill me." She said turning her head and looking at Anthony. "It was dark, it was raining, when he killed so many of my servants, and my guards." She smiled. "But he's dead now." Sarah held the rapier in front of her and laughed. "I killed him."

Then her body began to shake as the rapier and the wine glass dropped from her hands and she fell down to the ground, her hands holding her up and she looked so weak. "WHAT DID I DO ANTHONY! I'M A MONSTER! WHAT DID I DO!" She cried and held a hand against her eyes. "What did I do..."

[Subtleknifewielder]

The odd behavior of the guards only served to heighten his uneasiness, and he stared right back, trying to discern their thoughts, but as he made no overtly threatening moves, they left him well enough alone to proceed to his destination.

He did not miss the atmosphere of the mansion, and he couldn't suppress a shiver when he saw, despite the dim lighting, the stains on the marble floor. He'd already guessed something bad had happened here, but still, he continued on, determined to find out what it was.

Even the weather itself seemed to contribute to the eerie atmosphere, as a nearby roll of thunder made itself heard.

He almost stopped in his tracks when the maids, too, behaved so oddly, as if they were afraid of him--and he noticed many of the faces with which he had grown familiar were missing. He almost dismissed the door to the ballroom being ajar, but...everything was always neat and tidy. A door didn;t seem like much, but it added to everything else. He began to get an inkling of what might have happened, but as he had no solid facts, not even his intuition could put any of it together.

He finally arrived in her room, only to get the biggest shock of all. There was even less lighting in the room, but what there was, made her seem more like an apparition than a solid, flesh-and-blood human being. Even her pale hair, and the dull look in her eyes, contributed to that appearance.

He was almost afraid, an unusual experience at best for him, when she turned that gaze on him. But her words were what stopped him cold. And the smile seemed almost--maniacal. He took an unconsious step back when she raised the rapier and laughed.

Only to collapse the next moment, as if all energy were completely drained out of her. He gaped in shock, his body reacting without conscious thought as he moved forward, ignoring the shattered wine glass that crunched under his boot, kicking aside the rapier, and reaching for Sarah.

He gently lifted her off the floor and wrapped his arms around the broken woman, placing her head on his shoulder as he sought to do his best to comfort her, as she had comforted him only days before.

From what she had said, he was pretty sure what had happened, but the why of it all...he could not begin to guess at. 'Mykep, you !@#$%^&. If she hadn't killed you, I would have. Why?' he wondered silently.

He could not even begin to figure out what to say as he held her. He wasn't sure words were even what was needed right now.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

It wasn't a sobbing cry, or a cry of depression, it was a cry of emptiness, as if Sarah was pouring the remains of her soul out onto the polished wooden floor of the ballroom. Her hands still shaking from the shock of her transformation only moments before. Lifting her head from his shoulders, she stared back at him with crystal eyes, dim, dark, pale, yet still with the strange sparkle in them that had passed down the Tintagyl line from before her. "Anthony. What did I do to deserve this?"

She sat back in his arms, leaving him with the task of near supporting her entire body in his outstretched reach. But Sarah was light and he should have been able to do this without much difficulty. "What's happening to the world Anthony? What's happening to me? I don't feel the same anymore. I just feel empty, like when I took his life, my life disappeared as well."

Sarah thought back to the imagery of that night. The tears, the blood, his cackle and the most horrific thing was that she still remembered what his blood had tasted like when she kissed him. "You need to help me Anthony. You need to help me, I have to overcome this darkness. There's still so much left to be done." She tried to keep the light from fading from her eyes.

[Subtleknifewielder]

It would almost have been better if they had been tears of depression. At least then he would have been sure what to say. He met her gaze evenly, though it tore at his insides to see her brought so low. But when he saw the distant sparkle, dim but not gone, he knew there was hope for her.

"Anthony. What did I do to deserve this?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. The world isn't always fair, but never think that you are responsible for soemone elese's actions. I don't know why, but he chose to do what he did."

He did not protest when she leaned against him. He may not have been a big, strong man, but she was light as a feather, almost like the phantom she'd appeared to be earlier.

