The Zodiac Spirit Guardians

First Impressions

Countless hours later I wake up in my bed. The sunlight slips through the cracks in my door, shining onto the walls and my pillow. I rub my eyes and stretch my arms over my head. Then a horrific realization hits me: I've left the bloody mess in the dojo.

I throw the covers away from my body and full on sprint as fast as I can to the practice room. I grab towels and hurriedly fling the door open. I realize my mother would kill me for not cleaning up at all, and her wrath is the scariest thing I've ever experienced.

I rush inside with towels in both hands and towels under my feet to mop up my mess. Panic sets in as I burst into the same room from the day before.

The towels drop from my fingers as I stare in awe at the spotless dojo. Someone had taken the time to clean up the bloody mess I left, during the time I was sleeping. Someone who did not feel bothered to wipe up blood that didn't belong to them. I assume it's the same person who carried me, or dragged me, to my room to sleep in my bed.

My first assumption is my mother, who would force me to bare a punishment worse than death for not cleaning up. That is, until she walks into the room.

"Wow you did a really nice job! And to think you'd put it off until the last second like you usually do." She pats me on the head lightly, "Someone must be really excited for his birthday!" She tips her head and spreads a smile on her young face.

I mutter a response under my breath, "Too bad mine isn't the one we'll actually be celebrating." I turn on my heels to leave the room. A whistle breezes by my ears and a dagger stabs my shirt to the wall.

"You're not going anywhere." My mother stops me, "I better see a smile on that face by the time you get back. And clean yourself up! You look like a toddler with hair that messy!..." She continues her nagging as I yank the knife out of the wall. I wave my hand at her for a response and walk off to take a shower.

I waltz into my room, rubbing my hair dry with a towel, on my bed lies an outfit picked out for me to wear by my mother. The pile consists of loose black trouser pants with an identical black robe. I slip on the pants and wrap the robe around myself like a towel. I slip my arms through the open holes and fixate it on my hips with a diamond white fabric belt tied securely. My light chest skin shows through the opening of the blanket-like fabric. My mother obviously intended me to resemble a blanket for my birthday. It's not possible for any other son to feel as ridiculous as I do in this moment.

I shake my wet hair until it's dry, leaving it in a neat mess on my head. My hair straightens out once it's no longer wet, so it doesn't look like a toddler's haircut. Among my family, only one male from each generation bears the trademark silver colored hair that bares the responsibility of three different bodies. They think it's an honor. The "honor of a lifetime" to serve a girl I've never met. I have no choice but to make a good impression, especially since our entire village will be at the ceremony hall waiting for me to join their celebration of Akira.

Before leaving, I take one glance in the mirror.

Something is smeared on my neck. I take a closer look and a golden shape is tattooed on my skin. It appears to be the Zodiac symbol for Aries. I rub at it to take it off, it doesn't even smudge. I lick my fingers and scratch at the tattoo, nothing. My neck is violently red now, but the ink is permanent. I glare at the right side of my neck in the mirror, giving up on making the symbol go away.

When I leave my room, I can feel the music vibrate the ground under my feet, rattling my heart. The violently beaten drums send waves of sound through the floor and walls. I hesitate upon entering the ceremony room. Once I walk in, I must be on my best behavior, even smiling. I hate smiling.