Kohana was ready to leave. She took her luggage and glanced back the room before heading out. Downstairs her parents were waiting for her. His father dropped the keys twice and her mother was tipping her fingers over a package very bright. Once the girl was downstairs her mum handed over the gift.

"You shouldn't have."

"Come on! Open it ." Said his father.

Kohana took the package and open it. Inside there was a hat, not a regular one, but a fedora one. It was grey and wearing it she looked like an experienced traveler. The material used was a good one so wearing it, it didn't make you want to scratch your head.

"We can't come with you, but we thought that this was a way to bring us in your trip. It could be a useful disguise to get lost in the crowds if you need to." Said her mother.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you know, you have some very peculiar traits and you never traveled abroad. This will be a warning sign for the people you'll meet. Butterflies have punctured wings for the same reason. Blending in is the ultimate defense."

"Alright dad. Thanks."

She pushed on the points of her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

Once reached the crowed harbor, Kohana gave the boat ticket to the people in front of the bridge that separates land from sea and her life from a great adventure. The man wearing the cruise uniform quickly checked the piece of paper and then let her pass. Her parents waved goodbye many times until she turned leaving the world she knew behind. The cruise was huge and filled up with people of different nationalities, working or searching for their cabin. On the inside every piece of metal that formed the skeleton of the ship was white, while the most parts were wooden made. She stopped looking around at the huge structure and how tiny she was compared to the rest. She put her new hat on and moved through the flow of people, After showing her ticket to a man working on board she reached her room. It was a first class cabin very large. There was a bed, a tiny bathroom and a little fridge. She left her suitcase next to the door and jumped on the bed. She closed her eyes and relaxed every inch of her body. Suddenly a loud sound came from beyond her room. She took the keys of her room, her hat and moved outside.

Kohana found herself in the huge river of people moving and searching for their rooms. She went upstairs and reached for the main deck of the cruise. She saw tiny figures waving goodbye from the land. She went to the metal wires that were separating her from the fall and she held to them. The cruise began to move and the wind started to rise. Feeling cold she decided to turn inside, but a strange person appeared to her sight. A bold man was sat close to the door, crossed legs, staring in front at her and wearing orange clothes.

Kohana was very curious and she approached. His skin was smooth and seemed made of glass because of his shiny arms. He smelled like flowers. Probably he used a special oil to be so perfumed. In that moment she remembered Master Gondra words.

"Ask if you don't know, help when you can."

"Hi , my name is Kohana. Nice to meet you. Can I ask you few questions?"

The bold man looked at her and smiled.

"Well you asked me one already. What is the second ?"

Kohana cheeks became red, but she insisted.

"Are you a monk? Why your clothes are orange?"

This time the blue eyes of the man smiled.

"The form I am in now is the one of a monk, but I am not one. The discipline I follow is detatchment so I wear this piece of cloth wrapped around me . Once I'll be dead it will go to another person. Orange is a color that represents many things for different cultures. This colour means nothing to me, but people can recognize me in this way."

"I don't understand. Are you a monk or not?"

"You think in terms of duality, my dear." He replied kind. "Then why so many questions? Are you a journalist?"

"No I am just a traveler. Sorry I didn't mean to disturb . I better be going now maybe."

"No need to say sorry. I see you're not an experienced traveler. Let me give you an advice. Next time you talk to someone find a good story before you question him. If you are talking so openly, people may get an advantage over you."

"Why do you tell me these things ? Who are you exactly?" She asked with wide open eyes.

"I am a man who devoted himself to semplicity, compassion and patience. The best channel I found of doing that is becoming a monk for the moment. What I really am is a free person. Being free I decided to bond myself to the world once again. I spent time with every type of people to learn from them and make experiences."

"What does it mean you are free?" She asked.

"It depends on your point of view. What is freedom to you ?"

"I don't know. I never thought of that."

"You can start now." He said while putting his hand in his clothes and taking something out. He handed over her a little piece of bone. Kohana looked at it and saw it had a black horse shaped head. It was the knight of the chess set.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"There are two ladies playing chess inside, but they miss a piece. Kindness may be repaied in very interesting ways."

"Thanks. I don't know your name." She said walking through the door.

"They call me Great Fox." He said before the door closed.

Kohana stared at her hand and searched for people playing chess. She could not find anyone so she went back to her cabin waiting for lunch.

She had brought a journal with her to write about every encounter she would have made. She drawed a picture of the monk and wrote down FREEDOM, Great Fox. She took the chess piece from her pocket and stared at it. She didn't know how to play chess.

Lunch was served and after eating really fast, she moved back in direction of her room. Waiters were running in all directions to serve everybody trying to please the most of them who were complaining about something. On the way to her room she saw two women arguing about something. One was pointing the finger on a black and white square. Suddenly she came closer and handed the piece she had in her pocket. The two women stopped talking and glanced at her hand.

"I found this one, maybe it belongs to you."

The two women hugged her and Kohana became sourronded by a quality perfume so strong she snezed.

"Thank you so much!" Said the blonde one.

"My name in Anne and this is my twin sister Andrea."

"This chess set belonged to our family since generations!" said the other one.

"We are in debt now."

"What can we do for you?"

Kohana was surprised and didn't believe what just happened. What the monk told her was true, but how did he know about it ?

"I am getting bored here and I don't know this game. Maybe you can teach me."

"Well of course dear !" They said at the same time.

Two hours later they were all gathered around a table and Kohana was having her first chess class. They ordered fresh drinks to cool down the heat of the day.

The board was made of bone and was very heavy, carved with infinite cure. The two ladies were wearing tons of make up and colourful clothes. They were always giving looks around in case somebody was interested in them. Kohana was in the middle looking at the pieces, their shapes and their measure.

"Why are they made of bones ?" She asked suddenly.

The two ladies were getting ready on their chairs and the question brought their attention on their task.

"This game is very old. It explains human's life in every aspect. The bones are the part of the earth that

reincarnate every match. The spirit is different, but the role you come here to play is always the same.

Every human has bones in common."

"Six pieces, six roles, six faces on a die." Interrupted Andrea.

"The pawn represents human beings that live a normal life. They can go just forward. Only if they reach the

other side of the board they can change prospective at things and they trasform into something else.

People usually die before changing point of view like the pawns in the middle of the chaotic

battlefield."

Kohana looked at the pawns.

"They are the majority, but they are the shortest because of their short sight."

"Exactly!" Answered the second woman.

"The bishop. This piece can move only diagonal and it can walk on the same colour the all time, black or white. It

represents ideals, morals and religions. Once you choose a side it can be either one or the other, never

comprimise. These are the people with high ideals who would die for them."

"Third piece, the knight. This is the most unpredictable piece. It represents the laws of the universe and the

creativity. People try to understand the laws that govern us and create new ones. Once a law is made

the knight has already moved and the law loses its utility. The nature of the law is change."

"Alright." Interrupted Kohana.

"How can it be that people are always afraid of change?"

"Simple, there is a paradox: we are eternal spirits who live in impermanent bodies. If you don't understand

it you will suffer for it. If you know that everything is actually changing, well, you won't be fooled by your

image."

"Next one is the rook." Added Anne.

"This piece represent the rich ones and the ones who are attached to material things. This piece is slow to

move but it represent security and a home. It can move cross shaped, not diagonal being far from

spiritual. Richness is not about possession, but about a state of mind. The more you want, the less you have. Once

you understand everything is already in your hands, you are rich."

"The king is the divine spark in us. It is limited, but the main goal is to catch the opponent one. It can move all direction one square lonely.

The queen on the contrary represent the divine spark potential and it can move all directions, all the squares she

likes."

After these teaching Kohana watched the two women play and then she started to play too. In the

beginning it was hard for her remembering everything and every piece's move, but she improved

in few hours.

The speaker announced the arriving to Australia in few days.