Ain Ghazal: Accounts of a Gazelle-man
By Son Rhandi
Chapter 05: "Enkidu Starts His Schooling"
"Watch it now, Enkidu…"
"Enkidu! If you get ripped to shreds, I won't forgive you!"
The boy breathed deeply and prayed he wouldn't lose his footing on that muddy river bank. The zebras were on the move again, catapulting themselves into the swollen Pangani river and paddling to make it to the other side. Daggerhorn and Lionardo were there, too, cheering words of encouragement to the child. Enkidu's ears shifted. A sickening bray from a young colt came from his far right. He cast a brief glance over as the giant croc clamped its jaws into the small zebra and thrashed about in the water. Enkidu swallowed hard.
Cautiously, he moved closer to where the zebras were plunging into the water, careful not to bring himself underfoot. Well, underhoof… At the desired point, he kept his coal-black eyes fixated where the land met water and waited, ears turned forward, listening for any sign of approach.
"No, you don't, Enkidu..!" Lionardo bellowed from up above. "Put on that blindfold!"
Enkidu snapped his fingers. He was hoping they'd forget. Sighing, he pulled the white cloth from his back pocket and tied it tight to cover his eyes. Now was the time to really focus. The boy did as best he could to block out the din of zebras braying and churning up the water ahead of him and listen for the breach, that rush of air, the chopping of water……
There! Enkidu swung his foot out for a high kick, connected with something hard. Quickly pulling down the blindfold, the young fawn's eyes widened to find an assaulter croc with its lower jaw hanging by a few weak sinews. Horrified, Enkidu scuttled back to the embankment while the mortally wounded crocodile made its own retreat into the water. Daggerhorn and Lionardo slapped their knees and hooted, the boy looking as though he would wet himself.
"Enkidu…" His father wiped a tear from his eye and got out his last few laughs. "Good job, Enkidu…"
The buck stood up, dusted off the dirt and grass from his backside and patted his son on the head.
"Daggerhorn," Lionardo moved to join him. "I think this prove it: Enkidu's finally ready for formal training." He ended on a somewhat excited note.
"Yeah, yeah, but let's leave it up to him, huh?" Daggerhorn dropped to one knee and placed a broad hand on his son's shoulder. "So how about it, Enkidu? You ready to become a Chôjin wrestler?"
The little fawn's ears drooped. "I won't have to fight any more crocodiles, will I?"
"Hmmm……" Daggerhorn rocked his head back and forth, stroking his chin. "Lionardo, what's the curriculum look like?"
The lion chuckled and waved his hand from side to side. "Don't worry. No crocodile wrestling until the second year."
"Well, son, there's your answer. I wouldn't worry about it, though. You're a pretty powerful kid. You can do anything. I guess we see you down at the school tomorrow, Lionardo."
And so, they went their separate ways.
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The next day, Enkidu sat kicking his legs in the air, his feet still not quite able to touch the ground seated. His ears tensed and shifted, following the scribbling of his uncle's pen.
"And sign here… Here, here, and here. Gonna need your signature here, too."
Daggerhorn rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. He had signed so many forms, his wrist was starting to cramp. "Are we almost done?" He huffed.
"You should be grateful you have this little to do," Lionardo stated, flipping to the next form. "I filled out most of Enkidu's information already, saving you days of work. You should cook my dinner for a week in gratitude."
"If that's the case, I hope you like vegetables."
Lionardo's face faulted. "I can't survive on millet and grass seven days a week like you can. Are you trying to starve me to death?"
"You could stand to lose the weight, anyway..!" Daggerhorn had to laugh. The lion's whiskers drooped.
"I'm not in my twenties anymore, you know! Anyway, don't talk to me about weight loss when you're hiding your love handles under a name brand t-shirt!"
Daggerhorn wrapped his arms around his waist. "That… That is where I store the love for my son! What's your excuse?"
"Gah..! I don't need to answer to you! Sign here!" He slammed the last paper on the desk. The buck stuck out his tongue and took his sweet time putting his signature down.
Enkidu stifled a giggle. It was always fun being around his dad and uncle together. Lionardo leaned over the desk and patted the fawn on the head. "It looks like I'll be seeing you around here now, Enkidu," said the lion. "You can start tomorrow, if you'd like."
