Miyako Diaries 13: Saki Elisabeth Y. Walters (Patreon)

Saki never liked the sea.

That was younger Saki's sensation, when her Dad, a skilled surfer/expert diver and a man of the seas took her to her first freedive. And this feeling has persisted. No, she didn't really mind the pain from long breathholds or water in the nostrils: those were not much of a problem. But Saki has been unnerved by the feel of layers of water surrounding and closing down on her, to the point of mild claustrophobia.

But  after her U.S. Marines dad never returned from duty, it has become a mission. Day after day, she would swim in the depths, along the seabeds, in the wrecks, and through the caves. She had had small holes puctured in her ear drums to accomodate the extreme great and would occassionally gag herself in the mouth, to counter the wild spams of her diaphram. In doing so, she noted she had a talent: maybe that came from her mother's side, who were from the small Ogami Islet to the northeast Miyako, a Shinto sanctuary, and reputed for shamanic powers to "walk with the gods." Even during extremely long dives, and after she knew her cardio would start to fail, she could remain completely awake and sane. At one time, she found on the surface that she just could not purge her lungs of water, no matter how hard she tried. Then, noting that her limbs were turning noticeably pale, she dived back down, and used the pressure to give herself a self-CPR. Yes, after some pressing her lungs did restart, and she was gurgling in and out torrents of seawater. And she should carry on like this, until she could find Dad, find him and also kill him, the Dad that is still residing inside her.

Saki never liked the sea.

<Bonus: Saki .gif pic with no background - use any background and make her go as deep as you want! :-)>