The Chikamori Selfacy (A Reboot)
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-451kWfI6hzI/X8bPPtEyeVI/AAAAAAAAk54/KB3_SyRJ73IFG8EkSAmOkYAyCBOz1giwgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/ChikamoriSelfacyReboot_banner.png Prologue: June 12, 1970; Sacred Spleen Hospital...
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Chapter Eight - A Different Kind of Peace (Part Five)
The Chikamori House – Morning
Weekday mornings were always hectic in the Chikamori household. Bebe had to get out early to head in to work as a playground monitor which was always fun; wrangling snot-nosed rugrats in kindergarten and elementary school grades and making sure that none of the little ankle-biters were fighting each other or likewise pummelling each other to pieces. It was quite evident that Bebe was now well aware of how her actions back when she was that age were galling to those who were playground monitors back then and she wasn’t a hellion like some of the other kids.
It was very clear that Bebe would have to be on her highest alert to make sure that she covered the entire playground area with her eyes monitoring everything that was going on. Bebe was glad that she was able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of birthday cake (probably not the healthiest breakfast in the morning, but a dose of sugar might give her the energy to keep up pace with those little classroom psychos on speed) Little Jimmy Keaton was one of those little psychos who just loved to make Bebe’s work schedule into the shift from hell. If he wasn’t trying to hang upside down on the monkey-bars which nearly threatened to cause him to fall on his head, either breaking his neck in the process or giving him a major concussion, he was eating dirt in the corner. One of these days he’d probably die from an infection of Vibrio vulnificus, the bug that causes necrotizing fasciitis or otherwise more morbidly known as flesh-eating disease.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMbY19RLFB8/YDFYYD_SnSI/AAAAAAAAnO0/bBALX9pUQfkuTLlw6F6CZOcN79nGBFCDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-110.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mQHtaaZBOIE/YDFYYAFWj2I/AAAAAAAAnO4/0o4Pbtb4Vik1NS6P1A1Vojl5P20Mv6l-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-111.jpg
At least she was able to unload her frustrations by talking with her boyfriend Torao before heading into work.
Fiona came down and joined them at the table and of course since they’d had several birthday parties in consecutive order, there was plenty of birthday cake to go through. So Fiona had her share of birthday cake as well. Fiona though had other things on her mind. And of course when Haruo and River came down to join them at the kitchen table for breakfast...things got a little on the tense side.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owUUL7ONzCM/YDFZVaF8ESI/AAAAAAAAnPI/oFdWo2D9VnU9G6SebamR2vl4Q4PcwAq2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-117.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYPRSxjaQVI/YDFZVGiZ2pI/AAAAAAAAnPE/2fS60yOPp8cLxjJXMiULy44ZHakwt41sACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-119.jpg
It is well known that parents can tell when their children have been up to some “hanky-panky”. And of course, Fiona knew right off the bat that something was off.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Djn5dCwCCg0/YDFau5km3RI/AAAAAAAAnPg/D231v02oFpgbVqbhTQdMwZu5Lel129wmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-120.jpg
Haruo got the feeling that he was under a fine magnifying glass...in the sun...because it was getting kind of unbearably hot. Fiona gave him yet another stare as she walked silently past him towards the kitchen sink.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_sWuKWhm94E/YDFbZkuxL_I/AAAAAAAAnPs/Avip0W27Li4T4OELVi3DFKsQ3QLiBxKqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-121.jpg
River blushed pink...and mouthed, “I think she knows...” at her fiancé. Haruo winced. Evidently that heavy-petting session wasn’t going to go unremarked upon. But of course her mother said nothing...and headed upstairs. It was after all Fiona’s day off.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUD53P1_4nk/YDFciyeUm5I/AAAAAAAAnP8/0gSVehVtD7gWuHfV6vQhfqElUNcYmEkOACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-124.jpg
Bebe commented, “Boy, that was a close one...” she stage-whispered as Fiona headed out the back door and over to her side of the suite. Fiona had articles to write.
“Shhhhh...” River hissed, “I don’t need her chewing on me and Haruo because we just heavy-petted each other.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VEgqW4iwS4k/YDFdKUVuhrI/AAAAAAAAnQE/FuBO29x41uUzdHIhTI7Eo96b1Pp6fkyrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-132.jpg
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“Heavy-petting?” Bebe smirked at her, “So...nothing more than that?” she insinuated. “No hot...stuff...”
