Comeuppance

Chapter 6 - Hard and Heavy

"Are they really coming, Kip? Where are they now? They're taking so long, we've been here waiting for 3 hours."

"Ah haha, they have that manner, you know tardiness."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"So in your class, teachers are more tardy than the students?"

"Ah yeah, haha. They have always been dilatory."

I was just listening to Ms. Rostingdias and Cade's conversation, we've been waiting for awhile now. I looked at my watch and yeah it's almost 4 hours since we started waiting and then I looked around again, it's a plain like those of what I usually see in Korean Dramas and Anime more like a soccer field without a goal net.

"Lys, are you alright? I'm really sorry, the people we are waiting for right now have always been late ever since before, they never changed so I'm really sorry."

I just gave him a like sign using my hand, it indicates that I'm all good especially that they said they're gonna get me some work and who am I to even demand when I'm the one in need anyways? Besides, I should even be embarrassed for dragging Cade and Ms. Rostingdias with me, it should've been only me since I'm the only one looking for a job.

I am currently sitting on the ground, indian seat while resting my chin on my hand with my elbow leaning on my thigh. Haaaysst. I wonder what kind of work I am going to get and why they had to make us wait for so long, I hope this will be worth it because it will be too embarrassing for Cade and Ms. Rostingdias that they even have to come with me for this but in fairness, the sun really doesn't hurt here.

A few more minutes of waiting and then I'm suddenly picking up scents, it seems new uhm no wait, there are three scents, two scents from that guy Cade and I met on my first night here in this world and the social science teacher, the one who talked about the myth and the other one is unfamiliar. Their pressures are giving me goosebumps especially the one with the unfamiliar scent, the other two are nothing like when I met them in the university. They're scary.. what kind of work will I be doing anyways.. 

I can now see their figures, they're really near us.

A few minutes passed and I noticed how they barely moved an inch and just kept walking like that towards us, it was as if they never got closer even if they never stopped walking. Are they playing with my eyes? Or are my eyes playing me? I rubbed my eyes to get a better look.

They're getting nearer and nearer and the nearer they get, the stronger their pressures feel as well. I am nervous and I am scared, what are we going to do? What kind of work will I be doing? I shouldn't feel nervous and scared, I was the one who asked for this, calm yourself, you wanted this. 

I stood up and shook my joggers on the back because I can feel that there are some grasses on my back then suddenly I felt someone else's hand on it but since Cade's scent is really strong, it means--- my eyes widened and I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"My God Kipween!" 

"Hm?" 

"Don't touch her butt like that." Ms. Rostingdias said while I was still a little out of my mind.

"Eh.. Lys, i-it wasn't like that.. I just wanted to help you rid of those grasses that stick on your p-pants."

But the scene was instantly forgotten when the three figures are finally standing right in front of us and now I can finally see their faces. Then I realized that I am really right regarding the scents. It was the guy who can speak Tagalog, Miss Social Science and an unfamiliar person so I just bowed my head down. I wonder why they're here. Could it be possible that I will be working under them but if so why do we have to meet here? Why not in the university instead?

"Hello, Sir Agustin, Sir Ganfidella at Miss Larson." Miss Rostingdias and Cade bowed down and so watching them, my body just followed what they did.

"Is that the girl you told me about? The one who's identical with Tengukonoshi?" asked Sir Ganfidella or Sir Agustin as he pointed his whole hand at me but I kinda feel like he's Mr. Ganfidella because of the sequence of when Cade and Ms. Rostingdias greeted.

What's identical? And Tengukonoshi? The girl with the same injury as me? The one me and Cade talked about the other day?

"Yes, Sir Ganfidella, she is." Cade answered that made my eyes widened in shock.

"Remove the concealers, let me see how accurate this is."

"Right, I really made him come with us coz you know, he's expert in training people and not just people, abnormal people." the guy with the familiar scent said.

Cade went to me. I don't understand what they're talking about. "Lys, I'll remove these, okay?"

I am a little shocked,  I really don't understand what's happening right now and since Cade was the one who gave me these accessories, I nodded, he has the right to do anything he wants to it. And also because I trust him. I trust Cade.

So there, he took the necklace off me, the bracelets and even the ring he made me wear. 

I watched him as he held those accessories and we all got quiet not until my eyes widened in shock because I feel something, I feel like something's getting absorbed out of my body, I feel like they're taking something away and it's making me fall on my knee.

I suddenly got dizzy and so I held my head, I feel like my body got really heavy. 

"Lys. Hang on." it was as if Cade's voice turned slowmo.

