As I watched my parents' figures slowly recede, I felt the gentle morning breeze caress my hair. There was a tightness in my heart, a result of the mix of pride and worry. Pride because I knew how important my parents' work was, as adventurers protecting ordinary people from the dangers of the world; and worry because I knew their path would always be intertwined with uncertainties and threats. I continued to gaze at the point where they disappeared on the horizon, while Ayako and Hiroshi approached slowly. Their welcoming expressions made me feel more at ease, as if I were in my own home.
Ayako: "Well, they're gone now. Come on, let's go inside; we need to show you around so you can get used to the place. Don't worry; I'm sure you'll like it here. We've tried to create an environment with a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere."
Hiroshi: "That's right. I tried to use the old dojo where I trained when I was younger as a reference, of course, changing the parts that I always found distasteful, like those poorly nailed boards they called windows, or that awful statue of some weird creature that I never knew what it was."
Ayako: "Oh, that little garden at the entrance was my idea. I always liked training while looking at nature," she said as she guided me inside the dojo.
Ayako's garden was the first thing I saw when I entered the dojo. It's a garden full of shrubs and small trees, with a few benches to sit on amidst the plants. There are few flowers, but there are plants with majestic leaves, in various shapes and colors. I guess this must be Ayako's favorite type. Right after the garden, there is an open-air courtyard. On the sides, several training dummies, punching bags, and various equipment are scattered near the wooden wall. In the center of the courtyard, there is an empty space, probably where the apprentices will gather to train.
Kaimmy: "Thank you, Ayako. And, um, thank you, Hiroshi. This garden is beautiful; it looks like a nice place to relax," I said, struggling against my shyness to make a good first impression.
Hiroshi: "Ha, you can be sure it is. Ayako spends a good part of her free time taking care of this garden," Hiroshi said, leading us to the center of the courtyard. "This is where we'll spend most of our time. In the corners, we have some dummies that will serve as targets for training. Between us, they're pretty good for relieving stress. At first, I thought about making the courtyard with beaten earth, but the dirt would be too inconvenient, especially when it rained, so we put this stone floor to avoid dealing with dirt afterward. There's also that well we use to get water when we need it."
Kaimmy: "It's quite spacious, but won't it be a problem when it rains?" Addressing Hiroshi, I let my thoughts flow.
Ayako: "Well observed, that's why we have this!" she said, nodding her head and encouraging us to enter the next area.
After a wide, albeit few-stepped staircase, I saw a spacious room. The doors and windows leading there are quite large, the ceiling is high, giving it an airy and fresh feel. The floor seems to be made of tatami mats, and the walls are made of wood, emphasizing the rustic and cozy appearance of the place.
Ayako: "We've prepared this covered area for occasions like this. The floor here is soft, so some exercises involving falls are done here. See that small piece there?" She pointed to a small wooden area just before the tatami began. "That's where we leave our shoes. Whenever we train on the tatami, we go barefoot, but some people prefer to wear socks as well."
Looking around, I noticed some landscape paintings and small sculptures on an altar at the end of the room.
Kaimmy: "What beautiful paintings! Did you make them?" I asked, my curiosity overcoming my shyness.
Hiroshi: "Hahaha, no, these were some gifts we received when we worked as adventurers. My wife liked these paintings so much that she tried to paint one herself, but don't mention it to her; it was a disaster," he said, playfully glancing at Ayako.
Ayako: "Hey, I don't think it turned out that ugly! I mean... maybe just a little... Anyway, there are the bathrooms. The one on the left is for men, and the one on the right is for women," she said, pointing to two discreet doors on the side of the room.
Hiroshi: "For now, these are the areas we use for training. Come, let's show you where we live."
Then, Hiroshi led us to another door, this time on the wall opposite the bathrooms. Upon opening it, he revealed an open corridor that overlooked a small garden. As he led us to the next door, Hiroshi explained briefly:
Hiroshi: "That's a small garden where we grow some herbs and small vegetables. It's quite simple, and Ayako takes care of it too. Here we are, this is our dining room, which also serves as a kitchen. There's also a larger bathroom at the end of the corridor," he said, opening the door and taking a small step to the side to let us pass.
Upon entering the room, I saw a small fireplace with some comfortable-looking chairs arranged in a semi-circle around it, a low table in the center, and a vase with some yellow flowers on it. A little further ahead, there was a small dining table with four seats, a bookshelf on the wall, and, separated by a counter, another part that appeared to be the kitchen. As I looked around, my eyes were drawn to a peculiar painting, as if it were painted by a child but framed as if it were a work of art.
Kaimmy: "Pfff..." understanding what it was, I tried to control my laughter by covering my mouth with my hands, which didn't go unnoticed by Ayako.
Ayako: "Hey, I said it might have turned out just a little bad... just a little," she said, pouting.
Hiroshi: "Hahaha, I said it was a disaster, didn't I? Come on, we're getting to your new room. There's not much in it yet, as we weren't expecting a guest so soon, but it's good enough."
It was a simple room with a bed against one of the walls, a wardrobe for clothes and shoes, and a small desk with a chair.
Hiroshi: "I'll leave your luggage here. Feel free to organize it however you like. Our new students should be arriving soon, and I need to get back to the dojo to meet them. It's my first day teaching; I hope it goes well. You can ask Ayako for help if you need anything."
Kaimmy: "Alright, thank you for welcoming me. It's really a cozy home you have here."
Hiroshi: "No problem. Well, I'm off."
Ayako: "I'll leave this here." Ayako placed a book and a letter on the desk. "Apparently, your mother left some 'homework' for you to do while you're here. She said it's related to your magic training... I'm not sure how much I can help with that, but if you need assistance, I can try."
Kaimmy: "Hmmm, I guess I could've expected something like this from her; it's so typical..." I said, placing a hand on my forehead and opening the letter with the other. I thought I would have a bit of time to relax this time, but after seeing the contents of the letter, I abandoned my hopes of that happening anytime soon.
"I've set aside a book with some techniques for you to practice your magic while I can't assist you in person. After all, practice makes perfect. Try to study chapters 1 through 11 while I'm away; we'll test the results of your studies when I return. Oh, and try not to damage their new dojo too much; they just built the place, after all. With love, Sakura."
Ayako: "Hahaha, it looks like you'll have something to keep yourself busy while you're here," she said, peering at the letter over my shoulder. "Well, how about we leave that for later? I really want to show you the training we've come up with for our new students. I don't know why, but I have a feeling you'll like it. We spent quite a bit of time planning it, after all." With a confident smile, Ayako began helping me unpack and organize my luggage in the guest room. "You've already had your breakfast, right? If you want, I can make something, and then we can head to the dojo. Hiroshi must have finished the introductions and started the warm-up by now."
Kaimmy: "Thank you, but I've already eaten. We can go to the dojo now if you want. I'm actually quite curious to see your training."
Ayako: "It'll be interesting, I guarantee. You can just observe if you prefer; there's no need to force yourself to participate."
Kaimmy: "No, I'll give it a try. I've been spending a lot of time studying magic at home, so it'll be good to have a change." In reality, I've been reading so many magic books lately that I'm afraid smoke might start coming out of my ears from all the reading, but I'll keep that last comment to myself.
Ayako: "Perfect, that's the spirit! Let's go then! Fufufu, I can't wait to see Sakura's face when she realizes I've converted her daughter to martial arts..."
I'm a bit skeptical about that, but why not give it a try?