I never thought I was worthy of love-- or even friendship. I never thought I was worthy of anyone's attention-- man or woman-- but especially not woman. I'm not sure if this has to do with how I am treated in that massive ivory Palace. (though my treatment will improve when Princess Sadako moves in; she is said to be very kind to her servants.) I confess, I like the Prince, am attracted to Pearl. But I also feel the warmth in her-- the intelligence and strength she has gained (or had and learned to showcase) is what draws me to her. I never get to go out much, nor do I like to. I don't want to sound weird, but since I've been acquainted with Pearl, I can't turn back. She makes me feel warmer and cozier than I ever anticipated-- and somehow I have the same effect on her.
--from the diary of Tadashi
"Tadashi, wake up."
Tadashi's heart skipped a beat. His eyes shot open to see Pearl standing over him with a smile spread across her face. She bounced around, doing a strange jig. He yawned and sat up. Okay, he thought, This must be good!
"Eh? What is it, Pearl?"
Pearl clasped her hands together.
"You know how you said you wanted to run your own restaurant?"
His heart pounded.
"You bought a restaurant? Already?"
"Not exactly…." She shrank back. "But I made something like it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I can't explain. You'll have to come see for yourself."
Suddenly curious, he leapt to his feet and grinned.
"Sounds interesting. Just give me a minute to change, okay?"
Pearl nodded and backed away, softly clicking the door shut. Tadashi dug through the drawers. In all honesty, he hadn't packed any extra clothing, but he figured that Pearl wanted to see him fresh. And it just feels good, he thought, unbuttoning his blue-striped pajama top, Wait. Why am I convincing myself not to like her? She's so kind and pretty and…well…. He blushed, chuckling to himself. She likes me. I can tell. I used to wish more girls would like me, but now…at least someone special does.
Once he'd changed into a light-blue button-down shirt and dark khakis, he opened the door and followed Pearl outside.
"You look nice," she remarked, pressing a hand to her chin.
"Th-Thanks. You do, too."
Pearl giggled and adjusted her scratchy pink sweater.
"Thanks. I just kinda threw this on— I had no idea it would be so popular."
Tadashi chuckled as she batted her long, mascara-slick lashes.
"You sure know how to make casual attractive, Pearl,"
"I could say the same for you, honey."
Deep in the woods, he had no idea what he was prepared to see. A tall, twisted arch of dark-brown twigs and branches towered with the green-black trees. Gold-white sunlight danced across the soft green grass and several carved brown log tables and chairs-- with round tops and short, stumpy stools. A few villagers sat eating at them, along with Hajime and Pearl's family. Even the parrot joined them in his silver cage. Tadashi froze. He couldn't make out the dishes-- not now, at least. He was too distracted by the gentle glow of morning sunlight, by the birds chirping from the arc of branches. When he faced the center, he saw a small, square, log shack. Just like I pictured! he thought, his heart skipping a beat. But instead of him cooking, he saw the small frame of a male earth-elf, flipping cakes on a sizzling griddle. A pale-gray froth of smoke rose and mingled with the golden sunlight. Tadashi took a deep breath and felt a gritty lump rise in his throat. His eyes began to sting. Don't cry! he thought, Not now...!
"It might not be perfect," Pearl said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "But it's close enough to what you wanted."
Tadashi stepped back and craned his head upward, carefully absorbing the cozy scene she laid before him.
"Yes, it's wonderful," he gasped, "But how did you afford all this?"
Pearl's brows shot up. She blushed and her eyes darted from side to side.
"Uh...afford? Well, I...Hajime introduced me to a local earth-elf who makes delicious treats, and then that got me thinking, so I told him about your dream."
"You put this together? Just the two of you?"
She nodded, and he clearly made out tired-looking shadows under her eyes.
"Grandma always said never to underestimate the elfin work ethic."
"You must have really worked hard," he said, "You should lay down-- or eat something with your family."
Pearl erupted into laughter and clapped her hands together.
"Now? I've just gotten started! This place isn't permanent yet...it doesn't even have a name!"
"Still-- if you want me to take a break, you should take one, too."
He ran the back of his hand over her cheek. She shivered, but not from fear-- she smiled sleepily and closed her eyes, allowing his warm, firm hand to soothe her skin.
"Thanks," she murmured, "That feels good."
"You know what would make it feel better? Tea and some breakfast. Would you like to join me?"
"I'd love to."
