#im curious about the perception of safety and openness here

[bitterjadedandblogging]

1. an introduction

Hey tumblr.... just kidding, only talking to myself here. Or perhaps after death, whatever embarrassing and ill-tended series of text posts this may turn into will be discovered while scrounging my computer files. Likely further stabilizing whatever silent suspicions or beliefs other had surmised upon me. The same suspicions I personally ponder or at time fear. Consider this failed project #186 (random number inserted). Im sure to be another forgotten social media account I may never look back on. Just as I am so good at starting new notebooks with lists, entries, and ideas, and then never flipping a page again for months. Theres about 8 half used moleskines in my desk as I type. 

Likely undiagnosed with some sort of mental illness, most definitely ADHD as I ramble this into so much more than it needs or was intended to be. Not that I’m sure what that even was. I’m just going to use this screen as the last trying outlet that I can feel some sort of safety or ability to truly express myself without err or judgement by others regarding my cynicism or spiritual and “strange” beliefs or predictions of this world. My views regarding society and everything going on in the world to date and to come, are those that could easily be labeled as pessimistic and negative. Don’t get me wrong, though I could say I subscribe myself to nihilism, I prefer to say I’m a realist, I have glimpses of optimism, phases more say I suppose. I’ve struggled to balance both throughout my life. I wonder if I’m schizophrenic (as I was labeled by a friend after expressing an idea of the world today), I wonder if I’m bipolar, I KNOW I’m clinically depressed. With reason, I can't say this life has been easy, but who's is?

 Our problems are equal and all valid, or so I have always preached. But lately they don’t feel so. Shit is heavy, shit is hard, and I have lost my empathic ability to feel or soothe with others, positive or negative. I’ve always believed you can't love someone else until you love yourself... lately I have learned you can't be happy or sad or joyous for anyone else, or anything, if you don’t allow yourself any of that same compassion or privilege. Happiness feels a privilege, a job feels a privilege, the ability to function without pain feels a privilege, everything that's said to me... feels something I am unable to attain. Oh how I have trailed here... This blog is not for pity, its not to necessarily connect with anyone, or to be validated. I’m not seeking answers or advice, I dont know if I am to come out a different perception and maybe return to some of the inspiration I used to be capable of bestowing upon others. I am curious as to whether I am genuinely losing my mind and should seek help, or if maybe some others will share my ideas and beliefs. It'd be easy to say, yes you're crazy, you're ill, and you need to see a therapist. Trust me, I have. I personally have different beliefs. Ones that dont lie in big pharma. I have little trust for the medical system in which has failed me time and time again, and so I tell myself maybe these ideals are just different, and of a spiritual value, an open eye in a sense. The ability to see is one in which we dont all hold, so maybe in that I have privilege. Or I’m fucking crazy, who knows, all I know is that probably none of this made any sense. 

Welcome to my brain... it doesn't really ever stop, so I’m going to try spitting some of it out, rather than letting it take up space.

Either way... it’ll be cheaper than therapy. 

-a

[starksblood]

could that really be ROWENA STARK , the LADY of HOUSE STARK entering the keep ? king’s landing is sure to benefit from the fact that they’re PERCEPTIVE and DISCERNING , but beware , they’ve also been known to be ANXIOUS and ORTHODOX . they hail from THE NORTH , and it’s said that they are loyal to HOUSE STARK . only time will tell if that will last .

hi , chickadees ! i’m sav , and i’m so thrilled to be back. i was here for the first run of crownshq , and i’ve literally not shut up about this rp coming back since i saw the main started posting again. before i get started on some information about rowena , i’d like to say that it’s nice to meet you all & that i can’t wait to be able to write with you guys. my ims are always open , and you’re more than welcome to ask for my discord if you’d like to interact outside of tumblr , as well. now i’ll stop rambling about myself and start rambling about rowena :

LADY ROWENA STARK  is the youngest child of jon & lyra stark — she is the baby of the family , the runt of the litter , and with that has always come a certain amount of extra protection ; she’s always been a little sheltered , clinging to the edges of her father’s cloak , hiding in her mother’s shadow , trailing after her older siblings. she’s always been soft as freshly fallen snow , not a trace of harsh winter to be found in her bones. rowena takes after her lord father greatly , mirroring his selflessness , sensitivity , and observant nature with a similarly solemn look on her face ; always burning with the need to prove herself.

as a young child , she was quite sickly , and for a period of time from ages one to eight , she regularly took on fevers that would leave her bedridden. the cause of this was never identified , but in time she mostly grew out of them , though she can still remember the look of fear on her parent’s faces when they would sit with her. it’s something she cannot help but feel guilt for. while cooped up in her room , rowena would constantly read or otherwise beg for stories from anyone who would listen. she loves to learn , always has ; her voracious appetite for knowledge has always been one of her driving forces. her other , of course , is her family. the stark children were raised knowing the importance of family , and her biggest source of pride is such. she loves her siblings fiercely , and one of the only times you may glimpse the rare baring of her fangs is when it comes to protecting her loved ones. that’s not to say she doesn’t value others , of course , in fact she thinks that every life is important , every person should be afforded the same respect & kindness regardless of their station.

