"Please make yourself comfortable," The dark-haired fairy girl smiled, gesturing to the pair of chairs in front of her desk.
The blonde haired fighter took the seat without hesitation, crossing his legs and continuing to stare around the small paper-covered office.
"Please relax." Ayame bowed taking her seat at the desk and opening a folder. "I apologize for my almost slip of confidentiality, but I was almost sure your friends would have at least known your surname, Mr. Tanaka."
"My name is Suzuka, just Suzuka…to spirit world anyway…Look I know you, by law, have to do this investigation, but my reason for duel citizenship is really quite simple. I have…obligations in the demon world that need to be attended to every few months."
"Obligations?" The woman smiled, pulling a small photo from the file.
"…Family reasons." The former clown reasoned.
"Go on…"
Small village of Sieka, Demon world, October 9th 1692
A young blonde apparition finished packing away the last of his tools, turning around he smirked at an older demon before extending his hand. "Well Taven, I believe today marks the end of my apprenticeship."
"Indeed." The older man nodded, running one hand through his dark beard. "Well Suzuka, I'm sure one day…well you ARE an excellent weapon-smith. Your father would be proud Suzuka."
The blonde stiffened. "I am FAR more talented than that fool."
"Suzuka." The master sighed. "I know you're anxious to leave this village, but such ambitious youngsters should know to plan ahead-"
"Taven, my father may have made the mistake of rotting in this village while his talents were put to waste, but I, The Great Suzuka, will not let my brilliant talents fester in this village!" Picking up his tools the blonde smiled one last time at his master before exiting out the back door, he did not get far however, before a rather forceful collision prevented his leave.
The run in caught the weapon-smith off guard, causing him to lose his tools as well as his footing, bringing both him and his run in down.
"Will you watch where you're going! …Chava?" The 'idiot thing' he had 'gracefully' bumped into happened to be his now former master's only daughter.
"S-suzuka! Please forgive me! I didn't think you were coming out I-"
"No, it's fine." Suzuka waved scooping his tools and putting them back in his carpenter's box. "I'm alright." Casting a look at the dark-haired woman he frowned. He almost pitied her, almost. She possessed some talent being the only child of a weapon's smith, but most likely she would be married off for her dowry and waste away in the damned village of Sieka. She was fairly ordinary, long black hair and fair skin quite common like the rest of the girls and the village and just as thin.
"…You stare at me so…"
"Huh?" The blonde blinked; suddenly horrified that he had be caught measuring up the measured area of her bodice. "Oh…I was just-" Searching for a distraction he noticed the smashed teacup shattered around her skirts. "Was that for me?"
"OH! Yes, I thought you would like some tea after working-I can get you another cup right away!"
"I don't have the time! I need to get going." Picking up his tools the blonde stood up and headed for the door. "Oh, Chava." Suzuka snapped his fingers pivoting around.
"Y-yes?"
"I probably wont see you before I leave for the city, good luck in life."
"S-suzuka!"
"I know, I'm too kind, well lots of packing to do! Farewell!" He waved.
Stepping outside into the dirt street the blonde followed the familiar paths that had led him home day after day for the past two hundred years.
"Yo, Suzu!"
And he was still hearing the same voices that harassed him day after day on the way home.
"Garu." He nodded to the teal-haired demon roughly his own age. They had both grown up and been apprenticed around the same time, though Garu to a carpenter rather than a weapon-smith. Though they had shared the common bonds of boyhood, and adolescence together there was one thing they did not share. Garu dreamed of continuing his family's tradition, settling down and working for his master, Suzuka dreamed of fame, and freedom far outside their village's perimeter.
"So, you're just heading home then? I was wondering if you wanted to stop by the tavern and throw back a few to celebrate our new title as masters."
"Sorry I have packing to do." Suzuka smiled.
"Where you going?"
"On to bigger and better things! Where I can be recognized for my greatness and be among those equal to my genies!"
"You still going on about that?" Garu sighed rolling his eyes. "I keep telling ya man. No one with artisan lineage is ever going to set foot in- what's that?" He wrinkled his nose, as the parchment the blonde was now waving in front of his face.
"My acceptance letter to the University of Gandara! I wrote them of some of my inventions, they don't care about my lineage or class they just informed me that once my apprenticeship was over I would be welcomed through their doors."
"You were really accepted…" Garu stared. "But were are you going to get the money? You still have to pay for the entrance to go."
"You forget." Suzuka grinned, his gloat ever present. " I finished my apprenticeship today, by rightful law of the demon plane I am entitled to my family's expenses. That should more than cover the entrance payment."
"…You're really going?"
"Correction. I'm gone!" And with that the genies turned on his heel and headed home.
Ayame smiled, resting her hand on her palm as the blonde told his tale. "To be so young and full of dreams, at such an age I imagine one believes that nothing can stop them."
Heaving a sigh the beautiful fighter lowered his head. "One does believe that in the prime of foolish youth…but unfortunately the bigger the fool the harder the lesson."
"What lesson is that?"
Cypress eyes dulled, "Sometimes obligations and responsibilities can blur one's goals and ambitions."
"…By that you mean your wife?"
A quarter of a mile later found Suzuka approaching his family's run down home. The structure had long ago lost the appeal and magnificence it held in his eyes as a child. Now that house stood for everything he hated, everything he was leaving.
"Suzuka"
And everyone.
"Malina." His flat tone acknowledge to his younger sister.
A childish giggle filled the air as the young blonde woman jumped out of a tree and chased his retreating form. "Hey slow down! Mama doesn't want you in the house yet!"
"She wont have me in the house much longer."
"Still." The girl continued to giggle, jumping ahead of him and speaking in singsong. "I know something you don't know"
"I could care less" The sibling mimicked.