"What's happening to the world Anthony? What's happening to me? I don't feel the same anymore. I just feel empty, like when I took his life, my life disappeared as well."

With those word, he closed his eyes, feeling helpless. He took his earlier thoughts back. If he had Mykep in his hands, the man wouldn't be dying quickly. Though he would regret it later, he would do his best to do the same to Mykep as Mykep had done to Sarah. to make him feel every single ounce of her pain.

"You need to help me Anthony. You need to help me, I have to overcome this darkness. There's still so much left to be done."

He'd been right about the one thing that would truly break her. And now he had to save her from herself. Still holding onto her, he asnwered as best he could.

"I'll always be here to help you, Sarah," he whispered. he almost was afraid to speak the next words, but they needed to be said. If she was to get through this, she would have to confront every aspect of that night. And sharing your fears, your burdens, your sorrows, always helped. he only wished he'sd had someone to share with when he'd made his first kill. "Now, tell me what happened," he said, gently, but firmly.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"He just appeared. Everything seemed like it was going to be a normal night. I was asleep in bed when I heard him shout up the staircase for me. When I found him, servants, guards, everyone, everyone was dead. He killed them in front of me as well and that was when he challenged me to the duel. I accepted, but all I wanted to do was wound him, to give him to people that this was their job to extract justice from him. But as the battle went on..." She stopped and tilted her head down. "I could feel myself changing. He called me weak, insignificant. He called me a monster, and a murderer and then I began to realize that I was stronger, that I was better, and that I alone had the power to rule this hateful world of ours." Her words came out like acid on the floor.

"He got a lucky shot in and punched me in the face, sending me down to the floor. That's when I lost control. Everything changed, I felt stronger, more alive, but it scared me. I walked back into the ballroom and took out a gun and shot him in the legs. He collapsed, but then he wounded me with a dagger." She lifted up the side of her dress to show the scars on her thigh. "Everything else..."

Sarah's hands moved up to her face, trying to shield the imagery from her mind. "I took the rapier and I ran it through his neck. But something overtook me Anthony. When he was bleeding...I...I...I kissed him, a bloody bloody kiss. I can still taste it in my mouth sometimes. I knew that I wasn't human anymore. I knew that then, I was a monster."

[Subtleknifewielder]

He simply listened, not interrupting, as she revealed, little by little, what had transpired. It sounded like a scene straight out of a horror movie. He almost spoke up himself at several points, especially when she showed him the wound, but they both needed to hear this. To face it and know exactly what had happened. Only after confronting it could she begin to heal.

It was shocking, not only the transformation, but the fact that it had been caused by a man who had devoted his life to peace. It was ironic, in a rather sick way, that he'd come here to kill her for her perceived crimes, and that in the end, his attempt had nearly turned her into the thing he wished to kill, in fact had for a short time, a long enough time to bring about his own demise.

When she finished, he was silent for a few seconds, simply taking it in, thinking it over. it almost reminded him of the first person he'd killed. To avoid the shock of ending a life, his mind had twisted, trying to force him to enjoy his job.

He reached down with a single hand and forced her to look back up at him, to meet his gaze. in it, she would find no trace of judgementm only compassion, sympathy...and understanding. Whether she felt she deserved it or no, that was what he felt. "Sarah," he said, again gently. "You are not a monster. Believe it or not, I went through a similar experience when I killed the man responsible for my brother's death. When I stood above the man's broken body, I laughed. I laughed long and hard, Sarah." He was having a difficult time containing the pain that admission caused him, but she needed to know that she was not the first, that someone else had experienced what she had. And that it was possible to come back from that experience. Changed, transformed perhaps, but in the end still whole.

It had taken him a long time to turn back from the abyss, but he'd not had anyone there to help guide him through. It was only blind chance that had led him to a meeting that had brought him back from the edge.

"No one is perfect. Everyone has a point at which they snap, where they're pushed over the edge. No one can be blamed for breaking when they reach that point. You saw things no one should have to see, and caused by one of the few people you trusted implicitly."

