It is finally here. That one special event of the year. The Rebirth Festival.

(Okay. I've got my harp. I've got my guitar. All that's left is...)

"Hey, Sueka!" I yell. "You ready?"

"One moment, brother! Just give me a min..AA!!!"

BATAN!!

(Oh crap! Not again!)

I rush into the dressing room and find Sueka on the floor with her eyes spinning and her face white with too much face powder. Seems she tripped on her haori...again. I slowly help her to her feet.

"You okay?"

"Yes, Oren. I am. Now could you please leave the dressing room?"

"You look ready to me. Just let me help with the makeup remover, okay?"

She puffs out her cheeks with embarrassment. Unlike Mydrea-sama's expression, I find this one to be rather adorable. "You don't need to treat me like a child, you know."

"Hahaha. I'm sorry." I say as I head out. "I guess not. Still, if you need anything, just let me..."

Before I get out the door, Sueka tugs my right arm gently. I turn around and see she is blushing, even through her makeup.

"So...um...how do I look?"

I begin to get flustered myself. I look her in the eye and say with all honesty, "I think, once you take care of that makeup, you'll look absolutely beautiful."

She smiles and lets me take my leave. As I step out of the room, I lean against the wall to the right of the door and press my hand against my heart. To say I am absolutely nervous right now would be an understatement. I quickly remove the necklace from my cloak's side pocket with my other hand and hold it up to my face. Looking at my reflection in the pearls, I continue to think about what happened between Doryoko and me...

(Is he really sure about this?...) I wonder to myself. (One thing is certain, I will do everything in my power to meet his expectations!)

"Hey, Oren!"

At the sound of Sueka's voice, I quickly stuff the necklace back into my pocket. She slams the door open and walks out cheerfully. Guess she really must be in a good mood if she cannot show self-restraint. She stands a few centimeters from the door, then spins around in her finished miko attire and smiles at me when she finishes spinning.

"Now how do I look?"

"Beautiful... Absolutely beautiful."

At these words, she jumps at me and holds me... AAAA!! TOO TIGHT!! TOO TIGHT!!

"Thank you so much, Oren! I'll make you proud, I promise!"

"Um...Sue...ka?" I weakly say as I point towards her arms.

"Huh? Oh, sorry! My bad!" she says, giggling in embarrassment as she releases me.

We finally get onto the main stage in Terraz's celebratory temple; half of Terraz, all locals, are already standing, waiting for the upcoming performance. Sakura and Ume are already onstage, preparing their instruments. Specifically, Sakura is putting the final touches on the string tuning for her sangen, while Ume is finishing up her preparation for the shakuhachi.

"You ready?" I ask the two of them.

"Yes," Sakura replies. I look to Ume and she sheepishly nods.

"Very well then. Get ready for your part, Sueka."

"You got it!"

She goes into her seiza position adjacent to Ume. I walk up towards the microphone.

(Alright then. Let's make this good.)

Pppppplllllliiiinnnnggggggggggg.... Pplliinnggg. Pling. Pling. Pling. Pplliinnggg...

I continue to pluck the strings of my harp after tuning my guitar, and I close my eyes, listen only to the sound of my instrument. As I finish the first eight measures, I begin to hum while playing the accompaniment on my harp.

"HmHmHmmmmmHmmmHmmmHmmmmmmmmmmmHmHmHmHmHmHmmmmm."

When people outside hear my song, locals start to arrive one by one. This will be the third year I perform this song. A song that I only remember bits and pieces of. A song that, whenever I am troubled, puts me at ease. A song...connected to my past.

"HmHmHmHmHmmHHmHmHmmmmHmmmmmmmmmHmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."

By the time I open my eyes, the audience if filled with everyone from the village as well as a few of the foreigners. I look out into the audience, but, at least from where I stand, I cannot see Mydrea-sama. I look up towards the ceiling of the temple and see the giant crystal above us, ready to be replenished. It is time. I turn around towards the girls and take my seat next to Sueka.

Under her breath, to Ume and Sueka, Sakura counts, "One...Two...One...Two...Three!"

On the fourth beat, Sakura commences their song with her sangen solo.

ThibThibiTihbiThibiiiiThibiThibiiBiBiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiThiiiibiiii...

After eight measures, she finally starts to slowly sing in the traditional Japanese style.

In the heat of the sun, pouring of the rain,

In the sky the endless dance of the stars and the Moon.

Blessed are those whose hands reach out to nature

And blessed is she who returns our bounty unto us.

With these words, the plant rhime of the people in the audience slowly begins to radiate from their bodies and rise up towards the great seed-shaped crystal.

Now to rest for once a lifetime, gain your strength from us,

Be reborn from the strength that you gave to all.

You blessed us, now receive our blessing.

Accept our feelings unto you.

Oh Mother! Loving Mother.

Please guide your precious children.

Aid us as we walk towards a better future.

You know that even when we part,

We will always be in your heart,

And family will be together once more.

After this refrain, Ume starts her shakuhachi solo.

Tootletootootletotototototootletototooooototootooototoootletototototototooootoootletoo...

The song continues for about two more minutes, the plant rhime keeps rising into the crystal and, by the time it finishes, the crystal is pure green. As the sisters finish their song, the two politely, slowly bow and sit adjacent to Sueka. Finally bracing herself, Sueka gets up and takes a deep breath. She looks to me, and I, with my guitar in my hand, nod back at her. She smiles and turns her head towards the audience.

(One...Two...One...Two...Three...Go!)

ThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiiThibiiiiThibiiiiThibiThibiiiiThibiiiiThibiiiiiThibiThibiThibiThibiThibiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

I finish my four measure solo, then look to Sueka as she begins to sing, while I keep the melody.

Que sera sera, how many times I've heard those words!

Ideals and reality, the differences are becoming blurred.

It's so ironic that our struggles nobody understands.

And here we are, and we've survived the labors of the lands.

Just like the plant rhime before, the rhime from the animal tones begins to rise up towards the now green crystal. The absorption of another type of rhime is starting to cause a reaction. It's almost time.

Reach our hands, embrace what man is supposed to be.

We are the martyrs who provide to all of the free.

Now we have passed, and are ready to be relieved of pain.

Celebrate once more, and we'll be reborn again! Go!

Sueka's starts to sing her refrain, the increased speed of her singing causes the speed of animal rhime dispersion and absorption to increase, the reaction becoming more erratic. To add to Sueka's solo, Sakura and Ume begin to clap at the beginning of each measure and sing a few lines of their own in the background.

Now embrace, the time is come, reach out to me,

Lift us up, work together, and set us free (yeah)

As one, we will combat what the world has in store

We will live our lives once mooooorrrreeeeee (no nooooo)

Come together, become one, don't lose to fear

Work with me and next year we'll both be here (Mmmmm)

Stand up, come and show the world your worth

And embrace your own rebiiirrtttthhhh! (OOohhhh)

With the final refrain, as Sueka's singing comes to an end, the last of the animal tone rhime gets absorbed into the crystal. At this very moment, the crystal starts to crack, and the rhime it has absorbed begins to radiate out. PACHI! The crack continues to get bigger. PACHI! Almost there.... PACHI!!! PACHI!!! PACHIPACHIPACHIPACH.......

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With the final crack, the rhime absorbed into the crystal breaks free and rises upwards, breaking through the roof. The green and brown rhime circle around one another as if alive and performing a dance of their own. The two types of rhime reach their highest peak in the sky, then collide, causing the explosion to give off a shape of a giant tree, with the plant rhime being the leaves and the brown rhime being the bark. As the illusion disappears, both bits of rhime rain down towards the earth and are absorbed into it. Although we cannot see it from inside the temple, if one is to be outside in the fields, we could see all the seeds planted in the ground sprout up and change into perfectly ripe, mature produce. At that moment, one would also be able to see the ground has the two respective colors dance across the earth like ripples on water. With this...the fertility of the land is restored.

And now...our day of rest.

"TO THE REBIRTH FESTIVAL!!!!" I yell.

"YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"