| Entry 35: The 32nd Tuesday (2 August 2005) |
| Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Tuesdays with Turtle We were in a small cave, hiding from the rain. It was raining because got dark clouds. We were in a cave because idiot Iori lost his footing and tumbled down the slope. That's his fault. Because I told him to lose the kimchi but he refused. "Hey shortie lose the kimchi." "No I cannot lose the kimchi. It is right in my sight." "Lose the kimchi or you'll fall down. It's too heavy." "You can't just LOSE things like that. It is a silly thought distilled into the purest form, if such a thing is even possible. The kimchi is in my backpack and I am constantly looking back to make sure that it is still there. Therefore I CANNOT LOSE THE KIMCHI YOU STUPID WENCH. WHY, YOU PUT THE KIMCHI IN MY BAG IN THE FIRST PLACE OH HO HO HO IS IT NOT? Now... Banish that pointless notion now before I hit you over the head with this doughpin. Just keep walking. You're in front of me, blocking my way." "You hit me, Winnie slash you into tiny pieces. Right hor Winnie?" Winnie ignored us and kept walking along the pavement. "Why you ignore me Winnie? Hey!" and I got angry and I picked up a chip broken off the concrete pavement. I drew my hand backwards with all my might so I can throw the rock at Winnie with all my might and I could feel my hand hitting something. I heard Iori yell. Me and Winnie looked on as Iori tumbled down the slope, bouncing a few times. Actually it was more like a cliff. So the three of us are in a cave hiding from the rain and I dont know why there is a cave here It doesnt look secure. And this cave attracts things, like this talking tortoise who has just wandered in. He was dressed in simple rags. He carried a straw backet on his back. In one hand was a sickle. He was staring at Winnie. A sudden twitch turned into a smile, without eyes. "Ah! Travellers, trapped by the elements! May I share the cave?" Of course lah. He sat himself down opposite us. Iori was scribbling notes. Winnie was locked in a mutual staredown with the tortoise. "I sell herbs. My clients include many traditional medicinal halls. I collect the best, most exotic stuff thy cannot get anywhere else." The rain subsided. "Travellers, what are you doing here?" Gaigai. "Really? Everyone calls me Baibai. It rhymes, see? Hahaha." Er...hahaha. "Your silent friend too? Gaigai?" Yeah lor. He likes to find other... Winnie stood up suddenly just like that scary ok. Winnie's gaze was locked onto Baibai. Then he stretched and yawned. Chey. Iori was recording all these down. "Young one, what are you recording? Let me see?" Ai, you let him see just like that? No wait...Iori was stiff.. He was afraid. Why? "Oh, Musashi...I see." Awkward silence. Made worse when the rain stopped. "The rain has stopped. I have to continue with my job. Got to earn a living, right? Hahaha." Hahaha? Anyhoo everyone stood up and left the cave. We need to climb up the slope to... A tree fell towards us and Winnie dragged me and Iori away but Baibai did not move, he just stood there and blocked his head with his forearm. The tree broke when it hit Baibai's arm. Baibai turned to us and smiled. "Must be a rotten tree inside. Hahaha. Well, nobody's hurt. Time to go. Baibai! Hahaha" Iori was scribbling like a woodpecker poking wood and then he suddenly raised his head to ask Baibai "What's your full name? I need to record it down." Baibai looked at Iori, then at me, finally at Winnie. To Winnie, he said this before he left with a funny smile. "Shishido Baiken." |
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| Entry 34: The 31st Tuesday (26 July 2005) |
| Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Tuesdays with Turtle We packed up and got ready to leave. Winnie pulled out the katana and sheath from his belt, raised the sword over his head and stuck it back into the belt. At least he looks more like a samurai now. I stole a few jars of kimchi from the kimchi shed. I stuffed them into Iori's bag. "What, are you doing you immature lout?" asked Iori. Stuff things into your bag lah so obvious. "What...what for?" Valentine's Day sale. Kimchi bouquets. "What?????" And Winnie thrust the doughpin into Iori's hands. "What...what are YOU doing you hoodlum?" He wants you to be his student lor. "No...I am not a soldier. I am a man of letters. Boy of letters." Winnie anyhow swing his fist at Iori and Iori blocked with the doughpin. See? You are Winnie's new student. "This...this doesn't even make sense. How am I to record when I am involved? Hey, is anyone listening to me?" Hey Winnie you havent told me where you want to go next. "He shall journey to the Yagyu clan. It is inevitable." You're just a kid. How come you know? "Because I am not you." Hey, what's that supposed to mean? We left the temple later in the day. Inei and Inshun/Oku bade us farewell. Old idiot even gave us a few jars of kimchi. I stuffed the kimchi into Iori's bag and he fell onto his face since the extra kimchi made his bag bigger and heavier than he is. Winnie walked at the front. I dragged Iori along. |
