In the Shadows (Vanitas's Story)

Training

I've been helping Akio learn how to fight for about seven years. At first, she was very weak, but she's been getting stronger. We started off with hand-to-hand combat, and soon she advanced to using a weapon. I gave her a wooden sword, and it seems to have helped her keep her balance while fighting.

By then, she was almost thirteen.

Time sure does fly.

I've been having her fight Unversed, and she seems to have the right idea: hit. Then, we moved onto using the darkness in her heart to her advantage. Fighting while using dark portals helped her move out of the way from danger. She also surrounded herself in a barrier of light, which was new.

"I'm ready to fight you!" she pouted after destroying another round of Unversed. "These guys are too weak!"

"Yeah, right," I smirked. These years that we've been spending together have shown our true colors, and I can't help but admire her strength and determination. Ever since she's gotten used to me, she's all I ever talk to. No one else makes me laugh at their dumb jokes, and we always tease each other.

"I'm serious! What, you scared I'll beat you?" she asked, grinning.

"You wish," I scoffed. I snapped my fingers, causing Unversed to appear out of thin air. "Again." Akio swung her wooden sword, the creatures disappearing with one flourish. We've been at this all night, and I could see she was getting tired. She'll need an upgrade, soon.

"C'mon! These guys are too weak, and I haven't seen you fight once! You must be pretty rusty, huh?" Akio walked over to me, gulping down the rest of her water. She had grown fast, her legs long and hair in a long, messy braid that went down her back.

"Please, I've been fighting for an eternity," I replied. "But, you're doing great. You might be able to fight me..." Akio looked at me with hope. "...But after three seconds, you'll be done with."

"Boo!" she yelled, sticking her tongue out at me. I grabbed her arm, pulling her into a headlock and rubbing my knuckles against her head. She pulled out of my grasp, her face flushed. That's been happening lately.

If I even look at her, she'll avoid eye-contact and try to focus on something else. And when I touch her, her face will turn red and she'll be mad at me for no reason. I guess she is becoming a teenager, but it's still weird.

"Stop treating me like a little kid!" she yelled, crossing her arms. "I deserve to be treated like the teenager I am!"

"You're not thirteen until tomorrow," I huffed, rolling my eyes at her little tantrum. Her eyes widened a little, and she finally looked me in the eye.

"How do you know that?" Akio asked, surprised.

"I've known you since you were three. Tomorrow, I'll have known you for ten years," I answered, like it was the simplest thing in the world. She stared at me a little longer before smiling. She suddenly hugged me, and I flinched at her touch.

"Aww, you big sweetheart!" she exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, don't go spreading that around," I muttered, patting her back awkwardly. She let go, giving me a cheesy smile before running back to her wooden sword.

"Let's go, one more time!" she yelled over the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. I looked up to see sunlight creeping into the sky. Snapping my fingers, more Unversed appeared. She ran at them, and I smiled.

Tomorrow.