A Look Into the Child: Journey for Purpose

by Mathais

BL, GL. A young boy named Yuli runs away from his surrogate home due to the tension between him and his surrogate family. He leaves to find a purpose for himself and to show that he isn't an unnecessary burden.

1. Escape Into The Storm

Story Title: A Look Into the Child: Journey for Purpose

Chapter Title: Escape Into the Storm

Author: Mathais

Rating: T

Fandom: Ronin Warriors

Warnings: Pro-Yuli, Boys Love, Girls Love, Discontinued

Pairings: OC/OC, Yuli/Shiroi

Summary: A young boy named Yuli runs away from his surrogate home due to the tension between him and his surrogate family. He leaves to find a purpose for himself and to show that he isn't an unnecessary burden.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and elements of Ronin Warriors.

Notes (2010): This story was a pair of stories with a pro-Yuli slant; this one is what happens if the Ronins really did hate Yuli. The other, Shadowed Eyes, was one where they really didn't... and it was a poorly written abuse!fic. The latter's long since gone except on my hard drive. And wow, watch for the fangirl Japanese.

OoOoO

A small boy of about ten years looked out at the storm through an open window with a hint of determination in his eyes. Using a VERY clichéd trick, the boy took his blanket from the bed. Taking and knotting it, the boy made a makeshift rope from the blanket. Throwing it out the window and tying one end to the bedpost, the boy managed to make a stealthy escape route. First off, he tossed his skateboard out the window and into the bushes where it made the smallest sound that was possible. Carefully, he listened for any sound indicating that his former nii-sans or his former nee-chan heard. Hearing none, the boy wall jumped with the blanket-rope to the ground. Curling up his handiwork, the boy threw with all his might and the ball of blankets landed inside the window. With a black thread that he had carefully attached to the window and was inconspicuous enough that his former brothers didn't notice it, the boy closed the window quietly before breaking the string off. Smiling to himself, the boy went to his hiding place in the forest and took his wooden bokken. Hopping onto his skateboard, the boy raced away from the house and down the wet streets. It was very blurry from the rain and thunder crackled overhead, but the boy continued onward, using the slickness of the now totally soaked sidewalks to his advantage. He didn't want to risk going on the street at this time. Whizzing by some more, the boy eventually made it to the park. Performing a complicated maneuver, the boy hopped onto the bench, slid across it, and jumped forward before reaching the end. The boy then caught his skateboard as it flew off the bench with the momentum he gave it. Placing it on the bench along with his bokken, the boy gave a sigh as he looked at the rainy sky.

"You've got to believe, In the power of love..." The boy sang softly. It was a tune from one of the Animé he watches. "You've got to believe, In the power of love... It gives meaning to each moment... It's what our hearts are all made of... You've got to believe, In the power of love... The power of love..." The boy let the rainwater pour down his face and body. His face was etched in sorrow as his brown hair matted down his head from the onslaught of water. "It's hard to believe in love when your world is devoid of it." Tears leaked from normally bright blue eyes that were now darkened in sadness as the boy scrubbed them away furiously. "Now's not the time for crying. I've done enough of that. But it's hard to believe in that stuff now in this void." The boy began to whisper to himself. "My onii-sans and onee-chan sees me as a burden and a child. But I don't want that. I've finally gotten over my fear of the Seasonals, but again they see me as a brat." The boy slumped down on the hard wooden bench, his white shirt being stained as his blue jeans clung to his skin. But the boy didn't seem to notice this and if he did, he made no sign of it. "Kaa-san and tou-san disappeared in the Dynasty Wars. Jii-san and Baa-san died before that. No oji-sans, oba-sans, or itokos to take care of me either. I was left with my nii-sans and nee-chan. And still..." The boy shook his head as a few more tears escaped his eyes and mixed with the rain streaming down his face. "I am nothing to them but a child who can't take care of himself. Is it my fault that I don't have a mystical yoroi? Is it my fault that I don't have extensive knowledge about the yoroi legend? Is it my fault that I was dragged into these stupid battles as an eight-year-old? Is it my fault that my parents were lost and most likely dead after the wars - the so-called 'Toyama Disturbance'? Is it my fault that I don't have any powers at all? Is it my fault that I'm NORMAL? Is it my fault that I'm only human?" The child whispered the last sentence as he lost all self-control and broke down crying. "Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." The ten-year-old recited the poem word for word mournfully. "That day seemed like gold. It didn't last. The Ronins seemed like gold. It wasn't gold in the first place I guess. Robert Frost was right... I just can't hold it up anymore. I just can't do it!" The child drew his knees up to his chin as he curled up in a ball. "I don't understand. What did I do to make them hate me this much?"

