𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒆 | 𝑼. 𝑰𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊 | ENG

II.

...

The constant sound of drops hitting the ground pulled you out of the dense dreamlike fog you had immersed yourself in and brought you back to reality.

You blinked once, twice, three times to shake off the heaviness of your eyelids. Your nose sniffed, trying to distinguish something that would give you a clue about where you were. A soft, breathless murmur escaped your lips as you straightened up from your previous position. You felt as if your head was spinning, making you feel dizzy.

Your eyes opened with surprise when you glimpsed an old ship floating on the dark river in front of you. You stood clumsily as you looked down trying to make out something in the darkness of the water, but it was impossible; it was gloomy and dark, making it impossible for you to capture any image of what might be in its depths, although a little voice told you it was better not to know what was down there.

Your eyes moved upwards, seeing that the old ship was approaching your direction.

You opened your mouth with the first question you desperately needed to ask the hooded figure in front of you, but your voice died in your throat when the voice of the man on the boat spoke, "coin."

"Uh?"

"Where is your coin for your fare?"

"I—um", you choked, unsure whether to ask the question you wanted to ask first or inquire what he meant.

The man let out a mocking laugh as he removed his hood with a single hand, revealing his prominent and striking blue skin. His features resembled those of the beings that inhabited the ocean. Though you had never seen them, from the descriptions you had heard on some occasions from others, you could infer that this man's features were similar to those of a shark.

Perhaps before he was a inhabitant of the sea.

With a voice and a tranquility that could only indicate to you that the man in front of you was already accustomed to dealing with the confusion of newcomers, he explained: "the passage your people gave you before you died, human"

You stayed silent for a few moments trying to process everything— and then you noticed something; human? Did he mistake you for a human?

"Excuse me, sir... I think you got confused"

Your words made the man give a sympathetic, albeit pitying, look; maybe he was thinking something else— maybe he was thinking that you were simply refusing to accept that you were dead.

Before the man could express words that he surely had used before with others, you hurriedly intervened. "I mean, I'm not human, I don't even remember having died."

It was then that his expression changed; he no longer showed pity, it was now genuine surprise. He remained silent for a moment, scrutinizing you with his gaze, perhaps searching for the unique glow that some gods possessed and that made them easy to distinguish among several humans.

After a moment he stopped, he looked at you with total astonishment. Immediately, almost as if he hadn't been silent for a long time, he spoke, returning to his old composure, "alright... get on, I know who can help you."

You let out the air you didn't know you were holding in a long, noisy sigh that surely was heard throughout the place. You raised your nervous gaze, directing it towards him, which turned embarrassed when you saw the mocking look the boatman was giving you

"By the way, I'm Kisame", he spoke casually as he made room for you to get on the old boat.

You told him your name, still feeling embarrassed and nervous about the whole situation. But, feeling less scared.

...