Sinna the Brave: the Legend Dragon

Chapter 3: A Lesson to be Learned

     As we walked to the middle of the room where we would fight, I began to take a stance. Komo also took his stance but let out a quick smirk, "What was that about?" I say to myself. I collected myself and we locked eyes as a sign that we were ready to begin the first fight.

  We began to circle while still in our stance, I made my way towards him and he slowly does the same. I move quickly to punch him in the chest, he dodges and continues to kick my leg with his. I feel my body begin to fall, so I use my foot to hook around his knee to bring him down with me.

   We both fall to the floor with him landing to my right, we both get up fast. "He's as fast as I am."  I say to myself, I pull 2 punches to his chest and they hit. Komo recovers quickly, he throws a punch but I dodge it but miss the kick to my side. He then continues to throw 2 more to my gut and 1 last kick to my leg, causing me to fall on my backside. The fight is over.

  "That went quicker than I thought it would have, guess you still have a lot to learn." Komo says walking away from me. "I may have lost, but I didn't cheat on the test!" I say as get up slowly. "I know." he said in a smile. "If you knew then what was the point of was fighting?" I say with great confusion. "I wanted to know how you would when confronted with something that could cause you to be angry, it's just how I want to get to know my partner. I had fun, well so you tomorrow." he says as he leaves the Dojo.

   After Komo had left, I went to the bench to grab my stuff and headed home. Tomorrow would be the last day we could train before we get tested to see if we mastered it. Luckily that wont happen after our last day of training, so I still got some time to practice throwing knives.

 The next day began for training, I still haven't yet grasped how to get throwing knives at the target perfectly. Komo seemed to have gotten the idea and began to walk over to me, "Looks like you could use some help." says Komo. "I'm fine, I'll get it eventually." I say while trying to focus on the target. The day continues as I try to nail throwing the knives perfect on the target and get  times in a row. Komo just sits and watches me fail.

  The day comes to an end and Komo comes to me before I leave. "Last chance, you know what will happened if both of us don't pass the test. My offer still stands for some help." he says while offering a handshake. This is the start of my journey and I've come too far to end it. "It's a deal!" I say while shaking his hand.

    "So where are we going to train, we cant use the Dojo." I ask with confusion and desperate in my voice. "My place, since I'm such a pro I got the equipment." he says trying lighten up the mood. "Whatever you say Mr. 'Pro'!" I say with a half smile. We then proceed to exit the Dojo and make our way to Komo's house.

  As we began walking, I notice we walk the opposite direction from where I live. We walked quite a distance until we arrived at a two-story house with a pond,we were then greeted by a woman at the front door. "Welcome home Komo, and whose your friend?" said the woman. "Hi Mom, this is Sinna Laytu my partner." Komo replied to his mother. "Nice to meet you Sinna, I'm Hana Minno." She says as we shake hands. "You too." I reply "Well come on in, I just started making dinner." she says as we walk inside.

   "Oh, Komo dear, your father needs you in his workshop." she says while just recalling it. "Alright, I'll be back Sinna." Komo says leaving the room. "Why don't I make you some tea while you wait, it might take awhile you how it is with boys." She says while making her way to the kitchen.

 A few seconds after Komo's mother left to make tea, I see a small figure across the room behind a wall hiding. The figure emerges from the shadows and out comes a little girl holding a little samurai doll. As she approaches me, I begin to ask, "My name is Sinna, what's yours?" As she meets me half way, she stops. "Niko." she answers. "You look sad, why don't you smile. Did something bad happen to you?" she asks me with seriousness.

 That moment I finally knew that my pain could be seen on the outside, that I needed to show no weakness. After all I can never forget that day, "I do smile, see" I say with a fake smile. Niko leaves the room not convinced, her mother then comes out with the tea. "I see you've met Niko, she's quite the special girl." she says while she sets the tea on the table as I sit down.

  "Indeed." I answer while picking up the teacup. Mrs. Minno then leaves to the kitchen to prepare dinner, I patiently wait and drink my tea for Komo to return. After a few minutes, Komo enters the room, "Okay, let's get started!" he says with a smile.

 We make our way to the backyard to the pond, "First of all, you need to work on that wrist of yours." he says handing me a rock. "Okay but would do I need this rock for?" I ask confused. "Its how I learned, its all about the wrist action. All you need to do is master tossing these stones and then you got the knife throwing thing down." he says after showing an example.

  "Okay, I'll give it a shot." I say ready to toss it. After tossing rocks for 20 minutes, I stop in anger. "I've been at this forever! I can't do it." I say ready to give up. "But your getting there, I believe you can do it. just clear your mind and focus where you want the stone to go." Komo says with confidence. "Fine I'll try again." I say while picking up another stone. I begin to clear my mind, ready the stone in my hand, position my wrist and...launch the stone in the stone in the pond!

  The stone then continues to skip across the pond, "Yes! I did it!" I yell with great joy and putting a fist in the air. Komo smiles greatly seeing the hidden side of Sinna. "Now we move on to the real thing?" He says handing me a knife. "We won't know till we try." I say with excitement in my voice. I take the knife from Komo and aim it at the wooden fence with a target painted on it.

 I ready the knife just as I did with the stone, I calmed my mind and positioned my wrist and let it rip. The knife flew through the air and landed dead middle of the target. "I told you coul-" He gets cut off from me giving a hug. "Thank you, Komo." I say heartfelt. After a few seconds I realize I hugged him, "I'm sorry I don't what got over me." I quickly say breaking the hug. "Its okay, at least you got it down now. Why don't you have dinner with us, as a way of celebrating?" he asks with great kindness. "Why not, after all I am super hungry." I answer while holding my stomach.

 We make our way to the kitchen to check if dinner was ready, we then proceed to go to the dinning room to wait to be served. Niko then enters the room with a smile and takes a seat, "I assume you too have met." Komo asks Niko and I. " Yes we have." I answered. A man entered the room and took a seat at the table, "This is my Dad Sinna, and Dad this is Sinna Laytu my partner in the Lily Warriors." He tells his father with respect. "Nice to meet you Ms. Sinna, I'm Zuku Minno." He says while offering a handshake. "Nice to meet you too Mr. Minno." I say while we shake hands.

  Mrs. Minno then comes out with bowls of soup and a side dish of crab sushi, the smell filling the room. We all sit with our food and begin to eat, I look around to see a happy family, the kind I lost and will never have. Komo realizes I haven't started eating. He asks, "You okay?" "Yeah, Its just, its been awhile since I had a home cooked meal since my parents died. Don't worry about me." I answer not making eye contact, hiding a single tear.

   After enjoying the meal, I thank Komo's family for having me over and the dinner. Komo then offers to walk me home even though its far. I accept his offer then proceed to walk to where I live, Komo then breaks the silence. "I'm sorry." "Why are you sorry?" I ask. "I didn't know about your parents and I have no right to pry of how it happened." Komo says feeling at wrong.

  "I'm just the kind of person who doesn't need pity from anyone, so don't expect to hear that story anytime soon. But don't be sorry, it happens." I say with forgiveness and seriousness in my voice. We then reach my place, I thank Komo for taking me home and for giving me those lessons. We both say goodnight and good luck for tomorrow.

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Author's Note: Sorry for this chapter coming late, I have no right for excuses. I made this chapter extra long for all the new ideas that came to mind and as an apology for the lateness. I'll work a little faster for the next chapter, and thank you for my fellow friends who are writers for the support!