“Balance? Uh... how well you can stand on 1 foot without falling!”

“...”

“Was that not it?”

“I suppose that would count as the literal definition, yes.”

“So does that mean I pass?! Yay! That was easy!”

“Nope. You didn’t pass.”

“What? Why not? I got the answer, didn’t I?”

“Because you haven’t answered my question. You might know its literal definition, but I want to know what you understand of its deeper and hidden meanings.”

Rai poked Sin’s arm.

“It’s a trick question!” He whispered. “You aren’t supposed to know!”

“Oh...” Sin whispered back. “I don’t know!” She said proudly.

Jin stared at her.

Then at Rai.

He squinted his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Cheater.” Jin said to him.

Rai shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to know, Sin. It’s not something I’d expect either of you to understand at your current level.”

“You mentioned that before... but... what do you mean by our ‘current level’?” Rai asked.

Sin was also curious.

“I mean that, as strong as you think you are, you haven’t matured into your abilities or powers yet. Maybe you’re getting to that point with Stormflow, since you’ve used it for most of your life, but the rest of your techniques aren’t whole.”

“Whole... I kinda get what you mean, since Stormflow keeps growing as I get more used to using it.”

“Yeah. Right now, you’re both very weak, compared to a lot of people who are just a few years older than you. Experience trumps technique strength. But there’s nothing you can do about that other than gain more experience yourselves.

Now... I think it’s time for the second thing I’d have you do, Sin.”

“What would that be?”

“For 1 minute, I want you to fight against me.”

“... huh?”

...

*PFFT*

Rai burst into laughter. He laughed so hard that he even slapped his knee.

“Ohh... you’re so-hehe... you’re so fucked. Pahahaha!”

“Wh-... me? F-f-f-fight against y-you?! YOU’RE THE SWORD DANCER!”

“You really think I’d ask you to fight against me in a legitimate fight? That would be like an ant trying to destroy a sun. It’s not realistic. Obviously that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Well... you don’t have to be so hurtful about it. I’m a bit more than an ant, I’m sure.”

“Fine, you can be a small cat.”

“At least let me be a medium sized cat. Small cats are too cute, I wouldn’t want to see them get burned alive.”

“Nope. You’re definitely just a small cat.”

“... Fine.”

“Besides. What I want you to do is to just try and move me. Make me step away from where I stand within 1 minute. If you can do that, then you’ll win.”

“... Really? That’s it? I... I can do that! Okay, let’s go!”

Sin shot up from her seat and made it a few steps towards the door leading outside, before Jin called out to her.

“Dishes first!” He said. “You too, Rai.”

“Ugh. Fine, old man.”

Sin came back to the table and grabbed her plate. She took it into the kitchen, and cleaned it in the washbasin. There was a drying rack just beside the basin, with Reiki’s already clean plate that Sin put her plate next to.

Rai and Jin did the same for their plates and cutlery.

Jin cleared the table while the other two went outside.

After he finished with the table, he joined them.

“Alright. Come, we’ll do this in the same field that Rai made a bunch of holes.”

“Eh... holes?” Sin asked.

“Ah... I see you’ve forgotten the little conversation we had at Townsend...” Jin turned to Rai with a smirk. “This’ll be a fun surprise then hahaha!”

Rai stared back at him with ‘are we actually doing this’ eyes.

Jin returned his stare with a stare of his own that screamed ‘oh yes, we’re doing this’.

After a short walk, they came upon a field just nearby the house. In the ground were a number of holes. Grass grew within them, but they were still clearly defined as holes.

“I thought you said you’d fixed them...” Rai said, grimly.

“How could I be responsible for destroying such a vital part of history? I would never!” Jin said, sarcastically.

“Oh. My. Goodness.” Sin said. “Is this what I think it is?”

Jin almost broke out into giggles right there and then.

“Are you saying it or... am I?” He asked Rai, holding back his laughter.

“Considering you’re about to piss yourself, I’ll say it... Whew. Back when I was figuring out Stormflow, I... messed up a few times. Whenever I messed up, I’d skip across the floor like a rock on water, leaving holes behind.”

“... TWICE! HE DID IT TWICE!” Jin added. “BAHAHAHAHA!”

Sin covered her face by leaning against Jin as she laughed to herself.

They both laughed at Rai together.

Sin found it to be, quite possibly, the most idiotic thing she’d heard all day. She remembered the conversation after they showed her the holes in the ground, but she wanted to hear it fresh again. The hilarity was definitely worth it. But... as much as the absurdity of the situation brought about said hilarity, Sin also found it quite endearing, and adorable in a way.

“Well, at least I can use lightning so fuck you two!”

They burst out laughing even harder.

Rai smirked to himself. He didn’t mind being clowned all that much if it made the people he cared about laugh and smile.

After a short while of Jin and Sin leaking giggles here and there, Sin walked over to Rai with eyes that were redder than normal. Clearly, she laughed so much that she’d shed tears over it.

She quietly placed a pitying hand on Rai’s shoulder, before letting go without saying a word.

“Should we start then?” Sin asked, after fully calming herself.

“Yeah. This part of the field we’d just decided to dedicate to our little boy here, so it’s fine if it gets messed up.”

“Alright. How do you want to s-”

“Begin.”

“What? Wait, does that mean-”

“The timer’s started Sin. Get moving.” Rai said.

“Oh... Okay!”

He’s got no weapon...

Sin drew her daggers and dashed towards Jin.

He stood still with his hands behind his back.

Sin flew at him with her dagger outstretched. She aimed directly for his heart.

This’ll force him to move!

Sin missed.

She stood, with her arm stretched out past Jin’s body. He’d dodged somehow without moving his feet.

“Too slow.” Jin said from below her.

Sin looked down to see Jin, bent backwards, standing perfectly still in that position.

No way...

*Thud*

Ouch...

Sin was on the ground. She flew a little far, and felt a friction burn in her side. She looked at her side to see what happened, but before Sin could register it properly she was interrupted.

“You’re wasting time. Already, 10 seconds have passed.”

What?!... what the fuck... already?! How many fucking years did Rai do this for?!

Sin attacked again, and again, and again.

Jin dodged every single strike. But not once did his feet move from where they were planted.

Sin dashed backwards before Jin could counter. She didn’t know what to do.

Even if he’s the Sword Dancer... even if he’s the most powerful person in Zenith... I can’t land a single hit?

“Use it. Use your most powerful technique.” Jin said.

Fine then!

Let’s see if you can withstand my gravity!

Queen’s Domain.

Sin chanted.

Runes lit up on Sin’s face, and her thorns transformed into similar looking runes.

She held out her hand towards Jin. Her fingers were curled into a downward facing claw.

Kneel.

The ground around him crumbled, but Jin and the flooring that he stood on remained stable.

In fact, he hadn’t moved one bit.

KNEEL!

The ground around Jin was forming a fully circular crater, but still.

He remained, unmoving.

Sin didn’t want to lose. She wanted to win, to prove herself.

Everything...

Pour everything into it!

K N E E L!!!

Everything that she had, Sin poured into the spell. Her runes flared so bright that Rai could’ve sworn she looked like a bloody queen.

The crater broke out even wider and deeper.

But Jin still did not react.

“Time.”

Sin didn’t release the spell.

She didn’t want to lose.

She wouldn’t!

“I said,” Jin said gently as he appeared next to Sin, with a hand placed on her shoulder, “time.”

Sin stared at Jin for a second, before releasing her Domain.

She stared back at the crater, wide-eyed. After taking a deep breath, Sin fell to her knees.

“I lost...” She whispered to herself. “Shit...”

Rai zipped over to console her.

“You did as much as you could, Sin. Don’t forget who you were up against.”

Sin didn’t reply.

Jin had to wait now. To see if Sin was worth teaching or not.

Would she crumble?

Or would she stand back up.

Clearly, Sin was processing a number of emotions all at once. Jin was patient though. He saw potential in the girl, especially with the power that she displayed against him just then. If she were to prove her resolve right here and now, then she’d eventually grow into an exceptional fighter.

Finally, Sin replied.

“Rai... it’s fine... I’m just not good enough right now...”

Jin internally sighed.

She crumbled.

“But...” Sin pushed herself up off the ground.

She turned to Jin, and stared him directly in his eyes.

Resolute in her goal, Sin bared nothing but her fangs.

“I’ll... I’ll find a way to move you! And then you’ll have to teach me!”

Jin smiled to himself. Rai looked back at Jin with a smile. He knew what was coming next.

“Good, then I’ll teach you.”

“...”

Sin stared at him with blank eyes and a sweaty face. She blinked wildly for a moment.

“... Sorry, could you... uh... repeat that please?”

“I’ll teach you.”

Sin’s face fluttered through a number of different emotions, but when she’d finally fully digested the fact that Jin said he’d teach her, she promptly passed out.