The boy looked up at his father with huge, shimmering eyes. Daggerhorn nodded, and Enkidu turned back to his uncle, giving an enthusiastic bob of the head. "Before you go," Lionardo started. "I need you to sign something.
Daggerhorn slapped his forehead. "Not you, moron," said the lion. Opening a side drawer in his desk, he took out another form and slid it before Enkidu. "This is your official title document." The ol' cat explained, taking a ball-point pen from his pocket. "Most wrestlers don't use their given names, so, if you want, put down a wrestling tag and that's what you'll be known as."
Enkidu took the pen in his milky white hands and looked at his father once again. The buck crossed his arms. "What are you looking at me for?" He asked, smiling. "The paper is on the desk."
The child licked his bit's a bit and grinned. He knew exactly what name to choose. He put the point to the paper and wrote it out as best as 10 year-old could. "Done..!" He announced proudly, returning both pen and paper to his uncle.
Smiling, Lionardo took the form in his hand and read it over. His furry face faulted. "Gazelle Man..?"
Enkidu nodded, looking rather proud of it. "Well, it's awfully plain, but it's the wrestler that makes the name. Class starts tomorrow at 9. Be sure to have pencil and paper ready. Good luck… Gazelle Man."
Lionardo grinned and extended a paw to the child, whose hand met his and disappeared within his claw.
Yes, tomorrow would be the big day. Enkidu could hardly contain himself. He would grab his bed's pillow and practice the move taught to him by father and uncle: the mount punch, all the holds, and various suplexes… He wasn't just little Enkidu anymore, he was the super heroic Gazelle Man, faster than a cheetah, able to leap Mt. Kilimanjaro in a single bound..! And this Gazelle Man was real, not just a figment of his playtime antics.
Sleep was a fleeting bird for the lad, too wired to catch it. Morning didn't wait for him, tough. Ol' Sol rose the way it always did, only when it was good and ready and always on its own terms. The young fawn rubbed his eyes. He couldn't remember when it was he had actually dozed off, but from the way he felt, it couldn't have been long ago. Giving the back of his head a good scratch, he threw his blanket from his body and proceeded to make his bed. Perfect, as always. Enkidu reached under his bed, pulling out a blue, vinyl backpack. Uncle Lionardo said he would need pencils and paper the first day, so he made sure to pester his dad to stop in town and pick up supplies. From there, the fawn moved to his dresser and opened the top drawer, his favorite outfit folded neatly on top: an oversized black and white striped t-shirt and khaki shorts.
The preparations complete. The boy headed to the kitchen for a quick breakfast before setting out. Dad was up bright and early, he noted, the buck quietly sipping coffee and reading the morning paper. "Mornin', dad," Enkidu chirped, sliding into a seat.
Daggerhorn looked up from his paper. "Well, if it isn't Gazelle Man, ready to start his official Chôjin training." He smiled and poured for his son a bowl of millet porridge, which the boy attacked mercilessly. The buck noticed his son's attire and raised a brow. "Why are you wearing that?"
"Huh?"
"You're in training now, my boy. No need for you to be in your street clothes. Go take them off when you're done."
Enkidu's ears drooped. "But… why…?"
"Remember when I showed you my scrapbook? You didn't see any pictures of me in regular clothing, did you? Our natural markings are beautiful and best remembered, so keep that in mind. That outfit won't match what I have for you, anyway."
A surprise? Enkidu hurriedly slurped down the contents of the bowl and dashed to his room to change. He reappeared wearing his normal attire of red and white with gray suspenders. His father rose from the seat with a slight grunt and beckoned for the boy to come. Enkidu followed the buck into his bedroom. "Close your eyes and no peeking!"
The fawn put his hands over his eyes with a giggle. His ears shifted as he heard something slide against the floor. Whatever it was must have been under his father's bed. "Okay. Open up."
Enkidu uncovered his eyes. His ears quirked to the side, a puzzled him staring at the long box which his father held. "Well? Take it."
The fawn wrapped his hands 'round the dark gray box and pried off the lid. Inside were a pair of ash gray boots and royal blue knee pads and shin guards, one pair each and highly polished. "They'll fit you well, I think," said Daggerhorn, beaming. "The boots are a new style, but the gear is the same model that I wore when I was your age. Go ahead and try them on."
