The Plum Blossoms
Kyparades Park, Constantinople - May 18, 2017, 11:30 AM
Oskar led the Hofstadter students across the park, waving a flag with their school’s coat of arms above him like a tour guide. He technically was one, actually.
“Now, Kyparades Park wasn’t always the large park you see today,” he explained, “It got its start in Second Empire times as a rather small cypress grove, hence the name Kyparades, overlooking the Bosphorus shore. Following the installation of his daughter-in-law Anna Doukas and then-infant grandson Friedrich II as Basilissa and co-emperor in the east, Friedrich the Great built a citadel on the shore as part of a series of fortresses designed to consolidate his control over Constantinople and regulate commerce, and the park was expanded to provide training grounds and spots to put cannons and other equipment.”
They stopped in front of an ancient castle. It was more like a fortress than an actual castle, with many guard posts and places to fire crossbows and cannons from overlooking the Bosphorus.
“This citadel is now the Friedrich the Great Institution Building,” Oskar said, “Also known simply as the Citadel, it is the oldest building present in Kyparades Park. The will of Friedrich the Great left large sums of money to the city of Constantinople with the intention of funding scientific ventures and Roman innovation…although historians believe this was a giant bribe to local authorities and dynatoi so they would remain loyal to his grandson after his death. The authorities though used the money as he intended out of respect to him, and over the centuries, this patronage of the sciences evolved into the museums which were founded by successive Kaisers here, particularly the Imperial Museum of Roman History, Imperial Museum of Natural History, Imperial Aerospace Museum, and the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Now let’s move on to the Friedrich the Glorious Monument facing the Citadel.”
Alex and the other students followed Oskar across the large park to a massive marble obelisk surrounded by ancient Roman pillars. In front of the obelisk and flanked by more pillars was a statue of a man on horseback. A plaque showed it was Friedrich the Glorious. A replica of the dynasty’s ancestral sword Enonon sat in his hand, pointed southeast towards Jerusalem.
“The Friedrich the Glorious Monument was built as the center of the modern park in 1848, but the outbreak of the Maximist Wars set back construction significantly, and it was only finished in 1908,” Oskar said, “Friedrich the Great was fascinated by obelisks, something he picked up in Egypt during the Second Crusade of 1092 and passed on to his grandson, who spent much of his education in Alexandria in addition to Constantinople.”
Alex loved this field trip. He’d lived in Constantinople for a while, but he never had the chance to visit the landmarks. Thanks to Oskar, he now had the chance, just as he was about to finish middle school. He just kept trying to ignore Josh and his friends, who hung around the back and kept looking at their phones.
“Now, if you look to your right, at the far end of the park, you can see the Saint Wilhelmina Memorial at the top of a hill, overlooking Kyparades Park,” Oskar said.
He pointed at a marble open-air building whose roof was held up by Hellenic-style columns, with a long and wide stairway leading up the hillside to it.
“Constructed in 1922 and completed in 1926 to mark the eight hundredth anniversary of the mending of the Schism, the Saint Wilhelmina Memorial was designed as the secular counterpart to Saint Wilhelmina’s Basilica in Rome, commemorating the achievements of Saint Wilhelmina,” Oskar said, “Next to it is a round building with columns and a hemispherical roof. That is the Friedrich Augustin III Memorial, dedicated to the Kaiser who wrote the first Augustinian Code. We will be going there now.”
They began the long walk across the park. Josh now looked very bored. Not of the tour, as much as he tried, but of their current situation. He turned to Alex, seeing an opportunity.
“Hey, Alex,” he said.
Alex paid no attention to Josh calling his name. Josh jabbed him in the back.
“I was talking to you, idiot,” Josh said, “Oh, that’s right. You don’t know how to answer me because nobody likes you.”
He remembered Alexandra’s advice and realized this was the time to use it. But he wasn’t one to throw a punch, especially now. He’d have to resort to words.
“Shut up,” Alex said, as forcefully as he could.
He looked at Manfred, who was eagerly chatting with Joan, both also disinterested in the actual tour. Josh simply ignored Alex’s order.
“Isn’t that what Manfred realized?” Josh said. “He was never your friend. Nobody was. He only hung around to not make you sad. He couldn’t stand you.”
“Really Josh?” Alex said, raising his voice slightly. “You were always so nice in class. What got into you?”
