#01; soft petals and dull blades.

soft petals, dull blades.

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" next stop, inazuma. "

beidou waved to her crew, giving them the signal to position the crux fleet by the docks. two of the crew mates carried a stable plank to extend and connect to the bridge leading to ritou.

" alright fellas, we'll be taking care of delivery requests for today. be careful with those crates! "

echoing footsteps met with the wooden plank harshly, the crux crew making their way out of the ship with heavy crates in their arms.
though to kazuha, it was a melody to hear.

the way he hears a rhythm, a beat, it was a wonderful sound. if there was anything he liked about being a part of the crux, other than its crewーit would be their synced movements, the way they connect and move together in mutual understanding. it was what he'd label as music to his ears.

leaping off the edge of the ship where he sat, kazuha made his way to beidou.

" is there anything else you need help with, beidou? " he asks.

the captain shook her head before placing a hand on her hip, the accessories dangling in her attire making soft 'clicks' when she'd had done so. she reaches out to ruffle the smaller boy's hair with her other hand.

" not much aside from an order at naganohara's fireworks store that i've told you about. be sure to come back for dinner. alright, kazuha? "

" of course, thank you. "

- timeskip -

" welcome to naganohara fireworks ! returning customers only have to submit the paper handed out previously for custom requestsー " a strawberry blonde-haired girl greets with energy.

her wild hair tied back into a ponytail resembled the rays of the sun, bouncing in the air, much like her lively behavior.
approaching the female, kazuha nods as a greeting with a polite smile to accompany it. he had heard of the naganohara family before, yet he never really got the chance to meet them personally. not that it was ever necessary for him to. well, until now.

" though, i don't think i've seen you around before. i'm naganohara yoimiya, heir of the naganohara fireworks- you can just call me yoimiya! would you like some regular fireworks or do you have a customized request in mind? " yoimiya asks, moving a finger to her chin when she digs into her mental list of regular customers.

" kaedehara kazuha. i'm here to pick up a request from beidou, of the crux fleet. " kazuha responds, bowing his head with a polite smile.

" ohー! kazuha! that's right, there was a firework request just for youーlet me go get it for a second, okay? hold on! " yoimiya chirps, disappearing into the store.

' just for you. ' kazuha echoes in his mind, having expected for the order to be directly for beidou at least. he wonders whoever could have made that requestーfor him, at that.

as if reading his mind, yoimiya returns with a  small box and a paper, " this one is also a customized request- from general gorou and beidou- so if you want to have the exact same fireworks recreated, i recommend you keep this paper. it has the specific ingredients required written on it! "

from general gorou?

" ,,i see. thank you very much. " kazuha responds, bidding farewell.

how thoughtful of his old friend. perhaps he should stop by their camp to thank him some time ,, but whatever was it for? the rōnin wonders.

- time skip -

the sun began to set, meeting the sea at last and dressing it in the fiery hues of red and orange.  nightfall has always been kazuha's favorite time of the day. warm, saturated colors coating stone cold surface; birds passing by, singing their melodies as they retreat back to the safety of their nests. a home ..

setting down the firework launcher from a safe distance, kazuha sits himself on the hard rock ground- one leg raised for his arm to lean on, exactly how he sat back in the alcor. it was undeniably the most comfortable sitting position for the wandering samurai.

silence enveloping his environmentー a moment of solitude have always been so soothing; it was an unspoken song that lulls him into a tranquil state. more often than not, it was followed by a gnawing ache in the depths of his chest. the sort of ache that could leave anyone in tatters if they weren't careful enough. a glooming feeling akin to a glaze lily, flowers he'd found out about in liyue harbor. during the day, the petals of a glaze lily curve together, shielding itself from the noises and truths of the world; whereas during the night, it blooms and falls vulnerable to the whispers of the winds, revealing a beauty in all its glory. yet even as the wind reaches his ears, or as many aching petals dressing his heart, his tears remain unshed.

glancing at the rusty, dull blade that stuck to the groundー it was surrounded lovingly by the groups of flowers nearby, its light reflecting off the steel. kazuha frowns slightly at this, and unsheathes his very own blade.

thinking to himself, he had not one, but two swords as a fragment of memory and time, left by the people he looked up to and cared for. rather than falling disheartened, the snow-haired male smiles to himself and heaves out a sigh.

these bladesーthey represent the momentum and will its owners carry, even in the embrace of death and defeat. perhaps not many of kazuha's ancestors carried a vision like his friend, but the steel that was left behind continues to carry their ambitions anyway, telling the stories of their time. it was a message that spoke to him deeply- the way his last links to the past are swords. indeed, he was a samurai.

having already set the fireworks to launch, kazuha shuts his eyes close and begins counting down.
he remembers the conversations- the deep, meaningful discussions, or the silly, and playful exchanges with a strawberry blonde. the sound of metal clashing with each other, and what would be irritating to the ears of othersー was a duet sung by their own duels.
fluttering his eyes open at the last second, orbs of ruby trail after a sakura petal that found its way onto his open palm.

of course.

rose-colored fireworks burst to the sky in the shapes of a sakura flower and followed by one of a crystalfly. kazuha's lips stretches out once more, musing to himself as he now understands why general gorou had sent him such an itemーone he'll eternally be grateful for.

the times that they rest under the shades of a cherry blossom. his friend always liked to be the one leaning on the trunk every time.
with the passing breeze that greets him, it felt like his presence lingered around with itーhaving a familiar touch as it brushes past kazuha in a brief contact.

life was like the little petals that fall from cherry blossoms, or the loud and colorful fireworks that eventually fall into silence. it was tender and beautiful, but you could never guess when one departs from the tree of life and dwindle away. trees wither when they are cut or left uncared for, while fireworks fade into the air. there was an end, but if there was anything eternal in these fleeting elements of lifeーit was the recollection of said matters. the sound of fireworks replaying itself in mind, or the soft texture of a petal that ghosts to the touch. perhaps he should compose a haiku on that topic some time, kazuha muses.

but to be honest, that was okayー it was delightful anyway.

" it's been a while, old friend. "

kazuha utters in the night, his words carried along by the flow of windーdelivered for the heavens to hear, hopefully reaching the right receiver.

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