With that, she left the infirmary and hurried to her class a smile on her lips. It was still morning so she should be able to catch the unarmed combat instructor before she left for the day. The Buffalax was waiting in the training area and gave Carrot a rather harsh scolding for not telling her that Carrot would be late. Carrot apologized profusely, while doing her best to look like a cute helpless wittle wabbit. The Buffalax didn't fall for it.

"Save the cow eyes for your tamer and get your tail moving!", the Buffalax yelled at the unrepentant rabbit, pointing at the track.

"Yes, ma'am!", Carrot replied hiding the grin that she felt inside. It had worked a little. She got off with just laps!

"When you're warmed up. I think a full contact spar would help you remember to be on time.", the instructor said with a toothy grin. Carrot stumbled a little she barely repressed the urge to call Ulen to save her. A full contact bout was the Buffalax's way of relieving stress by using her Carrot punching bag. She continued running dreading what was to follow. She'd be too bruised to properly welcome Ulen back from the infirmary...

The moment of truth, Carrot bowed to her instructor who bowed back. They squared off the instructor waiting for Carrot to make the first move. Carrot studied the instructor's defenses and saw plenty of openings, every single one a trap. Her previous experience with these bouts told her that no matter how she approached, the instructor would counter with a blazing fast strike. With Carrot's low stats she had no hope of breaking the more powerful Buffalax's defense add in the difference in skill and it was hopeless. Carrot didn't let it dishearten her, it wasn't anything new after all. She was always at a disadvantage against any other D-Girl, but she needed to at least protect her Ulen. All she needed was enough skill to offset her stats and the best way to do that was to fight with the instructor. Even if she couldn't win. By surviving as long as possible she could buy him enough time to run if they ended up in a deadly situation. It was a mindset that offered no prospect of Carrot's survival, that was fine with her. But that was before the ritual.

The instructor understood Carrot's mindset, but, oh, it hurt to have to train a girl as nothing more than a disposable meat shield. Her respect for the determined rabbit increased every time she got up after the instructor knocked her down. She expressed her respect by not holding back in these bouts, even though she treated the rabbit a little coldly. Unlike her tamer, Carrot could be healed with magic, so there was no need to worry about broken bones as long as it wasn't a fatal hit. A short trip to infirmary was all it took to get her ready for the next class. The Buffalax had talked with the Bladedancer who taught Carrot's swordsmanship and infiltration classes. The elf shared her sentiments, so they were especially hard on the girl.

Lost in her musings the Buffalax was caught by surprise when Carrot suddenly moved with a speed she shouldn't have. It was like she teleported to the Buffalax's right side with not even a hint of sound, her presence completely suppressed. No hostile intent leaked from Carrot. To the instructor it was like no one was there. Startled, she sidestepped and sent a short fast powerful jab at Carrot's esophagus that would have been lethal to the old Carrot. It was harmlessly brushed aside. Carrot had begun the block the instant the instructor had started her attack. With that eerie soundless presence less movement Carrot was suddenly on the instructor's left and struck the off balance Buffalax in the kidney with a vicious three finger jab.

Pain exploded in the instructor's side briefly stunning her. Carrot didn't let up, drawing even more from that power she had gotten from Ulen. She unleashed rapid series of strikes to the stunned instructor's diaphragm, face and temples even as she turned to cover her exposed throat. Carrot had never felt such a rush that sweet fire pouring through her body giving her speed and strength. It was fun, it was addicting! Only her experience with Ulen could equal the orgasmic release she had just had as she dominated the powerful instructor. Sparring had never been fun for her just a series of one sided beatings. Not any more as the stunned confused instructor stumbled from the sudden savage powerful hits. She got cocky. Carrot, a vicious grin on her face, reveled in her power. Her presence leaked out as she thought about all the hits she had taken from the Buffalax.

