It began….…….with the clash of blades.She was quickly getting it, her grace, her gliding ability across the mats and nearly unparalleled victories against the other members. Home followed where her footsteps left trails of dust from the gym, and Bird happily trailed after. Her entire life was the sport and now the heart found its home within the family that fencing had gradually grown to at the academy. For the first time in her life, to walk into the gym, the vibrant lights shining through evening stained windows among the exuberant team, ready for their captain to lead to them the session.But it was never called to a start without her there.Something was different that day, the way she fought, the way her foil landed a touch. Youth a reprise - an echoing symphony of laughter singing from grinning lips as sweaty palms meet and lean a supporting grip to one another. If things could stay like this, if things could stay with her…And her heart beat ONCE.* * * “Tennis?”“Yeah! I’ve always wanted to try it!” “Well…”“Well what??”“That would mean you wouldn’t be on fencing…”“I wanna be the best at something!! And you’re taking up all the best stuff here!!” “That just means you have to keep learning!!” “You just want me all to yourself huh, Bird-chan?!”It’s a question that takes her aback more than expected, shaky smiles the paint to coat surprised lips. Light traces tough her hair as eyes settle just to the side of Rikka, eyeing the foil carefully placed next to her own…“We can spar for it! If you beat me, you have nothing to learn and go to tennis, if I win, I get to keep training you!”“I don’t really have a choice huh?”“Not at all!” - - -- and suddenly the light that shines through the windows loses it’s shimmering splendor, now but a mocking shadow of light that curses lidded pupils as hands tighten against the training mats. Apologies perhaps are sincere utterances from Rikka’s lips, but through the ringing screams of defeat in her ears and the pain of her back against the mat - a simple fumble, how could she be so stupid and trip up like this - lips can only manage to vociferate strident syllables that linger but a bitter taste upon wretched tongue, though the curses are inaudible through her self deprecating remorse. Even though the pain is unbearable, she cannot deny the crushing feeling within her chest as azure narrows sorrowful gazes at Rikka’s quick pace out of the gym.It’s painful how hard her heart beats.It beats TWICE, and she screams.* * * The rabbit insisted on seeing her friend and a face of such purity cannot be denied what it pleads so full heartedly for. Tiny hands tug vicariously on her sleep, and Bird can’t help but muster a grin in return as she stumbles after tiny, quick paced footsteps.But it all comes to a crashing halt when Usagi’s “friend” opens the door and greets them, and it as if the desert resides within sore vocal chords, throat constricting in raspy breathes as eyes sway in avoidance. Words fail to escape the suffocation of her own anxiety, though small fingers are a reassurance as they tightly grip her own shaking hand.“ R-Rikka-chan, you seem well. “ Eye contact has to be made in respect, after all, Rikka’s a leader now too. And the moment eyes settle to the other’s, pythons home themselves across her torso and constrict with a vengeance.thumpthumpthumpHer heart beats THRICE. * * * It’s always light with her around, and it always has been. Perhaps that’s why the family fell apart, why fencing became a solo journey for a warrior with gaping wounds through her desperately beating heart. Why the lights that shimmered with the evening’s setting sun no longer glimmering in wonderment but rather with a pestering glare to disrupt her lonesome practicing. It was why the echoes that rang from her ragged, overworked breathes danced off of the gym walls with a tormenting octave of loneliness to them, because that light had once again left, it always did didn’t it? But not tonight, not as the ballroom lights danced over head and as their hands clasped to one form, tugging and swaying with the rhythms that sang across the sea of students. These lights are nothing in comparison to the one grasped - just a bit too tightly - in her own hands, her beams a radiant force to brighten even the darkest shadows of desolating alienation within her conscious. She realizes she’s mirroring the smiles and reverberating the same giggles and laughs, genuine, alleviating melody of the dim weights bearing down on her for so long. Foreheads meet on accident, a rough mash of miscalculated steps, but it ends in noses touches and chortles elating further into the night.Maybe it’s the volume of the music’s bass, but she could swear her heart beats FOUR times.* * * “ No! You’re rusty, the posture is like THIS, not THAT!” “ Sorry, it’s just, tennis is like this- ““ What did I say about that word?! “ “ I’m still CAPTAIN Bird, it’s a big part of my l- “ “ AHA, you were open!! Defeated again !! “ Hands displace themselves from poise and elegance to settling her sabre down, fingers lightly resting upon her hips. “ Yeah? I’d like to see you try at tenn- ““ THE WORD !! “ It’s not an air of discomfort but rather lighthearted, whimsying banter as their competition melts away to jubilant chimes of laughter. Bodies settle next to each other in ragged exhaustion, though the brunette manages the energy to snag a bottle of water and offer it to the other before seating beside her, exhaustedly wresting her cheek upon the other’s shoulder. There’s a silence as breathes are counted and returned to them once again, energy nay returning but rather settling for the end of evening practice. “ The sun is setting. ““ It’s pretty, huh? How it reflects through the windows ? “Words forsake a twisted tongue that presents itself when she glances over matted bangs to answer, caught instead by the sight so long gone, a nostalgic painting. The way the setting atmosphere flickers across the individual strands of pale hair and casts glimmers through her eyes, the scent of the gym’s heat once again gnawing away at the mats, and in the distance, a bird singing through the open window - just loud enough to bounce from wall to wall……covering the sound of momentary gasps…and then silence within the closed distance of the two captains.…she isn’t attentive enough to hear her heart beat FIVE times.
