by Billy Wong
"Is your mom as girly as you, though?"
"She says I remind her of herself in her younger days, so maybe she was. Your associating being a good fighter with not being girly is flawed anyway, there's no rule saying you have to be rough or masculine to know how to fight. Besides, a big part of why you think I'm that girly is probably my voice. That's just natural and nothing one should go out of their way to disguise, and doesn't mean anything."
"Haha, nice lecture. I suppose you're right." He looked curiously at her arms. "How do you wield such a heavy weapon though, is it through the aid of magic? You don't look near that strong."
"Are you trying to pry again already?" She winked. "I may want to be friends with you, but that doesn't mean you get free access to all the secrets of Pow Pow power!"
"Alright, I'll respect the mysteries of a lady. A warrior does well not to leave everything about themselves out in the open."
"What about you, where did you get your skills from if you don't mind? You may not look as harmless as me, but you're significantly more dangerous than an average carpenter's son."
He looked down. "It was a little similar to how I ended up coming here. My parents had me trained in hopes of teaching me discipline to control my deadly urges."
"Deadly urges like when you tried to kill Meg? Did they come from anything in particular, or have you always had them?"
Rupert hesitated, as it hurt just to think about it. But he had a sense Peggy was someone he could talk to about this, and said, "They first manifested when I was much younger, and my best friend at the time—yes, I actually had one—died trying to protect me from a bully when he hit his head on a rock after being shoved. In my rage, I stuck my thumb into his killer's eye socket and dragged him down by it, then beat his brains out with the same rock. I got away with it due to being small and my parents arguing it as self defense, but it was clear even to them my propensity for bloodlust could prove to be trouble. Hence I have extensive combat training at this point, but the restraint part of it didn't quite take as much as they'd have liked."
"Sorry to hear about your friend, it must have been hard especially being so young. Flying into a rage at a friend's killer doesn't seem as unreasonable as trying to kill Meg over a fistfight, though?"
"I developed a compulsion from that experience which leads to potentially greater overreactions. My friend died because I lost the initial scuffle with the bully, and since then my mind is adamant whenever I get into a fight, I cannot accept defeat and must win by any means necessary."
Her eyes grew unnerved. "You can't control it at all? Like I mean, if you and Meg got into a fight now, would you still try to kill her even though you're friends?"
It took him a while to answer. "I'm... not sure. I haven't even had friends since then let alone fought them to test that specific hypothetical out. But due to it, I've avoided getting close to anyone else in the first place."
"Are you sure that's the reason? I imagine people shunned you after hearing you killed another boy, and maybe you just kind of gave up and stopping trying to make friends while telling yourself you didn't need them. Or you were afraid to be hurt again like you were by losing a friend."
"Hey, since when do you know me so well as to be second guessing my motives? But you could have a point."
"It's been nice talking to you." She grinned. "On our next day off, before the tournament, we should head into the city and go shopping!"
"What?! Don't you have plenty of girls you can shop with, why would you want a fashion-blind guy to come along?"
She laughed. "That's exactly why I want to try it, it could be fun! And uh, offer a fresh perspective."
"I sense I might play the role of bumbling oaf for you to mock with your girlfriends after. But since I enjoyed talking with you too, I accept."
#
After hearing that Rupert and Peggy would be taking a trip to town together, Meg pouted on the school rooftop with Patrick. "What's wrong," he asked, "we're not jealous are we?"
"No! But as my understudy, Diamond Fang feels the Breastslayer should be focused on our goals rather than some flaky girl."
"Speaking in third person? Besides, I'm sure he won't be too distracted considering he barely does anything else."
"For now, but who knows what she'll get him into?" She smiled. "Still, it could be worse. At least that girl is a warrior like us, if perhaps not as serious."
"She sure hits hard though. I wonder if those skinny arms are really that strong, or magic augments her power."
"I'm sure we'll find out in the long run. In the meantime, let's just hope Rupert thinks of us and brings something back from his shopping trip for me." She heard Patrick sigh, and laughed.
Chapter 7
On their next free morning, Rupert headed with Peggy into Ostuh City with its tall densely packed buildings which he had only seen in passing on the way to school grounds. Despite being a native of the country, he was impressed anew by the capital, particularly its abundant streetlights to light it brilliantly even after nightfall and immense Tower of the Council accessible by a tram that ran on a thin rail to the entrance a ways up its side. Many navigated the streets on sleek bicycles, which would provide for a more expedient journey through the expansive city than walking. Peggy led him into dozens of clothing and accessory shops, browsing them and moving on to the next at dizzying speed except when something caught her fancy.
"Do the shoulders on this dress make me look fat?" she asked once after emerging from a dressing room clad in said article.
"I don't think any clothes could make you look fat, being so tiny."
She giggled. "That's a cute, innocent way to see it. But I mean the fluff on the shoulders, don't they make me look bulkier than usual?"
"It makes you look a tad more imposing, though you're still four feet tall."
"Four foot ten! The way you think is a change of pace from my girlfriends though, I like it! And I guess having some 'imposing' outfits isn't a bad thing, so I'll take it."
