Water Guardian's Lover

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Naruto x Irma

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Story Start

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Will watched in stunned silence as the silver-eyed stranger vanished beneath the moonlit waters, leaving behind faint ripples that sparkled under Aquata's two moons. Clutched in her arms, Irma remained unconscious but alive, coughing up the last bit of water in her lungs. Relief washed over Will with the force of a crashing wave—Irma was safe.

With her friend's arm draped around her shoulder, Will half-lifted, half-guided Irma inside the crystalline archways of the Aquato palace. The guards on duty rushed forward, alerted by Will's shouts for help.

In a small healing chamber—a quiet, circular room of white coral walls and luminescent seashell sconces—an Aquato medic hovered over Irma. The tall, fish-like woman had gentle pastel skin, webbed fingers, and wore a belt with delicate vials of swirling blue potions. She poured a shimmering liquid over Irma's wound, and a cool glow suffused the torn flesh, knitting it back together. Irma's breathing grew more regular, color slowly returning to her cheeks.

Will stood by, wringing her hands. She refused to leave Irma's side, even when asked to step outside. Finally, the medic turned and offered a small nod.

"She'll be fine. It's a nasty puncture, but her body has responded well to our healing mixture. She'll need rest, but she should recover fully."

Will breathed out a shaky sigh. "Thank you so much."

The medic inclined her head. "You should let her sleep. If you'd like, you may wait in the corridor."

Will gently squeezed Irma's hand before stepping outside. The swirl of emotions—relief, guilt, gratitude—stirred inside her. But for now, all that mattered was that Irma was safe.

In the palace's main hall—high-ceilinged, dotted with pillars carved from vibrant corals—the other Guardians were gathered and anxiously awaiting news. Taranee and Hay Lin hurried over the moment Will appeared, searching her face.

"How is she?" Taranee asked softly, pushing up her glasses in a nervous gesture.

"She's going to be okay," Will replied, managing a wavering smile. "The medics say she just needs rest. The wound was serious, but they healed it."

Hay Lin's eyes glistened as she clasped her hands. "I'm so glad," she whispered, relief evident in every syllable.

Cornelia, who'd been pacing a groove into the coral floor, froze at the news. She let out a long, shuddering breath. "Thank goodness," she said softly. "I can't believe we almost lost her."

Rutena, the priestess of the Aquato, had also joined them. Her silver-white scales caught the glow of the seashell lamps as she came forward. "We will watch over Irma closely," she promised. "She may stay in our healing chambers as long as she needs."

Cornelia's stance stiffened again, shifting from fear to determination. "Now that Irma's safe, we need to discuss what happened. That attacker used lightning underwater—Hay Lin and Will could barely catch sight of him. Who were they? And what did they want with us?"

"And there's something else," Will added, recalling the cryptic words of the stranger who'd saved Irma. "A young man with brown hair and silver eyes pulled Irma out of the water. He said something about protecting 'the Queen of Water'—and then he vanished. It was like he knew exactly where to find her."

"The Queen of Water?" Taranee repeated, brow furrowing. "That… sounds like it might refer to Irma. She's the Guardian of Water, after all. But 'Queen'? That's new."

Hay Lin tapped her chin. "Could it mean something about Irma's power? She always did say she was queen of snark." A feeble giggle escaped her, but she sobered quickly. "Sorry—bad timing for jokes."

Will shook her head. "No, it's okay. We all needed a little laugh."

Rutena spread her webbed hands in a gesture of confusion. "This is troubling. If there is some prophecy we don't know about, it might be older than even our recorded history. The guardians who first sealed Adaquo Extinctorium were from Kandrakar, and we rely heavily on those records for our knowledge."

Taranee adjusted her glasses. "Then maybe we need to consult Kandrakar. The Oracle might have additional lore on the 'Queen of Water.' If that's tied to Irma, we need to be prepared."

Will nodded. "I agree. But first, we stay here until Irma is awake and well enough to travel. We'll figure out more once she's back on her feet."

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The night wore on, though "night" on Aquata was marked only by the position of its two moons and the subtle changes in the ocean's color. Cornelia and Hay Lin insisted on sitting by Irma's bedside, leaving Will and Taranee in the hall to plan their next steps with Rutena.

Inside the healing chamber, Irma lay on a surprisingly comfortable bed made of woven seaweed fibers and warm, plush algae. Cornelia perched on a stool near Irma's head, arms folded. Hay Lin stood on the other side, fretfully twisting the hem of her sleeves.

"I can't believe we almost lost her," Hay Lin murmured. "One second she was right there with us, the next…"

Cornelia pursed her lips. "Irma's tough. She'll bounce back. She wouldn't let us hear the end of it if we sat around moping."

Hay Lin offered a small smile. "Yeah, you're right. She'd want us to be cracking jokes. Probably about how these fish-people could be the next big spa consultants or something."

"Or fuss about how their healing potions smell like seaweed," Cornelia added with a light snort. After a moment, her smile faded, replaced by worry. "Listen… about earlier—when I got angry at everyone. I was… scared. I shouldn't have lashed out like that."

Hay Lin patted Cornelia's shoulder gently. "It's fine. We were all scared. Let's just focus on being here for Irma, so she can crack those jokes herself soon."

A faint sound from the bed made them both whip around. Irma's eyes fluttered open, hazy with pain and exhaustion. She tried to speak, but her voice came out in a croak.

"Irma!" Hay Lin gasped, leaning closer. "You're okay. Just take it slow."

Irma blinked, focusing on them. "Ugh… what happened? Did a maniac with a trident skewer me?" She tried to push herself up but sank back, wincing. "Feels like I got stomped by a Shagon's cousin."

