Chapter 2.1 "Instinctual Ideas"
"After her speech, she approached the man and offered him some help getting up. The man, however, was so stunned by what she had displayed that he couldn't help but tremble when she reached her hand..."
Miyuriaki kept on with her story, one she had told for the hundredth time but not for naught. The reason lay on her son himself, but they could never tell him why. He was as charmed as ever while listening and it caused a pang in her chest.
Feeling the stare, she turned to see her husband's face. He looked as hard-nosed as always, but as the one who knew him most, she could tell there was a thicker layer of sternness there at this moment.
Her chin rumpled. When will you realize this is only hurting him and you?! For a moment she was pursing her lips. She gasped when she took notice of it and returned to her bright self in an instant. This prior to Ren looking back confused about why she had stopped talking.
She turned him back before he could say anything and resumed brushing his hair. I truly wish I could do more for you, my son. But the stone never lies. She glanced toward Sakamoto, and he nodded for her to continue.
"Moth—"
"My apologies, my apologies... I trailed off. Where was I at? Oh, right, the woman." She cleared her throat. "So when the homeless man saw her hand coming in his direction—"
"Uh, actually, Mother..." Ren repeated himself, though sounding timid as he looked down. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while..."
Miyuriaki raised a brow. "Mm? What is it, Ren?" she said, tone of voice wielding her curiosity. Her son wasn't the type to question much during these recountings she knew. And this shyly too.
"Sorry for interrupting, and... well... it's because I... was wondering if... uh, if it's really possible that..." He then looked up, voice firmer and: "... someone could turn so strong they could cut the sky even!" he said aloud finally, spoken as if enticed by the fable. With his arms up and wide as if to signify the grandiosity of the feat.
For a good moment, only the sound of wind swooping through the snowy yard came. His enthusiasm and question had caught both of them off guard.
"Uh... I didn't mean..." He tried to avert them from the question when he saw their awkwardness, but he barely managed to whisper the words out. His ears flushed and his gaze downed again when he recalled how childish he must have appeared while speaking about a thing as idiotic as it.
A few meters away, his father coughed loudly before walking toward him. There was a hint of... embarrassment on his face as he got closer?
Ren frowned. He had a hard time telling if he would be scolded or whatever else—what may it be, he would prefer it over the former.
But not long passed and the man sat by his side careful, tapping his shoulder too. His eyes were mild in a way Ren had never seen before.
"Son... Ren, look," he started, looking anxious for a second Ren captured in him before he snapped out of it. "See... if you dedicate yourself the right amount, most of your wishful wishes don't stay wishes only. Your grandfather used to say to me... The more you put in the work to achieve something, the likelier it is for you to get it, so before you haven't tried your best, don't even think of letting go of your ambition.
"That was something I lived by in my heydays and was what got me this far— ah." Sakamoto stopped, and... he smiled frailly realizing himself.
Then he reverted. "I guess... something like that should do, right?" He smirked but awkwardly. In his eyes glowed a light of affliction that was far weaker than the fatherly one that shone ibidem. And so no one would ever notice his worry.
However, it was forever the time since Ren had great vision. So his brain melted when he felt the ambiguity in the man before him.
Is he cheering me on?
What does he mean by that?
Is he trying to motivate me?
What is he trying to do now?
Numerous thoughts came through and off his brain at light speed. He was so confused. Sakamoto spoke those words? The man who never cared? The doubt he felt became thrice. He couldn't believe his own father and... it was not his fault.
So he denied him and his words.
If only you knew what I truly dream about, Ren thought and cut eye contact with him.
Noticing his son was still down, Sakamoto tried laughing it off. "You shouldn't trouble yourself too much about this. Cheer up, dinner is coming." He gave Ren two harsh pats on the back and raised from his seat.
Ren took a deep breath and looked up, offering the man a smile before he would go—a nod to show he understood what was said. Although his gaze of affirmation contained the whole of his uncertainty within, it wasn't as if he was incapable of masking it as something else.
(Hah... always hiding your feelings like the coward you are. Don't you have the guts to try back? Oh, right... you were supposed to be trying much harder to resist me, but look at you.)
