Page 2 of Citiali: Teach
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Virginia Badass - Hemy’s Club
This has been a long time in coming. I watch Prez Knight and Hemy while Justice lays the new law down to Andrew. Aaron and Kaleb aren’t saying a word. Everything depends on someone getting through to Andrew. I’d be smiling if it weren’t our lives and the vision on the line here. For years, we’ve been ignored, mistrusted and used by the big Club. Now that I’m older, it’s time to take a stand and my place in our collective purpose. Like a politician, I lobbied for all Liberty Indians to have their voices heard. Hemy and Yona set up meets for me and I showed up. Some were a waste of time, but Prez Knight and Justice heard me.
When I hear Atohi as a new Lead, my head snaps toward Andrew. “Asgina,” I growl out. “No. Put him in Ops Control, he’s a red-tail hawk, Atohi means warrior, learn the history of the Cherokee before you lose us all. The best planner you have here is Atohi.”
He’s pissed and everyone can read it. “You don’t know everyone here.” His attitude and glare do nothing for me.
Justice smiles. “Stand and take your shirt off, Citiali.”
I do, folding my shirt and placing it on the table, my cut gets hung on the back of my chair. Seeing why Justice wants this, I move my hair back, catching the feather that hangs on my ear, so below my ear and the back of my neck are visible.
Justice isn’t wearing his usual smile as he floats closer to me with a stoney faced Andrew beside him. “Asginais spirit with malevolent intent. Andrew doesn’t have malevolent intentions and you see it, Citiali. He doesn’t understand Cherokee and hasn’t learned the history. That can and will be fixed with Atohi by his side.”
Another order from Justice has me nodding once. It’s done. My brother won’t be a statistic. His purpose and path is written and someone besides me sees it.
Justice holds his hands up and my neck shows between them. “The signs Citiali is marked with,” he widens his hands and my neck shows bigger, “Prez, you’ve seen the double circle before at Honor. It’s the same as the ink on his forearm, but this is the birthmark that he was born with. This washer looking mark with the diamond in it is the sign of the Great Spirit, as Comanche, Cheyenne and Paleo-American history has shown us. The second is the washer sign and inside is the seven point star,Tsa-la-gi-hi, that’s phonetic.T-s-a-l-a-g-iis how it’s spelled so you can look it up. The star represents the seven points of Sequoyah, meaning Cherokee nation.” Justice looks over to Zeke getting a nod because he got it right.
‘The sevencharactersof Sequoyah, yes. His back has the mandala. The sign of a war shield. Citiali is equal to Nash as a warrior, meaning Mase’s second, with Putam’s ability and level head. He was marked a warrior to, and for, all people. With Aiyana bridging tribes, his place here was important. I saywasbecause he’s now aligned with you and celebrated for who he is and what he represents. His path has changed and so has yours. We are all on that path with you and the Prophets see it clearer now that he’s moved. Citiali is a Warrior Protector meant to spread the message to many tribes. Putting him in the job meant to train those Brothers puts us all in the fast lane here. Don’t forget, he has been touched and marked by the ancestors of many tribes from birth, so his path, while changed, holds an importance the ancestors see that we don’t right now. Like with the kids and White Wave, Citiali and Atohi aren’t just touched by the ancestors, they have been chosen.’ Zeke told me at the reservation, so this is for Prez, Hemy and Aaron.
Justice nods. “He would have been Andrew’s planner and second.Atohi is a planner but he’s the warrior teacher here?” Justice doesn’t know long history but knows the ancestors and their penchant for bestowing abilities for reasons only they see.
I nod. “He is, Pres. Atohi has the sign of the mandala on his neck and red feathers on his back. Red-tailed hawk is his spirit guide and purpose.”
Prez Knight walks closer and turns me, so my back is to him. “I’ve never seen birthmarks like these. The shield looks like those burnt and colored tattoos. Jesus, the inside of the star is similar to a stained-glass pattern. Closer isn’t as defined but incredible because it’s actually colored skin.”
I smile. “It is, Prez. My grandfather told me the ancient stories and said I was an owl meant to bring truths to medicine men like him, who would understand and share it with their elders. Each color is a message needed for one tribe or another. My forearm has the shield, but the ink doesn’t hold the energy of my markings.” My grandfather’s words were of me being a keeper of sorts, but he said the same words to Atohi with different intention and stories. Justice had Zeke explain and I saw it much clearer.
