Triangle Trio

Their meeting that day wouldn't be their last. Hoaqin came to her many times afterward, always challenging her with a coy smile adorning his features. Yet, Ana found that she didn't mind his presence.

They would clash. He would win. She would win.

Back and forth they went at each other, each pushing the other, dancing with their blades until the other would fall.

*whack*

"Argh!" Hoaqin tumbled to the ground, blood staining the grass. Ana relaxed her guard, breathing out.

"Hey, don't hit me in the face like that!" Hoaqin shouted, sitting up as he held his bleeding nose. Ana rubbed the spot where she had hit him with her forehead. She looked down upon him with a slight frown, eyes flat.

"It's a fight Hoaqin, anything is allowed." She merely countered, one hand on her hip.

"The rules of a duel are to fight fair and honorable! If you fought fair, I would have won!"

"That doesn't give me much incentive to fight fair... Why would I want to lose? It's already hard enough."

"Are you admitting that I'm stronger than you?"

Ana shrugged her shoulders. "No. I'm just having trouble defeating you."

Hoaqin chuckled. "Of course."

He looked to the side then back at her, finally, he reluctantly admitted "I guess you are right, at least somewhat. But still-" He wiped away the blood with his sleeve, a taunting smirk adorning his face. "-that fighting style of yours is really brutal! You are like a wild lioness!"

"Is that supposed to be an insult or compliment?!" Ana narrowed her eyes at him.

He snorted at her, looking at her amused. "Whatever you say, amazonian."

Ana glared at him silently. That definitely had been an insult!

Although rivals, they did not only fight but learned from each other as well. Hoaqin was a direct descendent with a higher status in the family than her, though that wasn't a difficult achievement to reach when you were treated like the very flith below the dirt.

He had access to far more recourses than she could ever hope to dream of. It surprised her when Hoaqin offered advice the first time, but she was never one to disregard an opportunity when it presented itself.

The only real problem was, that Hoaqin was a terrible, really terrible teacher.

"No. No. No. You are holding it wrong! Again!" He shouted at her.

Ana forced herself to keep her composure as Hoaqin kept yelling at her.

"You are not supposed to use it like that! Where did you learn to swing a blade?!" Hoaqin commanded hotly.

She really was trying very hard.

"You swing like a girl!" Her brow twitched. Ok, screw it.

"Hoaqin…" She grumbled, looking irritated at him.

"Hmm? What is it?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Can you stop? You're not helping me!" She complained to him.

"What do you mean? You still haven't gotten it!" He dared to even look like he had no idea what she was talking about.

"I think it doesn't help me very much when I have someone constantly yelling my ear off!" Ana protested loudly.

He reacted, offended, "I'm only trying to help you! It's not my fault you don't get it!"

Ana's lips twitched. "Maybe you're just a bad teacher!"

"This is the thanks I get for helping?! How ungrateful can you be?!" He pointed at her accusingly. "Take that back!"

Ana stuck out her tongue childishly. "No!"

"That's it!" He huffed out irritated, drawing his wooden-sword, "Maybe a practical lesson will get it through that thick skull of yours!"

"Bring it, you idiot!" Ana sneered, anger getting the better of her.

Despite their numerous disagreements Ana nevertheless had to admit that Hoaqin was by far the strongest opponent she had ever met. She had fought stronger opponents before and lost but still, Hoaqin surpassed them all, in both talent and drive.

That's something she supposed they both shared. That same drive, that singular fire to become stronger, to surpass anyone that came their way. That passion drove them to their limits. She respected that and it caused them to butt heads occasionally.

"Come on Ana, quit slouching off on the ground," Hoaqin smirked down from above her. Ana wiped away the sweat from her brow, sitting up.

"Shut up idiot." She huffed out, catching her breath.

His smile tugged up a bit further, "That was only the 16th round, are you already finished?!"

Ana glared up at him, "Says the one panting like a dog!"

"At least I'm not the one sweating like a pig!" He fired right back, glowering at her, electricity sparking between them.

