Ion Glimpses

[Whisper]

Anger, in its multitude of facets, brought a certain peace to Ion. It was a emotion she could empathize with, something she knew intimately well. It seemed hit or miss, though, when it came to finding a steady source. Light a stroke of lightning, a idea came to mind.

Certain places just piss people off and she figured the D.M.V. would be an excellent example...

Ion held no real business at the DMV, but with the volume of people all she had to do was take a seat in the lounge. She pretended to read a magazine, though she scoped out the general emotional state. It wasn't a fury like she knew and loved, but she understood their frustration.

The clerks seemed to take forever to call a number and people had to file into other lines as clerks would shut windows to go on breaks. There were so many factors that added up to generally piss people off in this place. Sadly, though it wasn't quite the feel Ion craved.

But it would do for now...

[Whisper]

Ion was kneeling down upon the mat, watching one of the sensei's do a demonstration of form and technique for a basic kata that they would all be practicing today.

And like that it was over...

Ion had sharp sense, but even she had to be impressed by the blur of speed. Draw, cut, and return the black back to lay in waiting; all done within a blink of an eye or the flutter of a heartbeat.

"We will start with the draw..."

Ion rose to her feet along with the other students lined up to her left and right. Almost in unison, the students assumed their initial stance.

"Do not seek to draw fully out. Focus on your weak hand moving to steadySaya and your strong hand upon the Nakago. Your touch should be quick and consistant; your hands finding the exact same spot, every single time. If you need to start slow and slowly increase your speed, then do so. They key is accuracy..."

The students paired off, under the watchful gaze of the sensei, and began to practice the motions...

[Whisper]

"Iaido does not actually mean overcoming an enemy, but overcoming one's own self. The only obstacle and opponent, is you. When your thoughts and feelings overcome your instinct, you falter..."

Ion's eyes were closed as she knelled upon the ground. She listened to the direction the instructors voice was coming from, the sound of his voice, the sound of his feet brushing softly upon the mat, the fabric rubbing together as he took a step. Each and every detail counted, each and every detail was of the utmost importance...

To be continued

[Whisper]

"Ipponme, MAE; Front"

"You and your opponent are facing one another while standing. Both of you move into seiza while keeping a watchful eye upon one another."

"From a slight movement, you sense your enemy is about to attack."

"While keeping your relaxed state of awareness, zanshin, you rise to your knees, drawing your weapon, and stepping out with right foot while cutting horizontally towards your opponent's temple."

"Your enemy quickly eludes your strike and continues to threaten you."

"You bring your weapon over your head, shuffling forward with a strong vertical cut from both hands holding the iaito."

"Your opponent has been stopped in their tracks."

"Perform o-chiburi, as you clean the blood from your sword while you rise."

"Step in with the left foot moving to the right and check the opponent to see if he is still a threat."

"Bring your right foot back, performing the noto, as you return the sword to its scabbard. When your right knee touches upon the ground check opponent and see if he is still a threat."

"Rise while bringing your right foot to the left."

"Take your hand off tsuka and step back with dignity."

As the instructor spoke each sentence, the students performed the kata separately. Maybe it was the instructors tone, or description, but Ion found it easy picturing an imaginary opponent before her. Ion followed through each of the motions, as the kata ran its course.

Ever since she started taking these classes, the changes she had been noticing were very unexpected. Initially she thought the only thing she was going to learn was how to fight, but the philosophy behind it was something she could have never imagined. It was something she never dreamed of while she was human, a prisoner, or something else...

Ion was changing, in ways she could not fathom. Before there was fear at what she would turn into, but it was being replaced with a different ideal and with a certain serenity.

To be continued...

[Whisper]

The lights dimmed, obliged to fulfill their end of a bargain that was made aeons ago. All it took was a little knowledge as well as a bit of glamour or an archaic action or favor in return. Ion felt the electricity bend to her will as much as her will had to bend to it.

The electricity ebbed fully, plunging the room into darkness. After a moment, the light began to slowly intensify. A dim glow rapidly increased to a brilliant luminescence. A pop in one of the bulbs signaled a filament breaking apart under the electrical load.

Too much...

The light went back to normalcy. Electricity held up its end and Ion had held up hers...

Ion rose from her knees, a position she became familiar with because of the Iaido training. She headed into the kitchen from the living room, but in her lovely loft it was all the same room.

Ion opened up a cabinet, pulling out some white bread and setting it on the counter. Then Ion pulled out lunch meat; turkey from the looks of it; from the fridge.

After making a couple of sandwiches she headed back into the "living room" side of the room and glanced out the window at the lovely view eight-hundred a month could afford...which was mostly prostitutes and crackheads.

Ion shrugged and took a bit of the sandwich. The view did not bother her, as she was not home much. At least her never being home now was not from eight hour work weeks. Her schedule felt just as rough, but her mind-set hand changed. The free hours she had found were going towards ways that improved her; they were going towards training...

[Whisper]

Ion holds the serving tray overhead upon her finger tips as she skirts around the lively crowd. The music is deafening and primal and Ion had no clue who is even playing. The Forge is the last place she still works as a server and nothing would change that anytime soon. She is far from the most socialable and this job is about her only lingering connection to the Freehold.

Ion settles the tray down on a table, pausing to scan across the throng of people bouncing to the beat. She knows the Forge has its perks beyond a connection to the Freehold. The music that plays nightly easily incites emotion into the fans, though the type of emotion greatly varies from song to song.

Ion closes her eyes for a moment, just focusing on feeling the energy. She draws in a deep breath, feeding off the fan's excitment as it becomes her own. The sheer volume and strength holds its own magic.

Ion's eyes pop open as she glances back to the table she is waiting on. She cannot help but feel a heady rush from it all, but she still has work to do. Handing out the drinks and collecting the money she folds the tray underneath her arm and disappears into the crowd of people...