Shin stared at his charge. The sable haired fiery senshi still wasn't moving. It looked like she was barely breathing. She'd reverted from her uniform into the robes of a miko at some point while they'd both been out. His guess was that like him, she might be cut off from her powers. She hadn't moved or even stirred since he'd first woken here, so he couldn't really ask her.

He didn't know what to do. He had no first aid, no medicine, no water even. He could do nothing for her but watch her breathe. He let out a frustrated puff of air. It was freezing out here, but the woman on the ground needed his jacket more than he did. He'd tried, no less than 5 times, to call on Suiko, but his armor felt like it was barricaded inside of him and refused to budge. He had at least managed to keep his subarmor, and that was helping to keep him warm. But he felt so naked without Suiko here. Everything just felt….wrong. Threatening.

He wished he knew where the Troopers were. He was sure they were fine, but he'd feel a lot better if they were together. The woman on the ground moaned, and Shin couldn't help but hover. She'd done that a few times, but then had stopped moving again.

This time, she moaned once more, and moved, clutching at her stomach. "Ohhh, Kamis...I'm going to be sick…." Shin felt his eyes widen as he grabbed her quickly by the shoulders and turned her on her side as gently as he could manage. He made it just in time, and the unmistakable sound of someone being vilely ill reached his ears immediately after. Shin winced in sympathy. Beneath his hand, he could feel the tremble go through her body.

She lay there for some time, leaning weaky up on one elbow, retching every few moments, and Shin began to worry instead about how long she continued to be ill. She needed a hospital. She was clearly badly wounded, and likely ill, perhaps even poisoned. Feeling helpless, he clenched his hands into shaking fists and squeezed his eyes shut. Without Suiko, he was useless here. They were alone and vulnerable. How could he keep them safe?

Shin wasn't aware of how quiet it had suddenly become until small, gentle hands enveloped his fists. "It'll be ok. Don't worry." The melodic and feminine voice had a rough edge to it, and he opened his eyes immediately to find himself looking into her violet ones. She smiled weakly at him, and he stared, taking in her battered dirt-stained face, feeling something pull toward her deep inside him.

He realized in that moment it didn't matter that he couldn't access Suiko. This woman was counting on him to help her, and Shin refused to let her down. He firmed his resolve and nodded at her.

"Yes. I'll keep you safe, Miss…Mars?" he trailed off, the name feeling awkward in the air between them when she no longer wore her uniform.

She smiled at him again. "Hino. I'm Rei Hino, "she replied.

Shin returned her smile. "Miss Hino, please, let me help you up. If you're up for moving, we can't stay here. We're out in the open and I don't think it's a good position for us." Rei nodded and leaned heavily on him as he pulled them both to their feet. He hesitated, unsure if he should be jostling her just now, when he caught sight of a small pile of black sludge just behind her. His eyes widened, and she looked over her shoulder and grimaced at it.

"Is that…." He was hesitant to finish his question.

"From me? Yeah. I think whatever that thing threw at us is some kind of toxin. Hopefully that's all of it."

Shin felt his gut clench with unease as he stared at it, then turned an assessing gaze on Rei. "Are you sure you're up for moving? Maybe you should lie down a bit more."

She shook her head at him, and then winced. "No. A lie down might be nice, but you were right, we can't stay here. It's not safe. The darkness…." Rei paused, shuddering, and cast a nervous look over her shoulder. Shin nodded, and gently pulled her arm across his shoulders. "Let's get going then. Any idea which direction?"

Rei leaned on him heavily, still trembling, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her lips were dry and cracked. She needed water. She needed a doctor. Shin tried in vain to stop the thoughts from cycling through his brain.

"There." She pointed a finger firmly at a path that wove off through a forest that looked like something straight out of a gothic horror movie. He fully expected they'd encounter some sort of shadowy castle when they made their way through the trees.

He didn't find the prospect of a hike through a darkened wood overjoying, but he trusted Rei's senses. She'd kept them alert during the battle, but more than that, somehow, he just knew she could be relied upon to navigate them both through this hostile new territory. She didn't seem like the type of woman to take their fate lightly.

He shouldered her more firmly, trying to ease her as much as possible as they moved, and they slowly made their way towards the winding darkness. Shin kept one eye on Rei and one eye on their surroundings, trying to be ready for anything.

And feeling ready for nothing.