The Closest Ones

62. Hit me

No POV

"What?"

"You heard me. Hit me" Ash told Serena. He grabbed her hands and put on them boxing gloves. "Thank you for them Korrina"

"Just make sure they are in one piece for me and Bonnie" Korrina replied. After Serena requested Ash to train her, Bonnie asked for the same, so Korrina took her on it.

Now they were nearby a small waterfall surrounded by thick forest, Korrina and Bonnie watching Ash with Serena while Clemont worked on one of his invetions.

"Ok Serena, I will tell you the first rule you must remember whenever you plan to punch someone. When you clench your fist, never, EVER, put your thumb inside. You could break your thumb with first strike." Serena clenched her fists inside gloves.  She tried to concentrate, but Ash's torso with no clothes made it hard. "Of course, the gloves won't let you do it that much, it is something you need to know. Most people hurt themselves when they throw punch. Now, hit me."

Serena looked at her hands, uncertain. "Ash, I don-"

"You won't Serena." Ash interrupted her and beckon for her to attack. Serena was still hesitant, but finaly took a deep breath and strike for Ash's chest. She expected for him to catch her blow, but when she hit his chest, she was ready to apologise "Harder." Serena looked up at him, but he didn't change his expression.

Serena threw another punch, faster, but it again did nothing with Ash. "Come on Serena, show him not to underestimate you!" Bonnie yelled.

"Use your body more Serena and let out your breath with the punch." Ash said, showing her the way he was saying it. "Spread your legs more. You will loose balance and power of your punch."
"Now. Harder Serena." Ash  said again, making Serena to look again at him. She mimicked his moves, throwing punch.

When she landed her punch, she felt this time that she did something to Ash compare to other punches. She was about to say sorry, but Ash was like he read her mind. "Whenever you throw punch Serena, you should know that you are not sorry for it Serena. You asked me to train you, you decided to do it. So don't apologise. Or will you apologise to another person that will attack you? Because that person won't feel bad. Then why should you? If you show hesitation, they will use it against you. Now don't feel bad for me making you punch me and THROW ANOTHER."

"Don't you think Ash is harsh on Serena?" Bonnie whispered to Korrina, as they watched.

Korrina was silent before answering. "Maybe. I don't know how Ash was trained, but I wasn't trained this way. I won't talk to Ash's training unless it gets extreme." She then looked at Bonnie. "You don't have to worry about me being harsh on you. I will teach you my way." She finished with smile.

"Harder!" Ash said, as Serena continued in punching his torso, with each one making her sweat. But she did what Ash told her and threw a punch.

Past

"Harder!" Hrist yelled as she had big blocks on her hand as Ash threw punch into it and in other a knife. Whenever he would throw too weak, she would cut his biceps. "Whenever you throw that weak punch, that gives your enemy a chance to return a hit. So make sure your attack are not weak."

"Yes." Ash answered, throwing another. They didn't have even week before their planned attack. Hrist made sure that he could be used as a bait for them to get away if everything went wrong.

"Hey." Hrist and Ash froze their training as by some miracle Alex stood between them. Ash almost his punch that would land on Alex instead of Hrist if it weren't for his quick reaction.

"What the fuck Alex?! Just becuase I am capable of stopping when I do it with Jack doesn't mean he is." Hrist yelled at Alex who just smiled.

"Hey, Jack trusts him. So do I." Alex said,  which made Hrist rais her eyebrow.