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Tweak says, "hello beautiful how's it goin?"

Riley Kennedy (rollwiththepuma) wrote in nosuchplace,
@ 2008-04-24 18:29:00

Entry tags:

charlie jung, riley kennedy

Monday, September 3, 2007
Who: Riley and Charlie
Where: Training Terrace
When: Mid-Afternoon
What: Practicing

The combat gym was too crowded. Riley needed the sounds of nature and the comforting air to practice her 'art'. It wasn't much of an art she would say. No slow crafty movements like Tai Chi and she wasn't artful with a sword. This was faux boxing. You paced around and you tried to get your blood pumping as your fists raised towards your face and you readied yourself to defeat or fall by your contender. Of course, her contender was just the air.

Riley circled around the sandy terrain finally pacing her body in a fighting motion as she began to first give her opponent a set of fierce punches. Of course if he or she was really there, she would aim for their face, trying to throw them off guard before she went towards a vulnerable place like their stomach.

She went on with with harsh hooks making sure her stance was steady. Riley was sure she looked rather strange with no actual opponent. But it didn't matter. She had boxing. Boxing was her life. She didn't want to lose her championship skills just because she was confined.

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runasone
2008-04-26 12:23 am UTC (link)

Charlie and Chris weren't attached at the hip as most people believed of twins. While they were close they didn't do everything together and this was one of those times. Unlike his sister, Charlie gravitated towards athletics and fitness. He liked staying active and keeping fit, and his current sport of choice was baseball though in truth he enjoyed all sports even the ones he wasn't very good at.

He traveled from his new home with the Plancks over toward the Training Terrace to see what was offered activity wise. He wasn't so sure about going into the gym to wail on a punching bag or to jump rope, and he wasn't so sure he would be any good with martial arts or twirling around staffs. The young therianthrope had almost lost hope until he spotted someone moving around in the courtyard.

They were boxing by themselves, throwing punches left and right against an invisible opponent and by the looks of it, beating the crap out of them, too. Charlie grinned and started to walk closer to the person only to find that it was a very pretty lady. He was impressed as she continued to throw punch after ferocious punch and he settled onto the grass nearby to watch her.

His excitement started to grow after a few moments though and he quickly leaped to his feet and approached Riley, careful not to get too close to her fists of fury. "You are so amazing," he said excitedly. He was grinning from ear-to-ear and looking up at her like she was some sort of superhero, or professional athlete, or something along those lines. "Where did you learn how to box like that?"

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rollwiththepuma
2008-04-26 01:18 am UTC (link)

Riley was caught somewhat off guard by the (what appeared to be teenager) and set an arm at her side while the other raised to wipe the sweat from her forehead. It had been awhile since someone had complimented the Puma shifter on her skills. Most boxers would watch then reply with a challenging statement instead of words of praise. The boy immediately made her smile.

"Thank you." She replied softly with a light bow. "I learned from a gym back home in Vegas. Sometimes people really beat me though. Took me awhile to get this far."

She looked him over. The kid looked like he could throw a good amount of punches himself. He looked fit, one of those kids that didn't like to sit around and let the days pass away. Riley walked slightly closer to him, head tilting in a curious matter.

"You seem like you're in shape! What sport do you fancy?"

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runasone
2008-04-26 03:43 am UTC (link)

Charlie would have expected most adults to just brush off his question with an uncaring wave of their hand, but Riley actually answered him and began to engage him in conversation. Okay, this lady was officially 'cool' in Charlie's book and he couldn't help the grin that formed upon his face.

"I can't believe people beat you with moves like yours! Wow, you were really amazing!" Charlie wasn't the type of kid who held back on complimenting someone just because they were female. His parents had taught him and his sister the value of appreciating someone for who they were and what their skills were, and to not judge someone just because of their sex. Male or female didn't matter in the end, all that mattered was that person's character. And so far, this female boxer seemed like a really nice person.

