Sparring with Sabers (Yako, Challenger, Momotaro, Aquarius, Walpurgis)
At the hero academia, Shiketsu High, the terse young swordswoman, Chihiro Mitsurugi, was seated near the edge of her classroom. She, like all the other students in her class, was packing her school bag. The day had just ended and tomorrow was Sunday- a day for her to stock up on food and consolidate all she learned during the week. Before that, however, there was something she needed to do. Turning her head to the left, she focused briefly on a fit and valiant young man sitting in the back corner seat- his name was Hifumi Takeda.
Picking up her bag, she made her way over to Hifumi (under the curious glances of her classmates- many of which perked their ears and listened intently. What could cause this little ice queen to act?) Hifumi, however had already stood up. He simply stood facing Chihiro, his right arm slinging his bag over his shoulder and his left hand confidently resting upon his hip.
With a confident smile, he started the conversation: "I noticed that glance. Did you want something Chihiro?"
Inwardly, he wondered if this was what he thought it was- if she was going to pick a fight with him. It had been a while since someone picked a fight with him, and his hands were already getting itchy at the thought. He had noticed the way she fought during the entrance exam, and the way she handled her blade was no joke.
Without any hint of expression, Chihiro stated her request: "I'd like to spar with you, Takeda-san"
Some among their peanut gallery seemed disappointed, and others seemed even more interested- wanting to know which blade was sharper.
Hifumi wasted no time: "Just right- bring it on, Chihiro! If you hadn't said something, then I would have... I accept."
For a moment, the two sword users traded almost bloodthirsty smiles. Hifumi's entire being radiated a desire to fight a worthy foe, whereas Chihiro barely showed any change in expression- yet the slight curve of her lips told volumes. With those two words 'I accept' the air itself seemed to stain with pure fighting spirit.
Chihiro gave one last word before turning on her heels: "Excellent".
Wasting neither time nor words, the battle-hungry duo made their way to the gym, or more accurately the one of the many gymnasiums in the school. This gym was sparesly decorated. Or rather it had no decorations. It was just a large empty space, with a shiny wooden floor marked with white squares and tall white walls with large windows. Off to the side was a pair of double doors leading to a storage room where Chihiro and Hifumi borrowed a pair of wooden swords. A few friendly gazes peered over from the side of the gym, some of which whistled and made a racket.
"Get her Hifumi" "Clean his clock Mitsurugi" "You better make this interesting" "Hey, Takeda! I bet 3,000 Yen on you, you better not lose!"
Neither paid the noise around them any mind, their full attention on their opponent and the wooden swords in their hands.
As the one to issue the challenge, Chihiro announced the rules: "Quirk use is permitted. All forms of martial arts are permitted. The condition for victory is landing a blow on the opponent's torso or head, or if the opponent leaves the arena. Any questions?"
Already feeling impatient, Hifumi boldly declared as he took up his stance: "Nope. No matter the rules, I'm ready. BRING IT!"
Hifumi hands held the wooden sword up high, the blade pointing towards the sky as proud and straight as his spine. Chihiro's eyes narrowed for a moment before fading back to an icy and serious game face. Unlike Hifumi, her wooden sword found it's home by her left side, it's tip faced the ground as both her hands grasped the handle tightly.
Suddenly, Chihiro's body leaned forward as her right foot stomped forward- like a blur, she sped forward, her blade reaching for the sky! Yet in that same instant, Hifumi's blade swung down, unflinchingly meeting Chihiro head on! Neither combatant moved an inch as the loud ring of clashing wooden swords filled the gymnasium.
Hifumi then took the initiative, pushing Chihiro's blade away and once again raising his own blade to resume his assault, but before he could bring the blade all the way up, she had already rushed back in, forcing him to intercept.
Again and again this repeated, neither side taking a single step back. Each exchange was getting faster and faster, their blades quickly becoming a shapeless blur to the crowd. Ultimately, Hifumi was forced to break the cycle- his high stance swordsmanship specialized in power and couldn't compete in speed with her faster, lower stance. The fact that he tried to meet her style's strong point with his style's weak point was a testament to his bravery.
Taking his left hand off his wooden sword, Hifumi's blade was immediately parried, leaving his torso exposed to Chihiro's next swing, but before she could strike, Hifumi's fist came speeding in towards her stomach as if he were a thug getting into a backstreet brawl! She was forced to turn her body to the side, avoiding his punch but no longer being able to strike him.
Hifumi on the other hand pressed the assault, swinging his blade like a bat instead of a sword. Meeting it head on, Chihiro was forced to take a step back to diffuse the blow. The two exchanged a brief stare, as Hifumi's expression clearly read 'I won that exchange- you were the first to take a step back!'. Despite her unchanging expression, he almost got the feeling Chihiro was saying 'But I'll win the next one' back at him.
Once again Chihiro took up a familiar stance. With her blade at her side she rushed forward, slashing up towards the sky, meeting Hifumi's blade head on. This time however, the result was different- after a few exchanges she parried his blade, almost as though he was the one running the side of his sword into her edge of hers. His defenses were torn open.
A few ideas ran through Hifumi's mind- should he try a kick? Should he use his quirk? But rather than press the attack and risk another of his delinquent style reprisals, Chihiro simply took one step back and returned to her starting stance. Hifumi quickly readied his own stance and swung down to meet her head on once more... Yet his blade only met open air! As she pretended to swing her blade out to meet his, she instead pulled her arm back and twisted her body, her blade ready to stab towards him as his own fell harmlessly by her side!
With no options left, Hifumi closed his eyes- his figure blinking out of existence and reappearing behind her. Chihiro on the other hand dashed forward with truly inhuman speed- avoiding his attack before his blow could land.
His attack had failed, Hifumi opened his eyes and returned to his original position- if he had won the first exchange, Chihiro had won the second. He was forced to use his quirk first, with her only using her quirk in response. Her side eye almost seemed as if it taunted him for getting cocky.
Chihiro didn't wait for him, once again falling into that familiar stance, but this time the speed was entirely different. Hifumi felt like he barely had time to blink out of the way. With their quirks unleashed, the fight no longer resembled anything human. One dotted in and out of existence, attacking from unpredictable and strange angles- his movements untraceable and seemingly impossible to counter. The other dashed about chasing after her opponent like a blur, never affording him the chance to breath- sometimes she rushed forward like a bolt of lightning and other times she spun around on her heels, meeting her opponents sudden ambushes head on.
As this high speed battle dragged on, Hifumi started to realize something- he was getting tired. Far more tired than he should be- clearly Chihiro's quirk had been draining his stamina. Perhaps that's why she was bluntly fending off his ambushes instead of aiming for some kind of counterattack. She must have known she could outlast him. No sooner did he realize this that Chihiro paused her assault with a knowing gaze. Briefly, she flashed a subtle grin- and then she closed her eyes.
