Mystic Ruins: Harsh Lessons

[Leedzie]

Misery. Generally speaking, it was a state one tried to avoid. It went beyond simple discomfort; misery was a state that took a deep, dark grip on its victim, and seeded itself in the heart rather than the mind. A person could be uncomfortable or unhappy and still retain themselves, but misery tramples on more than a person's ideals. It slithers its way through a person's psyche and affects its victim's attitude -- a far, far greater ailment. Through the attitude, it then extends its way to the rest of the body, causing unexplained fatigue, aches, and reduced performance. Who in their right mind would ever want to find themselves in such a devestating condition?

A fallen ninja, perhaps.

Espio clenched his eyes shut as the freezing water thundered over his body, focusing with all of his will on staying conscious. The famed waterfall of the Mystic Ruins more than succeeded at blocking out the rest of his surroundings; the rushing water pounded relentlessly into his thin and shivering body. The force and the frigid temperatures eventually numbed his sensations until he was left with a deep chill. His muscles shuddered violently in a desperate attempt to ward off the cold, but as his fragile inner temperature lowered, the ninja's focus became the only thing that kept him mobile.

He gasped and panted, but remained ever poised beneath the rushing, roaring wave. It was amazing he could form a coherent thought at all with the unending assault deafening him to any other sound. Espio grit his teeth to prevent them from chattering, and forced himself to mutter his three disciplines for... Actually, he didn't know anymore how many times he'd repeated it. He wasn't even sure how long he'd been standing in the torrent. He found the statistics inconsequential; he failed to even give weight to the fact that he had long ago passed into the realm of life-threatening. The ninja's mind was closed off to one, and only one, concept: attempting to reclaim his honor.

The practice of standing under a waterfall to purify oneself was an age-old ritual, and one that the chameleon had performed several times over his years of training. However, there had been a critical difference in those other times: Espio had never held his position longer than thirty minutes. As a reptile, his body was especially susceptible to the influence of his surroundings, which meant that an excessively cold environment could easily put him into a coma. Though his studies had instructed purifying oneself in a marathon-like session, Espio had previously broken the practice into smaller stints, using the breaks to raise his core temperature to a survivable level before beginning again. It wasn't exactly as his books instructed, but it was certainly better than organ failure, loss of consciousness, and eventual drowning!

Or at least, it had seemed to be at the time. Between the frequent repetitions of his school's three disciplines, Espio quietly reflected on his past behavior. Despite his efforts to devote himself to the art, he found himself to have constantly compromised it; he'd cut a corner here, re-negotiated the principles there... Or in the latest incident, set it aside all together. How could he possibly even call himself a ninja with a straight face? He not only needed a full purification session, he also deserved the punishment the practice inflicted, life-threatening or not. It was a grueling lesson, but one, he concluded, that he desperately needed to learn.

Espio's legs wobbled beneath him, nearly spilling him into the freezing pool below. The melted mountain ice and snow hammered unforgivingly into his back, almost seeming as though it were consciously trying to knock him down. The chameleon struggled to regain his footing, but his legs felt numb and clumsy. Cracking open his eyes, Espio gazed wearily at the sky -- or rather, what he could see of it past the waterfall's spray. How long had he been standing there? The sun had noticibly moved; it had to have been at least a few hours...

That simple distraction was all it took. In an instant the ninja's balance had been compromised, and the rushing waters tossed him into the pool below like a ragdoll. Espio gasped and did his best to swim, but with his muscles so severely weakened and numbed, he was lucky to tread water. He coughed; the shore seemed so far away. He could barely feel his arms, and though his brain sent down the messages, he wasn't all that certain if his legs were actually kicking. It was so cold.... Everything was just so cold.

Am I going to die here?

[SHM 128 III]

The sun had begun to dip behind the mountains as Axe continued to stagger through the jungle. How could he have lost so badly to a bunch of armatures? How!? It was supposed to be an easy job: break into that cat's house, swipe all his rings, and make a run for it before he knew what hit him. However, that all got shot to Hell when his blasted frog noticed him. His frog! How'd he get caught by a frog!?

