~*~*~*~
Apparently there was a big fiasco that happened when Luna did her kata. Hanran pulled me away before she had her performance. According to Tabby, Luna didn't do kata at all, she just danced inside of the ring and threw sporadic kicks, blocks, and punches. Then Tabby went onto say how Luna paid a man to play music for her while she was in the ring.
I guess I missed a big show!
Now wasn't the time to worry about it, anyway. I stood next to the ring, waiting for another boy to finish up his open hand kata. He looked to be around Kuroi's age, no older than nineteen I'd say. He was from the Thorn-Goku Clan... the clan that was currently in second place on the scoreboard.
The boy's kata was very fast and powerful. He stomped through his stances, throwing a combination of blocks and punches as he went. The most impressive thing this kid could do was shout out. “EEYAAA!” he hollered as he performed his finishing move.
While watching him, I realized that his kata had everything mine would lack. I wasn't the fastest competitor out there, nor was I the strongest. This guy could make the expression on his face absolutely terrifying. I don't think I could scare a rock. The Thorn-Goku student emulated the definition of intensity that's needed for battle. How does Hanran think that I'll do well? Surely he knows that I'm not going out there and performing a kata as intense as the others.
I'm not capable of that. Plain and simple.
The Thorn-Goku Clan's student scored very well. Four 9.5's and one 9.6. He did better than Hanran, and Hanran's weapon kata was amazing. I didn't even notice that Akira was a judge in my ring, I was so focused on the previous competitors. But it was Akira's voice that I recognized when she hissed, “Over here!”
I wasted no time and scurried over to her. The other judges were adjusting their uniforms and fixing their mats that they sat on. They were tired too, just tired from sitting down.
“Yes, Sensei?” I asked once I arrived. I sounded nervous, that was nothing new.
Akira looked at me almost as seriously as Hanran did. “Are you ready?” she asked me.
No, my head answered honestly.
“Well, I'm—”
“Good,” Akira interrupted. She didn't let me give my full answer. “Cassie-Chan, do you remember what Geisha Rose said when she explained the kata division?”
I blinked a few times. “Um, she said that the judges will score you based on your grace, balance, power, and focus.”
“Right,” Akira nodded. She looked left and right, almost as if she were checking to see if anyone else was around. “There's a beauty to the Ninjutsu Art,” she told me. If I didn't know any better, I would say that Akira was speaking gently with me.
Maybe she doesn't want to scare me?
“Beauty?” I repeated in disbelief.
The Kitsune woman seemed confident in what she was telling me. “It's not all about the battle cries, hard strikes, and fast movements. Every competitor who has competed before you has shown speed and intensity. Show them the other side of the spectrum. Think about that, Cassie-Chan. Go out there and show these stiff judges what beauty this art can have.” One of her jade-colored eyes winked at me.
First Hanran, now Akira? I guess today is one of those special days!
I bowed my head in respect. “Yes, Sensei.” I made my way back to my original spot and awaited my name to be called. I didn't notice how my legs were suddenly steady and I didn't notice how my lips stopped quivering. Although, I did happen to notice that Hanran was watching me like a hawk from the sidelines. But never mind that part.
The weight on my shoulders seemed to lighten. Now I know I won't have to go out there and try to copy the other acts that preceded me. I won't look like a fool trying to force something I'm not confident with.
“Teruko Cassie of the Kitsune Clan, you're up,” one of the judges announced.
Once I entered that ring, the noise from the outside world diminished. I thought of my favorite flower, what I considered to be the most beautiful thing in nature... the jasmine flower.
My mother used to tell me that the jasmine flower represented grace. She would put small jasmine flowers in my hair. I pictured the flower in my mind; how pure and white the petals were, how delicate and precious the flower was to hold in my hands.
I began my kata. My movements were slow and languid. I went into a left front stance and kept dropping it down, lower and lower until my body was nearly two inches from the ground. It hurt, yes, but I kept thinking of the jasmine flower. I balanced myself on my front leg and lifted my back one up. And up, and up, and up. With one foot planted on the ground, I balanced myself straight in the air, with my leg lifted all the way above my head.
It stung, but I held my leg up and imagined the fragrance of the jasmine. It was relaxing to smell, every time I see the flower I try to stop and inhale its incense.