Sakamoto smirked relieved and said, "Now's time for me to work... Continue strong... Son." He roughly ruffled Ren's hair, face hidden, and minded his way.
Miyuriaki chose to null her whole mind from the moment or she would explode. Only the thought she picked to worry about was that she would have more brushing to do, glaring daggers at the back of her husband.
Ren though, watched with blank eyes as the man left. The snow pellets were bright as they fell. He glanced up at them and his iris reflected their clarity however a mess his head was. Just how was he supposed to feel? There was no way that man thought he could yet be something else if he only changed how he acted. As abruptly as that. This far into life. No way Ren was thinking there was the slightest possibility his change would continue true. There wasn't enough work put in for him to believe in that chance... And so his head turned messier.
Ren brushed himself off that realm of doubt sighing slightly, low enough so his mother wouldn't hear him. And gradually, his heart rate reverted back to what it was.
"Now, now..." Miyuriaki called, and Ren's pink eyes were back on her—though he was made to turn a second later to have his hair brushed. "Let's finish the story, shall we?"
Ren nodded, which caused her to gently slap his head for messing up the brushing.
"So, when she offered her hand to the man, he was so shocked he couldn't help but tremble at the sight. For a moment they stood there, staring at each other, one with a smile and the other having their whole body shake. Only after some good, long seconds was when he finally took a hold of—"
"Pardon my intrusion, Mistress, Young Master." A senior maid appeared by the door connecting the courtyard and manor. She curtsied a bow and continued, "Young Master's bath has been prepared."
Ren lit up and jumped to his feet as his mother's grip went lax. He forgo all the compromise he had here and ran away to the door. His awful luck had finally harbored fruit.
"Wait—!"
"I'll be going now! Thanks for everything, Mother!" he shouted from away and waved toward her before he entered the manor with no regret on his trail.
"Hah... he sure has the energy to spare when it benefits him... Could've used some of that to listen to the rest of the story." Miyuriaki sighed, face tired. Then she got up and went inside too.
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"When a beast doesn't follow its natural instinct, its instinct will someday hunt it back into its nature. However, through great effort, that nature can be denied."
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Inside the Ashikaga Manor.
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Thump. Thump. Thump.
Heavy steps lashed onto the ground. A man taught only grimness traversed many corridors aiming for his next obligation. The whole day went like this, one task after another. But this time, it was him walking alone. A rare thing. No servants. So he had some time with himself and his head.
His face was deeply serious. So much so that it was scary. So much so that he was as resolute as he could be.
"Hah... what am I doing? Failing everything after keeping up the effort for so long... I... can't back down now... until the end comes. I hope you'll be able to accept my apologies then, Son."
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Ren floated alongside the bubbles in his bathtub, eyes closed to increase the pleasantry. The water was hot to perfection as he preferred it and the smell was a flowery combo of many. Meanwhile, two maids washed his body, a privilege his nobility afforded. Did he prefer it? He thought of himself as someone who deserved a break sometimes so yes—most properly. If any time was relaxing time, this was it.
However, today when he needed it the most, his head felt as if filled with rocks weighing his thinking down and leaving space for nothing else. Barely anything was coming cohesive for him.
He blew some bubbles in the water and then drowned all aside his eyes. Can I even?
He heard the maids complaining and chose to go all in despite their pleas for him not to. Inside there, all screamed silent. The rocks floated lessening their weight and he got a narrow stretch for himself to think.
I don't have the option of avoiding the ceremony anyway... I will become the heir and then sometime after, I will be the patriarch... even though the fruit hasn't chosen me too...
(Don't be such a crybaby.)
"Huuff..." He went up, breathed heavily, and began humming. He didn't want the maids asking why his face was as harsh as it was. So the humming created an illusion of himself he wanted seen.
One of the maids pouted. "Young Master! Please don't make it harder for us to take care of your hair!"
"Yeah, I apologize for that, haha." He smiled at her and closed his eyes again. Maybe... I should just... enjoy the bath for now. He veneered his face with superficial calm the best he could and hoped he would fake it until true. He could finally relax.
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The maids who were by the side of the room awaiting all looked at each other. Their nervous stares said something was up.
Ren currently looked for the most comfortable piece of clothing he could find. Casualness, or appearing unbothered if one may say, was the best revenge sometimes.
