The creeping darkness did nothing to calm the thoughts swarming his mind. When he did sleep, it was often unrestful, memories of Harumi and Satoshi haunting him. Night likes this, where his brain just refused to shut off, were almost a relief. His mind was busy with the work he had to do, rather than his past mistakes.
He supposed there was no point in just laying down and doing nothing. He could at least walk the perimeter and check for weak spots. As he did that, he could build some ideas of what he needed to do. He pushed himself out of bed, slipping into a few spare clothes he kept out for emergencies. Not his full armour, but enough that should he have the need to fight he was vaguely covered.
The halls were silent, only the occasional snore from sleeping students. He moved without sound, ensuring they would stay asleep. As he approached the door to the training hall, he heard something strange. It sounded like someone groaning, huffing like they were out of breath with several other bumping and scraping sounds.
It was unusual for anyone to be training alone this late, and Hanzo hadn't permitted any sessions. This required investigation.
He slid up against the wall, choosing to advance with stealth. On the off chance this was an intruder, he wanted to have the element of surprise. When he was next to the doorframe, he stuck his head just enough for himself to see into the room. He was both relieved and a little alarmed by what he saw.
Takeda was clinging to the climbing wall on the other side of the hall. Hanzo relaxed briefly, knowing at least it was someone who belonged here. Concern quickly returned when it sunk in what Takeda was actually doing.
He was halfway up the wall, desperately trying to pull himself up to the next hold to grip onto but just falling short. It had been a task Takeda had been struggling with a lot lately. Hanzo hadn't thought too much about it. It wasn't something he expected someone of Takeda's age to pick up overnight. It would come with time, and Takeda hadn't seemed too bothered that he couldn't do it.
Clearly, he’s been hiding his frustrations well...
Hanzo swiftly made his way across the room, seeing that Takeda's grip was loosening. While the floor beneath was usually padded, it seemed Takeda had been either unable to find or move the pads, leaving a hard floor awaiting him should he fall. Takeda's foot slipped, and Hanzo broke into a sprint. The child was starting to drop down.
"Takeda!" Hanzo darted forward, just about catching the boy before he hit the floor.
"G-Grandmaster?" Takeda sounded mortified that he'd been found, and Hanzo carefully placed him down to the floor.
"Are you hurt?" He asked. He couldn't see any physical injuries, but Takeda was trembling. That was likely a mix of the shock from falling and the fear of being caught, but Hanzo couldn't take any chances.
"No. No Grandmaster." Takeda dipped his head down, refusing to meet Hanzo's gaze. Hanzo just had to take his word for it.
"What were you doing Takeda?" He finally asked, trying to keep his temper in check. It was important to know when to use his anger, when someone needed discipline verses when they required assistance. Hanzo got the distinct impression this needed the latter. "You could have seriously injured yourself."
"I'm sorry I just... I really wanted to be able to do it." He still wasn't looking at Hanzo. "I thought if I practised by myself, I could do it."
"It is not worth risking your life," he stated, getting down on one knee and resting his hands on Takeda's shoulders. "I would rather you be safe, than needlessly endangering yourself."
Hanzo almost did a double take at his own words. Hadn't his own father said almost the exact same thing to him when he was a child? Oh how the tables had turned. I guess I understand what father meant now.
"Grandmaster?" Takeda prompted, clearly unsure of why Hanzo had almost zoned out.
"It is funny, those words were spoken to me by my father when I was your age." He leant back and settled down, crossing his legs in front of him. He gestured to Takeda and then to the floor. "Sit. I have a story to tell you."
Takeda did what he was told, sitting in front of Hanzo and carefully crossing his legs, clearly trying to mirror the way his Grandmaster was sitting.
"When I was a child, the Shirai Ryu had a wall not too dissimilar to this one," he started, and he pointed towards the top. "Only at the top was a flag. It was seen as a right of passage, of sorts, to climb up to the top and take the flag." He turned back to Takeda, linking his hands in front of him. "I was around 10 when I decided that I was more than capable of taking on this challenge. My father disagreed."
"Did he not think you could?" Takeda asked, frowning.
"I'd say his expectations were more realistic than mine. I was young, barely of age to be training, let alone take on that challenge. But if there is a trait I have always possessed, it is stubbornness." It was true wasn't it? His father had always said it, his teachers also. The only person he ever met who rivalled it was Harumi. He believed it was part of what drew him to her. She was the only person who could break his stubbornness by using her own. "So, like yourself, when everyone was asleep, I went to the wall to conquer it."
"Did you do it?" Takeda questioned, leaning forward on his hands.
"Get to the top and take the flag?" Hanzo clarified, and Takeda nodded. "Yes. I did."
"That's so cool," Takeda whispered, eyes wide and full of wonder. "Was your dad impressed?"
"Hm, he was impressed I had managed to get the flag," Hanzo started, grimacing as he remembered the next part of the story. "That said, he was not as impressed that I managed to fall and break my leg trying to get back down."
Takeda's face immediately fell at this news, and Hanzo only just held back a laugh at the abject horror he displayed. It seemed at least in part, his point was made.
"I learnt an important lesson that day. I was not ready to take on that challenge, and that was okay." He smiled, and Takeda began to relax again. "There is no shame in failure, so long as you learn from your mistakes." Takeda was bowing his head again, and Hanzo could feel the shame radiate from him. He reached over and gently tilted his head up. "You can not rush learning Takeda. You will struggle every now and then, but you can't put yourself in harms way in your pursuit. Your life is worth more than you realise, do not throw that away."
