A Song of Ice, Fire & the Dead
…
Chapter 8: Growing Pains and Tensions
Aegon left the bathroom and headed down the hallway to the kitchens. He soon found the facility where he found Ciri, Saeko and Alice enjoying some food. Saeko was wearing a long deep blue kimono dress that complimented her features and gave her an air of elegance and culture.
"Ah, there you are. Thought you might've gone elsewhere," Ciri said with a smile as she supped from a bowl of miso soup. "This is excellent, by the way," she added to one of the cooks who smiled and nodded in thanks.
"How are you feeling, Egg?" Saeko asked Aegon as she bounced little Alice on her knee.
"I feel better after a shower, and I'll be even better with some food inside me," Aegon replied as he took a seat beside the indigo-haired samurai. Reaching under the table, Aegon gently gave Saeko's free hand a squeeze and sent her a soft smile. Saeko smiled and squeezed back. Ciri watched the exchange with a secretive little smile as she supped on her soup.
One of the cooks then served Aegon a bowl of miso soup. Aegon gratefully slurped on the soup, groaning in relief as the first thing he had eaten in almost a day entered his belly. Demolishing the soup within seconds, Aegon sighed in relief. Noticing the look on Ciri's face, he said, "Apologies. It's been almost a day since I had eaten anything."
"No need to be sorry, Uncle Egg," Ciri said with an airy smile. "I know the feeling all too well," she added as she bit into a spoonful of rice and teriyaki chicken.
"I suppose you do," Aegon said. "So, what is it like were you hail from?" he then asked as he was served some rice and chicken.
"Well, it's not as advanced as this world, but in other respects it would seem equal to it and maybe even surpass it in some regards," Ciri replied.
"In what way?" Saeko asked.
"Well, we have magic for one thing, as well as monsters," said the ashen haired witcheress.
"There's magic?" Alice asked in excitement.
"Yes, there is indeed, little Alice," Ciri said to the pink-haired girl with a smile.
"Show me, show me!" Alice pleaded.
"Can't right now, but maybe later," Ciri and Alice gave a little pout.
"So, you mentioned monsters. Do you mean things like werewolves, orcs and the like?" Saeko asked.
"We have werewolves certainly, but I don't know if there's anything like orcs you just mentioned, but we have other monsters like fiends, chorts, strigas and nekkers. To name but a few."
"Such curious names. I don't believe I've ever heard of chorts, strigas or nekkers," Aegon remarked.
"Pray you never face them," Ciri said seriously. "If you do, you'd best hire a Witcher to get rid of them," she added.
"And that is what you are, yes?" Aegon asked. Ciri nodded in response and said, "Yep, what I've trained for since I was a young child."
"What exactly does a Witcher do, and how does one become a Witcher?" Saeko asked.
"Witchers are enhanced monster slayers for hire, but we also perform things like lifting curses, exorcisms, removing enchantments. That sort of thing," Ciri explained.
"Is it difficult?" Aegon asked.
"Practically impossible," Ciri said with a grin. "It takes years of training and study to learn the Witcher trade and there's a lot to learn; anatomy of monsters, history of magic, swordsmanship, acrobatics, alchemy and many other things," she added.
"So, how does one become a Witcher?" Saeko asked.
"Well, it's not really a choice per se, usually you're taken when you're very young because of the Law of Surprise has been invoked," Ciri said.
"Taken? You were… taken as a child from your parents?" Aegon asked looking shocked.
"Well, my mother died when I was very young and my father wasn't exactly an ideal father," Ciri said uneasily. "It's a little complicated and I'm not particularly comfortable talking about it," she added with a grimace on her face.
"As you wish then," Aegon replied dropping the matter.
Then walking into the kitchen was Takashi and Kohta. Saeko looked up. "Takashi? Kohta? What's going on?" she asked the two boys.
Takashi sighed and said, "Takagi said we should have a meeting, so we came to fetch you."
"I suppose there is something that needs to be discussed," Aegon said tiredly as he stood up from his seat. Saeko nodded in agreement and stood up as well.
"Indeed. We must decide on what to do from hereafter," the indigo-haired girl said softly as she fixed her robe.
"Can Alice come too?" Alice piped up.
Kohta smiled at her and replied, "Of course, you can, Alice! You and Zero are part of the team!" Alice gave a cheer.
"I suppose I'll wait here then?" Ciri said to Aegon who looked at her then looked at Takashi.
Takashi nodded and said, "You're welcome to join our meeting too, Miss Ciri."
"Right, let's get this over and done with."