Or for him, to defy being called the bearer of a golden spoon by his cousins.
I'll have them see how ordinary I can be too—
"Young Master... wouldn't you perhaps feel better wearing something more... luxurious might I reason?" The youngest, Aki, was the first to speak as she saw Ren was putting common whites on. No kimono; only a white shirt, white pants, and white socks. No accessories too.
"Oh, no, no. It's okay. I'll only go dine with my family after all," Ren answered away a fast excuse awkwardly.
"But, Young Master, there will be—" Aki tried again.
"Please, don't worry about it." He interrupted her, smiling the friendliest he could to stop them from insisting on the matter. "I'm sure they won't mind it, so... you guys have not a need to worry."
Please let it stop at this, he thought, now fidgeting from the tone he had used.
The maids quickly exchanged glances but said nothing. Aki went back to her place shifting and too didn't speak another word.
Frowning, Ren ceded and decided he would go through his wardrobe a last time. And while making it obvious by his face he was hugely dissatisfied by it. Then his frown increased when he saw how unfitting all were. There are only so many clothes that I can actually use now since I get much taller every year... Maybe I should just throw all of these into a fire.
He stopped for a second to consider changing or throwing these away, but he noticed the hour and forgot all. Crap, I shouldn't get there too late or else Hara will pick on me.
He rushed outside and slammed the door behind him, not offering another word to the maids inside. Not sure if he forgot or had chosen to avoid further interaction.
They immediately sighed, faces like they were cowards. Aki looked down too, as if disappointed in herself.
"Well, no need to blame yourself." One of the maids approached and patted her tall shoulders. "This was... kind of a good happening. At least we try... unlike everyone else." But even she looked uncertain of her words.
For a sliver of a second, Aki's face broke out of its sadness. Then again, her expressiveness came back and she spoke, "Yes, thank you. Then, I'll excuse myself." She bowed despondently and walked away for her next duty.
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"Why would you in good faith assume that we'd propose such a thing expecting it to fail? We aren't crude like the rest of these clans and families." A voice spoke among many others. It scented the crowded room as a small tang if compared to the huge voices speaking everywhere.
"You know exactly why!" the other answered and pointed toward the subject of the conversation.
And not only them, but the whole room spoke of the same thing. Aside an occasional partner of prior chats, they all looked in a state of dissidence with the other.
In this dining room, two powerful families met but not for the first time. This occasion. the location chosen was the Ashikaga Manor.
A single table spanned through half the room and divided them. On one side were the Ashikagas themselves, and on the other were the Kozukis.
The Kozukis wielded the current Shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaki. Meanwhile, the Ashikagas continued their perpetual role as the isolated guardians of Wano. Of course, with Ashikaga Sakamoto as the Head.
Rarely they would hold meetings, yet it for long remained an unchanged tradition as maintaining order and assuring progress was made in the country was greatly their responsibility.
Food was being served left and right but most mouths were too busy with the commonplace prattle or business talk that would always happen. This time, mostly dissatisfaction from both sides about a topic raised recently. The strong smell of the country's signature dishes, though, entered their noses and left them desiring. But it was rude to let their companion hang while they ate all on their own. Always these meetings ended with wasted food.
"I'm telling you!" One of the Ashikagas rose from his seat smashing his fist on the table. "How d'you think we'd spend so much for a troublemaker's project?!"
"We are telling you we have the graphics, and I doubt you haven't heard about how the farm's been performing!" The other retorted as altered as the first. And it seemed like none would agree ever.
The fervor of having a common topic of disagreement always reached a boiling point during these meetings. Until the leader from a side decided it was their time to interject having listened enough.
The main man coughed and raised his voice. "So..." —all conversations happening immediately ceased. Even the clanking of silverware of the few eating stopped.
The target of the stares was properly on one of the two ends of the table. When all eyes were on him, he continued. "... what you are trying to say is that you want to mass-produce these Paradise Farms and that you will need both the manpower and financial help from us?" Sakamoto's permanent frown seemed even bigger now.
The issue wasn't the discussion around the topic itself that caused him his gloom. It was the pushing they were doing directly to his face caring not if they looked shameless. Proposing and demanding—felt like it with their approach— were two different things. Sakamoto saw the reason for this to have even begun was Kozuki Oden from their side.
