The following Sunday, while New Eden is closed for its weekly Puella training, Yui and Ayumi are busy with practice in the arena. The front door slowly opens and Seia walks in. She taps on the floor with her cane a few times for attention.

Seia: Hello? Arashi-san? 

Yui: (Yui relaxes her stance, holding out her hand) ‘Kay, take five.

Ayumi: W-Wait, but… I can keep going!

Yui: Can? Sure. Should? Nah. Know when to not push yourself, Ayumi.

Ayumi thinks to protest some more, but she recognizes when Yui is serious. Her hammer vanishes as she dismisses her form. Grabbing a bottle of water, she descends into the basement.

Yui: Slow day today. Only the one of ‘em. Still, I get why the other girl’d need a break. …Seia Yamano, right? Girl I asked to be a mole, way back when…

Seia: Oh, I’m honored you remember me. Yes, I guess I didn’t get to do very much of that before things got too… hot. I’m sorry about that. 

Yui: Don’t be, I kinda imposed on ya. ‘Specially since we’d just met. So what brings you here?

Seia: Well, back then, I came here because… (She tilts her head upwards) Um, is it okay to talk about this? Is someone else there? 

Yui: …Oh god damn it. Just ‘cause I put in a wheelchair ramp doesn’t mean my work is done for accessibility. Uh… well, on Sundays, the gym runs a “self-defense” course for young girls. It’s a front so I can train Puellae freely, while still runnin’ the gym the rest of the week as normal.

Seia: Oh. Hmm… I came here the first time because I was looking for a teacher… back then, you called me “your second student.” (Seia continues in a dramatically serious tone that those who know her well would know was joking) It seems my position is in danger. 

Yui: …Oh, right. (Her voice had dropped considerably, and she’s quiet for a moment.) Right, yeah. Well, considerin’ what that meant back then, the second-student thing… Dunno if you’d heard, but the position of… of “First Student” opened back up.

Seia: Mm… was it those “Balancers” people I heard about from everyone? 

Yui: …Yeah.

Seia: I’m sorry. I heard about some of what happened from Monsieur Colère and the others I was staying with.  

Yui: Oh, right. You would’ve been out there with Uncle René. How’s he doing?

Seia: (Seia gives a polite curtsy) Oh, he’s doing well. He was such a gentleman to me while he was staying with us, even though he was still recovering his ability to walk himself. When I had him walk me out into the woods to confront a Witch, he only yelled at me a little after he found out. 

Yui: Christ, you went out to fight a Witch alone? Damn, man… 

Seia: Well, the Witch was getting very close and I didn’t want to depend on other people’s Grief Seeds.

Yui: Then again, knowin’ what your power can do, I shouldn’t be too surprised. Still, glad to hear he’s doin’ good, in every sense of the word.

Seia: He was walking much better last I saw him. His steps sounded more even and he wasn’t putting as much weight on his cane.

Yui: Hearin’ him recoverin’ like this is makin’ my day better. (Yui’s voice picks up a bit) Alright, well, uh… since I don’t have a version of the questionnaire in braille yet, I’ll just ask the abridged version. How confident are you, like, on a one-to-five scale?

Seia: If one is least confident and five is most… oh, only about a two. (She presses the tip of her cane into her chin, thinking) I’ve fought four Witches by now, but really my powers are just a trick. One opponent who isn’t affected or is a little bit smart, and poor Seia is on the menu, I’m afraid. 

Yui: Yeah, but it worked on me. It’s more than just obscuring sight, I couldn’t feel the exact location of your soul through that veil. That said, I can see why you’re not super confident. So uh… what exactly should I start with? Like, normal fighting, or expanding your familiarity with that power of yours?

Seia: I think, the basics of normal fighting, please… (She speaks more quietly) I don’t like to blame much on it. I’m happy in my life and I can do lots of things that everyone else can. But sadly I think my biggest obstacle, for this, is still up here. (She takes off her dark glasses and looks approximately in Yui’s direction, blue eyes wide open but still vacant-looking, staring off at a point far past Yui) 

Yui: A’ight. Come on up into the ring an’ throw me a punch. If ya need a sound, I can make some sparks or somethin’.

