Kim Possible and all related characters etc. belong to Disney.
Sorry about how long it took me to update. I've hit a dry season and am having difficulties with sitting down and writing, even though I have tons of ideas.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and messaged me to ask about this story.
ONE MOMENT TO DAWN
Chapter 4
Yori stopped to take a look around her as she landed silently on the small balcony. It was her second night at that same house, and she hoped that she wouldn't have to leave in failure two times in a row. She remained still for some time and let her heartbeat calm down to normal after her daring climb over the roofs. As she waited, she tried to listen to any sounds that could mean that someone had noticed her or that there were guards she needed to watch out for.
Everything was silent. She hadn't met any trouble the previous night, so she supposed that there were no problems ahead. Her prey probably didn't think he would run into any trouble so far away from home. Yori felt like shaking her had at that. It was foolish to let one's guard down and become victim of such a false sense of security, especially if one had dishonourable secrets. Well, at least it made her job a little easier.
Once she felt that her body had returned to normal, she untied the rope on her chest and put down the bag she had been carrying on her back. It was filled with snow that she would later use to cover her tracks. Next she reached under her gi and pulled out the small camera that was hanging around her neck. She made sure it was ready to take a picture as soon as she saw what she had been sent to look for and glanced at the window at the balcony.
It looked like everything was still and silent inside. There was no light, so she couldn't see very well with her bare eyes. Yori pressed her ear against the window and listened, but she had been right. No sound came from the large bedroom that was on the other side of the glass. Since that was the case, there was no need for her to stay for much longer.
He may be trickier than I thought, she mused to herself. Or maybe he was innocent. Her employer had said that he only had a hunch and that it was Yori's job to find the evidence that supported it. She certainly wished he was spotless because that would let the whole family keep their honour and go on with their lives, never knowing what suspicions their grandfather had had.
She took one more look through the window, satisfied that the occupant was sound asleep in his bed and alone. Though she had only been told to record suspicious activity, she decided to take a photo of the man in any case. If nothing dishonourable happened, she could at least show her employer that she had been looking for something.
Once she was done, she put the camera away and covered her tracks so that it looked like nobody had ever touched the snow on the balcony or the roof. With agile leaps that were almost silent in then night, Yori returned the way she had come to and disappeared into the darkness. She made it back to her hotel unnoticed and slipped inside through her window. Nobody would ever know she had been gone.
Sighing to herself, she pulled off her black mask that she had been wearing to protect her face against the cold. Though this was a very simple mission in theory, it had already presented her with problems she had been unable to foresee. Yori hadn't expected running into Kim Possible, and now she wasn't sure how she was supposed to deal with the latest development of events.
She had known that Kim was no longer living with her parents, but she had been surprised when the Stoppables had mentioned that she now lived in Layton. Yori strongly believed in fate, so she didn't think that it was a coincidence that she and Kim would meet again without any warning. She hadn't been very pleased to see the woman again. Despite that they had become something resembling friends after everything they had experienced together over the years, Yori had felt some level of uneasiness when she had knocked on Kim's door that night.
What Kim had said on the day of Ron's funeral had upset her more than she could admit to anyone. It had taken her a long time to come to terms with that Stoppable-san could never be hers. At first she had resented Kim for having something she wanted so badly. Kim had been very protective of her boyfriend. Yori was certain that if she had tried to make any moves on him, Kim would have struck back with full force. She felt both annoyed and insulted at that Kim had suggested she should have fought for Stoppable-san's affections, as if it was partly her fault that he had chosen his best friend and died. She had done the right thing.
After Kim's sudden outburst, she hadn't known what to think. She had told Kim everything was alright, but it was not that simple in her mind. She knew it was wrong of her, especially after she had told Kim that everything was fine between them, but she couldn't help but feel some anger at that Kim hadn't told Stoppable-san how she really felt. It wasn't for her own sake because she knew he wouldn't have loved her in any case, but it had been the act of a coward to keep the truth from Stoppable-san. A warrior like Kim should have been more honourable.
