"S-So, what are the rules of this thing again? Best two out of three or something?"

Nari held the shinai nervously, looking back and forth between the weapon and her opponent. In the moment, her challenge had seemed the only sensible option to avoid incurring Zeus' wrath again. Now, looking back, this was probably the dumbest decision she had ever made. Her sister, a woman who had been training in Iai since the age of seven had been unable to defeat him. What chance did she — a woman who hadn't touched a sword since she started high school — have? The answer was simple: none whatsoever.

Yet there she stood, before a god eyeing her with a look of pure amusement. If the situation itself weren't enough to convince her she was toast, the smirk on his face certainly was. He wasn't even taking this seriously. On the side, Yui stood as the referee, offering her sister an encouraging smile. When she had learned of Nari's challenge, she was, understandably, flabbergasted. What had possessed her sister to do such a thing, she would never know. But the decision had been made and there was no backing out of it, so she had decided to be the judge to ensure everything went smoothly. As smoothly as possible when facing a novice against what was essentially a sword master.

Naturally, word spread to the other gods like wildfire, and now all of them were standing along the edge of the room as observers. Some, like Apollon and Balder, were curious to see the outcome and had come to cheer them on. Others like Hades and Tsukito were genuinely concerned, knowing full well her chances of victory were next to zero. Loki and Thor attended purely for the entertainment value, and Dionysus had come primarily as moral support. Surely, she would need a pick-me-up to help her gather the pieces after Takeru wiped the floor with her.

With both opponents at the ready, Yui's expression turned serious. "Ready?" she called.

Nari grew nervous, gripping the shinai so tightly it began to shake. Takeru almost felt bad for her, just seeing the look of terror in her eyes. Almost. This was her idea, after all. Even still, he wasn't so uncouth as to utterly destroy a human woman. No, he would give her a chance. A small one, but a chance, nonetheless. "Tell you what… I'll make it easy for you. If you can get just one point, I will forfeit."

"In how many rounds…?"

"As long as you can last."

"Oh… how kind of you." Sarcasm dripped from every syllable. There was no way he was going to let her last five minutes. She would be lucky if he didn't pommel her into the floor. If there were anything more of her left than mush by the end of this, she would be grateful. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the consequences of her actions.

"Begin!"

Clack!

The battle was over in an instant. Nari had barely had time to even lift her shinai before it was knocked from her hands and sent clattering to the ground.

"Point!"

"Huh…?" Nari blinked, rounded eyes looking down at her empty hands before slowly drifting over to the sword. It had happened so fast; she didn't even remember him moving. The stinging in her fingertips was her only indication. Shaking her head, she walked over to pick up her sword.

"Give up yet?" Takeru asked, resting his shinai over his shoulder."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

The two took position again. Nari held her hilt a bit more carefully this time, now better armed with what to expect. Her sister looked between the two, checking their stance. Satisfied, she made the call. "Ready? Begin!"

The second round went similarly to the first. She was able to block his strike this time, nearly stumbling backward from the force of the blow. However, within moments, he had tapped her arm with the tip of the sword, claiming victory once more.

"Point!"

Groaning, Nari lifted her weapon again. She had known that he wouldn't make it easy for her, but she had hoped to at least last more than two strikes. No such luck. So, instead, she lifted her weapon once more.

The metaphorical beating continued on for another four rounds, each ending in a similar matter. As she got back into the swing, so to speak, she managed to show miniscule amounts of improvement with some successful blocking and at least one parry. Unfortunately, she was no closer to defeating him than she was when they began. It didn't seem to matter how quickly her mind worked; he was always one step ahead of her. It was as if he could read her thoughts, every intention obvious to him before she even knew herself.

Takeru shook his head. "Just give up already, Human! You're not gonna win."

"Let her fight, Ta-tan. This is fun!" Loki called from the sidelines, earning a nudge from Balder.

