Someone to watch over you

Posted on Wed Dec 1st, 2021 @ 2:38pm by Captain Taiga Aisaka

2,138 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Christmas Time
Location: Japan, Earth.
Timeline: Decmber 2371/2372

[2372 - Japan, Earth]

"No, I can't have her this Christmas! Its your turn Len! You've always said you wanted her for Christmas, now you want her to come back to me?!" came the harsh words of the woman on the other end of the comm call.

"Don't be like that with me! She's your daughter too! Something has come up at work. I'm going to be working that day. Like who celebrates that old holiday anyway?" the man snapped back. "Look, I'll put her on a transport and she can be in England in only a few hours!"

"Not even a man enough to travel with her. She's ten years old for heavens sake. What is wrong with you, not got the balls to even face me?" the woman replied harshly. "And don't go around spoiling her like you always do!"

"She's my daughter, I can spoil her if I wish"

"Oh yeah, fine. Make me look like the bad parents for actually having some discipline on the girl. Hell, she punched another kid out the other week at school apparently. No wonder they call me over here in England rather than bother to get hold of you or your useless parents!" the woman replied.

"Don't bring my parents into this. Its not my fault you went back to the other side of the planet! She wanted to stay here because she's got friends here! But I can't leave her alone, she'll burn down the house!"

"Listen, I've already made plans you total fool. I've told you that I can't have her here! Take some responsibility and actually do something than just spoil her. Spend some proper time with her!" the woman told him with a slight sigh. "I should never have married you! This would have been different if we have had been more careful and not had our little accident..." she sighed.

"She is not an accident! How can you think of her that way?"

"Sometimes, I feel like being anywhere near you was the accident. I can't have her Christmas day and thats that!"

The battle between the two adults over the comm channel raged on. The insults as sharp as knives and as fast as arrows flew back and forth. Neither of them had any regard for who might be overhearing their argument of where the young blonde haired girl in the next room would be spending Christmas.

She sat there, cowering in a corner her hands clasped over her ears as she listened to her parents should at each other. This was not how she remembered, only recently had her parents split. She now had two different homes, two addresses, two bedrooms and two different sides she expected to be on. This always happened when they spoke. Only a couple of years ago they had been a loving family.

Now, she was the child of a broken household. Caught between two sides in a war of anger and hate.

"I told you already! Taiga CAN'T COME HERE!"

That was the last straw. The silent tears that triccled down from Taiga's hazel eyes came faster as if turning from stream to rapids. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to get out. Her usual reaction was to fight, she had been lashing out at school recently, but now it had changed. Taiga was about to use her other instinct, to flight.

[Some time later]

December in Japan was cold, very cold. Her tears formed crystals as she ran out into the wildnerness of Japan's many forests far away from the town. Pearl white snow covered the ground. At the very top of the hill, high above the town was an ancient Shinto Shrine. Not many people made offering to the god of the shrine and time had taken its effect on slowly reclaiming it to the ancient lands of Yamato.

Taiga stopped at the top of the hill and wiped her tears with her sleeve. She looked down on the small town below. Its many houses and lights shining yellow and white, casting long shadows over the snow. It was peaceful where she stood, no one was shouting and all she could hear was the sounds of the nature around her.

"Screw this town!" Taiga said as she turned on a heel and headed further into the forests. She wasn't sure where she could go, but anything was better than going back to that place. She found herself walking through the snow.

"I bet the old fool hasn't even realised that I've gone" she muttered to herself as she trenched through the soft snow. She held her body as she shivered in the cold December night. She walked on for what seemed like hours, more fresh snow had begun to fall covering her footsteps behind her.

Eventually she stopped and sat down on a fallen log. The tears once again began to come to her, flowing down her face. She had run away, she had no idea where she was or where she could go. All she had was herself in the forest alone. It was dark and scary.

"Hey there..." came a whisper out of the dark. Taiga looked around, the only light source she had was the moonlight.

"Who's there?"

"No one you know" The voice said from the shadows as a small figure emerged. Stepping into the moonlight, the shadow resembed that of a tiny old man. He walked with an old stick made from what looked like cherry wood, his Kimono was old and grey. Taiga presumed he must have been cold in his sandals and with his straw hat. However, what was strange were two horns poking out of the top of his head and through two special holes in his hat.

"Are you some sort of alien?" Taiga asked. It was the most logical response with Earth being populated by numerous species from across the Federation.

"No my child. I am no more alien than you are" The man said. "Although, it has been a very long time since I discovered a wandering child in my trees and bushes. At this time of year too". His voice was soft and soothing. "Do your elders not tell you of the Yokai in these days? Or is that practise long long lost?"

"Yokai?" Taiga asked curiously. She had only ever heard of them in Japanese history classes and when studying culture. "They're real?"