“I’m not in class anymore,” Josh said.
Alex noticed Oskar looking back, having heard their conversation, but he didn’t do anything. He was still on his own, and Alexandra’s advice wasn’t working. With no other option, Alex sped-walked to the front, hoping to escape Josh. Fortunately, Josh stayed behind.
After what felt like forever walking along the reflecting pool, they finally reached the other side of the park. As opposed to the museums and ancient castles at the other end, most of the memorials here didn’t take up that much space around the hill of the Saint Wilhelmina Memorial. One was a depression in the ground, marked with a lone statue of a rifle stuck in the ground, a helmet hung on it. Another was a fountain surrounded with statues of soldiers of various nationalities, all guarding a tattered Roman flag. A third was a piece from the old Berlin Wall. Another was a large mound cut in half, with a wall of obsidian bearing thousands of names on it. Finally, there were three statues at the base of the Saint Wilhelmina Memorial, two placed back to back.
“The World War I, II, III, and Siam Memorials are all simply designed,” Oskar said, “The goal was not to glorify each conflict, but to honor their memory and that of the soldiers who fought and died in it. Because fundamentally there is no glory in war, only suffering and death. These memorials remind future generations of Romans of the stakes of war, of maintaining our values, and the importance of never visiting such destruction upon each other again.”
“Lame,” Josh muttered in the back, “They were patriots, not criminals and murderers. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.”
Oskar didn’t hear him.
“You can see two memorials at the base of the hill,” Oskar said, “But no, you tell me, there are three statues. Well, two of those statues are one memorial. Franz von Papen and Konrad Adenauer received the same memorial because they were two sides of the same coin. Both were elder statesmen, one in wartime and the other in peacetime. They are responsible for the transition from the Imperial Century through the Angeloi era to the modern day, leading us through one of the most destructive wars in human history but also the rebirth of the Reich, like a fallen phoenix rising from the ashes, in the years afterward.”
"Papen was a coward and Adenauer was an equalist," Josh said.
Oskar walked over to the other statue.
“This is Abraham Green’s memorial,” Oskar said, “Now, racism wasn’t as institutionalized and integral to Roman society as in other countries—like for example China before 1989—but make no mistake, it was still a serious issue. Heresy laws dating back to the Restoration persecuted some Christian sects as well as some non-Christian faiths such as Mexicayaotl and Tengriism and were even codified in the Augustinian Code until relatively recently. After the Maximist Wars and World War II, many of these laws were abolished or no longer enforced as they became impossible to enforce or were associated with the Maximists and Angeloi, but the sentiment remained, both from the top down and the bottom up. Authorities still turned a blind eye to discrimination because they either were used to it or agreed with it. Although Friedrich the Great envisioned a Europe united under his rule would eliminate xenophobia and prejudice by virtue of all of the peoples of his empire being equal under him as the first among equals, old habits die hard. Centuries later, Abraham Green was crucial in changing public opinion to decisively stigmatize racial and religious prejudice in the Reich, as well as expanding the labor movement to embrace minorities and opposing the wars in Siam, part of a trend after World War II for true equality and fairness for all Romans. A great man like him truly deserves a memorial.”
“Boring,” Josh said, again only half honestly, “An equalist hippie coward like him doesn’t deserve respect. Neither does that politically correct retelling of Friedrich the conqueror.”
Alex rolled his eyes.
“Let’s head up to Saint Wilhelmina’s memorial,” Oskar said.
They walked up the stairs, where hundreds of tourists lounged on the steps to take pictures and plan their next move. Upon entering the memorial, they were greeted by a large marble statue of Saint Wilhelmina sitting on a throne. Her empty hands rested on the throne, one clenched in a fist and gripping an Enonon sticking out of the ground, representing war, and the other open, representing peace. The walls around it were covered in words from the many religious and political treatises she wrote. Most talked about Romanitas and religious tolerance, as she had promoted (at least officially) during her later reign as a precursor to the rights outlined in the late Augustinian Code. Only a few talked about how to wage a war, and even then they focused on establishing lasting peace.
