3565/Aura Perception Training-Yang

Aura Perception Training-Yang
Date of Scene:	23 December 2015
Location:	Kawakami City
Synopsis:	Momoyo teaches Yang the basics of 'Aura Perception', a skill Yang lacks as a martial artist due to fighting Grimm who primarily don't possess ki or mana to perceive. A Fed spy rudely interrupts to make a point that some auras are suppressed...
Cast of Characters:	691, 904, Yang Xiao Long, 928

---

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Ordinarily, Momoyo would have just wandered the town, even introduced Yang to her friends without necessarily taking her to the secret base. But due to a recent argument she'd had with her would-be love interest, Momoyo found herself alone until Yang called.

    So she brought the blonde to the dojo. Lunch and walking around town could wait till later, and the pair of them would attract a lot of attention besides. The Dojo still had Union loitering around, as the Dojo was serving as the de-facto headquarters for each faction in a world that was remaining neutral. Eventually, those two factions would purchase real-estate and set up their own offices here, essential because this area was a tourist spot. But for the time being Tesshin has been preoccupied with non-stop meetings with both factions mediating between the Japanese government and the factions.

    Walking Yang through the tall and powerful arches, she moves into the training field with her at a slow stroll. She seemed... discontented, a bit. But also the tension was absolutely gone from her frame relative to the fight with Nero. "This is my home. It's also where I'm going to train you in the Kawakami Style, if you're up for it. You have a lot of potential."

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang isn't lacking in confidence, but even she could see that any fight between herself and Momoyo would only go one way... so instead of moping about it, she's gone to the source. "Yeah, I'm up for it. I can't do the energy manipulation stuff you can, not without Dust anyway, but I'm always willing to learn new ways of fighting. You don't get stronger by doing only one kinda thing, after all... I mean, sure, you could become the best person at punching holes in bricks... but then what if someone who doesn't have bricks comes along?"

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     "We need to talk about what Dust is. You're going to be using it to copy some of my techniques and make your own." she replies with a shrug. As far as she knew it might not exist in her world, but once Yang explained it, it would be faster and just as powerful to use it than to teach her to use her ki. "We need to discuss something more important, though. Something very basic... Yang. You have no idea how powerful Nero and I are, do you? Or how powerful you are relative to me." she asks, setting her hand on her hip. Today she was just dressed in her tight shirt and slacks with the leather bands wrapped around her upper arm. Her red eyes meet Yang's, messy bangs framing her face as she sizes the blonde up properly.

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang deploys her gauntlets, then ejects a shell from the right one with a pump of her arm. She grabs it mid-air, then holds it up. It's a yellow casing with an orange 'tip'. "Dust is a... solid state energy, thing. Nobody really knows what it is, or where it really comes from. Dust Companies like the Schnee Dust Company produce it, and it's literally everywhere. From vehicle fuel, to munitions, to even clothing." The lilac eyes meet those red ones, and she reinserts the cartridge into her gauntlet. "I know you're outta my league, so's Nero... an' a lotta folks in the Multiverse." she replies. "You've got not openings, every hit has to be earned, every break in your defense, made." she replies. "I've fought lots of folks, every one of 'em has a 'tell' an habit, or a weak point... I can't see that with you."

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo waves a hand dismissively. "Dust can be manufactured here. Just wait for the Kuki Corporation to talk to the Schnee Dust Company, it'll make it's way here eventually." She tilts her head a bit. "But that's not what I'm talking about. You read fighters very well... I don't have any openings unless someone uses a surprise attack. There have been multi-universal glimpses of Aura I've noticed flitting about ever since the Gate opened and I can never track them." (Syndicate)

     "But ki and the prana Nero uses seem to have two distinct differences, neither of which you could see till we put it to use. You can't see it passively. That's dangerous not to know. Very dangerous... everything has ki, even you. The prana Nero uses was coming from the ambient air and Kyra... not inside her like me." she shrugs her shoulders. "Those wounds you saw me heal... it took one fifth of my total aura to heal without resting." she shrugs her shoulders, as she let that sink in, as Yang could see how grievous those wounds were. Untreated, she would have bled to death.

