I dream of something different. It's a world where everyone sees the same thing. The night filled with stars. Worlds where light reigns over all. But a lone figure stands amongst the masses and it smiles with eyes of menace. It descends on the worlds and all falls to darkness.
I wake with a start. That dream…what the hell was it. It was strange. Almost as if it was some kind of…I don't know.
I wake up and get washed and dressed for the day. Its a Saturday so no school. It's around 10am. I normally get up around 6am to begin my training. But I must've slept in. My brother seems to have gone to work already as well. I practice the same routine I always do. I warm up, stretch and begin with drills. I ease myself into it. Don't want to go all in and burn out too quick.
About a minute in and I'm already itching to try out that new kata. Can't get my mind off of it. I love enigmatic things. Once I start I've got to master it. It's a motto I've come to adapt to having. I try it out on my own. But I don't think I'm doing it right. After a few tries I decide I need instruction. I grab my bad and a bottle of water and head to the dojo. I hope Archon is there. He'll know what I'm doing wrong. Or at the very least give insight on this balance I'm trying to achieve.
I lock up and head to the dojo. On my way there I see two familiar faces talking to a childhood friend of mine. Kaleb. And all I can think is "oh great". Twin boys. One with bangs and the other has his hair smooth back. They wear suits. And have arrogance written all over their faces with slight boredom. I still don't understand how someone can walk around and make that look normal. Must be their version of charisma. Yup that's them. Robert and Klyde. The Burgess Twins. Most famously known as the Symmetry Twins. My occasional favorite bullies. I think to walk around them but I'm already too close. Kaleb sees me first. She's absolutely gorgeous. Long red hair in a ponytail. A sun dress, vibrant fair skin and an amazing personality to go with it. Kind, sweet, and intelligent. How she manages to make everyone love her is a mystery but the bigger question is why she's talking to them.
"Hey Red!" She waves as she smiles. Red is a shorter version of my nickname Redbird. I was told I had been a red baby and that's why I was given the name.
As she announces my presence the other two look over and smile at me. Again. "Oh great." This time I voiced it. The two stroll over. Robert or Rob walks with his hands in his pockets while Klyde walks more stylishly.
"Look who it is." Klyde speaks first as he approaches me with his brother.
"DeaJuan" Rob chimes in.
""Or Red." Klyde says taking a Quick Look at his brother.
And in unison "Either or." They do this often. Yes it got old real fast.
"Wassup" I look away from them. I don't hate them. They're just annoying. They love fighting too much. And to be honest when they heard I'm a martial artist in training they decided only then to target me as they're ocassional fight partner. I would like to say they tend to challenge me whenever they think something new is up with me but they do it so often it's practically just bullying.
"Why the long face DeaJuan?" Rob leans in as if reading into my expression.
"Red's probably exhausted from the spook he had two days ago." Klyde suggests.
"Maybe you two are just annoying" I look at them.
Rob chuckles as Klyde fakes taking offense.
Kaleb runs over and hugs me.
"Oh my God Red. I can't believe what happened. I was at the game so heard late. Are you okay? I sent you text but you never replied.." she keeps going. This is usually her when she's worried. And while I did ignore her it's not because I hate her or anything it's more….i felt embarrassed and didn't want to drag her rep down with me. I instinctively look away from her. She simply smiles and turn my chin to meet her face.
"When your ready to talk I'll be here." I smile back.
The Burgess twins look at each other with slightly serious looks. Slightly concerned.
"Kaleb I think all Red needs is a pick me up." Klyde moves her to the side and Rob simply ushers her away.
"Pick me up?" I narrow my eyes at them both.
Instead of answering Klyde simply loosens his tie. I know what that means. He wants to go a round. I drop my bag and water bottle and we move to the center of the street.
"Let's see how you've grown Red." He holds his hand out to me as if gesturing a dance. I get into a fighting stance. We're an appropriate amount of paces away from each other.
I run to him and attack. He smiles and as I get close he sweeps me off my feet.
"You're too eager!" I reflexively catch myself and land safely like a cat. I numb and throw a punch and he redirects the attack effortlessly.
"You're allowing fear and anxiety to cloud you usually swift movements." He punches me in the gut and use a reverse piercing kick to knock my on my ass. The air leaves my lungs. His words sink in as I lie on the ground. An all too familiar feeling.
"You're usually like the wind. But you've lowered yourself to a rabid dog. You should take a look inwards and decide what you want." He readjust his tie and just like that. The twins leave. I lost yet again. Though more humiliating this time than every other. Everything he said was right. And this ensures me all the more I need instruction. But not on the kata. I hope Archon can show me how to look within myself and lose this fear. Fear of the unknown. The sounds of those voices and what they could have been.
"You usually look more resolved than this. Maybe we should talk sooner than later" I had my eyes closed but upon hear Kaleb's voice I open them and see her leaning over me as I tear up on the ground.
