Enter the Saurid...I mean half elf! [Basic Shaasskah| Vanderlou]

[Meat Grinder]

~*Timestamp: Mid-Ioannes, in the Season of Summer, Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum*~

In the southeast district of Daltina, coined Cheapside, is a small wooden building. The exterior of the building is built with aged wood, dark brown in color mixed with a mural of moss ranging from dark green to bright yellow. Moss hangs from the roof's wooden shingles, draping along the sides like a curtain, almost decorative, had it been intentional.

There is a wooden door in the middle of the front wall with a window on each side, creating an even looking structure. To right hand side of the door is a small wooden plaque with text that had been so weather beaten, it is almost unreadable, but for those who take a good look they will see it says:

Shss'ik's Dojo
of the
Saurid Zinn'ka

Upon entering the front door, there is a wide open, well lit area. Two long punching bags that look to be crafted from hefty linen and filled with sand hand in the back corner of the dojo. The floor is covered with a firm mat that has blood splattered in random spots and has been flattened by patterns of moving feet and falling bodies. An adult saurid, who run's the dojo, can be found sitting in the middle of the dojo meditating. This is presumably Shss'ik himself.

[Vanderlou]

He had been contemplating about the idea of learning a form of Zinn'ka for a few eras but it was only now that he had time enough to do just that. Even as a part-time janitor and student at brightshadows the half-vagaran seemed to finish his work much to early and there wasn't much to do after classes so he wanted to pick up a hobby, something to pass the time and Shaasskah sounded interesting enough.

Hearsay had brought him to this place, Shss'ik's Dojo where a Saurid was rumored to teach the infamous martial art of Shaasskah for a price - and if rumors were true, the price was not always monetary in nature. He was hoping that the Saurid would make an exception of him. He could only offer 200 crowns at best, after all, janitors couldn't really make that much money now could they?

Vanderlou stopped at the door and knocked on the wooden surface three times, stepping back in anticipation that the door would open quickly. He was wrong however. Moments passed and the door still didn't open, with his impatience mounting the half-elf slowly pushed the door ajar and he slipped his head inside the Dojo.

In the center of a brightly lit room was a Saurid, the first he had ever laid eyes on. Master Shss'ik sat there unmoving, he was clearly in the middle of meditation and Vanderlou wondered if it would be rude to interrupt the creature's reverie.

[Meat Grinder]

With his legs folded over each other and his eyes still closed, the meditating saurid spoke. "What can Sssssshissssss'ik help you withhhh?" His voice sounded hoarse and wispy as he spoke, but still his eyes did not open, nor did he move, save for his tail unwrapping from around his waist.

Shss'ik was wearing nothing but some old linen beige pants that were torn above the ankle. This must have been so he could have more fluid movement. His reptilian skin was rough and brownish-green everywhere but under his chin and chest which was yellowish-green. He looked very toned, but not bulky with muscles, like one might expect.

[Vanderlou]

Vanderlou stepped into the dojo, still unsure of how to carry himself in the presence of a saurid. "Serale, uhm... I've come here to learn Shaasskah?" the half-elf couldn't help but sound hesitant as he spoke, he found the creature's tail somewhat frightening and it didn't help that he didn't know how to pronounce Shaasskah in the first place either.

"Was the dojo closed? I entered without permission" he stared around him once more and wondered where the students were. Perhaps today had been a day off from training, or something of the like.

[Meat Grinder]

OCC:Sorry for the short crumby posts, it's just intro posts to get to the training itself.

A small smile showed on the saurid's face, amused by Vanderlou's nervousness. "If I did not want you in here, I would have locked my door." Finally Shss'ik opened his side set eyes and fixated them onto the half elf. He remained seated as he continued. "Sssssssso, what isssss it that you want to learn Ssssssshaassssssskah? It is a ssssaurid art, you know?" He questioned the boy, not to discourage him, but to make sure he was making the correct decision. He kept his tone pleasant and soft as he spoke, to not sound annoyed or arrogant.

