Chapter 7: evening pub.

“Honestly Shikimodo your sons really are impressive.” Ivan leaned back in his chair laughing before downing a mug of beer.

The pub was relatively crowded with all manner of people chattering at the various tables while occasionally shooting glances at the two generals. Okimodo and Shipo sat next to each other around the same table as the two generals. The two brothers were treated to a never ending supply of beer much to Okimodo’s delight and Shipo’s displeasure. Okimodo had initially tried to drink at the same pace as the two generals, but after some encouragement from his father and Ivan, Okimodo discarded all restraint and drank himself into a practically non verbal state. Being a youth who took pride in his upstanding nature, Shipo didn’t indulge himself in the alcohol too much. He would occasionally help himself to small gentlemanly sips maintaining his dignified image before the two generals.

“Enough about my sons, how’s it going with yours?” Shikimodo enquired before finishing his own mug of beer.

“Darievich? Don’t even get me started on that walking disappointment.” Ivan frowned before erupting into a rant. “For the past year he’s been suffering through countless defeats over and over again, having to be saved by General Verisha constantly. He even blundered tremendously at the Far southern most Front causing us to lose three Hitomenian provinces to Orion’s forces. If he were born weak I’d understand, but he’s a talented youth just like your two sons only much less competent. It’s like that boy is out to ruin my family’s reputation at all costs. It’s gotten to the point where Sharron suggested disowning him. I just might do it too since I’ve given him countless opportunities to turn his life around only to be let down by him again and again. I’ve even had complaints mailed to me by General Igneous regarding his behaviour. Initially I thought it was another military blunder but it turned out to be much worse. Apparently he has been Assaulting numerous girls when they rejected his advances and has even aggressed upon Igneous’s own daughter. Imagine my shock when I found that out.”

“That’s quite unfortunate, I always feared that Okimodo would go down that same path but fortunately he’s turned out to be a son I’m very proud of.” Shikimodo smiled smugly.

Ivan squinted knowing that Shikimodo had just used his rant to jump into a bragging session about his sons.

“Ouch.” Okimodo frowned while leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet up on the table, visibly disoriented despite sitting down. “That’s harsh dad.”

“Well I did say you turned out to be a son I was proud of.” Shikimodo laughed.

“I’m surprised you can still talk.” Shipo spoke up. “Are you sure you can still attend the right of passage in that state? It’s only a few hours away now.”

“He’s fine.” Shikimodo shrugged. “I’ve seen that boy kill countless things with his bow while drunk.”

“True.” Okimodo said over his loud hiccups. “Remember that one jungle rat I got from two miles away.”

“Hahaha, of course I remember that,” Shikimodo laughed out loud. “And then you hid it under Shitari’s pillow.”

“Father…” Shipo’s brows curled into a v. “Don’t you think you should take the right of passage a bit more seriously.”

Shikimodo shrugged at him and continued to drink.

Ivan turned to Shipo before speaking. “Young man, you can’t take everything in life seriously, do you want to end up regretting that you didn’t enjoy yourself enough on your death bed?”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I’m concerned that someone might take advantage of my brother’s state of mind and beat him during the right of passage.” Shipo argued. “If he loses then that’s one year of his life gone to waste.”

“It’s not a year gone to waste.” Shikimodo leaned in towards his son. “Do you know what life is like after you pass your right of passage? You become a weapon that the clan uses for its own profit and objectives. Most Shang Rokai don’t even live until the age of thirty and you’re trying to rush yourself and your brother into that lifestyle. Do you want to hear the story of what happened to your uncle again?”

“No… I don’t.” Shipo sighed.

“At the end of the day, we’re all going to die in the end.” Ivan said giving Shipo a sympathetic look. “Life is like a race you have to lose, the slower you run the more time you have to appreciate the things that really matter, if you run as fast as you can you’ll just die faster with regrets.”

“Their right Shipo.” Okimodo muttered. “You really need to pull that stick out from up your ass.”

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From Okimodo’s perspective, Shipo had always been a kill joy. One of his most vivid memories was when he had invited Shipo along with around twenty other friends to go and sneak into the clan treasury. Okimodo’s plan was to sneak peeks at all of the most famous clan weapons, resonating artefacts and Heshea’s famous twin demonic blades. There were also captive demons, the corpse of an ancient Leviathan and many other dangerous but captivating sights that caused the young Azurai kids to have gleaming eyes at the thought of seeing them. They had been successful in passing through the first security barriers when Shipo mysteriously disappeared. Okimodo being the kind brother he was immediately left the group to search for his brother. Eventually Okimodo found out that Shipo had gotten cold feet and ran to tell the guards about Okimodo’s plans. In the end none of the children involved were severely punished but it did cause a rift between Okimodo and Shipo. It also caused Shipo to be ostracised by most of the children in the clan who saw Shipo as a coward and a snitch. This ultimately led to Shipo growing up with few friends and developing a sense of superiority, believing himself to be better than the others. He had even joined the widely mocked clan youth council which was basically a club for nerds and insufferable virgins who were zealots that kissed the clan head’s ass all day. If Okimodo wasn’t mistaken this was were Shipo really started to become unbearable, so much so that even their father who would always praise Shipo unnecessarily began to look down on him. It wasn’t until his humbling defeat at the hands of another insufferable dork named Ioseph that Shipo finally became more tolerable to be around. Yet despite all of this Okimodo could not say that he ever hated his brother. While Shipo was annoying he did have his admirable qualities. Mainly his dominance when it came to swordsmanship. Okimodo had duelled his brother countless times and never one a single match. It was clear that Shipo was without a doubt a prodigy and a force to be reckoned with. Within their generation only Ioseph was Shipo’s equal both in strength and lack of sexual experience. Okimodo was a person who respected strength greatly and would never insult his brothers capabilities. A similar sentiment also existed among the kids of the Azurai clan. Few of them liked Shipo on a personal level but they all respected his strength. That was one of the strange things about life, if people were competent at what they did then they’d be respected even if people disliked them.

Okimodo glanced over towards Shipo who sat up rigidly in his chair with obnoxiously perfect posture. Even now when the most important people in the room where praising him, his brother was still trying to prove something to everyone. Okimodo really didn’t understand his brother sometimes.

Another hour passed and the sun had begun to set outside the pub window. Outside the beautiful image of Heshea’s statue stood atop thousands of tiny pastel houses and clan castles that dotted the green mountain. Okimodo had long zoned out and had been staring at this sight for a while now. The conversation between his father and Ivan had been joined by several other men from the Azurai clan as well as a few of his father’s business associates. Okimodo broke his gaze away from the window and looked at his brother. It was clear that Shipo had grown bored and uninterested yet he still maintained a fake vale of interest.

“I’m telling you the clan head is pissing me off.” One of the Azurai clan men sneered. “The government keeps on finding excuses to chip away at the clan system, yet the clan head just sits on his ass and does nothing about it. It’s so frustrating.”

“I might not agree with everything you say.” Shikimodo responded. “But I do find it odd that they cry about our traditions being too harsh now that things are relatively peaceful, yet when it’s time for us to go out into the world and throw our lives away for them our traditions are just fine all of a sudden.”

“Oh my goodness.” Okimodo stood up having had enough. “I forgot you guys are all adults and thus inherently lame.” He said before turning towards Shipo. “Let’s get out of here unless you want to hear them whine about politics all night.”

“Hey.” Shikimodo frowned. “It’s good to get yourself politically informed at a young age.”

“Sure it was always my dream to be prime minister.” Okimodo replied sarcastically. “Shipo let’s dip.”

“Sure, I should probably get another thirty minutes of training in before the right of passage.” Shipo said secretly glad that he had an excuse to leave.

“See you at the right of passage ceremony I guess.” Shikimodo sighed before continuing on with his discussion.

The two brothers made their way out of the pub and into the narrow city street. All around them people went about their day paying no mind to them. For a moment the two brothers watched on as the numerous people, wagons and horse carriages became amber silhouettes as they marched into the sun set on the horizon.

“You’re not drunk anymore?” Shipo was surprised as he noticed that Okimodo had become perfectly sober.

“It’s because of the tea mother gave to me.” Okimodo explained. “Don’t you know about the methods of the Ionoon school? I guess I understand why you don’t since you don’t talk to girls that much.”

“Shut up.” Shipo snapped. “What the hell are you even going to do now anyway? I wasn’t lying when I said I was going to get thirty minutes of training done before the right of passage. So what are you going to do?”

“Don’t worry about me.” Okimodo snickered.

“Let me guess, you’re going to go over to some girls house.” Shipo laughed.

“I wish.” Okimodo said. “I’m heading over to visit Chaiseky and the boys and we’ll all head over to the right of passage together.”

“Those guys again?” Shipo asked incredulously. “Don’t you feel like hanging out with them is beneath you? You and me both know where they’ll end up in life,” Shipo’s mouth curled into a dark smirk. “Trash Rokai.”

“Don’t talk about them like that.” Okimodo frowned as traces of anger emerged in his eyes.

“Why can’t I?” Shipo sneered at his brother.

“Because I don’t tolerate it when they bad mouth you either.” Okimodo said scowling.

Shipo heaved a humid sigh before turning to leave. “Whatever.”

“Yea whatever.” Okimodo sighed turning to walk in the opposite direction.

Gradually, the two brothers disappeared into the crowd merging into the numerous silhouettes on their respective sides of the amber bricked road.

End of chapter 7.