Legends of Belariath

Tsuneko Remito

The Big Wide World

Well it started like this. Waking up in a clearing in the middle of nowhere, not knowing where he came from or what he was for that matter – yes, obviously a cat but from where did these weird feelings in his head come from?

He looked at the small satchel, which contained a small set of grid references and a map of the area. There was a building circled in bright red ink - “The Lonely Inn”. ‘Hmm I wonder what that could be’ he wondered to himself, rummaging through what he assumed was his satchel to find a small note encasing a small velvet pouch.

Hi Tsuneko;

If you are reading this you are probably on your way to the lonely inn to get your training. Well I am your mother Tsuneko and I have a few small tips for you in the “big wide world” and to help you select your master when you arrive. Well your father always said you were going to travel and now you are!

Anyway about these tips

Never let anyone take your money - there is 100 Mhl in your pouch use it wisely son. Don’t waste it on liquor or girls - well I don’t think the latter is on your mind that much anyway. But if you have a master he/she will look after you anyway but it is nice to have a small sum to spend on items or to get that sapphire you always wanted - but remember you don’t have the power to call the ice from the stone you need to get it blessed first!!

Next choose you master wisely walk into the bar and look around for people that interest you for example - or a fine looking lady if that’s what you want. But choose wisely as they will have control over you forever so you want to make sure it is someone you are going to like, but then you are a good choice of character son, so don’t really worry that much.

Don’t let your feelings get in the way of your judgment. You know what I mean by this - it’s your damn fathers fault that you inherited this gene but over time or with you going into deep shock the magi have informed me it will pass. Try to keep your passion for violence out of your main frame of thinking and you will be fine. Remember what the mage told you “Patience is a virtue - one likely not to get you killed” remember this if you do lapse and for heavens sake don’t fire ice at the poor bugger for not saying hello - remember also that you can heal them too if need be but try to keep calm and stay out of shock. It limits your abilities to regenerate your stamina for that night.

The rule here is to have fun! You only live a couple of times so use them wisely!

If you do find that cat girl of your dreams remember to stick by her at all times and honour her and protect her. And by the way if your master is a lady remember to address them ma’am, milady or Miss. This way you won’t offend your master and be punished.

Anyway son this parchment is nearly used up no so I will have to say goodbye forever, you will never see me again except in rare occasions that I get a parchment to the Lonely Inn. I pray for you every night and wish you luck and good fortune.

Your loving mother;

Ritineko

After reading the note Tsuneko broke down and cried, wondering what his mother looked like. Did he have her eyes? Or ears? Did he even resemble his mum at all? Did he have any brothers or sisters? And where the hell was his father? Was he even alive? Was he a cat too?

“So many questions,” thought Tsuneko, “but no way of finding the answers”. After wiping the tears of his soaked blue face he folded the only link with mother tightly in his pouch vowing to find her one-day…

Looking in the satchel, Tsuneko pulled out a small dagger with his initials inscribed on it - “hmm where did I get this?” looking up at the moonlit sky clouds rushing past not wanting to be noticed and a moon trying to hide in the shade of the leafy canopy, he prayed, “One day mother I will return and find my true heritage,” and he stabbed the earth with his dagger still unaware what fate had in store for him.

Walking by moonlight, following ancient trodden tracks and using his tracking skills via the map he had been given, Tsuneko stumbled out onto a main road and directly opposite was a huge building with the sign of ‘The Lonely Inn’. Excited and a bit shocked that the map was so accurate, he ran up to the stairs of the building and peeked inside.

* * * * * *

And what a sight met his eyes! There were lots of people from all works of life from small to large from pretty to bulky. Remembering what my mother had said in her note, the cat boy walked up to the bar.

Adaran, the bar keeper, asked me what I would like to drink and Tsuneko searched through the selection and decided on something with a low alcohol content, “A root beer my good man,” he requested, and was presented with a frothy mug full of the liquid and asked if there was anything else he could do. Tsuneko just shook his head, and took a sip on the inviting liquid. “Wow pungent stuff!” he mused, wondering if he should drink on…

His next task, to fulfill his mother’s wishes, was to find a master and this was foremost in his thoughts as he scanned the room for anyone suitable. All he could see was a small lady dancing rather scantily clad, on a table and found out that the girl’s name was Lyann. She was slowly becoming less and less undressed, Tsuneko shook his head and turned his thoughts back on a master, “now who is approachable here”?

