Heroes Born and Heroes Made

Matthew had work to do. He had wanted to stay on with the Griolsa and help them finish rebuilding, but Tricks had been eager to get back to the city and he had not liked his chances of getting all the way back to Geneva Prime without the help of a Karian, even one as domesticated as Tricks. So they had left the Gogajin village, though not before the children had tackled him in one last attempt to knock down the "metal giant" and begged him to stay. It was difficult telling them no, mostly because they tried to forcibly keep him from leaving. Surprisingly, the children were not the only ones who seemed sad to see them go. Edana bid them good journey and even Angus hobbled out and shook his hand.

The two made good time and Tricks proved a surprisingly adept guide. His color had changed to a much healthier brown than his old tobacco-stain drab and he seemed more alert and friendly than Matthew had ever known him. He even talked of going to visit his old tribe for a time once they got back! Unfortunately it did not take him long to forget about that and fall back into his old habits almost as soon as they reached Geneva Prime once more. Within a week of their return Tricks, eyes blurred and face slack as he used to be, wandered off mumbling about knowing how to earn more money. That was the last Matthew had seen of him.

Now he was all alone, but that was alright. He had plenty of work to do after all. People had always thought of him as stupid because of his size and the way he liked to think things through. He was not dumb however, just careful. He intended to revive the Black Lotus, but not as it was before. There would be fighting, sure, but it would not be for the entertainment of criminals. Instead it would be a training ground, a crucible he would use to forge a new UMA. No, not UMA. UCA. A movement for all Cheldrun who wanted to live their lives as equals without all of this caste bullshit.

He knew many Mechafied were still pissed about how the last revolt ended and could probably be galvanized if they were told that Moses was not dead, but out in the world at large spreading the message. Matthew felt a little bad about that planned deception, but in a way it was true: Moses and his friends, by simply being who they were, spread the message of freedom and pride in self wherever they went. Then he had heard that the Allskin families were restless, especially the oldest and most traditional ones. Apparently one of the most pious and upstanding Clans had turned against Goshi and been banished as traitors, but were still standing strong in a new city and were even beating the unbeatable Washisan pilots. The whispers among the Allskins were that if that Clan had turned against Goshi perhaps it was the will of the First Minds, and even if it was not the simple fact that they had not been crushed said that maybe it was time for them all to break out from under the Biomade corporation.

The Biomade now, they would be a problem. He could hardly expect Biomade to join him to throw off the yoke of Biomade oppression. He had a couple of tricks up his sleeve though. He had taken samples of a couple of Dr. Watanabe's drugs during their journey together. He could not do anything with them himself, but he had recognized their value. One would toughen a mind, help defend it against telepathic attack. The other dulled the mind and would temporarily dampen or even nullify a Biomade's psychic abilities within moments of injection. Yes, if it came down to fighting he had a few tricks to play. That was why he had always won in the arena; every opponent he had faced had seen his size and simply assumed he was nothing but a dumb straightforward brute. They were always that much more surprised then when he pulled a trick they had never seen coming.

Still, he would rather have as many allies as possible, and as little bloodshed. He wanted a united people after all so that he could hand them over to the right person when the time came. That would be a trick to top them all, and one that he knew he could be proud of for the rest of his days because he knew it would be good for all of his people. King Moses, hero of the Cheldrun. He liked the sound of that.

* * *

The lord fidgeted as he sat, his long-extinguished pipe gripped forgotten between his teeth. He was a consummate warrior, a leader and a fighter, but for this battle he was helpless. He had tried to remain to at least lend moral support, but had been firmly told that it was not his place and pushed out of the room. He, Lord Daitokuji Ichiro, pushed out of his own bedroom, and by his little sister at that! His wife was in labor with their first child. Modern medicine was a wonder, but women did still sometimes not survive the strain of childbirth and his Akane was a slight and delicate woman. And so he sat and worried in his sitting room in Matamos, two of his most loyal retainers quietly sipping tea and smoking their pipes and waiting with him for news.

Finally it came. Naomi came out to him, beaming with joy and excitement. Ichiro leapt to his feet and practically shouted, "Are they...?!"

"They are both well and sleeping soundly, brother. Your wife and your newborn son." Her grin seemed to take up her whole face. "What is his name?"

Laughing, he took Naomi in his arms and whirled her about. "Why what else could it be? My son's name will be Noboru and he will be as strong and wise as his grandfather!"

"A fine choice," intoned Master Yoshitaka. "Surely Lord Daitokuji's spirit will watch closely over the child named in his honor."

"There is more!" Naomi said with the air of one who had been saving a surprise for last. "Young Noboru; it is hard to tell with one just born, but I believe he will have pure silver hair!"

"Most auspicious!" This from Ichiro's boyhood friend and advisor, Shin.

Ichiro nodded, though his face clouded for a moment. "Hopefully it will not see him as troubled as his uncle."

Naomi rested a hand on her brother's arm and said "I am sure that Kiyoshi is fine, wherever he is. Do you not remember him as a child? He was always the smartest of us, the one to plan the mischief. If anyone can slip away from Goshi, he can!"

Master Yoshitaka nodded. "He was the finest student I ever had. I hope to one day see his training completed. For now know that he has his destiny, and you have yours. And, I would imagine, so does your new son for the First Minds to mark him so."

Ichiro dismissed his thoughts of his wayward brother with his peculiar ideas. His beaming grin returned fivefold as he said to his closest friends "Come. It is high time I meet my son." With that the patriarch of the Silver Phoenix Clan started for his bedroom and his sleeping family.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What heartwarming side-stories! There's hope for Matthew yet it seems :)


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