Book 3 Extra 3: Self-defense class (1/2)
The Dracis manor on Critias was huge. It was likely the largest and most luxurious abode in the entirety of Timaeus, and the fact that it was built in the middle of the picket-fenced suburbs of the city made it stick out of its neighborhood even more. In fact, with the combination of the multi-storied mansion with its two wings, the external facilities, servant quarters, and the verdant park in the back, it was nearly the size of an entire neighborhood.
Some of the facilities had their own buildings separate from the mansion itself, such as the dormitories where each of the maids, butlers, gardeners, and other assorted household helpers had their individual rooms. There was also a large kitchen that supplied both the family and the workers' mess hall with meals, and it was supplied with fresh ingredients by their very own greenhouse. Even the main building, which was supposed to be the home of the family, only had a few residential rooms, with the rest taken up by various themed chambers, such as the trophy room, Elly's music room, and even an honest to goodness indoor pool.
More importantly, at least as far as the present situation was concerned, the estate also had a sizeable gymnasium housing a small fitness saloon as well as an indoor tennis court. The latter would've been considered a little excessive by most normal people, but considering that the women of the household were both former tennis stars, it wasn't entirely unexpected. But then again, they weren't exactly normal people either, so maybe the whole point was moot from the start.
The current situation was taking place inside the aforementioned gym, just a little after four in the afternoon, with four women of various apparent ages already in the process of limbering up. The gym itself was bare of decorations, its color palette mainly using dark green and white. On the group's left, there were a series of exercise machines and weight-lifting benches neatly lined up along the wall, its large windows providing a great view of the gardens, while on their other side the ground was covered with freshly laid brown mats forming a fairly large sparring area.
”Come on, Judy! Put your back into it!” Elly called out to the other girl between two stretching exercises, her face already flushed with excitement.
”That's right, dear,” Emese, the matriarch of the household, also agreed while jogging in place. ”Proper warm-up is essential for avoiding injuries during practice.”
”Yes! Judy-ue must be careful not to get hurt!” the tiny miko, currently in her human form, echoed the others' sentiment while doing some splits on the ground.
My dear assistant was less than enthused by their advice, but for the time being, she tried her best to imitate Elly and her exercises anyway. She was wearing her gym uniform from school, while mama Dracis was dressed in a fairly typical exercise ensemble, complete with tight green pants and a supportive grey tank-top that showed off her toned stomach. Considering that she was wheelchair-bound for years, she was in surprisingly great shape, most likely due to her draconic physiology.
Elly was also dressed in a similar fashion, matching her mother, even if her color scheme was centered around red and pink instead. Since the two of them had their hair tied back into ponytails, the otherwise fairly modest family resemblance between the two of them came to the forefront. Speaking of which, Elly already had a curvy body, especially considering her age, but based on her mother's figure, she apparently still had some space to grow in various places. The genetics of this family were truly frightening.
Last, but not least, Ichiko was also wearing a white PE uniform, though its design was very different from Judy's, as hers included dark blue shorts, the kind that some people colloquially call 'bloomers'. It was one of the princess's spares that she had outgrown a long time ago, though they didn't have spare shoes, so she was barefoot. Not that she minded, at least if her enthusiasm was any indication.
”That should be enough,” Emese declared after one last squat and she shook her legs to let her blood flow. ”Let's begin our first self-defense class.”
Judy appeared entirely unenthused by the prospect, so the younger draconic girl quickly sidled up to her and grabbed hold of her shoulders.
”Come, we'll teach you the basics. It's going to be fun!”
”It's also really important,” mama Dracis pointed out with a warm smile, evidently amused by their interaction. ”If you are going to be part of the family, you have to know how to protect yourself.”
”I have a bodyguard though,” Judy noted, followed by a glance at the small girl still doing a hand-stand next to her. When she noticed, Ichiko did an acrobatic, if decidedly dangerous, one-eighty spin, and after landing, she stood at attention.
”We have bodyguards too, but there's only so much they can do,” Emese explained herself while walking up to her. When she stopped, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes, and before the deadpan girl could do anything, she suddenly grabbed her by the shoulder and, after a series of blindingly fast movements, put her into some kind of hold with both of her arms restrained. It all happened so fast that Judy couldn't even have the time to let out a surprised yelp. ”For example, what if someone sneaked up on you like this? Your bodyguard can't really do anything if this happens, can she?”
