* Edit: I need to stop writing at these stupid 3-6 am hours! Too many mistakes to pardon this time...

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Chapter 9

6 am came quickly. Despite the tiring day I found it difficult to fall asleep; I was way too excited for what I had set the alarm for. I grabbed my phone to use as a light to head for the bathroom. Once my vision was back I quickly went to make sure I had warm enough clothes on to head outside in. I grabbed a shirt to go over the yoga bra I normally slept in and picked up my favorite lounge sweater to drape over me. The dogs were up but I left them in the room. It was too early for breakfast for them.

Heading for the back door I slipped into my shoes and grabbed the door handle. For a moment a few images from yesterday flipped through my mind and I grinned as I whipped the door open. It was almost too dark to see except for the light starting to form out over the fields behind the house. I could see his silhouette form barely outlined, so I took a deep breath, set my shoulders back to hold my head high and eagerly crossed the yard. I got within a few yards and stopped. It was quiet for a moment.

"Morning." A chill ran through me as his voice cut through the air and he turned to face me. It was still a bit dark but I could see him well enough to see the light grin flash across his lips. My hands stayed warm inside my hoodie pocket and I relaxed as I leaned a bit on one leg.

"Mornin'." As the word passed my lips the sun came up over the edge of the fields and the orange glow bathed the entire backyard. I never had a need to be up at this hour before so the view was breathtaking. Having Cell in the middle only added to the epic image and I had to mentally scold myself after my eyes traced the outline of his body in the light.

'Damn am I such a sucker for this view…' I bit on my tongue to remind myself to stop ogling. He was only a few feet from me now and the light grew brighter with each passing moment. His arms came undone and one rested on a hip while the other hung at his side.

"I trust you slept well?" The question was unexpected to me, but I disregarded it as a conversation starter.

"Hardly. Too excited," I piped. It must not have been what he was expecting as he shook his head with a chuckle.

"Hm, we will have to see how this plays out then."

"Standing here really doesn't take that much effort..." I stifled a yawn.

"Actually, I spent some time to think over an interesting option. I have this unsettling notion that I owe you for everything that has occurred. I would like to test my patience with you as you have done so with me." I raised a brow and shook my head.

"Seriously…don't feel like you 'owe' me. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that I'm still alive," I laughed lightly through the hazy feeling from only being half awake. The gruff sound he gave almost made me reconsider my words.

"Again I have to remind you that I am holding my end of the bargain and will continue to do so?" Sadly my tired state kept me from holding in my giggles as he gave me an irritated look.

"I'm sorry…" I continued to giggle, "But that won't vanish anytime soon." The sun was up high enough now I could see his features much clearer now. His faint frown was still there. I must have been too tired to realize I was testing his patience more than I normally would have.

I shuffled my posture a bit to stand a bit straighter, "Alright, what did you have in mind?" The expression changed on his face as he straightened his form.

"Yesterday you said that despite never having a conflict you believed you would be able to defend yourself. If you would allow it, I would like to test you." A few odd looks crossed my face before the only thing I could possibly form in my head finally made its way up.

"What?" Apparently he expected this type of reaction from me.

"I would like to test you to see if you're truly capable," he repeated with a grin. Again, words failed me for a moment, but then a few outcomes played through my mind.

"You testing me with a fight…I see nothing that can go wrong…?" I raised a brow sarcastically. A short laugh rang from him for a moment before he crossed him arms across his chest.

"Oh, I never said anything about fighting you, my dear, just putting you through a few situations and seeing how you react. Nothing you won't walk away from," he ended with a nod. I stood there stunned that I was actually considering the offer even though odds were I was just going to prove to both myself and to him that I would get my ass kicked in a real fight. I brought my arms up around me and scrunched my nose for a second.

"Okay…why?" Somehow I felt an ulterior motive behind these 'tests'. The sun was beaming up over his shoulder now, making me squint in the light. His form held steady.

"I will explain, after of course." Common sense was set on refusing, but my curiosity of my skill was starting to come out of hiding. I knew I was tough, quick, and fairly well-balanced, but I also knew I have never tried to put any of that to a real challenge. That if you were to throw a punch you had to put everything behind it and follow through.

I took a short breath in. Several things he could ask for flipped like a rolodex in my head: running a race, lifting as much weight as I could handle, standing on one leg with my eyes closed, or anything else other than actually fighting with him.

"I have no faith, but I can try," I let my arms fall to my sides. His came down as well and he stepped up a bit closer.

"Lacking confidence will hinder you; quell that mentality and focus." I squinted in the light but didn't voice my discomfort. He stepped to my right and I turned to face him, thankful to get the sun out of my eye, but he only moved a couple feet back. I held my breath as he brought his arms up to his sides with tight fists pulled back. My eyes went wide.

"Hey…that's way too close!" He didn't move.

