And there I was, sitting out on the ground in my tiny, open backyard. There weren't many trees in Barder, which is the part of the colony we live in. My best guess is that this colony was built on top of a desert, but that's just me. "Brenden, you're going against the balance and peace! It isn't right for you to go to war, why would you do this to me? To your father? To your family? To Aayla, your sister? Is living in harmony not enough for you? Tell me, Brenden Serpento, is it not enough? Do you truly wish to go out and shoot, stab, murder people? It isn't right, you can't do this to us!" my mother burst into tears, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Just two days ago was my younger brother Brenden's 15th birthday. Tomorrow, the guides shall come to take away those who wish to join a clan. Brenden broke the news just this morning that he was choosing to take that path of life, and mother and father didn't approve of it. I don't know if it's fair to say this or not, but Brenden seems to be of more importance to my parents compared to me. Brenden has curly auburn hair, just like my father, and he has deep blue eyes, just like my mother. Brenden is average weight, and you can tell that he has some muscles. My father is the same way. He looks just like my parents, when I don't. I have jet-black hair that goes down to my waist, I dislike to cut my hair. Mother, on the other hand, has shoulder-length light brown hair. I have light green eyes, while my father has hazel eyes. Once I had the thought that I was adopted, but that's a crazy thought I haven't taken much time to consider.
"I can choose to pursue my journey in life whichever way I want to, mother!" shouted Brenden, showing his fury that our parents didn't accept his wishes. I thought he was trying too hard to sound like a mature adult.
"Brenden, my only son, we need you here. What are we going to do with nobody to run our bakery? You mustn't have thought this through." father said, hiding his tears. We run a bakery, that's how we make our money. It's already been established that I cannot bake or cook, while Brenden can. Their expectations of him were to help out with the bakery, get married, start a family, and then his family help out with the bakery. Thinking deeply about this made me wonder if his choice might actually be a good one. I mean, how could someone bare to stay here when their life is already chosen for them? I've never thought about it that way..
Finally deciding to step into the conversation, I said calmly to Brenden, "Bren, are you sure this is what you want? What made you choose to make this decision so sudden? You know that you cannot have a family or a normal life this way, and your life expectancy is... very low.." It's hard for me to accept the fact of my only sibling going out into the cruel world of clans.
Brenden took a deep breath. "Do you remember Penelope Bardenhagen, the mayor of Barder's daughter?"
I nodded.
"Frikpianza raped then killed her 2 weeks ago. I didn't believe it when I heard it, but she hadn't shown up to buy the cookies mother sells since the rumors started.." Brenden actually looked as if he could cry.
"Frikpianza? What's that?" I asked. Was there some assassin here now?
"Frikpianza is a military, a new, small one. You know how those clans come in here thinking they can do whatever they want! If we were to join a clan, we could stand up to them! We could fight them, and defeat them! That's why tomorrow I am going away, I'm not going to take any training courses. I'm just going to go and apply to join Yaoj."
"Yaoj? But that's an ancient clan! Brenden, think this through. You'd be better off joining Military of Buzd, they have so many soldiers half of them don't even go to battle. I doubt that you'd even get into Yaoj, it isn't that hard to get in but still.. they look for men, not 15-year-old teenagers who think they want to join a clan, then they're going to turn their back and get sent to one of those ex-military soldier colonies!" the anger was noticeable in my voice.
"So what if Yaoj is an ancient clan? They've been around for 600 years and were never defeated."
"Brenden, it's because they have allies. They're old, they're strict, they don't want little boys. Just stay here, and live a normal life!"
"Stop it Aayla! Yaoj has the soldiers, the technology, the allies, all of the shit they need! Hell with it, I don't have to listen to you! I'm an adult now, I can make my own decisions!" Brenden shouted at me. He thinks he's an adult now, huh? I'm 17 and not even an adult..
"Show some respect for your sister!" demanded my father, and with him saying that, off went Brenden. He simply got up and went inside to his room. I had a feeling that he wasn't going to listen to us..
"Aayla, go convince your brother to stay home," father said. How come he isn't able to?
"How come you're not able to go talk to him?" I snapped. I know it isn't an appropriate time to be snarky, or think outloud. But it's just one of those times that I'm so overwhelmed I cannot think before I speak.
"Because you're the closest thing he has to a sister!" my mother stepped into the conversation.
"Closest thing he has to a sister? I am his sister."
"No, Aayla, you're not. You were an accident, you were born when two young adults in clans decided to fool around. They weren't even from the same clan, either. Your mother was in Deers Territory when she got knocked up by some guy in God knows what other military," announced mother with an angered tone. I felt like laughing that she was being this pathetic over Brenden leaving that she had to guilt me into going and talking to him. No way in hell is what she said true. But.. if it was... I tried to push that thought aside. It didn't work, and anger flushed over me.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" I yelled. "Oh, you think you're so funny. Just go talk to Brenden, if you're going to say sick lies then I'm not even going to be a part of your family either! I'll just a clan too, and why not the Zithotan Empire at that?" I wasn't even aware what the words flying out of my mouth were, but it was too late to think about what had already been done.
"Aayla.. it's true, but you're still going to be my daugh--" my father started to say, I decided to ignore his words and march up to Brenden's room. Not even bothering to knock, I shoved the door open.
"What are you doing here, Aayla? I'm not going to hear anymore of your bullcrap, I can make my own decisions!" Brenden glared at me.
"I know, and that's why I'm here to say I'll join Yaoj with you," I choked. With the amount of nervousness detectable in my voice, it's a suprise I didn't start to stutter. This was it, my decision for my whole life was now made, I'm going to join a military with my younger brother. Brenden just sat on his bed gaping at me in shock.
After what seemed like ten minutes of silence, Brenden finally spoke up. "Really?" was all he managed to say.
"Yes," I said firmly, both assuring my brother and myself that this would be my future.
