Suikoden VI

Chapter Three: Part Four

Part Four

"Shou? What are you doing here?"

Daunte and the others followed Shou towards the reply signal they had received. They traveled for only fifteen minutes when Oboro seemingly materialized out of thin air. And the older man didn't look pleased to see Shou.

Shou for his part didn't seem to notice. "There you are. Don't you know how long you've been away this time?"

"What are you doing here?" Oboro repeated himself. "I sincerely hope your parents didn't send you after me!"

"Nine years," Shou said, answering his own question. "We haven't seen a hair of you in nine years. No letters, no surprise visits, nothing. We'd thought you had died, old man! That's not a nice thing to do to your friends and family!"

"Have you spoken with Fuyo at all? I'm fairly certain she would've been more than happy to explain my reasons to you!"

Shou shrugged. "We've been worried out of our minds, so I said I would come after you and drag you home to prove to everybody that you were still alive."

Oboro shook his head and rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm currently in the middle of assisting the Liberation Army, so I can't come back with you yet. But I hope you're satisfied seeing me alive and well."

Shou looked at him for a long moment, and then looked at Daunte for another long moment. "...No. This won't do. If I return empty-handed, then I'll never hear the end of it."

"Shou—"

"So I'll just join this Army you've pledged yourself to."

"Eh?!" Oboro dropped his hand away from his face and gaped at the younger man. "W-Wait, what?!"

"I'm joining the Liberation Army," Shou said. "Then after they're victorious I'm dragging you home with me."

"Shou, your parents would never want you to join an Army like this!"

"Did it stop them from taking part in the Falenan Civil War?"

"Shou, you're a detective and not a killer! Have you ever even taken a life before?"

"Yes," Shou said bluntly. At Oboro's shocked expression Shou shrugged again. "It was a couple years ago. I killed a man in self-defense during a job. Mom and Dad were devastated that I took another's life, but what was I supposed to do? The other guy was bigger than me and he had a bigger weapon than me. I tried to simply disarm him and walk away, but then he came after me with his bare hands. If I didn't kill him, then he would've killed me. Would it have been better if I died?"

"Of course not! I..." Oboro shook his head and looked to Daunte. "If this is all right with you, would you mind accepting Shou's assistance? He's going to stay regardless, and I would never be able to face his parents if anything happened to him."

"You're acting like I'm a child, when I'm older than he is!" Shou jabbed a thumb at Daunte. But he still turned to address Daunte. "Consider me hired, my Lord."

"O-Okay, thank you," Daunte said, bowing slightly.

"While this family reunion is heartwarming, we're wasting time here," Farzin spoke up. "Where is Bearyl Lutis? We have a crisis to advert!"

"Lord Bearyl is meeting with his other generals," Oboro said. "They were planning to—" he abruptly cut off as he took in the party in front of him for the first time. When his eyes fell upon Viki, they widened in shock and his jaw hung open.

"O-Oh, hello," Viki said, bowing. "We've surely met before, haven't we?"

"...Quite," Oboro said at length. He quickly shook his head and gestured to Daunte. "Come. We've all been concerned for you, Lord Daunte, so everyone will be pleased to see you."