"The circular motion techniques symbolizes orbits of moons and other planets while the triangular movements take after the constellations. The different branches in this art form are Single Baston (Single stick, sword or spear), Double Baston (Double Stick or sword), Malayu Sibat (spear)..." Taarini's indifferent voice rang out in the training hall as Aditya made thrusting, slashing and slicing movements in accordance with Taarini's teaching.
He was fascinated by martial arts which were very different than the street fighting he had learnt. Street fighting always focused on explosive speed bursts, ferociousness, inflicting the highest amount of damage as quickly as possible while giving less priority to defence. All the objects in the vicinity are your weapons if you know how to utilize them. So in a way, street fighting was more practical and creative which Aditya did not lack. Hence, street fighting was perfectly compatible with Aditya leaving him free to select his approach.
But martial arts had stiff rules and techniques laid down by predecessors which needed to be followed. Though Aditya did not have a lot of free room to be creative, the flow of movements of these techniques was more body friendly. His arms, legs, neck, abdomen, every part flexed and contracted in a specific rhythm which made these parts almost cry out in exhilaration. All the movements made Aditya realize that this was the way a body is supposed to move so that you achieve high efficiency while spending the least energy and guaranteed minimal damage.
This was the vital difference Aditya noticed, in street fighting, his body was forced to move in many unnatural angles which produces a strain on a human body which will take a toll in the long run while martial arts prevented such a consequence from occurring. Aditya's eyes shined as he absorbed everything Taarini had to offer like a dry sponge.
Taarini looked at Aditya's movements in a daze when she observed Aditya's skill. It was like she was seeing a mirror image or a shadow of herself. Aditya moved exactly how she did, no difference could be seen at all. If this was not a genius, Taarini did not know who else was. Aditya learned everything she had to teach without omitting a single instruction.
All she had to do was give a little guidance and Aditya would take that technique up like he had been practising that technique for decades. It felt so natural when she witnessed the flow of the knife, movements of his arms or the posturing of his centre of gravity or the position of his feet in relation to his arm movements. Everything was top notch. She could not find a fault even if she searched for the minute details.
It just took her two-night sessions i.e. five hours for her to teach everything she knew about Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. Was this really, the person who was her only chance at returning back to a normal life? Would she be letting a golden opportunity pass by if she still doubted him? Should she take a leap of faith? Why was she hesitating when she had already made her decision when she started teaching him martial arts personally?
Taarini knew that Aditya was not the kind of person who was destined to remain a member of her gang if she did not offer something substantial. She even had a premonition that Aditya would soon leave the gang. She could see that Aditya was not as desperate for her information or connections as he used to be in the beginning. He had asked Munna for details in the beginning but now he had stopped asking.
Taarini did not know that her intuition was spot on, even though Aditya had not learned everything he wanted to know as he interrogated many small gangs, he did get a substantial amount of information from them. The most important point was that Tya was developing an ability which could effectively liberate him from any possible surveillance of 'that' organization. He did not know this when he chose to join Taarini's gang.
With the information that he had already obtained in addition to that ability, Aditya felt it was better for both him and Taarini that he went his own way. He had planned to leave the day when Tya would create that ability. Anyway, Taarini had not let him inside the core which meant that she still did not trust him which was perfectly normal as he was a newcomer.
He had not come here to gain Taarini's trust and join her gang. Also, he had saved her life once and this was an exchange for that favour. He did not owe her anything. If anything, she is currently helping him protect Hamsa for a few days but this account could be calculated even after he left as he could pay Taarini back easily given his abilities.
"Stop, it's enough for today. Tomorrow I shall teach you 'Krav Maga'," Taarini spoke in an aloof voice as she looked at Aditya who was breathing a little heavily place the knife back in the weapons stand. She saw Aditya's eyes lit up when he heard that she would be teaching another combat form. She could simply get professional martial artists to teach him but Taarini wanted to teach him herself. As for the reason, Taarini decided to not think too much about it.
"Okay, if there is nothing else, I will make a move, good night," Aditya wore a sports jacket as he said. His body was crying for some rest with all the pains and tiredness.
"Wait," Taarini spoke in her characteristic icy tone as she walked towards a bench as she gestured to Aditya to sit as well. Aditya was a little surprised but still obeyed and sat down as he looked at her beautiful and but chilly face.
