Friends

*BURST*

A wave of water swept the whole compound before Mazuno's hut. Hot steam rose where it passed. 

Tumi together with the other children were swept away by the tide. They cried out at the top of their lungs from the hotness they were experiencing but could do nothing to stop the tide of hot water.

Mazuno who had Adepa in his arms stood on the surface of the water skating on its moving tides. He looked at the unconscious girl in his arms with a light smile and a clear dumbfoundedness of her means. 

But upon hearing the cries of his playmates to whom his senses had already recognized he reacted quickly as he devised a simple solution to aid their predicament. 

And so raising his head he found them at the rear of the hot tide of water. Hastily, he circulated his Earth Spark with his chest rising and abdomen depressing soon enough a gust of concentrated air sliced through the space before him cutting a gutter in an arc so that the wave of hot water with Tumi and the others would not smash into the fence made of sticks.

And just like that the torrent of hot waves calmed down with the water sinking into the large arc of gutter as it revealed the drowned figures of seven youths.

Mazuno approached the drenched figures still carrying Adepa in his arms. 

At the same time, Tumi stood up water-soaked as his patched brown and black varmint skin stuck to his toned and robust body. With short black hair having brown tips, and a pair of black pupils which shone a smouldering anger, he stood tall among all those present. 

Tumi after seeing that he was fine hurried to check up on the other children. 

Lying on a now wet ground were six children. Four boys and two girls.

" Abe are you okay? " a girl with a spiky braid with an embellishing tooth in it asked as she stretched her hand with an open palm. 

" Ah. I'm alright. " answered an exquisite-looking girl in a smooth and gentle tone. Her skin was smooth pecan brown, her hair a corn roll, and she possessed large jet black eyes with green emerald specks within, puffy cheeks, heart-shaped lips, a petite figure and a round big chest standing prominently in a sleeve brown ntama animal skin which emphasized her alluring spurted figure.

Tumi who stood a distance away from them sighed a relieved breath ' Looks like they are alright. ' he assumed, but suddenly frowned, his face turning towards Mazuno who now sat under the shade of a tree with a weary face.

Looking at the pale-skinned boy under the shade Tumi's frown deepened as he made his way towards Mazuno with heavy steps. 

Mazuno currently seated under the tree subsisted heavily with his heavy eyes already spotting the angry Tumi who was making his way towards the tree. Mazuno turned his head away from Tumi's direction as he looked at the sleeping figure in his embrace again. His already heavy eyes started to close but he quickly suppressed the edge to fall asleep shaking his head. 

Step. Step. Step.

Under the shade of a tree was the Towering figure of Tumi staring furiously at Mazuno who didn't seem to bother looking at the tall and robust figure before him. Time seemed to stop as the other children finally appeared standing behind Tumi all drenched up and seemingly nervous.

" MAZUNO! " Tumi shouted stomping his feet on the ground. 

His sudden shout caused the figures behind him to tremble. 

But his angry outburst was met with a repose voice.

" Yes! Big Guy! I can hear you --- U know? " 

" Y- You. Sigh! " Tumi whose chest was rising and falling like tides suddenly deflated his brows easing up with his shoulders depressing. Holding his brows and hips in a defeated stance. He finally shook his head taking a seat on the ground before the pale white skin boy.

The figures behind all heaved relieved breaths. They didn't want any fists show to take place here of all times since today was very special.

" Sorry for such a bad welcome. Couldn't stop myself from backing out from a spar with her. " Mazuno spoke first. " Anyway... I don't remember you guys ever visiting me this late. " Mazuno continued as he eyed them with an intrigued expression.

" Hmf! Who wanted to visit you? We came here... I mean we had wanted to come see you after Adepa told us about what happened to the both of you. But to think all we got was being slammed away by a flood. " A boy with overly dark skin with not a single hair on his head and white markings on his cheeks said crossing his arms and looking away displeased.

" Hey! Faruq Is not a flood. That was a conjured water of a spiritualist. " Said a clever-looking boy with (warrior's hair) sitting beside him.

" I know...Aggrey. Dammit! You don't have to tell me. " 

" Well... I thought you should know since you've always wanted to see a battle between spiritualists. " Aggrey said innocently as he adjusted his wet ...

The simple reply and exchange simply drew out their purpose for coming here as Mazuno nodded in understanding his back leaning more comfortably on the tree.

Tumi who sat folding his arms nodded in return as he also added,  emphasizing particularly on his last words. " We heard from our mothers that our 'catch game' which was led by Adepa brought you both into harm's way. But looking at you both it seems everything is alright. " 

Mazuno raised a brow as he looked at the robust figure before him. 

" Hah! You Guys! I..mean I'm alright. Thank you all for thinking about my well-being. " Mazuno said sincerely with his heartfelt warmth. They have been playmates since infancy and although his behaviour has always been a little distant they've always interacted with him still. The thing is his mother had told him about them paying a visit and always extending a speedy recovery message to him. Now that he thought about it he hadn't stepped outside out all ever since that day. 

Hmm.

The faces of the children were that of astoundness as they stared at the pale-skinned boy with an out-of-the-world look. 

Mazuno seeing their expression gave a light smile.

" Y- You don't have to act like that around us... we are friends after all. " Faruq said pointing at Mazuno as his hand trembled. He was shocked a feeling he was sure they all shared profoundly.

The words Mazuno said rang in their heads.

' Thank you! '

They've known Mazuno for almost as long as their age is concerned and truth be told the little fair guy hasn't said such words before. There's not been a situation where the guy had to offer his gratitude. Even though they've played together a lot Mazuno spoke little and only seemed to be enthusiastic when they played ' Catch '. It has been like that with only Adepa who with her overly competitive spirit stuck to him. That's they managed to only interact with him when he played with Adepa so seeing that today the same person spoke so frankly and acted so casually with them their astonishment was normal.

*Sniff* *Sniff* *Sniff*

" Abe! " the spiky braided girl said pulling the petite girl in her embrace with misty eyes. 

" I can't help it. M-Mazuno...he..." Said Abe tearing up.

" Yes! Is unprecedented. Thank goodness we listened to you. " 

The boys all looked down hiding their expressions something which made Mazuno even smile brightly.

" Ah! My heart. Sniff! You bastard you finally acted normal. " Faruq let out as he wiped the tears emerging from the corners of his eyes.

"Geesh! Look at you being a crybaby even though you were the first to reject us coming here. " A thick-browed boy with wavy hair spoke as he patted the crybaby's back.

" Tsk... Will you stop crying? Men don't cry. " 

" Yeah! I know but I can't help...*sniff* besides Tumi your eyes are a little red.You can cry. " 

" Shut up! I won't crying. I am a man only women cry. " 

" That's false. " 

" Dahoud. Do you want a beating? " Tumi who was flaring with an obvious painful expression of keeping his tears at bay made a fist. 

" No! But... " 

" Guys! "

The bickering duo and sobbing youths all turned towards Aggrey who in a composed manner pointed in a direction.

Turning their heads they couldn't but smile. 

Mazuno while maintaining his brilliant smile rested his head on the tree as he slept. 

*Sniff*

It wasn't known who was now sobbing but the group of youngsters just nodded at each other.