AuthorsNote: Hey lets rewind time a bit and put it back up for Sky's training eh?
"We're going to start out simple." Ratchet continued
"Simple how?" Stella asked as she walked up to them.
"Well...A race to the other side of the room while the floor changes sounds good."
Sky was ready to beat them both there and went to move away from his mom's leg only to have her hand fall on his shoulder. He glanced up at her and she shook her head and put a finger to her lips. He nodded and watched as Stella and his dad took off for their race. He felt his mom let go of his shoulder and he turned to see her walking into a side room. He followed her in and looked around the dark room.
Well, mostly dark, there was one light on in the middle, and in it stood a dummy-bot, immobile and watching the ground.
"Why did you hold me back, I could have beat them." Sky asked as he walked around the bot, waiting for it to move.
"That's exactly why, Stella's main weapon is her mind, Ratchets going to work on that, while trying to round out some of her other skills." Sasha spoke up as she walked up behind him.
"Running?" He asked and poked the bot.
"That's One"
"So...What am I being trained in then?" Sky asked poking the bot one more time while Sasha tapped the remote in her pocket.
"Combat" she said backing up a step as the Bot snapped to attention and wrapped a metal grip on Sky's wrist. Sky let out a gasp and tried to back up, tugging on his wrist. The Bot tightened its grip and pulled him closer.
"Let Go" He tugged again and the Bot pulled him a little closer.
He turned to his mom "Make it let go, please" he begged, dragged a little closer.
Sasha almost broke right then, but instead she tapped her pocket with the remote again and the Bot dropped its grip on Sky to become docile once more. Sasha pressed a button on the wall and another Bot rolled out of the shadows of the room, her size.
"Sky you need to learn this, your acrobatics are fine, but I want you learning close range combat." Sasha thrust her hand out and the bot grabbed hers like Sky's did to him. It didn't do anything however, just held her wrist. She stared at Sky and he held his own wrist out to his bot, it reached out and clamped a metal hand on him again.
"Now what?" he asked
"Watch" Sasha said and proceeded to escape from the immobile bot. Instead of pulling away, she ducked forward underneath the arm and delivered a devastatingly powerful punch to the armpit of the bot that would have felled a normal man. The bot in response relaxed its grip and Sasha brought her fist up underneath the elbow and popped it up out of its respective joint, twisting it. The Bot let go of her fully and Sasha stepped back and glanced at Sky. Sky had been watching rapt and glanced back at his Bot.
He ducked underneath the arm and hit his palm into the armpit and felt the grip on his wrist loosen slightly, he brought his hand up into the grove of its elbow and pushed, but when he tried to twist the arm, nothing happened.
"Not enough power" Sasha spoke up watching him, she raised her arm and made a fist making a driving motion with it upwards.
Sky nodded and tried hitting its elbow again, nothing.
"Harder"
He nodded and stepped back, he ducked forward hit the arm pit dropped as low as the grip would let him and sprang up hitting the joint with his head. He grabbed the wrist and turned sharply out of the grip of the bot.
"Hey I did it" He yelled, then he rubbed his head with his freed hand "...ow..."
Sasha smiled and stalled the laughter in her throat "Yes, you did, I don't think you should use you're head in a real situation." She glanced back at the bots "Ready to give it a try with the Bot trying to pull you towards it.?" she asked
Sky eyed his bot doubtfully "I dunno..."
Sasha laughed, " I know you can do it. Here I'll show you the main difference."
She held out her hand again and when the Bot grabbed it began to pull on her. "Rather then fighting it..." she explained as she ducked underneath the arm again and punched it in the armpit again, this time actually driving the bot back a few steps "Is to use the enemys strength against it" She then brought her now perfectly positioned shoulder into the elbow groove and slid her hand out of the grip. She stepped away and looked down at Sky
"Rather then letting the enemy pull you off balance, you move with the pull, and use that to get more leverage into a hit." She gestured towards her bot "If you noticed, I used my shoulder that time, it was because I put myself in the position of the better thing to do was standing up., The key to wining a hand to hand fight is to be aware of everything around you, your surroundings, the sounds, and your own body."
