A one-shot for the LJ community IYfic Contest. The theme was "Weapon Origin."

Title: Plowshares into Swords
Rating: K+
Genre: general
Pairing: n/a
Word Count: 490
Summary: You get on Ma's bad side and she'll mess you up.

I was boilin' the rice for our supper when I heard Jinenji cry out for me. He sounded scared, hurt maybe. It was them again, had to be. Those kids from the village, come back to point and gawk at my poor little boy; blasted horrible brats with nothing better to do than sneak up here to laugh at him, just on account of he's different.

Lately though, it ain't just been laughin'. They've been gettin' bolder, more cruel. Last week when I was away doin' the wash, a gang of them jumped him. Pushed him down in the mud. Held him there and pulled up a bunch of our plants; made a mess of the garden. When they got tired of that, they turned on him, kickin' and punchin' and who knows what else. When I got back he was just layin' there, bleedin' in a half-dozen places, dirt smeared all down his face, 'cept for where the tears washed it away.

He might be bigger than them, but he don't fight back. He don't know how.

It's up to me to keep him safe. Problem is, more and more those village boys don't pay no heed when I yell at them to get. They know their parents won't punish them. Heck, maybe it's their parents who send them up here in the first place.

"Ma!" Jinenji definitely sounded more than scared. He sounded hurt. I dropped my cooking spoon and ran right out. A gang of them was circled around him, chuckin' rocks. My poor boy was just huddled there, tryin' to cover his face with his arms. He was already startin' to bleed in places where the rocks hit him.

My hands clenched into fists, and I yelled as loud as I could, "You get away from him! I mean it!"

They only laughed and chucked more rocks while my boy started to cry. "Quiet, ya old witch, or you'll be next!" They was gettin' bolder all right; too bold. They didn't mind what I said at all.

I can't say exactly what came over me then, but I guess if you're a mother you'd know how I felt. Nothing mattered then except protectin' my boy, so I grabbed the first likely thing I saw--it was my good hoe--and just charged in swingin'. They didn't expect it, that's for sure. In fact, I think I taught those village boys a few lessons before they all turned tail and ran back to their Mas. Let's just say that Jinenji weren't the only one who needed bandagin' that day and leave it at that.

I know they won't stay away forever. I know I can't protect him from everything. Still...maybe it ain't much, but when I got this hoe gripped tight in my hands, I know I ain't helpless, and that makes all the difference. Won't no one mess with my boy without payin' the price.