Authors Note: This will be the first training chapter involving the group, these won't be super common. but each time there's a change to the training I'll likely make one of these, to show the differences. it also may not be the best, because i can admit I'm not exactly an action scene guru.
i also decided to feature some discourse involving helios, short lived as it was. because i figure it makes sense for him to be the least... tethered to remnant, since he's been there for the shortest time.
but I'll be trying my best with this story, hopefully you all won't be disappointed with it. because I have plans for some rather intense scenes later.
Helios finally arrived at the gates, finding the others were already there waiting for him with their arms crossed. He couldn't help but chuckle, he'd always had an odd habit of arriving late. Mostly because he'd often get far too invested in his projects, leading to him losing track of time.
"Guess some things never change huh? Arriving late as ya typically do Helios, what ya got there though? Another project of yours?" Cyrus asked with an amused tone to his voice, it seems he found it funny that this same old routine was playing out. Not that Helios minds, honestly he was just happy he'd get to spend more time with his old friends. Even if they may not really always do so, it's still nice to occasionally hang out.
"It's swords, I made some swords at the smith shop that we can use to get some practice in. I know they likely won't be what we end up using as hunters, but it'll be good to do some spars. Get some combat experience, plus it'll help train our battle instincts" Helios responded to the question and smiled, noticing the bag Cyrus had. Assuming it was the various rocks and such they'd use for training strength, anything was better than not having equipment at all.
"Alright guys, let's get going. I've got some stuff to tell you about too, some odd stuff was happening at the warehouse today. Think something big might be going down at the end of this month" Dune spoke up now, figuring the group should know about his suspicions. He was almost certain it was white fang agents planning to attack the SDC shipment, but no one really seemed to care about that.
"Alright Dune, we'll hear you out when we get to the training ground. We don't want anyone overhearing us" Oli spoke and smiled as he opened up the gates, the group of four stepping out of the city. The sound of the heavy iron gates closing behind them filling their ears, along with the hissing sound of the lock being latched into place. The group begin their journey towards their new training grounds, plans for getting stronger filling their minds.
"so, how was your time at work? You haven't gotten too attached to anyone right?" Helios asked, I mean to him this still wasn't his home. He still had that hope that he'd be able to go home at some point, a hope the others had likely already realised was long gone. But he still hoped that once they saved this world, they'd all be able to wake up back home. As if they had never left in the first place.
"Helios… we've grown friendships with folk at our work. Dune has Apollo and I've got foreman rusty, we know this technically isn't our home. But we've given up on finding a way back, we died in our world man. Even if we found a way back, we'd be dead anyway" Cyrus responded, which didn't really seem like the right thing to say because Helios seemed annoyed at that. Getting in the taller man's face about it, aggressively too.
"Shut up! You just don't get it, this isn't our world! We don't belong here and we never will! I miss my fuckin family you get that? I miss them so goddamn much, to me these fuckin people don't mean a damn thing! I just wanna get home, I want to see my family again. I'm only following you on this journey because you three matter to me, no one else! Just you three!" Helios yelled at Cyrus, who just looked down at the smaller boy with pity.
"You think I don't get that? There's not a day that goes by where I don't miss the family I had back home, but we're all dead. It's likely our families have buried us by now, there's nothing we can do about it. We need to move on, or we'll be too stuck in the past to do anything to save the future. You can say you don't care all you want, act like me and the others are insane because we're moving on. But we miss our families too, it isn't just you" Cyrus again responded to the smaller male, Helios just drawing a fist back and weakly punching the taller man's hair. Crying a bit, it seemed Helios was still homesick. Unlike the others, who had somewhat accepted that they were stuck. Cyrus brings the small leopard Faunus into a hug.
"I just… I just want to go home, is that too much to ask? Why did it have to be us? Why did we have to get stuck here, we never asked for this…" Helios just stood there crying as his friend hugged him, slowly beginning to calm down. Somewhat realising that they were right, they likely wouldn't be able to go home.