He hesitated then, but driven on by some instinct that he could not name, he bent his own head and kissed her gently on the lips, withdrawing only a moment later. "I can't promise it will be easy, Sarah, but you will come back from this."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She received the kiss slowly and a light smile crossed her face as he looked back down at her. So she wasn't alone, she wasn't abandoned in the abyss, there was still hope for her. Sarah could remember correctly, Anthony had explained before some of the more unfortunate incidents of his past life when they were sitting in a prison compound in Alice Springs. Both of them had come so far since the time they had first met and this was just another great valley in their journey through life. Though any journey through the Valley of Death was extremely daunting.

Sarah touched his cheek. "Thank you Anthony, thank you so much." She pulled him close and rested her head on his chest. "Just, please, please don't let me fall into the dark. Please help me escape."

Edited July 14, 2009 by Sarah Tintagyl

[Subtleknifewielder]

He smiled reassuringly. "I promise. You won't be fighting this battle alone. I will be there to help guide you through the darkness." He tightnened his own hold on her as he rested his own head on hers, letting her know in more than just words that he meant what he said.

After a silent minute, a minute where no words were spoken, and indeed, where no words were needed, he stood, still holding her in the same manner one would hold a child.

"Do you think you can stand now?" he whispered in her ear. "The way your guards were eyeing me when I arrived, I wouldn't be surprised if they barged in here in a moment, their weapons ready. Though I really can't blame them."

If she answered yes, he would slowly set her feet down on the floor, but remain close by in case she needed his support after all. If she didn't think she could, he would continue to hold her as he was doing, despite any appearances it might present to the guards.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She nodded weakly. "Yeah. I can stand." Sarah got up from his hold and stood back on her own feet. Her black dress hung lightly down past her legs, while her hair and eyes still seemed to shimmer an eerie pallor. She took a deep breath and looked around the room. "It was quite a mess in here, still is I guess." Walking over to the window, Sarah pressed it opened and walked out onto the balcony, just as the drizzle began to stop. The gray skies made the air in Brisbane much cooler than it had been in the past few days and the breeze did its best to relax her tense muscles. Sarah beckoned Anthony out to join her as she looked out towards the capital in the distance.

"So I guess we should talk about why you really came. With this training and all." She sighed. "I don't think there's any better time for this."

[Subtleknifewielder]

When she did manage to stand without support, he felt a profound sense of relief. She might not be fully recovered, either physically or emoptionally, and probably wouldn't be for some time, but she was well on her way. And it was strange. The weather seemed to be reflecting her condition.

"It was quite a mess in here, still is I guess."

He nodded, agreeing. It was indeed a mess, but he could care less about the room. The only thing that mattered to him at the moment was her. When she beckoned him to follow her outside, onto the balcony, complied, silently, ignoring the single crunch as he once again stepped on the remains of the wine glass she'd dropped. Absently, he took a deep breath of the cool, fresh air as the light breeze playfully carressed them both.

"So I guess we should talk about why you really came. With this training and all." She sighed. "I don't think there's any better time for this."

Now there was a statement he could wholeheartedly agree with, and he nodded. "Aye. I couldn't agree with you more. I made arrangements before I left the city. I know an older man in Brisbane who has a dojo that he would be happy to let us use whenever we need it. We can go there any time you're ready."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Sarah nodded turning back to him. "Yes, that would be best I think. Actually Anthony if you aren't doing anything right now, I wouldn't mind getting out of the house for a bit. I'm a bit weak still right now, but I think maybe we could do some light training or something, maybe even just calisthenics. I don't know, really anything to get me in a different mindset." She didn't wait for him to approve. "Give me a moment will you."

Sarah excused herself from the balcony and walked back into the ballroom. She paused at where the rapier was laying on the floor and hesitantly she picked it up and carried it with her back to her bedroom. The steel was cold to her touch but it possessed that eerie feel, still about it. Like a magical object, she knew that anytime she touched that sword that her demons inside would reveal themselves. It was best to keep the sword tucked deep away for times when things were dire.