"Why did you save that girl and let her stay in your place?" Taarini asked nonchalantly. Aditya was baffled when he heard this question. Why was she asking this now? Taarini was not the type to gossip.
"No big reason as such, why, what happened?" Aditya asked back perplexed.
"Just answer my question?" Taarini repeated as she gave Aditya a chilly stare. Taarini was feeling frustrated and angry. As if her existing enemies were inadequate, to begin with, this fellow goes and provokes Reyansh young master. This idiot still doesn't realize the bog he had placed himself in and living happily fighting hooligans and taking down small street gangs. Now she was faced with a hard choice, either accept him and gain a new powerful adversary for herself and her followers or get rid of Aditya breaking all ties with him. Even though she had made her decision to protect him, she was still upset with him. Aditya frowned when he saw Taarini's look. He did not know why Taarini was making such a big deal.
"The very same reason that I saved you that night because I was at the scene and I was capable of saving so I rescued her. If this was the matter that you wanted to speak about I don't think there is anything to be said." Aditya shot back as he prepared to stand up. He was starting to feel a little irritated now. It was as if Taarini was blaming him for saving a helpless woman.
Taarini was shocked when she heard Aditya's answer and his tone. Her heart clenched for some reason when she saw the detached look in Aditya's eyes. Nobody dared to speak to her such a tone ever before. She realized again today just like on the first day at the shooting range where he refused to shoot accurately, Aditya was not someone who fought for her favour like other people under her.
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She was even more shocked at his answer. Yes, wasn't it the same reason when he had saved her from Flaming tiger? What would have happened if Aditya had thought at that time of consequences of offending Flaming tiger? Wouldn't she have died or killed herself by now?
He did not know that she was a woman of a big background when he had saved her but still he risked offending Flaming tiger for doing the right thing. It was foolish and courageous at the same time and here she was blaming Aditya for doing the same thing for a different girl when she was fine Aditya risking himself to save her. When had she become so selfish and calculating? What had Aditya done, wasn't it just saving a helpless woman in a desperate situation?
And here she was blaming Aditya for thinking like that, which had saved her in the first place. She was immersed in seeing the forest for so long that she had forgotten to look at the trees.
Taarini's face changed as she looked at Aditya who was about to stand up and leave. She spoke earnestly, "Aditya, I am sorry if i said anything wrong but I want you to know the danger you are in right now. So can you hear what I have to say… please."
Aditya, who was about to leave was shocked when he heard the sincerity and softness in Taarini's words. It was the first time he heard Taarini apologize seriously. Even when he was about to leave for the first time in the shooting range, Taarini only gave a fake smile and covered up the issue but did not apologize sincerely. But now when he heard Taarini's words, Aditya sat down as he could notice that this matter was not as simple as he assumed.
Taarini's heart also relaxed when she saw Aditya sit down, she did not notice that her manner towards Aditya was changing. She did not waste any unnecessary words and asked, "Do you know what had happened to that girl, Hamsa?"
Aditya shook his head as he perked his ears instinctively and nodded. He had always wanted to know more about Hamsa but was not rude enough to ask when she was clearly not willing to speak about her past. Now when he heard Taarini's words, he was obviously interested to know.
Taarini felt a slight pang in her heart when she saw the interest Aditya displayed at knowing about Hamsa. Taarini suddenly had a shocking query sprout in her heart 'Would he show the same interest in knowing about my past?'.
Taarini shook her head as she continued, "Hamsa Agarwal is a final year medical student in St. John's Medical College. She is the topper in her batch and had always been a merit student. Her parents had died due to a car accident when she was thirteen years old." Aditya nodded slowly as he took in this information and let it sink in.
"Her father had survived for a few more days due to intense medical support. He had used his last minutes to prepare a good life for Hamsa. She was later taken care by a couple who her father had trusted, they were her distant relatives. When this couple, who usually posed themselves as simple and kind, saw the wealth that Hamsa's father left behind for her, they immediately revealed their true nature and took control of every aspect of Hamsa's life. They literally arrested her in her home to prevent unwanted social interactions, they dictated the people whom she was allowed to talk."