Sky nodded and held his hand out to his bot and when it grabbed him and started pulling him towards itself he executed the moves his mother had just used perfectly, even wedging his shoulder in the exact same spot on his bot and just stepping back. He glanced at his mom and she nodded approvingly.
"So, In case you hadn't noticed, I decided to work on getting you out of grips first. Another one to be aware of is the headlock."
She turned her back to her bot and stepped back into its grip. It slid a leg forward and swept hers out from under her, dropping her to her knees and wrapping an arm around her neck.
"Mom!"
Sasha laughed "Its okay Sky, the bot was just doing what most people do, rather then holding you upright, they put you on you're knees." She gestured to him with her hand "Notice the bots arm around my neck, in a real fight, your opponent would more then likely be trying to put pressure on your throat and make you pass out. So time is the key here, you need to be quick and surprising."
The bot let her stand up "This is something I've developed, and it seems to work." When the bot went to sweep her legs out she folded her legs a moment before and dropped her weight on the arm, the bot with its leg halfway up the air was thrown off balance and Sasha reached up and took a grip on it shoulders and pulled it over her being slamming it on the ground and flipping up and locking its legs with her own and putting her elbow in the robots neck. She waited a moment and rolled off, "I kinda went a little farther then I meant to show you, but the end result of that is with the elbow to the throat, the enemy is usually left breathless. Giving you a chance to either subdue him, or get away from the fight,"
Sky nodded his head, and let the bot grab him, the first two trys, his timing was off, and the bot dropped his knees. The third time though, he timed it perfectly, even finishing like Sasha with an elbow to the throat of the robot.
Sasha clapped her hands and gave him a hug "That was great."
She looked around the room "Hmm, you caught on quick, I wonder..."
Sky watched as Sasha went to the wall and opened a hidden rack, revealing a bunch of training weapons. She rummaged in it for a moment before coming back with a bunch of pads, which she began to strap on, two on her hands, two on her knees, her shoulders, her feet, one each on her back and front, and finally a helmet to top it off.
Sky started muffling his laughter about the time she was putting on the shoulder pads, and by the time she was finished, he was on the floor laughing out loud. Sasha waited for a moment before he stopped chuckling and watched her with a guilty expression, she raised an eyearch.
"Sorry Mom, you just look really funny."
"Yes, well you can make it up to me by not holding back."
Sky paused for a moment, trying to think what she meant "Um...What?" he asked eventually.
Sasha slapped the big pad on her chest. "When I'm wearing this, I'm not your mother, I'm an enemy who you've been forced to get into close combat with. Don't hold back, I'm protected."
Sky looked uncertainly at the ground before he moved forward a cautions step and delivered a weak blow to his moms gloved hand.
"Sky, if you don't want to be grounded from the Holodeck suite, you will attack me RIGHT NOW!"
Sky jumped and delivered too more rapid punches to her gloves, actually driving them back a little bit,
"Good" Sasha adjusted her grips "For now, We're just going to work on you making sure your punches land, I'm going to be moving around, try and hit all the pads as many times as you can."
Sky nodded and ducked into a fighting crouch as did Sasha.
"Now go"
Sky and Sasha launched into an intricate dance, that only could have been pulled off by somebody with their agility. Sky throwing punches as fast as he could, and Sasha dodging out of the way and when she couldn't, bringing various protected body parts up to meet him. The continued that way until it was time for dinner.
After that Sky retreated to his room and collapsed on his padded floor, falling into a light doze instantly.
That's how it continued for the next three days, and aside from Stella asking him to help get some leather for her, that's all he did all day, was spar with his mother. Who on the third day handed him some pads too.
"I'm sure you saw this coming." she said as he put the pads on with out any questions.
"Yea" he said pulling on and buckling his helmet down. "Time for you're revenge on all the jokes I've played on you."
Sasha couldn't help it, she laughed, quite hard and for several long moments "Sky", when she finally regained her breath "I'm fairly certain all those groundings were retribution enough."
