Things Change

Hey Grandpa, my friend said they wanna come over. Can I invite them?

If it's okay with yer mum, it's okay with me. Bring 'em over!

Nice to see Sylvie's got close friends to play with.

Well, it's a small town. Everyone knows everyone, so we're all close, I s'pose. Still... It's pretty rare for her to be invitin' someone over...

Wait a tick... Sylvie. This friend o' yers ain't a boy, right?

Huh? He is a boy.

Not like this... A boyfriend, already?!

Overreacting much? Just how old do you think Sylvie is?

Ye think age matters? Ye were about the same age as Sylvie when ye and Giorgio went and...

Really, Father? Is that something you need to be bringing up right now?

I... Yer right, my dear. I know I shouldn't compare.

Giorgio...was Sylvie's father, right?

Yeah...well...we practically grew up together. Hard for us not to be close, given that my father and Reshan were already best friends back then.

Well, if you start a connection that young and it continues...

Nothin's gonna continue because nothin's gonna start! I ain't ready to hand Sylvie off! The boy's learnin' the meanin' o' fear today.

Pitchfork down, Father. You'd better not ruin my daughter's friendship with this boy.

You can come in!

Who is he...who's the devil...

It's Gariyu.

Ye bastard! How dare ye seduce my granddaughter! We're takin' this outside, right now!

Skip the small talk and straight to dancing, is it? Fine by me, old man. Bring it on!

Stop it, stop it! Both of you! Can we take a breather to sort this out?

Theodorus, you can't just provoke a fight without hearing the other side of the story...

...Yer right, Aldo, I'm sorry. I lost my temper before he even arrived.

And Gariyu, why did you just accept it like that? Whatever your reason is for coming here, I'm sure it isn't to pick a fight.

What? Of course it is. I'm here to fight Grandpa. Why else would I be here?

I gave warning that I'd come to prove I am the strongest. Grandpa, you're going down.

Grandpa this, Grandpa that, since when'd I get a grandson lookin' like ye? I feel embarrassed by ye, hearin' that.

...Your name is "Grandpa," is it not? What is embarrassing about calling someone by their name?

That's not his name... Only Sylvie can call him that.

...But I've always called Grandpa "Grandpa." Is it really embarrassing?

No, Sylvie, yer my granddaughter. Ye and ye alone have the right to call me Grandpa, embarrassment-free.

I don't care who's whose grand-whatever. Grandpa, if that even is your real name, are you going to fight me or not?

Look, if yer after the belt, ye have to talk to the arena organizers. They're the ones who set up the matches, not me. But even though ye made it to the semis, who knows when or if they'll be willin' to set up a featured event fer the title.

Belt? Organizers? I don't see how either are relevant. What interest would I have in other people's made-up titles? All I need is a worthy opponent... Then I can prove, irrefutably, that I am... the strongest.

So that's yer goal? Ye don't care about glory to be gained in the arena, but the pure and unbridled act of fightin' itself?

Not of fighting, of winning!

Okay, I hear ye. The belt means nothin' to anyone outside the arena anyway, so we'll leave it out of this.

Theodorus, are you really going to fight him?

Theodorus, are you really going to fight him? What happened to retiring?

It's the only way to get him to stop pesterin' me... Well, and I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't the least bit interested in seein' what he's got.

I had every intention. But when I tried to return the belt, the organizers just refused to take it back... Meanin' I'm still the champ fer now, but this ain't about that. I just wanna see if the kid's got bite to back his bark.

Plus, he's the only semifinalist I haven't fought myself yet.

Then it's decided. Prepare yourself...

Hold yer bloody horses, ye crazy bugger! We ain't fightin' here! Ye think I'd want ye burnin' down my house? Hmm, but it's not like we can use the arena fer private scuffles either...

Let's go to the palaestra. It's got enough space that we can get serious without causin' those around us any harm.

Hmph. Not a bad stage for a fight. Very well. I'll be waiting for you there.

Gariyu, aren't you gonna grow a beard first?

A beard? I don't need a beard. It would just get in my way.

You'd be stronger if you had a beard...

Well, I don't want him waitin' long. Let's go.

So Sylvie's dad trained here too, huh? What was he like?

...He was the best and brightest apprentice I've ever had the privilege o' trainin'. Not once did he ever whine or complain.

This is your training we're talking about, right? That's a feat in itself. He must've had gigantic muscles like you.

Eh, not so much as ye'd think. He was one of them clever types, like Reshan. Makes sense, sharin' genes and all.

