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❛ wanna try me? ❜
MIYAGI-DO KARATE WAS DIFFERENT than any kind of karate Mona had ever learned.
It was all based around defense, which was an interesting approach in her opinion. Mona was always taught by her grandfather to be aggressive when fighting.
"Have you ever done kata?" Sam asked, grabbing her bottle of water.
Mona sat down on the deck beside Robby, wiping sweat from her brow and shaking her head.
"Uh... no. I've heard of it, though."
Sam began to smile, reaching out for Mona's hands. Mona took Sam's and allowed her to pull her up, standing up straight as Sam faced her.
"I'm not the best at it, but I know enough to teach you the basics. So what you do is–"
Sam's phone buzzed in her pocket. She paused, pulling it out to see Aisha's contact.
She glanced up. "Just a second. I'll be right back."
Mona nodded, watching her walk into the dojo. She turned around, facing Robby. He smiled at her briefly, then glanced away.
"Do you know kata?" she asked abruptly.
Robby looked over, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, I mean– yeah. I-I don't know if I'd be the best teacher, though."
Mona smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Well... you won't know unless you try."
He looked at her for a moment, then hit his hands on the deck and stood. Robby stepped closer to Mona.
"Alright. I guess I'll give it a try."
She smiled again, straightening her posture and dropping her arms to her sides.
"Kata is just memorization, basically. You repeat the choreographed movements that you're taught until it pretty much feels like muscle memory."
Mona nodded slowly, pursing her lips. "Show me."
Robby hesitated, then took a step back and raised his hands. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, and began the movements. Robby repeated the motions, slow and steady.
Without warning, Mona reached out and grabbed his wrist. Robby opened his eyes, making a face of confusion.
She started to laugh a little. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
Mona released his wrist, narrowing her eyes.
"So," she continued, "how exactly is that supposed to help me in a fight?"
Robby halfway smirked, glancing away.
"Try to hit me."
Mona furrowed her eyebrows, but did not protest. She raised her fists, throwing a punch. Surprisingly, Robby deflected it with a sudden movement.
