Ashes to Ashes, Power to Power: Chapter 3.2

The woman was a bit older than I remember her being as she wore a blue sleeveless hoodie over a black sports bra and black spandex shorts that hugged her lower body quite nicely, but the yellow eyes with slit-like pupils like that of a cat, pale ash-blonde hair styled into two messy buns was a dead giveaway at who she was.

There was just one problem in my eyes, to be truthful.

'Why the fuck does Himiko Toga look like she's 20 and not 16?!', I shouted in my mind and it appears my long silence was beginning to weird her out as she raised an eyebrow while smirking at me.

"I didn't know I was hot enough to stump a cute guy like you."

"I've never seen a beautiful woman like you so my mind had to reset", I said the first thing that came to mind and was ever so glad for the fact that I didn't creep her out as she giggled.

"Oh, you probably just say that to every girl you meet."

"Considering you're the first girl I said that to, I would have to disagree on that", I answered, my mind now finally rebooted as she smirked before responding.

"Hmm, not bad. A guy that doesn't ogle me when he gets the chance. You're a rare one."

"Really? Guess common sense is scarce these days."

"You have no idea. Ah, sorry. I'm Himiko Toga, assistant manager of Mighty Gym."

"Kevin Nagatomo and I kind of figured it was an All-Might gym with the posters and the art on the walls", I responded while gesturing to artwork of said hero done on the walls, to which she giggled while holding her clipboard to her chest.

"I guess you can. So, what brings you to our gym, Kevin Nagatomo?"

"Well, Himiko Toga, I'm here to see if there is any place for someone that wants to become a hero?"

"Oof~ You've come to the wrong place. Hopes and dreams get crushed here", She teased with a smile and I grinned as I crossed my arms with a nod.

"Then, I've come to the right place, then", She tilted her head in amusement while a slow smirk curled across her lips.

"Oh? But i thought you wanted to be a hero?"

"I'm also the kind of guy that likes challenge. Challenges build character."

"And trauma, but who am I to judge? Most people walk through the doors hoping to get abs like All-Might within a few days. You on the other hand look like you know what you want and take it when you want."

"One could say that", I didn't confirm nor deny her response with my smile still on my face, to which she took a step closer as she tucked the clipboard under one arm while tapping her pen against her cheek.

"Well, Kevin Nagamoto, we don't get a lot of hero hopefuls walking into Mighty. Most try the other hero-type gyms down the gym as our place is more...off the radar. You sure you're in the right place?"

'Off the radar? As in for criminals? Wait, it's Himiko Toga. Of course, this place is for criminals.'

"Maybe I like things a little off the radar", I answered, matching her tone as her sharp eyes flickered to meet mine before she abruptly slapped her pen onto the clipboard.

"Alright, then! Orientation time."

"Orientation?", I asked, not sure what she meant and her grin widened with a hint of sadism and excitement in it as she nodded.

"Duh~ You don't just walk into Mighty Gym and start lifting weights. We like to get a feel for our clients. Goals, limits, pain tolerance~", The way she sounded like she purred at the last one made me wonder if it was not too late to leave, but I sighed as she wrapped her free arm around one of mine with a wink.

"Don't worry. I'll be gentle."

"Somehow, that's sounds far more menacing than you want it to be", I answered and rolled my eyes as she giggled and began to pull me away from the doors and deeper into the gym.

At first, I thought we would stop at one of the benches or another machine, but I blinked as the hardcore motivational music of the front of the gym thinned out. Instead, it was replaced by the rhythmic thud of fists on bags, weights hitting mats and the occasional pained cry from some poor fool getting slammed into the ground.

"This is the real gym. Welcome to 'The Pit'."

"Charming," I muttered, eyeing the sweat-soaked floor mats and heavy-duty gear scattered around. She let go of my arm and walked to one of the red-painted corners where a few punching dummies stood in a line.

"Alright, Kev. I can call you Kev, right?"

"Will you stop if I asked you not to?", I asked before smirking as she shook her head.

"Anyway, Kev, this is your warm-up. One minute of straight punches on each dummy. No breaks. I want to see your form, stamina and how well you follow directions."

"...I know I'm going to regret asking this, but is that all?" I asked and in response, her grin grew to a Cheshire grin as she giggled.

"Oh, Kev, this is just the appetizer."

'Four dummies, one minute with each. Straight punches for four minutes. This should be fun, then~' I thought sarcastically as I shook out my shoulders as I walked up to the first dummy.

"Ready?", She asked as she readied her whistle and stopwatch, to which I simply nodded as I shifted into the best boxing stance I could remember from the few times I watched the sport with my uncles.

"Go!", The first punches landed harshly as I kept it steady, my breathing controlled as I hopped from front to back while throwing my punches.

"Don't lock your elbows and don't telegraph your strikes like an idiot," Toga spoke as she circled around me like a vulture, nodding approvingly as I adjusted my movements to what she said.

"Oh, one more thing that I forgot to say."

"What's that?", I asked as I threw a hook, the beeping from her stopwatch signalling the end of the first minute and I moved to the second dummy before throwing a cross at its head.

"The dummies can move."

"Say wha-!" Before I could turn to ask what she meant, I watched as the dummy swayed to the side to dodge my punch before giving me a light jab on the face that knocked me back slightly.

"Like that", She said and I frowned as I went back in, ducking and weaving around the punches of the dummy while trying and failing to land a few of my own. I would like to boast and say that I managed to dodge most of its attacks, but I'm fairly sure half of its attacks were the reason why my arms were bruised.

The same went for the other two dummies and by the time her stopwatch rang for the final minute to end, I was standing, but my breathing felt ragged and most of my upper body was covered in light bruises.

"Not bad. Most people give up by dummy three", Toga spoke up as she marked something on her clipboard and I wanted to make a lame joke about my stamina, but I couldn't get a word out.

"Time for phase two! Circuit gauntlet. Five stations, one minute each, no rest."

"...Sounds like fun", I could have just called it quits then and there, but I was also far too prideful to give up as I just nodded and followed her across the room to the five stations.

"Oh, it will be for me. First, the sled push. Then, rope climbs followed by medicine ball slams, weighted lunges with the 20kg weighted vest and finally, shock-stepbursts. That one is my favourite."

"What the hell is a shock-stepburst?", I asked and raised an eyebrow as a blush appeared on her face while she smiled blissfully.

"Oh, you'll find out. Now, let's get this started", She said as she blew her whistle and I began pushing the sled, the heave weight of it as well as the weights stacked on top of it making me wheeze as I barely managed to make it to the finish line.

The rope climb was hell as I did not have the strongest upper body strength and rope burn was a bitch to deal with. The medicine balls had me wondering if they were actually 5kg medicine balls or just miniature wrecking balls that Toga had stolen. Don't even get me started on the weighted lunges as my thighs and calves were cramping up with every step.

However, it was the shock-stepbursts that had me questioning whether all of this was worked in as I stood on two metal plates while Toga plugged in a cord.

"Why do I feel I know what this is?", I asked with a frown and she giggled as she adjusted a dial near her with a gleam in her eyes.

"It's electro-stim training. Every time you jump forward, the plates send a little zap through your legs. It helps build resistance and pain tolerance so it's quite the good training for those that want to go for the tank build."

"You are enjoying this far too much. Also, you're insane", I said as I heard her cheerful explanation and she just smiled as she turned the dial up by one more turn.

"And yet, you're not moving. Now, let's go, Mr. Hero", With that said, she turned on the machine and I hissed as the first jump lit my nerves on fire.

Now, I was most definitely sure my calves were cramping up, but I didn't move as I kept standing until I was shaking and panting with a relieved smile.

"You're either suicidal or a guy way above average...or both."

"The last one. Definitely the last one", I answered as I slowly sat down, groaning at the burning pain from my knees as Toga giggled while handing my jacket and a towel back to me.

"Well then, Kevin Nagatomo. You most definitely passed your preliminary evaluation."

"And what's left after that?", I asked and watched as she tilted her head with a raised eyebrow.

"Now? You'll meet the real trainer of the gym."