Chapter 3 - Letter 3: From Shizuka to Heishi

Letter 3
From Shizuka to Heishi
[/b]

Shizuka and I became really good friends after that. He and I played with our swords from breakfast until dinner. With him as my friend, I felt more comfortable around the rest of his family. There was only one problem with Shizuka though; every once in a while he would puzzle me with his strange talk. He spoke about one day wanting to grow up to be as beautiful as his mother and having children.

``But guys aren't supposed to be beautiful and they can't have kids either.'' I said to him one day while we were sitting in his room playing with the miniature people. Shizuka stared at me as if I had offended him by calling him a boy. He puffed up into that usual bullfrog-like face and then threw a miniature person at me. The person just barely missed my left cheek and smacked into the wall behind me. I never understood why Shizuka became so upset with just a simple question.

One clear blue morning, I awoke from my peaceful sleep to a strange noise. I slowly sat up but I wasn't fully awake. Slowly but surely, I climbed from my soft, warm bed onto the cold, hard floor. I slowly tiptoed to the window that remained open from the day before and peered outside it. A small wagon full of old furniture was stopped right outside the house next door. I squinted my eyes until they were almost closed, to try and get a better look at the people who were walking around unloading the wagon.

I was filled with excitement at the thought of someone new living next door. I hope whoever is going to be living there has a least one child, I thought. That would make three of us. That person, Shizuka, and I; we would have a lot of fun with three people. Two becomes boring after a while.

With that thought in mind I quickly slipped on my long-sleeve shirt that was at least five sizes too big for me. I grabbed my lace-up shoes and ran out of my room and down the steps.

``Oh, you are up early this morning Tenshi.'' Katana didn't even glance up from her cooking but she knew I was there. I noticed almost immediately that Tsuyoku was not in his normal spot at the table. He is always there in the morning no matter how early I woke up, but he was not there today.

``Where is Tsuyoku?'' I asked.

``Tsuyoku? Oh he's next door helping out the new people with their things. He said he would be back before breakfast. If you want to go over there and help out too that is fine, just make sure you both make it back in time for breakfast okay?'' She stopped chopping carrots for a second, glanced at me then smiled warmly.

I took that as an okay to go next door and rushed outside. Tsuyoku was trying to lift a huge dresser from the wagon as I rounded the corner into the house next door's front yard. I almost crashed into him on account of running too quickly around the corner. He smoothly turned around to face me and smiled with his usual warm, friendly smile.

``Would you like to help out Tenshi?'' he asked me as he set down the heavy dresser onto the dewy morning grass.

``Me?'' I asked with sudden excitement, ``You want me to help?''

``Well yes. Would you like to?'' he seemed a little confused with my reaction to his previous question.

``How? I'm just a little kid, how could I help you out?'' I glanced over at the huge oak dresser that Tsuyoku was trying to lift.

``Have you forgotten what I told you Tenshi?'' Tsuyoku laughed playfully.

My eyes shifted once again from Tsuyoku to the dresser. ``No,'' I answered doubtfully.

``Well then, go on. Pick it up.'' Tsuyoku stepped away from the gigantic oak dresser and made a gesture with his hand for me to step closer to the huge piece of furniture. I followed his hand and walked up to the enormous clothes cabinet that seemed to become bigger with every step. Slowly, and with a bit of worry on my face, I turned back to face Tsuyoku. ``Come on now. Just try. There is no harm in trying something.''

I slowly clasped my hands on the smooth sides of the large dresser. I was expecting it to be tremendously heavy, after-all, Tsuyoku was having trouble lifting it, so I heaved the huge piece of wood up with all my might. The next thing I knew it was in the air. My arms were holding it up into the air and I wasn't having a hard time at all. It was surprisingly easy to lift.

I couldn't believe it. Me? A eight-year-old boy lifting a gigantic dresser with ease? Tsuyoku could barely hold it three inches from the ground.

``How-?'' I was cut off by Tsuyoku's quick answer.