A sudden whoosh of sound alerted the boy's ears.

"Who's there?" The boy shouted.

"My my... So this is the person Master wants? This'll be a piece of cake." A dark masculine voice chuckled.

"Who's there? Where are you?" The brown-haired kid gripped his bokken tightly.

"Right behind you brat." The boy whirled around to find a figure shrouded in black. Through the rain, however, he could hardly see anything else.

"Once again, who are you?"

"The delivery man. Master wants you and I'll deliver."

"Not while I live."

"I'll make you eat those words." The figure unstrapped a large club that attacked to his back. He charged forward with frightening speed. The figure soon revealed itself to be a 6-foot-high armor that moved like a real person.

"Oh crap." The boy whispered as he readied for impact.

OoOoO

A large white tiger's ears perked up, as he sensed invading darkness not even near this area. But still relatively close.

What is this? The tiger thought to himself. Wait. I haven't heard a peep from the little one for a while.

"Hey!" The tiger's longhaired companion called to him. The black hair that belongs to that person swayed as the teenager stood up. "What's the matter?"

The beast gave a small growl. Nothing of your concern master. The tiger thought, wishing he could say it out loud. The black striped tiger bounded up the stairs, barreling past a blonde haired person with hair that seemed to defy physics.

"Where are you going?" The blonde called. The tiger ignored the blonde teenager as he bounded past the rooms.

"Whoa!" The white tiger crashed into the oddly blue haired teenage boy that had just come out of his room. "Watch where ya going ya furball!"

He gave a grunt in reply to the retort as he again ran past. Nudging a door open, the tiger nearly groaned in disappointment when he came across the large teen's and the youngest teen's room.

"Hey kitty." The ashen-haired teen gave a grin.

"You want a snack?" The other teen, the youngest one that had auburn colored hair, held a small meat roll out. The tiger walked out of the room stiffly.

I know I shouldn't have missed it!

The guardian tiger opened the next door and would've facefaulted if he could.

"EEK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE? SHOO! GET OUT!" He charged out of the room as fast as he came in with two slippers after him, courtesy of a brown haired woman in the room. Slamming the door shut, the tiger took some deep breaths as his eyes widened - something never done in front of his companions.

What the? Dear god! Why would my companion want to see THAT? The large beast took some more deep breaths before making it to the final room. He sniffed it and gave a grunt of happiness. This is definitely the boy's room. Opening the door, the animal gave a tiger's version of a frown in disappointment as he stared at the empty room.

The boy's not here? How is that possible? The tiger then noticed the rolled up blankets tied to the bedpost. He went over to sniff it and found both the boy's scent and the scent of fresh rain. Fresh rain? The tiger touched the blankets and found it wet. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. He then heard the thunder crackling outside. Looking at the window, his eyes widened at what he found. It was open slightly and had a sting of black thread attacked to the handle. He now feared that the boy had escaped because of the tension. I must find him! What if he's near the darkness? The tiger shot out of the child's room, pausing only to close the door. It wouldn't do to have them worry... Again. The white beast then charged through the building, bounding down the stairs, and out the door. Not without managing to knock every single person in the house down first though.

The tiger charged through the wet streets. He's out here? One minute and I'm already soaked! He can't have been wearing more than a shirt and jeans! His old promise to the monk renewed itself. His former companion had told him to look after Wildfire and the boy. Wildfire's safe, but the boy isn't right now. So he charged through the street looking for the child he promised to take care of with his life. When he came to the park, there was a scene that actually frightened him.

The child he was supposed to protect was facing off against a Dynasty lackey. And a powerful at that. The boy was armed with a skateboard and a wooden bokken while the warrior was armed with a club infused with dark energies. The warrior had already charged twice by the looks of it, but no decisive hits were scored. The boy jumped onto his skateboard and went whizzing back the warrior. The soldier seemed surprised before he toppled over from the fast hit the child had given him. It was only a small dent as the armored one once again stood his ground and bashed the boy on the arm. He missed though, but the boy was thrown off the skateboard and went skidding by as the skateboard was smashed to pieces. The boy had raised his bokken again and tried in vain to ward off the onslaught of attacks the fighter was giving him.

Giving a roar, the large beast rushed into the thick of the duel as managed to disarm the warrior.

OoOoO

"Yay!" The child exclaimed as the tiger distracted his enemy.

"Brat! This stupid animal won't stop my plans!" The soldier gave a grunt as he heaved his attacker a good ten feet, but the animal came back again by slashing with his claws. The warrior hissed in pain.

"I have a name y'know. But I doubt you need to know it!" The boy smashed his bokken against the side of the warrior's head. The head twisted that way, but the warrior seemed to grin.

