Eternal Spirit (Arc 4 - 2024)

Arc 3 - Chapter 21: Lingering Anxiety

Ariana continued her run through Zestria, racing to Radiant Dawn, her footsteps making audible – if a little soft – stomps. Both Tenma and Hana were ruled with worry, Ariana over her home and people and Tenma...more towards Sakura who he had witnessed – in a vision - had fallen.

Upon reaching closer, they saw the main street still covered in flame, fortunately it seems only the roofs, but this appeared to be spreading. To combat the fire all those able were using the element of water to douse the flames and put them out.

Ariana extracted her passengers from her pockets, to her hands letting them see the town "It seems only the main street is in flames" said Tenma "Let's put the fire out before we do anything else"

"Yes...okay" said Hana "But how should we do it?"

"If only it'd rain...that'd put the fire out" said Hana looking at the sky

"Who knows...but we can improvise" said Tenma looking round to see the nearby river "Ariana...put us down there by the river, it's time to make it rain"

Ariana quickly knelt by the river easing Hana and Tenma on the floor shrinking to her lower size. Hana turned to Tenma "What is it...you plan to do Tenma?"

"I don't know...but before I go further" he said with uncertainty "If I were to give you the water Hana, could you focus it into a ball? I might be able to guide the water...but I lack the skill to mould its shape"

"If it's my skill with the water you question...you need not worry" Hana said with notable proudness as she based her chest "While I am limited on the sheer size I can contain...I'm sure I have ample enough power for the idea you have in mind" Tenma chuckled

"I like that confidence in yourself...it's admiring at times like this" Hana lightly flinched in response and gleamed "Right this is how it works"

Tenma turned to the town "I'm going to feed you water from this river, try to contain it in as big of ball of water as you can. Don't stress yourself though...otherwise you'll be having an early shower"

"Of course" Hana stood with feet evenly apart making a solid comfortable stance, with Luna's aura gently embalming her "I'm ready"

"I'll feed it at a steady pace...here it comes" Tenma focused, and with a rise of his hands caused a torrent of water to rise from the river. As he guided it up, he then brought down at Hana. Hana looked up at the water, and with hands raised up, but even apart, as the water looked about to hit it...it instead collapsed into spherical form.

Tenma kept the water coming, while Hana continued to hold the 'contain' the water. As the water ball reached over 25ft in diameter the water, once tidy, now looked to be slightly squirming. Hana began struggle to keep the water in it's shape, as small droplets of water – as if in a bid for freedom – escaped the sphere.

Hana though persisted and the water ball continued to grow larger and larger. Tenma saw she was struggling at the ball hit over 65ft in diameter - as it looked now to be constantly wiggling about as if desperate for release - he eased off feeding the water to Hana. Tenma went to Hana "Alright Princess...lit it fly over the town"

"Hmm...okay" Hana, with apparent awkwardness, turned to face the town before with a good deal of exertion launched the unstable water ball in the air.

As it travelled the water began to lose its shape, and steadily came apart. Tenma quickly fired two energy blasts at the water, both only small. As one hit the water, that now looked stretched, it just stop...but as the second energy blast hit the first, a small explosion resulted dispersing the water completely. What resulted was a thick, if short, rainstorm of water that lasted only about eight seconds at best.