August 26th, 7:00 AM, Ginza, 1954

"We've just received word," Ogata announced after being handed a piece of paper. "There have been three confirmed survivors picked up by fisherman. They are currently being transported to Oto Island."

Immediately, there were signs of relief from the crowd until one woman spoke up.

"Are the survivors from the Eiko-Maru or the Bingo-Maru!?"

"We can't confirm until further updates." Ogata replied, "We have ordered that a patrol boat head over to Oto Island to retrieve the survivors so they can receive possible medical treatment and confirmation of what caused the disappearance of both vessels. Though, we have a list of the names of the survivors. That is all I can-"

Ogata was interrupted as a man handing him a telegraph. The sight of it caused Ogata's eyes to widen.

"Are you sure about this?" he whispered to the man.

He received a nod in response.

"Excuse me." Ogata told the crowd before heading into the communications office, the now agitated crowd following him. They had to be held back by two spokesmen, though Hagiwara had managed to squeeze his way through.

"Please," one of the company spokesmen, Haruo, told the crowd. "We will issue an update later in the day, please remain patient."

With that, he closed the door and walked over to the assembled group.

"Unbelievable." muttered Junichi, the head of communications. "Simply unbelievable."

"What?" Ogata asked.

"That fishing boat? The one near Oto Island?"

"Yes? What about it?"

"It went down seconds after it retrieved the survivors."

Ogata turned to see Shinkichi's face pale. He remembered that the young man told him his older brother, Masaji, and mother, Omine, lived on Oto Island, Masaji working there as a fisherman. Could that have been the boat that sank...? He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the Oto Islander.

August 27th, 9:30 PM, above the skies of Oto Island, 1954

ABANDONED NAVAL MINE?

UNDERWATER VOLCANO ERUPTION?

SINKING OF THREE SHIPS OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS LEAVES GOVERNMENT BAFFLED.

HOPES FOR SURVIVORS DWINDLING.

The newspapers bearing these headlines through Japan like wildfire. The entire population was in an uproar of the mysterious circumstances occurring in the sea. As a result, fishing trawlers were ordered to avoid the area around or directly through Oto Island until further notice. The last thing anyone needed was a repeat of the last two days. From now on, if any travelling to Oto Island's location was to be done, it had to be by plane or helicopter, such as Shinkichi was doing right now.

Shinkichi nervously twiddled his thumbs in the helicopter while Hagiwara was busy cleaning his camera. Shinkichi had been worried the entire trip. He was thinking about what had happened to the Oto Island fishing boat and how it had apparently suffered the same fate as the Eiko-Maru and Bingo-Maru. His hands were sweatier now than when they left as he saw the peak of his island home's hills. His mouth was so dry that it felt like the surface of sandpaper and his heart felt like it wanted to escape out of his chest. It was this level of worry that caused Ogata to let him go, seeing as it was his family members' wellbeing concerning him. As for Hagiwara, it was technically his helicopter and he volunteered to give him a lift to Oto Island.

"We should be landing on Oto Island in about two minutes." the pilot told them. \

Hagiwara smiled while all Shinkichi could think of was his mother and brother. In a short time, the helicopter landed in the center of Oto Island, attracting the attention of many curious children and adults who wondered why a news chopper would be coming here. Upon opening his door, Shinkichi bolted out of the helicopter and straight to his house, running along the sandy beaches of the island he grew up on and ignoring the cream-white primroses growing along the coast. Upon reaching his house, he swung the door open.

"Mom!?" he called for his mother. "Mom, are you there!? MOM!?"

"Shinkichi, calm down," Morita Omine poked her head around the corner wiping her hands on her kimono. "You're pale as a sheet. What's going on?"

"Where's Masaji?" Shinkichi yelled. "I need to know because-"

Omine held out her hand to her son's face to get him to stop.

"Shinkichi," she told him sternly. "You are too hysteric right now. Take a deep breath and tell me, slowly, what is going on."

Shinkichi took a deep breath before replying, "I need to know where Masaji is. There's been a number of occurrences off the coast of the island and I need to know he's okay."

"He went out fishing last night with Mabogei," Omine replied. "They're gonna be out for a while, he didn't say when."

His mother's answer brought panic surging within his blood like ice. That was not the answer he needed to hear, from his mother or otherwise.

"Oh no." he whispered in horror. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"Shinkichi?" Omine asked in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Mom, haven't you heard the news?" he asked, grasping her shoulders, eliciting a yelp from his mother. "There have been ships sinking near this area. Masaji could've been-"

"There's someone on the water!" Shinkichi heard a man yell. Instantly, Shinkichi let go of his mother and dashed out the door, not caring that he didn't take his shoes off. He dashed back down to the beaches where a collection of villagers were pulling someone out of the surf. The only source of light in the early night sky were the moon and a series of bonfires along the beach, giving the sea an eerie, orangish tinge. He noticed the body they were pulling out. It was Masaji!

"Masaji!" Shinkichi yelled as he reached the crowd, pushing himself through. His brother was covered in burn scars and his head was bleeding, but otherwise he looked okay. Though, his breathing was raspy, he was at least breathing and alive.

Masaji let out a groan as his eyes looked around, scanning his surroundings. The mayor of the island stepped forth.

"It's okay, Masaji," he told him. "You're safe now. We'll get you patched up."

"Masaji!" Shinkichi cried out as he dropped to his knees to look at his brother eye-to-eye. "What happened!?"

Masaji let out a groan. "It... just happened so quickly. It... got us." he rasped.

"What got you!?" Elder Izune demanded. "Masaji, what got you!?"

Masaji said no more as he lost consciousness once again.