3 Discussions with a Lord

"Come on, I know you hate this place." said Arima getting up. "Let's get some fresh air."

"Finally!" said Lucifer jumping up. "I thought I was gonna die in that chair this time."

"Again?" asked Arima, winking. Lucifer shook his head with a grin and followed him out of the hall. The castle had fallen quiet now. The moon hung glinting in the sky as the night swirled around it. A few stars twinkled merrily, smiling at the world below them invigorating any who would pause for just a moment and look up. A few noises rung throughout the wooden walls, but none rose high. Arima, walking with his hands crossed inside his long loose sleeves of his kimono, led the way through a few grand staircases up to the roof of the fort.

As he opened the door and the two stepped on the terrace, the cold breeze of Hokkaido rose up to greet them. Freezing everything it touched, it flew through the entire island, cheekily laughing as people ran to take cover. Arima smiled a satisfied smile; the city was quiet right now...just how nights should be like in a peaceful province.

Lucifer walked to the edge of the roof and leaned against the wall, filling his lungs with the cold, thick air around him. He smiled. Far, far in the distance, unaware and content, shined the bright lights of Hakodate city. An ocean of lights signalling the prosperity and happiness the island enjoyed under the Arima-clan. A few late night cars rumbled on, people laughed as they greeted each other, friends drank together patting each other on the bank, families slept in comfort in their warm homes...yet, in the skyline, they all blended into one image...one sparkling light of hope shining against the eternal darkness of the world.

Arima silently observed Lucifer's satisfied smile as he held the prospering city in his gaze. You're more of a ruler than you realize, Lucifer. He shifted his eyes to his city once more and felt the same elation he knew Lucifer felt too; knowing that the people dotted around the entire island were happy...delighted in the life they had.

"You're doing a better job than you think, Old Man." said Lucifer. Just as Arima had observed Lucifer, he hadn't realized Lucifer had now done the same. Maybe his emotions had been a bit too clear in his eyes. Heh...but then again, this kid never did have any trouble reading people.

"You think so?" muttered Arima.

Lucifer let out a bark of laughter. "It's been fifty years of peace here; I'd think so. The city is flourishing under great Arima-clan."

Arima laughed. "It's not the present city I'm worried about, Lucifer." He turned to young boy on his left who was now lazily leaning against the wall with his elbows, his back to the bright city. He grinned at his sarcasm. "And you know, kid, Arima wasn't all that 'great' straight off the bat. Centuries ago, in the very beginning...before even Hakodate or any of this existed...Arima was just a branch family to Matsumae-clan. A very small family that barely eked out a living on these shores during the Muromachi period. But as the wars started rising in Japan, more and more people sought refuge in Hokkaido...and consequently Matsumae-clan grew in power. But..." He paused for a moment. "that influx of power and people increased tensions with the Ainu people, natives of Hokkaio. They didn't want the Japanese to be here anymore. By that time, however, Matsumae-clan was enjoying considerable power and they were drunk on it. They thought war was the only way to uproot the native problem once and for all. A war with an easy victory against the savages and a permanent solution to the constant proxy battles." He let out a small laugh. "But that was not to be. The Ainu proved to be formidable enemies. While the Japanese lords had been fighting amongst themselves, the Ainu had been in meditation...contemplation. In devotion they had refined their divinity."

"And the Mastumae clan were mainly Fire Mages. They hadn't realized how much more snow fell deeper inside the island...so when they went to fight in a snow drenched island with their little balls of flames....it didn't really work out. They started losing battle after battle." grinned Lucifer.

Arima laughed. "I see. You have spent time researching Arima as well."

Lucifer winked. "However, the Arima branch of Matsumae were Water Mages. They quickly figured out how to cast and manipulate snow as just another state of water and developed a Provectus Spells branch of their existing specialty."

