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31_days2010-08-11 01:29 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2010-08-11 01:29 pm
[Aug. 11] [Suikoden] Sense of Wonder
Title: Sense of Wonder
Day/Theme: Aug. 11, 2010 "all cities were the same"
Series: Suikoden
Character/Pairing: Ted, Teo
Rating: PG-13
Travel, it seemed, had lost its charm. Ted wondered if this meant he was getting old. No matter where he went, all cities were the same. Had he lost his sense of wonder? He wandered right into the midst of the Scarlet Moon Empire's Succession War weighed down and discontented by these things.
When nothing excited you anymore, was life no longer worth living? Ted clutched his curse-marked hand to his chest and limped onward. There were fresh bodies here and the earth was churned up by the plows of death, man's dragging feet as they lunged to kill and horse's heavy hooves, cutting through the soil. A thousand deep furrows sowed with blood. Battle had raged on here not long ago. Sooner or later someone would be coming back to this area. The victors would want to remove their dead for a proper burial and their enemy's dead to give over to their remaining foes, were they honorable, or to throw in a mass grave, were they less so.
Did he want to die? Ted looked up at the grayish, cloud-streaked sky. He wasn't sure. Maybe it didn't matter what he wanted. He knew what he was needed to do. He had to keep protecting the Soul Eater. He couldn't fail his grandfather. He had to remain as far from Windy's clutches as he could manage.
One way or another, it seemed as if she had managed to chase him all over the world. Just when he thought he would be safe for ten years or maybe even twenty, one of two sorts of catastrophes would strike. Windy would find him or someone would die. He was tired of this terrible pattern. Bit by bit, he was slowly running out of strength. "Grandpa, no one can run alone forever..." he murmured, his voice coming out cracked and dry from lack of use and moisture. Maybe it would be different if he didn't have to go alone. But that would never last long. He would never know.
He stumbled and rose onto his hands and knees before realizing he was too tired to bother with walking further. Wasn't that far enough for today? He looked to see what he had tripped over. It was a severed arm. "Oh, how pleasant," Ted thought sarcastically. He settled down, pulling his knees up to his chest and lying his chin atop them. He would wait a while- refresh his strength. He didn't sleep much. There was always more time for travel later.
A shadow fell across him. The shadow of a man. There was concern in this man's stern eyes and grim face. He was armored and armed- clearly a warrior- but seeing Ted dug a hint of buried compassion out of the depths of his mind. Teo was a father. Even on the battlefield, this truth could not desert him. The fight was over. The time for killing was done. Compassion welled up in him yet again.
"Boy, are you all right? Are you alone out here?" In Teo's eyes, Ted appeared to him as a child. He thought of his own son back home, safe in Gregminster, a bit younger than this boy. He stretched out his hand.
"I..." He looked up at the strong hand held out to him. "I'm scared," he admitted. That feeling would be the same whether he was a child or an adult.
"Come with me," Teo urged.
And Ted gave in. He would take that hand. He would play at being a boy again...and, eventually, he would even come to believe it. He would see through Tir's eyes soon enough and looking through them, he would regain his sense of wonder.
Day/Theme: Aug. 11, 2010 "all cities were the same"
Series: Suikoden
Character/Pairing: Ted, Teo
Rating: PG-13
Travel, it seemed, had lost its charm. Ted wondered if this meant he was getting old. No matter where he went, all cities were the same. Had he lost his sense of wonder? He wandered right into the midst of the Scarlet Moon Empire's Succession War weighed down and discontented by these things.
When nothing excited you anymore, was life no longer worth living? Ted clutched his curse-marked hand to his chest and limped onward. There were fresh bodies here and the earth was churned up by the plows of death, man's dragging feet as they lunged to kill and horse's heavy hooves, cutting through the soil. A thousand deep furrows sowed with blood. Battle had raged on here not long ago. Sooner or later someone would be coming back to this area. The victors would want to remove their dead for a proper burial and their enemy's dead to give over to their remaining foes, were they honorable, or to throw in a mass grave, were they less so.
Did he want to die? Ted looked up at the grayish, cloud-streaked sky. He wasn't sure. Maybe it didn't matter what he wanted. He knew what he was needed to do. He had to keep protecting the Soul Eater. He couldn't fail his grandfather. He had to remain as far from Windy's clutches as he could manage.
One way or another, it seemed as if she had managed to chase him all over the world. Just when he thought he would be safe for ten years or maybe even twenty, one of two sorts of catastrophes would strike. Windy would find him or someone would die. He was tired of this terrible pattern. Bit by bit, he was slowly running out of strength. "Grandpa, no one can run alone forever..." he murmured, his voice coming out cracked and dry from lack of use and moisture. Maybe it would be different if he didn't have to go alone. But that would never last long. He would never know.
He stumbled and rose onto his hands and knees before realizing he was too tired to bother with walking further. Wasn't that far enough for today? He looked to see what he had tripped over. It was a severed arm. "Oh, how pleasant," Ted thought sarcastically. He settled down, pulling his knees up to his chest and lying his chin atop them. He would wait a while- refresh his strength. He didn't sleep much. There was always more time for travel later.
A shadow fell across him. The shadow of a man. There was concern in this man's stern eyes and grim face. He was armored and armed- clearly a warrior- but seeing Ted dug a hint of buried compassion out of the depths of his mind. Teo was a father. Even on the battlefield, this truth could not desert him. The fight was over. The time for killing was done. Compassion welled up in him yet again.
"Boy, are you all right? Are you alone out here?" In Teo's eyes, Ted appeared to him as a child. He thought of his own son back home, safe in Gregminster, a bit younger than this boy. He stretched out his hand.
"I..." He looked up at the strong hand held out to him. "I'm scared," he admitted. That feeling would be the same whether he was a child or an adult.
"Come with me," Teo urged.
And Ted gave in. He would take that hand. He would play at being a boy again...and, eventually, he would even come to believe it. He would see through Tir's eyes soon enough and looking through them, he would regain his sense of wonder.