Kodomo no Hi : Elian
Boy's Festival
May Fifth
Elian watched the man and his little boy, both decked out in traditional garb, laughing happily together outside their house. Banners shaped like carp with streamers attached, and very colorful, hung from their porch. Through the wide open front door, he could barely make out a collection of samurai dolls, stacked on shelves in a special display case. He imagined what the father might be thinking.
Please - let me my son live a happy, successful life.
Stop thinking about it. You're supposed to be on duty.
Hey, I'm only ten! I wasn't cut out to be a User.
You have a responsibility to your father. If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't even be here.
He doesn't seem to care about me, anyway!
Your father is a very important man. He is very busy. He has to run HOLY all by himself.
Elian really didn't have anything to say to that, so he just went about his business collecting information. He really didn't know what to do. His father didn't seem to give a damn what happened to him. He was just a burden. Martin could just do without him hanging around. There was only one way out of his predicament.
He would run away. Go live in the Wastelands, so aptly named. A place that existed for lost, lonely little boys. He made his plans and began to pack.
He had found him, of course. How could he not? The silly little boy...
Elian was curled up in between the juncture of the rock and the ground. Sleeping soundly, one could plainly see the childish features of his small face. Bittersweetly, his features, while childlike and peaceful, were also gaunt with hunger. He was bruised and cut in several places. All this damage, in just one day... Shaking his head, the older man gently picked the kid up. Elian stirred.
"F-father?"
He smiled a big smile, one filled with watermelon. "No dice kid, but my name's Urizane, and I'll do just as well."