"Yes." Arima nodded. "We were always masters of water. Progressing to master magic of advanced or earlier states of water would never have been difficult." He paused for second. "After that, Arima-clan was unstoppable. We now owned the very thing that had protected the Ainu...their strength was now ours. And so we set out for battle once more." Arima stared into the stars. "When we'd turned the Ainu's own island against them...buried them all in the snow in which they had been born...killed them like fleeing rabbits...when we'd won the war... when Takeda Arima had killed the Ainu leader, Koshamain...the Mastumae were nowhere to be seen; buried along with the Ainu under the snow...and only Arima stood at the top."

"Aaand fast forward like half a millennium and here we are." grinned Lucifer, easily.

Arima shook his head. "No...that's the mistake most people make. You see, Lucifer, Arima have always been great conquerors...but never great rulers. Ten years after the Ainu War when the Sengoku period was staring, Arima had grown indolent. The branch families slowly rose in power, other daimyos came to the shores and established their fortresses...then, when they finally tried to destroy Arima, the Arima-clan stood up once more and met them in battle...and crushed them all like conquerors." Arima let out a small mirthless bark of laughter. "This happened again and again. Arima conquers Hokkaido...loses its grip....armies rise...Arima conquers Hokkaido...the cycle repeats." Arima sighed deeply in frozen silence. "Arima's entire history is this cycle...repeated again and again..."

"I know." said Lucifer colorlessly. "Your father was one of the Lords in whose rule Arima lost its hold on Hokkaido once more...and then you rose to the patriarchy and brought it to heel once more."

Arima laughed...but there was a hint of hollowness in his tone. "That was fifty years ago, kid...maybe the darkest of all of Arima's history. At that time, Arima had no allies, no friends...no one they could count on for support. It was just us against the entire island."

Lucifer turned around and leaned on the wall with his side. "And yet you won." he grinned.

Arima nodded. "Conquered this island once more."

Lucifer shook his head smugly. "And now you're worried about Arima's legacy. How the cycle may repeat itself once again...and how there might come a time when Arima won't be able to take this island back." He laughed his signature emotionless laugh. "And so, to direct that energy that becomes your bane in peace...you want to wage a war against the world. New York, Russia, China, the other provinces of Japan. What we did in North Korea...nothing's off-limits as long as there's war."

Arima looked surprised. I was gonna bring them up slowly...after the history lesson. He turned to Lucifer. "What makes you think I don't want to actually win?"

Lucifer scoffed. "You know me better than to pretend like that, Old Man." He jibed. "You just want to line up food for the Arima-clan. If they can't live without wars, you'll give them wars. Give them lands other than this island...other territories they would fight for. A constant war just for war's sake. Just as long as Hokkaido isn't lost by eating itself from the inside....you'll wage war against the world to fill Arima's appetite."

Arima fell silent. There really was no other person like him. To be able to perceive people so clearly... "You think it's wrong?" He asked almost quietly.

"Not at all." said Lucifer simply. "It's pretty smart, actually. If you think Arima can't survive times of peace...all you have to do is not give them peace. It doesn't matter if they actually win or lose the wars...As long as there are wars to be fought and conquerors wanted, they'd never have time to grow indolent and to subsequently bring dissent to Hokkaido. Constantly give the Arima beasts things to devour, so that they may never go hungry and turn on their own home and brethren." He laughed. "Unlike the Arimas of history of being either, you're not just a great conqueror, but also a great ruler. You conquered Hokkaido when the entire world was against you...won against the world. And then, unlike all your predecessors who rested after their victory...you thought further. Further than just yourself. You thought of the clan...you worried about the clan's future, while learning from the past and always keeping the present in mind." Lucifer turned to Arima. "That's why you've spend the last half-century strengthening Arima clan. They were always one of the most powerful clans in Japan, but you spent a conscious and monumental effort into improving the clan's strength and prosperity. Now, Arima is the strongest clan in Japan without a doubt. And while all the other clans fret with worry of you...you've thought further ahead than any of them. You weren't preparing Arima for war against Japan...you were preparing them for war against the world." Lucifer stared into those bright blue eyes...orbs that emitted sheer power. "And now, finally, they are ready...Arima is ready." Lucifer shrugged. "Finally, the last step of your threefold master-plan, which involved first re-conquering Hokkaido, then strengthening Arima...now, your last step is to set them on course for ambition. Start a war...and give them the ambition to conquer different lands and nobles. Wage wars with anyone they desire. So that even when you're no longer there to lead Arima, the fire of ambition burns brightly and this clan continues to war against the world. The next patriarch after you won't have time to grow indolent...no one will rise in dissent...they'd be too busy fighting the world...and in that battle Arima will flourish." Lucifer laughed. "Your world will find balance on the brink of destruction...you'll establish peace in the midst of war..."

