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 Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 1:12 pm
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Disconnected
Who: LuLu
When: Evening
Where: We'rika and Sevilin's home
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
LuLu did not think much of it at first. She sent her normal texts to Sevilin. Silly pictures, emojis, and snippets about her day. Even though she had moved away, they kept a constant stream of conversation over phone and messenger. After a day of no responses, she began to feel that something was wrong.
After a week, she knew something was up.
LuLu went to the source to investigate. It was a long bus ride from Barton to Aekea, and she was wringing her hands raw the whole time as her nerves got the best of her. She hoped that when she arrived Sevilin would be there waiting for her with a few snarky comments and a good excuse about why he hadn't been replying. "Maybe he broke his phone..." The thought calmed her, but just barely. In the back of her mind, she knew he was not the type to go this long without his cell.
The rabbit practically jumped out of the bus when it arrived at her stop. She wasted no time as she floated to Sevilin's apartment. The station was about ten minutes from the apartment. The sigel knew this for a fact as she had gone down this route countless times before. Yet, the path seemed to wind on forever today. Had there really been four crosswalks before?! The rabbit hopped and fridget as she waited on the street corner for the light to change.
The longest wait of all was elevator making its way to the 12th floor. LuLu could not help but press the floor's button a few extra time as though the action would actually motivate the contraption to move faster. By some miracle, she arrived at the hall leading to Sevilin's apartment before she had a complete mental breakdown.
LuLu could not help but notice a slip of paper tacked onto the placard next to the apartment's door. The rabbit could not quite make out the words from a distance. After all, she was gifted with excellent hearing... pretty average in the sight department though. As she drew closer, the letters came into focus.
'V-A-C-A-N-C-Y'
She could now make out the word perfectly. It was there on the door as clear as day, but it did not make any sense to the rabbit. It had to be some kind of joke. LuLu paused in front of the door. She was unaware of when she had started holding her breath, but she was getting light headed now. She reached out and tested the handle.
Locked.
The hall was filled with jingling as she twisted the handle repeatedly. It refused to give. Next there was a roar of pounding as she began to slam her fists on the door. The door did not budge. "Sevilin! Get your a** out here, dammit!!" No response. The same as the week leading up to today. "Se-Sevilin!!!" Lu's voice cracked when the first tear rolled down her cheek.
Why did he not tell her? Where had he gone? How could he leave her?
Questions buzzed around in her head like a swarm of bees. One after another they stung her and made her heart ache. There were so many questions that, unfortunately, would never have any answers.
Lu pressed her head against the door to steady herself. Arms were brace against the frame on either side. Sadness mingled along with anger. Her words came out choked, 
SOLO
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Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 1:13 pm
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Find Your Calling
Who: LuLu and a loyal fan
When: Afternoon
Where: A local tattoo parlor
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
It started off like any other day. LuLu was performing her usual weekend errands. She had visited her favorite bakery and had just completed the task of eating nearly her own body weight in carrot cupcakes.
Yes, just a normal weekend for the rabbit sigel.
LuLu was currently running on autopilot and had been so drawn into the monotony of her morning she almost did not hear a voice call out to her as she exited the bakery. Her ears flicked forward to locate the source of the cry. The voice called out again, but the words were drowned out in the crowd around her. One thing was certain though. It was growing closer.
LuLu froze when a hand grasped her shoulder. Her amethyst eyes darted up the limb to find its owner. Her gaze pinpointed an foreign face. It was a human. The woman repeated herself.
LuLu could now make out the words being directed at her. "LittlebunnyLuLu!" The unfamiliar voice yelled in unrestrained excitement. The raevan stuttered out, "Y-yes?" She was still uncertain if she should claim the title and what it would mean if she did.
The girl practically squealed. "I kneeeew it! I love your videos. I watch them every week." At that statement, the rabbit felt a wave of pride wash over herself like a tide of warm water. She also felt some relief as the woman's grip released her shoulder. "I was afraid I would lose you in the crowd. It is amazing to meet you in person LittlebunnyLuLu. My name is Tyler, but you will probably recognize my username TooTylerForYou! Your makeup is just as pretty in real life! Oh my goodness, how does it stay in place like that?"
The rabbit waited for a break in her words, a pause for breath, anything! Finally, LuLu realized she would need to interject herself into the conversation before it got out of hand. She cut off the human as another question was escaping her lips. "Of course, I recognize your username Tyler. It is a pleasure to meet you, too" LuLu smiled through her blatant lie. She had no clue who this girl was, but Tyler was a fan and Lu could not bear to rain on her parade. She continued, "It is not normal makeup. Actually, it is ink."
Tyler's blue-grey eyes widened. Her jaw hung open as though she had just heard LuLu's deepest, darkest secret. "Woooow! No wonder your looks do not budge! But if they are tattoos how do you change your makeup every week?" Her head tilted in confusion.
The corners of the sigel's lips quirked into a pouty smirk. In one fluid movement she ran a fingertip along the contour of her own eyelids. Suddenly the golden skin there shifted to a pink-red gradient. "I can control ink."
Tyler's arm shot out again and she took ahold of Lu's hand. "That is amazing! Please, please, please! You haaaave to do a look on me." She pointed to a patch on her vest that read 'Screaming Banshees'. A pair of drumsticks were embroidered under the words. "I am actually in a band. My makeup is always running off under the stage lights when I do a gig. You can be my life saver LittlebunnyLuLu!"
"LuLu, please call me LuLu. And... I have never done this on anyone else." Her nose scrunched. "I do not know if it would work."
Tyler shrugged the rabbit's words off. "I do not mind being the guinea pig if there is a chance I never have to do my makeup again." LuLu started to feel sweat prickle on her brow. The last thing she wanted to do was leave this girl's face a mess. She had to think fast!
"Well, I would need ink anyway." The rabbit's statement came out more nervous than intended because she could see Tyler's grin grow larger with each word.
"I have it covered."
And that is how LuLu ended up at a tattoo parlor that day.
---
Tyler knew the owner. His name was porkchop... or, something close to that. After some begging and pleading, the woman had coerced him into letting them borrow a tattoo chair for an hour and some semi-permanent ink.
The fact the ink would not last forever put the rabbit at some ease. Still, her hands were shaking enough to make the bracelets on her wrist clink together. Tyler was now reclined in a black leather chair in front of her. A big smile was plastered on her face. "Ready to get this show on the road?" Her enthusiasm was palpable.
LuLu gulped, "I suppose."
Tyler continued, "Do not look so nervous LuLu! You are so good at makeup. Have more confidence in what you can do. It is amazing."
LuLu felt that same swell of pride from before. With Tyler's reassurance, her hands felt more steady. She reached for the ink. Her hand gravitated toward the well of black. She tentatively dipped a finger in and watched the ink level slowly drop as her skin absorbed the liquid. The same finger then moved to hover over Tyler's lips. She paused.
The woman murmured, "You can do it."
LuLu's finger pressed against the creamy skin. She could feel a sensation pass through her and into the human. It was like static. Tyler gasped then giggled. "It tickles!"
