#various forms of Martial arts training

[gme-news]

TEAM LAKAY KAWAWA NA! JOSHUA PACIO AT HONORIO BANARIO LUMAYAS NA!

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[callmeagardengnome]

˚ʚ sore thumb ɞ˚ | CHOI SAN

pairings ᯓ idol!san x boxer! fem!reader

genre ᯓ soulmate au, one-shot

synopsis ᯓ tied by emotions and injuries, you and your soulmate have been through quite a roller coaster - especially when he can feel each and every punch you receive.

c.w ᯓ SLIGHTLYY angsty but it does have hella fluff. also this is during the BOUNCY era!

w.c ᯓ 2.6k

author’s note: sorry for the kinda late upload! took me a while to write this.. also ignore the weird ass timeline, this story is definitely not really true to the actual irl events

not proofread!

masterlist

you’ve always known that boxing was your calling. the thrill of getting in the ring, the sounds of gloves hitting the bag - the adrenaline that you got from the sport was.. addictive.

from the moment you stepped into the gym, you were hooked. while you weren’t that good at first, you continued to work day and night, training and perfecting your technique.

fortunately enough, you managed to climb the ranks. you became a pretty big name in the boxing world. people loved watching your matches, not just calling you a boxer, but an entertainer.

san, on the other hand, experienced your matches in a different way.

for years, san had been dealing with the sensation of getting punched in the face, or if it wasn’t that, his fists were the ones feeling the damage. not only that, he was completely oblivious to you and your job.

the both of you found out about your soulmarks early in life. frankly, it was pretty obvious. you started to feel emotions that weren’t your own and had sudden bursts of pain that came without warning. when your parents brought you to various specialists, all their answers were the same - it was a soulmark.

while san felt happy that he had an easy-to-spot soulmark, he couldn’t help but feel.. annoyed.

he often found himself wincing during rehearsals, clutching his sides as phantom pains shot through his body. san had been reasonably concerned and confused when the punches first started. there would be days when mysterious bruises would appear out of nowhere or where he would feel the sudden urge to dodge an unseen pinch flying towards him.

this led to san wondering - what were you doing? why were you getting into fights so often? were you a criminal? or could it be martial arts?

san eventually came to the conclusion that you were in some form of combat sport. after all, the punches that you received seemed controlled, and the bruises that you got were repetitive.

“again?” san would mutter under his breath, rubbing his sore ribs. this would happen almost every day, each time feeling as though it was happening to you for the first time.

though, sometimes, he would roll his eyes, somewhat amused, as if he was speaking to someone directly. “really? you couldn’t dodge that one?” he said, shaking his head with a smile.

as time passed, san found himself growing more attached to you. though he didn’t know who you were, he felt your emotions. he felt the anxiety you felt before every match and the rush of victory you experienced after a successful fight. he became oddly protective of you, even if he didn’t know why.

unfortunately, everything changed when you trained for an upcoming championship match. you were having a pretty intense training session, pushing yourself harder than before. as you landed a powerful punch on the punch bag, you felt a sharp pain shooting through your hand, making you drop to your knees.

“shit- what did i just do..?” you mumbled to yourself, staring at your twisted hand in shock. the pain was unbearable and overwhelming, throbbing in waves and spreading up your arm. the realisation hit you - something was wrong. not only for you, but your soulmate.

at the very moment, san felt the pain explode in his own hand. he was in the middle of rehearsal, practicing the choreography for ATEEZ’s new comeback. the sudden pain caught him off guard, making him shout in surprise.

“woah, what happened?” hongjoong rushed over immediately, his face laced with concern.

“i don’t know, hyung-“ san winced, his hand shaking. “my hand feels like its broken.. i- i can barely move it.” the other members gathered around him, completely stopping their rehearsal.

“san, that looks pretty bad. do we need to get you to the hospital?” seonghwa asked, kneeling beside him.

san shook his head, trying to catch his breath. “i think i’m fine.. just give me a moment.”

he was far from fine. the pain felt too real, too intense. you must have really injured yourself - badly. his mind started to race with worry. what happened? why did this feel 10x more painful than anything he’s ever felt? and most importantly, were you okay?

“come on san, we should at least get it checked,” wooyoung insisted, helping him to his feet.

meanwhile, you rushed to the hospital, cradling your injured hand. the both of you were left with the same diagnosis - a broken hand.

for you, it was devastating news. boxing was your life, your soul. putting in on pause meant that your whole life was on pause. the injury meant months of recovery and falling behind in the sport you love.

you also felt extremely guilty. not only did you cause yourself pain, your soulmate was definitely experiencing the consequences of your actions.

“great,” you sighed, running your fingers through your hair. “i just injured two people.”

despite your friends and trainers trying their best to support you, you couldn’t shake off the sadness you felt. what you hated though, was the fact that your soulmate could feel the range of emotions your were experiencing.

“why am i so careless,” you thought to yourself as you lay in your bed. “he must think i’m a mess.”

while he didn’t think you were a mess, san was struggling with the new injury. with the new comeback approaching, he needed to change the way he danced, finding ways to work around his broken hand.

sure, it was a inconvenience, but all san could think about was you. during this period of time, he constantly felt waves of sadness crashing over him. san could feel how guilty and depressed you were over your hand. the only thing that made it worse was that san could do nothing to help you.

san desperately wanted to reassure you, tell you that he’s fine and that you shouldn’t worry about him. but since neither of you knew one another, all he could do was imagine what he would say if he could reach you.

“whoever you are,” he whispered to himself. “don’t be too hard on yourself. we’re in this together.”

˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆｡☆ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆˚ʚɞ ⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

a few months go by and you eventually recover from your injury. you started to slowly ease back into boxing again, regaining the spark that you temporarily lost in your life.

KQ soon decided to postpone the comeback to a further date, wanting san to have a speedy recovery. the pain eventually subsided, allowing ATEEZ to continue with their promotional activities for the comeback.

with the group entering the ‘BOUNCY’ era, KQ wanted san and wooyoung to watch some boxing matches to try and get a realistic shot for their music video.

the two men sat at their dorm’s living room couch, scrolling through the different videos on their tv.

“which one should we watch..” wooyoung said, clicking the remote controller. “ooh.. how about this one? it’s live streaming right now.”

san shrugged, not really caring on what’s on the screen. his mind was elsewhere, thinking about the recent preparations for the comeback. he was about to reach for his phone when he suddenly heard the commentator’s voice booming through the tv speakers.

“and now, stepping into the ring, the undefeated boxer making her much awaited comeback after a hiatus - ‘____’!”

san froze mid-reach, but it wasn’t your name that caught his attention - it was the sudden surge of energy and adrenaline coursing through his veins. it was a familiar feeling that he felt all those times whenever you were in the ring.

wooyoung noticed san’s focus on the screen, giving him a look. “hey, you okay?”

san nodded, his eyes glued to the tv as he watched you step into ring. “yeah, i’m fine. i just feel like i should watch this match.”

you stood in the center of the ring, hearing the crowd cheering your name. it felt surreal to be back, reclaiming your place in the boxing world.

when the match began, you moved with precision, every punch given with the techniques that made you a popular boxer in the first place. the first few rounds were intense, with neither you or your opponent giving in. you wanted to show the world and your soulmate that you were no longer held back by your injury.

as san watched the match unfold, he felt every jab, every dodge, every emotion that you were feeling. it was as if he was in the ring with you, experiencing the fight through your eyes.

and then it happened - the moment that confirmed san’s questions. you landed a strong uppercut on your opponent, making her fall back. the crowd erupted with applause and san felt an immense pride that wasn’t his own.

he realised then, that you were his soulmate.

san took a deep breath, facing wooyoung in surprise. “i think.. i just found my soulmate.”

wooyoung’s eyes widened. “what? you mean-“

“yeah,” san said, leaning back into the couch. “it’s her. i can feel it. i’ve been feeling it the whole time.”

˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆｡☆ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆˚ʚɞ ⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

the fight ended with your victory, with various sponsors and offers reaching out to you afterwards. while you appreciated it, you felt that maybe it was a good idea to take a few breaks from boxing every now and then.

one day, your manager told you about an interesting offer. a company called ‘KQ Entertainment’ reached out to you, wanting you to help choreograph a fight scene for their music video.

“why me?” you asked, genuinely curious. “i’m a boxer, not a choreographer.”

your manager shrugged, a smile appearing on her lips. “they mentioned wanting authenticity and your name came up. they said that the scene could benefit from your expertise.”

you paused, taking in the proposal. the idea of working with a k-pop group intrigued you. it was something different from your normal routine. a break from boxing didn’t mean that you had to step away from it completely. you finally made up your mind, accepting the deal.

˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆｡☆ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆˚ʚɞ ⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

“wait, what?” san exclaimed, getting up from his chair.

“yeah, your soulmate’s going to teach us some boxing moves,” hongjoong said with a grin.

san began panicking, not expecting to meet you so soon. he didn’t expect his company to reach out to professional boxers, let alone you, to help choreograph the scene. he eventually calmed himself down, preparing himself on what to do when he finally meets you.

the day of meeting ATEEZ arrived and you found yourself entering the lively building. you were introduced to the staff and the directors, who eventually led you to the studio where ATEEZ were. while you have heard of them before, you didn’t know what to expect, feeling slightly nervous.

the both of you started to feel anxious, both just from your own emotions, but from each others. when you entered the studio, san couldn’t even believe that you were real.

as more introductions went around, one of the members caught your eye.

“hi, i’m san,” he chuckled nervously, extending his hand.

the moment you shook his hand, you felt an intense wave of emotions that wasn’t yours. it was as if the world paused for a moment, allowing the two of you feel each other’s feelings.

san, too, seemed taken aback. his eyes widened slightly as his hand started to shiver in shock.

“it’s nice to meet you,” you managed to say, trying to keep your composure. after all, you didn’t want to seem unprofessional in front of celebrities.

“likewise..” san muttered, his grip lingering longer than necessary. “i’m really looking forward to working with you.”

“booo just kiss already,” wooyoung shouted playfully.

you raised an eyebrow, looking between san and wooyoung.

“sorry about that, he loves to make things awkward,” san said, turning to you with an nervous smile.

the both of you stared at each other for a moment, unable to take your eyes off each other. there was something about him that made it difficult for you to look away.

you laughed, ignoring the blush rising up your cheeks. “it’s all good.”

˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆｡☆ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆˚ʚɞ ⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

the rehearsal for the scene went by quickly, with san and the other ATEEZ members eager to learn the different moves.

“san, try to keep your guard up here,” you instructed, demonstrating the move. when you reached over to adjust his arms, you felt the same wave of emotion crashing down on you once again. was this a coincidence?

you eventually let them do their own thing, wanting them to try out the moves without guidance. yet, there was still something at the back of your mind - the weird feeling between you and san. it was unlike anything you’ve felt, almost as if it was.. meant to be.

as you started to think about the implications, you thought of an idea. sure, it was a little silly, but it would confirm your suspicions of san being your soulmate.

you decided to bite your tongue, slightly harder than needed, seeing if you could get a reaction out of san. as expected, he yelled out an ‘ow!’, looking at you briefly before quickly returning back to practicing.

that was it - he was your soulmate.

you waited for the rehearsal to be over, walking over to where san was. he turned as you approached, his eyes lighting up with an excitement that made your heart skip a beat.

“hey-“ “hi-“ you both said at the same time, sharing a small laugh.

“thanks for helping us today, we really appreciate it,” san smiled.

“of course, no problem,” you said nervously, trying to cover the flustered state you were in. no matter what though, san definitely knew how you felt in that moment.

you took a deep breath, gathering the courage to speak. “can we talk..?”

san’s eyes softened, looking around for places to talk at. “absolutely, let’s go somewhere quieter.”

he led you to a quiet corner of the studio, away from the hectic noises of the building. san leaned against the wall, his eyebrows furrowing as he thought about the right words. “i think i know what you’re going to say,” he began. “you felt that earlier too right? that whole emotions thing?”

“yeah..” you nodded. “are you thinking what i’m thinking..?”

san smiled, his gaze holding yours. “i think we’re soulmates.”

hearing him say those words filled you with joy you didn’t expect to have. it was one thing to suspect him of being your soulmate, but it was another thing to have him actually confirm it.

“i’ve known for a while,” san admitted, scratching his head. “but i didn’t say anything at first, i didn’t want to scare you away.”

“well, i’m glad you told me,” you chuckled.

his smile grew, “and i’m glad you understand.”

standing there, you felt a peace wash over you. the bond you shared was no longer an unspoken part of your lives, but a truth.

“so what happens now?” you asked.

“i’d like to get to know you better,” he replied, leaning closer to you.

his words were sincere, making you feel flattered that someone like him wanted to know you, or even spend time with you.

“i’d like that too,” you said, a smile spreading on your face.

san leaned even closer to you, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “i think we have a lot to learn about each other..” he said trailing off.

“mhm,” you agreed, grabbing the collar of his shirt. you pulled him in for a gentle kiss, which he gladly reciprocated more fiercely. the both of you could feel each other’s emotions, even the sounds of your heart beating.

the both of you pulled away, laughing, feeling weak and giddy from the kiss. “we’re going to have so much fun together,” he smiled, whispering it into your ear.

any and all feedback appreciated <3

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series taglist [OPEN] - @cara-rey @hwasbabygirl @chngbnwf @passerbyforfun @butterfliesinthenightsky @ismelllikechlorine247 @pansexual-and-eating-pancakes @forever-atiny @arki-sha

[terkmc]

G-Jitsu, grappling in spaaaace

While comparatively rare, melee combat in low-to-zero-G has proved a massive headache for early combatants in space, as much of the underlying principles of terrestrial martial art no longer work properly without solid ground and footing. For example, the turning of the hip crucial to throwing a proper punch of a slash instead results in the fighter spinning in place while in zero G, and direct strikes will often result in both the attacker and defender floating harmlessly away from each other. Early space melee combat was a messy affair and doubly so for unarmed combat, resembling wild flailing more than any proper techniques.

But as with almost everything else, time was needed for adaptation to take place, and slowly but surely various forms of dedicated zero-G martial arts started to appear, chief amongst them G-Jitsu. Originally a series of ad hocs techniques invented by station security and interstellar marines, G-Jitsu is a primarily grappling based martial art, anchoring the user to their opponent instead of the ground in order to do anything effective in space. Comprising of a vast series of grapple, throw, joint locks and close ranged strikes incorporating elbows and knees, G-Jitsu resembles old Cradle Judo and Jiu Jitsu preserved from the Vault, with the lack of gravity opening up a vast arrays of free form grappling maneuver impossible planet side.

G-Jitsu core tenet is often phrased as “Never Let Go”, representing its extreme focus on grappling and always having a hand on the opponent, as well as the importance of endurance conditioning. Spacing is almost non-existent in G-Jitsu, and a bout of G-Jitsu will almost always start and end with the fighters never being more than an arms length from each other. A G-Jitsu fight is a brutal affair, a long drawn out brawl leaving the loser with broken joints and shattered helmets, and the winner bloodied and bruised.

G-Jitsu is extremely popular among various space station security forces, allowing practitioners to grab, apprehend and force compliance through its various locks and holds, as well as Trunk security and marines, who are expected to sometime be forced to engage in melee combats inside the cramped corridor of a ship with gravity being a luxury.

Due to its spontaneous origin, there’s no central authority on what G-Jitsu actually consists of, although there is a list of almost universally agreed on basic techniques that forms a basic foundation, and there exists dozens of schools all claiming to be the original and true inheritor of G-Jitsu. As a side effect of this, G-Jitsu has no certification or quality control, making assessing the quality of any particular G-Jitsu training wholly dependent on word of mouth and reputation.

KAY

Kay deserves a special mention due to it being a formalized dueling ritual in what is otherwise a free form and unformalized martial art. Named after the original K1 Safety Tether used during early space combat, a Kay is a 1-on-1 duel between two combatants, willingly tied together.

The initiator of a Kay will initiate a challenge by locking eyes with their opponent, and tap on their tether system (commonly waist mounted) twice before pointing at the opponent. If this proverbial gauntlet throw is accepted, the challenged party will also tap on their tether system twice, and both will then launch their tether at the opponent. Once launched, these tethers are grabbed by the opposing party and looped around the waist before being reeled in, officially locking the two in a mortal struggle from which there's no retreat.

While mostly relegated to official competition or personal fights, the use of Kay has been noted to sometimes happen during active combat, almost always as a form of honor duel between fighters who have a history, and with a noted increase in frequency the closer one gets to the Karrakin Trade Baronies’s space.

[m-ete0ra]

Did someone say Windbreaker oc reveal.. are we ready for windbreaker ocs?… IF YALL HAVE SUM LMK I WANNA HEAR/SEE EM

The little character story I have so far if anyone is interested ^^

Who is Lady Lù Huā:

Lù Huā comes from a renowned martial arts family in Katori, Japan. Her father, a respected dojo master, is known for his expertise in various martial arts, particularly the ancient and deadly Imperial Snake Kung Fu. Growing up in this environment, Lù Huā was immersed in rigorous training from a young age. Her father instilled in her not only the physical skills but also the philosophies and discipline that come with mastering martial arts.

Secret Life:

While her family dojo is renowned for its traditional values and teachings, Lù Huā leads a double life. Unknown to her father and especially her mother, she has established and leads her own organization, a gang that operates in the shadows of Katori. This dual existence allows her to navigate both the honorable world of martial arts and while using her knowledge to protect towns nearby giving her a unique edge in both realms.

Fighting Style:

Lù Huā’s main fighting style is the Imperial Snake Kung Fu, a fluid and lethal form of martial arts that emphasizes speed, agility, and precision. This style suits her perfectly, allowing her to move with grace and strike with deadly accuracy. Her skills are unmatched, making her a formidable opponent both in the dojo and on the streets.

Family Dynamics:

Lù Huā has two younger siblings, twins who have mastered Tiger Style Kung Fu. The twins, fierce and loyal, serve as her right and left hand in the gang keeping quiet to protect both their name and their older sister. Their contrasting styles, L�� Huā’s fluid and viper-like movements paired with the twins’ powerful and aggressive techniques create a balanced and deadly trio. Together, they protect their territory and maintain order within their organization. (No names not design has been established yet.)

Leadership:

As a leader, Lù Huā is both feared and respected. She rules with a strong hand, balancing kindness with harsh discipline. It’s no surprise to see women in the gang who have ambition and determination alongside other members. Her good intentions shine through her actions, as she strives to protect her loved ones and maintain peace in her community. However, her slightly coldhearted demeanor ensures that she is not easily crossed.

Persona:

In her quieter moments, Lù Huā enjoys reading, solving puzzles, tea making, and enjoying a good firework show. These activities help her maintain balance and focus, ensuring she remains at the top of her game both mentally and physically. Her love for these activities reflects her thoughtful and introspective nature, a stark contrast to her fierce and commanding presence as a gang leader. But it’s never been a smooth life. "Even in a life of luxury, I have never lived a dream. The unseen battles within my heart leave me aching for true happiness, a distant horizon I have yet to reach."

Ps. Canon her nails grow very fast but they break every time she fights and she gets pissy. (I said so💅)

[doumadono]

Douma & s/o practicing Tessenjutsu - headcanons

Requested by: @grossograsso ♥

MASTERLIST

Douma, being skilled in combat and knowledgeable about various forms of martial arts, takes a keen interest in your desire to learn tessenjutsu, the art of fighting with a tessen (iron fan). He sees it as an opportunity to bond further and share a common interest

Douma's approach to training you is patient and supportive. He understands the importance of starting from the basics and gradually progressing. He helps you master the fundamental techniques, offering guidance and gentle corrections along the way. "Now, focus on your footwork. Keep your stance stable, and remember to pivot your hips for more power. Ready? Begin!"

There are times when you become frustrated with a difficult technique, feeling like you're not making any progress. Sensing your discouragement, Douma surprises you with a small gift — a beautifully designed tessen that he personally crafted. It serves as a reminder of his belief in your abilities and reignites your determination to improve

As you train together, Douma's eyes sparkle with admiration as he witnesses your growth and dedication. He encourages you, praising your progress and helping you refine your skills. Your training sessions become moments of shared passion and connection. "Impressive! Your movements are becoming more natural. Keep refining your technique, and soon you'll be a master of tessenjutsu!"

Despite your best efforts, accidents happen, and sometimes wounds are inevitable. When you accidentally cut yourself with the tessen, Douma's concern immediately takes over. He swiftly tends to you, gently cleaning and bandaging the wound with utmost care, his touch both gentle and reassuring. "Ah, Y/N, you need to be more focused, my little lotus. We don't want you to bleed out, yeah?"

To add a touch of humor to your training, Douma challenges you to a friendly tessenjutsu duel. Despite his formidable skills, he purposely hams up his defeat, pretending to be dramatically defeated by your swift strikes and exaggeratedly collapsing to the ground. You can't help but burst into laughter, momentarily forgetting the seriousness of your practice

In the serene setting of the garden within his temple, Douma and you train on the bridges that stretch above the large pond. The peaceful atmosphere, with vibrant koi carps swimming gracefully beneath them and lotus flowers adorning the water's surface, creates a peaceful backdrop for your practice

Beyond the physical aspect, Douma also helps you strengthen your mental resilience. He encourages you when you feel discouraged, reminding you of your progress and highlighting your strengths. His unwavering belief in your abilities serves as a powerful motivation

Douma's presence provides a sense of security during your training sessions. His watchful eyes never stray too far from you, ready to offer guidance or protection if needed. He creates an environment where you feel safe to explore your skills and push your limits

Training sessions often become moments of shared laughter and lightheartedness. Douma infuses your practice with playful banter and witty remarks, creating an atmosphere that fosters enjoyment and camaraderie

In this dynamic of trust, growth, and shared passion, Douma and you discover not only the art of tessenjutsu but also the depths of your love for each other, blossoming amidst the beauty of the garden they call your own. "I can't help but feel an immense sense of pride watching your development, seeing how far you've come. Your dedication and determination have truly paid off. Your strikes are precise, your footwork has improved significantly, and your overall control of the tessen is impressive. You've become a force to be reckoned with."

[nardaviel]

Been doing some thinking about the characterization implications of Makoto's aikido black belt, and the interesting contrast between aikido and her Metaverse weapon.

Like, to start with, the fact that Makoto knows aikido specifically says a lot. Aikido is extremely not an aggressive martial art. It's a little difficult to translate something like a martial art name from Japanese into English, but the one I always heard was "way of the harmonious spirit". I'm not going to do a deep dive on it, just summarize a couple of the most relevant points, but it was created by a war veteran who was inspired by a spiritual experience. His guiding concept was like... self-defense without hurting the aggressor.

(Disclaimer: I obviously only studied in one school! Although all of aikido shares the same overall principles, there may be some schools out there that are extra-aggressive. However, given that we lack any indication of what style of aikido Makoto studies, I would guess that it's not anything wild or unusual.)

Aikido focuses on using an attacker's energy and momentum against them. You learn throwing and pinning techniques to defend against various attacks, but specifically techniques where you can pull back before you cause serious damage. You don't learn barehanded strikes at all, except as much as you need to know to initiate fake attacks to help your partners practice. And you don't need to know how to throw a really good, dangerous punch for that. I had years of aikido training and I still sure as fuck can't. At more advanced levels, you start to learn other things such as weapons forms, but even those aren't really attacks. You just perform a ritualized series of movements against imaginary enemies.