“The first memorials to Saint Wilhelmina were established soon after her death,” Oskar said, “They began as simple shrines created by commoners on this hill, which quickly grew in size to become churches and statues. All were destroyed by Reformed Iconoclast and Purist mobs during the Fifty Years’ War. Occasionally, people still find fragments of the old shrines buried on the hillside. When Saint Wilhelmina's Basilica was finally finished in the eighteenth century, the memorials moved to Rome, leaving this hill abandoned. In the nineteenth and twentieth century, public support for an official memorial on this site grew, particularly after the Maximist Wars. Kaiser Franz Joseph bought the land around Kyparades Park to expand it and include the hill, which he decreed would be the site of the memorial to Saint Wilhelmina.”
Josh let out a loud yawn and aggressively stretched to draw attention.
“Can we go see something cooler now?” he complained.
“What were you thinking?” Oskar said. “Visiting the site of the Battles of Constantinople during the Maximist Wars and World War II? Because those now sit on the campus of a university, and there isn’t much besides a couple plaques. But the university did preserve the old office of Johann von Neumann, the dorm room Mihailo Princip operated a resistance cell out of, and the location where faculty and students were purged by Reinhard Heydrich when the Angeloi took the university.”
“Lame,” Josh said, “This whole field trip is a waste of time, brainwashing us into loving equalist cowards and demonizing our brave men in uniform.”
His friends cheered and voiced their approval.
“Just because it is for you doesn’t mean it is for the rest of us,” Oskar said.
Most of the rest of the group murmured their agreement. Manfred said nothing, withdrawing into his phone.
“Josh, understand there are other people on this trip,” Oskar said, “And they want to enjoy this field trip.”
“Why do we have to learn all this equalist revisionist propaganda anyways?” Josh said. “All this talk of lovey-dovey peace and coexistence and tolerance? That’s politically correct talk that doesn’t tell us about the world as it really is, as a harsh place. It keeps us soft and weak and complacent for those in power, the corrupt leftists, to stomp us under their boots. Everybody’s plotting to take you down, one way or another, to lift themselves up. Look at how FLM is taking over cities in Gallia and robbing and killing Germans and everyone else without consequences because the police are too scared of being cancelled by the leftist Dikastirio mob. If you want something, you have to take it. No mercy. Saint Wilhelmina understood that when she wiped out the French and the Poles and the Arabs and the Italians. This very memorial records she said: ‘They must be given no quarter. Only then will the rest of us enjoy lasting peace’. Her politically incorrect but necessary actions led to lasting peace and technological and social advancement in a Europe which until then was stuck in the repressive and chaotic Dark Ages. She was willing to even clash with Saint Gunhilda, her own adopted mother, to achieve this peace, showing how determined she was to do the right thing. So maybe this monument here should be talking about how Saint Wilhelmina was willing to make the politically incorrect calls that had to be made and not about some stupid poems she wrote because her falcon attacked her. History is written by the winners, and that is a fact nobody here is willing to admit, because we've all been brainwashed by the equalists into believing our ancestors were cowards and murderers and not patriots and heroes.”
What? Now Alex was confused. Josh seemed to know more of the complexities of history than he was currently letting on, at least back at school. So why was he now hewing to this black and white interpretation? Was that the same Josh? Or was the Josh at school just a front?
“As a matter of fact, Josh, Saint Wilhelmina did talk about that,” Oskar said, not falling for the obvious bait, “Let’s see…over by the corner, there. This is the quote you were talking about, but you don’t have the full context. ‘There will always be prejudice in this world, seeking to divide and kill. People twisting a truth or ideal for their own ends, manipulating others to serve them. They must be given no quarter. Only then will the rest of us enjoy lasting peace.’ Says nothing about defending genocide. You’re right. Saint Wilhelmina was a flawed woman who did many questionable things due to her upbringing. Her childhood was dominated by religious and military figures who spurred her to mend the Schism and called for the deportations of heretics, Muslims, and troublesome demographics. Having lost her birth mother at 8 and her father at 15, leaving a teenager in charge of a sprawling multicultural empire barely twenty years old, she was forced to grow up early, and she turned that grief into a religious zeal. She came to blows with Saint Gunhilda, by all means one of those devout figures and her own adopted mother, over this. I commend you for understanding that nuance, although you jumped to conclusions. I should remind you what I have been teaching in my classes is to understand the big picture and get the context behind what happened. History is not solely defined by a few great men, by kings and generals fighting wars and conducting diplomacy. They have a part too, but they are not the be all and end all of history. A general commands soldiers. Every diplomat has staffers. Every king has advisors. Every politician was chosen from among their peers to lead them. Nobody is truly all good or all evil. Saint Wilhelmina was a perpetrator of genocide, and we must condemn that aspect of her reign, but she was also a patron of the arts and sciences, presided over decades of peace, and laid the groundwork for the Augustinian Code. And as an aside, the concept of the Dark Ages as a culturally repressive and technologically stagnant era is a myth created to demonize Catholicism after the Schism and elevate the Reich as the true heir of the First Empire. Back on track now. Did Markos Angelos do good things? He loved dogs and cared for his son, but that doesn’t excuse the crimes he did, which far outweighed his few good qualities. We must present all of a person's qualities together. Then you will understand Saint Wilhelmina. You will understand why they did what they did and how they shaped our Reich.”
Josh was silent for a moment, slowly processing Oskar’s words. For a second, he slightly nodded in agreement. So even someone like him could be brought to see reason, Alex thought. Oskar wasn’t perfect, he had to admit. He came across as preachy sometimes, but there was no other way to talk about such delicate subject matter. But Josh’s awe soon faded, and he struggled to come up with a rebuttal in line with his worldview. He blinked and twitched. Then he pretended to trip, spilling a conveniently open bottle of water on Alex’s shirt.
“Hey!” Josh said. “You tripped me!”
“What the frak, Josh?!” Alex said, finally raising his voice.
“Apologize!” Josh said. “Now! That water cost me three marks!”
“You should be apologizing to me for spilling it on my shirt!” Alex said.
“Enough!” Oskar said.
Both boys froze, having never heard Oskar raise his voice before. The fury of a gentle man was something truly terrifying, more terrifying than anything Josh could say or do.
“It’s clear, Josh, that you have a problem cooperating with others,” Oskar sternly said, “I’ll have to talk with your parents when we get back, if I don’t have them take you off this trip right now. We’re going to eat lunch right now, and I better see improvements. The rest of you, feel free to explore around this area, but don’t wander too far, and please be back in half an hour.”
The classmates dispersed to eat their lunches. Josh contemptuously rolled his eyes and walked off with his friends, saying things about “equalist revisionist boomers”…although Oskar wasn’t that old. Not waiting for Josh to come back and harass him again, Alex briskly left the memorial and headed down the hill to the Bosphorus shoreline, where a row of plum blossom trees lined the shore along the length of the park. He sat underneath a tree and quickly ate his sandwich, watching the Black Sea’s waves lap against the shore and the seagulls circle overhead. He wasn’t alone for long, because he heard approaching footsteps. Oskar sat next to him.
“Josh must be giving you a really hard time,” Oskar said.
“I…I didn’t expect this,” Alex said, “He was acting fine in class. I thought he had changed. But he hasn’t.”
“Must be rough for you,” Oskar said.
“How would you know?” Alex said.
“Believe me, I know,” Oskar said, "One of my elementary schoolteachers in Bavaria forty years ago told me my mother would go to hell because she loved me."
“Why?” Alex said.
“Because I…” Oskar said, struggling with his words. “I…liked men.”
“Oh,” Alex said, “Well, what’s wrong with that?”
“I don’t know,” Oskar said, “Saint Wilhelmina was right, you know. There will always be prejudice in the world. It’s in our nature. What matters most is how we confront it.”
“What did you do?” Alex said.
“I pushed on,” Oskar said, “That teacher was there for one school year. Once I was done, I moved on. It got so much more bearable once I realized there was light at the end of the tunnel. I was also bullied, much like you were. My friends also left me. Many of my coworkers and bosses distanced themselves from me. But I knew that would all pass over soon. Things would get better.”
He looked up at the tree and pointed at the flowers.
“You know, the first of these trees were planted in 1990 by then-Representative Tsai Ing-wen, sent as a gift from China following the Tiananmen Restoration,” Oskar said, “Before then, they were a symbol of democracy used by the Tangwai movement in its struggle against the Guominjun dictatorship. These trees usually bloomed in the winter. They bloom most vibrantly amidst the snow, and you can still clearly smell their fragrance even as the cold hangs in the air. So they were seen as a symbol of winter, but also the harbinger of spring. A symbol of perseverance and hope. They remind us that while things are bad now, they will get better before long. These trees were planted to symbolize a new era of Sino-Roman friendship, a centuries-long winter of animosity and war leading into a future spring of peace and cooperation between the two nations.”