while she loves her mother dearly , she was especially close with jon , always at his heels as a child , often slipping away from her lessons to creep after him , curious , eager , & full of love. her father’s death was like a crack in a mirror , one that shattered the world around her. she has taken his demise with a particular amount of difficulty : at first , she refused to believe he was truly gone , and went through fits of dissociation as a means of coping. her grief is the thread which stitches the various moments of her life together. even so , she knows she must carry on , if only for the sake of his memory & the love she still holds for the rest of her family. the pack survives , after all — or at least that’s what she holds faith in , though it does not make it any easier.

going into the landsmeet , rowena has been feeling quite anxious. she’s heard the stories , even whispered as they’ve been , about the dragon queen. not only this , but she fears for the safety of her family in king’s landing , and it is the point of paranoia which has begun plaguing her relentlessly. she knows very well the gruesome history of house stark & their few travels south.

fun facts : she has a secret talent with archery , though she doesn’t often display it. going by our zodiac signs , rowena is a capricorn.

while i’m currently at work ( help me i wrote this entire post on mobile so i’m sure there are things i’m forgetting rip ) , feel free to like this and i’ll hop into your dms to plot!

[jolienjoyswriting]

Bloody Knuckles, Ch. I

Chapter I of "Bloody Knuckles," yet another Essence of Ragnarok story.

This one's kind of interesting, in that I'm introducing a new familiar character who may or may not become a regular, in the later stories.  I guess we'll see what happens.

Word count: 5,982 – Character count: 34,334 Originally written: February 18, 2017 Revised on: September 6th, 2017

Carlos kidnaps Joseph and takes him to an unexpected location for an even less-expected reason.

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    “I’ve been thinking about that fight we had…”

    Joseph winced, his ears folding as he looked at the taller figure of Carlos, a newer… and, very unlikely acquaintance.  He’d come over, unannounced, that evening and seemed to have something on his mind, considering his opening statement…

    “You’re not a real great fighter, Joseph,” the black wolf continued, causing the fox to tilt his head.  “You’re slippery… but, once I got you, you stayed got.”     The fox jolted back as Carlos shoved a motorcycle helmet and some safety gear into his arms.  He took a moment to look it over… then, he glanced back toward Carlos.  The wolf had a stony look on his face.     “Put this on,” he said as he turned toward the motorcycle he’d parked nearby.  “You and I are going somewhere.”     “Uh…”     The taller figure cast a stern look over his shoulder, at the fox.     “Unless you’re busy?”     His tone made Joseph think that answering “yes” wasn’t an option, in that scenario…     “N-no, no…” he said as he started to withdraw and equip the pads from the helmet.  Carlos seemed satisfied with that answer and continued to his bike, then, and after the two had gotten equipped and settled on the vehicle’s chassis, he started the engine and they were off.

    Joseph loosely held onto Carlos’ shoulders as the wolf drove away from his house and headed to the highway.  He didn’t seem to have anything to say and, though Joseph wondered where they were going, he didn’t want to ask.  It had only been a couple of months after they’d fought and gotten to know each other… but, they were still far from being “friends” – at least, as far as he was concerned.  Past interactions had left their mark and, even when Carlos had tried to be friendly toward him, it always seemed a little… forced, to Joseph’s perception.     Maybe that’s why he’s taking me somewhere? he thought.  Maybe he wants to try harder, to be friends?  I’m not sure I’d like that, but…     He looked at the back of Carlos’ helmeted head.     I’m willing to try…  I’d definitely rather be his friend than his enemy, in any case…

    The trip into town was a long, silent, and somewhat uncomfortable one as Carlos drove through the traffic.  The weather was a bit chilly and, unfortunately for Joseph, he hadn’t thought to wear a jacket – something the wolf had done.  As much as he hadn’t wanted to, he found himself curling up to Carlos’ leather-clad backside for warmth.  Thankfully, the wolf didn’t seem to notice… or, maybe he just didn’t care.

    “Off,” Carlos commanded as he pulled into a seemingly random location.  Joseph gave a wince before quickly hopping off the bike.     “You really should have grabbed a jacket,” the wolf continued, noticing he was shivering.     “Y… y-yeah…” was all the fox could say as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering.     “Anyway, we’re here.”     He gave a blink as Carlos walked away from his motorcycle and toward a nearby building.  It was then that he noticed just where they were…

    Joseph was standing in the parking lot of a large, well-lit, two-story building – the front of which seemed to be made entirely out of glass.  He could easily see that there were a number of people inside… but, what further piqued his curiosity was the fact most of the people seemed to be working with various types of personal machinery… specifically, machines and equipment made to define and enhance one’s body.  A quick glance up revealed the name of the location and confirmed his newfound suspicions…

    “‘Mindy’s 24/7 Gym,’” he read from the large, neon letters above.  “Wait a minute…”     “Are you coming or what?”     The fox gave a blink.  Carlos was already standing at the doorway with his helmet under one arm… and, showing a very impatient look.     “Uh… y-yeah, yeah, I just–”     “Whatever.”     Joseph gave a slight scowl as Carlos headed inside.  He was quick to follow, after that.

