The outer forests of Orchidia were perhaps the most beautiful forests he had seen, besides the Joyan forests he had spent his youth in of course. He walked toward the meeting place, he had taken the notice of the mission, and with his very limited understanding of the local language, he was able to acquire the mission. He still didn’t have a weapon, But his hand to hand skill would have to do. Soon he arrived where the young woman was waiting. As he approached, she greeted him and began to explain what they were going to do.

Most of the words didn’t mean to anything, but he understood a few. Avoid, race. She pointed to the path infront of him and he could see what she meant. Obstacles. His father used to make him and his brothers run a course similar in style. He nodded and fixed his scarf and cloak to make sure they wouldn’t slow him down. He wasn’t looking to let her know his identity, so he kept it hidden. But he knew how to keep the cloak and scarf in place well enough that he could still train with her in this running course.

She got into position, and he did the same. Not a running position like her own. But a relaxed position he knew well, the same position he normally used with his sword style. He wondered if she was truly comfortable in that stance. If her body was evenly prepared to move as one unit instead of as individual parts. When it comes to running, or dodging, Fujaku had been taught to move as one body to minimize energy used, and made it easier to control your own movements.

Soon she started….counting? he wasn’t familiar with the numbers yet, but it sounded similar. She shot off, and he followed in suit. But he didn’t…overtake her. Infact he stayed slightly behind her. Watching her movements carefully. She was decent enough, but she wasn’t fully raising her legs to clear each obstacle. Her clothing was to loose and was getting either caught or slowing her down on the obstacles. He couldn’t help but wonder her purpose for all this was. He hadn’t been able to actually read the flier he had taken, but this girl was… oddly persistent. Even as she nearly fell and hurt herself, she didn’t give up in her movement forward.

But soon, she hit a log, her pants catching on the branch of it. Fujaku moved quickly grabbing her and saving her from a nasty fall into the ground. He rolled and let her go into a soft patch of grass to disfuse her fall and his own. He stood back up and looked at her. His dull red eyes wider, but they soon returned to their normal size. Soon after they turned softer as the tears she displayed reminded him of his little brother. He walked to her and touched her head softly.

“Do not….Give up.” He said to her. “get up….and…” he struggled, pointing to himself. “…I….Will show.” He said moving back toward the beginning of the course. She blinked after and Soon followed. He returned her to the start and looked at her. He tried to show her to stay loose, but not too loose. His words would do him no good here. As he did so, the understanding in her eyes began to show. His message was getting across well. He watched her and took the wooden shealth he carried and adjusted the stance she had.

“Stance….soft, but….rigid.” he said to her explaining as best he could with words. “Move body… together.” He retook his stance next to her. And this time he counted down. They both raced off, she followed after him. But soon outpaced him. “Steady!” he shouted at her, she looked back and slowed down. It made it easier for her to see the obstacles coming and she avoided them better then she ahd before. They stopped at a mid point, and he looked at her once more. She was out of breath, despite her shape the obstacle course was not easy. Fujaku only had such ease because the training he went through under his father was best suited for this kind of situation.

He sat down and motioned for her to do the same. He looked at her before holding up one hand infront of his chest in a open palm style, his thumb facing himself, and his pinkie facing her. He gently took out a small shall yet wide bowl, a reflection caster. He sey it down in front of himself and the girl and poured out water from his waterskin. It pooled within the shallow bowl and formed a lense, no… a mirror, of clear reflective water. He simply looked at her, then motioned to the bowl. “Look…within….” He said. He closed his eyes and said a prayer of peace around her, the reflection allowing one to reflect upon themselves and meditate with a ease one might not find without years of practice.

He may not have been a priest, or even have any magical powers, But his father and mother had taught him that even so, the gods would hear their prayers through the trees and rocks and rivers. For everything had a soul, a guiding kami that resided within them. She was deeply meditating, almost seemingly asleep as he opened his eyes. But he could tell she was not asleep, mearly resting and meditating. Her heart beat and her breathing slower. “Do not….Allow bad thoughts….To cloud…….Mind. Do not…Rush….Take time…to learn, practice.”

He stood up and she seemed toi snap out of her trance. She yawned and as she looked around he was already walking away. She ran after him to over his reward, and he turned back. Looking at it for a moment before taking it. She said thank you to him, and said some other things in her strange language. He simply nodded and left, however, he did leave the shallow bowl for her, so that she may use it. He could make or buy another one with ease, but if it helped her find some inner peace and strength, then it was worth the sacrifice of it.