Chapter 12:
The day that Urashima's life was ruined did not start horribly. Actually, it was quite pleasant. He was on duty watching over the Princess as she hiked through the mountains. When she was little, she was easily distracted. Now that she was twelve, though, she was faced with responsibilities and obligations. She was constantly forced into high-pressure situations. So, these days where she was allowed to play without worry were good. Those days made Urashima happy.
Secretly, he was glad that they had left their homeland. There was no responsibility with Hestia Familia, and his Princess was allowed to live happily. He had seen her smile more in their time with Hestia Familia than the ten years of their…relationship…within the Nakamura Empire. And her joy was contagious.
Urashima was happier too. These strangers learned of his past, and they did not care. This itty-bitty Goddess seemed like a klutz and an airhead, which she was, but she was also kind and empathetic. When she saw his condition, she didn't pity him or turn away in disgust.
All Hestia said was, "Well, we'll have to work together to make sure that you can keep doing what you believe!"
The rest of them were the same. Lily only commented that it would add more to their dimensions of dungeon exploring. These fantastic fools had accepted him whole-heartedly.
"If one such as I is given a place to be saved, then there will always be a place for you, Master Urashima," said Haruhime.
Welf had snorted and said, "This'll be the best challenge of my smithing career. Bring it on!"
So, Urashima had grown to love this little Familia, almost as much as he loved his Princess. These people were counting on him today, and he would not let them down. No matter what his disability did to stand in his way.
He woke up that morning to the sound of his door creaking open. Otohime walked in with a pot of tea and her favourite scarf on a tray.
Urashima was quick to sit up and try to throw on a shirt, "Princess! Please give me some notice next time!"
Otohime rolled her eyes, "Ura, I've seen you in less," the Princess kneeled down, "Honestly, you're so strange about these things," she smirked, "Besides, I like admiring that chest of yours."
Urashima felt his face heat up, but then he frowned, "It is not my chest I want to hide."
Otohime was not to be deterred, though. She took those cold hideous hands that he hated and brought them up to cup her cheeks.
"I love them, though. They always make me feel so warm!" declared the Princess, wearing the smile that Ura would die for.
Try as he might bring his hands back, Urashima was still a level behind. The Princess held him there and forced him to look her in the eye. Eventually, she let go, but Ura only had a second to breathe. Soon enough, she threw herself at him, wrapping him in her arms.
Slowly, she drew back, touching her forehead to his, "You can hate these arms of yours all you want because I'll just love them so much it won't even matter."
She stood then, "Now come on! We have to get you ready to kick some ass!"
Otohime helped him prepare. She secured his weaponry and fitted his armour and shinobi clothe. Finally, she tied her scarf like a sash across his chest.
"You'll always carry a part of me, Urashima Taro," explained Otohime. She was in rare form today, displaying all this affection with none of her usual teasing. It was then that Urashima realized that she was anxious. His desire to win grew even more then, for himself and for Otohime.
When they came downstairs, his Familia was sitting around the table, listening to Bell.
"Then he said, 'There might be some truth to that,' and walked off," finished Bell.
There were varying levels of shock and fear on everyone's face. At Urashima and Otohime's questioning looks, Welf quietly filled them in on Bell's encounter with Freya.
Before anyone could muster up a response, Ryuu slammed the table with her fist. The ordinarily calm elf was more livid than anyone had seen her.
"How dare she parade around looking like Syr!" declared the elf, "Thinking that she can just apologize! Acting like she can fix things!"
The elf felt a pair of small hands wrap around her trembling fist. Her Goddess smiled sadly.
"I can't even imagine the pain you're feeling right now," replied Hestia, "But we need to keep our heads, ok? If we let this rattle us, we'll be playing into Freya's hands."
Hestia's words didn't just calm Ryuu. Everyone let the Goddess's unshakable faith wash over them.
As everyone regained their composure, Hestia nodded at Urashima, "Better to focus on the challenge ahead," she grinned, like a predator, "that said, I doubt that Ura of all people will face stiff competition."
At Otohime's vigorous nodding, everyone added in their agreement.
"It is true. Besides Sir Bell and Lady Ryuu, Sir Urashima has the finest technique of anyone in this Familia," said Mikoto.
Before the others could be so vocal, though, there was a resounding knock. It echoed through Hearth Manor. As Haruhime hurried off to receive their surprise guest, everyone sat in silence. When they heard her yip in surprise, they rushed off to find out who it was. They were greeted with the sight of Loki Familia's vice-captain, Riveria Ljos Alf.