“NO...” River said indignantly. “We are waiting for marriage...”
“oh...” Bebe grinned knowingly. “Just test-driving...”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hdV36qmaLpI/YDFd-r4pPII/AAAAAAAAnQU/TXUzIGS10u80Bj9BG5Fi0uDJiajpHN4gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-131.jpg
“Bebe!”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eui07xspC4k/YDFeSafqBuI/AAAAAAAAnQc/akYkvgQLDNMsqjEA8IRQgPMYxOTxR4H2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-135.jpg
"What?"
"Go to work!"
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tMQ9DLYfNk/YDFenCzx3wI/AAAAAAAAnQk/JJ7stVXp6N4t7dD5rXMa7dcBH558P9jUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-136.jpg
Elixir Consignment Shop
Haruo stopped over at the elixir shop and greeted Mr. Joseph. “How are you today.” He grinned, “I have a few more cut gemstones for you.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwbogH7EeS0/YDFfYf5XMRI/AAAAAAAAnQs/A3nMuEEDggcVV4z4iKEeyOTQYJ_rz28oACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-140.jpg
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Upon looking over them, Moses grinned at him and said, “These look great. I’m sure that the buyers will be most impressed by the quality of the cuts this time around...they look even better than the last ones.”
“Well...I seem to be getting more comfortable with the cutter; which probably translates into better quality in terms of cuts. Moses. I think we might get high-end five figures with this one.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LsTlHQ0cygQ/YDFgOGihMII/AAAAAAAAnQ0/Q5CKk6dPIXEp2hHekOE0ViRvgOigUaPOACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-142.jpg
“I agree with that assessment.” Moses replied. “Let me talk to some of my more serious buyers about these...and they should get back to me with an purchase order today.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVHMrcK50ik/YDFg1106G5I/AAAAAAAAnRE/B7ir9I32zo87Lw6dM_oLrv-txsM62UT2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-141.jpg
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“Great.”
After dropping off the cut gems, Haruo returned to the house and went upstairs to work on his martial arts. He had progressed from a blue-belt to a brown-belt one level down from black and two from martial arts mastery which meant that he would eventually be able to open his own martial arts studio if he so intended. But Haruo was more interested in angling as a career. His cousin, Torao, on the other hand had decided that he was going to become the gardener of the family and would apprentice under Haruo's father who was also a gardener.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk8yI-4Cqac/YDFimZGKSzI/AAAAAAAAnRc/UogzYKl-nTsGDftYCVmuplX9H19UTJ73wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-8.jpg
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River was working on her painting skill and growing more and more skilled with each painting that she created. This was truly her life’s calling, she mused as she mixed another color by taking bits of different colors from her palette and made a classic painting.
Eventually she would get skilled enough that she could memorize a scene in her mind and paint it from memory. At least that was what she was hoping to do one of these days.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDcoQq_5wlU/YDFjbvdpHmI/AAAAAAAAnRs/vfGADQgATssnj5HD4QVPoGR8zIex1g3QQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-13.jpg
Dinner was more birthday cake...and they wanted to finish off the birthday cake as stale cake was disgusting and would more than be a waste of money. So each of them looked consolingly at each other, grabbed fork and started digging into the cake for the second time that day.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBJI5OX2l18/YDFkh6CvMXI/AAAAAAAAnR0/JGdePHAB7Ewt-kJUE8tLe4lUOr585mL6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-16.jpg
...and then all too soon, it was bedtime...and Haruo and River headed off to bed.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLNelQUanSg/YDFlg4vEZMI/AAAAAAAAnR8/Qd7WYM1bVaYjvp9KdDk2SzrRe6OFX4aGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-21.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EWYI0n1L7RM/YDFlrjg-IjI/AAAAAAAAnSA/IxqEnNQ6ZAsBfbKsXB_xkKAOgeHFwV6dwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-22.jpg
(End Chapter Eight)
Chapter Eight - A Different Kind of Peace (Part Five)
The Chikamori House – Morning
Weekday mornings were always hectic in the Chikamori household. Bebe had to get out early to head in to work as a playground monitor which was always fun; wrangling snot-nosed rugrats in kindergarten and elementary school grades and making sure that none of the little ankle-biters were fighting each other or likewise pummelling each other to pieces. It was quite evident that Bebe was now well aware of how her actions back when she was that age were galling to those who were playground monitors back then and she wasn’t a hellion like some of the other kids.
