Ark 18 Episode 20: The Tide Changing

==Participants=
 * Sian Tetsu


 * Tomoko Tetsu

(Disclaimer: This episode (a solo) is still incomplete due to my RL schedule and because of references to it during Daisuke vs Connor's fight it's being posted to clear up any misunderstandings that might occur. ~Say)

Am I Completely Useless?
((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHuoneQoJO8)) The sun had just reached its peek in the afternoon sky when Sian made her way down towards the private villa that her family was staying wearing soft blue bikini top, some black shorts with a pair of matching kini thong bottoms on underneath, and a pair of low top sneakers. For a change her long raven hair hung loose about her face with two braids that began at her temples and moved back about the crown on both sides of her head towards the back intersecting themselves into one very long one that flowed freely with rest of her hair, it had been several days since Akira’s win during the first rounds in the arena and already the heat was on as the announcements for the second round match ups were completely beginning to get under way. Their mother, Tomoko had decided to celebrate her son’s first big win with a massive dinner at one of the local restaurants later on in the evening with the entire family minus her Shizumi-Obaasan which was truthfully fine with Si as she seriously doubted that the woman would do nothing but make the entire occasion completely and utterly about her rather than try to support her grandson who she deemed an abomination which pissed the young teenaged beauty off in more ways that one but rather than dwell on the matter Sian decided to venture off down the coast lines of the beach that lay beyond the private villa where her family was staying and where she and her brother had been temporarily relocated to at their mom’s requests of the school’s Dean.

While walking along the shore that was closest to the waters Sian found herself lost deep in thought over many things one of them being her reply to a question her mother she’d ask during her brother’s fight with Kin in the arena. Outside of her peripheral vision the raven haired beauty could see two torrents of beautiful whirling blue-green water themselves out in a distance of the bay where she was standing as well as several rare birds soaring through the air along side a helicopter and two tourist planes that ran over this stretch of the island. “Have I something to protect?” Sian whispers to herself into the afternoon breeze allowing her lunar blues to cast themselves out on the shallow depths of the sea-green oceanic waters that moved themselves with the tide back and forth onto the sand. This question it seems came with many answers and yet not all at the same time, was as if the Matriarch of the Tetsu clan were trying to give her some insight into some centuries old secret without yet giving it completely away. It was mind boggling to say least. Though the young girl believed she did have an answer after spending time talking to Akira. ~Kira trained hard so that he could protect me, at least that’s what he told me but it still doesn’t explain why he felt it necessary to do so. I’m not completely defenseless you know I can still fight.~ her mind suddenly shifted back to that night in the garage of Yun Tower how useless all of her peak human agility was against Damon and his goons mostly in part to the makings of the dress that she wore and even more so that she was without her Kusari-gama weapon which she’d though was lost in the infernos of Coney Island.

Even when Arthur had been blasted by what would have been her strongest attack he just broke free from it like it was mere child’s play she recalled faintly raising both of her hands up with her palms facing forwards allowing herself to gaze at them, both front and back before curling her delicate fingers up into them in the form of a fist suddenly becoming agitated as she thrust her right fist forward as if an attempt to punch something her chi releasing itself from her body all at once sending a blast of cold air through the climate causing it form a large rock of ice to hurtle itself into a nearby groove of palm trees splitting only three of them in half before dissipating into water due to the warm climate. ~Have I really becoming so dependent on my weapon, that my own natural abilities have become weaken?~ she asks herself looking forward at would be damage that was in front of her which in truth was utterly pathetic by all accounts. Sian couldn’t help but groan out loud where anyone who could hear her would, “Meh that’s fucking pathetic even Mom could more damage than that and she hardly ever uses her powers.” She recalls thinking back to Akira and Kin's fight and noting how Tomoko really went all out to erect that barrier to protect her, Lala and Kyle from whatever that last attack Kin used to try and take her brother down but still at least her mother’s power was twice that of her own prolly even more so now that she’d trained with Li Jun. “Man this shit is really starting to bum me out major I think I need to go for a swim.” She motions her hand towards the waistband of her shorts her fingers interlocking themselves in belt loops first before starting to tug on them dragging them down in a rocking like motion as she kicks off her shoes first then her socks exposing the blue bikini bottom she wore underneath allowing her toes to wigging in the sand some as she headed off towards the waters leaving her shorts and what not on the shore. The surf at the part of the beach was just the way Sian liked it high and alive letting her venture out further into the deep taking in a breath of air before finally making a completely perfect dive into depths that lay just below the surface.

