Problem?

Night dawned once again as the foolish and ignorant sheep went to sleep as they always do in their pig ignorant lives, never aware the troubles or rather the latest one the gravekeeper got. Jin, protector of the night, saviour of the innocents, for he is Ba-- oh wait, he is just a normal gravekeeper. Just a guy with a sword, that is at the moment, peeking through the window to look at the graves. For many a days had he faced these abominations that just WON'T STAY PUT no matter how many times he buries them, ties them up, EVEN WITH STEEL CHAINS, but they always get loose. Always observing their movements for lengths of night, neglecting his wife's warm embrace all for watching these cold dead corpses and their natural behaviour. HE JUST KNOWS SOMEONE IS REVIVING THEM CONSTANTLY. Those hopping bastard Jiang Shi of old legends!

Either ways, Jin placed a couple of posters around Konomi island for help, but got dismissed as a mad man in many instances, and those that DID help him out, never spoke off what happened again. Literally, Jin has been isolated by these pig fat villagers that would rather ignore a problem instead of actually handling it head on. Typical Konomian attitude that he loathes with a great passion that itches his armpits.

"C'mon... c'mon... JUST WHO THE FUCK KEEPS SENDING YOU BASTARDS HERE?!" He thought in his intelligent scholarly head as he watched the Jiang Shi hop around like they always do. Looking at the bite mark on his forearm that is quite faded. He got bitten by one a few days, and learnt quite a bit about their behaviour and stuff but... there still isn't any clues about them! But ah well, he occasionally took a look back, seeing if any Jiang Shi were sneaking out of the gated cemetery. Should one EVER get into the village, great disaster would befall the place in this dead of night when everyone is asleep.

Ark was happily swimming along the ocean before noticing....some kind of zombie thing falling into the ocean and sinking to the bottom walking as if trying to literally walk upwards out of the water. This confused him greatly and inspired a great deal of curiosity towards the assumed human culture that was throwing bodies that were walking like blatant retarded folk facing upwards in the water. Having these ideas now gnawing at him from a deep and core part of his mind MG Ark hopped from the water onto the land of the island and climbed a short cliff which the tides were breaking against before reaching a small stretch of land with what appeared to be gravestones at the end of the path. This was stranger and stranger by the second.

The moonlight was especially bright on this night and before long Ark saw what seemed to be one man fighting against a bunch of hopping men. What in the name of hell and all the mermaids in the sea is going on here. A final survivor? An attack on a nearly extinct race? Humans gone mad? Well pondering will get me nowhere but where i'm standing so.... And with those few insightful words thought to himself Ark proceeded on just as a particular batch of the incoming hopping men were defeated by the more elite in skill and power singular man standing around.

Stopping a good few meters short (15 or so) Ark called out to the man. "Why are there hopping men running around in the water! Why are there hopping men all over this island except for you! Why are you fighting the hopping folk! WHAT IS GOING ON!!!" Ark had meant to come across with a light confusion but before long exploded into a confused rage of just random and loosely associated questions for this singular man that had been fighting off the hopping men. He was so utterly confused that it honestly may have been worse than when he was struck on the head and lost his entire memory of the world. Not quite as bad but the feeling at the moment was definitely in the same bracket as that shocking 'what??!?' moment that he had experienced so long ago. So there he stood a giant among humans and standing over teen feet high next to a shorter human fighting off hopping men just as another batch was coming around over the hill. Ark was confused truly but that didn't stop his need to do what needed to be done...which seemed to be help the most intelligent and in control power source of the island. This singular man...after an explanation from him of course of just what in hell's name was going on here.

Jin wasn't fighting the undead menace but was rather observing them from within the confines and safety of his shed within the fenced graveyard. But DAMN, he feels like he must've missed one of those Jiang Shi for some reason. Just some feeling that they might've went past him or the like. Actually, ONE OF THEM MIGHT HAVE HAD WENT PAST HIM! He was pretty sure of it, he was definitely sure. BAH, this was bad, if even ONE got past him, chances are, it would create even more of its kind! And this douchebag who keeps creating them will see Hell to pay for this particular act which to this day, angers Jin with the great fury of a thousand lions.

So ONCE AGAIN, he has to beat the crap out of these bastards after spotting himself a small particular hole in the fence, he got out of his shed, unlocked the doorway of his gravekeeper shed, got out, got into the graveyard from the gate, closed the gate behind him, sword at hand but with a sheathe, and started smacking the nearest Jiang Shi while holding his breath at the same time. This was so tiresome and so TROUBLING, whomever has the audacity to keep raising the dead like this should pay for his sacrilege! Either ways, he kept his distance from the rest of the Jiang Shi while catching as much breathing as possible in that short span of time, but found the undead menace hopping their ways towards him. Stupid Jiang Shi.

Then he heard a voice outside, backing away from the Jiang Shi while they were slowly hopping towards him with such hungry designs, looking outside to see... A FISHMAN! Men turned into fish according to his culture's legends is because they consorted with fish, they wanted to swim so badly, that they procreated with fishes, became one with the fish, and eventually became mer of the sea rather men of the land, ANOTHER CURSED PEOPLE?! What is this world coming to!? First, the dead rise to walk among the living out of great desire, and now those of the sea come to the land, is everything turning upside down? Seems like the end of times will be coming soon! Or probably that was just Jin coming into great panicking thoughts. Bah, his own human kin didn't help him out anyways, and at least this soul was curious about them.

"MERMAN, THESE ARE JIANG SHI! They are corpses that unnaturally came to life, and deign to eat us living folks because they lust for lives, and are jealous of the fact we still breathe hot air and have fresh flesh. They hate all living things, and are enemies to life itself! If even ONE gets out, then they could spread to the rest of the island and turn this into an epidemic! Some wanker keeps bringing them back to life, a great blasphemy if I had ever seen any with my two eyes!" He explained, looking to the right at the fishman to then turn and see that the Jiang Shi were closer than he last saw them. Sneaky devils they are. Holding his breath, he smacked a couple of them in the head with his sheathed sword, the tip of the scabbard smashing the undead skull with one fell strike in an upward smack, letting gravity aid him in his fell swoop of an attack, he backs away some more to the walled area with slits, sizing up the fishman who could probably just step into the walled area or even climb with the most minimal of efforts, there was once again distance to be had with the Jiang Shi, letting his breathing back into place again as he gained a leverage, "Why don't you come inside here and help me find the mystery? The rest of my human kin are cowards, and refuse to help me in putting these dead folks back to where they belong, dead and buried in the ground! Here are some magical words for you, there will be monetary reward involved from the nearby police headquarters! The only and old sheriff in town will pay us for slaying the great wretched cause of this plague! Just don't get bitten by the Jiang Shi."

