Rain struggling manages to swim over to the man interlocking his hands trying to apply compressions remembering what his father taught him.
Slowly eruptions of water come out of the man's mouth leaving the bubble of air in the same motion. His lungs empty all of the water flooding them. Being replaced with vital oxygen.
"cough ....cough…cough." The man manages to sputter out water managing to seamlessly exit out of the bubble breather.
"I thought I was dead for sure, I've never felt terror like that before. I can't believe I'm actually on land. I sunk so deep I was certain that was the end." The man says as his vision slowly comes back to him.
"Sorry to ruin the fantasy but you're not on land sadly." Rain says greeting the man with warm yellow eyes and a bright smile seeing him come to consciousness.
"How am I able to draw breath then!?" The man says sitting up in a jolt before coughing up more water."
'Amazing he actually managed to make a mana skill even though he's only awakened a couple of weeks ago. He really is a prodigy. All he needs is direction and funds.' Erin thoughts fire through at a rapid rate as she becomes more and more impressed by Rain and just what opportunities that he can bring to the reef and her business.
"It was me. I managed to develop a skill to try and save you. I'm glad to see that it works." Rain explains, to the disorientated air breather.
"What are you!" The man calls out in shock seeing Rains yellow eyes
"Sorry to scare you, the name is Rain. Might be sudden and all but how did you find yourself all the way down here?" Rain asks his curiosity to get the better of him.
"What are you first?" The man asks, still a little on guard from the jarring appearance of Rain never having seen a merman before.
"I think they call me merfolk? But I was originally human." Rain explains, recounting what hes been told already.
"Impossible. A human can't turn into a fish." The man says, still not able to accept the story told to him.
"No, it's true my father is John Nanami." Rain says trying to drum up some type of response from the man noticing his navy uniform he hopes his fathers rank is enough.
"WHAT!" The man struggles to float up straight from the shock.
"Is something wrong?" Rain asks, getting more and more perplexed by the encounter.
"I was squadmates with John once. He was a good guy, always professional and looking after the innocents. I hope that man is doing well. Our squads were split up after the flood.
"You know my father!? Is he alive!?" Rain asks his yellow eyes grow wider in shock hoping for some news, any news.
"That i'm not sure about like i said the flood had separated most of the marine corps in the end. We had to take whatever evacuation route we could." Jett explains, recounting the devastation that few managed to escape from.
"That being said, how are you mer? You were John's son, what the hell happened after the flood." The man says as more and more of his mind starts to orientate to the new environment.
"Everyone is still figuring it out themselves but the people who were caught in the flood went through a transformative sleep of sorts." Rain says recounting his own experience.
"Sleep?" The man questions.
"The sea seems to have changed its sounds like a fairytale but magic has entered the world. That's what I think led to these transformations."
"This is a lot. I need to recover before we go any further. Do you have any clean water, something without salt for the love of god!" The man asks near pleading for something to hydrate his exhausted body.
"You're incredibly lucky to have ended up here of all the places the sea could have taken you. These parts of the water have some of the lowest salt content oddly enough. Thankfully we've managed to purify the seawater in capsules. It gives us a massive boost like caffeine in a way." Erin explains already going into her handbag fishing out her water capsules.
"Here I usually carry a few to get me through the work week. Looks like you'll need them more than me. Thank the tidal mages for it." Erin says passing over her bag of water capsules.
"Oh my god its actually clear clean water, it's like sorcery." The man calls out, shoving a fistful of water capsules down his gullet.
"Well yeah magic has had a massive impact on our infrastructure as a whole. Just be thankful the reef carries purified capsules." Erin says, still a little shocked to see the man even alive.
"Water sweet clean water. Thank you thank you so much I thought I was gone for sure. I could hardly bear the thought of leaving my little boy all alone. You said your name was Rain? Mine is Jett. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me and not leaving me to these cruel waters." Jett says still in disbelief by the clean oxygen his lungs are receiving.
"I swear I will repay this kindness tenfold. Anything I can do, even in this place I'll try my hardest. Thank you Rain." Jett says grovelling on the sediment of the reef outpouring all of his gratitude.
"Rare to see someone being able to use air magic that's one of the few magic types with barely any information on. I had no idea it could be used in this way." Erin comments her brain slowly getting used to the constant shocks Rain gives her.
"I can already smell a new story brewing up in the works Rain." Erin says excited as she twirls a squid ink pen in her webbed fingers.
