The Dragon King's Daughter
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The Bering Sea is quiet for the month of December. It's a time of year when the ocean usually roars with all its might; sending large swells rippling across the surface, tossing boats and shifting ice with little effort as winter storms pass through from the far North. Today, however, the sea is calm. There is a sense of tranquility permeating the area – not even a subtle current is shifting, allowing the water to reflect the moonlight beautifully, sending beams of light to the seafloor where Lady Kamehime rests.
"It's a beautiful night." Her voice is soft, hardly above a whisper. There is a smile on her lips as she looks down at the bundle in her arms. It can barely be seen, as the layers of fabric from her royal kimono sleeves partially shelter the small child cradled there. "Can you hear the whale song?" She receives a soft coo in answer. A lovely laugh escapes her lips as two bright cerulean eyes look up at her. There is a look of confusion on the infant's face. She clearly didn't understand what her mother had said.
Lady Kamehime looks away from her daughter, her gaze drifting to the turtle taxi that had stopped to rest. These creatures are strong, with great endurance. However, like all living things, they wear down when traveling long distances. This is usually remedied by swapping turtles, but in this instance, switching beasts is not an option. They are traveling to the far north, to the Arctic Shelf – a place very few aquatic yōkai go due to the frigid temperatures. Lady Kamehime, personally, did not like the cold either. She had made sure to bundle both herself and her newborn in many layers before heading out.
Letting out a sigh, she holds her daughter closer to her chest. It wouldn't be long before her young one will grow cranky. It's been several hours since her last feeding. This isn't a place to nurse though. They are out in the open, where anyone could see; not that she expected company. They're far enough north that it's unlikely they will meet anyone else until they reach their destination.
"I feel rested." The massive turtle turns to look back at Lady Kamehime as he speaks, his deep voice rattling in his chest. "We should reach the Arctic Palace by dawn."
"Very well," Lady Kamehime responds. Despite the cold water, it had been nice to stretch her legs while the turtle taxi rested. It's a terribly long ride from the Dragon Palace, which is nestled in the warm waters of the East China Sea, near the coast of southern Japan. To be honest, she didn't really want to go to the Arctic Palace; after all, she is a new mother and youkai births are very hard. She had been in labor for days, suffering with agonizing contractions, which had left her husband a total wreck. He's not one to sit ideally by and being unable to help his wife in any way other than to hold her hand was difficult for him. The poor man was more exhausted than her by the time she had given birth.
A small smile graces her lips as she thinks about her beloved mate, Sukuna. He is such a pain sometimes, getting into scrapes when he thinks she's not looking. She greatly dislikes that about him. Then he had to go and developed a five-hundred-year-old revenge obsession for that lovesick fox, Tomoe. That uncouth beast had made such a mess of things, attacking her husband for one of his eyes. She understood why Tomoe had done it – he wanted to save his lover, and she respected that greatly. Love is a very complicated emotion that can drive anyone to do unacceptable things. However, injuring her husband the way he had and leaving a gruesome scare on his beautiful face was not something she is willing to forgive.
Letting out a sigh, Lady Kamehime climbs back into the turtle taxi. She had not loved her husband when they had first wed; their arrangement had been purely political – her clan had wanted power and marrying her off to the dragon spirit of the ocean had been the best way to get it. She remembered how she had feared him – the legendary Dragon King with unmatched aggressive tendencies. It wasn't until she met him that she had realized just how much her preconceptions had been wrong. Sukuna despite his love of fighting, is a gentle soul with childlike mannerisms.
The turtle taxi started to move; a gentle sawing motion of its massive flippers propelling them through the water. This particular turtle is older than most, so he is laxer when traveling. This suited Lady Kamehime just fine as she pulled apart her kimono allowing her right breast to slip free; her little one latching on quickly to nurse. "It amazes me how much like your father you look." The little infant in her arms is too busy suckling to pay her mother any attention; her little hands flailing about with no coordination. The scene is precious, a new mother with her newborn.
"Who are you?" The turtle taxi's deep voice startles Lady Kamehime. He should not be speaking to anyone, at least, not here. They are too far out to accidentally stumble across another yōkai. This would mean someone is approaching them with a purpose in mind.
