Prelude to an Interlude [Complete]
Characters: Yuuko Ichihara & Hijikata Toshirou (age eight) [madamnoire & mayvoice]
Content: During a hot summer's day in Bellcius fifteen years ago, one eight-year-old discovers a most mysterious place...
Setting: Bellcius, Yuuko's shop.
Time: Roughly fifteen years ago.
Warnings: Yuuko being mysterious, one utterly adorable eight-year-old Rou who should not be this adorable and OMFG underlying predictions to the future?! Only time will tell~
It was hot. The sweltering heat simmered in the air and levitated above the streets, swaying in the trees where what little wind tossed them side to side in a weak dance. Summer was always unbearable in Bellcius. Cold baths and iced drinks were so appealing right now that Yuuko, for a brief two seconds, actually considered setting up house in her bathtub. And the reality of it was not far off.
"Is it so much to ask for a little rain?" the enchantress groggily directed toward the ceiling of her shop, in some vain attempt to get someone from above to hear her. No answer. Typical. From her reclined position on the couch, she draped one pale hand across her forehead, groaning in a very un-ladylike manner. To her left, Maru cooled her arm down with a damp washcloth, while Moro idled by Yuuko's knees and fanned her complaining mistress.
This heat was going to kill her.
She was sure of it.
Hot. The weather was pretty damn hot today---scratch that, it was really really hot. Hot enough to cook eggs on the stone walls of his house, if Toshirou had anything to say about that. The eight-year-old had only returned back from his most recent trip from Melior a day or so ago, but he was already up and running about the city once more. Or at least, as much as he possibly could in this sort of weather. As he went down one of the more unfamiliar streets of the city, Toshirou let out a loud sigh and tried to fan himself with his hands but to no avail. He needed to go back home and get water. Maybe ten cups. Or a jug. A jug of ice-cold water sounded really good right about now. And maybe some nice cool mayonnaise...
"What is it with this heat?" the boy muttered grouchily to himself as he took a turn into a back alley where there was shade and it was cooling. Hell, once he got back Toshirou highly considering just immersing himself in the bathtub until the sun went down. But then again there was nothing to do when he got back and everything... decisions, decisions; always the annoying part of things. Toshirou muttered a few choice words under his breath (most of it learned from his cousin) as he slowly edged himself out of the alley and noticed a most peculiar shop in the distance. The building didn't look very similar to the rest of the others---it had that sort of... if the boy had to put it, magical aura to it. It didn't look very local; perhaps it was someone from Vohemar? Though the possiblity of that happening was kinda low...
Ever the curious one, Toshirou headed to the strange building, managing to find the door after a few moment's of looking around and against his better judgment, opened the door and entered. It couldn't hurt to look around after all... plus a building meant shade. Cooling shade.
There was a creak as the door opened to a relatively dark main entrance, its floor polished, with no signs of shoes or any human presence at all.
In the living room, two pairs of eyes directed to Yuuko’s face as she removed her hand. “We have a customer,” she informed her girls, who clapped their hands together and twirled, chiming “A customer, a customer!” in unison. With a feline grace, the witch stood from her pedestal, and rather than allowing her girls to greet her new client, she took the liberty of personally meeting them first.
A turn around a corner, and then another, led her to the main hallway...
...where she saw a little boy, probably no older than nine.
Yuuko, who must’ve seemed like a giant to the child, curved over, setting slender hands on her uncovered knees. “Welcome,” she acknowledged him, offering a tiny smile. He was a cute one, this kid. Kind of a runt, but cute nonetheless.
Toshirou heard the footsteps before the woman appeared, and he tried not to look so surprised at her size. Man, she was kinda... big. She could be one of those women that his cousin was always peeving on, but there was something about her that suggested otherwise. Long hair and strange eyes that caught his young curiosity far too easily. The boy blinked, looking back curiously as he inclined his head a little to the side., studying her. Something about her was different than those women who fawned over his cousin, that was for sure.
"Umm..." he started, a bit unsure of what to say--he was always rather unfamiliar with the concept of socializing, given how he usually spent his time alone, with the servants or with that pervert of his cousin. He then started to look around, already intrigued by the strange decor that made up this place--though, it was still hot. But at least not as hot as it had been outside. And outside was the last place Toshirou wanted to be for not, with that sweltering heat. The boy scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly as he asked, "Can I... come in, miss?" This place would be a nice spot to wait until the heat was more tolerable, at least. If he couldn't enter, then maybe he'd just have to do with the back alley from before.
The butterfly’s smile widened a fraction. “Of course.” As Yuuko pushed off her legs and back to proper posture, she titled her head toward Toshirou, raven hair cascading over her uncovered shoulder. “Would you like something to drink? Something cold, perhaps?”
Common courtesy, despite the snide remarks about her aloof personality and sometimes heartless demeanor, was not lost on her. If a thirsty, shade-seeking boy came knocking at Yuuko’s door, she would absolutely allow him inside. And if he had any other motives of the antique and wish-seeking sense, then all the better, she supposed.
In the meantime, the kid was looking just a little tense, so once again, she braved a smile.
The boy grinned brightly at the answer then. This sure was his lucky day! A hot, scorching day, but still. It wasn't everyday when an adult was this nice to him, after all--usually they would all ignore him, including his parents. This was somewhat of a nice change. Toshirou nodded eagerly in response to her question, the childish smile on his face as he answered with a childish chirp. "Something cold, please!" He would have asked for some mayonnaise to go along with it, but the kid guessed he shouldn't pushed his luck.
This whole place certainly was giving him the odd vibes, as he gave another look around the place. He slipped out of his slippers and stepped into the shop fully, dark blue eyes looking about curiously. It was a strange place, and it gave him the creeps, that was for sure. Toshirou supressed a shudder before he noticed the woman and her smile and then smiled sheepishly in return, a tinge of red on his cheeks in slight embarrassment. He wasn't very used to people like her, especially since after getting used to women paying more attention to his relatives, especially his cousin.
But he would soon come to learn that Yuuko was unlike any woman he would ever meet in his life.
“Maru, Moro!” she called out, angling her head toward the living room. Two girls ambled out - one with long, curly cyan hair, and the other with bubblegum pink - and looked expectantly toward their mistress. “Will you please fetch a tall glass of juice for our guest?” They chirped a “Yes, mistress!” in unison and disappeared again. For anyone who had never witnessed such a spectacle, it certainly would’ve seemed odd. Servants with fluorescent colored hair? Many people took a while to get used to the girls, but they were cute - if not a tad creepy in their synchronization -- so what did it matter?
Dress tagging behind her along the floor, Yuuko led little Toshirou toward the main sitting area, a comfortable room that was unlike the rest of the house, as he would be relieved to learn. As they walked down the short hall, she peered back over her shoulder at the kid. “You have a name, yes?”
There was a surprised sort of cry coming out from Toshirou at the appearance of the two young girls with bright blue... and pink... hair. Very bright hair, actually. What kind of people were those two anyway?! The boy only relaxed once more when the two chirped and vanished to do the woman's bidding, feeling a bit more out of place now. Strange decor, girls with bright hair and then this woman... the eight-year-old only blinked as he looked at her from the back while they walked. Just what was this place, anyway...?
He then made a little start when she looked at him and asked for his name. The child blinked once more before he managed to gather back his wits and replied. "...Toshirou. Hijikata Toshirou."
The woman smiled, facing away this time. “Toshirou, hm? Well, then, Toshirou, I have a feeling you will want to be taking a look to your right as we walk by this door,” she purred as they passed a vast entryway.
This was what Yuuko called her treasure room.
It was, in fact, her antique shop, but the items within it were seemingly priceless payments she had received over the years. Some objects were over a hundred years old, while some didn’t even seem used. Worn, torn, brand new, or dusty. Mirrors, dolls, furniture, instruments, statues, masks, swords, countless books. Strange things, familiar things.
Rarely did anyone not take a peek when visiting Yuuko in her home. And eight-year-old boys were not exempt from this group.
"...?" the boy was undeniably and understandably at first confused by what the woman had said before he followed and did what she said, eyes then widening into beach balls at the sight of the treasure room. Toshirou paused and stared--so many things there, most of them looking rather intriguing and unique and he was rather sure a lot of them had never even seen the face of Reial before, given the state of their condition (under all that dust for some of those). And then there were swords - loads and loads of strange and cool-looking swords. The eight-year-old pretty much sparkled in excitement as he gazed inside, already enthralled by the many strange things there that quickly nabbed his attention.
"Woooow..." he breathed out in awe, clearly amazed as he should be. "All that stuff looks neat!" he exclaimed with a grin as he turned to Yuuko. "Can I have a look at 'em later?" He really wanted to have a look-see, maybe indulge in his curiosity a little. After wandering around Bellcius for so long, it was rare for something to interest him so much now.
Genuinely intrigued by his excitement, the enchantress lowered her head, dark hair fanning into her face and lips blossoming into a smirk. “You certainly can. But let’s go have that juice first, shall we?” Yuuko was, of course, going to have something other than juice, but she figured that detail could be left unsaid.
Toshirou grinned brightly at the answer. "Really? Neat!" It was rare that he could get such an opportunity--he was an adventurer at heart, and loved to discover things that nabbed his attention, which was a lot of things. It was a young childish curiosity, one that he would grow out of in the years to come. He nodded eagerly and happily followed alongside Yuuko once more, now clearly a lot less tense than he had been when he first came in. He could get used to this person, the boy quietly mused to himself as they soon arrived at their destination.
