“You’re a successful business man, you’re at the height of your career. A man from another business shows up to buy you out, however the same day your beloved Daughter, who you love, has fallen into a critical state and is being rushed to the hospital. If you go to her you will lose your business.
You can only choose one. Now choose.”
“The path reflected within will always be absolute, no matter what lies you breathe to deny it.”
“NO! It is NOT absolute! I will NEVER let that happen! YOU ARE NO JUDGE OF ME, JUDGEMENT BOY!” He pointed a clawed finger at the scale.
Having aired his fury, Aku punched through the nearest wall and left in a snarling rage. As soon as he returned home, he would gather up his daughters into his arms and hold them protectively.
“You’re a successful business man, you’re at the height of your career. A man from another business shows up to buy you out, however the same day your beloved Daughter, who you love, has fallen into a critical state and is being rushed to the hospital. If you go to her you will lose your business.
You can only choose one. Now choose.”
“In the end, your hesitance causes you to choose your reign and success over your daughter. Meanwhile your dear daughter slips into a coma and dies alone waiting for her father’s return. It was your choice, now you have to live with the consequences of your actions.”
“NO, WAIT !!”
“Th— That is not what I wanted…”
Though he couldn’t deny that he wasn’t the greatest decision-maker under pressure. Aku’s eyebrows flickered anxiously. His little daughter wouldn’t really slip into a coma and die, would she??
“You’re a successful business man, you’re at the height of your career. A man from another business shows up to buy you out, however the same day your beloved Daughter, who you love, has fallen into a critical state and is being rushed to the hospital. If you go to her you will lose your business.
You can only choose one. Now choose.”
“YOU CAN ONLY CHOOSE ONE PATH, ONE PATH AND NO MORE, IF YOU REFUSE I WILL JUDGE THE WEIGHT OF YOUR VERY SOUL RIGHT NOW. NO CHOICES. NO GOING BACK!”
“Hmph! What makes you so sure I even have a soul?”
Accursed Judgment Boy!
“Very well,” he said after a roll of his eyes. “Then I will see to my daughter.”
“But afterward I will find this businessman and DESTROY HIM!”
“A concept I haven’t thought of before, though my parents both seem human. You never can tell I guess from face value.” she picked up the tea kettle to offer more. “I should ask, how are you so okay with me right now, or aren’t you?” she asked.
As the tea kettle was lifted, Aku lowered his cup for more. His cup refilled, he brought it to his face and breathed in the steam as he considered the question.
“I am not fond of humankind, there is no question about that,” he said. “But I will not deny that for every problem they have caused me, they have created something I find useful and enjoyable.”
This tea for instance. There were certainly things that would not exist without humans. And a few of those things had become important to him.
“Unlike many of your kind, you do not seek to resist me or overthrow my rule of this planet. I see no reason to dispose of you.”
“You’re a successful business man, you’re at the height of your career. A man from another business shows up to buy you out, however the same day your beloved Daughter, who you love, has fallen into a critical state and is being rushed to the hospital. If you go to her you will lose your business.
You can only choose one. Now choose.”
“YOU LEAVE MY DAUGHTERS OUT OF THIS!” screamed Aku.
But this was merely a hypothetical situation, was it not? The demon lord stroked his beard as a solution took form in his mind. “Mmhhhh…”
“Yes, I know! I will split myself into two halves. One half will be at my daughter’s side while the other half guards my reign of Evil.”
Alysa stayed silent for a moment, then she knew that she couldn’t hide it any longer. “OKAY I CONFESS!! The truth is……. ihaveacrushonyou..!” she said quickly as it sounded like a mumble.
“HUH? You have a what?” Who? Where? She put a what on him? Was it some kind of magic spell? Aku looked down at himself as if expecting to see evidence of this ‘crush’ on his physical being. But seeing nothing unusual, he looked back up at her.
He didn’t feel like he was being crushed. In fact, he felt perfectly fine.
“Do you really think you are powerful enough to crush the Almighty Aku?”
He’d let out a snarled as he pulled the sheets off from the other. Trying to pry him off his bed. “I’d did not invite you to my bed, it was not our agreement that we be living together now.”
Aku hissed as he yanked the sheets back on with one hand and pushed at his alternate with the other hand.
“Sharing a common space is the whole point of marriage! You share everything, including your bed and your misery! It’s the law!”
But he could only resist the other’s prying for so long in his tired state. With a little more prying, he was successfully dumped on the floor with a yelp.
Gaster caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and caught sight of the approaching dark substance. Though he was aware of its presence, the monster made no move to try and move away. Instead, with a smirk, he turned his attention back to Aku.
To answer Aku’s question, the monster tapped the scars on his face. “Let’s just say I was on the losing side of a war. Humans started it, humans slaughtered everything in their path, and humans have noremorse for what they’ve caused. So now, it’s humans who will pay for what
they’ve done.”
Aku suddenly felt as if he had a much greater understanding for why Gaster was doing what he did. An understanding he could appreciate on a personal level.
“Yes, it is in the nature of humankind to attack that which they fear and do not understand,” he spoke from experience. “Long ago a human Emperor came to me, the very first of his kind to approach me. This Emperor came seeking my demise but in his efforts to destroy me, incidentally gave rise to my current form and sentience. It was he who then cast his arrows upon me, he who attacked me with his blade.”
Aku’s gaze narrowed as he recalled the event. Such disrespect that human had shown. It was then Aku knew he must show them all who was the most supreme of beings, the master of the world.
“But I was not weak. His army and their weapons were no match for the power of Aku. All of humankind continues to pay for his sins against me with their misery and woe.” A grin spread across the demon’s face, his curved fangs gleaming in cruel victory. “To this day I have kept him alive centuries past his natural lifespan and he spends every moment of his existence suffering in a world of hate and flame.”
The small lake of tar had grown and spread but now it was still, as if it had taken up whatever position was intended for it and was awaiting its next move.
The Shogun of Sorrow 