Apples and Cherry Blossoms

by Archangel2401

Sakura Sunset: Part 2

The road ahead will be long. Many of its twists fraught with obstacles. You will be tested every day.

Your strength.

Your spirit.

Your will.

There will be moments when you feel you have reached your breaking point. You must show resilience. You are samurai. Notice that the stiffest tree is the most easily cracked, yet it is bamboo or the willow that survives by bending with the wind. Bend, but do not break. Be flexible, yet firmly rooted. Do you understand my son?

Viridian green eyes focused, hearing his father's words echo in his ears as he assembled the bamboo frame and stuck it firmly into the ground. The nobori rose up and despite the plethora of scratches inflicted by Opal's claws it was flying proudly against the evening breeze. It may not be a distant, snowcapped mountain nor was it a wide open grassy moor. It wasn't full of rival samurai. But this was his battlefield, and as he constantly reminded himself 'a battle was still a battle'.

No retreat, no surrender.

"Dinner will be served." Hiroki was soft spoken, his voice calm and once again full of confidence.

"Uh... but you don't have a dining room anymore, remember?" Rainbow Dash shrugged, her wings flapping incessantly to keep her hovering above the ground. "And the princesses will be here after sun down. That's like... minutes away."

The samurai responded by giving a dismissive wave with one hoof.

"I shall cook under the stars."

Hiroki waved a hoof to the ground around them now. Town Square was even more spacious in the evening when there were fewer ponies about, though he seemed most interested in the area in front of his sakura tree. Looking back at his guests, he regarded them each in turn before giving a deep bow of his head. A gesture of humility.

"I confess it to be painfully unprofessional to ask, but we can continue with this evening's agenda... if you would all see fit to assist me?"

"Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie squee'd and beamed happily, bouncing up and down on her hooves. "We're with you! Right everypony?"

"What do you need us to do?" Twilight smiled and stepped forward, soon followed by Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy who all nodded in agreement. Angel looked reproachful, but the keen eyes of Isamaru staring intently caused the rabbit to disappear behind his owner's pink mane. Big Mac nodded in agreement though he was beaten to the punch by Applejack.

"Ee'yup!" she replied, tipping her hat back and earning a collective giggle from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The wave of relief that washed over the samurai's face was visible. His piercing eyes softened and his lips curled into a faint smile. He looked ready to offer a verbal thanks until Applejack winked and gave him a knowing smile.

"Now then. Our battle plan is as follows..." Hiroki soon brought everypony together in a huddle and the strategizing began.

Applejack and Big Mac began to help Hiroki upright his tables and dragged them out of his ruined dining room, one at a time. The upside to this was that his guests may no longer feel as cramped together as they may have inside. It took the combined strength of both Apples and the Samurai to careful push the grill over without dirtying it back up again. When they'd finished his tables formed a semi-circle in front of the sakura tree with the grilling apparatus nestled neatly in the center.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went to work hanging the bonbori lanterns, much to Pinkie Pie's disappointment. They needed to be handled and hung gently after all, which meant the Pegasi were amply suited for the task. Her trademark party cannon was liable to do more harm than good. It would have made short work of the task, but also short work of the delicate paper. Each bonbori was then fitted with a small cup containing sugar water: An offering to keep their prospective lights happy.

Everypony else began to sift through the remains of the dining room to reclaim any unbroken plates and cups. Pinkie Pie and the Crusaders recovered enough to set out. Rarity and Twilight were able to piece a few together neatly from shards, but even with this effort most were chipped or bore cracks in their surface. While hardly comparable to royal china, they were still well made despite their simplicity. Now his dishware looked less than presentable, barely fit to eat from let alone serve royalty. Hiroki managed to keep from sighing out loud. They'd simply have to do.

The tables were finally set and the samurai rose from shoving kindling beneath the grill to see Spike standing on the flat metal cooking surface. The young dragon touched his clawed digits together and gave a toothy, albeit embarrassed grin.

"You didn't give me a job. Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

"Ah, master dragon. You have a most important task." These words caught Spike's attention better than a bowl of delicious jewels. Hiroki bowed his head and continued as everypony gathered around, looking increasingly interested to hear what he had to say. "Only the power of a dragon will suffice. Without your help, this cannot happen. Will you lend me your strength honored one?"

"You hear that, Twilight? Honored one!" Spike looked exceedingly pleased by this, his chest puffing out with pride. Twilight rolled her eyes, but gave her assistant a good-natured smile. "Some ponies sure know how to show respect! What can Spike the All-Powerful do to help? You tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it!"

"Careful partner. You keep talkin' like that and Spike's head might swell up bigger'n Cherry Berry's Twinkin' Balloon." Applejack snickered with amusement, causing Rarity and Pinkie both to exchange glances and giggles.

"What is needed, master dragon..." Hiroki paused for a moment, Everypony hung on the samurai's words, suddenly looking just as captivated as Spike. They all stared intently. The silence was so think a pin drop could have been heard. "...is for you to belch."

Everypony save for Hiroki toppled over at the sheer absurdity of this request.

"A... a belch? That's... that's it? But what happened to Spike the All-Powerful?" Spike gained a crestfallen expression as ponies began to laugh. His head shrank into his shoulders in a manner that was not unlike Tank withdrawing into his shell as even Rarity laughed. Hiroki looked strangely surprised at these reactions.

"Dragonfire has magical properties, does it not? It is well suited to keep the teppan-... the grill, fueled."

"Yeah yeah, I get it... but did you have to suggest a burp? That's kind of embarrassing. I can breath fire whenever I want to you know."

"My apologies. I assumed a belch would have more... 'oomf' than a simple breath." Hiroki raised his eyebrows, somehow managing to shrug without actually rolling his shoulders.

Looking to Fluttershy he gestured for her to bring the basket containing her firefly friends forward. Spike, his embarrassment serving well as the pin to puncture the balloon of his ego, hopped down from the grill and peered beneath it. His chest rose as he took in a deep breath before giving a sharp exhale, blowing magical green fire all around. The wood placed at the base crackled as they were engulfed in dragonfire and Spike tried not to look too pleased with himself for bringing it to life.

Finally the last rays of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving everypony bathed in lingering twilight. They had all gathered around the tables set for them and Hiroki looked just about ready to release Fluttershy's fireflies. There was a slight gust of wind that caught the nobori, it's cloth rustling against newly displaced air. The samurai brought his head skyward and his ears twitched, turning to look to the northeast. Canterlot was in that direction.

"They have arrived."

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Author's Note:

The most sincerest apologies on such a long delay. November and December turn into exceedingly difficult months when working retail, had to get the flare back afterwards. One more chapter to go!

The crest on Hiroki's nobori. Not entirely sure I designed it properly, but the kanji are meant to be read as Strength (top), Honor (bottom), Harmony (left), and Friendship (right).

Comments

[Lord_01010000]

IT LIVES!!!

[Seether00]

Next up, hibachi tricks

[Chapelseed]

huh, looking at the nobori, it does look like the emblem of Jack's clan...