Opening Notes: Eheheheheh... (hides)
Chapter 4
Fou-lu shifted his weight nervously. What an… odd little village. It was so… busy. He blinked owlishly as a woman and child passed by him, chatting amiably with a traveling merchant.
"Despite everything, young one, I want thee to remember but one thing."
"What's that, master?" He blinked slowly at the elder.
"Everything I've told thee is true. Man ist a horrible creature, consumed by greed, lust, anger, and any other variety of horrible things that thou cans't think of. However, man is not all bad."
"But master!"
The elder held up his hand, effectively silencing the youth.
"The problem, young one, is that those foul and treacherous ones art the ones that would do anything to gain power, and thus are the ones that gain it. Those that are kind and giving become… rotated to the bottom. Dost thou understand?"
The youth nodded slowly, his brows furrowed. "I think I do, Master."
"Good. I want thee to remember that." He said, patting the youths head slightly, "For it is those who hath been placed to the bottom that are the ones that shall aid thee."
Fou-lu walked down the path towards the village, his eyes wide, taking in all around him. 'Is this one of those, Master?'
After his encounter with Wu-Zhao – his mouth twisted at the memory, for even now, the woman left a bad taste in his mouth – he'd begun to think that perhaps humans weren't worth the effort. Truly, if all humans were as they, wouldn't they long for war? For violence?
However, seeing this village, this peace, Fou-lu felt a small smile spread across his face. These were the people worth saving.
His stomach rumbled in agreement.
Blinking, he frowned slightly. He had no coin – he was going to have to work for his food, but…
His stomach rumbled again.
Fou-lu sighed. Obviously he was overruled. Still, he did not savour the thought of having to…expose himself to these people. Just because he thought they were better than those he had already met did not mean that he was ready to do anything more than observe them.
Finding the local tavern, he paused, taking in the place. It seemed quaint enough, with a worn-out sign in front, broadcasting its wares, and a gentle murmur of people could be heard when the door was opened.
Seemed as good a place as any.
Bracing himself, Fou-Lu opened the door, pausing again as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
It was a warm, homely place, with a slightly overweight man standing at the bar, laughing at some unheard joke – something he seemed to do often, if the gentle lines around his eyes were anything to judge by. The customers laughed along side him, numerous mugs of alcohol clasped in their work-worn hands.
He made his way towards the bar, dodging tables and people as he went, before reaching the man behind the bar, who, in turn, turned to stare curiously at the strange youth who had made his way into the man's bar.
"And what can I do for ya', son?" He asked brightly.
Thrown off slightly by the unfamiliar accent, Fou-lu hesitated, before steeling himself and bowing slightly to the man – who raised an eyebrow in confusion at the gesture, but said nothing.
"Sir, if thou wouldst – I am in need of work, and if I couldst work for thee in exchange for food, t'would be greatly appreciated." He said eloquently.
The bartender blinked, taken aback by the boy's strange way of speaking. Glancing around, he saw that the customers that were in the bar at the time were also staring curiously at the boy, and slowly shifting their glances expectantly to the bartender.
The bartender coughed, and shifted uncomfortably, placing the mug he had been wiping onto the counter.
"Well, I see no reason why not. We could use a bit of extra help, anyways." He said, offering a wide smile to the boy.
Fou-lu blinking in surprise – something he seemed to be doing more and more often lately – and relaxed slightly. He had been half-expecting the man to turn him down in the brutish way of humans, as he'd grown accustomed to. But perhaps he'd been wrong…?
"…Your name, son?" The bartender prompted, jolting the youth out of his thoughts.
"Ah. T'is Fou-lu, good sir." He said, recovering himself.
"Fou-lu, huh…" The bartender said, smacking his lips as though tasting the name, "S'not a bad name. Strange, but not bad." He picked up the mug from where he'd placed it on the counter, beginning to wipe it again. Fou-lu wondered idly if he'd eventually wear it through.
"You can start by doing the dishes, I guess. The real rush don't start 'til later tonight." He motioned to the door behind him, which Fou-lu assumed led to the kitchen.
"I thank thee." He said with another bow, before heading through the door himself.
The bartender stared at the door as it closed for a few moments, his hand still working the rag on the mug, before he gave a small huff.
"Weird kid."
Fou-Lu felt a small smile begin to spread across his face- something he seemed to be doing on nearly a daily basis, now. It had been a long time since he had felt such contentment.
It had been some two, three months since he began working at the tavern – longer than he'd expected, but not long enough to cause him worry.
His eyes slid slowly over the tavern as his hand worked subconsciously on the mug he carried in one hand with the rag in the other. It seemed quiet tonight, which was good – the bar-master had taken the night off, which was the main reason Fou-Lu was behind the bar this night.
His eyes paused, and finally came to rest on the waitress of the tavern, Yuan. She was a petite little thing, with hair the color of dark chocolate thrown back into a bun with a sturdy clip to hold it in place. She was pale as well, her dark hair and eyes only accenting the fact.
Feeling his eyes on her, she glanced up from her work, offering a smile to Fou-Lu.
Starting – perhaps surprised at being caught – Fou-Lu fought down a flush, and offered a small smile in return.
She turned back to the patron, saying something Fou-Lu couldn't hear, though he could just as easily tell it was some sort of 'enjoy your meal, good sir' comment. He turned back to his own work, placing the now-wiped-clean mug on a pile with the others. Picking up another, he –
"Fou!" He heard Yuan chirp.
Glancing up, he saw that Yuan had mad her way over to the bar, and was now directly in front of him, only the bar between them. Curious that he'd not noticed her approach. He blinked at her.
"What do you say we close up early tonight? Surely you can see it's not going to pick up." She gestured in the direction of the few patrons.
Fou-Lu 'hmm'ed a moment, pretending to put some thought into the idea, despite the fact that he'd already decided to close up early some time ago.
"Very well. Thou speak'est the truth, saying that. Another hour, no less." He glanced up through his eyelashes, watching as her smile widened and a girlish squeal escaped as she clapped her hands in delight.
"Thank you Fou!" She sang, leaning over the bar and pecking him on the cheek. She skipped back in the direction of the patrons, oblivious to Fou-Lu's discomfort at being unable to stop the flush that flooded his cheeks, something that was only made worse by the nearby patrons' snickering.
He very nearly attacked the mug in his hands.
"… Hey, Fou." Yuan prompted.
Fou-Lu looked up, making no response. She still persisted in calling him that – something he'd protested to in the beginning, however no longer.
"Why do you never call the Master 'Master'?" She asked. (1)
The two were returning to Yuan's home – Fou-Lu had, as always, insisted on walking the waitress home.
"There ist only one I shalt ever call 'Master'." He said simply.
"Oh, who's that?" She pressed.
"The man who raised me." He replied, avoiding her eyes somewhat.
"He must've been a great man…" Yuan breathed, "Where's he now?"
"Dead."
"Oh! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Fou-Lu turned back to the flustered girl, smiling gently at her discomfort. "Thou shoulds't not stutter so, t'is unbecoming."
She huffed angrily at him.
"T'was a long time ago, and nothing to do with thee. Thou shoulds't not worry overmuch. And, hark! We hads't reached thine home."
"Oh!" She exclaimed softly, "So we have." She turned back to Fou-Lu, "Thank you as always for walking me home, Fou-Lu." She bowed gracefully at the waist.
"The pleasure t'was all mine." He replied easily, "Then, 'til the morrow." Turning on his heel, he started back down the street.
"Good Night!" She called after him, shutting the door after she saw him wave in response.
The walk back home was always acutely quiet, after the walk with Yuan's incessant chatter – not that he minded it, quite the contrary.
"Fou-Lu?" Prompted a voice.
Fou-Lu sighed, slowing his pace. It was about time that his stalker showed himself – he'd been following him for some time – but surely he could have chosen a more convenient time?
He smiled wryly at his thought. What time was more convenient time than the middle of the night in the middle of a deserted street?
"What dost thou desire from this one?" He demanded, turning to face his companion in the dark.
"Fou-Lu." The stranger repeated, stepping out of the alleyway he had taken refuge in.
Fou-Lu blinked, slowly. It was one of the regulars from the tavern, though the man's name escaped him. Why was he following Fou-Lu?
"Fou-Lu." The man repeated once more, "We need your strength." His face was sombre.
Fou-Lu simply blinked in response.
"What dost thou desire mine strength for?" He asked after a moment.
"To take down the tyrant of this land!"
Fou-Lu frowned for a moment. It was well known that the man who was currently ruling this area was a well-despised man, who enforced his rule by any variety of kidnappings, public hangings, and any other despicable way he could find. However, it was also well-known that the man had a huge army at his disposal, and any who tried to take him down failed miserably and normally ended up having their entrails hanging on the walls of his palace.
"How dost thou intend to go about this?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"With the rest of the insurgence!" The man said, "We have a plan, Fou-Lu, and a good one! It'll work, but we could do with your help."
Fou-Lu pressed his lips together, thinking. Could this be the chance to finally begin his conquest…? If what the man said was true, this was indeed a golden opportunity. Something that may not come up again.
"What do you say, Fou-Lu? Will you join us?"
Hair the color of dark chocolate and a warm smile flashed through his mind for a moment.
"…no."
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End Chapter 4
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(1) I'm just going off anime here, but they always seem to call the bar-tender-owner person 'Master'.
Closing Notes: Sorry it took so long. At first it was writer's block, and then it was laziness.
Sorry about the language – I think it was particularly bad this chapter. I should read some Shakespeare, get back into practice…
But I kinda like this chapter. I think it helps show that Fou's but a mortal man… even if he's not. XD He's got a comfortable life, and doesn't quite want to give it up... I'll build it up more next chapter, but I wanted to end this here.
And as for the cameo-question last chapter, answering in reviews is fine. :3