Overflowing Haul

Sumire's body rattled and swayed like the ocean.
It reminded her of resting aboard a ship, the way nature rocked her along in a pattern only known to itself. Yet, as her eyes began to flutter open and her thoughts became clearer, it was apparent that the taste of salt was distinctly absent from her lips. As was the sound of crashing waves from her ears.

How disappointing.

As her sight became clearer, Sumire found she was staring up at the roof of a caravan. The clatter of hooves and jangling of trinkets filled the air, but all of it refused to divulge the memory of how exactly she'd ended up here. What she did know well was the presence of a dull ache in her head.

“You're awake,” a familiar voice caught Sumire's attention. She turned her head to see Senren sitting beside her, calmly driving the horses. “I was starting to worry you'd given yourself a coma.”

“Senren…” Sumire struggled to try and sit up. Unfortunately, the shift in pressure felt like a knife through her brain, nearly sending her back to the floor. “Ugh, what God did I piss off…?”

“I've asked myself similar questions,” Despite the soft chuckle, there was something a little off about Senren’s voice. Almost…distant. “Though, I'd say you only have your own actions to blame. After watching you challenge that giant like you had a death wish, I was a bit surprised to see you done-in by a tumble to the grass.”

Hearing that, it all resurfaced in Sumire's mind. She'd remembered her lightning overloading, and the resulting paralysis rendering her completely incapable of catching herself before her head was knocked against the ground. It all felt a bit embarrassing now… But, more importantly, the fact that Sumire had woken up in the caravan with Senren could only mean one thing.

“Wait, so you took on the rest of ‘em by yourself? I'm so sorry you had to do all this alone…” Sumire’s apology was stained with a genuine guilt. As she gently touched her freckled face, her fingertips brushed against her satin eyepatch and reminded her of a more crucial detail. Sumire had overloaded when the sunlight touched her crystalline eye, which would explain the strange apprehension in Senren’s voice. She frowned.

“Ah… I guess you saw it, then, huh? My eye…”

Sumire had intended to say more than that, but the words evaporated into the air before she could verbalize them. Before she could even properly conceive them. Senren didn't pressure her, instead staring ahead in silence for a few moments. It was reminiscent of a shark in calm waters.

“How long have you had it for?” The ronin finally spoke up, his voice surprisingly more tender than before. Enough that it caught Sumire off guard.

“Since I was a kid,” she answered. “Came outta nowhere and left me bedridden for a while before I got used to it. A healer from the Tsubame Clan called it Prismachromia… Ever since then I've had this purple lightning in my body. Actually, I'm pretty lucky it didn't kill me.”

Sumire chuckled a bit awkwardly, but Senren remained silent once more. She studied him for a few moments, searching his body language for any hints of intent or opinion, but none were revealed. Senren's stoic demeanor forced the pirate's hand at a different approach.

“You've got it too, don't you?” Sumire pressed. “Except yours has water energy.”

Senren sighed. “What I have is a curse,” he replied. “Whatever you or anyone else wishes to name it. It is a curse which has plagued me for over a year, and in that short amount of time it's managed to steal everything but my life itself.”

“Heheh… Yeah, it tried doing that to me, too,” Sumire seemed unperturbed by the thought, much the opposite of Senren's obvious distaste. She slid into the seat beside Senren, continuing as they watched the road before them unfold.

“I always dreamt of sailing the seas, but no one wanted to let me anywhere near a boat once I started shooting sparks outta my body. It felt terrible, like I was a burden to everyone… Living’ like that just ain't my style. That's why I'm going to be a pirate! Once I have my ship, no one can tell me how to live my life. No matter what the world says, I… We can be truly free…”

Senren’s walls seemed to falter a little, giving way to intrigue as Sumire's words sunk into his heart. It was a curious, almost fantastical idea, one which he couldn't really challenge. Yet, something did stick out to him.

“We? Who exactly are you including in that?”

Sumire beamed at him.

“Me and my crew, of course! Once I get some trusty friend to join me, I'll make all of our dreams come true~”

Senren never felt such an overwhelming urge to return a smile, however gentle his own was in comparison.

By the time their caravan reached Kojin City the sun was just beginning to set, bathing the entire marketplace in a warm, orange glow. It was the time when most shops were packing it in and closing up for the day, and workers were heading home to their families for dinner. Sumire provided Senren with directions to Amatsumara Trading, but she was too excited to stay put for the whole ride, instead leaping off of the caravan when they were a few feet away and bolting to the door.

Sumire was already banging on the door to the shop before Senren had the chance to halt the horses. It took the shopkeeper a few moments before answering the door — but, in all fairness, if someone was banging on your door shouting “Hey! Open up! Surprise delivery!” you'd probably hesitate to answer too.

“Please, we're clo— huh?” The shopkeeper's face turned curious once he opened the door and beheld Sumire. “You're that crazy woman from this morning.”

“I'm not crazy,” Sumire corrected him, placing her hands on her hips smugly. “I told you, I'm a pirate! Since you seem to have a hard time remembering that, I'll show you some proof~”

She stepped aside, revealing Senren diligently unloading the caravan. One by one he set crate after crate down in front of the shop, each filled with a myriad of merchandise. Completely awestruck, the shopkeeper rushed out to inspect the goods.

“No way… It's our shipment!” he exclaimed with glee, only making Sumire all the smugger. “You really found it!”

“Well, I am a woman of my word,” the pirate sauntered over behind the shopkeeper. “This is everything those bandits had. I trust it's what you were missing?”

“Are you kidding?! It's more!” The shopkeeper sounded beyond ecstatic. It was as if he'd come to life with renewed vigor after what was surely a dreary day of turning away disappointed customers. “Some of it's a bit banged up, but even with a discount we should be able to make back today's losses and then some! I really can't thank you enough, Miss Pirate Lady.”

“Heheh, nothing my mate here and I couldn't handle. But since you're in the thankin’ mood…” Sumire's gaze darted to a large sword among the retrieved goods — specifically, the giant conductor sword which had nearly claimed her life only a couple hours earlier.

The shopkeeper seemed to pick up on her unspoken desires. Coyly, he stepped aside and motioned to the various crates.

“Since you've brought back even more than what I lost, how ‘bout you each take whatever you like from these items as payment? It's the least I can offer for your hard work.”

“Now you're speakin’ my language, Shopkeep!” Without hesitation, Sumire snatched her prize and admired it eagerly. The sword was even more of a work of art up close, possessing a delicate copper inlaid along its edges and the crest of each Damascus wave. It felt practically made for her.

Senren, on the other hand, took more consideration into his choice. He scanned the various items, taking a little solace in knowing that most of them were housewares and commodities. At least their efforts went towards providing the civilians with basic necessities for living, perhaps he'd even deny payment so that he didn't have to take anything more from them…

Then something caught his eye. It was small, bronze, insignificant. Nothing more than a blank key, not even cut to open any locks, yet Senren caressed it like it had touched his heart.

“This. I'll take this, if that's alright.”

“Eh… But that's just a blank key. Are you sure you don't want anything else?” The shopkeeper asked with bemuse.

“Yeah, Yankee, it doesn't even open anything cool,” Sumire chided.

“Hm. Well, do you have any cord?”

Senren remained unperturbed by their confusion, responding to the shopkeeper's request. While he still had many questions, the young man raised no objections to the request, and Senren was soon fitted with the key hanging around his neck by some sturdy, braided cord.

It was already dusk by the time Sumire and Senren departed Amatsumara Trading, leaving the shopkeeper and his relatives to secure their wares for the next day. As they walked away (even leaving the caravan and horses to the shop), Sumire felt a stone start to sink into her stomach. It was heavy with the anticipation of an ending she never wished to come.

“So… I guess this is where we, uh… part ways, like you mentioned, huh?” Sumire asked hesitantly, fiddling with the sword propped on her shoulder.

Senren paused in the contemplative way he always did. Then he said something far less predictable.

“Actually, I think I'll join you, Sumire.”

The pirate blinked. She was so taken aback that it took a moment for Senren's words to process.

“Wait… Wait, seriously?! You'll be my quartermaster?!”

Senren chuckled.

“Yes, if that's still being offered. You and I seem to make a pretty good team. And if I'm being completely honest, I'd like to see more of your journey.”

Sumire was so excited that she hollered into the night sky, kicking a few stones on their path to the inn. It made Senren laugh, seeing her so unapologetically bold and energetic. It was a very admirable quality.

“Alright, then, Captain,” he figured the title would get Sumire's attention. He was right. “What’s our first adventure?”

“Ha ha!” Sumire flashed her beaming smile at the ronin, her new quartermaster, which rivaled the moon in beauty. “Tomorrow, we find some more crew mates. But tonight — we celebrate and conquer our dreams!”

It was a remarkably spirited declaration, but one with infectious optimism which even the stoic ronin was not immune to. Together, the two drank sake and shared stories, laughing and merrymaking until fatigue knocked them out cold.

It was the best Sumire had felt in years.