Duo Halfbreeds
Chapter Ten: An Animal in Training
The next morning quickly came, at sunrise, Priamus entered Gohan's cell. "Rise and shine!" Priamus shouted. Gohan yawned as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He remained silent as he followed Priamus into the training yard.
"Stay here for a second." Priamus said. Gohan nodded in response and waited in place, the look on his face expressed sluggishness due to him still waking up. Priamus came back a short minute later with some strange items in his hands. "Put these on."
He handed Gohan two wristbands, ankle bands, and a strange vest. Gohan looked at with a confused look. "What is that?"
"Weighted Equipment. Take your armor off and slip the vest on instead." Priamus answered.
Gohan grabbed the wristbands from Priamus, and his mouth dropped open as he felt their weight. "W-Woah!" Gohan gasped, nearly dropping them. "T-These are h-heavy!" He struggled to lift it further up, exhausting his energy and dropping it a few seconds after. "I have to wear that?!" He looked up to Priamus who nodded in response.
Gohan looked back at the wrist bands and sighed. He grabbed one and sat down, it felt lighter than having both, slipping this one on his left wrist. He grabbed the other one, putting it on his right wrist, then put both ankle bands right after. Gohan tried to stand up with just the bands themselves, and it proved to be very difficult.
Priamus chuckled. "If you think that's heavy, just wait til you put on the vest."
Gohan's mouth went agape again. "The vest is heavier?!" He asked.
Priamus nodded. "Quite a bit heavier actually."
Gohan gave an exasperated sigh, sliding his armor off. He realized he should have done that before putting the bands on his wrists, as it made it difficult to take off. Once the armor was off, Gohan tried to pick up the vest so he could slide it on, but picking it up proved to be more difficult.
Gohan stopped for a second and panted slightly. "I can't pick it up! It's too heavy." He frowned.
Priamus raised a brow. "Too heavy? No it's not heavy."
Gohan shook his head. "Yes it is, I can't pick it up."
"Tell me how it's too heavy, when you've taken down combatants who can lift this with ease." Priamus pointed out. "If you're gonna give up that easily, then why bother at all? Try again, you can lift it."
Gohan moved his eyes to the vest with an angry look and sighed. "Okay." He walked up to the vest and grabbed it. He lifted with all his might but as much as he tried, it was still too heavy. A moment passed and Gohan stopped, catching his breath.
"I can't do it." Gohan said. "It's just too heavy."
"Push it down." Priamus replied.
Gohan looked confused. "Wha?"
"Push it down. Just do it." Priamus repeated himself.
Gohan looked back at the vest, staring at it for a moment then walked up to it and tried to push it. The vest would not budge a single bit. "I can't."
"It appears the vest has become an immovable force for you." Priamus pointed out.
Gohan formed a confused look as he moved his gaze back to Priamus. "An immovable force? What does that mean?" He tilted his head.
Priamus looked at the vest. "An immovable object is when an object is so strong or sturdy, it cannot be moved from its position or balance."
"If it can't be moved then how am I even going to put it on?" Gohan asked.
Priamus raised a brow. "Well, I suppose you'll have to figure that out for yourself." He answered. "In the meantime why don't we start with something more basic."
Gohan tilted his head. "More basic?"
Priamus nodded. "Yes, like push-ups, sit-ups, lap running, among other things." He explained. "So I want you to get in position and sta-." He paused for a second as something dawned him. "Actually, I should've done this before we got started."
Gohan looked even more confused. "Done what?"
Priamus motioned Gohan to follow him as he walked north under the overhang in the training yard. He neared a particular door that blended in with the surrounding walls and before opening, Priamus looked around himself, then letting Gohan in before he entered the room.
Priamus closed the door behind, assuring that no one could see. The room the door led them into was a strange low lit room. In the center of the room was a little oasis, it looked almost artificial and yet so natural at the same time. There was a small waterfall flowing into the mini pond beneath it, and several connective mini ponds going down like stairs. The ponds let to a bigger pond, but a pond still small.
"What is this place?" Gohan asked.
Priamus shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure." He answered. "I stumbled upon it one day. I assume it was something they were building for the training yard but decided to put a stop to it."
Gohan tilted his head. "Why?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Priamus replied. "I'd say probably because they didn't want something that could be considered luxury for prisoners." Gohan made a frown, the word prisoner only reminded him how awful this place was. "This room is a great way to start off with some meditation in the morning and I've been using it ever since I found it."
Gohan followed Priamus to the patch of grass. "Is that why we're here?" He said.
Priamus nodded. "Precisely." He sat down and motioned Gohan to sit down next to him. "Take off your weighted clothing real quick." Gohan gave a hesitant look but Priamus nudged him. "Go on." Gohan slipped the wristbands and ankle bands quickly off of him.
"Now I want you to close your eyes." Priamus instructed.
Gohan gave a confused look. "Close my eyes? Why?"
"Close them." Priamus repeated himself.
Gohan raised his shoulders and closed his eyes. "What now?"
"Quiet.." Priamus said. "I want you to listen to the sounds around you and nothing more."
Gohan opened his eyes, giving another confused look. "Wait, why? What is listening to-"
Priamus moved his index finger in front of Gohan. "Shhh. Listen." Priamus interrupted. Gohan sighed and closed his eyes once more. A short moment passed, Gohan could only hear the sound of the rushing waterfall. "What do you hear?"
"A waterfall?" Gohan answered, his eyes opening.
"Beneath that." Priamus asked. "And keep your eyes closed."
Gohan reclosed his eyes but had a look of confusion formed on his face. "Beneath that?"
Priamus nodded. "Yes, tell me. What do you hear beneath the waterfall?" He repeated his question. "I want you to listen as intensely." Gohan took a moment to think before long he could hear something else besides the waterfall, and that was the flowing streams connected to the mini ponds. "Well? What is it that you hear?"
"The flow of the streams?" Gohan answered.
"Good. Whenever people refer to a Waterfall, they only refer to it on a surface layer." Priamus explained. "But with a careful study, one could see that it is so much more deep and complex than that." He got up and motioned for Gohan to open his eyes. "For everything you hear and see, there are layers beneath layers."
Priamus moved next to the waterfall. "Why do you think it is this water falls?"
"Usually because the riverbed changes suddenly from hard rock to soft." Gohan answered. "Then the rapids form which cause the river to flow vertically."
Priamus looked surprised. "I'm surprised, you're smarter than you look." He replied. Gohan smiled in response. "However, that is only a logical explanation, I'm asking more philosophically. Water falls because they are accepting of change, they go where it feels natural." He turned to look at Gohan. "And why do you think that is?"
Gohan shrugged in response. "It's because that is the very nature of water. It is wild and free, yet at the same time it is unstoppable." Priamus moved to the mini rock formation to the side. "Take a look at this formation here, like your vest from earlier it is an immovable object. No matter how much you struggle, it wont move, right?"
Gohan nodded. "Right."
"So if I stick my hand in the water and keep it in place, what do you think the water is going to do?" Priamus asked.
Gohan shrugged. "Hit your hand?"
Priamus shook his head. He placed his hand under the water, giving a clear view for Gohan. "The water moves around it." He answered. He moved away from the waterfall and walked back to Gohan. "Like air, Water is fluid, like the Earth, it is strong. Water is an unstoppable force meeting adaptability."
"What does that have to do with meditation though?" Gohan asked.
Priamus sat down. "Because, meditation is about thinking and that can mean anything. Whenever you fight, you should be like the water, immovable, unstoppable, and fluid." He said. "That means adapt to your surroundings when you need to be, but don't let yourself become soft, stay hardened, stay as that immovable object."
"I want you to close your eyes again and this time think deeply for thirty minutes." Priamus said. "Listen to the surrounding sounds and try your best to hear the deep layers within." Gohan nodded in response and reclosed his eyes again.
Again the sound of rushing water filled Gohan's eardrums but as he listened closer, there was something more. The moving streams connected to each pond could be heard and the more he listened, the more he could hear the water shift and move.
As Gohan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, a peculiar feeling stirred within him. He couldn't put his finger on it, but this enigmatic sensation overcame him for a brief second. The feeling grew stronger, almost palpable, and then it slipped away like a wisp of smoke.
Priamus signaled Gohan to speak. Gohan hesitated before speaking, his lips puckered as if in deep thought. Finally, he murmured, "I heard the sound of moving streams and the water shifting."
Priamus nodded, a smile of approval spreading across his face. "That's an excellent start." He replied. But Gohan's mind was not at ease. He knew there was something else, something that he had felt but couldn't identify, which Priamus took notice of. "Is there something troubling you?"
Gohan looked unsure, his lips biting as he hesitated for a second. "I heard…no I felt something else too, but I can't quite describe it."
Priamus arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it that you felt?"
Gohan searched for words to articulate the elusive feeling, but instead his shoulder raised with no way to answer it. "I don't know, it was just a weird sensation."
"Perhaps you could describe it to me?" Priamus asked.
Gohan shook his head. "I don't really know what it was. I just knew I felt it and it was weird." He answered.
"Then that's exactly why you should meditate." Priamus said. "When we meditate, we seek answers to questions we don't yet know how to articulate. Next time you meditate, I want you to focus on that sensation and explore it further. Perhaps you'll uncover something new about yourself. Got it?"
Gohan nodded. "Okay."
Priamus stood up then motioned for Gohan to do the same. "From now on, every morning, I want you to come in here with me and you're going to meditate. Whether on that sensation you felt or something else." He said. "This will also help your body have time to wake up." Gohan nodded in response as Priamus signaled him to follow him.
The two walked to the door, Priamus stopping Gohan before he opened it. He cracked the door open and did a quick scan of the surroundings. Once he knew it was clear, he opened it and motioned Gohan to go through it. Both of them were out quickly and again Priamus double checked to make sure they weren't spotted. The two walked over to the dummies and stood by them right after.
"Before we actually get started on these dummies, I want you to do some basic muscle building." Priamus said.
Gohan furrowed his brow in confusion. "Basic muscle building?"
Priamus gave him a reassuring smile. "I mean that we need to start by building a solid foundation. You can't fight if you're not physically fit." He gestured towards the corner where the weights were stacked. "I want you to do ten push-ups, ten sit-ups, and ten squats. And then, I want you to run a few laps around the training area to get your blood pumping."
Priamus stood tall and commanding, his index finger pointed straight up as he spoke with a firm voice.. "Oh and I want you to always remember why you're doing this." He said. "The more you remind yourself the more determined you stay. If you do not stay determined, you won't perform as well." Gohan listened attentively, nodding his head in agreement.
He started immediately, getting down and doing several push-ups. With each repetition, he noticed a strain quickly forming in his arms and chest. Despite the strain he pushed forward, his only thoughts of home.
He quickly finished the next two exercises before Priamus had him run. Priamus set up a circle for Gohan to run around in by making two marked lines on opposing ends in the sandy ground. The circle was about a hundred feet in diameter.
"I want you to run ten laps in a circle." Priamus said. "Use the lines to guide you and keep track of your progress." He walked to the first line he had drawn and turned back to Gohan. "You can go ahead and start behind this line."
Gohan walked to behind the line and took a deep breath. The scorching sun bore down on his skin, radiating an intense warmth. He took his first lap around with a look of determination, and quickly ran a hundred feet in a short couple of minutes.
A surge of physical exertion caused Gohan's breath to quicken and his heart rate to increase, momentarily discouraging him. However, he quickly reminded himself why he was putting himself through this grueling workout, finding the inner strength to push himself even harder. With a renewed sense of determination, he completed each lap of the circle with the same unwavering focus and intensity as the first.
Halfway through he was stopped by Priamus. "Take a quick break." He instructed, seeing the exhaustion etched on Gohan's face. Confused, Gohan looked to him for an explanation.
"Don't overexert yourself," Priamus cautioned, his voice stern but kind. "Pushing too hard can lead to more harm than good." He gestured for Gohan to follow him to a nearby wall, located safely under an overhang.
"Sit down and have some water," Priamus offered, handing Gohan a cup of water. Gratefully, Gohan took the cup and drained it in one go. "Slow down," Priamus warned, noticing Gohan's eagerness to gulp down the water. "Drinking too much water too quickly can make you sick." Gohan nodded in response.
He took a few more sips of the water then stopped. As he rested for a moment, he started to ponder. "Why did you help me?" Gohan asked. Priamus looked at him with a raised brow. "I mean why did you decide to train me? Everyone else here completely ignores me or wants to hurt me, but you didn't."
Priamus's gaze moved to the distance. "Well.." He said, pausing for a moment. His eyes showed a strange look of past sorrow but quickly disappeared as he snapped back into reality. "I saw a lost soul and did what I felt was right."
"Oh.." Gohan replied. He was quiet for a second more before another question appeared into his mind. "Can I ask a question?" Priamus nodded in response. "When we bumped into that Keylo guy yesterday, you said something about being owed, what were you guys talking about?"
Priamus looked at Gohan. "Oh that? Don't worry about it." He smiled. "Let's get back to training, okay?"
Gohan nodded with a happy smile. He moved back to the circle and started from the starting point, running the rest of the five laps. After Gohan took another short break, the next part of his training was the obstacle course.
During his last attempt, he couldn't even get past the poles especially before he was pulled away to do chores. He went to the beginning of the track and ran it as quickly as could, making it to the poles in about seven minutes. He stopped, looking at the poles and swallowed hard as he made a jump for one of the poles. Gohan reached his arms out to grab the ledge but completely missed, slipped, and fell in the mud.
"Try again," Priamus urged. Gohan let out an exasperated sigh before trudging out of the mud and taking a few steps back for a better approach. He lunged forward once more, trying to grab onto the pole, but his footing faltered, causing him to slip once again. Gohan looked at Priamus who gestured for him to go again.
Gohan stood up, determined to try again. He attempted the pole jump once more, but slipped and fell into the mud again. He tried again, and again, but each attempt ended the same way. As time went on, frustration began to set in, and Gohan's confidence dwindled. After an hour of trying, Gohan let out a growl of frustration. "I can't do it!" He shouted. "I keep slipping, and I'm getting muddy, which is making it harder!"
Priamus approached Gohan and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't get discouraged. You can do it, it just takes a little time and practice," He said in a soothing tone. Gohan kept a look of frustration on his face. "Why don't you take a quick break for now, okay?" Gohan nodded and sighed in response. "In the meantime, I'll see what I can do about getting you something to eat."
Gohan's face lit up at the mention of food. "R-Really?" he asked, his stomach rumbling at the thought.
Priamus nodded. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Sit tight for now." As Priamus disappeared from sight, Gohan looked around at his surroundings, now noticing that the training yard was full of others. He wondered if they were here this whole time or only recently. He didn't recall others being here early this morning but hadn't noticed them come in.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted Gohan's thoughts. "That was the most pathetic display I've ever seen! To be honest, it's a surprise you haven't been killed already!" Keylo laughed as he walked up to Gohan. Gohan made an angry frown in response. "Can't even make a simple jump."
Gohan halted his speech, caught himself just before opening his mouth, and swallowed nervously while biting down on his lips. "N-No." He muttered, his gaze aimed to the ground. "T-Th.." He stopped himself as his confidence disappeared.
Keylo chuckled at Gohan's response. "What's wrong, kid? Can't handle a little criticism?" He taunted, his tone dripping with contempt. Gohan's anger began to bubble up inside him but it quickly went away by an overwhelming fear. "Coward, couldn't even muster up enough courage to do anything. You're lucky that bastard Priamus is protecting you otherwise this situation would be different."
Gohan's knuckles tightened as he clenched his fists against his knees, teeth gritted at Keylo's insults. "Stop it," he muttered, shaking his head. "Don't call him that."
Keylo arched an eyebrow. "Or what? You gonna have another tantrum like before? You got lucky last time, kid," he sneered. "You wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for him. Taurus was a moment from snapping yer neck before Priamus showed up."
Gohan swallowed hard. "So what?" he replied, his eyes lifting to meet Keylo's gaze.
"So when he's gone, we'll take care of you," Keylo laughed. "Without him, you're just a weakling at our mercy."
Priamus appeared behind Keylo, his expression stern. "Leave him alone, Keylo." He said firmly.
With a sneer, Keylo turned his attention to Priamus. "Well, well, well. Look who finally decides to grace us with his presence." He rolled his eyes and snickered. "I just came to remind you that your little pet still has chores to do this afternoon, so make sure he doesn't get too caught up in your fake training." Without another word, he strutted off. Priamus sat down next to Gohan and handed him the plate of food. Gohan seemed hesitant to touch his food.
Priamus noticed Gohan's hesitation and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't listen to him, you're doing just fine." Priamus spoke. "In no time we'll get you in ship shape for fighting."
Gohan bit his lips. "It's not that…" He said, giving a sigh. "I kept trying to get on top of that pole and nearly couldn't, then the one time I did, I fell right after." His anger started to rise just thinking about it. "I couldn't even last a second on it!"
"Let me tell you a story about the Mountain and the Pebble." Priamus spoke, clearing his throat. "There was a mountain that stood tall and proud, towering everything in its vicinity. The mountain itself was ancient, having been in the world for centuries as it watched the world around change."
