Be Proud Of Yourself

DECEMBER

Cinco: ... Today is her last chance.

Lionel: Yes.

Cinco: we haven't been seeing much of her after Gray decided he was going to stay and teach her.

Lionel: ...

Cinco: How are you feeling Master?

Lionel: What do you mean?

Cinco: Your student thought that she wasn't learning fast enough from you. So she abandoned you and ran to the person who claims to be stronger than you.

Lionel: Gray is stronger than me.

Cinco: That isn't the point.

Lionel: ... I suppose I do feel a little betrayed. That is all I will say.

Cinco: If she comes today I will make sure to actually try. For your sake.

Lionel: She will come and please show a little restraint.

Snow starts to fall from the sky. When Cinco and Lionel start to hear two sets of footsteps. Cinco looks to where the footsteps are coming from and sees Sarah and Gray. Sarah was now wearing black sweatpants with a red shirt. She had also grown a couple of inches and was now almost as tall as Lionel. Sarah's hair was messed up and had dirt in it. She also had bags under her eyes.

Cinco: You look terrible. Are you sure you are able to fight?

Sarah: ...

Gray: She is fine. Are you ready Cinco?

Cinco pulls up his wooden sword and points it at Sarah.

Cinco: Of course I am.

Golden string starts to come out of the ground on either side of Sarah. Sarah reaches out and grabs the strings with both her hands. The golden strings wrap around Sarah's arms until they are completely covered by golden strings.

Cinco: [Those are Rachel's strings.] New trick?

Sarah: Say when we can start?

Cinco: ... Why would you give up the element of surprise like that?

Sarah: It isn't like you didn't already expect me to attack.

Cinco: Fine ... now.

Sarah pushes off her foot so hard that she leaves a small crater behind were her left foot was. Sarah runs to the side of Cinco and balls up her fist. Cinco moves the wooden sword to his side to block her attack.

Cinco: Child's play.

Sarah's punch flew gracefully. It wasn't an attack that was random or from instinct. It was a move that was planned before they even started fighting. In fact Sarah's entire hopes of victory were riding off of this attack. Her body turned with the attack. This was her everything. Sarah's punch broke through Cinco's wooden sword. He completely underestimated how powerful the attack would be.

Cinco: [I didn't sense that much Ora in the attack at all. But if there isn't that much in it why is it so powerful.]

Sarah's attack makes contact with Cinco. Cinco flew and then started to roll across the Green plans. He instantly started to collect himself and get up on his feet.

Sarah: I knew I couldn't move fast enough to hit you if you sensed the Ora behind my attack. And I expected you would underestimate the attack too if there wasn't a lot of Ora behind it. So I decided to not put Ora behind it at all. I only used the strength from Rachel's strings.

Cinco: ...

Sarah: I am surprised my plan actually worked. I mean if you dodged that first punch I would've been done for.

Cinco: So you bet your whole victory on one action?

Sarah: Yes. It was what I needed to do to beat you.

Cinco: ... Master.

Lionel: Yes?

Cinco: Give it here.

Cinco holds his hand towards Lionel.

Lionel: Okay.

Lionel opens his hand. Sarah watches as the hilt of a sword comes out of the palm of Lionel's hand. The hilt is slowly pushed up into the air by the blade of the sword coming out of his hand as well. The tip of the sword comes out of Lionel's hand and Lionel grabs the hilt. He then throws the sword to Cinco. Cinco catches it by the hilt and points it at Sarah.

Sarah: That is the same sword from ...

Cinco: Yes it is.

Sarah: You want to continue?

Cinco: Yes.

Sarah: Fine.

Cinco tries swinging the sword at Sarah's face but before he does a metal claw comes from Sarah's middle knuckle and she blocks the sword. She brings her other arm up and hits Cinco in the face. Cinco spits out a bloody tooth and looks at Sarah.

Cinco: Maybe he was right about you.

Golden string starts to wrap around Cinco's black sword. A metal claw comes out of Sarah's other fits. She tries running the claw through Cinco but he lets go of his sword and grabs Sarah's arm before she can stab him and punches her in the nose. Cinco's sword moves up Sarah's arm and the blade is completely buried under golden string only leaving the grip of the sword exposed. The hit Cinco landed makes Sarah jump back and summon Cloak. Instead of putting Cloak on she instead keeps it balled up in her hand. Cinco tries following her so she has less time to think. Sarah throws Cloak at Cinco and keeps him from getting any closer. Cloak wraps around Cinco's arms and torso and sends him up into the air. Sarah sends golden strings from her arm into the air and wraps them around Cinco's neck. Cloak lets go of Cinco and Sarah swings Cinco around the air and slams him into the ground.

