A raging inferno paints the skies orange.
A damaged aircraft fights to stay in the air. On its rooftop dented metal, howling winds stands Mizukane.
He's smirking, slightly bent forward, hands relaxed but spaced slightly from his sides 2.5 cm like he knows every detail matters.
Flames swirl all around.
A thin shield of vapor crackles against the fire, protecting the plane like a guardian veil.
"Oi… you really think some weak-ass fire can take me on?"
Smirks harder, neck cracks.
"Nah fam. You've messed with the wrong guy. You're gonna regret even sparking up around me."
He chuckles, full of cocky confidence.
"Time to drown this shit."
He throws his arms into an X across his chest, fists clenched like cannons ready to blow.
Blue light sparks around him.
A quiet hum rises then water spirals around like a cyclone forming.
His surroundings along with the aircraft shakes slightly.
The flames recoil.
The vapor barrier begins to pulse.
He Looks Up Then Drops It
Suddenly, he unlocks his arms with a violent swing and yells:
"DELUGE!"
BOOM
A monstrous wave of pressure water erupts outward, turning the flames into nothing but steam.
Steam BURSTS into the sky.
Fire? GONE.
20-meter radius? Drenched. Obliterated.
Water swirls in chaotic beauty.
Every inch of fire is swallowed, the plane now surrounded by hissing clouds and glimmering mist.
Meanwhile inside the cabin
The cockpit is small and battered, steamed-over windows blurring the view. RENJI and TATSUYA sit close, instruments rattling and glowing dimly in the mist. Each breath they take echoes with the war outside
RENJI (grunts, wipes steam from the windshield)
Can't see a damn horizon just mist. Feels like we're in a milk vat.
TATSUYA (tightens glove)
Like flying through a brewery fire. But at least the flames are history.
RENJI (eyes the fuel gauge)
We're at ninety‑seven percent, but the gauge's bleeding off. Real slow, like a wound that won't clot.
TATSUYA
It's dangerous
Meanwhile,
Thornessa stood by the exit door of the vintage plane.
I need to make sure there's no fire or flames outside first.
Since my powers are connected to plants, fire weakens me.
I hoped Mizukane had already done his part I could feel it through the vibrations.
She peered out the flight window.
It's time to use my power.
She moved her legs and grabbed the flight door lock.
She unlocked it and cracked the door open a bit.
Looking down, she saw nothing but steam everywhere.
She breathed heavily, exhaling through her mouth with her eyes shut tight.
She stepped forward with her right leg and pushed off with her left to jump and fall.
As she fell, the hand holding the lock stretched out and turned green.
She slammed the do
or shut hard, locking it automatically and freeing her hand.
She shouted, "MIZUKANE!"
On the other side, Mizukane stood on the roof, eyes locked on Thornessa as she fell.
He placed both hands behind his neck and looked up.
Mizukane: "Time for a ride, baby."
He closed his eyes and felt himself floating no fire, no noise, no flight just Thornessa falling endlessly and everywhere is black
Raising his right hand, fingers folded into an ancient mudra, a blue-silver glyph pulsed beneath his feet. Water surged up, swirling slowly until it formed a perfect circle.
He whispered, "Abyssiaqua."
Rain began to pour from the water below, droplets flying everywhere.
Behind him, a magnificent dragon made entirely of water appeared.
Its deep blue eyes shone as a long, chubby whisker dangled from its mouth. No legs, no hands just a graceful, flowing serpent.
Opening his eyes, Mizukane saw Thornessa still falling.
He pointed at her and said calmly, "Save her."
Suddenly, everything snapped back the dragon soared at lightning speed toward Thornessa, flames blazing all around.
Mizukane was back on the rooftop.
The dragon opened its mouth just as Thornessa shut her eyes then swallowed her whole.
But when Thornessa opened her eyes, she realized she wasn't hurt.
She floated inside the dragon, surrounded by water.
Her hands and legs glowed green, her palms and feet a deep emerald, with tiny plants sprouting from them.
Her hair didn't fall it moved. Long, slender strands rose like tendrils, alive with a will of their own. Each lock curved and twisted skyward, a hypnotic dance of deep green
Thornessa sucked in a breath long, shaky, desperate.
"Finally," she muttered, voice raspy. "I can fucking breathe."
"I was literally one second away from dying," she groaned. "Like dead-dead. Lights out. Game over. No checkpoint."
She floated there, staring up into the haze, and let out a bitter, breathless laugh.
"Shit," she said. "Sometimes I seriously can't tell if Mizukane's saving my ass or just trying to kill me with flair."
Finally, the dragon reached Mizukane.
As it arrived, it unleashed a powerful waterfall from its head, crashing into a roaring flame and turning it into vapor.
Water sprayed everywhere from the dragon's blast.
He saw her. At last.
"So, you're alive," he said, his voice low and rough from the smoke.
His grin broke through like sunshine after a storm. "Well damn, I'm actually glad to see that... but, uh how the hell?"
She gave him a crooked smile, calm and unshaken, like someone who just beat death itself.
"Interesting question," she said, brushing wet strands from her face.
"Since I can control plants... I figured, why not borrow one of their survival tricks?"
Her voice was cool and steady, like she wasn't literally floating inside a massive elemental beast.
"I used kelp. You know those leafy underwater forests? They grow crazy fast like eighteen inches a day.
They go deep, over a hundred feet sometimes."
"More than that... They breathe in water. Just like I did."
Mizukane's eyes narrowed a bit. He tilted his head, a mix of disbelief and respect on his face.
"Man," he chuckled, "I always thought plants were boring as hell."
He shoved his hands in his pockets, checking her out the glowing water, the killer outfit, the impossible grace.
"But every time I look at you…" He shook his head, laughing, "I'm proved dead wrong."
She smirked, "Are you flirting with me? Why are you guys always like that?