He rose to his feet and turned his gaze to Gohan. "Once, there was a small and insignificant pebble at the base of a mountain. It longed to be like the mountain, admiring its strength and grandeur. Every day, it climbed a tower almost as tall as the mountain, determined to reach its goal."
"Despite being pushed back by strong winds each time it ascended a hundred feet, the pebble persisted. It never gave up because it was so determined to become the mountain," Priamus explained. "Then one day, a violent storm erupted."
"The storm was so fierce that it caused a hurricane and powerful lightning strikes. The mountain, being the tallest point, was struck and fell," Priamus continued.
"What happened to the pebble?" Gohan inquired.
"The pebble adapted. It flew with the wind when it blew," Priamus clarified. "The mountain may have been mighty and tall, but it became its own downfall due to its height. This taught the pebble that true strength is not always visible."
Looking confused, Gohan frowned and said, "I don't understand the point of the story."
"The obstacle may seem impossible, but it's not as strong as it looks. The obstacle itself is the mountain, and you are but the humble pebble. The pebble had the determination to overcome its obstacle and so should you." Priamus explained. "Now finish your food and let's go back to training alright?"
Gohan looked at his full plate and chowed down. He could barely remember the last time he had any food as it seemed to come by rarely these days. As he took the first bite, Gohan cringed at the taste. The food was flavorless and looked like some gray slop, but his own hunger took over, making Gohan careless as he finished it til spotless.
Feeling completely renowned and vigorous, an overflowing sense of determination sparked in him as he was ready to continue training.
"Are you ready?" Priamus asked, his voice filled with encouragement. Gohan's face lit up with excitement as he nodded eagerly in response.
"Great," Priamus said, a smile on his face. "I want you to try and put the vest on again."
Gohan's enthusiasm waned as he frowned in frustration. "The vest? I couldn't even push it!" he complained.
Priamus raised an eyebrow, a stern expression on his face. "Why are you complaining, and what happened to your warrior's attitude?" he asked. "Don't give up before you even try. You can put on the vest, and you will."
Feeling exasperated, Gohan let out a heavy sigh. "Okay," he muttered, his confidence faltering. Slowly, he made his way back to the vest, his heart pounding in his chest. It still sat in the same spot as earlier, seemingly untouched. Gohan took a deep breath and bit his lip, steeling himself for what was to come.
Gohan moved forward and pushed his hands up against the vest, to his absolute surprise the vest fell over with ease. He was left astounded and shock, blinking a couple of times to see if it were real.
Priamus smiled. "See!"
"I…did it?" Gohan was still in shock. It was so much harder earlier and now all of a sudden it was…a cakewalk? He couldn't understand it but an overwhelming sense of accomplishment pushed that away, making him cheer for joy. "I..I did it!"
"Yes, now put it on." Priamus instructed.
Gohan frowned. "Really?" He asked, looking at Priamus. Priamus nodded in response. He sighed as he looked back at the vest, it may have been easy to push down but lifting it and putting it on were two different stories.
Gohan was hesitant as he moved an inch closer to the vest, he bent down to grab it, swallowing hard as he did. It was heavy, really heavy, but strangely, it was a lot lighter than before. He managed to lift it up but getting it over his head was gonna be even harder.
As he aimed to lift it above his head, he almost lost his grip but managed to prevent it from slipping away. Gohan let out a sigh of relief before sliding it over his head and his shoulders after. It was ridiculously heavy but now that his whole body was lifting it, it felt easier than carrying it with his own two hands.
Priamus instructed Gohan to put on his wristbands and ankle bands. Gohan nodded in response but soon realized he had left them in the meditation room. "Uh...I left them in the other room," Gohan replied, feeling embarrassed.
Priamus smirked and said, "Well, I guess you're gonna have to go get them."
Gohan tilted his head and said, "Uhm...Okay?" He then began to take off his vest before Priamus interrupted him.
"With the vest on," Priamus said with a nod.
Gohan frowned, feeling the weight of the vest bearing down on him. "Ah, what?" he asked in surprise.
Priamus explained, "It'll be good for you, getting used to moving in that vest. You only have to put on more weight. That's good training right there. Now get to it, chop chop!"
Gohan sighed heavily and took his first step, feeling the weight of the vest slow him down. He could only move one step every several seconds. With each step he took, Gohan could feel a nosedive on his energy, he had to take quite a few breaks in between to keep from over exhausting himself.
