"Sparring?" she tossed a towel at me. I grabbed it and used it to wipe the sweat of my face. " what's the point of gaining so much muscle of you're not going to use them" she streched her arm over her head. She transformed her white sundress into a white martial hanfu. she turned my workout clothes into a black hanfu. "come on, see if you can hit me" I walked closer
"are you sure?" she laughed " a puffling like you could never cause me harm" I was annoyed after hearing that. "ok you asked for it" I threw a quick jab at her face. she leaned her head right dodging my strike easily. I sent another attack her way but she spun past it ending up behind me. "you can do it!" she teased. I started throwing punch after punch but she easily dodged by simply turning left or right. I kicked at her face but she dodged it by leaning back. "my turn" her punched shot out instantly, hitting me in the nose. my head snap back from the impact and before I could recover she kicked my legs from under me as I spun in the air she punched me in the chest sending me flying back and skidding on the ground. I slowly got back up and put a guard up. she waited with her hands behind her back. I rushed at her and threw a feint and sent a left hook at her. she saw through it and ducked. before she could stand fully I kneed at her face. she backflipped way from my attack. "damn." I've never seen someone move so fast before.
" you'll have to try harder then that puffling." I attempted a leg sweep but she jumped over it and while she was in the air I thew a straight at her but she just kicked my fist to propel herself away. land on her feet untouched.
"what is that martial art? I've never seen anything like it." she scoffed
" martial art? please I was just reacting to your attacks. If I used martial arts, you and half of this planet would be dead the first punch." her matter of fact tone gave me goosebumps. "then how do you move like that?" I asked. "easy" she answered. "I dance" You got to be kidding me. "alright you don't have to tell me if you don't want to". she smiled " no really, that's how I do it" she sat down and gestured for me to sit next to her. as I sat she started explaining. " I don't see it as a fight I see it as a dance. each person has a role. one leads and the other is led. If you're the attacker you got to keep the lead and control the battle until you win and if your the one being led, you got to stay passive and defend until you find a opportunity to reverse the situation, or you make the opportunity." I nodded " that make sense" she jumped up and pointed her thumb at her chest. " of course it does! I am the First morning! I will never tell you lies." the suns was setting behind her. she look at the suns. " it seems that today's training is finished. we will continue tomorrow." my clothes changed back to a t-shirt and sweats. " sorry, I can't. I got work tomorrow." she crossed her arms and pouted " I don't like her, she wastes time" I shook my head " I need to pay the bills somehow." "I can pay the bills with Shimmer". I sighed
"I know but I'm her only employee, I can't just quit on her." I started walking to the baths. "I promise to work twice as hard on wednesday." I washed myself and got into the sleeping bag I bought a week ago, I was tired of sleeping on the floor and First wouldn't give up the bed. a couple minutes later, first came into the room drying her hair. she kicked me lightly then got into the bed. she must still be mad about me flaking on training. "goodnight First" there was silence for a few seconds. "goodnight puffling." she finally said. The next day I got dress in my baking uniform and left the apartment after saying goodbye to First. I walked down the street and got onto the monorail. the ride was longer than the ride to the learning plaza. this time around I was going to the Noonfell mall next to the space elevator. the noonfell mall was known for it's tourists because of it's location. I put on my earbuds and started playing some music. As I looked out the window, I noticed a couple of ascenders shopping at a hovercraft store. I thought it was funny how they had to duck under the door frame to get into the building. As the monorail drove into the main city, I saw a massive jungle of steel. Buildings were layered atop of each other as if they was fighting for the privilege to be the tallest, they stretched beyond the horizon . Thousands of stores compete to make the most profit, and the streets was filled with a endless amount of people. Past it all there was a massive tower stretching miles above the city reaching up into space. House size levitators rode up and down it's length. and above the top of the space elevator was the floating Divine city, Kunlun Shan. Every world in the Suzerainty has a Divine city and they're all connected with riftways, portals that changes the distance between worlds into one step. Only the Ascended are allowed to step foot into the divine city. the divine city is filled with technology centuries ahead of what the public is allowed to own such as nanotech clothing and the Glaive . I spent most of my life hoping to one day join the ascended up there. it's golden white cityscape contrasted against the pale blue sky. After a hour the monorail stopped at the noonfell station. I got out and started walking to the mall. I smelled all of the different perfumes as I walked. holographic models advertised store products. soon I got to the food bay and my nose was filled with thousands of savory and sweet smells. as I walked up the steps a woman with gravboots flew over me. after five minutes I made it to the bakery that I worked at. the air was filled with the smell of pastries. as I walk in a woman with flour covered clothes appeared from out the kitchen. she was a middle aged woman with black hair and a busty figure, her name was Kathrine. she smiled. " Faye be a dear and help me with these eclairs. I washed my hands and walked to the kitchen to help. As we worked, she asked me a question. "where's your friend?" I shrugged "At the apartment, she didn't want to come." she sighed
"that's a shame, she is absolutely adorable and I wanted to see her again" Kathrine was a ex-employee of the orphanage I grew up in, so she has a soft spot for children. she also was the only good thing about the orphanage, that's part of the reason she left. but when she heard I was kicked out of there she immediately gave me a job. "First thinks that me working here is a waste of time." she smiled, "Aw don't worry Faye, I think it's cute how much she is dedicated to working out." she thinks First is around the same age as I am. but she is fully grown. I don't know how old though, the last time I asked how old she was, she made me work out for two days straight. All 48 hours. I think she is just glad I found someone to spend time with. I'm sure she's noticed my introverted tendencies. after seven hours of working, I ended my shift and started heading home. as I hanged up my apron up. Kathrine came and hugged me from behind. " you know you can always talk to me about anything right" she spoke softly. "you heard about the Mirage?" she nodded
" you don't have to suffer in silence." her son was given the same career I was, and he never returned home. "I know, If I'm ever struggling you'll be the first person I come to." she let go of me. " Faye, make it home safe." she smirked "and don't get into anymore fights if you don't know how to protect yourself." I hurried out of the bakery embarrassed. "I know how to fight!" she cackled as I went out the door. once I made it back home I washed myself and head to bed. as I got in the sleeping bag First spoke. " tomorrow I will teach you about Shimmer" I sat up " really? I thought you said I was to weak." "You are, but it should be fine to begin your foundation."