Hmmmmm Ark stroked his chin a few times listening to this as if he were an old and wise hero deciding if the cause was just when in reality he was just weighing his chances of getting anything successful accomplished today if he stopped and helped this human with his...Jiang...Shi...Problem? Though the hesitation only lasted so long as Ark soon dove back into the water momentarily immersing himself in the liquid of the sea, his natural habitat, before erupting with a bubbled out phrase. "LAND FISH!" before flying out of the water with a bubble around him and slamming headfirst into the Jiang Shi.

That particular Jiang Shi hop monster was now standing still with Ark's head and shoulders sticking through his torso and the bubble enveloping him and extending outwards clearly cutting him in half with the sheer force of the impalement. "If you want to find out who started all of this and has your back against the wall then go out there and do it. These hopper things aren't really an issue, just run along ahead and deal with the source. I'll wipe the floor with everything and NONE will get through me by the way. I'm a fishman of course!" As soon as that final word was spoken Ark used his power enhanced by his speed and enhanced further by the bubble to swing his fist into the opening mouth of a nearby zombie hopper as it began to close but was caught on the bubble. Flexing his arm allowed for the bubble to come together and pressurize the Jiang Shi's head to being half removed from the neck as this insane combo of CQC fishman bubble fury continued. A kick this time aimed at the ribs of the nearest Jiang Shi swinging his leg in an arc into it's rib area and cutting through it like a sharp knife through leather. Some trouble involved, yes, but still possible and still with much less damage to the knife. Except in this case all the damage was absorbed by the water bubble instead of by the metaphorical knife which in this case was Ark's left leg.

This guy better be able to take care of this enemy because I will not be able to keep up the killing of these hoppers he called Jiang Shi for too long. A few minutes and my technique will wear off and I won't be able to hold my own against very many multiples of the bastards at once. Perhaps one may even prove to be slightly challenging once this thing fades. DAMNIT HE BETTER HURRY! Were the thoughts flowing through Ark's mind as he was in performance of the combo described above. His face blank aside from the baring of his fishman fangs.

"REMEMBER MERMAN, don't get bitten by these purgatory-lice-ridden-maggot ANUS! You WOULDN'T want to get bitten!" Jin cautioned in a reasonable voice, suppressing all intentions to make a racial slur to his saviour, this Merman MIGHT be different than the rest of his kin because this fishman had the balls to help Jin out whereas Jin's own human kind were cowardly shying away from the prospects of sweet battle against an abominable undead menace that deserves to be killed. To be destroyed horribly. Saying this after the Merman landed in front of Jin, impaling the Jiang Shi and all like a larder on a gut stock. "Seamen, DON'T overexert yourself! You don't have to! I did it once before and they surrounded and overwhelmed me! You have to kill them slowly, LOOK AT THEM! They are hopping slowly like retarded decapitated gophers! Just kill them one at a time! And if you hold your breath, you will practically be invisible to them!"

"I think I shouldn't hurry that much, I may tire myself out. He probably could keep up for an hour with his techniques from the looks of it, and can definitely take several of them on. Maybe I shouldn't hurry after all, there isn't much distressing things besides the typical Jiang Shi. Heck, I think he can kill these hoppers forever, yaaaaawwn, plenty of time to do my killing the enemy culprit." He shrugged these thoughts as he slowly took a left and away from MG Ark towards the source only to see something... THAT BASTARD! He saw that shadow again! He knew that the Fishman wasn't the culprit was because the shaded outline was not the same, the Fishman was big and bloated like a butterwhale, whereas this shade looked more humanoid and less like a fish mutant hybrid. Seeing this shade once again made Jin's blood boil as he started sprinting towards the shade, but first, he got out through the gate after unlocking it, and then locking it behind him, going around the gated cemetery, and THEN started sprinting towards that shade overlooking the whole scenery from an elevated hill.

Jin hiked along the hill to find that ONCE AGAIN, the shade left, like a pansy. If he were to search for the shade without an idea of which direction to go, it would be like finding a needle in the haystack. So stopping for a moment, he turned around to see how the fish thing was doing against the Jiang Shi. Sitting down, only to start standing up as he noticed there was mud on the butt of his pants. Then he realized... yesterday! It rained yesterday! And if it rained yesterday... that means the ground is still muddy. So turning around quickly, Jin looked at the footprints using common sense rather than knowledge from books. He noticed that the footprints were not weighing into the mud... common sense dictates that they were probably not from something heavy... but that means that shade must've been light and fast. Slippery bastard. Jin held out his Wudao, basking in the reflection of his face as the moon light looked nice particularly. Following the foot prints into the bamboo forest as he was on his guard particularly for the culprit or any ambushes. If that shade can make Jiang Shi, then he probably has something else up his sleeves. He noticed a rustle from the bamboo only to see a leaping zombie ninja wereshark attack him from the front by leaping! It was still a fair distance away though.

Ark REALLY hoped that the human would head out there. The tiny and fragile humanoid body would hopefully be enough to stop all of these hopping retards and if not then Ark would just have to hop back in the water for a little while, get wet again and head off, maybe stop by another island or two for a few years before returning to admire what had happened in his absence. It was hard to make total decisions along any such lines.

SMACK, Ark was had stopped thinking of the future when one of the Jiang Shi had gotten somewhat near him and backhanded the zombie thing in the head causing it to spin almost three fourths of the way around before the head fell backward losing it's connection to the top of the torso spinning it downward and seperating it from the head about ninety percent of the way. Ark kicked it over flat onto the ground for good measure following that, just in case. Following this Ark found himself surrounded by several of them all hopping their way at him simultaneously. Falling onto him attempting to bury him in their thin, fragile and weak humanoid bodies, much the way that that other human appeared minus the sword, all attempting to bite Ark's neck or torso. Ark responded by this by tensing the muscles throughout his entire body allowing the veins themselves to pop out and become visible under the skin as the bubble surrounding Ark expanded as the Jiang Shi tossed themselves against it slamming them in several different directions cracking their fragile backs and necks against that which they landed on, one of which landed sideways in the tunk of a tree and ended about half way through the trunk.

Ark could also feel the moisture begin to compress slightly inward toward him. Not enough for a major change but it meant that he was no longer running on free power with this bubble. It was getting closer to the end of it's use and just as he expected that human wouldn't be able to stop the incoming Jiang Shi which now looked more like a horde of monsters stepping and hopping from the horizon in his direction. He would have to make some tough decisions soon after he made the self discovery of why exactly he was risking his life against biting and hopping zombies for a guy he didn't know. Really a strange occurance but there was a battle and it was so far rather thrilling to be a part of. Would be quite a douchebag move to fight for a short time and then leave as soon as he offered the human to hold them off here and prevent them from getting to the rest of the town and Konomi islands. Though it was entirely possible because if that happened he would never see this human again. Very nice decision in either case mused Ark as he allowed the Jiang Shi to come together in groupings as much as possible to attack the most possible with the least amount of time being used up. Waiting....for the perfect moment to strike.

It was sort of funny how Fishmen tend to be deluded in their own superiority when it is they who consort with the fishes, and wait, Jin forgot, he has a thing for mermaids, but POINT IS, fishmen tend to be fragile, and usually are picky with their food. They probably don't eat their fish kin and eat land meat or something as far as his understanding goes. Now as he saw the ninja zombie wereshark thing, Jin couldn't help but feel nauseous because it stank filthier than any mer of the seas he came across. Whilst it came, Jin used his superior reaction to rather align himself away from the werefish that lunged to his right and away from his person. Had it come any closer, Jin would've been in a great pickler against this monstrous malfested piece of turd.

But then, that cowardly wereshark, probably scared by Jin's great stature and human badassness much more scarier than a Fishman's, started running towards MG Ark's direction. Jin ran after it for a bit before stopping, shaking his fists, "COME BACK HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH! I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET! BAH!" His shouts resounded to no avail, as the wereshark just continued using its great animal agility to sprint towards MG Ark, probably because he is a bigger target and not as much a threat as Jin (that is horrid logic, that is because Jin isn't exterminating the Jiang Shi in droves in the same mannerism MG Ark is). Shrugging, Jin continued running after the mud imprints as it meant he had to quickly kill that turd whilst the fishman looked after the cemetery doing his job FAITHFULLY (hopefully) and killing those undead freaks of nature. Said wereshark leaps from the air from behind MG Ark as it lunged towards his back, claws bared and teeths bared as well.

Meanwhile, Jin saw a dark and forbidding cave filled with bats, and caterpillars, a cute bunny rabbit of no threat whatsoever, Jin himself stood at the threshold of the cave. He actually came out of the bamboo forest with a lack of incident, leveling his sword up to eye level as he used the reflection to increase his field of vision to encompass the entirety of his being of frontal and back. He needed to find a way to light up this cave with great sweet light so that all would be seen and he wouldn't have to rely on his senses. Not his forté since he likes stabbing something IN THE FACE quite well. It's not like he could ask help from the merman, he was quite far away at this point at the cemetery dealing with the Jiang Shi. But little did the both of them know... their efforts were futile given how a Jiang Shi found its way to town by this point after retardedly floating and staring at the sky like a retarded gopher and washed ashore towards the settlement where Jin lived at. Jin meanwhile... stared and contemplated with his great intellect of what to do of the cave...

Ark had just finished kicking a Jiang Shi's ass and regained his footing only to notice a giant were-shark monster dashing directly at him. Luckily he had turned while regaining his footing in time to catch a slight glimpse out of his eye this were-shark dashing into him. Ark reached out using his speed enhanced bubble in time to lock hands in a death grip on the were-shark's clawed hand though thankfully Ark's size prevented the claws from digging into his skin. Holding the shark there allowed Ark to bring his other arm around and dig his feet into the ground as the shark attempted to the same thing having been taking aback by the sudden blocking of his mid air lunge and also having dropped onto the ground after being stopped. The bubble around Ark had faded a bit more though not to a point in which it was in it's critical finale.

Now locking his left arm in the same manner as he had with his right arm with this were-shark and slammed his forehead against the incoming forehead of the were-shark in an attempt at a headbutt had left him with a bloodied forehead as his arm muscles bulged attempting to push the shark back head's still connected at the center pushing against one another each gaining small amounts of ground before being pushed back dramatically by the other gaining ground. The teeth of both combatants locked in a gritting position as they both clearly struggled to the greatest of their ability for a physical foothold against in the other in this pure contest of strength. All the while Ark couldn't help but think I've finally found another man who likes to fight the way that I do and understands the honor of a fist fight and he's dead.

Finally breaking the gridlock after a precious second had passed Ark stretched out his neck after ducking and rose his head up with all of the force in his neck and all of the speed he could muster to strike with the top of his head under the chin of the were-shark and as Ark's face rose into the air after the strike, he opened his mouth and chomped down viciously with his razor shaped teeth ripping into the were-shark's chin and pulling it off leaving the gums of his bottom row of teeth exposed and blood to spray outward as Ark used the surprise to give himself momentum in the face-off and lunge forward squeezes as tightly as he could manage with his hands cracking some of the internal structure of the were-shark that allowed it to stand up so and fight so effectively on land. Ark then separated from the embrace of strength getting into a ready stance as the Jiang Shi began to lose their appeal to him and his bubble shrank another tiny bit from where it had been just before.

As if by some kind of unseen and unheard starting bell the two charged one another again both readying their right arms for a strike and while Ark's fist managed to plow into the thick and vein popping neck of the were-shark bruising it badly the were-shark managed to stick a claw directly into Ark's left shoulder and drag it down causing a massive gash in his thick leathery skin, instead of calling out though Ark took the moment of the enemy's success to his own advantage and reached down with his now injured arm to grab him around the waist and under the arm of the shark's left arm and throw him toward the edge of the cliff in which Ark had first taken the battle to begin at against the Jiang Shi which had now turned all the more entertaining and all the more deadly at the same time.

As the bubble shrank further Ark ran into the were-shark as he was beginning to steady himself and turn to face his opponent (Mg Ark) and while the shark managed to stick a claw into his left side and rip out a small hunk of skin and muscle that was underneath it causing tremendous pain to Ark himself, Ark managed to fling the two of them both off of the cliff maintaining his hold on the were-shark as they fell headfirst into the waters below slamming the were-shark's fin against a rock on the way down bending it at an obscure angle and clearly destroying it completely and removing it's purpose.