    “Oh, man… man, oh, man…”     The fox couldn’t help but let his tail wag as he felt the much more temperate air of the gym caress his exposed fur.  It was such a relief, to him, to get out of the cold…  Once he felt a bit warmer, he started to remove his bike gear and continued to follow Carlos.     “Why did you bring me to an all-night gym?” he found himself asking.  However, the lack of response from Carlos made him decide not to ask a second time.  It seemed like the wolf was looking for something, in particular…  A piece of equipment, perhaps?  Or, maybe, he was leading Joseph to a specific area of the gym?  The fox couldn’t know, for sure, until either Carlos told him or they’d arrived, it seemed.

    As Carlos continued to lead him through the gym, he started to look around at all the people inside.  There were a few people lifting weights in one area of the gym and others doing arm or leg crunches in another.  Weight training wasn’t the only thing he’d noticed, though.  There were also pieces of equipment that were much less intensive, such as treadmills and exercise bikes, off in another area of the gym… though, they didn’t seem to be in use, at the time.  After passing through a doorway, the two had arrived in yet another area of the gym filled with a specific kind of equipment.  Joseph could see a rack with boxing gloves sitting near the doorway and some punching bags not too far away from that.  In fact, there seemed to be a lot of punching bags, in that particular room – both small and tall – not to mention a couple of different boxing arenas.  Much like the exercise equipment, though, not a whole lot of that area’s equipment seemed occupied.  However, at least one person seemed to be taking out their frustrations on a tall punching bag… with their bare hands, no less…

    “Hey, Jess!”     The wolf’s voice suddenly caught Joseph’s attention.  He looked toward the wolf… then, over toward the person he’d noticed, before.  They’d stopped hammering on the bag, their own attention turning Carlos’ way.     “Hoy, Car-face!” the figure called in a tough-sounding but feminine tone.  Joseph perked, watching them jog over.  As they drew closer, he had to blink at what he saw…

    Arriving in front of Carlos was the form of what appeared to be a bat girl with very colorful hair.  Her long bangs, situated more heavily over her left eye than the right, were neon-pink in coloration.  Joseph thought it worked fairly well with the rest of her shaggy, reddish-orange, shoulder-length hair.     The girl’s fur seemed pitch black – possibly even darker than Carlos’ own fur – with the exception of her muzzle and, apparently, her belly and what he could see of her small chest.  She also had large, leathery wings hanging from her back and a pair of pointy, thin bat ears – orange inside and black out – poking out of her soft hair.  There was a small curl of flesh poking up from her small muzzle and, most curious of all, her eyes of two different colors… her left being bright green while the other was bright red.  He thought it was very odd and that she might have been wearing colored contacts… but, at the same time, it kind of suited her cute face, too.

    “I told you not to call me that,” Carlos warned the girl with a frown.  She just smiled in response and slapped his shoulder with her tape-covered left hand.     “Who’s ya friend?” she said immediately after, intensely inspecting said friend.     “This is Joseph,” Carlos responded as the bat girl started circling the fox.     “He’s fluffy!” she exclaimed, much to his confusion.     “Whatever,” was the wolf’s reply before he continued.     “Anyway, I need you to punch his lights out – but, only a little.  Okay?”     Joseph jolted in place.  “W… what?!”     “Okay!” the girl chimed, grabbing him by the tail.  Before she could drag him off, though, he took hold of Carlos’ arm, a mix of anger and worry in his golden eyes.     “What the Nether, Carlos?!” he half-shouted.  “I thought we were friends!”     “We are,” Carlos calmly stated with a grin.  “That’s why I’m having Jess beat you up.”     “That doesn’t make any sense!”     “Eh, wot?” the girl suddenly said, stopping in her tracks.  “Ya mean ya didn’ tell ‘im?”     “Tell me what?” Joseph said as he yanked his tail free.     “Jess is the boxing instructor, here at Mindy’s.”     He gave another blink before looking at the bat.  She held open her left hand to him, then, brightly smiling as she introduced herself.

    “Jessica U. Ingmann, boxin’ instructor ‘n general face-puncher, at’cha service!”     “Uuuhh…”  Joseph hesitated… then, carefully took her hand.  “Joseph Lithius.”     “Imma call you… ‘Punchin’ Bag,’ fer now!” she replied as she vigorously shook his hand.  “‘less ya prove otherwise, I mean!”     The fox blanched at that nickname.  “W… what?”     “Don’t mind her,” Carlos said as Jessica let go of Joseph’s hand.  “She’s a little weird but she gets results.  Her methods should turn you into a fighting machine in no time.”     “‘Fighting machine?’”  The fox gave a blink.  “Wait, what?”     “You bet.”  He offered a grin.  “You need training before we have our rematch, Joseph.”     “R… rematch…?”     “C’mon, Punchin’ Bag!” Jessica suddenly called as she grabbed his tail, again.  “Inta th’ ring, wi’cha bad self!”

