A/N: So there are some things here that changed and some that didn't. The things that didn't change are 'Reiatsu' and 'Shunpo'. The reason they didn't change is because: A) there wasn't a better translation that wasn't a mouthful, and B) they were still very accurate. 'Reiryoku' is now 'Katsuryoku' and the dream where Sonic met Aizen is now replaced with something that contributes to the plot. That's it for now. Enjoy!

The first thing Sonic realized was that he was freezing cold and lying on the ground. He pushed himself up to stare at the opaque crystalline floor. Okay, this is a new one, he admitted to himself as he stood up. The sky shone with a myriad of colors but there was no denying that it was night. The landscape around him reminded him of the Void but with more blue and definitively colder.

"It would seem we have a new tenant here in the Cage." Sonic turned to the voice to see an echidna in soft golden robes walking towards him. The shoulder pads on the robe were reminiscent of armor but other than that he looked like, what he assumed at least, a normal echidna. A little bookish maybe but that wasn't a sin. "The name's Edmund, friend," the echidna continued, a friendly smile on his face. "And what's your name?"

"Sonic, Sonic Hedgehog," came the reply and the echidna stared curiously at him. "This has got to be the weirdest dream I've had hands down. Still this place is pretty cool."

"Dream? What do you mean by 'dream'?" Edmund asked as Sonic admired the scenery. "One does not simply dream their way into the Twilight Cage. Unless..." His eyes widened in realization. "Are you the Sonic Hedgehog resurrected by the Phoenix?" Sonic nodded before he had a chance to stop himself and the echidna clapped excitedly. "Then you can't be in here like the rest of us," he said. "And if you can get in here through a dream then we can communicate with others via dream."

Sonic turned to the echidna to see the friendly expression gone, replaced by one filled with malice and evil desire. Edmund started to laugh as Sonic felt himself being pulled back from the dream and into reality once more.

Sonic slowly stirred from his fitful sleep finding that his arms were held back. He looked to his left to see that one of the blankets was missing, likely meaning that his bindings were in fact what was keeping him warm. Fiona was still fast asleep but no doubt it had been her doing. He quietly removed the blanket and stood up, stretching his limbs as he did so. He was still disturbed by the dream he'd had but considering what his dreams had consisted of lately he was happy for the change of pace. He looked towards the door to see a small pile of folded clothes. In it was a black hakama and blue kimono with a white obi. On the top of the pile were a pair of white tabi and waraji. He groaned as he remembered that his sensei was very formal in their training and often required them to wear the appropriate attire. He quickly dressed, struggling to remember just how everything was supposed to go together. Volcarras briefly offered his help but Sonic turned the Magan down. Finally dressed he turned to see Fiona starting to wake.

"It's not like at home where you can sleep as late as you want," he said smiling. "If you're staying here you can bet the old man will put you to work."

"Work I can handle. After breakfast," she replied with a yawn, smacking her lips together. "What time is it anyway?"

"Just before dawn," Sonic answered as he tied Kaiyō Mujō into his obi. Trusting Fiona to get up on her own he left the room and headed into the courtyard where there were a handful of students sparring before morning practice. His uniform was almost opposite of their red hakama and white kimonos, a sign that either was intended to inform or intimidate them.

"I did not expect you up so soon," his sensei's voice said behind him. "I see that city life has not broken your discipline."

"Some habits die hard," Sonic admitted as they walked together. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"How did I cross the courtyard without you seeing me?" he sensei finished and Sonic swore under his breath. "Before you can understand that there are many things I must teach you, the first of which relating to your tamashīken."

"My what?"

"I believe you said her name was Kaiyō Mujō," his sensei explained. "A tamashīken is simply the formal name given to blades like her. Because she is as much separate as she is a part of you it may on occasion feel like she is adding her power to yours. In reality it is your strength reaching its full potential."

"Something I wouldn't be able to do without her, right?" Sonic asked and his sensei nodded.

"Every tamashīken is unique and reflects the true nature of the wielder, even if they are not aware of it themselves," Sensei continued. "As for the forms, you have already seen the sealed state and fuzen, or-"

"Incomplete release," Sonic finished. "The kodachi is her sealed state and the katana her fuzen, right?" His sensei smiled and nodded, glad his student was quickly grasping the fundamentals. "So if there's a incomplete release there must be a completed one too."

