Juniper

Nothing had ever felt so remarkably heavy in Sumire's arms.
But in that moment, the weight of Senren's unconscious body felt like the weight of the entire world.

“I don't understand… Why are you bleeding so much?!” She pleaded with the ether. “It's just a couple of cuts. C’mon, Sen, wake up!”

The Wani suddenly shrieked again, snapping Sumire’s awareness back to her surroundings. Its tail thrashed at the ferry, destroying a section of deck railing in the process. It became clear, this beast didn't care about her, or Senren, or the ferry. It was merely haphazardly throwing a tantrum, destroying anything that dared come too close.

That made Sumire furious.

“Tch. You bastard…” she grit her teeth, unsteadily rising to her feet. Violet lightning surged at her feet, rivaling the lightning that brewed in the sky. For a moment, Sumire considered overloading her Prismachromia again and using all of her power to strike the Wani down. But if she did that, she'd end up paralyzed again, and Senren would surely die.
So instead, she tightly gripped her sword and channelled her power into that.

“You can't just throw away lives…” Sumire scolded, taking a few brave steps forward. At first her steps were slow and steadying, but then they got faster and faster. Faster, until she was charging at the roaring Wani and brandishing her sword.

“...As collateral for your problems!”

Boosting off of the remaining deck rail, Sumire launched herself at the serpent. The lightning energy she poured into her sword culminated at its amethyst core and magnified, becoming something far stronger than her original output of energy. It was enough to make her blade slice like a plasma cutter, rending the flesh in the Wani's chest.

In response to the searing pain, the serpent thrashed violently, tossing waves of saltwater into the deck. It hissed and shrieked, sounds which faded into the wind rushing past Sumire's ears as she plummeted back down. Her lust for vengeance had not accounted for the issue of landing with grace, but luckily her instincts compensated.

Sumire tumbled along the briney deck, attempting to get her footing again. Right as she collected herself to strike again, a shrill voice halted her.

“STOP! Stop fighting!”

“Huh?!” Sumire turned to see a girl around her own age running up from below deck. She was a fair young woman, with fluffy grey and white hair, nearly slipping in her geta as she rushed closer. Oddly, Sumire couldn't help but think she looked familiar… But now wasn't the time to worry about that.

“Are you crazy?! Stay back!” Sumire warned her as the Wani's thrashing started to slow. “This thing’s going to kill us! If I don't stop it now, the whole boat will be destroyed, and Senren's death will… it'll all be…”

Sumire found her words choked. She couldn't bring herself to say that her only friend’s death would be in vain. Luckily, the girl followed Sumire's gaze to Senren's body and immediately moved over to him. Gently, she lowered herself down and placed her ear to his chest.

“He's breathing,” she announced after a moment. Without hesitation, the girl rose back to her feet and approached Sumire. “It's faint, but he is breathing. Here, rub this over his wounds. Your friend’s still alive, so please, let me deal with the Wani.”

She shoved a jar of green poultice into Sumire's hands, leaving her powerless to object. The two swapped places, with Sumire tending to Senren’s wounds and the girl bravely facing the Wani as its head reemerged from the depths of the channel.

Setting aside all ambitions to fight, Sumire knelt beside Senren and hastily applied the poultice to his bloody arms. It smelled pungent, somewhere between earthy and astringent, but once it had covered Senren's wounds their bleeding completely stopped. After placing her own ear to his chest, hearing the weak but consistent draw and release of his breath, Sumire became awash with relief.

Senren's fight was not over, but the strange medicine woman didn't lie. He was, unmistakably, alive.

“Hey, there, big guy! Look, I know you're in pain. Please, calm down and let me help you.”

Sumire heard the medicine woman call out to the beast and shifted her attention over. To the pirate's surprise, although the Wani still beared it's teeth viciously, it actually seemed to respond. The lightning in the sky lessened, and the serpentine movements of the Wani became more curious and wary instead of violent.

“Good, good,” the medicine woman smiled gently, reaching into a bag hanging from her waist. “Now, take it easy… I just need you to say ‘ah’...”

The medicine woman attempted to pull something from her bag, which the Wani apparently saw as a threat. It roared at her threateningly, with a screech so loud Sumire tried to somehow cover both her own ears and Senren's. But the medicine woman stood undeterred, and while its massive mouth was agape, she flung a bulbous pouch down the sea serpent’s throat.

The Wani recoiled slightly, just enough for the medicine woman to brace herself. She held two fingers before her face with her left hand, and when the creature tried to strike at her in anger, she swiftly waved a juniper branch like a hand fan. A burst of bright green emanated from the Wani's throat, and instead of devouring the medicine woman whole, it's outstretched head fell neatly onto the deck of the boat in a daze.

Instead of screeches and roars, the Wani purred; instead of a piercing, furious gaze, it's golden eyes were heavy-lidded and drowsy. Slowly, the dark clouds made way for the sun, and the waters calmed.

“Good boy,” the medicine woman cooed sweetly. “It's all over now.”

She gently placed her juniper fan on the Wani's head. When she did, it's entire body became enveloped in a soft, golden light. At first, Sumire could see it glowing under the waves beside them when she looked over the side of the boat. But then it began to shrink, and shrink, until what was beneath the juniper leaves was no longer the head of a grand sea serpent. Instead, it was the countenance of a man in a black kimono, kneeling upon the deck in a full bow.