Hello everyone. Sorry this chapter is so bad, but I haven't written anything in about a year. Sorry. :(
Chapter 71: The Survivalist
Cho stood ready, but not too tense now; she controlled her breathing, and focused and concentrated, waiting for the attack to come. A trickle of blood dripped from her lip. She had been slammed to the ground like a rag doll so many times when she should have been the one doing the slamming. She had failed each time before, but she would not fail now. The colossal black man standing in front of her was eighteen stone of pure muscle and strength, his eyes seemed to bore into her unnerving her a bit, but she was determined not to be tossed again. He held a small knife in his hand at the ready. "Right, I'll cut you" he growled. He moved towards Cho. Cho rushed forward as well, bringing her left hand under his, bringing her arms under his, spinning right, and putting her right foot behind him in one fluid motion, she levied his full weight on her back and over her shoulder. Cho than diminished the move by tossing him on the blue mat, his body making a light thump as it hit. Cheers arose from the bleachers across the room at the demonstration. Cho reached out a hand to her instructor and he received as she pulled him up. They both gave a bow to each other and then the audience.
"And that ladies and gentlemen demonstrates that a person of smaller stature can in fact best a much larger opponent. It also completes our demonstration for tonight. Of course when faced with the real situation, it's always best to get away if you can and call 999. Remember on the streets they don't use rubber knives, but with the crime rate up, it's best to have an alternative if you find yourself in a situation that you're not able to. We at the Fujiwara dojo would like to thank you and hope to see you again after the weekend. Sign up seats for the New Year will are at the table as you make your way out, and enrollment is still open for the next few weeks, so please don't delay. Take care. I've been your instructor Mickey Ayoade, this is Cho Chang, and Mr. Fujiwara is overseas right now" The instructor said. He then turned to Cho.
"Well done Chang, you're on your way to a yellow belt yet." He said encouragingly. "Sorry about your lip. It was sporting to you to keep going after you bit it. But well done on finally tossing me." He finished. "Cho gave a smile. Happy to help with the demonstration. And, it's just a nick." She said wiping her lip with the sleeve of her karate uniform. "Thank you for taking me on as a student, it's been a great outlet for stress." Cho said.
"How could I refuse a close personal friend of Carol's. He smiled. Just then Carol playfully jumped on Mickey's back putting her arms over her shoulders. "She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Someone mention my name dear." She said in a happy tone. Mickey smiled.
"Hey you, you were wonderful with that foot sweep earlier. The audience really ate it up." He said. Carol giggled.
"Well, not the first time I have sweaped you off your feet I think." She retorted.
"My love you've been sweeping me off my feet since the day I met you." Mickey finished.
"And you me, with your bright red uniform, and your bear skinned basket. Standing in front of Buckingham Palace, not saying a word. I always did love the strong silent type." Carol chuckled. "Hey listen, Cho and I want to do some bag work before you lock up, and I'm going to tell her about the thing next weekend. " Carol gleamed. Cho raised an eyebrow.
"What thing?" she asked curious.
"You'll see." Carol said, but first lets hit the bag. Do you want to go first." She asked politely. Cho nodded, and followed Carol over to the gym. They both grabbed a pair of boxing gloves and started putting them on.
Cho reflected on the last two months. On the first day that she entered the dojo. Carol had been coming her for two years, and was a high orange belt. Her boyfriend, Mickey Ayoade, was one half owner and a third degree black belt. He was in the Royal Army Reserve, and Carol had indeed first seen him standing at his post guarding the queen. She had taken pictures of him in his crimson red dress uniform basket, black trousers and bear skin basket. An intimidating figure to any mischievous criminal who would come to the Palace with ill intent. Yet he was also very dashing, and after she took her pictures Carol wrote down her name and number on a piece of paper and slipped it in his jacket, receiving a call from him the next day. For the most part Mickey was not talkative, but Carol could open him up about most things. He had opened the dojo with a friend from Japan, and it was thought to give it a more authentic Japanese feel they go with the name Fujiwara. Carol knew that the dojo would give Cho a healthy outlet for her stress and she was right. Although Cho did not think it would do any good at first, the physical exercise and discipline aspect of the art had really helped her. She wasn't very good at karate. One of the ten year olds could likely best her, but she was only just beginning. Cho would also be invited to movie nights with Carol and Mickey, twice a week where usually an war movie, was often the pic. Sometimes a document would be watched afterward. The flat they shared had it's walls adorned with all manner of knives from history, and the couple were serious collectors. Mickey and Carol both fancied themselves survivalist and when she first told Cho, she remembered that she had giggled softly, Cho remembered.
"What's so funny? We're really serious about it." Carol said.
"Oh, come on Carol, you two are not survivalist, your… something else. You're British, we are not survivalist. Also, you're a nurse." Cho stated still giggling.
