Ten Years Later.
Again! Serasi Instructed from the other side of the room. Holding tightly to his wooden practice sword. Resting it gently yet firm beside his waist as he tilted it's end down towards the ground ready to react to his opponent's every slight movement. Eager to test his speed against hers yet again.
Well what are you waiting for." He grinned. We haven't got all day. Attack!"
The cheetah had learned to be more cautious than to accept the obvious trap. She began to circle her master cautiously preparing to race forward with a burst of sudden energy she hoped he couldn't match this time. Her bare clawed feet scraped across the padded orange floor ominously. Her eye's narrowing in controlled aggression as she stalked slowly closer hardly making a sound through her padded toe's, arching her long back down towards the ground and preparing her signature stance. He knew what it meant. He was ready.
Without warning. The cheetah began a full on charge right toward the coiled cobra. Scattering dust throughout the room behind her blurred shape. Chaira was a speeding unstoppable force that left behind devastating gash marks and shockwaves in the floor with every lighting step she took. Tearing the strong cloth easily apart as her razor sharp claws dug in for added acceleration and aiding her advance on him. She slashed her weapon toward his side with a mighty joyous scream. She never used to smile. Now she did it all the time. Serasi drew for his saber.
A loud thwack filled the small sparring room. A stick went flying and cracked against the floor. A body followed soon after hitting the ground hard.
Chaira wiped away the blood dripping from her sharpened teeth enraged yet invigorated as she lay sprawled on her back.
One...day...She snarled, spitting out blood onto the matt. One day...I'll be faster than you.
Serasi slithered forward completely unhurt toward his defeated opponent once again, and reached out his hand to help her up.
She batted it away as usual. Ryo didn't know why he still reached out his hand for her if she wouldn't accept it. But he still did it every time nonetheless, holding out hope she would realize asking for help was not something to be ashamed of.
Ryo stood in silence of to the side as his stubborn pupil stood atop her feet.
Almost had me that time. He replied. You're getting better.
"You don't have to patronize me. She grunted in frustration. I'm still not good enough. I need to be better than you."
Give it time. He said. You've already come such a long way. There is a time for everything. And now is the time for more sparring. He grinned tossing her back her stick.
Ugh! She rolled her eyes as she caught it. As much as I love fighting with you, I hate that you have to seem so obnoxious about winning. She raised her stick, twirling it around in her hand for a bit of stylish fun before holding it high in the air behind her back. Resuming her sprinting stance low to the ground and ready for round two.
"Part of the spoil's." Serasi said calmly. "You win. You get to gloat."
Chai'ra grinned maliciously at the pleasant though of rubbing her victory in his face for once. And began readying her attack again quickly, only this time for regular continuous sparring. Serasi followed suit, coiling his body down toward the ground and resting his saber back behind in his signature wait and see stance pointed toward the ground. Both hands gripped comfortably yet securely around the familiar shape. He could draw his weapon strike and put it back in his sheath with his bare hands before someone could even blink or reach for their gun. Chai'ra was one of the few people alive who could hold her own against him for even a brief few seconds. And that was not an easy feat he knew. He just wish Chai'ra could recognize her progress as accomplishments rather than only failure.
Ready he said? His reptilian eye's locking on hers ready to go again.
"Always master." She snarled in glee and aggression. Her glistening white canine's grinning at the thought of possibly getting lucky this time to topple him at last. Was it realistic? No. But she would do whatever it took to make that dream a reality.
The two suddenly charged toward one another from across the room. The sound of wood cracking against wood echoed throughout the warm sun lit air. A series' of loud noises reverberated so quickly across the mostly empty room, their battle sounded like a single continuous long noise from their faster than sight attacks against one another. Every mistake, every blow, every strike she could hear it all from this room she both loved and feared thanks to him.
