The morning sun cast a warm golden glow over the rugged landscape of Rahu Rock. Though it was fall, Luluhawa's tropical climate bathed the island in endless summer. On this crisp November morning, the sky was a sweeping expanse of azure, unbroken by even a wisp of cloud. The sun's rays set the stage for adventures and stories waiting to unfold under the island's perfect weather. The daybreak light infused the island with a sense of optimism and possibility, inviting its inhabitants to bask in the beauty of the new day.

Tōga sat pensively on the sandy isthmus, his gaze fixed on the endless horizon where ocean met sky. He was dressed simply in a long white tee and fiery red swim trunks that stood out against his tan skin. A passing breeze ruffled his pink, spiky hair as his auburn eyes silently searched the seascape before him, as if the rolling waves and cloudless expanse held the answers he sought. Though it was bright, the morning held a pleasant warmth. Tōga paid no mind to the sun's intensifying rays, lost in thought as he sat between the rugged landscape of Kahu Rock and the crystal waters stretching toward Luluhawa. He was an island unto himself, disconnected from the paradise around him, focused inward as the tide gently lapped the shore. The breeze and hypnotic rhythm of the waves were his only companions as he contemplated the horizon, waiting for a sign among the sun-sparkled sea.

"I hope Lumi-chan comes," Tōga murmured, wiggling his bare toes in the golden sand. An uneasy feeling had taken hold after their adventure apprehending poachers. Lumikki had tortured those men, likely ending some lives - Tōga didn't have time to check as he rescued the animals. Though their cruelty was undebatable, was death the right punishment? The moral ambiguity gnawed at Tōga. He sighed, gazing out at the azure ocean under the cloudless sky. The idyllic scene was at odds with the turmoil in his mind. Lumikki's ruthless methods gave him pause, despite the poachers' misdeeds. Her zealous sense of justice seemed to override mercy. Tōga longed to talk through his concerns with her. He hoped she would join him here, where the sound of lapping waves and warm breeze might soften the sharpened edges of their ideological differences. They came from disparate worlds, but perhaps this tranquil beach could be neutral ground for a thoughtful discussion between friends. Tōga awaited her, toes curled in the sand, holding onto hope.

Tōga knew he must ask Lumikki exactly what had transpired with the poachers. He wouldn't judge her actions - how could he, when she'd accomplished what was likely a necessary task, albeit through lethal means. His curiosity was not borne of condemnation, but a desire to understand if her ruthless justice was truly the only way to secure the animals' safety.

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As Tōga sat on the beach, still peering out towards the ocean, his nose twitched just slightly.

The salty ocean breeze carried hints of seaweed and fish, mixing with the coconut sunscreen and concessions from the nearby boardwalk. But above it all, Tōga caught a familiar, delicate scent - frost flowers after a winter storm. Lumikki was near. Casually scanning the beach, Tōga's gaze settled on a woman with moon-white hair. She strolled barefoot through the sand, wearing an oversized shirt that billowed in the wind. In one hand she carried a magical umbrella, its icy surface scattering the sunlight into a thousand rainbow refractions. Tōga smiled to himself. Even in this sunny seaside spot, Lumikki brought the calm beauty of snowfall. Her presence soothed his dragon slayer instincts. Tōga breathed deep the cold crispness of her scent as she approached through the salt-tinged air.

"Lumi-Chan..." Tōga's voice trailed off as he gazed up at the woman before him. How to explain their complicated situation? He searched for the right words, his usual charm muted. "Nah, nothing like that," he finally said, forcing a bit of brightness into his smile. He couldn't bring himself to admit the bullying outright, not wanting to trouble her. But the spark in his eyes had dimmed in a way they both noticed. Tōga yearned to shine as brilliantly as the sun for her, to live up to his name as her excited friend. Yet he found himself uncharacteristically subdued. Shadows clouded the radiance he normally exuded. Still, he maintained the smile, pushing back the darkness for her sake. Some things were better left unsaid.

Tōga's gaze drifted from Lumikki to the endless blue ocean before them. He hesitated, uncertainty swirling beneath the surface. Finally he spoke.

"About yesterday - those poachers," he began, his words measured. "Did you...kill any of them?" The question tore itself from him, giving voice to anxieties he'd rather leave unspoken. But he had to know. Visions of bloodstained snow flashed through his mind, memories of violence stirring the dragon within. Lumikki was capable of great tenderness, but also fearsome power when provoked. He held his body still, every muscle tensed, afraid to stir the deep waters between them. But his heart raced like a riptide. Her answer could soothe his doubts or summon a storm. He kept his eyes trained on the horizon, fearing all she might read in them as he awaited her reply.

As Tōga and Lumikki conversed, a wispy blue form emerged from the frothing ocean waves. It glided across the wet sand with serpentine grace, scales glinting in the sunlight. Unnoticed by the pair, the creature approached on shimmering fins. It was one of the rare sea beasts they had rescued from the poachers just yesterday. Having escaped the clutches of cruel captivity, the grateful being now returned to greet its saviors. Lumikki's and the dragon slayer’s power had freed it from an ominous fate. Silent as a curl of mist, the aquatic creature wove between them, tracing glistening tracks around their feet. Its passage raised no alarm, only a fleeting coolness, a breath of ocean spray. Their words continued uninterrupted, unaware of the visitor leaving its mark upon the beach. A temporary tribute circled them like ripples on the tide - here, then vanished. But the boundless sea remembers.

---

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Tōga kept his gaze fixed on the tumultuous sea, unable to meet Lumikki's earnest eyes as she sat beside him. Though her magic continued to morph her features, returning her to the captivating beauty he had first encountered in Stella, even that mystical glamor could not distract him from the turmoil churning within. As her mellifluous voice wove explanations and entreaties, his frustration only mounted, threatening to crest like the waves breaking below them. The crashing surf echoed his inner turmoil, drowning out Lumikki's words as Tōga's uncertainty deepened. Her magical unveiling was a marvel, but the mysteries of his own heart eclipsed even her fantastical transformation.

"I understand that..." Tōga's words trailed off, the finality in them ringing hollow as he struggled to accept Lumikki's explanation. She had only meant to save the captive sea creatures from the poachers, yet her magic's frigid embrace had frozen the lifeblood within all but two. The dichotomy of savior and executioner wrapped around her like armor. "But Haji still lives, as do I," Tōga countered, his voice tightening with strained patience. "No one had to die." Though his words remained soft, an undercurrent of turmoil churned beneath their gentle tone. Lumikki's good intentions counted for little against the icy brutality of their consequences. The two survivors were but a sliver of life saved, overwhelmed by the silent bodies left in the magic's wake. Tōga understood her reasons, yet the needless loss of life threatened to expose unheralded mistrust between the two.

"I d-don't know," Tōga stammered, unable to conjure an alternative to Lumikki's lethal actions. She had chosen to kill, a decision that sat like a stone in his stomach. And now she asked how he might have acted differently in her place. "Maybe...turned them in," he managed, though even his own solution rang hollow. If the goal had been to save lives, surely there must have been another way. Lumikki called it morals, but to Tōga it was simply respect - for life in all its forms, be they human or otherwise. The poachers were evil, perhaps beyond redemption, yet who were they to render such judgement? Tōga struggled to voice his turmoil, to convey how the needless loss of life pierced something deep within him. Lumikki spoke of right and wrong, but all he could focus on was the chilling finality of her actions. She had crossed a line, and though her motives were pure, the way back now seemed shrouded in doubt.

Oblivious to the ethical debate raging above, the translucent sea serpent continued gliding along the sand. It circled Tōga's seated form, then began coiling itself up his body with fluid grace. He barely felt the delicate creature's weight as it ascended, wrapping around his torso before perching atop his pink locks. There it sat, peering at Lumikki through wide, dark eyes that reflected no judgment, only innocent curiosity. Tōga had not noticed the serpent's climbing until it rested upon his head, so gentle and nimble was its movement. Its smooth scales shone like molded glass as it peered down from its new vantage. Tōga froze, unwilling to disturb the creature's explorations as it watched the impassioned argument, blissfully unaware of the deadly consequences that had befallen its kin. For now, the serpent seemed content to simply observe, cradled in Tōga's hair like a mythical crown come to life.

“Huh?”

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Where had the rage gone? Just moments ago, Tōga was ready to abandon Lumikki on the beach, leaving her to revel in her own madness. It would have been so easy; she had said everything to push him away. Yet now, as she opened up about her past, vulnerability crept into her voice. She spoke of the Joyan war, when Tōga was powerless to intervene, and confessed her own vulnerability and conviction. As her story unfolded, Tōga's anger melted away. For an instant, sympathy flickered within him, even for this merciless killer. In that moment, two lost souls found common ground, and compromise became possible.

"What should we do with it?" Tōga rose to his full height, taking care not to dislodge the serpent nestled in his pink hair. Its dark, circular eyes blinked curiously as it peered around, as though searching for something. Tōga and the snake would have to decipher what it wanted.

The creature wound itself deeper into Tōga's locks, seemingly content with its new, unexpected home. Tōga sighed, resigned to his role as an accidental host. For now, the serpent was harmless, even harmless. Perhaps it merely sought shelter and companionship.

Mission Complete!

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