True Blue 24 - Cherry Blossom Pink 5 - Bichromatic

[dark_kana]

Name: Kana
Title: Park Training
Story: Circle never ends
Characters: Freya, Nick
Colors: True Blue 24 With friends like this, who needs enemies? – Cherry Blossom Pink 5 Yakitori
Supplies and Styles: Bichromatic
Word count: 573
Rating: PG
Summary: A ju-jitsu training in the park
Notes: Constructive criticism is, as always, welcome


She walks through the park. Casually. Or so everybody thinks. In fact, she has never been more focused. Or nervous.

Japan. One of the homes of martial arts... And her sensei - a European guy - thinks it's okay to organize a training session in the park. Freya shakes her head. She feels vulnerable without her fighting kimono - her gi. She feels weak and not worthy of her black belt here in Japan.

A quick intake of breath. Feeling more than hearing someone sneak up on her. For a second she wants to react and turn around already. Facing her adversary head on instead of allowing him to attack her from behind... But that is not the exercise, so she calmly keeps on walking further.

She knows something is about to happen, and still she tenses when she feels the hand on her shoulder and the arm that tries to strangle her. It only lasts for a second. Before she takes a hold of the arm around her neck. Turning she lets her elbow connect with his stomach. She sees her adversary double over. Her first reaction is usually the best. Whatever happens afterwards... Well, she sees when she goes on. Quickly she steps aside, making sure she stands behind him. In one swift movement she brings his arm behind his back. A shoulder lock. She releases him when he taps his leg.

Smiling Nick turns around. "Nice one."

Freya shakes her head. Tries to ignore the looks they receive. Luckily it's rather cold outside for the time of the year and not many people are in the park.

"I should have known you'd come after me..."

He laughs and hugs her. Winks when he lets her go.

Freya rolls her eyes before continuing the path she was following. Still smiling Nick turns around, searching for another victim.

-

At the end of the training - it lasted nearly two hours - Freya is the only one every one attacked. Twice. Of course she did not only defend. She came across Rob once. And Nick suffered an unexpected attack as well. But one way or another they always found her first. Not that she minded that much. It was a perfect exercise to get back in shape. Her fighting level had seriously dropped after a couple of injuries.

"Now that was a nice training."

They were walking back to the guest-house. Discussing the attacks and defenses.

"Freya did a nice technique when I attacked her liked that."

She turns around to face Rob. "What attack? You attacked me three times... Which one are you talking about?"

Next to her, Nick starts laughing. Looking aside, she lets her elbow connect with his side. It's not hard.

Before he can react and before she can say anything, she picks up a smell. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath. "Hmmm..." There is a smile on her face and she stops walking.

"What is it Freya?"

"Yakitori..."

She feels her stomach grumble. Hasn't eaten much yet for today...

When she opens her eyes she sees the same questioning look on everybody's face.

"Grilled Chicken. Don't you guys smell it? It's delicious..."

Some of them pull up their shoulders and are turning again to continue their walk. Some however...

It makes Freya smile. "Come on all of you. My treat."

She turns on her heels, walking confidently to one of the street venders. Ordering a piece for everyone.

Comments

[finch]

I know martial arts uniforms are sometimes called kimono, especially in the US, but I've never actually run into it while studying martial arts. That aside, I think that's confusing in a setting where there have also been people in traditional Japanese clothing; you might want to call it a gi or just uniform instead.

I like her comment about it being presumptuous of her instructor to decide to have a public training in Japan, especially what sounds like it was essentially some kind of tackle game. I was surprised Freya didn't feel more ganged up on when she noted that everyone was attacking her to excess. I would love to see you get more into her feelings, since it seems like we don't get very far into her head. Between her stated lack of self-confidence and what comes off as bullying from her classmates, I'd like to see more of her reactions.

[dark_kana]

Oh, you have a very good point there indeed. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll change it to 'gi' in a second. ^^

No, Freya didn't feel bothered at all that her classmates all attacked her. She had been suffering some injuries before and hadn't been training for months and having to constantly defend herself was a perfect way to get back into the fighting routine... So it wasn't actually bullying from her classmates. They were just trying to help her get back in shape. But I agree, I should just have mentioned that. I'll try to write these things more clearly. It's just that sometimes it is all so clear in my head, but when others read it, they read it differently ^^ I really need to work on that in my writing - get more into detail and explain more. I admit it might be one of my weak points. As is describing feelings...
Thank you for this comment! It really helps when someone points out what I can do better. :-)

[bookblather]

I like that presumptuous comment too-- it's a nice little recognition of cultural sharing vs. appropriation.

[dark_kana]

Thank you! For me it was an important note, so I'm really glad you guys like that thought as well. ^^

[novel_machinist]

So, I am really in love with Freya. A lot. I like the training as well, it's good to see a group of people really engage on the level that I recall from my own working out.

[dark_kana]

I'm glad you like the training. It's based on a training in the park we once did. ^^