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This Journal appears to have seen much use in the past few days, as the first few pages are nearly full with ramblings and hateful comments. Among the complaining, though, you manage to find a few helpful hints as to the owner of the journal. Amateurish doodles cover the sides of the pages - apparently someone was bored...

An Odd Day

In Azhe, there were just some things you didn't see. For example, you wouldn't see people with blonde hair, nor a day without humidity. Something else you never saw were the self-proclaimed 'royalty' of Azhe - the traders who had become rich in their own respect, their families so ancient and prosperous that they seemed like legend to the hard-working lower class. But every once in a rare while, one of these living myths could be found on the streets, creeping along like any other person.

Well, that is if every other person strutted as they made their way down the Azhean pathways.

A boy, no more than fourteen or fifteen, was flouncing down a street of well-to-do homes. The houses around him, with their majestic, curved roofs, seemed to highlight the fact that he was very nearly dwarf-size. To onlookers, he would have been stunning, with his silky, ink-black hair and porcelain skin. But, for the moment, he was alone in his sashaying, save for the marsh willows.

Wait, what was that? An urchin, even smaller than the rich teen, came sprinting down the street. Immediately the porcelain feet halted, his pretty face drawing back into a slight look of disgust as the homeless child came to a stop before him, peering up at him with azure eyes. For a moment the two stared at each other - the urchin's mouth hung slightly open in shock, while the teen was nearly snarling with indignity. Didn't this boy know who he was gawking at?! He was Gouzen, of the Sekigaku family!

After awhile of this silent exchange, the urchin finally spoke up: "You're really pretty, Miss."

Dead. Silence. Gouzen's jaw dropped, eyes widening. Oh no, he didn't! He would have this vermin on a plate before the end of the day! Before he could recover and spit out a fiery retort, the child flailed and realized his mistake, "I mean, sir! You're really pretty, sir!"

"That's much better," the teen hissed between clenched teeth, peering down his nose at the dirty little boy near his feet. Truth be told, his vain heart was appeased by the complement, and by how distraught now the vagrant appeared to be. He must've realized that he was speaking to an Azhean of power and dignity. Perhaps he could be forgiven.

Gouzen eyed him a second longer. Was he really going to talk to this...low-life? He cleared his throat, preparing himself. "What did you say your name was again, child?"

"Phirun, sir."

"Ah." He resisted the urge to smirk. Such a lowly name. "Well, Phirun, would you like to go on an adventure?" Immediately he saw the child's face light up, grinning with his big, yellow teeth.

"An adventure to where?!"

"You'll see, you'll see."

The two began their journey down the streets of Azhe, Gouzen flaunting about while Phirun simply followed his lilting step, chewing on a grimy fingernail. As they passed into the more lively reaches of the city, the child couldn't help but let his gaze wander to the various shops along the streets, selling odds and ends and food and clothes and lots of other things he would likely never be able to afford. Gouzen didn't give these stores a second glance - they were so far beneath him that it would be nearly an insult for a vendor to call his attention.

Finally the teen came to a stop, scanning the area ahead of him. It was relatively quiet here, though there were many people standing around, waiting. He gestured for the urchin to sit upon a pebble embankment nearby.

"Sir..?"

Gouzen shook his head, glaring down. What gave him the thought to speak right now, when everyone around was dead silent? The little munchkin was luck- Oh, the show was starting!

All that marked the beginning of the performance was a lone, ominous drum - then fire! Licks of flame sprung from an alleyway, and from the maelstrom roared a massive dragon. Papery scales of vermilion red gave way to a fur mane - it was quite a terrifying sight. Phirun gasped, eyes wide with amazement. Gouzen simply watched, a smile playing at his lips just as the flames played with the sky. It was all just a show, a demonstration of the power of science and the wealth of Azhean culture.

The dragon danced by on twelve dainty feet, swirling this way and that. His mouth opened, showing ivory fangs (likely made of imported elephant tusk) and accompanied by a cascade of drums, swarming the ears of the crowd with a roar. Then it raced away, disappearing down a crowded, and slightly bewildered, street. Immediately the onlookers began to clap approvingly, and a few sent up a cheer.

By that point, though, Gouzen was already gone. He was sashaying his way back home, silent and grinning. Why had he done that? The Dragon wasn't exactly a rare sight, if you knew where to look. But, truth was, few knew where to look, and far fewer had actually studied the subject as Gouzen had. You'd be amazed by how many books there were on such a seemingly trivial subject. But, to all of the customers and the children, was it really that trivial? As he crept back into his home, greeted by the smell of incense, he realized that Phirun would likely die on the streets, poor and unknown.

Then why had he taken him to the Dragon? Because, perhaps, that would brighten the dark days the child was to face. When he grew up, he would feel no mercy from anyone - least of all Gouzen. But children were...sort of interesting. Some didn't have the cruelty of older people. But most importantly of all, they were the only people who truly upheld the Golden Rule. Treat and teach them, and they would become yours. Be cruel, and they would be cruel in return.

Gouzen retreated to his study without a word to anyone. He would tell no one of what he had done today. Regardless of his intentions, he had associated with the low-level filth he so despised. Regardless of the fact that he felt as though a small flame was locked in his chest, warming his heart, Gouzen would likely have forgotten this day within a week.

But there was someone who would remember this day, likely until his last.

You paint a very vivid picture of Gouzen – I can see him flouncing around in my mind’s eye, and you get a real sense of his vain, holier-than-thou manner. You also pull off first person well, which I personally have a hard time reading.

I did notice that your entry is on the brief side, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm curious about his reaction when he finds out he isn't literally being sacrificed, or perhaps his thoughts on any special people he may have left behind.

Additional stuff: a woman of exceptional breed – I think you meant 'breeding', and you have an open tag. I also wouldn't say no to post titles or coloured coding, but that's just appearance.

Overall, lovely. :3

Changed to a...true? Journal form. Gouzen's drawings and all.

Oh noes~ Not someone who won't get along with Gouzen! There shouldn't be many of those not. xD Thanks for reading!

Hm, I never thought about what he did when he found out he was being sacrificed, to be honest. I'll have to add that in there! Thank you. :3

Mm...It depends on what you mean by mature. In a terrifying situation, he will cower and back out unless he's absolutely forced to go. Fortunately, he's too arrogant to realize he's in danger half the time. Romance-wise? Eh, it depends. He'd never be the loving / romantic person, no matter the relationship, but he would have his own ways of showing affection and making concessions for his love that he wouldn't even consider showing to others. He'll always be extravagantly vain, though his ability to deal with people he considers to be 'lower' than him will become better with time. He'll never like dealing with non-Azhes, but after awhile he will at least be able to bite his tongue and grudgingly deal with them.

Is that what you were talking about?

And, yeah. xD I wasn't sure on how small 'small' was. Since I'm about 5' 3" myself, 5' 1" seemed small for a guy to me. Is he too short, you think?

I'm not going to lie. Going back to your point about his character appearing flat, I'm not a hundred percent sure how to fix that. I've not been told that before. xD I understand what you mean - he has apparently no good qualities. But I wonder what sort of good I can put in him? Hyuuu. *ponders* I'll figure something out.

Your critique will seriously be helpful. Thank you! And I apologize that this post was incredibly choppy in advance. I can flow in-character, but out? gonk