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    "Yeah, I can't see that stuff... I can kinda /feel/ it, when it's being used aggressively. Aura lets me sense danger, and deflect harm." replies Yang. "It's, an expression of my soul, a defensive field that surrounds my body." She turns her left gauntlet over, showing the small screen inlaid to the underside. It's a meter, showing a multicoloured bar, with a 'rating' in percent above it. Currently it's 100.

    "That's a lot of energy to spend... but those were some really nasty wounds, so I'm not surprised." she adds at that revelation.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     She nods. "You've got one-twentieth, I think, of my total reserve. It's just a lack of focus. You've got the potential to match me, you just have to decide what weaknesses to eliminate and which ones to compensate for." she spreads her arms, then raises one hand in the air, open-palmed with knuckles facing Yang.

    The area seems to get a little more quiet. "Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Count backward from ten, taking a full breath in between each and focus on the inside of your eyelids... then open them and look through me and around me. I want you to see how far my aura extends passively from my body."

    "You'll have to talk to a Servant for the specifics. But from what I could see Nero's prana is... figuratively, stored in her skin, the air around her, and in her armor and weaponry. Ki is different. It's an exertion of the user's will upon reality, but it's pure instinct and empathy. It's channelled through the body and comes from within the soul. Ki is wonderful... but you'll never tap into it yourself without meditation or see it in others. Now... point at what you can see even if it fades in and out. It'll look just like yours when you're using it."

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang frowns a little. "You sure I'll be able to do that? Aura sounds kina like this Ki stuff... already." she replies, but follows along anyway. Lilac eyes close, and she focusses internally, breathing like her father taught her to when her temper started to get to her.

    Once she reaches zero, her eyes open and she steps back in surprise. It's only a brief moment, but she is /inside/ the burning red aura of the other girl. It's oppressive, like being smothered in a big thick blanket.

    "E-Everywhere..." is her response.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     "You don't know enough to do it during battle, but it's a skill you need to learn. Basic ki perception will help you judge a lot of things in the multiverse that aren't relying exclusively on technology. You can see traps, see ghosts, see residual traces of things. It's loosely tied to psychic power and is buried in the literature of a lot of old religions. But you only need to know enough of it to judge an opponent."

    "Remember when I was staring through the walls? Nero's prana is equally visible. It's just gold-colored, to me. Your aura is very similar but extends about to... here." She puts a hand an inch or so above Yang's shoulder, enough for her to turn her head and see. "What you use it for depends on your fighting style. And humans, just like beasts, tend to pass down things like environment and personality and fighting through things other than DNA. I'm descended from the Kawakami samurai bloodline. A good chunk of it is still natural talent. Discipline. Willpower."

     "The reason I don't respect Kenji yet is he just sits and mopes about how much stronger everyone is than him. He never gets serious without getting angry. He's dangerous... but an easy read. Not like you and I, you're still more of a veteran than he is."

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang pants softly... it's gonna take some getting used to, actively 'seeing' stuff like that. But she recovers quickly enough. "Heh, I'm still learning... and, that's another thing, y'know... my Semblance? It's sorta tied to my temper." she admits, running a hand through her hair. "A Semblance is a special skill or ablity that comes from training Aura... mine lets me absorb damage and channel it back into my own strikes... the more I get hit, the stronger I get..."

    She clenches a fist, and looks into Momoyo's eyes, flickers of flame appearing in her hair. "But the more I get hit, the angrier it makes me... and if I go too far..."