Quickly she changed out of her dress and put on a tank top with shorts, underneath a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Trying her hair back in a ponytail and taking a few bottles of water with her, she walked back to the balcony where Anthony stood. She feigned a smile and ran her arm close to him. "So you want to go or wait until later?"

[Subtleknifewielder]

He couldn't help but grin at her enthusiasm, but before he could tell her that sure, he wasn't doing anything right now, she excused herself, presumably to go and change.

He watched her go without protest, then turned around, just taking in the view while he gave her the time she needed. Leaning against the railing, he actually closed his eyes to savor the breeze, and when Sarah came back, that was the position she found him in.

When she spoke, he opened his eyes and turned to face her, taking in her appearance (and the presence of the water bottles) with an approving nod and smile. She was dressed for freedom of movement.

"You said you wanted to get out of the house. If you feel up to it, I thought we could walk to the dojo. It's only a mile away. Even if we don't do much there, the exercise will help, and you'll know where it is, too."

He didn't miss the way her arm came close, not quite touching him. Even as he continued to smile, he wondered if he could possibly be interpreting that gesture correctly.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"I do?" She looked at him strangely. "Well I have no clue where its at to be honest. I know where those type of buildings are located, but as to the exact one. Not a clue. But we can get down there anyhow. Follow me." Sarah took Anthony out of the manor and into the garage to her car. The shining Bentley seemed to lose its luster in the gray light from above and even as they pulled out, her driving reflected on the mood. For Sarah, who in her history behind the wheel tried never to go below forty miles an hour, paced steadily along the freeway, slumped in her seat and with emotionless eyes, watched the sky roll past.

Any dojo would definitely be in the Fuyo-Clann section of Brisbane, just a little ways walk from Diet Hall and the cultural district in general. Parking in her spot at the Diet, she gently tapped the breaks and got out of the car, slinging the gym bag over her shoulders. "Well I guess, lets go this way." Sarah started of in the direction of Fuyo-town, Anthony trailing behind her. After they passed through the European, Australian styled cultural center of the city, the architecture began to dramatically change, along with the smells of food and perfumes drifting from the store fronts. It seemed to calm her nerves a bit, just as another roll of thunder came over the city, followed by the rain coming down light, but refreshing. They continued walking down the black streets, the rain falling lightly on their heads, as shrimp and steak mixed with the mist.

Finally they came to a small building, between to large apartment complexes. "This is the only one I know of." She said looking at a dimming neon sign. "Is this the one you were talking about Anthony?"

[Subtleknifewielder]

Well, actually he'd meant that after he showed her where the building was, she'd know then where to find the dojo, but he didn't correct her, and simply followed her to the car, curious to see where she'd head to.

Evidently, she was still in a bit of a dark mood. She didn't once try to speed on their way there. there wasn;t much he could say, but he did once reach over and giver her shoulder a slight squeeze, just to remind her that he was there and he understood, right about the time she parked the car.

Perhaps it helped--she did seem to brighten up a little as they walked through Fuyo-town. he couldn't help but stare a few times at the sights he saw--he'd taken a different route to get here, a more direct one straight from the manor, so much was new to him. not even the rain could dampen his curious spirit at the moment.

When they arrived at the buillding in question, he looked up at the painted lettering that was provided in both Japanese and English, faint but still readable, and chuckled, shaking his head. Out of all the buildings in the area, she actually had taken him right to the correct one, without any prompting from him.

Miyagi would get a laugh out of that.

Laughing again himself, he nodded, and this time he led her into the building. The inside was like the outside--showing signs of wear, but still kept clean and neat as a proper dojo should be. The door they had entered through let them into a little corridor that went on for about five feet, then opened into the main area.

Currently, there were only two other people in the building--an elderly man of the Fuyo-clan, whom he recognized as Miyagi, and a teenage girl of Caucasian ethnicity. If that wasn't enough to set her apart, then her fiery red hair would.

When he saw her face, he blinked, the only indication of his surprise at seeing someone else he recognized, and waited for master and student to come to a pause in their sparring session.