It's not the world's most practical martial art, to be honest, although someone who's really skilled can get good use out of it. If Makoto claims she can use it to ensure her safety, she must be that good, because I expect she's too practical to delude herself with false confidence. More importantly! It takes years to get a black belt, like it does in any martial art. So little middle-schooler Makoto looked at all the martial arts on offer in Tokyo, which I imagine is pretty much every martial art on earth, and decided aikido was the one for her.

It suits her, and continues to suit her up through the end of canon. She's not Ryuji; outside the Metaverse, she's not going to start a physical fight. But she's perfectly willing to finish one. Given her family history and personal values, it makes sense that she'd be drawn to the idea of defending herself, but not in a way that causes unnecessary pain. It's also considered a good martial art for women, due to the lack of emphasis on size and strength.

But pre-canon Makoto is also very repressed, very focused on being composed and perfect. Aikido promises self-defense and an outlet, but nothing too aggressive. Nothing that looks too loud or rebellious. Martial arts are male-dominated practices; by studying one at all, she's already being a little bit out of the ordinary. Best not to stand out too much.

And then she gets into the Metaverse.

It's easy to think that the brass knuckles and the punching make use of her martial arts background, but they don't. At all. Makoto has absolutely not learned how to strike with her fists to cause damage during her training, at least not like people envision. If Atlus wanted to go that route, they'd have given her a karate backstory or something similar.

And if they wanted her to know aikido and wanted to carry her training into the Metaverse, they could've given her a staff, which she will have learned forms for during aikido training. The other classic aikido weapons are already taken, or at least the non-wooden versions are lol. But no one else among the Thieves uses a staff. Makoto the warrior monk with her jo staff and her Pope persona would be a coherent design.

But Atlus didn't do that either. Instead, they gave her brass knuckles (among other fist weapons, I know, I know) and let her punch the shit out of her enemies. That's not merely unlike her training; it's in total opposition to the core tenets of aikido. No "way of the harmonious spirit", no self-reflection, no pacifism. She's going to beat up Shadows for justice.

In short, the brass knuckles are an emblem of her rebellion within the Metaverse. They come from the same place as her spiky leather outfit and motorcycle Persona. In the real world, student council president Makoto isn't afraid of anyone hitting her or grabbing her because she can put them on the ground before they can blink. Like I said, I think aikido suits her really well, even without her pre-canon baggage. But in the Metaverse, Queen doesn't bother to wait for an attack. She hits first. <3

[sifu-kisu]

THE OLD METHODS OF TRAINING BAGUA JANG

The picture below shows one of the old ways of training (gunfa) to increase inner strength (naili). Today, when most wushu practitioners roll mainly forms, few people use old traditional techniques for langun training. But they, the various gunfa methods, constituted the essence and foundation of the old Chuantung Ugong training. Without these gunfa methods and special pair methods, wushu becomes only a decorative hobby. There are many such methods, but in each style his own and each master his own.

These gunfas give those or other special qualities, without which further actions are very ineffective. Well, for example (in the picture below) - Georgians in the form of shadai bags on a rope are tied to the thumbs (maybe middle or index). The weight is arbitrary, but range from small to large, both in terms of mass and training time. At the beginning, they just "insist", that is, they stand in this position tuymo zhang or "palm pushing the groundhog" on both sides, then they begin to "steal" (or tzhou tuan, "walking in a circle") fulfilling all the key requirements to the position. As described by their master Liang shi baguachang Zhuge Jiaabao: "During training this position, you need to: ""dunk"" (very / ») shoulders and "hang" (zhui / и) elbows, the shoulder "closes" (kou / по) inward, you need to ""embrace"" (han / гу) the chest, "stretch" (ba / «) your back, the base of the palm pushes forward, "tiger's pack" (hukou" / нец) follows a circle, the heart of the palm is retracted back, the fingers stand vertically up, the index finger of the front palm at the level of the eyebrow, the middle finger points to the sky, the middle and the index finger are held separately, the finger and the pinky are curled in, the shoulder needs to be stretched out, as if you are carrying a shot in the shoulder hole, the back elbow protects the middle of the breast, the toes of the back hand are close to the elbow of the front hand, the lower back curves inwards in any way, the hookou of both hands turns to the heel of the back foot, the feet go around the edge of the circle and wrap inwards, the foot needs to be cut off whole and put whole, you cannot "expose the hoof" (jzeti / близ) (opend the heels), "open the sole" (lyangzhang / паль) ( kick your foot ) When walking, you should bend your knees following your hips. You need to walk steadily, as if you are being carried in a palanquin, it is as if you are rotating a mill of earth, walking as if on clay, the tongue is raised up to the sky, the energy of the chi is "dipped" (sink) in the dantian, breathing is natural, the tip of the head is pointed up, the body is like a twisted rope. According to all regulatory requirements, you need to walk for an hour, once changing direction to the opposite direction. You can't lose your posture. Every day in the morning and evening, I trained at least two hours. Holding it firmly, I've been training for three years. "

However, working with weights should not precede the basic work (jiben gun) of building a solid frame and foundation. And to be its logical continuation, reinforcing the efforts already made.

It must be said that today - even in the midst of masters it is rare to see such work. Mostly people practice one or more forms throughout their lives, but this approach, while good for health, is not a true traditional martial art that was built primarily on similar gunfa methods and pair work. Therefore, if we want to "revive an old tool" - we need to go back to old methods and techniques using traditional special gunfas.

[srvbryn]

ᝰ.ᐟ A chilly encounter

₊ ⊹ Bi-Han X Reader

₊ ⊹ warning: Fluff, my grammar is bad, ooc Bi-Han

In the heart of the Lin Kuei temple, where icy corridors echoed with the whispers of combat training, you found comfort in. As a diligent student of martial arts, you often practiced alone in the quiet corners of the temple, away from the piercing gazes of other warriors.

As you perfected your techniques that you've been training since a few months ago, you heard the distinct sound of footsteps approaching the place. Turning around, your eyes met with the frosty gaze of Bi-Han, the formidable cryomancer of the Lin Kuei.

"Training alone, I see," he remarked, his icy blue eyes softening as he observed your dedication.

You nodded, feeling a mixture of surprise and nervousness in the presence of such a skilled warrior. "I find peace in these kinds of moments."

Sub-Zero studied you for a moment before offering a rare, smile. "May I join you?"

Grateful for the company, you welcomed him. Together, you practiced various forms, exchanging tips and techniques. As the hours passed, Sub-Zero revealed a side of him, rarely seen by others—a more relaxed, 'human' side.

During the training, a playful snowball fight ensued. Laughter echoed through the temple halls as ice crystals danced in the air as if it was dancing around the two of them. It was a stark contrast to the usual seriousness of Lin Kuei training.

As the day unfolded, Bi-Han shared stories of his past, offering glimpses into the man beneath the icy exterior. You learned of his struggles, his dedication to justice, and the weight he carried as an assassin burdened by duty.

In return, you shared your own tales, creating a bond that transcended the rigid hierarchy of the Lin Kuei. Bi-Han became more than a mentor; he became a friend.

As evening descended, you found yourselves atop a frost-covered peak, the moon casting a silvery glow on the snow. The serene landscape mirrored the calm feeling that had settled between you.

Bi-Han spoke, his voice gentle like a winter breeze. "In the midst of battle, one can forget the warmth of camaraderie. Today has been a welcome reminder."

You nodded, feeling a connection that surpassed the confines of the Lin Kuei brotherhood. The chilly air held a comforting embrace, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow down.

As you both gazed at the night sky, Bi-Han reached into the folds of his attire and presented a small, intricately crafted ice sculpture—a symbol of friendship.

"May this serve as a reminder of today for the both of us," he said, placing the delicate sculpture in your hands, as his fingers accidentally grazes your hand he quickly pulls away feeling the electricity sparks between them.

The gesture touched your heart, and you smiled, grateful for the unexpected bond that had formed. Together, you watched the stars twinkle above, knowing that even in the coldest of realms, warmth could be found in the connections forged between warriors.

