I stepped through the door. Just outside of the room, Augusta had been waiting. Giving her a slight smile, I rubbed the back of my head.

  "Well, I hope that didn't take too long," I said.

  "It didn't," she replied in her calm voice. "I hope you got the information you needed."

  "I hope so too," I felt a bit of discomfort pass through me. "I'm entering a bit of uncertain territory."

  Rubbing the back of my head more, I chuckled awkwardly.

  "If you need my help, just say," Augusta stated.

  "If I need your help, I will," I said.

  And I actually meant it. However, I didn't think Augusta's help would be required. She wasn't exactly a social person. To save Crummel, I'd need very careful interpersonal maneuvering.

  Then, another idea formed in my mind. I was having trouble coming up with a name for the game I was working on. Maybe I could get Augusta to help me with it?

  No, no, she was already doing more than she should for me. And making my game would only affect me in the long run. So, I wasn't risking anyone else by not getting Augusta's help. She would be better off focusing on other things. At least, until I can do something for her.

  "Dante, follow me," Augusta spoke up. "I just remembered something."

  She started walking, and I went with her. Curiosity flowed through me.

  "What is it, Augusta? Something serious?" I asked.

  "No. It's something fun," she answered.

  As we moved through the school, I realized that Augusta was leading me toward the physical education room. I started to figure out what my girlfriend was thinking.

  "I get it now. Since we're dating, it won't be a problem if I accidentally touch you somewhere...inappropriate by accident. At least, that's your logic, right?" I asked.

  Augusta gave me a single nod.

  "It's even better if I want you to touch me there," she answered.

  However, a different thought came to my mind as we reached the gym.

  "Ummm...Augusta, you know that unarmed combat like wrestling relies on physical strength far more than sword fighting does, right? Obviously, being strong is important for both, but you'll have to hold back even more than you did when we first started training together if I'm going to stand a chance against you," I pointed out.

  "Trust me," Augusta replied as she stepped inside. "It's going to be fine."

  I followed my girlfriend in. She closed the door behind us before propping a chair against it, which would keep anyone from getting inside. Suspicion crashed into my body. But it was interrupted when Augusta wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

  That's when another revelation came to me.

  "Augusta, you just wanted to be somewhere no one would see us, didn't you?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around her.

  "Yes, Dante," she answered.

  My girlfriend nuzzled closer to me.

  "The last time I was held was by my oldest brother 7 years ago, as he died. I almost forgot how good it felt," Augusta said.

  I hugged Augusta closer.

  "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that," I replied.

  "Thank you, Dante," she stated. "But...there's something I have to tell you."

  "What's that?"

  "I'm sorry."

  I didn't break the hug.

  "What are you apologizing for?" I asked.

  "For saddling you with a coward for a girlfriend," Augusta answered. "I'm not the brave person you think I am."

  I stroked the back of her head.

  "Don't worry, Augusta. I know you have it in you to be brave. I mean, you fought a pig man for me. The soles, too," I assured her.

  "That was nothing. Those monsters stood no chance against me. Fighting them wasn't true courage."

  Augusta clutched me tighter. I felt my clothes near her eyes start to get wet. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

  "Dante, could you do me a favor?" she questioned.

  "What is it?" I wondered.

  "Be my reason to be brave."

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  I...I didn't deserve this. There was no way I could let Augusta be brave for me.

  Looking down, I saw Augusta turn her head up. My heart grew weak. Augusta was crying hard. She was struggling to avoid vocal sobbing, but tears flowed freely from her eyes.

  "Dante, someday, I am going to face an enemy that I can't possibly stand against on my own. I couldn't do it before, and I won't be able to do it again without a reason to be brave."

  I opened my mouth to object, but no words came out. Augusta continued.

  "My dearest Dante, I understand you more than you think. I know what it's like to hate yourself. That's why I wasn't mad at you after you recklessly charged off on your own. Because I understand what you were feeling."

  Now, I felt myself starting to tear up. I held in my crying. Augusta shouldn't feel like she should protect me. She should have courage on her own, without needing it from someone as worthless as I am. I should say no. But why couldn't I get the words out?

  "So, please, Dante," my girlfriend continued. "Be my courage. Be my reason to be brave. If not for yourself, for me."

  My body shook.

  "I..." my voice trembled. "When...when you put it that way...I can't say no. What...do I need to do?"

  Augusta pressed her face close to my chest. I felt soft breathing against my body.

  "You're already doing it," she said.

  That settled it. I'd try to find some way to keep Augusta from protecting me. However, when the time came for her to face her own demons, I would be the one to make her brave.

  The two of us held each other for a few moments. Then, we parted. Augusta's expression was calm again. That sent waves of relief through me. She reached up and patted my head.

  "Dante, why don't we have some fun?" Augusta asked.

  I knew exactly what she meant by that.

  "Are you sure? Remember what I said about physical strength," I answered.

  "You're right about brute force," my girlfriend said in a stoic voice. "But I am very good at holding back. Besides, I can let you do one move on me."

  "A free move?" I questioned.

  Augusta stepped back. She gave me a single nod. A slight smile crossed my girlfriend's face.

