Training

I sat down across from Francis. My cock was flaccid now after a relatively small playtime with Mira. She wasn't happy with how short our fun time was, but I had other responsibilities. It wasn't much longer, and I was sitting across from Francis with a Bunny-kin woman setting down food on the table between us with a smile on her face.

Francis wasn't smiling, though, as he waited for her to finish putting down the food. When she was done and leaving the room, he glowered at me. "You made me wait while you finished your chat again. Do you think food will appease me?" Francis asked.

"Nope," I bluntly replied as I started to eat a little. "I got occupied with a needy Succubus at Queen rank. Be glad I could leave within three days," I chuckled, and Francis joined in.

"Fair enough," Francis replied after laughing a little, lightening up, and started to pick at the food left on the table. "Still, I doubt that you are here to boast about the sexual escapades that you have had with the Succubus. However, that could be a topic of conversation later. I am more interested you insisted on this meeting so quickly." Francis finished.

"No problem," I replied, biting into a fruit. "I am here to talk to you about the future of my embassy and our relations moving forward, Francis," I told him casually before taking another bite.

Francis paused, looking at me mid-way about to grab more food. "What do you mean?" Francis asked, the pause pregnant with tension.

"I do not know when but soon I may be leaving and most likely soon," I told him flatly. "I am not sure when but I know it will affect the vote on the Fair Trade agreement." I finished leaning back after picking up another fresh fruit.

"So, what are you saying?" Francis asked.

"I am saying," I said, looking at him while tossing the fruit up into the air, "That I will not be here to actually sign the Agreement, most likely as I will be gone. That means I cannot control what the successor to my position will do." I finished taking the fruit out of the air and biting into it. "I will talk to them, but that is the best I can do." I shrugged, "Who knows what they will do since I do not know who the successor of my position will be at this point in time." I took a bite into the fruit letting the juices enter my mouth.

Francis looked at me quietly for several moments before growling out, "Why are you so flippant about this?" He asked, "I know how you Bunny-kin like your accomplishments. Why are you not angrier about this?"

I could hear the severe annoyance in his tone, and I couldn't help but giggle, "I am angry," I told him casually, "There simply isn't anything I can do about it," I told him, looking at him with my face still being casual. "You think that I am not annoyed about several things going on here in the Demon lands?" I asked him back. "I have been in a constant struggle to get certain things done, and most of them I haven't been able to do," I told him as I reached for more food. "I will leave here knowing that I have done the absolute most I can do and that I have accomplished a lot in my short time here," I said, leaning back. "But make no mistake, Francis, I have been insanely busy around here, and I have accomplished much despite some of the things I encountered here blocking my efforts." I finished.

"Why am I here then?" Francis asked flatly, his annoyance plain to see with both facial expression and body language.

I smirked, "Well, Many things Francis," I told him, looking at him with a small grin loving how I controlled the conversation. "First, you know what I want with the trade deal." When Francis nodded, I continued, "I want you to either block all attempts to subvert what I wanted before it passes. Trust me on this; It is better, in the long run, my way," I told him, "Next, I want you to help me." I told him.

Francis barked out a laugh, "The first way isn't helping you?" He asked flatly.

"Nope, That first one is helping my successor, Whomever that may be." I told him with a wry smile, "No, What I want from you is something more personal. Something that only you can do. I can ask others to help me block the votes. Hell, I have nearly half the Repressentitves on my side on that." I continued with a chuckle. "Nope, that isn't doing me a favor; that is definitely for the next person who has the bad luck of taking over for me. They will have some serious problems." I sighed just thinking about the funding problem they will have without me making potions. "So," I said, getting back on topic, "I want you to help me get into shape for fighting again."

"Wait, what?" Francis paused, "You want to fight me again?" Francis asked this curiously.

"Nope, I want to train with you," I replied begin careful with my words, "I have gotten out of shape, and that has decreased my efficiency in fighting, including with you." I continued to explain, "I have gotten soft in the last months even after battling you. I need someone with strength behind their punches that can knock me out if I mess up. I need pressure, and I need to get myself back into fighting shape quickly." I finished with a grin, "Interested in beating me up?" I asked him.

Francis looked at me like I was an idiot for a couple of minutes while I picked at the food some more. Then he started to laugh, "Alright! I do not mind; let me know the days, and we can do some fighting!" He exclaimed, cracking his knuckles, "You make an interesting fight with all that void shit that you do and those fucking painful cuts. I am always interested in perfecting my craft with you!" Francis exclaimed.

I could feel the excitement coming off Francis as he agreed to train with me, and I smiled, "We can start after finishing lunch and do a small fight in the training center on the main floor of the Embassy if you don't mind," I told him.

"That is an offer I am not willing to give up on. You are like a pest in the arena. Attacking with speed and power that a Wizard isn't supposed to have," Francis explained, "It makes me want to fight you more. I am built to put Wizards in their place, then you come along and make it difficult for me." Francis shook his head, grabbing some food, "It is interesting, and I am looking forward to Training with you, Chelsea," Francis told me.