Seia: Alright. Just don’t punch me in the face out of nowhere. I know this is serious training and Witches won’t go easy on me, but I got enough of that at my old school.

Yui: What is this, ‘Dim Hearts’ or something? The tutorial level won’t hurt you. I’m just gonna block, dodge and teach, that’s all.

Seia: Okay. The ring, was it? (She walks into the gym, sweeping with her cane in the direction she heard Yui and Ayumi scuffling before) 

Yui: Yep. I’m already there. Mind the ropes, yeah? Lemme know if you need a hand. (Sounds of quiet sparks emanate from the center of the ring)

Seia: Oh, I hear you. (She finds the bottom of the ring with her cane, feeling her way up onto it and under the ropes. She sets her cane down behind her, coming close to Yui with careful steps) You ordered a punch? 

Yui: Yep. One punch, as you like. I’m sure you got some other method of fighting, but basic punches are super handy, even without fighting Witches. Like, if someone tries to mug you, for example.

Seia: Yes, I’ve learned the power of a punch from… (She says his name sourly) Tanaka-kun. (She raises her fists, throwing a rather poorly executed and weak punch that’s not well-centered towards Yui either) 

Yui: (Naturally, Yui doesn’t even need to dodge.) Okay, ‘bout what I expected. Do you need a sound to follow my voice, or can you like… sense or feel out where I am?

Seia: I have that if I transform, but I can hear you walking and feel your steps. This ring has some small bounce to it, doesn’t it? 

Yui: Oh, yeah, it has a little give. I think the old man bought it from a former indie wrestler or something. (She gives a couple small, light bounces on her feet to test it) I’m not gonna dodge this first one, by the way. Don’t feel guilty for punchin’ me in the face.

Seia: (Seia gives a serious nod and throws another punch, marginally better than the first because she’s not hesitating as much to do it) 

Yui: (True to her word, Yui makes no effort to dodge, taking the blow square on the cheek) Oof— Okay, not bad.

Seia: Isn’t there some proper punching form? This doesn’t feel like it would hurt that much. 

Yui: Oh, no, it won’t. Not really. Here. (She reaches out, helping Seia form her hand into a proper fist, then showing her the proper motions for throwing a real punch by slowly extending her arm outward.) Important thing is that you follow through. You gotta mean it. ‘Kay, hit me again. Like last time, I’m not dodgin’.

Seia: (She goes through the motions slowly a couple times, practicing shifting her weight. Finally, she throws a punch, applying most of what she learned decently) 

Yui: (And just as Yui promised, she takes the full force of the real punch) Ow— son of a— (Footsteps stagger backwards from where Yui stood, and the sound of ring ropes bending under the weight of Yui’s stagger follow) Okay. Now we’re talkin’.

Seia: (Seia feels her knuckles, as if to confirm what just happened) Wow. I’m sorry. I, I’ve never hit anyone before. 

Yui: What’re ya sorry for? I asked you to hit me. Oof. (She rubs her cheek as she steps back towards the center of the ring) Only way to know if you can actually deal damage is to take it, full on. Self-defense ain’t supposed to feel good to the attacker, yeah?

Seia: Yeah… it hurt a bit for me, too. Is it supposed to, or is that my poor technique? 

Yui: My skull’s pretty thick, so I’m not surprised. Sometimes, it does hurt to punch something. But I guarantee that hurt me a hell of a lot more than it hurt you. That is supposed to happen.

Seia: I… understand. Wow. What a fresh experience. 

Yui: A’ight, let’s keep at it. Don’t worry, I’m gonna start dodging and blocking some of these this time.

Seia: Mm. Okay. 

A few minutes later, Aoi comes up from the basement, having finished her work healing Ayumi and sitting her down with water and a snack. She leans against the door frame, watching how Yui teaches Seia. Aoi nods with some relief. Yui is teaching Seia more patiently, working with her, distinctly different from how she handled Tomomi. Though she had little say in it one way or the other, Aoi thought, it was better to see the trainees treated this way. 

Yui: (Eventually, she held her hand up, like with Ayumi, then instantly caught her mistake as she called out.) A’ight, take five, Seia.