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Description
"Just when I thought I was a weakling..."

Maple stood at one end of the field. Sword in hand. Shield above her face. She let out a small whimper.

"Head up!" called Midnight from the other side of the field. "No hiding."
Midnight looked at the princess with a shield for a face. Slowly, a tuft of orange hair peeked from the top. Maple looked from behind her large shield and saw Midnight glaring at her.
Be brave. Be brave.

She clenched her teeth and her shield was then lowered. She wore a scowl on her face and let out a howl. "I'M READY, MIDNIGHT! I'M READY!" With that, she held her sword out and ran towards Midnight.

Midnight could only laugh at the way Maple became suddenly determined. She stood in place and let Maple run towards her.
Maple kept her running, but her scowl vanished as she saw herself approaching her target. "Midnight!!!! GET OUT OF THE WAY!! PLEASE!" Her voice cried in panic, but Midnight stood there, smiling.

D-Does she want me to HIT her? WHY AM I NOT STOPPING!?!?!
Maple tried to stop herself, yet her feet wanted to keep moving. She held her sword tight, and let out loud whimpers. "LADY MIDNIGHT! PLEASE MOVE!" Maple was terrified to accidentally injure her trainer. In a panic, she threw her sword forward and collapsed to the ground.

Midnight looked up to see the sword moving her way. Without a word, she raised her shield above her head.
The sword clashed against her shield and fell to the ground.
"Nice forehand, Maple!"

Maple remained on the ground, refusing to look up. She heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her. Without looking up, she softly spoke. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

Midnight had a soft smile on her face. "It's ok, Maple." She extended her hand. Maple took it and took to her feet. Midnight gave the princess a pat on the back. "Let's take a break for now." Maple responded with a smile and a nod.

The two walked back to the Knight's Area, taking off the helmets and heavy plates of armor. On the way back to the building, Maple was drowned in thoughts. The only things she could think of was that her father, and the kingdom was in danger.
I'm nothing but a wimp. I can't even hit my trainer. How am I going to save my father? Midnight is trying her best to train me, but I'm not being as effective. Is this a waste of her time? What if I'm never going to improve? What if-

"You ok?"

Maple's anxiety popped away for a brief second and looked up at Midnight, who looked concerned.

"You've suddenly gotten quiet." Midnight had her hand on the knob to open the sparring hall door. "Is this about the training?" She scratched the back of her head. "I think you did great for a first try, Maple. You have great speed and you seem to think before you act. I think that's a good thing." The princess hung her head back down, and Midnight took her hand off the door and placed it on her shoulder. "Maple-"

A soft voice came from Maple.
"This is a waste of time."

"Waste...of..time..?"

Maple held her head down, just in case Midnight saw that she was beginning to cheer up. She took a deep breath to restrain her voice from breaking up between tears and wiped her face. She then spoke again. "Yes, Midnight. A waste of time. Who knows what Joni is doing to my father, and here I am running away from a knight who's only trying to help. I guess I am just meant to be a princess."

Midnight suddenly drew her arm back and stared at Maple. "A princess is what you are now."

Maple let a light sniffle release. "A princess is supposed to rule the kingdom. Protect her servants. Not mess up a thing. Not try to fight. That's your job, Midnight. I'm not a knight. I'm..."

A fist slammed on the door. "YOU'RE A PRINCESS." Midnight had a serious look in her eye. "And you know WHY?"

Maple did not respond.

"You're a princess because your the daughter of King Oak. That's why. You're a princess by blood. But there's no "right or wrong" way to be a princess. If you want to fight. Hell, you better fight." Midnight's tone rose. "If you're gonna protect your servants, you are gonna protect your damn servants! BEING A PRINCESS ISN'T BAD, MAPLE." Midnight held Maple's head up and looked Maple directly in the eyes. She was slowly becoming angry which made Maple freeze. "You also are not WEAK. You have the determination to become STRONGER. That speed could be put to good use. Yeah, you run but YOU THOUGHT ON YOUR FEET. You turned around and jousted. You THREW THE SWORD, ALMOST HITTING ME. You have hidden strength, Maple. Don't let that Princess title think you're weak. Princesses are not weak. They are only weak if they sit around on their butts all day and lets their kingdom perish. A princess should be a leader, yes. BUT THE LEADER SHOULD DO SOMETHING." Midnight's eyes were now tightly close and her breathing got heavier.

Maple looked at her. "I....I want to fight. I really do. I want to save everyone. I want to be a hero.... but-"

"THERE IS NO BUT." Midnight's voice had a deepening growl to it. "THE PRINCESS SHOULD HELP HER TROOPS."