"Yes, Grandmaster," Takeda choked. "I-I'm sorry."
"There is no apology needed. Like I said, you made a mistake and thankfully you were not harmed, but you have learnt a lesson from it." He let go, and went to push himself off his feet. "There is also nothing wrong with requesting help, if you need it. I am here to guide you, and I can not do that if you do not express to me your frustrations."
Takeda stared up at him blinking, as if trying to decipher what was just said to him. Hanzo's eyes flicked to the wall, and then back to the boy, who finally got the message if his eyes widening had anything to go by.
"Grandmaster! Can- Can you help me climb the wall?" Takeda asked, clapping his hands in front of him. Hanzo had to admit, the kid had the puppy dog eyes down to an art form.
Hanzo held his hand out to Takeda, "let's see if we can't get you to the top, hm?" Takeda grabbed his hand with renewed excitement. As Hanzo hauled Takeda to his feet as he said, "let me go and get the safety mat."
Takeda waited patiently as Hanzo walked over to where they where stored. While in there he grabbed the supply of chalk. He quickly set up the equipment, before opening the chalk and pouring some over his hands. He gestured for Takeda to hold his own hands out, and he made quick work of covering them in chalk.
"What is this stuff?" Takeda asked, frowning as he followed Hanzo's lead to rub the chalk in.
"It's chalk, it helps to absorb moisture," Hanzo explained. "Because if your hand's are too moist-"
"They get slippery," Takeda finished. Hanzo could see the cogs working in the child's mind as he continued, "and slippery hands make it harder to hold on?"
"Exactly." Hanzo ushered him over to the wall. "Now, start with your left hand on this hold, and your right on that one." Hanzo helped guide Takeda's hands to the correct holds. "Now, right leg on this one." He kicked the hold in question as Takeda obeyed. "Left on this one." He repeated the action, as did Takeda.
As Takeda hung there, Hanzo went to the side of him, taking very little effort on clinging to the wall himself. Takeda watched him curiously, while Hanzo tried to plan the best course for Takeda to take.
"Try to keep your feet directly below you, it will give you more balance," Hanzo instructed, while he went to pat the next hold for Takeda's right hand to take.
Takeda did so, and automatically went to take another with his left. As he moved his foot to a hold directly under him, and then pulled himself up as he moved his other foot.
"Good job," Hanzo stated as he went to move up himself.
This continued, Hanzo telling Takeda which holds would be best for him to try. Throughout he gave him feedback. Where he should be consentraiting his body weight, how to focus on balance, how to take a break if he needed to conserve some energy. Takeda took it all on board and seemed to run with it. If Hanzo had figured anything about the boy since Kenshi had left him here, it was that he was a very quick learner.
Soon, he was barely needing Hanzo's guidance, making decisions on where his hands and feet should go on his own. Hanzo still climbed next to him, close enough that he could grab him if needed, but it seemed he was starting to get the hang of it. There were a few points, where he seemed a bit stuck, but he was getting more confident in requesting Hanzo's assistance when he needed it.
They were almost at the top, only a few holds left to go, when Hanzo felt comfortable going slightly ahead. He hauled himself up onto the ledge. He lay down on his front, making sure he had a hand secured on a nearby rope. He peered down, seeing that Takeda was at the last holds at the top, but seemed a little confused on what to do now.
Hanzo offered the boy his hand. A small hand grasped at his own and he held it tightly. A second hand took hold of his wrist. He began to pull, slowly lifting Takeda up as the boy attempted to keep finding foot holds. Soon, he was up and over the edge. Hanzo made sure his legs were up and he was on the solid platform before he released his hand.
Takeda stared at Hanzo for a minute, blinking as he realised where he was.
"I'm at the top?"
"Yes, you are."
"I did it?"
"Yes, you did it. Well done," Hanzo praised, watching as the boys face absolutely beamed. Since he'd got here, there had been few times he saw Takeda genuinely smile. He was glad this was one of them. "I am very proud of you."
Hanzo had no idea how, but Takeda's grin got even wider at that praise. He jumped to his feet, while screaming "Yes! I did it!"
Hanzo, as glad as he was for Takeda to have his little celebration, went to grab Takeda's arm and pulled him away from the edge. Takeda seemed to realise what he had done, and offered a sheepish smile.
"Sorry Grandmaster, I got carried away."
"It is fine, I am glad you are happy but-" Hanzo glanced down at the floor below, "maybe consider this another lesson, do not jump around recklessly when near the edge of a high place."
"Lesson learnt, Grandmaster," Takeda giggled and went to sit down.
They sat in a comfortable silence, Takeda still a bundle of energy from his victory, bobbing up and down. Hanzo pondered where they would go from here. He tried not to play favourites, it would be easy to give the son of his friend preferential treatment, but it would be unfair to his other students. He wasn't above admitting a fondness for the child however. It was clear Takeda was intelligent, he had high hopes for him in the future.
"Uh, Grandmaster?" Takeda suddenly asked, and Hanzo returned his attention to him. "How- uh... How exactly do we get down?"
Laughter irrupted from Hanzo's lips before he could stop himself. He was glad to know that Takeda, much like himself all those years ago, hadn't thought that far ahead. Takeda was very much like he was at this age, it was almost like having his younger self as a student. At least Takeda won't have to learn things the hard way.
"That's what the ropes are for," Hanzo said as he pulled on one. "Ready to learn how to abseil?"
"Yes Grandmaster," Takeda said with a nod.
"Well, then, let's get started."
Life had a way of testing him, but this was one he was glad to be taking.
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