(Word count: 4770)
Tokchiro held his wife and daughter tightly when the house shook suddenly. He thought it was a clap of thunder at first before the earth quaked violently under their feet. Much so, that he held his family so tight, he might have broken their rib or two. When the house settled still, Tokchiro slowly released them and looked out the window to see if the earthquake extended the damage to his neighbors' homes. Dark was the night that the few neighbors he could see had the light of their homes reflecting their backs, leaving to see if the quake affected the others just as well.
"W-What was that?!" His wife exclaimed.
"I don't know, Mihiro." Tokchiro answered with uncertainty, "Stay with Asami. I'll check outside."
"But father-!"
"I'll be fine." He replied to his daughter before leaving.
Tokchiro stood up and rushed downstairs, careful to not bump into the tables of his tavern. Walking outside, more of his neighbors came forth from their homes, bewildered and fearful of the shock that followed.
"What was that?" A neighbor asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Aoki," Tokchiro answered. As the braver neighbors - many of them men - gathered in one group, one man alerted them.
"There!" He pointed to the north, "Over the bridge!"
Looking to where the man had pointed, Tokchiro and the others could see light burning bright from a distance, over the hill to where the forest was as the young man pointed directly. With a group formed, all the men collectively gathered what tools they had as weapons, with some carrying torches to guide the way, and approached the light. It was a bit of a trek to cross the bridge to the hill itself. Once they got over it, however, they witnessed a horrific scene. In front of them was a massive crater as wide as half an acre. Around it were several destroyed trees in its wake and flickers of were dancing on them and the ground itself. And beyond it, something else. Many of the villagers became frightened and spoke among themselves.
"What manner of sorcery is this?"
"Is it the sign of the gods?"
"What if it's an army?!"
The villagers' paranoia and superstitions grew gradually and they all seemed ready to turn back and flee. Tokchiro, on the other hand, allowed his curiosity to pique. He was afraid like the others, yes, but he could not help but feel drawn to the crater itself. Being the only one to not feel fear, Tokchiro made his voice known.
"Please! All of you calm down!" Tokchiro yelled, catching all of their attention, "I know all of us are scared but we should at least investigate the cause of the quake."
"What if it's a demon?!" A frightened villager cried out, to which Tokchiro responded, "Then we shall send a few men back to the village once we discover what is there. If not, at least we know what it is no danger."
"Perhaps it's a simple meteor." One villager said. "Maybe full of metals from the stars, even! I've heard tales of blacksmiths forging such magnificent weapons! They say the metals have properties that could put swords to shame. It's as if they were gifts from the heavens!"
Upon hearing that, the crowd's mood quickly changed from fear to intrigue.
"Then we shall retrieve it." A portly man said. The tavern owner quickly identified him as the blacksmith as Takara. "To create a weapon from such valuable metals, perhaps we can sell it off for a higher profit!"
"Why not just give it to the Governor's men? Surely, they'll leave us be if we offer it to them as tribute." One villager suggested. This suggestion alone froze everyone on the spot. Their intrigue now turned into fear once more. It was no secret that the governor was in league with criminals - or Yakuza as they were called - and the village was under their payroll. Even worse, Tokchiro was currently in debt. And right now, he didn't have enough to pay them in the coming days. Fear gripped his heart as the thought of his daughter being taken from him raced through his mind.
"I shall show it to the governor's men!" Tokchiro blurted out thoughtlessly, receiving several stares from the others. Aoki looked concerned and approached.
"But Tokchiro, we all foun-"
"Please." Tokchiro pleaded, "It's for my daughter's safety. If I can show it to them, then there's a chance they'll leave my family be."
The villagers remained quiet. They all looked at each other, deciding among themselves in silent judgment. Tokchiro felt crestfallen in saying such rash words. It was selfish, yes, but who could blame him for thinking for his family?
Fortunately, the men all nodded with looks of sympathy and Aoki said, "Very well. Take the meteor. You were the first to discover it. Do it for your daughter's sake."
Tokchiro sighed in relief upon hearing it and thanked them all. In unanimous agreement, the villagers approached the crater with a few staying behind to run back to the village in case. As they closed in, they walked cautiously towards the crater. Most of the villagers carried weapons in case of danger. As they reached closer, they soon realized whatever caused the damage to the surrounding area was something else.
