Sorry for the delay…I've been busy with end of the school year stuff. I'm going to have to skip the phase of the completion of the lightsaber just because I'm a little tight on time here. Besides, there's nothing too important in there except for the short summary in here. Thanks for the review, Geoffrey Freedman. It really helped me. Please R&R.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox, Yugioh, or Star Wars, but I do own a few characters in this story.
Encounter
Chapter 14
So it Begins
It's been a few days since Fox saw the report about the death of a man in his apartment. Every patroller in the city are keeping an eye out for any problems that might hint the similarities to the man's death, but the problem is that the officers don't have the kind of experience Fox has. Fox and Falco have been keeping more of their equipment with them just in case something happens.
Yugi and the others were finally done with the lightsaber that they were working on. After they had it built, Fox told them how the design was very similar to the one that Lauren has, which the design most likely originated from Anakin Skywalker before he lost his arm. Fox closely examined the lightsaber personally at the rented house and made a couple of touch ups to make it perfect. Overall, they did quite well for a group like them building foreign technology like that.
Today, the self defense students have a test to check up on the skills acquired through the course up to this point. Outside of the self defense gym, Falco was talking to Lisa in private; asking her to test Serenity for him to see how well Lisa trained Serenity.
"You're asking me to test Serenity?" Lisa asked.
"Yeah, I'm only doing this because I need to see what you've taught Serenity over the time you two began," Falco explained. "I'm just doing this to analyze your skills as a teacher.
"Okay, I'll do it."
"I'm not trying to pressure you to do this if you don't want to; but if you're comfortable with this, then that'll be fine."
"I'm perfectly fine with it. I've been teaching Serenity for quite a while now."
"I have your trust that we're on the same page, right?"
"Yeah, we're good."
With that Falco went back in to announce something to the class. Lisa went to the rooftops with a cart full of mats and equipment to set up the things needed.
Yugi, Bakura, and Serenity were finishing up a few warm up maneuvers just as Falco came in.
"Okay class. I'm going to have to ask you to go up to the rooftops for a test that we're doing. For those that aren't currently passing the class, please stay here."
Fox just came in to see that Falco already announced to the class of the test that they're going to be taking soon. Fox went over to post the grades up to have the students look to see if they're passing or not.
"Yeah, no one is failing, so making that added announcement was very pointless…but I guess it's regulations under his dojo," Fox thought.
The class of 15 was looking at their grades to see how they're doing. Overall, no one was failing as every student left the room to go to the rooftops for the test. Fox went over to talk to Falco to make sure they're ready for anything.
"Hey, Falco. You ready?" Fox asked.
"Yep, I'll be fine. I just hope they don't attack while we're testing the students."
"I do too."
With that, they went out to the rooftops to already see Lisa testing one of the students on the 20 by 18 mat. The student was doing well by trying to throw Lisa over his head, but he was unsuccessful and ended up falling over himself in the process. Lisa quickly got up as the student did so as well. They both stood there, staring each other down. Lisa then began to slowly approach him and the student began to back off as well. Lisa began to rush in at the student, but the student did a left shoulder roll and did a quick sweep kick. Lisa fell down and the student got off the mat, indicating he successfully escaped. Everyone got up and cheered for him, knowing how the student practiced hard for this test despite the fact that he's barely passing the class.
"Wow, that was awesome," a student said.
Fox went onto the mat next and called for the next student. He stood there, waiting for the next person.
"Ryou Bakura, you're next in line," Fox called.
Bakura got up and stood at the mat, seeing how Fox appears to be prepared for the pain. Bakura stood there in a fighting stance and was ready to strike anytime soon. Falco was behind Bakura and locked him in a reversed bear hug. Bakura began to struggle as hard as he could, but he couldn't get out. He began to use his bare feet and began to kick Falco in the shin, causing Falco to loosen his grip. Bakura managed to get out of it and gave a punch to Falco's stomach. Falco collapsed onto the ground and began to hold his stomach. Bakura got off the mat and was standing there at completion of the test.
"Okay, Bakura," Fox said. "That was good."
"Thanks Fox," Bakura replied.
Fox went over to Falco to check on him. Luckily, Falco only suffered having the wind knocked out of him.
"Falco, you'll be fine, right?" Fox asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Falco responded.