Cornelia gently pressed a hand to Irma's shoulder, urging her back down. "Easy, fish-face. You almost drowned."

"Drowned…?" Irma repeated slowly, the memories trickling back. "Right. That lightning freak under the water… But I'm okay?" She tentatively laid a hand over her torso where the wound was. Her jacket and top were missing, replaced by neatly wrapped bandages that glowed faintly. "And… who saved me?"

Cornelia exchanged a glance with Hay Lin. "We're… not sure," she admitted. "It wasn't the Aquato guards. Some boy with silver eyes brought you to shore before Will found you."

At that, Irma's mind flashed to Naruto—his grin, how he'd teased her over her appetite, the warmth of his hand that day on the street. But Naruto was nowhere in sight when she went under. Could it have been him? No, Will described someone else. Brown hair, silver eyes. Definitely not Naruto's spiky blonde or his usual sunshine smile.

Irma let out a shallow exhale. "Whoever it was… I owe them my life." She paused, letting the swirl of emotions sink in. "I—" She hesitated, remembering the breathless, panicked feeling of nearly drowning. "Anyway, thanks for sticking around, guys."

Cornelia's stern mask cracked into a gentle smile. "Duh. That's what we do."

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Below the dazzling city of coral spires, a pair of dark figures floated through the undersea trenches. Moonlight filtered from above, illuminating twisted rock formations and reefs. One figure was tall, draped in a black wetsuit-like attire studded with glowing crystals. The other, smaller and leaner, kept glancing around warily, as though expecting to be followed.

"You failed to kill the Guardian of Water," the taller one snapped, voice echoing in the watery realm. "We had a perfect ambush planned."

"She had backup," the smaller shape hissed. "And there was an unknown interference. That boy—he took her away before I could finish the job."

Their conversation was punctuated by the muffled hum of sea creatures passing by. Occasionally, an eel or small fish would dart through the gloom.

"Then we move to the next stage," the taller one commanded. "The Adaquo Extinctorium's seal is weakening by the day. When it breaks, the entire planet will be drained. Our master will feed on the dryness—on the husk that remains. With Aquata destroyed, Kandrakar's supply lines to a dozen worlds will collapse."

"How soon until the seal breaks completely?" the smaller asked, glancing over a ridge where swirling dark waters concealed a large crater.

"Not soon enough. The Guardians will try to strengthen it. We must stop them… or better yet, separate them."

A low hiss escaped the smaller figure's lips. "Consider it done."

The silhouettes drifted deeper into the trench, melding with the shadows, leaving behind only the echo of their sinister whispers in the watery gloom.

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By the time Aquata's version of dawn arrived—a gentle shift in the tides and a pale glow from the coral sun-lamps scattered around the city—Irmá was sitting up, propped on pillows. Will and Taranee had joined Cornelia and Hay Lin in the small healing chamber, circling around their friend's bed.

"Ugh, I hate bedrest," Irma complained, although the relieved grin on her face betrayed her real mood. She was glad to be alive. "Also, I'm freezing. Would it kill these fish-folk to get a nice hot heater in here?"

Taranee smirked, adjusting her glasses. "Considering the entire planet is basically water, I don't think central heating is a major concern of theirs."

Cornelia teased, "Just conjure a tiny wave, Miss Water Guardian, and warm it up with Will's lightning."

Irmá shot her an exaggerated scowl but then sighed dramatically. "You all can be so sensible sometimes. It's infuriating."

Hay Lin perched on the bed's edge. "We're just happy you're okay. They say you're recovering fast. Another day of rest, maybe two, and you'll be good as new."

Irmá nodded, then asked in a quieter tone, "And Naruto? Has… anyone tried contacting him? He's probably wondering why I haven't picked up my phone. My parents, too—I didn't exactly tell them I'd be crossing dimensions."

Will patted her friend's shoulder. "We'll go back to Earth as soon as we can and check in. But first, we've got a job to do here—strengthen those seals and figure out who tried to ambush us. The Oracle said if Adaquo Extinctorium awakens, Aquata and a bunch of other worlds are in danger."

Irmá's brown eyes flickered with resolve. "Then let's do it. Soon as I can stand without wobbling, we head for that prison seal. I have a feeling we're dealing with bigger enemies than your average punks."

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Just outside the palace, standing at the edge of a high coral balcony, the young man with brown hair and silver eyes from the night before watched the city below. A small, spherical crystal hovered near his shoulder, flickering with faint arcs of light. He gazed at it, expression distant.

They have no idea what's coming, he thought. If the Guardian of Water is truly the key… then I must protect her, no matter the cost.

A sound behind him made him whirl. It was Rutena, the Aquato priestess.

"You're the one who saved Kandrakar's Guardian last night, aren't you?" she asked quietly, a mixture of caution and gratitude in her luminous eyes.

He offered a small nod but said nothing.

"We owe you a debt," Rutena continued, clasping her webbed fingers. "But… the Guardians deserve to know who's helping them."

His silver eyes flickered with indecision. "They'll know soon enough. I only hope they're ready. The coming battle won't be just about Adaquo Extinctorium. There's something… someone else at play here."

He let out a soft breath, steadying himself. "Until then, please keep my identity quiet. If the Guardians discover everything too soon, it might put their friend—Irma—at greater risk."

Rutena bowed her head, uncertainty shadowing her face. "Very well. But take care. The guardians are not fond of secrets—especially secrets that concern their own."

With that, the mysterious young man turned back to the watery vista. The crystal at his side pulsed once, and he drew in a breath, as though fortifying himself for what was to come.