Fortunately, at least the sitting room didn't look as odd as the rest of the house (or at least the halls and the entrance--those were the only parts of the shop he had been in). Toshirou wasted no time in settling himself quite comfortably on one of the sofas there, letting out a huge sigh of happiness as he settled himself on the cushy seat and grinned goofily in the usual standard childish way taht was of kids like him. The woman really was quite kind to let him in here.
And if Yuuko had heard him think that, she might’ve taken that couch from right under him.
The small coffee table, a foot or two off the floor, was already set up with a clear jug, a glass of rich mango juice, and some napkins (just in case). A few places away, there was a bottle and a handle-less cup. There was no question as to which drinks belonged to whom, so Yuuko, now seated on the couch adjacent to his, began to pour herself a glass. “How old are you, Toshirou?” the woman inquired, her catlike gaze falling upon him as she took a sip. Ahh, now that was good.
“Your face tells me you are young, but your eyes tell another story.” While waiting for his response, the witch downed a good portion of her bitter drink.
Taking the cup on the table, Toshirou muttered a soft 'thank you' before he took a sip of the juice inside, eyebrows rising a little at the rich taste of the drink. This seriously hit the spot, especially in this sort of weather. Rather than gulping it down at once he took his time instead drinking from the cup, sipping little by little. It would be sad if he couldn't take this chance to relish the taste of such rich mango juice. He paused in his sipping and held the glass in both of his little hands, looking at Yuuko once more with dark curious eyes. "Umm... ha--I mean, I'm eight years old." He had been learning his family language, so sometimes he tended to slip into it, though it was something he was trying to get rid of.
His curiosity only rose even more at the next statement that she spoke. "Another story...?" he echoed, an innocent tone of curiosity in his voice. What did she mean by that now...?
Crimson eyes focused on the smaller boy. “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘The eyes are the window to the soul’?” Yuuko didn’t wait for an answer. “It is a long-lived belief that the eyes are like glass, see-through in a way that emotions and painful feelings can be seen in them. Because you are very young, you may not understand how complex emotions can be. Sad, angry, happy, confused, scared. These are all basic emotions that we all feel." Her cup was drained, and then she began again. "But there are more difficult emotions out there. Grief, regret, bliss, agony. Thing that we can also feel when something goes wrong, or when it goes right.”
As she crossed one lean leg over the other, she poured herself another drink. She was trying to make this as comprehensible as possible for the eight-year-old, who may or may not have been accustomed to speaking with adults on these sort of terms. She raised her drink, but did not take a sip. “And in your eyes, I can see loneliness. You long for something.”
Yuuko watched him over the rim of her cup intently. “What is it that you long for, Toshirou?”
He didn't really fully comprehend what was it that Yuuko was telling him, but the boy knew enough to grasp the meaning of her words. Toshirou's gaze was distant as he pondered over her question, looking into himself rather than the woman in front of him. What he had been doing for the past few months now -- running off the Melior with the servants, staying out of his house for days on end, asking his cousin to teach him... all of that, and just what was he expecting to gain from those? What did he long for...? "...what I want..." he muttered quietly to himself, voice distant and reserved as he sagged and his head bent down to look at his glass. Just what did he really want?
He was always alone, far away. Never close with his family at all save for his cousin. Always they ignored him in favor of fawning over his elder brother and never spared a second glance at him. They never gave him the attention that he wanted and he deserved to have--and to that extent he did all of this, just so for that fact; and then in the hopes that... always hoping that...
"...they would look at me," he finished in a mutter. "I want... I want my family to look at me. They've never looked at me as long as I remember. I can only watch their backs as they walk away from me..." Toshirou trailed off, and then looked back up at Yuuko with a determined expression on his face that was quite unlike him usually and repeated himself. "I want my family to look at me."
The determination that was not evident from the moment he opened his mouth finally showed its face toward the end of the boy’s run, and it was a sure sign to Yuuko that, despite being so young, he knew what he wanted. Even if he didn’t know if it was going to work out, his courage to admit what was troubling him was encouraging. It was a start.
Everyone, to some extent, longed to be noticed. To be seen by others. To not be ignored, and to be accepted. Rejection, even if not outright, by family members was always the most jarring. Friends and coworkers could be replaced, but family could not so easily be discarded. A lifelong rejection by the people who are your closest blood relatives could spawn into a lasting pain that would never heal over. Not even by willpower.
Toshirou was far too young to carry such an agonizing burden.
From the other couch, the dark-haired beauty tilted her head, a somewhat more calm and serene expression cast over her divine features. “And this is what you really want? For your family to look at you, to see you as you?”
"Ha--yes," he replied without a beat, correcting himself halfway, the glass of mango juice still in his hands. The determination was even more evident in his eyes at that point. "I want them to look at me and treat me like everyone else I know." The boy paused again, for a moment why was he speaking about all of this to someone he had just met--though indeed, something about her just made him feel like opening up what he really felt. It was almost magical, in that sense. Strange, but somehow... refreshing. He had been bottling up his true desires for far too long.
Toshirou gulped, taking a drink from his now rapidly warming juice before continuing. "I don't want my family to just look at my older brother... I want them to look at me as well. I want them to see that I'm not just the younger brother..." the youngster trailed off, looking slightly downcast again. It was hard; despite all that he did his family never bother with what he did so long as he didn't get into trouble for the family name. Some youngsters would think this was freedom -- but in reality, it was the worst kind of pain anyone could ever go through. Living but not yet to be accepted... it was a harsh existence, and one that Toshirou wanted to pull himself out of, at all costs. He wanted to prove that one day, he was just as good as his brother, if not better.
There was a faint clank as Yuuko lowered her cup to the table. “What if I told you that I could grant that wish?”
Being in business for a good few decades, she’d come to a conclusion that the more powerful the wish, the greater the payment, and therefore came the increased possibility of unhappiness. A wish could balance out with its price, but sometimes the outcomes were never as expected. You could wish to be the greatest singer in the world, but have your good looks taken away as payment. It was a dilemma that the client had to face and mull over, but rarely did they ever do so. Yuuko was not in the business of telling people what to do and what not to. She simply told people to do. Do what they perceived as right. Do anything they could to grant a burdensome wish.
She continued, her voice steady and even. “What if I told you... that for a hefty price, I could make it so your family would look at you?”
"A... hefty... price...?"
A hefty price, she had said, and his wish would be granted. Then his family would look at him again... the offer was tempting by itself, especially to the mind of an eight-year-old. If he were older he would be skeptical, but there and then Toshirou was just a child, and despite everything he did believe in such things as fairy tales and happy endings back then. Even with the underlying warning of the price the offer was there, and it was very attractive. His family would finally look at him, not just his brother. He would be seen as who he was, and not just someone else along the street. People would notice him, for the first time...
But somehow, it felt wrong at the same time. As badly as Toshirou wanted acknowledgment, the child knew he had to work for it. He couldn't just depend on a wish and let everything be on its happy merry way. He knew that fact well from his cousin, who had more than once stressed to him about this in the few months he had been teaching him. If you want to be seen, you had to work for it; there were no short-cuts. But then maybe... just maybe...
Toshirou looked down at his half-empty glass of juice, pondering over Yuuko's words before asking quietly, "Then... if I did say yes... what is this 'hefty price?" He had to know this, at least. His curiosity wouldn't let this question go off unanswered despite the pit that somehow was in his stomach now.
For several moments, the woman surveyed his body's reaction to her offer, namely his face and expression. He was suspicious. It was written in his eyes. But most importantly, he was reluctant. It was obvious what her next course of action was.
"I suppose it wouldn't matter, because you would never agree to my terms, would you, Hijikata Toshirou?" Yuuko said pointedly, one corner of her mouth quirking up into a smug smirk. "You have the strength to open up your heart to a complete stranger, but that doesn't mean that you trust me. It means you are naive, and rightly so. But there is a boundary that you must cross when you are confronted with a wish. The same thing goes for any obstacle in life. If you want to finally have something, do you want someone to help you get it, or do you want to do it on your own?" Oh, this dumbed down speech was tiring her.
Nevertheless, she widened her smirk. "You and I both know what type of person you are. You will not accept my help. You wish for it... but you will not say yes to it. Deep inside of you, you understand that nobody can do anything to get your family to love you... but yourself. Your efforts. Your hard work. Not mine."
Yuuko shifted her legs. "But I will ask you this. Give me the most valuable thing on you right now."
The woman was sharp and smart, Toshirou realized there and then. Completely unlike anyone he had ever met before. A stunned expression was on his face for a moment before it shifted into one of concentration as he listened to her words with rapt attention. She did make sense - he knew he would never agree no matter what the price was. He wanted to accomplish this by his own strength, with his own means and ways. If it would take years than so be it - so long as in the end he got what he desired for. He wasn't the most patient of children, but he could wait when it was needed. And this was something that he could wait.
"You're right," he replied, finishing his glass of juice and reaching out to settle it back onto the table. "I don't think I would want your help, even though I really want it." There were no shortcuts to success--what he reaped was what he would sow. Somehow having it spoken out by Yuuko helped him clear up his mind, just a little. It was a nice feeling still.
Toshirou was about to thank her when he stopped in confusion at what she said next. "Okay..." he replied before digging into the folds of his kimono for a bit before producing out a small silvery chain with the emblem of a sprinting wolf on it. It was the only gift that his parents had given him, back when he was still a baby. He kept it with him dearly and brought it everywhere with him. "Here," the boy went before getting up and making his way to the witch, a small hand placing the chain on hers.
