This is where Kaguya, Ichi and Fu are starting to get to know Jo better.
Chapter 8: Sleepover
A few hours later, Musaki, Ichi, Kaguya and Fu were hanging out in Musaki's room, just talking and chilling out. Kaguya turned to Musaki and told him, "That was the best Christmas story in the history of Christmas stories. I actually got teary-eyed when I heard it."
Musaki chuckled and said, "I'm glad you liked it."
"I'm glad I listened."
"Yeah, it really brought us to believe that you would endure some of your depression and grievances towards that. It got me choked up inside and all emotional and such. This is one of the many reasons why I admire you so much, because I can relate to it." Ichi said.
"You really think so?"
"Of course."
"You're just saying that to show some sympathy." Fu said.
Ichi rolled his eyes and said, "Aw, who asked you?"
"And that kid, Jo....man, he's been through a lot." Kaguya said.
"His story is so sad."
"He's really invincible in a sense."
"That's how Jo is. I've only known the guy in a few days and somehow, it feels like we've been friends forever, it seems." Musaki said.
Then, a knock came in the door and Musaki asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Po."
"Come in."
The door opens and in comes Jo, looking a little nervous, carrying his bag. Musaki asked, "Why'd you bring Jo here?"
"Well, I thought it would be cool that if Jo would join in with you guys, if that's okay with you." Po said.
"Of course it is. It's definitely fine with us, right?"
"Most definitely." Ichi said.
"Don't worry. Me and Ichi don't bite...Ichi, mostly, cause he's like super-cranky." Fu said.
"Oh, sure. This is coming from the girl who gets obsessed with pink every stinkin' time." Ichi said, sarcastically.
Musaki clicked his tongue and turned to Jo and said, "Don't worry. They're cool once you get to know them."
Jo swallowed softly and looked at Musaki in the eye and he realizes that everything will be cool as long as he's there. All of his nervousness went away in a quick second and said, "Okay."
"See, he's in good hands."
Po sighed happily and said, "Just come to my room if you need anything, okay?"
"Sure." Jo replied.
Jo walked in the room and Musaki told Po, "We're gonna have oodles of fun."
"I can tell."
Then, Po closed the door and walked back to his room, while Musaki got Jo acquainted with Ichi, Kaguya and Fu. Jo looked at all three of them and said, "So, those christmas stories. Aren't they...awesome?"
"Everyone else's was totally cool and so sweet and yours was probably the sweetest story that I've heard so far." Fu said.
Jo didn't know that they would like his story so much. He smiled and asked, "So, you didn't think it was boring?"
"Oh, no way. I think it's really sweet of you to tell us a story like this." Kaguya responded.
"There's one part of it I didn't understand. How come your parents were drug dealers?" asked Ichi.
Jo sighed and said, "I wish I knew also. Every night when I was young, they would always argue about who's keeping what and their "stash" was brought in that house and I was terrified inside knowing that one of those days, that there was gonna be a brutal fight happening. On that point, I was scared every night that when one of them sees me up, one would completely beat me up and I think my dad was the one who beat me up."
Kaguya gasped in shock and said, "What a big meanie! Why would he do that to you?"
"He can sense me being afraid. He doesn't like me to shed a tear or be scared because it shows fear and unfortunately, he just beats the living crap out of me to toughen me up."
"Man, your dad is such a-- a--" Ichi started off.
"Whack job." Musaki finished.
"Whack job! Beating you up because you were scared and vulnerable? That doesn't make any sense at all."
Jo nodded his head and sighed sadly about the whole situation. Then, he looked at them and said, "To be honest, I have an actual birth name."
"Really? What was your birthname?" asked Fu.
"Xanidor Thearr Grentow."
Ichi, Fu and Kaguya were totally confused about the birthname. Ichi looked at them in the eyes and asked, "What the heck kind of a name is that?"
"That's what my mom gave me."
"I can't even pronounce the name. Xani--Xan--What's the name change to Jo?"
"A bunch of rhino guards came in their house one night and in one door, they found the meth that they hid and--"
"Wait, meth?! You mean, the little white puffs that people use to...smoke?" asked Kaguya.
"Yep."
"And you were raised by these people?!"
"Yeah."
"What happened next?" asked Ichi.
"After they found it, they got arrested. Soon, they went to the other rooms and one guard rhino burst in my room and he saw my busted face. The other rhinos were surprised that I was in the house with them. After they took my parents away in handcuffs, they told me that I could get in foster care in the Valley of Peace and they changed my name to Jo Dakota Crevan, which is better than Xanidor Thearr Grentow."
"I can't believe your own father hit your own face. What a jerk!" Kaguya said.
"Isn't he, though? I never saw them again after that."
"How old were you?" asked Fu.
"Three."
Kaguya covered her mouth in shock and didn't know that this happened to him in a young age. She hugged him tightly and said, "You poor thing!"
"Did you tell anyone else about this?" asked Fu.
Jo nodded his head, because he was too afraid to even tell everyone he knows. He sighed and said, "To this day, I would only hope that if someone adopts me, they wouldn't do the same thing my parents did to me."
"You're lucky that you're alive." Kaguya said.
"That's not even worse?"
"What's worse?" asked Fu.
"They told me in my face that I was a financial burden to them, thinking I was responsible for getting in all this trouble for their money, simply just because I was born."
Kaguya gasped in shock and said, "That's terrible! The nerve of these people thinking that you're a burden to them for their stupid...money! I think if I would've met them, I would've knocked them out cold for mistreating you."
"You really think so?"
"Of course! Any person would be lucky to have a friend like you."
Jo smiled and said, "Thanks, you guys. I never knew I would have friends like that."
"Hey, you're cool with us. So, what do you do in your spare time?" Ichi asked.
"Well, I like to skip rocks, do kung-fu and write poems."
"You write poems?"
"Yep."
"Cool! Musaki writes songs. They're really cool songs."
Musaki chuckled and said, "I pretty much do what I can, when I have something deep inside my cranium that's personal and emotional at the same time and in my frame of mind, it has to be released in order to make it more musical and kinda connects everyone in every single way."
"You're a creative person, Musaki." Jo said.
"I get that a lot."
"Hey, tomorrow's Christmas Eve. Shifu told me there's gonna be a Christmas Party there."
"Really? Super-awesome!" Ichi said.
"Where's the party at?" asked Kaguya.
"In Mongolia Palace in Miju Valley."
"It will be so awesome to get in there to get in the Christmas Party for the holiday spirit. That would be so cool."
"I know, right?"
"Well, I haven't been to many Christmas Parties and I'm hoping that this party will be cool." Jo said.
"Hey, it will be."
Then, a knock on the door came in and Musaki said, "Come in."
The door opens and in comes Shifu, walking in and saying, "Well, there's a party of five here in this room."
Most of them were laughing with it and Ichi said, "Good one, Shifu."
"Thank you. I came over to tell you all that we're looking forward to Christmas Eve tomorrow and the Christmas Party also. We got to leave by sunset tomorrow."
"Sunset?"
"Yep. Try to get in the holiday spirit."
"We already have the holiday spirit with us." Kaguya said.
"Thanks. I was actually talking to Jo."
"I will." Jo said.
"Good then. Get yourselves some shut-eye. It's late."
"Yes, Shifu."
"Good night."
They said 'good night' also and Shifu left the room and everyone got themselves ready for bed. Ichi asked Musaki, "So, what are you getting me for Christmas?"
Musaki chuckled and said, "Dude, you have to wait until Christmas morning to find out."
"I can hardly wait."
"You can't even wait a minute longer." Fu said.
"I can too!"
"You can not!"
"Okay, you two. Can we get some sleep, please? I can't wake up in the morning looking like I'm losing my beauty sleep."
Ichi scoffed and said, "That figures. She lost it in Halloween."
"I heard that!"
Musaki and Jo were snickering at the joke and Kaguya pulled a scowling look in her eyes towards them and asked, "Something funny?"
"Nope. Nothing funny." Musaki said.
"Not at all." Jo said.
Kaguya nodded her head and went off to sleep. Musaki whispered, "She's crazy."
"Ain't it the truth?" Ichi asked.
"Good night, guys."
"Good night."
Musaki got in the bed and turned off the light as everyone drifted off to a long sleep, wondering what Christmas Eve will await them, and the party of course. It feels as though Musaki's Christmas will turn out really amazing and inside his mind will be the best experience ever.
An awesome chapter, right? Stay tuned for more!