Dionysus offered a concerned smile. "It's okay, Fotia… you don't have anything to prove."

Nari ignored all of them. She scowled and retook position with a stubborn glare, earning a scoff from the god of the sea. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

"You're just figuring that out now?" she snarked.

"Tch."

Yui gave a sympathetic look toward her sister, shifting her gaze back to her opponent who was lifting his sword once more. After watching six rounds of this, it was becoming apparent this was a pointless battle. Between Takeru's experience, Nari's lack of practice, and her growing frustration, there was no way she was going to win. Anything she threw at him, he would counter; her calculations would do little against someone so fluid their sword was essentially an extension of their arm. He could predict her movements and react to them without a moment of thought.

Shaking her head, Yui lifted her arms to signal a time-out. She waved her sister over taking note of the look of exhaustion on her face. Not so much physical exhaustion as exasperation. When she drew close enough, she spoke in a hushed tone. "Nari, it's okay. You're a shrine dancer, not a swordfighter. You don't have to do this."

"I know, Yui. I just — at this point, it's the principle of the matter…" Nari sighed. "But it's been ages since I've even picked up a sword, let alone swung it. I don't know, I think I'll go a few more rounds and then call it a day. At least that way, I can say I really tried."

Her sister smiled and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She had to admit; she admired Nari's dedication. All this just to try and help the gods better understand humans. "Okay, Nari… I understand. If you're determined to fight, then… perhaps I could offer some advice?"

She shrugged. "Sure, if you think it'll help."

"You're thinking too much. Your movements are written all over your face."

"Ah… right. Not sure what to do about that."

"Don't do anything," Yui suggested. "Look, don't worry about all of this extra stuff. It'll only complicate things. Just go to the past. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let the movements flow through you. Most of this is honestly muscle memory, right? So, put your thoughts aside and let your body do the rest."

"Let my body… huh." Nari blinked at the startling insightful advice. Getting lost in her own head a pastime of hers. Perhaps shutting it off in this instance could do her some good. "Thanks, Yui… really."

Her sister smiled and gently nudged her back toward the center of the room. Hopefully, she would be able to find her groove. When Nari arrived, Takeru shook his head in disbelief. "Damn. You've got guts, Human. I'll give you that. But guts aren't enough to win in battle. You sure you don't wanna forfeit? No one will look down on you if you do."

This time, he received no response. Nari couldn't hear him. She was following her sister's advice; she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused. Let your body do the rest. With the sounds drowning out around her, all of the tension left. She could feel her body growing lighter, her grip loosening as her mind drifted to a time long forgotten. She could almost feel the cool hilt beneath her fingertips, the air shipping through her hair. It was only at the sound of her sister's voice that she came back to reality, an eerie calm slowly washing over her body. "Ready?"

Across from her, Takeru narrowed his eyes. He saw the change in his opponent. He felt her shift. When her eyes met his, he could see no trace of the terrified amateur he had seen moments ago. Her eyes were still as a lake's surface as they gazed back into his own. "What the…"

"Begin!"

The battle begun once more… but this time, to a much different result. Rather than flinch or waggle her sword in hopeless defense, Nari stepped back, parrying his blow with careful precision. Her stick slid along the edge of his, deflecting the force off to the side, keeping her limbs protected. Takeru tried again for a side swing. She spun to the side to miss the incoming swipe. Confused, he then rushed forward. With a loud cry, he lifted his blade in what should have been a finishing strike. But this time, she was ready. She predicted his movements. His sword came down with a loud whoosh as he missed his target, slipping away with careful grace.

The gods looked on in utter astonishment at the shifting tides. In the center, Nari continued to take her sister's advice. No longer was she standing in the halls of a makeshift dojo. Gone was the god of the sea and his taunting smile. She could feel the wind around her, hear the hiss of a cold steel. She could see another, larger opponent, bearing down on her with a threatening gaze. The man rushed forward, lunging with a forward thrust. Nari lifted her arms and spun, twirling out of the way to reposition herself. Then finally, she retaliated.