Maple shivered, and softly replied. "...I... let my anxiety get the best of me..." She looked up at a serious Midnight. "..May I have a second chance..? Maybe I can fight another way! Maybe I can..." Maple noticed that Midnight was now looking concerned. "....Midnight...?"

Midnight lowered her head. "Sorry for the outburst..."

Maple softly smiled at her. "Don't apologize."

The two stayed quiet for a while. Both in front of the door to the training hall. A chilly breeze began, hitting both of them. Maple's smile slowly went away, thinking she did another wrongdoing. She then broke the silence. "Midnight?"

"Let's go inside. It's getting cold."

She opened the door, and motioned for Maple to go in first. Maple went in, with Midnight following and closing the door behind them. The building was warm again, with the fire in the fireplace crackling and giving the room a orange glow. The two sat at the roundtable and placed their swords on the table. Maple looked at the sword that Midnight gave her. "Midnight... about this sword...?"

Midnight raised an eyebrow, without saying a word.

"Did this used...to be...yours?"

Midnight's eyes widened.

"...Midnight." Maple noticed her expression. It meant either "Yes." or "What a stupid question."

Midnight took the sword from Maple, and stared at it. "Yeah... it was. Well, my first one.... It was given to me by Queen Li- ...er...." She paused, and Maple's expression changed.

"...You....She...She gave you...?"

Midnight slammed her first on the table. "Not important! Look Maple. This was the first sword I ever received. I kept it here ever since. It means that much to me. I gave it to you because you remind me of my very first day of guard training. I was the youngest. The shortest. And the weakest."

"Wait. Weakest?!"

Midnight nodded. "Yeah. Maple. Weakest. Yeah, I was a hothead on the training grounds. Thinking I could do anything. I...couldn't. Heh, reality hit me when I realized I wasn't able to keep up with everyone.." She smiled at Maple. "But I didn't quit. I knew I could help everyone! I took the oath, didn't I?" She winked at Maple, who smiled back at her.

"I also took that oath," Maple reassured. "That means... I can't let my kingdom down!" She took to her feet. "Theres no time to waste!"

Midnight could only smile at her. "....She'd be proud..."

Maple looked at her. "Yeah. ...She would." With a smile, she looked at her reflection in the sword's blade. What she saw was a princess, but also a hero in training.

Description
"Just when I thought I was a weakling..."

Maple stood at one end of the field. Sword in hand. Shield above her face. She let out a small whimper.

"Head up!" called Midnight from the other side of the field. "No hiding."
Midnight looked at the princess with a shield for a face. Slowly, a tuft of orange hair peeked from the top. Maple looked from behind her large shield and saw Midnight glaring at her.
Be brave. Be brave.

She clenched her teeth and her shield was then lowered. She wore a scowl on her face and let out a howl. "I'M READY, MIDNIGHT! I'M READY!" With that, she held her sword out and ran towards Midnight.

Midnight could only laugh at the way Maple became suddenly determined. She stood in place and let Maple run towards her.
Maple kept her running, but her scowl vanished as she saw herself approaching her target. "Midnight!!!! GET OUT OF THE WAY!! PLEASE!" Her voice cried in panic, but Midnight stood there, smiling.

D-Does she want me to HIT her? WHY AM I NOT STOPPING!?!?!
Maple tried to stop herself, yet her feet wanted to keep moving. She held her sword tight, and let out loud whimpers. "LADY MIDNIGHT! PLEASE MOVE!" Maple was terrified to accidentally injure her trainer. In a panic, she threw her sword forward and collapsed to the ground.

Midnight looked up to see the sword moving her way. Without a word, she raised her shield above her head.
The sword clashed against her shield and fell to the ground.
"Nice forehand, Maple!"

Maple remained on the ground, refusing to look up. She heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her. Without looking up, she softly spoke. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

Midnight had a soft smile on her face. "It's ok, Maple." She extended her hand. Maple took it and took to her feet. Midnight gave the princess a pat on the back. "Let's take a break for now." Maple responded with a smile and a nod.

The two walked back to the Knight's Area, taking off the helmets and heavy plates of armor. On the way back to the building, Maple was drowned in thoughts. The only things she could think of was that her father, and the kingdom was in danger.
I'm nothing but a wimp. I can't even hit my trainer. How am I going to save my father? Midnight is trying her best to train me, but I'm not being as effective. Is this a waste of her time? What if I'm never going to improve? What if-

"You ok?"

Maple's anxiety popped away for a brief second and looked up at Midnight, who looked concerned.

