Episode Three, Part 2:
Sol

Having caved, Sol led Wynn across camp until they reached an area near the back of the fences, past all of the tents and various training sections they had on their grounds. 

Before Wynn had time to appreciate the view of his still largely-unexplored world, Sol chucked a bag over that she had been carrying, hitting Wynn on the chest. She smirked as it knocked the breath out of him for a minute and struggled to find a comfortable way to hold it. 

"I don't think you needed to do that," he complained, setting it down with a huff. He was frustrated enough that there was no one else he could turn to for what he needed, and to think that Sol would spend the entire time making fun of him wasn't exactly something he was looking forward to. 

"I make the rules, Wynn," she said, reminding him of their power imbalance. "We can always finish here; I don't have to train you, remember?" 

"So you keep saying, and I get the feeling that you're never going to shut up about it." 

Sol smiled to herself, pleased that he knew his place. "Get in stance," she ordered. 

"Get in...what?" 

"Get in stance," she repeated, her tone implying how obvious she thought her request was. 

Wynn raised his eyebrows in exclamation before cracking his knuckles and bending his knees slightly, attempting to mimic how Sol was standing. 

"Now what-" he was cut off by a force to his gut; his mind needing a couple of seconds to register what had just happened. "What's wrong with you!?" He raised his voice slightly, taking a step away from her and sorely rubbing his stomach. 

"Do you want to learn how to fight, or not?" Sol was beginning to realise how different their worlds were and just how much Wynn was yet to learn. 

"...Yeah," he answered. "I want to learn so I can get out of this place. I didn't come here to be your replacement punching bag." 

"Well, that's where you've ended up," she teased, not noticing that Wynn still wasn't used to her sense of humour. 

Annoyed at what he believed to be her blatant disrespect, Wynn turned on his heal, beginning to walk away from her without another word. 

"Wait!" Sol called after, surprised at the urgency in her voice. There was some sort of regret taking over; an anger hiding somewhere behind her tough exterior. 

Wynn paused, debating for a moment if it was worth listening to her. He turned around, taking a leaf from her book and waited for her to speak. 

"I was kidding. Alright?" 

Wynn furrowed his brows. "Does that mean you're sorry?" It was as if she didn't know how to say those words. Not to him. 

She shrugged her shoulders, nodding a little. "I'm not going to say it, if that's what you're expecting." 

Wynn let out a brief chuckle. "My fault for waiting for one." 

Sol laughed along, but only for a moment - quick to distinguish the amusement that was threatening to spill. "Get in stance," she repeated her command from moments ago. "And this time, try to defend yourself." 

Either Wynn was still too slow, or Sol was just that quick, but she got her first hit in, targeting the same spot for moments ago that still hadn't stopped hurting. Yet, despite the discomfort, Wynn didn't retreat this time.

"That's good," Sol encouraged. "Don't show weakness: take it." 

She came at him again, this time missing. She was surprised - almost searching for fault in herself rather than allowing to believe the possibility that Wynn had actually made a smart move and managed to dodge her attempts. When she tried again - hoping to prove to Wynn that it had been a once off, Wynn fired back stronger than both of them had expected and caused Sol to fall over. 

"River, I'm so sorry," he apologised, immediately extending his hand down to help her. "I don't know what I'm doing-" 

But Sol pulled herself up, suddenly an irritated expression on her face, brushing off his offer of help. 

"River, I... Please don't get angry. I've never done this before." 

Sol rolled her eyes and moved past him, purposefully knocking her shoulder into his. "You think I'm angry because you knocked me down?" She asked, pausing to take a sip from her water bottle. She was somewhat calmer than Wynn had predicted, but he wasn't sure that was a good thing. 

"I'm not a damsel in distress. Just because I'm a girl, it doesn't mean that I can't take getting getting knocked around. I'm much stronger than you, need I point out." 

"I didn't mean it like that-" 

"Good," she said, cutting him off before he could say anything else that would rub her the wrong way. She set her drink down, ripping open the bag she had previously chucked at him, and digging through it for something. 

After a couple moments of Wynn anxiously standing around, Sol found what she was looking for and pulled out a set of fighting sticks - both cushioned with some soft layer wrapped around each edge. 

She tossed one at Wynn, relieved to see him catch it this time, assuring herself that he did have some potential after all. 

"Because I'm just getting started." 

Three // Part Two
I didn't come here to be your replacement punching bag.

13/08/22.