He patted Alex on the back and smiled warmly.
“Be like the plum blossoms,” he said, “Don’t lose hope. Things will get better for you. If you need any advice, feel free to visit my office anytime.”
“Thanks, Herr Oskar,” Alex said.
“Anytime,” Oskar said.
Hofstadter Middle School - May 22, 12:00 PM
There was a knock on Oskar’s door. The teacher looked up from the test he was grading.
“Come in,” he said.
Josh entered the office.
“Hello, Josh,” Oskar said.
“Is it okay if we have a chat?” Josh said.
“Sure,” Oskar said, “Please, have a seat.”
Josh sat in front of Oskar’s desk.
“I…I wanted to apologize for my actions on the field trip last week,” Josh said, “It was uncalled for and callous of me.”
“Apology accepted,” Oskar said, “It is good that you acknowledge your mistakes. It is the first step towards fixing them.”
“I should’ve known better,” Josh said, “To be honest with you, I didn’t know any better. My dad was always distant. When he wasn’t in jail, which was very often, he was very harsh on me. With his fists, he taught me the world was cruel. He’s not part of the family anymore now, but I guess some of his touch rubbed off on me.”
“First, I’m sorry for how your father treated you,” Oskar said, “No child should have to endure pain like that. Child abuse is a serious matter.”
“I agree,” Josh said, “It’s time I mended my ways. My bullying is childish and stupid. But…I don’t know any different. It’s all I’ve known. How do I change?”
“I can’t tell you that,” Oskar said, “It’s up to you to find out. But there is a way. You are a good young man at heart, Josh. I know that. Did you see the plum blossom trees in Kyparades Park?”
“I think so,” Josh said.
“Plum blossoms usually bloom in the winter,” Oskar said, “They bloom vibrantly in the snow, and you can smell their fragrance in the air. They remind people of the coming of spring even in the coldest days of winter. While things are bad now, they will get better soon. I kept them in mind when I was still in the closet and my own teachers said I would go to hell. They helped me get through those days. Please, Josh, remember this. Be like the plum blossoms, and have hope for the future. You can pull yourself out of this. You are full of potential. I've seen it in you. That's why I always put you with Alex and Manfred. You have to make a choice. Either you embrace yourself for who you really are, or you continue on this path, which will only lead you to ruin.”
Josh thought for a moment. Then he nodded and stood up.
“Yes,” Josh said, with a new determination, “I can do this. I can change myself. Thank you for helping me, Oskar.”
“Anytime, Josh,” Oskar said, “If you need anymore advice, feel free to visit again.”
“Sure thing,” Josh said.
May 23, 8:00 AM
Alex waited in line. He checked his watch. It shouldn’t be long before the doors opened and he could go inside. The morning so far was remarkably calm. It was the first Monday since he got back from the trip, and things were noticeably different. Josh wasn’t bothering him at all. Maybe he had found a new target or was just late today. Alex didn’t even feel concerned about Manfred anymore. If he didn’t want to be his friend, so be it. He could be with Joan for all Alex cared. Either the talk with Oskar changed how Alex saw things around him, or something really had changed. Regardless, he relaxed again. It was a rare day when he could relax. He hoped this was one of them.
Suddenly, the tranquility shattered. Sirens echoed through the courtyard, and a police car screeched to a halt at the curb. Police officers got out and ran into the courtyard, batons and tasers drawn. The students scattered, surprised and shocked by the appearance.
“What’s happening?”
“Is there a bomb threat?”
“Someone have a gun?”
“I swear it was just an ounce of weed! That’s legal, isn’t it?”
"You idiot, that's still against school rules!"
“No, don’t tell my parents! They'll take away my Xbox!”
The officers ran past the students into the school. Minutes later, they emerged, leading Oskar away in handcuffs. The students gasped and pointed. All of the chatter died away, leaving only Oskar’s angry shouts.
“I didn’t do anything!” Oskar said. “Why am I being detained? You can’t arrest me like this!”
The officers stuffed Oskar into a car just as Alex ran up to them. One of them, who was preparing to get in the passenger’s seat, stepped back out to stop him.
“I’m sorry, but you should stay back,” the officer said.
“Why are you taking him away?” Alex said.
“Another victim, huh?” the officer said. “It’s okay, you don’t have to defend him now.”
