21's Legacy

Chapter 4

We did the same kind of training for quite some time. Same time, same area, same ball and same consequence.
We're getting used to it that even when Mom no longer holds back we get lesser and lesser push ups. Her moves are predictable now, and our bodies react at first sight of a launching ball.
"Well well well. My little boys are getting keen!" There is a sign of pride by the way we stood. "It's time for the..." She pauses and grabbed a white ball inside the bag. "The volleyball!" She exclaimed.
"Mom, that's still JUST a ball. It's just smaller and white, and I'm going to catch it the same way I did with that LAME beach ball." Boasts Threin. I nod in agreement.
"Well yes it is JUST another ball. But how about this?!" She threw the volleyball AND the beach ball to Threin. He caught the volleyball alright but the beach ball bounced on his forehead knocking him off and sending the volleyball away from his grasp.
Both balls touched the ground and he was penalized four pushups for it.
She didn't pause after that attack, she quickly grabbed the loose volleyball and shoot it to me. My stomach caught it before my hands do.
Although I wasn't taxed for catching the ball, I still suffered pain of being punched around my mid section. It's hard to tell which is better.
Both of us haven't recovered yet from the recent blows we took when Mom sung a statement:
"Brace yourselves boys."
We turned and saw that she's holding another ball. A ball that is SO MUCH bigger and SO MUCH heavier than the first two.

Guess what? A standard basketball.
Catching two balls thrown at you at the same time is freaking hard, but adding up a much bigger, heavier ball to the recipe is insane.
I hate basketball.

Today's tally; Me: 86 Threin: 68 x 2 = 136. It turned out Mom only intended to toss Mr.Basketball to Threin. She must have thought my limitation as a 5-year old half blood and she must have over estimated the pure blooded Threin because he got pretty beat up when we finished.
Mom never seemed to have pity on us in every training when she just watch beside a big tree, monitoring the number of push ups we did. Sometimes she indulge herself with a cup of coffee and occasionally talks to digital people from her tablet.
She seemed to get busy nowadays though.
I dozed off after paying my taxes while my brother struggles to finish his.
The following day, Mom seemed to be pretty satisfied with our recent performance when she told us we could have a couple of days off to our training and that she'd give us rewardS.
"First off, is bye bye to Mr.Basketball." She said.
Thank goodness.
"And hello spiked metal balls?" Asked Threin, his face still deformed from multiple ball hits. He had a bruised lip when Mr.Basketball punched him right in the face.
"Can't get enough of what happened last night, dear?"
"Oh I've had MORE than enough of IT, thanks." He sounded pissed.
As usual, I just observed.
"Was it because I didn't send you to school like Johann?"
Oh yes! Mom said there are no Lorics around our area that has a child the time we asked her about it. The night after our first training.
I guess he must have been a little jealous because almost everyday I've been telling him my experiences in school. How my teacher called me in front to lead the singing of our national anthem before our class starts. How I met the two friends I'd made so far, Haji and Errol. I told him about Jean, a cute girl that I want to befriend, talked to me once when we're having our tooth brushing time (in which we never understood our mumbling to each other. Great!). How every after classes, Mang Tony would tell me stories about the great musicians and composers I've never heard before.
But he couldn't relate because he worked with the same training Mom requires him to do. Nothing more, nothing less. He never had the chance to meet and interact with any other person that is not me or Mom.
I wonder how hard that could be.
"Oh my dear Threin, the Loric people needs us my son. I tell you, once you're standing in my position you wouldn't trade this privilege for the world. And besides, you've only been here for five months. We'll visit Lorien as soon as September falls for your Dad's birthday. And then we'll be back there for the Quarter Moon festivities, and then on your birthday then mine. You'll see your friends in no time, and you'll never miss them coz we're visiting four times each year." She cups his face as we sit by the windowsills.
His eyes seemed to light up a bit and the pouting lips have been diminished.
"I'll just get something for Teev and Daxton then." He sighed in satisfaction. Mom smiled and nodded at him sympathetically.
Then, I took the chance to shoot. "Can I come to Lorien, Mommy? I wanna see Usha and fly with her and..."
She gave me a stare.
Now it's my time to grieve.
The eye is a window of one's heart. I know what the stare implied. Sadness is written all over it. Sadness that wishes it could someday turn into happiness, only that's not happening. Like a worm who wishes to be a butterfly someday. But that can never happen. Worms don't turn to butterflies. They never become anything else.
"Only pure bloods are allowed, honey." She smiles sadly.
There is no such thing as Cephan metamorphosis turning them to Gardes. No such thing as Humans evolving to Lorics. And half bloods are not even close to any promotion to being pure bloods.
No such thing.
Or is there?