The first thing Kyle felt when his eyes blinked open was weightlessness. He sat up slowly, testing the sensation with a stretch and his fingers curled into fists like they were ready to swing on their own.
He frowned. "Weird…"
Swinging his legs out of the bed... he staggered into the hallway, a hand brushing the wall as if the ground itself wasn't quite the same as before.
Two voices caught his attention.
"Well, well... our newbie finally decided to wake up." Liam's smirk was as dry as sandpaper.
Kyle rubbed his eyes. "Ughhh… I'm so hungry."
Cassie stepped up beside Liam, tilting her head. "I can imagine, being unconscious for a week has to be wild."
Kyle's voice pitched up. "Wait... what? How the hell did it get to be out for a week?"
"'Cause you're weak, that's why." Liam shrugged.
Kyle groaned. "Great, thanks for the ego boost."
Cassie elbowed Liam before she turned back, softer. "So… how did it feel? Being in the field with Voklov?"
Kyle's lips pressed together, then parted again as if the memory replayed. "Uh.. normal but scary, hella scary. I thought I was done for more than once."
Cassie gave a small smile. "At least you survived, that counts for something."
Her eyes glinted. "Come on, let's go grab something to eat."
Kyle's stomach growled loud enough to answer for him. "Yeah, let's go before I collapse again."
At the cafeteria, Kyle didn't waste time picking at meals. He stacked two plates high, then three, balancing them like a tower before collapsing onto a bench with Cassie across from him.
He dug in like a man possessed. Fork and spoon clanged, bites vanishing faster than Cassie could blink.
She stifled a laugh. "You might wanna slow down before you choke, Kyle."
He paused mid-bite, cheeks puffed with food. "…Can't... too hungry."
Other squads in the room stole glances their way. Side-eyes lingered, whispers passed like little currents under the noise. Kyle felt them, the weight of judgment but tried to ignore it. Cassie shot one squad a glare sharp enough to make them look away.
Meanwhile Liam… acted like he wasn't even sitting with them. He picked at his food, detached in that special Liam way.
The doors banged open.
"Dirty Fighting Rookie!"
Kyle's fork froze in midair. Slowly, he turned to see Rhonda storming toward him, broad shoulders cutting a path through the tables, her grin fierce.
"I heard you fought an S-rank and survived?" she bellowed, laugh rolling out after. "You're one lucky rookie."
Cassie nearly dropped her fork. "Hold on, you fought an S-rank?"
Kyle opened his mouth but Liam beat him to it, voice laced with dismissal. "Of course he didn't. He was probably just standing there while Ezra and Nia handled business. And now he's getting the spotlight for it."
Rhonda slapped a meaty hand down on Kyle's shoulder, almost sending him forward into his plate. "Don't matter how it went down, he still survived. And guess what, Rookie…"
Her grin widened, dangerous and wild. "…you're fighting me today."
Kyle's fork clattered against the tray. "What... now?"
"Now!" She tugged at his sleeve, half dragging him from the bench.
Cassie stifled another laugh behind her hand. Liam shook his head, muttering something that sounded like 'dead man walking.'
Kyle threw them both a pitiful look as he was hauled away, his face twisted into the exact expression of a man being marched to his execution.
"Help..." he mouthed.
Neither moved. The cafeteria burst into low murmurs again as Rhonda's booming laugh echoed down the hall, dragging the rookie off to another round of training that promised only pain.
Kyle stumbled inside the training room, still protesting as Rhonda shoved him forward with one hand.
"Why does it always gotta be me?" he groaned.
"Because you need it the most, Rookie" Rhonda shot back, striding past him. She grabbed a wooden sword from the rack, tossing it his way. He barely caught it, fumbling before he managed a grip.
"You're not about to kill me again, right?" Kyle asked warily.
Rhonda's teeth flashed in a grin that didn't do much to calm him. "No promises."
