The Contender IC

[DeathsKnight]

Jonesy

"Oh he's been here since half past four, usual time for him to come in"

He smiled

"At the back of the gym is changing rooms, so you will have to pass him first before you can get to the changing rooms and showers"

He continued on his way to the front, doorman and previous trainer to James he knew just what the kid was getting her in to. He just hope that James' bitterness didn't transfer to her, but James was a pro, he knew what he was doing.

 

[Ravvyn]

"Oh good. Well I don't want to be late. It was good meeting you Jonesy." She flashed him a light smile before heading deeper into the facility, admiring the equipment that adorned it. Finally finding James she set down her bag, feeling the relief of the weight lifted she rolled her shoulders.

"Hi Mr. Lewis. You haven't changed your mind about training me have you?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He turned from the heavy boxing bag and grunted

"You will find I don't readily pull out of something I offered"

He stopped the swaying of the bag and walked closer to her, his body glistened with sweat and he folded his arms in front of his chest.

"First off, out there I can be your friend, your idol, your lover, your father, your fiancee, your husband. In here I am the bastard who will train you into the ground, I will break you down until you feel like nothing, then I will build you up to become the best that you can be. You will swear at me, you will want to kill me, hell you may even get the chance to take out that aggression on me. But once you start, there will be no turning back, you will not have any days off apart from Sundays. If you do not show up for training you don't have to come back again...ever"

He turned to the bag and started peppering it with light, fast punches

"If you want to continue, get dressed"

 

[Ravvyn]

Jonesy was right it was a much different man than she had seen the night before at the coffee shop, still she had been through the hard training before with her mentor and knew the hard work it would take to succeed. She would have to fight through the struggles, both mentally and physically. She knew he would make her a contender again, his track record was that of a proven winner.

"Right, I'll be right back." She chose not to comment on his insistence that she would hate him, not wanting to have to eat her words at a later time. She quickly slipped into her red tank top and shorts, tying her long blonde hair in a ponytail and tying up her training boots before slinging her gloves around her neck she grabbed her training helmet and came back to James.

"Ready to go. Where do we start."

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

"First will have to get you fit"

He looked at her boots, then handed her two five kilogram ankle weights

"We begin light, put these on"

He pointed at the track that ran around the building on a second floor height

"Then get up there and I want to see how far you can go. If you stop and you can still stand you didn't give it all you have. Now get going, we have a lot to do"

 

[Ravvyn]

She took the ankle weights and strapped them to each ankle, they didn't feel like much weight right at that moment but she knew they would start to effect her as time went on. She semi-jogged up the steps, doing a couple stretches before starting off in a light jog, gradually working up into a soft sprint. After the first two laps around she began to pick up speed and went into a full-out sprint. The ankle weights were starting to take effect. She felt her quads and calves begin to burn, her abdomen beginning to cramp. Isabelle focused on her breathing knowing that she had to control it to keep going.

Six laps gone she really began to feel the burn. The ten kilo weights felt more like cinder blocks around her ankles and she could no longer keep up the pace. She forced herself but gradually her speed diminished until a jog alone became laborious. After eight laps she felt the strength in her legs fade and her jog became little more than a power walk. She managed to reach ten laps before succumbing to fatigue and stopping, leaning over she used the railing to hold her up. Her heart pounding, her legs quivering as she tried to slow down her breathing from a fast pant. Perspiration dripped from her forehead. She looked down at him from over the railing, wiping her brow with her forearm.

"How... was.. that?" She panted out. It was apparent just how out of shape she'd allowed herself to get in the past few months but she felt pretty good about the laps she'd just done.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He looked up to her

"Done already? That was quick. What was that? Two jogging, six running, two jogging and two walking? Well not too bad for a beginner, get down here and make it snappy, don't remove those weights just yet"

He waited for her to rejoin him on the ground floor, he could see that she was spent, but she had the guts to continue and that was the good part.

