Jenka slowly opened her eyes. She blinked several times as her eyes tried to adjust to the light. Everything seemed blurry to her and her head felt hazy. As soon as she sat herself up, she felt a sharp pain on her right arm. She looked down and began to scream at the sight.

Haji, who was kneeling at her side the whole time, held her arm in a piece of torn clothe. "It's ok! We're going to get this healed!"

The wound was deep with bloody spilling everywhere. Haji had noticed the cut was shaped different and none that he'd seen before. It trailed up her arm just an inch or two below her elbow. No, not trailed, wrapped. The cut literally spiraled up her arm as if someone had sliced her with a corkscrew.

As if a light clicked, Jenka worried about something more important than her arm. "Where's dad?!"

Haji just looked over to the side without saying a word. She looked in his direction and found her father slowly panting for his life. With her arm wrapped she slowly crawled her way to the body. Haji let her be, allowing her to do as she pleased.

Jenka knelt over her father, trying her best not to cry. "Dad... daddy... I don't know what happened just now, but you're going to be ok! I promise!"

He smiled, touching her cheek with his hand. Blood smeared across her cheek as he rubbed it, and she soon began to cry. "You're so strong, Jenka. Just like your mother..."

"So are you! You can get through this daddy! You can get through anything!

"You've come a long way, Jenka. You're growing up to look just like your mother. You're a Kobaiyo, and a Kobaiyo never gives up. But remember, we're a kind crew. Take what you need and don't ask for anything more."

She shook her head vehemently. "Stop saying stuff like that! You're coming with us! Haji-san and I will get you out of here and we'll find some way to–"

He shook his head. "No. No I think I'm going to stay here and watch the ship."

"What?! What are you talking about?! It's one fire, it-it's practically torn to pieces! It's falling apart and we have to get off of it now or we'll sink!"

He snickered, coughing as a result. "That's right, you can't swim. You better get out of here before that happens then."

"Dad, listen to me! We're going to–" Haji finally came up behind her and grabbed her, but she fought back. "No! Let me go, Haji-san! Tell him! Tell him we need to go and–"

"Where's Maya?" Aaron asked his right hand man. He simply shook his head and that told him all. The man sighed, closing his eyes. "You need to get her out of here, Haji."

"But captain–"

"That's an order, Haji."

He stared at him for a while, not wanting to leave his side. But he knelt his head, trying not to cry for Jenka's sake. "I'll protect her with my life, captain."

He shook his head. "Don't call me that anymore, Haji. We've been friends for so many years. Heh. For as long as I can remember, really. You were there when I met Jenka's mother... you were there when we got married, you were there to see Jenka being born, and you were there to comfort me when my wife died. And even now you're here with me in my last moments."

"Please don't say it like that, Aaron." He sniffled, doing his best to fight back the tears.

He smiled. "Take care of Jenka, old friend. She needs you more than ever now and I know you'll do a hell of a good job." Haji nodded.

Jenka shook her head. "No! You're not dying dad! We're not leaving you!"

Haji picked her up, keeping her tight in his arms. "Let's go Jenka."

She fought in his grasp. "NO!! NO, DADDY!! DADDY!!"

He smiled and reached a weak hand out to her. "I love you, sweetpea. You'll always be my little girl. You listen to Haji now, ok Jenka? Grow up to be a strong beautiful woman."

Uncontrollable tears covered her face as she continued to fight against Haji. He placed her in a dinghy, which he had to quickly patch up what he could from the strange explosion.

"DADDY!! I LOVE YOU!! DADDY NO!! DADDY!!"

Haji dropped the boat quickly and carefully into the water, forcing Jenka to not look and to not sneak back on bored. He climbed on the rope and was ready to slide down before he took once last look back at his captain.

Aaron nodded, still smiling. "Take care... old friend."

The dinghy floated far away from the ship as it finally exploded altogether from its damage and fire. They watched from afar as they ship slowly sank into the sea.

Haji held onto Jenka, hugging her softly. "I may not be the first person on your list to be with right now, but you're father was a strong, caring man and you should be proud of him."

She nodded, sniffling through the last of her tears. "I am. I'm damn proud of him and proud of being a Kobaiyo."

"I'll do my best to take care of you, Jenka. I swear my life on it."

"I know..."

He held out his arm, giving her an item he dropped in the boat. "Here. You should have this."

She held out her hands as he placed a tattered burnt sword in her hands. She pulled out the blade from its sheath and her eyes went wide. "This is dad's sword."

"What's left of it anyways. The blade's completely destroyed at the tip, but if we take it into a sword shop, we could get it turned into a kodachi."

She nodded. "I'd like that."