4
A few days later
Physical Education.
She already did enough exercise while she was at her normal job as a dishwasher. Lifting all that cookware into the deep tri-sink was exhausting.
Not too mention good for the muscles. But still.
The worst part was, she was being made to do and forced to do physical exercise... and she wasn't getting paid for it.
To her, that was ridiculous.
At least they didn't receive a grade in Physical Education, Karasuma just wanted the kids to do it, and that was enough for him, of course he was training all the others in knives, parkour and assassin skills (which she had zero interest in).
She was way behind in these types of education because she had just been admitted to E Class.
What was annoying was Karasuma was determined to catch her up to speed.
Which was against her initial wishes.
She swore. Nobody. Listened.
She didn't care how much money was up for grabs over that octopus' head. It wasn't her money. She didn't claim it.
She worked for money.
For the money she earned.
On her own.
Everyone can kiss my ass.
"Okay partner up."
The groups naturally did and since she was the one that made the E Class uneven, (Ritsu didn't do PE due to being an A.I., which she thought was weird). Obviously the government was experimenting with other types of advanced machinery and intelligence here.
This class, what was it?
An experiment?
She just stood on the side not knowing what to do, and not really giving a crap either.
Aloof.
She really wanted to sneak off so she could have a smoke.
Vending machines in Japan let you buy cigs, nobody has to know your age, you just insert the money, and out pops your goodies.
The government tried to hack back on the amount in public, due to the high rate of underage consumption. They created a law that would limit the machines to only being workable in areas where they could be monitored, so lots of them were moved to clubs, gas stations, anywhere in buildings within good camera limits... But good thing, from time to time, her boss hands her a little slip of paper, with excess under-the-table jobs.
If it says she's gunna to be working at Blue Mark, then she'd go refill her stash that night off of tip money.
Not to mention she'd get free drinks also, which she wasn't against either.
If she pleased people well enough with her skills there, of course, that all depended on what role/duties 'The Boss' had her do for that night at Blue Mark.
Barback? Sheet Dancer? Waitress? Hostess? Private Table Entertainment?
She looked a bit older than 15, she was one of the lucky first developers; when a lot of other girls her age still were flat-chested, she had a B.
That makes for an easy lie.
Then of course, there's always the case she'd not 'Go Blue', as she energetically tag-lined it.
That paper could say fish docks or mopping at the restaurant.
She gritted her teeth.
I hate mopping that damn floor!
"ZUMI! What are you doing standing there! JOIN A PAIR!"
She growled.
Damn that Karasuma!
He was sparring with another pair, trying to work on some technical issues, when he had seen her out of the corner of her eye.
Suddenly near her a pair stopped sparring and ushered with their hands for her to come over.
"Hey! You! You can join us!"
That dude had a gritted, smiley grin on his face that sort of upturned her stomach. It only told her: 'boy, boy... I can't wait to get to know the new girl!'
She walked over like a slug. So slow, trying to waste as much time on her steps as much as possible, just so she could spend less time with this fool.
Karma stopped for a breather.
The artificial red-head swore he'd heard Karasuma shout something at the newbie.
He wanted to know what it was.
Probably just yelling at her to join in. He'd realized that she was actually quite lazy when it came to athletics, but she wasn't overweight by all means.
He waved his random partner off, everyday it was a different person, Karasuma did that on purpose so they could all learn from each other. Learn of individual strength and weaknesses.
Karma was panting from exhaustion, leaned over hands on knees, trying to catch his breath. He had soaked through his PE uniform tee.
"Uh thank goodness." Sugino panted. "I was out of steam."
"Okay. No worries. I needed a break too."
He lied. He could of went longer, Karma could of continued. He played. He wanted to see her actually join in.
This might be interesting.
He decided to play it as general interest, because if he was just staring, watching, Sugino would notice.
"Look." He smacked Sugino on the shoulder. He pointed, finally standing up, hands on his hips now.
"Huh?" Sugino turned.
"New girl's joining in." He smirked. Now this gave him the open availability to be able to watch without being faulted from others.
This will be interesting.
"I'm Terasaka!" He laughed loudly, horribly loud.
She shuttered at it.
"And I'm Nagisa."
She nodded. Eyes not meeting theirs.
They both acted as if they were unsure of what to say.
She preferred to remain silent.
