Sudden Impulse
By Red Guard
Disclaimer: I do not, did not and probably will not own Suikoden or any of the characters appearing in or associated with it. Konami owns the characters and events appearing in this work.
Author's Notes: Right, now to try my hand at a short and fluffy Suikoden story, I hope I do not do too badly.
Side Story 10: Revealed Passion
************************************************************************
'The winds of change blow.'
Hugo raised an eyebrow at his companion. 'Winds always blow across these plains.'
The wizened old woman chuckled heartily. 'Acting obtuse, young chieftain?'
'I can't believe that you can still be so hearty.' Hugo shook his head. 'Are you not concerned about them?'
'Of course I am.' The Great Aunt acknowledged. 'But, there is little I can do by furrowing my brows. The spirits will take care of them. They take care of all of us.'
'Ah, of course.' Hugo shook his head in wonder. 'It's always the spirits.'
************************************************************************
'I wonder where Borus ran off to.'
'I am going to have a stern word with him.' Chris fumed from across the table. 'I can't believe that he bolted from the castle without so much as informing me. What am I? His servant?'
Percival coughed slightly. 'If I remember correctly, he did inform you that he was leaving.'
'I don't consider leaving a lame excuse informing me.' Chris answered sharply.
'You could have asked Yuiri, she seems to know everything about Borus these days.' Leo commented nonchalantly.
'That brings me to my second point.' Chris said. 'Yuiri...'
'Ran away from you in the middle of your conversation.' Percival chipped in. 'We heard about it already.'
'Correct!' Chris raised her voice. 'This is a disaster for discipline. How can the Knights of Zexen ever maintain its discipline, when we, their commanders utterly lack it?'
'I'm sure they can provide an acceptable explanation.' Salome observed.
'I would love to hear that.' Chris shot back.
'I remember that there was a time when a certain Captain did not follow orders that well.' Salome said to no one in particular. 'A war was brewing, and some unknown Council didn't want to get involved in it that much. But, some Captain decided to ignore orders and lead the Zexen Knights into battle.' Salome looks around the table. 'Sound familiar to anyone?'
'Not I.' Rolan shook his head.
'Nope.' Leo turned his eyes upwards and began to admire the elegant ceiling.
'Wonder who it was.' Percival shrugged his shoulders.
A slightly reddened Chris could only mutter to herself in impotent anger.
************************************************************************
The agony was nearly unbearable. The pain shot through his body, causing him to keel over in a vain attempt to quell it. Once he managed to regain control over his senses, he took a hesitant look at his hand. The intense pain that was firing through his veins told him that his arm now ended in a bloody stump, but to his immense surprise, all the agony was originating from an ever growing reddish bruise on the side of his sword hand.
What happened?
He winced as he brought himself to his knees.
Had the spirits tried to strike him down?
He took a look around the plains and saw no one.
What had happened?
And then, on the ground beside him, he saw what looked like a crossbow bolt. A bolt without the head.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. She was a good shot. One of the best. But, this shot was the most difficult one that she had ever made. Her breathing was ragged, her heart was thumping and her nerves were jangled. No sane person would have even attempted using the crossbow.
But, this situation was different. She saw Borus raise the sword. She knew what he was going to do. And, she knew that she had to do something. She wanted to speak to him again. She wanted to be with him again.
She took the shot. In hindsight, she would have considered herself insane for actually thinking that she would be on target. If she had missed, and he had fallen, she didn't think that she would allow herself to live past the day.
But, her aim was true.
She saw him drop to the ground, clutching his hand.
And suddenly, she found herself throwing her weapon to the floor, and running towards the fallen knight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
'Borus!'
He heard a familiar voice shout his name. He took a look around and saw a figure running towards him. A female figure that grew more familiar as it drew closer.
'Yuiri...' He whispered to himself. It was her. She was coming for him.
But why?
He was the Butcher. The murderer of her kin. Why was she here?
And then, it struck him. She was here to end his life. It was fitting, in a way. She was the only person he actually considered a good friend. She was the only one who stood beside him for so long. And so, she was the one who truly understood what a monster he was.
He always wanted to see her one last time.
At least that wish was granted.
************************************************************************
The youthful, brown-haired man peered at his guest. 'What is it? You've been awfully quiet today.'
'I don't know, Master Thomas.' The Alma Kinan woman shook her head. 'I just feel that the wind is trying to tell me something.'
'The spirits, Yumi?'
'I'm not sure.' Yumi took another look at the clear sky. 'Something of great import has just occurred. Although, I'm not sure what.'
'Do you think its time for you to return home?'
'Maybe.' She smiled softly. 'But let me finish what I came to do first.'
************************************************************************
He expected her to run him through with a blade.
He expected her to slit his neck open.
He expected her to bash his skull in with a rock.
He expected her to end his life in any method known to man.
What he did not expect was for her to throw her arms around him and force him to the ground. He lay on his back, stunned as she buried her face into his chest and began to sob uncontrollably.
'Yuiri?' He managed to whisper.
'What the hell are you doing?' The woman said between her sobs. 'Why didn't you tell anyone anything?'
'I'm doing what I should have done all those years ago.'
'Why are you doing this to yourself?' She looked up as she asked him fiercely. She looked horrible. Her hair was disheveled and her cheeks were stained with tears.
'What do you mean, Yuiri?' He was stunned. What had happened to her? 'What are you doing?'
'I'm trying to stop you from killing yourself!' She shouted at the top of her voice.
'Why should I?' Borus closed his eyes. 'I know that I'm a monster. I shouldn't be allowed to live.' He glanced towards the graves that loomed over his body. 'If I didn't exist, all of them would still be alive. I hope that with my death, they can rest in peace.'
'You idiot!' A white hot jolt of raw pain tore through his senses. She had slapped him across the face, as tears began to pour down her cheeks again. 'Why do you want to die so much? Why do you want to leave everyone behind?'
'No one wishes me well.' He replied with an edge in his voice. 'The Knights? They snicker at me behind my back. They think me a barbarian for what I have done. The Grasslanders? They think me a bloody thirsty monster that would kill again and again. Hugo? No matter how what I do, I know that he is ashamed of my company. You?' And then he lost his voice.
'Me?' Yuiri averted her eyes and whispered. 'What about me, Borus?'
'You detest me.' Borus admitted softly.
'I don't...' She tried to defend herself.
'You don't need to explain yourself. I understand.' He interrupted her. 'The night in the tavern told me everything I needed to know.'
'You don't understand...'
'I do, Yuiri. I thank you for the time that you spent with me. It made my life somewhat more bearable.' He gave another heavy sigh. 'Now, do what you came here to do.'
'I...'
'Take my sword and slay me. Let my blood spill on these grounds. Let the souls that I murdered rest in peace.'
Another flash of pain. She had slapped him again. 'Shut up, Borus!' She realized that she was yelling at the top of her voice. 'No one wants you to die, you fool! I don't want to see you die! Especially after what you've done...'
'I'm sorry...' He closed his eyes and apologized.
'Let me speak, you idiot.' She softened her gaze and sat down beside him. 'I left the village to look for something. After my sister left, I began to doubt my place in the world. I began to wonder about what life meant for me. So much happened, too much. I don't know what happened, or why it happened, but I found myself in the Castle.'
'I remember that day.' He whispered as he stared into the clear sky.
'I hated you.' She smiled thinly. 'You were a butcher. I knew that you were one. I wanted to prove that you were one. I thought that that was my path. Then, I saw what you were doing with Chief Hugo. The days passed by quickly. I don't remember much, but I do remember all the times I was with you.'
'I remember them too.'
She breathed deeply. This was it. 'I enjoyed it.'
'What?' Borus refused to believe what he had just heard.
She turned her gaze towards him. 'Come back to the Castle.'
'Why?' Borus looked away. 'I don't deserve anything. I owe so many people so much. The Grasslanders that I slew will never forgive me.'
'Listen to yourself, Borus! What can you do when you're dead? What will that give the Grasslands?'
'Then what do you want me to do?' He asked.
'Do something for the Grasslands.' She answered.
'I'm only one man.'
'Then help one Grasslander.' She whispered.
************************************************************************
'Change.'
'Great Aunt?'
'It is done.' The old woman smiled. 'Let's return to the village.'
'Yours, or mine?' Hugo asked.
'Let's return to the Alma Kinan Village. I have good news to tell the others.'
'Shouldn't we be traveling to the Castle?'
'Let time take its course. While one of Grassland's children has found her place, there will be many more who take up the search.'
'That's not an answer.'
'It is.' The Great Aunt replied.
Hugo could only shrug his shoulders in exasperation.
************************************************************************
The citizens of Brass Castle found themselves bearing witness to a strange procession. Usually, three of the Mighty Knights tromping down the paved roads didn't usually draw much attention. But this particular day was slightly different.
'Calm down, Lady Chris.' Percival told the fuming Captain. 'The soldier didn't mean it.'
'I can't believe that you are taking his side. I absolutely abhor his behavior.'
'He did praise you.'
'I don't consider being called "too sexy for armor" praise!'
'Well...' Percival tried his best to respond.
'As I told all of you before, the Knight's discipline is going down the drain. I'll have a word with Borus and Yuiri.'
'But, we haven't located them yet.' Leo tried to explain.
'I wouldn't be so sure about that, Leo.' Percival said in amazement, as he pointed into the crowd.
The Knights looked in the direction that Percival indicated, and to their utter astonishment, they saw a very familiar looking couple in the distance. A sandy-haired knight, clad in the silver armor that made the Zexen Knights so famous, held in his embrace a beautiful woman who was wearing the traditional garb of an Alma Kinan warrior. It was of little doubt that they were locked in a passionate kiss that seemed to be growing more intimate as time bore on.
'Well,' Leo ventured into the stunned silence, 'at least Percival gets to have a clear shot at the Captain now.'
And in an instant, he found himself flat on his back, staring at an ever- reddening Lady Chris.
************************************************************************
Author's Notes: Yep, that's an end to the Side Story. Nice and sappy, wasn't it? Sorry about the delay, but real life is giving me a good run for my money nowadays. Sucks, doesn't it?
Now, on with the err.... main story?
Thanks to GreatLight432 and Renfro Calhoun for pre-reading my work. Their hard work makes this piece a million times better.
Anyways, please remember to email me at red_aurum@yahoo.com for any suggestions, critiques, reviews and the like. Please don't flame me, I have a fragile ego.
By Red Guard
Disclaimer: I do not, did not and probably will not own Suikoden or any of the characters appearing in or associated with it. Konami owns the characters and events appearing in this work.
Author's Notes: Right, now to try my hand at a short and fluffy Suikoden story, I hope I do not do too badly.
Side Story 10: Revealed Passion
************************************************************************
'The winds of change blow.'
Hugo raised an eyebrow at his companion. 'Winds always blow across these plains.'
The wizened old woman chuckled heartily. 'Acting obtuse, young chieftain?'
'I can't believe that you can still be so hearty.' Hugo shook his head. 'Are you not concerned about them?'
'Of course I am.' The Great Aunt acknowledged. 'But, there is little I can do by furrowing my brows. The spirits will take care of them. They take care of all of us.'
'Ah, of course.' Hugo shook his head in wonder. 'It's always the spirits.'
************************************************************************
'I wonder where Borus ran off to.'
'I am going to have a stern word with him.' Chris fumed from across the table. 'I can't believe that he bolted from the castle without so much as informing me. What am I? His servant?'
Percival coughed slightly. 'If I remember correctly, he did inform you that he was leaving.'
'I don't consider leaving a lame excuse informing me.' Chris answered sharply.
'You could have asked Yuiri, she seems to know everything about Borus these days.' Leo commented nonchalantly.
'That brings me to my second point.' Chris said. 'Yuiri...'
'Ran away from you in the middle of your conversation.' Percival chipped in. 'We heard about it already.'
'Correct!' Chris raised her voice. 'This is a disaster for discipline. How can the Knights of Zexen ever maintain its discipline, when we, their commanders utterly lack it?'
'I'm sure they can provide an acceptable explanation.' Salome observed.
'I would love to hear that.' Chris shot back.
'I remember that there was a time when a certain Captain did not follow orders that well.' Salome said to no one in particular. 'A war was brewing, and some unknown Council didn't want to get involved in it that much. But, some Captain decided to ignore orders and lead the Zexen Knights into battle.' Salome looks around the table. 'Sound familiar to anyone?'
'Not I.' Rolan shook his head.
