Even though he looked like a creep, Coach Roman was a surprisingly good teacher. His lessons were clear, concise, and effective. He showed Miss Planner how to properly hold a knife, taught her the correct stance, then moved into blocking, dodging, slashing and stabbing.

"You're fast, but a cut like that won't be enough to kill a human being. Deeper. Up to the third groove is ideal, but for now I want you to go as deep as the fourth. Slash the line on the dummy's neck... now slash the face, downwards. Good. For stabbing, I want you to go the fifth groove. It's important to aim for the functional areas only. You see those blue dots around the stomach? Stab. Again. Stab. Don't straighten your arm... get closer. Again. Now the right lung. This part's protected by the ribs, obviously... that's the green lines. You can slip right through them. Stab. Five more times. Not deep enough. Slower, get the movement right. That's good. Keep going. Left lung, now. That's better. No, really good."

"Thanks. You're really making me sweat today."

Miss Planner wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve. Coach Roman smiled.

"I know you can keep going. You're not slowing down at all. Your breathing is calm and consistent. You're like a machine."
"I don't get much exercise, but I'm still in pretty good shape. And this is kind of fun, so..."

"Yeah. You need to do something about that. Some weight training would do you a lot of good. You're short, so it wouldn't take long to get results. Get a little bit of muscle on your bones, and you'll move faster and hit harder."
"Okay. I'll think about it."

"I want to work on your stance next. Your left arm is your shield. Make a fist and hold it up to your mouth. Very good. Your grip is good, but you want to keep your knife forward. That helps you keep your body far away from the enemy and gives you better potential to counterattack. Legs low... not quite a squat. There you go. Keep your balance. Eyes open, watch the dummy. You're getting the hang of it. You're moving well. You're just a little too slow. You're not thinking about defense."
"But I'm not attacking."

"You're not defending either. Your guard is slipping. Back up and start over."
"Okay."

"Good. Keep your left arm close and high. Keep your right arm far and loose. That distance is just right, but you'll want to get closer when you go in for the kill. Circle around the dummy. Okay. Nice job keeping your stance. Now circle back the other way. Stop right there. You're slipping. The left arm is too low, the right arm is a little high. You want to keep them both high, but not too high. That's better."
"Whew."

When Coach Roman offered to let Miss Planner take a break, she turned him down.

"No, I'm fine. I'm in the zone. I want to keep going."
"You're one tough little lady. We're done with technique for today, I want you to give me some push-ups."

"Sure thing, coach."
"One... two... three... four."

Miss Planner always gave her full effort. She was a woman with an iron will.
"Twenty."

She wasn't afraid to get dirty and sweaty.
"Thirty!"

She didn't mind a challenge.
"Forty? You're a monster! I want to see how far you can go!"

And she loved to win.
"Fifty-five... fifty-six... can I get sixty? Fifty-seven... almost there... all done? Fifty-seven. I can't believe it. You're strong. I'm impressed. Most women can't do more than twenty in one sitting. This is without any regular exercise?"
"Haaa... haa... haa...."

"Big breaths. You want some water?"
"Haaaaah... please."

"Here you go. Sit up. Good. You've got a great body. You're small, but you've got a lot of power. If we can get you coming in here at least three times a week, you'll be unstoppable."
"Whooo..."

All in all, Coach Roman kept Miss Planner busy for ninety minutes. He ended his lesson by creating a customized workout plan for her that she could do at home. Miss Planner appreciated his encouragement and expertise.

"I want you to focus on strength training for now. You're fast, flexible, and you have a lot of endurance, so you're already pretty well equipped. But I want to see you build up a little more muscle. Strength is the foundation of all martial arts. Remember, do these every day, and follow the weekly schedule for the rest. When you're ready, I'll help you decide on an appropriate combat knife. It's important to choose a weapon that fits you well."
"You've got it, coach."

"Good. I'll see you next time. Don't forget to eat plenty of protein and get plenty of sleep."
"I'll be back on Friday after work! Thanks again!"

Black Wolf met Miss Planner outside the studio with a scowl on his face. No doubt he was displeased about something. He’d left shortly after Coach Roman started the lesson, but now, as he’d told her he would, he was waiting for her.

"Thanks for waiting for me."
"Hmph."

"It was actually a really nice workout. You should join me next time."
"I train every day as is. And I don't use weapons. I've always fought with my bare hands."

"Really? Even if your body's made out of metal now, you still have to do so much more to injure or kill your opponent without a weapon. It seems so much less effective."
"It's the only way I know how to fight. And it's effective enough for me. Maybe it's because I'm not weak like you."