Edited July 16, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Sarah followed him inside and watched the two others in the room continue their sparring match. She didn't watch extremely closely, she sat down against the padded walls in a corner and threw her gym back beside her. Karate wasn't really one of the things that Sarah was extremely into, but as she had said before. If it got her out of the house, that was good enough for her. Taking out a bottle of water, she poured a few drops into her mouth and watched Anthony more closely. It appeared as though he had recognized the red-head as soon as they arrived. So she looked closely after the sparring ended, his reaction, and really, why he had brought Sarah here in the first place.

[Subtleknifewielder]

The match ended abruptly when Miyagi lashed out with a strike that would have knocked the girl out cold if he hadn't stopped it at the precise moment before it hit. Neither moved for a moment, then as one, they each took a step back from the other, and bowed repectfully.

Stepping forward, Anthony also bowed respectfully to the old man, acknowledging him with his name before turning to the girl.

"Imagine seeing you here, Melissa," he said, putting his hands on his hips. She hardly looked surprised as she turned her laughing gaze on him. If Sarah bothered to pay attention, she would notice a similarity between that expression and the knowing smirk that Anthony sometimes wore, a similarity that was added to by her facial features, which bore a mild resemblance to his own, including his dark eyes.

"Well, my dad said he had business here, and he didn't say I couldn't leave the hotel while he went out." Turning toward Sarah, she offered a sly grin. "So, who's this? A girlfriend after all these years?"

He rolled his eyes, not deigning to answer that, as he put a hand to her back. "I'm sure your father expected you to stay in the hotel, whether he explicitly stated that or not." he gave a subtle push toward the entrance, and she rolled her eyes like he had a moment before.

Sighing in an overly dramatized manner, she complied, stopping only twice, once to grab her own bag, then at the entrance, glancing once again at Sarah with a smirk and a wink.

He shook his head, dropping his hands to his sides again. "That girl..." he muttered, before gesturing to Sarah to come meet the master of the dojo.

"Sarah, this is Miyagi. I chose his place because I actually know him from a little whle back. Miyagi, This is Sarah."

Though the introduction the other way hardly seemed necessary, as a light of recognition came into his eyes. Bowing low, he spoke. "I am humbled to have one such as you in my humble dojo."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Her eyes narrowed in curiosity for a moment, possibly a niece or a cousin of sorts? She looked at Melissa and then chuckled when she brought up the girlfriend comment. Sarah looked up and shook her head, unnoticed by the other people in the dojo, but it was nevertheless funny and it felt good again to just be a normal person again. The girl didn't bow at her when she left, she just winked, letting Sarah wink back and think that perhaps she didn't know or didn't care about her background.

After Melissa left, Sarah pushed herself off the ground and walked over to Anthony and Miyagi. Miyagi, however, definitely showed that he knew who she was. His eyes didn't lie as the seemed to sparkle when he bowed to her. She bowed in return and offered her hand to him. "Its a pleasure Miyagi, truly a pleasure. I guess I can imagine that you will be training me for whatever Anthony has been talking about for a while." She turned back to him. "Is this the surprise that you were talking about?"

[Subtleknifewielder]

Miyagi stared at the hand for a moment, heasitating, not sure what to think of the Lady Protector shaking hands with him...but in the end he beamed and took the offered hand. "I will be helping, yes."

He shot a mock glare at Anthony. "You failed to mention who I would help teach." Anthony looked anything but repentant as he turned to Sarah and answered her question.

"Hmm..." he pretended to give it thought. "No. That's still to come."

"Yes, yes, you will reveal all in due time," Miyagi interjected. "He is always saying that to me," he said as an aside to Sarah, not bothering to lower his voice in any attempt at secrecy.

Anthony folded his arms and returned Miyagi's earlier expression. "Ehem. We are here to begin her training, remember, old man?" Despite the words, there was no hostile force behind them. There was almost a teasing note in them.

It was Miyagi's turn to roll his eyes. "Very well." He turned back to Sarah. "Tell me...how much do you actually know about fighting?"

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. I was captain of the fencing team at my high school, that was about as much fighting as I ever really did. But like as to martial arts or something, nothing, nothing at all." Sarah smiled. "Though I'd be willing to learn anything you're willing to teach."

