Chapter 21 – Festival of the Five Peaks (Part 1: The Invitation & Nightfall)
(The training grounds still carried the scars of battle. Shattered stone, split trees, and deep craters were the reminder of Ashura's final spar with Master Iroh. Ashura sat cross-legged on a rock, rewrapping his bandages. His body screamed with pain, but the smirk on his face told another story. Shoto leaned against him, dozing, while Temari stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching him with that mix of judgment and faint admiration.)
Temari: (raising an eyebrow) "You look way too proud for someone who nearly got smashed into the ground."
Ashura: (grinning, tugging at the bandage tight) "Flattened? Please. I pushed the old man back. That's enough of a win for me."
(Temari chuckled, shaking her head. But her smirk betrayed her amusement.)
Temari: "Barely. Still… you surprised him."
Ashura: (grins wider) "Exactly."
(The quiet moment was broken when Temari tilted her head casually, her tone softer.)
Temari: "Anyway… tomorrow night's the Festival of the Five Peaks. We should go."
Ashura blinked at her, confused.
Ashura: "Festival? What, fireworks and candy apples? Sounds like a waste of time."
Shoto: (suddenly snapping awake, eyes sparkling) "FESTIVAL?! FOOD! GAMES! FIREWORKS!! Bro, we HAVE to go!"
(Ashura groaned. Temari smirked. Then footsteps approached — Master Iroh and Fuyuko, who had been watching from a distance, joined the group. Iroh stroked his beard, eyes soft for once.)
Iroh: "Fun, huh? Hm. Strength is forged in hardship… but spirit thrives in joy. Fun would be perfect after such a long week of training."
(Ashura's jaw nearly dropped.)
Ashura: "Did… the old man just agree?!"
(Fuyuko lit her cigar, exhaling smoke with a wicked grin.)
Fuyuko: "He's soft now. Back in the day, you couldn't drag him to a festival unless you tied him to a horse."
(Iroh coughed loudly, glaring. Fuyuko only smirked harder.)
Shoto: (bouncing around) "YES!! I'm gonna eat EVERYTHING!!"
(Ashura sighed, rubbing the back of his head.)
Ashura: "Tch… guess I don't have a choice."
Temari: (arms folded, satisfied) "Good. It's settled."
---
Later that night…
(The group sat around a low wooden table in the small mountain lodge. The smell of miso soup and grilled fish filled the air. Temari set down bowls with a quiet pride, wiping her hands on her apron.)
Temari: "Eat up. Don't complain, or I'll feed you through a straw."
(Shoto didn't wait. He devoured his portion like a starving wolf, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. Fuyuko laughed so hard she nearly choked on her cigar smoke.)
Fuyuko: "Hah! Look at that kid go. Haven't seen an appetite like that since Iroh back in the war days."
Iroh: (clears throat, glaring sideways) "…I was young."
(Fuyuko leaned in with a grin.)
Fuyuko: "You're still fat on the inside."
(Ashura snorted, almost choking on his soup. Iroh shot him a deadly glare. Temari tried to hide her laugh behind her bowl.)
Ashura: (grinning) "Not bad, Temari. This actually tastes good."
Temari: (narrowing eyes) "Actually?"
(Ashura froze. Shoto laughed mid-bite, food falling out of his mouth. Ashura quickly shoved more rice in his mouth to shut up.)
---
Night outside the lodge…
(The stars burned bright above the mountain. Lanterns swayed softly in the evening wind. Fuyuko sat on the steps, puffing her cigar, while Iroh stood nearby, hands clasped behind his back. The quiet between them was heavy, but not uncomfortable.)
Fuyuko: (smirking) "Never thought I'd see the day you'd let a brat push you back in a fight."
Iroh: (calmly) "The boy carries more than just strength. He carries fate. That alone makes him dangerous."
(Fuyuko's smile faded, replaced with something thoughtful. She exhaled smoke slowly.)
Fuyuko: "…Then we make sure he survives it."
(Meanwhile, Ashura stepped out into the night, stretching his sore arms. He froze when he saw Temari already sitting under a tree, looking up at the stars. She glanced at him, unimpressed.)
Temari: "You're limping."
Ashura: (clicks tongue, sitting down beside her) "No I'm not."
(They sat in silence for a moment, watching the night sky. Fireflies blinked faintly in the grass.)
Temari: "Tomorrow's the festival. It'll be… nice. A change."
Ashura: (quietly) "…Yeah. Maybe."
Temari: "You don't want to go tomorrow."
Ashura: (shrugs, forcing nonchalance) "Didn't say that. Just think festivals are… pointless."
(Temari turned her head slightly, studying him. His eyes were on the stars, but his jaw was tight. His voice carried something unspoken — not disinterest, but weight. She didn't press. Instead, she leaned back against the tree with a small sigh.)
Temari: "Maybe. But sometimes, a little pointless is what people need."
(Ashura smirked faintly, but didn't answer. The two sat in silence, fireflies dancing in the grass. His smirk was there — but his hand unconsciously tightened
into a fist, and his gaze stayed on the stars as if they held a memory he didn't want to face.)
To be continued…