literature

Temperate Maelstrom: Hallowed Shadows

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Exhaling a soft and content breath, Xiao Fon opened his eyes before he directed his gaze skyward: the sun had yet to reach its peak position, clouds were scarce and the multitude of Flying-type Pokémon that was so often dot the sky was quite lacking. To the Frogadier, the sky looked like an empty, blue-inked parchment. A gentle breeze blew by as the blades of grass below swayed upon its light touch. A rueful smile flickered on his face.

“If only we Pokémon could learn to fully appreciate what the deities have given us,” he lamented. The arrival of the Iaponese Ambassador came as a surprise to Xiao Fon, and served to spark the memories he had of his homeland. His mind was coloured with vivid images of paddy fields and cherry blossoms, both of which were practically non-existent in Andalusst. A chuckle passed through his lips when he recalled crying at the death of his clan’s cheery blossom trees planted around the clan compound. Inevitably, recollections of the Sengoku period began to creep their way in, effectively souring his mood.

“…”

“Thank you.” The Frogadier sent an appreciative nod Masamune’s way, grateful for the Honedge’s timely interjection. He then uncrossed his legs and stood up, leaping off the stump on which he was meditating. “Shall we resume our search?” he inquired, indicating to the west. “I heard a hint of a curious sound about a couple of miles yonder. If Miss Gavina’s words are credible, it would mean that we are close to achieving our objective.”

Masamune simply slid himself through the slits on the back of his wielder’s waistcoat.

Taking that as a sign of affirmation, Xiao Fon made for the high ground and started flitting from tree to tree. Having spent a fair portion of his first fortnight in Andalusst exploring Subseed Forest near the outskirts of the city, he knew better than to take his chances on the forest floor where many pitfalls laid hidden underneath. He wouldn’t say that he had completely memorized the entire layout of the forest; rather, he claimed to be better-suited to tackle the potential hazards that might crop up.

It was primarily for that reason that Gavina saw fit to recruit him for the expedition through Subseed Forest. As with Luke and Cassidy, Xiao Fon established a semblance of a rapport with her fairly quickly. The lively, enthusiastic manner with which she carried herself belied her sense of responsibility: rather than scout ahead, she would much rather stay with the group to look after the rookie Explorers. That being said, the Hawlucha requested that Xiao Fon act as the head scout in her place and split from the group. He complied without a second thought, a testament to his trust in her judgement.

The deeper Xiao Fon and Masamune proceeded, the louder the echoes got. While that would have been a cause for celebration on most days, the former simply could not shake off the feeling that something was amiss: the sudden encroachment of fog into the general area played some part in fueling his suspicion.

“This is quite the oddity,” he verbalized, halting on a thick tree branch as he surveyed his surroundings. “The clear sky doesn’t justify the appearance of this unusual mist. Furthermore, this morning had not been particularly cool by any stretch of the word.”

“…” Masamune voiced his opinion.

Xiao Fon pursed his lips, mulling deeply on Masamune’s words. “There’s only one way to find out.” He dropped onto the forest floor and remained in his crouched position for about a dozen heartbeats. He then stood up, shaking his head. “Once again, I’m not experiencing the onset of a headache,” he said. “This is puzzling. Headaches have grown to be synonymous with the fog enshrouding Parai, often considered to be the antecedents to memory loss. That being said, my memory is still very much intact.” He folded his arms over his chest and eyed the ground in contemplation. “Why is it that Sir Luke was deprived of his memories and I not lose mine?”

“…”

A smile brightened up his expression. “I suppose there really is no point dwelling on the matter,” he concurred, rubbing his Honedge partner’s scabbard in appreciation. “Let us proceed.”

Masamune voiced out his agreement with a ghostly hum.

They soon reached a sizable clearing which was liberally dotted with a fair number of tree stumps. Straining his eyes, Xiao Fon managed to spot a large silhouette in the distance. “That must be where the dungeon entrance lies,” he thought, the loud echoes simply adding credibility to his observation. Jerking his dominant arm to the side, he brought it back down to rest his wrist on Masamune’s grip before he advanced towards said silhouette.

Halfway across the clearing, the Frogadier suddenly stopped and spared a glance over his shoulder. He never mentioned it to Masamune, but Xiao Fon had felt a presence shadowing them the moment they separated from the expedition group. The Water-type opined that it was a scout Gavina sent to observe him at first, but tossed aside that conjecture when he noted the subtlety in the stranger’s movements: they were very similar to his own.

“…!” Masamune was displeased at being kept in the dark so to speak.

