Defeating Your Own Mind (Solo Training)

Altar grasped the back of his head, almost feeling it throb with pain. What had he done last night that caused this? It felt like dear heaven above was cursing him, wishing him to be in agony. Ah well, he thought, raising himself up out of bed, thinking of his father's old saying. "The worse the headache, the better the night was!"  he'd say, laughing to himself as his mother would charactaristically roll her eyes at him. Altar smiled, his eyes growing foggy as he remembered his parents. They were solemn, and miserable, but they had their moments of fun. Altar pulled on his clothes, preparing for the day ahead. He sat back down on the bed, wiping his eyes clear, putting on a serious face. It had always seemed that when he was alone was the only time he could actually feel and display his emotions, but that didn't make it a good thing. He needed to be taken seriously, he wanted to be dangerous, he wanted to be a threat, and he certainly wouldn't be with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. Besides, he didn't like thinking about his parents, Not after what had happened. Altar sighed, looking out his window to see the rain coming down outside. Good, he thought, he loved the rain. He got up, went out the door, and started off towards the training towers.

Altar grasped the door to the room, entering it and immediatly noticing the round room he found himself in, two switches on the far left, presumably lights, a few knobs and a button next to them. On a rack to his right were what looked like earpieces, a board abpve them labeling rules. He walked to the board reading it. It read...

-Welcome to the holographics training simulator. The earpieces below are used for voice control. Phrases such as "Pause" and "Start" will be recognized to the program. The control panel to the far left may also be used. Happy training!

Altar grabbed an earpiece, fitting it to his ear as he walked to the control panel. The switches controlled lights and the power to the holograms. The knobs adjusted number, difficulty, and weapons. The button was to adjust the simulation accordingly to the knobs. Altar turned number to "1", difficulty to "Normal" and set weapons to "None". Standing in the middle of the room, Altar readied himself, turned on the earpiece, and said "Start!"

Immediatly, a hologram of what seemed a common ninja appeared, running at Altar. It swung a right at Altar, who dodged left, under the arm, spinning around, aiming a kick to the hologram's head. The hologram turned and backstepped, grabbing Altar's leg and tossing him at the wall. Altar flipped, landing on the wall, kicking off, spinning mid air and kicking the hologram in the jaw, landing, and punching the same spot with his left, pivoting his body with his arm. The hologram was knocked to the ground by the punch, as Altar placed his hand on the back of the hologram, flipping over it and running to the wall. The hologram got up, charging Altar. It aimed a punch right to Altar's head as he jumped over it, the hologram punching the wall instead, Altar came down and landed on the hologram's back, pushing off of it, sending it forcefully face first into the wall, and Altar flipping through the air, landing at about the middle of the room again. Altar thought this was getting too easy.

"Pause!" Altar said into the earpiece, as the hologram froze mid action. Altar walked back over to the control panel, notching up the difficulty all the way, and added another hologram, pressing the button. He walked back to the middle of the room. "Start" he said, as another hologram appeared. Altar took a fighting stance as the holograms charged him from both sides. The one on the left went to sweep his legs as Altar jumped over it, the one from the right punched him and grabbed his arm, throwing him towards the wall. Altar flipped, landing on the wall, flipping off as the holograms rushed him, throwing both aimed and wild kicks and punches in every direction. Altar managed around them, kicking one into the other, aiming a right punch, then a sweep kick on the rightmost hologram, then knocking the other off balance, throwing it to the ground and aiming a kick to it's head. The hologram grabbed the kick, pulling Altar down to the ground as the other got up and started kicking him as he lay on the ground. Altar turned and tried to catch a stomp from the hologram, only to have his grip slip and catch it right to the face. Altar could feel the anger boiling inside him, as he looked down, kicking the hologram holding him, it began rolling away, holding it's face. Altar then grabbed the leg of the one above him, pulling him down and rolling away.