"Okay... Uhmm." Nagisa stammered. The silence awkward.
Her arms were even crossed.
"We're uh, trying to learn some new postures for one on one attacks."
"Here you go." Terasaka handed her a weird green rubber knife with military markings. She didn't want it.
Reluctantly she grabbed the knife, and just stared at it in her hand.
In this P.E. class she might just have to be considered a dud, but she wouldn't care.
Terasaka looked at her, and gave a motion with his hand to start.
Karma chuckled. "Look at her glaring at Mr. Karasuma."
"Yeh." Sugino added. "I don't think she wants to do this."
"Obviously." Karma added. Crossing his arms.
Sometimes fuses don't ignite a bomb, and this bomb wasn't wired to explode.
Zero interest.
"So uh, come at me I guess." Terasaka said, scratching his head. He was fishing for words, he knew, and she could tell that he knew that she was disinterested in doing so.
He crouched down as if to brace for an attack. He didn't look threatening at all, honestly... Silly.
Was he really... an assassin?
She sneered at him.
The way he had his hands up made him look like a cheap Bruce Lee knock off.
She'd easily seen the gang, Yakuza, beat up, whip the snot out of people whose stances were this off by simple brute force alone.
On the poor side of town, unfortunately, she got to see it all.
She studied some martial arts, but not traditional Japanese ones. She liked Thai forms better, that involved using thicker bones on soft tissue.
Maximum effect.
The crime lords of the underbelly used that. That was how she became interested at first, watching the street fights and seeing Yazuka knock a man in simple steps.
She had searched free books at the library, until she found a specific form that suited her.
Her and her mom needed protection, from her father... and her aunt.
If it was to be her, then she wanted the highest ground covered in the shortest amount of time, a quick take down.
"I don't think she's gunna do anything."
"Hmm maybe you're right." Karma remarked. Other groups were starting to stop and stare too. Just to see what would happen.
You're being put on the spot. Everyone expects you to participate. Now what are you going to do?
He smirked.
"Well come'on!"
Boy, this Terasaka is ungodly impatient.
She could tell also by the bad dye job on his hair; the blonde underneath was done unevenly, and it cut up too acutely in into the top faux hawk in the back of his head.
What a loon!
She surprised him as she threw the knife to the side, refusing to use it.
"She threw her knife on the ground. How lame." Karma chidded, eye-rolling.
"Yeh, but look!" Sugino stood now, brushing dirt off of his pants, pointing.
She lowered her stance, knees at strong right angles, next, her toes crunched into the dirt and small pebbles below her sneakers. She brought her elbows into her sides, and then fanned her arms out, snapping her wrists upwards and locking palms in a manner that if he would come at her, she easily had seven moves lined up that could take him down in fifteen seconds, maybe less, depending on what the oaf decided to do, depending on how good of balance he maintained.
The worst part was, she seen that salmon haired nut out of the corner of her eye.
Staring.
So was his partner, and so many others, as a matter of fact.
FINE! Let this be a lesson to you all!
She followed the starting pose, it had been altered by her of course, over time, as she became more aware of what worked better for her body size. But she still forcibly, and strictly followed the rule: 'one palm facing East and towards the opponent to announce the rising sun, and the second palm Westward, seeking the setting horizon, to bring the victim to his fall.'
Zumi moved her hands once again, to form her palms and arms into the East West kata.
Now I'm ready.
That show of ready stance made Karma connect eyes with Nagisa.
From that line of vision, from across the field, he could see Nagisa backing up some.
He shook his head at Karma. As if to say 'yes, something's gunna happen'.
Sugino piped up. "Is she? Is she really gunna take on Terasaka?"
"Guess so." Hmpf. Karma put a wrist up to this lip.
Surely.
Underneath of his outward, fake, unassuming, cool stance, he was actually excited.
A huge opponent, Terasaka, a blunt force fighter, against one they'd never seen before. He didn't want to relay off his actual, real excitement.
He kind of hoped she at least could manage one hit on Terasaka, that would at least be some... nice entertainment for this afternoon.
My dojo master would be proud.
She'd managed to maintain very good balance, and with his teachings, she'd expanded them.
She'd always honor his memory, by fighting for her mom and her own self.
Always in defense. Never with an intent to kill.
To protect, not to harm purposefully.
That was the code.
A code she refused to break with this classroom.
