Chapter 14: The Dojo
The next morning felt odd without Ty-min. Zuko hoped she was doing well. He was up before the sun. He lit a candle in his bedroom and meditated for the first time since he lost his ship to the pirates. He thought about Faelin. He thought about Ty-min. He thought about his mother. Then he did some stretches to prevent his wounds from locking up his muscles. The muscles ached. The rib ached. The bruises ached. And when he stepped into a cold bath, every single cut STUNG! He stepped out to his uncle ready with a jar of ointment. He grumbled as his uncle anointed every cut with the mild scented ointment. After dressing and wolfing down some hot rice meal, he hurried over to the forge.
There were some looks of concern, but nothing more. He was put to work with the early crew. He helped heat the more delicate metals for blending and then heating the blends to molten metal so they could be poured into the rod molds. It was hot and sweaty work. He kept rubbing his hand through the now longish bangs that dripped sweat into his eyes. By midmorning he was done and grabbed a cold shower out the back of the forge with the rest of the morning crew. He was last in the small stall and could enjoy the rest of the water. It would fill up again from the small well wheel over the next few hours. He closed his eyes as the cool water poured over his damp hair and rinsed away the sooty grime of the forge, coursing down his bruised body. Fo-Ji helped rebandage his ribs before he headed to the Tea Shop for work.
That work was monotonous. He hated it, but it paid, and that he could not do without. He was lucky to have gotten the job to begin with. All day he wondered how his uncle managed to meet up with the Silver Circle Assassin, Rai. Rai was likely not his real name. He wondered what had transpired. Something big must have happened since there was obvious earthbending and firebending that happened in their small home. Either way, he was to begin training. It shamed him to realize how out of form he was. He was still good, but not as good as when he had trained relentlessly every day. Now he will get back to it, and learn more skills to add to what he already knew. He wondered if he would get a chance to see Faelin, too. Maybe he would on his way to the dojo. He wished she had come out the other day and said something. It bothered him. What was she doing in that disreputable place? She never answered any of his questions! Not even the simple innocent ones. Not even... and he blushed... when he complimented her. GODS! She was so... shinzui! Zuko sighed in frustration. He would look for her a bit on his way to the dojo.
He walked through the forbidden district. It wasn't really forbidden. He wondered if he could nickname it something else. He took note of every person he passed hoping it would be Faelin. He also felt ridiculous for doing so. Just as his feelings of foolishness pushed him to stop looking, she hurried past him! He dodged her and then trotted beside her. "Are you running away from someone?"
She stopped. "Lee! Oh, ahh... no. I am running to someone. I am late. I have to get to the... Oh my GODS! What happened to you?! I told you this place was dangerous! This is exactly the reason you should not be here after dark!" She was looking up with a mix of shock and concern at his seriously bruised face. She reached a hand up to touch the worst of his bruises. He braced himself for the pain of her touch. It never came. She shied from the contact.
To reassure her he said, "It's ok. I'll heal."
"Was it Fong? They really hate you, you know. You shouldn't try to fight them. They fight dirty and in numbers." She wished she was not forbidden from bending. She would try to boost his body's own natural healing process.
He walked with her in the direction she was hurrying. "It doesn't hurt so much now. Some aching. And I didn't pick the fight. I wouldn't really call it a fight anyways."
As they left the forbidden district heading to the Eastern Quarter, he pondered what he would have called it. He wanted to say something... witty. "What would you call it? Because you look like mashed potatoes!" Why was she always so blunt when talking about him and so evasive when talking about herself?
Then his lips curled into almost a grin, more of a smirk. "I call it aggressive negotiations." She tilted her head so he could see her quizzical look.
"Aggressive negotiations?" She smiled and almost laughed. He grinned, very proud of his wittiness, even prouder to have gotten her to smile and almost laugh.
Once they were a few blocks from the forbidden district, she hooked her hand around his elbow. He glanced at her as he felt his cheeks get a bit hot. He did not draw away or do anything to spook her from drawing away. "Where are we going?" he asked.
"I have to go to the hair stylist and be back before sunset. The appointments need to be made. And I should have done them yesterday, but I was too busy." She was glad their walking pace was faster than leisurely, but she did not want it to be over too soon. They stopped in front of what looked like a house. "Ok, I have to go make the appointments. Thank you for the company, Lee." And she hurried up the long steps to the second floor apartment of the house.
He watched with his golden eyes. Then mentally chastised himself for not taking advantage of the moment to ask her some questions. He cursed to himself all the way to the dojo.
