Yoshirou was not looking forward to this trip. The seas tended to be rough around Hokkan, and few ever ventured further than Nyosei island for just that reason. there were other islands there, however, and it was one of those islands that served as his destination. There were rumours that Genbu's Shinzahou was being kept in a shrine in a small village on that island, and he was heading to try and retrieve it. Taotie was not sure it would be of any use to the Fiends, but it would make it difficult for the Genbu no Miko to summon Genbu, and that was just fine with him. so long as the northern God was not summoned, he could not devour the innocent girl, and that would be just as good-in his opinion, at leat-as helping the Fiends overthrow the Four Gods.

With that task in mind, he had booked passage on a merchant ship bound for the island, and was now standing at the railing, watching the dark sea churn. He had expressed concerns about a storm, but the ship's captain had assured him that this was all normal for the area and the time of year. Still, Yoshirou was glad that none of his personal belongings could be harmed by the cold sea air. He'd also gotten a piece of netting form the captian and secured his arrows into his quiver with it, just in case. He learned as a Seishi that it was always best to be prepared, and that was even more ture now.

Though he trusted the captain, he felt wary as the sky grew darker still, and the waters more choppy than ever. He decided he would feel safer underdeck, so he turned to head for the small cabin included in the fare he'd paid. No sooner had he closedh is door than the ship listed dangerously to one side. He could hear shouts from the men above as the waves tossed the ship to and fro, He silently cursed. It would figure a storm would strike right when he really didn't need one.

Never a lazy man, he turned and headed back above deck, ready to help wherever he was needed. He heard someone shout that they were taking on water, just as another shouted that a small island-really more of a large rocky outcropping-was dead ahead. Things seemed to happen so quickly, Yoshirou could do little to prepare himself or react. A wave, far larger than the tiny ship, tossed it against the rocky cliff, dashing it to pieces and scattering debris and men in all directions. Yoshirou latched onto a nearby door, unsure what else to do as the storm pushed him further and further out to sea. He just held on, knowing that owuld be his only lifeline.

Eventually, the storm quieted, and he crawled out of the freezing water to lay on top of the floating door, though it was barely large enough to hold him. He'd hit his head somehow-though he didn't remember it-and had somehow received a large gash to one leg. HE felt exhausted, but there was nothing nearby for him to draw energy from. So he simply laid there and hoped for rescue. He wasn't sure how much time passed, but he knew it was days. He rationed out his small supply of fresh water, and whatever food hadn't been washed away or ruined. He treated his wounds as best he could, but his options were limited. He sighed and hoped Taotie or one of the other Fiends would come to help him soon...

There had been a recent storm at sea and usually the chief of the mermaids advised everyone to stay at home but Umiko truly did not care. her father was not pleased with her behaviour and demanded she looked after herself for her mission for the whole clan was important. Yet there was something about the wild sea that she craved, perhaps it was the power or the freedom it represented for no one could tame it or control it. It was not like she wanted to throw her immortality away, however, she could not sit around and wait for that moment to come. She had always enjoyed wandering around and learning about the many worlds out there. Perhaps part of her wanted to find a solution that was better than sacrificing mermaids for the well-being of the clan. But she also enjoyed challenging the waters, shape-shifting into her human form and coming across places and cultures she had never seen before. There was something rather fascinating in exploring other places, travelling at leisure. Perhaps it was a way for her to escape the sad truth that her life was not her own form the very moment she was chosen to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Many thought it easy to accept such burden and responsibility at such a young age, but it truly was not. Although, she looked collected and id not show anyone any emotions thought her doll-like behaviour, she did wish at times that she could run away form this fate and live a happy life. It had been far from that since the moment she lost her mother.

The water was raging but that did not affect Umiko, she felt no fear nor anxiety and simply allowed the waves to guide her this one time. It was strange and she was not sure why but, it seemed to her someone needed her help and was calling out to her. She had never experienced something like that before and she was slightly disconcerted. But she heeded the call and moved toward the voice, the lament, the suffering. After swimming for a long while the sea seemed to finally calm down, it could be said she had taken a couple of days off the clan and her duties. Her father would not look for her, he knew she always returned, she had made that clear, she would sacrifice herself when the time came but she would ‘not’ be their prisoner until then. She wanted to at least breathe, swim, and hopefully experience more form this life than to simply extinguish like a flickering candle. Her elegant blue and violet tail kicked at the water and her long light blue hair waved smoothly as she suddenly sensed something and looked ahead. A shipwreck. She sighed, it had been recent since most of the persons had perished. She closed her eyes for a moment in order to pray for their rest and she ensured to give them all proper burial as customs she had watched form her time on foot.

Once that was done she id her best to clean the ocean from the debris and whatever remained. She love her home and did not wish for it to be polluted. But then, she felt she was missing something or someone. That sensation she had felt before had not abandoned her even when she tended to all she found around the shipwreck. And so, she turned around and decided to follow the call once more. It did not take her too long to actually see another piece of the boat she had just left, on top of it was a man. He did not seem to be away at that moment and so she slightly and shyly surfaced, she leaned on the debris and noticed his wounds, but he seemed to be breathing. She could tel he was suffering from dehydration and probably malnourishment. She gently moved her cool hand to caress his cheek. She could not let him die here. She looked at him deeply before she submerged once more. She ensured he was well laid on the remains of the debris and knew there was an island nearby. She would tend to his wound and then take him back to safe land. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the water nearby, she would move him with her power to manipulate water. She closed her eyes and extended both hands and soon a small wave seemed to be high without breaking into the water and kept moving forth with the man safely lying on the debris. Once at the island she changed into her human form. She did her best not to hurt the man when taking him to a nearby cave.

Finally at the cave Umiko quickly started a fire, she placed her cloak on the floor and after removing his boots, armour and shirt, leaving him only with his light trousers, she began to cleanse and tend to his wounds. There was one on the head that worried her a bit but she hoped her healing would save him. Then she moved to his legs and the bruises and scratches he received. She then covered him completely with her cloak in order to keep him warm. She then fed the fire and left the cave to quickly find food and water or when he woke up. Her immediate idea was to find water though, the man had been at sea for days. She finally found a stream of sweet water and after tasting it she filled her water skin.

Once she got back she set the food aside and then approached him with the water skin. She knelt in front of him and gently moved his long green hair away from his face. As her hand touched his hair it stopped in light shock and she gasped, his hair had been so soft and it was of such a lovely colour. She turned to look at his face. He looked so handsome… She caressed his cheek with a thumb, she sighed and shook her head, she could not behave so foolishly, she had seen a lot of people before but… clearly none like him. She lightly opened the water skin and tried to open his lips so that she could pour a small amount of water. But it did not seem to work, he was truly dehydrate, he needed to drink.

Every method she tried did not seem to work for her. She was beginning to lose her patience when an idea struck her. At first she hesitated and blushed slightly but she had to remind herself she was a healer and the man would not be conscious enough to realise this and it was no kiss it was just a means to save him. Even if he noticed she would ensure he knew she was not taking advantage of him. With these thoughts in mind, Umiko sighed and ran her hand through her long dark hair and then looked down at him, she took a small sip from her water skin and leaned down placing her lips on his as she tried to feed him the water that way. It seemed to work and she quickly pulled back cleaning her lips from the remaining water with her sleeve. She blushed lightly but covered him before she moved away to feed the fire and then begin to work on the meal, if he awoke soon he would need food. That would also help her concentrate on the task at hand instead of worrying about what she did or did not do.

Yoshirou had tried at first to catch fish, or possibly seagulls, either for food or to use his energy gain ability to help himself recover, but his head injury and exhaustion made even the largest, slowest of creatures able to dodge him, and eventually, he had given up trying. He wondered what his life would be like on this floating piece of wood with no land in sight - the Fiends had assured him that he would not die so long as he was useful to them, but what consolation was that now. “I’m sorry, Arinata… I… I failed you again…”

That was one of the last coherent thoughts he had for some time after that, and though he was most often unconscious, what he saw during his waking moments made little sense. At one point, he opened his eyes only briefly, but thought he saw the scales of some large, beautiful creature just out of his reach, and… a flash of pale blue hair. His heart skipped a feeble beat when he could’ve sworn he saw the face of his beloved, if only for an instant. Her name came to his lips, barely more than a cracked, hoarse whisper. “A…Ari…nata…”

Darkness took him for some time after that. He was vaguely aware of sensations now and then, but little more than the gentle rocking of the water beneath him, or a cool breeze that ruffled his hair. There was a sensation of solid ground beneath him, and a cool feeling, almost like the one he felt when using his energy drain ability. Only…different. He wasn’t taking this energy from someone, but rather it was being freely given. It was healing energy - he recognized it because Kai had been a healer - and on some level he realized that meant he’d been rescued, and by someone with magic. ‘Please, don’t let it be some poor, foolish Seishi…’ He thought to himself.

He rested easier after the healing. His pain was gone, and he felt less exhausted. He was so thirsty though…If he could just open his eyes and find some water, he would be fine. Hungry, yes, but so long as he had his bow, he could fix hunger.

He remembered the image he had seen. The pale blue hair, and the familiar concerned expression. Arinata would have worried herself to death, if she could see him now. She had always put others' needs before her own… and that kindness had been repaid with suffering and a horrible, lonely death. He groaned softly, trying to fight hiswat into the waking world once more., but he was so thirsty.

There was a sudden presence very near to him. a young woman - he could barely think enough to distinguish that much - and she… kissed him? No, she gave him water. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to help him fight for his own survival. His half-dazed mind pictured a familiar blue haired girl was the one giving him water, and he croaked out her name with dry lips on little more than a breath. “Arinata…”

He recovered enough for the power the Fiends had given him to kick in, and he felt the life leaving nearby plants to help him feel stronger. He took only as much as he needed to sit up, and cut off the flow, even though his body wanted more. With that little bit of strength restored, he opened his eyes and saw firelight, and the silhouette of a young woman.He pushed himself into a sitting position, though he quickly had to lean back on the cae wall nearest him for support, as his vision swam a bit.

At length, he could make out more details. The image of the lovely blue haired girl that had saved him must have been a dream, because this girl had dark hair. She was strikingly lovely in an almost innocent sort of way, and he was n’t sure how she had gotten him ashore, let alone how she’d gotten him to this cac. She seemed to be trying to build up a fire enough to cook, and he made a small gesture without even realizing it, sending a small orb of blackish-purple fire into the campfire. The orb was absorbed. and the fire rose to the perfect steadiness for cooking. He regretted the action as it reminded him just how tired and thirsty he was.

“Wa-” He started but had to stop and try to clear his throat, inwardly annoyed when his voice still sounded dry and weak. “Is there…any more…water?


He closed his eyes as he waited for her anser, but then he opened them to look at her again. “You…saved me?” His eyes drifted closed again and he sighed. For a moment it looked as if he’d fallen asleep sitting up, but then he spoke again, very softly. “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, Arinata… I… I failed you again… A…Ari…nata…”

Umiko wondered who the lady Arinata was because she seemed to be very important to this handsome man and for some reason he felt responsible for whatever happened in the past and present. Umiko was a mermaid after all, she was a rather curious being, but she was also interested in this man who survived such a deadly shipwreck. She felt drawn to him and she did not know why. She had never felt like this before, not with the travellers she had encountered nor with any member of her clan, not even her parents. Who could blame her for feeling nothing but cold and emptiness whenever she thinks about her people? They basically cursed her to die for her people from her infancy and she had no say on the matter. Life was so finite that it scared her not to experience the joys it procured others with before her time came, all she wanted was to experience a bit of happiness and she would gladly lay down her life for her people when the time came. But for now, she felt trapped and it upset her to such an extent that she found it difficult to laugh, to enjoy every day, heck, even breathing was hard some days. Her levels of stress due to the burdens on her shoulders broke with any barriers she tried to put up in order to survive and keep fighting. At some point all she could feel was resignation, her people pushed her aside since she would die anyway so there was no point in getting to know her, getting close to her or giving her some affection. To think that her father was the leader of the clan and the person to establish such rules. It hurt her in unimaginable ways at the beginning, she still remembered trying herself to sleep every night until one day she had no more tears left to cry. Her eyes were a clear mirror of the sorrow she would feel till the day she passed away.

It was one of the reasons she decided to leave her clan and venture into the world, she longed to meet someone who could make her feel alive. On top of that she wanted to protect life as much as possible since she was unlike enough to lose hers. It was also why she had helped this man she knew nothing of, besides feeling drawn to him. Could it be because he also had a heavy burden on his shoulders? He seemed to have so much regret. Maybe he felt regret for he both of them. But he would probably be like other people she had helped before and as soon as he was up and running he would offer her something in gratitude and walk away. She did not blame them, after all, given a chance at a second life they would probably wish to rush home and see their loved ones and make amends. These kinds of experiences did that to people. She did feel a little bit disappointed thinking about the time this handsome man would wake up and walk away. But it was a truth she had to face, like her dark fate.

When she used her powers to heal him she was glad to see his body react positively, she had been right, it was not too late to save his life. She sighed in relief, any second later and he would not have made it. She noticed how the wind ruffled his beautiful long green hair and she had a deep desire to know if it was as soft as it looked. She looked at his handsome face for a moment thinking it was probably silly of her but she wanted to touch it. She lifted a cold and gentle hand and moved the long hair away from his face, he felt cold and he was pale but she would not give up until his life was on the clear. “You will be okay, your path won’t end here, I promise.” She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and then ensured that he was fully covered with the blanket. Surely there was no harm in reassuring her patient and granting him a tiny gesture of affection in order to seal the promise that she would to everything in he rower to save his life. There was no chance this could be interpreted as her taking advantage of an unconscious man, or could it? She felt a pang of guilt in her heart but she decided to ignore it for now. If he realised what she did and confronted her about it later on she would take whatever he threw her way, at the moment her job was to save his life. She had to focus and eliminate all other thoughts from her mind.