Hoaqin then turned his attention away from her, sitting down beside her. His eyes wandered over the clearing they had first met on, now the place where they frequently met. He counted his fingers "Let's see… that makes it today… 10 to 6 for me this time! " He noted before smiling gleefully at her. "Next time I'll keep it zero!"

Ana chuckled dryly at his comment. "Then you better train hard, next time it's your loss!"

"Heh, I'll hold you to that!" He stood up, stretching his arms before he held a hand out for her. She grabbed it gratefully pulling herself up. She dusted off the dirt on her black pants eyeing the setting sun in the sky as she stretched her arms. She noted the thoughtful look in Hoaqins eyes, "What is it?" She asked.

Hoaqin stared ahead silently humming to himself in agreement. Ana tilted her head forward, looking at him curiously. "Hoaqin?

His eyes finally focused on her once again, as if only just remembering her presence. His eyes wandered down to her wooden-blade. "Ana-" He began, "How about next time we finally use some real blades? I imagine you want to face off for real too! It's getting boring to always only swing around with these sticks!"

Ana eyed him critically. "That again? I already told you I don't have one! And you know that no matter how much I'll ask one of the instructors they won't give me one!"

"I know! But I think I've just got an idea! Just leave it to me, next time we'll fight for real I swear!" He padded her back enthusiastically.

Ana still eyed him critically. "Can you tell me what you're planning?"

Hoaqin smiled mischievously at her "You'll see!" Ana deflated at the answer. "So same time tomorrow?!" He asked her.

Ana waved him off. "Sure, sure. I'll be here."

His grin widened in excitement. "This is gonna be awesome! I can't wait to see how you fight with a real blade in hand!"

A small smile broke out across Ana's face, "I hope you can take a hit with an iron pommel." Hoaqin stared at her as they walked off, a bit unnerved by her comment.

Ana sat on the edge of the clearing as she waited patiently for Hoaqin to finally appear with his grandiose plan! No, really she was unwaveringly waiting for him- patience was a virtue after all!

"He's late…!" She grumbled to herself.

Ana tugged at the grass beneath her in boredom, ripping it from the ground before letting it mindlessly fall to the bottom again. She repeated the motion several times, finally stopping when she groaned out, letting her back hit the ground.

Seriously, what was taking Hoaqin so long?! Usually, he was always the one waiting for her! Not the other way around!

It seemed though fate had mercy on her when she could finally hear him shout her name after what felt like an eternity! "Ana!"

She sat up smiling however it fell as soon as she spotted him. Behind Hoaqin, who came running up to her, a second person slowly trudged up behind him. She eyed him suspiciously.

"Sorry for the wait! We took longer than I thought!" Hoaqin apologized as he stops in front of her. Ana turned her attention to Hoaqin who panted slightly then returned it to the other boy that settled to stand beside Hoaqin once he arrived.

Strangely enough, he had his head immersed inside a book while he was walking here.

"Who is that Hoaqin?" Ana asked, pointing at the smaller boy beside him. He had white short hair, bangs hovering above his eyebrows, neatly framing his face. He completed his look with a white shirt and short brown pants.

Hoaqin stared at her first, then recognizing what she meant he gestured to the said person. "Oh, he's-." He began however he was interrupted by the boy himself.

"I'm Vicente." He closed his book, eyes accessing Ana. "And I assume you're Ana?"

"Yes." She replied warily. "I suppose Hoaqin has already introduced me?"

"Yes." He answered simply. "He's been quite adamant that I meet you."

Ana eyed Hoaqin who merely smiled at her, she nervously shifted. She supposed the guy was okay when Hoaqin wanted them to meet. Reluctantly she held her right hand forward, awkwardly holding it out.

"I guess it's nice to finally meet you?" Her eyes widened ever so slightly when Vicente accepted her hand into his.

"The pleasure is mine," Vicente stated. Stunned, it took Ana a few seconds to regain her composure.

"Uhm… so.. what brings you here? Do you want to get clobbered like the guy over there?" She pointed over to Hoaqin.

