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A flower in China Town (Flashback)

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Post  Malakiel Wed Oct 09, 2019 4:20 pm

Chinatown was a beautiful place to walk during the day, it was spring time and all it's streets were crowded with many tourists buying exotic flowers and other supplements for their loved ones. February was a very special month, a time to love and be love.

While dad was at the cigar factory, mom had to take care of the family business a flower shop for spring, tea shop during autumn and variety shop the rest of the year. Japanese families grew rapidly but Kaiza didn't had many siblings, just two younger brothers: one still breastfeeding and another four years younger that her. When Valentine's Day was near everyone had to work hard to have everything set for the week before, specially the day before, when even dad failed to go to the factory and stayed to make deliveries from dawn to dusk in his bicycle.

Tatsudoshi Ryūsuke emigrated from Japan right after World War II, his father was a disgraced government official that committed Sepuku when Japan surrender before the US. Ryusuke, took his family with him to America, never looking back. His last thought would have been to need Chinese support on his arrival to New York but it was almost impossible to find a job elsewhere and after many failed attempts he decided to move into Chinatown.

He almost never talks about his father or his involvement with the Japanese government. He's just now an angry grumpy man that works day and night to safe every penny, a man with a vision that sometimes, when he's drunk enough brags in front of his family telling tales of future money marvels and travels around the world.

Aimi was Kaida's mother a simple disciplined woman that loved her progeny and respected her husband. She was most of the time quiet when Ryusuke was around but home alone with his children she was quite different, always enforcing discipline and hard work to the point of child abuse if necessary. Her eyes were mostly for her two baby boys, she would talk for hours about their deeds while Kaida's never seemed to be enough, she was never elegant enough, neat enough or in general not what she had expected.

Kaida was ten years old, still struggling to keep up with her mother's standards and failing greatly about it. Valentine's day was around the corner and they needed every pair of hands they could get. The back store was the flower's workshop where she crafted beautiful arrangements that her mom could always improve with a mild disgust tone as she highlighted it's flaws.

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Post  Guest Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:35 am

She had only an hour from the time school was out until the kung fu class started. She ran home today, knowing mom would have a bundle of orders to fill. She often wondered why she bothered. Her mother clearly didn't care for her attempts. She threw the back door open and it thumped against the table making her cringe. At least dad wasn't home to scold her. She only had to deal with one disappointed parent this time. She shouts an apology through the shop in Japanese before mom could yell and throws her school bag under the little hall table. Walking to the cramped flower room as she ties her hair and assesses the work load with a soft groan. Of course its roses.

She looks at the list stuck to the wall and growls inwardly hoping the supplies have all arrived. She looks around the shop as she ties her apron around her middle and gets the cutters. She could manage 5 before she had to take off. Of course she would have to come up with another excuse. One day mom will realize its always the same 3 days of the week and always the same time. Not to mention dad is noticing she never has anything to show for the good money put in her pocket every week.

UGH! So many ROSES! she sticks her pricked finger in her mouth and calls the flowers several colourful names in more than 1 language. She grumbles as she continues the stupid arrangements. Rose, rose rose, rose, babysbreath, leaves. Rose, rose, rose,  rose, babysbreath, leaves. Wrap it with a wet papertowel and put it in the bucket. Over and over for 45 minutes. Then she goes back to her school bag and pulls out a smaller bag and leaves quietly. This time maybe she wont be late!
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Post  Malakiel Thu Oct 10, 2019 6:19 pm

Aimi went to the backstore with heavy steps, yelling with an angry tone in japanese.
"Kaida! A lady doesn't shout! How many times do I have to tell you to take off your shoes!

You're making spirits angry! Disrespect, disrespect, disrespect...! go to Budha and ask forgiveness..."
and before Kaida had the chance to move Aimi was already lifting her broom to smash her daughter's head.

With each hit she said in japanese...
"Hurry...

Hurry...

Hurry..."
escorting her to the front door where Budha was...

Back on business Kaida had five orders to finish... then six... she finishes two... arrived three more... the clock was ticking and work seemed endless...

Aimi aware of her daughter's Kung Fu class and watching her looking between the door and work she said in english with a tone that leaved no room for debate.
"You finish work! No Kung fu until you're done!"

