The Medicine Woman

Sumire stared blankly for a moment.
The sight of a groveling man was not what she expected to see after the defeat of a low-ranking dragon. Yokai who had human forms weren't particularly unusual for the Yamato Isles, though Sumire had never met one in person. She especially never expected something like a sea serpent to be one of those Yokai.

“No way… That raging beast was just a guy?”

As the other passengers and crew began slowly filing back onto the deck, the medicine woman shot Sumire a look. It wasn't an angry or judgemental look, but something stern, or pitying, as if to say “please don't think of them that way.”

“Do you know why it's called the Wani Channel?” She then asked calmly. “It's because the deep waters here have been the home to Wani for centuries. They have an entire society beneath the waves of this channel, just like our human societies. Wani are people just like you and me, so we should treat them kindly, the way we would want them to treat us.”

Those words made Sumire feel a little guilty. She'd never stopped to consider what was actually going on, instead she got swept away in everyone's panic and attacked. Her gaze shifted to Senren's unconscious face; if he knew, he'd surely be disappointed in her too.

“Excuse me,” the medicine woman called out to the boat crew as they began cleaning up. Even compared to them, she seemed to be the most composed person on the boat. “Please help me bring these men to the infirmary for treatment.”

A few crewmates nodded and quickly moved to take Senren and the Wani man below deck. Still guarded and concerned for him, Sumire moved to protect Senren from the strange men, but the medicine woman stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Don't worry, I promise he'll be fine. Come to the infirmary with us. Once I treat them, we can talk while they get the ferry running again.”

Sumire was once more powerless to object. She followed the group to the infirmary, watched as the medicine woman removed the poultice from Senren's wounds and replaced it with bandages. Sumire was rather amazed by her gentleness and care, it felt so distinctly familiar. Even her fluffy bobbed hair, soft and mottled like owl feathers, and her serene hazel eyes felt like things Sumire had seen before but couldn't recall.

“Your eyepatch…” the medicine woman’s voice broke Sumire's train of thought. “Sorry, I've just been meaning to ask you. How did you get it? Do you need any treatment for it?”

“O-oh, this?” A little caught off guard, Sumire pointed to her covered left eye. She grinned, brushing off any awkwardness. “Ah, nah, don't worry about it. I've had that since I was a kid, never needed to do much to care for it. Just got struck with some weird disease way back when. It was diagnosed as Prismachromia by a… healer…”

As Sumire spoke, the medicine woman’s eyes grew wider and wider. It was like a revelation was slowly washing over her, and it was starting to pull the young pirate woman in too. Despite her confusion, something in the depths of her mind was also clicking into place.

“Did you say… Prismachromia..?” The medicine woman stopped her work bandaging the Wani man. A smile was slowly spreading across her face. “That must mean… Is your name Sumire? It is, isn't it?”

“Uh. Well, yeah. How would you know..? Wait—”

Finally, the gears of her mind clicked into place. Sumire was suddenly struck with the image of this very same woman kneeling over her nearly paralyzed body and administering medicine. When she was deathly ill as her body rejected its new amethyst eye, this very same woman diagnosed and treated her until she could function again.

“Gods, it was you! You're the one who healed me back then!”

As Sumire cried out in awe, the medicine woman nodded vigorously with excitement.

“That's right! Oh wow, I thought I'd recognized you,” she agreed. “I wouldn't be surprised if you don't remember it, but my name's Nezu! Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. I'm so happy to see you healthy!”

Sumire beamed right back at her, delighted to once again see the woman whom she owed her life too.
“This is amazing! Who'd have thought I'd meet you again, and in a place like this. It's been ten years and you've barely changed at all! Oh, but hey, didn't you have a big ponytail or something before?”

“Aha, yeah, I did! But there was a death in the family, so I chopped it all off. But you shot up like a sprout! You're so strong now!”

The women giggled and complimented each other, and suddenly it was as if all the tension in the air melted away. Nezu saved Sumire's life, and had tamed a dragon, so Sumire knew that Senren would be alright as well.

“My friend,” she gestured over to his unconscious form, resting much more peacefully after being treated. “He has Prismachromia too. Actually, we're going on an adventure together to become pirates.”

“Ooo, are you now~?” Nezu returned to treating the Wani man, her fingertips gracefully gliding across his chest. “Well, you're certainly off to a thrilling start. Though, you two really are lucky I happened to be here. If his bleeding wasn't stopped, Mr. Ronin over there would've been done for. I'm really happy I could help you out again, Sumire.”

“Yeah… Me too…” Sumire's voice trailed off, thinking about their situation, how close Senren was to death, and how genuine Nezu sounded. Was all of their journey going to be this treacherous? They didn't even know where they were going to go after getting off the ferry. If only they could get some sort of solid lead. If only someone was willing to help…

Help.
Suddenly, it felt like a small bell rang on the back of Sumire's head. Like a very important key to her dreams was clattering before her, just waiting to be grasped.
She wouldn't let it slip through her fingers.

“Hey… Nezu, would you happen to know anything about an ancient relic called a Koi Tear?”

“A Koi Tear..?”

Oddly, Nezu remained quiet for moments that felt like hours. She moved with an energy somewhere between hesitation and anticipation. When she was finished treating her patient, with a great, steadying breath, Nezu finally turned to face Sumire.

“That's some ancient history you're asking about,” she said, almost as if the very thought held weight. “Not many people know about it anymore. But, why don't you tell me what's got you searching for it, and when your pal wakes up I can recount it for you.”

Sumire smiled. Things were about to get even more interesting.