…
"I don't see why we have to meet in here," Rei grumbled as she lay on her chest in the bed, her back exposed with only a sheet covering her rump.
"You haven't healed yet and can't move without assistance, Rei," Takashi said to her soothingly. "And this may be the one place we can get some privacy around here," he added.
"So, what is it we're discussing?" Shizuka asked conversationally as she peeled a banana in her hands and took a bite of the soft tender fruit within.
"About whether or not we're on the same side from now on," Saya replied as she stared out the window.
"Same side?" Rei parroted looking up at Saya in confusion.
"Of course, we are," Saeko said. "We've simply merged with a larger and more stable group, so…"
"That's right! We have two options to us: do we stay together or…?" Saya postulated.
"Or do we go our separate ways," Aegon said for everyone in the group.
"But is there any need for us to split up?" Shizuka asked timidly. Saya then forcefully opened the doors to the balcony and walked outside before speaking.
"Take a look out there! If you don't understand what I'm getting at, then you have no right to call me by my first name!" the pinkette snapped angrily.
Looking outside from the balcony, Aegon saw the chaos outside the compound walls compared to the order within.
"I think Saya has a point," he said to Takashi. "It's gotten worse out there," he added.
"Yeah, but your father managed to pull this off," Takashi then said to Saya. "Something like this is only a thing a Right-Wing VIP could pull off. Your Mom too," he added.
A bitter look came over Saya's face as she said, "Yeah… they're amazing. I used to be proud of that. Same goes for now, they did it all in a day…"
"But if they could do all that?"
"Takagi…" Takashi tried to say but this only seem to upset Saya.
"Call me by my first name!" she practically screamed at Takashi.
Aegon then stepped in. "Saya, you mustn't think badly of your parents. This is no time for it. We're all in a rough spot right now," he said.
"You sound just like my mom!" Saya spat at Aegon getting in his face. "I know! I know that my parents are amazing! The second they knew something was wrong, they immediately took action and protected their property, their workers and their families!" she yelled.
"Saya, calm down, you're in hysterics," Ciri said.
"What do you care?!" Saya spat. "Why are you even here anyway?!" she demanded but she then continued her rant.
"My parents are truly incredible, and it's not like they even forgot their own daughter who was clearly a top priority!" she screamed, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "It's genuinely like them! To think that they gave up on their daughter, instantly knowing she wouldn't survive!"
Aegon growled in anger and with one simple but forceful movement, he slapped Saya across the cheek, almost knocking her to the floor. The sound of flesh being smacked started almost everyone in the room. Aegon stared at Saya, a deep angry frown on his face; Saya looked up at him with a bewildered expression on her face.
"Stop it right now, Saya Takagi," Aegon said to her coldly. "You're not the only one who has it tough right now. The very least you can be is grateful to know that your parents are alive," he told her. Gesturing to Takashi and the others, he continued, "Look at everyone else; for all Takashi and Rei know, their parents could be dead or turned into Them. Hells, Kohta and Saeko might never know the fate of their parents, and take a good look at Alice, she watched her father die in front of her trying to get her to safety!" he declared.
"So, you can complain about your parents all you want, Saya, but you're at least better off than most of us here!" Aegon then said to Saya.
"Egg?" Saeko asked him in concern, placing a hand on his shoulder. Aegon looked at her and sighed, his temper subsiding to more normal levels.
"My apologies, just a little worked up is all," the Valyrian said calmly.
"So, you should be," Saya said with a weak chuckle. "But you're right. I should be grateful my parents are alive at all," she added with a shaky smile and tears falling from her eyes.
"Friends?" Aegon asked her and he held out his hand to shake. But instead Saya suddenly embraced him, burying her face into his chest and giving a quiet sob. With a surprised grunt, Aegon took the action in his stride and held Saya firmly, running his hand through her long pink hair and rubbed a small circle on her back with his other. Aegon noticed the slightly glum look on Kohta's face and he gave an apologetic smile to him. After a moment, Saya released her hold on Aegon and wiped her eyes roughly with the sleeve of her shirt.
Ciri then looked down at the courtyard and saw a crowd gathering. "Look. There's something going on in the courtyard," she said to everyone and everyone looked down at the gathering crowd.
Saya's father, Souichiro Takagi was standing on a raised platform with a cage beside him. Inside the cage was a man wearing a uniform but had been turned into one of Them. Souichiro held in his hand a well-made katana and he was giving a speech. His speech was how the man within the cage had been conducting a rescue of some survivors but was bitten and turned. Now, he was being given mercy.