"I will give you only this: stay light on your toes." I swallowed hard and let out a hard breath as I tightened my gut and legs. My heart was pounding in my chest as I braced and waited, unsure of what he was planning. I had my hands open with fingers spread out wide; something I picked up in my yoga sessions. I warily kept my eyes focused on his, hoping they gave away when he was going to move and try to use that moment.

Another shallow breath passed through me. I started to shake a bit; when and what was he going to do? I moved a foot slightly back to center my balance more.

He moved quick and silent. I barely saw it but the fist that was suddenly aiming at my face made me flinch and I snapped my head to the side. My arms flailed to keep my balance as I threw my weight to the side. I felt him hit my upper cheek, but not a solid hit. It was more of a hard graze. Ignoring the jolting pain I forced my head up as soon as I could to brace myself but was met with a forearm thudding high on my chest and I flew back several large steps. Barely managing to recover I glanced up to see him duck low and pull his arm back again.

'Oh shit…'

The sudden blow to my stomach knocked the wind from me and I doubled over, my arms holding myself as I coughed and gasped, taking a knee in my stunned state. I clenched my teeth and tightened my gut to keep that feeling of nausea at bay. Catching what little breath I could after a few moments I got back on my feet and brought my head up again. I was shaking everywhere, anticipating another assault.

Instead he brought his arms up over his chest again and stared at me. I stared back for a moment before the adrenaline settled down and let me think clearly again.

"The hell!?" A few hacking coughs made their way up, "That wasn't a test!"

The cocky look on his face nearly had me swearing, but I managed to hold my tongue. "Actually that was three tests, each evaluating a different skill, but clearly you missed what my aims were. Shall we evaluate how well you did?" I kept my arms hovering at my sides, feeling my heart still racing from the 'tests' and focused on him.

"Are you done testing me then?"

"For the moment."

Immediately I didn't trust his tone. That was definitely a loaded statement.

Taking a quick breath he began, "Each test had its own measurement, but do you know of what? Let's take the first one. I clearly threw a punch at you. What outcome would be expected of you?" I followed his explanation carefully.

"Well obviously I don't want to be hit, so, if I could dodge?" I flinched at the word as I remembered a popular joke. He shrugged his shoulders.

"How well do you think you did?" My hand came up to the side of my cheek that still throbbed a bit.

"Definitely a failing score…" I mumbled.

He continued, "The second test, what do you make of it?" I shot him a nasty look.

"That was a flat-out hit. If anything, that was just to see if I could take a beating," I growled. Granted, the hit didn't really hurt; it just knocked me back a few feet…then something clicked.

His expression changed a bit, "Are you sure? How did you react to it? There is nothing to learn from hitting you without an expected outcome." I suddenly realized what that test was

"Oh, I didn't hit the ground! Testing my balance?" One eyebrow lifted a notch.

"Finally, the last one." This one I was truly stumped on. The other tests clearly had specific outcomes he was measuring, but that last hit completely left me on the ground. There was no dodging it and certainly no muscle group it tested. I opened my mouth to speak, but sighed first before shaking my head.

"I really don't know…" He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Fair enough, 2 of 3 is not bad. Are you satisfied with your own evaluation? Or would you like to hear what I have to say?" Immediately I was curious but I was more than prepared for the lashing I was going to receive. The only thing I felt I had a decent ability in was my balance but even then I barely caught myself.

"Sure, I'd love a professional critique of how badly I'd get my ass kicked…" I groaned. I wasn't trying to sound too sarcastic, but I wanted him to know my expectations were low to begin with. His flat expression wasn't approving of my tone.

"Your optimism is starting to wear on what little patience I do have," he warned. Suddenly my patience was out the window.

"Hey, not fair!" I exclaimed, suddenly feeling a bit of heat rise in my chest. "I will take on a human in any physical test. A flat race, any test of balance, endurance challenges, even swimming! I know NOTHING of a fight. I am keeping my standards low for a reason," I stressed. Yes, I was a bit miffed now. If he had any patience left for me it had probably diminished by now. Nervous as I was I still managed to keep my glare fixed on his terrifying gaze.

That gaze didn't change as he spoke, "Yet that confidence flares up along with your temper with a challenge from a human. Why did you not use that when I was testing you?" My stunned look would have been priceless for anyone that could have been observing this little vocal skirmish.

"Well I kinda need to know what the test is…and what part of 'human' are you not hearing?" Seriously, he was not an idiot, why was he asking me this? Any person in the world wouldn't even be intimidating compared to him! The air was tense as I waited for some sort of angry outburst. But as the moments ticked by I realized just how disrespectful I was being and sighed in defeat. "Sorry, I guess I just didn't think you would actually hit me…I do want to hear it." I held my head up and straightened my posture. If this was going to happen I was going to listen properly.

