Just some friendly bonding between two minor characters in Suikoden. And maybe why one of them is prompted to show up in Suikoden II. And hopefully someday seeing the same character in another game soon...

Breathe in…deeply in. Be aware of everything, from the rustle of leaves on the tree to the scrape of stone across a blade.

Imagine your attacker is here and you counter thusly! And for a punch, counter with the arm. Quickly, someone's trying to stab your legs! Leap aside and crush the inside of their knee with your instep.

…?

Be aware that you're being watched.

"Hello there?" I call out. No answer. "I know you're watching me. I'm not angry with you, but I'm curious as to who my audience is."

My statement is followed by the somewhat guilty shuffling of boots along the grass and what is an odd flicking motion, but of what, I can't say.

"You were flipping around so much, I guess I got caught up and had to watch!"

The accent is an unknown one to me, barely there, but it makes the light voice's words have musical lilt to their cadence.

"I'm actually used to performing in front of an audience, believe it or not. I suppose people leave me alone while I practice out of politeness."

Again, that odd flicking motion. What is that?

"Um…I heard you can still fight even though…" the light voice trailed off with some embarrassment.

"Yes I can. The Temple of Qlon has helped me to better balance my spirit so it's as though I fight with no handicap at all. Even before I came to this country, I admit I've been somewhat blessed in knowing my center."

A fleeting memory of a screaming Shoon as I was taken away. I wonder if he's doing all right now?

"Is…is in your own country where…?"

"Yes. It's actually an interesting story, although one I'd rather not speak of at this time."

"Oh."

I feel a little bad. This man with the light voice was being politely respectful and curious. I forget that I cannot see my own lurid scars.

"Can you come closer? I find that it helps me to see who I'm talking to if I can touch your face. If you don't mind of course," I add.

Step, step, step. He stops a few inches from me and my fingertips lightly brush across his face.

He's patient standing there, although he strikes me as being a twitchy sort. His face is very angular with a prominent nose and the start of a good horsetail of hair. The mystery of the flicking noise is solved when my hands lightly trace his ears. He's an elf! They must flick their ears in some expression of mood.

"You're a rare one. Where I am from, elves do not associate with humans at all."

His light voice brightens. "There are other elves in other places?"

"Yes. The ones in my homelands are shy and keep to themselves."

Of course. The elves had just lost their home not too long ago. While the majority were rebuilding, a brave few were here in Tir's army. I inwardly curse at my lack of tact, but the elf does not seem to mind too much. For an elf, he's downright chatty. Finally, his name comes to me.

"You're Stallion, aren't you?"

"Uh…yeah! How did you know?" He sounded surprised.

"I've heard of how you like to chat with everyone and anyone," I say.

"Is…is that bad? I mean, there's so many different races here already! It seems kind of stupid not to take advantage and learn about other people while we're all here together," he replies.

Had I eyes, I probably would blink with surprise. Why couldn't Falena have learned these lessons so long ago?

"You're an unusual sort of person, Stallion."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." He laughs self-consciously.

As the war continues, all the Stars help where they can. I am called on occasion by our Commander, Tir, to aid in this or that mission. Mostly I train the soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. And when I'm not doing that, I have chances to relax with friends, including the elf.

"Stallion? It may just be my ears, but the tone of your voice is troubling. Is there something the matter?" I accept our shared wineskin and take a sip.

"Well, it was really strange today," he starts slowly. "Usually I'm in the archer division. I don't mind that at all, but one of the generals, some human whose name fails me, said, 'By the gods, son, we need a messenger right away! Teo's cavalry is upon us and Tir needs to know!' So, taking that to mean I should get there as quick as I could, I ran all the way there and…"

"Wait. Stop. You ran all the way over there? You didn't take a horse?" I find this hard to believe.

"Well…" Now the elf sounded embarrassed. "I have this rune, I got it a while ago. In the human tongue, the closest I can find the words for is 'True Holy Rune' but it's neither a True Rune nor a Holy Rune. It makes me run about as fast as a gul."

"Really. That would explain why your face is so lean. You must run all over the place."

Laughter. "I do, really. I enjoy it! But when I got back to the general, he took me aside and said that with that incredible speed, I was wasted in the archers and I should stick to delivering messages. He said I may have saved some lives by getting the information passed along that quickly."

"You should be pleased by that. But…you don't seem very happy."

I can hear my companion sip at the wineskin then set it aside.

"It's…I guess I feel guilty that I don't feel guilty."

"I don't follow you."

He sighs. "I really want to be a messenger. But the one who will be my king soon is also here. I can't disobey what he wants us to do, even if we're all under the orders of Tir. If I'm ordered otherwise, I'll gladly be a messenger. It's just…" His voice trails off.

"Just what?"

"It makes me realize that I might be really good at being a messenger. But that means leaving the village."

Ah. I suppose elves here are no different than the ones in Falena, in they'd rather stick with their own kind. But this one's different and knows what he wants…and is scared out of his wits for wanting it.

"May I tell you a tale, Stallion?"

The odd motion of an ear flick. "Eh? All right."

I tell him my story, of the fights in the pit, winning the glory and losing my sight.

"Through all of that, I really wasn't frightened until I found myself at the temple."

"Eh?! But you can fight better than most sighted people! You survived what most couldn't!"

I smile. "Ah, but what need of there is fighting in a temple? Or rather, you aren't fighting a physical enemy in the temple. With nothing to occupy the physical body, your mind and its demons can be unleashed upon you."

"Oh. Lots of time to think, hunh?"

"Quite. It was odd, but I thought that because I was supposed to be so good at fighting, trying to be good at anything else wasn't for me. But then the monks taught how to be strong in spirit. I wanted to be that kind of strong, even though I was scared."

"So….what did you do?"

"At some point in your life, my elven friend, you have to grit your teeth and jump right into what you're afraid to do. I was pleasantly surprised that my fears were unfounded and it wasn't so hard a thing to be spiritually strong."

My companion is quiet. I hope he's really listening to me.

"What you really want can take you away from all you know. But if that drive is inside you, it's a crime to not follow through on it. My friend, if you really want to be a messenger and go forth in the world to see what it has to offer, do so."

"I…I don't know."

"That's all right. At least think on it? Seriously?"

"All right."

I pass the wineskin back to him. "You can finish this up. I'll bring one next time."

At the end of the war, I returned to the temple to perfect my meditation. I also teach a few students what I know of the fighting arts.

My life is quiet now, but that is how things are sometimes.

I was surprised a few months after the war by a visit from my elven friend. He wanted to thank me for the advice as he sought to explore the world.

I heard he was a Star in another fight in another country. I haven't heard from him since, but I'm confident that wherever he is, he is embracing life with all it has to offer.

And who knows? If you're called to be a Star twice, why not three times?