"For now, what will be your plan Jett? I'll watch your back whatever your decision is." Rain says, his empathy for the first human hes seen since he's woken up guiding his decision,
"As much as I would like to go back to the surface, I fear the same results will happen. I didn't have the strength to do anything and in the end I was sealed to my fate until you came along. Those damn backstabbing rodents!" Jett says, his emotions flaring at the memory.
"Something tells me I should stick with you for now. Rain, even if I go back up there won't be room for me anymore and they'll try to make me disappear as soon as they get the chance to know how these bastards work." Jett says his dishevelled Red hair slowly being cleansed by the sea waters filtering the blood and dirt out.
"You want to stay in the ocean!?" Serena squawks out her mind being thrown for a loop by Jetts train of thought.
"I don't have any other options. If it's possible for me to stay here that would be my best bet won't be looked for in these vast waters." Jett explains already knowing the process to clean up any loose ends.
"I really dont think this is a good idea at all, you'll be easily outmatched by the other walks of life down here." Serena says struggling to even understand Jetts reckless idea.
"That's what i need, I need the experience, i need to see what the strength down in the sea is like i might be able to learn a thing or two from doing so." Jett explains still not wavering in his decision.
"If you're really sure you can handle yourself down here, I'll sponsor you and give you the benefit of the doubt. Anyone who's worked with my dad will be a man of quality, that's the only people he will work with." Rain says, analysing Jett seeing the marks of training all over him. From the rank on his navy uniform to his
'Perceptive kid he's already managed to see right through me, the navy forces all its recruits to have extensive swimming training even at extreme depths.' Jett ponders to himself noticing how well Rain can see through him off first glance.
"But if you try to backstab us you will get no mercy from me." Rain's fierce yellow eyes pierce into Jetts.
"Understood, I promise I'll be your ally, not your enemy. Thank you for saving my life. I will repay this." Jett says staring back at Rain's yellow eyes not wanting to waver in the slightest even if death is a risk.
"Alright then welcome aboard. Couple things to note though, as much as I trust your survival abilities don't stray far from me at all. That mask of air will run out in 24 hours, I need to resupply it every day so if you go too far away you're at an extremely high chance of drowning where you swim." Rain smiles explaining the way things are going to have to go for them.
"I had a feeling a miracle like this wouldn't be permanent. I can manage that I'll stick to you guys like glue then." Jett sighs, forming bubbles in the process of his exhale.
"Good for food and water we can mainly get it from the reef for you so will have to have supplies with us if you decide to leave the reef with us for anything." Serena chimes in.
"Again thank you, I would be as good as dead without your intervention." Jett says bowing once more.
"Lots of people were doomed during the flood. I didn't want you to be another one to join them, just don't make me regret it Jett." Rain says, his yellow eyes still piercing into Jetts.
"You won't Rain." Jett says solemnly, already resolving himself to help his saviour.
"Erin, Jetts with me now anyone who tries anything let me know and i'll crush their damn heads in. He's under my protection." Rain says making it crystal clear shocking jett in the process with his actions.
"Ah okay yeah no worries, I'll make sure to add that in the new issue." Erin says her expressions becoming a little blank from the surprise managing to scribble in her kelp notebook.
"Hopefully you learn quickly." Rain says chuckling overing a hand towards Jett.
"A marine has to if he wants to adapt." Jett says embracing his hand with Rain's both grabbing each other's wrists.
"Hey Serena, is it possible for a human to learn magic?" Rain says, his creativity already wanting to try new ideas.
"A human? I'm not too sure, honestly I've never heard of a human having magic and i'm one of the earliest people to wake up after the flood." Serena says a little perplexed by Rains question.
"Jett you said you wanted to get stronger and learn from the sea right?" Rain says already making plans for the future.
"Yes!" Jett says falling back into his navy training responding with a great deal of respect.
"Then word of advice, you're going to need to train your body more than anyone else here. This is not going to be easy but I will give you all the support that I can." Rain says.
"I understand." Jett says, still wrapping his mind by the miraculous support that Rain has decided to provide him.
"If we can get really lucky you might be able to find a mana crystal." Rain says brushing his nose with a webbed finger excitedly.
"Mana crystal?" Jett asks curiously, his mind wanting to devour all the knowledge of the new world underneath the brutal oceans that have claimed most of the world.
"It's a precious item that is produced by the sea for the person who manages to claim one and absorbs its energy, it will give you the ability to wield magic." Rain explains with a smirk as he excitedly unveils the possibilities in front of Jett.
"Wait, you mean I'll be able to do something similar?" Jett says in awe at the idea of wielding a force unknown to man a force the sea has made and hidden from air dwellers.