After the workout, Spirito was in the locker showers along with four other classmates, rinsing off the grime of rolling around on mats. 

“Deshik, Doha wants to see you in the office when you get finished.” Another student yelled in the locker area.

“Must be in trouble, again.” A nearby kid named Tim said as he grinned and teased.

“More like he will be toting return books at the library as punishment,” Greenit claimed in a mournful tone, as he was recently given that task himself.

“Nope, scraping food from the trays in the cafeteria.” Another boy said, with a chuckle.

 “Ugg. Let’s hope not. I’ve seen how messy you guys are.” Spirito fake grimaced.

The boys all laughed.

“Maybe it’s cause he’s all friendly with the prince. He just doesn’t know how to stay in his place.” A new voice spoke with sarcasm.

Spirito turned to see two older boys at the shower stall-only entrance. His eyes narrowed at the casual way they were leaning against the frame.

“Well, we’ve been friends for a while,” he said, keeping his tone calm.

“Yeah? Must be nice having such a good friend.” One said to the other. “He’s probably saved you from getting into too much trouble before. But now you are on your own. And these hallways are ripe with trips and falls.”

Spirito turned off his water and noticed Tim did as well. He immediately thought he was in serious trouble if he was involved. Tim was an exceptional fighter and an aid to the Doha. But he cleared that up when he spoke.

“Not like those trips and falls don’t happen both ways, boys. It is a fairly large place, and you just can’t watch your back all the time.” Tim’s grin looked positively wicked.

Tim shut off the water and grabbed a towel to wrap around himself. Spirito quickly did the same. Then Tim winked in his direction. 

“This don’t have nothing to do with you Hardon.” The older boy waved his paw at Tim.

“Probably not, but then again, giving threats to an upperclassman is tantamount to a challenge in the pit. If I find that out, I’ll report it to a Doha and you guys might find yourself involved in more than you can handle. Alesta has been looking for a new victim.”

One of the boys looked at the other with a nervous glance. 

“That kid ain’t no upperclassman.” He pointed at Spirito.

“Ah, but what you don’t know is he is about to transfer. So, I’d watch and learn, fellas.”

Spirito gawked at Tim in confusion. He turned to watch the two boys and found them twitching tails with unease at the claim. Tim walked over to them and shoved them apart as he moved through.

Whatever was going on, Spirito didn’t think these two were brave or stupid enough to stop both of them. He squared his shoulders and followed the older boy. “Excuse me,” he said politely.

They reluctantly moved aside and Spirito moved forward.

With the quickest dress mode ever, wet hair still dripping, he shook his hair and patted his rough down. Walking out of the locker area I gave Tim a quick ‘thanks.’ 

“Sure thing. Let me know if you get hassled by those two. I’ve got a couple of seniors just looking to thump them. And congrats.” 

Spirito flicked his ears and gave a sharp nod then left the lockers to go see the Doha, his confusion running rampant inside. 

“Mr. Deshik, welcome. Please come in. You know Master Gudak?” Doha Cristy pointed to another robed male sitting in a chair inside. 

Spirito swallowed. Master Gudak was a well-respected Master and the one who initially invited him to attend his studies in the Chu ways. “Yes, hello Doha Gudak?”

The older canid nodded to Spirito.

“Good to see you, son.” He had a slight southern accent not unlike Greenit. “I’ve been told you’ve managed to use the Chu way within a sparring match.” Master Gudak frowned. “You do realize that you should never use this power during a training match, without informing the instructor and getting direct approval.”

Spirito bowed his head and gave a small nod. “I did not understand, sir. But I’m fully aware now.” He looked back up and glanced between the two masters.

Gudak grunted. He gestured to a nearby chair. 

Spirito sat down but remained taut with nerves. He couldn’t stop his tail from swishing back and forth if he tried. And he tried.

“Well, using that strength means you are no longer a beginner. I suppose that’s because your Pop probably taught you more than we realize. And while that is important to understand, and we will discuss it later, I am going to move you out of the initial training class. Effective immediately you will begin solo studies directly with me. You will continue to meet for sparring, but now with the other solo trainees those with a more intermediate level.” He regarded Spirito with a narrow gaze. “That sounds challenging enough for you?”

Spirito’s eyes were wide, and he couldn’t stop a grin from growing. “Yes, sir, Master Gudak.” He looked over at Doha Cristy to make sure this wasn’t a lie, and the beginner instructor was smiling back. It was the real thing.

“First thing first. You can’t show up in that training garb we give the lower levels. Go to the clothier supplies and request your Chu level 1B options. They will give you some idea of what is available for a more active wardrobe. I prefer cloth pants to short robes when I fight but you can decide. And here.” He held out his paw with a small scrap of material. “Have them sew that onto your belt.”

Spirito automatically took it and looked at what he’d received. It was the very first of the five markers academy students attained during their Chu studies, before becoming a Master Level 1. He gaped at the marker and remained speechless. He was truly promoted.

“Any future marker will be thoroughly tested for. As I’m sure you will become aware.” Master Gudak spoke, pulling Spirito from his daze.

He guessed Master Gudak was informed of his five-way studies. And he wondered if the offer was being made to simply gain time into his schedule. But the next remark washed away that idea.

“Don’t think these are given out so easily. It can take years to get to marker 2 much less 5. And some never move past 1. It is a study that calls for physical prowess and persistence. Talk with your Pops about his struggles.” Master Gudak recommended.

Spirito nodded. “I will. Thank you, Doha.” He stood and gave a bow to both Gudak and Cristy. They both waved him back down.

“I train in smaller groups at a specific time. I’ll send you the details. For now, you will report to my office next week to begin the next level. As it is, I was almost expecting a Deshik to advance ahead of schedule. I am fully prepared to bring you further. And if you find there are any scheduling difficulties, I can work with you. Please inform my aide, Doha Xian. He can modify my lesson plan and schedule as you progress.”

“Thank you, Doha Gudak.”

“It has been a short term with you Mr. Deshik. May you find higher Chu in the way ahead.” Doha Cristy said. He waved Spirito out the door and made a simple gesture to somehow close it from where he sat at his desk. The door shut with a soft click.

Spirito turned to look down the hallway both ways and while only seeing a few students he leaped in the air and landed on his hind paws. He was ecstatic. He looked down at the square patch and held it against his gray belt to see what it would look like. So nice. He couldn’t wait to get home and tell his Da.

But first, he needed to find the seamstress. Tapping on his tablet he headed north away from the gym.

****

“So that tiny little symbol is the beginning?” Yilta ran a claw over the newly sewn marker on the fresh gray belt her son brought home. His new workout uniform was quite a bit more quality as he had obviously proved his worth to someone.

“The beginning of Chu,” Shasis commented. She was wide-eyed and impressed. Her little brother scored a marker just over a month in school. “Marker one for Fac took me four months, even with lessons prior to starting.”

Yilta looked at her daughter and shrugged. He started even younger than you and he had you to hero worship and moon after when he was even younger. I remember you showing him how to roll and fall without hurting himself. “

Shasis grinned. “Yes. And he showed promise then.” 

Yilta nodded. “So much promise.” Her soft smile faded. She ran a paw over his entire uniform and gave it a final pat. “There will be hardship with this. Jealousy and anger. Just as a tree grows tall in gentle sunlight, experience can only be gained with the storms.”

Shasis sighed. She knew her mother was right. Her own personal victories in life sometimes came with the defeat of others. She could almost feel the angry stares and revenge those one-time opponents once threw her way. She’d survived and found the strength to continue. But she didn’t think Spirito would have those same issues. Not only was he aware of his surroundings at all times, but he was also usually the first one to step forward for a handshake and a word of encouragement to those he just defeated. She smiled at her mom knowing she ingrained in him the idea of using more honey than vinegar with people. And he used it now without thought.

It was too bad she couldn’t use more honey with the public. She narrowed her gaze at an idea that sprang to mind. She contemplated asking the official speech writer to aid her in writing some unofficial aids to give to Prince Latik to share. Yes, there was a possibility he would refuse, but not if she somehow made it seem like his idea. 

“Did Salor ask you to help him to track down the ones that did him harm?” Yilta turned to face her daughter.

“Yes. I have already begun to trace some of the people involved in the accident. I’m not sure what I might find but we are looking into it.”

Yilta nodded. “Your Da will be tenacious. He barely spoke to me about this. I think he is stewing in a deep anger.”

“I share it, Mama. I don’t think he has ever had his day to make his move.”

Yilta stared at her and made a hand motion to continue.

“Well, it’s something we learn in the academy.  There is a competition that eventually every student will spend time working in.  It is a practice arena but its nickname is the pit.  This is where a true warrior will strategies and collaborate and learn when to ‘make his move.” Shassis Air quoted the phrase.  “It’s not just about attacking though. It’s a rite of passage. At one point or another, every trained person competing in the pit has to understand and recognize that someone on their team has made a sacrifice for a gain. And sometimes it must be you who is the one to sacrifice, to make a move that benefits all. I think Da was assuming he made a sacrifice. He was the one who enabled others to progress and take a key position or find safety.  At least that’s what he thought.  

“Now it’s clearly not so. He never got to make his move. He wasn’t just removed from the competition, Mama. He was stopped from doing the one thing a warrior trained for all his career.  The move he should have made was just taken from him. But now,” Shasis’ eyes glittered with satisfaction. “He is going to get retribution. Now that he knows it was treachery he has a chance to gain back his…” she paused, her eyes wavering searching for the right word.

“Brouda,” Yilta stated.

Shasis nodded.  “Brouda, yes.” She repeated the ancient term often used to signify someone’s stature who’d performed a heroic deed and stood before those to accept a reward. Nowadays it might be used to state tallness, but more than that it held that deeper context of prestige and quality.

“Well, while he thinks he lost that.  He never did.” Yilta gave a sad smile to her daughter.

Shasis patted her mother’s paw and shook her head. “No, not ever.”