FOURTEEN
ASHORT TIME later, when Elena landed on her back again, she lay there, panting as she stared up at the ceiling.
Kira bent over her. "Had enough?"
Elena gave her a resigned nod. "I should have known I couldn't beat you."
Kira grinned as she patted her niece's face. "What does this make? One hundred and one wins for me."
"One hundred and seven, but who's counting," Jin said from the sidelines.
Elena and Kira looked over to find he wasn't the only one to join them while they'd been preoccupied. Auralyn, Zoella, and Maksym waited next to him, oshota from other Houses Kira didn't recognize trickling in behind them.
Kira remained crouched as her niece jolted upright with a happy expression. "Uncle Jin! When did you get here?"
Jin headed their way. "Right around the time you hit the ground."
Elena's expression turned sheepish. "You'll have to be more specific. I hit the ground a lot this time."
Jin snickered. "A little while before she let you useki.I have to say you didn't do too bad, sprout."
"It still wasn't enough to make Auntie get serious." One side of Elena's mouth pulled down in disappointment.
"Interesting teaching method," Auralyn observed. "It’s rare for the young to train without theirki."
"Auntie says that mastering your body is a crucial first step in any foundation," Elena volunteered.
To Kira's surprise, Auralyn's eyes warmed, her perpetual look of boredom fading slightly. "Oh?"
At the unspoken question in Auralyn's expression, Kira shrugged. "Your young are used to planets with a Mea'Ave. Unless they're forced to the brink, they probably have never feltkidepletion."
The Mea'Ave was a semi-sentient entity whose presence allowedkito flourish. A symbiotic relationship that Kira didn't entirely understand existed between it and the Tuann. While it wasn't quite a god in the Tuann's eyes, it did guide many of their beliefs and actions. As a result, the Tuann had grown up in an environment conducive to the replenishment and maintenance ofki.
Most were overly reliant on it as a result in Kira's opinion. They trained theirkibut often neglected their bodies.
If they were always able to fight in ideal conditions, this might be an effective tactic, but in Kira's experience the things that could go wrong would go wrong.
Kira wanted her niece to know how to handle herself when herkifailed her. Himoto had taught her to always have a backup plan. It was why she was versed in both the sword and hand-to-hand combat. You couldn't always guarantee you'd have the appropriate weapons when walking into a fight. Those who prepared for the worst-case scenario would have the advantage.
"Also, the gains fromkimanipulation is greater if her body is already in good shape," Kira finished.
"Smart," Auralyn complimented.
Kira was about to respond when a screech from the entrance to the gym distracted her.
"Seon'yer!" Ziva shouted.
The girl had stopped inside the gym, her eyes wide as they fixed on Kira. Joule next to her looked over with interest, the same happiness on Ziva’s face showing briefly on his before he buried it.
"Oh boy," Jin said as Kira fought the urge to cover her face with a hand.
Elena sent her a sidelong look as Ziva marched in her direction. "Auntie, you've picked up another one."
