Chapter Text
Ei sighed in relief as she reached the top of the mountain. She had requested for a bit of alone time towards this endeavour, while the traveler ran off to meet the archon of Inazuma. She had thanked them of course, and now that she was finally here… She took her hat off as she gazed at the cherry blossoms endlessly rain and gently fell to the floor and listened to the ambient sound of shrine maidens sweeping and maintaining the shrine.
She greeted each one with a smile and a proper nod. It was not as big as she recalled. She supposed with the new archon’s rule she shouldn’t be so surprised. In fact, she should be grateful that the shrine was still allowed to be dedicated to the Narukami Ogosho .
She rang the bell and clapped her hands twice before bowing her head ever so slightly. A prayer to the old god, before she rummaged through her pockets for small scrapings of mora. A small breath escaped happily as she had a few coins left to pocket in her name.
A feeling of… Something just came to her as she stood here. A very familiar feeling but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. A feeling of belonging, perhaps? She shook the thoughts away as she curiously made her way to the farther back of the shrine, instinctually drawn towards it. A gaze of awe slowly formed on her features as she glanced up towards the large sakura tree that stood so tall before her.
“Wow…” She murmured quietly as she marveled the view. Her thoughts were then quickly interrupted by a new voice.
“It’s quite the view, isn’t it?”
Ei stopped… Why did that sound so nostalgic?
///
It was a normal day at the shrine, really. Yae didn’t know what exactly was different today, normal shrine duties, reading through manuscripts and various books, and yet… She had a bit of a good sense that something was going to happen, like something was in her favor. She heard the hushed whispers among the shrine maidens, her ears perking and curious as to what was going on.
“Look, it’s a Ronin… ”
“What’s a vagrant doing here…?”
“Should we call the commission?”
Yae turned her head, it was considered neutral grounds here, plus the Ronin hardly ever showed up. It was considered absolutely forbidden to start violence on shrine grounds, surely none would be stupid enough to cause any trouble? She supposed she should at least make sure there was nothing going on.
Slowly she made her way to the front, and watched from the back as the Ronin shuffled through her pockets for coins. A small huff of amusement came from Yae’s mouth as she heard the quiet comforted sigh come out of the ronin, then watched as she tossed a small bit of mora into the shrine’s offering box. The head priestess watched as the stranger silently did her prayer for a moment then glanced around. Her dirty clothes and messy outfit just seemed to imply that she was strapped for money, but it was the polished sword and well maintained polearm that showed that she wasn’t someone to mess with. Yae’s eyes roamed to observe the visitor before falling on… A very familiar tattoo on the back of her neck.
The ronin continued to look around and wandered off, the maidens around her making a small point to stay out of her way yet the vagrant either didn’t notice, nor cared that they were and walked around to the back.
Interested in the mysterious visitor, Yae quietly followed the vagrant to the back, much to her fellow shrine maidens' dismay. She heard the soft ‘wow’ of awe come from her mouth, standing there as she enjoyed the view for a few long moments and taking in the scenery of Saiguu’s tree.
It wasn’t in her nature to interrupt visitors, yet for some reason Yae couldn’t control herself, couldn’t control the impulse she had to say something to this one.
“It’s quite the view, isn’t it?”
A pause happened as if the ronin took a moment to realize the phrase was directed towards her before turning around. Yae felt like the whole world stopped as her messy purple hair fell, then slowly revealed her magenta eyes, and took in her soft face. A beauty mark that was so reminiscent of her that there was no way—
“Ei?”
The ronin blinked at that name.
“Oh? I…” She hesitated, “Didn’t realize there was anyone who knew me.” She responded, rubbing her neck in a sheepish manner. “I apologize, remind me…?”
Yae felt her heart drop suddenly at that revelation, “You… Don’t know me?”
Upon hearing her response, the ronin quickly realized her mistake, putting her hands up in a flustered manner, “Oh! Nonono, I’m so sorry, it’s just—I haven’t been in Inazuma in so long, and well... My memory evades me at the best of times and-”
Yae raised her hand and shook her head to assure the ronin had done no wrong, “I… I see.” She took a moment to regain her composure, then gave her best smile. “That’s all well and fine... Then allow me to introduce myself… I am Yae Miko, the head shrine maiden.”
“Yae Miko…” Ei murmured thoughtfully, testing the name onto her mouth, a proper smile came onto her features, “I’ll be sure not to forget this time.” She comfortably strode over to Yae, her gaze gentle as she took in her features. Yae herself… She was enamored with the reality that Ei was right here.
“I’m... Ashamed of myself.” She chuckled halfheartedly, she finally said after staring at the maiden for a long moment.
Yae gave a sweet smile and tilted her head, “Oh, why is that?”
“I... Can’t believe I forgot someone as beautiful as you.”
Yae felt a small lightheartedness bubble in her chest before chuckling to hide the heat she slowly felt crawling up her face, “My, my… You haven’t even taken me to dinner yet.”
Yae watched as her face flushed red, then rubbed her cheek shyly as though she didn’t know what to do in front of her, (or in Ei’s mind, the most beautiful woman she had quite literally ever laid eyes on) and gave an abashed smile. She felt as though she was transported back to the past just as Ei had first asked her out. Flushed face and unsure gazing. She couldn’t help the fond smile on her face.
“What are you doing here? After…” She slowly trailed off. “So long.”
“Ah well, it was difficult after I was exiled…”
“Exiled?” Yae asked incredulously, “since… Since when? By whom?”
Ei paused and blinked in surprise that she didn’t know, a small frown crossing onto her features as she thought about it, “by the archon of course. He kicked me out...” She pondered the thought. “Hmm, I don’t know, a few centuries ago?” She said it so casually despite the rather intense punishment she described.
Yae on the other hand couldn’t help the immediate small burst of rage explode in her chest, her fist clenching underneath her sleeves, seething. That traitorous snake! He knew! He knew she was alive all along!
She was thrusted into reality when she saw Ei’s hand unsurely hover on Yae’s shoulder then watched it fall to her side. She found it difficult to bury the disappointed feeling.
“Are you okay?” Ei’s brow furrowed in concern, “You looked… Shocked at the information.”
“I… I admit I was a bit thrown off. I never knew he did that to you.” That he dared to lie to me.
“Well, it’s in the past now.” Ei chuckled, “I don’t expect he’d notice my small little visit.” She brightened. “It’s been so long since I’ve been back! I hope I can stay a little while longer before he finds out I’ve returned.”
Yae tilted her head. “Oh…? Where do you plan to go?”
“Hmm… I’m not quite sure really. Wandering around, seeing what’s changed over the course of time. Though…” She tapped her chin, “Does he still reside on Watatsumi Island? I suppose I won’t be going anywhere near there if he’s around.”
“Hmmm… He does tend to go there, yes. He also handles matters personally and occasionally visits the capitol Inazuma City. It’s rare but he does like to make his little ‘surprise’ visits here.” She admitted. If Ei was going to be here awhile then Yae was going to prolong it as much as possible.
“Oh? Is that so? I should make haste on the off chance he comes then.” Ei smiled before putting her straw hat on. “Thank you, Yae.” Yae felt her heart twist at the different name, “It was a pleasure meeting you again.”
“Wait, Ei-”
Before Ei could move any further she tilted her head up back towards Yae, “Hmm?”
“When… When will you return?”
“Here?”
“... Yes.” Yae couldn’t settle for here, or Inazuma, or… To her.
“I’m not sure… Though, well, with you here now…” She looked thoughtful.
“Perhaps, I’ll stop by again, at least before I take my leave. Hopefully more often than that though.” She smiled.
Impulsively she offered, if just to stall for a little more time, “how about a tour guide?”
“I’m sorry?”
“You haven’t been in Inazuma in centuries, no? It’d only be fair if you have someone show you around a little. Plus we have much to catch up on.” Yae quickly listed out reasons, trying her best not to sound desperate to just… Meet her again. And sound smooth, but if Ei was Ei then she was thankfully probably too dense to realize.
Ei blinked at the suggestion before tilting her head, “That’s a very kind offer… Are you sure? Even with someone like…” She trailed, Yae glanced down at her outfit, a rather rough look.
“It’s fine. I need to make a visit to the main city anyway.”
She shook her head and strolled up to Ei with ease, her hand moving up to caress Ei’s cheek gently once more.
“Besides… Surely you wouldn’t leave a helpless shrine maiden to travel alone, would you?”
“I—Well… Uhm.”
She watched as the Ronin sputtered and struggled for words so easily before her and coughed into her hand, then quickly retreated from her like a flustered teenage girl in front of her crush. It took all of Yae’s will not burst out laughing at the simple sight.
“I see. Well...”
She took a moment to regain her composure, and her brows furrowed in concentration in thought over the decision. Yae’s heart thumped with anticipation for her answer before feeling her shoulders relax upon seeing Ei nod with a smile.
“Very well then. I’ll be back tomorrow. I currently have some personal matters to attend to.”
Yae couldn’t push down the elated feelings that came from her chest, that Ei… “Yes, of course… when will you come?”
“How about… When the sun reaches, there.” She pointed at the very top of the sky, “when it reaches its highest, and when the shadows are at its shortest, I’ll come.”
“Then, I’ll be waiting dear.”
Ei smiled with a little wave before tipping her hat and Yae watched as she turned around and left again. The maiden felt her shoulders relax, standing there at the now empty space of where she once was. It was almost… Surreal, seeing her beloved come back to life once again and… She shook her head. She had a lot to say to their precious archon.
“Miss Yae?” She heard one of her shrine maidens ask, before turning her head to them with a little hum of acknowledgement.
“Yes?”
“Who was that?”
Yae stared at her for a long moment, feeling her fingers play with the sleeve of her outfit and a little hesitant but cleverly masked smile, yet the answer felt somewhat… Wrong.
“An old friend, that’s all.”
///
Ei couldn’t help but feel the heat travel to her ears when she walked, then slowly descended into a run, and then finally a sprint down the stairs. Perhaps it was pathetic or even childish to be so abashed by mere words but… Her mindless run slowly but surely came to a halt when she had run all the way down, a small huff as she slapped both her cheeks as if to do a reality check.
“Ah… You stupid!” She huffed out, her ears burning as she recalled her words.
‘ I’ll be waiting dear.’
She covered her face, and let out the most silent, restrained scream. And her own words, ‘ I can’t believe I forgot-’ she couldn’t even finish the thought in her head before facepalming. Who would ever be so bold as to say that right after mentioning she forgot her? What a way to make up. She shook her head with a small ‘hnnghh’ before standing upright.
“Hah… Anyway.”
She then realized there was a fox at the end, who tilted it’s little red head at her before snickering as she realized it witnessed her entire crisis.
“Oh, for goodness sake!”