Soon color bled into Tyler's pale lips like ink on paper. The hue transitioned from bright red to deep burgundy. The rabbit moved over each inch of her face with her mind focused on sculpting out her vision. It took her the full hour to finish, and LuLu was a bit hesitant to let Tyler see the final product. Nevertheless, she could not keep Tyler away from a mirror for more than three seconds once she was out of the tattoo chair.
Tyler screamed with joy once she caught a glimpse of herself. "It is perfect LuLu!!!! Thank you sooo muuuuch!"
The rabbit's wings fluttered with surprise. Tyler really liked it after all? LuLu could not help it as a smiled spread across her face. "I am glad."
---
Within the week, Tyler had tracked LuLu down again and was asking for a new look. With some insistence, the rabbit agreed to the task again. They borrowed their designated seat at Porkchop's tattoo parlor and LuLu got to work. To the sigel's delight, taking the ink out of the human's skin and morphing it to a new shape was easier than placing it there.
This time she and Tyler exchanged contact info at the end of the session. The human had also slipped Lu a twenty dollar tip along with her cell phone number. The two continued to meet every week. It was primarily due to the fact Tyler never stayed satisfied with a look for more than a few days. Due to the frequency of her visits, LuLu's small makeup operation became an installation at Porkchop's place and other clients started to take notice.
It was not long before the rabbit was performing her semi-permanent makeup transformations on women other than Tyler. LuLu found enjoyment in working on the variety of new and interesting canvases that came before her. Her final product felt like a great accomplishment and the rabbit began to look forward to the one or two days a week she would spend at the parlor. Eventually, her Gaiatube channel was filled with videos of her creating makeup styles on clients rather than herself.
Then one day, the videos stopped all together. LuLu's business was flourishing and with that success came both new friends and clients. The Gaiatube channel did not feel as necessary as it once had.
LuLu had found her new calling.
SOLO
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2017 5:05 pm
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2017 5:07 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 4:55 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:00 pm
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Everyone's a Critic
Who: LuLu and an unhappy customer
When: Afternoon
Where: Porkchop's Tattoo Parlor
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
When the welcome bell above the door to Porkchop's Parlor went off, LuLu looked up from her cell phone. She eyed the woman coming in from her the tattoo chair she was curled up on. The human's heels clicked on the tile as she approached. The way she cocked her head of platinum curls as she checked the time made it appear like LuLu had been the one late to her makeup appointment and not the other way around. She commented offhandedly to the front desk, "The shop is too hard to find." She punctuated the statement with a nasally sigh.
LuLu rose from her spot to greet her new customer. "My apologies. Porkchop does not have the best signage. Need anything before we start? Water?" LuLu pointed to the mini-fridge stocked with bottled water as she guided the woman to the now unoccupied tattoo chair.
The woman glanced over the shop after she took a seat. Her eyes focussed on the mini-fridge and her expression changed to one of distaste. "No thanks, I only drink a certain brand of sparkling mineral water. I doubt you have it." Her lips curled as she laughed at her own joke.
LuLu tried to laugh along, but quieted down when the woman shot her an annoyed glare. The rabbit opted instead to get down to business so this visit could end promptly. "What look would you like?"
The woman replied without hesitation. "I would like a neutral smokey eye."
LuLu nodded. That was an easy enough request. It would certainly not be her first incarnation of this look. In fact, it was quite popular for her first time customers who were a bit hesitant to try something bolder. The rabbit withdrew some black ink from its allotted well and proceeded to start. "You might feel a tickle."
The woman's face turned into one of horror. "You are not wearing gloves?!"
The rabbit looked down at her hands and blinked slowly before she responded, "Well, I do not break the skin. Only the ink will pass into your skin. So no need for them."
The woman stated flatly, "You WILL wear gloves."
LuLu tried to explain it again but the woman would not budge. The sigel decided to save her breath and donned a pair of the black latex gloves Porkchop wore whenever he did his art. She immediately noticed the handicap the thin layer of rubber created. Her movements felt clunkier and the ink did not respond in quite the same way. Nevertheless, with her usual determination LuLu created a look she could be proud of. Once completed, she passed the woman a mirror. "How does it look, hm?" She smiled as she await the response. The final product had a way of turning even the sourest customers sweet.
The woman shifted her head from side to side slowly. Her expression grew even more bitter somehow. "It looks off. The colors are kinda bland. All tan and brown. Can you re-do it?"
LuLu blinked in shock. "Umm, it is what you asked for. Neutral looks tend to be muted." She noted the woman's eyebrow cocked in her direction. The sigel continue, "I can always go back and add a pop of color if that is what you want instead." The customer smacked her lips but nodded. "Fine, fix your mistake please." The sigel's ears flicked back in irritation at that statement but she quickly held her tongue and distracted herself by getting back to work.
She took her time and diligently added a soft fade of indigo and violet into the look. She thought it complimented the woman's brown eye quite well. Once again, proud of what she had done, LuLu unveiled the final look to the woman.
"It is even worse now!" The woman sounded exasperated as though she had a reason to be on her last nerve. "I made a mistake coming here. You obviously do not know what you are doing. Take this crap off so I can go home. Now."
The metal table next to the tattoo chair clattered as LuLu shot up from her seat. "How. Dare. You." Her hand smeared into the puddle of black liquid that had spilled from the ink well until there was nothing left. "You did make a mistake coming here." The rabbit reached out and clutch the woman's cheek. She watched as the makeup look she created morphed into something horrendous. It looked like something from a horror movie but it was fitting. "Because I do not put up with bullshit."
She woman ripped LuLu's hand way and screamed, "What the hell did you do!?!!"
The rabbit's face split into a wicked grin. "I gave you the makeup your deserve. As ugly on the outside as you are on the inside." Her wings flared wide to display their full pattern like a warning display, "I will take it off only after you learn some respect, you shallow woman."
LuLu could not help but giggle with a shrill, boisterous laugh as the woman gathered her belongings and wrapped her face with a sweater. "You petty b***h. Learn how to take criticism! ********> She ran out of the shop and, to the rabbit's delight, stumbled on the way out.
Porkchop watch the chaos from behind the counter. Once the woman had successfully fled, he turned to the sigel and release a drawn out whistle. "You go, bunny girl. Just clean up the ink before you head out."
LuLu eased back into her seat. A smile was still on her face. She stretched her arms over her head and emitted a pleased sigh. Sometimes it felt good to be bad.
SOLO
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:06 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:13 pm
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Introducing the Main Contender
Who: LuLu, Franco, and Selene
When: Afternoon
Where: Nell's Gym/Knockout Gym
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
"Ugh!"
LuLu's fist hit the punching bag again. Her other followed in quick succession causing the black bag to twist back and forth on its chain with a creak. She paused to adjust the wrapping protecting her knuckles before she got back into a rhythm of quick forward jabs.
The sigel began to drift off into her pattern. Left arm then right arm. Every so often tossing an extra repetition in for variation. She was so lost in her actions that did not notice the presence drawing closer from behind her. The rabbit froze when a voice called practically into her ear.
"Keep working that hard and you will break a nail, Little Lady."
