"AND WE ARE BOTH…"
"Ground Slam's…"
"ONE OF THE TRAINING FACILITIES FOR FIGHTERS!"
…What did he just step into.
There's this hideki with a cheery-strong personality. Then there was this Kaito…he just seemed disinterested and didn't want to deal with him.
"So, you alright kid?" Hideki offered a hand to help him up. "Oh, uh…" Imura took it, standing up slowly. "Yeah— I'm fine."
"Heh, good. Because you need all that strength you have left for today's training." Hideki declared. Those words worried him, but he didn't show it, or atleast tried to. "Yeah…" he smiled awkwardly
The big man stared….
One eye big, jabbing in front of him, the other eye small. He looked at this smaller man in front of him like he was analyzing his brain. "Not good." He then said, "Not good at all." He shook his head, the wide one shrinking to equal lengths of his other eye.
Imura didn't even respond. He was just all too confused for that.
"Not good at all kid, where's that enthusiasm of yours?"
"What…??"
Hideki explained, like a teacher to his student. "If you're gonna want to keep goin' in these parts, you're gonna need a lotta enthusiasm! And that's to say you don't show your true self in front of the crowd, you got that? So lift those shoulders up—!" he adjusted Imura's shoulders aggressively, "AND START SHOWIN' SOME ENTHUSIASM!"
Strong. Intimidatingly strong. The slap as he put those arms on the shoulders hurt— and the way he gripped them felt like he was prepping for an attack, or that he was angry. Imura was nervously quiet; like a kid with an angry adult. All he could really do…was stand quiet and listen. His shoulders went loose again, his eyes staring into the man's face, a hunch telling him that he should.
Then there was Kaito who talked from behind, brushing off any dust off of his clothes, all fine from the damage he just took. "Don't worry about him. Dude see's a new guy, he's already hooked. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Those words just didn't help.
Imura blinked. Aaand, he blinked again. The brawny man, Hideki was meanwhile letting out a heroes laugh, saying: "Well, you know me, son! Newbies are my favourite. They're the people that interest me the most," then he added, looking at Imura now, "and you're one of them. So I'm lookin' forward to see how capable y'really are, kid."
"I…see?" he thought he needed to say that.
The gym just didn't look anything out of the ordinary, really. It was nice— not to get wrong. Like a gym running on a monthly pay of thousands of yen. It was fresh white, scented with air freshner, caged rings, training equipment and more. Had this been an ordinary place, Imura'd look forward to training here.
But this is no ordinary place. So he mentally prepared himself for whatever there is to come. Whatever training he has to do. Whatever dangerous techniques he has to perform. Strikes? Takedowns? Bring it all on. He'll take it. Even if they hurt.
But maybe—
"Well, unfortunately, we can't be training right now. Now's not the schedule yet."
Hideki told him that.sighing because he was disappointed. Not Imura though. "Oh…" he said awkwardly.
"Yeah, you're gonna…" the big man scratched the back of his skull, "You're gonna need to come around night. Say 9:20 PM-ish? Yeah, around that time." He said. 9:20 PM 's a long time away…
"Uhhh, yeah, sure…I'll…come by around then. Yeah." Imura said. Hideki pat him on his shoulder, "Good!"
Yet there was something strange lingering around. Something uncomfortable. Everything he just witnessed now, every sarcasm and that cheery attitude from a man like him, and an aloof personality like that other guy…it all felt like quiet moments before danger.
And that's what made it scary. That's what made this gym scary. There was no way he could mess around in this atmosphere. Nothing about this was any calm.
"Alright then, kid! See ya at night!"
"See ya, rookie."
Imura found himself then shuffling outside. Watou had his phone to his ear, he put it down when he noticed him.. "How did it go?" he said.
Imura shook his head. His lips uneven. He didn't know what to say.
"Alright then, let's show you to your room." Watou replied, he understood what that meant. They strolled past a few doors, only to stop at Room E. Stated right above in silver letters, 'Room E'.
Watou offered the keys. Imura took it.
He clicked it open and stepped the first foot inside:
There wasn't a smell— but he could feel the freshness. The inside was unexpectedly…dope. Just near the door was a washroom to the right. In front was the living room— lively and big. It looked like a hotel. An L shaped sofa and a glass rectangular table on the center, a dining table just behind it. And above the walls beside that table was a drawing of a sunny landscape and a beach. It looked like a piece of Thailand, maybe it was. On two sides, there was one door that led to the bedroom, the other without a door— to the kitchen. The kitchen needs no explaining. But the bedroom sure does.
