Training

Lucas, having tidied up the room to the best of his ability, took one last look around before making his decision. He needed to familiarize himself with Ethan's world,and he need to meet Alex to the said place,now.

And he actually have a guess to where that place is.

In "The Phantom's Curse", Lucas had written about a special place that Ethan often retreated to. A place where he felt at ease, where he could relax and just be himself. It was described as a quiet spot, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by nature. It was Ethan's sanctuary, a place he held close to his heart.

With a sense of anticipation, Lucas set off. He wasn't entirely sure if he was heading in the right direction, but he trusted his instincts. After all, he was the one who had created this world and its characters. If anyone knew where Ethan's favorite spot was, it was him.

As he navigated the familiar streets and landmarks he had once described in his novel, Lucas couldn't help but marvel at the surreal nature of his situation. He was living his story, walking the paths of his characters, experiencing their world firsthand.

He was Ethan Allen, and he was on an adventure. He had a life to live, a character to develop, and a story to complete.

Lucas walked along the familiar path, a strange sense of nostalgia washing over him. This was the place where Ethan and Alex had spent countless hours since they were little. It was a place of shared memories, of laughter and camaraderie, of friendship and growth.

'I can feel this body feeling just like my own.'

Yes, Lucas can indeed feel the emotions that his body experiences. Even though he is not the original Ethan, he is now inhabiting Ethan's body and living Ethan's life. This includes experiencing Ethan's emotions.

He also experiences Ethan's emotions in more subtle ways. The nostalgia when visiting his favorite spot,is the perfect example.

As he rounded a bend in the path, the place came into view. It was just as he had described it in his novel - a serene spot surrounded by nature, away from the noise and chaos of the city.

He felt a sense of relief wash over him.

'It seems I've come to the right place,' he thought, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

And there, waiting for him, was Alex. He was sitting on a bench, his gaze focused on the distance, lost in thought. Seeing him there, in the flesh, was surreal. He was no longer a character in a book, but a real person, living and breathing.

Taking a deep breath, Lucas approached him.

"Yo, Alex," he called out, his voice steady and confident. He was Ethan Allen, and he was ready to face whatever came his way.

Alex turned at the sound of his voice, his face breaking into a grin.

"Ethan! You're early," he remarked, surprise evident in his voice.

Lucas shrugged, trying to mimic Ethan's nonchalant demeanor.

"What do you mean?I am always early,but today I am thinking to be more earlier." he replied, hoping his response sounded like something Ethan would say.

Alex chuckled, shaking his head.

"Well, this is new. Did you get abducted by aliens or something?" he joked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Something like that," Lucas retorted, playing along with the joke.

He was relieved to see that Alex didn't suspect anything. He just needed to keep this up, to act like Ethan would.

The two friends fell into comfortable banter, their conversation flowing naturally. Despite the odd circumstances, Lucas found himself enjoying the interaction. It was a glimpse into the strong bond between Ethan and Alex, a bond he had crafted in his story but was now experiencing firsthand.

 "Then should we start the training?" Lucas asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. He still wasn't entirely sure what kind of training they usually did.

Alex nodded, standing up from the bench.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, stepping into the open space in the middle of their spot.

He assumed a fighting stance, his body relaxed yet alert.

Lucas watched in surprise.

'Wait, is this what I think it is?' he thought, a sense of realization dawning on him.

He had written about Ethan and Alex engaging in various physical activities as part of their training, but he hadn't explicitly mentioned martial arts.

But it made sense. Martial arts training would improve their strength, agility, and reflexes. It would prepare them for the physical demands of being an Aether Bearer. And it was a way for them to bond, to build trust and teamwork.

With a newfound sense of determination, Lucas stepped forward, mirroring Alex's stance. He was ready for the training, ready to step into Ethan's shoes and live his life.

"Alright, let's do this," he said, a determined glint in his eyes.

That's what he said,but the moment Alex started his move,Lucas realize something.

'How to fight,again?'

Lucas froze as the realization hit him. He was an author, not a fighter. He had written about fight scenes and training sequences, but he had no actual experience in martial arts. He had never thrown a punch or executed a grappling move. In short, he didn't know how to fight.

"Wait, Alex," Lucas blurted out, his voice betraying a hint of panic.

"I...I think I need a refresher on some of the moves."

Alex looked at him, a surprised expression on his face. "Really? You? The guy who could do these moves in his sleep?"

Lucas gave a sheepish smile.

"Guess I'm a bit rusty.You know,been walking around and flirting with girls,seem to made me lost a bit," he said, hoping that Alex would buy his excuse.

"Haha,stop joking around, Ethan.Since when flirting made you weak," Alex said, a playful grin on his face. He was completely unaware of Lucas's predicament.

"Wait!" Lucas protested, but it was too late. Alex's fist was already speeding towards him. He braced himself for the impact, but then something unexpected happened.

In the split second before Alex's fist connected, Lucas instinctively raised his arm to block.

To his surprise, he executed a perfect block, deflecting Alex's punch with ease. It was as if his body had moved on its own, reacting to the threat without any conscious thought.

Both Lucas and Alex stood there, stunned. Lucas was surprised by his own reflexes, while Alex was taken aback by the sudden change in Ethan's fighting style.

"Since when did you start blocking like that?" Alex asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "I didn't know you had it in you."

Lucas, still reeling from his unexpected display of skill, could only shrug.

"Guess I'm full of surprises," he said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

But inside, he was wondering about what just happened. Was it possible that he had somehow inherited Ethan's physical skills when he switched bodies? Or was it something else?

Either way, it was a surprising development, one that added another layer of complexity to his already challenging situation.

 "Anyway, it's just a block, you know. Why are you so stunned?" Lucas said, trying to downplay his unexpected skill. He didn't want to draw more attention to the sudden change in his fighting style.

Alex shrugged, shaking off his surprise.

"I guess you're right," he conceded.

"It's just...you've never blocked like that before. It was a good move."

"Yeah,yeah.It is that or you are the one who become rusty," Lucas replied, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction.

He had managed to navigate this unexpected situation, and even earned a compliment from Alex in the process.

"Heh,I doubt that.You know I really working hard on my training."

"I know.After all you're the one who suggested me this training routine."

With the moment of surprise behind them, the two friends resumed their training. Lucas was more cautious now, aware of his body's surprising reflexes. But he was also more confident, knowing that he could hold his own in this training session.

______________________

Bam Bam Bam

'I think I already get it.'

 As the training session continued, Lucas found himself growing more comfortable with the movements. He was starting to understand how to fight, how to block, how to evade - it was as if his body was remembering skills it had always known.

"Muscle memory," Lucas murmured to himself, realizing what was happening. His body was responding to the training based on the habits and skills it had developed over the years. Even though his mind was new to this, Ethan's body knew what to do.

But despite his newfound understanding of martial arts, Lucas knew he was still not on par with Alex. Alex was the main character, after all. He was stronger, faster, and more skilled. He was the one who had been training for this his entire life.

Lucas, as Ethan, could hold his own in a fight. But against Alex, he was still the side character. He was still the friend who was there to support the hero, not to surpass him.

Bamm

As the training session came to a close, it was clear who the winner was. Alex, with his superior skills and strength, had the upper hand. But Lucas, despite being less experienced, had held his own. He had blocked, evaded, and even landed a few hits.

"Good fight, Ethan," Alex said, clapping Lucas on the shoulder.

"You've gotten better."

Lucas couldn't help but smirk at the compliment.

"Well, someone has to keep you on your toes," he retorted, his tone light and teasing.

Alex laughed, shaking his head. "Always the joker, aren't you?"

The two friends shared a moment of laughter, their earlier competitiveness replaced by camaraderie. Despite the physical exertion, they were in high spirits, their friendship as strong as ever.

As the laughter died down, they fell into comfortable conversation, discussing everything from school to their favorite sports teams.Of course, the current Lucas is trying to catch up with the topic while remembering what he wrote about Ethan personal life.

It was a simple, ordinary moment, but for Lucas, it was a glimpse into the life of his character, a life he was now living.

 Lucas sat there, sharing laughter and stories with Alex, and he couldn't help but marvel at the reality of it all. He might not be the real Ethan, but he was living Ethan's life. He was experiencing Ethan's emotions, Ethan's friendships, Ethan's world.

He realized that he didn't need to worry about existential questions like 'Who am I?' or 'What am I doing here?' For all intents and purposes, he was Ethan. He was living Ethan's life, feeling Ethan's feelings, and making Ethan's choices.

And while he knew he was not the real Ethan, he also knew that this body's feelings were real. The laughter, the camaraderie, the exhaustion from the training - all of it was real. It was a strange realization, but it was also a comforting one.

'The feeling of having a friend.How delightful,'

As he sat there, basking in the afterglow of the training session, Lucas felt a sense of contentment. He was Ethan Allen, and he was living a life full of experiences and emotions. He was part of a story, a story he was now shaping with his own hands.