"It's okay Helios, it's okay. You have us three right? You can make friends here too, but. If it helps you feel better, then you can consider us family here. We're best friends, we may as well be brothers right?" Cyrus responded, dragging Oliver and Dune into the hug too. The group sharing a group hug as their bonds cemented, the band of four brothers eventually breaking the hug. Looking around at the area, realising they had made it to their training grounds.
"So this is the training ground huh? Well, with the emotional stuff out of the way. Shall we get started?" Dune asked the group, the other three simply nodding as they set things up. Cyrus set out the heavy stones so they could lift them when needed, to build strength. While Helios set down the swords, picking one up before giving it a few test swings. Smiling a bit at the results, Oli picking up a sword himself. Looking over at Helios, with a smirk crossing his face.
"So Helios, shall we have this duel? We may as well get some practice right?" Oli asked the leopard Faunus, who just smiled and nodded his head. Readying his sword, clutching it in one hand with his feet firmly planted on the ground.
Point of view: Cyrus
While Helios and Oli began their sparring session, Cyrus looked upon the various large stones he had collected. They really were basically just atlas stones, some being closer to actually boulders though. Most were hefty stones weighing anywhere from two hundred to four hundred pounds, with a final large boulder that was likely close to six hundred pounds. Very very heavy, but he's hoping the bodies they had in this world could handle the weight. I mean he did carry them all here, so he certainly could. It's mostly the other three he's worried about, he has bear strength on his side.
"These should be good, if they aren't I might be able to find something better. Like… that?" Cyrus just pointed to… a giant stone boulder, yeah the thing was massive. Like something you'd see chasing Indiana Jones, yet here he was considering just trying to push or lift the damn thing. Who was he? Sisyphus? Honestly he doesn't even know why he thinks it's a good idea, confidence in his new Faunus strength? Or maybe he's just hoping the strain will awaken his aura? But first, he decided to pick up the two hundred pound stone. Or well, what he thought was two hundred pounds. To be honest he kinda just, randomly scribbled that number on the stone and prayed it was right. Because it'd be really embarrassing if it wasn't, that's for sure.
But with that settled, he began his work out. Utilising the heavy stone to work his muscles, doing a typical strong man style exercise routine. Lifting the heavy stone up making sure to get a good grip on it, before allowing it to fall. Though eventually he figured this wasn't enough, so he lifted the stone again. Only this time, he began to squat with it. Feeling his muscles burning as he squatted the heavy weight, to be honest the weight itself wasn't the big issue. It was how damn awkward it was to hold that caused issues, but despite all that he still pressed on. Spending a solid ten minutes doing sets of squats with the rock, before taking a break. His eyes went to that huge boulder, and the hill nearby it. Honestly seeing those both so close together, almost made him think Sisyphus existed in this world.
Honestly thinking about that story made him feel oddly motivated, the tall bear Faunus walking over to the huge boulder. Before just pressing his hands against the solid stone, starting to push on it as intensely as he could. But it wouldn't budge an inch no matter how hard he tried, and that honestly bothered him. He lifted all those big rocks over here, but he couldn't even budge this? How damn heavy was it? How many thousands of pounds did it weigh? Or was it tens of thousands? Maybe even more than that?
"Damn, guess even with the enhanced strength I've still got nothing on Sisyphus… but eventually I'll get this boulder rolling. I'll get it up that damn hill by the end of the next two years, that's a promise" Cyrus glared at the huge boulder, making that promise to himself before returning to the regular sized stones. Returning to his intense workout, not bothering to take breaks anymore. Even if it felt like his body was breaking down, he just kept pushing.
Point of view: Dune
Dune decided to go a different route with his training compared to Cyrus, since Cyrus was focused heavily on strength. Dune instead would focus much more on agility and dexterity, to avoid danger as opposed to just bull rushing it head on like Cyrus likely would. As such, he found himself standing on top of the podium to start the log running style obstacle course. Think of the log course from Mulan, which the soldiers used for training.
"Damn this looks like it's gonna be difficult, but… if I want to get better then this is the perfect place for me to train" With that said dune would stretch a bit, starting to run across the top of the logs. Or more accurately, fumble and stumble his way over them before inevitably falling off and smashing his face into the solid stone floor. His nose bleeding a bit from the impact, the bunny boy sitting up and clutching at his nose.
