Shikoku
Spatulas and Bandannas PROLOGUE
In Japan, in the ocean facing China, a figure danced within the waters. On closer look the figure appears to be a young man with long brown hair tied away from his face. His dance was in truth a martial arts kata, and the waves were his opponents. He danced and bobbed away from the waves hitting back with a long metal spatula that he bore much like he would a bo. A look of pure concentration and determination passed through the man's handsome face, as he focused all of his energy on the battle at hand. A battle, he hoped would prepare him to one day set out to defeat his enemies. Those who have ruined his life by leaving him behind. They had forced him to give up being who he was and made him become someone else. Someone who can only feel anger and sadness at what he lost. Someone who was bent on revenge. Someone who didn't mind the thought of killing to get the justice he believed he deserved.
Panting, the man finished his kata. He stood in the waist deep water and gave the ocean a respectful bow, possibly thanking it for sparring with him. That done, he turned and made his way to the beach, where a portable stove awaited him. Just as skillfully as he had fought, the man prepared himself the ingredients for okonomiyaki. He heated up the grill and poured the mixture onto the hot surface. In a relaxed state, he flipped the okonomiyaki with a mini spatula until it was perfect. Enjoying his lunch, he gazed out into the crystal blue water. The waves lapped onto the beach peacefully, completely different than when he had fought against them.
But something was wrong. Out in the farthest part of the waters, the man could see a dark shape appear. Curious, he stood up and tried to get a better look. It looked like it was a small child or an animal of some kind that was struggling in the deep water. Without a second thought, the man ran back to the water and dove in. Quickly, he swam closer to the creature. He began to make out the exact shape of the creature. Before he could identify it, it sank deeper into the water and didn't come up. Afraid that it might have drowned, the man dived deeper into the water. But he couldn't find it. He resurfaced, took a deep breath, and dived again. Again he frantically searched, but again it was all for naught. He was forced to resurface again to again catch his breath. The thing had probably drowned by now, but the man refused to give up. Once more he dived, this time deeper than before. Blindly, he felt around with his hands, until they brushed up against something. The man quickly grabbed the object he had found and swam towards the surface.
Once he caught his breath again, the man finally saw what he had saved. He looked down at the object in his hands and gasped. "A little black pig?" He said, completely bewildered. He had gone through all that trouble over a pig? How did a pig get so far out in the ocean, anyway?
The pig, slowly awoke and afraid, looked around. Frantically. Realizing he was being held, the pig looked up at the man, questionably. "Bweee?" he asked.
The man looked down at the pig. The pig in turn looked up at him. The man then realized that it was actually a rather cute pig. The yellow and black bandanna around its neck may mean it was a pet. In that case, the pig may have been worth saving after all.
The pig sneezed, and the man realized how wet the both of them were. "I'd better dry us both off," he remarked, laughing when the pig nodded its head in agreement. With the pig in his arms, the man waded back to the beach, specifically his campsite. "You know," He said conversationally to the pig, "I think I'll call you "P-chan" until I find your real owner." And he did.
END PROLOGUE
All the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.