Silence fell over the two. Only the quiet night breathed the cold air after that speech...noiseless as it spun around half of the world...embracing those who stood in darkness.

"You don't think it's selfish?" asked Arima. "If Arima's fate is to die out, why do we keep struggling? "Heh...maybe it is time to let someone else take the reins...and for us to let go."

"Selfish?" Lucifer barked a laughter. "In this world? A world of Divines where nothing except power matters? No life, no family, no friends...just yourself? At least you're a Divine who is worried about 5 million other people. This island may not be as big as the entire world, but it is your corner of the world. What will you depend on to protect it? The mercy of other Divines? And how can you be so sure that if a power does replace Arima it will worry about the people like your clan does? What if they crush them under their foot like most other Divine lords do? Would you accept that fate?" Lucifer looked sideways at Arima and grinned. "Of course you won't. This entire plan was never about saving Arima...but saving Hokkaido. You want to look after your people even after you die...what is so wrong about that? What better ruler is there?"

Arima was silent. Lucifer was...different. Nothing he had said right now had any emotion in it. He wasn't agreeing with Arima's passion...he was just stating exactly what Arima was thinking. He'd understood him and every single word he'd said was to show how much he had. A detatched observed staring at the world...understanding every move that each person made...but never caring either way. There were few people in this world who had the capacity to genuinely impress Arima's powerful, experienced mind...and Lucifer was one of them. To be able to look at things so broadly...to be able to see the people and not just a person...to read between the lines...to be able to really see the world. Arima smiled.

"You're wrong, Lucifer." boomed Arima suddenly. "It is wrong. You're right," he turned to the young boy. "that was always my threefold master-plan...a plan to save Arima and Hokkaido...but it is still not without fault. People will die if I do this...including many of Arima-clan. Hokkaido will be exposed to the world...threats of destruction, not just an endangerment through internal war. There may rise a power greater than we can conquer and it may level this island...and everyone who lives in it. Is that a good ruler?"

Lucifer shrugged. "Nothing's without fault. There's always risk and reward to any plan."

"Except now we are playing with human life as risk." said Arima, his reverberating voice grave.

Lucifer burst out laughing. "You're talking like I care about human life, Old Man."

Arima shook his head. He couldn't help himself. "You say you don't care about people, yet you understand them so well."

"I understand precisely because I don't care about them." retorted Lucifer, with a wink.

Arima stared into the black eyes lazily staring at him through the falling white hair and he chuckled. This kid. "You really think that?"

"If I don't have any emotions playing a part in my perspective of the individual and neither any ambition or prejudice from my side...my view doesn't get skewed in the slightest. I can see them for as they are without any interference at all." said Lucifer matter-of-factly.

He really is something...either our destroyer, or our savior. Arima chuckled. "I can't really argue with logic like that. But do you really think that goes for all individuals? That humans can be that simple?"

"Most." said. Lucifer. "I mean, even in your clan alone, I could read all your higher-ups." grinned Lucifer. "Admittedly, I have yet to meet your nephew, but your other three lieutenants? They couldn't surprise me at all."

"Is that so?" chortled Arima. "I suppose I should take responsibility for that."