The high elf nodded to Hestia, "My apologies for my unplanned arrival, but I believe that I need to speak to one of your Familia.
"Now wait just a sec-" began Elwin before Hestia nodded.
"Yeah, that sounds about right. You two can talk here and then meet us at the tournament, ok?" replied the tiny Goddess.
She then rushed out the rest of her Familia, leaving the half-elf alone with the high elf. Later, Elwin was going to throttle Hestia. For now, though, he led Riveria to their lounge area and offered her some tea.
She refused and said, "Please, take a seat."
So, he sat down and fidgeted awkwardly with his cap.
Riveria sighed, "I'm not here to bite your head off; I just want to ask you some questions."
"Like what?"
"Why do you seem to hate me?"
Elwin looked to the ground, "I don't hate you; it's more complicated than that."
"But you don't like me?"
Elwin exhaled, "I don't really know you…"
"Why do you want to know me?"
Elwin looked up in shock and exclaimed, "Because, you're my-"
The half-elf caught himself then and bit the inside of his cheek. He was really starting to lose it.
Riveria raised an eyebrow, "If we have some sort of relationship that I don't know about, I'd like to know, please," the high elf leaned forward, "I want to help you."
Elwin struggled then. But then he remembered why he came to this city, why he begged Lady Hecate to let him join Hestia Familia. The final piece was when he saw Riveria's face. Her mask of calm had broken, revealing a deep sincerity and sorrow. The desire to alleviate her despair was the final push. Slowly, ever so slowly, Elwin took off his raggedy old cap. And out tumbled locks of fine jade green hair. As he concentrated on the floor, he realized it was getting wet. That's strange; it's not like there was a leak in the roof?
The next thing Elwin felt was Riveria dabbing his cheeks with a handkerchief. The high elf seemed terribly confused but also determined.
Elwin brought his hands to grab her wrist and said, "My full name is Elwin Ruffrot Ljos Alf, and I'm your little brother."
The both of them started crying then, all their emotions overflowing.
To allow them some time to collect themselves, return to the arena where the others have already split from Urashima Taro. A little elf girl was vibrating from worry as her senior tried to calm her down.
"Lefiya, please try and relax. I am sure that Lady Riveria would not do anything to harm Elwin," said Ryuu, sitting next to Lefiya at the Loki box.
"Yes, but are you sure Elwin wouldn't do anything to irritate her?" replied Lefiya.
At Ryuu's silence, Lefiya's anxiety only grew worse. Why did she seem to fall for such irritating people?
"There's nothing to worry about, little elf girl; all this is, is a conversation that's needed to happen for a while," said Hestia, who was sitting behind the two elves. She leaned back and laced her hands behind her head.
Down in the arena, the first battles of the top sixteen were happening. The fifth battle came around, and it was now Urashima's turn.
"Go get 'em, Ura!" shouted Otohime.
Obviously, the bodyguard heard her as he looked to where she was standing. He nodded up to the stands.
"Well, it seems like the rumours were true. We might just have a new power couple here in Orario folks," commented Ibri, "We'll have to see how this relationship stands up in the next fight, though."
Hermes nodded, "Too true. Urashima Taro's opponent is indeed a tricky one. Peito is a unique opponent who has access to charm magic. This means that if Urashima allows her to get her spell off, he runs an extremely high risk of falling for her womanly wiles."
Up in the stands, Hestia Familia fell into hysterics, and Loki Familia watched them with dumbfounded looks. This was going to be a fun match.
Urashima walked out and waited for his opponent. Eventually, Peito sauntered out, hips swaying. Objectively, she was beautiful. Unlike elves, whose beauty came from grace, Peito appeared to have her beauty rooted in her sexuality. Apparently, she used to be a member of Ishtar Familia but was forced to convert.
"My oh my, it seems I have to fight a big strong man," began Peito.
Urashima returned with silence. Peito smirked, thinking that he would be begging on his knees in only a moment.
When Ganesha rang the gong, Urashima didn't make the first move.
'What trying to prove something to that girl of yours?' thought Peito, 'Ha! Like that's going to do anything.'
"Worship me, and receive my love," began Peito, "join me, and bend your will to mine. Become as one, and obey my voice, lover: Venit Amor."
A cloud of pink enveloped Urashima. His eyes appeared to glaze over. Peito grin, "Good boy, now step forward."
Urashima walked towards Peito.
In the stands, people were snickering. The fool had done nothing to try and stop her; now they could watch him beg like a dog. Who did he think he was, thinking that he could beat charm magic? This arrogant boy was about to be shown the error of his ways.