Palm still-outstretched, the enchantress, having not been so close to the boy as of yet, bore her eyes into his blue ones, searching for any last thoughts or emotions before she began, clasping pale fingers around the emblem and lowering her hand into her lap.
“Thank you. Now sit.”
Patiently, Yuuko waited until he did so.
Nodding, Toshirou did as she said, moving back to the sofa opposite her and settling down like before, though possibly with a bit more nervousness judging by the way he shifted his legs slightly and the momentary waver in his gaze as he looked back at Yuuko.
Shifting the chain and emblem into her other hand, the woman remained perfectly statuesque in posture, until she began to speak. “Whenever something happens in this world, there isn’t only one reason or explanation. Everything can be looked at in a different way, or from a different perspective. That is what makes the world unique, and separates me from you, you from your father, your father from his neighbors. We are all different and intricate, much like snowflakes. Or like fingerprints.” Yuuko held up her index finger to illustrate this.
“If you think about it that way, you can find different ways to look at your problem. Toshirou," she directly addressed him, "why is it that you think your family doesn’t ‘see’ you?”
"Um..." the youngster paused at that, a thoughtful expression on his face as he gave the question a good thought before answering. "I guess its because they only see my elder brother," he started. Yeah, that seemed like a good place to start with - it was true anyway. "He's the descent... descent..." what was that word again? "...the one who's going to get everything," That sounded correct enough in simplified terms. "I heard that he has a lot of po... potential, so they wanna make him be the best leader when he becomes one." He had also heard discussions about sending him to the Bellarus Academy to study and enter the navy, though that was a tad impossible due to the hefty fees. But maybe in another academy though... all of that was stuff he wasn't sure of anyway. Though really, he would like to go to the academy too. At least there he could prove himself without the shadow of his family and his brother covering him.
And Yuuko nodded sagely, as though she was already aware of that information, which seemed impossible, as they’d only just met. She thumbed her finger over the surface of the circular brooch. “Your brother - how much older is he than you?”
"Four years," Toshirou responded at once, oblivious to the strangeness of her response. "He's going to be twelve next month." And of course, the boy didn't plan on attending the party at all... unless they had mayonnaise there, of course. He would have to ask the cooks about that soon.
It was interesting on a psychological level to see such a young child so knowledgeable, yet so naive at the same time, mused the older woman to herself. He was no doubt pained by these thoughts and the unfolding of events, but nevertheless, there was always more than one possible explanation for things. To limit yourself to one mindset or way of thinking was preposterous. It was what made people so uptight, insolent, and self-righteous. As an eight-year-old, the boy needed to open his mind.
“Love is a strange, difficult thing to grasp.” Yuuko reached over to take her cup again, and took a sip before continuing. “There is a very fine line between love and hate, and when people feel like they’ve been pushed aside for someone else, they think it is because of them - that it is their fault. That they are no longer loved, and that they’re hated instead. If that other person seems more important, they compare themselves to them, and eventually start to feel like they’re not worth the effort. They feel they are not important anymore.”
Another sip. “But that is a very selfish way of thinking. In your case, you are being very selfish about this matter. You want your parents to stop paying so much attention to your brother and pay attention to you? It’s not so simple, Toshirou.” The witch looked directly at the boy. “You have to earn love. Love is not guaranteed to you from birth. Even your family has to earn love, like you need to earn theirs. If you want your family to look at you... you have to make a promise with yourself. To do everything that you can to get them to love you, acknowledge you, accept you. You are young. You have time.” Clink. “But you cannot blame other people for things they have no power over.”
Yuuko directly her gaze to the open door. “If you truly want something, Toshirou, you will do all that you can do make it happen. Even if it means coming to someone who can grant your wish for a price.” A lofty smile. “When you put your heart and soul into something, you can accomplish it, no matter what. Never give up. Never lose hope. Always fight until your last breath.” One last time, she looked to the blue-eyed child.
“Can you do that?”
Always fight until the end... the words the enchantress spoke echoed in Toshirou's mind as he chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip, deep in thought. Yuuko had spoken a lot, but she was speaking sense. It had taken the boy a bit to digest everything she had said, but he eventually did so. He wanted to be looked at... possibly at the cost of his own brother's happiness. That the child could not accept. He knew the pain of being alone himself - it was a pain he didn't want anyone else to go through just as he did; the pain of it was intolerable. He didn't want someone to suffer because of him if he could help it. It just wasn't right.
The boy took a deep breath, calming and steeling himself. He had to make an answer for himself now, now or never. Could he do this? To continue and endure this long period of being alone until the time came where he could prove himself? Until when his family could finally look at him at just who he was and what he could do... by his own power, by his own strength. As much as he wanted it he would have to work for it by himself, that he knew. There was truth in Yuuko's words.
"I... I'll do my best," he managed out, voice growing stronger with every word. "I'll do whatever it takes so that they all can look at me."
Now the woman smiled, tilting her head to the side a little. At least something had gotten through to him. Explaining things in such simple terms was unlike her style - but then again, rarely did she even encounter young ones in her shop.“Believe in yourself, and you can anything. Remember this.” She couldn’t stress that enough, and it had fortunately occurred to the boy, even if he hadn’t completely accepted it yet.
“Now.” Yuuko brought up her cup and downed the rest of her drink, sighing happily once the liquid had coursed down her throat. “What shall we do? .. ahh, before that -- Moro, will you put this away?” She dangled Toshirou’s chain from her long fingers and handed it to her assistant, who appeared from the doorway almost instantaneously to retrieve the item from her mistress. The pink-haired doll didn’t even spare their guest a glance as she skipped away to rejoin her blue-haired partner.
He watched as his chain was taken away, and somehow he had the distinct feeling that he wasn't going to see it again. He kept his mouth shut about it, though - it wasn't as if anyone would notice it was gone. He hadn't worn it for years already anyway. Toshirou had to say, he did feel a little better now that he had talked what he really felt to someone, even the someone was Yuuko and was kind of odd. It was certainly better than talking to his cousin or the servants anyway; refreshing, that would be the word. It had been refreshing.
Though it couldn't help with the curiosity that was in him. "What are you going to do with my chain?" he asked, confused at what sort of need she might want for it. He couldn't really think of any reason why Yuuko would want to take something from him - something precious, even. It was all kind off strange and odd...
As it should have seemed for people who did not know Yuuko’s policies.
“I’m going to keep it, of course.” Head tilt. “You needed to have some encouragement - some finality to the matter.” Damn, he wasn’t going to understand what she was talking about. Why couldn’t he be ten years older? “If I hadn’t given you any advice or pushed you in the right direction, you would’ve stayed in this sorry state of not thinking you’re good enough. And you are too young to be stuck in that place.” She propped her arm up on the back of the couch.
“As for keeping the watch... it’s only fair to get something in return, is it not? My advice could change your life, as long as you understand and take it. The pendant seems important to you... but being ‘seen’ by your family is just as important. Otherwise you wouldn’t worry about it so much.” With her free hand, Yuuko fanned herself, the heat once again getting to her. “So it was only fair that I took it from you. I’ll keep it safe, so don’t worry too much.”
Toshirou nodded slowly in understanding, though he really didn't quite fully understand what she said this round - only some parts of it. But he knew enough to understood that what he had given her was payment; just as he learned (he did hail from family of merchants after all). Nothing in this world was ever free. As his mind thought back to the treasure room though, a sudden realization slowly sank into him. All those things there, couldn't it be that...
"...payment?" he spoke before he could stop himself. He looked at Yuuko again, eyes looking at her questioningly. "Those things back there... did you get them like how you got my chain?"
A beautiful smile formed on Yuuko’s youthful face. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you, Toshirou? Yes, those were all payments given to me by other people over the many years. But I have no need of those things, so I sell them to others. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, after all,” she nonchalantly informed him while toying with the hem of her short dress. “Would you like to go take a look, or shall we continue to sit and chat?”
The boy thought about it for a moment. There were indeed a lot of interesting things when he glanced into the room earlier, but now that he knew where they were from it seemed sort of wrong now. Having been forced to be a tad more independent than most kids his age Toshirou had a lot of respect for things like these. It could be just him but it just sort of felt... not so right to him. But he was curious about the items there...
"I think... I would want to take a look." Just a small look; it wouldn't be of much harm now, would it?
Yuuko raised an eyebrow at him, not yet tending to his statement. Earlier, he had seemed excited at the chance to explore the shop, but now that he was aware of their origins, he seemed to be hesitant. “If you are thinking that my having these things and selling them for profit seems unfair, then you don’t seem to understand. When I am asked to grant a wish, I require a price. Once I have received that price, I do as I have been asked. So everything in that room, I have received fairly. An eye for an eye.”
With that, she gracefully rose from the couch, using one hand as a rag to wipe across her collarbone and rid of excess sweat. Later on after the boy left, she would probably take a bottle with her and drink to stupidity. “It is your choice to do what you will. I am not stopping you.”
"I... I see." Well, he really didn't quite fully understand to be honest, but sometimes it was best to let things like these slide. Toshirou pondered over his options for a bit before he nodded and spoke. "I think I would still want to look around." He answered as he got up from his seat, looking at Yuuko. He supposed he could just take a peek at whatever was there - there were some interesting looking swords that caught his attention earlier... he fidgeted a little, clearly nervous again. The enchantress certainly was pushing a few of his buttons that the boy knew never existed on him until now.
She offered a smile to the boy and reluctantly stepped away from the coffee table, sweeping one hand to gesture toward the open doorway. “Shall we?” It was worthwhile to guide him to the room herself, rather than let him run rampant. Young kids were especially skilled at getting lost, even in small places.
