The Rich and The Poor Part 2
#2 of The Rich and The Poor
(Castiel's view)
I can't believe what that snot nose prince did to me! I won that race and he knows it but instead of admitting defeat he goes berserk and attacks me! I managed to give him a bloody mouth though, hope it teaches him to realize that not all poor folk are weak and helpless.
I hate that stupid bigot, just because I'm poor doesn't give him the right to talk us all down! Like a coward he hides behind those stupid castle walls while the real tough folk like me go out there and work like crazy while he and all those other fat lazy nobles complain about not getting the right kind of wine or some other crap.
I hate Yuuta, the moment I saw him I wanted to beat him down like a punching bag! I remember the day I first walked into the classroom after the low-town school was destroyed and the high-town school was bought off. I saw his fancy white rich clothes and knew the second who he was, and I knew I wanted to defeat him badly.
Yuuta is a weak tiger and he knows it...'oh I'm a Michael so I'm tougher and better then all you' HA! Like hell he is! No one else seems to be kicking his ass so its up to me to embarrass him in front of the class...and I know someday I will win! I think he just buys off the results! I know I've beaten tons of times yet it always says I'm right below him! I know for a fact that if I had more money and well known name around Riften I would be leaving Yuuta in the dust with my results!
He gave my a bloody nose after the race fight. I wiped it clean and tended to my vegetables that were growing quite well this year...despite all my anger towards that loathsome animal...just watching the other farmers work...and the wheat and corn stalks blow against the wind...it really puts me at ease...common people like can find pleasure and peace in the littlest of things.
Thanks to my fit stature, 6 pac and pecs included, I was able to get done with my farming fast and help the others around low-town with theirs. I looked around low-town and didn't see beggars and theives like Yuuta and the other rich nobles did...I saw 'real' people who, despite all the things they don't have, still manage to smile and wish me luck in defeating Yuuta someday and going about their business as usual.
It just seems wrong to me....that we of the low-town, the hard workers and the most numerous are considered flith to the few in high-town...it just feels like somehow I need to prove them all wrong! That a farmer boy like me not having much can beat the best and most powerful of them! In school I've already surpassed all of the other rich kids...now its just me and Yuuta, both of us the top of our class.
I asked around to see if anyone needed help but they said I should get some rest for tomorrow and I guess they were right, my nose was still killing me after all. I went back to my little home that had no outside paint just wood that was, I admit, a bit old and look rotten. The windows were a bit old and stained to and when you got inside it wasn't much better. The floor was made of the same kind of wood outside and made numerous creaks when you stepped on it. In fact everything nearly everything in my house was made of wood, thanks to my dad being a woodcutter and my mother tended the garden......Mom.....Dad...
I looked up at the wall to see the one portrait of my family...my mom and dad and me when I was a baby....the only thing I had left to remember them by. My parents died in a plague that killed only those in low-town and a few cases in mid-town but of course high-town didn't get affected and did nothing to help us. Yuuta has a family, money, power, and a castle and he doesn't do anything! Yet while I work like crazy and hardly get enough to survive!....I just have to beat Yuuta someday! I just have to! These captain recruitment tests....there my last chance...
Well I suppose since Yuuta and I are the top of my class we'll both be nominated for the captain recruitments...really the only competition was for the other five positions...after I get the captain position I have to prove myself a better leader and harder worker then Yuuta! I know I can do it! I know your watching me mom and dad...I won't let you down....
(Yuuta's view)
The whole night went by fast. I was dreaming of, of course, beating up Castiel and leaving him in the dirt where he belongs...I just want to see him in pain! I want to see him cry and realize hes not that strong! That hes weak like all of the others in low-town! He has no idea what I had to go through in order to be the top of my class! He has no idea of pain and suffering! I went through the hardest training money can buy and I will stay on top!...for my honor and my parents.
The morning sun peaked out of the horizon and I got up to get dressed like the soldiers did in the Riften army training I also went through as a child. Today we get the results from the captain recruitment tests and I'll prove once and for all that I'm better then that stupid human Castiel! My mother and father weren't up yet and usually they weren't...since I'm a Michael its expected that I'm the first to wake up since I'm the youngest and have the most energy.
I went into the kitchen and grabbed a peice of bread before I heard the cook who works here in the cook station in my castle say something.
"My lord please sit down! I will cook you breakfast right now, I'm sorry if I woke up to late again." He said grabbing some eggs and started to make me some scrambled eggs.