Enkidu plopped on the floor and wiggled his feet into them. The boots were long and snug, devouring his legs and stopping just below the knee. Protective gear came next, making tighter the already form-fitting footwear. The boy rose and walked around a bit, tapping his toes on the thatched floor. "They're comfortable enough," the fawn smiled. "Thanks, dad."
"No problem. You should be on your way now. Don't want to be late the first day, do you?"
Enkidu shook his head fiercely, giving his dad a tight ring around the neck and dashed out of the room and out of the hut. Daggerhorn was beaming. He strolled to the outside where he could see his son making his way over the horizon, galloping to his first day of school.
…School?
…Did Enkidu even know how to get there?
"Enkidu! Wait for meeee!!"
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And so, by one grace or another, the young fawn made it to the school on time, but he was by no means the first student there. A throng of children Chôjin -- about thirty or so was his guess -- were gathered at the school's gate. A few were conversing, most were just minding their own selves, looking around, waiting for the gate to open. Enkidu looked to the sun, shielding his eyes with one hand. …Five till nine, by sun's face. With five minutes to spare, the fawn decided to use the time to check out the competition. Most of the kids were animal Chôjin, he noticed. There were a few humanoids, too, and a few he didn't know what to make of-- his ears shot straight up when he laid eyes on one with a huge hand for a head-- but in any case, he was confident that he'd outdo them all. He was, after all, the savior of Tanzania, the great Gazelle Man.
Someone had cried an approach, he caught with those fine ears of his. Sure enough, two elephant-men-- human-faced, like himself, but with large ears and long, protruding tusks -- decked out in shiny, black armor marched dignified to the gate, one moving to either side. They put their strapping shoulders to the cranks, slowly turning the wheels and parting the wooden gate little by little. When the job was done, they bellowed for the young Chôjin to line up two by two and enter accordingly. Past the gate, another wooden structure came into view, just a lacquered platform, but there was a figure standing dead center on it. When he was close enough, he could see that it was Uncle Lionardo there, standing proud and tall in his gleaming yellow armor. When all the young Chôjin and arrived, Lionardo began to speak.
"Welcome," he began in his deep, booming tone. "To this great and glorious country. Look around you: The mahogany trees of our forests, the golden tall grasses, the animals, predator and prey alike, the dark, smiling faces of our humans… By entering these gates, you promise to protect these things, the treasures of our home, Tanzania. Here, you will learn the fundamentals of Chôjin wrestling and, more importantly, what it means to be a Justice Chôjin. God gave us superpowers so that we could protect ordinary humans. You are a beacon of justice first and a wrestler second. Always remember that."
Enkidu flicked away a gnat that had settled on his ear. Uncle's a good speaker, he thought.
"Look to the person next to you," Lionardo commanded. Enkidu turned his head to find a boxy young lad looking back at him. "This person that you're looking at, this will be your partner. The power of a Justice Chôjin is fueled by friendship. So then, get to know your partner and form friendship ties in this next hour. Dismissed..!"
Enkidu scratched his head and turned to his new partner. He was… different, to say the least. From what the fawn could see, the whole of his body was just a big, metal crate, toned arms protruding from the sides and thick, stocky legs underneath. Attached to his right upper arm was a telephone. A tray of sorts came out a little way from his chest, or rather, where his chest would be. His eyes were cat-like, large with vertical slits for pupils, contrasting the broad, metal nose guar descending from his domed helmet. "…They call me the Fax," said the boy, a little hesitantly.
The telephone on his arm made sense, then… "Hi. My name's Enki-- Er, Gazelle Man. Nice to meet you."
"Gazelle Man…" His mouth's left corner turned upward slightly. "It's plain, but I like it."
"It's the wrestler that makes the name. You realized that, too, I take it." Fax nodded in understanding. "Is this all your body?" Gazelle asked, lightly tapping his form.
The machine child nodded and knocked on his stomach area with a solid 'thunk'. "Yeah. It's a heavy body, so I can't more around very fast. Or very well, for that matter? How about you? Is all that a costume?"
"No way!" Exclaimed the fawn. "See?" He lowered his head and flapped his ears. Fax blinked, then laughed heartily. "Now that's just darn cute..!" He got out his last few laughs and said, "Gazelle Man, I think you and I will be friends easily." He extended his hand.
Gazelle nodded and met him in a handshake. "The power of a Justice Chôjin is the power of friendship. We'll be better superheroes for it!"
