Hello everyone!
I'm sorry that I've been coming on and off, I've been a very busy bee, but I promise that you will love what I have in store for you once I get this uploaded!
To begin, I will be finishing the Boondocks series, it's just been awhile since I've been able to work on it due to circumstances. Secondly, this particular story is a little different. It takes place after clearing the Birthright Route, but the story only tells of tales from the characters I cleared my game with. In other words, the chapter titles that depict the names of the characters are basically what the chapters are going to be about! I thought about writing this because the Fire Emblem series inspired me with this game, since it was my first ever Fire Emblem game to play, so I figured I could walk into this door and give birth to personalities that were, sad to say, very lacking in most of the Birthright Characters. Either way, the chapter below is about Dyru (my avatar), Kana, and Asugi, so to clear any confusion, it will take place behind both Dyru and Kana in this circumstance. I REALLY hope you give this a chance because though I wrote it a long while ago, I wanted to see what other people think! Please, enjoy yourselves! As usual, you will find the other version of this story on my DeviantART account (SuspenseWriter), and what makes this edition special is the music I have placed within the chapter to enhance the surroundings described in the situations ^^ To get this edition, all you have to do is send me a private message! Go hard on me, tell me what you think!
Dyru Kana Asugi
1 Day After Coronation
Location: Desert of Hope (Hoshido's 2nd Fort)
A coronation's night can be filled with those who drink for leisure down to dancers who never had time to do such things before. For the first time ever, witnessing my true family letting loose was one of my happier feelings than I could ever hope for. Takumi, despite his stern and arrogant nature, could move his feet faster than a Wind Tribe dancer with heels on! As for Sakura whom was always the shyest of our family, she actually took a moment to drink mead with Angie before the two actually started dancing together! It was a wonderful feeling to come back home to Hoshidan land after all of the chaos that ensued in Nohrian territory. It was shortly after Ryoma's coronation ceremony that we had started such a much-needed and arousing party celebration. Though for some of us, it was hardly a celebration. Silas failed to attend the party as well as Saizo, though nobody could really blame them. In this bloody war, they lost people who were dearest to them than life itself, in fact I was certain that they would do anything they could to take their place so they would no longer have to suffer. Because of their sacrifices, King Ryoma had his men prepare statues of the fallen to be presented at the Dragon Temple next to Lilith's Shrine where she used to reside before her life was taken as well. In addition to the construction, Ryoma also issued a 7-day period where the Hoshidan Army were to spend their final moments together before they wished to go their separate ways. Whether they wished to stay in the forts or travel together was of their own accord, it was completely up to them.
Hana and I were planning to travel west into Nohrian territory so we could spend time with the other side of my family. With Angie by our side, this would be a possible mission so the Nohrians we encounter suddenly don't turn on us despite the peace treaty. However, in the beginning, Hana was very reluctant in going due to the fact that she was to stand by Lady Sakura's side. After some consideration when speaking to the council and talking to me, Hana then decided it would be best to part ways from Sakura since Ryoma and Takumi were now able to protect her. Though Hana was relieved of her duties as a retainer, Sakura told her she was always going to be her best friend no matter what happened between them. We both decided it would be best to leave for Nohr after the 7-Day period had come to an end, so packing at the Dragon Temple was a necessity.
Despite the war ending, the country continues to thrive in its never-ending culture, so we all still had our jobs to do. Hana was to keep guard at the Dragon Temple with Silas and the others, while Kana and I were to take a shipment of rice and fish to the Desert of Hope. It was hard to find any lakes or fresh grass to grow grain and catch fish, so the two of us decided to take the job together. Fortunately for us, the desert wasn't too harsh. The Wind Tribe's village was nearby, hence all of the windmills in the area rotating altogether. The winds that were breezing through our hair were cool enough to keep the sweat away from our brow, relaxing us in a way that we were almost reaching a state of nirvana. On our carriage through the desert trail were the two of us looking about the land we had once fought together in when we faced the tribe leader. The sun was evidently sitting above us with only a circle of blue surrounding it; while the rest surrounding us was a light brown thick cloud. It was something you would see as cooling fog only in sand form: everything beyond our limited eyesight was veiled in a blanket of dust.
"Papa," Kana had spoken, "You never did tell me the story about your eye patch." The horses were trotting through the sand as the carriage continued to move in their direction, holding the reins to keep them under control.
"I'm not sure you're old enough to hear about that story Kana," I replied, "Though you've…regrettably seen enough bloodshed to last multiple living souls, I just can't stop thinking about how you are still my little girl." She frowned at my words, looking down into the sand as it kicked up a bit.
"You still…think I'm a little girl?" she asked in a sad tone. I suddenly realized my words of ignorance when I thought about everything we went through together. Our small samurai family took down a possessed man who wanted to rid more than just the Hoshidan world, and in such a battle, she made me proud to be her father.
"W-Well," I stuttered, "You will always be my little girl Kana, but after all the chaos we've seen, I can say you are more than that: not many children your age would ever take up a sword just to protect those they love." I placed my hand on hers and smiled. "No…Kana, you're a strong, vibrant, and elegantly beautiful woman. You're a princess with gentle and kind values that no other could ever hope to have. With such an innocent heart, you have more in you than even your parents could ever possess." My little angel couldn't help but smile at me when I spoke such words.
"Thank you Papa…," she said, "I still keep the ring you gave me around my neck. I held it dear to me every time I had to…swing my blades."
"Have you ever tried to put it on yet?" I asked, "You've grown so fast in this realm that I forget the time as it passes."
"Unfortunately I can't put it on my ring finger yet," she answered, "My fingers are still too small for it to fit…" She then made a pouty face, one of the cutest faces I had ever seen. I couldn't help but laugh as she started talking again. "I just wish I could grow faster so I could put it on!"
