‘Hurry up Amara, we’re late.’ The girl cried out.

‘Two seconds!’ A voice from the bathroom replied. ‘Ok I’m done.’

‘What were you doing in there?’ The girl asked as the other one left the bathroom.

‘I was getting dressed. I slept in.’

‘Ok well let’s go.’

The two young girls ran as fast as they could to the other end of the massive temple, only slowing down when they spotted an elder. Lesson started five minutes ago. As they skidded around the corner they crashed into a tall blue robe.

‘En Vidar!’

With long white hair twisted into dreadlocks pulled back off his face, and a beard to match, this aging man held him self so gracefully that it seemed that he didn’t walk, but floated. ‘Now Akane, what might you and Amarante be doing running around the temple instead of being in class?’

‘We were just…’ Akane stuttered.

‘I suggest that next time Amarante, that you leave your curtain open,’ he said with a caring smile, ‘that way you can wake with the sun. Good day.’ With that the elder walked past the two girls leaving them standing there shocked.

‘Oh and I suggest that you get to class.’

‘Yes En Vidar!’ The two cried back to the elder as they sped off towards their class.

‘En’ was a respectable title for any man in a position of authority.

Down one corridor and though another set of large gold lined doors they ran before arriving at the correct room. As Amarante reached for the decorative door handle it opened on it own accord.

‘Glad to see you both could make it.’

‘En Vidar!’

‘Please take a seat so we can begin.’ He stepped aside allowing the girls entry.

‘How did he do that?’ Akane whispered.

‘I have no idea.’ Amarante replied as they both took their seats.

The classroom was simple yet spacious with many cushions and mats covering the floor for seating and comfort. The walls were high with large windows to let in fresh air and sunlight. There were only two other students in the classroom and only four in this particular class. The girls all sat in a circle facing their mentor with the two latecomers completing it. They all waited in anticipation for the elder to speak.

‘Energy is a powerful force when one knows how to use it and access it correctly. Chou…’ The old man turned to a small blond haired girl to his left. ‘How is energy stored in the human body?’

‘Energy, or Chakra as it is also known, is stored in seven points in the body En.’ The small girl replied as if she had read it straight from a textbook.

‘Precisely. Now each of these points corresponds with a different type of the three main energies; Mental, Physical and Emotional energy. Izumi, how can these energies be aided and maintained?’

A tanned girl with dark brown curls answered. ‘Well meditation and certain colours can help, but there are gem stones that can strengthen or tone down certain chakra points.’

‘Don’t forget movements En Vidar.’ A black haired girl interrupted.

‘Exactly Izumi, and thank you Akane.’ Vidar nodded to the two girls on his right. ‘Now who here thinks they have a fairly stable chakra system?’

Naturally all the girls put up their hands, bar Izumi.

‘Why not Izumi?’ Vidar asked softy.

‘Because I can’t control my emotions very well.’ The girl replied bowing her head in embarrassment.

A few of the other girls sniggered at the truth of it.

Now Vidar was a little put off by their reaction. ‘Girls I should let you all know that it is actually Izumi who has, yes the most unpredictable chakra system, but also the most stable. She is able to correct any wayward emotions a few moments after they are experienced back to a stable form. Akane, what happened two days ago between your self and the gate keeper?’

The girl’s eyes turned stormy and her expression hardened. ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

‘Precisely. You, Akane, hold grudges and can anger quite easily. Not much fun is it?’ Vidar turned to a girl with copper hair and freckles. ‘Amarante, I heard you arguing with Nin Noa yesterday.’

The girl nodded slowly.

‘You can be stubborn to a fault. Now it is these characteristics that hinder one’s ability to progress and open up chakra points. Now your assignment for the next few weeks is to try and change anything about yourself that may hinder your ability to control and access your chakra. If you can put this into actions you may find that it will have an unusual effect on you. It may help you to look around the circle…’ All the girls took a glance at their fellow students, ‘and try and find a characteristic about one another that you admire and wish you could display your self. It may be Akane’s determination and will power, or Izumi’s ability to express her emotions and adapt to different situations. Maybe it’s Chou’s desire to avoid confrontation or even Amarante’s focus and persistence.

‘You are also to develop a way of improving your chakra flow. This must be unique to you only, so no copying of another, as their way may not help you at all. I will be testing you all on this and I am here for you if you require any assistance. You are dismissed.’

--

‘En Vidar! Can I talk to you?’ Izumi called out to the aging man in the corridor the very next day.

‘Are you feeling hungry my dear?’ Vidar asked as the young girl came running to his side.

‘N-no. What I wanted to ask you is…’

But the old man held up his hand to hush the girl. ‘You would like some help on your assignment, am I right?’

‘Yes… but how did you?’

‘It is a gift. Now I find that it can be very difficult to think on an empty stomach. I suggest that a short trip to the kitchens is in order, and don’t be afraid to have a look around while your there. It can be a very enlightening place. I find my self venturing down there on occasion my self.’

