Episode 10 – Low Tide

With the wind running its fine, invisible fingers through his hair, Cye sighed as he breathed in the salty scent riding on it. Sitting here at the summit of a tall hill overlooking Kirara Beach in front of him with the city of Yamaguchi standing behind, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. But they wouldn't budge, and Cye continued gazing at the Seto Inland Sea while his mind tried to make sense of what he'd gotten himself into. Not that he had much choice; he was a Ronin Warrior, after all.

Despite having said to his friends and fellow warriors that he knew it wouldn't be easy searching for the women who'd visited them in their dreams, Cye couldn't help but feel disappointed that it was taking longer than he'd thought. True, he'd only begun his search three days prior after returning from his meeting with the guys. But in all that time in which he believed he'd find a lead through his special senses, not one had presented itself in any way, shape, or form.

Perhaps he should've started in his hometown of Hagi rather than the capital city that shared its name with his home prefecture. The town's population of around forty-five-thousand did present greater odds than that of the city, over four times its size. And yet, the more Cye dwelled on it, the more his dilemma seemed to stretch as wide and as deep as the ocean spread out before him. Before he knew it, hypnotized as he already was, Cye was once again in the midst of his own ominous dream.

It all started with him surrounded by a landscape of perfect dark, with silvery mist that hung in the air and felt like spiders crawling on his skin. He was also standing up to his knees in a liquid he couldn't identify. It certainly wasn't water. It felt sticky, and had a faint scent of death. But despite the shivers that traveled up his spine one after another, Cye's curiosity took over. Taking a deep breath, he began moving toward whatever waited for him in the unseen distance, the splashes of his legs treading the unknown substance echoing in all directions.

He looked this way and that, but all that greeted him was the same black nothingness and mist that continued to chill him to his bones…until he heard a sinister laugh that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up. Reluctant to believe his ears while his heart pounded with dread, Cye looked straight ahead. Two bright red lights sparkled at him from the black depths, glinting off the surface of the liquid Cye still stood in. And that was all he needed to realize with a jolt of terror just what the substance was. It's…blood!

Its source then emerged from the dark vacuum and past the fog in the form of armor as red as the sea beneath. And in spite of having fought him only once half a decade ago, Cye instantly knew this enemy. "Red Torrent!"

After Talpa's first defeat, one of his Dark Warlords, Sekhmet, had forced Cye to fight an evil doppelgänger of his Torrent armor. Despite giving his all, Cye had been imprisoned in the Dynasty – along with Sage and Kento. And facing Red Torrent once again brought his warrior instincts out of hibernation. "You may have taken me prisoner once, but never again!"

Red Torrent cackled. "It matters not what you want, Ronin!" He spat out that last word as though it were the punchline to a dark joke. "I am the one with the advantage here! I'm not a coward!"

Cye's blood froze. He himself had said those very words two years ago, when he'd declared to Kento and Rowen that he no longer wanted to be a Ronin Warrior before fleeing in a sorrowful rage. And he couldn't have done it at a worse time, as Ryo and Sage had been abducted by a mysterious African warrior named Mukala – which Cye still considered his fault.

Only the white Inferno armor Ryo had owned at the time could oppose its black counterpart worn by Mukala. But in order to summon it, Ryo had needed the power of all five Ronin armors. And it was Cye's reluctance to lend his that'd opened the trapdoor for Ryo and Sage to fall through. Although he did eventually come through for his friends, helping them defeat Mukala and destroy both Inferno armors, Cye would always rank those first two failures among his biggest-ever lapses in judgment.

But now that Red Torrent was using his own words against him… His previously frozen blood boiled at the surge of outrage. "You're one to talk, Red Torrent!" he snarled. "My armor isn't a miserable, degenerate copy!"

"But your precious armor isn't here to save you now, is it?" his evil twin countered smugly. "You are right about one thing, though. There is only one armor of Torrent…and that's me!" Red Torrent shot forward, and Cye had barely a half a second to dodge. He hated to admit it, but he was at a serious disadvantage without his armor, and he wasn't sure he could summon it in such an evil place. But that didn't mean he was without skill.

With instinctive reflexes, Cye dove out of the way again, narrowly avoiding the blade of Red Torrent's yari spear. He then got behind his opponent, gripped the yari's handle with both hands, and pulled back hard while pushing Red Torrent forward with his foot. "Didn't think I'd put up this much of a fight, did you?" he jested out of the corners of his mouth. "Just like old times, huh?"

Even so, Cye could feel his opponent's anger pulsing, forcing him to strengthen the lock. In doing so, he failed to notice Red Torrent's hands slowly reaching up to the spear handle. "If I recall correctly," he grunted darkly as his fingers curled around it, "I defeated you!" Red Torrent then broke free of the lock, snaked his arms around the Cye's, and proceeded to drag him beneath the scarlet sea like a shark devouring its prey.

Although he was the only Ronin Warrior who could breathe underwater without his armor, the last thing Cye wanted to inhale was all this blood. Nor was he willing to open his eyes as he often did when swimming. He became all the more frantic when the floor he'd just been standing on literally disappeared from under his feet. And while he no longer felt Red Torrent's arms holding him hostage, he was still trapped in this equally oppressive prison of an ocean. Once he figured which direction was up, Cye swam hard.

Just when he was beginning to fear he might never taste air again, his feet found ground once more, and his head burst past the surface. He coughed again and again before forcing himself to take slow, deep breaths. But he couldn't relax just yet – not until he found out where was now. Letting his gaze wander, Cye was startled to find that he'd emerged in an environment utterly different from the one he'd left.

Somehow, he'd found his way into a tide pool, blessedly filled with cool seawater rather than lukewarm blood, and level with just below his shoulders. With rapidly increasing relief, Cye didn't think he'd ever been so glad to see the rolling waves of the magnificent deep blue sea in his life, all signs of the blood having evaporated along with the fog. It was still dark, but the light of a full moon accompanied by countless stars lent an immediate aura of calm – the complete opposite of the dread that'd previously made his skin crawl.

Yet despite the scene's relaxed mood, Cye remained on edge. Although Red Torrent seemed to have pulled a vanishing act once he pulled Cye under, he could still be around. Just as he'd done at the start of his dream, Cye scanned the darkness, this time for even the slightest hint of red. Looking behind, his eyes widened at the rocky shore lined with glittering sand that stretched into the night as far as he could see in either direction, with no fellow human beings in sight…

Wait a minute! Cye lifted his fists as he swiveled back to the left. But instead of being met with his evil twin, he gasped lightly at the sight of a lone figure standing on a small clifftop in the distance. Even in the midnight darkness, he could make out a distinctly feminine shape. Other than that, everything else about the visitor remained shrouded in shadow. And it was that mystery about her that held Cye's gaze captive.

The anonymous young woman's long hair flew beside her in the wind that carried the ocean waves. While he couldn't determine the color of her eyes, Cye could see even from where he was that they were about as wide as his own. She said nothing, but he could tell by the tilt of her head that she was regarding him with as much curiosity as he was her. He may not have had the slightest idea who this lady was, but unlike Red Torrent, she didn't strike Cye as dangerous at all. "Wh-where did you come from?"

She remained silent, but jutted her chin behind her. Wondering if she wanted him to follow her, Cye waded toward a spot where the tide pool met the shore, and hastily climbed out. Already, the feminine silhouette was hurrying down a path where sparkling sand met silvery grass, prompting Cye to hurry after her. "Where are we going?" he called. But just like before, she didn't answer, or even so much as look over her shoulder. In spite of his increasing frustration, Cye's curiosity spurred him on.

Eventually, they came to another cliffside that was three times as high and wide as the first. Cye halted at the base, but the shadowy girl went further until she stopped only inches from the edge. As she looked over her shoulder at her pursuer, he was momentarily struck at how the moonlight surrounded her figure as though she were made of star-shine. And yet even then, only the whites of her large eyes remained visible, blinking in an expression Cye couldn't read.

"…Who are you…?" Without answering, the lady looked ahead again. She then hastened forward, and Cye knew immediately what she was doing. "No! Wait!" he pleaded as he ran toward her, his hand reaching out. "Stop!" But he was too late. With the ease and grace of a swan, the mysterious maiden leaped from the clifftop, and Cye could only watch with a bewildered gaze as she dove into the watery world below, the waves embracing her with a splash.

With gritted teeth and closed eyes, Cye too leaped from the summit, his arms instinctively stretched in front of him to ensure a smooth entry. The explosive sound of his weight meeting the water briefly flooded his ears. And when he reopened his eyes, Cye found himself in the underwater realm he knew almost as well as the one above. But there was no time to enjoy the reunion. Though he was unlikely to find her in this literal sea of near-darkness, Cye figured the filtered moonlight would provide enough illumination as he searched the waters.