The janissary training dojo was covered with reflective mirrors on all four of it's walls and lined with an impressive assortment of weapon's resting comfortably on numerous racks from all across the world for any to experiment with. Chai'ra had grown quite comfortable with short one handed sabers, the khopesh, small throwing daggers, and even the scythe. Serasi himself still stuck to his original two handed heated scimitar. A weapon which could be drawn quickly and easily from it's scabbard when the situation demanded it. Which recently. Was not very common.
An era of peace had taken across the land. The new sultan's reforms had been a marvelous success, but peace has it's consequences. Order was now so well maintained throughout the sovereignty, there was not many left to fight or who could oppose their wealthy nation's military might. But still. Master and apprentice practiced every day in the morning no matter what in order to prepare for their next major conflict. 'Always expect trouble even if it doesn't yet exist' he had taught her. One of his first lessons he had ever shared. She always listened. Knowing his lessons could save her life one day. But learning was not without it's downsides.
Chai'ra slammed once again down to the matt, hard on her back with a yelp of pain. She was now covered in sweat and bruises and utterly exhausted. She snarled, brushed aside the uncomfortable feeling and kept fighting. She was still as stubborn as the brash little brat she was when he had found her. She never gave up. Whether it was braved determination or blind stupidity. It was an admirable quality. Her best quality. And she had learned to use it well in fighting. Otherwise she would have given up long ago from defeat after defeat thanks to him.
While Serasi could still react to her every move and intercept her swift strikes. He could tell that she was getting faster. Stronger. She was now in the prime of her youth, while he himself was getting slower. Older. His reactive muscles and twitch tendon's were still strong and still able to keep up. But only barely. He was still as terrifying as ever but his body and strenuous grunts were beginning to show sign's of weakness and the inventible grasp of time. And that was one opponent even he couldn't defeat.
Serasi was now in his mid forties. His gleaming black scales had all but begun to lost their reflective sheen. Even more so with his vibrant warning patterns running down his forehead and back. The golden eclipsed sun's were starting to darken forever. But his time wasn't done yet. And he wouldn't take it easy on himself or her no matter what. He had no plans to retire. And he need her ready. He would see his duties to the sultan and to his apprentice all the way to the end or his own death. He couldn't imagine a worse time to die when he was no longer able to fight. Chai'ra knew he was getting old and she was just buying her time for the right moment. A slip up. And victory would be her's at last. But she knew he wouldn't give his title up so easily. She had to work for it. With every ounce of her being she swore it would be hers.
Chai'ra slashed again. Sliding and spiraling across the floor with stick held firmly in hand in the unusual reverse grip against her right forearm. A perfect style she had discovered through trial and error and plenty of bruises that was about speed through quick slashes over raw power. And her speed was astounding to behold. As was she. What was once a poor skinny child had become a force to be reckoned with. And while she still had much to learn. She had already come so far. Both in spirit, mind, and body.
Chai'ra's withered fur had all but recovered thanks' to the palace doctors and plenty of nutrition. It was now a vibrant golden yellow. Her piercing black spot's were now even more numerous than before and her white fur along her exposed back from her day's as a starving cub had all but vanished.
She had grown into a strong and powerful young woman dressed in light black sleeveless attire to not interfere with her running and offer her somewhat decent protection. Her swift exposed leg's once small and frail were now muscular and coursing with power. Her claw's had been sharpened to a fine point with an assortment of colorful golden bracelets resting comfortably on her wrists to fit her still restless personality and let her new high status shine through. She had even gotten a vast array of golden ear piercing's as is common Savanese fashion among the youth these days. Serasi had objected but it was her choice to make. Her short unkempt black hair was now tied behind neatly together by an orange silk bandana. She almost looked like a pirate he had joked on numerous occasions. She loved the comparison even though it was soon to be her job to maintain order throughout the sovereignty from criminals and bandits. These enemies were feared and deadly. And now so was she. When Serasi met her, she was only eight years old and already holding her own against city guards. Now at eighteen. His protégée was almost a match for him.
Almost.
Had enough yet old man!!? She screamed, smiling all the while as the two combatant's weapons made contact pushing against one another.
