Where the Wind Blows

Gems with Prices

My ankle was still swollen on the day of the Chunin exam. I had a myriad of medical supplies in my bag, and warned Itachi so he could carry some with him too. 

I was feeling alright. I had a large breakfast, thanks to Granny Daia, and after a glass of orange juice, was ready to take on the day. 

As I was double checking my equipment, I felt someone looking at me.

"Shisui," I smiled. "What're you doing here?"

"I can't let anyone else walk you to your exam," he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes. As my best friend, he had a point.

It was weird to keep seeing him that way, though. Things were changing. The comments that I usually brushed off from Granny were getting to me.

"You see how he cared for her when she was injured? That's the way a husband should be!" I overheard her saying to my mother when they thought I was sleeping.

"She's still young. Shisui will be very accomplished when he's older.  He'll change. His kindness will dwindle in time," my mother responded.

I hated hearing that. I didn't want anything to change- I wanted things to stay like this forever.

"People want to grow up too fast," I said suddenly, cutting him off.

"You're taking the Chunin exam two years early. Isn't that growing up fast?"

"You know what I mean," I said, annoyedly.

"Did someone say something?"

"Just the same stuff as usual," I said, and he nodded. 

"You don't have to grow up if you don't want to."

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded. "Really. But sometimes things happen, and you grow up anyways."

"Not me," I grumbled. "I'm staying like this forever."

He smiled. "You can stay annoying forever, and I'll stay the best forever!" he exclaimed, and dodged me swinging at him.

After some glares from the elders, I decided to stop my attack, and we walked quietly.

"I thought you might like this."

Shisui handed me a small box, and inside it had an emerald necklace, shaped like the sun.  

"Wow! It's beautiful," I said. 

He moved my hair to the side and put it on for me. 

"It changes color...but only when-" I turned to him, and he looked like he was trying to pick his next words out carefully. 

"It changes color when...?"

"It will change color when I die."

My world shattered.

"Well that won't be for a long time, right?" I said, holding back all my tears.

"I just...If anything ever happened to me, I'd want you to be the first to know. That's all. Nothing to get sad over," he said, patting my head.

The necklace seemed heavier than when he first put it on me. 

"Is this a warning?" I asked.

"Tell me Mira, what does it mean to be a shinobi?"

I blinked. It wasn't something you could answer off the top of your head. 

"It's never really about learning Jutsu or being the most powerful, is it?" he went on, "Self sacrifice...That's what being a shinobi is about. A nameless shinobi who protects peace from the shadows...That's  a true shinobi."

What kind of pep talk was this?

"You don't need to sacrifice yourself whenever you can, you can think and be a shinobi too." I hesitated before continuing. "...Why are you making it seem like you're gonna sacrifice yourself soon?"

"I'm not. What I'm saying is that I am prepared to die, and I think It's an important thing for shinobi to accept." 

I felt a knot in my stomach. This was the sadness that would never really leave Shisui speaking.

"Believe it or not, I don't want to think about dying before the exam."

"It's just something to keep in mind-"

"You're freaking me out before my exam!" I took a step back from him, and blinked away a tear that was beginning to form.

I took a second to catch my breath.  I looked right at him, even though I felt more tears forming. "The next time I see you, I'm going to be a Chunin. Get it out of your head that you're never gonna see me again, or that I'm going to die prepared for it. And the next time I  see you, you'll be seeing me."

I wanted to hug him. I wanted to hold him one last time in case it was the last time I saw him, but I couldn't. I didn't even want to think of him dying. 

I needed to get these tears out of my eyes before this exam! Why can't I be strong right now? 

Just one foot in front of the other...The doors are just up ahead...

This wasn't an ordinary necklace. It was a promise.