Day one of training

The next day, everyone was ready for the training already. Body cleaned up, fresh clothes worn, boots laced, hair slicked, power boosters checked, extra water cans packed, but…

"Ashton's not awake yet!" Alden announced after coming back from the entrance of Ashton's orb.

"What?" Ulysses exclaimed in surprise. He stood up from the chair he had been sitting on patiently ready to charge into Ashton's orc without notice.

"I will go get him." Marcus announced his voice breaking through Ulysses' resolve.

"How? He is sleeping in his orb, remember?"

"And I'm this room's captain." Marcus said with a smirk.

He moved towards Ashton's supposed orb gateway and closed his eyes before swerving his hand in a circular motion then some triangle prisms inside the circle he had created. The seal protecting the orb faltered open and inside the orb was Ashton still sleeping like a log of wood.

The trio sighed at the sight they were beholding and one got into the orb to wake Ashton up while one went to the table where their supplies were kept and grabbed a jar of water before going inside the orb to join the one who had gotten in first.

"Wake up, you bummer!" Ulysses shouted at Ashton, shaking him rigorously so he could wake up from his lengthy sleep.

"Hmmph" Ashton mumbled, still not flinching.

Ulysses frowned, grabbing the water jar Alden had brought. He uncapped the bottle and poured its content in Ashton.

"Fuck!" The boy raed from his sleep getting up from his slumber with great haste. "Who did that?!"

"I did!" Ulysses admitted folding his hands adamantly.

"Why the heck would you disrupt my sleep! Did I disturb your motherfucking rest?" Ashton hollered with rage.

"Get ready dummy! Your training starts today!"

"Fuck! I will tell you when I'm ready! Leave me alone!" Ashton raged at getting back to bed in an attempt to continue his sleep.

Marcus rolled his eyes after letting out a frustrating sigh. He advanced towards Ashton and grabbed his right leg and he started to drag him out of the orb.

The sleep deprived boy continued to wriggle as Marcus dragged him while Alden giggled at the sight he was witnessing while covering his mouth to hide his cute laugh.

"Argh"

***

"Can I at least eat breakfast before we start?" Ashton asked, yawning loudly as he rubbed his stomach in protest to being hungry.

"No!" Marcus said his voice stern and a bit harsh. "You can only win yourself some breakfast tickets if you can manage to take both Ulysses and Alden down first."

"You want me to fight against two people? At the same time?"

"The test is prone to changes, Ashton." Alden uttered.

"Your next fight might be with two students instead of one. It's better to be a step ahead."

*Sigh!*

"Okay, let's do this people!" Ashton finally reclined posing in stunts of an experienced fighter. "Let's get this over with."

*Arrrrrr*

Ashton advanced towards Ulysses first. He tried to grab his arm so he could maneuver him to the ground by flipping him off his shoulder but Ulysses had grasped his plan early and he reached out to Ashton's arm before lifting him off his feet then flipped him off his shoulder.

"Argh!" Ashton groaned in pain as he laid on the ground. "How did you know that was my plan?"

"It was the right amount of obvious." Ulysses smirked, holding his hand out to help Ashton get back to his feet.

Ashton rolled his eyes then grabbed Ulysses hand for help but a small smirk crept onto his lips without Ulysses seeing him.

He grabbed Ulysses hand and at the same time, he kicked his left foot making his opponent fall on a single knee then he grabbed him by the neck and pushed him backwards making him fall to the ground.

"Bet you didn't see this move." Ashton smirked as he took domain over Ulysses.

The latter smirked and said, "Unplanned but, take your flower cheater!" He rolled Ashton over from him and grabbed him by the neck gently tightening his fingers around it. "This caught you by surprise too, right?"

Ashton groaned as he managed to kick his foot upward from where they laid and he hit Ulysses back making him lose his grip from his neck. He rolled him over and attempted to slam a blow into his face. Ulysses flinched, turning his face away from Ashton's face awaiting the sickening blow to land on his face but it never came.

"Do it already!" Ulysses blinked, still expecting Ashton's tightened finger to touch his face.

Ashton smiled, getting up from Ulysses. "You're next Alden! I will lash out on you for exploiting me!"

"Come on!" Alden challenged. "I bet I will show you no mercy!"

Ashton smirked and charged towards Alden while screaming, "This is called mercy!"

Alden also picked fast paces as he dashed towards Ashton, their fists colliding midway and sending them reeling backwards. Ashton flinched as he tried to shake the pain off his hand. He then lowered his gaze at Alden menacingly while hardening his fisted palm. He struck his left foot forward to maintain a good balance then Marcus' words from yesterday struck his mind.

He let out a simple smirk and watched Alden subtly trying to grasp his every move.

'Three seconds! Just three seconds!' he said to himself in his thoughts hardening his fists as he leveled his eyes on Alden.

[A/N: Review pleaseeee]