Nostalgia

When Hanabi first thought about pain, she imagined it as a fresh cut in her arm that stings for a bit. That wasn't wrong of course, but she didn't know it wasn't all to it. She never expected it to toy with her emotions, driving her head insane as to choose a side between two different people.

It all started when the girl decided to take the forbidden weapon, the Higanbana of the scarlet sect. The thing that drove her to commit such act was a certain ninja whom she trained with for five years.

I did it to protect him, she repeatedly convinced herself, I don't want him to get slain by the man in the rumors.

Two weeks before Hayabusa went out to hunt the betrayer, Hanabi had already set off to kill the target before he does. The reason, you may ask? It appeared unknown, even to her. Maybe it was to distract her mind from the unfamiliar feelings directed to him for over the past years, or to prove herself worthy from all the duels she lost to Hayabusa, who knows?

All that was present in her mind was to annihilate the person, no matter what.

On her way to the said Land of Dawn, Hanabi encountered a strange man sitting on a stool in the inn she decided to stop by. He had dark crimson hair, sunglasses and a mask. His structure seemed too familiar, with the slouched back and—

Hanabi stifled her gasp. She couldn't be mistaken. No, not now. This time, she was certain that the man in front of her was the one who had saved her five years ago, when she jumped in to save the young spiritualist Kagura from a demon. She never had a clear view of his face, but the silhouette from the corner of her eyes before gave it away.

Not deciding on what to do, Hanabi panicked and fled from the scene. She immediately went up to the counter and rented a room to stay for the night. A part of her wanted to walk up to him and give thanks, but she was too afraid.

Hanabi untied the red ribbon that had kept her long ebony hair into a high ponytail. Six years ago, when her training partner Hayabusa saw her leg wounded after she fell in a ditch, he took a piece of the red scarf he'd always wore, and used it to cover up the wound. Ever since the injury healed, he'd seen her wear the ribbon until then.

The two had been the closest of friends, until that night when the incident happened. Their duel has yet to come as Hanabi trudged thought the woods when a blood curling scream pierced through her ear.

The scream didn't from from somewhere far, and a sense of heroism made her dash towards the direction. After getting a few cuts and brushing off stray leaves along the way, the scene appeared before her. A silver haired girl was sprawled on the grass and long story short, she jumped in as the demon was about to devour the girl and got injured badly. Just as the monster opened its jaws, Hanabi closed her eyes and braced for the impact that never came. Turns out it has been sliced by the man who came out a silhouette at the corner of Hanabi's eyes.

The memory of being a hero came out bittersweet to her. She knew it was wrong, but part of her unconsciously regretted her action. Because soon after that, she'd reconnected Kagura and Hayabusa's friendship that led her into her own downfall. The three of them were the closest of friends, with each and everyday training and spending time together under the old cherry tree.

Once, when she took a break and sat on a rock, Hanabi gazed at the two smiling at each other genuinely. That very moment, she pictured them both together. They'd make a cute couple, she thought, but pursed her lips. She imagined them living a happy and married life, and looked at her palms. In the end, she muttered to herself, where does that leave me?

Pushing the distant memory aside, Hanabi jolted up from her bed and started to prepare to continue her mission to put an end to their clan's rebel. Don't get her wrong—she trusted Hayabusa, but this seemed like a great opportunity to prove herself that she was worthy and the duels she lost didn't mean anything, and at the same time she didn't want him to get hurt. Time was running, and she wanted to figure out the unknown feelings she had.

The day before Hayabusa was supposed to start his mission was the day Hanabi saw him. Hanzo, the ninja corrupted with power who committed the greatest sin among ninjas and massacred his clan members. Hanabi spotted him within the woods of the Land of Dawn as the demon Hagakure that's sealed within the Legendary sword Ame no Habakiri devoured another limb of a creature he killed.

Hanabi almost gagged and retreated back to her hiding place behind the trunk of an oak tree, processing what she'd just seen. Hanzo's senses must've been really sharp, because he immediately disappeared into thin air, then appeared beside Hanabi and scarred her shoulder. This took her in surprise and Hanabi could barely gasp before she could put on a defensive stance. She held the Higanbana tightly and anticipated his actions.