“Victim?” Alex said.
“He’s a child predator, kid,” the officer said, “We received an anonymous tip last afternoon telling us as much. We’re taking him in for questioning.”
The officer got into the car and drove off. Both shocked and confused, Alex returned to the line, where the other students were also speechless. All except…
“I can’t believe they all fell for it,” he heard Josh telling his friends, “Both the cops and Oskar. Serves him right for being a fa—”
Before Josh could finish his sentence, Alex’s fist slammed into his cheek, and he went flying. Alex screamed in rage, while Josh let out a whimper of fear in response, backing against the wall and raising his hands to defend himself. Alex kicked him in the groin and punched him twice in the stomach. His mind was filled with rage, and even as Josh doubled over in pain, cowering on the ground and pleading for him to stop. He kicked him again, and again, and again, shouting his hatred as he did, even as four classmates pulled him away from Josh with all of their might.
Alexandra was right. He did respond only to strength.
Alex’s house - 2:00 PM
“What’s gotten into you, Alex?!” Diana shouted.
She paced around the living room as Alex quietly sat in his chair, looking down but unrepentant.
“Look at me!” Diana said.
Alex looked at Diana.
“Do you know what you’ve done?!” Diana said. “You beat up a classmate so badly he’s in the hospital right now!”
“Josh had it coming to him,” Alex said, “He’s been bullying me for a long time. He thought he could get away with having Oskar arrested and likely never coming back to teach? There has to be a time when I stand for what’s right.”
“This is not the way to do it, then,” Diana said, “Yes, Josh did something wrong. That doesn’t give you an excuse to be like him. Look at you. Beating him up like you’re his bully. You’d be no different from him. You’re not solving anything. You’re just making it worse.”
“He only responds to strength,” Alex said, “I guarantee you, Mom, he won’t bother me again.”
“The fact remains you’ve been suspended for a month,” Diana said, “You’re lucky they’re still letting you graduate without the ceremony. Also, you’re grounded for the summer.”
“I suppose I had it coming, and that's fair,” Alex said, “But I still regret nothing.”
“Go!” Diana said, pointing upstairs.
Alex trudged upstairs to his room. He would have a lot of time to think over what he did today. He would have a lot of time to relax. No more stress. No more fear. Finally. That would show Josh who was really in control. After all, bullies only responded to strength.
St. Eudokimos Hospital - May 24, 2017, 9:00 AM
Gustav entered his nephew Josh’s hospital room and set down an Xbox. Josh, a rather athletic looking boy, weakly grinned when he noticed the console. The boy was covered in bandages, especially the right side of his swollen and bruised face. He had taken quite a beating.
“Uncle Gustav?” Josh said.
“What happened to you?” Gustav asked.
“It was Alex again,” Josh said.
“The bully?” Gustav said.
“Yeah,” Josh said, “I found out that his teacher was abusing him for the last few months.”
“Abusing him?” Gustav said.
“Yeah, it was terrible, what I saw,” Josh said, “And yet when I tried to help him, he just laughed and threatened me.”
“So you called the authorities,” Gustav said.
“It was the only way I could save him,” Josh said, “I turned him in. And what did Alex do? He beat me up so badly to defend that accursed teacher I ended up here. I…was shocked. I didn’t know people could defend such bad people so strongly.”
“If you want, I can press charges against him,” Gustav said, “Sue him for these injuries.”
“Actually, I don’t think I want that,” Josh said, “Send him the bill, but I think he's gotten plenty of punishment already.”
“Are...are you sure?” Gustav said.
“Yeah,” Josh said.
He noticed Gustav was carrying a bag.
“I got your favorite games on here,” Gustav said, “Your mom says you should be resting.”
“I am,” Josh said.
After Gustav connected the console to a TV, Josh booted up Halo.
“By the way, while I've been lying here, I was wondering if I could learn more about your job,” Josh said.
“The Shepherds’ Brotherhood?” Gustav said.
Josh handed him a controller. They started playing.
“Yeah,” Josh said, “What do you do?”
“Why do you ask?” Gustav said.
“Lying in bed here last night got me thinking, what should I do with my life?” Josh said. “School doesn’t teach me much in the way of practical skills. I want experience. Like what the Brotherhood offers. ”
“So what do you want me to tell you?” Gustav said.
