Chapter 1

Kaiya stifled a tear as she gathered her few possessions and slipped them into her bag. With a last sweeping glance about her room she rose and exited through the doorway unto the balcony. She shuffled slowly across the dojo to her sensei's wife. "I have cleared my room, is there anything else I should do before I go?" The slightly large woman turned ever so slightly, seeing who it was, she dropped the laundry and put her hands on Kaiya's shoulders. "Oh Kaiya." She sighed. "I don't want to turn you out like this. You're welcome to stay if you want, but." Kaiya turned her head upwards. "You have been so kind to me, you have been like a mother. I too hate to leave you, but since your husband's school is no longer running I would hate to be the only student to stay. I don't want to be a burden." "Kaiya, you'd never be a burden. You've always helped around the house as much as you practice." "I know." The woman sighed, seeing that she could not convince the young girl to stay.

"But where will you go?" She asked. "I will seek him out." "Seek whom out?" "My brother." "Oh, that's right, I forgot about him. What was his name again?" "If I remember correctly it was Shinta Himoura."