And so, in the quiet solitude of the Lin Kuei temple, a friendship blossomed, thawing the frost and bringing a newfound warmth to the hearts of Sub-Zero and the dedicated student.

As the seasons changed, so did the dynamics between you and Sub-Zero. The initial awkwardness transformed into a deep camaraderie that extended beyond training sessions. You discovered shared interests beyond martial arts—quiet conversations in the temple gardens, moments of talking and stealing glances during meals, and occasional friendly competitions to test each other's skills.

Sub-Zero continued to surprise you with his thoughtfulness. On a particularly frigid day, you found a soft blue color scarf waiting for you in your room, a silent testament to his consideration for your well-being in the cold Lin Kuei climate.

As your friendship deepened, his brother, Tomas, and Kuai Liang began to notice the change in Bi-Han. The once stoic warrior began to exhibit warmth. The elders, though initially skeptical, observed the positive influence your presence had on him.

On one particular day, Bi-Han approached you with a request. "The Lin Kuei is hosting a festival to honor our traditions. Would you be my guest for the evening?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Thrilled by the invitation, you agreed, and together you navigated the festivities—participating in traditional dances, savoring local delicacies, and even engaging in a friendly sparring match to showcase your combined skills.

As the night drew to a close, Bi-Han escorted you to a vantage point overlooking the Lin Kuei temple, illuminated by lanterns and the soft glow of moonlight. "Thank you for bringing warmth to my world," he confessed, his gratitude evident in his eyes.

In that moment, surrounded by the beauty of the festival and the genuine connection you shared, it became clear that your bond with Bi-Han might become more than just a casual friendship.

₊ ⊹ Bi-Han<3

[monstrifex-art]

Malka Bat-Sheva - Original character & short story inspired by the Chainverse series by Maria Ying.

Killing a vampire with your hands is not a simple matter. There are several important steps to the process.

The first step is to understand that you are outmatched. A vampire kills and eats humans. That is its nature, its default state. Every fact of its physiology is bent toward this aim. It is stronger than you, faster than you, and possessing of a hunger that eclipses its fear of death. To match the lowest vampire, a human must train to be strong, to be fast, and to numb themselves to mortal fear. In this sport, hesitation will kill faster than recklessness.

Second, you must craft of yourself an effective weapon. Folklore suggests a dozen dozen anathemas that harm vampires, some of which even work. But there are only two weapons that harm vampires across all bloodlines: sunlight and human hope.

While sunlight can be weaponized by arcane means in hand-to-hand combat, it is a difficult and often fleeting resource to harness. Do so if you are able, but do not rely on it as your only weapon.

Hope is a more dependable asset. Vampires are creatures made of fear. The faith and courage of their prey harms them at a metaphysical level. To this end, religious symbology and artifacts of human belief can be instrumental. I have tattooed myself with the faith of my ancestors, as their religion runs most strongly in my blood. If your ancestry leans toward a particular creed, I suggest you do likewise.

The more eclectic reagents espoused by folklore can be effective against particular vampire bloodlines, often because of the properties granted them by human belief. I take a scattershot approach. I wrap my arms in bandages lined with smoked salt, purified silver wire, various cleansing herbs, and a mix of shredded holy texts. If you know the lineage of your target, you can tailor these ingredients to them. Do your research.

Third, one must force the vampire to remain in corporeal form. There is merit to emotional manipulation in pursuit of this goal– challenging a vampire to physical combat will often amuse them enough to humor your request. But it is an unreliable method best used only when other options are unavailable. In my experience, one is better off relying on magical means of trapping them in their body of meat and bone. Smoked salt disrupts the black mist, drawing them back to physicality. Coat your fists and shins with it. Certain charms and benedictions ward off intangible evils, forcing them to materialize in order to approach you. With these the key is to not only force them to start a fight, but to prevent them from escaping.

Fourth is to unmake them. Know that no human martial art is sufficient to prepare you. Martial arts are designed with defense in mind and honed through the use of sparring. In order to kill a vampire, you will have to perform actions that are impossible to practice without maiming your sparring partner. It is a sad reality that in order to kill vampires with your hands, you must first have killed humans.

Supernaturally augmented though they may be, a vampire still needs eyes to see. Tendons to move. A jaw with which to bite. Your goal is to deny them these resources.

It is not enough to strike your opponent or grapple them into submission. You must ruin them. You must tear muscle fibers, crack joints, snap bones with carefully placed force. Vampires feel pain less intensely than humans, but they will still be stunned if you mangle their flesh. Your attacks must rupture the machinery of their bodies, inflict enough damage that they are unable to tear out your throat and drink your lifeblood. No single martial art can prepare you. Study them all. Use the parts you find effective. Reduce your opponent to a husk of broken meat. Then the killing blow will be trivial.

Fifth, you must eat the vampire’s heart. Mere moments after ruining a vampire’s body, it will begin to repair itself. You must act quickly. Tear the heart from its rib cage and devour it. Take the power it would use to remake itself and channel it into your own flesh. This is the truest defeat of a vampire: to inflict on it what it was born to inflict on you. There is no sweeter triumph for humanity than to dominate the beast at its own game.

Consuming vampires will change you. The magic that strengthens them will fuel your body, but alter your flesh. You will not be human, not in the traditional sense. But you will remain human in the eyes of your prey.

And that is all that matters.

[harlequin-eldritchkin]

HAMMER HARLEEN AND THE FISTS OF CLOWNING (FREE FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION)

I have been looking for what martial arts Harley Quinn may have learned as she is seen going toe-to-toe with the likes of Catwoman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Lord Death Man, and Batman, to name a few. All that comes up is her backround in gymnastics and learning from the Bat Family, and her aggression and fearless approach of being a wild card. She is a scrapper, but Batman and Nightwing are too skilled to be beaten by a simple scrapper. So, what is her fighting secret?

Source: Pinterest. If you know the artist, please let me know and I will credit their work.

What I am about to present is not canon, and I do my best to stick to canon because this is about Harley Quinn and how she is presented in popular culture and not my fantasies, but martial arts was my first love ♡. I have spent over 30 years training and studying various forms of martial arts from books to learning under local masters, so I have more than a basic understanding of the Fist.

Source: Harley's hammer from a keychain I bought.

First, we all know she had a backround in gymnastics and was a criminal psychologist that worked in Gotham, where crime is the rule and not the exception. With that, before she was the Maiden of Mischief, she was just Dr. Harleen Quinzel, so it would be logical that she took self defense classes. She also grew up in New York and is Jewish, so Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense art inspired by Israeli military hand-to-hand combat, would make the most sense. Krav Maga is also one of the more popular and efficacious self defense systems in the United States.

Krav Maga uses open hand strikes, clinches, knees, elbows, weapons disarms, and evasion tactics. They also teach eye gouging, throat and groin strikes, as well as grappling defense. Being a military art, it is based on survival and not for sport or beauty like prize fighting or traditional martial arts.

Source: Harley VS. Apokolips

Although she was a gymnast, gymnastics does not teach fighting, but there are martial arts that combine gymnastics and fighting, the most famous being Wushu and Shaolin Kung Fu. There is an ancient kung fu method called Yi Jin Jing, or Muscle Tendon Change Classic, which is influenced by Yoga and combines a mix of flexibility and strength exercises.

Shaolin Kung Fu combines acrobatics, gymnastics, iron body, animal forms, weapons forms, meditation, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I wouldn't go as far as saying she trained in China, but New York has a large martial arts community and its own Shaolin Temple, so it is a possibility.

Source: Google. Young Sifu Shi Yan Ming training in Shaolin Temple. He runs the New York branch of Shaolin.

Another style that involves acrobatics and kung fu, which is one of my favorite styles, is Drunken Boxing.

It isn't a single style. It is taught to intermediate to advanced students once they have mastered the basics of their style. It has a mix of tumbling, jumping, spinning, flipping, and deceptive tactics and techniques based on the movements of a drunkard.

Sources: Jackie Chan, Drunken Master 2, Gordon Liu, Shaolin Drunken Monk.

