It was a long and hard battle for both of them, lasting well over ten minutes.   

It began with a simple exchange of words. 

“I’ve been hoping for a chance to fight you again.” 

“Same here. Remember, no matter who wins, we’re friends at the end of the day.” 

“Right!” said Srassa, gripping her blade. “No matter what happens, we’ll be friends!” 

Momo nodded and gripped her beloved blade, a gift from her dearest grandfather.  

Then it upgraded to a swift volley of back and forth replies, but they used their swords to do the speaking.  It was as raw as it could be, with swipe after swipe and slash after slash, both meeting their opposite. Metal sparked against metal as the cheering of hundreds of people encouraged and strengthened their sword arms.

A few minutes in, Momo caught a lucky break and managed to block an overhead slam that threatened to bypass her defenses.  

The strength in her opponent’s arms gave way, and Srassa backed up, choosing to focus on defense for the time being. Momo went to raise her hand for a Magic Missile, but she couldn’t even do that. Her arm was screaming in pain that it wanted to rest, that it didn’t have anything left to give.  

In a huffed breath, Srassa spoke to her opponent. “Your…arms hurt…too?” 

Momo simply nodded, “I..can’t swing it..anymore,” she said in between breaths. Sweat poured like a soft waterfall from both girls’ faces.  

Srassa grinned and spoke two words, “I can!” and darted off towards Momo.  

She’s incredible. Momo thought as she rolled back, avoiding a thrust. As Momo recovered to her feet, she was met with a Magic Missile that struck her in the chest. That forced the air to be forcibly evicted from Momo's lungs. Her armor protected her from any permanent damage, but the pain from the impact remained.  

She went to the ground, clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath.  But that wasn't the only thing she did.  Her hurried gasps and gulps of air were a curtain to disguise her true aim.

Srassa knew how crafty Momo was, and she kept her distance, choosing only to raise her hand in preparation for what her opponent may do.  

“I know you’re pre-casting,” said Srassa, “I watched your matches very closely when we got to the finals.” 

Crap! Momo got to her feet and didn’t know what to do.  

I could use Magic Missile, but the moment I raise my hand, she’ll attack. Stupid Instant-Cast! Wait….what if I use a skill I don’t have. Like Thunder Snap? Yeah, that might work. If I do that, she’ll have to use a technique, but will it be Magic Missile, Thunder Snap, or Lucem?  I can’t raise my arms to cover my ears or eyes. They’re so sore! But if it’s a handstand for a few seconds…. Okay, focus, Momo! Close your eyes and do your best to remember where Srassa is at.  

Momo completed the pre-cast for Thunder Snap and shouted it at the top of her lungs. Srassa went to shield her ears after she used a Lucem of her own in retaliation. She did it so fast that it took a few seconds for her to realize she was duped.  

I didn’t hear anything…. She doesn’t have Thunder Snap?!?!?! 

Momo used that instant to sheath her sword, roll in, and transitioned into a handstand. Her end plan was to spin on her hands and used her feet to attack. Unfortunately, her arms gave out, causing her kick to be something akin to a diagonal slash.  

But it worked out anyway.  

She managed to kick Srassa's side and fell to the ground. Not wanting to miss the right moment, Momo transitioned into a roll, straddled her opponent, and held her hand to her foe's armor-covered stomach.  

Srassa's sword was knocked away, sliding a short distance that neither could comfortably reach from their current position.  

“I win!” shouted the Singi as she chanted Magic Missile.  

She thought she had it in the bag…. 

Srassa’s mind raced back to the conversation they had just minutes ago.

Remember, no matter who wins, we’re friends at the end of the day. 

Right! No matter what happens, we’ll be friends! 

The short conversation played like a record, and Srassa uttered a single word.  

“Sorry.” I’m definitely going to win! 

“Wha—GGAAH!!”  

Srassa realized that Momo did not pin her arms down, and she could still raise them. Taking advantage of that, she brought her fist up and clocked Momo across the jaw.  

