Legacies of light

-Break-

Φ After accepting Inari's offer, I went to live with him and Kuzanoha. During the time I stayed with them, Kuzanoha thought me lots of stuff like how to cook if I am in an emergency situation, and how to upkeep all my equipment.

Though one thing I didn’t like learning was manners, apparently I had a foul mouth, and had to learn how to behave like a proper human being. The part that made it worst was that Inari's mother Osaki was the one teaching me, and she wasn’t gentle.

“I don’t want to do this anymore you ape,” I said right at Osaki's face.

Osaki picks me up and hits me repeatedly on the ass. This lady is an ape in disguise she shouldn’t be this strong. After she lets me down she says. “Watch your tongue you ignorant child, or there will be more where that came from.”

“Keep talking, you old bitch.”

“Youth today, your morals are degrading at a ridiculous rate, but don’t worry, I won’t let you be one of them. Zashiki bring the stone tablets I am giving this child two hours of ishidaki.”

My days with Osaki were hell, it was harder than any training I have been through.

I also trained at the dojo where I had to recite the dojo's main principles every day before practice, “NEVER USE OUR STRENGTH FOR VIOLENCE, ONLY USE IT TO PROTECT.”

Aside from that I fought Inari every day, but lost repeatedly, though one thing that surprized me was that all the other students I beat came back to challenge me, it seems me and Inari fighting every day stoked their spirit. I met all their challenges head-on, and stayed undefeated except against Inari which started to irate me.

But I still loved every second of it, training, learning, eating, and spending time with everyone was the most joyous time of my life, and in no time flat five years had passed.

“Now we will begin Inari and Shinkō 1,300 match.”

“Today is the day you go down.”

“Let's see about that young man.”

“FIGHT!”

As we begin our match, I come at him with my full force. I know all his moves and all his techniques, but more than that I have improved, right now as I am I can beat him. Little by little, I back him in a corner until I see my opening and get ready to deliver the final blow.

Φ Shinkō has really gotten so much stronger, when we first fought, he was attack me like a wild beast, strong but unrefined. Look at him now he is completely mastered most of this dojo fighting style. I guess not only trying to beat me. but wanting to still be stronger than everyone else must have pushed him to these unknown heights. I would even say in this country for his age he is the strongest one around. If he beat me here that would truly be wonderful, but too bad, I am a sore loser.

Φ While I am about to beat Inari he suddenly makes his right hand like a blade and swings it in my direction. Sensing the bloodlust from this, I put all my spirit energy into my arms and try to block it, which sends me flying backwards all the way to the end of the dojo.

Getting up from the floor I see the entire roof of the massive dojo has been taken off. Then I hear “Winner for the 1299 time Inari”

Running up to Inari I say, “What the hell was that, you have never done anything like that before.”

“That was the Gozens family’s ultimate art, something that my ancestors spent years perfecting.”

“Why did you never teach that to me.”

“Well, it is simple tomorrow you happen to be fifteen and you're going to end up going away to the twinstars, and I am sure you’re going to get in since you’re so strong, but that also gave me a big worry.”

“A Worry.”

“I wanted you to see that there is still a lot you can learn mister genius. I thought that if you ever beat me, you would have a sense of fulfilment and would have gotten yourself killed in the field due to overconfidence.”

“No one asked you to do that,” I say bashfully

“But at the same time, I wanted to show you the reason I am still your sensei, you got that you LOSER.” Sensei starts jumping around and making stupid faces at me; so I punch him in the face.

“You want to get your ass kicked that bad.”

“If we fight again, I won’t let you get that cheap move off.”

“Sounds like the complaints of a loser.”

-Break-

The next morning everyone gather to send me off. The idiots from the dojo were all there, even Osaki and Zashiki came.

“When you get to the capital surprise those rich upstarts with how well-behaved you are”, Osaki says.

“I promise you ape.”

“Also, if you get a spirit partner make sure you treat it well”, Zashiki says to me.”

“Also don’t lose to anyone while you're away, 'cause when you see us next time, we will be strong enough to kick your ass.” The other students say.

“I doubt that, but I will accept you idiots' challenge anytime.”

Zashiki says to both Inari and Kuzanoha “Stop pointing your backs at Shinkō and tell him goodbye you idiots.”

“But if we turn around we're going to cry”, Inari says.

“Hey Shinkō, how about you come and stay with us forever”, Kuzanoha says.

Those idiots, walking up to them I say, “I am sorry but that is impossible, I need to join the twinstars.”

“But you could just stay with us”, Kuzanoha says.

“When I first came here, I just wanted to get stronger so I could get revenge on all the minuses, but now I need to work hard to make sure all of you are protected. I can only pray for the family I have lost, but I can protect the one right in front of me, to me you guys are like my parents so I can’t lose you guys again.”