``I told you once before about your father and the strength that is present in all Fire people. You are one of them too you know, and even though you only have a fraction of them in you blood, you still inherit the power shared by all people from the Fire village. Your father once told me that most Fire children's strength doesn't start to develop until they are at least nine or ten, but somehow, he knew that you would be different. I was watching you the other day, when you were playing with Shizuka. I noticed something was changing inside you after you broke half of those sticks you were playing with.''

Tsuyoku seemed to be thinking hard about all of this as he stared into the distant morning sun. ``Your strength came early and is developing quickly, but don't worry, I will teach you how to control it. Your father prepared me for this.'' Suddenly he snapped out of his trance and pulled his eyes away from the sky. Slowly his gaze fell down to me and he smiled kindly. ``Enough talking. Now let's get this big thing inside. Follow me.'' Tsuyoku seemed to know where he was going, so I quickly moved my tiny legs to keep up with his wide-step walk.

Tsuyoku casually walked up the front porch steps of the neighbor's house and opened the door. He quickly moved aside, holding the door open for me, which made things much easier. I carefully carried the dresser passed the entryway and into the house.

``Tsuyoku? I thought that you were taking care of the dresser.'' An old man's kind voice called from inside one of the rooms. I could hear someone moving around the house but I couldn't see a thing with the huge dresser in my way. Tsuyoku walked over to the room that the voice had come out of.

``Well I tried, but it was just too heavy for me to carry. Tenshi here, my strong little boy, is helping out.'' Tsuyoku laughed.

``I see. I have heard of people with great strength such as that. I have never met one though. He is one of them, I take it.'' The voice came closer. I think he was standing right next to Tsuyoku but I still couldn't see him or Tsuyoku with the dresser in the way.

``Yes he is and here is your chance to finally meet one of them. Tenshi, boy, why don't you set the dresser down for a second and meet our new neighbor, Mr. Yasashi.'' Tsuyoku said kindly.

I did as I was told and set the giant dresser down with care. I moved over to where Tsuyoku was standing and gazed up and the old body that was home to the warm old voice. He smiled at me with such compassion that I think I started blushing.

The old man smoothly raised his worn and tired hand and reached out to me. I lifted my small hand and met his. While I shook hands with him I think I saw a sparkle of a memory locked inside his bright emerald green eyes. They were so wise; I could see his entire life within his eyes. I could see his pain as well as his happiness. I could not help but stare at his fascinatingly green eyes. I had never seen green eyes before. I really liked them.

I finally snapped out of the trance I was in and let his wrinkled but gentle hand go. My face burned hot with embarrassment for staring at Mr. Yasashi's eyes for so long. He must have thought I was acting funny, for he smiled the kind of smile a grown up gives to a child when they are acting silly.

``Such a nice boy, Tenshi was it? Thank you very much. Thank you for helping an old man. My grandson and I are not used to this kindness.'' Mr. Yasashi said sadly and I noticed that his bright eyes became a little darker.

``I am very sorry to hear that. Unfortunately though, there are a few people who are unkind in this world but not everyone is cruel. There are plenty of warm-hearted people out there.'' Tsuyoku smiled hopefully. ``Why take this village for example, it is filled with kind-hearted people.''

I stood there and examined Mr. Yasashi. He was very different from everyone else in the village we lived in. Almost everyone in the village had golden hair, unless they were old and their wisdom turned it white. Mr. Yasashi, however, had a bit of brown in his hair. I think it was because his wisdom had not completely taken over yet.

It wasn't just his hair though; his ears were long and pointed, just like those creatures in Shizuka's storybooks. He looks like those things… Fairies I think they were called. Yes! That was what they were called, I thought to myself while completely ignoring what Tsuyoku was talking about.

``Well now, where would you like Tenshi to put this dresser?'' I spun back into reality as Tsuyoku's voice interrupted my thoughts of one day seeing a fairy.

``Oh up stairs if you would. In the first room on the left. And thank you again for helping me out. I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own.'' Mr. Yasashi glanced down at me and smiled. I heaved the dresser up again with a small sigh and began carefully walking up the creaky steps.

