Chapter Five: Safe at last

The horizon kept sunlight on its edge, bursting with a riot of violet and crimson.

Shivering in the cool crisp morning air, Ruby read the note again and realised it was not a joke. She would remain in place until1000 push ups were completed.

“Impossible.”

“Impossible?” Hal replied, sitting atop the Safe. “Impossible is the mind’s way of looking for an exit. A simple word used to give up before it’s begun; like jumping over the Great Pyramid.”

“No-one can do that!”

“Of course you can, just climb up to the last metre and leap over the point. I wouldn’t recommend it; however, you will definitely be shot on sight. Anyway, I suggest you get started.”

“Fine. If it means spending less time with you, I’ll do it.”

“Oh, my dear Ruby.” Hal said, throwing a small black box onto the sand in front. “I am always around.”

The first day was a lost cause. No amount of tortuous effort could bear the weight, let alone endure it long enough to pump both arms.

The lift was a struggle in itself, feeling the muscles bunch and tense with every strain. It was an ongoing fight to stack one inch on top of another, before collapsing to the ground. It was hard enough to keep her teeth intact, with the amount of jaw-clenching involved.

Three hours later, Ruby barely managed to get her knees off the ground, with the left leg managing to find a few inches of space. It was a start, of sorts.

Ruby wondered if one push up a day was enough, but soon realised it meant spending over three years on the ground.

Oh Hell, no!

Another week and she was starting to get tired of old smells.

Her body odour had ripened to that of an onion, while the Maid’s outfit was tattered, bloodied and barely keeping her decent.

It had become more or less grafted onto her body, causing her to wonder if surgery was needed to remove it.

The less said about the lack of bathroom breaks, the better. At least she was hosed down every day, so the lower half was as cold as the night that followed.

Despair was starting to sink in.

She imagined how many others had failed the test and were still out there in the shifting sands, reduced to a pile of bones under a similar block of Iron.

How many more weeks before she too lost the strength to keep going? The body would cease up and that would be it. A permanent weakened state.

The Warden wouldn’t let her die though, surely? Ruby was a Golden Goose, so they would have to go easy, right?

Then again, if she was their Golden Goose, what difference did it make where she was? Leaving her to rot in a cell was no different than rotting in the sun.

Maybe that padded cell wasn’t so bad, after all.

Shut up! Shut up!

“Focus!” Ruby said, smacking her head. “The only way to escape is to succeed, no excuses!”

On the third week, she completed a push up. It felt small, but the achievement was oceans wide. The black box beeped and displayed a single digit: ‘1’.

More weeks past, the regular hosing had been replaced by nurses giving her a full wash and using lotion to fight infects. This was followed by a team of Masseuses, who kept her muscles soft, in order to reduce clots and prevent atrophy.

Ruby would have felt violated, if they had not asked for permission in advance. Still, it felt unnerving being prodded by strangers; at least they cleared the bottles of water and chicken pieces away

She glanced at the box: 701. Nearly there.

It was starting to get easier. The weight was becoming less intense and her arms were seeing more power.

Every lift took at least ten minutes. Six an hour. Good enough. Sixty per day. No more, no less.

Her body was both wrecked and peak condition. The muscles in her limbs became more defined, her shoulders bigger. It was hard to tell, but she was starting to see how people got addicted to the Gym.

On she pushed, little by little, always one more to go. Keep the back straight, knees up or it won’t count. Don’t give up, now.

“Never…give…up! Urrrrrgggggghhhh!”

The counter ticked on: 720, 740, 760.

Hell would come to fear her burning vengeance.

***

Five days later, night time came and she was rolled onto her back.

Looking up with bleary eyes, she saw the outline of Hal Caesar holding the counter box. The number on the front read:

1100.

Smiling, Ruby Tuxedo cried out and fainted.

***

The Morning after was something of a shock. The safe was gone, but Ruby wasn’t convinced. She a few moments, face down in the mud, waving the air behind her back to make sure.

Wait, mud?!

Getting up, she sat back on her haunches and blinked into the bright horizon.

The desert scenery had been replaced by a gloomy mountain side, overlooking an expanse of green forest.

Where am I, now?

In front was an old hospital screen, with a set of clothes hanging from the top.

Ruby patted her arm and was surprised to find it slightly more muscular than usual.

“Did I do that?” She said, in disbelief. “I should’ve worked more on my physique.”

Rolling her shoulders, she stretched and froze. A memory flashed out of nowhere; where many hands touched parts even she had yet to explore.

Is it possible to be both thankful and disgusted at the same time?

