Martial Artist Monika

You were aware Monika dabbled in athletics, but you weren't expecting this to be her sport of choice. The wind blows a few leaves off the tress in this autumn chill, as you stand gasping for breath at the top of the lengthy set of stairs leading up to an ancient, wooden house. It's decor - Japanese, almost stereotypical to the sacred temples you've seen depicted in their animated productions. You finally catch your breath. Though the moment you decide you were going to enter, and bring your hand to the grip, the door slides open in a flash.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawawa!" A grown man is launched outside the dojo like he was a drunk at a bar, and tumbles down the stairs, step by step. The shock of it all stills your mind from laughing.

"Come again!" A familiar voice sings as she steps out and waves farewell, wearing her beaming and wonderful smile at the challenger, before directing it at you. "Oh, Anon! You made it!"

"Of course I did, how could I pass up the opportunity to see the club president kick some butt?"

"Oh stop." Monika flicks her hand to brush off the comment, her cheeks tinge from the brashness of your compliment. And your compliment. "I'm pretty good, but not that great."

"From the looks of it," you say, the echo of the man's sobs and grunts still in earshot, "you're selling yourself short."

"Well..." she steps back into the dojo, inviting you in. "It's just the weaklings that come around this time of day. Ahaha!"

Ever seen The Matrix? That part where Morpheus and Neo are training their fighting skills in that virtual dojo? The interior is pretty much that. You slide the door closed behind you and follow Monika inside, looking around in awe and reverence. A handful of club members were on the floor, practising their own skills while resting martial artists and girlfriends watching their hubbie line the edge of the room.

"Pretty right?" the poet donning the white gi asks, already knowing the answer. "It's partly why I like to spend so much time here. Oh, don't forget to take off your shoes."

"I wouldn't mind being in here too once in a while."
"Why don't you? I'd love to show you the ropes."
"Oh no way - trying to make a decent poem every day is enough extra curricular for me."
"Personally a little bit of exercise like this helps me form some lines, but that's just me. Lord knows that doesn't work for the others..."
"Don't listen to her Anon, mixing sweat and symbolism is just icky!"

A voice beckons from the corner of the room. How did you not notice them when you came in? Red ribbon. Long, violet hair.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Hello to you too, Anon." Yuri said, unable to resist chiding your manners. "I've found martial arts to assist me with my poetry as well - but not in the way Monika prescribes." She closes her eyes, and clasps her hands. "The elegance of purposeful, precise movement in every limb of the body. Yet the mind overcoming the limitations of those physical barriers, and the mind of your challenger. The mastery of strength and technique. The duality of a complex, tranquil art form and the primal, survivalist brutality to become the victor...If anything can inspire haiku writing, it's this. And I'm sure you know, Anon, that that's my poetry focus for this month."

"Ha-aaaah." You hum and nod in response, unable to think of anything intelligent enough to be adequate to what she just said. "And Sayori, what about you?"

"Yuri gives me free cookies if I hang out with her here 'cuz she hates looking completely alon-Ow!"

"Sayori!!" she says, covering her flustered face with her poetry book

"Whaaat? He asked me why I'm here"

"Y-You didn't have to tell him that part!"

You crack up at their exchange, as does Monika. She taps you on the shoulder. "So Anon, do you want to warm me up before my match? I need to get my heart racing!"

"Huh? Me? Why don't you ask the other club members - they look ready to take you on."

She looks around before leaning into your ear to mutter "To tell you the truth, I've beaten these guys so often I sort of just turn my brain off when they challenge me. I need someone to throw a fresh punch on me."

"I-I see. Well I can't possibly say no to you, so why not?" She softly says thanks, she appreciates it. You look down at your uniform with a frown, "So should I dress into something more appropriate or..?"

"Well, as long as you're comfortable moving around, you should be fine."

"Okay, chief!" You take off your blazer and vest, and throw them off to the side like it was weighted training gear, flying into Sayori's face. Then you zip down your pants.

Doki noises. "Anon, what are you doi-?!" Monika and Yuri both widen their eyes. You pull down your pants, revealing a light blue pair of shorts. "Oh."

"What'd I miss, what'd I miss!?" Sayori complains as she pries the smelly guy clothing off her head.

"Nothing you haven't seen before." Yuri replies while crossing her arms.

"Anon, why are you-" Monika inquires, before being cut off.

"Gym class was my last period." You jump towards a free space in the middle of the room and start stretching. "Come on, let's get this going, I'm getting pumped now!"

You put your hands up and dance your feet back and forth like those boxers do, throwing some sluggish jabs that barely agitate the air. It makes Monika giggle and skip to face you, and stands shoulder width apart, prompting you to come in with a gesture of the hand. Hours and hours of kung-fu and fighting flicks flash through your eyes, and you circle around her making high pitched grumbling just like how they do. Monika finds it very hard to stay serious as she doesn't even turn to follow your movement, but instead, with her hands behind her back, watches everyone in the dojo start turning around and notice what the hell the fucking new guy is pulling on the club leader.

It doesn't bother you so much, seeing as though all the dokis are enjoying it - that's all that really matters to you, and you circle back to face Monika's reddening face. You laugh now, but wait till you see this! In your best Bruce Lee impression, you scream and charge forward towards the ever-calm president.

"HOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!-?"

Picture a man at the height of confidence, about to punch a girl in the breast.
A frame later, a man defeated.
A tiny foot with black nail polish in the path of his attack, she effortlessly sidesteps the attacker and a light shove eases you into the trap.
The boy loses his balance and you can see the exact moment he knows he's been played.
With a grunt you fall flat on your face, smelling a centuries' worth of bare feet and emasculation.

"..Anon? Are you okay?" She sounds so worried, it moves you to tears. You roll your body around and look up at those green, watering eyes. Her mouth is covered and her shoulders are shaking uncontrollably. So much for being worried.

With your arms spread like Jesus you take a look around the club again, seeing Yuri and Sayori roaring in laughter like Monika, but all the regulars have resumed their attention elsewhere. It seems this happens often enough with newcomers that the outcome rarely surprises anyone. You groan before asking "Hey, Monika? Did you just ask me to come just to mess me around a little? I wasn't much of a sparring partner, barely got your heart racing."

Monika turns around. Dear, just you being here is enough to do that, she thinks, but can't possibly profess. Just think girl, as you fight he's going to be the only thing he's focused on - nothing else will matter to him but the way you move.

The sight of you still on the ground jogs her out of her introspection, and she lends you a hand in getting up. And then, the entrance door slides open with a boom, and a familiar stature stands eclipsed by the sun, and steps into the dojo with a scowl.

"Don't forget to take off your shoes!" She kicks them off without missing a beat, and continues stomping forward to meet her opponent. The club grows silent. You don't know, but Yuri and Monika do - there's more people then there usually is at the dojo today. Something spectacular is supposed to happen, equivalent to a high-stakes school fight after class in the park. Social media has hyped this up to be the biggest high school beef since whatever high school beef happened last.

"Already dressed and rearing to go, hmm?"

They size each other up. The challenger's eyes dart left and right.

"Why's he here? Why're they here?"

"I don't know who greeted us more rudely, her or Anon." a hushed tone whispers to the bun beside her.

"Tsk, always with the mindgames. Well, doesn't matter. Today's the day you're going to get it - so better they're here to see their pretty and perfect president finally eat her just desserts."

"...You've been training for this one, it sounds like."

"You're not going to know you lost until you're running outside sobbing." Her sneer bears a hungry tooth hanging over all the others.

"Well. Just give me a minute to get ready and we can get started." She replies curtly.

"Typical." The antagonist sighs and murmurs how she wouldn't mind a little warm up, to get used to the mats. She stretches her lean body. Her punches are swift, and with each exert of force her pigtails react with a taut jump in the air.

Monika turns around and with eyes closed pulls off her ribbon, stuffing it in the opening of her top's cut. And from her belt, she unties and pulls a red headband and ties it around her head, it's left over strands dancing along with her flowing long hair. The thought of it flying around gracefully as she delivers deadly blows can't help but excite you.

"Anon." She mutters, her eyes only open by a slit, masking the danger of them.

"Y-yeah?"

"Step back, sit with the others and enjoy the show. I don't want you to get hurt now." You hastily follow her words.

She turns to face her opponent, who wears a gi as red as her headband. It compliments her pink hair.

"You good?"

"Ready when you are."

"I've been ready. For a long time now." Natsuki starts circling Monika. Monika does the same, knowing she isn't just fooling around. They both inch forward, inch back in their dance, each looking for an opening. Finally, Natsuki's eyes flash ferociously. She finds it. She pounces.



---Part 1 END---