Swim closer and you will find me, Enter Suijin
The view underwater was absolutely amazing! For miles around Sian could see an endless array of coral reefs, fish, and other sea like oddities moving about their natural habitat most of which she herself had never seen before which made her reason to want to explore thing all the more fun as she moves her legs up and down like a scissor motion swimming further out towards the direction of the two strong ocean currents she had seen just moments ago on the surface. Like most of her kind, Sian was like a fish when it came to water, it was where she was the most at home being that the Yuki-onnas drew up their freezing capabilities from its life giving force so at a young age thanks to her grandmother Shizumi’s teachings she’d learn to swim and be able to hold her breath for extended periods of time while swimming in it although she never knew once as to why these skills were so goddamn important in regards to her using her chi to fight. ~Come think of it.~ Sian thought her beautiful face frowning itself up something fierce even while under the waves as she moved closer towards the underwater twisters upon her eyes catching sight of a family of whales who seemed to be on the same path as she. ~I still don’t.~ “That is because you fight against that which is you nature.” The voice of a woman speaks out from the torrent that lay whirling stead fast in front of her directly into her mind. “Huh...who…who said that, where are you?” Sian replies back mentally, motioning her body quickly into a defensive position as best as she can ascertain her blue orbs widening at the sound of a voice ringing to clearly without gurgling or choking on the water around them and looking around. “Swim closer child and you will find me. Do not worry I will let nothing harm you Sian.” The female coaxes the young teenager sweetly bidding her to enter the whirlpool in front of her.

“You want me to swim into that, lady are you mad?!” she replies back through her mind’s eye but this time there was no reply back meaning that who ever this was, was indeed dead serious leaving Sian to wonder if the person behind it was in fact someone she could trust after all by her count it had been at least 30mins since she left the surface which means her usual time frame for being underwater without air would be up in about another 15 mins or so, so if she was gonna do this it needed to be now as her hair flowed about her lovely face for a moment allowing her to think before she suddenly make a dive her curiosity getting the better of her that would will allow her body to be swept up effortlessly by the torrent’s stream causing her body to be jolted around in it several times at a 360 degree angle. ~Holy shit this is intense!!~ Sian screamed inside of her thoughts trying her best to keep up with the under water currents by trying to fight her way against it but that only ended her getting dragged down all that much more causing the 16 year old to panic to the point that she suddenly lets out a gasp of air in an attempt to scream forgetting that she’s underwater still and taking in a great deal of salt water into her lungs as she tries against all to fight against what she believed to be her impending death with her arms flailing against the currents that she was trapped in while inside of her mind the faces of all those she loved flashed over its eye as if to open a door to the answer that brought her here in the first place, the final one being of her beloved Daisuke that caused her heart to beat seemingly as if it were its last time doing as all the fight within her began to give way, her body beginning to succumb to its lost of consciousness that awaited it as it begins to sink lower into the depths of the ocean (she ain’t dead ya’ll).

A soft delicate hand would all of sudden reach out from within the twirling waves to grasp that of her own enclosing itself around it as it pulls Sian towards the being to which it belong to that stood upright in mist of the chaotic underwater twister at about the same height or so as she, dressed in flowing robes with eyes that matched the waters around them and a beauty that was so un-natural it was haunting ((http://www.pinterest.com/pin/180003316326971838/ what she looked like)) as she stands in the mist of a circle of Asian lanterns the upper most part of her arm covered by scales of some unknown origins. Suijin knew that baiting Sian this far into the depths of the ocean had was in fact a cruel and unorthodox method to begin with but after watching those she held charge over squander the gifts given them she knew it was time to return to the other side to set things right and this girl would be the doorway in which to do just that. Using her hand to draw the lifeless teen’s body closer towards her form she lifts her own head upwards in the direction of her own before placing her soft sweet cherry red lips upon those of Sian’s pressing her own tongue to them part her mouth just enough to allow an orb of white light (her breathe) to leave her own temporal form for the body of the girl that seemed to be dead floating in front of her into her body ((http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A59SQO2FvPA @1:40-1:46 -> what the exchange looked like)). before drawing the arm that the hand holding the girl with was drawn slowly back towards her bosom then with a great force thrust it forward in order propel Sian back towards the surface in motion of simple grace, the form that was once below her vanishing completely without so much as a trace once Si was sent gliding upwards through the rip tide of waters.

Upon the beach Tomoko sat her brow furrowed deeply with concerned as she herself had just arrived here only find her daughter lying against the sand amidst the waves that were beating against it not making a move. This immediately prompted her motherly instincts to come forward, dropping the sarong that she held in her left hand with ease to break forward in a full out run towards the water’s edge wearing nothing more than a silver bikini top and bottom on her shoulder length raven hair flying passionately in the breeze not really caring if anyone was gawking at her cleavage bouncing about like to large beach balls against the makings of her chest, all that mattered to her in her mind was making sure that her child was alright as her knees bent with haste once she’d arrived at her location into the sand allowing her hands to pull Sian’s body up from the water and into her lap almost cradling the 16yr old as if she were still a baby in her arms. For a moment Tomoko believed that the worst had quite possibly happened to Si but it is when she lowers her head to the girl’s chest that she hears the faint sound of breath rising up from her lungs that makes her believe other wise. Raising her upper body back upright Tomoko looks out into the water spying the same two underwater currents swirling with yield wondering just what transpired here before she arrived as her ice violet hues move from the water towards Sian’s face who seemed to be at peace despite all the hell she had been through recently. It was nice to see to see her sleep so peacefully for a change especially since Tomoko knew just how hard it was for her to even try once she embraced her feelings for Akuma. To the women of the Sonade line their lovers are everything, just as the pull between the full moon and the waves of the oceans are forever drawn towards one another no matter the risks or danger that they may be in because of it.

Tomoko could see just what Daisuke’s love was doing for Sian not just physically but emotionally as well whether she herself realized it or not. From a child, her daughter had always been independent by nature but often times leaning back on those around her in order to help her truly see things for what they were. An eminent sign that she was not as ready she believed to face the troubles that yet lay ahead on her own and the fact that Akuma practically made Akira her warden didn’t help matters any more so. But now Sian was emerging from both of their shadows and starting to see things in a new light while discovering her own path in the face of the bumps and bruises (literally) she got, and it was in this that Moko posed the very same question her own mentor had asked of her all in the hopes that she would be able to answer it to prove that she was really ready for the next phase in her journey. A path that would not only help the girl fend off any future attacks from her lover’s brother but make her a valuable asset to him and their friends if her hypothesis about these “games” was in fact right. ~You all will need all the power of your hearts and friendships to defeat whatever it is that is coming~ the woman tells herself her fingers starting to move over Sian’s cheek lightly caressing it in a tender yet loving manner.

