A Weekend Karate Lesson... With Superpowers! (Open)

[NOTE: This thread occurs after the plot thread Let the School Year Begin. As such, Keni has already been awakened.]

Keni stared down his foe as he stepped forth to the center of the sparring mat. Both wore white loose karate uniforms, and both had black belts around their waists. They were barefoot. Keni was wearing his usual headband and fingerless gloves. The Karate Club coach then barked out his instructions. "Face me! Bow! Face off! Bow!" Keni and his opponent did so.

"Keni vs. Captain Lawrence! Three-point match! Begin!" Keni and Lawrence didn't move. This was the first public practice of the karate club, and there was a gaggle of girls rooting for Keni. Keni shook his head, but again focused his attention as Lawrence closed in. Lawrence started with a roundhouse kick, but Keni ducked and swept him off his feet, and chopped him on the chest as the Karate Club Captain landed on his back.

"Point! Keni! Chop!" the coach called out. Both got up and returned to their lines. "Begin!" Keni shook his head. He wish he could use other martial arts... but this was just Karate... if only they had a Martial Arts club... Wham! Keni tried to dodge the blow, but was struck in the face by the punch. Keni staggered backward, but managed to stay upright.

"Point! Lawrence! Jab!" the coach called. The two then returned to their lines. Again, the coach gave the the cue to begin. This time, both were blocking and trying to hit the other person. After 30 seconds, Keni saw an opening and jabbed Lawrence in the rib.

"Point! Keni! Jab!" the coach called. Again, they returned to their lines and advanced when instructed. Lawrence looked like he was gonna kick low, so Keni prepared the block. However, the captain kicked high, causing Keni to drop when the foot connected with his shoulder.

"Point! Lawrence! Frontal Kick!" the coach called. "Next point wins it!" When the two returned to their lines, Keni began balancing on one foot, raising his arms as if he were a bird about to flap its wings. Everyone watching muttered "What's he gonna do?" "Begin!" the coach called. Lawrence advanced, and Keni jumped off of his right foot, and kicked Lawrence in the chest, before landing on his left foot.

"Point! Winner! Keni!" the coach called, causing the fangirls to cheer for Keni. Keni, however, made his way to the locker room, wanting to test something. He made his way to the practice room, unsure if he was being followed or not. He stopped suddenly, and pulled out his Agate Marble, which began to glow. "Guess I'd better get some practice in..." he muttered. "Agate's Courage, Rise Up!"

Keni was surrounded by a blindingly bright orange aura. When it settled down, Keni wore a black karate outfit that was tight-fitting. He had a face cover on from his nose down. On the forehead was a metal plate with the kanji for "Courage". The backs of the hands had the same plating. Keni nodded, making his way to one of the practice rooms that the Karate Club used. This one featured a launcher that launched foam projectiles, used for practicing dodging. Keni began to drag some wooden stumps used for striking practice over to the launcher. After he gathered about 70 of them, he made some adjustments to the machine. "That ought to do it..." Keni muttered.

He then stood at the other side of the room, and waited. When he heard the machine start up, he shouted out his attack. "Courage Multiple Striking Palms!" Keni's hands became enshrouded in orange energy as the first log launched. Keni struck it with a two-fingered jab, causing the log to shatter. Keni repeated the process, eventually stopping when the machine had launched 64 of the logs. Keni leaned back, panting as he de-transformed.

"64 strikes, eh? Pretty good..." he muttered.

Sophie walked through the long hallways. She sighed as she looked around, walking up to doors and looking in through the windows to see if she could spot anybody. And each time she sighed as she found people, who were not the person she was looking for.

It was endless. She trailed down the corridors, wondering if she'd ever find him. Maybe he wasn't even here. She just thought it'd be the most likely place to find him.

She walked along and peered though another window. She smiled to herself as she spotted the person she was looking for. She silently opened the door and stood to the side, waiting for him to notice her.

Keni managed to recover in the time he expected. He didn't even notice Sophie as he said again "Agate's Courage, Rise Up!" Keni again was surrounded in the same blinding aura, and emerged again in his "combat" form. This time, Keni used a different move. [color:2cbf=FF6600]"Courage Spinning Palm!"

The machine launched the other six logs at a faster pace, but Keni didn't move. Finally, he began to rotate in place, gaining momentum. As he did so, an orange dome formed, deflecting all of the logs. Keni then finished, keeping a defensive ready stance. He then stood upright, and de-transformed again.

"Hmm... doesn't drain as much as the other one does..." Keni said. He still didn't notice Sophie as he began to move a larger log around.

Sophie stood there, watching. What the hell?! He had... Like... Changed? But how?

She watched, silently. She moved slightly closer, trying to see and work out how he was doing this. These powers and weird changing. What? She was so confused.

She stayed silent and wasn't noticed. But then her phone started beeping at her and she willed it to shut up as she got it out, seeing it was just a stupid text.

