A pale finger was thrown at him, and Yazhu immediately parroted [b]"The Tooth Thing!"[/b]  It was legitimately [i]right there,[/i] and she didn't see how he didn't see it.  Wouldn't he be blinded by his own star-like sparkle?  It was right below his eyes after all, and...and this time it wasn't even on his teeth, he just sort of glittered whenever it was convenient!

Now, this would be an incredible step forward for the science of Taoist magic everywhere if she could divine its origin and function, and to do that, she would need to articulate her need and her intent.

[b]"The--it's not a tooth thing, it's more like a--pa-[i]jiiin[/i] kind of...all over, and when you did the thing with your hand you, uhh."[/b]

Yazhu, master of dialects, rested her case.  It would be up to Florian to catch what she was throwing him.

Though, the ascension of the arts could wait.  When called upon to show mastery, Yazhu's eyes lit up, her hands stretched out...and her smile became way too smug for its own good.  [b]"Why, Master Florian, I couldn't possibly discuss the [i]technique[/i] behind these incredible, unbelievable skills of mine.  Do you see the crane reaching out to the poet and asking him what meter is?  No, the crane tends to the ponds and the skies, and the poet to the mind and the brush.  Their two worlds are separate, even if they live in the same one.  They can wonder and imagine the other, but their frames of reference are so wholly disparate that they'd never truly be able to step foot into the other for even a moment.  Like that, you would never understand the technique of a hermit's arts without being one yourself."[/b]

[b]"...but I can sure as heck SHOW YA some cool stuff!"[/b] she shouted, immediately contrasting the slightly profound thing she just said with great energy.  [b]"Watch, from my sleeve will issue forth the great weapon of my own creation!"[/b]

She stepped foot on the ground and spread her stance, before leaning to one side and shooting one arm out.  Her voluminous sleeve bulged outward, and suddenly a heavy stone hit the carpet with a loud thud - this stone was evidently painted to resemble that Taoist swirly symbol thingy, whatever that's called.  Yin-Yang, right?

[b]"A [i]Dao Bomb![/i]"[/b]  She them held out both arms and wiggled them by the bomb to showcase the amazing magical incendiary device.  [b]"Our competition is bringing fists and boots to our fights - I will be bringing EXPLOSIVES!  Magical explosives!  I checked with the tournament organizers and they okayed it!"[/b]