"When Hamsa turned a major and she inherited her father's property, she was forced to transfer the rights to her foster parents. Since then, as Hamsa had grown to be a beautiful girl, they had tried to take advantage of this by pushing her towards anyone who could benefit their ambitions. She was also mistreated in her home where she had to do all the chores." Aditya felt like he was listening to an old black and white tragedy film story. 'So, there are also these kinds of people in the world' was Aditya's thought as he felt bad for Hamsa's misery. 'A pure girl who was supposed to grow up as a princess had been reduced to a maid in her own house. No wonder Hamsa was so good at cooking'
Taarini's voice became grave as she said, "the main point here is not Hamsa's mistreatment done by her foster parents but Reyansh Varma, a postgraduate medical student in the same college Hamsa is currently studying. He was the one who had molested Hamsa with the encouragement of her foster parents."
"Who is he?" Aditya's voice remained quite normal. It was not that he did not feel anguish for Hamsa but he had not thought of taking any kind of revenge for her. He still stood by his words, he would give her shelter and protection at best. He had too much in his plate at the moment to care about others.
Taarini was a little shocked at Aditya's passive stance when he heard about Reyansh. Maybe she had thought Aditya would roar angrily with red eyes as he held her demanding to know where Reyansh was so that he could avenge Hamsa. Taarini smiled inside with relief when she saw Aditya's reaction, 'at least he is not incurable'.
"Reyansh Varma is the only son of Siddharth Varma, a famous industrialist from the capital. Reyansh is a well-known womanizer in the upper circle. The thing is he is also a sadistic pervert who enjoys destroying the psyche of innocent women. There is more than one instance of his escapades. There was one girl who..."
"Whoa, whoa, stop, I don't want to hear any of those stories, you do know am only 16, right "Aditya closed his ears forcefully while making a face as if he was vomiting. The actual fact was that Aditya knew exactly what kind of people like Reyansh were as he saw many such people in the 'other' world. He just didn't want to sully his mood as he was sure if he heard these stories his blood would start boiling.
Taarini was amused at Aditya's reaction as she almost smiled but caught herself in the last second as she said seriously, "Okay, the main thing is that Reyansh always gets the girl he had laid his eyes on and you can't stop him."
"Okay, so he is more powerful than you?" Aditya asked casually as he nodded.
"Of course he is not as powerful as me, not even his father can do a thing to me, but even people like Flaming tiger work as a bodyguard for him. The only reason lies in the fact that Siddharth Varma is one of the loyal retinues of Raipath family."
"Raipath Family? Seems like I heard about them somewhere," Aditya scratched his head while trying to remember. If he was trying hard to remember something, it can only mean that he heard about them before Tya came.
"Raipath Family is one of the oldest and most prestigious families of the capital, they have roots in military, administration, politics and business fields," Taarini stated the main power behind Reyansh.
"Oh," Aditya nodded with no other reaction.
"Oh? Now, do you understand the power that Reyansh controls, so you better leave..." Taarini stopped when she saw the clear, limpid eyes of Aditya as he looked at her. She could not bring herself to finish.
"What should I do?" Aditya asked with a small smile on his face as he looked at Taarini's hesitant face.
"You… okay, since you have heard everything I have to say, what would you do?" Taarini asked back in a chilly tone as she regained her icy countenance. She felt angry and frustrated inside when she saw Aditya's lack of situational awareness.
"Well, I also don't know what I should do, but if I was to say what I should not do, I should not leave Hamsa because of a possibility that something bad might happen to me in the future." Aditya's smile faded away as he spoke peacefully.
"Do you know how my father would look at me in the future if he ever found out that I had left a helpless woman to her cruel fate without even trying? Aditya shook his head as he stood up and walked away, "Never mind, thank you for worrying about me, I appreciate the information. At least I know now what is waiting for me."
"Stop," an icy shout rang through the empty training hall as Aditya reached the exit door. A USB drive and a gun came soaring through the air as Aditya caught them and looked at Taarini who had turned away only showing her fantastic back to him.
"The USB contains all my underground contacts, this was what you desired when you offered to work for me, right? Keep the gun for protection," Taarini's chilly voice said as he also walked away towards the other exit, "I expect you to come at the same time tomorrow for training."
Taarini did not want to show her face to Aditya as her eyes looked pretty flustered right now. Aditya's words rang repeatedly in her brain which caused her heart to slowly descend into chaos. As she reached the exit she heard Aditya shouting excitedly 'Thanks mentor'.
"Idiot"