“The Brotherhood is one of the biggest charities in the Reich, isn’t it?” Josh said. “You guys do all sorts of great things. I want to be part of something greater. Do some good with my life and serve my country instead of wasting it on a useless degree. I want to make sure people like Alex don’t end up abused by teachers like Oskar.”
Gustav hesitated. Josh used the opportunity to kill his player and win the match. No mercy. As a veteran, he should know that.
“Well, you certainly chose the right charity,” Gustav said, “We do all sorts of things. Deliver free meals to the needy, staff shelters for the poor, lead after-school programs. We could use a lot more student volunteers, now that I think about it.”
“I’d love to help out,” Josh said.
“That enthusiasm is something we are looking for,” Gustav said, “I’ll call my friends and get the paperwork in order.”
He got up and hugged Josh gently before turning to leave.
“I have to go now,” Gustav said, “Take care.”
“Thank you so much, Gustav,” Josh said.
“No problem, and may the Lord oversee your recovery,” Gustav said.
He left the room and made his way down the hallway, but he didn’t get far before a crippling headache overwhelmed him. He clutched his head and leaned against a wall, waiting for the headache to go away. It didn’t. Instead, it slowly overwhelmed him, its pain filling his head until he could think of nothing else. His vision blurred, and the shapes of people and furniture around him distorted. Then as soon as it began, it was over in a couple seconds that had been stretched out to eternity. Suddenly, his head was clear and pain free again. Maybe he should see a doctor.
Kyrillos High School - August 30, 2017, 8:30 AM
“I can’t wait for band practice.”
“Heard tryouts start next week, better prepare.”
“Did you get fourth period Greek? Herr Sideros is so handsome…”
“Go Pirates!”
“So what, this whole school is named after some pirate Saint Wilhelmina fought? Sweet!”
Alex nervously trudged past the crowds of freshmen students waiting at the front door to an interior courtyard similar to the one at the old middle school. He didn’t know what to do. It was his first time at school since…the incident with Josh. How would the others react to him? How would Josh react? What was he supposed to do now? But the longer he lounged among his classmates waiting for the bell to ring, the more he realized they just didn’t care. Maybe they all hated Josh that much, or maybe their attention spans didn’t last more than three months. Either way he was glad. He had no desire to be harassed again.
The bell rang, and the students poured into the hallways. Alex found his locker and put his things away, taking with him a notebook for homeroom. As he made his way down the hallway, he heard a voice call out.
“Hey, Alex,” Josh said.
Alex instinctively sped up.
“Alex, wait, I just want to talk!” Josh said.
Josh ran up and stepped in front of him. Alex clenched his fists, ready to fight again.
“Look, Josh, if you want an apology for what happened, you’ve got it,” Alex said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have beaten you up.”
“I was actually going to apologize too,” Josh said, “For treating you the way I did. For spurring you to lash out.”
This was sudden. And suspicious.
“Really?” Alex said.
“Yeah,” Josh said, “Look, this doesn’t excuse what we both did to each other. But I want to turn over a new leaf. Over the summer, I took up volunteering.”
Alex doubted that.
“Yeah, sure,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.
“Seriously,” Josh said, “My uncle works at the Shepherds’ Brotherhood. He hooked me up with an opportunity there. I spent most of my summer working at a food bank. I learned a valuable lesson there. I learned I was wrong to treat you badly. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry again.”
He held out his hand.
“Truce?” he said.
Alex hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to do. This new Josh was…different. The old one at least made known his feelings very obviously. But all Alex could get from Josh now, instead of the old insults and mockery, was a quiet smile that betrayed nothing. There was a feeling at the back of his head warning him not to trust Josh. There was another urging him to take Alexandra’s advice and punch him again. But he restrained his emotions. Perhaps he could stop the old bully by indulging the new, while still keeping his guard up. He slowly reached out and shook Josh’s hand.
---
(note from August 2019) We have now passed the cutoff point. As I said two years ago (I wrote the bulk of this in real life August 2019), I’m going to loosen up on events and let the world dynamically evolve, though I’ve done plenty of that since 2000. Most custom events you’ll see after this will be in reaction to what happens in gameplay, to spice up times when absolutely nothing happens, or to help the transition to Stellaris.
(note from February 2021) This is basically the end of the school arc as I've done basically nothing about Alex in high school, though I do show what Alex does outside school.