That distracted her long enough for Srassa to push Momo off of her. She didn't know what powered her punch.  It could've been the growing anger at potentially losing to Momo a second time, or it could've been the regret she knew she would feel after the fight was over.  She thought it was a dirty move, but Momo didn't see it that way.  

Srassa went to get up, but Momo responded by sweeping her legs. They clashed against Srassa’s ankles, and she went down again but not before reaching out to grab the hilt of her sword. She managed to touch it with her pinky but failed to reclaim it. She did, however, slide it towards her a little bit, shortening the distance.  

Not missing this moment, Momo straddled Srassa again, this time on her chest instead of her stomach. She immediately chanted and used Magic Missile.

Srassa coughed blood and cried out in pain. The skill didn’t penetrate her body, but since it was formed at such a close range, the heat produced ended up burning her armor, staining it black. In addition, Momo overcharged it with Skill Energy, forcing it to shoot out at such a high speed it almost pierced through the armor.

“Forfeit!!” screamed Momo, who prepared another Magic Missile. Sweat dripped down her face and into her mouth, covering her lips in the salty liquid. Her hands trembled from a mixture of adrenaline and excitement.

“No!! It’s not over!!” Srassa yelled. Her hands struggled against Momo's legs until her palm faced her foe's back.  Taking advantage of her Instant Cast, she emptied her Skill Energy Reservoir after using Magic Missile four times.

They all hit the same spot, piercing through Momo's armor and burning a part of her flesh.  But that wasn't the end of it. The impact of the last one had nothing to hold it back, so it inflicted the most damage it could, breaking the skin and drawing blood in the process.

Momo cried out. Her strength drained as quickly as the falling crimson stained the ground, and gravity took hold of her body.  She fell on top of Srassa with a loud yelp of pain and deep breaths full of agony.

With all of her strength, Srassa pushed Momo off of her a second time. Somehow, the Singi used her training to convert the push to a backwards roll and got to her feet. But she wasn’t in the best shape. Momo's back had such a wound that it felt like a fire-enchanted saw was carving her spine, and there was a dull, throbbing sensation in her jaw from where she was struck. However, she didn’t retreat empty-handed.  

“I’m… totally…tapped..out…” gasped Srassa in between deep breaths. Her Skill Energy Reservoir was drained, and any hope of using another skill was a pipe dream.

“I’m….not…” eked out Momo, who clutched her side. “But..it..hurts to…talk…”  Momo teared up at the pain in her jaw, which suddenly seemed to intensify.

Talking....hurts...a lot...  

“That’s how to stop…skills… Can’t talk…can’t chant….or…use…” Srassa looked down at her waist and realized she didn’t have her sword. She swore she grabbed it before Momo swept her ankles.

“Here…here…” said Momo, grinning even though it hurt.  She had Srassa's weapon in her hand, leaving the Human with no way to defend herself.

“Haaa...” Srassa started giggling and realized she was at a disadvantage. Or was she?

“I can’t use skills, and…” she trailed off, trying to find a way to stall for time as she walked backwards. She needed two minutes to regenerate enough Skill Energy to let loose a single Magic Missile.

She didn't get it.  Momo wouldn't allow her opponent the chance to recuperate even the smallest amount.

Momo dropped her opponent’s sword to the ground and drew her own sword, but it was useless. Her arms didn’t have the strength. She went to step forward towards her steadfast opponent and cried out with each step. One of her kidneys was damaged, and every step just multiplied the pain, but she never gave up. That thought never crossed her mind.

Srassa started walking too and eventually broke into a sprint. Momo did the same, even dropping her sword so she could run a bit faster.  

Both girls yelled a mighty cry as they used the last of their strength to punch each other. All of their feelings and hopes and desires and wants and everything else-- their core being-- was put into their fists.  

At that moment, the only thing that mattered was the girl who fought for herself and the girl who fought for her friend.

Perhaps that was the difference that decided it all?