The sun was brightly beaming across us now and I could see his lips twitch to the side. It became apparent the moment was to gather his thoughts before he spoke. "Do you believe the outcomes would change had you been informed of each test?" I weighed out my answers and found I was contradicting myself. I hesitated a bit.

"Well, I'd like to think so…I'd know what to expect and could focus more…but I'm still up against you…" I clenched my jaw a bit. Could I honestly have moved any quicker? My thoughts were scrambled before he took that first swing, but I found myself still unable to counter anything even after that. From the outside, it probably looked like he was treating me like a punching bag.

"This is the situation I gave you: I dialed back my speed and strength to that slightly above a typical human male without any disciplined techniques. More or less, a street-fighting level. Given your body type is above that of a standard female, I predicted you could handle the power I used against you. As expected, you did." Suddenly my confidence sank; he put me against exactly what I thought I could handle and got my ass handed back to me. My face fell with my confidence.

"Oh…great. A fat drunk is my best hope then…" He stiffened at my mumble.

"Listen. I am not done." His sharp tone brought me out of my slump. "I also withheld information of another test you needed to pass before the other tests began. A prerequisite, if you will." I was suddenly running ideas through my head to figure out what else I missed. Reaction speed and balance were obvious now, but I still didn't know what the third test was, and now a fourth was there before everything started? "Do you know what that initial test was?" I shook my head slowly.

"No clue, I still don't know about the third," my voice squeaked out my confusion.

"In time, but for now you must understand what the initial test meant. The punch I threw at you was not meant to be dodged; it was to see if I needed to stop or if I could follow through. For every creature there are two given options in dangerous situations; to flee or to fight. A third option naturally occurs as well but is typically overlooked. There are situations where you cannot outrun your opponent nor fight them, so the brain initiates a last-resort that resembles a deer-in-headlights look." Suddenly I realized what he was talking about.

"Oh, when you're so scared you freeze…but I didn't," I felt a smile come up. I recalled a lecture that discussed the same idea with training police officers to keep from freezing in situations that could get them shot when faced with an armed suspect. Suddenly a small smirk came up across his face.

"Exactly. You didn't freeze, so I was able to follow through and that is when the real test began. The fact that I only grazed you meant your brain has enough instincts to not only let you fight but to also give you a bit of reaction time. You passed both of those tests well, and your speed is only at a base. That can be trained and sharpened. You just don't know what to watch for yet." I wet my lips in anticipation. I was starting to get a bit excited! And I was starting to appreciate when he went into lecture mode.

He continued, "The second test was exactly what you predicted as well. I hit well above your center of gravity to see if you could recover. While it took more steps than necessary, you did. I had my suspicions of your balance after your demonstration on the kitchen floor several days ago, but you have proven otherwise now." I felt my embarrassment spike at the reminder of my fumble.

"Hey, there were a lot more factors involved than just my balance that day," I started.

"Hush." It was so quick and unexpected a shock ran through my spine and I held my tongue. He clearly did not like being interrupted. "The final test has apparently stumped you, so I will try to explain in a manner you can follow. Most fights are not ended in one hit unless you catch your opponent in a vulnerable area. The stomach is one such area that needs to be guarded and the only barrier between a punch and your organs is a strong core. Average humans may have some strength in their arms and legs from a typical lifestyle, but a strong core needs to be trained from a variety of activities, not just strength or balance. I needed an accurate measure before making a decision. So, for your last test, you needed to react to a hit in a vulnerable area. Now that you know, would you like to make an assessment yourself first?" I followed the explanation with ease and now found myself questioning my reaction to the hit. No matter how I looked at it, I only saw a failing blunder even though I considered myself having a fairly well-toned core.

"It knocked the wind out of me and I went to the ground. I can't see that as a passing score."

"You took a knee, yes. But how quickly did you get back up?"

"It shook me good, so maybe 10 seconds? 15?" I bit my lip. I was being generous with the time since I figured the hit might have made me lose track of time for a moment. The hardest part was getting regular breathing again and that took more than just a few seconds.

"12 exactly. Had you not stood back up from the pain that would have been too little. If you had taken over a minute you would have proven a bit of core strength. But you were up in less than a quarter of that time." The sheer thrill that I felt from that tone of his voice made my day and I clenched my fist in a small expression of pride.

"Glad to hear all those years of riding paid off," I cheered and looked out to the horses that had been hovering curiously along the gate. His eyes quickly glanced out to them as well then back to me.

"I fail to see a connection between those creatures and your abilities."

"Oh, maybe not so much these days, but back when I was riding every day and practicing for shows the balance showed a lot more. And Artie was a bucking bronc back then. The first summer I owned him he made sure I hit the ground a few times a week. So I guess my reaction speed might be from working with him too," I grinned.

"The only information I was provided with about these creatures is of older civilizations where wars were decided with cavalries, but after the industrial age humans advanced beyond what the creatures were able to provide. I know nothing of their use today. They appear to be pets in your care much like the dogs are." I nodded in agreement.