When Zuko reached the dojo, the sign above the door read Tattoi Ryuu. He opened the door to a fresh new tapestry on the back wall of a silver dragon in the shape of a circle and the kanji of Tattoi Ryuu scripted in the center. Tattoi Ryuu... Noble Dragon. The craftsmanship of the tapestry was excellent and expensive. There was an actual silver wide-band ring of about 3 inched in diameter held in the dragon's mouth. Zuko leaned in close as he thought he noted an inscription on the inside of the band. He squinted and tilted his head to see it better. Qin Maru Shugosha... Silver Circle Guardians? Zuko was confused. Shouldn't it read Qin Maru Ansatsusha? Silver Circle Assassins?
Mu-Tan: "Lee?"
Zuko jumped! He turned around to see 30 pairs of eyes from 30 children between the ages of four and eight (32 if you count the two adults) looking at him. His cheeks then ears burned red with embarrassment. It was so quiet; he thought no one was there. All the children wore the same pale green uniform. He was amazed to see some that even had red or blond hair, and even some girls. Not as surprised as he was to find that there were people at all there. He had no idea that this place was ACTUALLY a dojo. He thought it was a secret place for assassin training. That assumption made him feel even more embarrassed.
One blond eight year old girl asked, "Sifu? Is he new?"
Mu-Tan: "Yes, Kitrin, He is. Now everyone, refocus."
All the children obediently sat back in their meditation positions and closed their eyes. Zuko sat dumbly on the bench by the tapestry and watched. After about five minutes when the littler children started to fidget, Mu-Tan stood. They all stood with him. Zuko noticed that the blond girl who spoke and a couple other children wore the metal wrist bands of indentured servants. They all bowed honorably to the two men who returned the bow and were dismissed. Zuko stood only to be almost set off balance by 30 children surrounding him to get their belongings and off through a door to changing rooms.
Kitrin stood in front of Zuko staring up at his bruised face. "Wow, you must have really made your master angry!"
Zuko frowned. "No. I am my own master. And I got into ... aggressive negotiations with a group of bullies."
Her eyes widened. Then she smiled. "It is my turn to clean up today. I will show you around!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him off. What else was he to do? He let her. She led him through the door to a small hallway lined with trunks. There were two baskets at the end of the hall with a window above them. In the middle of the hall was a door on each side leading into small changing rooms where he heard the noise of the children changing or helping the younger ones change. "That way is for the boys. This was is for the girls. Each box has the uniforms. Do not mix up the sizes!" She shook her finger at him to emphasize her words. "This basket is for if the uniforms get torn or need to be fixed for whatever reason. And this basket is for all the smelly dirty ones." She wrinkled her face. "It's my turn to wash them. Everyone has to take a turn. Are you going to be in our class?"
Zuko could hardly keep up with her explanations. "Um... I..."
"That's ok. We are all really new, but I am getting pretty good. If you are new, I can flatten you on the tatami mat!" She grinned so big you saw her missing front teeth. She saw him looking at her metal wrist bands. So, she held them up for him to see more easily. One had an Earth nation stamp on it which annoyed him. But the other, it had a Fire nation stamp which horrified him. "I was in the Fire Nation when I was too little to remember and now I am here. I am training to be the best Merchant guard I can be, just like my dad!" Then she opened the boys changing room door. He was about to stop her when she yelled into the room, "HURRY UP!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT CLEANING YOU STINKY CLOTHES!!!" The few girls were already out and tossing their uniforms in the basket.
Zuko just stood there stunned as the children began milling out in their street clothes. Some in fine silks and some in the grubbiest clothing possible, like what Ty-Min had been wearing. Once everyone was out, she pointed to one trunk. "Go change! These ones should be big enough for you. Sifu doesn't like dallywaggers!" She dragged the basket back into the dojo where the other man picked it up for her and led her away with it. Zuko wondered who the other man was. He just blinked and watched.
Mu-Tan came up to him, a smug look on his face. "She is a bit of a whirlwind. Not used to children telling you what to do? Get used to it. They have seniority in her over you. They've been here for over a year, except the new four-year-old. I will meet you on the mats in a few minutes. I need to speak with the parents and guardians of these children."
Zuko was still feeling stunned as he awkwardly pulled out a uniform and changed. He was not at all expecting this dojo to be holding classes. He prayed he was not going to be stuck amongst the children. He was an experienced, almost master firebender. This was humiliating! He went to the center of the mats and sat in the meditation pose trying to not brood.
