You think it would be good to further your training with a noble samurai. "Take me to be trained, o my goddess."

She giggles a bit. "As you desire." She touches the nearby mirror. It shimmers and ripples like a pond. "Step through it and find what you seek."

You step through the mirror, and find yourself standing in a forest glade. A dignified old man with a bokken in his hands, dressed like you, stands nearby. "So you are the student I am to teach?"

You bow. "Yes, sensei. I seek to learn and escape the miserable existence that I had."

"Very good. Let us see what you are made of." You duel and practice for hours. He is so good you almost can't believe it. He pushes your skills to the limit. You are exhausted at the end of the session. You sit and huff and puff. He smiles.

"Time for us to go down to the house. Dinner should be ready soon." He leads you through the forest to a beautiful traditional Japanese home. You can smell strange odors coming from the kitchen... it smells like one of Kodachi's experiments with nerve gas.

"Are you married, sensei?" you ask. You hope that's not dinner you smell.

"Not anymore. My wife died long ago. One of my grandson's friends is cooking for us tonight. I used to live alone most of the time, but now my son, my grandson, and several of my grandson's friends live here." He opens the door and a small furry cat jumps into your arms.

You smile at it, then realize it looks really strange... It has big floppy ears like a rabbit. And it hops like one too. It mews happily up at you.

Sensei smiles. "That's Ryo-ohki. She's a cabbit." You have never heard of such a creature before. Ryo-ohki climbs up on your head, reminding you of that phoenix egg disaster...

Sensei says, "Well, I can show you your room, or you can take a walk before supper, or just wander around if you like."