Even in the ancient days
When the gods held sway,
I have never heard
That water gleamed with autumn red
As it does in the Naka stream.
I'm dying. I feel like I'm slowly melting into this puddle of sugary… stuff.
August is… a bit of nightmare, here in Hi no Kuni, the Land of Fire. It's hot, humid, and sticky, and I hate being hot, humid, or sweaty!
As a result, I've been very good at keeping up with my new-found aversion to being around strangers.I haven't really been in public, period, for that matter. I'm rather decidedly indoors between nine in the morning and sunset. Shino and Neji understand and agree— it's just that hot and humid.
Plus, it's a bit awkward now that Okaa-san and Otou-san insist on having an adult there at all times, after… the bathroom incident. Like, nothing ruins a puppy-pile mood like remembering there's an adult standing awkwardly to one side.
I spend most of my time now with Itachi and Shisui. Or, if one of them is on a mission, Itachi or Shisui. They're capable shinobi who are around my age… or at least, not past puberty, so they're acceptable to Okaa-san and Otou-san. Yay.
As it turns out… it had been the Daimyo's son who'd died during the disastrous mission in gogatsu, the fifth month— May. I managed to get that much out of Okaa-san. Luckily, no one blames Itachi. Or Shinko-chan, for that matter.
Okaa-san let me explain a bit to Itachi and Shisui about why I'm no longer allowed to go outside whenever I want to. I thought it would be more of a bombshell, and Shisui resembled a jellyfish for a few moments, but Itachi just sat there and sipped at his sweetened iced tea.
It took a lot of persuasion from me for Okaa-san and Otou-san to add sweetened, lemony iced tea (basically, the closest I could get to an Arnold Palmer) to the menu, but it's been very popular with the sudden heat wave.
I don't think I like the heat wave. Most days, I feel like a grumpy, sticky puddle, almost as if someone spilled sugary lemonade in the sun and let it dry.
It's hot and I can't go outside, and I'm fundamentally… a bit bored? I've spent quite a lot of time in the library (which is air-conditioned, thank the bureaucracy), but… for the most part, air conditioning isn't a thing. Like, the houses and structures are constructed for ventilation and air flow, so they're built for the summer (which actually explains why things can get so bitterly cold in winter and why small heaters and stoves and kotatsu are so popular), but… circulating warm air is still warm air. It's like turning a fan on— it doesn't get rid of the warmth. To be fair, that makes sense. Heat and humidity can ruin houses and interior structures more than snow and wind. Fractures? Simple. Mold? Er… well…
And plus, it's not good for you to step from a warm environment directly into a cold one.
But for me, it just means spending an entire day indoors, preferably with kakigōri. I especially like the shirokuma type especially. It's basically flavored shaved ice, but it's not anything like those horrendous, food-coloring-infused snow cones from Before.
First of all, the ice shavings are thinner and smaller. Secondly, what's poured over is stuff like… sweetened condensed milk, and maybe some matcha or other green tea… or anko, adzuki bean paste. I especially like it when it's served with ice cream inside… oh, or when it's thinly shaved frozen milk. And the kōrikoppu glass cups the ice is served in are ridiculously pretty.
But… drawing and reading and learning are fun and all, but… what's more fun is re-learning how to braid hair. Well… I'm not sure it counts technically as fun, simply due to how annoying it is to re-learn something you once took for granted, but it's nice spending time with Itachi and Shisui.
In this life… it's pretty, and soft, and such a cool color. Even Itachi and Shisui agreed, and I remember Itachi had fun learning how to braid it. That had been a fun day. I'd been really good at braiding hair in my previous life. True, it was easier to do on other people, but… well, I said I took good care of my hair? My hair was… always a bit thin on the top, ever since I was a young child. To put less strain on it, I normally tossed it in a single braid, although before the… abrupt transition, I'd been experimenting with French braids. My hair was really slippery in my past life… and ponytails just didn't stay up.
I'd really enjoyed braiding my friends' hair as well, especially after they started growing their hair out. I could braid practically anyone's hair… even when that 'anyone' was the little brother of one of my friends, who's hair was just long enough to french-braid… maybe about three inches, or almost eight centimeters long.
