"Passing on my Will"
On a lonely pier far south of the Great Naruto Bridge, beyond the village and its inhabitants and the numerous groves and fields and sparkling rivers, a very old man sat, disheveled and raggedy in appearance, his back softly lying onto one of the various rotted wooden poles. The sun was beginning to set, its hues encompassing the horizon with various shades of red and orange. The waters that used to be so turmoiled, so torrential, had finally ceased their buckling. Nami no Kuni was peaceful once again, now that Gato and his men were thwarted and driven from this place.
The old man, with tan aged skin, rubbed his hand past his pointed hat and felt the hard birstles of gray hair. The wind slowly flitted alongside the pier, the cool air of night beginning to descend. The wind rustled his dark sleeveless shirt, almost losing one of his sandals to the shallow water below. By his side, laid a fishing pole covered by a rag, a rich ornate black handle stuck out the side, as if a fishing pole that was used to the contact and use longed to send its reel back into the majestic ocean once again.
It has been a long time since he has felt such peace.
"You gonna start fishin', old man?" A cheerful accented voice broke the serenity. Feeling the presence behind him, the man turned his head, only to glance at a new face.
Dimpled smile, biting lip. Locks of glowing bright yellow hair. Pigtails that flowed down to her back. Bright blue eyes that spoke of mischief, and kindness, and fire. This girl was the one who freed this old Land from Gato, her and her undying will.
"So you're this land's hero." The old man said, his voice low and grumpy, as all aged voices were.
"I must thank you." He added. Her face for a second tilted to the side and then suddenly she shook it.
"No no, you don't have to thank me for anything!" She laughed merrily.
It has been such a long time since he heard the laughter of children. A small sad smile graced his face.
"Isn't it customary to thank a hero? Especially such as you." He nodded towards her, before glancing back out at the setting sun.
"Like I said, old man," Her voice began to resolve itself, a steady thrum of seriousness bled through her features, "There's no need to thank me."
"If anything, thank the ones who taught me." She smiled before walking over to him, her soft green yukata was probably a result of the currently ongoing festival to celebrate the end of Gato's tyranny and the beginning of prosperity of Nami no Kuni.
"Ah." He said, perhaps she meant…
"If I've learned anything they've taught me," She spoke suddenly, interrupting his thoughts, "It's that you need the will to not give up, to never back down. To protect your most precious people and live with them, learn with them, forgive them of their mistakes and grow in your friendships and family. This is how we become strong and live into the future." The words flowed out from her mouth, a torrent of feelings and kindness. His features schooled into a chuckle.
"It sounds like someone old taught you that." She didn't really seem like the listening type.
"Yep." She confirmed. Her eyes slowly turning towards him. He was suddenly caught up in a look of hers that sent chills down his spine.
"He was old. Really old, but I mean he's not dead . . . yet." She added quietly.
"He was always kind to me, and always trusted me. He taught me as I grew up and did everything to let me grow, despite the harsh reality that I was born into. He held me hand all the way through, through strife, adversity. Everything. I am here now, thanks to him." She gazed out again.
"I remember one of the first things he taught me."
"So this is it?" Her small voice quivered but questionably asked. Her body was small, and frail, as numerous machines were hooked up to her. Band-aids were on her hands and face, as well as numerous bruises and scratches.
"Yes, this is it. Well . . . not exactly." His hand was aged, old, and large. So very large. She remembered that both her hands felt so tiny in just one of his.
A small puff of fire exuded from his palm, its earthly glow shone even in the dim of day.
"It's not this fire, but it's like it, do you understand?" Her small head shook.
"So it's . . . hot and hurts when you touch it?" He chuckled a bit at her words.
"No, but it's strong, and beautiful. Sometimes it will hurt, sometimes it is hot. Sometimes it spreads to everyone around you. It can be un-ending, as long as you care for it." He spoke silently, her form hanging on to each word he said.
"This is my will. The will of Fire. It is a guide on to all those that step into these lands. The will to protect those precious to you, and pass on to them the same guidance. As long as I protect those precious to me, I will have inherited the will of Fire." He spoke kindly and as simply as he could. He would not know how strongly these words enacted an effect into the tiny girl before him.
"But none the less, I think visiting hours are over. I'll visit you tomorrow, …
"He taught me very important things, numerous amounts of things." She said to the old man on the pier.
"But nothing I believe more than what he told me that day."
As she retold that tale, the old man couldn't help but smile. This soul was the soul of a hero, a soul of kindness and truth.
Perhaps a soul that will become a force to change this wicked world.
"He sounded like a smart man." The old man casted his face down. Dark brown eyes stared back at him from the reflection in the water.
"He is! And he owes me ramen when I get back!" The girl and man shared a small laugh before the man resolutely turned.
The young girl curiously watched as the man unfolded his ragged fishing pole, wielding it once again. The ornate craftsmanship and carefully dedicated movements of his fingers twisted all the pieces into place; the bait was set and soon the line was cast. He was fishing once again, the first in what seemed to be such a long time.
"That's the spirit, old man!" She sat beside him to watch the lure bob up and down, the sun still setting in the horizon.
"You can call me…" Her face turned towards his as the man took off his pointed hat to smile—a real smile. A true smile. A smile of friendship.
"Nami no Kuni."
She laughed before standing up with her hands on her hips and her voice booming into the air around them.
"Nice to meet you, old man!" Such eagerness reminded him of younger times.
"My full name is Konohagakure no Sato! But you can call me Kono!" She gave him a thumbs up, as the lights of the festival behind them and its stalls began to spring up.
An endless glow of bright lights outfitted the hero that day. The hero in the Land of Waves.