Shadows Chapter 5

Alker had been doing a lot of thinking over the last week since Piccolo had left. Sure there was almost no chance that he would actually hold the key to defeating Gero and his empire, yet...perhaps he could make a difference. Maybe if he started training he could help turn the tide of the fight. Get revenge on those bastards. He was literally amazed at how much the way he thought had changed over the last month. Before he would have considered such a thought with absolute distain. Now he just wasn't so sure.
"Woaw! You want what?", Alec had expressed slightly surprised, yet mostly amused.
"As I've said. I want to stay here and train with you. I think that I might be able to make a difference", Alker replied slightly annoyed at Alec's reaction.
Alec studied Alker's face and realised that he was being serious. This boy, who had never had to do a days work actually genuinely wanted to help. Still..
"Do you realise that the chances of you actually making a difference are almost insignificant? I've got a power level of about 200,000. Piccolo has a power level approaching a million, yet neither of us would ever be able to match Gero yet alone defeat him. The other three, Jake, Ferefire and Hannah, have had to train for many years to reach power levels of bearly 10,000 and they are exceptional"
"But I really want to, Alec and besides I think that I might have a hidden talent for fighting anyway. My ki level is about 60, yet I have never bothered to really train"
Alec was mildly impressed by this statement. Would it really matter if they did train him for a bit? The worst that could happen would be that Alker would just give up. How to ensure that this would not be the case... Alec had a particularly dark idea and decided to follow it through.
"Very well. Ferefire will start to train you tommorrow"
"Ferefire? Oh no way! No, not him. He absolutely hates me"
"Up to you", Alec knew that he had Alker cornered now.
"Okay", Alec sighed, "but if he pummels me into the ground then I'll only have you to blame"
"Oh I hope he will", Alec said surprisingly, "because if you were to actually meet a real enemy, his reaction would be ten times worse than Ferefire's"

Alker was in the training room, as it was affectionatly reffered to. Centered in the middle of the complex, this reasonably large area consisted of mainly what appeared to be padded walls and floors. After waiting for what seemed to be several hours, Ferefire finally strolled in.
"Well, well, Alker's finally decided to get out of bed and do some work has he?", Ferefire was in his element.
"Yes I have Ferefire", Alker groaned, biting his lip.
"From now on that is Sensui Ferefire to you. I will be training you after all, well until you give up that is... Shouldn't be too long then"
"Okay. So do we fight now?"
"Nah. First we will force you to train to build up your ki level. What I want you to do is to run from one wall to the other forwards, and then backwards"
"Okayy For how long?"
"Until I tell you to stop"
And with that Alker began to run across the room. Every so often Ferefire would look up from his book that he was reading to yell at Alker to increase his exertions.... After about an hour Alker had to stop, completely exhausted.
"Did I tell you to stop?", Ferefire shouted.
"No... Sensui Ferefire", Alker panted through clenched teeth, he hated having to call him that, "though..if I..continue...I think that I...might faint"
Ferefire grinned sadistically. Excellent! At this rate Alker wouldn't be under his wing for much longer.
"You're pathethic boy. If you don't continue, this will be your first and last day of training"
"NO!", Alec yelled back, "I'm not pathetic. I will... continue"
Ferefire went back to reading his book and was not really mildly surprised to discover that after another half an hour, Alker had passed out. Ferefire grinned to himself yet again, he was loving this. Walking over casually he kicked Alker with vigour in the chest.
"Agghhh!", Alker yelled, "What?!?"
"Get up and start running boy"
"Oh sod that", Alker groaned in exhaustion.
Ferefire kicked Alker again grinning. Alker spluttered having just been winded by the assault.
"You think you're so clever don't you? Thought you could just breeze in here and out again a warrior eh?"
"Okay Ferefire, I think that's enough", came the voice of Alec as he entered the training area, "I think you're methods of training are a bit...extreme. I've decided. Jake can train him"
Alec was secretly pleased that Alker had genuinely tried as hard as he could. With determination like that, perhaps he actually stood a chance.

The next day, Alker went into the training room yet again. He was immensly relieved to have heard that it was going to be Jake who would train him and not Ferefire. Not of course that he actually knew Jake very well, but literally anyone had to be better.
"Hey there", Jake expressed, "Heard you had a bit of a rough time yesterday. Well I can't say that my sessions won't be as tough, if not more so"
Alker groaned inwardly. He had no idea how tough this would be. Still he had to stick it out. He had promised himself that if he was to do anything for the memory of his father, this would be it.
"Let's read your ki level", Jake continued, surprising producing a scouter and activating it. The machine paused for a few seconds as it anaysed the ki that was present in Alker's being.
"Hm...85. That's a great reading considering that you are essentially untrained", Jake enthusised, "Let's try to get it over a hundred and then we will start practicing energy techniques"
Wow! Alker was impressed. His ki reading had increased from 60 a year ago to about 85 now, with only one day of serious training. What level would he achieve if he trained solidly for a year, he wondered to himself.

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