We have reminded ourselves of memories enough. Today’s lesson is the lesson of patience. The Master, as always, gave us one of his stormy little speeches, full of that careless flair he favors.
“You must be different from everyone else. Are you the only one here? Have some shame.” And so on and so on.
At the end he looked at me. “And all of this is your fault!” he said. I smiled back at him as if to say, yes. it’s all me. Well done, detective.
In class we sat in a straight line, cross‑legged, calming our minds. The Master asked us to close our eyes and place ourselves somewhere not to speak of our bodies, but to go somewhere our minds already knew. Each person had made a world of their own. I still hadn’t closed my eyes. When the Master’s gaze drifted toward me I hurried to shut them.
I was slipping into that same old forest: wind in the leaves, the sound of water... and then, as if a hush of peace were torn open, everything swelled into a storm. Waves, sea, thunder something was wrong. Before I could wake, a bolt of lightning shot straight at me. In that last instant my eyes could see only one thing: the Master’s face standing before me, watching. He rose to his feet. By the time I gathered myself the others had already left.
- “What happened?” I asked.
+ “I sent them away.”
- “Why? What about me?”
+ “You were drowning in thought. You must finish your training.”
- “What do you want from me, Master?”
+ “Do you think I want something from you?”
- “You always want something from me. To do things, or to be something.”
+ “Not exactly.”
- “Why am I alone, Master?”
+ “Do you feel alone, or do you prefer to see yourself that way?”
- “Did you feel something?”
+ “I’ve been with you since the day you remembered. I still don’t know what you want.”
- “What are you trying to say, Master?”
+ “Fate is strange. You can’t keep whipping a horse and expect it to run faster every day.”
He signaled for me to rise. When I stood, he threw me a practice staff.
+ “Now we’ll see what you intend to do.”
He drew his sword from its scabbard and assumed guard. The Master and I what a strange honor. Like me, he did not strike first; he waited. Circling the practice ring, both of us waiting for the other to move. His sword had something about it… purposeful, patient.

He attacked. I tried to parry his blade with the staff strike, but his moves were not those of an amateur. Forced to step back, I neutralized the blow. Now it was my turn. I moved in three, two, one. a pattern like a metronome: three, two, one. left, right. Between his sword and my rhythm, we found a dance of fire. I had not yet broken his guard.
The Master grew tired of the child’s play. He lunged at my chest; I blocked with the staff. He dropped the sword, struck my face with one hand, snatched the sword back with the other and attacked from under my guard. Koken Attack !...
I took the blow, but managed to stop the blade and pull back.
“That was a foul!” I protested.
Suddenly my staff split down the middle. I laughed

"now the real game had begun."
This time I attacked from both flanks. He dodged one with a tilt of his head and blocked the other with the sword. In my final move, a right handed strike seized my wrist and forced it upward; with that hand he disarmed me and pressed the blade beneath my throat.
+ “Wasn’t easy on you, was I?”
With that ridiculous grin, he helped me up. + “Settle down, have you?”
- “Can you tame a buffalo with a whip?”
+ “Can’t you?” he smirked.
- “Not in one try.” We laughed and walked out together.
Before I left he said, “You know it doesn’t matter what they say, right?” I shut the door behind me and went out. The city pulled my attention again. What could it all mean?
The others had gone to train. Outside the dormitory yard their practice was ending when I arrived. Someone shouted, “Finally awake?”
There was the crack of thunder. Darkness swallowed everything. What? I looked around and saw nothing. Then I came back to myself. Sai said: “Were you afraid to resume the argument about training?” + “No. This time I have a better idea.” I threw the staff at him and grabbed another. Just as he prepared to strike me, I attacked Arvin instead.
They were stunned. Arvin caught the staff and hauled me up. I freed myself with a kick to his face. Sai and I exchanged a glance; we both understood what to do next. Sai charged at Arvin .
Ronya watched, surprised but laughing, leaning back in her chair to enjoy the show. Arvin said,
“im stuck between two lunatics Aren't I?”
and shoved Sai away. When he came back at us, Reny attacked me and Sai tangled with Arvin. A childish scuffle the memory that remains is Reny clinging to Sai’s head, no longer hitting him with the staff but pulling his hair, while I was busy throttling Arvin.
Night fell and it had to end. Everyone went upstairs to their rooms; after a shower I went to my usual place and there, the usual botherer. Ronya was leaning against the wall.

- “Have you ever thought what you’ll do after all this?” she asked.
+ “After what?”
- “These days will pass; we’ll have to do something else afterward, right?”
+ “I don’t think so.”
- “...”
+ “You’re bored, aren’t you?”
- “I don’t know.”
+ “You could do some odd jobs.”
- “Like what?”
+ “Use this place somehow… in any way.”
- “Like what? Be the gardener? No, thanks.”
+ “Not necessarily that… but maybe something you’d enjoy.”
* I hand her something
- “What’s that? Where did you get it?”
+ “I don’t have to answer everything you ask.”
She wrinkled her nose and gave me a frown, then started picking at me and then trying to kill me like she always does, . In the end it went well. her hands are heavy, yes, but at least I know I’m alive... kinda?
She turned toward the stairs to go to her room.
- “Aren’t you coming?”
+ “Let me be. This is my hangout. wouldn't you really leave it empty?”
- “Do you ever leave me alone?”
+ “That’s your own misfortune.”
She laughed, called back one last thing as she climbed: - “Thanks!”
+ “You’re welcome.” And then she was gone. Just me and this place again.
I sat in my usual spot and slipped into my forest. my lovely stone, the waterfall’s ... and a seagull? Strange, as always. I went back to my room, wrote today down, and went after tomorrow for one short day more. Father used to say we learned to memorize answers without asking questions or challenging them. Memory mine is like a doll, a toy played with until its body is worn and patched with mismatched cloth. But you are not like that. Remember you till the shadow wraps it away, then remember you by every piece that makes it sway.

Last scene of the day.. rise of the light !