Hello everyone! this is my first story, so I would appreciate any constructive ideas! I've been wanting to post a story of my own for a long time, and finally gotten the courage to do so! so please take care of me ^_^

also, the story starts out slow, but i promise there will be more characters and more development in the second and third chapters

All characters of Suikoden belong to Konami! Though I wish they were mine T_T

Chapter 1 the Blackmans

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP….BEEP!

The menacingly annoying digital clock screeches, it stirs awake a young girl from her deep slumber. Her hand reaches out from beneath the covers of her warm comforters, and tries to navigate its way to find the button that would cease the clock's digital yapping. Having found it and pressed it she sits up right with a very displeased expression turns to the direction of the clock and squints her eyes to make out what the green digital numbers were forming. 7:00 am. With a sigh of defeat she swings her legs out of her bed and proceeds to grab her towel, which was carelessly draped over her swivel chair. She walks into the hallway, only to be greeted by her half naked younger brother running down the hallway " Good morning Sissy! It's the first day of school!" With that he disappears into the corner hallway and into his room, with the indication that she heard the door slammed. She then proceeded to walk into the bathroom and started to brush her teeth. Thus was the normal routine for Jasmina P. Blackman, with her small family of 5. Her young parents; Steve Blackman, Marigold Pashmin, her younger brother, Grayson, and baby sister, Emirie. They had recently moved from the quiet town of Sajah, to the bustling city of Muse because of her family's little business. The Blackman's own two shops, The Ye Olde creamery, which was an ice cream shoppe and Muse treats, which was a candy and specialty store. Two small businesses that were lucky to get a spot in the very advanced city of Muse, and both were doing very well considering that they had only moved here about a year ago. Jasmina for her part is entering her final year of high school at Muse heights, a public but very reputed school that is known for producing the best minds, and today was the first day of class, the first day of the last semester of her secondary education, though she had already graduated last semester she just stuck around because she didn't really know what to do for her post secondary studies. When she was all done and ready in her school uniform she proceeded to go and see if her little sister was awake, and much to her amusement her sister was already stabbing her poor doll with a plastic shovel, noticing her big sister in her room the baby of only 1 and a half stood up and began stomping her feet and turned to her sister's direction. Trying to make the best menacing frown she could, which just ended up being too cute for legal dosage, Emirie said " Sissi! Boom Boom!" With mock despair Jasmina picked up Emirie and said" Yes Prime Evil! I, your lowly slave will take you to the dinning hall, so you may feast on the souls of your victims!" with that Emirie just giggled, and Jasmina herself couldn't hold back a laugh also, she tucked her sister under her arm like a football, and Emirie being the eccentric child she is prefers is that way ever since she's learned to stand. Together they walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, even before then she was assaulted by the smell of pancakes and eggs, she walked in and placed Emirie on her booster seat, and put a bib on her, because she gets really messy, which is the understatement of history. She proceeds to pinch Grayson's cheeks and ruffle his hair as he was too engulfed in reading the Britannica encyclopedia at the table, " You know, if you don't eat your food, I might have to eat it for you, G" with that Grayson put his massive book down in defeat, and began eating his food. Then their mom walks in to the kitchen all dolled up and ready to open her shop. "Morning Kids!" her mom greets as she places a kiss on each of their cheeks. But when she was about to give Jasmina her kiss, Jasmina proceeds to pull her mom into her lap, and with an eep her mom falls right into her lap. " You're getting too small, Mommy-chan" With a playful pinch on her daughter's cheek " you're getting too big, Jasi-chan" she could feel a familiar presence approaching her left direction so she picked up her pancake from her plate and thrust it up…and inside her father's mouth. " You gotta try harder than that Father!" " With overly dramatic tears flowing from his eyes in a very animated sense Steve wailed " but I wanted to envelope my family with a hug! I feel so left out XC!" Jasmina preceded to wipe her mouth with a napkin and stood up from the dining table" well, I'm off. I'll walk today, Futch and Luc are gonna meet me halfway" with that she pecked her Father on the cheek and left " feeling his daughter peck him on the cheek, Steve's smile had suddenly shone brighter than the rays of a thousand suns " I knew my daughter loved me! XD!"