Hifumi knew exactly what that was- it was a challenge! It meant she believed she could read him, and that she could end this match without waiting for him to tire out. Her confidence only ignited his fighting spirit. This challenge is one he wouldn't run from.
As for Chihiro, she had no such confidence. She simply felt it was time to push her skills to the limit- that's the true purpose of sparring after all. She wanted to bet everything on a wild gambit simply to see if it would work- to see if her skills had improved.
One final time, the two readied their stances. As the two stood still, they felt as if time had stopped, each running their next move over and over again in their heads. Finally, without making a single sound, Hifumi appeared behind Chihiro and swung down! At almost the same moment, she pivoted and slashed out at him! The two wooden blades passed each other by, leaving one final scene in place...
Hifumi's sword rested firmly on Chihiro's shoulder. Chihiro's sword lay right against Hifumi's neck. The match was a draw. The two relaxed their stances and stepped away from each other.
With a bitter expression, Hifumi called out: "Aaagh. Can't believe I lost."
To which Chihiro tried to correct him: "According to the rules-"
"It would be a draw- I get it. But between losing a shoulder and losing a head, it's obvious which is worse. If it was for real, I'd be dead, and you'd just get your arm re-attached by some doctor's quirk- how's that a draw? A real man isn't afraid to admit defeat! I lost. And That's all there is to it." - Hifumi was firm about his stance.
Confused but unconcerned, Chihiro conceded: "Very well. Then for our first match, I am the victor. Thank you for the match, Takeda-san."
With a short and respectful bow, she turned to walk away, planning to return the wooden sword and head home.
Contrary to her expectations, Hifumi called out again: "I may have lost this time, but just you wait for our rematch- I'll show you what it means to be the future number one hero!"
Chihiro paused and looked back at him over her shoulder. With a gentle smile, she replied: "I would expect nothing less."
Feeling their sparring session had finally come to a proper end, Chihiro continued on towards the exit, not bothering to look back...
...And yet the fact that Hifumi kept following her had once gain exceeded her expectations. To be honest, she couldn't understand his persisting chatter.
"That was great- where did you learn that line? I'd like to watch that. Or was it a book? If it was a book I'd like to read it."
"By the way, how did you like my lines- they were pretty cool, right?"
"Wait, that's just how you talk? Damn, you're cooler than I thought!".
"Also, stop it with that 'Takeda-san' business. It's like you're talking to my old man. Just call me Hifumi!'
"Since we fought an epic duel, it means we're friends now- you get it, right!?"
From top to bottom, she truly had no idea what was going through his head. She thought with that match just now they had built up some level of rapport- that they had achieved some mutual understanding. She could only redouble her efforts and do her best to make sense of his monologuing in hopes of achieving true understanding.
"Ah, right, right. Chihiro, where'd you learn to fight like that? I learned from my old man."
As the topic finally arrived somewhere that made sense to her, Chihiro managed a reply: "I learned from both my parents, but my mother in particular. Both were true masters in the art of the sword. Even though it was so long ago, I remember everything they taught me in the family Dojo."
Hifumi's chatter finally paused for a moment: "... 'Were'... Oh, right... Shit, sorry to bring that up."
Chihiro, however, wasn't bothered: "I can't just pretend they never existed, and even if I could I would refuse to do so. Any reason to remember them is a happy thing. I'm proud of who they were, so don't feel like you can't bring them up."
She also took the moment to ask something that had been bothering her: "...Do you live this way?"
The two already exited the school itself, and yet Hifumi was still walking side by side with her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Hifumi bluntly replied: "Eh? Nah, I live in the exact opposite direction. I just wanted to see what your Dojo was like."
Seeing no reason to refuse (and just a bit happy someone as talented as him took interest in her Dojo), Chihiro nodded along: "Suit yourself. The Mitsurugi Dojo doesn't have the habit of refusing those with the desire to learn."
Hifumi reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, remembering to call home and report his plans: "...Odd? No service. Does this area have bad reception or something?"
He would just have to try again later...
...
After a long walk (and a lot of one-sided chatter), Hifumi and Chihiro finally arrived before an overgrown stone path. The path meandered back and forth, disappearing into a thick bamboo grove. In front of the stone path was an old, worn stone plaque that read:
'Mitsurugi Dojo'
'A home to those with the desire to learn, and the will to protect'.
Near the plaque stood a young woman with a silver haori slung over her shoulders. She silently admired the plaque. Hanging off her back were two long bags, perhaps housing swords of different lengths- though whether they were real swords or wooden ones was impossible to tell. Hifumi walked over, eyes focused on the plaque.
With his hand on his chin, and a (fake) glint of wisdom in his eyes, Hifumi praised the plaque: "What excellent artistry. Each and every stroke flows like a mighty dragon, showing vigor and strength, yet they blend together, betraying an inner softness and affection. The artisan who made this plaque must have been an amazing person."
Impressed with the unknown youth's erudition, the woman in the silver haori turned to face Hifumi: "Oh, you know your stuff little brother! A friend told me once- this plaque was carved by the founder of the dojo. During an age where society all but collapsed, he took the risk to teach aspiring vigilantes how to fight. What more, the man himself had no quirk- between the possibility that his super powered 'students' could turn on him, or that angry villains could come for revenge, it's no exaggeration to say he risked his life for the sake of Japan with every lesson he gave out. He was a real hero, far braver and upright than the so called 'pro-heroes' of today."
Hifumi, who was originally just quoting a movie for flair, now looked at the plaque more seriously: "Sounds like he was a real man's man. Anyone willing to stick their neck out for his ideals is worth looking up to. One thing you said I can't let slide though- we've got heroes who won't lose to anyone, not in strength or in fighting spirit. Just look at Endeavor! Strength, ambition, heroics, he's got it all. He's the number one hero for a reason."
The woman in the silver haori's respect faded a bit: "Endeavor? Hmmm. He ain't good, he can't compare to the Dojo's founder."
This time Hifumi turned to look at the strange woman directly. Underneath the silver haori was... not a lot. A sports bra, short shorts, a belt with a pouch, and a white jacket. If he was in a calmer mood, he would have found the contrast between a Japanese haori and the very western ensemble below to be quite novel.
Unable to accept the disrespect shown to his idol, Hifumi retaliated: "What was that? Even if you don't like him, you should show some respect to Endeavor- he's out there holding nothing back, putting in his all to be the number one hero!"
The woman only had scorn for his outburst: "Being the number one? A title. The true heroes are not defined by a title or number but their actions. There are many heroes that pass away without a song to their name."
Hifumi tried his best to explain his stance: "Yeah, and they are great but they are not AS GREAT. Top hero's gotta do all those things and more. And the unsung heroes are limited to the span of their career. A top hero leaves behind a legacy that will inspire whole generations to come. That's why a top hero's actions are greater, because they save people now AND in the future!"
But the woman's scorn only turned harsher: "Pft. A legacy? He only wants to be 'number 1'. Actually helping- actually doing what's right? He doesn't give a damn. What kind of legacy is a self-centered ambition?"
Chihiro, sensing Hifumi's frustration pulled back on his shoulder and said: "It's nice to see you after so long Momo, but you shouldn't treat other people's beliefs so casually. As for you Hifumi, if you want to defend your beliefs, the dojo is a good place to do so."
Naturally, Hifumi knew what she meant. He faced 'Momo' head on: "'Momo', I challenge you to a duel! I can't let you disrespect Endeavor like that."
Momo smiled proudly: "Fine, I accept. I only hope you'll rethink your outlook after you lose... Still, I barely recognized you Chihiro. After I fight this guy, we need to catch up."
Walking over to the stone path, Chihiro gestured for the two to walk with her: "Hifumi, this is one of the few surviving members of the Mitsurugi Dojo, Momotaro Tachibana. From what I remember she's a very passionate person, one that won't compromise at all when it comes to doing what's right. Before the dojo closed, Momo had the good fortune of not being present."
As the trio walked down the stone path, she continued: "Momo, this is one of my classmates at Shiketsu, Hifumi Takeda. He's a bit odd, but he's earnest and valiant. I can say with confidence that he'd do the right thing- no matter what. Take care that you don't underestimate him. He has the strength to follow through on his dreams."
When Chihiro mentioned 'Shiketsu', Momo's eyes betrayed some dissapointment. Whatever the reason for that disappointment, her desire to win the impending duel only grew stronger. Hifumi acknowledged the introduction but was focused fully on the duel ahead- his idol's honor was at stake, and he truly didn't want to lose. Chihiro meanwhile was walking ahead, leading the way down the winding stone walkway. It was truly a shame that neither guest was in the mood to enjoy the serenity of the bamboo grove.
A short walk later, the bamboo grove opened up into a clearing with an aged yet elegant building. It was easily two stories tall, with a sign that read 'Mitsurugi Dojo' hung over the large sliding doors. A wooden pathway ran from one side to the next, similar to a very large veranda. To the right, a smaller building was attached to the side of the dojo- the house where Chihiro lived. Unlike the dojo, which was clearly built to withstand the test of time, the house was showing obvious signs of wear and tear.
Towards her impatient guests, Chihiro stood in front of the sliding doors of the dojo and swung them open: "Dear guests, welcome to the Mitsurugi Dojo."
Hifumi and Momo followed soon after, entering into the dojo as Chihiro closed the doors behind the trio. They were greeted with an elegant sight. The center of the dojo was laid with tatami mats, and sturdy red wooden pillars dotted the edge of the area. Small lanterns clung from the ceiling and sat on the ground around the edges. Across from the entrance was a large mural of the sea.
Everyone removed their shoes and stepped into what would soon become an arena. Near the entrance was a pair of racks, one with wooden swords (bokuto) and one with bamboo swords (shinai). Chihiro pulled her favorite wooden sword out of the first rack, while Momo pulled a bamboo sword out of the second. Hifumi appraised the racks for a moment before grabbing a well worn bamboo sword. The trio then walked over to the center of the dojo.
Chihiro briefly glanced at the sword in Hifumi's hand before taking the role of referee for herself: "Hifumi Takeda. Momotaro Tachibana. The two of you have agreed to settle your dispute with a duel. All forms of martial arts are allowed. Quirk use is allowed. The victor is decided by a single touch to the torso or head. Do either of you have any complaints?"
Momo quickly spoke up: "I'd prefer we don't use quirks. Mine's a bit violent, and if I use it then the practice swords will break. Aside from that, the duel needs stakes. If I win, this guy here needs to apologize to all the unsung heroes- the REAL heroes."
Hifumi immediately cut in: "All I want is for you too really look at what Endeavor does- look at all the good he does. But it seems words aren't enough for us to come to an understanding. Let's let our swords do the talking!"
With a soft sigh, and the feeling that her introductions were for naught, Chihiro continued with her role of referee: "Then take a step back and ready your stances."
... "BEGIN!"
Both combatants rushed forward, but Momo took the initiative. Her speed was well above Hifumi's- almost on par with a movement quirk with merely her own body. Her bamboo sword swung down from over her head! Hifumi hurriedly met her head on and parried her sword to the side. Before he could bring swing over his sword to claim victory, Momo had already reclaimed her stance and resumed her assault!
Hifumi quickly realized that while Momo wasn't an amateur, her bladework wasn't as skillful as his, leaving no shortage of openings for him to exploit. But her inhuman speed made sure that those openings came and went too quickly to matter. Meanwhile for Momo, Hifumi's well trained movements ensured that he could diffuse her attacks without leaving any openings for her to exploit. No matter how much she overwhelmed him, he always managed to strike back in just the right way. Even more frustratingly, she couldn't get a good read on his style. She prided herself on adapting to her opponents style on the fly, but it wasn't working here. Perhaps the gap in sword skills was a bit too wide.
In moments the two swordsmen exchanged a dozen attacks, and Hifumi quickly realized that at this rate he'd never win. Even if Momo made a mistake, she'd recover too quickly, but the first mistake he made would be the end. Meanwhile Momo made great use of her speed. Her every strike aimed for Hifumi's vitals (which, in this case was his torso in general).
Biding his time, Hifumi carefully watched Momo's movements and prepared for a risky gambit. Once. Twice. Three times. Again and again the two bamboo swords clashed, the loud crack of their collisions ringing out like firecrackers. Finally spotting an opportunity, Hifumi parried Momo's sword off to the right and kicked out with his left leg!
As Hifumi's foot rushed through towards Momo, he only felt empty air- he had missed! By mere inches, she had pulled back, spinning around in the process. Her blade now coming up from under Hifumi's left side, he couldn't get out of the way in time, his leg getting caught by her blade, sending him tumbling onto the floor! Hifumi's gambit failed to catch Momo unaware. In fact, from her perspective it was a rather childish move. From beginning to end, she never planned any of her strikes out ahead of time, relying purely on instincts to guide her. As unorthodox as that kick was, it simply wouldn't work on her!
Momo naturally wouldn't just wait for Hifumi to get back up- she immediately jumped at the chance to claim her victory. Her bamboo sword swept out at him, forcing a desperate block as he rolled away. Once again she swept out, refusing to let Hifumi catch his breath. Yet in a show of raw perseverance, he kicked off from the ground, into a one-handed handstand! Hifumi held his sword with his other hand, and with a swish, Momo's blade collided with Hifumi's, the momentum flipping him further! Having missed her opportunity, she could only keep up the pressure. Hifumi however had already bounced back into an upright position after a flex of his arm and immediately parried her attack- they were back to square one.
Hifumi had learned his lesson- cheap tricks wouldn't work on this woman. And as fantastic as it felt to get away with that ninja-like maneuver, he had no desire to try doing it again. He was sure he wouldn't get lucky twice. If he wanted to win this fight, there would be no shortcuts. Momo on the other hand only got bolder and more aggressive. After all, it seemed like the only things he could do well was block and dodge. It was time for her to go in for the kill.