Prez moves closer. “I’m touching.”
I brace and feel his light hand while energy courses from it. “I can shield,” I tell him not wanting to waste his energy.
He takes his hand away. “It’s incredible. It feels animated. I feel the star’s energy, but when I touch it, I see or feel the ancestral power in it. The color darkened.”
Putam agrees. “His grandfather told him that. He’s got the stories about all of us but doesn’t share unless your intent and aura shows good or something.”
I lift an eyebrow at him. “If you have no real interest, I have no need to share.”
Zeke laughs, but I feel Andrew’s anger.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Did Atsadi have the marks?” Andrew asks as ifIwalked away fromhim.
Bringing up my traitorous brother has me taking a calming breath before I answer. “No, he had no markings. Ifhe did, he wouldn’t have been allowed at the reservation. My forearm shows my path and purpose. You don’t care to learn of our symbols and traditions. I asked for time with you but was ignored. Your thoughts were on my traitorous brother and parents. Here, I am not seen by you, the light in my purpose is not seen by you, Justice and Aiyana’s warnings to you are not heard.” I feel my anger and see when he feels it.
Justice is at my side again, holding my arm before I can even take a breath. “Focus, Citiali.” He turns toward Andrew but doesn’t let me go. “His anger shows in those little gold flecks in his blue eyes. He can blast you or kill you with that anger, Andrew. His light blue eyes with the cream flecks should have clued you in. Since it doesn’t, I think Atohi is needed here with a partner to get you up to speed on just how much ability is sitting in this Club. Atohi is young and has close to Citiali’s ability. He’s focused more on teaching but he’s a deadly warrior just the same. Use his insight and ability wisely. If you throw him on shift work, you’ll never be gifted more, Brother.” Justice’s eyes look fierce. I feel a blast of energy, then get hit with pictures of Atohi addressing Protectors with Aaron’s hand on his shoulder. “The vision being fucked with isn’t happening. Every one of us swore to defend it. That means from everyone.”
Andrew noticeably swallows hard. “I don’t know about the Indian traditions here. They’re different than Mohegan. How are Citiali and Atohi different than the rest of their family? It’s not like they were just neighbors.” The attitude filled reply loses him respect and that’s not only from me this time.
Taking a deep breath, my mind flashes through our treatment and isolation handed out directly from him. This was the reason for the first meet Yona set up for me. We were crushed that shameful day, but it brought insight to their limit of ability when the rest of us were gifted so much.
I shake my head at the fuckin’ ignorant bastard. Justice squeezes my arm a little tighter and his energy calms me quickly. Looking toward the energy I feel helping calm me from behind, I throw Putam chin. Since everyone is quiet, I turn my glare back on Andrew to make the point that I will not answer questions with cheap underhanded disrespect attached to them.
Hemy explains since I’m not going to. “Citiali and Atohi lived with his grandfather in Liberty, never with his parents and older brother on the reservation. Their mother said the birthmarks were evil. The tribe didn’t want them on the land but no one told me until Ginny said it at the reservation. I didn’t talk to the tribe much. Everything I knew, or was told, came from the couple of Indians that worked in the Club. They’re gone now. Once their grandfather died, they lived with their mother’s brother, Yona. He’s one of my older trainers and respected by everyone. He gave them his name when they moved in. Wohali, their grandfather, was the medicine man until the Chief found a younger version or something. The kids worked in the Club with the big Club kids and Wohali bussed them in for shifts until they were old enough to ride. Since he was so worried that they needed Indian guidance, I gave him the job of watching out for the kids in Liberty years ago. He told me about the boys, but I didn’t know what it all meant then. I told Andrew after I took back the reservation but Ginny said he doesn’t get Indian.” He sits, done saying his piece, but I see he’s not happy.
Prez Knight throws chin to him. “Good job. I get the feeling Wohali was meant to guide them all.”
Hemy nods. Even clueless about his Indian, he knew we needed elders we could trust.My eyes go to Putam thinking of the conversation we had on desegregation.