Upon hearing the front door close both parents looked at each other and Marigold said " I'm glad she's a little social now, I was really worried that she wouldn't adjust well to this move" Steve looked somewhat solemn, and with a sigh he replied " This was a huge gamble, but it was for the best, I hated seeing her in that state, though she's lost a year, at least she'll be finishing up her studies" Suddenly Grayson piped up in the conversation "if I ever see that douche boat again, I will kick his sorry well bred ass to the next continent" with Grayson's far from his usual calm and collected state this was certainly a touchy subject. " Now Grayson, watch your language. I know that Solon is a very heavy topic but there is no need for such…vernacular on the table." Marigold reprimanded. Seeing as there was a pregnant pause amongst the 3 and with only Emirie making random noises to fill the void, Marigold decided to stand up and get the dishes started. Steve on the other hand looked into his son's eyes, and took a side glance at his wife to make sure she wasn't watching or listening, then looked back at his son, with a grin that only a child up to no good could make, Steve held up his fist and bumped it with his son's and both winked at each other acknowledging to his son that he too, would kick that man's ass to the next continent with him. When Grayson, had exited the table to get ready to head for school, Marigold turned around to face her husband " covering up her absence with depression from her break up seems to have been the trick to get her into the school was a good idea, but I still feel bad because I think we are just sweeping the entire truth under the rug" Steve put the newspaper down and looked into his wife's eyes "we aren't sweeping it under the rug, Mari. But it is better for her and her future that no one knows about it, being in jail for a year, accused and indicted for murder without enough incriminating evidence, and put into solitary confinement should never have happened to her and all the while she was innocent! I could do nothing for her. Our young daughter was accused of murdering a man, and if it were the case it would have been under self-defense, but those assholes decided to throw her in the slammer! Here her name is cleared, no one knows her life as an inmate, and she can live a normal life here." Marigold hugged her husband, and Steve returned his wife's loving embrace. Such were the events at the Blackman household, they are an unusual type of family, but it's what holds them together.