Yori took off the rest of her clothes and decided to have a shower. It always made her feel more relaxed, and she felt that she had to gather her thoughts before facing Kim in training the next day. That she had suggested that they'd fight each other had surprised even her. It had simply slipped out of her mouth; it had felt so natural of an idea. Now that she had had time to reconsider, she no longer thought it was such a good plan after all.
They both had unresolved issues about Stoppable-san's death. Yori had full confidence in her ability to keep hers under control, but she wasn't so sure about Kim. The simple mistake she had made during the café incident told her that she was not quite the skilled warrior she had once been. She was now emotionally unstable, and it could be that an intense battle between the two of them would let loose emotions and resentment that she was holding back. Yori didn't want to hurt Kim, but she had a feeling that it might come down to that.
It would be so much simpler if you weren't here, she thought. She wanted to keep Kim out of her mission. It concerned her in no way and she didn't have her employer's permission to talk about it to anyone, but things had become complicated. Why was it that she had to work at that particular café of all places?
Yori glanced at the clock. It was about an hour past midnight. She would have to get to bed if she wanted to run some errands in the morning and prepare herself for the training session with Kim.
The next morning dawned crisp and clear. There was still a hint of reddish orange in the sky when Yori stepped out of the hotel. She was glad for her tick green coat for it had got colder during the night and she was planning to walk.
She didn't run into many people, even thought it was Tuesday morning. Almost everyone had decided to favour buses or their own cars in a temperature like this. It wasn't too much for Yori. She had got used to the cold while studying at Yamanouchi. The school had got very cold in winter, especially when wind had brought more snow into the valley. This morning felt almost soothing because it made her thoughts drift back to her schooldays.
Yori had loved it in Yamanouchi. She had been the top of her class; she had had great friends, and Sensei had placed great trust in her. She sometimes thought of the old master as a grandfather instead of her teacher, but she had tried to keep some distance between them. It wouldn't do to get unprofessional, especially since she didn't want to make it look like she was a teacher's pet. She had worked hard for everything she had achieved.
Graduation had been full of mixed emotions for her. She had been immensely proud of herself and had looked forward to her life as a real ninja, but at the same time she had felt sad for leaving Yamanouchi. She had asked Sensei if she could stay and become a teacher at the school, but he had told her that she should first go and try her wings outside. If she still wanted to come back after some time, Yamanouchi would offer her a home.
Yori could see the wisdom in that, and she did enjoy her life. She had a little apartment in Kyoto and she had completed several missions successfully. They hadn't been anything grand like fighting evil magical villains, but she was content with starting small and learning the tricks of the trade. She was building herself quite a reputation because Yamanouchi graduates were sought after, especially ones who had Sensei's complete trust like her.
Despite that she was leading a good life, she felt that she wasn't really happy. She missed the security that Yamanouchi had offered. She missed the sense of being part of something and having people she could trust with her life around her. She was on her on now, and she couldn't afford to rely on anyone else anymore. Her parents had died when she had just started at Yamanouchi, and she had no siblings. She had never felt very close with her other relatives.
This was one reason why it had taken her almost a year to fully accept that Stoppable-san had chosen Kim. When she had been with him, she had felt like she had found someone she could trust and who would always be there for her. She was certain that he would have, but only as a friend. It had probably been selfish of her to desire more.
She was brought back from her thoughts when she arrived at her destination. She was about to reach out and open the door, but then she saw the elaborate notice on it. The place wouldn't open in two more hours.
I should have noticed that when I was here earlier, she scolded herself. What kind of ninja was she if she didn't pay attention to such important details?
She didn't want to return to the hotel, but standing there on the sidewalk and waiting for the café to open didn't appeal to her either. She was just about to go and look if she couldn't find some store that was already open, but then she noticed someone move inside the café.
Yori knocked on the door to get the man's attention. He came to the door, a puzzled frown on his face.
"I'm sorry, but we aren't open yet," he said. The little sign on his chest said that his name was Daniel.
"I know. I was only wondering if Kim Possible is here," Yori said.
"Kim?" Dan asked.
"Yes, I'm a friend. I thought I would drop by and exchange a few words with her," Yori replied.