Ten minutes later, Gohan finally made it to the door where the other room was. Before he opened the door, something dawned on him. "Wait..what if someone sees me? Then they'll know about this place." Gohan looked back to find Priamus noticing he was gone, but strangely so was everyone else.
Gohan had a confused look on his face but shrugged it off as he entered the meditation room, closing the door behind him. There it was, four bands, lying on the grass patches of the meditation room. He made his way towards the bands, it looked so close and yet it was still so far.
It was about twenty feet away and that took Gohan over a minute to reach. When he finally got to the bands, he sat down and decided to take a break as he caught his breath. Gohan laid there, his mind wandered to thoughts of home. He missed his family and the comforts of his own bed. He thought about his mom's home-cooked meals and the warmth of his dad's embrace. He wondered if they were thinking about him, if they were worried.
None of that matters however, not unless he survived this place. It was then that a flame lit inside of Gohan as he began to fully realize that the only way home, the only way to get out of here, was to fight. He decided he wasn't going to think about the task and decided to just do it.
Once the moment passed, Gohan slipped on his ankle and wrist bands, with the four bands on, the challenge got much harder for him but his sense of determination did not waver. Gohan rushed as fast as he could out of the room and returned to Priamus.
"That was about twenty-five minutes, a bit slow but in no time we'll get down to milliseconds." Priamus said. "Now are you ready for some training?"
Gohan nodded. "Yes Sir!" He answered.
Priamus smiled. "That's the spirit! I want you to do reps like you did earlier and this time, I want you to do ten times as much, got it?" He asked. Gohan nodded in response. Gohan was quick to start but it didn't take long before he was getting tired.
Despite the growing strain on his arms and chest from each push-up and on his gut from each sit-up, Gohan remained determined to complete the training. He pushed past the pain and discomfort, refusing to give up. Even with the added weight, Gohan pressed on, taking longer to complete each lap. By the time he reached the fifth lap, his body was used to the vest enough that he could walk at normal speeds, however at the cost of intense effort.
He was growing exhausted but he persevered, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself forward. When he finished the final five laps, Gohan fell back, laying on the ground as he took a second to catch his breath.
"Done!" He shouted.
Priamus walked over and in his hands was a cup of water. "You did great." He said. Gohan grabbed the cup of water from Priamus as he sat up. "You just need to try that obstacle course a few more times and then we'll be done."
A short few minutes passed before Gohan attempted the obstacle course again. "Before you start." Priamus walked up to Gohan as he spoke. "I wanted to give you a tip." Gohan looked at him and listened intently. "When you aim for that pole, do not look down, do not look anywhere else but focus on that pole. You don't need to stand on it with perfect balance, we'll worry about that later. You just need to be able to jump to it."
Gohan nodded. "Okay!" He smiled and moved down the track. He thought by now, he'd be going faster but because of how tired he was, he was actually doing far less. It took him twenty minutes to make it to the end of track.
Gohan's exhausted body trembled with doubt as he stood at the foot of the poles. Doubt that he could summon the strength to jump, let alone succeed in reaching the top. Sweat trickled down his forehead, but he had to give it his all. The thought of failure was too devastating to contemplate.
Summoning every last ounce of his strength, Gohan backed up a few feet, the soles of his shoes scraping against the dirt. His heart pounded in his chest as he broke into a sprint, his legs pumping furiously as he aimed for the pole.
At that moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Gohan's focus honed to a single point, his mind and body in perfect sync. He reached out with both hands, fingers outstretched, straining for the ledge of the pole.
But fate had other plans. In a cruel twist, Gohan missed his mark by mere inches. His heart sank as he crashed to the ground with a thud, the wind knocked out of him. A minor pain lanced through his body, but the agony of defeat was worse.
The disappointment of his initial failure lingered, but Gohan refused to let it define him. He took a deep breath and shook off the pain, his mind already analyzing the mistakes he had made. This setback was nothing more than a blip on his journey to success.
With a renewed sense of determination, Gohan rose to his feet, his muscles aching but his resolve unbroken. He backed up, his eyes locked on the target ahead. This time, he would not make the same mistakes. He took a second to fixate on that pole, focusing deeply.
And then he was off, his body moving with a fluid grace. He could feel the wind rushing past him, the world a blur of colors and sensations. The poles loomed ahead, challenging him to rise to the occasion.
Gohan pushed himself harder than he had ever done before, his muscles straining with the effort. He reached out, his fingers closing around the ledge of the pole. For a moment, he hung there, suspended in mid-air, victory tantalizingly close.
