Suzette's Story

A one shot explaining the origins of the character Cream Corn narrarated by the former. ==Suzette's Story== Behind the apparent joy that my new life in Shigai Valley has brought me, not many know of the dark past that follows me wherever I go. Because of this, I've decided to shed a little light on my existence. Suzette Jenkins was born near the Papaya Islands decades ago. As a little girl we didn't have much money. My mother and I had to carry the food and water to the house every day so we would be able to eat. My sister was too small to help us and my father just slept with no intentions or care about what happened to us. I can still remember seeing my mother's beautiful face glisten in the sunlight when I was a little girl with short hair and stubby legs. I looked up to that woman because she was all I had to keep me going.

My father knew that my mother was my beacon of hope. So he did everything in his power to shatter that image for me. Beaten bloody, my mother still saw it as her job to provide for us while keeping my hopes up that we will be alright.

That didn't last long. My mother soon developed an addiction to a narcotic found in some of the fruits we would see at the bottom of the lake. She kept them handy so my father's beatings wouldn't affect her as much. However, the nights I held my sister's ears so she couldn't hear the constant abuse grew frequent. That next morning, I found my mother laid out by the table from an overdose. Too many feelings rushed through me at the moment so my instincts kicked in and I grabbed my sister and left home. My plan was to find my sister a better life than I could ever provide for her. I knew where I was going, I just didn't know if it was possible.

Whispers speak of a Yokashi Sonbon, a martial arts master who will train anyone who can find him in Shigai Valley. After dropping my sister off in West City after a tearful goodbye, I set my sights on the old hermit's lair. Those days I searched for him still give me nightmares to this day. I look back and wonder what it was that actually kept me alive after wandering through those canyons for weeks. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was will. I wouldn't know either way. The last thing I remember was blacking out from walking and my last sights being a vulture staring me in the eye ready to feed on me at any given moment.

That wasn't the case. I woke up to luscious green grass and a house fit for a king by my standards. A man quickly offered me a bowl of food and I took it with no hesitation. The man was strangely silent until he asked me what I was in Shigai for. I told him I sought training from the legendary Yokashi. When asked why I felt speechless because to be honest I had no clue why I wanted the training so bad. To this day I believe it was because I never wanted to feel weak or helpless again. The man told me he would be unable to train me, revealing himself to be the man of legend. Furious, I asked him why not and he responded it was because I had nothing to truly fight for.

I fought for hope. My answers had been so grey until that moment when I realized I knew exactly what I fought for. So the man nursed me back to health and agreed to train me the best he could. Countless days of agony passed until the pain was gone and only instinct remained. I had become a warrior the moment the old man tried to trick me and I kicked him onto his back. Master Yokashi had taught me well. I was now more stronger than I could possibly imagine. The next year I left Shigai and participated in the Strongest Under the Heavens Tournament under a fake name of course.

"What's a little girl doing in a ring like this?" were his last words before I knocked my first opponent out cold. The others were no better and I left the tournament unwilling to face more losers. I headed back to Shigai and repaid my debts to the old man by helping him flourish and run a witness protection business funded by the government. Somewhere along the line, I got comfortable and lost my hatred for those who wronged me simply because it made me who I am today.

Nowadays, I'm still in Shigai living a happy life. I look into the eyes of the old man's newest student, Arashi, and Isee that same fire that burned within me burns in him. The kid will save us all one day. Nicole is my interest. When I see her I see the same pain that lingered inside me but I see the will to protect some one she loves as well. These two kids will do anything for eachother and knowing them has made me happier than anything in the world.