Judy didn't even try to struggle. She only nodded her head with a strained, ”Point taken,” at which point the lady of the house promptly let her go. The moment that happened, Ichiko wedged herself between the two with a barely audible growl and pushed the grown-up woman aside.
Emese wasn't offended the slightest. She simply let out a short, tinkling giggle and roughly tousled the little girl's hair.
”You see? One of the first things you have to learn is how to break out of holds so that others can help you escape.”
”Ideally, you shouldn't get caught in the first place,” Elly added as she patted down the other girl, and once she found everything in order, she sent a petulant glance at her mother. ”Mom, don't be rough with Judy.”
”I'm not!” Emese responded with a toothy smile. ”It's just an important point to get across. I didn't really hurt her, now did I?”
”I understand,” Judy interjected once she finished straightening her clothes. ”This is for my own good. Please give me some pointers.”
”Amon holds and binds. You are not one of the Old Blooded, so not all of it is going to be applicable when you are facing a superior opponent, but if they underestimate you, a well-executed trick at a crucial moment can still let you break free and potentially escape. That leads us to our third lesson.” She paused here and sent a meaningful glance at Ichiko before she continued with, ”You are certainly stronger and tougher than you look, little one, but while your abilities and techniques might be up to par, you have to learn how to properly use them to protect someone. As a bodyguard, your job isn't to defeat the attackers closing in on you and your charge, but to help them escape.”
”I understand, Emese-sama!” the little miko exclaimed with an almost comically serious expression on her face. The Dracis matriarch let out another giggle and rubbed her head once more, which the small girl bore without a change in expression. Emese's face, on the other hand, soon turned wistful as she let out a melancholic sigh.
”Ah, and now you remind me of my Elly when she was your age! Oh, how time has flown by me! Soon, I will be a grandmother!
”Not any time soon, unless things take a sudden turn,” Judy grumbled, and since nobody reacted, it was left at that.
For the next couple of minutes, the four of them faithfully followed Emese's outline. Judy was trained in breaking her fall after a throw, rolling, and safely dispersing momentum in general. She wasn't exactly acrobatic, but she did her best and followed Emese's instructions to the letter. Elly also provided support, mostly serving as an example when it came to showcasing proper techniques.
Ichiko was absent from this part of the training, as the little girl not only knew these basics, she was probably better versed in them than Emese herself, and she could literally bounce back from a throw without breaking a sweat. Considering she was a sentient spirit of a magical sword with centuries of combat experience inside a shape-shifting Chimera body optimized for combat, it was only to be expected. Emese wasn't aware of her history though, so she earned quite a few head pats during the lesson.
It wasn't until the second part of the training session that they started discussing something interesting, mostly so that Judy could catch her breath after tumbling around for the better part of half an hour.
”Let's move on to grappling next,” the Dracis matriarch proposed while wiping her forehead, even though there wasn't a single drop of sweat on her body.
”Let's,” Judy agreed on the ground, and Elly quickly moved to her side to help her up.
”Before we start, let's get one thing clear.” Emese raised a lone finger to her eye level, and a beat later she added, ”Getting caught in a grab is the worst-case scenario for you. I'll teach you a few moves to get out of one, but you have to make sure to remember that you should always, always try to avoid getting caught. You must always be vigilant.”
”Complacency is our greatest enemy,” the princess added in the company of a knowing nod.
”That's right,” her mother doubled down with a nod of her own. ”The accursed knights always attack you when you least expect it. Their frontal attack on our home was a very atypical case; for the vast majority of cases, they would strike at us when we are the most relaxed or distracted. The first step to assure your safety is to be vigilant and ready to escape at all times.”
”The best time to retreat is at the very beginning of an attack,” Elly followed up her mother's explanation with one of her own. She paused for a second while she gestured for Ichiko to also pay attention. ”This is important information that may save your lives in the future, so listen close: the accursed knights are at their weakest right after the start of combat. This means it's the best time to either run away or run them off. The longer the battle lasts, the more disadvantageous the situation will become.”
”Why's that?” Judy asked the obvious question, and the two Dracis women shared an uncertain glance between each other.
”We don't exactly know,” Elly admitted. ”It's just something they do.”