Chapter Two: The Orphan's Awakening
It was morning in the land of the lotuses, Takashi woke up yawning out loud like he had never slept like that before.
"Oh it's morning already?" he asked rhetorically
"Rise and shine sleepy head," said Yuna already dressed and decked up for what the day would bring.
"Just give more minutes please," said Takashi going back to sleep.
"Not if you want to impress the Teachers,"
His eyes jolted open and so did he.
"That's right, the teachers, I can't be late," he said running out of bed to the bathroom.
"Especially if you want to go there as a non lotus guy," she added
"Yeah you're right, go on, I'll catch up with you," yelled Takashi from the bathroom.
"Alright, see you TK,"
"Oh man, she even gave me a nickname, I hope my cheeks don't turn red permanently before I visit gran gran," Takashi said to himself as he took his bath.
On hearing this, Yuna smirked and left the room.
Minutes later, Takashi was done. He came out with no back pack, just himself.
He was dressed in a black jacket with red stripes at the edge, black singlet, black trousers and red snickers.
He ran as fast as he could to the upmost part of the Academy where he found Ms. Sakura waiting for him.
"Good morning Takashi, took you long enough," she said with zero expression on her face.
"Good morning Ms. Sakura. Sorry it took long to get here," Takashi replied apologetically.
"Follow me," she said with the same zero expression on her face.
Takashi followed her into the Academy. Immediately she opened the door, it was like a world of magic. The inside was bigger than the outside, no magical birds this time, just lotus students and the inside was like a 20 story building while the outside was a four story building. Takashi wasn't that surprised like before, after all, he was in the Land of the Lotuses. There were no stairs, only elevating tiles that were strictly for authorities.
"There are no stairs, how are we going to reach the higher floors?" he asked
"Over here, we don't do stairs. The students have the powers to jump eighty times higher than than an average or normal man. We teachers, mentors, kings, Queens and others in authoritative positions use the elevating tiles," she said stepping up on a tile waiting for Takashi to step on it too.
"Elevating tiles? What's that?," he asked
"Elevating.... tiles, it's that simple to understand," she replied dragging him towards the tile she was upon.
She stumped her feet lightly on it and it started to elevate. Takashi was amazed and at the same time had a knowing expression on his face.
They elevated towards the tenth floor.
"You'll join the others today along with princess Yuna to learn what he other lotus students learn,"
"And what do they learn?" he asked
"Martial arts, lotus cultivation mastering, battle strategy thinking training and soon. But, becareful. The teacher you're about to meet is a martial arts teacher and does not go easy on people," she explained and warned
"What makes you say that mam?"
"Last week, he made a boy carry seven large slabs of ice for twelve hours while being tickled just to build his endurance,"
Takashi smiled at the words "while being tickled"
"It seems like you like the idea of that, come on, go on in," she said pushing him into the classroom where he was met with piercing eyes that seemed to bail him to the door.
He saw Yuna there and was pleased to he there since she was there.
"Alright, everyone get in position!" yelled a man who dressed in red from head to toe.
Everyine quickly went to their positions standing on the left and right hand side of the man forming a wall beside him.
"Now, we have a new student, he is going to introduce himself and his lotus type to us. Come on boy, speak up and tell us about yourself,"
"My name is Takashi Watanabe and...and….,"
Some students already began chuckling before they were silenced by the man's glare.
"Speak up boy, don't be a chicken!' he yelled again.
"I'm a...…non lotus wielder," he said with the courage he could muster
The classroom went silent to the extent that everyone could hear a cricket that seemed not to be found.
Then some the teacher bursted into laughter while the other students except for Yuna joined him. Then they stopped almost suddenly.
"What are you doing here boy? Don't you know you are way out of your league?" He asked
"Well, I just wanted to—," he tried speaking before he was interrupted.
"You don't belong here, you are nothing but a useless pile of burden left to the care of others, get out of here this instinct," he said voice and expression stern and rude as his behavior.
Then, just as he was about to leave, Yuna interrupted.
"Teacher," she called out
"Yes? Your little girl?"
"You once said lotus cultivators are always born with their powers right?" she asked
"Yes? Why?"
"But you were not born with your powers right,sir?"
"Get to the point," he grudgingly stated.
"What if he's a late awakener. He might still awaken later on. Isn't that right teacher?" she asked the teacher as the other students murmured among themselves.
"Silence everyone," he ordered
"Perhaps what she is saying is right. You better not disappoint us okay?"
"Yes sir," Takashi responded.
He then stood beside the other students. Yuna watched him as he stood there with a long face as if he was ready to quit.
"If not for you today Yuna, I would have been a goner. Thanks Yuna, thanks a lot," thought Takashi knowing she would hear his thoughts.