The voice was deep, smooth, and jam packed with well-measured bravado. LuLu turned to face him. She dabbed idly at the first trickles of sweat on her forehead with the back of her wrist. Her expression was a shell of perfectly practiced indifference. "Can I help you?" The rabbit's amethyst eyes darted up and down, sizing the man up quickly.
He looked to be in his early thirties and the best way LuLu could describe him was... broad. The man towered over her at 6'5" with squared shoulders and muscled limbs. He had a boxy jawline. His face was cut with a few sharp angles and stubble. A topknot of messy brown hair sat at the crown of his head. Of course, his lips were drawn into a sly grin so that his canines just peeked out from behind his lower lip in a wolfish way.
"No, but I can help you."
LuLu's bored mask did not falter. "I doubt that. Nice meeting you Sir." She began to turn back around so that she could return to punching the everloving snot out of the sandbag.
The man sputtered. "H-hey! You really will hurt yourself if you keep at it with that form." The rabbit was caught off guard by the sincerity that had seeped into his words.
Her ears perked. "Really?" She floated back from the punching bag to create distance for the man to approach. "Care to demonstrate then?" Her lids lowered ever so slightly into a scrutinizing glower.
"Well..." He gulped gently. The man then aligned his body with the sandbag. "You were standing too far back and hyperextending your arms. Next time try to get closer. You will get a more solid hit, too. Like this." He got into form as he explained himself. His arms raised to the correct position easily like a seasoned pro. One arm was cocked back like a loaded gun. The muscles in his bicep flexed and twitched under his skin from the tension pulsing through them. As he pulled the trigger, his fist sailed forward. It made a meaty, hefty impact with the sandbag which sent a shock up Lu's spine. The bag swung back and slammed into the wall with a loud thud. She could see the glint of something primal in his eyes when his blow landed. A spark that lit up the hazel into a wild emerald.
Her interest piqued. "Can I ask your name, Sir?" She folded her arms against her chest.
He held out a hand to stop the punching bags movement. His eyes then locked with hers. "Franco. And yours?"
The sigel tilted her head. "LuLu. Thank you for the advice. I will remember it." She then waited for him to step aside so she could finish up her workout. However, Franco did not budge.
He continued, "Nice name, LuLu. Listen here. This place has a pretty awesome sauna that I come here for, but it falls pretty short when it comes to boxing equipment. I can show you a real state of the art place. Would you like to see?"
Realization dawned on the sigel and she prickled, "Are you trying to sell me something?"
Again, the man sputtered. "N-no. Well, kinda. It would just be a quick trip to show you the place. I will not complain if you happen to get a membership. Alright?" Franco gave a soft shrug of his shoulders.
LuLu huffed. This human was ridiculous. Didn't this place have a loitering policy? Nevertheless, he had appeared to know what he was talking about earlier. Maybe he wasn't completely full of s**t. The raevan went against her better judgement. "So where is this place?" She rolled her eyes.
Franco's grin returned. However, its wolfish edge was gone and he now resembled more of an excited puppy. "Really?! It is not too far from here. Knockout gym." She noticed he gave his fist a soft pump of victory before he started to lead them both out of the gym.
---
As they arrived at the gym, LuLu could not help but take notice of the modern decor Franco had promised. The gym itself was relatively plain. It had dingy off-white walls that were cracking in a few areas. She could see cobwebs had collected in a few dark crevices. The center of the building was occupied by a large ring that had too many patches in the canvas to count. On the perimeter there were a few shabby looking machines and various types of well used punching bags. One corner was occupied by a pile of rusty free weights that were undoubtedly older than the sigel.
LuLu gave the man a glance, "State of the art, huh?"
Franco wiped his brow nervously. "I may have exaggerated a bit, but it has all the equipment a starting boxer needs. And the most important thing of all, an amazing trainer!" A grin spread across his face dimpling his cheeks.
The rabbit rolled her eyes. Her last bit of patience was gone. "I never said I was a boxer. Quit wasting my time." She clicked her tongue in irritation. Franco really had his heart set on polishing up this mess he called a gym. However, she had better things to do with her day than listen to more of his sales pitches. "This place is a dump."
"Ahem!"
A raspy voice abruptly cut off their conversation. LuLu turned to find its source and was encountered by an older woman. The raevan could not be certain of her exact age, but the gray strands of hair mixed into her short chocolate curls gave LuLu some idea. The skin around her eyes and lips was creased delicately by shallow wrinkles. Hooded lids hid two warm brown eyes.
The woman's lips were pursed in a confused stare. Her brows were furrowed. "Franco!" The large man jumped to attention. The rabbit just barely hid a snicker under her breath. "What did I say about bringing your girlfriends to the gym?
LuLu interjected. "You have it wron-"
The woman cut her off. "Shoo, shoo! Go home. We have enough airheads in here without adding more to the mix. Her finger pointed to the exit.
LuLu's posture immediately tensed up. Her wings unfurled from her back and began to flare. "Excuse m-"
It was now Franco's turn to cut the rabbit off. "This is not just any girl! This is our next gym client. I was just showing her our equipment." LuLu glared as he tried to flash her another obnoxious smile. "LuLu, this is our best trainer. She actually taught me everything I know. Meet Selene!"
LuLu frowned deeply. This was the last straw. "Your best trainer is an old woman? You are full of s**t. This gym is a pile of s**t." The rabbit folded her arms in exasperation.
Franco now wore a tense look on his face. That was the first time Lu had seen him frown that day. His eyes darted to his mentor.
All the warmth had left Selene's eyes. They narrowed into angry slits at the rabbit. "I do not need a loud brat with a head full of fluff telling me how to run my gym. You would not last a day training here you whiny punk. Leave now before I kick your a** out the door."
LuLu's wings spread to their full span. She drew closer to Selene. You could feel the electricity in the air growing between the two women. "Was that a threat? Old. Woman. I dare you to try." The rabbit lifted a hand over her head to strike Selene.
Franco's strong fingers curled around the rabbit's thin wrist and held it in place. "You do not want to do that, LuLu."
The sigel ripped her arm away from him. "I decide what I want to do. Not you."
Selene laughed mockingly. "Yes, Franco. The girl thinks she is smart enough to pick her own fights. Let her." The woman rolled her shoulders and they popped in a few places. "I need a warm up anyway. Get her some gloves, Franco."
The man moved to get the raevan a set of boxing gloves but she stopped him. "I do not need gloves. Just let me at her." Franco simply rolled his eyes and motioned LuLu to the ring. She heard him mutter something under his breath about 'scaring away new clients'.
---
The two women stood in opposing corners of the ring. On one side, LuLu was flexing her bare hands in and out of fists. She was looking a bit too eager for the fight to start. Only a few yards away, Selene was lacing on a pair of black boxing gloves. They were well worn with numerous scratches and frayed stitching. She lifted the gloves to inspect them before giving them a few good taps together to ensure they were not going anywhere.
Franco had found a spot on the edge of the ring to observe from. He was seated next to metal bell, haggard like every other piece of equipment. He spoke up to both of them. "First to tap out or be knocked out loses. Can I trust you both to have a clean fight?"
