Character(s)/Pairing(s): Jun

Warnings: Some spoilers for the series, small (very small) crossover with Sailor Moon and Hikaru no Go

Summary: You don't get close to the supernatural without keeping some scars, mental or physical. In Jun case, it helped him develop a healthy dose of wariness… okay, perhaps it was paranoia, but who cared? So long it was keeping him alive, he was all for it.

Notes: You can find more stories, including some which haven't been posted anywhere else, on my AO3 account; see my profil for details.

Scars

Or The Influence of the Supernatural on your Daily Life

You never go through life without getting a lesson or two from what you lived through… or rather, in some cases, what you survived to.

Yamano Jun was barely eight years old when his life was drastically changed by a war between the forces of evil and five teenagers bearing magical armors to defend humanity. Those guys saved his life - and he had saved theirs in turn once or twice, though he might not have fully realized back then just helpful he had been. As it was, in his childish mind, he only saw that, in the end, the War had ended, his parents were back and he couldn't have been happier. However, the events he lived through had changed him.

Outwardly, Jun was still the same, no different than any kid his age. But the battles he had witnessed, the blood and agony and pain and tears of his 'big brothers' had left traces in his young mind. Even worse, he started to notice he had become quite the magnet to weird things as more time passed by, though it took him a couple of years before he fully acknowledged he had a problem and that living close to the Troopers for months had certainly started it all.

He didn't blame them, really. It was no one's fault in the end, except perhaps Arago, Kaosu and whatever magic had been drawn by the armors. Although he tried not to dwell too much on the bizarre happenings of his daily life, they certainly had brought home the point that, as a friend of the Troopers, he would always remain a potential target. So he had started to make a list of things to do or not do or to believe or not believe, just in case it could help him. Some were, and some were less, some were pointless or funny or just here to make him smile and not forget the obvious, but they all helped keeping him sane and on edge.

The most important ones could be resumed as such:

1. Demons and other monsters are real.

Not something he would ever forget. Coming face-to-face with an armor haunted by an evil spirit right in the middle of Tokyo is not something any sane people would except, aside of a naïve kid who believed in legends. That said, it wasn't supposed to happen. Unfortunately for Jun, it did happen, and he was still alive to tell the tale, despite said haunted armor's best efforts.

The first thing he did, once the fact had finally sunk in the delayed shock finally faded, was to run to the library and local bookshops to get his hands on as many bestiaries of spirits and supernatural creatures as he could. He dug out as many legends as he could, begged to borrow Nasutei's notes and own book collections, and managed to make his own compilation of info to never be caught short-handed.

One could never be too careful, after all.

He was soon persuaded he had taken the right decision once he started to spend the reminders of his childhood and early teenage years dodging scary things trying to kill him. And it wasn't like he had been out looking for them!

2. Don't come too near televisions if you can help it

Even before being taken hostage and somehow locked in a large screen with a young woman he didn't know at the time, Jun hadn't been a fervent fan of television shows. He preferred reading or playing outside. The few scary moments he spend prisoner in the screen, in pain from his would-be-rescuers' attacks on his captor, only comforted him in his wariness.

Perhaps he did end up more traumatized than what he had first thought, for his wariness turned later intro strong dislike, and he never could bring himself to watch a TV the same way again. To say the truth, there was even a time, in his late childhood, when he felt faint any time he came across a working television.

His parents, if they noticed, wisely decided not to comment on the strange grimaces and sudden paleness of their son.

At the most, they only dared to ask a few polite questions when they noticed their no adult son owned no TV himself when they came one day to visit him…

3. Know how to bandage wounds

Protected by mystical armors or not, the Troopers often ended their fights with more bruises than Jun had cared to remember over time. It often was up to Nasutei and him, as 'Junior Healer', to help them get out of armors and clothes and to bandage them up, cleaning the wounds and cuts and bruises of his adoptive 'big brothers'. Until Seiji started to fully get into healing, that's it.

Despite the Kourin wearer handling the most serious damages, what Jun saw in some cases still managed to make him cringe and gave him quite the eye to evaluate at first glance just how serious a wound was. Broken ribs or limbs came to mind.