I smiled, and we ate; I could tell that Francis wanted the food to be in his stomach as fast as possible. As a Devil and his own personality, I could already tell that he was looking forward to another fight with me. I was looking forward to having another fight with him and stretching my muscles. I felt that old love from another lifetime come through me. I could create my own martial art in this world. Once completely made for myself that no one else could use. One that allowed me to use mana and my own body to fight to the maximum.

The thought I just had sent a thrill through me, and I remembered back in the dwarven kingdom, I started a little to fight with Martial arts. Inside the forest, though, I turned myself more into a support role with Betsy and Kate taking on the forefront of attacks. This normally ga e them the killing blows on the monsters as we fought. It was a harsh memory but in that environment was not the time for me to experiment how to adapt fighting hand to hand into my combat style.

I sighed as I finished filling my stomach, and I stood stretching as I looked at Francis. "Ready?" I asked him.

Francis had just stood up as I finished and grinned, "Never felt more ready for a fight!" He exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

We left the meeting room and made our way to the soldier training area. We made it there in very little time as Francis insisted on keeping a quick pace. Inside, many little bouts were going on, and I coughed loudly in the training area.

Soon I gathered everyone's attention as they came to a stop, and I smiled, "Everyone, Francis and I would like to train a little, and all of you are welcome to watch if you wish!" I announced.

Murmurs ran throughout the training area, and soon everyone lined themselves up on the walls with no complaints. I could see the expectation as all of these Bunny-kin soldiers were in the D or C Rank. They would love to watch and hopefully get inspiration from two B rankers showing off their might.

One soldier ran out, and soon as Francis and I got ready in the middle, we had a crowd watching us getting ready. I stretched, making sure I was limber enough for the fight ahead. The training area was a huge handicap for me since it would be more of a struggle to get up to the speeds I was getting in the arena. Instead, Francis stood there smiling at me as I stretched.

"We may not be in the Arena, Chelsea," Francis commented, "But I am sure there are already bets going around just as if we were in the arena."

HIs comment held merit, and I smiled as I got ready to fight, "What they do is of little matter," I replied.

"Good, Then if this is training," Francis casually said, then instantly he was in front of me with his bulking fist right in my face.

The sudden eruption in violence startled me, and I didn't have time to rift out. Instead, I leaned my back as his fist scraped my nose, and I wrapped my arms around his face. My legs slipped up his arm up to his neck, and I used mana to fuel my body arm, barring Francis in the same second that fist came at me. I straightened my grip and forced his arm straight out to the side.

I then moved my mana, and Francis gasped as I said, "Well, Look at that, Francis," I told him with a sing-song tone, "I could kill you in this pose right now."

"I feel that with the treat on my neck with that void magic along your legs," Francis noted, and I let go of the armbar. "You underestimated me," I told him as I landed back on my feet, looking at the small cut that I left on his neck to show him the danger he was in.

"You are correct," Francis said, "Why did you not do this in the Arena?" Francis asked.

"Because," I said with a grin, "You're the reason I thought of adopting this type of fighting style again." I told him, "Let me say that I am more or less bringing it back. This fighting style will allow me to cover more of my weaknesses." I finished, and he grinned.

"Well, Don't expect me to fall for the same thing twice!" He exclaimed.

"I wouldn't dare!" I replied with a grin as he lunged at me again. My body cut in close to his own as I moved to dodge his attacks, not relying on void magic to win. I fought with him, physically moving my body as little as possible to dodge. It was hard, and my body wasn't used to the old movements I knew in my past life or practiced in the Dwarven kingdom. The body needed to practice to keep the muscle memory long-term, and a year wasn't long enough to do that.

Soon my body was dripping with sweat, whereas Francis looked in much better condition as he drove me to the brink. I dodged another strike as Francis no longer was careless as he attacked me. My old pinning techniques against him would do much if he were overly cautious of them. He didn't know them all, but I still relied more on sticking vital areas in the small openings he gave, and at this point, he was covered in small bruises that he didn't flinch at all on.

I felt tired, and suddenly as I went to dodge another attack, his leg hit me on my side when I missed the timing of the jump, and I was sent flying. I loudly yelped as the pain soared through me as I was catapulted through the training room towards the wall, and I barely opened a rift in time to allow me instead to slide along the floor, crying out as I started to get some road rash as my skin scraped against the floor.

"Fuck!" I cried out loudly, echoing in the training area as the bout came to an end.

"Are you okay?" Francis said as he neared me, looking surprised.

"I will be!" I yelled, trying to hold back the pain. I got up slowly onto my feet and showed a wry smile as I got on my feet. "I think that calls today's training, eh? I will contact you for another fight?" I asked.

"Still looking to get beat up more, Eh?" Francis said, looking startled, "You call me for a fight; I will be here!" He exclaimed, and I started to limp towards the door.

"Next time, Francis, I will be on the winning side of our fights!" I told him, limping to the door, and I turned to look at Flornine, who was grinning ear to ear watching us, "See him out please," I asked her, and the Pink Bunny-kin nodded.

"No problem feel better, I want to talk later," Florine said and I paused looking into her eyes. The woman I looked at looked a little hurt but determined and I saw strength in her stare too. I wondered what it was about and I nodded.

"I will make time for you after I heal," I replied. I then stepped back out heading to a room to heal.