Training For Two (closed)

Fighting wasn't Ash's thing. He preferred reading and doing homework and working hard. If it accomplished something worthwhile, he worked for it. Sure, fighting was something to protect his life and maybe the life of someone else, but it just wasn't his style. His was calm and quiet, the life of nothing but reading a book. Maybe doing some work outside every once in a while to revel in the beauty of the outdoors. But still, he didn't like the heat and sweat and power he felt when fighting. He knew he was stronger than he thought and didn't want to accidentally, or even purposefully, hurt someone.

Nodding slowly at her comment he realized how stupid he had sounded asking that. "Right, yeah. I brought you to the initiate dorms yesterday." He figured, after saying this, there was chance she had taken her test earlier that morning and been sorted, butt that was slim and he sounded dumb asking what dorm she was in. Of course she was still the initiate.

Erika's next move shocked Ash and he froze in place. Where had the knife come from? Had she not put back the blades she had attached to her belt earlier? He hadn't been paying attention, and normally he paid very careful attention. "Uh, I didn't see that coming." He said warily, looking over at her as she dropped the knife but didn't move. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to get closer or stay where he was, so he opted for the safer route. "Um, are you okay?" Ash asked this as he realized how crazy what he was doing was. Why did he pretend he would fight one day? This was crazy. Why hadn't he changed her plans and suggested the library for a study session, or something? That way, at least, he would have felt more at home.

The next few moments were blank for Erika, her ears filled with a weird buzz, and couldn't move from the place she had been frozen into. But at Ash's comment, she found herself laughing on the spot, looking up at him with grateful eyes. She came up at him and sighted, giving the training room a relieved glance over her shoulder.

What had she thought when she suggested fighting, when they were both okay with reading and stuff. She was feeling light-headed and happy in an unusual way. She had been so concentrating on being a cool, strong girl, something she wasn't, just because she hoped Ash would like her more. But that was just wrong.

"I'm sorry for... this. I thought you'd like me if I was strong. But I'm just weak. Weak, weak, weak." she said and soon found herself whispering the word repeatedly as she simply walked out of the training room. She reached the showers and simply entered one, still dressed, and leaned into the wall, laughing feebly.

The she started sobbing madly, tearing rolling onto her cheeks as she dropped to the floor and hugged her knees, desperately rocking backwards and forwards.

Ash was really confused. Like, really confused. Erika wasn't exactly who he had expected her to be and he wasn't sure if he was enjoying this weirdness. She was being really still and not saying anything and then she had started laughing! There was no understanding her and he wasn't entirely sure if there was a way to understand her. Did he even want to understand her? He asked himself this question while she finished her laughing and approached him. Ash wasn't feeling the same thing Erika was, he was feeling confused and lost, like he had walked into the middle of a joke and had only heard the punch line.

Then she spoke and Ash opened his mouth like a fish out of water. What? Huh? "Wha-Like you? Um, well, you're cool, I guess. But I don't really know you...." His voice faded off as she began to walk away. What in the world was happening? Slowly and warily he followed behind her. But she walked right into the showers in the girl's locker room, so he had to stop outside the door. He heard the water turn on and, for a second, stood there, stunned just outside the door. What was going on? He was so confused. Turning his back to the door he slid down the wall next to it and crouched into a ball. Maybe if he waited she would come out. But he had other things to do.

Ash pulled his legs closer to himself and rested his forehead on his knees. For the first time ever, he was completely at a loss as to what to do.