This was the only chance she'd have any time soon to show these dummies... that she wasn't to be messed up.
Especially to that red head.
Even though she may have some talents that she hides, purposefully, (kept hidden that she knows anything martial arts so she could protect that secret), she lacked interest in this uncouth charade.
Assimilation into the fold, and assassination was no interest of hers, and it caused her decide to divulge that secret.
Damn it.
Even if she'd have to punch it into their heads to get them to realize it.
She made sure that blonde lady who had been in the break room, was watching too.
She had indeed sat up from her lawn chair, sunglasses down.
"Nothing's happening."
"She's sizing him up probably."
"Hmm makes since."
She actually felt sorry for this Terasaka. He was going to be her patzi.
He lunged at her, and she easily side-stepped, and as his body passed, and didn't turn quick enough, she back kicked him instantly into the ground.
Then she swung her body to face him again, now on the opposite side. She snapped into a different posture, a taller one, right heel digging, left knee bent, but toe touching like a ballerina, claw on the left to grab, right to slash.
A posture she'd nicknamed 'Jungle Night'.
Her frame slim, a posture guaranteed to work against blunt force.
Karma chuckled. "Aww, she felt him out. She can obviously tell now Terasaka is a lunge first, think later."
"Nagisa is staring at us."
Karma looked. Nagisa's eyes were huge, and his head was again shaking in a 'yes' motion.
Karma could only imagine what that girl was speaking about over there, he wanted to get closer, but he didn't want to give off that much open interest.
The blue haired Nagisa kept looking over at the salmon.
They must be friends. Now I know something about you.
She smirked.
Terasaka stood wobbly, holding his back. "That kind of hurt."
"It better of hurt. I hit you square in the lower spine."
She remained un-moving as he grunted and got ready for another attack. "You'll have to teach me that sometime."
"No."
Nagisa then started shaking his head at that other one across the field.
Ahh I see, that one is using this one for insight. I better end this quick.
"That was crazy! You see that!"
"Of course I seen that Sugino."
"What you aren't impressed?"
Karma yawned. "Not yet."
Knocking the wind out of Terasaka isn't easy, good job little brat.
He lunged at her a second time, exactly the same as last, right straight down the middle, but instead went for an uppercut.
Very predictable skill set.
Her slim Jungle Night allowed her to step forward, which surprised him as he almost made contact with her face, (which was the point), to startle him, and that took him completely off guard. She ducked under his, more less superman uppercut which he'd used both of his fists clinched together for, and going with the natural flow of his movement, as he was one of the bigger classmates, she noticed, probably one of the biggest out of the boys, she took his juggernaut issue to her advantage and with her force, skyrocketed his fists into an awkward position high above his head.
For a split second he looked as if he was getting arrested by the police.
Until she smashed his own fists back into his face, from his own swinging centripetal force.
He was done. And bleeding, hunching over and taking a few steps back in disbelief, he waved her off.
Way to give up loser.
"Man!" Sugino shouted. "SHE GOT YOU TERASAKA!"
"SHUT UP SUGINOOOO!" He screamed from across the field like an ape.
Karma just started laughing hysterically.
It wasn't anything to cheer for. What idiots.
"Go get bandaged." Karasuma told him.
She did feel bad, he didn't really do anything wrong, and she had just used him as a tool for her own vindication.
Might as well get the vendetta out into the open.
"LISTEN UP!"
Anyone who was whispering shut it. Even the laughing shit bag calmed.
"You all want me to join you on this tireless charade, to kill that overgrown octopus... but I have NO DESIRE to do so! YOU HEAR THAT!"
She balled a fist, shaking it at them all.
"So don't go getting chummy with me! Stay away from me, and I'll stay away from you!"
How utterly cold.
Karma and Sugino started walking in like the rest now that the period was over.
He smirked.
After that display today.
How even more fun.
He watched her back, that light brown hair trailing in, up the stairs. Ahead of everyone else, obviously in a hurry to get a shower and get the hell out.
You insist so eloquently that you want nothing to do with this. I wonder why that is?
He smirked.
Especially with the skills you have.
"I'm not making friends with her anytime soon." Sugino commented watching her go the opposite hall towards the ladies locker room.
Hmm, then your playing right into her hand. That's exactly what she wants.
He wasn't going to do that. He wouldn't give it to her.
Nobody told Karma what to do.