"Even the new lieutenant turned out exactly like I thought." said Lucifer turning around and staring at the city once more.

Arima looked surprised. "You sound awfully calm about Fujimori-kun. You really have him completely figured out? You don't think he might do something unpredictable and surprise you now that he's a lieutenant?"

Lucifer laughed. "On the contrary, Hayato's gotten easier to predict now that he's a lieutenant and in the limelight where there is nowhere to hide. You see, the thing about him is that he doesn't ever allow his emotions to take hold. Which means he'll always take the most practical route of any situation...ergo, easy to predict." winked Lucifer. However, his tone lost a little of its arrogance as he continued. "Shin is the most honor-bound one. A true Japanese samurai down to the very bone. A very noble man who will never attack his opponent from the back." Lucifer grinned again. "Ergo...easy to predict." Lucifer turned to Arima. "It's actually Ryo that is the most troublesome of your lieutenants."

"Kind Ryo?"

"That" said Lucifer, "is exactly why. Kind. His problem is that you can't predict when he might let down his kindness. What happens when he stops being kind and starts to take action? What might he do then? Predicting what's behind the wall of kindness every time is tricky."

Arima burst into a hearty laughter. "Most people would be the first to dismiss him because of his kind face and considerate nature. But you see different, don't you? You see past those kind eyes and see that a single scar on the face of a lieutenant of a clan doesn't mean he hasn't fought, but that he's fought too well to be hurt at all. You realize the position of a lieutenant is earned, not given...so you see how fearful a man must be to make it there with just one scratch." said Arima, almost proudly, either for Ryo or Lucifer.

"And then to hold the position for so long too while being 'kind.' " finished Lucifer with a wink. He shrugged. "Most people don't see that, because most people aren't exactly smart."

Arima's laughter stopped. An air of regret...bordering on sadness came over his features as he turned back to the city lights. If the wrong people had found this kid...? What kind of a monster would the wrong hands have made him into? He stared at the twinkling stars above and sighed inwardly. Who am I kidding? I am those 'wrong hands'. "Though I understand why you feel this way, Lucifer...I still think you are way too young to give up on people just yet. You really shouldn't think so little of human life, kid. If you give them another chance, you may find that there are some kind people in this world...people who care."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Please. I gave them two chances...and they failed me each time. I'm done caring. People living, dying...this entire world living or dying...it doesn't matter to me either way. I'm done with them and it, Old Man."

Arima shook his head and it was as if his age was suddenly apparent through his wrinkles. "Well, I'm not giving up on you. Not yet." He took a deep breath, filling his powerful lungs up with his usual bombastic voice. "I'm sending you to Kanto province, kid." He announced.

"And who's the target?" asked Lucifer unperturbed. "Don't tell me it's Tojo. I thought you two were allies."

Arima shook his head, almost a sad smile on his face to see how quickly and to where Lucifer's mind had gone. I am not blameless in this. In fact, I should take the most blame because I should've chosen different from the start. "No, no. We are still allies with the Tojo-clan. In fact, it is to them that I am sending you on loan to."

Lucifer raised his eyebrows. "You really want to send your best weapon out on 'loan' like that, Old Man?" asked Lucifer. There wasn't emotional sadness for their probable separation in his voice as he said that. Just a tone of a strategist voicing his opinion about a siege weapon placement.

Again that grave air in his silhouette as Arima placed his hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "You're not a weapon to me, Lucifer...I hope one day you come to believe that."

For just a split second...for just one heartbeat, the entire arrogant persona of Lucifer vaporized as he stared into the old, kind blue eyes staring at him. The lifelessness of Lucifer's black eyes vanished away and somehow, they twinkled with the stars...for just a split second. And then the moment passed, the wind blew and his white hair gently swayed over his forehead again. Lucifer laughed. "I do believe that, Old Man...but I also think you're lying to yourself if you say you don't see me as a powerful tool in your arsenal at all."

