"What exactly is even the difference?" asked Kat "I mean, aren't hares and rabbits basically the same thing?"
Minor shrugged "I never really looked into it, but according to Amelie, hare beast people are much rarer than rabbits and normally more combat adept and a few other things. I honestly have no idea"
Kat was tempted to continue this line of questioning when the scene changed to Shizuka in the prep room for the duelling area again. Chiharu was sitting on an ice chair with her face in her hands sighing.
"How did it come to this" said Chiharu
"Um… my apologies Mother" said Shizuka "I didn't really"
Chiharu waved her daughters concerns away "No, you didn't really mean for this to happen. I'm sure Amelie pushed you into this. I know how bad you are at refusing her"
Shizuka pouted while trying to look serious "I do not have an issue with refusing her"
Chiharu raised her head and looked her daughter in the eyes "Then why are you having an honour duel with Amelie right this moment? We both know that if you win, you'll give her weapons straight back to her
"And I cannot even begin to imagine what she is going to try if she wins. I know she has some hare-brained scheme like usual, but I doubt you'll end up worse off considering we have the Beast King already onto you…
"Then again I have to wonder if she knows. Sure we have a number of refugees but I wouldn't be surprised if Amelie is somehow high up in the Beast King's chain of command. The only question is if she knows about the arrangement or not and if this is a response"
Shizuka gained a shocked look on her face "There is no way she'd work for the beast king. Isn't he a horrible person?"
Chiharu let out a long sight and lightly chopped her daughter on the head "Firstly you can't just say that Shizuka. Even if it was true, which I don't fully believe, you shouldn't say that about another country's ruler unless you are actively at war.
"And secondly, the beast kingdom has an obsession with strength. Their King needs to reflect that, and while it breeds arrogance, unlike other kingdoms like the humans and some dwarven clans, it is not unfounded either.
"They've been taught to settle problems with violence, and if that doesn't work, adding more violence can only help the situation" said Chiharu
"But that… that's so inconsiderate" said Shizuka
Chiharu nodded "Yes, and that is why many beast people move to our kingdom, but it is also why despite this we have a good deal of friction with them because we almost seem to be directly competing"
"I understand" said Shizuka
"No Shizuka, I honestly don't think you do" said Chiharu. Shizuka went to retort, but Chiharu raised her hand "No, this is no fault of your own. Unlike my own mother I don't seek to retire any time soon, and I have allowed you to get away mostly with etiquette training and combat. I don't regret it, but please realise you simply aren't equipped to deal with the highest levels of politics just yet"
"I understand" said Shizuka with puffed up cheeks.
"Now, where were we. Yes, Amelie's possible relation to the beast king. I don't see it mattering, but I do think you need to consider it, and what it would mean should you lose" said Chiharu
"Um… what would it mean" asked Shizuka
"I don't know. That is the issue" said Chiharu
"Oh" said Shizuka, tails sinking.
Chiharu sighed "Look, do you truly wish to go through with this?"
Shizuka shook her head "No of course not. This isn't even about winning or losing, it's about fighting Amelie seriously. I just… I don't know if I can"
Chiharu patted Shizuka on the head. "Sadly, you've come this far, even if the documents haven't been signed. It would be hard to back out. Besides, Amelie wouldn't hurt you, and it's almost impossible for you to hurt her permanently
"Even discounting the field around the arena, her regeneration should keep her safe" said Chiharu with a soft smile.
"Ok" said Shizuka nodding and stepping out. Chiharu sighed as she left, but Kat wasn't able to watch her any longer as she was pulled out into the arena. Amelie was leaning on her trident at the centre.
She had stabbed it into one the floor, and was using it as a wall to lean against. Her small shield firmly attached to her hand as she pretended to look over her mostly non-existent nails. Instead of her old armour, she what she was now wearing might be even more revealing.
Around her chest she had what looked to be a ripped training outfit wrapped around. On top of this, she had similar wrappings around her palms, likely from the sleeves. Below that, around her waist she had a close-fitting pair of underwear, and nothing else.
"What took you so long? Making sure you were pretty for me?" asked Amelie
Shizuka ignored her question in favour of her own "Are we really doing this Amelie? Can't we just not"
Amelie pouted, and moved her ears into a heart shaped "Don't you like me? Won't you let me fight for your hand"
"You know it isn't about that" growled Shizuka
"Ooh, getting aggressive already. If you want to come at me, I'm willing to let you" said Amelie
"Argh…" Shizuka grit her teeth "Do we have to fight. Be serious"
Amelie nodded "Yes. We do" Amelie ripped her trident from the ground and placed herself in position to lunge out with her trident as soon as the call to start began.
Shizuka sighed, but readied a few sigils behind her, and waited for the announcement. It was the same one as last time, when Shizuka fought Reverendi. As soon as the announcement finished, Shizuka launched a wave of spikes at Amelie.
Who tried to dodge out of the way, narrowly dodging every single one of them twisting and bending herself out of the way surprising even Kat with her flexibility. The few icicles she couldn't dodge with acrobatics were blocked by her shield.
That was until one managed to strike Amelie's side, slicing open a large wound where it scraped past. Amelie stood shocked, before a second icicle directly impaled her heart. That hare beastman was knocked backwards falling to the ground and dropping her weapons.
As Shizuka saw this she panicked and rushed forward shouting "Amelie!" at the top of her lungs. When she arrived next to the fallen figure of Amelie, she slid into a kneel and pressed her hand against Amelie's throat checking for breath.
"Boo" said Amelie as soon as Shizuka made contact. Wrapping Shizuka up in her arms she proceeded to spin around and throw her across the arena. As Shizuka left her arms the wound on her side closed up. After which she then pulled the ice out of her chest and closed that wound as well, it didn't even bleed.
"I'm disappointed in you" said Amelie "You should know better than to get distracted in a fight. And, as much as I appreciate you trying to take my heart, I'd rather it was in one piece when you do thanks"
Shizuka just groaned as she struggled to stand at the edge of the platform. As she did so Amelie calmly picked up her weapon as if she was plucking flowers from the side of the road. "Ah feels nice having my polearm back in my hands" said Amelie
"Why would you do that?" growled Shizuka once she recovered.
"Well, I did want to show off a little, but I do wish that icicle had actually cleared my ribcage properly. Then I could say you stole my heart" said Amelie
Shizuka had enough of Amelie's poor jokes. She also wasn't crying. She was just melting ice near her eyes. Summoning a large two ringed sigil, a massive icicle shot out towards Amelie.
Amalie just stepped forward, placing her small shield in between the tip of the iceberg flying towards her. To Kat's surprise Amelie took the whole thing on the centre of the shield without faltering. The ground beneath Amelie's feet cracked, but she remained steadfast. Instead the ice dropped to the floor.
"Now, I do so hate to return a loved one's gift" said Amelie as she dug her hands into the side of the iceberg "But, it just isn't my style you know? I'm sure it will suit you better"
With a quiet grunt Amelie lifted the iceberg partially onto her shoulder before launching it back towards Shizuka at twice the speed. Shizuka's eyes went wide, as she frantically scrambled to create a sigil.
She wasn't having much success however in her panicked state, her three attempts all fizzled as she failed to visualise the ruins properly. She was just about to be hit by the ice when she realised, she was still powering the first sigil.. Dismissing it, the icicle disappeared as if it had never been and glared at Amelie.