Apologies for the long wait, I've been very busy as of late, but I'll try to get back to the more consistent updates.
Chapter Five- Kill the Journey
The Cove- Manta Bay Village
Wave stood in his room, packing his bags for his several days about to be spent sailing towards the capital. He was excited at the prospect of serving alongside seasoned fighters and soldiers in the service of a greater cause- bringing peace upon the Empire and ensuring that the vigilantes such as Night Raid who would terrorize the people of his nation would be eradicated.
Wave exited the room, throwing his duffel over his shoulder and entering the kitchen. He faced his father and mother seated in the kitchen, his mother looking up at him, her eyes clearly red from welling up and face flushed though she tried not to show it. His father had a somewhat solemn look but spoke very proudly.
"I'm so honored that you will give our family a good name in the Capital, rubbing elbows with the high-ranking generals and politicians. I feel like we did a pretty good job raising you then." Wave's father said with a wide smile.
"It's a shame you have to leave so soon after having gone to war already but I'm so happy to know you'll be a hero of the Capital, not just our village. We're insignificant compared to what the Capital has to offer." She tried to rationalize so her son did not feel guilt for accepting the offer.
"No you're not." He furrowed his brow, frowning, sitting to face them at their level. "I'm only keeping what I need to survive on in the Capital. The rest I'm sending back here so you all can recuperate from what we've all suffered. It will take a few days so try to keep the rations you have left-" Wave was cut off by his mother choking up.
"You have such a good heart, Wave. I just don't want this to be the last time we see you."
Wave smiled warmly, "It won't be. I promise."
"You can't promise things like that."
The Cove- Manta Bay Village: Genji's Home
Wave kneeled beside his bed-ridden uncle, in a bit of a haze since his wounds were becoming infected.
Wave was misty eyed seeing his strong and sturdy uncle in this pathetic condition, barely clinging to life and unable to speak.
"Uncle, I know you probably can't hear me right now. I hope in some way you can understand why I must leave you. I wish I could stay and look after the village with you when you get better." Wave stopped 'If he gets better,' he thought, his head lowering, trying to hide his lack of composure. "I must go though, so you all can continue to thrive here." He took his uncle's sweaty, limp hand "I will fight for you. Everyone of course, but you especially. I was too late to protect you, even with all my power. Even with an Imperial Arms. I failed you…. I will never let that happen again. When we see each other again, I will be stronger. You will be stronger, too."
Wave stood, taking a last respectful nod to his sickly uncle, leaving the darkened bedroom covered in mosquito nets and went back to his own home.
His mother had finally composed herself when he got back and gave him a large sack of fresh caught fish. He took the heavy, smelly bag and asked "What is this for? You all need to keep this here!"
"No! It's rude if you don't bring something to offer them! In the Capital things are different, there are certain expectations and customs! We'll subside for the next few days until the gold comes!" she shouted, smiling falsely.
Wave sulked and merely nodded and reluctantly took it.
"Oh, and if you ever see a capital girl in need of cheering up, step up and help her out. You may get lucky that way and it's the polite thing to do!" she smiled widely.
Wave smirked. "Alright mom. I'll try to remember that."
Later- Tetsuo Bay Port
Later that afternoon, Wave stood on the docks facing the small delivery vessel he had finessed his way onto using his Imperial document and the fearsome reputation of the letter's author as a means to get on unquestioned. The smell of the fresh sea air and fish onboard may have been off-putting to some but to Wave it merely reminded him of home. He was wearing his best Imperial Navy garb, a dark blue jacket with a soft white collar, with a white undershirt featuring a simple blue line down the stark white torso, with a red collar featuring a white anchor emblem. He thought it was the very thing to let him blend in with the city folk of the Capital.
He was, even now, a bit anxious, something he was ashamed to admit to himself. He remembered the first time he was to set out to sea on this very dock just three years before. He stood, jaw agape at the massive vessel before him, all in beautiful brown wood with the Imperial Navy anchor emblem on the massive blue and white sails, bustling with experienced men of the sea, all lifting crates and tying knots down. He had never seen such efficiency, especially not on the small fishing boats he was accustomed to.
Keno had put his hand on the short boy's shoulders. "I remember when I first saw these boats, too. I couldn't believe the majesty of them. The power, the speed. It was overwhelming." He turned Wave towards him. "Do not fear, Wave. The sea may be harsh and unforgiving but there's a serene beauty to it. Our souls are tied to it. Use that as grounding for yourself. Channel its fury, but also its calm, its reservation into yourself and you will learn to respect it, bend it to your will. You will survive."
He thought about that now. He stopped gawking and straightened up, putting on a serious face and hustled up the ramp onto the ship.
Hours later, Wave was gazing out upon the sunset of the sea. A grizzled older sailor named Gage approached him.
"So, you're pretty young. You seem so chipper. Where are you headed? None of the other guys told me yet." he inquired, wiping his chalky, rough hands with a rag after scraping barnacles from some old oars for the lifeboats.
Wave didn't want to brag, but he didn't see any reason to lie. "I was summoned to be a part of a unit of Imperial Arms users in the Capital by the General Esdeath herself." He turned, smiling.
The sailor's eyes widened with shock, but he was also quite impressed. "Well, I heard she's quite young and beautiful for a general of the Empire."
"That all you heard?" Wave asked playfully.
Gage smirked, "I wish that was all I knew. Then at least I could rub one out."
Wave laughed at the crass joke, something that he loved about freedom of being on the sea. He could never joke like that in his village, the elders would scoff in disgust and his mother would give him a good smack.
Gage thought to himself. 'I would usually just steal the Arms and pawn it off but this kid seems good enough. Plus, I'd never want to piss of the Empire's most brutal sadist. Poor kid doesn't even know what's gonna hit him. He doesn't even know what the Capital is like. It's just nice, aloof rich city people to him. The things I've done for a bit of cash to tickle the fancy of some high lord or lady.' Gage shivered at the thought and quickly made some small talk and went back to his work. None of the men had the heart to warn the blissfully unaware Wave just what kind of the city the Capital could be if he wasn't careful. But they figured he was under the protection of the Imperial military so he might not have that much to worry about. Or maybe beneath his happy-go-lucky demeanor he was one of the dangerous ones…
The Capital- Forested Outskirts
Wave had been dropped off at a nearby port and bid farewell to the sailors who had been so hospitable to him, who seemed rather dour about his leaving for some reason.
He had trekked along the shady trail, covered by the large, beautiful trees on the outskirts of the city. He followed the map to where his rendezvous point was with some Imperial guards.
"Halt fisherman! Who permitted you to come this way? This road is supposed to be for military members only!" one shouted at him, pointing a rifle fashioned with a bayonet.
Wave threw up his hands, nervously smiling, producing his letter, as he had at the first blockade at the start of the back-trail to the capital.
"No no! I'm a member of the Imperial Navy! I've come here on an official order from General Esdeath!"
The guards seemed confused, "Yeah right!" the lead shouted, rushing forward and snatching the letter from him and skimming it intensely.
"Oh my—I-I'm so sorry sir, right this way!" He said, escorting the clearly out-of-his-element country boy to the front gates of the Capital, giving him directions to the massive palace at the city's center frantically to get this potential equal of Esdeath away from him as soon as he could.
"Thanks! Hope to see you guys out sometime!" he said cheerily, to their confusion, letting them keep some fish to cook with later.
'What's he so goddamn happy about? Doesn't he know what a huge pain it is to work for that psycho? Or that he sticks out like a sore thumb?' they all thought collectively.
Wave saw the huge wood gates slowly come open, and had the sunlight coming from within the capital briefly blind. He then gazed upon the city in all its glory; the path leading down into a bustling, congested metropolis right at his feet. He took a deep breath, grinned, and strolled carefree into the streets, trying to ignore the many eyes on his strange appearance betraying his origins.
'Huh, I guess they're all in awe of an Imperial man of the sea strolling around the streets without a posse.'