Swole City

[YOLF]

Yusho

It wasn't turning out great. No matter how many times they went over the steps, of the balance of breath and the kind of mental progression necessary to pass from conscious control to mental detachment and evaluation, Roman's focus seemed to take insidious pleasure in throwing both of them off, and his stiff limbs in kicking out against his will when Yusho tried to use pressure points to help.

The exalted slumped out of the lotus position, shaking his head. "You're a bigger mess than I thought. Alright, we'll try again later," he said, and instantly Yusho leapt to his feet, bending his limbs one after the other. "You need a better grasp of your body now. Have you tried fighting anything? How often do you need to drink blood, are you aware?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Holy shit.  Watching an old man move that quickly was weird.  It defied everything he knew about old men.  If he didn't know any better, he would say Yusho was 24 rather than whatever age range of old he actually was. 

Roman shook his head and said, "No to all of the above.  I know nothing about my body outside of a general feeling of stronger vitality and that I... can have sex a lot more now...  Valarie has weird priorities."

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho nodded. It's like that was all the answer he needed to formulate a plan of action. The plan in question became evident as soon as he bent his knees, spread his feet further apart, and positioned one knifehand slightly ahead of the other, facing Roman.

"Easy enough to figure out. Come at me," he said. "I won't channel essence."

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman nodded and grinned.  Finally, he had an opportunity to show off his strength.  "See just like the rest, looking down on me," he said, raising his fists.  Knees were unbent and the arms raised didn't even cover his face.  Really, it was as if his crappy boxing form was dedicated to protecting his neck.

Cocking his arm back, he rushed at Yusho, the attack aimed at his right cheek clearly telegraphed.  "I'll put you in the ground old man!" he yelled, his fist shooting forward.

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho inhaled, and as Roman stepped within three feet of him, slipped his right palm at the outside of his forearm, pushing. The former monk stepped to the side and Roman careened past without touching his face. Exhaling, he slammed his left palm on Roman's back, and his student went hurtling to the ground.

"Idiot. This is what I meant. Now that you've gotten a slice of what you wanted, you're narrowing your vision to a single tunnel."

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman's body slammed into the ground, two hands catching himself on the fall.  His head twisted around, looking up at the man standing above him.  Damn it.  Its the same as before.  Getting to his feet, he threw another punch.

"Goddamn it," he said, throwing another clumsy punch at his face.  At this point he wasn't thinking, just attacking mindlessly.

[YOLF]

Yusho

He leaned back, then flicked his head out of the way, and with a silent draw of breath, buried a fist in Roman's gut. The younger man was forced back, but not allowed to fall down. Yusho's hand caught his shoulder.

"Stop. Think," he said.

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman fell on all fours, struggling to catch his breath.  It felt like the pain from the punch was squeezing his lunges, blocking part of his breath.  Rarely in his life had he ever really thought about the necessity of breathing, nor how nice it was to be able to do it well until this moment.

"Think about what?" he said, his legs shaking as he stood.  Strange, he didn't get hit in his legs right?  Was this just the fatigue from the punch?

[YOLF]

Yusho

"What are you doing wrong? If you're strong now, then why aren't you hitting me? You think you can be the superior of anyone that matters like this?" His one-eyed glare weighed Roman down, and his hand squeezed on the young man's shoulder. "What do you want to accomplish by fighting me? What am I trying to show you?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

"Your not making sense," he said, raising his arms into a imitation boxing stance.  Although it looked more like a hollywood martial artist stance.  "Aren't you just stronger than me?"

It stung, saying that after he had taken the deal with Valarie.  To think that after taking a deal like that he still wasn't strong enough yet.  Well, it was alright.  Truth be told, he knew from the start this wouldn't be so easy.  What was Yusho talking about?  Is this lesson something that could increase his efficiency at progress?  The most efficient path, that's the one he wanted.

[YOLF]

Yusho

"I am. Even like this. And yet you were just saying you'd put me in the ground," he scoffed, but his grip on Roman loosed up. "Can you see the extent to which this monster body of yours helps, now? It might as well be nothing in the face of your dreams, and even if it wasn't, you're not using it right."

[yinsukin]

Roman

He is taunting me, just like them.

That feeling of frustration, helplessness.  It was cradled in his heart, sealed in by the ribcage of inferiority.  An image flashed through his mind.  A ten year old Roman stood on the edge of a basketball court, staring at a group of kids all huddled together.  Their eyes shone with a great power.  "Sorry, you can't play with us, you'd only get hurt."  That day Roman had learned that you can be surrounded by people, have their kindness extended to you in perfect authenticity and still feel alone.

