What's this? A new DGS fic! Yes! :D I thought about it for a good long while, and decided to write a story solely about Ryuunosuke.
So here it is, my second Dai Gyakuten Saiban fanfic! Enjoy! c:
~~Birth of the Dragon Herald~~
-Chapter One: The Beginning-
The year was 1876. The Naruhodous were a somewhat typical family of the Meiji Period. Patriarch Shinobu was a former instructor for kenjutsu, and was now instructing in the new style of kendo. Like many, if not all, of the men in his family, Shinobu's black hair bore prominent spikes. His in particular were two spikes on atop one another on top of his head, pointing in the same direction as his face, one more flat, the other slightly more upright, while the rest of his hair was tied back in a loose top knot. Needless to say, he had a distinct profile. Like many Japanese men of his time, Shinobu was wed in an arranged marriage to his beautiful bride, Mizuki, whom he actually loved very much.
Mizuki Naruhodou was a hard working woman and mother. Alongside her duties as a housewife, she recently obtained a job at a clothing factory to gain a little extra income. For twelve, sometimes fourteen hours each day, in less than ideal conditions, she brought heavy bolts of fabric from the shelves to her worktable, which was a good fifty feet away, to sew into various garments that would be sold for more than what she was making for sewing them, and avoiding getting pricked by pins and needles too often. Despite the circumstances, the job made Mizuki feel more independent, even while pregnant with her fifth child. Ever since she and Shinobu first wed, he encouraged her to bear him at least one son. That 'encouragement' resulted in four daughters: Junko, aged 12, Hiroko, aged 10, Tomiko, age 6, and Momoko, aged 4. And while Shinobu loved each and every one of his daughters dearly, being a father of four still did not divert his desire for a son.
"You know, Mizuki-san, they say when a pregnant mother's tummy hangs low, it means she will bear a boy!" said one of her co-workers as they went to the shelves to pick up their fabric and notions.
"One can only hope 'they' are right." Mizuki sighed as she rubbed at her bulging tummy before picking up bolts of fabric that would soon become articles of clothing. It was eight days into the reasonably warm month of April, with cherry blossom trees in full bloom, yet the factory was as unbearably hot as ever.
"Do you need help, Mizuki-san?" her co-worker asked on their way to their worktables.
"I've got it. Thank you, Nodoka-san!" Mizuki answered. With the baby due any day now, she wanted to get as much done as possible, despite offers to help her out. Mizuki's employer had no intention of giving time off after the baby was born, even if she did prove herself a valuable employee.
-Later-
It was a long, twelve hour work day for Mizuki and her fellow co-workers. The sun had begun to go down as they finished the last of their daily quotas, and was almost all gone by the time they got to go home. Though, even after that, Mizuki knew the day was far from done; she still had a family to feed, and still had yet to teach her daughters all the home-maker skills she knew, knowing those girls had to learn how to take care of themselves, now that both of their parents were working. As she and Nodoka began to walk home, another co-worker caught up to them.
"Mizuki-san! Mizuki-san!" she shouted as she rushed up to them.
"Oh, Akiko-san! What is it?" Mizuki inquired.
"I made this for you in between the other orders today!" Akiko explained, as she presented a blue sling-like piece of clothing, with a matching obi. "It's a baby carrier for the baby! I know you could use one, since your hands will be too full to hold them."
"It's lovely! Thank you, Akiko-san!" Mizuki chimed as she accepted the practical present.
-Later-
As the three women walked to the Naruhodou household (Nodoka wanted to make sure the expectant mother got home safely first), Mizuki felt excruciating pain in her abdomen. The kind of pain she recognized from four times before. Initially, she didn't want to believe it. Then she felt wetness between her legs. Almost like water. Water. Her water broke.
"It's...Time!" She shouted, and Nodoka and Akiko helped her into the house.
"Deep breaths, Mizuki-san!" Nodoka reminded her co-worker and friend as they reached Mizuki's room. The sudden commotion brought the attention of the eldest Naruhodou daughter.
"Is the baby coming, mother?!" she asked.
"Yes, Junko-chan!" Akiko answered on behalf of Mizuki, who could only breathe deeply and occasionally scream in pain. "Go fetch your father and sisters!"
"Right away!" With that, Junko vowed to return as quickly as she could.
-Meanwhile-
Shinobu stayed a little later than usual at the school he instructed at in order to get a student caught up.
"So it is possible to wield the sword with the left hand!" His student remarked.
"Indeed it is, Kenji-kun!" Shinobu answered with a chuckle. Though he preferred the right hand himself, Shinobu had always been ambidextrous, so he knew left-handed students such as Kenji could catch on quickly. As they started on their way home, they spotted four young girls rushing up to them. It was initially hard to tell who they were with the only light source being dim streetlights.
"Father! Father!" The tallest girl frantically shouted. Shinobu instantly recognized the four right then. The streetlights confirmed as they came close enough.
"Junko, I have told you before you may not join-"
"That isn't what this is about, father!" Junko interrupted. "The baby's coming! Mother is having the baby as we speak!"
"She's WHAT?!" Shinobu shouted. "And you left her all alone?!"
"No, no! Two of her friends are with her!" Hiroko answered.
"They told us to come get you at once!" added Tomiko. A brief pause followed.
"...Momoko, don't you have anything to add?" Shinobu asked his youngest daughter.
"I would, but my feet hurt from running!" Momoko whined.
"Right, then." he sighed. "Kenji-kun?"
Kenji nodded as he picked up Momoko while Shinobu picked up Tomiko. As the six rushed back to the Naruhodou household, Junko and Hiroko both witnessed an amazing phenomenon; flying high above them was a creature, its long and bright blue body standing out against the dark blue sky. It glided in the same direction the six anxious humans were heading, calm and collected. Junko and Hiroko knew what it was right then and there.
-Later-
As they entered the house, the faint wailing of a newborn baby could be heard coming from Mizuki's room. While the four girls scurried to see their new sibling, Shinobu stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath, anticipating another daughter. Kenji laid a hand on his sensei's shoulder, as a means of showing emotional support. Shinobu gave a nod to his student, and the two approached the bedroom. Upon entering, the men could see Mizuki, hair let down, and covered in sweat from being in labor, with the source of the wailing in her arms, wrapped in a bed cover.
"Shinobu...Come see!" Mizuki said while softly smiling.
Shinobu approached his wife, heart pounding despite his anticipation. Somehow, meeting this child was...different. As Mizuki handed him the child, he discovered why. She had unwrapped the newborn so her husband could see what made the baby so different from his sisters. His sisters. His? His! Shinobu nearly teared up as he realized he had finally been blessed with a son! Words couldn't describe his happiness as he held his son, who had stopped wailing and was now gradually opening his eyes.
"Hello, my son!" Shinobu greeted, his voice a little shaky from the overwhelming happiness. While he held the baby in his right arm, he ran his left hand through the baby's thin hair, which already bore two prominent spikes that wouldn't go flat, no matter how many times he flattened or ruffled at them. This boy, no doubt, was a Naruhodou.
"He's a beautiful child." said Nodoka.
"A handsome child, too!" added Akiko.
"I congratulate you, Naruhodou-sensei!" said Kenji.
"Thank you, all of you." Shinobu said to the three of them.
After a little more conversing, Kenji, Nodoka, and Akiko left to go home, leaving just the Naruhodou family.
"So, what do we want to name him?" Mizuki asked her daughters.
"How about 'Mako'?" Momoko suggested. "To match the rest of us!"
"Don't you think that will become confusing?" Tomiko asked.
"I guess it might." Momoko sighed.
"There was that dragon earlier..." Hiroko muttered loud enough for the others to hear.
"What was that, Hiroko?" Mizuki questioned her second eldest child.
"On the way here, Junko-oneechan and I saw what might have- no -what was a dragon flying to our home!" Hiroko explained.
"It's as if our new brother was heralding the dragon!" Junko remarked as she looked into the bundle of joy, who was now sucking on his fingers and thumbs.
"A dragon herald, hm?" Shinobu pondered aloud, as one name came to mind. "Family! I have the perfect name." he announced as he handed the newborn back to Mizuki so she could nurse him.
"You do?" All four girls asked.
"Let us hear it." Mizuki insisted as she got the baby to latch onto her.
And that was when Shinobu gave his son his name:
"From this day forth, this boy...My son, will be known as: Ryuunosuke Naruhodou!"
And that's Chapter 1! :D I hope you guys like the story so far! So, I had to do a TON of research on the Meiji Period, and found this was about the time women started working in factories (which is why Mizuki has a job). Everything about the factories mentioned is pretty much true. Kendo was also a new sport emerging around this time, its predecessor kenjutsu (explains Shinobu's job). If there is anything I missed, or need to add, let me know. I will make sure to reference it in the next chapter.
Honest reviews, please! c:
