Pride; Consciousness of one's own dignity.

Jiyuu's port, July, 22

Jiyuu, a large empire in the east. Bustling with tourists, and locals alike. A country well known for tourism, its breathtaking sights, extensive history and its culture. With its enriched history, and culture, Three festivals are held every year. The first was the Natsu Matsuri, which was being held at this time of the year. The Natsu Matsuri is a summer festival widely known for its extensive historical background. It was said that this summer festival had been dated back to ancient times.

During this period, the Natsu Matsuri festival was done with rituals to bless the food before the harsh winter to prevent their crops, and harvests becoming barren, alas through the thousands of years that have passed, the Natsu Matsuri has changed. Now, it is known as the most recognized summer festival where many tourists and folks flock to experience the traditions, and customs of the people of Jiyuu. Filled with bustling stalls selling trinkets, and souvenirs, the traditional dances being performed in the town square, with the delicious aroma of street food running through the air… Though the true excitement lies in the heart of Jiyuu, its capital.

Okyot, the capital of Jiyuu. Filled with the sweet aroma of food stalls of local delicacies. Tourists and locals alike adorning traditional clothing of Yukatas and Kimonos. The streets are decorated with festive ornamentation in celebration. The wind chimes in the air jingling as the breeze passes by, and during the night, the sky is lit up by the lanterns huddled on the side of the road.

The sound of seagulls squawking resonated through the air, a bright brilliant glow shining down on the ocean's waves, with the sound of waves crashing down on the beach's sand from a large ship. The wooden boards of the ship creaked as it halted on the dock. A loud thud erupted through the boisterous crowds as the ladder of the ship anchored itself down on the docks. The flag of the ship whipping in the air to signify its presence. Then the ship came to a halt. Men rushed over to the docks to prepare the unloading of equipment, and men barked out orders. The ruckus had attracted the attention of passersby and onlookers, the magnificent look of the ship should have attracted their attention, yet their eyes were focused on the flag of the ship.

It was a white flag with an inconspicuous blue rose in the middle. A well known flag, the most feared flag, the flag of the most powerful empire known for their might in battlefields. The flag of Konet… The people fled from the streets, mothers were hushing their children, others stood eerily still. Jiyuu had fallen into a silent chill at that moment… Quietness had filled the, usually, bustling port. Only The jingle of the windchimes in the air, and the melodious chirpings of the birds in the air was all that was left to be heard.

…

"General! We have arrived at Jiyuu." His attendant announced while bowing down to him in reverence. The general's dark purple hair illuminated by the shaft of light gleaming from the candle's fire. He sighed in annoyance, his hands delicately shutting the book.

He stepped out of the dark room, his green eyes blinded by the harsh light. The sun rays quickly loomed over him like a dew fall. It was a particularly harsh sunny morning. He made his way down to the port with his attendant walking by his side like a buzzing fly, which irritated him. His anger boiled over as his attendant kept relaying useless information to him. Something about his mission or, well is what he assumes the attendant was speaking about. He doesn't have the mind to listen to what the attendant is saying anyways. He doesn't even remember their name.

He started tuning out the buzzing flies' annoying voice. Deciding to make use of his time by looking around. Jiyuu's building style hasn't changed since the last time he was here. Wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or hatched roofs. But now there were Lanterns decorating the street in honor of the Natsu Matsuri. Stalls and food vendors piled the side of the road. 

As he passed by, passersby stiffened immediately while holding their breath. Their eyes darted away from his gaze. Mothers with crying children started to lull their child to stay quiet, fearing for the safety of their children. While others ran away in a panic to save themselves. The sky cried out to the silent pleas of the people, a silent hum walked the quiet port. The sound of the indistinct attendants' voices filled the air. "We are going to our hotel, general." A muffled voice said. He hummed in acknowledgment. He doesn't give a fraction of his attention to those below him. In his eyes, they were pests. Prey. Useless prey, useless animals. He wouldn't regard those of lower class to him. They were animals. Animals in a zoo, and he was an onlooker. His gaze wandered far out to the midst. The quietness crept into the morning fog. 

In the midst of the morning fog he could make out an outline of a hotel. They approached the hotel, he noticed the gold lining covering the place, the slanted tiled roof, with beige wood walls. Wood accent trims on the side, to give the hotel a more sophisticated look. "How cheap." He spat out, but the attendant was quick to inform him that this hotel was extremely exclusive, and expensive. 