She wrapped her hand around his, and they walked to an empty table. Pearl didn't think the tree stump was as cozy as anticipated, with its scratchy sides and stiff top. But any discomfort dissolved as soon as Tadashi brought her a cup of tea.
She smiled at the tall porcelain cup, inhaling the raw, fresh scent.
"Thank you, Tadashi. Is this sencha?"
"Yes. How'd you know?"
"I like it."
"Me, too. I love how fresh it tastes."
"Hmm. I think he's making okonomiyaki, but I'm not sure. It's one of my favorite dishes here."
"Good. I wanted you to order your own breakfast. There's so many tasty options."
Pearl took a long drink of tea, allowing the hot bitter liquid to soothe her throat.
"Really? More than he told me?"
Tadashi blushed before shrugging.
"Well, I don't know about that, but it's amazing you were able to pull this off in one night."
Pearl chuckled and took another sip of tea. Hajime turned toward them, smiling.
"Aren't you forgetting someone?" he asked.
"Oh!" Pearl set her tea down. "Right! I was just about to tell him about you, Hajime."
"I recruited earth-elves to give us some wood in exchange for crystals," Hajime explained, "And Manji is an old acquaintance-- a full-blooded earth-elf from Ko'Trin Island. They can cook faster than any human-- or fairy, for that matter."
Amma poked her head around, her eyes glassy with delight.
"Aw, you two look so cute together," she purred, fanning herself with a lace fan, "Cap, honey, don't they look cute together?"
Pearl and Tadashi blushed and giggled. Professor Solstice sighed.
"They're not babies, Amma. But if they aren't in love, then who is?"
"They're not babies!" Rudy squawked.
Amma frowned at the parrot.
"You know what I mean."
"Well, yes, they make an attractive couple." Zell smiled slowly, the expression softening his arched brows. "Each of you is lucky, and you have no idea."
Pearl looked away awkwardly and rubbed her mouth.
"I think I have an idea."
The Professor figured this was about the Prince, and shuddered to think what this implied. I'll ask her later. I almost wish that ass was alive so I could just...ooh!
A short, wide figure waddled toward her table. With his long pointed ears and ageless skin, Manji was definitely a full-blooded earth-elf. His eyes were as big and bright as a child's, and his cheeks were flushed with dark pink. When he saw Pearl, he immediately greeted her as a fellow elf-- stroking her shoulder with two fingers. She greeted him back. Manji repeated this with the half-elf Tadashi, whose face twisted in confusion.
"We can sense the blood in each other, you see," the elf explained. Then he spoke the Ko'Trin Island dialect, "Tsi la ti."
"Oh. Right. Tsi la ti."
Manji reached into his pocket and pulled out a notepad.
"It's creepy. I agree-- but the good Goddess did bless us with such a gift. Now, what can get you two?"
"I'll have the okonomiyaki," Pearl said.
"I'll have the same," Tadashi added, "With a cup of juniper coffee."
Manji scribbled down their orders and walked away, leaving them to talk in private.
"I can never thank you enough," Pearl said, folding her hands, "For saving me that night."
"You thank me?" Tadashi erupted into laughter. "I guess this is what this cafe is about, then?"
"It's the least I could do."
"I'm still amazed! Beyond amazed. You really like me-- a plain, chubby servant like me!"
Pearl shot him a smooth, seductive smile, with her brows arched elegantly over half-open eyes.
"Oh, please, I've always fancied a good, husky man with meat on his bones-- especially one with such a passion for life. All these skinny, broody types used to flirt with me. Too draining!"
"But I can't sustain this cafe," he whispered, "I don't have the money. And if Mom finds out...."
"We'll worry about that later." Pearl fluttered a hand. "For now, I want you to relax."
Tadashi smiled and nodded. She had a point there. It seemed he never had any time to relax, and amidst the Palace chaos, he needed to dissolve into some sort of warm nothingness.
When Manji arrived with their steaming dishes, music began to play. It was a bright, reedy oboe melody that sounded from an old radio. Pearl looked over at it and wondered, Who put that there? Then she recalled the way Hajime had winked when he set it over there, joking that, "You never know when you need to dance!"
Tadashi took a bite, then winked at Pearl.
"After breakfast, do you want to dance?"
"Of course!"
After they ate, Tadashi rose to his feet, extending a plump hand toward Pearl. She hesitated, her eyes glassy with fear.
"What's wrong?" he asked, knitting his brow, "Don't you want to dance?"
"Yes," she said softly, sipping the last of her tea, "It's just that...in all the years of my life...no one has ever asked me to dance before."
Tadashi pulled her close and whispered:
"That changes now."
She exhaled, suddenly relieved by his words. He led her toward the middle of the space, near the radio. Everyone watched as Tadashi slowly twirled her around the grass; her feet moved in time, so her skirt swirled in an elegant rotation. She twirled him back, and he spun in the same graceful way. They danced smoothly, gliding across the grass in gentle harmony with the oboe concerto. Pearl smiled. Finally! she thought, I can be with someone. I can relax. I can...be!
"Thank God elves can learn witchcraft," Hajime remarked, "It makes each one irresistible to the other...or is that just the nature of things? No. Must be the nature. That's what Bathilde said."
"And you have first-hand experience," Amma reminded him, "You two were madly in love, I recall."
"Yes." Tears glimmered in Hajime's eyes. "Yes, we were."
Amma smiled and turned toward her husband, who was intently watching the dance.
"Oh, isn't that beautiful, honey?" she muttered, "Sooner or later, they'll take a picture of themselves shifting into mating form-- just like we did all those moons ago!"
The Professor blushed.
"Keep your voice down."
"What's this I hear about a Maltese?" Zell chimed in, "You got a dog?"
Amma shook her head, turning back to her husband.
"Ah! But aren't you proud?"
"Proud enough for this."
He rose and pulled her up, twirling her near the younger couple. She unleashed a rippling laugh.
"Honey, you know I can't dance!" she chuckled.
"Only because you haven't tried," he said with a grin.
She laughed as he twirled her again. Hajime smiled at both dancing couples, wiping a few tears. He turned to Rudy, but the green parrot simply blinked his beady eyes.
"Hajime, bichette!"
He froze at the sound of Bathilde's voice. Behind a lofty, sun-splashed tree, a familiar round figure crept out. He locked eyes with two big brown eyes and a gap-toothed grin....
"Bathilde!" he cried, rushing toward her.
She opened her arms. Everyone stopped dancing and craned their necks at the same tree. Hajime vanished behind the broad brown stump faster than they expected.
"Bathilde," he gasped, wrapping his arms around her soft, warm body, "I can't believe you're here! I've never been happier in my...."
The warmth faded into a chill. He felt it rattle his spine, and goosebumps prickled his skin. His eyes fluttered open, expecting to see her smiling, or crouched in a corner-- as a practical jokes. The only thing that faced him was a broad, brown tree-trunk. Bathilde...was she really there, or am I...? He felt something hard and sour rise in his throat.
A tear trickling down his cheek, Hajime walked out from behind the tree. Everyone danced, but eyed him distantly-- as if they were debating whether or not to talk to him.
"I saw Bathilde," he announced, "She was here, but now...she's...everywhere."
Pearl grabbed his hand and smiled.
"I know she is. I feel her stronger and stronger each day. Maybe you'll feel her again if you dance with us."
Hajime nodded as she twirled him toward a gold-white beam of sunlight.
"Pearl," Tadashi whispered when she finished, "Thank you. For everything. I know saying it isn't enough but...it's unlike anything I've imagined."
A small grin shot across her face.
"Neither are you, honey."
Tadashi embraced her as she kissed him with all the fire in her heart.
XXX
I am water. I am a clear light constantly flowing from peak to valley, from heartbeat to heartbeat. I am the cold necessity dripping through locked doors and blocked minds. I am what starves, and what nourishes.
--Tadashi's attempt at poetry
Pearl tried to stay busy. It was the only way she could truly feel satisfied these days-- yet still connected to the warm, no-nonsense essence of Grandma Bathilde. The one thing that satisfied her was Hajime's water-gazing lessons. She knew how to cast spells with the smooth stones, how to watch the still pond for ripples. She knew the code of the water's changing colors and what they meant for the future. She knew how to shape snakes and fairies and all sorts of beautiful, useless things. But she also knew the spirituality of the water-- how it could detect death, and the souls that refused to face it.
"With two living people, for example, how far a distance does it work?"
Hajime twisted his mouth in thought.
"Well," he said, folding his hands behind his back, "If it's able to sense the presence of those nearing the afterlife, it can certainly sense the thoughts of two long-distance...lovers."
He blushed and grinned at the last word, causing Pearl to giggle.
"Thank you, Hajime."
