It would be almost a week since I would see her again.

It was a hurried operator exiting the library as I went in that should have been the first clue. It was eerily empty though it was usually well-used on most hours. All those that were still present were the librarian in charge and Istina standing further away on a table with several books about her. She regarded me with a curiosity as if a mouse entered a predator's den and went back to her study. I had decided not to inquire of the strange situation and went about my business. I frequented the library quite often. Both to catch up on the history of Terra but also to discover more of the written art of the many nations and generations before. As easily as I could have found that information on the intranet I had a passion for reading actual books. To feel them in my hands and peruse one's pages. To smell its paper. It was just such a human experience for me that I could never replace. I was already carrying a book and was perusing for the next one. Just as I found my query and gripped my next choice I heard her voice.

-Red has need of that.

A man of weaker heart would have flinched, yet I was only surprised for her to have sneaked besides me in such a hushed place. Perhaps I was too laid back with my sharpness that day. And there was Red, looking at me, serious and expressionless. Save for her ever present aura of imminent danger that sent fellow lupos of her race into a near state of terrified delirium.

-''I have need of it too.'' I retorted serious and to the point.

A silence stretched between us as neither of us backed down.

-I won't give it to you. If you really have need of it then we can share it and study together.

She didn't respond immediately.

-''Okay.'' She relented.

We both sat in front of a heavy wooden table in the library together, taking seats close to each other as I opened the book for us to study. The book was a very recently published study into various new applied Arts that were practiced on the field. Defensively and offensively. Explanations on methods of different applications and functionality. And most importantly, ways to understand, anticipate and counteract such forms of Arts to one's advantage on the battlefield. The book itself had many subjects that I already had read of on the intranet. And many things from it I already had a base understanding of thanks to my never ending hunger for knowledge that had seen me spend almost entire nights awake. In the end I spent most of the time explaining the subjects to Red and highlighting more important points of interest in between. Several times I couldn't help but catch Istina giving us inconspicuous glances now and then. Soon two hours already passed that we decided to wrap it up and leave our separate ways to have a meal.

-Thank you. Not many have patience to stay and explain for me.

It was a sort of sad statement I realised. But she didn't need pity. I believed she deserved more respect than that.

-Think nothing of it. Take the book. Now that I explained the gist of it you will pick up fast the rest of it.

She nodded and we parted after that. It was later at a food stand when I was savouring a wrapped bundle of sargonian vegetables with meat that I heard it.

-In the library? Did he carry her out the same way he did last time by the thighs??

-I don't know, but they were mostly alone in there, maybe they made out in the furthest section!

I chocked on my damn shaorma. God damn these rumours. There would be no escape from them even if one of us died. Even other lupo operators started eyeing me strangely since then. For what reason I couldn't tell exactly though I've read many things in their gazes. Curiosity and fear, and maybe more, desire? As weird as that was. They thought I was hitting on the fiercest lupo in all of Rhodes Island! Somehow that caught their attention or interest. And not soon after I met a troublemaker.

-''Tacet. Fancy meeting you here. You know there are quite a few wild rumours hanging about you.'' Said Lappland as I met her.

-As if I don't know. People will dream their fancies.

-Isn't it your fancy though? Lupos? But Red out of all of them? You like em as dangerous as they get, don't you?

I didn't answer. I couldn't think of anything better but silence.

-''I am dangerous too, you know?'' She said as she clasped my left cheek gently.

-''I don't sense her scent on you. You are still unclaimed.'' She added.

-''I am not anyone's to claim.'' I retorted.

-Let me claim you. We can have battle to the near death if you wish. Maybe if you beat me I'll let you have your way with me however you want. Though I doubt you could defeat me.

I reached and grabbed Lappland's hand with the same gentle touch for a moment, and then I pulled it off.

-I'm not going to play into your games Lappland.

-Aw, why not? Cos'è la vita senza un po' di pericolo? (What's life without some danger?)

I chuckled. She was right. Life without some danger wouldn't be exciting, and was probably part why I had a penchant in me to engage with Red all these times. But at that moment I discerned that I was pulled the way she wanted. She spoke in her Siracusan language, the old Italian for me. She must have suspected I might have a fondness for this language and I confirmed it by my chuckling.

-I see you know what I am talking about. We may be kindred souls yet even!

-Maybe, but I still have to refuse you Lappi.

-Aww, how dolcissimo of you to call me that. But think about it. Or is it that you made your mind about her? Maybe you should dispel those rumours with the truth then?

-''You like to prod, don't you? But you'll get nothing out of me.'' I said relaxedly.

-''Lappland! Stop bothering him!'' Texas exclaimed as she appeared from a corridor.

-''Oh? Did you miss me bothering you instead or is it that you have eyes on him as well mio caro compagno?'' She said to Texas teasingly as she touched my chest visibly.

