Ch. 9
After that first day, the summer just kinda ran together. The next major event I can think of occurred near the middle of that August.
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"Well, that's the last of it." Rin dumped the last of the firewood in the pile by the house. James followed her, carrying a smaller load of wood.
"Auntie Sponge and Auntie Spiker sure wanted a lot of firewood," the little boy observed.
"Hai. Strange for the summer."
"Maybe they get cold easily," James said. "Mum did."
"Yeah, but Mother didn't stay cold," Rin muttered. To her brother, she added,
"C'mon, let's get you some water."
The sun beat down out of the blue sky as the siblings made their way to the well. In truth, Rin didn't mind the heat; in fact, she preferred it to any other weather. Still, she mused as she glanced up at the burning orb, what she wouldn't give to by soaring through the skies right now, with cool breezes stroking her cheeks and ruffling her hair.
Next to her, James was silent. Rin felt her heart twinge at the sight of her baby brother. Over the summer, James had grown thinner and, despite having to spend so much time outside doing chores, his face had grown paler. With his eyes usually downcast and his cheekbones quite prominent, James was looking more like a prisoner of war than the cheerful six-year-old he should have been. The half-demon eyed her brother's scraped hands and chipped nails; such minor injuries should have come from furious play, not from being at the beck and call of two repulsive old women!
Reaching the well, Rin grabbed the old wooden bucket from the ground and pulled out two wooden dippers. Tossing the bucket down the stone tunnel, Rin listened to the splash. Seizing the old hemp rope attached to the bucket's handle, the young half-demon easily pulled the filled bucket up.
"Thirsty?" she asked.
"Yes," James replied, his eyes still clouded. Rin filled a dipper with water and handed it to James.
"What's wrong?" she asked, though 'What isn't wrong?' might have been the better question.
Sipping some water, James answered,
"It's August."
"So it is," Rin replied, quaffing a mouthful of sweet well water. "Nothing really wrong with that, James-chan."
"It's just... last year, Mum and Dad took me shopping for school in August."
"Oh... right." Rin bit her lip and averted her eyes. She hadn't thought about school. In fact, she hadn't set foot in a schoolroom since she was nine and then only for the first day. Half-demons, while not outright banned from public education, weren't exactly welcome in schools. Well, that suited her just fine, thank you very much. As far as Rin was concerned, school was little more than legal torture.
James, though, had a different opinion. He had been so eager to start school and he flat-out loved to learn. Truly the scholar of the family, Rin thought with a slight smile. And she remembered how he had enjoyed readying for the upcoming school year last August.
"Well, I'll have a talk with our so-called guardians tonight about getting you ready for school. Hey, maybe we can go shopping together." James's head shot up and he met his sister's eyes with pure eagerness.
"Really?"
"Sure. Why not?" Rin grinned at her brother's pure joy.
"But you hate town."
"True, but I'd give anything to get away from here for the day."
"Me too," James agreed.
"Get back to work, you two!" Spiker's shrill voice reached the siblings' ears from the shaded house. With a sigh, the half-demon slurped down the rest of her water and stood.
"C'mon, James. We'd best keep them in a good mood if we want to get you ready for school on time."
"Okay." James stood up and followed his sister. "Are you going out tonight, Rin?"
"Hmmm, maybe. Depends on how everything goes with the hags."
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Evening fell softly, as it usually did in the summer. And, as per usual, Spiker and Sponge were dressed to the nines as they attacked their dinner of roast beef and potatoes at the kitchen table. Rin felt her own stomach twist at the savory scent and saw James swallow slightly as he caught a glimpse of the small feast.
"Can we help you?" Spiker asked icily, her fork halfway to her painted lips.
"As a matter of fact, you can," Rin answered.
"Sorry, nothing left," Sponge sneered, cramming half a roasted potato into her thick mouth.
Damn you to hell. "I need a word with the two of you, if you don't mind." Rin nodded to James, who quietly backed out of the kitchen and padded upstairs.
"And if we do mind?" Spiker asked, eyeing her niece coldly.
"I'd say too bad, because this needs to be addressed." Rin watched as her gaunt aunt patted her lips with a linen napkin.
"Well, speak your piece, half-demon," she snapped. Gritting her fangs, Rin bit back a growl.
"James will have to start school again soon. We need to make sure he has all the supplies he needs and that he's properly registered."
"Oh do we, now?" Spiker asked, a note of amusement in her voice that Rin did not care for.
"Hai, we do. And I'd be happy to take him into town for the supplies he needs- notebooks, pencils, the like. And, if needs be, I'll take him by the school to make sure his name is down and all that."
"No," Spiker countered. "You will not."
"And why not?" Rin snapped. "Sorry to break it to you, but James has to attend school. You insisted on being his guardians, so you're responsible for his education, both of you."
"We are," Sponge replied. "And we've decided the boy will be home educated."
"What?" Rin's eyes widened. "You can't be serious."