Charlie flexed his muscles in a classic body builder pose and then laughed. "I'm all right," he said with a slight shrug. "Back home I played baseball and soccer, but there's not much of that going on around here unless I play catch with my sister. I mean she's all right, but she totally throws like a girl." He rolled his eyes and then let out a chuckle. "But she's my best friend so it doesn't matter. She's actually getting better at it!" Charlie really did love his sister and he immediately thought about introducing Chris to the woman he was currently talking with.

"I'm Charles, by the way. Charles Jung, but everyone calls me Charlie." He held out his hand to the woman to shake it. He imagined she had a pretty good grip and he prepared himself to give her a firm handshake. His father said that firm handshakes always gave people a good impression and Charlie definitely wanted to give one to the female boxer.

"Hey," he said finally. "Do you think you could... y'know," he paused and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Like I dunno... teach me how to box, or something?"

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rollwiththepuma
2008-04-26 05:49 am UTC (link)

Riley always had a pet peeve with how children were treated in the company of adults sometimes. She was quite the curious child herself and she knew she asked everything about even the littlest of things. The boy didn't even appear as a kid to her. He seemed like one of those amusing teenagers that weren't a pain in the ass. Some had an attitude and even when you were interested in talking to them, they often answered in the typical 'whatever' nature. It was more than refreshing to see that this guy had surpassed that stereotype and was very alive and friendly. She had to say she loved it. Though she could sometimes be rather bitchy, she loved it.

"Now soccer must have been killer. I bet you were great at that and baseball." She laughed at his comment towards his sister. "It's not always bad to throw like a girl you know. That way, if we throw too hard, it doesn't hurt that much if we hit someone." She teased lightly. "I could throw with you a couple rounds sometime. I may throw pretty bad though."

It must have been rather hard to have your favorite sport taken away from you. But he seemed so light hearted about it, plus he had his sister to somewhat remind him of the sport.

"Charlie huh? I like that name! My name is Riley Kennedy. You can call me Riley." She leaned in to whisper. "But, you know. You're cool so you may even call me Anaba. That's my Native American name." She shook his hand firmly, but not too firmly. "And quite the muscles you got there." Riley poked at the area he had flexed before with an amused expression.

When Charlie had asked Riley if she could show him some moves, her smile grew. "Why of course. Tell me what ya wanna know. There's all sorts of things we can start with."

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runasone
2008-04-30 01:39 am UTC (link)

“There is no way you can throw bad, not with punches like that!” Charlie said excitedly. He liked that Riley was actually talking to him and not down to him as so many adults did. Just because he was a teenager didn’t mean he was an idiot that didn’t understand the world around him. “It would be awesome if you threw me a few rounds. I’ll bring my sister around so you can meet her.” Yep, Charlie was definitely going to introduce his sister to Riley; this lady was just too cool and he was sure that Chris would love her.

“Ms. Riley?” Charlie quipped with a questioned look upon his face. His parents always taught him to be polite even if someone said to call them strictly by their first name. If Riley insisted, then he would call her that without the formality attached to it. Of course, her Native American name was great and he definitely wanted to call her that. “Anaba… that is so awesome! What does it mean?” A name as cool sounding as Anaba had to have some sort of meaning associated with it.

Charlie didn’t know what he wanted to know about boxing, only that he wanted to learn it. He tapped his chin thoughtfully for a second before he answered her question. “Well… I guess just anything that you would teach a beginner really. Like, what did you learn first?”

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rollwiththepuma
2008-05-02 04:18 am UTC (link)

It had been really..somewhat moving that someone was so excited to be around Riley. She cracked her knuckled for a moment before she danced her fingers about to make sure they felt loose. "You're a sweet kid you know? The girls will be all over ya when you meet and greet. Or, maybe you have and it's already happening for all I know." She teased, now entwining her fingers and stretching her hands out.

