Chapter Text
Ei’s mind was frantic, running laps and laps about this dream encounter. She shot out the door like lightning, her thoughts had absorbed her, nothing else was on her mind but The Raiden Shogun. She was deep in her thoughts when she crashed into someone.
“My apologises!” She respectfully bowed.
“Oh, it’s alright, you don’t need to bow.” She recognised Alhaitham’s so she lifted herself up.
“Alhaitham? What are you doing here so early?” Ei looked intrigued by his presence.
“As my parents told me, ‘Always prepare time to beat the oppositions.’ It’s a strange phrase but it encourages me to be early.” He half-shrugged. “Well, why are you here right now?”
“Normally, I come here a bit later in the morning but I had a very……strange dream.” Alhaitham was intrigued by this reasoning.
“A dream? Normally most people would be startled over nightmares.” He always knew the phrase ‘Dreams have meaning’, but not to the extent of shock.
“Well, this wasn’t any normal dream, it strangely seemed to be aware of me as it addressed me directly. It called itself The Raiden Shogun.” Alhaitham’s ears perked up from curiosity.
“The Raiden Shogun………….you mean the deity who ruled Inazuma a thousands years ago?” Ei give a little shrug.
“Not her exactly but the Shogun she created.” Alhaitham couldn’t interpret that line in any logical sense.
“…..” He’s never felt so stumped, he excelled in ancient history back in Sumeru, however Inazuma’s ancient history besides the civil war was never taught in his class.
“Let’s move on from this since….yeah.” Ei gestured with her hands to let it go. “Anything else on your mind?”
Alhaitham’s thoughts instantly focused on one person.
“Yes, I was wondering if I could ask you about Heizou?” Alhaitham gave her an awkward smile.
“Hmm…..Sorry, I’m not that close with him, but maybe ask Ayaka or Yoimiya, maybe even Sara, Ayaka is pretty much his sister after the Kamisato family took him in.” Ei offered an apologetic smile.
“Thank you for the suggestion.” Alhaitham walked away. Ei felt a buzz in her pocket, knowing it was probably Miko.
Miko:
I went to your house to give you surprise morning kiss but you weren’t there
Is everything alright Ei?
Ei contemplated about telling her the truth or making a cover story as she knew Miko was very unpredictable when it came to her reactions.
Ei:
To be honest, I had a crazy dream last night
Miko:
Oh
What was it about?
Ei:
Well, apparently I met the Raiden Shogun in it and she said I was the new vessel?
Miko:
Normally I would say you’re crazy
But I met someone who stated she was the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine
Ei:
That’s odd
Seems like our dreams are related to each other
Do you think we could have one of those red string between us?
Miko:
It does sound very plausible
But it also sounds like a thrilling novel concept
Ei:
Before you turn our set of mind-boggling encounters into a best selling hit
Maybe we should meet up after school?
Miko:
Aw, I really wanted those novels to hit shelves by noon
But I suppose catching up seems like a better plan
Ei:
How about at the Narukami Café
Miko:
Sounds like a sound plan
See you then, cutie
———
Alhaitham was walking around the school, his headphones at full volume
He was walking in the gardens, but stopped to look at the Padisarahs, a reminder of yesterday’s interaction. He started feeling butterflies in his stomach, but he was unsure if they were good butterflies.
“There you are!” Faruzan had been searching for Alhaitham, she wanted to finish a section of their assessment for Fontainian History but couldn’t find him in the dorms or the common room. “What are you doing out and about so early?”
“I—“ He sighed as he continued to gaze at the Padisarahs, Faruzan looked towards the Padisarahs.
“Has Heizou been on your mind?” Faruzan face’s dropped in utter surprised when she was reading Alhaitham rambling about Heizou and his butterflies in a group chat with Nilou and Candace.
“I……sigh.” Alhaitham was a very logical person who always kept up everything in order, but wasn’t able to keep his desires in order.
“Well……I’m not the best at advice but this time, you need to go for it? You don’t realise but you’re the most determined guy I’ve ever met and that’s with Cyno trying to land his awful jokes!” Faruzan and Nilou always agreed that if Alhaitham wanted something, he got it through his determination.
