6A/n: Hello everyone this is dragobluejay again and I would to offer my readers a choice. As of now I have two more stories in the works. One is a BNA: Brand New Animal fanfic where a powerful oc is added to the story who is fallen in love with Michiru. A slight change from the original story but overall, all right. The other is an Owl house and Kingdom Hearts crossover with the oc is main character and later to be antagonist to the owl house characters. You will vote which story to be published in the reviews. For Owl house crossover type OHK and for BNA type BNA+G. All votes will be tallied at the next chapter until then enjoy.
Ch 2. Born into Pain and Escaped to a new family- part 2
Now, we see AJ sitting cross legged in front of the three tigers one of which he knows in the middle is Mifune, the female tiger at his left and the male tiger in red armor on the right are the ones he does not know.
He assumes that all three of them are the leaders of the group…pack? He does not know but what he does know is that the room he is in is really spacious with dummies, and practice fighting weapons.
Unaware to him that he is currently in is a dojo to train young cubs to be warriors having paper walls with designs of tigers and people wearing armor just like the tiger with red armor and the floor is made of material that Alex could not figure.
(cough)
Hearing that AJ got back down to reality and pay a tension to the tigers and listen to what Mifune is going to say while the other tigers just stay quiet. The one in red armor looked in disappointment maybe by AJ's lack of discipline while the female smiles for seeing Alex's curiosity looks cute.
"First let me say welcome to the territory of the Tora no Ichizoku but everybody outside our borders knows us as the tiger clan. One of the strongest packs in the land," said Mifune and turns his to the one with red armor.
"This is my brother Yojimbo, his is ruthless but also my best military strategist," announced Mifune while Yojimbo still stares at Alex with a not so trusting glare and then turns to the female to address her, "and this is Hanabira head of our ninja division." In which she nods her head in acknowledgment.
"As the leader of this clan I have made a decision for your fate, but I have three questions for you, and you must answer truthfully. Yojimbo can tell whenever you lie and once you lied are conversion is over. Do I make myself clear 'cub'," said Mifune like a General ready for anything to turn bad.
Now frighten he nods his head and the only thing that is keeping him transforming is also the fear of how the tigers react to his salamander form with an even worst form of fate happening to him but never the less he will keep a brave face to answer these questions. "First question, how long have you been outside your burrow cub," asked the lead tiger.
At first shocked on how these tigers knew where he is but taking a deep and answers their question. "I have been on the surface for only one," answered AJ. Mifune turns his head to his brother and Yojimbo calmly nods his head which lead him to continue.
"Have you killed anyone while you were on the surface," said the next question and it hits a sensitive subject to Alex but nevertheless he will be honest. "I have not killed anyone but there is one person that I want to kill and it is the monster who both made me and taken my own mother away from and that is my own father," said AJ dark but truthfully.
That gain the responds of a gasp from Hanabira from the intention and determination behind his voice while Mifune still calm as a statue and looked at his bother again. What he received was a sideways glance from Yojimbo but calmly nodded as well which is meant that the answer that Alex gave is not liked but it true never the less and that is where it leads to the final question being asked, "Would you like to know how to fight and defend yourself?"
After that was said a twinkle of hope appeared in his eyes and the tigers can see that because these creatures no warriors are giving him the change to keep his silent vow by becoming strong to save his mother so without hesitation he says yes. With that said Mifune show a small smile and says, "Very well cub, as of today you are hereby welcomed as student under protection of the Tora no Ichizoku."
This surprised Alex and so does both Hanabira and Yojimbo as well. "And the one teaching you will be my brother," finished Mifune and this causes Alex to be even more surprised but not as shocked as Yojimbo himself.
"What!?," said both announced teacher and student at the same time.
Yojimbo grabbed his brother's collar and said, "Brother we need to talk in private." That said Mifune slides opens one of the paper walls to make an exit. Once Mifune is halfway across the door he turns around and says, "We will be back to you at a later time Hanabira can you help our newest member of our clan to his room? Also maybe talk to him he seems he has been through a lot."
The last sentence was a whisper quiet enough to heard by the female tiger but not to the boy which in turn was given a nod of acknowledgement as a response and both of them walks out of the dojo. Once they are out of sight Mifune closes the door and turns to his brother arms crossed like a disappointed father waiting for their son to say something.
The tension is so strong that a knife can cut it and the quiet did not help out either of them. That is where Yojimbo breaks this silent stalemate. "Why did you assign me that-that human as my student. Have forgotten what his kind did to our kind before the change we were near to extinction. EXTINCTION! So, answer me. Have. You. Lost. Your. MIND!," roared Yojimbo then it lowered to a growl and then he calmed down.
Once his brother got his shouting out of his system Mifune gave his brother his response, "It is because I see a lot of you in and out of that boy. A warrior trapped in a weak body waiting to be molded."
This surprised Yojimbo at first that is when recalled about the boy and remember the beginning of training with his brother in the dojo. Weak but filled with potential. In that Yojimbo growl hating how right he is but, in the end, it was true and thus he exhales in submission and swallows his pride.
Seeing this Mifune walks up to his brother and puts a paw on his shoulder to reassure him. "Also, when I looked at the boy all I see is a broken child without someone to go to in our ancestors past that is easy prey for us but now doing that is dishonorable. Also, I remember the time you constantly ask for a student and trying to have mate to have a son to teach. I best believe that fate handed us this boy to show that humans and mutes can stand side by side. Of course that is a fools dream but it is something to try," said Mifune hopefully.
Then his face changed to a grin, "May I also add this will tick off Scarlemagne while he is slowly gaining power over the other territories. The thought that a human taught under us who can damage his empire will irate him greatly and both of us knew that he needs to be off his high horse one way or another."
In just a spilt second of the thought Yojimbo remembers years ago where some of Scarlemagne's minion announcing his rising rule angers not just him but his fellow clan members being forcibly ruled by deranged dictator cause a slight boost of rage and the thought of losing his empire by this cub no his soon to be student got Yojimbo to secretly hide his smile. He does not know it but all his efforts was found by his brother, nevertheless. "Ok, Ok, I will take him under my wing but I will not smile about," Mifune knew that was a lie but he is happy that his brother understands the reason behind to his decision.
Then before Yojimbo reached for the door he remembers that odd feeling he had about the boy asking the three questions, "Brother, there is another thing about the boy. I cannot put my claw on it but there is something else that your student is hide nothing of a threat mind you but even he is afraid of it. Be careful if you can. That is all I want to say. I hope you have a good night."
Yojimbo looks behind him with a concerning look to his face but gave a nod of understanding to his brother and left.
Alex's POV
After leaving the dojo to let the tiger brothers talk Alex is following the female tiger now named Hanabira to his room. While walking Alex was left think about past events. First he escaped his burrow and his mother was left behind, He spent a whole day on the surface and that lead him to being caught by these tigers, and now the tiger's leader assigned him as the student of his brother which he is informed that he is the most aggressive fighter they have in their disposal.
"How does my life get so crazy," mumbled Alex as quiet as he can but Hanabira heard him nevertheless and answered him.
"A person's journey is a long winding road full of complications that provide moments of teaching and growing," said Hanabira which shocked AJ and it gave him something to think that causes her to smile to see the newest cub to calm down.
Now that they reached their destination, she opens the sliding door to see a room which is empty except for a drawer made of bamboo. "This is you room for the time being, as a clan we fight as a clan, eat as a clan, and bath as a clan which be lucky that we all share a bathhouse which is three doors behind you and the dinning quarters are north from here," by that said Hanadira gave Alex as sad look knowing what he been through with the questions and answers back at the dojo and continued.
"I am sorry for everything you had been through little cub but here in this clan maybe this is an opportunity that you can be molded into something better and grow as a fellow warrior. If you want somebody to talk to please let me know," said Hanadira giving Alex a sympathetic hug.
The moment that hug touched Alex memories of his burrow came flooding in with the torture he has been through, and memories of his mother coming to his room doing everything to make her child happy as possible including sacrificing herself to give her son a chance. All of this led him to breaking down and sobbing with tears running down his face. The female tiger may not be a mother, but she had done some babysitting for her fellow tigers and gained experience on taking care of cubs in which she keeps hugging him while nuzzling her face on his head.
After that flood of emotions came to a stop, we will so that Alex was knocked out due to emotional exhaustion with that Hanadira placed Alex on the spot on the floor which is his current bed for him.
Before closing the door, she gave one more look to the newest clan member giving him a sad smile and said, "Tomorrow is always a new day little cub." Once the door is closed darkness consumed the room.
Morning came to Las Vistas with birds sings and a mega bunny in the background yawning and stretching to wake up then hops away. Now back to the tiger clan's temple where Alex wakes up and looks at his room then remembers yesterday of events and stands up heading to the door.
Before Alex opens the door Yojimbo beaten him to the punch catching him off guard. This surprises him but before he does anything Yojimbo motions Alex to both calm down and to take a seat on the floor so they can talk.
