The wagon wasn't very comfortable. Hinata and Kenma had tried their best to make the experience more pleasant, but Suga had resigned himself to a very bumpy and painful wagon ride.
He watched as Hinata and Kenma rode back to where Kuroo stood before turning to see Daichi hovering near the wagon he was currently sitting in, his horse stomping its hoof in frustration. Suga narrowed his eyes at him and sent a wave of distrust his way, making Daichi shift uncomfortably and urge his horse away.
The man from yesterday, Ennoshita, took his place, introducing himself quickly before settling in the front of the wagon to drive. Suga struck up a conversation with him, and was pleasantly surprised to find that Daichi's first lieutenant was a kind and sensible man that didn't even really want to be in the military, but had been recruited and was trying to save his family back home. Suga could respect that, especially after Ennoshita apologized to what they had done to his village.
"None of us are really killers, it's just-"
"It's just orders," Suga finished, nodding solemnly. "I appreciate your apology though, thank you." Ennoshita smiled back at him before snapping to attention; they were about to move out.
Suga waved at Hinata, who was hovering at the front of the group near Oikawa, Iwaizumi, and Bokuto. Kuroo and Kenma were just behind them, looking back at Suga too.
Daichi called out a few orders to his soldiers before they dispersed, then spoke with Ennoshita quietly. Ennoshita nodded just as the main group set off, riding to the horizon. He flicked the reins and set the wagon into motion.
The initial jolt reminded Suga exactly how much pain he was in. He gritted his teeth, determined to bear it, but as they continued the pain didn't lessen. Suga fumbled for the bag Kenma had given him; bandages, water, and sleeping draught. As Suga's fingers closed themselves around the bottle, he weighed it in his hand. Kenma had trusted him to know how much to drink for one dose, but there was enough liquid in there to put him in a coma.
A coma could be a better fate than what awaited him.
Ennoshita glanced back when he heard Suga uncork the bottle, concern in his eyes. Suga ignored him.
It would be easy. He'd slip into painless sleep, like he'd seen so many do before. He'd be useless to their leader, whoever that was. They'd probably just kill him, and he wouldn't feel a thing. But-
Hinata.
He couldn't leave Hinata. He had to protect him. He'd taken on that job all those years ago, after he had given Hinata's mother a prophecy about her son. He had to be strong for the small ball of sunshine that had brought light back into his life and fire into his heart. He couldn't give up, he couldn't.
Realizing he had been staring at the open bottle for some time now, and with Ennoshita's eyes on him the whole time, he gestured vaguely to his ribs before taking a small swig from the bottle. Ennoshita visibly relaxed and turned back around, leaving Suga to re-cork the bottle and settle down to sleep.
The pain faded as sleep overtook his senses, leaving his mind blank and dreamless, only happy memories of Hinata filling it.
"Kenma! Where are we going?" Hinata asked after exactly three minutes and twenty-six seconds of silence. "What's our end destination?"
Kuroo glanced back from his place beside Bokuto, where the two had been joking and roughhousing on their horses moments before. Bokuto also turned, twisting his body nearly one hundred and eighty degrees at the waist, reminding Hinata even more of an owl.
"Haven't you figured it out by now?" Kuroo asked. "Don't you know the stories?"
Hinata shook his head.
"Well," Kenma cut in. "Sugawara will likely be a much better story teller than any of us, so ask him tonight when we get into camp."
Hinata nodded, bouncing in the saddle. Suga had never told him the stories, always placating him with later or when you're older. Hinata was nearly fifteen, he thought he was plenty old enough to hear the stories of the past.
Bokuto kept Hinata entertained, having seemingly decided to take him under his wing. He told hunting and scouting stories, or made them up as he went, but Hinata loved it all. Bokuto also promised to teach Hinata how to use a bow, as Suga had always been a pacifist and had never taught him.
When they stopped to make camp that night, Hinata was buzzing with energy. While he was usually energetic and excitable, this energy was different, more... powerful. Hinata could feel that Kuroo was watching him intently as he sat beside Kenma, learning a new game and practically bouncing in his seat, but he ignored the magician.