In the Loki Familia box, Loki Familia watched as Otohime turned away from this fight and covered her eyes.
"Now, you're going to surrender like a good boy, and then you're going to fall to your knees and declare your undying love for me, ok?" continued Peito.
Urashima did not respond. He just kept walking forward.
When he finally got close enough to Peito, he raised his hand as if to forfeit the match. After he brought it up, though, it came chopping down at light speed. He followed that up with a series of quick blows to Peito's torse and face that left her unconscious on the ground. Urashima walked off afterwards.
In the stunned silence that followed, uproarious laughter broke out. All of Hestia Familia, and especially Otohime, couldn't keep themselves contained.
"Ummm, does anyone know what happened?" asked Ibri.
"My best guess? Urashima Taro has some sort of charm immunity," replied Takemikazuchi.
"Hey, Oto! Is that true?" asked Tiona.
Otohime caught her breath and nodded. Her grin remained, though it had switched from amusement to contentment. She brought both her hands up to her chest.
"Urashima has a skill called 'Devoted Heart,'" replied Otohime, "I have it too. As long as we care about each other, then charm-based magic doesn't work."
The young Princess, while smiling, had turned red all the way up to the tips of her ears.
Her eyes stared at the spot where Urashima had gone back inside, "It doesn't do anything for hypnosis or illusions or things like that…but if anyone tried to charm either of us," Otohime shrugged, "Wouldn't work."
"How much do you have to care?" asked Tione, eager to start teasing.
"Well… it's…that is to say…" stammered Otohime. Her Familia rolled their eyes but then joined in. Soon the poor Princess was forced to endure extreme bouts of harassment from all sides.
Back in the Hearth Manor, both elves had calmed down enough to resume talking. Riveria had shifted her position so that she was sitting next to Elwin, clasping his hands.
"Would it be ok if I asked how or what?"
Based on Elwin's bright hair, and the rest of his features, Riveria concluded that he was telling the truth. There was no way he could lie about something like this, and Riveria wanted to believe that he wasn't the sort to do so.
"After you left the Royal Forest, Larfal, that is…our father, decided that he wanted to see the outside world too," began Elwin, "He travelled all around, and eventually met my mother…and he Ummm."
Riveria blushed, "Yes, I believe I can figure that part out myself."
Elwin nodded, "Right, so father does the deed, and then he leaves. Eventually, he returns home and decides that the outside world is pretty shit after all. Except, when he was with mother…something stuck. She wrote to him, and he replied…"
Elwin had trailed off, and Riveria adopted a sad smile, "He did not react well?"
Elwin shook his head, "No, he demanded that my mother…take care of me. Couldn't stand the thought of a bastard, half-high elf running around. Elven pride and all that, right? But instead of listening, mom ran away to Hecate Familia. They took her in and gave her protection. Larfal might be king of the elves, but with no falna, there was nothing he could do. Eventually, he struck a deal with me and my mom-"
"Wait, you've met him?" asked Riveria.
"Yeah, he met with me and said that I could live as long as I renounced my titles," Elwin snorted, "Worst meeting ever, but I always figured he'd be a piece of shit."
Riveria sighed, irritated at her father's actions. She was also outraged that he had hidden her little brother from her.
Elwin took Riveria's face to mean something completely different, though. He grew panicked, "Listen! You don't have to…be nice to me or anything. Not like we grew up together, right? I just…wanted to meet you is all…you can forget about me, be disgusted by me, it don't matter to me," Elwin looked at the floor, "The Gods know that most of the rest of my race can't stand me."
Before he could say any more disparaging comments, he felt himself embraced.
"I would never feel disgusted by you," Riveria shifted her position so that she could touch her forehead to his, "I can't wait to learn more about you…little brother."
Elwin felt himself turn red then, "If you're sure about that…can I call you…big sister?"
Riveria laughed as she drew back and ruffled Elwin's hair, "Of course you can," she looked him in the eye, "But no more hiding it. No more hat theatrics. No brother of mine is going to be ashamed of who they are," the high elf tried to smirk, "Anyone who has a problem will have to deal with me from now on."
"Yeah, ok, that's a deal," replied Elwin, a great big grin spilling over his face.
Riveria stood, "We should probably get going, though. I'm sure the others are worried about us, especially Lefiya."
Elwin started to blush, "Oh Gods… she's going to be pissed at me," then he frowned, "or she's going to be disgusted…"
Riveria snorted, the gesture odd on her graceful features, "If it were any other elf, maybe, but Lefiya doesn't care about all that. She'll be shocked for a little while, and she'll probably act a little more formal afterwards. You just have to give her time."
