FIRST MEETING {OPEN STARTER}
Fa Mulan, a name whispered in the hushed tones of Redwood as the "peasant queen"—a former one, that is—found a rare moment of solace. She was seated on a weathered park bench, the afternoon sun dappling through the leaves, lost in the rhythmic pulse of music through her earbuds. Redwood was still new to her, a town she was slowly, deliberately learning to navigate. But the gym, oh, the gym was no stranger. It had quickly become her second home, a place where she spent most of her days teaching the ancient ways of kung fu, just as her father had once taught her. It was a calling, a deep-seated purpose that resonated with her very soul, even if her mother had vehemently opposed her choice, lamenting the shattered traditions of their family.
So engrossed was she in the driving beat of her music, the world outside her a blurred backdrop, that she didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching, didn't sense the presence drawing near. When a shadow fell over her, she finally pulled out an earbud, blinking in surprise. "Oh," she asked politely, her voice gentle, "did you call for me?"