"One day Kana, you will be able to wear such a ring," I told her, "But in all honesty, whether you wear it or not, it will always symbolize how much your mother and I truly love you, not just as a princess, but as our beautiful daughter." It was then that she reached up to my cheek and gave me a kiss, smiling and holding my arm tight.
"I love you Papa," she said, "Nobody will ever take you or Mama away from me…" From here, it was silent. I could only hold my daughter ever so close as we continued to ride into the sand haven that thicken. It was quiet, nothing but horses snorting as our carriage continued to roll on. After a while…I finally started to speak.
"When I was in Nohr, I was training with Xander and his colleague Baskin. Before I knew much about combat, Leo and the others helped me learn swinging motions by going through rigorous training. We were on the grounds with Hans when we were suddenly attacked by this man. We couldn't see him, but he brought a brigade of black figures planning to take the castle itself. At that point, Garon had issued an all-out attack on them in order to protect me. Without thinking I picked up a sword from a fallen comrade and aided in the defense of Nohr. Before the battle was over, Baskin had fallen from the hands of this man who took one swing at my head. I was paralyzed…I didn't…I didn't know what to do. It was my first time in combat…and though Xander knew this, he managed to pick me up and saddle me on his horse before the man could kill me. However, he was able to graze my left eye before we could get away. At that point, Arthur had fired an arrow into his head, and the man fell into the abyss…" Kana gazed upon me in wonder as I spoke these words. "The patch I embrace upon my left eye covers the wound I had received from this man…and it is a constant reminder of how close I was to losing my life. I was lucky he was only to get that eye…and not both…or perhaps my head…"
"Papa…"
"If I had died that day, you would never have been born, and Hana and I would've never met…" Kana continued to rest her head on the inside of my arm as I held her hand tightly.
"…I'll never let anyone touch you ever again Papa," she suddenly vowed, "If you and Mama were out of my life this ring would be saturated in the blood of whom took you away from me…"
"Don't say such things Kana," I told her, "I appreciate the thought of you caring about us in such a way, but taking a life has a serious consequence. It is precious just like ours, and we only do to those who abuse such powers to get what they want. By now, after you have vowed to fight by our side, you should know of this." She nodded apologetically, closing her eyes as we continued to ride on. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. "Kana, you didn't just agree to come with me to help these villagers to see someone, did you?" She was silent for a small moment.
"I do want to help them Papa," she answered, "But…I also wanted to see someone special to me…someone who promised me a game of hide-and-seek when we got there." In an instant, I knew who she was talking about.
"So Saizo's son will be there too huh?" I questioned, "I wonder how he's doing. He's probably taking it hard since Saizo refuses to leave the Dragon Temple."
"We don't really talk much about his father unless he's in his down time," Kana answered, "He still thinks about that day when they met face-to-face for the first time in a long while."
"You remember don't you?" I asked, "The man that had a contract out for someone's blood that he refused to sign for."
"I'm glad to see you think that Asugi's better than that," she said with a smile, "He's…gentle…kind…eats a lot sweets." She suddenly giggled. "I think that's why he's so sweet to everyone…because his stomach is full of sweets."
"He doesn't use any…petty talk to woo you does he?" I had to ask this question: I wasn't so sure about the idea of Kana being courted by any man for that matter, especially considering her age.
"Of course not!" she answered, "He's just being nice to me Papa! He wouldn't do something like that with me. He knows of my position because of you." She suddenly looked off into the distance. "Even if he did…it would…actually make me feel likeable you know?"
"Just so you know Kana," I said with a smile, "Any man would be lucky to have you in their arms…even Asugi."
"S-So…you don't…actually mind?" Her face was blushing harder as she spoke such words.
"When you're a little older Kana," I responded, "And I mean those words. You're still very young."
"I understand Papa," she said with a nod as she suddenly stood up, "H-Hey! There it is! The Desert of Hope!" When the carriage made way through the tall gorge we knew well, there were villagers trotting down the sandy slope waving at us in happiness. We exchanged a few friendly waves and continued trotting up the slope until our vision witnessed a wondrous site. Amid the sands was a chasm that stretched across the fort like a lightning bolt from the thunder god's hammer; three giant wooden boards carved from the biggest willow tree in the west used as a bridge to cross to the other side of the placement. The Desert of Hope was known for its famous arena battles that took place in a coliseum our soldiers had constructed in the middle of the settlement, a prison made of iron we had melted down directly across the pathway from said arena. It was no surprise that rumors were spreading across Hoshido about why the arena and prison were so close to each other, but I've learned to keep Kana away from those kind of things as much as possible so neither of us find out the truth for ourselves. To the west of the path was the throne Rinkah sat upon during the day: lodged into the cliff were her personal headquarters aided with two windmills on each side, the fifth windmill resting on the top part of the building. On the other side of the fort across the wooden bridges was the place we were destined to arrive upon: settlements that included the homes of villagers who were trying their hardest to make a living. There was a Wind Tribe Armory and Smithy shop near the southern entrance of the fort, and completed in the middle was a statue of the dragon we forged awhile back when the war was still continuing. The sun had already begun setting when we began to unload our products for shipment. In the carriage was more than twenty pounds of pure rice, and six boxes filled to the brim with ice magic incensed fish. The unloading of such produce took so much of our time that the sun had already disappeared from the skies, relieving many different comets to dance in the naught. Even the stars never shined so brightly back at the Dragon Temple…
"It doesn't look like…Asugi's here…does it Papa?" Kana frowned at her words when she sat upon a crate resting her cute face on her hands.
"Well," I started, "You did say he plays hide-and-seek didn't you Kana?" Suddenly, she stood up with a surprised expression upon herself.