Lady Kamehime pulls her daughter away from her breast prematurely, causing the infant to whimper when her meal is interrupted. She straightens her Kimono before tightly snuggling her child to her bosom. Something did not feel right, her maternal instincts are warning her that they are in great danger. She closes her eyes and focuses inward, searching for the eternal bond that connects her with her husband. There is a feeling of aggravation and brief thoughts of numbers filtering into her mind; her husband is doing finances, something he greatly detests.
"Do not approach!" The turtle taxi says urgently. Lady Kamehime can feel the beast speeding up as if running from something. "If you do not leave us alone, you will incur the wrath of the Dragon King!"
"Good." The response is a deep thundering rumble. Lady Kamehime's heart pounds wildly in her chest. She knows that voice and her instincts are correct; they are in great danger. The voice of her husband's greatest foe continues, "He will no longer be a match for me once I swallow his precious brat whole." The words send panic through her soul. This yōkai knows that her little one has inherited the incredible power within her father's eyes. If he consumes her, he will gain immense power.
The turtle taxi jerks wildly as if hit by a strong current, sending Lady Kamehime flying to the floor with a loud thump. She lands on her side as her back is slammed against the side of the opposite seat. The shrill cry of her now frightened daughter echoes loudly in the enclosed space. 'Sukuna!' She pleads desperately through their eternal bond. 'We are under attack! It's the sea dragon Raegan!' There is a shifting of emotions through her mind that are not hers; confusion at first, followed by great concern then a sudden burst of rage. She hears her husband's voice float across her own mind, saying that he is coming for them. There is no doubt that he will use the full extent of his abilities to get here as quickly as he can, but the distance from the Dragon Palace is great, and it will take some time for him to arrive.
Lady Kamehime is frightened, her mind being boggled down with extreme emotion that is making it difficult to think. She is trying desperately to figure out a way to keep her little one safe until her husband can reach them. The turtle taxi is not a naturally fast creature. They are beasts of burden, with enormous physical strength along with great stamina to get the job done, but it is at the cost of their speed – most yōkai can outswim them. This means the sea dragon giving chase will catch them and when that happens, she will have to flee the cabin strapped upon the beast's back.
Being that her husband is a sea dragon himself, Lady Kamehime has an idea of what she is up against. These yōkai are swift and agile, with the ability to move through the water with greater speed than in open air. Raegan will be difficult to outrun – no, that's incorrect; it's impossible for her to outpace him. The only thing she can do is try to put as much distance between them as she can before the sea dragon realizes she has left the turtle taxi. Timing will be very important; if she bolts too soon, he will turn his attention towards her immediately, leaving her with little to no time to put precious space between them. Leaving too late will have them both swallowed alive.
Lady Kamehime looks down at the infant in her arms, her little one is still whimpering. "You must be brave, my darling," she says soothingly. She leans down to place her daughter on the floor by her feet, the action causing the baby to wriggle unhappily. The child looks up at her mother who is now untying her obi. For one so young, the action is fascinating to watch, and she reaches to grab the fabric when it is discarded next to her. When she is unsuccessful, she looks up to see the rest of her mother's royal kimono slide from her body to the ground in a rumpled heap, leaving only the thin silk nagajuban that sits underneath it on.
Lady Kamehime shivers when she the cool temperatures around her caress her skin. Now that she is no longer wearing her kimono, she can feel just how cold it is. She will endure though, as continuing to wear her royal kimono would only hinder her escape. It has seven layers, each relatively heavy. This would only slow her down and hinder her movements. She cannot afford that.
A roar echoes loudly around them, sending vibrations through Lady Kamehime's body. She cringes at how close it sounds; Raegan is virtually upon them. She quickly scoops up her little one in her arms along with the long obi she had worn with her kimono. It wasn't preferable as the fabric is rather thick around the middle, but it was all she had on hand to create a sling to secure her baby to her chest. She would need the use of both of her arms when she flees.