A Shift in the Tide, You ARE Ready
It was then that Sian begin to stir feeling something warm yet familiar resting against her back as she opens her mouth to let in a breath of air then a rather dry cough, the salt she’d took in whilst underwater still burning her throat some causing the teenager to turn over to her left using just her waist as she sits up with her weight resting on her right hand some. Tomoko moves her hand towards her back some patting it carefully as she watches her daughter come to life gasping for air almost before Sian moves her head up to look and see who it was that was that was in fact trying to help her allowing her mother a chance to see the beauty of her haunting yet truly glowing blue eyes that appeared to have the moons light casted upon the waters of a pond at night. “….Mom…when did you get here…-coughs, coughs- ..w-w-when did I?” Sian asks suddenly realizing that she isn’t underwater any longer but back on the beach in her mother’s arms. “That I was hoping you’d be able to tell me dear, when I arrived you were just laying there in the surf unconscious for a moment I thought you might have drowned.” Tomoko explains her own eyes looking at her daughter in wonder whilst her body felt the tide of balance that was normally of an un-even keel because of her father’s power within her suddenly become calm as if a rage from a century’s old storm had ended becoming completely still. Had Sian discovered her deep and centered self or was their something more at work behind this unsettling serenity that she had so mysteriously received? Tomoko didn’t know but she decided to test the waters to see for herself what she could learn. “For a moment I so did I…” Sian laughs her voice trailing off as the last thing she remembers before blacking out underwater was Daisuke’s face entering her mind and her heart starting to thump inside of her breast. “….have I something to protect…” “Hmm?” “Remember you asked Kyle in the arena have you something to protect when he mentioned how strong Kira had gotten.” “Yes what about it?” “I think I finally know what that answer is to that question.” Si informs her mom looking up to her briefly using her hands to push herself up onto knees at first then to her feet as she dusts the sand off of her body with the palms of her hands.

The older woman’s brow lifts up as if to say, “I’m listening.” Her eyes watching her youngest stand upright onto her feet before her before doing the same herself seeing that things were apparently alright since she was able to get up on her own nor was she dizzy or light headed in any way. ~Perhaps I was wrong.~ Tomoko tells herself dusting her long butter pecan brown legs off with ease still awaiting to see just what this answer of Sian’s was. Sian took a breath looking towards her mother knowing that she had her full attention so with careful words in her heart and mind she parts her lips as to speak them, “Daisuke…he is the one I want to protect him, Suzume, Kin, Akira, Lala, and Kyle they mean everything to me especially Dai.” With a giggle and smile on her face. Tomoko lowers her eyes her own smile complimenting Sian’s listening vividly to the names of those she’s spoken of wanting to protect so passionately knowing full well three of those would be mentioned regardless if she would have told her that wanting to protect those that were family didn’t count as it was easy to protect them because in doing so you felt it would only make them love you more but it was the names of Kin Tasanagi, young Suzume who she hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting just yet, and more importantly the name of her love Daisuke Yun that made the mother of two smile her eye lids lifting themselves upwards to reveal her lilac colored hue as she gazed upon her daughter with ease. “I am proud of you my child, you have now proven that you ARE ready to learn the secrets of our powers.” “Our powers? But I thought that I was being shipped off to the Alps to train with Shizumi-Obaasan for that.” Sian counters. Tomoko shifts her head off to the left a bit reluctantly smiling as she blushes, “You see your father and I had a talk after you left to come here…((http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b459/tear425/th8WFPV29E.jpg what said conversation actually looked like haha)) …we’ve decided that you will remain with us for the holidays, meaning that I and your Great Grandmother Mai will be training you instead.”

“No way that is so unreal! So when do we start, can we start now Mom?” Again Tomoko let out a laugh at the sight of her daughter enthusiasm to wanna learn about their art before replying, “Yes. Just so you know the source of the Yuki-onnas power is in fact the element that brings all life itself, water. It is from this source that we are able to create the claws of ice we use as well as a host of other weapons and defenses that we used in combat against our enemies.” “The ice claws but I’ve been lowering the air around my body to make those and?” Sian asks terribly dumbfounded at why her mother mentioned this stuff to her now. “That technique is good but not wholly accurate you see Sian only when we aren’t near any sources of viable water do the Yuki-onnas resort to such a measure, think of it as more of a defensive tactic verses an offensive one since the ice we make isn’t as strong as it would be if the element of water was used and it’s less destructive too.” Explains Tomoko her eyes glancing backwards some at the slight feel of a very high concentration of unstable chi as she spoke this, its presence seemingly emanating itself from that of her daughter and practically seeping itself from her pores without yield or control but the moment Moko when to open her mouth to ask Sian about it, it immediately retreated from her senses as if it didn’t wish for its newly found owner to know about just what had gone on moments ago before she’d woken up on the beach.