The Way of the Iridescent Fist

[Blaze]

All across Muffinville, all manners of institutions that teach martial ways, from adventurer academies to schools of sorcery, have come under attack. The features of the assailant all share something in common. A woman (with wildly varying body types, sometimes even a young girl) with red hair (usually with highlights and streaks of a secondary color) and a black outfit stormed her way inside and challenged the strongest there.

Everyone who took her up on her challenge was soundly trounced with a different form of martial arts, perfectly countering the assailant's methods. Those with size and brawn on their side were brought down by grapples and joint locks. Those with fast, aggressive styles hit only air as the woman flowed around their attacks before retaliating. Those who employed weapons found their strikes countered by the most unlikely of things, from shopping bags to mere kitchen knives. Upon her victory, the woman would state to those who opted not to fight, "Find my dojo, and learn the True Way," before leaving, taking the school's sign with her.

Said dojo was recently built atop a tall hill on the city outskirts. At first, it was a ramshackle structure of wood. But apparently, this woman made an impression, as she now has many students, all of whom she marshaled into renovating it. Stone stairs have been hewed into the hillside and painted all the colors of the rainbow. An assortment of women, from busty maids to bookish girls in turtlenecks to young girl scouts jog up and down them, day in and day out. A wall has been erected around an open courtyard, where all manner of people train, going through various different kata, each as different as the women that do them. And yet, they all seem to flow together when viewed as a whole.

From this courtyard, another flight of stairs move up to the main building, topped with a pagoda. There sits the woman upon a chair, watching her students practice with keen eyes, barking instructions at those who falter.

[Whatevr89532]

Perhaps another of those bookish types in turtlenecks approaches, a small-seeming bespectacled wolf-girl wandering a little hesitantly toward the general location of the dojo. Before entering the place proper, she pauses to adjust her glasses and mutter quietly to herself. "Physical prowess severely lacking...if anyone can fix that, then...worst they can do is say no..." After steeling herself with those thoughts, she walks in, looking around attentively to see who a potential new student is supposed to talk to.

((Hiya Blaze, it's been a long time!))

[Blaze]

[Sure has. Good to see you.]

The doors are guarded by two women. One mature and clad in a dancer's outfit and the other younger in a seifuku. They both permit the wolf girl to pass without comment. The moment she stands within the courtyard, the woman in the chair stands, and crosses the space between them in a blink. She leaves a trail of after images, all of which fluctuate with all the colors of the rainbow.

Her hands reach out to the wolfgirl, without threat but highly insistent. A thumb tries to get in between her lips so that the woman might cheek her teeth. Are they akin to a human, omnivorous? Or closer to a wolf, made for ripping and tearing meat? The other hand reaches for a wrist, trying to bring the other girl's hand up so the nails can be examined. Thin, ape-like? Or sharp, wolf-like.

"Have you a Color?" the redhead asks, the word bearing... local significance.

[Whatevr89532]

The visitor is startled by the sudden invasion of her personal space, but clearly lacks the quick reaction time needed to prevent it. Her teeth seem mostly omnivorous, though a few of them, such as the canines, are longer and sharper than normal, a kind of hybrid situation. Her nails, though a bit long, are human in nature. The girl tries to speak either through the hand in her mouth or after it leaves, if it leaves fast enough, to respond: "I, was created through a process involving color energy, specifically silver and red, but my body only seems to actually contain trace amounts consistent with ambient radiation."

[Blaze]

The woman, upon satisfying her curiosity and receiving an answer, simply nods. "Very well. Follow me." She turns her back and begins to stride back towards her seat, without even checking to see if the wolfgirl follows. "Here, we train in the way of the Iridescent Fist. It is a style of kung fu of my own design, based on the myriad colors that cause metamorphosis in these lands."

She next begins to gesture at her students. "Each of them are practicing one of the lesser forms of the style. These styles are designed to take advantage of the common features each color creates. Through mastery of these, they can move on to another color, or refine it further." She stops at the steps up to the pagoda, and turns to visit her guest.

"You say that Silver and Red were used in your creation. Would you like to learn Budding Cherry Style or Polished Mind Style? Or would you rather begin anew, and take up a different color and style?"

[AmbushCat]

Said dojo was recently built atop a tall hill on the city outskirts. At first, it was a ramshackle structure of wood. But apparently, this woman made an impression, as she now has many students, all of whom she marshaled into renovating it. Stone stairs have been hewed into the hillside and painted all the colors of the rainbow. An assortment of women, from busty maids to bookish girls in turtlenecks to young girl scouts jog up and down them, day in and day out. A wall has been erected around an open courtyard, where all manner of people train, going through various different kata, each as different as the women that do them. And yet, they all seem to flow together when viewed as a whole.

*One such woman, a tall maid with eyesight issues (her uniform identifying her as being from Circe's Manor), goes through her exercises with careful deliberation.*

"You say that Silver and Red were used in your creation. Would you like to learn Budding Cherry Style or Polished Mind Style? Or would you rather begin anew, and take up a different color and style?"

*A pair of cartoonish cat eyes appear out of nowhere next to the woman's head, no sound heralding their arrival. A voice speaks to her, its words masked and heavily distorted.*

Oh, hey!

[Feng]

A small figure hobbled up the rainbow steps of the pagoda, dressed as a custodian: a chibi. He seemed weary with age, leaning on a mop that he employed as a makeshift walking stick to navigate the large steps, all the while muttering on and on about his back and not being the 'spry sparrow' he once was in his youth.

[Knight Errant]

There is a faint thumping... as a hulking figure approaches up the hill. Slowly making his way to the ramshackle building. Lit lanterns dangling from the wooden framework attached to his back. His heavy spiked kanabo dragging along the pavement with a scraping sound. The sharpened spikes leaving grooves in the ground.

A wild mane of hair flutters behind his head, and matches the expression on his face. A wide, toothy grin seemingly permanently affixed to his features.

The oni stomps his way up to the front gate... his grin getting even wider. "AhHAHAHAAaha! Me heard there were strong fights here. But all me see are skinny girls!"

[AmbushCat]

*The tall maid pauses and looks down at herself for a moment when she overhears this.*

Joni: "Skinny"? Either this School is as effective as Master said it was, or that monster needs a good optometrist...

[Blaze]

A small figure hobbled up the rainbow steps of the pagoda, dressed as a custodian: a chibi. He seemed weary with age, leaning on a mop that he employed as a makeshift walking stick to navigate the large steps, all the while muttering on and on about his back and not being the 'spry sparrow' he once was in his youth.

A bunch of girls jog up the stairs past the elderly Chibi. The same group that were coming down when he first started up the stairs; he's being lapped! One of them, clad in a fine pink kimono, has enough heart to stop and ask, "Would you like some help, sir?"

There is a faint thumping... as a hulking figure approaches up the hill. Slowly making his way to the ramshackle building. Lit lanterns dangling from the wooden framework attached to his back. His heavy spiked kanabo dragging along the pavement with a scraping sound. The sharpened spikes leaving grooves in the ground.

A wild mane of hair flutters behind his head, and matches the expression on his face. A wide, toothy grin seemingly permanently affixed to his features.

The oni stomps his way up to the front gate... his grin getting even wider. "AhHAHAHAAaha! Me heard there were strong fights here. But all me see are skinny girls!"

The two girls who guard the gate, the dancer and the schoolgirl, bunch up to block the oni. The latter doesn't even come to his knee, but they each have a glint of determination in their eyes.

"You are welcome to enter sir," the dancer says softly. "But we ask that you please show some respect. If you seek a challenge, politely request one and it will be offered. If you come in braying like am aggreived donkey-"

"You'll have to deal with Sensei," the schoolgirl interjects. "And you don't want that, trust me."

*One such woman, a tall maid with eyesight issues (her uniform identifying her as being from Circe's Manor), goes through her exercises with careful deliberation.*

*The tall maid pauses and looks down at herself for a moment when she overhears this.*

Joni: "Skinny"? Either this School is as effective as Master said it was, or that monster needs a good optometrist...

