Taming the bull
Six years ago
Somebody screamed. In fact, a lot of people were screaming. The small hamlet was crowded with women and children at the time, obviously liable to cause a racket. Kaoru Takeda was cowering behind his meat stall. Shaking, he risked a glance over the wooden surface top. People were running in all directions, some with panicked expressions, some with confused expressions, but all looked absolutely terrified. The beast was stomping up and down the centre of the settlement, snorting and bellowing. Kaoru recognised it as the bull from the farm outside the hamlet. It must have escaped and was now causing chaos in the hamlet. Kaoru yelped and hid behind the stall as the bull almost spotted him. As the settlement's meat trader, Kaoru considered himself the most likely target for the bull's aggression, especially if it recognised one of the bleeding slabs of beef on the stall as one of its relations. Kaoru could hear the sound of wood being smashed to pieces as the bull tore through some of the other stalls. Kaoru almost laughed out loud when he heard Hachirou the fruit seller let out a pitiful moan as his stall was ripped apart, scattering apples and bananas across the hamlet. Suddenly, a large number of people let out loud gasps and began chattering furiously. Kaoru peered over his stall, a puzzled expression on his face. To his horror he saw a child, barely 12 years old, standing in the open around ten feet from the bull. The boy was dressed in a black T-shirt and trousers and had spiky blond hair sprouting from his head. Boy and bull were staring at each other intently. The bull snorted angrily and advanced on the defenceless child.
"Kid! Get out of the there!" Kaoru shouted, frantically waving his arms.
The bull turned its huge head towards the meat trader, who let out an un-manly scream and dived back down behind his stall. The bull turned its attention back towards the boy. He did not seem afraid in the least. Something in the child's blue eyes unnerved the bull. They did not seem completely… human. The bull snorted, deciding that if the boy was brave or stupid enough to stand in its way, then he would be trampled down regardless. The bull scraped its hooves across the dirt. With a frightening bellow, it sprang towards the child, to the screams of the villagers watching in horror. As the massive creature bore down on him, the boy suddenly smiled. To the puzzlement of the crowd, he let out a strange, almost animal-like noise. With an alarmed look on its face, the bull skidded to a halt just in front of the child. Kaoru watched in amazement. The bull seemed to have understood the boy. He stared at the boy.
"Can that child talk to that bull?" He wondered.
The bull eyed the boy suspiciously as he raised a hand the bull's face. He stroked the bull's cheek and leaned in close. Kaoru could see him whispering something into its ear. The meat trader gaped as the bull nodded in understanding, walking calmly away into the direction of its farm. The eyes of the villagers turned back to the boy standing in the centre of their hamlet.
The blond haired boy gazed at the faces staring at him. He saw in their looks the expressions of amazement, confusion and awe. But, the boy noted with a sigh, there was the inevitable stain of fear in their faces. There was always fear in the faces of people he met, wherever he went. He had never seen these people before, but he already knew him. They were normal people, living normal lives. When someone like him arrived into their lives, they may appreciate his help, but they would never be comfortable with his presence. They would never accept him. The boy had realised a long time ago that he would never fit in among humans. He stayed there, watching the faces for a moment or two. After that he concluded he needed to leave. He turned to leave the hamlet, turning his back on the people he had saved. On the outskirts of the village, he saw an old man leaning on a fence post. The boy passed him without a word, though he noted that the old man's expression was different than the others.
"Well done." The old man congratulated him, surprising the boy.
The boy glanced over his shoulder as he left, observing the old man's expression again. He realised that the tell-tale pang of fear and confusion was not present, only a mix of thankfulness, kindness, and pity.
"What's your name?" The old man asked, a genuine look of warmth on his face.
The boy hesitated. "Kazuki…" He mumbled. "Kazuki Hagane."
The old man smiled. "Thank you, Kazuki Hagane." He said. "I look forward to seeing you again."
The boy smiled awkwardly and nodded, knowing that the two would never meet again. He began to walk away.
"You have a gift, Kazuki-kun!" The old man called after him. "You are unique."
Kazuki stopped and glanced back.
"That does not make you an outcast." The old man continued. "Never forget that…"
Kazuki frowned. There was no trace of dishonesty in the old man's face, but the boy knew that what he said wasn't true. Without a word, Kazuki walked away, prepared to leave the hamlet, and the old man, behind forever.