Sturm and Magnolia stood in the middle of the training field, facing down Max and Gustavo across the center line. It had been over a week since the Third Hunter Team inducted its newest member and was finally brought to full strength. However, this was the group's first proper sparring session. Off to the side of the field, Captain Scharf leaned against his usual tree.
Speaking through gritted teeth that held a cigarette in place, Scharf explained the rules. "No aberrances beyond your basic physicality. That means no claws, Allemann."
Max sighed in disappointment. "Come on, captain! What's the point in training if we can't go hard?!"
"To test your limits," Scharf explained, "You never know what will happen in combat. All knight candidates must be just as comfortable disarmed as they are with a weapon."
"Besides," added Magnolia, "You broke our weapons and they've yet to be replaced by the academy, you damned fool."
Chucking nervously, Max took a step back. "Oh, right... you guys need those, huh?"
"Perhaps not as much as you need your claws," Magnolia taunted, "Since I seem to recall Sturm sending you flying without the use of his sword."
Unamused, Max shifted his jaw. "Big talk for three on one...", he groaned.
"Enough chatter!" growled the captain, "If you have something to prove, then prove it. Hit the ground, you're still in. Stay down for more than five seconds, you're out. Otherwise, you stay in until you give up. When both you and your teammate are out, you lose."
Max cracked his knuckles before giving Sturm a cocky grin. "Ready, buddy?"
Returning a simple nod, Sturm mentally prepared himself for battle. Despite Magnolia's confidence, he knew that Max was no pushover. Further complicating the situation, this was the first time that he had gone against Gustavo. While it was clear that his abilities weren't focused on physical combat, Sturm knew better than to underestimate any exceptional.
Without warning, Scharf's voice interrupted Sturm's inner planning. "Begin!"
Sparing not a second, Max opened up with an aggressive high kick that zipped just over Magnolia's head. The attack came out with such speed that the wind generated by it blew the girl's hair as Max's foot passed over the top of her. Though Magnolia initially thought she had avoided the assault, she looked up in shock at the realization that she was never the intended target. Indeed, Sturm had barely succeeded in blocking Max's foot with his forearm. Magnolia quickly collected herself and, seizing the opportunity, swept Max's foot off of the ground. With one leg already in the air, the girl's counterattack caused him to tumble back. However, before he hit the ground, Max caught himself with his hands and redirected himself into a backflip.
Just as Max steadied himself, he found Sturm immediately rushing toward him. He lashed out once, then again, both with a closed fist. Max was successful in defending against both punches but recoiled under the force of the blows. As his opponent stumbled back, Sturm lunged forward once more, prepared to deal a powerful, decentralizing punch. Shockingly, before he could make contact with Max, Magnolia knocked Sturm off balance from behind. Taking her stunned teammate's place, the girl attempted a high kick, but it was easily avoided by the faster and more experienced Max.
"Magnolia, what the hell?!" growled Sturm.
He looked up to see Max dodging each and every one of her subsequent attacks. Before Sturm could intervene once more, Gustavo grabbed him around the neck from behind and used his free hand to lock up the boy's left arm.
Under the strain of Gustavo's arm choking off his air supply, Sturm groaned, "S-shit..."
Quickly tiring herself out to no positive gain, Magnolia dropped to her hands and knees. She panted deeply as Max stood over her triumphantly.
"You done, princess?" Max teased, certain of his victory.
Magnolia said nothing but dug her fingers firmly into the ground. Just as Max approached to get a closer look, she sprung up and flung the dirt and grass into his face. Temporarily blinded, Max flinched from the sting of the soil in his eyes and covered his face with his arm.
"Damn it!" he cried, "You bitch!"
Flashing a satisfied smirk, Magnolia leaped forward and, with all of her might, struck Max in the side of his jaw. However, to the girl's shock, his head barely moved. It was like punching a tree.
With Magnolia's fist still firmly planted into his cheek, Max opened his reddened, irritated eyes and shot her a self-assured grin. "Well, ya got heart..."
"Be less concerned about my heart and more about your brain," said Magnolia, her initial look of surprise giving way to one of twisted confidence.
"The hell's that supposed to-" Max's train of thought was suddenly cut short by a sharp pain shooting through his head.
