Winter's peace
"You know me and you are much alike, Saori."
"Me like you? Haha, you aren't being serious are you..."
"Well after all we are both..."
What is this great discomfort...
My head, it aches...what is this affliction I feel?
What is this...the past?
Who's?
But when did this?...
"Saori, I'm going to wipe out your memories now like usual. Forgive me, I wish you could have...we could have been more normal. The curse we carry. I'm so sorry...so sorry Saori. Damn this life, damn it all!"
"It's fine. I will always...don't cry, please. Although I am going to miss you...a lot. No! I don't want to be...I don't want to forget about you!"
"Goodbye, Saori..."
A bright yellow overpowering flash had ended the scene before me.
They vanished...
"I'm crying...again? I better get back to..."
Saori? Who's that?
And In what logic would cause me to be having this contemplation?
Does it even matter?
"Your finally awake, boy?"
The old man?
The prison?
"You've been sleeping for nearly two days...were you dreaming about a girl or something? Haha, I'm only joking, but seriously I'm glad you are finally awake...Satori."
"I was...dreaming about a girl strangely. Who were they I wonder?"
"I see makes sense, wait...what did you just say? Satori you have made this old man extremely proud. Unlike that son of mine. Anyways the girl you were fantasying about was it...the eastern army one...you know the one who gifted you that jacket."
Jacket?
"If I remember correctly her name was...Hiriko right?"
Hiriko? Hiriko? Hiriko?... Hiriko!
Hiriko and Oda.
"Also that sword...of yours it seemed to have disappeared. That blade of ice I assume granted by her majesty princess Yukina?"
It's really gone...
The sword that was so hardly bound to my hand...had left.
I don't care anymore.
This damn empire can rot.
All of them...
every single person in this screwed up world should just disappear.
There is no peace.
But the life from before at least covered its foul points. Causing it to stay hidden. So suffering like this...
Was never spread.
Shit...why won't it heal this pain?
Why won't you recover my agony like usual!
Tell me!
What is this sickening power I'm granted with!
An immortal will always be healed by the physical pain of this world.
However...
Mentally, they will eternally endure a walk carrying hell's flame on their back forever.
"Hey! Hey Satori! Hello? Why are you spacing out like that?"
"Sorry, Chimon...right now I would prefer silence."
"Sa...I'm sorry, I should not have. Finally calling me by my name huh?..."
"Satori Anzai! Please accompany me as your presence is requested."
Yamato the guard.
I stayed silent. And I followed along with the instructions I was directed.
I would have usually been more anxious about moving around like a criminal. Going to places I am forwarded by higher authority but right now...
I frankly could not give it even two shits.
After a dead carriage ride where I was contemplating the setting around me...all these organic beings living the remnants of their over forsaken lives. Nuisance structures of matter with no true meaning but an after product of great reactivity...The after product of large transfers of energy. Eighty years. The average human lifespan...
To the great movement of the universe, something with such an insignificant number can be factored as nothing but negligible. I am human too. A being who takes part in the process of respiration. Oxygen...that time I faltered to the ground. My oxygen was limited. Something unnatural took a play in part of it. It did not provide me discomfort...more to the face of fatigue.
A house?
It is not of a small scale but it did not look significantly major.
You could even summarize its standing as a perfect house.
No defaults, no unsymmetrical areas, it lay on flat ground it was the ideal family home...
So Why am I here?
"Look who's finally here...Satori I'm glad your back."
"Tell me about it, you worried us a lot there."
Benjiro and Fumiko?
What an unusual pair to come across.
"Yamato, you join us as well...come on."
"I would be honoured to do so but...are you sure?"
"Come on let's go inside."
What are they playing at?
What are they scheming?
What is their goal?...not that I can even fear the worst anymore.
Inside the house, it was small yet it had a feeling lingering in the atmosphere of cosiness a place where my presence shouldn't be.
Inside the living room lay a round circular table. It was filled with mass amounts of homemade dishes. Soups, sizzling meats, freshly cooked vegetables, steamed rice and many more varieties.
"Benjiro can I ask? what is the meaning of this?"
"You haven't told him yet Yamato?...oh well. Defendant Satori Anzai has officially been granted innocence due to further examined evidence. The country...the council gifts this humble abode as a token of apology to you...Satori."
"Enough with that Benjiro lets eat already! I'm starving. This is a celebration of sorts isn't it for Satori."
"Don't be too greedy Fumiko. We still have some more coming. Satori, it's not much...but I have one last offering to present to you. They should be here anytime now."
So that's how it is...
Well, it's too late I don't want your country's damned house.
"Sa...Sa...Sa...Satori! Is it really you Satori! Satori!"
Daiki?
Isn't he crying a bit too much?
"Satori I missed you so much. I thought you were...I thought you were...please don't leave like that ever again! When you faded away like that i..."
"You're holding on to me a bit too tight Daiki. Also, your phlegm is being spread all over me so...stop crying please?"
He is at the age of nine after all.
I cannot blame him for how he interprets the situation. So I will try to be as typical as possible.
"Daiki, what's going on...Sa...tori?"
Emika, a wheelchair? I thought those...this damn country. Granting a wheelchair after so long. If they had such capable support equipment then why!
"Satori..."
"Satori..."
"Satori..."
"Yes?...something the matter Emika?"
I was taken in by the sudden shock...
The disabled Emika propelled herself from her wheelchair towards me?
She knocked me over towards the soft flooring and hugged me much too tightly.
I could feel her entire bodies mass laying its force of the weight on mine. She felt light like always and her body felt like it could become damaged from the slightest of movements. The tears beginning to manifest were drenching my chest as she lied on me weeping for a reason I can not comprehend.
"You...you came back to us. I'm sorry...I'm sorry because of me you..."
Her tears were endless, and that awkward position was kept for what seemed unending minutes.
"Captain Benjiro...should we really be here...?"
"Yamato you might be right..."
"Satori, sorry to disturb you at the moment but the food is getting cold so why don't we...start eating?"
"Fumiko damn it! Well Yamato the party proceeds it seems"
"Right...captain"
"So..sorry for holding on to you so much. But Satori, I...you saved my life...so..."
"Sister, your overwhelming Satori let's just eat for now!"
"This kid speaks facts!"
"Fumiko, why were you even invited?"
"Don't be such a bore Benjiro...despite your reaction inside your ecstatic that I'm attending..."
"Oh right and Satori can I talk to you while they get started..."
Benjiro led me outside, where we both took a seat on the surface of the outer wall.
"Satori, drop out...from the tournament."
"What did you..."
"Take it easy and live...you have your own settlement now. You have people who care about you. A family even. So why continue especially upon your guiltless status! Your free!"
"Shut up..."
"I know you're angry, you bear great detestation to this country. This isn't at all equitable on your side. But that doesn't mean...you need to continue to tolerate it!"
"Benjiro did I not tell you to shut up?"
"So that's your choice, then I must inform you. The block C matches one and two have been concluded... the winner for the first match is Raiden Sokudo due to Masashi Sakai's surrender before the match even begun. And for the second match, was summarized with Genkei Kinzoku's victory against Nishimura Ketsueki. Overall the block finals for C has been decided with Raiden Sokudo going against Genkei Kinzoku."
Masashi surrendered? Is it because of...
No, if that were the case then their general Genkei would have withdrawn as well.
I am going to go with this tournament, I need to see that...pay that barbaric monstrosity a visit one last time. Until I do nothing will halt me from proceeding.
"And Satori, your match will take place tomorrow against her... Chiharu Seika. As the block finals will be finalized. And each winner will be eligible for the final bout in the ending match."
"Chiharu... Benjiro, back in the meeting you remarked that this girl was someone of importance... someone you knew. What did you exactly mean by that? Who really is she!"
"All I can say is time will reveal that very presumption. But her confidence lies right before that mask. She can even be seen differently while under it. However, it's been a while and I cannot be sure of her true goal in taking part... as she..."
"Leave it be. It's fine as it does not concern me anyway. By the way, shouldn't we go back inside to the others?"
So the block finals are tomorrow it seems?
"Yes, you're right let's go enjoy ourselves for today."
Enjoy myself? Not at all...
"Wow, I can't believe it, sister we are actually eating dinner with two of the captains in the Aisurando military! This is... awesome!"
"How about me?... I'm also part of the Aisruanso military."
"Better luck next time, Yamato..."
"Seriously Emika, I can eat on my own, you don't need to keep feeding me."
"No... no, this is the least I can do, you must be tired right? from your journey here so allow me..."
What a bother. Anyway, oh yeah...
"Benjiro, this steel wheelchair where did you manage to attain it from? I haven't seen anywhere here that could hold such an advanced product like this."
"So you manage to catch on. Yeah, wheelchairs right now are in demand only for the wealthy. They come from the Eastern area of the reformation government where technology and engineering are much more superior to our own."
It all fits in perfectly now...
"The former government are..."
I nearly forgot that Daiki and his older sister Emika were nearly abandoned by that very same government.
"Also one more thing, I am free of all charges but how? What new evidence could entice the council to change their absolute decision?"
"Oh, that? Why not ask the ones sitting beside you?"
"Daiki? Emika?"
"It was mainly Daiki here, every day... he would go to the military men. Catching their attention again and again. He would be conspiring and annoying them all to be taken in... noticed by a higher power. With that newfound evidence, they had no other option but to set Satori free. Two witnesses. That did not give up no matter how difficult it was for both of them."
They did? For me...? Settle down, he earlier mentioned... But it's too late now for that.
"Benjiro, I'm sorry but I honestly wish to move forward. I want to see this tournament to its end!"
"Tournament? What are you talking about, big brother Satori?"
Big brother? That reminds me of Sumiko who always used to call me that as well. I still don't know what its purpose is but never mind.
"Wait, you don't know Daiki and Emika?"
"You never told them, Satori? Alright, you two, you see Satori is participating in the great tournament of our country."
"Satori... is?"
"Is that true so he really wants to... with the princess?"
Both of them took the news as a bombshell. They could not believe that its accuracy. Or more like they did not want to believe its reliability?
The food was finished. A peaceful moment... almost fictional. It felt like someone had forged the very scene before me taking its references from a positive fairytale with a perfect ending. But in reality, endings are never perfected... for most, it's a tragedy. This is why people savor the time before they reach that very end. Everyone including me...
"I and my little brother Daiki better head out now... your invite was most appreciated captain Fumiko, Captain Benjiro, mister Yamato, and... Satori."
As the newly fallen asleep Daiki rests on his sister's lap. As she heads out towards the exit helplessly thrusting her own wheelchair despite her weak biological state...
Benjiro catches my attention by tapping me on the shoulder... clearing my mind full of thoughts and I knew what I wanted to do...
"Wait Emika!"
"Is something the matter, Satori?"
She... what was she even thinking. Where would she and Daiki even go?
But I failed to bring back that this was their everyday life for the past year.
"You and Daiki... belong here now. From this day forward I would like you to..."
"Satori..?"
"Please live with me! I can't help the loneliness it really hurts. So please..."
Did I mean it?
When I uttered those words I was only thinking of all the losses I had to face my entire time in this new unstable disarranged world of ours. The loss of ones who I wanted to savor for as long as possible, The loss of ones who have gained distance against me. The losses that are yet to inevitably come...
So again, did I mean it?
Yes, for another reason entirely.
All she did was shed tears with a joyful expression of gratitude. She also bared a face of accomplishment... relief.
Tonight she and her brother finally have a place they can openly call home.
"Oh right, Satori this room only has two bedrooms so..."
"No problem, I'll gladly share a room with Daiki."
"Good luck Emika! Don't ever give in!"
"What was that miss Fumiko?"
"I meant... oh look at the time we better head out, don't you think Benjiro and Yamato?"
"You're right Let's go, Satori I'll see you tomorrow."
"Come on Emika, I'll take you and Daiki to your bedrooms..."
I carried the napping nine-year-old Daiki and laid him to bed.
I carried the crippled sixteen-year-old Emika to her bed.
Sleep? No, I cannot, not today.
Tomorrow Chiharu Seika... it's a windy night today, isn't it?
Block finals:
Block A: Chiharu vs Satori
Block B: Hannya vs Homura
Block C: Raiden vs Genkei
Final match:
A: ??? vs B: ??? vs C: ???
Satori finds a place to belong. People to trust and love. But does he really feel at home? The tournament heads to the block finals!
Do you believe? -
To be Continued in the Next Chapter...