"W-Wait…you're right Papa!" she exclaimed, "Maybe he already started!" The girl quickly turned to me and started hopping in front of me. "Please please PLEASE Papa! Can I go find him?! I know it's after dark but I promise I'll be back at the headquarters before it gets too late! P-Please?!" I sighed when Rinkah came around the corner with a smile.
"Thanks for helping us all out with the shipment Dyru," she said, "It took us a little while but our home is fed well."
"Of course Lady Rinkah-"
"Don't…call me that," she interrupted, "The Fire Tribe would frown upon me if they knew I was complimented such things. Have to maintain the tough figure, you know, all that sort of junk." Kana was still hopping at my feet when she smiled. "Ah Kana! It's good to see you! Thanks for helping out your father. I'm sure he is very proud." She turned around and bowed in a cute princess-like manner, then faced me once again.
"Please Papa?! Please?!" Rinkah sighed.
"This is why I don't have kids…," she spoke, "Hey, Dyru, what is she begging for?"
"She wants to go see Asugi," I answered, but before I continued, I faced her once again, "However, she knows better than to ask her father for something she knows she isn't going to get to do. Honey, it's after dark and the stars are already out. You know it's not safe at night to wonder around." Rinkah stepped in and laugh.
"So tell me, what's the threat around here Lord Dyru?" she asked, "Some wallahannalugi gonna come in and hurt your daughter?"
"What are you saying Rinkah?" I asked as she sighed.
"Come on now Dyru," she started, "Let the girl go find her friend. I can assure you she is safe in this fort and nothing is going to get in or get out. Besides, you and I have some catching up to do. We can have dinner at my place and talk about good times. Her bed will be prepped and ready to sleep in by the time she gets home from playing with him." Kana's hopeful eyes were staring into mine almost as if she was about to cry. Whenever those eyes made contact with mine, all I could see were Hana's beautiful expressions. How in the world could I say no to such a look? Reluctantly, I sighed.
"…OK Kana, you can…jeeze…you can go and find Asugi-WHOA!" The cheerful girl couldn't help but leap into my arms and swing around me like a monkey on a tree.
"YAY!" she screamed, "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU PAPA! I WON'T BE GONE LONG I PROMISE!"
"OK OK!" I exclaimed, "J-Just let me go sweetie! You're rug-burning my neck!" The little girl flung off of me in excitement and stripped off her armor piece by piece, residing in her Nohr Princess outfit I gave her when she first started living with us. It's hard to look back and remember how young she was when Hana was dressing her up still. I sat on my knee and laid my eyes upon hers.
"Listen Kana," I started, "As Rinkah said, there is nothing to go in and out of that post, so you are to stay within the fort so you can be safe. Asugi only leaves it because he is a ninja and goes on reconnaissance missions, so he can fend for himself. However, you are still young, and still my only daughter. I know you can take care of yourself too, but I'd feel more relieved knowing you were still here in this fort looking for your friend."
"I-I understand Papa," she affirmed with a smile, "I promise I won't leave the fort, on my word."
"Good," I said with a sigh of relief, "Now go on. Be sure to come home after you're through playing, OK?" The girl couldn't help but giggle as she spread her arms and started running towards the village. "And stay close!" She had already disappeared before she could hear me, Rinkah laughing a little.
"They grow up so fast don't they?" she asked, "The Deeprealm sure did do quite a number on her age."
"Sometimes I worry about that. She's matured faster than I thought she would. I mean…her curves are coming in at a slow rate, but her mind is a lot like ours."
"Don't even fret over it Dyru. Just cherish the golden days while you still can. Sometime soon you're gonna have to eventually let her grow up."
"I'm not even slightly worried too much about that. It's her mother that will have to learn that the hard way. She's so attached to Kana it's unreal…"
…
If anybody knew Asugi the absolute best, it was definitely me. When children from the Deeprealms started pouring into the Dragon Temple, it was hard for me to bond with anyone. I was the first to arrive according to Papa and Mama, and even then, they were the only two I would talk to. The first of the children I remembered coming in after me was Kiragi. He was easy to talk to at first, but it appeared that hunting was more important than anything else. Because of this, it was unfortunate that I couldn't spend any time with him. `Then I remembered Mitama arriving after her. She seemed to be a very intelligent girl, spouting stuff out of her mouth that at the time wasn't sure if it was some sort of literature or not. When it came to getting to know her though, I found out very quickly that she enjoyed sleeping in her bed more than interacting with anyone. It was then that I met Asugi. When I first approached him, he shoved me away and continued on with his business. After a few rejections, I couldn't take it anymore! Something about him was drawing me in, I had to do something! I asked my Mama for some advice on how to talk to someone like him, and the only thing she told me to do was to be myself! It didn't seem very helpful, but of course I gave it a shot. So how was it that I managed to get along with him so well?
