Dorayaki always took priority for Takeshi, and this time was no different as he quickly sat and began to devour the treats as the adults talked in the room over. Tsuchida had returned, and with him, quite a bit of confusion, most of which was directed toward Kazuo. After hugging his father and becoming enamored with the dorayaki, Takeshi introduced the swordsman as, "Master Takahashi, the man who saved me from this one big guy and has a sword that set on fire, and also helped me breathe so I can swim in the pond during the winter." This, of course, did not help Tsuchida at all, but he couldn't help but laugh at such absurd things. Takeshi ran with the dorayaki into another room, as Kazuo mentioned the fact that there was a conversation to be had. In between bites of the treat, Takeshi heard the raised voice of his mother, followed by the deeper tone of his father, all balanced out by the soothing voice of Kazuo. He assumed things were going well, and guessed that they were just doing what adults did, probably talking about money or something boring. After about ten minutes and four dorayaki passed, Tamura's face poked through the doorway.

"Takeshi, could we talk to you for a little while? It is important, you can bring your treat if you like," she said, in a concerned tone which was very uncharacteristic of her. Takeshi sprung up and ran into the next room with a cake halfway in his mouth, not minding his mother's tone and guessing it had something to do with his father's bad knees again. He plopped down on the floor next to his father, who rustled his hair and took a long look at Takeshi.

"Dear, is it true you talked to Mr. Kazuo about training? Did you know he is a swordsman? Is this not all a bit much for you? Do you really want to leave home?" Tamura inquired rather shakily.

"No Mother! I don't want to leave you and Father!" Takeshi said. "But I need to get stronger like Mr. Takahashi said so I can protect my destiny! So we can live together forever! Because I love you!" His eyes suddenly opened wide, beaming with determination, ignorance, and probably some reaction to all the sugar he was ingesting.

"Son, do you even know what destiny is? Did this man put all these ideas in your head? I thought you wanted to take over the merchant trade. You love your mother's creations," Tsuchida said, confusion in his voice. Takeshi looked up at his father, and then back at Kazuo, studying both of their faces.

"No father! I do love Mother's creations, and I love how hard you work, but Mr. Takahashi is strong! I want to be strong too and protect myself from people who try to take my temari and do mean things for no reason!" Takeshi said proudly, glancing over at the remains of his temari still on the table. "I choose this, it's important to me. I want to be something, mother and father will you understand? Mr. Takahashi is a kind man, he helped me a lot with that stranger yesterday, and thinks I can do it! He thinks I can be strong!"

Tears began to stream down Tamura's face, as she was quickly embraced by her son, he hated to see people cry.

"Don't cry mom, soon, I'll be strong enough to protect you from anything so you'll never have to be sad ever again," Takeshi said as he squeezed his mother tight. She squeezed back, eventually looking deep into his blue eyes.

"My son, I know you are strong. I know that regardless of what you choose in your life, you will always be special, you already have such an effect on everyone you meet. You don't have to train to be special, Takeshi. But if this is something you want, and your heart burns for it, then I trust you, my boy. I believe in you Takeshi, and I always will," Tamura said, her green eyes shimmering in the light.

"As long as you promise to come back to us, and write letters to us every day, I support you too, Takeshi," Tsuchida said suddenly. "Your mother and I knew you were meant for more than this quiet life, we knew it wouldn't be long before you spread your wings and flew. Mr. Takahashi sees that in you too, and for that, I respect him all the more."

Kazuo smiled, lifting himself to his feet and bowing to each of the two parents.

"I thank you for your trust, your son is in good hands, I know his potential is astronomical and I only intend to help him reach it. I sense I need not bore you with the details, and I promise that I will return him to you in one piece, ready to take on whatever this world can throw at him," he said as he turned to Takeshi. "On that note young Yoshiaki, we must gather our things, we must embark before the sun sets to ensure our safe travels."

Takeshi bowed so deeply that he nearly struck his head on the table, then sprinted to his belongings and began to throw things in an empty sack of rice. Takeshi had no concept of what was important, so he threw in all his temari, the top Kazuo had gifted him, a full dorayaki, his tattered socks, and his soaking-wet kimono.

"Takeshi wait!" Tsuchida exclaimed from behind him. "There's something your mother and I wanted to give you, as a way to remember us during our times apart." With that, he extended a bright new kimono, adorned in beautiful blue and gold patterns and made from materials of quality he had never felt before. "I got it from a salesman in Kyoto," he explained, "He didn't have enough money to afford a basket, so instead he made me this, I wanted you to have it so maybe you don't have to wear that rag anymore."

"It looks just like my temari!" Takeshi exclaimed, slinging himself towards his mother and father, and embracing them in a crushing hug. "Thank you, Mother, thank you, Father! I love it! I'll never take it off! But please don't throw away my other kimono, it will make it sad."

"Don't worry, it will be waiting for you nice and dry for when you get back," Tamura said, "and don't think I forgot about that temari, I have to give you something to look forward to as you return, right?" She winked at him, smiling with her bright green eyes still wet with tears. Takeshi hugged his parents what felt like 2 dozen times, before he stepped out into the town square, and made his way toward the road, turning to wave at his parents as they slowly moved further and further out of sight. He looked up at Kazuo, who despite his age was briskly and fluidly walking along the road, his large travel bag on his back.

"These next steps will be one's you never forget, young one," he muttered, "take one last look at that village of yours because when you return, both you and Jiaojiang will have changed a great deal." Takeshi gazed back at the village, studying the way the shadows cast on the ground, listening closely to catch one last sound of commotion and the bustling lives of the townsfolk. He was delighted to hear the mourning doves coo, instead of responding, this time he let them speak for him. There was nothing he could say that could better encapsulate how he felt, than the gentle call of the doves as they serenaded the two travelers on their way to a new beginning.