By the time the morning of the next day arose, although I couldn't tell much since I was underground, my training under Yuugi had started and so has my heart. I've never felt my heart race as much as it did on a daily and constant rate. Not even when I had my little run-in with the ladies back at the Scarlet Devil Mansion had my heart pumped so much. The training was a bit tough for me, especially since Yuugi constantly yelled at me, using the typical degrading talk that my old Cross-Country coach, Mrs. Stevens would probably use, but in the context of Gensokyo and its population and whatnot. The only thing that made my job the toughest was Yuugi's words of discouragement. Then again, words were always a weapon when used in the wrong way, and it proved to be effective against me. However, I got used to it and in almost no time, all the weight-lifting, exercise, and a strict diet of meat, protein and other extremely healthy things that could only be found in Gensokyo was all worth it. I felt so much power coursing through my arms, chest, and core like never before!
Yuugi showed me around the city a few times, showing off how she would train a human to be at least half as strong as the average oni. I wasn't sure how that would happen, but she's said to be an unexplainable phenomenon, which sounds a bit like God, but God is more powerful and more omnipotent than anything, but that one characteristic makes me think that God is almost undoubtedly using Yuugi in a way. I don't doubt it, except for the fact that she also mentioned something about a bet she made with some other oni, but if that's the way that God can get the attention of an oni, then so be it. There was also something about Yuugi that helped me overlook that other fact. It was about wondering why she decided to take me in in the first place. She had to be a better person than she appeared to be. She was still a generally decent person, aside from being the loud and rowdy kind who liked fights. She always made sure I was fed well and got the rest I needed at the end of the day, according to the clocks down here because we're underground! Boy, do I miss the sun and moon.
Yuugi: "Hey, Reinhardt! Tomorrow's your lucky day!"
Reinhardt: "How come?"
Yuugi: "Tomorrow, we can go up to the surface. All this hard work you've been doing is gonna pay off." I had a strange feeling about this statement, but it was immediately overcome with positivity and optimism over this weary soul with a ripped body.
Reinhardt: "Awesome! You're amazing, Yuugi. Thank you so much for your hospitality and training. I needed it, especially in my darkest hour."
Yuugi: "Nah, don't mention it. It wasn't much. Whaddya want, a hug? C'mere you!"
She then grabbed me and squeezed me up against herself. I could feel my spine popping and I could've been suffocated by her chest, but she meant well by it. It wasn't very often that an oni hugs someone anyways, so it really must've meant something for her. It was like she was the best older sister I've never had. My actual older sister wasn't much of one and hated hugs from me, but she was still my sister and I loved her like a brother. I guess I was like a little brother to Yuugi as well. The next morning, we headed toward the chasm that showed the surface's sky. This was going to be the first time I've seen the light from the sky this week.
Reinhardt: "So now we're back to where I was from the beginning."
Yuugi: "Of course we are. The answer to your problem was not only my training, that, not to mention, got me some serious yen, but it's also all around us."
Reinhardt: "Lemme guess. Rock climbing?"
Yuugi: "Yep. You're not afraid, are you? Oni never cower, especially on a deal!"
Reinhardt: "I'm not afraid. Never was, never will be."
Yuugi: "Good. You better strap down your bag, because if you drop something, there's no going after it again. Understand?"
Reinhardt: "Gotcha. I've got everything I came down here with."
Yuugi: "Alright, I'm coming up with you too. It's been a while since I've been topside anyways. How about you get a head-start so you don't end up seeing up my dress."
Reinhardt: "Hey, I know better than to do something as lewd as that, especially to family, but I'll head up anyways. The Assassins will be proud of me."
Yuugi: "Heh, family. People do like calling me 'big sister'."
As I ascended the cold, hard, oppressing walls of the big hole, I felt all of my hard training pay off. I climbed the cliff's face with the intent of reaching the top fearlessly. My hands and fingertips hardened and toughened with all the weight of their world, it seemed, put on them instead of my feet. The cracks were utilized as a grip for me as I made my way to the top, grip by grip. Knowing that Yuugi had my back, I overcame any intruding fear inside of me and soon reached the surface with my heart beating as if it were about to jump out of my now muscular chest. I took a knee to breathe and to thank God for delivering me out of the depths with another new friend. Yuugi soon emerged from what she called home onto the grassy earth that was now below our feet.
Yuugi: "Nice job! Not once did you stop for more than a second!" Yuugi patted me on the back, which kinda made recovering my breath a bit hard, but her words meant a lot to me, coming from one of the Big Four Oni of The Mountain.
Reinhardt: "Thanks, sister. You helped me do this. You're an amazing coach."
Yuugi: "It's nothing, really. But thanks. Now I wonder where we can find Yukari. It always seems that she's never around when you want her."
Reinhardt: "Figures, but there's something more important that I need to check on. We need to head to Alice's place as soon as we can. I spent a few nights at her place and I left the rest of my belongings there. I was wondering if everything was okay over there while I was gone."
Yuugi: "Ooh, so you have a girlfriend? I thought Alice liked Marisa."
Reinhardt: "Well, I did confess my love for her before I left for the Scarlet Devil Mansion and she said she liked me back. And for the record, yes she did like Marisa, but not anymore."
Yuugi: "Hm, that's interesting. I was also wondering about you and the Scarlet Devil Mansion. What exactly happened over there?"
Reinhardt: "Well, long story short, Patchouli and Remilia offered to help me out with me and my Wanted status, but it turned out that they only wanted to make me into a juicy steak dinner."
Yuugi: "Those selfish little demons! They're no better being above where I live! Reinhardt, it sounds like we have lots of things to do while we're up here. Your big sister's here to beat up your bullies!"
These words were very reassuring, seeing that I don't have any magical spell cards to fight people with, and I don't plan on using any either. I don't like magic, but I'll have to deal with it being in a world full of it. I'm just glad that somebody's willing to fight for me, if need be. I hope Alice is alright, though. Yuugi and I then started off toward the Forest of Magic to check on the status of my belongings and my love (the name of the forest itself still bothers me to this day though, geez).
