@daily-writing-challenge - Aug 2024 - Day 3 - Fatality
Stepping into the dojo, Dinaine owned, Nahi kicked off her shoes, stretching her toes out on the warm butter colored wooden floor, and dropped her bag. Turning to the altar next to the entryway she picked up a candle with her right arm as her left was in the splint she hid, or removed, at ToA and tipped it so the wick would light from the main display. Placing it on a shelf one removed from the Light representation she knelt and focused on the symbol. This was the closest thing to worship the performer ever did but the Lightforged trainer said that no negative energy was to be brought into her space and more than once had just looked at Nahilvi and sent her right back to the altar. It had taken her a great deal of time to learn how to actually let go of anything that traveled with her so she could just focus on the lessons.
A bouncer at one of the rougher clubs Nahi sang at, the gorgeous (of course she was) fighter and Nahi sat after hours one night at a diner eating the staple of all bar workers, breakfast at 3 am, and over egg whites, spinach and toast the Sin’dorei had agreed to come and check out the workouts the trainer ran during the days. She was promised a good way to stay in shape, so she had expected some sort of yoga or barre class she went to when she took the time. Walking in to see the Lightforged with her arms wrapped around a Shal’dorei’s neck and the man smacking his hand against her forearm. With a nod to Nahi, Dina released the man who shook his head good naturedly, and looked at the performers feet, “Shoes off.”
Since then Nahi was here at least once a week, in the weeks between Wings & Metal and ToA it had been almost daily even with her healing arm, or maybe because of it. There were many things that she could still practice, like her kicks against the wooden dummy or heavy bag. Being in a space where she was not allowed to carry the turmoil with her was good for her heart, and her body.
Rising she pushed open the inner doors and stopped, a fire red haired gnome ran across the room to slam into her with a hug around Nahi’s legs. “You did it! You came! You are the best!”
Teebi was not one given to such enthusiasm normally, so Nahi patted her shoulder and looked up into Dina’s pale yellow eyes and the woman just shrugged. “I got your message,” she was going to come to the dojo anyway but she didn’t say that. In her normal way of trying to make sure people knew that they were appreciated, she would never dismiss the personal note from the inventor.
“I did it!” Teebi released her legs and danced in a little circle hopping up and down. Looking over Nahi and frowning at the splint she considered for a moment, “It won’t matter. You are already dressed too, perfect.”
For the last year the gnome had come to the gym for research, she said. Never taking a class herself, just taking notes and later taking pictures and vids of the different people there with their permission. Nahi had been a often used model, but try as she might she could never get the gnome to tell her what she was doing, just getting a hand wave and a ‘wait and see’.
Another few bounces and “I did it. I did it… I DID IT!” Before Teebi ran off to the space infront of Dina where a holo projector sat. “Come on silly bones!”
Nahilvi moved along in the wake of happiness left behind the gnome, if Nahi had used one of her glitter kisses on the smaller woman she could not have sparkled more. She had been sent a black outfit with weird green lines on it with the message, it was a little weird but a confident air was all she needed to make it more of a fashion statement on the streets of Dalaran. “I am coming! Sheesh let a girl get past the door.” The tone was absolutely teasing, she loved this energy, it was like watching performers on the stage again.
“Getttttt over here!” Teebi patted the holo machine, “You have to see it! I finished the GAME!” Teebi then dipped her head and looked up at the Lightforged who leaned casually against the wall, “Uhm, training program.”
Another glance to Dina just got earned a noncommittal shrug. “A game?”
The gnome nodded her head excitedly not correcting Nahi. “Come on let’s get you hooked up,” she said and began bending over the machine doing come engineering magic or something. Real magic, what engineers did, Nahi didn’t truly grasp the essence of either not having a gift for either.
Bending her shoulders forward with a look of ‘What the fuck?’ to the towering Lightforeged, Nahi stepped up and Teebi turned, “Ready?”
“Sure?” She said with a hint of trepidation. Moving into a spot on the floor Teebi pointed at and blinking at the little woman.
With a push of a button a projection of Dina appeared right before Nahi, “Watch.” The image began to do fighting moves that the fighter was skilled in, it was amazing. Stepping to the side some to check out how real it was made it flicker out. “No, no! Get back.”
Nahi stepped back to the indicated place like a good little soldier, “Alright!” She held her hands up infront of her in submission. “What is it really? Do you just use this to show other people how to fight? Doesn’t seem like a game.” With all the talk of the Radiant Song and the echoes so many people were experiencing, fighting did seem like much of a game to her.
Teebi put gloves on her hands, careful with her mended left, it was no longer broken but still weak and Iren didn’t want to actually take the chance of her hurting it again. so she wore the splint as prescribed by the healer. “Just.. UGH.. stop it!” Frustration filled the gnome’s voice. “Practice, training, fun, they don’t have to be separate okay? Even the old, grumpy statue thinks it is cool.”
A small chuckle escaped and Dina lifted a single brow.. Man how did people do that? It was so expressive and Nahi could not do it at all. Statue, Teebi called her trainer that because she was bronze in color and stood still often as she observed her students. “Alright, I really want to see what else this cool thing can do.”
