Oh man... Not this crap again.
(Y/n) opened her eyes, the warm, calm area around her forming as a cool breeze blew by her, pushing her slightly forward. She let out a sigh, her shoulders hunching over as she surveyed the green field surrounding her.
Well, I know Chuuya is out fighting whatever that thing was – so that means, I'm all by myself, she thought as she took a couple steps forward, her shoes sinking slightly into the ground as she took each step.
She looked up, a night sky staring back at her as a couple stars seemed to wink – emanating the night sky she had left behind. She clenched her fists, groaning as she put them in the air.
"What is it this time, Watatsumi?! What is so important that you need to bring me here again?!" she screamed at the sky, closing her eyes as her voice carried throughout the barren yet beautiful land. "Wasn't letting Chuuya nearly strangle me to death the last time enough? Aww, don't tell me you're getting lonely! I don't think that warrants a forced visi—"
"Are you done?"
(Y/n) froze as she heard the second voice – one she was certain she had never heard before. She opened her eyes slowly looking down and forward as she made eye contact with a glossy, glowing pair staring at her with the most worn out expression she had ever seen.
She lowered her hands, bringing them to her chest before slowly pointing towards the being in front of her. She asked in a quiet, squeaky tone, "Ryuji, did you just talk?"
"Yes, now can you stop yelling? I'm more tolerant than most, but we all have our limits." Ryuji didn't even open his mouth to speak, not appearing to need to as he spoke in a proper, deep tone – much different than she had pictured for him originally.
(Y/n) laughed a little, taking a couple steps back as she lowered her hands to her sides. "Oh. Okay."
She pointed her finger towards him much more dramatically, screaming as she asked, "Why the hell can you talk?! Since when was this a thing?!"
"Since I decided to. Do you really think this much was your doing?" He laughed cockily, swimming through the air towards her as he was a mere couple of inches away from her face. "Please, like I'd give that much power to a mere mortal."
She blinked a couple times, straightening her posture as she let her hand hang at her side. "'Mere mortal'? But I thought—"
"Being a vessel does not automatically make you a god, nor are you immortal. If you were, then I wouldn't have to worry about protecting or healing you all of the time." He swam around her, lightly coiling around her upper torso without making any contact. "If I really wanted to, I could just let that strange body of yours just die in the woods. The only thing that's keeping you from wandering here eternally is me."
"So what's stopping you?"
Ryuji froze, staring at the back of her head. (Y/n) slowly turned back towards him, a stoic expression on her face as she asked, "What's stopping you from letting me die? Cause there have been many instances where you could've just let me pass away."
A smile came across his lips, uncoiling as he floated midair, causing her to turn fully around as she faced him once again. "It's because you fascinate me, (Y/n). I know how mortal bodies are supposed to work, but I find what's inside so interesting."
She thought for a moment, trying to interpret what he meant – it didn't take too long for her to figure it out. "You mean my emotions, feelings, my thoughts..."
"Correct." He swam back from her, his long torso following as he made a shape with his water scales. "Particularly this specific emotion – it's so hard for me to put into words, just like it is for you. But you feel it for that powerful mortal... Dazoo, was it?"
"Dazai," she corrected, her breath stopping as he finished forming the shape, recognizing the form he had created.
Ryuji was in the shape of a heart.
"Usually," she began, stepping towards him as she closed the gap between them, "hearts are used to express romantic feelings. Like for crushes and significant others. Sometimes people use 'like' and others use..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes falling to the ground as she stared downward.
Ryuji noticed her sudden silence, returning to his original shape and swimming towards her. He remained in front of her as he questioned, "What word do some use, (Y/n)?"
"Love. They sometimes use the word 'love'. Wait," she shook her head, looking back up to face him, "are you intrigued because I might be in love with Dazai?"
"If I were able to, I'd tap my nose and tip my hat."
"You don't have a hat—"
"You know what I mean." He stared to swim over the field, (Y/n) following close behind as they continued to converse. "The reason I have not let you die is because your feelings of love for Dazai are so interesting. He's so strange and you're even stranger."
"Says the talking water dragon."
Ryuji narrowed his eyes, the first time he had done so since (Y/n) had originally manifested her ability. "For someone on the line between life and death, you are quite sassy and sarcastic."
"Yet, you still keep me alive. So if either of us take away anything from this, you are the one to blame for my comments." She shrugged. "You just keep feeding me opportunities."
He sighed, speeding forward as he disappeared over the hill. (Y/n) ran after him, stopping at the top of the hill as she spotted a tree. The area around it appeared to have fresh grass, some areas darker than others, as if they had been previously destroyed.
"Before we move forward, I have one question for you, (Y/n)," Ryuji said, floating in the middle of the field as he stared her down. "You have been given many opportunities to be with that other vessel, Chuuya Nakahara – why do you keep turning him down? He is possibly the only person on the entire planet that knows what you are going through, what you are capable of! Why do you reject his affections?"
"That's a loaded question, Ryuji." She walked down the hill as she continued to speak, "For starters, I don't know him as well as I know Dazai. Dazai and I have even kept in touch through letters, telling each other things that we wouldn't have been able to otherwise. While Chuuya has indeed saved my life, so has Dazai."
She stopped in front of Ryuji, craning her neck up towards him. "I guess in the end, Chuuya only became interested because of you – but Dazai was interested because of me."
Ryuji stared down at her for a moment, letting out a steamy breath through his nostrils before lowering his head to her level. He got into her face, (Y/n) not flinching a centimeter as he stared her down.
"I guess I did choose correctly in terms of a vessel, mortal."
He pulled away, going towards the tree. He whipped the end of his tail against it, creating a slit that glowed a bright blue. As he did so, a crash of thunder occurred, causing (Y/n) to look back up towards the sky.
A light mist began to rain down, causing her to pull to up her hood, grabbing the ends to keep it up as another wind blew past. She said to him as the rain began to grow heavier, "But I have more questions for you!"
"Maybe for another time, (Y/n)." He turned back to her, going behind her and using his head to press against her back, pushing her towards the door. "For now, you must return to the mortal plain. There are other mortals and vessels that require your assistance."
"Wait!" She stepped aside, Ryuji stopping himself as he nearly fell into the growing slit in the tree. "If you were able to talk this entire time, why didn't you say anything before?"
"I can't speak in the mortal plain, so that's why we communicate as if I were your pet or a normal companion."
"So you're okay with that?"
"Of course! If I wasn't, I would've brought you here and told you sooner."
"Does that mean I can still call you Ryuji? I mean, you are technically Watatsumi."
"Yes, I do not mind! Now, you must leave before your body decides it no longer needs your soul and passes away!" He resumed his attempt in pushing her towards the portal, pressing his head against her back.
(Y/n) dug her foot into the ground, spinning around as she placed her hands on his snout. "Stop pushing me and listen, damn it!"
Ryuji stopped, meeting her eyes as she kept her hands on his snout. She began to gently run her hands along his wet scales, quietly asking as the rain continued to pour, "Will things change now? Are we still a powerful duo?"
"Things are always changing, (Y/n). You just haven't noticed them until now..."
Ryuji leaned his head forward, (Y/n) pressing her forehead against his as she closed her eyes. She slowly opened them as she felt Ryuji slip out of her grip, floating tall in front of her as the glowing slit in the tree brightened.
He sped forward, slamming his head into her chest and sinking into her body. Her feet slipped against the soggy grass, causing her to fall backwards into the slit as Ryuji finished his absorption into her body.
The last thing she heard before she was enveloped in a sea of glowing blue was, "Goodbye, (Y/n)."
(Y/n)'s eyes sprung open, a dark, blurry haze surrounding her. She soon realized that she was within a small sphere of water, floating around in it as her wounds had been healed. She let out a breath, bubbles flowing out and causing the sphere to pop, causing her to fall onto the soaking grass below.
She slammed into the freshly formed mud, pieces splattering onto the area surrounding her and onto her clothes. She coughed a couple times, pressing her elbows against the ground as she sat up.
She quickly pulled off her right glove, revealing a glowing circle on her hand. It continued to travel up her body, waves and lines appearing all over her skin. She quickly pulled off the other glove, dropping it to the ground as she stood up.
But I'm all healed, she thought as she stared down at the lines. Why aren't they disappearing? Do I need Dazai to touch me to nullify them or something? Wait, I'll just ask Ryuji – he's probably going to be okay with telling me what the hell is going on.
She pointed her hand towards the puddle at her feet, commanding, "The Beauty of Water: Ryuji – I summon you!"
(Y/n) waited for a moment, but nothing happened. She clenched her hand, staring down at the motionless water as many thoughts ran through her mind.
He's probably just being stubborn cause I already summoned him to free Q much quicker, she internally reasoned, growing anxious with the lack of movement.
She cleared her throat, commanding a second time, "The Beauty of Water: Ryuji – I summon you!"
When nothing happened for a second time, she began to panic. "No, no, no," she knelt down to the ground, hovering her hand above the water, "this is not the time to try and be sassy, Ryuji! Chuuya and Dazai are probably in a lot of trouble right now, I need your assistance! I demand your assistance!"
Nothing happened.
She slammed her hand in the water, droplets splashing onto the surrounding area. She stood back up, stating in a frustrated tone, "You have got to be the stubbornest water dragon in existence!"
And the only... She turned away, looking towards the direction she had originally been thrown in. Is this what Ryuji meant by changes? Is he no longer going to be summoned by me?
What am I going to do now?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud boom come from the direction she was facing, taking off into a sprint. I can't think about that right now, I just have to do what I can for Chuuya and Dazai.
Please be okay.