"You've suddenly gotten quiet." Midnight had her hand on the knob to open the sparring hall door. "Is this about the training?" She scratched the back of her head. "I think you did great for a first try, Maple. You have great speed and you seem to think before you act. I think that's a good thing." The princess hung her head back down, and Midnight took her hand off the door and placed it on her shoulder. "Maple-"

A soft voice came from Maple.
"This is a waste of time."

"Waste...of..time..?"

Maple held her head down, just in case Midnight saw that she was beginning to cheer up. She took a deep breath to restrain her voice from breaking up between tears and wiped her face. She then spoke again. "Yes, Midnight. A waste of time. Who knows what Joni is doing to my father, and here I am running away from a knight who's only trying to help. I guess I am just meant to be a princess."

Midnight suddenly drew her arm back and stared at Maple. "A princess is what you are now."

Maple let a light sniffle release. "A princess is supposed to rule the kingdom. Protect her servants. Not mess up a thing. Not try to fight. That's your job, Midnight. I'm not a knight. I'm..."

A fist slammed on the door. "YOU'RE A PRINCESS." Midnight had a serious look in her eye. "And you know WHY?"

Maple did not respond.

"You're a princess because your the daughter of King Oak. That's why. You're a princess by blood. But there's no "right or wrong" way to be a princess. If you want to fight. Hell, you better fight." Midnight's tone rose. "If you're gonna protect your servants, you are gonna protect your damn servants! BEING A PRINCESS ISN'T BAD, MAPLE." Midnight held Maple's head up and looked Maple directly in the eyes. She was slowly becoming angry which made Maple freeze. "You also are not WEAK. You have the determination to become STRONGER. That speed could be put to good use. Yeah, you run but YOU THOUGHT ON YOUR FEET. You turned around and jousted. You THREW THE SWORD, ALMOST HITTING ME. You have hidden strength, Maple. Don't let that Princess title think you're weak. Princesses are not weak. They are only weak if they sit around on their butts all day and lets their kingdom perish. A princess should be a leader, yes. BUT THE LEADER SHOULD DO SOMETHING." Midnight's eyes were now tightly close and her breathing got heavier.

Maple looked at her. "I....I want to fight. I really do. I want to save everyone. I want to be a hero.... but-"

"THERE IS NO BUT." Midnight's voice had a deepening growl to it. "THE PRINCESS SHOULD HELP HER TROOPS."

Maple shivered, and softly replied. "...I... let my anxiety get the best of me..." She looked up at a serious Midnight. "..May I have a second chance..? Maybe I can fight another way! Maybe I can..." Maple noticed that Midnight was now looking concerned. "....Midnight...?"

Midnight lowered her head. "Sorry for the outburst..."

Maple softly smiled at her. "Don't apologize."

The two stayed quiet for a while. Both in front of the door to the training hall. A chilly breeze began, hitting both of them. Maple's smile slowly went away, thinking she did another wrongdoing. She then broke the silence. "Midnight?"

"Let's go inside. It's getting cold."

She opened the door, and motioned for Maple to go in first. Maple went in, with Midnight following and closing the door behind them. The building was warm again, with the fire in the fireplace crackling and giving the room a orange glow. The two sat at the roundtable and placed their swords on the table. Maple looked at the sword that Midnight gave her. "Midnight... about this sword...?"

Midnight raised an eyebrow, without saying a word.

"Did this used...to be...yours?"

Midnight's eyes widened.

"...Midnight." Maple noticed her expression. It meant either "Yes." or "What a stupid question."

Midnight took the sword from Maple, and stared at it. "Yeah... it was. Well, my first one.... It was given to me by Queen Li- ...er...." She paused, and Maple's expression changed.

"...You....She...She gave you...?"

Midnight slammed her first on the table. "Not important! Look Maple. This was the first sword I ever received. I kept it here ever since. It means that much to me. I gave it to you because you remind me of my very first day of guard training. I was the youngest. The shortest. And the weakest."

"Wait. Weakest?!"

Midnight nodded. "Yeah. Maple. Weakest. Yeah, I was a hothead on the training grounds. Thinking I could do anything. I...couldn't. Heh, reality hit me when I realized I wasn't able to keep up with everyone.." She smiled at Maple. "But I didn't quit. I knew I could help everyone! I took the oath, didn't I?" She winked at Maple, who smiled back at her.

"I also took that oath," Maple reassured. "That means... I can't let my kingdom down!" She took to her feet. "Theres no time to waste!"

Midnight could only smile at her. "....She'd be proud..."

Maple looked at her. "Yeah. ...She would." With a smile, she looked at her reflection in the sword's blade. What she saw was a princess, but also a hero in training.