As I continued up the stairway without being able to see anymore than a few inches in front of me, I wobbled a bit then continued on. Then suddenly, I heard and felt something smack into the front of the dresser. I stepped back a few inches to stop myself from falling off of the staircase. My first thought was that I had run into one of the banisters along the way up but that thought was deleted almost immediately when I heard someone yelling at me.

``Why don't you watch where you are going!?'' Banisters don't have voices, I thought to myself. It was a boy… I think…'' ``You could have killed me! You butt-monkey!'' I heard a little boy's high-pitched yell from the front of the dresser. The boy blocking my way sounded as if he was about the same age as me, but there was a sense of aggression in his tough voice.

``But I can't see where I'm going and I'm trying not to fall off the steps so you should watch where you are going. You are the one who crashed into me.'' I answered back bluntly. The boy didn't answer me. I figured it was because he knew that I was right.

``Oh yeah!? Well I still say it's your fault!'' the boy screamed in frustration. I decided to ignore him and continued carefully up the steps, trying to avoid from hitting him. ``Don't ignore me! Hey, are you even listening to me?'' he called out in anger as I slowly walked past him. I stopped to glance at the face that belonged to the voice.

Right away I noticed his green eyes, just like Mr. Yasashi's emerald green eyes, they were so bright and full of energy and life. The boy was a little bit taller than me and he had pointed ears identical to Mr. Yasashi's long ears. His hair, unlike Mr. Yasashi's, was completely brown with highlights of tan and hazel on the top. He probably doesn't have a lot of wisdom on him and that's why there's no white in his hair, I thought to myself. Suddenly something on his right cheek caught my eye. A scar? I wonder where he got that.

``What are you staring at!'' he barked. I immediately moved my eyes to the floor in embarrassment. My face was grew hot again. I knew that I was getting more and more red with each second; I could feel it, like a sudden burst of flames on my face. Periodically, I glanced up to see if the boy was still looking at me with that superior stare. He was and he looked a little annoyed, with me I think.

The boy opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but he didn't get the chance to because Mr. Yasashi's voice came through first. ``Heishi you had better not be bothering little Tenshi here. He's helping us move in so you be nice to him, you hear?'' the kind old man corrected forcefully.

``You are helping us move in?'' His questions were so quick that I didn't have enough time to answer before the next one came. ``How old are you? Where do live anyway? As a matter of fact, who are you?'' He stopped to take a breath, which gave me the time to answer.

``Me? I am Tenshi and I am eight years old. I … I live right next door.'' I counted in my mind to make sure I answered all of his questions. He asked me four questions right? Yeah I think so.

``Tenshi huh? Did you say that you were eight years old? I don't believe that! If you are only eight years old how are you lifting that huge dresser? I'm almost eleven and I can't even lift it up for a second so who in the heck are you?!'' ``Heishi'', I guess that was his name was, was cut off by Mr. Yasashi.

``Young one, leave that boy alone! And don't you use that kind of language in my house!'' Mr. Yasashi yelled, this time with a bit of irritation.

``Yes grandfather.'' Heishi answered reluctantly but obediently. He glanced over from the floor to me and smiled in a strange but friendly smile. ``Hello Tenshi. My name is Heishi. I am nine years old. Would you like me to help you with that heavy dresser?''

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, so I decided to be polite. ``Hello Heishi. Thank you for the offer, but I think I`ll be okay.'' I smiled innocently and continued my short journey up the rest of the remaining steps.

``Hey wait for me! I have to open the door for you!'' I didn't know if he was trying to be nice or if he didn't want to get in trouble for being rude again. He decided to come with me for whatever reason. He practically flew past me to the room that I was about to enter and stopped at the door. He smiled at me and then casually turned the handle to the door. It opened slowly so he gave it a small push to speed it up.

He stepped into the room first and glided across the room to the window. Heishi then opened the window with swift movements and then turned to me. I carefully walked through the doorway making sure the dresser didn't hit the sides of the doorframe.

``Why don't you just set it down over there?'' Heishi said pointing to the left back corner of the room. I did as he suggested and set the dresser down with care. I stood up straight and glanced about the empty room. For some strange reason, it was comforting to be in this room, almost as if someone I once knew lived here in this room, someone who was very important to me. It reminded me of the shadow people, whom I had forgotten about since I became friends with Shizuka.

I suddenly was flown, once again to a place very far away, the home of the shadow people. Once again I walked up the steps to the doorway and once again the three figures opened the door to greet me. The man and the woman at the same time took a small step into the light.

``Hey, Tenshi? What's your problem?'' Heishi's voice broke the trance and I was no longer standing in the forest with those three shadowed people, whom I cared about so much. ``What's wrong with you? Your eyes just went blank there for a minute. You looked like you were being hypnotized or something.'' Strangely enough, Heishi sounded like he was worried about me.

``Huh? Me? I- I'm fine.'' That was all I could say. Once again I was not able to meet those three people. It seemed as though every time they would come to see me, someone always interrupted my thoughts and scared them away.

A voice called to us from downstairs, ``Heishi! Where have you hidden my cane this time?!'' Mr. Yasashi sounded angry now, but I could still sense a bit of playfulness within him.

Heishi looked over at me and smiled with an evil playful smile. ``I have no idea grandpa. It's where you left it. Have you looked there yet?'' I was a little shocked to hear that they were related, Mr. Yasashi was wise and Heishi didn't seem to act a thing like his ``grandpa'', but they did look a lot alike. It was a little hard expect though, with the way Heishi acted.

Heishi laughed innocently but I could see right through that blameless smile as clearly as I could see through a window on a clear blue morning. He knew where his grandfather's cane was, his smile only added to the proof of that accusation.

``Don't you play games with me boy! You know I can't walk without my cane! Now where is it?!'' Mr. Yasashi yelled back to Heishi, coughed a few times, and then waited patiently for an answer. Heishi looked at me for a second and I guess he noticed the look of pity I had for his grandfather because soon after he left the room.

This was great for me because I could now see the shadow people without any interruptions. I waited patiently for them to come while trying to keep my mind clear. I thought only of them and their cozy-looking house in the middle of the forest. I stood silently still for what seemed like hours, waiting for them to float across my imagination, like they always did.

My mind, however, refused to let me see them. There was just no use; it kept wandering off, while my eyes whipped and turned, glancing at the surrounding walls. My attention was wandering away from the shadow people. Unimportant thoughts started swirling through my head. I suddenly noticed that this room, no, the entire house was extremely clean for no one living in it to take care of the dust and cobwebs. That's strange; I thought to myself, it's almost as if someone has been taking care if this house. Maybe they are waiting for someone to come back to it. But who?

My mind was stuck on the subject of the clean deserted house. I couldn't figure it out. Who would be taking care of an abandoned house? I suddenly heard Tsuyoku's voice call to me from the bottom of the stairs. ``Tenshi!''

``Coming!'' I called back while running out the doorway of the room that I had grown so attached to within the few moments that I was there. I was sad at the thought of leaving the comforting room of forgotten memories, but Tsuyoku needed me.

I quickly, but very carefully, ran down the steps of the house that looked and felt so familiar to me. I ran down and down to the spot at the bottom where Tsuyoku waited for me with his kind smile.

``Heishi is in a bit of a fix. He is having a few problems lifting some of the bigger pieces of furniture. He asked me if you would please help him.'' Tsuyoku smiled playfully.

``He actually said ``please''?'' I was a little shocked at the fact that Heishi could be polite. He didn't seem like the type of person to remember to say, ``please'' and ``thank you'', but then again, I didn't really know him.

``Well no, he didn't say ``please'' but he did ask me if I would ask you to help him.'' Tsuyoku laughed. ``So if you would …'' He didn't have to say anymore because I was already on my way before he could finish what he was saying.

Where is Heishi's room anyway? I wondered. As if he could read my mind, Tsuyoku pointed to a large room that was next to the kitchen and the living room. I think Heishi's grandfather took the biggest room, which was right next to the front door, and Heishi grabbed this room. I cautiously walked up to Heishi's closed door and tried to knock softly upon the worn wood but I was not able to control my strength and I accidentally made a small dent in the old door.