I've practiced on my hair a bit, but it's still not much more than shoulder-length. Admittedly, neither is Itachi's, but… it's easier on another person. My fingers had been stiff at first, but after a bit over half-an-hour, I'd managed to regain enough dexterity to be satisfied with my results.
Normal braids are sometimes hard, but French braids look good even on people with short hair.
I know Shisui ended up with a very nice crown-style braid, even if my fingers and arms hurt and it might have been a bit lopsided. I tried my best.
Itachi's really good with braiding hair though, and so's Shisui, but to a lesser degree. He'd asked me to teach him, and Shisui refused to be left out. They learned amazingly quickly. Shisui explained that braiding was a bit tricky at first, but that wire-manipulation, as well shuriken-jutsu, shuriken techniques, and hand-seals, meant that they had to be pretty good with their fingers.
So… apparently shinobi would make amazing hair stylists. I don't think anyone would (or should) trust them to cut hair, though, necessarily. There's no such thing as unwarranted paranoia when dealing with shinobi. Too many sharp objects, too close to people's necks…
It'd be disturbingly easy to kill someone that way.
But anyways, I'd spent a few days teaching them how to braid. I'd actually exhausted my repertoire of braids. And learned that Sharingan make learning anything that involves rote memorization really easy.
I'm happy that Itachi's recording nice memories, though, no matter how funny it is to see him staring intently at my fingers with red eyes. He's now up to two tomoe in each eye!
But seriously, Itachi had somehow managed to pull off an eight-stranded braid on my hair. Yes, Shisui helped, but… eight strands. Especially when you consider how I had to instruct him without a visual demonstration… that is impressive. I'd only demonstrated the four-strand braid, but he'd picked up on the idea behind it really quickly.
He actually offered to help me put up my hair for the next festival.
And yes, there's actually another festival coming up.
It's called Obon, or just Bon, and it's a custom to honor the spirit of one's ancestors. It's a really big festival in Konoha, probably because of the high mortality rate amongst shinobi. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives. It's a really old tradition, and it's been celebrated for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori, but I'll get into that later.
Originally, Obon was celebrated around the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, which is called Fumizuki, (文月) or the "Month of Books." However, nowadays, Obon is celebrated in August, which is called Hazuki (葉月), or the "Month of Leaves."
Here, it begins around the 13th and ends on the 16th.
According to Otou-san, some villages in the Land of Fire or the surrounding countries celebrate Obon in the more traditional month of July, usually mid-month, which is called Shichigatsu Bon, but September is closer to the actual date on the lunar calendar. Our festival should probably be called Hachigatsu Bon, and Kyū Bon is when people actually celebrate it by the lunar calendar, and as thus, the dates vary every year.
For this festival, unlike Tanabata, there's actually a set series of expected actions that pretty much everyone does. People clean their houses and place a variety of food offerings, such as vegetables and fruits, for the spirits of their ancestors in front of a butsudan, a type of altar, and/or at temples. Chochin lanterns and arrangements of flowers are usually placed by the butsudan as another offering. Many times, people return to ancestral family places, and visit and clean their ancestors' graves. Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirit, and people perform dances like bon odori.
On the first day of Obon, people normally light chochin lanterns, which are the traditional paper lanterns, are lit inside houses, and they bring the lanterns to their family's grave sites to call their ancestors' spirits back home. This process is called mukae-bon. In some regions, fires called mukae-bi are lit at the entrances of houses to help guide the spirits to enter.
On the last day, families assist in returning their ancestors' spirits back to the grave, by hanging the chochin lanterns, painted with the family crest, to guide the spirits to their eternal resting place. This process is called okuri-bon. In some regions, fires called okuri-bi are lit at entrances of houses to send directly to the ancestors' spirits. Interesting fact: "okuri" translates semi-directly to "sending off," and there's actually a type of yōkai, or kind of… I'm not really sure what it translates to in English… maybe "spirit"?
It's basically a creature of folklore.
And my point is, there's something called an okuri-inu or okuri-ōkami, which translates to "sending off dog" or "sending off wolf," and… okay, humor me for a little, because these are so cool. Not many people know all of them, but Shisui's ojii-san is a goldmine of interesting stories.
