CHAPTER TWO: DECISIONS
* * *
"You can't possibly be serious, Chancellor!"
"Indeed! Why, what of the upcoming treaty negotiations; the summit and festival!"
"No, no Shu. The time isn't right; we implore you, reconsider this nonsense!"
"There are more important things to do, Chancellor; finding him is not one of them."
Nonsense was a fitting word alright, perfect for describing four dried old men and himself arguing about an idea whose time had surely come. Shu, master strategist and acting chancellor to the Republic, had officially lost his temper. Though he looked calm standing there in his most proffesional attire his face wore a twisted look of utter exasperation. He had often questioned why none of his closest companions from the war had chosen to take seats in the council, but the more the four men crooned on the easier it was to see their reasoning. Here in the Council Room of the Republic's State Manor, Shu found himself fighting one of his toughest battles yet.
"Chancellor Shu, are you even listening? This plan of yours..it's..it's--"
"Brilliant," he interrupted then, grinning as he glanced over his shoulder at the stunned men. "Isn't it, Guillime? Absolutely brilliant. That was what you were going to say, wasn't it?"
Guillime's wrinkled face paled in confusion.
"An act of pure brilliance," Shu continued as he turned now and shuffled to the round table, setting his hands upon its edge. "Often requires great courage and noble sacrifice, for it often comes at a great price. Friends, allies..it isn't easy to turn your back on them for the greater good."
"What are you getting at, Chancellor," piped up Hans, the westernland representative; a strict man about Shu's age. Grateful for the excuse to cut to the point Shu took the opportunity for abit of drama, leaning forward on the table as his face grew grim. At this motion the other men at the table looked at each other uncomfortably, even Hans averting his eyes downwards.
"What I am getting at gentlemen is that it is time for a change. Countless lives were lost and homes destroyed so that we could taste this freedom. Riou, a mere boy of all things, bled for you! For me! We're sitting on freedom built on the graves of others, and we have absolutely no right to govern it." Shu let those words sink in before his voice dropped to a firm hush, pointing his finger at all of them one by one for emphasis. "We haven't earned it. Not one of us. And the only one who has isn't here. That's why he must be found."
"Shu," murmured Kazul, the oldest of the council members,a serious and fair man if not blinded by his pride. "It's been years. If Riou wanted to come back, don't you think he would have by now? What makes you think he wants to be found at all?"
"Have you asked him yourself, Kazul? I doubt you have. The fact is he had his reasons for leaving. Nevertheless it's our duty to make sure of this. This country isn't ours; it's his."
Smoothing his button down shirt Shu drew a slow breath and straightened, eyes sweeping across the gathered men. Under the scrutiny of his gaze they looked at each other and eventually they began to murmur amongst themselves. Progress, thought the strategist. These were ill tidings indeed..for them. On some level he knew what he proposed was no less than the eventual dissolution of the Council's power base. Even Shu himself felt a twinge of guilt about that, but he knew this was the right thing to do. If he didn't have a sense of justice somewhere on that cunning mind of his he would have never commissioned himself in the Dunan Unification Wars and helped a young boy stir the nation. It was the right thing to do, and that was his reprieve for shaking this hornet's nest. Several minutes passed before the murmurs and scoffs died down. When the other men turned to him the quietest of them all, Jamon, cleared his throat and eyed Shu like a wary hawk.
"Chancellor Shu. We...assume..you have a plan for finding our founder?"
"Gentlemen," he replied with a hint of a grin, eyes drifting upwards to catch a glimpse of Apple spying on the meeting through a crack in the double doors. She smiled an impossible smile at him, then silently shut the doors before he returned his confident gaze to their doubtful, old faces. "You forget..I'm quite a strategist."
* * * * * * *
"You're quite a jerk, you know that?!" Nanami shrieked as she coughed and fumed, arms wrapped tightly around herself, soaked to the bone. The thin lilac tunic she wore didn't help at all upon falling into the lake. With a pool of water forming where she stood her full fury was directed at the silver-haired youth across from her, fingers digging into his collar. The young man winced but couldn't stop laughing, even with the pending beating he was about to receive.
"What's so funny..?"
Both sets of eyes turned to a third youth, a kind smile offered to both of his companions as he emerged from the edge of the trees carrying an armful of wood. Nanami shot a glare his way as well, instantly erasing the smile and striking concern in his big brown eyes. Gulping aloud he did manage a half smile back, eyeing the silver-haired one for answers. The soaked young woman more than took care of that, however..giving her victim a rough shake.
"Jowy here thought it might be funny to shove your dear sister into the drink!!"
