Gunned | SatoSere

Chapter 6 - Training

Serena thought she had a decent idea of what it would be like to spar with Ash. She has seen him in a fight, no matter how short it was because of his sheer strength and prowess. She has seen him catch knives with his bare hands without so much as a flinch in his jaw.

To say she's vastly underprepared is an understatement.

She slides the doors open to the training room that sits beneath the manor. The room itself is wide like a gymnasium, a large section of the floor made of a rubber material that was meant for sparring. On the walls, there's an assortment of different weapons from wooden to live steel, and through another door, Serena can see through the glass that there's a shooting range as well. The room itself isn't what baffles her, rather it's Ash that stands in the center of it all.

He's out of his usual clothes, not a hint of designer dress shirts or pants in sight. Instead he wears a form fitting tanktop black shirt, and beneath the lights, Serena can see the muscles of his bicep and forearm flex as he runs a hand through his messy, black hair. Through the shirt, she can see his chest and pack of abs, and the line of his waist tucks into a pair of black shorts. Serena swallows, for a split second, mainly at her own attire in comparison of a pink sports bra and Nike Pros.

Either her eyes are deceiving her or he sees him rubbing the back of his neck, trying to keep his eyes off her clothing, because he quickly goes back to normal.

She blinks out of her mild stupor when Ash calls out to her, stretching his arms with a grin. "Serena! You ready?"

Serena nods vigorously and joins him in the center of the room. He smiles at her and holds his palm out. "Give me your best shot. Right here."

She gives him a doubtful look. "How's this going to work?"

"Just go all out. Focus the strength into your punch and do it." Ash pokes her forehead playfully and Serena's nose scrunches. "C'mon, do you trust me?"

"Yeah, of course," she says, a light blush on her cheeks

Serena forms a solid fist and after breathing slowly, she snaps forward a power jab right into the center of Ash's palm. His arm doesn't move as he smiles, his fingers wrapping around her fist. Serena blinks a little in shock. She thought she'd really thrown a heavy one, but he stopped its momentum in its tracks without so much as a breath of strain.

Ash drops his hand and so does Serena. He stands still and tilts his head. "Not bad. Now, take a shot."

"What?"

"Try landing a shot, take your pick."

Serena hesitates for a moment before she tries to throw another punch aimed for Ash's shoulder. In a rush, he side steps it easily and grabs her arm in the process, flipping her over right onto the ground. Serena feels the air leave her lungs, a little dazed and the lights in the ceiling are bright above her. Ash comes into view with his arms crossed, a raised brow, and a smirk. There's a halo around his hair and she stares back at him, shell-shocked. The universe is unfair, making him her ethereal executioner.

"Rule number one. If your balance is off, your enemy will exploit it. You threw all your strength into one strike but didn't control its path before you could recover," Ash lectures, extending a hand to help Serena off the floor. She takes it gratefully and is hauled to her feet once again. He regards her as she dusts herself off. "We'll work on your form first, and part of that means working on your falls. Are you sure you're up for it?"

Frankly, her back hurts already and despite the floor being slightly cushioned, there might be a bruise. Despite the ache, she nods and tilts her head up to him, her eyes locking with a tide ready to wash away whoever comes near.