DOJOLAND (Elementary)

Chapter 14 - The Red Star

Hei cracked an eye open. His body felt sore and heavy and didn't stretch as hard as he would have wanted. His father, Aogami, had checked on his joints just 2 days ago and removed most of the bandages. Hei had had a very unlucky run-in with a very strong grappling and striking expert that left him forced to stay at home for the last week while his joints set back properly.

His elementary-school friends and even a few rivals had paid him get-well visits but mostly went to see if it was really true that out there was anyone who could take down Heiwa of the Marui household. His best friend Monky later explained, as best he could, that not only had Hei been ambushed, he and himself had been tricked into lowering their guards. The little thugs had shaken their heads and tsk-ed and described an ambush as 'reprobate at their age'. They left little get-well notes, some fruits and some girls had even left a couple of bouquets.

"That girl really did a number on you, didn't she?", Monky commented outloud as he peeled one banana that others had left to Hei for himself. "I can't tell what was going through her head but I know for sure that she was super angry", he added.

Hei sighed. "Aren't you going to say it's embarrassing to have been hurt this much by a girl?", Hei asked. He knew Monky to be an infamous perverted monkey and Hei perceived that as if he had less respect toward females than toward males. If Monky had laughed at him, Hei probably would have stopped being close to him for good.

"What?!", Monky asked shocked. "What kind of guy do you think I am?!"

"I just... I thought you thought of girls as ... well... less than guys?", Hei confessed

Monky stared at Hei agape. He then put his spread fingers over his chest dramatically. "Hei, brother... Men and women are different. Yes, we guys usually get a bit bigger and muscley but...", and here, his nostrils flared and his cheeks got a little blush sticker above them. "... But girls are nice and soft and if a girl grabbed me like that girl grabbed you then, I probably wouldn't do a thing against her either, heheh heheh", Monky finished, his free hand making groping motions.

Hei facepalmed.

After Hei recovered, he took it easy on his daily training routine and only went jogging around the city 10 times.

When he returned for Breakfast, his mother, Ai, greeted him with her usual peck on the top of his head. A little heart floated from the spot.

"Sweetie, how was your training?", she asked lovingly.

"It was ok, mom, thanks for asking", Hei replied politely but still didn't feel right at not even breaking a sweat during the whole time.

"Aw, sweetie.... I can tell when you're not feeling quite yourself. Dad told me you should change airs for a bit to recover your energies"

"Grandpa Ishida said so?", Hei asked, looking toward the slightly mossy stone currently at the front garden. He blinked. Peter Ishida had been with his mother all her life and she drew mysterious wisdom from just being around him. Upon retrospective, Ishida really was found anywhere in their property and the stone's moss was always greener than any other moss he could have ever found while training in the mountains. He decided to accept the suggestion.

Ai nodded.

"Did Grandpa suggest anywhere in particular?", Hei asked as if they weren't speaking about a mossy stone block.

Ai rummaged her apron's pocket. She pulled out a ticket. "Don't ask me what strings he pulled but he got you this", she replied with a smile.

A handed Hei a concert ticket. "The Gracious, Budding Red Twinkle group of the pheasant troupe is proud to present the greatest rising idol in all the country of Martial", Hei read. "Is it some kind of recital?"