Falco got on his feet and walked off the mat, sitting down to rest for a while. Fox went to the middle to test another student. Fox was ready for any kind of pain coming his way, but the student didn't seem to be ready for the test at all.
"Uh…if you don't want to do the test, then you can do an alternate written test," Fox suggested.
"N-no…I'll d-do f-fine."
Fox stood there, assuming a fighting stance that he usually does. The student put his fists up in a boxer's like position, giving him a boxing advantage. The student then went in and tried to wail Fox with a number of left and right jabs while somewhat screaming a battle cry while his eyes were shut.
"Man, this kid's horrible. He's suppose to use self-defense; not offensive striking," Fox thought.
Fox grabbed for one of the student's punches and began to hold the student's arm. What's sad is that the student kept trying to wail Fox with a few punches, seeing how horribly prepared the student is. Fox looked over to Falco and was given the signal to stop. Fox let go of the student's arm and the student began to wail on Fox's chest. He realizes that the student isn't even listening at all. Lisa went up and put a half nelson on the student and began to drag him off so that everyone else isn't annoyed and so that the student doesn't embarrass himself even more.
"Now, I would like to have Serenity come up here with Lisa," Falco called. "Lisa, this will show us how well you've been training Serenity."
"Wait a minute!" one of the student's yelled, "You're telling me that she got a personal trainer?"
"Well, Serenity's currently learning Tae-Kwon-Do from Lisa," Fox explained. "Lisa asked Serenity to be the first student."
"But…that's no fair then!"
"Who says life's fair?" Bakura commented.
"Uh…can we continue?" Yugi asked.
With that, Serenity and Lisa assumed the exact same karate like stance, standing there without movement. Fox was standing at the edge of the mat, waiting for the first move to come. All of the other students are sitting at the side impatiently waiting for their turn, or to get out of the class while a few others had odd thoughts.
"Goodie, catfight," one of the students thought.
Lisa already knew what was on his mind and gave a cold glare at the student, knowing how it seems like a game to the student. What Lisa and Serenity went through was hard work for this. Falco was sitting a few feet off to the side of Fox as well, throwing up a small rock as if he's ready to throw it at someone. Fox tightened his open fingered gloves around his wrists and stood there waiting for someone to strike first.
"Man, those two must've had a lot of mental training to stand there and wait," Yugi thought.
Within seconds, Falco grasped for the rock that he was tossing in his hand and made a quick wrist movement in a way of chucking it at a wall nearby. As soon as the rock hit the wall behind everyone else, Serenity looked over to the direction of the sound, seeing that the rock that Falco threw lie on the ground. Lisa took this opportunity to make the first move.
"Bad move!" Lisa yelled.
Serenity looked back to see Lisa charging in. Serenity jumped back to avoid any contact and was ready to defend herself. Lisa came in with a swift punch across the face, but Serenity ducked the attack and came up with an uppercut for the chin. Lisa caught the attack and did an over the shoulder throw in response to the uppercut. Serenity landed hard on her back, realizing that Lisa would come down with an attack of some sort. She looked up to see a fist coming down to her face. Serenity caught Lisa's attack and dragged Lisa to the ground in response to that as well. Serenity barrel rolled away and scrambled to her feet. Lisa simply did a quick leg maneuver similar to a break-dance, but only in one repetition. Lisa turned around and saw Serenity coming in for a side kick to the abdomen. Lisa caught the kick and stood there holding Serenity in place without any movement whatsoever. Serenity tried to turn herself around to an upright position, but because her ankle would end up in a twisted position, she didn't want to risk the fact that it could snap. Lisa made a quick yank at Serenity's leg, causing Serenity to lose her balance and fall onto the ground, making Serenity vulnerable to an attack. Lisa went in with a hard top down chop, but Serenity moved at the last second. Serenity's arm was barely grazed by the blow, but nothing too serious happened. Serenity was on one knee, trying to catch her breath from all of that pressure.
"Wow! Lisa really taught her well," Fox thought.
Lisa began to charge in at Serenity, taking the opportunity to take advantage in the situation. Serenity saw Lisa charging and decided to make a desperate move. Serenity began to turn counterclockwise while leaning back with her left leg swinging out. As Serenity had her back turned, she jumped up as her left leg began to swing at a higher angle for a strike to the face. Lisa was able to see it at the last second, but she couldn't avoid the kick in time, forcing her to put up her arms to block the kick. As Serenity's kick connected, Lisa couldn't understand one thing: Shenever taught Serenity roundhouse heel kick.
