Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2021 21:18:29 GMT -5
Shakuhachi. His birth was entirely ordinary for a Namekian of the Dragon Clan, produced from an egg which came from the mouth of another Namek, which for any other culture might be called a father. He grew up following the usual tenants of the Dragon Clan, though his eyes often drifted to the more powerful (and more interesting) Warrior Clan for whom he wished he had been born into. While he practiced mysticism, studied history and listened to stories from the elders about the Dragon Balls and farming rituals the warrior children instead spent their days sparing, and listening to veteran fighters tell stories of their great battles.
The young boy would often try and sneak into their lessons but of course he never made it very long before they booted back to his proper classes. The best he could do right now was sparing on his own, but that would only get him so far. Try as he might he would never reach the power of the Warrior Clansmen just practicing by himself; he was going to have to find someone who could help him. That was easier said than done however; he was far weaker than many of the young warriors were. And even if he could find someone on a similar level to his own would it matter? Why would they want to train with him in the first place and risk the ire of the elders?
One day as was practicing he came across another young Namek who himself was practicing all alone. Shakuhachi recognized him as one of the young warriors, though he did not know him personally, and was unsure if he could trust him. He flew down and greeted him, and asked why he was out by himself. He explained that he was afraid of sparing with others, as he did not feel like his power was on par with that of his peers. He did not want to embarrass himself as he had high expectations placed on him and was afraid of letting people down. Shakuhachi explained his own situation to the boy, how he was forbidden from participating in sparring as he was part of the Dragon Clan.
Shakuhachi put forth the proposition that the boy could practice with him as there was no way he could be weaker than someone who was not from the Warrior Clan. As long as he could keep it a secret both of them could get what they want. The boy revealed his name to be Biwa, and was happy with the arraignment. The two immediately began sparring, with Shakuhachi’s prediction coming true as he was no match, for now. Every day at the same time, as Shakuhachi rushed through his studies as much possible the two would come out to the same secluded and would spend the next hours sparring with each other as agreed upon.
Years went by and the two boys kept up their arrangement, with each child continuing to develop their fighting prowess. “Come on, Biwa. I don’t have much time to get away today. I have an important lesson I need to get to so we’ll have to be quick this time.” Shakuhachi looked around the usual training spot but could not find his partner. “Is this some kind of game? You’ve never been much of a joker now hurry up. I’ve been practicing a new technique that I want to try out on your so hurry up and show yourself already so we can get to business.” Shakuhachi stood around but still no response. “I’m losing my patience, now. Are we doing this or not?”
At this point he was beginning to get worried as his friend Biwa was almost always the first to arrive of the two. “There he is! I told you he was out here fighting.” A familiar voice, but not the one he was hoping for. That was the voice of Wadaiko, one of his Dragon Clan classmates. “Quiet, boy. I’ll decide what shall be done.” When Shakuhachi turned around he saw Wadaiko and one of the elders standing next to him. “I’ve been following him for a few weeks now and it’s always the same. He and Biwa have been sparring despite your clear instructions not to. How could he betray you like this, master? Whatever sort of punishment you have in mind is sure to not tough enough for them. “
He could tell the elder was disappointed with what he had been doing, but he didn’t feel like he needed to offer an explanation or an excuse. What he was doing was natural; it was right. In his mind every Namekian at least needed to know how to defend himself, right? How many times had Namek been put under threat with the proper number or caliber of fighters to defend it? But in this case it didn’t matter. The elder had no intention of thinking rationally about the situation; his mind was made up. As he was pulled away he was given another lecture on leaving the fighting to the warriors and how he had more important things to take care of, like making sure the Dragon Balls were clean.
Wadaiko, the resident ass-kisser; the teacher’s pet. He would not soon forget this embarrassment at his hands. It was days before he could finally get a hold of Biwa again, who told him a similar story to his own. An elder from his clan had forbid him sparring with outsiders and warned him of consequences if he did so. “They just can’t understand, can they? They think us all weak, us Dragon Clansmen. When they see us they see a bunch of helpless old men and young boys and have no power of their own. Regardless of what I or my family ever accomplishes it won’t ever change, will it?” Shakuhachi was afraid this meant an end to their deal, but Biwa assured him that was not the case.