"Hello student, last night me and my brother talked, and I have decided to take the mantle of teacher or sensei until you can defend yourself without assistance," said Alex's appointed teacher.
This amazes Alex, last he saw Yojimbo he does not want him in fact he dislikes the idea of teaching him but now he is sitting in front of him willing to teach his latest student. In its own way this was great to have a willing teacher to help him learn to fight but then a cough broke his thoughts and Yojimbo continues.
"But I will not teach the way of bushido from last night with your words I see rage of a demon and righteousness of a great warrior but the path I see your taking shows that bushido will hinder you and to be honest you need to be your own warrior. Me teaching you how to fight will be the best start," said Yojimbo giving Alex a reassuring smile.
That is when Yojimbo gets up and motions Alex to follow him. After a little walking down the halls they stop at one door turning around and looks down at him. "For today before we do a little spare to see what level of training to teach you. You may need a different set of clothes to wear," said Alex's teacher.
Alex looks down at his clothes with a questioning look. "What is wrong with what I am wearing," asked AJ. Yojimbo shook his head grinned and rolled his eyes by his students' question.
"Come cub find yourself a dogi that fits you and then we will get you something to eat looking at you right now. A gust of wind will carry you away," joke Yojimbo.
"Hey," wined AJ and pouting. Seeing the four-year-old pout even for a human it just made him looked cute to Yojimbo's eyes which in turn gave him a small laugh and rubbed the kids head.
"Just get yourself dressed I'll wait for you," said Yojimbo closing the door.
Now AJ is left in a room full of dogi with a variety of colors and sizes. Looking around he could not find one that either fits him or makes him feel comfortable. Until one dogi got his attention it is red with a black trim and once he puts it on it felt right to like they were meant to be together.
After tying the belt, wearing the socks and sandals, he is ready to go and open the door where his teacher is standing waiting for him. "I see you pick your dogi but…why that," asked Yojimbo.
"Well teach-"
"Sensei," interrupts Yojimbo.
"Sorry Sin-sensei? But looking at it and now wearing it feels just right to me. Does that make sense," asked Alex.
Yojimbo gave his student an inquisitive look and says, "In a way almost like finding the weapon that calls to you. Right let us get you something to eat."
Skip to them being at the dinning quarters of the temple where many tigers both young and old get to eat and talk. That is once the door is opens and everyone becomes silent looking at both Yojimbo and his ward. They stayed quiet for many reasons, but the most important reason is to not face the wrath of one of their most powerful fighters.
Once both master and student are out of sight all clan members in the dinning quarters start an uproar of quiet conversations now the added topic on this human child being taught by their strongest member of their clan. Mifune is in the dinning quarters as well and he is understanding and slightly disappointed by his fellow clan members gossip, but it was something new that the clan wants to talk about but he is happy that his brother is taking care of his cub and he cannot wait to see their practice spare this coming afternoon.
Outside at a handmade zin garden with either hand made or recycle material around the city and in its own way it looks amazing see things that was useless junk became great equipment. Now both master and student sit at the porch and placed their meal in front of them. Before eating AJ's, teacher put hand together saying thanks for the meal so to not be rude, he does the same thing started eating.
Halfway through their meal Yojimbo notices there is something bothering his student, so he asks what is eating him. The look on Alex's face was but he spoke, "I miss my mother. I have the picture she handed to me since I got to the surface, but it is not the same also I feel broken like a piece of me is miss. Does that make any sense sensei," spoken Alex.
Yojimbo takes a minute to think of an answer for his student and then it came to simply by looking at the garden. "Let me answer your question with another question. Do see the garden next to you? What do you see in it," asked Yojimbo.
That said Alex looks at the garden again and he saw the recycled equipment and answers back to his teacher, "Um, the reused equipment?"
Yojimbo nods and says, "Yes but do you know what the equipment was before they were a part of the garden?" His student shook his head no and that is what is needed to give his student's answer.
"There were useless pieces of metal left to decay and rust until we find them and gave them a new purpose and in its own way you are a piece of junk but by fate you came to our territory and now given another purpose as my student. Makes sense little cub," Yojimbo's words touched Alex and he is now happy to have a teacher like Yo- no Master Yojimbo.
Once they were done with their meal Yojimbo instructs his ward to head to the dojo and he given AJ directions to get there faster than before while he takes the dishes back where he got them to be cleaned. Where the dish was returned Yojimbo heads back to the dojo and once he made it, he saw both his brother and Hanadira with a large wooden crate by their side. All three of the tigers know what is inside this crate.