At Elwin's nod, the two siblings left then and made their way down the street. As they walked, Riveria asked countless questions. She said that she had a lot of catching up to do, but Elwin also thought it was to distract him. Now that his hair was out, and he was walking side by side with Riveria, the resemblance was uncanny. Already, people were whispering and pointing. There would be no mistaking who he was anymore, but he didn't really care. To him, the hard part was over.
By the time the two of them entered the colosseum, the quarterfinals had started. They entered the executive box, and all Loki Familia stared. Loki had a knowing grin on her face, which earned her a quick thump over the head from Riveria. The high elf turned to address her Familia.
"He is my little brother. If you have any questions, you ask me first, understood?"
After everyone nodded, and Bete was given a stiff glare, Riveria moved to sit next to her brother. Lefiya took up the spot on the other side, occasionally glancing over at Elwin. Her hands fidgeted in her lap.
The half-elf sighed, "I guess I owe you an explanation, huh?"
"That would be much appreciated," replied Lefiya, who smiled, "How about over dinner?"
No time like the present after all.
Elwin blushed but nodded.
Back in the arena, Urashima's quarterfinal match was about to begin. He was up against a magic swordsman, known for their fire magic.
His opponent drew two duelling swords, giving them some expert swings. Urashima smiled, for it seemed like he was facing a worthy opponent.
At the sound of Ganesha's gong, they both moved at the same time. Urashima tried to get close so that his knives would be more effective. His opponent also came in close, but it seemed like he was doing it to activate his fire magic. His opponent finished a short incantation that seemed to ignite his blades. The goal was obviously to use the heat to throw off Urashima.
Urashima grinned, caught up in the heat of battle. He was used to facing Freya goons, but now he faced an honourable opponent. He faced a true warrior.
What he didn't realize was that his sleeves were burning off. Due to Urashima's up-close fighting style, his arms were often the closest to the source of his opponent's flames. Every slash singed his dark fabric. The battle raged on for three minutes, all of it intense, physical combat.
At the end of the third minute, though, Urashima's opponent's eyes bugged out. Then they were leaping backwards and away. Urashima, in his confusion, brought his arms into a defensive position and saw that what was underneath was exposed.
From the shoulders down, his arms were made out of metal.
That fateful day, he had followed the Princess to watch over her while she played. They were close to the foot of the mountains leading to the Ancestral Home of the Dragons. Otohime was off, living one of her adventures in her imagination. By random chance, a great shadow fell over them. A large dragon had come home to nest, and the wind generated by its mighty wings dislodged a sizable boulder.
"Princess Otohime!" screamed Urashima, who was already diving. He pushed the Princess out of the way, but then everything was dark.
When he came to, he found himself at home. He tried to sit up, but it was a struggle. Sitting next to him was his mother, preparing a washcloth. When she saw her son struggling, she rushed to help him sit up.
The first thing Urashima asked was, "Is Princess Otohime ok?"
His mother nodded but didn't say anything else. She looked like she was holding back tears. Urashima tried to wipe them away, but his arms didn't respond. He looked down to find the remains of a stump shifting under bandages. The shock almost killed him.
In the present, the arena fell silent. The horror settled in; whispers began to rise from the stands. Everywhere Urashima looked, people were pointing. Some were disgusted; others seemed to pity him. His opponent, who had approached him as a fellow warrior, was now considering options to withdraw. Who wanted to fight a cripple?
Space started to close in on the young man. An oppressive weight sunk onto his chest. Had it always been this hard to catch his breath? Just as the shadows threatened to consume him, a sound rang out, like the dawn breaking.
"UUURRRRAAAA!"
Urashima looked to find Otohime smiling down at him, her energy as infectious as always. Around her was his little Familia. His breathing settled. When he looked back to his opponent, he motioned for them to come at him. They came but with trepidation. As they hesitated, Urashima slotted his knives into the sides of his metal arms. His bladed appendages now had their hands free, and he could attack as he pleased.
He assaulted his opponent with a storm of fists and slashes. He would rake his arm by, cutting into his opponents' skin, and then grab with his open palm and begin a throw. In this battle, he felt liberated.
Too soon, his opponent lay in a bloody heap, unconscious but breathing. The arena's silence was deafening at what they just saw.
Even the voice of Ibri was more subdued than usual, "Well then, it seems that Urashima Taro is the winner, folks…"
As the announcer trailed off, scattered applause came from the bystanders. There were also a couple boo's thrown down as well.