Then, she responded:
"Anything for a friend,"
"Now, we will have a hand to hand combat between Princess Yuna and...…Takashi,"
Takashi and Yuna were stunned and so were the other students.
They took their positions on the battle ground ready to fight.
"I can't fight a girl Yuna, especially you," he thought
"Why? You scared I'll beat you," she teasingly asked
Takashi was surprised by her comment and smiled a little.
"START!," yelled the teacher
Takashi lunged forward to try to land an attack but Yuna gracefully dodged it
"Oh man, she's fast," said Takashi
He tried again but was given fist first in the face by Yuna which made him fall flat on his butt.
Yuna smirked a little and headed to attack again but her attack was stopped midway by Takashi as he was trying to land a hit. She dodged it as graceful as she was and his him hard on the head making him to fall again on his butt.
"You lost, better luck next time," she said walking back to her position.
"Disappointing, you can not even fight, get to your position!" he yelled
"Yes sir,"
EIGHT HOURS LATER AFTER TRAINING AND LEARNING EVERYTHING ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS.
Yuna entered the room looking for Takashi, she didn't see him. She went searching everywhere only to find him along the river that surrounded the Academy.
"There he is," she said walking up to him
"Takashi, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you everwhere,"
"Nothing, just looking at the reflection of the stars on the water. Thinking of why I even came here, I made a mistake by coming here. I shouldn't have come, I'm just useless, a useless pile of garbage. I can't even fight," he said, tears running down his face.
"No, you made the right choice coming here, you will awaken, on day or the other," she said placing a hand behind him trying to comfort him.
"But when exactly? When?" he said standing on his feet.
Before Yua could answer, sirens were heard across the whole Lotus land.
"Emergency," Yuna yelled
"Emergency? For what?"
"The gods,"
They both ran towards the siren area where the siren was blown. People were gathered there already. Commotion everywhere.
Then a man came and yelled at them.
"Quieeeeeeeet! As you can hear, a god has come down and is somewhere here, be ready, fan out, search the area and don't make contact unless you are told to, am I clear!"
Everyone responded in the affirmative in unison and scattered ready for battle.
Yuna suddenly heard the swift sound of a presence. She looked around but no one was there.
Suddenly and swiftly, a figure hit Yuna by the side of her ribs sending her across the front yard crashing on the floor.
"Yuna!" yelled Takashi
He turned back to look at the figure but he was hit too. The figure hit him in the mouth and grabbed him by the neck slamming Takashi to the ground making him to cough out blood from his mouth.
"Ugh, such power and speed, it's insanely awesome," said Takashi smiling
"You still have the effontry to smile and talk while I'm here beating you huhn?" asked the god.
"Who are you?" Takashi asked still in pain.
"I am vulgarthron, the most powerful and I and a god," answered the demon.
"More like god of destruction," muttered Takashi.
"Still talking huhn?"
Just as Vulgarthron was about to slam his fists into Takashi's body, Yuna, angry forged a white scythe out of her lotus leaves and struck back vulgarthron.
"You will not lay a hand on him. I know we were not supposed to attack but if it comes at the cost of my friend, I'll even go as far as to beheading if I want to!" she yelled dashing at great speed attacking but to no avail, his body was pure steel.
He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her greatly into the ground. She screamed in pain and passed out.
"Ha ha, pathetic, useless morals said Vulgarthron tossing her unconscious body away.
She tried standing to defend Takashi but she was hit further into the lake.
Then he saw Takashi standing in front of him.
"Huhn? Didn't you learn your lesson. I might as well kill you,"
He launched a fist but it was caught mid air by Takashi.
"It's seems like you don't know me, I might not know myself. But all I know is that, no one…..hurts my friend or family….and gets away with it. Absolutely no one,"
"And what are you going to do to me? Report me to you gran gran—,"
Before he could finish, Takashi held him by the throat and slammed him into the ground crashing the earth beneath them.
Suddenly, smoke like shadows emitted from his body like fiery force. Black Lotus leaves covered his body and hardened like still, his eyes glowed red like horror even more and four black bubbles glowed circling his red eyes.
"Is this? No way, the black lotus powers, it's...…. crazily awesome,"
His rage grew hotter and he picked up the god from the ground.
"For years you and your gods have been inflicting pain and death upon us, now, it's our turn. No,...….it's my turn,"
The god freed himself and tried to punch Takashi but he caught it and dislocated it from his body cause great shout to emit from his mouth.
"How come? The Black Lotus? Impossible, I haven't seen that type of lotus in years,"
"Well you have now. Now die!" yelled Takashi as he unintentionally forged two long daggers with spiky edges in his hands holding them backwards.
"New weapon? Cool," said Takashi as he realized the weapons in his hands.
The two involved in a great battle of both wisdom and fury. It was Fury (Takashi) versus Destruction (Vulgarthron).
