Braxton blinked at Varian's choice of weapon. "Uh, Varian? You remember that we're fighting, not cooking, right?"
Varian nodded. "I do." He answered confidently.
Braxton looked over at Jim and Matt. Jim shrugged. Matt grinned. Varian smashed his frying pan into the side of Braxton's head.
Braxton picked himself up off the floor once the world stopped spinning. Someone was laughing. He was fairly certain it was Jim. Matt was by his side. He accepted the help to his feet.
Varian looked up at him with wide eyes. "I thought you'd block that!" Braxton blinked down at Varian. He looked utterly terrified.
"Well, I've learned my lesson about underestimating frying pans!"
Varian instantly relaxed. He grinned and twirled the pan up onto his shoulder. "Best weapon in the world. Trust me."
Braxton rubbed the side of his head. "I don't think I'll forget. At least you didn't get me in my radio." He walked over to take his seat on the sidelines. "I think you're up again, Jim."
"Varian just took you down with one hit. I'd have to be insane to face him!" Jim protested.
"Good think you're insane then," Matt replied brightly. He plunked down on the ground beside Braxton and nodded. "Go on, Jim."
Jim sighed heavily. He hauled himself up to his feet and collected his sword. "Alright Varian, go easy on me."
Varian held out his pan. "No promises." Jim tapped his sword against it.
Braxton and Varian were in the middle of their rematch when Puss called an end to the sparring. Jim and Matt took to their feet. The four friends crossed the room to group around their instructor once more.
Puss looked around the assembled faces with pride. "I see much promise. Excelente! I can do much with this. Go, drink something and return!"
Jim led the way to their school supplies again. "I'm going to need a refill, how about you guys?"
Matt nodded. "Definitely." He tipped his head back to drain the last of his canteen.
"I could use a top off," Braxton agreed.
"Let's go get in line." Varian turned to lead the way across the room.
Jim stepped up beside him. "So how'd you learn to use a frying pan like that?"
Varian blushed but smiled at the recognition. "Maxi-uh-"
"The totally human guard," Jim assured him as he waved it off.
Varian gave him a grateful look. "He made sure I knew. Our princess discovered them on her adventure home to her parents and integrated them into our military due to their effectiveness and versatility."
Jim shrugged. "I suppose I've heard of weirder origin stories. That's kind of cool though. Your princess sounds like someone you really respect."
"I do," Varian said softly. "I look up to her a lot. She and her husband, they've done so much for me. They've given me a second chance and I just, I can't let them down this time. I can't let my father down again. He doesn't even know half of what I've done and I don't want him to find out. I just want to give him reasons to be proud of me."
Jim wrapped his arm over Varian's shoulders and gave him a squeeze. "I have no doubt he is. If you were my little brother, I know my mom would be proud of you. I mean, she's able to be proud of me, you'd be practically a relief compared to the trouble I got into!"
Varian snickered. "I highly doubt that." He thought over Jim's words a moment. Jim could tell the moment they sunk in because Varian shoved him. "What do you mean 'little brother'?" he demanded indignantly.
Jim laughed. "Well I can't say for certain if you're older than me or not, but you're shorter than me, so that makes you the little one!"
Matt and Braxton stood in line together with their empty canteens. "Think he'll catch him?" Braxton asked ideally.
"Nah," Matt replied as they watched their friends race across the room again. "Think Mister Boots will put a stop to it?"
"Nah," Braxton let the two sprint in front of him before he stepped up to the water fountain to fill his canteen. "Not until he calls for us to group up at least."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Matt stepped forward to take his turn at the fountain. Jim and Varian tore past them once more. Matt headed back to put his canteen away, Braxton by his side. In the distance the boys sprinted along the far side of the gymnasium. "Shame they didn't think to leave us their canteens, we could have filled them for them."
"Eh, lessons learned," Braxton replied brightly. "I long ago learned to hand you everything I was holding before getting into trouble."
"I'm well aware," Matt answered dryly.
"Come gather, class!" Puss hopped up on top of a training dummy so that he could be heard and seen by all the students.
Jim and Varian slid to a stop next to Braxton and Matt. Their chests heaved as they struggled to catch their breaths. Matt rolled his eyes at them affectionately. Jim gave him a cheeky smile.
Puss surveyed his students with a smile. "I have seen much that is good about your fighting. This shall be an easy class to teach! Go and fetch your swords once more. We shall go over drills for the rest of class."
