Chapter 20: beating.
“Where the hell is that boy?” Shikimodo gazed out across the collage of coral and pastel coloured buildings making up the city far beneath his veranda. The sun illuminated the landscape under an amber glow, painting a beautiful view before the General’s eyes. Despite this Shikimodo’s index finger tapped rhythmically on the wooded railing as his forehead began to crease. Today He expected to reward his sons for passing the rite of passage, but after hearing about how despicably Okimodo had treated Shitari the previous night, that expectation could not be met. Okimodo had to be disciplined for this transgression against his sister.
He leaned back in his seat as he heaved a deep breath. He then directed his gaze down to his left side where a thick black stick lay on the wooden floor.
“Come inside darling…” Petra’s eyes glowed sorrowfully as she emerged from out of the house.
“How the hell could he treat his sister like that.” Shikimodo sighed before standing up and heading inside with his wife.
In her room Shitari couldn’t stop giggling as she heard her father’s angry voice. The thought of Okimodo getting peppered up by the wiping stick brought joy to her heart.
In the living room Fuji the family dog barked innocently, believing that the house was under attack from the tone of Shikimodo’s voice. Shipo picked her up and began to stroke her gently as he watched his father rant on and on.
The front door creaked as Okimodo entered into the house. He left the corridor and entered into the living room where his body he saw Shipo and Shikimodo both staring daggers at him.
“Crap.” Okimodo’s expression became grim.
Before Okimodo could say anything else, Shikimodo moved with an inconceivable speed and Okimodo felt the vindictive wrath of his father’s beating stick against his behind.
Okimodo held in a gasp before hopping around the living room in agony. He knew naturally that this was only the first of many strikes to come.
Upstairs Shitari hummed to the sound of her brother’s anguish, Satisfied that he had received his due reward.
After the ass whooping was over Okimodo sat painfully on the living room couch next to Shipo. Shikimodo crusaded around the room lampooning endlessly about Okimodo’s treatment of Shitari.
The front door creaked open and footsteps echoed their way towards the living room followed by panting. Kaiya emerged into the living room before glaring at the stunned Okimodo sitting painfully on a bag of ice. She took a moment to catch her breath causing Shikimodo to be the first to speak up. “What are you doing here? Wait don’t tell me she’s the one you snuck off with.”
“Okay I won’t tell you that she’s the girl I snuck off with.” Okimodo grimaced in pain.
Shikimodo glared at Okimodo suddenly, his eyes burning with anger. “Boy… what the hell where you thinking. Have you forgotten that she’s arranged to be married to your cousin.”
“Not gonna lie, yea.” Okimodo grinned mockingly.
Shikimodo squinted at his son and was about to draw forth his beating stick again before Kaiya finally spoke up.
“Okimodo and I are dating.” Kaiya said suddenly, looking towards Okimodo with a slightly annoyed expression.
Okimodo immediately stood up to protest. “That’s false!”
“Shut up.” Kaiya sneered.
The two then erupted into endless bickering while Shikimodo stood still in a daze.
“I guess this explains why Kaiya’s family is looking for her.” Shipo sighed getting up and walking towards his father. He turned towards Shikimodo before speaking. “I think we should send her to them with a lie explaining her disappearance. We’ll say that Kaiya was sleeping over with Shitari or something.”
“Fine.” Shikimodo frowned before calling out for Shitari.
She soon descended down from her room, still gleeful after hearing Okimodo’s beating.
“Take Kaiya back to her home and tell her family that she slept over with you.” Shipo commanded, deepening his voice.
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Shitari acted as if she didn’t hear him, completely disinterested in following orders from him.
“Do as he says.” Shikimodo said, forcing Shitari to acknowledge her older brother.
She leaned into the living room where she saw Okimodo and Kaiya at each other’s throats.
“Let’s go Kaiya.” Shitari smiled as she poked Kaiya to get her attention.
Kaiya pouted at Okimodo one last time before leaving with Shitari.
With Kaiya gone the atmosphere died down and Shikimodo gave his youngest son a disappointed look before heading up the stairs.
“I expected a warm goodbye from my parents today and this is what I get instead? Ridiculous.” Okimodo sat back down before groaning in pain having forgotten about his sore behind.
“This is all of your own doing.” Shipo laughed sitting down next to him.
“You’re enjoying my suffering aren’t you?” Okimodo said laughing bitterly as waves of pain continued to molest him.
“I sure am.” Shipo said picking up a cup of tea from the living table and sipping it pretentiously.