Urashima just walked out, though. To these people, he was a freak now, so he didn't care.
Up in the box, Loki Familia sat there, stunned into silence. Bete especially looked disgusted at the battle. The wolfman turned to the Princess.
"And you force that weakling to follow you?" the wolf shook his head, "Disgusting. Can't you let him be at peace?"
His words hammered into Otohime, fresh waves of guilt piling in. It was all her fault, all her fault, all her fault…
Then Otohime was tackled by a tiny Goddess. The Princess felt herself crying as Hestia held her close and stroked her hair. Dimly, she was aware of Riveria, Finn, and Gareth all laying into Bete. The wolfman was sent home to deal with his issues.
Off to the side, Riveria looked at Elwin.
"Are they going to be, ok?" asked the elf.
Elwin shrugged, "Hard to tell. Ura'll probably be fine. The only problem he has with the situation are some leftover anger issues," he looked to Otohime, "She might need a break, though, especially if he isn't here to talk to her."
Elwin was shaking, though. He argued with Urashima, but the ninja was a good person. At his core, he wanted to protect people, and Elwin could empathize. Elwin felt himself start to get so angry, rage building at these judgemental idiots when he felt a hand in his. Riveria gave him a reassuring squeeze, and Elwin breathed. People were bad, but his family was good. That was what mattered.
Meanwhile, Otohime was caught in her dark swirling faults. When that boulder fell to her, it happened in slow motion. She saw its shadow grow over her, and she felt herself get moved to the side. Watching over her, putting her safety first, was him. It always had been.
The immediate pain had shocked Urashima into unconsciousness at the time. This meant that Otohime's job was to move the boulder and run home, carrying his limp body on her back. The only thing that kept the Princess going, as his blood matted her clothing, was that she felt his shallow breathing. He was alive, barely.
When she finally got home, her memory got blurry. There was a rush of movement and a lot of yelling. Too many people looked over her. She remembered being so confused at all the doctors examining her.
'Why aren't they looking at Ura?'
When she was finally allowed to visit him, he was asleep. The doctor nearby informed her that the arms had to be removed, or else they'd rot the whole body. The horror of Otohime's actions settled in. Her selfish desire to play had caused this. Her carelessness had cost someone dear his arms. She had crippled Urashima for life.
Back in the present, her tears dried out eventually. Bell was watching off to the side, Ais standing next to him.
"I can't even imagine…how do you start to process that?" asked Bell to no one.
Ais frowned, "You never do. No matter what happens, when it's someone important to you, that guilt hurts forever."
The girl looked to the boy, "I want to say I'm sorry, Bell, always."
Bell nodded, "I know Ais."
Down in the waiting room, Urashima sat by himself. The other fighters were staring at him. He tried not to pay attention to them. Instead, he spent time inspecting his arms for signs of scuffs or tears. While being made of metal made them appear invincible, the truth was that they fell apart easily. They were temperamental pieces of equipment.
Eventually, he had to leave for his semi-final bout. When he walked outside, a hush fell over the arena again. Not even the commentators had anything to say. Ganesha rang the gong, but his opponent didn't seem to want it.
'That's right, stare at the freak, you idiot,' thought Urashima. His opponent was trounced. Urashima did not have any time to waste on these people. He still had to win this tournament.
He left the arena just as quickly, not wanting to give these people more to talk about. The festive air had long left the tournament behind. This fighter reminded the spectators of the grim reality of being an adventurer.
Back in the box, Otohime finished telling the story of what happened. Those who did not know sat there in quiet horror. The story was especially hard on the sweet and innocent Lefiya. After Knossos, she thought that she had gotten over her naivety, but this was a startling reminder that that wasn't true. Elwin moved from his spot beside Riveria to take her hand.
"You know that this isn't your fault, right?" asked Tione.
Otohime shook her head, "If I wasn't such a stupid child!"
She couldn't finish her sentence. The Princess didn't let herself cry again, though. She had to watch Urashima's final fight against Folsetti; she owed him that much.
The two combatants walked into the arena. As they faced each other, Folsetti sneered, "Don't think I'm going to just let you win, you freak! I'm going to kick your ass and then receive the grace of Lady Freya!"
The admittedly handsome brute then brought out his large Warhammer. He patted the great metalhead, flat on one side, spiked on the other, and took up a ready position. Urashima did not respond. Instead, he took out his daggers and inserted them into the open slits of his arms. This was all the preparation he would need. Again, dead silence filled the space. The gong rang, and the battle began.
Urashima tried to rush in, but Folsetti's hammer made great swinging arcs. The extended reach it gave him stopped Urashima in his tracks. The ninja was forced to dodge constantly. The Captain of Baldr Familia laughed.
"Is dodging all you're good for?" Folsetti snorted, "Actually, cancel that! If you were any good at dodging, I'm sure you'd still have your fucking hands!"
Urashima was a calm man. He had heard taunts like this before; it would not break him.
Urashima's lack of response frustrated his opponent. Folsetti fell for Ura's taunting silence then and started to swing wildly. This let Urashima slip in and deliver a series of quick cuts with his steel forearms. The ninja jumped back afterwards, unharmed.
Folsetti looked ready to blow, then he grinned. He had a new plan of attack.
"That Princess of yours, she's a real showstopper, ain't she?"
Urashima's metallic hands curled into fists.
"Hey, you two are pretty close, right? Does that mean that you use those metal hands of yours for…you know?"
"Stop it."
There it was, a crack in the bastard's mask of stoicism. Folsetti's smile grew. Just a little more, then he'd win.
"I get it, man, with a whore that pr-"
Folsetti got slammed onto his back, with Ura screaming as he pounded at him. Folsetti took the blows, though. He had seen Urashima fight; the ninja was based on speed and technique. In a fit of dazed anger like this, his blows lacked their usual decisiveness. Folsetti had strength to spare, though.
The Captain of Baldr Familia was able to grab both of Ura's arms, mid punch. As Ura watched, confused, Folesetti grabbed the other arm. Then the Captain of Baldr Familia stood up, dragging Urashima up with him, and he started pulling. There was the twisting sound of wires snapping and loud pops of blood. There was a horrible wrenching sound that compounded with Urashima's screams.
Metal snapping, flesh-tearing, and howls of pain were the only sounds throughout Orario. Urashima struggled, trying to swing his legs up and forward, but his pain made him delirious. It was impossible for the young boy to aim. Audiences watched in horror as Urashima's metal arms were ripped off. The boy fell to the ground as Folsetti tossed the arms aside and laughed. Ura lay there in a heap, unmoving.
The braggart proclaimed, "I win!"
And in response, a Princess whispered, "Not even close."
Just after the accident happened, Urashima's father came to visit. He disowned his son and called him a failure to the Taro name.
"Without your arms, you have no place here. You will be sent away from this hallowed home, understand?"
What good was a warrior who couldn't swing a sword?
Urashima received no more updates to his status and only the bare minimum of care. His mother had fought so that he could heal a bit more before he was exiled. Unfortunately, his fever was killing him. Then, one morning, everything started to change. The doctors began to sound like they knew what they were doing. Urashima's food was more than just stale bread and water.
It took a week of recovery, but he finally regained enough of his senses to notice that he was being watched. When they thought he was sleeping, he would catch a glimpse of a familiar set of golden eyes. One night, he woke up to find her sitting beside him, crying.
"Of course, he's going to hate me…I ruined him…"
Blinking away sleep, Urashima replied, "I could never hate you, Princess."
He startled her, and Otohime fell on top of him. She cried and apologized for half the night, refusing to let go.
They spent much time talking then and even more time crying. Now that he knew Otohime was there, she assisted where she could in his recovery. When Urashima was well enough, he prepared to leave and find a cave to spend his exile in, but Otohime stopped him.
"I spoke to father and my siblings. I'm going to do some things to support the Second Prince's claim to the throne, and in exchange, you get to stay," explained the Princess, while she led him to his new room near her quarters.
No matter how much he protested, she refused to listen.
"Also," continued Otohime, "Tomorrow, we resume our training."
Urashima scowled, "What training could I possibly do?"
Otohime's face tilted, and her smile blossomed, "You have two legs, don't you? And a head?"
So, Urashima relearned to fight. He spent time from dawn till dusk doing drills. He found opponents willing to spar, and he learned how to beat them without using arms or hands. Then, one year to the day of his accident, he was summoned by the Goddess. He left for the palace the same day. The Imperial Palace was split into three sections. There was the Great Hall, for receptions, the Emperor's Abode, and the Goddess Temple, where Lady Amaterasu resided.
The Sun Goddess was beauty incarnate. Urashima had met her long ago to receive his Falna and only visited sporadically to update his status. He remembered a small ceremony when he became a level two and both of Otohime's ceremonies for her level-ups. Apparently, the Princess was just about to undergo her level four trial in the mountains. Was that what this was about?
