Chapter 6.

PART 1.

In Hatori’s room, Josh and Raven are eagerly awaiting to hear about his experiences of today’s training. Given the reputation of Zeko and his ruthless training, both boys decided that a softly, softly approach was in order.

“So,” Josh finally asked, after sprawling on the bed. “How did the training go?” Asked Josh bluntly.

Raven puts his head in his hands. “You were supposed to be more tactful than that.” he groaned.

“It began normally enough.” Hatori began, and both of his friends started to listen.

PART 2.

Given the warning the previous night, I was awake by the time of 6 in the morning, even though I hate to wake up early in the morning. But Zeko seemed like someone who would follow through on his word, so I decided not to test him.

I also thanked my stars that he didn’t show up at the time like four in the morning. I just might lose my patients at that point.

The door opened, and Zeko walked in. “So, you’re already awake, huh?” He sounded disappointed.

“Considering the warning you gave last night…” I trailed off.

“Now, if only more of my students were like that,” he took me to the grounds of the castle, where, judging from the noise level, not even the early risers came.

“Now. I must ask you, how is your physical condition?”

I tilted my head and thought about how to answer that. “Define physical condition.” I settled on that.

“Sigh… this might be harder than I thought.” He muttered. “I mean, how long can you run? How much stamina do you have? That sort of stuff.” He clarified to me.

“Running?” I tilted my head, this time opposite of the previous direction. “I don’t think I run much.”

“Figures.” He grumbled.

“Well, I doubt you would run, with the threat of banging your head every which way.” I retorted, not liking his tone.

“Point. Let’s move on to another thing then. How many push-ups can you do?” he asked.

“Twenty.” Was my immediate reply.

“Show me.” He commanded.

I immediately dropped to the ground, where I began to do push-ups. I didn’t need to worry about gravel digging into my palms, since the surface where Zeko brought me seemed to be smooth, unlike other parts of the ground.

“Nineteen… twenty!” I spring off from the ground, dusting my hands.

For a while, he just looked at me, which I deduced from his silence. I think he was surprised at my successful finish of the push-ups, and the fact that I was not flopping on the ground for breath, given the info I gave him earlier, which told him I didn’t exercise at all, was the reason why I think he was looking at me like that.

“Very well, you will do four sets of twenty push-ups in the morning when I bring you here. Do you understand?” he asked.

“I understand.” And I dropped to the ground for the second round, without Zeko’s prompting.

I like to think that he was pleased with my move.

PART 3.

“That doesn’t seem too bad. Although if he did make you do push-ups all day long, we’ll understand why you’re so tired.” Said Josh.

“Push-ups you say?” said Hatori, and started to tell the next part of his training.

PART 4.

After the push-ups, squats, and other assortment of exercises (which are skipped lest the readers get bored) Zeko asked me to do some running.

“Now, run a few laps boy.” He said, doing the exercises on his own. While I’m huffing and puffing, he is barely starting to warm up.

I stood up from my resting position on the ground, sure to feel the burn in my arms and legs by the next day, and began to run.

But then, I suddenly broke out in cold sweat; my steps started to wobble, and I lost my orientation.

I don’t have much experience with other blind people (aside from a few experiences of which I would rather not elaborate) but my ears are very important in keeping my orientation.

This makes sure that I don’t go through a dizzy spell when I move from one place to another, and it is fine when I walk. But when I start to run, especially in a big unfamiliar place, with nothing to orient myself while running, this is what happens.

Of course, the sudden appearance of the memories of banging my head, scraping my knees (which are very painful) hitting me like a hammer has also to do with it.

I can’t decide whether it is the result of those memories or the disorientation, or it's just all in my head. (Regretfully, research like that is very much lacking on blind people.)

But one thing was certain. Zeko will not be pleased.

“What’s wrong boy?” came his voice, “You were doing just fine, what happened?” He sounded concerned.

Oh, how I hate that line.

I walked to his voice slowly, and after orienting myself with his body (which probably left him confused) I tried to run again. This time, I made it further than before, but the same thing happened again.

I heard his footsteps behind me and turned around. Let it be known that Hatori Eagle has never shied away from punishment, justified or not.

Although a concerned hand over my shoulder is a new thing. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“I get scared.” I squeaked (and hating myself for it. I take pride in my always-in-control tone.) “I just started thinking about colliding with things.” I said with a small cough, back to my controlled tone. “I also feel… lost.” I finally said the word, having no other word to replace the feeling.

“You also flap your arms, as if expecting to grab something.” He noted.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

PART 5.

