Uncle Hart had just moved on. No longer with us, I wondered what I should do. We were staying at our getaway mansion by Ivory's wing. It was always cool, year round, so we would stay every summer. This year it was a bit different, Father had us staying a week longer, for the news had just been delivered. The back porch was too big for my body to describe, there I saw my brother exiting a carriage. Erebus was quite tall, and although he had these eyes that showed no reflection, I found him to be one of the warmest in the family.
"Jimi," he said with little inflection.
"Hello brother."
"Do you know where Father is?"
"I haven't seen him all this week."
"Figures. Where are Oizys and Theia?"
"Oizys is in the study, Theia I'm unsure."
"I see, thank you."
"Do you wish to know where Otus is?"
"That fool? Never."
"…" It was hard to respond to my siblings, they were not only older, but rather strong in their opinions of others. Making it rather difficult to speak to them comfortably. Yet I never felt the harshness of animosity. I would jokingly say I can hear someone's emotions, but at times I felt I really could. Their gait, to their heart beat, just the way they breathe, all the way to how their clothes ruffle. Those small things would spark something within my brain, and in all those observations, I could never recall disdain within any of my family members. As Erebus entered I finally noticed the clouds clumping together.
"It's about to rain," I said.
"Indeed."
"Ah!" Mildred, my personal aid, would sneak up on me in the most unprompted moments.
"Apologies young master, I did not want to disturb your reunion."
"Uh-huh, well what is it?" I always felt bitter when talking to others who shared none of my blood. I wonder why.
"The formalities for Lord Hart's passing have been concluded. I am here to bring your personal news as to what is left to you, and what you must do next as the third heir to Xyken."
"So…"
Mildred unfolded a scroll that drooled dust. "'Jimi Xyken, son to Cody Sid Xyken the fourth and Marigold Masqueron the ninth, is hereby allowed one entry into the vault of Seventh Heaven. Under Hart Xyken's will, Jimi Xyken is permissed with the possession of Leo's sigil."
"So that's what's in the small chest?" I asked.
Mildred handed me the plain box with a letter. "He also wished to give you a personal letter. From what I know he gave one to each of his niblings."
"I see."
"I understand that these times can be tough, but rest assured he left with a smile on his face. Surely he would like the same of you, so do not be so down young master."
It wasn't that I was sad, more so I just could not believe it. No one had mentioned how he died, rather that he just did. That doesn't make any sense, I'm not so young that I shouldn't be allowed to know. It has been less than a month since I turned twelve on the new cycle.
In time I forgot what my uncle was like, but by my next birthday I had almost forgotten him entirely. That is how I wanted to feel, though I am unsure if I ever was able to erase that feeling. I wanted to deny my sadness, ignore it completely, but I inevitably cried that day knowing no gift would arrive with my uncle's name on it. Rain dyed my sunny day of celebration.
Entering the only pawn shop around, I encountered him for the time I thought was the first. His name was Leiji Khan, a local orphan so similar to many others who lived on the Pink Isle. We both looked at one another as I noticed his spiky black hair, he wore a brown bandana around both arms. A denim jacket too large for his frame. His skin was pale with a rosy undertone, big eyes that drooped to the sides. Looking down I could see the tearing at his pants' ends as his sandals bit on their overly long ends. I think he was staring at me, or least that's what I thought before turning to see a two headed cat.
"Wow! Wait… No, it's just two cats. For a second I thought it had two heads."
"Truly, I thought the same," Leiji said, his voice a bit higher pitched than my own.
He must be younger, I thought, looking down at his shiny hair.
*
A possible typhoon was making it hard to sleep, the constant banging against my window was so insistent in being loud I almost shouted. I had dreamed of a moment in which we met. Possibly, it was hard to recall memories, let alone dreams. Ya, Leiji and I, I was confident in just our first meeting alone, we will shake the very fabric of this world. I was sure of it. Just tonight I will try to sleep through the thunder and the brighter than bright lightning.