[amanda784]

         Sakana had finally did it. She had acquired her gills and was ready to make her first travel to the open waters. Sakana had loved being underwater, but before recently she was unable to breathe underwater. After completing her first hunt, she was able to trade her earnings for her new gills. They weren't actual gills of course. Instead, there was a potion that allowed her temporarily to be able to breathe underwater. Nala, the one who sold her the potion had named it "gills". From Sakana's understanding, after drinking the potion she would have roughly 24 hours to breathe underwater. After that, she would need another or to return to the surface.

[amanda784]

Sakana had chartered a fishing boat to take her out in the ocean. She couldn't possibly use up a potion swim out. It would take far to much of the 24 hours the potion would last. Then, there was the worry that the vials would be lost to the waves if she took them under the water for him. The small fishing boat would take her out just far enough to get a good hunt and hold her vials for her. It had taken all of her keystones, but if she caught something rare it would all be worth it.

[amanda784]

Sakana had a dream to live underwater. She wanted to spend all of her day under the surface. As it was, her days were spent mostly underwater. Sakana had practiced holding her breath for long amounts of time. She was happiest under the water. It felt like home to her. All Sakana wanted was to go home to her place under the water. She desperately wanted to swim with the fish for the rest of her days. This was the only way she knew how to make that happen. Sakana didn't have trade to earn her money. Besides, witches and sorcerers often wanted something other than money.

[amanda784]

Hunting was not ideal for Sakana. If she could make keystones by finding shiny stones under the water she would. People didn't find as much value in underwater things as Sakana did. Besides, stones weren't nearly as beautiful when they had dried in the sun. The dry air seemed to strip away their shine. Sakana felt comparable to those stones. Under the water, she was a beautiful shiny thing. On land, Sakana was still beautiful, but she had lost her shine. Above water, Sakana lost her happiness. Hunting was the only way she knew how to earn something of value to others.

[amanda784]

Nala, the herbalist who sold Sakana the potions, had told Sakana that there was a new coven looking for rare creatures. They specifically were looking for ocean creatures that not many hunters would go after or had the ability to catch. Sakana knew she had an advantage over most hunters when it came to underwater hunting. Sakana knew how to swim fast. She knew how to dive. She knew the patterns that the schools of fish swam in. For others, hunting underwater would be hunting in foreign territory. For Sakana, hunting underwater was hunting at home. She could only hope to find something of value.

[amanda784]

Boarding the boat was a very odd feeling for Sakana. She longed to swim along side it, but knew she should save her energy. She could feel the rock of the waves, but they did not crash over her body. Instead, they crashed under her feet and under the boat. Walking on land was hard for Sakana, but standing in this boat was near impossible. The movement of the waves was familiar to Sakana, but she couldn't move her body with them. She couldn't dance among them. Instead, she was rocked by them. It wasn't long until Sakana sat down on the boat with a sour look on her face.

[amanda784]

Sakana had thought that she was used to the water's waves enough that seasickness would not be problem for her. She was very wrong. Instead, she curled up in a ball in the middle of the boat grabbing at her stomach. She hoped the sickness would subside before it was time to drink the vial. If she drank the vial and then threw up she doubted it would work.

You don't know if it will work.

The thought rocked Sakana to her core. She hadn't tested the potion herself. She trusted the kind herbalist who had given it to her, but what if she had made a mistake?

[amanda784]

Sakana's breathing came in quick gasps.

You spent all your money on this. If this doesn't work you won't go home. If this doesn't work you will spend your days on land. If this doesn't work...

Sakana hobbled to the side of the boats and let her elbows slam into it's side.

"I'm go to be-"

And just like that Sakana threw up off the side of the boat.

Smart. Get it all out before you drink the potion.

Sakana chuckled to herself at the irony of it all.

In. Out. Breathe.

It wouldn't be Sakana's end even if she did fail. After all, she would be no worse off than she was now.

[amanda784]

"Ahh," said the fisherman, "Ya aren't used to ocean are you?"

"It's...not...that," Sakana's words came with pauses to control the nausea. "I spend a lot of time in the water. I just don't spend much time above it. It's not the same thing being in the water as on it."

"I suppose not," said the fisherman. "Deep breaths now. We aren't to far from one of my favorite spots."

"Thank you for doing this," said Sakana.

"You paid me for it!" said the fisherman, "but if I hear of you telling a single soul about my spot there will a higher price to pay."

The fisherman smiled as if it were a joke, but Sakana knew the fishing business was a competitive one.

"Your secret's safe with me."

[amanda784]

The fisherman's spot wasn't to far off the coast. It was a nice open spot surrounded by coral coming up almost to the surface of the water.

"It's beautiful," said Sakanna.

"I suppose so," said the fisherman. "I just like how many fish there are. I'm going to stay around and fish for a bit just in case you need some help. Don't go getting caught on my hook! Then I'll be back in the morning."

"Sounds good" said Sakana, steadying herself against the side of the boat. She grabbed one of the potions and popped of the cork.

I'm home.

[amanda784]

Sakana dived under the water, not giving herself the chance to inhale first. She dived just far enough to where she knew she could return to the surface should the need arise. Sakana didn't inhale, but the dizzy wave of lack of oxygen never hit her.

It's working!

Sakana didn't know how, but her body was taking oxygen from the water around her. She still had to be careful not to open her mouth. The salty water would not only taste bad, it could possibly choke her. Sakana swam circles and did flips beneath the surface. It felt good to be under the water again.

[amanda784]

Sakana couldn't indulge in the feeling for long. It would be dark soon and she had work to do. She found herself worried about spending her night underwater. She had never before slept underwater. Luckily, she wouldn't have to. Sakana had prepared by sleeping up until shortly before she had to leave on the boat. It should be enough to keep her awake for her hunting. She had a plan to sleep during the day and hunt at night. Of course, that would make her miss out on some of the time the potion gave her, but this was unfamiliar waters to Sakana. It still felt like home, but she didn't know what waited for here.

[amanda784]

In truth, Sakana had two missions today. The first was obvious. She was here to hunt. The second was to gather a type of seaweed that Nala had used when making the potions for Sakana. Nala was kind enough to give Sakana the potions for free in exchange for Sakana searching out the seaweed. Nala had told Sakana not to worry if she couldn't find it, but Sakana felt obligated to find it. Sakana was not used to accepting gifts because she wasn't often gifted. Sakana really wanted to pay Nala back for her kindest. She wanted to find the seaweed.

[amanda784]

The only seaweed Sakana saw was green and yellow. The seaweed she was looking for was a bright orange. She searched for awhile, parting the seaweed as she swam. She was careful to avoid the coral. It was beautiful, but it was also sharp. Sakana found that most things under the water were soft. Of course, there were exceptions to that rule. If she were to even bump into the coral it was possible to get a nasty scrape. She had no desire to bleed under the water for fear of what nasty little creatures that might bring out. Sakana was confident she would be able to hold her own should the need arise, but it was better to avoid that all together.

[amanda784]

The coral was a beautiful thing even if it was dangerous. Sakana imagined cutting into it and making a home within the center. She could be surrounded by their beautiful colors all day long. Their sharp arms would protect her from the outside.

Sakana pushed the thought away. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of being scraped every time she were to bump into her own home's walls. They would make a beautiful home to be sure, but not a practical one.

At every new sight Sakana had to fight the urge to gasp. She had no desire to inhale a bunch of saltwater.