By the time their fifth year was coming to a close, Reina could hardly believe her transformation. She had muscles now, and abs that could have grinded carne molida if she tried. She had always been athletic for a kid, but now she suspected she could have gone to the Olympics if she wanted to.

“Stop looking at your abs, it's unbecoming.” Dim Mak said, rolling her eyes.

“But have you seen them?!” 

At first, it had been just about surviving, but Reina soon grew to relish the training, finding purpose in it. Every scant word of praise she earned from Dim Mak was like a stepping stone; she longed for her approval. Reina found she wanted to be like her; fearless, and powerful. And with every punch she threw, she could feel that power growing.

“Better, but you still need to refine your technique,” Dim Mak chided, examining the damage on the tree trunk Reina had been using for a punching bag. The indentations were deep, especially considering the hardness of the wood. “I will commend your strength, however, it seems you have more power in your arms than your legs.”

“Is that unusual?” Reina asked.

“No, it depends on the person, but it reminded me of someone who was the opposite.”

Dim Mak didn’t elaborate further, and Reina never asked her anything personal. She never talked about her past, and after living with her all this time, Reina still didn't know much about her other than she was the most disciplined person she had ever seen. 

She woke up at dawn to exercise before Reina was even up for school, then meditated for an hour or two before having an early lunch, and then preferred to read while she waited for Reina to return for her classes. She never watched TV, and they only had one because of Reina’s insistence out of her love for movies, which Dim Mak dismissed as a waste of time.

“Very well,” Dim Mak had said, wearily.

“Yes!” Reina yelled, trying to hug her, but Dim Mak kept her at bay.

“But it will be a very small one,” she added with a warning, but Reina didn't care. It was a win.

“Gracias, gracias, gracias!”

“Ok, enough of that.”

This way, she could watch all the old movies her dad had shown her, but her favorite was “The Gentle Dragon” trilogy films with Korean actor and martial arts genius, (미르) Mi-Reu. He was just a few years older than her and had started his career as a kid prodigy. “Foreign Exchange Student 2: Kicks Of Fury” was a classic she would watch over and over on the VCR attached to the mini TV, rewinding the fight scenes repeatedly.

Mi.-Reu was incredible, and although she knew it was a movie, her training allowed her to see his skill was genuine. His movements were incredibly fast and accurate, and he didn't need any wires for the amazing jumps he did for his kicks.

“We will not let a Korean transfer student like you win the national championship! That trophy stays in Kanagawa Prefecture!” Shouted the leader of the Japanese high school bullies on the screen.

The young Mi-Reu merely passed his hand across his head to push his silky hair out of his eyes, ignoring the gang slowly surrounding him at the famous Suga Shrine Staircase of Japan, and in response, only wagged one finger as a warning to the bully.

“Are you mocking us, gaijin?” 

“No,” replied Mi-Reu, cool as hell, as he lifted his right leg in his signature stance, “cause real men don't talk trash, they kick it.”

And with that, the goons launched at him, only to be met by his feet kicking their faces. It was like watching a dancer, his moves were perfect and graceful and you could feel the pain in their faces.

“And you guys talk too much,” Reina said alongside the TV, feeling pumped and loving how cool Mi-Reu was!

“Reina, stop hovering over that stupid box already and get to making breakfast.”

“Yes, Sifu,” Reina replied grumpily, but she kept turning back to look at the movie even as she started rounding the dough. “Arepas again?”

“Naturally,” replied Dim Mak, and she smiled appreciatively. For all her simple style of living, she still enjoyed a good meal and had taken quite a liking to her home country’s Arepas. 

Reina had been making them since she was very small with her mother, who often joked she named her after her favorite kind. The “Reina Pepiada”, a chicken and avocado stuffed delicacy named so after a Miss Universe was crowned Queen half a century ago, and because women with curves back then were referred to as pepiadas. 

“We’ll, a few more and you’ll be worthy of that name,” was all Dim Mak said when Reina explained the origins of her favorite food.

“Gee, thanks Mom,” Reina said sarcastically, but she noticed Dim Mak reacted to the last word a bit uncomfortably.

They had never really spoken as mother and daughter, even though they were living together almost as such, or the fact that Dim Mak was essentially raising her as her own, even if she preferred to see Reina more as a student.

“I’ll go get started on my training,” Reina said, trying to change the subject and mood.

“I was thinking we could go to the city today, actually,” Dim Mak said, which made Reina almost trip in surprise. She had never even hinted at the idea of spending time with Reina outside of training or meal times. 

“Really?”

“Yes, I think it would be good…for both of us.”

Reina beamed.

***

“Oh, that jacket is so cute!” Reina said, while pressed against the glass of one of the boutiques in the mall they were visiting.

“Is it? It seems…loud,” Dim Mak remarked, critically. It was also the first time Reina had ever seen her wear “civilian clothes” like jeans and a shirt, rather than her Chinese tunic.

“It’s like our flag, yellow, blue, and red…well, pink, but that makes it more cute! Oh, and they have two versions!”

Dim Mak eyed her strangely from the corner of her eye. Reina assumed she was disapproving of her enthusiasm and that the sports jacket was probably too garish for her taste. But her expression was different, softer somehow. Reina couldn’t remember having seen that in her before.

However, Reina did not request to buy it, knowing better. The jacket looked a bit expensive, and she preferred not to get her hopes up. Still, she noticed Dim Mak turning to look at the jacket one last time before they left.

