With Musaki down for the moment and P.O.G in the wind, we had some much needed down time. Esqueezeme went off to locate any remaining P.O.G members on the island we raised to the ground and the rest of the crew went back to their normal duties and training regiment. I couldn't seem to get the fluid grace of Nobunaga's swordsmanship out of my head. Just how much training and death did he have to have survived to get to that level of skill.
I went to my personal training facility, Musaki set it up for me so I stopped cooking the cadets, and picked up one of the many blunted great swords I had lining the left wall. I thought back on how easy and smoothly Nobunaga moved. He had to have practiced a technique or something to move like that. I put the sword back, frustrated that I couldn't follow his movements, even after replaying them in my head.
"How the hell did he do that?"
"How did I do what?" Before I could stop myself I had my practice sword against his throat. Nobunaga didn't even look fazed. He glanced at the sword then rested his gaze back on me. "How did you do that?"
"I believe it's called walking in a door." He lifted his hand and moved the blade away with a finger. "I wanted to ask you for a room to spar in, but now I want to spar with you. Your reflexes are sharp and you hold the blade perfectly. You just lack finesse." He moved slowly towards the weapon stand. He lifted one of my practice swords up to inspect it. "Not my usual style, yet I have noticed that the warriors here use such a sword. Very well." He turned to stand in front of me. He held the sword easily with one hand. "Follow my steps."
He moved one slow step at a time, giving me a chance to process the movement. "Practice these steps every day, make them faster by increments, until you move faster than the eye can catch." As I watched his speed picked up and soon I couldn't see his movements anymore, it was as if he was floating across the floor.
"This is a simple movement that works on your footwork. As soon as you Master this, we will move on to your sword skills." Nobunaga stopped moving and just stood by the door while I began to slowly move my feet in the same way he did. "Very good." He spoke after I completed the first sequence. "Practice every day."
He turned towards the door then paused. "Have your men bring you muscle training equipment tomorrow. All that is available. We will continue the next set then."
I stopped to stare at him as he left my training room.
"Did he just decide to train me?" I tried to go over what just happened in my head. The grin was slow in coming. "I think he definitely decided to train me."
This changed everything. If I could wield a sword like Nobunaga, nobody could stand before me.
(Hellfire's P.O.V)
I stood, watching my cadets as they ran laps on the course. Kyet stood to my left and Davies to my right.
"Are they always this slow?" Kyet asked as the cadets wheezed past us. "They won't go far without incentive." We jumped as Nobunaga slid in beside Davies. "Fuck dude, put a bell on!" He ignored the comment. "Why don't you chase them?"
I thought about it, then barked out a laugh. "So they can shit themselves? Why not." I yanked my uniform jacket off which was basically a dress vest in navy blue and gold. then pulled off my muscle shirt. "Give me some room."
My voice began to sound like a beastial growl. Nobunaga yanked Davies out of the way as I launched myself into the change. Muscles rippled and scales formed on my arms and back. I tasted the edge of the fangs now taking residence in my mouth. Someone screamed in terror. I roared and began running on all fours after the cadets.
(Musaki's P.O.V)
Something is not right with this picture. I stood in the Captain's cabin and said Captain is not here. He is usually here. As I turned to leave I caught sight of the video feeds that the captain keeps open to know what his crew is up to at all times. Dread filled my mind as Master Gunnery Sargent Hellfire chased the cadets around the obstacle course, in full drake form. "Oh God."
I ran towards the door that led to the bridge, "Newind, Paige the Captain and have him meet me at the obstacle course." I didn't stop to answer his questions and just kept running.
(Jason's P.O.V)
"Uh, Captain Darksky, please report to the obstacle course to meet the Leftenant. I repeat. Captain Darksky, report to the Obstacle course to meet the Leftenant." Newind's confused voice came through on the P.A system and I paused my movements. "Fucking great, I can't go one day without someone needing me to play parent." I grabbed my Captain's Jacket as I walked out of my training room to stand in my office. The video feed was still up and I watched, horrified as Hellfire, the raging Drake, chased the cadets on the obstacle course. "What the fuck did I miss?!" I was running now to catch up to my Leftenant.
I made it to the door that opened up to a massive room filled with various obstacles that I forced my crew to train with on a daily basis to keep in shape. The crowd that was gathered at the entrance kept the doors from closing. Screams of terror and true panic filled the air. I thought for sure people were being eaten.
"What the Hell is going on in here?! Leftenant, control the cadets!" Musaki popped her head up above the crowd and began shouting for order. She had lined up against the wall outside in the hallway so fast I feared they may have shit themselves. Again.
I made my way inside the training facility and had to pause my angry stride and watch as Kyet kept time on a stopwatch, Davies shouted encouraging words to the cadets, and Nobunaga kept pace with Hellfire.
"Don't worry about your underwear, keep running! They're gaining on you! You don't want that Dragon to lick you, do you?! Cry later cadet, this isn't a nightmare!" Davies was very 'encouraging'. "Private, report."
Davies snapped to attention. "Sir, we came to the conclusion that the cadets needed more incentive to run faster, Sir. Mr. Nobunaga suggested that fear was the best incentive available. We probably created a new nightmare in the process."
"You think!? Why for the love my sanity, did it have to be Hellfire that chased them? We could have used Chocobos!" That would have been more entertaining.
"Real world scenarios don't often include Chocobo stampedes, Sir. It's more likely to be a fiend that chased them." He had a point, but now I have to watch my men cry during training until they get tougher.
"If they die of a heart attack, it's on you three." I turned to speak to Musaki. "This is going to be a nightmare."
Her lips twitched, fighting a smile. "It's never a dull moment around here Captain."
"I want to see the cadet reports, before and after the 'Hellfire challenge'."
If this was actually a good idea, I wasn't going to tell them. In fact I had a better idea. "Musaki, tell Nobunaga that I want him to set up team matches between the cadets. Only low level crew members are permitted. No field officers." This would train them in teamwork. It would also build trust between the teams. While also minimizing losses in the field.