A rare ray of sunlight in the rainy season broke through the window of what appeared to be a hut constructed of bamboo, well-constructed at that. Roughly 15 feet by 10 feet, it wasn't extravagant by any means, but served its purpose as a place of shelter, mainly sleeping quarters. The walls of bamboo were tightly woven together to make what appeared to be a solid barrier from the forces of nature, and whoever dwelled there was very appreciative of that all in its own. The area was bare of everything but the essentials, such as a bed, wash basin, and other related things. The bed itself was more or less an elevated pallet upon the bare flooring of the hut. Various articles of clothing black and green in nature were neatly folded and stacked upon a table next to the wash basin. Above the table on the wall hung a sword with an ornately decorated sheath of black with a gold-encrusted, green wrapped handle of a similar nature. Though this room seemed to be nothing extremely out of the ordinary, it was what lay in the bed that was most…intriguing. The weakened state of a violet-haired young woman was fast asleep, but began to stir, signaling that she was finally awakening after what seemed like ages. She graciously lifted her head free of the pillow, holding it as she did so, slowly opening her eyes.
"Uhhh," Raven groaned, still impervious to her surroundings, "w-where the hell am I?"
With caution, she lifted herself free of the bed, standing erect, and feeling the pain of her sore body as she did so.
"What happened? Last thing I remember…how did I get here? Better yet, where exactly is here?"
Raven looked down at her own person, finding that someone…or something, had cleaned her up and placed a new, yet inviting, set of clothes upon her frame, though it only be a mere pair of loose-fitting pants, a long-sleeved top, and a undershirt. Even in that regard, it wasn't normal clothing, but appeared to be part of a gi or some type of martial arts outfit. She wasn't complaining, but her questions were yet to be answered.
"Who dressed me this way?" Raven thought, looking in the mirror at her new wardrobe, then at her face, "someone must have found me before I could…kill myself."
A tinge of regret sent recourse through her body as she realized what she had almost succeeded in doing. She was about to give up on everything for all the wrong reasons, and there would have been no going back.
"I can't believe I resorted to…" she said to herself quietly, almost feeling the utter pain and disgust in her heart, "what is wrong with me?"
Still unsure as to who…or what, her savior's identity was, but the sword seemed to captivate her attention for the moment. She may have wielded a blade under Slade's tutelage, but it was just the sheer beauty and workmanship of it that seemed to attract her to it. Raven approached it, leaning closer to inspect it, even running her finger across the inscribed designs upon the sheath itself, which consisted of intricate swirls, even some type of oriental characters. She was far from deciphering what it said, but just found it aesthetically pleasing.
"What a beautiful weapon," Raven commented, though it was something not expected of her, "this makes the blade I used look like a piece of junk, well, it was, but this is just a pure, handmade, and beautifully crafted sword. Whoever wields this definitely takes quality into consideration.
Her hand slid down the length of the sheath, running over the hand guard made of gold, then stopping upon the grip itself, finding it not only to be comfortable, but it felt…different, almost as if it was much colder than everything around it.
"That's strange," Raven stated in curiosity, wrapping her fingers around the handle, feeling the cooling sensation ever present, but beginning to spread into her hand, "I have only known…spirits to feel this way, but I've only felt this sensation during deep meditation, how is this possible?"
Unknown to Raven, a figure entered the hut through the flap of a door behind her. He appeared to be of average height for a young adult, no older than Raven was, even maybe a year or two younger. His skin was tanned, but not quite dark-complexion, accompanied by deep, vivid green eyes. Black hair upon his head was pulled back into a ponytail, flowing to the middle of his back. His right eye bore an old scar, but he still retained sight in it. Though he didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary, his outfit spoke otherwise. With a black mask covering his nose and mouth, as well as a matching black and bright green sleeveless top that seemed to be a part of him, clinging to his near perfect physique. Black fingerless gloves of the same tight material ran up his forearms. His leggings were no different than his top, showing off his impressive build. Though simple in nature, they were accompanied by some kind of shin guards or devices, their true intent unknown, but they too were green in color. Upon his feet were traditional footwear of a ninja, but it seemed to go along with his outfit all to well. He quietly approached Raven, eyes full of curiosity, stopping within three feet's distance.
"Glad to see you awake," he spoke, scaring the living daylights out of Raven. "Wait, how did you draw my sw-"
She turned in surprise, seeing a masked figure, menacing looking at that. She tightened her grip on the sword's handle, unsheathing it with ease, and bringing the razor-honed point to a striking position, only inches from this masked figure's throat.