Dan looked at her thoughtfully. Yori knew that her request probably seemed odd. If she had something to say to Kim, she could have always called her or gone to her home, for as a friend she was supposed to know both her number and address.
"No, she's not working today," Dan finally said.
"Oh," Yori said, frowning in suitable disappointment. "Will she be here tomorrow?"
"Kim isn't working until Thursday, so sorry. You should ask her about her shifts," Dan replied.
Yori shrugged. "I just thought I'd drop by since I was walking by here anyway," she said. "Am I bothering you?"
Dan quickly shook his head. "No, not at all. Don't worry," he said.
"Daniel, what are you doing over there? Are you already done cleaning the tables?" came a shrill voice from somewhere inside the café. It sounded like a rusty meat grinder.
"I'm almost finished, ma'am!" Dan yelled back.
He turned back to Yori with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry; I have to get back to work so that we can open in time," he said.
"Of course. I'm sorry I bothered you," Yori said.
Now that this task was done, she could return to the hotel. She didn't like it that she would have to operate where Kim was working, but at least she now knew when the redhead wouldn't be present. Getting anyone she knew involved with her work would have made it too complicated for everyone.
Once she was back in her hotel room, she turned on her laptop and started writing a quick note to her employer in order to keep him updated on the current status of the mission. She told him that so far she had seen nothing suspicious and included that one photo she had taken as an attachment. She also made a remark about that she might have to dig deeper if she wanted to have any kind of results.
Finished with the message, Yori decided to turn on the TV and see if there was anything intelligent on that early. Even a ninja could relax every now and then.
Kim threw her shoulder bag on the couch and rubbed her fingers together. This was the coldest winter she could recall, and the mittens simply weren't enough to protect her hands from the biting temperature. She wondered if it was that cold in Middleton.
She decided to make herself a cup of coffee that would warm her up quickly. Her bus had been a little late, so she had a little less time before going to train with Yori that she would have liked. She was still surprised about the other woman's suggestion, and she would have been lying if she hadn't admitted she wasn't at all worried.
Kim didn't even know what she was worried about, even though she had spent half of her classes thinking about it. Even though she hadn't been an active fighter after Ron's death, she knew she still packed a punch and had nothing to be ashamed of before Yori. She was a little rusty, but Yori would never hurt her beyond the usual bruises that one might get during training. She was a friend, or at least acted like a friend, so there wasn't anything malicious behind her offer, right?
She sighed as she sat down on her couch. Maybe this feeling was a leftover from the time when she had been suspicious of Yori trying to make moves on Ron? It was hard to trust the other woman when it was so obvious that she was holding back her feelings and keeping secrets from her.
If Yori really wanted to make up, then she should have told her how she really felt. Kim couldn't be satisfied with her remarks about honour and what was right. It just… humans didn't work like that.
The sound of her cell phone woke her up from her thoughts. For just a moment she was reminded of the Kimmunicator.
"Hi, mom," she said after she saw that it was her mother's number.
"Kimmie, turn on the TV!" her mother said.
"Is something wrong?" Kim asked as she fumbled for the remote. Her mother rarely sounded this urgent.
"No, no. Just see it for yourself," he mother replied. Now Kim could also sense excitement and happiness in her tone. She was just about to ask her just what had happened, but that was when she turned on the TV and saw what was on the screen.
To her utter surprise, she found herself looking at the face of her cousin, Joss. She was being interviewed for something together with a brown-haired girl whom Kim didn't recognise. In the background she could see the wreckage of something that might have been some sort of tank at some point of its existence.
"So, Miss Possible, how did you stumble upon this fiendish plot?" the reporter asked.
"Oh, I was just going to grab lunch with my friend Annabel when we saw that huge thing in the sky. When we realised what was going on, we knew we had to do something," Joss replied.
"Mom, what's this?" Kim asked, frowning at the screen. Flying tanks? That sounded a little too much like her old life.
As if on cue, the next thing she saw on the screen was Professor Dementor who was being led away by two policemen. He was handcuffed and his clothes were still smoking from an obvious explosion, but that didn't stop him from turning to glare at Joss and her friend as he passed.
