Meanwhile, as the villager's began to settle down for the night, and more torches were blown out, no one was aware of the outsider's sneaking and lurking in the shadows. Blending in with the darkness, the sound of their rapidly pounding feet mixing in with songs and drunken laughter, their silhouette's melted into the background. One lead the other through the shadows, stopping at every corner, surveying the area before dashing to another darkened area.
Damn it. I can't see a thing! Why couldn't that damn dragon spirit have left me with some sight?! Wait, where's Yachiru!? Damn wrench, she's moving too fast!
"Hey, where did you go?!" He said out loud, groping the darkness, desperately wishing he could see. "Slow down! You know I can't see a damn thing!"
"Then, do not let go of my hand. Have I not told you that ten times by now? Honestly, brute."
"I did have a hold of your hand 'til you let go and dashed ahead! You're moving too fast!"
"Quiet, Ao!" She hissed, coming to an abrupt stop and he slammed into her. His hand found a wall and he managed to regain his balance, and a hand covered his mouth. "Keep your voice down or this will all be for nothing."
I know that! You have no idea how hard it is not to shout at you right now!
"Ok, Ao, you are hidden right now." Ao felt her hand move from his mouth down to his chest, she pressed her hand against his chest and guided him to a nearby wall. "Stay put and wait right here, I will be right back. Understand?"
"Where are you going?" He asked in a panic voice, grabbing her hand tightly.
"Settle down." Yachiru consoled in a gentle tone, taking his hands in hers, holding them together. Hearing her voice, feeling her soft hands holding his like how a mother would hold her child's hand after waking from a nightmare, it always comforted him. For a long time, he wondered if he would ever feel such comfort again. And it brought a small smile to his lips knowing she was here and her touch was still as gentle as he remembered. "I have a plan, in order to make it come to fruition, I need oil."
Ao tilted his head curiously, staring straight ahead hoping to be looking at her. "Oil? You're going to light a torch? I thought we weren't suppose to be seen."
"Would you keep quiet?" She said in a low, harsh whisper as her hand covered his mouth. His eyes widened and his hear skipped a beat. "Besides, I told you, in order complete our mission, you have to trust me."
He shook his head away from her hand. "I do trust you-"
"Then, do as I say. We will need to move quick, it won't be long before we are spotted by someone."
Ao gave a soft sigh, attempting to relax. "This plan of yours, how do you know this is going to work?"
This time it was Yachiru's turn to sigh. "What did I just say? Do you trust me or do you not?"
Ao came to a stop and sighed heavily. "Sorry, ok? I just don't, really, like not being able to see while we're sneaking around this forsaken hell hole. The darkness helps, but there is still a chance that we'll get caught by a drunk or a child. When we were kid's, I was the one ahead, keeping a watchful eye for anyone who could see us. And no offense, but your one of the most known near sighted woman of this village."
"I understand what you are saying, this is a very risky idea, but it is the best we have right now." Yachiru said in a gently way. "I need to lead, and you will need to keep up with my pace."
"I get that, alright?" He growled, frustrated. "But, why am I tagging along? Don't you think you'll get out quicker without me slowing you down? Shouldn't I be waiting for you by the forest?"
Yachiru growled to herself softly, trying to prevent herself from getting aggravated with Ao.
A nearby twig snapped and they fell silent. Ao stared ahead, frozen stiff, waiting for voices to scream. Yachiru's hand pressed harder against his chest, keeping him in place.
"Hush!" She snapped, covering his mouth with her hand. Carefully, she glanced over her shoulder as a child at the lighted path, lugging a full bucket of water. The boy was sickly thin, covered head to toe in bruises and dirt, struggling to catch his breath, sweat dripped off his bangs and stained his clothes, his feet dirty and covered in cuts, and his clothes were torn. Tears trailed down his cheeks, she could hear soft sobs from him, and his body trembled. Her eye's followed the boy up to one of the huts where a man stood leaning in the doorway, two large glass bottles in each hand, his eyes red and swollen, saliva dripped off his chin. The boy started to cry as he pulled himself and the heavy bucket into the hut, and the man closed the curtain.
