True Friends

Discoveries

Chapter 36

Hinata ate the rest of her ice cream before moving on to the next present. She looked over the gifts on the table in front of her and reached out her hand to grab a rectangular gift wrapped in blue with curled white ribbon. Pulling it towards her, she was surprised by how heavy it was and put it on her lap. She tugged at the tip of the ribbon pondering aloud, "I wonder what Santa meant when he mentioned my presents were piling up while I was gone... where did I go?" Looking up she recounted the presents, eight of them all together. Her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought as she mused, "If these are supposed to be my Christmas presents does that mean each present represents a year?" Feeling her heart quicken at the thought of somehow being gone for years she said, "But that doesn't make any sense; how is that possible?"

Her hands began shaking as she tried to comprehend her thoughts. She wanted to deny the premise but somehow she knew that it was true; even if she didn't quite know how yet. Clenching her fists in attempt to calm them, Hinata took a deep breath. If she was going to figure it out she had to remain stable. Once again focusing her attention on the present in her lap she undid the ribbon and began ripping away the blue paper.

"Maybe opening the rest of the presents will help." She told herself as the paper revealed a book on sword techniques. Hinata looked confused at the book for a moment and asked, "Did I really want a book about swordplay more than anything else?"

She examined the brown textbook that had fancy lettering of the words 'The Art of Swordplay' written on the front. It seemed like something she would obviously be interested in but to want it more than anything for Christmas seemed like a far stretch. Opening the book she began to finger through the pages, looking over the content inside hoping it would trigger a memory of some sort. There were lists and drawn demonstrations of various attacks and techniques for every style of blade in existence. Hinata stopped the page on the chapter of dao swords. Running her finger along the name of the chapter she thought back to the sparring room she had imagined during her performance in Agrabah. Then in her mind there had been someone watching her; someone she dearly wanted to impress.

Under her breath, Hinata whispered, "Master... our sparring teacher." Suddenly a flash of amber eyes went across her mind making Hinata wince as if in pain; they were the same color as the man she saw in Hen Wen's vision. Her voice shaking, Hinata asked, "Why am I thinking of the vision now?"

Trying to qualm her racing heart, Hinata flipped through a few more pages of the book trying to remember her Master. She, Lea, and Isa all had the same teacher, she recalled that; but every time she tried to remember what he looked like the same amber eyes would rush into her mind. Closing the book, she set it on the bed behind her; she couldn't focus.

Hinata placed her hand on her forehead as it was beginning to throb. Tightly closing her eyes she tried to make the pain go away when her mind went to the sparring room she had imagined back in Agrabah; only this time she saw other people in the room. She saw herself standing in the room wearing a black t-shirt and long white pants holding dao swords behind her back. Lea stood across from her wearing the same outfit spinning red chakrams in the palms of his hands while Isa stood against the wall in the same apparel observing his friends.

"Begin," A deep voice ordered them and instantly Lea and Hinata engaged in a sparring match. The man that spoke could not be seen but Hinata began recognizing his voice. As she watched herself fight against Lea, the voice began scolding them, "Hinata, watch your foot placement! Lea, stop focusing so much on defense and be more offensive!"

Lea jumped back to be out of Hinata's range before retorting, "I'd love to, if only Hina would give me an opening!"

"Make one!" The voice ordered before Hinata caught up to Lea and knocked him down.