“Hit it!” Teebi said and Nahi looked at her blankly. The gnome mimicked a punch, “Hit it.. You know? Like you come here to learn? HIT IT!”
Looking to the image once more with a puzzled look, Nahi squared up and threw a small punch and the holo flinched.
“HIT IT!!!” Teebi yelled at her louder.
Shifting her stance just slightly she settled her weight into her hips and tightened her core then threw a well aimed jab. The Dina she was facing brought her hands up defensively and bounced, the holo even had the sound of hooves shifting on a wood floor, then she dipped just slightly to the side to evade the strike.
“KICK IT!”
Without a pause this time she kicked out for a lower leg, Dina strongly suggested her students try and not kick much higher so they did not leave their plant leg vulnerable, the suggestion usually coming with their leg being swept from under them to set them on ass or back. The program moved back and then countered, making Nahi scramble to block contact. It was an image so it couldn't hurt her but its form was perfect. “Whoa…”
“KEEP GOING!” The gnome was beginning to sound like one of those Army trainers soldiers complained about but Nahi responded and began sparring with the holo.
There was a good exchange and Nahi had began to break into a sweat, really devoting her attention to the movements. Her bare feet shifted as she closed her stance to keep her weight squared and she threw a few more punches, sending the power all the way from her back leg, muscles tightening from thigh through to her forearm fist tight but not clenched. All her attacks were countered and the draenei would go on the offensive making duck to the sides, weaving and looking for an opening to come in and catch a vulnerable liver shot.
A short kick gave her room to move in again, blocking it with a short swing of her shin in a protective arc, there was no contact but the immersion was so complete she convinced herself there was weight behind it and began a string of driving movements of her knee towards fake Dina’s thighs which two of the three ‘landed’ and a robotic voice called “Break.” Her training gave way to it immediately, protecting herself through the retreat in space, not all Dina taught them was ‘gym muscle’ as she called it. If Nahi was ever in a real fight hand to hand she could at least defend herself.
With a deep breath she rolled her shoulders to let her spine straighten from the curvature making her body smaller created. “Well done.” Dinaine said, her honeyed voice full of amusement and a hint of pride. “Really Nahi, that was one of the highest levels Teebi’s… training program… has. A few of the others could only get through the mid point.”
“I told you she could, told you,” the gnome held her hand out and Dina placed a gold in it.
“You bet against me?” Nahi laughed.
Dina shrugged, “It is a machine, one programmed well though, you are flesh and minds can wander or mistakes are easy to make, even for the best fighters. Your movements are becoming as ingrained to you as your dance moves are, maybe more so as you no longer have to listen to music here to find those patterns combat itself creates.”
A frown was covered as she wiped her face with a towel Teebi threw at her. “I find music everywhere, just because others can’t hear it doesn’t mean I do not have it in me.”
“Truth, but the music you are creating when you spar adjusts for the unexpected of opposition.” She hadn’t really realized that stubbornly clinging to a point just to defend a position that you had started to see was actually the weakest side until you argued with a woman that had lived over ten thousand years, so Nahi did not continue that tack.
“This is pretty awesome Teebi, well worth all the pictures you took of…” her eyes narrowed and she looked at the machine. “Wait…”
Teebi grinned and made an adjustment and the holo became an image of herself but she was in one of Nahi’s more relaxed streetwear looks, patterned loose green pants, a yellow tank cut to expose her midsection, of course, rainbow splattered trainers but her head was covered in a scarf to keep her hair out of her face, something she did often in the dojo. “Holy fuck…”
Dina spoke slowly, “Language, we guard our tongues in here.”
In her first few months here Nahi would have rolled her eyes but now too much respect and the lessons of the dojo had been instilled along with fighting discipline. “That kicks a.. Butt Teebi.”
“RIGHT????” The gnome took her hands and they bounced in a circle together this time as Nahi would not deny the little woman her celebration. “Now.. do it again! I want it to beat you.”
“Pffft, as if…” it probably would but it was programmed to reality, as she now expected it was, there was always a chance.
Now, Nahi knew what to expect in the game itself and she was quick to get ready, Teebie changed the image and it was Dina once more, maybe that is just what this level was? She could ask later for now she had an opponent.
When she stepped up, the holo bowed to her and Nahi returned it automatically, maybe she had become as programmed as the game was, but maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. This time when they settled in and exchanged the first attempts Nahi broke out a move Dina had just recent taught her. Stepping close and dipping a shoulder to the side to keep the holo from defending infighting effectively, she kicked her feet in quick successions towards the ankles of the larger opponent. The image had to shuffle back to protect herself from being taken out by being tripped, and when her weight shifted back just enough to be off center Nahi, lowered her body more and then exploded her fist upwards directly into where the trainer’s jawline was.
Stumbling back the holo did a weaving little movement and as it began to sink to its knees, the machine did not call a break this time and Nahi advanced but when the womanlike figure pitched forward the box called out…
FATALITY!