"Had I asked for your input?" The attendant slowly shook his head to the side. "Then what is this buzzing sound in my ear?" He scoffed seeing the terrified look of the attendant. "Stupid fly." The attendant quickly shrank away, and took a few steps back.

He approached the top of the hotel's steps, and was greeted by a lady out the front door. A beautiful woman bowed to him, black strands of hair falling over her face. She had gorgeous dark almond shaped eyes, and cupid bow lips. It was clear she was eye candy for old rich folks. Fortunately for her, she wasn't his type. "Hello General Sychar. We have been awaiting for your arrival." She spoke in a sweet honey tone voice, and if listened to closely enough, could sound forced even. He looked at the woman gracefully bowing down to him, she held a traditional 90 degree bow as her hands were outstretched towards him in reverence. He noticed a slight strain in the woman's position after bowing for so long. His eyes glazed over her form, and she could feel his intense gaze burning into her. He didn't make another glance, and waltzed right into the hotel. 

The wood of the door was rough to the touch. He placed a hand on it, and lightly pushed. The doors came crashing open, the white light blinded the both of them. The sight of hundreds of servants, maids, and butlers bowing before him was a sight to behold. His lips curved into a smile. A man in a well ironed, and pristine suit walked down the fine spiral staircase. His gray hair slicked back, and tied into a fine ponytail. "Greetings, General Sychar. Welcome to the Shidekobushi hotel. We are at your service." Sychar hummed in acknowledgment.

"Wow, the imperial family loves to make a show of things." He chuckled out. Observing around, noticing the fine and delicate details they added to the hotel. There were traditional Konet pastries placed on the tables, and miniature flags of Konet were placed around, in respect of his presence.

"Well, sir. As an esteemed guest as you, only deserves as much." The butler smiled at him, he could see the way the butler's smile strained on his face. His wrinkled face peered at him intimidatingly.

"I know." Sychar casually replied. He pulled on his jacket's sleeves, and removed the black leather jacket off him. The plastic-like grip on his hands uncomfortably rubbed against the palm of his hands as he threw it on top of a maids head. The small stature of the freckled maid shook in fear. The sweat dripped down her face quickly.

"Bring this to my room." He said, then turned on his heel and left. The sound trail of footsteps resounded through the quiet hall

"Sir! Do you know where you are headed?" The butler quickly followed up, while his attendant followed behind him. 

"Quit chattering." His eyes narrowed on the butler's face. 

Then his form was lost in the midst of the long hallway.

The two had been walking endlessly for minutes, not having much of a goal as to where they should be. "Fuck. Where are we?" Sychar stood in the never ending hallway. Rooms, and rooms filled each side of the halls. It seemed they were going on an never ending loop. The sound of soft jazz coming from the lobby filling the silence between them.

"Sir… I honestly don't know either." 

"Shit." He muttered out.

The attendant smiled at the man. "We're supposed to be in room 1 sir." The attendant brought out the room keys with the chain dangling with the number One.

He looked around the hallway, the numbers 387, 388, and 389 written on the gold labels of each door. "Huh. We're in room 390."

"Oh." The attendant hummed out.

"Where the fuck are we."

After retracing their steps back from the hallways, they stood in front of a door with the plate reading 1. He noticed that the door was in pristine condition, not even a scratch or mark on the wood. His attendant already left his side, he placed his hands on the door.

The door creaked, his firm hands pushed it open. A soft hum of music came from the room. The room was decorated with beige and back marble walls, red thick carpet draped over the oak wooden floors, The sun rays dawning down on the room through the large pane windows, a brick fireplace meticulously placed right at the corner of the room alongside the wooden carved couch with red cushions for a warmer atmosphere. The sound of fire crackling tuning into the sound of music. A room decorated for kings, and queens he supposes. 

But, He had a distaste for overly decorated rooms, he believed that they were useless. Adding more to something doesn't hide the ugliness it holds. He could see dust collecting in corners of the room, and he could feel how cheap the fabric was from its rough texture… They were hiding the nature of this room by distracting him with its expensive decorations, but it just couldn't pass his observant eyes. A quiet sound of footsteps came closer to the room, his ears quickly picked up on the sound, and knocking reverberated through the silent room. 

His eyes narrowed on the doors frame, his mouth twitched downwards in disdain. He dragged his feet through the red carpet. His fist placed on the door as he angrily threw the door open. A freckled maid kneeling down on the hardwood floor. Holding out a letter. The letter was colored a pale beige with the faint smell of auburn, and it was delicately placed on a shiny golden platter.

"For you, General. A letter from the Seiji clan." Sychar's eyes made his way to the girl. His eyebrows raised in suspicion. 

"Why are you giving this to me?" He asked with vile in his words.

She shuddered at the sound of his domineering voice. "This was given upon orders…" A voice so soft that it could be compared to that of the sound of whistling wind. 

"Then, if you weren't so fucking dimwitted, maybe you would know that these…" He took the letter, and raised it to her eye level. "Are supposed to go through my attendant first." He slapped the letter on her right cheek. The sound resonated through the halls. "Lowly rats like you, don't deserve to hand these to me." His words spat with indignation.

The maids head shook slightly, her lips quivering in fear. "My apologies, sir… I'am new here." His eyes narrowed on her, his gaze intense.

He scoffed. "Do they hire just anyone nowadays?... Just go. You ruined my afternoon." The maid went scurrying away in a hurry, the sound of soft sobs echoed in the halls.

His eyes watched the maid run away with disdain. His gaze shifted towards the letter in his hands. The golden wax seal was ripped off. He carefully curated the stiff letter out of its envelope. The smooth paper carefully grazed his hand. His eyes skimmed through the letters' content.

Dear, General Sychar.

We are pleased to be informed of your arrival in Jiyuu. We welcome you to our nation with open arms. We are honored to be in your presence. We hope that the amenities that we have given are up to your standards. Our best of the best amenities have only been served to you.

As a formal welcome, we are honored to invite you to be a representative of the Konet party. 

From, Seiji clan.

Or how it came across to him was…

Hi general sychar,

Do you like everything we've done for you? Isn't it amazing? Aren't we amazing? Of course you must join us to a meeting just so we could butter you up, and we can get you on your side!

from, the most amazing and cool Seiji clan.

He looked at the letter in disdain, and slammed the letter on the table causing the apparel to shake. He was abhorred that they had sent a letter of this merit to him. But, he knew that this was how the Seiji clan was. Showing off the status they owned, and believing they were superior to all, yet they have never met to their own standards, and they took what they didn't deserve in undesirable ways. He admits himself that he hasn't shied away from committing atrocities, but he deserved it. He earned the privilege. Except The Seiji clan were cowards. Prideful of themselves for nothing. They haven't lifted a finger for what they have done, and he despised those kinds of cowardly animals.

His blood was starting to boil in anger, his nails digging into the palm of his skin. He took a deep breath, and collected his thoughts. A hot bath would soothe his nerves before he did something irrational.

He entered the bathroom, flicking on the lights. His eyes momentarily blinded by the fluorescent light. He stepped farther into the bathroom, carrying alongside his towel and toiletries. Once he approached close enough, His fingers skillfully hooked onto the hem of his shirt, and it was pulled over his head. Revealing his battle-stricken stature. His body seemed lean, but underneath was a well-built, and toned muscle structure. Additionally, old scars have been etched all throughout his body, showing the experiences of battle. His eyes looked towards himself in the mirror, his eyes locked on his own. An unglinted emerald green trapped in a void of nothing's, and his dark violet hair was strewn haphazardly. He hardly recognizes the man in the mirror.

He stepped onto the marble floors of the shower. His hands turned the knob of the shower, and he was hit by the terrible feeling of extreme cold. The sound of snow crunching beneath his feet. The blood soaked snow crawled up into the sole of his shoe. His eyes lowered into the snowy white abyss in the midst. Maroon red stains the paleness of his skin. He bit his bottom lip, so hard that scarlet blood ran down his chin. The pain didn't shock him, he was all but a shell. A shell of his former self. The feeling of water dripping down his cheeks, the droplets of water falling to the ground on his feet. His eyes glanced down at the ground, seeing his faint reflection his own mind couldn't recognize himself. His eyes sunken, and skin so pale it could compare to the snow beneath him, and his black raven hair stuck unkempt due to the snowstorm. The sound of water hitting the floor entered his mind, his eyes raised up to see his reflection on the wet walls of the shower. Dark violet hair drenched in water. The water had warmed up…

He looked at his arms, the old battle wounds still present on him. They were etched on him.

…

He left the shower with steam leaking out of the water. When he looked towards the mirror, steam had seeped into them. He could only make out a blurry figure of himself through the mirror. Through the haze of his eyes, His dark violet hair almost appeared black to him. 

He stepped out of the bathroom with only a towel hanging off his waist. Water droplets dripped down on his back from his dampen hair. 

"General." A gentle knock on the oak wood door. "What." Replied an annoyed voice. The person informed him that it was time for Lunch. Sychar groaned, and he quickly followed up that he will come down soon. 

…

Sychar sat down on the dining room chair. The dining room was extravagant, and luxurious. Walls filled with gold, and marble fit for the elites. The melodious tune of jazz sounded through the dining area. There was no one else in the room except for him, and perhaps a few lower class.

In his line of view, he saw hundreds of dishes being served. Each one meticulously prepared by the best of chefs. One particular dish that caught his attention was a Miso soup indistinctly sitting right in front of him. 

His eyes made its way to the metal bowl. The metal bowl had an unseemly color, and the faint smell of the soup didn't leave much to be excited for. He took another look at the bowl, and inspected it. His hands brushed over the metal bowls' cold exterior. The once silvery metal, had a slight discoloration of copper on its left side.

He took the ladle beside him, and slowly scooped the soup. He could now smell the faint aroma of a bitter almond. Quite strange for a dish like this. Upon taking a small sip, he felt a small squeeze in his throat, and his mind hazed for a second. Then the horrible taste hit him, it was extremely bitter, and it felt like acid being poured down his throat. He immediately spat it out in disgust. 

The butler came running up to him, asking him what was wrong with the food, and if there were any changes to be made. Yet Sychar didn't respond. He sat there unmoving, his hands inspecting the bowl. The freckled maid beside him focused her gaze on him, the gloved hand covering the small smirk painted across her face. 

Splatter.

Red painted the marble walls of the dining room. A loud thud reverberated across the hollow walls, only the silent hum of music filled the room. The body of the lifeless maid splayed across the red carpet. Crimson red burning into the carpet turning the it into a black void. The severed head of the maid was only a few inches away from her body. Her lifeless eyes darted across everywhere, tears joined the pooling blood beneath her. The terrible odor of her body with the smell of rust coming from the blood had everyone brought back to reality. Many stood shaken in horror. While others dripped in blood. The crimson red had stained many, even his own hands. He wiped off the blood on his gloves with a white cloth. Leaving an impure mark on the cloth.

"The soup was poisoned." Sychar declared. He watched the anger spread through the butler's face. The slight furrow of his brows, and the grinding of his teeth didn't go unnoticed by him. Sychar grinned, he enjoyed seeing fauna's faces twist in anger. Sometimes, they become unrecognizable in the end.

His attention was redirected to the steak served in front of him. The juice of the fat was still trickling from the sides of the meat. "Animals are quite useful if domesticated are they?" He took the butter knife dripping with blood, and sliced the steak eloquently. The blood from the knife seeped into the steaks insides, until a surrounding pool of blood swam under the steak. "Like cows. They don't serve much of a purpose by itself, but when domesticated. They are quite useful. They can do labor, and their skin can be used as leather, but most of all. They can be beautiful sacrifices." He took a bite of the meat with a sinister smile plastered on his face.

"Say…" He took another bite of the steak, the blood dripping down on the table cloth beneath him. "What Clan is this hotel under?" He asks with a chilling stare, his lifeless eyes staring straight at the butler.

"Okane clan, sir." The butler quickly replied. Sychar hummed in acknowledgment, then his eyes gazed at the dead body beside him. "Hm… Then, she is from the Okane clan too I presume?" He pointed the knife to it, the blood slowly dripping on the crimson stained carpet.

"No sir. She was reassigned here from the Seiji clan." The butler said with a trembling voice, and his eyes met Sychar's excitement. The butler felt he had done something terrible. Meeting Sychar's eyes terrified him. In all of his years of working, he had met terrible, and despicable people. They all shared the same hungry, and revolting gleam in their eyes. Yet, once he met Sychar's eyes, a chill ran up his spine. He was facing something inhuman. There had been no trace of morality left in the man's eyes. Just the bone-chilling gaze of a man that views humans as animals, and he were merely the onlooker gazing into the animal's cage. The butler's thought's came to a halt, as he made out the sound of silverware clanging together. Sychar slowly stood up, leaving an empty plate with blood pooling into the table cloth. He stared at the butler with an unnerving stare.

"Tell the chef my compliments. I quite enjoyed the experience." He grinned, and left the dining room. His attendant quickly followed suit. Leaving maids, and butlers stunned at the situation in front of them. Their minds reeling at what had happened. A lifeless body laid on the floor, with Crimson red stained everything. The knife, the carpet, the napkin, and humans. Quietness filled the room. The butler stared at his own hands, knowing his was stained too.

Sychar left the hotel, and opted to go to the plaza to get his mind off of what just occurred. He knew the Seiji clan were immoral, but he knew they didn't have the motives to kill him. The Seiji clan aren't imbeciles, they knew not to make an enemy of a General. Then, the poison was based on personal motives… He won't dwell on it any longer. There was no use domesticating a decaying animal. If they were dead, then they could be used as skin for wolves to fester on, or the less common method, dig out their organs, muscles, and bones then use their skin as their own. Plus, he had some… Unfinished business. The reason why he had come here in the first place. His mouth curled in a small smile remembering what was to be done.

He walked throughout the plaza, the once bustling, and lively crowds died down. He had entered a ghost town. Everyone held their breath, while avoiding his gaze. Some decided to flee the scene. Which left the once crowded, and tight plaza, desolate with only several people. He had started eyeing the vendors on the streets that were abandoned. 

He took the opportunity and took some takoyaki from a food stall left unattended. When he took a bite, he immediately spat it out. His hand quickly wiped off the food lingering on his mouth. The takoyaki tasted horrible. It was sweet, and bitter at the same time, and not in a goodway. It tasted sweet at first then had an extremely bitter aftertaste, the bitter taste lingered on the back of his tongue. Like somebody had accidentally switched the salt with… Sugar. It also practically burnt his mouth the moment he took a bite. He took a closer look at the takoyaki he took a bite in, and it was burnt inside. Just his luck, from all the food he could take, all he was left with was a burnt, disgusting takoyaki. He reluctantly threw the rest of the takoyaki in some bushes.

Then his gaze landed upon another small vendor. The street vendor was a shabby young man, worn down and dirty clothes, his beard was overgrown, and his straw hat fraying at its ends. He worked out that the vendor is penniless. Which grew a wide smirk on his face. His footsteps grew louder as he approached the vendor. 

The vendor sold, by the looks of it, Souvenirs, masks, and statues. The man behind the counter was obviously shitting bricks, and was also shaking like a leaf. His horror was priceless. He skimmed through the shop, judging from the quality of his products. He was selling cheaply made items.

The statues were horrifying; it made him cringe, the proportions made the statue look more like a Yokai instead of a fox. The souvenirs looked stupid as well, who in their right mind sells fox ears?... Sure, foxes are Jiyuu's national animal. But God, find a better way to market foxes instead of making cringy fox ears. The masks were the only thing that seemed to catch his attention. Sure, the paint job was horrible, and it was obviously used with cheap paint but it didn't look half as bad as the stupid fox ears, and weirdly unproportioned fox statues.

"That one." He pointed to the fox mask which covered only half of the face, with gold embellishments and red strewn cheap paint poorly drawn on it to make it seem like a fox mask. With red tassels dangling on the side of each ear of the mask. The tassels were already fraying at its ends. The quality of his products were down right horrid.

The Vendor hurriedly grabbed the fox mask, and held the mask out to him.

"H-Here sir… It will be.. 500 yen…" He looked at the vendor incredulously. The vendor really had the nerve to sell him an ugly rat looking mask for 500 yen? He could've easily made them with cheap paint and a tassel he could find lying on the ground. "Hah! This cheap mask isn't worth anything near 500 yen!" He ridiculed the vendor's work.

"100 Yen for you sir!.." The vendor bargained, but there was a firm look in Sychar's eyes.

"10." He sternly says. He looked at the vendor with the cold glare, it was obvious he was extremely serious. Even that price was unreasonable for a poorly made mask. The vendor imagined how much money he would lose if he sold it, and he desperately needed the money for his family and kids… He barely could afford to buy food for them even now.

He was starting to get irritated by the Vendor's quietness, and snapped at him. "Are you stupid? or just fucking deaf? I said 10." He started raising his voice in annoyance, his face scrunched in displeasure.

The vendor lowered his head, even lower than before. His dignity had been quickly stripped away from him. At that moment he had to think of his life first before the money. "Yes…" The vendor quietly agreed, not wanting to further the conversation in fear of his life.

Sychar handed him a dirty 20 yen coin. "Keep the change." He walked away from the vendor's stall, and from behind he could hear a loud thud. Other vendors rushed up to help the fallen man from the floor. As he walked farther away a smirk plastered on his face as he heard the pathetic cries of the vendor. 

"Stupid lowly humans." He spat, and wore the mask to cover his face. It was hard to breathe through the mask but he could care less. Underneath the mask he could see everyone's gaze was shifted away from him, and they all scurried away quickly whenever they saw him approaching. Like stupid mice caught in a trap. As he kept walking, he was already too deep into his thoughts. Then he felt somebody bump into his shoulder, he was ready to curse at the person who bumped into him but instead he met eyes with a girl.

Her eyes were bright and jeweled under the sun. Like shining diamonds under the sun's gaze, Her eyelashes batted at him innocently. Her light pink hair fell on her face delicately with her hair being carried subtly through the wind gracefully like petals dancing in the air being tainted with gold hues. Her face was well hidden behind her fan, soft hands delicately touching the fan, there was a gentle gaze in her eyes. The allure to her gaze was so enchanting. Like he had fallen right under her spell. Her cheeks tinted with a soft hue of pink. Sparks were flying between them, green, and blue clashing together creating hues of teal. Their world was covered in teal as their eyes met for the first time. Her sweet honey-like voice whispered a quick apology, and she ran off.

His gaze lingered on her for longer than he had anticipated. But as soon as he snapped out of his trance she was long gone into the midst of the distance. He was left starstruck; he had half the mind to run after her, but he was standing still. Unable to move from his position. The memory kept replaying in his head; the way her hair swayed in the air while looking so soft to the touch, the way she held her gaze at him, and he could vaguely remember the fluorescent cherry blossom smell she had. He was fascinated, entranced, mesmerized. He had completely forgotten about the fact she had accidentally bumped her shoulder on him, but he couldn't care less now.

"General!" A voice suddenly spoke up, then he suddenly felt a migraine approaching.

"Fuck…" He mumbled to himself. "What?!" He angrily shouted back, his thundering voice starting to attract nearby people. Causing quite the commotion, as the already quiet plaza became even quieter as more people ran.

"General, had you forgotten why we had come here?..." The attendant whispered quietly to him. He suddenly felt a migraine happening. "Of course I haven't. Do you think I'am stupid?" He scowled at the buzzing fly. And the attendant immediately shrinked away in fear, and stayed silent. Well, Perhaps the annoying fly wasn't wrong. He momentarily had forgotten why he had come here in the first place when she had bumped into him. God, it hasn't even been a few seconds and his mind kept drifting back to her. It was stupid of him. he felt so fucking stupid, and insane. He definitely had some steam to cool off.

"General…" The attendant spoke up quietly. He ignored himー or well didn't care enough to respond to the attendant. The attendant could only sigh in defeat. Even the attendant could realize something was wrong with the general. He was quiet, but not in his usual quiet. The attendant knew this well. They both quietly walked about in deafening silence.

They had made it to the center of the capital, now they were faced with the high steps of the imperial palace, they both gruelly climbed up top. They were both greeted with an extravagant, lavish palace. With complex, and ornate architecture. Slanted elevated roofs to make the palace seem larger, with gold embellishments on the large pillars standing in front of the doors, with nature enriching the front of the gates. The gate itself has its own fair share extravagantes. Engraved onto the door were symbols, and elaborate details with gold embellishments. It was a few meters in height, and a few meters in width. Suddenly the large doors opened. Sychar stared at the palace for a few seconds, then turned his head to face his attendant.

"Don't join me." He sternly said to his attendant, and the attendant happily obliged and stood outside.

He walked around the large courtyard with the well trimmed hedges, rare flowers, like the Shidekobushi, flowers that have never been seen in public, and he could feel the rocky pebble road crunching under his feet. These rocks seemed to be much cleaner than they should have been, not even a speck of dirt could be seen on them. And those were literal rocks. 

It became even more outrageous after he stepped into the palace. The halls were stupidly large, and spacious; it doesn't even seem to be hallways anymore. And every turn you made there was some type of gold decoration, be it a gold trophy, a gold vase, or a random embellishment of gold detailed into the walls for no reason. What was the imperial family and their obsession with gold? The hallways seemed never ending, he thought he was going in circles but after another few minutes of confusion he found another pair of large doors, which he assumed was the shuyoheya. He didn't even need to knock before the large doors opened before him.

There sat on the throne, the emperor. The empress on his right, and his young daughter on his left. The room had an intimidating atmosphere, all eyes were on him. A diplomat from the Konet empire.

"Greetings to the imperial sun." He kneeled down. 

"Hello, General Sychar." The emperor happily greeted him with a wide smirk on his face.

"I was made aware that the Empress has a discussion to make between the relations of Jiyuu and Konet." Said the emperor excitedly, the emperor expected good news. Perhaps Konet was considering finally opening the borders to each other, and creating an even deeper bond between the two empires. Sychar grinned at the emperor's excitement, it was blatantly obvious what he was expecting. 

"Well, let's drop the formalities shall we. I just have an announcement I'd like to make." Sychar smiled internally, excited for what was about to ensue. He stood up and boldly announced.

"In the supreme words of our omnipotent Empress. We would like to thank Jiyuu for its 348 years of peace, and we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Jiyuu for the help you have provided our country. But from this day onward, with the judgment of the omnipotent Empress. The treaty between Jiyuu and Konet will be annulled today, on July 25." He pulled out a small scroll he had hidden away in his pocket, not much could be read as it was in russian but a rose crest was sealed onto the paper; The Empress's seal. "Thus, this is a declaration of war."

Hushed whispers, and gasps fill the room. Fear, shock, and panic started ensuing. Konet's intelligence and strength in war preceded empires of many, with The Grekhi, a large organization that backs the military strength of the empire, were dubbed as the most feared military unit in the world. The Grekhi held enormous amount of power in politics, wealth, military strength, and man power. A war with Konet was sure to end in bloodshed, and defeat.

"No, Impossible!" The emperor angrily banged his fist on his throne, much like a child throwing a tantrum. His wife approached him with open arms to calm him down, but he slapped her away, she then landed on the floor with a loud thud reverberating through the room. "We have kept our peace with Konet for 348 years! How dare you!" He angrily shouted back. The anger became more prominent on the emperor's features.

"Hm. Sorry, I'm not the one making the decisions are I?" He snarkily replied. His body language showed signs that he wasn't truly taking this situation seriously. His attitude was getting under the Emperor's skin.

"Silence!" The emperor screamed at him, and his blood was boiling at that point.

Sychar laughed, he laughed. His laugh bounced throughout the silent walls of the palace. "You sound so much like a child throwing a tantrum! Are you truly the emperor of Jiyuu? Perhaps you would fare better in an orphanage! Haha!" He snickered, and mocked the emperor in broad daylight where everyone witnessed it. Everyone looked at him in shock, and the Guards had their weapons aimed, and pointed right at him. Ready to strike. The emperor saw red that moment. How could a measly general from a foreign country stroll through his palace, and casually mock him in front of hundreds of his subjects. 

"SHUT UP." The emperor stood up in a fit of rage, his hands balled to a fist. Blood was seeping through his palms as he dug his fingernails into his skin in a fit of rage. "Watch your tone, young man!" He scowled.

"If you can't handle being mocked, just go cry to mommy then." Sychar then stuck his middle finger out to the emperor. Seeing the emperor's red face fed into his pride. He was extremely satisfied with his results, it was fun to stir up some tension. He looked at his wrist for a non-existent watch. "Oh! Look, it's time to go. It's quite late." He looked up at the emperor with a malicious look.

"Mommy told me it's bedtime." He enjoyed the look on the emperor's face, it was hilarious! His face scrunched up in anger, his forehead wrinkled, with a burning rage in his eyes. He loved seeing those in higher positions fall from grace, to see them in their most mortal, and vulnerable. It gave him a sense of gratification. It was sick, sure. But, what was there to lose?

"Bye bye!" He smirked, as he turned around and waved goodbye to him casually. The doors shut behind him, and before the doors could fully close, the emperor could see a wide smile plastered on Sychar's face and it made his blood boil over. The whole room stood silent for a few seconds, and the silence was unnerving to them all. 

"10 Million yen to whoever brings his head to me." Mumbled under his breath, his teeth grinding on each other.

"What did you say, your highness?" A servant inquired softly.

"10 MILLION. AND BRING ME HIS HEAD." He angrily screamed, his face scarlet red in anger. The guards immediately complied, and they all had left in a hurry with leaders shouting orders to the men. The emperor fell on his chair, and rubbed the temple on his forehead.

"Dear… Are you okay?" She quietly asked as she tried to comfort him softly, even going as far as to pour him a glass of his favorite sake. But the scowl on his face still remained. 

"Shut up." He spat out, and threw the sake to the floor leaving a large mess to be cleaned. The maids came quickly and cleaned the spilt mess on the floor. The empress stared at the mess on the floor, and stayed silent. She quietly sat back on her seat. Unmoving, and still, just as a porcelain doll sitting atop of a shelf.

While chaos ensued in the palace, Sychar was now feeling extremely giddy after the interaction with the emperor. It felt so good to mock the emperor that it left him in high spirits. With his mood being 10x better than earlier, the people nearby took notice of it and feared for their lives. After all, Who sees a general being… Happy? Even his attendant was horrified to see Sychar's mood. He had never seen him in such a good mood. He was now worried about what Sychar had done.

"I assume… It was a success, General?..." He wearily asked, Sychar turned to him with a large grin on his face. "Even better than successful. Perhaps it could be considered an achievement." The attendant looked at him in horror, just… What had he done?

When Sychar left, the sun had already set. The moon was now out and about, Illuminating the dark sky in its magnificent luminous light. Lanterns lit up the streets. Chimes jingled as the cold night air breeze passed by. Vendors shouted for customers, while locals roamed around the streets, bustling and lively. The smell of sunflowers filled the air. Sychar wore his fox mask again to hide his identity from the guards, but he doubted that it would work. After all, he was wearing his uniform.

Through all the crowds, he had successfully blended in with them and he left his attendant stranded. Though, he was sure that they were capable enough to handle themselves. He looked around the stalls, but nothing had caught his attention aside from caramel apples that tasted decent, but he could make them better at home. He was aimlessly walking around, until he noticed a large crowd started forming at the square. He looked to see where the commotion all went. As he came closer, he could hear the sound of music. Drums, and flutes. People cheered, and clapped. He could even hear the occasional whistle. He looked up to see what seemed to catch the crowd's attention. A girl was kneeling down on the stage. 

He couldn't miss the light pink hair draping across her shoulders. She slowly sat up, exposing the fox mask she wore to cover her face. She gracefully picked up the fan set before her, and stood up, slowly walking forward. Her hands swayed in the air slowly and elegantly, and with a quick flick of her wrist she smoothly opened the fan. The swiftness wowed the crowds and earned a few gasps. She then spun around effortlessly fluttering the fan in the air beautifully. She danced like a waterfall, graceful with power. Every twirl of the fan seemed to bring the crowd into a deeper trance, her foot steps carefully moved across the stage slowly like a river, her movements were nimble and smooth. The fan was effortlessly swaying in her hands, creating movements one could not explain, but was mesmerizing to the eyes. Even in a kimono which limited her movements, she still managed to move so elegantly with poise. The silk fabric draped on her seemed to move with her. She moves with the music as if she was one. The sounds of clamor, and applause from the crowd muffled in his ears. Time seemed to slow down. The world paused in slow motion. She was breathtaking. Like he couldn't breathe at that moment, every slight movement she took was caught in his attentive gaze. Even the slight creases on her clothes didn't go unnoticed by him. He could have her memorized by heart. It was for a moment, there was nothing left in this world except teal. 

She turned her back to the audience, with her arms extended to the side while her face covered mask hid behind the fan. With two loud thuds from the drum. It signified the dance had ended. People erupted in cheers, claps, and shouts in the crowd. She faced the audience and bowed. Making her way off the stage. As she left the stage, people started to disperse from the crowd. Leaving Sychar mesmerized, again.

Sychar was left in a trance for far too long. Long enough that the military spotted had him in the crowds, and rushed towards him. Sychar took notice too late, by the time he realized, the guards were fast approaching towards him. He didn't have time to react before the guards raised their weapons against him. The guard was about to strike his chest, but a person had quickly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him out of the way. They both ran, with them still holding his wrist. They made their way through the crowds, effectively blending in without the guards noticing. He felt the rush of adrenaline of being chased again, the golden lights from the lanterns became a blur in his vision. The feeling of cold air rushed past him, but there was unforgettable pink hair fluttering in the wind. They were bumping into people and others were angrily shouting at them, but they both didn't care.

The person dragging him pulled them in an alleyway. They were now hiding inside a dark cramped alleyway. The sound of panting out of breathlessness resounding through the tight walls of the alleyway, guards had passed right by them. They could hear voices of guards in confusion wondering where the two went. The person who was dragging him, let out a sigh.. He recognized the voice, soft, honey like, and sweet. He could remember it from anywhere. "I'm Misako Hana. I can help you." She looked at him in complete objection. Even in the dark alleyway she could see a smirk plastered on his face. She had a bad feeling about him and it gave her goosebumps. A rational part of her mind was screaming at her that this guy was bad news, but the irrational part of her mind was suggesting that this could be a new adventure. She rarely listened to her irrational mind, except right now.

"Well, I'd like to take you up on that offer. Hana." His smooth voice replied, and she felt her resolve breaking slowly.

Please don't make me regret this…

Sadism; any enjoyment in being cruel.