The morning had come as Lang awoke, the warm sun gently tickled his face as he lied in bed, it did not matter whether he opened his eyes yet as he did not have to strength too. The exercises given to him by Reynold consisted of muscle stamina training, a type of training that would condense and harden the muscles as they fatigued, the exercises consisted of various static poses that would not easily harm his joints as there would be no supervision.

Sitting in a squat... holding a push up... handstand against a wall... why... why does it have to be 30 minutes of holding them?! This is rough!

However much the dull ache hurt, Lang had gotten what he wished for, a small smile had set itself on his face as he knew that the future would be better. Relaxing his body he sat up, lifting his arms high into the air he then slowly brought them down until his hands touched his toes. The tension built up in the aching muscles were slowly stretched and released as blood flowed freely, replenishing his weariness slightly as he focused on every upper and lower muscle. After a minute of stretching, he laid back down and accepted the warmth of the sunlight that massaged his body.

Alicia knocked on the door three times, but no acknowledgment, she had knocked again, three more times, and again, no answer. Waiting behind the door for a few moments she could not help herself but check up on Lang. Her eye creasing in adoration at his long eyelashes trembling, tender skin glowing, and the rhythmic rising of his chest.

Still sleeping huh Lang?

The calmness he felt as he lied as he focused on his body had let him sense a slight vibration rhythmically tapping on the under him. Clasping his clicker next to him and clicking the robotic words sounded out across the room, next to the wall where it rested against.

"Who..."

"Huh? Lang how did you know I was here?"

Oh! you were in the room mom?

"Mom... guessed."

"Hmm? Young Master Lang it's not Madam Valerie but me, the only other beautiful woman in the house."

??? That could be anyone though...

"...Your silence hurts, Young Master lets get you dressed and ready for today."

Walking to the wall Alicia grabbed his translator before proceeding to him, tightening it on his wrist and choosing his clothes. As she looked through she could not help but reminisce slightly before shaking her head and picking out a short sleeve shirt and overalls. Dressing Lang she clasped his hand and led him to the dining hall.

"Sis... After... Reynold..."

"You're heading over to the security team?"

Nodding to the question he didn't answer any of the upcoming questions of what he would do there and in vein, Alicia turned silent as well as they arrived at the table. Valerie who was already seated next to Lang had cut up his ham and sausage, while providing him a serving of grape tomatoes, over easy eggs, a pile of beans, and his toast.

As the two ate, Valerie noticed Lang was eating very quickly, and in a worry rested a hand onto her son's arm, pleading him to slow down in between making small talk with Alicia.

"Madam, I will be needing to head off again soon, I re-"

"Approved, Alicia... I trust you, just make sure you don't take to long again"

"M... Thank you Madam"

Finishing up his breakfast, Lang had clicked for Alicia, his body unable to be kept still, and as soon as he felt her hand on his he hurriedly descended from his seat. Tugging at her sleeve, they quickly left for the guards building, and Valerie who watched this unfold could only have mouth slightly agape, gently closing it and smiling.

I haven't seen him this excited since the day of the explosion... I guess we'll move the trip closer.

Looking towards the area where the blinding light occurred that day, she had slightly furrowed her brows, thinking that it was strange nothing had been found there on the new yet, neither ice nor rock debris, just rubble from the impact. Shaking her head side to side she continued to enjoy her breakfast as she called for Noir to chat with.

*****

As Alicia approved Reynolds who was training his aiming she informed him that Lang was waiting in the lounge. Thanking her she had told her he would take over now as he headed to the lounge, upon his leaving figure suspicion filled Alicia's eyes as she stared that the departing Reynold

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lang... You're up to something... I guess we can play your game for a bit hehe.

As she left to return to the house, she turned to look back on more time, grinning mischievously before skipping back, whistling a tune as she did. Meeting up with Lang who was sitting down, Reynold had walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. Flinching slightly he reached into his pocket to pull out the clicker.

"Uncle...?"

"Heh... How were the exercises last night Lang?"

"Painful... Fun..."

"That's good to hear, today I will have you do the same thing as a warm-up, but don't worry, it's only ten minutes each"

Uncle! Mercy!

*****

Ahhhh, dear diary in my mind, today uncle Rey had me do the three that he taught me... I thought it ended after doing three but he had other things, I did a bridge as well... my legs and head hurt. I did a plank sideways.... ouch ouch ouch... I thought stretching my arms to the side wouldn't hurt but... ten minutes ... three different ways to hold my arms out?! Monster! Demon! Cruel and unusual punishments! .... The worst was hanging from the air.... Uncle Rey... Don't you find this face pitiable yet? Isn't is suppose to be cute?!

It's jelly... everything feels like jiggly pudding.

*****

Lang's training had proceeded harshly as Reynolds strictly adhered to Lang's previous wish. However The old gentleman had the planned the true test phase since long ago, it was not until Lang requested to train that the old man pulled it out. His curiosity towards this old training method that was never implemented could finally be quelled. As he picked up Lang's translator and attached it him he quickly stated.