LuLu huffed in response. If she was not mistaken, she heard Selene also emit an irked groan at the man. Without missing a beat, he hit the bell and it cut through the air with a sharp metallic chime.
LuLu floated away from her corner and encroached on Selene. In contrast, the older woman stayed put. She stood in place with an uncomfortable amount of calmness given the fact their fight had already started. Her raspy voice called out to Lu in an even tone, "I will give you the first hit."
LuLu's approach faltered momentarily. She paused for a few seconds before picking up her stride again. "I will only need one hit." Selene was close now. The sigel could make out the details of her face once again. Like the wrinkles framing those composed eyes, and the slight smirk on her lips. The rabbit saw that the woman was making no move to defend herself. She almost felt bad striking at her... almost.
LuLu's arm jabbed with inhuman speed.
There was a jarring snap of a fist against leather. Selene's gloved hand had stopped Lu's punch in its tracks. The human then countered the sigel's strike with one of her own. Her unobstructed glove shot forward. It blurred slightly in Lu's vision. It was almost too quick for even her keen eyes to focus on. However, with a twist of her torso, the agile rabbit was able to avoid it. The strike sailed just over her shoulder.
Amethyst eyes honed in on a clear path leading to the woman's head. Selene had left herself wide open. The raevan's free arm swung around. The older woman's arms were occupied and could not recoil in time to defend her from the hit. Instead, she ducked down. Lu's strike managed to graze the top of Selene's head.
Both women stepped away from one another to regroup. The rabbit's heartbeat had picked up and was now rattling in her chest. Her breathing had become uneven. She had not expected to get this much of a workout from an old woman. On the other hand, Selene still appeared relatively unphased aside from her hair being a bit more disheveled. In fact, her smile looked to have grown even wider. The older woman mumbled under her breath, "Not bad."
The rabbit felt a numbness bleed into the fingertips of the hand that had been blocked just minutes ago. She tried to shake the sensation off before she took a defensive stance. Unlike before, her arms were poised to stop Selene's next assault.
The woman launched herself forward. A black glove struck LuLu's forearms fiercely enough to send a tremor deep into her bones. The rabbit moved to defend herself from the next impending punch. However, her limbs would not respond to her commands. In fact, the nerves in her arms felt completely paralyzed now. The last thing thing LuLu saw a glove sailing towards her face. Then everything went black.
---
LuLu sputtered as a splash of water awoke her from her daze. Franco was standing over her. Well, to be exact, three Franco's were. Her vision was still fractured from the hard hit. His worried expression seemed to ease once her eyes focussed on him.
His voice was as smooth as ever, "There is a reason why we call it Knockout Gym." Franco chuckled as he eased her into a sitting position. "You feeling ok? Here, take this." He held out a rag and then placed it against her nose.
The rabbit hissed as a dull pain spread over her whole face. "Did she break my nose?"
Franco moved the cloth to inspect the damage. "Nah. But... just hold your head back please." LuLu noted the rag was now covered in a spot of blood. Her blood.
LuLu jolted when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was a sturdy grip. Almost as sturdy as Franco's. Her gaze met Selene's, but then she quickly pulled it away. Her ears sunk back against her head in shame. She squeaked softly, "S-sorry."
Selene's rasped to her, "What was that? Speak up, Dear. These old ears do not hear like they used to." Her words eased through her smile.
LuLu flushed. She repeated herself with more force, "I apologize for how rude I was Miss Selene."
Selene released her grip on the rabbit's shoulder. She then gave her a pat on her blonde head. "Water under the bridge. Just don't do it anymore, or I will have to lay you out again. Understand?" The human laughed, but LuLu was uncertain if it was actually a joke. Selene continued, "I know the welcome was harsh, but I am used to wrangling in boys like Franco. Feel free to come by again, LuLu. We can work on that hook of yours." LuLu nodded slowly. Perhaps she had misjudged this place, or she had at least misjudged Selene. She watched as the old woman left them and returned to her office.
Once Selene was gone. Franco whistled low at LuLu. "You must have impressed her somehow." There was an obnoxious grin on his face again. Yet, it was starting to grow on her in a way. "Can I look forward to seeing you again, LuLu?"
LuLu cracked a smile despite her bloody nose. "Yeah."
SOLO
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:37 am
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Home Movies
Who: LuLu and Franco
When: Afternoon
Where: Knockout Gym
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
**Note: lost the text colors, to be edited back in later
LuLu’s nose had stopped bleeding by the time she had returned home from her visit to Knockout. A dose of ink had kept her from bruising the following day, and she looked like her usual self. Yet, inside she felt as though a new emotion had been uncovered by Selene’s punch. Selene had done a decent job at throwing Lu’s sass back in her face… quite literally. She had certainly misjudged the woman, and decided that she could learn a thing or two from her. Undoubtedly, there was something about both Selene and the gym that was drawing her in. Maybe the idea of getting trained at slogging someone in the face tugged just right at that primal instinct she had hidden only skin deep. Part of her also hoped for a rematch with Selene one day. Ultimately, for her own reasons, LuLu kept her promise to Franco. It was only a few days before the rabbit returned.
Of course, the man greeted her with all laughs and smiles. She thought it was weird that he interacted with her like she was an old friend, but Franco seemed to treat everyone that way. His way of being overly familiar eventually grew on her. It made him easy to talk to. Easy to read, too.
Franco had done a poor job at hiding his enthusiasm when he took the sigel under his wing on the first day. His smile was spread ear to ear, as toothy as ever. LuLu would bet money that the man had managed to show her every exercise in his arsenal in the span of two hours. He had her moving and stretching in foreign ways to perform moves she still could not describe. Muscles she had never discovered before had made themselves very well-known after that day. Fortunately, most of the damage was dampened after a long draught off of a fountain pen.
She continued that cycle with Franco. Her thrice weekly visits to the gym became habitual, and she began to look forward to her time with the man. Still, she had only ever seen Franco each time. It begged the question…
"When will Selene train me?" LuLu asked the question rather nonchalantly as she took a sip off her water bottle between sets. The rabbit looked at the man from her seat.
Franco stretched his arms over his head before they came to rest on his hips. "It would be like throwing a puppy to a wolf again." The man immediately could tell his answer was not sufficient when the girl set down her water bottle roughly and crossed her arms over her chest. Her lips were drawn into a rather pitiful pout. Now with her sad eyes focused on him, he felt like the one harming a puppy rather than the one trying to prevent it. "How about this. If you can K.O. me in the ring you graduate to Selene’s class? Sound like a deal?"
The rabbit huffed softly and rose from her seat. She popped the man’s shoulder with her fist but it had no real bite to it. "That can only happen if you let me in the ring."So far their training had only been exercises on the equipment and getting LuLu accustomed to wearing boxing gloves. She had yet to step ribbon into the ring again.
The man rubbed his chin with an idle hand. It made a scratching noise against his stubble. "True…" He trailed off. She could see his eyes scanning around. The gym was relatively empty right now except for two older men on the tail end of their workout. "Get into the ring, Overachiever. He pointed the sigel ahead to the center of the gym with his finger.