After she blinked, Hanzo disappeared from sight again and she felt a ang of pain from her back. The shock caused her to kneel on the floor, weak from the wound.

Hanzo reappeared before her. He had a mask and his eyes glowed cyan. His crimson hair was messy as ever and on his grip was the legendary sword And no Habakiri.

"Hanabi," he started. "Wasn't it Hayabusa who was tasked with this? Either way, I'm still crushing the Crimson and Shadow clan.  Ah, I remember that night, you were as pathetic as you were right now, kneeling on the grass."

Hanabi gasped. It was him of all people. Hanzo, the wanted criminal of the Crimson and Shadow clans, was the one who saved her life eight years ago.

"Don't get me wrong, I didn't help because I wanted to. I killed that demon for my sword to get stronger, and the two of you were just pathetic," he stated, voice laced with venom. "Now, what would Hayabusa think if he saw his childhood friend dead before him?"

"He'd surely kill and teach the guy who did it a lesson," a voice rang and three shrikes emerged from the shadows, two successfully cutting Hanzo at the back. His eyes filled with rage as he dashed and prepared to swing his sword towards Hanabi, but someone threw an umbrella and blocked Hanabi from the attack. The girl felt herself get carried in a moment and she saw a scarf of red.

A red scarf, she thought and widened her eyes. Hayabusa carried her away from the scene and placed her on top of a rock and left these words, "Let Kagura help you heal, I'll settle this."

Before Hanabi could reply, Hayabusa already disappeared to the shadows and Kagura ran towards her with a potion of green. "Here drink this," she handed her the container.

Hanabi didn't have time to protest as she gulped the green liquid and her wounds started to stop hurting and slowly recovers. She wiped her mouth with the back of her mouth and breathed. "W-Why... I thought he was coming tomorrow—"

"Plan's changed, he couldn't wait after all," Kagura replied.

Hanabi turned to the two as the battle got more intense. Both had wounds covering their body and Hands seemed to have unleashed his full power.

At this rate, both of them are gonna die, she thought.

Hanabi tried to stand up and untie her ponytail, handing Kagura the ribbon. "Even thought I don't like you, I can't really say I hate you either," she smiled a bittersweet one. "Tell Haya he's a jerk for never letting me win."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Kagura furrowed her brows. "Don't tell me—" her eyes widened.

Kagura trembled and tried to reach out to her and grab her hand. "N-No, don't!" Hanabi snorted and took one last glance at her before flickering into thin air.

"Hana-chan!!" Kagura yelled as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Hayabusa felt his veins pumping as he gripped his katana tight. Hanzo's blood boiled as he prepared his sword for a slice. Both dashed forward, ready to slice each other's throats and within a blink of an eye, they sliced at each other... Or that's what they thought they did.

Hanzo was the first to open his eyes. Red, was what he saw, coming from the back of Hanabi. Wait, what? A faint sobbing was heard from the background. Hayabusa slowly opened his eyelids and as he did, his eyes clouded with tears.

"N-No, Hanabi, why?" he muttered under his breath.

"Hana... Hana-chan wanted for everyone to get along..." Kagura emerged from behind them. Her face was a mess of tears.

Hanzo and Hayabusa let go of their weapons as Hanabi dropped dead on the grass. Everyone was speechless.

"She... She really likes jumping in between stuff, huh?" Kagura chuckled dryly.

Ever since then, that night had been a distant memory. A fragment of the painful past, never to be forgotten.

"Kagura-sama, Haya-san has arrived," A servant stated. Kagura put on her white socks and slippers, grabbing the red ribbon and tying her silver hair up with it. She picked up her red umbrella designed with cherry blossoms resembling the start of spring and opened the door, revealing Hayabusa.

They greeted each other and proceeded to their destination, a hill by the woods which contained a single cherry tree on top. By the time they finally went up to the top, they helped themselves and sat on the usual rocks and gazed on the skies.

"It's been five years, huh," Kagura started.

"Yeah," Hayabusa contemplated on the view.

"It surely brings nostalgia," The onmyouji master took something from her pocket. She revealed to Hayabusa a red flower, and his eyes widened at the sight.

"This..."

"Yeah, she wanted some of these. Good thing I found one along the trip," They stood up and went on the tombstone behind the cherry tree as Kagura placed the spider lily atop the cement.