Hello my peeps!
Okay just getting this out here, i had gotten certain conditions my OC needed to write this story and i'm doing my best to incorporate into my OC. This is more or less, going to be an informative chapter and telling you all how Xero and Lara are doing. I've been busy all day, so it was shocking to me i was able to get this chapter out today. So as always i don't own Tomb Raider.
So please, read, review and "What the fuc-BOOM"
Chapter 2: Growing Relationship And The Hunt For Yamatai Begins
Lara Croft couldn't remember a time when she was as happy as she was now.
Growing up, Lara didn't make a lot of friends due to her tomboyish nature. When her mother die and her father, she found solace in books. This in turn had fueled her lust and drive for adventure. The fact she was gifted with a high IQ, made it near impossible for Lara to make friends her own age.
Adding in her tomboyish attitude, Lara didn't connect with anyone her own age, till she met her best friend, Samantha Nishimura.
Or Sam for short.
Sam attended the UCL, so she can study film, specializing in documentary film making and cinematography. Despite being polar opposites they became great friends. Sam caused Lara to become less introverted by taking her to nightclubs, attempting to bring out Lara's "Inner Party Girl". Because of Sam, Lara saw more than just libraries during her time in the University.
The two did many things together and the pair embarked on at least one backpacking trip, going to locales such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, Bulgaria and The Great Wall of China. Though Lara had loosen up she was a bit awkward around new people. The only people she ever really talked to on a regular basis was Conrad Roth.
Or simply known as Roth.
He had become a second father to her and the family butler, Winston. Lara had thanked the old man many times, for putting up with her bratty attitude when her father was hunting for the key to immortality.
A search that had destroyed him, even more so when her mum died. That had been the final straw between the two, when Richard keep looking for the Key and had all but abandoned by her father. When he died, Lara felt like she couldn't find that piece of her that died with her father. The one where she KNEW, she would be loved unconditional by someone.
Someone who'd be their for her, when she needed someone to pick her up when things went form bad to down right horrible.
Someone who would keep her form falling into her own darkness, when it threats to sallow her whole.
Someone who would make her feel like all was right in the world, even if it truly wasn't.
Someone who would help her fight back the demons of her own nightmares making,
Someone who would make her laugh and comfort her.
Then she met Xero Mazoku.
Like something out of a fairy tail, Xero was everything Lara wanted in a boyfriend. He was kind, selfless, patient, loyal, funny and even shared in her interest in discovering the forgotten past and a drive for adventure. He encouraged her to follow her dreams and pushed her to do her best and helped her when she needed it. Plus he was handsome and well built to boot.
His selfless trait was one of his biggest, to Lara anyway.
Plus, unlike her, Xero wasn't introverted. He was extroverted and fun-loving guy with a belief that life is short and must be enjoyed to the fullest and therefore enjoys partying and strong alcohol.
A lot.
And often dragged her into them, not that Lara didn't have fun at them, it just she had bit of a hard time keeping up her studies AND partying all night. When she told him, Xero decide to tone down the partying. The fact he was always willing to listen and compromise with her, made Lara very happy. Another thing, when Xero got drunk, which was rare as it was very hard for him to get drunk, he was the funny kind drunk.
Not the angry, beating type of drunk but the kind of drunk that you want at you're party, due to the fact he would do and say the absolutely ridiculous things when drunk. It often brought Lara to tears form how hard she was laughing. Though she was often got embarrassed as he would drag her up with him and say some very embarrassing things about her and say them too.
He was also libidinous and sexually passionate, having had numerous sexual flings and one-night stands. Though when he and Lara got together that quickly stopped. How did she know you ask?
Simply really, Lara had seen and heard form many of the girls either complaining or congratulating her on sagging Xero. The fact he was a very good lover made Lara think lady luck herself was on her side.
But he had his own problems, like everything else.
He was too selfless. He could be bleeding to death with several broken bones and if she had a damnable bruise, he'd insistent SHE be looked at first. The man really had no sense of self-preservation when it came between himself and his loved ones. She's also taken note how Xero did infact have a real nasty temper and often got into fights.
This is how she learned that of her boyfriend's...condition.
Now when she first saw him, Lara believed he looked and acted like he was in peak psychical condition. He was indeed but his lean and slender muscle's hide their true power. She's seen Xero launch a man thirty feet in the air with a single punch.
It was then Lara learned that not only her boyfriend, but his entire family was superhuman.
The Mazoku's were one of, if not, the OLDEST family dating back to the 12th century. Hell form what Lara understood, Xero was a descendant of Raijin also known as Yakusa no ikazuchi no kami, Kaminari-ma, and Raiden-sama. He is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in Japanese mythology, on his father's (Ignitus) side. The only other person believed to be a possible descendant of Raijin was the Sun Queen, Himiko.
Funny enough Xero's Mother, Maria was believed to be a descendant of Queen Himiko's Storm Guard general.
Never the less, it would explain the black and red lighting bolts tattoo's Lara saw on Xero's bare arms, when they met. It would only be later on did Lara learn form his mother, they weren't tattoo's but infact birth marks. This only reinforced their belief that Ignitus's side of the family is decadent form Raijin. Oddly enough though, Xero's older brother, Decker and his younger sister, Summer, didn't have them.
Xero's father was the CEO of several company's and even widely known as one of the best Martial Artist in the world. Next to his son of course. His mother is the lead archaeologist in discovering unique and ancient Japanese artifacts around the world. His older brother, Decker was a UN Special forces and has many pulls in the military, so he had received even more training, making him able to break into any fortress in the world.