He yelped in agony, jerking himself back and away from the girl in a panic. Frantically, Max palmed at his temples in an attempt to soothe the pain, but to no avail. With Gustavo distracted by his teammate's cry, Sturm seized on to opportunity to shift his weight forward, flipping his assailant over his head. Long grey coat trailing behind him as he careened through the air, Gustavo was sent crashing into the ground with a heavy thud. Knocked from atop his head by his suddenly being tossed, the boy's woolen ski cap dropped onto the ground next to his stunned body.
Finally free of the choke hold, Sturm panted and heaved as he tried to catch his breath. "S-sorry..." he gasped, empathetic of his friend who now lay before him.
"Gustavo!" Max hollered before another pain ran through his frontal lobe like a needle. Doubled over, he clutched his head and directed his agonized fury back to Magnolia. "W-what the hell did you d-do to me?"
"Aw, what's wrong?" the girl asked with a taunting giggle, "Did you think me helpless without my violin?"
The pain quickly overwhelmed Max and he fell back into the grass on his rear. Certain of her victory, Magnolia stepped on his ankle and forced all of her weight down on it.
With a wicked grin, she twisted her foot in a clear attempt to cause the boy more harm. "Are you quite done, Maximilian?"
Suddenly, Scharf called out from the sidelines, "Magnolia! You're finished, sit down!"
Taken aback, Magnolia turned to face the captain. "What?! And why, pray-tell, would that be?!"
"You don't know how to follow instructions, so you're done!" he snapped back annoyedly, "Now sit down!"
"But I didn't-"
The captain cut Magnolia's protests short. "Get over here, now!"
Defeated, Magnolia stepped off of Max's foot and slinked over to the sidelines. She then brushed away a few spent cigarette butts from the dirt and sat on her knees next to Scharf.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" the captain asked, glaring down at her from his one eye.
Magnolia said nothing and refused to look up at him.
"You used your aberrance in front of me after I specifically told you not to." he continued.
"I did no such-"
Scharf immediately cut the girl off once more. "Stop lying to me!"
Ego bruised, Magnolia angrily gripped her knees. After a moment of silence, Scharf dropped the smoldering stump of another cigarette next to her leg and stomped it out.
With the anger finally boiling over within her, Magnolia whipped her head around and beamed upward at Scharf with piercing rage evident in her gleaming emerald eyes. "What?!"
"You know 'what'," he growled. "You rattled his brain."
Sarcastically, Magnolia shot back, "Well, I did punch him in the head. I was under the impression that you still had one working eye."
Scharf let out a deep sigh and looked back out over the field. "Yes, and he just happened to feel it seven seconds after impact?"
Face cherry red, Magnolia put her head down and remained silent.
"Disobey me again and you can spend the rest of the week on 'housekeeping'," Scharf explained with aggravation, "Lie to me again and you can start over next year."
Hidden under her bangs, the girl gritted her teeth. She was close to erupting, but just barely managed to hold on.
Back on the field, Gustavo struggled to get off the ground. He attempted to push himself back up with his arms but to no avail. Dropping back down once more, the boy rolled himself onto his back.
Stepping forward, Sturm looked down at him. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah..." replied Gustavo, grimacing, "Just got my shoulder pretty good... I think I'm done."
Sturm extended his gloved hand in an offer of assistance. Taking it firmly, Gustavo hoisted himself off the ground and steadied himself with Sturm's arm. After breathing deeply for a moment, he turned and made his way off of the field. With Gustavo eliminated, Sturm shifted his attention back to Max, who had himself just managed to rise onto his feet.
Max shook his head, the ringing in his ears gradually dissipating. "Man, what the hell was that?"
Sturm shrugged. "Guess she still had a few surprises up her sleeve."
"More like she's a cheater..." groaned Max, rubbing his head.
Finally righting himself, he stood tall across from Sturm. They were the last two competitors standing, and the outcome of their duel would determine the result of the battle. For Max, this was a chance to even the score after his defeat earlier in the month.
"Max!" Scharf called out from the sideline, "Claws out!"
"What?" asked Max with a puzzled look, "But..."
"That's an order!" the captain snapped back.
Max stared down at his wrists, hesitant. Seeing the reservation in the boy's face and seeking to avoid conflict with their captain, Sturm returned an accepting nod.
"Alright..." said Max under his breath.
His spiny, spade-like claws then swiftly tore forth from his sleeves, slightly tearing the fabric of his cuffs. Max then took an offensive stance with one claw forward as he stared down his opponent.
"Let's go, buddy..."
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