Sky smiled and dropped into a ready crouch. Sasha did the same and smiled as well, it wasn't much, but it was something they could do together. Ratchet couldn't teach him this, only she could.
Sky launched into an attack and she countered with a quick blow to his shoulder that had him stumbling back.
"Remember, Dodge" She said taking two quick steps back to dodge his next attack.
He nodded and she darted forward, delivering two more blows to his shoulders, the first he dodged, but he failed to dodge the second which had him sitting on his rump. Sasha pulled him up and he dashed around behind her and put a fist on her back. Sasha grinned again and danced away from him, bring her fists up and blocking his next attack, she almost fell when he ducked under her view and swept his leg towards her. It actually dropped her left leg, but she used the imbalance to cartwheel to the side and end up back on her feet. Tapping him twice on his back.
He spun around and threw three quick jabs her way, which she blocked with her elbows and then punched him in the chest.
He stumbled back and she made the time out sign.
"That" She said catching her breath while Sky rubbed his chest. "Was not bad"
Sky grinned up at her as she removed her helmet. "Enough so that you're done for today while I get the things I need for tomorrows lesson."
Sky nodded and went to his room for the rest of the day, a Ranger knocked on his door at some point and handed him a package. He took it and waited till he was sure his parents were asleep before walking across the hall and into Stella's room.
"Hey" he said softly as he threw himself onto her bed, dropping the package he was carrying on the floor.
"Mmm" was all she said as more sparks cascaded onto the table.
"Going to tell me what you're doing yet?" he asked
"Mmm-mm" she mumbled.
"Close to finishing it...whatever it is?"
Stella gave him her attention finally "Yep" she said with a quick nod as smoke rose gently from her welds. "Did you bring the stuff I asked for?"
Sky reached down and poked the package he dropped, Stella grabbing it and putting it on the work bench.
"Don't really know why you wanted that particular leather, but I hope its good enough."
Stella held up the black leather in front of her light and gave an experimental pull. "Perfect Sky, thanks. Its what I needed and just enough too."
He just shook his head and muttered "Girls" under his breath. He got the empty box thrown on top of his head as a result.
"Hey" he grumbled as he stood up and put the box back on the floor "Anyway, I see you're still busy, so, I'll see ya in the morning." He said rolling off the bed and standing up.
Stella just waved a vague hand over her shoulder, finally freed from the harness. He rolled his eyes one last time and closed the door behind him as he left.
When he went into the training room the next day his mom was waiting leaning on a pole.
"Are we really using that?" he asked quickly.
Sasha looked down at the pole "This? No. Its actually your target, I am going to be testing out several close range weapons with you though." Sasha stepped back from the pole and went over to the storage in the wall.
"Now" She said fingering the various weapons hanging from brackets "Do you want to learn to use a wrench like Stella is?" She glanced and laughed at Sky's look of disgust. "I thought not." she continued scrolling her finger over the instruments thinking before she finally pulled out a staff.
It was almost as long as Sky was, and had two shaped pads drilled into each end, one was in the shape of an ax on the bottom, and the other was a straight out blade shape on the other.
"Oh.." Sky said softly
"I thought so" Sasha said as she held the weapon out to him. Sky picked it up carefully and gave it a small twirl next to him. The wood whistling as it cut through the air.
"Alright, There's no real way to teach that thing, except to experiment, hence the pole over there. So I'm just going to watch this time and maybe give you some pointers while you beat up the stick."
Sky nodded and walked towards the pole in the middle, his weapon making small swooshing noises as he considered using it like a spear with the one end. As he reached the pole however, he brought the ax end around in a quick slice that slapped into the pole and bounced off. Then he stabbed it while dancing around to hit it with the ax end again. He continued this way, mixing it up with various over head moves and spins.
Sasha watched impressed and ended up not giving any pointers. In fact, she waited until she sweat started to darken his fur before she called out to him.
"Sky. Enough."
Sky stopped the weapon with the palm of his hand, an inch from the pole.
