Karen left her 'tools' aside for training today; she had a few makeshift weapons, like how she occasionally 'borrowed' the handle of one of the janitorial mops... but they were risky to keep and riskier to practice with. It was a cautious game, collecting or merely borrowing arms, and she couldn't leave herself to a pattern. Instead, keeping stuff outside, just in the trees, was the safest place to leave even the crudest of tools. Even more mundane ones, she couldn't afford to be seen training with either...

But that was a dangerous game all in itself. She had been attacked once... truly 'attacked' for the first time, out in the woods right during the day. But at least the school seemed to do less with everyone there. Deep enough, like in that gorgeous grotto she had once found, she could even be sure human eyes wouldn't be around.


But that's where the monsters were. And that was why for regular training, like today, she simply worked out on the grass by the dorms. It was flat, open, and public... and she didn't want to train too close to anyone else. Not after that incident with 'Katya'...

Pouring the plastic water bottle over her head, she shook her black hair back and forth and leaning her head back. The water was warmer in the heat, but it was enough for now. God! That was too much... I need a break already. She whispered to herself, turning her head to the corners of the dorm. Karen was supposed to meet Anna soon back here; it was now just a matter of time.

Now finished a heavy warm-up, Karen sat with her back against the wall, letting a small towel drape over her shoulders to keep her T-shirt dry, starting to drink what was left of this water bottle.

It's well past time for them to meet, actually, and as Anna finally comes wandering down the hall, she has no excuse, nor does she deign to fabricate one for Karen's benefit. For that matter, she doesn't even acknowledge the girl at first, not so much as a glance as she sashays through the door in customized schoolgirl uniform, not looking in the least prepared for a sparring match: inappropriate high heeled boots, unwieldy skirt, piercings dotting ears and nose and lips and brows, dark makeup. She's in Karen's line of sight a good while before she even comes sauntering up, lingering by the lockers, chatting with girls who come and go, back to her locker, flirts and teases. Her lips brush a partner's cheek as a contraband cigarette is slipped into her palm, hand-rolled. Eyes wander the halls, already beginning to thin out as most of the girls wander to the cafeteria for dinner, checking for hall monitors or teachers before sparking up her smoke. Eyes finally settle down the hall at Karen, a brief grimace. Damn. Girl's spotted her.... and slowly, she begins to saunter the distance between the two of them.

Anna's not the martial sort, but she's tired of being scared. She's had the luxury of largely avoiding the monsters in this place, but the fear constantly haunts her. She can see the nervous twitch in Karen's every step, the ominous pall that looms silently over the other girls. She's known that sort of degradation first hand, and she doesn't want it to become a routine thing here as well. She sometimes perches on the roof where Karen can't see her, sketching the girl in her routine, the sheer frenetic momentum of it all, the ferocity, and while she got up the courage to ask her for some sparring just the other day, she's now not quite sure she's ready for it. Slowly, she heads down the hall to their room, back straight, forced smile plastered on. Her back three fingers wiggle in a silent wave at Karen while her thumb and forefinger pinch the cigarette. "Got quite a lather going on there, dontcha girl?"

Karen had been sitting on the grass tiredly, and she turned to watch Anna arrive. It made her heart skip a beat for a moment... despite everything, Karen was afraid. Perhaps because of how futile she felt... it was the source of her moodiness, though she wouldn't put it into words.

Anna might be a whole other source of moodiness. Watching her step out, with that lackluster attitude and a cigarette in her fingers, Karen frowned... honestly dubious about it. Both about whether Anna was capable of handling this... and whether it was worthwhile. Karen doubted... but if nothing else, it might be good to rattle the languid look off of Anna's face.

Yes, I do. She couldn't help but spare a half-a-smile, a droplet dropping past her nose from her strands of hair. The strangeness of it almost got a giggle from her. Instead, she plucked the towel off of her own shoulders, and starts to dry her hair off quickly. Karen caught the looks from Anna, but figured she was doing it to be smug. She was likely even right.

What took you so long? Karen asks as she stands, feeling it might as well be rhetorical. God only knows what was going through Anna's head. Pausing halfway, Karen focuses a more discerning eye at Anna. She was dressed as was usual for her... which was the problem.

So you mentioned a spar or something? Her eyes move back to Anna's gaze, focusing on hers and looking at her straight.

Eyes only barely rest on Karen, looooong drag followed by french inhale, her attention skittishly, cattily dancing over the quad, ever cautious for girls she knows. The thought of getting her ass kicked in public like this, for everyone to see, well, suffice to say, her throat is dry. But she's far too stubborn to back out now. Luckily, the catty, smoker's crowd that Anna tends to linger with towards the back wall of the dorm seems to have wandered away. Fingers lift to flip back bangs. She shrugs to Karen. "Yeah.... Maybe I did mention something like that..." Brusquely brushing aside Karen's question, cigarette turned nervously over and over between her fingers.

"I mean, seems fair for me to let you release all that aggressive passion you've had bottled up for me the only way you know how..."

At least it was -behind- the dorm... but that was barely private at all if things got noisy. For one, there were more windows on this side... and there were a few trails cutting through the trees for the unknowing... foolish... or daring cutting for a shorter walk to the classroom buildings. You are kidding, right? Karen asks, reaching down. She regathered the strips of cloth she had, freshly washed in the saltwater, and started wrapping them around her hands.

...you know there's no one to impress here but yourself. How much training have you had? She had to ask, as she started to wrap her other hand up. Sorry that there's no mats here... but the grass is pretty good, and its flat. Karen could only guess that Anna was really confident... or really hoping for something else. Talking Karen up like that if she couldn't defend herself was...

If you wanted to go back on your offer... or wanted to ask something else, better now than later, right?

She rolls her eyes as she sinks to her ass in the grass, boots lifted to unlatch the complicated series of clasps and laces, settling them neatly side by side. She wiggles toes in socks, shrugging petulantly to Karen. "I've smacked a few girls in my time. None of this stupid Karate Kid shit, but I've had to defend myself before." And while she has, sure, none of them were built, or trained, anything like Karen. Her brow is lowered in a scowl, taking one last, regretful pull off her cigarette before smearing it out in the grass.

She springs to her feet, circling around Karen, like she presumes fighters do, knuckles cracked, a regular comical affair this, pretty, pale goth girl weaving slowly around Karen like she knows what she's doing, fingers waggled at the trained fighter in a "come and get it" gesture. "I'm not backing out of anything."

Karen let out a sigh and shook her head. Can you at least tell me what brought this on? She asked with a shake of her head. Reaching up, she cracked her neck lightly and then straightened herself again. She didn't move or weave like Anna, just taking small steps back and turning with her hips. She didn't step forwards or anything, just standing there as relaxed as she can be.

At least it was -behind- the dorm... but that was barely private at all if things got noisy. For one, there were more windows on this side... and there were a few trails cutting through the trees for the unknowing... foolish... or daring cutting for a shorter walk to the classroom buildings. You are kidding, right? Karen asks, reaching down. She regathered the strips of cloth she had, freshly washed in the saltwater, and started wrapping them around her hands.

...you know there's no one to impress here but yourself. How much training have you had? She had to ask, as she started to wrap her other hand up. Sorry that there's no mats here... but the grass is pretty good, and its flat. Karen could only guess that Anna was really confident... or really hoping for something else. Talking Karen up like that if she couldn't defend herself was...

Might as well see what Anna could do. Karen was annoyed with her... and moody as hell. But actually beating her up was... not high on her list of good-things to do.

"What brought this on?" Her brow raises, incredulously. "Do you really have to ask?" And what that really means is "Please don't make me say". Sure she wants to learn to fight, but she can't just simper up to Karen all doe-eyed and ask her. That would be a little too close to asking a favor. So she circles, hopping from foot to foot. Pink tongue flips black lips, socked feet slipping across the wet grass.

And finally she dances in. She's not slow, surprisingly nimble in fact, but there's certainly no tact there. She was taught to punch, but it was a long time ago, and as she swings for Karen's midsection, her fist is held loose, sloppy. Every muscle in Anna's body screams the action before she follows through on it.

She lets out a sigh. Yes, Karen really had to ask. She wasn't a telepath! But she had at least the idea that there was more to this involved than a smackdown or a bit of pride at stake.

Brow furrowed, Karen reached out and put her palm out for Anna to hit. If Anna's hand was really held loosely, she'd hit Karen's palm and maybe smack painfully. But at least hitting her hand was better than hitting a brick wall, which could break Anna's.

With that, stepping back a little, Karen retreated. She really didn't want to hurt her roommate... well, just a little. For now, Karen moved loosely, without any stance or even closed fists. I already did some workout this morning... thanks for your concern, but I don't really need any more. Her tone was perfectly serious, even if Karen was smiling a bit. Maybe making fun of Anna... just a little.

The punch hurts Anna's fist more than it hurts Karen's palm, and she can see the brief flash of pain in the girl's face, the hiss withdrawn before it can escape her lips. Eyes flash darkly at Karen's taunting smile and any thoughts of backing out wash away as she follows through, center of gravity lowered as she follows through with a swinging, wide kick, molded leg extended, shin cracking inexpertly against Karen's toned side, skirt rising up milky thigh, her balance thrown off fully, no thought for where she's going to go after the kick. She seeths, really, and you can see it in her expression, so obvious that Karen is just playing with her like a kitten.

Karen didn't mean to set her off like that; she bent her knees hastily, raising an arm to block the kick. Stumbling to the side, Karen mentally cursed... she shouldn't have taken that, but... really, why does she have to do this with her roommate?!

Hey! You are going to hurt yourself... The woman starts to say, then begins to trail off. Oh... she shouldn't have said that... but going back on it wasn't a great idea either. Karen shakes her head fast, her long black hair dancing, and stepped back quickly and straightened.

Relax! Relax! Karen forced herself to relax again, not caring how easy it made this whole spar look. I'm warning you once. Only once... Was she even taking this seriously? No, Anna was, and wasn't... and Karen was beginning to think she should start. If Anna wasn't willing to calm down...

The kick throws her off balance, wobbling briefly on one foot as she regains her balance. The skirt makes for awkward range of movement and the Shokushu uniforms aren't built for modesty while standing straight, much less imitating moves from Street Fighter. There's a flash of milky thigh, glimpse of stud in navel as her top raises. Karen could have easily taken the opening and just wailed a beating on her. Anna steps back, bead of perspiration trickling between her brows, head just faintly tilted as she shifts from one toe to another, pleased grin, hair brushed back from her eye. "I thought that was what sparring was. Two girls kicking and punching and hurting the hell out of each other. Isn't that the whole point?"

Hand rubbed across lip, infuriatingly smug smirk, goading, teasing. "Unless this is just your excuse to wear me down, pin me down, and have your way."

Karen doesn't jump in though. Maybe partly because she was blinking at the stud she saw. That was interesting.

Shaking her head, Karen can't help but sigh and smile at the taunt, shaking her head slowly. You sure you aren't the one with all the bottled up sexual desire here? You keep on bringing it up...

Smirking at Anna, Karen spreads her legs a little, now dropping into a proper forward stance. Front knee bent, the other one back... though she kept her weight even over both feet. She was rusty, out of practice, and it wasn't the most practical position, but...

Seriously, though. You aren't taking this very... um, seriously... A chuckle, and then the smile faded. She looked sharply at Anna, right into her eyes, as she held up a slightly cupped hand. There wasn't any amusement or anger anymore, just an even look and tone of voice. If you don't start, you are going to get hurt.

"Girly, does anything about me seem 'bottled up' to you?" While Karen talks, she... um.... strips... Fingers twist the buttons along the sleeves of the long school blouse, then work the buttons down from neck to waist. The top is shrugged off, tossed beside her boots. Underneath, violet tank top, certainly more fitting for combat. One palm closes over her wounded fist, rubbing it. All the while she watches Karen, more keen than she seems maybe, carefully studying how she positions herself, how she sets her legs and arms and balance, doing her best to mimic her roommate, even as she taunts. "If I had the least interest in conquering you, you'd already be leashed and panting at my knees." Her shoulders are rolled at Karen's assertion of Anna's vulnerability. Gold eyes glimmer in delight, leaned forward, imitated but imperfect mirror to Karen's pose.

Ok, THAT surprised Karen. But only a little. She shakes her head and smiles a bit to herself. Maybe in approval. She shook her head a bit at what Anna says, though, just smirking, then focusing again. Don't kid yourself. That would only happen in your wildest dreams. She raises her fists slightly, motioning for her to come this time.

Karen wanted to see what she was like if she was taking herself seriously... that, and if Anna was trying to monkey Karen, she wasn't going to get anything to copy. Time to see if Anna could match her mouth...