The Wars

XXIII- Sam- You need to update your living space to avoid certain death

We went to the largest library in the city. Since my sister spent most of her time there, (when she wasn't training, or studying, or at school, or with her friends), she knew the place like home. 

(That's depressing. OW- Aranya just smacked me and said to get on with the story)

"Hello, Aranya! The new thriller just came in. D'you want me to save one copy for you?" the librarian chirped brightly. "...No, thanks Auntie- ji. I'm fine." Aranya said, with a strained smile. 

She steered us to the 'Myths and More' department, where we found a lone man reading a book. "That's him," she whispered to us confidently. "How do you know?" I asked.

"Besides the looks? The book he's reading." It was true. The title was, 'The Retelling of the Mahabharata.'  there was another book next to him too. It was labeled, 'The Original Arthashastra, by Chanakya.'  Which I suspected he got from the 'History' department.

It was a book by the Brahmin scholar Chanakya who was advisor to a king of India ages ago. Apparently the book was still popular. It was about how to be a good ruler, and deal with politics. 

Huh. I guess history actually came to a use. (OWW- She smacked me again, this time for no reason. Oh, she loves history. SORRY SIS! Anyway.)

"Yudhishthira!" Aranya hissed. Surprised, he looked up. "Hello, avatars." he said. He didn't look so good. His skin was pale, and there were dark rings under his eyes. "We've come to get you!" Aranya said excitedly. "To take me where?" "To- to strike back!" 

Yudhishthira shook his head. "We cannot. It will be a losing battle. We will lose whatever we still have."

Aranya frowned. "But the Kauravas are terrorizing the mortals! They're abusing their power!" "And there is nothing we can do about that." Yudhishthira said. 

"Now, please can you go? I am at a very interesting stage of my life during the Mahabharata, when our cousin Krishna became our ambassador in the war. "

He had given Aranya ammo to manipulate him. She could be a total Lady Macbeth when she wanted to. (OWWWWWW. ARE YOU TRYING TO BREAK MY HAND? *muted conversation* WELL IT'S TRUE! Sorry, 'bout that)

English comes useful too. "Look, Yudhishthira, in the first  War, you never stopped trying. You tried every feasible method, and won the War. Why not now?" Aranya asked. 

Yudhishthira seemed to reconsider. "Those are wise words, child. Very well, I agree. Where can we create battle plans?"

It was that easy. I take back my words. Aranya wasn't a Lady Macbeth, but she was very manipulative. Better? 

According to my now almost- broken hand, it wasn't. "First, we need your help to find your brothers."

Yudhishthira nodded, and said, "To find Bhima, we need to go to a place where there is lots of exotic Indian food."

"So, the dhaba corner?" Aranya asked. "Let's go." Yudhishthira said immediately. 

We found people gathered around Bhima, placing bets on how much he could eat in a certain amount of time. Bhima seemed to notice us, and shooed of his fan club and dhaba stall owner. 

I threw my hands up, and said, "You guys need to update your living space to avoid certain death!" Bhima chuckled and said, "I see your sense of humor is the same as before- awful."

We told him our plan, and unlike his brother, he immediately agreed. "When I wipe the smug smile of that s-" he growled. "-Brother," Yudhishthira warned. "There are children here." he said gesturing to us. 

"When I wipe the smile of that filthy scumbag Duryodhana's face," Bhima said, with restraint in his voice, "I shall tell him, 'You know what has no brains, attacked the world twice, and is equivalent to an insect? You." Blank faces greeted him. 

"That's..... scathing? Or you could just bash his brains out in the most violent way, and that could be a substantial equivalent?" I tried. 

"Nope! I'm saying that." Bhima said cheerfully, and then proceeded to empty 5 liters of water from a tank in a gulp. And he then fit 50 idlis in his mouth, hereby going into the Guinness Book of World Records. 

"Let's go find Arjuna."

Aranya tapped her foot, and said, "I'm guessing he's at the archery club?" Bhima beamed and said, "My training has fared well." Aranya snorted, and said something very softly, out of which I could only make out, "Your training."

Bhima yelled to the dhaba owner that he would be gone for a few days. The dhaba owner looked depressed, since his business would come crashing down, so he proceeded to pack us off with idlis, dosas, vada pavs, and naan and paneer, which was strange combination of food. But hey, it was food, and who were we to complain?

We took a quick Uber to the Archery Club, where we were denied entry because only 'premium members' were allowed in. Aren't gods and demigods like, part of the premium program? 

Yudhishthira said that he was Arjuna's brother, which gave us guest entry. We saw Arjuna sadly practicing archery in the arena. Bulls- eyes every time. No kidding he was the best archer in the world. 

We told him about our plans, and he seemed to take a while to consider. Eventually, he agreed. "Nakula will be at a haberdashery, while Sahadeva..... probably at the science lab?"

After another Uber, we found the twins. I was really beginning to wonder how they weren't subjects of assassination attempts after being in the most obvious places they could be.

The twins agreed too, and then, a person came out of the haberdashery Nakula was at. Queen Draupadi. She wanted to join us too, and we instantly agreed. The more bloodthirsty demigods, the better. 

Aranya cracked a smile, and said, "Now let's go to the Ocean." which wasn't a very good line, but-

(OWWWWW. My hand is now broken)