"Whoa!" The figure jumped, holding his hands up, "I me-"
Out of sheer terror, as well as her own personal reaction to the situation at hand, Raven brought the sword about to strike, making what would have been a lethal swing, only to have it aptly dodged by this person before her. Poised to lash out once more, Raven followed through with another swing, once more, dodged, and rather easily at that.
"Listen!" he exclaimed out fear for his life, avoiding Raven's hastily made decision to attack him, ducking another blow, "I'm…not your…enemy."
Raven ignored him, the sword coming lateral faster than any of her attempts before, aimed right for his neck in an attempt to silence him. The razor edge grew closer and closer at blinding speed, but at what seemed like the last second, his right hand came up, and stopped the blade cold in its track with a mere two fingers. Needless to say, Raven was more than surprised, still holding the sword in position.
"Please stop," he politely requested of her, pulling his mask down, realizing that must have been the root of the encounter, "I am not your enemy. In fact, it was I that found you in the forest."
"Wait…what?" Raven finally registered, bringing the weapon down, not threatening him any longer.
After a sigh of relief from Raven dropping the sword from his neck, he could actually breath without her threatening to slice him open with the blade.
"I'll explain in a moment," he began, "but how did you draw my sword?"
A perplexed look came across her face.
"What do you mean, I grasped it by the handle and drew it, what's so difficult about that?" Raven conversed, still unknown to whom she was speaking with.
"Could you not feel it?" He said in a playful manner, "that sword has my father's very soul bound to it. It may sound different, even…weird, if you will, but it is true. It protects me, so he protects me. It usually causes severe pain and discomfort to anyone else who draws it, let alone touches it."
Raven looked at the sword; the chill running up her arm had grown exponentially, as if it was trying to integrate itself within her.
"Oh," Raven replied, slowly handing it back to him, "uhh…sorry for…using your father then."
He merely laughed as he brushed past her, slowly sheathing the weapon once more upon the wall.
"No harm done, I suppose," he replied, turning back to face her, "by the way things look, he likes you. It's rather hard to impress him, especially at first glance, well, touch in this instance."
Raven merely meekly grinned.
"What are you? A ninja?"
"Actually, yes, yes I am," he answered, seeing a somewhat surprised look upon Raven's face.
"So," Raven began, "could I possibly know the name of my savior, well, since you did bring me in from the jungle and all."
"David," he answered with a smile, "David Gonzales to be exact. You can call me Gecko though."
"Gecko?" Raven questioned with an arched eyebrow, confused as to how anyone could have a nickname of that nature. "As in the lizard?"
"Yup," David quickly answered, "my…master just started calling me that, and it stuck, I mean, I do have an uncanny ability to climb on quite a few things, so I guess it suits me well. Besides, don't you think it is a pretty unique name?"
"Yeah, sure, I suppose," Raven agreed, "Still, where am I?"
"Nope, tell me who you are first, then we move on with the questions," he continued playfully, "turn about's fair play."
"Alright," Raven managed with a smirk, "I'm Raven. Raven Roth if you want to get technical. I tend to use the alias "Rachel" from time to time as well," she added, attempting to be smart.
"Raven, huh? You said "Gecko" was weird; you yourself are named after a bird, at least lizards are cool. Not that birds aren't, don't get me wrong, but come on, lizards rock."
"Can you tell me where I'm at or not?" Raven nearly snapped, seeing that he was attempting to be friendly, but she still didn't know if he was to be trusted or not.
"Take it easy, you're in good hands," he assured, "Not only do I live here, but my master's younger sister, Chu-Hui is more than caring, but I do use that term rather loosely. Seriously though, she even helped me take care of you when I first found you in the jungle. You've been asleep for nearly 3 days."
"Wow," Raven commented, "well, I do thank yo-, wait, did you say your master was a she?"
"Yeah, Master Chu-Hui to be exact," Gecko gladly informed, more than taken back by Raven, "why do you ask?"
Raven took a deep breath, as what she could possibly think was true was finally before her.
"I have spent the better part of nearly 3 years searching for a martial arts master known to the world as the "True Master". I need her teachings to complete where someone had left off, and she is the only one that can truly help me. I am not sure if your master and she are one and the same, but I must know. The answer to everything that I have been searching for may be nearby. Will you take me to see her?"