He took a moment to survey the situation. Hologram #1 was still rolling on the ground, clutching at it's face. Altar grinned, he hadn't thought these holograms could sustain injuries. Hologram #2 was rolling around, trying to get to it's feet. This was a perfect opportunity. Altar's hands went together, forming a number of hand signs. As lightning started shooting from his hand, and the sound of birds filled the room, the second hologram stood up, wobbling a bit on it's feet. Altar charged at it, running for it as fast as he could. The hologram turned as Altar neared it, jumping out of the way before being struck. "Shit!" Altar shouted as the hologram jumped, the lightning striking the wall instead. THAT hurt a bit more than he would've liked. He turned around, charging the hologram again, this time it dodged around him, dragging him down, placing all it's weight on him to lock him down. Altar struggled around, not being able to get up. He tried rolling out from under the hologram, pushing him off, pulling him off, but nothing worked. Altar was pinned, and there was nothing he could do about it! Altar shouted, trying with all his strength to push him off, but it wouldn't work. Altar's mind raced, trying to think of something. God, this was just like when he was a child. Training with his father, god, what a living hell that had been...

*Flashback*
"Come on, you useless child! Get up! Get out from under me! You'll never be a true threat to anyone if you can't even save yourself from a little weight!" His father yelled at him. He was trapped under his father, not moving one inch until Altar could move himself out. Altar could smell the stench of booze and smoke on his father, it was practically leaking off his breath. Altar was sure he was going to suffocate. "Push, you useless little shit! Come on, it's only me! I'm light as a god damn feather boy, and you can't even move under me! Well, you're not eating a fucking crumb until you get out!"  Altar reached out to his mother for help, but she was too busy crying in a corner to bother helping him. Fine, he could do this himself. He didn't need his mother to help...he didn't need anyone. Altar looked around the room, searching, searching...there! Altar reached out, his fingertips barely brushing an empty glass bottle. Altar strained to wrap his hand around it, lifting it and bringing it down on his father's head. His father yelled, scrambling to his feet as he clutched at the back of his head. Glass shards stuck out at every angle, blood seeping down his scalp. He ran to the bathroom, frantically pulling out the shards, reaching for the bandaging in the cabinet. Altar walked back to his room, slamming the door shut and locking it tight. "Jackass. Let's see if your best friend still floats at the bottom of a glass after this." Altar muttered under his breath, flopping onto his bed and closing his eyes.
*End Flashback*

Altar opened his eyes, tears running down his face. "PAUSE!" he yelled in almost a sob, as the hologram on top of him became weightless. He tossed it off, throwing the earpiece away, backing himself up to the wall and tucking in his legs. Thank god no one was with him, he thought. He must look like such a pityable loser... The emotions in him burst out, as he felt angrier than ever, but also sadder and more depressed than ever as well. He laid his head on his knees, remembering his father at his best and worst moments. Altar could never fight when he was upset, he always fought with his emotions. When he was sad, he could never get in to a fight. When he was angry, th threw blind punches as hard as he could. Emotions clouded his thoughts and judgement, and he couldn't fight right with them. He was about to make his way to the exit, and turn off the holograms, when his father's words rang though his head. "You can't let your emotions dictate your fighting, but that doesn't make them without their uses. Instead of getting angry when you get hit and throwing wild punches everywhere, use that anger. Keep a clear mind, but put the anger behind your strikes. Let them empower your punches, not your head. Emotions are powerful things, boy, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you'll be." Altar sniffed at the memory, his father teaching him to fight. He smiled at the memory. Yeah, his father was a drunken asshole, but he was still his father, and he would've been damn proud to see Altar where he was today. Maybe he would've quit drinking for him...Altar laughed at the thought of his drunkard father sobering up for him. Now that was an impossibility. Altar, now in a clearer state of mind, and a heppier one at that, walked over to where the earpiece lay, picking it up and rigging it back in his ear. He reset the holograms, and stood back in the middle of the room. "Start!" he said into the earpiece, as the holograms started moving once more.

