Shizuka spluttered, as she swam back to the surface and glared at the bunny smirking across from her. Kat's perspective had shifted, and now stood to the side of the two speakers. "What did you do that for Amelie!" shouted Shizuka
Amelie, the bun in question, was laughing loudly to herself and struggling with her words "I didn't… ha…. Ha. And you just… hehehehe…. It was…. Hahaha, give me a moment"
"Just you wait till I come over there!" growled Shizuka, summoning a single ring sigil to freeze the water around her before climbing up and marching towards Amelie
"Ok, Minor… what is with those pauldrons. I don't know how they stay up, and why they are so large. Especially considering she's hardly wearing anything else. Like, there must be enough metal in one of those things to make me a full chest piece"
"Ah" said Minor "Well… there are a few reasons actually. You're right, there is enough metal for a chest piece… well almost. It has to do with enchantment. I don't really understand it but for the ones on her pauldrons, you need a certain amount of material to store the mana for them
"As to why she's lacking in armour in other areas… well, her combat style is like nothing I've ever seen. She makes full use of her flexibility and armour would only restrict that. The reason she can be a frontline fighter though is she has a rare mana type
"Very very rare. It's known as regeneration, but it's more accurately a defect in healing affinity. If a person is unable to project their mana outside of their body, but awaken to healing affinity it becomes more potent but can only work on the person in question, even if they later gain the ability to use mana outside of themselves"
"Right…" said Kat unsure "What about the boots then"
"She likes stomping people" said Minor
Kat nodded. *I guess rabbits enjoy hopping.*
Kat returned her attention to the pair in question just as Shizuka was about to reach her, Amelie easily hopped out of the way. Her long toned legs flexing with power, but moved just a few centimetres to the side just enough to get away from Shizuka's admittedly half-hearted lunge.
"You disappoint my little fox, I'd thought you better than that" said Amelie
"That's because I am stupid hare" said Shizuka as three two ringed sigils appeared around Amelie. Shizuka clicked her fingers and a cube of ice grew to encapsulate Amelie in full.
"Oooh I-cey you've been working on some tricks. Though still I'd expected bwetter from you" said Amelie as she tensed her muscles shattering the prison completely.
Amelie, then took a sprinter's pose, before pushing off and shooting towards Shizuka catching her in a big hug, scooping the fox up and rubbing her face into her tails "Mwhaha I win" said Amelie.
"Get off me I'm not a little kid anymore" said Shizuka
"Little Kid" laughed Amelie "I'm like a year and a half older than you, you're just short"
Shizuka of course, wasn't short when compared to most women. She was of a very average height. It was only when people like Kat and Amelie came into play that she looked small at all.
Shizuka struggled to get out of Amelie's iron like grip but failed. "What is this? The fox trying to run from the hare? What would your ancestors say?"
"I'm a kitsune not a fox you inbred rabbit" responded Shizuka
"Oh… I can't let such an insult stand" said Amelie who proceeded to tickle Shizuka.
"Is this… really how they act?" asked Kat looking over at Minor
"Amelie is perhaps the only thing close to a friend Major has. I'm very grateful she is around at all" said Minor "There are a few questionable things about her, but I know she cares a lot about Major. I'm a little surprised this is the first we've seen of her actually"
"What do you mean?" asked Kat
"Well, we've known Amelie for… at least five years? Seven maybe? It's been a few. I'm not sure why she just showed up now" said Minor
"Maybe this is the most important memory with her in it. You said yourself this was a memory you wanted to protect" said Kat aware that her energy was still draining. Down almost a third.
Minor got a thoughtful look on her face "You might be right. I think it might have more to do with not having a stand out event other than this, but perhaps you are closer to the truth"
Eventually, Shizuka was finally free from Amelie's torture and managed to ask "What… what are you here for" between catching her breath
"Why, I'm here to duel for your hand in marriage of course" said Amelie
Shizuka froze. Her icey appearance to Kat and Minor only further reinforcing this appearance. When she started to move again Kat could almost hearing the cracking of ice. "Why" was all Shizuka managed to say.
"Well, I can't let anyone else take away my sweet little Shizuka. I shall protect your honour with my own" declared Amelie.
Kat frowned as she watched this. *Does Amelie know? Just… the way she said that like it was a forgone conclusion that Shizuka would lose in the near future.* "Does she know?" whispered Kat to Minor.
Minor jumped and looked between Kat and Amelie a few times "I… I don't know… I hadn't even considered… Does she?" mumbled Minor.
"You'd know better than me right?" asked Kat
"Yes but I don't see how she'd get that information" said Minor
"I can protect myself" said Shizuka, she looked slightly angry but, her voice held no heat.
"Right, of course you can. You totally didn't get captured by me" said Amelie and mimed tickling Shizuka again.
"You know that doesn't count. You're stronger than me by a long way" said Shizuka
Amelie frowned "Then why can't you see that the next challenger might be the same" asked Amelie.
"I mean… I can pick my battles carefully?" said Shizuka unsure of herself
"Look, why not just have a friendly duel of honour with me. I'll bet my weapons if you want" said Amelie
"No!" shouted Shizuka "You can't do that. They've been with you for so long"
Amelie shrugged "They aren't worth nearly as much as your hand and I can get new ones. I'd bet my own hand in marriage but that would defeat the point wouldn't it"
Shizuka grit her teeth, pained expression on her face "I don't want to fight you Amelie"
Amelie shrugged "We spar all the time when I come to visit. How is this any different?"
"You know why" said Shizuka
"Nope not at all" said Amelie with a grin "You win, and you get some cool weapons. I win and I get your hand. That sounds like a win-win to me"
Shizuka grit her teeth "Be serious about this please"
"I'm dead serious" said Amelie, who first put Shizuka down, then turned around, bent over and answered through her legs.
Shizuka clenched her fists together, trying to contain her rage. Thinking Amelie was making a mockery of her "Fine then. But it will be a kitsune duel, you won't have your amour"
Amelie stood up straight and grinned wide "Perfect my little fox. Fight hard"
And with that Amelie bowed to Shizuka before skipping off out of the scene.
"What the heck was that" asked Kat
"Something that has never been done before" said Minor
Kat raised an eyebrow "What do you mean"
"Well, nobody without a noble house backing them would ever challenge the princess just in case they cheat. I mean, we would never, but some in other kingdoms have. This is the first major challenge from an unknown party"
"Wait isn't Shizuka super important? How did some random rabbit sneak into the castle" asked Kat.
"She literally just walked in. We didn't find out till much later but she just marched straight through the front gate and nobody stopped her" said Minor "She was just a child but she didn't seem scared at all so the guards let her pass
"So, she visited for a while until Mother find out and she was furious. See Amelie had been showing up fairly regularly, making small talk with the guards, and for some reason nobody thought to question it till Mum realised there was a problem
"Anyway, when confronted Amelie said she'd rather die than cause problems for Shizuka. Grandma was around at the time, and decided to put her to the test, not thinking she'd accept. She was asked to sign a binding lifetime contract, that she'd die before allowing serious harm to come to Shizuka.
"Jokes on them I suppose. She sliced her hand open and signed it in blood. Now, granted, the contract didn't actually do anything. We don't possess that ability, but all the flashes and appropriate sigils looked to be in place
"Mum and Grandma were so shocked, they stood their mouths agape and Amelie just walked out and went back to playing with Shizuka. Oh, and she's a hare, but she doesn't really care if you make that mistake"