*Sitting in a lotus position, Kore sat there patiently with a slow breathing pattern. In front of him was an old man in a worn gi, also doing the same thing. Hours passed by as they sat there, just letting the elements pass by them without moving a muscle. The old man then rose, speaking something in a foreign language, which summoned Kore to his feet. Kore sat up and opened his eyes, almost having a different perspective on the area around him. He felt cleansed, and for the first time in his whole life, he could feel a control over his powers like never before. Being in this arena for weeks, him and this old man had a daily routine that consisted of practice, teaching of new techniques, and meditating only breaking for meal and bathroom breaks. For two months now Kore had trained with the old sensei. He had grown a beard and his hair was noticably longer, but still well kempt. He drew his Katana following his trainer. He felt odd following instead of teaching, but at the same time he felt comfortable learning from one so wise. Hopefully he can pass this on to others who become interested in the art. He eyed his sensei intensely, then backed up and deflected an attack that came from the old man. After blocking he came with his own attack. With just one hand, his techniques have become quicker, more fluid, and definitely more powerful, for his blows knocked back the man the same as he recieved them. He always marvelled at how much he could still learn in a day of training. After a few more hours, the sensei called time for a break, for food and a little bit of relaxation. A few students here and there noticed Kore resting against one of the trees he had put out there for shade against the sun. He sat there with his eyes closed, but completely away of every sound around him.*

Kilari had been walking around the Acedemy all day and was yet to find something worthy of theifing. She had been all over the place. Cept for this arena...Feeling it pointless seeing as only weapons would reside here. She shruged though having nothing better to do she walked along a high fence. Her feet agile and never even looking down she walked as though she were on a wide path no henderence of falling from the high fence. Her feet placed one after the other while her arms held onto the rim of the short skirt she wore. She had been totally unaware of anyone within the Arena... till suddenly two people moved. One many looked like he needed to find a good razor knife tip and the other looked...Old. Kilari was never good with descriptions of others she just stated point blank what she thought of people. Or riddled about it in words that would dumbfound the person whom she spoke to. She realized though that the men were standing and moving out some into the center...she also realized she was in the open and would probably be seen on this tall fence with her pink tones. She quickly darted off the fence and down into the limbs of a tree in the court.

There she sat down legs over either side of the tree then folding her arms she lay her front down on the limb completly balanced. She watched as the older and younger man fought completly forgetting about why she had came here. She let her long tail flick to and fro beind her in suttle movements as to not attract attention. At first her curiousity had driven her to stare...but after the first hour she was asleep.

She awoke when she heard the voices of others and her ears pricked up and her tail slide from the branch it was laid across to dangle next to someone's head. She blinked and looked down with her crimson flecked ice gray eyes. She held her tail still for a moment but finally she let her tail brush against the top of his head and then jerked it away from sight.

*Relaxing in the shade of the tree, he allowed himself to cool down from the sun's harsh rays. Going over his head all of the obstacles and circumstances he would face in any battle, his arm moving about, going over techniques with his eyes still closed. He hadn't thought much of anything nowadays except for his training, but when he had a time to relax, his mind drifted to the goddess who has caught his eye and grasped his heart. Thoughts and images of Varila constantly went through his mind when he meditated, and when he would break meditation, for a quick second his eyes would trick him into thinking she was right there in front of him. This time wasn't any exception.

Feeling something touching his head, his eyes snapped open and he rolled from the tree, drawing his blade once he attained good footing. After seeing it was just someone resting atop the tree, he placed his sword back in his sheathe. Tilting his head, he chuckled at how jumpy he is.* You should really be more careful. *He called out to the person.* Your sneaking up above me could have cost you your tail. Luckily, this is not the case. *He bowed quickly, then stood relaxed.* The name's Kore, I'm one of the instructors here. If I may ask, what is the purpose of your visit to my facilities? Also a name to call you by wouldn't hurt.

Kilari's brow quirked at his sudden movements. She purred someone fast for once. But her tail had been long retracted before he had opened his eyes. She giggled at his words though. He must have never met her kind before. She let her claws dig into the tree and her icy gray eyes peer out at him. Red flecks seemed to leer at him. She was still concealed in shadows though. She stopped her giggles though and then spoke out in her young sounding voice.

