"What's going on here? You two..."
How am I supposed to answer that? This girl... Yuni? She just came up and challenged me to something. What did she say it was again?
"Ah, Maria! You heard me, I'm challenging Mimin to a friendly battle!"
Friendly battle, that's what it's called. Although, this seems like anything but friendly! What is she talking about?
"But... Why? She's new here, so-"
"-That doesn't matter! There's something I want her to do, so that's why I'm doing this!"
Hm? She wants me to do something? After approaching me like this and showing no manners to me at all? This girl says some interesting things...
"Maria, please explain what's going on."
"Well... What Yuni is saying is, she's challenging you to a fight."
I see... So this is a chance for me to show her who's stronger. In that case...
"I'll gladly accept it!"
"Eh? But, are you sure? I haven't even fully explained what a friendly battle is..."
"It's just a fight she wants, right? That explanation can wait, then."
I don't care who this Yuni person is. I'm going to teach her a lesson, right now. For directing her bloodlust at me ever since yesterday... I'll make her regret it, just a little bit.
"Hm? What's wrong? Are you okay? You're starting to shiver a little bit, you know?"
"T-That's not it! I'm just... It's gotten a l-little cold all of a sudden, that's all!"
Hmph. She can't even handle this much... Oh, right. Are there any rules for this kind of fighting?
"Maria, what are we supposed to do for this... Friendly battle?"
"Ah, right, I should explain. How this works is, basically, whoever lands three hits on the opponent first, wins. You're allowed to use wooden weapons, if you need one."
"What about magic?"
"About that, well... Can you use water magic?"
"Yes."
"That's good, then."
I see... So this is some kind of training, it seems? A battle between two people, where nobody gets hurt too badly. That may be why only wooden weapons and water magic is allowed.
"Now... Are you both sure you want to do this?"
"Of course I am!"
"Yes."
"Haah... Alright, then. Please go over there, to that empty space."
Well, I'll be going now... Mina, Sebas, and Lance, seem worried for me somehow. I'm sure I'll be fine!
----------
Nn... A little bit of stretching before the battle starts, and... I'm ready. Everyone is going to be watching, too... Prepare yourself, Yuni!
"First person to land three hits, wins. Starting... Now!"
Oh? She's approaching me? Instead of staying at a distance and using water magic, she's swinging her shortsword at me?
"Hyah!"
Oh, she's not bad. As expected of a rabbit beastkin, she certainly is fast. Now...
"Stop dodging already!"
"Isn't that kinda the point?"
I'm still much faster, unfortunately for her. I didn't pick a wooden weapon, though, since I've never learned to use any. So, I need to hit her with water magic if I want to win this.
*swoosh*
"Woah! That was close..."
Concentrate, Mimin! This isn't the time to be thinking about pointless things!
*swoosh* *whoosh*
"I can't hit..."
"Stop swinging that thing around, will you?"
"Isn't that kinda the point!?"
Uwah... Her footsteps are hard to read... She's not as easy to beat as I thought she is, and she keeps forcing me to step away from her. Wait, what am I staying so close to her for? I can just run away and... Water bullet!
"Woah!"
There! An opening! Aiming at her legs worked! She's not getting away... Water bullet! Keep shooting water magic at her!
"Ah! Stop shooting at me!"
...I hate to admit it, but I'm way too inaccurate with this. She's fast, and I'm not used to this kind of battle. She's just going to continue dodging at this rate.
"Water bullet!"
Woah! Now she decides to use water magic? This is... bad! She's already closing in the distance between us!
"Hyah!"
"Ack!"
That's one hit... How is she managing to keep up with me? Was she only just getting serious?
*swoosh*
Ah! That's close! But... I can't keep dodging forever. I have to maintain a distance and aim my water magic better... Actually, let's end this right now!
Just keep running away, and... focus on gathering my magic, and form a wall... Water barrage! Overwhelm her with a flood of projectiles!
"What... I can't avoid that..."
Why was I even trying to aim when I could've just done this!? I don't have to be efficient with my magic, I just have to hit her three times! And... Release!
...Eh? She's not even trying to dodge? But I can't stop it now.
"That's enough!"
As Maria said that, a barrier covered Yuni, from the large amount of water magic I just used.
"Yuni has surrendered. Mimin wins this match!"
...
After the friendly battle ended, however, nobody is saying anything. This awkward silence... And now everyone's attention is on me again. Great.
"I... Lost."
"That was a nice fight. Thanks, Yuni."
"...You're lying. You weren't even being serious during that. You didn't even try to use your hands, to hit me, the entire fight."
Eh? What? I'm allowed to do that?
"N-No, that's not it! I didn't know I was allowed to punch you... Anyway! It was a nice fight, really!"
After I said that, she didn't respond with anything. Did I overdo it at the end? I hope not... Ah, she's holding out her hand.
"What's this?"
"A handshake. Thanks for the fight, Mimin."
"S-Sure..."
I take her hand, and she starts shaking it up and down. So, this is a handshake? I'll remember this...
"Then, since I lost the friendly battle... Go ahead, Mimin. What do you want from me?"
"Eh?"
"For winning the friendly battle, you get to ask me for a favour. That's how friendly battles work."
Oh, I see. But, I don't have anything to ask from Yuni, though. We've only just met each other, because she challenged me... Oh!
"Then, please tell me why you wanted to challenge me in the first place. What did you want from me, if you had won instead?"
"Ah... Well... You see..."
Now she's being really polite, and quiet, all of a sudden. What happened to the rude, and loud, Yuni from before the battle?
"I wanted you to stay away from Mina."
"...Huh? Why?"
"Because! My sister... Luni... She became friends with Mina yesterday, and... I wanted to give her more chances to talk to Mina, so..."
Is that what this is all about? I guess... Yeah. Now that I think about it, I have been spending a lot of time with Mina, haven't I?
"I'm sorry, for bothering you... Excuse me."
"Ah, wait! Why can't the four of us can be friends together?"
"Because... Luni doesn't talk well with other people. She says that Mina was a different case. Now, if you'll excuse me."
"Wait!"
Ah, she's gone. I didn't get to ask why. She's together with another rabbit beastkin now, who looks similar to her. I assume that's Luni, then.
It seems like she really doesn't want to talk now. I'll remember to visit their room later, with Mina! Hopefully we can all become friends!