Then again, maybe not, Challenge 44
Title: Then again, maybe not
Author: lady_ganesh
Characters: Nataku and the Gaiden cast
Spoilers: I think vol. 2 of Gaiden
Rating: PG
Time: 30 minutes. I wanted more time, dammit!
"Kill him!" Father ordered, and Nataku froze. He closed his eyes and fell to his knees. "No," he whispered softly. "I will not."
Nataku leaned down to wipe his sword clean. There was a long scratch on his arm; it smarted when he went to sheathe the blade.
Goku noticed him wincing. "You okay?" He touched his companion's shoulder in sympathy.
"Yeah," he said, touching the wound. "It's not as bad as it looks."
"Good," Goku said, breaking into a smile. "It looks terrible."
Nataku giggled. "Yeah?"
"Indeed," Tenpou interrupted, pushing up his viscera-smeared glasses. "Come here, we'll get it bandaged."
Nataku held his arm out for inspection. It was still strange to have them as...well, friends, he supposed. Stranger still to have his father imprisoned. Father had called him a traitor, and a liar, and worse words still, but Goku had stood at his side like a sentinel, and Konzen Douji had rushed in with burning eyes and sharp words.
There had been an investigation; there had been discoveries; there had been mountains and mountains of paperwork.
And now Tenpou was gently examining his arm. "He's right," he told Goku. "It's not nearly as bad as it looks. He'll be fine." He took his glasses off then and wiped him on his sleeve.
"Good," Goku grinned. His face shone with sweat from the battle. "We've got stuff to do when we get back."
~~~
"Kill him!" Father ordered, and Nataku froze. "Forgive me," he whispered, and then he struck.
"Get dressed," Father snapped. "There's a banquet tonight."
Nataku's eyes widened. A banquet? He was never invited to such things. "All right," he said, and reached into his closet for his best robes.
"Not those," Father said. "Your martial uniform. You'll be providing security from the rebels."
The rebels; those who had gone against Heaven after Goku's....
He swallowed. "Of course," he said, and found his uniform.
Kenren Taicho had a notorious reputation, but Tenpou Gensui was-- had been, Nataku thought-- the best military strategist in Heaven. But Konzen Douji...
He still remembered Konzen's scream.
Perhaps this time he would be brave enough to let them kill him.
~~~
"I wonder what you dream of, Nataku," Kanzeon said, watching the boy's face. He'd just been a boy when he'd made his decisions; se had considered overruling him, but he'd had so little control over his life se couldn't bear the cruelty. "Do you think you made the right decisions?" Se smiled at him. "I suppose it's a bit late to worry about that now." Se reached out and touched his cheek. "Sleep well, Nataku. But remember the past is just that. There is no changing it now. And no stopping the future."
Author: lady_ganesh
Characters: Nataku and the Gaiden cast
Spoilers: I think vol. 2 of Gaiden
Rating: PG
Time: 30 minutes. I wanted more time, dammit!
"Kill him!" Father ordered, and Nataku froze. He closed his eyes and fell to his knees. "No," he whispered softly. "I will not."
Nataku leaned down to wipe his sword clean. There was a long scratch on his arm; it smarted when he went to sheathe the blade.
Goku noticed him wincing. "You okay?" He touched his companion's shoulder in sympathy.
"Yeah," he said, touching the wound. "It's not as bad as it looks."
"Good," Goku said, breaking into a smile. "It looks terrible."
Nataku giggled. "Yeah?"
"Indeed," Tenpou interrupted, pushing up his viscera-smeared glasses. "Come here, we'll get it bandaged."
Nataku held his arm out for inspection. It was still strange to have them as...well, friends, he supposed. Stranger still to have his father imprisoned. Father had called him a traitor, and a liar, and worse words still, but Goku had stood at his side like a sentinel, and Konzen Douji had rushed in with burning eyes and sharp words.
There had been an investigation; there had been discoveries; there had been mountains and mountains of paperwork.
And now Tenpou was gently examining his arm. "He's right," he told Goku. "It's not nearly as bad as it looks. He'll be fine." He took his glasses off then and wiped him on his sleeve.
"Good," Goku grinned. His face shone with sweat from the battle. "We've got stuff to do when we get back."
~~~
"Kill him!" Father ordered, and Nataku froze. "Forgive me," he whispered, and then he struck.
"Get dressed," Father snapped. "There's a banquet tonight."
Nataku's eyes widened. A banquet? He was never invited to such things. "All right," he said, and reached into his closet for his best robes.
"Not those," Father said. "Your martial uniform. You'll be providing security from the rebels."
The rebels; those who had gone against Heaven after Goku's....
He swallowed. "Of course," he said, and found his uniform.
Kenren Taicho had a notorious reputation, but Tenpou Gensui was-- had been, Nataku thought-- the best military strategist in Heaven. But Konzen Douji...
He still remembered Konzen's scream.
Perhaps this time he would be brave enough to let them kill him.
~~~
"I wonder what you dream of, Nataku," Kanzeon said, watching the boy's face. He'd just been a boy when he'd made his decisions; se had considered overruling him, but he'd had so little control over his life se couldn't bear the cruelty. "Do you think you made the right decisions?" Se smiled at him. "I suppose it's a bit late to worry about that now." Se reached out and touched his cheek. "Sleep well, Nataku. But remember the past is just that. There is no changing it now. And no stopping the future."