A New Beginning To An Old Tale
Sunlight streaked through the dense canopy of the Everfree forest, illuminating the forest floor below, teeming with plants and bushes of all kinds. Rabbits and other small woodland creatures scampered about the vibrant green forest floor, some climbing trees, while others retreated to their burrows or nests. The river that ran through this section of the forest was a gentle stream, deep enough to swim in, yet not dangerous in the slightest. Its gentle waters flowing downstream created a dull background noise to the many strange and exotic sounds and calls that rang throughout the forest.
But something did not belong in the otherwise serene patch of forest. As the crystal clear waters of the stream continued to flow throughout the day, a strange object floated along with the gentle currents of the river. Several rabbits and squirrels stopped to stare at the odd mass, tilting their heads slightly, puzzled as to what it could be.
As the figure continued to float past them , it slowly edged over to the side of the stream, stopping as it became snagged on the riverbed. No animal dared approach it, save for one small grey bunny, who hopped over beside the strange object fearlessly. She waited for a moment, examining the object. She made out what appeared to be two long legs at the end of it, and so she came to the conclusion that it was a creature of some sort. Still, it appeared to be face down in the water, and was a bit concerned as to whether it could breathe or not.
Yet she remained puzzled as to what creature, on account of the strange shapes this creature had jutting out from its shoulders. She rested her furry paw on one of the large square protrusions, and determined that they were made of metal, something she had encountered several times before. She hopped around to the being's other shoulder, before resting her tiny fuzzy paw on a white piece of cloth that covered what she assumed was its head. The cloth was very fine, silky to the touch almost, and it shone brightly in the light of the sun, the stark white seeming very alien in the otherwise colorful forest.
She hesitated for a moment, looking back to the other bunnies watching her nervously, before she gripped the cloth, and heaved backwards, nearly falling into the stream, which elicited a collective gasp from the spectators. She managed to catch herself though, and in the process, she had removed the white piece of cloth from the creature's head. She stared quizzically at the coarse and untamed black hair which coated the figure's head, thinking it quite ugly compared to the fine cloth it wore.
Suddenly, she noticed bubbles slowly surfacing from beneath the figure's head, but decided not to back away, curious as to what the creature's face looked like. As the other bunnies and squirrels retreated to safety, she just sat there, eager at the chance to meet a creature she had never seen before.
The creature flailed violently, forcing its head above water, and clinging to the side of the river with odd, spindly appendages that sprouted from the strangely shaped end of its arm. Akeeta the rabbit likened them to the opposable claws that dragons used, yet these were different, as they were very blunt, fat almost compared to claws.
The large creature coughed hastily, trying to rid itself of water, at which point Akeeta determined it must breathe air like her. As the coughing died down, and the raucous noise stopped echoing through the forest, the creature turned its face towards Akeeta, who stared back with the same intensity that the strange animal did.
They remained locked like this for several moments, Akeeta observing the long spindly beard of the same black as its normal hair, and noticed that it had a very peculiar nose, which jutted out from between its eyes. It was far too narrow to be considered a snout, and only its nose was extended, as its mouth remained just below it on the relatively flat landscape of its face. The odd creature didn't appear to have any fur, only a pale peach hue to its exposed skin.
Akeeta tilted her head, getting a better look at its eyes, which were slightly narrower than her own. What puzzled her about its eyes, was not their slightly different shape, but the size of them. Her eyes were almost as big as its eyes, and yet she was tiny compared to the behemoth of a creature. It puzzled her so, but before she could find an answer, the creature spoke in a soft and soothing tone.
"Kon'nichiwa, sukoshi yūjin. Anata ga namae o motte imasu ka?" , it spoke in a confusing and alien tongue she had never heard before. The figure chuckled to himself for a moment, before hoisting himself up out of the water, a large stick held in one hand. Akeeta hadn't noticed that he was holding anything before, and scampered over to get a better look at the large pole. She took note that it ended in a slight curve, and that the curvy part of the wooden stick seemed to be covered, concealed by a wooden sheath.