Riley barely shared the meaning of her name, but Charlie was an exception for sure. "It means-she returns from war. I guess it is pretty unique since more men fight than women as to popular belief." She snorted a small laugh. "Okay, look at me going on and on. Let me get you to the fighting."

Of course it was one of those things where Riley could remember her first moves like 'it was just yesterday'. She gave Charlie a few options from what she had learned.

"Well. There is the typical punch with your knuckles to give someone a good hit. I can teach you some good movement with that." Riley made a swift upper movement. "There is an uppercut. Aiming for some ones chin, Of course we wear mouth guards. You would use this in real life if someone was really going after you."

She shifted a little. "Hmm...Then of course there was the cross. That's when you really want to strike at the opponents arm. You want to weaken their arms so it's hard for them to hit you with their greatest force." She gave an example by hooking her arm slightly and hitting Charlie only gently as if making a move like she was trying to get his attention.

Riley then gave a serious look. "Then there is the hook. You really use that in serious measures. That's when you go for the liver or the chin. It's similar to the uppercut. Just more fierce." She took a breath. "So really, it's whatever catches your eye."

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runasone
2008-05-03 02:18 am UTC (link)

Charlie blushed a deep shade of red at Riley's compliment and kicked at the sand with the toe of his shoe. Girls all over him? He wished it was that easy! Most of the time Charlie ended up making a fool of himself whenever he tried to be cute or flirty or whatever the heck teenage boys were supposed to do when it came to getting a girlfriend. At any rate he couldn't stop blushing long enough to respond to her comment and was glad when she started talking about her name.

"Wow... that's brilliant!" He said completely forgetting about girls and focusing more on the woman in his presence. "Seriously... that is like the coolest name, ever. I wish I had a name like that! I don't even know what Charles means, probably something like he who is a big dork." He laughed at the joke he made of himself and then focused on the boxing.

Riley really knew her stuff and Charlie became more impressed with each passing minute. He watched her in awe, paying close attention to the movements she was making the the words she was speaking. He tried to follow her as she did them, but it was harder than he originally thought. Charlie always figured that it was easy like in the movies, but doing it now with Riley proved him wrong.

"Okay so like... how am I supposed to stand when I'm gonna throw a punch. I don't just stand like this, do I?" He remained in one spot facing her fully and then threw out his arms like he was punching. "In the movies, the guys are always standing like with one foot in front of the other, but it's like they move around so its always changing." He tried to mimic the stances he had seen in movies, and for the most part he got them correct with only minor imperfections in his shoulders and foot placement. Charlie was a fast learner, he just needed to know the basics first.

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rollwiththepuma
2008-05-06 12:06 am UTC (link)

Riley pressed Charlie's shoulders down so he wouldn't be so tense. "Okay, the key to a good punch is that you keep your wrists in tact with your elbow. Also make sure that your shoulder is nice and rested. You never raise your shoulders until you are in defense mode. Basically you should see your arm our in a firm straight line when you punch. Never bend your elbow. Also, make sure your thumb is curling towards your index finger when you punch. It may not seem like it makes a difference. But it does. It not only has a better chance of your thumb being protected, but it just that can have a better effect on your punch."

Next she got to his legs, positioning his right leg in front of his left leg. "Now assuming that you are right handed, you want your right fist to be the powerful blow. This is the leg you step forward on when you punch. So let's say your feet were together." Riley stood straight, feet pressed next together to show him. "You would bring out your right leg when it came to punching someone. This is for a direct punch. If you bring out your left leg you are going to miss the opponent directly in front of you."

Riley gave Charlie an assuring smile. "You see, in the movies. The foot work is pretty much basically like this. It's one foot in front of the other after the legs meet each other. They just moving at a fast pace. They need to be at a certain direction though if they want to hit their opponent correctly."

The puma-shifted stood in front of him, setting her hands up like a mime. "No go ahead. punch my hands." She held them way out. "I won't be mad if you miss."

