Promising Progress - part 1 (Sage training)

Another day, another rude awakening. By now Hara had gotten used to getting summoned to the Garden of Illusions at the crack of dawn. Granted, she didn’t exactly like it, but she didn’t have a choice either. Trying to argue with her teacher, Don, about the schedules was meaningless. And often painful. That aside, she really needed to train Senjutsu. The fresh Fox Sage already had countless ideas for techniques, but when she had presented them to Don, the little geezer had laughed himself breathless. Something about lacking discipline and skill necessary for such wild dreams... Well, she would show him how a thing or two about the trickster’s pride.

However, the old teacher also had plans to keep his student on her toes. The duo became a trio as someone else joined them on the training field. Aniki strutted between them like he was a big star walking up to the stage. Hara was about to ask, but that was made unnecessary. "That’s right, girlie. Today’s combat training day and I’ll be your opponent, see? Better dig a grave ready, ‘cuz-geho!" Unsurprisingly, the boasting was cut short by a slap that made even the Kitsune wince in sympathy. Don cleared his throat. "Aniki’s idiocy aside, yes, this shall be combat training. You have advanced to a level where you are able to maintain Sage Mode for long enough to allow this method."

Leaving the two combatants prepare, the sensei strolled to the sidelines while continuing. "I have other methods planned as well, but we won’t move onto those until you clear this first trial." At the word trial, Hara could no longer hide her puzzled look. Aniki, however, already aware of the plan was free to taunt her. "Nyeh, it’s real simple. You gotta beat me, see? Too bad that ain’t happening anytime soon." He tossed his hat aside and drew his twin blades with the most dramatic of motions. Meanwhile, the trickster was pretty sure she had seen that exact pose in one of those cheesy storybooks about hero legends. Now this was getting fun...

Hara closed her eyes and allowed the nature energy to flow in. Her breathing slowed down until it seemed to stop. The familiar pigmentation patterns danced onto her features. Assuming a fighting stance, she returned some taunt fire. "Don’t worry~ I won’t hurt you... too much~" She dashed and her opponent mirrored the movement. "Nyeeeh, that’s my line!" The two combatants clashed in the very middle of the field, just barely avoiding each other’s opening hits. Hara swayed mere inches away from getting a blade through her eye, while Aniki had to suck in his gut to avoid the invisible claws. For an outsider, it might’ve been difficult to believe this was merely a sparring match.

However, for the fighters the intensity was just right. It made things far more interesting when each and every action had an opposing reaction. One attacked, the other dodged and counter-attacked. Swipes, slashes and mirrored dashes. Neither side could land a single hit. An experienced eye could see they were content with merely poking each other, testing for reactions, waiting for the opponent to make the first mistake. Unfortunately, fate had decided that first mistake... was on Hara. A swing went wide and she lost her balance on the grassy surface. The fox was quick to attack, swiping her legs with the blunt side of the blade. She hit the ground with a painful thud.

Within an instant, Aniki was standing over Hara. She could feel the cold blade pressing against her throat. "Game over, see?" Though Hara begged to disagree. Her mind was already bubbling with nasty ideas and low blows to turn the tables. However, before either side could get too caught up in the moment, Don defused the situation. "That’s enough." Aniki sheathed his sword and walked off, ego inflated like a balloon. This round was an unmistakable victory for him. Meanwhile, the sensei simply smiled. "Take a bath, have a meal and rest. We’ll begin the second session as soon as you are ready again." There was a distinct lack of disappointment. Bit worrying actually.

Helping the beaten trickster up, Don stood by her side to offer support. Well, with his size the support was rather limited, but the effort was there. "Make no mistake, you did well." As if sensing the ensuing eye-roll, he continued with some encouraging words. "Besides, training isn’t about always winning. The true essence of training is learning from your mistakes, just as your ancestors before you learned from their mistakes while trying to harvest rice too early and ended up going hungry until..." And blah blah blah. Once the geezer went off tangent like that, there was no stopping him. This was going to take a while...