He'd already been helpin' his dad tend to injuries from a young age. Meanin' he was well aware of how dangerous fightin' was... Yet that hardly stopped him from one day askin' to be my apprentice. It just shows ye can never underestimate a kid's ambition...

Reshan wasn't against it?

I think he was, deep down. He told me to be stricter than usual in my trainin', probably hopin' the kid would quit.

And well, heh, that had the opposite effect. Not only did Giorgio stick through it all, he got strong, really strong. He fought in practice bouts with other new talents, but none were any match fer him. Of course, the organizers took notice too.

I guess that made his transition into the arena quite smooth.

More than just smooth, Giorgio handled his debut match, and every one after that with ease, stayin' undefeated. And after each day's trainin', he'd be off to spend more time with Filli, and honestly, everythin' felt absolutely perfect.

...And maybe that's how it happened. At some point along the way, we forgot the dangers and let our guard down.

May I ask...what exactly happened?

His match against Tiodore. Tiodore had just arrived at the arena back then, so nobody knew how dangerous he'd turn out to be... Giorgio fought incredibly. After landin' a clean blow, we all thought it was over. Most fighters surrender before dyin', o' course. But Tiodore was not "most fighters." He came ready to dice with death if that's what it'd take to win... In a small openin' that appeared as Giorgio withdrew, expectin' a surrender, Tiodore lunged forward and drew blood...

Cut by the sword that severs dreams...

While Reshan tended to his injuries, his boy stayed silent, which was strange, but we all left it at that to give him some space... I mean, it was the boy's first loss, it seemed natural fer him to be feelin' down. Nothin' seemed out o' the ordinary...

By the time Filli came in to check on him to cheer him up...he'd already slit his throat, his last breath already taken. I wanted to quit bein' a trainer, right then and there. It felt like someone needed to be blamed, and I thought it should be me...

Grandpa! Are you done chit-chatting?! Is your strategy to make me wait until my legs grow tired?

Well, I've learned the brat lacks patience... I s'pose it's time to get this over with.

I've been waiting for this moment... Tiodore is gone, and with him, the satisfaction I'd get from winning a rematch...

However, you defeated him, and therefore if I defeat you, that would also prove me stronger than him and the strongest overall!

Just because scissors cuts paper and paper covers rock, doesn't mean rock won't bash scissors' bloody skull in. Yer logic is off.

Not to mention ye speak like ye already won, but I'm still the champion here. I ain't so old that I'd lose to a young punk like ye!

I don't care how many wrinkles you have, old man; I don't discriminate.

Old or young, any who face me are reduced to ashes all the same!

Alright, hotshot, come give me a warm-up.

HA HA, YES! Did ye see that?! Ye can eat off the ground 'cause I wiped the floor with him!

Wow... I've never seen Grandpa cheer this loud before.

...Didn't you say you wouldn't gloat too much after winning?

Oh, don't judge me! Ye don't know how good it feels at my age to teach a young brat a lesson!

Gariyu, are you okay?

Agh... Damn it! I can... I can still fight!

Yes, ye can, once ye recover, after plenty o' rest. Then, if ye still got the drive in yer bones, ye can come challenge me again. Ye have some real talent there, lad. Ye could even set up a match in the arena if ye like...

Enough about the arena...

Gahaha! At least ye stick to yer guns. Well, the arena ain't the only stage to host a fight worth watchin'.

I mean it though. Swing by whenever ye feel ready. I'm gettin' fired up just thinkin' about it...

Grr... Fine, but don't expect next time to share the same result.

Huh? Where ye headin' now?

That's none of your concern. I need to rest this off...

Come play again sometime!

Is that our cue to head back as well?

Only if by "head back" ye mean go out and party! It wasn't an official match, but a win's a win worth celebratin'!

The usual tavern, then?

But ye two should head off first. There's a small errand I've got to run along the way.

Okay! We have to go home first to invite Mama to the party too!

I'm headin' yer way, Love.

Hello, Tonya. Hope ye been alright with me showin' up to bother ye so often lately.

Were ye watchin' the match just now? I'd imagine yer view of the arena's pretty lousy from here, but still not as bad as the nosebleed section, hah. That's why I picked the palaestra, to get ye a little bit closer to the action.

What'd ye think? Do I still look cool, like the ol' days?

I know ye used to love watchin' the matches.

Before our little Filli came along, ye were always right there, cheerin' me on from the best seat in the house.

