Five Days Later
The base had grown quieter these days.
Dante's blind rage was gone. Wounds finally healing. Obviously, Dante was still searching for the League and he had thought of a strategy of how to find them, but that would have to wait until summer break was over. So in the mean time, he decided to train Rinji to the best of his abilities.
CLACK!
CLACK-CLACK!
CLACK.
Rinji's movements were choppy, but he was certainly eager for a child. He was holding two wooden short swords that often shook due to how tight he was holding them. He wasn't necessarily strong, his arms would tremble with every swing, but he was trying. His footwork was off and his stance was too wide, but there wasn't any hesitation in his strikes.
Dante deflected another attack with one wooden blade, moving with calm, measured control. His strikes were slowed down intentionally for Rinji, his posture loose, grip tight. He could've ended the match over a hundred times already, but he wasn't that mean.
Rinji stumbled forward, trying to replicate a move he'd seen days ago, he spun around and swung his swords wildly, just like Dante had done against the crowd of Nomu.
But it wasn't even close to what Dante had done.
But he didn't stop trying, he wanted to copy exactly what Dante had done.
"Step back with your right food," Dante said, parrying gently. "You're open on your left."
Rinji corrected his stance immediately.
Another clash.
Rinji attempted to hit Dante with a diagonal strike. But he simply tapped it aside. Rinji twisted, bringing his other sword around, but Dante blocked it and pushed Rinji with his other hand.
He stumbled back, panting.
Dante straightened, lowering his sword.
"…You good?" He asked quietly.
Rinji nodded. His hair clung to his face with sweat. He didn't say anything, just walked back to the center of the mat, raised both his swords again and looked at Dante with a quiet, tired determination.
Dante tilted his head. "You don't have to keep pushing—"
"I need to," Rinji muttered, eyes cast downward. "I need to get even stronger, then stronger still! So that I can be like you."
Dante exhaled through his nose, rubbing the side of his neck awkwardly. "You will. But you're not me. You're you. Focus on your own rhythm."
Rinji looked up, grinning. "But I still wanna fight like you."
"…Then let's keep going."
They resumed.
Dante didn't block this time, he dodged instead, using minimal movement. Rinji followed him, overextending, slipping slightly. But each time he fell out of position, he'd snap back into stance, holding those wooden training swords like his life depended on them.
Dante noted that his timing was improving. Still clumsy, but more consistent. More reactive.
His stamina had also improved. And when his movements picked up just slightly, Dante caught it—a twitch in his foot. His foot was thumping against the floor unconsciously.
"Good," Dante said quietly. "You're starting to use your quirk unconsciously, that's always a good trait to have."
Rinji blinked. "I… I was? I didn't even try…"
"You'll get used to it. That's the goal."
Rinji lowered his swords, chest rising and falling. "So, I should keep going, right?"
Dante gave him a rare, honest smile.
"Yeah, let's go again."
…
Later on, the training session came to a close as Rinji finally dropped to his knees, exhausted. His wooden swords hit the mat softly and he panted, chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow, hair clinging to his forehead.
Dante sheathed his own wooden blade into the nearby stand and crossed his arms with a nod.
He was impressed. Not with the technique—that was still a little bad. But he was impressed with the drive. The grit. The refusal to quit, even when his small body trembled from effort.
"…You sure do have grit," Dante said quietly, mostly to himself.
Rinji looked up, uncertain as to why he said that.
Dante knelt infront of him, resting a hand on Rinji's head. "You did damn good today."
Rinji blinked, startled, then looked down to hide the shy little smile growing on his lips.
Dange pulled his hand back and stood. "Come on. Let's finish it here. You earned yourself a reward."
Rinji's eyes widened slightly. "A… Reward?"
"Yeah." Dante stretched his arms over his head. "Anything you want. Within reason. Name it."
Rinji looked down, fiddling with his fingers as he though. Then, quietly, he mumbled…
"…Ice cream?"
Dante raised a brow, then checked the time on a nearby digital clock. It was late. Too late for any ice cream trucks to be around. The streets were probably quiet by now, business mostly shut down.
Still, convenience stores were still open, probably.
He didn't bother changing clothes, his tracksuit wasn't sweaty at all, but he did put on the dark red cloak because… it was comfy.
He looked like some weird combo of homeless kid and a vigilante, but it worked, cuz that is kinda what he was.
"Alright," he said, walking toward the exit. "Let's go find some ice cream, sneakily."
Rinji's eyes lit up like someone had flipped a switch in his chest.
He hurried after Dante, still a little tipsy from using his quirk, but his excitement kept him going.
The sewer entrance hissed open and the two emerged into the quiet night.