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Description
Shikha: "Cmon Mithra, you've gotta keep up!"
Mithra: "I'm trying! Slow down a little!"
Durga: "Shika sweetheart, take it easy and let your sister catch her breath. We have plenty of time."
Shikha: "I know mother, I just wanna make sure we find a good spot so father can see us."
Mithra: "There's hardly anyone on this side of the street yet. Admit it, you just wanted an excuse to race me!"
Shikha: "Weeellll....maybe. But hey, at least we actually DID find a good spot. It won't be long before both sides of the street are packed."
Mithra: "Yea, I guess thats true."

Shikha was indeed correct. It was not long before the street was full of cheering citizens. Luckily they had arrived early enough to stand at the front of the crowd on their side. They had a clear view of the parade floats as the first of them came down the street. The floats in front were primarily just for show, featuring performers of every kind from fighters to dancers. One of the ones in the middle of the procession was full of pyrotechnics, firing off fireworks and smoke bombs high into the air. The whole time, lower demigod soldiers walked beside the parade, not only to add to the grandeur, but also to ensure the floats and the crowd remained separate. After about an hour and a half of excitement, the last of the floats made their way down the street. The Eight Guardian Generals occupied these, each having their own individual one. Then the last was the biggest, grandest float of all, reserved for Emperor Strada himself. In the middst of these, Yasha and Asura finally came into view. Yasha calmly smiled and occasionally waved at the crowd, while Asura kept his arms crossed and had a look of annoyance on his face, refusing to participate. Then they spied Durga and the girls among the sea of white robes. Durga smiled and the girls grined wide and waved their arms at their father and uncle.

Shikha: "Uncle Yasha!! Hi!!"
Mithra: "Hello Uncle!!"

Yasha smiled and waved at the adorable children. They giggled to each other. Then they saw Asura. He seemed very displeased, so they decided they needed to cheer him up.

Shikha and Mithra together: "Father!!"

Asura looked in their direction with surprise and uncrossed his arms. At least these awful parades had one good quality. He could see his family's excited, smiling faces. He smiled and waved, but only for them.

Mithra: "hahaha! Hi!!!"
Shikha: "Hello up there!! hahaha!!"

After the parade, Asura and the rest of the family were headed back to his residence for a celebratory meal. The parade was to celebrate their victory over a very large army of Gohma. Yasha, Asura, and Durga walked side by side, while Mithra and Shikha ran and played around them. They were excited that their uncle was coming for a visit; having the whole family together in one place was very fulfilling, even if their father and uncle did not always see eye-to-eye.

Shikha: "Do you remember that tournament that was going on today? they looked so cool!"
Mithra: "Yeah! Are you really gonna learn to fight?"
Shikha: "Heck yeah I am! I wanna be able to help people! Plus its a lot of fun!"
Mithra: "It sounds a little dangerous. But I know you can do it!"
Durga: "What are you two whispering about?"
Mithra: "They had another tournament today! Shikha wants to enter the fighting tournament when she gets older!"
Yasha: "Ah, thats right. You are ten years old now. Only four more years and you'll be old enough."
Asura: "If that's what you want, you will have to train very hard. They do not play games."
Shikha: "Does that mean you'll teach me?!"
Asura: "Hm-hmm. Alright then. But you must be serious about it. You will not succeed if you doubt yourself. And once we begin, you will have a lot of hard work ahead of you. There will be no turning back."
Shikha: "I understand father. I'm ready to do whatever it takes!"

Mithra hugged her sister and they giggled at each other. they then continued to run and play around their elders. Asura smiled. He felt proud to have a child who wanted to learn from him. He had everything he could have asked for. A daughter he could protect, and one he could mentor to protect herself. He had never felt so happy in his life. Later that evening after the meal, the girls had already been taken to bed, and the men stood outside the house, discussing the future.

Yasha: "The number of Gohma we encountered this week was quite alarming. It may be an omen of Vlitra's return."
Asura: "Sigh. Will this war never end?"
Yasha: "I'm afraid not. Not without a miracle."
Asura: "I'm not one for waiting. I will end this war, even if I must die to make that happen."
Yasha: "As determined as you may be, Vlitra cannot be killed. You and I have never even seen it in battle before. How you remain so stubborn is beyond me."
Asura: "Hmph. You think too much."

They stood in silence for a few moments.

Yasha: "You should be proud of Shikha. It seems she has your fighting spirit. I'm eager to see if she inherited your skill in battle as well."
Asura: "As am I."
Yasha: "It seems only yesterday we were still in training ourselves. Mithra seems a bit timid, but I sense she has power that has yet to reveal itself. They both do. I'm sure you have felt it as well."
Asura: "I have. That's why Shikha needs to begin her training. I started at a younger age."
Yasha: "Because you were as eager as she is to learn. Hmm-hmm. I hope she at least thinks before she acts, unlike you."
Asura: "And I hope she doesn't worry as much as you."
Yasha: "In any case, I have high hopes for them. There is business I must attend to."

Yasha walked forward a few steps, then turned his head back to Asura.

Yasha: "Asura. You have taken very good care of them. Keep it up."
Asura: "Hmph."

Yasha turned and walked on into the moonlit night. Asura rose and went back inside. At the same time, In the girls' room, Shikha was on the verge of slumber. Her eyes, heavy like iron, gazed out the window at the stars one final time.

Shikha: "One day I'll be as strong as Father, and as fast as Uncle Yasha. I can't wait."

Her eyes slid closed, and as soon as they did, she was fast asleep.

