Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Worlds ❯ Walking with Animals ( Chapter 1 )

Broken Worlds 1

Walking With Animals

A year after their home was destroyed, Jenrya and Shuichon had to survive in the wilderness. Shuichon was healed from her burns, but was left with a few scars and a deathly fear of fire. At night when Jenyra made a fire, she stayed away from it even though he made it to keep them from catching cold. But he was an understanding brother and he took off his coat and put it on her when she fell asleep and he stayed by the fire. Every night, that's how it was.

Shuichon always loved animals. While Jenrya was still sleeping, she got up to play. She took off the coat he put on her and put it on him, kissed his forehead and ran off. Even though the world was dying, Shuichon tried to stay in good spirits. Not only did she love animals, the animals loved her too. The young girl possessed a unique ability to communicate with them. She saw a cute chocolate colored bunny and knelt down in front of it. It looked up and twitched her nose. Shuichon twitched her nose in return. It hopped away and she paid special attention to the way it hopped. Its feet were long and flat. Shuichon looked at her feet and tried hopping like the rabbit, however, it was awkward for a human to jump like a rabbit and she tripped.

"Oh," she fumed, "I wish I could jump like a rabbit someday." She got up and picked a few flowers. Walking on a tree branch while she smelled some blossoms was a praying mantis. She cocked her head, amazed by the way it could walk with such spindly legs and heavy upper body. Not to mention it was carrying a piece of wood.

"I don't believe it," she said, "what an interesting creature." She laid out her palm and the insect crawled onto it. "I've got to show Jenrya."

Jenrya was still asleep when she returned.

"Jenrya?"

He moaned but did not awaken. She placed the praying mantis on his chest and he finally woke up. His face contorted in surprise.

"Eh--wha--"

"It's a praying mantis," Shuichon said before he panicked more.

"I know what it is," Jenrya grunted, "why is it on me?"

"I was talking to it. I told him I had a brother and it asked to meet you. Interesting bug, isn't he? I've never seen one before."

"It talked to you?" Jenrya asked, taking the bug off his chest.

"Yes. You know that, Jenrya. The animals talk to me."

Jenrya always thought his sister was playing when she said the animals talked to her. He sighed, "Shuichon, animals don't speak."

"To me they do," Shuichon insisted. "Every look, every move, has a meaning. I know when the animal is sad or tired or hungry. You can learn too, Jenrya."

"Shuichon…." He groaned.

A few birds flew overhead in frenzy as other animals ran passed them.

"Something's wrong," Shuichon whispered and she picked up a squirrel. She didn't say a word, but her eyes did all the talking. "Jenrya, something's coming! Something bad!"

"The squirrel told you that?"

"Yes."

A giant gray jackrabbit hopped onto the clearing. It had incredible long sharp teeth and long floppy ears. It opened it's mouth and made a loud, angry cry. It wasn't cute like the chocolate bunny Shuichon just saw. This one was scary. Shuichon grimaced and held her ears. To her surprise, and Jenrya's, the large animal started to speak.

"I've come to destroy everything!" it yelled, "and I'll start with you!"

"I told you animals could talk!" Shuichon cried.

"I heard it," Jenrya mumbled, "but I don't believe it."

"What do we do?"

"We have to stop it," Jenrya said, "stay here!" The boy charged the giant jackrabbit, remembering what his sensei had taught him. The jackrabbit tried stepping on him, but he jumped out of the way and hit it's front leg.

"Jenrya, it's too big!" she exclaimed, "you'll never stop it!"

The jackrabbit hit Jenrya with an enormous ear and he fell down. Shuichon closed her eyes. She started wishing that her animal friends could help her.

"Please help me," she whispered. "If you can hear me, help me please!"

From around, they heard her mental cry for help and they came to her aid. Bears, birds, foxes and other animals came to attack the giant talking jackrabbit. Shuichon gasped, unable to believe it actually worked.

"They came," Shuichon gasped, "they came." Shuichon ran to her brother and started to rouse him. "Jenrya, they came! The animals came to save us, I asked for their help and they heard me!"

Jenrya blinked, "You really can understand them and talk to them?"

"Yes," she said, "It's not a game anymore, Jenrya. You must believe me. I can talk to animals and they can talk back to me. I really do understand!"

Jenrya sat up, "That giant jackrabbit, where did it come from?"

"I don't know."

"The others will come," The jackrabbit warned as the other animals came close to finishing him off, "there will be more!"

"More what?" Jenrya demanded. "What others?"

The jackrabbit laughed, but was then defeated as a pair of leopards broke its neck.

"Others," Jenrya whispered, "others…"

"What do we do now?" Shuichon asked.

"I'll have to teach you have to fight, Shuichon," Jenrya replied, "everything Sensei has taught me."

