A couple of hours later…
Click.
"Rin, Rin, Rin..." Crystal repeatedly called out as she lightly nudged Rin.
"Hmm, what's up Mom?" asked Rin with a yawn as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"I know, we said we'd let you spar Gabriella tomorrow, however, with admissions around the corner, we cannot afford to waste any more time lollygagging. While your future allies and foes are getting stronger with each passing day." Crystal said with a loving yet stern tone as she looked at her son who was still drowsy.
"Okay... Mom, I'll do better but give me like five more minutes," Rin said with a yawn as closed his eyes and went right back to sleep, ignoring everything his mother just said.
'The nerve of this child,' Thought Crystal as she shot daggers at Adam who was chuckling as he leaned on the wall, "So what's so funny, Adam?"
Crystal asked as she left Rin alone and stood before her husband with a smile, but not a smile as Adam realized the mistake he had made and immediately erased the smile on his face.
"Ah, um nothing my dear, I just saw something amusing on social media, which is all..."
"Hmm, okay so when did you start using social media? As this sounds pretty new to me, considering you were never the type to use such apps, Adam."
"Well, um I just downloaded it, considering all the youths seem to be hypnotized by its allure. But so far, it is an interesting app," Adam said without even a trickle of sweat running down his face.
"If you so say... yet how come, I can't see your phone anywhere in your hands?"
"Oh, about that I just put it up actually," Adam said while trying to keep a straight face.
"Hmm, well then don't let me stop you from partaking in such activities," Crystal replied before turning around and waking up, Rin as five minutes already passed.
'I am dead are not I... sigh, talk about self-sabotage at its finest,' Adam thought, "Hopefully, the lord may give me strength so that I may be able to see another day." He muttered as he did a quick prayer.
"… what is it now?" asked Rin with annoyance as he glanced at his mom as this was the second time, they disturbed his slumber.
'Relax, relax he is just a child… plus, who would not get annoyed if someone kept waking them up?' Thought Crystal as he tried not to react like Homer Simpson and strangle her son for his attitude, "Rin, five minutes have already passed, so get the fuck up as it's high time we left!"
"What! How? I just laid my head down to rest?" shouted Rin in disbelief as he could not comprehend how five minutes could have gone by that quickly.
"Well, it has, kiddo… so get up and go freshen yourself up as we're about to go meet up with Eveline and her niece." Adam said before muttering, "Well, speak of the devil, truly my day just keeps getting worse and worse."
As the door of Rin's medical bay opened, and guess who walked in…
"Oh, would you look at this? It seems you even in your sleep, you could stop thinking about me, shouldn't that be a sign Rin, that we are destined to be together?" Gabriella said with a teasing smile as walked openly into Rin's medical bay as her aunty trailed behind her. After being notified by Ashley that Rin woke up.
"Gabriella, if you want me just say it as it is pointless to try and tempt when you can't defeat me," Rin sighed as he got out of bed and walked past Gabriella before being stopped as she grabbed his hand.
"And w… w-what if I say I do, Rin?" whispered Gabriella with a blush as this was the first time, she had ever expressed her feelings to someone.
"Well, then I might just take you up on that offer, if you manage to impress me or at the very least defeat me," Rin replied with a smile as Gabriella let go of his hand and he walked into the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for their spar.
While Gabriella just looked at him with mixed emotions before leaving and traveling toward the location of their spar. Which was an open expanse in a forest near the back mountains.
'Just you wait, Rin Jasper Kurama… for in the end, you shall be mine and mine alone,' Gabriella giggled as she thought back to how handsome Rin looked when he slept and squealed with infatuation.
***
30 minutes later...
"So, are you finally ready to bow down and take me as your wife, Rin? Also, what took you so long?" Gabriella asked after noticing Rin's arrival.
"Honestly, I just want to sleep so maybe, you might just get what you wished… but um, I kind of got lost on my way here," Rin replied, "However, I am here now, so let us get this over with as I need to hurry home and watch the season premiere of Riverside Dragon of the North. Which is about to begin in 25 minutes or so, I believe."
"Hmm, well then I guess we should begin immediately as it won't take me 25 minutes to defeat you," Gabriella stated confidently as she took out a purplish-black great sword that was the same height as her, "So you'll surely be able to catch the broadcasting of your show."
"Well, then what are waiting for," Rin laughed as he summoned Scarlet and inspected Gabriella's weapon, 'Hmm, for a clan that specializes in daggers and short swords, it's quite strange to see someone that's 5'5 wield a great sword and a demonic one at that.'
'Rin, I would advise you to take this fight a bit seriously as that sword is giving me a faint sense of oppression,' Scarlet said to Rin telepathically as the more seals Rin opened the easier it became for him to stay awake longer, have shorter rest periods, and provide Rin with timely assistance in mastering the way of the scythe.
'Hmm, so it seems the Shinobi Clan came prepared, huh? Hopefully, through this fight, I will be able to nurture Scythe Intent finally?' Rin thought as he gazed at Gabriella and smiled, "Hmm, what a nice location to commit a murder?"
He muttered as he looked around at the place where they were sparing which was in the center of the cherry blossom forest.
"I know right, what an excellent place to bury a nuisance such as yourself, before dragging you back from the dead and making you, my husband."
"Silence! Now let me explain the rules, this is but a spar to gain an understanding of each other's weaknesses and strengths! So, all forbidden, instant kill, secret, and strengthening techniques are not eligible for use, do you both understand?!" An Elder of the Shinobi Clan said calmly as he stood in between Rin and Gabriella.
"Yes!" Rin and Gabriella shouted as they took their respective stances and waited for the signal to begin.
"Well then good luck and I hope through this battle, you both can grow closer not only as peers but also as lovers!" The Elder smiled as disappeared and the sound of a dong could be heard in the distance.
Commencing the start of their spar…
Boom. Boom. Boom.
With every clash of their weapons, the terrain changed as trees were uplifted and cherry blossom leaves flew in the air. While miniature craters were left wherever they appeared as they moved from one place to another erratically with no care for the environment like wild beasts, who sought the blood of their enemies on the battlefield.
Instead of two future classmates helping one another get better just like the old saying, "iron sharpens iron."
Meanwhile...
As the two future lovers and rivals took this time to assess each other as they resorted to the basics of combat. Eveline tried to use this as an opportunity to spark conversation with Adam and Crystal.
"So… um, is everything all right as you two seem a bit nervous?" Eveline asked as she walked over to the couple who just glanced at her for a moment before turning their attention back to the fight at hand, "… okay, I guess I'll just leave y'all be."
"Truly something else..." The Elder overseeing the spar muttered as he shook his head with a sigh as spar might not be the correct term anymore to consider Rin and Gabriella's current situation.
Considering both fought as if they wanted the other's life, completely disregarding what he said earlier.
Even though neither broke any of the rules he told them surprisingly, since neither wanted to back down. Which was commendable, but to what extent as neither wanted to let the other gain control of the battle.