Subaki Tomaiyo could never be a shinobi though it was something she had always wanted to become. Both of her older sisters were famed kunoichi from the Hidden Mist village but an accident when she was little left her blind and pretty much rejected by her father, though her older siblings were still warm and caring towards her. Tomaiyo's sisters had been the only thing to carry her through her childhood and when she found her own hidden skills, they had been the ones to push her to perfect them. Blindness apparently had one bonus. It opened up an inner sight that aided her in becoming one of the leading medical-nin in the village. She could "see" disrupted chakra through the touch of her hands and to her, every poison and every disease had its own "image". She could tell apart the herbs, and all vegetation in general, needed for cures with this same sight.

Despite never having completed the academy, Tomaiyo was honored with the title of a medical-nin and shortly after her 24th birthday she was assigned as one of instructors of the medical corps. Both events unheard of in a clan that once held the most bloodiest of Chunin exams. It had earned her the long desired respect of her father and the village kept her as their most closely guarded secret. Their best black ops were assigned to her protection even though she never really understood why. She could be doing so much outside of the village; new cures and poisons to study, nevertheless, it was rare for them to even let her leave her home.

One day, her eldest sister, Ayane, took over for the men that typically watched her. It was a rare treat but every time she came, Tomaiyo was allowed to travel. She savored the brief bit of freedom and in disguise they traveled to the seaside. Ayana let her roam alone once they arrived even though dusk was setting in since no one outside of the village knew Tomaiyo's face as that of the Kirigakure's famed healer.

The sound of the surf and the feel of sand beneath her feet always made her happy. However, she was never brave enough to venture into the water any further then her knees; afraid of not sensing a threat or swimming out to sea instead of to the shore if the current caught her. She had a week to enjoy it and nothing was going to stop her. The deserted stretch of beach cut along a small cove away from the more public sections of coastline; it let her wander without too much worry of being in anyone's way. Ayane had found it during their last trip away from their village and made certain that Tomaiyo knew the way to and from it and the Inn they would stay at. A sense of independence filled the younger woman each time she was allowed to go alone to what was beginning to feel like her own private beach.

Suddenly a startled cry broached her lips as her foot hit something solid and sent her falling face first towards the sand but she never hit. A pair of broad, shaky, hands captured her before carefully lowering her to kneel on the ground. Where she had been cursing herself for not being careful now she was actually trembling, worried about who she had just tripped over. Her apology stuttered from soft rose hued lips until something unnerving sank into her thoughts. The person hadn't moved, even with her knees pressed against their side, the one that had caught her remained perfectly still. The pace of their breathing was far too shallow to her ears. Her embarrassment quickly shifted, she was suddenly very serious as her fingers slid from the gloves she wore and pressed into the sticky sand at his side. Delicate lengths slid along until they fell upon the warm, wet, cloth that covered a man's torso.

"W-what… are y-you doing?" His voice was rough, a growl that reminded her of a ship captain she once met, as if he was someone used to being on the open sea.

"You're hurt." He grunted in response as she let her inner sight flow out through her hands to seek his wounds.

"And you're blind. What can… you…"

A small quirk of a smile touched her lips as he realized that her own chakra was traveling within him like a warm current focusing upon the salt washed wounds. "I do not need my eyes for what I can do. I'm Tomaiyo and if you'll let me, I can help you."

"What else can you see?"

Had that been a twinge of fear in his voice? His fingers certainly trembled as they sought out the curve of her thigh above the bloodied sands. Their strength lightly gripping the smooth flesh as he awaited her answer. The touch drawing a shocked gasp to rise from her, "many things but only their chakra not their true image."

The answer seemed to calm him as she reached into the pouch at her hip after parting the cloth that covered him. The tone of his body burned fingertips giving her an impression of training and strength and once more leaving her worried about just who, or what, had injured him. Lifting the bottle of ointment she set it upon his chest before working to clean out the large gash upon his hip with the water she had brought with her. It was ragged, the flesh torn not cut. The sheer violence of the impact that caused it shocking her as she began to use thread born of chakra to mend the shredded flesh and muscle. He made no sound through out the whole ordeal, not even when she sutured several smaller wounds with a similar technique.

Left weak by the expense of her energy she rested there, kneeling at his side as the moon shone down on the both of them. She didn't realize that she fell asleep until she woke in a bed with her sister's worried presence watching over her. It took most of the day to reassure her that all was well but she was still unable to return to the beach for another two days. When Ayane was finally satisfied that she would be alright, Tomaiyo made her way back to the place that she found the wounded man. Doubting she would find him again, her steps drew her out into the water where she stood listening to the ebb and flow of the sea. The cool waves lapping at her knees.

Her breath was stolen away as water surrounded her before she could realize that she was being drug further from the shore. Panic washed over her as the taste of brine flooded her mouth and filled her lungs. Unconsciousness threatened and before it took complete hold the burn of air forced seawater violently from her body. Choking until tears ran from her eyes, Tomaiyo just vaguely realized that someone was holding her close. The chill of shadows and the echo of the water told her that she was no longer out in the open. Pushing against the broad chest pressed against her, she tried to get away.

"Tomaiyo."

She stilled. The touch of her hands sliding over the firm surface of flesh that began to feel familiar, "You. You've kidnapped me! Why? I-I helped you!"

"You're valuable. Someone like you would be a great asset to the… to us."

Panic returned and once again she was struggling to get away not noticing that he was being very careful not to hurt her even though his embrace didn't falter. Tears streamed down her face as she slowly gave in to the inevitable, finally just letting him keep her afloat in the lazy current. "They will send others to get me. My... My sister will..."

"I know but I won't let them. Tomaiyo, I swear no one is going to hurt you, ever, not even me." Seeing the confusion upon her face, he leaned closer softly brushing the cool touch of his lips against her ear. "We have a ways to go before I meet up with the others."

Before she could respond she was again taken under the water only this time there was no cruel invasion of the sea into her lungs. A gentle seal of lips parting her own and sharing breath as the sea enveloped them once more.