"But the animals saved us," Shuichon said, "They can do it again."

"That's right, but you can't always rely on them." Jenrya explained, "We have to be ready for more creatures like the jackrabbit. You've got a gift, Shuichon. You can understand animals and that can help you learn how to fight like one."

"Fight like an animal?" she asked.

He nodded, "Sensei told me that many fighters study animals, the way they fight. They observe animals like the praying mantis, the eagle and the crane. But you can do more than just observe, they know who you are. They can teach you."

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Shuichon mumbled.

"I know you don't, Shuichon. But there will come a time that you'll have to fight like an animal. When your animal friends are unreachable, and something has happened to me, it'll be up to you to defend yourself."

"I think I understand," Shuichon sighed, "Well, let's get ready."

Jenrya started teaching Shuichon with conditioning and building up her strength. He put rocks in bags and tied them to a long stick. She had to walk behind him for miles while holding the stick on her shoulders. It was hard work, but she didn't want to upset her brother. Every now and then she complained about being tired and needed a rest and because she was young, her brother would stop and give her something to drink before walking again.

After the long walk, he had her lean against a tree with her back straight, as if she was sitting on an invisible chair. Within a few seconds, her legs began cramping and she couldn't take it being in that position. She slowly tried inching up a bit to stretch her legs. But her action didn't go unnoticed and before she pushed up even two inches, Jenrya slammed the knife of his hand into the tree trunk right above her head and glared at his sister. Shuichon grinned and inched back down. Jenrya had her sit there extra time so that she would learn not to try it again.

Around mid afternoon, they stopped conditioning for a light lunch and a little rest.

"How am I doing, Jenrya," Shuichon asked after eating. She was lying down on her back with a chipmunk on her tummy.

"I'm quite surprised. It's a start but we have to practice like this every day." Jenrya told her, "I also have to practice. Sensei is no longer here to teach me so we'll have to teach each other now."

Shuichon sat up and nodded. "I know. I miss Mother and Father; Renchei and Jaarin." The chipmunk was between her feet.

"I do too."

Shuichon sighed and looked up, "I think Jaarin's still alive, don't you?"

He shrugged, "maybe."

"I hope we find her." Shuichon muttered, "I hate the men who did this. I hate them."

Jenrya flinched. He never heard his sister talk like that before.

"I'll never forgive them for what they've done," Shuichon said. "Let's practice now. What else can we do?"

"Follow me," Jenrya said, "I know a place that has a lot of rocks. I go there many times to meditate and practice my fighting skills."

"I don't have to carry them, do I?" Shuichon asked as she followed him. She looked at her hands, "I'm tired of rocks!"

"No, I just like to use them for my techniques," he responded. They came to the spot near the waterfall. There were many rocks, some large enough for them to jump on and off on, some they could climb and some were the perfect size to set things on. Not only that, it was a very gorgeous place, regardless of the dying Earth.

Shuichon looked around astounded, "Jenrya, this place is beautiful! I can see why you like to come here."

She turned to Jenrya, who was standing within a circle of stones. One each stone was a lit candle. Jenrya's eyes were closed and he had his palms together, concentrating. Shuichon walked to the stones and watched him kick each one of the flames out with his eyes closed without getting burned.

"How did you do that?" she questioned.

Jenrya opened his eyes, "with practice and concentration." He lit the candles again. "Now you try."

Shuichon shook her head and stepped back. "No, I can't."

"It can be done. You've just seen me do it."

"But I can't Jenrya. You know I'm afraid of fire."

"They're just candles, Shuichon," he told her. "And they won't fall down and start a wild fire. I'll be here incase something happens. Don't worry. You'll have to face your fear of fire sometime and you can start with candles. I'm not expecting you to jump through a campfire."

"Jenra," she muttered.

"I'm sorry." He stepped out of the circle and took her hand. "Don't worry, I won't let you get burned."

Shuichon looked at him doubtfully, "you promise?"

"Yes, I'll warn you if you come too close," Jenrya said, leading her into the circle. "Close your eyes. Just listen to the sound of the fire cracking. Hold your hand out until you feel it's heat and strike. It is only a small flame so it own't hurt so much."

"Easy for you to say," Shuichon mumbled, closing her eyes, "you din't have a torch fall on your bed." She took in a deep breath and held her had out in front of her searchingly. She came close to chinging herself and Jenrya seized her hand.

"Perhaps it will help if I do it with you," Jenrya said, holding her outher hand and closing her eyes. "Now, breath in with me, Shuchon."

Brother and sister took in a deep breath together and let it out in unison. Both of their eyes were closed, but not too tight. Jenrya tried to get his sister to relax and get her body in tune with nature.

"Concentrate," he whispered. "Listen. Feel."

"Jenrya, I--"

"Shh!"

