Crouching Weasel, Hidden Icicle
'Why' Misao asked herself for the umpteenth time that day 'did I get my self into this.' There she was, standing in the middle of a fair-sized training hall wearing a tight fitting t-shirt, a pair of shorts and a pair of trainers, her usual training outfit. She looked around her. There were about a dozen other students in that place. Most of them were around her age, some a bit older. They were standing in small groups casually chatting with each other. Misao however, stood by herself. She received an occasional look and wink, sometimes accompanied by loud laughter and whistling coming from a group. She sort of expected this from an all-male crowd. She rolled her eyes and thought: 'Guys.'
She recalled the reason she was there. She would have been there with her best friend Yuki if she hadn't gone home with a terrible headache at the last possible moment. It was Yuki who begged her to sign up for this martial arts course in the first place. After being bugged by her for the entire week, Misao decided the best way to get her to shut up was just to take the course. It didn't seem like that bad an idea anyway. Not that she needed any additional training, but watching Yuki try and perform martial arts might actually have been quite hilarious and she could always quit if she didn't like it. But that was then. Now, she just wanted to go back to her own training hall and practice with the other guys, who at least take her seriously. She looked at the nitwits scattered across the room. A grin found its way to her face. 'Oh well, I guess that can wait until after I kick their sorry behinds first.' The sudden silence around her interrupted her thoughts. The master had apparently arrived.
All the students seemed to know the procedure and lined up in a neat row. Misao stood in the middle as she was already standing in the centre of the room and the line formed up at her sides. The master stood before them and was about to give his introduction speech. Misao noticed there was another person standing somewhere behind him. He was rather tall, but that was all she could see from her angle, her view being obstructed by the master. The master's name was Tanaka and he gave a fairly standard speech welcoming the students and explaining the program and the rules. It was not particularly interesting, but the last bit managed to get Misao's attention. He said that he had an assistant to help him with instructing the fresh students and that he was an advanced student of his and the most talented one he had ever taught. He motioned to the person who had been standing behind him.
He stepped forward. To Misao's surprise he was quite young, no more than three years older than herself which made him about 22. The master introduced him as Shinomori Aoshi, and he gave a slight nod. He was very tall. If Misao were to stand in front of him, she would be staring at his chest area. He was also rather good looking, she noted. He had fine black hair that fell just over his eyes and sharp handsome features with an angular jaw. He wore a traditional white training outfit, and she could tell that he had a well trained body. 'I'm almost as bad as those guys' Misao thought, and mentally smacked her forehead. 'Get a grip Misao' she told herself.
Shinomori stood beside the master silently with his arms crossed. His height, his rank, and his stoic demeanour made him a very impressive presence. Misao heard some mumbling going on among the guys. '.What an icicle.' '.Trying to be cool is he.' 'Knuckleheads' Misao thought. For one, he wasn't trying to be cool, this guy wás cool. And somehow Misao suspected that the iciness was just a façade. She had to admit though, he was quite a sight. If she were she any other 19 year old girl, she would be swooning now. But not Misao. She wanted to know what was underneath the icy façade.
The lesson had started. The master decided he wanted to test the new students' skills before he actually started teaching any moves, so that he would have an indication of what he had to work with. Aoshi had moved to the centre of the training hall and all the students sat down. One by one they were called to try and attack Aoshi. They were allowed to use any style of fighting they knew, and they were given the initiative to attack. The master stood on one side to observe their level of skill. This Aoshi was indeed a very skilled fighter. The students were one by one smacked onto the floor within seconds of their first move, and he did that with no apparent effort at all. Misao could see the guys getting increasingly nervous as their turns came nearer. What intimidated them most, however, wasn't the ease with which he defeated them but the unchanging expression on his face as he did so. Misao only felt excitement. Maybe this course was going to offer some challenge after all. This Aoshi was definitely intriguing.
It was her turn now. Misao stood up and strode over to Aoshi with steady, confident steps as she heard the sullen moans and hisses of pain from the guys behind her. Those at the end of the line had turned ten shades lighter and lost all ability to make sound already. Misao stood before Aoshi steadily, bowed, and addressed him. 'Shinomori-san' she said, with a moderate smile and a faint note of challenge in her voice. She looked him directly in the eyes and waited for any kind of response. Aoshi bowed in return, his face still immobile. Misao thought she detected a hint of amusement in his eyes, but it was gone before she could see for sure.
'You may make the first move' he spoke in a deep, even voice. Misao understood his words well. What he was really saying was actually what he left out: '.but it will not make any difference.' Misao was a trained fighter herself, but she was not as foolish as to think that she would be a match for him. Still, she was skilled enough to last longer than those guys before her did. She took a moment to think of which moves best to use against him when he reminded her 'You may use any technique you want.' 'Any technique I want huh.' she thought. A wicked grin threatened to appear on her face but she fought to keep it away. 'Well.' Aoshi thought he saw an evil look pass the face of the brave pretty girl in front of him, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared to be replaced by an angelic look of pure innocence. He lifted his eyebrow almost unnoticably. No matter, he would have her down in a few seconds, although she may offer a bit more resistance than those birdbrains before her he thought. She was trained, he could tell.
She made her move. She threw him a high flying kick aiming at his chest, which he parried easily. She regained her footing and crouched to sweep his legs with a low kick but he avoided that by jumping up in the air and landing right behind her with his back to her. He turned around in a single swift movement, but he was not prepared for her next move. As she swept, she continued in a circle and as he landed she was already facing him. As he turned himself around she threw herself against him, latched onto his neck and gave him a firm kiss on his lips. Before he knew what had happened, he tumbled backwards and slammed into the floor. She was now sitting on top of him and had her elbow firmly pressed on his throat, with that evil grin finally out in the open. 'You lost.' Misao said. 'So I have.' He replied. Surprise gave way to genuine amusement and Aoshi laughed while Misao smirked. And the rest just gaped with disbelief.
-The End-
'Why' Misao asked herself for the umpteenth time that day 'did I get my self into this.' There she was, standing in the middle of a fair-sized training hall wearing a tight fitting t-shirt, a pair of shorts and a pair of trainers, her usual training outfit. She looked around her. There were about a dozen other students in that place. Most of them were around her age, some a bit older. They were standing in small groups casually chatting with each other. Misao however, stood by herself. She received an occasional look and wink, sometimes accompanied by loud laughter and whistling coming from a group. She sort of expected this from an all-male crowd. She rolled her eyes and thought: 'Guys.'
She recalled the reason she was there. She would have been there with her best friend Yuki if she hadn't gone home with a terrible headache at the last possible moment. It was Yuki who begged her to sign up for this martial arts course in the first place. After being bugged by her for the entire week, Misao decided the best way to get her to shut up was just to take the course. It didn't seem like that bad an idea anyway. Not that she needed any additional training, but watching Yuki try and perform martial arts might actually have been quite hilarious and she could always quit if she didn't like it. But that was then. Now, she just wanted to go back to her own training hall and practice with the other guys, who at least take her seriously. She looked at the nitwits scattered across the room. A grin found its way to her face. 'Oh well, I guess that can wait until after I kick their sorry behinds first.' The sudden silence around her interrupted her thoughts. The master had apparently arrived.
All the students seemed to know the procedure and lined up in a neat row. Misao stood in the middle as she was already standing in the centre of the room and the line formed up at her sides. The master stood before them and was about to give his introduction speech. Misao noticed there was another person standing somewhere behind him. He was rather tall, but that was all she could see from her angle, her view being obstructed by the master. The master's name was Tanaka and he gave a fairly standard speech welcoming the students and explaining the program and the rules. It was not particularly interesting, but the last bit managed to get Misao's attention. He said that he had an assistant to help him with instructing the fresh students and that he was an advanced student of his and the most talented one he had ever taught. He motioned to the person who had been standing behind him.
He stepped forward. To Misao's surprise he was quite young, no more than three years older than herself which made him about 22. The master introduced him as Shinomori Aoshi, and he gave a slight nod. He was very tall. If Misao were to stand in front of him, she would be staring at his chest area. He was also rather good looking, she noted. He had fine black hair that fell just over his eyes and sharp handsome features with an angular jaw. He wore a traditional white training outfit, and she could tell that he had a well trained body. 'I'm almost as bad as those guys' Misao thought, and mentally smacked her forehead. 'Get a grip Misao' she told herself.
Shinomori stood beside the master silently with his arms crossed. His height, his rank, and his stoic demeanour made him a very impressive presence. Misao heard some mumbling going on among the guys. '.What an icicle.' '.Trying to be cool is he.' 'Knuckleheads' Misao thought. For one, he wasn't trying to be cool, this guy wás cool. And somehow Misao suspected that the iciness was just a façade. She had to admit though, he was quite a sight. If she were she any other 19 year old girl, she would be swooning now. But not Misao. She wanted to know what was underneath the icy façade.
The lesson had started. The master decided he wanted to test the new students' skills before he actually started teaching any moves, so that he would have an indication of what he had to work with. Aoshi had moved to the centre of the training hall and all the students sat down. One by one they were called to try and attack Aoshi. They were allowed to use any style of fighting they knew, and they were given the initiative to attack. The master stood on one side to observe their level of skill. This Aoshi was indeed a very skilled fighter. The students were one by one smacked onto the floor within seconds of their first move, and he did that with no apparent effort at all. Misao could see the guys getting increasingly nervous as their turns came nearer. What intimidated them most, however, wasn't the ease with which he defeated them but the unchanging expression on his face as he did so. Misao only felt excitement. Maybe this course was going to offer some challenge after all. This Aoshi was definitely intriguing.
It was her turn now. Misao stood up and strode over to Aoshi with steady, confident steps as she heard the sullen moans and hisses of pain from the guys behind her. Those at the end of the line had turned ten shades lighter and lost all ability to make sound already. Misao stood before Aoshi steadily, bowed, and addressed him. 'Shinomori-san' she said, with a moderate smile and a faint note of challenge in her voice. She looked him directly in the eyes and waited for any kind of response. Aoshi bowed in return, his face still immobile. Misao thought she detected a hint of amusement in his eyes, but it was gone before she could see for sure.
'You may make the first move' he spoke in a deep, even voice. Misao understood his words well. What he was really saying was actually what he left out: '.but it will not make any difference.' Misao was a trained fighter herself, but she was not as foolish as to think that she would be a match for him. Still, she was skilled enough to last longer than those guys before her did. She took a moment to think of which moves best to use against him when he reminded her 'You may use any technique you want.' 'Any technique I want huh.' she thought. A wicked grin threatened to appear on her face but she fought to keep it away. 'Well.' Aoshi thought he saw an evil look pass the face of the brave pretty girl in front of him, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared to be replaced by an angelic look of pure innocence. He lifted his eyebrow almost unnoticably. No matter, he would have her down in a few seconds, although she may offer a bit more resistance than those birdbrains before her he thought. She was trained, he could tell.
She made her move. She threw him a high flying kick aiming at his chest, which he parried easily. She regained her footing and crouched to sweep his legs with a low kick but he avoided that by jumping up in the air and landing right behind her with his back to her. He turned around in a single swift movement, but he was not prepared for her next move. As she swept, she continued in a circle and as he landed she was already facing him. As he turned himself around she threw herself against him, latched onto his neck and gave him a firm kiss on his lips. Before he knew what had happened, he tumbled backwards and slammed into the floor. She was now sitting on top of him and had her elbow firmly pressed on his throat, with that evil grin finally out in the open. 'You lost.' Misao said. 'So I have.' He replied. Surprise gave way to genuine amusement and Aoshi laughed while Misao smirked. And the rest just gaped with disbelief.
-The End-