If Not For Strength, Then For Freedom [ Solo | Training | Ask ]

---

---

“They say a magi is about again.”
“No kiddin?”
“No an ounce think it came from that temple they claim is at the top of that stone walk way?”
“Who knows no one has really gone up there that I heard of.”
“Fair I mean I heard it could even be 50,000 ft height of stairs!”

Tokoro looked over as the two men kept talking in the store.

“Well suppose we may never know, Solomon knows I won’t be going to the Jade Mountains any time soon.”

Tokoro paid for the groceries and started her way back home. Magi she had heard that a few times before they made people stronger… she couldn’t remember how… but if there was one up there maybe she could try and see what it would take to be trained…? If not 50,000 ft height of stairs is a good way to become stronger as is. She bit her lip a little and smiled a bit. And that meant more camping and making her own food. That was more then worth it… how long would it take to get up those… definitely not a single day and if she uses her tools to get up there faster that defeats the training… and she had to take in account resting and eating. So if she  guesses for a rest mixed with food break to be 1 hour and she takes 3 a day that’s 3 hours a day of eating and resting.

And 6 - 8 hours of rest since she would have no set way of waking up she could figure her body would want more rest from the constant work out and go with an 8 hour rest on the longer side so 8 hours of sleep a day. Thats 11 hrs of down time in a day of 24 hours. And each day that would take u half a day roughly of just down time so she could round up and guess possibly if she was rough estimating and without distraction. Would be 3 days of travel to get to the top. But if things go awry it could go over longer pas that time soooooooooooo she could ask for 4 days… wait crao she had to take in account the travel time to get to the mountain as well. She rubbed her chin thinking. It is roughly between here and Kina right?

So from one side of things to the other… that took lets see… about 6 weeks so the touch part would be just asking to go there in general not the walk up… shed need more rest time between both things as well she could hunt on the way to avoid costs of food and rest in the woods to avoid tavern costs… She walked up and set down the groceries looking at her mother who was cleaning. “Hey if i were to ask… to go on a trip for about 8 weeks... For training would that be okay…?”

She asked as her mother rose a brow and looked over to her. “I want to walk the steps of the temple in the Jade Mountains It’ll be a bit before I can reach that from here and also looking for the steps cause I don't know exactly where they are… I won’t need any money just time…” She asked with a hopeful determined look making her mother sigh but smile.

“Every young woman needs to path her own way some how…. And I think this would be great training for you… Get ready to go when you leave you’ll have 14 weeks to return with a 3 day leeway in case you get held up. And dear…” She said walking over to an old box of hers and held out a glowing white shard to her “If you come to trouble… crush this in your hand…. And think of safety…. And don’t tell your father i gave you this alright…?” She said softly. Tokoro looked to the gem with gentle eyes gently taking it.

“It’s beautiful…” She said softly staring at it in her hands as she was gently pulled into a hug.

“Stay safe my dearest… come back stronger… and with a story to tell… make us proud.” She gently held Tokoros head to her chest as Tokoro held an uncertain look holding her chard lose to her chest closing her eyes. She had to stay focused on her goal and this would take her one step closer… She was kind now… but so long as she was around.. TOkoro would be forced into a life she never wanted….

“I will…” She said softly back.

---

---

Tokoro sat in the back of a wagon listening to the waggon driver hum. He had insisted on taking her along the road until their paths parted after she apparently killed a bear he was being attacked by. She had just been trying to get food and didn't even know the guy was there but they made dome food and chatted a bit and she let him have all the goodies of the Bear after splitting the meat and the guy then insisted on helping her on her path. She supposed the life saving and free money he’d get from the bear accessories so she called it even. She now just rested in the back staring at the shard her mother gave her, after all her training didn't fully come in until she hit the temple or she supposed until she found it… so this was just casual travel for a bit.

That and the more time she saved the more time she had to search. “Hey kid mind passing me some of the Bear meat you preserved?” The driver hollered back.

“Of course it's your salt preserving it after all.” She said lifting her leg from its spot dangling off the end of the wagon and sat up grabbing some of the meat and moved over to pass it to him. He happily took it, thanking her with a nod as she returned one as she grabbed one herself to eat resting there. She was likely half way there by now… hopefully it would stay on time.

---

---

Tokoro gently ringed out her clothes and hung them over a tree slipping into a spare set of clothes sitting down by a fire to warm up. It was getting later and a bit colder. Thankfully it wasn't too bad just a bit too much for damp clothing sitting. She’d be there in a matter of days now and honestly she couldn't believe how nice the trip had been so far, the people she stumbled into from time to time cooking them food. Their smiles from the fresh food she hunted and cooked, they’re stories they told… and no killing outside of animals thus far and only what she needed. Just peace relaxation and food, eating and cooking. She wiped beads of tears from her face with a soft smile  turning the small animal on the sick she had over the fire to keep it cooking evenly.

She didn't buy any spices but a few traders gave her some here and there from her help and for cooking for them so another tasty food night! She swore she was going to spoil herself like this… but it was all worth it… even if she didn’t get anything from this trip but higher cardio and stronger legs… everything… absolutely everything… was worth it for this breath of freedom… a mere glimpse into what her life would be after she was truly free. She held back happy tears blowing on the meat before taking a bite savering the whole thing with a hum.

