The days after that just got better. At the start of each month, Midori would share with me the latest issue of “Bullseye!” she collects from the merchants. We would lie down at our secret corner near the little pond and bridge, spending the whole day reading and studying its contents in full detail. We even attempted to fletch our own arrows of trunks and feathers following one of the articles in the magazine.

After being convinced by Midori, I presented the idea of me leaving Amatsu for the Rune Midgard Kingdom to become an adventurer to my parents. Surprisingly, they agreed instantly without me having to argue about it.

“Your father and I have actually thought about it before,” said okasan. “Once upon a time, he even had a dream of becoming a Bard.”

“Although we agree with your idea, we won’t allow you to take part in any of the guilds or start your training yet,” otosan continued. “You’re only turning five, Hirei. We’ll wait until you’re older, alright?”

Fortunately, my parents took this plan seriously, spending much of their time researching more about the Rune Midgard Kingdom, inquiring about situation at the mainland and making plans for our family to move to its capital city, Prontera.

‘So, when will you be moving to the mainland?’ otosan asked one day when Midori was joining us for dinner after another day of fishing. Okasan used some of the fish we caught and made then into sushi, a traditional delicacy here in Amatsu made of vinegar rice rolled with various ingredients, such as fish, along with nori – thin, edible, paper like seaweed.

‘Itadakimasu!’ we cheered loudly before grabbing our chopsticks and munching away. It was an Amatsu tradition and strangely, my favourite part of the meal as I get the chance to shout without feeling shy or awkward about it.

‘So Midori, is your family confirmed to be leaving for Rune Midgard?’ okasan asked and Midori nodded in reply. ‘When will that be?’

‘Some time after Hirei’s birthday, I think,’ Midori answered, discreetly flashing a smile at me to remind me of her wish.

‘Oh, that reminds me. We’ll be having a celebration for Hirei’s birthday,’ otosan added. ‘Would you like to come over to join us, Midori?’

‘Definitely!’ Midori answered hastily as she leaned forward from her seat. ‘Even if you don’t invite me, I’ll crash the party. Oh no… that means I need to get Hirei a present too, doesn’t it? Gosh, I can’t think of what to get you.’

‘It’s okay, Midori, you don’t have to get me anything,’ I said. ‘I’ll be happy enough if you come.’

‘We’re so lucky that Hirei met you, Midori. He has changed so much since,’ said okasan as she stroked my face lovingly with her hands. ‘It’s your fifth birthday, and it’s a big occasion! I thought that we could visit the water shrine to thank the Gods for blessing you, but the fields up north are still being used for war so we won’t be able to go again this year. I guess we’ll have to go to the little shrine at Lord’s House again this year like the last time you turned three. You can wear the new yukata Mrs. Yamada made you. Then we’ll come home and have feast, we’ll pick you up then, alright Midori?’

And so, I started marking down the days to my birthday. I told Midori not to get me any presents, but I secretly wished that she would, and I looked forward to what she might be preparing. The night before my birthday, I could not get any sleep. Unfortunately, the sakura trees were not in bloom yet.

‘Miracles happen,’ said Midori as she patted my back. She pointed daringly at the tree, smiling widely with confidence. ‘You! You will bloom in twelve hours in time for Hirei’s birthday, alright? For me and Hirei! And you –’ Midori continued on, pointing at me instead. ‘Should go home and get some sleep. You have a long day ahead. Happy birthday eve Hirei!’

I do not even know what exactly I was wishing for. Surely, I would love if the sakura trees bloom and prove that Midori was right. I wanted to know that things would get better for me. Yet, deep inside, I did not want the sakura trees to bloom, then Midori would stay in Amatsu with me for at least another year. I flipped about on my bed, restless and nervous from all the thinking. Eventually, I fall asleep and the next thing I know, okasan was jerking me awake before the sunrise, otosan was hugging me “Happy Birthday”, I was walking into my bathroom in a zombie state. It was only when I was served with breakfast that I realized that I have already changed into my brand new yukata. Okasan and otosan were both dressed for the occasion too. Once we were finished, the three of us headed out to the Lord’s House which was just a little north from the commoner’s residence and by the stream that surrounds the Amatsu Castle.

‘What’s that?’ otosan asked suddenly as we approached the Lord’s House. He was pointing at a motionless body that was lying on the dirt ground, its bright white surface stained in red and reflecting the gleam of the morning sun in a beautiful, yet eerie glow. My brown eyes widened in suspicion, my body finally fully awake from my slumber, my heart racing across the street before my feet followed its lead. When I came closer, I realized that it was someone lying face down on the floor. I could tell it was a someone I know, a someone who had the same white hair as I did.

‘Oh lord… Midori!’ okasan cried behind me. I dropped to my knees and turned Midori’s limp body upwards. Her skin was pale and trickling with a mixture of sweat and blood, her red eyes slipping out of concentration. Her left arm had a horrible blue-black tinge from a wound that held a small kunai in its place. I could see that Midori was fighting hard to maintain her consciousness.

