1 Chapter 1: School
Today, I had a thought and it was different from most thoughts I have. What made Japan turn away from tents and start building brick homes? It's an obvious question; that's how evolution works. So we discussed Traditional.
Our teacher, Miss Michimasa read a large book while we sat silently. "Students will gain an understanding of various aspects of traditional Japanese culture, including art, literature, religion, and customs." she squinted her eyes. "Ok..." she looked at the class and put the book on her desk. "What do you want to know about Japan?" she turned a frown into a smile.
Soma raised his hand, "I think Tokugawa shoguns?" I shrug sitting in a chair across from Soma. Then, the most aggravating bitch sounds, Yoshida Heyami. "The Yamato clan." she flutters her eyes.
"Well." Miss Michimasa smacks her lips. "Let's talk about shogun," she puts her hands on her hips. "The Tokugawa shogunate, also called the Edo shogunate, was founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu after winning the Battle of Sekigahara, bringing an end to the civil wars of the Sengoku period that followed the collapse of the Ashikaga shogunate. The Genpei War, fought from 1180 to 1185, was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans vying for control over the Emperor of Japan and his court." she breathes in one take.
Soma speaks again out of boredom, "Who wrote this?
"What do you mean?"
"Like..." he squeezes his lips together. "How do we know it's accurate?"
"This isn't America."
"I know but like... how is it accurate?"
"The Kojiki, which is the oldest surviving work, was created in 712. Although there are only reliable records dating back to 400 A.D., legend suggests that Japan was established in 600 B.C."
"See, that right there."
"Soma get out!"
"Can we please talk about shoguns?" I fumed. Soma is quite cute but he does talk too much. Everything is about who, what, where, and fucking why.
"Oogami, staying on topic." she flicks her pen at me. "Now, The shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan from 1192 to 1867. Although the shogun was technically subordinate to the emperor, Japan became a feudal society during this time." she writes something on the board. "On of my favorite topics is the feudal era!"
"ooo" I purse my lips. "Can we have a lesson on that?" says Soma. "No..." says Miss Michimasa. "Get out."
"What the fuck!
"Continuing the lesson." she moves to her desk and digs out a book from the dresser. "During medieval Japan, feudalism was a system where lords and vassals exchanged land ownership and military service in exchange for loyalty." she clapped her hands. "It says that the end of Japanese feudalism occurred suddenly in the late 1800s when Japan began establishing connections with foreign countries."
"I hate other countries." says Ii, "What about demons?"
"Made up I think because I have a book about Wongraido. He was a shogun who became an oni."
"History about Oni." says Yoshida. "I don't have a book...."
I tap at my phone and stand beside my desk, "It says, The character 鬼 has evolved differently in Japan and China, with the Japanese reading it as oni and the Chinese reading it as guǐ. The Japanese dictionary Wamyō Ruijushō from the 10th century provides insight into the origin of the word oni." I repeat the article I found.
Miss Michimasa glowers, "You came to work..."
I go to Kowareta University in Tottori, Japan. My dad is caucasian and my mother is a retired actor from the Noh Society. Once upon a time, I had a Japanese father and mother. But also money.
I still hate the man named Durwin. My mama lost her leg in a car accident. Durwin is a giant bluff. I have an uncle who works at a shop that sells Katanas and Durwin bought one and got sued a week after owning it.
He slashed a man's car going in the wrong direction on the road. To finish the story, Durwin lost his arm. My name is Oogami and Soma is my cousin. Yoshida has this crush on him and gives him a bento box every day. She gives him pig's feet, relish, watermelon, and swine flu. I mean bacon. It is a load of bacon in a bento.
And she likes ripping the petals off roses and tapping them on the box. She's weird.
Soma has never touched her and Yoshida, today, and probably tomorrow; is following us home. I actually like fat little Ii. We have this love of anime and the feudal era. It's weird but I like that small goatee having Japanese boy.
"What did you learn today?" asks Soma.
Just when I'm about to respond, I hear Yoshida. "I learned a new word today. Shogunate."
"Really?" I'm baffled. She takes out a book from her backpack. "Yeah! I have these list of words I write down everyday for translation."
"That's good." I bore. "I even wrote how to build a shrine because. She mentioned, "So, I learned from Mr. Hatsu. These shrines are typically devoted to Shinto gods, which are believed to reside within natural objects and phenomena."
"You act brand new to the country..."
"For real..." says Soma. "Have you heard of family shrines?"
"Why do you and Oomie have a shrine?" she asks. "Shinto shrines are typically devoted to Shinto deities, believed to reside in natural elements." he laments, "They serve as places of worship and are considered the homes of the kami, or Shinto gods."
"Wow, so are you a cultist?"
"UGH!" I throw my head back. "It's not fake!"
"What's his name?"
"What i wrong with you?" I sneer. Yoshida smiles creepily, "Watashi ni shite hoshīdesu ka?"
Her fingers are curled with little sharp nails. "Rekishi no zen... go." the side of the mouth drops down. Slowly grey creeps upon her skin. She holds her hand out, showing the palm. "Muryō chiketto." her head falls to the left.
"What!" Soma backs away. A scroll shines in front of my eyes. The flash leaves but the paper is there. "Soma!"
"Your funeral is today..." is the last thing I hear.
.
.
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The Shōnin
Aozora Yugoro from Buraito village next to Zhī Jǐng river. Has married the oni princess who is also expecting triplets. Father Aozora is pleased to announce the pregnancy is smooth, though, Mokuzai has completed about sore feet. She has cut off her left foot but continues to suffer pain despite the foot being absent.
In other news, Inishiana has been found stealing kimonos. Lady Kin-ryō woke up with nothing and her left foot missing.
Something is always happening in the Chimamire era.
