The Lavender Song

  Hana's eyes opened up with a snap as a ray of sunlight hit her eyelid from her open window. She yawned quietly and snuggled herself for a moment, slowly rubbing her eyes. The sheets slid off the bed as Hana sat up and turned to the right. Placing her feet on the firm wooden floor, she stood up quickly, and wobbled a little.

"Of course. I stood up too fast. But I need to get better." she remarked aloud. She shuffled over to the her window and poked her head out it. The sun was hugging the village, and a slow buzz hung over the town as civillians began their trip to work,
or early morning shopping. Hana looked down the Hibiki Distict, which looked like the Rich District, big, tall, but with LOTS of decorations. Dawn was a beautiful time of day, and a great time to start picking flowers.

Hana left the window and hurried to her closet, where she grabbed a bag she had made out of mint green fabric, but in a fashion similar to Onomi Mansei's. She recalled their conversation needing a flower tool pouch, and made a bag instead. Hana smiled as she thought of the Mansei. All those flowing vines and blooming flowers on the walls of that compound, and their little seed bags that housed their affinity.

Affinity. Hana's eyes dropped onto something else in her closet. The sun had poked through some more and lit it up in a soft golden beam. She grabbed it and carefully stowed it in her bag. She ran to the other side of her room where she had an ornate piece of shiny metal. It reflected her image and she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, braiding back ger left band into it, and lined her golden eyes with her mint eye makeup. She had changed it so that it'd have a more floral feeling, than when she just had it frame her eyes.

Hana smiled widely and hurried down the stairs, but quietly so her mother could sleep. She scratched a note quickly and left it on the table before stepping out into the world.

She stepped outside and turned to the left to leave the compound, but instead went right. She'd vist the orchards today. The trees were blooming with fruits and blossoms, a beautiful and fantastic sight to see.

Skipping along down the dirt road, Hana gleamed at the Hibiki's tasteful style of decorations, and wondered how anyone else could have such drab housing.

Passing a vender on his way to work, Hana doubled back to the vendor, wanting to buy this beautifully sparkly scarf. It looked foreign, and Hana just had to have it. She checked the price, and deeming it reasonable, paid the vendor. She could have stolen it, but an exquiste fabric like this was worthy of purchase. It's green sheen was speckled with golden sparkles that shimmered whenever it caught the light. She quickly trailed it over her head as she ran towards the orchard.

Upon arriving at the orchard, Hana was taken aback by the natural energy she felt. The trees bore fruits, ripe and ready to eat, and blossoms danced in the tree tops, waiting to become fruity goodness. The trees stretched themselves towards the clear blue sky, and a gentle breeze kissed the village. Hana stood in awe, observing the orchard till she saw a small patch of a particular flower nearby.

"Well hello there." Hana said as she bent down to the lavender clump growing freely. She smiled, sniffing her favorite flower. Bringing out the remains of her old lavender crown from the bag, Hana started working on a new lavender flower crown to wear. Weaving the stems and petals back and forth, she enjoyed the time away from her busy life. A bunny came by and sat near Hana, intrigued as to what she was accomplishing.

                  ~O.O~

"All done!" Hana said to the bunny. She placed the flower crown on her head and reached into her bag. She grabbed the sash she bought and draped it over her shoulders. Her eyes lingered on the bag. Slowly, Hana slid her hand into the bag until she grabbed the smooth, ornate piece of wood from the depths of it. She stared at the cherry wood, clean, and still intact.

It was her father's. Her mother gave it to her when she was a little girl, and Hana loved to play with it. However, she stored it away when she became a ninja, wanting to devote herself to the area of medical ninjutsu. Hana clutched the relic to her heart as she thought about how calmness was needed in the medical field. Maybe patients would enjoy this? But she'd have to practice.

Hana stood up in the orchard, letting down her hair, and the bunny perked its ears up, curious as to Hana's motivation. Birds chirped a song, butterflies danced. The emerald grass swayed and the tree leaves chattered. Hana smiled as she placed the komabue to her mouth and started playing a song. She danced around the orchard, lavender crown bouncing around a little, and her new scarf shimmering, filling the air with her fue's melody.

'Do you hear father?' Hana thought. 'Can you hear me playing the melody you taught me as a little girl?'

~~~~

"That's one of the few fues played transversely Hana." Miyako said after wishing her daughter a good night.

"Daddy knew how to pick exotic items."
Hana sat on her windowsill, and yet again played her fue. She had spent the evening coming up with a new song. She named it "Lavender Dance" and with every note, she felt her emotion meld with the music, and the natural world seemed intent on carrying her, what she considered, beautiful tune throughout the village. The small breeze danced with her notes, soaring through the nearby area, filling it with the sweet music.

'This is the best gift I've ever recieved! I'll never stop practicing. Maybe one day, I'll be able to put on a performance.'

Hana's eyes fell on the lavender flowers in her garden and she swore, those flowers danced the most in the breeze.