At the young age of five, her mom introduced kendo as a means for exercise. In the beginning she found it incredibly dull and boring. Holding the sword in the middle front felt uncomfortable and employing an orthodox stance that kept messing up her balance. It didn't satisfy her at all. A fiery and explosive nature couldn't coexist within a traditional style, so in the end, she kept losing, and losing.
Frustrated at her own inability to adapt against other opponents whilst properly utilising a more traditional stance, she instead decided to swing her sword the way that felt most in sync with her heart.
Standing outside the front yard, she tried holding the sword in various ways. She tried a new variation everyday. It was difficult and at times, Ito sobbed whilst wanting to give up. But eventually with each passing day, breath, new stance and swing, she got closer to an original style.
On a fateful day, after swinging the sword more than one thousand times she grasped it. Her "Original" style. The results were almost immediate. Duel after duel. Tournament after tournament. Her wins kept piling on. Winning, winning and more winning. Hisano Ito became a prodigy.
Winning had become boring for her. A once great satisfaction stemming from claiming victory had now turned into a silent solitude. Despite trying to get into other subjects and sports to light the fire again, Ito always found herself crawling back to kendo. Unable to bring herself to intentionally lose, she kept dominating, instilling fear and admission on every opponent. Friends turned into foe, steps turned into distance, excitement into boredom. and in the end. Everything pulled further away from her again.
That was until she met Yukihime. Although she only found Yukihime's eyes unique at first, when a booklet was pulled, she couldn't describe the feeling. But every sense of hers told, "Challenge her". Without realising, she left all manners and rationality behind to follow the intuition.
Amidst the quiz, she felt it once more. The fire from within swelling up one's heart, setting it ablaze. They wound up fighting over a quiz, and at last, her own sport.
Crushing Shinano Yukihime during the first round, and even managing to bring her to the ground, Ito felt a once forgotten sensation again. Pure satisfaction of victory.
But once she got up, a wave of foreboding hit Ito. She saw a vision. Small particles with varying amounts of colours gathered around Yukihime's body. To her, Yukihime's eyes appeared to be glowing.
"I'll win this match for myself!" Match point, two to one in favour of Yukihime. They both clashed once again, sword to sword, guard for guard and step like step. Despite the fact that Hisano Ito was stronger than her, she couldn't fully utilize the advantage. Or rather, there was no possibility to. Falling back from their pressured guards, Yukihime tried hitting her with several exit strikes.
Narrowly sidestepping the brief assault, Ito responded by putting her lead foot outside Yukihimes. Sensing an opportunity to strike Ito's now wide open right shoulder, she seized the moment by swinging down.
"Raah!" Changing her grip in an instant and counter swinging vertically, Ito deflected her attack sideways.
"Ack.." As a result, Yukihime lost balance and began swaying to her right in an attempt to hold on to the sword, leaving her head exposed. Finally finding her golden opportunity, Ito's sword had reached its apex.
"This is going to be my all out assault!" Planting her foot firmly on the pavement, she leaned forwards and used everything for one last swing.
"Now or never!" A young mind thought to herself as the final blow approached ever nearer.
"Bam!" In expectation to win the round, Ito rather suddenly found herself falling to the right. In the distance, she heard an announcement of the end.
"What!?" Yoko proclaimed loudly."
"Three to one! Match winner, Shinano Yukihime!" She had been hit from the right by an individual with silver hair's bamboo sword.
During the last moment before Ito's sword reached her head, Yukihime turned her right foot sharply left whilst using the left as a spring. By giving up her own balance all while holding her sword with one hand, Yukihime used her own pivot in momentum to wildly swing at Ito's unprotected head and shoulder.
"A total gamble shot." Yoko said to herself in disbelief.
"Not completely, I'd say. She did very well to innovate a new attack on the spot." Clapping her hands first, Yoko soon followed.
"Let's wrap up for today and prepare to head back to Hamamatsu." In the central court, two girls stood bowing opposite to one another. It was the first time they had shown any resemblance of mutual respect.
"Good fight Hisano Ito." Yukihime held her headgear on her waist while bowing deeply. Likewise, Hisano Ito did the same, although her head appeared to be even lower.
"Sniff.. Sniff.. Likewise Shinano Yukihime-san." Experiencing the frustration of losing again, Hisano Ito couldn't help but start tearing up. Eventually walking up to the pair, both moms wanted to console their daughters.
"You did well, Yumi-chan. I'm proud of you!" Gently giving each other a high five, they smiled together. On the opposite corner, Yoko put her hand on Ito's head and started rubbing it.
"You tried your best today, don't let this frustration eat you up, use it to grow my dear daughter. I'm immensely proud of how far you've come."
"Mhm..!" Wiping her tears, Ito clinged onto her mom. Soon, morning turned into lunch and lunch into evening. As Yukihime was in the guest room preparing her suitcase, a familiar voice could be heard knocking outside.
"Is it okay if I come on in..?" It was none other than Hisano Ito herself.
"Make yourself comfortable." With permission granted from Yukihime, she slid the door open and sat down behind. Coming off as awkward at first, she soon gathered enough courage to talk to her.
"Erhm.. What's your dream..?" Looking back surprised at first, Yukihime soon turned the surprise into a smile and laughter. Standing up and putting her hands on waist level, she proclaimed her grand goal.
"My dream is to become a Stabiliser!" Her smile was contagious.
"A Stabiliser.. Although Ito wasn't well acquainted with their world and system, she found Yukihime fascinating. Despite all the risks involved and uncertainty, she still wanted to pursue that dream.
"Well, dinner is ready, we'll see you off afterwards. See you, and thanks.." Standing up, she quickly made way out the door again.
"Hm? Did you say anything afterwards?" Confused at first, Yukihime didn't dwell on it too long, instead she finished changing clothes, packing and proceeded to head for dinner with everyone.
Dinner passed and at 19:00 Yukihime and her mom stood outside the gates of Yoko's home, bidding farewell. Alongside Yoko that had come outside to see them off, Hisano Ito also followed.
"Aya-san! I'll miss you so much! Let's meet again soon!" Holding onto Ayanami like an animal, Yoko didn't seem too fond of letting go so soon.
"Hahaha.. Calm down, we'll have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future." Pushing her face away, Ayanami tried her best to calm Yoko down. On the contrary, Yukihime and Ito stood opposite to each other staring silently.
Eventually managing to pull Yoko away from her, they gave their last words.
"Good luck Aya-san and Yuki-chan!" Waving with a dramatic voice, the pair waved back before turning around. As they began walking towards the train station, Ito's voice resonated in Yukihime's ears.
"I-I'll become a Stabilizer as well! And one day.. I'll beat you!" Her voice was faint and shy. Alongside a red beat face, she felt incredibly embarrassed to announce such a goal. But nonetheless, she tried, and in response, Yukihime smiled back and gave words of encouragement.
"I'll be waiting!"