A multi-parter Bdaman fanfic! Chapter One
The Fields of Camelotte
Note: Unlike the Four Saint Guardians, the election for the new Guide is a lot less official. The voting is done exclusively by citizens of Camelotte, and thus Marilyn receives her earnings through direct payment from the candidates, instead of obtaining the much larger salary from the Sons of Watt.
Enjoy the story, everyone.
-Seven Nation General
Chapter One
The sheer lack of oncoming heroes
"I have two questions on my mind," I said, taking a seat next to my horse. "One, do horses eat soup? Two, why do you keep giving losers free food?"
Sly, the Saintly Black Tortoise, chuckled and used a ladle to scoop up more broth for good ol' Guenevere. If I wasn't so stuffed already, I would ask for some myself-aside from technically being the top gun of the South, he was also probably the top gun of soup in all four directions.
"I suppose I would have to reply with two answers," Sly said and sat down on a stool, slapping his knees out of a long term habit. "One, they do now. Two, don't call them losers-they always come back, and when they do it's another step towards victory."
"Yeah, right," I sighed. Sometimes I thought that it was an advantage that he was the oldest out of the Guardians, which meant he gave the best advice and subtly I wondered if his age had to do with his good humour. "There's more and more young men applying for knighthood, and fewer walking away with one. Oh well, who am I to complain, more candidates means more money for me anyway."
Sly placed a hand atop his weapon, a large emerald turtle shield which also functioned as a table-top when he was not working. He stroked it fondly as he supplied whatever news that escaped my ears, "Well did you know, rumours are saying that a real talent is coming by soon. Yamato, Yamato Delgado, that's what his name is."
"Delgado?" I had to repeat the name before my eyes widened incredulously. "The son of Mie Delgado? Strange, I was in her café just an hour ago and I never even heard her mention that her son is coming to town."
"Well, it is a gentleman's trait to be modest," Sly pointed out. "Better to pass the test first before flaunting the results. You do like gentlemen, don't you?"
"Yeah, but you could say that all my men are crudes," I shrugged. What I meant was my clients, of course.
"By the way," Sly changed the subject, as he stared at Guenevere, who was licking the empty bowl thoroughly by now. "Guenevere? What happened to Princeton?"
"Mating season," I explained and reached out to patt Guenevere on her silver side, glad for her gender for the umpteenth time. "It's really inconvenient to ride on something which prefers humping something, so I left him back at the ranch. But he'll be back and kicking perverts again next season."
"That is why you are the Guide," Sly commented. "Always so understanding towards horses and people."
-+-
Not only was the lack of courage and determination irritating about my clients, but also their predictable routine. There was no specific drill on the battles against the Guardians, but most of them went the same route-first choosing Sly, thinking that he would be a pushover, and if they succeeded they would choose Asadou, thinking that he would be an uncivillized savage. Few made it to face Jyou, and fewer made it to face Joshua.
It was a good thing though, that Joshua was largely undisturbed, which meant that he was free for me to disturb. The man looked so classy in that shabby navy suit, but who knew that he would live in a cave, like a real dragon would.
Upon reaching his humble hideout Guenevere let out a loud neigh, and instinctively skidded to a halt. Since young the old girl did not like dark and scary spaces, and I would not torture her by subjecting her to one, unless in an emergency. After tieing her reigns to a nearby tree, I waved goodbye and proceeded onwards, stepping right into the dark.
"Joshua!" I called out, once again finding the way my voice reverberated more cool than creepy. "Oh, Joshu-a!"
There, I heard that-a distinct grunt expressing one mildly annoyed and not too deep into the cave. Naturally, I had the layout of the cave all there in my head and once taking a detour to the right, the pathway became illuminated and right at the end was the man of the hour, sitting cross-legged on a large boulder.
"What," Joshua started, not opening his eyes. "Did you bring anyone here for battle?"
"Nah, not today," I replied and plopped down next to him. "Business is slow for you, ain't it? Been about a month since I actually brought someone here."
"Go away, please," Joshua simply murmured. Really, he had a knack for being rude and polite at the same time.
"Why not you go easy on your people?" I suggested. "It doesn't look like there's many young knights around, and I bet we'll hear from the Sons of Watt first."
"You don't blame the existence of incompetence on the competent," Joshua concluded. I always noted that he was somewhat philosophical without the formal quiet front, which made the rest ponder both about his silence and his words.
"By the way, have you heard of a new talent named Yamato Delgado?" I asked, relaying the news Sly brought. "Sly said that he's bound to be the long awaited diamond among pebbles."
"Well, I hear from the Black Tortoise when I do," Joshua said. "Get out, please."
I rolled my eyes, and could not help but think the Dragon had been lying dormant for too long. He would never admit it, but he always had fun at these times when I send some tough guns over to him, which I sometimes did.
-+-
Throughout the day there were only familiar faces in sight-not a single young, vibrant and hopeful figure awaiting my lead. I had no problem though, perched on a wooden fench while chewing a blade of grass, waiting for when I could do my job. Unlike the saintly ones, if I did not work, I could not eat.
Then someone arrived, someone old, tired yet strangely hopeful. Somehow I could decipher the elderly man's glow upon his features through all that wrinkles, and that was the indirect benefit of encountering all sorts of folks back in the good old days.
He stopped and slowly turned his body in my direction, having to squint to give me a cursory glance. Once making sure that I was indeed the Guide wearing the unmistakable costume, he spoke, "Dear Guide, oh dear Guide, will you not take me to where the Ultimate Knight is?"
"Sorry pops," I had to let him down. "Can't do that unless you're joining the young men in trying to defeat the Four Guardians. Once you've got all of them down, then I can bring you to the Champion."
For a second he drew back, seemingly surprised. However, he managed to regain his composure and ambled away after giving a slight nod, leaving me in his wake. Secretly I wished that he had resorted to bribery so I could purchase some food to last the couple of days, though it was impossible to call upon Cain McDonnell on such a short notice. Even I did not know where exactly he came from; sometimes he arrived from the east, sometimes from the west and even I was unsure to whether he was assuming residence in Camelotte itself. Joshua most probably knew, for he was the one who relayed the message to the Ultimate Knight whenever he was required to make a rare appearance, but that hidden Dragon always insisted that he knew as little about the man as we did.
I yawned, and stretched my arms. Behind me, the sun had dropped an inch lower into the horizon. 'What will the new day bring,' I thought. 'Yamato Delgado, the Ultimate Knight, a mysterious old man…perhaps someone who wants to save himself and save us all?'