It's official. Sakura was right. Her sensei would be awake by dinner. Good thing too, since chakra-exhaustion usually makes the sufferer ravenous when they finally wake up. She arrives at the burial grounds an hour later than usual, but Ahmya and the ashioto have not faltered in her absence. It had taken the girl a bit to extract herself from her sensei's arms, as sometime during the night he had curled around her protectively. Furthermore, she hadn't actually wanted to leave the warmth of his arms. She hadn't felt as safe as she had then since... since she can't remember. Sakura gifts Ahmya a small smile as they pass each other, Sakura heading to the piles and Ahmya to town. Sakura notes with dismay that another row has started, extending the burial grounds closer to the sea.
Even so. With her sensei so close to waking, Sakura might have to initiate two burning days. That is, if more bodies are found after the first. Luckily the new row only has five more bodies, so it is a simple task to retrieve five of the extra circlet's from yesterday. Sakura takes the circlet along with the bucket of shells to the new row, placing them down with her head bowed in respect. When she has finished, Sakura finally begins one of the last processes; the burial stones. For islanders, the sea both takes and gives. It is through the fortune of the waves that trading ships and potential mates travel, and each child is a blessing of the waters. What the ocean gives, it shall also bring back to its bosom. Though Sakura is not a blossom of the islands she still knows the truths. She is a Haruno, and spring always graces the islands first.
She collects small stones for each of the dead. They are only wide enough for the kanji of a first name, but the ocean does not care for lineage. And that is where the stones will go. Swallowed by cliffs of water, to be carried into the deepest parts of the ocean and back again. Once all the stones are gathered, Sakura leaves the outskirts with the final batch of stones and returns to the burial grounds. Tazuna is there once she arrives, sitting down and weaving circlets. The ashioto continue to bring in the dead and prepare them the way they watched Sakura do. She heads over to the old builder, setting the bucket down and then following suit. Tazua watches as she picks up the first stone. Sakura concentrates so that just enough chakra is running through her left hand. With her right she holds in the position of a half tora*.
"Doton: Precision Cut," Sakura whispers, focusing on one name in her mind. It is wobbly and a touch uncertain, but a few seconds later the kanji for Kiko, meaning hope, is carved into the stone and ready to be placed at the center of the first tora's chest. Sakura has never been particularly good at this jutsu, but it is the first one she ever crafted, and it will be good enough for the burials. What Sakura does not expect is for Ahmya to tap her shoulder ten minutes later, and then crouch next to her. Sakura turns to the girl, spotting a stone in her hand.
"Teach me. I know many of their names." Ahmya requests, a little too nervous to demand anything of Sakura. Sakura does not think of rules or regulation or the fact that Ahmya is not a shinobi, but a civilian. There are no skilled stone masons in Wave and Sakura created this jutsu. She can decide who she will teach it to. And an ashioto girl who just wants to properly bury her dead? Sakura decides that she is the perfect first candidate. Sakura nods to Ahmya, grabbing another stone and moving her hand into a half tora. Ahmya mimics her, just as Sakura expected.
"Draw a wisp of your whirlpool into your hand and cycle it. Focus on the name you want carved and then imagine it as you say, 'Doton: Precision Cut'." Sakura gives the girl clear and concise instructions. Ahmya turns her gaze to the stone in her hand and a seconds later, just as with Sakura herself, the kanji for a name is engraved into the stone's surface. Hideaki, splendid brightness. Sakura does not even have to ask if the name is from someone important to her. The tear that drips from Ahmya's eye is answer enough. It splashes onto the stone, filling Hideaki's name.
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Fanfiction"A hundred stones sink beneath the waves, imperfect and uneven kanji chipped into them by an unpracticed hand. The owners only recently buried as ash and dust beneath coarse dirt and sand. And Sakura, the one behind it all." A Different Wave: Book O...