LuLu’s ears perked up. She trailed behind. "Really?” She inquired. It was a bit surprising she was getting her way.
Franco slunk under a rope. "Let’s see what you got. Come on before I change my mind." He clapped his hands together in quick succession. LuLu took the hint and closed the distance between her and the ring before the speedy tempo concluded.
This time she was armed with a pair of hand-me-down boxing gloves she had inherited from the supply closet. LuLu felt a little more prepared compared to before. On the other hand, Franco had donned gloves that were more minimalistic. Their padding was streamlined and the palm was exposed to allow for grip.
Though they had been training together, LuLu had yet to see the man fight. Franco had learned from Selene, but perhaps he had evolved a different style for himself that called for a different type of gear. LuLu did not need to ponder this question for long. After all, she would soon have a firsthand experience for herself.
They took opposite sides of the ring and LuLu could not help the rush of deja vu that overcame her. Similar to her match with Selene, a wave of energy pumped into her small frame. Her heart began to race and her limbs shook. She tapped her gloves together a few times in a feeble attempt to clear her head. However, she was already too far gone into the rush of endorphins.
Franco’s voice rang out into the air. "Ding, ding." The man hopped to action. He was light on the balls of his feet shifting from one to the other. His movements were smooth and dexterous as he approached. Where Selene was a calm and powerful storm, he seemed like a whirling hurricane. He circled the sigel, gauging her before he went on the offensive.
Meanwhile, LuLu’s arms were poised in the air. She was covering her face this time and was hell bent that she would not get decked again. Franco made up his mind for his first move. He loomed ever closer and shot out an arm to test the waters. His glove made contact with LuLu’s and it sent a jolt up her spine. He then gave two punches in a quick string. Left, right. Left, right. She stood sturdy like a rock being beaten by the sea. So far, LuLu had been able to block it all. She started to believe she could do this. She could win this!
Franco somehow took note of her swell of pride and decided it was the perfect time to deflate it. His leg shot up so his shin made contact with her hip. The hit was just painful enough to jolt her forward, but not cause any lasting damage. "Keep moving! Dodge!" LuLu took his words to heart because the second time his leg shot out to hit her, she thwarted it with her glove. Franco seemed pleased by the development judging by the smile that had crept onto his face.
A few beads of sweat had begun to drip down her face. Yet, there was nothing she could do about it. Both her arms were occupied in their defense against Franco. Another kick was dodged and then another punch. She was starting to learn the pattern.
Then Franco decided to change it up. An upper cut sent LuLu off balance, and a hook sealed the deal. She took an indirect hit to the side of face and doubled over. The man was not done with her though. A third hit was on its way. LuLu felt overwhelmed. Her head was still spinning from the previous strike. Yet, she knew if the next one made contact it would all be over. The rabbit had to stop it!
The sigel’s instincts took control of her body, the rational part of her brain taking a back seat. She did what felt right. As Franco’s arm came closer she dodged under it. Then, her teeth sank deeply into the exposed flesh of his forearm.
The man cried out. "******** CHRIST!"Franco withdrew his arm to inspect it. Sure enough, he now sported a perfectly formed bite mark on his skin. "Why the hell would you bite me?!" The man look genuinely disturbed. His forehead was furrowed so deeply his brows were nearly touching.
LuLu slunk back to her corner of the ring. "I am sorry.” Franco then realized just how shaken up the girl was herself. His features softened. He stooped down to her level so they could make eye contact. She saw that his hazel eyes had lost all their edge. The rabbit questioned softly. ”Is biting not allowed?” Her ears perked up from where they had been resting against her head.
Franco sighed, and then chuckled. "Goddamn Lu. Looks like I still have some things to teach you." He rose up and gestured to the gym’s office. "Let me show you something."
LuLu peeled off her gloves and tossed them onto the canvas. She followed after Franco. The office was rather dingy and cramped. It was like every the part of the gym, and the rabbit learned not expect much more. There was an old desk occupying one corner. It was covered in piles of paperwork in tall stacks. The piles continued onto the floor and snaked their way to a rickety looking filing cabinet.
Franco was busily emptying the contents of one of the desk’s drawers. "Aha!" He barked triumphantly when he came across the item he was searching for. The man pulled out a few VHS tapes from under a manila envelope. He blew off the dust and nearly broke into coughing fit when some of it floated back into his face. "LuLu, remind me we are spring cleaning the office this year before rats start getting cozy in here." The rabbit nodded at the man, but really did not like that he had used the words ‘we’. Franco would most certainly be on his own whenever he tried to tackle this junk heap.
The sigel’s attention was draw to a retro looking TV Franco was fiddling with. It looked like it had to weigh at least eight pounds. He had placed one of the tapes into a VCR positioned underneath it. The TV screen lit up in messy static at first, but responded when the man hit his open palm against the top of it. He muttered. "Old piece of junk still has some life in her."
The picture was still a bit fuzzy, but was detailed enough to make out what was going on. The setting appeared to be a large arena. There was a huge boxing ring surrounded by countless rows of seats, enough that the camera could not show all of them in one frame. The whole place was dimly lit and she could hear the spectators seated around the cameraman murmuring like white noise. There was a hushed intensity as though each person was waiting for something to unfold.
Then the music started. A symphony poured into the air like an orchestra was playing in the heavens. The stage lit up with a rosy ambient light. A bright, white spotlight illuminated an entryway near the ring. Then she emerged.
The woman was petite, but she carried with her a presence that shadowed her small frame. Her hair brown hair was pleated into numerous interlocking braids. She was swathed in a crimson robe dripping in sequins. She sparkled from head to toe as she captured the spotlight. The only thing more dazzling was the perfect white smile she flashed to the crowd. The onlookers began to chant.
“Scarlet. Scarlet. Scarlet.”
LuLu felt herself echoing. "Scarlet." She moved closer to the screen, just short of the whole image blurring together in her vision. The rabbit watched Scarlet saunter down the aisle. The crowd grew louder as she approached the ring. Overhead, the announcer began. “Our reigning champion needs no introductions. Welcome our own celebrity to the stage. The Scarlet Starlet!” A few spectators had roses in their hands that they tossed at her feet. She continued her sashay going up the steps and ducking under a rope. When she stood back up, she flipped her braid from one shoulder to the other. She raised her arms over her head and the audience broke into such a roar the old TV could barely handle it, breaking into static for a moment. Scarlet then shrugged off her glittering wrap and an attendee pulled it away. She turned to the crowd to give one last pump with her glove fist. They went wild again with howls and whistling.
The match itself was less of a sport and more of a Broadway show. Somehow, Scarlet made a fight look like a dance that she was the star in. She was elegant in her footwork and practically floated in the ring around her opponent. The man she was pitted against, though he far outweighed her, never stood a chance. Scarlet kept her distance and pecked away at him with flawless style. Four consecutive punches to the head and numerous others to the ribs put him out for good. The crowd cheered her off the stage and continued even after she had disappeared behind a curtain. The screen then cut to black. LuLu felt Franco wrap a hand around her shoulder. "How did you like it?"