The merciless clock advanced relentlessly when suddenly it was too late...
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Post  Guest Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:09 pm

She turns and covers her head while kicking her shoes off. Does her mother even realize she is shouting? "Isoide imasu! Mōshiwakearimasen!" (I'm hurrying! I'm sorry!). She knew she could fight back or defend herself but was supposed to respect her parents despite not being respected back. She kneeled by the statue for the proper time and remained silent as her time ticked on.

Once stepping back form Buddha, she moved to the work room and worked the repetitive arrangements and knew the clock was moving faster than she was. She grumbled under her breath as a flower wouldn't stay where she put it and took a breath. Why was it taking so long to put roses together? In a burst of anger she put the flowers down and turned away from the table to close her eyes and breath deep in order to not crush the flowers. Once calmed, she turns and works again with diligence, trying to get one done every 5 minutes.
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Post  Malakiel Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:47 am

After a few more hours the store was closed and Aimi went to the back store to help in the arrangements. She had a touch that Kaida never could pair, her mother was able to perfect even her most beautiful creations with a couple of touches.

That was something that the little dragon could admire of her mother, the discipline and attention to detail was mesmerizing.

A few minutes after closing Ryusuke came to pick up the flowers. There were so many that he couldn't possibly take them all with him in one ride, they were all already in hard paper wrappings with beautiful colored ribbons to keep them together.

Aimi stood up and went to the doorgate between the front of the store and the workshop where she was with Kaida and kneeled in seiza to receive her husband urging her daughter to sit next to her also bowing to him. When he was close enough she said in japanese.
"Dear husband, welcome." her delicate and soft voice was nothing of the high pitch that Kaida had spend the afternoon with.

Ryusuke stood a few steps away looking at the crowded table with all the arrangements ready and said to Aimi.
"Thank you Aimi. You've done a wonderful job."

Then to his daughter he said.
"Kaida, bring the cart from the deposit and load the boxes on my bike. We must hurry."

A flower in China Town (Flashback) 2faa6d7ffb793f2d65797216b36e5b31

The bike was packed in no time. Meanwhile, he was talking to Aimi and saluted the younger brothers of Kaida with such love that made her envious. Eventually he said to to Kaida.
"Grab your coat, you're coming with me to deliver."
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Post  Guest Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:31 am

She remains silent as she works the arrangements when class time comes and goes and when her mother comes to help after closing. She remains silent when her father returns home and she greets him. She loads the boxes in silence and gets her coat and puts on her shoes without a word. Her parents might take it as humility but she was furious and sad. The one thing she had for herself was taken from her. The short precious time she had every week to be herself and not worry about what others were thinking about how such a tiny girl cant do such things or how she was doing things was ripped from her grasp. Her world was growing darker every day and she no longer cared. She would practice every chance she got. Even if she had to turn every day things into her moves.

Kaida stood on the small space in front of the third wheel and gripped the bar while looking over the tags on the ribbons and frowned. There were many far away. She would be out half the night. She sighs to herself knowing she would likely be sleepy tomorrow.
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Post  Malakiel Fri Oct 11, 2019 1:48 pm

Ryusuke drove his bike down Manhattan delivering each package with his daughter's help. There were over thirty flower arrangements fresh from the workshop to the client's hands. All payments were done in cash and when the Gaiyin (white person) saw little Kaida oftenly gave a few extra bucks to compensate their guilty consciousness over the working child.

Pass over half of the deliveries were already done and Kaida had already $3 in her pocket: monthly payment for three months of Kung Fu or many many candies. That didn't compensated any of the ill feelings she had but surely made her feel better overall, focusing her attention on the work to be done instead.

She was carrying one more arrangement about to start climbing some stairs to reach the customer's door. It was already dark, about 5:00pm of this autumn afternoon when suddenly she turns a corner into the alley with many doors lined up all to the right, finding a group of five teenagers, most dressed as soldiers wit improvised cans as helmets and broom sticks as rifles fighting each other.

Kaida stopped on her tracts as the boys did when they noticed her presence and a surge of fear went down her spine when the closest one shouted "Charlie!!"

OOC::
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Post  Guest Fri Oct 11, 2019 3:18 pm

She freezes like a deer caught in the headlights and is snapped out of it when the boy shouts for "Charlie". She looks to her last bundle of flowers then the group of boys standing between her and the door she needs to reach. The look on the boys faces tell her what she needs to know and she looks for a place to put the flowers down if she needed to so they wouldn't get messed up. She starts walking but is cut off and backs up and looks up at the boy wide eyed. Noting the location of the crate for the flowers, she speaks in perfect English since she has been speaking it since she started school.

