Ashi's life
Inspired by Bastion_Emperorwolf

Part-1
How Ashi gets his
special socks

"Mom... do we need to?" A little voice asked, followed by a whimper, from Ashi, only about 13.
"Honey, you know it's tradition to visit Aunt Jennie's on Christmas!" His grey furred mother had said back to him, turning the car wheel.
"Yeah but, it get's booring being nearing adults all day! At least you could have let me bring a game!"
"You have your phone, and that's all you need. Besides, it's best to socialize anyway. And there could be a few cousins there"
"Mom, you say that every year, and I end up the only one. Where's the others? How come they don't come too?"
Then his dad turned around and fixed his brown eyes on him.
"You sound like a two year old. Just suck it up, it's once a year"
Ashi just sits back in his seat, arms over his shoulders and grumbles.
"Besides, did you forget? Your thirteen now! And you now what you wanted to be a part of forever now?"
Ashi perks his ears, then his face lights up as he gasps.
"You mean, I can be part of"
"The Yankee swap. Don't worry as well, we got a present you can 'enter' in" his dad says to him and chuckles looking back at the front window.
Ashi's just waging his little tail happily, daydreaming many different gifts he could get. "A new console.... or a computer! Ooh"
His mother looks back at Ashi for a second, chuckles, then back on the road. "Look what you done Harold, now he's gonna be hypnotized all day tell the swap"
"S'al good. It's best to let the pup dream isn't it? After all, dreams could become true. And it shows we have a creative son" She just smiles and chuckles a little before turning her wheel again.
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Everyone's inside, either dancing or sitting by the table eating the food or drinking whine and soda. Ashi doesn't like to see others drinking, but prays to God that no one starts smoking. He can't stand the smell, or the heavy smoke from them. He doesn't even like to see one out. And sure enough, Uncle Tim had pulled one out. He light it, and took a puff. After a few puffs, Ashi couldn't stand it anymore, He feels like gagging. So he heads for the door and waits outside. A cool wind blows by, and the full moon shines brightly onto the ground below it. Ashi looks up, at the many starts above. He remembers the constellations, but he likes being creative and make his own, that he can actually see. A few clouds pass the sky, and the door opens.
"Ashi, come in! The swap is starting!"
Ashi turns and heads straight for the door, heading to the living room, where the Christmas Tree was set with presents for the swap under it. One thing Ashi definitely noticed was that Tim had stopped smoking his cigarette.
Aunt Jennie had got up with her walker, and stood in the middle of the room, with a hat upside down filled with small cut up bits of paper. "Alright" she said with her old, slightly raspy voice.
"Everyone, grab a number one at a time. Since we do youngest to oldest, Ill go first" A few of the family members chuckled.
"Just kidding everyone. This year, little Ashi is old enough to take part of the swap. So Ashi, come on over here and reach in the hat. But no peaking"
Ashi stood up with a little grin and reached his handpaw into the hat, shuffled around a little, and pulled one out.
"Now, look at you number, and find the present with the matching number"
So Ashi looked at the presents, big, small, long, wide, until he found number 13. It was a large box, almost half his size. His mind and heart raced thinking what's inside.
"Dont open it yet. Take it to your seat"
Ashi looked at the box. He doubt he could lift it, so he tried dragging it back with him, but he could barely do that, so his dad had to help him a little.
"Thats a heavy box son. Wonder what's inside it"
Ashi thought the same thing, not many things where that heavy. Then he thought, it could be a pc set, the screen, tower, keyboard and mouse, with speakers. He thought it would be amazing.
"Ashi! Ashi, what are you doing? Keeping, or swapping?"
Ashi shook his head snapping back to reality
"Huh what? Oh uhm... keeping"
"Alright, Frank's turn!"
Frank looks at his box, it was a long rectangular box, like a shoe box, but it was larger, about half the size of Ashi's.
"Ill swap. Ashi, let's switch. Sorry, it's part of the rules"
Ashi felt his heart sink. He had to switch the gift. He new there was only chance of it actually being a pc set, but he still had the hope, now destroyed. Uncle Frank gave him the smaller box, and took the large one. Then Aunt Jennie said "keep. I already now what's in the box" then she giggles a little bit.
"Alright, everyone open them up. And Ashi, if you get alcohol, trade it with someone, your too young, and I know Jeen and John put some in a gift. I just, forgot the one they put it in..."
Now Ashi got his hopes up again, an perked his ears. Now he hoped he got alcohol by mistake, so he could get that pc set.
So, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and ripped the paper then opened them. What was under it was a case of Fuz Light; beer.
"Aunt Jennie! I got alcohol!"
"I thought it was that box. Frank, trade back with the boy, you like, um, what was the brand... Fur beer"
Ashi smiles and pushes the box back to Frank, and started ripping the paper off, reveling a pc set box, and a note that says open me. His hear and eyes light up exited, and he opens the cardboard folds, and soon the magic was gone. It wasn't a pc set, a tower, a monitor, or anything pc related. It was a few rocks, and a smaller box.
"Go on, open the box. I couldn't make it be just rocks you know"
Ashi picked up the little box, heart broken.
"Better than nothing.... I, guess...." He opens the box, and unwrapped the coloured thin paper, reveling a pair of socks. They where black, with red stripes, and the toe section is cut off halfway on the sole region. Ashi didn't know what to think, and all he could do was stare at them. He then snaps out of the trance, and holds them in his hands.
"Mom, Dad... can, can I try them on?"
They looked at each other for a moment, then start whispering to each other
"You told him to wash his paws this time right?"
"Of course I did, you think I wouldn't?"
"Well, that happened last time"
He's dad shutters remembering that day
"Ahem, well did you wash like I asked?"
"Yes dad. You two are gonna just keep remind me about the day if I don't" the two look back at each other, then his dad looks back at Ashi
"Sure son, try them on"
Ashi smiles, and pops of his shoes, wiggling his toes when the cool air blows threw them. He almost sighed letting his paws free. But he shook his head, tore the little stage that keeps the socks together, and slips each one on over his little paws. They felt great! Really soft, made from wool, and because they where new they where a little cold at first. Ashi couldn't help but wiggle his toes a little, and feeling the wool under his paw move tickled a little, and he held back a giggle.
"There awesome. Thank you Aunt Jennie"

End

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So, I have been reading a bit of  Bastion Aralus 's series, and I got hooked into it. It also inspired me to write my own, about Ashi, and how it all came to be how and who he is today.
There will be cameos, after asking for there permission first. But tell then, all Ashi. Though the cameos are mostly friends and pets, I wouldn't mind ha being a few others here and there....
;) maybe you, maybe your friend, who knows...