"I'm fine." I lie.
"Maybe you should stop fighting for a bit." She moves as I lean up.
"I!…" I couldn't argue back but something tells me I should. Like what she suggests isn't something I should even consider. Something deep in me.
She smiles her warming smile. "Just for now how bout I accompany you."
Accompany me huh. I mean it's not such a bad idea. I don't really know Archin yet and having a friend with me does seem more reliable than not. Though my intuition is telling me he's a safe man. So I'm not really concerned.
"Sure but…" I start
"Yes?" She leans in her hair tickles my face.
"Hahaha" I laugh "you're too close."
"Well that's what best friends are for." She tickles my side. "We love being too close don't we. Hahaha"
"Okay okay get off!" I laugh and we both stand up. "Don't tell my brother or your mom but I found a new teacher and I think he's super strong"
"Oooou really?" Kaleb doesn't like fighting. As a matter of fact she hates violence . But she always been supportive of my decisions and what I need to do.
Kaleb's mother is a doctor. Actually she's THE doctor of DavyJones. A prodigy. And Kaleb has inherited her intelligence. From the conversations I've overheard with my brother and Kaleb's mother, my redheaded friend is already at college level intellect when it comes to medical science. As crazy as that sounds what's crazier is how she can stand to hang with an idiot like me and go to DavyJones High as if she needs to be here.
Kaleb follows me to the dojo and she looks in awe at the establishment. It was rather old styled. Quite vintage.
"When did we get a dojo here in DavyJones that looks like this?" She walks in behind me.
Upon seeing Archon lying on the decorated mat.
"And so he arrives with a rather…" Helios at Kaleb "different star in his night sky." He smiles. Not a creepy one but a knowing smile. He knows something. But one thing about Archon that I've learned in just a few hours with him is that he seemingly knows everything.
"She can watch as I instruct you on the kata. It's more than just movement." He stands and walks over to me " It's being one with yourself. Put your things to the side and listen."
I did as he instructed. As I dropped my bag I realized I dropped my guard. His hand smacks me and I'm sent to the ground.
Kaleb gasp and as she runs towards me Archon roars "stop where you are!" She doesn't move. Not an inch.
"What!-" I look up at him. Shocked. I should've known something wasn't right about him. But I have no time to think. As I get up he spartan kicks me and I fall back down.
"Struggle!" He walks around me "Emotions can be negative and positive. But without balance we are bound to fall to darkness."
"What the hell are you on about! You psycho!" I jump up and swing at him but he easily dodge and slaps me across the face leaving me disoriented.
"Turbulence!" He lifts my chin to face him
"With negative and positive emotions one can suffer confusion." I back away from him but he keeps on as if he were a recorded message "A battle of will causing turbulence within oneself. But fret not. This only means you are human and alive. And humans must figure out what they are searching for within themselves."
I attack again and again. A kick here and a punch there. My last punch he catches effortlessly. Though he hesitates for a moment. I take the chance to sweep him but my kick doesn't even budge him. If anything it hurt me.
"Ugh!" I grunt and regroup. "The hell are you made of!?" I look at him and I realize I can't be him. Definitely not in a fight.
"Ahh and there it is. Acceptance." He faces me but turns away and sits back on his mat.
"Once we have accepted what we cannot change, only then can we find what we can change and control. All things occur in variety. The more natural an occurrence the assurance that these things are true to one's path to power."
I breath heavy but I calm myself. "What was all that about?"
"And now you have Silence.
We must silence our hearts and our voice in order to hear what we are trying to find. Our soul play a tune and to listen there must be silence after turbulence."
"…." I don't speak. Instead I wait. He's gonna say something. I'm less mad and more…curious.
"Try the kata. You think too much." His words irk my nerves. Especially since now he's drinking a shot of…i don't even know. But to be honest I'm not mad. I decide on the kata and begin. Even as I go I can feel the movements are better. I feel different. Easier.
"I told you to let go of your fear" Archon speaks up. "Only then will you find balance within yourself. Do not halt your worries. But feel hope that something will come. Something good." I almost smile.
"What the hell?!" Kaleb shouts. Archon and I stare at her. I feel terrible. I forgot she was there with all the nonsense.
Later Kaleb and I walked home. It had been night time and stars shined in the distance. Kaleb seems happier now than she was earlier. She was pretty mad earlier but cooled off after we talked about our week. She's a cheerleader and in the bio club. We had a laugh about how I'm so indecisive about clubs in school. She suggested talking to a teacher about it or my brother. I told her I'd think about it.
Right now? Total silence. We have these walks every now and then. In the night. When the city is dark. The moon and the stars are the only lights that we see. We take a stroll through the darkness. And although it may seem quite scary sometimes. As long as I have my friend with me. I know I'll be okay.