'Nope.' Leo turned his eyes upwards and began to admire the elegant ceiling.
'Wonder who it was.' Percival shrugged his shoulders.
A slightly reddened Chris could only mutter to herself in impotent anger.
************************************************************************
The agony was nearly unbearable. The pain shot through his body, causing him to keel over in a vain attempt to quell it. Once he managed to regain control over his senses, he took a hesitant look at his hand. The intense pain that was firing through his veins told him that his arm now ended in a bloody stump, but to his immense surprise, all the agony was originating from an ever growing reddish bruise on the side of his sword hand.
What happened?
He winced as he brought himself to his knees.
Had the spirits tried to strike him down?
He took a look around the plains and saw no one.
What had happened?
And then, on the ground beside him, he saw what looked like a crossbow bolt. A bolt without the head.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. She was a good shot. One of the best. But, this shot was the most difficult one that she had ever made. Her breathing was ragged, her heart was thumping and her nerves were jangled. No sane person would have even attempted using the crossbow.
But, this situation was different. She saw Borus raise the sword. She knew what he was going to do. And, she knew that she had to do something. She wanted to speak to him again. She wanted to be with him again.
She took the shot. In hindsight, she would have considered herself insane for actually thinking that she would be on target. If she had missed, and he had fallen, she didn't think that she would allow herself to live past the day.
But, her aim was true.
She saw him drop to the ground, clutching his hand.
And suddenly, she found herself throwing her weapon to the floor, and running towards the fallen knight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
'Borus!'
He heard a familiar voice shout his name. He took a look around and saw a figure running towards him. A female figure that grew more familiar as it drew closer.
'Yuiri...' He whispered to himself. It was her. She was coming for him.
But why?
He was the Butcher. The murderer of her kin. Why was she here?
And then, it struck him. She was here to end his life. It was fitting, in a way. She was the only person he actually considered a good friend. She was the only one who stood beside him for so long. And so, she was the one who truly understood what a monster he was.
He always wanted to see her one last time.
At least that wish was granted.
************************************************************************
The youthful, brown-haired man peered at his guest. 'What is it? You've been awfully quiet today.'
'I don't know, Master Thomas.' The Alma Kinan woman shook her head. 'I just feel that the wind is trying to tell me something.'
'The spirits, Yumi?'
'I'm not sure.' Yumi took another look at the clear sky. 'Something of great import has just occurred. Although, I'm not sure what.'
'Do you think its time for you to return home?'
'Maybe.' She smiled softly. 'But let me finish what I came to do first.'
************************************************************************
He expected her to run him through with a blade.
He expected her to slit his neck open.
He expected her to bash his skull in with a rock.
He expected her to end his life in any method known to man.
What he did not expect was for her to throw her arms around him and force him to the ground. He lay on his back, stunned as she buried her face into his chest and began to sob uncontrollably.
'Yuiri?' He managed to whisper.
'What the hell are you doing?' The woman said between her sobs. 'Why didn't you tell anyone anything?'
'I'm doing what I should have done all those years ago.'
'Why are you doing this to yourself?' She looked up as she asked him fiercely. She looked horrible. Her hair was disheveled and her cheeks were stained with tears.
'What do you mean, Yuiri?' He was stunned. What had happened to her? 'What are you doing?'
'I'm trying to stop you from killing yourself!' She shouted at the top of her voice.
'Why should I?' Borus closed his eyes. 'I know that I'm a monster. I shouldn't be allowed to live.' He glanced towards the graves that loomed over his body. 'If I didn't exist, all of them would still be alive. I hope that with my death, they can rest in peace.'
'You idiot!' A white hot jolt of raw pain tore through his senses. She had slapped him across the face, as tears began to pour down her cheeks again. 'Why do you want to die so much? Why do you want to leave everyone behind?'
'No one wishes me well.' He replied with an edge in his voice. 'The Knights? They snicker at me behind my back. They think me a barbarian for what I have done. The Grasslanders? They think me a bloody thirsty monster that would kill again and again. Hugo? No matter how what I do, I know that he is ashamed of my company. You?' And then he lost his voice.
'Me?' Yuiri averted her eyes and whispered. 'What about me, Borus?'
'You detest me.' Borus admitted softly.