"Wow, 3 years?" Gecko commented, surprised, "I don't know if that's what she's called outside of here or not, but she's either "Master" or "Sensei" to me, but yeah, sure, I'll take you to see her. One thing bugs me though, out of those 3 years, how long were you in the jungle?"
"Little over 6 months," Raven quickly added, frantically looking around for her belongings, "where is my stuff at?"
"You mean your backpack?"
"Yes, where is it?"
"Well, she has it," Gecko motioned towards the door, "Come on, I'll take you."
"Why does she have my backpack?" Raven nearly demanded, "I'm thankful for your help and all, but that doesn't give her the right to go through my belongings."
"I assure you she hasn't," Gecko replied, holding the flap of the door open for her, allowing her to step into the sunlight of the rare day in the rainy season. David immediately noticed the radiant glow of Raven's skin as she did so, only amplifying her very beauty in his eyes. Violet wisps of hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, adding to the moment.
"Wow," Gecko whispered to himself in sheer awe as she went in front of him.
"What was that?" Raven politely requested.
"Oh, nothing," he quickly answered, clearing his throat, finding himself clearly taken back by her sheer beauty. He had seen girls before, many girls, but none on the level that Raven was, and there was a certain aura about her that made her simple…irresistible to him. To Gecko, Raven was nothing short of a goddess.
"So…which one of you undressed me?" Raven asked out of the blue as they were walking slowly across the more than serene outdoor grounds, more than curious to hearing the answer.
"Uhhh…" David began, feeling a sudden onset of nervousness coming, "That, I, uh, would, umm…she did," he added quickly.
Raven merely smiled slyly at him.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
"I…helped," he answered truthfully, gulping "but I swear I didn't…see anything, I assure. I left before that…happened."
She found respect in how much he honored women, let alone people. For some reason, even if he had been the one that had done it, Raven still felt somewhat…peaceful with the idea. He seemed like the type that would have been more than mature about it. With that, they continued, side by side, the dirt path leading up to a rather ornately decorated building of oriental design, much like a pagoda. White walls with brick red roofing, it stood out rather well from the surrounding area. Along the way were beautiful tracts of lush trees, many of which were cherry blossomed, their white and often pink petaled flowers gently swayed in the breeze, some even fluttering along with it when they broke free of the branches. Raven watched as they did so, even coming ever so close as they went along the ride of the wind, many only to graciously land in the placid pond to her left, floating on the surface.
"This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen," Raven commented in near awe as they continued up the path, Gecko even slowing to allow her more time to take in the sights.
"It is pretty," he replied, "but I've lived here for…well, a long time, and I'm used to seeing it, but you are right, it is beautiful nonetheless. I often just walk the grounds, even just sit and take in the sights from time to time, just to relax."
"I could see why," Raven added truthfully, "I could easily meditate in a place like this."
"I know from experience, it is more than perfect for it," Gecko assured with a smile. "I really do hope she's in a good mood today. Not that she isn't nice or anything, it's just that she is often, well…"
"Cranky?" Raven finished his sentence for him, attempting to give the answer.
"I suppose that would work," he added weakly, knowing it wasn't exactly right to talk ill of his master…even though it was the truth.
"I promise you that I will be on my best behavior," Raven informed, even holding up her hand as if she were swearing to an oath, even if it was only out of fun.
Gecko merely chuckled in her delight.
"Funny and beautiful," he thought as he continued to take her in, "a very potent combination."
The path widened to a flattened state, apparently the courtyard to the pagoda itself, graced by many flowers of unsurpassed beauty upon the edges. There was a blossoming cherry tree in each corner of the courtyard, the bases surrounded by the flowers as well. The center was graced by a well-kept pond, reeds of different varieties upon the banks, accompanied by a quaint wooden bridge that spanned over it. Even from where Raven was standing, she could easily see the distinct silhouettes of Japanese Koi, as well as other fish of oriental nature. From the flowerbeds to the edges of the pond were tiled in large stones of different shapes, colors, and types, making for a very interesting look overall. Another path seemed to lead down a levee of sorts, and from there, Raven made out what appeared to be a Zen garden, complete with rocks, the sand itself had been made into a very intricate design that anyone would find pleasing. Near the doors of the pagoda sat what appeared to be an elderly woman, pulling beans by the way things looked with the basket in her lap. She was long past her youth, possibly even her prime as a human being…quite possibly the expiration date as well. So frail and fragile looking, it appeared as if a strong enough gust of wind could carry her very body away. Ghost white hair pulled back into a braid, as well as a seemingly out of place hat graced her head. Gecko slowly approached the woman with Raven in tow.