Jasmina's POV

It's so bright and sunny out here in the suburban area of Muse, the birds are chirping and stuff, but if only people knew that these chirps stood for desperate pleas of " please lay me" in bird language. It's been a little over a year since we moved here in this nice city, it's a big change from coming from a small town of Sajah, but then again me and Father had lived in L'Renouille, until him and Mommy-chan got married, and mind you L'Renouille was a huge mega city, filled with high end and huge companies, I would say Muse right now is doing pretty well, but it's gonna get even more advanced in the next few years. Coming back to me, my name is Jasmina Stella Pashmin-Blackman, but my Father has always called me Jasi, or daughter-chan and I prefer it that way, Jasmina sounds a little to regally foreign for my taste. Both my parents are just hitting their mid 30's which to some people think it's unusual because I'm hitting 19 soon, but I can explain that. You see I'm adopted, I have never known my biological parents, heard from them, nothing. Father was the one who found me when he was a teen and I was a baby, he found me wrapped in a blanket and the name Jasmina was etched on it. I'm very grateful that he was very honest with me, he offered also if I wanted to look for my parents, or remaining family, but I declined and told him that there was no need to since I already had a family here with him. That was when I was around 8, then Father met Mommy-chan, and I was ecstatic, Father had been raising me on his own, working 2 jobs to support us in a big city like L'Renouille. He would leave me at Mommy-chan's home until he got off work, and that's how I got to know Mommy-chan, and then when they got together I was very happy because I was going to have a mother. And you can guess the rest was history, they had little Grayson, who is 10 years younger, and I was ecstatic to finally have someone to spoil. The reason why we moved here last year was because of my depression, as shitty as it sounds my boyfriend at that time left me because he had to betrothed to another girl of a higher breeding, while I was in prison, but that's a whole other agenda. Being 16 at that time, I thought it was the most devastating thing ever, him being older by 5 years really made me feel like I wasn't deserving of his love, loyalty, or attention. But I understand better now, he was an adult with a life of his own, and I was merely at the late stage of my adolescence. But nonetheless, it had hurt me too much, I had refused to go to school or come out of my room, but honestly that was my alibi for moping around for so long, but all of this came from my time being incarcerated for murder, but I didn't mean to kill him I was merely defending myself and my classmate, Pohl. The guy I killed was our teacher, Kanaan, and if I didn't do anything he would have killed me, I don't even remember majority of the incident. Anyways, it was like that for about a year. 6 moths in solitary confinement, and 6 more months serving time in the women's correctional until Father told me that we were moving the business to Muse, I was still in prison serving my time when father told me about it, and it was good, because which was in another country separated by a border. I had no choice but to go, and then Emirie was born, though I still was still depressed, seeing Emirie made me grow a pair, and man up. What kind of role model would I be if I were the state as I was, hell, Grayson was constantly worried and offered to take care of me, and he was only 7. I love my family, though they're very eccentric, especially me, and Father, but that's what makes us a family. I am suddenly snapped out of my nostalgia when I see the figures of my friends Luc and Futch from the distance, they were my first friends at the end of last year, and we've hung out ever since. Futch, the most outgoing lives with his dad, Mr. Mintz, but he tells us to call him Humphrey, but we've decided to go half way and call him Uncle Humphrey. Luc on the other hand is the silent one, but he won't hang around you if he doesn't like you. I don't know a lot about him, since he's a very private person, and all that me and Futch knows is that his parents are in a very heated divorce and custody battle between him and his twin brother, and that his mom owns Blue Gate productions, which specializes in movie SFX and CGI, meaning he's loaded. As we all know, I'm the big sister, since I'm a full year older than them, and I've told them why, and what my story is. I was expecting them to judge and shun me, instead they offered me their friendship, and I was happy to say the least, since the only friends I've ever had were back in Highland, though we keep in contact, but not as much anymore.

Futch: Hey Jas, ready for the first day? I have Viktor for homeroom, which sucks.

Luc: I have Viktor also; it's awkward since he used to date my tutor Anabelle.

Me: well, I guess we don't have homeroom together; I have Art with Mr. Jude, I'm also pretty sure he likes pottery the most.

All 3 sighed in exasperation, since none of them have the same classes together. It was very frustrating since it'd be more fun and easier for them to be together.

Futch: Well, at least there's only one lunch period for our grade. So well see each other outside in the Gazebo, if anything changes well text each other.

They had gone their separate ways and went to their respective classrooms. To be honest she would rather be skydiving with half a working parachute, rather than sit here and mold a dumb urn. Like for real, an urn? Mr. Jude has very strange tastes in artwork. The day went by really fast, lunch came and the 3 friends were outside sitting under a tree eating sandwiches from the cafeteria. Futch was lying down and looking at the sky, seeing this, Luc and Jasmina followed suit.

Luc: I see a donkey….

Futch heard that and whipped his head right into Luc's direction and gave him a look that made it seem that he had grown 2 heads.

Futch: really Luc? Of all things you could see, a donkey really?

Luc: What? (he pointed to the cloud) that's it's tail.

Futch just made a face that could only convey….*I have no idea what you're doing*

Then the bell rang, indicating that the lunch period was over, the 2 boys were packing up to leave, but Jasmina was still on the grass looking up at the clouds, in zombie like trance, but she was snapped out of her reverie by Luc snapping his fingers in front of her face, quite a few times actually.

Luc: hello! Earth to grandma, class is starting!

Jasmina: oh …uhmmm sorry Luc, I was somewhere, but here….now

Futch: obviously you weren't here, had any good fantasies? I know that there's a new student coming into your class this afternoon. That kid Chaco told me he's pretty good in staff fighting.

Luc: you believe everything that little shit tells you?