"Next time, Fräulein Possible, I vill make sure zat --" he started, but he was cut off when one of the policemen gave him a shove and forced him to hurry up.
"Mom?" Kim asked again.
"You know how Slim decided to go to that international robotics convention in Germany. He took Joss and her friend with him to give them some excitement. It turns out that the Dementor guy tried to steal the prize-winning new AI model, but Joss and Annabel stopped him," he mother explained.
Kim had no words. She continued staring dumbly at the TV screen.
"So, does this mean that you will follow in your famous cousin's footsteps and become a crime fighter?" the reporter asked.
"I don't know. I have a lot to do back at home, but if dad lets me, I'll --"
"No!" Kim snapped, as if she could have somehow affected the events on the screen.
"Kim?" her mother asked.
"You can't let Joss do that! You have to tell Uncle Slim to keep her at home!" Kim said, not really even aware that she was yelling.
"What are you talking about? She's not going to start going on regular missions. She has far too much work at the farm," her mother said. Just as Kim was about to relax, she continued, "And even if she were, what would it matter? She's a smart girl."
"But she could be hurt. She has no experience. Anything could happen on those missions," Kim insisted.
"You were younger when you started," her mother reminded her.
"Yeah, but…" Kim said, feeling an uneasy knot form in her stomach. She didn't want to even think about Joss going on missions and battling evil scientists or criminal masterminds. She just wouldn't be able to handle it. She was too young. She was too weak. She was too inexperienced. She was her cousin and Kim didn't want her to get hurt. She didn't want her to die like Ron.
"Kim, I know what you must be thinking," Anne said.
"Please, don't let her do that," Kim countered.
"It's not for you or me to decide. You'll have to talk with Joss," her mother pointed out.
Kim sighed. "I know, but I don't want her to get hurt. She doesn't know what she's getting into," she said.
"I think she has a pretty good idea after helping you defeat Drakken and now taking on Dementor. And she does know about Ron. Joss knows the risks," her mother said.
"Then why doesn't she stay at home? Why would she even consider this?" Kim asked. She had thought that Joss had got over her naïve and idolized phase of seeing crime fighting as something cool and awesome. That incident on the farm should have opened her eyes to that.
Her mother's voice was oddly gentle as she said, "Because she wants to help people. Like you."
Kim said nothing. It was almost identical to what she had said to Yori after that fight at the café.
"But enough about Joss. I'm sure this matter will sort itself out. Is everything alright over there?" her mother asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sometimes it feels like our professors want to bury us in work, but I can handle it," Kim replied.
"What about your job? Are you sure you're up to it? Your father and I can help you if you need to quit," her mother said with a concerned edge in her tone.
"Mom, I said I can handle it," Kim insisted.
"Well, alright, but you mustn't forget that we're there for you. You shouldn't be too proud to ask for help," Anne said.
"I know. I know." Kim paused. "Listen, I've got to go. I'm meeting a friend," she said.
"Really?" Her mother sounded pleasantly surprised and happy. "I hope you have fun!"
"Thanks. Bye, mom," Kim said. She put down her cell phone. The news report had moved on to talk about something else, so she turned off the TV. For a while she continued sitting there, staring at the black screen. It was odd how crime fighting had suddenly decided to invade her life again. First the café scene and Yori, then Joss and her sudden heroics. If it hadn't hit so close to home, Kim might have chuckled at how every Possible seemed to have it in them to step up and help those in need.
She felt utterly helpless when she thought about Joss. She loved her cousin, and the mere thought of her going out into danger filled her with dread. Kim had always been aware of the dangers that mission work came with, but she hadn't cared about that. To her the thrill of danger and pulling off stunts that nobody else could manage had been part of the reason why she had kept going on missions. Helping people had been her main motive, yes, but she would have been lying if she had said the excitement hadn't also lured her in.
Now that she had lost someone so important to her because of the danger she had once loved, she couldn't stand the idea of anyone else risking their life like that. Somehow she'd have to talk Joss out of this.