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| Entry 33: The 30th Tuesday (19 July 2005) |
| Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Tuesdays with Turtle We went to bed after the little chat. When we woke up, we were shooed to a hall. The wooden floor looks shiny. I am wearing a skirt. I had to walk with my legs crossed. Yes everyone was staring at me but at least they were not staring below me. More like skirting glances. So we were waiting and tortoise Inei walked to the altar at the end of the hall. He was wearing formal robes. He waited. The record monk was scribbling some stuff into his record book. Then Inei started speaking, without his wigger accent. "I am Inei of Hozoin. I have been the defender of this temple for fifty years. With my spear and the Hozoin ryu, I have managed to keep you safe. But I am old. I will not live forever. It is time for me to pass the mantle and the burden. Oku of Hozoin has been assisting me in guarding this temple. He has proven himself in life and death combat numerous times. However, yesterday marks his first defeat. Such is the way. Such is how he will learn humiliation. I am aware that many of you are not too pleased with his arrogance prior to his defeat. His arrogance died yesterday. He is ready to take over my place as the Second Guardian. Oku of Hozoin, enter." Oku walked in, in bandages. "From this day, you shall be Inshun, Second Guardian of the temple Hozoin, and the new grandmaster of the Hozoin Ryu." Oku bowed to Inei. Inshun bowed to the other monks. Everyone bowed back. After the little ceremony, we decided to walk back to pack some kimchi to sell to foodcourts, when we were intercepted by a young tortoise. "I shall travel with you. I will follow you and record your deeds," said tortoise. "Hi, my name is Iori." As in King of Fighter? "Huh? No, as in I am Iori. I am an apprentice monk. Well, I'm not really a monk yet. I need to complete my initiation in order to be selected. My project will be to compile the annals of Winnie." Wah Annals of Winnie. So you will follow us wherever we go? "Yes." The young monk look very serious but very young. Shorter than me. He look like a nerd. But no specs since he dont have ears. He is wearing monk robes. He held a notebook titled "Musashi". He was also carrying a bundle, wrapped in blue cloth. "Daisho. One steel katana and one steel wakizashi. Master Inei wanted Winnie to use steel swords. He says Winnie looks stupid fighting with a doughpin." Winnie took the set and stuck them in his belt. Winnie unsheathed the katana, then sheathed it. Then out and in and out and in. I think he is testing or something. I could see Iori recording in his notebook. I peek and saw "Winnie is an idiot who likes to do stupid actions to annoy everyone around him." So rude. So we went back to the small shed. |
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| Entry 32: The 29th Tuesday (12 July 2005) |
| Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Tuesdays with Turtle I am applying red food dye to Winnie's bandages to make him look like bloody mummy. When I birthday need to get more red dye to make red eggs. I wrote 'Bloody Mary' on Winnie bandages. A monk brought us kimchee and rice. I poured all my remaining red dye itno the kimchee. "This is our secret kimchee," said the monk. Wow I stuffed the kimchee into Winnie's mouth; he looked straight ahead and said nothing. He was trying to not make eye contact with the monk. The monk kept walking to Winnie's front to look at Winnie but Winnie kept turning away until I hear crack. I think Winnie twisted his neck. Don't worry got secret magic kimchee to heal Winnie. "Um..no. The secret is that we added some saffron to make the kimchee taste special." Anyhoo the medic monk twisted Winnie's neck back and then Inei came into the room. Lucky he never wear any stupid bling bling. "You have won." Winnie wanted to nod but his neck could not move yet. "Oku is my top disciple. By defeating him, you have defeated me, Inei Hozoin. I salute you." and he did the double horn hip hop sign. "You have proven yourself a top level exponent. That's one step closer to one of your goals. What about the other?" Winnie looked at Inei. I said 'huh?'. "I have sworn off that whole matter. I will not tell you where the mothership is. You will have to seek it out yourself." Winnie so dissapointed. Why is Winnie looking for the mothership? Inei turned to me. "He is looking for someone in the mothership." His lover is it? Like tv drama like that. "No...not his lover. You need not concern yourself with this matter girl. It is a messy affair." He turned back to Winnie. "All I will tell you is that yes, the mothership lies in this planet and yes, He is in it." Hmm Winnie is looking for the mothership. |