Futch: what? It's not like he's ever been wrong, my guess is that he's been listening in again in the teacher's lounge since he's got to do some volunteer work for them for vandalizing the lockers.

Jasmina: hey guys, I'm not feeling so well today. I might just go home right now.

Luc: ok, are you sure you don't want to head to the infirmary?

Jasmina: no. I'm fine; I bet a nice long walk would do me some good. I'm sorry I've been a bummer all day guys, I just don't know what's gotten to me.

Futch approached her and put a hand on her shoulder.

Futch: you're gonna miss the newbie, and you sure you can walk home by yourself?

Jasmina: the new kid can eat my shit, and I'll text both of you when I get home.

Luc: I'll inform your teacher that you won't be returning for the afternoon.

Jasmina: thank you Luc, I'll see you guys tomorrow then.

Jasmina picked up her belongings and left the school. Upon leaving school grounds she looked at her wristwatch and noted it was only half past one, noting that nobody would be home she decided to walk down town for the afternoon, hoping that would be the solution to her ailing temperament.

Jasmina POV

The streets weren't too busy in down town Muse, it was early in the afternoon and rush hour hasn't started yet. I'm not sure what's wrong with me today, but I know want to be somewhere else. I saw a fountain in the nearby park and sat down, I searched through the surrounding and saw couples on dates, making lovey dovey gestures to each other. It made me sick, but I'm thinking that I'm beginning to be bitter old lady, but shrugged it off. I sat cross-legged on the bench and continued to stare at the random things, I noticed how the business buildings soared through the sky, but one building caught my attention with big bold letters " Rugner & Co" that name sounds awfully strange, it's not a city state name, maybe it's a foreign company trying to expand here. I looked at my watch again it was 3:41 pm; I guess it was time for me to go home. I was going to cross the intersection, when suddenly my phone vibrated in my jacket pocket, I picked it up and saw a text message from "Papa-kun ^_^". Then all of a sudden it started to drizzle, and then just as I was almost off the crosswalk, I had realized I dropped my cell a few steps back, when I was about to reach for it all I heard was a screeching sound of car wheels…..

Somewhere else in the city of Muse, Steve Blackman was in the middle of wiping the marble slab of his Ice cream shop, today's business went extremely well since it was the first day of school. Then time on the wall clock was 4:10pm and he still hasn't received a text message from his eldest daughter, oh how the times have changed it used to be that she would be texting him first, and even her calling and checking on him. His daughter was growing up, Steve himself was in denial, and to think that it felt like only yesterday he had found her wrapped in a blanket and a letter tucked under it, and that fateful day his life changed forever.

Flashback.

Steve Blackman a young man who had just turned 17, he was an adult now and he knew he had to make something of himself, Gregminster was a big city, in fact the capital of the Empire, but Steve knew there was more to life than staying here in the capital with his father Delmonte. So the young and adventurous Steve decided to pack up and bid his father farewell.

Steve: Father, there is something more to life than staying here in this country, this place is great and all, but there is a lot of things to see beyond this city!

Exclaimed Steve as he tried to exclaimed to his father what he meant by using hand gestures at the same time, which further contributed to Delmonte's mixed feelings about his son's soon departure.

Delmonte: you sure you don't want to do an apprenticeship here at the shop, son? Or even go to college? Gregminster is the heart of the country.

Steve just shook his head.

Steve: I'm afraid I can't father I would feel like a hoser if I stayed here, when my instincts tell me to spread myself out into this glorious, vast, and adventure filled world.

Delmonte just raised his eyebrow at his son, sure he knew from the start that Steve was a quirky and spontaneous boy, but at times he just wondered if his son was just an odd ball.

Delmonte: yeeeaaaa….. I'm not really sure it's wise to spread yourself out son, with all the rampant diseases that come with multiple partners and stuff. Err….Well, you sure you don't want to go to college?

Steve: no Father, I will not proceed to some college when the world is my classroom, and I promise I won't go cavorting with a random harlot.

Steve then proceeded to embrace his father as he was going to embark on his journey to see the world. Delmonte accepted his son into his embrace, and patted him firmly on the back.