Finally, we have her weapons. Her most notable being her bat and (oversized) mallot.

Source: Harley Quinn Animated Series

The Irish have a stick fighting style called "bataireacht" which uses a shillelagh, a hard wood (blackthorn) stick with a natural nob as a handle that is good for hooking and smashing, such as smashing a skull.

Source: irelandjournal.typepad.com

Of course, swinging a bat at someone is a very effective way to end almost any fight.

Source: Harley Screws Up the DCU

[beba-780]

Emperor of Ninjago (2)

• A few years passed and the battle of the Wu Resistance and Garmadon's forces was still far from over, many towns were already enslaved, kingdoms had already fallen and there were still others that still showed resistance, Garmadon left several members of his nobles in charge of the kingdom while traveling through Ninjago to make various conquests.

• Now Wu was in charge of training the four new protectors of Ninjago. Wu named them "Ninjas", and the former Four Elemental Masters passed down their Golden Weapons to them. Many of the rebels also trained under Wu's tutelage. The rebels are so loyal that they don't even count the locations of the rebel bases in the area that Wu has been when they are captured by Garmadon, and if they were to reveal the information, Wu created many camouflage systems for their bases and even rebel streamers that joined Wu created tunnels so that the rebels can move and hide more easily in case before Garmadon's guards came to attack.

• Garmadon has managed to capture many rebels, when he takes them prisoner, he tortures them to make them reveal Wu's whereabouts, but there are times when he kills most of them on the battlefield so that they would not be taken prisoners or slaves. When he goes to the battlefield, Garmadon is usually under the influence of the Great Devourer's poison so that he does not falter because of his kindly weakness.

• Very few rebels manage to escape from the palace prison, and not many make it out alive. Although the citizens live hard, very few risk helping the rebels, and if not, other citizens betray them in order to receive a good reward from Garmadon's soldiers. And not the entire kingdom knows of the existence of the young Prince Lloyd, only the nobles of Garmadon know it, but they see him very little, the other citizens are those who have never seen him, many think that the existence of Prince Lloyd is a lie. Not even the rebels can find out if Lloyd's existence is true or not.

• The new Ninjas are the ones who lead several of the rebel forces of the Resistance, their names were: Kai Smith, Cole Bucket, Jay Walker (Gordon), and Zane Julien. They began training together at a young age in the palace of Ninjago and after fleeing the palace their training became more severe and stronger in order to survive on the battlefields of Garmadon, the four became the new hope of the Resistance.

• Kai Smith inherited the Fire Sword from his father, Ray Smith, Garmadon's former royal guard, and became the new Master of Fire. Kai trained at the Ninjago palace at a young age, became a great swordsman like his father, even accompanied his mother Maya in protecting Empress Misako, and became an older brother when his younger sister, Nya, was born, who inherited her mother's powers and she one of the strongest rebels in the Resistance.

• Before the tyranny of Emperor Garmadon when he was possessed by the Overlord, Kai had great respect and affection for Garmadon, and that was because his parents spent too much time with the royal family, he practically grew up with them, Wu was his main teacher in the martial arts, and grew up training alongside his friends Cole, Jay and Zane. Additionally, he traveled extensively with his father on many expeditions throughout the land of Ninjago.

• After forming the Resistance, Kai and his friends changed their training to a more serious one since they now knew they had to survive in the new reign of Emperor Garmadon, and he took the title of Red Ninja. Kai managed to become a great leader over time, he was the one who came out the most from the rebel hideouts to lead various groups on the battlefield, Kai was always at the forefront of the battle and became the best fighter of the rebellion, even Kai managed to free many slaves from the work areas.

• Cole Bucket inherited the Earthquake Sickle from his mother, Lily, the former Earthbender, and now Cole has inherited that position. Cole lived for a time outside the palace with his family in a field, a home that belonged to his father Lou, but as his mother went on more and more missions, his family moved to the palace where Cole began his training and studies there with Wu, Cole became Jay's best friend, and the two always played in the forest near the palace.

• Cole was known in the palace as the strongest child, and many believed it was due to the earth elemental power he inherited from his mother, he was even able to knock down several guards with his bare hands when training with Wu. He fought a lot with Kai and they both had their own combat scoreboard, he was also a great climber, he even always managed to climb the walls of the palace. Cole also liked to play music, his father always gave him musical instruments and Cole became very good at playing any musical instrument.

• When they fled the kingdom Cole became the strongest rebel and was in charge of providing good defenses to their bases, his mother Lily died due to an illness that could not be treated, before dying Lily gave Cole the Sickle of the Earthquakes, that's how he inherited the title of the new Master of Earth and took the title of Black Ninja. By using his powers, Cole managed to create several shelters and defenses for all the rebel bases, in addition, he sent her father with the refugees so that he would be safe.

• Zane Julien inherited the Ice Shurikens from his master and guardian, Ice, the former Master of Ice, lived outside the palace along with his father, Dr. Julien, but since his father was in the palace, Zane initially lived in the palace. house of the famous inventor Cyrus Borg, there he met Pixal, Cyrus' daughter, both became great friends since they were children and still are, they even began to feel feelings for each other, but then Zane was chosen as the current protégé of the Master Ice, who, having no heirs, decided to choose Zane as his main heir. Zane was sent to live in the palace and was under Wu's tutelage. Zane trained with Ice while studying with Wu, before long, Zane became the smartest boy in the palace.

• Zane spent his time reading all the books in the palace, and was quite calm when training with Kai, Cole and Jay. He would sometimes even invite Pixal to the palace so that she too could read the books and experience the wonders of the royal palace of Ninjago. In addition, he helped Jay and Nya in their inventions with the artisans who lived in the palace. Zane managed to obtain a pet falcon, training it to send messages to Pixal when she was not in the palace. Additionally, Zane managed to build a wheelchair for Cyrus after Garmadon's guards left him crippled in both legs.

• After the creation of the Resistance Zane helped Wu continue deciphering the prophecy of the Green Ninja, and even became a great strategist for the rebellion, after Ice died in combat Zane inherited the Ice Shurikens, and became In the White Ninja, he does not go much to the front of the battle but he knows how to create great strategies to be able to defeat several guards on the battlefield, in addition, his falcon is now a messenger that sends messages to the infiltrators in Garmadon's nobility to provide information the Resistance.

• Jay Walker (Gordon) inherited the Lightning Nunchucks from his mother, Libby, a former lightning teacher. Jay also lived for a time in the country with his father Cliff Gordon, then Libby proposed that they move in at the palace so Jay could get started training him as the future Lightning Master. When he moved to the palace, Jay became best friends with Cole and Nya, he accompanied Cole out of the palace to explore the forest, Jay was not the strongest in training but he was the fastest, he beat everyone in many races when they trained in the palace courtyard.

• Jay loved to explore the workshops of the artisans who lived in the palace, together with Nya they always sneaked to the library so they could steal the plans of the inventions that were registered and improve them. Since he is not good at using heavy weapons, Jay has always used light weapons. Plus, being the smallest and fastest of his friends, it was easy for Jay to sneak into the kitchen and steal snacks.

• After hiding with Wu, Jay's parents, Libby and Cliff died in combat and the Nunchakus were given to him to be the new Lightning Master and Blue Ninja. He was welcomed by his godparents Ed and Edna and for that reason he changed his last name. After learning a lot from the artisans of the kingdom, Jay managed to invent great defenses for the rebellion, he was in charge of the evacuation of the freed slaves and Nya became his girlfriend after they both grew up and were part of the rebellion, Kai sometimes makes fun of their relationship but Jay is grateful that he considers him worthy to be with Nya.

• The Overlord always forced Garmadon to steal the Golden Weapons because they were the key to completely taking over Ninjago. But even with some rebels captured, Garmadon never managed to get a clue to the whereabouts of the four Ninjas.

• Meanwhile, Lloyd became a shy and innocent boy who was unaware of the actions of his father, Emperor Garmadon. The little boy grew up isolated inside the palace and almost never went out, the only thing he saw outside was the forest near the palace. But Lloyd still didn't leave his room, he was surrounded by tutors and servants who did everything for him, and he even saw his father from time to time.