Never. Serasi said. If anything you seem to be growling tired. Need a break?
Oh no...I'm just getting started!! She snarled and leapt high into the air laughing. Aiming at his head with a downward slash as she flipped over him. Serasi ducked and spiraled his tail whacking her in the face and leaving her to crash against a rack of weapons, scattering them all over the floor with her in tow, dazed and struggling to get back up.
Had enough yet? Serasi asked. Twirling his weapon in his hand.
Never. She snarled coughing blood. "I'm ready....when....when you are. Chai'ra hastily pounced once again, only this time with her usual anger to back it up in her eyes. Serasi shook his head in great displeasure with a grimace forming across his face and caught her swinging stick in his hand as it raced toward him. Twisting it around to force her to release her hold of her weapon before swiping at her feet with his tail, forcing her onto her back with a loud slam. He then coiled his tail around her in a choke hold, waiting for her to tap out.
"You let your anger get the better of you again." He instructed. "Stop it."
Chai'ra grunted as she looked up at him, utterly trapped and helpless as usual as he squeezed tighter and tighter. A look of hatred and frustration formed across her face as she stared at her victorious master once again standing tall above her as always. And as always, he had not a scratch on him. One day. She thought, her vision blackening around her. One day...
Chai'ra tapped out, hating herself for showing weakness. Quickly patting her hand against his iron tail wrapped tightly around her neck. He instantly released and backed off leaving her gasping on the floor covered in sweat and pathetic as always. After struggling to stand back up shakily. Serasi tossed her back her stick. She caught it and threw it to the ground.
"I'm done for today." She said in a dispirited voice before bowing hastily and limping off to the sides in pain and disgruntled silence.
Serasi nodded and bowed back. "Very well. I suppose that's enough training for one day. Ill clean up the dojo this time. Go get some rest. I'll see you at dinner." Serasi then knelt down and picked up the sparring sticks and placed them happily on the racks humming a tune while Chaira walked out of the room rubbing her black eye with a bloody wet rag.
Hmmff Chai'ra grunted. Training. It wasn't training. It was a humiliating beat down as always. She thought she could take him by now. But the old man still won every time. She was growing sick of waiting for her chance to prove herself capable. She hated being reminded every time she lost that she was that scarred poor little cub she was when he found her. She had to be better than him. To prove herself worthy of being his chosen successor. Nothing else mattered.
Chai'ra smiled slightly at a wishful thought and wondered if maybe if she had been born a mongoose she might have had a better chance of beating him in a straight fight. After all the mongoose was the ancient natural superior to the cobra in combat. But nope, if anything she would probably still get her butt kicked regardless. He would always beat her. Unless she did something to outsmart him that is. He had a weakness. Someday she would find it, but for now she couldn't think about what was or might be. Only training and studying. That was all she ever did. She had to be at the top of her game. One day. He would fall. And she would be there to see it. No one would ever take her as a joke again.
Chai'ra walked along the golden palace hallway's with a limp in her stride. Everything hurt. Like always. She didn't know any other feeling thanks to his lectures. But she knew it was far better than the alternative of still being on the streets starving for food. She should be happy. She had a roof over her head. Nice clothes. Running clean water. And best of all a great teacher even if he was a bit tough in his methods. Her view towards Serasi had become a strange combination of love and hate but still she couldn't have asked for more from him and her new home. But still, she felt something was missing. She didn't know what. But she would fight to make it her's no matter what.
After walking to her room on the other side of the palace compound to the janissary quarters. She threw her rag covered in sweat and blood toward the floor and kicked it across the room in anger. She tried to keep her cool around master Serasi, but now that no one was here to see her. She could cut lose with no consequence.
As soon as the door behind her closed, Chaira slashed her claws for ten straight minuets at the familiar target dummy stashed in the corner of her room, clawing and ripping it to utter pieces, knowing a servant would bring her a fresh one to beat up tomorrow. It helped. But it wasn't enough. She wanted something real to fight that couldn't fight back. Not master Serasi. Not another stationary dummy. She wanted to get out there and prove herself against some low life she could handle. But because of this blasted peace there was nothing to do but sit around in the palace which felt more like a prison to her. Most despised the concept of war, but for Chai'ra. She secretly begged for it every hour of every day. A person can dream can't they?
