1185/First Lesson

First Lesson
Date of Scene:	16 April 2020
Location:	Chikara Dojo
Synopsis:	Colleen and Tony have a friendly spar and a friendly wager.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Masters, Colleen Wing

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Tony Masters has posed:
You don't become the best by sitting around. You become the best by finding people who have put in years of training and hard work, and stealing from them. That's why Tony Masters has decided to check out a certain dojo that he saw pop up in a TV ad. Her form looked pretty good in the brief time it was shown, and he wants to get a better feel for it. Wearing normal civillian clothing, the brownhaired man comes to a stop outside of her dojo, looking up at the building.

"..."

Well. Hopefully it looks better inside. He's not carrying any weapons today, since he figures a free lesson will probably end up with close enough contact for those to be quickly discovered. He's able to defend himself well enough with his bare hands. Or anything he happens to have in his pockets. Moving into the building, he climbs the steps to the entrance of the dojo proper and peers inside a moment before opening the door and stepping. "Hello? Uh, Instructor Wing?" He's careful to move with no signs of martial arts ability, looking like just a particularly fit but clueless twenty something.

Colleen Wing has posed:
It had been a long day, a few private classes for some adults and then a few group classes for the students when school was out and time permitted them to do so. In fact, the last class had just left but 20 minutes ago and the young woman was taking a moment to herself on her couch when she heard the call from the dojo, a room away. "Way to lock the door Colleen." With a small sigh she pushes herself up off the couch and grabs a bottle of water off the counter before stepping out into the dojo.

Appearing in the doorway of what appears to be her residence, Colleen takes a sip of the water and leans against the doorway, a white tank yop on and a pair of black athletic pants, her feet bare. A brow raises and she takes the man in a moment before softly asking. "Can I help you?"

Tony Masters has posed:
Pretending to jump slightly in startlement, Tony then turns back towarsd the martial artist. He just looks at her for a few moments then smiles. "Hello. I saw your ad? I came by to take a look at the dojo." He glances around. "It's much nicer than it looks from outside." Then he makes his way over to the shorter woman, offering a hand. If she takes it, she'll find it hard and callused. He's apparently no stranger to physical exertion. "I was considering maybe signing up for some lessons?" He peers down at her with intense brown eyes. He's handsome enough, though not exceptionally so by the standards of the superhero community. His voice has a bronx accent, a little lower and rougher. He wears a tee and looser athletic pants, comfortable shoes on his feet. There's a watch on one wrist. "Hmm. You're a lot younger than I realized."

Colleen Wing has posed:
Another raised brow is given as he approaches her, no real effort given to meet him halfway, tho she does tep out of the doorway and slide the door to her residence shut. A hand is extended and she shakes it, making eye contact with him as she replies, her voice slow and soft. "It is good to see my advertisement is getting some attention." She shrugs once and tilts her head ot the side stydying the man a moment. "A lesson? I think I can handle that. Is there a particular from you wish to explore?" Another sip of the water is taken and she wipes her hand across the back of her neck, the sweat from the prior class still present. "Do not let my appearance and age lead you astray. There are many years of discipline and training packed into these 23 years."

Tony Masters has posed:
He seems to think about that for a time. "Hmm. I'm not sure. What all do you know? What are you best at?" He smiles at her adominishment about his age, stepping away from her and starting to wander around the room. "Sorry. It's just in the movies, martial arts instructors tend to be middle aged or older men with moustaches or beards. Not beautiful twenty year old women. It's not an issue for me. I'm sure you can kick my ass handily. You must have started very young." He stops, and turns back towards her. "Oh. My name is Tony by the way. Nice to meet you Colleen. Is it okay if I call you that?" He laces his fingers behind his head, studying her again with those bright eyes. His overall stance seems quite relaxed. Even if he's not holding himself in a way that would be particularly good for defending, his movements do seem pretty fluid. So, an athlete but not a fighter perhaps.

Colleen Wing has posed:
The water bottle is set down on the floor by her door and the young woman looks the man over once, give him and up and down surveying. There are a few soft mutters of undistiguiable words and she nods once. "Kenjutsu? You will not find another dojo in Chinatown that will teach you that. At least the way I can." A quick hand goes to point at his feet. "Lesson one. Shoes at the door. This isn't a gym. It's a dojo." There is a small pause and she shakes her head once. "Maybe Kenjutsu is above your ability. Are you seeking hand to hand or weaponry?"

She reaches over and takes a hair tie from her wrist, moving to tame the long black hair nehind her into a loose ponytail. "Your flattery will only get you so far Tony. Thank you for noticing I am not a middle age balding man in a robe and long beard. I shave daily and green tea does wonder for wrinkles."

