His thoughts were broken by an unfamiliar sound. It was only then he realized he had floated dangerously close to shore. He wasn’t terribly worried, there were rarely boats near this stretch of shore. Besides, he could camouflage himself well enough if he wanted to. He let his gaze wander to the source of the sound. There was a human child playing in the sand of the small beach nearby. The human boy was no bigger than he was, likely the same age or close. Curious, the merchild watched the human dig his hands into the sand and push it around to form a structure of some kind.

“Katsuchiyo, what are you building?” A woman asked as she walked up, layers of clothing hiked up off the ground.

“I’m building a castle!” The boy declared triumphantly with a broad grin and puffed chest.

“Oh yes! Of course! I see it now!” The woman beamed with a genuine happiness in her voice. “With a little more work, it will look just like home!”

“You really think so?” His eyes lit up with excitement his bouncing form could not control.

“I do.” From further inland a voice called, though the merchild couldn’t quite make it out. Whatever they said, it caused the boy to take off running to the source. His hair came out of the tie holding it back sending it freewheeling in the breeze.

“You must have put your hair up yourself today…” The woman sighed as she grasped the hair tie as it wafted through the air.

An awe-filled gasp escaped with merchild’s lips as he watched the boy with the sunset for hair run away. “He… He must be from the sky!” The merchild whispered, still filled with awe as he watched until long after to boy had gone.

“Lord Kenshin! Finally!” A voice barked from behind and the merchild’s shoulders scrunched up instinctively. He turned around cringing to face the source of the voice.

“Hello, Kanetsugu…” He answered sheepishly. “What brings you here?” He asked despite knowing the answer. His feigned ignorance was immediately seen for what it was as Kanetsugu grabbed him by one of his long, sharply pointed ears and started pulling him down.

“You know full well what brings me here. You left for some exercise hours ago!” He fumed before finally letting go once he knew Kenshin was no longer a flight risk. He then proceeded to explain how Kenshin was heir to the family and his age did not excuse him from responsibilities. It was the same lecture he had gotten countless times before and no doubt would receive countless times more. It didn’t stop him from going back to the shore again the next day to watch Katsuchiyo, the boy with the sunset for hair.

Every day for a week this went on. Kenshin feeling bolder and bolder, inching closer to shore. Closer to the boy with sunset for hair. One-day Katsuchiyo was swimming. The tide is getting rough but the boy paid no heed to the warnings of his mother to come back to shore. Suddenly, a large wave sent the boy under and he didn’t resurface. Fearfully, Kenshin dove under and found the boy struggling to the surface. In one sudden gasp, all the air left the boy’s lungs and he started to sink. Kenshin grabbed Katsuchiyo and made for the surface, he pulled the boy far down the beach, where he wouldn’t be seen, before splaying him out. He forced air into his chest, and after a few deep breaths, the human started coughing. Relieved, Kenshin let out a sigh.

Kenshin stayed with the boy making sure he was all right. He reached out and pushed the boy’s hair out of his face and watched him as he breathed quickly.

He’s so warm like the sunset too…

Compelled by some unknown force, Kenshin left a braid on each side of Katsuchiyo’s face, just above his ears, to keep his hair at bay. Almost as soon as he finished the second braid, the boy’s eyes fluttered open and Kenshin fled.

“AH!” The boy exclaimed looking around wildly as he jolted up. “The sea… It was so close just now…” He shook his head quickly. “No… Those were someone’s eyes! Someone saved me… but where did they go?” He looked around wildly, searching for his savior. “The sea! Someone from the sea!” He scampered to the edge of the water and gazed into its unfathomable depths.

Kenshin watched from behind a rock as the boy got to his feet slowly. Someone from down the shore called his name and he turned to the source. Kenshin knew Katsuchiyo would be all right, that his family would be worried so he left them to their tearful reunion.

“What happened?!” A tearful woman exclaimed wrapping her arms around Katsuchiyo.

“Someone saved me! I… I thought I saw them go back in the water.” The rescue team looked to the water but saw no one.