"Ouch!! It was an accident," Jowy yelped in his defense, still chuckling between words. "I swear-ow! Swear it! Hahaha-OW!"
"Oh, so now I'm LYING?!"
"C-Calm down, Nan-n-nami..you're hurting me! Heh..AIIE!"
Riou sighed and decided it best not to interfere. The armload of wood he'd been lugging for half an hour was making his muscles sting, and the last thing he wanted to do was get mixed up in yet another one of these quarrels. The kindling was dropped with a clunk into the center of a circle of stones allowing him to wipe his hand across his sweatbeaded brow. Despite her furious mood and violent shaking of his friend, the smile Riou offered up to her made her facade crumble. With a pout and a huff she released Jowy to lean against the tree. Kneeling next to her adoptive brother gave her the opportunity to remove her headband and attempt to wring out her waterlogged hair, no less angry.
"Honestly! Living with you two boys is becoming abit more than this young maiden can bear."
"I-I'm sorry," Riou murmured with a hurt expression, lowering his eyes like a struck puppy. Nanami noticed it and perked up abit, giving him a drenched hug by his neck.
"Oh, it's not really your fault, brother dear."
"It's..not?"
"Mm-mm," Nanami added, turning to look at Jowy as she stuck out her tongue. "It's mostly his."
Jowy sighed and threw up his arms in exasperation, feeling rather victimized as always. His lips drew into a thin line of irritation but reverted to normal moments later. This was his family, after all..and there were few he could think of that he cared for more. Except..maybe her. Somewhere out there Jillia was spending her days with Pilika as she'd promised. Perhaps she was looking for him..or perhaps she'd even forgotten him. She could be married by now, or on the flipside she could be out there looking for him against his wishes. What had begun as a political plot on Luca's behalf had grown into something more. He'd been thinking about it more and more lately, and now at this very moment he was sure of it; he missed her. After leaning against the tree for several moments he sifted his hand through his hair and looked out over the clear blue waters of the lake they'd been camping at for awhile, not sure how long the sight would last. He really couldn't remember the last time they'd all slept in a warm bed or eaten a home cooked meal. Those days were like a ghost..a dream world where none of the events of the past three years had happened. He secretly longed for the days when they played so carefree in the fields behind Genkaku's home, drawing pictures in the sand and frolicking in the streets. Jowy closed his eyes and sighed once again..words slipping past his lips without the usual care he took for not letting his thoughts drift.
"....we can't keep doing this."
Nanami blinked and turned from where she was working to start a fire, eyeing Jowy as if she hadn't quite understood what he just said. Riou too turned after a moment, unsure if he'd heard right either. Both of them sat there dumbfounded in silence until Nanami piped up.
"..what...what did you say?"
"We can't keep doing this," Jowy repeated to aloud, a pleading expression in his eyes as they moved to find his friends' peering back at him. "We can't keep moving place to place, living like nomads. It was fine at first..I understood why, but...not anymore. We have a home we can go back to. People that miss us and care for us. We just can't..do this anymore."
Obvious pain washed over Jowy's features the longer they stared at each other. Nanami scooped herself and gathered up her more motherly nature as she gestured towards the lake.
"Look out there," she murmured. "There are people..BAD people..out there trying to find you right this instant! Don't be silly, Jowy..if they find you who knows what they'd do!"
"Are you saying I'm afraid of them?"
"I'm not saying that at all!"
"You'd better remember," Jowy warned, a harsh glare in his eye as his clenched his right fist. "If anyone thinks about getting in my way, it's over. Simple as--"
"Our way."
Both Nanami and the fuming youth paused for a moment and averted their gaze towards Riou, who by this time was standing and offering them both a timid smile. He shot Jowy a stern look however, clearly concerned with the feeling of rage eminating from his friend. Mindful of the tension the once hero worked to remove his left glove, revealing the glowing spot in his palm just below his skin.
"Our way," Riou repeated softly. "We're all in this...together. Wether we like it or not. Right, Nanami?"
"Y-yeah."
"Then whatever we decide, we do it together or not at all." Riou drew a slow breath and put his glove back on, smoothing a hand through his ruffled chestnut hair. In light of the uncomfortable silence sinking into the air he offered up another warm smile and moved to Jowy's side, a friendly squeeze of his palm to his best friend - and once enemy's - shoulder.
"Promise?"
Jowy merely smiled back, a lingering sadness..and wariness..reflected in his brooding eyes.
"I Promise. I just....want to go home."
* * *
Well, I'm okay with this Chapter..but as time goes on I hope my rustiness doesn't show through too much. As always, R & R appreciated. This is gonna be a long one!
