2020-12-18 A Friendly Contest

A Friendly Contest

Participants: Kwan Carlos

Storyteller: None

Location: Paul's Kitchen - Downtown Los Angeles

Date and Time: December 18th, 2020- 2:15pm

Summary: Two members of the Akashic Brotherhood have a friendly contest after meeting for the first time.

Paul's Kitchen - Downtown Los Angeles

The 1968 interior has been preserved. The original terrazzo floors cover the entire room. To the right of the entrance are counter seating with wooden chairs on pools. Globe light fixtures hang from perforated acoustical ceiling tiles, and signed pictures of famous people who've eaten here cover the red walls. A decorative pink screens separating the front dining room from the rear. From open to close, there is always someone at least eating at the counter. While the restaurant is owned by a Chinese American family, everyone comes to dine at this classic L.A. eatery.

---

The small 'mom and pop' restaurant known as Paul's Kitchen is an institute in Market City Chinatown and one treasured by locals and tourists alike. It is here that the Akashayana are known to hold court hidden even in the open. One need only order a meal and ask for it to be made to bao ju, and they'll soon receive a visit from an emissary for the Tradition soon after finishing their tea.

Today, the restaurant is quiet and most of the tables are empty save for a few. An older Chinese couple sit across from one another in a two-seater booth, both most of the way through their early lunch. A woman of mixed Korean and Nepalese heritage in her mid-thirties, plain in her beauty but dressed quite fashionably, sits by herself in a four-seater with just a tea in front of her. Lastly, a young man barely passed his teens and of Vietnamese heritage sits along in his own two-seater, smart phone in hand and no food or drink in front of him.

---

And into this diverse range of Asian culture and heritage walks olive-skinned Carlos, both hands stuffed into the pockets of a mocha-colored bomber jacket. He takes one look around, clearly scouting for an open seat that meets whatever internal standards he holds, then shifts from the door to settle into a chair at the counter. He bides his time until he's approached by a member of the staff glancing casually at the other diners, though he lingers on none of them overly long. When he is addressed, he turns back and offers an easy smile to the Server and glances at a menu briefly. "Shrimp-fried rice, please. Make it to bao ju if you could," he adds the last with a look up and a momentary brightening of his smile, "And some water. Thanks."

With that done, shrugs out of his jacket and slips it over the back of his chair before tugging his phone out of his pocket and flipping through the screen idly with one thumb.

---

The server, an older Chinese woman, nods her head in acknowledgement of the order before rushing off. She returns a moment later with a glass of water, smaller tea cup, and a porcelain kettle of green tea. The cup is filled with the tea and then the server moves off again.

The young man in the booth rises, phone in hand, and departs to take a call outside after the device starts ringing. Whether or not the young man's departure draws Carlos's attention away, he'll soon find another person, the Korean-Nepalese woman, standing beside him a moment later once the young man has slipped out into the street.

"Hello, there." The woman greets in a calm voice with a warm, almost amused smile. "I am Kwan Seong. Welcome to Paul's Kitchen."

---

Carlos hadn't stumbled on the correct method of ordering by mistake, so he had expected someone to approach him. At first, when the young man stands up, he had assumed it was him and turned to watch his progress. Thus, he misses Kwan's approach and is mildly startled when she addresses him, his attention snapping back to her quickly before the surprise fades into a soft laugh. "That was quick," he murmurs at least partly to himself before he reaches for the kettle with one hand while gesturing to the seat next to him with the other. "Carlos Murrieta," he offers by way of greeting as he pours out a cup of the green tea. "Nice to meet you, Kwan Seong."

---

There's a twitch to the corner of Kwan's lips as her smile threatens to shift into a grin, though she ultimately maintains her composure before moving in to claim the offered seat beside Carlos. Her voice is quieter so only he can hear when she speaks. "Carlos Murrieta. I don't think I've had the pleasure, so will assume the same for you. As I said, I am Kwan Seong bani Akashyana. I walk with the Mo-tzu Fa of the Li-Hai path."

---

Nodding, Carlos accepts Kwan's assumption that since she doesn't know him, he likely doesn't know her. He doesn't repeat his name, but he places a hand on his chest to indicate himself as he says, "Also of the Akashayana and the Li-Hai, though I follow the Roda d'Oro." He lifts his cup of green tea and sips at it carefully, looking as if he's been taught how to properly enjoy tea but it never really clicked with him. "I've recently returned to the area after an extended trip abroad," he states casually as he sets the cup back down and turns slightly in his chair to more fully face Kwan. "I live and work over in Skid Row."