Suddenly, against the maid's back is... the red-haired woman! However, this one has a blue streak going through her hair, and she's slightly curvier than the main body speaking with the wolfgirl.

"Like this. Keep the elbow bent, and point your toes inward."

She reaches forward, taking the maid's wrist in her hand and helping her crook the elbow just-so, her foot sliding forward to nudge the maid's so it points inward. As she comments on the oni's words, the red-and-blue haired woman comments, "He refers purely to muscle-mass. As if muscles alone count for power. Ignore him, he will be dealt with soon enough."

*A pair of cartoonish cat eyes appear out of nowhere next to the woman's head, no sound heralding their arrival. A voice speaks to her, its words masked and heavily distorted.*

Oh, hey!

The redhead turns her head to regard the disembodied eyes and voice. "Greetings. What business have you here?" She doesn't even regard the oni. Yes, even the phantom stranger is owed more respect than the rude brute who made a mess of her stairs.

[AmbushCat]

Suddenly, against the maid's back is... the red-haired woman! However, this one has a blue streak going through her hair, and she's slightly curvier than the main body speaking with the wolfgirl.

"Like this. Keep the elbow bent, and point your toes inward."

She reaches forward, taking the maid's wrist in her hand and helping her crook the elbow just-so, her foot sliding forward to nudge the maid's so it points inward. As she comments on the oni's words, the red-and-blue haired woman comments, "He refers purely to muscle-mass. As if muscles alone count for power. Ignore him, he will be dealt with soon enough."

Joni: *smiles gratefully* Ah. Thank you, Master. *continues her exercises as instructed*

The redhead turns her head to regard the disembodied eyes and voice. "Greetings. What business have you here?" She doesn't even regard the oni. Yes, even the phantom stranger is owed more respect than the rude brute who made a mess of her stairs.

*Ambush Cat flares into being when addressed, hovering in the air for a moment before dropping to the ground. He rolls his eyes upon landing.*

I'm gonna smack the guy who made that my entrance music... *clears his throat* Anyway, no real "business" per se. Just that this school wasn't here the last time I passed through, so I figured I'd look around.

[Feng]

A bunch of girls jog up the stairs past the elderly Chibi. The same group that were coming down when he first started up the stairs; he's being lapped! One of them, clad in a fine pink kimono, has enough heart to stop and ask, "Would you like some help, sir?"

"Ehehehehe, that is mighty kind of you, young un, mighty kind" warbled the elderly chibi to his benefactor. "If you could kindly help an old man with directions, I would be most grateful, young lady." He flashed a toothy grin.

"As it is, I've been looking for the location of some sort of fancy dojo among the Tall Ones. Word is that a mighty fearsome lady has been thrashing martial arts schools left and right. Why, I even heard that them so-called Chibiwanbanshu thugs got their clocks cleaned at them fancy training schools, the ones that queer fella Bones runs."

He chuckled. "Course, I do ponder how this Lightning Lady would fare against real Chibiwanban-Oh, but I'm going off on one of my silly tangents again. The Missus was always fussing at me about this, may her bones rest in peace. Why...."

The old man seems to have a talent for blathering. T~T

".... and back in my day, this used to be Tomapple groves, far as the eye could see... course we didn't call em' tomapples, not like you young uns with your fancy doodads and your interwebs...."

[Knight Errant]

The demon's grin widens. He shifts and whips his kanabo through the air... over the girl's heads to rest on one of his shoulders. "Me be showing much respect! All human fight houses bore me. But then me hear them fall like boulders down a landslide."

He pulls the spiked club down, planting it on the ground with a heavy thud. Both of his hands folded on top of the handle. "And me DO want to deal with your Sensei. Unless little girls think they can give Oni a good fight?" He tilts his head. "If squishies feel insult, it not meant. Me find it funny little girls beat all the fancy humans in their fancy fight houses. If you not want fight, me go away. But... me spread the word that girls are scardey girls. Maybe me make lantern out of your sign."

[Whatevr89532]

The wolf-girl follows, about as expected, and watches those training around here briefly. "The polished mind style sounds most attractive to me, just from what the name suggests..."

