Pulling out his rapier and showing it off with a swing to the crowd, Leo gave a laugh before pointing it in the opposer's direction. Twirling it in his hand with a flourish (Knights was always famous for its fanservice) the proclaimed 'king' drew closer to his competition, every step taken with practised grace. Even for someone who took no care to seem civilised at school, on stage Leo's dignity rushed back to him taking its rightful place on his head as the crown of a confident monarch. With every stride, the blade in Leo's hands came nearer to the chest of the other performer who occupied the stage. The sword coming closer and closer to the heart of Yumenosaki's 'emperor' was a move made just for show in the eyes of the crowd; an action so deliberate and so threatening it had to be part of the show, right?
Eichi did not even think of taking a step away from Leo. The threat his current target offered with his action did not reach him. Threat? What threat could the grinning boy in front of him possibly offer? If anything, it was rather cute, seeing one of the boring playthings that existed in his beautiful academy rise up in an attempt to act against their dictator.
The sword in Leo's hand was a symbol of Knights, all their chivalry and glory condensed into a simple object; an object that now, gleaming under the bright stage lights, was being used to issue a request for a duel. A duel, Eichi noted, that was unfair towards him.
"Are you not going to offer me a weapon, my dear king?"
Every word was said calmly, but the emperor's eyes betrayed his true motives. Of course, the physical sword itself didn't matter. Eichi wanted to nullify the one thing Leo could depend on having all to himself, and the one thing Leo could gain confidence from.
"You and your Knights, you mean to embody chivalry and nobility, no? Be a good influence for once; make this a fair duel and not an attack on a defenceless ruler."
Leo's eyes widened for a moment, understanding that giving Eichi a weapon would mean losing the status of having something the emperor doesn't; it would mean being on even ground.
Check. The audience had heard Eichi's request, and now they were expecting a show to be put on. Tsukinaga had no other option. Eichi reached out his hand with grace and awaited the weapon that would be placed (no doubt, begrudgingly) into it. The swords were just for show, but they meant more to the idols on stage than the spectators could see.
The object Eichi received was lighter than what he had been expecting, and upon looking up he found Leo was watching him with an amused expression on his face. Eichi looked down at what lie in his hand. Displaying his reaction to what he had been given would be admitting defeat. Eichi just looked up at Leo and smiled, taking the short dagger he had been given and spinning it between his fingers.
Ah, the months he had spent practising the art of baton twirling were all worth the single moment of pure shock on Leo's face at Eichi's effortless action. Surely when giving him the smaller weapon the 'king' had been expecting disappointment, but in Eichi's mind, it was not the size that mattered, but how one used it.
...not even the stoic emperor could stifle the snicker that escaped his lips at that thought. Upon looking at Leo, it was clear the other had thought of the same thing. Oh, how great minds think alike.Swinging the dagger upwards and at Leo, Eichi couldn't resist the temptation to let his immature side show.
"Let us see which of us is more skilled at handling our weapon."
What Eichi was not expecting, however, was Leo to strike the knife with his rapier in return.
"I know my way around the blade well enough to know that this holy duel will end with my sword penetrating you!"
Eichi locked eyes with the other boy. Time seemed to freeze as Leo's laughing eyes seemed genuine, and the Cheshire smirk that covered his face looked more like a smile. Leo quickly turned away and addressed the audience about beginning the competition, and, for a brief moment, Eichi wondered if different circumstances would have seen the two become friends. If great minds really did think alike, did Leo wonder the same?
Leo was still on his knees, even long after the curtain closed in front of his half of the stage and covered his defeated, hunched-over form. Only Eichi, bowing and smiling benevolently toward the audience, was left visible.
How? How could he lose? How could the unruffled king of one of the most popular units lose due to something as trivial as being distracted? After seeing the genuine smile and the childish demeanour of the cold tyrant, Leo's thoughts were clouded, his inspiration suffocated. What was it that Tenshouin had asked for…a fair duel? There was nothing fair about treating him as if he were his friend before mercilessly eliminating him! There was nothing fair about the 'emperor' pushing all of Leo's cosmic compositions out of his head and becoming the sole thing he could think about!
Leo felt like he was shattering into a thousand, no, a million pieces. To be defeated by someone as formidable as Eichi was one thing, but to be defeated for such an insignificant reason as a smile was disgraceful.
Not only was Leo crushed by the bitterness of defeat; he was crushed by the sudden feeling of loneliness one can only experience when thinking about something unobtainable.
After being spurred on both by the staff assisting with the running of the event and his own elatedness after overthrowing the 'king', Eichi went backstage to see Leo still kneeling in his Knights uniform. What a good look this is on you, my dear former king. Walking towards Tsukinaga, Eichi crouched down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Moving his lips close to Leo's ear, he uttered what he deemed a worthy final blow to the defeated.
"I guess it's safe to say that size doesn't matter, Tsukinaga-kun."