The Shadow Clans
"All right the target is right beneath us, we should move in," said Heroku.
"No, not yet," said Kaugei.
My first mission and I'm already in trouble, thought Kaugei.
"One must not just bend a shadow, but they must become it," said Master Roukai, "You must feel the darkness within you in order to bind yourself to the shadows; you must feel its energy in order to manipulate it."
Master Roukai demonstrated and bent the shadows around him, forming them into a spherical shape. The sphere then turned into a long-tailed bird which flew above and fragments into glasslike shards. The students stared in amazement.
"Kaugei, I want you to do the same as I did," said Roukai.
Kaugei stepped up and formed a sphere. It changed into a bird but had trouble flying. The bird became unstable and crumbled apart back into residual shadow. The students laughed at Kaugei while he tried to form another bird in frustration.
"That is enough Kaugei, take a seat," said Roukai sternly. "Kisano, I want you to perform the technique as I did."
Kisano walked in front of the class and formed a sphere, which turned into a bird. The bird flew in a figure eight motion and crumbled apart into glass shards. As the glass shards hit the ground, they crumbled again into needles, which went in multiple directions. The needles then dissipated back into the ground. The class applauded at Kisano's technique.
"Wonderful work Kisano," said Roukai. "Class is dismissed, except for Kisano and Kaugei.
Everyone except for Kaugei and Kisano left.
"Kaugei your work is sloppy and amateurish. Kisano, I want you to help tutor Kaugei to bend more efficiently," Master Roukai said.
"Yes, Master Roukai?" asked Kisano as she bowed in respect.
Kaugei quickly bowed as well after viewing Kisano do so.
"Kaugei," said Roukai.
Kaugei stands up straight, "Yes, Master Roukai?"
"I wish to see improvement in you by next week."
"Yes Master Roukai I will not disappoint you," said Kaugei as he bowed quickly three more times.
"You are dismissed", says Roukai as he bowed the two goodbye.
On the walk back to Kaugei's hut, Kisano chuckles.
"What are you laughing at Kisano?"
"You," replied Kisano.
"What is so funny about me?"
"Well you're technique, its so… amusing."
"Ah, come on. Its not my fault that we aren't all born prodigies like you Kisano."
"I wouldn't call myself a prodigy, however I am pretty good."
"How arrogant," remarked Kaugei.
Kisano stuck out her tongue to mock Kaugei.
"That's very mature," Kaugei said, "I'll race yah back to my place."
"You're on!" exclaimed Kisano.
Kaugei has the lead as they made a mad dash towards his hut. Kisano had other plans. She bent Kaugei's shadow around his legs in a knot and he tripped into a muddy puddle face first. Kaugei got up in dismay at what just happened.
"That wasn't cool Kisano!" yelled Kaugei.
He watched as she still ran towards his house. Kaugei wiped the mud off his face and walked instead. When he reached his house he took off his muddy shoes and placed them on the placemat. He slid open the door and headed inside. He spotted his mother in the kitchen and tried his best to evade her gaze.
"Kaugei, why are you all covered in mud?" asked his mother.
"How could you tell? You didn't even look at me!" exclaimed Kaugei.
"Call it a mothers' intuition. You often got dirty playing outside as a kid, so I know these things."
"I got to go get tutoring lessons from Kisano."
"Just make sure you clean up after yourself and throw your clothes in the dirty bin."
After taking a thorough bath Kaugei exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.
He saw clothing set outside his door and grabbed them. When he stood up his eyes met Kisano's.
"Hi Kaugei!"
"AAHHH!," yelled Kaugei.
Kaugei rushed back into the bathroom, locked the door and took a deep breathe. "That isn't funny Kisano! You should be waiting outside!"
"I am outside."
"I mean outside my room!"
"Okey-dokey," says Kisano as she still stood outside his bathroom door.
Kaugei quickly put on his clothing and opened the door.
"Kisano, are you trying to give me a heart attack? First I come in the house all muddy while my mother talks about my messy childhood, then you stand outside the door when all I have on is a towel?"
"Mhmm." mumbled a smiling Kisano.
"You are just impossible," Kaugei stated with a scowl.
"Its time for dinner," shouted Kaugei's mother.
"I'll be right there," replied Kaugei.
"Let's go get us some grub," said Kisano.
They walked downstairs and ate dinner with Kaugei's mother.
"Kaugei, it's nice to see you having a lady friend here."
"Mom, you already know that Kisano is just a friend. We've been friends since childhood."
"Childhood friends often develop the strongest romances."
"Mom!" shouted Kaugei.
"You know I'm just kidding Kauggie."
"Don't call me that mom."
All the while this was happening, Kisano munched away happily on her opossumchicken dinner without a care in the world.