OBTICEO

Chapter 14: PUNCHING BAG

"You ready?" it's four in the morning when Gio destroyed my slumber, we are now currently having our extra early breakfast. Gio planned to start our training at hour six but before that, we still have to make an improvised punching bag I could practice on, I mean, we, since he needs to practice too.

"Do I have a choice?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Of course you do. It's either you practice now or fail the exam. Pretty simple, isn't it?" the thing I like and hate about Gio is that he is smart. I like his smartness when he helps me but I hate it when he mocks or makes fun of me.

After cleaning the table and washing the dishes we made our way to the room to start making the improvised punching bag. Gio opened his closet and pulled out a pair of jean.

I went to the bathroom to find a scissor, Gio laid the jean on the floor and I handed him the scissor. The plan is to cut the jeans in half, put pieces of stuff inside and sew it.

"Oh!" Gio stopped when he was about to cut the jeans. "What's wrong?" I asked standing beside him while he's on his knees.

"I just remembered something"

"What is it?"

"There are punching bags in the headquarters" yeah, I saw some in the dark corners of the headquarters.

"Yeah, I know. So?"

"We're allowed to borrow it" I didn't know that. But the other trainees know about it, we must hurry up before they get everything.

"Oh! Good thing you haven't cut anything. Let's go now or else"

So, Gio and I ended up in an open area that is covered in grass. As I was expecting, the others got the training equipment first. They took every standing punching bag in the headquarters if that's what it's called. We didn't have any choice but to stick with the hanging punching bag. It was so heavy so we didn't go too far from the headquarters. We went to an area where I haven't gone, before and found this place. Good thing it's always dark in here, the sun won't bother us any time of the day.

"Let's do a warm-up first," Gio said after setting up the punching bag on a tree. The punching bag is hung on a thick branch of a tree. Hope the branch won't give up on us.

We did a couple of minutes worth of warming up. I forgot to mention that we also got a rubber cloth-like thing you wrap around your hand so you won't hurt your knuckles that much when you do a punch.

"Now, to pass the exam, you have to know how to punch. It's pretty easy actually"

"Yeah sure!" I answered, doubting his words.

"First, close your hand with your thumb outside. Don't lock it inside. Like this!" he showed me his fist, four fingers closed and the thumb lays on top of those four fingers. I did the same, showing it to him.

"Okay, that's it. Now aside from your fist, your legs and your stance are also important. Place your dominant arm and legs at the back and the non-dominant in front" I followed his instructions. I put my right arm and leg on the back. Gio checked my stance and creased his forehead. Why? I don't know!

"Your punch will start with your foot, it is better if you slightly bend your dominant foot. Then the energy will flow from your feet to your hips, shoulders, and fist. Then punch! After punching you can position your hand in a blocking stance." he then did a punch with the stance he was making me do and ended it with both arms blocking his face.

"Try it on this punching bag" I went near the punching bag and did everything he thought of me, from my stance to the energy traveling through my body, and let out a strong punch that I can give.

After hitting the punching bag, I quickly looked in Gio's direction and saw him smiling.

"I did i--"

Gio laughed as I fell on my knees when the punching bag hit me back. I forgot about the tree. When I threw a punch, the punching bag hit the body of the three and bounce back in my direction.

"Stupid!"

"You forgot to tell me to avoid the punching bag when it bounces back at me!" I hissed getting up from the fall.

"Well it is common sense, didn't know you didn't have one" there goes his annoying smart mouth.

"Is that all? Are we done?" I changed the topic to avoid further embarrassment. Gash! This guy really knows how to annoy me.

"Uhm, how about you try to punch me this time. Here!" he then positioned his hand as if its a punching bag. So I will punch his palm? It's a good way to have my revenge on his annoying remarks.

I prepared myself again to deliver a punch. I put all his words into action, I did exactly as I did a while ago except that this time, I will definitely punch harder. I concentrated on increasing the strength of my punch and release it onto his hand.

"It's stronger than an average punch of a girl, it's definitely harder than how you did a while ago. I can feel the anger, why? Are you that annoyed at me? Well it's still not enough to win against us" it's not like I don't know that. Even if I did learn how to fight in a span of seven days, their experience would step on my small amount of knowledge.

"Tss! Just wait till I catch up, I'll beat you all up, especially that inconsiderate work head of yours!" I tried saving my ego. I have to work extra hard to get out of here and show these guys what girls can do. They keep on rubbing the 'only girl' thingy on my face. I mean, what the hell is their problem with a girl in the team? The Kavan Head, Ry's father did not say that a girl is not welcome to this team.

"Well, he's your work head too" I wish he wasn't. Caligo would do better, but I also hate that guy. His playfulness is sometimes off the beat. I still want to give him a couple of punches. A really hard one of course.

"I know and it sucks!" silence filled the atmosphere after that. Okay? So what are we supposed to do now? Dismissed?

"What are we going to do now?" I voiced my question.

"I figured that we have to build your stamina, up. Maybe that will help you on the exam" Stamina? Through exercising? Or do they have their own specific way to boost their stamina?

"Okay! So are we starting now?" We still have a lot of time anyway. We still have more or less 5 hours before hour 12. We have to have our lunch too you know. Or does he have his own schedule for today's training?

"Of course, we only have seven days you know!" well we could rest after lunch and resume the training after. But since I owe him for helping, I should follow whatever he has in mind.

"Okay then, let's go!" I readied myself, preparing my body for more activities. I supposed we will also do it in this park. I roamed my sight around and saw some prisoners walking by. Probably going to work or going back to their cells.

"But there's a problem" My gaze returned to Gio after hearing what he said. What could the problem be?

"What is it?" I provoke him to say more. No need for a cliffhanger.

"I kind of failed to attend that class. I got injured that week so I never got to learn how to strengthen our stamina"

"WHAT? Then what will we do now?" My voice raised at the first word. It is a problem, alright. But I'm sure we could do something about it. We can even construct our own 'stamina building' routine.

"Well, we could ask someone's help" Or we could do that too. But the question is who? Who would we ask for help from?

"And that someone is?"

"Soren or Caligo. They are our trainers after all" Soren? No way! Caligo? Eh...tolerable.

"I'm sure you know that Soren will never do that. He is an arrogant man. Caligo is a better option. He may be annoying but that's he's all we have" I also thought of approaching the other trainee but I doubt they would help. They also have to train for the exam.

"Then Caligo it is"