"LEAVE ME BE!" The voice of the turtle taxi sounds very distressed. "DON'T HURT ME!" Lady Kamehime knew something very bad was about to happen. She did not have to wait long to find out what. The turtle taxi comes to an abrupt halt sending her to the floor once more. "LET GO! PLEASE LET GO!" The voice is now anguished. Lady Kamehime gets back on her feet once more, her eyes widening when she looks out the small window. The water is bright red and when she turns to look through the opposite window, her eyes are met with a gaping esophagus. The turtle taxi is caught in the mouth of the sea dragon.
Lady Kamehime forces the door of the cabin open, water and blood rushing inside as the spell that keeps the ocean from leaking inside breaks with the hinges. She doesn't flee just yet though, waiting for a more opportune time. The fangs of a sea dragon are like that of a snake's inner teeth; they are curved backwards making it hard for their prey to escape. However, the catch is that it also makes it very difficult to spit something back up quickly. It was a cruel thing to do to the turtle taxi, but she needed Raegan to dig his fangs in deeper. The life of her daughter will always come first.
There is groaning sound as the wood of the cabin has pressure applied to it from the massive jaw. The magic used to reinforce the structure is very strong as it sometimes needs to withstand the pressures of the Mariana Trench. It's going to be very difficult for Raegan to break it but there is no doubt he can do it. The drawback is that Raegan will have to dig those deadly fangs of his deep into the wood to do so. There is a loud cracking sound now mingled with the groaning of the turtle taxi; a quick glance up confirms that the tips of fangs have pushed through the ceiling. The time to flee has finally come.
Lady Kamehime takes a deep breath, pulling in copious amounts of water across the gills behind her ears. The oxygen she pulls from it will aid her in maintaining her momentum. She then darts from the cabin, the sudden action causing her little one to flinch in fright. The baby doesn't cry out though much to her mother's relief. Raegan has yet to notice that they have fled and had the infant made any sounds the sea dragon would have noticed them.
With their enemy temporarily fooled, Lady Kamehime searches for a place to hide. The seafloor in this section of the ocean is rather barren, with very little rock or plant life that is adequate to hide behind. There are no caverns, ditches, or cliffs either, leaving her with very few options. She glances up, noticing a shadow on the surface of the ocean. There is a fishing vessel directly above. It's a risky business to smuggle yōkai offspring into any place that is occupied by humans, but Lady Kamehime is out of options. She rushes towards the small ship.
The ocean's surface is now raging due to Raegan's uncontrolled magical power swirling in the area. There are massive waves slamming into one another, tossing Lady Kamehime about roughly as she tries to get her bearings. She frantically looks for the fishing vessel, spotting the beams of bright lights bobbing up and down with the surf, informing her on where to go. The current is strong on the surface, making it difficult to approach the boat but she manages. She waits for the ship to dip into the valley between waves before jumping onto the deck. The wood is slick with saltwater sloshing across it.
Lady Kamehime does not concern herself with the details of the ship. Such things are not important currently. She moves along the side of the vessel looking for a way in. There is a door halfway down the craft. She opens it slowly, checking for any nearby humans. The narrow hallway is deserted, allowing her to slip inside undetected. The interior of the ship is warm and there is a yellow light turned on in a room about fifteen feet away from her current location. She can hear the voices of several men conversing with one another coming from that direction.
The area by the door is tight, with a stairwell to her right that most likely leads the bridge of the vessel, and a wooden door to the left. Lady Kamehime leans against the door to listen for the sound of humans, finding none, she opens the door. The room is very small with lots of shelves that have rails to keep the items stored there in place. She observes the objects kept here, most being thick blankets, sheets, and various articles of clothing. There is also a strange white machine bolted to the wall. She isn't sure what this appliance does, but one could assume that it helped with laundry as it's obvious this room is for processing linens.
Lady Kamehime moves further into the room, noticing a black rectangular plastic basket near the white machine. She approaches it, looking at the soft unfolded blanket inside it. It appears clean with a strong scent of soap coming from it. She knows this will have to do as she is running out of time. If she wants to keep Raegan off the scent of her child, she needs to get back in the ocean quickly. She unties the obi, releasing her little one from the sling so she can place her in the basket on top of the blanket. The infant looks up at her mother with confusion. She doesn't understand why her mother is putting her down in such a strange place.