Over and over Hifumi endured Momo's assault. He began to lose count of how many different moves he saw, yet not a single one repeated. Momo on the other hand had to commend him. His defenses were airtight, and even now that she'd gotten a read of his style she still couldn't get that winning hit in.
Hifumi continued to watch realized that Momo's movements were getting slower. Was she getting tired? No, in fact she was only getting more energetic! Perhaps it was just too much adrenaline, or maybe it was some kind of sudden enlightenment, but whatever it was her frenzied assault became clear to him in that instant. He delayed his parry for just the briefest moment and struck out, his blade meeting hers in just the right spot, sending her bamboo sword up over her shoulder no matter how hard she pulled down on it!
Momo tried her best to retreat, but her previous momentum was too great, Hifumi's bamboo sword ran into her stomach! She had gotten too confident, and his reprisal was too sudden. She had lost!
Before Chihiro could even announce the result, Hifumi dropped his sword and raised his right arm up: "HELL YEEEEAAHH!!!!" - His cry of victory rung out through the dojo, announcing his triumph.
Chihiro looked on expressionlessly: "That's enough! The Winner: Hifumi Takeda!"
Momo clenched her teeth, stared at her hands, and spat out under her breath: "Shit..."
After a deep breath, she put together the words she needed to say: "I- I promise. I'll give Endeavor another chance- I'll go back and think about whether he's a 'real hero' or not. From the start."
Although Hifumi could hear Momo's reluctance (heck he could see it in the way her face contorted), he was satisfied. He had defended his idol's honor, and hopefully she'd even come to see just how much a top hero like Endeavor contributed to the world. With his victory at hand, he could move on and maybe take a break. He hadn't noticed, but his entire body was soaked in sweat, and his left arm ached. That one-handed handstand took more strength than his arm had to give. His spar with Chihiro earlier was likely a factor too.
As for Momo, she was bitter, but she couldn't do much about it but move on. It wasn't like she could turn around and start insulting Endeavor again after all. At this point, she just wanted to pull Chihiro away to ask a few questions.
It was at this point that a soft clapping sound caught their attention. At the side was a smaller sliding door- one leading into the house next to the dojo. There stood a blue, translucent woman in a t-shirt and skirt. Clearly she had an especially odd mutant quirk- she practically looked like living pudding!
Chihiro called out to the pudding woman: "Hi Shion, it was an excellent duel, wasn't it?"
Sliding her amorphous body across the dojo floor, 'Shion' made her way to Chihiro and wrapped her up in a tight hug: "Mmm. It was a great duel... It makes me want to go a round myself~"
With a glint in her eye, Momo suddenly spoke up: "Ah, then that's perfect. Chihiro and I were just about to take a break- I said we needed to catch up after the fight right? Shion, you can fight the winner while we catch up."
Hifumi's tiredness naturally hadn't gone unnoticed to Momo- she was almost as tired after all. With this she could get a little revenge and get Chihiro alone for that talk.
Shion turned to Momo: "OoooOh! Little Momo, it's been so long~ Have you been well? Hmhm... I guess that can wait. Go catch up with Chihiro. I'm sure... 'Hifumi', was it? Can do a bit more sparring."
Momo wasted no time dragging Chihiro off into her house, abandoning Hifumi to his fate...
Hifumi considered asking for a break first, but Shion had her own opinion: "I saw the way you won- That feeling isn't easy to come by. Come practice with me a bit more while the memory is still fresh! No need for rules, or winning or losing~ Just treat it as training."
After hearing that, Hifumi couldn't turn her down. He picked his bamboo sword back up, forced his tired body into his stance, and turned to Shion (who had already returned from the sword racks): "Thank you very much!"
...
After passing the threshold into her house, Chihiro pulled her arm (which Momo was holding) and directed their meeting down the hall. Shortly after, the two arrived in a kitchen. In the center of the room was a lowered section of the floor, a kind of hearth. To the right was a oven with a stove, a sink, cuboards, and a small bookshelf with a stool. To the left was a door, presumably leading to a pantry. Accross from the entrance was a large window the stretched across the kitchen.
Momo had a number of questions, from 'why is this where we're going to talk?' to 'why are you lighting those sticks on fire instead of using the stove over there?', but she ultimately pushed those questions aside, prioritizing more important topics even while Chihiro rigged a large earthen vessel full of water over her make-shift fireplace.
Momo skipped straight to the most important part: "Chihiro, what really happened here eight years ago? Between the crooked news stories and the rumors, I can't trust any of them."
Not surprised in the slightest by this line of inquiry, Chihiro told the tale as best she could: "I don't know exactly what other people say, but the incident itself was simple. It was later in the day, and everyone was already tired from training. All of a sudden, my skin felt a bit different, and I didn't understand what it meant. I was young and simply thought it was an odd breeze or something. I'd been thought I was quirkless for so long that I didn't even think to question it."
Chihiro paused as she reached into a pantry, pulling out some odd looking vegetables and uneven cuts of salted meat: "As time passed, some people started to feel more tired than normal, but they brushed it off. I think no one wanted to admit they were tired. But. Then someone collapsed, one of the junior disciples, a young girl. They called an ambulance and put two and two together. Knowing something was wrong, they moved out of the dojo, thinking it may have been some air-born poison or disease."
Her hands never stopping, Chihiro took out a knife and began to slice up her ingredients: "But since they took me with them, nothing changed. We're rather far away from the nearest ambulance, and the roads are old and unkept. As more people collapsed, the adults considered driving away by themselves, but the fear that they would collapse while driving kept them from doing so. If only they had tried to do so."
Finally, Chihiro deposited her cut up ingredients into the vessel: "In the end, the ambulance took too long. By the time the stretchers made it to us, most had already died. The few that were left- myself included were taken to the same place. They feared we caught some kind of plague and wanted us all quarantined to the same place. By the time we arrived at the hospital it was too late. The last survivors, my parents included, died on the way."
Chihiro, satisfied with her work, put a lid on the vessel and finished her story: "As the only one in good health, the doctors examined me closely, enough to figure out I had awakened my quirk- close enough to figure out everyone died to that quirk. And that's all that happened. Wrong things happened at the wrong time, and as a result, I killed them all with my quirk."
Momo let that monologue soak in. Especially that summary at the end- it wasn't 'they all died to my quirk' but 'I killed them all with my quirk'. If the rest of it was an unbiased retelling of events, that last sentence was how she felt about those events. Momo's heart truly went out to Chihiro- that wasn't something an eight year old kid should go through.
Even so, some things bothered Momo about this story: "Not to make light of anything, but ain't the coincidence a bit much? A late blooming quirk- one that's traceless like your's at that, and it came out at just perfectly the wrong time? On top of that ambulence was that late? Don't they normally take around 5 minutes? 10 tops? How did they mess up that badly? That's not to say I think you're lying or anything. It's just... Weird."
Chihiro simply shook her head: "'Truth is often stranger than fiction'. Once you start looking for mysteries you'll find them everywhere. Even if I take a step back and assume it's some kind of conspiracy, it wouldn't change my path- Help those in need and punish those that hurt others. Even if I'm the one being hurt, it wouldn't make my aggressors special."
Momo couldn't help but read between the lines: "And you've extended that to yourself, haven't you? You think you hurt others, and now you're punishing yourself. Is that why you're trying to be a hero- to fight until it kills you?"
Unflinchingly Chihiro's eyes met Momo's head on: "Finding a place to die doesn't sound bad, you're right about that. And that's why I don't have the right to such a thing. It isn't punishment if I take the easy way out. It isn't atonement if I only do what I want. The people at the dojo that day, I believe in their kindness. They would want me to give back to the world as best I can, and that is why I will become a hero."
Momo finally couldn't take it anymore: "A hero!? Giving back to the world? Chihiro you have it backwards. The heroes are part of the problem! The whole hero system is what pushes people aside, forcing them to be villains- it forces people into categories based purely on their quirks. What justice is there in hunting down and attacking the victims of your own actions!?"
Chihiro took a moment to process Momo's declaration, earnestly trying to understand if she could be right: "...I'm sorry Momo, but my own experiences tell me differently. If what you say is true, shouldn't I be out trying to be a villain? I've heard some of my classmates say they had bad experiences thanks to their quirks too- so what about them? Maybe villains are simply the ones who don't have the inner strength to choose for themselves, but I don't think that's an excuse to hurt others."
However, Momo was undeterred: "It just hasn't sunk in yet, Chihiro. You haven't seen enough of the world. If you really become one of those pro heroes, you'll regret it some day!"
Unsure of what to say, Chihiro mused, both to Momo and herself: "I don't know if I will regret it or not, but you are right that I haven't seen enough of the world. You could be correct, and I would have no way to know. If I am wrong, then I'll just need to start from the beginning again... If you're not satisfied with that, then how about one more duel? If words won't work, maybe I can learn more about your beliefs through the sword."
Seeing the genuine curiosity in Chihiro's eyes, Momo felt some hope, and with a cheery smile she declared: "No problem! If it'll help you understand, I'd spar with you a thousand times!"
Chihiro nodded happily and returned her attention to the vessel: "I want to fight you at your best. Once the hotpot is ready, we'll go eat with the other two. Our spar can come after. Until then... You know how I've spent these years, but what about you, Momo?"
With their conversation out of the way, and their food ready, Chihiro and Momo returned to the dojo. In Chihiro's hands was the earthen vessel and a stack of old-fashioned ceramic bowls and cups. In Momo's hands was a rice pot and a pot of tea. In the dojo, they found Hifumi covered in sweat, confronting a very casual looking Shion. Looking like some kind of last boss, she had a dozen blue, pudding like tentacles reaching out from her 'legs' each 'holding' a bamboo sword, wildly swinging at Hifumi from all sides. Each individual sword lacked finesse, but the pure quantity kept Hifumi very busy. It was more like a living obstacle course than sparring. And yet like some Zen master, Hifumi managed to parry each one as they came, with just the right amount of force- not too little or too much.
While Hifumi's display was impressive, he was an arrow at the end of his flight. He only barely hung on by sharpening his focus and shutting out any unneeded information. Unfortunately... The sharp sound of a bamboo sword connecting with flesh rung out. He had finally missed a parry, causing one of Shion's blows to pass through and ram into his chest, right on his left collarbone. With the left over momentum from her swings, another three bamboo swords struck Hifumi in the left side of his waist, the crown of his head, and his right shoulder. With all that, he fell backwards. As he lay on the dojo floor, staring at the wooden ceiling, his chest heaved up and down, gasping for air.
Shion's voice flitted out: "Seems you reached your limit. We'll just have to stop here~"
Between heavy breaths, Hifumi replied: "Darn... I thought I had... That last parry... Thank you very... much... For the lesson..."
Chihiro and Momo made their way over, and Shion turned to face them, her 'tentacles' wave playfully towards them: "Oh my~ You two have great timing. We just finished up. I'd offer to spar with one of you next, but I guess you have other plans."
Chihiro nodded tersely as she glanced at Hifumi: "I knew this would happen, so I made something."
As she and Chihiro walked over and sat near Shion and Hifumi, Momo smiled and addressed the poor fellow gasping for air on the floor: "There's food for you too Hifumi. Eat up and get your energy back. After this Chihiro and me will spar, and you won't want to miss it!"
Her declaration had the desired effect- he really did want to see that. Hifumi rolled over and slowly pushed his body into a sitting position. Chihiro passed out bowls to Momo, who filled the bowls with rice and passed a bowl out to each person (along with a pair of wooden chopsticks). Similarly, Shion poured tea into the cups and handed those out. Once everything was handed out, Chihiro proudly removed the lid of the earthen vessel, revealing her creation- mountain veggie hotpot with wild boar meat! Everyone dug in- and the taste wasn't bad. It wasn't great either, but it was nutritious and filling.
After taking a bite, Shion had a question for Chihiro: "Chihiro, didn't I buy some beef for you not that long ago?"
Chihiro replied after swallowing a slice of wild boar meat: "The electricity went out again, so I cooked it all up and ate it yesterday. It was very filling. I picked up this boar from the back mountains yesterday so I'd have some meat. You keep telling me to eat more meat after all."
While Momo wasn't sure if she should laugh at the oddity or cry at her Chihiro's poverty, Shion sighed: "Chi. Hi. Ro. What I keep telling you is that you need to eat more proper meals and less food scavenged from the mountains."
The fact that Chihiro was cooking with a hearth fire suddenly made a lot more sense to Momo. Meanwhile, Hifumi had to admit that even if the taste was middling, the idea of eating a meal made of foraged ingredients was kind of cool- more than a couple movies had characters doing that kind of thing. He also took the meal as another chance to call home. A few rings later... This time, he was successful!
His voice tired and lacking energy, Hifumi said: "Hey, Ma? I tried to call earlier but wasn't getting service. I'm at a friend's house."
"...You know, Hifumi was oddly popular today. Shion and I both went a round, and I hear Chihiro tried him out earlier."
"He was very skilled. I was impressed." "He worked hard, frankly it's amazing how long he lasted."
Hifumi nearly spat out tea hearing the conversation. Were they doing this on purpose? Who actually talks like that? He pondered this as a reply came from his phone: "Eeeeh? 'A friend's house?' I only seem to hear girls talking, and the things they're saying is pretty interesting. Seems you've been busy Hi-chan"
Every feature on Hifumi's face twitched as he called out: "Fuji-nee!? Hey, wait, I'm just at a dojo-"
But his mischievous sister cut him off: "A dojo with only girls in it? But don't worry, Mom will be excited to hear about this. No need to be embarrassed Hi-chan~"
Hifumi knew his sister well enough to know she was just messing with him. And she knew him well enough to know he wasn't doing anything immoral- she just took it as his friends playing a prank. Not that any of this would stop her from teasing him and sharing the story with their parents, and that's exactly what worried him.
Hifumi was stuck. Now that his sister grasped his weakness, she wasn't going to let go. Nothing he could say would save him now. He could only brace himself as she wrapped up the phone call: "Anyway Hi-chan, I picked up the phone because Ma's busy making dinner. You going to be back in time?"
After swallowing a bite of Boar meat, Hifumi said: "Nah, I'll be here a bit longer. Don't worry though, I'm being treated to hot pot."
Hifumi's sister, naturally, was happy to continue teasing him: "Oh? Sounds like they want you to get your energy back. Don't overwork yourself Hi-chan~ Well, I'll let you go now. Gotta have a long conversation with Ma. Love ya little bro."
"...Love ya Fuji-nee." As the call cut off, Hifumi glared sternly at his phone while eating some veggies. He truly wasn't looking forward to fighting off these allegations. Claims that a man was loose were truly hard to fight off after all, even if it's only a joke. He could only be patient- they'd get tired of teasing him eventually... He hoped...
HOWEVER! Being down wasn't his style! Hifumi took a deep breath, released a deep exhale, and proceeded to take in a full mouthful of rice and hot pot. He still had a duel to spectate after all! Gazing over at the three girls... Momo was shooting him a very cheeky, if cheerful, grin- she definitely did that on purpose. Chihiro's expression was calm and focused- she probably didn't even realize she was making trouble for him. Shion... She had the same bubbly grin as before- was she a natural airhead, or does she just have an excellent poker face? Hifumi truly couldn't read her. (Or perhaps the fact that she didn't have facial muscles just gave her a flawless, permanent poker face?)
The four idly chatted about anything and everything while they ate. The kinds of food they usually eat. How they came to first practice the blade. Hobbies outside of wielding a sword. Recent news events. The conversation naturally flowed from one topic to the next. Momo spoke excitedly and smiled vibrantly the whole time. Chihiro spoke softly, giving short, direct answers with a calm expression. Hifumi, as if infected by Momo's cheer, spoke loudly and confidently, never missing the chance to toss out a movie reference. Shion, perhaps owed to being the oldest, mostly stepped back and enjoyed the lively chatter, only chiming in occasionally.
However, no banquet lasts forever and this was no exception. Hifumi finished his meal first, followed soon after by Momo, then Shion, and finally Chihiro.
Having looked forward to the duel for too long already, Momo wasted no time getting up: "I'd rather not hold anything back, but that means not using the practice swords- you fine with that Chihiro?"
Chihiro nodded: "Fine with me, but I guess that means we shouldn't fight in the dojo. Follow me."
Making her way back to the entrance, the group followed shortly after, with Momo and Chihiro both grabbing their weapons on the way out. Once outside, Chihiro led them around the side of the building to the back yard. There, on the right, stood a single sakura tree in blossom overlooking a large sand garden. On the left, opposed to the sakura tree was a large boulder. Opposite to the back of the dojo was a thick pine forest with the bright orange sun barely hovering over top the tree line. A couple clouds on either side barely obscured the sides of the sun.
As the group takes in the sight, Hifumi remarks to himself: "Damn, this is classy. Makes me want to spar out here next time. It's got this somber and ancient feel to it."
Momo, however, felt differently: "It didn't always feel 'somber and ancient', you know? It used to be lively and well kept. I liked it better that way- with a few kids here and there and clear signs that people were in and out every day."
Chihiro acknowledged their comments but didn't have one of her own to return. Shion, however, did: "It was nice when there were more people, but this isn't so bad either. With just a few people we can get that much closer~ If it's all give and take, we might as well focus on the nice things."
Everyone here was the kind of person that understood that logic: "Damn straight." "Mmhm" "You got that right."
Unwilling to wait any longer, Momo rushed ahead and stopped under the sakura tree: "Let's get this show on the road, Chihiro! My blood's been boiling for too long already!"
The sheathes in Momo's hands were for different kinds of swords. The shorter one was a katana, a classic Japanese longsword, much like Chihiro's own weapon. The longer one was a odachi- known as the Japanese greatsword. It was nearly a foot longer than it's companion but shaped much the same.
Seeing Momo already taking these two mismatched blades from their sheathes and tossing the sheathes into the sand, Chihiro made her way over, standing in front of the boulder: "Very well. The only rules are that the first hit wins and anyone that exits the sand garden loses. Any complaints?"
As Hifumi and Shion seated themselves on the wooden veranda that wrapped around the dojo as Momo took her stance: "None. I'll show you how strong I've really gotten Chihiro!"
A gust of wind blew by, rustling the leaves of the sakura tree. Chihiro lowered her stance and placed her hand on her still sheathed sword: "Then Come!"
The larger sword in her left hand and the smaller in her right, Momo rushed forward. She raised the larger sword above her head and the smaller one was held down behind her waist, pointing behind her. The moment she was in range of her opponent, she brought down her left hand, cleaving down. Chihiro immediately drew her blade, the force of the iai slash nearly forcing Momo to drop her odachi. Chihiro's blade stopped right in front of her, poised to stab forward when Momo's katana swept over, pushing the stab aside.
Momo leapt back and laughed: "Hey, hey, that stab was aimed right at my heart!"
Chihiro tossed her sheath aside, took her stance, and quietly replied: "It wasn't going to hit you anyway."
In her mind, Momo remarked at how Chihiro had grown over the years. Using two swords let Momo let more aggressive, but it made her stance less stable. A well placed heavy strike would ruin her balance- as was just demonstrated. Chihiro must have decided to open with that iai slash the moment Momo pulled out two swords, and even now Chihiro's hips sat lower than usual, proof that she planned to put more force in than usual. With that in mind...
Momo rushed in, this time swinging both swords in from the sides like a pair of scissors, only for Chihiro to dodge to Momo's left and knock her odachi to the right, towards the katana- once again neutralizing the blow. Momo continued to experiment, testing new things. Above, below, left and right. Each blow was without rhythm or reason, based purely on Momo's instincts, yet no matter what, Chihiro always found the perfect way to strike, sending Momo off balance before she could make use of her speed to overwhelm her opponent.
Once again, Momo stepped back, prompting Chihiro to ask: "No more?"
Momo smiled brightly: "No point, this is your strong suit anyway. I just wanted to get a read on your sword, but that won't work. If I keep trying, I feel like I'll pay for it."
Her smile deepened a bit, tinged with fighting spirit: "So I'm getting serious now!"
As if ignited by her burning hot spirit, flames formed around Momo's body, wrapping around her body and down over her blades. Like the finishing touch of a painting, a plume of red fire blossomed from her left eye- this was her quirk 'When the Snow Melts in the Spring'. She could already feel the strain it put on her body, meaning she had no time to waste.