[Vanderlou]

OOC: It's my bad sir, my posts are terribly short as well. You're already doing me a big favor as it is so there's really no need to apologize.

Vanderlou had always had the impression that Zinn'ka practitioners were always harsh and short-tempered. However the impression Shss'ik gave him was the exact opposite, he seemed like anger tempered, a perfect picture of calm and serenity. In fact had it not been for the battered look of the punching bags or the tell-tale flecks of dried blood clinging to the wooden floor he may have mistaken this Dojo for a monk's temple. For a moment, the half-elf was staring at the floor intensely, his thoughts bent on what would be the most effective cleaning solution in blood stain removal.

The saurid smiled at him and spoke, his voice was surprisingly pleasant and soft to the ears. Vanderlou blinked at the lizard man, his body stiff from the saurid's gaze.

"I-I am Vanderlou Windsborough," the half-elf bowed in the saurid's direction, not quite sure how he should be behaving himself in front of a Shaasskah master. Were there strict customs that had to be followed? He wondered if he should be calling the saurid master and decided that he should probably do just that. After all, this was a creature that could kill him if he wanted to, being extra polite wouldn't hurt.

"Yes, I heard stories that it's supposed to be a saurid art... Do I have to have a tail to be able to practice it master?" as he was speaking, the half-elf failed to realize that his head was still bowed down. "I wanted to learn Zinn'ka because I want to become strong sir! Strong enough that people would think twice before picking on me again."

Vanderlou wondered if that was reason enough, regardless he remained in his half-bowed position as he waited for the master's verdict.

[Meat Grinder]

Shss'ik's tail twitched when Vanderlou made mention of it, as if he had to move it to remember he had one. A saurid, just as any creature would get too used to their extra appendage. The lizard humanoid eyed up the half elf and shook his head. "No, you do not need a tail, young one. But do know that it is a long and hard road to be a ssssstudent of Ssssshaassssssskah. Have you the determination to sssstick with your ssssstudiessss?"

Shss'ik was not trying to discourage the young half elf, but he has seen it happen before when a student would show up to learn the art, but find it to hard and discontinue their training. If Vanderlou was going to train with the saurid, he hoped it would be for the long run... at least enough to get his basic understanding of the zinn'ka.

[Vanderlou]

The master meant well, that much was clear. Surely it was not unusual for anyone to take up a craft on a whim then abandon it just as quickly, but the half-elf had a powerful motivator.

"Money." he said, his voice calm and even. "I don't have much, probably only barely enough to pay for my lessons Master Shss'ik. I am not sure about your other students, I cannot afford to waste money. I'm not rich sir, each crown I have I earned through back-breaking labor and I don't intend to let my hard earned crowns go to waste. I will take your lessons very very seriously Master Shss'ik." the words came with conviction and rang true with the tone of honesty.

Finally, finding confidence in his words Vanderlou was able to stand up straight. However there was still a shadow of a doubt on his face. "Uh... Master Shss'ik, how much are the lessons worth?"

[Meat Grinder]

The saurid gave a snicker to the young half elf's remark about money. "I remember being down the patttth of a poor man. It isssss where I learned tttthe art of Ssssshaasssssskah. I lived on tttthe sssstreeetsss and had to fight for my keepsssss." He paused for a moment, caught in a trance of reminiscing adding the occasional snicker to himself remembering the foolish things he had done. "I will tell you what. You keep your crownssss and I will teach you Shhhaasssskah, BUT you musssst promissssse me that you will sssstick with it, even in the tough timesssss. You musssst alssssso clean my dojo everyday... wiping ttthe ssssweat, ttthe blood, tttthe sssspit off ttthe matssss, and where ever elsssse it may creep into. What do you ssssay?" He gestured with a long webbed hand to the various spots of dried blood and sweat spots throughout the mat and on the heavy bags. He normally did not make these deals with anyone, but he could tell the young one had the potential to make him and himself proud.