BECAUSE THIS PLACE WAS A WHOLE GYM. Or at least it looked like one.
One bed, an already set up computer (CRAZY 1), a boxing bag locked onto the ceiling, just waiting to be used. Wardrobes, desk, bookshelves, whatever— but then there were bench press stations, treadmills, WEIGHTS (CRAZY 2)???
and these two
"This is where you'll be staying for now," Watou said from behind him. "As a rookie, you're required to do so until you reach second rank. That's when you have to train harder and become stronger. This facility will no longer let you come back after that…"
Imura ran a hand through his hair, each strand spilling down in a messy formation. He looked around, just trying to get the gist of the space. Then that was it. He turned back to Watou afterwards.
"What do you think?" Watou's arms folded. Imura looked at the space beside him again, the gym space. Then back at his employer, "I guess it's alright. I'll stay…"
Watou nodded, "Good," he turned back around, just about to leave. "You're going to leave now?" Imura stopped him with that question. Watou twitched his head near his shoulder, "Yes, for now. There's nothing else I want to say. So for now," he began to walk, "prepare."
The door slammed shut in the distance, leaving Imura back to him and his thoughts again…
This was where he'll be staying, for now. So now what?
Locked inside of that room like in a quiet, artificial chamber, hours passed by. Until 9:30 hit. And when it did, there was a loud BUZZZZZZ that played across the hallways. Imura hadn't realized it 'til now that there were spare clothes left for him here. He was worrying about it anyway, having to wear the same clothes everyday…
Training days are always better with a tracksuit on, and he just so happened to find one of his favorite colours: all white-black straps.
The door invited him, waiting to be opened. But Imura just stood there mentally preparing himself for whatever there is to come. His eyes closed, all black surrounding him, with the loudest noise coming from his mind. Take it easy…he told himself again and again, take it easy…he inhaled deep before letting the air all out. He twisted the door open and stepped out.
He forgot to close the door at that moment. Because he saw people that didn't look like they had a place for him.
Some with healing wounds, some clean, and yet some who looked like they'd pick on him anytime soon. It's been a while since Imura felt this out of place. And he was just a child back then…
Some of them did give him curious glances before they went. Like predators sizing up their opponents before initiating a plan. This was the training facility. He waited till he was the last one left to go. He waited no further when the last person just entered the room after giving him…
A challenging look.
He walked in at last.
There was already a bit of work going on inside. The fresh wind of the AC filled the room like that freshner a couple hours ago. Stretching, drills , light spars, all of it filled the atmosphere. The heavy bags being punched, the voices coming in commando-like, and the SHH of jabs rushing out like whistles…it all felt normal so far.
"Hey." A woman's voice…he didn't hear it til it got louder— "HEY!" it came out hard, unignorable, angry— he snapped back immediately— staring at the person behind him..
"Who're you." A woman in a dope mix of half black and half green oversized jacket. A hair tied into a ponytail, and a face as piercingly sharp as a spike despite her looks. She stood there with folded arms, like she was a drill sergeant. Imura replied nervously, "Imura…"
She leaned an ear closer to his face. "Kashiwada Imura…" he said it again— this time, his full name.
The woman leaned back, nodding in a sense of approval, "Kashiwada, huh?" she said to herself. "Jukai Reiba, second rank." She then introduced herself. She let her arms spill beside her. Everything about her posture just told who she really was…A tough woman with an attitude. People like these are the types you don't mess around with unless you're their relatives.
Then out of nowhere, she just seemed to ask, "How old're you, Kash?" she called him that for short. Imura replied, "Nineteen."
The look she gave next said just about enough. One eye large, the other small. Lips pressed into a thin line, like she just heard something weird. "Okay, then…" she mellowed out after, walking past him. "Thought you were younger." Then after that, she screamed out in command for someone, like she was the boss around here: 'HIDEKI!!'
The middle-aged man appeared, interrupted from his recent training procedure. His hands were still gloved. "What?"
Reiba sighed, pointing at the rookie behind her with her thumb, "You got a kid waiting for you?"
"OH! HIM! OF COURSE!" he dashed aside, hitting the brakes in front of him. "Glad you could make it, kid." Imura didn't respond, he just smiled faintly.
"So, before we start training. You mind giving us a little testrun on the ring?"
Testrun. A testrun.