'I don't...' She tried to defend herself.
'You don't need to explain yourself. I understand.' He interrupted her. 'The night in the tavern told me everything I needed to know.'
'You don't understand...'
'I do, Yuiri. I thank you for the time that you spent with me. It made my life somewhat more bearable.' He gave another heavy sigh. 'Now, do what you came here to do.'
'I...'
'Take my sword and slay me. Let my blood spill on these grounds. Let the souls that I murdered rest in peace.'
Another flash of pain. She had slapped him again. 'Shut up, Borus!' She realized that she was yelling at the top of her voice. 'No one wants you to die, you fool! I don't want to see you die! Especially after what you've done...'
'I'm sorry...' He closed his eyes and apologized.
'Let me speak, you idiot.' She softened her gaze and sat down beside him. 'I left the village to look for something. After my sister left, I began to doubt my place in the world. I began to wonder about what life meant for me. So much happened, too much. I don't know what happened, or why it happened, but I found myself in the Castle.'
'I remember that day.' He whispered as he stared into the clear sky.
'I hated you.' She smiled thinly. 'You were a butcher. I knew that you were one. I wanted to prove that you were one. I thought that that was my path. Then, I saw what you were doing with Chief Hugo. The days passed by quickly. I don't remember much, but I do remember all the times I was with you.'
'I remember them too.'
She breathed deeply. This was it. 'I enjoyed it.'
'What?' Borus refused to believe what he had just heard.
She turned her gaze towards him. 'Come back to the Castle.'
'Why?' Borus looked away. 'I don't deserve anything. I owe so many people so much. The Grasslanders that I slew will never forgive me.'
'Listen to yourself, Borus! What can you do when you're dead? What will that give the Grasslands?'
'Then what do you want me to do?' He asked.
'Do something for the Grasslands.' She answered.
'I'm only one man.'
'Then help one Grasslander.' She whispered.
************************************************************************
'Change.'
'Great Aunt?'
'It is done.' The old woman smiled. 'Let's return to the village.'
'Yours, or mine?' Hugo asked.
'Let's return to the Alma Kinan Village. I have good news to tell the others.'
'Shouldn't we be traveling to the Castle?'
'Let time take its course. While one of Grassland's children has found her place, there will be many more who take up the search.'
'That's not an answer.'
'It is.' The Great Aunt replied.
Hugo could only shrug his shoulders in exasperation.
************************************************************************
The citizens of Brass Castle found themselves bearing witness to a strange procession. Usually, three of the Mighty Knights tromping down the paved roads didn't usually draw much attention. But this particular day was slightly different.
'Calm down, Lady Chris.' Percival told the fuming Captain. 'The soldier didn't mean it.'
'I can't believe that you are taking his side. I absolutely abhor his behavior.'
'He did praise you.'
'I don't consider being called "too sexy for armor" praise!'
'Well...' Percival tried his best to respond.
'As I told all of you before, the Knight's discipline is going down the drain. I'll have a word with Borus and Yuiri.'
'But, we haven't located them yet.' Leo tried to explain.
'I wouldn't be so sure about that, Leo.' Percival said in amazement, as he pointed into the crowd.
The Knights looked in the direction that Percival indicated, and to their utter astonishment, they saw a very familiar looking couple in the distance. A sandy-haired knight, clad in the silver armor that made the Zexen Knights so famous, held in his embrace a beautiful woman who was wearing the traditional garb of an Alma Kinan warrior. It was of little doubt that they were locked in a passionate kiss that seemed to be growing more intimate as time bore on.
'Well,' Leo ventured into the stunned silence, 'at least Percival gets to have a clear shot at the Captain now.'
And in an instant, he found himself flat on his back, staring at an ever- reddening Lady Chris.
************************************************************************
Author's Notes: Yep, that's an end to the Side Story. Nice and sappy, wasn't it? Sorry about the delay, but real life is giving me a good run for my money nowadays. Sucks, doesn't it?
Now, on with the err.... main story?
Thanks to GreatLight432 and Renfro Calhoun for pre-reading my work. Their hard work makes this piece a million times better.
Anyways, please remember to email me at red_aurum@yahoo.com for any suggestions, critiques, reviews and the like. Please don't flame me, I have a fragile ego.