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"Keep your elbows down, mind your feet and remember to breathe."
"Got it."
Reze released a series of practiced jabs on the punching bag that Aki held from behind, the two remaining behind in the gym after Denji, Asa, Power and Beam had left out to investigate some type of occurrence on the other floor that involved a broken vending machine. Denji protested leaving Reze alone with Aki for an extended period but he was dragged out by Asa via his ear. So the two were left to finish their training up by themselves. After a few more minutes, Aki released his sore hands from the punching bag, walking off to shake them from the numbness.
"Alright, that's enough. I'm going have these amputated if you keep this up." Aki sighed out. "You should go ahead and catch up with the others."
"If you say so, boss." Reze smiled over at him. "I appreciate you sticking around to help me out with refining my technique. You didn't really need to do that."
"It's not like you needed that much help...they really taught you a few things back where you came from." He wiped his nose. "How was it there, by the way?"
"Hm? Ah...pretty boring, compared to here." She tilted her head. "Sterile, orderly...not a lot of friends there."
"You like it better than here?" He questioned.
"I mean...it's my home. I care for it a lot." She answered. "Why? You think I should send for my things?"
"...Do you know about Aesop's Fables?" He cricked his neck. "That animal guy, I mean."
"Sure! I remember this one tale about the country mouse and---"
"Hold on, I want to talk about a different story." He glanced at her. "Have you heard about Aesop and the Ferryman?"
"Huh? I'm not really familiar with that one..."
"It's not one of the famous ones. It's more funny than educational." He explained. "Basically, a ferryman made fun of Aesop when he was being taken across a river or something and Aesop told him that eventually, everything will be swallowed up by this giant whirlpool. His boat, the land, all of the water...gone. And when that happens...the ferryman will be out of a job."
"Oh. You know, I think the ferryman would have more problems to deal with if that happens..."
"Told you it wasn't much of a story. Just one guy ranting at another about the unlikely possibility of being obsolete."
"...Do you think I'll become obsolete, Hayakawa?" Her eyes narrow as her smile became a smirk.
"I think...we all will. Hopefully." He replied blankly. "Either we find a way to contain all of ourselves in a way that doesn't result in casualties or...we wipe each other out."
"That's a downer. Oh well...we'll just do what we can until then." She leaned in, hands behind her back. "It's not like something like that will happen within our lifetime anyway."
"Suppose it does...suppose it gets better or it gets much worse. Whose side would you rather be on?"
"Are we still talking about Aesop and the Ferryman?"
"Who do you see yourself as in that story?"
Reze straightened up, going quiet for a bit. Then she spoke. "I understand what you're trying to do. Really, I get it...you're a fox boy, Hayakawa. Foxes are clever by nature. They're also solitary, not forming packs and hunting by themselves. But foxes are versatile...they can find other foxes to settle down with and den together to raise their young. I gotta admit I'm jealous...foxes never have to worry about what they want. Me, I'm stuck being a living bomb. I was raised and trained for one thing: destruction. All I can control is who's caught in the blast. It's what I was brought up to be...it's all I'll ever do."
Aki was silent for close to a minute before asking, "Does that apply to Denji? Or Asa even?"
Her smile gone, Reze turned to leave the room. "About what you were trying to offer...I'll think about it. I'm taking a shower."
"Alright." He nodded as she left him alone in the gym, leaving him to lift his underarm and recoil. "Damn it...and I know those idiots used up all the hot water at home."