In the dojo Alex tries to sit just like his teacher but each attempt hurts his knees. When the door slide open Alex does not just his but Mifune and Hanadira as well holding a big wooden crate most like wanting to see how I fight. Once the crate was handed to his teacher Mifune and Hanadira sat down to a side as bystander for this spare.
Now Alex's master sat down and opens the crate and inside it was practice weapons made of both plastic and wooden.
"To start are spare you are in need of a weapon to master and a secondary weapon to use just when the time is needed. So, find your starting weapon," says Yojimbo.
Doing as he is told he looks through the box and at first, he thought of pick up the sword to be like everyone else in the temple, but he hesitated. Just like his master said earlier his is on a path different to the ways the tiger was using so he looks for something else. After a little digging around, he has found the weapon that seems just right for him.
To the tigers surprise they are wooden tonfa in his mind it was perfect for him to be up close to his opponent and deal a large amount of damage while also providing a level of protection for him use when blocking. In the tiger's minds they were perplexed due to no one for the tiger clan ever using the tonfa. A pair of nunchucks can still be surprising to them but not as farfetched for tigers.
One thing is for sure is that this spare session is going to be unique. Once the crate of weapons is out of the way and both master and student are equipped with the respected training weapons, they begin the spare. Just as it started Alex was knock down with a little wind out of him.
"Sorry little cub I still need to hold back for this session. Let us begin again," said Yojimbo offering his student a paw.
Once back stand they ready themselves again for the next round. "Hajime," Yojimbo shouted.
Unlike before Alex is started holding his ground better than before, but he is still struggling. To Yojimbo he is happy that his student is learning quickly but there is still a lot to improve for an example his form and delivery of attack. To Alex he is doing all he can to land a hit but everything that he has done his master blocked each hit he tries to deliver.
It was starting to irritate him and unannounced to him his hands and feet are changed into salamander claws giving him an added burst of strength but due to him being to enthralled in the fight he did not pay attention only winning is in his head. To the bystanders they were shocked that their newest member's hands and feet turned into scaly claws with the added aggression provided into the fight but like the first Alex was beaten again before he got back up again to continue the fight.
"Enough," shouted Mifune stopping the fight.
"But," before Alex makes up an excuse, that is when he now noticed his hand turned claw and panicked with desperation trying to hide them but it was too late.
"Is there any information that you have neglect to mention to us cub," said Yojimbo have a look of a father catching their child something they are not allowed to do.
All three tigers are sitting in front of him again this time is to listen to AJ's life story with him being his anthro Axolotl form and back. It a tale of him being born as a part mute to being tortured for years and to the escape of the burrow with his mother being left behind. The three tigers we appalled he that the boy's father made him to be an experiment. They knew that humans are terrible, but this man is a monster, and no one was deserving to go through that torment especially for a cub like him.
His fears are also understandable now knowing what has happened to him. Now they are more motivated to teach this cub to not just help him but make sure that monster of a human does not harm anybody else. Yojimbo gotten up and walks to his student placing a paw on his shoulder and giving his student a sympathetic simple.
"I do believe that your training shall begin now," said Yojimbo with a face of determination and Alex smiling that they understand him accepts for who he is with his faults. Dose that not count as a family?
End credits
(Play Dorohedoro ending 2 or (K)Now_Name: Night Surfing)
[0:00-0:30]
Cut to AJ walking out the door of the burrow into the outskirts outside of the city.
[0:31-0:39]
Cut to AJ wear red dojo training uniform and having him grown slightly taller while following a group of tigers wearing Japanese armor and clothing.
[0:40-0:45]
Cutting to AJ now looking like a preteen wear red light armor with two metallic tonfa holstered on his belt and following a group of foxes wearing Dungeons and Dragons costumes.
[0:46-0:54]
Cut to AJ now a teenager having a golf bag with a driver, putter, and a few wedges sitting on top of a build on a purple moonlit night looking at a picture of his mother and him as a baby. This picture gave enough of a feel of nostalgia the made shed a tear. Missing her but snaps eyes back open with a determination on his face to never give up.
[0:55-1:09]
Now we are cut to Kipo and crew with AJ having his golf bag on his back right on their tail including a horde of mutes following as well.
[1:10-1:30]
Kipo, AJ, and crew are now also being chased by primates and fancy dressed people riding two headed flamingos following them. Which leads our main characters to a manhole and fade to black.
A/n: And that is another chapter of my newest story and to repeat that the tiger clan and the next pack in the next chapter belongs to the artist Ready2Create from deviantart. Want to comment please leave a review. Thanks.