Excuse me please. I need to get through.


Boy 1
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
1

Boy 2
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
7

Boy 3
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
3

Boy 4
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
1

Boy 5
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
8

Kaida
Guest carried out 1 launched of one A flower in China Town (Flashback) 10.1 (Roll.) :
6
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Post  Malakiel Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:55 pm

Kaida 6+5 =11

Boy 1: 1+3 = 4
Boy 2: 7+3= 10
Boy 3: 3+3 = 6
Boy 4: 1+3 = 4
Boy 5: 8+3 = 11


Action order:
1: Kaida (Dragon) 11
2: Boy 5 (Yellow) 11
3: Boy 2 (Blue) 10
4: Boy 3 (Red) 6
5: Boy 1 (Green) 4
6: Boy 4 (Orange) 4
Action description
TBD
Charge!
Charge!
Charge!
Kick Flower
Kick Flower

A flower in China Town (Flashback) Sk-ec9066d95c8f75cb83e88d288c6c7a15


Last edited by Malakiel on Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:02 pm; edited 4 times in total
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Post  Guest Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:57 pm

She sees the 2 closest to her eyeing the flowers and holds them close The other three run towards her and she gasps in despair. Why today of all days? Don't boys have other things to do than to pick fights with little girls?

Her mind works quickly calculating distance and speed and weight and height of each of the other 3. She could probably dodge some because they seemed slower but there were a couple who were quicker. She ducks and runs between the two closest to her eyeing the flowers and towards the door she needs to get to knowing she is closer to the other three but also closer to the door.
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Post  Malakiel Fri Oct 11, 2019 8:55 pm

Kaida dodges the first kick with ease and runs towards passing by the first charger swift as a gazelle, keeping her flowers's pack at good safekeeping as she ran desperately to reach her client's front door.

One of the bullies comes charging at Kaida just as she was moving pass the second of the flower kickers pushing her hard. He was a big boy for his age, red hair chubby but yet not slow, probably was going to be a good tackle in college football when he got to age.

Kaida falls back a little stunned by the sudden smash of the bully, keeping the box next to her chest, trying to protect it. The second charging stops next to Kaida while the rest approaches fastly. While at it, they keep their gibberish about fighting the yellow, shouting "Charlie!" sporadically.

Spoiler:
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Post  Guest Fri Oct 11, 2019 9:54 pm

Kaida catches herself with one hand, holding the box close but crushing it a little as she lands with a bit of a grunt. She looks up at the red head with a small frown. Some people need hard lessons. It is sad this one would be messy. Her year of training flies through her head and her chaotic mind becomes strangely clear. Lifting up on her free hand and one foot, she pulls back like a serpent and strikes the boy's leg just below the knee with all her strength.
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Post  Malakiel Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:43 pm

The boy's knee cedes back slightly but enough to have it broken or worst, kissing any career in professional football bye bye... the redheaded screams as he bends to hold his knee in pain.

The other four kids got caught in the thrill of the moment, half indecisive where to take this game that was definitely getting out of hand, the other two eager to damage Kaida just because of the way she looks. At that point, one of the boys takes the broom stick from another and smashes down a swing breaking it against Kaida's ribs making the little dragon feel an adrenaline rush and a surge of emotions go through as panic was starting to take control of her.

A third gets excited watching the girl cry and kicks her back, hard on the spine first hard then follows with two lesser kicks but still painful. Then a fourth grabs her crate in the middle of the confusion and smashes it against the floor and starts jumping on the already swollen flower.

The fourth boy, now without a broom stick, looks at the whole morbid scene with terror and in tears starts to run away to reach the stairs. Letting the rest of them pick on the little girl.

Suddenly a powerful scream is shouted from the stairs.
"ENOUGH!" it was ryusuke's voice.

Those three boys kicking and harming little Kaida ran away letting her soared on the floor, crying over her destroyed work, as she looked at the ripped petals of the flower being drawn by the wind or dragged over the dirty floor. Around her from the nearby buildings many adults were looking at the scene from their houses, none of which said anything to stop the bullies from hurting little Kaida.