He moved her hand around in a circle and when he felt heat nearby, he striked out the flame with her hand.

"Did you feel that heat?"

"I feel heat everywhere."

"You're letting your fear of fire get to you, Shuichon," Jenrya said. "Nothing is going to happen. Now I will move your hand around the circle and when you feel heat, strike the flame out."

"I can't."

"You can."

"I'll get burned."

"I won't let you burn yourself." He moved her hand around the circle again and he paused at each flame but she was too scared to tell. By the third round, as he went more slowly and moved her hand around the flame, she knew that the candle was there and stroke it out. Jenrya pulled her hand back before she was burned.

"You did it, Shuichon."

"I did?"

"Yes. Now let's keep going. Don't forget to breath."

She came quicker to finding the flame and was able to kick and strike them out with out his help the second time he lit the candles. As time went on, Shuichon became better. She was able to walk beside her brother while holding the rocks instead of behind him. She could jump from one rock, do a kick and land safely on a smaller rock. She paid special attention to her other teachers, the animals. When they fought for food or safety, she kept a watchful eye on how they moved, what sort of animals they faught against and the sounds they made. Some animals even gave her a hands-on lesson on techniques and growls.

Then finally, 7 years later when Shuichon was fifteen and Jenrya was nineteen came the day when Jenrya told Shuichon to fight him.

"You've learned a lot over the years, Shuichon," Jenrya said, "and you've proved yourself as a fighter. When the others like that the giant jackrabbit came, we were ready for them."

"Yes. The horse, the snake, ox, tiger, sheep, and monkey." She recalled. "Have you noticed something familiar about them?"

He shrugged, "Giant talking animals?"

"They're animals of the Chinese Zodiac," Shuichon explained, "We've fought 7 of them. There are 5 left: the dragon, rat, rooster and boar and dog."

Jenrya blinked. He'd never thought of that. "That's brilliant, Shuichon. You're right. They are the animals of the zodiac.

"And for each animal stands an element: Fire, metal, wood, earth and water."

"You remember this?" he asked, "from mother and father?"

"Yes, but not just from them," she said, "from my animal friends. And after each animal we fought, I found a piece of whatever element they were in the very spot they died. I put the water I found from the horse and snake in a bottle. From the ox and tiger I found metal." She picked up a metal tiger and threw it at him; "I made it into a necklace for you. I know you like the tiger fighting technique the most, next to the praying mantis."

"Thank you," he said, putting it on his neck. "What about the others?"

"The sheep was fire. But…I couldn't go near it to make it into anything." She sighed, "I waited until the fire went out and I picked up the dead grass they died onto. The monkey was earth. And the first one, the rabbit was wood." She pulled out a wooden charm made into a rabbit. "And since I favor the rabbit so much, I made a wooden necklace for me."

"You fight like a rabbit sometimes," Jenrya said.

She blinked, "I do?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Now, I want you to fight me, little rabbit." He got into a stance.

She giggled, "I can't fight you, brother."

"Fight the tiger or you'll become its dinner." He insisted in his tiger stance

"You look so funny--what!" he struck her with his palms. "Jenrya!"

"I didn't hurt you too hard," he said, "fight me, rabbit. There will be other fighting tigers and snakes and cranes that you'll have to get pass." He lunged at her again and she jumped to the side. She grabbed his hand and he pushed on hers, unbalancing her.

"Hey!" she gasped, trying to regain her balance.

He pulled out his palm to her chin and before he could deliver a blow she pulled out her arm from his grasp, dropped to her back and pushed him in the chest with both feet.

'I am a rabbit,' she thought, 'with very large and powerful feet!' She pushed him back farther, harder and she was amazed to see him fall back about five feet. Over the years, her legs have gotten stronger and tighter. She kept in mind that she was a rabbit with powerful jumping and kicking legs but now she feared that she had made them too strong.

"Jenrya?" she pushed on her hands and landed to her feet in a kip, hurried to him. "Jenrya, did I hurt you?"

Jenrya groaned, pushed himself up and rubbed his chest. He grinned at his younger sister. "You do have big feet, little rabbit."

Shuichon laughed and pulled on his arm to help him to his feet.

"Well done, Shuichon," he said, "you defeated the tiger, Kicking Rabbit."

"Hurray!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck. "Let's do it again!"

Jenrya nodded, "as you wish, Kicking Rabbit."

As they took their places to spar again, they were unaware they were being watched. There was a young woman in the woods with a big dog that stood by her shoulder. She wore a black dress; her hair was blond in long pigtails. Her pet growled lowly and she petted him.

"Good," she whispered, "they're preparing themselves. It won't be long now."

****

Shuichon and Jenrya were not the only one's preparing themselves. The gladiators, Ruki, the gladiator queen and Ryo, the gladiator queen, were also in battle. It did not take long for them to become the best. As soon as they came to the battling arena, they fought like animals. Ruki was fond of battle and weapons. Her raw strength techniques may not be the best, but her knowledge and use of different weapons were uncanny. Now, after fighting those of the same sex and being dubbed gladiator king and queen, came the day to fight each other. Ruki was looking forward to this day. She was tired of the weak, unworthy opponents. The time has finally come to face off with the king and destroy him. She paced back and forth behind the gate, clenching her sword in her hands. Her patience was wearing thin.

Her waist-length red hair was pulled back in a spiky ponytail. It flared all around, untamed and very thick. She wore metal breast plate and the rest of her armor was leather.

'Soon,' Ruki thought to herself, 'Soon you will show all the world you are not one to trifle with! You will not just be the gladiator queen, but gladiators of gladiators. You'll rule everything! Patience, Ruki, patience.'

The other side was not as excited. Ryo, the gladiator king, wished, prayed that this day would never come. He always had a special place for Ruki in his heart, though he knew that she hated men. It didn't matter to him. He loved her. He loved her since the day he laid eyes on her. He too was in plate armor and wielded a two-handed sword. His deep brown hair reached his shoulders.

"I don't want to hurt her," he whispered herself, "and I don't want to die at her hands. Not since I never got the chance to--"

The gate opened. It was time. He slowly stepped out of the gate onto the arena. The men's cheers and hoots did not matter to him. He could barely even hear them. He wished that it wasn't really happening. It was a dream. It had to be.

But as the gate opened for Ruki, she ran out instead of walking. When the women cheered at her, she cried back, hooting, hollering and screaming at the men to be quiet if they knew what was good for them.

"Today is the day of my destiny!" she screamed, "today you will see the gladiator king die!" She charged at him with her weapon and though he was just standing there, he was ready for attack.

He let out a sigh, raised his sword and clashed it with hers. Ruki was angry and hated men. He tried to remember that. Why should he try not to hurt her when it mattered not? She shall never be his. He made the first hit across her leg. She jumped back in surprise.

"You cut me?" she asked, "now is your time to bleed!" she charged him and got him in the shoulder. Time progressed and both parties took hits. Ruki was speed; Ryo was strength and endurance. He swiped and cut her forehead. Blood dripped into her eyes.

"No!"

Ryo stopped and stepped back, waiting for her to attack back. But she tried wiping the blood away as she sank to her knees. She was growing tired after the battle. He was too strong for her, though she didn't want to admit it.

'Is this the end of the gladiator queen?' she thought. 'No, I cannot lose. I will not lose. Not to a man!'
Tried as she could, she could not get up. The woman side of the crowd shouted at her to get up, though few of them said she wasn't much of a queen anyway. The men side kept saying for the gladiator king to hurry and finish her.
The gladiator king would not move. He too was very injured. For a woman, Ruki the gladiator queen was very strong, not to mention fast. They fought each other for almost an hour. The shouts disoriented him and he was dizzy. His weapon fell from his hand.
'If I kill her, it will be the end of the gladiator queen,' he thought. 'Then there will no one to take her place. She was an inspiration to all women. I can't kill her. She didn't really lose. We both won.' He tried to think of a solution for them both to live. He didn't want to kill her and if she killed him without her ever knowing the truth of his feelings for her, he just could not bear the thought.
"What are you doing?" one of the gladiator trainers demanded. "FINISH HER!"
"No," Ryo said. "I cannot. The fight is over. It ended in a tie. We are both equal fighters."
"Equal?" Ruki questioned. "Do what they say and finish me! One of us is going to die."
Ryo ignored her and turned to the crowd, "do you really want to see the end of the gladiator queen? After the great fights she showed you? I promise you, that you will never see a better battle if she dies today!"
"Then what do you suggest?" Yamaki, the arena owner demanded.
"What if we fight not against each other," Ryo said, "but together, side by side."
Yamaki raised an eyebrow and Reika stood up.
"I agree with him," she said. "After all, beside every king, stands a queen."
"And a king without a queen is like a gladiator without a queen," added the woman next to her, " the gladiator cannot fight and the king cannot reign."
"If the gladiator queen and I fight together as one the battles held here will only be better," Ryo shouted, "remember the battles we fought alone? Do you remember how good we were? No gladiator here was more skilled. Think of it. Imagine how great it will be."
The crowd looked around and talked. Many thought it was a good idea. The gladiator king and queen put on many great performances just alone and if they were a team, they would be magnificent.
However, one person did not agree.
"Are you insane?" Ruki demanded. "I refuse to fight along side a man! Finish me off now or perish!"

Ryo turned and groaned. Ruki would rather die at a man's hands, than fight by his side. It was hopeless.

TBC