"Whatever is the matter?" Spiker asked, still in that same mocking tone. "Have you something against a child being taught at home?"
"No! I was home educated." Obviously I was. No school would let me stay for more than a week at most.
"Then you should be perfectly fine with the practice," Sponge said.
"I am, when it works. You know, when there's actual schooling going on. Something I doubt you're going to do."
"How we educate your brother is not your concern, girl," Spiker snapped, the amusement gone from her voice.
"Uh, I think it is. And here's something else to consider: the government allows kids to be taught at home, but they'll get suspicious if James isn't able to pass any exams when he's ready for secondary education."
"If he goes for secondary education," Spiker said. "Goodness, why does everyone make a fuss about going to a university? With the discipline we're instilling in him, he'll be able to get a good maintenance job as soon as he comes of age."
"That's right," Sponge agreed. "You should be thanking us. He'll be able to make some money right away."
"Did you ever consider that perhaps James would want to continue his education? He's extremely bright and loves school."
"What he wants- and what you want, girl- are unimportant. This discussion is over. We've informed our lawyer about our decision and it is final. Now begone and stop bothering us." Spiker waved a dismissive hand at the young half-demon. "That is, unless you'd like us to make another call to our lawyer?"
Rin knew she had lost. With a growl, she swept upstairs and into the room she shared with her brother. James was seated on his bed, his New York City travel book open in his hands. He looked up as his sister entered the room, face falling as he noticed her angry expression.
"Auntie Sponge and Auntie Spiker aren't going to let me go to school, are they?" he asked in a flat tone. With a sigh, Rin plopped down onto the wooden floor.
"No, James, they aren't. And yes," she added, meeting her brother's brown eyes with her own golden orbs. "I'm going out tonight."
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The night sky was clear and endless, broken only by twinkling stars. Rin sat against the stone wall, her pointed ears twitching this way and that as she listened to her aunts sleep. Judging by their snores, Spiker and Sponge were likely deep in whatever passed as dreams in their twisted minds. With a decisive nod, the young half-demon rose and tiptoed to the bedroom door. As she pushed it open, James stirred and sleepily opened his eyes.
"Rin?"
"Shh, James, go back to sleep. I'll be back long before morning." Rin smiled at her brother before slipping out into the hall and down the stairs. Still listening, Rin carefully edged open the kitchen door and closed it carefully behind her. Breathing in lungfuls of sweet summer air, Rin turned away from the house and began running down the hill. Her powerful legs carried her away from her aunts' property so fast that the surrounding land became a blur. But the half-demon kept running until she was sure she was a good distance away from the house. Barreling into an open field and past a paddock full of sleepy cows, Rin held out her arms and let her wings spring free. One leap and she was sky-bound, the air currents carrying up up and over the countryside.
Despite the situation, Rin couldn't help the laugh that burbled up from her throat. Shuddering with joy, Rin allowed herself to free fall before spinning rapidly and recovering seconds before she hit the ground. Swooping back into the velvety sky, the young half-demon wished she could fly fast and free like this forever. But no, she had a mission to complete and, Rin had to admit, she was looking forward to it.
Circling over the deserted village, Rin spotted her target. Fittingly enough, it was the primary school that she so despised and James so badly missed. Angling her wings, Rin dropped from the sky and landed lightly on the roof. Leaning over the building's edge, Rin gouged her claws into the brick and began to climb down the side of the school wall. She could only imagine what kind of a figure she looked like in the dark; with her half-folded wings and golden eyes, any wandering villages would probably run screaming for the nearest policeman. And while that image was certainly funny, Rin had no desire to be spotted.
Let's see, where is it? The room furthest to the left? No, that's the bottom form; James's classroom from last year. We need the actual first form, I think. Although would it technically be second form? Meh, I can always come back. True, this would be harder when school was in session, but Rin was always up for a little challenge.
Oh, there it was. Reaching the window she sought, the half-demon grabbed the upper windowsill and yanked. It slid upward like silk and Rin slipped inside. Standing up, the young half-demon glanced around at the tidy row of desks and the glossy blackboard. Rin's eyes narrowed as memories came flooding back.
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"Why is the freak allowed to be here?" Angie whispered, pitching her voice so that the teacher couldn't hear. Seven-year-old Rin scowled, running her claws along her desk. Pushing her textbooks aside, the little half-demon slumped forward at her desk. She was so BORED. First day of school or not, she wanted nothing more than to be away from these people.
"Rin, sit up, please, and finish your math exercises," the teacher (whatever her name was) called, sparking a snigger of laughter from the class.
"I am finished. I finished ages ago," Rin answered, holding up the completed workbook.
"Well, then review it, please. I don't like you just doing nothing."
"Yeah, right," Rin muttered. In other words, the teacher didn't trust her not to attack anyone. And had she ever actually tried to do anything like that? No!
"Don't worry," Angie whispered to her friends. "My mum said half-demons shouldn't be allowed in schools. She'll get kicked out tomorrow."
