Chapter 30:

The Last Journey

Mizu walked next to Yoki at a steady pace, keeping her eyes forward. She hadn't looked back yesterday when she'd left the sand village; she felt that if she turned around and looked, she might have lost her nerve. The desert sun scorched her tender skin that morning.

"You could have said goodbye," Yoki commented quietly.

She didn't reply. If she'd said goodbye, she wouldn't have been able to leave. Gaara would have stopped her, and she didn't have time to waste. The lion let out a sigh and stopped.

"Yoki?" Mizu turned to her companion.

"Get on." Yoki knelt and offered his back to her.

Mizu stared at him perplex. "Yoki? Not once have you offered your back to me during our travels. You're a proud spirit, don't degrade yourself."

The lion flicked its tail, and its eyes softened. "It's a two-month journey to your homeland, and there is a tiny window where Jikan passes close enough to the human world that you can interact with him. After everything you've done for me, this is hardly degrading. Get on. I won't offer again."

She choked back tears as she climbed onto the lion's back. Adjusting herself, she used a rope to strap herself to Yoki. Grabbing his fur, she held on tightly.

"Ready?" Yoki asked and when she nodded, he took off. The wind knocked out of her, as the noble spirit ran at breakneck speed. The sand dunes rolled by. Normally she would have felt excitement at this opportunity, but her mind wondered back to the sand village. She'd finished all her orders before she left and gave them to Yaba to deliver, though she didn't tell the old woman why. She suspected the old lady had an inkling.

They traveled in silence, not that Mizu would have been heard over the roaring wind. She had to keep her head down so sand wouldn't get in her eyes. The wind bit at her exposed cheeks, and her eyes watered. Thankfully, she'd tied her hat to her neck instead of trying to wear it. A few hours passed, and the dunes turned into rocky land. She could just make out the forest at the edge. It would have taken them three days walking to travel through the desert, Yoki's speed made up the difference.

Yoki had to be more cautious when they reached the trees, but he didn't slow. By nightfall they'd traveled four days' worth of journey. Mizu made camp and quietly prepared dinner.

Yoki sighed at her as he rested. "This will be our last trip. Please, don't make it a sad one."

Mizu smiled sadly at the simple soup she'd made. "I'd like for it not to be a sad one. You know, I never thought after living all this time that I'd want to keep living. I'm weary of life, but…"

"Love is a powerful thing," Yoki mused.

"Love? Really, are we discussing this again?" Mizu laughed and sipped on her soup. Salty and bitter.

"You don't love him?" Yoki asked her seriously.

Mizu hesitated and gazed into the cloudy broth. "I don't know. Even if I manage to take back my time from Jikan-sama and make it safely back to the sand village…"

"You think he'll reject you?"

She cringed. Her companion was too keen. "I showed up in the village randomly, messed with his heart, and then left without saying a word. I'll be surprised if he'll want to see me after this."

"If you take back your time, return, and he doesn't, what will you do?"

Mizu looked up into the trees and listened to the chirping crickets. "I don't know. I really don't. Would it be too late to just die?"

"Yes."

She sighed and finished her soup. After cleaning up, she laid down in her bedroll and went to sleep. The next morning, they continued traveling north. With Yoki being her transportation, they traveled significant distances in leaps and bounds. They continued this way through the Land of Earth and up to a small country at the top of the continent. The air was cooler here and her cloak was necessary for warmth. They reached an area full of lush green forest and grey rocky mountains. Thanks to Yoki, their two-month-long journey was cut in half.

Standing at the edge of a cliff, she looked down into the forest like valley. At the bottom was a rocky clearing where the trees couldn't take root. It had been almost 500 years, but she would never forget the quiet little cove where her village had once stood. Descending the mountain, she walked solemnly in the clearing, and heard rocks shifting beneath her feet. She could hear a stream where she once fetched water, a scant distance from what had been her village. The native birds sang a high-pitched musical melody in the trees. Slowly, she walked over to a moss-covered rock and gently lay her hand on her husband's grave.

"Moyasu, forgive me. I didn't do as you asked." Mizu remembered the pain of watching him waste away, and helplessly crying at his side, unable to stop the mysterious sickness. He'd asked her on his last night, as if he'd known it was his last, to live and move on with her life. To love again. Instead, she'd made a pact with Yoki who showed up too late to save everyone but her, and went on with life intending to die a sacrifice. "But I'm going to do so now."

"Mizu?"

She stood and spun around, that lyrical voice that she'd only heard as a child called to her. A man with coppery skin, long black dreadlocks, who wore a simple black shirt and pant stood behind her. His eyes were a pure silver. Throwing herself to the ground, she kept her head bowed.

"Uta-sama." Mizu felt a weird mix of joy, sorrow and rage at seeing the god like spirit that had founded her clan over a thousand years ago.

"You're angry with me." His voice softened and lulled her.

She looked up, tears spilling out of her eyes. It was displaced anger, but she'd always wondered. "Why? Why didn't you save us! Where did you go when we needed you? Why didn't you stop Shikkan from killing everyone?"

"Child, you know that I have no such powers."

"I know! Still, you could have done something, but you disappeared on us. You left us to die. You could have at least been there when we needed you." Mizu couldn't quell her anger.

Uta looked ready to cry. "You know I can only enter the human world at certain times. If I could have come, I would have, but I didn't even know you all were in trouble until it was…"

"I know… I know…" Mizu put her hands over her face and bawled. She thought she didn't have any tears left for this, but apparently seeing him again allowed her to find some. They were quiet for a moment.

"Do you remember when I named you?"

She wiped her face and looked up at the man, his face was streaked with tears and his silver eyes were blurry.

"I remember." Mizu calmed her breathing. In their clan, Uta gave them an adult name when they turned ten. It had always been a big celebration, with dancing and singing. Her husband had a quick temper, but Uta said he burned bright light a fire and named him as such. When he'd named her, he told her she was strong like water. Able to change and adapt, but also strong. Their kekkei genkai's differed from normal ones. Uta had changed their blood a thousand years ago. When he named them, their kekkei genkai would activate and their name determined what their song could control. That was why even though she was weak if someone supplied her chakra, she could call on water to aid her.

Uta bent down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jikan will be here soon. Before he comes, I will give you a new name."

Mizu looked at him, startled. She'd never heard of him renaming someone. How would that affect her? He smiled at her softly. "You will be Joõ No Mizu from this day forward."

She collapsed to the ground; her blood was boiling. "W-what?"

There was a loud scream, and it took her a moment to realize she was the one screaming. Her body convulsed, and she clawed at the ground as her head felt like it would explode. Limbs flailed without her consent, and her insides tried to rip their way out. The pain was worse than Shikkan. She might really die. Uta watched her fearfully while Yoki paced back and forth as she shrieked. Suddenly, it was over. She panted as she slowly sat up. Flexing her hands, she felt lighter than she had in years.

"W-what did you do?" Mizu stared up at Uta, who let out a sigh of relief.

"I… Upgraded your kekkei genkai." He admitted.

She stared at him, confused. "Upgraded?"

"There are kekkei genkai's that can go through stages. Yours is not different in that sense, but I'm the only one who can upgrade it. I've never done it before because… well… the possibility of you dying is high. You are not a ninja, but now that doesn't matter. With the tiny amount of chakra you have, you'll be able to call on substantial power by yourself." Uta bent down and grabbed her shoulders, looking serious. "Do not abuse this power. Because you've worked hard for so many years and suffered, I want to help you. If you abuse this power, I will have no choice but to take your life. Do you understand?"

Mizu took a deep breath and could feel the surge inside her. She could easily call a storm that could flood a valley, perhaps if she strained, she might turn a country on its head. "I understand."

Uta nodded slowly and helped her up. His smiled turned flippant. "That was the easy part."

"Right." Mizu held her head high. She was as ready as she could be. "Now how do I get my time back from Jikan?"