"Now you will start you day with cardio, if you do cardio before you get here that is good, but I would expect improvement at the end of each week. Now the second building block that you will need is agility, now you know the best way to get to work on that so grab a rope and start jumping"

He paused

"And you better start off on your toes, you're not a grade 4 girl learning to skip rope"

 

[Ravvyn]

Her breathing had steadied a little and the splash of water against her throat sent a refreshing chill through her body. At his order she grabbed a rope, taking a deep breath then starting the rotation of her wrists, the first few rotations acted to set the pace and rhythm. She again concentrated on her breathing, still dog-tired from the run she immediately felt the pain return as she skipped. The weights on her ankle made keeping the rhythm each time she skipped over a bit of a chore. The distribution of weight throughout her body was effected enough that she felt off-balance but managed to keep on her toes. Counting in her head as much to distract her as to keep count she started to get a good pace going at fifty jumps, the rhythm was maintained until she reached one hundred then she felt her body start to fight against her trying to stop. Eventually the body won and she got the rope caught up in her feet. She stumbled but kept her balance, though now that she had stopped her writhing parts were basking in the break and urging her not to start again.

She looked up at Lewis from her keeled over position, wondering what would come next or if he would tell her to keep going. She didn't know if she could even if he demanded it. Isabelle panted heavily, perspiring from seemingly every pore. She reached for her water bottle, knowing that she had to re-hydrate as fast as she exuded moisture to combat cramping and the fatigue as well as the lactic acid that was building up in her joints. Her eyes had to do the asking for her of what he wanted next as her mouth was occupied sucking in precious air.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

She was doing good, but then again it was light weights for now, by now he had pulled off his gloves and stood looking at her with his taped fists on his hips.

"Feeling good yet? Take thirty seconds then go again, I want one-fifty in one go before you can stop"

Walking over to the equipment rack he picked up two fifteen kilogram ankle weights and strapped them to his ankles. Picking a rope that suited his length, he walked over to her and waited

"I'll do this one with you, let's see what you got kiddo"

 

[Ravvyn]

The tired boxer nodded as he allowed her a thirty second reprieve which she did not waste ingesting as much water as she could. She watched him attach much larger weights to his own ankles and grab a rope as well. It gave her some resolve and the short break allowed her to regain some strength, adrenaline did the rest.

She straightened her posture and with a deep inhale once more began the gauntlet. This time it was much tougher, reaching fifty was a chore, one hundred felt like it should have been one fifty and the last fifty were pure hell especially when she lost her rhythm and began to fight both the rope's rotation and the weights at around one thirty. Her balance finally went off enough that she couldn't lift her leg in time and tripped herself up again in the ropes, this time she stumbled forward and down to her knees. Her first attempt to stand was met with her body revolting against her.

Out of gas she rested her hands on her thighs, trying to find the strength to stand. She got to one knee and used her hands to press off the ground. Finally standing she reset her rope and started again, every time over the rope was a struggle but the adrenaline was at least for the time numbing the pain as she forged onward, rising into the fifties then sixties then seventies. One fifty however seemed to grow further away with each number she grew closer to it.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He watched her fight and fail, yet getting up each time, by now he was in the two hundreds and he could feel some strain. He hadn't done this in quite a while, but he was in shape and that is what saved him.

"Come on kiddo, you want to be doing this the whole day? We have a schedule, push a bit harder. Start to believe in yourself. Are you a wannabe or are you the Belle?"

He kept the rhythm going, pinning her with a cold stare

"Are you here wasting my time? Or do you want to get out there and become champion"

 

[Ravvyn]

He and Jonesy had been right, he was going to drive her crazy but it was early and she respected his method. For now at least. She dug deep in herself and found another deposit of strength, picking up the pace and fighting the desperation to stop. She hit one hundred, one ten, one twenty, one thirty. Her determination driving her, she wasn't going to let anything stop her now. One forty, the burning sensation was now more akin to being roasted in a fire. One forty five, she felt her willpower and adrenaline start to take over pushing back fatigue and pain. One fifty, she had passed the test but didn't stop. This new-found vigor pushed her onward, she refused to stop until her body forced her to. Eventually somewhere in the two hundreds the rope finally caught on one of her toes and it was over. She felt like collapsing, knew if she did it would be nearly impossible to stand back up. She reached for her water bottle and squeezed it's contents into her mouth, fighting to stay standing as her chest rose and fell in deep exasperated breaths.