Outside Shitari and Kaiya made their way down the steep staircase that led out of the Batari family residence before emerging onto a cobblestone road. The road was flanked by densely packed curving trees on either side creating the superficial impression of being a tunnel. For a moment there was an awkward silence between the two until Kaiya finally began to talk.
“My life sucks ass.” Kaiya said bluntly.
“Don’t be like that, you’re getting married off to an emperor’s youngest son.” Shitari laughed trying to lighten up the mood “imagine how lavish your life is going to be.”
Shitari did not understand Kaiya’s attitude. Had it been her she’d be over the moon.
“You don’t understand.” Kaiya shook her head. “I’m going to be forced into a box and put on display for the rest of my life. I won’t have any privacy or any freedom. Plus I don’t care about money and I don’t like that weird kid.”
“You should trade bodies with me then because I love money.” Shitari snickered.
Kaiya sighed. How could Shitari be expected to understand anyway.
Shikimodo returned into the living room carrying two crimson robes with the Azurai clan emblem depicted on their backs, behind him Petra had tears in her eyes as she held Okimodo’s bow and Shipo’s two swords.
Shikimodo breathed in heavily before speaking. “From this day onward you two are both men. Please take your robes, when you leave the front door you will officially be shang rokai.”
“Please be safe out there.” Petra muttered through her tears. “If you two ever need anything don’t be afraid to seek us out. You both have no idea how proud we are of the two of you.”
Okimodo leaned back painfully on the couch laughing. “You’re both talking as if you’re going to kick us out.”
“We are.” Shikimodo laughed.
The next thing Okimodo knew he and Shipo were being shown around a lightly furnished apartment by an older Ionoon school woman.
They were being shown around one of the clan’s newest residential units. These days, such structures were being built extensively around the clan residence’s parameter. The main reason for this was because of the clan’s ever expanding population. New shang rokai as well as new members of the Ionoon school often moved into these new dwellings in order to be independent and get space away from the rest of their families. Of course this did not apply to Okimodo and Shipo as they were now here against their will.
“Dad is definitely never going to see his grandkids.” Okimodo scowled as his eyes scanned the apartment’s living room. The apartment had one bathroom, one toilet, one kitchen, one living room and two bedrooms. It had basic furniture and many modern appliances, such as an electric stove and a new invention that everyone was raving about called a television. The main advantage in living in the clan residence was that it was completely free with all of the basic necessities being provided for by the clan treasury. Finding the place to be satisfactory the two brothers confirmed their intention to stay at this apartment with the Ionoon school woman. She gave them a parting smile before leaving two copies of the key to the apartment on the kitchen counter and then heading outside.
“Which bedroom do you want?” Okimodo asked while yawning.
“You pick the one you like and I’ll go to the other one.” Shipo answered in disinterested tone. “Just make it quick because I have to get back to training.”
“Then I’ll choose the one with the view of the city in the distance.” Okimodo said as he entered the room in question. He opened up the window and gazed out across the sunny horizon. In the golden glow of the sun all of visible buildings had intensified colours. It was a sight that resembled a painting in its beauty.
Okimodo tossed his belongings on the bed before heading into the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth.
When he returned he got dressed in a fresh white Lenin shirt, a pair of boxer shorts and a pair of black suit trousers, as well as a pair of black dress shoes. He also dawned his new shang rokai robe with his bow across his back. When he left his room he saw that Shipo was now occupying the bathroom so he decided not to bother his brother and leave for the clan palace to seek out his first mercenary job. He grabbed the his house key from the kitchen counter and left.
He exited the apartment and entered on to one of the main staircases leading up to the clan palace and Heshea’s statue. Deciding that he wasn’t in the mood to walk all the way up, he used resonance to grow a pair of eagle wings before blasting off towards the palace. On the way he flew over numerous other shang rokai who all stared up at him through the dense trees and buildings.
“That kid is always such a show off.” Guyus chuckled as he watched Okimodo fly overhead completely oblivious to his idol watching him from the ground.
“He’s just an idiot.” Beside Guyus a young woman from the Ionoon school lampooned. “He’s just going to burn up all the protoatoms in his reserve by doing that.”
“How long do you think it will be until he joins the MFF.” Guyus stared up at the flying boy with a hint of pity. “I wonder how he’ll react when he sees what they really are doing out there…”
“Don’t go and get all depressed on me.” The Ionoon school woman whose name was Dondia sighed. “Let’s hurry up and get up there before all of the most lucrative jobs are taken.”
End of chapter 20: