Chapter Four: Washi's Calling

According to the White Lotus, young Eddy Fuller lived in southern Ohio. He was an only child, and his parents were ignoring his gift as best they could. There was also a note by his name that the Elites had attempted to recruit the earthbender but failed. Kaiya thought this was a good sign. So towards southern Ohio they were headed.

They were passing disastrously close to Washi's neck of the woods, and before long he was having wicked flashbacks of driving the same stretch of road on other, shorter road trips.

"What's wrong?" Kaiya asked from the back seat as Washi took the next exit without giving his passengers any warnings of a break.

"I need some air," Washi said shortly, pulling into a Taco Bell parking lot and quickly getting out of the van. Out of the car, Washi tried to fight the pressure he suddenly felt in his chest. He was so close to his family, he could expect to see them any minute. His older brother and his parents must be wondering by now what the hell had happened to him.

Washi tried to tell himself that that wasn't his life anymore, but he couldn't shake the memories. He used to be the golden kid, the guy everybody automatically liked. The guy everybody knew was going to make it in whatever he decided to do with his life.

Unless it was sword fighting.

Washi walked the length of the parking lot, trying to breathe. Since deciding to help Kaiya, he hadn't once thought about what his life would have been like without her. Now, so close to his old life, he began to doubt.

*****

Ten Years Ago

"Hey, little Oliver, you're on," Mrs. Larken said, popping her head into the band room.

"I'm ready," Washi said calmly.

"Sure you are, little man," Mrs. Larken said sarcastically. The boy had messed up all his lines in dress rehearsal and she found him incredibly pitchy the last few rehearsals. If she never saw Washi Long on stage again, it would be too soon.

Washi glared at her. He was only thirteen. He wasn't even supposed to be here, but they needed an Oliver. And they couldn't find anyone willing in the high school. Until Tad had volunteered Washi. Leave it to his older brother to ruin his life. "I'm ready. And I'm not little," Washi said angrily, walking out of the band room and into the backstage area. "I'm ready," he repeated to himself before going out with the other kids in the opening number.

Mrs. Larken watched from the sidelines, nervous for the kid. A humiliation like this could change the rest of his life. Then something strange happened. A change went over Washi's face when he went onto the stage, and Mrs. Larken noticed it at once. The boy went from Washi Long to Oliver Twist in two steps. He didn't miss a line. He didn't trip over the blocking. And, although his singing wasn't perfect, Mrs. Larken noticed the choir director nod in approval from the other side of the stage.

Washi Long was going places in the theater department.

*****

Five Years Ago

Washi bounced on the balls of his feet off stage. It was his last performance of his high school career. Mrs. Larken had asked him personally what he thought the play should be that year. He'd told her his honest opinion, and she'd been very surprised.

"You're sure?" she'd asked, backing away from him slightly, as if she were trying to read him.

What was he supposed to pick? They'd done Grease and they'd done Footloose. They'd even gone a little crazy and, despite the best efforts of the head of the PTA, had pulled off Sweeney Todd the year before. What was left to fill out Washi's high school theater career?

Honestly, he didn't know why she'd acted so surprised. You'd think he'd wanted to do The Bald Soprano. Although, come to think of it, that would have been highly entertaining as well. Maybe he could get the summer acting camp to do it.

Mrs. Larken had also been surprised by Washi's casting choices. He hadn't taken the lead, or what people always assumed was the lead in this. Instead, Washi had cast a girl for that role and went after an ass for himself. Mrs. Larken told him he was nuts.

Until opening night. Then Washi thought the woman was going to kiss him. Thank God she'd resisted the urge.

The curtain went down. The actors ran off stage, Washi ran on and took his previous place, without the ears and tail. The curtain went up.

"When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer. My next is: 'Most fair Pyramus.'" Washi jumped up and delivered the next few lines. When he got to the reason he'd picked Bottom and A Midsummer Night's Dream, he looked out at the audience, all of whom were starring at him expectantly. He knew then they were there to see him. The locally famous Washi Long was doing Shakespeare in High School. He'd chosen the play, he'd done the casting, and he'd made it the place to be Friday night. "Methought I was – and methought I had – but man is a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought I had." Washi walked across the stage so he was standing in the center. "The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was."

As he finished the play, Washi couldn't help but laugh at himself between scenes at the sad fact of the matter. Washi Long had totally made an ass out of himself.

And they loved him for it.

*****

Two Years Ago

"Here's to the man!" Tad yelled at the top of his lungs. The whole bar cheered.

Washi took the beer his brother offered and drank it down without thinking about it. This act was answered by even more cheers from his high school friends, his college friends, and several of his frat brothers who came along for the ride and to make sure Washi made it to the theater on time the next day.

"That's the ticket, baby brother!" Tad said, slapping him on the back. "Happy birthday, man!"

Washi laughed, though he didn't know what was funny. "Hey, thanks," he said, for lack of something better.

"I don't tell you enough, Washi, but I'm proud of you," Tad said. "You're going to make something of yourself. I can see it. You're not going to make any of the stupid mistakes I made."

Washi hit his brother in the back of the head. "What are you talking about? Your life is great, Tad! Carly really loves you, and you gave Mom a grandkid, and you've got a job…" Washi lost his train of thought for a moment. "And, you know, I'm going to be living in a cardboard box."

Tad laughed and shook his head. Then he pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket. "No, man, you're not."

"What's that?" Washi asked.

"A present," Tad said. "Idiot. Open it."

Washi did as he was told. The box contained a set of keys with a Halo keychain attached. "No way!"

"The correct answer is 'yes way!'" Tad replied.

"You are not giving me Sheila."

Tad shrugged. "Well, technically, Mom is giving you Sheila, as it is still in Mom's name, but the end result is the same."

Washi blinked at the keys. "Okay, so I amend my previous prediction," he tried to say. He wasn't sure how well it turned out. "I will be living in my van. Down by the river."

Tad laughed and clapped Washi on the back again. "Nah, man, you're going to do great things. You're already the best actor in your class. You'll make it. You really will."

"You have to say that because you're my brother."

"No, actually, because I'm your brother, I should be saying how much you suck and to get a real job already instead of applying to all these acting workshops and camps and whatnot." Washi laughed. Tad continued, "No, man, you're going to be great. Just you wait. The world will know the name Washi Long. And, you know, once they get over making fun of you for that disastrous name…"

"Yeah, that'll never happen."

"…they'll realize how totally awesome you are. You, my little brother, have found your calling. Don't ever let anybody convince you otherwise."

****

Present Day

It would have been easy for Washi to turn back then. He could hand Hahn the keys and just walk away. It might take a while, but Washi could have his old life back. He could be more than locally famous. And he would make his brother proud of him.

Washi took a deep breath.

"Where are these lads?" he whispered to the sky. "Where are these hearts?" He looked back at the van. Hahn and Hotaru were whispering to each other. Kaiya kept looking back and forth from the other two to Washi.

"Not a word of me," Washi said to himself at length. He sighed and shook his head. "In any case, let Thisby have clean linen; and let not him that plays the lion pare his nails, for they shall hang out for the lion's claws. And," Washi added after thinking a moment, "most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more words: away!"

Washi got back into the van, and when they asked if he was all right, he repeated, "I just needed some air."

He didn't look back or stop again until he was far away from that old part. Some day, Tad would be proud of him. Everyone would know who Washi Long was. And it would be a surprise to those who had known him when he was in school, but they would all understand in the end. Washi had always known what he was doing when he took a part, and he never gave up on one. He wasn't about to doubt himself now.

Washi Long had made a complete ass out of himself, thrown his whole other life away. And one day, when the curtain went down, the world would love him for it.