"Pretty much now. Horses are a hobby and a lot of people own them because they enjoy them, not because they need them. If you really want to know I can show you a bunch of stuff they compete in now. It's a diverse hobby."

The look on his face clearly showed no interest, as I figured he wouldn't, but then glanced back at them again.

"They would serve no purpose to me, so I see no need to research them." That was fair enough. At least he didn't write them off as ancient tools that needed to be discarded. Those would have been fighting words for me.

But I realized I had gotten way off topic and brought my hands up together and cracked my knuckles in anticipation. "So what was the point of putting me through all of this? Do I at least get a grade?" I felt my voice rise with my enthusiasm. His face lit up as he turned toward me. I prepared for the lecture I was sure was coming my way.

"Everything I did was to see whether you passed or failed the measures I was setting you up for. There are no grades as there is no standard to compare you to yet. For now, I am able to say you passed each test, but now I am unsure if I set the standard too low and should have pushed you harder," he finished with a small flash of a devious smile. The tone he finished that sentence with left me with a sudden drop in my gut and a reminder that he said there was a purpose for these tests.

"This is what I had in mind," he started, "to even the score I am offering to teach you to fight. If you feel there is no score to be settled, consider it a way to both satisfy your curiosity and for me to stave off boredom." My eyes lit up and I took a deep breath.

I let that line echo a few times in my head. He was offering to teach me to fight. A skill I had never considered learning before had suddenly become an opportunity right in my own backyard. For a moment I suddenly felt like the luckiest girl in the entire world. But then the other half started to think about the negatives that could come from it too. This was a chance to learn but with someone of his stature this would not be for fun. I would have to take this very seriously. I only had one question that could make or break the entire idea.

"How hard are you going to hit me?" my eyebrows went up. I was genuinely concerned about being put in a sink-or-swim situation and the lessons would be filled with 'dodge or get hit' types of training. I'd start calling him Piccolo if that were the case even though he wouldn't understand the joke. At least I'd get the satisfaction of that dumbfounded look on his face afterword. He made a small 'heh' that got my attention.

"Hard enough that you learn from it. I have no ill-intentions of hitting you to the point of serious injury. Pain, while an ideal motivator for improvement, still has limitations and could discourage rather than encourage. Our deal still stands; you have nothing to fear from me." The wave of relief that washed over me was more than words could ever describe and I let out my breath as a huge smile broke out across my face.

"Then that would be the honor of the century!" I had to stop myself from bouncing in my spot as I cheered in my head. The chance to learn from the best fighter known without the need to fear for my life was beyond anything I could have dreamed of! I caught a flash of a smile from him before he narrowed his gaze a bit.

"Not afraid of being hit by me?" I brought my hand up, brushed it over my sore cheek and gave him a flirty grin.

"I've already gotten a taste; I think I can handle it." I noticed his intrigued look at my bolder tone. Thankfully he didn't feed back into it as his look changed slightly more serious.

"Then you better prepare yourself since that was only a gentle version of the real training you will be enduring." That was definitely a promise. "Any other questions before we begin then?"

I was quick to answer, "Just one. Can I change into something more appropriate? I'm still kinda in my pajamas…" I was nervous asking for anything since this was something I never expected from him and didn't want to push my luck. But he seemed to mull it over.

"Hm…I suppose I can honor that request. I did blindside you after all. But tomorrow be ready. There will be punishments for being tardy." I stiffened at his tone.

"N-never!" He nodded in response.

"Then be quick." I didn't need to be told twice. I took off for the house and let the idea sink in once more with my mind running a million miles an hour.

The next day I woke to my alarm again, only this time set fifteen minutes earlier. After my first taste of Cell's version of circuit training I realized I wanted a few more minutes in the morning to at least feel a bit fresher. I hated the tacky feeling in my mouth in the morning.

I went to reach for the phone to shut off the blaring sound, but my arm didn't want to move. I groaned and tried harder but only found my entire body absolutely refused to move. Trying once more the ache actually pried a pained sound from me and I finally got my body to roll over.

My entire body was stiff. Each little movement reminded me of every muscle I used and then some! But the question wasn't so much if I was out of shape but if he pushed me that hard…

Psyching myself awake I made the pathetic shift to get my legs to the floor and finally got enough energy in them to stand. I took the moment to lightly stretch to get the blood moving more. My first steps were heavy but as I started moving more it got easier and by the time I had dragged my clothes out I was feeling much more motivated.

I made it out back before the sun came up. I started checking my phone more to keep up with the sunrise times to keep from being late. I did not want to learn what the punishment for that would be. He turned as I approached and I ran my hands over my arms to warm up. My hair bounced in the ponytail I had it pulled up in and I felt the chill zip down from my neck. The workout clothes I picked were good choices for flexibility and coverage, but the morning chill still seeped through. Figuring the morning would warm up like yesterday did I was wearing a tank top under the fitted jacket, just in case.

His eyes scanned once-over before giving an approving nod.

"Prepared today I see. I half-expected you to not make an appearance."

I stretched my neck from side to side and flexed my shoulders a bit to feel the strain there too. "Oh trust me, I'm feeling it today. But it's best to keep pushing on the next day." I might have looked a bit controlled but my voice was filled with excitement for the workout today. I was the type to hit the gym hard for a few days to get over the initial 'hump' of muscle soreness before setting myself into a routine. With Cell, however, I expected the routine to begin right away yesterday.

Instead he started with a more beginner-level foundation. He was particularly focused on my footwork and balance more than my power or (lack of) skill. He never even had me throw a punch, much to my relief, as that would have been a pathetic display. The little 'game' he set up was to keep me facing him and to make use of my balance with reaction speed to keep him from getting to my sides or behind me, which he threatened to knock me down if he did. After the first couple times he shoved me around I caught on quicker and managed to keep up a consistent pace for at least fifteen minutes.

But that was just the first round and I found out my cardio was at an all-time low. I made a mental note to try to work in running a bit in between to try to build that tolerance back up again. Meanwhile he kept increasing his speed and even after catching on and reacting quicker he still got me to the ground a few more times before stopping for a break and a lecture. We went for another round after that and he didn't let up until we hit the hour mark.

But today was a new day and he wouldn't give me even a hint as to what today would hold. So I stood there ready for whatever he prepared to throw at me.

Turns out, it was the opposite.

"Try to hit me."

I gawked at the cometh-at-me grin and stance he held. I brought up my hand and clenched it, looked from him and back to my fist again. I couldn't help my sheepish smile.

"With this little thing?" I had small hands and even smaller wrists. Hitting him would have been like pitching pebbles at a locomotive. The cutest grin came up on his face in a light taunt.

"Come now, where is all that enthusiasm for learning to fight? You can't win if you don't hit your opponent." My body was tingling with the idea of making any sort of contact with Cell, combat or not. It was a mix of nervous butterflies in my stomach and the shakes in my arms from just the idea of throwing a punch. That aside, a kickboxing class with a foam target was different than an actual opponent.

I gulped, "Well, I've never thrown a punch AT someone before!" I stepped back warily. My mind started to process what I would even need to do. Would I hurt myself with a punch or lose my balance? What if he hit back?

That thought made my blood run cold.

"I never said how you needed to hit me. Just make some sort of contact then we can go from there." I swallowed hard and brought my arms up to my sides, clenching my fists to see how it felt. I didn't like a couple things right away: my nails dug into my skin more than I liked, so those would have to be cut short, and my hands were cold from the chilly morning so my skin felt tight and could crack and split easily. Would gloves help that? Was that even a good idea?

"You're overthinking it!" I looked up, completely stunned as he quickly closed the space between us and shoved me sideways with the side of his arm. I hit the ground but not hard enough to hurt so I quickly scrambled back up to my feet and felt my blood racing as he shuffled his feet, threatening to get on either side of me. His hands were never threatening to hit me as they were never clenched into fists, but I still had to be wary as he used his arms and elbows just as easily. He stepped back a few feet away and took the pressure off.

'Here goes nothing!' Without really thinking about it I charged forward and only pulled my arm back just enough to snap forward quickly, hoping I would connect somewhere…and hoping it wouldn't hurt.

"Don't hesitate!" my loosely-gripped fist lost all form when his arm swatted mine away. My mind reeled as I felt my arm snap behind me from the sheer force he used to push it away. "I know you have more than that! Now hit me with everything!" I caught myself and brought my arms back up, clenching my fists harder and feeling the strain down my arm as I tightened the muscles. Gritting my teeth I braced through my body and kept my feet moving, staying light on my toes as I tried to shuffle to an angle that I could try to throw another punch. He mirrored me for a bit but then darted to my side and I heard my short gasp mix with short breaths as I shuffled again.

'Oh crap, I gotta do both? Dance around him and get a hit in!?'

I moved faster, trying to get to one of his sides quick enough to swipe at him but his movements were quicker than mine and with less effort. I bared my teeth and charged in with my arms tucked in tight and went for another jab. This time he moved away just enough for me to fall short and I lost my balance from leaning too far in. He stepped around in one quick motion and his arm whacked me across the back. I flew forward and had to catch myself with a hand before I spun around, absolutely pissed at how little direction I was given today. This definitely felt more like a 'this is what you did wrong' type of lesson. Well if I was going to mess up anyway might as well go all out.

With a growl I pulled both of my arms back and charged at him. I slammed my right foot down to get a solid footing and threw my right arm out for his face even though I knew he was too tall for me to reach from here. Pushing all of my weight into the thrust I felt my entire body shift and for a moment I completely forgot about getting hurt.

