[Yosei]

Take your time, wierdo. Thanks guys for the very kind reviews! KillerYoma I hope you don't hate me for doing this to Flora . And welcome back Shelter, just wanted to address your points (as always, I hold your reviews very importantly)

The Miria/ Helen fight, apart from the fact that it ended in an unexpected stalemate, was a bit tough to read...not sure exactly where Miria strength lay. Helen seemed to be in control from the start.

In the manga I recall Flora was very diffident to Miria and did her best to enforce Miria's orders during the Northern Campaign. I thought a more personal friendship in this story would be nice. And I admit I struggled to write a "defensive" character. In real life there are very few defensive boxers/martial artists who can hold up for long against an aggressive "offense is defense" opponent. But I promise that the next time Miria fights, she will be superhuman, i.e., her counterpunching skills will have progressed to the point that she is not easily enraged or disturbed by offensive fighters like Helen.

Also, didn't you mention that Clare's fighting name was also the "Windcutter". I think you gave Flora the same one too.

In the official canon, Clare has developed a technique called "Flashcutter" after having obtained Irene's arm and learned Flora's technique, "Windcutter". In this story, Clare's "Flashcutter" nickname comes as a result of Galatea's invention; she didn't earn it. In this AU Flora is still known as "Windcutter", whereas Irene isn't "Flash Sword", but "Flash-Strike". Hope that clears things up.

The effort you took in shaping Flora's character really paid off: schoolteacher, respectful, loyal, with a husband (who is surely one lucky guy). And I know you're trying to emphasize Clare's conflict while fighting - the thrill of revenge vs. the ethics of beating an innocent, worse-off opponent senseless. This particular theme was a little stretched in Chapter 11. It made a good story, but for what solid, logical reason would Flora go to all the lengths to know Clare a day before battling her? It seemed a bit overboard. But at least you justified it with her exceptional character: exceptional characters do exceptional things

I think I've fallen in love with her (character). I made her go to Rabona to meet Clare because I wanted to emphasize her noble nature, but I think I pretty much elevated her to the status of a saint afterward. I loved writing about her. Consider that a writer's bias though, apart from the emotions I wanted to invoke in her fight. Flora won't simply drop out of the story. I plan for her to make recurring appearances, although she has decided to retire from boxing. I can't think of a luckier husband either BTW.

Clare seems a bit moralistic here...I would expect more blind idealism from her. Unless probably you refer back to her friendship with Jeane as a kind of turning point.

Good point! I think Clare's very first fight with Jeane didn't have the 100% clout I wanted. I want to really show that Clare was instantly disillusioned with boxing the moment she stepped into the pit. And I want to continue to emphasize Clare's devotion to Teresa (after all, we all love this relationship), even though she is forced to hurt those she admires and loves.