Her fingers were itching to pick up the phone again and call her cousin right away, but that would have to wait. She would be late for her training with Yori if she wasted any more time. Knowing the Japanese ninja, she wouldn't be happy if they couldn't start on schedule. Kim had to crack a small smile at that. In that regard they were very similar. She also hated being late because it made her look like she was slacking off.
She had a quick shower, picked up the bag she had already filled with everything she'd need and headed for the door.
Yori had given her an address that looked like it was in an unfamiliar part of Layton. Kim was expecting some sort of fitness centre, so she was a little surprised when she found herself standing before a grey block of a building that was so blank that it was impossible to tell exactly what was inside. There was a hairdresser's right next to it and a small park on the other side.
This looks more like an office, Kim thought as she made sure that she had the right building. Well, she could always turn back if Yori wasn't here. She adjusted the shoulder bag and opened the door.
She was greeted with a corridor that had doors on both sides. Silence hung in the air, making her footsteps sound hollow and unnaturally loud in her ears. Each door had a little window on it, so Kim peered in through the first one to see what was on the other side. It looked like a little office room. Maybe this was the wrong building.
Kim decided to see if she could find anyone who could tell her where she was supposed to go. If not, then she would just have to return home and wait for Yori to send word. She pursed her lips in irritation at this unexpected problem as she peered through another window. Nothing interesting.
Okay, then. She was going home. She turned around and made it half-way to the front door, but she stopped when she heard the sound of a door opening.
"Kim?" she heard Yori ask. Kim couldn't say why, but it felt odd to hear the ninja call her by her first name only. It sounded so… informal coming from her.
She turned around. "I thought I had the wrong address. What is this place?" she asked as she made her way to Yori.
The other woman was already dressed for the training. She wasn't wearing her usual black gi but rather a white martial arts uniform. It only added to the informal impression Kim was getting from her. When Yori wore black, she was on duty.
"It's an old office complex. Someone I know purchased it after the company was ruined and turned it into something more productive," Yori replied.
"Don't tell me this is a secret dojo owned by Yamanouchi. Here in Layton? That would be quite a convenient coincidence," Kim said.
"No, it's not," Yori said as she led Kim through one of the doors.
"Then who is this friend of yours?" Kim asked. She stopped to observe the room she had just entered. It looked like a normal dojo with a tatami floor. There were no windows, but she suspected they had been covered up. Ninjas liked their secrecy.
"That doesn't matter. I assure you, there is nothing malicious behind this. We can use this building as much as we like," Yori said.
Kim couldn't shake her suspicions off that easily. "It's only for our use?" she asked.
Yori shook her head. "No. Several judo and kung fu clubs use it as well. I merely pulled some strings so that we could be here alone today," she said.
"Okay," Kim said. "I'll just go and get changed."
She found her way to the locker room and swiftly put on a fitting shirt and pants. She saw a martial arts uniform identical to Yori's hanging on one of the lockers, assumed it was meant for her and slipped into it. It felt a little too loose for her liking.
My mission clothes are better suited for fast combat, she pondered before she could help it. She had to shake her head. Focus, Kim. That was all in the past. She didn't have to think about it anymore.
She tried to empty her head from distractions as she returned to the training room and took her place on the tatami before Yori.
"I saw your cousin on television today. I offer my congratulations," Yori said.
For some reason, Kim found it odd that Yori watched TV. It didn't really fit into the mystical and traditional aura around the ninja.
"I'm not exactly happy about it," she said.
A slight frown appeared on Yori's face. "Why not? She acted very honourably and with great courage," she said.
"She got herself and her friend into danger. I don't want to see her hurt," Kim replied.
"But --"
"Can't we just fight? I thought that's why we're here," Kim cut Yori off. This was not what she wanted to talk about. Sooner or later it would become about Ron, and she didn't feel like talking about him at the moment.
Yori gave her a small bow. "As you wish."
