The New Winds

Bayushi JIro was early to the meeting he had proposed with Kakita-sensei. Hopefully, he would accept. If not, well, there were bokken and his ability with his wakizashi, once he earned it, could use some practice.

"Hello, Bayushi-san. You requested me for training?"

Jiro bowed deeply. "Ah, hai, Kakita-sensei. I...was rather pleasantly surprised by what I was able to achieve during the trials, considering the fact that I have rather avoided those sorts of activities in the past. It occurs to me that for my health, if not my duty, I should pursue them wisely. So...I would not request formal training, as I am too much a novice to be worthy of that, but a firm idea of where to begin so as not to court injury would be very much appreciated."

He bowed a second time, as deeply as the first, to drive home the respect with which he was delivering the request.

"I see. The best way to start is to have a solid daily routine to train your body. Stretching, running, and calisthenics. Do you have a routine you can tell me about so I can give you tips?"

"Um...no." He looked a little embarrassed. "I am afraid that my father rather compartmentalized my early education. My brother is the athlete and swordsman, you see, and I am to be...well, a brain and a set of ears. I hope that does not make this too much trouble."

"Even a swift mind needs a strong body. Come, sit and let us plan out a routine for you"

"Hai, Kakita-sensei." He bowed again and took his seat, looking up at the Crane with eyes wide open with interest. This was a good student, at least.

"How far do you think you can run without exhausting yourself?"

"I do not think it would be more than a mile, Sensei." Jiro smiled apologetically. Stamina 1 is what it is.

"Then for a proper exercise, you should run half of that and then begin your stretches and exercises. Push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats, and the like. Once you finish, then run the other half."

Jiro's eyes widened. "That is a great deal of work in between those halves of the run. I won't expire from exhaustion halfway home?"

"I do not think so, but if you find yourself too tired, cut the run in half each way."

"Very well, Kakita-sensei. I will do my best to keep this up. Thank you for your time and guidance."

"We should go over the physical exercises now so you know the proper form"

Jiro raised his eyebrows. "Hai, Kakita-sensei. Should I...stand?"

"That would be appropriate if we are to go over forms..."

The Kakita stands and begins to stretch, looking to the Bayushi to follow suit.

Jiro does so, his eyes tracking the Kakita's every movement. There is something beautiful in a warrior's body, he finds himself thinking, but tamps that thought down just as quickly as it arises. There was work to focus on, and the Kakita was unlikely to stick around if it seemed like Jiro had ulterior motives. Kaidan needed all the time he could purchase.

So he stretched, and felt the uncomfortable slimy coolness of perspiration across his brow.

After the stretching, the sensei goes over many different calesthenics; squats, lunges, puships, leg lifts, scissor kicks, diamond push ups, leg spreaders, arm circles, bicycle crunches...the list goes on an on over the course of the (Rokugani) hour, leaving both of them exhausted and coated in sweat.

Jiro is tired. Dead tired. Dead tired and drenched. And he hadn't even swimming.

If Kaidan came out of this emtpy-handed, I am going to visit this pain upon him ten-fold.

He tried to stand up from the bicycle crunches, but felt nothing but anguish from his thighs. Twenty-fold.

He glanced at the sensei. But I can't imagine my future husband disapproving if I had something like that physique.

"So...so then I would run? Normally, anyway, but not now...right?" Please not now.

The Kakita smirks and shakes his head.

"I am not so cruel, Bayushi-san. But yes, if you truly wish to keep your physique, you would run?"