Oneself and One another

[A day after Mr. Nakama had left]

Time is seamless to Faolan, he continued his training believing that he was now in solitude. He decided to return to his prior teaching months before the Breathing Style was introduced to him by Mr. Nakama.

By going back to the basics, 'It felt like the beginning.... from where I started,' he thought as he stared down the path into the forest.

Faolan quietly readied himself at the forgery, by continuously stretching and warming himself. After warming his body up, he started the trek down the mountain, attempting to find the Marvelous View once more, he depended on his eyes to investigate the environment and use it to his advantage as Mr.Nakama had taught him. Faolan hopped over a fallen log, sliding down a icy slope where his acceleration was dangerously fast. His ankles, legs, chest, and arms would strike every foliage that came before him, leaving more small scratches and tears onto his haori than it already was, as well as his body.

With so much speed his control withers causing him to stumble over a large chunks of snow that was piled as a small hill, falling into a deep blanket of snow. Faolan slowly raised himself with his knees, returning to his feet, his felt face red and cold, snow exploded onto the bark of the trees. Faolan had a realization that had caused him to pause blankly.

"I don't know where it's at anymore," gazing into the snow, Faolan could not recognize a path to the Marvelous View anymore. He retreated back, following the path of the icy snow he slid on.

Faolan puffed a steamy cloud, while silently thinking to himself, 'I have really lost myself,' Faolan remained with an expression as white as the snow.

Returning to the forgery Faolan now stands only with himself, still with a blank expression, the white snowfall of the sky grew oddly sharper as it now fell again. Faolan's hair waved with the wind in complete silence. He unsheathes the katana he forged, and without a single thought crossing his mind, he lowers the blade holding the hilt with his right palm facing outwards with his left palm securing the grip.

He breathes...

Faolan whips the blade striking two times in succession repeatedly, he would not stop swinging the blade, the air itself endured every slash Faolan attempted to cut at, he continued to accelerate his strikes into the air, finding a way to maintain his breathing. With so much force and acceleration of each swing Faolan would tire his arms out rapidly due to little oxygen passing through his muscles, his speed would rise and fall, he quickly began to sweat in the dry cold air, his breathing still sporadic.

"Failure."

A golden hazel now painted across the blanket of snow, the trees nearly appeared beige in color. Faolan swung his blade in the 'Second Style: Lightning Ball,'

his arms are due to tire out once again with his failed efforts. He launches a final slash striking diagonally upwards, with it slipping from his grip, the katana plunges into the snow.

'I can't control my breathing, how am I supposed to deflect lightning?' Faolan thought. 'I swing my blade but it cuts nothing,' Faolan stomps over to the katana.

'Mr. Nakama, what am I supposed to do?' Faolan grips the hilt and raises the blade, spectating the icy stars melt as soon as it touches the steel.

—————————————

{Months pass}

Flowers bloomed the entirety of the forest, trees sprouted brand new leaves with life, and the snow cleared way for the grass to finally brask in the sun. Faolan had sliced nearly every single mannequin that Mr. Nakama had crafted before he departed. Faolan continued to return to prior teachings by Mr.Nakama but he avoided one.

Every style of Thunder was practiced with the exception of the 'First Style:Thunderclap and Flash,' until the very end of the day.

Faolan continued to perform the other styles without the maximum potential of Total Concentration Breathing, he also continued running through the mountain without looking for the Marvelous View, to somewhat keep his senses, but to also warm himself up. Faolan's body continued to grow in shape, his form for a young boy was strong, but never matching to the supernatural power of a lowly demon, if he couldn't use Total Concentration Breathing properly, so his desperation grows.

{More months pass}

The rising heat came imminent with an outmatched mixture of humidity, Faolan had removed his Haori due to the amount of sweat he produced, he also removed his robe, showcasing an athletically lean body, dirt covered the entirety of his arms and neck, his sandals were filled constantly with mud and were torn, misbalancing his form whenever he swung in practice. Yet, Faolan still in the end, made no progress with his training and the ultimate goal of deflecting lightning, because of his inability to hone Total Concentration Breathing. His mind is focused on the training for Mr. Nakama even when he has left him, but a rising darkness grows from within his spirit. Soon, that looming darkness will burst slowly, like the morning sun. Faolan's eyes hid away from the bright emerald trees to indulge into the dirt on the ground and the fallen mannequins he had destroyed.