"Is that all you got brat? I suspected better of you." The warrior tsked. "Perhaps I can have a little fun." The warrior kicked his assailant in the ribs. The tiger roared in pain as he once again slashed the warrior across the chest. "Stupid animal." The fighter picked up his club again and bashed the white tiger three times with it. The guardian tiger collapsed unconscious.

"No!" The boy cried in horror. "Wake up please!"

"I suggest that you worry about yourself." The warrior grunted as he gave a swing at the boy, but he nimbly dodged the blow by rolling away.

"Look up!" The warrior did as told.

"Look down!" The warrior did so again.

"Look straight!" The warrior looked at the boy, only to be the receiving end of the bokken's thrust.

"Damn!" The warrior swore.

"Don't swear." The boy gave another bash at the warrior, but the Dynasty lackey grabbed the bokken and tossed it away. He then punched the boy really hard, making the boy fly into a corner of a stone building. He skidded against the wet ground, making it all more painful.

The boy felt something around his neck start to warm up. He smiled a smile only he could see as it was raining hard. At least this rain will keep an infection away, but not hypothermia or anything of that sort. The boy gave a gasp, however, when a blast of darkness bound him by the legs and arms. He couldn't move them.

"This is a special magic that Master gave me so that I could capture you in case of struggle."

"Who is you master?"

"Someone you'll meet soon." The warrior smirked as he advanced toward the boy.

Something around the youngster's neck glowing white as it revealed itself. The item was rapidly spinning and sent out waves of white light.

The warrior roared in pain as he was pushed back by the light radiating from the magical artifact.

"What is this?"

"I see you've met the Jewel of Life." The boy still looked worried, as it wasn't defeating this darkness.

"I see... Perhaps this would work." The warrior held out his palm. "Master, the boy is resisting with the Jewel. Send aid!" Dark blasts of energy shot out of his palm, countering each stroke of light energy. Soon the Nether energy overwhelmed the Jewel of Life and the artifact lay dead on his chest.

"Master said that he wants you soon, but I guess he won't mind if I play with you first." The warrior smirked as he grabbed the boy's arm. The child screamed in pain as his wrist was slowly being crushed. The Dynasty lackey then used his left hand to punch the boy in the gut. Specks of blood flew from the kid's mouth from the blow. A sharp kick to the wrist broke that section. The boy was screaming all the time.

Ancient... The world grew dimmer as his body was being hit with blows. Please... Anubis... Somebody... I guess this is what I get for being useless.

On the edge of consciousness, the boy heard a familiar ringing. Opening his mental eyes wide, the boy surged toward it mentally. Please... He latched onto it, for it was the only anchor to consciousness he had. The child took a deep breath as he cracked open his eyes. The rain was still flowing down in torrents, but he was feeling better. He gasped as he noticed a lot of his injuries were healed. A faint clanging noise was heard as the boy smiled grimly. His enemy was stunned from the sound. A loud thump sounded from the boy's left side. The child looked to see a staff with many golden rings next to him. "Thank you Ancient. Thank you Anubis." The boy took the staff in his hand and pointed it at the stunned warrior. The rings jangled for a moment before a bright flash erupted through the area. The warrior didn't have time to scream as he was obliterated. The boy slumped to the ground as he pointed the staff at the unconscious tiger. The guardian glowed white as the wounds inflicted on him were healed. The staff disappeared as the boy slumped forward.

"Don't tell a soul." The price for being weak and useless... That was his last coherent thought as he fell to the ground from the lack of energy as the rain poured onto him.

OoOoO

"Get in here!" A blue haired priestess cried from where she was meditating. She was in a deep trance when the Staff of the Ancients had suddenly disappeared. That was when she had called out from them.

"What is it?" Three men came into the room. There was a silverish haired man, an olive green haired man, and a blue haired man.

"It's gone." The priestess gasped in horror.

"How is that possible?" The blue haired man openly gaped.

"Where is it?" The silver haired man searched the room.

"I don't know. What could have happened to it?" The green haired man looked on in shock.

In another flash, the staff appeared back in the chamber. The priestess immediately snatched it up and searched through it. Memories of the battle popped up along with any thought running through the boy's head. When it finished, the woman dropped the staff in shock. She collapsed onto her knees.

"What happened?" The silver haired man was holding the woman.

"Y-Y-Yu-Yuli..." She stuttered.

OoOoO

End Notes: The song excerpt was from "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Cihi from Sailor Moon. The poem that the bow whispered was "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost. I own neither.

End Notes (2010): I removed the god-awful framing script that I couldn't stand to see anymore, but that and the line breaks are the only things that have changed, except some grammar errors.