"Sensei," he greeted with a bow, getting her attention. Instead of having a verbal reply, the woman quickly picked up her walking stick, and with a quick snap of her wrist, whacked Gecko on top of the head before he rose back up. He fell to the ground, dazed for a second.
"Ah! Sensei, what was that for?!" He requested, rubbing his head as he rose.
"That's for making a joke about my age, Gecko-san," she matter-of-factly replied.
"Sorry, Sensei."
"You're only sorry because you were caught when I heard you. Do not speak ill of others unless others want to speak ill of you."
"Yes, Sensei."
Raven was more than surprised, seeing how it would have been nearly…no, impossible to hear what he has said about her in his hut. Before she could even say anything, the woman smacked him again, causing him to land face-first into the dirt before her once more.
"And that's for calling me cranky," she said in a similar tone, emotion unchanging.
"Uhh…" Gecko moaned in more than pain, continuing to lay upon the ground.
The elderly woman looked at Raven, who found this behavior odd, let alone surprising. "Hello, child, may I ask what your name is?"
"R-Raven," she replied uneasily.
"Most interesting name for a young woman," Gecko's master spoke, "if Gecko-san has not already told you, I am Chu-Hui. I have been his master since my brother befallen a horrible turn of events, and I must continue his teachings. In any case, what brings you here to my mountain?"
"Your mountain?" Raven questioned, getting a nod from Chu-Hui, "I have been searching for a martial arts master known only as the "True Master" to further what teachings I do have, and the only information that I have to go on is that it is a woman."
"I see," Chu-Hui replied, pondering, "I regret to inform you that there is no one known as that here, child. Only Gecko-san and I are present."
"You must be the True Master, I have searched high and low for nearly 6 months," Raven nearly begged, "my quest has brought me halfway around the world and has taken me 3 years thus far. I am so close; I cannot just turn away now."
"That may be, Raven-chan," Chu-Hui reasoned, "but there is no True Master. There is only I, Master Chu-Hui."
Raven thought for a moment, thinking about what exactly was going on.
"Middle of nowhere…a ninja boy…an old woman…Robin said the True Master was a woman…it has to be her. She's playing mind games."
"Ok, Master Chu-Hui," Raven answered, nearly demanding, "you must teach me."
"Raven!" Gecko whispered, watching out for her safety, "be respectful!"
He managed to earn another whack on the head in an attempt to protect Raven from the same punishment for her disrespect towards Chu-Hui, crumbling to the ground once more as he had done before.
"Child, I respect your ambition to learn, but I will not be demanded of to teach anything." Chu-Hui informed, keeping the tone of her voice out of the levels of anger.
"How do I know you're even the real thing? You look like you could crumble into dust. How could an ancient artifact such as yourself posses the most covenanted knowledge of martial arts in the entire world?"
"Shshshshss!" Gecko begged in her ear, knowing things were going from bad to worse.
"What, I'm merely pointing out an observation." Raven reasoned, turning back to the elderly woman, who had set the basket of beans off to the side, slowly standing up with her walking stick clutched in hand.
'Very well then, child," she uttered as she passed between Raven and Gecko, signaling her height of breaking just past 4 feet, proving she was very small indeed. "If you do not believe words, then allow actions to speak louder."
Raven looked at Chu-Hui quizzingly, not knowing if she was being serious or not, even if that was her true intentions.
"A-are you suggesting that I…fight you?" Raven questioned, pointing at herself in confusion of the situation.
"Take it as you will, child," she calmly replied, "but if it is knowledge you seek, it is knowledge you will find."
Gecko gently took hold of Raven's hand as she began to approach Chu-Hui, getting her attention.
"Raven, please, reconsider," he nearly pleaded.
"She wants me to do this, and I'll do it," Raven replied, causing him to release her, "this is one of the best ways to find out if she is really who she says she is anyways."
Gecko shook his head, fearing for her safety.
"Sensei, please be gentle with her," Gecko begged of his master, "she is still weakened from her ordeal and this really isn't necessary."
"I am only obliging to what she wishes, Gecko-san," Chu-Hui answered, standing still as Raven approached slowly, "if she must find out what I am capable of, then so be it."
A mere 5 feet stood between Raven and Chu-Hui as she watched her. Still, Raven found it unbelievable that the old woman would suggest such a thing. Something told Raven that this wasn't going to end well, but must be done.
"I do have a small request though," Raven offered in a respectful tone, seeing how she didn't have a reason not to be, "could you please leave the stick out of it, it is only fair."