The sigel did not realize her mouth had been gaping until she moved to speak. "Who is she?" A hand moved to her chest to calm her heartbeat.
Franco cleared his throat. "She went by alias the Scarlet Starlet. She is a legend in the professional fighting community. Her specialty was boxing." He placed his chin into his hand. A dreamy look cast over his eyes.
LuLu spun to face the man. Her thin fingers wrapped into the fabric of his shirt. "I have to see her in person. When is her next match?"
Franco chuckled, but it was hollow with no real humor. "Impossible. She stopped participating in matches decades ago and disappeared without a word." LuLu eyes looked downcast. Her grip on Franco eased. He took LuLu’s hand from his shirt and held it in his own. "I wanted to show you this for a reason though. Scarlet was like no other. She made each match into a performance for the audience. She treated her opponents with so much integrity. Take a lesson from her." He leaned in close to the rabbit. "And, please do not bite the ever-loving ******** out of me again." Franco’s broad grin returned, fitting in place perfectly.
LuLu sighed, but returned the smile. She glanced back at the stack of movies that were still unwatched. "Can I take the rest home?" She might not have been able to see Scarlet perform in the flesh, but she could at least enjoy what remained of her legacy. Franco shrugged. "I do not seen why not. Make sure to study them well if you have the time to watch them all."
LuLu left the gym with the large stack of movies rattling in her gym bag. She was eager to start on the next one. Only one thing stood in her way, finding a VHS player.
SOLO
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:41 am
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:42 am
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Go the Distance
Who: LuLu and Franco
When: Evening
Where: Knockout Gym
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
It was a slow day at Knockout Gym. Franco and LuLu had already finished up their session, but the rabbit had chosen to hang around afterwards to perform a bit of self-study. Currently, she had found a quiet corner of the gym to practice replicating some of Scarlet’s moves in. LuLu would never tell him, but she had taken Franco’s words to heart about studying the old tapes. She had managed to play through all of them the same night they were entrusted to her. It had been three weeks since then, and she had watched each film more times than she cared to admit. Scarlet’s performance never grew tiresome though. The energy she exuded even through film was contagious. Every time LuLu looked over a movie, she found something new to test out.
Today she was perfecting a certain move where a jab is used as a distraction for an uppercut to the ribs. The strike towards the head caused an opponent to defend their face and left the lower body nearly defenseless, if done correctly. Scarlet made the move look like a piece of cake. However, there was much more finesse required than one would think. LuLu paused from her training to refill her water bottle. She removed her gloves and set them aside. As she made her way over to the fountain, her eyes scanned over the gym.
Franco was also getting in some extra training that day. She could just see him past the ropes of the ring. He was practicing kicks on a sandbag. The man had taken time at one point to explain this particular style to LuLu. He had called it a form of kickboxing. He described it as a fighting style that involved using both the upper and lower body on your opponent. Of course, he had also jumped on the opportunity to make a joke at Lu’s expense about needing legs to kickbox. At the time, she had rolled her eyes at him. Nevertheless, she could not help but be a bit curious about what it felt like to perform Franco’s favorite move. The roundhouse kick. The motion was certainly showy and held a lot of power.
Speaking of the roundhouse kick. There was an unmistakable slam echoing in the air signaling to everyone that Franco had performed yet another one. LuLu withdrew back to her corner with a now full water bottle. She laid it to the side with her gym bag and gloves. The rabbit bobbed in front of her own sandbag. Her eyes skimmed absentmindedly over the red leather encasing its silhouette. She felt that little spark of curiosity rekindle. The rabbit slowly eased back mimicking Franco’s form. Her arms were bent at the elbow and held tight in front of her. She slowly spun on what she imagined would be her heel. Her rune pulsed with a gentle glow as it passed by the sandbag. As expected, the sandbag remained in place without even a squeak from its old chains. LuLu repeated the move, this time going faster. She heard the pop of Franco’s leg against his bag, but it almost felt like her own phantom limb had made contact for a moment. She remained there some time, balanced on an appendage she did not possess.
Her attention was pulled away by a voice calling from behind her. “What are you practicing over here?” It was none other than Franco. By the tone of his voice, she was certain that he was armed with a wolfish smile.
LuLu suddenly hoisted herself straight. Her face flushed. “Nothing!” She steadied her voice. “Just some stuff I saw on Scarlet’s videos.” She finally turned her head over her shoulder to greet the man.
Franco nodded. “You have been working pretty hard lately. I think it is starting to show.” He leaned over and pinched at the back of her arm gently. “You lost some of your baby fat.” The rabbit huffed indignantly and shoved him away roughly with her open palm. Franco’s rumbling laugh was partially muffed by the hand in his face. The man took a few steps back and regrouped. He posed in front of her. His impressive biceps were on display for the whole gym, but all LuLu could focus on was his air of overconfidence. “Keep training like me and one day you could look like this, LuLu.” The sigel rolled her eyes in response.
LuLu motioned up and down. “Like this?” She flipped a braid over her shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes. “Like a dumb gorilla trying to pass as a gentleman? No thanks.” LuLu then retreated to her bag. It was time to wrap things up for the day. “Ah, the sting!” He clutched at his chest overdramatically. “You will put me in the grave with those words.” He followed after her.
LuLu stated flatly, “I will put you there faster if you keep saying stupid things.” The rabbit could not keep her smirk hidden though. Her lips upturned and revealed a sliver of her white teeth. LuLu grabbed her gloves from the bench and moved to place them in her bag. However, Franco stopped her. “Those sound like fighting words.” LuLu glanced up at him and noticed a glint in his hazel eyes. Her heartbeat picked up. She knew what was coming. “And, if they are…” She trailed off. Franco bobbed his head towards the ring. “I have nothing better to do today. How about another match?” A shock ran through the rabbit like electricity conducted along her spine. Those were the words she had wanted to hear. She popped a pink mouth guard in, a gift from Franco. Ultimately, it had kept her teeth from ending up in people’s forearms. She then slipped her gloves on and began to lace them up as she floated towards the ring.
She ducked under the ropes the same time as Franco. The sigel tapped her gloves together then encouraged the man to come closer with a flick of her wrist. Franco’s feet made quick taps against the canvas as he approached. He moved with one goal on his mind, to get close and deliver a vicious chain of strikes. Nevertheless, LuLu had anticipated this plan. He had become even easier to read over time and had done what she predicted. The sigel would not let him crowd her.
She led Franco on and dodged any jabs he threw at her with ease, moving backwards just out of reach. Still, he continued his aggressive advances. Each time she moved back, he moved forward. Their movements carried them in circles around the ring. After a few minutes the man touched his gloves together signaling a time out. Franco called to another nearby gym goer. “Hey, ref for us!” The other man put his workout on hold and offered his service. Franco turned back to LuLu. “Congratulations. You survived your first round.” He rummaged in a pocket and brought out his own mouth guard. Before it went in he declared, “Eleven more to go.” He then signaled for the other man to start the next round.