“There’s no one there, Hunny…” Katsuchiyo looked defeated since no one believed him. He ran his hand through his hair, fingers grazing one of the braids.

“Oh yeah? Well who did these then?” He pointed a defiant finger to the braids but, no one could answer him. They all knew he couldn’t even tie his own hair back, let alone braid it so well.

As Kenshin swam down towards his own home, his heart was pounding and all his thoughts were consumed by the boy with the sunset for hair. He tried to puzzle out why but no explanation came to mind. It wasn’t until months later, after going back every day and not seeing the boy with the sunset for hair that he realized what it must have been.

How long has it been now?

He waved to the sun as she passed through the sky over head. “Hello again goddess. Have you seen him already today? The one who stole the sunset from your sky and placed it upon his head?” He sighed with great melancholy as his arm sank down below the surface of the water.

Years… that’s how long it’s been… I lost count now but…

“Goddess… I know you’re the ruler of the skies… but if you could tell me if he’s even still alive…” He called out and a single sea bird passed overhead. He took it as a sign. “Thank you, goddess…” With a smile on his face, he sank beneath the surface and returned home.

 “You want to go to the ocean.” A shadow in the corner said more than asked.

“Yes, Kansuke.”

“And what reason do you have to go to the ocean, Harunobu?” Kansuke asked genuinely this time.

“Strategically, plenty but wouldn’t a vacation be nice?” Harunobu replied light-heartedly. “Everyone has been fighting hard for me in countless battles. I want to reward them with a vacation.”

“Into enemy territory.”

“It wouldn’t be fun without an element of excitement and danger, now would it.” Harunobu smirked, his eyes saying he had a plan.

“I’ll make the preparations at once. It will take some time to coordinate the intelligence and logistics.” With that, Kansuke melded into the shadows. After Kansuke was gone, Harunobu took out an old scroll to continue reading it.

Just as I thought… There are legends of merfolk living in the sea near that beach. Story after story of sailors and fisherman being rescued by them…  

“Once I have that territory… I’ll be able to find them for sure… That person with the sea in their eyes.” He whispered aloud to himself as he gently rolled the scroll back up. He ventured out onto the veranda and sat down. “I just wish I knew they were still alive…” Suddenly, he saw his adopted daughter walking through the garden with her arms full.

“Let me help you.” He called and she stopped and looked at him. As he approached her, her realized her arms were full of conch shells. “Where did you get all these? He wondered as he turned the shells over in his hands. She explained that a merchant from the same beachside village he used to visit as a child had brought them to the castle town. She remembered him saying he missed the ocean so she bought them all and was going to surprise him by sitting them in his room so he could hear the ocean. He smiled wryly in the face of her naïve sweetness. “Thank you…” He took it as a sign…

 The trips became less frequent but Kenshin never gave up hope of seeing Katsuchiyo again. One day, Kanetsugu found him floating listlessly. “What, pray tell, are you doing now?” He asked annoyed.

“Waiting for the sunset.”

“But the sunset won’t be back for quite some time…”

“I know but I’m still going to wait for it.” Kanetsugu sighed, pressing his thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose.

“Fine…” He huffed out at last and left Kenshin be.

Several years passed before Katsuchiyo returned to that beach. No longer a boy, he stood looking out over the sea, a contented smile on his face. “Harunobu…” A quiet voice from a man with no distinguishing features called. “Of all the beaches in the country, why did we have to come to this one?”

“I like the way the sea looks here.” Was Harunobu’s simple reply. The man did not question the answer he received.

There he is!

Kenshin’s mind went blank as he spotted the tall, imposing figure standing alone on the shore. Compelled by a force he did not understand, Kenshin started floating towards the shore, towards the sunset… He didn’t notice a young woman running up to Harunobu, nor did he notice shadows creeping around in the darkening night. He snapped to a stop as Kanetsugu grabbed him by the appendages on his arms and yanked him back.

“You idiot! That’s far too dangerous!” He hissed in Kenshin’s ear. Kenshin was about to protest when the shadows attacked Harunobu. Kenshin watched as Shingen easily dispatched the shadows with the help of one of his own. All the while not allowing harm to come to the young woman with him.

“Well, looks like we were right, Kansuke…” Harunobu sneered as the only shadow left standing landed before him. “Now we have an excuse to declare war and claim this territory.”

“You deliberately came to a hostile territory and got attacked so you could have an excuse to claim it?” The young woman questioned in utter confusion.

“Our armies are already massing to march on my orders.” He replied rather than tell her yes or no. “You really liked coming here, didn’t you? Well soon you can come back whenever you want.” Her eyes sparkled like stars in the darkness. “Go on back to the inn, I’ll be in shortly.” The young woman ran off excitedly toward the inn.

“Now you’ll have a suitable harbor to build a navy from, Harunobu.” Kansuke said before disappearing.

“I didn’t really do this for the harbor or even for her to be able to come here…” Harunobu said so quietly Kenshin could barely hear. “I wanted this beach so I could come back whenever I want and find the being with the sea in their eyes. I never got to thank them…” There was a certain melancholy in his eyes as he spoke. After a brief moment, he turned and headed back to the inn.

“I told you it was dangerous!” Kanetsugu huffed as he let go of Kenshin. “You may be the God of War under the waves but on land you would have been a liability!”

“You’re right…” Kenshin replied with an ethereal smile. “Let’s go home, Kanetsugu.” Before his retainer had a chance to answer, Kenshin was already well beneath the surface.

 Another year passed before Shingen returned to his newly acquired beach. This time it was he who was left waiting day in and day out. He spent the better part of each day and night scanning the surface of the water but saw nothing of interest. His time there was growing short and he was becoming exceedingly desperate. All this waiting around was not his style. Leaving all but his fundoshi on shore, he trekked out to a large rock and climbed to the top of it. When that gave him no better vantage point, he decided there was only one option left…

After taking the deepest breath possible, he dove head first into the water. Once in, he made no effort to try to reach the surface. He sank until his lungs started to tell him to stop. Just as he was about to make for the surface, he felt arms wrap around him. He was being pushed up and quickly his head broke the surface. Once on shore he was splayed out on the beach like a rag doll. The being gently forced his mouth opened and Shingen immediately seized them by the back of the head, thrusting his tongue into their mouth. The being froze instantly, every muscle in their body tense even after Shingen broke the kiss, his head flopping back onto the sand.

“You’re… a man? A merman?” Shingen said perplexed a moment as he stared up at the shocked, sea colored eyes before him. He reached up in a bid to run his fingers through Kenshin’s hair. Before Shingen could touch the golden locks, Kenshin dove back into the water. Shingen marveled at the grace in which Kenshin moved, the leafy appendages on his body undulating with the water as he moved. The moment was quickly broken when he realized Kenshin was running away. He dove back into the water and swam hard after the merman. Alas, a mere human could never hope to match a merfolk in a swimming contest. By the time he realized he had no hope of winning, it was too late. He had swum far too deep this time… He made for the surface but didn’t make it before the air escaped his lungs in one great gasp.

Shingen awoke, lungs burning, the taste and smell off salt accosting his senses. His eyes burned just as fiercely as his lungs as he laid on his side coughing. “That was a bit too much for a first meeting, wasn’t it?” He asked rhetorically in a hoarse whispered once he found he could speak again. Despite his bleary eyes, he could tell the merman didn’t understand a word he said. Kenshin’s brows, more very small fins than brows, were furrowed together. For no apparent reason, he wrenched one of the largest scales from his tail free. He gasped in pain, the expression on his face unmistakable, that hurt very much. Still he handed the scale to Shingen and the samurai took it readily.

“Can you understand me?” Kenshin’s mouth moved and perfectly intelligible words met Shingen’s ears.

“Yes, can you understand me?” Shingen replied, a smile creeping across his face. Kenshin’s face twisted into anger as he slapped Shingen as hard as he could.

“Who does something like that the first time they meet someone! What would your wife think?!” Kenshin berated him but Shingen just started laughing.

“I don’t have a wife…” The samurai replied with a wry smile as he rubbed the heated spot on his face.

“But… last time you were here… you were attacked and there was a…”

“Funny story about that girl. Came to me dressed as her brother to take his place as a poison taster. I ended up adopting her as my daughter…” Shingen explained with an increasingly mischievous smile as he took his hand from his own face and used it to caress Kenshin’s. “To answer your question… I was saving that kiss for you and only you.”

“Why would you say something like that?” Kenshin wasn’t about to get his hopes up.

“I have been in love with your eyes since I first saw them…” Shingen purred, leaning in ever so slightly.

“Just my eyes?”

“That’s all you let me know of you…” He moved in ever so slightly more. “I want to know all of you now.”

“But I’m…”

“I don’t care what you are.” He was so close now Kenshin could feel the samurai’s warm breath on his lips.

“But…” His words were lost to a passionate kiss that told him Shingen was telling him the truth. All his years of waiting had not been in vain. The boy… no… the man with the sunset for hair loved him in return. Kenshin finally, reluctantly, pushed Shingen away. A shadow passing through his eyes as he looked out at the sea. Waves lapped over the end of his tail.

“This is all the further I can go. If I’m out of the water for more than a few hours, I’ll die.” Kenshin explained forlorn, voice barely a whisper. A smile quickly returned to his face and he was about to continue when Shingen interjected.

“Does it have to be salt water?” The odd question temporarily caused Kenshin’s brain to cease functioning.

“No… not necessarily…” He replied awkwardly as he turned to look at Shingen again. The samurai’s face was nothing but profoundly serious.

“Even if it has to be seawater, I’ll have it shipped to my castle and build the most exquisite home for you in my garden. I’ll surround it with only the most beautiful things… just like you…” His seriousness eased as he poked Kenshin on the nose to emphasize his last clause.

“Why would you…”

“Because I believe if you really want something, you should do everything in your power to get it. Make your own path and your own destiny.” Shingen replied proudly. “I wanted this beach so I took it. I want you so I’ll do whatever I have to do.”

“That won’t be necessary.” An exasperated voice called from somewhere in the water. “Take this…” A shell came flying through the air and Kenshin caught it. “You’ll still need to be in water periodically but that will allow you to walk on land.” He explained as Kenshin’s tail was already receding. “If you stay out of water too long, you’ll start to change back and soon after that you’ll start to die.”

“Why are you doing this, Kanetsugu?” Kenshin was befuddled by his retainer’s actions.

“Because I couldn’t stop you if I tried… or wanted to.” Kanetsugu answered in a sigh. “Just be happy…” With that he was gone.

Under the light of the moon, Kenshin sat staring down at his slowly changing body. A ghost of worry shrouded his features and Shingen pulled the merman’s face to his. “Would you like me to show you that I’ll be just as fond of you if you have legs?” Kenshin recognized that hunger in the samurai’s eyes. He had a knack for inducing such looks…

“How exactly do you plan to do that?” Kenshin purred back. Shingen smirked in the face of a challenge.

“Let me show you why they call me the Tiger of Kai.” His voice a low rumble, he grabbed Kenshin and pulled the merman into his lap.

“The Tiger of Kai…” The merman mused. “How perfect… I’m known as Kenshin the Dragon, God of War throughout all the seas. I never start a battle I can’t walk away from. If you wish to win this battle with me, you’re going to have to fight for it…” Despite Kenshin’s confident answer, Shingen just smirked mischievously.

“There’s something you’ve been missing out on by having this tail…” He purred as his fingertips ghosted over Kenshin’s scaled back, coming to rest at his waist. “The shell better work quickly or the Tiger will have eaten the Fish whole…” Before Shingen knew what was happening, he was on his back, both hands pinned over his head by slight arms which belied their real strength.

“I’m not a fish, I’m a dragon…” Kenshin mused seductively in Kenshin’s ear. “Last time I checked, Dragons were more powerful.” He nipped at Shingen’s bottom lip.