[Vanderlou]

It was an easy enough a bargain to fulfill and even if the Saurid had not asked him to do just that, he would have offered to clean the dojo on his own anyway. After all, the half-elf was a creature of habit, and his obsessive compulsive desire to keep things spiffy and clean was gnawing at his self-control already.

"Where do you keep the brooms and rags master Shss'ik?" Vanderlou was already pulling up his sleeves, his mind made up about this whole Shaasskah affair already. "If possible, I'd also like to know if you have a stove here... and lemons, you have lemons yes?"

He intended to get started as soon as he could manage. The brightening was still early and it seemed like such a waste of time if he didn't do anything while the sun was still high. "Is it alright if I get right to work master?" he asked. "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but you do have wax here, yes?"

It was clear that the half-elf wouldn't take no for an answer judging by the look in his eyes. He would repay Shss'ik for his kindness with all the effort that he could muster - and then some.

[Meat Grinder]

Shss'ik gave a hearty laugh, impressed with the half elf's determination. He only hoped the enthusiasm would last. "I am afraid ttthere isss no lemonssss or a ssstove, young one. Waxsssss, we do have. In ttthe ssstorage clossset in tttthe sssssouth corner. I did not mean for you to sssstart right thissss candlemark. Heh heh! How about we begin your firsssst lessssson, ttthen you can clean." Shss'ik had other students that would be coming into the dojo for training later on in the brightening, so it was not necessary for Vanderlou to begin his duties. The brightenign was young, perhaps he could get started on the basics of the zinn'ka.

[Vanderlou]

"I can clean up later if that's what you want master..." There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, to the Saurid it may have even seemed that the half-elf was more enthusiastic about the cleaning than the actual training itself.

Vanderlou was more than eager to show Shss'ik his gratitude so he decided that he would behave the way that was expected of a good student. With a stiff but straight posture he turned to face the Saurid, his expression serious, though there was a light in his eyes that betrayed excitment. "What will be the first lesson master?"

Like all boys, Vanderlou too had a fascination with fighting. He occasionally played around the idea of performing impressive kicks and throwing powerful punches against his enemies and knowing that he was actually going to take the first few steps into doing so what getting him excited and it was showing through the way he shifted his weight from feet to feet.

[Meat Grinder]

With a hearty leap, using his tail and the force of his legs, the elite trainer of Shaaasskah was soon on his feet and stood in front of Vanderlou. He extended his hand and introduced himself. "It issss a pleasssure to meet you, young one. My name isssss Shss'ik, you can call me ttthat if you wissssh." Shss'ik wasn't much for formalities. he didn't want to feel superior to his students, instead he wanted to put himself at their level so they could feel comfortable.

With that said, the saurid turned and walked into the middle of the mat and kicked his legs out a few times to loosen them up. "We will sssstretch firsssst. Ttthisss issss to avoid injury to oursssself." He mentioned as he continued to stretch his legs. He raised his knee to his chest on both sides and held them there for few moments. Bending at the hips, Shss'ik hung his arms down and touched the mat, again, holding it there for a few moments. "Do not bouncsssssse, while doing ttthesssse. You will hurt your back."

After stretch for a while and making sure to comment on the proper ways of stretching, the teacher began the lecture on the first basic thing about Shaasskah. "Now ttthe firssst tthing about Sssshaasssskah to learn isss ssstancssse. Before you can move around while fighting, you mussst learn to sssstay ssstill and focus your attackssss while keeping ssstability. The firssst we will learn is the forward ssstancsse. Witttth you weaker foot leading and your ssstronger foot behind, you have the forward ssstancsse. We do thissss becaussse it allowssss you to pivot at your hipssss while pusssshing forward witttth your ssssstronger foot. Watch me."

With his left leg forward and his right leg back a bit, Shss'ik demonstrated in slow motion how to execute a basic forward punch in the forward stance. He applied force to his back leg, pushing his waist forward, pivoting his torso, allowing his right arm to crack forward, almost like a whip (punching will explain in latter lessons). "Can you ssssee how my back leg pussshesssss my waisssst forward, allowing my torsssso to pivot, usssing the momentum of my leg, transsssfering the forcssse into my arm? You go ahead and try it."

