I place my hands in front of me to block the attack, and yet even then, just like every other time, I'm sent flying. I can't help my sigh mid air as I brace for impact before hitting the wall of our basement. The fact that it's made of concrete or stone or whatever doesn't help my poor spine. What is wrong with this woman?!
For the first couple of days she did nothing but make me hold a bunch of weird stances. I haven't thrown a single punch this entire time! Even when she's kicking my ass, she's made it clear that I'm not allowed to attack back or the 'lesson' will end. At this point, a small part of me wants to throw a half assed one just to stop whatever this is supposed to be.
That isn't even the worst part of it all. No, the worst part is that she won't say anything! We came down to the basement and with the most serious look I've ever seen on the girl, she asked if I was ready. My response was as prompt as it was confused. 'Huh?' and the next thing I knew, I was holding my nose in absolute fucking agony as she sucker punched it!
From there, she hasn't said a single thing and she continues to refuse to. I groan as I attempt to get up and look towards her. To realize that she busting ass towards me with a scary expression before jumping with a leg high in the air. No. Fucking. Way. I abandon my attempt at getting up fully and instead fling my body to the nearest safe space. Which is anywhere I don't get my face stomped.
It seems she decided to have a shred of mercy as she lets me stand. How generous. My chest hurts from the bruises. My eye is swollen and I'm pretty sure I have a busted lip because I taste blood. I can't help my frantic panting, which sucks because the rapid rise and fall of my chest is horrible. My lungs are burning.
Great. Agony from both inside and out. What else can a boy ask for? She begins to walk towards me with a slow gait. My dukes go back up, and I have to force my hands to stop shaking. My body begins quivering right back despite my willpower when she starts to speed up. Honestly that would be okay if not for the frown on her face. The face of some unholy combination of disappointment and sadness.
My brain goes into overdrive. Whatever I'm doing, it isn't working. It's almost been 30-40 min since we've started and I must be missing something. I haven't been in this world for long, but it's been long enough to know that this is out of character. Which means there probably isn't a timer that she's waiting to run out or something. No, it's me. She's waiting for me.
But waiting for me to do what?! I haven't been taught anything. Nothing except weird stanc-...Nothing but weird stances! I would facepalm if I had the time. As fast as I can, I get in a basic stance, the first one she taught me. Carefully, I watch her expression lighten into a smile, but she doesn't stop her jaunt.
She throws a punch! But…but it's so much slower than before. Not any anime shit, like I've unlocked the sharingan or something, no she's just actually moving slower. I can keep up! Her fist is going right past my hand, and my body naturally pushes it to the side. I didn't get hurt. Oh my god I didn't get hurt!
I don't have enough time to celebrate as another fist comes for my stomach, and as I go to block my eyes widen at the realization that my first stance easily and naturally transitioned to another she taught. Even though it was only two attacks, and she's probably thrown hundreds at me already, my breathing becomes even more erratic. This time though, this time it's not from fear.
I get it. I finally fucking get it. She hasn't taught me a single punch for this reason. Those odd stances. The hours she made me stand in these weird positions. She was on some Mr. Miyagi shit! I'm an idiot, how the hell didn't I realize?! I notice her third attack come a bit faster than the other two, and so I have a bit more trouble blocking it.
That's how my weekends were from then on. Well the nights anyway. Mother would have different speeds, and she would always start on the slowest. Each 10 consecutive attacks I'm able to either dodge or block, she would increase the difficulty. At some point she had confirmed that there are 10 levels and once I'm actually able to get through all 10 she'll actually let me start throwing hands. It's almost a game.