Turning around, they both give me a big hug while crying and say “Please be safe son. You better feed yourself every day”

“And you better make sure to come back and visit every once in a while.”

Letting out tears I say, “I promise I will, especially when I have a younger sibling coming.”

We kept hugging each other for so long that Osaki had to strip us off one another, “He isn’t going to his death stop treating this like a final send-off”

After that, I left and went to the capital, upon arriving I ran straight to the twinstars office and said, “I WANT TO JOIN!”

But then I heard someone say, “You’re the little brat who kept pestering us to join.”

Looking at the man and his friends I say “Sorry do I know you?”

“You little brat you made our lives hell for months.”

“I have no recollection of that.”

“Well maybe, I need to remind you”, the man says going for a punch, dodging the blow I knock him and his friends out, then throw them outside of the building.

“Those were three shamans.” The woman behind the desk says.

Slamming my hands on the desk I say, “So can I join.” Like clockwork after that I was admitted and started to be dispatched to missions all over the country, I was proud to be fighting with the techniques I was taught.

I made sure to send letters to Inari and Kuzanoha to check how they were doing, apparently recently they had been fighting over what the name of their child could be, so I gave them a name that could work for a boy or a girl Suzuka. And about a month later I was told my little sister Suzuka Gozen was born.

So, I continued to work for the twinstars for over two years, I was called the rising star which made me happy. I felt that I was on top of the world, especially having a little sister at home, but one day something strange happened I stopped hearing from them. “It's weird how I haven’t received any replies lately I should probably go back to check if everyone is ok.”

Suddenly one of my friends at the twinstars runs in and says “Shinkō bad news.”

Running up to him I say, “What is it.”

“The new norowareta-ko has been located, and apparently it is the Gozen's new child.”

Hearing this news I was shocked, my little sister has become the new monster. But what was worse is that the Gozens made it very public that they didn’t want to abandon her. As soon as I could I went back home to check on them: I found that the dojo was completely desecrated, who would do such a thing?

“Shinkō” I hear someone say. Turning around I see it is Kuzanoha, I run up to her and give her a hug. Where I am escorted to the little house they live in now.

Sitting down with both of them I say, “Why are you guys living here.”

“You saw the state the Dojo was left in, it is a lot easier to protect this small house and Suzuka.”

Looking at both of them I ask, “What happened to all the other students didn’t they come and help.”

“Well, lots of them ended up leaving, being attached to our name is pretty much a death sentence now.”

“Those bastards, next time I see them I am going to cave their skulls in”

Inari thonks me on the head and says, “Remember only use what you were thought to protect you, idiot.”

“But.”

“I don’t want to hear no buts.”

Calming down and recomposing myself I ask, “Do you both still see me as your child.”

“Of course,” they both say in unison.

Getting down on my hands and knees I say to them “Then please listen to my Selfish request: abandoned Suzuka.”

“Shinkō.”

“In the capital, you use to be some of the most respected people Kuzanoha your art sold to everyone in this country and Inari people kept talking about the amazing prodigy you are. But now all that is left is slander, they say the most horrible things about you, and now they gather every piece of artwork Kuzanoha has made and burn it.”

“Shinkō stop.”

Looks at them with tears in my eyes “ I won’t, look at the state of you two; you both look like you're barely hanging on, have you even eaten anything recently? If you guys need a child I can come back to live with you or you could simply have another child but please don’t let this be the end of you!

Then Kuzanoha gives me a big hug and says “You have a kind heart. I know how hard this must be to say to us, but you did it anyway to help us.”

“Shinkō all our children are equally as important to us, so we won't let any of you go for any reason, even if it leads to our death. Who cares about what we had before, because to us you guys are the most important thing.”

As I keep crying, I pull back and say, “I am sorry.” Getting up I say, “Then if you guys are in dire straits, I will take care of you.”

“Shinkō, you don’t have to do that, you know even being associated with us will get you in shunned.”

“I don’t care, family takes care of each other, you guys take care of Suzuka and I will take care of you guys, I have been climbing through the ranks and my pay has gotten a lot better.”

“Thank you Shinkō, sorry for being such useless parents”

“Don’t worry no need to apologiz-,” suddenly I feel a biting sensation on my leg. Looking down I see it is a little girl.

Picking her up she starts to naw on my fingers. “Is this-”

“Yes, she is that's Suzuka your little sister.”

Looking at her face I feel tears fall from my eyes and I say, “Hello Suzuka, I am your older brother!”

As she smiles back at me, I can feel the reason they couldn’t abandon her. But what I am feeling could just be the vomit she let out all over my face.