Illumination
At fourteen years old, Theo Martin was an excellent student, thank you very much. He trained hard, did his homework, and always tried to do everything his teachers asked of him. At least, it went that way until Master Mao assigned him a new sparring partner.
Lily Chillman was thirteen and had only been with the Order for two months.
It was that Theo was against women in the Order, or even fighting with or against them. His object was that he’d been with the Order off and on since he was a six. It was his one argument with the Order, that he was still a cub on a technicality, that certain techniques could only be taught at a certain age.
“Master,” Theo said as they walked to the remote sparring area that Mao favored. “I don’t feel comfortable doing this.”
“Theo, I think if you give Lily a chance, you might be surprised,” Master Mao said with a stern look.
“Yes Master, sorry Master,” Theo said, bowing awkwardly as he walked.
Lily Chillman proved to be a bright and cheerful blond with a quirky smile and hazel eyes. Theo had to admit to himself that she was pretty, but she looked young and sweet, and very much like she was still new to the Order. It almost every way, she was opposite of every opponent he’d sparred with in the past six months, when Master Mao had started using him as a training partner to teach other Order members how to deal with someone smaller than they were, but of equal or even greater skill.
“Lily, this is Theo, a Jaguar cub. Theo, meet Lily, a Cheetah cub,” Master Mao said. “Lily, I want you to observe how Theo fights, as another cat your training will follow similar paths. Theo, observe how Lily fights.”
Theo stepped into the sand circle, watching Lily carefully as he settled himself. He could hear Mao speaking, but the words wouldn’t register over his own breathing and heartbeat. He bowed to Lily, feeling unusually awkward and then moved into a defensive stance. As Lily followed suit, he winced at her awkward arm positions. Then he took a deep breath before blurting out, “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
Lily scowled at him, “Dream on, Spots.”
Theo barely managed to block her kick, because he knew those words. They were written on his arm in a flowing script that was so incongruous to their message. He wondered if he should call the spar, unsure of his focus knowing that this girl was his other half.
A sudden sharp pain in his arm snapped Theo from his thoughts and brought the match into sudden clarity. He did need to end this spar, but Master Mao would know if he threw if. Theo shifted his stance and went on the attack.
Unfortunately, even being on the offense didn’t help Theo. He might have held out longer, but Lily tricked him into an overextended punch. He felt her grab his arm, and then he was curled up in the sand, whimpering as he held his groin with little understanding of how she’s managed it. He knew he’d gone head over heels, and he thought he’d punched himself, but when Lily crouched over him and touched his shoulder gently, he couldn’t help blurting out, “Tell me how you did that.”
Lily smiled at him, “The Order runs one of the premier martial arts academies in the world. That is fact. It is also fact that you don’t have to be in the Order, or a ninja, to study the martial arts. I learned from a very ordinary man in a very ordinary dojo back home in Stone Canyon.”
She started to straighten up and Theo began to fumble with the leather brace hiding his words, “Wait, Lily,” He said as it came free. “Look.”
Lily caught his wrist and stared at the words Dream on Spots, and then looked at him before pulling off the sweat band on her own wrist.
Gently, he ran his finger over the words I’m sorry if I hurt you.
Theo winced softly, “I am sorry,” he said.
“Forgiven,” Lily replied. “Now let’s get you some ice or something.”
Theo tightened his fingers around her wrist, “Will you teach me that throw?”
“Sure,” Lily said with a brilliant smile that drew Theo into smiling back.