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twist of fate
Ayuru stared at the people in front of him in wonder. This was the first time his mother ever brought him to Kutou's capital. It was so busy. People were bargaining for the best prices while hawkers tried to sell their stuff. He lifted up his head and shielded his eyes from the blazing sun. His mother saw that and patted his head gently with a smile on her beautiful face. As she did so, she pulled Ayuru's hood down further. She whispered into his ear, "Don't do that again, Ayuru. They will notice you." Ayuru smiled and nodded at his mother obediently.
"Stay here, Ayuru." his mother said as she turned and walked towards a soldier who was nearby. Ayuru sat down and he looked around him. The city was big and beautiful; it was nothing he had seen before. But.... the city seemed to lack love. Ayuru sighed. Nobody loves him or his mother, except Taria and probably his father. Ayuru and his mother had been trying to find him recently, but to no avail. Just then, Ayuru's mother came back and kissed his face, "Let's go, Ayuru."
"Mother, do you know where is father now?" Ayuru asked hopefully.
His mother looked down at her beloved son and smiled, "Yes." Ayuru was overjoyed. Suddenly, he could feel his spirits soaring in the sky like a bird. "Let's go, Ayuru..." his mother said gently as she pulled his hand and led him the way....
Ayuru took in a deep breath as he arrived at the place where his father was supposed to be. Numerous tents. Countless tents. An army camp. A soldier came running out and Ayuru saw his face as the soldier came nearer. Handsome and clean-cut could be used to describe his face. And his eyes were bright and sparkling with intelligence. Although the color was of dark green, Ayuru recognised the eyes. They were his eyes. They were exactly the same. And his mother had always told him how his eyes resembled his father's. His suspicions were further confirmed when his mother ran towards the man and embraced him with tears in her blue eyes. The man let go of her and smiled at her, "Shorin, you have become so thin since the last time I saw you...." Tears flooded Shorin's face by now and she rested her head on the man's shoulder, crying, "Kouryuu, I missed you!"
"I missed you too, Shorin......" Kouryuu said as he kissed Shorin's blond hair. It was only then he noticed Ayuru looking at them. "Shorin, who's that boy?" Kouryuu asked as he let go of Shorin again. Shorin wiped her tears away and waved her hand at Ayuru. Ayuru walked over slowly and hid behind his mother.
"Ayuru, call him Father." Shorin told Ayuru.
Ayuru took a peek at Kouryuu and mumbled, "Father."
Kouryuu looked astonished. "He.... he’s my son?! Our...our son?!" he asked uncontrollably.
"His name is Ayuru, Kouryuu." Shorin said as she looked at Ayuru lovingly, "Two months after you left that night.... I found out that I was pregnant..."
"I'm sorry. You must have suffered a lot since...." Kouryuu said as he touched Shorin's face with his left hand, "It must have been difficult for you to raise Ayuru by yourself....."
Shorin shook her head, "No, it wasn't." She smiled at Ayuru, "He's a most obedient and adorable son...." Ayuru smiled back at his mother.
Kouryuu nodded as he knelt down and looked at Ayuru face to face. He touched Ayuru's face with his both hands and kissed his forehead. He smiled at Ayuru with a fatherly smile. "Have you been good, Ayuru?" Kouryuu asked. Ayuru nodded his head. Kouryuu smiled faintly.
"Father is a soldier. A soldier is someone who constantly walks to and fro to the Gates of Hell. Whether we survive or not is not our choice because there is a great wind inside the gates. Once it is open, the wind will attempt to pull you in. If the wind succeeds, we will not survive." Kouryuu said.
Shorin stared at the ground hard as he said those words. She knew he was going to war again. He had left her ten years ago to fight a war with the Nei tribe. It took two years before the Nei tribe surrendered to the Emperor of Kutou. After that, the army went on to conquer the other neighbouring tribes. Each time the news of war came, Shorin would fear for the safety of Kouryuu, though she was not sure whether he was still alive or not. However, she liked to think he was. Hope keeps a person alive.
"Are you going to war again?" Shorin asked quietly. Kouryuu looked up at her for some moments before looking back at Ayuru again. His silence already told Shorin the answer she did not want. She took in a deep breath, "Where?" she asked.
"The Kuu tribe." Kouryuu answered. Shorin was shocked when she heard that.
"The Kuu tribe?! Your Emperor wants you to attack the Kuus?!" Shorin could not hold back her worry and slight anger, "The Kuus are well-known for their barbaric behavior and powerful fighting skills! The army will not...."
"I know." Kouryuu interrupted Shorin as he stood up and faced her."I know all that...." Kouryuu said quietly.