"It's… a man!"
"He's huge! A giant!"
"He caused all of this?!"
Both amazed and shocked by this, many of the villagers held their weapons high in wariness. Only Tokchiro was brave enough to get close and inspect the man further. The man appeared to be out cold. His armor, however fearsome and ferocious it looked, appeared to resemble samurai gear albeit barechested with few of them to protect his entire body. The only things that did, were pauldrons, knee guards and gauntlets that had rows of spikes on them. His helmet had the look of a kabuto helm with a skull-like mask protecting the wearer's face. His aforementioned pauldrons were held together by two leather straps intercrossing with a medallion carrying another skull-like much like his helm. Even so, despite the fearsome appearance, the man looked beaten and bruised in several places.
Despite his head screaming to back away, Tokchiro slowly - and carefully - lowered his head close to the man's chest. Pressing his ear closer, the tavern owner could almost hear a faint heartbeat from within. Alerted, Tokchiro looked to the villagers waiting expectantly.
"His heart is still beating." Tokchiro informed, "I think he may b-"
Tokchiro suddenly felt a hand grab his robes. His eyes quickly made close contact with the man's shockingly red ones. The pupils were lizard-like and gleamed a demonic red. Many of the villagers screamed and fled in terror, while a few - including Aoki and the blacksmith - jumped in to save the tea owner. The man's strength was evident as Tokchiro's neighbors tried to pull him away. Even as he freaked out, Tokchiro could faintly hear the man's words.
"H-Help…me…"
Before Tokchiro could respond, the fabric on his clothes ripped as the men pulled him free. Stumbling back, Tokchiro and the others backed away from the man's body. As the others helped their neighbor, Tokchiro to see the man's hand reach out to them; as if calling for help. The man soon passed out immediately. Seeing it made the tea owner look in pity at his state. As the remaining villagers were prepared to flee, Tokchiro stopped them.
"W-Wait!" He pleaded. "We have to help him!"
"Are you insane?!" Aoki expressed. "That man tried to attack you!"
"He was reaching out for help!" Tokchiro countered. "He's hurt and I think he needs our help. I'll let him in my home and no one else. It's the least I can do to bring you all here. Please."
Aoki and the others looked at Tokchiro like he was a madman, then at the man passed out, then back to him. Despite their reluctance, Aoki said to one of them, "Head back and return with a cart. And get some more men. He might be heavy."
Later…
"Okay…" Tokchiro and the others prepared, "One, two, three!"
With all their strength, the men heaved the stranger and carried him into the guest room of Tokchiro's home. As they did, the sheer weight of him was too much to carry through. Whilst navigating the home, Tokchiro's family appeared and looked in shock at the man's appearance. Mihiro held their daughter close to her in instinctual fear. Tokchiro paid none of their attention, being too focused on the ridiculous weight he had to carry on his shoulder. With the door guest room open, Tokchiro instructed the others to slowly lower him on the futon.
"Steady…" Tokchiro strained before the men successfully placed him on the head. Many of them were sweating and breathing heavily from the difficult labor they had done.
"It's like carrying an ox with him!"
"I don't think my back can handle tomorrow's work!"
Despite their complaints, Tokchiro was grateful nonetheless. Soon after they made quick to remove his gear. But upon removing the helmet, many recoiled in fear as they discovered that the 'man' they rescued held a demonic visage. He looked human save for a flat nose and finger-like appendages growing from his eyebrows. Many were stunned in silence, looking at an equally frightened Tokchiro.
"...maybe we should put a bag on his head."
"Maybe you should stop making excuses and throw him out before he wakes up," Aoki replied, eliciting an awkward shrug from Tokchiro.
"I still feel it would be wrong to leave him out there." Tokchiro excused. "Please, let's remove the armor and give it to Takara. After that, I'll handle the rest."
Having made his orders, the men went to work. Carefully and with some difficulty, they removed the stranger's armor one by one. Seeing the bruises and wounds, Aoki went to his home and returned with fresh bandages. Despite his appearances, the men made quick work to bandage his wounds. With their work done, Tokchiro thanked the others profusely and guided them out, with the blacksmith taking the broken gear back to his home. Aoki was the last to leave before speaking with Tokchiro.
"I can not help but feel bad omens about this." He voiced his concerns. To Tokchiro's admission, Aoki wasn't wrong. Even so, he was determined to help the stranger.
"We'll discuss more tomorrow," Tokchiro said, patting his neighbor's shoulder, before they parted ways. Checking on the man once more, Tokchiro stopped to find his wife right by the guest room's door. Knowing full well of her reaction, Tokchiro approached her carefully. Mihiro turned as she heard him with fearful eyes.
"He is not… human." She stated. "How could you let this thing into our home?"
"I understand your worries." He sympathized. "But once he wakes up, I'll take care of this."
"But Tokchir-"
"I will take care of this," He repeated with great emphasis. "Where is Asami?"
"She's in her room." Mihiro quietly said. "But I think she should stay close to us for the next few nights."
"Understandable." He agreed. "Go fetch her."
Three days later…
Business had been growing steadily in the tavern for the past few days. In some ways, it soothed Tokchiro's mind to an extent. He didn't feel at all pressured or anxious as he greeted customers with his usual kindness. It made him almost forget the troubles in his life.
Well, almost.
There was still the… what was it those foreigners called it? An elephant? Yes, that must be it. There was the elephant currently living in the guest room. For three days since they found the stranger, Tokchiro did everything he could to keep him in stable conditions. He made sure to give the man water every so often. He remained passed out since his arrival and the others remained fearful of what would happen if he awoke from his slumber. Predictably, the stranger had become the talk of the village. Not help that all the men were spreading about the stranger's ferocious appearance. Tokchiro, despite the warnings repeated to him by his fellow men, did not have the heart to abandon him. Kindness was a weakness of his that seemed to extend to his tavern, which made him the target of the governor's thugs. Tokchiro regretted dragging his family into this out of desperation to this day. Had he increased the price on his menu, maybe the shop would have prospered. But that same kindness is also what prevented him from being a cutthroat. And he hated such underhanded tactics.
Tokchiro sighed in resignment to his fate, desperately hoping that fortune would turn its head to his shop. The honest tavern owner headed back to the kitchen. There, his wife and daughter were cleaning up the dishes. He kissed his wife gently on her cheek as he embraced her, receiving a small but loving smile in return.
"I'll be back." He quietly said. "I need to check on the man."
"Be careful." Mihiro cautioned just as her husband collected the water and left for the guest room. As Tokchiro approached closer, the noise from the dining room and his family grew muted the closer he got to the door. Slowly sliding it open, he checked to find the stranger still passed out on the futon. Quietly and carefully, he set the jug of water and cup down. He paid no mind to the passed-out stranger, simply pouring water into the cup. When he turned back to him, however, Tokchiro was spooked suddenly by the man's eyes staring back at him. Frozen in fear, the humble tavern owner did not move an inch as he locked eyes with the awakened man. And neither did his guest. Silence grew intense between the two, with only Tokchiro having the courage to finally break it.
"...Hello?" He simply greeted, caution now overwhelming his mind. The stranger did not respond, simply staring at his rescuer with observant eyes. Said eyes seemed to discern Tokchiro as if he were a possible threat. Or worse, the way a predator would look at its prey. Tokchiro felt a little bit naked under such a terrible gaze yet continued to converse with the stranger.
"...C-can you understand me…?"
"Yes." He spoke, spooking the humble owner yet again. "I can."
"Oh." Tokchiro felt somewhat relieved yet thrown off by the deep voice he had. "Good. I hope you're…well, feeling better. You were bruised and battered when we found you."
The stranger slowly raised his head but fell back on his pillow immediately.
"Easy. Easy." Tokchiro came to his aid. "It seems you have not fully recovered. Not entirely, it seems."
"Where am I?" The stranger inquired. "What is this place?"
"You're in Hokkaido. One of Japan's many islands. Not far from it, at least." Tokchiro politely answered. "And you are resting in my home. Which also functions as a tavern."
"I do not know of this 'Hokkaido' you speak of." The stranger said honestly, "Nor Japan. It sounds Edenian."
"Edenian?" Tokchiro was perplexed. "I've never heard such a thing. It seems now it's my turn to be curious. Tell me: what was the last thing you remember?"
The stranger looked surprisingly thoughtful when Tokchiro asked.
"I think…I was in battle…fighting…in foreign lands… " The stranger struggled to remember his previous encounter. "...fighting…for my Empire…"
"I see. You're a soldier, then? We have a lot of that around here. Though, nothing like you that we've ever seen before. Tell me, what lands do you hail from, stranger?" Tokchiro probed.
"Outworld." Said the stranger. Again, the kind owner had no clue what he meant. It only raised more questions than it did answers. Alas, it was no good to ask further if the stranger's memories were anything to go by.
"I see." Tokchiro said simply. "And if it's alright to ask: what is your name?"
For a moment, the stranger pondered as to what he went by.
"...Shao," He answered. "I believe that's what I'm called."
"Very well, Shao." Tokchiro greeted the man known as Shao, "My name is Tokchiro. A privilege to meet you."
"Likewise," Shao replied, trying again to lift himself. Tokchiro held his head up this time.
"Easy now." Tokchiro quelled. "You need time to recover."
"How did I become of this?" Shao questioned.
"You were found outside of our village. The men and I found you in a large crater that destroyed several trees. Some of them, myself included, carried you back to my home. Do you have any recollection of how you came here?"
"I'm afraid not." Shao frowned. "That's all I can say."
"I understand." Tokchiro sympathized. "I prepared you some water. Would you like some?"
"I am… parched, I'll admit," Shao confessed. Tokchiro nodded, raising the cup of water and carefully putting it on Shao's lips. The stranger drank the water deeply and sighed as the cup was emptied.
"I wish…to sit up…straight…if it's too much to ask…" Shao requested. Takchiro supported the man as he sat straight. The blanket on top of Shao fell on his lap, revealing the bandages that were wrapped all over his body. Shao looked at them in apathy.
"If you feel the need to rest, by all means," Tokchiro informed. "You have been resting for a while so it may take time for your body to readjust. But if you feel ready, I left some clothes of your size for you. My neighbors were generous to give some."
Tokchiro pointed to the clothes on the wall next to the door for Shao to see. The man seemed to look inquisitively and then slowly raised a massive arm to point at something else.
"What is that?" Shao asked at the straw-like item. Tokchiro looked at identified it.
"Ah, that would be a Tengai." The owner answered. "It is a straw hat of sorts. It is meant to cover your face. I will be honest with you: your appearance has frightened some of the villagers. That is why I requested that hat along with the clothes of your size. Do forgive them, though, for they do not understand things that are not explained by rational means."
"Why? What is wrong with my appearance?" Shao asked. Tokchiro winced when the topic came up. Looking at Shao's face, though, showed a look of sincere interest. Thinking before he could speak, Tokchiro worked up the courage and said, "Well, Shao, the villagers are very much like me. In looks, I mean. We are what you would call 'human'. As for you, you are-"
"A monster." Shao jumped in.
"...I would say 'different'." Tokchiro politely interpreted. "And those things on your brows may prove difficult to walk around in public. Thus I have the mask here. For your safety, of course."
"I see." Shao brushed on the finger-like appendages on his forehead. Suddenly, a growl broke the silence between the two. Specifically, Shao's stomach.
"Ah!" Tokchiro realized. "You must be famished! You may have rested well, but you haven't eaten for quite a while! I shall prepare some food for you."
Shao continued to inspect his body, catching the foul scent of his body odor.
"Perhaps I shall get cleaned first," Shao said, "I have not bathed for some time."
"I understand, Shao," Tokchiro replied. "There is a backdoor to the tavern that leads to the river. Be sure to put your hat on before you go."
Shao nodded amicably. Tokchiro quickly passed the clothes to his guest and helped him up once he covered up. The clothes were simple long black robes and loose pants. They fit the man's gigantic stature and form rather well and made him appear ordinary save for his height. Shao was careful to not damage the roof over his head as he quickly learned when he bumped into it. Tokchiro guided him out to the back and pointed him to where the river would be. Before leaving, Tokchiro gave him a bar of soap and a towel to clean himself with. Eventually, the giant walked his way toward the river to where no one would see him while Tokchiro prepared his meal.
When he finally found the river, Shao quickly stripped off his clothes and submerged himself. Before he could scrub the blood and grime off, the Outworlder unravelled the dirty bandages all over his body, revealing the wounds he bore had fully healed. Shao raised a brow upon inspection and slowly placed a hand on one of the marks.
They bit down into his flesh hard as he screamed in pain. Their golden serpentine bodies surrounded Shao with their blinding glow. The Outworlder struggled against their overwhelming numbers and felt his time had come. Before he was dragged away, he took one glimpse of a man in white and blue clothes with a straw hat over his head. His pale white eyes glimmered with great power. Before he knew it, Shao's vision turned dark.
Shao found himself heaving with frantic breaths. It appeared to be a memory of his. He felt they should be familiar… but they didn't click to him. It left him with questions about himself and that was the first piece of the puzzle. Shao's eyes scrutinized the reflection of the water. All he saw was a face that belonged to him. He could see now clearly as to why Tokchiro was voicing his concerns. Quickly ignoring the reflection, Shao began scrubbing off the dirt and blood.
"You left him outside?!" Tokchiro winced as Mihiro loudly admonished her husband's foolish decision. He still prepared the grilled meats and checked on the nearly cooked rice.
"I simply pointed him to the river to wash up." Tokchiro corrected her. "And his name is Shao, by the way."
"That's not the point, Tokchiro!" Mihiro exclaimed, quickly turning back to the kitchen window as she passed the food over to a server. "What happens if…Shao…wanders off and attacks someone out there?!"
"You worry too much, my dear." He dismissed her worries. "Shao seemed quite docile when he awoke. Of course, he seemed cautious of me but he was quick to be reasonable. No doubt, he'll be back soon. "
"Tokchir-"
"It will be alright, Mihiro." The man resolved. He saw how crestfallen his wife was and embraced her warmly. "I promise. Both to you and Asami."
Their communication of love was soon interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps coming close to them. The couple looked up and turned to see Shao appearing with his head hanging low in the doorway to the kitchen. His straw hat kept his face hidden but his massive frame frightened Mihiro, to which her husband was quick to comfort her.
"I have returned, Tokchiro," Shao stated the obvious. Tokchiro spoke and said, "So I see. Your meal will be ready soon. I'll have them brought to your room."
"Hmm." Shao nodded before leaving for his room. Tokchiro relaxed and turned to see his wife was still frozen in place.
"Mihiro." He said her name, "Let me take of this. This is my burden. Hopefully, he'll find his footing. And perhaps his way home, one day."
His wife gave him a very conflicted look but nodded in acceptance. Tokchiro softly smiled and kissed her forehead, before putting all the meals on a tray.
"Here we go, Shao!" Tokchiro came in with the food tray, seeing Shao sitting patiently in the centre of the room. He no longer had his hat on, which slightly uneased the owner a bit. Tokchiro carefully placed the tray down before his guest. On it was a small bowl of rice, a small bowl of miso soup, edamame, roasted mackerel, grilled chicken skewers, two types of noodles; udon and soba with dipping sauce; and finally, sushi with a small dish of shoyu. The last of which was salmon preserved in vinegar and alcohol, wrapped in a bed of rice with seaweed. A method discovered by Tokchiro during his time travelling across Japan and the world and finding unorthodox methods of cooking for himself and others.
"Lunch is served!" Tokchiro clapped once with applause. The Outworlder eyed his meal curiously.
"This is more than I would expect." Shao pointed out, receiving a handwave from his host.
"It is fine, Shao." Tokchiro kindly dismissed his guest's concerns. "I run a tavern. I have plenty of food in stock. You need not worry. Besides, a man of your stature would consume a lot more than the average person. So please, dig in."
Shao nodded and eyed the food again. He did not look suspicious of his meal, merely inquisitive of his host's display. He raised a hand and hovered it over one of the dishes, before grabbing a pair of chopsticks and gently positioning them between his fingers. His awkwardness in holding them gave Tokchiro some proof the man was trying to remember his footing in some way. He then grabbed the bowl of rice with his other hand and picked apart a good amount of mackerel onto the rice. The humble owner looked on nervously as he watched his guest place the food in his mouth. The Outworlder's expression changed from caution to impressed and quickly devoured it, much to Tokchiro's elation. The host then stood up with a sense of pride.
"I shall bring some tea and water for you," Tokchiro added, leaving the Outworlder to his meal afterward.
Shao then directed his attention to the bowl of miso, humming at the taste and sipping it generously. Soon after, he was going through all of them one by one. He slurped both noodles loudly and vigorously; picked off the chicken from the skewers with his surprisingly sharp teeth, finished the bowl of rice with mackerel quite quickly, and picked the sushi one by one, savoring the sushi's unique flavor dipped in shoyu in his mouth. By the time Tokchiro returned with refreshments, his guest had already devoured the entire tray.
"My compliments on your cooking." Shao commended. "That and your staff."
"I am pleased to hear that, Shao." Takchiro smiled, pouring some tea in a small cup. "I will let my family know of it."
"So that was your woman I saw, yes?" Shao inquired. Tokchiro nodded, "That was my wife you saw. Her name is Mihiro. My daughter, Asami, was out at the front, serving the customers. Once we are closed, then I shall properly introduce them to you."
"I see." Shao noted. "I thank you again for the meal."
Tokchiro bowed in gratitude, serving the tea to his guest. Shao blew his cup to cool down the hot beverage before taking small sips. Tokchiro picked the tray up and stood. Just when he was about to leave the room…
"She did not react well to my presence at all, did she?"
Tokchiro froze in his place. The question itself made his heart jump, and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raised as he sensed his guest staring at his back. Quickly, he faced the Outworlder and answered, "My wife, like many others, is not used to seeing someone like you. But I have no doubt she and our daughter will slowly adapt to your presence."
Upon receiving it, the Outworlder remained uncharacteristically quiet. Tokchiro's smile was slowly fading from his face as Shao discerned his statement.
"...I understand." Shao finally said, considering the man's words. "Apologies. I was concerned about her reaction. If that is the case, I will take note of similar incidents such as this in the future."
Relieved to hear Shao again, Tokchiro nodded slowly. A sense of apprehension was beginning to crawl down his spine and the man walked away from his guest with the tray of dirty dishes. With Shao now alone, he took one long sip of his tea's fragrant flavor. With one memory now unlocked, so too did a part of his old self begin to emerge.
Hey everyone! I hope all is well with you all! As you can see, I have begun a new story. Something to keep my mind fresh with new ideas. This story, as such, focuses on our lovable and despicable final boss to trump all final bosses, Shao Kahn, making his way into the world of Soul Calibur. And the reason why this exists is thanks to another author, Angry lil' elf, worming his way into my mind with talks of Soul Calibur recently (especially with his SC-oriented crossover story, Soul Calibur: The Hedge Knight) and now I am completely cursed with the thirst for Ivy Valentine and Taki because of him. In fact, this entire chapter was inspired by his latest work along with the character, Tokchiro, originating from that story. You can all blame him now for delaying my other works.
Speaking of which, I have been doing a lot of revisions on the Doom/YJ crossover right before this idea dropped. I will be honest, I was not happy with the initial progress and felt it stayed too closely to the original show's canon. Meaning that I am revising and updating to suit the story that I want to do (ie; add more characters and making sure there are no retcons and continuity errors within my writing). Another factor was how controversial some of the scenes were and provoked a lot of flame wars that seemed to bug a lot of people. Some of which I, admittedly, agreed as well. So, as something of rebirth, I will update the entire story sometime before the end of the year. Also, I am undergoing a new chapter at the same time. So yeah, some good news for once.
As for DOOM: End Times, I do not have any plans to continue it...yet. Between hospital visits for two years (and counting) and struggling with another relapse, my interest in both lore is beginning to burn out and I have been focused on other stories in order to freshen my boredom and mental health. I would love to return to the story again, someday. But I am going to take a break for a bit until I am ready to finish what I started.
Speaking of health, I will be undergoing a biopsy sometime next week. Due to the discovery of two types of lymphoma within my body (one of which a complete unknown), I am hoping the doctors will get test results soon. In the meantime, so long as I live, I am still kicking.
Anyways, thank you to Angry lil' elf for inspiring this piece I wrote.
And thank you all for reading. Please leave a review, and see ya!