"Lang, I will have the other guards run into you."

Huh?

"Don't tilt your head, just trust me Lang, they will in reality just be lightly jogging into you."

Briefly stating what would inevitable happen, Lang could only cast his head down as the guard unlatched his translator from his hand and placed it back on the table, from there he had taken Lang's shoes off and rolled up his overalls before leading Lang to an open combat field. Upon entering Reynold called three guards, their jobs were to just quickly walk into Lang three to five-minute intervals apart from one another. The other guards had counter-arguments they themselves were another half or a third taller than Lang, could his body at the beginning of training handle being beat like this.

Reynolds made no comment, instead, he reasoned that without any little hardship humans themselves would never grow or mature. The pain from the bones during adolescence resulted in the body's growth, that pain from a heartbreak resulted in a maturing mind and a hardening heart, the pain of loss, whether it was past trauma or prevention of future causes maturing once again. Reynolds had told solemnly told the men about this boy, deeming it necessary for his growth and good for whatever the boy had in mind for the future.

"Chief, is it just a shoulder check, or do we run into him?"

Uncle Rey when is it happening...

"Chief knows what he's doing, the kid knows how to get up when he falls, so it would be okay if we're just pushing him down when we do it Gill"

The wait is making me anxious... FOCUS LANG FOCUS.... come on there has to be something about this.

"You three just take your time, I'll be watching from over there if it does get worse, but this is training, right now he's in complete darkness."

He should have left me the translator so I'll know when to start at least...

Thud...

I knew it, it hurts after that workout.

Thud...

These old geez... after the eighth time, my body is feeling weak...

Thud...

Ahhhh... the ground is pretty soft now that I think about it... okay time to get up

By the eight-time Lang his battered and weary body had trouble collecting itself. The fifteenth time he had more use to the feeling of the earth, almost relaxing in it. Thirty-seventh time his body relished in the feeling of falling to rest up for just a moment longer before the rising and feeling disconnected to his environment. The more he fell, the greater his sense of the earth felt and the most his body relaxed. Having nothing to focus on, detached from the world, all he could now do was feel the earth with his feet and body, and the rhythmic beating of his blood pumping.

The thumping was all he had felt as he zoned in and out, he did not notice his body feeling airy, and he did not notice how far he sank into the complex rhythms. Lang had only understood one thing.

"Boss, isn't this now going too far?"

"This... chief this doesn't feel right now, I mean we've been through a lot but seeing this now."

"Rick, Gill, just follow what your buddy is doing. Anthony seems to be expecting something from Lang, as am I."

"But this... the young master clearly can't stand any more of this!"

"Shut it. Continue."

*****

Ah... the small pushes didn't do much at first, but now it looks like it's catching up to me... Uncle what's the point of this... So heavy... so light... I feel so tired now, I wonder if Sis Alicia will make me something for a snack later... I want it to be salty...

The colors at nice too.. so far... so pretty, it's like it dancing to the rhythm of my body.. yeah.. like the pulse of my blood... and how my body is aching... as well as the dull soft tapping of the earth...

....Wait hold on, tappings of the earth? Uncle! I'm getting weird! I feel a really soft thumping from my feet! wait wait wait, left? ... Oof... ow ow ow... Why did I get hit from there? I was right? ... No wait Sister Alicia said... I guessed someone in the room when I had my translator off this morning... Can my body... focus on it now?

Left? No no no that can't be right, I'm just imagining it... front?... it's too soft! Oof! The right! Owwww, that hurt.. okay... I can at least now tell that someone is coming, this.. this is amazing! I feel like I have some energy from this excitement!

*****

"Gill... something is off"

"...Anthony... you go this time"

"Got it... He... He's looking in my direction?! ... no it looks like he was turning his head to look around"

Ah... This time... I think it's right.. no.. left?!

"Rick, you're up."

Dangit... I was right at first...

...

It's off..

...

It's off again..

...

No good... the hesitation..

...

it's right..

...

It's right again!..

"Anthony! This time go after he gets up!"

"General! That quick? it's too soon!"

"... Young Master, you're strange.. that's for sure, something was up, haha... I'm glad I get to witness this... the genius that memorized the entire first floor from counting his steps. Let me see you grow again!"

"Chief! Anthony is going crazy from bullying the boy!"

Excitement built up in Anthony as he had forgotten the rules of the training, as he sprinted to Lang his heavy footsteps flung the rocks behind him. An opportunity appeared as Lang, who was wholly getting accustomed to the lighter footsteps from before as sensed the slight tremoring of the earth much more clearly.

Swallowing his saliva Lang as he focused, Lang had learned to use the big toes and an indicator and had felt the bigger thumping coming from left foot earlier than his right, as Lang abandoned his indecisiveness he jumped back.

"My fucking god!"

"Holy shit!"

"This lad!"