A Clear Loss

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Tokyo, Japan,

Shibuya Ward,

Samuel POV,

In one of the few parks present in Shibuya, two teenagers could be seen standing some distance off one another. The ground under them was all grass covered soil and a few trees stood a bit to the side, forming a small wall of sorts around the place. There was a marble path to the right, though, at this time only one or two people were present in the place which was partly why they had chosen this place instead of any other.

Samuel's posture was casual, no stance or anything, there was no skill to be seen there and any passerby would think he was waiting for someone if not for the black haired girl staring him down.

"You've grown soft." Amou commented, folding her arms, the previous Samuel wouldn't have changed locations because the 'concrete' ground would cause too much 'injury'..... though, strangely she wasn't exactly disappointed.

"Only cause it's you." Samuel shrugged, sue him for preferential treatment to people he knew.

"....I see.." Amou nodded with a blank face, she had no real idea as to what she was to feel right there and then...though, this fight would decide at least one thing for her, once and for all.

"Go all out!"

With a loud declaration, Amou appeared near him at barely processible speeds. The grass made small noises under her firm step as the girl pulled back her hand, she didn't clench her fist and it was obvious that she sought to straight drive her hand into his guts.

Only, her opponent wasn't just an ordinary person.

Samuel reacted quickly, swatting her hand to the side before pulling back his own and plunging it straight into her chest... or so, it would have gone except Amou too reacted, raising her knee and driving down her elbow at the same time, she trapped his hand between her two limbs before smashing her forehead into his face.

The silver haired teenager responded too, smashing his own forehead into hers before it made any contact with his face, the force behind the attack would always be lessened to some degree if one met it halfway through.

Amou grinned at his reaction, this was what she was looking for!

The limbs she'd previously been using to hold his arm were now free and she swung her right hand in an arc directed towards his face. Samuel quickly leaned to the back dodging the 'first' hit, then stumbled back dodging the 'second'.

Amou knew he would avoid the first hit, so she had swung her left arm in a similar fashion as well, the results were pleasing, it had worked and Samuel had stumbled. In that instant, she used the momentum generated by her arms to spin around to some extent and slam the heel of her right foot into the teenager's right side.

That sent him flying.....,

"Well damn.."

Correction, it was supposed to send him flying.

Samuel gave a close eyed smile, holding Amou's extended leg with both hands and then,

He swung her over his head and smashed her into the ground behind him.

"Ugh, I'm a girl.." Amou slightly smiled, coughing lightly with a hand over her chest, the impact had knocked the air out of her lungs.

"This is why I wanted grass." Samuel informed with a small smile, if falling on grass did such damage then what about cold hard cement? He couldn't bring himself to harm her to that extent, not anymore at least.

The silver haired teenager only observed his raven haired friend with his hands behind his back, not attempting to attack in the slightest, "Attacking someone with proven greater physical strength can end this way too." He noted rubbing his chin, offering advice to Amou just in case she was ever in such a situation.

"Are you looking down on me?" Contrary to her words, the girl was actually smiling as she sat up, grabbing at the ground with one hand.

"I admit, I am." Samuel's smile widened, he knew the type of person she was and he knew the type of person he was. He didn't believe in stuff like mutual respect much, if he didn't hold back the outcome would be undesirable, so, he held back.

"So some things never change."

Amou audibly chuckled, they'd been in this position numerous times before as kids too.

Only, today, she wasn't a child and neither was he. Amou had come here with a clear purpose and objective.

In an incredible acrobatic feat, Amou, using the ground as support, swung both her legs at Samuel in vertical and horizontal arcs. In the same movement, she stood up on her two hands before allowing herself to fall backwards, standing up on her two feet in another swift movement.

"Huh." Samuel touched his chest with slight surprise in his eyes, his shirt looked like it had been cut diagonally by scissors and some canvas was falling out... He'd not expected her to make contact with him..

'You keep telling yourself that.' Echidna sighed, he had some nerve thinking the girl was impressive while fighting her with his auto-counter consciously inhibited.

Amou smiled at his reaction, "Bold of you to act near me." Did he think she didn't know how he was when it came to these things? He'd been holding back since they'd started! She formed claws with her fingers, raising a knee as she held up the two hands, "Come at me Samuel."

The silver haired teenager only nodded in silence, seemingly vanishing into thin air for a few moments before appearing near her with his fist already nearing her face.

Amou's eyes widened in surprise, but then her hand moved on instinct, aiming to puncture his stomach only, he swerved his fist at the last moment and it ended up only brushing past her cheek. Amou's fingers turned red from the impact, puncturing a hole through his shirt and drawing only a trickle of blood in exchange for the tips of her nails shattering into a million pieces.

"...." Amou was somewhat taken aback by the fact that her hands had not even managed to pierce his skin, just then however, she felt a warm liquid trickle down her cheek and her eyes widened in surprise, that fist hadn't even made contact!

The next thing however, served to surprise her further.

Samuel abandoning all notion of fighting instantly, lightly touched her cheek, wiping away the blood with a small difficult smile, "I.. nevermind." He'd wanted to apologise but knew that would only serve to annoy her so he stayed silent.

"Don't apologise. It's the right of the strong to have the weak submit." Amou spoke sternly, a small blush forming on her cheeks as her heart started beating faster.

For all her might, the Empress too had moments where she was just a girl.

Samuel had 'caressed' her cheek and shown clear worry about her. One one hand, she wanted to reprimand him and on the other she was glad... Her feelings.... They were complicated.

"That's an outdated way of thinking." Samuel laughed sitting down on the grass with an amused smile on his face, this girl really was a weirdo...

'Look at the pot calling the kettle black.'

....Maybe that was why they got along so well.

"That should be enough right?" Samuel closed his eyes, lying down on the grass with a relaxed smile, he liked fighting but now, with this fight, he'd shown considerable restraint.... Maybe the path to improvement was something he could tread on at long last.

'I'm proud of you, dear contractor.'

Amou looked at her hand with a strange expression, her nails were completely ruined.... not that she cared much.. and yet, she was unharmed, even her clothes were untouched... Samuel in contrast had his clothes ruined..

Still though.... The victor of their bout was clear.

She'd lost this one and badly.... That was strangely.... enticing?

Amou shook her head confused, what kind of thoughts were those?

With a huff, she settled down next to his head. Sitting down with her legs folded under her, Amou looked at the clear blue sky, "I've lost but don't forget, you're still mine." She huffed again, slightly pouting.

The man she wanted to spend her time with was a strange one...

"Yeah yeah."

After that day, Samuel would find Amou far more open to any of his demands or words.

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