You made a huge mistake. You hurt master Twii's young charge. He WILL be coming to talk to you. Firmly. -- BKF
There's always someone like the type in the Edge Territories. Someone's brat whose parents believe can do no wrong. The kind of kid who is endless torment to everyone in their general vicinity. The troublemaker, the prankster, the hangman... or the bully. Or any of the above, depending on their mood. The kind of kid who the N'Ozzies refer to as, "a little shit," and not in an affectionate way.
Sometimes, they form gangs. In the worst case scenario, they form governments.
Tiny had heard Master Twii say that they were there to stop that kind of government from happening. Master Twii said their method was, "eliminating the victim pool." It sounded scary, so ze avoided the classes for a healthy space of time. Or... unhealthy, depending on the point of view.
It was definitely long enough for Durwent to figure out what was going on with the kids in the area.
Tiny figured it out half an hour after hir first class. When Durwent and a couple of his tag-alongs blocked hir path home.
"You think you been learning how to fight, squirt?" menaced Durwent. "You think you can beat me up?"
"No," said Tiny. "It was standing and landing, today."
"Little baby has to go to a class to fight," mocked Durwent. One of his tag-alongs made an agreeing noise. "You're never going to beat me. Or my crew. And if you try? My dad's gonna throw you out the airlock."
Durwent's friend Lyle shoved Tiny backwards hard enough to make hir fall.
Muscle memory took over, and Tiny rolled to recover and used the force to stand again. By the time ze could focus on the trio, all three of them were on the floor and groaning in pain.
Master Twii was casually cleaning their nails. "That was the Qi Zhon Point of Peace. A martial arts move focused on disrupting the natural flow of energies in an enemy's body. You'll be able to move again in two hours. Two hours in which you will get a free lesson you'd best not forget. But before that..." the Master turned to face Tiny. "You did well, using your first lessons to avoid harm. Does anyone else give you trouble on the way home?"
"No," said Tiny. "It's just them."
"Then you'd best be on your way. I have another class to teach."
Tiny carefully stepped around the groaning bullies. "What are you gonna do to them?"
"This time? I'll just talk. A warning." Master Twii smiled in a very strange way. "Move along, grasshopper."
Tiny went as far as the corner. Lurking out of sight and listening as hard as ze could.
Shuffling noises, like someone propping three bodies against a wall. The lightest steps and susurrus as Master Twii took up a lecturing position opposite them and sat to be in their sight.
"I know what you're doing. I know you're trying to scare my students away from my classes before they can best you. I know you're using a combination of mind-games and menace in the attempt. This stops today."
Green, the other tag-along, tried to speak. He couldn't manage more than a garbled mumble.
Master Twii seemed to understand it anyway. "I know, because they've told me what you're doing. Your guardians might let you get away with anything, but I. Will. Not. Keep in mind that I have learned every method of unarmed combat I have come across. I have known more years than you can count, squared. You will never see me coming. You will never know when I am about to strike. Today, I leave no bruises. The next time? I might make it difficult for you to hit anyone. I might make it difficult for you to walk. Or speak. Or hold your bowels. Today, it will wear off in two hours. The next time? I might decide to make it permanent. And if you try to appeal to your guardians... I was in the Dojo all day, and never left it. I have hundreds of witnesses that will swear to it." They lowered their voice to a whisper, "And I like the securicam's dead zones as much as you do."
There was no other sound but the bullies' groaning. Tiny risked a peek. Just the byway, some random rubbish, and the three bullies sat against a wall like sleeping puppets.
"You and I are going to have a talk about obedience," said Master Twii. They were behind Tiny, and had never made a sound to get there. "Tomorrow. Tonight, you have a home to get to. Scoot."
Tiny scooted as fast as hir little legs could carry hir. As ze learned at Twii's classes, a little bit of abject terror can go a very long way.
[Photo by Charlein Gracia on Unsplash]
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