Altar jumped left, dashing around the holograms and sweeping their feet out from under them. One fell for it, the other jumped, throwing a punch at Altar, which he caught, grabbing it's arm, turning and tossing it away. The hologram that was on the ground got back up, hitting Altar in the stomach, then taking a hold of his neck and pinning him against the wall. The hologram lifted him off the ground, the second one walking up behind it and pulling his arm back for a punch. Altar felt the rage growing that he was being manhandled, but remembered to keep a clear head, and let the anger out through means of the fight. As the hologram prepared to punch Altar, he wrapped his right leg around it's arm, snaking it around it's neck and pulling it, head first, into the wall. Altar then swung his legs, placing them against the wall beneath him and pushing them off, kicking the hologram that held him in the ribs. He fell to the ground, legs out from under him from the force of the kick, but didn't let go of Altar, who's head scraped against the wall on the way down. "Damn it! Ah, that hurt!" Altar shouted, clutching the back of his head. Altar felt more anger, but let it slide once again, but along with it came sadness, as Altar was feeling like this was starting to get futile. He let the sadness go, but instead of using it to strengthen his hits, he simply remembered it. He remembered that feeling of sadness, and the feelings of anger. He kept them bottled inside until they could be used. Altar stood back up, rolling past the grounded hologram, to the one he had slammed into the wall, who was now standing again, charging at him. The hologram swung a right at his head, which Altar swatted to the side and countered with his own punch to the gut of the hologram. The hologram seemingly took the punch and just kept hitting, and kicking at Altar, who took some full on and managed to dodge and move away from others.

The hologram kept swinging away, which lead them over until Altar had his back against a wall. On an incoming punch from the hologram, Altar stepped to the side, grabbing the hologram's arm , placing another hand on the back of it's neck, Altar swung the hologram around, slamming it into the wall with as much force as he could put into it. The hologram turned around and slumped, half sitting and half standing against the wall. Altar took the groggy opportunity, forming the hand signs once more, lightning streaked from his hand as he pinned the hologram against the wall with one hand, and sending the chidori straight through it's chest with the other hand.

The hologram slumped to the ground as Altar released it, seemingly dead, or as close as a hologram could get. He turned to the other hologram, more emotions rising, this time including happiness that he had been able to dispatch one of the holograms. The second was just rising, grabbing at it's midsection. Altar wondered if it had suffered a few broken ribs from the kick earlier...oh well, it just made it an easier target. Altar charged the hologram preparing for a fight, but it simply jumped away. Altar tried again, this time catching the hologram with a few light hits, but again it jumped away. Altar turned to face it, and caught it slowly backing away from him. Altar figured that the hologram had lost the ability to fight, what with the ribs, and trauma of seeing his ally die. After all, if they could suffer physical wounds, why not mental as well? Altar put his hands together, forming the chidori for the third time today, hoping to dispatch the hologram, but as he neared it it leapt away. Altar tried twisting his body to move, but couldn't, just like always, and Altar missed. This stirred anger again, which he bottled, again. Taking another try, he made the handsigns again, but missed. Okay, this was getting tiring. Altar thought for a second, and decided it was futile, but worth a try. He put his hands together, the signs coming naturally now, the chidori forming in hand as he charged for the hologram. This time, as the hologram leapt left, Altar let out all the emotions. He thought of all the anger, all the sadness, the happiness, he let it all out, and with it he torqued his body, trying with all his power to make his body turn.

And it did. He had closed his eyes, and let the emotions run rampant, each one chasing after the hologram, just as he was, and as he torqued his body, he felt himself change directions, and as he opened his eyes, he saw the hologram land, not 5 feet directly in front of him. He kept moving, and felt his hand sink through the hologram, straight through the chest. Altar stopped himself after this, and turned to see the body fall to the ground, crumpling as it did. He sat down in a mix of joy and disbelief. Had he really just done that? Was that possible? His head resting back against the wall, he looked to the sky.

"Mom, Dad, I finally did it. I beat my own mind. I used my emotions. I hope you're proud of me up there." Altar said, breathing a sigh of relief. He got up, turned the lights off, put the earpiece back, and walked out of the room. On the way back home, he heard the rain, and the wind. And later, thinking about it, he could've swore he had heard the voices of his parents.

~Chidori Mastered~
~Earned 13 Stat Points~
~Earned 26 JP~

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