Chapter 31: Taking On Alice’s Sister

Date Thursday, January 10th, 2261

With Alice's sister Bella reaching the age of five yesterday, it's officially time I've started training and teaching her. I talked to Alice about it yesterday at her younger sister's birthday party and she was more than on board, so there's no real reason not to at this point. There is the possibility that she could leak what I'm doing to her parents, which would obviously throw a wrench into my plans.

However, I don't think she will, if my previous experience with her is anything to go by. None of the things I told her to keep secret for me before she disclosed to anyone, even her own sister, whom I know she loves dearly. Thus, things will more than likely go well.

"Alice, we're going to start your sister's training and learning today. Are you good with that?"

"Of course, it will benefit her immensely and the earlier she starts, the better."

"Alright, let me give gramps a ring for a ride while you call your mom to drop your sister off."

"No need. I already talked to my mom and Bella. She'll be here at 9:00 AM sharp. The only thing is she doesn't know the real reason why we want Bella to come, so we'll need to come up with something to persuade her to let us teach and train my sister."

"That's alright we can come up with something whilst she's making her way here. Nonetheless, good job, Alice." I praised her.

Alice, happy to have received praise for thinking ahead, was smiling brightly next to me while I called up the old man for a ride.

"He's on his way." I told Alice before the two of us began brainstorming on how exactly we were going to convince her mother.

We went back and forth for a bit and eventually settled on a plan and not too much later following that, gramps conveniently showed up at the same time Alice's mom Aura did with Bella. Getting up, I headed for the entrance with Alice following beside me and opened the door before gramps could whip out his keys and let the three of them in.

"Hey, gramps. Good morning, mother-in-law, and good morning to you too, Bella." I greeted them before Alice followed up with a similar greeting.

"Mornin." Gramps said simply, walking off into the house, probably to raid the kitchen for breakfast.

"Good morning, big brother Dom."

"Ohh, you kids have already gotten to that level." Alice's and Bella's mom responded, surprised to hear what I had just called her.

"Ohh, didn't you know Mom, Dom, and I are engaged?"

"When did you two decide that?" She questioned, somewhat nervously.

"We didn't. You adults decided for us, remember?" Alice answered.

"Why don't you come inside, mother-in-law, so we can talk." I suggested.

Alice's mom sighed, resigning herself to whatever was going to happen next, and entered with Bella, who excitedly ran on ahead to the living room.

"Continuing where we left off, I think I do remember something like that occurring... So when did you two find out, and how?"

"Well, I've known all along since I was listening to you guys when you gathered for that discussion amongst yourselves all those years ago." I answered, surprising her.

"And I found out about it much later when my dearest Dom informed me about it." Alice followed up.

"So I'm guessing since you two are telling me this, you have something you want to say or ask."

"Correct. For being unfairly engaged to each other even though we both love each other we wish to start training and teaching my sister Bella, it's about time she begins school but instead of going there and only learning normal things we want her to undergo what both of us went through." Alice said.

"Absolutely not. That training of yours is too brutal, Bella. Can't withstand that." Alice's mom responded agitated, attempting to shut us down.

"Oh, come on, Mom, it'll be good for her in the long run. She will be exceptionally fit and considered a genius when we're done with her. Don't you want the best for Bella." Alice persuaded, as her mom started to feel guilty.

Alice's mom went through a mixture of emotions and expressions before finally sighing and relenting. "...Hah, fine, but on the condition that Bella will be coming home to me at the end of the day. I already have one daughter who rarely ever returns home to visit her family. I can't lose both of my girls to your fiancé, Dom."

"Well, if you didn't set me up with such a great guy, maybe I would return home more often."

From there, we discussed the nitty-gritty details and what times Bella would need to come over, as well as what days. We were going to push for a full week but Alice's mom pleaded that she wanted to spend the weekends with her hence we ended up with having Bella for most of the day during the week and her having the weekend off at home with her mother and father.

"Pleasure, doing business with you, mother-in-law." I said, whilst Alice giggled off to the side.

Her mother looked like she had eaten a lemon when I said that, but she quickly got over it and struck back by asking a very difficult question that I would've preferred to delay for many more years with a devilish grin. "So, when are you going to marry my daughter?"

As soon as Alice heard those words, she near instantly locked onto me, waiting to see what I would say.

Sigh, of course, she would ask that. Look at her grinning over there, thinking she has me caught. Unfortunately for your dearest mother-in-law, I've already put some thought into this over the years.

"Oh, you wanted to know about that, yeah I already have that figured out. I believe August 8th, 2068, would be the best day since both of us will be 18 and considered adults at that time." I answered matter-of-factly.

Hearing my answer, Alice excitedly jumped at me and latched on me before rubbing her head against me. Whilst I was dealing with Alice, her mother just looked on happy as can be while Alice showered me with affection.

Following that, Alice's and Bella's mom said she was happy I had things all planned out and will come by and pick up Bella later on before she dipped out.

*Burp* "That was a mighty good breakfast, so what'd I miss?" Gramps asked, unaware of what had taken place while Alice was practically a beaming ray of sunshine.

"Nothing much, old man. Just got my wedding date finalized and recruited Alice's sister." I answered him, pointing at Bella, who was contently reading one of the old children's books my grandparents bought for me way back in the day.

"That's cool. I wish you two all the best and what not." Gramps replied nonchalantly, taking his usual spot on the couch.

"Gee, thanks, gramps." I said sarcastically.

"No problem, kid." Gramps said smugly.

I let Bella finish her kid's book before I grabbed her attention. "Hey, Bella, instead of going to school like normal kids do, you'll be coming with us to learn and train from now on. How does that sound?"

"Wait, really?"

"Yup." I answered her.

"Yay, I get to spend all day with both my big brother and big sister." She said excitedly, unknowing of the fact that she was going to be subjected to a brutal regime for many years to build her up into an extremely capable woman one day.

"Sounds like she's on board alright. Let's head downstairs to the gym so we can start." Alice said, ready to begin working on her strength, endurance, and other such things.

I could honestly better spend this time on myself rather than on Alice's little sis Bella. But in the event that I do get together with her, I would rather have her be capable of handling her own out in the wasteland. I don't particularly want a woman who's incapable of violence and needs to be protected 24/7.

Heading downstairs with our new party member, gramps set her up on machines and weights she could handle and eased her into the working out. When we eventually completed the workout portion, Bella was looking pretty tired, so I kept up the encouragement while we started our sparring and other activities. We went pretty easy on her since it was her first day and let her get a few shots in to keep her motivated, which seemed to do the trick.

"That's enough for today. Go hit the showers." Gramps announced.

The three of us headed for the showers, with Alice walking alongside me and me carrying Bella, who had turned into mush at this point.

"Here, take your sister, Alice, and help her get cleaned up. She needs it."

"Okay, but you owe me some time later." She answered, not willing to lose the shower time we spend together every day.

"Sure."

Trading Bella to Alice, I wandered off to my shower while the big sister took care of the little one.

Ahh, it's nice to shower alone every now and again.

The three of us eventually met up with gramps after getting cleaned of the sweat that had accumulated on our bodies. When we did, we rested for a short bit before heading to the car next and on the way there I looked to Bella, who was sitting to my left and asked her. "Hey, Bella, can you keep another secret just between us two?"

"Yeah." She answered simply.

"Good, what you're about to see and learn at this place we'll be going to has to be kept secret from now on. You can't tell anyone about it, you got that?"

"The secrets are safe with me." Bella answered as seriously as she could.

"Atta girl, I knew I could rely on you." I said, rubbing her head.

"Hehe."

It took quite a number of minutes, but we eventually made it to the facility I bought some time ago. Once there, we went on in and as we passed through different sections on the way to the main area, Bella would let out the occasional ooo and aah at the robots that passed by and the various other things she saw along the way. The bunch of us spent the rest of the day there teaching her a number of things, which she thankfully caught on to quickly.

I'm thankful that she's able to soak up the things we teach her like a sponge similar to her sister, but I will say it is kind of odd that both sisters are so intelligent. I suppose it must have something to do with their family's genes.

"That's all for today, Bella. Did you have fun?"

"Nn, I did, big brother. What about you?" She responded sweetly.

"Of course I did, and you made it all the better." I replied, giving her a hug and getting a giggle from her.

"And remember Bella, if there ever comes a time you don't want to continue undergoing your learning, training, and working out, you can quit at any moment."

"You've already told me that many times today, big brother. Why do you keep telling me that when I keep saying no?"

"I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"I do, so don't say it again." She said, whilst attempting to appear serious and striking a comical pose.

*Pfft*

Catching myself, Bella started trying to use her newly learned moves on me. "Ahh, what are you laughing at, big brother?"

Not having it, I picked her up like a sack of potatoes and threw her over my shoulder while she continued to struggle and break free. She eventually bursted into laughter atop my shoulder whilst we headed for the parking lot.

With things wrapped up for the day, we loaded back up into gramp's car and began heading for Alice's and Bella's house to drop her off since it was close enough to my home.

On the way there, I piped up and asked. "So Bella, have you figured out what you're going to tell someone if they ask you what you did at the place you were at later in the day?"

"Yup, I'm going to tell them I learned a lot."

"And what if they ask for more detail?"

"Then I'll tell them about the more normal stuff I learned, like the addition and subtraction you taught me today."

"That's my girl." I said, while rubbing her head.

"Hehehe."

I would feel bad about what I'm doing, since I'm basically just manipulating a kid and shaping her into what I want her to be. But the wasteland is a very, very unforgiving and ruthless place therefore, the morals from my previous world are pretty worthless to me unless I have the strength to be able to afford them, which I currently don't.

Besides that, the more capable people I have on my side to watch my back and those around me, the better it is for all of us and those following me. Not that she'll be of much help early on with her sister and me planning to venture out into the wasteland not long after the two of us reach the age of eighteen.

Nevertheless, even if she doesn't join us one day, she'll be a hell of a lot better off compared to her peers when it comes to practically anything. She also appears to enjoy the learning, training, and working out I had her go through today like her sister Alice and I did years ago, so it isn't all that bad.

And in the event that she doesn't want to go through it anymore, she can drop it at any time, like I told her multiple times previously, hence ultimately what will come to be will rely on what she wants to do in the end.

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