---
So far, nine rounds in total had passed with equal strikes shared between the two fighters. Both had put in a respectable effort. Franco was tenacious, but LuLu kept him at bay with the graceful evasion tactics she had picked up from Scarlet. He had managed to get in a few shoulder hits in round three and a rough head bump in round five. Meanwhile, the rabbit had achieved a gnarly rib punch in round eight. Franco was now guarding on that side. She could tell he was hiding his pain from her, but it was wearing on the man. LuLu noticed Franco lagging during round ten. After round eleven, the rabbit found herself also growing fatigued. For once, she looked to have encroached on a cap to her seemingly bottomless pool of energy.
At the start of round twelve, the rabbit’s breath was coming out in labored puffs. Franco was not fairing any better though. His movements had slowed significantly. It was becoming more and more obvious he was in rough shape. He appeared less focused on attack. Currently, he was more drawn to defending his weak point. LuLu mustered up her last shreds of vigor, and landed a punch to his chin that sent him landing on his butt. In all honesty though, the rabbit wanted to collapse on the canvas with him.
The final bell rang. Franco released a long, exhausted sigh from his spot on the ground. He spat his mouth guard to the side. “So what’s the verdict?” He was too drained to even make eye contact with the referee. LuLu sunk against one of the rails as she awaited the final tally.
The man spoke after a heavy pause. “It looks like the winner is…. LuLu.” The rabbit did a double take. Had her superhuman hearing finally gone out, too? “What was that?” She questioned. The other man shrugged. “Good job, both of you.” He moved to resume his long abandoned workout session.
The rabbit heard a chuckle coming from below. It was Franco. He was smiling like a madman. “You did it, LuLu! You went the distance.” His head fell back and he closed his eyes. “Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow you start training with Selene.” LuLu would have danced in triumph if not for the fact her limbs were now too sore to move. Tonight would certainly be a three ink vial sort of night.
SOLO
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:43 am
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Small Talk
Who: LuLu and Selene
When: Morning
Where: Knockout Gym
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
LuLu stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. She had a relatively sleepless night. The sigel’s brain had been too preoccupied with visions of what was to come during her first training session with Selene. It had not left much room for rest. She was currently seated on one of the many benches scattered around the gym’s floor. Her fingers drummed idly against the worn wood.
Franco had already greeted her this morning. They had spent their time together throwing snide remarks at one another until he was pulled into his next session. He was now lifting weights with his client. She watched them casually from across the room until her attention was drawn to clatter coming from the gym’s office. Her head turned in that direction and her ears perked forward. There was some more rattling and a drawn out creak from the door’s hinges as it opened. Selene emerged from its shadowy depths like a wolf leaving its den. LuLu sat up from her seat and waved the woman over. “Hello Miss Selene!”
The woman snapped quickly. “No need to wave. I see you.” LuLu looked from Selene to her waving arm. The limb slowly fell down to her side, and she offered a flimsy smile instead. The older woman returned the expression with a smile of her own. It seemed tighter and more strained than the sigel’s, as though it pained her to show any emotion other than her typical smug indifference. They broke eye contact when Selene bent over to adjust her shoelaces. She continued. “Franco says you are going well. He won’t shut up about it, actually.” She stood up straight again. “So you have learned a few moves from him?”
LuLu nodded. “Yes, he has shown me some things.” The rabbit demonstrated her improved uppercut with a playful grin. The motion now felt like second nature to her. Selene offered an approving nod, and LuLu felt a spark of pride alight within her. She resumed her thought, “I am also watching boxing videos.” After another pause she inquired, “Have you heard of the Scarlet Starlet?”
“Hmn.” The woman released an indiscernible croak. A weight rested into her features that caused her brow to wrinkle and aged her face beyond its years. After a moment, she responded. “Of course. Everyone has heard of her.” She moved over to a nearby wall and grabbed a focus mitt. She tightened the straps around her forearm. Selene then placed her heavy stare on LuLu. She barked, “Let’s get this show on the road.” The woman began walking towards an open area where everybody else was practicing their form.
LuLu snatched her gloves out of her bag and slipped them on hastily. She followed after the human. It took her almost a full sprint to catch back up. The older woman rolled her shoulders back and forth. The rabbit’s keen ears heard the small pops of her joints. When Selene pointed to the center of the focus mitt, the sigel knew what to do. LuLu flexed her fingers into fists. She coiled her arm back and landed a solid blow at the spot she had been directed to hit. There was a soft thump, and Selene’s arm recoiled slightly. The sigel then executed the motion again. After a couple of repetitions the human used her gloved hand to swipe for Lu’s head. The rabbit easily ducked down to prevent the hit. She recognized this workout. This was an exercise Franco had done with her before. It worked to hone reflexes and quick thinking. LuLu continued to throw forward jabs at the focus mitt and kept up with her trainer’s surprise attacks. After some time, Selene spoke up. “Do you enjoy boxing, LuLu?”
The question threw the rabbit off her guard so badly she almost took a bump to her head when she paused mid-dodge. She recovered from the initial shock and returned to her rhythm. The repetitive punches calmed her mind into a single stream of thought. She replied simply, “Yes.” Selene rolled her eyes, and LuLu knew immediately that her answer was not sufficient.
The older woman did not miss a beat. “Why do you enjoy it?” The question was followed by another swing at the rabbit. She was relentless in pursuing the exercise during her stream of questions. In fact, she seemed to be gradually upping the pace. Selene wanted an honest answer, and people seemed to be the most honest when their mind was preoccupied with ducking instead of lying.
“Because…” She trailed off. LuLu’s life had felt nearly stagnant only a few months ago when she had been coasting throughout the weeks and months. However, boxing was one of many new changes that had breathed energy back into her routine. Practicing the sport fanned the flames of a deep desire that lurked within her. Scarlet was the embodiment of that desire. LuLu wanted for herself the level of confidence the Scarlet Starlet exuded. The way that Scarlet owned the ring with her presence was the rabbit’s vision of complete and utter perfection.
She caught a strike with her forearm. LuLu released a huff of air sharply during the impact. The noise sounded frustrated but she had a smile spread across her lips. “It is fun. I need a challenge.” The rabbit punched with enough momentum in her strike to cause her whole body swing forward. Selene’s arm nearly locked up under the force when it landed. Her grin only widened. Lu’s voice rang clear and resolute. “I want to get better!” She wanted to be just like the Scarlet Starlet!
The older woman could see a familiar fire smoldering in the back of Lu’s eyes. It was one she saw in Franco’s eyes, and one she used to see in her own. The raevan initially came off as foolhardy and unpredictable, but Selene had grown to fancy the girl’s impulsive nature. It brought back memories of her reckless youth. LuLu still had a lot to learn about the world. Probably more than she realized. The woman would help in what ways she could. Even a casual chat during a training session could trigger something more. Selene smiled at LuLu, a genuine one that tugged gently at the laugh lines around her lips. “Good, keep it that way. Do it because you love it. Not for anything or anyone else.”
For an instant LuLu felt the heaviness of Selene’s words. Then, as she struck the focus glove again, the burden dissipated. LuLu replied. “I told you, I only do what I want to do.” There was no question. This was what she wanted. One day she would achieve what Scarlet had.
SOLO
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:46 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:14 pm
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Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:14 pm
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The Rematch
Who: LuLu and Selene
When: Evening
Where: Knockout Gym
Weather: ---
Status: Complete
Post-note:
“One, two. One, two. One, two.” Selene’s voice barked in tandem with LuLu’s punches. She was positioned behind a heavy bag keeping it in place as the sigel unleashed a maelstrom upon it. Each impact was emphasized by a small grunt or growl from the girl. It certainly seemed out of place to hear a small rabbit with such a vicious streak. However, if anything, LuLu had proven she was surprising.
Selene thundered, “Ok, last set. Give it all you got!” LuLu abided by those words and pickled her pace up even more. On the last strike, her snarl reverberated throughout the small gym. She could hear a low whistle coming from whatever corner Franco was practicing in. The rabbit would have shot him a smug look if not for the fact her body was begging for hydration. That was her top priority right now. She moved to grab her water bottle. The cool liquid felt like pure bliss on her parched tongue. She also swiped the sweat that had collected on her brow with a towel. She returned to Selene’s side and the human commented. “Not bad for a warm up. Are you ready to really work now?”
The rabbit groaned softly. They had only been at it for around thirty minutes, but Selene was undoubtedly an efficient trainer. It felt like she had been practicing for hours. LuLu chirped softly, “Five more minutes, please.”
The older woman chuckled. “You earned five minutes. The next exercise will be sparring in the ring. Better catch your second wind.” Selene walked off to get her gloves in preparation. Ever vigilant, she corrected another gym goer’s form in passing before she disappeared into her office.
The rabbit’s ears instantly perked at the mention of a sparring match. She had yet to join Selene in the ring again since their first bout. LuLu knew she had grown a lot since then. She was eager to show off her newly developed skills. She would not go down as easily as last time. The rabbit chugged down a few more gulps of water before she floated towards the ring. She waved to the office’s large window. “Ready! Ready Miss Selene!!!”
The woman emerged with her gloves strapped on and a red mouth guard clenched firmly in her mouth. LuLu slid her own guard between her teeth. She muffled around the plastic for Selene to hurry up. The woman could see the tension in her jaw. LuLu was practically biting at the bit to start. By the time she entered the ring, the rabbit was already bouncing with impatience. Any complaints about being tired were now long forgotten. The sigel was hyper focused on the next exercise and bubbling with energy. Selene recognized Lu’s endurance as one of her notable traits. Even when she thought the girl was down and out, LuLu always seemed to pull through in the last stretch and amaze her. She motioned for the rabbit to begin.
LuLu started by circling around the human. The older woman was pleased. The sigel had learned from her last loss not to underestimate an opponent. Selene wondered what else the rabbit had picked up during her training. There was a dynamic push and pull between them as they sized each other up. When one stepped forward the other would step back, and vice versa. Selene was the first to throw a jab with her right. LuLu blocked it with her glove then sidestepped a left hook that followed. She countered with her own right and left jabs. One, two. One, two. The human blocked them all.
Selene retreated back and created distance between them with a few quick, precise steps. She re-demonstrated to LuLu the speed and dexterity that had led to her previous victory. The out-boxing style served her well. It allowed Selene to take advantage of swift and calculated movements to wear down her opponent while taking minimal damage. She did not need to be a massive powerhouse like Franco to obtain her win. Despite less weight behind her fist, Selene’s strength demanded respect.
LuLu seemed to fall somewhere in the middle. She had speed but lacked the fine accuracy of an out-boxer. Her punch had kick, but was limited by her small stature. A slugger style was not for her either. She could take a beating, but preferred not to be in the thick of it for too long. Therefore, she could not develop into an aggressive swarmer like Franco either. LuLu still did not know just what to call her style. Regardless, she would use her technique to show Selene she was also a force to be reckoned with.
LuLu rushed the human readying another swarm of hits. Selene countered by feinting with a jab then struck for the rabbit’s ribs. LuLu blocked the hit with her arm. A sting of pain shot up from her elbow to her shoulder, but her vital spots were safe for now. The only saving grace for the sigel was that she had recognized the move early on and, as a result, she could counter it. The older woman regrouped and practically floated to the other corner of the ring with her nimble speed. The light footwork and graceful techniques Selene was throwing at LuLu were now becoming all too familiar. The sigel was a fool if she could not distinguish this skill from a run of the mill out-boxer’s. After all, she had spent weeks studying these movements.
She stopped her pursuit of the human and spat her pink mouth guard out. The steel in her voice cut through the air between them, “Scarlet!" It was a single name that held so much meaning for the sigel. A hint of a smile found its way on Lu’s lips as she waited for a response from the other woman. Could Selene and Scarlet really be one and the same? If that was the case, her hero had been hiding under her nose the whole time.
Selene faltered mid-step. It was the first mistake Lu had seen in her form. Selene’s arms fell from their guard. She removed the piece of plastic clamped just past her lips. The woman stated flatly, “No, not anymore. I gave up that part of my life a long time ago.” Her arms now hung loosely at her sides. "It is best that you forget this now.”
All traces of joy left the rabbit’s face. She sputtered. “W-what? How can you say that? You cannot mean that! Scarlet—You are a legend!” The rabbit’s body was tensing up. Her fists clenched and unclenched. They felt too tight in her gloves. She was starting to heat up from head to ribbon tip.
Selene frowned and shook her head. “Scarlet is just a bunch of stories now. Nothing more. Let it rest.”
LuLu was unrelenting though. “You are still just as perfect. You are still Scarlet!”
“Perfect?!” Selene laughed mockingly with her course voice. “Perfect is for fairytales, girl. This is the real world.” She rested a hand on her hip. “Franco should have never shown you those movies. It filled your head with nonsense. Scarlet is gone! Drop it!”
Selene’s words made no sense to LuLu. At one time, this woman had it all but she ‘gave it up’. She had to be insane! The rabbit would fight tooth and nail for what this old coot had seemingly tossed aside. LuLu undid her gloves and threw them out of the way. They clattered noisily into a corner of the ring. If she had feet, they would have been stomping into the canvas with each step. The sigel reached out and grabbed for Selene. Her fingers found the fabric of the woman’s collar and latched on. The muscles of her arm flexed in unison to reel Selene in with uncanny speed. The human flopped forward like a ragdoll, barely putting up a struggle as LuLu force their eyes to meet. It was a clash of molten brown with icy amethyst. “I cannot drop it! You were the best. The best! I would do anything to be-" The rabbit hissed between clenched teeth. “You do not even realize what you had.” Perfection. Selene had let it slip away like it was nothing.
LuLu burned with a rage so hot it made her eyes sting. She had not felt anger like this since her younger days. She could not bear to look at Selene any longer. She released the woman’s shirt. “I take it back. You are nothing like Scarlet anymore!” The rabbit stormed out of the gym. Her gear was left scattered on the benches and around the ring.
Selene picked up LuLu’s gloves. She turned the pink leather in her palms and sighed. “s**t. Such a waste.” The rabbit had so much potential. The human could not fathom why she was getting so hung up on some imaginary Scarlet she had invented in her furry little head. The girl had to be set straight before it was too late.
SOLO
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