SEEKING IDENTITY

Chapter 10: Training

Chapter 10
Training
[ Ava Maureen ]

I ADMIT that she's strong enough to lose me. No one wins against me except Papa. But this time, Jane Hilary was pinning me to the side of the wall. I signaled her to stop because my arm was now close to be broken. I can't afford losing one arm just because of this training!

"Wooh! That was an awesome fight! I still cannot believe that you almost won against me!" she exclaimed while wiping her sweats away.

Well, that was true. Nakakita lang talaga siya ng lusot para matalo ako though I am not bragging. But I know that she's really strong to fight me and her body was so flexible. It seemed that she was just dancing while fighting me. She's totally amazing.

"Same here. I can't believe that someone, next to Papa's skills, like you will defeat me." I sat down, leaning towards the wall and wipe my sweats with the towel I brought.

"Oh? So your dad taught you that skills?" I nodded in response. "Quite impressive."

"Yeah, but not all his skills. He said that I need to learn it myself." I'm so thirsty! I cannot even drink a single drop of water not until I can win against her. How should I gain energy, then? I watched her on how she gulped the water.

Water, please, come to mama!

"Jane..." I uttered, getting her attention. "Is not drinking water part of this training?"

She chuckled and put her bottle back to its place. "Of course! When you're in the battle field and can already feel the tiredness of your body and dryness of your throat, will you have the guts to get some water?"

I nodded several times, trying to understand on what she points out and sighed. "In the first time you train, you didn't drink anything for you to gain some energy and knock your trainor down?"

"Mm! So, the break is over! You need to knock me down, honey." She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Jane gave me her right hand, for me to stood up with her help.

Pinagpag ko ang suot na training suit at tumayo ng maayos. I positioned myself for the attack. I need to win for this immediately 'cuz I'm so thirsty!

"Ready?" I didn't have the chance to answer because she summoned a dagger using her fire. My mouth gaped in amazement. How could she do that? She just laughed at my reaction. "Hindi ko ba nasabi sa'yo na apoy ang kapangyarihan ko?"

"I already know that. James told me about you and your twin. But I don't know that you can summon weapons through your fire. That was amazing!"

She just chuckled and I took that opportunity to attack her. I lunge forward instantly, hitting my arm across her face. I was about to hit her again but she quickly ducked and swung her arm around with the dagger, still in her hand.

"Isn't this unfair for me? You have a weapon while I don't." I said as I jump back and narrowly miss the blade of her dagger touching my stomach.

I ducked a few more of her attempts to swing the dagger at me. She didn't answer. She just rocked her arm around once more but I grab her wrist and twist it, elbowing her in the upper arm causing her to vanish the dagger that is attached on her hand.

She winced on the pain she felt. Jane escaped my grasp and grabs the collar of my training suit, swinging me around with her strong force and almost throwing me on the big door of equipments. My back hit hard on the wall instead.

Argh! It hurts like hell! Damn.

She steps up to me as I have my back pinned, sending a punch to my stomach that knocks the air out of me. I kneed her in the stomach as I rest my arm on the pillar that stands behind me and lifted myself up. I kicked her in the face as I raised my leg over my head and roll backwards onto the pillar behind me, getting to my feet instantly.

Jane quickly recovers and smirks, holding her nose which was pouring out with blood. "I didn't know you kick that hard. Impressive."

I smirked at her as well after hearing her compliment. Akala ko hindi siya mapuruhan sa sipa ko dahil ordinaryong sipa lamang iyon. So, that just means that I really do belong here. Undeniably strong people.

"T-Thanks. I tho-thought you'll not get affected to that kick," I stuttered. Hindi pa ako makapagsalita ng maayos dahil habol ko pa ang hininga ko. Napapikit ako dahil kumirot na naman ang likod ko na tumama sa dingding kanina. "So, I was able to knock you down. Can I now drink some precious water?" I smiled triumphantly even though my back hurts.

"Good job, Maureen. Drink your water now."

I jump and jump like a 7 years old kid but automatically stops when my body felt the pain. I quickly got my water and drink it. "Ah, Jane, how about my body pain? Who will heal this?"

"Don't worry about that, Helios will come here. Let's just wait."

"Who's that?" I put the tumbler down as I placed my back on the wall and caught some air. Nanginginig pa rin ang mga tuhod ko.

"Helios is the first in Rank DELTA. Senior mo rin siya. His ability is to heal while his magic is Cloning," she answered. "Are you going to go to your class after this?"

Oo nga pala. Excuse ako sa morning classes dahil dito. Jane was the one who excused me kaya madali lang. Well, an advantage of being in the Rank SUPREMUS and a daughter of the King and Queen. Hindi nga makapaniwala si Mrs. Merida na si Jane 'the Rank 2 in SUPREMUS and a Princess' will train me. Me, a transfer student who only belongs to the last section. Jane was in the Class-D57, the first section of Senior Students.

"Of course. I'm just a newbie here."

Napalingon kami sa malaking pintuan nang bumukas ito. Pumasok doon ang isang lalaki na matangkad. He has tan skin. Approachable naman ang mukha at naka-red na uniform, may pin pa ng senior. "Miss Jane," he greeted and bowed his head as a sign of respect. "Siya na po ba ang gagamutin ko?"

Jane just nod her head kaya pumunta agad dito si Helios. Itinapat niya ang kamay sa akin at biglang lumiwanag ang aking katawan. Pakiramdam ko ay nakalutang ako sa ere. It feels good. Hindi na masakit ang katawan ko.

"How about you, Jane?" She just smiled at me. May inilabas siyang isang bote na sobrang liit na may berdeng laman. Parang slime. It's familiar, parang nakakita na ako ng ganiyan. She drinks it and her body glowed.

"This is a healing potion. Hindi na ako magpapagamot kay Helios dahil baka maubos ang stamina niya." Kaya pala pamilyar! We already made that potion. "Since it's Thursday now, Power Manipulation in the morning will be your class. It was supposed to be now pero nandito ka kaya ngayong hapon ay Physical Training like we did now. Every student in Class-C47 needs a partner who's from the second or first section in the senior level."

"Yeah, I know." Lumabas na pala si Helios. Hindi ko namalayan.

"And there's a possibility that my twin will be your partner." She winked at me.

"How did you know?" Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "But, really?"

"Yes! And well, it was just my hunch. Bakit parang tuwang-tuwa ka?" She squinted her eyes on me like I did some suspicious things.

"Hmm? Nothing." I giggled.

My crush will train me later? Exciting! Oh, speaking of. Bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa nito ang lalaki na magkasalubong ang kilay at parang bugnot na bugnot sa buhay. Bagay na bagay sa kaniya ang pulang uniform niya.

First section has red colored uniform. Second section has yellow while the last section has green. Pero pareho lang ito ng design. Colors is the only difference.

"Hi!" bati ko habang kumakaway-kaway pa.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at ibinaling ang tingin sa kambal niya. Suplado nito! "Jane, Mrs. Merida wants to talk to us." My professor? Bumuka ang labi ni Jane na parang magsasalita na sana pero inunahan siya ng kapatid. "I don't know what's the reason." Iyon lang at lumayas na ito.

"Bye, Mau! See ya later!" Later? Ah, iyong Physical Training Class pala. Totoo kaya na si Jack ang makaka-pares ko?

Napasimangot ako nang maalala ang punishment ni Sir Villamor. Kailan nga pala 'yon? Aish! Bahala na nga lang. Sana lang talaga hindi ako mapuruhan sa anak niya.

@eggarru