'Your done."
Sky nodded and held the pole out to her. When she didn't take it, he looked up at her.
"Nope, keep it, its just a training staff, Just don't hit anybody with it." Sky grinned "Including your sister. I would care to remind you that she has been learning how to battle with a large wrench."
Sky's grin dropped off his face and he nodded.
"You can however, come in and practice whenever you want, I'll even show you how to make some holographic bad guys appear for you."
and so, that's how the next week went, Sky would get up, eat breakfast with his family, then he would vanish into the training room until lunch, and again till dinner. Finally going to bed and starting the whole thing again. It was at breakfast that Stella decided to show them her project.
Sky had sat down across from his parents on the bench and cast a glance around for Stella.
"Sky, where is your sister?"
Sky started and faced his mom. "She'll be down, she said she was getting dressed when I knocked on her door."
Sasha looked at Ratchet "Well I hope she gets down here soon, she'll miss breakfast."
Sky meanwhile had decided to take a drink from his milk when Stella walked into the room. Since his parents backs were to the door they didn't see her, although what Sky saw had him choking on his milk and coughing.
"Sky whats wrong?" Sasha asked reaching over the table to pat his shoulder.
"Stell" He coughed and tried to clear his throat "Turn round, you've got to see " He coughed a few more times and felt his throat clear "This"
Sky watched as his sister got her tray and food and sat down at the table next to him. He began to study her outfit while his parents began to question her about where she got it. Eventually it got brought up that he had helped get the leather.
Sasha looked at him across the table "You knew she was making this?"
Sky shook his head, still studying his sister. "Nuh-uh, I just got the leather for her."
Sky dropped out of the conversation for a moment until it was brought up that Stella could design something for him.
"Hey" he said raising his hands " I don't want any Purple"
Stella faked a pout "But then we won't match Sky, and I already laid out such awesome plans too."
Ratchet and Sasha laughed as Sky stuck his tongue out at her and a Ranger ran up to the table and saluted.
"Yes what is it?" Sasha asked.
"Sirs, we have a development, it appears a small Fire-Lord squad has appeared on the far side of this sector, and the Planet below us is requesting support."
Ratchet and Sasha stood up, their faces hardened, they glanced at their kids "Stella, Armor or not, go to your room and close the door." Sasha ordered them.
"You too Sky" Ratchet added as he tapped his chest plate to turn on his armor and grabbed his helmet from the floor. He turned to Sasha "I'll go prep my fighter and head out with a Ranger force to assist while you bring the Phoenix around."
Sasha nodded as the kids got up and headed for the elevator.
Ratchet raised his wrist to his mouth "CR3, Prep for Battle, You're heading up the Space fight with me, sound the alarms and have all Rangers report to their stations."
"Yes sir"
The lights dimmed suddenly and flashed red twice before beginning to pulse, while a computer voice told everybody to report to their stations.
Ratchet grabbed Sasha and gave her a quick kiss "Stay safe" he said when he broke it.
Sasha ran a finger over his lips "You too Hotshot, you have a promise to keep to you're daughter."
"I won't break it" he replied running a hand down the side of her face and cupping her cheek. They eventually broke apart and Ratchet ran for the elevator, it opening and CR3 waving at him. Sasha looked at the Ranger next to her.
"Alright, to the Bridge, time to test some theories." She said heading for a different elevator, with the Ranger following.
Hey Hey Hey, Check it out, we've caught up to that suspenseful (I Hope) cliff hanger, That I've not only hit you with once, but Twice, in a row, Ha, Bet you've never had that happen before. Anyway, Next chapter we rewind again for CR-3's point of view and...nah, I'm messing. Oh and fun fact, with that last chapter post, Earth Bound officially got longer then the original story of Nightmares of the Past. If that's good or bad I don't know, but hey, its something. On a more real note, I have begun implementing that Restoration project I was talking about a few chapters ago, and now, I'm waiting for people to notice and figure out what it is. There's another Cookie in it for anybody who figures it out first.
So, with that thought,
Peace,
Emile