Shuddering, she hugged herself and headed for the screens.

The dark blue Yukuta felt cool on her body. She was grateful for the weekly wash, with the scent of soapy lavender still lingering on her skin.

Using a Tasuki cord to tie the sleeves, Ruby wandered over to the edge and took in the view.

It was a sight she was used to seeing for some two thousand years. Many adventures in many worlds, had taken place in one forest or another, yet somehow it was still a wonder to behold.

“Kekeke.” Came a familiar voice. Ruby spun around to see Hal Caesar, dressed in a hunting vest and Fly-Fishing hat. She was drinking Iced Tea under an old sun shade. “Look at you all awe-struck. Betcha feeling fierce after that workout.”

“I was trapped! It wasn’t like I had a choice.”

“But you did have a choice.” Hal said. “Improve or concede defeat. Most are content with their mediocrity. Stay asleep, wait to die. Not you, little Britches. You have stubbornness, a will to live.”

“So what is all this?” Ruby said, gesturing around. “What are doing here?”

“This is an observation post.”

“Observing what?”

“Your final test, of course!”

Before she knew it, Ruby was hoisted into the air and held up above the bandaged Maid.

“I concede! I concede!!”

“Kekeke, you’re too good for that.” Hal said, and threw the girl clean off the edge. Ruby went flying some distant, before crashing through a clump of trees. The landing was awkward and dragged her face down across slick mud for three whole metres.

Finally stopping, her body sagged wearily.

“I hate that bish.” She said, with a  mouth still buried in dirt.

Pushing up, Ruby sat back and brushed herself off.

I was hoping to keep this clean. Oh well.

***

After doing a couple of squats to get her legs fired up, Ruby noticed a ribbon of black smoke drifting from the east. She followed it to an unattended campfire, but kept low in case of unwelcome visitors.

Half an hour past, before she realised there was no-one else around, so decided to cautiously step into the light.

Sitting cross-legged, she took in the warmth. Despite months of being subjected to a deathly sun, it was still something of a comfort in the cool, dark forest.

Looking around, she caught something glint in the half-light. Sticking out of a tree was a curved hunting knife stabbed into the truck. Directly below lay a long bow, with an empty quiver.

Ruby pulled out the knife and caught eye in the reflection. It had almost six months since she last looked in a mirror and was startled.

Her eyes had become sunken, while the cheeks were skinny and gaunt. Sunburn was inevitable, but she didn’t think it would bleach her skin this much.

It looked like someone who had died, alright.

“I’m sorry Ruby. I couldn’t keep you safe.”

Examining the quiver, she felt a quiet sense of inevitability.

Guess I’d better make some arrows then.

***

It is fair to say, the Wastrel was bound to learn a thing or two in the 1877 years he had been adventuring.

Every party usually consisted of Front-Line warriors, Archers and Mages and sometimes a Rogue for lock-picking or stealth attacks.

It was one such thief who taught himi how to make arrows on the fly.

“In a forest, you’ll never run out of weapons.” Star-Anis had said. “Find a good branch and you can make arrows, spears or even pitfalls, if you’re bored enough.” She shrugged. “Of course, the whittling knife will come in handy as well.”

The Wastrel boasted how his limitless Mana allowed him to defeat any kind of enemy, no matter where he was.

“In theory.” He said. “I don’t even have to leave the bedroom.”

Star-Anis frowned.

“So why bother joining a Party?” She asked. “Why let us go through all the pain of battle?”

“Pain is how you learn. The experience from making mistakes will help you to adjust and improve for future reference. Hardship is a cruel teacher, as they say in these parts.” He puffed out a sigh. “To answer your other question, I join party’s for the vibe; the laughter and togetherness. A Sheet-Neet will never know the warmth of being around people who have your back, Of course, being a Healer means I will never dominate the fight, nor will I allow any member to fall.” He let out a stream of smoke from his long pipe. “I’m telling you in confidence. If word got out, Guild’s could collapse and adventuring itself, will become obsolete. Not to mention the King would use me as a Superweapon to subjugate neighbouring countries.”

Star-Anis smiled. “Well, we can’t have that.”

***

Ruby shook her head; she didn’t want old memories surfacing.

There was always a risk they could give away her true identity, even though she was effectively a stranger in a Mech-suit.

Halfway though stripping another branch, Ruby flicked the knife in the air, caught it and launched the weapon into the dark. The blade flew directly at a snake, pinning it to a log.

A clean hit.

Sneak up on me, will you?

Hal Caesar watched with great interest from the cliff-top.

“Ms Tuxedo, you are full of surprises.”