[Vanderlou]

"Uhm... If it's all the same please let me call you master anyway, master Shss'ik." the half-elf accepted the Saurid's hand and shook it vigorously. Vanderlou hoped the saurid would understand his stubborness to stick with titles. Eras spent as a waiter had conditioned him to call people by title if they had one, in addition he found a deep sense of respect for Shss'ik too much to consider him an equal.

Vanderlou listend attentively as the Saurid explained the importance of stretching, what to do, what he shouldn't as well as the minor details and tricks to it. After demonstrating the bulk of the exercises the half-elf nodded and began to emulate the saurid's motions. Squatting down into the same position Shss'ik had been in earlier, he hugged his knees to his chest for a few moments and from there he began doing sit-ups, twising his torso as far as he could in either direction all the while making sure he was also turning his hips in the opposite direction to maximize the impact of the warm-up.

After repeating the process for a few minutes the half-elf decided that he had already built up enough of a sweat and going any further would only tire himself out unnecessarily. Vanderlou stood up and too a breather, he allowed his muscles to go limp for awhile as he readied his mind for what the Saurid was going to teach him next.

The master zinn'ka practitioner began speaking at length again, this time Shss'ik demonstrated a basic punch in slow-motion taking care in showing the initiate every step of the motion. Finally the saurid stopped and asked the half-elf to try it.

"Alright." Vanderlou assumed the stance that Shss'ik had demonstrated. He was mildly aware of the difference in their anatomy, but the general idea should still be the same.

The half-elf drew his right foot behind him as far enough as he could manage without compromising his sense of balance and then he slid his left foot forward, but only slightly so that he wouldn't fall over after the punch. He kept in mind that transferring force was the key to making his punch powerful, kinetic linking, that was what he had to accomplish.

Drawing back his right hand, the half-elf attempted a mock punch. It was slowly executed but the motion was fluid and he was able to turn his hips and his torso the way that was demanded of him and he could feel that the punch was 'right' somehow.

Repeating the action again, Vanderlou applied the fundamental techniques retracting his right foot behind his left. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before drawing his right fist behind him in preparation for the punch that was to come.

Vanderlou opened his eyes, the expression on his face was serious, something like tempered fury. Unknown to the saurid, in the half-elf's mind he was punching an imaginary enemy. He was going to punch the noble who had beaten him up so badly three months prior to this meeting. In an instant, he drove his right foot into the floor, the explosion of power sending him forward and Vanderlou rode that momentum, guiding it through his hips and proper twisting of the body so all the kinetic energy would collect into his arm.

A sound like the wind hissing reached his ear.

The half-elf's punch was over before he realized it. Had he suceeded? Was the punch sloppy?

"Am I doing it correctly master Shss'ik?"

[Meat Grinder]

"It lookssss good to me. You do not need to worry about your punching technique at ttthisss moment. We will do ttthat in great detail ssssoon enough. I want you to feel comfortable in your ssstancssee." The teacher replied to the half elf. The saurid took note of his newest pupil's conviction that showed itself in his face as he was practicing. He had a good feeling about this one, he was respectful, mannerly and really wanted to learn this zinn'ka.

Shss'ik then began to lecture on the back stance. He switched his feet up, putting his right foot forward and his left one back. His stronger arm was now in front and his weaker was recoiled behind him. "Ok, you sssee this? Ttthisss is the back ssstancsse. I have put my right foot forward and my left foot behind me. Ttthisss is more of a defensssive maneuver, putting your ssstronger arm forward for blocking, but allowing you to exsssecute quick jabssss asss well, ussssing your ssstronger arm."

Shss'ik demonstrated in slow motion a basic block with his right arm, then snapping it forward in a jab. He did this over and over again while explaining. "You sssee? I do not have as much forcssse in my jab, assss I would when I ttthrow I front punch in the front ssstancsse. Now let me sssee you try."