The Yokai smiled. "We're as real as you want us to believe. I am a Kodama, a Yokai of the trees child. We are very good listeners. We can sense there is something troubling your heart. It does not beat with happiness, but sadness"

Taiga bowed her head as she looked down at the snow. "Well, its my parents. They split up a while ago. Its strange"

"How so child?"

"Well. I have two houses now. Two bedrooms and two of everything" Taiga began. "I don't want two of everything. I'm not allowed to take clothes from my mothers to my fathers, or take my favourite toys and stuff" she explained to him softly. "I over heard them arguing about who 'got me' for Christmas again. Neither of them seemed to want me"

The Yokai nodded. "My child. I have seen many children come to my forest over the thousands of years I have protected this forest. You are not the first whose parents do not agree on a child's destiny" he moved a little closer, his blue eyes shining in the moonlight. He stopped only a few feet from Taiga. "Look up at the child"

Taiga did as she was told and looked up at the old Yokai. "How can you be real?" she asked.

"Does that matter?" he asked. "The Human Race, and every other race on this planet have lost their way. You are all far too focused on technological advacement and the pursuit of knowledge to believe" he told her softly. "However, it seems to these old ears that you have a much older problem"

"What do you mean?" Taiga asked.

"You're caught between your mother and father. You don't want to choose a side because you love them equally. I can understand that child. But remember that both of them will love you as well. Even if they do no longer possess that for each other, they still have it for you". He placed a hand on Taiga's shoulder. "Running away isn't the answer. You're only young. Any longer out here and you might have not survived child. You are lucky this old Yokai spotted you so soon"

Taiga stared into the eyes of the old Yokai. "What must I do to fix this? How can I be a good daughter when I'm expected to be on both of their sides at the same time?" she asked.

"Follow your heart" The Yokai said simply. "Find your own path child. Reach deep into your heart and find what makes you, you". A swirl of snow on the breeze swept across the area, and the Yokai had disappeared. Taiga jumped up to look for him.

"Yokai!" she called out. "Where do I go? How do I get home?!" she asked out loud. She had no idea which direction to head. Was that a dream? Was it her imagination? She began to shiver as the cold breeze stapped her all over like thousands of tiny knives. Her eyelids began to feel heavy as the snow around her seemed to be getting heavier.

The shrieks of an owl pierced through her small body. She could feel her skin becoming colder and colder. She was staring up at the stars. "Why am I looking at the stars?" she whispered to herself. 'Oh yeah. I'm lost... in the forest... I must have...'

The stars above her seemed to shine down upon her small fragile body, laid in the deep snow. She was high on a hill, surrounded by trees in freezing temperatures alone and vulnerable. From high above she saw a blinding light, causing her eyes to squint.

"Mister Yokai?" she asked as she tried to reach out. Her mittoned hand attempting to reach him. Then there was nothing but blackness.

[Three days later]

Taiga's eyes fluttered as she slowly woke up. She shot up suddenly. She was no longer in the forest, but in some sort of bed. It took her a few seconds to realise where she was. She was in a hospital bed back in her town. The doors burst open and both her mother and father rushed in.

"Taiga!" they both exclaimed as together they embraced their daughter. "What were you thinking?" her mother asked her. "Heading out into the forest alone. Why?"

"I didn't..." Taiga began.

"Don't lie young lady!" her father snapped.

"No. I'm not. I went because... I don't like you fighting. Especially over me..." she sniffled. Both parents froze for a few second and looked at each other.

"Taiga, did you... hear that argument that night?" her father asked. Taiga nodded slowly.

"Every word. Why do you hate each other so much? I thought that Christmas is supposed to be a time to be together? Why can't we be a family again? What happened?" Taiga asked, running question off of question.

Both adults lowered their heads. "I'm sorry Taiga. Thats complicated. But I can assure you we won't do that again" her father told her. "However, we will make sure that in the future this won't happen again... I promise you..."

[One year later]

Taiga, now aged eleven stood in the middle of a dark room staring out of the window at the forest where she had ran into the year before. In her hand she held a note, scribbled down on a piece of paper.

Taiga. Sorry, something came up for work. Your mother is off world at the moment. There's left over pasta in the fridge if you want it. Mrs Akiyama will pop in tomorrow to check on you. Back in two days. - Dad.

She scrunched up the paper in her hand. "Idiot... He's a liar. When I have children. I'm never going to be like eithr of them..." she said as silent tears began to run down her face again. She was once again alone as she stared out of the window. Her eye caught something though. High above in the hills, the Yokai looked down and gave her a nod. Taiga knew from that day that no matter what her parents excuses were, she was never really alone.

It doesn't matter if you grew up without parents, and it doesn't matter if you don't believe in God. There's someone out there watching over you" - Taiga Aisaka, Toradora

Posting by

Captain Taiga Aisaka
Commanding Officer

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