story+8

butt if I tried fighting him.” Shane said with an edge of shame and defeat in his voice. “I thought senseis were only supposed to kick the butts of those who deserved it, not an innocent girl who’s only defended herself.” I said with a grunt while dodging another blow that the man was trying to hit me with. “Innocent?!” He scoffed, while just barely missing a blow to my rib cage that would have sent me sprawling in the other direction. “What have I done to you?” I said just as I caught him in the chest with a powerful kick that sent him into a tree. As he landed with a huff, my hands fell to my knees while I caught my breath. “Besides throwing me into a tree just now? You were threatening one of my students a moment ago, and you were also doing the same thing last night. My students are not afraid to report threats to me.” The man said, his breath a little faster than normal as well. “Your student attacked me just now because I beet him in a fight yesterday, that he started.” I retorted, still out of breath. “Wait a minute, Joshua, did you attack her?” He asked facing Joshua to read his face. “No,” Joshua said automatically. “Joshua, don’t you lie to me. I know when I’m being lied to and you know it.” Jasper had reached us by now, and he put his arms around me, supporting most of my weight. I leaned into him, grateful for somebody that was on my side. “Okay, so I did attack her, but she attacked me yesterday.” He said while trying to think of another excuse in case he got caught in another lie. “Yes, I heard that you attacked him, and another one of my students yesterday. They got a picture of you, or else I wouldn’t know that I have the right girl. And Jasper,” he addressed Jasper with a scolding voice, “you let somebody attack your little brother, and now you’re holding that somebody like she’s your girlfriend. You should be ashamed of yourself.” Jasper let go of me and, on impulse I looked up at him, a deep sadness showing in my eyes that made him look away. “Don’t you try to guilt him into something he doesn’t want, or need.” The man scolded me. That tipped my temper. “Look who’s talking you stupid hypocrite! I haven’t done anything to anybody, unless they had earned it! And half the time I held back when they had earned a lesson or two, because I normally have control over my temper, unlike your little angel //Joshua//!” I yelled at him, wanting so much to lunge and strike. The adrenaline had left me for a little bit, but was coming back now that my temper was starting to get out of hand. “I can’t believe you just said that to my face!” The man thundered, “Nobody calls me a hypocrite, especially not YOU!” Then he lunged for an attack. I easily dodged the fury instated attack. He lunged again, this time catching my leg with a blow from his foot, and I heard a loud snap. I knew what had happened immediately. The adrenaline was pumping so fast that I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself if I’d really wanted to. My reflexes took over, my mind now only calculating the best maneuvers to defeat this opponent. My body flew in an incomprehensible blur, striking the man in two, three, and once even four places at the same time. He had obviously never seen anything like this before, and was using every year and degree of black belt and other fighting styles to keep me from making a defeat that would definitely destroy his status. Then my newly sprained ankle hit him, and the adrenalines force over my mind faded for a moment. I cry came from my mouth, and against all odds, the man snatched me out of the air, while I was mid jump, and put me gently on the ground. I realized then that he was in pretty bad shape, and that I could barely make anything out through my tears. He was bruised up really bad now, and he had a black eye and a bloody lip. He gently took the shoe off my damaged foot, and looked at my ankle. The pain of it was intense, but I wiped the tears from my eyes, and calmed myself down enough to speak comprehensibly. “It’s sprained. Again.” I said. “I don’t think it’s enough to keep you on crutches this time though. And I apologize for that. I should have a better hold on my own temper as well. You’ve probably been through a lot lately, haven’t you?” He said in a gentle voice that made me relax immediately. “Yes. And who reported me for what anyways?” I asked bemusedly. “Sean reported you for smacking him upside the head hard enough to knock him out, and for threatening him and his friends. Oh, and by the way, I don’t know your name yet, and I’m sensei John.” The man said. So his name is John? Yeah, it suits him well. “I’m Molly. And is Sean the kid I whacked with one of my crutches yesterday? Shane, Jasper, get over here.” I said when they didn’t answer me at first. They still didn’t respond. “You hit him upside the head with a crutch? I knew it didn’t look like a fist left that mark. What’d he do to provoke you into that?” John asked, a wicked  grin starting to spread across his face. next page