Master Iro seemed a bit off. He was certainly enthusiastic about training a new student, especially since Allen had been the first in decades to not shoot first and ask questions later. Well it was understandable why the others wanted to leap to prove themselves. In reality, Allen was really asking why they were fighting on the beach, not why they were fighting, but he supposed the question was all that mattered.
"So boy, tell me your desires and your reasons for coming here." Iro asked, pacing around Allen like a wold circling his prey. Though, he was only trying to gauge the boys power, and whatever skills he might already possess.
"I want to become strong so that I can prove I'm not worthless. So I can be a force of good and show everyone I'm not the reason bad things happen." Allen called, clenching his fists as intensity burned in his words. Iro's eyebrows perked.
"Oh? Interesting. Then we'll start with one of the strongest fundamental moves for young acolytes like yourself. If you can master it, you should have no problem with any of the other beginner techniques. Though, it might seem a little impossible." Iro warned, turning away and stroking his beard, like he was reconsidering the task.
"If it's the most powerful technique you can teach me this early, then I'll accept the challenge." Allen said, gritting his teeth and taking a fighting stance, ready to begin the lesson.
"Psh, boy your not getting into a street fight. You still need to learn the basics of Ryusoken before I can teach you the Obsidian Push. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all..." Iro said, stroking his beard still as he eyed the boy over.
"Ryusoken? Is that what style you teach? Very well then." Allen said, switching his stance and hands to the style he knew as Ryusoken. Iro's eyebrows perked again.
"So you're not such a novice after all? Good, this should be a bit easier to get through then." Master Iro chuckled, taking a similar stance to Allen's. Seeing the master's stance, Allen straightened up to mirror it. Iro smiled, the thrust his hand forward. Allen was ready to mimick, but suddenly he felt something slam into his chest. A blast of hot air smacked his chest, knocking the wind out of him.
"Gah!" Allen gasped, falling to one knee as he clutched at his chest. "What the hell was that?"
"Open your ears boy, it's the Obsidian Push technique. You concentrate your power into one hand, then you thrust it forward, releasing a burst of hot air towards your opponent. Done correctly, this move can stun even the strongest opponent you may face." Iro explained. He seemed pleased that the boy was so ignorant, yet so willing to learn. He'd already taken it upon himself to research at least two different styles of fighting, the heavens could only know what else he'd researched.
"Alright... I'll give it a try." Allen said, readying his stance. He turned away from Iro and thrust his hand forward. Shck! Nothing. No air burst. Allen frowned.
"Boy, I want you to hit me with it, not the temple. It's old and fragile, you might break something." Iro said. Allen thought he was joking, but as he read the old man's face, he could see he was dead serious. Allen sighed, turning instead towards the old man reluctantly. He was sure it was more likely he break one of the old geezer's ribs than damage one of the obsidian carvings on the wall. Though, he figured the old man could heal, but the artists who'd carved those murals must be long gone.
"Fine. Have it your way then." Allen agreed, facing the man head on. Master Iro stood before Allen, hands crossed behind his back, waiting for the attack. Allen was a bit irked by his apparent arrogance. His eyebrow twitched as he tried again. Shck! Still nothing! No matter how hard he concentrated. He just wasn't getting it to work. He was ready to give up when Iro began to snicker.
"If you let your power flow through you as much as you let your rage, then you'd have succeeded the first time, boy." Iro taunted. Allen narrowed his gaze. What did he mean by that? Allen figured he might mean that the anger is what's keeping him from releasing his power, thus inhibiting his ability to use the technique.
Allen closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths. He did this until his heart rate slowed, and his anger towards his uncle subsided for the first time in what seemed like a decade. He pushed it to the back of his mind, blocking it from his conscious mind. He felt something flowing in him, was it the power Iro was talking about, or was it just bad gas?
"Thats it boy, use it now!" Iro demanded. Allen nodded and gave it one more try.
"Kyah!" Allen roared, thrusting his hand forward. For a moment nothing happened, and he thought he failed, but just as Iro's had delayed, so was the same for Allen's. With a loud 'BOOM' air exploded from the palm of Allen's clawed hand, shooting across the room and hitting the old man dead in the center of his chest.
The old man rolled backwards across the temple floor like a bowling ball. Allen's heart sank to his stomach, thinking for a moment that he might have just killed the poor old man. Thankfully, Master Iro pulled himself up and let out a wild chuckle. "I thought that'd take a week to get out of you! You're certainly something else, boy!" Iro cooed, dusting himself off.
Allen was worried about the old man's well being, but he assured Allen it was just a few cracked ribs and he had nothing to worry about.
WC: 1,009
