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Tu Zin Settlement
The hot sand hit his skin like tiny darts as his front door swung open. Tikaani slowly opened his eyes to the flare of the sun, he quickly shielded his eyes, peeking through his fingers to see who had interrupted his normal daily sleeping schedule. He blinked rapidly as the rangy stature moved into the house. It was his father, Vulc Xio, some would say well respected, from what respect was in Tu Zin. There wasn't much in the settlement in ways of work or things that people could do for enjoyment. Most found joy in the laboring and their families. Tikaani and his father were no different, they found joy where it was to be found, for them it was in the hunt, providing food and clothes for the settlement. That's where they got their respect. Vulc was also a skilled technician, working on parts they find to build sets to watch the news, learn more of what it's like inside "the walls", as they call it.
Tikaani's father moved over to the foot of the bed, patting his dusty pant legs, Tikaani could see that he had already put in a hard days work in only the few hours of sun light they had for the new day.
"You know what today is son?" He asked looking off out the window, a gleam in his eye, the soft wind was knocking the wooden panel ,that was used to shut the window, on the stone wall.
"Yes, of course. It is the 100th year end of the Great War.." Tikaani responded evidently, looking at his father, running his mind of why he seemed bothered by the day.
"It is a day of celebrating" He quickly added with a smile, hoping to lighten the darkness that seemed to have entered them. His father looked over at him and smiled.
"Yes, yes it is." He moved up and left, as soon as he had entered, the door shut and Tikaani was left. Strange, his father normally was so full of joy and excitement about every day jobs, he loved normal life and anything that hinted at life inside the walls, very strange.
After getting dressed, Tikaani opened his front door out to the dusty, sand covered street. The settlement was alive today, children were running, chasing each other and laughing, families gathered and prepared decorations and gossiped, smiling and conversing. Tikaani smiled, the thought of everyone in a village that every other day is low and struggling to get by in life can come together and be joyous made him equally happy. He looked down the street and pulled his bag up over his shoulder as he ran down the dirt walk way.
"Morning Tik!" A young boy yelled from a store as he raced past. The boy leaned out the window and tossed him a banana, Tikaani quickly snatched it out of the air and peeled it. "See you at the festival!" the boy shouted again from behind him. Tikaani just threw up a quick wave as he cleared the corner.
As he entered his fathers shop he threw his bag over the counter, just past his father who had beat him there. He moved the the back, setting down the now empty banana peel on the wooden counter and putting on a work apron.
"What do you need me to do today?" He asked as he walked back around the corner, tossing his banana peel in the trash under the shop's main counter.
"Um" his father paused and moved some paperwork around. Tikaani cringed.
Not more paper work.... he thought to himself as his father moved through files and stacks of paper that where yet to be organized. The front door opened and his mother walked in.
"Let the poor kid off today, we are supposed to be celebrating anyway Vulc" She said softly smiling at both his father and himself. Tianni Xio, most proud woman Tikaani had ever met, he had never met a more giving and kind hearted soul in his life. Though she does not do much of work with Tikaani and his father, she stays busy working in food shops, taking what they hunt and selling it, also cooking some so that both Tikanni and his father come home to a nice warm meal. He loved his mother very much, and respected her, and that is what was given back.
"Yes.. of course love." Tikaani's father responded, smiling and nodding at Tikaani, who jumped in excitement at the thought of a day off work. He ran back to take off his work apron.
"You should take the day off as well." She said, brushing the long dark brown hair from Vulc's forehead.
"I'll see to it that I get home early." He gave her a weak smile and returned to filing the unorganized paperwork that covered the wooden counter-top.
The door chimed as Tikaani and his mother left the shop, he smiled and breathed in the air. He felt like a small child again, ready to enjoy life without work, his spirit lifted already even more so.
"What shall we do mother?" He turned and asked. but she was gone. He shrugged off her absence, as he felt she had higher matters to attend to with the festivities.
As he walked down the road he ran into another young man his age. "Why don't you watch where you're going Tik" the young man spat. Tikaani shoved him off.
"You are one to talk Romaw, you spilled three buckets of water in a day." he shot back with a smile and a laugh. The boy laughed back and patted him on the shoulder.
"Got today off it seems!" Romaw said excitingly.
"Yes! and I see you aren't allowed to work today!" He said in a laugh. The two young men walked towards the loud music and laughter from the festival street. Today was going to be a glorious day.