20 Budding (2/2)

Fully equipped, Lexi and Kai started their dual weapons training. However, this also had its own sets of problems. Unlike before where a mistake was just b.u.mping into one another. If they made a mistake now they could do real damage. This was in the back of their minds as they jostled their spears and shot their arrows. Every move they made was done with extreme caution.

Watching the two fight in such a wavering way made a nerve twitch on Jacques's forehead, ”Are you underestimating me? You can't even dream of beating me the way you two are fighting... Like I told you before, rather make a mistake than cower in fear. I am here, if I see that your mistake will cause serious damage, I will intervene at the last moment. I will give you time to rectify your mistake but if you can't, I can.”

When they heard this they nodded their heads and continued to train. This time they moved with more of an enriched enthusiasm. The fear wasn't completely gone but they were getting there. It was only when Kai made an uncorrectable blunder that they began fighting unrestrained. In this one instance, Lexi was fighting up front with her spear and Kai from the back with his bow. While fighting an opening presented itself so Kai drew his bow and shot towards it. Lexi saw the opening too and rushed in front of the path of the coated arrow. Kai inhaled quickly when he saw Lexi in the way but it was too late. He had already fired the arrow. His heart began rus.h.i.+ng as overwhelming guilt washed over him. But his father-in-law saved Lexi by catching the arrow before it pierced her in the back. He then gave Kai a few pointers and told Lexi to observe her surroundings. When Kai saw how easily Lexi's father was able to stop an arrow he put his all into it. He was confident he could fight unreservedly. They continued to make fatal errors like this but bit by bit they were getting better.

Day in day out they did their individual training and then they did their joint training. Even on Kai's birthday, they trained and slowly but surely they were making progress. The progress was slow but the days flew by quickly. In just a blink of an eye, the two month training period was over. By now Lexi and Kai were a lot more comfortable in training. They no longer made any fatal mistakes. The only problems were an occasional brush of a weapon. Where an arrow or a spear would skim past the arm causing a shallow cut.

Kai and Lexi had just finished an intense training session so they were huffing and puffing for air. That's when Jacques looked at Kai, ”You are ready to go to rank 1.”

Kai pumped his fist in the air and then said to Lexi, ”Thank you for all of your patience.” He was finally at the stage where he didn't have to hold her back. Now they could move forward together, in strength.

Lexi just gave a closed-mouth smile. It was her decision so she didn't feel the thank you was necessary but she responded positively anyway.

That's when Jacques said, ”So let's begin your evolution and the first step to becoming a Zolma hunter. Kai, I bought some Zolma meat here with me for you too. Since you don't want any handouts, you can pay me back later.”

Kai nodded his head and then accepted the meat. The meat could be fried, boiled or steamed whichever way you preferred it. Zolma meat was pitch black and had a bouncy yet firm texture. Despite how it looked the taste wasn't that bad. It was quite salty and unexpectantly spicy but other than that it was savoury. To evolve, they had to consume 200g of the meat. They gladly stuffed the meat down their faces. They had been training so hard for this moment how could they not?

After they ate the meat, the changes started happening so they changed their clothes. They where now wearing white garments. After changing they were inserted into a rectangular shaped capsule. This capsule was human-sized and had a watery yet sticky liquid inside. It was like the amniotic fluid of a womb but wasn't. The fluid was quite poetic because it was like being reborn. However, it was what was used to regulate the evolution. If it happened to fast it could have adverse effects on the body. If it happened to slow there were was a risk that you wouldn't evolve fully. This didn't happen often but rather safe than sorry. A mistake could cause ma.s.sive problems later on your walk to power.

Kai and Lexi stayed in the machine for about an hour then Lexi came out. When she came out she was sopping wet and sticky in all the wrong places. She looked like she had just been rubbed with nuru gel. It was a feeling that made her insides squirm. Not to mention her senses were sharper because of her rank up. Her skin became more supple as it covered her beguiling curvatures. It was like touching a baby's bottom.

Jacques handed her a towel which she gladly grabbed. She had fluid all over her bountiful b.r.e.a.s.t.s as it ran down her blessed rift. To the bottom of her peachy waist and alluring long legs. Lexi gladly alleviated herself from the fluid and then waited for Kai.

10 minutes later, Kai came out of the capsule drenched in the fluid as it dripped off his muscular body. His muscles were compact and firm after ranking up. His senses were also sharper than before. This made the fluid stickying on him feel so much worse. He could feel the fluid in the crevices of his crevices. It made him want to cringe so when Jacques handed him a towel, he accepted it immediately. He then dried himself off starting with his hair. Then he moved to his six-pack. He wiped each block clean. Then he moved to his defined chest, toned arms, taut v-line and henched legs.