And I'd also learned a bit in my past life, because they're so interesting!
The okuri inu is a nocturnal, dog- or wolf-like yōkai which haunts mountain passes, forested roads, and similar locations. They resemble ordinary dogs and wolves in all but their ferocity; for they're are much more dangerous than their mortal counterparts.
The okuri inu follows lone travelers late on the road at night. It stalks them, keeping a safe distance, but following footstep for footstep, as long as they keep walking. If the traveler should trip or stumble, the okuri inu will pounce on them and rip them to shreds. The "sending-off" part of its name comes from the fact that this yokai follows closely behind travelers, trailing behind them as if it were a friend sending them off on their way.
The okuri inu is somewhat of a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, if one should trip and fall, it will pounce with supernatural speed and gobble him or her up. On the other hand, they are so ferocious that while they are following someone, no other dangerous yōkai or wild animals will come close. As long as one keeps his footing, he is safe… but that's not always easy when you're traveling in the dark over root-infested, rocky mountain footpaths.
The okuri inu has a special relationship with another yōkai, the yosuzume. This eerie bird's nocturnal song is often a warning that an okuri inu is following you. If one hears the yosuzume's "chi, chi, chi" song, it is a sign to take extra care to watch one's footing so that the okuri inu doesn't have dinner that night.
In the unfortunate case that one should stumble on the road, there is one chance for survival: if you fake it so it looks like you did it on purpose, the okuri inu will be tricked into thinking you were just taking a short rest, and it won't pursue. You do this by saying, "Dokkoisho!" ("Heave-ho!") or, "Shindoi wa!" ("This is exhausting!")— that is, according to Shisui… and I'm just hoping he didn't try to trick me— and quickly fixing yourself into a sitting position. Sigh, sit for a bit, then continue on your way. The okuri inu will wait patiently for you.
So, basically, I love this story because of something I've learned before- If you forget something, just act confident and make something up until you're out of trouble. It applies for a lot of things. Like, if you have no idea how to do a math problem, just start doing random things until something works out.
Maybe it says something about me that it even works, but… that's how I figured out two problems on my math final one time.
Oh, wait, one last thing about the okuri inu— If you should make it out of the mountains safely, you should turn around and call out, "Thanks for seeing me off!" Afterwards, that okuri inu will never follow you again. Further, when you get home, you should wash your feet and leave out a dish of something for the okuri inu to show your gratitude for it watching over you.
So, it's that cute?
Of course, Shisui had just insisted on elaborating on the story. I'm not sure if he was kidding or not, but his ojii-san didn't contradict him, so I think it was the truth. According to him, there is a similar yōkai known as the okuri itachi, the sending-off weasel. This is a weasel that works in roughly the same way as the okuri inu, only that if you take off one of your shoes and throw it at it, the weasel will eat the shoe and run away, leaving you in peace.
Shisui joked that we should try throwing shoes at Itachi to see if it also works. I decided to try that in advance by throwing my shoe at him, instead.
Hey, it got him to shut up, and I'm too small to do anything else… I'm barely tall enough to punch him in the stomach.
Unfortunately, I didn't get my shoe back until much later, but Shisui let me piggy-back ride him as an apology for making such a bad joke.
So, back to the subject of Obon. Okuri-bi… okuri-bon… what haven't I mentioned yet… aha!
During Obon, the smell of senko incense fills Japanese houses and cemeteries, which is rather pretty… but also makes me cough.
Now, for what was actually my favorite part— the floating lanterns. They're known as toro nagashi, and they are a beautiful part of the traditions during Obon. Inside each toro nagashi is a candle, that will eventually burn out, and the lantern will then float down a river that runs to the ocean. By using the toro nagashi, we symbolically send off our ancestors' spirits into the sky by way of the lanterns.
That was, to be honest, the biggest part of what we did. Okaa-san and Otou-san don't have anyone in the graveyard, but I took Shinko-chan to the Memorial Stone and I also convinced her to bring enough supplies to make do over there. It seems a bit spur-of-the-moment, but I'd actually put a lot of thought into it.
