Never Let You Go [Zabuza Momochi]

Chapter 13

In the morning, a festival rolled into town. It made the street in front of their lodging bustle with activity. The noise awoke Lacey and she tugged up the shades in the living room to get a better view. "Close them," Zabuza ordered from where he laid on the couch. "It's too early."

"One second..." she grumbled. Blinking away the sleepiness in her eyes they adjusted to the bright light. Once the young woman caught sight of the colors and people, the music reached her ears. Lacey was fully awake now. And a wide grin stretched across her lips.

The young woman darted back into the bedroom to quickly dress. Zabuza sighed in annoyance, "What are you doing now?"

"There's music!" Lacey answered. "Something's going on outside. Everyone looks like they're having fun."

Haku opened his door, having been woken up by the conversation. "What's going on?" he yawned.

"I don't know, but I'm about to tie her to the bed if she doesn't shut up," the young man stated.

Lacey came back into the living room. "Well I'm going to check it out." She disappeared out the door.

"Lacey! Wait!" Haku called out. He didn't want to leave her alone in a new area and rushed back into his room to change. "Zabuza, I'm going too."

Zabuza growled in irritation. Now he was wide awake, the chance to fall back asleep out the window. "I'm gonna kill her..." he muttered.

Lacey grinned at the sights around her. There were streamers, puppets, balloons, and other festive decorations. She'd never seen anything like it before. There were musicians in the streets, couples dancing left and right. Even a few children joining in too. Games, concessions, and food were all around, and Lacey found herself admiring handmade drums, made of animal skins and painted wood.

"They are very popular here," the owner spoke up. The statement gained her attention. "You look like you know a thing or two about them."

"Yes, I do." She lightly pat at the top of some and created a lovely sound. "I grew up around them when I was a child, and soon came to work with the instruments as a dancer."

"Do you still? Dance, I mean?"

A smile came to her lips. "Sometimes... I'm not a professional entertainer anymore, but I still dance in my spare time as a hobby."

The old man looked around at the others helping in the booth. "You know, this festival could use some livening up... We have an old song we've been playing since the Land of Waves came into being. My daughter is a singer, and my band is in the area. How about it?"

"Where did she go?" Haku asked. The crowd was so large it was impossible to see the dancer. Or even determine which way she went upon leaving.

"Can't see a damn thing," Zabuza muttered. "She could be anywhere."

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Chapter Inspiration: Waka Waka by Shakira

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The music cut out near the square before another tune started up, instruments made of wood producing an interesting sound. They took an upbeat tempo, a young woman singing in the front. It drew every eye in the area and more flocked to the noise from other side streets. Zabuza and Haku became caught up in the flow of traffic. But they came to find Lacey in the center of the square. She danced to the beat, making up the movements as she went. The kids began to step up on the edges of the audience, clearly interested in the young woman's dance. She saw their curious eyes, and pulled them into the open space. They were quickly taught a basic step for the chorus line of the song, which sent a ripple effect among the audience.