Practicing each and every Thunder Breathing Style had gotten Faolan nowhere near success, each of the forms began to further increase in difficulty for Faolan, he did not understand why but with each swing increased in weight and maneuverability of his entire body was completely uncomfortable. Faolan sheathes his blade and spread his legs into a lunge. He retreated early to the first form of Thunder and instantly, Faolan felt the weight of his entire being pulling him down.

He held his hilt tightly waiting... and waiting….. the sun cooks his skin, boiling with sweat, his hair drenched, and his mind confused. Faolan now raises his chin up to the beating rain that made him feel heavier, and the world much more silent for him to see. The rain hammered Faolan's back, further pushing him to the earth, an expressionless Faolan gritted his teeth, forcing to keep his body up. Struggling to hold his form for long, his whole body shook and ached in pain, he held the hilt of his blade with so much force it bent.

His eyes focused on what was ahead, but the view ahead was near sighted to Faolan. His frustration leaked.

"Why does everything want to push me down? It seems like the entire World is against me! I need to keep hold.. I need to keep hol—" Faolan's legs were drifting due to the dirt being flooded with rain, he quickly shifted his feet in an attempt to hold his form.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ",

a malicious laughter came from in front of Faolan, causing him gaze straight.

"Wh-at?" Faolan once again encountered a dark presence full of evil and anguish, his eyes widened in hatred at the evil.

"Oh child, look at yourself ... a Failure," The Dark Presence's true voice was indistinguishable between male or female. Faolan decided to ignore the insult and keep his form, glaring into the presence.

"HAHAHAHA…. you can't just ignore me", The Dark Presence strolled closely to Faolan, grasping his jaw.

"Boy, do you really believe you could do anything? How long have you been doing this? Aaaaaa the sight of failure is always replenishing to see, especially with someone so young," The Dark Presence giggles with malice. Faolan continues to glare at The Dark Presence for he could not move his body at all.

"OoO that look in your eyes, it's such a wonderful sight to see… tell me," The Dark Presence drew a wide grin displaying no fear over Faolan, but Faolan felt a growing pressure rising all around him, pulling him closer to The Dark Presence, the world rumbling in a blur , his heart began to race twice as fast.

"Do.. you.. hate.. me?" The Dark Presence lets out an explosive laughter, shaking the entire world violently. Faolan squints with disgust as he is being overwhelmed by the entire pressure of The Dark Presence with it's laughter that grew louder and louder, so Faolan finally shut his eyes.

"SHHHUUUUTTTTT UUUUUUUUUUPPPPP!" Faolan roared at the very top of his lungs, a roar that shook the trees and the grass that he stood on. The Dark Presence has vanished.

The rain returned and the world shook no more. Faolan fell to his knees, the rain still hitting his back, his blade drenched in water. The silence of nature living was all that could be heard.

"Faolan-sama?" a familiar voice spoke out from the distance, Faolan turned to the voice.

"Jui-chi?" Faolan collapses.

———————————

Faolan awoke on a bed wearing a clean Jinbei, and feeling the warmth of the sun from a nearby window. His body was aching, so he moved slowly from the bed to the window to inspect where he was.

"A village?" Faolan's eyes grew.

"Yes it's the village Faolan." A motherly voice replied.

"Miss Yano-San?" turned to see if it was her, and a familiar face with a beautiful floral kimono. Yano-san rushes towards Faolan to give him a tight hug.

"How have you been Faolan, it's been so long! You've.... grown so much, you were unconscious for several days!" Yano-san's voice whimpered for Faolan's well-being and health.

"I've.. been good," Faolan silently answered turning his head from Miss Yano-San, he found her to always have been a nice person.

"My children said that they saw a boy carrying you from outside the village and I looked and there you were!" Yano-san let go of Faolan and proceeded to the door of the room.