"Fine" I said softly and waited outside for my plate. I didn't eat on a table usually unless it was a party or ceremony of some sort. I stood up like the Michael tradition...get your energy whereever you can and be prepared for battle anytime!...I lived by the Michael code and I had to follow it, I will not let my ancestors down...but still I wanted to just cook something up myself and hurry out to see the results!
After 10 minutes the chef came out with a plate of scrambled eggs, toast with jelly, and a glass of milk. I quickly devoured the poor meal and handed the plate to the chef.
"Thank you sir! Your cooking was worth the wait as always!" I said running off to low-town as he went back into the kitchen.
I looked at all the magnificent buildings of all the noble houses...I had to impress all of them, every house, every person, I had to make all their jaws drop with envy and so far I was succedding! I had all the markings of a good Michael and I was proud of it! I worked very hard to impress them and I won't let some human drive all that to the ground!
I arrived in the town center of mid-town and stopped to catch my breath for a moment. I wanted to look professional when they put out the results after all, I started to day dream what it would be like...to a captain of the Riften army. I imagined myself charging forward in the front lines with all of the other soldier against monsters and demons of all sorts.
I could just see myself standing on top of a hill holding a sword in one hand and the Riften flag in the other cheering to the soldiers down the hill after a great victory...yes...That will be me someday because thats what all Michaels do and are...soldiers, warriors, and great kings. My tail that protrayed my emotions well started to curl around my leg loving the image of me being a great warrior.
My dreams were interuppted by fimilar footsteps. I turned my head and saw Castiel only 10 feet away from me. When he looked up to see the time he noticed me and we both gave each other death glares and growls.
"Late again as usual lazy peasant!" I said with my tailpuffing out in disgust.
"I heard you broke a nail and thought you weren't coming until later my Princess" He said with a smirk and gods help me, I was about to challenge him to a fight right there!
"When I'm king I'm going to put you in the dungeon where your low-town kind belong!" I said with my fists cleching and my claws ready to tear him apart.
A crowd of students surrounded us thinking finally after all these years me and Castiel were finally going to settle this dispute...and I wanted to.
"You will be a great king...because all you do is talk, your father is nothing but talk and so are you!" He shouted as my tail puffed out incredibly to show my rage for that comment! He dares insult my father! Thats it! I was willing to spare him during our fight but that crosses the line!
"How about you-" I shouted back before someone announced from a distance.
"Gather around! We are going to announce the winners of the captain recruitment tests!" A man shouted as the other students started to leave the circle they formed around us and went over to the man standing on top of the podium in front of the school.
I looked back at Castiel and he looked back at me...both of us had fire in our eyes of pure hatred our fists in unison that were about ready to punch each other eased up and we only glared at each other again. I hate this kid...
"We'll let the tests speak for themselves." I said going over to the announcer handing out the results that showed everyone elses in the class. I looked down the list to see my name and my scores....next to them were the notes 'record breaker' as I expected..I was the best in my class again..hmm...lets see what that loser Castiel got..probably the lowest of the class and has the notes 'try harder' next to them hmm lets see
I scanned the paper and finally saw his name and the results next to them and I nearly ripped my paper into shreds! He was right behind me again! Why?! I have to start convincing these teachers that Castiel is not a good student or warrior of any kind!
The written part of the test I got a 100 and he got a 99.5, the melee combat test! I destroyed the dummies in 40 seconds he destroyed them in 41 seconds! The race! I completed it in 1 minute 10 seconds! He completed it in 1 minute 10 seconds and a half! Thats nearly insulting the idea that he was a near equal to me! I looked at Castiel through the crowd and he looked back realizing we were once again nearly tied!
I hate him! I hate him! Hate him! hate him! HATE! HATE! HATE HIM! And did I mention I hate more then anything in the world?! I have to settle this once and for all! A boxing match! A sword fight! Anything to get that leech off my back! I was prepared to start the fight we had before until the announcer once again interuppted us.
"We will now announce the recruits! First is...Yuuta Michaels!" He said as the others clapped and cheered even though I think everyone expected that to happen...no doubt the next name will be Castiel...
"The next recruit.....Sussana!" He said as I was taken back at the name...Sussana?! She was the second place winner?! I must have missed her results. I looked back in the papers as I the others began to cheer and clap for her I found here results and.....They were terrible.....these results are good enough for a captian recruit?! Maybe our army won't be so great as I thought. Literally she completed the tests with half the score as me and Castiel!
