Chapter 11: Duran Makes a Move

Duran of Aragon

I jogged effortlessly beside my companion. He seemed to be pushing himself to the brink of his abilities, which I had to respect. As such, I matched his pace and put a little strain on my face and breathed a little heavier. While the old proverbs say, “ Pride cometh before the fall.” I was hoping that by protecting my companion’s pride a little I could protect the plan that I had hastily put together after hearing of my son’s timely but unexpected invite into the social world.

My companion was a middle aged man from the united Japan faction and one who cared deeply about culture and had a quiet voice physically but a loud voice when it came to political power. I had met him years ago when he had stumbled into my shop back when it was A.S.M and was curious about what the Aragonian clan could provide to the cultural renaissance that he was trying to rediscover in Japan. In the end, I ended up largely disappointing him, but he had liked my drive as an individual and bought track suits and running shoes. Occasionally throughout the years he would go on runs with me, when he had time or I went out of my way to invite him.

Usually he would tune into the VR set of the interwebs and go on simulated runs while on a treadmill from the comfort of his home taking in many views. It seems his preference was to run up the slopes of the fabled Mt. Fuji. He would strain hard and long up the slopes pushing his avatar to the point of breaking. While his body itself trained at the somewhat leisurely pace he had his treadmill set to. It seemed that he did this to try and put himself through the difficulties that climbers of the old age felt and to feel the glory of the most famous landscape and cultural landmark that was Fuji, that was taken from Japan through the wars.

I brought this point up interrupting the quiet that had fallen between us.“ I understand and appreciate your love for lost culture, and love what your efforts have brought forth and revived in our current culture. But I must ask, isn't it great just to run the streets, and see and interact with the culture that is here, right now and see the fruits of your labor?” He struggled through wheezes inevitably slowing his pace to answer, I matched him once more, as he said. “ While I admit, seeing the cafes, and street vendors in parts of town and people interacting around these fixtures does my heart good, I don’t have enough push to really bring it back to being the cultural phenomena it once was. People prefer to take supplement meals to sustain themselves physically, and have these interactions in the interwebs instead. Where they can to the best of their budget and abilities be wherever they want to be, who they want to be, and interact with whomever they please. Even if they have to create a persona that is not based around their actual characteristics and original feelings. If they are able to create interactions that satisfy their needs and is the culture they want to surround themselves with then who am I to stop them.” I nodded. I was somewhat amazed he could say something so articulately through his heavy breathing. We rounded a street corner and came upon a café with outdoor guest seating, and I prompted him to sit, and rest he gratefully obliged.

“ Would you say that by doing this people are in fact losing culture, and individuality and instead conform to whatever trend is most prominent among interweb culture at the time. Thus basing their needs and wants around what others want for them instead of thinking for themselves. Do you not think that this culture not only leads to the neglect of the older traditions that you fight to protect but also may cause them to be laid to the wayside and looked down upon? Not only the performance of cultural actions but also those who participate in them. In addition, do you not see the fingerprints of the Sodomites control over many of these trends? ” For a second, it seemed he stared into my soul. “ I will ignore your political comment at the end as I am not interested in that sort of power struggle. But that being said, it seems this is an issue that hits home with you as well. I sometimes forget that you are of a clan that once held great cultural significance but now stand for nothing, but a representation of our country's more recent divided past, and things that are lost.” I looked him in the eyes, “ While not for the same reason I sympathize with those that live their lives, flowing with whatever trend, is active and acceptable at the time. While shedding the values they once had for principles and propositions that fade and ebb almost daily on the interwebs. It can be a harsh thing to embrace a persona and spend time and money building it only for it to become irrelevant before you know it. In a way, this is what happened to my clan's values, soon the main theme behind them was lost, and what was left was a shell of a business venture, and a byproduct of our past values that seems to be the pursuit of health. As such, I do what I can to pursue my mental and physical health, and be the best version of me that I can be.” 

He sighed, “ You really can be a pain to talk to. That is all fine and dandy to say but it doesn't do me any good. At least with the Ball tomorrow we can get a large number of people to appreciate and recognize the traditions of the past. Now if you will excuse me I appreciate the run and physical and mental stimulation but I must be going to prepare.” Duran felt a smile creep onto his face, almost becoming a coy smirk. 

Duran replied, “ Well you see, I have stumbled upon some of the traditions that my clan once held and I believe that they can not only incite a physical tradition of an old Japanese, but also do something about our lack of culture as a nation, and individuals of the nation. It is an art form that focuses on self improvement, self reflection, and self discovery. I don’t have it down yet, but I have been practicing the movements of an old art form, known as Kyudo. I also believe it may just be the key to bringing back the clan of Aragon from the brink of destruction.” 

He gave me an intrigued look, and said, “ You have piqued my interest, my friend, in your talk of traditional art and self improvement. I will bring it to the cultural council and see if we can give you a hearing and support you at all. But I fear it is too late for you to claim to have the rights to a clan. The days of the clan of Aragon have come and gone, and not even you seem to remember them.”