"Excuse me?!" Hoaqin reacted heatedly. "I remember that my score is still higher than yours!"

Both of them ignored him as they continued their conversation. "Yes, that is quite right."Vicente agreed. "I want to see your strength for myself too. Hoaqin has praised your skills quite often." He directed his attention to the taller boy. "Although it's not the only reason he brought me here."

Ana gazed at him confused with crossed arms. "What's the other reason?" Suddenly she felt someone else leaning on her shoulders putting his weight on her, she looked up at Hoaqin, annoyed.

She opened her mouth but Hoaqin didn't give her a chance to speak up. "Don't tell me you already forgot?! We talked about it just yesterday!" She stared at him in puzzlement when it finally dawned upon her.

"Oh.. yeah, right…." She answered perplexed.

Hoaqin laughed. "You're so dense Ana!"

She shrugged him off, sighing out, blankly looking ahead. "I don't want to hear that from you…"

"She's right Hoaqin. If anything, by observation, I would say you are denser than her." Vicente monotonously agreed.

"Hey!"

"Well, where are the swords?" She looked at them scrutinizing them acutely – there were no weapons on either of them. Hoaqin smirked at her coming closer to whisper into her ear. "Oh, you'll see. Vicente has a cool trick up his sleeve. But don't tell him I said that!" He winked at her.

Ana sweatdropped at his behavior. She glanced at Vicente curiously, who sighed opening his book once more. "Next time you'll have to carry your sword yourself Hoaqin! I'm not a luggage carrier."

Hoaqin brushed him off. "Alright, alright, now hurry up I want to get started!"

Ana stared in amazement when suddenly out of thin air a sword started to materialize in Vincente's hand. A big straight, double-edged sword with a large guard, a Zweihänder from what Ana could tell.

He gave it to Hoaqin who took it excitedly into his awaiting hands, giving it a few practice swings. Vicente proceeded to manifest another sword into his hand. A simple broadsword appeared with a black leather hilt.

"Will this suffice?" Vicente asked her.

Ana boobed her head, gaping at Vincente, still amazed by what just occurred. If he found her behavior strange he didn't let it show, simply holding out the weapon for her. She took it from Vicente with eager hands, tracing her fingers along the blade. "How did you do that?" She finally asked after she found her voice again.

Vicente pointed at the book he carried. "My book can hold several weapons inside it. I can draw them out if I need them."

"That's so cool!" She commented.

"It is quite useful." Vicente hummed in agreement. "Now-" He turned to Hoaqin. "We agreed that I get the first turn, is that alright with you Ana?" However when he refocused on her she was gone.

Vicente's eyes narrowed slightly, looking around he found her a few paces away in front of a small tree. "What are you doing?"

Ana turned around, grinning at him eagerly with anticipation. "Just give me a second, I wanna try it out!"

Vicente rolled his eyes when she lifted her sword above her head cutting cleanly through the tree, tearing it half.

"This sword is good!" She praised.

"See I told you it's gonna be awesome!" Ana had to agree with Hoaqin's sentiment on this one. It felt good to finally hold a blade that wasn't only a cheap knock off. This one felt real.

She could feel her heart jump in excitement.

Vicente addressed her once more. "Can we start then?"

"Yes!" She walked over to him, stopping when she was just across from him.

Vicente gave his book to Hoaqin, focusing now solely on her, his body straightened, sword at the ready. "Good. Then prepare yourself I won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want anything else!"

Hoaqin sat down at the sideline, waving at Vicente he said. "Don't go too hard on her I still want to fight her!"

The wind brushed across the clearing, ruffling the grass underneath their boots. Ana stared down at Vicente, both waiting for the other to move.

When the wind stopped, they both charged!

And cut!

Hope you enjoyed chapter 2.

Tell me your thoughts in the reviews/comments, both the good and the bad!

Note: Ana's design is loosely based on Saber Alter from Fate. Right now she looks like a little chibi saber pretty much just with white hair instead of blond.

Cya :D