Special Chapter: The Tales of Tengu Pt.1

Quick Note: To kickstart my return to writing for this story, I have decided to do a short story inside because I haven't finished the next chapter. But I want to signify my return somehow. More of these stories will come because I'm working on two stories simultaneously and would like to show I'm working on them both. Whole chapters are harder for me because I have to remain within the stories rules that I set, and these shorts are simply easier to do for me.

Tale 1: A Hero's Tribute

Hiro Itsuka, a Colonel in the AST, is taking this day particular day off. It is a date he has always kept in mind no matter what. He is walking around in his colonel uniform as he usually does. He is inside of a supermarket buying some supplies for his plans today. He buys some candles, a lighter, and a small cake. Upon reaching the payment counter, he sees a young man wearing a uniform who must work at this store, he looks very down. Hiro approaches the young man and asks.

"What has you looking down?"

The young man is a little surprised and even salutes the colonel as he exclaims.

"Oh, Colonel Itsuka sir, I wasn't…"

Hiro puts his hand up in "calm down" gesture as he responds.

"I can tell something is your mind and it may help to talk about it."

The young clerk nods and explains.

"Well, there's this girl who works for you…I don't think you know her. Anyway, I finally have the courage to propose, but I don't have anything to give her. I feel if I propose and don't have anything, then what good am I?"

Hiro taps the young man's shoulder and asks him.

"Do you love this girl?"

The clerk responds.

"I do…but…"

Hiro interrupts him and tells him.

"Then just tell her that you love her, and that you can't get a ring. If somebody really loves you, then they'll be happy just to know that there at the end of the day. I know tons of wizards in the AST who are married and all they care about is going home and seeing their families when it's all over."

The clerk smiles and says.

"But I still think I should at least get her something."

Hiro thinks for a second and says.

"I have a couple of friends in the entertainment business; just give me your girlfriend's name and I'll try an engraved ring for you."

The young clerk gets excited and profusely starts shaking the colonel's hand while expressing his gratitude. Hiro gets the name, pays for his groceries, and leaves the store. He then starts walking across the city a little and passes by a small group of children playing at a playground and sees a young child break another child's toy and tries to run away. He actually almost runs past Hiro, but the AST colonel stops him by putting his hand on his shoulder. The child then tries kicking Hiro's leg and repeatedly tells him to let go, but Hiro suggests.

"Why not go and admit you broke the toy?"

The child replies.

"What's it to you, you big bully."

Hiro isn't one to lose patience with citizens, especially children, so he maintains a calm persona as he explains.

"We all make mistakes. I do all the time."

The child looks up at him and recognizes him.

"Mr. Colonel, I uh…."

Hiro calmly explains to child.

"Believe me when I say that it is much better to admit that you made a mistake and apologize. It's easier on your head too."

The child looks a little afraid as he says.

"But…grown-ups will yell at me."'

Hiro shakes his head and retorts.

"They won't yell if you sincerely apologize. A coward lies, and a soldier admits the truth."

The young boy nods and nervously walks back to apologize for breaking the toy. Hiro smiles and continues his way to his destination. A little later, Hiro notices that someone wearing a hat and a coat is following him. He then walks into an alley to corner them knowing that they will follow. He waits a moment and then the person walks into the alley as he expected. The person then pulls out a butcher's knife and points it at him. He is almost ready to pull out one of his dual blades to fight back, but then he notices that the person is trembling. He asks.

"What are you doing?"

The person responds.

"What does it look like? I'm trying to kill you."

The person sounds like an older woman and Hiro gently walks to her and he she tries to stab at him, but he catches the knife and pulls it out of her hands. Her hat falls off and reveals a woman around her middle forties or early fifties. She breaks down on the ground and starts sobbing. Hiro takes a little pity on her and asks.

"Why are trying to kill me?"

The woman manages to sob out.

"Because you're a murderer….my daughter…last year… she was in your squad."

Hiro kneels down and asks.

"You wouldn't happen to be Nozomi Izumi's mother, would you?"

The woman and Hiro start talking to each other for a while. Hiro talks fondly of the woman's daughter as she was a highly memorable person in his squad. She was killed during the second half of the war. The woman then apologizes.

"I'm so sorry, Colonel Itsuka. My daughter was all I had, and I just don't know what to do anymore."

Hiro then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a photo from his wallet. He then shows it the woman and it shows Hiro along with his squad before they fought in the war. The woman notices her daughter among the wizards. Hiro explains to her.

"I cared everybody in my squad, and it saddens me that I was the only survivor of my squad. But their sacrifices are why our city is in the peaceful time it is. Your daughter was very brave, and she died a hero"

The woman then gives a more peaceful smile as she is content to know that the colonel thinks so highly of her daughter. The woman then holds out her arms and Hiro wonders.

"What are you doing?"

The woman calmly answers.

"I'm being arrested without resisting."

Hiro shakes his head as he tells the woman.

"I'm not going to arrest you."

The woman becomes anxious as she adds.

"I held a knife to you and threaten to kill you! I don't deserve to walk free."

Hiro stands up and says.

"Listen, I know what it's like to lose someone, and I also know that you're just grieving. But I have a suggestion."

The woman looks at Hiro a little more focused as she listens.

"I'm sure someone like you still has a lot of love to give. I have a friend who runs an animal sanctuary. Why not adopt an animal and spend your days giving it the love it needs."

The lady nods and Hiro gives her directions then sees her off. He then finally makes his way to the place that he had been heading to. It is a place that is very important to him, it a place in a nearby forest outside the city near a stream. Hiro places his dual blades into the ground and pulls out his wallet again. This time, he pulls out a photo that he has folded in four, and looks at as he places on his the hilts of his dual blades. He then pulls out the cake he purchased and the candles. He lights the candles, places them in the cake and says to the photo.

"Happy birthday, Aunty."

The photo he has placed is a photo of Mana wearing a hospital robe as she lies in a bed. This is last photo of her that was ever taken. This spot is wear Mana would take Hiro camping to spend time with him. He then continues to talk to the photo with somewhat happy tone.

"Can you believe that I'm nineteen years old now? It's been nearly a year since the war, and we won…I've probably already told you this about a thousand times already though. I really wish you were here right now to see it…"

At this point Hiro slams his fist into the ground as he starts tearing up from this.

"Damn it! Why didn't you stay with us? Why didn't you let us help you? I don't why I don't feel like speaking kindly of you right now…"

While Hiro cries for his aunt, his other one shows up. This time's Kotori is wearing a bigger version of her commander uniform and she has bandages covering her arms and her neck. She tells her nephew.

"Because she was selfish."

Hiro turns and sees his aunt standing behind him as she kneels beside him and starts talking to the photo like him.

"That's right, I said it. You were a selfish girl who only thought of protecting her family. You were so selfish that you refused my help, and too selfish to even think about how we'd you feel when you were gone. Yeah, I admit it, I miss you selfish idiot."

Hiro is surprised to see his aunt Kotori talk this way to Mana like that and watches as Kotori walks away without saying another word. Hiro then looks at the photo again and says.

"Ignore her, Aunty. I have a lot more to tell you."