"Fair indeed," Chu-Hui obliged, tossing it aside gently, "to even the odds further, child, I shall place my left hand behind my back the entire time and only use my right. You may do what you wish."
Raven merely eyed her in a similar manner as before, not knowing to be intimidated or to feel pity for Chu-Hui's attempt to sway her.
"I am ready whenever you are to begin, child," Chu-Hui informed with a bow, placing her feet apart as she placed her hand behind her back, as well as her single right hand before her as promised.
Raven followed suit, bowing out of respect, quickly taking up an extremely aggressive stance, the very same that Slade had shown her so long ago to use. She nearly mastered his teachings to a point of mirrored perfection, but Raven was unsure as if it was going to be enough if this dried-up husk of a woman was what she claimed to be, or Raven believed her to be for that matter.
"It is you that wishes for results, child," she beckoned as she watched Raven continue to remain still in form, "then you shall attack first. I give you three chances to make contact. If you fail upon the third and final try, I will retaliate with my own attack."
"Three strikes and I'm out?" Raven quipped with a smirk, "Very well, then so be it. I only need one."
"No, no, no," Gecko told himself, looking towards Raven, speaking to her, "Raven, stop this foolishness. You stand no chance."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," she sarcastically replied to the ninja-in-training. "You see, I've managed to acquire a certain degree of stubbornness on my travels, so I don't give up so easily. Matter of fact, I never give up."
"That is a most honorable trait, Raven-chan," Chu-Hui complimented, "do understand this is no show of ill feelings, but a test for both you and I."
"How is that?"
"You wish to see if I truly can perform what I have informed you of and you are seeking tutelage, are you not?" She reasoned, getting a nod of an answer from Raven. "If you are successful in any way, I shall grant that upon you, if not, you are more than welcome to stay, but I will teach you nothing."
"I accept," Raven replied, feeling more than confident, yet, there was a certain aura about her common sense telling her that she was in over her head.
Chu-Hui merely nodded in agreement while Gecko shook his head in fear and utter discontent of the situation.
"Alright," Raven thought as she took a calming, slow breath, "here goes nothing."
Raven closed the gap rather quickly, bring her right hand back in a fist, and snapping it forward, much like Slade had taught her to do, forever etched into her memory as an attack. Chu-Hui's open, upward facing hand reacted, quickly clasping around Raven's larger fist with ease, and stopping her entire momentum she had built up without even moving a hair from the force. Raven's eyes grew wide with surprise, but refused to be awestruck by it. Without another moment's hesitation, Raven retracted her fist, dropping down to a nearly crouching position in hopes of sweeping her feet out from underneath of her. Once more, the martial artist master merely leaped Raven's leg sweep with ample time to land and smack Raven on top of the head with her index and middle finger with enough force to let her know that she was there. Not to be made a mockery of, Raven allowed her anger to override herself slightly, and attempted to perform an uppercut kick from her crouched position. Her foot went straight and true, but Chu-Hui's superior speed allowed her to stop it much like she did Raven's first attack. Raven recovered, but saw Chu-Hui had began advancing towards Raven, taking a step, slowly spinning about, but before Raven could even think about what was happening, she followed through, rushing forward with an open palmed strike, easily connecting with Raven's sternum. The force felt like someone had hit her in the chest with a sledgehammer, easily taking her off of her feet, and flying through the air upright. Time seemed to linger as she floated through the air, clearly stunned by the attack. Though, she felt her body come to a stop as someone had caught her. She looked, finding it to be Gecko, fearing for her safety. Despite his help, both of them crashed into the wall of the pagoda, easily cracking the plastered surface, Gecko taking the brunt of the force. Raven wasn't in any better condition though, as it was more than difficult to breath, let alone move as she lay upon the ground, holding her chest where Chu-Hui had struck. Gecko stirred, slightly dazed in his attempt to slow Raven's trajectory into the building. With walking stick in hand, she approached Raven, who was more than present, just unable to move.
"That is the Iron Palm," she informed, "one of many incapacitating maneuvers that I have developed over my many years as a master, Raven-chan. It does not cause long-term damage, but makes your opponent no longer a threat for several minutes."
Raven coughed as she attempted to reply, still holding her chest, unbelievable that this small, old woman possessed that kind of power. Not even Slade could have stood up to something like that.
"Gecko-san, what is the matter with you?" She directed her attention to her pupil, who was shaking his head, dusting himself off. "Why do you put yourself in harm's way for her?"