It took everything he had not to let his mouth fall open. Not only had her defensive strategy changed, but her offensive too. Granted, she had never gotten the chance to even attempt a blow before, so he didn't have anything to go off of. But now that she did, she was coming at him at full force. Her moves were quick and fluid, her blade dancing around him in a series of careful combination strikes. He was forced on the defensive, blocking, and parrying blow after blow. She was moving like a woman possessed.

"Alright, that's it… no more holding back," Takeru muttered.

From there, the battle descended into a free-for-all. The swords clacked against one another as the pair dueled relentlessly. A swipe, a miss, a parry, a jab. The pair moved round and round the room, each trying relentlessly to get a hit on the other. He scowled, feeling the rush of air against his face as he narrowly avoided an upward swipe. 'She's so fast!'

What had happened to her?

The woman before him had all but transformed from a knock-kneed novice to a graceful ballerina, dancing and evading around him. Until now, she had been an easy opponent; unsure and unsteady on her feet. Though stronger than her sister, Nari was still physically weaker than her divine opponent. Blocking his strikes had all but thrown her off her feet; her small, lithe body did little to help her in a head-on clash.

Now, she had turned the tables; she had reversed her strategy, turning her weaknesses into an advantage. Rather than butt heads against him directly, she instead used quick, careful movements to block, shift, and redirect his strikes, never absorbing too much force in a single blow. When she struck back, her own attacks were far less heavy-handed, but carried with them deadly precision. Nari didn't couldn't rely on brute strength like he could. So, she made every strike count. Even her form had changed, no longer following standard grip but wielding single-handed. A stance far more akin to a short sword than a katana.

Yui wasn't sure what to do at this point. She had attempted to call from the sidelines, but neither opponent seemed to hear her. They were entirely focused, their eyes only on one another. The rest of the room had faded away leaving only two warriors fighting desperately for the killing blow. This was no longer a friendly match. It was a battle to the death. The gods watched enthralled as the two of them moved. No one so much as dared to blink, lest they miss a crucial moment of the action.

And it was within one of those moments that finally turned the tide of battle, a single miscalculation. Nari continued to hop around, drawing out his strikes, one after the other, distracting him, luring him, faking him out. Having underestimated her so early on, he had wasted previous energy during their battle. Now, that mistake was catching up to him as he grew weary, still somewhat unaccustomed to the full limits of the human body. Conversely, Nari's efficient style conserved it, utilizing as little as possible with every movement.

With a cunning smile, she parried his strike, whirling around him once more. Then, she came from above, giving him an opening…

But it was a trap, and taking the bait, Takeru fell right into it. In his desperation to win, he did exactly what she wanted him to do. When the god went low, Nari went high. She evaded his low sweep, leaping over him and using his shoulder as a springboard. When he turned around, he was stunned to find the tip of the blade resting less than an inch from his nose. "Point," she purred with a devilish smile. It was over. The battle was won.

The gods erupted into cheers, laughter, and celebration. They had come for some mild entertainment and instead gotten the show of the school year. An astonishing performance, an unexpected battle of titans. Takeru lowered his sword and rubbed the back of his head with an incredulous smile. Nari lowered hers as well, giving him a silent nod. The rest of the room finally came back into focus, along with the group of smiling faces. Unfortunately…

Yui cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention once more to referee of the match. Although she was completely floored by Nari's display, her job was to enforce the rules. "I-I… I'm sorry, Nari, but… that point doesn't count."

"What? Why?!" Apollon nearly shouted.

"Such methods are against the rules and —"

"I forfeit."

"What?!" Yui balked.

Turning back to Nari, Takeru gave a wide smile and nodded to her. A sign of great respect. "It has been a long time since I have fought such a worthy opponent."