Suddenly he saw a charming lady with wings sitting at a table quietly, and decided to talk to her regarding the Master thing.

“Hi. May I join you?” Tsuneko shuffled nervously in his place.

The young lady gestured a wave at a seat, “Good evening”.

He sat down, crushing his tail, but fascinated by her wings, “thank you”.

The lady introduced herself as Victoria Celas, and she sipped a strange wine, which Tsuneko had not come across yet.

He introduced himself and stated that he had been on a journey, she raised an eyebrow and stated, “I see”.

Tsuneko offered her another drink but she declined, “one is enough for me” and he just nodded politely.

Victoria then asked, “What I was there for?” He looked at the ground. How could he start the conversation on wanting to be her servant?

“I know I’ll talk about her wings first!” he thought.

“So how do your wings work?” Tsuneko thought she would be happy to talk about them, but instead she just ruffled them and looked back at me.

“Ok that didn’t work. I know!”

“Where are you from?” he asked finally.

“Oh a few weeks north east from here”, she said, “We speak a different language there, so I’m still trying learning the common language here.”

They then talked about where Victoria came from, and how she had previously died and had been resurrected, which Tsuneko didn’t believe for a moment, but then he remembered my mother’s note “enjoy your few lives” quote so there was something in it - he would have to find out more at a later date…

Tsuneko then told her of his past and that he could only remember the last two days before arriving at the inn. “But how can you remember all your spells?” Vicky asked, looking sceptical, “You wouldn’t be able to use them at all if you can only remember 2 days ago”.

He did remember his spells though, so how could this be? Not showing his worry, Tsuneko continued explaining that he knew nothing of his past, and Vicky said, “The past is something that can be forgotten... in my case... it isn't…”

That only made him wonder what she meant.

Anyway, Tsuneko thought that he was ready to ask Vicky if she would be his master, and she accepted!

After she explained the benefits of being a ‘slave’, Tsuneko was ready to take his ‘collar’. She said things like “I will train you” and “You will be looked after” and other good things. So he thought his mother was right in her note about finding out the best Master.

The next thing to happen was that Tsuneko was escorted to a shop and Vicky asked for a collar. She then turned to him and asked, “What type of stone would you like?” and he stated “Sapphire”. Apparently it cost 60 Mhl for a collar, so being a master is expensive!

She then put the collar around his neck and kissed him, saying, “Welcome to my Family”. Tsuneko was so overcome with joy he got on one knee and bowed before her and expressed his gratitude…

They then walked back into the inn and Victoria escorted Tsuneko upstairs to her room where she talked about “training” him in combat; trying to impress his new master Tsuneko was escorted to a nearby forest clearing where she said:

“Ok. Attack me”. So he did, hitting her with his icy shards spell but she was too quick…

She then returned the spell and Tsuneko managed to dodge it.

The next move by Victoria was to hit Tsuneko with the basket hilt of her blade but again he dodged, unable to attack back this time, but keeping an eye on her movements. Tsuneko then recast the spell and it flew over her head but enough to make her take notice; he look on worried knowing he could get hurt at any time…

Victoria’s next attack was this spell from her blade that looked like a more powerful ice shards spell, but he was able to dodge this also. The beam flying between his ears this time!

For his next attack Tsuneko drew his dagger, knowing that he did not have enough energy to keep casting spells, and he rushed her, but she caught his arm and with her parry knocked him to the floor. She then cast another spell, the effect of which Tsuneko was not quite sure, but what followed was a blur!

