It was as if all the world were consumed between the two of them and their rivalry. Of course, it wasn't unheard of for knights to be competing against one another, either to grow into better swordsman or for higher positions later on. Just, Kiki and Mitsuhide took it to whole new levels.
It might be that Mitsuhide before Kiki joined the school was known as the best knight in the place. Somehow it seemed easy that he seemed to do well in their academic level classes and also he worked terrifically hard as a knight during training or practices or their more physically exerting classes.
His goal was to be the best knight he could be, especially after graduating and more formally becoming one. His other goal was to serve Crown Prince Izana upon graduating, and nothing less would do for him.
And Kiki as the only female knight in the school and in history was extra determined to prove her worth and show her skill. She'd jumped through who knows how many loopholes to even end up here and worked unbelievably hard upon getting here to rise to the top of her classes and to really improve with the sword.
She'd had limited chances to use a sword before coming here or so went the rumors and speculation, and yet she'd moved towards mastery with it in such a very short time. She'd practice late into the night with her sword in hand and study later still, it seemed. Her grades were right up there with Mitsuhide's, in both kinds of classes, and he knew it.
They were neck and neck in everything, and naturally that created a sort of fiery competition between the two of them. They were rivals through and through, and naturally, even sparring took on an element of its own between the two of them.
In one of their swordsmanship classes, the two of them were now often called on by their teacher to demonstrate examples or even just to be pitted against each other in the lessons, because he feared that the two of them would absolutely destroy the other students, limiting everyone else's chances to really grow and learn the techniques being taught them.
And one night, with the moon sending light down upon the grounds, Kiki's self-practice is interrupted by a challenger.
"You're awake?" Kiki pauses, without even turning her blue eyes towards the other knight-in-training, as if she could somehow just sense his presence or perhaps the near silent sound of his footsteps alerted her. Her hearing could be as sharp as a cat's or at least that's what every one of her classmates felt.
"Yeah." Mitsuhide leaned against one of the pillars, faux relaxed, "You wouldn't mind a challenger?"
"Not at all." Kiki answered, straightening her back and pulling her sword into a resting position, "You can join me."
"Will do." Mitsuhide left his spot and went and picked up a wooden sword as well, "I won't go easy on you."
"I don't want you to." Kiki told him, all stern and all coldness, "I don't want your pity either."
"Don't have any to give for you." And his grin is as determined as it is fun loving.
Within a few short moments, they were wooden sword to wooden sword, a long fight that saw no signs of ending, and even if they were both to drop from exhaustion, they would not quit, losing was simply out of the question.
So, around and around they went, one well timed attack stopped by an equally well timed block. An attack always met a defense, and they were determined to stay on the top. The one who sought the highest position possible, and one who knew she had to prove her worth and fight extra hard to pave a new path forward, just in case others were to follow as well.
So, sword to sword, attack to block, they went, and it seemed as if the night were made short by their practice. The moon seemed almost ready to dip down, the sun seemed almost ready to rise, when finally there was a break, a pause.
"Truce?" Mitsuhide got out, between labored breaths.
"Sure." Kiki pasued to look at her rival, and though her expression looked as cool as can be, her breath was equally as labored, "It's a tie."
And perhaps one day, one of them will slip through to another victory, Kiki was just glad to have made it to being at least as on par with an exceptional knight-to-be.
"Alright then." Mitsuhide dropped his arm and though the wooden sword grazed the ground, he didn't even look upon it or react to the fact that it did. Exhaustion was painted on his face, poorly hidden, and his clothes dripped with the weight of his sweat.
"You're pretty good at this." Kiki offered, like a compliment or maybe an amends, and she set the wooden sword aside.
"You are too." Mitsuhide told her, eyes drawn to the smooth and regular movement.
"Thank you." Kiki smiled, a little peace offering of sorts, and somehow it seemed almost like she wasn't going to express how much hard work had even gotten her here, in this position. Her body had borne the pain of countless hours of practice and hard work, work molding it into reflex and fighting and molding it into a knight's raw strength, intelligence, and agility.
"No problem." And finally Mitsuhide moved, like death, itself, was striking up, and set the wooden sword back. It was like his body was folding in on itself, demanding sleep.
"See you tomorrow." And Kiki's gone, and Mitsuhide's left wondering how someone could have that much self control and not even look tired. But it seemed fitting for him to have a rival that shows so much strength, both in character and in a fight, and it gives him new, little goals to strive for and achieve.
If Kiki can do it, Mitsuhide's sure he can learn how to as well.