'Children? She only had a young boy before,' Faolan thought.

"Come with me!" Yano-san smiled.

Faolan followed Miss Yano-san out of the room, he has changed into black pants and a light robe with tabi socks extending to his sandals, she also handed him a clean and sewed on version of his haori, where the day was beautiful yet fading soon, azure streamed across the sky. Nature was bright and the foliage of the village was jaded beauty.

"Children come here!" Yano called to her children, and which a rumble of running soon followed.

Faolan could hear children shout,"Mooooooom!" from a multitude of directions and in an instant the children of Miss Yano-san lined up in front of him.

"Hello there, I'm Yano Kenichi!" Kenichi is the eldest son of the children.

"Hi… my name is Yano Tomoko," Tomoko seemed very shy in front of Faolan, she tried to not to be very loud.

"Hey.. Yano Shina," she bowed with confidence at Faolan apart from her sister, she was very open and seemed friendly.

"Hel-lo I-I'm Ya-no Ei-shi," Eishi stuttered his words, and is the youngest of the children, he was ashamed of his speaking disability, but with Miss Yano's encouragement he never thought about his speaking the same ever again.

Faolan felt a warmth within all of the children yet his eyes frowned for the children as they went off and returned to playing, knowing that those children were adopted due to the attack by the demon, the village was no longer in embers and ash.

"I'm sure you noticed... I adopted those three, so I have four kids now." Yano-san smiles.

"They're parents died, because of what happened right?" Faolan continued to view the kids happily playing.

"Yes, a year and a half ago, but we live on, looking for one another" Yano-san sat on the steps of her home, Faolan turn his head in reaction to her statement.

"Have you seen Mr. Nakama?" Faolan returned viewing the kids playing.

"No not recently, but he's helped a lot for the village... he had left long ago," Yano-san answers with a quiet frown.

"Was he-," an occurrence sparked within Faolan, he just remembered saying 'Juichi'.

"Miss Yano-San you said that your kids saw another boy?" Faolan asked.

"Yes I think they did, they mentioned another boy… Oh wait yes, I completely forgot, it was Juichi-kun, he helps out the village tremendously," Yano-san pointed into the direction where she would normally see Juichi working, which was by the Town Hall, where many elders watched kindly over the village.

"Thank you again Miss Yano-San, but I have to leave now," Faolan bowed and stood to his feet, heading with the intention to return to his training. Faolan was satisfied with seeing Miss Yano-San and hearing that the boy, Juichi is living, Faolan had completely forgotten of him.

"Wait, Faolan... I have your belongings," Yano-san quickly stood, entering the home once more to retrieve something for Faolan. She returns with Faolan's katana and repaired clothing that she wanted to return to him.

"Thank you very much," Faolan gently grasps the katana and the clothing from Yano-san, but she held the sheathe still.

"Faolan, before you go, remember that you'll always have a home here and someone that cares about you, just like your mother," Yano-san released her hold on the sheathe, Faolan looked gloomy.

Faolan replies to Yano-san with just a silent nod and headed towards the exit of the village, he places the clothing over his head so the people of the village wouldn't recognize him.

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As Faolan exited the village he used to work in, he was stopped by the a same familiar voice.

"Faolan-sama!" A young boy with a large smile waved over at Faolan.

Faolan turned to see Juichi running towards him with excitement, Juichi was able to recognize Faolan's haori sticking out from underneath the other clothing Faolan was wearing over his head, the other were too busy to notice. Reaching Faolan he stopped to pant, Juichi had grown significantly since he worked daily for the village.

"Faolan, I heard that you awoke from the Yano children, so I came to thank you!" Juichi continued to pant.

"You don't have to thank me, I was just doing what was right," replied Faolan.

"Yea, but you saved my life," stated Juichi. "You've been gone for so long, I thought I could never thank you for what you did," Juichi frowns at the thought of not being able to say thank you for so long.

"I'll follow you out of the village, and I'll take you to where I found you," Juichi followed Faolan out of the village to lead Faolan to where he found him. Faolan however, without knowing didn't know how to return to the forgery, his senses were obscured.

