Iriya walked into the fencing room with his head held high. He was easily the best fencer there and everyone knew it, which was why he got away with strutting around like a proud peacock whenever he came into the room. Only this time not all eyes were turned on him. There seemed to be a small disturbance in the center of the room because everyone was massed around one match that Iriya couldn't see.
"What's going on?" he asked a younger man whom he knew looked up to him.
The man turned his youthful face on Iriya, "Ah! Iriya-sempai! A new person came in today, he's a solider like you and he's beaten almost everyone here, isn't that amazing?"
Iriya stroked his chin, "It certainly is. What's his name, do you know?"
"No, he just came in here, his mask already on, demanding for an opponent."
"Is he good?" Iriya asked, while trying to see what was going on.
"Oh very. He has beaten everyone in this room in under a minute. He's almost like you in a way."
Iriya stood on tip toe to see a boy with a slight build dance across the area and finally manage to pin his opponent in the chest. "He can't be any older then 16," Iriya said quietly while guessing his targets height.
"Any one else?" a saucy yet youthful voice demanded. The way his voice sounded only furthered to deepen Iriya's suspicions.
"I will!" Iriya announced loudly.
The excited chatter that was floating around the area suddenly ceased and all eyes turned on Iriya. The boy noted the sudden cease in conversation and Iriya could feel him grin. "I take it you're the star pupil?" he asked.
"I wouldn't say that," Iriya said. "But why don't you see for your self?"
The boy slung his sword over his shoulder, "All right," he said.
"First, if I win you have to tell me who you are and take off your helmet," Iriya said.
"And if you loose?" he demanded.
"I won't loose," Iriya said with a grin.
The boy sunk into a battle position, "All right then, back up your words."
Iriya handed his sword to his protégé and put on the helmet that he had tucked under his arm. "Be careful, Iriya-sempai, he's really strong," he told him as he handed Iriya back his sword.
"I know, and don't worry Ethan, I'll be careful," Iriya said while taking up his sword.
Ethan nodded and melted into the ring of people that has surrounded the two of them. "Ready?" the boy asked.
"I'm ready when the match is started," Iriya said calmly.
A small bell in the back ground gave off a small pinging sound and the boy lunged forward in an excellent effort to force Iriya into a defensive position. Iriya brought up his sword and let the boy's sword slide across it past him. Then he pulled away and aimed for the boy's arm.
The boy was too quick and took a subtle side step to position him for another attack which was parried as well. Obviously close contact was not the strategy to be used. The boy stepped back and thrust his sword forward and Iriya parried that was well. Then they started to go into several quick thrust and parry turns desperately trying to find an opening in one another's battle strategy.
Iriya thought he saw an opening for a split second, but obviously, so did his opponent. He half turned his body and blocked the rather vicious thrust at his torso. Then he slid his own sword up the metal of Iriya's sword while knocking it out of the way. The metal on metal sound rang through the deathly silent room.
Iriya pushed hard on his sword in an effort to keep the boy's sword from getting any closer to him. He managed to waver the boy a little bit and he took the momentary weakness to pull back and get into a defensive position which he immediately cursed himself for. This was exactly what the boy had been trying to get him to do the whole time.
The boy immediately gave a vicious onslaught of thrusts trying to break his defense. Iriya barely managed to hang onto his sword while that was going on. But in the boy's need to defeat Iriya increased a small opening made it's self visible. Iriya tried one trick he knew may or may not work but he figured if he kept on the defensive the way he was he would loose anyway. He pushed on the sword, hoping against hope that the boy was weaker then him. His little gamble proved to be true and he stumbled just a little on the extra weight placed on the sword. Iriya scoped out the opening and thrust his own sword into the boy's torso.
There was a small spatter of applause in the ring and the boy slowly lowered his sword. "You're very good," he said, slightly out of breath.
Iriya took off his helmet and grinned. "You're definitely better then me," he admitted.
There was a small gasp that issued from the crowd. "However, technique isn't everything, solider, you're better off getting a little stronger before taking on an opponent twice your size in a sword battle."
The boy let out a small laugh. "How did you guess?"
"Your technique is the same as the fence master that lives on base. I take it you're his student?" he asked.
The boy nodded, "I am, and apparently so are you."
"That I am. Now, we had a little deal," he reminded him.
The boy set his sword on the ground and pulled off his helmet to reveal pale, mint colored hair and cold eyes. "Laika," he said, "That's my name."
Iriya's eyes widened, he was even younger then he originally thought. "How old are you?" he asked.
"That wasn't part of the deal," Laika said while giving him a cold grin. "I'll be around here again," he said while scooping up his sword in a fluid motion. "I look forward to fighting you again," he said as he walked out of the room.
"It's just a kid!" one guy exclaimed.
"He's going to be quite the solider when he grows up," Iriya murmured to himself. "This will be interesting to watch."
"Laika-sama?" Searchman asked.
"Yes?"
"Dare I ask if you lost on purpose?" Searchman asked.
"I didn't, that man was truly strong. Very skilled, if not a but…" Laika frowned slightly, "unorthodox in his technique."
"Laika-sama?"
"Yes?"
"Did you have fun?"
Laika let his lips quirk a little, "Yes, I think I did."