[Subtleknifewielder]

Miyagi couldn't be more pleased. "That is good. Willing to learn, and little to unlearn, hopefully."

Anthony commented from the side. "We walked a fair distance to get here, so she's already warmed up. You'll be able to get to the teaching right after the stretches. Now if you'll excuse me, I just remembered something I forgot to do." he turned on his heal without waitng for a reply and walked out the door, following Mellissa. He didn't have far to walk, as she had lingered near, as if sensing he would be right out in a minute and wishing to talk.

"Now, tell me exactly why you were out of the hotel room, young lady." She should have looked repentant, but she only grinned, glancing past him, to the dojo. Noticing the direction of her stare, he shook his head. "You do know who that is, right?"

She put a finger to her chin and pretended to think. "hmm...would that be Sarah Tintagyl, Lady Protector of the Hanseatic Commonwealth, also known as the Valkyrie of Peace, the most desired woman on the planet?"

"So you do know."

"Yes. And I'm probably one of the few people who knows you well enough to see that you care for her...as much more than a friend."

He folded his arms. "And what business is that of yours? I don't even know for sure what she thinks of me. I know she considers me a friend, but beyond that..."

She opened her eyes wide. "You? admitting to not knowing something? You have it worse than I thought. But I will say this...you'll never know if you don't ask, will you?"

He sighed, his shoulders slumped. "When did you get to be so wise? You're supposed to be just a teenager."

"I guess you can say I inherited from my parents."

Shaking his head, he waved her off. "Don't remind me." He turned back to the dojo, calling over his shoulder, "and go back to the hotel!"

He couldn't see it, but he sensed the tongue she stuck out at his back, and grinned again. What would the world be like without teenagers?

----

Back in the dojo, Miyagi stared at the door for a moment. Then shook his head. "Curious man. I always sense there's more to him than what even I see."

He returned his attention to his pupil. "Always before we begin, we will be doing a few stretches to make sure you never pull a muscle during practice. You would not get a chance to stretch in a real fight, but in practice, we should try to avoid any unnecessary risks."

They would finish about the time Anthony walked back in. The grin was gone, but he was still in a decidedly good mood as they began on the first few, basic moves. A couple of quick punches and kicks.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She had a lot of built up aggression that helped in the first part of the training. Sarah started off extremely slow, almost lackadaisical. But as Miyagi began to apply more pressure to her, her anger began to grow inside as she unleashed a storm of punches and kicks, though all quickly parried by the dojo instructor. This of course only continued to build up her fury and Sarah kept up the attack, though to now avail. Finally after five minutes of constant aggression, the sweat rolling down her face, she paused. Taking off her sweatshirt and sweatpants, she attacked in a tank-top and shorts hoping that the less clothing would help her a bit.

Wrong again, the same aggression met the same defense and Sarah was forcefully pushed back for every attack she made on the master. Finally after a wild attack, leading to Miyagi's one push, Sarah fell down on the ground and laid silent for a minute. She hit her fist against the ground and shook her head. Failure. She just lay silent, breathing heavily, trying to recover her energy.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Anthony watched quietly from the sidelines, not interfereing, as they....well, it couldn't be called a sparring match yet. Sarah had been right in saying she didn't know much, but she was obviously already learning, and that was good.

When Miyagi knocked her to the floor, after she'd had a moment to catch her breath, was when Anthony finally chose to step forward, leaning down to offer her a hand up.

"Don't be too frustrated. You did very well for your first lesson. I'm sure Miyagi would agree." He looked for confirmation to the old man, who nodded his agreement with that statement.

"Aye. She learns quickly. But she seemed almost...angry about something." He raised a questioning eyebrow. Anthony shook his head.

"A private matter. It is for her to decide who she tells." Returning his gaze to Sarah, he addressed her. "Although you did well, there is one thing you need to know. Never attack out of anger. I realize that we are all human beings here, and we do feel emotions. You can feel them all you want, but never allow them to influence your actions in a fight."

Edited July 17, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder