Passing By

After finishing some errands, Roan was on his way back to campus, gripping a couple bags full of miscellaneous supplies. He had needed a few items to help maximize his room's space and also grabbed some nutritional supplements and other consumables. He didn't have class at the moment, so he decided to advance at his own leisure. Not having seen much of the downtown area except in passing, Roan didn't have much of an opinion on what was there. His stroll halted when something caught his eye. A dojo. "Oh? There's something like this downtown, after all." Intrigued, Roan decided to investigate, if only for a minute. As he opened the door, his eyes scanner the area. It was a pretty impressive facility. Roan wondered what the head of the dojo was like.

The door to the dojo slid open almost silently. The quiet whisper met the cocked ear of the dojo master in the meditation hall. He stood and turned, walking to the door separating the meditation hall from the training room. He pushed it open and looked blankly at the man standing there. "Hello, sir. I am Drew Wilson. Welcome to my dojo." He calmly stepped into the training room and slid the door to the meditation hall shut quietly. "Can I help you today?" He asked politely.

A man appeared from behind a sliding door, identifying himself as the proprietor. He must have some pretty good ears. He was pretty quick in responding to the quiet visitor, Roan observed before the being engaged. "Ah, well," he started, stepping into the dojo, "I happened to come across this place, so I thought I'd take a peek in. I don't hang around downtown much, so I haven't gotten a chance to explore until now. My name is Roan Sield." He went to extend his hand, but he was reminded of the bags he was carrying, by their pull when he began to lift. Shifting bags to one hand, he tried again with more success. "It's nice to meet you."

Drew watched as the man shifted his bags full of groceries and, he presumed, other objects. He grasped the offered hand and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you too." The man seemed to be going somewhere, probably back home, and Drew didn't want to keep him up, but he gestured around the room full of punching bags, training dummies and mock weaponry. "Would you like to have a go? Anything in this room can be used for training, or you might like a sparring match. Or, if you're more the relaxed type, there's a meditation room back there." He pointed behind him with a slight grin. "If I am honest, the dojo doesn't have many visitors. It is nice to have some company." It was true, if one looked closely, almost everything was covered in a thin layer of dust.

Listening to the options given to him, he decided some meditation would do him some good. His muscles were pretty tense and it'd be nice to clear up some stress. It seemed to be a bit lonely at the gym, but Roan respected his dedication. Many would just close down or relocate in the face of inactivity. However, he remained open, as if for the sake of whomever would need it. As empty as it was, this place was what he imagined a true dojo was. Not just a cash-in. "Thank you for offering. I'd normally jump at a chance to spar, but I think I'm more in need of meditation today, than anything else," he answered.

"That is a wise thing to say, Roan." Drew smiled at his first real customer. "Any fool with eyes and a fist can strike a punching bag, but it takes patience to meditate." Roan seemed to be a nice guy, so Drew stepped aside, and gestured to the door. "The meditation room is this way." He said, pushing the door open and going through it. Mats were set up on the floor at regular intervals. Everything in the room had a feeling of being new, apart from one mat that was well-worn. "Choose a place to meditate. I think I'll go fix a meal. You want anything?" He asked.

Roan followed Mr. Wilson into the meditation room and upon finding himself a suitable spot, he lowered himself onto the mat. He sat on his knees, as it seemed to suit him better than indian-style. His host offered to fix him something, but he didn't want want to trouble him too much. At the same time, he didn't like to disregard the freewill of others. Being a little hungry also played a hand in his decision. "Thank you for offering," he answered, "I don't want to trouble you too much. What are you having?"

Drew shrugged thoughtfully. He rarely made fixed decisions when he could avoid it. He ran upstairs to the small kitchenette and looked through the cupboards and fridge quickly, discovering they were barer than he would like. After Roan left the dojo, he would need to go buy some food. "Uh...we have..." He drummed his fingers on the side as he looked deeper in hope he'd find something more appetising than what it looked like was going to be on the menu. "...hmm...So...All I've really got is noodles." He called down the stairs. "That okay?" He asked as he started preparing them. Didn't matter if Roan wanted any or not, Drew was hungry.

When his host disappeared upstairs, Roan quieted himself and began practicing controlled breathing. Meditation always seemed to bring to mind a particular instructor's face from the past. He couldn't shake if off, but had to acknowledge it before continuing. Drew's voice returned from above, asking if noodles were fine. "Yes. Suits me just fine," he responded with an instinctual nod in the direction of the voice. The image lingered in his mind. This person, whom he admired, but couldn't stand remained with him in all her many lessons to him. Taking a deep breath, he looked straight forward as if staring into the face of his former teacher before she vanished from his mind. Now, with his mind clear, he began reflecting on his actions since taking on the role of teacher at the school.