"You know I am part of The Faith and that all information about hunters is handed over to the higher authorities," Hewlett says. He's the only campaigner that sounds like one. Well, him and Brother Musunga. Heeeeh…
"Aunt Gloria still told me to tell you," Darren says. Sounds like she doesn't give a damn. That, and you can't get passed her even if you wanted to, snitch.
"How disrespectful," Hewlett says. "Do you all assume I will just agree with you because Yori is being hunted? We barely know each other." I mean he isn't wrong, but I wish he wasn't that blunt about it.
"And she could have killed you the moment you two walked into the shop, so what's your point white robe?" Darren says.
"I won't argue with that, but I don't like how confident you look about it," I say with a snarl in my breath.
"If you hadn't noticed this isn't a bakery, so don't expect me to sugarcoat stuff for you," Darren says. He points to me, "You're going to have a large bounty on your head and every hunter in Saalku looking for you." He looks at Hewlett, "And you're somewhat safe from all of this," Darren says.
"Back off!" I growl this time. He can't really think that Hewlett has anything to do with this.
"Calm down Yori. I am related to the problem. Not getting a bounty is one of its perks," Hewlett says. Well of course you're fishy. I barely know you too. But I'd rather be with the spoiled milk I made than the one I was given in this kind of situation.
I remember him mention having a score to settle with them, involving a witch. But he didn't seem spooked then. What did aunt Gloria do to you Hewlett?
"We don't know a lot about you but we know enough to want to keep an eye on you," Darren says. "The real reason you'll be kept here is because she's going to be training you."
Why would a hunter want to train a lycan and someone from The Faith?
"I thought you'd be done by now," aunt Gloria says. My sense have been focused the entire time I walked into this shop. But she's caught me off guard twice now! And what's in the box she's holding?
"Yori doesn't seem too opposed with it. But Hewlett feels, 'disrespected'," Darren says. You're such an ass.
"If it makes you feel any better, Brother Sabantu's the one that asked me to do it," aunt Gloria says.
"…Who is stronger then? B-between him and you?" Hewlett asks. They're both extremely strong. The only thing that could set them apart is that aunt Gloria had a deadly vibe to her when she pulled out her gun, it was chilling enough to make me light-headed.
"I'm stronger," aunt Gloria answers. "You two are also going to be stronger than your pathetic selves." Damn. Darren wasn't kidding, this place really isn't a bakery.
"In three days?" Hewlett asks. Wait why is it three days to begin with?
"Aunt Gloria has a work-around for that," Darren answers. "It has something to do with-
"I'm done answering questions. If they can't tell what's going on by the end of my training…then they'll be killed," says aunt Gloria. This is really serious. "Even your protection won't do you any good if you keep sticking your head in this. But you already know that."
"And if I refuse?" Hewlett asks.
"She just said she's not answering anymore questions," Darren says as he looks to aunt Gloria, "Is he really the smart one?" Not gonna lie, I just don't have any questions to ask and even if I did-I wouldn't.
"Let's get on with training then," Aunt Gloria says. She drops the box down. The impact digs it into the ground. "Darren? Take out their weights." Like my collar?
Darren goes to the box, opens it and takes out…
Wristbands?
Weighted wristbands maybe, I mean-it's the most obvious thing.
Darren walks over to us, looking all smug, "Here you go," he says. He hands me four wristbands and a belt. "Put them on. You too, Mr. Campaigner."
I put the bands on my wrists, two on each and fasten the belt on my waist.
"Yori?" Hewlett asks.
"Yeah?" Wait, why is he putting some of the wristbands on his ankles? "Are you—
"Yes Yori, you are supposed to tie some on your ankles. You have to distribute the weight to your legs too," Hewlett answers ahead. I try putting them on correctly. This feels more natural.
"Now that you're done playing dress-up, here's what you'll be doing," aunt Gloria says. "If you want the delicious food Champo and Duncan are making upstairs, you'll have to touch Darren. Once you do that, you get the esteemed honor of groveling your way passed me and on upstairs. Failure to do so…uhm…," she clears her throat, "You're going to get shot. Yeah…that's what I'm gonna do. Now get ready!"
I look to Hewlett, "These aren't even heavy."
"These weights work differently from what you're…thinking!" says Hewlett as he's forced to his knees. I look at aunt Gloria and see her creak in a huge smile. She's definitely messing with-meeee!
My hands drop to the ground shortly after my knees.
"Now it's time to catch me," Darren says. He stands still, meters away from aunt Gloria and doesn't move an inch. My mind's jumped straight to transforming but I'll hold out until I'm sure there's no other way.
"Good. Save your energy, this is going to be harder than any training from The Faith," Hewlett says. He then takes an exhausted single step forward… and then another.
He's using amaka. It looks like he's circulating it around his body really fast. I take my first step too. I don't really understand what Hewlett is up to but I don't think I can circulate my amaka as fast as he is. Avoiding using my amaka at all is a better way of conserving my energy too. I'll go at it with my raw strength and put everything I have into the last second, just like training with Brother Sabantu.
Hewlett and I are both making progress. He's already passed halfway to Darren. I shouldn't lag behind too far, maybe it's time to try out what Hewlett's doing with his amaka.
I take in a deep breath, circulate, I let it out. Come on, circulate…
The moment I release my amaka, the wristbands, belt and ankle weights instantly vacuum it in. My legs slightly quiver and I'm forced to kneel again. What the hell is this? I shouldn't have tried this to begin with. The weights, they've somehow gotten even heavier!