(Part 3) Bghorsk In Sight But Repercussions First.
21: Chapter 0007
(Part 3) Bghorsk In Sight But Repercussions First.
10 YEARS AGO, 10450, FALL MONTH 1, DAY 3, YEAR 10,450 SAMURAI COUNTRY NAGASUKE
Skrylla Yokuta found himself in a weird zone, it was like he was floating but standing upon air as though on solid ground.
A peculiar experience.
Still, he quickly recovered his initial shock by engaging his Breathing Technique.
No, he had always been engaging it when he found himself here, he just pushed it to its extremes at the moment.
Well, at first, he noticed that he could only stare.
But when he kept pushing his Breathing Technique it was as though every breath was impacting his very vitality so that he had strength to move.
So, with naught to do but Breathe, breath he did.
At some point he could speak, so he called out.
“Bu-”
What?
“Bu-”
What that him making such a ridiculous sound?
“Bu-”
Oh, he though he had more energy, because he felt like he was overflowing.
So, what was wrong exactly?
Not wanting to think about much about it, he waited some more.
His buddy would never leave him, right?
So, why worry?
After several moments that felt like an eternity, he finally said a complete sentence.
“Buddy!” Strangely his voice echoed.
Still, he got no response, so he turned and looked around which took more effort than he had expected.
And when he finally did, he saw nothing of import around himself.
So, he tried again.
“Buddy!”
Eventually, after turning his head in agony and slowness that he managed to ignore in search of his friend, his eyes looked at his hand and saw the blade.
Even smiling was slow, but he eventually did until his face was almost filled.
“I knew you would never leave me.”
With that, Skrylla Yokuta diligently practiced his Breathing Technique until something seemed to seize his consciousness.
“Hey, whose your daddy?”
“What is that?”
“You don’t know?” A voice scoffed, “no wonder you are weak!”
“We have not even sparred yet!”
“I can already tell!”
“AAARGHH!”
In a space resembling the compound of a house, stone slabs acted as tiles where a gang of 10 kids ranging from 8 to 12 assaulted a kid with white hair, with some adults watching from the sides where the corridors without walls had a roof on their long and narrow path.
A few minutes later and the target was covered in light bruises, his clothing now dirty.
Gritting his teeth the 5 year old began crying.
“That’s why you need a daddy!” one of the other kids laughed as he spoke.
“You need someone to wipe away your pitiful tears.”
Skrylla Yokuta cleaned his eyes with the back of his hands and raised a wooden sword he had failed to properly use just now with utmost confidence.
“This can be my daddy!”
The kids paused and began laughing before they charged him again.
“A weak daddy that cannot protect his own children.”
“Shut up, my daddy is worth more than yours.”
“But your daddy cannot even talk.”
“Stull better.”
“That’s it!”
When he as on the floor again, he frowned and then glared at the sword before standing up for another bout.
From the sides of the adults some watched with interest, but all were smiling fondly at the scene.
“Are you really okay with this?” At the center of the crowd of adults was an elderly figure with a hair in a bun.
“is that even a question?” who replied her was a lady with Auburn and green hair that had a girl of 3 with the green of her hair who clung to her leg as though her life depended on it while making mostly unintelligent sounds.
“No, I agree with your purpose… but the method is harsh, even for someone such as him.”
“Ha!
He will manage!”
For some days on the outside, Skrylla Yokuta had been in deep sleep.
The Mistress checked his pulse from time to time and repeatedly assured herself that his temperature did not indicate he was sick before returning to their trek every day.
Surprisingly, it was Gejiro who backed him.
In fact, the trio had almost began arguing because they wanted to get turns in carrying him but the Mistress’s one glance had silenced them all.
Today, on the 4th day, he moved and Karin squealed, breaking the tense silence.
“I hope you had good reason to do that.”
“Look!”
“Are you up?”
Skrylla Yokuta mumbled something before his drowsy eyes rested on her.
His movements were slow and she knew what he wanted but she regarded him as if ignorant.
“For some reason there were tears in his eyes.”
“What’s wrong.”
“dud… dud…”
“Dud?”
Frowning, she nearly screamed at him but decided to walk away.
“Dud?”
“Oh, he needs to ease himself.”
Jin walked and stretched out the weapon which Skrylla Yokuta shakily grabbed, until he was sure it would not leave his grasp.
“Did you learn anything?”
“Wo…”
She realized maybe she had been too angry to realize that he needed love at the moment.
So, she shook her head and increased the distance between themselves and her.
Jin though squeezed his face in confusion.
“What did you say?”
Skrylla Yokuta did not answer until he realized Karin had been talking to him with animated and excited gestures.
When they had trekked till night, Skrylla Yokuta fumbled about Gejiro’s back until Karin appeared next to him.
Hashna Drisnyl Tsuyo-ya’s dark expression made her pause, but she continued nonetheless.
“What is it?”
“Ba…”
The Mistress shut her eyes and stood up to walk away.
Karin, confused, leaned closer.
“Ba…”
“Oh, the cauldron?” Jin looked as shocked as Gejiro who was carrying him.
“Are you sure?”
“Ye…”
The trio glanced at each other and would have consulted the Mistress but she was nowhere to he found.
So, they set it up on their own.
“Ready?” holding him by his armpits they paused until he nodded and Gejiro lowered him into it.
The pain made him feel so alive!
Basking in it, he quickly engaged his Breathing Technique until the Euphoria died.
Then closing his eyes in while still within, Karin lifted him free after a good moment before he was placed on the ground and wiped clean.
The next day, he did not practice his forms or physical movement but he meditated and visualized.
When he meditated he saw interesting things, just like when he visualized;
When he visualized he saw images: Translucent Trails scattered like fireworks until he concentrated on each individual visualization so that he saw himself.
Though, it was sketchy trails like incomplete drawings of artists that were half finished, that was definitely forms that he had executed during combat.
It was what his instincts portrayed to his sensibilities.
Then, his Meditation brought up scenes like the other day, he saw the Dragonfly.
And seeing it did not mean looking the Dragonfly in actuality.
Not exactly.
What Skrylla Yokuta simply perceived in his mind was Gas Lines that somewhat… instructed him by showing him different doodles which he perceived to be his…
…His past fights.
Skrylla Yokuta was so excited he head-butted Gejiro just when the older boy was about to step on a stone.
So that, after recovering his balance, Karin threw a slipper, Jin knocked his head and the mistress hurled a stone.
“AAAAARGHHHH!!!!”
2 more days passed and now Skrylla Yokuta could see a distant dot on the horizon.
“Hey, today can I get some practice?”
A stone from the mistress bounced off Gejiro’s head and the poor boy nearly lost his balance, which made Jin kick him back into a more appropriate walking stance before Karin slapped his head so that he was properly standing straight now.
“Think about it, why waste this time?”
Another stone and Gejiro, *nearly* missed it.
“ But why can’t we just prac-”
“Shut up!”
Karin still slapped his head.
“Ow!” the older boy rubbed his scalp in grimace.
“What was that for?”
“Be nice.”
“I’ll show you my forms.”
“Not enough.”
Gejiro ducked a slap by rolling his head in time before glaring at Karin.
“Huh!”
“Fine we can all show you our forms.”
Skrylla Yokuta paused.
“Still not enough.”
Gejiro jumped forward and missed a butt kick from Jin.
“What about if we spar and show you our forms that way.”
“Sounds better… but I would rather experience it myself.” Now Gejiro was walking backwards so that his mates could not surprise him anymore
“That sounds very stupid, coming from someone that needs to rest.”
Gejiro wanted to jump back but he tripped and was falling, however 3 legs caught him.
Technically, 4 because the Mistress had jumped on his shoulders before springing off.
But Jin’s leg had targeted his groin and Karin’s his treasure trail.
Karin could not help but laugh and Jin followed suit as Hashna Drisnyl Tsuyo-ya scowled.
“What do you think you are doing?”
“He asked to practice and I turned him down.” Gejiro sounded like he had perfected falsetto opera singing.
She paused, “don’t worry, his cup is getting full.” [1]
Skrylla Yokuta scowled and began drumming om Gejiro’s shoulders.
“I want improve, buddy wants improve.
Everybody wants improve!
So, Gejiro Bad man.”
“I want improve, buddy wants improve.
Everybody wants improve!
So, Gejiro Bad man.”
“I want improve, buddy wants improve.
Everybody wants improve!
So, Gejiro Bad man.”
“I want improve, buddy want…”
The next day, he was sitting on the ground and deep into his meditation.
The Mistress had snatched the Sword when he held it.
So, he could only pout and frown and say things she ignored.
Thus, he was now Meditating, replaying his moves and everything he had done.
Somehow, he felt that some of these things included his battles from before he left home.
Even the Ghost Lines he saw somehow reminded him of them too.
Smiling again, he could not wait until he was strong enough to continue his training.
The next day had come and it was a full week since his injury.
And if there were no trees whose leaves littered the ground, Skrylla Yokuta would have been able to see a gate that was several stone throws away.
“What’s a Trade Hub again?” In the evening at the leave filled area, the sound of crickets was loud and disturbing, but it was somehow also easy to forget as time went on.
He was so glad that he was able to walk again.
“It’s a place, or Gathering, where goods are exchanged.” Gejiro helped, finally happy to get the kid off his back.
Karin laughed, “At a *trade hub* what do you think would happen, o’ Samurai?” She laughed again.
“Um,” it took him a while and the snickering was now shared, “they… trade… at… a hub?”
“Bingo!” Jin shouted enthusiastically like Skrylla had won the lottery.
“Ha, ha, ha,” Skrylla finally understood their sarcasm and threw on a flat face.
“I’m going to get my Sword, we’ll see who will be laughing then, humph!”
Karin giggled, “and what will you be doing with this sword of yours, oh great Samurai.”
“Ill skewer you all and have your meat for dinner!”
They all laughed.
The Quattro walked until it was late at night before they started seeing lights, 1¼th a mile away.
The lights spanned from ground to sky and Skrylla Yokuta didn’t understand at this distance.
Quite frankly, his eyes were tired and he wanted sleep, not like he was going to share such a weakness.
At least, he didn’t think Samurai did that.
She still had not spoken to him and he felt worried so he was about to open conversation but she spoke first.
And with a frown on her face.
“Skrylla, you’ve almost tripped 23 times now, are you tired?”
He was embarrassed, “U-um.
I-I.
The leaves, see the leaves?
They make me fumble.”
“Samurai are human, you are not wrong for feeling your body’s limit.” She slapped his head.
“You are human before you are Samurai.”
“Tell you what?” She kicked out his feet from under him and tied his hands and legs to the trees so that he was suspended like a star.
“Since you fancy being cool and uptight, if you don’t get down in three days you won’t get the sword you always wanted.”
“Wait,” Skrylla Yokuta begged with a smile.
“You are kidding, right?”
[1]
It’s like waiting for someone to frustrate you into action.
In this case, a full cup will be when the frustration has finally inspired action.