The day went on like this, Rupert giving his uneducated opinion about fashion and Peggy being amused by it. "Do these earrings look good or are they too gaudy?" she asked of a pair of hoop ones she tried on.
"They seem way too big to me. In a fight, they could be a prime target for someone to pull and rip your ear apart."
"Eww, nasty! Why would you bring something like that to mind on a pleasant shopping trip? I'm not one to be getting into a lot of fights. On second thought, I did just get in one recently albeit against monsters... you have a point with a murderer running around campus, so I'll shy away from those."
They took a break from visiting stores to enjoy sandwiches at an outdoor table of a quaint little eatery. The small umbrella sticking up from the middle didn't provide much defense from the sun, but was cute at least. "How are you enjoying this so far?" Peggy asked in the midst of devouring her sandwich. How did she stay so slim with that type of appetite... maybe she trained really hard to burn enough of it off, appearances to the contrary aside, or it could just be her nonstop activity.
"It's been good. I've never gone shopping with a girl outside my family before, so it's held my curiosity at least. And your thoughts on my probably questionable aid in decision-making?"
"I'm sure my friends will have a field day with the items you favored based on practicality in a fight and looking intimidating. But it's fine, men are people too and the warrior image is in these days. So adding some outward fierceness to my look might only help."
He smiled. "Perhaps you can even start a new trend, 'small and fierce.'"
"Your friend Diamond Fang might have something to say about that."
"Nah, she doesn't care much about fashion other than trying to look taller, so I doubt she'd take offense."
They resumed exploring stores after lunch. Rupert offered to carry Peggy's bags as they grew in number, thinking it was something a gentleman "should" do, but she replied, "No need, this is all my stuff so I don't see why somebody
else should be burdened with them. Besides, I'm not a girl with normal strength so..."
As evening approached, Peggy's arms laden with a plethora of sacks by now, he asked, "Where are you even going to put all that? There isn't much storage space in the dorm, at least that's what my experience and Charlene's griping leads me to believe."
"I'll find a way. Besides, not all of this is for me, some of it is for my friends."
Some of the things she hadn't asked for input on, he imagined. That also reminded him of something. Darn, "I had thought to get something for Meg and Patrick too to show my appreciation, but forgot about it until now and it's already getting late."
"How considerate of you, guy with no friends. But it is really common practice for a man to buy clothes for another man? You don't want to give the wrong idea... and do you even know their sizes?"
"Um, I'd think Meg is pretty close to you, a little bigger but something with a loose fit for you would probably be just right for her. I wasn't necessarily planning to get them clothes though, just a gift of any sort."
Peggy touched her chin. "In that case, I think I have enough new garments for one day. Let's go somewhere where there might be more to appeal to your friends." She took him down into the basement of one of the tall buildings, where they entered what turned out to be a shop full of racks and racks of swords, knives, axes, polearms, bows and other armaments along with related gear such as whetting stones and sheaths.
"Wow," he said, "I didn't think you'd be familiar with a weapons store around here already."
"Why not? I'm a fighter too, just because I don't usually flaunt it doesn't mean I wouldn't keep myself informed in case of need. Anyway, in addition to getting something for your friends, maybe you can find yourself a new weapon beyond some flimsy knife too while you're here."
"I don't know, the school staff might not be happy about me wearing a visible weapon when they confiscated my last one for a reason."
"You're right." She paused dramatically. "But then, that's part of why I brought you here! This isn't just your usual weapons store—it has some special selections which, while not as magical as mine, are made to be carried without drawing much notice."
Rupert got a new whetstone for Patrick as he'd overheard that he had lost his and currently shared Meg's. The gift he found for Meg turned out to be an article of clothing after all. Because she liked to surprise opponents with her attacks, he figured a pair of boots with hidden blades a good fit, with the added bonus that their thick bottoms would add to her apparent height. Choosing a new weapon for himself proved the biggest challenge, as looking among the axes on display he didn't see any he could readily conceal with his uniform.
"Does it have to be an axe?" Peggy asked.
"I've been trained to use a variety of weapons, but I prefer something with a blade but that can also work well against armor."
"Hmm, that is a bit difficult." She paused in thought. "You could probably carry an axe head by itself in a holder under your shirt without it being too obvious, right?"
"I'd think so since the shirt isn't overly tight, but how does that help? Just an axe head alone without a haft wouldn't be of much use."
"I'm getting an idea... hold on." She went to talk with the burly long-haired man behind a counter at the front of the store, then came back. "He's agreed to make you a custom order."
"What? But I didn't ask for one."
"I asked for you. Don't worry, if you don't approve you can always not pay and that'll be the end of it. I think you'll like it, though! What I proposed was an axe head with a spring-loaded clamp, which can latch onto the end of a stick or any similar object to use as a haft. That way you can just carry the head around and have a full axe when needed. There may not always be sticks lying around, but I'm sure you can usually find a chair you can break a leg off or something."
It was a novel idea, but... "Won't I not be used to the balance if I have to use random objects for the handle?"
"A true warrior doesn't need to be intimate with every weapon he uses, just adjust as you go. I mean, not that I'm one to speak with my trademark Lolipop, but still. Besides, if it's that big an issue you can always pretend to have been injured in training and carry around a stick whose balance you like as a cane."
"That act sounds hard to keep up... and seems a short term solution unless I pretend to be eternally hurt." He exhaled. "But I suppose this would be better than having no axe. If the fee isn't exorbitant, go ahead." After discussing the price with the owner, Rupert handed over the coin for Meg and Patrick's gifts and his special order. Somebody would have to come pick it up when it was ready, but Peggy said she would take care of that. "Thanks for the offer, but are you sure? I wouldn't want you going too far out of your way for me."
"No worries, I come out to the city all the time so it's just a matter of stopping by here. Anyway it's getting late, so let's get ourselves a nice dinner before going back to school sweet school."
#
In the mini-theatre the next day before anyone else arrived for the tournament, Rupert told Meg and Patrick everything that'd happened. "You just started talking," Meg said while inspecting her new bladed boots, "and she already got that much from you? You didn't tell us about your childhood until we were friends for a month."
"She does have a rather disarming personality," Patrick replied, "as is evident from her already being one of the most popular students after a couple months here."
"I don't pay attention to things like that."
"Sure you do, miss student council president."
Meg grumbled, "Don't give me that look like you think I'm jealous! I was one of the most popular in my first months too."
"Yeah, but you had a reputation already. For her to come in as a relative unknown..."
"I became president in my first semester, so unless she does the same I'm still more accomplished. Moving on to other things, thanks for the gift Rupert. These thick heels and soles are just about right without being too big and clumsy."
"I have a keen eye, I just looked at your shoes and estimated from them."
Patrick smiled. "Thanks for the whetstone. I kept putting off getting a new one with all I have to do, but now we finally have a spare again in case Meg loses hers. By the way, did you get Elliot anything?"
He shook his head. "No, I thought that might be awkward since he still seems to feel like the one who owes something to me."
"Huh," Meg said. "I don't know, might be the best way to put your relationship on more even footing is for you to initiate it."
"Maybe. I'm new to all this though, so forgive me for being hesitant."
"You're forgiven. Speaking of which, try to act more firm when giving any judges' decisions today, instead of looking ambivalent like last time."
"It was a hard fight to call. I would've given it to the girl if I knew she was about to die... but then if I had known that, I would have followed her to the restroom to prevent it instead."
Her gaze fell. "Let's definitely hope nothing like that happens again." Then she clenched a fist. "On second thought, it would be good if continuing the tourney did lure him out, as long as he doesn't succeed in claiming any more victims. Ideally, I would like for him to meet this fist..." A small one to be sure, but Rupert knew firsthand that those scarred, calloused knuckles packed a wallop.
Little by little the scheduled participants showed up, followed by the audience—the attendance significantly lower, but they'd expected as much after that harrowing event. When everyone save for potential latecomers had arrived and the first match was set to begin, however, a figure leapt on stage before either combatant could. It was Charlene, who spun to face the judges' table and Meg beside it with her spear in hand. "Even after the death of your friend, you still insist on promoting this violence? I, Charlene Lyonesse, will not stand by and allow you to stay this course!"
"What the hell are you doing?" Patrick snapped behind her. "I understand if you're upset about Lisa's death, we all are. But
you didn't even know her! She probably would've wanted us to go on with our lives, and not stop what we're doing for her sake. Besides, if we let that vile murderer's actions dissuade us, we'd be giving in to fear. You want the Free Fangs, who have faced down mammoth monsters and professional warriors before, to bend before some insane student? Let him come, and brave death if he dares." Rupert hadn't known Patrick to be capable of such a fiery speech, but then some of the Diamond Fang's spunk might rub off on him.
"Spew your idealistic nonsense all you want. It may be true a few of you can defend yourselves, but can you ensure the safety of all? By gathering so many here, all you do is provide an abundance of warm bodies for the killer to target. And for what, so you can keep encouraging the school to embrace your interests?"
Meg fixed her with a cold look. "All right, you've had your say. Now get off our stage."
"Your stage? It doesn't belong to you. It belongs to this educational institution, whose purpose you've forgotten. But fine. If words won't work, I'll stoop to your level and speak to you in a language you understand." She pointed her spear at Rupert. "Breastslayer, I challenge you for the fate of this tournament! If you win, you're free to carry on. But if I win, the show is over. Do you accept?"
"Why him?" Peggy asked. "He isn't even leader of the clubs, it doesn't make sense."
Meg answered her aloud. "Charlene, you sly female dog. You request him as your opponent because you predict it to be win-win—if you're the victor, obviously you'll get your way, and if he is, you expect the fight will be brutal enough to draw scrutiny to our event so it'll get shut down either way. Slightly admirable of you to risk yourself. There's one problem. As Peggy pointed out, Rupert is just another club member helping us, while I am the founder and head of all three battle clubs. So if you insist on fighting a representative of ours, you will be facing me."