Yachiru felt her heart break seeing the boy. Despite knowing what would be waiting for him at home, the boy still obeyed his father and carried a heavy bucket filled with water. A thankless job.
Yachiru sighed and shook her head. She grabbed Ao's hand and pulled him up to a tall pile of crates. Checking to make sure no one was around, she turned around sharply and placed her hand on his chest, signaling him to stop. Then, her hand pressed down on his shoulders and Ao went down to his knees. "I know where I can get the oil. She was one of my regular customers at the bar, she has much more sense than half of the other villagers, and she owes me a few favors. However, she is terrified of you. I am going to negotiate a deal with her, but it has to be jut me. So, while I am gone, I need you to sit here and wait for me. I will return momentarily."
Her hand was off his chest, the sound of her feet running away from him and disappearing into the shadows. Ao sat in what seemed like absolute darkness, his chest grew tight, his breath became still, blood pounding in his ears, wondering if he was being watched from a nearby window. The air was colder, crickets continued their song, and Ao couldn't see his hands on his knees.
Stop it, just stop. You'll only make things worse for yourself by panicking. Just sit still...what was it that Yachiru would do if she was stress? Oh, meditate. It's been some time, but I think I remember how.
Taking a deep, relaxing breath, Ao felt his eye lids connect and focused on his surroundings. When his heart had settled and he was able to breath normally, his mind wondered back to the conversation he had with Yachiru a few hours ago.
"I won't abandon him." Ao had assured Yachiru. "I won't subject him to suffer such atrocities because of the our ancestors' curses. You're his Mage, is it not your job to protect him?"
He knew he had struck a cord in her heart, he could feel her deathly glare on him like a heat wave. In fact, he was surprised she didn't slap him. Although he didn't mean to sound so harsh, he wanted to make his point clear. "Watch what you say to me, Brute. I was his Mage, just as I was yours. And you know that, since I am born out of wedlock, I cannot, officially, inherit the title of Mage. It became mine out of desperation after my mother passed. I was more than aware that the time would come that the village would punish me, that I would have to endure whatever punishment the village can concoct due to my parents choice. I knew that I would have to pass on the title to Megumi when she became of age. Once all was said and done..."
Ao was shocked to hear her pause, and for a moment, he was worried that a threat had appeared.
"What's wrong?"
"How strange. I never thought about what I would do once I became...just me." She answered, the tone of her voice was light. "I wonder what I would have done had I not been exiled, and I was no longer the village Mage. Who would I be then? What would I have done back then?"
Ao pinched his lips together, kind of shocked to hear that she had not thought that far ahead. It was abnormal for Yachiru to not plan ahead for her future, she was always one step ahead of him when it came to the well being of the child. And if he did anything to change it or suggest anything else, she would have been furious.
Then Ao began to wonder the same thing about himself. He knew, eventually, the power of the Blue Dragon would leave his body like a slowly dying fire. He had a few ideas of what he could do, but none of them were thoroughly thought out. If anything, he was more focused on the present, ensuring that the child under his care would be able to hold a sword without cutting himself.
He's such a troublesome child, Ao thought to himself, but he was always so curious. Humph, I wonder if he's thought of his own future.
"You're a bright woman, even without your powers you have more talent than half the women in the village, you would've figured something out." Ao answered as best he could, trying to uplift her spirits. "I mean, you still have me, I would've found a job for you...or something."
He heard Yachiru scoff and he imagined her grey eyes rolling around inside her sockets. "You have an answer for everything. Tell me, what was your plan once your eyes were gone? What were going to do?"
"Me?" Ao felt his face grow hot and his heart raced again. "Uh...um...I would've...found a purpose...a job a blind samurai can do. My sight had been failing me for some time before I completely lost it. I trained myself to rely on my other senses, I can still fight. Can't be that hard protecting the village without my sight, I've been doing it-"
"And here you go raving again." Yachiru sighed. "I hope you were more level headed and more organized when you had Blue with you."