Suddenly, he spotted a glowing outline, and that was enough for him to swim forward. Somehow, she'd already gotten several yards ahead of him, and Cye was again awestruck. With her hair flowing behind her and the way she swam as though she'd lived in the sea all her life, she so resembled a mermaid that the only thing missing was a tail. This, coupled with his curiosity about her identity, compelled Cye to work his limbs harder. Without the option to call out to her, he hoped she'd at least hear him in her mind. "Please! At least let me see your face!"

Instead, the girl's shining form began fading into the aquatic void, little by little, until he'd lost sight of her entirely. Feeling more dejected than he had in a long time, Cye slowed until he was floating, all alone, in the sea that'd failed him. Even the moonlight shining through the surface seemed dimmer. Yet before too much time had passed, another glowing light emerged in front of him, brightening more and more until Cye felt tempted to shut his eyes. But he wanted to see if his instincts would prove right. And eventually, they did.

Another woman made herself known to him, but unlike the previous one, none of her features were hidden. Indeed, Cye didn't need the flowing robes that were whiter than snow nor the rosary she carried to tell him who she was. It may have been a year, but he knew her well. "Suzunagi," he mentally greeted her, hoping she'd get the message. Fortunately, her soft smile indicated she had. Yet even then, the possible implications of her appearance implored Cye to ask, "Pardon me but…what are you doing here?"

Like him, she didn't speak audibly, but Cye heard her voice in his mind as clearly as his own. "I've missed you too, young warrior." She then frowned empathetically. "I know what it is you fear."

What did he fear exactly? But just as soon as the question posed itself, Cye knew the answer. "Please don't tell me there's a new enemy we must fight." Although he'd been referring to his friends, Cye acknowledged with guilt that it was really himself he was concerned for. All of a sudden, words flooded his mind faster than he could keep up with them. "Being a Ronin Warrior was great at first. But I didn't know it was going to last this long. I had no idea my life was just going to be one battle after another."

Suzunagi lifted his chin, forcing him to look into the pools of wisdom that were her eyes. "There are things in this world worth fighting for, Cye…and you know it. That is why you continue to fight with yourself."

He wondered what she meant, until he recalled his clash with his blood-red twin. A flurry of bubbles rose to the surface as he gasped. "What are you talking about?" he silently demanded. "The last thing I want is a thirst for blood like his!"

Suzunagi's eyes remained gentle, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly. "And that is the very reason you fought Red Torrent," she replied. "So that you do not exchange your kindness, compassion, and concern for his bloodlust, cruelty, and depravity. Remember who you are, Cye of the Torrent. You are the warrior of trust. And you must trust your heart to remain in the right place…" As she spoke, a wave of calm spread through Cye, until the sympathetic spirit added, "Just as she must also do."

Cye's eyes flew wide open. "Do you mean that young woman?" he asked with renewed hope. Despite the reminder of his failure, he wondered what she knew. "Who was she? Do I know her?" Not counting Suzunagi, there were only three women in Cye's life whom he knew well – his mother, his sister, and Mia. But none of them matched the shadow's profile at all.

Suzunagi blinked at him. "It is true. There is a great battle waiting to be fought. But if you and she are to be of help in achieving victory, you must resolve conflicts you have forgotten." She then began drifting away from him, just as the female phantom had.

Not wanting the past to repeat itself already, Cye stretched a hand toward Suzunagi. "Wait…!" There were so many questions on his mind, he didn't know where to start. Before he could, Cye's eyes had flashed open again, and he was back in his bed, completely dry as though he'd never taken that underwater trip. And much to his disappointment, he didn't know any more now in the present than he had a week ago.

"Conflicts I've forgotten…" Cye mused out loud as he stared at the pale golden sand of Kirara Beach. "But…what are they? And how do they relate to that girl?" With an exhausted exhale of breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in until now, he let his gaze travel along the shoreline, wishing it were a pathway to the answers he wanted, and the girl he'd let get away… And his wish was granted when he caught sight of another lone watcher not too many yards away.

He'd glanced away initially, until a flash of distinctive light blue hair at the corner of his eye made him do a double take. And there he saw the owner of those fine locks, sitting in front of an easel and putting a brush to it. Feeling as if a car had slammed into him, Cye's eyes went wild and he gasped in shocked recognition.

"It…it can't be…!" But it was. "I…I know her…!" Or at least, had known her. Regardless, in all his life, Cye had known only one girl who possessed such beauty. Midnight-blue eyes, long, silvery-blue hair resembling the ocean waves, and a smile that'd brightened even his dreariest days.

Now that he was seeing her again – not just in that sea of dreams but reality – five-year-old memories emerged from a ocean of remembrance in the back of Cye's mind. He marveled at how he could've forgotten her, when he made yet another startling realization. Conflicts I've forgotten! Conflicts he'd had with her, the first and only girl he'd dated. The only one he'd felt anything like love for. The one he'd had to leave behind to become a Ronin Warrior… And with that reminder, a new spectacle caught Cye's eye that stunned him even more.

It turned out he'd been right about having extra warrior senses after all. There could be no other explanation for the kanji character now glowing on her forehead in a light blue color identical to that of his armor. Cye recognized it as a guiding trait that all Ronin Warriors had. His was "Shin/信," or "Trust" in English. Even from where he was, he could read hers as "Ji/慈," or "Mercy" in English. Then…could that mean she's a Ronin Warrior like us? Like me?

Cye groaned. Not only did it not make sense for a warrior to have mercy as a guiding trait, but given the last time they'd seen each other had ended on a bad note, he wouldn't be surprised if that was the last thing she'd show him. He may have found his literal "dream girl," but here was an even bigger challenge – building a new bridge in place of the one he'd torn down. Calling it daunting would've been an understatement. And yet, the thought of this gloriously familiar face fighting alongside him in the coming battle – whatever it was – gave Cye just enough resolve to face it.

Lost as she was gazing at the breathtaking landscape she'd just painted, the girl with a mermaid's likeness jolted when her phone went off. After fishing it out of her bag carrying her art supplies, the corners of her mouth lifted when she saw a name she recognized, and then answered. "Hey, Ikuyo. What's up?"

"Hope I'm not interrupting," an older girl's voice replied at the other end. "And I hope you're close to wrapping up your picture, 'cause I'm done for the day."

The younger girl raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Already?" she asked. "I thought you wouldn't be done for another hour."

"My boss said he'd take care of the rest," Ikuyo explained. "I'm actually on my way right now. Just stay where you are and I'll meet you in about ten minutes, 'kay?"

The young lady shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds good to me. My painting's close to being done anyway. Just needs a few final touches. Talk to you later, sis."

"Cool. See you soon, Yui." Ikuyo then hung up, prompting Yui to return her phone to her bag, and her gaze to the blue sea reflecting the summer sunlight in a sparkling display. She breathed a wistful sigh as she thought of her only sibling, whom she'd been visiting here in Yamaguchi City for three days now.

As much as she loved her sister, Yui sometimes wished she'd take their dad's advice to stop and smell the proverbial roses. Whereas Ikuyo took after their mom – pragmatic, logical, utilitarian – Yui had inherited their father's love of art and swimming. She knew her sister didn't mean anything bad by calling her paintings "pictures," but it'd always been a pet peeve of hers. Still, it was remarkable Ikuyo was as emotionally put together as she was, considering what'd happened just a year ago…

Not wishing to dwell on a time best forgotten, Yui focused instead on why she'd been coming here three days in a row, despite her original intentions. She sometimes painted or went swimming to escape troubling or unsettling thoughts. Not that what'd been on her mind for almost half a week deserved that label. But still, was it mere coincidence that the most bizarre dream she'd had in a long time visited her the first night she'd spent in Ikuyo's apartment?

It began with her standing alone in a white void. In spite of the illumination provided by an unknown light source, Yui had seen nothing except her own shadow, which stretched ominously behind her like one long, single stroke of black paint being smeared across an empty canvas. No sooner had she thought so than Yui saw the picture slowly but surely change, as though unseen brushes held by equally invisible hands were painting a picture around her.

Pale blue paint that splashed above her became the sky. Brown lines bordered with patches of green became solitary trees. But it was what – rather who – emerged in the center that'd really caught Yui's attention. Before her eyes, two outlines transformed into a boy and a girl, both in their mid-teens and wearing school uniforms Yui instantly recognized. By the time they and the surrounding landscape became whole, she knew she was reliving the day in which she learned what it was to be heartbroken. Only this time, she was watching as a powerless spectator.

"What's wrong?" her younger self asked, a concerned frown on her wide-eyed face. "You don't look so good. You're not sick, are you?" She rested her hand on the cheek of the boy in front of her, as though to feel his temperature, until his own hand slid up to cover hers and gently removed it.

"I'm fine, Yui – in that way, at least. But…" He trailed off, clearly hesitant to speak the words the present Yui knew were on his lips. "There's something I need to tell you, something serious."

Her past self gasped lightly and laid both hands on the boy's shoulders as if to comfort him. "Is it your mom? Did she have a heart attack?" Repeating his action from before, the boy shook his head and removed her hold.

"No, not at all. She's fine." Despite his reassurance, the younger Yui remained confused. "Something's come up – a…calling…only I can answer," he elaborated. "And…I'm afraid we won't be able to go out anymore."

The present Yui watched as her mirror image's eyes widened even more, this time in startled disbelief, and her pounding heart took a nosedive. "You mean…you're breaking up with me?"

For a moment, the boy appeared to be at a loss for words. "Well, I wouldn't put it that way, but–"

"How else could you put it?" Yui's past self interrupted, her unbelief visibly turning into hurt. "What is this 'calling' you have to answer that doesn't leave room for us?"

As if deciding he might as well be out with it, the boy looked her straight in the eye and replied with a resigned tone, "It's not something I'm allowed to discuss with anyone. I wish I could, really…but I can't." He then mimicked her previous gesture and rested his hands on her shoulders, obviously wanting to comfort her this time. "Yui, please don't fight with me," he anxiously entreated her. "Please try to understand."

The girl in front of him roughly shook herself out of his hold, taking him aback. "I would if you'd just tell me what's going on!" she exclaimed in frustration.

"I already told you, I can't!" the boy reminded her, raising his own voice until he seemed to take note of it.

But the girl spoke again before he could, with a tone that was softer but nonetheless revealed her efforts to control herself. "Alright then; if we are through, then I'd rather we not end it with a fight either." Standing at her full height, she fixed him with a soulful gaze. "Whatever it is you need to do…I wish you luck."

Yui's younger self then turned away and crossed her arms, not even glancing at her now ex-boyfriend, even when he asked gently, "What about you? Will you be okay?"

She gave him only an exasperated sigh and a few choice words. "Just…just leave me alone." The boy reached out to her, but then drew his hand back as though he'd thought better of it.

"…Okay then…" he breathed with the same resigned tone from before. "Goodbye, Yui." With one last solemn look, he turned away, and the present Yui watched as the otherwise fine young man who'd been nothing but a gentleman toward her – had treated her like a princess – walked away, staring ahead as he left the past – and her – behind. Her heart sank even further when she looked back one more time to see her past self walking in the opposite direction, no longer trying to hide what she really felt – specifically the tears in her eyes.

For an instant, the present Yui felt the prick of those same tears. Though she may have been older and wiser now than she'd been then, the five-year-old pain of her first heartbreak threatened to break it anew. Of course, her sister had suffered far worse. But still… Why couldn't he tell me?

Having not expected an answer, Yui's heart thudded again – now in alarm – when the entire environment was suddenly plunged into darkness as though a full solar eclipse were occurring. Except this darkness went even further, submerging everything and anything in total black. But before Yui could wonder if she was alone again, she heard a woman's voice echo from the back of this new cave of nothingness. "He could not tell you because his was a path you could not walk…until now."

Startled yet curious, Yui turned, and gasped upon seeing a woman who'd seemed to materialize out of nowhere. And from the aura surrounding her that sent a shiver down Yui's spine, she knew she was facing a spirit rather than a living person. She certainly looked the part, with white flowing robes that made her resemble a living moon in this darker-than-midnight blackness, scarlet red hair with tied bangs that fell over her eyes, and a knowing yet benevolent blue-green gaze. Then Yui noticed the rosary she carried. Oh…an angel?

But the woman smiled softly and shook her head. "Not an angel," she answered her silent question. "For many years after my death, my restless soul wandered the earth without direction, but I have since found my peace."

Her voice having been replaced with awe, Yui could only ask as silently as before, "Who are you?" Once again, the woman seemed to have read her mind.

"I know who you are, Yui Kikkawa." Yui's eyes widened with yet more astonishment as she wondered wildly how this utter stranger knew her name. But then the spirit's gaze turned somber, even regretful. "Like you, I too have held a grudge – though mine was far more severe, and I held it for much longer."

Her words were met with bewilderment from the young woman beholding her. What does she mean? Yui dared to wonder. What grudge am I holding? I may get emotional sometimes but I don't hold grudges…do I?

The woman's eyes flashed with conviction. "Then I learned what my bitterness was costing me and others, and it was too high a price to pay." Her features then softened, reminding Yui of the sea at daybreak. "Regardless of how deep it is or how long it is held, condemnation always leads to death. Only by letting go can we break its destructive power over us. Only when she is merciful is a warrior truly powerful." With a sweep of her robes, the kindly apparition gestured at something behind Yui, causing the girl to turn around.

Through a screen of light blue fog, a crowd of shadows appeared to be gathered beside a rock face like those one would find on a beach. Although their profiles were hidden, the shapes of their outlines reminded Yui of the samurai of feudal Japan. And they all seemed to be ganging up on one lone silhouette near the center. Yui couldn't make out this one's likeness either, but it was clearly a young man in trouble. Suddenly, another solitary shadow appeared at the top of the formation, this one resembling a powerful – and vaguely familiar – young woman…

But…that can't really be me! Yui shook her head before turning to face her nameless guide once more for answers. Apparently not at all alarmed about the spectacle, the redheaded spirit gave a ghostly smile, her tone both firm and warm as she spoke again.

"Yui, like water, you have the power to bring either destruction or mercy. But unlike water, you can choose which one to summon. Choose wisely." With those last two words, she began to fade, merging with the darkness that'd taken over Yui's dream just as soon as she'd emerged from it.

Realizing she was losing her chance, Yui desperately grabbed hold of it. "Wait! What do you mean? What grudge am I holding?" Then she recalled what'd been on her mind before the woman appeared. "What about him?" she asked, not daring to even speak the boy's name. "What could he not tell me…?" She trailed off upon acknowledging she was now just pleading with the void. And the next thing Yui knew, she was back in the spare room she'd taken for herself in her sister's apartment.

Thoughts of Ikuyo reminding her of her imminent arrival, Yui began hastily packing up her things into two waterproof bags – one to carry her supplies and the other her painting. Fortunately, the painting itself wasn't too big and was already mostly dry. Once she was sure she'd gotten everything, Yui stood up from the boulder she'd been sitting on, and hurried toward the pathway. But right when her feet met it, a familiar voice behind her suddenly called her name – and made her freeze. "Yui?"

Against her better judgment, Yui spun around. Her eyes became saucers and her mouth fell open with the faintest gasp upon seeing the voice's owner just a yard from her. She may not have seen him in some years, but he was no less familiar. "…Cye…?" She badly wanted to, but Yui couldn't deny that the boy who'd walked away was now standing before her as a man. Aside from how tall he'd grown since then, he still had the same messy auburn hair that fell just past his neck, the same turquoise eyes that proved some men could be called beautiful.

So many emotions crashed over Yui like a waterfall – happiness at seeing him again after so long, anger at how he was returning only now, and the awkward tension now hanging in the air between them – that she could no more easily grasp them than one could the flow of a river. Completely lost as to how she should react, Yui obeyed her first instinct, and turned back around to hasten up the path, her luggage thankfully still in her hold. But just as she'd feared, her former boyfriend didn't leave her alone. "Yui, wait! Wait!"

As if by magic, Cye appeared at her side and firmly but gently grasped the crook her elbow, forcing her to stop and look at him. "Don't you remember me?" he asked, his mouth smiling while his eyes did not. "We dated in high school?"

Oh, she remembered him alright, but wasn't about to say so. Not that she could had she wanted to, at least not immediately. When she did find her voice again, only a few words passed her lips. "Cye… What are you doing here?"

His countenance fell, and Yui wanted to cuss at how it still made her heart go out to him. "You aren't at least a little happy to see me again?" he asked sadly.

Though all the feelings that'd initially swamped her still rolled like tidal waves, Yui couldn't find it in herself to be impolite. "It's just…" She paused, grasping at verbal straws. "It's just been so long…and…the way our last meeting ended was…" …Heart-rending… "…complicated."

Understanding seemed to dawn on Cye, and he nodded. "Yes, I remember. But…" Just as he had in her dream memory, Cye's features suddenly solidified with resolve. "Yui, I know how sudden this all seems, and I won't pretend to know what you're feeling."

Just as you didn't back then? Yui presumed with a frown. With that thought, she finally found an emotion within her reach, and she let her ex know it. "Then what are you doing here?!" she blurted out her original question. Eyebrows furrowed, she added, "Or are you gonna leave me in the dark again?"

The young man's eyes briefly flashed in alarm, but he continued to press her. "Can we please not bring that up? I'm not the thoughtless boy I was five years ago."

Despite wanting to believe him, the heartache that'd plagued her dream remained sharp. "And I'm not the stupid, naïve girl I was!" Yui raised her voice. "If you think you can just waltz right over and win me back after half a decade, then you've got another thing coming!"

"That's not why I'm here!" Cye shook his head at her, his voice also raised. "It does involve you and me, but not…" He hesitated, but Yui knew what he'd been about to say.

"Us?" she spoke for him. No longer wanting to hear him, Yui retook control of the conversation. "I thought we were through, Cye. I thought there was some super-secret thing only you had to do, without me. What does it have to do with me now that it didn't then?" Suddenly realizing where this was likely heading, Yui's suspicions surged anew. Her gaze turning into a glare, she warned in a low tone, "Don't you dare lie to me, Cye Mouri!"

For an instant, Yui thought Cye looked appalled, as though astonished that she'd think he'd do such. He shook his head again, more vehemently this time. "I'm not lying! I swear! This is too important for whatever's between us!" Before either could say anything else, a whistle sounded from several yards down the path, and both saw a young woman in her mid-twenties and looking almost like an older version of Yui, whom she was now beckoning.

More thankful to see Ikuyo than she'd been in a long while, Yui faced Cye one more time – and hopefully the last. "My sister's here. I gotta go."

Just barely restraining herself from running away from him, Yui started toward Ikuyo, but Cye once again took hold of her arm. "Yui, please! You need to hear what I have to say!"

His sudden anxiety pricked her just enough to make her pause. "Well then, why don't we exchange numbers? You can call me later." Not that I can guarantee I'd answer.

As though he'd read her mind, Cye extended his hands and all but implored her. "I wish this could wait, Yui, but it can't!"

In spite of the softness she still felt toward him – slight though it was – Yui let him know her patience was wearing thin with another warning look. "Cye, you've already seriously pushed your luck today. Don't push it too far."

Even if he hadn't been nearing the end of his increasingly desperate rope, nothing could've prepared Cye for the sudden and massive shake that nearly sent him to his knees and made Yui drop her luggage. It then left as soon as it came, but Cye's surprise gave way to foreboding when he saw the startled bewilderment coloring Yui's face. "W-what was that?" she asked nervously, then added, "Please tell me that wasn't what I think it was."

Much as he wanted to, despite Yui's previous accusation, Cye couldn't. Despite struggling to do so himself, he advised as steadily as possible, "Whatever it was, let's just stay calm, and hope it doesn't come ba–" He was cut off when the sensation did return, with a violent vengeance. He and Yui barely remained standing as the following earthquake shook the ground beneath them, and caused the waves of the sea beyond to rise more than three times their previous height.

Something is coming! Cye realized now that he was forced to face what he could no longer flee. But his dread transformed into determination when he met Yui's terrified gaze. In an instant, he decided he was not going to repeat his past failures – not with her counting on him! "Yui, come with me!" he shouted above the pandemonium. "We need to get off the beach now!"

He then shot his hand forward to take hers, but she jumped back before turning and taking off up the path. "Ikuyo!" she cried, briefly losing her footing but none of her speed as she rushed to the older girl, who was already doing likewise toward her.

"No, wait!" Cye echoed her tone before hurrying after her. "Yui!" He admired her desire to save her sister – yet even without their shared history, he couldn't afford to lose her now that he knew she was a Ronin Warrior. But as the chaotic convulsions intensified and the tidal waves rose even taller, Cye's warrior instincts could no longer allow him to be concerned only for Yui's safety.

"Yui!" Ikuyo yelled with momentary relief as they exchanged a short embrace. She then took her sister's hand. "Come on! Let's get outta here befo–"

Both her and Yui's wide-eyed, fearful gazes mixed with surprise upon seeing Cye. Ignoring their reactions, he shouted as loudly as before, "Let me help you! I know this beach!"

"Wha–?! Yui, who is this guy?!" Ikuyo demanded, her eyes and tone suspicious. Just then, an enormous wave crashed against the edge of a cliff only a dozen yards from the pathway, leaving all three of them half-drenched.

"No time!" Yui coughed. "Lead the way, Cye!" Grateful that she was finally putting aside past grievances, Cye's resolve strengthened all the more.

"Everyone hold hands!" With Yui holding Ikuyo's hand in her left and Cye's in her right, the three raced forward, not even trying to shield themselves from the waves that continued their relentless assault on the cliffside. Every strike wore away the surrounding ground more and more, until a patch of rocky soil caved beneath Cye, causing him to trip and fall. His hand having been yanked from hers, Yui halted and looked over her shoulder at Cye with renewed panic. But he wasn't about to let her risk herself, not even for him. "Go on without me!" he urged. "Just go!"

"Not without you!" Yui declared. Suddenly, the sounds of thousands of rocks breaking at once and a crash made by the biggest tsunami wave imaginable erupted in Cye's ears. They were followed by terrified screams from him, Yui, and Ikuyo as they were hurled forward and then down by the strongest force of gravity he'd ever known in his life. The next thing he knew, he'd been submerged in an unseen world that felt equally familiar and foreign. His eyes flew open and a gasp filled his lungs with oxygen before both were forced shut again as he was pulled back under.

With adrenaline coursing through him, Cye's five senses put together the puzzle pieces they'd accumulated – the blue and white colors, the strength of the water tossing him to and fro, the salt he both smelled and tasted…and the heart-wrenching shrieks of two girls fearing for their lives.

Shoving his head above the surface, he kept his eyes open as much as he could while he searched frantically for the girls, when he heard a cry that threatened to yank his heartstrings out of his chest. "CYE!" His warrior instincts suddenly the most alive they'd ever been, Cye forced his arms and legs into overdrive as he swam harder than he'd ever done before. Though his mind still struggled to keep up with what was happening, the one thing that remained clear was his drive to rescue Yui and Ikuyo.

Yet in spite of his innate strength, the ordeal was already taking its toll. The last thing Cye was aware of was holding both girls on either side of him, a strange orb of pale blue light surrounding the three of them. Then his strength finally gave out, and he knew no more…

Whether it'd been for a few minutes, hours, or even days, Yui didn't know how long she'd been listening gentle waves flowing back and forth on a seashore. In all that time since that most comforting of sounds had first reached her ears, she couldn't open her eyes nor move any of her limbs as she lay on a warm, sandy bed while water lapped at her toes…until an even warmer light illuminated the insides of her eyelids.

Her strength suddenly returning just enough, Yui moaned as she slowly turned her head away, and then steadily blinked open her eyes. She found herself on an unknown beach, lying front first on its sandy shore. A vast sea beyond mirrored breathtaking shades of gold, red, and purple from clouds that'd been painted across the blue canvas of the late afternoon sky. Or is it early evening? Yui was too tired to reckon, until she remembered her utterly terrifying ordeal – and the two people who shared it with her.

Turning her head to the opposite side again, Yui's eyes went wide as she beheld the soaked, limp forms of first Cye and then Ikuyo, both lying only inches from her and just as unconscious as she'd been. Only when she saw the steady rise and fall of their chests did she herself start breathing again. She knew she should try to get up, but she still felt too exhausted – nor did she want to be alone in doing it. So instead, she concentrated on getting air into her lungs through means other than panting and gasping.

Suddenly, a moan that wasn't hers sounded, and Yui sighed in immense relief when her sister lifted her head so that it was level with hers. Just as hers had done, Ikuyo's eyes first widened with recognition, then softened with relaxed reassurance. "Hey girl…" she breathed. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Yui sighed again. "You?" Ikuyo tiredly dipped her chin, when her face contorted briefly in a sharp wince. "What?!" Yui gasped in alarm.

"Oh! That smarts!" Ikuyo grunted. When her sister continued staring questioningly at her, she added, "Everything." Her words suddenly made Yui mindful of her own aching body, and she wondered if she'd ever have the strength to stand on her own two feet again, when Ikuyo suddenly said, "You never told me who he is." She then pointed at the young man in the middle to indicate whom she was talking about. "Him."

Yui frowned at the older girl's tone. She crossed her arms in front of her before resting her head on them, and her gaze on her former boyfriend. "You don't remember Cye?" Overcome with joyous relief at having survived a life-threatening catastrophe, Yui's voice turned dreamy as her previously bitter feelings were replaced with all the happy memories she shared with him. "We used to date…until we broke up…"

Although she'd seen him only three or four times when he dated her sister, Ikuyo's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh yeah…" she breathed absentmindedly. She stared briefly into the distance, and then made a noise of disapproval. "Then I don't trust him."

Despite knowing the reason behind her words, Yui felt struck with surprise. Surely Ikuyo must remember. "But…he saved us…" Returning her regard to the young man who'd literally come between them, Yui felt the corners of her mouth lift as she gazed on the most angelic face she'd thought she'd never see again – the face of the one who'd returned just in time to save her life and her sister's.

"…Cye…" As if it'd gained a mind of its own, her hand nearest him slid over to his nearest her, and interlaced her fingers with his. Her smile grew as she felt the warmth of life in his palm. "…Cye…" After his name passed her lips again, Yui kept her hand in his as she closed her eyes, wanting to stay as long as possible in her dream world where they were still a thing…before having to return to the reality where they weren't.

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