---

The introduction brings a wider smile to Kwan's lips and she bows her head respectfully once it is given. "You are the first of our path that I've met in Los Angeles. My master, Cheng Lianjie, was also of the Roda d'Oro. You should have seen the way he rolled his eyes when I joined the Mo-tzu Fa." The Korean-Nepalese woman speaks with an American accent that keen ears may recognize as from northern California. "Skid Row, you say? That is a rough neighborhood, rougher than Chinatown, I hear." Her smile lingers as she reaches down to swat her hand against the side of the man's knee before she slides out of her chair. "We have a tradition here at Paul's Kitchen where new arrivals are invited to 'show their worthiness'. Enjoy your meal, then come through the kitchen and meet me in the back alley. Promise I'll be gentle." Now that grin breaks out in full, though it is more warm and mirthful than made at anyone's expense.

---

Kwan's recounting of her master's reaction to her joining the Mo-tzu Fa draws out a soft snort of amusement from Carlos as he nods his head sympathetically. "I can only imagine. Masters have a particular talent for expressing disapproval," he mutters, obviously thinking of his own master. When she then comments on Skid Row, he shrugs and cants his head to the side, reaching next for his water. "It's not so bad," he offers as he takes a sip, his next words delayed a moment until he finishes his drink and returns the glass to the counter, "They're good people with a strong sense of community. They've just had it very rough and can be a bit... stand-offish towards outsiders."

One eyebrow rises as Kwan claps him on the side of the knee and issues the friendly 'challenge,' but his growing grin makes it obvious he's happy to participate in this tradition of the Kitchen. "Not /too/ gentle, I hope."

When she leaves, he turns back to the counter and his phone, occasionally switching his hold on the device to two hands to rapidly type something as he maintains a text conversation with someone. He slips it back in his pocket though when the food arrives, and though he's obviously keen to finish, he takes his time rather than stuff his face. When he's finished, he thanks the older Chinese woman who had served him and rises, grabbing his jacket and slinging it over his shoulder as he moves to slip through the kitchen and into the back alley.

---

The alley behind Paul's Kitchen is narrow and largely used by small (out of necessity) delivery trucks that offer back-door deliver to this restaurant and the other businesses located along that particular stretch of road. Some doors are propped open to let in the cooler outdoor air and workers from the various businesses occasionally come out to smoke a cigarette or lug trash to a dumpster.

It is here that Kwan can be found standing in the middle of the alley's road-way with near-perfect posture, beautiful Pradas positioned at shoulder width and arms at ease to either side. Her eyes are closed as if she were in meditation while standing there though they open as Carlos emerges from the kitchen's back door.

"This isn't a test so much as a curious question about your character. There is no passing or failing, since I have no right to judge you that way. Instead, consider this a way for us to learn something about the other... if you are willing, of course."

---

As Carlos emerges, he notes Kwan's posture and stance with something akin to anticipatory excitement, though it manifests on him in the short roll of his shoulders and the steadying of his breathing. His own preparations are much less meditative in appearance, though no less internally focusing as he sets his jacket down on the cleanest bit of the alley he can find in short proximity. His background in boxing becomes immensely apparent to anyone with an intimate knowledge of martial arts as he sets to bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly working himself into a focusing rhythm, but he settles into a stance that's more of a mixture of styles than any one thing in particular.

"Oh, more than willing," he finally answers, though that was likely clear from the start, he flashes her an easy grin that makes it obvious he cares little for the outcome. It's the act that matters, and the opportunity to get to know someone. Slowly -- cautiously -- he approaches, looking more to get into a starting position than to make any overt movements towards beginning their friendly bout.

---

Kwan watches Carlos approach with a smile that is warm and inviting. If she is excited about what is about to happen, she guards that feeling well and keeps it from leaking out in her breath pattern or posture.

Before Carlos can get close, the Korean-Nepalese woman will offer a respectful bow at the waist before she slightly turns her border and adopts a casual, but ready stance that is balanced more to the front foot than the back. "The challenge, my new friend, is to hit this pretty face if you dare. Let's see if my Crane style can withhold your attack." With that said, she lifts one arm forward, not minding any contact Carlos might make with her forearm, and bends her wrist at an angle that would keep that arm up and on guard...

---

Carlos isn't without tricks of his own, so naturally when he places the back of his hand on Kwan's forearm it's to enable a better sense of the accumulation of her energy and momentum. It allows him to get an idea for the defensive maneuvers she has in her repertoire, but as the start of the spar is called he attempts a quick grapple anyway. Against such a skilled opponent, it's unsurprising when Carlos' grab -- elegantly enacted, but slow for the amount of focus he puts into making sure he maintains his forms as he was taught -- catches only air when Kwan side-steps him effortlessly.

He grins at her, quickly falling back into a ready stance, his look mildly chagrined as if he's aware that opening move was a poor showing on his part. He sidles up again, his guard up, his boxing-adjacent style clearly more proficient when utilized in very close proximity to his opponent. Yet rather than throw a punch, he quickly launches a snap kick towards Kwan's thigh, putting all his effort into speed in order to land even one hit on his quick opponent.