"Ok, Cho. What do you think of when you think of a survivalist?" Carol asked. Cho thought about it for a second, remembering the few news reports and movies she had watched about the subject.
"Mmmmm, a bearded American man living in the deep wood with a shot gun. A person who shuts themselves off from society who lives on only what they can hunt for. Telling everyone to keep off his land." Cho said. Now it was Carols turn to giggle.
"I suppose that's one type of survivalist. But that doesn't represent all, or even most of us. You see, to me a survivalist is someone who trains themselves to survive in their environment. Someone who can also survive a disaster because they've trained themselves to prepare for it. And though, Mickey and I don't plan to move into the woods and shut ourselves out from society, he is training me to survive if I'm even lost in the woods, or at sea, or in many other circumstances. Being a survivalist also can mean staying prepared. We always keep a food and water reserve in our house incase of anything major, also we keep fresh batteries in our flashlights. It can be as simple as that. But I eat up the knowledge. Mickey was in the regiment you know, he's still in the reserve. Carol finished proudly. Cho stared at her blankly.
"What regiment. " Cho asked. Carol, got an excited smile on her face.
"The regiment, the one he never talks about, but where he learned everything he knows, well apart from the karate, he's been doing that since he was twelve."
"I don't follow." Cho said, scratching her head. Carol rolled her eyes.
"You know, SAS." Carol replied. Cho gave a shrug. "You know, Who Dares Wins. Royal Army." Carol added. Cho gave another shrug. Carol gave a sigh, you know, the most elite military unit in the world." Carol stated.
"I'm sorry Carol, I don't know much about the military." Cho said honestly. Carol promised to bring Cho some books and some DVD's on the subject including a movie titled "Who Dares Wins" the motto of the SAS, which Cho found out stood for Special Air Services. She also provide Cho with a few books on surviving being lost in the wilderness with no kit, and a military guides on camouflage. At first she protested, telling Carol that she had her schedule full taking care of her mum, and reading medical books. But Carol got her to agree to read one book, and it peeked Cho's interest. She made time for it, and over the next few weeks after word she would go through several books during the times she had off work and her mum slept, tired from the morphine.
A shake from Carol pulled Cho out of her reflection.
"Hey Cho, focus." Carol said. "You were miles away." Cho blushed.
"Oh, sorry Carol." She replied. Carol waved it off, and grabbed the heavy bag, a long orange bag that hung from the ceiling of the dojo.
"Ok Cho, have at it. Carol said happily. Cho put her gloved hands up as if protecting her face as Mickey had trained her, and gave several punched to the tarpaulin, sand filled bag. She gave several, strong jabs as Carol stood holding the opposite side so the bad stayed in place. Heavy bags and boxing were not a part of karate, but the instructors were experimenting with adding kickboxing to the program and Mickey had done some at University. Cho went to work on the bag, her punches increasing in power, she focused on looking where she was hitting. Without looking at Carol she spoke.
"So, what's happening this weekend?" Cho asked. Carol smiled.
"We're, that is Mickey, yourself and I, are going to shoot guns at a gun safety course in Spain." She beamed. Cho gave her a quizzical look.
"Guns? But I've never fired a gun in my life. And I don't think I would enjoy hunting." Cho said, thrusting more jabs at the bag.
"We're not going hunting; Mickey has a friend outside of Madrid. A Spanish diplomat, he has his own Villa on a private property. He's a collector, and gun enthusiast. He has loads of guns we can use, and he's a certified instructor, so he can teach us to use them properly. I've never fired a gun before, and thought this would be a great opportunity. He's got a range with bottles and tins and paper targets. It will be loads of fun, and we'll get an education in safely using them." Cho was shocked at Carols enthusiasm.
"Carol, guns are dangerous. I mean, you don't know what you're doing." She stated, giving the bag another few punches, she was beginning to sweat.
"And that's why I'm going to take the safety course. Anything can be dangerous, but if you learn to use something safely, than you can minimize the risk, like driving a car." Carol stated.
"Carol, were British, we don't have guns here." Cho protested. Carol rolled her eyes.
"Yea, that's why we're going to Spain. It's a three day course. You be back to see your mum by Tuesday. Come on it will be fun." It's just for three days, it's like stress relief, like this, look how well it's worked out for you." Carol said. Cho, thought about it, and had to admit the idea intrigued her a little, and were guns not very much like wands. Wizards used wands to kill others, just as muggles used guns, but wands could be useful for defense too, and so could guns. Hogwarts taught you how to Use wands responsibly. Besides, who wouldn't want to go to Spain for a weekend?
Cho nodded her head.
"Ok, I guess you're right. Ok, just for a few days." Cho said giving the bag a few more healthy punches.
"Trust me I am Cho. Anyway. Tomorrow night is, we're watching "The Wild Geese." Oh, switch with me. Carol said. Cho wrapped her arms around the bag as Carol put her gloves on. She started punching the bag with steady jabs and punches, and Cho concentrated on keeping it steady.
"Another war movie?" Cho asked.
"Yea", Carol said happily.
"You do know you're a nurse right?" Cho replied. Carol laughed.
"I can't help it, I have a passion for action movies and weapons. I must have been Joan of Ark in another life." They both giggled.
"That night Cho set down at her desk and called the number on the phone she had given Harry, having already gotten a second number for him to call her. There was no reply. She read the Daily Profits headline stories. "Three bodies found in the forbidden forest. Partially devoured by Spiders. One was a ministry official that was missing, tow where unknown, as of yet, but none of them was Harry Potter. He was still alive, at least so they thought, and wanted for questioning, and suspected of murder. No one had seen him. Cho pushed the paper aside. A tear fell from her eye. Lies, she thought. How can they print that about him. Cho than picked up her letter from Luna, opened by someone from the Ministry before it touched Cho's hands. Luna had not seen or heard from Harry for some time. On the night of his disappearance, strange green and reddish glows were found in the Castle. It was an odd mood. With Harry gone, the students were less on edge, knowing that Hogwarts was a safe place, but sadly, many seemed to believe it safer since Harry was no longer at the school. She would let Cho know if she found out anything, but the post was slow in coming. Cho rested her head on her pillow, and went to sleep with watery eyes.
-Two days later-
Cho stood off to the side of the jet way door, with her gym bag over her shoulder, looking into the plane as if it was another dimension. The flight crew greeted everyone at the door as they happily entered. Cho was nervous. She had never been on a plane before; her family often used port keys when she was little. She learned to be great on a broom, but when she was on a broom she had control, she directed where she was going, how fast, and how high. Now the muggle pilots would be the ones doing that, and she was only along for the ride. It was kind of scary not being able to do anything if there was any trouble. She thought. Carol, nudged her.
"Going in Cho? You're not afraid of flying are you?" Carol asked. Cho shook her heard.
"Oh, no." she fibbed. She took a deep breath, and entered through the door after Carol and Mickey.
"Welcome aboard." The flight attendant greeted. Cho walked down the crowded isles. Finally they found their row, and put their carryon bags in their overhead compartments, and sat down. Cho got a window seat. She looked out at the baggage handlers loading the heavy luggage in the belly of the small regional jet. As scared as she was, she had always wanted to fly in a muggle aircraft. Now was the chance, and she was sure it should be fun if she could get the butterfly's out of her stomach. The seat cushion was comfy, and the leg room was sparse. Carol set next to her, and Mickey set in the aisle seat. Cho fiddled with her tray table for a minute, and curiously looked at the buttons for the light and flight attendant call. Once everyone was seated a voice came over the loud speaker. "Uhhh… ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain Mr. Hopkins speaking, we will not be departing on our two and a half hour flight from London to Madrid. We'll be flying at 20,000 feet. Your head flight attendant Sara will be giving instructions on what to do in case of an emergency." Cho cringed a bit, and looked over to Carol nervously. "What… what emergency?" Cho asked. Carol, probably sensing a bit of panic in her voice told her that it was only a precaution, and there was nothing to worry about. But as it was her fist time on a plane she should pay attention. Cho listened intently to the lecture, about how her seat cushion could be used as a flotation device, and how the oxygen mask would be brought down in case of an emergency, and how the safety slides would be deployed out the doors for a quick exit. The entire announcement was repeated in Spanish. It calmed her down a bit to know so much safety was put into the flying experience, but when the doors closed and the plane started to push away from the gateway, the butterfly's in her stomach came back. The plane moved onto the taxiway, and Cho, still nervous, dug her fingers into the seat cousin. The captain's voice came over the speaker. The plane moved onto the runway, and Cho could hear the engines revving up and feel their vibration. She gave a slight moan. The plane began moving forward and she looked out the window as the ground zipped by. She had seen this countless times before, but experiencing it from inside and aircraft was different. She had always had to be aware of everything around her, not just in a Quidditch match, but flying everywhere she went. Soon the ground was growing far distant and they were up in the clouds. After a few minutes Cho began to take in the experience. Nothing was better than flying your own broom, and going as far and fast or slow as you wanted, but she could enjoy this ride with friends, the cabin was sealed, and warm, negating the need for warming spells in the cold winter weather outside. Despite being a bit cramped, the seat was comfortable, and the flight attendant had brought them peanuts and a cola during the trip. That was something that didn't happen on a broom. Cho started to really relax. She thought maybe she could get to like this after all.