"I wish to protect her, Sensei," he admitted, "I was taught to help and console those in need, and she falls into both categories."
"She is more than capable of defending herself if need be, it isn't necessary."
"I care for her, Sensei." He nearly blurted, surprising her, but also making him check his nature of voice with her, "I…I don't want to see her get hurt, especially her, she has experienced enough pain as it is by the way things appear, especially with the prominent scar upon her eye. She's just like me, Sensei."
Apparently, this had something to do with the history between the two of them Raven was oblivious to, and didn't feel like asking at the moment.
"Very well, Gecko-san," Chu-Hui respected, turning back to Raven, less than impressed with her skills in their very short confrontation, "Raven-chan, you are skilled indeed, but you lack in your skills. Strong you are, but strength you lack. Knowledge you may have, but it is knowledge that you require. Until you realize that, I can teach you nothing, as you will learn nothing. You are welcome to stay, but tutelage you will not receive from me."
Raven was finally able to move once more, rising to a seated position as she continued to concentrate on breathing, as well as Chu-Hui's words of wisdom…and confusion. She merely walked away from Raven as if nothing had happened.
"If you will excuse me, child, I have to finish peeling my beans."
The more she thought of it, the more it angered her. In that mindset, Raven stood up, kicking dirt as she did so, frustrated at herself as well, Chu-Hui's information burning her very subconscious just because of its nature; it was true.
"She made me look like nothing!" Raven thought, basically stomping away, down the very path she had followed up. "All my teachings, everything I know…is nothing. I just didn't look like nothing…I am nothing."
"Raven! Please wait! Raven!" Gecko called after her, attempting to catch up with her, despite her current mood, he was going to attempt to help her in any way he possibly could.
"What do you want?" She spun around and snapped, catching him off guard, but lessened her hardened emotion somewhat. "Sorry, but…I used what I was taught and knew, and it was nothing, I didn't even stand a chance. I just don't…understand. How was she able to do what she did?"
Gecko rested a reassuring hand upon her shoulder, getting her attention.
"I may be able to help, but you must be willing to do it," he informed. "She didn't say she wouldn't teach you, but you must prove to her that you are capable of learning what she has to offer"
"I'll do just about anything," Raven replied with a weak smile, "I didn't come halfway around the world for nothing after all. What do I need to do?"
"Follow me," Gecko gestured, leading her down the path the led past the Zen garden she had noticed before. Though pleasing to the sight all in its own, it wasn't of her concern at the moment, she had other things to worry about at the moment. A stream from the pond in the courtyard ran down the gentle declining grade next to the path, providing a calming essence about them. Though not far from the garden, it was barely in sight, much like the pagoda from the level tract of land that Gecko led Raven to. Free of any trees and undergrowth, only well-kept grass. Though, just beyond this lawn of sorts was a steep drop-off of a cliff, overlooking the heavily-forested region below as far as the eye could see, the stream running over the edge itself like a miniature waterfall, the misting effect reflecting the sunlight into the plethora of colors that make up a rainbow amongst the drifting cloud of vapor itself. A single tree was present on the outskirts of the grassy lawn, foliage thick with a branch that outstretched parallel with the cliff's edge, allowing for a bird's eye view of the land before it.
"Perfect," Gecko commented, grasping Raven's attention from the environment to him. "Okay, Raven, I noticed when you attempted to attack Master Hui, I could tell by your stance that you were extremely tense, as if every muscle in your body was tightened, preparing to attack."
"That was the point, wasn't it?" Raven drolly replied, finding his logic to be quite ridiculous.
"Just listen," he attempted, taking up the stance that Raven had, "you see, when you are tensed up, you may be rigid, but that is completely useless on the offensive. Your stance is better suited as a defensive posture, and you were using it offensively. Not that it isn't possible, but you're relatively lagging and…poor execution of your attacks is what led to your downfall."
"How? All I know is that it was almost as if she was reading my mind, like she knew what I was going to attack with next."
"That is only partly true," Gecko corrected with a smirk, hidden by his mask, "she wasn't reading your mind, but your movements, due to your tensed posture, it was more than easy to do so. Just like an open book, you told her what you were going to do, when you were going to do it, and how you were going to do it. So, essentially, she basically did read your mind."
Raven sulked slightly while she continued to watch him, seeing that he was indeed right.
'Is there anything I can do to fix this…problem of mine?" Raven asked, more than eager to hear a solution. "I mean, that's how I was instructed."
Gecko's attention was grabbed for a moment.
"What kind of irresponsible…moron teaches their student to fight in such a way?" He commented.
"I-I'd rather not say," Raven quickly replied, covering up the identity of her "master". Just the mere tone and manner Raven spoke in surprised him to say the least as the look in his eyes wished to know further. "It's still a touchy subject for me right now."
"I…see," Gecko added, knowing what it must feel like, especially with the…events that had taken place in his own life. "I won't prod into your matters if you don't want me to; it just appears to bother you, that's all. If you ever feel as if you need to talk about it, I'm here for you, Raven, and I will listen, and it's the least I could do for one such as yourself."
She was clearly flattered by his manners, and also seemed to enjoy Gecko's company in general.
"So," Raven interrupted the uncomfortable silence between them, "do you have a solution to my…problem?"
"Actually," Gecko added optimistically, "I do. Have you heard of Tai Chi?"
"Yes," Raven answered, "what of it?"
"Well, in using Tai Chi, it relaxes your mind and body to remain as clear as one could possibly be," he explained, taking up a very gently, peaceful looking stance. "Your movements are slow and gentle, accompanied by controlled breathing, it calms and soothes you."
"Is it similar or anything like meditation?" Raven questioned, attempting to find a common ground in what he spoke of in hopes of understanding it better.
"Why, yes, exactly like meditation," Gecko replied with a smirk beneath his mask. "Meditation is indeed relaxing, but with Tai Chi, you get the added bonus of tuning your body and mind with one another in tandem, clearing it of any and all unnecessary things or thoughts, no matter what they be. Hence the name, it also focuses your chi."
"My what?" Raven quizzingly asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Chi," Gecko elaborated with a laugh, almost as if he was explaining something to a child, surprised that a martial artist had never heard of what he spoke of, especially her. "Your inner energy, essentially your life force within your vessel. If centered, controlled, and focused, through the practice of Tai Chi, it can be a very dangerous weapon, both metaphorically and literally. As you said, it is similar to meditation to a degree, but you could possibly benefit more from this as a whole. Both are good though. I do both."
Raven saw that it seemed to make sense, especially the way he explained it. Much like him, she took up a similar stance, taking a breath as she seemed to loosen up somewhat, yet, her own personal being wanted to fight the relaxation to a degree without her control or not.
"Good," he commented as he looked over at her, "now, I want you to imagine yourself being as fluid in nature as possible, like water."
"Excuse me?" Raven asked, not quite understanding.
"Just relax, imagine yourself to be a free-flowing and serene as water. Water in nature is something unprecedented in utter calmness. You must harness that for yourself. When you do, things will be much clearer all around, even yourself. Just clear your mind, and envision yourself as fluid as water."
Raven obliged, slowly closing her eyes, letting out a controlled breath as she did so. In her gentle movements, she indeed felt more relaxed the most that she had in ages. Indeed, meditation relaxed her greatly, but it was nothing compared to what she was beginning to experience at the moment. Though she had performed styles of relaxation beneath Slade, this was by far much more effective. Raven could literally feel the tension in her body slowly begin to unravel and loosen her motion. For the first time in a long time, Raven felt…relaxed. Though meditation brought her that, this was noticeable to a greater degree. It actually felt…good to her.
"Relaxed," Raven slowly uttered as she continued with her fluid-like movements, "calm…fluid…water."
"Do you notice the difference?" Gecko queried of her, seeing that she was clearly relaxed, but wanted to hear it for himself.
"Yes, a big difference," Raven replied, still continuing with her movements about her body as she slowly pivoted upon a single foot in place.
"Good," he smirked, "that means it's working…and I'm a good teacher."
"That you are, I would have never learned this beneath Sl-, my…previous master," Raven corrected herself, not wishing to utter his name whatsoever.
"Then he was not truly a master of martial arts," Gecko seriously informed, "whoever he is, he is a disgrace to the arts and must be made aware of it."
"You have no idea," Raven added, innuendo tagged upon Slade, "but why do you think I denounced him? I seek a true master of the arts. I feel as if I found her, but she said she wouldn't teach the likes of me. I don't blame her."
Gecko detected Raven's immediate loss of confidence in her voice. Without warning, he grasped her by the shoulder as he had done earlier, easily retaining her attention from her Tai Chi.
"Don't you ever think that," he warned sternly, "there is nothing wrong with you. Indeed, you lack the basics, and her teachings are advanced. That is why she refused to take you in as a student. She didn't say no Raven, but you have to walk before you run."
