Ronin Strike

Chapter 7: A Stingray's Tale

Previously...

The old man continued off on his walk after talking to Sean in Sabisu, and ended up on the beaches of Rikae. A boy is seen playing with sand on the beach. Yet, a Temari Ball suddenly flew at him- "HEADS UP!" shouts Sean as he accidentally destroys the boy's sand castle. "Sorry!" said Sean as he picks up his ball and runs off. The boy doesn't say anything as he starts over again.

"Need some help?" called a voice. The boy turns to see an old man crouching next to him. He turns his head back to focus in building his sand castle without saying a word. "Well alright then", says the old man. He looks off into the distance to see the ocean. "You mind if I sit down here? I've been walking all day and haven't caught a break yet". The kid scoots over to make room for him. "Thanks", says the old man as he sits down besides him. "You know, I don't get to see the ocean often and when I do... it truly is remarkable to look at".  The kid stops what he's doing and looks out to the ocean. He then gets up and moves away from his sandcastle. "Huh?", questioned the old man. "Was it something I said?". The old man looks back at the ocean... "AH!" shouted the geezer as he quickly jolted away from the incoming tide. "You could've at least tried to warn me kid, I almost got my robe wet". The boy then goes back and starts to rebuild his destroyed sandcastle. "It wasn't cheap you know!" called out the old man before walking back over to him and sitting down again. "Forget that happened" he muttered. "Like I was saying before being interrupted... the ocean really is beautiful to look at". They then have a moment of silence... "Hey kid, how'd you know the tide was coming in like that?", he asked. The boy again writes in the sand as his method of speaking. "Instinct" he wrote. "Ha" chuckled the old man. "I had a friend who always relied on his instincts". "The best part about it is that he would never be wrong in his sentiment". "It's like he was never false with his words and that the odds were always in his favor". "Remember this, the ocean's instincts are sharp as well". "Like you and me the ocean can experience feelings". "It knows the right emotion to choose for the right time". When the ocean is at ease it's very kind, when it starts to get angry it causes up a storm, when it's rains it's the ocean showing you how sad it is, when the tide comes in it's showing you love by trying to reach out to you". "Well I think it's time for me to get going", says the old man as he gets up. As he walks in the opposite direction he stops in his tracks and begins to say his final words to the boy. "I've heard of an animal who lives down there in the ocean that's very similar in character, it glides in the water ever so easily yet is said to be able to harm one with a single sting". The boy then stops building his sand castle, which was unbuildable as the sand had been drenched with sea water. "My friend, The Ocean, The Creature...", says the old man. The boy turns around to see him talking in the distance. "All of them have a mindset in where they can be docile yet with their instinct they truly can become fearsome forces". "Follow your instinct and it will guide you, it will show you a sense of expansion and openness". The boy then turns back around to see his mushy sand castle become a well-built one. He then turn back around again to see the old man had vanished. He then looks back at his sand castle. "Uncle...", said the boy in his head.

"Momi": Roswea Islands. 2 years ago.