    Blink. Lilac eyes become Red, and she literally explodes, a wash of flame and kinetic force flowing off of her, causing the mane of golden hair to billow outwards. It only lasts for a brief moment, before Yang slaps the proverbial cap back on the soda bottle, and her eyes shift back to the normal lilac.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Stalking people has long become second nature to the young ninja. She'd always had a talent for scouting, and after her ninja training, she can truly become a ghost when she wants to be. Call it ki, magic, aether, aura...often different sources, but it's very much the same thing and the concepts are as helpful in stalking and assassinations as they are in direct fights.

Though Momoyo and Yang are hardly normal, and though Yari keeps to rooftops and alleyways as she follows the pair through the city and then to the dojo. Who knows if the two noticed.

Yari does manage to get up to the rafters though without the normal students in the dojo noticing. She'd been listening to the lesson, gaining /far/ more information than she thought. It seems wherever Momoyo treads, Yari gains insight. It's a beautiful relationship to be in for a ninja.

But as much as she enjoys watching, she can't help but interject.

It could barely be called a ninjutsu, but the smallest flick of a pebble combined with a tiny bit of wind magic is aimed for the back of Yang's head. Another is flicked towards Momoyo. It won't hurt either one, just sting like a pinprick.

"Let me give you a piece of advice. No matter how powerful your opponent, they have weaknesses. Anger can be a weapon, but don't let it consume you. Without control you can't analyze weaknesses and take advantage of them. Judging by that burst, I'd say focused fury while retaining your mind would be your most useful method of fighting." She then smiles to Momoyo.

"In that, I think, Momoyo-sempai can teach you a thing or two."

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo gives some applause for that, having stepped back when Yang did it. "Hmhmhm. Good!" she nods. "You won't need your gauntlets to tell how much aura you have left. You can listen to your body. But the fastest way to see it is to get better at meditation. It's all intuition, instinct. As soon as you don't feel like you're making it up, the faster you can see things."

     She tilts her head back a little. "I can see about two kilometers out--." She jerks Yang forward behind her.

     "Secret Technique, Forehead Flick."

    She snapped both pebbles back in Yari's direction with both hands. It was clear not even Momoyo sensed her sneaking up. "Who's there!?"

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang grks as she's yanked around like that. She stumbles, thuds into the wall then brings her fists up in a boxers stance, ready to fight if need be. "Yeah, show your face! Only cowards stalk in the shadows!"

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
If Yari hadn't seen Momoyo's speed, strength, and reflexes three times before, she might have been caught off guard when the woman sends her green-tinged pebbles flying back at her and with Yang nicely tossed down. That single dextrous hand whips out, catching the pebbles. It leaves a lovely red mark on her hand.

She makes a mental note that immediate assassination against her classmate won't work without a distraction first. Something to work on.

A shadow falls from on high, landing silently. The ninja is dressed in the local uniform, complete with a coat that, unlike Momoyo's usual style, is neatly buttoned up and formal. There's an umbrella held on her back too, as well as (to a person looking for them) very well hidden weaponry.

"Hello, Miss Momoyo." She offers with a smile and a wave of her tail.

"I know something of the subject, I just thought I could add to Miss...Yang, was it? To your lesson, Ma'am. You can call it cowardice all you want. Please, insult my methods. But if I were really aiming to harm you, you could've been dead if it weren't for Momoyo's reflexes. If you want to truly become strong, you need to know how to detect those who can hide their presence, even in things like aura or ki, or magic, or simply in physical ways."

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     "Grrrrhhh... Chiyo..." Momoyo was actually slightly annoyed. She had thought, early on at least, that she was nicer than that.

    She zips in close to grab her "classmate" if not by the back of her uniform then by her tail, to try and drag her in closer to Yang. "I knew you were shinobi but you are such a brat today!" she exclaims, darting around the arena to catch the newest member of her 'fangirl club'., the informal group of girls that follows her around occasionally that she teases.