"We must part for now, my darling," Lady Kamehime whispers. She can feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes; leaving her weak little infant unprotected like this goes against all her instincts as a mother. "I will be back soon." She turns to walk away only to stop, looking back to consider. The features that mark her daughter as a yōkai are very prevalent. She casts a spell of concealment. This spell is strong and can only be broken by returning her daughter to the ocean. The humans will be fooled into thinking her child is one of them.
Lady Kamehime forces herself to leave the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She opens the outside door, quickly stepping out onto the deck, coming eye to eye with a massive green sea dragon. Raegan has already found her, the beast's crimson gaze is zeroed in. She clenches her jaw in frustration. She had only needed a few more moments to get off the ship. Had she been successful, Raegan would have given chase, believing she still held her little one. It's too late for that though. This moment has become fight or flight. Lady Kamehime would never abandon her little one. She'll do what she must to protect her daughter, even give her own life if she must.
The sea dragon's lips curl back revealing sharp fangs within his maw. "Found you, my Lady." He then looks at the door behind the turtle queen. "You're offspring is hidden within, I assume." He cannot feel the infant thanks to concealment spell placed upon her. However, Lady Kamehime no longer carries the child within her arms. It could mean only one thing. She'd hidden it within the vessel.
"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!" Lady Kamehime can feel desperation crawling along her skin. The options presented to her are limited. Raegan has seen this ship, knows his target is within. He won't follow if she dashes away. At this point, there's only one solution – another spell of concealment. This one will protect the ship itself.
"So brave." Raegan's tone is mocking. "Putting your child's life above your own."
The hot breath of the Sea Dragon blew across Lady Kamehime. She covers her nose as the scent of rotting flesh assaults her. This yōkai is truly unrefined. "BEGONE!" A spark of her inner power comes to life, sinking into the wood of the ship.
Raegan snarls. He's sensed her plan, responding with a crackle of his own magic. The spell crashes into her own, altering it. The ship vanished, and Lady Kamehime hit the water that had been below it. Panic swells within her. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
Raegan growls deep in his throat. "Such a fierce woman." He moves to tower high up above her, his teeth gleaming before he lunges. Lady Kamehime dashes below the waves to avoid being snapped in two. She can see the length of the Sea Dragon's body. He's a very large beast, not as large as her husband nor as powerful, but he's very clever. A flick of the tail slams into Lady Kamehime. It catches her in the side, breaking all her ribs as she is sent careening. She slams hard into the seabed, her world fading black instantly upon impact.
It was at this moment her husband arrived. The sight of his wife's lifeless and bloody body intensified his rage. He took on his own true form, an elegant pearl white sea dragon with a lavender main. The ocean shook as two sea dragons clashed together with all their might.
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Captain Arata Ito is no stranger to the rough dark seas. He has sailed them since he was a small boy of eight, under the tutelage of his father and grandfather, both amazing sailors themselves. They had passed down all their skills to him; taught him how to navigate with the sun and stars, how to read the motions of waves, and how to predict the tides. He had seven generations of knowledge and fifteen years of personal experience helping him navigate this hellish storm.
There are unnatural waves slamming into the bow of the vessel, sending large amounts of icy spray across the deck and equipment stored there. He had long since sent his crew to their cabins for their own safety, there was no possible way for them to work in such violent weather conditions without risking their lives and no amount of profit was worth a man's life.
Letting out a long sigh, Arata found himself gripping the helm tighter, his calloused hands turning white from the pressure. Worry is etched into his deep brown eyes as he looks out into the night surrounding the ship. He cannot see past the edge of the vessel's fog lights into the dark abyss of the Baring Sea. He had been after king crab, having set his traps in the area the day before. However, an unexpected storm had appeared without warning, threatening to overturn his ship.