Everything's slowly turning black and I could feel like I am slowly getting out of balance and eventually, everything turned black. 

"Lys!" 

I opened my eyes then looked around. Where am I? I can see uhm grasses and sky. I'm in an open field?

Then I suddenly remembered so I instantly sat down.

"Hmm are you already awake?" I crossed my arms on my chest, I got surprised especially that I didn't feel his presence at all. 

He asked if I was awake. Of course I am, do I still look like as if I'm sleeping?

"You have to drink this first." he gave me a glass with a juice in it so I accepted it and drank it as he instructed me to.

My weakened body suddenly got alive after drinking the juice and now it's as if I can't stand to just sit down, I feel like my body wants to do something and I don't know what I should do either.

"It looks like we will have a hard time. You don't seem exposed to physical exercises."

"Can I ask what really happened? I didn't have the chance to understand or get anything or even process anything because everything happened too fast awhile ago."

"You lost consciousness awhile ago when Obregon took off your magic concealers."

I frowned. But on the other hand, it might be or it could have happened because of my awakening like of those things that happened in anime ahehe char awakening, I don't even have magic powers.

I pouted, awakening, whenever they're awakening, they become really really strong but why did I become weak? Aish, this couldn't be my awakening. But who knows it might really be like this in reality, like what they said "reality hurts" so that's why I'm hurting and my body weakened because this is a reality that's also a fantasy.

Argh too confusing, reality that's also a fantasy. But am I really that weak that I had to faint?

"But why did I faint?"

"Your body is too weak for your magic."

I looked at my body then I remembered my fight with that Macias, my body is too weak? I even managed to survive my fight with that guy and just recovered in one day, how is my body weak hmph.

"Is that bad?" I asked once again.

"Yes. It can kill you."

I suddenly stopped. No. I don't want to die. I don't want to die especially here. I still need to go back to the human world, even if this world's too good and even too perfect to even be real, it's even like anime and Korean Drama world but still I need to go back to my father and my whole family.

"Ay that can't be, that can't happen, are there no other ways to survive? I really need and have to."

"Of course there is, that's exactly why you're here, why Obregon took you here."

I instantly smiled after hearing that. That means Cade already knew it would lead to that so he instantly looked for a way or solution to prevent me from dying.

I got a little teary, I never knew Cade actually cares for me more than I think he does and I thought I was gonna get a job but what does his have to do with it anyways? I got so nervous though, I really thought I'd die here but really.. Cade, Cade is that knight in shining armor, he's always there for me. 

He offered me a handkerchief.

"I'm alright, thank you so much! But what is the solution and I thought I was here to get some work." I asked as I wiped my nose and tears using my hands because I declined the handkerchief.

I am so ready, I will do whatever it takes for this to be solved. I need to survive, I want to survive. I mean, it's everyone's goal right? Everyone values their lives. People's lives are really precious that's why I'm never gonna understand killers because they don't know how to value life. But of course, I am here for the work, I didn't know Cade took me here to solve my life risk but how am I getting this life risk, I have no magic in the first place?

"What do you mean work? Work out? Because yes, we need to train."

I didn't get the work out part but.. train? You mean those things that happened in the anime to make the character stronger?

I smiled widely. "I didn't know it was just something so simple, what are we waiting for? Taralets!" (translation: Taralets in Filipino means let's go) 

My eyes widened when I wore the clothes they made me wear after my stretching.

The stretching was super easy so I thought the training was just something easy but now I'm not happy anymore because I'm a girl, they should go easy on me. I don't even know why I'm doing this training? Is this my work? I wonder how much my salary is.

"You will wear clothes like this everyday."

What? Everyday? Hala, it's very heavy, what kind of fabric did they use to make this, when you look at it, it looks like a normal clothing, it doesn't look like an armor but when I put it on, I feel like I'm carrying the whole world with me, ah this is crazy, just think of the salary, you will be paid for this but ooh I realized that I have no clothes like this.

"h-huh? Ahahah I have no other clothes like this." I answered while laughing a bit.

"Don't worry, I already instructed Obregon."

And that's when I feel like the world fell on me. It was as if I'm feeling what I felt before I fainted but the difference is my vision isn't getting blurry or turning black. The clothes are just really heavy.

"Sir Hen, just chill, go easy on her." the guy I met on my first night here in this world that I think is also a teacher reacted, he must be Sir Agustin.

"Why don't you just trust Sir Hen? he had been a teacher and a trainer for so long, he's much more experienced and wiser than you. He knows what's best." miss Social Science replied to Sir Agustin.