"Watashinonamaeha Benkeidesu... ", the large animal said, trailing off as he lay down in a patch of sunlight, letting the golden rays lick at his drenched clothing and armor.
Akeeta still did not understand the creature, deciding it best to come up with a name of her own to know him by. She hopped on top of his chest, which felt cold and hard under her furry paws, determining that it to was made of metal. She stared into the creature's eyes for a few moments longer, before it finished its sentence.
" ... Watashi wa shinda, to ima demo watashi wa ikite iru." , he said, closing his eyes and let the sun dry him off.
Akeeta simply sat there, letting her imagination take her places as to where this strange creature could have come from. She had never seen anything even remotely like it, but she had learned of an animal called a monkey, which loosely matched the description of the animal she rested upon. Yet it did not have fur, nor a tail, and its feet were encased within the same cloth as the creature's other clothes. After a few moments longer of daydreaming and staring blankly into the animal's eyes, she curled up into a little ball, letting the sunlight's warmth wrap a blanket around her. She smiled slightly as the animal petted her fuzzy back gently for a few moments, before the two drifted off together.
But the creature did not fully go to sleep, only rest drowsily, letting the sunlight's embracing rays lick at his skin and evaporate the cold water that his body had felt the touch of for so long. He tried to imagine what river he had turned up in, not recalling ever coming across a forest such as this one. What confused him even more was the bunny that now lay sleeping on his chest. He was certain it was a bunny, but at the same time, he had never seen one with such enormous eyes, and stubby legs such as it had. He kept thinking about all the places he had been in his life, and not a single one matched the description of the forest he continued observing, marveling at the untamed, bursting beauty and vibrant colors of the magnificent forest that enveloped him on all sides.
He sighed inwardly, recognizing that he was completely lost. He kept thinking back to his death that was still vivid in his mind, unable to fully understand how he was here now, and in good health no less. He remembered how he had stood there on the tiny wooden bridge, defeating warrior after warrior, changing the color of the river below him into a vivid red, crystal waters mixing with the blood of his fallen adversaries. He remembers how they had fired volley upon volley of arrows at him, as he remained at his post.
But most of all, he recalled the arrow that killed him. He remembered watching the brilliantly crafted arrow soar through the air, alone in its flight, shot by a true yumi master. He realized he could not avoid it, knowing his death was upon him. With a final burst of strength, his arrow wounds burning with agonizing pain, Benkei managed to remain standing as the arrow struck him square in the heart, ending his life instantly. Unable to recall any event after the arrow struck him, Benkei resolved to lie there in solemn meditation over his new path in life, upon remembering that his closest friend, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, had committed seppuku that same day.
Closing his eyes as the rustling of the tree branches lulled him to sleep, Benkei thought of nothing as he let sleep take him, the stillness in his heart bringing him a reassuring peace. Everything was in shambles and made absolutely no sense, but Benkei was fine with that. As much as he wished things could go back to the way they were during the Genpei wars, the good old days in his opinion, they simply could not. Benkei pushed the last of his thoughts from his mind as lethargy overtook him, and he allowed himself to retire to a dreamless sleep.
Benkei awoke peacefully, yawning as he peered down at the little bunny, still fast asleep on his chest. He ever so gently scooped her up in one hand, and place her on the ground beside him as he sat up, stretching his arms, and taking in his surroundings. He realized he had slept for several hours, and the forest was beginning to grow gloomy in the waning hours of daylight. He hastily got to his feet, his clothes now fully dry, as he grabbed his naginata from off the ground, slinging it across his back, suspended by a thick, gold laced rope. He checked to make sure his set of blades was fastened beside him, as it always was, and was relieved to find that they were still both there, sheathed within ornate scabbards.
He flipped his white hood over his head, and readjusted his shawl so that it hung down upon his chest in a puffy and flowing manner, while the rest of it rested behind him, fluttering slightly as the wind picked at it. While the world grew dark, Benkei could see well enough to notice that there was a rough path to his right, the soil compacted by the footsteps of those who had gone before him into a messy and unkempt dirt road. Figuring it was the best place to start, he knelt down beside Akeeta, petting her softly one last time, making her shift slightly, before making his way through a mess of foliage and tree branches, eventually reaching the path.
But just as he was about to begin walking down the road, he felt a tug at his legs. Benkei craned his head downwards to discover the same bunny that had slept upon him, staring into his eyes pleadingly with her own puppy dog expression plastered across her innocent face. Benkei smiled warmly, before he stooped down, opening his hand as the bunny crawled into his palm excitedly. Benkei was glad to have some company in such a confusing time. It allowed him to still see the good in the world, the beauty, and to remain positive, despite the past events.
His stress marked face relaxed for a moment, his brown eyes thanking the bunny for her companionship. His steely gaze returned as he stood up, and began walking down the rough dirt road, holding the bunny in his hand, close to his chest. Benkei walked at a moderate pace, his sandals crunching on the fallen branches and leaves along the path, his armored tabi making a dull clanking sound, the interlocked plates of metal brushing up against one another as he walked.
Akeeta looked up at Benkei's chin, covered in a black beard, the hair just as coarse as that on his head. She puzzled over why he had hair in some places, yet the rest of his face remained unprotected. She continued to ponder this, looking down at the soft maroon cloth that covered his hand in a glove, and peering over the edge of his hand, observing his metal shin guards, the same black as the swuare protrusions that jutted out from his shoulders. She whirled around, finding herself staring at a wall of black, the same color as the other metal parts he wore. She scooted closer to his chest, shifting so that she could crane her head to look at the fine structure of the metal.
It was marvelous! The entire piece of metal affixed to his chest was actually smaller, interlocking pieces of metal, masterfully made and assembled. She turned to look up at his shoulders, the strange protrusions sharing the same trait, being entirely made of interlocking plates of metal. She wondered how it was even possible, never witnessing something so complex and intricate, or perhaps, never even realizing the complexity of things. It astonished her little bunny mind, and in her excitement, she began hopping up and down, Benkei smiling slightly as he watched the rabbit bounce up and down out of the corner of his eye.
Akeeta wondered about many things as she calmed down, resting calmly in Benkei's palm. She imagined herself fiddling with the tiny metal pieces, stitching them together, just as she had seen ponies do with fabric in her frequent forays into Ponyville. She wondered if it was possible for her to ever possess such a masterful and elegant item. She continued to ponder these thoughts, excited by the things she might learn and discover from her new friend, who she had resolved to call FuzzyFace, unable to think of a more appropriate name. She giggled inwardly, repeating the admittedly funny name over and over again in her mind.
Benkei continued walking down the path, admiring the tall and stout trees that lined the road, their strong trunks reaching high into the sky, their dew laden leaves glinting against the dying light of the sun. He heard a rustling behind him, and he stopped, cupping his other hand over Akeeta, before slowly looking over his shoulder.
Akeeta pawed at FuzzyFace's hands, trying to open them, but to no avail. She could only pound against the walls of her prison, as the soft, silky cloth grew harder and harder by the second. She stepped back, watching FuzzyFace's hands lose their color, turning grey and hard, cracks running through it, almost as if it were becoming stone. She was utterly puzzled, and more than a little concerned as she sat in the cold, unmoving hands that had shielded her from a far worse fate.
She sat there for several minutes, occasionally pawing at the confines of her space, before noticing a low rumbling emanating from deep within her friend. It started as a rumble, but within a few seconds, it had grown to become roar, deafening almost as she covered her ears and observed a miraculous change.
The hands that had only minutes before been stone, shattered, the stone crumbling around her as she could feel FuzzyFace begin moving once more. Akeeta hopped happily as she could feel him walking, but there was something different about the way he was moving. It wasn't the gentle sway of their stroll when they had started, no, it felt more like a run now.
Suddenly FuzzyFace's hands unclasped, letting the last few rays of sunlight for the day reach her, as she wrapped her stubby arms around one of his fingers struggling to hold on. FuzzyFace leaped through the air, as Akeeta could feel the two suspended in the air for a moment, noticing a sharp jerking motion resonating throughout her friend, before they touched back down hard. She nearly fell out of his hand, just barely holding on and hoisting herself back up from the edge of his palm.
A little annoyed by the bumpy ride, she looked up at FuzzyFace, giving him an evil glare, before noticing what he was holding in his other hand. Clutched in his hand was a long, curved piece of shiny metal, dripping with a red liquid she could only assume was blood. She recoiled a bit at the sight, her evil stare fading, as she looked back up to his face, and then followed his gaze to the corpse of the animal below.
It had been beheaded, the long scaly neck of the creature seperated from the chicken shaped body covered in green scales. She saw blood pooling around the open wound, the blood soaking into the white feathers of the chicken head that tapered down into the scaly neck. She felt like vomiting for a moment, and was instantly wary of FuzzyFace. She pried her eyes away from the grizzly scene looking back up at FuzzyFace, who had turned his head away from the little bunny.
She ran along his arm, grasping at the fabric of his shawl and scrambling up onto his shoulder, tapping it with one of her feet. FuzzyFace let his head swivel to meet Akeeta, who looked into his eyes demanding an answer. FuzzyFace held up his free hand, filled with the remnants of crumbled stone, and then looked back the animal he had slain. Akeeta instantly understood.
FuzzyFace muttered something to himself, so softly that even Akeeta couldn't hear it, as her friend sighed deeply. FuzzyFace allowed Akeeta to remain on his shoulder as he resumed walking down the path, leaving the gruesome scene behind them. Akeeta grasped the fabric of the hood FuzzyFace wore, allowing her to stabilize herself as he walked.
They continued on into the night, FuzzyFace unphased by the encroaching darkness that encircled them. Akeeta wasn't scared of many things, but the dark was one of them. She swung herself over into FuzzyFace's hood, resting just beside his cheek. After a few minutes of walking, Akeeta determined that FuzzyFace didn't mind, and stayed put there for the remainder of the ride, snuggled up beside the face of her new, if violent friend. She forced herself to sleep, letting the pattern and sway of his stop lull her to sleep.
Benkei smiled slightly as he could hear the light snoring of the grey bunny beside him, keeping up a steady pace for the next few minutes before the path curved to the left sharply, and continued down besides the flowing river he had woken up in. He stopped for a moment beside the river, knelt down, and dipped his blood soaked blade into the river, scratching the tough, coagulated blood off, before sheathing it once more, and moving on. The moonlight illuminated the path before him, giving it an eery glow in the dead of night. He proceeded hesitantly, strange sounds echoing throughout the pitch black forest, and the howl of what he assumed was a wolf ringing clearly every few minutes.
But he pushed on, his mind still racing as to what had happened back there. He had felt himself getting cold, so very cold, and then, right as he could feel his mind slipping, he cleared it of all thoughts, meditating before the chill overtook him, and he was still. He felt like he was asleep, but he could feel his eyes wide open, yet unable to see anything. He focused on the stillness that meditation brought him, and could feel himself becoming warmer by the second, before he finally , exploded in a sense, breaking free from the stone that had imprisoned him. It all happened so fast, the fluid motion of his katana being drawn, the mad sprint towards the turned back of the creature, and the swift decapitation of the amalgamation. Still, even after he was able to get a good look at it, he wasn't exactly sure what it was, with batlike wings tipped with talons, scales covering its body, a large slinking tale, and the head and body shape of a chicken. He was utterly at a loss. Even in his teachings of the many demons of the world, he had never learned of such a creature.
The true identity of the creature continued to elude him well into the first hours of dawn, as Benkei finally reached the end of the path, which stopped at the edge of the massive forest. His little bunny friend was still asleep next to his face, the sunlight beginning to stir her.
Benkei thought of many things in his long journey out of the forest; Where was he? Where would he go now? Was there even a place for him to seek out? Surely he could never return to his monastery, and even if he were to return, what would they think of a man that died and yet still breathes. A demon, that's what they would call him. They would surely kill or exile him, and Benkei wasn't so sure he'd be as lucky at cheating death the second time around.
Still, he had to go somewhere, and as he stepped out of the treeline, he spied a building, covered in green foliage and bursting with color, its design alien to him. The river he had found himself in earlier flowed beneath the small wooden bridge that connected the cottage to the other side of the river. He noticed the various pens and birdhouses scattered around the outskirts of the house, the cheeping of birds soothing his restless mind.
Benkei smiled to himself, looking at the warm and inviting cottage. He walked slowly towards the bridge, revealing himself for the world to see. As he passed past the birdhouses that teemed with birds making beuatiful songs, the avians instantly fell silent, reduced to a stare, their large, prying eyes following him as he approached the house. Benkei crossed the small wooden bridge, the serene and peaceful current of the stream the only audible sound by the time he reached the front door of the cottage. He thought the door to be tad small, and it was rather odd in that it was split into two unequal halves horizontally, due to the top of the door having rounded edges.
With a deep inhale, Benkei looked around at his surroundings, noticing that the birds were still staring at him expectantly. He exhaled, turning to face the staring birds, meeting their expectant stares with his own, steely gaze. Yet, something inside Benkei told him it was all very, very wrong. For starters, he died. As far as he knew, that was pretty much the end for people, at least in the sense that they would no longer be truly themselves anymore. But here he was, breathing, healthy as ever, and completely aware that he had been killed. Furthermore, ever since his arrival, every last aspect of the land he was in seemed so very strange. The animals all had big eyes and heads, stubby legs and bodies, and they seemed to bristle with an intelligence and cognizance he had never seen such humble creatures possess. It boggled his mind as he stood there, frozen by the dozens of oddly aware birds looking at him, expecting something of him.
Benkei began to think back to that strange, serpent chicken he had killed earlier. He still couldn't place it, frustrated by his ignorance. In all his years of learning, he was completely at a loss for all of the questions he harbored. He began to think better of his plan to just barge in on the locals, suspecting that they would call him a demon for being among the living, despite having been very dead not so long ago. He sighed, exasperated by his situation, and began walking slowly away from the cottage, the birds' eyes following him as he came to the wooden bridge above the soothing waters of the river.
Everything was so different here, the animals, the buildings, the tress and the plants. Even the sun, sky, air and water felt and looked different here. Benkei knelt down on the bridge, staring at his reflection in the calm waters, as the rising sun began to illuminate the vibrant and beautiful landscape, the grass glistening with morning dew.
He couldn't just run away, someone would find him eventually, and even if they never found him, Benkei wasn't going to live his whole life in hiding, just because he didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle yet. He kept thinking back to the moment on the bridge, the arrow flying gracefully through the air, its feathers catching the suns rays as he closed his eyes and accepted death, letting his meditation allow his mind to drift away, even as his body died.
But that was what troubled him the most. He had felt that same feeling, that feeling of coldness, that feeling of death, the overwhelming desire to rest, and be still when he had faced that thing back in the forest. He could recall every moment of it being almost exactly the same as when he was shot through the heart. Suddenly, Benkei came to the realization that he had experienced that feeling because he had nearly died, again. So he reacted naturally, just as he did when he first faced death, he let his meditation sweep over his thoughts, allowing his mind to drift away, leaving his dying body behind.
Benkei was a spiritual man, but he never truly believed it possible for meditation to not only shatter stone, but defy death itself. He looked at his hands for a moment, unsure of what he was anymore. He certainly wasn't just a man, so far as he could tell, but he couldn't comprehend how he had accomplished all of these magical and miraculous feats. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his thoughts process all of what had happened. After a few moments of silent introspection, Benkei opened his eyes, noticing that the birds were still staring.
He gingerly removed the small bunny from his hood, placing her on the soft grass closest to the cottage, as he resolved to go through with his plan and meet the locals, despite his doubts. He walked slowly back towards the front door of the strangely built and even more strangely decorated structure. As he raised his hand to knock on the door, his mind was overcome by all of the inquiries he still had.
Why are all the birds staring at me? Why does everything look and feel so different? How could I have possibly shattered stone with my mind? How am I even alive? Where am I? What am I going to do now? What in the name of the Shogun was that chicken serpent?
He pushed aside the many questions he still harbored, his ignorance starting to frustrate him. But Benkei calmed himself, putting on the best, most social face an ogre like man like him could. He smiled and let himself regain his composure, before finally letting his hand fall upon the wood of the door, his knocking loud, but not aggressive.
He lowered his hand, ready to greet the locals and put aside his apprehensions.
"Oh my, just ... Just a minute! Its awful early don't you thi-" a soft and soothing female voice began in a foreign tongue as the hinges to the door creaked open, revealing the small butterscotch equine, mouth still open in mid sentence, as she stood there, paralyzed.
Benkei could only look an in astonishment, both of them frozen by the others strange appearance. The staring contest ceased moments later, when the small equine stepped back woozily, her large cyan eyes beginning to close, as she fainted from shock.
Benkei rubbed his eyes for a moment, and looked behind him at the birds that still glared at him, and then back to the passed out pony that lay before him. He sighed, resigning himself from logic as he stepped through the door, crouching to avoid hitting his head. He sat down on the floor next to the vibrantly colored equine, and waited for her to recover.
He had almost certainly never heard an animal make a noise like that. It almost sounded as if it were trying to speak, but in some strange language he couldn't fully understand. He assumed it was more than just a simple beast of burden, as all of the animals in this strange land were more intelligent than they seemed. Benkei observed the living room around him, lavishly furnished by his ascetic standards.
How were animals even capable of this level of complexity, with a house and furniture, gardens, and bridges? , he thought to himself, more confused and shocked than ever. He shook his head in disbelief, still clinging to the notion that there had to be a reasonable explanation for all of it.
He sat there for a moment, still unsure of what to do, before spying simple yet eye catching porcelain tea set in the next room over. He stood up, looking down at the pony, the sunlight from the open door catching her light pink mane, giving it an iridescent glow that he thought looked rather pretty. He had always regarded horses as beautiful and majestic creatures, but this one was most certainly different in a way he could not fully comprehend yet, aside from the obvious.
Benkei knelt down, gingerly picking up the pony and placing her on the nearby amply padded sofa. Just as he did so, his little grey bunny friend scampered into the room, hopping up onto the couch besides the equine, poking it curiously. Benkei frowned at the bunny, which caused her to cease, and simply sit beside the colorful pony, eyeing her up and down. Benkei looked back at the porcelain set, before returning his gaze to the small bunny, who gave him a reassuring nod. He still wasn't at all sure of what was going on, or how these animals were so smart, but he decided that he could reflect on these things after a nice cup of hot tea.
He turned and shook his head in good natured disbelief, before silently walking into the small kitchen, and beginning the process of making a proper kettle of tea for the both of them.
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I like it!
I like what's been written so far. I'd like to see more to see how what is promised in the summary develops.
I like the story so far. Keep going! Also, would it be too much to ask to have Twilight cast a translation enchantment or something? It's just a little annoying not being able to understand him when he speaks... It's Just a suggestion, though.
Great story dude gonna watch fer sure
Good stuff. Having a language that they don't understand is fine, but ya just make sure you bounce back to his perspective at times so we know what's going on.
I like it. Some of the phrasings are a little awkward, but that's generally the sort of thing that gets better with time, as you get more and more into the world you''re building. A good start, certainly - I look forward to seeing where this goes next.
Seeing how Gilgamesh is somewhat based on Benkei, and I'm making a Gilgamesh fic, I knew I had to follow this. I can't wait to see where this goes.
I lost Count on how many times i Went "daaaaaw" with all the sweet moments between Benkei and his Little Bunny friend.
Great fic so far, i shall keep my Eyes on it.
i'm loving it!~
5599367 Glad to hear you're enjoying it! Did you notice any parts in particular that really stuck out and were very good? Likewise, were there any parts you feel I could improve upon?
Am I the only one that thinks 'Fuzzy-Face' is an adorable nickname for one of the most badass people in history?
5693734 Yes.
Well look at that, a language barrier that doesn't stem from the ponies speaking with horse noises.
There was an extinct Japanese wolf called the Hokkaido Wolf, they are once endemic in Honshu.