Once he was done, he noticed Lexi was staring at him. So he furrowed his eyebrows, ”Is something on my face?”

Lexi just smirked, ”So you finally came out, huh?”

Kai just looked at her and sighed then he shook his head, ”How long have you been waiting to say that?”

Lexi just t.i.ttered.

Kai shook his head again, ”You should be in the shower because that's where I'm going.” He said and made a beeline to the shower room. Lexi followed him shortly. The shower room was just as it says. It was a room full of showers. The showers had dividers so you couldn't see each other unless you purposefully peaked which was a temptation that did waltz in Kai's mind. However, he beat it and brushed the thought away.

Lexi and Kai climbed in the shower and moments later they exclaimed in relief. They were finally ridding themselves of the sticky feeling. Kai thanked his lucky stars he didn't have to go through this experience anytime soon. They only time the capsule was needed was when you moved to a new level ie. Beginner to Amateur or Amateur to Kajun. The only reason they need it to go to rank 1 was that it was there first evolutionary step. From here on out, they could ascend to rank one without the use of the machine.

After showering they changed back into their combat gear and returned to the training room. When they got there Jacques said, ”Well done on becoming Beginner Rank 1's. Go home and rest. We begin training in two days. Tomorrow is your rest day as your body needs it. You may not use your powers at all.”

When Lexi and Kai heard that they nodded their heads and then they went home in Kai's car. By now, Kai's car had already been delivered from Drauton so he no longer needed to use public transport.

On the way home, an insatiable hunger came over both of them. Their stomachs were singing the whole way. Kai had to turn on the radio to listen to artists with better voices. When they got home, Kai immediately ran to the kitchen to make food, it was two-minute noodles. Lexi, on the other hand, was ordering takeout. When Lexi saw what Kai was making she shook her head, ”Let me buy you food tonight? You can't keep eating two-minute noodles. Now that you have ranked up, you need to eat meat. To develop and maintain your physique. ”

Kai shook his head, ” It's okay, tomorrow I'll go to the grocery store and then I'll cook some real food.”

Lexi put her hand in front of her mouth and raised her right brow, ”Can you cook?”

”Yes, I can... A little.”

Lexi laughed, ”I tell you what, how about tomorrow I cook us a real meal? You know, as a celebration for reaching our first milestone as partners?”

Kai furrowed his eyebrows when she said she'd cook for him, 'Can she even cook?' but he accepted her offer anyway, ”That would be nice.” She had just offered to cook for him, how could he say no? And truthfully, he was getting sick of eating two-minute noodles.

Lexi smiled when she saw she finally got through to him. That's when the bell rang at the front door. So she opened the door and collected her takeout. Then she switched the tv on and began eating. After Kai's two-minute noodles were done cooking, he sat down next to her and he ate his food. Since he was famished he ate five packets worth of two-minute noodles instead of three. After dinner, he put his dishes in the dishwasher. Then he said goodnight to Lexi. Had this been any other day they would first practice their special ability. However, they were not allowed to use their powers for a whole day so they couldn't.

After Kai entered his room, Lexi finished her dinner and then put her cutlery into the dishwasher and then turned the machine on. She then turned off all the lights and went to sleep.

The next morning they ran through their every morning routine and then Kai went to work. Lexi, on the other hand, did not go to her father's work instead she stayed home.

At work, Kai was finding it quite difficult. Although he could feel that his body had become a lot stronger, he wasn't allowed to coat his pickaxe with lightning making his job significantly harder. Nonetheless, Kai continued to grind to 6 o'clock. Because there was no training today, he could rack in a few more hours for more money. After work, Kai showered and then said goodbye to his colleagues and came home.

On the way, Kai wondered what she was going to make. If she was going to make it at all. For the duration of the time Kai had known Lexi, he had yet to see her cook once. She always ate takeouts. Whenever he emptied the dustbin, he would always find wrappers and boxes from various restaurants. Even at the Montreal Estate, they had their chefs who made their food, 'Can she cook? Kai shook his head, 'No definitely not, either she does cook and the food is barely palatable. But if it tastes good then I know it's takeout.' The idea of Lexi faking to cook food was something he didn't put past her. It was within the confines of her personality.

1- Baseball reference: In baseball, if a pitcher throws you for a strike three times you are struck out. Using that as a reference, if Kai made a mistake three times he would get shocked as a punishment.

2- a.s.sa.s.sin's Creed Movie Callum Lynch Hoodie: I know full well that a.s.sasin's Creed does not exist in their world. The items I mentioned are clothes from this world so that you can picture what I'm talking about should you choose to look up the clothes.

<script>