Time and again, Gohan launched himself at the pole, his body straining with the effort. But every time, he fell short, his fingers grasping at thin air. He gritted his teeth and tried again, and again, and again, the sound of his labored breathing filling the air.
The mud beneath his feet grew slick and slippery as he continued to push himself to his limits. Sweat poured down his face, mixing with the grime and dirt that coated his skin. His muscles screamed with agony, but he refused to give up.
But with each successive failure, doubt crept into his mind like a poison. Was he really strong enough to achieve this goal? Was he worthy of the challenge he had set for himself?
And then, on his final attempt, everything came crashing down. Gohan reached for the pole with all his might, but his grip slipped, and he tumbled to the ground with a sickening thud. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and for a moment, he lay there, gasping for breath.
The mud clung to his clothes, weighing him down like an anchor. His body felt like it had been beaten with a sledgehammer, and he was too exhausted to even contemplate getting back up. So he lay there, staring up at the sky, his chest heaving with the effort of breathing. It was a moment of defeat, but also a moment of clarity.
He could feel that he was close to touching last time as his last attempt repeated in his mind, his fingers nearly touching that wooden edge. One more inch and he could've grabbed it. However, he needed rest and with the afternoon soon approaching, he was going to need energy for chores.
Gohan heaved a deep sigh as he pulled himself up to his feet. He knew that he couldn't dwell on his failure forever; he had chores to do. Which he was reluctant and loathing to do. Gohan went to take off his weighted equipment before Priamus stopped him.
"Don't. I want you to wear those at all times except for when you're sleeping." Priamus said. Gohan gave a perplexed look. "This practice would make wearing the item feel so routine that removing it would feel weightless when he took it off." Gohan nodded in response. "I'll be back in a little while, possibly when you're done, I have to check in with some things, alright?"
Gohan gave another nod and walked outside of the training yard. He wondered if he should just wait for Keylo to inevitably come and give him his jobs while being rough about it, or if he should go looking for him. He had never gone looking for him specifically before and the thought made Gohan fearful and uncomfortable.
Luckily for him as if it couldn't have gotten more convenient, Keylo walked up to Gohan, coming from a south direction. "Good! I was just lookin fer ya! I got some jobs for you to do!" He smirked wickedly. Gohan swallowed hard and nodded. "I want you to go sweep the stairs and the upper level floors til spotless!"
Keylo leaned in, his expression becoming more intense. "Listen, if I catch you slacking or showing any attitude, there will be consequences. You don't want to find out what those are." He left without another word.
The sun beat down mercilessly, its rays reflecting off the sandstone walls that surrounded him. Gohan could feel the heat radiating off the stone, making the air feel like an oven. He wiped the sweat from his brow and got to work.
Gohan began sweeping the stairs, starting at the top and working his way down. As he worked, he felt the ache in his muscles from his previous exertions. But he tried to stay focused on the task at hand, pushing the broom up and down, back and forth, sweeping away every last bit of dirt and debris. It was a tedious task, but Gohan knew that it was important to keep the compound clean and tidy.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Gohan finished sweeping the stairs and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was proud of his accomplishment, admiring the spotless second floor and stairs. However, his pride was short-lived as a sudden gust of wind blew through, carrying sand and dust along with it. The clean stairs were now covered in a layer of dirt and debris.
Gohan's jaw dropped, feeling frustrated and defeated. He let out a sigh and got back to work, sweeping the stairs once again. He worked as quickly and efficiently as possible, wanting to finish before another gust of wind arrived. However, his efforts were in vain as the wind blew through once again, covering the stairs and upper level in sand and dust.
Gohan let out an exasperated sigh, feeling like he was in a never-ending cycle of cleaning. But he refused to give up, knowing that it was his responsibility to keep the compound clean. He grabbed the broom once again and worked diligently, taking another forty minutes to complete the task.
Conveniently for Gohan, Keylo arrived on scene to see the place spotless. "Good. Now I want you to clean the northeast side of the inner jail. There was a sort of spillage over there so I want you to clean it all up." He ordered. Keylo tossed a pair of gloves to Gohan's hand, giving Gohan a confused look. "You also might want these."
Gohan was hesitant, he didn't like the wicked look Keylo had on his face as Keylo left. However, he decided to slip on the gloves and head for the North Wing.
To be continued…
A/N: I didn't forget...we had a blackout. Sorry. Also again check my profile for the casting call