"Not soon enough, Angie," Rin muttered.
"Miss Brown!" Angie called. Oh, yeah, that was the teacher's name.
"Yes, Angie?"
"Rin is bothering me. She keeps staring at me. I think she's going to do something bad." Angie turned her smug face towards Rin.
"Rin, control yourself or I'll have to send you to the Headmaster."
"I haven't done anything!'
"Well, see you don't, then."
"Whatever," Rin muttered. She sighed; the end of this stupid first day really couldn't come soon enough.
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Shaking her head, Rin forced the memories away with a growl. Yanking her special kitsune-made bag from her shorts, the young half-demon placed it on the one of the desks and began hunting through the classroom. Throwing open one of the back cabinets, Rin grinned in triumph. Piles of textbooks, stacked neatly according to subject. Perfect. Rin grabbed one of each textbook: math, history, language arts, science and ahh, a small paper workbook companion for each text. Hmm, anything else? Rin titled her head looking around the classroom again.
Oh, she knew! Hunting about, Rin discovered some art supplies in one of the upper cabinets. Grabbing a thick stack of construction paper and an unopened box of crayons, Rin stuffed them into her bag along with the books. Perfect. Alright, time to get out of here. Before she left, Rin paused to run a finger over one particular desk. Though it had been re-varnished, the ghosts of ten small claw marks still lingered. With a small chuckle, Rin slid out of the window and flew away, leaving behind old memories and a few less supplies than the school ordered.
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Upon her return, Rin made sure she landed a fair distance away from her aunts' house. Just as when she departed, she arrived back to the house on foot. True, Spiker and Sponge weren't awake to see her fly, but on the off chance that they woke up and saw her flying away from the house or if they got wind of the fact that a shadowy form was seen flying close by their home, they were sure to get suspicious. If by some chance Spiker and Sponge got a glimpse of her running to or away from the house, she could just claim she was restless. Either way, the fact that she had wings would be kept secret.
Carefully slipping back into the kitchen, Rin shut the door behind her and turned her ears upwards. From the sound of it, Sponge was snoring into her pillow and Spiker was moaning in her sleep. Lovely.
Well, never mind. The two old hags might think the subject of James's education was closed, but as far as Rin was concerned, the subject of James's education would stay open for a long time yet.
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The following evening found both James and Rin tromping back to the house, tired and hungry. James had been mostly silent throughout the day, obviously dwelling on the fact that he was forbidden from going to school this year. Rin hadn't pressed him to talk, preferring instead to let Spiker and Sponge think they had won this particular battle. This turned out to be a wise move, as both women were waiting for their niece and nephew when the two arrived inside.
"I see you've finished your chores on time, for once," Spiker trilled, her plucked eyebrows raised.
"Yes, Auntie Spiker," James murmured, casting a fearful glance at his aunt.
"Well, for that, there's a bit of dinner waiting for you." Sponge gestured to two small plates of leftover roast beef and potatoes on the counter. "You can get water from the sink upstairs."
"Thank you, Auntie Sponge," James replied.
"Feeling generous, I see," Rin noted.
"Mind yourself, girl. We can always take it away," Spiker shot back.
"Fine. We'll leave." Rin retrieved both plates and carried them upstairs, James at her heels.
"Why don't you grab us some water, James-chan. I'll set the plates out," Rin suggested.
"Okay." James made for the bathroom while Rin set the plates of cold beef and potatoes on the floor. With a smile, she reached into the special bag she carried, she pulled a few of the textbooks out and set them on the floor. Sitting back, she waited for James to come back and see them.
Rin smiled as her little brother entered the room and beheld the schoolbooks. Pushing the door closed, the little boy darted over to his sister and knelt beside her, setting the two chipped cups of water aside. His food forgotten, James reached for the language arts text and workbook, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Hope you don't mind if school starts a little early this year."
"Rin, where did you get these books?" James asked.
"From the school in town, of course."
"The school in town?" James looked up at his sister. "You didn't steal them, did you?"
"I didn't steal them, James-chan. I borrowed them. Schools always have extra books on hand; I just grabbed a few of the extras and I'll put them back at the end of year. Simple as that. Besides, little brother, that school owes me." Rin was cut off as James threw his arms around Rin's waist and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you so much!"
"Hey it was nothing," Rin replied, hugging him back. "Oh, got you some crayons and paper too. Figured you'd want those too."
"Yes please. May I use them now?"
"Why don't you eat first?" Rin pushed the plate of beef and potatoes towards James. "Then you can color all you want before bed."
With a grin, James set about his food. True the beef and vegetables were cold, but that didn't bother either him or Rin. In fact, Rin was willing to bet that nothing was going to bother her brother for the rest of the night.
For now, that was enough.
~
So, yeah, that was one victory over Spiker and Sponge. But it was a small one compared to what would happen later. Still, for what I was able to for James, I was happy.