Rise: Strength
Sept 6, 2017 3:19:58 GMT -6
Post by Ghostly on Sept 6, 2017 3:19:58 GMT -6
Currently editing for the site format. This is a little piece I felt like writing after listening to the finale of the TAZ podcast. I tried putting a spin on it, but the central idea is the same.
Enjoy...
Now this is the Law of the Jungle, as old and as true as the sky. The wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
"Stop. Drop your bag there, we'll train here."
Ruwan did as the Canis asked, setting his duffle on the dojo floor. Never in his years of training had he ever seen a training center as low tech as the one he saw before him. Punching bags held by chains, barbells, speed bags. For the one of the greatest fighting center in the Mjolnir Galaxy, it belonged in the last millennia.
"Before we start, understand this. I have no intention of easing up on you." Vetran continued, wrapping his hands as he paced the open floor. "If at any time you require aid, just shout for Riza." He added, nodding towards the red-furred Canis who seemed dead-set to tear her punching bag in half.
"Okay... so, where do we start?" Ruwan questioned as he began warming up.
"We start here. You said you wanted to get stronger, right?"
With anticipation, Ruwan quickly replied. "Yes"
"What do you think strength is, Ruwan?"
After a moment, Ruwan flexed his well-built arms and gave Vetran a witty grin.
"So, you think that... being physically powerful is-is strength?
"Well-"
"Is that what you think strength is, Ruwan?"
"No, I just think that it shows strength."
Vetran shook his head and scolded him under his breath. Then, in the blink of an eye, Vetran was on all-fours, charging Ruwan.
Before he could even react, Ruwan was on the ground, and Vetran stood above him, looking as though he hadn't even broken a sweat. Ruwan struggled to pull air into his chest as he slowly rose back to his full height.
"Physical strength is nothing, Ruwan." The Canis said, giving no option for backtalk or disagreement. "I'm more powerful than you: the… rhino is more powerful than me, the whale is more powerful than the rhino, the ocean is more powerful than the whale— there's always something more powerful than you, Ruwan. You are incorrect."
---
Ruwan let out a quiet puff of air as his back slammed into the wooden beam. Vetran's sharp claws dug into his training clothes as he lifted him off the ground and against the pillar.
"Strength is...-" He struggled as Vetran tightened his grip.
"-is... being more powerful than my enemies!"
In a single movement, Vetran pulled him from the beam and threw him across the matted floor. "I'm sorry. You are incorrect again, Kuma." The Canis was being sincere, he was apologizing. "That's enough for today."
As Ruwan slowly lifted himself off the floor, the other Canis, Riza approached. "You were pretty good on the floor today, I haven't seen to many people hold their ground like you did." She slapped a hand on his back, ignoring how he winced as she did. "I know a killer noodle place just down the hill. Come on, my treat."
---
Ruwan twirled his noodles around his utensil and looked across the table at Riza, who had begun to lap the broth in her bowl greedily. "So, what is strength?"
"Huh?" She looked up from her bowl. Broth ran down her chin and soaked into her fur.
"Master Vetran, what does he mean? What's the answer?"
"Why should I know?" Riza shrugged and went back to her noodles.
"But isn't he your teacher, too?" Ruwan brought his noodles to his mouth and pulled them through his lips.
"Nah, he just asks me to help out."
I haven't seen you do much of that lately...
"He must like you if he called you Kuma... he won't even call me that..." Riza added her empty bowl to the stack of bowls she had cleaned and belched. "You must be something really special to him."
"What does it mean? Kuma, I mean."
Riza smiled and looked back Ruwan's way. "It means; cub."
---
"What is strength, Ruwan?"
"Strength is being able to use your power."
The Master dropped and charged, using his skull as a battering ram. Ruwan held his ground and tried to stop Canis in his tracks, but as they collided, Ruwan felt his wrists buckle as the Canis threw him back. His wrists radiated with pain, but he couldn't give up. Just as he tried to get to his feet, he felt a clawed hand depress his chest.
"You have strength, Ruwan. Does this look like you're using your power?"
Ruwan gritted his teeth and wheezed. "I'm using what power I have!"
Vetran scoffed and lifted himself off Ruwan.
"The power you have is infinite. There is only so much power any fighter's body will allow them to have. Insisting that you are powerful will not give you strength. You are incorrect. Go rest, Ruwan. You can try again another day."
Vetran pulled on the belt around his waist and tightened the knot, before he turned and walked out of the dojo, leaving Ruwan on the ground.
Riza approached him. "Shouldn't've gone for the head, here let me-"
"Get out of here! I never asked for your help before, and I certainly don't need it now!"
Riza stood up and turned to walk out.
"You just don't get it."
When they were both gone, Ruwan put his head in his palms and cried.
---
It was raining. He made him fight in it.
"Ruwan, again! What is strength?"
Ruwan gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Winning!" He spun around and kicked for his opponent's head, only for the Canis to catch his foot in one hand before he threw him over his shoulder and into the mud.
Vetran didn't give Ruwan much time to catch his breath. Not out of pity, but respect. "What is strength?"
"Continuing... continuing on!" Ruwan managed to get out as he held a hand to his side.
The answer was not sufficient. Vetran wrapped a hand around Ruwan's throat, and with his other, he knocked Ruwan into the mud. "You are incorrect. We're done for today." Vetran turned, and shook the water from his fur.
---
Enjoy...
Now this is the Law of the Jungle, as old and as true as the sky. The wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
"Stop. Drop your bag there, we'll train here."
Ruwan did as the Canis asked, setting his duffle on the dojo floor. Never in his years of training had he ever seen a training center as low tech as the one he saw before him. Punching bags held by chains, barbells, speed bags. For the one of the greatest fighting center in the Mjolnir Galaxy, it belonged in the last millennia.
"Before we start, understand this. I have no intention of easing up on you." Vetran continued, wrapping his hands as he paced the open floor. "If at any time you require aid, just shout for Riza." He added, nodding towards the red-furred Canis who seemed dead-set to tear her punching bag in half.
"Okay... so, where do we start?" Ruwan questioned as he began warming up.
"We start here. You said you wanted to get stronger, right?"
With anticipation, Ruwan quickly replied. "Yes"
"What do you think strength is, Ruwan?"
After a moment, Ruwan flexed his well-built arms and gave Vetran a witty grin.
"So, you think that... being physically powerful is-is strength?
"Well-"
"Is that what you think strength is, Ruwan?"
"No, I just think that it shows strength."
Vetran shook his head and scolded him under his breath. Then, in the blink of an eye, Vetran was on all-fours, charging Ruwan.
Before he could even react, Ruwan was on the ground, and Vetran stood above him, looking as though he hadn't even broken a sweat. Ruwan struggled to pull air into his chest as he slowly rose back to his full height.
"Physical strength is nothing, Ruwan." The Canis said, giving no option for backtalk or disagreement. "I'm more powerful than you: the… rhino is more powerful than me, the whale is more powerful than the rhino, the ocean is more powerful than the whale— there's always something more powerful than you, Ruwan. You are incorrect."
---
Ruwan let out a quiet puff of air as his back slammed into the wooden beam. Vetran's sharp claws dug into his training clothes as he lifted him off the ground and against the pillar.
"Strength is...-" He struggled as Vetran tightened his grip.
"-is... being more powerful than my enemies!"
In a single movement, Vetran pulled him from the beam and threw him across the matted floor. "I'm sorry. You are incorrect again, Kuma." The Canis was being sincere, he was apologizing. "That's enough for today."
As Ruwan slowly lifted himself off the floor, the other Canis, Riza approached. "You were pretty good on the floor today, I haven't seen to many people hold their ground like you did." She slapped a hand on his back, ignoring how he winced as she did. "I know a killer noodle place just down the hill. Come on, my treat."
---
Ruwan twirled his noodles around his utensil and looked across the table at Riza, who had begun to lap the broth in her bowl greedily. "So, what is strength?"
"Huh?" She looked up from her bowl. Broth ran down her chin and soaked into her fur.
"Master Vetran, what does he mean? What's the answer?"
"Why should I know?" Riza shrugged and went back to her noodles.
"But isn't he your teacher, too?" Ruwan brought his noodles to his mouth and pulled them through his lips.
"Nah, he just asks me to help out."
I haven't seen you do much of that lately...
"He must like you if he called you Kuma... he won't even call me that..." Riza added her empty bowl to the stack of bowls she had cleaned and belched. "You must be something really special to him."
"What does it mean? Kuma, I mean."
Riza smiled and looked back Ruwan's way. "It means; cub."
---
"What is strength, Ruwan?"
"Strength is being able to use your power."
The Master dropped and charged, using his skull as a battering ram. Ruwan held his ground and tried to stop Canis in his tracks, but as they collided, Ruwan felt his wrists buckle as the Canis threw him back. His wrists radiated with pain, but he couldn't give up. Just as he tried to get to his feet, he felt a clawed hand depress his chest.
"You have strength, Ruwan. Does this look like you're using your power?"
Ruwan gritted his teeth and wheezed. "I'm using what power I have!"
Vetran scoffed and lifted himself off Ruwan.
"The power you have is infinite. There is only so much power any fighter's body will allow them to have. Insisting that you are powerful will not give you strength. You are incorrect. Go rest, Ruwan. You can try again another day."
Vetran pulled on the belt around his waist and tightened the knot, before he turned and walked out of the dojo, leaving Ruwan on the ground.
Riza approached him. "Shouldn't've gone for the head, here let me-"
"Get out of here! I never asked for your help before, and I certainly don't need it now!"
Riza stood up and turned to walk out.
"You just don't get it."
When they were both gone, Ruwan put his head in his palms and cried.
---
It was raining. He made him fight in it.
"Ruwan, again! What is strength?"
Ruwan gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Winning!" He spun around and kicked for his opponent's head, only for the Canis to catch his foot in one hand before he threw him over his shoulder and into the mud.
Vetran didn't give Ruwan much time to catch his breath. Not out of pity, but respect. "What is strength?"
"Continuing... continuing on!" Ruwan managed to get out as he held a hand to his side.
The answer was not sufficient. Vetran wrapped a hand around Ruwan's throat, and with his other, he knocked Ruwan into the mud. "You are incorrect. We're done for today." Vetran turned, and shook the water from his fur.
---
Ruwan took a week off, to heal and train. And with every routine that Riza took him through, Vetran's question echoed in his mind. She showed him the village, and with every person he met, he asked them the question he had been asked for three months. After his week, he tried to use their answers.
"Alright, let's start this morning off right. What is strength?"
"Being able to destroy when you need to!"
His answer was met with a gut punch. Of course the ideals of a mercenary would never appeal to Vetran.
"What is strength?"
"Doing what it takes to survive!"
Ruwan fell back into the dirt, and picked himself back up quickly.
"What is strength, Ruwan?"
"Carrying the burdens of my loved ones?"
A knee to the stomach. Thanks, grandma.
"Come on, what is strength?"
"Living with my mistakes and moving on?"
Ruwan was sent back to the ground, a streak of blood ran down his cheek. He felt the Master's knee land between his shoulder blades.
"What is strength? Ruwan? What is strength!"
"Facing your own problems!"
The weight on his back lessened. "...In what way?"
Ruwan took a deep breath and reeled, his answer had a follow-up question. He swallowed hard and called up behind him. "By taking on the everyday battles you face, by challenging what normally holds you back!"
"Incorrect."
For a moment, Ruwan felt that it was over. But as soon as the knee left his back, he felt the Canis grab him by his collar and throw him against a wooden beam.
Vetran's hand came flying, and landed only an inch from his face, shooting splinters his way. "What. Is. Strength?" He growled and came in close.
Ruwan took a moment and exhaled. "Taking responsibility when things go wrong."
"No!"
An open palmed strike hit his face, and his vision went black for a moment. Before he could get his bearings, Ruwan was thrown back five feet into the dirt.
As he landed, he curled up slightly and gasped for breath.
"Ruwan, you'll never be learn if your scope narrows like this."
Ruwan whimpered slightly and nodded rapidly as he grasped his sides.
"Heal up, we're done for today."
---
"Ruwan, maybe you should take a break." Riza said, blocking the way to Ruwan's room.
He wanted to yell, curse her out. But he controlled himself and rubbed his temples. "I can't. Just... can't."
"Yes, you can. You know him, I know him. Just ask for some time off, he'll let you rest. You need it." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with putting these things off."
"I have to do this." Ruwan slid past her and closed the door behind him.
---
"What is strength?"
"Just... power!"
Incorrect.
Some days, Ruwan just wanted it to be over.
"What is strength?"
"Sparing others of the weight of your burdens."
Incorrect.
Others, he was so close to breaking down.
"What is strength?"
"Courage to share."
"Share what?"
"Your power, your feelings!"
Incorrect.
But most of the time, all he wanted was to beat him form once.
---
Ruwan was sprawled across the ground, catching his breath. Vetran was circling him, and Riza just shook her head as he failed.
"Let's try again, Ruwan." Vetran said with the same patience as before. He leaned over and looked Ruwan in the eye. "What do you think strength is?"
"Strength is..." Ruwan groaned and tried to sit up. "Being stronger than your opponent. Strength is being strong enough." Ruwan made it to his feet and placed his hands on his knees.
The Canis questioned. "Strong enough for what?"
"Win, survive, I- I don't know!" Ruwan sighed, foreseeing the two wrapped hands that would knock him back to the ground.
"You're telling me what it is to be strong; that's not what strength is! Why do you want to be strong, Ruwan?"
Ruwan pulled himself to his knees and looked up. "I want to be strong so... so I don't have to lose anyone."
"So, you want to be able to defend who you care about, is that it?"
"They're not strong enough. I have to be," he said, finally getting his legs beneath him. "So, did... did I get it?"
"You need strength to protect someone, that's right Ruwan. But the desire to protect is not strength itself. You're incorrect again."
---
Another day, another spar, but this time he wasn't holding anything back. Ruwan ducked and dodged, but Vetran was pulling the stops. Left, right, right, le-
Vetran threw in a changeup, and slammed into Ruwan's left temple, leaving a ringing in his ears.
"-wan! Ruwan! What is strength?!"
Just as his hearing returned, Vetran grabbed him in a hold, and suplexed him, slamming his back against the ground and knocking the wind from his lungs. Before he could recover, Vetran flipped him, and pinned his arm behind his back. "What was the first thing I told you when you came here?" The pop of Ruwan's shoulder ended his sentence.
"R-Riza! Help!"
Ruwan felt the weight on him lessen as Riza came to his side and set his shoulder back into place. Ruwan looked back up at his teacher, who now stretched and smiled at him.
"Strength is a tool, Ruwan. It's a commodity. You can spend it and spend it, but everyone's got some, and lots of people are gonna have more than you. But if you ask for it, Ruwan, other people's strength can become your own. That… is what strength is, Ruwan. Who gives you strength? How willing are you to ask for it? Pride and glory are the enemies of true strength, Ruwan."
Vetran sat down beside his student, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "In every warrior's life, there comes a moment where they are overpowered by a superior fighter…" Vetran took his hand from Ruwan's shoulder, and pointed towards Riza. "But you keep friends nearby, and you ask for help when you need it, Ruwan, and you won't just be strong."
"You'll be unbeatable."
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