After leaving nothing behind of the poor target dummy. Chai'ra collapsed atop her bed staring up at the ceiling for quite some time. Her frantic breath began to slow. She tried to meditate as Master Serasi had taught her but it did nothing. She had been told it was good for her health and would improve her mind. Maybe it was easy for a cobra and other species. But not for her. She couldn't tell if it was because of her restless personality or that fact that she was a cheetah, who despite having always been the fastest creature on the planet, that didn't mean her ancestors were the top of the food chain. Far from it.
A cheetah's instinct had always been one of cautious and restless animals. Always on the move as nomads from one place to another both for the sake of food and to hide in the shadows from other more powerful apex predators like lions and hyena's who attacked and ate her ancestors for fun and sport. Her kind had always been on the lookout and fidgety. It was how they survived against so much competition. To relax meant to be dead. Cowardice, caution, and running away from bigger threat's to live and fight another day were the core aspects of their survival instinct. And she couldn't escape it. No matter how badly she wanted to. Despite all the training and exercise she had endured so far, she was still small, frail and pathetic when compared to her bigger stronger relatives in the cat family. If it wasn't for her speed. She would have died a long time ago.
Chai'ra wished she had been born something different. She had never really even felt like she belonged in the big cat species. She didn't even have a proper roar. Only a diminutive bark that sounded like the embarrassing chirping of a bird. It may have helped her kind cleverly avoid detection from enemies and keep in touch with their offspring in the past, but now in the modern day it sounded absolutely pathetic. Chai'ra hated her roar if you could even call it that. It was a sick joke she was stuck with that had made her feared reputation all the more harder to earn among the other students. She remembered the day when she first sparred against another janissary candidate in the dojo. A tall muscular lion. The brute actually dared laughed at her desperate chirp of intimidation when he heard it aloud, snickering and promising he would take it easy on her before unveiling his personal righty roar that rattled the windows to the rest of the class, trying to show off his status as the best of the best.
She made sure he wasn't laughing as much when she broke his arm in five places after that premature roar of victory.
But still, she had learned not to make the mistake of letting anyone hear her own meager roar aloud anymore. She wouldn't be taken as a serious threat unless she was stronger than everyone else and she hid every part of herself she despised. It took every ounce of courage and denial of her instinctive fears to charge right at the jaw's of her ancient predator in that moment, and even more effort to beat him into submission. All to remind him that he was nothing and to take what was his. She had never felt stronger or better about herself in that moment, standing atop a massive lion that was all show and no spine, putting him on his back covered in blood, begging a tiny diminutive cheetah for mercy. She granted it. But just barely. The rest of the class soon followed and now kept their distance from her. Not out of pity. But fear of knowing what she could do to them. Fear was lovely. She could use it. And she had on many occasions in making her all the more powerful.
But still, it wasn't good enough. It wasn't a real challenge. She didn't want to hide in the shadow's any more like her cowardly ancestors had done, picking and choosing the smallest fight's they knew they could win for themselves while slinking away from the bigger predator's who gained all the bigger spoils to enjoy unchallenged. She wanted it all. To be able to face any enemy no matter the size and win every time. She swore she would no longer run from any trouble. She would charge it head on. But she couldn't do it cooped up in here from any real danger.
An idea suddenly formed in her head. An enormous fanged grin formed slowly across her sharp teeth. Dinner was quite a while's a way she reassured herself. She had plenty of time to go into the city and make it back before anyone notices. And she knew every inch of the palace wall's. It's opening's. And it's exits.
Chair'a began to growl in eager anticipation as she headed toward the door. She knew mediation wouldn't help her. Standing still wouldn't help her. Only one thing.
Time to test her skill for real in the big city.