The cage door opened and the turned man rushed towards Souichiro who lopped off his head with a powerful swing of his sword. While the body had died, the head was still living so to speak. With a final farewell, Souichiro crushed the head with a stomp of his boots, crushing it to fragments of bone, blood, hair, and greymatter.
Everyone watched with mixed feelings of disgust and understanding. With something approaching a sneer on his lips, Kohta spoke.
"Blades are so inefficient."
Hearing this, Saeko said to him, "You presume too much, Hirano."
"Katanas chip on contact with bone! They're useless after you cut down three or four people!" Kohta argued.
"One who practices the way of the sword knows its demands, Hirano," Saeko replied calmly. "The skill of the wielder, the quality of the sword and the strength of mind," she said. "If these demands are met then one needn't worry about losing the combative strength of their sword," she added.
"Indeed," Aegon said nodding his head. "Tis not the sword that makes the man, but the man that makes the sword. A sword is not the measure of a warrior, but rather their skill with it" he stated.
"But when you get blood on it-" Kohta tried to say but Saeko cut him off.
"It's like cooking: when a skilled chef uses a good knife, no excess meat will be left on the blade," she said. "That sort of reasoning doesn't change, whether it be swords or people we're talking about," she added.
"But… but…" Kohta was floundering, trying to come up with an argument.
Aegon had a look of concern on his face and reached out with one hand to touch Kohta's shoulder. "Kohta…?" he tried to ask the younger boy.
"Don't touch me!" Kohta snapped at him. "You don't even know how to use a gun!" he accused. Aegon had a surprised and sorrowful look on his face.
"Hirano! Behave yourself!" Saya admonished the marksman of the group. Kohta gathered up the guns in his arms and stormed out of the room.
"What's his problem?" Takashi asked, looking utterly bewildered.
"Hirano is a man too, Takashi," Saeko told him.
"Should we…?" Aegon tried to ask the question dying on his lips.
"Give Hirano some time, Egg," Saeko told him. "It's all been very stressful for everyone involved," she added sagely. Aegon sighed and looked out across the city and leaned against the railing of the balcony. Alice, Saya, Ciri and Saeko then left the room.
"You know, this reminds me of some old story I heard from my history teacher back in second year," Takashi suddenly said to Aegon.
"Well, let's hear it," Aegon muttered.
"The story was about this group of British Royal Navy sailors and their captain on a ship called the Bounty in 1788. They had arrived in the South Pacific paradise of Tahiti after a difficult voyage," Takashi began. "After six months of docking there, the ship set sail, but within a month there was a mutiny. The sailors craved the idyllic life of Tahiti and wouldn't stand the harsh rule of their captain," he then said.
"So, what are you getting at?" Aegon enquired.
"We're in a Tahiti of our own; the Takagi Estate has eased some of the tension," replied Takashi. "But what will happen after we leave?" he then said.
Aegon nodded his head slowly, understanding what Takashi was saying. "A mutiny will break out," he observed.
Takashi nodded in response. Aegon sighed before standing up straight and said, "I think I understand what you mean, Takashi. Thank you." Turning around, the Valyrian added, "I'm gonna go have a talk with Kohta, see if I can make peace with him."
Takashi and replied, "Let me know how it goes."
…
Aegon left the room and headed downstairs and into the garden, and there he found Saeko and Ciri kneeling beside a pond. Smiling to himself, Aegon trotted over to them and greeted them.
"Saeko, Ciri, what brings you here?" he asked the two women.
"I was just admiring the kumonryu and I was showing Ciri them," Saeko replied looking at Aegon with a soft smile. "It's rare to see so many of them together at once," she then said.
"Kumonryu?" Aegon repeated the word and he looked down into the pond and saw fish with black and white markings on their scales. "Oh, fish," he observed.
"Koi fish to be precise," Saeko told him with a smile. "There are many varieties of koi fish, each with distinct colours and markings. Kumonryu are rarely seen and to see so many in one pond is a rare experience."
"It is quite a sight to behold," Ciri put in. "Reminds me of different subspecies of creatures from back home," she then said.
"Monsters?" Aegon asked.
"And more mundane creatures such as panthers and peacocks from Toussaint. Toussaint is actually home to some unique species of animals not readily seen in other lands," Ciri replied.
"Hmm, remarkably interesting. I'd certainly like to see such a place," Aegon said with a smile.
"Indeed, if you ever saw Toussaint for the first time, you'd think you had stepped into a fairy tale," Ciri stated. "The land of love and wine as they call it back home," she said theatrically. Aegon and Saeko exchanged amused chuckles.
Then walking towards them was Saya. "Hey, have you seen Hirano anywhere? I swear when that fatty loses his temper," she complained. "What are you all doing here anyway?" she then asked.
"I was just showing Aegon and Ciri the kumonryu koi fish you have here," Saeko answered. "It is quite rare to see so many in one place," she added.
"So, you're not just knowledgeable about swords, but fish as well?" Saya said. "Can't say it doesn't suit you," she added blithely. Aegon gave the pinkette a reproachful look which made her backtrack and say, "I didn't mean to say…"
"It's alright. I too am not in a good mood," Saeko said as she stood to her feet.
"I think we're all not in a good mood," Aegon stated.
"So you're saying you understand my reason," Saya said rather than asked. Folding her arms her chest, she continued, "Today used to be no different than yesterday, and tomorrow will be no different than today. But we've lost the privilege to know how days will go now. Probably for good!"
Aegon nodded and he said, "Indeed, this world is in ruins." Looking at Saya, he added, "Which brings us back to your question from before."
"About whether we stay together, or split up?" Saya asked. "What we choose will decide our fates," she then said. A slightly melancholic smile crossed Saya's face as she spoke.
"My father has already made it clear what kind of world we'll be living in if we go with them," she said. "But, at least it'll be easier, right? We can stay children for a little while longer. And as the world fills up with more and more of Them, we can then play the happy-go-lucky mating game," she added.
"That would sound so bad," Saeko observed as she looked at Aegon with a slight smile and blush tinging her cheeks. Aegon did his best to not look flustered. Then Saeko added, "But I've taken lives other than Theirs."
"Saeko… what you did for Kazu was a mercy. He asked for you to end his life," Aegon told her.
"I know that, Egg," Saeko said sombrely. "But… assisting suicides isn't really something children should have a hand in," she added. Aegon gently brushed his finger against Saeko's cheek. Saeko shivered slightly and looked up at Aegon. A deep look was exchanged between them and a mad urge to kiss Saeko nearly overwhelmed Aegon. Saya watched them look into each other's eyes and she opened her mouth to speak when a sudden loud shout interrupted the moment.
"What's all the commotion?!"
"That… that was my dad…" Saya murmured. "What's going on?" she asked as she hurriedly walked in the direction of her father's voice. Aegon, Saeko and Ciri followed the pinkette.
…
Aegon then saw what the commotion was; Kohta was kneeling on the ground, clutching the guns they had borrowed from Shizuka's friend and standing in front of the chubby boy with his arms folded was Saya's father. Some of Souichiro's men were nearby.
"Ch-Chief! This kid thinks guns are toys!" one of Souichiro's men explained.
Souichiro looked down at Kohta and spoke, "Young man, I am Souichiro Takagi, leader of the Devout Patriots' League. What is your name?" he asked commandingly.
"K… K… Kohta Hirano! Of Fujimi Academy, Class 2B, seat 32!" Kohta babbled out, tears falling from his eyes.
"I sense spirit in your voice, young man," Souichiro said calmly. "You must've been through unspeakable pain to come this far," he remarked.
Yuriko walked up to her husband and spoke. "Darling, this boy is…"
"I have already been briefed," Souichiro said firmly and Yuriko nodded. Looking at Kohta with those fierce orange eyes, Souichiro spoke. "You refuse to relinquish your guns. Why?" he asked.
"If… I lose my guns… I'll… I'll go back to what I was before!" Kohta sobbed. "And I don't want to go back!" he screamed. "I've found something I'm good at!" he shouted.
"And what is that?" Souichiro asked and Kohta gaped in response.
Aegon then rushed forward. "Protecting your daughter, Lord Takagi!" he declared as he moved to stand beside Kohta.
"Ae-Aegon?" Kohta mumbled, looking relieved.
Takashi moved to stand beside Kohta as well. "That's right, Chief Takagi! Since this outbreak, Saya… your daughter has been protected this whole time by Hirano!" the young man said bravely.
"Komuro… you've known my daughter for a long time," Souichiro said calmly and Takashi nodded in response.
Then Alice rushed up and hugged Kohta's side, bravely staring into Souichiro without flinching.
Hobbling into view, being assisted by Shizuka was Rei and she spoke. "Chief Takagi, I have witnessed Hirano's bravery firsthand," she said.
"Me too, Dad!" Marching in came Saya as she stood in front of her father and looked at him.
"Hirano may be a short little fatty and a hopeless otaku, but it wasn't for him I would be dead!" she declared. "He saved my life, not you!" she said loudly.
Souichiro stared into his daughter's eyes for a long while, the deep-set frown never leaving his face nor softening. Saya looked back at him, unafraid and unflinchingly. Then Souichiro nodded, seemingly accepting what his daughter had said.
Aegon gave a quiet sigh of relief; he did not know what might happen if Saya's father chose not to accept her reasoning, but he was thankful he did. Then marching towards Souichiro was one of his men who whispered in his ear. Souichiro listened and nodded before he spoke to Saya.
"Saya, I must ask you to speak with the survivors here," he told her.
A look of surprise was on Saya's face as she spluttered out. "M-Me?! Why do I have to do that?" she asked.
"My daughter is not so inept as to not understand the reason, is she not?" Souichiro replied cuttingly. Saya suddenly realised what her father meant and looked to her mother Yuriko.
"Saya, we're asking you to do this because the people are wary when it comes to your father and I," Yuriko explained to her kindly.
"I… I'll come with you!" Kohta said to Saya, getting back onto his feet.
"I'll come as well," Takashi said.
"Me too!" Rei piped. But Shizuka stopped her.
"But Rei, we need to apply some more medicine to your back," the nurse said in a sing-song voice and a friendly smile that only served to look sinister on her face. Rei whimpered as she tried to hobble away as fast as she could but Shizuka caught her and practically dragged Rei kicking and screaming into the mansion.
"Perhaps we ought to escort Saya, as well?" Aegon asked Saeko who nodded.
"No," Souichiro suddenly said to Aegon and Saeko. "I have a need to speak with you both. If you will follow me, please?" he asked.
Aegon and Saeko exchanged a glance with each other. What was it that Saya's father wished to speak with them about.
"Well, in any case, I'll escort Saya and the others," Ciri offered. "I might be of some help," she said thoughtfully.
"Our thanks, Ciri," Aegon said to the ashen-haired witcheress gratefully before he and Saeko followed Souichiro into the mansion.
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: There, thought I might leave it off at this point, but I hope it was enough to satisfy you all.
Now, I don't like getting on my soapbox and I don't like doing this, but I received some nasty reviews from a reviewer who shall go unnamed, if only no-one here starts a flame war. While their first review wasn't too nasty, their second review did use some rather rude language. I may have acted a little too hasty but I blocked that reviewer who moments later left a guest review calling me some rather rude names that I won't repeat save for one in which they described me as and I quote "half-wit author with mentality of a kid"
Now just to clarify, swearing and rude language doesn't offend me too much, but if you're going to leave a review on my stories, you can at least be more polite and civil in the words you use. Hell, depending on the circumstance, context and who you're with, swearing can be kinda amusing, but there is a time and place for that sort of thing.
I fully understand and accept that not everyone is gonna like what I write, and that not everything I write about in my stories makes sense to people who read my stories, but all I ask is that you at least be civil and polite in your reviews. There's no need to throw around rude language and call me or even people rude names.
And if anything, swearing and cursing doesn't make you sound cool or tough. If anything, it makes you sound like an ignorant, unwashed and uneducated dock worker or street gang member.
Besides, it is not hard to be polite to everyone you meet or speak with. Granted, it's not guaranteed to make everyone like you for being polite, but it does win you points in a job interview and it will certainly win you points on this site.
And as the old saying goes "If you've got nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all." A simple but factually correct statement that's been around for years.
Okay, rant over. I apologise for that soapbox opera, but I felt a need to address it. Moving on.
So, next chapter we'll see the meeting between Souichiro and Aegon & Saeko. Saeko will be given a sword like in the anime/manga, and I know some of you will say that I've already given Saeko a sword from the shrine, but I think Aegon will tell Saeko that back home it was a practice among knights and warriors to carry two weapons, one as a main and the other as a spare. And with that in mind, Aegon will also be given a weapon by Souichiro, but it won't be a sword, rather it'll be something that help Aegon learn from Kohta about the finer points of gunmanship.
And if I'm able, the next chapter will also have the All Dead's Attack chapter which is basically where the anime dies, save for the beach episode/OVA special. Speaking of which, I might include that in the story as a little side story/omake/OVA special, but we'll get to that later.
And in other news, due to some issues brought up by some reviewers for my Young Justice/Elder Scrolls story, issues that when I was writing didn't even think or consider. With that in mind, I've been thinking about rewriting the story, but I want people to decide that as to whether I should rewrite it or not. If I do rewrite the story, I cannot promise the story will be any better than what I already have, but I will attempt to be more conscious of the issues that were brought to my attention. I've set up a voting poll on my profile; only three options, Yes, No or Indifferent and you can only choose one, so choose wisely!
And that's about all I have at the moment, so I'll leave this here and I'll see you all in the next one.
Be kind to one another,
Angry lil' elf.