"For you to catch me
Would times three
Your speed
For I am fast, more faster then thee"

Her purring giggles came again as she stood and then leaped down from the branch crouching only momentairly her hands never touched the ground to stable herself. She stood tall her ears flicking back to their relaxed position as her large eyes looked over him. Summing up how much he would cost. She purred none the less and curtsied to him. "The name is Kilari SpringFoot Cheshire Neko of far away lands called Neavou." She smirked at his sheith and the hilt of his sword. "You could never catch me Sir Kore" She said sounding sweet and innocent a fortay she often appealed to. "But Kilari is faster then Thee still. " She says her voice always ryhming and singing. "I wander through and watched you practice...But fell asleep in the tree. When I awoke you sat beneath so to you I speak to now." She says her blonde and strawberry hair brushing forward as she titled her head forward. She seemed so young...

As she spoke in rhymes, he could not help but smile. He figured she was one for racing, and also seemed to be incredibly fast from her boasting. Not one to turn down a challenge, he looked at her quizzically, for although she seemed innocent in her request, she could have picked a better time, for he was having a pleasant rest away from the sun.

He shrugged though and felt any chance to improve himself was a chance not easily given up. He nodded when she gave him her name, but then wondered why a girl as young as her would be around here.* "It's a pleasure Kilari, and I'm suprised you're so sure that you are faster than me. It may be true, but there's only a few ways to find that out, now isn't there?"

He smirked as he said that and walked next to her, then turned around so the were both looking the same way. He pointed here, then pointed out a track from the top of his mind.* "The first person to make it around the arena twice will be the fastest. Are you up to the challenge? Or are you not confident in your speed?"

Kilari smirked lightly at him as he offered her a rest. She yawned some and stretched her arms out her tails ticking out behind her at its full lenght and fluffing for a moment she turned her eyes back to him and smirked. She smiled "If you are sure you want to race me So we shall" She says shaking herself like a cat her ears flopping loudly. She purred a little then stepped up to be the same step as him. Looking around the arena she noticed the course nodded and flicked her ears back ready.

"When ever your ready ...take off" She purred. She felt like just standing here and waiting for him to get back and say that she had won just to be silly. But she thought a race would be fun. She smiled her innocent smile turning slightly deviant as her clawed paws grew ready for him to streak off. She was fast on two's but if she took to all fours he was surely doomed. She waited poised.

*Kore watched her as she stood next to him, seemingly ready to start whenever he began. To be fair, he stood like she did as he prepared himself mentally to race her.--She seems really fast if she goes on all fours, but that would be unfair, so...--* Hey, you seem much fast than me if you use both your hands and your feet, I can tell from the size of them that you do that a lot. That would be an unfair race if you did that, no? For I can only run on two legs it would be only proper if you do the same.*He said looking at her.

Tilting his neck to the left and to the right, a series of cracking sounds could be heard from it. He smirked, then looked her way. Not even a second afterwards, he took off, running through the arena, to the exit, which would lead to the second section of the race. His momentum was impeccable and his feet were barely hitting the ground before he pushed off with it, gaining speed by the foot.*

Kilari quirked an ear his way then titled her head towards him some. She considered it then nods some. But would she stick to her word... Kilari was a theif for cryin out loud. She rarely listened to herself let alone others. She smirked puring. "Alright... though that IS how I usually run" She purred then looking back her let her self get in the zone of her running ways.

Suddenly he was off ...running it seemed hard speed... as if all out. She smirked evily then sprinted forward. Her paws barely touching the ground before lifting again. She wasy light on her paws... speedy even. She caught up rahter quickly and smirked at him. Jumping out infront of him the off to his other side. Then she turned completly around and leaped infront of him running back wards. She smirked...winked then jumping she fliped around in mid air again and then dart off to take the lead...she was playing with him.

*At a good starting lead, Kore soon lost it as this agile girl took off ahead of him. He snickered and kept moving. He was pushing it, but he wasn't going all out, for he wanted to know how fast she really was. As she bounced over him in the other direction, he then knew he would have to do something a little risky to catch up or take the lead. Hopping on the wall she did, he bounced off of it going in the same direction. He didn't have as much air as she did, but midair he began charging a fireball in his hands.

Remembering back to when he rode with Kamahl and he had his nightmare do the same thing, he knew his plan would either work or backfire, but he figured since they were both having fun, he figured now's a better time than any to try new things. Pirouetting(sp?) in the air, Kore aimed the fireball at the wall with the metal support beams. Smiling and closing his eyes, he fired the blast.

The fireball went screaming into the wall, obliterating it and knocking down any nearby students. The aftershock did exactly what Kore had planned and sent him further in the air. Landing on his feet, he fell backwards into a roll. After rolling back up and still maintaining his momentum, he caught up with the Kilari and laughed. He knew he wasn't going to win this, but he was going to get a kick out of her reaction to how close he was now.*