Awakening Chapter 4: Training
Strife
5 months after Rider's escape
"Slash!"
"Parry!"
"Jab!"
"Perry!"
"Perry?"
"The platypus." Rider said nonchalantly as he practiced a disarming technique Will taught him several days ago.
The two were at the top of the Solution Tower, Will's headquarters. Rider was working on the last few skills he needs before Vanilla was fully learned. Right now, they're working on sword fighting.
Will liked swordplay. It allowed his mind to wander, while letting his instincts take over, especially if he was playing defense.
The businessman was making sure that Rider understood every technique in swordplay as it was the most effective way to deal with monsters. But to his surprise, he grasped it faster anyone else before.
Usually, people took up to eight months, sometimes ten to learn everything, let alone master it. Rider did it in half that time (5 months). He was after all a fast learner, and an eager one at that. Everyone else in the Yogscast...well, long story short, they've been at this for more than five years, and still don't get some (most) of the basics.
At this rate he would move on to the others, learning about the more advanced sciences and magic. Maybe spending a few weeks at a time. Maybe less.
His thoughts were interrupted by sound of metal clanging on the brick floor, and the sudden loss of weight from his hand. Rider finished the technique.
"Well done." He said to the boy, shoulders slumped and panting. "Only a few more lessons, then you can take the final exam." The final exam was a series of tests Will devised to make sure trainees have grasped the concepts that were taught to them.
"After that?" The apprentice asked. He started to see the trainee as an apprentice after he realized Rider would come back to him for more training. Specifically, on various mechanisms and metalwork. Also, their relationship resembled master-apprentice more than commander-trainee.
"Xephos and Honeydew will take you to the Factory."
His apprentice's widened. "But I thought it was abandoned and or destroyed by nagas and rockets?" They both grimaced. They accidentally summoned a Naga when Lalna and Nanosounds visited, and almost gave the flux woman a heart attack. She spent the next few days rocking herself in the corner, saying things like 'Not the Nagas' and 'Billy, please pass the noodles'. She recovered later, so Nano could look at snakes and green things again. They hoped.
The business man sighed. Despite his admiration for the original two, they still had moments of incompetence. "It was one rocket." He was there after all, he left Honeydew a...pity present. Yeah, that was a word. "They'll show you what to do and what not to do in mass production." 'Mostly the latter' He thought.
Rider's mouth formed an 'o'. He didn't ask any further. He knew what a sore spot for everyone the Factory was. "What's next?"
Will chuckled. The boy was eager to learn as always. "Enchanting. Very frustrating and constantly changing, but you'll get there eventually..."
The apprentice groaned. As much as he loved to learn, he hated enchanting. He pushed Will into postponing it as much as possible after the first time they went to the enchantment room. "Do we have to?" He gave his teacher a pained expression, shining his eyes like a kitten.
Will averted his eyes. "NO! You are not using those eyes on me!" Each word reaching an octave higher.
"But Will-"
"No 'buts'. Now go to the enchantment room." He pointed towards the edge of the roof.
"Damnit, it worked last time."
Grumbling, Rider the jumped off the roof onto one of the outlying platforms. People would question why would they jump off an 11-story building when they have an elevator, but they had Free Runners, special boots that stop the force of gravity from breaking a person's insides, (patent pending). It was much more fun, plus they had hang gliders, just in case.
Will pushed his hand through his hair. He needed to put up the barricades again. Those runes like to hit everything. Including Rider. Especially Rider.
Bloody wall-breaking nonsensical squiggles.
Honeydew
Simon rubbed the back of his head where a bruise used to be, while painting a lovely picture of a Jaffa cake.
"Someone talking about us? Or the enchantment table?" Xephos asked, holding said Jaffa cake in the air, like a model.
The 'artist' shuddered. "Both."
Simon and Lewis (and most of the Yogscast, in fact) promised never to go near runes again, after the incident.
Who knew floating letters could cause such a ruckus? Much less a concussion...
