Igniting The Cerulean Flame

[Violet]

Ichika never felt at ease more than being with Astrid. Probably ever since she set foot in this promotion, she had her guards up. Who knows whether somebody will hop on her in the lobbies. Or then again in the gym, while staying out of other people's affairs. There's no telling if the next girl she'd meet has every intention of hurting her. But Ichika felt none of that. Not even the slightest. That thumbs up made her shoulders remiss even more so than before and a genuine smile to creep up her face and then a nod! No words were needed to say.

“Of course! Nothing beats the best! And that’s what I want to go for too! So, thank you!” Her head drifted left and right, scanning the gym as well with her hands on her hips. And perked right up at Astrid’s first word not unlike a private in the army.

“I think it’s a -great- way to start!” she started skipping towards it, akin to a kid in the park. Brimming, she was with energy to get this started.

“And yeah! I would like it if you can join me. We can make a race out of it, if you want! What do you say about 5 laps?” she giggled. “Unless of course, you’re too old to keep up with me, heh-heh.” It might have been brash to joke a champ like that but she reckoned they are well past pleasantries.

“Come on! I’ll even give you a headstart!” she’d wait for Astrid at the starting line. Fold her leg behind the knee, then catch and stretch it with her arm. And do the same with the other.

Ichika would then look at Astrid in the eye with a grin as she took her sprinter’s stance. “Just kidding!” Akin to revving up a well-oiled high-octane engine, her legs would then explode with force! She’d burst out the starting line like a bullet piercing through the air! And it wasn’t just speed she had. Consistency. She’d keep that speed up and not any lesser! She wanted to show off to Astrid what she’s capable of right from the start!

[CaptainL]

It flattered Astrid to know how well Ichika was taking to her teaching. While she wasn't one to brag, it still felt special to hear someone call her the best - and, if that was how Ichika looked at her, Astrid was committed to living up to such a description! Not just that, she was eager to launch herself right into Astrid's proposed training routine, a fact that brought a smile to the champion's face. This girl definitely had spirit!

"Hah, okay, okay-!" Astrid hurried over to the track after Ichika, taking her place at her side. "Hey, if you're going to outrun me now, I have to wonder if we even need to go for a run at all!" She laughed at her own joke before she straightened her back, placing her hands on her hips, and looked to Ichika with a nod.

"A race, hm? Sounds fine by me." She did, however, raise an eyebrow as Ichika accused her of being too old to keep up with her. While the playful tone in her voice told Astrid that Ichika was just joking, she took that as a challenge. Certainly, Ichika had the energy to go a long time if her conduct up to this point said anything. But Astrid had the conditioning of a lifetime of training, working toward being the best - a goal that her title testified that she had attained. "Hey, now, I'm not that old-! You do realize, I hold the belt I do for a good reason..."

Taking her place by Ichika's side at the starting line, Astrid got down into a stance, assuming the same pose the blue-haired girl did. Then, she looked back at Ichika with a nod, giving her the signal to get ready. Apparently, though, it was a signal she didn't need, because she took off like a rocket, sprinting away from Astrid at top speed!

"HEY-!" the Norsewoman shouted out, taking off after Ichika. She pumped her legs as quickly as she could to try and keep up, but as much as she was gaining on Ichika, the blue-haired girl always seemed to have a lead on her. So too, Ichika was able to keep an even pace, while as the minutes passed Astrid began to feel the strain sink into her muscles, her face going red as she panted to try and keep up. Still, she kept at it! She was a champion, and she couldn't back down!

[Violet]

Ichika had a companion with Astrid. Or maybe there was a hint of her looking up to them as a mother figure. Whatever it was, it brought up her fun, outgoing and laid-back self. And Ichika seemed to be too hyped and caught up in the moment to think much about it! With her known for her acrobatics and speed in the ring like the bunny she is? A race? Easy peasy!

A chuckle slipped from Ichika's lips at Astrid's quip. “Keh-heh. No, trust me, this is gonna be fun! And you said it yourself - we need this warm-up for the good stuff later on!”

Ichika offered nothing but a smile at their remark of being a champ for a reason. Seeing how the champ can keep up with her was her ulterior motive all along!

Sprinting out of the starting position with full force, Ichika could only smirk at the champ hurryingly try to keep up! Ichika’s confidence in staying on the lead never wavered with faith in her skill! Even more so when she found Astrid straining to keep up!

“You look really cute back there, with your face red and all” Ichika can’t stop herself from laughing like a child. The adrenaline, the early small friendly victory, and the overall mood they had set upon themselves. All of it made her feel like she was running on a cloud!

“Come on, champ! Just a little more!”

[CaptainL]

Astrid sucked in a breath, balling her fists to try and steel herself. As much as her stamina was flagging, she was determined not to let that get to her - after all, she was the champion! She had to stick to her guns and never give up! Her muscles tensed and her brow narrowed in focus as she locked her attention on the track in front of her, pumping her arms and legs to keep herself going. She could feel the metallic sensation of fatigue in her mouth, and her breath began to come in hoarse gasps as she tried to keep the air in her lungs.