"The stronger the thoughts, the greater the water will ripple. Trust me, me and your Grandma had experience."
He winked and Pearl winked back. Heart pounding with delight, she bounced back toward the inn. She wondered how Tadashi could afford to take all this time off, but then she recalled the new heir, Princess Sadako. She was said to be nice to servants. As she should be! They have lives...and loves...!
"Hey, Pearl."
She jumped, only to smile at the scene before her. Tadashi sat on the floor, watching an ocean documentary on TV and munching pretzels as neon-colored fish wriggled between rippling green leaves of seaweed. Pearl curled up beside him and immersed herself in the mysterious world of the deep sea.
"They know less about the deep sea than outer space," Tadashi told her, nibbling a pretzel, "Isn't that interesting? There's probably all kinds of funny transparent things living down there that we've never even seen!"
Pearl's eyes bulged.
"Really? I had no idea! Tell me more...."
Tadashi began telling her all sorts of interesting things about the deep sea. How if he could afford it, he would learn how to cave-dive and explore abandoned mines. How if he would love to swim with sharks someday-- that is, if she wanted to join him. Pearl nodded and smiled.
"That sounds like fun," she said, "I hope we're able to do that sometime...together." She folded her hands. "I also want to teach you some candle magic."
Tadashi's brow furrowed with worry.
"But I'm not a wizard."
"Elves can learn witchcraft if they want-- and that includes anyone of elven descent." She tucked her hair behind her ears. "No pressure, of course."
"I'm curious, though. What do they call it, carromancy?"
"Yeah. Funny word, isn't it? Makes it sound a lot more complicated than it really is. Even at home, I would always be playing with fire. It's cold where I live, so my parents liked to light a lot of candles and...." She sniffled. Home! The cold, icy air, the greasy cheese-soaked fries-- the lack of...him!
Tadashi knit his brow.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure when I'll be returning to Montreal," she murmured, "But I'm afraid it's sooner than we would like."
"Oh. I-- I'm sorry. I should've known."
Pearl waved a hand.
"Don't worry. How were you supposed to...?"
"I mean, you don't live here."
"Maybe I can. One day."
Tadashi's thick brows shot up.
"Pearl...you have a life, you have a family! And your job...!"
"I can work remote, if I talk to my boss."
"But you don't want to give it all up just for one person, do you?"
"No. I was just talking, just wondering what if...you know what I mean?"
"I used to wonder what if, too...about America. I heard so much about it, I wondered, too...then I remembered I work for the most powerful family in Japan." He chuckled. "I still don't make enough to leave, though I really do want to see Canada."
Pearl leaned in and brushed his shoulder.
"I have your number, and I gave you mine. We can still keep in touch. We'll talk, text, video-chat."
"I know, but...it just wouldn't be the same."
Pearl smiled sadly, then remembered what Hajime told her.
"This might sound strange, but I have an idea."
"An idea?"
She nodded and walked toward the mini-kitchen, grabbing a small flat bowl from the cupboard. Tadashi rose, but decided to leave her be. She turned on the faucet.
"Hajime taught me this," she said, cold water overflowing the bowl, "It might be able to work with us, too."
Tadashi nodded, still unsure of what she meant.
"Sometimes, when a bowl's full of water, near where someone died, the water ripples. That means they're nearby."
Tadashi cupped a hand under his chin.
"Oh! I think I've heard of that."
"Hajime also told me that it can ripple when two people are thinking about each other...from a distance." She batted her lashes. "You know, like us."
Tadashi dropped his hand. His mouth fell open in speechless surprise, but his eyes glistened with concern.
"A-Are you sure? It sounds too good to be true."
"Well, the afterlife is a long way from us."
Pearl set the water-bowl on the floor. Tadashi smiled.
"Okay. I believe you. But first, is there a way we can test this out? Like, I can fill up a bowl and put it in a different room than you...and we'll see if it ripples?"
Pearl scratched her chin.
"I should've asked about that...maybe it's maybe one of those things where we need distance for it to work."
"That's true."
She didn't know why, but she threw her arms around him. He froze in shock only to hug her back. Pearl's heart pounded with delight; his touch was so warm and gentle, she never wanted to let go. She felt his own heart beat against hers. The rhythm was so comforting
"It may not be perfect, but we'll make it work," Tadashi said.
"Oh, honey, we already are!"
Pearl turned to the water. It rippled with Grandma's soft, endless rhythm.