"Then why?! Then why are you still going to war?! Don't you know how long Ayuru and I have searched for you?! Are you going to die now and smash our hopes for a family reunion?!" Shorin cried as tears streamed down her cheeks. Ayuru looked on, not totally knowing what was going on. But he knew that his mother was terribly upset and it had something to do with his father whom he had just acknowledged. Kouryuu wiped Shorin's tears away with his handkerchief.
"I don't want to. I have no choice, Shorin." Kouryuu sighed, "As a soldier, I can only do what my Emperor wants me to." He looked at Shorin with love in his charming green eyes, "If I ever have a choice, I would choose to leave the army and live in seclusion with you and Ayuru..." Kouryuu shrugged his shoulders helplessly, "I hate wars too. They do nothing but destroy the lives of many and ruin the happiness of people. But, if going to war and unifying China could bring peace, I will gladly sacrifice my life for that."
Shorin's heart seemed to be torn to pieces by Kouryuu's stabbing words. She knew that it would be useless trying to dissuade him. He had always been a gentle but stubborn person. He would not change his mind. Kouryuu was too loyal to his country to see what was good for him. Kouryuu saw Shorin's distraught face and he felt such pain in his chest. If.... if he had not entered her life, maybe she would be happier, outcast or not. He embraced Shorin and kissed her. Then as he parted himself from her, he said with a determined look, "Shorin, I will come back alive. I will. Then I will quit being a soldier. This I promise in the name of Seiryuu." Shorin was touched.
She turned back and pushed Ayuru forward gently. "Kouryuu...." Shorin whispered as she wiped away her tears, "I need to tell you something about Ayuru..."
"Ayuru? What's wrong with him?" Kouryuu asked, concerned about his son.
"Ayuru...." Shorin hesitated for a moment, "We were attacked by a lion in a jungle once..."
"Attacked by a lion?!" Kouryuu interrupted, "Are any of you injured?" he asked anxiously.
"No." Shorin said in slight annoyance at Kouryuu’s interruption, "Well, we were attacked and Ayuru..." she stared at her son, "He burnt the lion dead."
"I don't understand?" Kouryuu was confused.
"I mean," Shorin was not sure how Kouryuu would react, "A letter 'shin' appeared on Ayuru's forehead and he.... he killed the lion with some sort of energy."
"You mean..." Kouryuu could not believe his ears.
"Yes...." Shorin added slowly, "I think he could be a Seiryuu seishi, Nakago."
"Really?!" Kouryuu was ecstatic, "My son is one of the protectors of Kutou!" Kouryuu exclaimed. In excitement, he held Ayuru up in the air by his arms and danced around in happiness. Shorin smiled faintly as Ayuru laughed in delight, as he believed he was flying in the air.
Suddenly, another soldier came out of the tent and shouted, "Kouryuu! It's time!"
Kouryuu put Ayuru down on the ground and shouted back, "Alright!" When he looked at Shorin, her face had become pale. He touched her face and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Shorin. I will come back safely." Before he ran back to the camp, he kissed Shorin.
Ayuru tugged at Shorin's dress as he saw his father running back to camp, "Mother, is Father coming back?"
Shorin looked at his son with tears in her eyes. "Yes, of course, Nakago. He will be coming back soon, after he finished running around the Gates of Hell again."
Ayuru looked confused. "Why are you calling me Nakago, mother?" he asked in curiosity. Shorin kissed Ayuru's forehead and said, "That's your name too, dear Ayuru. But your name will be Nakago from now on."
"A new name for me?" Ayuru frowned childishly. But a smile spread across his face quickly, "I like the name, mother." Shorin smiled as she took Ayuru's hand again.
"Well, let's go home...."
Three months later, a soldier riding a horse into the capital whipped his horse and cursed under his breathe, "Faster, stupid horse! I need to report to His Majesty about this as soon as possible!"
A hand slapped the table hard.
"What do you mean by the whole army has been vanquished?!" the Emperor of Kutou roared at the messenger.
"The.... the Kuus.... led us to a trap and killed many of the soldiers, then they charged out of nowhere and attacked us." the messenger said in fright, "They are also very powerful.... They seemed determined to preserve their independence...."
"F**k!" the Emperor swore, "Half the army is gone just like that?! I have to wait for some years before I can conquer that pain-in-the-ass Hin tribe and Konan!"
Ayuru stared at the ducks swimming in the pond. He was not aware of the presence coming from behind. He jumped when someone tapped on his shoulder. He turned quickly and saw Taria, his only and best friend.
"What are you doing, Ayuru?" Taria asked as she sat down beside him.