Tsuneko attacked and missed again and Victoria did the same. He then went for a low sweep attack, but Victoria parried and stabbed his blade into the ground and lunged at him with hers…

She found a weak spot; her dagger sliced through Tsuneko’s defenses like butter and before he knew it he was impaled on her sword enough to feel it’s edge go through the other side of his thin body…

Victoria then shouted “Oh shit!” as she released the blade from his chest and picked up his dagger, allowing Tsuneko to fall to the ground in failing consciousness…

He was awake long enough to see his body lifted off and brought back to the inn. A man called Shadow-Wolf heard the commotion and rushed outside to see what the problem was…

Tsuneko felt himself almost flying as his mind got thinner and thinner with every step. He heard Victoria shout for a healer and they entered the inn with Tsuneko not being part of the conscious world.

* * * * *

Tsuneko woke up on the bed back in Vicky’s room after many hours of uneasy sleep. He didn’t see anyone around but didn’t have the energy to get out of bed so just dozed uneasily………

It seemed like hours he was asleep, but at last Tsuneko heard noises and this is when he first met one of Victoria’s other Slaves; the one called Rika.

Tsuneko sat up and looked toward the new girl out cold on her bed and could only assume that she had had some of this training, but had come off a bit better than he had, hey at least she didn’t get stabbed through the chest!

He then fell back into another uneasy sleep and when he awoke nobody was in the room - so where had everybody gone?

Tsuneko stepped out of bed with a very bad headache it must have been that root beer…

He ventured outside to see if Victoria was around, but she wasn’t. The cat boy walked slowly down the stairs stretching and yawning, and caught sight of Victoria standing with her blade withdrawn.

He walked up to her to see what was wrong but she didn’t say. She just shattered the wine glass she had in her hand to smithereens!

Tsuneko looked at her unfurled hand to the sight of blood intermingling with the wine and he looked upset that she was in pain; she then told me that death is not escapable, but is a phase in our lives that has to be lived through. Tsuneko asked her what she was - and she stated she was an angel and that blood was her wine and wine was her blood, whatever that meant!

Victoria then held her hand out to him and stated, “Heal me…” So Tsuneko did so promptly, she then cleaned her hands of the blood. Tsuneko then asked her why she had her blade out and she said that she is protecting herself, from what Tsuneko had no idea, she then went on, saying that losing someone on the earth is very sad - he knew how that feels really; he’d lost his mother in all of this. Tsuneko thought she was in mourning for her but she said it was only temporary, and that she would be back as good as new tomorrow.

Victoria said she will be on a never ending journey to find herself and she was talking like she was on her own, but Tsuneko pointed out that she had her faithful servants on hand and this seemed to cheer her up! She then left the inn to venture up on the roof - getting up there in winter is hard but he managed it ok though.

They had a philosophical chat, whilst gazing over the snow covered land, about the pureness of things on this earth and agreed nothing on the earth is pure… and that she wants a house for her and her slaves to live in… then they were talking about life being a star that slowly loses it’s shine, petering out into nothing and discussed the purpose of being. “Well,” thought Tsuneko, “I have my being but I’m not sure about Victoria’s though.”

Finally they retired back to the inn. Tsuneko forgot that he was on the slippery surface and fell off the tall roof, but Lady Victoria save him by grabbing his collar just before he hit the ground…

Back inside the inn, Rika was there, and when asked by her master if she wanted to join her and Tsuneko she said no. He knew it was because of him…

Then a group of strangers arrived looking pleased. Victoria told Tsuneko that these monsters were responsible for killing Ehlanna earlier that evening. They then discussed why there was a need for solving things through violence and discovered it solved nothing.

They retired to Victoria’s room with Rika following. The negative vibes Tsuneko was getting off her were unbearable as they sat on their beds; Rika mutters something about Victoria’s wine. Tsuneko introduced himself to Rika hoping to get something out of her… No ……… nothing…

Victoria then asked Rika why she is being so antisocial, and she stated she’d say nothing until she is commanded to talk to Tsuneko. This made Vicky laugh, but wound the cat boy up even more… Well what had he done to her? He would be working with the girl in future quests… would it not be advantageous to get on her good side?

