(open) miyagi-do gathering for new & existing students!

[miyagimagic]

Who: You, you, and you!
What: For members of Miyagi-do, those interested in Miyagi-do, and whoever else might end up there! (Visiting a friend, etc)
When: Some time first half of month.
Where: At Miyagi-do Dojo in Crenshaw!

MIYAGI-DO: A NEW DAY (AN APRIL LOG)

Miyagi-do has seen some unexpected activity in the last few weeks, but has also--fortunately--seen a return to normality. An upgrade, even, where the damage sustained after a student's accidental explosion caught parts of the dojo in the ensuing chaos now gone after hard work hired, with thanks to the builders and those who helped with funds.

Even the sensei of the dojo has recovered from his own injuries, welcoming students--old and potentials--to classes. Along with a few touch-ups to the dojo, there are other changes, new and old, that should be addressed:

1. A (SEMI-)NEW SENSEI

He's been around for a month now, but here's your formal introduction to Miyagi-do's second sensei, Sensei Toguchi. Sensei LaRusso would have introduced him as a...not old, but dear friend from back home who has also learned from the school of Miyagi-do back in Okinawa. Skilled in the use of sais, you may find Sensei Toguchi a different kind of sensei from Daniel LaRusso. But we'll let you see that for yourself.

2. YOUR VERY OWN SNACK PROVIDER

Truthfully, this is a figure who's been around the dojo since the start, doing exactly what he does now...but Daniel LaRusso would not be himself if he didn't take some time to introduce Hakkai to the class as the person who makes their snacks and refreshments. Because Hakkai deserves his thanks, and you cannot escape a dad man like Daniel.

3. ICE BRACELETS: A NEW FORM OF PROTECTION

Miyagi-do has always worked to help individuals with what it is they want out of the dojo. Sometimes, this can just mean having somewhere to meditate and to find comfort in your own body than to focus on the fighting aspect. But Miyagi-do always leans towards protection, and learning how to respond and to engage with danger. It works to help individuals learn how they can use their own powers in ways that they prefer.

And in his announcement for the start of April's lessons, Sensei LaRusso has a bracelet to share to those who want one, after he's explained what they are. They're ice-powered bracelets--not super powerful, but with proper training they can be used as a means of defence. Spread ice over the ground, freeze certain limbs to surfaces, or even use it to shroud an enemy's face just long enough to distract them.

Sensei LaRusso will show how to use the bracelets to manifest the ice, and Robby Keene will also help in demonstrations, as well as with students individually. Dummies and can be used as stationary targets, and are a great way to learn how to disappear the ice, too--especially if you want to focus on using them for actual living targets, which either Sensei LaRusso or Robby can help with (or, if you're really that into getting iced...!).

ENDING NOTES

This log covers the first lesson of April, as well as continuing forward if you want to add extra days and lessons! Please familiarise yourself with what Miyagi-do teaches. Newcomers are welcomed, and there will always be a place to get food and drink...thank you, Hakkai.

Feel free to make your own toplevels on this log, it's meant as a mingle for existing students and those interested in checking out Miyagi-do! You can hang around the snack table, practice some karate, meet the teachers (and food provider...), maybe try out the new fun ice bracelets or.. you know, you can always just hang out with Daniel's Omen. He's a good boy who will stop to get belly rubs from everyone. You can't reject him. Sorry if you sat down for three seconds and are now stuck with a dog on your lap. He will not move.

Comments

[thisislife]

Lexi watches and listens intently, trying to absorb every bit of knowledge, every bit of instruction he can give.

By the time he's done she...thinks she has a general idea of how it's supposed to work. Keywords being 'supposed to.'

So when he asks if she's still interested, she nods yes and says, "It's gonna take me a while to be any good, but I'm not scared of that. Or having to work hard. I think I can do it, so I'm gonna do it."

[strongroots]

"Sure, then I'll show you how to start."

Simple enough, and Robby doesn't mind stopping his own training to help someone new--kind of what he signed up for, being part of the dojo and helping Mister LaRusso run it.

But he'll motion for her to stand in line with her own stick, whichever hand she does her preference, and he takes her through forward swings: a forward swing, a forward jab, and also how to roll the stick in the hand, so that the position can be changed.

Robby won't distract her with much talk, wanting her to focus on what she's doing, repeating the motions (and he'll do them with her, a few times--it's an introductory lesson, and he wants to be encouraging). But he will ask, if she seems to be doing well enough, "What made you go for karate?"