“Arinata…”

Umiko nearly pulled back quickly after giving him the water in deep embarrassment. Did he think she had kissed him? Would he be annoyed if he found out that it wasn’t Arinata who had done so in order to give him some water? But she could see quite clearly that he needed more water and his eyes were still closed and he was fighting between the waking world and the land of dreams. She looked at her water skin for a brief moment before she decided upon it again and she took a bit more water this time and she leaned down to press her lips to his in order to help him drink a bit more water. She had been too worried about how embarrassing the situation had been and what he would think of her if he were aware of this to realise how soft his lips were despite their dryness and how sweet they tasted and she longed to keep her lips pressed on his. But her cheeks coloured a deep tone of scarlet and she pulled back before looking at the ground, she had to keep it together this was only to save the man’s life. Otherwise he would not appreciate the closeness, who would under such circumstances? No one wanted to be taken advantage of especially when unconsciousness and fighting to stay alive.

She could not even fathom what he must have been through in order to be in such a pitiful state. She moved to busy herself with starting a fire and making something for them to eat in an attempt not to think about what she had just done, twice, and the reaction that he would have if he was conscious enough to notice. She placed her hands on her cheeks to try and stop herself from feeling so embarrassed that she could not focus on anything else. This was not the time or place, she had to tend to this man. But thence felt a throbbing pain on her head and she felt nature’s pain. She stumbled and once the pain improved she looked around and saw how the earth near him, even the rocks and bugs or microorganisms that were near him were sucked dry of life and she gasped silently. What could that horrible power be? It was true that he had taken a little bit of it but it had upset the balance of nature. She massaged the sides of her head before she moved to kneel in front oh I’m and help him, “Please take it slow, you are still recovering. You do not need to get up yet. Also, you do not need to use that power, I will be doing a second process of healing as soon as food is ready.” She wanted to make sure to have enough food ready because healing usually drained her of energy and it took a while for her to recover. She helped him sit up and ensured the blanket was still covering him. She was glad that he was awake, however. That meant he was on the mending.

“Wa-Is there…any more…water?

It seemed he had some form of magical abilities as he used a purple-looking orb to life the fire for her and she was about to thank him when she noticed how much doing that had affected his recovery. She approached him again after she set everything to start cooking and the waft smell of peppercorn and salt and oregano surrounded them. She sat next to him and said, “Thank you, but you should refrain from doing anything like that until you are fully recovered.” She then thought for a moment and she said softly, “My name is Umiko.” She could see how much energy that spell had zapped from him but he would be fine. She sighed in relief and was about to go finish cooking when she heard him ask for water. This time though he was conscious enough to drink on his own, right? She blushed deeply but still helped hold the back of his head as she played the water skin on his lips and gently helped him to take a few small mouthfuls of water. She then said softly, “Rest. Food will be ready soon.”

Despite the darkness the seemed to be part of the both of them, not all was lost however, Umiko shared a deep bond with nature, she befriended animals and plants alike and that was one of the reasons she managed to bring the man into the cave. Although she was quite strong as she was a magical being, animals were always so cordial with her and offered to help alleviate her burdens even if for a little while. She could hear the creatures of the wilderness communicating, exploring the forest and being curious as to why she was helping a man she did not know. Her eyes softened as she looked at the stew she was making for him, the animals did make her heart feel warmth with content, it was her little piece of heaven. She ensured to use bones for a nutritious broth, she had also cut the vegetables into tiny pieces because he needed to drink the stew more than eat it as he was greatly dehydrated and lost a lot of energy.

“You…saved me? Thank you.”

She finished cooking and poured some of the food into two small bowls, she then approached him with a smile, “I could not leave you to die, life is too precious to let go when there was still so much to do.” She gently blow on the stew before she placed it on his lips for him to slowly drink its contents. Once he was done she asked, “Do you need another serving?” She then placed her hands on his chest and closing her eyes she focused on her healing powers in order to help him mend slightly faster and have more energy. Once she was done, she ha don’t expected to feel so out of breath and weak, she surprised herself by leaning her body against his and her head on his shoulder for a moment of dizziness. She had not realised this had happened until she felt comfort she had never experienced before and the smell of his clothes that suddenly felt so familiar. She blushed deeply and dried to move away quickly before feeling another wave of dizziness, “I’m so sorry, I just need to eat this and I will be okay.” She moved away from him thinking herself to be shameless, first with her vivid imagination regarding kissing his lips and later with taking advantage of someone so injured due to her weakness, she should have been careful when granting him the healing as it required energy from her body for it to work. She tried to reach for her bowl but her hands were shaking. She looked down in embarrassment this could not have gone any worse, she was the worst healer ever.