The Tiger King (Chaelisa)

3| Morning-Afters

Just as Lisa predicted, the morning after the match was absolutely horrific.

"You lazy donkey, gimme another three sets. Jump to it!"

"Jen, I've been at this for three hours, cut me some slack!" Lisa groaned but she obeyed as Jennie circled her like a shark.

Morning afters were always horrible, especially if her sister judged Lisa had given a poor showing so she'd push her harder.

Jennie seemed particularly irritable today.

The short trainer clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You need to be at the top of your game for the next match! It's against that rookie."

"That rookie?" Lisa asked, lip pressing into a thin line. She knew exactly who it was but she had to be sure.

"Yes, that one," Jennie said tersely. "So get to work. You didn't get your run in today, and you barely spent any energy yesterday!"

"Did too! I lasted for all three rounds!"

"Your punches were sloppy as heck and your footwork was just bleh," Jennie's nose crinkled, "so you can do with a little extra! Come on!"

"Jeez okay okay, look I'm doing it," Lisa huffed as she jumped up, touched down and did a push-up then jumped up and came down again in the same manner and repeated.

She would have protested the searing contractions of her muscles as they worked to keep up with Jennie's demands, but her sister was on edge today, more than usual. 

Lisa had an idea why, but they hadn't really discussed anything—it was always the same reason, the elephant in the room they knew was present there but didn't dare point out because it was pointless to do so: nothing much could be done about it. 

When they arrived home last night, Lisa had flopped on her back and shut her eyes tight, knowing that nearby, her sister was huddled in a ball. Worrying and worrying and worrying.

In such quiet moments, Lisa would curse the world and the life she had been given, seething at the cruelty and unfairness of it all.

They were only two girls doing their damndest not to be trampled and devoured.

Jennie never cried in front of her, but Lisa did hear the solitary sniffle sometimes. And Lisa's heart clenched because she was helpless and weak, reluctant to console her sister with empty platitudes.

They say you're the master of your Fate but Lisa didn't believe in that notion anymore because no matter what they did, it always seemed like they were stuck for eternity.

"Lisa, focus!" Jennie barked as she wandered around the gym. She had an uncanny ability to tell when Lisa's concentration was slipping.

Lisa closed her eyes, her pulse throbbing in her head.

in, out, in, out.

nose breathe in.

mouth breath out. 

keep the pace. 

Jump.

up and down and out.

up and down and out. 

"Harder! You should thank me I'm going easy on you, this is only the Ragnarok workout!"

"You think it's any easier...than the Berserker? Or....Gladiator?" Lisa gasped in between jumps.

They were favourite workout sets of Jennie's that she set Lisa to do on a daily basis, alternating between them.

"Come on," Jennie urged instead, "put those damn lazy ass muscles to good use!"

"I really wish you'd chill for once," Lisa groaned but deep down, she knew she needed her sister to constantly drive her. 

Their very survival revolved around Lisa being in tip top form, all the time. And for that, constant attention to working out and improving her fighting technique was vital.

Lisa was used to hard workouts, her body could take it— other gym-goers had expressed their concern that maybe Jennie pushed her too hard. 

But Lisa laughed and put their minds to rest—working out and exercising was all that she knew to do. She had been doing it for a good couple years now, so might as well excel at it.

Her muscular thighs, arms and abs were slick with sweat, drops even stinging her eyes as they dripped down her face and trickled in between her breasts.

Her dirty blonde bangs stuck to her forehead like glue as her ponytail bobbed up and down with the movement. She was glad she was only in her sports bra.

Her heart pounded and throbbed beneath her fingertips as her arms quaked like jelly. But Lisa pushed on, working on auto-pilot. She ignored the delicious tightness in her muscles as she stretched and jumped and lunged.

"....eighteen, nineteen, twenty! Done!" Jennie called.

Lisa collapsed on the cold hard floor, gasping like a dying fish. "Phew, oh man—"

Jennie appeared overhead, her hair also swept aside in a ponytail. 

Similar to Lisa she was in her sportswear attire, but she also wore a light jacket—it was draughty in the Vault. The AC in the top left corner had stopped working again—Lisa could make out rust eating away at the edges. She couldn't remember the last time Jennie fixed it.

In summer, if the ancient AC broke down, they would either leave the gym door wide open or if smog was particularly heavy, they'd keep the doors closed and sweat it out.

"Don't forget you still got the skipping rope and punching bag sets to go through," Jennie reminded. She held out her hand to the younger girl when Lisa groaned.

"Yeah, don't remind me," Lisa yawned as she pulled herself up. "Man, I'm craving a bagel right now."

"We open in fifteen minutes, your breakfast will be here soon," Jennie said briskly, "so don't give me excuses! You got a water break, five minutes."

"Oh thank you most kindly Jen—"

"I changed my mind, here's the ropes, start skipping."

"Jennieeeeeeeee!"