• When Garmadon was free from the influence of the Overlord or the poison he always went to see Lloyd, which was sometimes strange for Lloyd, since he grew up seeing how his father always left the palace to conquer kingdoms and fight in various battles against the rebels, Lloyd didn't even know much about her mother, Misako, her guardians were under strict orders not to mention much about the Empress and all he heard about her was that she was a good Empress and wife in the past.

• Lloyd didn't even know that his father had a human form, he knows of the existence of the Overlord, but he doesn't know how he actually got to Ninjago or how he possessed his father. All he knows about his father's reign is that he did all this destruction so he could have true peace over Ninjago, Lloyd doesn't even know that Wu, the leader of the rebels, is his uncle.

[adriansvetozaroff]

Inktober with "Outlanders". Part 3

13. Horizon. Sheeku returns from a cloud car excursion, which he agreed on with a local ugnaught in exchange for help in the work of repairing equipment, to Cloud City and sees a storm front beginning to form at the edge of Bespin's atmosphere upper layers urging on a herd of beldons.

14. Roam. Long ago, koorivars lost their homeland forever, and after that they had to wander a lot around the galaxy until they were able to find it again. For this reason, their symbol on Kooriva became a semi-parasitic tropical plant - it has no roots of its own, settling on large vines, but its red-orange flowers are simply enormous. A former koorivar fusilier tells Lamarr about the history of his people and about these flowers, decorating the tallest buildings, as a reminder that those who have no roots will still flourish.

P.S. These are my headcanons about the Koorivar culture and what their planet might look like.

15. Guidebook. Lamarr talks about life with Gemmo, a religious teacher of the Church of Toydaria. His speeches can be called a guide to life: this cheerful Toydarian is ready to welcome everyone as his guest, he will always treat you to tea, listen, offer to discuss the meaning of life, good and evil, and give wise advice. The temple bell at the top refers to the clan bells of the Toydarians, but it is also surrounded by many smaller bells of various shapes and sizes, symbolizing that the doors of this church are open to a variety of creatures.

Jumping ahead a little, at a certain point in their travels, Sheeku and Lamarr lived on Toydaria for some time, and Gemmo played his role in their story.

16. Grungy. On Malastare, Sheeku made a bet with the Gran who owned a small motel that if he could get the old shabby podracer that was gathering dust in this Gran's hangar going again, he would be allowed to drive it out of town at night. It was a short drive, but Sheeku got the experience he wanted. And he was lucky to be almost unscathed when this stuff fell apart completely.

17. Journal. Dakh Dainon, the producer of the travel show "Outlanders", fills out the accounting journal. He is the most experienced member of the crew, and has had some successful projects under his belt before. He believed in Sheeku and Lamarr, seeing the potential in the concept they came up with, and took the risk to develop and promote their idea, despite the fact that they were amateurs. And although the position of the pau'ans in the galaxy has noticeably weakened after the Clone Wars, Dakh managed to maintain his old connections, which greatly help him negotiate filming of such material and in such locations where not everyone is allowed.

18. Drive. In his travels, Lamarr, like and also Sheeku, rode many different animals, but one of his favorites was definitely the milodon from Quartzite. This giant centipede moves nimbly and smoothly, is capable of reaching the speed of a subtram, and simply looks very impressive.

19. Ridge. The Kel Dor have not only their own Force tradition, but also their own martial art, and Sheeku is ready to learn it. He will spend several days living in a monastery in the Dorin mountains, sharing the way of life of Kel Dors, who study ancient martial arts, spending much time in intense training that disciplines the body and spirit. It is an unprecedented honor for an alien to achieve such an opportunity, but one Kel Dor put in a good word for Sheeku - he was his mentor and a good friend during his time training as a shuttle pilot on Coruscant.

[terkmc]

HACS, the Harrison Armory Combat System

The Harrison Armory Combat System, HACS for short, is a relatively new system of martial art developed by Harrison Armory. Designed to integrate with standard Armory doctrine, HACS is a modernized and modified version of traditional weapon-based martial art, mathematically optimized with aggregate combat data harvesting and extensive simulations in order to best suit the Armory’s propensity for energy and plasma based weapons.

The non-physical nature of an energy blade allows it to be able to pass through another physical blade, thus making strikes with an energy weapon almost impossible to block or parry; but also conversely makes it unable to block an attack from another weapon from simply passing through it. Thus, HACS is defined by its aggressive structure based on the principles of seizing the initiative and staying on the offense, direct footwork and economy of action, range control, and violence of action.

HACS fighters will typically stay out of range to formulate a plan of attack and maneuver into advantageous positioning, then explode into a short series of decisive strikes to force the enemy to defend. If the initial series of strikes do not kill or incapacitate, HACS fighters will then try to establish distance once again and return to neutral, preferably with follow up unarmed strike to push the enemy back and maintain initiative, though simply back-stepping is also an option if further aggression is ill-advised. HACS footwork is characteristically direct, moving back and forth in a straight line from the user to their opponent and eschewing complex footwork often seen in more traditional arts.

HACS encompass most forms of traditional melee weapons such as swords, axes, halberds and more, but befitting of a modern constructed martial art systems, HACS also accounts for modern modification and new designs, such variable emission setting allowing user to change the length of a blade mid-fight or even mid swing. HACS official training and certification requires a demonstration of mastery of the system's two basic disciplines, Energy on Blade (EB), the use of energy weapons against physical weapons, and Energy on Energy (EE), the use of energy weapons against each other. For most standard users and legionnaires, these two are enough, though further advanced disciplines are available for training, such as Energy and Shield (ES), incorporating the usage of personal shielding system into the martial art, both in conjunction with and against energy weapons.

Designed for vertical integration, HACS-M (Harrison Armory Combat System – Mechanized) is a sub-discipline of HACS for usage with mech combat. Formulated for ease of transition between systems, HACS-M employs much of the same principles and moves as HACS, maintaining its core direct aggression. The added durability of a mech and its comparatively lesser agility means HACS-M incorporate “Double Strike” in place of some defensive maneuver. “Double Strike” is an umbrella term for techniques where the user intentionally takes an attack in order to counter attack the opponent, using computer-mapped positioning to maximize armor placement and avoid damage to critical systems. Though designed for chassis class 1 to 3 and obviously ill-advised to unarmored personal combat, HACS-M has also been adapted for personal combat by heavily armored fighters, typically hard suit or power armor users.

As with most theories when put into practice, HACS and HACS-M has also splintered into countless variations over the years. While a centralized system still exists within the Armory’s standard armed force training, various other subsystems have popped up either through further independent modification, local adaptation, or syncretism with other martial arts. Of note are:

Valkyrie, an adaptation for aerial combat

Stinging Blade, a highly unorthodox and controversial syncretism with Jager Kunst pioneered by Sparri diaspora on Ras Sharma

DeSys, a school that emphasizes the destruction of enemy weapons instead.

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

LGBTQ+ Disabled Characters Showdown Round 2, Wave 3, Poll 10

A character being totally canon LGBTQ+ and disabled was not required to be in this competition. Please check qualifications and propaganda before asking why a character is included.

Check out the other polls in this wave and prior here.