Yuna woke up and came out of the lake and was shocked to see Takashi standing toe to toe with a god.
"What? A Black Lotus wielder? I knew something was different about him," Yuna muttered watching the battle between the two.
With great precision, Takashi cut of the limbs of the god, rendering it useless. It tried regenerating but—
"No you won't," said Takashi.
He sliced the god into two and cutted it's head off.
"Noooooooo," yelled Vulgarthron as he died. He was defeated and Takashi stood strong.
"That's what you get for beating up my friend lie that,"
"Takashi," Yuna called out
"Huhn?"
Before Takashi could turn, Vulgarthron pierced his fingers through his body with his heart in the God's hand.
"Takashi!" Yuna yelled with great terror
She rushed to him and hugged him as tight as she could.
"Please don't.....don't die. I finally have a friend that I could speak with like a normal person. Please don't die...don't,"
Takashi fell to his knees and fell on the floor flat on his face as the god laughed his heart out.
"Weak, still weak as ever. Do you know why the black lotus was eradicated boy? Because they were too powerful that people feared they would take over the lotus kingdom. And wat lotuses saw as fear, we saw as opportunities and we showed discord among all. The dual bloomer even helped us on that,"
"You are despicable," Yuna yelled
"Oh pish pish, I'm not the one who killed his parents….,"
Immediately Takashi heard those words, he grew with rage, his body started to float and he yelled with great horror that t was heard across the land
"Takashi?" Yuna called in fear
"Still not dead huhn? What? How did your heart heal so fast? Nevermind, I'll finish what I started,"
Vulgarthron lunged at Takashi but with great swift, Taashisaw him coming and dodged all his attacks.
"You killed my parents, now I'll kill you," he muttered and dashed with blinding speed cutting the god beyond regeneration.
"Takashi, you saved me, you are alright, oh thank goodness," Yuna called out hugging him from behind as he regained his mind and form.
"Well I had to do something and plus, I awoke my powers. Isn't that great?"
"It is and...…it isn't?,"
"Why do you say so?" Takashi asked as he returned back to normal.
"You see, the black lotus is forbidden,"
"Why?"
"Because, there was a story of the dual bloomer. Now, when one's powers becomes that of another level, we call it the first bloom. But, this man was the first to bloom twice, he was a helpful black lotus that killed countless gods, it one thing went wrong,"
"What, what went wrong?" He asked further
"He let power get into his head, he went and killed countless lotus wielders. His reign laster years but he was later stopped by the four celestials, that's what we called them. They were the first bloomers of the red, blue, gold and white lotus clans/kingdoms. They couldn't beat him still with their cooperation but they managed to seal him for good—hopefully,"
"So, how is that a bad thing for me?" Takashi asked
"Good question, years later, the other lotus clans/kingdoms became afraid of the black lotus clans and decided to kill them all including babies, no one remained. Not even one The land remains in waste and ruins now. Well, maybe you were saved, somehow,"
"They killed all including babies, and they are scared of us. Well they have every right to be. I'll prove them wrong, I'll prove to them that not all black lotuses are bad and evil like they are," said Takashi rising up to enter the school.
Yuna stopped him just in time and spoke:
"Are you crazy? If you go in and tell them that, your head will roll on the floor away from your body, they'll cut it off,"
"Then what do I do, how do I hide my powers?" He asked anxiously.
"Just don't let it come out, not even your shadows okay?"
"Okay?" He responded
"What are you two doing here? Was the noise from here?" asked the teacher from the martial arts class, Mr. Takuma Goto accompanied by others.
"We were attacked by the god who intruded this place. Miss. Yuna Nagai fought with her upmost devotion to this place and she destroyed him healing me from my injury," he said pointing at his healed injury with his shirt torn.
Yuna was shocked that she looked at him but he just looked at her and smiled.
They looked at them both and saw that Yuna had more beating marks than Takashi but shook it off since they thought he hadn't awakened.
"Good job Miss Yuna," said Mr. Goto extending his hand for a handshake, something he never did before.
She accepted his hand and was applauded by everyone.
"Now everyone, go back to your rooms, Ms. Yuna, you will receive a small reward for your barsvery very soon.
They all went to their rooms including Yuna and Takashi
"Why did you do that?" Yuna asked Takashi
"Do what?" asked Takashi trying to pretend he didn't know what was happening as he later on his bed.
"Come on Takashi, why did you give me the credit out there? You killed the god,"
Yeah but if I had told them it was me, they wouldn't have believed me and it might have gotten released that I was a black lotus cultivator. And plus, you kept my secret safe. That was the only thing I could do for you," he said going to sleep.
"Goodnight,"
"Thanks, and goodnight," Yuna replied quietly.