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11. Fighter
The next day finds the Nakajima sisters and the lone Lanstar at the training grounds. Teana watches the two from the side. One sister is standing behind a propped punching bag, shooting question after question at the younger. The other is shouting back answers with a frenzied fervor.
"Who. Are. You?!" asks Ginga.
"I am Nakajima!" replies Subaru.
"I did not ask for a name! What. Are. You?!"
"I am a mage!"
"I did not ask for an occupation! Again! What. Are. You?!"
"I am human!"
"I did not ask for your species! Who do you fight for?!"
"People!"
"What people?!"
"People I love! People I care for!"
"Why do you fight?!"
"Because I can! Because I will!"
"No, you won't!"
"Yes, I will!"
"Says who?"
"Says me!"
"Who are you?!"
"I am Subaru Nakajima!"
"What are you?!"
"I am a mage!"
"And what will you do, Subaru Nakajima of the magi?!"
"I will FIGHT and PROTECT the ONES I LOVE!"
"Good! Now hit me---- Oh shit!" Ginga threw herself to the ground, barely avoiding Subaru's fist bursting through the punching bag.
Speaking of that . . . .
"Look at that thing go," Teana whistles lowly, following the bag's trajectory until it is no longer a speck on the horizon. "Damn, Subaru . . . ."
'Damn, indeed!' thinks Ginga, shuddering violently from where she lay. 'I did NOT see that coming! Oh, if I'd been one nanosecond late-----'
"Man, I'm GLAD I'm not you," says Tea, smirking at the elder Nakajima.
Ginga shoots her a withering glare.
Subaru huffs and grunts as she shadow-boxes alone.