Ao couldn't help but chuckle lightly and shake his head at her. "You still care for him more than you should, not that I'm saying that's your fault or anything. He's so pathetic and innocent, you can't help but care about him."
"And you care for that child as much as I. Even though I was his Mage for a short time, I cared for him as much as Hikaru. If he saw either of us again, he would be over joyed to see you, but I doubt he would remember me. I can only hope that Megumi will not be so harsh with him."
Ao remembered biting his lower lip, he didn't have the heart to tell her the truth that the both knew. They both knew Megumi was power hungry, and hated the Blue Dragon Warrior. All she wants is to be the protector of the village, to be a hero. But her bloodline has tied her down to taking care of any Blue Dragon Warriors born during her life time, as part of her ancestor's oath.
That was when Ao had an idea. "If you think about it, you are still his Mage."
"What do you mean? Are you speaking nonsense again?"
"The title of the Blue Dragon's Mage is passed down to the next if the predecessor has passed or has grown old. Isn't that right?" He said, taming his excitement and praying he was right.
"Obviously, that's how I became your Mage after my mother passed. Grandmother is far too old to even walk straight anymore."
"Did they create a law that forbids you from being a Mage even though you have been exiled? You're still alive, you're only two years older than I. And they gave him to your younger sister because you were born out of wedlock?"
"Ao..."
"If they did, if they added some new secret law about the Mages and their responsibilities, I heard nothing of the sort. Thereby, Blue Dragon is still your responsibility, he is still your dragon."
Yachiru was quiet for a long time. Ao could feel the air around them growing dense with tension, he wanted to say something but feared it would only cause harm.
"What a surprise to hear you use your brain for once. And I think I know where you are going with this notion. So, here is the plan..."
"Ao?" He heard a voice whisper and a warm hand grasp his. His eyes shot open. "Calm down, Ao. I did not mean to startle you."
"I'm fine...don't worry about me. Did you get it?"
"Yes, come with me now." She grasped his hand again and guided him a little further down.
We have to save him, Ao thought to himself as they came to a sudden stop.
"We have arrived." Yachiru whispered to Ao, sliding into the hut, pulling him in behind her and came to a sudden stop. Her jaw dropped slightly in shock, her heart began to race and her blood grew hot. Laying in the middle of the floor, curled into a tight ball, was the current Blue Dragon Warrior. The child she nick named Blue, the child who had stolen her heart and gave her a sense of purpose. Blue's little body laid curled in a ball in the center of the floor, shivering next to a pile of vomit.
Megumi has left you alone and cold, and I think she has already started punishing you, Yachiru thought to herself.
"I cannot let this go on." She whispered, pulling out the oil from under her robes. Carefully placing the oil on the ground, she ran over to wall and grabbed a long torch. The same place Ao had been keeping the torches. She laid the torch down, ripped off a long piece of her robe and began wrapping it around the top. She looked up at Ao, who has staring around the room, lost in thought. "Ao, listen to me, he is asleep. This is why I had you follow me, why I brought you along. This is your job, he will only go to you. Call for him, wake him up and I will make preparations. Be quick." Yachiru whispered, grabbing the end of a torch and slapped two sharp rocks together.
"Blue Dragon?" Ao whispered, trying to keep his voice low, kneeling down and feeling around the ground. "Blue Dragon? Where are you? I can't see. Come here right now."
Ao stood up and slammed his head into a shelf, causing cookware to fall and clatter.
"Shit!" He cursed, pausing to hear any sound of different voices or rapidly approaching foot steps.
The boy, suddenly, awoke and sat up, his eyes wide. Frantically, he stood up and began looking around the hut and turned around, his eyes finding Ao. The child came to a stop, frozen in place, his bewildered eyes glued to Ao.
