The Day of an Apprentice | YPA Log 2

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Prior Log | YPA Log 1

The uniform fit better now, the recent growth spurt helped and the added muscle mass due to Masamune Fumis work as an apprentice blacksmith on the side certainly didn’t harm that. She wasn’t quite there yet, though, the sleeves were just a bit too long and the chest piece fit better but still felt too loose at some points while too tight in others. Dark blue meshed with black, shifting the vest until she was assured she’d get it the closest she could possibly do so.

 

The training wouldn’t start just yet and she couldn’t find her Cousin. Maybe he was with the Bison again, she wasn’t sure. That was an ordeal, one that left her with a twisted ankle and broken ribs and nearly one less Cousin. Masamune Fumi was happy he was back, though and that she was healed fully and able to get right back to training.

 

Her gaze clashed with a young boy, close to her in age as she’d focused once more and seemingly suddenly right in front of her, about to say something. Coming to a hard stop, an awkward smile is offered as he’d signal her to a stop, words a bit hard for her to understand due to the Li-Wen interspersed with his Common. The girl herself knew Oyashiman alongside Common and it took her a moment to make sense of his question. Another boy seemingly came from nowhere and she’d find herself showing both where to find the Duhu, both orphaned due to certain circumstances and soon being conscripted into the YPA as fellow apprentices.

 

She was no longer the only apprentice and now, she had this urge to help the two, even if she could barely help herself.

 

All three attended the training, a bit more of a skip to Masamune Fumi's step. It wasn’t just her anymore, she wasn’t the only odd one out and that gave her some sense of peace.

This training didn’t feel as embarrassing, she had new friends to share in her mistakes with and to trade smiles as they’d go through each formation.

 

Sparring took place outside of the training not even a few days later, bamboo sticks clacking against each other as an armored group approached. Bandits, by the looks of them. The sweat could be felt cooling against her flesh, amber eyes shifting along the ground, even as she shifted back. Even with her training and uptick in confidence, it’d drain away in an instant, not prepared for this.

 

Threats were made and it’d seem the group took notice the city-state was in slumber, leaving soon afterwards with threats not to tell a soul. Chest tight, she’d join her sparring partner within the gates of the city, seemingly in the process of getting help. The situation is explained and a report is made.

Her newfound confidence seemingly crumbled, though not quite to the bottom of where it was originally. She still had a long way to go, a uniform to fill out properly and if she was lucky, people to befriend and learn alongside with. Maybe the Army wasn’t so lonely after all?