* * *
"You can't possibly be serious, Chancellor!"
"Indeed! Why, what of the upcoming treaty negotiations; the summit and festival!"
"No, no Shu. The time isn't right; we implore you, reconsider this nonsense!"
"There are more important things to do, Chancellor; finding him is not one of them."
Nonsense was a fitting word alright, perfect for describing four dried old men and himself arguing about an idea whose time had surely come. Shu, master strategist and acting chancellor to the Republic, had officially lost his temper. Though he looked calm standing there in his most proffesional attire his face wore a twisted look of utter exasperation. He had often questioned why none of his closest companions from the war had chosen to take seats in the council, but the more the four men crooned on the easier it was to see their reasoning. Here in the Council Room of the Republic's State Manor, Shu found himself fighting one of his toughest battles yet.
"Chancellor Shu, are you even listening? This plan of yours..it's..it's--"
"Brilliant," he interrupted then, grinning as he glanced over his shoulder at the stunned men. "Isn't it, Guillime? Absolutely brilliant. That was what you were going to say, wasn't it?"
Guillime's wrinkled face paled in confusion.
"An act of pure brilliance," Shu continued as he turned now and shuffled to the round table, setting his hands upon its edge. "Often requires great courage and noble sacrifice, for it often comes at a great price. Friends, allies..it isn't easy to turn your back on them for the greater good."
"What are you getting at, Chancellor," piped up Hans, the westernland representative; a strict man about Shu's age. Grateful for the excuse to cut to the point Shu took the opportunity for abit of drama, leaning forward on the table as his face grew grim. At this motion the other men at the table looked at each other uncomfortably, even Hans averting his eyes downwards.
"What I am getting at gentlemen is that it is time for a change. Countless lives were lost and homes destroyed so that we could taste this freedom. Riou, a mere boy of all things, bled for you! For me! We're sitting on freedom built on the graves of others, and we have absolutely no right to govern it." Shu let those words sink in before his voice dropped to a firm hush, pointing his finger at all of them one by one for emphasis. "We haven't earned it. Not one of us. And the only one who has isn't here. That's why he must be found."
"Shu," murmured Kazul, the oldest of the council members,a serious and fair man if not blinded by his pride. "It's been years. If Riou wanted to come back, don't you think he would have by now? What makes you think he wants to be found at all?"
"Have you asked him yourself, Kazul? I doubt you have. The fact is he had his reasons for leaving. Nevertheless it's our duty to make sure of this. This country isn't ours; it's his."
Smoothing his button down shirt Shu drew a slow breath and straightened, eyes sweeping across the gathered men. Under the scrutiny of his gaze they looked at each other and eventually they began to murmur amongst themselves. Progress, thought the strategist. These were ill tidings indeed..for them. On some level he knew what he proposed was no less than the eventual dissolution of the Council's power base. Even Shu himself felt a twinge of guilt about that, but he knew this was the right thing to do. If he didn't have a sense of justice somewhere on that cunning mind of his he would have never commissioned himself in the Dunan Unification Wars and helped a young boy stir the nation. It was the right thing to do, and that was his reprieve for shaking this hornet's nest. Several minutes passed before the murmurs and scoffs died down. When the other men turned to him the quietest of them all, Jamon, cleared his throat and eyed Shu like a wary hawk.
"Chancellor Shu. We...assume..you have a plan for finding our founder?"
"Gentlemen," he replied with a hint of a grin, eyes drifting upwards to catch a glimpse of Apple spying on the meeting through a crack in the double doors. She smiled an impossible smile at him, then silently shut the doors before he returned his confident gaze to their doubtful, old faces. "You forget..I'm quite a strategist."
* * * * * * *
"You're quite a jerk, you know that?!" Nanami shrieked as she coughed and fumed, arms wrapped tightly around herself, soaked to the bone. The thin lilac tunic she wore didn't help at all upon falling into the lake. With a pool of water forming where she stood her full fury was directed at the silver-haired youth across from her, fingers digging into his collar. The young man winced but couldn't stop laughing, even with the pending beating he was about to receive.
"What's so funny..?"
Both sets of eyes turned to a third youth, a kind smile offered to both of his companions as he emerged from the edge of the trees carrying an armful of wood. Nanami shot a glare his way as well, instantly erasing the smile and striking concern in his big brown eyes. Gulping aloud he did manage a half smile back, eyeing the silver-haired one for answers. The soaked young woman more than took care of that, however..giving her victim a rough shake.
"Jowy here thought it might be funny to shove your dear sister into the drink!!"