[thisislife]

"Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Lexi isn't about to take anything or anyone for granted. She knows that she has kind of started in the middle of everyone else's things and doesn't want to be a bother. But she recognizes that thinking as the kind of thinking which held her back while she was home and she doesn't want to duplicate it.

And Lexi goes with her left hand. It's not her dominant hand which is kind of the point. She figures that she's got to be ready for anything and that includes when her right hand is out of comission.

Lexi practices diligently, a little furrow between her brows. When she answers, she's absolutely sincere. "Well, for the longest time I was afraid of using my darkblood powers. And I knew I needed something else to compensate for it. This seemed the best way of doing that."

[strongroots]

"What scares you about them?"

Repeat the motion, and Robby does it even as he asks. The question would be good to know, though--and if she doesn't want to say, that's up to her. She wouldn't be the first one afraid of her powers; a fact that does remind him (wistfully) of another student at Miyagi-do.

[thisislife]

"Well, I'm not anymore. Not really now that I've got them under control. But the whole reality warping thing is kind of power over someone I'm not really okay with. I only use it when it's like a worst case scenario."

And she follows suit, clumsily but with a determined look in her eyes. And Lexi honestly wondered who was comfortable with their powers. Who used them without any qualms or hesitation.

[strongroots]

"You could use them in the space between you and the other person--depends how you warp reality. But it's a good way of putting a wall between you and a beast."

At least, if they're just going for a general sense of using a darkblood's warping abilities. Robby's been reading up on shit, and he can also be talking shit, since everyone's powers really do shake out differently from the most part. But it's a thought, a suggestion--maybe she's tried it, thought about it. Maybe she hasn't.

[thisislife]

"It always winds up turning into the high school I went to in my world. I think 'Escher print room' and it still turns into high school. But I hadn't thought of it that way, I've mostly been lucky and avoided beasts. I'm really not the Hunter type."

Mostly she used telekinesis. Once she got the knack of it, it became incredibly valuable at work at the bookstore she and her girlfriend owned. Lexi and Luz both were short and the bookshelves were high. But she didn't want to completely rely on her powers, just to be on the safe side.

[strongroots]

"Luck can run out, but it's good you missed them this long."

Whatever 'this long' actually is, but hey--it's a genuine remark. Some people aren't so lucky, even without being a Hunter. "Let sensei know if you want to use your powers like that," is the last Robby will say of it, probably, for now; an idea for later, if she wants to explore them for a more defensive means.

But he does have to add, one teen to another: "A whole highschool though, huh? Sounds like a nightmare."

Even Robby has to pity any beast getting stuck in that.

[thisislife]

"Yeah, at some point I figure my number's gonna be up at some point and now I'm ready. But I'm also in no hurry."

Because every beast was once a person and she was terrified that something would happen to Luz and she wouldn't be able to prevent it. Making a mercy killing the only option. But it would cut her to the bone to do so. "I will. But I don't know, reality warping and freezing or speeding up time kind of seem like unfair advantages. Unless it's a life or death situation. It could come to that at some point, I guess?"

And that makes Lexi laugh. "You don't know the half of it. I bet my high school was worse than anyone else's high school! Unless the other high schools have hot and cold running zombies."

She's used it a time or two. It's always worked.

[strongroots]

"Nothing unfair about using what you got to stay safe," Robby says with a shrug. Hell, he'd put a beast in a school if it kept it away from him. Why not. Have fun with algebra, sucker.

But--that detail about her school sure has Robby pulling his brow together quizzically.

"Hot and cold zombies?"

What does that even mean.

[thisislife]

"That's true. I guess I'm a little gun-shy because I've only been in one fight-fight, but I know it can't last forever." And it turned East Highland High into an Escheresque nightmare, where doors led to more corridors and the florescent lights were always flickering just a little bit. Just enough to be both noticeable and annoying.

And she laughs awkwardly.

"No, no, no zombies! Not for real! It was a joke. Apparently a bad one."

It meant that East Highland High sucked.

[strongroots]

"Okay, okay," Robby says following a laugh himself, at least grinning with a goofy pull to it.

"You heard some of the places people come from 'round here? You can't joke about that, I'd believe you in a flash." And, with a huff: "I used to think senseis betting their dojos on tournaments was weird enough."

And then he came to Trench.

[thisislife]

Her own laugh is inherently goofy, it seems. But she's always been bad at the being a typical teenage girl thing.

"Yeah, probably shouldn't have used zombies as an example. It could be seen as summoning them, given the way this place works." And that gets both raised eyebrows. "Someone...actually did that? For real? Please tell me you're joking."