Gensosuikoden: Paths of Idleness
By: Chii Motosuwa
Disclaimer: Suikoden and its characters belong to their respected companies (Konami and such) and no money was made in the production of this Fanfiction.
"Even in the short years I've known you, I figured this would be the type of place you'd be at!"
Luc sat up almost immediately at the sound of the familiar voice, turning to the ground below to see for himself who was there. He grimaced at him, deciding that ignoring him would be the best thing to do.
"Now don't be like that. I came all the way here just to see you." Tir McDohl called from below the tower the wind mage had inconveniently decided to perch upon. "Come down."
Anyone could easily mention how incredible it must be to even manage to climb up there as the closest way would be to scale the wall from the top most windows. That alone was a good nine to ten feet in height. But being a person talented with teleportation, it would probably take a blink of an eye to get there from the base.
"Why?"
Though what would be more incredible was the fact that they could even manage to hear each other at such distance.
"I want to talk to you." Tir replied. "It's a bother to have to shout everything over, you know?"
"Later." Luc snapped.
"It's important."
"I don't care."
Tir sighed. He should have expected such a reaction. Luc probably had one of the longest records of anti-social behavior. Originally the young wind mage used his rude behaviour, a sort of brattiness, to keep others away from him. But now, he had grown from that brat to a sarcastic – though mostly silent- sharp tongued teen. For him to agree immediately to a 'talk' would have been an event possible in one out of a thousand tries... on a severely good day. Severely good day.
"Fine then..." Tir turned and walked into the tower, leaving the younger teen alone to revel in the silence of the night... but not for much longer.
A few minutes later, Luc turned to the sound of something hitting one of the shingles of the roof. A bo lay on the spot just a foot from him, and soon was followed by its owner. Tir had obviously taken the time and effort to scale the 9-10 feet distance from the window to the roof.
"If you fall, you're on your own." Luc growled at him almost immediately once the older man had flashed him a smile.
"That's fine. If I fall and survive, I'll just tell them how you, in uncontrolled fury, pushed me over the roof for no apparent reason." Tir said to him sweetly, standing right beside the wind mage with his bo resting on his shoulders. "And I think at this point, a majority of the population will easily believe it."
"..."
"... They're talking you know?"
"About what?"
"About you."
"... So what?" The wind mage barked.
"You're irritated. More so than usual." He glanced down at Luc for a moment.
A rumor spread like wildfire the moment soldiers returned to the barracks after the army's second encounter against the Harmonian troops. It was a strange and rare occurrence that no one would have deemed probable. They had seen this individual many times, deterring curious glances tossed his way. Now from curiosity came a sort of hidden fear. Who wouldn't be afraid to see that mouth flash unrestrained malice, grinning with satisfaction while his emerald eyes shined with a murderous glee? And for it to come from 'him' of all people... It was strange... So people began to talk.
Even though it had been a while now since it had happened, word reached Tir while speaking to the young former dragon knight's apprentice, Futch. Aside the rumor and being one of the witnesses of the event, the younger man had shared some concerns about Luc. And, Futch was right. Now that Tir was standing in the wind mage's presence, he had noticed it himself. It wasn't like the change he had thought about, comparing the wind mage's 14 year old self to the one he first met after deciding to help Riou a little with his entourage. It was something else.
The look on his face, the shine in his eyes, and even the tone of his voice, they had all changed. From what Tir witnessed and even heard, Luc usually carried himself in a way that it made him seem much older than he was. A maturity that sometimes became too overwhelming that it scares others or annoys the hell out of them. But right now... something was very different.
"Can you tell me why?"
Luc was silent yet again. But as the sigh escaped his lips, his shoulders sunk down and he leaned forward against one knee that he had pulled closer to his chest. His back was not perfectly straight, nor was he sitting in his usual dignified posture. In Tir's eyes... he looked very much like what he out to be.
A Child.
"I can't explain it... I just am..." Luc muttered, staring at the dimming lights of North Window Castle's makeshift inner village. "When I first heard about the news myself... how everyone was making a big deal about it... I just became more and more annoyed. I realized... that no one in this place really seems willing to know me. Most of them go by what they hear instead of knowing who I am themselves... And one uncharacteristic act done before their eyes, their judgment and expectations suddenly..."
Once Luc's voice trailed off, Tir couldn't help but smile at him again.
"Can you blame them? It's not like you let a lot of people see how you really are?" He explained to the younger teen. "If you wish for them to understand you, then you should make the effort to let them understand you. I bet not many people even know that you sulk around like this in the middle of the night. You only show your true sides when no one is looking... so when you suddenly show an outburst as how I hear it, it's not surprising that they are acting the way they are."
"..."
"I won't even ask you about how or why you lost your temper during that operation, as I'm sure you have your reasons. Good ones if you can't even discuss it with Futch or the others, or even me." The darker-haired man paused for a short moment, running his own words carefully in his head. "But I know a lot of things go through your mind, Luc. There's no living thing in this world that would be okay if others couldn't understand them. Despite how much you try to make sense out of it... or try to be strong."
