READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 79: Warm Up
Having spent hours getting acquainted with the Heartaches, resulting in mixed results, the party eventually ended, and Crisis had to return to the safe house. Scott slept longer than usual since he left earlier, but while he enjoyed some extra hours of resting, he didn’t realize what the rest of the team was up to. For the first time in a while, the entire team had slept in, and apart from hearing some noises from his roommates, Scott slept through the morning soundly until someone decided to wake him up.
–Hey! wake up, dude!– Chappy shouted as he aggressively shook Scott’s body in a panic. He instantly opened his eyes, but he was unable to comprehend anything as his friend’s anxious face distracted him from the fact that Chappy wasn’t wearing pants or a shirt.
–What?– Scott asked in pure confusion, trying to look around the room in search of the cause of Chappy’s distress. But after a bit more shouting, the latter just ran to their shared closet to put on some clothes while trying to eat a single loaf of bread simultaneously.
–We have to train! We are gonna work with another team!– Chappy exclaimed with his mouth full as he struggled to tie his shoes. Despite his voice being muffled, Chappy’s frantic movement sparked enough concern for Scott to get out of bed. But before putting on clothes as well, he noticed that they were the only ones in the room. Both Shade and Ace had disappeared, although he didn’t think much about it as he suddenly started remembering what today’s plan was.
–Oh, right… I forgot… Where are the others?– Scott asked curiously but a little embarrassedly, to which Chappy didn’t hesitate to respond while rushing to the door.
–They are all training down in the field. We are the last ones to go… Let’s go!– Chappy replied in an enthusiastic and jittery manner as he ran downstairs to leave the house. Scott sat on his bed for a while, enjoying the silence of the empty house, and even though he was late, he took his time to get dressed up and leave the house. But once he got downstairs and saw that Chappy was already gone, Scott was dumbfounded when he tried to open the front door, and it refused to. They had been locked in since Indie had left with the key, although Scott quickly noticed where Chappy had left through.
After squeezing through a window in Tricky and Indie’s bedroom to escape the house, Scott walked into the street and noticed that not everyone was down in the field. Tricky could be seen working in the flower shop with Charlotte, although she seemed more distracted talking to Cookie as there were not many customers in line. But to not get distracted, Scott tried to ignore them despite Cookie blatantly hitting on Tricky, and as he headed down the main road, he was a bit lost when he couldn’t see where exactly everyone had gone.
Down at the fountain, Scott looked on both sides since there were two different fields. But as he heard some noises coming from his left, he followed a small road that led to the medium-sized, sturdy building that appeared to be the barracks. It stood out as it was mostly made out of wood and stone, also appearing older than the other buildings up the road. But as the large front door was open, Scott took a peek inside and confirmed that it was indeed where his teammates had gone.
Right after the entrance, there was a large lounge with a couch, one single door on the right, and a staircase on the opposite side of the door. Across the room, there was a wide archway right next to the stairs, which showed what was behind the building. Scott hesitated to walk through the room, being cautious when approaching the staircase. He looked up the stairs, but his attention shifted to the outside as he stepped through the archway, where he found himself on an elevated platform as wide as the building, which allowed him to look over the field not too far below in full display due to the sun shining directly above.
Unlike the training grounds back at Savepoint, Rysemery’s training field was a lot smaller, or at least narrower, since it was confined to the area between the base of the mountain and the wall. It appeared to be an unused area of the city as all the farmers were found on the other field, which did circle half the perimeter of the mountain, unlike this one since there was little room past the section with the park. But despite its size, the field was decorated and set up in such a way that it was immediately clear that it was a place designated for the heroes to train and build their skills. It was even cleaner and prettier as well since the field was just a large, green area, without any dirt or mud as in Savepoint, and it even had proper structures to define sections throughout it for different exercises.
With the few feet of higher ground Scott had on the platform, he got a good view of the entire area in front of him, but he first got distracted by the short wall of flowery bushes that ran alongside the mountain, similar to the ones at the castle’s garden. This served to separate the plain and even field from the rocky and rough formations of the mountain, creating a contrast between the colorful plants and the gray wall towering over them. The other side had another line of bushes hugging the wall, but it wasn’t as noticeable as the place took advantage of the tall, stable structure already built and used it as a framework for all the infrastructure needed.
Long poles stuck out of the walls, adjacent to wooden beams, which composed the first section; an area that looked more like a playground for kids. But on second glance, it appeared to be a space dedicated to acrobatics due to the other equipment found nearby, like balance beams, tall hoops, and other poles set up on the ground. Kiwy was the only one exercising there, although she just looked to be playing around and having fun when doing all sorts of acrobats on the poles. However, some other Crisis members were found not too far away in the other sections.
A subtle path made out of small lines of rocks connected the different sections, allowing Scott to distinguish each area. It first led to a few open shacks built on the side of the mountain, interrupting the straight line of bushes. They seemed to be storage for combat equipment and weapons, but there wasn’t much found inside other than a few bows, barrels, and a couple of spare wooden spears and swords. But right past it, there was more equipment lying around outside. There were plenty of weights, dumbbells, heavy gear, bench presses, and a few intricate-looking machines that Scott couldn’t identify.
In that section, Panda and Frost were lifting weights shirtless, and they made it look easy despite using the heaviest set at their disposal. The former was going the extra mile as well, since he put on a vest with a giant basket on the back that he filled with all the dumbbells he could find. But it wasn’t enough to surprise Scott, as he gave them a good look from a distance and noticed they were both just as muscular as expected. In particular, Panda was a beast, with muscles as big as half of Kiwy’s entire torso, while Frost was more lean than bulky, though he was just as capable with his strength as he handled just as much weight as Panda.
They seemed very focused on their exercises, but the more Scott stared at them, the more he got embarrassed by their performance, so he looked past to see the other sections far away. Even though it was hard to see at that distance, he could make out other people working out at the back of the field, right where the part of the mountain bulged on that side. They were training with dummies and other equipment to practice combat, and once Scott stepped closer to the edge of the platform, almost taking the stairs to the field, he noticed that it was the Heartaches whom he was looking at.
All the Heartaches, except Agnus, were training hard as a group. They took turns fighting dummies and practicing their moves, but Scott also managed to recognize some of the rookies there as well, aiding the Heartaches with their exercises. Kiwy noticed him staring but kept playing around with a jolly smile, prompting Scott to get excited and prepare to run onto the field and join his teammates. But as he was focused on looking for a direct path to his friends, he didn’t notice when someone walked up to him from behind, coming out of the barracks and spotting him immediately as he was about to step off the platform.
–Good morning, Scott… Did you just wake up?– Candy asked in her usual lively tone, but she still startled Scott as she stood close to him. But despite being caught by surprise and questioned for his late arrival, Scott quickly composed himself and tried to act cool, as she seemed innocent and friendly with her approach.
–Umm, maybe… What are you doing here?– Scott asked back in a slightly playful manner to save himself the embarrassment. She didn’t show much suspicion, but Scott had to step back to focus his full attention on Candy as she hesitated to respond, reacting similarly to him.
–I’m just checking to see if everyone is getting along… Frost told me I should keep an eye on your friends and make sure they don’t do anything stupid…– Candy replied lightheartedly as she turned to look at the rookies training in the distance. Scott noticed some apprehension in her tone, so he turned back to continue looking at his friends, and just like her, he was pleased to see them putting in hard work despite them suddenly getting distracted.
–Well, they seem to be getting along just fine…– Scott said with a hopeful smile as he stared at his friends. But after turning back to Candy, he noticed how her concern had completely vanished and was replaced by an enamored expression. She was now staring solely at Frost, completely ignoring everything else as her eyes obsessed over the delightful sight of his exposed torse while training hard.
–Yea, I hope…– Candy muttered absentmindedly, dropping the smile on her face as she almost began to drool from her open mouth. Scott just stared at her confusedly, a bit weirded out by how fascinated she was, especially after seeing that she was only staring at Frost and getting mesmerized by his sweaty body. But after a while, he found it amusing and had to hold his laughter, although he let out a chuckle that brought Candy back to her senses after she relished the tempting moment.
–And what do you think about them?– Candy asked casually after turning back to Scott like nothing ever happened. In response, Scott kept a straight face and tried not to laugh while thinking of an honest answer to give.
–I think it’s cool how they work together. They just look like a couple of friends who turned heroes and now get to travel the world, saving people, all that stuff… I wish I could do that with my friends…– Scott replied sincerely but turned slightly bitter. His subtle change in attitude caught Candy’s attention greatly, even getting her to focus fully on him while Frost stretched his arms.
–Which friends?...– Candy asked curiously, prompting Scott to look at her nervously and put some thought into her question. He was seemingly too embarrassed to answer, so he just chuckled and looked away, which only drew more attention from her.
–I can tell you are still not used to the team, but I hope it’s not because of anyone in particular. I wouldn’t want anyone making you feel bad or like you don’t belong. I’m here for you if you need anything…– Candy added in a cordial and heartfelt manner but showed concern with her caring and compassionate smile, which forced Scott to keep looking away before he could start blushing. But after containing himself, he tried to look back at Candy, only to see her intently staring at him, which in turn made him more nervous. However, he didn’t think too much about a response to not look at her more than needed.
–Oh, thanks, that’s very kind… But, uhm, no, I’m fine…– Scott replied timidly, although his voice displayed genuine gratitude despite sounding insecure. He couldn’t maintain eye contact with Candy without stumbling over his words, so he briefly looked over at his friends and his teammates for a moment to think, which kept Candy in doubt as she tried to figure out what he was thinking.
–You sure?– Candy asked suspiciously, but it was her playful and sympathetic nature that helped Scott find the confidence to be honest and just say whatever was on his mind.
–Yea, I just need a few more missions to get along with the rest of the team, maybe save them from death… Although I don’t think that did much for Frost, he might still hate me…– Scott replied in a lighthearted and carefree manner, even showing a bit of sarcasm as his stare shifted to Frost with a sour expression that got a laugh out of Candy. She didn’t worry about his gripe with Frost, so she remained casual, though still encouraging and caring enough to comfort him just in case.