"Asuuuuuugiiiiiii!" I exclaimed, "Where are youuuuuuu?!" In the beginning, I challenged him to a game of hide-and-seek to get his attention. He was reluctant to do so, in fact he kept asking me why I wanted to play such a silly game with him. When he heard my explanation about how I am the best hide-and-seeker to ever live, he suddenly took on my challenge saying that he couldn't have someone show up his stealth skills. I could've given him a better reason of asking him to play than calling him a thief, but…what else could I say? He was a really good thief! I ended up finding him in literally a matter of seconds on our first game, making him feel embarrassed yet intrigued. He was actually pretty impressed with my ability to scout areas around me and make precise calculations based on my surroundings. With that, we set out to have another hide-and-seek game. This time, I used my Dragonstone to bury myself under the ground so he could never suspect me. Once again, he accepted defeat as I emerged from the ground turning back into the girl he knows. We were a little fired up at each other, sort of calling names, but then we resorted to a third and final challenge. With Best-Hide-and-Seeker Ever on the line, the battle raged on! This one was nearly impossible to win. No matter where I looked, he was nowhere to be found. I thought I knew all of the greatest hiding places in the temple, but no matter where I looked, Asugi was nowhere to be found! I started wondering if he was even at the temple at all until suddenly, a tree vanished into smoke and out came the thief! I literally stood no chance to someone like him if he had abilities like that, but he insisted that we…actually keep playing. To be honest, I was really shocked that he was interested in playing someone younger than he was. A few weeks passed, and I actually confessed to him that I enjoyed playing with him all the time because he was the only one who ever wanted anything to do with me other than my Mama and Papa's friends. Later we agreed to play the game together till we were both eighty years old, which I'll admit was kinda silly for me to say. But…I couldn't help but stick around him. Eventually, the two of us went together with Mama and Papa in battles, defending one another from Nohrians who were trying to hurt us. I can't say there was a better way for us to bond, but later tonight, I would learn something new about Asugi that I never knew was possible…
I ran behind a building and scouted the area before me. Nothing but villagers having a peaceful time mingling about the desert fort. I continued to look around while walking the path they made, sighing with a frown on my face.
"…I guess he's really not here," I spoke, "He said he was going to be here when I arrived, yet he's nowhere to be found…" I could feel my face fuming when I stomped my foot into the ground. "Grr! I can't believe that dummy would show me up! Dummy, dummy, dummy!"
"Little Miss Dragon…" My vision suddenly went black, my mouth opening a little when I reached up to grasp my face. I was greeted with a pair of soft hands that instantly made me blush, but couldn't help to smile. "I thought a princess would say kinder things to their best friend ever, but dummy is a new one." I took his hands off of me and embraced him tightly with a huge smile on my face. Asugi stood in front of me, my one true friend!
"ASUGI!" I exclaimed, "I KNEW YOU WERE HERE!"
"R-Right!" he replied with a sweat on his face, "J-Just let me go you little twerp, jeeze!" I almost didn't want to, but I had to admit I was suffocating him a little.
"I'll let that one slide since I called you a dummy," I said with a stern expression, "Where were you?! I looked all over this fort and I couldn't find you anywhere!" Asugi placed his arms on the back of his head and smiled with a cocky look.
"I imagine you forgot about the fact I could transform into stuff already didn't you?" he replied, "I was the Dawn Armory sign the entire time. I've been that thing since you've got here." With my widened eyes, I was in shock. I can't believe he would do such a trick after not being able to see me for awhile! I closed my eyes and started hitting his chest.
"Baka! Baka! Baka! Do you know how long it's been since I've seen you?! Why would you play ahead of time before I even got here?! I didn't even get a chance to count to 100 or anything!"
"It's not my fault. You took too long to get here! And stop calling me baka. It's not nice to call people names when they're better than you at hide-and-seek." I gave him a nice little smirk with my eyes closed.
"Oh I see," I started, "You started playing because you were too afraid to take me head on!"
"Now you're pushing it Little Miss Dragon," he retorted with a smile, "You're on, let's do this. I'll count, and you can hide. Trust me though, I know this fort better than you ever will, so if you think you're gonna win this one, then you're betting on the wrong horse!"
"Bring it on!" I exclaimed, "Let's see if you really CAN find me!" And so, I took off while the crazy ninja started doing his numbers.
A couple of hours passed during our game time. We must've played at least thirty times, because we were one-upping each other in victories and even defeats. First, I used my Dragonstone to hide in the side of the cliff, giggling when Asugi walked by me at least ten times, then he used his tricks to blend into a shadow. As we continued to play our games, neither of us could topple one another in such a rigorous game of hide-and-seek. The game seemed to never want to come to an end! When we met back at the center of the village, a much-needed rest ensued between the two of us. It had been awhile since we've seen each other, playing such a harsh yet fun game like this. One of the greatest memories I had with Asugi was the candy he would share with me after playing such fun games with him.
"I brought you your favorite this time around," Asugi said with a smile as we sat together, "Chocolate caramel crunchies. From what I hear, this is a delicacy to Nohrians who favor candy in their downtime." My eyes were glistening with glee when he handed me a piece, until I realized something about it.
"Um..Asugi," I started, "This is your favorite candy too isn't it?"
"Yeah? What about it?"
"It's just…I've noticed you only brought one piece with you. You're really willing to give me this?"
"Of course. You're my best friend, you don't get to eat candy too often so I thought you might like it." When I held the ball of chocolate and caramel in my hand, I…actually frowned. I thought he loved suckers more than anything else, but…I'd feel really guilty about eating it by myself let alone something that is extremely rare for him to get his hands on. With thoughts like this, I smiled and gazed into his eyes.
"Asugi," I begun, "You and I have been friends since the first day we met each other. I always thought you looked at me like I was…hum…a twerp I believe. But I'm glad you see me as your best friend, though I have to admit I'm a little disappointed." His confused expressions took notice.
"Disappointed?"
"I thought you knew me a little better than to just keep something so wonderful for myself, especially if it is very uncommon to come across something as delicious as this." In my hand was the Draconis Dagger my Papa gave to me when I was learning how to use two swords, unsheathing such a beautiful blade relieved some shining glory upon us as I carefully sliced the crunchy into two pieces. Kindly, I placed my hand in his to deliver the prize he worked so hard in getting. Though at the same time, he was slightly disappointed.
"Kana!" he exclaimed, "You're supposed to eat the chocolate and caramel together! They don't taste as great when they're separate!" At this moment, something clever came to mind…and I just couldn't help but…say it. I glanced at the ground, blushing a bright red before I could speak though.
"…Y-You're right," I whispered, "It…well, they are just their own entity and plain…but when they're together, they're…they're beautiful…" Asugi couldn't help but sweat a little at my words, but at the same time, he was…blushing too?
"You're killing me Little Miss Dragon," he spoke nervously, "Of course they're beautiful! The pungent taste they have when they're together, the aroma they produce when cooked just right, the one moment when it reaches your tongue and gives that beautiful sweet yet intensifying jab…" I giggled at his words, I could listen to him talk about candy all night and it wouldn't bother me in the least. Suckers and lollipops definitely sound very tasty right about now.
"H-Hey Asugi," I said, "Do you know where to get candy like this? I mean, I know you said Nohr, but Hoshido has to have some sort of candy too don't they?"
"Of course Hoshido's got its own kinda candy," Asugi answered, "Believe it or not, there's some actual sugarcane growing outside of the fort that farmers were taking care of. If we can get a hold of it, I can teach you how to make some real bites so that way you don't have to wait for me all the time to bring some."
"O-Outside the fort?" I questioned, "U-Um…Papa told me not to leave the area at all, I even promised him…" The cocky ninja smirked at me.
"You know, for royalty, you sure are whipped by your parents Little Miss Dragon," he taunted, "C'mon we'll only be gone for a good ten minutes. Then we'll be back in the Desert of Hope before you know it."
"B-But what about the guards?" I asked, "Won't they notice something's up when they don't see us?" Wait…what the heck was I saying?
"You forget that I'm a ninja," he answered, "Literally, I'm a master of stealth. You know how many times I sneak out of this place without getting caught? These thickheaded guards won't know what hit them." At his words I gazed upon Rinkah's private quarters, thinking back to the words my father was saying when they spoke. I know he didn't want me to leave the fort, but Rinkah was able to get him to keep his hawk eyes off of me for just a little longer. Besides…when would there be another time for me to see Asugi again after we leave tomorrow? I couldn't let this pass me up. After a little thought, I finally stood up and smiled.
"You know what?" I questioned, "Let's do it! If you say it's right outside the fort then how bad can it be? OK! I'm so in!"
"That's the dragon I know all too well," he complimented, "Alright, the best way out is if we scale that cliff swiftly and silently. You can't use your dragon form obviously, it would draw attention."
"So how do you suppose we get up there the-" In an instant my body felt weightless, my legs dangling over…Asugi's arms. My face filled with shock, I couldn't help but blush. He felt…strong.
"I'll have to run up the cliff with you in my arms, that's the only way to do it, it appears…" He smiled as he got into stance. "You might wanna hold tight Little Miss Dragon. It's gonna be a fast ride."
"O-OK," was all I could utter before he could let me finish, and before you know it, we were already at the front base of the cliff…
…
With a giant leap off the side of gorge, Asugi continued sprinting through the now-harsh desert storm that would seem to never end. The stars were still dancing in the skies of naught, but not without the aid of sand kicking up to block our vision. He stopped for a moment to adjust the scarf I wore around my neck to cover my eyes from the sand, while he placed a face mask on.
"Hey Asugi," I started, "We've…been in the desert for more than at least ten minutes. Are you sure the sugar cane is growing around here?"
"Positive," he answered, "Just keep your eyes covered for now, the sandstorm will irritate them if you don't." I nodded, holding on to the collar of his clothing while he continued charging through the path. I kept my eyes closed as he said, sure enough we would be there at the sugar cane so I could learn how to make some really good candy. At some point however, I began to suspect we weren't going to see the cane at all. I forgot how long he was on the road for, but it was definitely more than ten minutes. It didn't really…truly matter though. I was going to enjoy basking in his arms for just a little longer, knowing it was going to be the last time I would ever get to feel his touch.
The storm started to slowly dim down a bit, I could tell because we were no longer running at this point. I could hear him walking softly through what I thought was…grass?
"H-Hey Asugi," I said, "Um…where are we?"
"Well," he replied, "I can say we aren't exactly in the desert anymore."
"H-Huh?!" I quickly took my scarf off from around my face and gazed upon a forest! There were fireflies fluttering about the area, illuminating our dark path that rested beyond the shadows. The moon's aura also aided in helping us see where we were going. "A-Asugi! This is way beyond the desert! Do you even know where we are?!"
"Well Little Miss Dragon if I didn't have the faintest idea where we were I wouldn't have dragged us out here now would I?" he retorted, "Now calm down and relax, we're almost there."
"N-No Asugi! You don't understand! I thought we were going to get sugar cane! If I knew we were going to leave the desert I would've NEVER agreed on coming out here!" He sighed at my words while playing with the shuriken he had in his hand after he placed me down.
"Well you can always fly back to the desert," he said, "Once you get in the skies you can head back east and follow the path into the fort."
"And I think I'll do that right about now Asugi," I retorted back at him, "I can't be out here and you knew that unless Papa or Mama were here with m-" He placed his finger upon my lips before I could even spout another word. His eyes were innocently staring directly into mine…stunned by his…expression. I couldn't describe it exactly…but it seemed very…pleasant.
"Look…," he began, "I know you're a smart, vibrant young woman, so with that being said, don't you think there's a reason why I brought you out here?" I was silent at his words...I couldn't speak. "Yes, I admit that I lied. Then again, you should know better than to believe that sugar cane existed out in a desert that hardly ever rains. I took you a little farther out than I said I would because I wanted to show you something that I found when I was scouting the forest one day. I know you will appreciate it a lot Little Miss Dragon, so unless you want to see what it is, you're gonna have to trust me, OK?" His tone this time around was a lot softer than what I was used to, so soft that I could feel myself slightly blushing yet again. And I swore I may have misheard him…but…did he call me…a young woman?