She was a bit hesitant, but ended up helping on some of the parts I couldn't reach. I'd also brought forty-four daffodil bulbs from Yamanaka flowers, as well as as several bouquets of the flowers themselves, since they only bloom in early spring, normally.
I find it rather ironic that daffodils are so appropriate. They mean "respect" in Hanakotoba, the language of flowers, and they're a pretty yellow color, with orangey trumpets in the center. They're bright, and vivid, and happy-looking, which… which I think is nicer. It's more like… like we're celebrating the life the shinobi lived for the village. My eyes had lingered on one name, in particular… oh, this is definitely ironic. The petals of the flower are a bright yellow, just like the Yondaime Hokage's hair was supposed to be.
Before, I remember I once loved daffodils. Every early spring, the way I knew that spring was here would be when the daffodils bloomed in the park. They always bloomed first, and even when the days were bitingly cold and my nose had been stung a bright red by the wind, the presence of daffodils meant that spring was just around the corner.
And… I actually still remember something. There was a poem, by William Wordsworth.
I loved that poem. I'd used it for every poetry-related homework assignment from grade school on.
The poem…
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
I stared at the Memorial Stone and the daffodils.
The daffodils actually remind me of who I was before Before. Soft, delicate… and so bright, but also so silly. Now… I'm changing again, aren't I? I just hope… I just hope it's for the better.
I won't forget who I used to be, though. I have to keep that in mind. I am who I am today because of who I was Before.
When I was done with my cleaning-up, the entire place looked so much nicer. The dark stone of the kunai-shaped memorial positively gleamed, reflecting the colors of the setting sun and the yellow of the daffodils.
I'd just nodded, picked up my things again, cleaning up, and headed home.
Bon odori is one of the now-common time I've wished I could just sink into the earth. Shisui's the worst, Itachi is incorrigible, and Neji and Shino are traitors who left me to die alone in an agonizing way.
Metaphorically die, that is. Die of embarrassment.
I hide behind my hair, because Itachi helped me put my hair in a very nice… it's like a mix of a French braid and a crown braid, but it goes in spiraling circles, so it looks like a rose? I've seen it on Google before. Or Youtube. But, Youtube is part of Google, so…
Moving on. What matters is that I can't shake my hair down over my face and hide behind it. Unfortunately. Because I'm embarrassed to the point where I would normally do that.
You see, another tradition observed is a folk dance called bon odori. The styles of dance vary from area to area but usually, taiko drums keep the rhythms. Bon odori is typically held at parks, gardens, shrines, or temples, wearing yukata (summer kimono) where dancers perform around a yagura stage. Originally a folk dance to welcome the spirits of the dead, the style of celebration varies in many aspects from region to region. Each region has a local dance, as well as different music. The music can be songs specifically pertinent to the spiritual message of Obon, or local min'yō folk songs.
The way in which the dance is performed is also different in each region, though the typical Bon dance involves people lining up in a circle around a high wooden scaffold made especially for the festival called a yagura. The yagura is usually also the bandstand for the musicians and singers of the Obon music. Some dances proceed clockwise, and some dances proceed counter-clockwise around the yagura. Some dances reverse during the dance, though most do not. At times, people face the yagura and move towards and away from it. Still some dances simply proceed in a straight line through the streets of the town.
The dance of a region can depict the area's history and specialization. For example, the movements of one dance… somewhere (that I didn't understand or ask in time for Otou-san to explain) show the movements of miners, i.e. digging, cart pushing, lantern hanging, etc. Also, somewhere else (which I also don't know), the local dances mimic the work of fishermen, including motions like hauling in the nets. All dancers perform the same dance sequence in unison.
There are other ways in which a regional Bon dance can vary. Some dances involve the use of different kinds of fans, others involve the use of small towels called tenugui which may have colorful designs. Some require the use of small wooden clappers, or "kachi-kachi" during the dance. One dance (from another place I didn't catch) is performed with a straw hat that has been decorated with flowers.
The music that is played during the Bon dance is not limited to Obon music and min'yō; some modern enka hits and kids' tunes written to the beat of the "ondo" are also used to dance to during Obon season.
Yeah… that's cool. But… the reason I currently wish I were tall enough to punch Shisui in the face… is that he forcibly dragged me into the… dancing area.