The one known as Wano's biggest troublemaker... Sakomoto thought and glanced at him. The latter reciprocated the stare, though he grinned while so. Sakamoto snorted, but had to give him props. This was a strategy in and of itself, to raise the issue as hugely as this escalating it until it turned unavoidable. Really, when the meeting started, this topic had barely attracted the attention of three or two. But all it took was Oden's loud and obnoxious self.
Props, really... props, Sakamoto thought grinning the other way.
Oden knew they wouldn't refuse the project so openly if his side raised a fuss about its importance. Sakamoto was aware of all that and so he was restrained. But he had listened. And by listening, he had understood that if the project failed, it would cost a great percentage of his clan's total savings. All they would have gained was nothing and occupied their men with a useless task. The materials needed to build these factories were incredibly high-priced and rare as per seeing the layout given by Oden himself.
Sakamoto's head was beginning to ache from all the politics, so he made a sigh noticeable. Now, he waited for the current Shogun of Wano, Kozuki Sukiyaki, to step up himself.
Catching the hint, Sukiyaki held the cup he had been drinking from since he came here and started, "You see..." —but, he immediately stopped to sip from his drink. With visual exaggeration, he eyed Sakamoto whose mood looked worse by the second he drank. Meanwhile, his own mood was bubbly, eyes laughing, until he slammed his cup down when he finished. It was bad manners not to show in some way he appreciated the good alcohol.
The Ashikagas had remained quiet but quiet only of voice. Oh, if only their eyes could kill.
Sukiyaki grinned and restarted. "You see, my son, Oden, did a greeeat feat... one that will be talked about for generations to come." He pointed behind him and there was Oden, on the other end of the table facing Sakamoto. Now his face was as straight as iron, as if speaking the pedestal was below him.
Jibuemon, one of Sukiyaki's retainers, had begun eating. He wanted to occupy himself from the nervousness of hearing his leader talk. He knew how Sukiyaki would always try to compare his son to Sakamoto's daughter when groggy. The man loved poking fun at the oh-so-serious Patriarch of the Ashikagas.
"As you might know, I had previously banished my son to Kuri, an area known to be a lawless one and where criminals roam free... However!" Sukiyaki jumped up and slapped the table. "Not so much to my surprise, he did a great feat which was taming all that jumble of nasty personalities, then having them work to make the region a better one! And that was years ago!" he said, eyes shining like jewelry.
The silence was immense after he finished. It would continue for a long second before someone—one heavily annoyed by the nonsensical and braggadocio self the Shogun currently squandered—said: "So, what would that do with anything?"
Sakamoto's first retainer and advisor, Hisashi, spoke, his blue eyes locked onto Sukiyaki's. If you won't accept the sobriety yourself, may sobriety be forced onto you then—was what the stare said. And the blond man although an advisor, was also known to be one of the strongest within the strongest clan.
That fact and stare caused Sukiyaki to sober up and sigh off his ruined playing time. Do not taunt the pride else the lion attacks, he thought and sighed over their overbearing somberness. But this should be enough too...
Sukiyaki cleared his throat and finally began with what they wanted to hear. "Well... a few years back, my son came to me with an idea that might help with Wano's most surging problem: the lack of food." Sukiyaki took from his pocket a map covering all of Wano's regions and placed it on the table. It rolled over until it almost reached Sakamoto and eyes laid on it curiously. "As you might see on this map, there are regions or towns in red, yellow, and green. The red ones are the places that need food the most while the yellow and green ones don't need as much." He then pressed his finger on top of Kuri, the reddest region on the map. "Right here, my son had asked me to test and build a sort of factory he had idealized, saying it would greatly help with the food demand in the area.
"I liked his idea and wanted it done. However, for it to first turn possible, we'd have to get the criminals on Kuri under control. While hard-fought, it was a battle he and our clan won as you all know, and thereafter, Oden brought all the vagabonds and ronins there to work together under his wing to test-build his creation. That was right before he sailed outside the country four years ago. Since then, the farm—mind you, only the prototype of it—has produced incredible amounts of healthy food at the cost of using water, seeds, and performing some animal husbandry only.
"You see, Wano has evolved, but at the cost of abandoning what was once our origin. At the same time humans have grown, nature was gradually sidelined. We forgot the preservation of it because it was always there for us... in abundance. This farm aims to concretize the most optimal ambient crops and greens and animals can grow in. The nature of our country has changed. It cannot fulfill the needs of these things we undermined for a long period anymore. We have to establish a method for nature to replenish itself, and this prototype is only the start. Barren soils will regain life—I promise that. Pumping fertilizers directly into the underground is merely but a second stage of many too."
The room looked as if a single thinking bubble. As expected. All of the chattering and playing until they would return with a most convincing speech... All part of a single-woven plan by father and son.
Hisashi hummed and hummed, until he was the first to return to real life. "That is a speech I will say, but how do you intend to show your words aren't merely words?"
Sukiyaki smirked. "Well... now that my son has returned, we've made an updated map of all Wano. It was a tasking job like the first time, but here, take a look." He took another map out of his pocket, and all eyes rushed to look at it as it rolled over the other spreading through the table.
Sukiyaki continued. "As you can see, surrounding the point where we built the farm is a yellow color this time. That in only four years... four years! You could always ask about our methods of judging later of course, but it means that the need for food in that area has decreased significantly." Sukiyaki then slid his finger through the map. "But, the further we stray from the point the farm was built, the more the red parts, or should I call it, places affected by hunger begin to appear. Even in Kuri itself."
"You gave us the layouts right... that's what we wish to know about the most now. If it's a feasible construction or not, the costs, how these materials work together... places to build these, how many..." Hisashi said, still frowning over the tone of a braggart he hadn't let off hearing from the Shogun.
"We will get to that most definitely, Mr. Advisor." Sukiyaki smiled and looked back at Oden, motioning with a finger for him to step up. It was finally time.
Sakamoto's curiosity which was barely there at the beginning, had been gradually fabricated for this single moment. Curiosity around the one who managed to make himself a statement in a meeting of powerhouses.
He spoke first. "I find it... peculiar to say the least, that you left Wano... hidden... for a couple of years back then. Was it so much of a sage trip you now intend to change the reason for your title of Most Famous?" Sakamoto grinned. Then with his palms out, he showed Oden the stage was all his. "Do present your idea the best you can. I'm hopeful it won't be a waste of my time."
Oden gave him a cheeky grin, snorting almost. There was no need to point out the obvious, he thought. From the beginning this was his plan. All of it.
He pumped his chest, posture demanding the room's attention, and began. "So as said, the production will function through the use of o—"
The dining room's door screeched loudly as it opened, stopping all discussions. Oden looked back, brows raised. But he smirked when he saw who it was.
"Huh? What's happening here?" Ren asked confused. He glared over everyone in the room, and all of them glared back. Had he missed something? Why were the Kozuki here?
"Hmph, coming so late on such an important occasion. And while wearing such unfashionable clothing too. How shameful from our to-be Heir," a woman spoke, her tone a mockery at the last.
She was from the Ashikagas' side: Hara, a woman with curly brownish-red hair looking so similar to Miyuriaki that she was her older version almost—even if Miyuriaki's hair was straight instead. They were sisters after all, though age played a part when considering one as similar as the other. Her features were slimmer, sharper, more wrinkly, resembling much a snake in her whole.
"Ugh... Aunt Hara..." Ren began back-stepping towards the door. "Maybe I should just..."
"Ren, come here." A sudden voice stopped him. It was his mother's.
"There is a free space next to me," she spoke again and he had to inevitably go and sit with everyone else.
This is so embarrassing... why did nobody tell me this yesterday or even today?! he thought, ears masterfully hidden by his hair on their redness. But then, his mind traveled back to not so long ago when he interrupted the maid, Aki.
Ren groaned. Oh, of course.
"Umm, continuing..." Oden announced, now holding some papers.
While Ren remained in his own world, he saw a trio secretly smirking and poking fun at him.
Really? Not even now can they keep their childish plays in check...? Ren's eyes slanted as he turned to listen to Oden only. A surge of rage came to him like a raving wave, though it returned to its space in his subconscious as quickly as it had come.
The symptoms were worsening.
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