{Three Months Later}
{lisa}
lisa and Raven traded blows.
lisa's eyes remained narrowed. She tried to stay focused as Raven approached.
lisa parried and deflected her blows. A few months ago, she wouldn't have even been able to block one strike, now she was blocking multiple at a ti.
Over the past three months, she had thrown herself into her training with an intensity that surprised even herself. She tried to push herself, to hone and materialize skills she wouldn't have even imagined herself capable of having back on Earth.
Now, with the day of the tournant just a week away, lisa felt it had paid off.
While she was still no match for Raven, lisa could feel the difference in her own movent. The newfound confidence that ca with hard-earned experience.
She grinned fiercely as she lunged forward, her blade slicing through the air... only to be t with a lightning-fast riposte that sent her stumbling back, barely keeping her footing.
"Whoa!" lisa laughed, shaking her head in amazent. "Okay, that was a good one. You got ."
Raven lowered her blade.
"You're improving," she said, her tone as cool and asured as ever. "Your footwork is more stable, and your reactions are getting quicker."
lisa felt a flush of pride at the rare praise.
"Well, I've had a pretty great teacher," she said, grinning cheekily. "Speaking of which, I think we've earned a break. What do you say we go grab a bite to eat? I'm starving."
Raven hesitated, a flicker of reluctance crossing her face.
"I don't know, lisa. I have so things I need to take care of, and-"
"Oh, co on!" lisa wheedled, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. "It won't take long, I promise. And besides, you need to eat too, right?"
She clasped her hands together, pouting exaggeratedly.
"Please, Raven? Pretty please?"
Raven sighed.
"I..." she relented, shaking her head. "I suppose a quick al couldn't hurt."
---
A short while later, they were seated at a small, cozy table, the warm breeze ruffling their hair as they dug into their food.
lisa took a huge bite of her sandwich, savoring the juicy ats.
"Mm, delicious as always," she mumbled around the mouthful. "Seriously, I don't know how they do it. I never tasted anything like this back in- back in my ho village, hehe."
Raven took a more delicate bite of her own sandwich, chewing thoughtfully.
"It is quite good," she agreed, nodding. "Thank you for the recomndation."
lisa bead, always happy to share her love of food with others.
As they ate, she found herself studying Raven.
The other girl was still as reserved as ever, her emotions still carefully guarded behind a mask of detachnt.
But there were monts, these little glimpses, where lisa could see a bit more shine through.
A flash of amusent at one of lisa's jokes. A flicker of concern when lisa took a particularly hard fall during training. A softening around the eyes when lisa brought her a cup of tea after a long day.
Small things, but they added up.
"So, Raven," lisa said, swallowing another bite of sandwich. "How have you been doing, outside of our training sessions? Anything new and exciting going on in your life?"
Raven blinked, seeming slightly taken aback by the question.
"I've been well," she said after a mont, her tone carefully neutral. "Keeping up with my studies, mostly. Nothing particularly noteworthy."
lisa nodded, unsurprised by the vague answer.
Getting Raven to open up was like trying to pry open a locked vault.
"Ah, sa old, sa old, huh?" she said, keeping her tone light and casual.
Raven humd noncommittally, taking another bite of her sandwich.
[Hm...]
But lisa wasn't deterred. She knew that beneath that cool exterior, there was a person worth getting to know, a friend worth having.
She could feel it!
"You know," she said, "I've been thinking about trying out a new hairstyle. Sothing a little more daring, maybe with a bit of color. What do you think, Raven? Pink streaks, yay or nay?"
Raven blinked again, clearly thrown by the sudden change in topic.
Which had been the point. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire
lisa wanted to surprise her.
"I... I don't really have an opinion on hair color," she said slowly, as if choosing her words with great care. "I suppose if it makes you happy, then... that's good?"
lisa laughed softly.
[Not a bad answer. Good job, Raven.]
lisa and Raven continued to eat in silence, the busy sounds of the café providing a nice little backdrop to their al.
lisa was just about to take another bite of her sandwich when-
Splash!
A wave of cold liquid cascaded over her head, soaking her hair and dripping down her face.
lisa blinked, droplets clinging to her eyelashes as she looked up to see a human woman standing over her, an empty glass in hand.
"Oh my, how clumsy of ," the woman said, her voice dripping with faux concern. "I do hope I haven't ruined your... al."
lisa calmly set down her sandwich and reached for a napkin, dabbing at her face with an air of practiced nonchalance.
"No worries," she said cheerfully. "Though I have to say, you've got to work on your aim. Back in elentary school, kids usually managed to get my whole shirt too!" She laughed.
The woman's smug expression faltered, clearly thrown by lisa's lack of reaction.
With a huff, she turned on her heel and stalked away.
Raven stared at lisa, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"What... what just happened?" she asked, her usual composure slipping for a mont. "Did you know that woman?"
lisa shrugged, wringing out her hair with another napkin.
"Nope, never seen her before in my life," she said, her tone light despite the circumstances. "But hey, at least the drink was cool. Refreshing, too."
Raven's frown deepened.
"I do not understand. Why would she do that if she doesn't know you?"
lisa let out a small, slightly bitter laugh.
"Why do you think?" lisa asked, but Raven just shrugged. "I'm a nim. This sort of thing is normal. Hey, at least this ti it was just a drink. A few years ago, sotis it was mud, or rocks, or whatever else they could get their hands on."
"I see," Raven said finally, her voice soft. "That... sounds so strange."
lisa shrugged again.
"It wasn't always easy," she admitted. "But hey, I survived. And now I've got a whole new life here at the academy, with aweso friends like you. I'd say things are definitely looking up."
Raven raised a brow.
"Friends? Like ?"
"Uh, yeah," lisa replied, giggling. "I don't think I'd call the person I hang out with almost every day an acquaintance, right?"
Raven almost looked shocked. Like she only just now realized what they'd been doing these past few months.
"Hanging out..." She muttered, looking down at the table.
lisa sighed.
When both were done with their respective als, lisa threw the leftovers in the trash and stood by Raven.
"Yeah. So, what do you say we go do so more of this 'hanging out' stuff, huh?"
Raven paused.
"I... Sure."
And, with that, they left the cafe.
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