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Demi blinked at her sensei and thought about the query. When she agreed to this training, she really didn't think of any weapons she would eventually use; in fact, the kit half expected the Singapura to just naturally teach her how to handle that blade properly. As she thought about it, she felt that perhaps she wouldn't have been happy with learning the blade after all. Demi trusted her claws completely, and didn't think she'd be comfortable relying on something other than them to cut. She also didn't care for spilling blood, something that might have been unexpected of someone like her.

"I.... I'm not sure, Mir-sensei...." She began thoughtfully, "Before meeting you, I've handled any unpleasant situation with smoke bombs and my own four legs... but the only times I've really used those were when I was getting food... so I wonder if that really counts..." Demi grinned a silly grin and huffed as her breathing slowly came back under control. "I'm sorry, I don't have a straight answer... I didn't really think that far ahead!" Feeling like her legs would turn to jelly if she sat any longer, the young bobtail got back to her paws and stretched a bit before rising back to her full, albeit diminutive, height again and beamed up at Mirelle, "Can I think it over and tell you later?"

Not seconds after she finished talking, her stomach rumbled loudly and she laughed. Patting it gently with one paw, the young girl murmured soothing words to it as if it were a separate being, and flicked her short tail a few times. "I'm starving now! Training sure is hard work, huh?" She giggled again and let her ears fall back playfully.

Demi nodded in understanding of Mir's words, then perked her ears up eagerly when she declared the day's training to be over and set up the time for the next day's to begin. "That sounds awesome, Mir-sensei!" She chirped, suddenly finding some energy at the mention of getting food, "Where should I meet you tomorrow?" The Bobtail was plenty hungry, but she certainly didn't want to run off without getting all the details; who knows how much time she could waste just looking for the Singapura.

Demi nodded enthusiastically and hastily returned the Singapura's bow with one of her own, deeper than her mentor's. "Yes, Mir-sensei!" Demi responded dutifully, coming up from the bow with a confident grin, "I'll be there bright and early tomorrow! I hope you also sleep well!" She waved brightly as the older cat retreated down the alley and left, then she stood there for a moment, contemplating where to have a late lunch. With a contented sigh, Demi bounded out of the alley herself, lifted her nose to the air, and took off for one of her favorite eating spots and then eventually for 'home.'

Demi awoke very slowly the next morning, or rather the next afternoon. Humans were swarming the construction site by this time, doing their jobs, and it was their noise that had woken the cat from her near-comatose sleep. As she tried to get up, her muscles screamed at her as she moved and stretched. Everything was sore and stiff from the previous evening's unintentional exercise.

The bobtail staggered to her feet and slowly made her way out of the construction area. Blood still clung to her arm and chest, and several dark blotches marred her skin where bruises had formed. The dirty green ribbon peeked out from her clutched fist as she headed towards Kokitsu Plaza. She was working on autopilot as her mind was still fuzzy and waking up. She knew that she was supposed to be at the fountain for some reason though. It wasn't long before the fountain was in sight and Demi was making her way towards the Singapura waiting beside it.

Only after spotting Mirelle did the young girl realize why she was here. Training. Today was supposed to be the start of her endurance training with Mir-sensei! blinking her eyes clear of the gunk and grit that still clung to them, she swiped the back of her hand across them and picked up her pace. "I'm so totally late!" She yowled aloud as she neared the older cat, "I'm sorry Mir-sensei!" In all honesty, the bobtail wasn't at all up for more training, but she had made a commitment and wanted to stick with it despite anything.

Demi blinked and tilted her ears back at the sudden fuss she was receiving from her mentor; she didn't complain, but it made her feel worse than she already did. She sat on the edge of the fountain and winced as Mirelle's paws flashed over tender spots on her arm. "Well, I.... I didn't exactly make it 'home' last night..." She mewed uncertainly, scooping up some water and gingerly splashing it against the scratches on her neck, washing the crusted blood and sand away, "I guess I crossed the territory of some other cats and they discovered me... And well, I sort of knew them. I danced with one of them a couple days ago, and I guess he thought I intended to do more." Demi didn't look at her sensei, instead she focused on her image in the water. She really did look a mess.

Perking her ears up as she realized something, the bobtail spoke up quickly again, "Don't worry though, he didn't do anything to me... well, except.. he destroyed my collar." The girl paused and blinked slowly at herself in the water as she said this. She uncurled her fingers from around the dirty golden bell and stared at it. Slowly lowering her hand into the water of the fountain, she began cleaning the bell, but the green ribbon was tattered and stained beyond repair. Tears stung at her eyes again, but this time she wasn't sure why. The ribbon had been becoming quite uncomfortable lately, shouldn't she have been happy to be rid of it finally?

The bell shimmered beneath the surface of the water, and Demi brought a hand up to her throat, feeling the slight impression in her skin from where the tight collar had been. Dully, the Bobtail knew she was avoiding, in her mind, what nearly happened. Despite her naivete about most things, she was well aware of what the tom's intentions had been, and she wasn't sure how to react. She wondered absently if this was what had made Alice so defensive of her before. Swallowing the sob that wanted to come out, Demi mewed softly, "It hurts... everything hurts..."

Feeling both guilt and relief at hearing that training was canceled for the day, Demi nodded quietly. "Mir-sensei...?" She mewed softly, after pondering her vision in the water some more, "What should I do?" Dark golden eyes gazed up at the older female with an uncharacteristically lost and meek expression in them. "Is there something I can do to help the pain? And..." She trailed off, pulling her ears back as she thought about what she was going to say next, "what if I run into them again? It was hard enough with just one of them to fight, but what if I get stuck with all four next time?" The bell in her palm gave an unsteady ring as she shivered. Trying to imagine how the scenario would play out was a little much for the girl and she squeezed her eyes shut to try an erase the images her mind had created.

As soon as the words about training left her mentor's lips, Demi wanted to jump at them and insist that they resume their training despite her condition. However, anything she would have said was quieted when the older cat pinpointed the different types of pain and how to deal with them. While it was true that the young bobtail's body hurt physically all over, she also realized that there was an internal pain as well. The way her heart hammered in her chest, frantic and hard as she thought about meeting up with those toms again, and the way she couldn't really face what could have happened the previous night, all left her feeling hollow and cold at her core. She wasn't sure what kind of questions Mirelle was about to ask her, but felt comforted by her job description.

With ears laying to the sides, Demi stared up at the Singapura and gave a small nod. "It's okay, Mir-sensei... Go ahead and ask what you need to. I..." Her voice caught in her throat and she swallowed the unease bubbling inside her, "I'll do my best to answer you."

Demi blinked slowly back at Mirelle and tipped her ears back a little. Fingering the bell in her hand, she mewed softly, "I feel... drained and shaky. And afraid." She didn't like to openly admit her own fear or any weakness in general, but she knew that if she were to run into them again, say that evening, that she wouldn't be nearly as confident as she had been before. "I.. could have been in real trouble, Mir-sensei, I'm afraid of being in that situation again. I feel really inexperienced... in everything. I wasn't ready for them."

Suddenly remembering the weight in her pocket, the bobtail laughed a little and pulled one out, holding it next to her torn collar. "I think the only thing that saved me were those smoke bombs I told you about before... If I had to defend against two of them... or more... It would have been worse." Another cold tremor worked it's way up the young girl's spine and she again wanted to suggest they start training right away. The feeling of inadequacy to protect herself was heavy.