He groaned as he recalled the next part. Even though he was detected, he knew he could've still probably gotten away... If it wasn't for that bloody koala! If she hadn't just *IS THERE*-ed shown up out of nowhere, he could've easily beaten that obese cat and ran off with all the cash! Instead, all he had was about ten rings... And what felt like a broken nose.

The hyena growled as he touched his sore nose. There was a reason he hated most women... They always seemed to want to kill him. He made a mental note to find out where that girl lived, so he could make her pay for the embarrassment.

For now, however, he would be simply content with finding a place to crash. The fight had exhausted him greatly, and it didn't look like he'd be finding a way out of this infernal jungle anytime soon. As the sun finally set, but while there was still light in the sky to see, he noticed a tranquil pool, fed by a waterfall, a short distance in front of him.

"Heh... That'll do..." Axe mumbled as he sat down at the water's edge, "I need to clean myself up before any of these wounds get infect... Huh?"

As he surveyed the surrounding area, he noticed an odd purple lump lying on the shore, half-submerged in the water. As he edged over to investigate, he realized it was a body!

"What the heck..."

Axe walked over to the body for a closer inspection. One thing was certain: he was still alive. He was breathing, but it was very labored, probably from being in the freezing cold water for so long. The fact that he appeared to be some sort of reptile only complicated matters, since that would make him cold-blooded, and thus even more suseptable to cold temperatures. If he wasn't pulled out soon, he'd most likely die.

Now, the hyena faced a conundrum: should he save this guy, or leave him to die? He wasn't in the mood to save him and suddenly have a "sidekick" tagging around. On the flip side, of course, Axe didn't exactly want to just up and leave someone to die... He wasn't that heartless.

'Sides, if he saved him, he might get... "compensation."

Eventually, Axe's incredibly small good (and greedy) side won out. He wadded waist-deep into the water and pulled the reptile out and onto dry land.

"G-G-Geez..." Axe shuttered as he pulled himself out of the icy pool, "I-I-It's fre-e-e-e-ezing... You better th-th-thank me for th-th-this, pal..."

Unfortunately, it was then that Axe realized the reptile's body wasn't warming up any; he was still cold to the touch.

"Aw, come on... I just saved you from drowing, and you're still gonna die on me? Nice way to say thanks, eh?"

Snide comments aside, Axe knew he had to warm him up somehow. Looking around, he suddenly noticed what looked like an abandoned campfire a short distance away. Was it left behind by other campers? Or did someone live nearby (like... gag... that cat)? It didn't matter to Axe. He dragged the limp body over to the charded circle and, with a little prodding, actually got flames to kick up with little trouble. With a few extra pieces of wood that he found nearby, he was able to create a full-blown bonfire.

"There... There's your heat," Axe dead-paned, "Now stop being dead and wake up, would ya?"

[Leedzie]

The dusk had fallen into night by the time the chameleon's eyes slitted themselves open, peering inquisitively at the flames dancing so closely to his face. It was a confusing sight; how had he manged to rebuild the fire? The last thing he remembered was making it to the shoreline and struggling to drag himsef out of the water. If just crawling out had been such a challenge, there was no way he'd been in any condition to stoke the flames.

The ninja closed his eyes again and released a breath. However it had happened, it was inconsequential. The point was that he was alive. He wasn't sure how he'd made it, but he was alive. That was... incredibly close. I was at death's door; I just stared it right in the face. ... I seem to do that a lot lately. Espio's eyes squinted open a second time, and the bright light of the fire prevented him from opening them much further. He needed to turn away -- but the chameleon found his body unresponsive to his requests. That fact made him nervous; was it just because he had not yet finished recovering from the cold? Or did the severe temperature drop have lasting effects? He'd never allowed himself to get that cold before, but he knew that if a reptile was too cold for too long, their body slowly shut itself down and eventually died. He hadn't inadvertantly destroyed his nervous system... had he?

I refuse to believe that, Espio thought fiercely. The only way to go from rock bottom is up. I just have to start climbing. Letting out a low, strained grunt, the chameleon again willed his body to cooperate, but to his frustration, there was again no response.

The ninja glared into the crackling fire. "Shit."

[SHM 128 III]

Axe looked up as he heard Espio let out his small curse. He had been sitting to the side of the chameleon, warming himself up by the fire after taking his own "ice dip". He was still shivering slightly as he turned to look at the now-awake ninja. The thief noticed something odd, however: dispite his "companion" talking, he still seemed to be... absolutely motionless. This caused the hyena to raise an eyebrow. Shouldn't he be shivering at least, from being in that cold water for so long?

His interest piqued (as well as his desire to get a "reward"), Axe got up and walked over to the prone reptile. He stood directly between him and the fire, squated down, and stared him straight in the eye.

"Hello, Sleeping Beauty, enjoy your little nap?"

[Leedzie]

The chameleon's eyes drifted to his companion; they did not look amused. "No."

[SHM 128 III]

The hyena let out a low chuckle.

"And hello to you too, grumpy. What, did taking a dip in freezing cold water not turn out as well as you expected?"

Axe got up and tossed another log into the fire. After doing so, he returned to his previous position in front of the chameleon. This time, he extended his hand to offer a handshake.

"At any rate, the name's Axe, otherwise known as the man who just saved your life. What's yours?"

[Leedzie]

"Espio," the chameleon gruffly replied. He clenched his eyes and let out another grunt of effort, but there was still no response from his body. "...Don't think me rude, but I can't shake your hand right now. I can't move." The ninja's face hardened slightly with resolve. "...Yet."

Drawing in a deep breath, Espio let it back out slowly. He'd just have to wait until his body's temperature rose a bit more to see whether or not he'd damaged it. In the meantime, he looked again at the hyena. "Thanks for your help, though."

[SHM 128 III]

Inwardly, the hyena was absolutely elated. This "Espio" guy couldn't move? Talk about a sitting duck! He could take whatever he wanted off this guy and he couldn't do a darn thing! For now, however, Axe kept a straight face; he didn't want Espio to know what he was planing, in case he was the type that would try to hunt him down upon realization or, worse, he was faking the whole thing.

"So... Espio, huh?" Axe began, sitting down on the log across from the ninja, "What brings you all the way out here, anyway?... Besides to take a dive in ice cold water, that is."

[Leedzie]

The chameleon glared. "That wasn't on purpose, you know. It was... It was a mistake." Yet another mistake.

Espio sighed. He was stuck with this guy's questions until his sluggish body decided to catch up with his consciousness, so it would probably save him a headache to humor him somewhat. The ninja glanced at the fire again and considered his words. "I'm out here to study. I'm..." Espio hesitated, reluctant to reveal too much detail. "...a martial artist, but my discipline has been slipping. I came to this place so I could focus on my tasks without distraction."

[SHM 128 III]

Martial artist? Yep, he'd be the type who'd beat the snot outta me if I tried to steal from him.

Axe turned away from Espio's range of vision and just rolled his eyes. Not only that, if he had only come out here just "to focus on his tasks," then he probably didn't bring any valuables with him in the first place. High risk and little reward... That seemed to be a reoccuring theme on this trip.

Oh well, it made things more interesting that way.

"Of course it was a mistake..." Axe began, folding his arms behind his head and leaning as far back on the log as he could without falling, "Last time I checked, one would normally try to avoid killing oneself, unless they were feeling suicidal. Call it a hunch, but you don't seem like the suicidal type..."

A short pause, followed by a devilish grin by the hyena.

"... Unless you think you can pull a fast one on me, that is."

[Leedzie]

Even with my skills as decrepit as they are, I doubt that'd be a challenge. Grunting softly in response, rather than with the passing thought, Espio decided to give his mobility another check. The good news was that he did seem to be warming up a bit; he'd regained feeling in most of his torso, and the tingly warmth had begun to drip its way down his extremities. Pursing his lips into a thin line, the chameleon made another attempted to move his arm... and succeeded. Espio mentally breathed a sigh of relief. So far, so good.

The ninja drew a breath and attempted to push himself upright, but fumbled a bit; though his large motor skills had begun to return, they were still sluggish and clumsy, and his fine motor skills were still missing all together. After a couple of trial-and-error attempts, Espio managed to push himself upright into a quasi-sitting position.

"So," he idly stated as he raised his numb hands to the crackling campfire, "what's your story?" He didn't particularly care, but figured small talk was better than awkward silence.

[SHM 128 III]

"My story?" Axe began, slowly rising from his seat, "Well, let's just say my story is a textbook case of how the government is only out to screw us over."

As he went on, Axe slowly walked around the fire, approaching the chameleon on the other side.

"Yours truly grew up with a group of traveling performers; gypsies, if you will. Unfortunately, the price we were charging for the performances didn't quite cover everything, so we had to... 'liberate' a few more rings from our audience whenever possible."

At this point, Axe was standing right behind Espio. After seeing that the 'martial artist' was slowly regaining his mobility, he knew it was now or never. At almost the same time he said the world 'liberate,' Axe reached into Espio's hammerspace to try and snatch something.

[dice=6]
(if Espio notices)[rand=207185553903995342104316690968699487717955312419347992469715277152]

[Leedzie]

[dice=6]

Though it wasn't the usual flash of movement a ninja would be known for, Espio still managed to whip around in time to knock the hyena's hand clear from his malletspace, giving the theif a warning glare over his shoulder. "I would appreciate it if you'd respect my personal space, sir," the chameleon stated icily. And my property, for that matter.[rand=72429828306785680076324459527731269143349966918518184068963868648]

[SHM 128 III]

Despite being caught red-handed (red-pawed? Whatever...), Axe remained unusually calm. He retreated his hand back to his side and went on as if nothing had happened.

"Tragically, the government saw fit to throw us all in the slammer just because we were using methods to survive that they believed to be improper. As for me, they came to the conclusion that I was not ready for the horrors of prision and yet they did not want to deal with me in any other way. So, I was cast out into the streets as they washed their hands of the matter. From then on, I've been... Surviving, never certain if today will be my last day on this miserable earth."

Having made his entire way around the fire, he sat down in the same spot he started.

"And that, my dear 'martial artist,' is my life story. Any questions?"

[Raki]

"Hmph," the ninja grunted in acknowledgement. This guy gave him mixed feelings; he was grateful for the help to be sure, and felt for his circumstances, but there were plenty of opportunities available for him to better himself. This guy wasn't a pickpocket because he had to be, was because he wanted to be.

Of course, Espio found a layer of irony in his resentment, but did his best not to dwell on it. "I might have some food in my pack if you're hungry," he stated instead, glancing aside at the bag nestled nearby in the brush. "Probably not very appetizing, but it's filling. Consider it my thanks for your assistance."

[SHM 128 III]

"Don't mind if I do."

Axe casually flipped open the top flap on Espio's bag and, after a momentary check for any valuables in that (there were none), began helping himself to the ninja's supplies.

"Tell me, Mr. Martial Artist..." the hyena began as he chomped down on a rice cake, "Why are you so concerned about 'discipline'? Who's the one bossing you around here, telling you that you're not good enough?"

[Raki]

"I am." Espio paused to again flex his hands, and was pleased to find the muscles more responsive than before, and his grip much tighter. "I want to be the best I can be, and this is the way I've chosen to do so. However, this path requires a lot of dedication to tread." Rising to his feet to test his legs, the chameleon continued, "I recently... digressed off that path. I'm out here to focus so I can hopefully get back on it."

His legs were also waking up, the ninja was pleased to find. Still not 100%, but not far off. If this continued without any surprises, he'd be back to normal very soon.

[SHM 128 III]

"That is how you plan on finding your true potential?" Axe chuckled, "By limiting yourself to one set path and no divergence?"

The hyena took another bite out of the rice cake before continuing.

"Discipline... Tradition... All those things are no more than mind games we play with ourselves. We lock ourselves away in our mental prisons, clinging to things we believe to be 'right' or 'the way it should be' as our sole excuses for doing so. And you know what?"

Axe took out one of his switchblades and twirled it around in his fingers.

"All that talk about it making you stronger is a lie... All it does is leave you wide open for those who don't believe in them who can easily take advantage of you."

He paused and looked closely at the blade.

