Disclaimer: I do not own 'A song of Ice and Fire' nor 'Magic the Gathering'.
Author's Note: Hello everyone, finally finished the chapter.
First, to the authors who manage to post consistently, you da real MVP. Work got hectic and took up all the free time i had available. But i am commited in finishing this story.
Anyway, to those who were curious where they were going, finally your question will be answered. I will post my reasoning after the chapter.
If you want to see what the Living Historian in the story look like, i took inspirations from the following cards: Weaver of Harmony.
Chapter 7
After following Liliana through the Blind Eternities, Jon and Nivaeron had been initially disappointed with their surroundings when they arrived in a dark, dirty, narrow alleyway, a few paper lanterns hanging above them serving more as decoration than illumination. As she led them out of the backstreet, their disappointment was replaced with curiosity when they saw a purplish glow shining from the exit, the corner obscuring the source of the lights. Their curiosity was then brushed aside as they stood wonder struck, both of them staring in awe at the surrounding structures.
Sky-blue and bright violets were the predominant colors of the lights illuminating what appeared to be a vibrant city. Strips of lights decorated the facades of buildings by either outlining their contours, coloring their surfaces with their radiance or providing advertisement in the language of the plane's inhabitants. Pink leafed trees dotted the landscape and added their perfumed fragrance to the pungent smell of a nearby sewage filled river. There was a prevailing darkness to the environment that combined with the lighting gave off the impression of permanent twilight to the place. In the distance they could see far off towers, their curved roofs with upward sloping edges piercing the sky with a blue glow in the background. Directly over their heads, massive, expansive branches served as the source of the murk plaguing the metropolis. Even the denizens walking around had lights decorating their clothes and armors. Unlike the sprawling city of Ravnica or the magical university of Strixhaven, the entire place gave off a vibe of a far off future.
"Enough gawking, both of you. There is more to see beyond this street." Liliana commented as she nudged them along.
"Where are we?" Jon asked while looking around. He could see that the bright surroundings had Nivaeron's full attention, so he grabbed him and led him along. "Based on the familiar path we took across the Blind Eternities and the nezumi i see around, i'm pretty sure we're in Kamigawa, but i don't remember seeing anything like this last time."
"That is because your enrollment was coming up and i had to get started on my task for the Emporium, so i brought you along with me on the initial survey of the nezumi's territory. Did you think all of Kamigawa was represented by a few backwater villages?"
"No, it's just... how can there be such a big difference between those villages and... this?" Jon waved his hands around to emphasize his point.
"Nezumi are not looked kindly upon, so they tend to scurry and scrounge for what they need to survive. As such they are, as a people, self-sufficient, secretive and wary of outsiders who make do with the leavings of the rest of Kamigawa." Liliana lectured while Jon was struck by how similar the nezumi's stigma was to his own bastardy in his original plane. "Towashi is no different. Once we leave the undercity, nezumi will be far less common on the streets."
"So this city is called Towashi?" Jon took a moment to memorize the name before continuing. "How deep are we?"
Liliana lifted an eyebrow as she looked at Jon. "What do you mean, child?"
"You said we're in the undercity and there's giant tree branches way up in the sky. How large is the canyon that Towashi was built upon?"
"Oh, there is no canyon. No crater or mountain either. We are currently on the surface."
Jon blinked in disbelief as he looked at the structures that seemed to pierce the sky once more and the branches that towered above. "The surface. You mean... We're NOT underground? How BIG is that tree then?!"
"About the size of a district. Its name is Boseiju and apparently it is the oldest tree in Kamigawa. Due to the nature of the kami in the plane, the tree is revered and as such they built Towashi around it instead of cutting it down. Because the city was limited in how much it could spread as it was being built, they expanded Towashi UP. I surmise that Boseiju did not like that because it decided to grow and raise itself over the city. No matter how high the people built, the tree would grow until it was higher."
Jon's mind reeled at the tidbit of knowledge. The weirwoods back in his home plane were considered sacred trees, revered as conduits of the Old Gods. Now, however, they seemed tame in comparison to this majestic specimen. He was so engrossed looking up he didn't notice his mother stopping until she placed her hand on his shoulders. Looking ahead he could see what caused his mother to stop. A young man had separated from the crowd and was moving towards them. By the relaxed and confident smile on his face he seemed friendly enough, but his attire and guarded stance spoke a different story. The young man wore armor made of an unfamiliar black substance that covered his whole body in strategic places with a padded blue under suit, a blue rope-like belt across his waist, a sword hilt visible over his left shoulder and what seemed to be a racoon-like construct on his right shoulder.