Momo rocketed towards Chihiro with a single stomp, that odachi once again falling down on her, but this time with the force to split iron and cleave open the earth. Chihiro activated her own quirk and dashed to Momo's right lashing out with even greater speed. Momo pulled back her odachi to block, and to her shock felt a wave of numbness travel up her arm! She had been launched back with a single swing, nearly exiting the sand garden!
Eyes wide in confusion, both girls paused to find the cause- Momo's 'fire' was floating off of her body in bits and pieces, landing on Chihiro's body! No wonder Chihiro seemed so strong- she had her own speed and Momo's strength enhancing power, meanwhile Momo's strength was being stolen. If Momo had won that exchange it would be strange.
Momo's spirited smile turned bashful: "Well, Ah. This is quite the pinch."
Chihiro said nothing, and instead frowned. She clenched her left hand and felt the 'flames' on her body, or more accurately entering her body. With a sigh, she released her quirk, causing the 'flames' to slowly disperse, leaving Momo's fire to return to it's former glory.
Taking her stance one more time, Chihiro flatly declared: "Victory and defeat mean nothing! That part of my quirk was in the way."
A bashful smile reigniting with fighting spirit, Momo felt touched: "Haha. Of course a win like that wouldn't satisfy you. The easy way out doesn't suit either of us."
For the first time in this fight, Chihiro took the initiative, sprinting up to Momo with such speed it felt as if a phantom spawned from thin air. From below, her blade cut upwards, as if aiming to slice Momo in two down the middle. Momo barely managed to meet the incoming blade with her katana, but as unsteady as the strike was Momo easily won the clash, sending Chihiro's blade back down from whence it came.
Momo wasted no time in bringing over her odachi, but Chihiro slipped out of range before the oversized blade could reach her- she was simply too fast. Momo chased after to take back the initiative, but after the first step Chihiro had already slipped back in range, this time on Momo's right side! Once again Momo managed a last second defense and repelled Chihiro, but this time Momo grasped the timing to attack, her odachi raised above her head before Chihiro had even retreated.
Yet it was to no avail, instead of rushing forward again, Chihiro only took another 2 steps back, leaving Momo's odachi to cleave through the air without a target. Seeing that, Chihiro rushed forward again, this time towards Momo's left side, causing Momo to pull back her odachi. In that split second, Momo's eyes widened, as Chihiro had stopped short, her blade aiming where Momo's odachi originally struck down! It was a feint, and the first one Chihiro had used in this fight. Unable to return her odachi in time, she let go of her swords- with less than an inch before it would cut into her chest, Momo had managed to catch Chihiro's blade between her palms!
Pulling Chihiro to the side by her blade, Momo kicked out with her right leg, forcing Chihiro to also abandon her sword. As Chihiro dashed away, Momo flipped around Chihiro's blade to strike, only to find that Chihiro had picked up Momo's katana in return! Once again Chihiro is forced to retreat, and Momo takes that chance to snatch up her odachi. Curiously, Chihiro had dropped her stance.
Chihiro tossed Momo's katana back to her: "Trade."
Nearly laughing out loud, Momo tossed Chihiro's katana back and picked up her own. With that small reprieve behind them, they continued their back and forth. Sometimes Chihiro took the initiative and struck at Momo's blind spots. Sometimes Momo took the initiative and forced Chihiro to flee from her blows. Back and forth, over and over, the two found new ways to attack each time despite their blades flickering in a blur of steel.
Gradually, Momo began to gain the upper hand, her movements slowly adjusting to Chihiro's speed. No. That wasn't right- it was Chihiro that was starting to slow down! Without the draining portion of her quirk, Chihiro was running out of fuel for her super speed. Momo would surely win this way, but she wasn't satisfied- she wasn't even remotely satisfied. After repelling Chihiro one more time, Momo relaxed her stance.
Looking Chihiro in the eyes, Momo directly said what was on her mind: "You didn't want to use your quirk for an easy win, and the same goes for me Chihiro. Before that quirk of yours runs out, let's finish this with one move!"
Chihiro returned Momo's gaze with her own and accepted: "I couldn't ask for more."
Hearing that, Momo's blood began to pump even faster, anticipating the moment they end the match. Under Momo's gaze, Chihiro walked back to where her sheath was and once again sheathed her blade- clearly she was preparing to end the match just how it started. Momo's lips curled up at the thought, and she wasn't the only one. It was very faint, but Momo could see that Chihiro's expression betrayed a very slight smile. Seeing her opponent was ready, Momo stomped forward one final time.
Like a meteor, Momo rushed forward and brought down her odachi. Yet it was early- too early! In smashed into the earth and kicked up a plume of sand, covering Chihiro's vision. Paying it no mind, Chihiro closed her eyes and leaned forward, lowering her body to the onto her right leg as her left knee almost graced the ground. An instant later, Momo emerged from the dust, her katana engulfed in raging flames as it swept across from right to left, leaving a flaming crescent in it's wake! At the same time, Chihiro's eyes snapped open, her blade emerging from the sheath like a bolt of lightning, as if aiming to strike up towards the heavens itself! Racing towards each other, they call out:
"Worship the Moon!" "Waterfall Reversal!"
As the dust settled, the two young warriors stood still for a moment. They had passed by each other, and now they stood with their backs to the each other. In Chihiro's hand, the grasp on her katana loosed. In Momo's left hand, her grip similarly loosed on her odachi, but her right hand tightened, gripping thin air! As the moment ends, Momo's katana comes down from the sky, spinning, and lands between the two with it's blade buried halfway into the sand. Momo's sword had been sent flying out of her hand, and she knew full well that's only because Chihiro aimed for that- she just as easily could have lopped her hand off instead.
In this match, Momo had lost, and Chihiro had achieved victory.
Momo turned around and stabbed her odachi into the sand with it's partner, and Chihiro turned to face her while sheathing her blade. The words 'I've won' hadn't even escaped her lips when Momo spread her arms and wrapped Chihiro up into a tight hug: "Chihiro that was amazing! You'll need to show me how you did that next time- I'm sure I'll have a few things to show you too."
Momo's hug tightened just a bit more, and she whispered: "So, what did you think my swordsmanship? Did it teach you anything?"
Still startled by the sudden hug, Chihiro paused for a few moments before whispering back: "...It was vibrant and full of strength. Your attacks betrayed no hesitation or deceit, only an earnest desire to help me."
Breaking from the hug, Momo hesitantly said: "... Then...?"
Chihiro's hands clung to Momo's for a moment: "I won't abandon the path of a pro hero just yet, but I'll watch seriously and see for myself if Heroes are right or wrong. If they're wrong, then I'll be my own kind of hero, on my own terms."
Momo giggled with delight: "Hehehe, yeah! You've got the right idea, Chihiro. In time you'll see it, I know you will. 'My own kind of hero'. I can't wait for the day."
It was at this point that Hifumi and Shion walked over: "Damn, that was an awesome match. It'd fit right in a movie!" "Mm. He's right, and the friendship you showed after the match was so sweet~"
Momo looked over and laughed boisterously: "You got that right, it was a fight well fought!"
Hifumi laughed back and glanced at Momo: "Why do you sound like you're the one that won?"
Momo proudly declared: "Because after such a great match I feel like a winner! The results don't really matter, right?"
Seeing the two loudest members of the group start chatting, Shion slid up to Chihiro and locked arms with her: "Seems like you got something important from this match. Good for you."
With her usual expressionless face, Chihiro's voice rung back: "Yeah. It was a good match."
Shion's face shifted to mimic a smile: "It's nice to have visitors to the dojo again. Be sure to bring more friends over soon."
A faint warmth appeared on Chihiro's face: "...Mm... I really should..."
After a pause, Shion's smile turned more serious: "And next time let's make sure you have a proper meal to give them. OK?"
Chihiro's eyes avoided eye contact: "...But I like making mountain veggie hot pot... It's my signature dish..."
Eventually, Momo and Hifumi's laughter, Shion's scolding, and Chihiro's grumbling gave way, and the four said their goodbyes. Chihiro watched as they left into the bamboo grove they came in from, her back to the front entrance of the dojo: "I'll see you at school Monday Chihiro!" "I'll be visiting again soon!" "And I'll be back with groceries tomorrow. After I call an electrician."
The last rays of the sun clung to the roof of the dojo, and the signboard hung over Chihiro's head. With a bow, she gracefully sent off her guests: "The Mitsurugi Dojo will never turn away those with the desire to learn and the will to protect. May you find your way to this place again..."
...
...
...
Several hours had passed, and the sun had long since slipped under the horizon. Momo sat on a rough looking futon in her house (if you could call it a house). Hifumi sat with his family, weathering their teasing and looking forward to going to sleep. Chihiro sat before a mirror in her sleepwear, brushing her short hair before bed. However, Shion wasn't anywhere near her bed- instead she had donned an over 2 meter tall set of armor and made her way to the streets near Chihiro's dojo. She was no longer Shion. She was now Aquarius, a vicious and bloody vigilante that bordered on villain- someone that killed villains instead of handing them over to the police.
Nearby was a young woman by the name of Nakata Yumiko- better known by her alias, Walpurgis. She wore a black dress, one more suited to playing the part of a witch in a play (with a matching poofy hat.) In her hands was a heavy scythe made entirely out of metal. She was a mischievous villain that recently gained some fame after a robbery on the highway. What few knew is that Walpurgis had taken an almost obsessive interest in a young heroine with a tragic backstory- Mitsurugi Chihiro. The only who knew were herself, a certain information broker, and Aquarius (who had noticed Walpurgis stalking Chihiro).
Walpurgis rounded a corner into an alleyway caught between two three story buildings. Tidy piles of trash dotted each side of the alleyway and a gutter pipe ran down the side of the building on her right. The building on her left spotted a red emergency stairway with a broken latter cutting off access to the stairway. On the other side of the alleyway, she was greeted by an unsettling sight. Marching towards her with a steady gait was a huge woman in armor with a small metal object in her hand. The woman, Aquarius, was surrounded by a layer of steam than glittered in under the moonlight. Her figure seemed to waver back and forth and the armor gave off a soft glow- both a product of the extreme heat coming off of her body. For a moment, Walpurgis swore she saw a plume of flame leak out of the 'eye's' of the armor- the very sight sent excited chills down her spine.
With a flourish of her scythe, a theatrical pose, and unnaturally deep smile, Walpurgis called out: "What is this, that I see? Is it a challenger, come to test the mettle of the great witch, Walpurgis!? Who might you be, oh warrior of the night? What performance will we play out?"
With the same steady gait, Aquarius coldly declared: "I have no name for you, and I don't care about you name. Dead people don't need names."
Although the armored woman was clearly confident in murdering her, Walpurgis felt no fear. Her quirk let her release a magnetic field. To her, all things metal were her playthings, and the armor in front of her was no exception. She confidently spun her scythe around like a baton and beckoned her foe.
Aquarius was similarly confident and closed the remaining gap in a single bound- a strange liquid rushed out of the liquid in her hand and formed into a watery sword. With that blade in hand, she swung down towards Walpurgis! In return, Walpurgis waved her hand and unleashed her quirk, intending to send the armored vigilante flying. Aquarius's strange sword drew closer and closer- it showed no signs of being affected by the magnetic field! Her confidence was evaporating into panic, Walpurgis hurriedly leapt back, and swung her scythe out in defense, but the scythe was parried and a lighting fast kick from Aquarius caught Walpurgis by surprise.
In their first exchange, Walpurgis was sent flying by Aquarius and screamed out in pain! With a thud, her body made contact with the side of the alley. She had no time to rest however, as Aquarius had already rushed in for a finishing blow! Applying her quirk to her scythe, Walpurgis was pulled out of harm's way by her weapon, earning her a chance to inspect her injury. Looking down at her midsection, she saw a hole in her lovely dress, with a stretch of burnt flesh underneath. It wasn't enough to impair her ability to fight, but the pain was certainly an unwelcome distraction- she had no desire to continue this fight.
Aquarius coldly looked on as her prey clung to her scythe and flew away. Having learned of Walpurgis's quirk from the news, she made ample preparation, using her quirk to mimic a rare liquid compound that had been heated to nearly 900 degrees Celsius, causing her armor to heat up- a necessary act, as metals lose their magnetic qualities if sufficiently heated. She wasn't about to let Walpurgis escape- it was best to finish this in one encounter before her foe could regroup and develop a countermeasure. As such, Aquarius swung out her blade again, this time letting loose the blade of water as a projectile that hit the blade of Walpurgis's scythe.
Coated in a layer of molten slime, the scythe quickly began to heat up, forcing Walpurgis to abandon her ride and return to the alleyway. Before the scythe became too hot to control, she sent it flying towards Aquarius from above, scoring a shallow hit on the left shoulder of her armor. Aquarius wasted no time in resuming her pursuit, while Walpurgis fled and used her quirk to rip a gutter pipe off of sending it towards Aquarius. She punched out at the pipe with her left arm but seemed to get stuck part way through, leaving the pipe to strike her left thigh, leaving a dent- the drawback to her strategy was showing itself. Under the sweltering heat, her armor was no longer vulnerable to Walpurgis's magnetic attacks, but at this heat the metal had become more pliable. More prone to bending and warping when struck, causing the sections of her armor to no longer fit together so perfectly.
This weakness wasn't lost on Walpurgis either. She now looked on at Aquarius, tempted to stage a comeback, but ultimately deterred by her injuries. Flee first and stage her dramatic revenge another day- that was her plan. Aquarius could only rush forward again, seeking to end her prey before her armor gave out, ducking out of the way of a scythe flying from behind.
The mischievous witch, or the enigmatic armored warrior? Which would claim victory? What would come of their late night encounter? The two villainous women could only put their steel to the test and find out... (To be continued...)