Kagami intensely narrows her eyes at her opponent. She tightens her grip on her bamboo sword.
She charges, twisting her body to strike from bellow, but her opponent blocks it and parries it.
The two clash weapons. Kagami was on guard. Her opponent could strike anywhere.
She makes sure she doesn't blink, not even for less than a second. Even blinking halfway can lead to her opponent appearing from behind and finishing her with a swipe at her feet.
She decides to close her eyes, feeling the wind... searching for any shift...
She twists her body and raises her weapon into the sky, blocking what could have been a surprise attack from above. Taking advantage of her opponent's brief surprise, she uses her sword to hit her opponent at the side, knocking her opponent to the ground.
While the other fighter was still slightly shaken by her way of defending, Kagami uses her sword to flip her opponent's sword, making it land far away and out of its owner's reach, leaving its owner unarmed, and giving Kagami the chance to deal the final blow.
She raises her sword then brings it down.
Only for her opponent to grab and stop the sword with bare hands.
The next thing Kagami knew, she and her weapon were flipped into the air before being slammed onto the ground. She tries to get up, but her opponent points the tip of her stolen weapon at her, then pokes her chest with it, signaling her loss.
Kagami sighs and lies down on her back. All her life she was taught never to underestimate her opponents. Nor overestimate them.
She made sure to follow both lessons... only to lose once again for the 53rd time.
Taking a deep breath, she declares, "It's the size. There. I have fought and defeated countless opponents, all of which are not your size."
"Oh come on." Longg, who was still holding her Holder's bamboo sword, approaches her Holder, "One of these days, you will be facing a villain with the power to shrink. How will you handle that, hm?"
"I do recall having already faced a villain like that before." Kagami remembers, "He took over my head and Ladybug has to free me with help. It took a team of heroes to completely defeat him."
"But what if you're alone and your teammates are being kept busy?" Longg points out.
Kagami sighs, wishing her Kwami didn't ask that question, "I... don't know if I want to fight alone. I apologize if I sound weak."
"Just because you lost to a being smaller than you for the 53rd time?" Longg waves her off, "That is not the sound of weakness."
Kagami gets up halfway, "Your small size gives you more openings at a fast pace. This time, I completely let my guard up. Or so I thought."
Longg nods, "Yes. Quite an improvement."
"I guess... I'm still surprised a little being like you has such a powerful skill." Kagami admits.
The first time Longg offered to be Kagami's sparring partner, the young swords-woman was hesitant and considered it dishonorable to inflict harm at such a small being. Especially one who had just been freed from the clutches of a super madman.
Remembering her lessons, she did not underestimate her.
The moment she was was pushed to the ground after just a few hits, exactly 24 seconds after starting the fight, she realized she did underestimate her Kwami too much.
She swore not to make the same mistake the second time they sparred. Remembering their first spar, she paid close attention to her Kwami's actions.
Surely she can find her little sparring partner's strategy behind all those swings.
On the second round, she lost. Again.
At least it lasted longer. For a few measly seconds.
Ever since those first two fights, Kagami was determined to defeat her Dragon Kwami friend. Which was greatly affecting her mentally and emotionally;
At school, she would momentarily not pay attention to her teachers and would mindlessly draw on her notebooks her and Longg depicted as a samurai and a Chinese long dragon respectively.
When she was playing tennis with Rose, she mistook the tennis ball for her Kwami and sliced it into half with her tennis racket.
During dinner, she absentmindedly plays with her food as she formulates strategies to win against her Kwami.
To put it simply: She really, REALLY wants to beat her Kwami whose size matches that of any regular tennis ball.
Fighting her Kwami and wanting to win against her makes the Japanese girl feel... determined.
And... excited. Something she hasn't felt in a long time whenever she spars with someone who isn't Akumatized, and who isn't bent on hurting others.
"I wasn't born with this skill in case you're wondering." Longg swings the sword from side to side.
This surprises Kagami who thought the Kwami's swordsmanship was another magical power of hers.
"I was born with the powers of the three elements." Longg begins to narrate, "I create tsunamis! Tornados! Storm clouds! When my Miraculous was created, I was able to bestow a worthy warrior with my powers. At some point, my first Holder challenged me to a sword duel to make him stronger. I saw no problem in that... until I held the sword."
Kagami was surprised to see her Kwami look horrified, "You... felt excitement at engaging in something new that you lost yourself in your first battle?"
"No. I..." Longg looks nervous, "The sword, was heavier than what I usually lifted back in the days."
Kagami imagines Longg's first time holding a sword. An actual sword forged from steel. She could imagine the small Kwami puffing her cheeks out as the weapon was slowly pulling her down instead of her doing the opposite.
It was quite an amusing scene actually. And Kagami couldn't hide the amused look on her face.
"It wasn't that amusing." Longg had let go of the bamboo sword and was now glaring at her Holder while holding her hips.
"Sorry." Kagami apologizes, "It must have been difficult for you back then."
"Yes. But I persevered." Longg recalls the rigorous training she had to go through just to pick up a sword without difficulty, "And I admit; It was the first time I felt... ashamed. Me. The Kwami of Perfection. Ashamed. All because I couldn't lift a sword."
Kagami knows that feeling. All her life she was taught that she needed to be perfect. That it was important for her to be perfect in order to maintain her high status in society.
Her friends, her TRUE friends, helped her realize she didn't need to be perfect to be their friend, accepting her flaws and forgiving her mistakes.
"You ARE the Kwami of Perfection, Longg." Kagami smiles at her Kwami, "After all: How can you achieve perfection, if you don't make mistakes along the way?"
Longg smiles at her Holder then hugs her cheek in gratitude. Kagami smiles and returns the gesture by hugging her Kwami with both her hands.
It's so nice to have a dear little friend (who is not a pet,) live together with you under the same roof. It gives you a warm feeling to have someone by your side who would always encourage you whenever you're feeling down or lonely.
Instead of living with someone who keeps demanding too much out of you.
"Rematch?" Longg smirks.
"You're on." Kagami smirks back.
The two pick up their Kendo swords and intensely face each other.
"Kagami!"
Kagami sighs in disappointment at the sound of her mother's voice. She really wants to spar with her Kwami again.
Even if she loses. Again.
Unfortunately, the duties of a Tsurugi comes first.
The Holder of the Dragon Miraculous lifts a side of her jacket for Longg to fly into and hide. The Dragon Kwami smiles at her, giving her a feeling of assurance to take on whatever challenges she would face for the rest of the day.