"For instance, I used to believe killing was wrong... In return, I nearly got my throat slit by a thug who didn't have such discipline to 'guide' him. Had I not... Quickly decide that my traditional way of thinking was a weakness, I would've been dead right there. Instead..."

He glanced up at Espio, a rather unsettling look in his eyes.

"I only let him go with his life becasue I knew he wouldn't mess with me again. The look of terror on his face assured me of that."

He put the weapon away and went back to eating his rice cake.

"Follow that path of yours if you want, but I can assure you that freezing to death will be one of your more unlikely demises if you live like that."

[Raki]

"Is that so," the chameleon replied in a flat, unimpressed tone. "Well in that case, be my guest. If I'm so easy to take advantage of because of my study, then you should have no problem actually picking my pocket." Espio beckoned the hyena closer from across the fire, his stone-cold expression daring him to take up the offer. "By all means, teach me a lesson. I'm here to learn anyway; show me what my discipline won't."

There's a difference between intelligence and wisdom, pup, the ninja thought grimly as his stare penetrated into Axe's features. I may not know everything, but I can easily recognize the sound of ignorance. Despite his body still carrying some lingering numbness, Espio was sure he could compensate for the lowered responsiveness with heightened strategy. The exercise would be good for his circulation, anyway.

[SHM 128 III]

There was a slight pause after Axe heard Espio make his offer. For a second, there was a hint of uncertainty in his features, probably at the prospect at trying to pickpocket the chameleon again when his reflexes were even better. However, that quickly faded away as the hyena let out another chuckle.

"Now, now... As much as I'd like to expose your limitations to you in the method I do best, pickpocketing isn't exactly something that can be done when the victim knows he's going to be pickpocketed. The element of surprise... That's kinda important. Surely you knew that, or did your 'discipline' fail to reveal this obvious fact to you?"

Slowly and descretely, Axe leaned backwards, sliding his foot a bit closer to the fire in front of him.

"However, if you really want to 'test' me or whatever goal you're trying to achieve, perhaps we could do it in some other maner?... Combat, perhaps? After all, I'd assume your fighting style is something you've been oh-so-'disciplined' in."

[Leedzie]

"Oh, how quickly we back out of our own statements," the chameleon retorted with a stone-cold poker face. "If you're a truely skilled theif, and my study truely is a hinderance, then you should have no trouble whatsoever with taking advantage of me as you claimed. A really great theif doesn't have to rely on the element of surprise like a broken crutch; I happen to know one that's frequently announced her intentions directly TO her victims prior to her heists. She does it for sport."

Espio's rock-like expression became more stern. "I have little patience for hollow speech. If you can't back up your words, it would be wiser not to say them."

[SHM 128 III]

"Very well, you make an excellent point," Axe conceded, his foot now dangerously close to the open flame. If he was experiencing any discomfort from the heat, he certainly wasn't showing it.

"An experienced thief doesn't need to use stealth. Of course, he should certainly take it to his advantage if it is given to him, but it ultimately doesn't matter how he steals... So long as he can get away with it."

Axe's eyes shifted from the fire back to Espio, another devilish gleam in his eye.

"However, one should not blindly go rushing in for his prize without taking in his suroundings first... How do I know you aren't trying to trick me with your own 'hollow speech'?"

[Leedzie]

"I'm the one that's crippled by my teachings, remember?" Espio retorted, his features as untelling as ever. "The entire point of me coming out here is to reclaim my honor. I can't very well do that if I lie and cheat against a whelp that barely knows slight of hand." The chameleon shrugged. "However, if you'd like assurance, I can swear to you that I won't camoflage. It'd hardly be a fair if you couldn't see me." Not at your skill level by a LONG shot. "I won't even use any weapons, either.

"In fact, if you want, I'll raise the stakes." Reaching into his malletspace without breaking his stare on the hyena, Espio retreived a kunai and began to spin it around his index finger at the loop. "Anything you actually manage to lift from me, you can keep. I won't demand or even attempt to take it back."

[SHM 128 III]

"Heh... Putting more limitations on yourself? Very well, then..."

Axe's foot was now underneath one of the flaming logs. With a sinister look, emphasized by the flames, he glared at Espio.