“I detected no hostility from whoever is following us,” Xiao Fon whispered in response. “Even now, I can feel naught but curiosity.” He whirled around, facing the direction from which he entered the clearing. The Frogadier called out, “You might as well reveal yourself.”    

*CRUNCH* *CRUNCH* *CRUNCH*

A hood-wearing Greninja came into view, eyeing Xiao Fon with interest. “A wonderful display of agility if I do say so myself,” the Ninja Pokémon commended his pre-evolved form with a slight bow. Switching his tone of voice, he plastered on a rueful expression and lamented, “Tis a shame that we both are of rival warrior classes.”

Casting a neutral gaze on the taller Pokémon, Xiao Fon concluded, “You must one of the spies then, Mister Greninja.” He flicked his braided Frubble cape behind him before he posed the Iaponese agent a question. “Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t remaining hidden a cornerstone of maintaining a low profile?”

The Iaponese agent chuckled mirthfully and replied, “It is if I find myself in a situation that requires my doing it.” He angled his body slightly and crossed his arms, fixating Xiao Fon with a shrewd look. “Why bother in this case when a samurai is standing right before me?” The Greninja swept an arm out. “You would’ve have seen through my façade instantly, so I thought to save you the trouble.”

Xiao Fon’s lips curved into a faint smile. “You’re an interesting one, Mister Greninja,” he observed.

“As are you,” the Greninja responded. He added, “For one thing, it’s rare for me to be reciprocated an amiable response from a samurai upon my arrival.”

He knew exactly what the Greninja meant by those words. The Frogadier placed a hand on his hip and dipped his head, breathing out with a short huff. He did not require any more reminders concerning one of the darkest chapters of Iaponese history.

“I wasn’t involved in any of the Sengoku skirmishes,” Xiao Fon said, his voice laced with bitterness. “And even if I was, I wouldn’t allow myself to be chained down by such petty hostility.”

“Petty?” echoed the Ninja Pokémon with a slight sideways tilt of his head. “Interesting choice of words when you consider that it was you samurai who perpetuated us ninjas’ rancor towards your kind with all your spiels of honour and glory.” He grasped his biceps tightly, eyes narrowing a fraction at the young samurai before him. “It’s as if you believe some form of nobility exists on the battlefield…and that in itself is very insulting to our way of life.”

There was no love lost between Xiao Fon and his clan so he had no reason to respond to the Greninja’s remarks; in spite of that, he calmly riposted, “While your words are valid, keep in mind that your incessant stereotyping of us served to prolong the Sengoku period as well.” He peered up at the Iaponese agent, his face betraying no emotion. “Tis very easy to be critical of others and not much so of ourselves, wouldn’t you agree?”

Lingering his stare on Xiao Fon, the hooded Pokémon ultimately nodded in acknowledgement. “Your youth belies a maturity well beyond your years, young Frogadier,” the Greninja complimented.

Xiao Fon shook his head, a smile gracing his lips once again. “Not really,” he said. “It is just a matter of being observant of your surroundings…and speaking of which—” He paused for a breath. “—and perhaps I am speaking out of ignorance when I say this, but I can’t help but notice the contradiction between your actions and words.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You expressed dissatisfaction at our putting rules on the battlefield, but you don’t seem to act upon it,” Xiao Fon elaborated. “If you truly believed in the animosity between ninja and samurai, you would have taken advantage of one of the many openings I intentionally gave you to kill me rather that engage me in a conversation.” Understanding soon dawned upon the Frogadier. “You’ve…grown jaded with all the conflict as well, yes?”

A chuckle rumbled audibly in the Greninja’s throat. “You truly are his brother, aren’t you?”

The Frogadier blinked up at his evolved form. He certainly did not expect the subject of his elder brother to crop up. “You’ve…met Lord Brother?” he inquired, receiving a nod in the process.

“He is perhaps the most unfettered individual I’ve had the opportunity to encounter in my life.”



“They’re dead.” He stood up, sparing the dead samurai one last glance before he shifted his gaze to the Shiny Greninja who had his back turned to him. “Weren’t they your allies?”

“They were nothing but fools blinded by illusions of honour and glory,” Xiao Shandian responded firmly. “Said illusions, perpetrated by heroes throughout history, have led countless young Pokémon to their bloody deaths, all for the sake of this valour and glory.” He turned to face the ninja, his red eyes empty and vacant. “There is nothing but despair on the battlefield, yet we have never recognized this truth. And the reason for that is, in every era, a dazzling hero has blinded them with their legends and prevented them from seeing the evil of bloodshed.” The Xiao lord cleaned his Aegislash partner of blood and added, “Our true nature has not advanced a step beyond the olden days.”

He could not help but believe in those profound words, regardless of them coming from a samurai. “What do you plan on accomplishing, samurai?”

“An end to this farce, nothing less.” Xiao Shandian sent the Greninja before him a faint nod. “The fact that you, a ninja, tire of such a world, gives me belief that my goal is within reach. You have my thanks.”




A sad smile drifted across Xiao Fon’s features. “Irrespective of the love and respect I have for Lord Brother, I cannot help but hate him.”

Perplexed, the Iaponese agent prodded, “Why is that?”

Xiao Fon shook his head. “Well, it is not that I hate him with every fibre of my being,” he began. “Rather, I only hate him for the fact that he willingly made himself a slave of the world.” He peered down at his hands, and clenched them into tight fists. “This world operates on equivalent exchange. To gain what you desire, you must often relinquish something in return. In Lord Brother’s case, he sacrificed his happiness for the sake of ending the Sengoku period. He’s a pacifist at heart, but he grew disillusioned with the never-ending war and saw fit to correct the mistakes of our forefathers.” His breath hitched, more out of sorrow than anything else. “No, how could I even say that? I don’t hate Lord Brother, I only possess hatred towards the current state of the world.”

The Greninja simply stared at Xiao Fon passively. “Will you act upon this hatred then, young samurai?”

“Yes.” He unclenched his hands and peered up at the Ninja Pokémon, his eyes brimming with determination. “I’ll get stronger, and use my power to fight the very rule of the universe that demands sacrifice in exchange for hope.”

The large, pink tongue wrapped around his neck concealed the wide smile blossoming on his visage. “Good answer.” Reaching behind him, he produced a pair of swords: a katana and a wakizashi. He promptly flung the swords at Xiao Fon who caught them with ease.

“What are these for?” Xiao Fon asked, admiring the swords.

“Consider them as my recognition of your resolve,” the Greninja answered, nodding at the Water-type before he turned away. “You shouldn’t hide your new self. That’s simply my opinion.”

Xiao Fon peered down at the swords as a dull glow emanated from them. Both rose up into the sky as Masamune did so as well, encircling and wrapping his blue cloth around the soulless swords. In one massive flash of light, the mist enshrouding the general area had thinned considerably, and Masamune floated down into Xiao Fon’s arms, as a Doublade.

“How do you feel, Masamune?”

“…”

A familiar voice resonated in his mind, evoking a sigh of relief from the samurai as he crossed his daisho behind him.

“Aren’t you going to capture me?” the Greninja spoke up, garnering the younger frog’s attention. “You might as well hit two Fletchling with one stone.”

“No” came the swift response. “I see no reason in proceeding with that course of action…but I suggest you turn yourself in. I mean your comrades no disrespect, but I have reason to believe that they both have been apprehended.” Xiao Fon added, “You wouldn’t abandon them, would you?”

The Greninja dipped his head slightly. “While those who break the rule of the ninja world are trash, those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash,” he pronounced. “I’ve always followed this belief to the letter. I see no reason to stop now.” He then raised a webbed hand up for a backward wave. “Watashi wa Jirai desu. Sayonara, bushi-kun.”

A tatami suddenly flipped up from the ground and blocked Xiao Fon’s view of Jirai. As it harmlessly fell back down, the Greninja was no longer to be seen.

“Sayonara, shinobi-san.” Xiao Fon inclined his body forward slightly before he rotated around to face the large silhouette he spotted earlier: a large, battered old tree stump with bark white with aging lichen. Multiple cracks snaked up the length of the stump, converging to form a sizable hole, large enough for grown Pokémon to squeeze through.

They had found the entrance to the dungeon.



Explorers' June Tasks.

:iconcommentplz:

NPC Cameos

- Jirai the Greninja © ChillySunDance 

- Xiao Shandian the Shiny Greninja © Me

Merits & Strikes

- +2 Merits

Rewards

- Evolution Slip

- Apricorn Ocarina

Team Application ~ Temperate Maelstrom
© 2014 - 2024 Nox-Nemoris
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Quarteon01's avatar
Yep. "Mr. Sexy" Jirai is definitely Kakashi in Greninja form. XD

I can't help but admire this one. There are multitudes of reason. I can't mention it all... but I can say that the execution of the story is perfect. Masamune as a Doublade is an interesting event. 

But I can't help but feel that the majority of your characters seemed to be driven by negative emotions towards the world. It's getting slowly repetitive, especially with Noir and his monologues... well, I'm not saying that your characters should be Mr. Sunshines or anything, but um... well, I think you know what I mean.

But anyway, this is a very good read. I hope to see more Fon in the future. He's officially my fav character of yours. (With Masamune of course.) :XD: