Chapter Six: Girl Who Cried, Death And Memories

Meld and Fumiko had been clashing swords for a while now. Although it was only Fumiko attacking, Meld sticking to his promise of not attacking.

Meld also gathered a few things from this little bout between them. Fumiko had a very aggressive fighting style, constantly attacking, and Meld guessed that if he was attacking back she would take hits just get her attack in.

People with this type of fighting style either had two things happen to them. They all started with a lot of hatred for the world, or just people in general, and that's why they focused so much on getting damage in.

And they either lived long enough to get rid of that anger and fight more rationally, increasing their chance of survival and most of the time made them a more dangerous opponent. As they could switch between the styles of rational and planned movement to pure rage filled attacks with no rhyme or reason.

Or, they would let their anger consume them and they would die early. Despite this, they were good to have on your side of the battle as they would do whatever it took to kill some more. Even if they lost a limb and had holes in them, as long as they could move us would attack.

He hoped Fumiko would develop into the former rather than the latter, for her sake.

He had also learned how to cancel the build up of power from her hits. He just had to deflect her sword, and make it hit something else. For now he would make her sword hit the ground because there was nothing else around.

He also noticed that although slowly, she was improving. Whether this is by not showing her back anymore or by subconsciously moving her sword to a defensive position when he stops her chain of attacks.

He also noted that she didn't seem to be using any other of the Seven Orbs, so far Wrath was the only one that had made an appearance. Although he guessed it made sense, as far as he knew the others didn't help in combat directly.

"That's enough." Meld said as her sword clashed against his for… he didn't know how many times, he wasn't keeping count.

Fumiko, after that, immediately dropped her sword and collapsed on her back onto the ground.

Actually now that Meld looked at her, she was covered in sweat, her hair and clothes sticking to her body. It made sense, as far as he knew she hadn't held a sword before, and that would be an intense sparring session for someone of her level of strength.

Meld didn't say anything as he went over to the side of the grounds, as Fumiko lay on the ground taking rapid breaths to cool down and catch her breath, although she was trying to slow her breathing.

While Fumiko lay on the ground catching her breath Meld walked back over, handing her a flask of water.

Fumiko took it immediately and greedily started drinking it. Before it was all gone she poured the last bit of it on her head just to cool herself down, not like it would make a difference in her appearance, she was already sweating a lot.

Thinking of her appearance, Fumiko felt ashamed of it. All of the people she had met so far hadn't had anything wrong with their appearance, they were all handsome or beautiful while she was just ugly. She would be the female version of the beast from beauty and the beast, except she didn't think she would ever transform into a prince, or princess in this case.

Meld took notice of Fumiko's sudden downtrodden mood, but chose not to comment on it. Instead he spoke, to get her mind off whatever she was thinking about and because they needed to discuss about her training. He could just give her a regimen to do, but it would be better to have her input. To see where she thought she stood and how she wanted to improve.

"So, what did you learn from that spar?" Meld asked. Curiosity was the only word he would use to describe what he was feeling. He wondered what she would say about the little bout they had.

Fumiko took a breath as she spoke. "I learned… that you're much stronger than me." Fumiko said outright and honestly. "And that… I'm weak… that I need to get stronger." Fumiko finished as she took breaths in between talking.

Meld nodded his head in agreement. "What about the sword? How did it feel to hold it? Use it? Was it easy? Hard? Did it feel natural?" Meld asked in quick succession.

Fumiko took a moment to process his questions before answering them. "It felt a bit weird at first, but I got used to it. It was a bit heavy, but I'm not really strong so that's expected. It was difficult to use at first and then it got easier as time went on, I sort of just followed my instinct on what to do." Fumiko answered in earnest honesty.

Meld nodded his head, expecting an answer like that. After all, he could see how she improved during the little bout. It wasn't much improvement in terms of skill, but he did see a great improvement in how she handled the sword. Some might classify them as the same thing, but Meld thought differently. And he believed that if she continued to improve at the rate she showed before, then she could at least be up to the level of an elite before the humans even got word of her.

Although that was thinking that she would be in the castle during all that time. But to Meld, who knew Zerad, he knew Fumiko would probably already be on the battlefield by the weeks end if Zerad laid off the pressure Meld knew he was going to put on Fumiko.

Meld looked at Fumiko before asking a question, seeing as she didn't look like she was going to pass out anymore. Although he wouldn't force her if she didn't want to. "You want one more spar? I won't fight back, but I want to see how different you approach this fight from the first time."

Fumiko looked at meld through her glasses, which somehow hadn't fallen off but had a tiny crack in them. "Okay." She replied as she got up her long hair going down to her waist with even more bits tangled together than before.

She picked back up her sword and Meld did the same.

He then went back into his position in the centre of the training ground, the same relaxed stance which showed that even though she had improved a bit, she would still not cause a challenge to him.

Instead of charging in without a plan like she did last time, Fumiko decided to take her time. She was still a bit tired from the previous bout and getting a look at him from all angles could be good for her.

Meld watched as Fumiko picked up her sword. She did a test swing with it before she started to walk around him, getting closer every few seconds.

Meld didn't know what Fumiko was doing this time. It seemed she was going to use her brain for this one. Although maybe her Wrath would consume her? And then she would be nothing but an insane teenager for however long it lasted.

As Meld kept his eyes on her as she started on her second lap around him without a single attack, Meld wondered what had happened to that ferociousness from the first time.

Meld let out a sigh and his shoulders slumped a little.

Before all of a sudden Fumiko charged at him and struck with her sword.

Meld blocked of course, but he did admire the effort and thought she put into that. It seemed she was waiting for him to show an opening. He didn't expect that, but it was a welcome surprise.

Instead of continuing in a chain of attacks like last time. She jumped away when he blocked her sword and she realised she wasn't getting past his guard.

It seemed to Meld that she didn't know of the powers she held. Otherwise she would have created a chain of attacks.

Although this time she didn't wait or circle around again but instead jumped back in after taking a breath.

She was going for an obvious attack, one that would not work, but she was putting her all into it. Meld could tell by the look on her face.

So Meld would block that attack, but he could respect it.

An overhead swing was what she was going for. It was powerful if done right. But out in the battlefield if done wrong could result in your death. But since this was a spar and there was no risk of death it was okay, but Meld would of course warn her about this later. And he would have to tell her not to do that spinning move she did earlier either unless she became one of the fastest people ever.

Meld moved his sword to meet hers as they clashed. Meld expected to have no trouble in this seemingly normal clash, and he did have no trouble. But the clash was far from normal.

He could see it. The ideal she wanted to reach. It was herself, well… what she wanted to be her future self.

Meld didn't know if she even knew about the ideal she was working towards, but he could see it clearly.

The Future-Fumiko, as Meld had now dubbed her, didn't have any glasses. All her freckles were gone. Her skin didn't have an blemish on it and she seemed to get a light tan compared to her almost pale colour she was now.

Her hair was still long, but was much more under control. It was black with a sheen on it that made it glow. Instead of having knots that seemed to not be there on purpose, Future-Fumiko had done it on purpose making them look like mini horns made out of hair going down her hair, but not so clumped together to look like a porcupine but spaced out to look stylish.

Instead of having the look of calm and composed she had now, which Meld could tell was a facade with the real her probably wanting to cry. This Fumiko had a devilish smirk on her face as her eyes seemed to crave for battle, they were filled with hate for everything, but under all that, in her eyes, Meld could still see the girl who wanted to cry.

Meld decided he had enough of looking at that, not wanting to look at it anymore fearing it might somehow make that Fumiko come into fruition sooner than it should.

So he put more strength into his sword and made Fumiko fall onto her behind. Fumiko looked up at Meld in confusion as to why he pushed her away.

Meld only shook his head, not really believing himself that he got scared of something that wasn't even there, before speaking. "That's enough training for today. A bath should be prepared in your room by the time we make it back." Meld informed Fumiko as he held his hand out to her, she took it graciously as he pulled her up. "And I'll get some of the craftsmen in the castle to make some glasses specialised for you."

Fumiko looked down shyly as she gained a smile at that. "Thank you, Meld… That means a lot." She said.

Meld had been so kind to Fumiko. She wondered if there was any way she could repay him. "Is there anything I can do for you in return, Meld?" Fumiko asked.

Meld only looked at Fumiko as he thought for a second before letting it go. "No. The only thing that you can do for me is to put your all into your training, and remember me if you ever get stronger than me or if I die."

"I was already planning on doing that." Fumiko said to his first request. He hadn't stopped speaking at that point and when he said his second request Fumiko just looked at him shocked. "W-what do you mean?"

Meld just let out a breath before speaking the truth. "I'll die someday. Everyone does. No matter how much we try to avoid it, deny it, run away from it. It'll arrive eventually." Meld informed her while she listened intently. "Some people extend their life through other means, but in the end it's all for naught. I just happen to be one of the stronger people in the world, so I have a better chance of dying a natural death. But that doesn't mean I'm the strongest, one day someone stronger than me might decide that it was time for me to die, and I couldn't do anything about it. It could happen to anyone. I just happen to be luckier that it hasn't happened to me yet."

Meld then looked over at Fumiko as he spoke again. "Just keep any memory you have of me if I die in your heart. Because so long as someone remembers, no matter what it is, it will never truly die."