(no subject)
Title: First steps - Epilogues
Rating: PG for non-explicit violence
Summary: Two possible paths history could have taken, after the night when Kratos brought two new friends to ask for Yuan's help.
Notes: Follows immediately after this. Since canon doesn't make it clear exactly what Yuan's decision was, I wrote it out two different ways. Choose whichever you like better.
Epilogue 1:
Yuan shook his head. This was too much - he couldn't go into battle with this kind of uncertainty lingering over his head. Looking out the door of his tent, he saw that the general was still awake. Maybe he would just go and see if there was any possibility of doing what Kratos had asked.
“Sir?” He stood at the door of the general's tent. “Permission to enter and speak freely?”
“Granted.” The older human waved him in. “What's on your mind, Ka-fai?”
“Tomorrow's attack.” Yuan shrugged as he entered. “Something I heard...I'm just wondering if it's right, what we're doing.”
“Of course it is! We're striking a decisive blow! Why, we might even force them to surrender, if we can capture the royals.”
“But sir...” Yuan pointed out. “They must have seen us coming. If they've any sense at all, they'll have already gotten the royal family to safety. Won't we mostly be hitting civilians?”
“Nonsense. And even if they have, it'll only make them fear us all the more - as they should! Demoralize the country, and we're that much closer to winning the entire war.” The general eyed him. “Are you sure you're feeling all right?”
It seemed so shallow now, although he would have swallowed it whole even a few hours ago. Yuan straightened, the top of his head brushing the roof of the tent. “Yes, sir! ...Just a momentary bout of late-night gloom, I guess.” There was no stopping this attack, maybe no stopping the war at all. Certainly not from inside the Sylvaranti army, and Yuan realized at that moment that he'd already made his decision.
The general seemed to accept this explanation. “Get some rest, Ka-fai. Busy day tomorrow and all that. Dismissed.”
Yuan saluted briefly, and went back to his tent to pack. He'd have to apologize to Kratos for not being able to stop the assault, but at least he wouldn't be among those taking part in it.
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Epilogue 2:
Yuan strode down the streets of the capital, flanked by a pair of his soldiers, eyeing the burning houses on either side. He should be feeling victorious - they'd swiftly overcome the resistance the city had been able to put up, and now they were striking a crushing moral blow to their mortal enemies.
Instead, he kept seeing in his mind's eye the streets of his own hometown burning, with Tethe'allan troops marching down the streets just like he was now, and remembering the words of the woman Kratos had brought with him last night. Was this the future he wanted, the victory he had sought?
“Sir?” one of the soldiers asked him, concerned. “Are you all right?”
“...I'm fine,” Yuan said. “I just remembered something I need to do, actually. Wait here, both of you, it won't take me long.”
As he strode out through the city gates, he wondered idly how long it would take them to realize that he wasn't coming back.
Rating: PG for non-explicit violence
Summary: Two possible paths history could have taken, after the night when Kratos brought two new friends to ask for Yuan's help.
Notes: Follows immediately after this. Since canon doesn't make it clear exactly what Yuan's decision was, I wrote it out two different ways. Choose whichever you like better.
Epilogue 1:
Yuan shook his head. This was too much - he couldn't go into battle with this kind of uncertainty lingering over his head. Looking out the door of his tent, he saw that the general was still awake. Maybe he would just go and see if there was any possibility of doing what Kratos had asked.
“Sir?” He stood at the door of the general's tent. “Permission to enter and speak freely?”
“Granted.” The older human waved him in. “What's on your mind, Ka-fai?”
“Tomorrow's attack.” Yuan shrugged as he entered. “Something I heard...I'm just wondering if it's right, what we're doing.”
“Of course it is! We're striking a decisive blow! Why, we might even force them to surrender, if we can capture the royals.”
“But sir...” Yuan pointed out. “They must have seen us coming. If they've any sense at all, they'll have already gotten the royal family to safety. Won't we mostly be hitting civilians?”
“Nonsense. And even if they have, it'll only make them fear us all the more - as they should! Demoralize the country, and we're that much closer to winning the entire war.” The general eyed him. “Are you sure you're feeling all right?”
It seemed so shallow now, although he would have swallowed it whole even a few hours ago. Yuan straightened, the top of his head brushing the roof of the tent. “Yes, sir! ...Just a momentary bout of late-night gloom, I guess.” There was no stopping this attack, maybe no stopping the war at all. Certainly not from inside the Sylvaranti army, and Yuan realized at that moment that he'd already made his decision.
The general seemed to accept this explanation. “Get some rest, Ka-fai. Busy day tomorrow and all that. Dismissed.”
Yuan saluted briefly, and went back to his tent to pack. He'd have to apologize to Kratos for not being able to stop the assault, but at least he wouldn't be among those taking part in it.
--------------------
Epilogue 2:
Yuan strode down the streets of the capital, flanked by a pair of his soldiers, eyeing the burning houses on either side. He should be feeling victorious - they'd swiftly overcome the resistance the city had been able to put up, and now they were striking a crushing moral blow to their mortal enemies.
Instead, he kept seeing in his mind's eye the streets of his own hometown burning, with Tethe'allan troops marching down the streets just like he was now, and remembering the words of the woman Kratos had brought with him last night. Was this the future he wanted, the victory he had sought?
“Sir?” one of the soldiers asked him, concerned. “Are you all right?”
“...I'm fine,” Yuan said. “I just remembered something I need to do, actually. Wait here, both of you, it won't take me long.”
As he strode out through the city gates, he wondered idly how long it would take them to realize that he wasn't coming back.