"Indeed, but you are far from achieving that state," his sensei said. "From the little time I spent with her I was able to tell that she has yet to reach the full potential of her fuzen. But that will come with time." His sensei looked around the courtyard at the students who bowed to them as they passed. "You may have also noticed from time-to-time that you can feel a large pressure surrounding you or be able to see its effects on others around you." Sonic recalled when he first called to Kaiyō Mujō how Kinos had staggered under an invisible weight. "That is your Spiritual Pressure, or reiatsu, and it is an extension of your Spirit Vitality, katsuryoku. You may be familiar on some level when it comes to manipulating it."

"You mean my Guardian abilities," Sonic said bluntly. "So what does knowing all this do for me?"

"Before I can show you the techniques used by the Kurōkami you must understand the fundamentals of how they work." Sonic's eyes widened at the name. "I see you have heard of them before."

"Only in name," he explained. "When I was in Limbo one of the Guardians mentioned them but I didn't have time to ask what they were and they won't answer them now. I know the name means 'Black Wolf' and I assume they did something to earn it."

"Simply put they were a group of Magans who specialized in the use of tamashīken," his sensei answered as they reached the end of the courtyard. "Now that you know of reiatsu and katsuryoku you can begin to acquaint yourself with their texture. Once you understand how to sense them you can begin to manipulate them as you see fit." He pointed to the various targets around them. "I want you to destroy each of these targets without touching them," he ordered. "I will leave it to you to figure out how." With that the old man walked away, leaving Sonic standing alone.

By the time midday arrived Sonic had only managed to destroy a single target, an accident from firing off one of his Guardian abilities. Kaiyō Mujō was attempting to help him but the sword was having as much trouble explaining it as Sonic was understanding it. He looked to the other students to see Fiona helping serve lunch eventually coming over and sitting with him to see how the training was going. He explained everything that his sensei had told him but he could tell it simply went in one ear and out the other.

"Maybe you're thinking about it too hard," she said in between bites of her sandwich. "Maybe rather than thinking of it like an attack maybe you should consider it a force of presence."

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"When I was still working for Mogul I learned to tell when the atmosphere of a room changed," she explained. "For example, when Mogul entered the room I could tell that everyone in there was aware of just how powerful and dangerous he was. They both respected and feared him. He was able to project his presence as an aura. I guess it's like the difference between a hammer and a light bulb. It's more about surrounding what you're looking for than just beating on it." Sonic pondered the idea as Fiona stood to begin helping clean up. As Sonic wandered back to the targets he drew Kaiyō Mujō and stared at the blade.

"A force of presence," he said, repeating Fiona's words. He closed his eyes and rather than focusing on the target he focused on wrapping his aura around it. He felt something press down around him and he could hear the target begin to splinter. He opened his eyes to see that he had crushed its head and he smiled. Now he was getting somewhere.

It was just before dusk that the sensei came to check on Sonic. He had seen the hedgehog's difficulty earlier in the day and was sure that his pupil had not yet mastered the manipulation of his reiatsu. As he crossed the center of the courtyard he felt an enormous wall of pressure slam into him. He continued unfazed but smiling. Sonic was standing in a pile of broken wood and straw, his reiatsu causing the air around him to quiver.

"I see that Fiona's advice was more useful than mine," he said as the pressure let up. "I must admit that I am more than a little surprised you have grasped the concept so quickly. It took me nearly a year to reach the level you're at now."

"I always was a quick learner," Sonic explained, wiping the sweat off his brow. "What's next?"

"Bathing and rest along with food if you are hungry," his sensei replied. "You are once again exceeding my expectations, Sonic. I will see you at dawn." They bowed to each other and Sonic headed to the kitchen where he had another sandwich before heading into the bath house. That done he went back to his room where Fiona was already fast asleep. He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. He wasn't sure what exactly it was they had but he was glad for it. Rather than taking his spot by the door he lied down next to Fiona before falling fast asleep.

Sonic quickly sat up off the futon, a cold sweat covering his face and taking rapid breaths. He glanced around to see that he was still in the dojo and not back on Cidana's operating table. It took him a few moments before he composed himself enough to get his bearings and lay back down. It was still a few hours until dawn and he wanted as much sleep as he could get. Fiona was still fast asleep beside him, an occasional snort escaping her mouth. Sonic ran his hand through her hair and lied back down. Fiona cuddled up against him, rubbing her cheek against his bicep. He rested his head against hers and returned to sleeping.

