The process of eating dinner was another thing Hiroshi wasn't quite expecting. After him working in the kitchen and cooking the meal, he met the rest of the stable in the common room. He found the other two junior disciples setting up tables on the floor. Lower ranked younger rikishi was going into the kitchen and bringing out dishes and plates and bowls with silverware. Hiroshi went to help the other two juniors set up the tables and then set the pillow cushions on the floor.
Once everything was set, the ones who were setting stuff up and bringing in plates stood to the side. Hiroshi, unsure of what to do, really just followed the lead of the other two junior disciples. Everyone looked towards the doorway and Hiroshi cocked a brow.
"Dinner is ready and set, master!"
One of the rikishi yelled and Hiroshi realized it was his late night dinner friend Itaro. He stood proud and yelled as loud as he could. He took in a small breath when he was done yelling and looked over at Hiroshi with a grin and a wink. Hiroshi gave him a small bob of his head in greeting and returned the grin.
It only took a moment longer, like they were in the hallway waiting to be called. Kenjiro Oyakata entered, followed by Master Botan Kenjiro smiled and nodded his head to his disciples, greeting each of them as he passed on his way to the table. Botan, however, didn't even look at any of them, let alone offer them a greeting.
Once the Oyakata and Botan were seated, another massive human walked through the door. Hiroshi nearly gasped and jumped in his moment of being a fanboy when he realized who it was. It was one of the three current Yokozuna's, Nishikigi.
The man looked almost like any other random person you'd see on the street. Well, except that he probably stood a head taller than most and was easily twice as wide. Nishikigi also had the benefit of being very bottom heavy. He had thick thighs as wide as Hiroshi's head. Other than all of that and the chonmage, he looked like anyone else. He was wearing casual, loose fitting, simple brown robes, not the kimono of the rikishi.
The yokozuna looked different from how he normally would enter the dohyo. The massive man had a wide grin on his face and wore thick, black-rimmed glasses. He stopped like the Oyakata did and greeted a couple of his juniors. He even went so far to say how good they did during the day's practice.
This, of course almost sent Hiroshi into another mental tailspin like he went in this morning after he was kicked out of the practice. He held his resolve though, and except the moment of glee seeing if one of his heroes did, he let no show on his face.
Nishikigi sat across from Botan on the left of the Oyakata and smiled and nodded to the stern-faced man. Botan responded with a simple short, curt nod in response but said nothing to the Yokozuna.
Once they were both sat and Botan reached for the bowl of chanko, Kenjiro motioned for him to wait a moment.
"Hiroshi, come," Kenjiro motioned for Hiroshi to approach the table.
Hiroshi stared wide-eyed, but pushed himself from the wall and advanced on the three pillars of the beya. "Yes, Oyakata?"
"I see you were quite overjoyed when our Yokozuna came in," Kenjiro said, and motioned to Nishikigi.
Nishikigi, for his part, simply gave the young sumotori a soft bow and a big grin. The massive man even went as far to give Hiroshi a soft wave of one of his hands.
"Oh, yes Oyakata. I always loved when Nishikigi was present at the tournaments in Ryoku. The power the Yokozuna revealed in his matches was…." Hiroshi struggled for the world.
"Awesome," he said finally, his eyes growing wide.
Nishikigi gave a small laugh and shook his head, then waved his hands in front of him. "No, no, I am not that great. I have much more to learn from Oyakata Kenjiro."
Kenjiro gave a small laugh now and shook his head. He never looked away from Hiroshi, and Hiroshi could almost crumble from just the man's intense gaze.
"Do you know how Nishikigi has got to be so strong and powerful in the ring?" Kenjiro asked. His gaze stared intently into Hiroshi's eyes.
Hiroshi paused here. He didn't want to assume he knew the Yokozuna's training regime or anything like that. It would be improper for a junior disciple on his first day to pretend to know anything. "Uh…."
"Training and hard work," Botan spoke in that firm, quick voice of his. Everything the man said sounded like a command. "He didn't miss practice or slept in."
Nishikigi's smiling face was now neutral and he looked at the table with a nod. "Master Botan is right, junior," he said simply.
"Yes, training and hard work. Nishikigi was a year or two older than you when he joined the stable. I remember him when he wasn't much taller than you." Kenjiro looked at Nishikigi for a moment with a smile. It was the look Hiroshi's own father would give him when Hiroshi won a sumo match, like a favored son.
Kenjiro looked back at Hiroshi a moment later. He didn't lose the smile, but it lessened. His gaze wasn't the intense stare down it was, though. It was back to his friendly, good natured look he had when they had dinner together. "Make sure that it doesn't happen again. You are to be up with the other juniors forming the practice ring at sunrise, understand?"
Hiroshi looked at Kenjiro and bowed his head deeply in shame. First to Kenjiro and then to Botan and Nishikigi. "Yes Oyakata. I beg forgiveness from you, the master, and the Yokozuna," he said, barely able to speak above a whisper.
"You need not my forgiveness, junior. I just hope to see what you can do. Your brothers have done well in the short time they've been here," Nishikigi said once more, growing a big grin. The massive man really reminded Hiroshi of a giant cuddly teddy bear while outside of the ring. Inside the ring, the cuddly teddy bear grew massive and angry like a wild black bear protecting his turf from invaders. The man did not play games when he entered the dohyo. Hiroshi nodded his head to Nishikigi.
Botan simply ignored the boy and Kenjiro gave a nod of approval before he asked for the large dish of fried rice. The three filled their plates, and Hiroshi went over to a spot on the wall. It was only a few more minutes before three more men came in. All bulky. They seemed like they were trying to turn their faces stoic after joking around and waiting in the hallway.
These three and the Yokozuna made up the beyas members of the sanyaku division. The upper echelon of sumo wrestling. The best of the best, the tippy top of the mountain. This stable had one Yokozuna, one ozeki and then one rank known as komusubi, which was just above the first division. They, along with the Yokozuna and, of course, Master Botan and Oyakata, were the pillars of this stable.
Shortly after the first three, there were three more who entered. "First division," a voice came from beside him. When Hiroshi looked it was Itaro. He moved from his spot near the door to be next to Hiroshi.
Now the six new men sat on their cushions and filled their plates. Kenjiro and the men on either of his sides were already eating. The six other lower ranked rikishi, two other juniors, and Hiroshi stood and watched the top of the stable eat.
"We need to wait until the Oyakata says we can sit and eat. Rank is everything here, Hiroshi," he explained to him. "Those six men don't even have to do house chores and they get their own room with proper beds."
Hiroshi nodded his head and understood. He knew how martial arts could be. A few of his friends had become cultivators, and they had told him how brutal it could be in their hierarchy.
Kenjiro looked at his top ranked wrestlers and saw they were all eating and seemed to be happy with what they had in front of them. He looked to the other six and then the three juniors and waved his hands.
"Come on, come on. Come eat," he said as he waved his hands.
Hiroshi waited and took his cue from Itaro. He waited until he went to the table and sat and did when he did. Once they reached the table, Hiroshi sat next to his new friend on the thin cushions that were their seats. Definitely not as nice and plush as the ones the division one rikishi, the sekitori, had.
Even though these nine were the last to sit and help themselves to the food, there was still plenty of it. After working in the kitchen all day with Auntie Yu and being told to taste everything, he wasn't really that hungry. Still, though, he knew it was important that he kept his weight up and he helped himself to a bowl full of rice and then some pork in a sticky plum sauce.
"You helped in the kitchen, didn't you?" One of the rikishi asked him. The man was big, like most of them, but this one was also hairy. He didn't have bulk all over like some of the rikishi had, but he had an enormous stomach with a patch of swarthy black hair on his chest. The man also sported mutton chops of sideburns.
Hiroshi looked him over and nodded his head. "I did, yes," he said. A simple answer to a simple question.
The hairy man narrowed his eyes and he pointed at Hiroshi. "You show me some respect and call me by my title."
Hiroshi went wide eyed, and he looked around for a moment. Unsure of what the man's title would be. He wasn't in the first division, and he didn't think he was even in the second. Otherwise, he would have sat before Itaro and the people in the lower divisions.
"You don't have a title. Settle down Yoshitaro," Itaro said, coming to Hiroshi's rescue.
Yoshitaro looked at Itaro and narrowed his gaze. "Mind your business, runt. This is between me and our new cook," he motioned towards Hiroshi.
"Ah, give the kid time. I'm sure he'll be beating you in the dohyo in no time," another voice piped up, which caused the rest of them directly around them to laugh a little.
"Kisaku is right. Look at Hiroshi. He's like a little gerbil. You're big, sure, but you still don't know how to use the weight," Itaro said with a grin and a mouthful of meat.
Hiroshi tried to stay out of this and just ate his rice and meat. The rice was plain, with just a hint of the rice wine vinegar that he loved so much. The meat, though, he needed to get more of that plum sauce to put on the rice. The flavors popped off the plum and green onion, with ginger in the background. Auntie Yu definitely knew her craft.
"Quiet down there," Botan yelled after the small group laughed. Instantly, the jovial laughing and joking stopped among the group.
Itaro lowered his voice and leaned into Hiroshi and said. "Nevermind Yoshitaro. He's big but doesn't know how to use his size in the ring. He's been here a few years longer than I have, but he's still stuck in the fourth division."
Hiroshi nodded his head, but Yoshitaro heard the lowered words and growled. "How was your bed last night, little gerbil?" He sneered at Hiroshi. "Couldn't find it, could you?"