The instructor recovered when she sensed Carrot's presence shaking off her surprise. Answers could wait, this cocky rabbit needed some tender instruction. She finally displayed the difference between her and the rabbit. She smoothly recovered her balance and transitioned into attack before the rabbit could note the change. Predictive ability or not. Carrot tried to block and wondered what happened when a powerful fist, that bypassed her defences like they weren't there, drove into her stomach bending her over. It didn't end there. A meaty, but feminine knee rose to meet her descending face with a crunch of cartilage throwing her in the air to be met with a vicious kick that sent airborne again. Carrot stayed conscious when the instructor tried a second kick Carrot used the instructor's leg as pole and bounced back to the ground. Blood streaming from her nose she suppressed her presence again. Angry at herself for getting overconfident. Still, she couldn't keep the grin off her face. The instructor returned it, they were both D-Girls this is what they were literally made for.

The rest of the bout was a more conventional training match with Carrot receiving advice from the Buffalax. The instructor was obviously happy to be able to teach Carrot more than just how to buy time. Carrot was startled by the warmth the instructor showed her. She didn't ask how Carrot had gotten the speed and strength she displayed. Or about her improved vitality and agility or how she could see through the instructor's feints. All that tongue biting probably hurt, but it was not done to inquire about the abilities of a D-Girl that belonged to a non-government tamer. All she said was that Carrot might want to get her tamer to pay for a new assessment of her stats and abilities. Carrot thought the same, she was too was curious what her stats looked like now and what the sense that always alerted her to true attacks was.

When the class was over Carrot headed to the infirmary to get patched up and check on Ulen. She had forgotten about him when she had been sparring with the instructor. She felt a little guilty, but he would forgive her. The thought filled her with happiness. She couldn't remember ever feeling this good despite the broken nose and impressive bruises. Ok so she hurt physically, but emotionally? She was giddy, bubbly, skipping and could spontaneously break into song. She was in love, she had the respect of her instructor who had always treated her a little coldly. The power flowing through her and Ulen's warm glow in the back of her mind. The memory of the cell at the disposal center was fading as she was no longer powerless and lonely, she had been so very lonely. Three years of isolation except for the indifferent taming from the staff of the tamer center. Never again! She would destroy anything that threatened her new happiness. She drew deeply on the power letting it fill her with its fire and promise of strength.

She was disappointed, Ulen was asleep when she went to see him, after getting healed and cleaning herself up. He was sleeping so deeply she really wanted to crawl into the bed with him and just hold him. No, he would scold her if she skipped her classes, besides they were necessary. If she really wanted to protect him she needed everything she could get. She would even welcome her future harem sisters as they would increase her Ulen's chances of survival. No matter how much she wanted to monopolize him. She alone would not be enough to guarantee his safety, but now she would be on equal terms with the girls. She would not be dead weight!

Determined to learn all she could she went to her next class. The classes went well her new power helped her a great deal all the instructors were all surprised and pleased with her progress. She kept drawing on the power even when she didn't need it. Lunch and dinner were lonely without Ulen. Though everyone she met gave her a kind word and expressed their concern for her Ulen. Some might have resented it, these same women had been indifferent to Carrot for the three years she had been in this center. Suddenly, as Ulen's D-Girl, she was someone they remembered and would show concern for. She did resent it. How could she not?

She, sighed still she understood she had, literally, been nobody. Even if they had known of her they would not have befriended a girl who would could be gone at anytime. She ate her meager dinner. She had no appetite without Ulen there. She wanted to see him, but she could tell from his mind glow that he was still asleep. Pushing the tray away she got up and went to her last class.

The Blue Vortexia realised that Carrot needed to immerse herself in the lesson, so she didn't ask about the unusual flow of power Carrot would randomly receive from a source that was located in the center's infirmary. She quickly forgot about it as Carrot showed a more advanced command of Air magic than she had before.

Author's Note: Ahhh....damn I stayed up too long writing again...DAMN YOU MUSE LET ME SLEEP!! Still enjoy the chapter!