It was very clear that Bebe would have to be on her highest alert to make sure that she covered the entire playground area with her eyes monitoring everything that was going on. Bebe was glad that she was able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of birthday cake (probably not the healthiest breakfast in the morning, but a dose of sugar might give her the energy to keep up pace with those little classroom psychos on speed) Little Jimmy Keaton was one of those little psychos who just loved to make Bebe’s work schedule into the shift from hell. If he wasn’t trying to hang upside down on the monkey-bars which nearly threatened to cause him to fall on his head, either breaking his neck in the process or giving him a major concussion, he was eating dirt in the corner. One of these days he’d probably die from an infection of Vibrio vulnificus, the bug that causes necrotizing fasciitis or otherwise more morbidly known as flesh-eating disease.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMbY19RLFB8/YDFYYD_SnSI/AAAAAAAAnO0/bBALX9pUQfkuTLlw6F6CZOcN79nGBFCDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-110.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mQHtaaZBOIE/YDFYYAFWj2I/AAAAAAAAnO4/0o4Pbtb4Vik1NS6P1A1Vojl5P20Mv6l-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-111.jpg
At least she was able to unload her frustrations by talking with her boyfriend Torao before heading into work.
Fiona came down and joined them at the table and of course since they’d had several birthday parties in consecutive order, there was plenty of birthday cake to go through. So Fiona had her share of birthday cake as well. Fiona though had other things on her mind. And of course when Haruo and River came down to join them at the kitchen table for breakfast...things got a little on the tense side.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owUUL7ONzCM/YDFZVaF8ESI/AAAAAAAAnPI/oFdWo2D9VnU9G6SebamR2vl4Q4PcwAq2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-117.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYPRSxjaQVI/YDFZVGiZ2pI/AAAAAAAAnPE/2fS60yOPp8cLxjJXMiULy44ZHakwt41sACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-119.jpg
It is well known that parents can tell when their children have been up to some “hanky-panky”. And of course, Fiona knew right off the bat that something was off.
Spoiler
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fva3Cz0UsVU/YDFahVV-04I/AAAAAAAAnPc/NcJTW15Wl-kazZn2LhYPnj28eIepm9xPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-27_censored.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDhh1Nz51js/YDFb7LFykiI/AAAAAAAAnP0/TCug_tqA1_UVltHYIUM9DT9WjJdZ0J8tgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-29_censored.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDhh1Nz51js/YDFb7LFykiI/AAAAAAAAnP0/TCug_tqA1_UVltHYIUM9DT9WjJdZ0J8tgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-29_censored.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Djn5dCwCCg0/YDFau5km3RI/AAAAAAAAnPg/D231v02oFpgbVqbhTQdMwZu5Lel129wmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-120.jpg
Haruo got the feeling that he was under a fine magnifying glass...in the sun...because it was getting kind of unbearably hot. Fiona gave him yet another stare as she walked silently past him towards the kitchen sink.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_sWuKWhm94E/YDFbZkuxL_I/AAAAAAAAnPs/Avip0W27Li4T4OELVi3DFKsQ3QLiBxKqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-121.jpg
River blushed pink...and mouthed, “I think she knows...” at her fiancé. Haruo winced. Evidently that heavy-petting session wasn’t going to go unremarked upon. But of course her mother said nothing...and headed upstairs. It was after all Fiona’s day off.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUD53P1_4nk/YDFciyeUm5I/AAAAAAAAnP8/0gSVehVtD7gWuHfV6vQhfqElUNcYmEkOACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-124.jpg
Bebe commented, “Boy, that was a close one...” she stage-whispered as Fiona headed out the back door and over to her side of the suite. Fiona had articles to write.
“Shhhhh...” River hissed, “I don’t need her chewing on me and Haruo because we just heavy-petted each other.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VEgqW4iwS4k/YDFdKUVuhrI/AAAAAAAAnQE/FuBO29x41uUzdHIhTI7Eo96b1Pp6fkyrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-132.jpg
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“Heavy-petting?” Bebe smirked at her, “So...nothing more than that?” she insinuated. “No hot...stuff...”
“NO...” River said indignantly. “We are waiting for marriage...”
“oh...” Bebe grinned knowingly. “Just test-driving...”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hdV36qmaLpI/YDFd-r4pPII/AAAAAAAAnQU/TXUzIGS10u80Bj9BG5Fi0uDJiajpHN4gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-131.jpg
“Bebe!”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eui07xspC4k/YDFeSafqBuI/AAAAAAAAnQc/akYkvgQLDNMsqjEA8IRQgPMYxOTxR4H2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-135.jpg
"What?"
"Go to work!"
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tMQ9DLYfNk/YDFenCzx3wI/AAAAAAAAnQk/JJ7stVXp6N4t7dD5rXMa7dcBH558P9jUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-136.jpg
Elixir Consignment Shop
Haruo stopped over at the elixir shop and greeted Mr. Joseph. “How are you today.” He grinned, “I have a few more cut gemstones for you.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwbogH7EeS0/YDFfYf5XMRI/AAAAAAAAnQs/A3nMuEEDggcVV4z4iKEeyOTQYJ_rz28oACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-140.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wKyhCSnccVI/YDFhOkrF-cI/AAAAAAAAnRM/XibnGyaw-mwfTwegAIUc2FnfStxLVKvQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Consignment_06-29-1988.png
Upon looking over them, Moses grinned at him and said, “These look great. I’m sure that the buyers will be most impressed by the quality of the cuts this time around...they look even better than the last ones.”
“Well...I seem to be getting more comfortable with the cutter; which probably translates into better quality in terms of cuts. Moses. I think we might get high-end five figures with this one.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LsTlHQ0cygQ/YDFgOGihMII/AAAAAAAAnQ0/Q5CKk6dPIXEp2hHekOE0ViRvgOigUaPOACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-142.jpg
“I agree with that assessment.” Moses replied. “Let me talk to some of my more serious buyers about these...and they should get back to me with an purchase order today.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVHMrcK50ik/YDFg1106G5I/AAAAAAAAnRE/B7ir9I32zo87Lw6dM_oLrv-txsM62UT2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-141.jpg
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“Great.”
After dropping off the cut gems, Haruo returned to the house and went upstairs to work on his martial arts. He had progressed from a blue-belt to a brown-belt one level down from black and two from martial arts mastery which meant that he would eventually be able to open his own martial arts studio if he so intended. But Haruo was more interested in angling as a career. His cousin, Torao, on the other hand had decided that he was going to become the gardener of the family and would apprentice under Haruo's father who was also a gardener.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk8yI-4Cqac/YDFimZGKSzI/AAAAAAAAnRc/UogzYKl-nTsGDftYCVmuplX9H19UTJ73wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-8.jpg
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River was working on her painting skill and growing more and more skilled with each painting that she created. This was truly her life’s calling, she mused as she mixed another color by taking bits of different colors from her palette and made a classic painting.
Eventually she would get skilled enough that she could memorize a scene in her mind and paint it from memory. At least that was what she was hoping to do one of these days.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDcoQq_5wlU/YDFjbvdpHmI/AAAAAAAAnRs/vfGADQgATssnj5HD4QVPoGR8zIex1g3QQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-13.jpg
Dinner was more birthday cake...and they wanted to finish off the birthday cake as stale cake was disgusting and would more than be a waste of money. So each of them looked consolingly at each other, grabbed fork and started digging into the cake for the second time that day.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBJI5OX2l18/YDFkh6CvMXI/AAAAAAAAnR0/JGdePHAB7Ewt-kJUE8tLe4lUOr585mL6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-16.jpg
...and then all too soon, it was bedtime...and Haruo and River headed off to bed.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLNelQUanSg/YDFlg4vEZMI/AAAAAAAAnR8/Qd7WYM1bVaYjvp9KdDk2SzrRe6OFX4aGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-21.jpg
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(End Chapter Eight)
