Eris hummed as she stared at her image in the mirror. She was annoyed with what she saw, but in terms of battle attire, it was all she had to work with. Hell, she had to borrow clothes from Reiju. And the ones said woman gave her were not fashioned for war, albeit they were like the ones Eris wore back on Amazon Lily as a child. Groaning, she tied a wrap around her waist and snapped her fingers; Tanis slithered down from the banister and rested over her shoulders.

"It's about that time," she uttered.

Eris was not pleased with the idea of having to spar with one of the warmongers, but there was no way to get out of it. She made sure her arrow bag was latched to her person – Reiju was kind enough to stock her with arrows, albeit they were made of fiberglass instead of the usual ash wood she was used to – and hummed as she made her way from the tower. An unnamed soldier stood outside waiting for her, leading her towards a grassy pitch where the royal family – minus the King – stood waiting.

Reiju smiled at her.

"My clothes fit you nicely."

Ichiji grunted.

"Is that a bathing suit?" he asked.

Yes, it was. Her current attire was too restricting for battle; dresses were always uncomfortable to Eris. And though Reiju let her borrow a bathing suit; a black sweetheart top with matching bottoms, she was more comfortable in next to nothing.

"Is there an issue with it? You didn't expect me to fight in a dress, did you?" Eris asked.

Ichiji curled up his nose.

"You can fight naked for all I care."

Eris rolled her eyes in annoyance. Her soon-to-be husband was insufferable. And so were his brothers. Both Niji and Yonji stared at her like they had never seen a woman in a bathing suit before. She swore Yonji had hearts in his eyes as she walked over to them.

"Are we going to fight? Or are you content with ogling me like a pervert all afternoon?" Eris asked.

Niji turned up his nose.

"Don't assume that because you are a woman I won't hit you," he stated.

"I assume nothing when it comes to your lot," she retorted, walking passed him.

Niji snorted and followed her onto the pitch, distancing himself.

"Do your worst," he said with a grin.

Eris brought out her hand, pleased when Tanis slid down her arm and took the shape of her bow; the string Eris added before she left her room. Setting an arrow, Eris fused Haki into the tip and aimed at the ground near Niji's feet, then released it. The arrow struck the dirt with such a force that the fiberglass shattered and the earth ruptured, hurling clumps of grass into the air.

Niji tightened his jaw in annoyance and brushed the sod from his suit.

"Those aren't normal arrows."

"No, they aren't," Eris agreed. "I can use Haki quite well."

The arrogant prince snorted.

"At least this won't end before I've had a little fun."

Eris shot him a heated look. He was an asshole. Setting two arrows, she fired them at the ground again and waited for them to hit their mark before she took off in a run toward him. As the air cleared, she brought in her bottom lip and whistled, letting Tanis slide down her arm and onto the ground. When she knew that Niji had seen her, Eris tossed a jab at him, but he quickly caught her fist. His palm was a lot harder than she had expected. It felt like she had hit a steel beam.

Niji grinned.

"What were you attempting––"

Before he could finish his rhetorical question, Tanis struck, coiling around him. With an opening, Eris wrenched her hand away and leaped back, aiming a butterfly kick at his head. It struck, but the impact shook her to the core. Was he made of metal? His body was unnaturally hard. Eris gritted her teeth in pain.

Niji didn't look phased at all, though his curly brow did twitch in annoyance.

"That was a mistake," he grunted.

Eris felt a numbing surge shoot through her leg, watching in horror as blue sparks began to erupt from his body. What was happening? She whistled for Tanis to return to her then backflipped away. At a safe distance, she bounced her leg to check its stability; it felt fine.

"What sort of power is that?" She asked.

Niji grinned.

"Let me show you."

He vanished before her eyes then reappeared beside her, kicking Eris in the side. Another surge shot through her body making her scream out in pain as she hit the ground. Niji could generate electricity; she understood now. He was a monster.

"You're not tapping out already, are ya?" He asked with a laugh.

Eris couldn't stand him. She stood up and fused Haki into her arms, ordering Tanis to standby.

"Not until I shut that filthy mouth," she hissed.

Niji growled and vanished again. When he reappeared in front of Eris swinging a kick at her side, she leaped back and blocked with her shin. A surge of electricity numbed her leg, but she ignored it the best she could and threw a backhand at him. It connected, but Niji didn't seem at all phased as he tried to unsteady her footing. Their next few kicks reminded her of dancing as the two blocked and parried, trying to knock the other off their feet.

He was toying with her. Each connected strike sent a surge of electricity through her. And even with her Haki, Eris was unable to hurt him.

Seizing her arm, Niji turned her around and used his strength to propel Eris over his shoulder, but to his surprise the nimble woman landed on her feet and rushed him, pushing him forward. Having to use the jets in his boots to stop her momentum, he swung back his arm and struck her in the head.

Eris leaped back and out of his reach before Niji could hit her again, clutching her aching head.

"You're like a damn monkey," he hissed.

"Are you having fun yet?" Eris asked with a grin.

Niji ran at her, tossing a jab at her head, but she managed to dodge. His attacks were getting faster. Eris could feel the static tickle her face. Again and again, he swung at her until she locked her arm with his, but he was ready. Trapping her arm between his, Niji brought her down to her knees and slammed her onto the ground. What he didn't anticipate was the fact she planned to use his momentum against him, pressing her feet against his stomach and rolling back to propel him over her and onto his back.

He grunted as he hit the ground hard. Sitting up, he shot her a heated look.

"Come on Niji, stop toying with her," he heard Ichiji shout.

Yonji burst into a fit of laughter.

"I don't think he can. She's too much for him."

Niji was pissed. Eris should never have been able to put him on his back. Blue waves of electricity sparked around him as he stood.

"I'm done playing with you," he hissed.

Vanishing again, he appeared behind her and slammed his knee into her back.

"And stay down," he hissed as he ran a wave of electricity through his knee.

Eris screamed in pain as her body seized up. When the attack ran its course, she collapsed onto the ground in an exhausted heap. Her entire body was numb.

Niji laughed.

"Poor little pet. You are an idiot for thinking you could go toe to toe with me."

He reached down to grab ahold of her hair, but Tanis came between them bearing her fangs. Niji curled his nose in disgust and brought up his foot to stomp the creature, but the strike never connected; Ichiji easily blocked it with the toe of his boot.

"You've made your point," the red-head stated.

Niji grinned and walked away; his green-haired brother soon followed.

Reaching down to pick Eris up, Ichiji was met with hostility as the said woman smacked away his hand. Her body continued to shake from the previous attack.

"L-leave me alone," she hissed.

Ichiji grinned.

"He was right about you not being able to beat him."

Eris narrowed her eyes in anger.

"But you have more potential than I gave you credit for," Ichiji added.

Was he serious? Eris widened her eyes. She stared at him in awe as he turned and walked away. Reiju soon replaced him by her side, crouching down beside Eris.

"I think he likes you," she mentioned.

Eris felt her face turn red.

"Is it too late to jump ship?" She asked.

"If you want to drown," Reiju said with a laugh.

Perhaps she did. Drowning would be better than accepting compliments from him.

What's next? Attraction?

For her sake, she hoped not.