The two continued walking out of the village following a path for a while within the forest. The light of the day cooled slowly as the sun begun to already lower itself from the sky ,Faolan decided to wear his haori once again.

"Faolan last time we met, your hair wasn't that long," Juichi noticed how long Faolan's hair had grown. "And look at your hands, you've been really training to become something right?" Juichi confirms the thought of why Faolan has been gone with the sight of his katana.

"Yea," replied Faolan.

"Has it been going well?" Juichi asks.

Faolan didn't want to answer..

"I see," Juichi didn't bother to dive deeper into asking about his training.

Faolan then quickly asks, "Juichi… there's something I don't understand about Miss Yano-San and you," Faolan stops.

"Huh?" Juichi stops as well.

"How're you people living on so well, when your whole world was changed," Faolan clenches his fist his face darkens, not understanding the complexity of the world.

Juichi notices Faolan's conflict, bringing his mind back to that time where Faolan cried out towards his mother, the pain in Faolan's eyes was enough to make him tear as well. Juichi wished he could help Faolan as he did for him, but Juichi couldn't do nothing but look into a child's spirit being torn apart. Juichi didn't want to make the same mistake as before, he couldn't let Faolan leave without letting him know.

"I've told you before, I was told to keep moving forward," said Juichi.

"How?" replied Faolan.

"I don't know how, I just do," Juichi looked into the emerald Forest.

"We all have struggles Faolan, you can't assume that I dont have my moments where I wish my parents were still here, same for the Yano family, and everyone else in the village, I loved my family but life has a way of changing everything, I want to be able to help the village in any way I can," Juichi's eyes displayed determination. "So keep this in your mind, and I know I'm just twelve now, and we've only had so little time since that monster attacked, but I do know that you can move forward too Faolan, just like everyone else. Listen to what you're mother told you," Juichi was trying to remind Faolan of hope.

"What my mother has told me?" Faolan whispered to himself.

"You told me that you're mother always said to find something you love, my mother has always told me to look forward Faolan, now what do you care bout with all your heart?

"I don't know," replied Faolan as he held his chest.

"That is something you'll have to find on your own, and then you'll be able to move forward!" Juichi's confidence in Faolan is represented by his smile.

The beautiful day was showing an orange fade soon to be a starry night, the summer air has cooled with soft winds blowing. The woodland bristled silently with the wind, the path slowly faded now. Juichi now stops for Faolan to continue his road back into the mountains.

"Alright, this is where I stop," Juichi stops, "I'll see you next time!" Juichi allows Faolan to follow his path back.

Faolan nodded quietly and watched as Juichi waved as departed back to the village.

"HmmmmmMmmmmmmMmmmMmmmmm"

Faolan eyes grew when he heard the sound of something singing from the direction of the village, Juichi also stopped and heard the tune of the singing. They both felt something dark and powerful, nearing the village .

'There is something dangerous coming to the village', Faolan' heart raced with fury, Juichi looked at him in worry for another event that happened over a year ago, a similar vile feeling overtook the two.

"Danger is coming to the village," Faolan held his hilt tightly.

"Are you going back to the village Faolan?" Juichi asks.

Faolan struggles to give him a quick answer since he was in thought. "I have to," Faolan closed his eyes, in remembrance to his training and his anger growing.

'I can't just do nothing! But I won't be able to do nothing if I can't use Thunder Breathing, it doesn't matter…. I have to do something,' Faolan will not retreat from the vileness nearing the village.

"I'm coming too, I can't just stay here!" Juichi states.

Faolan did not reject Juichi to come, because the forest can be just as dangerous.However, Faolan planned to not allow Juichi to enter the village with him, with that plan in thought, they both sprinted back to the village and Juichi followed, to where the sound of the singing grew ever more eerie and intense,

'Nothing good will come if I don't do anything! I won't allow this evil to live in this world any longer!" The stars of the night was soon to be clouded, as thick nightly fog came to pass, Faolan's fury for the demons was on the edge.