“Determination? Save that for Nilou. I simply have desires that I cave into and delve deep into them.” Faruzan rolled her eyes, it’s always the same sentence.
“But……..Heizou could be one of those desires you delve into.” Alhaitham’s eyes widened after her response.
“……..” Alhaitham couldn’t rebound her response like he usually does.
“Anyway, let’s head to the library to get that assignment done.” Faruzan started walking off, with Alhaitham following shortly behind.
———
“So, which one of us should start?” Miko and Ei were sitting at an outdoor table.
“I’ll go, it was some weird void with traditional torii and a strange symbol on the ground , with The Raiden Shogun in the centre.”
“Well, mine was at the top of a mountain with a shrine and towards the edge was a strangely shaped sakura tree, which in front of the tree was the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine.”
“Hmm.” Ei leaned back in her seat. “Is it possible that we have a connection to them?”
“It could be possible, if visions existed a millennium ago, we shouldn’t push aside having a connection to them as an answer.” Miko took a sip from her tea.
“But, why now? There have been countless times in modern history where they could’ve connected” Ei sighed, still frazzled why this happened last night.
“Maybe it has to do with that Sayu girl that showed up.” Miko placed her tea down. “While a missing child case is a regular occurrence, there wasn’t even any records of Sayu as a person who existed in the past hundred years.”
“…” Ei was deep in her thoughts. “But why us?”
“Well, the guuji did bear such a resemblance to me.” Miko shrugged. “How similar did The Raiden Shogun look compared with you?”
“….A carbon copy.”
“Well, I guess we have a mystery on our hands.”
———
“Look.” Lumine ran over to a shop window. “It’s a genuine Fontainian evening gown!”
“Woah, that thing must be pricey.” Yanfei caught up with her. “Well, Aether is literally a member of 6REEZE but still.”
Lumine looked down at the price.
“Holy Moly…….” While Lumine had such a passion for fashion, she wouldn’t buy something that expensive. “God, I would love to swim in mora.”
“Yeah.” Yanfei pulled away from the window and turned around. “Ah!”
Lumine turned around in panic that her friend was stabbed, only to find Tartaglia with a playful smile.
“God, how many have you scared this week?” Lumine facepalmed.
“Like 6.” Tartaglia laughed. “People shouldn’t let their guard down so easily.”
“We’re in a shopping mall!” Tartaglia laughed at Yanfei’s hasty response.
“Still, people could rob you in blind daylight.” Tartaglia continued to laugh. “Besides, I need to ask you something.”
“What do you want?” Yanfei was agitated that he scared her to ask her something.
“Well……I need your advice on the copyright act. A boy group recently debuted but their style and music seem to copy DCKZ, like I get it’s the same genre and there’ll always be overlap but this time, it feels like it actually is crossing a boundary.”
“Who exactly debuted?.” Yanfei had lost count of how many groups had debuted in the past month.
“Oh, are you talking about that VABA?” Lumine had heard of the news articles about VABA’s alleged copying.
“VABA? Haven’t heard of them.” Yanfei shrugged.
“Oh, they’re under the Honkai Entertainment label. I think the members were Veritas Ratio, Aventurine, Boothill and Argenti.” Yanfei had to recall if she had heard about either the company or the group members.
“Ohhhhh……..Honkai Entertainment. Don’t even bother with them.” Yanfei shook her head while speaking.
“Why not?”
“They’re a super rich enterprise.” Yanfei just bluntly stated. “They could easily overpower you in court with assets alone.”
“Damn, I thought I would be making bank.” Tartaglia dramatically sighed, which earned a chuckle from Yanfei.
“Geez, I thought you were already making bank.”
———
Alhaitham was sitting in the library, trying to get some work down but he’s been fixated on Heizou the entire day. He kept trying to write otes and answer short answer questions but sighed when nothing was coming. He normally could hide his fixations but something about Heizou shot straight to his brain.
He slumped against the chair, defeated after many attempts of nothing coming out. He was contemplating giving up and going home when his phone buzzed. He picked it up and read the notification.
Heizou:
hey, if you’re free
meet me at the mall in 30 mins