Talking "Hi I am a Stegosaurus"
Thoughts 'I'm not really though'
Sound Effects 'Cabooooooom!'
Writing/Transponder Snails 'Hey its ya boi'
Chapter Sixteen- Training Woes
Our world's about to break, Tormented and attacked! Lost from when we wake with no way to go back. I'm standing on my own but now I'm not alone, Avengers Assemble! Always we will fight as one 'til the battles won. With evil on the run, We never come undone! Assembled we are strong Forever fight as one! Brings a tear to my eye that does… ANYWAY where were we. Oh yeah. Oliver is a sad boi but Jaspers enthusiastic behavior is definitely what the doctor ordered. Now let's have a look at what he is up to now
By the time Oliver finished lunch it was 8:10, meaning he had twenty minutes to get his butt to the training grounds. "Oh man we should probably get going, don't want to be late for training. The punishment for that is worse than a bucket of water on your head" Jasper said as he and Oliver made their way out of the mess hall.
"Oh god don't remind me about that, I'm definitely gonna have PTSD from that" Oliver said slumping his posture to portray his obvious distaste of what transpired not even two hours prier. "Hahaha don't be so dramatic, its unbecoming" Oliver's face went red from embarrassment and stomach flipped at the sound of Jasper's laugh. "Like you can talk, you're the most dramatic person I know and I haven't even known you for a full day yet."
"Pffft whatever, race you to the training grounds… no flying either! Winner has to make the other person's bed for a month" Jasper said as he turned to look at Oliver. Jasper was rocking back and forth on his heels clearly itching to race Oliver. "Argh fine, but don't be surprised if I lose" Oliver said glumly already doubting himself."
"Aright!" Jasper then put his hand in his pocket and felt around, trying to look for something. Pulling his hand out he had what looked to be a small metal screw. "I'm gonna throw this in the air and as soon as it touches the floor the race begins, ready?" Oliver nods. Jasper then threw the screw up into the air, the two boys got into running stances ready to shoot off at a moment's notice.
The screw got closer and closer, then *tink* touchdown.
Then they were off. Oliver was pretty much neck and neck with Jasper as they flew around corners and down halls. Jasper was laughing up a storm, clearly having fun… Oliver was pushing himself. Considering this was technically still a new body to him and the only other time he had ever really ran was when he was being chased by a weird lizard, and when he shot off to saw the princess.
They ended up passing a group of royal soldiers who were marching down the hall, fully decked out in the royal guard uniform and weapons. Not even slowing down the boys ran past them "NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS" the leader of the group yelled out, but by the time he had finished shouting the boys had already ran around the next corner. Oliver was laughing along with Jasper now, this was the most fun he's had in ages.
Suddenly the end was in sight of the door which led out into the training grounds, Jasper was suddenly leading the race. 'No I can't let him win! This is a matter of pride now!' Oliver gritted his teeth and pushed himself to move, pushed himself to run faster, push himsel- "WWwwwwwoaahhhh! CRASH".
"PPPPTTffffff hahahahahahah good one Oliver, but I don't think heavy amour suits you hahaha" Oliver looked up from his position on the floor to glare at Jasper. Oliver had managed to run straight into the training grounds… but failed to stop before running straight into a stand of armor.
"Ha ha, laugh it up… geez that hurts. Sooo who one?" Oliver asked as he stood up and brushed himself off. "Hmmmm… I actually don't know" Jasper said as he started to help Oliver pick up the scattered armor pieces. "Jasper won" a voice said, "Not that you should be racing around inside anyway.
Oliver froze before turning slightly to look at his mentor/guardian Pell. "Aaaaaaaaahhhh, at least I'm not late" Oliver said timidly. "True, but make sure this doesn't happen again." Jasper and Oliver nodded sheepishly. "Good, Jasper head off to your squadron. Oliver leave the armor alone and follow me".
As soon as Pells back was facing the boys Jasper gave Oliver a light punch and whispered "Loser" and ran off. Oliver rubbed his punched arm and rolled his eyes at Jasper. 'Definitely a sore winner'.
"Again" Pell said watching from the side lines as Oliver struggled. "I've *huff huff* been *huff* doing this for *huff huff* hours. Can I take *huff* a break?" Oliver asked as he was all but collapsed on the floor. "We have barely done anything. If you are having trouble doing one thousand push-ups, sit ups and squats there is no hope for you boy."