It crossed Kim's mind that they hadn't agreed what form of martial arts they were going to practice, but she had no time to mention that when Yori exploded into motion and attempted to strike her off her feet with one swift kick aimed at her knees. Kim managed to jump aside just in time, stumbling a little as she struggled to get back to balance and get over her surprise.
"A shock start, huh?" she asked.
"There will be no warnings in real combat," Yori pointed out.
"I'm not going to do this for real ever again," Kim said. She was expecting Yori to respond to it, but instead the other woman merely continued the battle, delivering blows that Kim found hard to dodge. It was a while since she had last fought Yori right before the Yono incident at Yamanouchi. The ninja had clearly grown faster and stronger.
I guess I'm too used to Shego, she thought. The green woman had never had any trouble bantering while they fought. It had almost been like another competition inside their battle.
A strike from Yori caught her painfully in her side, forcing her to snap out of it. Kim frowned at her mistake; it wasn't like her to let anyone get the better of her. She would have to stop thinking about unrelated topics.
She leapt to her side and ducked just in time to avoid another blow from her opponent. Kim was on the defensive, much like when she had fought Shego in the past. Yori was fighting fast and her attacks were well coordinated and always aimed where they would do the most damage. She was efficient and didn't waste her energy on making her style appear flashy or impressive.
Another kick was aimed at her side, but Kim blocked it just in time with her hands and threw Yori off balance just for a fracture of a second. She wasted no time at using the opening and advanced at the other woman, kicking her off her feet.
Yori softened her fall with her left arm and rolled to the side, barely avoiding Kim's next blow. She jumped back on her feet so fast that for a while Kim thought she had only imagined her brief advantage. She felt the familiar thirst for victory burn inside her, but she didn't know why it was so important for her to appear just as good, if not better, as Yori.
I may be rusty, but I'm not going soft, she thought. She still knew sixteen kinds of kung fu and she was in great shape. Just because she hadn't been in active combat for a while didn't mean that she wasn't still good.
After numerous battles with Shego, Kim was used to being on the defence and aiming to block most of the blows. With Yori it was different. The ninja did return most of her attacks with equal force, but the longer the battle went on, the more aggressive Kim realised she was getting. It was like there was a desperate need inside her to win and show that she could do this, but she didn't know who she was trying to impress and why.
Yori adjusted her style to Kim's growing offence and started merely blocking her attacks, only occasionally fighting back. She retreated before Kim's blows, moving so fast and nimbly that to an outsider the scenario might have looked like they had planned and practiced their fight beforehand. It was as if Yori was dancing, and Kim found herself growing increasingly annoyed at that she couldn't get an edge.
I can't let her beat me, she thought frantically.
Yori couldn't be better than her. The Japanese woman had already shown that she could take Ron's death with dignity and not let it change her life at all. She had been able to remain as she was; she wasn't drifting without course like Kim. She had no weaknesses. Even when they had become sort of friends through Ron, Kim had been annoyed by that knowing smile that had often graced Yori's face. It had been obvious to her that Yori didn't think Ron had made the right choice about who he was dating, but instead of confronting them about it, Yori had hid behind selflessness and understanding that let her think that she was better than them. Kim would never forget the look in Yori's eyes when Ron had told her that he was now dating his best friend. The acceptance and friendship had been genuine, but at the same time she was certain that Yori had taken some amount of masochistic pleasure in that she could play the role of the calm and reasonable one while Kim was the jealous and paranoid girlfriend.
That was why Yori had always rubbed her the wrong way. She simply never let anyone know how she really felt and what she really thought. Dealing with people like that made Kim want to grab their shoulders and shake the truth out of them.
Yori made a sudden stumble, and Kim immediately dove in to take advantage of the moment. She struck out with her foot in an attempt to make Yori fall again. The ninja was unable to find her balance again and fumbled with her hands to make her landing softer. Even before she touched the ground, Kim dove in and grabbed a hold of the front of Yori's gi. She was planning to pin her to the ground and end their fight there.
Yori's knee shot up without warning and she brought up her hands just as her back touched the tatami. She caught Kim from the back and used the power of Kim's attack to shove the redhead over her. Kim needed to blink just once before she realised that she had been tricked and she tried to adjust her landing so that she'd get back up fast enough to face her opponent again. She wasn't quite quick enough, and she held back a groan as she fell painfully on her side.