My back leg eased down until it was level and parallel with the floor. I threw three roundhouse kicks: one to the head, body, and groin. All this without a single bobble from my grounded leg.
I torqued myself over, spinning on the ball of my foot, changing my direction. I no longer faced the judges, now I faced the crowd. I was still on that one leg, while the one that just kicked tucked into my side.
Beauty, I repeated to myself, show them beauty.
All I wish is to emulate the pure grace of the jasmine flower.
The next thing to do was point my toes; not just the one that was steady at my side, the one on the ground as well. I raised myself up about an inch. Still on one leg, it was just the tips of my toes that kept me balanced on the ground. I swung my arms above my head, keeping my fingers together and pointed.
I held this position for one painful second. It felt like an hour.
With a faster pace, I jumped up from my spot, hoisting myself off of the ground for the first time in my kata. While in the air, I spun, a perfect twirl. I thought of the taste of jasmine tea; it was like drinking warm silk, the flavor was compelling but subtle at the same time.
I landed on my toes on the exact same foot that I was on when I jumped. I squatted down on the leg, the poor leg that I've kept pressure on since I've started. Lower and lower and lower. I was fully squatted on the one leg, while the other one stayed fully extended out in front of me, toes pointed. My arms were in front of me as well, holding a perfectly symmetrical shuto block.
It hurt, it hurt more than any stretching exercise I've ever had to do in the clan. But I didn't harp on the pain, I thought about that jasmine flower opening up for the first time.
The bloom of a jasmine flower occurs in the evening, when the temperature starts to cool down. Its bloom is a natural thing, a very breathtaking sight to see.
Beauty.
I dropped my hands out of a shuto block and set them on the ground. With strength I didn't think I possessed, I carried my entire weight on my arms, lifting myself off of my squatted leg. Both of my legs came to my chest and I swung myself backwards. Now I was in a handstand, with my arms vertical from the ground. My legs slowly unfolded from my chest and I held them straight above my body— toes pointed, of course. I held the handstand for another long moment.
Bloom.
With a shaky exhale, I flipped myself over, back onto both of my feet. As soon as my feet hit, my arms made a double down block, followed up with three level punches: face, body, and groin. I did a forward roll and came back up into a right front stance with a right high block and left ridge-hand strike. My left foot eased across the concrete until it was even with my right foot.
I straightened out my legs and put my hands on my sides. I bowed. I was finished.
Sweat dripped down my forehead and onto the concrete floor. I didn't speed through my kata, use extravagant force, let alone proceed with power. Yet, my body was spent like I had run a thousand miles.
You used a different kind of power, my mind told me.
For the first time since I'd entered the ring, I looked up at the judges. Fou
r out of five of them had a face of complete awe. Their wrinkled eyes were widened, not a single question of my technique was circulating through their minds.
The only judge who didn't look surprised was Akira— she had a gleam of pride in her cat-like eyes.
Oh spirits, I may just cry.
“Scores,” Akira announced.
9.7, 9.7, 9.7, 9.7, and 9.7. Five-sevens.
I nearly toppled over. Yami and Tabby quickly stepped inside the ring, each one grabbing an arm of mine, and they helped drag me out. Just like that, it was all over.
“I don't believe it!” Yami exclaimed with excitement. “Cassie-Chan, you did it! You did it!”
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Tabby added with the same enthusiasm.
Luna ran over and hugged me. “Wow, Cassie-Chan! Yours was super awesome, and you didn't even play music for it! You totally balanced on one leg like a pro!”
“Yeah,” Tabby agreed, “to be able to stand as still as you did on just the tip of your toes? All on one leg? Wow!”
I didn't have the strength to say thank you and answer them, so I merely smiled and nodded my head. However, I did happen to notice the pair of green eyes that were still watching me from afar. I looked across the room at Hanran. “You were right,” I mouthed to him very weakly.
He smirked. I guess he was able to read my lips. “I know,” he mouthed back. That was all that was said between us.
“Oh, you must be thirsty, Cassie-Chan,” Yami then told me, “come on, we have some tea.”
Tabby scoffed, “You mean that decaf stuff? No way!”
Now that I think about it, my throat is burning for relief. “What kind of tea?” I asked with a soft whisper.
“Jasmine,” Yami answered.
I laughed. Sometimes life could be a wondrous thing. “Yes, I would love some.”