"Damn it, I should've remembered that was there." Ao grumbled, shaking the pain away. "Blue Dragon." Ao whispered in a harsh tone again, now groping the air around him, his head turning left and right searching for the child that stood in front of him. Feeling as though the silence was weighing down on him, pressuring him to move quicker, his heart began to race again and the worst case scenario played out in his head. "Please. You have to be here. Please, come to me. I can't see anymore, you'll need to come to me. The bell's. Where are your bells?"
"Ao…."
Ao gasped, just barely hearing the sound of his name. Yachiru paused and looked up where Blue Dragon stood, his legs trembled and his eyes welling. Ao heard a soft whimper and stopped groping the ground, and held his arms out.
"Come...come here." Ao whispered, praying to hear that voice again. "It's alright. It's me. I'm here. But I can't go to you, you need to come to me."
Blue Dragon sobbed and ran up to Ao, his arms out begging for him. His small body slammed into Ao's legs, crying loudly.
"Ssshh, sshh, sshh, shut up. You're going to wake everyone." Ao snarled, dropping to his knees, pulling Blue Dragon off him and his hand covered the child's mouth with his hand. "Of all the times for you to cause such trouble."
For a moment, it seemed the earth stood still as he imagined the crying boy; his mystic eyes red and filled with tears, his round face turning pink from breathing into Ao's hand. And yet, Ao could sense an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness emanating from him. He didn't care that his mouth was muffled, or that Ao couldn't see him, or that Ao had disappeared suddenly then returned.
He would be over joyed to see you.
I didn't believe it then. But, with what I'm feeling from him, could it be that I matter so much to him? But why? All I ever did was scream and yell at him, I even slapped him around a few times. And fed him, bathed him, gave him medicine when he was sick, trained him to harness his power...
Ao gasped as he felt several small fingers gasp his fingers that was covering the child's mouth, the edges of his hand were wet and slimy.
"Ao." He sobbed and sniffled. "You're home."
Ao pinched his lips together, his heart still racing. Ao thought about how Blue felt when he woke and Ao had disappeared, how scared and abandoned he must've felt. And believing he was going to be left alone and to be raised by a menacing witch broke Ao's heart. Ao knew what it was like to feel that abandonment, that fear of being alone, the anger and resentment that came with it. Emotions that no child should ever experience.
And the village was responsible.
Yachiru gasped in surprise as she watched Ao slid his slimy hand behind the boy's head and pulled him into his chest. Short arms attempting to wrap around his body. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I didn't want to leave. I never would've abandoned you. They stole me away... I didn't know... I couldn't fight them..."
"We do not have much time, Ao." Yachiru whispered, slapping the rocks together again and a spark ignited above the cloth. In no time, a fire was lit. "If everything goes accordingly, the hut will burn down, by the time anyone discovers it, the hut will be engulfed." She explained as she laid the torch next to large pile of hay, leaving the remaining oil next to the torch. "No one will come looking for him, the villagers will believe he died in a freak accident. But, we must go before now and leave the village before sunrise."
"We're leaving." Ao whispered to Blue Dragon, holding him tightly and stood up. "And we are never coming back. I don't have time to explain, but I will not leave you here alone. So, she and I are going to take you away from here. We're going to go somewhere safe, the village cannot be our concern anymore, not if they can't bother to treat us humanely. I can't say where we're going or how far it is, but it has to be now. And it has to be all three of us. Do you remember this woman-"
"I don't care who she is or if I remember." Blue Dragon whispered, holding on to him tightly. "She brought you back to me, Ao. I'm not alone anymore, and I'm not scared. I don't want the village to go unprotected, but I want to go wherever you go, I don't ever want you to leave me. If you trust her, then I trust her, too. Just don't leave me again, Ao. I don't want to be alone."
"Alright, sounds like he's ready."
Yachiru grabbed his mask and tucked it into her robe.
"I have what we need. Follow me." Yachiru grabbed his hand and guided the two warriors out of the village.