Ayuru sighed. "It had been three months since I saw my father..." Ayuru said sadly.
"You missed your father." Taria observed.
"Yes...But I'm more worried about mother...." Ayuru said as his face showed lines of worry.
"Why?" Taria asked.
"Because someone came to our house two days ago and since that day, mother have been crying non-stop." Tears brimmed at Ayuru's eyes, "Now she's sick...Even when she's sleeping, her tears could not stop..."
"This is bad!" Taria exclaimed, "You better stop your mother from crying, Ayuru! I heard that too much crying could blind someone!"
"What, is that true?!" Ayuru jumped to his feet, "I had better go home immediate and tend to my mother then."
Ayuru turned and was about to run back when Taria held onto his arm. "Do you think..." Taria said quietly, "It has something to do with your father?" Taria loosened her grip on Ayuru and saw his shocked face before he ran back to his little house. Tears streamed down Ayuru's face as he remembered his father's words.
Father is a soldier. A soldier is someone who constantly walks to and fro to the Gates of Hell. Whether we survive or not is not our choice because there is a great wind inside the gates. Once it is open, the wind will attempt to pull you in. If the wind succeeds, we will not survive.
What he did not understand previously, he had finally understood..........
Fifteen Years Later.....
A cloaked man - Ayuru, was walking on the streets of the Kutou capital. He had just bought some food for his mother. Ever since receiving 'that piece of news' fifteen years ago, she kept falling sick. Ayuru had since worked hard in the fields and selling the harvest to the Kutou people.
He was passing by a street in downtown Kutou when he heard some noises. Ayuru hid behind a wall and peeped. What he saw enraged him. Two men were forcing themselves on a young unconscious girl. He charged out and punched one of the men. The men, though startled, were angered by Ayuru's interference. "To hell with you!" one of them snarled as he launched a fist at Ayuru. A blue letter 'shin' flashed on Ayuru's forehead as he caught the man's hand and twist his wrist, sending him in reels of pain. The other attempted to hit him with a stick but before the stick could hit his head, Ayuru had kicked the man's stomach. They were rolling on the ground and groaning in pain.
He looked at the unconscious girl. "Hmm....the girl's clotes are strange.... She’s probably a foreigner...." With that, Ayuru picked the girl up and walked off.
"NO!!!!" The girl screamed as she shot up in bed.
Taria, who was tending to her, was shocked and she landed on the floor. "Ouch!" Taria cried out in pain as her butt hit the hard floor.
The girl turned and saw a beautiful woman in front of her - Taria. "Where am I?" the girl asked in fright, "Is this a brothel? Please don't do anything to me!"
Taria laughed as she heard the girl's words, "No, this is not a brothel. People in the brothel wear better clothes than me, even for the servants." she teased, "But it seemed that you got into a little trouble?" The girl's face was drained of blood when she heard that.
"Was I...was I..." it was difficult for the girl to say out those words. She choked on her tears.
Taria patted her back gently. She pitied the girl. "Maybe my husband could explain things for you better. It was him who rescued you from those ruffians." Taria said with a spark of brightness.
"Husband? Rescued?" the girl asked, confused. Aren't I raped...? Or...am I rescued....?
Taria smiled secretively, "It seemed like you have a lot of questions." She turned her head to the door and shouted, "Ayuru!" Ayuru entered and was delighted to see the girl had regained consciousness.
"Are you feeling better?" Ayuru asked concernedly.
"Yes. We were so worried about you! And you keep calling 'Miaka' during your sleep!" Taria said as she nodded her head.
The girl saw Ayuru and blushed slightly. He's so handsome! But he's married.... "I.... I...." the girl did not know what to say.
Ayuru looked at the girl. She had chestnut hair and it was short. Her clothes were weird too. "You must be a foreigner." Ayuru said, "You should not have walked in the downtown without a grown-up or at least, someone who knows martial arts for that matter. It's dangerous." Then he looked seriously at the girl, "You could really have been raped if I have not been walking past there."
"What?" the girl exclaimed, "This means that..."
Taria nodded her head. "You are alright, young lady." Taria smiled at the girl. She was beautiful and seemed so ignorant of the world.
"Thank you so much, sir! May I know your name?" the girl asked gratefully.
"My name is Ayuru but you can also call me Nakago. My wife is called Taria." Ayuru said with a kind smile. The girl grinned at Ayuru.
"It's kinda kind of strange that you should have two names, but my name's Yui Hongo..."
END
Credits to Margichan for inspiring this fanfic. And Margichan, thanks for making the RPG so interesting with you playing as Yui! ^_^
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