AN: Before anyone says anything, I do know that the Shumi's speak in third-person. But realize that Mr. Larug has been isolated from his tribe for a long time so he has dropped that habit. Additionally, he is a unique person so not everything applies to him. I hope you'll all see by the end. Also, this story was inspired by Christopher Pike's story of the same name, so you should check out his books sometimes. Just wanted to pre-empt those questions first, anyways on with the story!
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-Bamboo Chapter Two: Story-
"You ask why I do this? It is so that the spirits in my house will leave it to go live in the bamboo," Mr. Larug said in his heavily accented voice. It was almost difficult to understand him.
Seifer snickered. "You believe in spirits? There are no such things as spirits."
Mr. Larug stopped his planting and studied him closely.
"What are you then?" he asked.
Seifer fidgeted; he was not someone who could sit still. If he wasn't chasing another kid he was usually running away from an adult.
"I don't know, a kid," he declared brilliantly.
"But what is inside a kid?" Mr. Larug asked curiously, apparently interested in his answer.
Seifer laughed. "Blood and guts!"
"Don't be gross," Quistis snapped. She was always telling Seifer to behave, which usually had the opposite effect and egged him on instead. Quistis was not stupid; I think she knew what she was doing- she knew that with Seifer there was never a dull moment. She was a brown stick that summer, ready to sprout. Seifer had twenty pounds on both of us and he gave Quistis a playful shove.
"But that's what's inside us," he said. "If we didn't have skin, we'd all be disgusting looking. This old man should know that, he comes from a place where everyone's dying."
"Please forgive our friend," I said to Mr. Larug. "He's a moron and doesn't know when he's being rude.
Mr. Larug studied me, his gaze penetrating. I wondered if he was like one of those Sorcerers and could read my mind. "You are no moron," he said seriously. "You are... an old soul."
"Are there really old ones and young ones?" Quistis asked.
He nodded. "Yes. Just as there are old and young people."
"What am I?" Quistis asked.
His expression darkened. "You're a special one." He paused. "Would you kids like some sweet lisca?"
"I don't think so," Seifer said. "Not if it's Shumi food. I heard all Shumi food is full of maggots and pieces of Cactuar. If we eat it we will barf our guts out.
"Lisca is a Shumi drink made up of elixir, milk, and sugar," Mr. Larug told him. "But I made this pitcher with Winhill milk and sugar. I purchased the elixir from a Galbadian merchant, so you have nothing to fear." He turned toward his porch. "You can have some if you like, I'm going to have a drink."
"I want some," Quistis said as she skipped after him. "I want to hear a story too. I like stories."
"So do I," I seconded. "Tell us a story about spirits."
"Evil spirits," Seifer jumped in, following us on to the porch. "Ones that live in bamboo."
Minutes later, when we were all settled on Mr. Laruga's porch drinking his white-colored lisca- Quistis liked it; I was undecided; Seifer hated it- Mr. Larug told us that there was a story about an evil spirit and bamboo in one of Shumi's holy books. We had told him our names and he explained that his name meant "Odin", which was a word for a god spirit. I thought it was pretty cool to be named after a god.
"It is from the Salavad Kuruna," he said, referring to the story. "That means the tales of blessed Hyne. It is a very thick book and filled with many wonderful tales."
"Did your father read it to you when you were young?"
"Yes. And I read it to my children when they were young."
"Where are your children now?" Quistis asked before I could stop her. She didn't know as much of Mr. Larug's history as I did since she wasn't present when Sis told me. But he wasn't bothered by Quistis' question.
"They are living in rich lands I have never visited." He paused, and I knew he was talking about reincarnation or perhaps the afterlife; he believed his dead family had been reborn in better surroundings. Even though I was eight, I understood his words. I also wondered if the mother I never knew was in those lands but then I shook the thought off. No use thinking about it after all.
"Tell us the story,' Seifer said impatiently.
Mr. Larug hesitated. "This story is frightening. I don't know if your parents would appreciate an old man from Shumi Village scaring you."
"We don't have parents. We live in an orphanage about a mile that way and taken care of by the Kramers," I said pointing in the general direction of the orphanage. "Besides, Sis always lets me buy horror magazines when we go to town."
"Matron once took me to a haunted house before," Quistis said. "She said it's OK to be scared sometimes."
"I once saw Bahamut," Seifer said with a laugh.
Mr. Larug was reassured. He set his lisca down.
"Very well. Let me begin the story..."
-End Bamboo Chapter Two: Story-
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() relates to the Bhagavad Purana ("Tales of the blessed lord") in Hindi. I took the concept of the book from this.
AN: I bet you guys are just lovin' Seifer now right? Hehe don't worry, it'll only get better. This is one of the stories where it won't dazzle you with bright shiny things, but it will have solid content, I promise. I don't know how many chapters there's gonna be, but there will be a few. I already know where it's headed by the way, and have the ending planned out. If any of you can guess it, I'll give you something good. See you guys on the next chapter, don't forget to R/R!