    Carlos gave a slight chuckle as he watched the bat drag Joseph into a nearby boxing ring.  Then, he took his leave.     Joseph wasn’t exactly putting up a fight, by that point… but, he didn’t seem terribly thrilled by the prospect of getting his teeth knocked out, either.  Luckily for him, it didn’t seem like the bat-girl had any interest in actually hurting him… but, rather…     “We’re gonna gauge where ya stand, kiddo!”

    He gave a blink as she hopped over the ring’s ropes and walked over to the nearby rack of gloves.  He curiously paid attention as she took two pairs down – a set of red ones and a set of blue ones – then, he jolted as she tossed the blue ones his way.     “Hang on t’ those, fer a sec!” she instructed.  “I’mma get’cha a mouthpiece ‘n safety helmet, so’s I don’t break yer fluffy li’l face!”     “E-excuse me…?” was all he could say, to that.     “Ya should’a thought about that b’fore ya stepped inta th’ ring, Josey!” she smartly replied as she got into a nearby box.  It wasn’t long before she withdrew the two items she’d mentioned; headgear and a mouthpiece, as well as another mouthpiece, for herself.  She quickly headed back into the ring, after that, and handed him his gear.

    “Now, this ain’t a knock-down drag-out brawl!” Jessica told him as she started to put on her gloves.  “S’just a li’l ‘exhibition match,’ t’ see what I gots t’ work with!  So, I’mma go easy on ya, ‘til I know where ya stands!  You, though?”     She flashed a little grin and gave a wink, shaking one gloved hand at the fox.     “Gimme yer best shot, Goldie!”     “I… uh… hn…” was all he could think to say as he equipped the gear.  He really couldn’t figure out how he’d managed to get into the situation… but, it seemed like the best way out was to just follow her instructions.  He did pause to ask her something, though…     “Where’s your helmet?”     “Dun need one!” was her grinning answer.     “Isn’t that dangerous?  I mean, I don’t want to hurt you…”     “Oh, trust me…”  That wicked grin returned as she narrowed her eyes.  “Ya won’t.”     “Uuuhh…  Okay…”

    Jessica hopped from one tape-covered foot to the other as she waited for Joseph to finish putting on his gear.  For some reason, he couldn’t help but notice the way her black training shorts rustled but her red halter top stayed against her slim frame as she moved.  She didn’t seem terribly agile… but, she certainly moved with the confidence of a professional boxer.  Or, at the very least, a semi-professional one.  That made him feel a little more concerned…

    “Anytime yer ready, Punchin’ Bag!” she called as he finally finished getting equipped.     “I… guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be?” was his response, somewhat muffled by his mouthpiece.     “Ya sure ‘bout that?” the bat asked, noticing the somewhat awkward pose he’d taken.     “I, uh… guess so?”     “Mmm… a’right…”  She grinned at him, showing her own mouthpiece.  “Le’s go!”

    Jessica slowly advanced toward the fox, keeping her gloves at chest-level.  It seemed to Joseph like she was keeping herself wide-open as she took half-step-after-half-step, toward him… but, maybe, that was the idea?  She was trying to gauge his abilities, after all… so, maybe, she was trying to let him have the first strike?  Bearing that in mind, the fox slowly advanced toward her, keeping his own gloves near his chest and trying to remain aware of her every move.

    “Ah, hang on, hang on…”

    The fox gave a blink as he watched Jessica remove one glove.  He lowered his own as she walked over… then, he gave a blink and a jolt as she stole the glasses right off his face!     “I– hey!”     “Oh!  These real?”  She asked, sounding genuinely surprised.     “Y– yes!” was all he could think to say.  “Mind giving those back, now?  I can’t see, without them.”     “Oh, hmm… that’s a problem.  Here ya go!”     He gave a blink as she put them back on his face, just as they had been, before.     “What’s a problem?” the fox asked as he watched her leave the ring, again.     “We’re gonna have t’ fit’cha with some protective goggles, Goldie!” was her response.  “Don’t wanna mess up yer li’l spectacles wid m’ fists!”     “Oh…”  He took a moment to adjust his glasses.  “That’s nice of you.”     “Ain’ it, though?”

    It didn’t take long for Jessica to help him into a pair of goggles.  While she was doing that, however, he couldn’t help but notice…     “Don’t you need a pair, for yourself?”     “Oh what, these?” she replied, removing a pair of glasses that sat behind her nose leaf.  He had to blink as she immediately put a finger right through them, giving it a wriggle.     “They ain’t real, Josey!  I jus’ wear ‘em ‘cause they’re cute!” was her explanation.     “Oh.”  He rubbed the side of his face with one glove.  “So, they are.”     “Fake?”  She offered a grin.  “Or, cute?”     He had to blink, again.  The look she was giving him was a curious one… one that made him feel a little shy, in fact.