I totally feel the heaviness of these clothes, I can't even move well.

"Well you have a point.." answered Sir Agustin.

"This one is not even in the easy level for someone having that magic amount." Sir Hen said.

Why is his name Hen? Eh he's a boy, it should've been rooster.

"Now do 100 push ups."

I paused for a moment. What? 100? Push ups? I can't even move well. I can't even do one push up wearing normal clothes, how much more wearing these heavy clothes?

"Go! I will add another 100 if you delay it for one more second."

I instantly positioned myself even if I can't, I know I can't. And as expected, even just positioning myself is really hard.

"I meant the push up intended for boys."

I sweat a lot and tried to position like the push up for boys but arrgghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I panted. I tried catching my breath and tried doing it but I can't, I can't do it argh but the salary.. I didn't know works here are like this, I really should've known better, Cade was right, there are lots of things I didn't know about.

"We're not moving onto the next phase unless you can give me 100 push ups."

(Insert the song: Make a man out of you by Li Shang from the movie, 'Mulan')

Second day of training:

I woke up early in the morning when I felt like there's something heavy on top of me.

When I opened my eyes, I got shocked because it was my blanket all along, I can't even get out from it then I felt my muscles cramped. Huhu, I got so weak. Pisting yawa maning kinabuhia (Translation: This life is so f****d up) 

I have no strength to get out from my blanket since my t-shirt and pajama are already very heavy and also this blanket plus my muscle cramps are totally getting in the way, omg, good thing my bra and panty ain't heavy at all :D are they shy? They should've made it heavy as well :D.

I used every bit of strength to push it away. I tried many times but it just won't mooooovee. But I really need to survive, I need the salary so let's do this puuusssshhhhhhhhh.

"Arrrgghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" I panted but good thing it got off me but I can barely catch my breath. What kind of fabric did they use to make these clothes and blankets. Heavens help. Cade suddenly arrived, as usual looking so handsome and all. 

"I'll wait for you. Let's eat together and I'll drop you off your training site."

I am really not in the mood for anything I just wanna get through this so I took the towel and----AAAAHHHHHH WHY IS THIS SO HEAVY?!!!!!

So yeah even the faucet for the shower is so hard to turn on, even my soap is heavy. What is happening, why does it seem like everything turned heavy? After taking a bath as usual, my clothes my uniform is heavy and not just heavy, veerrryyyy heavy. So I went to the dining area where Cade prepared all the meal but I can't even sit down because the chair's heavy as f**k as well but Cade is a gentleman, he pulled it for me and so I sat down but it was as if it was so light for him while it was so heavy for me.

When I took the spoon, I got shocked, what kind of a spoon is this? It's heavy too! It's a soup, the soup my beef bulalo ah I know I should just take the bowl and sip from there. So I took the bowl containing the beef bulalo and I am very happy yes very happy coz again I can't lift it easily, it's so heavy arghhhh. What kind of things are these? They won't let me eat at least.

I just sighed and just decided to drink water but... hayyyyy

It's also very heavy, I noticed Cade chuckled so I just let off a straight face, he's happy that I'm suffering, I should have never insisted to work.

I am now here in my training site and I feel really weak, my whole body is aching and I feel like I don't and I can't do anything. This training, this work has no mercy. Huhuhuhu what did I ever do? Why do I feel like I'm being punished? Why am I getting my just desserts when I don't even have an idea what I did!

They made me carry anything for my exercise. Is this the work that people do here?

"We can't move on to the next stage if you can't give me 100 push ups within 2 weeks."

I can't really do a single push up or even just a position, it's so hard, my muscle cramps are getting me nowhere.

I went back to Cade's apartment and changed into my uniform but even my uniform is too heavy and shoes and socks are all heavy and even my bags and other things, I feel like all of my things really got heavier. I went to the University and since I was too tired, I fell asleep, I got scolded, laughed at and after my classes I went back to the training site and then went home and slept.

3rd day of training.

As usual, they made me wake up early and now I'm even weaker than the last time because I feel like I'm really gonna die now.

We're on the training site again, new exercises for strengthening your muscles, I am very tired but this is the only way to survive and so I'm never gonna give up.

I can really feel the sweat all over my body, I have difficulty in catching my breath til I just really fell down on the ground but I am still awake, it's just that I am having a hard time breathing.

We're on the hospital and I am really, I feel like I am dying.

I'm never gonna catch my breath.

Say good bye to those who knew me.

