Muryowa

 Agent Fulton would quickly and quietly herd Hikari through the building under the guise of a prisoner transport before they'd leave the chain link surrounded facility and take Agent Fulton’s black car to the airport. “So how's your father doing these days, did he ever become a doctor like he always said he was?” Agent Fulton inquired as he drove. “Ya he did, he's really respected for it too. He's teaching my younger brother Shinzo to be a doctor as well.” Hikari answered. “Excellent, I'm glad that worked out for him. As a favor to him and my student I'm going to guide you through the damn mess that is the airport and fly with you. Afraid I can't follow you too Muryowa though as nice as it'd be to see your father again after all these years.” Agent Fulton elaborated as he pulled into the airport parking lot. The two would make their way into the truly colossal in width more than size building and begin the awful tedious process of trying to board a plane. Hours of standing in line, Hikari having to stow his sword and new revolver in some specialty package for strangers to haul off before having a rude woman ruffle through his pack. Hours of waiting for a plane with no seats to sit on for some reason. Hours more than the expected to wait because of what Agent Fulton would call a delay. Waiting to be called out to board the plane, and then finally cramming into the thing and sitting down on the seat nearest the window with Agent Fulton being crammed between Hikari and the fattest man Hikari has ever seen. Yet when that plane rumbled to life and raced down the track only to lift up into the air, the magic of that moment melted away all of Hikari's annoyances, though Agent Fulton seemed less than impressed by the whole affair. Agent Fulton was a quiet man who never said much and just watched the film being played on the tiny screen sticking down from the ceiling. Hikari meanwhile was more than happy to watch out the window and see the lands he and Chad had taken months to travel across pass by. The impossible dense forests of Fyhelean passing underneath like so much as a green carpet beneath them.

The rolling hills and steppe lands of Vilnipolya came into view just as the sun was beginning to set which made Hikari sit back and reflect. He hadn't really thought too much about the return journey but one thing did occupy his mind was the idea of looking for Aiko on the return journey. With him a hundred miles up in the air now that was obviously out of the question which put two thoughts in his mind. The first being that once he's recultivated his energy he could return to Vilnipolya on his own and hunt her down then before trying to make everything up to her. The other idea, damn miserable as it was. Was that he just blew his chance, he lost Aiko that night and he'll just have to accept the fact that he's never going to see her again. That thought really put Hikari into a mental downwards spiral as the wonder of flying faded with the sun's light. About all the people he met on his journey he'll never see again in his life, no more Aiko, no more Chad, no more Yathanae, no more Bataar, not even the two traveling hobos. They all lived in a different world than Hikari and now it was time for them all to return to their respective worlds after their paths finished converging. How nice would it be to just have them all back in one place in Muryowa? Hikari would marry Aiko, maybe Chad could be set up with Yathanae, though of course in spite of it being anathema to rightful cultivation Hikari's mind did wander to bedding both Aiko and Yathanae at the same time. Hikari shook head, no he'd stick with Aiko and Chad would definitely stick with Yathanae. Bataar and his always mentioned but never seen Muryowa wife, and the two hobos as well. It was a lovely idea that could never actually exist, for Bataar had a love of the open road that farming couldn't quench, Yathanae was trying to help restore her comrades to sanity, Chad went back to his old life, and Aiko was gone. The whole affair put Hikari in something of a depressed slump for the rest of the twelve hour flight. The plane would land and everyone would get off and begin the long unloading process where Agent Fulton would guide Hikari through and collect his things, the sword and revolver being both packed into an inconspicuous box for Hikari to carry free of worry. Eventually Agent Fulton would wave him off and Hikari would find himself in the exact same city he started his continental adventure in.

Four months of foot and vehicle travel all done in less than one day because of the plane, that fact blew Hikari's mind and shook him from his depressed slump. Hikari this time was much more wisened in his travels and avoided the local Muryowa like the plague, instead opting to sleep out the night on a bench by the docks. That next day of all people he'd see again it would be the captain that shipped him and Chad from Muryowa to this city when they first left. Hikari quickly ran up the captain when he saw him and the captain actually recognized him as well. “Well I'll be damned if it isn't my old Muryowa friend? You done with your worldly adventure now?” The captain asked with a smile. “I am and I'd like to go home again if it's not too much trouble.” Hikari answered, also happy to see a somewhat familiar face. “No trouble at all my friend, we ship out in a few hours.” The captain would answer and Hikari would help the crew load empty containers into the modest vessel. The ship sent off once again and Hikari found himself bored and alone watching Daion slowly disappear from the horizon. He'd go below deck and like the first time he took passage on this ship he'd pull his sword out below deck and go through kendo forms. Though looking at the sword made Hikari think, how he had romantic thoughts of purifying the evil of this blade and bringing it home with a hihiirokane sheen instead of a steel one. After he had confronted who was the leader of men of Henrika and giving them a rightful lesson. Yet all that happened was that Hikari added his own sins to the blade and let it get marred in the process, the whole affair also brought Hikari down somewhat. Though what would cheer him up is when he attempted to cultivate his energy into the blade the thing would once again glow with the faint red and green energy as before, he was relieved he wouldn't have to completely restart his cultivation all over again. A day passed and Hikari was back in Suichokunōjō City with its hanging farms and now tiny seeming skyscrapers in comparison. Hikari would hit up the broadcast building again and give a tv interview detailing a self censored account of the journey. Afterwards everyone would eat a great and familiar feast like he and Chad did when they first left.

That next morning Hikari took his pack and was on the road again, getting cheers and congratulations from most everyone who had seen the TV broadcast last night. The whole affair made him think back to Old Man Kou and his life's story, that and how rotten Hikari thought of him at the time they met. Yet here was Hikari returning from his own travels having not been able to cultivate for months and also having wanted to bring a foreigner back with him to marry. The difference being that Hikari fumbled his girl’s rescue and he lost her forever. It was a real introspective thing that made Hikari ponder as he walked. Though as he left the city Hikari realized that this was the first time he was truly traveling alone, his father wasn't there to guide him like as a child, Shinzo wasn't there to be a familiar face and support like their journey to Kibatani Village, Chad wasn't there to be his guide in alien lands, and Bataar wasn't there to tell stories of adventure and ferry them across the sea of grass. With his new status as a hero Hikari was never asked to help with field work as he passed and asked locals for room and board for the night. Fast as the walk was by comparison it still took days and Hikari found himself bored and alone for the first time in months. So he found himself whistling a tune he heard either from the hobos or Chad's radio. In truth he had come to like music on his travels and still couldn't find any non hard-liner reason why it shouldn't be accepted in Muryowa. Days passed and his travel went without incident or interest to where Hikari quickly found himself on the outskirts of his village. It all looked so small now, like a pebble next to the boulder that was the world he just experienced. Yet that pebble was his entire world for so long, a pit in his stomach made him wonder if he could ever actually accept that fact ever again.

Hikari walked through the familiar dirt paths of the village as his neighbors all waved him on or cheered at his return. There was a cold nip in the breeze, fall was here and the largest harvest along with it of which the village was getting ready for. Hikari slowly trodden his way through watching the rainbows of multi-colored rice fish swarm around the fields as he passed. Familiarity made him happy, fear of the future made him dread as he approached his home for the first time in months. Though he didn't even make it inside before his mother saw him and ran over to hug him with glee. Hikari smiled and hugged back to where his father would soon follow and hug him as well. Even his younger sister would come out with a begrudging smile, not wanting to admit he was happy to see him. “You made it back a lot quicker than I did, we all saw your interview on the TV.” Hikari's Father elated at his son's return home. “Ya Chad and Agent Fulton flew me back on a plane. Oh and Agent Fulton told me to tell you that he's glad you're a doctor like you wanted to be and that everything turned out alright.” Hikari responded as he held the hug. “Ha~ that old son of a bitch still cares after all these years? Good to know.” Hikari's Father laughed in response. “Come inside, sit down, your feet must be aching fiercely from all that walking. It's good to see you home again my son.” Hikari's mother demanded as she practically dragged Hikari inside with both his father and sister agreeing in tandem.

Hikari would be sat down at the table with his mother hauling his bag to his room before his father would hand a paper letter to him. “Shinzo isn't quite done in the mountains yet, but he wrote us a letter that got here a few weeks ago. I saved it for you to read.” Hikari's Father explained before he'd walk to the kitchen to help his mother make tea. Hikari would open the letter and read it. It talks a lot about how the Hunting Tribes live differently than they do, a fact which made Hikari chuckle in comparison with the lifestyles he had seen on his travels. How he managed to broker a peace deal between the hunting tribes and the local ogres, but he's still struggling to broker a deal between the hunting tribes and the surrounding villages or teach them any rightful cultivation. The final part of the letter would detail how well he's getting along with a hunting tribe girl and while he's only picked out the meaning of a few hunting tribe words they often share nice moments of silence and quite understanding with each other. The letter ends by saying he'll at the latest be back by winter and have to go back to the mountains in late spring after the planting is done and how he hopes Hikari will be back by the time he comes home. Hikari would hold the letter and smile as his family prepared his homecoming celebration behind him. “I'll have to go visit him some time.” Hikari proclaimed to himself with conviction, already planning another adventure in his mind.

~End