"God fuckin damnit, well… I guess no pain no gain? I need to keep pushing, need to get better" Dune went back to the podium, before climbing back onto it. Starting his run again, repeating it over and over again each time he fell. Getting further and further into the course each time he failed, slowly but surely starting to improve. But he had a lot more to go, after all the course covered the entire training ground…and he couldn't even finish the easiest of the available sections. Lord knows how challenging things would get towards the end, but for now he was improving and he felt proud of that fact.
Point of view: Helios and Oli
Helios stood a few feet away from Oli, a longsword clutched in his hand as he stared down his sparring partner. Watching the military trained man twirl the blade a bit, Oli had knife training so he at least had somewhat of a grasp on bladed weapons. Training that Helios didn't have, so it's unlikely this battle would last long. But it was all for training, over time they'd start to improve and figure out what they wanted to do.
"Alright Helios, go ahead and come at me. Give me your best shot, see what you can do" Oli taunted a bit, which irritated Helios enough that he burst towards the armadillo Faunus. Swinging his sword at the other, only for Oli to easily and swiftly block the first strike. Catching the blade on the crossguard of his sword, bringing himself closer to Helios before headbutting them. Causing Helios to stumble back a bit, lip busted open and bleeding.
"Oh you bastard, I didn't know we'd be playing dirty with this. Underhanded tactics are allowed then?" Helios smirked and thought up a plan that might give him an advantage, slightly widening his guard with his sword.
"Course, we're training to fight monsters and folk that won't hesitate to kill us. Underhanded tactics should be expected, those that want you dead won't fight with honour. So don't show them such courtesy, be as dirty as needed. Just make sure you put them in the ground" Oli responded to what Helios asked, before dashing forward himself. Swinging his blade with more precision than Helios showed, but he was still by no means a sword fighting expert. He was just utilising his general combat knowledge, to gain the upper hand. Eventually managing to bat the sword out of Helios hands, shoulder tackling the other to knock them to the ground.
As Helios fell back he allowed a smirk to come to his now hidden face, landing on his back before rolling to get back into a ready position. Scooping up some dirt and dust in his hand, watching as Oli dashed towards him again. As soon as the other was close enough, Helios tossed the dirt and dust into the others eyes, shooting forward after the distraction with his fist drawn back. Though as his fist closed in on Oli he noticed something, the other still had their now bloodshot eyes wide open. Watching Helios like a predator watches pray, not allowing a single moment of distraction. Oli ducking under the punch, slipping beneath it and closing in. Slamming the pommel of his sword into Helios gut, knocking the leopard boy to the ground. Before pointing his sword at the other's throat, smirking.
"not bad for a first spar, but you could definitely do better. Once you get more experience you might actually get a few wins against me, come on" Oli grasped Helios hand and pulled the other back to his feet, picking up a water canteen before pouring it on his own face to wash the dirt and such from his eyes.
"Nah, I didn't even stand a chance from the beginning. You kicked my ass, I didn't think you'd keep your eyes open after the dirt though" that had actually caught Helios by surprise, but I guess it made sense. Oli was likely trained to handle all manner of situations or dirty tricks, even pocket sand.
Over the course of the next few hours the group would go through their training routines, occasionally the sparring partners would switch up. But with their training winding down and coming to an end, Helios allowed himself to breathe deeply.
"Man I'm exhausted, we really should head back.. we can probably leave the equipment here. Just use it whenever we get here to train" Helios spoke, setting down his sword. Making sure the swords were off to the side in a rack, so they can easily be grabbed when they're needed. The group all gathering whatever they needed, before starting to head back to mantle.
"Helios, until you get a place of your own you can stay with me. Just until you get the money ya need to rent somewhere" Cyrus spoke, actually catching Helios by surprise. He'd completely forgotten that he didn't have anywhere to stay, so he actually appreciated the fact Cyrus was offering.
But with that, the squad's first day with all four of them together came to an end. The group had big plans for the future, possibly plans that were a bit too far fetched. But they had to go through with them, because if they didn't. Then well, who would?