-''He is unclaimed just so you know. Do you want a chance with him too?'' Lappland asked with perfily..

-''I am not here to entertain any fancies.'' I said to the air not wanting to directly blame any of them though Lappland would have deserved it.

I pulled a second time her hand off of me and turned around to walk away. I hoped this little chat wouldn't spring more rumours. Not that I cared, but people would get wrong ideas. Eventually they could lead to misunderstandings that I would find annoyingly time wasteful. That, or it could possibly bother my employers. I sighed. It was two days later that I was going by training room after training room, trying to find an empty one or with just one person to join in. Today all of them were in full use it seemed.

Coming by the last one I saw a fast moving figure dodging some mechanical constructs that were subsequently quickly disabled. It was Projekt Red. I stepped in and she paused from her training. It was the only room with just one operator and I knew the prior training chambers would still be occupied for some time. I had a tingling sensation. I knew that it would be a bad idea to entertain the mere suggestion to train and spar together, risking to open old wounds. Yet I didn't leave.

-Alone Red?

-People don't like training with me. Afraid they will get too hurt.

-I see.

-Will you leave too?

-''No.'' I responded, my heart taking the decision for me.

-''I'd rather have a partner to train with rather than dummies.'' I said.

-Good.

She paused for a few moments before she resumed the conversation.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

-Back then.

-''Hmm?'' I perked up questioningly.

-You held back.

-You were bleeding.

-But you didn't wound Red, not badly.

-Why did you hold back?

-We could have died together, or I could have died alone. Which would you have preferred?

-No. More like Red would have died, and you would have lived. Red mortally wounded you, yet you lived after that.

I didn't respond. She was right. She could have died if I did try to exploit her openings to the fullest and managed to succeed in just a single one.

-Don't hold against me now. I want to test my strength to the fullest.

-Very well, as long as we don't overdo it.

She nodded, and we went to the room's armoury. She loaded up with dulled knives of similar design of her own and I chose a dulled katana. These blunt weapons were specially made to reduce damage between sparing opponents, yet it could still seriously wound or kill by blunt force alone if wielded with sufficient strength. I made sure to check if the security cameras were off and closed the door to the room in the occupied mode. We assumed the position on the training stage facing each other thirty meters apart.

It was reminiscent of that fateful day I came to Rhodes Island. She was standing there as deadly and impassive as the first time I met her. Suddenly she sprang with incredible speed! Yet my muscles were ready to react split second. I parried with my katana as I dodged her. Again she was a whirlwind of moves and strikes against me! Trying to overwhelm me quickly while she still had most of her strength. Yet I read her well. I parried and blocked. Dodged and avoided. She came in for a strike and I gently ducked, slipping my foot under her, making her crash but quickly going into a roll and reversing her attack! She was wonderful and swift. She crashed her knives into my katana as I held her at bay and she struck her boot into me. I disconnected and backed, and strike after quick strike came at me. Duck, parry, parry, strike and deflect. It was all I could do trying to hold my own until she tired down just a bit to present more openings. My leg was nipped by a knife. Blunt as it was it didn't pierce, but it was painful as Hell. I jumped over to put some distance, but she quickly turned after me, closing the distance in but a few split moments!

She was relentless! She wanted me down badly! This wasn't a sparring duel. This was a rematch! And she wanted to win back the title of the deadliest one on Rhodes Island. To win back the recognition of being on the top of the most lethal animal chain! She attacked and I barely avoided her knives to my face as I planted a hard boot into her stomach, making her stagger. I took my chance and I stormed her. She barely could keep up as she caught her breath. She was tiring, but I couldn't let my guard down. Lupos could feint too as I've seen many times. We would soon be drenched in our sweat and gain many glancing bruises, but the fight went on without regard for time. And we would give each other even open wounds that flowed blood freely!

My blade swung like the swiftest of winds! It was its own whirlwind in a mad dance against my opponent. Our blades met so fast and often that it was a cacophony, a concert of metal. I was pumped full of adrenaline, my muscles were straining to their limit and my mind was rushing, anticipating and calculating moves. Yet each was met by one of Red's blades and followed by ripostes. Now she was the one backing away, I followed her. She tried to outmanoeuvre me, but I wouldn't let her. It was like a dance, attack, retreat, retreat in turn and riposte. All the while our hands moved with incredible speed. Our blades reverberated with the amount of force put in them. We could have easily cracked each other's skulls if any of our moves hit each other's heads. Yet they wouldn't, It was an almost even match. I could notice a strain in her face. She also had her own exhaustion to consider against the tiring barrage I was amassing onto her. I ran as I pounced an attack on her. She parried me and gave a hitting glance on my shoulder. My quick reactions still in time to spare the temple of my head. I didn't know how much time passed but at this point we were both closer to exhaustion but none slower than we were at the beginning. Yet until now none of us managed to score a debilitating blow to one another in order to achieve victory. I couldn't drag this much longer. With the katana in one hand and one of her knives that she dropped and I picked up in the other I charged at her. Both my weapons played, turned and twisted, a wonderful balle of dazzling moves that made it all the harder for Red to anticipate where my blows would hit.

