Renya saw the stars around her. That night she witnessed her family torn apart by Myon flowed through her mind. All of them were worthless. She shifted her body in the night sky the moon backing her. Renya's agile mind racing to come to a conclusion staring down at the hairy lump on the rooftop. Renya remembered the feeling of freedom staring at Myon's blue lightning explosion. It was as if her past was wiped out. Then, Syon puppet string curled around her.

That memory sent shivers down Renya's spine. A shiver of joy. That was the happiest moment of her life. Renya didn't know the answer to why she felt that way. She wanted to know. That night, what Renya lost the most when her family was killed by Myon wasn't love. It was a chance for her greatest fantasy to come true.

Renya didn't have familial love for them. She spent her days as ordered by her Father on experiments. She was praised. Her Father's hand touching her head made her sick. If there was anything she lived for, it was that one day, she'd crush his heart herself. That fantasy kept her alive, kept her happy, kept her thinking, kept her fighting among all the others to remain a 'worthwhile subject'.

If Father chose to dispose of her at anytime, she would have accepted it. Not because she wanted to die, but because the thought of being killed by her Father gave her that same feeling she got when Syon ensnared her that night.

Renya felt her hand glued to the white stick tighten it's force. If she had the strength to crush it she would. All of her strength wasn't enough. If she used her other hand, then maybe?

Before she could consider her option further, she saw the lump of hair raise it's hand. Then, the stick on her chest loosened. In her left hand she felt her fingers come free as well. She could have let go. She was able to realize that. Let go, plummet to the ground. She didn't have to fight Ichi anymore. She could apologize, she could run away. Scipio was coming after all. The stick gained an insane gravity to it and Renya held on, carried through the sky bombing towards Ichi.

In the back of her mind Renya knew she was a fool. The plan she made to 'escape' had so many fatal flaws it hurt her head to think about it. Escape was impossible. Scipio would kill her. Like her Father could have killed her at anytime. Renya knew that. There was no chance of surviving this night. The stupid choice she made leading to death. A death she welcomed. She could let Ichi kill her and save herself the trouble. However:

Renya wanted something from this world. It was the same reason she decided to leave this village in the first place. The same reason she tried to take Ichi's heart. She wanted that feeling. That feeling that Syon gave her. That feeling she had reading books and visual novels in her off time cooped up under her bubbling alchemy experiements. Renya wanted that feeling. She wanted to know what it was. She wanted to understand. Most of all, the fantasy of seeing Ichi begging for his life got her homunculus heart pounding.

Renya's spine tingled. She imagined it like electricity crackling, then spreading all through her body. The air rushed past her cooling her skin as she exhaled, gripping the white stick and pointing it towards Ichi. Her other hand curled around the handle, doubling her control. Using all her focus, she plummeted aiming straight for Ichi's palm holding the black stick to the sky.

They smashed together. The white stick and black stick formed into the horizontal lined white and black stick. Renya held on, Ichi held on, as the stick inched toward Renya's stomach. She spun her legs up in that instant. She didn't plan that at all. She didn't expect that the sticks would combine at all. Yet, Renya adapted perfectly and swung herself towards the rooftop. She held onto the stick of balance, attempting to break it from Ichi's hold with the added force of her fall. Renya's smile lit up as she did. This was it. This is it. Renya chanted to herself.

Ichi stared at Renya in shock. In his mind, he was worried about her getting impaled or splatting to the ground. His grip loosened, but not enough for Renya to pull the stick from him. Ichi saw the stick bend and Renya's capricious smile. His heart beat faster. His next thought was,

"Isn't the stick going to ?"

Ichi got very good at breaking and combining the stick of balance the past few week. His talent with it worked against him. When he thought , that was enough to cause the stick to seperate again. Ichi stared dumbly as Renya pulled the white stick away from him. Renya landed deftly, stared at the stick and got her bearings, then tossed it back to Ichi. It thudded against his chest and fell to the roof, rolling to a stop at one of his giant feet.

Renya felt her fists. Clenching and unclenching her hands, she punched a fist into an open palm. It wasn't that far to her fallen sheath. It wasn't that far to her fallen katana. Renya decided she didn't want them anymore. Ichi must be proud of his strength. Renya wanted to break that pride.

"Ichi. Are you going to use a weapon against an unarmed opponent?" Renya goaded him.

Ichi stared at her and combined the stick with a thought. Sizing Renya up, he twirled the stick of balance and stabbed it through the roof. He imitated Renya, cracking his knuckles.

"You ever been in a fist fight before?" Ichi said.

"Today will be my first."

"I've got a lot of experience. Aren't you better off with that magic katana of yours?"

"Lot of experience, huh? Thanks for telling me. That way, when I win like this, it'll be a sweeter victory."

Ichi nodded. Then, he clasped his hands together and bowed. Renya blue eyes and blue hair shined in the moonlight. She slid her hands up the sides of her white piece, pinching them in a formal curtsy.

"Ichi, if you win, what would you like? I'll do anything."

Ichi scratched his head, a thick finger covering his chin in thought.

"Can't think of anything off the top of my head. Maybe a maid outfit, with cat ears? Eternal servitude sounds appealing. With one hundred percent less murder and lies. How about you?"

"You will be my prize, as well." Renya shot to Ichi and the battle continued.