"Come on you have *huff* to admit that's insane *huff*" Oliver tiredly supplied as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "That is merely the morning exercise that every soldier must do before training starts". Oliver's eyes widened in shock "What?! But that's just insane! I can barely do one fifty push ups". "It seems I might have to take a different approach to how I train you…. Alright start from the top". "Noooooooooooooo…".
"Dude where have you been? I didn't see you at lunch time" Jasper said as he sat down at the table with his dinner. Oliver looked up tiredly at Jasper too tired to show any real emotion " Hell Jasper, I've been in hell". Jasper laughed "Well welcome back then, what did he make you do?" he questioned as he began to eat his dinner.
"Well… first it was pretty easy stuff just push-ups and what not" Oliver explained as he played around with the food on his plate." But instead of a reasonable amount of push up it was a thousand. How was I ever going to do a thousand push up Jasper?" Oliver whined.
"Well.. technically I can do-" "Don't finish that sentence Jasper!" Oliver all but growled out. "Ohhhh Kitten got claws, hahaha" This comment caused Oliver's face to heat up. Jasper's eyes twinkled at the reaction, " If you can't even complete the pre-warm up then what hope is there for you to be a Royal Guard?" Jasper inquired. "Hard are you this week in the first place?" Jasper looked at Oliver thoughtfully.
"*Sigh* I don't know man, I just am this way I guess… but I will get stronger... So I will train hard and make Pell proud and complete my training under him. "That's the spirit" Jasper said as he slurped down the last of his noodles. "Oh- Oh yeah, don't forget to get your mattress from the laundry yard". Oliver let out an annoyed groan "dammit… I completely forgot about that!"
The next few weeks passed in the same manner, Oliver would go to bed reasonably early and managed to not be that last one to wake up. He actually joined in with the ritual, helping wake up recruits with a bucket of water. It definitely was funnier when it wasn't you.
He would eat and hangout with Jasper and Van, later Oliver found out that he was the youngest recruit at fifteen. Jasper and Van are already sixteen. The three bonded and became close friends.
But not everything was going so well, other than the fact Oliver couldn't really go to the bath house with the other soldiers due to the fact he was still mentally a she and it still freaked Oliver out see see all that business, even though he just got used to his own… training was slow.
Instead of being insanely strong like everyone else in this world, Oliver seemed to be going at a pace that was just below average here. In his old world he would have been one of the strongest kids in Australia by now… but here? He was still really weak.
"You can complete the warm up now Oliver, which is a vast improvement from when you first started training" Pell said as he circled around the tired form of Oliver. "You are still improving at a less than optimal rate, when you are able to keep up with the other recruits, I will be able to teach you more and you will be able to help out at the palace… but until then keep training. You will get there… eventually". Oliver watched Pell walk back inside, he bit his lip harshly drawing blood and hit his fist onto the ground "Dammit" Oliver Growled out.
Oliver practically threw his dinner plate down on the table, "Wow someone in a bad mood, what happened? Did someone go through your stuff again?" Jasper asked from the other side of the table as Oliver took his seat across from him. "No… but I'm pretty sure Pell is disappointed in my progress, I am getting nowhere, how am I supposed to fulfill my dream if I'm not even at the same level you guys are at?" Oliver huffed out as he started poking his food around his plate.
Jasper's eyebrow quirked up at that, "Your dream? What is your dream?". Oliver gave Jasper a sad smile, "My dream is to go home". "Thats a stupid dream" Both Jasper and Oliver snap there head towards the new speaker. "I mean, just go home. It's not like we are held here against are wills or something, and if you are as weak as you say you are. Then you should just leave and let Pell pick another apprentice." A boy who sat next to Jasper ranted as he swirled around his cup of water, he watched the water swirl around the edge and effectively ignoring Olivers and Jaspers heated stares.
"I would if I could Van" Oliver grounded out. "Why? did your parents kick you out? Hmm is that it? Or did you get lost like the lost little lamb you are, or maybe you got kidnapped and is an escaped slave" he supplied quickly giving Oliver a once over with his eyes. "I can see why? Who would want a son like you?". "That's ENOUGH Rovhal!" Jasper snarled.
Rovhal was one of the tallest and biggest boys to be in recruitment, he intimidated the other boys and takes what he wants without asking.. And he gets the highest scores out of anyone in the courtyard.
Oliver short brown hair shadowed his eyes, making it impossible to tell what type of emotion he was conveying, "You don't know what he has been through he doesn't deserve to be yelled at by the likes of you" Jasper snapped at Rovhal. "He certainly doesn't deserve to be here, I bet he didn't even save the princess from those pirates I bet he was one of them!".