Delmonte: Steve, just remember to write to your old man once in a while to make sure I know you're alive. Also, if you ever want to come back home don't hesitate.

Bidding his farewells to his father he had set off towards the bus stop to get out if the city and into the world.

Steve's POV

Flash forward one week later I found myself in the run down town of Kalekka, it had suffered much from the a civil outbreak that happened sometime ago, and the town hasn't recovered much from it, high crime rate and lots of abandoned buildings, and with only the bare essentials to keep this town running I couldn't wait to get out of here by tomorrow morning. Sitting in this bench at the park I noticed this very beautiful woman sitting across from the other bench on the other side, she had a baby wrapped in a sheet and was rocking it to sleep. But something tells me that something is off about her, she looked tired and pale, from what I could make out from where I was I saw dark circles under her eyes. Probably from the exhausting chores of motherhood, then suddenly she looked up at me, me being caught off guard decided to flash her an awkward smile, and a small wave, and to my surprise she smiled and waved back. Then she hand motioned to me to sit beside her by patting the empty seat next to her, I obliged her then went to sit beside her. We had gotten acquainted and I told her that I was traveling to see the world and I was staying at the local inn and was leaving for the City State at dawn, whilst she told me her name was Claudia, and that she was visiting this town, she told me she was from here a long time ago. We had a good chat, but it was getting late, and she said that someday she hoped she could see me again, and with that she took her leave with her baby. Funny I never heard a peep from it, and I wished one day I could have a well behaved one like that. Boy, I was in for a surprise later today then.

Later that night I was on my way to grab my bag, my boat leaves in a couple of hours outside the town, and my transport was waiting for me in the town gates. On my way up the stairs someone had bumped into me, she was wearing a hood, and just ran out the door muttering an excuse me. I found it quite weird, but I had to get my bag and leave, at least this would be the last time I'd be here in this ghetto town. As I entered my room, I was shocked to say the least, there was a baby wrapped in a blanket...on my bed. I had to rub and squint my eyes a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming or hallucinating, drunk or all three combined. Then I heard gunshots from the downstairs, and I looked through the crack of my door and saw men coming in from the entrance, and obviously I wasn't gonna go down and investigate whether they had guns or not because the front desk person is lying on the floor. Using my fight or flight senses, I grabbed my backpack, the baby, and the bag that came with it. I couldn't use the window because that would be too obvious, so instincts dictated that I just have to run down hallway and dive into the laundry chute. Hopefully, the little guy doesn't cry. With that I crept into the hallway, making sure to be as quite as a mouse, then I saw what I was looking for, the laundry chute. I sometimes curse my height because it gets really difficult to get your entire body into this shoot, especially if you have a baby on you. So I dropped the bags in first, and whilst holding the baby close we made our escape through the chute. Sliding down this somewhat long tube, I had never realized laundry in a hotel or inn had a magical transport system, and to my surprise this baby was giggling as if the velocity that we were being catapulted through was enjoyable. We landed in a nice soft pile of dirty linen, oh well it could've been worse, we could have gone through the garbage chute. I heard footsteps coming from the staircase and decided to duck underneath the linen, I could hear them rummaging through the shelves and opening cabinets, and worse he sense the sheets being taken out and my blood was running cold, he hoped to whatever higher being existed that this baby didn't blow their cover. Just when the hand was about to pull the only remaining cover that was shielding him, the other goon piped up.

Goon: come on, Kraze! Before the police get us

Kraze: alright! alright! Make sure they get Claudia, we need her dead!

Goon: what of the brat?

Kraze: forget the damn baby! If our luck strikes, that kid might end up dead wherever she left it. Now let's split before they get here!

Then with that they left the laundry room, I on the other hand didn't want to take any chances, so I waited a few minutes until I was sure they were gone. I emerged out of the linen and made sure not to make a sound, and then it hit me…the baby! I inspected it if it was still breathing to my surprise the baby was just staring at me wide eyed, not a hint of fear did I see in this child's eyes, but curiosity. I myself find that I am staring back at it, and then all of a sudden it makes a contorted face, and a sound of satisfaction. Then my nose is assaulted by the stench of ….baby shit. Great.

