(-- --)
Chapter 9
Partners in Crime
(September 19, 2051, Tuesday)
If anything could be said about the five Kitaki children, it was that they were partners in crime. They were all willing to cover for each other when someone got into trouble. One of them would confess to the crime before the others would say it was their fault instead. This tactic had a 90% chance of getting all of them off the hook because of lack of evidence and mind games.
The ringleader was Henry, the oldest Kitaki child. He was seven and incredibly mischievous and curious. He looked like his father, except his hair did not look like a fox. Perhaps he was inspired by his father's hairstyle to be like the fox: cunning, clever, quick, and witty. Ema had a theory that if Henry was separated from his brothers and sisters, his siblings would behave like perfect angels. All of the ploys that frequently got him and his siblings in trouble were thought up by him.
Second in command was Anthony, the second oldest Kitaki child. He was six and like Henry, he was intelligent and clever. He often acted cool and mature. He usually served as the conscience for his brothers and sisters. He often went along with Henry's schemes without question, only stopping them before they got too out of control. Time to time, he would help Henry plot. He looked a lot like his Aunt Maya and Aunt Iris with black hair and gray eyes. He had a terrible weakness for sweets, often behaving more like the child he was supposed to be. His favorite snack was the muffins his family serves at their bakery.
Next was Nick. He was five. He was bold, confident, and daring for his age. Because of that, he was always getting cuts and scrapes. Maggey knew that the hospital would become Nick's second home once he got older. He'd have to go there to get patched up after some kind of adventure, and soon, the whole hospital staff would know him by name. Nick was usually the one to carry out Henry's plots. Nick liked any challenge, but it was always because of him that the five siblings got into trouble. He was the closest to his sisters, and he was always the one to defend them. He had his mother's looks: brown hair and green eyes.
Finally, there were the twin girls, Mia and Lily. They were four. They were spirit mediums in training. They loved to bake and under the influence of Maya, they loved the Steel Samurai franchise. But when they weren't training, baking, or watching The Steel Samurai, they were following after their brothers, joining in whatever scheme Henry recently came up with. Mia and Lily were cheerful and refined like their mother. Ema couldn't help but note how similar they were to her twin daughters. The two girls had long black hair and green eyes. They were fully aware that one of them would have to take up the position of Master of Kurain Village, so they made a deal. The twin with the stronger power would become Master and the other would take over the Kitaki muffin business (which has now expanded to a bakery).
Today, the five Kitaki children fell into the footsteps of tradition.
It was September. There was a cool breeze passing through the Winding Way as the five kids were playing with a Steel Samurai ball that once belonged to their mother.
Henry held up the blue ball and pointed down the sheltered wooden walkway. "Anthony, go long!" he ordered.
"Henry, I don't think you should--" began Mia.
"Oh, be quiet Mia."
"Don't talk to her like that!" scolded Nick.
Henry stuck his tongue out at his brother and pointed down the walkway. "Anthony, go long!" he repeated.
Anthony rolled his eyes and ran down the path. Henry threw the ball at him. Maybe it was the wind that was partly responsible for what happened next. The ball slipped through Anthony's fingers and collided with the blue, Sacred Urn that housed Ami's ashes and spirit. The blue ball bounced onto the floor before ceasing movement. Henry, Anthony, Nick, Mia, and Lily stared at the broken urn with wide eyes and dumbfounded faces.
"Henry, you--" said Lily.
"Ssh! Don't say it!" he interrupted hastily.
The five kids gathered around the broken urn.
"Mystic Maya and Mother are going to kill us," said Mia.
"They don't have to know," answered Henry.
"Do you not see what you did, Henry?" Anthony asked coolly. "You broke Mystic Ami's urn and scattered her ashes on the floor."
"You set her spirit free," added Lily. "Our spiritual power is going to disappear now!"
Henry grabbed Anthony and Lily's sleeves. In a low voice he said, "Look, no one has to know that we broke the urn. Nick, go to the kitchen and get the dustpan. Make sure it's empty and clean and it isn't wet after you wash it."
"You're not thinking of throwing away the ashes, are you?" asked Mia.
"No, dummy. We just scoop up her ashes into the dustpan while we repair the urn," explained the boy. "Lily, go get a white cloth and some glue. Anthony, go keep a lookout over there. Mia, keep a lookout on the opposite end for anyone who might be approaching."
