The Asters of Ogaza

Fire and Water Clash

          The missing sketch pad had created an unspoken rift between Zina and Amare. Literally. Because they weren’t speaking to each other as they walked from Point 1, through 2 and then to 3, with Zina’s eyes to the ground, rummaging through leaves and fallen branches as they walked. Even turning rocks over. Amare had to stop and wait for her to be done, frantically looking for something she knew wasn’t there, before they’d forge ahead again.

          “It’s not here,” he said, hands in his pocket looking all cool and composed, but was the opposite inside. It was ridiculous to think that an entire book would fall out of a knapsack unnoticed. Zina didn’t respond.

          “Could . . . Marjani have taken it?”

          “We don’t go to each other’s side of the room. Today was my first time being in her corner,” Zina grunted.

          “Well what if she took it to . . .I don’t know, look at your drawings, seeing how spectacular they are?” The way he said spectacular seemed like he was mocking her even though he wasn’t, and she rose from where she was crouched, getting her hands dirty with soil.

          “Since when are Marjani and I cordial enough for her to touch my stuff without permission?”

          “Well I don’t know, vulture. Do you have any other options? Did Angel take it? Cause if you said it was on your table this morning, and all of a sudden it isn’t there anymore, what exactly am I supposed to say?”

          Zina glared at him, but he was right. How did the book get missing all of a sudden? No Aster has ever looked through it, except Amare. Could Marjani really have taken it?

          “Jael. That crazy girl—”

          “I stopped her from coming. Told them I’d report to the Princess if she ever stepped foot in my room again.”

          Amare heaved and ran his hands through his hair. It was just . . .unbelievable. “Let’s just go. We have this map, so we should be fine. We’d figure the rest out later.”

          “That book. Is my life. I can’t lose it. My every thought is documented there through drawings. My imaginations. How am I going to survive without it?”

          “I don’t know, vulture. I don’t have any idea. Look, let’s just go.” He started moving, but Zina didn’t. “Vulture?”

           She crouched back down, and started with the whole lift a rock, shake some leaves process. She wouldn’t survive. That sketch book meant so much to her. Sketches of dresses and clothes she created for Pa, side profiles, front profiles of Zo that she had preserved to show her when she was older, the arrangement of stars that she had never seen before. There were too many personal things in that book she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to. Not now, not ever.

          “Zina,”

          “I’m not going! I’d meet up with you.”

          Amare scoffed. “Get up. This is ridiculous, so just . . .get up. Now, please.” Zina didn’t even turn back to acknowledge him. “Zina!”

          “I said I’m not going until I find it!”

          “Holy mountains, Zina! You think you’d find it scavenging through dirt like a mole rat? You should have been more careful. Do you have any idea how messed up things would get if anyone looks through that book and sees your very accurate replication of the roads that lead to the Obsidian? The points you’ve checked off? For all we know, the Royal guards could already be on their way and ready to lock us up in Viper Dens for the rest of our lives or have us executed. So please, stop being so stubborn and let us just keep moving.”

          Zina stood slowly to face him. “I should have been more careful?”

          “Forget it. Let’s just leave.”

          “You’re right. Let’s leave.” She said, and when Amare kept going, he didn’t see Zina turn in the opposite direction and towards the Palace.

          “Vulture, what do you think you’re doing?!” He yelled after her when he didn’t hear the rustling of leaves or the sound of footsteps behind him.

          “Being more careful so I don’t put you at risk. Go on your own. I’m not coming back here till I find my sketch pad,” she said with the highest level of pettiness and kept going. Amare didn’t call her back, or follow after her. He just cussed under his breath, and went on his way.

                                                                            **** 

          Angel, the greatest Zina and Amare shipper, noticed the tension between the two of them. He tried to ask Zina, she brushed it off. Amare mumbled something about being tired and not wanting to think about anything that would stress him. And of course, Angel was worried.

          While they waited to start the games on the second day, the two of them kept a reasonable distance between themselves. Zina was still very much disoriented. And Amare was somewhere between upset and worried about not having a mission/adventure partner anymore, and how his partner was very attached to her book that the loss was telling on her.

          “Okay, what is going on? One of you is going to have to talk to me at some point,” Angel said, glancing from Zina to Amare and vice versa.

          “Nothing,” Amare slipped his hands into his pockets.

          “I’d be right back,” Zina said and rushed off.

          “Warrior Z!” Angel called after her and made an attempt to follow her, but Angel grabbed his arm and shook his head, a sign that he should leave her be.

          “Where’s my sketch pad?” Zina asked Marjani. She was standing around with Jael.

          “What?” Marjani kept her face as straight and oblivious as possible.

