oos: Okies, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Kung-Fu Fighting
Alex finished stretching her arms and began punching the dummy in easy cross punches. Gradually, she got faster and faster until her arms shot out from her body and back before the eye could blink. She abruptly stopped, arm muscles burning and grinned.
*No pain, no game...* Alex thought wryly as she quickly stretched her arms and torso, twisting until her back cracked.
Then she aimed a hesitant kick at the practice dummy. It toppled backwards and came back up to strike her in return with an extended rubber fist.
She expertly dodged it and couldn't help relaxing a little. Alex pulled on the dummy's base to drag it away from the wall. There was no sign of movement. She frowned and tugged harder. It still didn't move.
At this moment, unknown to Alex, Marik entered the room and leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he watched with an amused expression on his face.
Alex pulled as hard as she could, cursing and straining, but the dummy didn't move! She bent down, deciding to use her legs instead of her arms and heaved.
Marik couldn't help but stare at her butt as she squatted in the awkward position. He froze, captivated until she finally moved the dummy into the center of the room and sat facing the wall, panting in exhaustion.
"Perhaps a break before the real exercise," Alex muttered, not admitting her weariness.
Marik tried to hold in a chuckle but it proved too much for him: the giggle burst out in the form of a snort.
Alex whirled around as he laughed louder. "You! You were spying on me! And another thing, you-" she began furiously, then blushed and turned away.
"What?" asked Marik, puzzled, then started laughing harder as he realized the reason.
"You- you have no shirt on...." Alex answered in a tight tone of voice. And indeed he didn't. His chest was bare (*BARE!* she panicked) and all he wore was a pair of black sweatpants. *Damn, he's hot!* she couldn't help thinking a little giddily as she turned around to face him again. Butterflies were fluttering arond in her stomach.
"To humbly ask you for a fight," Marik replied, still chuckling. He bowed like a samurai.
Alex hesitantly returned the bow, (but only because it was common curtesy to do so, she told herself firmly) and inquired cooly, "And if I refuse?"
"Nothing. But are you a chicken?" he teased, violet eyes flashing.
Alex caught herself staring into those eyes and tore her gaze away.
"No, of course not."
"Fine," Marik walked to one side of the room. "Let's go."
"I warn you, I'm good." Alex said, moving quickly to the other side of the room.
"Sure, sure, everyone thinks that," drawled Marik, secretly watching fires of anger ignite in his crush's eyes.
"That's it!" hissed Alex. "You're going down!"
Marik laughed, which was evidently the last straw: The violent girl sped at him like a hurrcaine, complete with it's fury. He was a little surprised at her agility and barely had time to step out of the way before she blew past, spun in a neat pirouette and launched herself into the air for a kick. Marik deftly dodged it and gave a light punch.
Alex took it without a glance and kicked again, catching Marik in the gut. He gasped, bending over to clutch his stomach and cough from lack of air.
She took advantage of the instant to deliver a blow to his back. It collapsed and he crashed to the ground.
Alex placed a foot lightly on top of him and smiled triumphantly. "I win."
"Not so fast," wheezed Marik and pulled on her foot, causing her to topple over. He was on his feet like a cat and placed a firm foot on her stomach.
He easily held her as she struggled, futilely. Alex became slightly uncomfortable as she froze, mesmerized, a mouse in a snake's glare. Clearing her throat, she reluctantly volunteered, "Ok, you win."
Marik didn't move.
Kung-Fu Fighting
Alex finished stretching her arms and began punching the dummy in easy cross punches. Gradually, she got faster and faster until her arms shot out from her body and back before the eye could blink. She abruptly stopped, arm muscles burning and grinned.
*No pain, no game...* Alex thought wryly as she quickly stretched her arms and torso, twisting until her back cracked.
Then she aimed a hesitant kick at the practice dummy. It toppled backwards and came back up to strike her in return with an extended rubber fist.
She expertly dodged it and couldn't help relaxing a little. Alex pulled on the dummy's base to drag it away from the wall. There was no sign of movement. She frowned and tugged harder. It still didn't move.
At this moment, unknown to Alex, Marik entered the room and leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he watched with an amused expression on his face.
Alex pulled as hard as she could, cursing and straining, but the dummy didn't move! She bent down, deciding to use her legs instead of her arms and heaved.
Marik couldn't help but stare at her butt as she squatted in the awkward position. He froze, captivated until she finally moved the dummy into the center of the room and sat facing the wall, panting in exhaustion.
"Perhaps a break before the real exercise," Alex muttered, not admitting her weariness.
Marik tried to hold in a chuckle but it proved too much for him: the giggle burst out in the form of a snort.
Alex whirled around as he laughed louder. "You! You were spying on me! And another thing, you-" she began furiously, then blushed and turned away.
"What?" asked Marik, puzzled, then started laughing harder as he realized the reason.
"You- you have no shirt on...." Alex answered in a tight tone of voice. And indeed he didn't. His chest was bare (*BARE!* she panicked) and all he wore was a pair of black sweatpants. *Damn, he's hot!* she couldn't help thinking a little giddily as she turned around to face him again. Butterflies were fluttering arond in her stomach.
"To humbly ask you for a fight," Marik replied, still chuckling. He bowed like a samurai.
Alex hesitantly returned the bow, (but only because it was common curtesy to do so, she told herself firmly) and inquired cooly, "And if I refuse?"
"Nothing. But are you a chicken?" he teased, violet eyes flashing.
Alex caught herself staring into those eyes and tore her gaze away.
"No, of course not."
"Fine," Marik walked to one side of the room. "Let's go."
"I warn you, I'm good." Alex said, moving quickly to the other side of the room.
"Sure, sure, everyone thinks that," drawled Marik, secretly watching fires of anger ignite in his crush's eyes.
"That's it!" hissed Alex. "You're going down!"
Marik laughed, which was evidently the last straw: The violent girl sped at him like a hurrcaine, complete with it's fury. He was a little surprised at her agility and barely had time to step out of the way before she blew past, spun in a neat pirouette and launched herself into the air for a kick. Marik deftly dodged it and gave a light punch.
Alex took it without a glance and kicked again, catching Marik in the gut. He gasped, bending over to clutch his stomach and cough from lack of air.
She took advantage of the instant to deliver a blow to his back. It collapsed and he crashed to the ground.
Alex placed a foot lightly on top of him and smiled triumphantly. "I win."
"Not so fast," wheezed Marik and pulled on her foot, causing her to topple over. He was on his feet like a cat and placed a firm foot on her stomach.
He easily held her as she struggled, futilely. Alex became slightly uncomfortable as she froze, mesmerized, a mouse in a snake's glare. Clearing her throat, she reluctantly volunteered, "Ok, you win."
Marik didn't move.