His brothers and sister did as they were told. Nick headed for the kitchen. Lily went into the Side Room to find glue and a white piece of cloth. Anthony went to watch for anyone on the east side of the Winding Way while Mia went to keep a lookout on the west side. Henry began picking up the big pieces of the urn. Lily promptly came back from the side room. She laid out the cloth and her brother placed the pieces on top of it. They sat down and began piecing the fragments together.
Nick ran back to the Winding Way with the dustpan in hand. "Got it!"
"Good. Now start sweeping the ashes into the pan," ordered Henry.
Nick knelt down and did as he was told.
Lily turned and flipped the fragments around. "I think this piece goes with piece," she said, grabbing another fragment. She tried fitting them together.
"Are you sure?" asked Henry.
"Make sure it actually says "AMI" on it," said Anthony, craning his neck to see down the hallway.
"And hurry up!" added Mia.
"You can't rush art," Henry replied sarcastically, gluing two pieces together.
"You'll have to rush it if you don't want Mom and Mystic Maya to find out," said Nick.
"You all aren't going to rat out on me, are you?" asked Henry.
"Of course not," said Nick. "Even if it was your fault you broke the urn, we stick together no matter what."
Lily snatched the glue from her brother and began gluing the pieces that had words on it. After some rearranging, a big chunk finally read "AMI" with a few paint splotches. Suddenly enlightened, she quickly pieced the urn back together.
Henry blinked a couple of times. "You're ridiculous," he replied.
Lily beamed. "Thank you!"
Nick picked up the dustpan and poured Ami's ashes into the newly constructed urn. Lily replaced the cover and gingerly set the Sacred Urn back on the table. Anthony and Mia left their posts to admire the urn.
"It looks as if someone didn't knock it over at all," remarked Mia.
"It still has those ugly paint splotches though," said Anthony.
"Mia! Lily!" called Maya.
The five kids hastily moved shoulder to shoulder, covering the urn behind them.
"Mia, Lily! It's time for your training!" Maya appeared at the doorway of the Winding Way. She spotted her three nephews and two nieces. Their behavior looked most peculiar. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," they chorused together.
Maya wished she had her magatama. She was sure there were a lot of Psyche locks around them at the moment. She waved, gesturing to the Meditation Room. Mia and Lily stole a glance at their brothers before leaving the Winding Way. Maya took one last suspicious glance at the three boys before following after her nieces.
(-- --)
That night in the kitchen, Maya and Pearl were on dish duty. Pearl was the one soaping the dishes while her cousin washed them off and dried them with a towel.
"Hey, Pearly, guess what?" began Maya.
"Hm?"
"I think your kids broke Mystic Ami's Sacred Urn."
Pearl smiled. "How do you know?"
"I found tiny blue porcelain fragments and remnants of her ashes on the floor."
They looked at each other and smirked. Perhaps the Fey clan was doomed to repeat the act of breaking the urn over and over again.
"How many times does that make now?" asked Pearl.
"Over three."
"Maybe we should transfer her spirit and ashes to another urn. It should be one that won't break so easily."
Maya laughed. "You go find it. In the meantime, I think I'm going to guilt trip your kids until they confess."
"Oh, that sounds amusing. I'll leave you to it. Although, I suggest cracking Anthony first. The bakery is right down the street after all."
Finally a chapter about the Kitaki kids!
As I was thinking about the five kids, I began comparing them to different animals. Henry was a fox, Anthony was the rat from the Chinese zodiac, and Nick was a tiger or a lion. I wasn't quite sure about the twins. Henry was originally going to be another Richard, but I decided against it. The Japanese name for the Kitakis is "Kitakitsune," and you often see something about the fox on Wocky (his hair), his mother (her kimono), and his father (his apron) so it would make sense that one of the kids has to be like the fox. I believe that because Henry lives in Kurain Village, he's often bored so he starts using his wit and intelligence to cause some trouble and liven things up. He takes pleasure in seeing what would happen if he did something out of the ordinary.
Other than Henry, I think Anthony is another favorite of mine. I like that he has like a double personality, one of which can only be unlocked by sweets. I find it reminiscent of Chris from Alice 19th.
I rather like the five mischievous Kitaki kids. Perhaps I should write about them again later.
Next chapter: A new Marshall is in town!