The crowd went silent as their fists connected with each other’s faces and the sound of bone being cracked underneath such a pulverizing hit was audible to even Toni, up high in his announcer’s booth. He started commentating when the match started but quickly stopped. He was mesmerized by the sheer fighting spirit displayed by both girls.  

Having given everything they had and with nothing left, neither girl had the energy to remain standing. Falling at the same time, a single voice of hope cut through the dark silence.  

“MOMO, I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!” 

Steadying herself, Momo remained standing. Blood dripped from her back; the same red liquid snaked out of her mouth, and her armor was soaked in so much sweat that it felt like it weighed a metric ton. Her arms stayed motionless by her side and her eyes closed for just a second. 

But she was standing. Her opponent was not.

Toni shouted over the voice loudner, giving his immense thanks and praises to both fighters before declaring Momo the winner.  

The crowd went wild, and Dineria rushed into the arena. Servi followed her.  

The medics were already there. Three were using Remedium Lux on Srassa, and four were doing the same to Momo.  

“Momo?” asked Servi as she got closer.  

The Human medic that helped Servi spoke up.  

“She can’t hear you.” 

“Explain,” barked Dineria, who prepared her healing skill.  

“Umm… Momo passed out.” 

“Passed out?” questioned Servi.  

The medic nodded. “It’s rare, but people can pass out on their feet. The damage they both sustained is healable. Though they’ll both have sore jaws in the morning, and Momo might want to take it easy for a day or so. If she gets all of her rest, she’ll be good to go in about two days. Now then, if you’ll excuse us, we need to take these two to a bed.” 

Servi and Dineria nodded and moved out of the way. They went back to Fisher and the others and told them of the damage.  

A few minutes later, when it was time for the reward ceremony, Momo was still unconscious. On Momo's behalf, Dineria accepted the grand prize ticket for a camping set valued at 600 dupla. That wasn't all. The mentor of the winner, also Dineria, received a cash prize of 1,000 dupla. Both gifts were presented in their own decorated boxes engraved with an emblem in the shape of a yellow bird.

While Dineria was collecting the prizes and saying a few words, Servi was sat right beside Momo.  Using both of her hands to caress one of the sleeping girl's hand, Servi could only smile. 

Shall we heal her? I mean, just a little bit? We’re alone, and nobody should notice. I don’t want it to be unnatural, so I’ll just heal her a little bit, okay?

Servi just nodded and began to talk to her best friend. “I’m very proud of you. In fact, I’m more than proud. You went out there and used every bit of strength you had, and you won. You’re my best friend, you know that? You’re probably the first best friend I ever had. I….I hope you’ll be able to accept my past. You’ve grown so much over the past two months, and it’s incredible. I have no doubt you have the spirit, ability, and courage to live a one-of-a-kind life. I just hope you’ll allow me to stay with you. I hope you don’t end up hating me. I…..”  

Servi trailed off when she realized something important.  

I can’t cry….I should be crying tears of happiness, but I’m not…..

---

Dear diary, my name is Momo! Wait, scratch that. My name is Momo, the first winner of the first tournament held by Warden in the city of Canary!!!! 

Okay, I shouldn’t let it get to my head. At the end of the day, I'm still just Momo.

But I figured now would be a good time to write in my diary. It seems like it’s been a whole year, but only a single day has passed since the tournament. I can hardly remember the fight, but I know it was intense and came down to the wire. Well, I guess I'm lying a little bit. There’s one part I can clearly remember.  

It was when Srassa and I were running at each other. I had taken her sword, and I dropped mine because I wanted to run faster. That, and it was strangely heavy. I remember we went to punch each other, and I think we hit each other in the face, with each of us putting all of our strength into one final attack.

At that moment, I was happy. I was even more than happy because I gave 120%.  

Then I heard a single voice that belonged to my best bestest best friend ever. She told me that she believed in me. She believed that I could do this.  

I think, for a fraction of a fraction of a second, I focused everything on standing. I felt like if I fell, she wouldn’t be proud of me because she told me to win. I didn’t want to make her upset or angry. 

So I stood tall. At least, I think I did.  

I remember waking up maybe 12 hours ago in my room. It was morning, and the sun was shining bright. It wasn’t until I looked around that I saw that it wasn't my room. It was similar, but also not.  

Then the door opened, and Servi walked in. Grandpa, I immediately cried like a little baby. I don’t really remember the conversation, but she hugged me tightly and said how proud she was of me. At that moment, all of the pain I endured was worth it. It really was.  

Oh, but speaking of pain, when I woke up, I didn’t feel anything. My face wasn’t hurting, and my back was perfectly fine. Like before, it was like I was a brand new Momo! 

But then, she showed me the magical ticket, the whole reason for the tournament. The one single key item that will allow me and Servi to go further and travel more!!! 

It was the ticket to get a camping set. The store is at the shopping center where Levadia Woods is, so that’s where we’ll go in the morning.  

I told Servi and all my other friends (yes, grandpa, all of my other friends!!!) that I never had as much fun before, and they all agreed. They said the tournament was so fun too! 

Speaking of Srassa, there was no animosity or anger or hatred between us. She greeted me with a smile, and I did the same. Then, we hugged. Then I cried, and she cried, and it was just a whole heap of emotions.  

Now that I think about it, Servi didn’t cry a single bit. Maybe she already cried after the tournament? Or maybe she has a stronger grip on her emotions than I do.  

Regardless, we all went out for lunch, except Claire because she had to work. I’m sorry, Claire!! Dineria offered to pay for everyone with her 1,000 dupla prize.  

Oh man, Claire was so jealous. When we left Warden, I overheard Claire say she wished she had that amount of cash. I do too, Claire.  

Oh, speaking of Warden, the room I was in this morning was something that Servi rented for a single day. She didn’t want to go through my bag and find my key. I told her it was okay because I trusted her, but she said she knew how important it was to me. So yeah, that was kinda sweet of her.  

But now I’m in my room properly. It’s almost 10 PM, and it’s getting really dark. I’m in my pajamas that I bought to celebrate my victory. Well, Servi paid for half of it. I told her she didn’t need to, but she didn’t take no for an answer. So I said she could help me pick them out. It’s a cute yellow top with a bird in the middle and black pajama pants that are super soft!

I told her that I’ll always cherish this moment, and she just smiled. I hope I didn’t freak her out by saying that because it’s true. Every single moment I shared and will share with Servi will have a super special place in my heart. She’s my best bestest best friend.  

Wait, where did that come from? Oh well, it’s the truth.  

But I might want to stop writing for now. Tomorrow is July 10th, and Servi and I are meeting up early. The plan is to go to that shopping center and get the tents and canteens and stuff like that, then go food shopping. If it’s not too late, we’ll officially take the promotion quest and start our journey.  

I already have my bag and sword laid out, as well as my underclothes and armor.  

Grandpa, I’m so thankful I’m alive. After I left the village…..during that incident, I really wanted to kill myself. But I felt like it would be disrespectful to you. So I didn’t. 

And I’m so glad I didn’t kill myself. 

I found Servi, and we’re really good friends. Best friends, even. And then there’s Fisher, who’s kinda scary. He has a look about him, but he seems like a good person. Silverado and the others are super nice.  

And Dineria is amazing. She’s so kind, and her gentleness almost reminds me of you. The way she patted my head just made me so happy. And Srassa is super friendly. She might be my rival, but I would say she’s more than that. She’s almost similar to me, in certain ways, but she’s also different. We both gave it our all, and I’m proud of both of us.  

Good night, grandpa. I love you. I hope you’re proud of what I accomplished. I know I am. When I see you again, I’ll tell you everything. And then you can meet Servi. I don’t know if I’ll have Srassa or Silverado or the others with me, but it’d be nice if I did.  

Sincerely, Momo.  

Fin~~