"Something just isn't right," Arata mutters to himself as the bow of the vessel is slammed by a massive wave from the right, pushing it into another oncoming wave from the left. The impact sends a shudder through the entire frame of the ship. "This storm just isn't right." A quick glance at the radar showed nothing from the international weather service. There isn't supposed to be a storm in the area; hell, there isn't even cloud cover being projected for the night. The seas are supposed to be calm, with the sky full of stars and crescent a moon. Why isn't that so?
"Captain!"
Arata turns to look over his shoulder at the deck hand that has rushed up onto the bridge. He recognized him immediately, a young man of only nineteen years. The boy is very green behind the ears when it comes to working a crab boat. However, he has a good work ethic. He's also eager to learn all aspects of the trade, which is why Arata had kept him on for the past six months. "What the matter, Tetsu?"
"I – well." Tetsu looks rather uncertain. He is refusing to look his Captain directly in the eyes, instead choosing to look through the windows that encase the bridge of the ship. It's then that the young man's eyes go wide, his face paling considerably as if he has seen something truly horrific. "There is a monster out there!"
Slightly taken off guard by Tetsu's sudden exclamation, Arata turns to look back out at the ocean in hopes of catching a glimpse of what caused the young man to be so out of sorts. He sees nothing, only the inky darkness beyond the illuminated bow. "What's gotten into you, boy?" he asks as he returns his gaze to the deck hand.
Tetsu looks like he is about to have a panic attack. "There is something out there!" he repeats as he points towards the bow. "When the lighting flashes again, you will see it!"
"Hum?" Arata turns his attention back to the darkness. He hadn't seen any lighting from this storm, nor had he noticed any flashing since Tetsu had come to the bridge. It causes concern that perhaps the boy is now suffering hallucinations brought on by fear and stress.
This storm is savage, there is no denying that. Arata's experience tells him to be concerned for the wellbeing of the ship and crew. The way the waves are crisscrossing is making for some extremely unnatural water that's dangerous enough to overturn them. Usually, inexperienced sailors, especially the young ones, don't have enough common sense to know when they are in true danger. Arata remembers his own greenhorn days as a deck hand. He'd often found himself on the receiving end of nasty tongue lashings from those a lot wiser than him. Perhaps Tetsu is listening to the more seasoned crew member's concerns? He does have a few men on board that are just as experienced as he is. They would likely understand the severity of their situation.
Tetsu inhales sharply. Arata can see him grip the sides of his head as he continues to work himself up into a bigger panic. As Captain, he knows he must do something to calm the boy down before he starts to hyperventilate. It would be disastrous for such a thing to happen while they are nearly two-hundred miles from shore. "Take deep breaths –"
"Everyone could hear something!" Tetsu's whole body has begun to shake. "It sounded like growling, then it turned into a roar. It was so loud the whole hull of the ship vibrated. I came up here to warn you!" He looks past Arata once more, his eyes going so wide as he suddenly screams, "DRAGONS! THEY ARE SEA DRAGONS! WE ARE GOING TO DIE!"
"What?" Arata does not completely comprehend what Tetsu has shouted; his own eyes going wide as a bolt of powerful light screeches past the bow of the ship. The entirety of the skies and sea light up as if the sun were present. Within the flash, two serpent-like forms are seen thrashing among the waves, one ripping into the neck of the other. The light that had quickly flashed had come from the mouth of the dragon having its throat ripped into. "Oh, God." Arata had, like all sailors, heard the tales of sea monsters. However, like most, he did not believe in them – until now.
"Got DAMMIT!" Arata could hear his own blood pounding in his ears as he turned the stern of the ship sharply. He is now on the verge of panic himself. It's obvious he isn't thinking clearly as he recklessly turns the vessel in a way that exposes the right side to a massive wave that broadsides them, sending water sloshing across the deck in a violent torrent. He lost several items that were not secured tightly enough as the bow was forced below the wave for an agonizing moment. Lady luck is on his side though, the force of the water, as well as the motion of that wave pushed the nose of the ship directly into the next wave a perfect angle. They would survive their frightening encounter.
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"Captain Ito," a deep baritone voice calls out. "I spoke with all the men like you asked. No one is claiming the kid, nor does anyone know anything about it." The man walks up to his superior to lean against the rails of the ship, his red hair being tousled by the sea breeze. He looks out at the sunrise, his blue eyes narrowing in discomfort at the sun's intense glow. "I can't imagine anyone covering for another about something like this, and more importantly, I can't imagine one of our men being foolish enough to bring their newborn kid onto a working crabbing boat."
Arata glances at his first mate, Lobster, with a deep frown on his face. He is not a superstitious man by nature but after last night, anything is possible. The infant had to have come from the ocean. He just didn't want to say it out loud. "You've searched all their belongings to make sure that no one has baby supplies?"
Lobster gives a curt nod. "Even if someone is lying, I don't think it's possible to hide an infant for three days undetected." He can see the frown deepening on his Captain's face. "Someone would have heard her crying at one point or another. Then we got to consider that we spent fourteen hours dropping pods yesterday. I can't imagine an infant being left alone for that length of time without being fed or changed or at least checked up on."
"This is a serious problem." Arata leans against the rail of his ship. They are heading back into Japanese waters since they had a baby with them. It's a costly choice with wasted fuel and time going back into harbor with nothing to show for it and that's if the authorities let them head back out in a timely fashion. "What are we supposed to tell the coast guard? That we found an infant abandoned in our laundry room?" He lets out a frustrated sigh. "They are going to want answers, and I doubt some seamen's tale about dueling dragons and an infant magically appearing out of thin air after is going to cut it."
Lobster rubs his chin, the stubble there scratching his fingers as he considers the situation. "I hate to say it Captain, but you got a right to be concerned. Everyone knows that Japanese immigration laws are strict. The authorities are most likely going to craw so far up all our asses that none of us are going to be able to sit comfortably for years."
"What a mess." Arata runs his hands through his messy black hair in frustration. "And on the week, I choose to quit smoking."
Lobster casts his captain a sympathetic look. "The misses still after you about that, huh?"
"Every damn day." Arata's wife, Yoli has been after him for months to drop his bad habit. He liked his smokes though and had been lighting up since he was in high school. If his wife wasn't heavily pregnant with their first kid, he wouldn't even consider it. "When a grumpy pregnant woman tells you to jump you better ask how high."
Lobster scoffs in amusement. "That's why I stay single."
Arata snorts. "More like no woman will have you."
Lobster grins at the comeback. "Well, there is that."
"Damn, I'm so screwed." Arata just doesn't know what to do. The right thing to do is turn the kid over to the proper authorities, he knows this, yet he can't help but hesitate. "What do you think will happen to the kid if she starts showing some weird ass trait or ability while in the government's hands?"
Lobster frowns. "You think the kid is a Yōkai?" It's a crazy thought. Like Arata, if he'd heard the suggestion the day before, he'd call a professional to have his captain's head checked.
"I have my suspicions." Arata runs his hand roughly over his face. This situation is stressing him greatly. "But I can't be certain. If the kid is human and we toss her into the sea, I commit murder."
Lobster taps the railing. He isn't sure what the right course of action is. "I suppose you're right about the government. If that kid is Yōkai, she'll become a pincushion."
"Dammit, this is frustrating as hell." Arata has always prided himself on his self-control. This is one of the few times her desires to scream out emotionally. He holds it in. The last thing he needed to do is crack under pressure in front of a crew of seasoned seaman.
Lobster grunts in response. He's always been considered a big brawny man's man, but deep down, he really likes kids. There's just something wonderful about their innocence and unconditional love. He'd be damned if he would let this infant – Yōkai or not – become some lab rat. "Your wife popping out that son of yours rather soon, isn't she?"
Arata nods. "Any day now, why?"
Lobster looks at his captain as he considers an idea he has. "Home birth, right?"
Arata notices the look on his first mate's face. He has a plan. "Yeah, it's a home birth. What are you thinking about?"
Lobster knows there are some high risks with this; everyone will need to be on the same page. They will also need to keep their mouths shut. That can sometimes be difficult when there are a lot of people involved. He doubted the crew would blab but it would require the corporation of his Captain's entire family. "This is kind of crazy but what if you take kid in and say it's a surprise twin? She can't be more than a week old and if your wife delivers within the next few days, you could pull this scheme off."
