The next day during training, Jia feels the best she has in weeks. Last night after finishing the news she iced like crazy and her body’s loose. They’re over an hour into today’s session and she hasn’t yet been thrown to the ground. She’s getting to the point where she can actually dodge her mother’s blows, though she still hasn’t managed to hit the woman.

For the first time today her mother says to come at her. She cringes, no matter how well a day’s going, this is the one thing that always ends in pain. She’ll be blocked and countered, maybe manage to avoid a counter or two, but eventually she’s going to end up on the ground. She’s learned better than to say no though so she rushes forward. Kick, punch, punch, duck under the kick. Small hop to avoid a leg sweep but keep it small enough that she can block the next shot. She tries a kick of her own and feels her leg caught under her mother’s arm. Without hesitation she uses the support this grab provides to launch herself into the air and bring her other leg up, kicking her mother right in the side.

The woman falters slightly and releases Jia’s leg. Jia tumbles awkwardly to the ground, hitting her knee. It definitely ends up hurting her more than it hurts her mother but she doesn’t care. Staring up at her mother, her jaw practically hits the ground. She actually connected a blow and caused some sort of pain. She’s been working toward that for weeks. She feels fireworks going off in her head. If she didn’t know she’d end up punished for doing so she’d run around the yard celebrating.

Her mother reaches out a hand to help her up. She tentatively takes it. “Very nicely done. I like how when I cornered you, there was no panic. You just went right to your next move. That’s the kind of quickness and fluidity that will keep you alive once you sign up for that stupid act.”

Jia freezes upon hearing this. The urge to celebrate goes right out of her. “What do you mean? I’m not planning to register. I’m just trying to learn our family history.”

Her mother turns away. “I know you well enough to know that you aren’t going through all of this just so you can learn some fancy new techniques. You may be telling yourself that now but once you learn and feel confident you’re going to want to put this to use. That’s your nature and I would never try to change it. My job is to make sure you stay alive when you do.”

Jia tries to clear her head. Is that actually what she wants? She hasn’t thought about it that much. She could do a lot of good and there are always going to be people who need help. Her mother pulls her in and gives her a hug. “I’m okay with it and will do everything I can to keep you safe and get you ready for this. I need you to promise me something though Jia. Don’t tell your father, at least not at first. He won’t understand and he’ll just worry. I know you don’t like keeping things from him but we need to for now. Okay?” Her mother pushes her back so they’re staring at each other.

She’s never been good at keeping secrets from her father. When she was a little girl she told him everything and she’s never completely stopped. Even her teenage years didn’t pull them apart. Her mother clearly feels strongly about this though and she trusts her. Her parents have one of the best relationships she’s ever seen and if she doesn’t think her dad can take it, she’s probably right.

Nodding her agreement, her mother pulls her in for another hug. After a minute of this her mother lets her go and gets back into position. “That was a very good start but don’t think we’re done. Let’s see if we can get you to hit me once without a counter before you run off to save the world. Again.” Jia heads back into the fray, ready to continue her training.