It certainly made his classmates and teacher stare when, in the middle of a nature class, he correctly and effortlessly bandaged the leg of an injured fox with just a wet handkerchief and some string.

And a couple of years later, it made them just look at him in disbelief and horrified fascination as he helped reset one of his classmates' leg during a summer trek. Lost in the wood with no way to call for help, Jun has just handed the other kid something to bite in, reset the broken bone and made him a simplistic sling before helping him walk to the nearest outpost. And he never blinked or really thought about it once as he did so.

As for the long, deep gash one of his training buddies at the dojo accidentally inflicted to him, Jun had barely shook his head with a sigh, stating that fifteen or so sutures should be plenty sufficient to deal with it. Better not speak of the reaction his statement got.

Especially once it was proven he was right.

4. Being well-versed in any martial arts might just ensure your continued survival

The idea came naturally to him as he watched the Troopers train. If at first he had simply played samurai with Byakuen in the role of his mighty warhorse, wearing a paper helm, he soon realized that play and make-believes wouldn't suffice if he ever ended in a bad situation, and that perhaps his 'big brothers' wouldn't always be here on time to rescue him before something bad happened. Someday would come where he would have to hold his own… at least until the reinforcements arrived.

He waited until he was ten years old before asking them to seriously train him. And, well… Seiji and Ryo were surprised, but complied effortlessly. They had quickly noted Jun would make a good student.

Without having gotten a single official lesson before, the little boy had paid attention and spent lot of time trying to imitate their moves. He didn't have a good technique, but he had reflexes and base moves down already. He was, to say the least, a natural at sword-plays. With a few lessons, he even started to gain competitions.

It made him regret, sometimes, that he hadn't been a bit older when Arago launched his attack. However, between clenched teeth, he had to admit that even a well-intentioned and talented kid with a katana would never have been a mach even for the weakest Youja…

5. In case the fight takes place near you, don't come any closer

This one had given him no end of troubles.

As a kid, as he was caught up in the fights between the Troopers and the Masho, he had never took the time to really think how much of a bother or a distraction he had been. Although, in some cases, his presence had helped, he had really tempted the Devil. Thinking back, it surprised him he had indeed managed to survive. Why, one of the first fights he had been caught in had almost landed him in a volcano! How lucky was he exactly?

But even if he had slowly tried to become more careful, it had taken years of practice, a duel a Youja and a girlfriend in danger because she, like him as a child, had come too close that Jun indeed realized that yes, he had been a stupid, thoughtless brat and that no, he would never do that again if he could help it.

He just prayed he would be able to keep that promise.

6. In case you're taken hostage, don't go and get on your captor's nerves

That one rule was something so obvious he never needed anyone to point it out to him.

It was part of those things humans instinctively know of, if they got any will to live and survive. And Jun, amidst his enthusiasm and innocence and encouragements to his childhood heroes, was made very well aware of that.

Even if some of his actions could make people arch a brow…

7. Just because one of your best friends has a real tame tiger doesn't mean they're all nice and inoffensive

Having a tiger as a friend was cool. But tigers were dangerous. Jun's first encounter with Kokuen Oh had partially opened his eyes to the fact that Byakuen remained a large, lethal animal. Speaking of Byakuen… poor, poor beast, cruelly injured and dying, even though he had survived… in a weird fashion.

Still, after seeing the black, armored tiger in action, Jun had actually paid attention to documentaries. They had almost made him sick; so much blood…

Following these revelations, he had carefully studied the white tiger's actual meals and had to turn his head away more than once as the large animal just bite into deer bodies, staining his previously spotless fur with red. Now, he understood why Ryo to keep him away during these moments.

Mystical animal or not, Byakuen remained a wild beast, after all…

8. If someone tries to chat you up in the street, be careful; he might have been send by some evil character

Being spirited away by random people he had met in the middle of the street had happened at least eight times so far, but only two really struck Jun. The first one - which happened a couple of months after the 'Suzunagi incident' the Troopers had told him about after he insisted for weeks to known the true about their sudden disappearance and subsequent new armors - and the most grievous one, the year he turned fourteen. The first struck because, well, it was the first, and it had blindsided him. The other was even more eventful because he received unexpected help to escape his would be kidnapper.

In any case, attempted kidnapping and actual kidnapping by demons all started the same way. He was called out by a young lady, a child, an old man, a granny in need, who managed to isolate him from the crowd while pretending such a sturdy young man could help them out, before changing into some kind of monster and drag him off to the Youjakai or another spirit realm. In trust, they cared little for him, but they all seemed to think he would make a perfect bait to catch the Samurai Troopers in turn. Such they tried to always kidnap him.

Try being the key word. He wasn't a little child one could carry under an arm anymore, and he was more than ready to defend himself now. The Troopers seemed to have a sixth sense telling them when he was in trouble and were quick to barge in, so he just had to hold his own for a moment. And sometimes, well, unexpected help kept coming. Like that memorable time that later gave birth to yet another observation.

9. Always keep ofuda near by.

As curious as it seemed, blessed paper talismans did work on most Youja or evil spirits. Granted, they didn't work on all of them. And they certainly didn't affect the most powerful ones at all, but against the random goons with love power level? They were working just fine, if only to temporarily freeze or slow down persistent pursuers.

Jun had learned all of it with the help of a young miko, who had spotted one kidnapping attempt and had run in to try and help. Although the paper talisman had quickly been ripped off a furious demon's face, it had given Jun just enough time to grab the young lady by the arm and drag her off running with him until they reached a safer place. Then the Troopers had come in and dealt with the demon in a violent and destructive manner.

Thinking back, it was probably more the destroyed building that had traumatized the miko, far more than the actual meeting with a real, live demon.

After a long talk, several hysteria crisis, lot of explanations and swearing not to go and talk about what she just saw, the miko was told about the armors and all they could reasonably tell her. She promised to regularly give Jun ofuda to use as long as he wished to, and until now, she had kept her promise. Eck, she even had taught him a mantra or two to ward off evil spirits!

Given the young boy almost monthly encounters with something spectacular, he considered her a godsend.

10. Even plants can attack you

That was one thing he was not going to forget about, ever. It scared him shitless!

Try to imagine: you're sleeping peacefully, only to be woken up by a strange noise, and when you open your eyes, it's only to get a glimpse of lianas lunging at you – from your own potted plants, no less! - without you being able to make a single gesture to escape them.

Sometimes, Jun continued to massage his throat, thinking sourly about it. Almost being strangled to death by possessed, Youja-controlled plants in the middle of the night was not on his list of 'Ways I want to go'. Thankfully, a previous night attack had convinced him to always keep a knife under his pillow when he went to bed. If he hadn't, it could have ended badly for him…

Anyway, ever since, Jun tries to keep his distances with the flora - a pity, since he happened to like flowers, just like his mother. He also developed a mean fork move to stab his vegetables. You could never know if you'd ever need it, after all…

11. Trust your instincts

When a little voice in your head tells you to run, just run. When it tells you 'jump', you jump. If every cells of your body just scream at you to step away from someone, you do it immediately and you don't try to understand why. Not only it will keep you away from trouble, but it'll also save your life while you're at it.

Ever since his first meeting with the Troopers, Jun had started to develop something of a sixth sense to spot trouble before it even happened. Sure, it wasn't working perfectly right all the time, but on the whole, it did help keeping him alive and healthy. At the very least, it allowed him to break into a run before the minions of the current Big Bad realized he was aware they were here.

Nonetheless, it was becoming rather tiring to have to dodge Youjakai minors Warlords every other week or so. He wondered why all the nasty characters trying to take Arago's place as Emperor chose to target him at some point. Weren't they supposed to go after the heroes or even Nasutei once in a while? She was the scholar; he was mainly the former cute tag-along kid. Sure, he had helped in the fight, and wore the Inari no Magatama, but damn!

He really, really needed to have a talk with Kayura and the surviving Masho about their progresses – or rather, their lack of progresses – in ruling in the unruly Warlords.

