When Waves Meet the Sand
Chapter 21: Blooming Fire
Sighing, Megumi walked through the village at a leisurely pace, rolling her shoulders to relieve the ache of carrying a pack and her scabbard for most of the day.
The ground was no longer vibrating under her feet, which the Firebender took as a sign that she was a good distance away from Kana’s temper tantrum.
Relieved, gold eyes swept over the shops and stalls lining the large road, taking in their wares with disinterest.
Something caught her attention however, and her heart seized at the realization of what it was.
Sitting innocently on a counter, carefully wrapped in a soft red cloth, was a Pai Sho set.
Quiet memories of sitting before a well-used wooden board, feeling the warmth of a fireplace and cradling a mug of calming tea in her hands, with her uncle smiling down at her from the large armchair, filled Megumi’s mind like the blooming flames of dimmed embers.
Warmed by the reminder of her much-loved uncle, she walked up to the stall, studying the set more carefully.
Pushing the cloth away, Megumi smiled softly at the polished dark wood and crisp lines, running her fingertips along the carved dragons encircling the stout cylindrical board, one blue and one red, twisting around each other in a strange dance.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” The vendor noted, brown eyes warm and a kind smile on her mouth, graying brown hair tied up in a bun.
Ripping her eyes away from the artwork, Megumi nodded in agreement.
“My uncle had an old set that looked like this.” The red-haired kunoichi admitted. “…How much is it?”
“Well, I would usually sell something like this for 20000 yen…”
The influx of emotion made it hard for the Firebender to hide her disappointment, but the woman caught it quickly, eyes softening in understanding.
“But for a ninja of our village, I can lower the price to 5000.”
“I couldn’t ask you to-” Megumi started, astonished.
“And you don’t have to.” The woman assured, wrapping the Pai Sho set back up. “It’s the least I can do for someone who protects our village. And I know you will take good care of it.”
Touched by her kindness, Megumi bowed slightly.
“Arigato, obaasama. This means a lot to me, and I will never be able to repay your kindness.”
“There’s no need to.” She stated calmly, handing the set over and taking the money in return. “Just do your best and keep training.”
“I will.” Megumi promised, cradling the wrapped bundle in her arms.
She would never forget that warmth.
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Shikamaru was not sure how he felt.
Now that Megumi had been gone for more than a week, he found himself missing her company.
Though they rarely spoke to, or even looked at, each other, he felt a void where the redhead used to be.
The thought that she might have returned brought the lazy genius to lie under the tree they had adopted every day at noon, missing lunch in the vague hope that the kunoichi would come.
After more than a week, Shikamaru was beginning to doubt his own sanity.
Wasn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing again and again, but expecting a different result each time?
Shikamaru shrugged.
Guess he was insane, then.
“You’re late.”
Screeching to a halt, the shadow-user turned his gaze from the clouds to the tree he was heading for.
There was Megumi, sitting with her back against the thick trunk, using a soft cloth to polish the wooden pieces of a Pai Sho set, a bento sitting next to her crossed legs.
“I know I was gone longer than expected, but I did not expect your punctuality to suffer.” She continued, seemingly oblivious to the boy’s shock. “If you were going to take your time, you might as well have brought sweets.”
Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, the shadow-user closed the distance, plopping down and surveying the board now between them.
“Troublesome…I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
He caught a flash of something new in those sharp gold eyes, and a soft, dazzling smile crossed the Firebender’s lips.
“I wasn’t expecting you to come, either.”
Letting the words sink in, Shikamaru turned his gaze back to the Pai Sho set.
Carefully taking a Lotus tile, he put it in position.
“Your turn.”
That something in her eyes came back, and her smile widened as she placed a tile down.
“If you think you can handle me.”
Shikamaru got the feeling they were talking about more than a game of Pai Sho.
The ground was no longer vibrating under her feet, which the Firebender took as a sign that she was a good distance away from Kana’s temper tantrum.
Relieved, gold eyes swept over the shops and stalls lining the large road, taking in their wares with disinterest.
Something caught her attention however, and her heart seized at the realization of what it was.
Sitting innocently on a counter, carefully wrapped in a soft red cloth, was a Pai Sho set.
Quiet memories of sitting before a well-used wooden board, feeling the warmth of a fireplace and cradling a mug of calming tea in her hands, with her uncle smiling down at her from the large armchair, filled Megumi’s mind like the blooming flames of dimmed embers.
Warmed by the reminder of her much-loved uncle, she walked up to the stall, studying the set more carefully.
Pushing the cloth away, Megumi smiled softly at the polished dark wood and crisp lines, running her fingertips along the carved dragons encircling the stout cylindrical board, one blue and one red, twisting around each other in a strange dance.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” The vendor noted, brown eyes warm and a kind smile on her mouth, graying brown hair tied up in a bun.
Ripping her eyes away from the artwork, Megumi nodded in agreement.
“My uncle had an old set that looked like this.” The red-haired kunoichi admitted. “…How much is it?”
“Well, I would usually sell something like this for 20000 yen…”
The influx of emotion made it hard for the Firebender to hide her disappointment, but the woman caught it quickly, eyes softening in understanding.
“But for a ninja of our village, I can lower the price to 5000.”
“I couldn’t ask you to-” Megumi started, astonished.
“And you don’t have to.” The woman assured, wrapping the Pai Sho set back up. “It’s the least I can do for someone who protects our village. And I know you will take good care of it.”
Touched by her kindness, Megumi bowed slightly.
“Arigato, obaasama. This means a lot to me, and I will never be able to repay your kindness.”
“There’s no need to.” She stated calmly, handing the set over and taking the money in return. “Just do your best and keep training.”
“I will.” Megumi promised, cradling the wrapped bundle in her arms.
She would never forget that warmth.
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Shikamaru was not sure how he felt.
Now that Megumi had been gone for more than a week, he found himself missing her company.
Though they rarely spoke to, or even looked at, each other, he felt a void where the redhead used to be.
The thought that she might have returned brought the lazy genius to lie under the tree they had adopted every day at noon, missing lunch in the vague hope that the kunoichi would come.
After more than a week, Shikamaru was beginning to doubt his own sanity.
Wasn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing again and again, but expecting a different result each time?
Shikamaru shrugged.
Guess he was insane, then.
“You’re late.”
Screeching to a halt, the shadow-user turned his gaze from the clouds to the tree he was heading for.
There was Megumi, sitting with her back against the thick trunk, using a soft cloth to polish the wooden pieces of a Pai Sho set, a bento sitting next to her crossed legs.
“I know I was gone longer than expected, but I did not expect your punctuality to suffer.” She continued, seemingly oblivious to the boy’s shock. “If you were going to take your time, you might as well have brought sweets.”
Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, the shadow-user closed the distance, plopping down and surveying the board now between them.
“Troublesome…I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
He caught a flash of something new in those sharp gold eyes, and a soft, dazzling smile crossed the Firebender’s lips.
“I wasn’t expecting you to come, either.”
Letting the words sink in, Shikamaru turned his gaze back to the Pai Sho set.
Carefully taking a Lotus tile, he put it in position.
“Your turn.”
That something in her eyes came back, and her smile widened as she placed a tile down.
“If you think you can handle me.”
Shikamaru got the feeling they were talking about more than a game of Pai Sho.