In short he was a man who lived in shadow and anyone that is unfortunate enough to become his target, is already dead. But he still loved his family dearly and would destroy anyone who dared to threaten them.
No matter who they were.
Summer was still in school and had quickly bonded with Lara as she was too, a 'tomboy' like Lara when she was younger. Despite being a few years younger, the youngest Mazoku and Lara quickly became friends.
The one who looked after the three children, well really Xero and Summer, was a woman named Vivi. A very tall, dark skinned, short black haired, amber eyed, voluptuous woman. Vivi was a member of a lost clan that had severed the Mazoku family, but were wiped out by the Tenshi clan. Vivi was on the brink of death, when a young Xero found her and brought her back to the compound to be healed.
Upon realizing that Xero had saved her and he was a Mazoku, Vivi swore to sever and protect her young master, to her dying breath. She was trained in the Mazoku arts and wielded(In Lara's opinion) terrifying weapon:
A sleek, spiked black club.
One that can easily cave you're skull in.
Yikes!
Lara and Vivi got along pretty well, having no problem with one another.
Never the less, the family and Vivi were just thankful Xero didn't start throwing lighting bolts around when he was younger.
Or at all.
Yet.
She learned that Xero had superhuman brute strength and enhanced/superhuman endurance, durability, stamina, speed, agility and reflexes. Both form his family's lineage and rigorous physical training. She's seen him run far and wide, showing off his skills in acrobatic, freerunner and parkourist.
She's never seen anyone able to pull of the feats he was able to do, in real life. So she was beyond impressed and asked if he could teach her a few tricks. Something he was more then happy to do.
That was how she learned Xero was a master Martial Artist. He was trained in the Tiger Style Kung Fu, Wushu, Choy ga, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Shotokan Karate, Judo, Jiujitsu and Eskrima.
Normally one person couldn't master all these Arts, some taking life times to develop and grow these skills, but then again not everyone is Xero Mazoku. Lara was grateful for him teaching her, making her feel more confident in herself and able to get out of any thing. Though she immediately rejected his often to train her in his family's training rigorous physical exam.
It would bloody kill her. And Lara liked living thank you very much.
Never the less, Xero's family accepted Lara when he brought her to met them and as far as the Mazoku family was considered, Lara was one of their own. Now this might be a bit quick, as the two have only dated for a couple of mouths but too Xero and Lara, it felt like they've been together for a lifetime. Plus she learned form his mother that is was family tradition to give one of the children an odd and strange name.
His father's own name being a prime example of that.
In any case, Xero helped Lara grow as a person. She wasn't as awkward around people as she once was and balanced working/studying and relaxing and having a good time. Lara in turn helped Xero control his temper more and was trying(and failing at that( to curb his selfless nature in helping his loved ones and not caring about what happen's to himself.
Oh and his nature to be EXTREMELY violent when his loved ones are threaten or hurt in anyway. Another was his willingness to make certain...choice's that others would see as the mark of someone who was pure evil. It was just her asking questions and "What if's" when he told her straight up what he'd do and sounding so causal unevered Lara a bit, but never the less she decide to try and curb it.
Best she could anyway.
So a couple of weeks before the two, along with Sam, had graduation form collage did Xero finally met Roth. Naturally Roth acted like any father meeting his daughters boyfriend. Civil, polite but cold and gave Xero a veiled threat if he hurt Lara, he would HURT him.
Ultimately however, Roth warmed up to Xero after seeing how much happier Lara was. Of course Xero's fun loving attitude and his own protective streak had finally won Roth over and he welcomed the middle child of the Mazoku family and had given him his blessing to date Lara.
So it was after graduation did Lara want to prove herself, that she could be a great archaeologist.
How did she decide this?
By finding the lost kingdom of Yamatai, home of the Sun Queen and Xero's ancestor. Pooling together her own knowledge with Xero and his family's knowledge of the lost kingdom, the duo were confident they could find it. Perhaps then, they could uncover, not only the reason WHY it just suddenly vanished, but why the Storm Guard general felt the need to send his family away days before it vanished.
However what Lara didn't known, was the Mazoku family had their own reasons for searching for the lost kingdom. And it had nothing to due with their ancestral lineage. Xero's family didn't want Lara to known for two reasons:
1.) Despite accepting her, she was STILL an outsider and was really none of her business.
And 2.) They weren't really sure if they were right. The piece's all fit together but they had no actual proof of their theory and truth be told, Xero didn't want to worry Lara any more then necessary.
Especially when it could be nothing more then smoke and mirrors.
Never the less, Xero had gather the resources needed to make the trip to the Dragon's Triangle, otherwise known as the Devil's sea. That's were they suspected Yamatai is truly hidden in. While Lara and Roth had gathered the crew needed to make the trip.
Neither one knowing just how much their lives were about to change.
Done.
Yeah, again this story is a Commissioned story, so i don't make the rules, i just follow them and play by them. Next chapter were going to really get into it, as next is "Shipwrecked" look forward to it and yes, Xero's family has more to do with Himiko then Lara realize's, what is it?
Find out next chapter!
Also yes, i revised this a bit and Vivi is infact another OC i created. And Tenshi is Japanese for "Angel" as Mazoku is Japanese means "Devil", make sense they be rivals, no?
Devil out.