Another image flashed through his mind.  The still young but older eighteen year old Roman watched as his classmate informed him he was going to be training in the first district.  Another classmate that day had told him she was leaving that day to go work under someone in pine guardian.  Turns out if you manifest certain type of magic, you can make a killing constructing houses and augmenting jewlery. Both of them gave him that look, like they were watching a starving puppy, a creature that would never amount to anything.

There was a book in the library that was placed on a pedestal, filled with figures who had influenced the nexus for the better.  Most of them had special powers or were otherwise born abnormal.  They were special, except one.  Chief Yamada. According to all the information he absorbed about the man, he was one of the few born with nothing.  It was his discipline and strength of will that allowed him to stand above the rest.  It was then that Roman thought to himself. 

Maybe I can also be special, powerful, wipe that look off of their faces.  One day they will all be under my foot.  Thats what he thought as he cocked his arm back for another punch.  They may be sloppy, but if he got even one hit in, then at least he would feel good.

 "It wasn't for nothing Yusho!  I am something now!  I can train forever if I need to!  I can fight all day now.  So what if i'm slower.  I can kick your ass all over the map if I just tire your old ass out!"

The fist shot forward, once again aimed for his face.

[YOLF]

Yusho

His mouth parted, hollow of words, for the vivid, heated window into Roman's mind that his expression was in that moment. It felt like a peek into something he wasn't intended to see. He wondered if that was how he looked when he realized the follies of his hearthmates, and nearly all his ties seemed to become lies overnight. He was no longer a young man then, for all the good it did him, but still his heart had wanted nothing more than to scatter to Mela's bitterly cold huffs. Instead, he was forced to stand and face the demanding world like a stone, arm and spirit more solid than he'd ever been. His monk sash and the respect of his religious siblings were only the first casualties of that decision, but in hindsight even a him a decade younger would have realized it was the only right one.

Yusho's thoughts went too far away to rightly see the wind-up blow headed his way. He hastened to raise his forearm, and blocked the punch an inch from his face with a dull and somewhat painful thud.

"I don't look that old, darned kid!" He glowered, stomping the ground. Uncompliant to the sting of his yet-unhealed injuries in his abdomen, he struck at Roman with a palm to the middle of the chest. His glare had softened, but he retorted like a knife. "Maybe you can train forever. But will you?"

Yusho shook his head.

"I'm not here as your enemy, Roman, and I don't want to see you down a path where you become mine. You said you want to be remembered, but by who? Be honest. Will the strength of a monster, or the strength of a martial artist make you shine for them? To temper strength, to remind you of why you do things, to bring you the calm you need to know and improve yourself, it's best to have a solid anchor."

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman's eyes widened as Yusho blocked the punch.  What happened there?  It looked like he may have gotten closer, but the inexperienced Roman couldn't tell if Yusho let him get closer to prove a point or if he actually was doing slightly better.  Either way, it fell short.  The strike struck true and a clapping sound filled the air as Roman's eyes widened with pain.  His entire torso stung, but his abdomen was healing.

"I know it will shine for them," he said, frowning and covering his chest with his hands.  "Because they shined for me.  Wealth, fame, power:  those are the things that make us shine as individuals.  Success is like romance.  Everyone likes to pretend it doesn't have to do with sexual attraction but it does.  We all care about how attractive our partners are.  Power, strength: those attributes are the things that make people look at you and remember you.  Without them...."

Roman could feel his heart sink.  Clenching his fist, he ran up to Yusho, swinging his leg upwards in an akward kick, his toe threatening to strike him in the abdomen.  "I don't matter!"

No matter what it takes.  Never again did he want to feel such profound helplessness.

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho grit his teeth and whipped a leg at Roman's clumsy kick, knocking it away, and then spun on the force, bending elbows close to his torso, and smacking Roman's chin with a spinning kick of his own.

"You're a bloated moron! An empty-headed swine! You think you're spitting high philosophy at me?" He yelled, sparks trailing from his beard. "Of course people are attracted to looks and strength! But people don't shine because of fame, they gain fame because they shine! And what of that shine? Millions of men know an empress, but how many of them know her? To how many of them does she matter, does she have any impact beyond understanding she rules far beyond what they will ever travel to see in life? If you tell yourself you don't matter, then you won't fucking matter even with all the power in the world! If you get as strong as me will you beat anyone to a pulp just so they know you exist? What's the point?! Do you want to be known for the sake of being known, or do you just want to feel superior so you can finally live your life safe? Which is it?"