On her hands and knees, Kate stared at the ground. Her hands were shaking not from fear, but the physical toil her body went through the past months. Looking up, she stared at her task master, Jess. Kate thought her dancer trained body could stay in step with Jess, boy, was she wrong.
"Get up!" ordered Jess.
Her shaking hands gripped the bo staff that laid in front of her. End of Jess's bo staff smacked against the back of her left hand.
"OW!" yelled Kate trying to shake the pain out of her hand.
"Too slow," stated Jess, "Grab your weapon faster."
Trying to grab with her right hand brought the same results as Jess smacked Kate's right hand.
"I'm your enemy," remarked Jess, "You must try to out think me."
Pain throbbed through Kate's hands.
"Out think you?" thought Kate, "Fine, out think you I will."
Placing her hands on the ground, Kate swung her right counter clock wise towards Jess's legs. Sweeping Jess off her feet, Kate grabbed her bo staff.
Jess recovered quickly blocking Kate's strike. Leg scissoring Kate onto her stomach, Jess whacked the back of Kate's head. Kate rubbed the back of her head giving Jess time to kick Kate's staff away.
Pinning Kate neck against her staff with her knee, "Do you give?" asked Jess.
Kate tapped the ground signaling she did give up.
"You give up too easily," said Jess pulling Kate to her feet.
"You're a better fighter," coughed Kate.
"Losing your temper," stated Jess, "just allows me to use your lack of focus against you."
"Cause you've been training for years," said Kate, "I'm not even close to your level."
"Well Rath's at a different level then me and that doesn't stop me."
"Tell me about it," Kate said sitting down.
Joining her, "Don't worry, it's just a matter of finding your strong and weak points."
"Guess you're right?" shifting her mouth, "Do you play cards?"
"Well not to brag, but I won a few pots now and again."
"What to Texas hold them?"
"Too tame for me."
"Not if loser loses a piece of their clothing."
"Strip poker? I must've hit the back of your head too hard."
"I understand if you think I'm too easy of a mark."
"Hey! I didn't say we could play a few hands just didn't want you get too depressed when you lost your shirt."
"Game on?"
"Of course," getting up to retrieve her deck of cards.
Grunting, Jess studied her hand. Her seat was cold against her bare ass. She would be wearing pants, but Kate won those along with her panties, bra, shoes, socks, and jacket. True, Kate lost her shoes and socks, but over a few hands of aggressive betting she regained them along with Jess's clothes leaving Jess with the shirt on her back.
"How many cards?" asked Kate.
"Two," removing two from her hand.
Kate gave Jess two while she got three.
"Show your hand, Jess."
Jess showed her hand. Kate shoulders dropped.
"Yes," she thought this time she got it.
Her join went to disbelief when Kate showed her hand.
"No!" cried Jess hitting her head repeatedly against the table.
Kate beat her again.
"Give up your shirt," said Kate.
Lifting her head up, "Come on," remarked Jess, "You got the rest of my clothes."
"Expect your shirt," said Kate, "I'm enemy and there's no mercy from me."
"Fine," taking her shirt, "Hope this chocks you," throwing her shirt to Kate.
Catching it, "It does," adding it to the pile of Jess's clothes beside her.
"Another hand," said Jess slapping the table.
"You got nothing left."
"I'll redress and show you some mad skills with those cards."
"I've got the answer," said Rath busting into the room.
Stopping, his eyes shifted from the naked Jess to the barefooted Kate with a pile of clothes beside her.
"Playing strip poker?" he asked.
"Yes and this little witch been kicking my ass," answered Jess.
"Of course," he said walking towards Kate.
Pushing her head up with his index finger, Rath kissed Kate's forehead.
"And what was that for?" asked Jess.
"Rewarding her for shifting the playing field to her advantage."
"Huh?"
"Jess, Kate was a card shark before she became an exotic dancer. Name the game and she could play it. In fact, I lost a few hands to her"
"Before he caught on," added Kate.
"Now get dress and heal up your ego cause we're going to the basement," Rath said leaving.
Grabbing her clothes, Jess stared at the puppy eyed Kate as she got dress.
"Mad?" asked Kate.
"Mad? Why? Just because I got suckered."
"Now Jess remember flexible like a tree."
"I'll show you a tree," said Jess chasing after the fleeing Kate.