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runasone
2008-05-08 02:03 am UTC (link)

Charlie listened intently to Riley, ever the good student. He had learned early on that paying attention to a grown-up when they were teaching you something was a good thing. In fact, it was a habit that had allowed him to pick up the very basics of many sports quickly. So when Riley told him to put his shoulders down, he did. When she mentioned keeping his thumb curled in, he made sure that he did.

The leg work didn't seem all that hard when Riley broke it down for him. It made sense that you would step with the same foot as you were punching with, if only because it added more power to the punch. He did it slowly a couple of times, his right foot coming out at the same time as his right arm for a punch. He got the feeling it would take time to be coordinated enough to do the motion quickly, but Charlie wasn't in a rush.

When Riley stood in front of him with her palms facing forward, Charlie's eyes grew wide and he blushed deeply. "Are you sure?" He asked a bit shyly. "I mean, my dad always said it wasn't right to punch girls. He said that all girls deserve the same respect that I would give mom, and I'd never hit my mom." He paused and scratched the back of his head. "Are you sure you won't get mad if I hit your hands?"

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AHHH SORRY! ;_; riley wants to adopt

rollwiththepuma
2008-05-12 04:11 pm UTC (link)

Riley smiled widely at Charlie nodding with promise. "I promise I won't get mad." She assured. "But, to make you feel better I can provide some sort of padding so to say." Riley always practiced with layers so she removed her hoodie and her shirt since she had tank top below. She wrapped both around her arms firmly then pressed both towards him.

"That better?" She gave a laugh. "I wish I brought my gloves before I got here, but I lost them along the way." The Puma-shifter stated sadly but she perked up immediately as she put one leg behind the other and raised her hands like she had before. "Okay, now I think you should hit me!"

Riley wouldn't say anything, but she wondered to herself where his parents were. If he had parents. Secretly, she kind of wanted to take him home and adopt him. It was foolish, but the kid was so damn cool she told herself she had what it took to adopt and take care of him.

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Fin.

runasone
2008-07-23 12:15 am UTC (link)

ooc: putting an ending on this so you don't have to worry about it when you come back ^^

Charlie was one-hundred percent sure that there was no other grown-up who was as cool as Riley. She was just so awesome and she was sooooo good at boxing and she was like, well the coolest in Charlie's book! The young therianthrope felt better when she said she wouldn't get mad and quickly got into a fighting stance. He waited until Riley padded her hands with her shirt and smiled.

"Yeah that's perfect. I mean, I probably hit like a little kid but I still don't wanna hurt you, y'know? It sucks that you lost your gloves," he said with a small frown. "Maybe they have some around here that you can have?" Charlie wasn't sure what Elysium had when it came to sporting items, but the Elven land seemed to have everything that anyone could ever need. So it wouldn't have surprised him if they did have some boxing gloves, or at least they could make a decent pair.

Charlie did have parents but they weren't with him and Chris in Elysium. He didn't know where they were or if they were even alive. He only had the hope that they were and he had to keep that alive for him and his sister. Luckily they had been invited to live with Emily Planck and her daughter, Echo, though if Charlie and Chris weren't there he would have jumped at the chance to live with Riley.

Charlie stepped into position just like Riley instructed him earlier. He extended his right arm while taking a step with his right leg in order to punch Riley's padded palms. He repeated the motion with his left arm and leg, and then did it again on the right. The therianthrope continued with his repetitions a few times, only missing two or three times out of the entire set. His breathing was much heavier when he stopped and he bent over, hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath.

"I ... never thought..." he huffed. "That boxing... could be..." he huffed again and stood upright. "So tiring." He smiled at Riley though and put up his hands to keep practicing. "But I'm not gonna stop. Let's keep going!" Charlie's enthusiasm to keep practicing was the fuel that kept him going for the remainder of the afternoon. He enjoyed Riley's company, more so than any other adult (with the exception of Doctor Pryce) in Elysium. And he hoped that their time together on this day would not be their last.

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