Just then when I decided that I was going to get myself out of this mess I walked into, and leave this child at the nearest orphanage, this baby just gripped my thumb and smiled. Now, this was really getting to be a real big problem, because curse the fact that I am already feeling attached to the cuteness of this baby. So I got out of the laundry hamper and was going to change the nasty nappy that this baby just produced, I laid it down on the folding table, and to my surprise yet again, a letter fell out of the blanket it was wrapped in, after changing the baby, which again to my surprise was a girl! To think baby girls would be a little bit shyer, but this one seemed to have little to no shame, what a little shit, but it was cute in a way. So I opened this letter….

Steve,

I met you in the park this afternoon and you seem like a really sincere nice man, I need your help. Some really horrible people are after my family, and me but I know if they get my child they would use her against me, and her father to gain what they want. By the time you get this letter I might already be dead, but even after knowing you for a few hours I can tell you have a good heart, so this I ask of you. Take my daughter and flee this country, but whatever you do never hand her over to anyone, the men after me are everywhere, and they have multiple connections, and I suspect that they know of my plan now. I am forever in your debt, and though I am saddened that I will never be able to see my own child grow, but I trust that you will see that she will be taken care of. Love and protect her for I can no longer, and this is all I can do for her. She means the world to me and I hope that one day she grows up to be happy, and that no matter what happens, her mother always loves her.

Forever in your debt,

Claudia R.

I looked back at the squirming baby on the table, and back into the letter in my hand, I sighed to myself in utter defeat. This day has been full of surprises, and this is really taking a toll on my young and quickly aging heart now. I was going through the baby bag to find an extra nappy and yet another surprise hit me, and this day cannot get anymore ridiculous as it is, under the few nappies were bundles of money…like A LOT of it. This lady Claudia was prepared for this, and now that I think about it, no wonder this god forsaken bag was so fuckin' heavy! It all made sense now! Oh Steve-o you've only been out of your house for a week, and look what trouble you've gotten yourself into. Then I was jolted out of my misery when I heard the baby cry, I had never had any experience with children, god's sake I am only 17 for crying out loud, so I did what I thought was proper, picked her up and began shushing her, and after a few moments of endless twirling and silly dancing, I eventually got her to stop. She was there lying in my arms, staring at me with those big, bright green eyes of hers. Then I was overcome with a strange feeling of paternal protectiveness, how could she survive all-alone in this horrible world? What kind of an honorable man would I be if I did not honor the final request of a dead mother? Then and there I made my decision, I smiled and said to myself that from now on, I am her Father, friend, and protector. But I didn't even know what her name was, so I searched for clues, maybe it's written down somewhere, then a clunk of metal on the floor caught my attention, the baby blanket had fallen on the ground, but then something shiny caught my attention, I bent over to pick it up and saw a necklace sewn on to the blanket, and beside it, conveniently was the one thing I was looking for. I read it out loud. JASMINA, cute name I must say. So I grabbed the blanket, wrapped her in it and put the necklace around her neck, and made sure that we were set to go for our bright but unsure future as a new father-daughter duo. I don't know if I will be the best father, but I will die trying! But then I realized, what if they knew about the baby's name and try to find her?! So I, Steven Leeson Edmonde-Blackman, decided to make my first executive decision as the new father of this child, she will now be called JASMINA STELLA BLACKMAN, and I will file the papers for adoption in the next town!

End of flashback

After taking a trip down memory lane, Steve Blackman couldn't help but wipe a few tears out of his eyes, as he said his thoughts out loud

Steve: It's been 18 years since that day, and I don't regret it!

Just then the familiar chime of his storefront door got his attention, and now he was off focusing on his store duties, as he went over to welcome his last set of customers for the day.

So what did you guys think? please don;t forget to review ^_^