  "I want to see the unusual style of wrestling you practice," Augusta declared.

  In response to that, I gave Augusta a smile of my own.

  "I'd be happy to show you it. Let's just move somewhere with softer ground first."

  A few minutes later, the two of us were in a clearing in the woods filled with soft dirt. We made sure we weren't followed, and Augusta got in a wrestling stance across from me.

  "Are you sure you want to do this in your dress?" I asked.

  "Yes," Augusta answered. "You're just showing me some moves. We're playing around, not doing anything serious."

  "Alright. If you say so."

  I grabbed Augusta.

  "Let me demonstrate this move," I told her. "It's called a piledriver."

  "Okay," my girlfriend replied with her cool voice.

  I lifted Augusta into the air. It was much easier than I expected it to be. Augusta was pretty light. Then, midair, I turned her so her head was facing the ground. My arms were wrapped around my girlfriend's stomach, pressing her back against my chest. The skirt of Augusta's dress was over my face.

  "In a real wrestling match, I would jump up and smash your head into the ground," I explained, despite my voice being muffled by fabric.

  "Dante, this technique is horrible," Augusta said.

  "What do you mean?"

  I felt my girlfriend wiggle around a bit.

  "You had to pick me up and turn me upside down to set it up. No one would let you do that in a real fight," Augusta stated.

  "That's a good point," I replied, trying and failing to move my head around her skirt. "But it would hurt a lot if you pulled it off."

  A sigh escaped from Augusta's mouth.

  "Dante, there are lots of better techniques you could have used in the time it took you to set this up."

  "Another good point," I admitted.

  I turned Augusta right-side up before setting her down. She turned to face me, and I sighed.

  "Well, I can't say I'm surprised," I said. "The wrestling I'm used to was mostly for show. The people using the techniques are strong, and some of them can really fight, but they're basically actors."

  A horrible image flashed through my mind, memories of when professional wrestlers tried to star in movies. Visions of what they did when trying to act hit my mind.

  I cringed deeply. Then, I shook my head.

  "Never mind. They're not actors. They're something else."

  "Are you alright, Dante?" Augusta asked.

  "I'm fine," I answered.

  Then, I folded my arms.

  "Just recalled something horrible."

  "Are you getting your memories back?" my girlfriend questioned.

  Her eyes flickered with excitement.

  "No," I sighed.

  Sadly, this was more like remembering a historical fact than something about my life.

  Augusta patted my head.

  "I'll be there for you when you get them back," she promised. "Now, tell me about another of those wrestling techniques. Even if it's for show, there has to be something we can work with."

  I nodded.

  "Okay. Another move is called the Boston Crab. It's where you put your opponent to the ground, back up. Then, you sit on their back and pull their legs backwards."

  Augusta looked at me as if I had just said something completely insane.

  "Why not just choke them out? Or stomp their head in?" she asked.

  "I think it's a submission move," I shrugged. "And the audience would get bored if they just choked or stomped peoples' heads in every time."

  My girlfriend's jaw dropped in exasperation.

  "But choking would be more effective," Augusta pointed out.

  "Like I said, they're putting on a show," I said.

  That's when her expression changed into one of morbid curiosity. Augusta placed a hand on her chin.

  "Dante, what is the most impractical wrestling technique that style has?" she wondered.

  It took me a moment to think. There were so many that wouldn't work in a real fight. But then, I had the perfect one.

  "Okay, here's how this move works. First, you need to throw your opponent into something back-first. Like, a tree."

  "Why not just throw their head into the tree?" Augusta asked.

  "Because you need to throw them in such a way that they'll slide down the object into a sitting position. Their head will still be in the air."

  Now, Augusta looked both very interested and very confused.

  "What then?" she wondered.

  "After that, you run over to them and rub your butt on their face for a few seconds. Then, you stop."

  A moment of silence passed.

  "Dante," Augusta broke it.

  "Yes, Augusta?" I asked.

  "What is that supposed to accomplish?"

  I rubbed the back of my head. Things had gotten awkward.

  "Well, I think it'll hurt if you're really fat," I said. "And if you're an attractive woman, it'll look sexy? I guess?"

  "Is the plan to seduce a man watching into aiding you in the fight?" Augusta questioned.

  "No," I replied.

  "Then, what does that accomplish?"

  "It gets more men to watch the wrestling matches."

  Then, there was another moment of silence.

  "I am not surprised that this style of wrestling hasn't spread past your region of Calavon," Augusta said. "Wherever that is."

  "Neither am I," I replied.

  It was at this point that I realized...if Augusta ever found out what part of Calavon Dante was from, went there, and didn't see any professional wrestling...I would have some explaining to do. And I did not have any explanation.

  "Let's forget entirely about this form of wrestling and assume that I have to start from nothing," I said.

  "Gladly," Augusta breathed a sigh of relief.

  Then, her eyes flickered with revelation.

  "Dante, do women ever wrestle men in these matches?" she asked.

  "Sometimes," I answered. "Why do you want to know?"

  "Is there a technique where the man gets on the woman's back and rides her like a hor..."

  And that was the point where I decided that I would pour bleach into my brain.

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