Chapter Two
My Name Is Lara Murakami
"Excuse me."
Mikieru looked up with a start, turning his head towards the locker room door and the source of the youthful female voice.
The Cleric had been sitting on a bench for the past several minutes, trying to come up with the exact words to say to Shin-ju—the boy now obviously knew about the secret that he, Akira, and Yoriko had been keeping from him for two years. Mikieru had no inkling as to how the Nomad boy would react to this, and thus had qualms about approaching Shin-ju directly. He was about to get to his feet when the voice sounded over the lockers.
Squinting slightly, Mikieru saw a pretty young Priestess standing at the locker door. Upon seeing the Cleric, the Priestess began to walk towards him—chin slightly raised, one hand on the sling of her handbag, the other swinging confidently with her stride. Her long auburn hair and purple robes trailed behind her as she trotted with measured, balanced steps towards Mikieru. The Cleric thought that she exuded a manner that was simply too mature and too curt for a child of Payon who couldn't possibly be older than 23.
Mikieru stood up and turned his head away from the approaching Priestess. "Female on the floor," he called over the lockers.
The clicking of Shin-ju's mop stopped for a moment, then resumed as though the boy did not care the least.
Mikieru made a move to remove his round-rimmed dark glasses in respect. He opened his mouth to greet the Priestess, but was cut short by her sharp remark:
"Where are the Constables? It's already past eight in the morning and the Constabulary is empty?"
The Cleric cleared his throat uneasily. "I apologize, I…"
"Fitting," the Priestess interjected, adjusting her large spectacles at the Cleric who towered over her petite frame. "You're a Prefect, aren't you? I can see by the Pin on your coat. Yes, the only thing a Prefect can do is apologize for his subordinates. I suppose I can overlook your negligence, if you do not put the blame on them and instead take full responsibility for this show of clear delinquency."
It took Mikieru a moment to give a reply.
"I will," he said. "I mean, I do, Mother. I do take responsib—"
"Sister," the Priestess rudely interjected again. "I'm a Cleric, not a Presbyter. Will you look a little closer and try to do something right for a change?"
Mikieru's face contorted in a frown that he hoped was too slight to be detected by her. She was wearing a white muffler that hid her neck and shoulders from view—he had no immediate way of telling what kind of cross she was wearing, or if she was wearing one at all. Through his dark glasses, he sneaked a peek into the muffler's folds and saw her cross—it was silver, wrapped securely around her slender neck in a choker. She was a Cleric, like him.
"I see," Mikieru said, exhaling. "My apologies. You fooled me with the way you unloaded on me like that."
The Priestess's face slowly exhibited a look that could have passed for either annoyance or amusement. She placed her hands on her hips and raised a curt eyebrow at the tall Cleric.
"Your manners, sir Knight, your manners," she deadpanned, staring at him unblinkingly. "I realize I have not been misinformed about the Constables' rudeness here."
Mikieru tried a little levity. "Cleric," he corrected, taking off his dark glasses. "Perhaps you should look closer as well, Sister."
The Priestess's eyes widened after a moment of thought. Her hands left her hips and reached up to hastily adjust her large spectacles again. Her fingers on the frames, she looked at Mikieru's eyes—blue-and-green—then at the silver cross hanging on a chain around his neck, then back at his eyes.
Mikieru could have sworn that her hands were shivering as they dropped from her specs. "You're…" she began weakly, "…you're the Kitsune?"
The Cleric closed his eyes, the edges of his lips curled in a calming smile, then opened them again.
"I—I'm sorry!" she stammered, bowing profusely. "I'm terribly sorry, good Brother! I didn't know—the Kitsune! That means… that means you're…"
The downcast Priestess turned her eyes up respectfully. "That means… you're my superior…"
"It means nothing, Sister," Mikieru assured her, the soothing look still on his face as he offered his large hand. "No offense was taken."
The Priestess reluctantly reached up and shook Mikieru's hand. Her face, which Mikieru swore was the epitome of the rudeness in all of Midgard only thirty seconds ago, gradually brightened into an impish grin.
"Totally sorry for my arrogance, Brother Kitsune," she apologized again, giggling. "I'm nearsighted, see… and I sorta didn't recognize you right away until I took a closer look. I heard stories about the Kitsune working somewhere in Prontera these days… but I had no idea I'd be meeting him so soon!"
"That is well, Sister," he answered. "To be quite honest, I found being berated to be a refreshing change of scenery. With the exception of my Magistrate, people almost always keep their distance as soon as they recognize me."