---

Kwan's Crane style posture appears well practice as is her training in that elusive brand of kung-fu. So it's no surprise when she immediately drops into a low crouch and tilts the angle of that extended forearm into the recognizable neutral stance of kung-fu's Cobra style, instead. The low drop helps her shift her weight before slithering to one side as Carlos comes in to try to grapple her.

A coy grin is on her the Korean's face as she pivots on the front toe of her high-heeled Prada and adopts that lower Cobra stance again. She appears ready and waiting for what is to come next. Strangely, the woman even seems to anticipate that snap kick before Carlos's hips are turning. Despite whatever benefit her precognition offers, she's still in the wrong place at the right time and she still has to actually 'block' the attack.

Her hand is fast enough to move downward but not so fast to get the angle needed to deflect Carlos's shin away and so she takes that blow to the thigh with an audible wince and quickly tumbles down to her other knee.

That hand rises up again, palm aimed outward in a show or surrender even as her grin widens and turns crooked. "Well fought, Brother Murrieta. Very few are able to hit me when I've seen them with my Serpent's Eye. You've joined a rare few. Now..." She rotates her wrist so he hand is offered sideways, then struggles to plant some weight on that dead leg of hers, "...help a bragging sister to her feet, yeah?"

---

Carlos backs off the moment Kwan goes down to one knee, his stance lowering almost instantly into something less offensive to make it clear he has no intention of pressing the attack. When she shows her open palm in surrender, even the defensive cant to his posture fades and his smile shines through with a pure energy that makes it obvious his joy is a general enjoyment of the bout than any sense of pride or self-congratulation. He bows almost immediately, hands going to his knees. "Thank you for the instruction, Sister Seong. You have shown me that I must still work to improve my familiarity with the First Limb of the Way," he offers in a formal fashion that seems almost rote, as if the act of expressing what he learned from the spar was drilled into him at some point.

Then, as she turns that hand to the side, he steps forward and clasps her wrist to help her to her feet. "I can heal that for you, if you want?" he offers, gesturing vaguely towards her leg, though it's obvious he suspects it'll be unnecessary considering the typical talents of the average Akashic. "Your Serpent's Eye," he starts, the intonation in his voice suggesting a question, "It let you... see what I was going to do?" He can only guess, of course, but she had reacted to that snap kick /awfully/ fast, before he even started to move in fact.

---

Kwan accepts the assistance to her feet with a gracious smile and even steps in so she can clap his tricep with her other hand. Once on her feet, she releases her hold of him and limps toward the short half-staircase that leads up and into the back kitchen of Paul's Kitchen. "Thank you, but I think I'll let this bruise linger for a while to remind me not to get so cocky the next time I lay a challenge at Paul's Kitchen." She glances over her shoulder at him, grinning again as she replies.

The follow-up question has her turning more serious for a moment and she bows her head in acknowledgement. "Feel more than see, so perhaps I did not name the rote appropriately. Your surface thoughts..." One hand rises to stroke at her own temple, "...or what your surface thoughts will be a couple of seconds from now. If you know your opponent's thoughts before they do, you can learn to counter them before they have decided to act. It is for those like me who know they can't always rely on being the strongest or fastest one in the room... or even the most witty in a verbal debate, too."

---

His understanding of the Arts lead him to believe there were a few ways someone could accomplish what Carlos suspected Kwan had done -- in fact he himself had employed a similar technique to measure her accumulating force -- but her description clears up some of the underlying processes. He nods his general understanding of what she was saying, following her a step behind towards the half-staircase after briefly pausing to scoop up his discarded jacket. "That seems like an incredibly useful ability," he tells her, genuinely impressed based on the faint awe in his voice, "As my Master has felt the need to repeatedly tell and show me, my... skill in that particular area--" He pauses briefly to tap his temple with a crooked grin, "Is significantly lacking."

---

Kwan lifts her injured leg up and plants her high-heeled shoe on a higher step before using the foothold to support herself as she bends and pushes her weight down, as if testing her wounded thigh. "I would be happy to share what I know. We can learn much from one another even by understanding the differences in our views."

The woman pauses at that point and focuses her attention on her leg. Her hands move to cup either side of her denim-clad thigh and she runs her palms and fingers up and down the length of the the limb, from hip to knee, massaging the muscle while adopting a slow and controlled breathing pattern. The act lasts for several long seconds before she tests her weight again.

"There!" Kwan's injuries already seem much improved as she lifts her leg from the staircase and turns to face Carlos, beaming with pride. "Now it only hurts a little. The rest of the pain we can leave for my bruised ego." A playful wink, warm and sisterly. "Have some tea with me before I head home?"