But she couldn't slow down now! After all, she was the one here to train Ichika, not the other way around - and she needed to be in control, lest she come off as looking ill-fit for the role. She lifted her head, letting her determination fuel her through to the finish line as she pushed herself onward, moving faster and with longer strides! "Hmph-! I'll show you yet what I'm capable of!" she barked, her voice stern.

Ultimately, though, even Astrid's burst of motivation was of little use - Ichika was still speedier and more energetic than she could ever hope to be, and against her, Astrid just couldn't keep up. Soon, she stopped and went to her knee, panting and gasping for breath. Her face was red, and sweat poured down her brow. "I...okay. Maybe...that's enough of this for now," she said. "After all, it wouldn't do much good to tire out before a workout..."

[Violet]

Her legs acted like engines, pumping steam to push her forth through the track! The gaps between steps were wide; the force to do so must have been heavy. Yet, each footfall shunned like feathers, leaving a whoosh trail of sound before the other. It was as if she’s carried by the wind. Her breasts bounced in the confines of her tight sports bra at each step. Her azure hair followed and flowed elegantly behind her. It was evident that this was her forte. And Ichika was showing off that she’s like no other in terms of swiftness and speed!

The Blue Flame grinned, watching as the champ continued to will herself to keep up. There was no sense of worry in her look. She was relaxed and safe. Her strides were unrestrained. Her brows are laxed, her eyes wide, and her teeth shone between her wide smile. Completely in contrast to Astrid’s serious, gasping, and flushed face that made her smile so skittishly in the first place.

“Yeahh! That’s the spirit! W-woahh! Hahaha!” Ichika’s eyes widened at Astrid’s sudden burst of energy! It almost allowed them to catch up before Ichika easily shifted her gear up! Astrid was definitely fast for her size. Ichika doesn’t even want to wonder what terror would it be like if she was one lugging heavyweight facing off Astrid in the ring!

But minutes passed and Ichika still managed to stay in the lead. Ichika abruptly stopped when she saw Astrid down on her knees, panting and exhausted. She hurriedly went for her bottle of water on a bench. Then, towards Astrid by cutting through the center of the oval. Her hand then pressed on their back, rubbing it before helping the heavyweight to stand up

“Are you alright? Here! Have some water!” Ichika handed the bottle to Astrid.

“You’re right! Sorry, I might have taken it too far. I just got carried away.” she giggled.

“But that was good, don’t you think? You were flying out there. I really thought you’re gonna outrun me at some point.” Her eyes closed as she humbly chuckled.

[CaptainL]

Thus far, the difference between Astrid and Ichika's approach to the task was showing their respective strengths. While Astrid had more physical mass and endurance, which helped power her grappling and her throws in the ring, Ichika was built more for speed and striking - and try as Astrid might have to keep up, she couldn't catch up to the blue-haired girl as she sped off down the track! Already, Astrid was beginning to take note of what she saw, putting together what she knew about Ichika's strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out how she would approach training her accordingly.

Of course, that would come after she caught her breath! With her legs at last giving out, Astrid went down, rubbing at her sore thighs and panting for breath. Her face was red and traced with droplets of sweat, and her chest rose and fell with each gasp she took. She had no choice but to concede - Ichika had outran her.

Looking up at the smaller girl, Astrid took the water bottle from her with a nod. "Thank you," she said. After taking a long drink, Astrid rose to her feet, stretching her back and rolling out her shoulders. She smiled to Ichika, nodding her head. "Don't be sorry! It's fine! You showed me that you aren't going to hold back - and that's a good thing, if you ask me. You've got spirit, and you're dedicated to giving it your all! That tells me you're going to go far."

To Ichika's comment about Astrid overtaking her, the blonde let out a chuckle of her own. "Well, I'm not sure about that! But if you can move that quickly on the track, I'm sure you can do well in the ring." Wiping sweat from her brow, the Norwegian looked back at her trainee.

"I'd say that's it for laps. Before we hit the weights, though, we should do some stretches so we're warmed up! What do you say?"

[Violet]

Ichika wanted to go all out right from the start! It's a waste of time for her if she doesn't. For her, trying to best yourself and your limits is the only way to be successful. A reflection of her explosive all-or-nothing demeanor. Added with her endurance to deliver it with consistency is what makes her a competitive wrestler!

"Thank you! That's what I do! My mother's legacy won't carry itself after all. I want to reach what she achieved and surpass it!" Ichika folded her arm and clenched her fist. Her eyes told it all as she looked at Astrid's. It's brimming with determination. Full of raging blue flame!

"I still got a lot to learn." Ichika quipped back.

"Speed won't save me alone. That's why I think I'm so lucky you're the one I stumbled upon to be my gym partner. I want to learn your ways! I watch a lot of your matches." She perked up, almost shouting! It was clear she admired the champ.

"Yeah! Let's go stretching!" Ichika hurried to the line of yoga mats and starts stretching out.