She didn't hear Yori get up, but she was sure she could sense the ninja standing behind her. Kim whirled around so that she was lying on her stomach and jumped up on her feet so that she was facing Yori again.
No way am I going to let you win, she thought as she brought her hands back up in a defensive pose.
Kim didn't wait for Yori to make her next move and leapt at her, aiming a sharp chop at the ninja's side. Yori sidestepped and blocked Kim's attack with her hands. It sent a wave of warm pain through the redhead's arm, but this only encouraged her further. She was certain that Yori was going to use the opening to strike back with a blow of her own, so she readied herself for dodging it. Yori's strongest side was her speed, and Kim wasn't about to fall prey to that.
To her surprise Yori didn't try to attack. Kim felt confused about that for a fracture of a second but then she decided not to worry about it. Maybe the other woman was tired, or maybe she wasn't as good as she had first seemed. Kim changed her defence into offence and brought up her foot in a sharp kick. She wasn't surprised that Yori blocked it again, but this time she didn't waste time waiting if the ninja was going to attack her in return or not.
Their battle continued on in the same spirit; Kim was continuously on the offence while Yori kept dodging the attacks. At first Kim enjoyed this; it felt great to just hit and spend her energy, especially since she knew that she'd never be able to hurt Yori too bad. After a while, however, she started to question what the point of the whole thing was.
When Yori merely blocked another one of her kicks, Kim finally took a step back.
"You aren't even trying, are you?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You aren't fighting back. Is this some kind of sly ninja strategy of yours?" Kim kept her hands raised before her body in case they'd leap back into action. Her chest went up and down in rhythm to her breathing and she felt sweat trickle down her forehead. Her hair probably looked like a mess. Yet she actually felt really good. An energetic warmth had spread all over her body and she felt more relaxed than in a long time.
"I thought it would be wiser for me to follow this approach in this situation," Yori replied. Kim was glad to note that the Japanese woman looked just as strained as she did.
"What situation?" she asked.
Yori hesitated for a while. "I felt that your style is a little different now. You were angrier than before," she said.
"So, you think I can't control myself?" Kim asked. Irritation mixed into her warm feeling of satisfaction. She should have known that Yori would again act like she knew everything. Maybe she had been psychoanalysing her all the way through their fight.
When Yori didn't reply right away, Kim continued, "Because if that's what you think, you're wrong. I'm in perfect control of everything."
Yori frowned like she wanted to argue about that, but she changed her mind and nodded. "Then maybe it was my mistake," she said.
"I don't like it when my friends hold back. Is this because of my ankle? If you don't think I'm good enough for this, just say so and I'll prove you wrong," Kim said. Maybe Yori had gone easy on her because she had sprained her ankle at the café? It didn't hurt anymore and hadn't bothered her at all during their fight, but it made sense that her opponent could be careful around her because of it.
It's probably the honourable thing to do, Kim thought with a mental roll of her eyes.
"It's not that. I don't go easy on anyone because of their injuries. I was expecting you to overcome any pain," Yori replied. The sash on her gi had come a little loose during their battle so she tied it again and adjusted her outfit.
"Then why did you do it? I know you weren't fighting back with all you've got," Kim said. She couldn't decide whether to feel angry or not. It bothered her that Yori might think she had gone soft and lost her edge after Ron's death. Even if it was partly true, she didn't want to admit it to the woman whom she had seen as her rival in the past.
"I was in the beginning, but then I thought I noticed the change in you and decided to observe your style a little more. A good warrior should always take the time to study their opponent. I'm sorry if this offended you," Yori said.
"You could have told me," Kim pointed out, feeling a little uncomfortable before Yori's eyes. What conclusions had she drawn from their battle?
"It wouldn't have been the same."
"Hey, I don't like to be spied on like this. I want my friends to be honest with me," Kim said. Oh, that applied to so many things about Yori.
Yori frowned. "I haven't lied to you about anything," she said.
