"Your technique is improving, but your stance is weak. You're wide open," said Ryu Hayabusa as he traded blows with his apprentice. Dropping low to the ground, he swept her legs out from under her, to prove the point.
Not missing a beat. She fell backwards landing in a tight back-roll, using the momentum to launch herself into a forward kick that connected solidly with his chest. sending him stumbling backwards a few steps
Momiji smiled.
She had come along way in the months she had been training under Ryu.
In little less than a year, she had already become a better hand to hand combatant than most Ninja's twice her size. And she was very skilled with a katana and her weapon of choice, the Dragon Naginata.
"You have improved much, I might have to stop taking it easy on you," Ryu said, assuming a new stance.
"I'm just getting started," She said, doing the same.
This time she went on the offensive. As she ran towards her master.
She formed a fist and willed flames to engulf her hand, aiming it at Ryu. He narrowly dodged the powerful blow; side-stepping to face her back. Only to find her spinning foot traveling in an arc coming directly at his head. He leaned backwards avoiding her kick by inches. Leaving him slightly off balance.
Momiji used the advantage to step within his guard.
She aimed a quick jab at Ryu's face, he blocked it easily by batting to the side. But as soon as his hand touched hers, she latched onto his wrist.
Grabbing under his arm, she spun around and threw him over her shoulder.
As he landed on his back she brought her foot down in a powerful ax kick only to find he had already rolled out of the way.
"Is this all I get from the great dragon ninja? Perhaps we should call it a day." She called after him.
Fast as lighting, Ryu disappeared in a swirl of leaves. She tried to sense his presence but with no luck.
Appearing above her head. He grabbed her shoulders, landing behind her using the force of his momentum to throw her in front of him.
As she started to recover, he ran forward leaping into a spinning kick that she barely managed
to side-step. Bringing her knee up, she aimed a kick at the back of Ryu's head. He crouched low to the ground, sweeping her legs out from under her; for the second time.
She landed hard on her back, her eyes spinning and the wind knocked out of her.
"I think you got a little too sure of yourself there," Ryu said; a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he offered her his hand. She accepted grudgingly.
"I think this concludes our training for today."
They bowed to each other and began walking back to the Hayabusa village.
"You've improved greatly in the past few months," Ryu said; a note of pride in his voice.
"Your technique is excellent and your form is near perfect. but you get too cocky, and as a result, you become predictable."
"Hmm, you seemed to be struggling a bit today." Momiji said, a grin spreading across her face. "perhaps you haven't fully recovered from the other day."
She was referring to their last sparing session. In which she managed to land an Izuna drop on Ryu, leaving a particularly nasty bruise.
"To the contrary" Ryu said in a matter of fact voice. "I was simply taking it easy on you. There were multiple instances in which you left yourself wide open."
"You were giving it your all." She said indignantly.
He gave her a half wink and they continued walking back to the village.
They split up when they got back to the village. Ryu had solo training to do and Momiji had to preform shrine maiden rituals.
As she walked through the village on her way to the temple, she spotted Omitsu teaching an archery class of around twenty young ninjas. She smiled and waved, Momiji smiled and waved back.
She continued walking, through the village gates and over a wide-open bridge. She walked up a short set of stairs and came upon a small building. Walking through it she came out on a courtyard and saw Sanji, Hanamaru, Denroku, Sakura, and some of the other village children playing a game of tag. They were all running and laughing. It made her happy seeing them having such a good time.
Sakura suddenly stopped, spotting her.
"Momiji!" she yelled, running over to her, hugging her leg. "Momiji!" the boys shouted, also running over. She laughed picking Sakura up.
She had become somewhat of a surrogate older sister to a lot of the kids in the village, most of them had lost their families during the dark dragon blade incident.
"Momiji, were you just training with Master Ryu?" Sanji asked wide-eyed.
"Yes, he should be doing some solo training but I'm sure he would love to train with you after he's done"
"Will you play with us?" Hanamaru asked
"I'm sorry, but I must get up to the temple. But once I'm done I'll play with you for the rest of the day."
"Yay!" they all cheered and ran off to continue their game.
"I made you this" Sakura said, holding up a red and white flower woven into a hairpin.
"Oh, Sakura! It's beautiful" Momiji said kneeling down and taking the pin.
"It matches mine," She said, pointing to a purple and white flower in her hair.
"Thank you," Momiji said putting the pin in her hair and hugging the young girl. Sakura gave her a big smile then ran off after the others.
Still smiling, she walked through the gate on the other side of the courtyard. And began walking up a steep set of stone steps carved into the side of the mountain; leading up to the temple. At regular intervals on each side, there were archery towers, with clan ninja keeping watch. They bowed respectfully as she walked past.
Finally reaching the temple, she walked inside. She would have to change her clothes before beginning her shrine maiden duties.
The next day,
Momiji awoke just before sunrise. Getting dressed, she would be spending the morning training with
Ryu.
As she approached their usual training ground. A small clearing with a stream running near it, a short ways off the path leading to the Hayabusa village.
Underneath a large red maple tree was Ryu, sitting on a long smooth rock, he was meditating.
Walking up as silently as she could, she sat down next to him, her legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap.
Closing her eyes; she began to meditate. Letting her mind wander.
Immediately thoughts of the past flooded her mind, mostly about her sister, Kureha.
She saw scenes of her sister's death.
Fire burning everything. Kureha standing alone, flames engulfing her as well.
She hadn't been at the village when Doku attacked, killing her sister, (who at that time was the current Dragon Shrine Maiden) their parents, and many other villagers. But Ryu told her what had happened.
When she returned she found the village destroyed. Leaving almost no survivors.
Her parents had been part of the many innocent lives slaughtered.
She saw scenes of them lying on the ground, bloody gashes across their bodies and blank expressionless faces.
The rational side of her knew even if she had been there, she wouldn't have been able to save them. She would have just died along with them. But deep down she blamed herself.
It was part of the reason that drove her to become Ryu's apprentice. She would make sure she could protect the people she cared for in the future. She owed her family that.
She pushed all of that to the side and focused on happier memories.
Herself playing with Kureha, Ryu and some of the other village kids when they were young, they were playing tag, running all through the village. She saw herself and Kureha picking flowers in a meadow near a house her family owned outside the village.
"Momiji?" Ryu asked softly.
She opened her eyes her mind snapping back into focus. Ryu was already standing.
"Shall we begin"
"Yes." She said solemnly as she stood up, still collecting her thoughts.
The ninja bowed to each other and began their training.
It was late afternoon when they decided to conclude that day's training.
Walking back to the village, they didn't speak. Just simply enjoyed each other's company.
Winter had ended and spring had begun. the mid-day air was warm, the flowers on the cherry blossoms had started to bloom, wildflowers grew all around the path, and a light breeze rippled through the grass.
It was a peaceful day, uninterrupted by speech, just two people enjoying it.
But none of it could last.