"Ladies, welcome!" Arthur greets us with open arms as Scarlet and I enter the Training Grounds.
I look around the large, roofed chamber filled with punching bags, chains, weapons, boxing rings, and determination. The room where I started out as a Investigator. The room where we all sweat for strength. The room where all the excitement begins. The Training Grounds.
"Damn, I miss this place so much." I mumble. I can feel myself smile. This place is so nostalgic.
I can still remember the time when I started here at such young age; 12 years old. They trained me to be a skilled Investigator. An extraordinary one. For they know that I have the potential. I have the opportunity to be a legendary Investigator. Unfortunately, I all doubted that.
The first time seeing this large, dark chamber, high ceilings, wide space, everything in it, it all made me terrified. I wasn't ready for this. But luckily, I have Arthur by my side. He was 15 that time. I was afraid to put on boxing gloves, nor hold a gun, nor touch the blade of a knife, nor attack an opponent, everything. I was thought by my father, never to be violent. I was also in a breakdown that time. It was a week before Mr. Lee killed my father.
Scarlet hung her arm around my shoulder and said, "I know. This is where we took shape. Remember the time when I accidentally stabbed Gretchen Co with a knife by her arm?" She stifled a laugh, I did too.
That time, Arthur was teaching us how to deal with knives and how to attack them. While we were in the middle of the lesson, Arthur threw the knife in mid air, caught it with his right hand, then threw it again backwards, and caught it with his left hand, like he is handling nunchucks. Each of us will perform it after the discussion. After me, it was Scarlet's turn. She was in a bad mood that time. The good part, she did good in juggling it around. The bad part, she threw the knife across her—in result of her anger—while Gretchen Co was passing by. Luckily, Gretchen Co got to avoid the knife, but she wounded her right arm. The mark of Scarlet's doing left a scar on Gretchen's arm and can still be seen now.
She continues, "Dude, we were like, 13 years old that time!" We laughed again.
"Ladies, ladies. Calm down and let's take a break from reminiscing for now, and start the work-out. Let's go!" Arthur exclaimed. Scarlet nodded in approval and started heading to the stations. I, on the other hand, fixed myself for a moment and followed Scarlet.
I jog to the first station which is the Stimulation Section. The purpose of this station is for us to warm up. Before we perform our heavy training, we need to stretch our muscles and expand them so we are able to move and exercise without experiencing aches in some parts of our body.
As I finished flexing my muscles, I jog towards the second station: the Skill Area. The purpose of that station is to enhance our skills in attacking with our own body. This is the place where the punching bags are placed. The skills learned here are kicking, punching, and other martial arts moves. By the edge of the Skill Area, there stands Kevin Ruston.
"Hey, Mirs. Sup?" Kevin hands me punching gloves and flashes a smile. He has this flowy hair that hangs by the sides of his face, almost covering his eyes, and a long, pointy nose. He also has this thin lips, dimples showing by the sides when he moves them.
I shudder by the way he called me. Mirs.
"Yeah, hey. I'm good." I say. I slip my fingers through the holes of the gloves and secure it close. I do the same on my right hand. "How's work? Not planning to join some departments we have?"