"…Asugi…" My heart…I could feel it beating a little faster than normal. What was it that he wanted to show me?
"I'll take that as a yes so you'll stick with me then?" he questioned, "Now come on Little Miss Dragon, we're close." Placing his arms on the back of his head, he began to strut along the pathway that lit up with the fireflies I saw earlier. Noticing he was a little ways away from me, I paced myself with quick little steps before I came to match his movement.
"So…what is it?"
"Ah c'mon, I can't exactly tell you before we get there now can I? Otherwise it won't really be worth a surprise. Trust me, I know you're gonna love this."
"Please tell me it's not a new place to play hide-and-seek. I can go all day with you on that game, but this scenery is just way too nice even for you to do something like that." Asugi laughed at my words.
"Well you could technically play hide-and-seek in this place. But I think you'll appreciate it for more than just that. It's kind of what you'd call um…a home."
"A home?" He opened his pouch and placed a sucker in my hand.
"This one is a special candy," he said, "It came from overseas, used with grapes."
"I've never had a grape before, what does it taste like?"
"It's a fruit, but the juices it secretes can make for a powerfully tasty candy. They also make wine with grapes, you know, rich people stuff."
"But I thought it came from overseas. How does Hoshido get their wine if they grow grapes here?" Asugi stood still and thought for a moment about my words…and suddenly blushed.
"I-I don't know, maybe they have people they talk to overseas. Jeeze Kana…" I couldn't help but giggle.
"It's OK Asugi, if you don't really know then I won't judge you. I bet this candy is going to taste amazing regardless of where it's from. You picked it so it has to be the best." I could see him smiling as I began to unveil the wrapper. The scent of sweetness hit my nose softly, making me feel all tingly with excitement. The best part was when I placed the sucker in my mouth though. "O-Oh…my goodness! A-Asugi this is AMAZING! I've never tasted something so juicy yet sweet!"
"I'm glad you like it Kana," he said, "It's not a sucker you can get just anywhere." I gave him somewhat of a flirtatious smirk while I was sucking on the candy.
"Hey…did you think you could win my heart over something like this?"
"Works every time doesn't it?"
"Well maybe if I was in a sad…mood…" Standing in front of us was a large opening in a cliff, a deep, dark hole surrounded by most of the trees we saw in the forest earlier. Asugi smiled brightly at such a site.
"Looks like we made it…" He took slow footsteps towards the hole in the cliff, shuriken in hand while I stood behind him a little frightened. Spinning it around his finger, he laced it back to his sash and nodded. "Ok, it's all clear, come on. The surprise is in here." I nodded softly as he took my hand and guided me into the hole…
…
Asugi grabbed one of the torches hanging on the wall and lit it up with the incense he had left over from the Wind Tribe's candle. With a burst of flame erupting from the cloth, the entire cave practically lit up giving us the view of the surroundings. The rocky walls were wet with residue from the waters that seemingly splashed onto it as the pathway started becoming bumpy as well. Stalactites were numerous near the ground and even on the ceilings of this cave; some even interfered with the pathway we were walking on. The air was cool yet pleasant at the same time despite it being so dark in here…
"It feels really nice in here Asugi," I spoke with a smile, "I could stay in here all day if I wanted to."
"You like this place because of your dragon blood," he told me, "Most dragons prefer caves when they are off into slumber, at least, that's what legends say about the water dragons anyway. But something else in here is really special to you, and I'm gonna take you right to it." I couldn't wait anymore, I turned him around with a wondrous look in my eye.
"It's not anything dangerous is it?" I questioned, "It must be really special if you haven't said anything about it to me yet."
"Trust me," he answered, "It's killing me inside not to tell you anything about this place until we reached the end of the cave. But I won't speak anymore, at least until we get there." I nodded as he continued holding my hand, interlocking his fingers with mine as we took our time observing our surroundings. Silence was among us for a good brief amount of time before the two of us said anything at all, and who could blame us? There were so many wonderful things in this cave that I couldn't describe, so lustrous and vibrant. It may have been the lapis that was imprinted onto the walls of the cave that gave a mysterious glow, or the sounds of flowing water heading down the rocky hill. Who really knew…? "The last time I remember being here was when I was on a recon mission with my father and his brother Kaze. We were looking to check the defenses of the Wind Tribe so we could convince their members to join us, but unfortunately it turned into a small brawl when some of their people started attacking us. I guess you couldn't blame them for doing it, we weren't exactly wearing Hoshidan Badges at the time so it wasn't like they knew who we were right off the bat. When the battle got too intense for us, we all ran into this forest and directly into the cave you and I are walking in right now. One of the first things on my mind was how many hiding places I could use to evade your wondering eyes. That was, until I heard some interesting things come out of Kaze's mouth." In awe by his explanation, I continued to listen to him. Asking him anything at this point wouldn't get me anywhere. "He explained to me things about water and how it always flows yet it never reaches where it's going. No matter what it carries within its currents it will never stop going, like time itself. This is one of the details I remembered about Azura's song when she sacrificed herself to help us kill King Garon, how we can just reach our hand into the purest of waters and feel like we are going to a place different from ours…"
"Asugi…"
"…It might seem irrelevant, but in truth…when you first met me, I was more upset than you could ever imagine. My father rarely went to see me when I was a baby, so when I grew up, I resented him and the Saizo Clan for leaving me to fend for myself. I know that my mother loved me, but Saizo would never let her go to see me unless he was with her. In the end he was the reason I even went with that guy who tried to hire me as a contract killer. Growing up, he was the closest thing I had to a father."