"B-But the rules —"

"Screw the rules. That was a rush. I don't know what style that was, but you are skilled. Victory is yours. You win the bet."

"Thank you, Takeru. After all that, I think the Kendo Club is probably a good fit for you."

"Yeah, no kidding. Tch, so much for 'no good with a sword.'"

Nari giggled, following him as they made their way from the center of the room. As the two neared the walls, the other gods surrounded them, all twittering with excitement. All except for one. One particular god was smiling; he was only staring at her with eyes widened and jaw clenched. But she didn't notice him, focused instead on the sulky god smiling at her. "Kusanagi… that was —"

Hades was almost immediately interrupted by a blonde prince appearing in front of her. "Wow, wow, wow! Siren, that was amazing! It was amazing! I'm so impressed."

"Thank you."

"Good job, Fotia!" Dionysus complimented. "I had no idea you were so good!"

"Hehe… Neither did I."

"Nari, that was incredible!" Yui rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her sister in a tight hug. Her sister returned it. "It's been ages since I've even picked up a sword," Yui imitated. "Ages my foot! Have you been practicing all this time? You've been holding out on me!"

"A-Ah… Well, I —"

"You."

"Eh?" Nari blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in tone. Turning her attention from her sister, she found herself staring eye-to-eye with Loki. Unlike his fellow classmates however, he was far from sharing in their mirth. He looked almost… angry?

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"U-Um…" The atmosphere around them grew tense, she could feel his silver eyes boring into her very soul. She wasn't certain how to answer him; she didn't know where she had found her sudden burst of strength. She could only assume it was just as Yui said, most of sword fighting, as with most athletic practices, was muscle memory. That being said, she didn't know what his problem was. Had he wanted Takeru to win? "Th-That's… uh —"

"Great job, Kusanagi! That was wonderful!" Balder saved her from her floundering, appearing at Loki's side with a brilliant smile. "I must concur with Yui, you are very skilled."

Grateful for the distraction, Nari quickly turned to Balder. "Oh! Yeah, thanks…"

"Truly, you must tell us where you learned the sword." His gentle hand rested against her shoulder in what was meant to be a congratulatory gesture.

It had the opposite effect.

"Gah!" Nari's shinai clattered to the ground with a loud crack. Reeling back in shock, she wrenched herself from his hand like a hot iron. Balder jumped, startled by her alarming retreat. The other gods took notice as well, all equally surprised by her reaction.

Yui was the first to recover. "Nari, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I, um..." Nari looked nervously around her at the surrounding gods, taking note of the expressions on all their faces. They were looking at her as though she had lost her mind. Considering the sensation she had just felt in the pit of her stomach… she wondered if perhaps she had. Dionysus and Hades looked worried, and Takeru and Apollon looked confused. Tsukito and Thor held blank stares, while Balder looked as though he had been slapped in the face. And Loki…

Balder frowned. "Kusanagi, you don't look so well…"

"I'm fine," Nari replied. Backing away, she waved them off and headed toward the door. "Actually… yeah. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed. You know, from the… swordfight."

Yui's expression turned sympathetic. "Of course, you worked really hard. You should get some rest."

"Yeah… I will. See you guys later." Nari strode from the room without even waiting for their reply. Loki watched her go, the scowl never leaving his face.

. . .

As the day turned into night, Nari did the exact opposite of Yui's suggestion. Though she did distance herself from the other gods, she didn't do so in her dorm room. She wandered the island, strolling along the mountain path, spending a considerable amount of that time on the peak; a small spot she had stumbled upon during one of her runs. It was a great place to go when she wanted to be alone, high above the world below with an excellent view of the sky. When she returned, it was after dark, ensuring that she wouldn't be bothered while she conducted her ritual.

