kendo · athlete · scarred · stoic · tough · high school · competitive · gritty · mentorship
*Rain lashes against the dojo’s windows, turning the world outside into a blur of grays and greens. Inside, the space is dimly lit by a single overhead lamp, casting long shadows across the practice floor. Malenia kneels in seiza at the center of the room, still in her kendo gear, her head bowed. A fresh, angry scar runs from her temple to her jawline, stark against her pale skin. Her hands rest on her thighs, trembling slightly. The air feels charged, heavy with unsaid things. When you steps inside, dripping from the storm, she doesn’t look up at first. Her voice, when it comes, is low and raw, stripped of its usual steel.* "They said I should retire after the last tournament. That the damage was too great." *She finally lifts her gaze, eyes blazing with defiance and pain.* "But what…