It's been so long since ye last saw me fight, I thought ye might be cravin' a little bit of excitement...and I hope I delivered.

My love... When ye passed...I became frantic, just tryin' to make sure Filli grew up alright. Once she could stand on her own, I finally made it back to the arena, only fer Giorgio to die on my watch... I was this close, THIS close, to just cuttin' the arena out from my life completely. So how strange is it, huh? To end up with the champion's belt, after everythin' that's happened... And here I am, graspin' onto it by pummelin' the next generation when I should probably be helpin' to raise 'em instead... But Filli, she hasn't been the same since Giorgio passed, always pushin' herself a little too hard, maybe as a distraction. So I'm holdin' onto it fer her...'cause I've seen her smilin' a lot more recently, the real kind that reaches her eyes. I always wanted to become the champion thinkin' it could change my life...and it has. I think I understand now more than ever how Tiodore fell into his obsession with it.

Who knows how long an ol' bugger like me can hang on to this belt... There's a whole generation o' talented kiddos out there, linin' up to kick my ass, but ye know I'm a hardass, hah.

The path I've walked as a fighter was more painful than I'd ever imagined...but I can't express how glad I am to have walked it. A path ye walked beside me on, Tonya, right from the start. Thank ye, fer all of it.

I'd better start headin' to the party now. Some o' those talented kiddos are waitin' fer me. Goodbye fer now, my love.

Gariyu, did you do that braid by yourself? It's so cute!

Of course, I have no choice. My hair would be everywhere if I did nothing to keep it at bay.

Even your hair is strong... Maybe I'll do that to my hair too.

Simply copying my style is not going to help you become the strongest, as I have.

As you have? Didn't you just lose...

Yes, but next time I'll win, so it changes nothing.

Mmm, okay...but I wasn't trying to copy you. Grandpa does it too.

Oh yeah, I guess Theodorus would have to do it every day he trains too, wouldn't he?

Ages ago, he used to complain that his hair kept getting into his eyes during matches, so my mother started doing it for him. I've always wanted to try braiding someone else's hair, but for some reason he's turned me down every time I've offered...

What do you think, Sylvie? Would you like me to braid your hair?

That's okay, Mama. I want Grandpa to do it.

...Aldo, you know, I've never noticed before, but your hair would just look amazing in braids...

You know...I think it's just a little too short...

What's this? Gariyu's celebratin' his own loss with us?

He said he has no money, so I invited him.

Y'know, yer not supposed to mooch off yer opponent...

This is what I meant when I told ye to join the arena. Ye get paid just by participatin', plus a nice little bonus if ye win. And if ye keep winnin', ye can forget about ever goin' hungry again. It's not a bad gig...

Bonus... No, I... Grr...

Is this what being "on defense" looks like?

I don't think that's the right phrase, Sylvie... But Theodorus, you must really think highly of him if you're recommending all that.

Yeah, don't ye? He's a bit of a punk, sure, but he's one to look out for. He trusts his own strength, fights only to prove it, and isn't hung up on fickle desires like the rest o' the world. The arena I remember used to be filled with people just like him.

Used to be? People like Gariyu... Are they all in jail now?

...I don't think that's what Grandpa's trying to say, Sweetie.

Ye got talent, ye got power, now ye just need the right mindset fer an arena fighter and ye'll be able to take my belt in no time!

E-Enough! I do not belong anywhere inside a hierarchy except at the top. I would never consider s-such a...demeaning position!

It sure looked like you were fencing to me...

THE PHRASE IS "ON THE FENCE"!

You look like you're having fun.

Oh, really? How can ye tell?

Hmm, you've just been smiling a lot more recently, you know, the real ones that reach your eyes.

It's like after carryin' weights and holdin' my breath the whole time, I finally let go and exhaled. Now I'm ridin' that wave o' relief...

That belt really changed your life, didn't it? You always told me that it had the power to, but I guess now we finally got to see it for ourselves.

Yeah, front row seats... (She's right. I thought that gettin' the belt would change the world around me.) (But it's all the same...which means it's me. I've changed.)

Well, whether you decide to keep fighting or throw in the towel, make sure not to use up all of that "power" just yet. Sylvie's still a long way from growing up, and you're going to need a fully-charged battery to keep up with her...

There's no battery on the planet that can keep up with that girl... But don't ye worry. I've only just scratched the surface o' my goals and ambitions as a fighter, and as a trainer.

I won't be slowin' down anytime soon!