"One fifty." She winked at him, a smile of relief drawn over her lips.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

"I counted one forty two, but you seem more out of shape than I had thought you to be, so you can have this one"

He also stopped and hung the rope around his neck, tossing her a water bottle. It was cold and had an energy drink inside that would replace the lost electrolytes as well as the water she had lost. He was going to drive her, he wasn't going to kill her, he hung up the rope and stood there looking at her. So the legs was tired, but he haven't touched the rest yet

"When you finish with that bottle I want to see if you have anything left in that gut of yours. Sit ups and not lady crunches, I want the nice military sit-up and I want it done right"

He eyed the clock, they have been going at it for almost an hour and a half now. Pretty soon the rest of the regulars will show up, by then he wanted her to be so tired she will have to get carried out of the gym.

 

[Ravvyn]

Again all she could manage was a nod and gratefully drank the contents of his water bottle, setting the empty bottle to the side she placed her hands on her hips and took a few deep breaths. At first sitting down was a godsend, her legs immediately being released from the strain of supporting her weight but once she leaned back and performed the first sit up a new challenge came. Her stomach muscles were already tense just from the heavy breathing alone, the strain of each passing sit up played havoc on her lower back as well as her abs.

She fought through the pain to reach twenty, each time she lay back down she wondered if she'd be able to pull herself up again. Resolve helped her reach forty but soon her muscles began to feel the effects of lactic acid again as the energy drink he had given her depleted it's resources. Once she reached sixty four she collapsed back down and as hard as she tried couldn't pull herself up for one more. She gasped for air, feeling like she would never be able to move again but knew he would have something else for her, possibly more sit ups. She chose to just remain lying on her back until he gave further directions.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He crouched down next to her

"Come kid, just six more, you're not quiting on me are you"

He reached out to hold her feet

"C'mon go for it, you can do this"

 

[Ravvyn]

The added leverage of him holding her feet gave her a bit more strength. She pulled herself up to a sitting position the first time despite the struggle. She managed to use the leverage to compensate for her waning strength, again she pulled up her eyes meeting his as she reached the pinnacle of the sit up. The third and fourth renewed the struggle that even his steadying hands could not prevent. She barely brought herself up again, the struggle of it nearly too much to take and as she went down again she knew she was done. Belle tried to pull herself up once more to no avail she just didn't have the strength to lift herself.

"I.. I'm sorry... I can't." She explained through heaving breaths. Her stomach muscles feeling like jelly, like she'd been sucker punched in the gut.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

"OK kiddo, that wasn't bad, but you can do better"

He placed another drink down for her and got up

"Push ups, wide angle next. You have thirty seconds to rest"

He had warned her that he was going to push her, but now that he had an idea of her fitness level he was sure to compensate to get her fit, but not at this pace.

 

[Ravvyn]

She drank some of the drink but took most of the thirty seconds just to catch her breath. The push ups would be extremely taxing, she was already tired and didn't know how long she would hold up. The rapid succession of workouts had started to take their toll on her, she hadn't realized how out of shape she was her natural metabolism had hidden that fact. She never had gained weight fast and doubted she would ever be overweight but she felt like the fattest girl at fat camp right now.

Nonetheless she rolled over onto her stomach and spread her arms to give herself a wide stance. She bent her elbows and lowered her face to the ground, her nose nearly touching before pushing back up she could feel her muscles straining, her arms shaking as they supported her. She inhaled deeply as she lowered herself again, exhaling as she extended her arms straight again. Belle managed to struggle her way through thirty push ups but the next ten proved to be much more challenging, she hit thirty nine but her body now rested on the ground incapable of elevating another time. She was spent, her arms felt like liquid. Never had the ratty couch in her slum apartment been so appealing as it did now.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He watched her and then when she failed to do any more he waited for a few seconds

"Hey kid come over here"

He stood next to the sparring ring, his back resting against the metal pole, when she got to him he indicated his stomach

"Give me the best shot you have, right there"

 

[Ravvyn]

As tired as she was she pulled herself to her feet and convened with him by the sparring ring, he then told her to give him her best shot. At first she looked at him as if to ask if he was serious but it was clear by his own expression that he was. She straightened up from her crouched over position and lifted her tired arms into a boxing stance. One last check to see that he was certain she hooked her right arm laying it as hard as she could into his gut.