"Next is........Lucian!" The announcer said and once again I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I looked at his results...even worse then Sussana's! How is it that these test results were enough for a captian recruit?!
The anouncer then announced 4 other names....none of them were Castiels....Castiel....he didn't make the captain recruitment tests...He-He didn't pass! He didn't pass! I screamed happily in my mind as I could finally put that worm in the dirt! This was my chance! After all these years of waiting I can finally put him in his place! I've been waiting for this day for many years now and I was going to love every second of it! I think maybe the teachers forgot his test or something but who cares! I'm going to rub it in Castiel's face that he wasn't good enough for the captain recruit tests!
I looked at with an evil smile but....when I looked over to where Castiel was last standing...he was gone...I looked through the crowd hoping not to miss my chance and I saw him turn a corner with his head down and not looking at me....perfect...even though as much as I want to rub it in his face in front of the whole class this will do...I just want it done. I moved through the crowd and followed Castiel until he sat down on a bench near the mid-town park. I hid behind a building and saw his head down holding the results still in his hand...I realized I dropped mine when I went after him but at least I could rub 'his' results in his face...This moment was going to be sweeter then any treat I've ever tasted!
(Castiel'v view)
I just couldn't find the strength to walk back home I-I failed...I saw my results...they were in second place but...I-I wasn't even choosen! Didn't they see my test?! Did they forget about me?! W-Why?! I don't mind the fact of not beating Yuuta but...to lose altogether?! I-I
And speaking of the devil...I looked up for a moment to see him walking towards me with an evil smile on his face...not this...not now.
"Well, Well, Well...you hear that Castiel? Your not good enough to be a captain and guess what? You never will be! I don't know why your even trying Castiel you know your a peasant destined to fail and yet you let yourself think you could be one of the best!" He said with a smile with a mixed feeling of hate...and...and-
weakness entered my body...like when I first lost my parents....that weak feeling...that feeling when you don't know what your going to do...when your whole life is gone and changed forever for the worst...I-I-I hated that feeling...I built myself up hoping I could never feel it again! But now...I can't became a captain or...anything! I'm just ....dirt. I was snapped back into reality only to hear Yuuta still taunting me.
"Did you really think that you could be me or become anything in your life? Face it Castiel your dirt and flith..you belong in a sewer..your nothing more then-" Yuuta said with his evil tone before...
I just let it all out.
"I GET IT!!!!!!" I screamed at him as I stood up cleching my fists with tears in my eyes....I looked at him in the eyes as he was taken aback from my sudden confession...I felt so weak...so hopeless what was the point anymore? Why hide the truth anymore? I sat back down and screamed at the ground with my hands still holding the test results....and the tears dropping on it
"I'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN IT! I'M WEAK! I'M PATHETIC! I'M DIRT! I HAVE NO PURPOSE OTHER TO ROT IN THE STREETS AND DIE! DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?!" I screamed at him with tears running down my face and his evil smile turned into a sad face...one of deep thought.
"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY I TRIED SO HARD?! YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY I GOT MY HOPES UP BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE RIGHT! I KNEW THAT IF I FAILED THE TEST I WAS GOING TO DIE IN LOW-TOWN! WHY DO YOU THINK I TRIED SO HARD?! SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE! SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE 'SOME OTHER' PEASANT! I TRIED SO HARD TO KEEP MY FAMILIES MEMORY ALIVE! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE THEIR FAMILY PROUD?!" I kept screaming letting all the pent up emotions out as Yuuta's deep thoughts were clealry winning some kind of emotion from him.
I felt my rage leave and nothing but weakness was left in me. I had no energy to shout....it was all over...all of it.
"I wanted to believe I could be somebody...I wanted to be like the kid in the childs story book...the ones that my parents read to me before they-they died...where the little boy managed to gain the respect of the town and became a hero and slayed the dragon...I wanted to believe I could actually do something in my life other then farm and die."
"Do you know what its like Yuuta? Do you know what its like to have no parents? To have that feeling of loneliness enter you when you got home to an empty house every day? To know that if your family was just a bit more richer they could maybe still be alive? To be that only child and realize that the only thing you could do was to keep yourself alive and abandon your dreams for them just to know you were still living? I had to give up alot of things Yuuta when I was little..I wanted to go to boot camp when I was 7 but it was harvest month and I needed the money for winters firewood, thin blankets, and food."