‘Hey… Hirei… Happy birthday…’ Midori muttered weakly. She had her eyes looking beyond my face, unable to focus them properly.

‘It’s poisoned…’ otosan said tensely as leaned forward to inspect the wound. ‘It’s a Ninja’s kunai… Midori, what were doing near the Ninjas, near the battlefield?’

‘I… wrong place… wrong time…’ she said forcefully, coughing up a clot of blood onto my dark yukata. ‘I wanted to pray for Hirei… for the Gods to take care of him… and that the sakura trees bloomed. I heard… there was an underground shrine deep below the Amatsu Castle. So I went… to check it out.’

‘Why… you didn’t have to do that!’ I retorted fiercely. ‘Your body’s ill… you shouldn’t be walking around so much!’

‘That’s not all…’ Midori wheezed tiredly, involuntary tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘Below the Amatsu Castle… a bigger secret… There’s a cavern down there… Ninjas and Samurais battling in that cavern… I saw them fighting… I…’

Midori started choking from the blood in her mouth, rendered breathless by the poison. She gasped deeply as otosan extracted the poison kunai from her body and apply pressure on her wounds with scrap cloth from tearing his yukata sleeves.

‘It’s strong Ninja poison…’ exclaimed otosan, holding the poison kunai carefully in his hands. He tied Midori’s arm tightly with another piece of cloth and started to suck out the blood from her wound, along with the poison. He spit out the blood onto the ground, asking okasan to find help from the villagers, preferably one familiar with Ninja techniques and poisons.

‘Midori… stop putting so much stress on yourself!’ I implored, terrified for her life. ‘It’s so dangerous… and the Ninjas… how could they do such things to an innocent girl? How heartless –’

‘No… war is heartless…’ Midori carried on speaking in a soft tone, resisting the pain. ‘When I reached the cavern… the Ninjas took me hostage… knowing who I am. The Samurais tried to talk… and then my Samurai relatives… they took advantage and attacked the Ninjas. They retaliated and…’

Midori breathed in deeply, managing a small titter in between. ‘Funny isn’t it? I always say I’m unafraid of death… knowing that it’s coming… And now it’s here in a way I never imagined it to be. I always thought I’d die peacefully, out of breath, on my bed with my parents crying by my side.’

‘No, Midori! You’re not going to die! Right, otosan?’ I cried, holding onto her tighter than ever as I looked over at otosan. He looked back at me with a grim look in his face telling me that her chances were slim and I refused to believe it. I turned back to Midori, my eyes so close to hers that I could count the number of fine white hair that made her bangs. ‘You’re going to be okay… we’re getting help… You said my white hair’s not unlucky, you had faith in me, you can’t take it away! Please… I need it…’

Midori laughed again. Every time she laughs or speaks before this, it would take the heaviness away from me. But as Midori and I exchanged stares in her beat up state, it only made things worse for me. I lowered my head and tried to cover my face with my hair as my eyes started to become watery, my sight of Midori becoming blurry as my tears fell onto her face. Slowly, she pushed herself up to wipe the tears off my face, a green speckled handkerchief in her hands.

‘You’ll always have my faith, even when I’m gone,’ she smiled brightly. She raised her hand and pointed into the air. ‘Look…’

I pushed my neck up to see what Midori was pointing at, what I saw has made me lost for words. It was unbelievable, but there it was right before my eyes. I finally understood the exotic beauty of Amatsu that have stolen the hearts of many adventurers. As the sunlight shone on the sakura trees, the atmosphere was cheered up by its pinkish-white glow. For four years, the sakura trees never bloom. But today, all across Amatsu the sakura trees would carry their proud blossoms once again.

‘I told you, didn’t I?’ said Midori, her eyes flickering as she sustained the remaining strength left in her body. ‘But now that I’m like this… I guess that Rune Midgard trip… have to wait…’

‘No… you have my luck, you won’t die,’ I persisted. Midori ignored me, now jabbing her backpack which was on the dirt ground by her side. I took the backpack which seemed to have been tattered during Midori’s struggle underground, and found a beautiful composite bow that was a little larger than I was, but would be the right size for a teenager. I hugged it closely in one hand, feeling the weight of both our wishes to become and Archer.

‘Happy birthday Hirei… thank goodness I could pass you my gift… there are so many favours I owe you that I must finish right now…’ Midori continued, the sakura scattering in the wind as they fell onto the ground, all over their hair and clothes and into Midori’s open palm. ‘Life is like the sakura. It’s so brief, yet so beautiful… Don’t fear anything, Hirei, not even death or the end. Remember… what I always told you?’

‘Live in the here and now…’ I said softly, remembering all the times I spent with Midori when she would teach me so many of life’s valuable lessons. ‘…without any regrets.’

‘Great… You remembered…’said Midori, her voice sounded weaker with each passing moment. ‘Please Hirei… never forget to do everything you ever wanted to do, and don’t delay. It’s time for you to come out of your shell and not bother about what others think. Do it for the both of us… the white haired ones from Amatsu. It’s my last favour I ask of you…’

Labels: NaNoMadness, The Eminent Guardians