Keni jumped when he heard the noise, knocking the log over, which fell with a ground-shaking CRASH! Keni, however, wasn't fazed as he assumed a ready stance, until he saw it was Sophie.

"Sophie? What are you doing here?" Keni asked, a bit surprised. Then again, he hadn't really seen her since that one night when she took off. Keni shook his head. He'd rather not think of the bad memories from that night...

Sophie sighed and walked up to him. She was still really confused but he looked just as confused as she was.
"I just..." She started, not really knowing what to say. She played with the bracelets on her wrist, thinking of what she was going to say.
"I just... Wanted to thank you... You know, for looking after me..." She stuttered, shivering as she felt the room was really cold.

Keni stood normally.

"I see... You're welcome." Keni said. He then turned and started to heave the log back to an upright position.

"Anyway... how long have you been here? Keni then asked, as the got the log nearly upright.

Sophie followed him slightly.
"I dunno... Long enough." She replied to Keni. She put her phone back in her pocket and watched him. She shoved her hands in her jeans' pockets and sighed heavily.

Keni turned back to look at her, sweating from exertion. "Exactly how long is 'long enough'?" he asked. He almost had the log in place at this point.

Great now Keni was mad with her. She sighed. She could never get anything right.
"Just about 10 minutes. Not long," She muttered before walking towards the door, "But I get it, you're busy, you don't want me here."

Keni dropped the log again when he heard that. He then turned around. "10 minutes? So, I'm assuming you saw me, then?" Keni asked her. Keni then shook his head. Kent then saw Sophie leaving. "Wait! Don't go. I... want you to stay..." Keni said, his face getting a little red.

Sophie turned around when she heard him.
"Why? Why would anyone ever want me to stay?" She asked, almost snapping at him. She glared at him, not even knowing why she was. Maybe she was angry he'd kept such a big thing from her. Who knew?

Keni shook his head. "I dunno. Maybe I enjoy your company." Keni said, keeping his own anger in check as he began to breathe a bit deeper to keep himself calm. "If you don't want to stay, that's your choice." Keni said, turning around to resume lifting the log up.

Sophie sighed.
"I'll stay," She muttered.

She walked over to him before sitting down beside where he was standing. She crossed her legs and took her jacket off. She threw the jacket over to the other side of the room before letting her hair down. It had been annoying her all day so she had just decided to leave it.

Keni nodded, not bothering to reply, as he was too busy grunting, getting the log set up again. This time, he got it in the position he wanted it in. He then turned to Sophie. "You're gonna wanna back away... about where your jacket is should be safe..." Keni then stood a fair distance away, and began to concentrate again. "Agate's Courage, Rise Up!"

Sophie muttered to herself as she stood up and walked to other side of the room. She wasn't just some weak little girl. It annoyed her so much. She sat in the corner of the room and held her jacket in her arms, kind of hugging it.

Keni nodded when he'd seen she moved. Thank you. The reason I asked is I haven't tested this move yet..." Keni said. He then began to concentrate. "Courage Striking Palm!" Keni cried out. He thrust his palm out. There was a brief flash of orange energy, and then the log shattered to bits. Keni nodded, de-transforming.

"I doubt it'd do a youma in so easily, but at least I know what that does now..." Keni muttered.

Sophie clung onto the jacket she was holding. She curled up slightly and leaned her head against the wall. She hadn't slept much since that night she'd walked away from Keni.
"It was cool," She called to him, not wanting to move from her comfy position.

Keni nodded, turning to her. "Have you given any thought to what I told you last time we talked? About not fearing what you don't know?" he asked, going around with a broom he'd gotten from the closet and sweeping the wood bits up.

Sophie sighed. She hadn't really thought much about it, apart from what could go wrong.
"A bit," She replied, mumbling slightly. She honestly just wanted to go to sleep. But she also wanted to talk to him. Life could be so hard sometimes.

Keni nodded. "Reached any significant conclusions?" he asked. He'd finished sweeping all the wood bits into a trash can. Keni put the broom away and sat down next to Sophie.

Sophie smiled at Keni as he sat down next to her.
"Not much. Just that I don't wanna do anything because it could all go wrong," She told him, almost closing her eyes but managing to stay awake.

Keni shook his head, laughing. "It can't go wrong. All you have to do is not let your fear get in the way. Hell, when I first discovered my transformation, I was scared until I realized I could control the power." Keni said, getting up and pacing. His bare foot stepped on a splinter, causing him to lift his foot up and pick it out after yelping in pain.

Sophie moaned, not wanting to get up. She called to Keni, "Are you okay?" She tried to get up but simply didn't have the energy to. She just sighed and slumped back in her corner.

Keni nodded. "Yeah, fine." he said. He approached another log that was set up. He then looked at his scarred knuckles. That tree had done a good number on his hands. Keni almost regretted punching it... but he shrugged, walking back toward where Sophie was. "My question is whether or not you are alright."