Raven looked into his deep, vivid eyes, allowing the emerald to shine back into her own amethyst. His assuring eyes seemed similar. The only shade of green she was familiar with of that degree was…Garfield.
"H-how can I do that then?" Raven asked of him, nearly reminiscing about Garfield before him, but quickly returned to reality. "I must have her teachings. My very life depends on it. I can't retur….I just can't go on without it. Life would be…pointless."
Gecko reflected for a moment, attempting to create a solution to this dilemma.
"Well, there is one way," he began, immediately grasping her point of attention even further.
"Anything, I'll do anything," Raven answered, grasping him by the shoulders, "what is it? Please, tell me, I must know."
"Okay, okay," Gecko obliged, smiling at her enthusiasm, "well, if it's alright with Master, I could teach you myself, and once you are able to receive her teachings, she'll bestow them upon you."
"When can I start?" Raven quickly added, still intrigued by this life-altering offer he was making.
'Well…tomorrow, I suppose," he informed, feeling Raven's arms wrap around his body, her body pressing tightly to his. Her strength was…admirable, especially for a female, as her hug was squeezing his very breath away.
"Oh, thank you thank you thank you!" Raven ecstatically exclaimed, continuing to hug his person out of sheer gratitude for his assistance. She even managed to add somewhat of a laugh, near a giggle at the end of it, something she hadn't done in…ever?
"It's…no problem, Raven," Gecko managed, struggling for air, "too…much…hugging though."
Raven released him out of reaction to his near plea for breath, feeling slightly embarrassed by her showing of affection, taking a step back.
"Sorry," she apologized, blushing slightly as she attempted to shy away, looking across the expanse of the cliff, watching the sun begin to dive behind the treeline that seemed forever away. Raven had indeed seen many a sunsets on her travels, especially sleeping beneath the skies, but she had never seen one so grand, so beautiful.
"The sunset here is absolutely amazing," Raven commented, attempting to break the seemingly awkward silence of the moment.
"It is indeed," Gecko added, turning from it to her, taking in Raven's splendor, "but it's nothing compared to your very essence."
Surprised, Raven turned to him.
"Oh, heh," Gecko nervously added, rubbing the back of his head as he attempted to avoid her gaze, embarrassed beyond no other, "sorry…did I say that out loud?"
Raven gently huffed a laugh at his innocence.
"It's okay," she assured, passing him as she began to walk back up the hill to the very hut she awoke in not long ago, but stopped, leaning into his ear, whispering, "besides, I enjoy compliments, I don't get them very often."
A goofy, lovestruck smile appeared upon his face as Raven continued up the hill, absolutely infatuated with her. He may have had Raven on his mind, but he was too shy to even approach her in such a way. It would take great courage to do so.
"Where am I going to sleep?" Raven's voice broke his trance.
"Oh, you can stay in my hut again," he replied, but checked himself, "not…with me in it, I mean. I'll sleep out…here." Gecko added with a nervous laugh.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's no problem; I'm a person of the outdoors anyways. I like it out here. Just get some rest; you're going to need it tomorrow."
Raven nodded, turning back as she walked up the gentle incline of a path to the hut. A devious smile crept across her face.
"Just because I'm no socialite," she said to herself confidently, "doesn't mean I don't have game. I hope he doesn't take me too seriously, I just wish to get to know him better, so might as well make him feel comfortable around me. It's going to be necessary if he's going to be teaching me. At least he's very nice and mature about everything. Even I have to admit, he's rather…attractive, at risk of sounding like Starfire. This will truly be most interesting indeed."
Little did Raven now; she had quite a day before her tomorrow. If she wished to gain Master Chu-Hui's training, it was going to be a test of her very willpower and endurance. For Raven, that shouldn't be difficult put in retrospect with her previous experiences thus far. Though, this "training" was going to be far from normal, to Raven's standards, that is.
"She is absolutely stunning," Gecko commented as he leapt up in the nook of the tree from the branch jutting out parallel with the cliff's edge, nestling himself in as night fell. "I've never seen a girl as…beautiful as her. Considering I live with a woman older than the very dirt I walk on isn't saying much, but you would have to be insane not to think what I do. I could even say she's…out of my league, if you will."
He calculated his actual chances of completing what he was getting at.
"I don't know," Gecko huffed, watching the starlit sky, "only time will tell, but when the time is right, I'll at least try. If I give it a shot, I can't say I never tried. If not, I'll have a great friend out of it. Only time will tell."