‘The kitchens? Why can’t you just tell me what I should do En?’ Izumi pleaded.

‘Because then there is no fun.’ The old man smiled raising a bushy eyebrow. ‘Where is you’re sense of adventure?’

‘I think I left it at the breakfast table this morning. Please, En, please tell me.’ She begged.

Vidar laughed at her desperation as he began floating away. ‘I already have.’

‘En Vidar!’ Izumi yelled out to him. ‘You’re no help at all!’

As Izumi stood there frustrated at her mentor she began to think; what was in the kitchens?

--

This is so stupid, Izumi thought to her self as she made her way down to the kitchens. This busy place was found below the dinning hall in the southern most point of the temple. The girls never ventured to this part of the temple due to the fact that it was off limits to them; a kitchen was no place for a child. As she reached the big towering doors Izumi warily glanced down the corridor and up the staircase to her right that lead to the dinning hall. There was a good chance that there was no one up there as dinner was not for a few more hours but still, better safe then sorry.

Taking in a deep breath, she placed both her hands on the giant door handles and slowly eased them apart.

‘Izumi?’

‘Chou!’ Izumi whispered as her head snapped around.

‘What are you doing?’ Chou asked as she stared at Izumi suspiciously who waved her over.

‘Shh… and come with me.’

Chou ran over to the girl curious as to her intention. ‘Where are we going?’ She whispered.

‘I need to have a look in the kitchens.’ Izumi replied easing the door open a little bit further so she could spy any movements inside.

‘Why?’

Ignoring her, Izumi silently eased her self between the doors leaving Chou behind. The kitchens were as big and simple as the dinning hall it’s self. Mirror imaging the hall up above, the kitchens could have passed for the dinning hall had there not have been chains hanging down from the roof supporting all the large cooking utensils and equipment. Silently, Izumi crossed the large area as fast as she could to face two large doors at one end of the room.

‘Izumi are you crazy?’ Chou called out trying to keep her words as hushed as possible. ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m trying to find the store room.’ Izumi called back placing her hand on the first of the doors. Chou, glancing back into the corridor behind her, gave up and ran to join her friend.

‘We really shouldn’t be in here.’ Chou stated becoming uneasy.

‘I know, it’s great isn’t it.’ Izumi replied with a smile as she pulled as hard as she could to try and move the heavy door. Inching slightly open a giant hiss of cold air was released. Edging the door further open, Izumi stuck her head in to find a large cold room where certain foods were kept for storage. Everything was covered in ice and glistened in the light shinning in past the door. ‘Nope, wrong one.’

‘Izumi,’ Chou pleaded as Izumi closed the big door once again and ran over to the second door identical to the last. ‘We should go.’

‘Ok then, go.’

‘I meant both of us.’

‘No way,’ replied the small girl as she clasped the second door handle with both hands. ‘I want to see what’s in here.’

‘Why? What could be in there that’s so great?’

‘I don’t know,’ Izumi muffled, as she pulled as hard as she could on the second door, ‘but I can’t wait to find out.’

‘Don’t Izumi.’ Chou pleaded once again.

Izumi stopped to stare at her friend. ‘Why?’

‘I don’t think that what ever is in there is worth getting into trouble over. And besides, dinner is going to start in a few hours.’

‘That’s why I have to do this now before this place becomes too crowded. Look,’ Izumi gave Chou a caring look, ‘if you’re really not ok with this then go keep watch by the door.’

‘Ok, fine.’ She left to go keep watch all the while muttering under her breath, ‘En Vidar is going to kill me.’

Meanwhile Izumi went back to the door. This one was heaver then the last and she had to try harder to try and get it to budge. ‘It won’t open.’ Izumi called out.

‘Well then just leave it.’ Chou replied.

‘Chou, help me out.’

But no response came.

‘Please Chou.’

Giving in to her pleading, Chou turned back and took a firm hold of the large handle.

‘Thank you, I owe you one.’

On the count of three the two girls braced them selves for a massive dead weight. They pulled once again this time moving the door an inch, two inches and then finally slinging the door completely open.

‘Wow.’ The two looked down to behold an endless black void.

Chou squinted into the dark only to find the dark. ‘I can’t see a thing.’

‘Yeah, and I can’t see the rest of the steps. They just stop at the fifth one.’

Both Chou and Izumi stood there unsure as to what they should do next.

‘Are you going to go down there?’ Chou now feeling that being a look out was a great idea.

‘You betcha.’ She said excitedly. ‘Are you coming?’

‘Ah I don’t know Izumi. It looks…’

Izumi gave her a warm smile. ‘Come on, what’s the worse that could happen, we get caught?’

Chou flashed a look that said that there were many terrible things her imagination could cook up that could happen down there, and one of them was actually getting locked in and now one knew about it.

‘Oh don’t be a scaredy cat. Come on!’ Izumi cried as she grabbed Chou’s hand and ran off down the stairs with a started Chou being hurtled down after her.