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 Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 7:52 pm
I smashed a vase today. I’d gotten so, so angry and just threw the innocent thing into the wall, glad that it had smashed into a million pieces. Master Ziye told me to start writing out my feelings when he found out. I hadn’t expected writing to be a punishment. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. What I should have said was that I saw my father today. Bare with me journal, I’m new at this.
So.
Dear journal, today I saw Father. I’m not sure you could even call it a meeting. I mean, I was halfway across the market square when I spotted him. I don’t even know how I recognized him, but I did. Almost immediately actually. It was strange. One moment I had no idea what my father’s face looked like and then the next, I was remembering his laugh and how he always faintly smelled of tobacco smoke. I blame Master Ziye for this sudden surge of memory. Never before have I blamed the man for anything, but now I find myself angry with him. That’s partly why I threw the vase.
Not even hours before, Master Ziye, my mentor and only person I trust most in the world, sat me down to explain some things. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate. Of course I thought I was getting “the talk” again, so I wasn’t expecting much. However, when he became increasingly more grave, looking older than I had seen him in years, I became fearful. That’s when the other shoe dropped as they say.
I was shocked. No. I was more than shocked. I’m not even sure if there’s a word to describe the emotions that poured through me. I listened to Master Ziya talk. I’m not quite sure I remember everything that was said, only the important bits.
You’re not going to believe this journal, I’m sure I don’t, but my family isn’t dead! For the last twelve years of my life I had never questioned it, but now? It’s hard to stomach the idea that I was kidnapped from the very family I loved, only to be sold in a sense to the temple. Master Ziye believes it was my fathers doing, discovering the fact only a few years earlier. How can I believe that when I’m vaguely remembering his smile? Apparently I have brothers as well. Two of them! And a mother. I’ve imagined what she’s look like so many times…
I feel like I have a chance now. A chance that I didn’t have before. Hope maybe, I don’t know what it is. I love Master Ziya, despite my anger for withholding this information from me. I love the monks of the temple as well. They’re my family…but…I want to meet my real family now. The need to find out the truth burns hot somewhere in my stomach. Perhaps they miss me as much as I miss them? What would they say if I just showed up one day?? I’m anxious. I don’t know what to do!
I’m going to write them journal. Master Ziya forbid it when I suggested such a thing, telling me to be mature and just let it lie, but I’m going to do it anyways. I want to meet my family.-Xiu
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:52 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:53 am
RP w/Bataar
Over PM. Xiu runs into Bataar at a dilapidated temple and gets a look at the man's yurt. Needless to say he is shocked and appalled.
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:54 am
Dear Journal,
So today didn't go quite as I planned. Alright, so it didn't go how I planned one little bit. I was SUPPOSED to visit an old shrine and make sure there were no lingering spirits there. It was the least I could do considering that I'm a dead soul conduit without the ability to actually see and hear spirits. I only sense them, but Master Ziye promises me that my talents will evolve further as I grow. I'm not so sure though. At the moment I just feel like a silly little school boy without knowledge or skill. What am I say? I am just a school boy!
But that's not really why I'm writing journal. The main ordeal of my day was not having to exorcise some boxed up spirit (which I was unable to do), but my meeting with a strange Noble Captain! He wore furs and armor and was so huge that I barely came up to his chest! I was frighten at first. Of course, who wouldn't be? The man was an absolute beast! He didn't smell any better either.
You know what though? He was really very nice. He helped unstick my leg when it got caught in the floorboards and he showed me the tent that he travels around in. It was all very manly, but it was a bit to...dirty for my tastes. Do you have to be dirty to be a man? I'm not sure. I'll have to dig around in the temple library to find some more information on THAT particular topic.
Oh and the Captain's name is Bataar. Isn't that such a manly name? I hope to see the Mongolian again soon.
-Xiu
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:56 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:56 am
[ B A T T L E ]
This was it. Xiu was standing on the threshold of something life altering. He felt giddy and anxious all at the same time, not sure if he should smile or just seem impassive. What would a high ranking Noble family expect? He wasn’t sure. Though he’d have to actually knock on the gate of his parents house to actually be able to choose which expression to give.
He licked his lower lip, eyes tracing the elegant carvings of the gate before him and trying to remember if it was familiar to him. Apparently he’d grown up in this place as a child. When he tried to recall the memory, all he could think of was Master Ziye and the prayer bell at the temple. This made him wonder if his family would remember him. It had obviously been a long time, but the response to his letter days before gave him hope. His family did want to meet him, even specifying a time when he was to show up.
It was almost that time now.
Reminding himself that he was a man that that real men did get scared over family meetings, Xiu staunchly reach out and pulled the doorbell. The sound of a gong filled the air, shaking the student to his core as he waited. And waited. Shifting from foot to foot, the bell faded and he was wondered if he should ring again when one side of the ornate gate creaked open.
A young men revealed himself from the sliver of door that had opened. Xiu gazed at the boy, not much older than himself, eyes tracking over the dark brown hair and deeply blue eyes. He was decidedly handsome with his strong jaw and elegant purple scales. He was just the right amount of muscular not to be considered another weak upper class citizen.
Tentatively, Xiu smiled. “H-hello.” He bowed lowly, hiding his eagerness in the face of the stern individual. “My name is Xiu of the Lotus Temple a-and I have an appointment with the head of the Shi household.” As soon as he uttered those words, the eyes of the youth hardened into something cold and pitiless. The look frightened Xiu and he fought not to back.
“I know who you are.” The man snapped rudely. “Please, come inside and greet the Shi family.” The snide remark ended with the Lunarian’s hand unexpectedly shooting out to grab Xiu’s upper arm. With a yelp, Xiu was jerked inside, his elbows banging painfully against the wooden posts before he was thrown away.
The gates shut with a heavy thud as Xiu desperately tried not to trip in the dirt. Heart pounding his chest, he whirled around to face his attacker, only to come face to face with another male who looked very much like the first.
“This him, Quan?” The burlier of the two grunted, his curly hair pulled severely back from his face.
“Yes.” The boy, Quan, answered, approaching a baffled Xiu.
“What’s g-going on?” Xiu demanded, trying to sound stern even as his arm was being gripped again, this time by the heavier man.
“I’ll tell you what’s going on, dear brother.” Quan announced, ignoring Xiu’s sharp breath of realization. “This is an intervention. I was the one who responded to your letter. I felt that I should tell you this in person.” Skin hit skin in a loud slap and Xiu’s head whipped to the side, red marring his white skin. “Stay away from our family. Father got rid of you once. Don’t make him do it again.
“I d-don’t understand!” Xiu gasped out, head spinning. His brothers were these two and his father had abandoned him? “You’re lying! Father would never do such a thing!” The student managed to shriek, anger burning in his chest as he started to tug from his captor. Quan just laughed.
“You always were a little stupid.”
“I’m not! Explain things to me!” Xiu continued to yell.
“Why should I? You’re nothing to this family. Hui and I could say…rough you up and no one would care. You’re the worthless, unwanted third son of the Shi family.” At Quan’s words, realization settled over Xiu. This had been a set up. His mother and father still knew nothing of him and probably never would if things kept up like this. Hui and Quan seemed serious. Or at least Quan did. Hui merely continued to hold onto him with that meaty fist of his, refusing to let go.
“D-don’t do this. Please. Why do you hate me? I’ve done nothing to you.” Xiu tried not to cry as he twisted in Hui’s unyielding grasp, desperately trying to figure a way out of this bizarre situation.
“Nothing?” Quan demanded mercilessly, hand lashing out to slap Xiu again. “You hurt Mother.” Another slap. “You shamed Father.” A closed fist this time. “And you disgust your brothers.” More punches reigned down on Xiu and he could do nothing to stop it. His face throbbed, lip split wide so that blood dripped the ground while one eye swelled shut. His gut ached and he hoped nothing was broken.
For long moments Xiu endured the beating, somehow crying out only towards the end. Strangely enough, Hui never participated, merely holding him, and Xiu was glad of that. He had a feeling that one hit from the man would leave him truly broken.
It wasn’t until Xiu sagged against Hui that Quan paused, the youth panting harshly as he wiped the back of his mouth. Angrily, he spat as Xiu’s feet, expression haughty and determined.
“Leave him outside Hui.” The purple scaled Lunarian commanded. With one last look at his youngest brother, he turned on his heel and left, leaving Quan to take Xiu outside.
Xiu was limp in Hui’s arms and expected to be dashed to the earth. Instead though, he was laid down in the shade of a nearby tree, surprised by Hui’s action.
“Don’t ever come back.” Hui murmured softly, speaking for the first time, face still impassive as he shook his head almost sadly. “It’s for your own good, Xiu. I’m sorry.” At that Xiu was left watching the hulking form of his brother through one bloodshot eye.
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:57 am
RP w/Bataar over PM
Xiu goes to Bataar after being beaten up and asks the if the man will teach him how to fight. Bataar is unsure if he can help but tries anyways. Xiu is batted to the ground and that certainly DIDN'T help.
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:58 am
Dear Journal,
I feel as if my life is spiraling out of control. I don't know what to do anymore. I've been more and more afraid of things lately that hiding in the temple for the rest of my life seems a plausible solution to all of my problems.
I've finally come to terms over the fight with my brothers. At least enough to write about it anyways. I think they are what have frightened me so much. They proved that I truly am nothing more than a weak child searching for some sort of reason in life. I keep trying not to think of the horrible moment when realization dawned on me that I would never be with my blood family ever again. Somehow it hurt more deeply than the sharp punches of my brother. Those injuries, at least, will heal in time.
My heart is broken Journal. I'm crying even now and trying not to let my tears run into the ink. I don't understand why I'm not wanted. I'm trying not to dwell on the bad things in my life. I'm trying to think of how much I love Master Ziye and all the other monks. Still though, the fight with my brothers keeps playing over and over again and every time I'm filled with the same kind of gut wrenching terror. I don't know how to fight. I'm not a man. I small and I don't know anyone other than a burly Captain and a handful of devout monks. I know Master Ziye would be troubled that I'm thinking this way, however, just for the moment, I'm going to wallow in my own pity. Tomorrow I'll wake up and put all of this aside. I'll continue on with my life and focus on learning what it really means to be a man.
Oh, before I forget to mention, I went to Bataar after the fight. I'm not sure why, but I was certain the man would be able to teach me to fight. If anything he did teach me how weak I am and how much I need to learn. I think I'm going to look for a new teacher tomorrow. A better one than Bataar. Someone who'll be able to truly help me. Maybe I'll finally make a friend. I pray to the gods that this will be so.
-Xiu
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:59 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:00 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:02 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:03 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:04 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:05 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:05 am
My stomach rolled and bile rose in the back of my throat. I needed to get out of here. The street was so short it could barely be called that. It was an alley maybe. A horrible, dark alley that reeked of hopelessness. I thought this place would be a short cut, but it was only an illegal market, set up in the moonless night to sell captured animals.
I hurried faster, bumping into people and ignoring their irritated cries. Vendors tried to get my attention as well, thrusting brightly feathered birds on chains into my face and exotic looking lizards as well. Pleasantries were forgotten as I waved them all off, wanting to do or say something, but not knowing what. How could one person stop all this? I had to get to the authorities. The guards would surely take care of this mess that called itself a market.
Something needed to be done now though. The poor creatures were in pain, hurting and bleeding while no one even cared. I heard snatches of diabolical conversation, talk of killing things for theirs skin and claws or using them for hunting reserves.
Against my will, my attention was dragged to a low squeaking. The sound was pathetic and I helplessly turned to see a small tiger cub scrunched in a cage. It was just a baby and I immediately wondered where its mother was. I didn’t have to wonder long because as I lifted my head, my gazed fixed on a huge orange, striped pelt that was hung in the back of the stall, right over the cubs head.
I snapped.
Screaming wordlessly my body acted without my brain’s consent. Rushing towards anything I could get too, my hands grabbed at whatever was close. Poles were yanked and pushed over, the tarps above falling thickly onto people under then. I upturned crates and smashed open cages, not caring that my bare hands were bleeding from the abuse or that my feet ached.
People were shouting in indignation now and I didn’t care. I had no idea I was capable of such…violence. Something inside of me bloomed white hot, fed by my anger. The emotion over powered me and I cried out again just as a flash of bright light illuminated the area.
More shouts and scuffling followed, the sounds of panicked beings filling the night. I had fallen during that time, my vision blurry from the light. I saw animals racing for freedom though. Birds flew off into the night while foreign cats and dogs dashed down the street.
Not wanting to wait for the chaos to settle, I scrambled up, not caring that I was covered in dirt. I was prepared to run for it, but then that same squeaking tiger distracted me. Without even hesitating, I scooped the little thing up into my arms and sprinted off, leaving everything behind.
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