"Ahhh, Ura, it is good to see you healthy," said the Goddess, smiling down. Apparently, she had come to visit when he was first recovering.
Urashima bowed, his torso jolting, "I am honoured, my Goddess. What can I do for you?"
Amaterasu giggled, "This is about what I can do for you," she smirked, "I have been informed that you have been training diligently. I suppose it is time for a status update, yes?"
Urashima's mouth parted, "Update? But I have been disowned? I thought I was cast out of the Familia?"
Amaterasu rolled her eyes, "Your father can do as he pleases with his own clan, but you never stopped being my child, Urashima Taro."
Urashima received his update, and just as the Goddess finished her work, his father entered. Face red, the man who had raised him looked ready to kill.
"How dare you abuse the Goddess's kindness, you mongrel!" cried out father.
He came forward as if to attack his son, but Urashima was ready. Apparently, no one expected the amputee to fight back. His father was a level three, but Urashima was not the same man he was before. Also, his father had trained in the way of the Taro Clan. He fought with expert palm strikes and throws. There was a lot of grappling and counterattacks involved in the old ways. Urashima was not that kind of opponent anymore. The battle was not easy, but Urashima's status had just been updating after a year's worth of training. Also, Otohime was watching, so defeat was inexcusable. When he beat his father to the floor, Urashima stood over him.
"You control me no more," said the forgotten son. He defeated his father and gained another level. The next day, he received his superior metal arms. They were not the same, but they would suffice for his role. Apparently, the Third Princess had commissioned them.
Just like that day, and every day since, Urashima kept fighting. This bully from Baldr Familia was no different than his father. So, what if he had no arms? He had gone a whole year without them before. His opponent had an advantage in strength, big deal; Urashima had fought dragons.
Urashima stood up.
"I don't remember conceding."
Folsetti turned around and sighed to cover his frustration, "Really? I have to beat you some more, cripple? You're going to make me look bad!"
As Folsetti readied his hammer, Urashima charged. He weaved past Folsetti's blows, ducking and dodging. When he was close enough, he started kicking. His legs moved him in large circles, his feet flying whenever they made contact with something solid. His blows were thunderous in their power. Each hit rang out concussively. Then, the hammer came around in a great looping swing.
Urashima rose up to kick that too. He brought his leg down and embedded the hammer's spiked head into the dirt. Folsetti tried to pull it loose, but it was stuck. The hammer was rendered useless. Urashima used that hammerhead as his springboard to leap into the air. His leg chopped down on Folsetti's head.
Folsetti finally let go of the haft of his hammer then and made to grab Urashima. As he tried to immobilize the ninja, Urashima brought his head down on his opponent's nose. Folsetti stumbled back, clutching at his broken nose.
"I'm sorry, does that hurt?" replied Urashima, sneering.
The taunting drove Folsetti to rage out. He came after Urashima in a fit of terrible anger, totally out of control. Urashima guided him to the wreckage of the metal arms. Once there, Urashima swept down to the wreckage to grab a knife with his teeth.
He then jumped forward and wrapped his legs around his opponent. He used this spot as a platform from which to stab continuously into Folsetti, dagger clenched between teeth. His blade turned a dark red as it moved in and out of the berserker's flesh. His handiwork left the proud Captain of Baldr Familia a bloody wreck.
Urashima was covered in bruises for his part, and he was pretty sure a couple ribs were broken. Also, there was the apparent state of his stumps. He turned to leave and get healing. As he limped back inside, he heard Ibri announce his victory. Urashima didn't care though, he had never been one to sit on celebration.
A Guild employee guided him to a side room to receive medical attention. He was met there by the Dea Saint, who quickly set to work on his recovery. As that happened, his Familia came inside to join him.
Hestia spoke first, "You know, you were supposed to wait so I could update your status in front of everyone."
Urashima shrugged, "I didn't want those people staring any more than they already were."
"I know," replied Hestia, in her gentlest voice.
"He'll be ok," says Airmid, "But I want him to stop by the clinic for the next couple of days to make sure."
At Lily's skeptical glance, she added, "All fees will be covered by the guild."
Airmid continued, "Also, will you be needing a new set of arms? We have the highest quality prosthetics."
Urashima shook his head, "I have back-up arms in my luggage. I can use those until Welf repairs my main ones," the bodyguard smiled, "they have sentimental value after all."
As the others chatted and congratulated Urashima on his victory and level up, he noticed a certain Princess hiding in the back.
"Otohime, you don't have to hide," said Welf.
The Princess stepped forward, wringing her hands.
"You know, I've been hurt," began Urashima, "I sure could do with a warm embrace right about now…"
Otohime looked him in the eyes. He tried to smile and convey all his feelings for her. Then she smiled and hugged her beloved. She held him close.
"I'll bring your spare set to the clinic tomorrow. I'll be with you all day," she whispered in his ear.
Back when they had both broken free from the Empire and left with Hestia Familia, they had sat down to talk.
"Since we'll be regular Familia members now," started Otohime, "There's something I wanted to tell you…" For once in her life, her bright energy was gone. Instead, she sounded incredibly anxious.
Urashima stopped loading their baggage. He turned to give his full attention to the Princess.
"Ura, I love you so much it scares me. I know you probably hate me because of what I did, but I want you to know that I love you, and I always will," said Otohime, looking at the ground.
Urashima walked up to her and took her hands, "I know, Princess," at her surprised look, he smiled.
"You are not a subtle person Lady Otohime," he brought their foreheads together, "I love you to Princess."
Urashima sighed then, "Which is why we cannot be together…yet," he stepped back, "If I am to be with you, it must be as a partner. Right now, all I see is my beloved Princess."
Otohime nodded, relieved at his answer, "And all I see is my beloved bodyguard."
She cupped his cheek, pressing her lips to his. When she pulled away, she whispered, "Then this is a promise for the future."
In the present, she held him, happy for what their fates held.
With that, two hearts beat as one, and the sixth day came to a close.
Character Profile:
Urashima Taro:
Level Four
Status:
Strength: I 0 Defense: I 0 Dexterity: I 0 Agility: I 0 Magic: I 0
Abnormal Resistance: E
Synthesis: G
Fist Fighter: I
Magic:
Kani Nashi: Enchantment magic that boosts the user's Agility and Dexterity.
Emdan: Creates a smokescreen that affects all but the user.
Skill:
Devoted Heart: As long as a beloved one is kept in mind, the skill bearer cannot be charmed by people or monsters.
Leaper: Leg-based attacks are amplified and strengthened.
Perseverance: Active skill that nullifies pain. An active trigger that consumes mind.
Elwin Ruffrot-Ljos Alf
Level Three
Status:
Strength: G 315 Defense: G 305 Dexterity: G 351 Agility: G 344 Magic: E 596
Mage: E
Magic Resistance: F
Magic:
Aqua Ring: Sign of Water Bearer. Creates an area of healing around the caster. Last as long as the caster wills it. Heals physical ailments, but not status ailments. (Currently Active)
Illusio: Sign of the Two Fish. Summons illusory copies of the caster that scatter in different directions. Number is chosen by the caster. (Currently Active)
Aurata: Sign of the Ram. Creates a golden barrier of protection that stops all attacks. Takes the shape of a semi-circle in front of the caster. (Currently Active)
Datauri: Sign of the Bull. Gives the caster the fist-fighter development ability, as well as boosts to their Strength and Endurance. Last for fifteen minutes.
Geminus: Sign of the Twins. Splits the caster, and their status, in two. Damage is shared between the two copies.
Canti Pinc: Sign of the Crab. The caster's targets are grabbed by a set of large claws that holds the caster's enemies in place.
Brave Heart: Sign of the Lion. Emits a roar from the caster that instills fears in their enemies. The strength of fear is proportionate to the difference of ability between caster and target.
Vir Purgent: Sign of the Maiden. Cloaks the caster and nearby targets in a cleansing aura. Removes status ailments and curses.
Stat Subcin: Sign of the Scales. Moves status points from one category to another in the target. Caster cannot use on themselves and cannot shift more than status maximum.
Vene Mors: Sign of the Scorpion. A single target attack that poisons the caster's target. The poison effect lasts until the caster dispels the magic.
Celestial Shot: Sign of the Archer. Fires a magical arrow, power proportionate to the user's mind.
Ariedesu Irrue: Sign of the Sea-Goat. Creates a spectral charging goat that charges forward and knocks aside one's enemies.
Skills:
Constellation Shift: Caster has access to twelve magic, but only ever three at one time. The available spells rotate with every status update through a set order. Spells can only rotate once a week.
Mind Load: Increases power stat when attacking by using mind. Active Load.
Star Bright: Raises the user's magic stat when standing under the stars.
Soooo...some big reveals this chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed what you saw. If you want to see more, the whole story is still up on Archive. We're also getting close to catching up... so yay? Thanks for the favorites and follows! And especially to the reviews! Always happy to hear the thoughts of other! See you all next time!
