Chapter 50: Meimei (Part 1)


TL: Akabane


***


My name is Meimei.


This name was given to me by my master. That's because I don't have parents.


I am what is called an abandoned child.


The master told me that on a rainy day, he found a baby me in a basket under the roof of the dojo.


The master picked me up and brought me to this dojo.


The master is a master of Kikagei-ryu.


Master is a sensei who teaches martial arts and is the highest ranking person in the dojo. The master's name was Pai, and Master Pai and the Kikagei-ryu were well-known among the martial artists, and he had many disciples.


I have no family, but my master and the other students of the Kikagei-ryu took good care of me and I was not lonely at all. Everyone is like a family.


In addition to me, the dojo also takes in other children who have no relatives or who are in need of food. Ryu was one of them.


I met Ryu when I was about five years old.


When the master came back from a trip, he brought little Ryu with him.


Ryu had no family and was stealing to survive. I don't know how they met, but the master told me and the others, "From today on, he is my apprentice, and I want you to be good friends with him."


It wasn't unusual for someone to suddenly bring a child to the dojo, so I and his other students were happy to welcome Ryu. But Ryu was very rough at that time and didn't open his heart to anyone.


"Don't talk to me!　Don't you dare talk to me!"


Everyone patiently tried to talk to him, but he just ignored them and kept to himself.


But one day, he suddenly changed his attitude. Gradually, he started talking to all of his students.


At the same time, Ryu started learning martial arts. I don't know why he opened up to me, but it was probably something that happened with master. When I am with my master, I can talk about anything. I can't even tell a lie.


I also decided to learn martial arts with Ryu. I was interested in martial artists because I was watching others right beside me, and the timing was right because Ryu, who was the same age as me, was going to start.


I have always liked to be physically active, so learning martial arts was a lot of fun.


At first I just imitated my senior brothers and sisters, but little by little I learned kata. The physical training was very hard. I can do it as a routine now, but running up and down those long, steep stairs and running around on the mountain paths was tough for a child.


It was fun to have senior brothers and sisters carry me and Ryu on their backs while we trained.


But the seniors were not in the dojo forever.


At Kikagei-ryu ...... The Master basically doesn't teach techniques.


So when they learn to live on their own, they leave the dojo. It is sad to be separated from your family, but it is inevitable because it is for the purpose of seeking strength.


When I turned 10 years old.


One day, my master brought four adventurers with him. Adventurers are people who make their living by hunting monsters and searching for treasure in labyrinthine dungeons.


There are many martial artists in this town, but there are also a good number of adventurers. The reason for this is that there seems to be a large town just over the mountain, and people take a break here before going over the mountain.


I have never been to this town, so I would like to go there someday.


Some of the adventurers have a rough temperament and sometimes misbehave, but it doesn't matter because the town's martial artists take care of them.


The four adventurers brought by the master were as young as the seniors.


One of them was Dale's aniki.


He was cool, energetic, and had a great atmosphere. He was full of confidence and shining brightly.


"What do you want from me?　Come on, don't hide, come here."


And yet he's friendly and fun.


The image I had of adventurers was that they were scary and hard to approach, but he is different.


He was very kind to children like me and Ryu, and he never minded being bothered by them. Ryu, in particular, would cling to him and beg him to tell him about his adventures.


I guess boys like that kind of thing. Well, I likes it, too.


I mean, it's amazing that the master likes him so much. It is not often that a master brings a guest to the dojo by himself.


Besides him, there was also sister Aishia.


She is very beautiful, kind, and has a nice smile. She was good at sewing and cooking, and taught me many things. She was like a goddess.


I don't remember much about the other two.


They rented an inn in town, and only my seniors came to the dojo every day, but the other two only came for the first time.


What I vaguely remember is a handsome man and an ecchi-styled woman.


Aniki was training in martial arts with me and the others, and I can only say that he was amazing. He learned very quickly.


Usually, it takes a long time to master a kata, but Aniki mastered it immediately.


He didn't just imitate what he saw, he mastered it perfectly and applied it to his practice.


He had kumite with seniors, and he almost never lost. So, when Aniki did kumite, my master was his partner.


Even though he couldn't win against master, it was a good learning experience for me.


The master, who usually doesn't participate in his students' kumite, looked unusually happy to be there.


I think he really liked Aniki. This is my imagination, but I think it must have been his blood as a martial artist that got him into trouble.


The good time passes in a flash, and it doesn't last forever.


The day came when we had to say goodbye to him and his friends as they were leaving the town.


"Hiks......uuu......"


"Don't cry, Meimei, I'll come see you again."


"Really?　Can I really see you again.....?"


"Yes, I'm sure. I'll be the best adventurer in the world, and I'll come see you."


Saying this, Aniki gently patted me on the head.


I made up my mind.


When we meet again, I will become a great martial artist so that he will praise me.



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