Tony Masters has posed:
Glancing down at his feet, Tony replies, "Oh, right. Shoes." He makes his way over to the door, and slips the shoes off. Then he moves back out onto the floor and beings to do some basic stretches to get ready. "Kenjutsu? I don't know what that is but sure. Lets go with that. Either, really! If I do well, maybe I'll learn both eventually." He smiles brightly over at her, and it spreads into a grin at the observation about herself. "Well, it took me a minute but I figured it out eventually. I'm pretty quick." He glances over towards where the practice swords are. "Should I grab one of those?" He's making his way over even as he says that. Reaching the rack, he picks up one of them and holds it with both hands kind of like how you might see in movies or on TV. Giving it a few clumsy swings. "So. Colleen. What made you decide to open a dojo around here, anyway? You'd think you'd make more money in a different neighborhood." He cocks his head to the side as he says this, considering her reaction.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Well doesn't he feel at ease. Just walkig over and grabbing a sword from the rack. It does cause her to double-take and mask a sigh, but nevertheless she remains calm and reaches for one herself on a rack beside her. "Kenjutsu it is. Sword training. Its your free lesson. You can spend it how you wish." She holds the wood sword before her and does a few small wrist twirls with it. It is the form she is most trained in, taught by her grandfather in the eways of the Samurai. The sword twirls easily and she stops, peering over at him. "Okay rule number one. These are made of wood. If used correctly, even a mistake should not get you killed. However, they still hurt. Rule number two. Unlike what you see in the movies, this is going to be done slowly. We are not going to be flipping about and waving the sword around like a drunk man in Central Park talking to pigeons. Rule number 3. When I say Tomeru..we halt. Understood?"

She exhales once and peers over at him, trying to gauge any skill he may already have. "Alright, show me how you think you want to stand." She lowers her own sword and watches him. "And then show me how you think you should hold the sword before you."

Tony Masters has posed:
Shifting his grip on the sword in his hands, Tony nods along with her points. "It hurts to be hit by a stick. Not re-enacting Blade. Tomeru. Got it." He considers the weapon for a few moments, then puts one foot forward and one foot back. She's probably seen many students in the past take a similar stance when asked to do the same thing. His grip on the handle is also not quite right. Probably approximating how he saw her hold it a few moments ago. Since she doesn't answer the question he gave her, he doesn't pursue it. Still. Overall he looks pretty solid. If he was going against somebody else who didn't know what they were doing, he'd be more likely to hold onto his weapon than them. He might be able to slice somebody that doesn't know how to avoid it. Not without potential. Mentally, he's taking note of the way she talks to him, the way she holds her own weapon, her movements. She hasn't shown him much yet, but the little act is fun in its way, so he's in no hurry to speed things up.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen watches her student a moment and nods once. "Not bad. Certainly seen worse." She gives a small smile and then continues her instruction. "First things first about Kenjutsu. It is a Japanse form that rose to popularity and fame in the 15th and 16th centuries. It focues on quick attacks as it is a speedy fighting form. The striking techniques are precise and if coupled with other forms, you can create a hybrid that is untouchable." SHe holds the blade over her head, pointed towards him, standing sideways. "It has five fighting postures. This is the first." She then moves the blade to her lateral side. " Position two." It is then move in the traditional middle-front position. "Three."

She lowers her blade and nods once. Are you ready? I hope you have been paying attention. Show me One-Two-Three-One." She gestures her hand. "Don't worry we can swing them in a moment. This is important."

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony nods along with her words. He generally doesn't care much about the history of a style. But he doesn't say that. He watches her take her stances with bright, intent eyes. He really does look like he's memorizing her movements. At her command, he pauses briefly, then moves into the first stance. Shifting into the second, the third, then the first again. His movements aren't perfect, but they're pretty good for somebodies first time. He gives the impression of being a fast learner. "Like that?" He gives her another smile, waiting for further instruction. "Who knows, maybe I'll manage to land a hit on you today."

Colleen Wing has posed:
A nod of affirmation is given and she exhales once more. "Very good. Fourth is tip down and fifth is horizontal. From any of the points you can launch a quick attack. Your targets. Typically the collar, wrist neck or chest." She offers a smile and take the first position. "Now, go ahead an try to hit me." She step forward slightly and offers another smile ."Oh and to answer your question..I could afford it. I am sure you want some grand story about how I won the building in some duel. Nope. It fit my budget and I am glad I did. The kids here need this place. A lot of them are bullied by other peers or their own families and I offer them a safe place off the streets and a lifetime skill. That Tony is why I have remained. My students need me...and I need them."

She expertly hold the blade above her head and awaits his strike. "Attack like you mean it, and hopefully I can show you from this position how to parry and counter it."

Tony Masters has posed:
He watches her take the other stances then nods once. "Got it." He swings the sword in his hands a few times as though to get used to it, then begins to step sideways. Those sharp brown eyes fixed on her. For just a split-second, there's a feeling of danger. Then it's gone, and he's swinging the blade from the fifth stance towards her neck. It's as rough as all of his other movements have been. However, it's faster than is typical for somebody just starting out. He seems to be fairly quick overall. And when she ends up blocking it, there's a considerable amount of force behind it. Well, he's obviously pretty muscular so that part isn't surprising. That grin is back on his face, as though he were enjoying himself.

Colleen Wing has posed:
He did as he asked, attacked with force anda sweeping arc from the first position meets the blade and deflects it tho the power behind it does suprise her a bit. "Very good. Wow, you are a strong one. That was a good swing, just remember if you are not going to link multiple attacks, quickly get back to a defense stance upon parry." A small smile comes to her lips and she goes into the lateral position, taking a small step and swinging at his wrist. The attack is quick, but it is quite clear she pulls it a bit, just in case he does not block it effectively.

