Of Yen

Initiation

[iˌniSHēˈāSHən]

noun

the action of admitting someone into a secret or obscure society or group, typically with a ritual.

the introduction of someone to a particular activity or skill.

the action of beginning something:

Ethereal could sense the inevitable war looming in the shadows, its ominous presence growing stronger with each passing moment. The creature's claws dug deep into the soil, clawing its way towards the surface, as if eager to break free. However, Ethereal remained unfazed. The ticking of the doomsday clock - a familiar and oddly soothing sound to him - was not a cause for concern. Instead, it was background noise in the grand scheme of his existence. Just ambience.

"We have received reports of sightings," Mr. Galadior informed Ethereal, his voice steady despite the nervousness that seemed to radiate off him. "However, we lost them in the late season storm."

Ethereal felt the tension in the air as the stoic bird spoke. He could sense the underlying anxiety beneath Mr. Galadior's cool exterior.

"Excellent," Ethereal responded, his attention still focused on his work. The never-ending stream of papers and reports was overwhelming, but he took it in stride.

He felt a pang of physical exhaustion as he pored over the documents, knowing that he had an appointment with Scar looming ahead. The thought of having to deal with the overstuffed cat was far from pleasant, but he knew the importance of wielding his pawns correctly within the game.

"You may go, Mr. Galadior," Ethereal instructed, his focus shifting to organizing the documents before him. He lined up the papers, pens, and files with a meticulous precision, each item placed in neat and tidy rows.

Ethereal suddenly paused, noticing the pen that was out of place. His attention was drawn to his own shaking hands, a small betrayal of the stress and exhaustion he had been ignoring. He fixed his gaze on his trembling hand, frustration and anger bubbling within him. He loathed his own flesh, the way it betrayed him with its involuntary shaking. He had built an empire through control and precision, and yet his own body refused to submit to his will.

Ethereal strode towards Pride Rock, his footsteps tracing a familiar path from the shores. A relaxed atmosphere hung in the air, and the hyenas appeared uncharacteristically peaceful. The sound of the Consul's sermon echoed through the air, and as Ethereal ascended the plateau, he noticed a large gathering of hyenas seated in a circle around a tree.

Passing the hyenas into the den, his assistant, Ghost, stood waiting for Ethereal at the door holding primary school booklets and papers.

"Ghost." Ethereal greeted with a curt nod. Ghost nodded back.

Stepping into the room, Scar looked up from the tablet he had left behind, amused. "Ah, I was wondering when you would arrive," he chuckled.

Ethereal huffed, pulling out a chair to take a seat. "I won't be teaching you. I'm here to assess if you should continue your lessons or not," he explained. "Ghost will be handling the reading lessons from now on."

Ghost waved, his expression cheerful, as he placed a colorful stack of children's books and anchor pages on the table. He was visibly pleased, sliding a book towards Scar. "Your majesty," he greeted.

Scar regarded the children's book with a mixture of disbelief and mild embarrassment. The cartoonish lion on the cover seemed almost mocking in its simplicity. He shot a wary glance at Ethereal before hesitantly taking the book in his hands.