The Soldier and the Empress

Beyond The Storm

Satsuki blinked and opened her eyes to a room she recognized. It was her own room from the Kiryuin manor.

She sat in front of a mirror when she heard footsteps. These footsteps had no ill intent nor were they trying to be silent as they got louder and louder, they were getting closer.

The door swung open and...

"Mom! Taiga cheated!" A young boy, no older than 6 yelled at Satsuki from the doorway. The light in his sky blue eyes could be seen through his black hair.

"Nothing of the sort!" The boy ran towards Satsuki, hugging her legs as a little girl, a couple of years older than the boy and with green eyes, walked into the room.

Feeling like she had no control over her actions, Satsuki spoke.

"Calm down you two, what happened Soichiro?"

Soichiro... She remembers the name of her father, the one who gave her the mission of ending Life Fibers. This kid had his name.

"We were playing and Taiga cheated!"

"I didn't cheat! Dad showed me some of his tricks in that video game!"

"(Dad?)"

"That still counts as cheating! Cheaters both you AND dad!"

"No it doesn't!"

"Yes it does!"

The kids' yells continued for a little and, as Satsuki was about to tell them to stop, a man knocked on the open door.

"What is happening here?" There was no threat on the man's words.

Satsuki recognized the voice of this man, she wants him all for herself after all.

However, when she raised her head to look at him, her heart shrunk.

This man was missing his right arm and left eye.

"(Uh?! H-how?)"

"Dad! Did you really show Taiga your moves on that game?!" The young boy immediately asked the man.

"Uh..."

"(Dad?!)" Satsuki was confused, but happy.

"So you did!" The young boy was angry at the man.

"I... uh... Fine, you got me..." The man gave up and smiled.

"Why, dad?!"

"Well... Taiga and your Aunt Nonon are... scary together..."

"Aunt Nonon as well?!!!" The boy got angrier.

"Mom! Help me!" The boy, still hugging Satsuki's legs, looked at her in the eyes and begged her.

"Then how about I help you fight them?"

"Ugh..." Both the girl and the man were scared.

"Yes! We'll beat their asses!"

"Language young man!"

"Sorry, mom..."

The scene disappeared and was replaced with a beach, leading to an endless pitch black ocean.

In the distance a thick mist formed, Satsuki saw something inside the mist, a pair of eyes.

A pair of beastly eyes, they tried to scare her, but Satsuki's spirit is way too strong.

With the stare down being won by Satsuki, a wind blows away the mist and the owner of those eyes is now exposed.

A Dragon head, nothing else, floating above the water and being held by thick blue ropes. Still staring down at Satsuki.