With this Tsuneko looked quite hurt - he didn’t usually have this problem with people and Tsuneko wasn’t going to start with this one, but he lost his temper and fired ice shards at Rika, unfortunately he missed and hit Vicky with them, making her fall. Well this makes Rika utterly mad with rage and she lunged at Tsuneko calling him an idiot!

Well he wasn’t going to stand there and get struck twice in one night so Tsuneko dodged out of the way and Victoria came into the room, and came between them, making him again land on her blade for the second time, but this time it did not puncture his chest. Rika was saying it was an unprovoked attack and trying to get Vicky on her side and it worked. Tsuneko got hoisted up by his tunic and told to stop it but he had gone into shock from the blade again so seemed not to respond… she told Tsuneko if it was not for her training he would be dead again… She then dropped him where he sat and asked Rika to pour her bath…

Victoria then got into her bath with Rika leaving Tsuneko outside, his anger completely gone but his vengeful streak set in and he muttered something about killing her…

When he asked to join the bath Victoria asked Rika if he was allowed to join and she flatly refused, Tsuneko lost his rag and stormed out of the room slamming the door after him. He went downstairs and climbed onto the roof, where he sat and had a good cry - not from pain but the fact that he had mucked up his chance with Victoria this evening and had to start again, trying to get back in her good books.

Well after Tsuneko had sobbed (quite loudly, he’s a cat) for some time he ventured to climb back down but the edge of the roof had frozen over and he slipped again, falling into a snowdrift, hitting my back on the ground, enough to cut it badly…

Well after Tsuneko had sat there for a few minutes he got up in intense pain and hobbled back to the room where they were still having their bath. He got in bed, the bleeding on my back staining the nice bedclothes - but Tsuneko was in too much pain to care - he didn’t have enough stamina left to cast a heal spell, but he was resting so after time… he fell into a feverish uneasy sleep groaning with pain but completely exhausted…………………

Tsuneko thought he must have muttered stuff in his feverish state, but he never actually had the mindset to ask Rika if he did or not... But all he remembered is falling off the bed waking up being placed back on the bed then immense pain and a burning sensation (as Vicky put bandages and herbs on his wounds) then sleep…

He was awakened suddenly by a loud noise, “what was that?” he wondered aloud. It appeared that Rika had shouted at her master. Tsuneko sat up quickly, but was hit by sharp pain, which made him mew a bit loudly….

He called for Victoria but could not see her clearly. All Tsuneko received was the reply; “You don’t want to make an angel angry.”

Tsuneko regained his senses and asked Vic if there was anything he could do for her, but all she said was “Nothing…”

Out of the corner of his eye Tsuneko saw Rika lift a dagger above her head, glaring at him she said “If I can’t kill you - I will leave” and slammed the dagger into her stomach almost making him gag…

Tsuneko shouted, “why Rika?” and summoned some of stamina he had just gained and cast SMALL HEAL on her.

All Rika could say is “there Problem Solved” and Tsuneko replied, “No you don’t!” and used my last bit of stamina to cast the SMALL HEAL spell again.

The gash healed up but left a small scar, as the exhausted cat boy had nothing left in him to heal it properly.

Tsuneko fell to his knees as Rika shouted “you FOOL, if you pass out again I’m gonna kill you this time, make no mistake.”

He was too exhausted to care, and just leant against the bed on his knees watching Rika trying to get at him.

Then Vicky stepped between the sparring pair. Tsuneko had never heard her so angry in his short time with her. She shouted out, “Are you people FUCKING INSANE??” He looked up as she spoke again: “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Rika replied, “He tried to kill me, then fine”. Vicky Shouted “I CAN’T GO ONE FUCKING MINUTE WITHOUT SOMEONE TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER!!”

Tsuneko looked up and apologized, “I didn’t want to hurt anyone - hence why I saved Rika”. His voice is almost gone now as complete exhaustion took over.

“He doesn’t want you dead” Vicky shouted at Rika, her hands glowing with blue light, “all I wanted… was for all of us… to just get along.” Tsuneko shied away from the blue light not knowing what it could do, “and this is what fucking happens?!!”

Tsuneko apologized to Rika who was sitting on the bed with her head low, sucking back tears, and seeing this made him start too.