---

---

Tokoro looked on at the area before her in awe. The Jade Mountains just… stunning… She smiled on and started walking about trying to keep an eye out for the start of any steps as she looked about seeing all the animals dwelling inside. She thankfully didn't have to hunt any given the extra salt she had gotten from some traders she had helped which she used to make dried rations of meat which should last her 4 days. If she spent a day searching for those stairs she would definitely be able to hunt a small animal or two to make up that used rations and there seemed to be plenty of water to grab so she'd have to make sure she filled her water before she went up and paced her water out. So she spent the day looking for the steps and finally did find them.

Tokoro blinked as she saw guards guarding the steps who the moment they spotted her got into defensive stances. She jumped a bit with wide eyes before holding up her hands. "I come in peace! Sorry! I er... I'll go now!" She was so stupid of course there would be gaurds, its a temple of a being that could give great power... the uniforms looked like Kou's usual armors. Did she accidentally tresspass on offical territory of the Emporer? She could have died if  they caught her sooner thinking she was there for hostile re- 'If you come to trouble… crush this in your hand…. And think of safety….' ... She knew about the guards! And she didn't even tell her!! For now she'd have to retreat and figure things out.

”Items Brought”:

Thankfully Tokoro remembered how to get out of the area from her long walk around  but it was still a pretty long trip just to get back out. That and she had to use even more rations from how long it took. Once she was out though she found a nice tree and climbed it to have a quick resting spot not wanting to be caught off guard with absolutely no energy left to defend herself. So she positioned herself just right and leaned back and fell asleep thinking over her mistakes she made she supposed her parents were right as usual, she was very fit for her age and she had many skills. But her methods for putting those skills and abilities in active use was in major need  of upgrading. Knowing how to poison a blade and how to stroke with said blade was far different from knowing when and why to use it from situation to situation.

She needed to learn more about becoming wiser with her actions and as good of an idea this was her inability to  think to look into where the temple was, what guards would like be there would be and what they would do when they saw her… and the possibility of needing to just flat out ask permission to even go there or possibly risk her own death… that was a grave mistake that possibly just costed her and possibly put a target on her back as an invader of likely sacred ground. As much as she wanted to scream at herself she knew that wouldn't do much. Tomorrow she’d have to make her way to the nearest town with postal pigeons and pawn off some pelts for money to get some supplies to send a letter to the Emperor to at least begin to apologize for her idiocy.

And that's what she did, by afternoon came next day she was finally at the town and paying to use the postal service sending out her letter to her parents explaining the complications in case this lead to any delays, and then one to the Emperor or at least whoever she needed to to get it to one of his officials. After that she decided to rest there for the night in case one of them sent her a letter back so she could be there to receive it and to rest her body fully.

---

Honourable Emperor Yoshiro,

I wish to send word to you to apologize for my inability to exercise my ability to think and look into the Magi Temple and to ask permission to go to said location. As of writing this I have left the immediate area of the Magi Temple after causing concern for your Guard at said location.  I meant no malicious intent and would like to humbly apologize for any inconvenience any of this has caused you and your men. I had hoped to walk the stairs of the temple and or seek further training from whoever may be at the temple themselves figuring the tales of the Magi was that of a trainer who assisted others in becoming stronger. I understand if you wish to seek punishment by any means for my actions, my father is a soldier under your rule and he has taught me better than to just assume before taking action and I have failed him today by my actions. I will no matter the result of this trip take this as a learning experience and will do better.

- Tokoro Higona

Tokoro sighed  as she received no word back outside of a letter from her parents giving her a time extension she wasn’t certain what she was expecting honestly he was the emperor after all. She couldn’t walk the steps but she did learn something of use this trip that helped further herself. Intelligence is useless without wisdom on how to use it correctly. It was having a sword and not knowing how to swing it, it didn’t matter how strong that sword was, if you couldn’t swing it right to use it it was worthless. She had so much more she had to learn now in terms of how to use her tactics and not just learning them.

She hopped on a marriage that was willing to take her as far as she needed so long as she protected them. And sat back thinking. How could she use her skills better who could she practice without it being in action…? Possibly making plans and scenarios in her head and coming up ways to solve them? Then she could very likely after that she could likely then try to make something go wrong in them and come up with new strategies. She could make a game out of it even and keep it going for as long as she could and keep a count of how many scenarios and back up plans she made… Yeah maybe that could work. So she tried it and she got pretty far, only breaking to fight a few bandits trying to get to the carriage driver, or to hunt for food for the two of them.

The next day she  continued on though this time decided to get the carriage driver involved asking him for different kind of scenarios and he even suggested possible routes of plans. Though many were… physically impossible but still interesting points to take inspiration from. Like before they stopped for food and rest though that night Tokoro tried to get in some physical training to make up for all the training she was missing by traveling by carriage and not walking the steps, she thinking of more scenarios and new plans trying to keep focus while her body shouted from getting tired threatening to keep her distracting thoughts to the side to keep focused on her movements instead. But she knew in the field she would need to beagle to do both so she kept it up.

She ended up falling asleep in the carriage though thankfully nothing bad happened while she napped from her little sleep from the night before. When she woke up the driver happily asked if she wanted to continue their game from the other day and well she of course said yes. It probably wasn’t helping a lot but it was helping enough to get her in the habit of thinking of more possibilities of counter attack and dealing with the unexpected rather than just jumping straight to 'I'll just die if this fails'. That afternoon though she parted ways with the man to travel the rest of the way on foot given she wanted to train her stamina more but also given the man was no longer going the route she needed. This trip really ended up being more helpful to her in the ways of finding more of her own faults she could correct then getting too much stronger but that was all she really needed. For now at least.

[ 577 / 500 Words ]