Description
Shikha: "Cmon Mithra, you've gotta keep up!"
Mithra: "I'm trying! Slow down a little!"
Durga: "Shika sweetheart, take it easy and let your sister catch her breath. We have plenty of time."
Shikha: "I know mother, I just wanna make sure we find a good spot so father can see us."
Mithra: "There's hardly anyone on this side of the street yet. Admit it, you just wanted an excuse to race me!"
Shikha: "Weeellll....maybe. But hey, at least we actually DID find a good spot. It won't be long before both sides of the street are packed."
Mithra: "Yea, I guess thats true."

Shikha was indeed correct. It was not long before the street was full of cheering citizens. Luckily they had arrived early enough to stand at the front of the crowd on their side. They had a clear view of the parade floats as the first of them came down the street. The floats in front were primarily just for show, featuring performers of every kind from fighters to dancers. One of the ones in the middle of the procession was full of pyrotechnics, firing off fireworks and smoke bombs high into the air. The whole time, lower demigod soldiers walked beside the parade, not only to add to the grandeur, but also to ensure the floats and the crowd remained separate. After about an hour and a half of excitement, the last of the floats made their way down the street. The Eight Guardian Generals occupied these, each having their own individual one. Then the last was the biggest, grandest float of all, reserved for Emperor Strada himself. In the middst of these, Yasha and Asura finally came into view. Yasha calmly smiled and occasionally waved at the crowd, while Asura kept his arms crossed and had a look of annoyance on his face, refusing to participate. Then they spied Durga and the girls among the sea of white robes. Durga smiled and the girls grined wide and waved their arms at their father and uncle.

Shikha: "Uncle Yasha!! Hi!!"
Mithra: "Hello Uncle!!"

Yasha smiled and waved at the adorable children. They giggled to each other. Then they saw Asura. He seemed very displeased, so they decided they needed to cheer him up.

Shikha and Mithra together: "Father!!"

Asura looked in their direction with surprise and uncrossed his arms. At least these awful parades had one good quality. He could see his family's excited, smiling faces. He smiled and waved, but only for them.

Mithra: "hahaha! Hi!!!"
Shikha: "Hello up there!! hahaha!!"

After the parade, Asura and the rest of the family were headed back to his residence for a celebratory meal. The parade was to celebrate their victory over a very large army of Gohma. Yasha, Asura, and Durga walked side by side, while Mithra and Shikha ran and played around them. They were excited that their uncle was coming for a visit; having the whole family together in one place was very fulfilling, even if their father and uncle did not always see eye-to-eye.

Shikha: "Do you remember that tournament that was going on today? they looked so cool!"
Mithra: "Yeah! Are you really gonna learn to fight?"
Shikha: "Heck yeah I am! I wanna be able to help people! Plus its a lot of fun!"
Mithra: "It sounds a little dangerous. But I know you can do it!"
Durga: "What are you two whispering about?"
Mithra: "They had another tournament today! Shikha wants to enter the fighting tournament when she gets older!"
Yasha: "Ah, thats right. You are ten years old now. Only four more years and you'll be old enough."
Asura: "If that's what you want, you will have to train very hard. They do not play games."
Shikha: "Does that mean you'll teach me?!"
Asura: "Hm-hmm. Alright then. But you must be serious about it. You will not succeed if you doubt yourself. And once we begin, you will have a lot of hard work ahead of you. There will be no turning back."
Shikha: "I understand father. I'm ready to do whatever it takes!"

Mithra hugged her sister and they giggled at each other. they then continued to run and play around their elders. Asura smiled. He felt proud to have a child who wanted to learn from him. He had everything he could have asked for. A daughter he could protect, and one he could mentor to protect herself. He had never felt so happy in his life. Later that evening after the meal, the girls had already been taken to bed, and the men stood outside the house, discussing the future.

Yasha: "The number of Gohma we encountered this week was quite alarming. It may be an omen of Vlitra's return."
Asura: "Sigh. Will this war never end?"
Yasha: "I'm afraid not. Not without a miracle."
Asura: "I'm not one for waiting. I will end this war, even if I must die to make that happen."
Yasha: "As determined as you may be, Vlitra cannot be killed. You and I have never even seen it in battle before. How you remain so stubborn is beyond me."
Asura: "Hmph. You think too much."

They stood in silence for a few moments.

Yasha: "You should be proud of Shikha. It seems she has your fighting spirit. I'm eager to see if she inherited your skill in battle as well."
Asura: "As am I."
Yasha: "It seems only yesterday we were still in training ourselves. Mithra seems a bit timid, but I sense she has power that has yet to reveal itself. They both do. I'm sure you have felt it as well."
Asura: "I have. That's why Shikha needs to begin her training. I started at a younger age."
Yasha: "Because you were as eager as she is to learn. Hmm-hmm. I hope she at least thinks before she acts, unlike you."
Asura: "And I hope she doesn't worry as much as you."
Yasha: "In any case, I have high hopes for them. There is business I must attend to."

Yasha walked forward a few steps, then turned his head back to Asura.

Yasha: "Asura. You have taken very good care of them. Keep it up."
Asura: "Hmph."

Yasha turned and walked on into the moonlit night. Asura rose and went back inside. At the same time, In the girls' room, Shikha was on the verge of slumber. Her eyes, heavy like iron, gazed out the window at the stars one final time.

Shikha: "One day I'll be as strong as Father, and as fast as Uncle Yasha. I can't wait."

Her eyes slid closed, and as soon as they did, she was fast asleep.