"Well, yeah… I prolly would've been a li'l more careful if I knew who you were when I walked in here," she confessed. "From all I've heard about you, I sorta had a totally different image of what the Kitsune was like."
"And what would that be?"
"Older, for sure. And a whole bunch crabbier, too."
The two Priests laughed easily, then cleared their throats at the same time. Then they realized their hands were still locked together in a handshake, and they both let go with some noticeable haste.
She tried to hide a smile and pretended to pat some dust off her robes, and he cleared his throat one more time before continuing.
"Anyway, Sister," he began. "What can I do for you?"
"Ah, that's right!" the Priestess remembered, raising a finger. "I'm here looking for someone, a certain blue-haired Nomad boy named 'Shin-ju'. I heard he was last seen working here, in the Prontera Constabulary grounds… would you happen to know someone like that?"
Mikieru's smile faded at this remark. "Well," he answered after a moment's silence, "as a matter of fact, I do."
The Cleric turned around slightly and called over his shoulder.
"Shin-ju!" Mikieru's voice sounded through the locker room. "There is someone here to see you."
Behind several rows of lockers, the two Priests heard the sound of a mop dunking into a bucket of water. Then, a few footsteps. Shin-ju emerged into the aisle, taking off his rubber gloves and favoring the two Priests with a questioning look—besides Mikieru, no one had ever come to the Constabulary HQ to see him.
The Priestess stood perfectly still. Even with her impaired sense of vision, she knew that the boy stepping towards her was the one she had been looking for.
Shin-ju tucked the gloves into his overalls pocket. "Yes, Ma'am?" the boy greeted.
Instead of answering, the Priestess raised her chin slightly, closed her eyes, and took off her glasses. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping the lens. Then, taking her time, she replaced the cloth in her pocket, lowered her head and put the glasses on again.
She stayed in the last position for a moment longer than Shin-ju and Mikieru expected her to, and the two exchanged wondering glances at each other.
•••
Three quiet words escaped the lips of the Priestess. Mikieru did not hear what she said, but Shin-ju did, although the boy did not know what she meant at that time.
•••
Mikieru cleared his throat, his usual mannerism to break an uncomfortable silence. "Shin-ju, may I introduce you to…?"
At that, the Priestess raised her pretty face to Shin-ju, her eyes narrowed and her lips stretched in a genuinely happy smile.
"Hello, Shin-ju. My name is Lara Murakami. How would you like to study at the Prontera Training Grounds this year?"
•••
Shin-ju fidgeted in one of Mikieru's visitor's chairs. The Cleric had led both he and the Priestess, Lara Murakami, to his office after the first of the Constables began arriving in the locker room. His eyes fluttered back and forth between the Priestess, seated in front of him in the other visitor's chair, and Mikieru, who sat across his desk. The two Priests had been carrying the conversation for him—he had not said a word after he heard the Priestess's shocking offer.
"So you're a teacher at the Payon Training Grounds?" a question came from Mikieru.
"Yes," Lara answered. "Rather, I used to be. I submitted my intent to transfer to the Prontera Training Grounds last week. I knew I would be making the trip to Prontera to find Shin-ju anyway, and so I decided to accomplish two things with one move."
"Really?" Mikieru quizzed. "That… sounds like a long shot to me."
"I know," she confessed. "I know I actually stood little chance of finding Shin-ju when I got here, but the news article helped me out a lot."
Shin-ju raised his eyes slightly at this remark.
"News article," Mikieru repeated.
"Yes," Lara answered, reaching into her handbag. "This one in particular."
The Priestess drew out a copy of the Payon Gazette, a Common-language periodical that circulated the highlands once a week. This one was dated over two years ago. On the lower right corner of the front page, a small article was encircled in red ink.
Boy saves girl in flooded water channel
PRONTERA—Constables last week rescued Joanne Lynas, 13, from Prontera's West Water Channel. The Channel was filled to its limits by torrential water runoff from Mt. Mjolnir, which has been experiencing unusually heavy rainfall for the past several weeks. Lynas and three other companions were apparently conducting an ocular inspection of the West Water Channel when the steel bridge they were standing on collapsed. Her three companions managed to climb to safety, but Lynas was swept away by the waters.
According to some Constables, a certain blue-haired Nomad boy jumped into the West Water Channel and managed to bring the girl safely to the banks. At the Prontera General Hospital, where Lynas stayed for two nights, Nurses also claimed that the boy answered to the name of "Shin-ju," although neither of these assertions was verified as the Gazette was unable to find this boy for comment.
Joanne Lynas is the first person to ever survive after falling into a flooded water channel.
Mikieru gave a low whistle. "You made the gossip column, Shin-ju?" he chuckled. "You're famous!"
Shin-ju couldn't help but smile as he read the column, and felt that he had to say something. "I, uh… I'm surprised they got my name right."
Lara laughed. "Anyway, this is basically the reason why I'm here," she explained. "Like I said before, I used to be the Social Science Head Instructor for first-years in Payon. Being such, I'm entitled to give one scholarship grant to any one child I see fit every year."
Mikieru nodded. "And you are giving this year's grant to Shin-ju," he concluded.
"Yes."
Shin-ju looked up warily. "But… why me?" he asked. "By this article alone, you couldn't have possibly been sure I even existed."
"Oooh, well. Let's see," she shrugged, turning her hazel eyes upward. "Long story short… I know how Prontera's water channels are built, and I know for a certainty that once you fall into the water, there's absolutely no way for you to get out. I figured that there was something special about this 'Shin-ju,' who not only survived the channel, but also saved someone from it. I figured he was someone worth looking for."
Shin-ju and Mikieru stared at her for a moment, and she pouted at their lack of expression.
"That's it," she said, a bit loudly. "Believe it or not, but that's it."
Mikieru turned to Shin-ju. "So, what do you think, Shin-ju?"
Shin-ju smiled a bit, staring into space and waving his hand beside his face. "It's sorta still sinking in at this point…"
Lara laughed again.
"So, it's settled then?" she asked. "The school year starts in a little over two weeks, and it would be best if we could finish the enrollment procedures as early as we can."
Shin-ju glanced at Mikieru, his face expressing a quiet question if it was okay with the Cleric.
"Well, it is up to you, Shin-ju," Mikieru replied. "Would it be all right with you if you downgraded from an Apprentice to a Novice?"
The boy replied with a blank stare, and Lara noticed it.
"Oh…" she interjected politely. "You mean you're not familiar with the Novice-Grandmaster hierarchical structure, Shin-ju?"
Shin-ju shook his head no.
Lara smiled in understanding, turning in her seat to face him squarely. "It's like this. Listen well, Shin-ju."
•••
Tutorial Mode. XD
"Every person in Midgard begins his ascension through any career path he or she chooses by enrolling in a Training Grounds. This is called the Novicehood stage. During this stage, the Novice learns more about his or her proficiencies and preferences regarding the various career paths in today's society. Once he makes a career choice and earns the corresponding necessary credits, he becomes eligible for the next stage: Apprenticeship.
"As an Apprentice, one begins to take hands-on training on his chosen career path under the tutelage of one or more superiors. Usually, the superior is a Master of the individual's chosen field of study—for instance, a Swordsman takes lessons from a Knight, a Draftsman learns from an Architect, a Priest teaches an Acolyte… the list goes on. Note that an individual may choose to remain an Apprentice for the rest of his life.
"The individual may, however, choose to go higher in his/her chosen field of study and become a Master. Eligible Apprentices may be recommended for ascension by his/her Master, and the graduation usually takes place en masse—as is the case in the Chivalry, where they hold graduation ceremonies for new Knights every March. In the Church, Priests decide which Acolytes are eligible for ordination at certain times during the year.
"As an example, Kitsune and I are Masters of the Brave Priesthood. We have the authority to take Apprentices under our fold and teach them the ways of the Clerics.
"Finally, the highest point in the hierarchy is called the Grandmastery. Very few Grandmasters exist in Midgard today. The exact details for eligibility is not known, but it is common knowledge that Grandmasters must exemplify the greatest in his chosen path, and that a sacred process known as the Rebirth Ritual is the ultimate test of an individual's worthiness in accepting the greatest of honors. Grandmasters hold all authority over their chosen career paths, and make all major decisions regarding the practice and welfare of such. High Priests, Lord Knights, and Whitesmiths are examples of Grandmaster levels."
End Tutorial. XP
•••
Lara brushed her hair aside, as though she held great pride over the short lecture she had given. "So, you think you got all that, Shin-ju?"
"Yeah, I, uh… I guess so," Shin-ju replied, not exactly sure.
"So you're ready for the Novicehood?"
Shin-ju turned to Mikieru, again asking silently if the Cleric allowed this.
Mikieru nodded. "You know I have no objections, Shin-ju."
Shin-ju smiled and slowly bowed his head. "Thank you… Senpai."
"Great!" the Priestess whooped, clapping her hands together. "So, Shin-ju, can you like, meet me at the lobby in an hour or so? I suppose you'll need some time to pack your things."
The boy turned to stare at the Priestess as he heard the last line she said. "I, uh… I'm sorry?"
