EA-LEC
Vs. Ashlit Hummingbird

Ashlit walked into the Hideout, tired from an expeditious brawl in the forest. She lost. She was frustrated. Why couldn’t she win? She has enough training in the use of her broadsword, why can’t she win? At this rate, she’ll never make it back home and prove to her father that she is strong. Someone seated next to her. She swung around and saw a man with three swords on him. He must be very skilled to wear three at once, and he even has a scar on his face, probably got it from some epic battle or something.
“Can I help you?” the man enquired.
“What?” Ashlit said in a daze.
“Can I help you?” the man repeated.
Ashlit snapped out of her trance and said firm and rigid, “Train me.”
“What?” the man said, almost disbelievingly.
“I said, train me,” She said, looking into the man’s blue eyes.
“Why do I need to, may I ask?”
“Because,” Ashlit said, “I need to get stronger.”
“Not gonna tell me anything more than that I guess?” she shook her head. “Thought not. Well, before we start we should get aquatinted.” He held out his hand. “Name’s Ryan.”
“Ashlit.” She shook his hand.

The duo walked into the restaurant into the back, and then they were in another one. “Here’s where we’ll train.” Ryan said.
“Are you sure that the owner will let us fight in here?” Ashlit said, admiring the décor of the restaurant.
“Considering I own it,” Ryan smiled as Ashlit looked in disbelief, “Hell no. We’re using the dojo out back.”
“Ok,” she said, distracted. Suddenly she got a smack in the head.
“Hey, kid,” Ryan said, “Always remember, always pay attention, that way, you can stop a fight you can’t win before you get into one.” They walked out back, suddenly; they were in a large room, with a mat in the center with a circle. “Welcome to my dojo.” Ryan proclaimed. He took off his jacket and tossed it into the corner. He revealed two weapons on his chest that were unfamiliar to her. He walked to one end of the mat, as did Ashlit. There, he proclaimed, “Show me what you got.”

Ashlit rushed him, unsheathing her sword and swung down. Ryan tripped her. She fell flat on her face, tossing her sword in the air. As she got up, the sword landed in front of her face, the edge aimed at her. She looked up and Ryan was there, holding her sword. He smiled. He handed the sword back to the girl and helped her up.
“I can see where this is going,” Ryan said, “well, let’s get to it.”
She rushed him once again, going for a side attack, slicing at the air as Ryan spun around her, unsheathed his left sword and bonked her in the head with the butt of the hilt.
“Lesson #1, never, EVER, make the first move.”
She got back up and confronted her opponent. His sword was hanging over his shoulder. She waited as did he. It was still. Something fell in the kitchen; she quickly faced the source of the noise then she whipped back around. Ryan was gone. She felt something gash her back armor. She turned around as Ryan was standing there, grinning.
“Lesson #2, the only exception to the first lesson is when you have an advantage over the opponent. Be it strength, speed, skill or surprise; find what advantages you have over the opponent.”
She turned around and sliced at Ryan, he ducked, and she tripped him and held him down with the blunt tip of her sword.
“Lesson #3, if you cannot get an advantage over your opponent,” he whipped out one of his guns from his holster and pointed it at Ashlit, “cheat.”
He let loose a shot and it smacked her in the cheek, there was a large gash on it as she whirled around once again losing grip of her sword, she landed flat on her back. Ryan sheathed his own sword, grabbed hers in midair and pinned her down with her sword in one hand, his gun in the other. “That wasn’t fair,” She growled.
“Lesson #4, not everything is always fair. Get used to it, princess.” He released her and held on to it. “Lesson #5, flexibility is key during a fight. You have to learn what things work and which ones don’t against an opponent. You won’t always have time to do this before a fight, so being flexible makes it easier to change a strategy during a fight.”
She rushed him. He spun around and swung with her sword. A large gash appeared on her chest as she blacked out.

She awoke a few hours later. She was bandaged up, Laying in bed.  Ryan was sitting beside her, a hot meal waiting. She ate greedily, mowing down in a matter most unladylike.
“I forgot a lesson.” Ashlit looked up, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk storing for winter.
“Whuf?” she asked, spraying burger and fries all over the place.
“Lesson #6, fighting is for protection. Protecting your life, honor, family, traditions, those are the things you fight for. You don’t fight to prove anything to anyone else, you fight to prove something to yourself.” She looked down. She understood. It took drive to fight like he does. She just didn’t have it.
“I’m sorry for wasting your time.” She said.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” He replied, “You gotta promise me something if you wanna train.”
“What?”
“You gotta have the drive to do what you need to.”
She thought long and hard. She didn’t wanna give up but she didn’t have the drive. Then she settled on the answer.
“Yes.”
“Great,” he said smiling. “I didn’t hit you too hard so here’s the deal. I assume you don’t have a place to stay.” She shook her head. “Okey dokey then. You can stay here, free room and board, I teach you how to cook and fight, and you have to work in the restaurant on weekdays. Saturday and Sunday you get days off. Got it?” she nodded.