Once upon a time, there was a guy named Jimmy. He thought it was a good idea to go outside and fight people. He was not much of a fighter at heart, but he felt like he had never been much of a fighter, so he decided it was time to learn. Obviously, the best thing to do was climb up a mountain and find a fighting master. They normally lived on top of mountains because fighting styles and their advocates prized the harsh conditions and thin air of the stark high elevations. In this case, however, Jimmy decided to start fighting people on his way to the mountain, so he would not show up entirely inexperienced.
The first guy he fought was a random person at a bar. This bar was a tiny hole in the flank of a hill where a flat road had been carved. That road was called Grain Hill Road, because wheat and millet usually grew on the side of the hill. There were old shrines there, which referenced the cycle of the seasons and the produce of the fields. Nobody knew how to worship at the shrines, so they left them alone, mostly, or viewed them out of curiosity. This old drunk at the bar, who lived in the area, said, "These shrines are useless. They're just dumb rocks. We should demolish them and collect the magic shards."
Jimmy was offended by this man's lack of piety, so he said, "I'd like to fight you, Sir." They fought, and Jimmy won. The old man was drunk, and not much of a fighter. The heart doesn't matter that much, it seems, if the match is imbalanced. Jimmy was young and fast, so he managed to defeat the old man by punching him repeatedly. Soon, that guy said, "That's enough, that's enough. Let's stop." That was how Jimmy won his first fight.
There were a lot of fields and valleys between Jimmy and the mountain. Mind you, Jimmy did not want to climb a hill and call it a mountain. Many master trainers made their homes on top of hills, built schools there, calling them mountains, saying, "I am the sage of this place," while they were really only salesmen. These trainers were all men, those days, because fighting was considered masculine. Women were considered masculine if they used physical fighting, so they learned magic and science instead. Men were allowed to brawl, which made certain women jealous. Jimmy was not trying to make women jealous, but he noticed someone watching him. She had strong arms and shoulders, wearing a long flowing coat. It was a purple-haired warrior woman, who ate heartily at the tea-house and watched arguments with disdain.
Jimmy knew it would be rude to fight a woman, so he declined to engage her, even though she seemed strong. This woman came up to him and said, "I noticed you fighting. Would you like to spar?" He could not refuse, even though it seemed unnatural. Women were not supposed to make such propositions, in those days. Nevertheless, Jimmy accepted. Since everyone was eager to watch, they went to a sandy field near the creek, where grasses had been cleared to make an arena. Normally this arena was used for ball-sports, but sometimes it was used for fighting also. This woman was much larger than Jimmy, and she defeated him easily. While she probably could have killed him with punches and kicks, she chose only grapples and throws, beating him senseless against the sand. She tried to avoid laughing, but accidentally chuckled a few times. Her name was Herea.
When she learned that Jimmy was walking to the mountain so he could learn about fighting, she bought him a plate of dumplings and offered to join him. "I have been a fighter all my life," she said, "But I have never learned or practiced with other fighters. I have always just trained and brawled alone, in common bars like this." Now they were not really drinking in a common bar. It was, perhaps, the finest tea-house in all the land, a three-story tavern with an expansive kitchen. Perhaps, thought Jimmy, Herea was rich and she thought a fine tavern was just normal. Jimmy was from the high-valley forests, and he had little respect for any bar which was not a tiny hole in the flank of a hill. Anyway, they agreed to travel together.
When they reached the high plateau of the exalted master, they went to the Temple of Triumph together and asked the aspirants how they could begin training. First, they were required to meet the sage. They went up through the stairs and halls of the temple, until they reached his arena, which was a small outdoor courtyard surrounded by clean boardwalks. In this courtyard, and old man sat in meditation. This old man, informed of their presence, awakened and explained, "You must challenge me, if you wish to train here." They challenged him.
The old man began by taking his stance, a low stance which advantaged the defender. They both rushed him together. Herea leapt up high, while Jimmy dove for his legs. As Jimmy grappled him, Herea pummeled his chest. The old man soon surrendered, laughing. He said, "Being experienced and wise does not make you invincible. Learn that first." Then he explained many other things about humility and prowess.
Jimmy and Herea studied at that temple for a few months, but they both got bored. Neither one decided to join a fighting school. Jimmy did not really like fighting, and Herea found that her instincts were better than most training. They went back to the old drinking-house in the middle of the valley. There they parted ways, for a time. Jimmy eventually got married to a humble farmer and Herea collected herself a harem of soldier men. The two of them remained friends for a long time.