"Ouch!! It was an accident," Jowy yelped in his defense, still chuckling between words. "I swear-ow! Swear it! Hahaha-OW!"
"Oh, so now I'm LYING?!"
"C-Calm down, Nan-n-nami..you're hurting me! Heh..AIIE!"
Riou sighed and decided it best not to interfere. The armload of wood he'd been lugging for half an hour was making his muscles sting, and the last thing he wanted to do was get mixed up in yet another one of these quarrels. The kindling was dropped with a clunk into the center of a circle of stones allowing him to wipe his hand across his sweatbeaded brow. Despite her furious mood and violent shaking of his friend, the smile Riou offered up to her made her facade crumble. With a pout and a huff she released Jowy to lean against the tree. Kneeling next to her adoptive brother gave her the opportunity to remove her headband and attempt to wring out her waterlogged hair, no less angry.
"Honestly! Living with you two boys is becoming abit more than this young maiden can bear."
"I-I'm sorry," Riou murmured with a hurt expression, lowering his eyes like a struck puppy. Nanami noticed it and perked up abit, giving him a drenched hug by his neck.
"Oh, it's not really your fault, brother dear."
"It's..not?"
"Mm-mm," Nanami added, turning to look at Jowy as she stuck out her tongue. "It's mostly his."
Jowy sighed and threw up his arms in exasperation, feeling rather victimized as always. His lips drew into a thin line of irritation but reverted to normal moments later. This was his family, after all..and there were few he could think of that he cared for more. Except..maybe her. Somewhere out there Jillia was spending her days with Pilika as she'd promised. Perhaps she was looking for him..or perhaps she'd even forgotten him. She could be married by now, or on the flipside she could be out there looking for him against his wishes. What had begun as a political plot on Luca's behalf had grown into something more. He'd been thinking about it more and more lately, and now at this very moment he was sure of it; he missed her. After leaning against the tree for several moments he sifted his hand through his hair and looked out over the clear blue waters of the lake they'd been camping at for awhile, not sure how long the sight would last. He really couldn't remember the last time they'd all slept in a warm bed or eaten a home cooked meal. Those days were like a ghost..a dream world where none of the events of the past three years had happened. He secretly longed for the days when they played so carefree in the fields behind Genkaku's home, drawing pictures in the sand and frolicking in the streets. Jowy closed his eyes and sighed once again..words slipping past his lips without the usual care he took for not letting his thoughts drift.
"....we can't keep doing this."
Nanami blinked and turned from where she was working to start a fire, eyeing Jowy as if she hadn't quite understood what he just said. Riou too turned after a moment, unsure if he'd heard right either. Both of them sat there dumbfounded in silence until Nanami piped up.
"..what...what did you say?"
"We can't keep doing this," Jowy repeated to aloud, a pleading expression in his eyes as they moved to find his friends' peering back at him. "We can't keep moving place to place, living like nomads. It was fine at first..I understood why, but...not anymore. We have a home we can go back to. People that miss us and care for us. We just can't..do this anymore."
Obvious pain washed over Jowy's features the longer they stared at each other. Nanami scooped herself and gathered up her more motherly nature as she gestured towards the lake.
"Look out there," she murmured. "There are people..BAD people..out there trying to find you right this instant! Don't be silly, Jowy..if they find you who knows what they'd do!"
"Are you saying I'm afraid of them?"
"I'm not saying that at all!"
"You'd better remember," Jowy warned, a harsh glare in his eye as his clenched his right fist. "If anyone thinks about getting in my way, it's over. Simple as--"
"Our way."
Both Nanami and the fuming youth paused for a moment and averted their gaze towards Riou, who by this time was standing and offering them both a timid smile. He shot Jowy a stern look however, clearly concerned with the feeling of rage eminating from his friend. Mindful of the tension the once hero worked to remove his left glove, revealing the glowing spot in his palm just below his skin.
"Our way," Riou repeated softly. "We're all in this...together. Wether we like it or not. Right, Nanami?"
"Y-yeah."
"Then whatever we decide, we do it together or not at all." Riou drew a slow breath and put his glove back on, smoothing a hand through his ruffled chestnut hair. In light of the uncomfortable silence sinking into the air he offered up another warm smile and moved to Jowy's side, a friendly squeeze of his palm to his best friend - and once enemy's - shoulder.
"Promise?"
Jowy merely smiled back, a lingering sadness..and wariness..reflected in his brooding eyes.
"I Promise. I just....want to go home."
* * *
Well, I'm okay with this Chapter..but as time goes on I hope my rustiness doesn't show through too much. As always, R & R appreciated. This is gonna be a long one!