Tony Masters has posed:
He winks over at her. "I'm a coach. Gotta keep in shape, right?" He steps back, settling into the fifth position. When she comes at him with her blade, he moves to block her. Not quite as fast on the defense, so he ends up taking a stinging blow on his wrist, that hand ending up releasing the blade. He steps back again, giving his hand a shake. "Okay. Can you do that again?" He takes the same stance, waiting for her to swing at him again. If she does as he asks, this time the blade ends up interposing itself between hers and his body. He holds onto it pretty well. "That's better. Though now I am wondering if I'll be able to hit you at all today. Hmm. Hey, Colleen. Want to make a bet?"

Colleen Wing has posed:
She does do as asked, and it is a moment that he shows he has leared from his prior mistake. When he is able to parry the same attack and save his wris from another stinger, she smiles and nods. "Very good. You learn fast. Do not try to intitiate the parry, let the blade come to you." She lowers her blade point to the fourth position and raises a brow looking over at him. "A bet? And what kind of a bet are we talking here?" She does seem curious.

Tony Masters has posed:
He steps back and thinks about that. "Hmm. How about this. If I don't manage to hit you at any point during this lesson... I'll pay for it even though it's suppossed to be a freebie." He taps the blade on his shoulder. "And if I DO manage to hit you... you let me take you out to dinner some night soon." He shrugs a shoulder. "I might be flattering myself, but I think that's a win-win for you. What do you think, Sensei Wing?" Well. He's a quick learner. But he's also only been learning for about five minutes. No doubt she wouldn't have any trouble avoiding any blows from him for the rest of the lesson.

Colleen Wing has posed:
And there it is the dinner proposition. Not the first one this week, but a free meal when one often ends up eating Chinese takeout everynight does seem like a small change. She is typically guarded, not one to put hrself out there, certainly not one to usually take such an offer. However, she casually shrugs and plainly states. "Alright. If you do not manage to hit me. Your payment goes in that box over there." There is a box by the door with a small opening. "That's for the kids that can't afford it. Truth be told I give them out for free if they can't." She raises her blade in the lateral position and nods. "Alright. You have 1 minute to land a strike. The rules are...well hit me. If I manage to hit you 5 times in the minute, we stop. Deal?"

Tony Masters has posed:
He glances over towards the box. "Hmm. Alright. Deal." He raises his weapon. "Alright. I hope you're ready for..." He seemingly wasn't expecting the fury of her response, and it's pretty fast that she manages to land a couple of hits on him. He looks slightly frantic as he deflects a few of the fast blows, taking another, another. He only has one to go. And the minute isn't up yet... then suddenly he's moving at her. For a second there, he seems much faster than he was before, closing the distance between them and bringing the sword sword down in a two-handed overhead blow tht she'll have to block solidly or risk having her scalp split open. Wood slams into wood and... doesn't seem to hit as hard as she might have expected. As the blade came down and her focus was taken on blocking, one of the hands came loose from the grip, snaking around her and if she doesn't notice this in time and avoid it... smacking her firmly on one rumpcheek. Not the most dignified of attacks, and not anything that would be lethal or even particularly painful in a fight. But it is, technically, a hit.

Colleen Wing has posed:
She was not holding much back, making sure she got a few hits in right away. He was showing some skill and she could tell she had been slightly played. Afterall, this shiould have been much easier than it was to rack up five hits on someone who claimed to have little training. The hits she kanded were slightly pulled, they would have stung a bit but not enough to cause any major pain or bruising. However, when he goes for the over head attack and her sword swings upwards to block it, she is suprise dby the hit to her backside and immediatly leaps backwards, pointing the sword tip at him with a furrowed brow. "Hey. That's not..." She pauses and exhales slowly with a shake of her head. "My failure to specify in the rules what a hit must have consisted of allowed you to exlpoit such. That...that technically is a hit."

She shakes her head once more and moves to set the sword back on the rack, sweating a bit and flexing her hands. "Well, I suppose a deal is a deal. My cod of honor inclines me to honor our agreement. Nothing too fancy. I don't have clothes for that and I don't do makeup." She raisea a finger and disappears behind her sliding door, returning with a bottle of water and tosses it at him. A polite smile is given. "And touch my ass again and you are going to need to find someone else to wipe yours..cuz I am gunna cut it off."

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony laughs at her response and says, "Yeah. Gotta make sure of the fine print in this kind of thing." He rubs at a spot where her blade landed as though it was still stinging. "I'm glad I'm faster than I looked. You were kicking my ass there." He glanes down at where he smacked her, and his lips twitch. "Duly noted." He catches the bottle of water and cracks it open, taking a long pull. "I promise, I'll wait for approval before touching it again." He produces a card from a pocket, one with his number and nothing else on it. He offers it to her. "I'll call later, and we can discuss what sort of place you like eating at. And I think I might sign up for more lessons. It's been a pleasure to meet you, Sensei Wing."