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Author's Note:

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It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it. ~Jacob Bronowski

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"You out here again?" Yuan yawned, fighting sleepiness.

Kratos looked over at him, the practice sword still in his hands. He still wasn't as strong as the other kids, but he was faster on his feet and, slowly, he could feel the sword becoming lighter, his arms getting accustomed to the weight of it. "I have to practice."

"In the middle of the night?"

"It's the only time this place is empty."

Yuan can't even argue with him on that. The practice field seemed so very open when it was just the two of them out here, like it would just go on forever like the fields of back home. "You're not getting enough sleep."

"'Course I am." Yuan gave him a look. There were smudged shadows underneath Kratos' eyes and he moved more lethargically these days. And they both knew it. "I need to be good at this by the end of the term!"

"What's at the end of the term again?" Yuan is sure he would have remembered had he not been nearly asleep on his feet.

"Class competitions."

At first the words just seem like what they are. Words. But then Yuan looks at him. "You're going to compete against the others in your class?"

"…Yeah."

"Kratos, I'm not sure you're aware, but those guys are like…mountains compared to you!"

"I'm faster than them!"

"Great. How's that gonna help?"

"I don't have to stand up to them. I just have to go around."

Yuan stuffed his hands in his pockets, toes squirming in the dewy grass. "…If you say so."

"You don't think I can do it?" Kratos lowered the sword to the ground, not taking his eyes off Yuan.

"Of course I do!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"That you're gonna be squished like a bug under a flyswatter is what!"

Kratos knew that Yuan had a point, that he was only watching out for him like he'd been doing since they'd met. "I need to be good."

"For your dad, right?"

"Yeah."

Yuan sighed. He didn't think he'd ever understand Kratos in this department. "…Can I help?"

"What?" Kratos thought that maybe all these nights with little sleep had been getting to him.

"How can I help you get better at this?" Yuan had already resigned himself to a night of probably no sleep. But he figured that he could put up with that.

"I thought you didn't want me to do this."

"I still don't, but I figure that there isn't any way for me to stop you, so I might as well help."

Kratos smiled gratefully. "I could use a sparring partner."

"I can do that. Can't guarantee I'll be much good, but I can do it. Where're the practice swords?"

"Do you even know how to use one?"

"Sure I do. Pointy end goes in the other guy."

Kratos burst out laughing, even as Yuan grinned wryly at him. They had to be absolutely insane to think that Kratos even had a chance at this, but they figure it's better to at least try. At least then, they still have something to laugh about.