"Th-thank you," he managed out with a tinge of embarrassment on his face before heading out of the normal-looking sitting room and into the not-so normal-looking hallway. He glanced about a bit, still not so used to the decor just yet. The woman certainly had odd tastes...
Unbeknownst to him, that would’ve been one of the greatest compliments he could’ve ever given her. Yuuko, of course, wasn’t odd intentionally; she just was. It was in her nature to be strange, and therefore house strange things.
Without responding to his thanks, the much taller woman led her guest a few doors over to the treasure room slash shop, where she paused in the doorway, scarlet eyes slipping down to Toshirou’s young face. “You may choose whatever you like, but be careful not to take too many things.” A playful, warning smirk.
Toshirou gulped a little at the warning. Now that he was a bit more clear on Yuuko and the nature of her 'business' the boy was safe to say taking her warning rather seriously. A fair trade - what he would take would be what he had to give back eventually. Nodding in acknowledgment, the boy cautiously ventured into the cashe of valuables in the room. There were a lot of things - armor, scrolls, priceless paintings and most importantly, swords. Loads and loads of swords. Though all of them seemed to be a big too heavy for someone his age to wield, but maybe when he was older... though then again, he could get another sword all too easily. Plus antique swords were more for show rather than use anyway; the kid guessed they wouldn't be of any use.
He stayed in the room for quite a bit, completely immersed in the countless treasures in the place. Just about everything there fascinated and intrigued him and his curiosity. So many things... clearly, Yuuko must be a very busy woman. Very very busy.
(Quite the contrary, actually.)
The witch remained at the door for a time before allowing herself to be tugged away by her girls. She didn’t need to worry about stealing, in any case - the boy seemed to be genuine and innocent, as all eight-year-olds should be. No one except one had ever stolen from her shop, but Yuuko had caught them before they even touched the front doors. And they had never set foot again in her house because of it.
Back in the sitting room, she regally draped herself across the couch she’d been occupying, the folds of her dress and her river of hair falling softly over the cushions. Yuuko sipped calmly at her refreshed cup, eyes closed as she patiently waited for the runt to come back with something, if anything.
There were quite a lot of things that certainly got his attention, as Rou went through them one by when he could. Swords, armor, books on strategy (which he couldn't make out heads or tails of no matter how he tried), pottery, bags... the possibilities were endless, safe to say. Toshirou looked at the ones that interested him more, since he certainly didn't want to intrude on her hospitality for too long, as much as he knew that nobody would care anyway - he was at home yesterday already after all. He tried some of the swords, but he couldn't' even lift them, let alone wield them. Though he had to say, their hilts sure were quite decorative.
He was looking at some peculiar marbles with odd floating orbs inside them when then a cling caught his attention. Toshirou turned, blue eyes looking in surprise at the pocket watch that was hanging from its chain from the hit of a larger than life broadsword. Mystified and possibly quite entranced, the child started to make his way cautiously towards there, reaching out and just grabbing the watch when...
"Wh-Whooooaaa!!" he yelped as he slipped on some small round items and fell down to the ground head-first with a loud thud. The chain was yanked forward and pulled the broadsword along with him. The boy let out a cry as he saw the giant weapon about to fall over him when it stopped, the bottom of the blade fortunately blocked by a pile of several other heavy items. He stayed there in shock for a while as he stared at the weapon that had been about to squish him flat, the watch still in his fist.
The two fluorescent-haired girls appeared at the door of the treasury, at the request of Yuuko, who’d merely grinned at the sound. “Are you injured?” they chimed in unison, tilting their heads to watch him lay there on the floor, which thankfully had been recently broomed.
"Uh..." the boy started as he shook himself out from his shock and started to gather back his wits, backing away slowly from the giant blade before pushing himself up. "I'm... I'm alright," he managed with a shaky breath. That had been way too close for comfort. He then turned and noticed that Yuuko was missing at the doorway. Well, it wasn't much of a surprise he supposed, given how long he had been here... "I think I'm done looking for today..." he paused, looking at the mess he caused before adding sheepishly. "Sorry about the mess."
“He says he’s sorry!” Maru chirped, clapping both hands against her partner’s, who chimed an equally cute “He’s sorry!” before they both, hand in hand, dashed away, right into the living room to clamber onto Yuuko’s couch. From her catlike position, the woman canted her head up and called out an uninterested “What have you found?”
Time was not so much an issue in her world as much as the next person’s. It was only important what you did during that time. Unpredictably, Yuuko found that lounging around sipping sake was absolutely productive. And if she had her pipe with her, it would’ve been even more productive. Toshirou could’ve stayed in that room for hours, and she wouldn’t have minded in the least.
Smiling a little, she reached over to run her fingers over Maru’s sky-colored hair in a gentle caress.
Back at the sitting room, Toshirou blinked as he watched the girls flitting back to a rather uninterested Yuuko who was drinking some drink or another. There was an awkward pause as the boy fumbled with his hands and the watch in-between before he cautiously walked forward and showed the pocket watch that he had taken earlier. It was silver, just as the chain was, with nothing particularly interesting about its cover - it was simply a plain cover, though perhaps with a lustrous silvery glow and the stainless chain that hung from one of its end. The kid didn't know exactly why it got his attention, but since it was with him... it wasn't as if he had a watch anyway. This would serve well as one.
“Ah, the pocket watch,” remarked the dark-haired sorceress, who didn’t move from her reclined position, nor pull her hand from Maru’s head. “Why is it that you were drawn to that?” More often than not, customers would direct themselves toward a certain item, either because of a magical aura or connection, or very simply, a curious eye. It would be interesting to find out the reason behind his choice.
"Um..." the boy was once again a bit of a loss for words as he stared at the watch in his hand. He really had no idea why he took it, only that he was trying to get a closer look and then that accident happened... "I don't know, actually," he admitted with a sheepish smile, "But I guess... it got my attention just now, before the accident... sorry about that." He apologized again, hoping that Yuuko wouldn't be angry at him for ruining the display. Nothing had been broken but it would take a bit to settle everything back to their proper positions.
Yuuko flapped a slender hand at him. “Don’t worry about it.” Eying him in amusement, she propped her chin onto the other hand. This boy really was quite something, and adorable to boot. She smiled very faintly. “I have a proposition for you, Toshirou. How about instead of giving me your payment for the watch now...” Idly, she watched his reaction. “... you give it to me when we meet again in the future?”
"Oh, that's good," the child let out a small sigh of relief. Looks like she wasn't angry at all... lucky me, I suppose... then he did a double take at the next thing she said. "In-in the future?" he went with a surprised start, clearly surprised at this offer. It wasn't everyday when a shopkeeper said that to you after all - and especially since he had grown up with a family who were merchants, he knew that better than other kids. "But-but how would you know? We might never see each other again!" Though he did plan to come back here again eventually... maybe next month. It couldn't be that the woman could read his mind?! That was a rather creepy thought actually.
Ah, the things that this boy didn’t know about her.
Rather amused, Yuuko let her eyebrows rise a touch. “You don’t believe that two people living in the same city can ever meet again? Surely the possibility exists.” Mirth sparkled in her eyes. “But perhaps you are right. We may never see each other after this day. But everything is fated. You coming here was not an accident. There is no such thing as accidents; there is only inevitability, or fate. Nothing in this world happens by chance. Therefore, you and I shall meet again in the future. Whether it be two weeks, or twenty years from now, this will not be the last time we see each other.” She pushed up into a sitting position, her sharp gaze focused on his face, and smiled.
"I-I see," the boy responded, though again he really didn't truly grasp what was it that Yuuko was implying there and then; he would only understand it better as the years passed. "Th-thank you then," he managed out awkwardly and kept back the watch with him, noticing the time - nearly five; it was around time he should be heading back for his dinner and then maybe go out stargazing. Or something of that sort. "I'll be sure to take care of it." And it was a promise he would uphold.
He then paused for a bit more, scratching the back of his head before speaking again. "I-I think I should be going," he started. "I should be going back for my dinner around now."
There was a soft rustle of clothing as Yuuko stood and padded over to him. Bending over, she touched warm fingers to his jaw line, and looked him directly in the eye. “You are destined for great things. You must never fear anything as long as you are alive. Fight to live, and live to fight. Remember that when the time comes.” Smirking, she curved back up and promptly tousled his hair.
“Now get going, Hijikata Toshirou.”
From the moment she looked at him, the boy was enraptured in her crimson gaze - it was intense, very intense... nothing like he had ever felt before. His blue eyes never blinked once as she spoke the words, only managing to shake himself out of the mystifying trance when her fingers ran through his hair. Toshirou smiled in his sheepish way again and glanced at Yuuko curiously. She certainly was one of the stranger people that he had ever met in his life, and that fact would remain true for quite a while longer. Like every other eight-year-old, he nodded obediently and kept back the pocket watch into the folds of his clothes and took a step back. "Thank you for everything again," he said before smiling once more before he turned and started to head out of the room.
Just before he left however, he paused at the doorway, turning to face Yuuko one last time. "I'll be seeing you again then," he said before he went out of the room and all the way out of the shop. Once outside, he quickly headed back onto the main streets of the city, only pausing once to turn and look at the mysterious little shop that he had found now bathed in the sunset's light. He made a note to try and find this place again before turning back and started on his way back home for dinner, all the time her last few words echoing in his mind.
You are destined for great things. You must never fear anything as long as you are alive. Fight to live, and live to fight. Remember that when the time comes.