You see, bon odori dances are really slow, and people normally dance along. Shisui's ojii-san went into the group, and Shisui shoved me, so I had no choice but to go, especially after Uchiha-san grabbed my hand and helped me up… then didn't let go and dragged me closer to the kagura.
The saddest part? The people aren't… really good at dancing. Think… everyone in your school, spontaneously trying to learn a dance. Even if it's easy… it probably won't look that good.
Still… the hardest part… I have to forcibly bite my lip to not laugh when another person stumbles awkwardly, careful to keep my movements as close to those of the dancers on the stage. I shoot a glare out of the corner of my eye, at Shisui, Neji, and Shino, who are sitting on the roof of a nearby building… and don't you dare click the shutter of that camera!
I take a deep breath, looking away, as I try to avoid looking at my personal blackmailer and the two traitors. I can't leave… I'd hurt Uchiha-san's feelings. Wait. I look again, squinting. Yup… only three people. Where is…
A hand taps me on my shoulder and I flinch, breaking the movement of the dance as I spin around.
Oh. There he is. Itachi's right behind me, dancing along, too… and that's just unfair. I resume the movements of the dance as I pout piteously at Itachi. He… he… okay, it's not fair for him to make the movements look so smooth, and graceful, and… not awkward. He's not even looking at the movements on the stage!
He smiles slightly, eyes flashing red, and… oh, that's so not fair. I glare at him.
I, not being one of those blessed individuals who have ocularly-based eidetic memories, finally manage to figure his trick out several minutes later, after categorizing a set of motions. They're repeating a set series of motions, just altering the speed according to the rhythm of the song. I'm not thanking Itachi, though.
I firmly fix my eyes on the dancers on the yagura, storing and categorizing the motions. I took dance lessons for nine years in my previous life… I absolutely refuse to be shown up so drastically at such a simple dance.
After a series of frustrations and failed attempts, where I'm a little too fast… or too slow… or have the wrong hand… or the wrong foot… or forgot something… or simply do the wrong action at the right time, I start getting the hang of it. It's hard, though. My body doesn't respond correctly, and it's slow and clumsy. Worse, it's a bit hard to see some things like the placement of the feet, but… I mostly figure it out eventually. Finally… it's been almost twenty minutes. Still, it's not good enough… not up to my satisfaction, at least. I focus then on trying to feel the intent behind the motions… what it symbolizes… polishing the movements until they're about as graceful as a three-and-a-half-year-old can perform. It takes a frustratingly long time, but… by the time Shisui's ojii-san decides to leave, I've got the steps memorized nicely.
Ha, Shisui. I win.
Soon, it's the last day of Obon. I'm not sure how, but the festival is still going strong. I'm exhausted, but that might be because today, I'm actually wearing my yukata, the indigo one I'd also worn at Tanabata.
Despite how light it is… I'm still feeling remarkably overheated.
Today, Shisui's invited me to spend the day with him, while Okaa-san, Otou-san, and Shinko-chan man (or woman… no. That's not grammatically correct, is it?) the shop.
I walk over slowly, ducking into patches of shade whenever I can, shielding my face from the harsh glare of the sun. Still, with how muggy it is… even the shade doesn't offer much relief. I dodge around various throngs of people moving along, humming a random tune.
I follow the wall around the Uchiha compound until… aha! I find the stack of stones and the tree stump, and together with the cracks in the wall, carefully climb over into the compound.
Obon is often a joyous occasion… in many civilian areas. It actually reminds me of the Day of the Dead celebrations—El Día de los Muertos. It's supposed to be a surprisingly happy time.
Unfortunately, that's not really the case in Konoha. Sure, there are festivals, and everyone laughs and dances when we gather together… but most of the shinobi prefer to spend most of their time thinking. They're quieter… not as happy. I think that's because unlike in civilian communities… shinobi kill people. There's war, and pain, and death, and Obon… it's harder to be cheerful when you've lost so many people, I guess, and when you've also killed many other people.
It's still more of an abstract concept to me, the idea of what shinobi do, but… it's not hard to see the shinobi, sometimes. Obon is… interesting. I've seen some shinobi who look terrified, almost… which I'm guessing is because the dead come back on Obon, so some might be scared that ghosts of their enemies will come for revenge or something. Either way… it's interesting.