Mu-Tan returned to the mats after seeing the children off. Then he knelt in the meditation pose facing Zuko as they had done before. He watched Zuko carefully. Zuko scowled for almost ten whole minutes. Mu-Tan watched as Zuko's eyes moved behind their lids and Zuko occasionally clenched his jaw. Everything else about Zuko's pose indicated meditation, but these small signs told Mu-Tan the young man was very busy in his mind. "If you want to achieve true meditation, you must… let… go… of your thoughts and emotions. Let them come, but then let them go. None of those situations are here now."
Zuko's head snapped up and he scowled at Mu-Tan. He kept himself from retorting, remembering the last time he remarked without respect in this man's dojo. "But they are here and now. They are part of who I am and how I am feeling."
"When you cross that black line onto my tatami mats in this dojo, you are in sacred space, much like a temple. All that has happened and is happening outside, must remain there… outside," Mu-Tan advised. Zuko clenched his jaw again and Mu-Tan knew that this would be a hard lesson for Zuko to learn. Zuko had trouble letting go of the past and living in the present. Mu-Tan took in a long peaceful breath and let it out allowing the calm to fill him. Then he rose and went to the small shrine. There he lit fresh incense. "Walk with me, Lee." And Zuko stood and followed Mu-Tan.
"In this dojo, I am Sifu. The other man you saw is Ling. He is my assistant. He handles the registries and accounts and needs of the dojo. He is essentially the administration master in here. He also assists with some of the classes, like the large children's class you just walked in on. We provide uniforms here so no one's status is obviously above or below another's. I will not tolerate disrespect in this dojo. Every student is equal. Only their skills on the mats divide them." Mu-Tan led Zuko to the tapestry, "This is the new banner for the dojo. Kitrin showed you around the back changing rooms. At the end of the day, one student is assigned to wash the uniforms. Usually I do not have the children do it, but Kitrin… well, as you saw it is hard to say no to her. Ling is helping her." Mu-Tan walked Zuko to a posted list and a pile of wooden chits. He pointed to Zuko's name: Lee on the paper with a fire symbol next to it and then handed him a chit with the same. "That is your chit. When you are in the dojo, you hook your chit on one of the hooks. If your chit is hooked on the white hook, then it is your duty to clean things the next day." Mu-Tan walked Zuko over to the shrine. It was a low bench with candles and incense with a small shelf higher up. "This is the dojo's shrine. It is dedicated to my late son. The lower bench is a public shrine at which anyone may meditate or make offerings. I sometimes find that this helps, especially the children, as they are trying to understand some of the troubles in their lives." He was careful not to discuss the war. "You must respect this dojo and me as you would respect anyone in a temple. Sacred Space. Never forget it. Oh… and try not to bleed on the tatami mats. If you do, you stay after to clean it up." Zuko just absorbed it all. The walk and the explanations were another way to help with meditation. Mu-Tan knew that sometimes a moving meditation was more help to certain people than a sitting one. Zuko was likely one of those kinds of people who needed to be moving in order to relax.
"Lee, I will want to see you after dinner every night. Are you able to get free?" Mu-Tan almost forgot that Zuko had taken in the little urchin girl Ty-min.
Zuko nodded. "Yes. I have made arrangements." Zuko was relieved to not be stuck in the class with the children. Private lessons with this new teacher was what he had truly been hoping for. "Sifu?" Zuko had a sudden idea. "Is your children's class accepting new members?" He thought of Ty-min.
Mu-Tan responded with a smile. "Of course. The class meets twice a week."
Zuko decided to see if Ty-min would like to join. However, with her in the Middle Ring, this might be problematic. He could go and get her. Then maybe, have his uncle bring her home? Then with some concern, "And… how much do the classes cost?"
Mu-Tan was seeing where this was going right away. "I run this on a sliding scale. I ask for a proof of income from the family and the fee is 10 of their weekly salary."
Zuko was surprised. That means several of the students were there for free. That also meant that the dojo didn't nearly make enough to support itself nor the expensive things that were in it. Zuko guessed the extra money came from this man's side job as an assassin for hire.
Mu-Tan had Zuko go through the basic exercises and stretches and then observed all the forms and moves Zuko could show him. "Lee, one more thing. There will be NO bending in this dojo. Not ever." And with that, Zuko was dismissed for the night with some extra stretches and moves to help keep him limber from the wounds he got in the fight with Fong's men the other day.