Spiritless Life

Stretching Life

With the directions of another student, they had finally made their way to the third stars training. The space spanned over three football fields within the walls of the academy. Groups were out spread out from one another lifting things and working out. There were maybe a dozen groups in all, making for little over a hundred students.

"So? What do I do?" Karam looked to Dolph for guidance, as she always did.

"They begin making groups as a teacher appears around the edges. Each one of the five sides teach something different. For instance, arms or legs or back strength. A teacher will come out and begin to wait for ten students at one of the five sides that they specialize in."

"So I should just start walking until I find a teacher?"

Surrounding the field was an overhang that split 'outside' from 'inside' along these paths, teachers will gather students. Karam and Dolph began walking around now to find someone to train with in the shade of the overhang.

Ten minutes passed before they came across anyone.

"Hello, are you a teacher for the three stars?"

The man looked up from hos book, "I am."

"Can I be the first in your class today?" Karam smiled politely at the tall man on the floor.

He nodded. He held back up his book in front of his face and began again to read.

Karam, aware that she was being pushed away, begin to talk with Dolph about the classes. "Think I should start my stretching now or do you think he will gave us time for that?"

"I have never heard of anyone doing what you do. In most classes they jump right into it before even learning the student's names. This is because after a class is over they are not likely to see the same student again."

"Wow, they have that many instructors, huh?" Karam sat on the floor and pulled one leg over the other in a Gluteal and Lumbar rotation stretch.

"How many instructors do you think are necessary?"

"19, 20..." Karam stiched her legs, "Twenty students to one teacher. The teachers would take one year and teach his or her students what he was shown to teach in that year to that fixed set of students. Than, after that year was up, if the student passed they would go onto the next year with a new teacher and learn more advanced things. Usually a school has a few thousand students and one teacher for every twenty or thirty students." She sighed and let go of her leg before proceeding to her next pose.

"And you said the students went there every day? How long did one stay at school?" Dolph had found himself a comfortable position against the wall.

"From five to eighteen, about eight hours. With about eight to six classes in that time."

"Studying that often? That seems excessive."

" And yet, I'm sure... 19, 20, You did something similar when you were learning, didn't you?"

Dolph became quiet for a time, "Can you read minds?"

Karam looked up at him, "that would be silly."

"I don't know... If it's you, than..."

"I'm not that out of this world." The two paused and looked at each other for a moment. "Bad choice of words."

"Yes. But I understand what you were attempting to convey."

Karam returned to her stretches in silence.

The teacher, who had been listening in on the conversation peaked over his book- which was being held upside down- to the young boy. It was rare for anyone to stop at him and accept his training when he read a book, yet this child didn't seem to be bothered by it. Not only that but he was interested in the knowledge he possessed. This teacher was different from others in the way that he held knowledge at a different height that other formers did.

"Child, what is your name?"

Karam looked upside down through her legs at the instructor. "Me? I'm Caneesheeno Inatris, four star." She straightened up and held her hand out to the teacher, "Nice to meet you."

The teacher glanced at the smiling Dolph before taking her hand. "I'm Abdul Malik, low Shin. what was that you were doing just now?" He released his hand and pointed to the space she had recently occupied.

"I think that one was called downward dog? Oh, you mean stretching? If you stretch your muscles before you work out it lessens the chance of cramps." When Abdul Malik didn't seem to understand she elaborated, "I really regret not taking that anatomy class." She muttered to herself for a moment, "I'm not entirely sure, but this is what I think- muscles get warm when they are used. When warming them up before you work them, you are less likely to get them to hot to fast and hurt yourself. A cool down period is also important."

"Wow. You easily found the solution to the problem I have been researching."

"Really? What problem?"

"Castaways."

When there was no explanation, Karam looked to Dolph.

"Castaways are those whose injuries can't be explained by the usual methods. Pain that comes on suddenly and without warning or reason. Because it will likely happen again, they are put to work with the Spiritualists and lose their place in society."

"But those are just cramps, right? If you rest for a little while they will go away next time- Oh, I see. Because you guys don't know about stretching." Karam moved back to Dolph, forgetting about her conversation with her teacher. "Forget making the third a fifth, we should make stretching a common knowledge. We could give most of them back their titles, they wouldn't have to wallow in self hate anymore. We should bring this up to grandfather immediately. When is the soonest we can return?"

"Bracken could leave tomorrow, but I'm afraid of how your father might react if we take you back any sooner than planned."

"Oh, that's true. Alright, we'll explain the situation to Bracken- Would it be better to write it out? She doesn't like to talk to people she doesn't know. We should also tell him about the muscle thing we were talking about earlier. Maybe grandpa will be able to set something up for these 'castaways' and do something about the stars."

Dolph nodded, relieved that she wasn't pushing her return. Also that the young princess looked so determined about something. It had been a long time since he had seen her so excited about doing something.

"Caneesheeno, if I agree to one-on-one lessons with you, would you tell me more about this 'stretching' of yours?"

Karam turned around to the forgotten Abdul Malik. "I really don't know much more about it than I have already told you though, I'm not sure how greatly you would benefit."

"Than how about you show me more of those poses you were doing? In return, I'm sure I can get you to pass your third star in five weeks." Malik held up five fingers with confidence.

"Five weeks?" Karam's eyebrows jumped onto her forehead.

Malik's smile widened, sure he had her.