While her strength was far from full she still had something behind the punch. Nothing in comparison to what he would have faced fighting men whose arms likely weighed the same as her but the last thing to go on any fighter was their punch and she knew that she still had one. She backed up and looked at him to see his reaction, impressed with the fact that punching him was akin to punching a brick wall.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He stood away from the metal pole, no expression on his face

"Meh I've felt better from a ten year old girl. Now do you know why I wanted you to do just all of this fast paced workout and then give me your best shot? I am sure that you should know"

He paced slowly in front of her his hands behind his back, his eyes looking at the ground

 

[Ravvyn]

"Yeah, I get it. I'm a slouch. I let myself go and if I wasn't a slim girl to begin with I'd be the size of a blimp. I get it. I really do." Whether she understood or not she still thought that her punch wasn't that bad, he didn't flinch though so maybe it wasn't as hard as she thought. She couldn't tell she was dog tired and the wind could knock her over at that moment.

"Look, I thought my career was over. Nobody wanted to touch me. I know I'm soft now but I can be better."

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

He faced her, his voice cold and low

"That was not the answer I wanted. You just lasted ten rounds, you are dog tired, your punching sucks and what do you do? Oh boohoo poor me"

He steeped closer

"This is where that heart you showed to get here really kicks in, where you say right I can't knock them out let's stack points"

He reached out and tapped her forehead with a finger

"Get your mind in the game and out of the past. You lost everything, you gave up and look where you are. In a boxing gym, where you trained for two hours like a fiend and here I am, the guy who got you here. So you think that you went through all of that to pity yourself?"

Before she could reply he almost shouted

"NO!"

He continued in his normal voice

"You went through all that because you wanted to push yourself, it is your end game that failed you and that is going to change. Never and I mean NEVER do I want to hear you pity yourself again. Do you understand me? The reason I had you go through all of those workouts and then throw a punch was because I want you to last those ten rounds and when you are done with it, I want you to be able to hit as hard as you did when you started, it doesn't matter how tired you are, it doesn't matter that your are spitting blood and bleeding from you nose and mouth, wishing you didn't get into the ring, what matters is how you think of winning and no matter what your opponent throws at you, you will not give up"

He straightened up and took a step back

"Now ten more laps at any pace you can handle and then hit the showers"

 

[Ravvyn]

As much as it hurt to hear he wasn't exactly wrong. The last two hours were pure hell but they were far from the worst she had ever been subjected to. She had a feeling however that maybe he was taking it easy on her, if it could be called that. She couldn't keep eye contact with him, he made her feel like a child who had her candy stolen from her. His tact was lacking but the overall moral of the story held true. She needed to toughen up, to not feel sorry for her and to show him that he wasn't wasting his time with a second-rate hack who relished in a woe-is-me world.

With determination she headed back up the stairs and picked a pace somewhere between a jog and a light run, then carried that pace for ten laps. Walking another lap to cool down she finished and hit the showers. The heated waters were bliss, the over-heated muscles weren't. After the shower she dressed and went back out to meet Lewis.

"Same time tomorrow?" She queried, truly ready to collapse on that couch knowing she'd first have to walk home through the crime-riddled streets to her apartment.

 

[DeathsKnight]

James Lewis

By the time she was done, he was showered and dressed, greeting some of the regulars as they filed into the gym. He noticed some looking at something and then he heard her voice. He turned to face her, she looked beat, but not as tired as she would have been if she was late.

"Come with me kid, I have something to show you"

Leading the way he headed outside, where he got into a car waiting for her to join him

"Get in, I won't bite you"