A week and a half passed while Sonic and Fiona were at the dojo. In that time Sonic learned how to manipulate his reiatsu and katsuryoku as he saw fit. His sensei also taught him the additional techniques of their style. Sonic understood why the old man didn't train assassins: the techniques required striking within the space of a breath before his opponent knew what was coming. In the wrong hands it could create an astronomical body count. Now came the day he had been waiting for: His sensei would show him how he moved with near-invisible speed.

"You have patiently trained for this day, Sonic," his sensei said as they bowed to each other. "Now I will teach you the art of shunpo.

"Flash step? What's that?" Sonic asked.

"It is the art of rapid movement," his sensei said and then vanished. "Masters are capable of striking their opponent before they even realize what has happened," he continued as he reappeared behind Sonic. By the time he spun around his sensei had disappeared again and was standing in his original spot. "So, are you interested?"

"Hell yeah I am," Sonic answered thoroughly impressed. "Where do I sign up?" His sensei chuckled at his student's enthusiasm.

"Before I teach you that there is another technique I want you to try," he said as he picked a shinai off a nearby rack. "Don't worry. Understanding this technique will make using shunpo easier."

"Baby steps, got it," Sonic said with a thumbs up. "Umm, why do you look like you're about to use me as a practice dummy?" Before he could do anything to block his sensei brought the practice sword down on Sonic's head. "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"Again!" the sensei said and raised the sword to attack again. This time Sonic blocked with his forearm but still felt the sting of the blow. "Again!"

What is he trying to get at? Sonic thought as he blocked one blow to feel another almost immediately strike his shoulder. How is this supposed to help with shunpo?

You're thinking about it the wrong way, Kaiyō Mujō said. Shunpo is about focusing katsuryoku around the feet. But focusing on such a small area to start is more difficult than you'd think. Try forming it around you like armor. Sonic followed the sword's advice and the next strike still stung but with far less intensity.

"Again!" Another blow and this time Sonic barely felt it. Two more like it and he could no longer feel the blows. As his sensei raised for another attack Sonic decided to try something. He focused his katsuryoku around his arms and then struck the shinai with incredible speed and force, shattering it in a shower of bamboo splinters. He barely had time to react as his sensei drew his katana and struck a blow across Sonic's chest. Satisfied, he sheathed the blade as Sonic pawed his unharmed torso. "Good. Now we can move onto shunpo."

"That's your way of teaching that?!" Sonic asked nearly yelling. "What if I hadn't caught on so quickly?"

"Then you would be on the ground bleeding profusely until your wound healed," his sensei said matter-of-factly. "Time and again you far surpass my expectations. I had prepared to strike you at least a dozen more times."

"Yeah, well, at least someone around here is looking out for me," Sonic replied. "Kai said that shunpo is about focusing my katsuryoku around my feet. Is it anything like what I did with my arms?" His sensei nodded. "So I'm using my own power to increase my speed. What's the catch?"

"The focus is not only speed but the number of steps that you take to get from Point A to Point B," the old man explained. "It takes me five steps to cross the courtyard. How many does it take you?" Stepping up to the challenge, Sonic walked until his back was to the courtyard wall. He focused his katsuryoku and shot forward, keeping track of each step. Sonic was so intent on keeping count that he forgot to stop, slamming into the opposite wall head-first.

"I'm fine," Sonic yelled, his voice muffled by the wall as he gave a thumbs up. He pulled his head out of the wall and shook the debris out of his quills. "Let's try that again." He took off towards the wall he had started at and stopped just short of running into it. "Fifteen," he reported dismayed.

"For your first real attempt that is impressive," his sensei praised him and Sonic could feel pride swell up inside him. "Now, onto the next part of the training." He reached into the pocket of his judo gi and pulled out a red kerchief, tying it to his obi. "Your goal is to get the kerchief by any means necessary. And go!" His sensei vanished and Sonic quickly followed suit, chasing him all over and through the dojo.

It wasn't long into this training that Sonic felt fatigue catch up to him. Each step felt heavy as his breathing became labored but he refused to give up, pushing himself even harder. A couple times he came within a hair's breadth of the kerchief but his sensei simply slipped out of reach at the last second. By the time lunch was being served Sonic was dripping with sweat from head to toe. He tried walking but his legs folded underneath him as the ground rushed up to meet him.