The wagons arrived not long after. Hinata leapt from his spot on the ground and raced to find Suga, Kenma trailing behind and smiling after him. Suga was chatting with Ennoshita when they arrived, leaning back against the wall of the wagon and smiling. Daichi and Kageyama weren't far away, talking in low voices.
At Hinata's arrival, they all stopped their conversations and looked at him curiously. Suga's face dropped for an instant before he pulled it into a pleased smile. Daichi and Ennoshita looked a little confused. Kageyama looked shocked.
"Hinata, how was your ride?" Suga asked, extending a hand to him so he could help Suga out of the wagon. As soon as their fingers touched, Hinata's powerful energy dissipated, leaving only his excited energy. Everyone visibly relaxed except for Kageyama, who looked like he'd been slapped across the face.
"Awesome! Bokuto-san is gonna teach me how to use a bow and arrow!" Hinata exclaimed, carefully helping Suga stand up. Kenma made his way over and grabbed the bag of supplies out of the wagon.
"That's awesome, Hinata! I suppose I never really taught you that sort of stuff," Suga replied, ruffling his hair. Hinata beamed.
"Suga-san! Will you tell us the story about the past tonight? I asked Kenma but he said you'd be better!"
Suga smiled. "I suppose I've been putting it off for years. I guess now is as good a time as any."
So, hours later, after chores were finished and meals were eaten, they settled down around a campfire Kuroo was nursing lovingly to listen. Ennoshita, Daichi, and Kageyama arrived, bringing with them Nishinoya and six others. More gathered; obviously word had spread that the seer would be telling stories tonight. Even Oikawa and Iwaizumi hung in the shadows outside of the circle, listening in.
Suga took a breath before starting to speak. His voice was different; it was slow and calm and melodious, and his eyes glazed over as if he were having a Vision.
"Thousands of years ago, the world was at war. Small clans fought and killed, malicious men tried to gain power, and chaos reigned. After years of torment and death, five clans made an agreement and brought peace and order to the land. Smaller clans pledged their alliance to these quickly growing ones, until five kingdoms were created; Karasuno, the resourceful, Nekoma, the cunning, Fukurodani, the wise, Seijoh, the brave, and Shiratorizawa, the powerful. For hundreds of years, this peace held, as the successive leaders maintained their predecessors agreement.
"That is, until one of the kingdoms sought more power. Their leader became a tyrant, and created an army to overpower the others. The war began again, with the other kingdoms banding together to try to win and regain peace. However, the tyrant kingdom's army grew as they captured or recruited the best soldiers from each of the other kingdoms, and soon the four others had to surrender to the one.
"This forced and uneasy peace has lasted for centuries. The tyrant kingdom has held the others under its heel for so long, and crushes any rebel group that tries to challenge their power. That's the way it has been and will be."
Suga coughed lightly, shaking his head to bring himself out of his trance and finding himself face to face with Hinata.
"Who was the tyrant?" Hinata asked, eyes wide.
Suga smiled bitterly. "Shiratorizawa."
"What about the others? Who is leading them now?" Hinata was leaning so far forward he was nearly in Suga's lap.
"They still exist, but are forced to follow Shiratorizawa's rule. The only leaders I know of currently are Takeda and Ukai of Karasuno."
"Why haven't I heard about this stuff before?"
"Our village was on the outskirts of Karasuno, we were well protected from raids and too far from the main cities," Suga said. "That is, until they came to find me."
Hinata whipped around, now facing everyone else in the circle. "So you're all from Shiratorizawa!"
Kuroo chuckled and shook his head. "You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who's a Shiratorizawa native here. They're all still in the Capital. We're quite the mixed bag, Kenma and I are Nekoma born, and Bo's one of our only from Fukurodani."
"We're all Karasuno, too," Daichi said softly, gesturing to his close-knit band of soldiers.
"Most of the others are a mix of Nekoma and Seijoh," Ennoshita continued, looking pointedly at Oikawa and Iwaizumi.
Oikawa raised his eyebrows playfully before standing up straight and raising himself to full height, but he didn't say anything.
With the lull in conversation, Nishinoya jumped to his feet. "Suga-san! Will you tell more stories? Your voice is really pretty!"
Suga blushed, but obliged when several others insisted. He told them stories of times long gone; myths and legends, stories of fantastical beasts and brave knights, tales of happiness and friendship. The air was light and the night warm as Suga spoke, indulging them with cheer.
Until Oikawa finally spoke up.
"Mr. Refreshing, do you know the myth of the Sun and the Moon?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Suga's back stiffened, though his face was calculatedly calm. "Of course I do, Oikawa-san, though it has been many years since anyone has requested that particular tale." As he spoke, the companionable warmth that had settled around them vanished.
Hinata's eyes widened. He had heard most of Suga's stories, but this one sounded brand new and interesting. "Please tell it, Suga-san!"
"Yes, Suga-san, please tell it," Oikawa echoed, smirking.
"It's getting late, don't you think Oikawa-san?" Suga said lightly.
Oikawa shrugged. "We have time for one more, I think."
Suga sighed, obviously defeated in his attempts to avoid the story, then took a deep breath and began his story.
"In the beginning, when the world was new, it was dark. The cold blackness held to the far reaches of the land, suffocating any who dared try to oppose it. Many feared the darkness and quickly lost hope, until two beings appeared; Sun and Moon.
"Sun banished the darkness wherever they walked, spreading warmth across the land, while Moon reflected the light of the Sun to keep the darkness at bay and calming those near them. Together, Sun and Moon claimed the world for their light and power.
"Sun and Moon would walk hand-in-hand, keeping the world and each other in balance. Neither could live without the other. Unchecked, their power would be too great. Sun brought life, warmth, happiness, and cheer, but with that power, also brought plague and chaos. Moon brought sleep, health, safety, and calm, but also brought death and war.
"Balance remained until Sun fell ill. Without Sun's light, Moon could no longer provide their comfort or safety, and the balance was tipped. So Sun and Moon took their powers and bestowed them on mortals, to ensure that the balance they had achieved would remain. These mortals were powerful, and restored order to the world. With each passing generation, two young children are selected to become the Sun and the Moon, and work together to keep the darkness at bay. They have the power to save the world or destroy it."
Suga slipped out of his story-telling trance to be met by a spell bound crowd. Even Oikawa, who had been so insistent to hear the story, was silent. Hinata was staring up at Suga in awe. Kuroo had fixated his gaze in the flames before him.
Taking a breath, Suga felt for the orange sapphire pendant he wore under his shirt. Hinata recognized it as a nervous habit and decided to break the spell, exclaiming something about how neat that story was. He knew Suga didn't like to be in the spotlight.
"It's just a story," Suga said with a small smile as Hinata chattered on.
After coming back to himself, Oikawa sent everyone back to their duties or their tents for the night. Only Kuroo, Kenma, Oikawa remained, after Iwaizumi pulled Kageyama away to talk to him. Oikawa settled down between Suga and Kenma before shooting Hinata a smile.
"Chibi-chan, I need to talk to Suga-san here for a minute. Leave us please!" he said, the order behind the words evident through the sugary coating. Kuroo and Kenma stood up too, leaving Suga and Oikawa by the fire.
"I know your secrets, Suga-chan."
"How could you possibly? We've been here for two days."
"Because I have my own. There was a reason I kept you alive."
"If you do anything..."
"I'm not stupid." A pause. "You know my secrets too, don't you."
"I do."
Oikawa stood up. "Then you know why I'm doing what I am."
"You're delivering the world's most powerful weapon into the hands of a tyrant."
"Don't flatter yourself, Suga-chan. Do you really think I'm that cold-hearted?"
"We'll see."
With that, Oikawa strode away, leaving Suga staring into the flames.
Notes: Sorry for the delay! I'll try to get my update schedule back on track, but just wanted to apologize in advance if there are delays in the future. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you so much for the support you've given this story!
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