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| Entry 31: The 28th Tuesday (5 July 2005) |
| Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Tuesdays with Turtle It was a grass field. Some trees. On top of one of the trees was a bird nest got cute cute small birds chirping for their mother. The sun looks pretty when the tree leaves block it off slightly. The grass was lalang. Not too long but not too short. Among the grass were grasshoppers and moths flying about. A grasshopper landed on a drop of dew and jumped off, causing the dew drop to splat. Insects are flying about because in the middle of the field, under the gentle morning sun, Winnie was flailing about. Winnie was flailing because he is off his feet, on the back of Oku Hozoin and Oku is choking the life out of Winnie with the spear. I can see a few small pink flowers among the lalang. They also glitter in the gentle morning sun. And Winnie is thrashing about. Thrashing, because Oku is choking the life out of Winnie. I can hear crickets. They are loud like the cicadas in the trees. I could see a cricket struggling in a patch of trampled grass. It is half crushed. Winnie raised the doughpin and hit backwards. Oku dodged. Again, and Oku dodged again. Winnie raised the doughpin a third time and hit yet again. But this time he hit to his side, striking both himself and Oku. Oku stumbled foward but quickly regained posture. Oku look shocked at the strength of the blow. Winnie regained combat posture too. I could see his wounds bleeding underneath the bandage. I could see his wounds bleeding because the bandages are soaked. Winnie ripped the bandages off. And Oku thrusted fowards. Winnie parried, raised his doughpin high up with only one arm and struck down. "One arm?" said Inei. Oku blocked but I could see his hands shaking. Winnie is holding the doughpin with only one hand now. The other hand was at his side, open, ready to catch the spear. Oku thrust foward again, this time Winnie caught the spear before it fully stabbed him. Swipe at Oku's head, dodge. Raise doughpin, strike down, Oku stepped back just enough to avoid the strike. Now I realise that they deliberately dodge only as much as they need to avoid being killed. They are trying to stay within the same distance. That is why all the dodges look like near misses. Winnie, an artless charge and a downwards stroke. Blocked. Another. Another. He was forcing Oku into the pond. One last stroke...and Oku was standing on water. The water under his feet had became solid ground after a low rumble. Oku swiped at Winnie and Winnie ducked into the pond. The pond water is murky. You cannot see too far in it. Oku took on a low guard posture and looked around him. He could not find Winnie. He looked to his left, right, back. No Winnie. He looked again to his right, left and I saw Winnie emerging slowly behind Oku. "Oku is rejecting the Earth. How careless." said Inei. Oku blocked in time to save his calves. Winnie dissappeared into the water. He returned several thrusts into the water but did not hit Winnie. Then, a low rumble. Oku landed into the water. Winnie emerged again, but this time Oku could feel the ripples. Oku parried the strike from Winnie. Thrust block strike dodge. Both emerged from the water. Dripping water. Both. They stared at each other. "This is it." Inei said. The two stared for a long time. A bird flew past and dropped its shadow on both of them. Oku thrusted at Winnie's heart, Winnie caught the spear in time and only a small part of the tip pierced Winnie's chest. Winnie pushed the spear aside, a horizontal gash across his bloody chest. Oku drew the spear back but Winnie held on. Oku pushed foward and cut a deep gash on the side of Winnie's chest with the crossblade. But Winnie held on. With one arm, Winnie raised the doughpin. Oku released one hand from the spear and punched Winnie in the face and caused blood to spurt from Winnie's face. He followed with another punch. And Winnie struck down on Oku's head. Oku's head snapped downwards and back up. Oku's eyes were wide open and bloody. A strong stream of blood flowed from his nose. He saw Winnie holding the doughpin wide at the side with one arm, ready for the final blow. Oku punched Winnie in the face again. Winnie's doughpin struck Oku on the side of his jaw. Oku's face snapped to the side. His body followed. Oku dropped to the ground. He was still for a long time. Inei declared the winner. "Miyamoto Musashi, no school, defeats Oku Hozoin of Hozoin Ryu." Winnie looked at Oku's prone body. Inei went to Oku and felt his pulse. Oku was still alive. Winnie raised his doughpin in victory. |
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