Kaygee Doodles

This sucked. This sucked so, so much more than you thought.

Thwack!

You grunted as the wooden blade smacked into you again. Your sides were going to be one big bruise tomorrow morning. Killer wasn't hitting hard, and you appreciated the mercy, but he was aiming at (and unerringly hitting) the same spot on your sides, right above your floating ribs. After five hits it hurt. After thirteen, each impact seemed to bounce, an echo of pain rolling around your body that made it hard to focus and harder to move. You think you were in the twenties by now.

Worse, you didn't feel like you were actually learning anything. Well, maybe that wasn't entirely true. Your bat had been knocked away somewhere around the five minute mark, because it turned out your default was ‘freeze and defend’ instead of ‘dodge and weave'.

“You know, I vaguely recall Horror promising to protect me or something like that,” you wheezed, trying to get out of the way of the next swing and falling over instead. Which technically worked, the wooden blade slicing over your head as you hit the ground, “Can't he just…do that? Instead of me getting beat to death by Killer on the regular?”

In your peripheral, you saw Nightmare shoot Horror a look. It felt like a casual look, but you knew better. Especially since no one had moved a muscle- er, bone, since Killer went for the first strike.

“he could,” Killer said as he waited for you to get up, “but are you willing to let him die for you?”

You don't know what face you made, but it was interesting enough that Killer let the sword dip, tapping the ground casually as he began to monologue.

“this is easy mode. i'm not even trying to hurt you. cross will be going for the kill. for someone to protect you, they would have to track the fight, all possible assailants, their immediate target, you, and anyone trying to get to you. it's doable. especially for us.”

Look a little less smug when you're kicking my ass please, you thought grimly.

“but there is always that risk.”

You were finally back on your feet (after an embarrassing amount of scrambling).

“you can take the easy way out. stars know we all tried, one way or another.” He rolled the faux sword in his grip, letting its’ tip doodle invisible circles on the training room floor. “but what will the consequences of doing nothing be? can you live with whatever happens?”

You took a deep breath, ignoring the pain that came with it. “Man, I really hate when you make sense.”

“good thing I don't do it often then!” Killer replied cheerfully, “another round then?”