And that time would come five years latter, on the fifth of May during a dark stormy night, where Toshirou's life would change completely.
Content: During a hot summer's day in Bellcius fifteen years ago, one eight-year-old discovers a most mysterious place...
Setting: Bellcius, Yuuko's shop.
Time: Roughly fifteen years ago.
Warnings: Yuuko being mysterious, one utterly adorable eight-year-old Rou who should not be this adorable and OMFG underlying predictions to the future?! Only time will tell~
It was hot. The sweltering heat simmered in the air and levitated above the streets, swaying in the trees where what little wind tossed them side to side in a weak dance. Summer was always unbearable in Bellcius. Cold baths and iced drinks were so appealing right now that Yuuko, for a brief two seconds, actually considered setting up house in her bathtub. And the reality of it was not far off.
"Is it so much to ask for a little rain?" the enchantress groggily directed toward the ceiling of her shop, in some vain attempt to get someone from above to hear her. No answer. Typical. From her reclined position on the couch, she draped one pale hand across her forehead, groaning in a very un-ladylike manner. To her left, Maru cooled her arm down with a damp washcloth, while Moro idled by Yuuko's knees and fanned her complaining mistress.
This heat was going to kill her.
She was sure of it.
Hot. The weather was pretty damn hot today---scratch that, it was really really hot. Hot enough to cook eggs on the stone walls of his house, if Toshirou had anything to say about that. The eight-year-old had only returned back from his most recent trip from Melior a day or so ago, but he was already up and running about the city once more. Or at least, as much as he possibly could in this sort of weather. As he went down one of the more unfamiliar streets of the city, Toshirou let out a loud sigh and tried to fan himself with his hands but to no avail. He needed to go back home and get water. Maybe ten cups. Or a jug. A jug of ice-cold water sounded really good right about now. And maybe some nice cool mayonnaise...
"What is it with this heat?" the boy muttered grouchily to himself as he took a turn into a back alley where there was shade and it was cooling. Hell, once he got back Toshirou highly considering just immersing himself in the bathtub until the sun went down. But then again there was nothing to do when he got back and everything... decisions, decisions; always the annoying part of things. Toshirou muttered a few choice words under his breath (most of it learned from his cousin) as he slowly edged himself out of the alley and noticed a most peculiar shop in the distance. The building didn't look very similar to the rest of the others---it had that sort of... if the boy had to put it, magical aura to it. It didn't look very local; perhaps it was someone from Vohemar? Though the possiblity of that happening was kinda low...
Ever the curious one, Toshirou headed to the strange building, managing to find the door after a few moment's of looking around and against his better judgment, opened the door and entered. It couldn't hurt to look around after all... plus a building meant shade. Cooling shade.
There was a creak as the door opened to a relatively dark main entrance, its floor polished, with no signs of shoes or any human presence at all.
In the living room, two pairs of eyes directed to Yuuko’s face as she removed her hand. “We have a customer,” she informed her girls, who clapped their hands together and twirled, chiming “A customer, a customer!” in unison. With a feline grace, the witch stood from her pedestal, and rather than allowing her girls to greet her new client, she took the liberty of personally meeting them first.
A turn around a corner, and then another, led her to the main hallway...
...where she saw a little boy, probably no older than nine.
Yuuko, who must’ve seemed like a giant to the child, curved over, setting slender hands on her uncovered knees. “Welcome,” she acknowledged him, offering a tiny smile. He was a cute one, this kid. Kind of a runt, but cute nonetheless.
Toshirou heard the footsteps before the woman appeared, and he tried not to look so surprised at her size. Man, she was kinda... big. She could be one of those women that his cousin was always peeving on, but there was something about her that suggested otherwise. Long hair and strange eyes that caught his young curiosity far too easily. The boy blinked, looking back curiously as he inclined his head a little to the side., studying her. Something about her was different than those women who fawned over his cousin, that was for sure.
"Umm..." he started, a bit unsure of what to say--he was always rather unfamiliar with the concept of socializing, given how he usually spent his time alone, with the servants or with that pervert of his cousin. He then started to look around, already intrigued by the strange decor that made up this place--though, it was still hot. But at least not as hot as it had been outside. And outside was the last place Toshirou wanted to be for not, with that sweltering heat. The boy scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly as he asked, "Can I... come in, miss?" This place would be a nice spot to wait until the heat was more tolerable, at least. If he couldn't enter, then maybe he'd just have to do with the back alley from before.
The butterfly’s smile widened a fraction. “Of course.” As Yuuko pushed off her legs and back to proper posture, she titled her head toward Toshirou, raven hair cascading over her uncovered shoulder. “Would you like something to drink? Something cold, perhaps?”
Common courtesy, despite the snide remarks about her aloof personality and sometimes heartless demeanor, was not lost on her. If a thirsty, shade-seeking boy came knocking at Yuuko’s door, she would absolutely allow him inside. And if he had any other motives of the antique and wish-seeking sense, then all the better, she supposed.
In the meantime, the kid was looking just a little tense, so once again, she braved a smile.
The boy grinned brightly at the answer then. This sure was his lucky day! A hot, scorching day, but still. It wasn't everyday when an adult was this nice to him, after all--usually they would all ignore him, including his parents. This was somewhat of a nice change. Toshirou nodded eagerly in response to her question, the childish smile on his face as he answered with a childish chirp. "Something cold, please!" He would have asked for some mayonnaise to go along with it, but the kid guessed he shouldn't pushed his luck.
This whole place certainly was giving him the odd vibes, as he gave another look around the place. He slipped out of his slippers and stepped into the shop fully, dark blue eyes looking about curiously. It was a strange place, and it gave him the creeps, that was for sure. Toshirou supressed a shudder before he noticed the woman and her smile and then smiled sheepishly in return, a tinge of red on his cheeks in slight embarrassment. He wasn't very used to people like her, especially since after getting used to women paying more attention to his relatives, especially his cousin.
But he would soon come to learn that Yuuko was unlike any woman he would ever meet in his life.
“Maru, Moro!” she called out, angling her head toward the living room. Two girls ambled out - one with long, curly cyan hair, and the other with bubblegum pink - and looked expectantly toward their mistress. “Will you please fetch a tall glass of juice for our guest?” They chirped a “Yes, mistress!” in unison and disappeared again. For anyone who had never witnessed such a spectacle, it certainly would’ve seemed odd. Servants with fluorescent colored hair? Many people took a while to get used to the girls, but they were cute - if not a tad creepy in their synchronization -- so what did it matter?
Dress tagging behind her along the floor, Yuuko led little Toshirou toward the main sitting area, a comfortable room that was unlike the rest of the house, as he would be relieved to learn. As they walked down the short hall, she peered back over her shoulder at the kid. “You have a name, yes?”
There was a surprised sort of cry coming out from Toshirou at the appearance of the two young girls with bright blue... and pink... hair. Very bright hair, actually. What kind of people were those two anyway?! The boy only relaxed once more when the two chirped and vanished to do the woman's bidding, feeling a bit more out of place now. Strange decor, girls with bright hair and then this woman... the eight-year-old only blinked as he looked at her from the back while they walked. Just what was this place, anyway...?
He then made a little start when she looked at him and asked for his name. The child blinked once more before he managed to gather back his wits and replied. "...Toshirou. Hijikata Toshirou."
The woman smiled, facing away this time. “Toshirou, hm? Well, then, Toshirou, I have a feeling you will want to be taking a look to your right as we walk by this door,” she purred as they passed a vast entryway.
This was what Yuuko called her treasure room.
It was, in fact, her antique shop, but the items within it were seemingly priceless payments she had received over the years. Some objects were over a hundred years old, while some didn’t even seem used. Worn, torn, brand new, or dusty. Mirrors, dolls, furniture, instruments, statues, masks, swords, countless books. Strange things, familiar things.
Rarely did anyone not take a peek when visiting Yuuko in her home. And eight-year-old boys were not exempt from this group.
"...?" the boy was undeniably and understandably at first confused by what the woman had said before he followed and did what she said, eyes then widening into beach balls at the sight of the treasure room. Toshirou paused and stared--so many things there, most of them looking rather intriguing and unique and he was rather sure a lot of them had never even seen the face of Reial before, given the state of their condition (under all that dust for some of those). And then there were swords - loads and loads of strange and cool-looking swords. The eight-year-old pretty much sparkled in excitement as he gazed inside, already enthralled by the many strange things there that quickly nabbed his attention.
"Woooow..." he breathed out in awe, clearly amazed as he should be. "All that stuff looks neat!" he exclaimed with a grin as he turned to Yuuko. "Can I have a look at 'em later?" He really wanted to have a look-see, maybe indulge in his curiosity a little. After wandering around Bellcius for so long, it was rare for something to interest him so much now.
Genuinely intrigued by his excitement, the enchantress lowered her head, dark hair fanning into her face and lips blossoming into a smirk. “You certainly can. But let’s go have that juice first, shall we?” Yuuko was, of course, going to have something other than juice, but she figured that detail could be left unsaid.
Toshirou grinned brightly at the answer. "Really? Neat!" It was rare that he could get such an opportunity--he was an adventurer at heart, and loved to discover things that nabbed his attention, which was a lot of things. It was a young childish curiosity, one that he would grow out of in the years to come. He nodded eagerly and happily followed alongside Yuuko once more, now clearly a lot less tense than he had been when he first came in. He could get used to this person, the boy quietly mused to himself as they soon arrived at their destination.