The only thing that had changed is that they would need to be more alert next time they trained. Their sparring continued, this time though they had to hold back a bit, keep things quieter and if they heard any noises they would call it off right then and there. This arrangement worked for the time being, and Shakuhachi was able to continue growing stronger. Somewhere along the way the training morphed with Shakuhachi even teaching Biwa a bit of his own responsibilities, though he clearly had much less of an interest. The only downside was that he began to fall behind a bit in his training as a member of the Dragon Clan.
Even though the great Guru himself had taken him under his wing he began to notice a bit of a decline in the work which he produced. The Guru found himself disappointed with the one he saw as a potential heir and began to gravitate instead towards the aforementioned teacher’s pet Wadaiko. Wadaiko was an obvious and easy choice in this regard. He was a safe pair of hands; someone who would not rock the boat. Shakuhachi was no idiot; he could feel that he no longer was given the same attention as before, and now he was at a crossroads. Continue to grow stronger and dedicate himself to training or put more effort in the Dragon Clan?
He chose the former, continuing his training with disregard for his studies. He knew that this would disappoint the elders, and more importantly it would disappoint Guru, however he felt that there may be a way he could convince Guru of a different path; one which places a greater emphasis on the warrior ability of all Nameks, not just those of the caste. In his mind, the pacifist nature of the Namek people had been a hindrance, with several foreigners such as the Saiyans and Arcosians infamously in the past taking advantage of that weakness when they had desired the power of the Dragon Balls to which the Namekian people tried to protect, but failed.
Instead they relied on outsiders to save them. Shakuhachi had a great respect for the power of the Dragon Balls, and for the responsibilities the Dragon Clan held in the hierarchy of the Namekian people. However he believed that if the Warrior Clan and the clan system in general continued in its current form there would always be outsiders that continue to take advantage of their people. He believed that in order to combat this there needed to be training of the martial arts for all Namekians, and that the responsibilities traditionally held to the Dragon Clan should and could be properly performed and maintained by a much smaller amount of people.
Shakuhachi also had a great interested in dealing with the Mazoku clan. At this point Shakuhachi was still young and had no prior experience to dealing with the so called demons, but he did not view them with the same fear as others, and instead saw them as a possible avenue for expansion. Their militaristic lifestyle was brutal, but it leads to strong warriors who envied the fight. Shakuhachi saw the future of the Namek people as one step before the Mazoku people. He did not want to abandon the traditions, and he did not want his people to lose their minds and think of nothing but battle, but he felt that a push in that direction would be a good thing.
Many Namekians had lobbied for campaigns of extermination against the Mazoku people, however even if the support for such ideas could be found the warriors still lacked the proper numbers to perform such acts. The Mazoku seemed to bred at a faster rate the other Nameks, and fell in battle at a lower rate. This lead to being greatly outnumbered by them which meant the true Nameks were always at a disadvantage. Shakuhachi saw them instead as a resource; send them out onto the front lines where their abilities could shine brightest. You either win or you have less Demons to worry about; it seemed like a win-win situation if you could just appeal to their diplomatic side and strike a deal.
All of this leads into the overarching belief which guided Shakuhachi: the fear that the way of the Namekian people would ultimately lead to their downfall. To him, the changing landscape of Namek and its new demographics brought trouble for the natives and not much else. For generations members of different races whether it be Human or Saiyan or Tuffle or anything else had come to Namek with mainly one focus in mind: the Dragon Balls and their power. Although Shakuhachi had previously all but abandoned his responsibility to the Dragon Clan he did so not out of disrespect for the practitioners as a whole, instead because he felt that it was not what was right for him.
He still held a great deal of respect for that part of Namekian culture and believed that it must be protected particularly from the foreigners who so often sought to exploit it, but that this job should be filled with just a small few out of the population, those who strongly cared and believed in the system. It wasn’t just the Dragon Balls though, not anymore. The capital had changed; a change which had begun before he was even born. The population was growing, but a part of that was a number of outsiders who had come to permanently settle on the planet. Most had come for trade and commerce; however the peaceful nature of the planet and its inhabitants had led many to seek a full time residence.
The Namek people had no notion of citizenship or any laws of that kind and so anyone who wanted to could simply put up a house and stay. Shakuhachi knew they wouldn’t all cause harm to the planet, but every one of them who came opened the door for someone who could, someone who would if given just a chance. While the number of native Namekians increased slowly because of wars, hard times and a general slowly birth cycle the process of being outnumbered and surrounded had begun and it seems to Shakuhachi that very few Nameks noticed or even cared about this. These people were a greater threat than anyone had realized yet.
Even the ancient tradition of planting Ajisa trees had been pushed to the side so that foods more appropriate for outsiders, especially Earthlings, could be planted instead. Those crops were the main value of the Namekian people, and now it was being taken over. The food grown for these people had no value for the Nameks whatsoever and yet significant resources were put into it. That was not the only thing that brought people to Namek though; the rumors of magical healing properties found in nature, the hunting expeditions hosted in the Northern Scar, and even the exploitation of any natural resources found under the surface. The planet was beginning to resemble a fair more than a sacred ground.
The Namekians were a simple people. That idea had led for a mostly peaceful domestic life, but when it came to outsiders there was almost no chance of stopping an outside threat if one presented itself. War and destruction was not the only problem seen by Shakuhachi though. Most of the commercial benefits of the planet were being taken advantage of from the outsiders, whose advancements in technologies allowed for agricultural productions the likes of which Namekians could never imagine. This left the Namekians in a position to be left behind, and Shakuhachi had no intention of letting that happen. Their home was being used for the production, so let the natives be the one to profit.
How many empires had come and gone in the universe? How many races have traversed the galaxy; leaving their mark on every planet they visit? The Saiyans, the Arcosians, and now even the Earthlings, but never the Nameks. Instead they’re left to be the footnote of the others, never leaving their own mark. Without a strong say in the intergalactic affairs the Namekians will never be able to properly defend or assert themselves. While other races have a strong colonization effort the Namekian people as a collective have never embarked on any such feat. A few have left for their own selfish purposes, but nothing like a state run effort.
That’s why there must be change. Though in his youth there was often disrespect for their duties, Shakuhachi has grown to realize how important the Dragon Clan is. With that being said, he felt as if their time being the dominant group among the Namekians was now untenable. The way that Shakuhachi saw it their passiveness and their unwilling to defend themselves left them vulnerable, and their unwillingness to take advantage of outside opportunities left them in a position to fall behind the other races of the galaxy. The next leader of the Namekian people needed to be someone who had been on both sides; there was no other way.
Shakuhachi did not believe that the Warrior Clan alone could be the ruling class. The numbers of the warriors are dwindling and the demographics do not seem to be getting any better. Of course this is partially due to battle, sometimes with outsiders; often instead with the Mazoku clan. But the greater issue is the increasing amount of Namekians who instead of protecting the planet as they are guided to they choose to become mercenaries for outsiders. In the worst of times these traitors even end up in battle on Namek itself; choosing to fight for monetary compensation over their own people. All of this is why there needs to be a pairing of the two.
But does any of this matter? Shakuhachi has lost his role as the favorite of Guru; now he is nothing more than an average member of the Dragon Clan. He does his studies and he trains when he can, however he feels as the more progress he makes, the more Guru turns his head away from him and towards Wadaiko and the others. That’s why he needs to grow stronger. He needs to show Guru the way forward. He has a great deal of respect for Guru, which is why he would never try to take what is not his; instead there must be change. The way of Guru must be forced to meet with the new way, and through the meeting there will be a merging of ideas.
He continued with his training; growing to a similar strength to that of the average warrior even surpasses some of the less gifted ones. He impresses his teachers which his newfound knowledge and respect for the Dragon Balls, their history and their value to the Namekian people. In his mind he has already succeeded, but it is time for Guru to back him up; to prove to Shakuhachi and the Namekian people that the eldest of them all knows how to guide the Nameks during this troubling new era. But on that fateful day the wrong decisions is made. Guru hands his precious Dragon Ball over to Wadaiko, entrusting not only with the magical object, but with the future of all Namekians.
“How could you do this? Can you not see with Wadaiko we’re falling into the same trap we’ve always fallen into? He’s passive, he’s afraid! Afraid of what the future has in store for us all. Times are changing whether we like it or not. The composition of our planet, and of our galaxy is not the same as it was before and it may never be the same again. There are forces gathering outside which threaten to destroy all which we have built. How many times do our people have to come to the brink of destruction before we are finally willing to accept that our way needs to change? We need to evolve into something greater than we are right now!”
Shakuhachi was obviously furious with the decision made. While the Saiyans, Arcosians, Humans, Tuffles and all other manner of people advanced technologically, economically and militaristically the Namekians seemed to insist on staying behind the times and allowed others to exploit them and their land as they always had. “This is our opportunity to change destiny. This is our opportunity to prove that we are ready to adapt to the new challenge we face as a people. The peaceful nature of our ancestors has left you naïve to the truth out there; the truth is that there are more enemies than friends waiting beyond our borders.”
Shakuhachi looked around for support. He sensed as though a few of the Nameks may have been on his side, or at least could see value in what he was saying. But the majority of them, especially the elders were decidedly against him. “Calm down, young one.” An elder approached Shakuhachi and placed a hand on his shoulder. “We will survive, as we always have. Our numbers are growing beyond anything we’ve reached in generations; we’re making friends with the outsiders and we believe in the wisdom of Guru. The things you say frighten me, but I have to believe that Guru will lead as to the solution. If we cannot trust him, then who can we trust?”
Shakuhachi was taken aback by this. “I see you argument, and I can’t disagree. I believe we should be able to trust our Guru, but we first need a Guru who has earned our trust. Who can we trust if not ourselves, our people? No one else has ever looked after the interests of the Namekian people. We’ve been left to fend for ourselves, and we’ve done a pretty decent job so far. But for how much longer? How long can we continue to be left behind before we can no longer make up the distance? There are opportunities out there for us; and I don’t mean for the few who choose to run as mercenaries. I mean there are opportunities for our people! The Saiyans and Tuffles fight among themselves, the Arcosians are spread th-“
Before he could continue the Guru decided to finally step in. “You talk of war? At this time?” Shakuhachi felt like he was gathering more and more support as he went on, however when he turned from defensive to offensive he could feel the tide turning away and with the Guru speaking against him that feeling grew. “I look at you and what do I see? Not the boy that was once so full of promise. We are not Saiyans, we are not Arcosians. We are Nameks; that means something to us. We have traditions to uphold; small villages to protect. What you want; even if it was possible you have to ask is it worth it? What would we do with it? We have all that we need already. Why would we want to give that up?”
Another elder stepped forward in support of Guru. “We don’t have the capabilities to go to war! And who could we even beat? With our numbers and with our technology we would lose every fight.” Shakuhachi turned towards the speaker and rebuked. “You are only proving my point. We need numbers, and we need the technology. It is high time we started investing in those areas. There things we can take from the outsiders for ourselves. We can study and adapt them to fit our needs. There are numbers for us out there; the Mazoku clan has war-." He was stopped by another. “You would have us ally with the Demons? With what they’ve done!? I’d sooner leave Namek!”
At this point the crowd had definitely turned against Shakuhachi. “You still refuse to see things as they are. We’re not giving anything up; we’re having it taken away from us? Our crops, our fauna, our land is all being sold; no not even that. It’s just being given away. At least if it was sold we’ve have something in return for it and yet here we stand empty handed.” Shakuhachi turned to the elder behind him. “And to you I say this: Yes, the Mazoku Clan has never been on good terms with us; but have we even tried? At the end of our day they are still Namekians; they are still a part of our people! You and I know they aren’t all bad. All we have to do is find the good ones, the ones we can work with.”
Shakuhachi turned back to Guru and refused to give up ground to Guru. He stood tall and walked forward. “I am not a warmonger; I do not seek to put our people at undue risk. What I seek is agency. I seek the ability for the Namekian people to make our own destiny instead of it being decided by others. I want my children, and the children of all Namekians to be able to live without fear that one day a tyrant will come to our land, take our resources, enslave our people and destroy all which have dedicated our lives to protecting. I seek a future in which the Namekian people are no longer a pawn in the game of others. Is that so misguided of me?”
Guru was not afraid of a fight either. “So you would have us become the tyrants? You would have else travel to other lands, take which is not ours, hurt those who mean to do us no harm? Is that the future of the Nameks that you speak so fondly off?” Shakuhachi locked eyes with Guru now. “Better us than them. If we don’t, all we’re doing leaving the door open for someone else to do it to else. That’s why we need to take the initiative. We need to take the first step in expanding our influence. They are still untouched planets we can go to and settle. From there we can build our numbers, develop out technology and moved onto greater challenges.”
“Enough of this!” Wadaiko decided to intervene in the argument. “Leave now, Shakuhachi. We want no more of whatever it is you’re selling. Guru has made up his mind. If you wish to be a sore loser then find a rock to vent at; but leave us out of it. It’s clear that whatever path you wish to take our people on is going to achieve nothing but death and destruction. Maybe there is a few of the Nameks here who your words may resonate with. To those of us who do feel that I way I implore you to take your ideas and leave with Shakuhachi; anyone spouting this rhetoric is not welcome here. That especially goes towards you Shakuhachi.”
