Twelve Selves

Karen and Sen

   Karen was strong willed and wise for a 10 year old. She wanted more than anything to become strong. In order to do this she set out up the mountain to find a man who would train her. She packed for a day trip, kissed her mother goodbye and walked up the trail.

   She lived at the base of the mountain with a view overlooking her entire city, Brooks. The valley was a peaceful one. The day was clear.

   Karen's determined face stared up to the top of the mountain. Her blue eyes sparkled. Her blonde hair tied into a big ponytail bounced with each step. Nothing would stop this girl from her goal.

   Then a boy dropped down from the trees in the way of her path, "Hey where are you going Ren?"

   "Where does it look like I'm going?" Karen squinted.

   "Up the mountain... Hmmm..." the little boy looked to be contemplating whether he'd want to join her.

   "Don't come then," Karen said coldly and walked past him.

   "Well then I will," the boy laughed.

   "You'll starve with no food and I'm not giving you any," Karen said, "I'm sure you'll survive somehow..."

   Sen was a mysterious boy. Karen didn't know much about him. She thought he might like her, he was around a lot, though she couldn't really tell. He had short curly brown hair and green eyes. He seemed aloof a lot of the time but he surprised Karen all the time by how capable he was. Karen made an off-handed remark about going up the mountain the other day. Sen must have waited for her at the bottom because of that.

   Up the mountain they went, the sun glistened in between leaves overhanging the path. The birds sung their songs and occasionally a noise would come from the bushes beside them. Sen would never flinch when Karen looked over. He was either oblivious or didn't care.

   Karen started to struggle and they took a break at a flat open space with a river flowing beside it. Karen sat down under the shade and pulled out her lunch. Sen went off to find sticks, he pulled out some flint and started a fire. He stacked it up and went to the river. When he came back he had a small fish he skinned it with a knife put it over the fire then left again. Karen just stared blankly. This time he came back eating a handful of berries. He flipped the fish and sat down beside Karen who had just finished her prepared lunch.

   He offered her some berries.

   "Are you excited to meet this guy. He's supposed to be one of the best martial artists in the world," Sen looked over at Karen.

   "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just going on a hike. It was a nice day," Karen replied.

   "I've been wanting to meet him," Sen ignored her, "Hopefully he's not completely insane, I don't want to have to fight a bear or something. These hermits are usually pretty eccentric," Sen took his fish stick off of the fire and ate it.

   You'll probably be good friends, Karen thought.

   So they continued their journey.

   "Why are you coming to meet this master guy Sen?" Karen asked.

   "I figured I might as well. Besides, if you're doing it I'm able to," Ren answered. Karen glared at him, "Not because you're a girl but because you're the same age as me and human... heh," Sen wiped the sweat off his brow, Karen was scary.

   Within an hour they had reached the cabin the man lived in. As they got there a giant man dropped 2 stack of logs in either arm onto a pile. He was 5 times the size of the two 10 year olds. He looked over and smirked. His glossy bald head sparkled in the sunlight.

   "What are 2 kids doing up here so far up the mountain?"

   Karen bowed, "I'm here to be your student."

   Sen nodded.

   A laugh bellowed from the man, "Aren't you a bit young?"

   "I figured the sooner I started the stronger I'd become," Karen said.

   Seeing the determination in the two kids eyes the man nodded. He would test them.

   "Okay, I'll teach you guys on one condition, follow me," the man beckoned them to follow. He climbed up a cliff side  that was in front of his house.

   Sen whispered, "I bet he's going to make us fight a bear."

   The cliff was surprisingly easy to climb there were a lot of foot holds. When the kids got to the top there were some trees on the plateau. The man stood beside one.

   "This is the test. Take down one of these trees," He was serious, "Only then will I teach you."

   The trees were as wide as  the kids were. They looked at the trees for a moment. Then Karen walked over and kicked the tree as hard as she could. It hardly broke the bark.

   "I'll leave you to it," the man jumped off of the cliff and went back into his house.

   "Well, what kind of students are we if we question what our teacher wants us to do? Let's do it!" Karen was pumped.

   Karen and Sen spent hours kicking, chopping, clawing, pushing and pulling at the trees. Even though it would take them years to break a tree with nothing but their bare hands; they tried. They went all through the night never giving up.

   In the morning the man climbed up to see how they were doing. Sleepily he called to them, "Hey," Sen and Karen looked over exhausted, "I'll take you on as my students then. One day you'll be able to break a tree in one kick. Sound good? Now come down and eat some breakfast."

   "Okay!" Karen smiled.

   The two kids went down the cliff and into the cabin. It was a pretty big cabin there was a main room with a kitchen and table, 2 big rooms and 2 smaller off of the main one. The table had boar meat and the drinks were a mix of something. Sen tasted it, it wasn't too bad, it was sour.

   The man spoke, "My name is Huay. You guys surprised me, you got through more of the trees than some of my past students, and at such a young age too. From here on out it's rigorous training. You may go home when you can make it there for your daily run. You may go break those trees when you can jump up the cliff. Both of these are easy when you understand the limits of your strength. In this world a man is given energy based on how hard he works and how smart he is; use it and impossible acts become possible. You will meditate and work on using this power. I will give you lessons and train you."

   Sen and Karen bowed, "Yes Master Huay. Thank you."