Lara pouted again. "Pack your things," she repeated. "As a scholar, you get your own dorm room."
Shin-ju turned to Mikieru again. This time, he had a full smile on his face.
"This is awesome!" he yelled, eliciting laughter from the two Priests.
"Best be going, Shin-ju," Mikieru said. "Won't do to keep the good Sister waiting."
"Thanks, Senpai!" Shin-ju yelled, jumping off his seat and running towards the door. Before he left Mikieru's office, the boy turned to Lara and bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much, Sister," he intoned.
Then he turned around without another word and closed the door behind him.
•••
"Sister?" Mikieru ventured.
Lara turned to him. "Yes, Brother?"
"I cannot thank you enough."
She smiled, but shook her head as though she wasn't following.
"You do not know how much this means to both Shin-ju and I. Myself, I have been struggling for two years to earn enough to send the boy to school… and now here you are, saving him and I from a great deal of grief."
"Oh, you're welcome to it, good Brother. It's always been my nature not to stay in one place and do just one thing for any length of time. Life's too short for that. I wanna experience as much as I can while I'm still alive, see, and this… I think this is a good release for me. But… I have to admit, I'm a little uneasy about one thing."
Mikieru nodded. "Uneasy," he repeated.
"Shin-ju has been your Apprentice for two years, but… starting today, he will be taking lessons under my watch. I can only imagine how it might feel for you."
The Cleric shrugged easily. "Perhaps," he agreed. "But we both know that this is the best thing we can do for Shin-ju, and if the boy is happy, I am happy."
"I am glad to hear that from you, Brother Kitsune."
"Please. You can call me… Mike."
Lara gasped. "No!" she laughed. "That would be rude."
"You're telling me," Mikieru joked. "Seriously, think about it. I would still like to see Shin-ju's progress every now and then, and that would mean we will be keeping in touch very often. How would you feel if you called me 'Brother Kitsune, Brother Kitsune' all the time?"
"Well…"
"Mike will do just fine. All right?"
Lara displayed her impish grin once more. "Only if you call me Lara," she declared.
Mikieru smiled at this. "Deal," he said.
The two Priests, grinning like children, shook hands on the deal.
•••
Meanwhile, Shin-ju rummaged through the utility room where he had been staying for the past two years. He opened every cabinet and drawer in the broken closet, emptying his meager belongings into a backpack. The boy's heart was pounding—he had not felt excitement like this for the longest time. He was going to school! The mere thought made him forget about the pain he experienced only one night before—until, carelessly, he accidentally opened the last drawer in the broken closet.
The smile on his face faded as he looked at the drawer's contents. A chimed sakkat, a few Payonese trinkets, and a letter… all of these came from Yoriko.
Shin-ju paused for several moments, staring. He wondered whether or not to bring the drawer's contents with him. Yoriko had hurt him deeply with her last letter, but he wasn't exactly sure he had it in him to simply forget everything they had gone through…
•••
Please find yourself, Shin-ju-kun. Go with the Tao's love… and my own.
•••
Shin-ju opened his eyes.
He closed the drawer loudly. He turned around and picked up his backpack with a sweep of his arm. Without a word he left the utility room, promising himself never to return.
•••
After exactly an hour, Shin-ju descended the stairs to the lobby, catching sight of Mikieru and Lara standing on both sides of the main entrance doors. The two Priests each had a tall carton cup of mocha in their hands, and they nodded when they noticed that the boy had finally finished preparing.
"Ready?" Lara asked, a smile on her face.
Shin-ju returned the smile, nodding. "Let's go," he said.
The boy walked on a path that would cross between the two Priests. As he neared the doors, Mikieru and Lara each put a hand on a door leaf and pushed outwards. As the double-doors swung open, Shin-ju walked through, the crisp morning air and warm sunlight giving him a feeling of triumph.
Shin-ju stood for a moment on the Constabulary HQ's front porch, flanked on both sides by Mikieru and Lara, breathing deeply and reveling in the fact that he was no longer a janitor and was, from this moment forward, a Novice.
The boy had never felt happier in his life.
•••
It happened that Sean Garner and his Constables were crossing the courtyard in front of the porch where Shin-ju stood at that moment. They noticed the large backpack on the boy and wondered what he was up to.
"Hey, Shin-ju," Sean greeted, eyeing the backpack. "Where're you going?"
Shin-ju waved. "Hi, guys!" he greeted jovially, descending the steps. "Guess what! I'm going to school!"
Sean and the Constables were stunned.
"School?" one of the Constables blurted out. "Get outta here!"
"Exactly! That's what I'm doing!" Shin-ju laughed, approaching the Constables on the courtyard.