Shakuhachi did the opposite, instead challenging Wadaiko to battle. “If you feel like you are truly the right man to lead us forward then prove it here. If you want to prove to the people watching us here that you can protect them, then you should first be able to prove that you are able to protect yourself. I am of course no member of the Warrior Clan but I know how to fight. If you can even stop me then you’ve got no hope against a trained and prepared foreign threat.” Shakuhachi got into his battle stance and prepared to fight. “You’ve always been a trouble maker, and now you’ve gone too far. Once I ascend to the role of Guru you’d better not still be here else you will regret it.”
Shakuhachi did not back off, but Guru quickly got in the way. “Enough! We do not determine our disputes with a petty battle like this. Have you lost your mind? Leave now in peace, else face the consequences. I give you this one chance. How far will you take this? Are you willing to throw away everything over this? The further you go down this path, the more support you lose, the more lost you are. I thought that maybe we could still help you, but at this point I don’t see any way you can return. Please, just go. I have no more desire to speak with you. It’s clear I can’t change your mind, so you must find others you can tolerate you instead.”
At this point it was clear that Shakuhachi had no more allies. Even his friend Biwa was nowhere to be seen. Had his only friend abandoned him in his time of need? Shakuhachi was hell bent on this battle; some of the words said about him were even beginning to feel true. This hatred, this anger; maybe he they were right about him not being fit. But at this point he was so full of passion that it did not matter. He was not leaving here without a fight. But they wouldn’t let him have it. There would be no battle. Shakuhachi would not go through Guru in order to get it. Even after all of this he still had too much respect for him.
Wadaiko hid behind Guru in a way which boiled the blood of Shakuhachi. There was a swelling of disgust which he could no longer hold back. “Guru is right. You are misguided; you have fallen to a foul evil deep inside of you. I feel pity for you, Shakuhachi. Guru made his choice because he knew that I would be the best choice for Namek. I am kind, I am gentle and that’s exactly who we strive to be. I have no interest in fighting you Shakuhachi; I readily admit that you would likely defeat me with ease. I am no warrior, but neither are you. You turned you back on your clan, on your people and now you will leave us forever.”
As soon as Guru moved he released it all out, blasting Wadaiko in the back and killing him instantly. Before Shakuhachi could even get to grips which what he had done he was grabbed by the Warrior Clansmen and dragged to face Guru. First there was shame, then sorrow. The warriors advocated for execution, but instead Guru chose exile. “My son, I know I have failed you. Maybe I gave up on your too soon, or maybe you were always destined for this. I wish there was another way. Go now and find yourself, for you have no place with us. Do not return for it is too hard for me to look upon you anymore. You are truly lost.”
Shakuhachi tried to say something, but nothing came out. He knew that what he did would likely result in his banishment or execution, and he knew that few Namekians would ever forgive him; but what else could he have done. They wouldn’t listen to him. All he had ever wanted to do was help his people and yet they refused to even give him the opportunity; to even try and see it from his perspective. Instead now he was forced from his home, away from his family and into the harsh wilderness of Namek. In the end maybe this would be good for him. Maybe this life could give him a new perspective; or perhaps it would only reinforce what he knew to be true.
Shakuhachi was dragged to the border of the capital and thrown over by the warriors. “Don’t you see? The pacification; the weakness of our people? You are the warriors; how can you not see? You know it to be true, I know you do. Look at you; once mighty warriors reduced to this? There’s barely enough of you to even deal with me. How do you expect to deal with a real threat in your current state? I want to help you, and instead here I am being thrown away like I’m part of the problem. Let me help you do what you need to do! That’s all I ask of you.” His former brethren had no interest in his arguments anymore; not after what he had done.
“What I did was not right, but with where we are going I cannot say there was another way. Sometimes you have to take risks, you have to go to desperate lengths to do what you think is right. All I did was what I thought was right at the time.” There was no use in arguing any more. They had left him; he was just talking to himself now. They had left him alone; his friends and family had forced him to now fend for himself in the dangerous lands of the Northern Scar. He already knew his next destination however. If the meek and unwillingly would not accept his guidance then perhaps the Mazoku would instead be the future of Namek.