Both eyes had now turned completely to the older man. The stoic look on the wind mage's face remained, but within he felt his chest tightening from the words being passed on to him. They were gentle words that were trying to understand... even if they didn't understand...
They were at least trying.
"There's no way you'd be okay."
Tir... was at least trying.
Again the dream began. The years had passed and the details had become scarce. No longer were there visions of the smoldering village or the eyes of dead burning themselves into his memory. His skin neither prickled in pain, nor did his head throb in agony. It was like the memory was passing like a gentle wind, touching and surrounding him... but it harmed him not. He now just stood there in the dark with him.
The reason behind this was simple. The village that was ablaze was something he had already seen in the waking world... as were those bodies and their eyes. He had seen, felt, smelt the violence and agony the dream had made for him. Just as the man asked, he had kept his eyes open. He had seen the world as it is. The world was what he needed him to see... that man behind the glass wall.
"Are you calm now?" he asked.
"A lot of people have died." Luc responded in a quiet voice.
"You look at me as if I did this to hurt you intentionally. I did this because you needed to see... If you didn't see, then you'd have gone on without knowing."
"... So you think I understand?"
"Yes." The man grimaced. "... Your eyes give you away... Did you know that?"
"I see..." the young brunette mirrored not only the look on the man's face but also those very eyes; emerald green, yet hollow and cold. "I understand... the purpose of all of this. The reason why it kept coming back... And 'you'."
The man behind the glass was surprised.
"I think... I finally understand who you are..." He approached the glass partition. "You pretend like you're some sort of a guide. All you've asked me is to seek the truth. And I do understand..."
"Humanity has their flaws... It matters not if one is or isn't."
"This is a dirty world... filled with dirty people..."
"They are not superior in the eyes of gods."
"As long as they keep their eyes closed..."
His hand came in contact with the glass wall, a crack appearing almost on the very instant when his skin touched its surface.
"They will never understand, will they?"
All had fallen silent in to the darkness, but the reflection of the mirror was indeed looking very pleased.
"I see. Then you've made your decision." The man said to him calmly.
"The wall between our paths is thinner than glass... It's time we destroyed the border of you and me, and make it a single path of 'us'." Luc then smirked. "Don't you agree?"
The man then smiled at him, the once pained emerald eyes now showed a glimmer of elation. He was satisfied.
"Very well." The man then reached over, touching the same spot where Luc had placed his hand.
In that instant, the cracks grew larger, spreading across the surface of the wall.
"You won't regret this... right?" the man asked.
"What's the point of asking that now, idiot?"
A loud crash echoed into the darkness. The glass-like partition shattered, and the two of them stood before each other, face to face, hands placed against each other by the palm, and eyes gazing upon the desolate mirror before them.
One asked to keep his eyes open, and he complied, choosing the path that defied all he knew was right. With that one touch broke the final barrier, paving his way to his deepest desires.
His nurtured hatred had grown so strong... and it had called him hither.
And so, no borders exist... There were only them.
"Hey, McDohl...?"
"Hm?"
Tir was now lying on his back with his gaze towards the night sky while the wind mage had remained on his sitting position beside him.
"If ever you're given a choice to save humanity or save me, what would you do?"
"Haah?" Tir looked up at him with a slight frown. "What the heck are you talking about?"
"Just answer the stupid question, idiot." Luc flushed slightly.
"Hmm..." The older man crossed his arms behind his head, pondering for a moment. "Well, does the 'stupid question' require a stupid answer?"
"Just answer it or say you don't want to already."
"Okay, okay." Tir laughed before giving it another thought. "I guess...I'd... save the world... and save you."
"That's cheating. You weren't given that option." Luc muttered.
"It doesn't mean I won't make that option."
"What if it's impossible?"
"It won't be."
"Well it's impossible. So it's not a right answer."
"I'll make it possible." The older male retorted.
"How?" Luc frowned.
"Because I said so." Tir responded smugly.
"..."
"Besides..." He turned his head slightly towards the wind mage with a smile. "You're part of humanity too, aren't you?"
His response had caught the wind mage off guard. Luc was tempted to just say it right there and then that Tir was wrong. He was very wrong. And besides... what if... what if he...
"Even if you don't want to be saved, Luc..." Tir continued. "I'd still save you."
"...Why...?" He asked inaudibly. "... That's so stupid..."
"Of course, I'd hit you a few dozen times first for being stubborn."
As a grin spread across Tir's face, Luc couldn't help but return a weak smile. He couldn't beat this man. It was no wonder he followed him till the end of the war a few years back. Even now... he was glad Tir was there.
So that even for a moment... the darkness would remain at bay. For a moment... the world of 'us' would remain stagnant. Even if this was a dirty world full of dirty people, there were still others he had to protect... he wanted protect. Besides... he promised him he would, didn't he? So until that moment, when he places the first step upon the path he had chosen... let him be happy. Maybe then, someone... anyone might notice.
...And save him from himself.
-End.-