Itaro gave a sidelong look at Hiroshi before he clicked his tongue. "Come on, give the boy his bed. No wonder he didn't sleep and didn't wake up." He then turned and looked to the other juniors who Hiroshi noted had stayed silent until now. "That's your fault as well," he said and pointed at the pair of them.
They sat across from each other and stammered, to give an excuse.
"Stop, stop. Come on you guys," Itaro said, disappointment clear in his voice. "You know how hard it can be for you younger kids."
They both lowered their heads and then bobbed them.
"Yes, Itaro," they said together mulishly.
Itaro gave a confident nod, and they all returned to eating. Hiroshi ate a little past the bowl of rice and a few pieces of pork. He tried a little of the chanko even though he tasted it throughout the day. The protein laden stew was good, but nothing to write home about. Hiroshi figured it was more about getting the protein and calories in the body than the flavor.
Once everyone was sufficiently fed and drank enough tea to satiate, even the Yokozuna the Oyakata nodded his head and said what a good job Okami-san and Hiroshi did on the meal. "I expect to see you in practice tomorrow, however, Hiroshi," was the last thing he said before he stood and left the room. Botan and Nishikigi leaving just behind him, and then the Sanyaku and Division One wrestlers leaving after that.
"Yes Oyakata," Hiroshi said during the exit parade.
Itaro looked to the ones that were left and nodded his head. "Alright then, let's get this stuff cleaned up so we can have our nap before free time."
The other two juniors groaned and Hiroshi winced internally. The other few older rikishi stood saying nothing and started carrying the mostly empty platters into the kitchen.
"Hiroshi, you and the other two juniors start on dishes. Save everything, and you know where the leftover rice goes. These other two can show you what to do with the rest. The rest of us will clean out here and then help you guys finish up. Don't dilly dally though, I'm tired," Itaro ordered.
Hiroshi nodded his head and gave a soft burp before he stood and headed into the kitchen behind the other two. While they washed, there was some goofing off, and he finally learned a little of the other two. They were both his own age. One a little smaller than Hiroshi, while another was a little bigger. They both had freshly shaved heads, which meant they hadn't had hairstyles that would be good to grow a chonmage when it came time. It also told Hiroshi they were newer to being sumotori.
Through their washing, he learned their names were Ansei and Huan. Someone else from the southeast region of the Empire then. He learned Huan was only here because his family was poor and had too many sons. Sending him to a Beya was a way to keep him out of the army, and keep him out of the growing rebellion in that region against the Emperor. It would still also bring some amount of honor to the family if the boy grew to become a high ranked rikishi.
Ansei was like Hiroshi, just another kid that loved sumo but was too young to officially join the stable. Kenjiro had recruited him only a couple of months before he had gotten Hiroshi. It seemed that Kenjiro had a fascination with finding kids who loved the sport. It must have been hard to do since sumo was kind of losing popularity with the general public. They were only still held in high regard because the Emperor promoted it, and was a big fan.
It didn't take long for the others to come into the kitchen, with Itaro still taking the leadership role of the bunch. He directed and helped dry dishes and put them away. Personally, Hiroshi was tired of being in this kitchen for the day. He was tired, his feet hurt, and his hands pruned because they put him on the rinse sink. Soon enough, though, they were done up to the standards of Auntie Yu, who came in to check on them periodically. She'd scold and correct if they were doing something wrong or not up to her standards.
Once finished, she dismissed them to their rooms and they headed off. He followed his fellow juniors into their room and he saw his bed was still missing. Hiroshi groaned and shook his head. There was no other mention of it besides when Itaro told Yoshitaro to give it back.
Hiroshi folded his arms and looked at the bare spot on the floor. He didn't notice the other two brought their cots together longways against the far wall from where Hiroshi was supposed to sleep.
"Come on," Huan said, knocking Hiroshi from his inner torment. "We'll share these and sleep longways on ours. That way, I think only our feet will hang off and you can have somewhere better to sleep than the hardwood."
"Not that these are really that much better," groaned Ansei.
Hiroshi bowed his head. "Thank you, both of you. I'll have to figure out a way to get my mattress back from Yoshitaro."
"No worries. He's a known bully in the house. Just don't take his attitude and eventually you may get it back," Huan said. "It won't hurt if you can start actually beating him in the dohyo," he added as they all laid down.
Hiroshi stood wide eyed and looked at the ceiling. Beat a rikishi? He's so big. He thought idly. It didn't take the other two long before he heard them snoring and he shook off the thought. That was one neat thing about sumo. Anyone could beat anyone on any given day. It might be like a mouse going up against a lion, but sometimes the mouse could win? Soon enough, Hiroshi was snoring next to his fellow juniors.