"But everyday...no matter how rough the day was I would go back home...and find comfort in those stories...those stories that kept me safe when I was child...to feel my mothers hug and love and my dads strength and protection. I imagined they were still with me when I read those books...and as I got older..I read more complex books...that sometimes it wasn't just one hero...maybe the one hero and his friend? Or the hero and his rival...
"When your that little and that hopeless Yuuta you don't care if your the hero or not...just someone-just someone to be remembered, just someone with a name...When I went into school...when I first saw you I knew who you were and I admit...I wanted to beat you...I wanted to be the hero and someday find a friend or travel buddy.....But when we first competed...when we always fought against the other...every test, every race I knew for a fact that I was, if anything, the friend of the hero.."
"I knew the Michaels tradition and I knew that you were someday going to be a hero...and-and I wanted to be there next to you, I wanted you to acknowledge me as a warrior and hopefully think of my as a friend.....even if you didn't...despite all the harsh words and hard training and test I somehow still thought of you as a friend....I knew I had to be right there next to you or else I would be forgotten...and my chance to become anything would be gone."
"Remember that day Yuuta? After the race when we were 14? You won again and both of us were covered in sweat as I said 'You look tired Prince...someday I know I'll beat you" but then instead of ignoring me or insulting me back you said "Looks like I'll have to watch my back from now on"....You have no idea how much that meant to me...it meant that I was someone to you...that I was there and that you could see me...but the next day, you forgot all about it.
"Your better Yuuta...you've always been better...I've never once didn't think that behind my blind pride but what does it matter? After your done rubbing my results in my face you'll forget all about me...just like you wanted" I said tasting the bitter taste of my tears...the taste I never wanted to taste again.
"Well? Aren't you going to continue to rant at me? Aren't you going to yell around town saying 'Finally! Castiel admits he stupid and weak!' Go ahead I'll back it up if someone doesn't believe you." I said looking up as Yuuta had a distant look on him...what was he thinking? Not like it matters now....its all over for me....after years of hard effort...its all gone in one swoop.
(Yuuta's view)
I-I couldn't believe what he was saying to me...I wanted to say he was lying and possibly even to continue my rant but...to see Castiel crying and defeated..something in my heart and mind they-they just couldn't do it.....Castiel....even though he could have kept hiding underneath his endurance he let out all of his emotions and feelings about me and himself.....I-Have I really been that evil?....All Michaels are suppose to help people and...where am I? I'm talking down a poor person who gave his heart out for a cause and I'm taunting him about it...he-he
"Castiel...is that what you think?" I asked him still shocked
"Its not what I think...its what I know...I'm nothing to you...I could never beat you" He said again and I felt this...pain in my heart..what was this feeling? I-I can't stand to see him like this but I must keep my pride I-what am I saying? Castiel threw away his pride in front of me....it was the most bravest thing I've ever seen...for such a strong kid to lower his guard and really talk about himself..I-I have been a bastard...I've been a poor excuse as not only a Michael...but a person.
"Damn you.....Well....Congradualations Castiel...you finally beat me in something." I said throwing away my pride now as he looked up at me.
"What?" He asked thinking he heard wrong
"You heard me...you win..you were first....you let your true feelings out before me....you did it." I said with my eyes getting watery
"Your just lying...you don't care." He said looking away and wiping away his tears
"I do care Castiel! I've been a horrible person! You've had a noble heart and...I've just been selfish...I've been...a child after all these years." I said realizing it was the truth. I sat down next to Castiel and we both looked at the park and its trees.
"Castiel....I know you think, aswell as everybody, that the Michaels are invinsible...that when training or fighting they show no emotion other then determination and when making speeches they show love and kindness....well....not me...I'm not like that."
"Castiel when I was born I wanted to be a hero too...not just some hero king but a hero..with friends and kindness....The Michaels may act they care but secretly all we care about is ourselves...When I was little just barely out of my diapers...I began training, not just little training but real hero training. I wasn't allowed to cry or breakdown when I couldn't do the exercise..If I did it was double the next day and so on. As a kid I knew no life besides the training room and my bedroom...I lived in a castle Castiel, a castle, and I only knew 2 rooms of it and if I was seen in the others I was punished..."