Immediately Ark saw his advantage and dropped the bubble that had been straining him and swam as fast as he could directly into the were-shark slamming his fist into it's stomach causing it to double over and as Ark proceeded in a combo that next kicked the were-shark in the side with a cracking sound the shark clamped down on Ark's fist causing massive pain and bloodshed on his lower forearm and up to his elbow area. Ark however flexed his muscles and punched his arm straight upward while inside of the shark's mouth moving the entire fish with it as he slammed it's head along with his own arm into one of the nearby rocks causing it to fall off of his bleeding and incredibly pained left arm that was so difficult to move and so painful during each movement it was better to just let his body shock itself from the pain.

Ark ripped his jacket off of his upper body with his good right arm and held his left hand in his teeth as he used his right arm to tightly wrap the bloodied and bleeding areas of his arm before tearing the bottom of his pants, again with his good arm, and wrapped it around his waist to cover the bleeding from his side. He then latched his good arm onto the side of the rock wall and began to climb using mostly his legs with steadying force from his good arm. Making it back up to the top of the cliff a good 30 seconds later to face down another 30 Jiang Shi who had gathered because of the smell of blood.

Verily in the days of yonder and old does great bravery fill the veins of Jin. Descendant of great Zhang. His swordsmanship unrivaled in the great expanses of Chokuno, and his style lost towards the ages. The style of one stroke. But alas, confounded with great anxiety at the sight of something he could not fathom somehow for something very, very ordinary, harmless even. The bunny, it had so much infectious bloodlust, Jin felt at unease, great beads of sweat rolled, and for the first time in his entire life, he felt fear of this degree in the heat of battle.

He was the barbaric brother, the ruthless one that never backed down, yet this rabbit made his hand more hesitant, his steps more restrained. His advance towards the cave soon slowed to a crawl, lacking the will to even let the darkness of the place enrouch further unto himself as Jin is now at an impasse in front of the most dangerous and bloodthirsty beast around. Suddenly, his senses heightened so highly in his body to a point Jin didn't notice his mouth was drooling, focused on that rabbit he would step closely forward. It was the only thing in his world.

But then a tight grip of a large hand that could wrap around his neck was felt. It was cold, decrepit and rotten, invading his nostrils with stinking fumes that made his eyes water. Jin's grip on his sword wasn't let go, and his hat still hugged his scalp. Lifted above the ground to be given a nice view of the world, he sees the most ugly creature lacking any mouth or nose, his body a bunch of stitches together of a very uneven stature. He could only recognize the sihlloutte. How foolish could he have gotten?! Jin was so enwrapped around the bunny's bloodthirst, he could not even find the time to focus on more important matters like this creature, so large had his senses not been solely peeled on the rabbit, he might've actually noticed the rustle outside!

"You... YOU?! YOU SON OF A SLUT DOG!" Jin wheezed, "I should've known it was you! I always knew YOU were the one bringing the Jiang Shi to li--"

"Let me stop you right there, squinty eyes," Moans the undead wilderbeast, "First off, you DIDN'T know, all you did was see a shade and chase after it. SECOND OFF, we NEVER MET, the way you insinuate that implies we both have known each other on a basis of acquitances. We don't. AND THIRD OFF, all you did was just bury my minions instead of decapitating them, AND you imprisoned those that live again as if they have no rights, why this sort of infraction upon justi--"

"Shut... UP!" Jin's powerful voice kept the monstrous figure quiet, suddenly defiant as if he had forgotten the dreaded bloodlust of the bunny rabbit, ooze dripping from his blade, Jin having pushed the Wudao into the belly of the beast, "EAT SHIT AND DIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

Suddenly, he felt lighter, as if liberated from gravity. The noxious fear gone, as Jin feared the worst, he looked down to see his body intact thankfully to his head. Phew, at least he wasn't decapitated, but then again, why did he feel light? His vision looked upwards, as he sailed through as light as a bird. Slowly rotating, he sees he was in fact hovering over the air in great speed, his sword still clenched at hand, finally facing downwards to see bamboo forests passing underneath in a fast stream, and then the cemetery and then... well crap.

He was flying towards the ocean, arcing downwards finally, his sword stretched outwards still clenched as he zipped past THAT BLASTED WERESHARK! But suddenly his sword shook, and he found ooze on it that intermingling with blood on the blade of his weapon, looking back to see that he had just clipped the were hammerhead shark's eye pod thingy, it was now one eyed. And then he looked ahead to see... THE WERE-- oh wait, that was the Merman on the sea. No big deal, he was just in his path.... JUST IN HIS PATH?! OH CRAP!!

"LOOOK OUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTT!!!!" His voice faded, going past the Fishman merman thing with the bulbous eyes as he remembered to contemplate on what would've happened if Jin had left Konomi Island and come back to see how his absence would've effected the--

SPLASH!!

Like a ragdoll, his body slapped against the water surface and he skipped on it like a bouncing rock till it slowed and he sunk down. His hat floated and some bubbles formed around the hat. CRAP, looks like he has to swim back... at least these waters were deep... and it is a good thing Jin doesn't have a devil fruit or else he would be screwed.

"Worst... night... EVER." His mouth bubbled underwater as he smacked a fish in the face for obnoxiously staring at him. Sequencing his leg into a paddle as he would reach for his hat and swim upwards, sword still at hand as the ooze and blood washed away into vapors unto the sea.

Ark clutched his bad arm with his good arm and closed his eyes for a moment and pushed the chi or whatever from the inside of his body outward to make a bubble of water around him once again. Thirty of these damned zombies were coming at him and he was going to be screwed if he had to fight them as a land shark. So now that the bubble was on he was ready to ki...and there goes that human flying away with his sword outstretched zooming by like a bullet before skewe...skewering the wereshark... that came back. MG Ark was now surrounded. At his back was the wereshark that had almost killed him and on his front was thirty Jiang Shi that were coming after him in the hopes of biting him and ripping him to pieces and making him dead in some way. He was pretty well screwed over like a whore after a long week. Meaning he had to choose a direction and then kick whatever was in his way's ass!

Ark spun around and charged as fast as he could into the wereshark who had assumed he still had the element of surprise and was freaking out about his eye being gone. Ark used this to his advantage to punch the wereshark square in the other eye to temporarily blind him completely and charge into him with full force headfirst to the chest as he heard ribs cracking underneath the skin. YES MORE DAMAGE!!!! I MAY PUT HIM DOWN YET! Ark thought as he once again plunged off of the cliff with his nemesis right below him being guided by Ark's fists as they pummeled him on the way down pushing him left and right attempting to guide him directly downward onto a rock with his fat hammer head.

That worked to some degree as the shark hit the rock on the side of his head that no longer had an eye and was pouring our purple ooze blood. Slamming him into the rock further damaged his head breaking open the skull area of it's head leaving it vulnerable. Vulnerable to the finishing move! Ark made an attempt to pull all of his power into a single attack landing it right on the wereshark's face...but a blind hook caught Ark's over excited face as he reveled in a victory before it came to him. Ark was knocked back and spun a full circle in the water. Of course giving the wereshark a moment of reprieve to open his only attached eye again and judge the situation...

It was at this point that both of them being underwater heard the plummeting crash of someone being thrown painfully downward into the water in a splash. Immediately the wereshark smelled out the smell of his own blood and eyeball and began to swim in a direct push toward that location. Ark took this as an advantage to try and catch up to him though it was fast. Almost as fast as Ark himself in the water! Inconceivable!!!!

After a good few minutes of swimming the wereshark was in sight of the one who had sworded his eye out and sped up. Knowing this was the crunch moment of the water race Ark sped up with a burst of speed that used up all of his power. Swimming as fast as he could competing against the wereshark's almost equal speed Ark managed to crash into him as the shark man's hand was only a few feet from colliding with the human. Crashing into him and dragging him under the water punching him in the head constantly not giving a reprieve moment for the wereshark. Punching, punching, punching. Boxing, boxing, boxing. Ark beat the hell out of it's face before finally throwing a punch massing together all of his strength in his good arm straight into the exposed brain of the wereshark punching through the brain and out of the back of it's head. The body struggled on it's own for a moment before beginning to sink downward twitching arms and all.

However at this point Ark was in a similar condition except not dead and needing a moment of rest himself he let himself also sink. The shore was near enough that he could sink to the bottom of this area without being crushed by the water pressure. And it was that final thought about the water pressure that eased his mind before he fell into a black out state that would end a few minutes later under the sea at the bottom of a sandy near-shore area.

The hat that floated up the water was waving along the watery seas, floating its merry way. The sea with the particular segment around the hat started to froth with many a great calamity and distortions, as the crown of one has come to grace the inner most base of his hat come realized. Out of the waters burst Jin and so burst unto his hat, having conveniently worn it, sword at hand, swimming as he was wet with sea water soaking up his clothing, the salty taste was disgusting, and he had to spit out some fish crap from his mouth. He had the misfortune to come across a shark in the middle of defecation to which found... unamusing. Blood was pouring around the sea for Jin to have surfaced, just as much as the source surfaced -- that stupid shark that defecated on Jin.

Spitting out several times, he gnashed his teeth in great mighty anger, only to see something dawn before him in front such and so. He so the bulbed shade that is similar to the wereshark he carved up, as Jin cursed under his breath, swearing all kinds of things on all mothers from all echelons of whatever Purgatory he had a great distaste for. His mouth cussing about wildly that a sailor would blush from such horrendous cursing, which is appropriately censored lest children find themselves reading such a most morbid... and macabre profanities the China-like man has been uttering about most... profusely.

It went along the lines of this.

"YOU SON OF A ***** IN A ******** AROUND AND UP AND DOWN A ***************** **** ********** SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR *********** IN HOT GREAT LIP ******** ******** ** ******* ******* ***** *** **** ***** ALL THE WAY TO YOUR MOTHER YOU ****" Such was his eloquent grasp on the finer vocabulary and civil life was Jin's ways, truly, one can never tell Jin used to be a bandit of the countries.

Jin HATED WATER, he can't swing his sword around properly, it'd end up just being a shallow cut, and the water is a slow ass place to swing a sword around. Means Jin has to use MORE of his absolutely ordinary and average strength just to make a dent or even an appropriate cut, and the worst part is... that retarded THING was heading towards Jin in a furious speed unrivaled and unrealized before. Till this really manly fishman whom Jin had second thoughts about in his mannerism has just saved him as Jin did nothing but swim aloft as if there was nothing at all going wrong... yep... a static affair he was partaking in.

Using this opportunity as the wereshark was sunk by the merman, Jin swam in a back pedal to save his energy, swimming slowly like a slow ass because he was a HUMAN. Him and water don't fit together. He especially hated the taste as the water waved into his mouth that he had to spit constantly, doing some backstrokes, some peddles, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET TO THE SHORE ASAP. The sandy niceness that he has come to loathe suddenly seeming to be the best thing in the world. So graceful... all the while ignorant of the wereshark as the two have whizzed past him underneath the seas.

But then Jin felt like shit if he left the merman behind. There was only one thing to do, and it was clear. He HAD to help MG Ark whatever the case. Regretting this, Jin picked up his hat and flung it towards the shore as it rotated and turned, landing on the beach as the black spot. Sheathing his sword, he began to sink down to find the shark man and then the dead wereshark. His queue.

...

Out of the water near the shore burst out Jin, his clothing hugged his body as he dripped of water, pulling the heavy fishman was an easy affair in the sea, but GOOD GRIEF WAS HE HEAVY ON THE LAND. Jin was able to pull the sharkman up to the shore as the waves slapped his knees. Panting like Hell as a result as he fell on his back above the shark man. Blowing out as much air as possible, and inhaling as much of it as if oxygen was the most prized and desperately needed thing ever in the world. But then... the Jiang Shi... CRAP. Jin had to stop the Jiang Shi! Without him in Konomi Island protecting the graves, it meant the Jiang Shi might be sprung loose by that FREAK that flung him towards the ocean in the first place! Still, he needed a break after that Hell. The ex-bandit needed to tend to the fishman's wounds even though HE ISN'T A DOCTOR and has no idea or squat about what to do in those situations, somehow run a mile up to the town, and then another few laps towards the cemetary, ALL IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME. This was too hectic, almost hopeless. Despite such a strong ally whom he COULD leave here, probably come back to find his skeleton and all that, who knows? Maybe he could take a vacation in Marjoline or however one pronounces it, and see the effects of -- NO! His house is here actually! His hard earned house, and then his family is on vacation with his brother-in-law. If he screws this up, then there is NOTHING Jin has with him. His only way back, his reprieve from the Hellish lifestyle he ran himself all gone. But damn is everything so tiring.

Notably, the sand soaked in the water and turned muddy though, and stuck to Jin's Mandarin shirt.

"Merman... I swear... WE'LL GET REVENGE ON THOSE BASTARDS THAT DID THIS TO US!" Jin says to the unconscious fishman next to him.

((OOC: Ark remains unconscious for the time being, please continue.))

Catching his breath, Jin took a while to rest up, huffing about as his legs felt sore from all the peddling that he has done, but it felt like he has done an exercise he hasn't done in a lifetime, feeling the weighing of age or rather the laziness acquired over time has done wonders to reduce his bodies to this amount of frailties. He gave a glance to the unconscious fishman as the times passed, wondering if he was the only person in the entire village to actually keep the undead back at their bay, that there was no volunteers perhaps because all of them had no stomachs to fight, or that they had no experience to survive against the undead blight, the village would be far doomed than he had anticipated. It was too far to get there, and the wereshark had really taken a toll on the Merman it seems.

Getting up, and straightening out his effects, he coiled his shirt to squeeze out every inch of wetness at least the best he could, it coolly hugged his chest and the breeze gave in to make him cold. He sighed, he rested long enough, his body was still sore from the over-exertion that he hasn't participated in for a while. Good grief he is getting really dull in his antics and attitude, a pain in the ass to overcome in his ways. But such an endeavor only would work to make him regain his former glory as a bandit as he remembered his pride as the scourge of the highlands.

Leaving behind the Fishman, he took up the path in a fast paced walk towards the graveyard, only for his eyes to shoot towards the one visible source in the horizon which grasped and yearned for his attention, unsheathing his sword as he muttered under his breath in angry words of Purgatory, and other things too rude to even mention which is to say... CRAP. That direction where the fire ensued? IT WAS THE DAMN VILLAGE! With haste, he made his way towards the village, but still, the fire grew even brighter, and so were the screams as he came upon an overlooking hill that gave him somewhat a vantage point over the village, taking an occasional glance at his sword as he remembered to look at the reflections lest anything happen.

"Fuck... fuck.. fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" He swore under his breath, sliding down the hill as he ran towards the village, what he saw at the hills were a collection of hopping Jiang Shi that devoured the living with their teeth, and some others drew their essences from their breath. Whomever this ugly bastard was, there was HELL to pay for this as Jin swooped in like a typhoon and started swinging his sword around and about in simple strokes, parting heads from shoulders, and decapitating the dead villagers too... they will only serve to rise from the undead as his days of observation has shown that one time Mimi decided to help Jin out in the grave, only to suffer a fate worse than death... an eternal blissful walk into unlife itself. A necessary thing for those fat bloated corpse douches.

Ark awoke much later in a daze and alone. It seems that he had either saved the human or his body crapped out while he was doing so. His arm hurt like a bitch and his body was in a much lesser state of affairs than usual but he had been in a good match against that shark monster and so he was happy. It was with those happy thoughts that Ark flipped himself over onto his back to stare at the sky with water rushing up against him slightly at high tide on that beach of whatever island he had found this on. He let the cool water flow over him as he fell back into a deep rest...

((OOC: Recovery begins, you're still up for now.))

Finding himself tired from his endeavors, Jin slowed down his slicing up on those Jiang Shi to pace himself. Meticulously striking truly with his sword, he impaled them in the face, withdrawing his blade upon each strike as he took his time. He was moving as mechanically slowly as the hopping Jiang Shi are, and he is winning on this instance. Like the calm cooled wave that slices through every turkeys with his kick ass cut people up skills, Jin has been slaying them on his way, making sure to look and gaze at the reflection of his sword so he wouldn't make the stupid mistake of actually being beaten from behind and actually really be killed. He was after all, a normal human in this retarded day filled with HOPPERS OUT OF THE BOWELS OF THE PURGATORY.

He had seen that this village is a lost cause at this point, the least he can do is slay all the undead at this point. Because SCREW having to actually put them back in intact into their crypts, they didn't deserve it. Everything changed ever since the fishman came, even if his help was quite welcome as a force to be reckoned with, it threw everything into a sporadic and drastic change and brought out the undead from their long sleep. That was the only mercy he can do was to kill them all, without the help of the fishman, despite having rusted over the years, this was his only objective... that and...

"MOTHERF*CK!" He curses again, catching glimpse of the fire he spotted earlier was in fact his... house... being burnt... and is being turned into ash. SHIT SHIT SHIT. His wife, his wife will KILL HIM when she comes back from her vacation. And he isn't one to actually suffer her wrath, not ever since the last time they got into the argument, that he would learn women are a force to be reckoned with. But if only the fishman were here to help him out, to kill all those Jiang Shi and actually go after the culprit who is loose in the island for now. The ugly creature of Frankensteinian proportions worth exhuming into nothing more than funerary dust.

Ark rolled around more on the beach. Eventually laying on his stomach with his eyes dialated in his pupils and blood seeping onto the sand around him. Ark's eyes rolled back into his skull for a moment before rolling back out along with his memory of the current situation. The cool water on his skin, the memory of the were-shark and the epic battle had had with it using his fists. The memory of the man whom he had helped and ran into the were-shark during the aide of that person. The MASSIVE damage to his arms and legs. Rendering one of his arms basically useless still pained him as he grabbed it with his other to make sure it still existed and was attached to his shoulder/torso.

Ark knew though, the battle was not over. As a soldier and a warrior the battle would not end until one side won and the other lost. Ark had to move forward...and so he did. Reaching out with one arm and gripping the sand, allowing his weighted hand much more than a human's sink into the deep and pull himself forward, toward the town. In doing so he would have moved a meter or so with each pull. And by pulling himself forward again, and again, and again he eventually reached a rock face that would take him to the town upon climbing it.

He gripped a rock jutting out from the solid wall to pull himself up. Using his legs as support beams and then reaching farther upward to grip another stone. Ark repeated the actions with his feet being placed onto the stone he was previously gripping and continued on the process until he eventually threw his body on top of the face and stared off, toward the town.

Jin excommunicated one soul and another with a stroke be his sword, ridding their pungent presence with his weapon like a fell-hopper striking thus with great death-dealing demon slaying awesome prowess. He let gravity guide his strikes downwards, fighting smartly as to conserve his stamina, as he feels his legs were getting heavier, and his arms were weighed down by the fatigue of battle.

The oriental man was alone in his endeavors, having saved the life of the fishman, he struck to his own soul, laughing in the face of his foes. Angry-happy, blood rushing from the heat of the battle as he has come to enjoy himself immensely in the face of never-ending Valhalla. Perhaps these Jiang-Shi were a good thing after all, even as they destroyed the one last refuge his family had afforded not of Jin's expense but a grateful owner.

He reflected whatever tried upon him in happening as to see any sneaking, pacing himself at the pace of his hopping foes, he fought. Whipping not his arms around in a mad haste but calmly striking them down. He was in no hurry, and neither were his enemies. It would only serve to tire him out as he were surrounded by the living dead. Making sure to stand in open ground as to gain the most mobility of all times, even at the risk of the undead enrouching upon his back, he merely used the reflection of his sword to see behind him in a way.

Planting his good arm into the ground MG Ark pushed against the ground with a force strong enough to lift his massive fishman body into an upright position...more or less. But that was good enough for the situation at hand. Ark need only stand up straight with the traces of water that still remained on him. Expanding he from his current form Ark, once again, created a bubble of water that grafted over his form like a second skin. His right arm holding steady while his left arm remained limp and barely hanging on o his body.

However even so MG Ark had a mission to complete. Rather something that his pride had set himself upon and that was to help the squinty eyed one deal with the problem of those hopping monsters that had been terrorizing the town and surrounding islands. However as Ark regained his bearings of the situation afer his battle to the death with the were-shark monster that had almost taken his life he realized that the hoppers, the Jiang Shi had gotten around his posiion and moved toward the village. It would seem the human was worthless in keeping them where he had originally sought to and that Ark would have to save the day.

So pointing his head toward the village Ark began to sprint, and with the water-skin around his form it was no long before he reached the village with his increased speed. Slamming into one of the Jiang Shi head first against it's very head and breaking it's head apart into shreds of tissue and bone as Ark stood panting from the strain being put on his weakened and damaged body. However it was not done here. Ark spun around and punched an oncoming Jiang Shi sending him catapulting into two more knocking them down with breaking noises heard in the bones of each. Small vicories being won one at a time. However Ark knew that his body was limited on how long it would hold out especially under the strain of combat. It was his firm belief that he would die here and unless the chinese man could come together and help him in this effort he woul die here. Ark considered this notion as he looked back over his shoulder. Chancing a second away from paying attention to the Jiang Shi terrorizing the small town of the Konomi islands, to spy the human not far off but not moving fast either. Fear, hesitation, both were traits unfamiliar in the form of being experienced by the fishman but neither were things he had not dealt with in the past. It was the weakness of the non-warrior breed that was going to doom him. Even so Ark bared his teeth and swung another time hard at a Jiang Shi coming his direction exploding through it's chest with his massive and water-skin boosted fist. Ready to die fighting rather than skimping around the side-lines.

It was bleak, surrounded by slews of enemies, like the rainy days of his bandit adventures against anybody that dared take a stand against him. Like that fateful day where the horizon of death stared down his throat and threatened to shove itself all the way to his rectum of defeat. Suddenly amidst this game of Sudoku against this infernal foes whence came from the damnable purgatory, Jin felt that the way he swung his weapon had given him a sense of strength long dulled by the tides of laziness and languor. He hadn't moved much like this since the battles he boasted of in the past years ago, back when he was far more fit and age was not a matter to keep him down. His swordsmanship roused by this sense of fight which is against enemies that resemble the face of man, awakening this distinction of his on long lost attacks but alas, he now remembers completely what to do in these instances.

The environment was a bit dark, the clouds hung over in and the light was dim, as moonlight shined from the vestigial fringes of the sunlight reflecting off of it, casting shine on the battlefield as fire bellowed out to cater to this infernal Hell made manifest in reality. The only few things missing was brimstone as it were, that which spirals up into the air, as if it was a helix progression which dares Jin to do far more, that scaley fishbeard was down on the count, and would require treatment later on, which left him none the luxury to squander this all as he slashed a knave or two mid-battle, invigorated suddenly and wisened by the experience of cutting a host of them with sheer precise and wasteless strikes. Why was he acting so much like his brother Yin now? That now he relied not on brute strength but on attacks with a clear and articulate targets? Albeit in the form of those that would mostly nerve a naysayer or two given they were formerly of the living, now turned dead.

A chance gaze gave way to the fishman tired and battered, beaten down by fatigue if anything and finding himself straining to a breaking point as his hawk gaze made leeway zipline for what was a moment glimpse of him, dispelling such illusions of distance between the two quid pro quo in that certain moment regard which is certainly as of great boundaries, separated by an infernous fire, wailing death, and a lot of Jiang Shi in between him and the tall standing scaley one of great girth and height, an appreciation dawned upon him that he reminded Jin far too much of his bandit group, fighting against all odds, fight da powah, whatever the odds, whatever grindstone that stands between him and the fishman's drill, whatever goes to stay as an obstacle. He believes in the fishman... but does the fishman believe in himself? No... he should believe in the Jin that believes in him. It is clear what must be done, looking at the one place where freedom is granted, a Junk ship at the harbor, so hard to miss, as he stands at the pier, unwittingly having fought all the way there without it being his original intention, fire was starting to spread all over the place... and yet, the island defense force's cache struck an interest in his squinty slanted eyes.

A moment passes.

Furthermore it passes.

Again it passed.

Like a yoyo that is broken, a spiraling forth protrusion of circular wood spun and rolled onward a segment that cast MG fishlips from freedom, thundering a loud roar, great flowering of fire tore apart other fire, paving forth a path of bricks clear on the pavement onward to the already unfurled Chinese Junk* that has sails unfurled, it is not a dreadfully large ship, and should be enough usually for ten people if anything, which at most limits its capability of seafaring across treacherous seas, and is far more useful in acquiring fishes and the occasional whale dragged back to the town.

"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?" Jin shouts out to the fishman, he is a dot in lieu to the magnificent ship, gunpowder sizzled clearly in view of the fishman, going to the trail of intricately arranged pattern towards the island defense force storage, the Chinaman's sword sheathed, "YOU THERE! MER OF THE SEA, CLIMB ONBOARD AND LET US BE DONE WITH THIS INFERNAL HELL!" That manly shout of epic proportion pierced the shrills and cackles of fire, a fair distance as it were, acted as reprieve. The force of the explosion from earlier knocked anything smaller than MG Ark (which is just about every inhabitant of this island) to the ground, perhaps the most of the earlier explosion's force that it can do is force a stumble or two from the Fishman, but he shall prevail! Grey eyes for a moment shined a spiral-like iris which leased back to the original grey context as he stared down his companion to catch the already drifting away ship, the winds were already pushing against the unfurled sail.... OH CRAP! Now he just realized... this was his first time in the sea where he commandeered a ship. Jin could not fathom the idea that he would no longer be landed anymore, where comfortable soil is where he can express himself most.

As Ark raised his arm, good arm/remaining arm with fuction/ to throw a punch at a Jiang Shi that had come suspiciously and uncomfortably close to him in his rampage his eyes got wide as it's upper body exploded into pieces and it's lower body was carried away leaving Ark to be shocked and standing up with his arm cocked back ready to punch forward and a massive crash to be thundered along the ground causing a massive shift. Everyone shook back and forth and most fell but Ark remained steady, mostly because he knew if he didn't it would take most of what he had left to stand back up again. After this awkward passing the sound passed through and boomed into Ark's ears leaving him temporarily deaf, to not hear the shouting lunatic asian behind him trying to pump himself or the both of them up with hearty words of infinite meaning and power.

In any case a few seconds of awkward ear ringing silence later Ark turned to notice a ship with a smoking cannon and the asian waving for him. With "BOARD AND LET US BE DONE WITH THIS INFERNAL HELL!" being yelled across at him. Such things were welcome to Ark as the water on his skin faded and his power began to further diminish as it fell. Taking note of this Ark charged at the ship with his remaining strength and stamina tampling a human and stomping a Jiang Shi's head into oblivion that had fallen when the cannon struck the ground. His limp and weak arm flapping as he sprinted toward the ship with tendrils of muscle and spatterings of blood flipping back and forth as he did so stinging but mostly numb from pain and destruction of nerves.

Upon reaching the edge of the island and nearest point to the ship itself that the asian man was standing on Ark noticed the ship was MOVING AWAY via the wind. This was going to be a close call and Ark was going to make it. That was the thought that went through his mind and one of the final thoughts of that courageous adventure as he leaped into the air only to be slapped in the ankle by a Jiang Shi reaching for him and jumping as well in it's hopping manner. The slap/hit threw him off and changed him from a jumping leap to a diving forward motion as his face crashed against the side of the ship snapping the wood with his weight and durable bones and slamming his forehead against a table inside meant for eating. Blood came from his head as the table split into two distinct pieces with Ark laying in the middle of the table and stretching all the way back out of the hole his missile-like body had created in the ship itself. His feet dangling his mangled body lay there finally unconsciouss from wounds knowing he was relatively in a good place to do so.

[We may be done here]

There was no words about it besides what his scaley companion was anything but fine, he really got FUCKED on this one, hard. What used to be a fit man was torn apart by Jiang Shi, even though he was warned against such foolish prospects from engaging them far too hastily, perhaps it was the tide of battle that gave rise to fervor and fury as to act well within instinct than the basis of reason? The furious charge was inspiring at first, where Jin thought that he would make it by sheer willpower and fortitude, despite what injuries he incurred, but it seems there were worse things to be had at hand, the island was smouldering into an infernal Hell, as Jiang Shi after Jiang Shi after Jiang Shi were consumed by the flames, a death wail let out by what monstrous apparition that dared give chase was clearly seen from a distance, that too consumed by fire as it gave way to chase only to succumb to the fire's devouring. Slowing down to a crawl and finally, wailing out very loudly, shouting about and sputtering wildly. Thrashing about like a cuckold without regards to what retardation it gave way to, as it looked like a tender turkey worth tendering with a quick snap of a sword. The Jiang Shi around were stupid and forever ignorant of the fact they were on fire, too busy devouring what little remained of what was around to consider the fact that within the island, they were merely fodder for the flames that took to consume it.

"Well... shit." Jin muttered, he was going to be SCREWED OVER BY HIS WIFE, she will BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM for screwing up on his job, and singlehandedly burning down the village, even though it wasn't his fault! So there was only one logical solution to do when it comes to times like these. Aye, there are no other ways about it, just one straightforward method that must be done, regardless the cost to be incurred. He thought those things as the dark night skies illuminated nothing, except the flames lit up brilliantly like an azure thundercat amidst all the hussle and bustle of the village. The one thing he could do is get enough money to rebuild ALL the entire village, and that by no means will be an easy task. A Herculean task that must be done in a short time too, before his wife comes back from her pretty little vacation. A vacation which would be marked by wrath and elderberries.

Anyways, and so, the fishman ran and leaped like a huma-- fishman missile, crashing right through the tables, missing Jin by a few inches as Jin made it so he would not be hit. He took a step to the side, as he was not at the time commandeering the ship's rudder, nay, that wooden junk ship was in fact steered by the winds, to be taken to wherever the Hell the winds were so kind to take it, the currents pulling them farther away from the island as what hometown that Jin saw was burning. At least the ship was intact enough to have a crew, but lacked any cannons to fight back, he was in a dreadful straits of death itself, were they unfortunate to come across any armed vessels of sorts. Feeling the stomach contents rumble already, the Chinaman ran to the side, looked down from the edge and evacuated his stomach contents downard unto the sea that waved about like a dark yawning chasm. He vomited... shrimps, wait, when did he eat shrimps? The last thing he remembered eating this morning was spring rolls, not SHRIMPS. Something must be wrong here... and no, it's not because there are undead abominations that can turn anyone else to their ilk and kind upon devouring and bites. It was simply because of... actually he lost his track of thought there. There were more important things around, LIKE SAVING THE DAMNED FISHMAN! He took a glimpse at him and learned of his horrendous wounds. Good grief, he really needs medical attention.

And so, ends the adventure of the two... for now. Who somehow stopped an evil monster thing, AND saved the village by burning it down to the ground as all Jiang Shi were exhumed. Whatever stragglers that were around are probably going to come towards the burning illumination rather any other settlements in Konomi Island. BUT, that's just life.

[EXIT w/MJ Ark]