My body jolted to a halt as he caught my fist with his hand. Panic rushed through me as I saw how small my fist looked as he closed his hand around it. I tried to pull back but he held fast.

"Hold on now. I want you to reflect on what just happened. Your first attempts were shallow and you didn't follow through. This is the first correct motion you have done. It didn't matter if it was a punch or a kick; you didn't hesitate and you used your entire body to stabilize and power it. Now," he released my fist and I pulled it back to my side, "you are going to continue to practice until you are confident consistently, then we will advance from there."

The practice for the next half-hour probably looked ridiculous but I could happily say it was the most exciting thing I had ever done. There were plenty of half-assed attempts at hitting him but he made sure to point out the ones that had correct form and follow-through. I figured fighting had its own proper techniques much like sports did but had never had the opportunity to have it explained to me in full. He showed me a few different types of punches for different situations and after a quick breather with another lecture we resumed for a bit longer than yesterday. And, like yesterday, he never truly hit me with any force other than to either knock my arm away or push me to the ground.

But I didn't get comfortable; that day would eventually come.

He ended the session when my lunges had lost all form and I was throwing my body weight around rather than maintaining posture. He quickly demonstrated how that could be used against me by tripping me and making sure I face-planted into the grass.

I groaned as I lay there, turning my face to keep from inhaling the blades of grass that tickled my nose. His yellow boots crossed my vision and I pulled my arms back to sit up on my elbows. He knelt down and rested his arm over his knee. The look on his face told me everything I already figured; he delighted in teaching me these little 'life-lessons' of fighting.

Either that or my reactions to them as I recalled the most girlish squeal coming from me as I fell.

With a gleeful grin he tilted his head, "Hopefully that was a subtle reminder to be aware of your posture."

I let my head fall forward, "More like solid proof that my stamina is crap right now…" I wasn't breathing as hard now as I recovered for the moment but decided to shift to sit up on my knees. "If I don't start improving soon…this is going to be very short-lived."

"It's good that you keep high standards for yourself, but don't expect drastic changes for a while. How's this for a schedule? Every third day will be your day to recover. Use it however you wish." I was taken aback for a moment.

"Oh, I thought for sure you'd be an everyday type of trainer." Honestly I wasn't sure if I would have been capable of doing this every morning but I certainly wasn't going to try to bargain for days off unless it was absolutely necessary. This sounded promising.

He disregarded the notion quickly as he nodded 'no', "Not only would it put too much pressure on you but would be difficult for me as well. I have to hold myself back so much with you that I will take that day to maintain my own training." I shrugged my head and shoulders in agreement.

"Alright, I can agree with that. Any suggestions for the day off? Hate to counter all of this by not doing something in between." In my college days there was a routine of workouts for certain days and in-between would be fun stuff like swimming or a fun sport to break up the routine. As tempting as being a couch potato would have been I didn't want to slip up because of it. He stood up.

"Personally I prefer meditation, but a next-best for you would be your yoga routine. It will be good for you both mentally and physically, so find a routine that focuses on stretching and balance. It would be a shame to have you too exhausted the next morning from wasting energy on anything that doesn't contribute." I had hoped he would suggest that so I was thrilled with it more than he would ever appreciate. I shifted and set a hand down to push myself up from the ground but I caught him moving and glanced up. He extended an arm with his palm up. I glanced back and forth from his hand to his face a couple times, unsure of the gesture. Surely he wasn't offering to help me up?

"I thought it was polite to offer a lady a hand?" If it weren't for the genuine look on his face I would have never believed him. Instead I smiled at the most ironic scene.

"What does it mean when a villain has more chivalry than our modern society does?"

A light smile flashed back, "It means that chivalry is not dead."

"It certainly isn't," and with that I grasped his hand.

The next morning was refreshing. I had set a reasonable alarm to keep myself from oversleeping too much; it wasn't worth risking sleeping through the earlier alarms and to help stay accustomed to waking earlier. The dogs certainly didn't complain; it meant breakfast sooner and that made these dogs happy. I shuffled down the hall to make my drink and a light breakfast. Switching the machine on I peeked out the back window to see if Cell was in his own routine this morning. Unfortunately it seemed I had missed it. Bummed out I turned to get my ice cubes to drop in the glass but was halted as I turned to see him standing in the entryway to the kitchen. A bit surprised my eyes widened.

"Oh, morning," I piped. He seemed uneasy and a very awkward air hovered over us. I stopped my motions to see if he was going to respond.

He shifted lightly and took a breath, "Morning…I've found myself in a bit of a situation again…" his eyes shifted a bit in some sort of confusion. That got my attention.

"Oh, something up?" I watched his eyes carefully as he swallowed and uncrossed one of his arms, holding his hand out a little bit. I watched closely.

He was shaking. Badly.

"Oh no, not again," I breathed. My tone was panicked. "What happened?" He took another shaky breath.