With their shopping done, they headed towards a less friendly area of the city. At first, Reina was confused as to why, but then it became clear when they entered a boxing gym filled with fighters and Reina's stomach turned.

“Why are we here?” Reina asked, fearing she knew the answer.

“I wish to see how much you’ve advanced with your skills,” Dim Mak said simply, though she smiled in that perverse way Reina knew she did when she was enjoying herself.

“Sifu, these men are all twice my size!” Reina pleaded, looking aghast at the buff rough men inside the gym, who were starting to notice them just standing there.

“You mean to say they are stronger than you because of that? Because they have more muscle or are taller than you?”

“Yes! All of that!” 

“Beat them anyway,” Dim Mak replied simply and then went to stand by the ring at the center of the room. “Disculpenme, alguien aqui habla Ingles o Chino?”

A short man who looked like the owner stepped forth and answered her. “Si, I speak a little English.”

“Oh, good, my Spanish is atrocious,” Dim Mak said. “Would you please inform your gentlemen friends that I will pay five thousand dollars to anyone who can beat my student in a fight?”

The short man stared at Dim Mak, then turned to look at Reina, who gulped.

“La niña? Is this a joke? What is she sixteen?”

“Seventeen next month, and she’s more than capable. In fact, if she cannot beat at least five of your fighters at this point, I fear I may have wasted my time.”

The short man laughed, “All right señora, in this economy, we’ll fight a girl for five large. Hector! Andres!”

Two of the bulkiest men in the gym approached the ring, both in their mid-twenties and buff. They eyed Reina with a mocking glint in their eyes and bumped fists as if they already won.  

“Reina, come beat these men up, but no permanent damage if you please,” Dim Mak commanded.

Reina slowly climbed up through the ropes into the arena, feeling more scared than she ever had since that night when she met Dim Mak, now she looked at her for guidance, unsure of what to do.

“Just do what I taught you,” Dim Mak said as if reading her thoughts.

“Yo voy primero,” said the tallest of the two boxers, entering the square and punching his gloves together, eager to start.

They met at the center, and Reina raised her fists. The boxer could feel how tense she was and smirked confidently. Reina closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and then relaxed her hands, opening them to be ready for anything as it had been drilled into her head.

The boxer threw the first punch, it was fast, but…compared to the strikes Reina had seen Dim Mak perform, it seemed to be almost in slow motion. She swatted it aside with little effort and countered with a perfectly centered blow to the nose that instantly broke it.

“Shit!” Reina said, realizing what she had done as the man clutched his face in agony. “I am so sorry! Lo siento mucho man, no me di cuenta! Maybe I should get some gloves?”

“Gloves are to protect your hands and their face, neither is required here,” Dim Mak said simply.

The other boxer jumped in and ran straight for Reina, he threw jab after jab, but Reina dodged them all instinctively and without much effort. And then as if it was the most natural thing in the world, her body reacted by pushing past his defenses and striking him in the solar plexus with her elbow.

The second boxer lost all his air in a big gasp and fell to the floor clutching his stomach, while his friend continued to try and stop the bleeding from his face. Their coach looked dumbfounded, looking at Reina with fear from the floor.

“Does anyone else want to have a go?” Dim Masked, barely concealing how pleased she was.

No one stepped up. Every fighter in the room looked nervous, eyeing each other to see if anyone would accept the invitation.

“I will,” said a voice from the back.

A tall man made his way to the ring, easily over six feet, with a wiry muscle frame, which Reina knew meant he was built more for speed. He didn’t look coky like the others; his expression was neutral, but his eyes showed an absolute focus.

His coach looked at him and asked him if he was sure, and the man nodded before climbing through the ropes. “I’m Angel,’ he said in a friendly manner, stretching his glove out for Reina to bump.

Reina was a bit hesitant but did so, and then immediately Angel put his guard up; his demeanor completely changed. It was like he had entered battle mode, his eyes trained on her. She put up her defense but was not ready for the punch that came at her like a bullet, hitting her across the face and knocking her to the mat.

Everyone in the gym gasped and cheered, but Reina could barely hear them. For a moment she was disoriented, but it was far from the worst hit she had taken in her training. In five seconds she was back up, and the crowd fell silent again.

“Oww,” Reina said sarcastically, feeling a slight bruise on her cheek.

“It’s a fight,” Angel said simply.

“Si que si, so why is your punch shit?”

The men in the room loudly went ‘OOOOOOOOOH’ at Reina’s burn, and Angel looked annoyed.

“Your choice mami, don't come crying to me later,” Angel said, and rushed with a powerful right hook, but this time Reina saw it coming, and she threw her own, connecting with Angel’s face first.

Angel's face hit the mat first from the sheer force of the blow, and it bounced back before the rest of him followed. He didnt lose consciousness though, his eyes were wide open and confused.

“Wha…I…,” he mumbled.

“That’s a punch!” Reina shouted, ecstatic. “Right under the chin! Try punching something harder than that sack and then call me for a rematch, lil Angel!”

“That’s enough of that,” Dim Mak said reproachfully.

“But Sifu, I kicked his ass!”

“Yes, you did, and it was moderately better than I expected, but we don’t need to brag when victory alone says so much.” 

“I feel invincible!”

“There’s no such thing,” Dim Mak said, as they both made their way out the door, leaving all the boxers stunned. “And he did tag you first, so don’t think we won’t be addressing that in training”

Reina groaned, fearing what new nightmare she would prepare for her. But it didn’t beat the joy of connecting those punches, of knowing she could defeat those men. She had grown strong, and she knew she could only get better.