"Of course, the first rule that you should learn to abandon is this: playing fair."

With that, and without warning, Axe delivered a mighty kick with his foot, sending one of the burning logs right at the chameleon.

[dice=6]

He quickly followed that up by rushing in at Espio, hoping that the 'distraction' would make pickpocketing him much easier as he reached for the ninja's hammerspace.

[dice=6][rand=32035312633466534850756293715098694771610342081686609541572864388]

[Leedzie]

[dice=6][dice=6]

Reacting purely on reflex rather than thought, Espio's arms snapped up to catch the smouldering hunk of wood before it slammed into his face. Unfortunately, this proved both beneficial and problematic, as the heat from the still-dancing flames quickly began to penetrate his gloves, and the chameleon's eyes watered with pain.

However, he didn't have time to worry about burns; that hyena was closing on him fast. Finding it to be a perfect way to rid himself of the object of his ire, Espio mirrored his opponent's movements in a flash and slammed the flaming log against Axe's outstretched hand. "You're going to have to do better than that, pup!!"[rand=497183706216322240602389551233830646279193589756612803836394922741]

[SHM 128 III]

One moment, the hyena was going in for what he thought would be an easy strike. The next, he had a faceful of splinters and flames as Espio struck his hand with the burning log. Axe went tumbling sideways and crashed right into a tree. By the time he managed to get back into a somewhat upright position, he quickly discovered another unfortunate setback: His right arm was still smoldering! The sudden realization caused the pain of the burning to hit him like a rocket, sending the hyena running back to the lake to douse his arm.

"Gah... How did you manage to do that!?" Axe growled, still wincing in pain as he kept his arm submerged, "Five bloody minutes ago you were frozen solid!"

[Leedzie]

Espio's breathing remained steady, but laboured, as every fragment of his awareness focused on overriding the pain signals insistantly trying to aquire his psyche's attention. The chameleon's hands shuddered; the gloves that enclosed them had blackened and fallen away from the area covering his burned palms. The nerves in his arms caused them to spasm, but despite the injury, the ninja managed to keep his cool. "I've already told you how I do this," he slowly replied through gritted teeth.

[SHM 128 III]

"Yeah, yeah... Your bloody 'discipline'..." the hyena hissed, trying to hold back the pain, "You don't need to minister your dusty traditions to me."

Axe slowly took his arm out of the water and examined the damage. The fur on the back of his hand to halfway to this elbow had been burned off, while the rest of his fur near the point of impact was singed black where stray embers had landed. The skin underneath, incredibly enough, wasn't horrendously burned. Instead, it simply looked like it was badly sunburned: red and peeling.

Oh, and his entire right glove had burned away, the switchblade he hid in it now lying washed up on the shore of the small lake. The hyena made a mental note to 'find' another pair of gloves once he got back to Radical City as he carefully slid the knife into his right shoe.

"And don't call me pup," he added, staring daggers at the chameleon, "I am not your inferior."

[Leedzie]

Ironic that whenever I answer the question HE asks me, it becomes 'ministering'. "If you don't want to be regarded as a child, stop behaving like one." The ninja forced his hands to close into fists, then open again. The blacked scales along his palms throbbed, but for the most part, Espio took almost no notice of the discomfort. Instead, he planted them against his hips and gave the hyena an unimpressed glance. "So, are you satisfied now?"

[SHM 128 III]

Clenching his burned hand, Axe stood up and faced Espio. This guy was starting to tick him off. How could someone so obviously blinded by his pathetic rules and traditions best him so easily? As if getting owned by an obese cat and a hyperactive koala wasn't bad enough! The temptation to just pummel the guy was strong, but the hyena knew he would probably just kick his tail ten ways to tuesday.

So, what did Axe do when he couldn't beat a guy physically? Screw them over in some other fashion.

"Yes, I am 'satisfied', my little chameleon friend..." Axe replied, with obvious mock politeness, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave before you go burning my other hand to prove your point."

And with that, Axe began to sprint off into the jungle... But not before reaching out and trying to snatch Espio's bag of food and take it with him.

[dice=6][rand=99450827561536916550838003701485617665100608548333398424254674003]