Notes: If you don't know who Toryuki is... SHAME ON YOU! Check him out in the "Suikoden" CD drama!

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Shin checked his watch and realized how much time had passed. He had been alone sitting on the bench for nearly an hour, watching the man stand over by the tiny frozen pond. Dressed in a warm coat and pants, Shin was not worried about catching a cold. The man, however, was dressed in a black sleeveless shirt and slacks. His long black hair hung just above his hips with bits of snow gliding along the silk strands. His pale, flawless skin almost matched the color of the pure white snow that fell from the gloomy, gray December skies. His sharp blue eyes were fixed upon the surface of the frozen pond just a few feet away.

It has to be him, Shin thought positively to himself. I can feel his aura. It feels familiar, just as it did a couple of years ago. But I thought he was dead! I destroyed him! Didn't I?

Shin blinked and rubbed his eyes with the back of his mitten covered hand. Yet as he opened his round blue eyes, he discovered that the man was gone. Rising to his feet, Shin quietly made his way to the spot where the mysterious man once stood. There were no footprints to indicate that he ran away. In fact there wasn't a single sign of footprints to indicate that he had been standing there in the first place!

"Almost like a ghost," Shin whispered under his breath. "Could it really be him?"

"Not entirely," a deep voice spoke from behind.

Whirling around, Shin nearly slipped back as he found the man standing before him. As he managed to catch his footing, the Samurai Trooper realized that the man was indeed who he speculated to be...

"Toryuki the Ice Masho?!"

"You've been watching me for a while now," the said man stated in what sounded like an amused tone. "I'm not a ghost, as you say, but it is I."

Shin remained in place as he quietly adjusted his mittens. "What are you doing here?" he asked as glanced over at his former enemy. "I mean... I thought I defeated you back at the lake."

"You did beat me," said Toryuki, "and I did seem to die before you and your fellow Samurai Troopers. My element simply took me back into the deep abyss where I slowly regained my energy."

"The water helped you recover?"

"That's right. Surprised to see me alive? I admit you are strong, Suiko, but don't let it get to your head. I still care about my home and how it will be affected by humans."

Shin turned away and suddenly felt guilty. He knew that all Toryuki wanted was to preserve his lands from destruction. Though he was a demon, he had feelings. While Toryuki didn't care for the late Emperor Arago's methods of destruction, he was willing to do what it took to prevent anyone from taking over his love--the lake.

"You're living here now?" Shin asked casually as Toryuki took a place beside him.

Toryuki kneeled down and touched the pond's solid surface with his fingertips. Shin watched in awe as the demon's touch caused a rippling affect along the pond. He quickly glanced about to see if anybody else in the park noticed. Fortunately there weren't too many people about and those who were nearby didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"I grew to love more than just my home by the lake," Toryuki said as he drifted his eyes shut. "After I recovered from our battle, I realized that our battle was fated. You were to beat me if you were to beat Arago. If not, he would've taken over the Mortal World, no matter if fellow demons did dwell within the realm. I'm glad you beat me, Suiko, because it proved that you cared a great deal about your world... Which I have learned to accept as my own."

"Toryuki?" Shin couldn't help but smile at his former nemesis. He leaned over and gave him an affectionate punch on the shoulder. "I told you humans aren't so bad."

Toryuki opened his eyes and looked at Shin in alarm. He looked at his arm and rubbed it as Shin merely laughed.

"Hmph," the former Ice Masho grunted. "Even after all this time, I'm still learning the ways of humans."

"PAPA!"

Toryuki rose to his feet at the sound of the child's voice. Shin stood and watched as a little boy, no older than three years old, scrambled towards them. He had short black hair and sparkling blue eyes. He was dressed in a thick blue sweater and matching pants and boots. Shin looked around to see where this child's father would be when he saw him run into Toryuki's arms.

"T-Toryuki?!" Shin exclaimed, his cheeks slightly pink (and it wasn't from the cold). "Who is this?!"

Toryuki, who scooped the little boy into his arms, calmly looked at Shin. He blinked once and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Haven't you seen a human child before?"

"W-Well of course I have! But he's... he's yours?"

"Yes."

The little boy held a part of Toryuki's shirt in a tight fist. He shyly observed Shin for a few moments before he buried his face into his father's shoulder. Toryuki smiled lovingly and patted the child's smooth black hair.

"This is Yuki," Toryuki said as he placed Yuki's hood over his head. Yuki rubbed his nose along Toryuki's shirt but still didn't look back at Shin.

The Samurai Trooper chuckled and shoved his hands into his pockets. "'Yuki' means 'snow' doesn't it? A fitting name for a child who belongs to you," he teased. Suddenly his tone changed into earnestness. "Does he or your spouse know of your past?"

The black haired man faced the lake once more and sighed deeply. "I haven't told my son. I don't know how to tell him but soon... He must know eventually. He is a rare individual: one born of human and demon blood. When the time comes, however, I will show him the gifts he was given at birth. I will open his eyes further to the world of nature and its beauty."

"Oh, Toryuki..." Shin walked to his side and gave him a pat on his shoulder. "You're lucky to be given a second chance. I admit I thought you were admirable after our fight. You had a heart but it was tainted by evil. I guess it took a ray of hope to make you see the light."

"Three rays," Toryuki suddenly said. He looked at Shin and smiled softly. "My wife, my son... and you. You helped me see the error of my ways. For that I'm forever grateful."

Shin returned the smile just as a petite woman approached them. She had short dark brown hair, soft brown eyes, and a gentle smile. She was dressed warmly like them for the winter occasion. From the way she looked at Toryuki, eyes filled with love and fondness, he knew she was his beloved.

"I was getting worried about you," said the small woman.

"Forgive me, Michi," Toryuki replied as he shifted Yuki in his arms. Apparently the boy was fast asleep. "I was catching up with an old... acquaintance of mine."

"Acquaintance?"

She looked at Shin and immediately bowed. Shin was taken aback by this gesture. Wordlessly he returned the bow, unsure of what exactly was going on.

"You must have been the one Toryuki spoke of," said Michi as she stood upright. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for him."

"I... I beat him up," Shin admitted sheepishly. He rubbed the back of his head and added, "I thought I destroyed him and thankfully I didn't but...!"

"You don't have to explain yourself," Toryuki interrupted, grinning. He made a stand beside his tiny wife, his son snugly sleeping in his arms. "She knows as I told her what happened."

"If it wasn't for what you've done to my husband," said Michi, "we wouldn't be the way we are today. We thank you."

"Thank YOU for being with Toryuki and giving him happiness," Shin answered earnestly. "Especially giving him the gift of a handsome looking boy like Yuki."

Michi blushed as did Toryuki. Shin lifted his head and watched as more snow fell from the skies above. Being a Samurai Trooper didn't mean saving the world. It also meant making people happy. A smile spread across his lips as he knew it was going to be the end of a good year. Not only that, but it was going to be the beginning of a promising friendship.

The End