"Hello there, could i trouble you for a moment of your time?" The stranger asked.
"We are rather busy at the moment." Liliana curtly replied.
"This won't take long, i just want to ask a few questions." The stranger insisted.
"I am sure you do, but me and my son have to get going. Places to be and sights to see, you understand." Liliana replied to the young man in front of them before addressing Jon. "Come along now, child. Our time is too important to waste."
As they were passing him by, he whispered so only they could hear him. "You know, most in Kamigawa would think he's a kami, but I've seen all kinds of dragons in my travels."
Those words made them stop, the implications very clear. His mother had drilled into his head that a Planeswalker was one of the most dangerous beings in existence, not because of their immense magical power or unique abilities, but simply because they could follow you across the Multiverse. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be a native of the plane. His mother pulled him closer and tightened her hold on him as Nivaeron started growling besides them and turned to face him.
"Do i have your attention now?" The stranger asked.
Liliana eyes narrowed as she looked at the Kamigawan's smirking face. "I am in a merciful mood today, so i will give you a warning. Leave, while you still can."
"And I won't allow you to run off until i get some answers." The young man countered.
"... Allow? Allow?!" Liliana murmured to herself as her eye twitched and rage spiked at his words. Her eyes started to glow violet as her magic coalesced into the hand she brought up, ready to face one of their peers. "You dare give me commands?!" Liliana whispered, inwardly seething.
The young man took a step back and raised his hands in a placating gesture, clearly not expecting her reaction. "Please, calm yourself madam. I mean you and your son no harm."
"Yet you have the audacity to give me an order. In fact, how did you find us? We just arrived recently." Liliana retorted.
"Actually, it wasn't me who sensed both of you, but rather my companion here." The young man answered quickly as he pointed to the mechanical animal in his shoulder. "She can sense the spark inside us when she's close enough."
"A construct was able to detect our spark?" The disbelief clear in Liliana's voice.
"Kami, actually. She is the one who led me here. We're looking for someone, me and her, and we just wanted to ask if you knew anything, that's all." The stranger replied, trying to defuse the situation.
Jon decided that he needed to speak up, seeking to relieve the tension between them. "Mother, please calm down, there are innocent people around us. All he wants is to ask a few questions."
"Yeah, what the kid said. Just a few questions." The stranger concurred.
"I'm not 'the kid'. My name is Jon and this is my mother, Liliana." He replied to the young man. "Now, are you going to introduce yourself? It's rude to demand answers from someone when you won't even give them your name."
Liliana's anger abated enough that she put down her hand, but not enough to release her hold on her magic. She was surprised at seeing Jon, who normally followed her lead, take charge of the conversation and was rather curious to see how far he could go without her guidance.
A smile bloomed in the young man's face. "I think you would get along with my sister. Let's start over, my name is Kaito and this lovely kami on my shoulder is Himoto. Anyway, during your travels in-"
"Wait just a moment Mr. Kaito." Jon interrupted Kaito. "As my mother said, our time is very valuable. This is the first time in months that i have seen her and i wish to enjoy every precious moment of my time with her, though i have an idea how everyone can get what they want."
Kaito slightly narrowed his eyes in suspicion, hoping his demands wouldn't be too outrageous. "All right Jon, what's your idea?"
"By your looks, attire and the kami on your shoulder, i assume you are a native of this plane and therefore are familiar with this city." Jon stated.
"Yeah, i'm Kamigawan, and spent some years making a living in this city, so i know some places." Kaito replied.
"So here's my idea. As a native of Towashi, who knows the best ways to get around the city, you can help us by being our guide for a little while, saving us the time we would waste wandering around. In return, once you help us out we will answer your questions and depending on how we get along, maybe even keep an eye open to whomever you're looking for. What do you say?" Jon asked as he held his hand ready to shake.
Kaito smiled as he shook Jon's hand, agreeing to his suggestion. "Sure, i have no problems with that."
Looking back at the day's events, Jon was glad he had taken the initiative and spoken up in Kaito's defense. After they struck their deal, Kaito immediately proved his worth as a guide by leading them around the current turf war going on between rival Reckoner gangs. They had planeswalked into Kamigawa in a side street near the Dragon's Well, a protected meeting site used by Reckoner leaders to settle disputes, and made their way towards Orime station. When he later asked his mother why she didn't just ignore Kaito and take the direct route she stated, 'It is not that i lacked the capacity to deal with any common thug barring our way, but the hassle they would cause me by bringing unwanted attention to my employer's assets in the Dragon's Well would not be worth it, especially when i had an alternative solution within reach.'
Once they got on the airtrain, a flying construct that served as public transportation, they spoke for a bit to get to know each other better. When his mother revealed why they were visiting Towashi, Kaito became enthusiastic about the opportunity of teaching him more about his home. He made an itinerary on the spot about the best spots that would interest him and Nivaeron and thus, they spent the entire day visiting all sorts of places around the city.
They first set off towards the Towashi Financial district, composed of corporate buildings and the famous Soratami Labs, because Kaito wanted to show them the Towashi Arcade. It was a place full of entertainment devices called 'video games', game tables where the cards were holograms and there was even someone who was apparently famous giving away signatures. Nivaeron absolutely loved the place, possessing all the things the dragon loved in one convenient store. He was completely engrossed in all the activities available and managed to somehow beat him in all the video games they played against each other, except for the one dancing game. Jon didn't know what was worse, losing to his younger familiar, the way Kaito laughed at his predicament, or that his mother encouraged him to take it as a learning experience. When they finally left, Nivaeron kept one of the tokens to add to his treasure hoard.
Their next airtrain destination they visited was the Towashi Central district, where there was a large central Marketplace that merchants from all over Kamigawa sell their wares. They spent quite some time looking over the merchandise available, with Kaito giving valuable suggestions. Taking his recommendation, Jon bought a magic device the size of a tablet, which functioned as a portable library. He could add a book's information into the device, or 'download' it, and later access it whenever he wanted. He ended up downloading a few books into it to help him learn Kamigawan. For Nivaeron Kaito suggested a bird drone that folded itself into a triangular piece of metal when not in use while his mother ended up getting a vial of perfume that she liked. After their shopping spree they were quite hungry so Kaito led them to a place called Itachi's Noodle Bar, run by a nezumi with the same name.
While they ate in a private booth, Jon felt that Kaito had kept enough of his side of the deal that he deserved some answers. All he ended up asking though was if they happened to see either a man with a metal arm that pulsed with purple energy or a woman with snow-white hair about his age during their travels. Unfortunately, none of them had seen anyone like that in their travels. When Jon asked why he was looking for them, Kaito opened up told them an abridged version of his life.
He and his twin sister Eiko became orphans when both of his parents suffered radiation poisoning where they worked. His father attempted to heal his mother with black market med-tech but was arrested for doing so and died in prison shortly before his wife. So Kaito and Eiko grew up in the Imperial Palace, under the care of Light-Paws, a kitsune. While under her care, Kaito became the sparring partner of the young emperor, and they ended up becoming friends. Around four years ago, the man with a metal arm attacked the emperor, and she disappeared, with no one knowing where she went. When he became a planeswalker himself with the help of Himoto, the kami who dwelt inside the tanuki construct, he realized the man he was looking for must also be a planeswalker, and maybe the emperor was as well. So the two of them have been searching for his friend ever since.
Jon had felt nothing but respect for Kaito after hearing his life story, a man who kept looking for his friend all this time, and his kami companion. Thus, he made a promise to him that if he found any information regarding either of them he would let him know. Kaito was surprised at his offer but accepted it, instructing him to leave a message with Itachi if he found anything. When he asked why, Kaito mentioned that Itachi's bar is known for its collection of information, so he often spoke with the nezumi.
Their last stop was Yuyama station at Towashi Boseiju, where Boseiju and Towashi blended together. The entire place felt harmonious, living nature existing alongside human structures, both living together in peace. Kaito took them to a magnificent open-air theater nestled between the branches of the giant tree, where he said they occasionally performed for free. He had heard from his sister that it was one of the best places to see a Living Historian, but regretted that he had to leave for a previous appointment. Before he left, he asked to borrow his tablet, so he could download his blueprints for charging Kamigawan technology outside Kamigawa. They then sat down as the Living Historian started to weave his tale, of the origins of Towashi and how Boseiju grew alongside the city.
As soon as it started, Jon was mesmerized. The music was melodious and captivating, the words gave a riveting story of Jukai's devastation and the compromise reached that led them to the present. But the beauty was in the magic, manifesting as images that emphasized the story and enthralled anyone who was watching. At that moment, he felt glad that he had taken the initiative and spoken up in Kaito's defense as he looked back on the day's events. Not only because he possibly saved Kaito from a most horrifying death at the hands of his mother, or even because he got to know Kaito, a young man who did not think about the full consequences of his actions but ultimately a good person, during their excursion of the city, although they were valid reasons. No, he was at glad because he never would have seen this if he had not spoken up. After two hours, the Living Historian finished his performance and received the applause of the audience.
After the performance ended, Jon made a promise to himself. 'As soon as we get back to Strixhaven, i'm going to join Prismari.' Being originally of the North, where the people were too busy surviving the winter to pass the time with frivolous activities, he had had the same outlook on life. However, that performance awoke something in him, a burning passion that he never knew existed. What was the point of surviving if he couldn't live? He looked to his side to tell Nivaeron, but he wasn't there.
"Mother, where's Niv?" Jon asked while looking around.
Liliana looked bemused as she answered him. "He left after the first fifteen minutes. Said he was bored, so he flew off to explore the city himself."
"WHAT?! And you let him?!" Jon clamored.
"He is your familiar Jon, so anything that happens with him your responsibility. You should take this as another learning opportunity and pay attention to your surroundings." Liliana lectured him, reminding him of his responsibilities before soothing his worries. "Besides, most people will think he is a kami, and they are very protected in Towashi."
"But where did he go? We can't leave without him and this city is huge, it'll take forever to search it."
Liliana thought for a moment for a solution to their predicament. "Hmm, maybe you can use your skinchanging and see what he is up to? Now that i think on it, this is a great opportunity to test the limits of the bond you two share."
Their solutions became moot at that moment as a red blur materialized over the theater and streaked towards them. Once it got close enough it spread its wings and slowed down, revealing itself as Nivaeron, who stumbled as he landed next to them.
"NIV!" Jon hugged his familiar in relief before stepping back and questioning him. "Where have you been!?"
Jon could sense relief mixed with trepidation coming from his familiar. His eyes kept looking back where he came from, and he had some metallic sphere i his claws that glowed with an internal blue light. "I was just... flying around Brother-Jon. That song was taking too long, so i told Alpha-Lily that i was going exploring." Nivaeron yawned. "So, can we go home now? I'm tired and want to add my new shinies before sleeping."
Jon narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What did you do?"
"Nothing." Nivaeron immediately replied.
"Niv..." Jon admonished.
"I was just exploring Brother-Jon, I swear."
"And where did you get that?" Jon asked as he pointed at Nivaeron's new trinket.
Nivaeron scratched the back of his head as he thought of an answer. "I... found it."
Liliana chose that moment to step in. "Jon, as entertaining as this is, now is not the time." She grabbed both of them and led them towards the exit. "We need to find a discreet place to planeswalk and return to your dorm."
"But mother, Niv's hiding something." Jon insisted as they exited the theater. He looked towards his familiar and felt the emotions roiling from him. "I can literally feel it."
Liliana raised her eyebrow as she responded. "Do you want to be here when you find out?"
Jon looked at his mother as he thought on what she said before nodding. "Good point."
After finding a secluded alley behind a large branch of Boseiju, Jon linked with Nivaeron, and they got ready to leave Towashi. As their eyes glowed and all three of them faded from existence, the last thing they heard was a loud crashing noise and a cry of anger coming from the theater they left.
Author's Note: All right, Towashi. Out of all the planes and locations, why did i choose it? Here's my view on it:
1) Kamigawa has a unique blend of futuristic technology and a culture steeped in tradition, which will interest both Jon and Nivaeron.
2) The kami bear a striking resemblemce to the Old Gods of Westeros, in the sense that they live & embody nature. Also, for a futuristic society, swordplay is still suprisingly relevant. The respect for tradition and history (similar to his original plane of Planetos) while also moving foward and making society a better place (unlike his original plane) will make Jon interested in Kamigawan culture.
3) Nivaeron, as an ARD (Ancient Ravnican Dragon), is really, really smart. He may seem childish right now, but he's of the same species as Niv-Mizzet, DRACOGENIUS, the one who created modern Ravnican infrastructure. He's going to be really interested in artifacts, constructs, metals, etc. Kamigawa technology will serve him well.
For those of you wondering why i wrote Liliana reacting to Kaito like that, remember, she's basically the property of four powerful demons. Black mages tend to value THEIR free will above all else, so someone telling her what to do and/or trying to order her around would leave her ENRAGED. As for her letting Jon take the lead, she is giving him lessons in order to mould him, so she wanted to see what he had learned so far and how he would apply it. She does care for Jon & Nivaeron, but she still wants him to be someone who is useful to her.
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to leave a review and i will try to answer them, if it is not a spoiler.