Thus, it was beneath the silver moon that Tsukito found her, dancing alone in the campus courtyard. For three minutes, he watched her silently, gently stroking the white familiar in his arms. Though his face remained deadpan, the god of the moon could not help but admire her smooth, careful movements. The way her arms lifted and swayed, following familiar motions that she had undoubtedly conducted during her life in the human world. She was missing some crucial items; she lacked a fan, suzu, and proper dress. Even still, her prayers had reached him all the same.

When she lowered her hands and opened her eyes, she jumped, startled to see the stoic god standing there before her. When had he even arrived? "I-I… uh…"

"Your dance was beautiful. Thank you."

"Oh. Sure…" Nari gave him a strange look; it seemed unusual that he would thank her, especially for something she had been doing in solitude. It was not until he looked up at the moon that she suddenly realized. Though she had no shrine and no sound but the music in her head, her ceremonial dance had carried the same intention as it always had. As it was full on that night, this particular dance was in honor of the moon. Tsukuyomi's domain. Thus, as a god, it wasn't farfetched to assume that he had 'heard' her performance, especially as the only shrine woman — and human one at that — present in the entire dimension.

Had it been her prayer that had drawn him to her? Nari wasn't sure. Regardless, she bowed, remembering once again that Tsukito was an actual god — a fact she had conveniently forgotten while slapping around his brother merely hours ago. In a way, his compliment was of the highest honor. He said nothing further, only nodding in response before making his way to a nearby bench. With nothing else to do than stand awkwardly, Nari joined him, sitting back, and looking up at the large orb in the sky. The two remained in silence for so long, Tsukito's voice startled her when he finally spoke.

"Thank you."

Nari blinked. "Tsukito, you don't have to keep thanking me… humans are supposed to pray to gods, right?"

He shook his head. "For defeating my brother in battle."

"Huh?" Now, she was completely lost. It was odd enough being thanked by a deity. Being thanked for beating up said deity's brother was just absurd. "I-I'm sorry? I don't follow."

"Takeru Totsuka… Susanoo… has always had an uncouth, short-tempered nature. It is due to his existence as a god of sea the…"

"And storms." Nari slowly nodded. It made sense. Though the smaller god often got on her nerves and pushed her to the brink of eruption, she had come to accept the fact that it was just a part of who he was. Just as troublemaking was in Loki's nature, rage was in his. But even she couldn't deny that over their time there, Takeru had changed. He lost his temper less often and wasn't as temperamental as when he'd arrived. He wasn't a bad person, that much was certain. The fact that he had risked expulsion to save her sister's life was proof of that.

"When we were young, a goddess fell from a cliff right before Takeru Totsuka's eyes. She was a kind goddess who'd looked after him since the day he was born. Takeru Totsuka tried to save her, but he was young and weak. Those who saw it misunderstood."

"Misunderstood…?" Nari paused for a moment, unsure. Then, she gasped. "They thought he pushed her?"

"Yes. He insisted that it wasn't true, but due to his uncouth nature people continued to doubt him."

"Damn…" Nari frowned. "As if losing his caretaker wasn't painful enough… to have other people blaming him for it? It's no wonder he's so bitter."

Tsukito nodded, fingers growing still in Usamaro's fur. She had no doubt that if he were capable, he would be expressing sadness. "He was. For so many years... but I have noticed a change in him. That change… is thanks to you, Nari Kusanagi."

"Wha — me?"

"Yes. You and Yui Kusanagi have seen the good in him. He is learning to trust again. To love again. For that, I am grateful to you."

"I… had no idea. To be honest, I didn't really think I was much help at all. If anything, I thought I was making it worse."

Tsukito shook his head. "The two of you have done far more than you realize."

"Is that so… well, I'm happy to have helped."

Tsukito said nothing further. He nodded again, before slowly turning his eyes upward toward the moon. With little else to do and suddenly feeling more relaxed, Nari did the only thing she could think to do. Leaning back against the bench, she folded her hands in her lap and joined him gazing up at the sky.

The two remained so until well into the evening, oblivious to the pair of silver eyes watching them.