The training room in the house is a massive place where swordsmanship is being honed at its finest. Some might find it strange, however, it is not a mere spacious place to train. Rather, it is designed with trees of massive trunks yet of short in heights.
Their branches grew around the room as their leaves served as canopies of what's on the surface of the room. Which are the small pond of wild and life threatening piranhas — famished with bloody flesh —, randomly fixated metal tiles with flaming coals built on the floor's surface, and agitatedly automated shooting arrows that can pierce through a human body with no problem at all, due to its sharpened let alone serrated end shoot in a forceful way.
Deafening silence covered the whole training room as the water by the small pond in the centre of the room remained dead calm.
My ears were alerted by the disturbing sound of a drop, breaking the whole silence of the room as it bided by the dead calm water of the tiny pond. I knew it! She's up there, in one of the branches of the trees just a distance away from my back. I am certain that it was her sweat dropping.
Jean was my mentor for more than a decade, now. She might be a woman, but the training she gave me was a total hell that it left so much marks on my body. Scars of my hardships. Jean pushed me to my limits, even if my body wanted to give up, she never allowed me to lose my hope and drop my training. It was a life or death, for me.
Another drop of fluid fell on the water, confirming my suspicions. She's totally up there, watching me, I can sense it. I was determined to catch her and take my victory, she's not getting away from me!
I gestured for a crouch and unleashed my sword, held it finely in an angular position as I jumped in a swift motion, utilising my senses to avoid stepping on the flaming coals on the surface of the floor. The sharp serrated end of the automated arrows kept firing at me. Letting myself go with the flow of the wind, as light as a feather, I jumped turning around midway, slashing the arrows in half and landed on one of the branches of the trees.
"There's no running away now, Jean." I warned Jean. I felt a movement just a distance away from my feet. With the use of my free hand, I covered the distance between me and the source of the movement with a one hand flip. Lifting the sharp sword in my left hand by its black handle that was engraved with a golden butterfly, slashing a long thread in a lightning speed, I heard Jean let out a satisfying scorn.
The thread was thick and silky to touch. It wasn't just a mere threat. It's a braided hair. It was Jean's braided hair. Aptly, I placed my sword back to its cane as I removed my blindfold. When I was finally able to freely see my surrounding, my eyes stopped at my aunt who was fixing her gold training gear that was crumpled from dashing off the branch of the tree to the floor.
Jean clapped her hands, smiling at me. "Good job. However, Sarah, your moves seemed hesitant. What's the matter?" She asked.
I didn't realise that I was too obvious. Not wanting to worry Jean, I shook my head and answered her question. "Just reminiscing, trying to recall something, Jean." It's true. However, she frowned at me, portraying that she didn't believe my reasoning.
In accord to Jean's questioning look, I shrugged, walked past her, and halted by the small square table that was positioned at the left side of the door.
"Sarah! That isn't a place to rest your sword!" Jean exclaimed at me. I could feel her death glare piercing through me. She's agitated.
"Come on, just this once Jean. I am a bit bothered of something I can't seem to know what exactly." I've been cracking my head for answers, since the moment I started my daily training. I am certain that I forgot to do something.
"What is it?"
My aunt could literally be slow, at times. I sighed, slapping my palm on my forehead, feeling disappointed of my aunt. "You're a tease. I told you, I can't remember. I forgot about it, Jean!" I exclaimed. Irritation was rising in me. It's vivid to my senses.
"Ah, I know exactly what you need. Food. You're just hungry. Come on, let's prepare something to stuff our stomachs." Jean walked towards me and patted my shoulder. "Come." She gestured her head for a nod, inviting me to follow her to the kitchen.
"That's it! I remember now. I forgot to buy us groceries, Jean! It's all your fault." I blamed Jean for my mistake. I mean, she's half responsible why I forgot to buy groceries, in the first place. She made me prioritise my training more than our food.
She looked at me incredulously as if I just said something unacceptable. "How is it my fault, Sarah? We may be closer than best of friends, but I am still your aunt. Show some respect, child." Jean crossed her arms before her chest.
Well, that was unexpected. I must truly have been unable to recall that she's my aunt and the sole family I have left. "I'm sorry, aunt." I made sure that I emphasised my last word to her, letting her know that I took nothing seriously, but of pure sarcasm. "I gotta go. I need to buy our groceries first, before I could finally take my rest. I plan to practice my shooting skills afterwards, anyway."
"Fine. Change your clothes before you go, child."
My eyes dropped from Jean to my black training gear. Right, I can't possibly go out there and mingle with people wearing such garments. It'll catch the attention of everyone, for sure. "I will. See you later, Jean." I planted a kiss on my aunt's cheek and left her at the training room.
Checking my wrist watch, I let out a distressed grunt as it took me by surprise. "You got to be kidding me. The supermarkets are crowded by this time of the afternoon." It's already four o'clock in the afternoon and it's the time where the city gets crowded by people who just got out from their daily jobs.
Before I left the house, I did as what Jean said, change my clothes. My matte black car's door opened as I pressed the button on its kerb, welcoming me to the driver's seat. "Yolla, drive to the nearby supermarket." I commanded to Yolla — the AI voice command of my car.
"Now driving to the nearby supermarket. Standby, destination is at seven hundred metres away." Yolla instructed.