"Oh!" Malina pouted, crossing her arms over her chest causing her curls to bounce. "I think you'd change your mind if you knew who was in the house"
"Be it Beowulf or Christ, I could care less."
"It's old lady Onja! The matchmaker!" She grinned.
Suzuka paused in his steps turning to his sister, interest at last in his eyes. "Oh? Well then it seems congratulations are in order! See life is fare dear sister! I get out of this hell-pit, and you get a husband! I would certainly work on your attitude though, you never know he may beat you for your sass!" The blonde laughed.
"I'm not the one who needs the attitude adjustment…considering it's your wife that will have to deal with YOU!"
Before Suzuka could continue with another stride the sky itself seemed to darken; the nucleus that served as the demon's heart began to rotate faster, and he was suddenly very aware that his breathing was no longer automatic as he was suddenly struggling for a single breath.
His legs began a heated transformation from lead to feathers as he dashed into the house. Pulling back the front door, he dashed into the small sitting room coming face to face with the woman who both birthed and now betrayed him. The careworn pale face of his mother stared at him almost horrified, "Suzuka! Wipe your feet!"
"Why is she here!" He demanded pointing at the graying wrinkled woman sitting across from his bloodline.
"Ah, the happy groom!" The old woman cried managing a toothless grin. "I almost forgot how handsome your boy has gotten, Nette…but that only makes him a greater catch…but still Nette, I best be on my way…so there is the matter of my fee."
"Of course, Onja." The blonde woman smiled handing over a small purse the jingled of currency.
"That's!" Suzuka realized, pointing at the purse.
"Suzuka!" His mother interrupted. "Please show our guest out."
Closing his and gulping down his anxiety, the blonde extended his arm to show the woman out. He was even more horrified, however, when her wrinkled hand grasped his cheek and pulled him down to her eye level. "…May you grow old with her, and carry on the tradition and honor that has been passed down through our village for centuries."
Still confused by the blessing, Suzuka continued to stare opened mouth at his mother even long after old lady Onja had left.
"Suzuka my son…sit." Nette motioned to the chair next to her.
Shaking the blonde took the seat, not even bothering to mask his shock. "H-how could you?"
"I didn't just do it for you, I did it for the rest of the family."
"You didn't do it for me at all! If any of your thoughts were for my well-being or happiness you never would have even dreamt of a match! It doesn't even matter because I refuse it!"
"Suzuka!"
"I refuse it!"
The blonde woman lowered her gaze. "So then you refuse your family? Your destiny? The tradition? Our honor?"
"I don't care for these archaic traditions! All I care about is my honor! Going on to be the greatest I can be! Seeking fame! That is all the honor I need!" The sting of a palm to his face put an end to his rant.
Nette stared on at her first-born hurt in her eyes. "How painful it is…to have such an ungrateful child. Someday you will have children of your own, and you will understand that as a parent not all your decisions can be favored to one. I still have Milana and three younger children to take care of. And here you are full grown. I had to make a decision…for all your best interest."
"Where's my money?"
"What?"
Suzuka swallowed. "That was the deal, I'm the eldest and I have finished my apprenticeship. I am entitled to the money father left behind. I'm leaving for Gandara and I'm leaving tonight!"
"There is no money."
"You gave it all to that hag!" The blonde glared, banging his fists on the table.
"Part of it went to payment for your match…part of it was…persuasion for Taven to get him to agree to give you Chava's hand."
"Ch-chava? You promised me to Chava!?"
"It's a good match, be thankful you two know each other."
"What about the rest of the money?"
"It's gone! What do you think paid for your final years of apprenticeship when your father died? Huh? …This way you will have enough to start a shop of your own with Chava's dowry…and the rest of that will take care of me and your siblings…for now anyway." Standing up the woman walked in front of her son, taking his head in her hands. "The first time I met your father was on our wedding day…eventually we learned to love each other, maybe you and Chava can have that one day. It's what he would have wanted…It's your destiny, Suzuka…and as of now it's your only choice."
"That's all you're going to say to me? After you've taken away my dreams and opportunities! Do you not see the great thing I'm suppose to become! This is not the path that was chosen for me! This was your path! Not mine! And all you can say after you've taken away all my options is that this is my only choice? That's all you've got to say?!"
"No…I'll say one more thing…For Chava's sake, I hope your first child's head is not as big as your own."
Okay. Sorry that took so long to post. I wanted to do this all as a one shot, but I started thinking I would be making you guys wait forever, so it looks like the character's chapters are going to have to be broken into chapters of their own. So yeah Suzuka's is probably blowing a lot of you out of the water. I really expected him to be from a nothing village. People with ambitions and pride usually began as nothings and worked their way up. And where else can such pride come from without conflict? And seeing as I pictured Suzuka about…600ish? In the Dark Tournament I had to go with the times…So I promise to get to work on the rest and maybe I can break it into two chapters instead of three, but you all are not getting another word without a review! So go press the purple button, and make me happy! Seriously I've had a lot crap going on, these stories are the only thing that keeps me going sometimes…wow I'm pathetic…review!
AN: So Tanaka, in the manga Suzuka said that was is REAL name until he first fought Toguro and changed it, so I'm using it as a surname. And just because I know some of you are wondering. It's pronounced 'Ha-va' Chava. And don't worry all you Mary sue haters…This is NOT a love story…come on fans, you know I don't write that crap. As for the old matchmaker Onja…well I figure Suzuka's hate for old people had to come from somewhere…so what better than an old hag that in a way assisted in the demise of his dreams. Onja, Onji? I was wondering if anyone would catch that…so yeah. Like I said REVIEWS feed back is a big help. And you know if there is anything you guys wanted to know about a character tell me and I'll try to work it in! Later!
-Siren