"Maybe not, but you aren't exactly telling me the truth either," Kim countered.
"About what?"
Kim said nothing. She didn't want to talk about Ron and start a new argument after they had got along so well earlier. It wasn't Yori's fault if something about her just ticked her off this much. She couldn't ask about the ninja's mission either because it wasn't her business – and really, she didn't want to get involved.
"Forget it," she said with a sigh. "I guess I'm still upset about Joss."
"I understand that you're worried, but if this is what she wants to do, she needs your support," Yori said.
Kim shot a dark glare at her. "She needs someone to tell her what a mistake she's making," she grumbled. Yori sounded too much like her mom. She needed a friend who'd support her, not insist that she was wrong about things that were important to her.
"I think we've done enough fighting today," Yori decided, but Kim wasn't sure if she meant their battle or the direction their conversation was taking. She agreed about the latter, but she didn't feel she had got enough of the former. Neither had won and she felt that she hadn't really done her best against her opponent. She hated leaving things half-finished.
"Yeah, okay. Thanks for being my opponent," she said.
"No, thank you. It did good to me to have some exercise. I haven't had a decent opponent since I left Yamanouchi," Yori replied.
"Really? Your missions haven't been filled with action?" Kim asked. When Yori frowned at her question, she quickly continued, "I don't mean to pry. I'm just curious."
"My work has had more to do with stealth," Yori said.
"Fine. I won't ask anything else." Kim wondered what else they could talk about. She didn't think Yori would be interested in going window shopping in Club Banana or talking about the latest top movies. Or maybe she would. She didn't really know anything about Yori apart from that she was a ninja.
"Do you want to go and grab something to eat?" she asked as they were walking to the dressing room for a quick shower and change of clothes. Kim's cooking had improved a little now that she had to make her own meals, but it was not something that she enjoyed doing. She liked to eat outside whenever she could afford it.
Yori didn't answer right away. Kim could sense her hesitation, but she wasn't sure about the reason.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"No, nothing. It's just that I'm a little busy," Yori replied.
Kim shrugged. Now she understood. Yori probably has secret ninja work to do, she thought.
"That's okay." She wrapped a towel around her hair to get most of the water out of it. She didn't like the idea of going outside to the cold when her hair was still wet, so she decided to sit down for a while and wait. Too bad she hadn't thought to bring a hairdryer with her. She watched how Yori got dressed and gathered her things.
"You know where to find me if you need company. It can't be much fun to be alone so far away from home," she said.
"I'm not here to have fun, but thank you for the offer. I'll keep it in mind," Yori remarked. She threw her bag over her shoulder. "Do you want to continue our training?"
"If it's okay with you and if I can fit it to my shifts," Kim said. She had made some stupid mistakes this time, and she was itching to fix them and show Yori – and probably herself – how good she really was.
Yori smiled a little. "Good. Then we shall meet again."
Yori was glad to be back in her hotel room. The battle with Kim had gone better than she had expected, and she wasn't thinking only about their skills. The determined thirst for victory had been in Kim's eyes, but Yori had seen no hatred or malice. She had been half expecting Kim to want to defeat her as revenge for not fighting for Ron's affections, but maybe they really had put that issue behind them.
She had actually had fun. Her preferred fighting style was quick and she liked to end her battles as swiftly as possible, so it had been a nice challenge to stay on the defensive and keep the battle going. It was good to try different styles every now and then, and she appreciated the chance to keep her skills polished now that she was working on a quieter mission.
It was too bad that she had had to decline Kim's offer. Regardless of the difficulties throughout the time they had known each other, Yori liked and respected the former crime fighter. She was certain that they could have been great friends if given enough time, but now was not the right moment for it.
She turned on her laptop to see if her employer had replied to her message. He had, but the content made Yori lift her brows in surprise. She read the most important sentences a few times over.
I think you will have to go deeper if you want to find the information we need. I have managed to pull some strings to place you into a position that is closer to the target. I will send the exact details in a couple of days.
Yori turned off the laptop and leaned her chin on her palm, wondering what this new development would bring.