"I…I remember," I said, "Papa and I were talking about this before we got to the Desert of Hope. He never knew it was me who stood in your path and tried preventing you from escaping the thieves' den." He nodded as we continued walking down the rocky slope.
"Yeah…when father relieved me of the Saizo name, I wanted to cut his throat open and watch him bleed to death for not even being there for me. However, my mother's side started affecting me, and then I just told him that I would go with him to see everyone." He closed his eyes when he stopped for a moment. "To think that's how you and I met, you only got to see this mean side of me for a while when all you wanted to do was just play a game with me. Goes to show how much I've changed eh?" I couldn't help myself but to frown upon his genuine words of sadness. Like Papa, Asugi has had more of a tougher life than I could ever imagine. He had to grow up without his family being by his side for a long time, not knowing what love was or anything of such a nature, while I practically had everything I ever wanted at my feet: a caring family, potential friends, and a good home.
"Asugi…I…-"
"Look over there." He pointed his torch towards flowing water leaking out of the side of the cave that seem to trail down the pathway. It was here that something interesting caught my eye. After scouting it, a faint glow in the distance of the cave had appeared in my sights. The glow was a light-greenish color with somewhat of a blue hue floating around it.
"What is that Asugi?" He smiled with the sucker resting in his mouth.
"Your surprise is right there," he answered, "C'mon Kana, we're practically here." We suddenly began to pick up the pace a little as the glow continued to intensify. The more we ran towards it, the more excited I started to become. What in the world could the surprise possibly be in a wondrous place like this?
"A-Asugi! Slow down! I can barely catch up through these rocks!" The fast-armed ninja quickly faced me with both arms sticking out to grapple me. When he placed me in his arms once again, he took off running through the rocky pathway to follow through to the glowing source of light. In the process, he dropped the torch forcing the flames to instantly shut off. Our only way to see was the glow at this point, and the two of us were getting closer and closer to it.
The path began to become a little narrower as we continued to trot through the darkness of the cave. Despite such intense darkness, the glow served as our guide when it became a little more intensified. All it took was one more turn…and…
"Here it is…your surprise." When he placed me down, I gazed in awe at the site before me…such…such beauty! The glow appeared to be coming from the pure blue waters that were separated by the end of the path, and it was so intense that it actually lit up the dome-like part of the ceiling! Something was off about the water however…so I glanced over at Asugi.
"Hey Asugi…," I started, "This is very, without a doubt, very beautiful, but I have to ask…"
"Yeah?" he replied as he sat on the ground and took his soles off.
"Something is different about this water," I began, "I mean…its dark outside right? There should be light coming in from the cave somewhere that makes the water glow like this. However, there isn't any holes in the ceiling, yet the water is pristine and blue." He smiled at my words…and took my hand in his.
"That's the whole point of this cave," he told me, "The water here actually IS special, and yes, there's a reason why it glows like this…I just…I haven't told you why yet." This was getting really interesting…
"What…what is it?" He was silent for a moment, nothing but the sound of water hitting the edge of the shore we sat in embracing my ears with gentle kindness. Despite all of this, he was…still holding my hand.
"Kana," he suddenly spoke, "Do you…remember how you said we were going to play hide-and-seek 'till we were eighty years old to determine who the best hide-and-seeker is?"
"Y-Yes…"
"Well…there was a reason why I brought you to this cave, and as you can see, there isn't really anywhere to hide…is there?"
"N-No…"
"…There are things that I've been hiding from you for a long time and I…feel in a place like this I can tell you anything no matter what it is." My face already grew hot at his words, riper than a cherry's blemish. "The truth is…I've…I've been spying on you and Dyru." That wasn't…exactly what I was expecting.
"H-Huh?" was all I could say at the moment. "What…how…? What are you talking about Asugi?" He took a deep sigh and began his explanation.
"Kana…I know about the ring you keep around your neck. Your father gave you that ring to put on your finger, but when you tried to put it on, it wouldn't fit you at all." Silence for a moment…then. "I know how much you truly cherish your family, so much that I'm a little…envious of you. I never had such a family like this before because I was always alone in the dark…and observing you from afar made me that much more curious about your life and how you ran it. But no matter where you went, whether it was into battle, or it was to frolic in the field of flowers back at home, or even when you played hide-and-seek with me, you were always trying to put that ring on your finger and it would never fit…" He suddenly stood up from the ground, pulling me with him as we took a few steps close to the water. "Kana…tell me, what do you see in the water?" I tilted my head towards the water and tried to get a closer look what was beyond it. To my surprise, he was actually right about it!
"There's…a shack resting on a field in front of a statue…and surrounding it is a few plows of grass separated by some streams…and some bridges…" This was…really strange. Something about this place really felt…familiar. "Asugi…what…what is this?" The man turned me around to face him, making me blush as hard as I ever have in my life.
"If you submerge yourself into this water and swim to the very bottom of it," he said, "You'll…cross into a different world that is shown in the water. This one in particular…is your old home." My face suddenly morphed into a surprised expression when Asugi said those words. This wasn't…ordinary water after all. If I was correct…this was…
*In the Stars plays here*
"…A Deeprealm…," I almost stuttered to say, "M-My…My home where my father found me…" A tear drained out of my eye when I turned to face the water that showed my home to me. This was the place where I discovered I could transform into the water dragon everyone in that village feared…where the invaders came to try and destroy us. "A-Asugi…how…how did you…why did you…" I was trying my hardest not to cry…but I just…couldn't hold it in.