[Blaze]

Joni: *smiles gratefully* Ah. Thank you, Master. *continues her exercises as instructed*

The woman watches the corrected kata intensely, before making a comment.

"How confident do you feel now? Do you think you can handle a spar? Not with me, of course, but with someone else?"

*Ambush Cat flares into being when addressed, hovering in the air for a moment before dropping to the ground. He rolls his eyes upon landing.*

I'm gonna smack the guy who made that my entrance music... *clears his throat* Anyway, no real "business" per se. Just that this school wasn't here the last time I passed through, so I figured I'd look around.

The redhead nods. "Very well. Feel free to observe as long as you like. There will be an exhibition soon." She glances towards the oni at the gate as she says this.

"Ehehehehe, that is mighty kind of you, young un, mighty kind" warbled the elderly chibi to his benefactor. "If you could kindly help an old man with directions, I would be most grateful, young lady." He flashed a toothy grin.

"As it is, I've been looking for the location of some sort of fancy dojo among the Tall Ones. Word is that a mighty fearsome lady has been thrashing martial arts schools left and right. Why, I even heard that them so-called Chibiwanbanshu thugs got their clocks cleaned at them fancy training schools, the ones that queer fella Bones runs."

He chuckled. "Course, I do ponder how this Lightning Lady would fare against real Chibiwanban-Oh, but I'm going off on one of my silly tangents again. The Missus was always fussing at me about this, may her bones rest in peace. Why...."

The old man seems to have a talent for blathering. T~T

".... and back in my day, this used to be Tomapple groves, far as the eye could see... course we didn't call em' tomapples, not like you young uns with your fancy doodads and your interwebs...."

The kimono-clad woman just smiles and nods along with the old Chibi's blathering as she help him up the steps. Occasionally, she chips in with, "Oh, is that so?" and "Ah, how interesting!" What a sweetheart.

"We're here sir," she interjects as they reach the summit. "Although, there seems to be a spot of bother..." she adds, gesturing at the Oni.

The wolf-girl follows, about as expected, and watches those training around here briefly. "The polished mind style sounds most attractive to me, just from what the name suggests..."

"Very well."

The woman begins to glow, a purple aura flaring to life around her. In the next moment, the umbra of it takes on a silvery sheen, before she splits in two! The new one has a streak of silver in her hair and is wearing black square-framed glasses.

"Right this way," she says in a voice that is just a stern as the original, but also a bit snobby. She guide the wolfgirl away, and poses a question.

"If I were to ask you as to where the most damaging location to strike on a typical human's body was, how would you answer?"

The demon's grin widens. He shifts and whips his kanabo through the air... over the girl's heads to rest on one of his shoulders. "Me be showing much respect! All human fight houses bore me. But then me hear them fall like boulders down a landslide."

He pulls the spiked club down, planting it on the ground with a heavy thud. Both of his hands folded on top of the handle. "And me DO want to deal with your Sensei. Unless little girls think they can give Oni a good fight?" He tilts his head. "If squishies feel insult, it not meant. Me find it funny little girls beat all the fancy humans in their fancy fight houses. If you not want fight, me go away. But... me spread the word that girls are scardey girls. Maybe me make lantern out of your sign."

The guards don't even flinch as that massive club wooshes overhead. As the oni asks if they think they're hard enough to deal with him, both take in his size and form... and frown. That's a clear enough answer. And then as he threatens rumors, the schoolgirl begins to retort, an angry expression on her face...!

Only for a hand to clamp down on her shoulder. The Sensei herself is here, now that prior engagements are being dealt with.

"If you want a challenge, you have one. But now that you have threatened to spread rumors of this place, it has escalated from a mere exhibition match. My school's reputation now hangs on the line. You cannot expect me to enter a fight with such uneven stakes. So I shall escalate it further, so that both our prides are at stake."

She's smirking now, a confident gleam in her eyes. "If you win, this place is yours to do with as you like. Destroy it, take the sign, inherit it for yourself, anything that comes to mind. But if I win, you enter my tutelage, under whatever style I decide. Do we have a deal?"

She extends her hand for a shake.