"How did Serenity know roundhouse heel kick before I ever taught her that?" Lisa thought.
"What did I just do there?" Serenity thought.
Fox and Falco were quite impressed with Serenity's progression in Tae-Kwon-Do, but Fox knows that Lisa and Serenity are in a state of confusion. Fox couldn't understand it himself, but he guessed that Serenity wasn't thinking and decided to use some random thing. Fox shook that trail of thought and began to focus on the test again. He could see that Serenity and Lisa were struggling to get to their feet, but they both appear to be fatigued.
"If those two keep it up, one of them will be unconscious for quite a while," Fox thought.
Lisa finally got to her feet and stood hunched over to catch her breath. Serenity couldn't stand on her feet, making her vulnerable. Falco then decided to have this test end now as he's seen enough to grade Lisa as a teacherand Serenity for her performance.
"Okay you two; that was a good performance you two put on," Falco commented.
Serenity tried to get up on her feet, but she only managed to get on one knee. Lisa went over to Serenity and supported her to get off the mat. As the two sat down next to Yugi and Bakura, the next person for the test is getting ready for his time.
"Lisa, Serenity; that was awesome," Yugi commented.
"Yeah, plus it all appeared to be like an actual test," Bakura added.
Lisa grabbed for a container of water out of her bag and began to get a drink from it. She then looked over at Serenity and saw the fatigue that Serenity has from something like that. Lisa then offered her water to Serenity, who was sitting back resting.
"Need a drink?" Lisa asked.
Serenity looked over to see the bottle of water and gladly took it. She began to drink down the water, trying to regain some energy back.
"Serenity…how were you able to use the roundhouse heel kick?" Lisa questioned.
Serenity thought back, thinking about the kicking motion she made. She couldn't think of why or how she was able to do that, but it's something that almost no one could understand.
"I don't really know how, but I think I just reacted and tried to do something," Serenity answered.
"Well, whatever the case is, you two did well," Bakura said.
"I wonder if this next person will do well in his test," Yugi commented.
"We're just going to have to see then," Lisa said.
As the four began to focus on the next person, they saw that Fox was standing there, ready for the next person. Falco was standing off to the side to watch the next test in progress. Just as he looked over to see the other students, Falco saw something out of the corner of his righteye. He began to look around, but couldn't see anything. Falco then thought he saw something again, but no one was there. Fox looked back to see Falco looking around for something. Fox went off the mat andstood next to Falco.
"Falco, what's wrong?" Fox asked.
"I thought I saw something," Falco said.
Fox stood there, thinking about something. Lisa then got up, seeing how Fox was in a deep trail of thought; one that isn't good. Lisa began to motion herself down for something in her bag as she was reaching for her lightsaber. Fox then remembered one thing that no Jedi would like to fight against.
"Shadowtroopers!"
Fox slowly pulled his lightsaber out and activated it, holding it in a position high and back, right hand over the left, and ready to deliver a heavy swing. The green blade was resonating as the low hum made a powerfully dangerous feel to the blade.
Falco grabbed for a small rod like structure on his back. As Falco grabbed for the rod, it extended into a staff.The top end had an oval like shape with a small oval gem in the center of it. The tail end had a point on it as a small, almost cylindrical like gem taking the same shape as the outer lining. Overall, the whole staff itself isover 5 ft. in length, enough for the use as a bo staff.
"I just hope this staff holds together," Falco said.
"Don't worry, Falco," Fox replied, "a Cerinian staff shouldn't fail you."
Lisa pulled her lightsaber out and pressed the activation button on the hilt. The purple beam of light emerged from the hilt and extended to 2 ½ ft. She stood in front of the other students, keeping an eye out for anything coming at them. The students were too scared to move as the situation appeared to be critical enough for the teachers to pull out weapons.
"Lisa…what's going on?" Serenity asked.
Lisa couldn't answer because of the tense situation, making it difficult to explain anything. Falco slowly walked away from Fox a few feet to give some room for combat. Fox knows that anything can happen in a split second, but he hopes that the students will survive the attack. Fox can sense a strong, foreign presence; one that can only be generated by someone who knows the ways of the Force. As they waited, Fox stood there, ready for anything to come at him.
"So it begins. The Sith finally made their move."