Not even a single word about drills, warmups, nor get a look around. It just happened to come out early. Of course, he was hesitant at first— given the nature of where he's at, why wouldn't he? It didn't look like he had a choice here…just by how this man looked at him. He glanced at one of those rings, two guys were already sparring…nothing bad so far, just a few motions of strikes and counters. Then back at him, he said, "Uhh…Sure."
Hideki grinned like a baby.
He just so happened to end up standing inside a spare another. He didn't wear any gloves, no pads, no mouth pieces, nothing. Just him, and his raw fists. His raw limbs.
Before him stood his opponent. Byfar someone who he thought of as the most controllable…and yet still a dangerous figure.
Kaito Takizawa. Something about him was alerting. And that's where the imaginary veil of shade comes in. Covering his eyes.
A disinterested, distant individual that looked like he didn't care but also cared at the same time. His eyes twitched at the rookie.
"You ready for this, kid?" he said.
Imura's jaw opened, but Hideki cut him off from the ring, "Say kid, you ever had a record in any ring?" he asked, grabbing onto the small chains.
"I did do some boxing." Imura replied. That seemed to make the older man giggle, even though he wasn't intending to. "I see. Well here's the rules:"
'No dislocating the bones.'
That was all he said. That was all the rules. Imura couldn't help but feel confusion run through his veins. The brute stepped back.
That was it? That was all the rules?! Imura's mind raced. That's all he really said, does that mean that's what he's supposed to follow, only?
Does that mean he has to use WHATEVER he can on his disposal???
The referee for this match was Jukai herself. Her arms spread out, "STANCE!" she barked. Imura took a southpaw, his arms guarding his chin and face. Kaito took the same stance as well. But unlike Imura, who hopped like a rabbit, Kaito basically did nothing.
He just stood there, waiting for the fight to happen.
Jukai's arm swiped up— then sliced down. "BEGIN!" she dashed backwards and out of the arena.
The air bit with tension.
Kaito's hands turned down. Palms opened then fingers pulled close.
"Come on."
Imura stepped forward, like a coil broken from its spring. He went quick and SLAMMED with a shoulder bash. Kaito knocked back, the cold chains biting into his shirt. He ducked under whatever oncoming attack he felt was coming, spun as he stepped to the right— making distance. Imura faked surging forward, that made Kaito flinch. Then he stepped forward with a punch to the liver—
NO! THAT WAS A BAD MOVE—
Kaito inched back like smoke. He was playing with him.
And because he was, that shook Imura to the core. He didn't want to face opponents like this. Ever.
"Come on."
He cast that fear aside and went straight in for a barrage. Kaito had no choice but to block and weave. He was fast, but fast didn't mean he didn't take a hit nor get a graze.
He threw a punch to the face as he was ducking under. It hit, but it didn't do much. But he wasn't done— he threw a combination of strikes to the torso then backed away. He noticed Imura's power.
Kid's strong, he admitted to himself.
He swiped a hand, like he was sprinkling away water. Then he went back into action. He ran around, like a cheetah finding an opening to attack its prey. He dashed close and smoothly weaved through a weak punch Imura tried to break his rhythm with. He ran back, to the side— then back toward him,
he hopped—
— SLAM, he threw a clean kick that hit Imura STRAIGHT into the temple clean. Strength too much for him to remain balanced, he fell over— the floor groaning against his weight. Kaito was about to do something— he grabbed Imura's skull with one hand, the other charged for a strike—
But Jukai had already stepped in. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"
"Huuh?? Seriously..??"
"The guy's a newbie, remember?! That's enough!"
"Right, fine." He sighed, stepping out of the ring with an effortless grace. Along the way, he met Hideki's eyes, nodding to him before he really left.
Imura was helped sat up,a bottle of water hung in front of him. "You okay?" she asked.
He didn't gaze at her. He didn't gaze at anybody. He blinked once, twice and thrice, trying to regain his visual from that disorientating kick. "Fine…" he said weakly.
"Y'want water?" she pressed closer to his view. He shook his head 'No'.
What even was that?
Then Hideki stepped in the ring, standing in front of him. A composed look suddenly appeared on his face, like he found no space to mess around any longer…"Y'alright, kid?" he asked calmly. Imura nodded, "Yeah..I'm fine."
"Good." He said. "Because you ain't done yet." he said grey-ishly.
The fluorescent lights that shone the entire room seemed to convince less and less innocence of this place.