New Developments(?)

"You better come out now, before I rip your arms off!".

Shit. Now what?

"Oi! Axel! Chantria! What the hell are you two doing?!".

I look to the park entrance and immediately saw the training instructor.

He had a few guards beside him.

"Your suits both sent signals showing a significant increase in heart rate, adrenaline, as well as electricity flow through your nerves. What exactly happened?".

He looks over and sees Chantria's worried and slightly panicked expression. He then examines Axel's bleeding body.

"Oh, I see. I believe Mr. Axel here harassed Ms. Chantria, no?".

They both stand in silence.

"Well, punishments are due, are they not?"

"It was her fault! She stabbed me first! With that, stupid pen or whatever!" Axel blurts out.

"Is that true, Chantria?"

"N-n-no! He harassed me first! He was being all possessive and even snapped at me! He tried to attack me so I had no choice but to defend myself!"

"No! She's freaking lying man!".

Seriously Axel? Playing victim now, huh?

"Well, that's all for the investigation. All your actions are recorded anyway"

"What the f*ck?! You think this is some joke huh?! Well go to hell!"

"No, you're a joke. Now follow the guards obediently and I'll lighten your punishment. Chantria, just go back"

"You wont get off easily! I'll remember this! The both of you! I swear upon my family name!" he screams as he was dragged away.

Everyone has left. Except for me and the instructor. Damn. How am I supposed to escape now? Wait. I think he said something about our actions being recorded?

"Erik! You can come out now!".

Damn. I emerge from the bush I was hiding in.

"Don't worry. I would've done the same when I was your age. Just keep in mind that curiosity killed the cat. Be more careful next time"

"Sorry, sir. My apologies"

"No worries. Just consider this as my apologies for your incident. Don't go overboard and I might help again"

"Well, thanks. I appreciate it"

"Just study diligently under Great Akihiko. You may go now"

"Yes, thank you sir" I say as I run off.

Wait. Did he say 'Great' Akihiko? What's so great about that old man? Never mind. I run off to my room. Jeremy greets me inside.

"Yo! Where were you?"

"Nah, I got caught up a bit. There was something weird going on"

"What?"

"No, nothing"

"You sure are secretive these days"

"Yeah.. guess so".

I was honestly tired sneaking around. I'll just sleep like a dead body now.

_____

Hah... I let out a deep sigh. Since when did Erik keep so many secrets. He wasn't really like this back then. What's with him, coming back late and immediately falling a sleep? The same guy that would bug me by not turning off the lights? Yeah, right. Well, I'll let tomorrow's me think about it. I sleep it off.

_

I wake up. 5.00am. I head out to jog, trying to enjoy the half an hour I have before Erik wakes up. After clearing up my mind a bit, Erik joined me.

"'Sup!"

"All good".

We continue in silence. There's not really much to say anyways. Considering how he is now. Well, upon closer inspection, Erik really does seem, different. He's doesn't pant as much as then. It's only been a week! What's up with his monstrous improvement, really? I try to ignore it but I just can't. I keep saying he's off messing around but is that really the case? Does someone improve that fast? Something is suspicious here.

This makes me want to work even harder. Actually, I have to. He might catch up to me soon. Even worse, he might even surpass me. Not like it's a bad thing. But I have to make sure to keep his attitude in check. I can't let his ego skyrocket once he beats me. I decide to join him on his extra exercises.

"Oh, I thought you were done?"

"Nah, maybe I'll just keep up with you. I don't want to fall behind you anytime soon"

"Believe me, you wouldn't want to keep up with my exercises" Erik says with a tired expression.

Is that what he's been doing in the evenings? More exercises? Well, he did say he needed to do lots since the past five months. I never knew he would actually commit.

Well, I applaud his effort. I should really step it up a level. After doing all our normal exercises, Erik invited me to eat. I tell him to go on first. He seemed surprised. He still went to eat without thinking twice. What a hog. I keep working out while he goes eat. I have to work harder. I went to breakfast 10 minutes before closing time and ate as fast as I could before rushing to class. Everyone was already here. Even Erik. He seems absent minded. Like he usually is during class. I take my seat

"You're a bit late" Marie greets me.

"Yeah.. I had some things"

"Hmm, okay. Well, we all have things we need to do" she shrugs.

Yeah. Especially Jeremy. I roll my eyes. Ms. Sinclair enters. We had class like normal. Erik seemed bored even when the teacher was scolding him the whole time. Well, in the end classes ended off without a hitch. Erik leaves for lunch by his own, just like any other day.

He only sticks around during morning and at night. I wonder what he's so busy with that he always run off by himself? I always just see him napping during our afternoon break. He only wakes up for evening classes. Like he doesn't get enough rest. Well, that might actually be true considering the supposed training he does everyday.

Me and Marie decide to go to lunch together, like we always do. Once we picked up our food, Erik was already on his way out. That was fast. I see Ayaka sitting by herself. She always leaves shortly behind Erik. Did she eat with him just now? I decided to invite Marie to sit along with Ayaka. Ayaka doesn't really seem to mind us though. Weird, considering how antisocial she is. Well, good for me. Let's start doing a little investigation, shall we?

"Hey! What's up Ayaka?" I say as she just continues eating.

"Um, hello?" I ask politely.

"Earth to Ayaka! Are you there?"

"...".

Umm... Now how am I supposed to do this? It's like I'm not even here in the first place. Marie looks at me apologetically. What's that look supposed to mean?

"Hey, Ayaka! How are you? Feeling good?"

"Oh, Marie! Yeah, yeah. All's fine. Is anything up?"

"Oh, no. It just seems that Jeremy here has something to say" Marie speaks up politely to her.

"Oh" Ayaka says with a blank expression on her face as she looks my way.

"What, boy? Speak quick. Me busy".

What's up with that attitude? I try to hold back my irritation.

"Um, no it's just that I was wondering if you know what Erik's been up to, you know? I mean, you both don't participate in sparring classes so I was just wondering if um-"

"What you try say here, boy?" she cuts me off sternly.

"Um, no, nothing it's just that I was wondering if you two are-"

"No, stupid boy. Now go. Shoo!" she cuts me off and waves me away.

Really?! What's her deal?

"Erm, Marie?" Ayaka asks politely.

"Uh, yes? What is it?"

"Could you please ask your boyfriend here to go away? I'm feeling quite uncomfortable, you see" she says, ever so politely.

"Um, yes, sure. Jeremy, could you please? We'll catch up later. Sorry" Marie says, as if she couldn't so anything against Ayaka.

At least fight back a bit.. geez Marie... I leave and continue eating quietly somewhere else. I mean, what's up with her? And why is Marie so scared of her? Well, not really scared, but what's with that reaction? Forget it. We'll just talk about it later.

After finishing up, I head to my room. There he is, Erik. Sleeping ever soundly.

"Geez, don't you ever get any sleep?" I think out loud.

"...".

Well, whatever. I'll just take a nap for about five minutes I guess.

_

I wake up, seeing Erik sleeping peacefully as ever. I leave first, heading to the training room. I've been coming here a lot lately before practice. Ever since Erik kept disappearing by himself I've always came here to practice some moves. I trust Erik would be at least responsible enough to wake up by himself in the evening.

I start practicing my stances a bit. The, I move on to the training dummies. State of the art equipment, introduced to us a few months in. I wonder why they gave this to us a bit late but it sure is useful. It's an android, with a soft coating. It can do martial arts, and also makes good sparring partners. Although practicing against a human being is better, but I can still get more proficient by seeing even a machine doing it.

I never would've thought I would be given a chance like this. I hope I can meet 'that person' again. The same one that helped Erik and I back in the slums. The one that gave us hope, opportunity. But man, life sure was tough back then. I kinda feel guilty, living this sort of life. But, I must live on, for everyone in 5th Avenue's sake.

It was through all their sacrifices that me and Erik were given this chance. I have to work twice as hard, for the sake of everyone that got me here. I just hope Erik feels this way too. Well, I'm sure of it. I know he tries to suppress those emotions but I'm sure deep, deep down, Erik won't ever forget.

_____

I wake up and let out a gigantic yawn as I stretch my body like a cat. Man, that nap was good. I get up and start heading to the dojo. There's quite sometime for me to get there. Man, I'm so tired of this life. Can't I just quit? I kinda regret coming here. Oh, well. I can't forget though. That old man will be teaching me some good martial arts soon. And not to mention the money I'll be making, being an assassin an all. I'm practically drooling just thinking about it.

_____

Yeah, I'm sure he has it carved deep into his bones.

_____

Oooh, what should I do with my first ever paycheck, I wonder? New car? Though I wouldn't be using it much. Cool secret base? Nah. I doubt I'd get that much money on my first job. Oh! I know! I'll be getting me some real good food. Man.. now I'm hungry.

Maybe I should ask that old man to get me some quality beef. Though I doubt that stingy old fogey would even care. I bet he would be eating it everyday in front of me, just to tease me. Now that I'm thinking about it, that might actually be a very bad idea. Forget that. I'll just have to wait for my first paycheck then.

I arrive inside the cave, in front of the dojo. I greet my master as he tells me to go mining.

"What? I thought I was done?"

"Oh, no, far from it" he says with a grin.

"But, you said I was ready to start learning martial arts?"

"Yes, yes you are. I do not tell such lies. But what's wrong with tempering your body some more?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong, really. But I've been doing it everyday!"

"Oh come one, don't be such a brat. Just do it for two hours instead. Then come up here for martial arts training"

"Cool!" I exclaim happily.

Hehe, I finally have this old man wrapped tightly around my fingers. Maybe I might actually get that beef pretty soon... Man, now my mouth's watering. I seriously can't wait.