Dirt and dust is brought up from the ground where Cinco lands.

Cinco: You trying to kill me or something?

Sarah: If anything this shows how much I believe in your strength.

Cloak flies back down to Sarah's side. Cinco runs through the cloud of dirt and charges at Sarah's. Cinco gets close to Sarah and grabs the hilt of his sword with his left hand. Sarah tries running the metal claw through Cinco's face but Cinco puts up his right hand and Sarah's metal claw goes through his hand.

Cinco: This will leave a scar.

Cinco gets a good grip on his sword and pulls it out of the strings. Cloak starts to wrap around Cinco's waist until it is cut in half by Cinco.

Cinco: That is one annoyance down.

Sarah tries to pull the metal claw out of Cinco's hand to get some distance between them but she feels herself unable to move her arm. Cinco take's hold of Sarah's fist with his impaled hand and tries to run his sword through her stomach. She clashes with the sword with her other claw.

Sarah feels herself growing exhausted.

Sarah: [Keep the Ora flowing properly. Don't over exert yourself. If you do, you lose.]

Cinco puts his foot up to Sarah's side and pulls on Sarah's arm that was impaling his hand. Cinco dislocates Sarah's shoulder and manages to successfully pull all of the golden strings off of her arm. Sarah jumps back and falls to her knees gripping her shoulder. Cinco closes in on her and brings the sword above his hand and brings it down on Sarah. Sarah blocks the sword with the claw from her other fist.

Sarah: [If this keeps going I will lose. Think. Cloak is regenerating and isn't a reliable option right now. If I summon Rachel right now the golden strings and metal claw will disappear from my arm and his sword will hit me.]

Sarah's eyes widen when she sees Cinco let go of his sword.

Sarah: [Why would he ... ? Forget it now is my chance-]

When Cinco let go of his sword he spun his body around and kicked Sarah in the jaw. Sarah's body hit the floor. and Cinco turned around and walked away. Sarah was losing her grip on her consciousness. Cinco picks up his sword.

Cinco: You did great.

Cinco turns around and starts walking away from Sarah.

Sarah: [All that work. Did I make Gray stay for nothing then? I put the village in danger for my own goals and dreams and I couldn't even reach them. I guess Kyle was right. How frustrating.]

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Sarah opens her eyes

Sarah: Oh you again.

When Sarah opened her eyes she found herself standing in front of a bright orb of light.

Sarah: You have gotten way bigger since the last time I saw you.

Sarah looks around the realm of darkness she was in. Her curiosity towards the place she was standing in was great but she didn't come here for that. Sarah turned back to look at the light.

Sarah: With you I will definitely be able to defeat him.

Sarah reaches out and grabs the light with her hands. It was so warm.

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Cinco turns around when he feels a burst of Ora. When he turns around he sees Sarah standing up with orbs of light surrounding her.

Cinco smiles and points his sword at Sarah.

Cinco: Round 2 then?

Sarah holds out her hand as the orbs around her start to grow brighter. Cinco prepares himself for a strong attack until ...

The orbs of light completely disappeared in an instant as Sarah started to cough up blood. Sarah covered her mouth to try and stop the coughing.

Lionel: She went too far.

Gray: ...

Sarah falls on her stomach and passes out.

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Sarah wakes up in her bed in her room. She sits up and rubs her eyes.

Sarah: [I lost ...]

Sarah gets up and opens her room door. She walks out into the hall and sees Cinco. She is about to ignore him until he says something.

Cinco: Be proud.

Sarah: What?

Cinco: You have come far in the last couple of month's. I underestimated you for too long and that is my fault. Although I don't know if we will ever truly understand each other I wanted you to know you have my respect. Be proud of yourself. You have gotten stronger.

Cinco's acknowledgment of her made Sarah form a smile on her face. And when Cinco saw he smiled as well.

Cinco: Have you gotten taller? ... You definitely have.

Cinco walks away and enters his room and Sarah is left standing there. She looks down at the ground and enters the door next to her. She sits in the chair next to Gio's bed.

Sarah: Why am I so dedicated to getting stronger? No ... this isn't dedication is it. This is an absolute obsession. Why do I need to get stronger anyway? ... I don't want to be thinking about all that right now. Please wake up soon. I will be here when you do. But I am really tired. Seeya tomorrow.

Sarah gets up and walks to the door until she hears a sound behind her. She turns around and falls to her knees with tears in her eyes.

Gio: Sarah?