Mijito

Agua

"Terrible form. Again."

"Fix your balance. Again."

"You're getting tired. Again."

"Stop."

I dropped my dad's macuahuitl on the floor.

Macuahuitl: A macuahuitl is a weapon, a wooden club with several embedded obsidian blades. The name is derived from the Nahuatl language and means "hand-wood". (Wikipedia!)

I've never been more sweaty than this. Especially not from volleyball or cheer or running in general. It's gross and sticky. How do other boys like this all the time? Every day at school they tell me that they'd kill to have power training like me.
I'd give my left kidney if it meant getting rid of my powers. Then maybe I'd get the same emotional peace that Rhett has. More on him later.

"Ma'am?"
"I thought I showed you the form."
"Yes ma'am."
"So why aren't you doing it?"

"Not rhetorical."
"I don't know."
"Do it. You understand me?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Kailen. Do you understand me?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Again."

Ma'am/Mom/Milana: A control freak beyond compare, ESPECIALLY when it comes to my powers. Avid hater towards using a macuahuitl, instead prefers daggers. Daggers are lame. They're just sharp and small. I want sharp and big. Showy. Powerful. Not humble and powerful.

"Good."

"Better."
"Knock knock!"

Mom sighed.
"Sebastián, you do not need to say knock knock. There's a wall for that."
"Oh, where's the fun in knocking?"
I sneakily stopped hitting our wooden practice dummy.
"What do you need?"
"It's getting close to lunchtime, so I made a few sandwiches."
"You can set them to the side. We'll eat later."
WE?! WHO IS WE?!
"Ay, Lana. Just eat one. Kai needs a break too."
"No, he needs to continue his practice. Even now."
She side-eyed me, forcing me back into the usual: head, side, leg, thrust.
Lamest fight combo ever.
"Just one sandwich."
"No, Sebastián. Please go."
"¿Por favoooooorrr?"

Papi/Dad/Sebastián: Professional beggar. Musically talented. Great advocate for breaks and naps. Heavy and thick Azurian accent. Cannot pronounce the word scooter. Very good laugh if needed. Owner of the current macuahuitl. Fought side by side with Milana, until May of 2006. (I was conceived!)
((They did...the do.))

"Fine. We're done for today."
My favorite four words to hear every weekend. Except for 'Kailen, I love you and I'm so very proud of you and you will grow up to be a great man.' That's 21 words. Beside the point.

"Thanks, Dad."
"Oh, don't thank me. Just eat your sandwich."
Jamón y queso. Sometimes a simple sandwich can satisfy complex needs. Like hunger.

"You'll do better tomorrow."
"Lana, he can't practice tomorrow. Remember?"
"What's tomorrow? Oh, the gala. Which gala?"
"The one where we get all fancy and give speeches about how much we appreciate the people of Azure. You know."
"Ohh, that gala. The gratitude gala."
"Uh-huh, because that's the theme. Green for Gratitude."
"I feel like a burnt sienna should be the color for gratitude. Or a dusty yellow."
"But that doesn't rhyme. Burnt Sienna for Gratitude? Dusty Yellow for Gratitude? Bumblebee Yellow for Gratitude? Zero rhyming."
"It's not about the rhyming, it's about the donations for Azure."
"Azul para Agradecimiento. See? Maybe I should be on the planning committee."
"No, you stay right on your big chair."
Mom pinched Dad's cheek as she said that. It was less endearing and more condescending. Plus, I think the rhyming matters too.
"Okay, Kai just won't go. He can stay home and train with Regina."
"Lana..."
"I really would like to go to that gala, Mom. Matea and Rhett and Ollie and Serenity and Chloe will be there."
"Representing their respective kingdoms. I can do that job myself. Quite honestly, they shouldn't be there either. Being a representative for the kingdom isn't child's play."
"How old were you when you first started training?"
"4. So, I've shown Kailen mercy by 11 years. Either way, he's staying home. He's not ready to be a diplomat or even to be in a battle. He'll survive."