She rolled her shoulders, her muscles flexing, broad frame casting a long shadow under the sun.
The floor cracked beneath her step as she lunged, bare fist streaking toward his ribs with terrifying speed. Kyle barely got his sword up, wood splintering against her knuckles as the impact sent shockwaves through his arms. The sheer force slid him several feet back, his boots scraping the floor.
His eyes widened. "Dammit."
Rhonda didn't pause, she vanished... reappearing with a blur of flesh and motion, her fists raining like a storm. Kyle spun, blocking where he could, ducking where he couldn't. The wooden sword cracked against bone-hard knuckles, each impact numbing his grip.
She pressed him like a predator, relentless... her movements precise but feral. Every strike she threw echoed in the hall like gunshots.
Kyle's body screamed but something in him was sharper now. His instincts kicked in... dodging before her foot swung, raising his guard before her fist slammed down. He was keeping up.
"Not bad, rookie!" Rhonda barked between strikes, her grin wild. "Not bad!"
Kyle snarled, sweat flying as he swung with both hands, trying to force space. The blade cut air, grazing close to her cheek but she tilted her head, weaving past it effortlessly. In the same motion, she slammed her palm against his chest.
The force blasted him across the hall, his back slamming against the wall hard enough to rattle the racks. He gasped, air knocked from his lungs.
He stood up slowly, clutching the wooden sword tighter, his legs moved before his mind caught up. He launched forward again, sprinting, his footfalls echoing like flesh-steps against the wood. His body felt weightless like some invisible fire was fueling his muscles.
Rhonda met him head-on, her fist and his sword colliding mid-charge. The impact burst like thunder, the air rippling around them.
Kyle slid back, teeth grit, sweat stinging his eyes. His arms trembled from the strain but he refused to fall.
"You're different now..."She smirked, stepping forward with fists raised. "But don't think that means you can keep up with me."
She blurred forward again. A spinning backfist grazed his temple, a knee snapped toward his gut. Kyle blocked one, barely dodged the other, counter-swinging with all he had. His sword whistled down toward her shoulder but she caught it.
Her hand closed around the wood like a vice.
Kyle's eyes went wide. "You're kidding..."
With a twist, she wrenched the weapon aside and drove her fist into his side. Pain exploded through him, sending him sprawling across the floor. He coughed, clutching his ribs, rolling to his knees.
"Up..." Rhonda barked. "Again."
Kyle groaned, pushing himself upright. His legs wobbled but he forced them to steady. "You're insane."
"Maybe." She grinned. "But you're still standing, that means you've got more in you."
He raised his sword again, breath ragged but eyes burning. He charged, swinging with raw willpower.
Their shadows stretched and tangled across the hall like dueling titans. Every step cracked the boards, every impact rang like steel against steel.
And yet, through the chaos, Kyle's eyes sharpened. His movements smoothed, he was reading her.
Rhonda slammed her palm against his chest again, sending him sliding backward, his wooden sword nearly flying from his grip. He fell to one knee, panting hard and his arms trembling.
Rhonda stood tall, fists still raised and her chest heaving with controlled breaths. She stared at him for a long moment, then she lowered her hands.
Her smirk softened into something rarer, almost respectful. "Guess the 'Dirty Fighting Rookie' is gone now."
Kyle blinked, sweat dripping down his face. "What…?"
"You didn't fight cheap..." she said. "You fought straight. Took your beating like a man and still stood back up."
Rhonda stepped closer, crouching just enough to meet his exhausted gaze. Her voice dropped, firm but gruff. "You went from weak to this in one night, you really are something else."
Kyle stared at her breathless, unsure if he should laugh or collapse. "Was… was that a compliment?"
Rhonda's grin returned, wolfish. "Don't get used to it. Next time, I'll knock you out quicker."
With that, she turned, heading toward the door. Kyle stayed kneeling, the wooden sword limp in his grip and his chest still heaving. His entire body screamed with pain.