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There, in the dead of night in the city, in a Cinq Association training hall, the sounds of clashing metal instead of wood was louder than the rain.“Ah hah!” Yells the loud child of ingrained justice as she just barely stops herself at stabbing a hole straight into the neck of the more quiet child as he shivers. “Yet alas, I score another point of our most diligent dueling, sir Sinclair! How much does that make for the night most quiet, 5 of mine to 6 of yours? You are losing your shine!” shouted the earnest child of passion to the other as he steps back, plunging his rapier into the soft matted floor and onto his knees.
“R-Running around chasing you isn’t…isn’t…please, let me catch my breath!” He said tiredly. For most of the fight, it wasn’t a matter of skill but of speed, having to chase around the energetic child like a bird catching mice. It has made him very tired.“I-It’s like you are…testing my…stamina instead, Don Quixote!”“And what is so wrong with such a duel of speed! Forsooth, it is as important to outrun thy opponent sometimes to collect yourself rather than to take them onward in such a clash of metal!”“I’m a l-lot better with taking them on, please…” he stands up before falling onto his behind, still breathing heavily as the impulsive child stabs her rapier into the ground as well, as a show of respect, before going towards the benches to grab some bottles of water, 4 out of 6 had already been emptied.She’d walk over to the shy child, sitting down right next to him as she hands him a bottle, drinking hers quickly already.“Thank you…” he said quietly, a small smile forming on his face. To be fighting the Section 5 Director and win by only 1 more point tells him a lot. More from…his admiration of her will. He’s always seen her around sometimes, when he walks to do the Association Meetings or the rare hired duels, scurrying almost like a rat, looking for fights happening so she can take the chance to ‘save them’ in the form of a quick contract, even seeing how quickly they end. He always felt a little envious of her spirit…she’d do a better job at being in place of Section 4 Director, not the other way around.As he drinks his share of water does she finish hers, screaming out in delight. “Refreshing as ever, fresh and clear! Yet my thirst lies more to helping than sitting here, sir Sinclair! Another duel?”“E-Enough duels please, I’m…tired…”Or was he more tired of relying on the blade so much than himself. Always disappearing into it, relying on instinct rather than skill. He knows he rose to this role for a reason but he doesn’t feel as if he belongs. Almost everyone’s always in awe but nothing is so impressive of him disconnecting from this world for a moment. He only failed to keep up 4 times with her because it gets exhausting. 4 times just chasing her before she gets a jump in. If this…were a real battle to the death, would he win?Could he kill someone he looked up to if it forced him?But she wasn’t concerned about that. No, she waited so patiently for night to become day so she could walk around to spar more for folks in need, if she had no other duties to do.“If you so insist. I must say, no matter how many times we have sparred, thou has always surprised me with those eyes. So much focus, it cuts clean through me like you see my supple heart and mind! It…” she looks away for a second, to both find the right word and…hide a bit of her blush. “...Excited me how much focus you give, verily to belong to a Director like you and I!”His focused gaze…she always heard of it, like he saw nothing else in the world but his blade and his target. The proud child always wanted to see how it was and the fire that burned so quietly makes her…blush. Nowhere else could she see such focus, not in her own members or even the higher sections. And it makes her want to see it more.“Sir Sinclair, I ask thee…how doth thy do it? That focused gaze? It pierces even through my bones and It has me curious!”“Oh it…isn’t anything impressive, please, I’m…just letting myself go. It’s less of gaining focus, and more like I am…losing it.”“Losing to what?” she looked into his eyes as he looked back, blushing a bit from the sudden questions as he tries to look away but he couldn’t.“To…m-myself, Don Quixote” he admits. He had always admitted it quietly but not so directly this time. She continues to stare into his eyes, the stars in hers turns from excitement to warmness. Yes, always had she admired this rumored version of this director higher than him and…to really fight him had she gotten to know him better than those rumors. This quiet director who prefers to do anything but duel, just so he doesn’t have to be in more shame of himself, to not be in this other world where only he and the blade exists.“Hmph…then I…s-suppose we must duel no longer, I learned enough from these to know you, but…well…I ask if thou ever want to…go somewhere sometime? I want to learn more of you, sir Sinclair, more than the gaze that maketh you” she asks as he nods, his heartbeat could almost be heard if it wasn’t for the pouring rain outside. The smiling child got her face a little closer before a loud “AHEM” and knock disturbed the two as they looked over.“And who is cleaning the holes in the floor, Director?” asked a serious child as she sighed, almost in disappointment, but the clashing told enough that it was good training. For her director at least. They both stood up as Sinclair bows almost apologetically.“Just try to put your rapiers down rather than cause damage” she points out before leaving, shouting a little down the hall.“And quiet down, Don Quixote!”The two Directors, a little embarrassed, nod at each other as they pick up and put aside their rapiers in their sheaths, helping each other to patch up the tiny holes around the place with warm smiles and beating hearts as the rain slows down.