It's a crazy idea; one that just might work but it has its flaws. "I think Yoli would do it, I really do, but theirs issues with your idea. How are we going to get a doctor to sign off on a second birth certificate. It's not going to do us any good to claim the kid is ours if I don't have the documentation to back it up."
"No worries," Lobster says. He'd already thought about it. "My sister is a pediatric doctor; delivers babies for a living and she dabbles in home births from time to time. I bet I can convince her to come down from Kyoto to help your wife deliver. I know she'll sign off on a beautiful set of twins if I ask her too."
Arata looks out at the ocean as he seriously considers this option. "You sure she'll sign off? She's going to want to know where the kiddo came from. There's also the fact she'll lose her medical license if word got out."
Lobster nods. "I'm not saying that it won't take some convincing but she's going to understand the ramifications if she doesn't agree. Smuggling a kid into Japan has a hefty jail sentence. She wouldn't want to do that to her big brother."
"If, you're sure." It's not like they had boundless options. It's not like the ones they did have were good and this could work.
"I'm very confident," Lobster says. "We'll be in port in six hours. I'll make the call then."
Arata looks at his first mate – no Lobster is a friend. "Thanks for your help. This is a rather large risk for you and your sister, one neither of you have to take."
Lobster shrugs as if to dismiss the concerns. "Nothing to worry about. I'm already a scallywag of the worst kind." He smirks, recalling his younger days. "It's not like dealing with the law is nothing new to me."
"Perhaps not," Arata agrees. He'd known about Lobster's past for a while now. The man used to be a part of the Yakuza. He even had the tattoos to prove it. "However, you've cleaned up your act even if you don't like admitting to it."
Lobster scoffs. "As if." He then turns to look out at the sun once more. It's almost completely set. "What do you think you're going to call her?"
"Don't know," Arata answers. "Although, I did notice the name Minami stitched into the blanket she was wrapped in. Perhaps we will go with that. The name makes perfect sense given her mysterious origins out at sea."
"Minami Ito." Lobster tests the name out on his tongue. "Not bad sounding if you ask me."
"Yeah, I agree." Arata pushes away from the railing. "I think I'm going to go check on our little stow away. I'm not sure how good Tetsu is at babysitting."
"Sucks at it, I'm sure." Lobster then laughs at his own words. "But still better than the other decks hands." He pushes away from the rail to follow his Captain. He kind of wants to see the sprout himself. She's a little cutie after all.
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Sukuna clenches his teeth so hard they are on the verge of cracking. This is an absolute disaster. He had battled with Raegan for several hours; his foe was clever with a proficiency for magic. As a sea dragon himself he can easily deflect most of it. It always seems to come down to stamina, physical strength, and skill in combat when they fought. He had the edge in all three but in the end it wasn't enough. That snake, Raegan had used his magic to avoid the killing blow yet again.
"Sukuna." The weak voice of his wife has him quickly kneeling next to her. She had been located by a unit of sharks that had followed him from the Dragon Palace. They sheltered her while he did battle, ensuring no harm came to her while he was otherwise occupied. He had seen that she had been injured when he first arrived but hadn't stopped to check on her. The time to do so could not be afforded with Raegan in the vicinity. He needed to engage the enemy before that loathsome beast consumed his daughter.
He hadn't known where little Minami was when he confronted Raegan initially. It was obvious his wife hadn't had her but neither had his enemy. That had been a relief; his daughter had been hidden somewhere safe. It wouldn't be until after Raegan had escaped that he learned that his daughter couldn't be located. This scared him. Lady Kamehime's magic is very powerful when it comes to concealment spells. There's no telling where she had hidden their daughter.
"My love," Sukuna whispers gently. He watches as her unfocused eyes turn towards him. She's still heavily injured and in great pain but he needs her to talk to him. "Where did you hide Minami?"
Lady Kamehime suddenly gasps as she attempts to sit up. "You haven't found her?" She seems shocked by this.