"I have emotions Castiel...I am a person not just some vessel to carry on a name...all I could think about during my training was wanting to escape, to be my own person....I wanted to change the very hero identity of the Michaels...I wanted to be a artist..."
"But no...the training just got tougher and tougher until every day I reached my limit. I was brainwashed into thinking all I had to do was be a hero and continue on the Michael name. And for awhile I gave up. I felt so hopeless to my fate...go this path or die it felt like."
"I envied the kids of the other towns...they were allowed to go out and play, having fun like a child was suppose to be. I wanted to go down and play with them but I couldn't escape and if I tried to yell I was punished even more harshly. I was 8...and I knew no one else expect for my parents, the training teachers and the cook who made my meals...sometimes he made awful meals on purpose because my father ordered him too....the chef knew this was wrong but had no power over my father....like me."
"You have no idea how happy I was to hear that I was finally going to school with other kids! I was finally going to have friends! I had the chance now. But when I entered....no one talked to me...they all knew me but didn't want to know me...I wanted them to see me as Yuuta, not a Michael. I sat down on a desk feeling worse then ever and then-and then I saw you...I'll admit myself Castiel when I first saw you I let the Michaels laws take over me...you were a peasant and I was noblity...we were opposites not only in social class but in species."
"When the first race began I wanted to show everyone how fast I was...I trained since I was little so I thought maybe, if I impressed them they would think I was a nice guy to be with. When the race started I left everyone in the dust...I looked back not to see faces of awe or wonder at me but faces of jealousy." I said with tears flowing out of my eyes and dropping to the ground forming a small puddle. My tail felt nonexistant as it just slumped over in sadness aswell....all of it was true even the next part.
"Until I looked over to my side....and there you were probably right there with me...you shocked me that day as I let primal instincts take over me...I felt like I had to keep ahead of you...or else you would keep running and I would lose my chance to be next to someone."
"After that first race even though I acted a bit angry like I was suppose to I was dying to know who you were. I thought maybe you were a prince like me and that we both had similar pasts...but then...I found out you were low-town resident...I was shocked at first and I thought I hated you...that you really didn't know what I went through and you were trying to make me look bad....but I couldn't get you out of my mind"
"After months went on and you were still there right next to me...You didn't give up even though most of your peers were against it...you showed courage...the courage I wanted...to go against everything and be something else. My fake hatred of you last maybe a month Castiel...before it turned into....complete admiration." I said as Castiel looked at me with a surprised look and I looked back both of our eyes straining from both our tears.
"I wouldn't deny it, I admired you and my parents didn't like it one bit...they wanted me to be better then you...I wanted to talk to you as an equal..but I just-I just couldn't find the strength...but I soon realized something...you were trying to beat me...beat me and leave me behind....in my heart I just couldn't allow that. I formed a plan that would keep me and my family happy...I trained harder."
"I trained myself to the limit all over again but this time for something different..I did it out of choice to keep you next to me...To have someone to keep up with....even if you didn't know it I kept a journal in my bedroom and wrote down everything we did today....and everytime-everytime I called you...friend. My friend Castiel, my best bud Castiel...so opposite from me yet like everything I wanted to be...everything was so similar."
"I remember saying that 'watch my back' thing to you Castiel. But the one thing you said to me that realized who important to me you were was when both of us did the sword combat traing when we were 16. Both of us tired out of our minds but we kept up our rivalry of the other. I said "you got lucky today Castiel you won't be so lucky tomorrow. Next time you'll be left in the dust instead of right behind me" Then you said. "You looked Sweaty prince...you sure it was as easy as you claimed?"...you got me that day...everything I was doing...all the rivalry, all the training...was for you to acknowledge me.
Castiel you are better then me...in nearly every way that matters" I said looking up at him and both us were near tears again.
Everything was out...all our hatred of each other was just blind pride...now we know each others true feelings...and now the desire to be his friend was overwhelming.
"Castiel?....I know I don't deserve to ask but....can we be friends?" I asked...the one question I wanted to ask since the day I met him.
I held my breath praying to the gods for the best. No amount of training could ever change this..please....gods...just this one thing...this is all I've ever asked from you. My heart also seemed to hold still and my hands gripped down on my legs getting tighter with every second. I felt dead before I felt something placed on top of my hand. I looked down to see Castiels hand on top of mine and my heart was ready to burst with joy or sadness.
"............Sure.........." He said and I felt happy...for once in my life