    “Gloves up, babydoll!” Jessica said after a moment.  The fox perked before raising his gloves, his ears flicking as she bumped her own gloves to them.     “An’, away we go!”

    Once again, Joseph found himself in a defensive stance, just watching as the curious bat-girl slowly circled around him.  She was clearly making exaggerated motions to telegraph her actions as she stepped around and took a couple of slow, controlled swings his way.  As her third punch connected with his headgear, however, he took a swing of his own, aimed at her exposed midsection.

    There was an awkward moment between the two as Jessica stared at him.  She didn’t seem to know what to think…  Eventually, though, she simply asked one question…

    “You sandbaggin’ on me, son?”

    Without waiting for a response, the bat threw a much harder right jab at Joseph’s head.  Though the headgear took most of the brunt of the hit, it was still enough to alarm the fox and cause him to hop back.     “How’m I s’posed t’ tell ya where ya are when ya ain’t givin’ me yer A-game?” she posed as she advanced on him, swinging all the way.     “I just– I don’t want to hurt you!” was his response.     “I a’ready told’ja, ya won’t!  Now, quit screwin’ ‘round ’n throw a punch like ya mean it!  Elsewise, I may have t’ convince ya…”

    As the controlled fight continued, Joseph managed to keep flinching and ducking out of the way of every punch Jessica threw while she danced around the ring, with him.  However, he was quick to notice… her punches seemed to be picking up steam.  Pretty quickly, at that.  It wasn’t long before he had to actually look out for her fists coming his way.     “C’mon, Josey!  Don’t be a posey!” she taunted as she bopped the side of his face with a quick, controlled punch.  “Fight me!”     “I don’t– I mean– I’m not–”     “I.  Said.  Do it!”     A sudden left hook caught the underside of Joseph’s head, causing him to stumble a few steps.  He seemed a little dazed, from the hit… but, once he’d figured out what had happened, he gave a growl.     “I thought you said–”     A solid smack to his goggles interrupted his thought.     “Fight me!” the bat taunted with another swing.     It was becoming painfully clear that she was putting less effort into “going easy on him,” presumably from his lack of cooperation, though she was still cool, collected, and even seemed to be grinning, at him.  For some reason, though… that just made him mad.

    “I said I don’t want to–”  He ducked a right hook, growling again.  “Cut it out!”     “Fight!  Me!” she called again, jabbing his goggles with three short thumps.     “You’re starting to pi–”     A less-than-gentle smack to his cheek shut him up.     “C’mon, chicken-wuss!” she taunted.  “Le’see wha’cha made of!”     “If you’d just–”     Another firm blow to the opposite side of his head interrupted him, again.     “You talk too much.”     He growled, at that, and started to rebut… but, once again, she bopped him!  Strangely enough, that blow was right on his nose… and, much more gentle.  It could not have been more obvious that Jessica was in complete and total control of herself… as well as him.     “Hit me, damn it!” she said with some impatience.  “Hit me or I’ll put’cha on th’ mat!”     She quickly reinforced that threat with a firm jab to the side of his head… followed by another right hook, which made him stagger.  The bat drew her left hand back and let it fly, then, aiming right at his face.  However, Joseph saw the punch coming and ducked.  And, then…

    “Haaa…!”

    Jessica found herself staring down at the fox.  One of his blue gloves had embedded itself into her abdomen… and pretty sharply, too.     “Well, now…” she said with a grin.  “Looks like th’ li’l Punchin’ Bag’s got some fight to ‘im after all!”     “Yeah, well, you–” he started to reply… before Joseph experienced a sudden change in perspective.     His eyes opened wide as he lay on the mat, a ringing in his left ear and an odd lack of sensation to that same side of his face.  When he could finally look up at the person who’d put him there, he noticed that she still had that infuriating grin on her face…

    “Left yerself wide open there, Josey…” she said in an oddly calm tone.     He gave a slightly confused blink, staring up at her.     “Get up,” she taunted as she bumped her gloves together.  “Yer not hurt.”     Not knowing what else to do, he picked himself up and slowly got to his feet.     “How ya doin’ there, Josey?” the bat asked as she hopped from one foot to the other.     “I can’t feel the side of my face… and, I think one of my ears stopped working.”     “That’s too bad.  You’ll be fine, though!  Now, ya gonna actually put up a fight?”     The fox’s eyes briefly narrowed… then, he gave a sigh.     “Doesn’t seem like I have a choice.”     “That’s th’ spirit!  I think?”  Jessica chuckled.  “A’ding-ding!”

    Even though he still didn’t want to hurt her, the bat’s progressively intensifying attacks encouraged Joseph to at least try and fight back.  Eventually, he even started to take a swing here-or-there… often with miserable results.  After being placed on the mat two more times, he felt himself getting more-and-more frustrated…  Between her superior fighting style and her taunts, he was quickly getting angry… and, that anger caused him to make a huge mistake.

    “Hengh…!”

    Jessica opened her dual-colored eyes wide as she felt something solid smash into her side.  It was in that moment that Joseph had realized what he’d just done…     “I… I–”     But, before he could even begin to apologize, he found himself thrown across the ring from a vicious blow to the face!     “That hurt, you sonovabitch!” Jessica said as she walked toward him, holding the side of her midsection with one gloved hand.  “Why’d’ja go ‘n knee me, like that?!”     But, Joseph wasn’t in any condition to respond.  Even though he was still conscious – thanks to the protective gear, no doubt – her tremendous punch had left him with a sharp ringing in his ears and a severe lack of cooperation from his body.  He didn’t seem at all aware of the situation as Jessica pulled him to his feet.

    “Listen, kid…” she said in an impatient tone, “I’m a boxing instructor, not a kickboxing instructor!  I teach ya t’ fight wi’cher hands, not’cher legs!  You kick me like that, again, an’ I’ll have ya banned, from this place!  No joke!  Ya dig?”     She waited for a moment… then, she gave him a shake.     “Hey…  You okay?”     Her brow furrowed as she looked into his eyes…  It seemed like neither of his golden optics wanted to look in the same direction for more than a second…     “Oh.  Hm…  Well… ain’t that somethin’?  Guess we’ll wait, then!”     And, so, the boxing instructor propped her prospective student up against the corner of the ring and waited…  Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Joseph to regain his composure.

    “What… where am I?” he quietly asked.  “What’s that annoying sound…?”     “I punched ya in th’ face,” called a muffled voice.  Joseph looked to his left to see the smiling face of Jessica, staring back at him.     “Oh.”  He paused…  “I can’t even feel my face.  Is that normal?”     “Eeeh… sorta?” she said with a chuckle.  “Be thankful, though!  I kinda hit’cha pretty hard!  S’prob’ly gonna hurt like a bitch, later!”     “Oh, that’s good.”  Joseph paused again… then, he scowled.  “I mean no, that’s not good.  Wait, why did you punch me so hard?”     “‘cause ya kneed me in th’ kidney, ya ruddy street punk!”     “Oh…  I’m sorry.”     “Yeah, well, don’t let it happen again, else I’ll have ya banned from th’ gym.  A’right?”     “That sounds fair enough,” was Joseph’s response.

    “In any case… it seems like ya have some fightin’ experience… so, we ain’t gotta start from square one.  But, if ya wanna learn t’ box, yer gonna need’a learn a few things.”  She offered a friendly smile.  “Lucky fer you, I can teach ya.  Fer a li’l fee, o’course!”     “Truth be told, Miss Ingmann–”     “No-no-no,” she interrupted with a grin.  “Call me ‘Jessie!’”     “Truth be told, Miss Ingmann…” he started, again, “I didn’t come here of my own accord.  I was drug here by Carlos – that wolf guy – without knowing why or where I was even going.  So, uh… I hope you won’t be too insulted if I don’t take you up on your offer.”     “Well ain’t that a bitch?”     Joseph gave a blink.  Jessica had leaned back against the bottom rope of the ring, one leg raised at the knee and one hand on top of that.  She didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the fox, at that time, and was grinning… but, it looked a little less cheerful than her earlier ones.

    “I was gonna give ya a discount, since ya know Car-face, ‘n stuff.  He’s one’a my fave customers!  Taught ‘im everything ‘e knows ‘bout proper fightin’… but, ‘e’s still got a long way t’ go in controllin’ that temper’a his!”     She looked toward the for with a smirk.     “Ya get that from him?”     With a chuckle, she looked back toward the other side of the ring before sighing.

    “Yo, if ya don’t wanna do th’ boxin’ thing, that’s fine.  Ain’ no skin off’a my leafy li’l nose.  But, from me t’ you?  I gotta say, if ya plan t’ fight Car-face again, yer gonna need trainin’a some sort.  Pro’ly kickboxin’d suit’cha best.  Ya seem like ya got strong legs… an’ ya know how t’ use ’em!”     “I don’t… really plan to fight him, again, though.”     “Oh, yeah?”  She turned her eyes his way.  “Why not?  ‘cause he’ll kick yer ass?”     “That’s part of it, yes…” Joseph sighed as he removed his gloves.  “But, I really don’t have a reason to fight him, again, is the thing… and I had no idea he was interested in fighting me.”     “Why did’ja fight in’a first place?”     “What?”  He gave a blink after removing his goggles.  “Personal reasons…  I don’t want to get into it.”     “Sounds t’ me like he wants t’ finish what you started!”     “Yeah, well… that’s Carlos.”

    There was a long silence between the two as they sat there, quietly taking in the sounds of the gym.  Joseph found himself wondering why Carlos had wanted a rematch… and, why he’d gone to the trouble of dragging him to a place to, apparently, get him fighting-fit.  Like the wolf had said, he wasn’t much of a fighter… and, honestly, he didn’t see much reward in risking severe injury against Carlos a second time – especially if he didn’t have a reason.  He then started to wonder if the wolf would bring it up, again, should he just drop the subject…     “Carlos has an odd way of ‘being friends’ with people, doesn’t he?”     “Ain’ his fault,” Jessica replied.  “He was raised weird, I guess.”     “Yeah, well… again, ‘that’s Carlos.’”     And, again, the two went silent, for a while.

    “So, hey,” the bat said after a moment.  “Sorry I clocked ya one.”     “Eh, it’s alright,” was Joseph’s response.  “I deserved it.”     “Heh, yeah!  But… yeah, I don’t take too kindly to assault.  But, don’t let that bother ya much, a’right?  S’just tit-fer-tat, Goldie.”     “No, no… fair’s fair.  And, for what it’s worth?”     The fox smiled over to the bat.     “I’m sorry I kneed you.”     “Oh, if ya ain’t, now, ya will be, later!”     Joseph gave a blink as Jessica brought a finger up and poked him between the eyes.     “Yer face ‘s gonna be sooooore!”     “Heh.  I bet I will…”  He smiled again, his tail wagging.  “You hit like a truck.”     “Only when I means it!” she said with a grin.     “What about you, though?”  The fox gestured to her side.  “Is your kidney going to be alright?  I didn’t hurt you, did I?”     “S’ a li’l tender… but, I heal quick.”  Her grin brightened.  “Don’t you worry, Josey!”     “Alright.”  He gave a sly sort of smile.  “I won’t.”     “Punk!” she said, giving him a nudge.  The two shared a bit of laughter, then.

    “Hey, Jessie?”     The bat perked before turning toward the fox, attentively looking at him.     “I’m not much of a fighter… and, I don’t really want to become one, either… but…”     “Change yer mind?” she guessed.     “I mean… learning a little self-defense never hurt anyone…”     “No one what didn’t d’serve it!”     Joseph gave a chuckle, at that.     “So I mean… I dunno…  Maybe I will take you up on that offer, after all?”     “Great!”  The bat brightly smiled.  “I could use th’ scratch!”     “Shortage of funds after the holidays?”     “Somethin’ like that.  Anyways, let’s go up front ‘n discuss payment plans, huh?”     “Alright.”

    Jessica immediately got to her feet, patiently waiting as Joseph dragged himself up.  She couldn’t help but chuckle a little as he clung to the ropes, still dazed from her punch.     “Need some ‘elp there, Goldie?”     “I–”  He paused… before giving a sigh.  “Yes.”     This got a rather odd reaction, from the girl.  His ears perked as he heard her laugh so hard that she snorted at him.     “Well… I mean… it wasn’t that funny…” he said as he let her drape his arm around her back.  “But, I have to admit… that snort was kind of funny.”     “You want me t’ drop you, smart guy?”     “Aaahh… no.  No, thank you,” he chuckled.  She gave a chuckle, as well, before helping him out of the ring and into to the front of the gym.

    “A’right, so!” she said as she crunched some numbers on a computer, minutes later, “I got’cha down fer th’ eight-week trial membership ‘ere which includes access t’ th’ gym, a personal locker, an’ all th’ facilities on th’ first floor.  After that eight-week thing, we can talk ‘bout silver membership ‘n maybe gold membership which includes th’ second-floor stuff!  As fer yer personal trainin’?  Well, come in twice a week at 8 PM fer a two-hour-long session–”     “Wait, 8 PM…?” Joseph interrupted, giving a blink.     “S’right,” was Jessica’s reply.  “That’s when I work!  Anyways, a two-hour-long session what includes self-defense, weight trainin’, ‘n cardio.  Survive yer first week ‘n I’ll get’cha sit’iated with a diet plan ‘n take-home exercise routines.  Gotta show some commitment, ya know?”     “Fair enough, I guess.”     “Then, ya know, d’pendin’ on yer progress, we’ll make each session past that more intense!  Can’t promise I’ll turn ya inta a lean, mean, boxin’ machine after eight weeks… but, I can definitely tell ya, you’ll notice a huge improvement t’ yer health!  Pro’ly!”     “‘Probably…?’”     “Results may vary ‘n all that donk,” she said with a grin.  “Anyways, that comes t’ 3,400 Rai, fer yer initial two-month membership.  I’ll charge ya fer my services sep’rately, dependin’ on how well ya do or don’t do!”     “Do I still get a ‘friend of a friend’ discount?” he asked as he withdrew his wallet.     “Wid me?  Yes!  Wid th’ gym, itself?  Ah-uh.”  She offered a friendly smile.  “Nothin’ I can do ‘bout that, I’m afraid.”     “Alrighty.”

    Joseph slid a card through a nearby machine and Jessica looked to her monitor, again.  There was a short delay before she turned back, wearing that same, friendly smile of hers.     “Yer all set!” she cheerfully said.  “Expect yer membership card in th’ mail, within a week.  ‘til then, use this throw’way card t’ access our facilities ‘n whatnot!”     The fox watched as the bat printed out a small piece of paper then ran it through a device which coated it in plastic.  He picked the newly laminated card up a second later and slipped it into his wallet.     “Thanks fer choosin’ Mindy’s 24/7 Gym!” she said with a bright smile.  “Hope t’ see ya, soon!  Tell yer friends!”     “I may do just that… if I’m satisfied with my membership,” was his reply.  That caused the bat to grin.  “Now, I’ve gotta go find Carlos…  He’s my ride home.”     “Car-face should be over in th’ weight room,” she said as she walked out from behind the front desk.  “He digs heavy liftin’!”

    “Say, uh… if you don’t mind my asking…”     She perked before offering a bright smile.  “Shoot!”     “Why do you call him ‘Car-face?’  I mean… is there a story behind that, or…?”     “‘cause it annoys ‘im,” she unabashedly admitted with a wide grin.     “I see…”  The fox paused for a moment.  “And… he likes you?”     “Everyone likes me!  ‘cause bitch…”  The fox jolted back, his ears perking as the slender bat took a pose and slapped her small rump.  “I’m fabulous!”     “You’re certainly something, alright…” he commented.     “An’, don’t you forget it!” she beamed.  “Now, you have a nice night, Goldie!”     “You, too…”  He paused again… then gave a grin.  “‘Pinkie.’”     “‘Pinkie?’”  She smirked at that.  “Work on that nickname, Goldie.  I’ll see ya later!”

    Jessica headed back toward the boxing area of the gym, leaving Joseph to wander toward the weight room by himself.  Luckily, it didn’t take him long to find Carlos laying on a bench, lifting what appeared to be a pretty sizeable barbell.     “89… 90… 91…” the wolf counted as Joseph drew closer.  “Hey…  How’d things go?”     “Well… she sold me a membership,” was his immediate response.  “And, she’s also going to train me, twice a week.”     “Good, good…” the wolf grunted as he continued to press the weight.  “You’ll need that, if you want to beat me.”     “Yeah, about that…”     “You know,” Carlos continued without interruption, “I felt kinda bad, beating you up.  I’m much better at fighting than you… so, I figured getting you some training would make things right.  Then, we could finally have that fight you wanted, fair and square.”     Joseph gave a blink as Carlos put his barbell up then sat on the bench with a pant.     “Of course, I still think I’ll win…”  He gave a slight grin.  “But, at least I won’t feel guilty about kicking your ass, again.”     “You… really want to fight me, again, huh…?” Joseph suddenly asked.     “It’ll be more of a ‘friendly spar’ thing, this next time, but… yeah.  Why not?”     “I… hn…”

    Carlos was looking up at Joseph, then.  It was kind of odd… but, there was a smile on his face… almost like he was excited by the idea of fighting, again… and, that made the fox reconsider what he was about to say.

    “If… you really want to have a friendly skirmish, with me, then, I guess…”  Joseph gave a light sigh before smiling.  “Yeah.  We can do that.  Who knows…  It could be fun.”     “That’s what I like to hear,” he said as he got to his feet.  Joseph watched as he then went over to a leg crunch machine and started adjusting the machine’s settings.     “So, what do you think of Jess?” he casually asked before sitting down.     “She’s… quirky,” was the first thing out of the fox’s mouth.  “She also hits really hard, when she means it.”     Carlos smirked as he started working out.  “You tried flirting with her, huh?”     “What…?”  Joseph blinked.  “N-no!  Why would I–”     “Kidding,” he said with a grunt.  “Anyway, yeah.  Piss her off and she’ll clobber you.”     “Have you ever pissed her off?”     “No.”     “Er… then how did you know–”     “Hang on… you almost made me lose count.  Hrngh…”     The fox gave a blink… then, he gave a nod, deciding to let the conversation drop as Carlos continued to work his leg muscles.  He then decided to just quietly wait for the wolf to finish before asking another question.

    “Just curious…  Why do you come to a gym all the way out in Muramasa City when Masamune has good gyms, too?  Wouldn’t one of those be closer?”     “I have my reasons,” Carlos said as he got up from the machine.     “Is Jessie one of those reasons?”     “No.  But…”     The wolf picked up a nearby towel and gave his forehead a rub before he admitted…     “She’s interesting… and, she’s tougher than she looks.  I like that.  Anyway,” he said as he looked toward the fox, “I’m done with my workout so I guess I should take you back home, now.  You can find this place, again, right?”     “Well, yeah…”  Joseph gave a shrug.  “I’m a member, now, and I don’t like wasting money, so…”     “Good to hear.  Let’s go.”

    After a brief stop for Carlos to get a protein bar from a vending machine, the two headed outside.  The weather wasn’t much warmer than it had been earlier, much to Joseph’s discomfort.  However, he found himself rather surprised… when the wolf offered him his jacket.     “Take it,” he said as he gave it a shake.     “Won’t you get cold…?” Joseph asked as he accepted the garment.     “I don’t get cold.”     “Then why–”     “Road rash.”     Joseph understood what he’d meant by that… though, he didn’t quite believe him about not getting cold.  Regardless, he put the jacket on and the two hopped on to Carlos’ motorcycle.  Shortly after, they were headed back toward Masamune City.