A female Constable scratched her cheek at the sudden news. "Really? You're leaving?" she said, a bittersweet hint in her voice. "You won't be working here anymore?"
"Yeah, I don't think I can work while I'm studying," the boy laughed again, pleasantly surprised at the Constables' sudden show of interest in his welfare. "Uh… you don't like the idea?"
"No way," the female Constable replied, shaking her head dourly. "It's just that… I didn't know you'd be going so quickly."
Shin-ju grinned mischievously. "Aha!" he whooped. "You're gonna miss me!"
Sean laughed. "The heck're you talking about, Shin-ju?" he cracked, approaching the boy. "We always miss you. Watch this—"
The Knight swung an open palm at Shin-ju's head, and the boy instinctively ducked, avoiding the mitigated attempt.
"Woohoo!" a Constable guffawed. "You did miss him, Sean!"
Shin-ju whooped again, getting ready for another mock sparring match with Sean and his Constables. "So it's like that, huh?" he yelled, jumping up and running around in an attempt to land his own palm strike at Sean.
"Yeah!" one of the Constables yelled as he joined into the romp. "I swear, I'm really gonna score my first hit on you today!"
Laughter filled the courtyard as Sean and his Constables tried in vain to score a hit on the fast-moving Nomad boy. They knew that this would be the last time they could play with Shin-ju like this, and it didn't matter to them if they were already late for their day's assignments—they were about to say goodbye to this very remarkable child, and they were going to spend their last moments in the best way they thought possible.
•••
Mikieru and Lara stood on the front porch, watching as Shin-ju romped around with Sean and his Constables on the wet courtyard below them.
"You will keep an eye on him, will you?" Mikieru asked quietly, not turning to her.
Lara eyed the tall Cleric. She was taking a sip of mocha when she heard his whispered inquiry. She waited for him to continue, but he did not elaborate.
"Sorry, but… why do you need to ask me that?" she whispered in return.
Mikieru sighed, closing his eyes. "Shin-ju is special, Lara," he replied. "I have no doubt in my heart that he is capable of great things. But as special as he is, he is also troubled. I never meant to hide anything from him, but we thought it was the best course of action at that time..."
•••
In his mind, Mikieru saw the image of a slouching Shin-ju, his eyes lidless and iris-less, his skin blackened, his entire frame enveloped in a Demon's pulsating, wafting orange aura…•••
"Mike?" Lara asked, wondering what Mikieru meant with his words.
Mikieru opened his eyes, seeing a very happy Shin-ju romping with his Constable friends in the courtyard. The boy he was watching now seemed so different from the one that managed to destroy the creature Urd without even a single touch…
"Lara," Mikieru answered, "Shin-ju has had a troubled youth. He was orphaned at a very young age and left his hometown when he was ten. He wandered the entirety of Sograt Desert for three years before he reached Prontera, only to be judged despotically by the color of his skin…"
The Cleric wanted to enumerate what had exactly happened two years ago in Al de Baran, but decided against it at the last moment. He sighed and made his point.
"I love the child," he said. "I just do not want anything to happen to him."
There was silence for a moment, when he allowed himself to watch Shin-ju's playful form a while longer.
"Well, that's weird."
Mikieru turned to face Lara, seeing a very puzzled expression on her face. He raised his eyebrows slightly at her, as though asking what exactly she found 'weird.'
Lara shrugged, and matter-of-factly asked: "How's anything gonna happen to him if you don't let anything happen to him?"
•••
"Hey, Sister Murakami!" Shin-ju called from the courtyard. "Are we riding a Peco Carriage to the Training Grounds? 'Cause there's one at the HQ gates that looks like it's waiting for you!"
Lara turned to Shin-ju, waving. "Yeah, that's ours! Go ahead, I'll be right there!"
The Priestess sipped the last of the mocha from her cup and handed it to Mikieru. "Thanks, Mike," she said, winking at the tall Cleric with both her eyes. "I'll see you again soon."
Without another word, Lara descended the steps and walked across the wet courtyard towards their Peco Carriage. Soon she and Shin-ju would be off on their way to the Prontera Training Grounds, where she would guide the boy into a new life as a Novice.
Mikieru stood rooted at the porch, two empty paper cups in his hands, watching the Priestess as she trotted away. Her last question caught him totally off-guard. It was as if she had asked him something that was, at the same time, both incredibly idiotic and impeccably wise.
The Cleric laughed quietly at himself. Lara Murakami, he thought, turning around to walk back into the HQ. Looks like I have yet another mystery on my hands…
•••
End of Chapter Two