–He doesn’t hate you, he never will. Especially now that he is too busy working out and stressing over whatever we are going to do for our next mission– Candy reassured with an optimistic tone, but she found herself smiling a little when she turned to stare at Frost again. She began getting distracted and daydreaming all of a sudden, but with her response leaving Scott with no concerns, he smiled amusedly as he kept looking at her, waiting for some other reaction. But as her eyes were now fixed on Frost once again, he quickly thought of something to get her attention.
–But what if he was the reason I feel like I don’t belong? What would you do then?– Scott asked with a mischievous grin, smiling more as Candy slowly turned to her and became nervous. She thought about it for a while, genuinely considering it as she attempted to give a response multiple times but only mumbled for a while. It was only when Scott cracked up that Candy brushed it off and shifted her attention back to Frost while thinking of a response.
–Well, I hope it isn’t the case… But if it is, I wouldn’t mind having a little talk with him…– Candy replied in a flirtatious manner, rubbing her left cheek as she blushed at the idea while Frost finished his set. Admiring him continued to spark great desire in her eyes, and even though Scott managed to make her nervous for a moment, he became more and more skeptical of her yearning and eager stare, so he tried not to toy with the idea much.
–Right, something tells me you don’t yell at him like Indie…– Scott said sarcastically with an awkward smile as he stepped back. They both did share a laugh, and Scott was left intrigued by the sheer fascination Candy had with Frost, almost admiring seeing her smile so gleefully.
–Oh no, I do the exact opposite. She always gets him riled up and rules with fear and discipline, like we were taught. But that's when I come in with a nurturing approach and calm him down with a big hug!… I think it’s quite therapeutic for both of us, and he’s like a completely different person when we are together… I just wish I could hold him more often…– Candy replied enthusiastically but gradually lost herself in her thoughts once again, now looking at the sky with her dreamy eyes and pretending to hold someone. From Scott’s point of view, she looked ridiculous cuddling with the air, so he couldn’t help but laugh. But he saw something while she fantasized about Frost, something that made him ponder for a moment, but it also brought back his spirit and a smile as he continued watching Candy gush over Frost.
–Well, that’s how I feel about Zoey, so it just sounds like you just want to sleep with him…– Scott joked in a frisky but mocking manner, which he played off with a casual tone and a straight face. But as he sounded heartfelt and was outspoken, he instantly brought Candy to reality, only in the most embarrassing way as she panicked to think of an argument.
–What? N-no, of course not… I mean I-... It’s deeper than that…– Candy blurted out with a red face, but she struggled with her nervous stutters so much that she just gave up on trying to disprove his suspicion and ended up looking down sheepishly to hide her face. Scott laughed some more, and although he was taken aback by her genuine response, he kept thinking, but only to come up with more ways of teasing her.
–Okay… How deep, exactly?– Scott asked with a jesting grin, which was so outrageous for Candy that she could only gasp in disbelief. He kept laughing purely out of malice as her reaction was humorous, although he could tell she was done with his jokes as Candy couldn’t think of anything else to say and even looked a bit ashamed, but only for a moment.
–Aren’t you supposed to be working out with them?– Candy asked with a playfully exasperated tone that prompted Scott to scoff and taunt her again, but he began stretching his legs and arms a bit, pretending to focus on exercising dismissively.
–I just gotta get warmed up... I would suggest you do the same, but it looks like you already did…– Scott replied nonchalantly, with a subtle provocative tone that took Candy a moment to pick up on. But once she realized what his cheeky smile was implying, she looked so offended that she just kept huffing, looked away, and stayed quiet while mustering up all her mental strength to stay calm.
–Well, for your information… I don’t need to work out, Frost tells me I should eat just enough to look pretty and distract the enemies with my looks. That’s all I should do…– Candy replied in a witty manner, smiling proudly and mockingly in her attempt to shut Scott up, but it only warranted a harsher response right away.
–Then you are certainly playing your part right. He can tell when someone only serves one purpose, I’ll give him that…– Scott responded in a similar mocking manner, but he took it further with a condescending stare that infuriated Candy. She almost snapped for a second, but she restrained herself by only frowning at his mean response. He noticed she was slightly upset, but despite this, he kept laughing until she began pouting sheepishly to stop the ridicule. However, he didn’t show any remorse and kept wearing a cocky grin as he made his way to the field, but not without giggling impishly to incite Candy.
–Just go already, or you'll be wishing you had limbs to work out!– Candy shouted angrily at Scott but kept it playful as her furious frown cracked and showed a glimpse of a smile. She was still overwhelmingly embarrassed to say anything more, but her threat made Scott run for his life as he hurried down the stairs, though he still found humor in it and kept laughing while running into the field. Without having to deal with his teases anymore, Candy’s anger quickly disappeared, and while still showing some resentment, her eyes followed Scott with genuine care and eagerness to see him join the others. She kept a close eye on him until he stepped into Panda and Frost's area, which is when a fond smile appeared on her face, quickly followed up by a long stare once she focused on her crush again.