Flash of a Blade, Twitch of a Fist, Glint of a Spell

[Ammy Spiritor]

Thump. Thump. Thud. Thump. Thump. Thud.

The heavy sand bag shifted and shuddered as each wrapped hand drove knuckles deep into the canvas until the white fur tinged red.

Tha-thumpity-thump thump. Thud thumpity thump thud.

The bag rocked and swayed as powerful legs showed no mercy to it as clawed feet flexed and balled with each kick.

Thwack! Splish!

The bag lie on the floor of the gym room at the Den City house, black sand welled across the red foam mats. The sound of hands clapped together in a small round of applause in the warm, sweat laden air. Ammy looked over her shoulder to the male Lupe that watched her practice and cast him a small sarcastic smirk. She left the wounded sand bag where it lay for now and grabbed a towel from a stand of wooden Boken on the wall. She wiped away the sweat that collected at the tips of her white fur on her head and muzzle, her loose and flowing gym shorts and tank top keeping her cool enough.

The clapping had stopped at the look Ammy threw and Fleety left his lean on the wall and walked into the gym room, the spilled black sand of the bag nudged with his big toe as he drew patterns with his claw.

"So, back from vacation and already you are back to beating your head against a wall?" He asked her.

Ammy hung the towel back up to dry and grabbed a water bottle nearby and took a long sip. She gave her husband a long golden stare. "It's not beating my head against anything. You know I need a physical outlet for myself."

Fleety looked up from the sand drawing and gave her a red gaze of thoughtful amusement. "Physical outlet, yes, you do. We all do. Mental and stress outlet though, are you ready for this again?"

She sat the water bottle down and then took up two of the Boken from the wall and tossed Fleety one of the wooden swords. He caught the sword deftly and swung out into a wider, clearer area of the gym and held ready in a classic T stance. Ammy followed and took up her position but held the sword in one hand by her hip as if sheathed.

"I can relax for eternity and do all the hoops I need to be stable until the cows come home, Fleet, but I can't stay idle. Idleness kills me. To not do anything, to just rest and rest and rest drives me to insanity worse than taking on insanity from doing too much. So I choose my path. The path of working through things a day at a time." Ammy said.

Fleety saw the clever stance she had that was very subtle and smirked. "So you've been seeing him again?"

He took two steps forward for a quick thrust and didn't even see Ammy move. She was behind him, the feel of her Boken on his chest and back was light as a gently push but she'd scored lethal points before he knew what hit him. Ammy reset and her posture was new, Boken to the side, blade nearly obscured by her body and held with both hands. She watched him.

"No, I have not visited my brother for some time nor do I wish to. He needs time away from me to foster the love and intimacy he has for Lahan. I just make things awkward. As to what I am back to using techniques Mako has taught me, it is simply me revisiting some of my roots to be more grounded." She said.

Ammy darted forward and Fleety parried blocking a high cut that was only half-hearted and saw Ammy pivot and catch him with a follow through low cut, tripping him. He gave a small yelp hitting the ground and chuckled as he got back up. He reset with his Boken and watched her intently as she held the sword straight out now, tip aimed just bellow his neck.

"So are you earnestly going to keep this return to dueling in check and for physical release of tension and sociability? What happened with being tested and watched by the Jedi Master?" He said.

His blade spun in a half arc and a mage bolt of energy sped fast and hard for Ammy. Hexes of sunlight glowed absorbing the mage bolt then shimmered brighter as if on overload and the mage bolt was recast at him. Fleety grinned tapped the Boken with two fingers and the wooden blade glowed with eerie black light. A slash and the mage bolt parted in two to curve back and swarm at Ammy in a swarm of wizard blades. Those black magical blades shattered against miniature hexes of sunlight that encased her in armor as she now lunged for Fleety, Boken out to tag him in a thrust maneuver. Fleety side stepped, brought his blade down, driving her point to the ground and slapped her back with the flat of the blade and sent her tumbling to the floor. She spent a moment collecting her breath and energy.

"I spoke with Ember Pallin while on vacation and declined his offer to be a teacher. He really needs someone focused and free to work with him and Padawans. What he told me initially is truth. I and Myrlene are just too busy and we've moved beyond Force Powers. They are just a tool now in our vast tool box of abilities. So I declined his offer to teach and told him I retire as a Jedi Knight. If he ever needs help or people are in peril, I will still happily help, but the path of the Light, Dark or the Gray or no longer my concern." Ammy said.

Fleety listened then walked up to her and gave her a hand up. "You did quite well blending blade and spell work together. Still a bit too predictable on the thrusting." He chuckled. "And perhaps it is a good thing then that you've passed the torch on to others. Rather like seeing my wife involved in less lethal workloads."

She stood and chuckled. "My thrusts need work but are still a good move from time to time. And yes, less lethal workloads or just less workloads in general. I have enough staff at the Alchemist's Fire Complex now to allow me to work on personal projects and less on the every day running of the shops. Perhaps I will teach again one day. For now, the vacation was good, the children had fun and I feel relaxed. So it's time to get off my but and get back to enjoying some dueling."

Fleety nodded and took the Bokens and put them back up then came to walk with her out of the gym room. "I'm behind you in what you wish to do. Just remember. Physical outlet, dear. Anything else starts going. Come. Talk to the family and just take a few breaks? Okay?"

Ammy smiled softly and nodded to Fleety. "Okay." She gave him a kiss on the cheeks as they went to get something to eat.