I came onto her, and she lost the grip of her footing. A knife flew out of her hand along with my sword, and she fell down with me on top of her. Her knife that was now in my hand was impaled deep into the sturdy training floor underneath, a thumb away from her neck. Red's remaining knife was now close onto my own throat. We looked at each other gasping for air. She was bewildered. It was a mutual loss or a tie, depending on how one saw it. If this had been a real duel both of us would have been dead. She was beautiful laying there. Realising the end of the match I read into her eyes that she considered it a loss. I almost couldn't resist anymore. I let go of my knife, and instead my hand went to one of her fluffy ears to hold and caress gently. I was lowering myself closer to her.

Her knife holding hand gave way, dropping it. She looked surprised and unsure, maybe even a bit frightened. But she didn't sketch any intention to stop me. She closed her eyes not wanting to see what would follow, yet she wouldn't protest. I could feel her hot breath on me, and then I heard a small whimper from her. Hearing that I stopped. What was I doing? Claiming my prize? Taking advantage? No. I wouldn't force myself on her. I needed to collect myself. I rose up. Grabbing her own hands gently I helped Red to her feet.

-Are you alright Red? We almost went a bit overboard there with our spar.

She seemed fine, but her confident pose still had a tinge of insecurity. Or perhaps she was just so worn out. We sat down on the bench and I brought the first aid kit which all training rooms had. I had bandaged her head and her right hand before I applied some on myself. She sat mostly unmoving and uncaring all this time, just staring at me while I tended to the worst of our wounds.

-Tacet, what were you going to do to me?

-''Nothing.'' I said untruthfully.

-I enjoyed sparing with you Red, but I think I have had more than enough for today. Take care.

I said as I took my leave. Knowing that she had all her faculties to take care of herself then. Deciding I would head straight to my room to take a much needed shower and rest I exited the training chamber. However, just as I was about to head further down the corridor my senses picked something up. I looked behind me and upwards. There on the viewing ramp where a large one way glass window gave into the room I saw a group of operators looking at me. That and the new Doctor of Rhodes Island with Kal'tsit's protégé, Amiya.

''When the flying fuck did they gather?!'' I wondered annoyed.

This room was at the ass end of the corridor, it was the last training room in the row! One nosy person must have come and there flocked the whole bunch of them watching my fight with Red! Wait, the time. I checked my watch. Little over an entire hour had passed. A lot more than I had thought.

-''Nice fight Tacet! But who won exactly?'' Asked Lappland nonchalantly.

Even Texas was there tolerating her presence to see the fight! Gavial, Provence, instructor Doberman and the Radiant Knight herself! Oh Lordy, Lordy. What a crowd.

-You should all have paid tickets for the entertainment we gave you!

I said before turning my back, leaving without any intention to entertain any further conversation. I was certain that I would be called to have another meeting with Kal'tsit soon enough. For some reason I was feeling released after this fight. As if some unknown tension was broken. Perhaps it was the fact that we didn't kill each other that relieved me. Or the fact that I didn't give in to my demons of the past in the heat of battle. Yet she was there in the centre of my attention. All danger and beauty. I enjoyed my spar with her, I realized. A little too much as I reminded myself of the ending. She seamed vulnerable, open. I found that so appealing that I nearly kissed her, giving in to something else entirely.

I really liked her, I couldn't deny it. As messed up as that sounded. It was the reason I was pulled to her every time we met. This lupo captivated my soul the moment I laid my eyes close to her visage. That moment when she stabbed her knife right into me and left it there during our first meeting. Christ. Truly, out of all the lupos... Where would this infatuation bring me? She was different. Even from all the other lupos. Would it ever work out? I did not even know how she felt about it herself. I could make things worse or at the very least complicate them. Complicate both mine and her life. Two or at least one vital and invaluable operator to Rhodes Island. They didn't need that. We didn't need that. Yet I was feeling my heart burning with desire.

-Sigh.

I needed a long shower, a drink and a rest. It wasn't as soon as I'd thought. I was three days after the sparing match on a regular appointment I had that I would meet again with doctor Kal'tsit. General debriefing and input on various topics as usual. Though near the end of the meeting she asked further.

-Should I know anything of the match you and Projekt Red had?

-It was a sparing match made of both our accords. We blew some steam and had a good training out of it. There's nothing more to it.

She looked up at me from her papers.

-It could have ended differently on worse terms.

-It didn't, we were mindful.

-Alright. I trust that you will continue to regard all your actions with good measure. You are dismissed operator Tacet.

Well. That went much quieter and without fuss.