Not being able to stand the arguing any more Oliver Stood up suddenly, which caused his cup to fall over and cutlery to fall to the floor. The sudden noise caught Jaspers' attention, he looked over and caught a glimpse of Oliver's retreating form leaving the mess hall. "...Oliver…" Jasper mumbled meekly, saddened that his friend was upset. "Hahaha what a joke.. The boy can't even handle a few mean works hhahahahah". Jasper turned and glared at the Rovhal, "he has amnesia you asshole" with that Jasper got up from the bench and ran after his new friend.
Oliver ended up back on the roof again, the sun had set and the stars once again looked down on him from above. Oliver's emotions were going haywire. Mentally Oliver was still a fifteen year old girl from Western Australia, now… he had the body of a fifteen year old boy. 'I just want to punch Rovhal in the face!' Oliver thought venomously 'But he is right though… I'm too weak to be here'. Letting out a loud sigh and a few tears Oliver stared off into the distance feeling sorry for himself.
"Hey Oliver are you out here?!" Oliver heard Jasper yell out from below him, from the window he jumped out of to get to the roof. Oliver debated with himself if he should answer Jaspers call.
' I really want to be alone right now… but- he did defend me. When no one else would… and he has been so kind to me…'. Sighing deeply once again Oliver called out to his new friends. "Yeah Jasper… I'm up here" Oliver tried to mask how his voice was with emotion… but he realized he didn't do so well when he noticed how gentle Jasper's reply back was. "Ok, I will be up in a second" Oliver stilled at the soft spoken works, no one had talked to him like that ever only ever his Mum…
Oliver didn't have time to worry about how Jasper was gonna reach the roof from the window one story down from his current location, when he saw the spikes of Jasper's orange hair appear peeking from over the side.
"That was fast" Oliver mumbled as he quickly tried to wipe the tears away from his face. Not wanting his friend to see him this way.
As Jasper pulled himself up to the roof he noticed Oliver turn his back on him, his hands busy wiping his face. Japer frowned a bit at the action "You know boys are allowed to cry right?". Oliver stopped rubbing his face, he simply turned his head slightly to hear Jasper better. "That's what my Mum tells me anyway, when my uncle died I refused to cry and it just ended up eating at me… hearing her tell me I could cry, it felt silly but once I did- I could properly mourn the death of my Uncle".
Jasper sat next to Oliver, he didn't look at him though he merely looked up to the stars. "I think you haven't really accepted that you're here, in Alabasta or that you have amnesia… I don't know what it's like to lose everything and not being able to fix it… but I think by the way you reacted earlier, I think you need a good cry and maybe a shoulder to lean on". Jasper glanced down and saw Oliver teary eyes gaze back, you allowed to be sad Oliver, it also doesn't help that training isn't going your way and that we have assholes like that creep trying to shoot you down".
Oliver's bottom lip started to tremble and tears started rolling down his face, "I *sniff* I don't know what to do… *sniff* *sniff* I'm so we-weak and if I want to find my home I'm g-gonna have to be str-strong enough to handle the grand line!" Oliver sobbed out loud wrapping his arms around his legs as his body shook with his sobs. "Not to men-mention the fact *sniff* that I hav-have no idea wh-where to look *sniff*". Jasper wrapped his arms around Oliver not stopping as he felt the smaller boy stiffen up in his embrace. "I'm never getting home!", "Shhh shhh shhh it alright, let it out. Let it out" Jasper whispered as he rocked Oliver back and forth.
Oliver unwrapped his arms from around his knees and hugged Jasper back crying into his shoulder. "It's ok, how about this… when we have both finished our training. We can head out to sea together… helping each other achieve our dreams". Through blurry vision Oliver pushed himself back and stared into Jasper's eyes.
"Are you sure *sniff*" Oliver asked eyes wide with tears. "Yes, both our dreams will be found outside of Alabasta and on the grand line… I'm not too big on going alone… plus you've been an amazing friend these last few weeks and you are one of the only people who support my dream… it's only fair that I support yours." Jasper gave Oliver a gentle smile, "you promise" Oliver asks.
Jasper's smile deepened as he looked past Oliver and stared at the sky, "To the stars beyond". Oliver leaned in to hug Jasper, "To the stars beyond" he mumbled. Jasper looked down at the boy in his arm and deepened the hug placing his head atop Oliver's hair. Neither boy noticing A star shooting across the night sky.