"No." Sukuna is now very concerned. "I only know that Raegan does not have her."
Lady Kamehime lets out a shaky breath. This is both good and bad. "I didn't have many options and was forced to hide her on a crabbing boat." She clenches her jaw in frustration. "I wasn't fast enough though. Raegan was waiting for me to return to the deck. I tried to conceal the ship from his gaze, but he'd hit my spell with his own and the ship vanished from my sight as well. I then tried to flee but I misjudged his intentions and was hit by his tail. I don't remember anything after that."
Sukuna clenches his hands into fists. He's afraid. Their daughter is unguarded on a human vessel. If they found her, they might react badly and kill their little one. He needed to find that ship now. "What does it look like?"
"I don't really know," Lady Kamehime admits. "I hadn't thought to look." She then reaches out to grab her husband by the shoulders as panic suddenly grips her. "How long have I been out for?"
"Almost a day." Sukuna's words hit his wife hard. She is breathing rapidly as she cries out in frustration. Sukuna pulls her in close to embrace her. "I'll find her, I promise. The entirety of the ocean is my realm. I'll have every ship on the water searched if I must!"
Lady Kamehime grips her husband tighter. "That won't work. I hid the vessel from all sight and Raegan hid the ship from my own." She then lets out a broken sob. "Our little one has been away from me for too long! She needs me to feed and care for her!"
Sukuna can feel his rage reigniting to a dangerous level. "That snake casted a concealment spell of his own?!" He punches the seafloor in his fury. The chances of finding that ship anytime soon is virtually zero. They would need to wait for the spell Raegen cast to fade and by then, Minami will have surely been discovered by the humans. There is a good chance they will kill her sight. If they are lucky, they'll toss her back into the ocean. He prayed for the latter. She could be safely collected.
"I know what you're thinking." Lady Kamehime reaches out to grab her husband's arm. Seeing him this distraught is torture. "I thought of the danger of her being discovered before either of us could return for her. I cast a spell to hide her yōkai nature. She will appear human to anyone who looks upon her."
Sukuna lets out a long breath. It's to cool his temper. "How long will it last?"
"It will only break under two circumstances," Lady Kamehime states. "The first is if I break the spell myself. The second is if she returns to the ocean." This meant their daughter would appear human until she could be located. Lady Kamehime wouldn't dare break the spell before she'd been found by them and if she encountered the ocean, her dearest husband would know her location instantly.
Sukuna nods in understanding. This is both good and bad; with Minami concealed as a human she would be accepted by them if her sudden appearance doesn't alarm them too much. However, this could mean that the humans will return to shore sooner rather than later with an infant among them. If the concealment spell is still in place when they do so the odds of retrieving their little one in a timely manner will vanish. He does not have the ability to track her shoreside like he does in the ocean. It could be years before they located her. That is not acceptable.
"My love?" Lady Kamehime can see the emotions playing on her husband's face. "What are you thinking about?" Unlike her husband, the terrifying possibility of not finding their child for years has not occurred to her. When she hears her husband explain the problem, she feels her whole world crashing down around her. "What about Raegan? Can her track on land?" The sea dragon is too injured right now to do anything, but he will heal.
"No," Sukuna answers. It's at least a small comfort. "But he will try anyway."
Lady Kamehime can no longer hold back the tears. The thought of being separated from her daughter is too much. She and her husband had tried for hundreds of years to conceive. It wasn't infertility that was the issue, but rather, Sakuna's great power. He's the embodiment of the ocean. That's a force that is virtually untamable and for such unchained power to produce life with a common yōkai – it's not easy. Minami's birth is considered a miracle.
Sukuna can only watch as his wife mournfully cries; nothing he can say or do will comfort her now. He looks up towards the surface of the ocean where the glow of the sunrise is shimmering across the crests of waves. Raegan will pay for this transgression with his life. As for Minami, he prayed that whoever has her treats her with the greatest care possible. That if he cannot be there for her, that someone will watch over and protect her in his place. He can now feel the warmth of his own silent tears forming.
.
.
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End Chapter One