The Children Of Thalia

Lightweight Training

Val rolled his legs into my stomach. A heavy kick, full of energy. But I know my best point is speed. I nimbly clutched his feet. I pulled it forward as it spun, slammed it on the ground, then pointed my fist right at his face. I grinned.

"I won?"

Val replied to my grin with a smile "well how else" while raising both hands. "You won."

I took my lock off him, then stood away. It also drains energy. After a long time I finally felt breathless again when exercising. Sweat even wet some of my clothes. Val, who was also trying to stand up, was even more wet. His shoulder was dirty exposed to dry land, mixed with sweat that flushed his body.

"Good job." Lee said, approaching us to give us a small towel. I took one, the other for Val. He also gave each of us a bottle of water.

"Experience can't lie, can it?" Val.

"You did well in the national tournament, your experience is no less great."

"Not as good as you, lord of the region?"

"Oh, come on." I hit Val's stomach slowly. His stomach was hard, really hard like a wall. No wonder he is a martial artist. "You're as hard as a rock, what's the lack of it?"

"The rock is heavy. It's hard to move against an agile black dog like you." Reply Val while chuckling.

I sipped a drink. My stamina feels restored. What Val said was not wrong. During this two-day training, I realized something. Val is obviously fast, he is not only trained in strength, but also speed. However, his large tall body could not produce high agility. That's my advantage. If I attack with relentless movement, Val will be in trouble.

Even so, I also have a shortage. Speed and agility are my points, but this small body does not produce great power. As a result, if Val manages to grab me properly, I can be slammed easily, just like in training yesterday. That's also why Val's every punch really feels for me.

"I don't think I can get rid of street fighting." My complaint while staring at the hands full of veins bulge. "I wanted to make my movements have a pattern like yours. Maybe that way I can lure the enemy to the next move."

"You can, of course." Val wiped away the sweat running down his forehead, then continued, "but having that attack pattern becomes a weakness if the enemy knows the pattern as well."

It has a point. Patterned attacks are easy to read, especially if the user is stupid in playing that pattern. In the end, madness is the best key in the fight. I was the same, what I remember every time I finished a fight was my body moving by itself, then I stood at the end.

"Of course, but wouldn't it be cool if I had art in moving?"

"There's no art in real combat." Val walked over, patting me on the shoulder as it passed. "Come on, it's eleven."

I looked at Lee who opened the phone. He's nodding. It's time. Ugh, it feels like we've only been here ten minutes. It all ended so quickly. Val and I went to the locker room to wash themselves, while Lee waited outside while tidying things up.

Val and Lee enrolled in High School today. After preparing the necessary files, they will leave later in the afternoon to the destination city for the exam tomorrow. I'm the same, I'll be picked up by Wild Dogs later in the afternoon. Basically, the registration for High School is relatively the same because the curriculum also runs simultaneously.

"But it amazes me too" Val said in a resounding voice. Of course, this is the bathroom. "You got an invitation, right? Why take the exam again?"

Great question. I was also surprised to hear that I still had to take the exam, but the reasons I received turned out to be reasonable.

"Helder recognized my worth in academics. You know, all the races and ranks I've got. I'm free for the written exam, but I still have to take the practice exam the day after." I answered while rubbing my hair with shampoo. After rinsing it, I continued to explain. "Helder's written examination is actually held to determine the academic direction of students, therefore almost all subjects are made exams. Of course, there is a selection as well because there is a limit on passing grades. For them, maybe I've clearly focused on programming or automation, good there too, so I don't need to take a written exam. Even so, the purpose of the practice exam being held was very different."

"Assessing our abilities in the gift?"

"Value our wisdom in using gifts."

We spent about five minutes in the bathroom. I turned off the shower first, followed by Val afterwards. Not much to say, we put clothes on in lockers, then went outside. Lee was actually waiting beside the locker room door, leaning against the wall of ashes while looking at the sky. When Val and I got out, Lee came over.

"Theo, your phone rang earlier." He said while giving me my phone. I open the lock screen, then skim through the call history.

"You didn't call back?" Ask Val.

"No need."

I grabbed the bag in the back, but Val grabbed it right away. "Go ahead, let me bring you."

"Good tumben."

"Whispering."

Val walked first as if he did not want his face to be seen. He's trying to be cool again, I'm sure of it. Only a faint smile could I give in reaction. My eyes glanced a little backwards. The school building seemed smaller the more I walked away from it. Three years I've been here. Although there is hardly a truly memorable experience, so much has happened over the past three years.

"Have you been feeling nostalgic?" Ask Lee with his usual grin.

"Well, just don't believe in the end I'm gonna get out of here."

"Well, remember about Lizzy and the others?"

Right on target once, Lee, to the point of making me pensive for a moment. He's right, I still think about it. Next year Lizzy will enter Junior High, there will be a lot of things to prepare. I honestly wanted to drive him for the first day, or help him during the entrance exam. I'm still worried about Lizzy's weak condition, as well as my other sisters. But, well, I'm sure Lee and Val thought of them too, just like me.

"Lied if I said no. But I hold your words too."

"Good, you understand." Typal Val in front. "You have a purpose. Just focus on it, we take care of it here."

"Oh, now I remember. You used to say there was another reason why you didn't want to go to Helder?" Ask Lee, continuing.

Damn, he remembered. Not that I don't want a story, but I'm sure it will be troublesome for the next one.

"Let me tell you in the car. I think Ansel should know, too."

Sooner or later, I have to tell them, I know that. Ansel would have known about this anyway. Storytelling in cars will withstand their overreaction a little.

A copper-brown car parked in a special parking lot across from the school. Two people stood there. One is Ansel, the other is his friend. A big young man with a friendly face. If I don't remember wrongly, his name is Rolfe Van Hyden. I wouldn't be surprised if Ansel said the car belonged to his personal friend. Van Hyden, a family of conglomerates who are no less large than the DiMichelle family. Of course I'm also quite curious as to why people seem to want to become members of Wild Dogs, but I guess that's a question for another time.

Zebra cross is located a little far from the gate, but indeed we have been accustomed since childhood to keep crossing there. After the crossing light turned green, we stepped across, then approached the two people waiting beside the car. Ansel's irritated face was so attractive to look at, it felt satisfied after he had irritated me for the past few weeks.

"I wanted to ask why my phone wasn't picked up, but knowing I was calling you was enough for me as an excuse." Ansel complained when we arrived.

"Delusion is not a good greeting when we meet." My timpalku with a grin, which makes him even more moody. Good, I'm satisfied. I turned to Rolfe, bowing my head slightly while greeting. "I didn't see you for a long time, and I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

Unlike Ansel, Rolfe smiled broadly when he saw me. "It's okay. Sometimes I don't pick up this guy's phone either."

"True, that's why I always come wherever you stand." Ansel was still growling like an angry lion.

Ignoring Ansel, Rolfe walked a step forward. With a firm body, he placed his right hand on his chest, then bowed in a smooth motion.

"During not meeting. I'm Rolfe van Hyden, you can call me Rolfe. I bet you're Val and Lee? Hello to you."

...* * * * *...