“He took me to an entirely different ground.” Hatori was saying. “I think that's because we went through the inner parts of the castle.” Josh and Raven noted how Hatori explains these reasons to them. “He then let me walk around the new ground with one hand touching the wall, and after I got used to the layout, he told me to run three laps. I suspect he was recording my time because I heard him whispering about minutes and seconds.”

“What happened next?” Josh asked eagerly, while Raven shook his head at the antics of his friend. He always gets excited during a story.

PART 6.

After the whole business of running, push-ups, and squats, it was breakfast time. Zeko plans to monitor my diet. According to him, his biggest concern is not whether I eat enough or not. Instead, his concern is what I’m eating, and in what amount.

I’m sure that there’s an obligated complaint supposed to be here, but I didn’t complain much. I… have learned my lesson.

After the breakfast was done, he began to tell me some theoretical stuff. “It is the boring stuff. Best to get it out of the way.” That was his reasoning.

After which, he tried to test my reflexes.

“It is clear that you have no concept of a reflex boy.” He said after I failed to catch the ball, which he had been tossing my way for the past hour.

At that comment, my shoulders slumped, and an expression of defeat probably appeared on my face. (Can’t be certain, haven’t seen any human expressions since the age of ten months.) Realizing my slump, I immediately rallied myself back, with raised shoulders, and an expression of seriousness on my face, with lips pressed firmly. (I do hope that I look serious in that pose.)

“Hmhmhmhmhmhm.” He laughed, “But don’t worry. This is exactly why I’m here, after all. Now run once more!”

Thus, I began to run by tracing the wall with one hand once more.

PART 7.

“After that, it simply continued like that, with exercises and theory, and some sweet recovery time which always passed quickly. I swear he is somehow playing with time.” Said Hatori.

“Poor guy,” Josh tried to sound sympathetic, but Hatori could practically hear the laughter in his voice.

“You must repeat that the next day as well? Such sacrifices you have to make.” Raven, however, sounded entirely sincere, but Hatori just knew that he was smirking at him.

“Both of you just wait. You will be there with me tomorrow.” He declared.

“Why?” they asked, not appreciating the possibility of experiencing the same horrors.

“Because why should I suffer alone?” Hatori gives his reason.

Raven and Josh both scoffed at this. Hatori still has trouble finding his way around the castle. He could hardly come to their rooms in the morning and force them to come with him. So, both boys remained carefree and went to a peaceful sleep.

PART 8.

Hatori knows that he won’t be able to get his friends to come with him to the suffering in the morning, so he decided to get some help.

“I need your help, sir,” Hatori said, as soon as they arrived on the ground.

“Oh?” Zeko raised an eyebrow. And listened to the proposition of his student.

“Well,” he said, after a few moments of consideration. “That can be arranged.”

Just a few minutes later, both boys were dragged from bed, kicking and screaming, and Hatori trained for the rest of the day, happily.

Although they were miffed at him at first, Raven and Josh decided that there was no point in holding a grudge; the fact that he played so underhandedly also impressed them. After all, they often hear how if you wish to be successful as an adult, you have to be devious like that. If they hang around Hatori, maybe they’ll learn a few tricks.

PART 9.

Porus leaned back in his chair. This wasn’t his throne room, so he could sit and relax. After all, very few people have access to the king’s office, given the rather ruthless security.

“So, that is the report?” he asked Zeko, who trained the security in the first place.

“Indeed.”

“His physical condition seems to be just fine. I mean, you know how things are with disabled children and their families.” Said the king.

“That was the most surprising part. It seems that his parents at least in the house, didn’t restrict his movement.”

“Hmm. The hospital seems to clearly state that physically, he is fine for the awakening process.” The king looked at the report.

“But you and I both knew the problem they pointed out, long before they even performed the tests,” Zeko said.

“Yes.” The king flipped the pages and concluded Hatori’s mental evaluation. “That could prove to be a problem.”

Zeko began to recount what the profiler told him.

PART 10.

“So, you’re saying that there is a lot of rage in him?” I asked, disbelief clear in my tone, as children are known to get angry very easily.

“You misunderstand. It is not just some tantrum. In that case, he would be just screaming at the people bossing him around. But Hatori doesn’t do any of that.” explained the doctor.

“What did he do then?”

“He waits for the correct moment, biding his time until that moment arrives. Then strike whoever wronged him. He has a lot of anger due to his blindness, but there are some incidents in his past that he refuses to talk about. Currently, he is biding his time, to strike at someone who has wronged him. Can you guess where I’m going with this?”

“Us. He hates us for summoning him like we did.” I said, understanding finally dawning on me.

“Exactly. You must carefully handle this child.”

PART 11.

“The question is, are you up for the task?” asked Porus.

“I’ve never backed down from a challenge. The kid has some issues, that’s true. But I see potential in him. Training him will be my pleasure.”

(End.)