Wen Kexing-Faraway Wanderers / Tian Ya Ke

Qualifications:

1. The LGBTQ+ part: he is canonically a gay man. (Though he does not identify by this specific word due to being from, yknow, fantasy ancient China, he is very vocal about only having interest in men / not having interest in women.) He is also one half of the main (canon, mlm) couple in the book. 2. Disability part: he has complex PTSD, with dissociative symptoms being most prominent. It's not articulated as clearly as the gay part, but there's a lot of textual evidence. For example, for his bouts of dissociation, he has a clear trigger - thinking or talking about personal loss (mostly his initial traumatic event, brutal murder of his parents when he was a child, but at least once it was fear of losing his partner), - and there's a very distinctive way the author describes it: "far-off gaze", "blank" expression or eyes, being "in a daze"/"dazed" were all words used more than once in those situations. He also exhibits symptoms of depersonalization, especially in contexts of violence. The one that made it click for me was a moment when someone was striking to kill him while he couldn't defend himself, and he was described as being calm "as if the one about to die was not himself", but there are also smaller hints, like several times he is described as 'fighting as if he doesn't notice pain and exhaustion' - which I would not take as evidence on its own, but tied in to other dissociative moments of his... yeah. 3. Last thing, in case you aren't sure PTSD/dissociative disorder should count as a disability, I want to make my argument that it should, as it noticeably impacts the character's quality of life. Both continuously (he mentions, for example, sleep problems/insomnia - that clearly stem from his traumatic experiences) and at specific moments (like that time he started dissociating in the middle of the battlefield, nearly resulting in him getting killed........)

Propaganda:

Okay, imagine a classical Chinese martial arts story. Young orphan meets a mysterious master, who imparts all his knowledge upon him; the boy trains hard and challenges various villains, until making it all the way to the final boss who was behind everything. Now, imagine if, in the very beginning of this story, the final boss accidentally ran into that mysterious master. And became suspicious of him. And began following him under pretense of falling in love with him at first sight. And then fell for him for real. And then they had adventures and also started co-parenting that young orphan.

THAT is the plot of Tian Ya Ke. And the final boss in question? Well, that's Wen Kexing I'm submitting! And yes, Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu - the aforementioned mysterious master and the main character of TYK - are a canon couple. Wen Kexing in particular is very, ah, out and loud gay. Gay and making it everyone else's problem even. So that's the LGBTQ+ part. (Also they are SUCH a couple. They're so funny! The whole circus! And then they do something and you are like oh yeah right. each of them is a villain of a different story. Good thing they decided to play house instead.) On the disability front, Wen Kexing has mental health stuff - to be specific, complex PTSD with signs of dissociative disorder. I'm not gonna describe his wide array of traumatic experiences on the form because it needs SO many trigger warnings, but the important part is how those impacted him. For example, he mentions having sleep problems/insomnia due to fear. (Which made the fandom lose our shit once we connected it to the earlier moment where he, in a vulnerable state, drags himself to Zhou Zishu's side and falls asleep on his lap. The! Trust! That! Shows!) He also dissociates frequently when thinking/talking about his initial traumatic event. Which is my favorite part of the portrayal of his PTSD because... you know how there's this trend in media with superpowers/magic when the character's trauma response is portrayed through their powers, like their powers going out of control? And TYK went 'yeah, no, when /our/ OP final boss has a ptsd flare up, he just dissociates like a normal person'. (and I, a normal person who also copes by dissociating, was like 'i owe u my life'.) Also, I think it's great that not all of his episodes are plot relevant. Like, in four out of five cases it's just something that happens (the narration / pov character makes note of it), and then the scene moves on - so it feels like a feature of his character, as opposed to a plot devise for creating situations. And the one case where it does happen in an action moment - when Wen Kexing gets revenge on the person responsible for his initial trauma and promptly starts dissociating in the middle of the battlefield, and someone else has to step in to prevent him from getting killed by other enemies - kinda highlights the disability aspect, imo. Like, it shows that PTSD creates barriers for him where a person without it wouldn't have any.

Anything Else?:

1. It's a Chinese novel, so character names are written down with surname first. So Wen Kexing = surname Wen + given name Kexing. 2. There's a live action adaptation of this novel, called Shan He Ling / Word of Honor, but it's uh. well. The portrayal of Wen Kexing's trauma and PTSD in it is. Bad. 'Completely butchered everything I thought was refreshing about it in the novel' bad. (please understand i hate everything about the adaptation and am barely refraining from infodumping about how much I deplore it here) So if WKX makes it into the tournament and none of the images I sent work for u, pls at least don't use the live-action version? He is practically a different character there!

Luke Skywalker-Star Wars

Qualifications:

his own dad cut his hand off :( THE gay character of Star Wars

Vader cuts off his hand in The Empire Strikes Back and he's very commonly portrayed as gay and/or aro in fanon. I think he might have been quietly confirmed as bi in some of the new canon novels but I'm not super familiar with OT-era EU material.

Propaganda:

Chanel boots etc etc

he was wearing the chanel boots. he saved the universe with the power of love and kindness. just look at him

[deusvervewrites]

Saiyan AU: So, what would you say the various “enhanced” members of the class are capable of at the start of the school year?

Let's see... First of all I can say they're all superhuman in terms of physical ability to save time.

Midoriya is a half-Saiyan with all that implies (including advanced senses), plus about a decade or so of martial arts and Ki training. He has access to his Ozaru form and control of it, and he's skilled at reshaping his Ki in various ways.

Ashido is a biodroid with multiple Quirks, meaning she has shapeshifting (and an extremely pliable body), regeneration, the potential to learn Ki (like all people but especially notable here) and can turn people into pastries/candy that she can eat to absorb them and gain their strength. Plus combat training from fighting Noumu.

Todoroki, like his siblings, is a cyborg who never runs out of stamina, can absorb energy (including Ki), and is especially durable. This also means that he does not suffer the downsides of his Quirk because his augmentations deal with the excess cold/heat. All that plus his intensive training.

Asui is a mutant Namekian. In addition to the enhanced hearing, regeneration, and body stretching, she'd also inherit King Piccolo's Ki control and flight powers. Also she might be telepathic, that's neat.

Hagakure learned from the Crane School for assassination, giving her better Quirk control, in addition to their signature techniques, like the Dodon Ray, Solar Flare, and the Crane School specific flight technique. She also has martial arts training based around pressure points and instant kills.

Ojiro is-- Ojiro?? Ha ha you fools! I figured out what to do with Ojiro weeks ago but nobody asked since then so it never came up! Ojiro learned magic from Fortuneteller Baba! That gives him telekinesis and telepathy, and the ability to magically produce whatever he wants. Plus shapeshifting, and probably some other neat tricks

[bizabumblebee]

Mann I am cringe

Anyway

Meet the Martial!

Native Hawaiian from the shores of Oahu, Martial packs a punch and a half for anyone who gets in her way. A runaway at the age of fifteen, she spent most of her life as a sailor aboard a less-than-legal private cargo vessel. Throughout her life she’s trained around the pacific in various martial arts and other melee warring techniques from masters of the craft. After a traumatic incident involving the death of another man on her crew, she swore she would never use a gun, but rather only the most personal forms of killing, as a sort of revenge for her swiss-cheesed crewmate. Martial was hired to Mann Co. about a year later than the rest of the tf2 mercs, though they had attempted to get ahold of her long before then.

For her primary, she uses her fists. Being a trained professional in martial arts, she has heightened dodging capabilities. She also has titanium braces sewn into the back of her forearms, thanks to Medic, which allow her to block bullets (to an extent).

For her secondary, she has a javelin or spear that can be thrown at mid-range.

For her ranged weapon she has a blowpipe that shoots poisoned darts.

(Functionally, she’s basically just a Scout/Heavy hybrid. Look man I’m not a game dev I’m just a loser who wanted to make a 10th class self insert)

In terms of personality, she’s a dumb puppy. Positive to a fault. Flunked out of school big time, so she’s not very booksmart, or even just smart in general (woahhh, pipe bomb, I wonder what happens if I-), but she’s exceptionally clever and can weasel her way out of most anything. She’s very friendly, but most of her amiable-ness(?) comes from being a people pleaser. On the battlefield, she tends to lose herself in the bloodshed. She becomes excessively violent and vicious when fighting and often doesn’t realize that she’s torn out a man’s esophagus with her teeth until after the battle’s ended. This does scare her a bit, and she tries to combat it with meditation and mindfulness practices, but she just can’t help but get caught up in the excitement of battle.

That’s about all… simple character with simple lore but I think she’s very silly…….. I will be posting more content of her in the future (you have been warned)

bonus conga