Princess Peach (904) has posed:
Things have certainly been quiet in the Mushroom Kingdom as of late, and as such Toadsworth has encouraged Peach to get out and enjoy herself while the circumstances permit it. So, she has decided to do get out and see some places she hasn't been to before. Today that leads her to Kawakami City, dressed in one of her fancier pink dresses with her crown and usual sapphire jewelry. As she walks through the beautiful city, her eyes drawn to every neat looking building and even some of the people as they pass, she is really taken in by the balance of nature in Japanese cities. Soon she approaches a dojo, and wonders if it would be appropriate for her to enter. She makes for the entrance and finds she is welcomed in, and she smiles and gives a bow of thanks before making her way into the dojo proper.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
"With people like you around? I can't afford to be 'nice' about some things if I want to keep up. And don't tell me it's not a good teaching moment for a budding warrior." Then she leans in just a bit as she's dragged off by the scruff of her uniform. She doesn't resist.

Peach doesn't get noticed just yet, but those horns and tail are certainly familiar! At least until she bows, and the ninja turns from the duo.

"...Princess. You're the last person I expected to see here." This is definitely not good. Yari walks up, offers a Doman bow, and then whispers to Peach. It's hard to make out, but it's a bit pointed, but not quite aggressive. Time to see if the woman will actually comply.

Then there's a package being offered. It's suspiciously parasol shaped. Where /was/ she hiding that thing!?

"I actually couldn't find a proper address, so this was good timing. Merry Christmas."

Pause. Riiing. Riiiing. Frown.

"Ah, hello? Nnn. Nnn. I see. Alright then. Ten minutes." Click.

She bows to the others.

"Momoyo, Miss Yang, Princess, excuse me. Botany Club's meeting early. Let's trade techniques soon, Momoyo-sempai!" Waaaaave! Then the ninja is off!

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang blinks a little... then relaxes her guard once Yari starts heading away. "Confederate... read a few reports dealing with her. Not a /bad/ person, but does a lot of bad things for the wrong causes." she says a bit sourly. "Though I suppose 'Right' and 'Wrong' are kinda meaningless, huh."

    Yang looks over at Peach, and winces a bit. "Dang and I thought /Nora/ had a lot of pink."

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Letting out a sigh, Momoyo rubs the back of her neck. "Oh. I... didn't know that." she muses. "I can never find her until after she's been stalking me for a half an hour. She's taken a very close interest in me... but I admit I can't track her. It's very hard for someone to assassinate me. Usually..." but she narrows her eyes slowly. "But I hate people who attack me dishonorably."

    "She's trained in hiding her aura. There are people in my world that are capable of doing so as well, but it's less of a concern when they are bodyguards. She's not left my world in some time that I can tell, but she didn't follow us out to the sparring match either."

    She's not allowed for too long to think about it, though. "Ugh, all the other monks are busy..." she moves from Yang's side over to Peach and claps her hands together. For her casual gear it was unusual for her to take such a formal bow, but she at least was greeting the tourist properly. The... tourist with the amazingly high quality cosplay. "Greetings... Princess?" she asks, with a smirk.

Princess Peach (904) has posed:
     Peach takes the offered gift with a smile, but blinks at Yari's whisper, then nods. "Oh, well, are you leaving Chiyo then? Will we meet again anytime soon? I do think I wish to talk to you more when you have time." She offers, leaving the subject ambiguous, but Yara could likely guess what Peach was referring to considering what was discussed when they last met.

     Peach turns to Yang and laughs lightly, then also returns Momoyo's bow respectfully. "Is it too much? I'm Princess Peach, of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Yang Xiao Long has posed:
    Yang lets Momoyo do her thing. This /is/ her dojo, after all. The blonde slowly slides down to a cross-legged sit on the floor, and just relaxes, closing her eyes and breathing slowly. Embrace the darkness, but don't let it drown out the light.

    That's the core of Aura. Darkness and Light. Everyone has some of both. It's in embracing and channeling them both that Aura can manifest.

    It's a slow thing, but the aura 'mass' surrounding her begins to grow outwards. A small fraction, but something Momoyo would likely notice.