First Brew [Action] / W e l p, that's a panda.

[tapthekeg]

[To say that all this was interesting to Lihau would be quite an understatement. Frankly, while dimension hopping wasn't entirely a new thing to her -- hello, Outlands! -- being thrust into it involuntarily while trying to find the bathroom after a night of getting drunk was. At least she had avoided peeing in anyone's flowerpots, but coming here to Garden had taken her a bit.

As it was, there was quite a lot she had not understood, it seemed...]



[Early in the day, Lihau can be found in the library nearly hidden amongst a truly worship-worthy few towers of books on the desk around her, thumbing through a mix of her course catalog and some random book from said library. Her concentration on such is quite intense, and she seems to be writing down notes on random scraps of paper she likely found just around.]


[Around mid-day, Lihau can be found in the Training Center, though it seems more for the general idea of the area. Rather than going out of her way to fight the Grats, she appears to be going through motions and strikes against thin air that are very similar to martial arts style practices, for those who have seen it before. Once or twice, a Grat will make the mistake of getting too close, and it's often dispatched fairly quickly before she returns to her flowing, cycled motions.

And if THAT doesn't catch your eye, the small kegs hanging from her waist might.]


[And finally, a short time before curfew, Lihau is knocking on the door to the Commander's office, having asked around and been told to talk to this lady over a certain problem...]

Comments

[gotgreedy]

Well hello there.

[Greed, with a flair for the (melo)dramatic, is casually watching from the branch of a tree, leaning on the trunk with a cocked arm and grinning.]

Sorry if I'm guessing wrong, but you're not a chimera, are you?

[tapthekeg]

[Lihau's practicing doesn't so much as stutter as she addresses Greed, though she does flash up a smile towards him.]

Oh no, not at all. You must have strange chimeras here to mistake me for one.

[gotgreedy]

Where I come from, all chimeras are strange, since they're not supposed to exist. But as far as I know, they're as close as we get to what I'm seeing here.

[tapthekeg]

Really? Why is it that they are not supposed to exist?

[Really, the ones she's seen are natural and just animals, so she doesn't sound as sharp about it as she could... but still confused.]

[gotgreedy]

Far as anybody knows, they can't be made. Not talking, smart ones, anyway. It's a lie, of course, same as a lot of things.

[tapthekeg]

"Made?" Are they a thing that must be created, then?

[Strike. Shift. Strike. Kick. Seems she's used to talking with people while practicing.]

[gotgreedy]

[And he's taking notes, or the prince in his head is. Hard to say which is which.]

You know a way to fuse two creatures together without alchemy?

[tapthekeg]

Alchemy from my home deals with the creation of potions and turning different metals into others, not any sort of manipulation or fusing.

[She glances up at him. Hmmm.]

Are you interested in my style? I could attempt to teach you a few of these strikes.

[gotgreedy]

You should tell that to Fullmetal, but promise you'll record his reaction.

[He hops lightly down, long coat flaring as he lands. It's on the tip of his tongue to laugh at her offer, because it's not his style at all --]

[Why not, Greed? Don't tell me wanting everything doesn't extend to knowledge, too?]

[I'm not stupid, kid. You're just trying to polish the stuff you know from Xing.]

[Does that make me wrong?]

...Hmph. Sure, if you think you've got something to teach, I'll check it out.

[tapthekeg]

"Fullmetal?" That is a strange name. I do not believe that I have met someone like that.

[Lihau smiles, clapping her hands together and going over to where he's landed. Without any real sort of tell, she attempts to pull him into a stance like she held once before.]

You must stand like this, first.

[gotgreedy]

You will. Just look for the short guy.

[You ought to let me take over, Greed!]

[What, so you can mooch dinner off her? Greed finds himself in the stance, somewhat to his surprise.]

All right, what's the goal here?

[tapthekeg]

This is the Stance of the Fierce Tiger. This stance is for those who work alone or in a more simple role to fight and strike true.

[DPS Stance, Greed. Keep up! She smiles at him, stepping to his side and dropping into the stance herself. Sure, she hadn't exactly practiced this stance often, but it seemed a better place to start than getting him completely smashed and trying to coach him in Brewmaster style.]

The Stance allows you to focus yourself to a sharp point. You are quicker, among other things. Many strong and agile fighters train extensively in this stance.