"Children are forbidden from knowing where their Deeprealm is once they have crossed into this world," he told me as he placed his arm on my shoulder, "This is so they can grow at a normal rate and become adults…" He slowly turned me to him, looking away to avoid my saltwater-filled face. "I…I knew you were frustrated that you couldn't put this ring on your finger, and it made you feel terribly depressed that you couldn't return such love to your mother and father…so…I brought you here so you could go back to your old home and grow up faster. That way when you came back, the ring could…finally be placed where it belongs." I didn't know what to say…I was so stunned by such a discovery that all I could do was drain more tears from my eyes and cry silently to myself. I truly didn't know if I was happy or if I was sad…memories pouring back into my mind when I thought about Papa and how much he wanted me to stay here during the war so he wouldn't worry about me. I begged him to let me go back home to see Mama and all the people who were fighting to protect Hoshido, and reluctantly, he agreed to such a hard decision to make. I couldn't be happier to leave my old home, that was, until I received the ring from him…
"…A-Asugi…," I stuttered, "…Thank you…thank you so much for finding my old home…" The boy suddenly clammed up and blushed.
"H-Hey, it's nothing Little Miss Dragon," he replied, "I thought you would like the idea of being able to go back home for a little while so you could grow." I decided that…it was time to tell him something I'd been holding back.
"…Asugi…," I calmly spoke, "As beautiful as this really is…I'm…not sure if I want to go back home." He was surprised to hear me say those words.
"W-What?!" he exclaimed, "Then what was the point of me explaining all of this to you?!" I gulped at his question.
"This is a cave…that doesn't have any good hiding spots right?" I asked him, "Since there is nowhere to hide, only there is us to remain standing here like this…" I looked down at the floor as my tears came rolling down my face. "So…I will treat this cave the way it is meant to be…by telling you the truth Asugi…" I calmly took both of his hands and sat back down on the sand, the boy giving me a confused look into my soul. "I-It may take time for me to grow into this ring, but that's the whole purpose of being here right? To grow up a little more?" He nodded nervously yet was still confused it seemed. "Sometimes Asugi…I feel…I feel…" Silence for only a slight moment. "I feel…right at home when…I'm with you."
"What…?"
"When I look at this pond of sparkling, pure water, I think to myself how I can go in and grow a little older in a few days so I can wear this ring for my Papa…"
"Mhm…"
"But when I think about the time we've spent together…those long months during the war…I couldn't help but ponder how much I've grown…attached to you. You were the only friend I had at the Dragon Temple that would ever spend time with me even though I initiated the conversation to begin with. We played together, spent time eating candy, telling ghost stories…we did everything together Asugi…"
"Kana…"
"When we agreed to play hide-and-seek for another eighty years to see who was the best hide-and-seeker, I was hesitant. I didn't know if I wanted to wait another eighty years to tell you how…I truly feel about you. I would've…rather played the game with you when we were…together…as one…" I couldn't believe myself, saying such things at a time like this. "But these thoughts came about because we spent so much time together in the real world, with real time passing by much slower than the Deeprealm's. I feel like…if I go into this pond and submerge myself, I'll have rushed that time instead of enjoying the next few years with my Papa, years that would contain memories lasting in nothing but happiness." Then the shocker. "But now that I look at this pond, I suddenly want to be able to please someone else who I deeply care about, someone who looks at me as a twerp at times. If I step in and come back later, maybe I would be…more mature, old enough to be called his own…and I'm considering such an act even as I tell you these things Asugi…because the man I want to be with…is…is you…" His expression became warmer as I gazed into his soft red eyes, his mouth gaping a little in surprise at my words. "You…You're the only one that gets me Asugi, you're the only one out of that entire temple that took time to get to know me…well enough to bring me here to this wonderful place of which I am forbidden to know about. The fact that you…cared so much about my happiness speaks that you are the one for me…but I feel younger…and that I will never have that-" In an instant, my eyes had widened when my lips could feel something warm on them. To my surprise…Asugi's face was directly in front of me…embracing his mouth with mine ever so gently. It was so intense that I could feel my heart melting from the inside out…and with this, I slowly closed my eyes and kissed him back, feeling more tears running down my face as we stood up together, embracing one another with our arms. When we finished, he was resting his nose on mine, looking directly into my eyes.
"…Age may have its differences," he told me, "But you are, or never were, too young for me Kana…"
"You mean…you don't…care?"
"We are only three years apart Kana…," he affirmed, "And despite that…you were the only person mature enough to have me, at any time you ever wanted to. For you to share your family's love that I never got to have growing up with…shows that you are not a child, even if your appearance deems you to be. You are a loving, wonderful, vibrant young woman with a heart of gold that any thief could ever hope to steal. Yet…instead of stealing it, I want to stay with it…for eighty years or so…no, for the rest of my life…" So…he loved me all this time too…
"Asugi…" I closed my eyes and moved in to kiss him softly, his response mirroring mine as we slowly lied on the ground together with him on top of me. When we finished…I had to tell him. "I love you…Asugi Saizo…" He smiled and smooched me one more time.
"I love you too…Kana Saizo…" I giggled a little…
"I'm the caramel to your chocolate," I joked as he laughed.
"That's my line Little Miss Dragon," he replied…with one more kiss before we cuddled in the sand together.
…
The two of us decided to stay a little longer before we decided to travel back to the Desert of Hope. A place like this was too beautiful for us to just simply leave…so we spent the rest of our time sleeping together on the sand, Asugi embracing me from behind as we held hands and faced the purified waters which were my Deeprealm. For the first time in a long time, I no longer felt lonely or useless to my family who cared deeply about me, and as for Asugi, I could only imagine that he felt more relieved than ever to have bonded with them the way he was supposed to with his mother and father. What Papa and Mama didn't know was when these 7 days were up…
Well, there you go!
My first submission of a Fire Emblem Story! I have the whole Aftermath completed already! All I have to do now is upload all of them up here for all to read! I really hope I live to impress all of you in wanting more! :o
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