There followed a long silence, as they were both on the brink of bawling their eyes out. Vicky then moved over to Rika and held her hands. Rika started to properly cry; sending Tsuneko into a crying fit, because he had no energy to do anything else…….

Vicky then picked up Rika and cuddled her and all the time Rika was saying sorry — “I’m sorry!” to Vicky. Tsuneko looked on, close to passing out; he saw Vicky let go of Rika and then saw Rika fall back onto Vicky’s bed, absolutely exhausted - he knew how she felt, he did save her after all!, she then looked over to Tsuneko and some of the hate had left her eyes…

He watched Rika go into a deep sleep; knowing that he must too.

Vicky then came to Tsuneko, picking him up, scooping the tired cat boy into her arms to carry him to her bed. “Did my spells work Mistress?” he asked, in her arms. “Yes, they stopped the bleeding…” “I used my last energy to save her I hope it was not in vain…” with that Vicky commanded Tsuneko to sleep and he mumbled, “Yes mistress,” before falling into very deep sleep……………

* * * * *

He stirred the next day refreshed from his slumber purring slightly, hearing movement and sat up sharply. The pain in his back was great and he yelped sorrowfully. Tsuneko looked around him, eyes focusing on the light and saw Rika doing the same. As she saw Tsuneko he saw her eyes tighten and her right fist do the same. He blinked and whispered: “Please Rika….”

On hearing him, anger flushing across her face Rika snarled: “You fool. You attack me and hurt my Master. And then you force me to stay in this……”

Looking confused, Tsuneko queried, “What do you mean?” He then moved to the edge of his bed looking at her.

Rika replied, “Don’t you dare play that 'what do you mean line', you know very well. You cast a spell at me, missed, struck Miss Victoria and then cured me while I tried to die.”

Tsuneko looked at Rika in confusion, “but I thought saving you was a good thing?”

“Maybe to you or Miss Victoria it was, but I think it was obvious, I wished to die

“I should have killed you while I had the chance as you lay there wounded! You’re lucky Miss Victoria was there to command against it!!!!”

Tsuneko looked away from Rika, looking at the floor, “I only wanted to do the right thing…”

Rika moved sharply, “and attacking me was a good thing?”

He whimpered and began to describe the fact that he had inherited a “gene”, which made him short tempered and angry. Tsuneko explained he knew this from his mother’s note and that he could only remember the past 6 hours of his life.

Rika then rushed up to Tsuneko pushing him backwards and sat on top of him her breasts pressing against his chest and her face very close to his. Tsuneko felt her reaching for something but she couldn’t find it. She then raised herself a bit. “So what, you have problems - I woke, raped, by a river, south of here, maybe five days ago, but I don’t attack people for no reason.” She was completely focused on Tsuneko taking his whole field of vision.

Tsuneko shivered slightly at having Rika that close but he explained that when he goes into deep shock he comes out of it weakened. He told her it is only people that ignore him.

Rika still looking into his face, her demeanor softening a bit “Well am I ignoring you now?”

“No Rika”

Rika ran her hand down Tsuneko’s face, “Perhaps I should forgive you for what you did – I can understand a sickness.”

He explained that he was in shock when Rika was at full rage with him, “I felt Miss Victoria pick me up and throw me to the ground. It was then I saw you angry and I remember being put on a bed then a sickness. I woke up and thought about healing myself and saw you raise a dagger above your head and plunge it into your stomach I knew it was not your time. So instead of myself healing I used my energy to save you.”

Tsuneko then looked at Rika, their sapphire blue eyes locking together, his filling with tears. Rika said softly “well it is ok now, I didn’t kill you, you saved me and Victoria isn’t hurt at all.”

“Why do you still want to kill me Rika? I am so sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to be on your good side, so we would die for each other and our Master.”

Looking down at him Rika said, “I don’t want to kill you at least not as badly – for now the knowledge of your sickness will hold me back. But if you ever attempt it again, sickness or not I will kill you. Understand?”

Tsuneko nodded scared more than anything, knowing she could kill him, here where he lay if she wanted to…

Rika then leant down and kissed Tsuneko on the forehead and hopped off the bed. He looked back puzzled…

“That was good faith. It’s a sign of friendship.”

“Oh I see thank you Rika.” They smiled at one other and Tsuneko whispered, “I’m glad I rescued you now”

Rika nods. “Yes me too. It’s just I don’t like attempts on my life”

“Well I exhausted myself healing you, I had to have Miss Victoria heal me the old fashioned way”

“Ha – the old fashioned way is not always bad..” Rika smiles

“But the old fashioned ways always leaves scars…”

“Yes that is true, you’re right there”

“Well I’m just glad I didn’t heal myself or you wouldn’t be here…”

“Let us say that we are even now – though at the time it wouldn’t have bothered me if I had died”

Tsuneko nodded and held out his paw – “Friends then?” Rika nodded and gripped it, shaking.

He looked at her and asked, “Can we swear allegiance?”

“Of course so long as you attempt nothing too idiotic again”

Tsuneko stated that it won’t ever happen again to Rika and she walked up to him and kissed Tsuneko softly “that’s good enough for me.”

He looked at her lovingly and she smiled back… Tsuneko then jumped up happily and leapt around Rika, “thank you!!”

Rika laughed at the cat boy’s frolics.

Tsuneko asked, “can you Dance?”

Rika looked down, “well I guess…before I lost my memory… but I haven’t tried since then…

He asked excitedly, “Can we pleeeeaassee!”

Rika nervously said, “sure. We can try…”

Tsuneko walked up to Rika, grabbing her arm and moving up to her shoulder, “let’s Dance!!”

They danced in a weird style; treading all over their feet as they forgot how to dance; Rika and Tsuneko stopped, both embarrassed and he started blushing.

Tsuneko started to jump around Rika and asking, “what we can do next?”

Rika reached for her dagger, “well I suppose this…”

He stopped playing and hunted around for his own dagger, finding it on his bed, “what is this game, Rika?”

“Dagger throwing!! First we need some things. Maybe this wall and a target.”

He looked around the room and spied Victoria’s wine bottle. “What about this?”

“Ok. Now place that table against the wall and lace the bottle on it.”

Tsuneko did as he was told and set up the game.

He walked to the opposite end of the room where Rika was waiting.

“Right you go first.”

He span round and threw the dagger making it land about 5 inches above the bottle. Tsuneko looked sheepish, “missed. Your turn.”

Rika lined up her shot, showing experience, as she threw but hits the table, rocking the bottle.

“Ok no-one scores; next turn.”

Tsuneko went and lined up the table and bottle, collecting the daggers as I return, handing Rika hers.

“Ok next turn.” He threw his dagger and it landed about one inch wide of the target, “close!”

Rika lined her shot up, taking time… She threw the dagger in a spiral path hitting the bottle at its base sending glass and liquid everywhere…

Tsuneko looked worried, “we had better clean this up Rika.” He rushed to get a bag and brush.

Rika looked and stated, “Yes, we should.”

They quickly cleaned the place up then Tsuneko noticed the wall.

“Argh! The wall!!”

Rika looked, “well it’s not that bad, just get a picture to cover it up”

“Well where we gonna get a picture from?”

“The inn got any?”

“Not for us to get - we haven’t any money”

Suddenly the door opened and Miss Victoria walked in from downstairs.

“Err miss Victoria.”

Vicky looked at the guilty pair cleaning up. “Do I want to know what went on here?”

Looking down Rika and Tsuneko tried to explain that they were just having a game of accuracy with the bottle being the target, stumbling over each others words, but somehow the sense of what they were saying managed to get through.

“Oh I see, what is the liquid?”

They both whimpered, “your wine miss”

Victoria called for Rika to join her as she said, “wine can be replaced. Friendships cannot be.”

Tsuneko looked up, “what do you mean ma’am?”

Rika looked up at Vicky, “I love you”

“As do I Rika and Neko you must learn that people need others even if they get to know each other by throwing knives into my walls at my wine bottles!”

All three sat down on the bed and hugged.

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