Arima removed his hand from Lucifer's shoulder and laughed. I've never met a kid like him before. "Listen, Lucifer, I'm sending you to Tojo-clan on loan unofficially. In reality, I want you to attend Shukuto-Kodo highschool."

"School!?" exclaimed Lucifer incredulously. "You're joking, right?."

Arima grinned. "Not at all."

"Why would I do that?"

"Listen, Lucifer..." said Arima, locking the boy with his eyes again. "You've got great potential in you, kid...great potential. Your life has molded you...into this powerful mage that you are now. From a Profane to a Demon...all that tragedy...Silverbloods...Madame Rose...both of them took a lot from you...but gave you gave you a lot too that not many posses. Rather, you took from them. Tactics, patience, brutality, sheer will...you turned into a predator with brawn and brains..."

"And here I was thinking you don't think of me as a weapon." grinned Lucifer slyly.

Arima ignored him. "But neither your brain or brawn have evolved to their full capacity...their true potential, Lucifer. Not really. Your eyes see too much. Your strength has no ground; it exists for no reason other than for you."

"Isn't that a good thing? In the end, we all walk on our life's path alone. Isn't that the Zen message? So, isn't it good that I fight for myself."

"Do you?" challenged Arima. "It may be good to fight for oneself...but not without reason. Some fight for honor, some for glory, some for money, a few for their loved ones...but what do you fight for?"

Lucifer stood in shock. This was a question that was always at the back of his mind this year ever since he had Ascended...but was always denied entry to the front. However, now Arima had forcibly brought it forward. Why did he fight? Honor, money, glory...none of that mattered to him. Even his own life wasn't precious to him. Wouldn't it be better to just simply die then? Why am I even here?

Arima smiled a satisfied smile. Lucifer rarely ever showed any deep emotions. Only him and Azusawa had been the few who had ever seen some of his genuine emotions...and now, on this rooftop in the cover of night, once more Arima could see a glimpse of Lucifer's soul, if only a little. "And that baselessness, Lucifer," said Arima gently, "is why your strength will fail you if you are ever truly tested. In a real fight...you will not win."

Suddenly that spark. Win? Win!? Heh...no...that won't do. That won't do at all. I will never lose again...not ever again. I need to figure myself out if that can make me stronger...If neither life nor death matter, I have to choose substance. "And what kind of 'potential' would I reach in a small school full of sheltered little Divines?" asked Lucifer, slowly.

Arima's booming laughter rang throughout the quiet night. "Shukuto-Kodo is not your average Divine high-school, kid. It is a temple of war and fire...of knowledge and meditation. It is a place where you can hammer yourself and perfect your powers into a razor sharp blade. Nothing matters there except power. If you have power to get into those halls, nothing matters. Not your ethnicity, not your nobility, not your profanity...all you need to have is power." Arima beamed at Lucifer. "Only the most powerful people survive there. Getting in isn't that hard...staying there is not easily accomplished. You'll make enemies, rivals...you may have no choice but to then form alliances, accomplices...make friends." added Arima quietly. He put his hand on Lucifer's shoulder again. "Heh...give it a chance, kid, and you'll see how that place will mold you...how you'll come to understand yourself and the world...how it will chisel your already fine frame into something unstoppable...of true power as you grow."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Are you an ex-student of that place?"

"Of the man who started it, yes." said Arima proudly puffing out his muscular chest.

"Figures."

Lucifer sighed deeply and stared up at the twilit sky. Haven't got anything better to do anyway. "Fine. I'll go to Kanto Province...go to this damn school while I unofficially take care of old man Tojo's problems as well."

"Good. I'll have a jet ready. I'll give you a few more credit cards for-"

"But," interrupted Lucifer "only for one month. If by summer vacation I see no promise in this 'Shukuto-Kodo High-school', I'm dropping both Tojo and it."

Arima laughed. "You have a deal!" One month will be more than enough, kid.