12. Evil comes in cycles; pay attention and be sure it will return

It was the one and absolute truth the five young Samurai and their companions had been forced to acknowledge after a while. With Touma and Nasutei's inputs, they had made statistics and had more or less decided that an evil army would try to invade, a random Warlord would want a duel, someone would get possessed or yet another evil thing would comes by on an average or once a year. Two, perhaps, if they were really (un)lucky. And that was without Jun's run-ins with creepy things. But they were talking major threats here, not random strings of unlucky events. On a ladder of 1 to 10, most of the creeps he crossed path with barely ranked a 3 or a 4.

What Shin said about the whole matter will not be repeated here, for it would be most impolite.

In the end, they all had to accept that 'normal' wasn't something they would ever know again. Once you had been touched by the armors, not matter the way, you were bound to live 'interesting times', it seemed. Why, even Nasutei had to live with a couple of weird encounters with various spirits. However, this is another tale.

13. Should you suspect and evil force is at work in a particular town/quarter/place, don't automatically assume you're the only one who can fight it

Now, hadn't that been a shock? Suddenly, Jun discovered the world didn't just have the Smurai Troopers to protect it. They were barely a single groups among secret, unseen others. Across Japan and probably around the world, other people blessed with powers or gimmicks or whatever could and did fight evil. And, as Jun soon discovered, getting on their turf without knowing it might give the Big Bad and its lieutenants a chance to escape.

Jun's encounter with one such group in Juuban came to mind. He had been caught in a battle with five miniskirts clad young ladies and some kind of demon they called a 'Youma'. He hadn't been injured, nor had the girls, the monster had been destroyed, but the guy who commended him had managed to escape while the Senshi tried to drag him to safety. Ah, well… at least they didn't seem to be too bothered by it. From what they told him, it happened quite frequently to them.

This incident, however, made Jun think hard and fast on why, if such groups existed, the Troopers had to fight alone against Arago and the whole Youjakai? Shouldn't have other, older warriors helped them? He was willing to give the 'Sailor Senshi' the benefice of the doubt, for it was clear to Jun they were barely older than him, a year or two at the most. They must have been too young.

However, he definitely was going to have a 'talk' with the next heroes group he was going to stumble across…

14. Despite appearances, every spirit and ghost on Earth isn't up to cause mayhem

It was hard to believe after meeting Badamon and his priests, so Jun could be excused if he had a hard time believing it himself, but he had discovered it was indeed true. A lot of ghosts seemed to linger around without any hostile or evil intent.

Why, Jun could see them clearly, unlike most humans. Currently, he had his eyes on a particular one, a young man dressed in the Heian period style, haunting a kid with bleached blond locks. The spirit seemed peaceful, if a bit whiny and asked frequently to play Go.

Nope, definitely not one who would try and conquer the world. As the kid didn't seem to be bothered by the spirit begging, and even seemed to find the game fun, Jun just turned away without giving the teen the special card he kept, giving the address and number of a priest specialized in exorcism.

No reason to be cruel with peaceful dead, after all.

15. Never forget humans can be dangerous too

That was true. Perhaps it was because he was encountering so much demons, but sometimes Jun tended to forget humans could be pretty wicked too. And them, he couldn't kill.

He didn't have the strength, the nerves, the will it took to kill a fellow human, even if said human was certainly more rotten and dangerous than some of the demons he had already met. When one of his classmates come to school with bruises he got after 'falling in the stairs', he sometimes wonders if it would be as bad as it sounded.

Still, whenever someone aims a gun at his head or press a knife to his throat, trying to use him as an human shield or stealing his money, he stays quiet and doesn't panic. He just feels… very tired. Since he already has so many problems with the supernatural, couldn't the humans just leave him alone?

We'll stop here the lists. Many more points could be pointed out and explained about. Many things could still be said about what Jun learned not to do and just how interesting his life keeps being, even though it's certainly not as exciting as the ones lived by his 'big brothers', the five Samurai Troopers.

That said, it's unlikely that Jun would exchange his lot in life for anything in the world.

End