Tiffany: Anyway,...

Her voice immediately took Max's attention, like a sudden alert in a before then quiet house.

Tiffany: I suppose you're wondering about where we're going and why.

Max: Uh... yeah, obviously.

Rose giggled at his response.

The car drove off into what was an empty highway. Hardly a car went by.

Tiffany: (sighs) The place we're going to is something we call the playground.

Max: The playground?

Of course, such a silly code name would make no sense to Max. Playgrounds weren't even the kind of thing that teens would hang out in.

Ken: That's simply a code name.

Max: Code name? For what?

Tiffany: For the place where we train.

Max: Train?

Rose: Uh huh.

It all came together in a matter of seconds.

Max: Wait! So... we're going to train?

Tiffany: Uh huh.

Ken: Yep.

Max: So then..... but.....

Tiffany: Prowess on the battlefield is not born from just sitting around and talking about it. We have to practice.

It was at that point that Max noticed that, on the floor on which they were seated, a sheathed katana was lying.

Tiffany: And so, we're heading there to train.

Max: Oh.....

A moment of recollection passed.

Max: Wait!

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Tiffany: Hmm?

Max: What if somebody sees us using our powers?

Tiffany: Already accounted for.

Max: Huh?

Tiffany: Ken?

Ken: The area we're headed to is called Groundstone, and it's pretty deserted.

Max: Deserted?

Ken: Hmm. If one were to travel to, say the centre of Groundstone, one would find oneself completely deserted for three miles in every direction. Give or take a few yards.

Max: Woah!

Tiffany: And given the solitude as well as all the rough terrain the area, we can train there effectively without needing to worry about a thing.

Max: Cool

Luke: And it's only.... say...... thirty minutes to an hour from here. And so it won't be long till we're there.

Max: Huh..... wait....

Rose: Hmm?

Max: How'd you guys find a place like that?

Ken: Oh, that. Well, apparently, Luke found it.

Max: Luke?

At that moment, although it was brief, Tiffany's eyes winced, and as did Luke's. However, this brief moment escaped the eyes of Max, Rose, and Ken, as they were seated at the back.

In said brief moment, all was silent in the van. But before anyone could even begin to question it mentally....

Luke: Yeah. Let's just say.... I used to go there to.... let off some steam....

Max: Woah, really! That place must be huge!

Luke: Yeah....

In Max's mind, he could only imagine Luke using his super strength to demolish buildings without a worry on the world.

Tiffany: In any case, ....

Like before, her words brought him right out of his mind.

Max: Hmm?

Tiffany: ... seeing as you're new to this, we'll be needing to take some stats first.

Max: Stats?

Tiffany: Yeah, stats. Ken?

Ken: (almost robotically) Maximum speed, maximum physical strength, endurance, extent and number of abilities, power output, and, of course, progression.

Max: Eh.... that sounds kinda boring.

Ken: Meh... true. No need to worry, though. I'll simply keep all the numbers in my database.

Max: You have a database?

Ken: Yes.

Tiffany: And on top of that, we'll also be practising for situations on the battlefield, practice manouvres, and, of course...

It was almost as if she knew that this would intrigue Max.

Tiffany: ... spar.

Max: Spar!?

His mood immediately lit up, and his eyes immediately darted around to look at Rose and Ken. Rose had her usual nervous smile, but Ken simply smirked.

Tiffany: Yes, spar. After all, what better way is there to gauge our own abilities than to fight?

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His heart beat, and later, a smirk grew on his face.

Max: Well, count me in!

Tiffany: (sighs) Of course, ....

Max: Huh?

Tiffany: .... we're not fighting each other for real.

Max: Yeah, yeah. I know that.

He fell back into his seat and shrugged.

Tiffany: Good. Also....

As the car sped onto the highway....

Tiffany: ... nevermind.

Max: Huh?

Ken: You'll figure it out soon enough.

Rose started giggling.

Max: Wha....!?

Rose: It's ok, Max. It's just something that Tiff had all of us do. But I'm sure you'll be fine.

Max: Have us all do? (thinking: Why is everybody acting so weird all of a sudden? Did I rope myself into something weird?)