The first she did was lunges! Working her sexy athletic legs glistening with sweat. Her defined quads and hamstring after a lot of training to improve her speed showed as they stretched and tensed. A rep of squats came next and stood straight to fold herself as she reached for her toes. Her butt tightly pressed against her modest training shorts. Then soon followed were stretches of her arms, biceps, and chest. The rookie was taking it seriously as she controlled her breathing at each stretch.

[CaptainL]

It was an odd feeling, for Astrid. She had grown up watching Asai Rei, and it had been her unstoppable force and effort that inspired her to pursue wrestling and that told her that it was possible for her to achieve such heights. Now that she had met the legendary wrestler's daughter, the tables had turned, and she was the one being looked up to. The corners of her mouth spread wider in a smile as she thought on what Ichika had to say. If this was what it meant to be a champion, Astrid thought - to have people admiring you, watching you, and taking the offer to train under you with honor - then it was still a feeling she was getting used to, but a feeling she welcomed nonetheless.

She grinned to Ichika, meeting her raised fist with a thumbs-up. "You've got it!" Astrid said. "Always reaching further, and wanting to be the best you can be...that's how you really get results. I'm glad to hear it!" She also noted what Ichika said about her talents. While it was true that the blue-haired girl had surpassed her in speed, she needed more than that to be a well-rounded competitor. Luckily, Astrid was well known for her strength, and that was something she hoped to impart on Ichika too - both in terms of the techniques she could use, and in how she approached her training regimen. "Well, then...I'll teach you a thing or two about it!"

Astrid followed Ichika to the mats, mirroring each move she did as she worked through the lunges and the squats. She arched her back, working the kinks out of her spine, before she twisted her body from side to side, loosening up her core. "I see you've got this down well," Astrid added. "I can tell you've been at this before. Still, it never hurts to learn from experience!"

With that, the Norwegian launched into a series of jumping jacks, hopping up and down as she pumped her arms and legs. Her breasts bobbed up and down, though hugged tightly by the fabric of her sports bra. At last, though, she wiped off her brow, turning back to Ichika with a smile. "Well, then, on to the weights?"

[Violet]

Ichika was committed to the training she was doing. She remembered all the humiliating losses she had so far here in LAW. The matches that could have been better. And even those where she was faced on the brink of defeat. For her, this is the start where she would change that, with Astrid by her side! She was ready to take in what Astrid has in store for her in this training. And she wouldn't let her down!

"Mhmm!" She nodded. "I have trained alone a lot since I left my home so I have learned how to take care of my body even in rigorous training. And stretching is one way to do that!" Ichika said as she grunted, stretching her arms and legs. She finished just in time after Astrid finished her own and looked at Astrid and smiled as she sighed.

"Oh god, we're on that part now huh? Never really been good with weights!" she chuckled nervously. "You sure we can't just go back to the tracks again?" she joked

Soon enough, Ichika and Astrid would find themselves on the bench press. "Mmngughh!" Ichika would grunt as she'd lift a 30lb weight from the rack and place one on each side of the bar, stumbling a few steps back! It was present that Ichika was sometimes skipping this part in her training regimen. Something Ichika is embarrassingly trying to hide from her new partner.

"Can you help me set this up?" Ichika asked for help from Astrid before lying on the bench. There she'd wait for Astrid to start them off, nervously thinking of how she'd hold up. She'd rub her palms together and blow on it to make sure there's no sweat.

[CaptainL]

"Then you're learning well!" Astrid nodded to Ichika as she described how she'd been keeping up her training routine up to this point. It was clear that even if she'd been on her own, she still knew a thing or two when it came to how to keep herself in shape and hone her abilities. Astrid clapped her on the back, voicing her support for Ichika's hard work and dedication.

That being said, Ichika also voiced her concerns when it came to the weights, and Astrid chuckled. She had seen that Ichika had the edge when it came to speed and endurance from their time on the track, but given the champion's larger size and powerhouse style, she was expecting to outcompete her trainee when it came to strength - and Ichika was already having the same thoughts. "Nope! Fair is fair! I couldn't keep up with you on the track, so it's my turn now!" Astrid winked, playfully elbowing Ichika's side to show she meant nothing bad by it. "But in all seriousness, lifting weights is an important part of any exercise routine too. Running builds your stamina, but the only way to get muscles like these is to do some heavy lifting!" She flexed her bicep to show off her own impressive physique, emphasizing her point.

As they got set up on the bench press, Astrid noted that Ichika was struggling with getting the weights loaded. She paused for a moment, tilting her head with a curious look on her face at the rookie's wobbly stance. "Hm..." she mused, "you all right there? It's okay to start small, and work your way up. If you try too hard, you'll only end up overexerting and hurting yourself. But, then again...sometimes, the best way to get better is to make that leap!"

Astrid affixed the weights to Ichika's bar, then set up her own with a considerably heavier load. After doing some last-minute stretches, Astrid lay down on the bench, getting in place and looking over at the blue-haired girl. "Ready? Then just follow my lead!"

Her fingers coiled tightly around the bar. Clenching her teeth, Astrid pushed the weights up in the air, lifting the bar from her chest. Her muscles tensed and bulged and her face reddened from exertion, but there was no question that she'd been doing this for some time, and that she knew the ins and outs of it!