          “My sketch book. The one I always have my nose in. There’s no way you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about. It was on my table yesterday morning, and all of a sudden, it’s not there anymore.”

          “How is she supposed to know what that is, or where it is?” Jael drawled, as though Zina was boring them.

          “I’m not talking to you, Jael,” Zina said firmly.

          “Why should I care about that? I don’t exist to you, remember? I don’t know what you’re talking about.,” she turned back to Jael.

          “We’re the only ones in that room, Marjani. You definitely know something about my sketch pad.”

          “Are you calling her a thief?” Jael challenged.

          “I said I wasn’t talking to you, Jael!” Zina’s voice caused the few heads around them to turn in their direction, Angel and Amare’s included. Jael flashed her sly grin and Zina grew hotter with anger.

          “Don’t cause a scene, Zina. Go away,” Marjani said like she was shooing a fly off.

          Amare gripped Zina’s hands tightly in his. “Let’s go. No need to interact with these troublemakers.” He eyed them with a clenched jaw and they looked away.

          Zina shook herself free of his hold. “Amare, go. I don’t need any help.”

          “Forget about them and let’s go.” He held out his hands.

          “I said I don’t need your help.” She left his hands hanging and looked back to the two mischievous friends.

          “Wow, what is this I see? There’s trouble in lovers land?” Jael taunted and laughed in the same mocking manner.

          “Watch your mouth, you little rat. Or I’d tear it apart for you,” Amare threatened.

          “You know something about my book. This suspicious behavior you two have is conformation enough. When I get it back, you’d be in so much trouble.”

          “What? You’d tell the Princess I stole your book only to find that you were careless and dropped it somewhere that had nothing to do with me? Nice, I want to see what kind of person the Princess would see you as after that,” Marjani said with that feigned cute smile and Zina wanted to reach out and wipe it right down her throat. She took the higher road and walked away from them. Amare followed closely behind her.

          “Warrior Z,” Angel said as she got back.

          “I’m fine, Angel. There’s no problem.”

          “You should have confronted her in your room.  You know those girls are manipulative and could get you in trouble,” Amare said.

          “Maybe you should mind your business a little more, Amare. I didn’t ask for your help so you should have kept it that way. You’re not my savior.”

          Angel looked back and forth between them, and he felt caught in the middle of something he didn’t even understand.

          “Clan leaders, come forward please!” Master Poja announced, and Angel glanced at his friends with worry one last time before stepping out. Zina followed suite and stepped away from Amare, and didn’t look at him even when the clans assembled accordingly.

          Today, they were playing building blocks, of course, with a twist. Blocks were arranged, and the clan members would stack them up. When they were done with that, they’d go and shoot 10 balls into a hoop, and until each member gets one ball in, they won’t advance. After that, they’d shoot darts at a dart board, also 10, and then have two members run a relay. The first clan to reach the finish point and grab the bag wins.

          The gun went off and all hands went busy. Stacking blocks, unstacking and stacking again until they got it right. When they were done, they quickly moved to shoot hoops, which was the most difficult part. The dart shooting wasn’t so hard because of the archery training they’ve been having. The Water clan finished some seconds earlier than the Fire clan, and Niko started the race. Zina had volunteered to be the last runner. She needed the gust of wind and adrenaline to help her take her mind off her book for that brief moment. Niko had passed the baton and she took off running. The last runner of the Fire clan was nowhere in sight, still she ran with all her might.

          Soon though, she could see swift legs from the corner of her eyes. She knew those legs. Amare. She added more speed, already knowing that Amare was a faster runner. The muscles in her left leg cramped and the pain was bad enough to make her stop, but she didn’t. Amare was close to her now. The cramping was too much too bear and she reflexively bent sharply to hold the affected leg. She tumbled over, still clutching her legs in pain.

          Amare got to the finish line, picked up the bag, and before they even announced him winner, he was back to the tracks and kneeling beside Zina.

          “Vulture, are you okay?” He helped her sit up and then went to stretch out the leg. “Hey, I’ve got you. Don’t put so much pressure on that leg yet.”

          Zina watched Amare hold her legs like they were his, caress them like he had done it all his life. She pushed his hands away. “Amare, I just told you to mind your business.”

          “What are you talking about? You’re hurt. Am I supposed to just watch you sit on the floor?”

          “Yes!” she tried to get up but the pain in her left leg said no way. Niko and Angel had come to help her, and leaning on Niko, she got up gently. “That is exactly what you’re supposed to do. Don’t help me, don’t do anything for me. You’re not my savior.”

          Still leaning on Niko, she limped away, and only when she turned did, she realize that her and Amare’s conversation right now wasn’t in any way private. The Asters were watching them. She limped away, leaving Amare on his knees, watching her take the offer from Niko that she rejected from him.