I arrive at the door of Shisui's house, and I knock, before removing my shoes and putting them on a shelf. "Hello?" I call.
"Ah, Makoto-kun," a voice calls cheerfully from further inside. "Come. I'm inside the kitchen."
"Ohayō, Shisui's ojii-san," I greet, shuffling over, taking a seat at the table. "Is Shisui in?"
"Mmm… he's currently buying some food, since we're not the best at cooking," Shisui's ojii-san chuckles, sitting down and sliding a cup of tea over. "How are you doing, Makoto-kun? Have you been having fun?"
I hum, noncommittally. "Obon… I like the food," I shrug, giggling when Shisui's ojii-san nods in agreement. "I… I do have a question though," I murmur, biting my lip. "Shinobi… they're… really quiet sometimes, during Obon. Is that because of…"
Shisui's ojii-san sighs. "What do you think, Makoto-kun?"
"Well…" I chew my lip, thinking. "I think that's because shinobi have a closer relationship… with death. With their comrades. They lose people who are precious to them, especially during war, right? And… they also kill people, other shinobi, in return. There's war, and pain, and death, and Obon… it's harder to be cheerful when you've lost so many people, I guess? And… I think they just want to think about… about everything." A silence hangs in the air. "Is… is that right, Uchiha-san?"
Shisui's ojii-san sighs with a rueful smile, running a hand over his face. "You're like Shisui-kun, you know, Makoto-kun. And like Itachi-kun. You're all too perceptive of some things for your own good." He turns to me, huffing a slow chuckle. "Yes. And don't call me Uchiha-san… just call me Kagami-san or Jii-chan, as that annoying grandson of mine does."
I blink, mouthing the words. "K-Kagami-san? Ojii-san?" I mean, he is old, but… no. Kagami… I think I've heard that before…
"Didn't I tell you my name, yet?" Kagami-san blinks, puzzled. When I shake my head, he just sighs. "I'm getting too old… maybe that silly grandson of mine had a point, when he said I was getting senile…"
We sit for a moment in silence, sipping tea. Kagami-jiisan sighs. "Your words were quite accurate and to the point. I've lived through three shinobi wars, you know. I fought in the first two… then, I retired. Somehow, despite everything I've been through, every near-death experience… nothing scared me as much as living through the Third Shinobi World War as a retired shinobi. I helped with village security, of course, but… I was never sent out. Instead, I stayed and took care of Shisui-kun while my daughter and son-in-law and grandson were sent to the front lines."
He seems to age a decade, just sitting there and reminiscing.
"I lost my grandson in that war, you know? I'd lost my wife a little after the Second Shinobi War. The Third Shinobi War took my grandson, and my son-in-law." His eyes seems to glisten with unshed tears. "They both died honorable deaths… even my grandson. He had cut off one of the most important supply routes for Iwagakure. Still… the destruction of that bridge cost his life. And then, during the Kyūbi Attack, the Nine-Tail's attack nearly four years ago… I lost my daughter. She hadn't been with the rest of the clan because she had been visiting the Memorial Stone and leaving flowers at the graveyard for… for Obito-kun, and his father." A tear traces down his cheek. "She visited every weekend…"
I blink. Did I hear that right? Because… "Obito-kun?" I ask.
Kagami-jiisan nods. "My grandson. Shisui's older brother," he says, tracing a finger over the grain of the wooden table.
The blood drains from my face. Obito. Uchiha Obito. Isn't that… the goggles and the orange swirly-mask guy? I thought… I thought that… wasn't that the name of the person… who had unleashed the Kyūbi?
Then… he'd unwittingly killed his mother. I stare blankly at the table, eyes unseeing. Oh… oh… I shake my head sharply, dislodging that thought. I'll think about it later. Still…
I slip out of my seat, walking around the table, and I lean against Kagami-jiisan in mimicry of a hug. He smells like woodsmoke and incense and… something sharper, like… like that ointment that my grandfather liked to use Before. It's pretty common, but… for some reason… my eyes moisten, only to shoot open when an arm wraps around me and I hear sniffling. I shift slightly, clambering onto the chair as I hug Kagami-jiisan back, patting his shoulder awkwardly. I have no idea what to say to make him feel better… so I'll just be quiet.
Not too long, later, Kagami-jiisan carefully deposits me on the chair as he shuffles over to grab a tissue. Blowing his nose noisily, he chuckles. "Thank you, Makoto-kun. I… I haven't spoken about them in… in awhile." His face shapes into a small smile. "Thank you."
Staring at him, I make a decision. "Are their names on the Memorial Stone?" I ask.
Kagami-jiisan stares at me, displaying a bit of shock at the non sequitur, but nods.
I hop off the chair, grabbing his hand. "Let's go to the Memorial Stone, then," I decide. "I want to show you something… and ask what you think."
He seems bemused, but agrees. I rush to grab my shoes, before grabbing his hand again and scrambling out the door. I wince at the sun, but soldier on through it, leading Kagami-san over to the Memorial Stone. When we get there, I'm panting and uncomfortably warm, while Kagami-jiisan is annoyingly composed. But, that doesn't last long when he sees the flowers. I grin at him, shifting from foot to foot. "So, what do you think? Daffodils mean 'respect' in hanakotoba, so… I figured…" I trail off awkwardly, waving a hand at the stone.
He stares for a long time, before his face splits in a wide grin. I'm alarmed when I see tears, but his chuckles are clearly of laughter.
"Makoto-kun," he chuckles. "You… don't you ever grow up, okay?"
I blink, bemused. "Huh?"
"Don't change," he coughs out between fits of laughter. "Ah…" He wipes his eyes, still smiling. "I needed that. Thank you, Makoto… the flowers are very nice."
"I also got some planters and added some daffodil bulbs, so there'll be more in the spring," I chirp, excited. "And since they have bulbs, that means that they'll just keep on blooming, every spring!"
Kagami-jiisan stares at the moment fondly. "Makoto-kun… do you mind if I stay here for a little longer? You can return to the house… Shisui should have returned by now."
I accept the dismissal and turn to leave, but I turn back when I reach the edge of the field. "Don't take too long, Kagami-jiisan! Old people need to take care of their health!"
He pauses for a moment, before bursting into laughter so loud that I can hear it even from where I am. I wave, then run off, giggling.
I like Kagami-jiisan.
I'm eating dango with Shisui and Itachi, all of us arranged on the Yondaime's head. Okay, I understand, why are we all there? The answer— his head has the most shade, and it's the easiest to get to. Shisui had helped to ferry me over, and it's surprisingly comfortable. The height means that there's a constant light breeze, and the shade makes everything rather pleasant.
It's around mid-afternoon when Shisui brings up the ending of Obon— tōrō nagashi, the floating lanterns.
"Uhm… I really want to see them, but I'm not sure where to get one," I mumble. "Okaa-san and Otou-san didn't really lose anyone recently, and… even though… you know, that happened, it's still not…" I shrug. "I just don't know. I want to, but…"
"Why don't you come with us?" Itachi asks suddenly.
I blink, questioningly, and Shisui answers. "Hmm… it's pretty much isolated to the clans, but… that's more because nobody else tries to join than anything. I think… why not?" Unfortunately, Shisui only makes me more confused. Luckily, Itachi explains.
"During Obon, the clans and various other shinobi normally gather at the head of the river, from about where it enters Konohagakure. I am not quite sure when the tradition started, but it… developed into an unverbalized agreement, to show up. It takes place near the border of the Nara compound, where a river widens as it passes. There is a wide gravel beach there, which makes it ideal."
Shisui chips in. "We'll take you with us!"
I nod, hesitantly. "I'll have to check with Okaa-san and Otou-san, but… I'm pretty sure it will be okay," I decide. "Shisui, can you take me over to the shop? Please?"
He nods and crouches down as I clamber onto his back, giggling. "Let's go!"
It's a beautiful, solemn affair. The sun set, but the sky practically seems to glow blue in the twilight. Kagami-jiisan and Shisui brought three lanterns— one for each of Shisui's parents, and one for his brother. Shisui has his father's, and Kagami-jiisan carries the lantern with his daughter's name. I carry the one with Obito's name written on it.
We don't speak. No one does. I recognize familiar faces, though. Neji and Hizashi-san carry one lantern, which I assume is for Neji's mother, who died due to complications from childbirth. I think I see Shino, together with a group of other Aburame, but it's too dark for me to be sure.
Itachi carries a lantern as he walks a little apart with his mother and father. I can't see Sasuke-chan anywhere.
When he sees me, he smiles and turns the lantern, showing me the name.
I-zu-mo-ten… ah. Izumo Tenma.
We reach the edge of the water, now identifiable only by the reflection of our lanterns now that even twilight has faded.
After gently setting the lanterns in the water and giving them a slight push, we watch them a little, and then Kagami-jiisan tugs my hand gently, reminding me to make way for the people behind me.
I stand up a little too quickly, and I step on the hem of my yukata, tripping backwards. I'm caught by hand that steadies me gently. When I look up… it's to a pale-skinned face with markings around the eyes, framed by long black hair.
Oh.
I know that face. Maybe it's a bit of the surrealistic setting, with the magical beauty of the lanterns and their reflection on the dark water as they bob down the river, but… I'm not really unnerved. I just smile, with a brief bobbed bow, as I step aside.
He's carrying two lanterns, and his eyes are too shiny, though to I can't tell if they're red or not in the darkness, and he's hunched over a bit. He seems… he seems so sad. I can't help but wonder which names he carries.
I twist around as Shisui reaches back to grab my hand and pulls me along behind him, watching as he gently places the two lanterns in the water, bowing his head for short moment, before he stands up, letting them bob away. Then, someone shifts and the line of sight is broken.
I turn so I'm facing Shisui as he drags me away from the main crowd and helps me clamber over grasses and slightly-slippery rocks. My yukata might be a bit dirty after this, but… the view of the river is amazing. Shisui helps me onto a large flat rock before clambering up after me, and we sit in silence, watching the parade of lanterns, some larger, some rounder, some with different designs… but all glowing and bobbing, as they meander down the river. It instills in me this… this sense of peace. It's like the sense of mono no aware people get from watching the sakura fall… it's the the awareness of the impermanence, of the transience of things, and the feeling of both a gentle sadness or wistfulness at their passing as well as a longer, deeper gentle sadness about this state being the reality of life.
I almost wonder… if I become a shinobi, will that be me one day, with my name on a lantern that bobs down a river? Or will I become just another one of the grieving people, who just hold such sadness and regret inside?
But it's mostly peaceful… almost like this scene is just partially removed from the world, just enough so that it seems timeless and… magical, in a sense. I actually almost nod off, leaning against Shisui's shoulder. I actually do drift off when Shisui hoists me onto his back and walks back, slowly, with the rest of the crowd. It's almost like the stream of time resumed, but… a little of that surreal, peaceful feeling still lingers, lulling me into sleep.
The floating lanterns… they were truly beautiful.
Even in the ancient days
When the gods held sway,
I have never heard
That water gleamed with autumn red
As it does in the Tatsuta River.
— Ariwara no Narihira Ason
千早ぶる
神代もきかず
龍田川
からくれないに
水くくるとは
— 在原業平朝臣
Chihayaburu
Kamiyo mo kikazu
Tatsuta-gawa
Kara kurenai ni
Mizu kukuru to wa
— Ariwara no Narihira Ason
Author's Note: FINALS ARE FINALLY OVER! Yeah. Sorry about not updating last week... suffice to say, finals and more than a few borderline grades kinda called my attention away. I'll probably post chapter 8 on the 24th (Monday), and then chapter 9 on the 25th, as a bit of a holiday gift! The setting's pretty well established by now, and so are the characters, so... it's time for the plot to pick up! So you all can finish reading the first story arc on Christmas! \(^_^)/
There's about one chapter between that and the next story arc, so... I think I'll post a chapter on Saturday, and then one on Tuesday? January 1st?
...and then I'll actually need to find the time to write more, because I will have officially caught up to what I had written before the re-write. (-_-)
I hope you all like the story so far! Please leave a comment!
-ShadowAccio6181