Ooc: That's right, keep the flames alive.

IC: Sakiko laughed, looking clearly amused and angry at the same time. A small smirk on her face, she replied,

"Oh? So you're implying that I grew up in a wealthy household? With a family to take care of me? You seem so wrapped up in your self pity that you're ignorant to others' situations. I didn't have a home, idiot! And that's why I raised myself. I learned how to survive without anyone's help. It's not my problem that you're so damn dependent on others. It was all your choice, thief. Don't blame your actions on others - you always have a choice. It's just that you took the easy way." The mage's smile quickly faded away, replaced by glowing, unhidden anger. She yelled, "Drown?! Now that you're alive and breathing, you can say that kind of talk! I dare you to say that when you're underwater, gasping for air, almost dying! Don't try to make everyone pity you."

"I don't need your pity. And I was serious about letting myself drown." With that Arrika stood up stiffly and walked away, towards the pier like rocks, the sand sticking to her wet boots and clothes. She was fuming inside, so angry she could have hit Sakiko... What was wrong with her? The mage had just saved her life and this was how she was repaying her? What a rotten brat she must be. But at that moment she was so wrapped up in her anger she didn't care, stomping off through the small dunes of sand.

Sakiko snorted, and turned back to the fire. She was so angry, so furious...she grabbed a piece of twig, and began to snap it into little pieces mindlessly. The bard had watched this with big, tearful green eyes. It always hurt her to see Sakiko and Arrika argue. Zeze scooted beside Sakiko.

"Hey...don't be too mad, ok?"

The mage glared at the bard. Zeze took the message clearly, and ran off, towards Arrika. She grabbed the Sheikah's shoulders, and grinned.

"I know, I know, I have to deal with the miserable old mage all the time. I know exactly how you feel. But you really shouldn't have said that you wanted to die.. that's kinda, harsh, ya know? Sakiko actually cares about you...deep inside..."

She winked, and added,

"If she has a heart, that is. Could turn out to be some gigantic hole."

Zeze's attempt at cheering her up did little to help, and the Sheikah did not reply at once. "I really did want to die. I really did... what's... what's wrong with me....?" She bit her lip and kicked a piece of drift wood aside. "I sound like Kobas... he would get this look on his face, and I knew he was thinking of ending it. I'd ask him what was wrong, of course. Most of the time when he was in that kind of mood he'd just stare, looking at me but not really seeing me, you know. He looked like me when I was first sitting with Sovelis. Dead. Cold. What was so ironic, though, was when I started getting those depressing spells he'd start singing...

"So many,
Bright lights they cast a shadow,
But can I speak?
Well is it hard understanding,
I'm incomplete?
A life that's so demanding,
I get so weak.
A love that's so demanding,
I can't speak.

I am not afraid to keep on living,
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
Honey if you stay I'll be forgiven,
Nothing you can say can stop me going home..."

Arrika couldn't help but think of Kobas as she sang, remembering his regular self instead of the Kobas with the haunted look in his eyes. "I miss him, Zeze...."

Zeze could not help but smile to herself. She had never really heard Arrika sing, and it sounded a bit strange. Not in a bad way, but not in a good way, either. The bard took out her flute, and polished it with her fingers mindlessly. She stared at the small instrument with her green eyes, except there was no spark, only so empty, so void...Her voice was cracked as she muttered,

"Trust me, Arrika, you do not want to die. Sorrow doesn't have to come out this way."

The bard wrapped her arms around the Sheikah, and smiled,

"I'd like to meet this Kobas, too. He seems like a singer."

"Sweet is love when all is sane
Sweet is death to rid the pain
Cruel is death when all is hell
Cruel is love when all is well..." Arrika mumbled under her breath. Another of Kobas's sayings. "Yea. He was good at everything, you know. He said you had to know a little bit of everything if you wanted to make it in the world..."

Zeze smiled,

"Yeah, I can agree with that. After all, I am..."

She struck a pose, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She said in a low voice,

"The model of perfection."

Zeze laughed, and said,

"Just kidding. But that's ok, I'm pretty close to perfection, anyway."

She winked, and walked towards the shore. As she dug her heels into the sand, the water squirted from the ground, creating a small pool around her feet. Staring down at it, Zeze muttered,

"Maybe it's good that you haven't met Kobas yet. I mean...Sakiko...she's so different, it gets kind of...sad at times."