I instantly caught Cade's scent. Cade is here. I feel like I won't be able to reach further but no this can't be! I have to survive, I need to survive and I want to survive. 

"f**k! f**k! She's asthmatic!" I heard him yell outside. I feel so weak..

"Then we have to maybe postpone the training if we won't be able to cure her right away."

I feel like a light bulb lit on my head. So I have to prolong this asthma to avoid training. This is my only escape ah finally a solution, an easy solution.

I really enjoyed, cherished and felt every moment that I am suffering and having a hard time breathing because of my asthma.

A doctor came in my room to check on me then came out. "I see, asthma. Yes, it's really dangerous.." I noticed that the doctor was talking to someone, it might be Sir Ganfidella.

So yeah I am really having a hard time breathing and this is really really hard but at least there's no training.

The doctor came to me and placed his hand, 5 centimeters away from my chest then suddenly his hand glowed blue then my feelings, my body suddenly feel so light and I feel like I got all better and my asthma disappeared.

My breathing went back to normal even my body, my muscle cramps disappeared like wow, it reminded me of Miss Rostingdias.

"There, she's all fine. I also took away all her body pains."

"Really?" then Cade and Sir went inside the room.

"How are you feeling, Lys?"

Then suddenly I just found myself staring at the doctor. I never felt so pissed in my entire life huhuhuhuhu, why did he heal me? The doctor's really handsome but he can never escape from this feeling.

I noticed Cade chuckled beside Sir Ganfidella.

I just stared at the doctor while pouting and about to cry, he's too handsome but I really wanna slap him right now huhuhu yawa.

"Then good, we can continue with our training."

Huhuhuhuhu f**k!

4th day of training.

It's still the same but I feel like I am slowly getting used to but it's still heavy. It's still really heavy. 

He made me do push ups and surprisingly I managed to do 4 push ups. I am sweating a lot,  I don't think I can still do one more but then I pushed it and managed to reach 5 and then ended up laying on the floor after 5.

He made me do all kinds of exercises using all the other equipments. And as usual, day by day, it's getting more and more difficult so I went to class weak and tired, I tried so hard not to fall asleep but still I still fell asleep. So the teacher made me go out of the classroom and so my classmates laughed at me again. So I went home and ate and went to the training site and then slept.

5th day of training

I don't know, I don't understand if I became really weak or the things really just became even heavier.

Then I arrived at the training site and then they made me do push ups to see any improvements but I am even sweating and panting but I am even having a hard time even if I just started.

I only managed to do 3 push ups. Why is my strength on decreasing level? I am mad, I am so mad, I don't understand why. I am working hard for so many days, been suffering for many days but why does it seem like it doesn't have any improvement at all.

Why am I so weak? My tears fell together with my sweat, I can see them all on the floor, it was as if the floor was filled with my sweat and tears, I am very frustrated. I don't think I'll make it anymore. I should just go back to the human world where I really belong. I decided to stand to go and tell them that.

"It's snack's time! Rostingdias left some snacks there." my ears stood up after hearing that.

The food here is really delicious. I ate a lot of it, well lately I also noticed that my appetite had grown so much to the point that I can finish two trays in one meal.

Well it's nothing really new because even in the human world, I eatt like a monster.

6 days later..

Be a man..

You must be swift as a coursing river.

With all the force of a great typhoon.

"198.."

I am sweating a lot but at least it's not as hard as when I started.

"199.."

Supposedly my goal is only 100 but because it got extended for a few days, Sir Ganfidella added 100 more to the goal. So yeah it's really useless, it got extended because I couldn't reach 100 but he also added 100 more, he made it 200.

"200!"

Mysterious as the dark side of the moon.

And I stood up. Actually I reached 200 yesterday but I just got scared that it might decrease again like what happened the last time.

"Congratulations. You completed your warm up."

Instead of being happy, I feel like the whole world fell on me after hearing that. That was just a warm up? Eh I nearly died because of all the pain I suffered.

"You may now change back into normal clothes and rest. Come back tomorrow."

"Roger!" I bowed and went to the dressing room. After I changed back to normal, I feel like everything is really light. I feel like my body is very light that I can barely feel it.

It's been so long since I opened and held normal things especially these normal lockers. All the things they made me use were really heavy. I still don't understand why and how is this my work, what about my salary? Besides, I'm a girl, they should be softie on me, am I not cute enough?

When I arrived in the locker room where everything is normal, I opened it and---

haystt... 

"Destruction of Property, do you know the consequences?"

I just rolled my eyes while looking down on the floor. This Xavion is giving me more of a hard time!