[As she talks, Lihau "steps" backwards, shifting her weight to one leg with her arm held back behind her. In a smooth movement, she steps forward, bringing the back arm up in a swift, open-palmed-strike movement. She repeats the action a second time, slower, so that Greed can follow the action, then shifts back into the stance, watching him.]

Now you try.

[gotgreedy]

Hey, maybe this is more my style. Not the best way for me to hit though.

[Still, Ling's body is built for 'quick and agile', and it might as well be his own for how well he can control it. He mimics her action without much precision for the fine details, but fairly effectively nonetheless.]

[tapthekeg]

It can be somewhat difficult, but for those who fight very close together, it is invaluable.

[She watches his motion. Not bad.]

Good. Again.

[Lihau repeats the strike, indicating for Greed to follow her in repetitions for practice, punctuating her words with the empty punches.]

The Tiger Palm is a simple strike, but a damaging one none the less. It is one of the first things that all monks learn.

[One, two, three. Motions that are as smooth and natural for her as walking by this point.]

A monk's styles are varied, but require precision and focus. All must first learn the few basic techniques to be able to understand the more advanced ones.

[Preaching to the choir -- or at least partly -- but Lihau prefers to be thorough. She's never really taught this before.]

[gotgreedy]

[Greed is considering whether this is beneath his dignity or not, but what the heck. It's part of getting what he wants, right? He goes through the motions a few times, following her lead, but thinking. Wouldn't be too difficult to turn this into a sort of thrust instead of a flat-palm thing, right?]

So I'm guessing however much you say 'monk', this doesn't involve getting a tonsure and moving to a mountaintop retreat.

[tapthekeg]

[She laughs a little at that, flashing him a smile.]

No, not at all. Where I am from, we monks train in case we are needed to fight. We certainly do train on a secluded mountaintop, but there is no use to hiding ourselves away. Not when there are things many of us want to see or do.

[Strike, strike, annnnnd -- stop!]

You are too good for a beginner. Have you had practice in these types of arts before?

[gotgreedy]

Besides, what would you tonsure? How would you know where to stop?

[Yeah, he's noted the fur. But is amused by it, not cruel.]

The guy I got this body from knows a thing or three about Xingese martial arts. They're kinda like this. Nothing I've learned, but it's in good enough shape that I can copy.

[tapthekeg]

[...That... that is interesting. Lihau is giving Greed a baffled and wary -- but immensely curious -- look now, though her stance shifts ever so slightly; a subconscious battle-twitch of sorts.]

"You got the body from?" You... took a body from another person?

[It sounded... well, fascinating, but probably not much so if there was already a person IN said body...]

[gotgreedy]

Hey, don't get all hostile. He gave it to me. Welcomed me with open arms!

[tapthekeg]

Really...

[...And Lihau shifts back to friendly, clapping her hands with a smile. Seems she's either naive or has a bit too much faith in people.]

Well, then. There is no problem! But if he is still there, I would like to hear about this Xingese style of his sometime. It sounds interesting, especially if similar to my own.

[gotgreedy]

Yeah, he'd be thrilled to get out and get away. And not let me back out if he could help it. Don't think we'll be going down that route.

[Those are good qualities to have. After all, chip off some of that naivete and faith, and you have a possession worth keeping around.]

[tapthekeg]

[Hm... this is sounding not quite as "willing" as he claims. Lihau makes a mental note to keep an eye on this one... not that it shows past a slight tilting of her head.]

I see. That is a pity, then.

[She rolls her shoulders a little, dropping the stance.]

Well! That is enough training for now. How about a drink?

[She taps her claw on one of the containers at her waist, smiling a little.]

It is always my tradition to celebrate on meeting someone new and I have been lacking quite terribly on that in this world.

The Commander's office

[commanderzabala]

Enter.

[The Commander looks up from her work at the knock.]

[gotgreedy]

[Greed, to judge by his grin, approves of this tradition.]

I'm starting to like you more and more. I'll drink to the start of a beautiful friendship -- or the offer of booze, either or.

[tapthekeg]

[Lihau enters the office, stopping to put her feet together and bow -- it's more comfortable to her than a salute right now.]

Commander Zabala. I was told I needed to come speak with you about an important matter.