Fortunately, at least the sitting room didn't look as odd as the rest of the house (or at least the halls and the entrance--those were the only parts of the shop he had been in). Toshirou wasted no time in settling himself quite comfortably on one of the sofas there, letting out a huge sigh of happiness as he settled himself on the cushy seat and grinned goofily in the usual standard childish way taht was of kids like him. The woman really was quite kind to let him in here.
And if Yuuko had heard him think that, she might’ve taken that couch from right under him.
The small coffee table, a foot or two off the floor, was already set up with a clear jug, a glass of rich mango juice, and some napkins (just in case). A few places away, there was a bottle and a handle-less cup. There was no question as to which drinks belonged to whom, so Yuuko, now seated on the couch adjacent to his, began to pour herself a glass. “How old are you, Toshirou?” the woman inquired, her catlike gaze falling upon him as she took a sip. Ahh, now that was good.
“Your face tells me you are young, but your eyes tell another story.” While waiting for his response, the witch downed a good portion of her bitter drink.
Taking the cup on the table, Toshirou muttered a soft 'thank you' before he took a sip of the juice inside, eyebrows rising a little at the rich taste of the drink. This seriously hit the spot, especially in this sort of weather. Rather than gulping it down at once he took his time instead drinking from the cup, sipping little by little. It would be sad if he couldn't take this chance to relish the taste of such rich mango juice. He paused in his sipping and held the glass in both of his little hands, looking at Yuuko once more with dark curious eyes. "Umm... ha--I mean, I'm eight years old." He had been learning his family language, so sometimes he tended to slip into it, though it was something he was trying to get rid of.
His curiosity only rose even more at the next statement that she spoke. "Another story...?" he echoed, an innocent tone of curiosity in his voice. What did she mean by that now...?
Crimson eyes focused on the smaller boy. “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘The eyes are the window to the soul’?” Yuuko didn’t wait for an answer. “It is a long-lived belief that the eyes are like glass, see-through in a way that emotions and painful feelings can be seen in them. Because you are very young, you may not understand how complex emotions can be. Sad, angry, happy, confused, scared. These are all basic emotions that we all feel." Her cup was drained, and then she began again. "But there are more difficult emotions out there. Grief, regret, bliss, agony. Thing that we can also feel when something goes wrong, or when it goes right.”
As she crossed one lean leg over the other, she poured herself another drink. She was trying to make this as comprehensible as possible for the eight-year-old, who may or may not have been accustomed to speaking with adults on these sort of terms. She raised her drink, but did not take a sip. “And in your eyes, I can see loneliness. You long for something.”
Yuuko watched him over the rim of her cup intently. “What is it that you long for, Toshirou?”
He didn't really fully comprehend what was it that Yuuko was telling him, but the boy knew enough to grasp the meaning of her words. Toshirou's gaze was distant as he pondered over her question, looking into himself rather than the woman in front of him. What he had been doing for the past few months now -- running off the Melior with the servants, staying out of his house for days on end, asking his cousin to teach him... all of that, and just what was he expecting to gain from those? What did he long for...? "...what I want..." he muttered quietly to himself, voice distant and reserved as he sagged and his head bent down to look at his glass. Just what did he really want?
He was always alone, far away. Never close with his family at all save for his cousin. Always they ignored him in favor of fawning over his elder brother and never spared a second glance at him. They never gave him the attention that he wanted and he deserved to have--and to that extent he did all of this, just so for that fact; and then in the hopes that... always hoping that...
"...they would look at me," he finished in a mutter. "I want... I want my family to look at me. They've never looked at me as long as I remember. I can only watch their backs as they walk away from me..." Toshirou trailed off, and then looked back up at Yuuko with a determined expression on his face that was quite unlike him usually and repeated himself. "I want my family to look at me."
The determination that was not evident from the moment he opened his mouth finally showed its face toward the end of the boy’s run, and it was a sure sign to Yuuko that, despite being so young, he knew what he wanted. Even if he didn’t know if it was going to work out, his courage to admit what was troubling him was encouraging. It was a start.
Everyone, to some extent, longed to be noticed. To be seen by others. To not be ignored, and to be accepted. Rejection, even if not outright, by family members was always the most jarring. Friends and coworkers could be replaced, but family could not so easily be discarded. A lifelong rejection by the people who are your closest blood relatives could spawn into a lasting pain that would never heal over. Not even by willpower.
Toshirou was far too young to carry such an agonizing burden.
From the other couch, the dark-haired beauty tilted her head, a somewhat more calm and serene expression cast over her divine features. “And this is what you really want? For your family to look at you, to see you as you?”
"Ha--yes," he replied without a beat, correcting himself halfway, the glass of mango juice still in his hands. The determination was even more evident in his eyes at that point. "I want them to look at me and treat me like everyone else I know." The boy paused again, for a moment why was he speaking about all of this to someone he had just met--though indeed, something about her just made him feel like opening up what he really felt. It was almost magical, in that sense. Strange, but somehow... refreshing. He had been bottling up his true desires for far too long.
Toshirou gulped, taking a drink from his now rapidly warming juice before continuing. "I don't want my family to just look at my older brother... I want them to look at me as well. I want them to see that I'm not just the younger brother..." the youngster trailed off, looking slightly downcast again. It was hard; despite all that he did his family never bother with what he did so long as he didn't get into trouble for the family name. Some youngsters would think this was freedom -- but in reality, it was the worst kind of pain anyone could ever go through. Living but not yet to be accepted... it was a harsh existence, and one that Toshirou wanted to pull himself out of, at all costs. He wanted to prove that one day, he was just as good as his brother, if not better.
There was a faint clank as Yuuko lowered her cup to the table. “What if I told you that I could grant that wish?”
Being in business for a good few decades, she’d come to a conclusion that the more powerful the wish, the greater the payment, and therefore came the increased possibility of unhappiness. A wish could balance out with its price, but sometimes the outcomes were never as expected. You could wish to be the greatest singer in the world, but have your good looks taken away as payment. It was a dilemma that the client had to face and mull over, but rarely did they ever do so. Yuuko was not in the business of telling people what to do and what not to. She simply told people to do. Do what they perceived as right. Do anything they could to grant a burdensome wish.
She continued, her voice steady and even. “What if I told you... that for a hefty price, I could make it so your family would look at you?”
"A... hefty... price...?"
A hefty price, she had said, and his wish would be granted. Then his family would look at him again... the offer was tempting by itself, especially to the mind of an eight-year-old. If he were older he would be skeptical, but there and then Toshirou was just a child, and despite everything he did believe in such things as fairy tales and happy endings back then. Even with the underlying warning of the price the offer was there, and it was very attractive. His family would finally look at him, not just his brother. He would be seen as who he was, and not just someone else along the street. People would notice him, for the first time...
But somehow, it felt wrong at the same time. As badly as Toshirou wanted acknowledgment, the child knew he had to work for it. He couldn't just depend on a wish and let everything be on its happy merry way. He knew that fact well from his cousin, who had more than once stressed to him about this in the few months he had been teaching him. If you want to be seen, you had to work for it; there were no short-cuts. But then maybe... just maybe...
Toshirou looked down at his half-empty glass of juice, pondering over Yuuko's words before asking quietly, "Then... if I did say yes... what is this 'hefty price?" He had to know this, at least. His curiosity wouldn't let this question go off unanswered despite the pit that somehow was in his stomach now.
For several moments, the woman surveyed his body's reaction to her offer, namely his face and expression. He was suspicious. It was written in his eyes. But most importantly, he was reluctant. It was obvious what her next course of action was.
"I suppose it wouldn't matter, because you would never agree to my terms, would you, Hijikata Toshirou?" Yuuko said pointedly, one corner of her mouth quirking up into a smug smirk. "You have the strength to open up your heart to a complete stranger, but that doesn't mean that you trust me. It means you are naive, and rightly so. But there is a boundary that you must cross when you are confronted with a wish. The same thing goes for any obstacle in life. If you want to finally have something, do you want someone to help you get it, or do you want to do it on your own?" Oh, this dumbed down speech was tiring her.
Nevertheless, she widened her smirk. "You and I both know what type of person you are. You will not accept my help. You wish for it... but you will not say yes to it. Deep inside of you, you understand that nobody can do anything to get your family to love you... but yourself. Your efforts. Your hard work. Not mine."
Yuuko shifted her legs. "But I will ask you this. Give me the most valuable thing on you right now."
The woman was sharp and smart, Toshirou realized there and then. Completely unlike anyone he had ever met before. A stunned expression was on his face for a moment before it shifted into one of concentration as he listened to her words with rapt attention. She did make sense - he knew he would never agree no matter what the price was. He wanted to accomplish this by his own strength, with his own means and ways. If it would take years than so be it - so long as in the end he got what he desired for. He wasn't the most patient of children, but he could wait when it was needed. And this was something that he could wait.
"You're right," he replied, finishing his glass of juice and reaching out to settle it back onto the table. "I don't think I would want your help, even though I really want it." There were no shortcuts to success--what he reaped was what he would sow. Somehow having it spoken out by Yuuko helped him clear up his mind, just a little. It was a nice feeling still.
Toshirou was about to thank her when he stopped in confusion at what she said next. "Okay..." he replied before digging into the folds of his kimono for a bit before producing out a small silvery chain with the emblem of a sprinting wolf on it. It was the only gift that his parents had given him, back when he was still a baby. He kept it with him dearly and brought it everywhere with him. "Here," the boy went before getting up and making his way to the witch, a small hand placing the chain on hers.
Palm still-outstretched, the enchantress, having not been so close to the boy as of yet, bore her eyes into his blue ones, searching for any last thoughts or emotions before she began, clasping pale fingers around the emblem and lowering her hand into her lap.
“Thank you. Now sit.”
Patiently, Yuuko waited until he did so.
Nodding, Toshirou did as she said, moving back to the sofa opposite her and settling down like before, though possibly with a bit more nervousness judging by the way he shifted his legs slightly and the momentary waver in his gaze as he looked back at Yuuko.
Shifting the chain and emblem into her other hand, the woman remained perfectly statuesque in posture, until she began to speak. “Whenever something happens in this world, there isn’t only one reason or explanation. Everything can be looked at in a different way, or from a different perspective. That is what makes the world unique, and separates me from you, you from your father, your father from his neighbors. We are all different and intricate, much like snowflakes. Or like fingerprints.” Yuuko held up her index finger to illustrate this.
“If you think about it that way, you can find different ways to look at your problem. Toshirou," she directly addressed him, "why is it that you think your family doesn’t ‘see’ you?”
"Um..." the youngster paused at that, a thoughtful expression on his face as he gave the question a good thought before answering. "I guess its because they only see my elder brother," he started. Yeah, that seemed like a good place to start with - it was true anyway. "He's the descent... descent..." what was that word again? "...the one who's going to get everything," That sounded correct enough in simplified terms. "I heard that he has a lot of po... potential, so they wanna make him be the best leader when he becomes one." He had also heard discussions about sending him to the Bellarus Academy to study and enter the navy, though that was a tad impossible due to the hefty fees. But maybe in another academy though... all of that was stuff he wasn't sure of anyway. Though really, he would like to go to the academy too. At least there he could prove himself without the shadow of his family and his brother covering him.
And Yuuko nodded sagely, as though she was already aware of that information, which seemed impossible, as they’d only just met. She thumbed her finger over the surface of the circular brooch. “Your brother - how much older is he than you?”
"Four years," Toshirou responded at once, oblivious to the strangeness of her response. "He's going to be twelve next month." And of course, the boy didn't plan on attending the party at all... unless they had mayonnaise there, of course. He would have to ask the cooks about that soon.
It was interesting on a psychological level to see such a young child so knowledgeable, yet so naive at the same time, mused the older woman to herself. He was no doubt pained by these thoughts and the unfolding of events, but nevertheless, there was always more than one possible explanation for things. To limit yourself to one mindset or way of thinking was preposterous. It was what made people so uptight, insolent, and self-righteous. As an eight-year-old, the boy needed to open his mind.
“Love is a strange, difficult thing to grasp.” Yuuko reached over to take her cup again, and took a sip before continuing. “There is a very fine line between love and hate, and when people feel like they’ve been pushed aside for someone else, they think it is because of them - that it is their fault. That they are no longer loved, and that they’re hated instead. If that other person seems more important, they compare themselves to them, and eventually start to feel like they’re not worth the effort. They feel they are not important anymore.”
Another sip. “But that is a very selfish way of thinking. In your case, you are being very selfish about this matter. You want your parents to stop paying so much attention to your brother and pay attention to you? It’s not so simple, Toshirou.” The witch looked directly at the boy. “You have to earn love. Love is not guaranteed to you from birth. Even your family has to earn love, like you need to earn theirs. If you want your family to look at you... you have to make a promise with yourself. To do everything that you can to get them to love you, acknowledge you, accept you. You are young. You have time.” Clink. “But you cannot blame other people for things they have no power over.”
Yuuko directly her gaze to the open door. “If you truly want something, Toshirou, you will do all that you can do make it happen. Even if it means coming to someone who can grant your wish for a price.” A lofty smile. “When you put your heart and soul into something, you can accomplish it, no matter what. Never give up. Never lose hope. Always fight until your last breath.” One last time, she looked to the blue-eyed child.
“Can you do that?”
Always fight until the end... the words the enchantress spoke echoed in Toshirou's mind as he chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip, deep in thought. Yuuko had spoken a lot, but she was speaking sense. It had taken the boy a bit to digest everything she had said, but he eventually did so. He wanted to be looked at... possibly at the cost of his own brother's happiness. That the child could not accept. He knew the pain of being alone himself - it was a pain he didn't want anyone else to go through just as he did; the pain of it was intolerable. He didn't want someone to suffer because of him if he could help it. It just wasn't right.
The boy took a deep breath, calming and steeling himself. He had to make an answer for himself now, now or never. Could he do this? To continue and endure this long period of being alone until the time came where he could prove himself? Until when his family could finally look at him at just who he was and what he could do... by his own power, by his own strength. As much as he wanted it he would have to work for it by himself, that he knew. There was truth in Yuuko's words.
"I... I'll do my best," he managed out, voice growing stronger with every word. "I'll do whatever it takes so that they all can look at me."
Now the woman smiled, tilting her head to the side a little. At least something had gotten through to him. Explaining things in such simple terms was unlike her style - but then again, rarely did she even encounter young ones in her shop.“Believe in yourself, and you can anything. Remember this.” She couldn’t stress that enough, and it had fortunately occurred to the boy, even if he hadn’t completely accepted it yet.
“Now.” Yuuko brought up her cup and downed the rest of her drink, sighing happily once the liquid had coursed down her throat. “What shall we do? .. ahh, before that -- Moro, will you put this away?” She dangled Toshirou’s chain from her long fingers and handed it to her assistant, who appeared from the doorway almost instantaneously to retrieve the item from her mistress. The pink-haired doll didn’t even spare their guest a glance as she skipped away to rejoin her blue-haired partner.
He watched as his chain was taken away, and somehow he had the distinct feeling that he wasn't going to see it again. He kept his mouth shut about it, though - it wasn't as if anyone would notice it was gone. He hadn't worn it for years already anyway. Toshirou had to say, he did feel a little better now that he had talked what he really felt to someone, even the someone was Yuuko and was kind of odd. It was certainly better than talking to his cousin or the servants anyway; refreshing, that would be the word. It had been refreshing.
Though it couldn't help with the curiosity that was in him. "What are you going to do with my chain?" he asked, confused at what sort of need she might want for it. He couldn't really think of any reason why Yuuko would want to take something from him - something precious, even. It was all kind off strange and odd...
As it should have seemed for people who did not know Yuuko’s policies.
“I’m going to keep it, of course.” Head tilt. “You needed to have some encouragement - some finality to the matter.” Damn, he wasn’t going to understand what she was talking about. Why couldn’t he be ten years older? “If I hadn’t given you any advice or pushed you in the right direction, you would’ve stayed in this sorry state of not thinking you’re good enough. And you are too young to be stuck in that place.” She propped her arm up on the back of the couch.
“As for keeping the watch... it’s only fair to get something in return, is it not? My advice could change your life, as long as you understand and take it. The pendant seems important to you... but being ‘seen’ by your family is just as important. Otherwise you wouldn’t worry about it so much.” With her free hand, Yuuko fanned herself, the heat once again getting to her. “So it was only fair that I took it from you. I’ll keep it safe, so don’t worry too much.”
Toshirou nodded slowly in understanding, though he really didn't quite fully understand what she said this round - only some parts of it. But he knew enough to understood that what he had given her was payment; just as he learned (he did hail from family of merchants after all). Nothing in this world was ever free. As his mind thought back to the treasure room though, a sudden realization slowly sank into him. All those things there, couldn't it be that...
"...payment?" he spoke before he could stop himself. He looked at Yuuko again, eyes looking at her questioningly. "Those things back there... did you get them like how you got my chain?"
A beautiful smile formed on Yuuko’s youthful face. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you, Toshirou? Yes, those were all payments given to me by other people over the many years. But I have no need of those things, so I sell them to others. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, after all,” she nonchalantly informed him while toying with the hem of her short dress. “Would you like to go take a look, or shall we continue to sit and chat?”
The boy thought about it for a moment. There were indeed a lot of interesting things when he glanced into the room earlier, but now that he knew where they were from it seemed sort of wrong now. Having been forced to be a tad more independent than most kids his age Toshirou had a lot of respect for things like these. It could be just him but it just sort of felt... not so right to him. But he was curious about the items there...
"I think... I would want to take a look." Just a small look; it wouldn't be of much harm now, would it?
Yuuko raised an eyebrow at him, not yet tending to his statement. Earlier, he had seemed excited at the chance to explore the shop, but now that he was aware of their origins, he seemed to be hesitant. “If you are thinking that my having these things and selling them for profit seems unfair, then you don’t seem to understand. When I am asked to grant a wish, I require a price. Once I have received that price, I do as I have been asked. So everything in that room, I have received fairly. An eye for an eye.”
With that, she gracefully rose from the couch, using one hand as a rag to wipe across her collarbone and rid of excess sweat. Later on after the boy left, she would probably take a bottle with her and drink to stupidity. “It is your choice to do what you will. I am not stopping you.”
"I... I see." Well, he really didn't quite fully understand to be honest, but sometimes it was best to let things like these slide. Toshirou pondered over his options for a bit before he nodded and spoke. "I think I would still want to look around." He answered as he got up from his seat, looking at Yuuko. He supposed he could just take a peek at whatever was there - there were some interesting looking swords that caught his attention earlier... he fidgeted a little, clearly nervous again. The enchantress certainly was pushing a few of his buttons that the boy knew never existed on him until now.
She offered a smile to the boy and reluctantly stepped away from the coffee table, sweeping one hand to gesture toward the open doorway. “Shall we?” It was worthwhile to guide him to the room herself, rather than let him run rampant. Young kids were especially skilled at getting lost, even in small places.
"Th-thank you," he managed out with a tinge of embarrassment on his face before heading out of the normal-looking sitting room and into the not-so normal-looking hallway. He glanced about a bit, still not so used to the decor just yet. The woman certainly had odd tastes...
Unbeknownst to him, that would’ve been one of the greatest compliments he could’ve ever given her. Yuuko, of course, wasn’t odd intentionally; she just was. It was in her nature to be strange, and therefore house strange things.
Without responding to his thanks, the much taller woman led her guest a few doors over to the treasure room slash shop, where she paused in the doorway, scarlet eyes slipping down to Toshirou’s young face. “You may choose whatever you like, but be careful not to take too many things.” A playful, warning smirk.
Toshirou gulped a little at the warning. Now that he was a bit more clear on Yuuko and the nature of her 'business' the boy was safe to say taking her warning rather seriously. A fair trade - what he would take would be what he had to give back eventually. Nodding in acknowledgment, the boy cautiously ventured into the cashe of valuables in the room. There were a lot of things - armor, scrolls, priceless paintings and most importantly, swords. Loads and loads of swords. Though all of them seemed to be a big too heavy for someone his age to wield, but maybe when he was older... though then again, he could get another sword all too easily. Plus antique swords were more for show rather than use anyway; the kid guessed they wouldn't be of any use.
He stayed in the room for quite a bit, completely immersed in the countless treasures in the place. Just about everything there fascinated and intrigued him and his curiosity. So many things... clearly, Yuuko must be a very busy woman. Very very busy.
(Quite the contrary, actually.)
The witch remained at the door for a time before allowing herself to be tugged away by her girls. She didn’t need to worry about stealing, in any case - the boy seemed to be genuine and innocent, as all eight-year-olds should be. No one except one had ever stolen from her shop, but Yuuko had caught them before they even touched the front doors. And they had never set foot again in her house because of it.
Back in the sitting room, she regally draped herself across the couch she’d been occupying, the folds of her dress and her river of hair falling softly over the cushions. Yuuko sipped calmly at her refreshed cup, eyes closed as she patiently waited for the runt to come back with something, if anything.
There were quite a lot of things that certainly got his attention, as Rou went through them one by when he could. Swords, armor, books on strategy (which he couldn't make out heads or tails of no matter how he tried), pottery, bags... the possibilities were endless, safe to say. Toshirou looked at the ones that interested him more, since he certainly didn't want to intrude on her hospitality for too long, as much as he knew that nobody would care anyway - he was at home yesterday already after all. He tried some of the swords, but he couldn't' even lift them, let alone wield them. Though he had to say, their hilts sure were quite decorative.
He was looking at some peculiar marbles with odd floating orbs inside them when then a cling caught his attention. Toshirou turned, blue eyes looking in surprise at the pocket watch that was hanging from its chain from the hit of a larger than life broadsword. Mystified and possibly quite entranced, the child started to make his way cautiously towards there, reaching out and just grabbing the watch when...
"Wh-Whooooaaa!!" he yelped as he slipped on some small round items and fell down to the ground head-first with a loud thud. The chain was yanked forward and pulled the broadsword along with him. The boy let out a cry as he saw the giant weapon about to fall over him when it stopped, the bottom of the blade fortunately blocked by a pile of several other heavy items. He stayed there in shock for a while as he stared at the weapon that had been about to squish him flat, the watch still in his fist.
The two fluorescent-haired girls appeared at the door of the treasury, at the request of Yuuko, who’d merely grinned at the sound. “Are you injured?” they chimed in unison, tilting their heads to watch him lay there on the floor, which thankfully had been recently broomed.
"Uh..." the boy started as he shook himself out from his shock and started to gather back his wits, backing away slowly from the giant blade before pushing himself up. "I'm... I'm alright," he managed with a shaky breath. That had been way too close for comfort. He then turned and noticed that Yuuko was missing at the doorway. Well, it wasn't much of a surprise he supposed, given how long he had been here... "I think I'm done looking for today..." he paused, looking at the mess he caused before adding sheepishly. "Sorry about the mess."
“He says he’s sorry!” Maru chirped, clapping both hands against her partner’s, who chimed an equally cute “He’s sorry!” before they both, hand in hand, dashed away, right into the living room to clamber onto Yuuko’s couch. From her catlike position, the woman canted her head up and called out an uninterested “What have you found?”
Time was not so much an issue in her world as much as the next person’s. It was only important what you did during that time. Unpredictably, Yuuko found that lounging around sipping sake was absolutely productive. And if she had her pipe with her, it would’ve been even more productive. Toshirou could’ve stayed in that room for hours, and she wouldn’t have minded in the least.
Smiling a little, she reached over to run her fingers over Maru’s sky-colored hair in a gentle caress.
Back at the sitting room, Toshirou blinked as he watched the girls flitting back to a rather uninterested Yuuko who was drinking some drink or another. There was an awkward pause as the boy fumbled with his hands and the watch in-between before he cautiously walked forward and showed the pocket watch that he had taken earlier. It was silver, just as the chain was, with nothing particularly interesting about its cover - it was simply a plain cover, though perhaps with a lustrous silvery glow and the stainless chain that hung from one of its end. The kid didn't know exactly why it got his attention, but since it was with him... it wasn't as if he had a watch anyway. This would serve well as one.
“Ah, the pocket watch,” remarked the dark-haired sorceress, who didn’t move from her reclined position, nor pull her hand from Maru’s head. “Why is it that you were drawn to that?” More often than not, customers would direct themselves toward a certain item, either because of a magical aura or connection, or very simply, a curious eye. It would be interesting to find out the reason behind his choice.
"Um..." the boy was once again a bit of a loss for words as he stared at the watch in his hand. He really had no idea why he took it, only that he was trying to get a closer look and then that accident happened... "I don't know, actually," he admitted with a sheepish smile, "But I guess... it got my attention just now, before the accident... sorry about that." He apologized again, hoping that Yuuko wouldn't be angry at him for ruining the display. Nothing had been broken but it would take a bit to settle everything back to their proper positions.
Yuuko flapped a slender hand at him. “Don’t worry about it.” Eying him in amusement, she propped her chin onto the other hand. This boy really was quite something, and adorable to boot. She smiled very faintly. “I have a proposition for you, Toshirou. How about instead of giving me your payment for the watch now...” Idly, she watched his reaction. “... you give it to me when we meet again in the future?”
"Oh, that's good," the child let out a small sigh of relief. Looks like she wasn't angry at all... lucky me, I suppose... then he did a double take at the next thing she said. "In-in the future?" he went with a surprised start, clearly surprised at this offer. It wasn't everyday when a shopkeeper said that to you after all - and especially since he had grown up with a family who were merchants, he knew that better than other kids. "But-but how would you know? We might never see each other again!" Though he did plan to come back here again eventually... maybe next month. It couldn't be that the woman could read his mind?! That was a rather creepy thought actually.
Ah, the things that this boy didn’t know about her.
Rather amused, Yuuko let her eyebrows rise a touch. “You don’t believe that two people living in the same city can ever meet again? Surely the possibility exists.” Mirth sparkled in her eyes. “But perhaps you are right. We may never see each other after this day. But everything is fated. You coming here was not an accident. There is no such thing as accidents; there is only inevitability, or fate. Nothing in this world happens by chance. Therefore, you and I shall meet again in the future. Whether it be two weeks, or twenty years from now, this will not be the last time we see each other.” She pushed up into a sitting position, her sharp gaze focused on his face, and smiled.
"I-I see," the boy responded, though again he really didn't truly grasp what was it that Yuuko was implying there and then; he would only understand it better as the years passed. "Th-thank you then," he managed out awkwardly and kept back the watch with him, noticing the time - nearly five; it was around time he should be heading back for his dinner and then maybe go out stargazing. Or something of that sort. "I'll be sure to take care of it." And it was a promise he would uphold.
He then paused for a bit more, scratching the back of his head before speaking again. "I-I think I should be going," he started. "I should be going back for my dinner around now."
There was a soft rustle of clothing as Yuuko stood and padded over to him. Bending over, she touched warm fingers to his jaw line, and looked him directly in the eye. “You are destined for great things. You must never fear anything as long as you are alive. Fight to live, and live to fight. Remember that when the time comes.” Smirking, she curved back up and promptly tousled his hair.
“Now get going, Hijikata Toshirou.”
From the moment she looked at him, the boy was enraptured in her crimson gaze - it was intense, very intense... nothing like he had ever felt before. His blue eyes never blinked once as she spoke the words, only managing to shake himself out of the mystifying trance when her fingers ran through his hair. Toshirou smiled in his sheepish way again and glanced at Yuuko curiously. She certainly was one of the stranger people that he had ever met in his life, and that fact would remain true for quite a while longer. Like every other eight-year-old, he nodded obediently and kept back the pocket watch into the folds of his clothes and took a step back. "Thank you for everything again," he said before smiling once more before he turned and started to head out of the room.
Just before he left however, he paused at the doorway, turning to face Yuuko one last time. "I'll be seeing you again then," he said before he went out of the room and all the way out of the shop. Once outside, he quickly headed back onto the main streets of the city, only pausing once to turn and look at the mysterious little shop that he had found now bathed in the sunset's light. He made a note to try and find this place again before turning back and started on his way back home for dinner, all the time her last few words echoing in his mind.
You are destined for great things. You must never fear anything as long as you are alive. Fight to live, and live to fight. Remember that when the time comes.
And that time would come five years latter, on the fifth of May during a dark stormy night, where Toshirou's life would change completely.