A fisherman is seen on docks hauling in a net full of fish onto a boat. "Thank you boys for coming along", said the fisherman. "Always glad to help out dad", replied Hanini who was slender in statue. "Yeah, don't mention it", says big brute Kane. "You know the both of you are usually competitive, what's different today?", their father questioned. Hanini puts a balled fist to his chest. "We've moved past childish things and have learned to respect eachother, right Kane?" "...Kane?", pondered Hanini as he sees that Kane is missing. He then hears laughing in the background and turns around to see him flirting with their longtime crush, Anela. "Bastard-", says Hanini before running off. As he took off, his dad turns around to see the both of them went missing. He looks up and sees them in the distance trying to get Anela's attention and fighting eachother. "When will they ever learn", he sighed. "Ahem." Their father then looks down in front of him to see his curly-headed nephew. "Oh Ray...I didn't see you there". "Are we getting ready to go?", said Ray enthusiastically with fishing equipment in his hands. "I'm sorry nephew, I already have Kane and Han-", his uncle paused seeing Ray's upset look. He then looks up to see that both his sons had beaten each other up senseless and that Anela was gone. Ryo sighed at the sight. "As a matter of fact, I do need an extra hand", his uncle replied. "Let's go!", shouted Ray gleefully. They both then got on the boat and went on their way to "Pink Reef", a fishing hot spot. While on the boat fishing, Ray's uncle started to converse with him. "Boy let me tell you something". "Yeah? what is it". "While we're out here theres a story I'd like to tell you about". "A story huh... go ahead". "Have you ever heard about this fish in the sea-". "Yeah I mean we DO live on Islands y'know". "No not those kinds haha". "It's a family story passed down from my father's father, and his". "Nobody outside the Sakana know about her". "She's different from the rest, floating on the ocean floors like a leaf in the wind, has a tail that's like a lizard's, and can sense everything around her without touch" Ryo asked. "No not really". "This creature is said to be many in number down there however one differs from the rest... Deltide". "Deltide huh? what's so special about it, I mean it's still a fish". "She is said to be a guardian to all fisherman and residents of the sea, a guide for those lost on the waters, a beacon of hope for the drowned and a symbol of prosperity and peace". "And she is said to also grant one great wish to whoever is able to catch her, yet no reward comes without sacrifice". "In exchange for doing so, she is to pass away and reincarnate at random within the next 4 years". "However, she can only live for three consecutive lives at a time before she has to wait almost 400 years for another reincarnation". "Woah... we have to catch the Deltide" shouted Ray in excitement. "We could be rich and-and-and if we do, we won't have even to be fisherman anymore". Ray sees his uncle frown from the corner of his face. "Not that I don't enjoy fishing it's just-". "We have everything here for us boy, whether we get rich or not won't make a difference". "I understand" said Ray. "But that's not going to stop me from finding her". His uncle exhales and looks out into the sea. "Ray, trust me when I say follow not your desire... but your instincts instead, they'll be able to lead you to a better path". "You know, there were these two guys who could've used a lesson like that before looking for her". "Huh?" questioned Ray. "Let me tell you the story of how two legendary fisherman almost caught her once". "It was a stormy night like no other let me tell you that much, and these two brothers were in a boat not much bigger than the one we're on right now". "And so they sailed thinking they knew what they were doing and where they were going only to end up in a big storm, one that could shake the heart of the sea". "Their boat ended up breaking apart and capsizing, and the two brothers ended up almost being swallowed by the sea". "Yet... in the end only one of them was able to be saved". "That man who sacrificed himself was none other than your honored father Ray Sakana" "The other guy who was with him was- *Splash*. Uncle Ryo turned around and saw that Ray was gone. "Ray?... RAY?!" Ryo shouted as he looked into the waters. A dark figure started to appear before the surface and it was getting close. "Got it!" shouted Ray as he emerged through the water with a net full of fish and seaweed on his head. *DOOM* "YOWW!" shouted Ray after being nailed in the head with a long stick. "DUMBASS!" yelled his uncle. "WHATS YOUR PROBLEM!". Ray shouted as he started rubbing the top of his head. "WHY WOULD YOU JUMP IN LIKE THAT". "BECAUSE I SAW FISH GEEZER!" he shouts back. "I almost had it too". Ray's uncle looks at the top of his head and sees something shiny. "Looks like you ended up catching one after all". Ray moves his hair around to see that there was one stuck in it. They both end up going back to the mainland and see Kane and Hanini still lying down on the ground. Hanini started to open his eyes slowly to see his dad and cousin standing over him and his brother. In a panic he stood up straight, and seeing his sleeping brother he hits him to do the same. "You guys catch anything?" Kane asks while still managing to keep wake. Ray shows him the slightly crushed fish in his hands. "Oh uh, that's cool". Their father then drags the both of them by the ear and far away from Ray's hearing range. "Am I a joke to you two?" their dad started to question sternly. "N-no sir" stammered Hanini. "Then why is it that whenever I try to make you both a good influence for that boy you two just go on and screw everything up". "I ask for one thing, just ONE and you guys can't even do that?!". "We're sorry it's just-" stuttered Kane. "Just what, how you twos' only focus is on that little girl?". "Anela..." they both say in unison. "I'm serious, if you both don't get a grip of the reality at hand and start being some sort of role model for that boy... then i'm going to die being the only one that he can look up to". Ryo then walks away from his sons in frustration. "Damn..." says Hanini. Ray then walks up to the two and asks them what that was all about. "Oh nothing, he just uh... wanted to know if we wanted to tag along next time that's all" said Kane. "Maybe next time you guys tag along we can catch more" said Ray. "You know... maybe next time we can go by ourselves instead of with dad, just the three of us" replied Hanini. Ray looks at him with a weird look, "You know we can't just do that now, he doesn't let anyone take his boat like that not even head chief". "Maybe we don't have to take HIS, we could just build our own". "Where are you getting at with this" said Kane. "Think about it, with my smarts, Kane's strength, and your uh...". Ray looks at his cousin with a cold blank stare. "....Skills! There's nothing that'll get in our way". "We'll start by planning tomorrow morning and then the day after we'll start building our boat in a secret location WHICH I've already got set". "And that's not even the best part yet we're gonna go on a hunt for the Deltide". "Woah..." said Ray in awe. "Yep, your not the only one dad told about Deltide". "Now if everything falls into plan then we should be done before the end of the week so by then it'll be all set and ready to ride". "Alright Hanini" shouts Kane as he high fives him. "You think it'll really be better than uncle's?" questioned Ray. "I don't think I KNOW it'll be better". They then all walk off in the distance in pride not knowing that Anela had been listening in on their conversation. "Deltide?".