I could hear rustling behind the closed door, followed by the sound of something crashing into it. Soon after, Heishi opened the door and smiled at me. I noticed that there was a big red mark down the center of his face and suddenly it hit me, that big crash was Heishi smashing face-first into the door. I smiled weakly at the boy in front of me and hoped that he was not angry with me for giving him an awkward look.

``What are you doing here?'' he asked in a snide voice.

`` He, um Tsuyoku I mean, told me you wanted help… so I …'' I wasn't able to finish what I was saying before Heishi butted in.

``He sent you huh? I wanted him to come and help me but I guess you will have to do. Here come lift this for me, `` he commanded as he led me over to a gigantic oak bed. I reluctantly did as I was told and picked up the huge bed with ease. He jumped back in amazement. `` What's with you? How are you able to lift such big things so easily? Teach me how!''

``I can't…'' I was a little embarrassed at what he was demanding.

``Why not?!'' He sounded as if he were a bit frustrated with me as well as my answers. He puffed himself up like a bull and made himself look bigger and bigger with every second.

``Have you ever heard of… of the Fire people? Well Tsuyoku says that they are born with this incredible strength and I am one of them. You see, I can't teach you because you have to be born with it, it can't be taught to someone.'' While still holding the huge bed, I stared down at the floor. I didn't want to see the expression on his face after what I had just told him.

``Your name is Tenshi right?'' he said.

I looked up happily hoping that he wasn't mad at me. ``Yeah, yeah, my name is Tenshi.'' I laughed awkwardly.

``What does that mean? ``Angel'', right? What kind of name is that for a boy and a boy with your strength no less? Maybe you should change your name to ``Devil'', it matches your strength and your strange hair.'' He laughed playfully while pointing at the fiery spikes of my wild hair.

``Well I don't know, what kind of name is ``Heishi''?'' I answered back in a monotone. I was a little offended with his question so I suppose my answer came out sounding a little rude. He glanced over at me and we stared at each other for a little while, but then he suddenly began laughing.

I didn't see what was so funny. I didn't say anything funny so what was he laughing at? I stood there and watched him throw his head back, almost falling over with laughter.

``That was funny. You can be pretty clever sometimes. Anyway, here is where I want you to put the bed.'' He pointed to the corner that was to the right of the door and across from the window. I did as he said and carefully set the huge single bed down in the corner. I adjusted the piece of furniture so that it was perfectly parallel to the wall.

As soon as it was straight I turned around to face Heishi. ``Is that all you needed me for?'' I tried to ask politely but I think I just made myself sound like a servant more than anything.

``Yeah that's all.'' He stopped and didn't say anything for a while. The silence was almost frightening. It caused a sudden high-pitched ringing to start humming in my left ear. ``Would you mind it if I came over tomorrow?'' His mildly tan face began to turn beet-red, as did his pointy ears. For a moment, I think even his dark brown hair was turned a little red. The crimson on his face made his scar turn a dark ruby color too. I couldn't believe it; he was actually embarrassed.

His embarrassment wasn't the only thing that shocked me; I was also surprised that he had asked me a question like that. I was tongue-tied and had no idea of what to say. You are taking too long. He's going to think that you don't want him to come over. Hurry up and answer him. I kept saying this to myself, trying to force the words out quickly, but I think that I over did it a little.

``Sure, I would love it if you could come over tomorrow, it would be a lot of fun, I hope to see you out there, and you can meet Shizuka, and we'll have lots of fun!'' I spat out in a single breath. Heishi just stared at me like I had giant spiders crawling all over me. I smiled innocently hoping to cover my stupidity with a smile and a halo.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************
If this is your first time reading this then you wouldn't even notice... but I made all of my characters older in this version. (Tenshi was originally supposed to be four or five) My manga changed however so I had to make the changes here too. Just a little side note. ^^

Seifer-sama

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment