(BL) Hunting The Field Guide-Chapter 430: Who can outrun him?

It was a good distraction, not just for Kellen, but for all of the new Field Guides.

Unlike the last couple of times they had been at the obstacle course, the room was buzzing. Probably due to everyone coming back from the front lines and realising how important this room actually was, not just the heavy lifting and other equipment in the other gyms the Guild provided.

Kellen was happy to see it bustling, but he could tell that everyone else, who hadn’t quite disregarded Field Guides before, but hadn’t really shown them that much respect before, turned when the group entered.

Brent was in full front lines mode, not quite able to turn it off after just coming back. The others fell into line as soon as they realised, even if some of them it had been a month since they had worked with him like this. Kellen watched nearby, just a few paces behind Brent just so he could see the man in work.

The Field Guides got into lines in front of him, in the stance that Kellen had taught them and waited for orders from Brent. Kellen couldn’t help the smile that touched his lips as he watched, listened, and felt pride swell in him. He could also tell that the others were watching as well.

The Espers in the room were in the normal, official work out uniforms while the Field Guides had been given about ten minutes to get their uniforms on. It was a part of their training. How quickly they could pull everything on, especially important for the front lines where things could happen at any moment. Brent had seemed pleased with their results. While Kellen thought that they could get a little faster, he left some wiggle room. Some things just came with practise and repetition.

The Espers were trying to hide that they were watching the group, but it was pretty obvious. Most of their movements became slower, and they partially started watching as Brent ordered everyone to start doing their warm ups before he divided everyone into groups to run the track.

Against Kellen.

Hearing that, everyone’s gaze jerked to him, and Kellen, feeling a little cheeky, raised one hand and gave a wave with a smile.

It was the first time Kellen was hearing about it, but he could feel how his blood began to thrum under his skin. He was excited, and he could tell that it worried some of the students.

He hadn’t run the obstacle course in a little bit, and since then, it had been changed. Adjusted. Shifted. Gunther wasn’t here, which meant that it wasn’t changed weekly since apparently that was something he loved to do, but it was still changed.

Rhys made sure of that.

It was very much like Rhys that he wouldn’t stop doing what his friend loved so that he had his normalcy when he came back. Because Gunther would be coming back. Kellen and Rhys would make sure of that.

With that said, Kellen dropped into the same stretches that his students were doing. But lower, longer, further. It wasn’t that Kellen was trying to brag, that wasn’t the case. That was the part that intimidated them the most.

They all knew that Kellen wasn’t the kind of instructor who would brag about his abilities. He just was better than them, and now it was their time to try to compete with him.

The Espers were excited to see it happen too. A few of them asked if they could join in on the stretches and soon the whole gym was listening to Brent as he spoke, asking for help when they couldn’t quite get the stretch right. It had become a mini training session for everyone in the obstacle course room, and Kellen was glad that Brent had suggested this. novelbuddy.cσ๓

This was taking his mind off of everything.

Soon enough, everyone had stretched and a sense of nervousness, excitement, and dread had filled the room. The last group that was running the obstacle course cleared up and Brent laid out the cones. It wasn’t so much that the Field Guides couldn’t complete each part of the obstacle course now, this was more used as a marker.

Brent was going to time each section that Kellen ran to see how fast he was at each part. He said he was going to time the fastest person, but everyone kind of knew who that was going to be. Kellen tried to keep his smile under wraps, but knew from the way that Brent was grinning that he wasn’t able to.

Brent announced that Kellen would run the obstacle course as many times as he wanted, until he got tired. The rest of the groups seemed shocked, especially since it could only be 4 at most on the obstacle course at the same time. Kellen just shrugged, making sure the straps of his leather harness were on properly before he got into place.

Brent called up the first three names on the little list he made, got a few stop watches out, and prepared. Everyone else gathered around to watch and Brent, bless his heart, ordered one of the men to use his phone to record it.

"For the Captain." He said casually, and that had a few of the Espers smiling. Kellen tried not to flush. Rhys did like to see him in action, so that was probably a good call on Brent’s part.

As soon as Brent said go, Kellen was flying. Pulling himself up and over obstacles, under ropes, across gaps. He could hear the others behind him, giving it their all as he raced ahead, moving his body. He loved doing this kind of activity, and he was kicking himself that he hadn’t done this by himself for a long time.

Kellen felt like he blinked and then he was at the finish line. Roars of shouting and laughter filled the air as Kellen turned, watching as his students were behind him, but not as far behind as he feared, and also not as close as he would have liked.

Brent had the same expression on his face, but didn’t say anything, only making notes on his little clip board. Kellen hadn’t seen him enter with it, so he did wonder where he’d gotten it. Probably had an Esper grab it for him while Kellen was stretching, or he’d stashed it here before he left for the front lines.

Kellen gave all of his students a pat and a hug when they got to the finish line. They looked shocked, a little disappointed, but determined. None of them spoke belittling words towards Kellen or themselves, and Kellen could practically see how their resolve hardened.

Then, they all climbed down and Kellen went back to the beginning as the next three lined up with him. The air had shifted. Now that they had seen him in action, a sense of weariness had crept into the remaining Field Guides. Kellen shot them a smile.

"I’m bound to get tired, you know. Have some hope." Kellen teased, feeling a little bold. Brent snorted.

"I’m telling Gwen you’re bragging." Brent told him, like a kid ratting himself out to a higher authority.

"Tell her. She won’t tell me not to. She knows how hard I work." Kellen shot back and Brent’s smile was practically infectious.

"Hmm. Then maybe I’ll tell Green? Are you even supposed to be up and moving right now?" Brent asked, smirking and Kellen reached for the nearest object, one of the cones they hadn’t used, and threw it at him.

Brent dodged it with a laugh, his green eyes sparkling.

"Is that all?" He asked and Kellen gave him a middle finger. Their interaction seemed to help relax a few of the Guides who had been getting too worked up, and finally, the second round of Guides went against Kellen.

~

Kellen probably ran the obstacle course at least 7 more times before he finally had to stop. Not because he had no energy, but because there was no one else to race, he was getting bored and the class was coming to an end. Brent laughed as he walked everyone through a warm down stretch and a few groans could be heard from the group.

Kellen was also doing the stretches while also pulling on his jacket and shoes again. Kellen was sure that they were going to go to lunch after this, and he was right.

Brent practically yanked the arm out of his socket as he dragged him to lunch. No laptop, no planning, just Brent and Kellen shoving their faces full of food and talking. Brent making Kellen laugh about some silly story that he was telling while the rest of the Guild was getting the news about the attack on the front lines.

It was what Kellen needed, especially since it was announced that it wasn’t the Captain, but someone close to him that had the vision. That wasn’t something that any of the leaders agreed on, and it became clear that it wasn’t Lieutenant Fletcher, Hill, Sergei, Sakura, Pamela or Rhys who had green lit that announcement.

Nor was it any of the other leaders who had green lit.

Everyone’s gaze turned in one direction while Kellen was oblivious to the chaos that was brewing. At least for the moment, and everyone was fine with that. Not because they didn’t think Kellen should know, but because he deserved a moment of peace. And, he was the first person who would make sure that whoever was trying to harm him and his people, would get exactly what they deserved.