"I've kept up with the usual with water whenever the craving arose and resting when it was necessary. I was forced to cut my routine by half this morning and rest has not improved anything. It's not just my hands either…" he stopped. I could see this was practically killing him to not understand all of these new situations. "I thought it best to come to you before repeating the events from days ago." A small smile made its way up for me.

"Good thing too, I don't think I could handle walking in on you conked out on the floor," I turned quickly on my heel and switched off the machine. "Anything other than the shaking? Cuz there are only a few things left to cause this."

His breath was short and his legs were a bit unsteady, but he shook his head, "Mostly the weakness and shaking again, but there's a nagging pain as well…" I kept my calm demeanor but continued my probing questions.

"Gotta tell me where; can't figure out anything with these vague descriptions." His arm moved again, this time covering his gut and a small groan rumbled through his body. I looked up to his face; he didn't make that sound, his stomach did. I giggled lightly. "Oh, well, guess those Sayajin cells are showing now…" His face reflected some serious shame.

"What do you mean? I have to consume food for energy?" That tone sounded just like a child finding out it was their turn to do chores for the day. I shrugged lightly.

"This weakness is probably low blood sugar. It's the only thing left on the list now. You've done everything else that should prevent this." I shook my head and sighed, "That might make sense if your power was your energy source…you need a different one now." It was quiet for a few moments. I wasn't sure if he was accepting the idea or not. Not that I was going to shove anything down his throat, but he really needed to consider the idea.

I lifted my eyes and made sure to meet his. He was definitely upset but also mulling over the situation. 'Such a pouter,' I mused to myself. It seemed simple to me, but eating was yet another human quality and he would certainly use it to prove his theory that he became human in this world. I was going to run out of reasons to prove he wasn't at this rate.

"Do you want to try? I can make something for you," I carefully and quietly offered. Another few moments passed before he clenched his jaw.

"I…suppose, but I don't know what to ask for…" I perked up immediately and gently pushed him from the hallway.

"Let me handle it; fitness and nutrition go hand-in-hand. I'll make us something simple but not weird. It's good too." He let me push him back a bit before hesitating. "Go sit down, I don't need you spending any more energy standing around." Taking the advice he headed back to the living room and I headed for the fridge.

"Alright, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt…I'll skip the raspberries today…"

About ten minutes later I headed into the living room with two tall glasses in hand with spoons tucked under my fingers. He was on the couch so I handed him one glass before sitting down beside him with my own. He looked it over and held the spoon between his fingers.

"What…is this?" I smiled and held my spoon over the mixture.

"It's a smoothie. It's a blend of strawberries, blueberries, a banana, plain yogurt and crushed ice cubes. Best recipe ever!" I grinned and dipped my spoon in for a bite. "The spoon makes it easier than just trying to drink it. This is a good balance of natural sugars, carbs and protein from the yogurt. Hydrates you too since everything is pretty much water-based too." He watched me take another bite before he hesitantly dipped his own spoon in.

I watched with ridiculous amounts of anticipation as he took his first bite. The next few seconds passed like molasses as I watched his expressions change. It was like someone tasting a fine wine for the first time but with a spoon instead. When he dipped it in again I started breathing again. For some reason I was really nervous about the reactions I was going to get. Instead he looked up from the glass.

"What?" Immediately I averted my eyes from his.

"Sorry…just hoped it was alright…" and I quickly shoved another spoonful in my mouth. My pulse was racing; why in the world was this so nerve-wracking? It was just a smoothie! I could understand if I had made a gourmet dinner and burned something, but this was too simple to mess up. Hesitantly I looked up again and noticed a light smirk on his face.

"It's quite good. The mix is very flavorful." The fluttering nerves filled my gut again and I felt a lot warmer.

"Uh thanks…" I fidgeted, "fresh fruit is the key." I took several more bites. "This was another first for you…I didn't wanna disappoint." His chuckle got me to shudder again and I peeked up from the glass.

"You sure do fret over the oddest things." I absolutely loved that look in his eyes. Bright, alert, and slightly gleaming with some sort of enjoyment, whether it was from the smoothie or my attitude around him didn't matter at the moment. I looked away as a shy smile formed.

"Well, I can't help it…I feel like a bit of a tour guide for you…" I rattled my spoon for some more of the smoothie, "You've been stuck with only what I can offer. I hope it's been tolerable," I offered a half-smile. I heard a clink that brought me back out of my shell; his glass was empty. Well that was quick; I still had a little more to go.

"Tolerable…I recall telling you it was difficult to see who was tolerating who now. If this isn't proof enough, then I don't have any other way to explain it to you. I've had to approach you for information, aid and now sustenance. As of now I can only look forward to future assistance and offerings." I was in an odd state for a moment; listening to him like this was enlightening in ways I could never describe. The android feared for the threat of destruction, death and beyond was accepting how much he was depending on me and even admitting his attitude towards it. A new fear was blossoming in me now; I feared letting him down. Any new obstacles that he could encounter in this world were now things I feared not having answers to or possibly unable to fix.

I peered into my glass to see the rest of the mix melted and too liquid to get the rest so I dropped the spoon in and sighed.

"Then I'll take it day-by-day." I licked my dry lips in anticipation, "Would you be up for trying some different meals? If you can let me know I can work some in pretty easily." After cooking alone for so long I got used to prepping and buying for only certain portions. He cradled the glass in his hand and nodded.

"If they are of a quality as this was I may consider it more frequently. Water is quite dull, and I had not expected human food to be this flavorful. It is no wonder why the Sayajins eat so heartily." Much like the other day his voice and personality had perked right back up after finding some sort of solution to the new issues. I couldn't help but jump in the conversation.

"They definitely appreciate good food! But you really don't need to eat as much as they do…you can still try so many different things and find out what you like without acting like they do…" I laughed. The images of Goku and Vegeta devouring majority of what I kept in the house flashed through my mind and I suddenly felt grateful that a weapon that had never eaten a day in his life was dropped in my lap instead. I felt something else to; the panicked thudding in my ears was gone and I noticed the shakes in my gut were gone. That aura of being unsure and worried about his health had dissipated too. If he was at ease, so was I.

But I knew how nervous I was when he was quiet, reserved and unpredictable. What a roller coaster of emotions this was going to be if the days continued like this. If I was going to feel like walking on eggshells until he finally gave me a smile…

He had better not ever use that against me intentionally to get anything, or so help me I would find a way to hit him hard enough for him to regret it.

He stood suddenly without warning with a huge grin on his face as he turned to me.

"That helped immensely! I have more than enough energy to continue where I left off."

"Hold on!" I knew what he was planning as soon as he got up; he wanted to keep up his training even after eating. I figured he needed a heads-up for this. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Doing anything on a full stomach isn't recommended. It could end badly…" I was not going to tell him he would throw it up; hopefully it was implied. He paused and fixed his gaze on me.

"You mean like how the fight would have gone?" So he remembered that detail. I nodded lightly. "While I still cannot fathom how 18 would be forced from me, the fact is that potential is there…perhaps you're right." With that he turned and sat back down on the couch. I was always happy with the space he kept between us; this was a large couch and there was always a few feet between us because of it. I hated cramped, short couches. I had set my glass behind me on the end table and turned to face him, resting my cheek in my hand as I smiled.

"I'd like to say you'd be fine as long as you took it easy and didn't overdo it, but I think I know you better than that." He turned back to me, an odd shimmer in his eyes.

"Do you now? Well then let me ask: now that I have yet another human quality I am forced to endure, are you still certain I have not become one?" I held my breath; that look he was giving me was serious and stern. I was really, really hoping he wouldn't bring that up again. My voice cracked a few times before I was able to sputter anything.

"Uh, well…that…that doesn't mean anything!" I started, "But…I, um…" I fidgeted. I kept my eyes on his, waiting for the right explanation to come up, but I was at a loss. I wasn't going to say 'Oh yes this definitely PROVES you're human!' but I had nothing to throw back at him! I kept silently panicking…

...until he suddenly busted out laughing and brought his hand up over his mouth, bringing it down to a low chuckle.

"Oh, I apologize but it is so difficult to keep a poker face with you, my dear Erika. That was a very entertaining explanation." My face fell.

"Wait, was that serious? Or were you kidding?" My jaw fell straight down as he nodded his head.

"Again, my apologies. I have done my own assessments over the past several days and have realized that, while I am severely limited, I am still, well, myself. This may just be a normal state for me as I have never been completely without my power before. Naturally some adjustments would be necessary."

I narrowed my eyes, feeling a huge wave of heat flush over me in absolute embarrassment. He pulled that on me to get a reaction! I took a huge breath, closed my eyes, and let it out very, very slowly.

"You…" I could feel it coming. It was sitting right there on the tip of my tongue. He leaned in a bit, that gleaming shimmer in his eyes again.

"Do you have something to say, my dear?" he stressed. My eyes locked with his one last time.

"Yes."

With one last breath I couldn't help it and I stood up, his eyes following me as I did. "You are an ass!" I stepped and grabbed my almost empty glass. "You are an ASS! Where? He is there!" I pointed accusingly. "There is the ass!"

The blank stare he gave back was comical, but without batting an eye I reached down, took the empty glass from his hand and started for the kitchen.

"That was rehearsed!" he called out behind me, "Why use a reference I don't understand!?" I turned and headed down the hall after dropping the glasses at the sink.

"Because it fit!"

Apologies for the long wait between chapters, but I am starting the next immediately and have realized the chapters are getting extremely long! I hope the wait has been worth it.

Also, brownie points for anyone that knows the reference