The fourth boy was still holding his knee screaming of pain and those staring at the scene from above wore judgmental looks but against Kaida, the savage that hurted an american boy.

Ryusuke hurried himself and looked at Kaida then went to the redheaded boy and kneeled before him quickly rubbing his hands together as he prayed Budha for the boy's health. Then placing both hands in a prayer stance against the boy's knee, making him relax immediately as the pain subsided.

By the time Ryusuke stood up the boy was again bending his knee like he had never been hurt at all. A second later Kaida got lifted by him that started running down the alley, leaving it all behind. He was carrying his daughter, he wasn't praying for her, not worried about her soared back or bloody mouth.

Eventually both arrived to the bicycle and he rides away...

Kaida was harshly scolded that night, Ryusuke was angry at her for confronting the bunch! She was in pain as well but he didn't care about that. He kept talking about "Consequences!" a word that Kaida didn't understood much back then but it became clear the very next day when the police came to arrest her father for assaulting that redheaded kid.

It was a brief but yet significant time for Kaida to be responsible for her father's imprisonment. Only three month of absence but Aimi reminded her daughter each day of her fault.
"It is not our place to fight the Gaiyin!" she had said.

"... we live our life and let others do their own. Gaiyin hates us, you hurt one and you give excuse to all of them to hurt you and your family" she has explained.

"Why do you hate father? You bad daughter! Shame on you! He's in Jail because of you! Now family is alone because of you! Who will take care of us?" she had ask.

Three month of nightmares and inner struggle for the little dragon. A little flower in Chinatown.
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Post  Guest Sat Oct 12, 2019 11:14 am

She saw the boy swinging the broom handle but was not fast enough to block it. She gasped at the sharp sting and was unable to breathe for what seemed a very long time. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to force breath into her lungs. The moment breath came, she wished it hadn't. Throbbing pain was shooting up her side every movement.

The next moment she lunged forward as someones foot connected with her back. the gasp hurt her ribs and the shock up her spine caused her eyes to blur for a moment. She fought for her sight as she felt 2 more kicks to her back and side. Numbed now due to adrenaline, she pushes herself up in time to see her delivery crushed. That made her more angry than the boys hitting her. She missed her favorite time because of those stupid flowers.

When she heard her father yell, she felt relief then dread. She knew they would run before they ran. She knew she would be blamed for a fight she didn't start. She watches her father heal the boy who knocked her down as she painfully caught her breath. The bruises would be incredible.

She is swept up like a sack of onions and her stomach lurches at the new wave of pain as her father caries her to the bike with a bumping stride that jolted her ribs and her back with every step.

As she was scolded for starting a fight, she didn't argue if she started it or not. She softly spoke that she is as American as they are, not caring if they hear her. Her spirit was more hurt than her body was. Her parents clearly cared more for the white people more than they cared for her. She briefly considered running away to an orphanage. Maybe someone elses family would love her.

A bad daughter? They keep saying that. Maybe she really was a bad daughter. Sent to this life as punishment for a past misdeed or a lesson on how she treated people in a past life. Maybe if she had been born a boy, they would love her. She loathed herself at that moment. She would learn it is not her fault that they treated her this way until later in life. But right now, it was all her fault. Every action caused them to react the same way. She has only to find the correct action to make them love her.

That night she went to bed in alot of pain and prayed that the spirits make her a boy so she could feel love like her brothers do. If she were a boy, she would have her classes payed for her because boys can fight do defend themselves. If she were a boy, she could do other things and not be stuck with the stupid flowers day after day. If she were a boy...If...If...

During breakfast she just sat at the table and didn't touch her food or look up from her bowl. Her ribs hurt when she breathed and her back hurt when she sat. Before breakfast was done there was a knock on the door and she heard her father answer and some muffled voices of other men. Then when her mother got excited she knew something was wrong.

She didn't see her father again for months except in her nightmares. He was always chasing her around with a Buddah statue and shouting "ALL YOUR FAULT" over and over while mom followed him with a broom shouting "BAD DAUGHTER". She spent as much time as she could away from home. Walking slowly from school, extra lessons, after school helping. She rarely talked anymore and only did so when it was important. She started living a bit more dangerously. Going outside at night but just around the house, standing alone at recess. Generally acting a little more like a boy.
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