Chapter Text
Ei sighed and flipped the kendama, the ball falling perfectly again. She was quite… bored.
Tenshukaku had been quiet the last week, save for the unceasing shushing of the pouring rain outside. A rainstorm was falling like buckets on Narukamijima as a whole and it was forecasted to last for at least another week. Because of her former attitudes and temper, the Sanbugyō was more than prepared for such amounts of rainfall, so floods, shelter, emergency services and structural oversight were not a worrying situation. The capital fell into silent slumber, excepting for the essential workers and few kids who splashed on the puddles whenever the rain softened for some short moments, before rushing in strongly again.
The weather warning was issued a month earlier so people from both Tenryō and Hanamizaka districts could get ahold of enough resources to not risk anything by going out; and proper aid, food and clothing were handed to Konda Village by the Kanjō Commission from Ritō Harbor, as they would unfortunately get isolated from the capital because of the eventually overflowing river. The Yashiro Commission was in charge of reporting the situation in the northern part of the island, working along with the Shrine and the Shūmatsuban to shelter anyone, from travelers to homeless rōnin, who were lost in the rain and had nowhere to stay. Managing these kinds of things was a crucial task for the Commissions yet everything was issued out in due time, so crucial emergency dispatches were minimal and handled with ease. Ei was proud of her administration for that, and that also included the one who had to supervise all these delicate matters in the Tenryō Commission— Kujō Kamaji, but overall, her estimated Kujō Sara. The Tengu General was the most capable and efficient ally she could ever have besides the Kitsune Gūji, and with her brother commanding and delegating the other two Commissions in these special contexts, the overall management had the safety of the whole island in their hands (and wings), basically. And at this moment, there was no news, so that was good news, right?
Ei glanced at the window, the unforgiving downpour painting the morning view in a serene, monochrome gray, clear and pleasant unlike her violent, gray-violet thunderstorms of the past. She sighed once again, placing the kendama aside and stretching a bit. Besides the initial reports when the storm first started, nothing else had been going on in her castle, really. She had sent almost all of her servants (excluding the cooks) to their homes, monetary compensation and all, for safety and family care was the current priority. The gardens in the middle of the rain were unpleasant to stroll in, the Imperial Onsen was closed and the Tenryō Headquarters were… well, on operation. In the past, she would’ve allowed herself just a bit to chat around with Makoto, and summon her best friends to share a laugh and spend the time together under a big kotatsu. But now…
Now, only silence remained. Quiet days like these were, in fact, also some way of eternity.
And yet… even the Heavenly Principles would eventually grow listless in a time like this, right?
Raiden Ei still wasn’t too used to having desires of her own after centuries of being swallowed by grief and unchanging stagnation. She wanted company for these following days. Not even her pages were there to amuse her, and she wasn’t the type to demand such frivolities from commoners in times of need. So, as she brushed her long hair, she got an idea. The Shōgun’s voice echoed in irritation inside her mind, accusing her of foolish attitudes and childish manners, but she didn’t listen. As she finished her long braid, determination adorned her eyes and a smile grazed her lips. If she was indulged with desserts first just for being the Almighty Narukami Ōgosho, this would likely be nothing.
“Your Excellency, I am not meaning to question your resolve at all, b-but… General Kujō Sara isn’t present at Narukamijima at the moment… she has travelled to Ritō Harbor to discuss current logistics with the Kanjō Commission…”
“Oh.” Said authority held her chin with her index and thumb. “Well, Kujō-dono, are you not the Clan Head?”
Kamaji stared at her in complete perplexity. “Well,yes…”
“Then, you could send your elder brother General Kujō Masahito in her stead,” she stated, her brow furrowing a little. “He came to Narukamijima for reinforcement deployments due to the storm, am I correct?” Kamaji could only nod.
She smiled with a warm sense of realization so alien to her usual self that managed to scare the poor man out of his mind. “Then, send him to Ritō Harbor and summon her back here,” she concluded.
“But, Your Excellency…!”
Ei genuinely didn’t understand what was the issue. “What is it?” she inquired. “It is not like your brother is bad at diplomacy.”
“Sending her back? In the middle of a storm?!” he exclaimed desperately. “For what reason must you call her back so urgently?”
Ei blinked twice. “Personal affairs. That means it is confidential, Kujō-dono.” She was starting to feel a bit peeved. “Send her back here as soon as possible. It is urgent.” Her voice hardened just enough for Kamaji to tremble.
“M-may I ask you to reconsider o-one last time, Your Excellency-?”
A purple-white flash briefly illuminated the room from the outside, as Kamaji jumped while the deafening thunder rumbled his threat above in the sky. The rain poured even more heavily. “It is an order, Kujō-dono,” warned the Almighty Raiden Shogun, Narukami Ōgosho, God of Thunder and Eternity. “Send General Kujō Sara back here. She will stay here for three days, in Tenshukaku. Send the message. At once.”
Well, who was he to throw his sense of survival down the cliff?
Just a few hours later, the heavy doors slammed open. Ei was in the middle of eating a dango skewer when she heard the loud noise and she walked downstairs, only to see a big pair of soaking wet wings flutter around a clothed figure from above, collapsed onto the tatami. Filled with glee, she continued her way down and trotted her way towards an exhausted Kujō Sara.
“Ara, you came faster than I expected,” she greeted lightly. Sara looked up in mild incredulity, panting as she immediately stood up, wobbly.
“A-almighty… Shōgun…,” she gasped for air, “I… have flown here as f-fast as I could…” she took a deep breath, teeth chattering because of the cold.
“Oh, Sara, please come with me and relax. I did not summon you as General Kujō from the Tenryō Commission, but as Sara, my friend.” Ei smiled, signaling towards one of the cooks for them to fetch her some towels as she walked her upstairs, towards the tea room. She noticed Sara looking away, her already flushed cheeks growing even redder.
“B-but… t-they told me… it was u-urgent…” she tried to argue.
“Oh, details, General,” Ei dismissed with a wave of her hand. “Let me give you a spare change of clothes— I don’t want you to fall ill because of my whims.”
“W-whims…? This is- is not a laughing matter, Your Excellency-”
It was tough to break her out of her firm shell. Ever since Ei had taken over leading Inazuma, she had insisted on getting to really know her subordinates besides Miko, especially the ever-so-efficient Tengu General. At first, it was due to nostalgia and her memories of Sasayuri. But as time went on, she grew genuinely curious and affectionate over Sara, finding her dedication and adoration towards the Shōgun quite admirable—and adorable, of course. She wanted professional, top-notch allies, yes, but her grief was screaming at her to find herself again and to find new roots to hold onto. The time when she openly declared her friendly intentions to Sara, it seemed as if the tengu was about to explode like a firework at any given time. Stiff, at a loss for words and so incredibly red on her face, as if that announcement was the most ludicrous thing she had ever heard. And Ei insisted on dropping at least the titles when referring to each other, despite Sara’s initial protests and excuses, blubbering like a fish whenever Ei greeted her not by her military rank but as… a woman. A normal, common woman.
To be honest, Ei had also faltered the first times as well, wondering if she was allowed to even feel this carefree and relaxed like she used to feel whenever she hung out with her friends in her barely-existent free time. But sooner than later, she learned to lean into her whims and desires. (Blame Miko for being such an influence— her shamelessness was rubbing off onto her) And yet… it was almost impossible for Sara to go along with it, even after accepting her fate as her Almighty Shōgun’s friend. Ei noticed early on that she’d always stutter, opening and closing her mouth like a koi out of its pond before giving up and going back to her strict formalities. Trying to get close to her felt like one of her battles, but the Raiden Shōgun was not one to accept defeat so easily!
She waited outside the room for Sara to dry herself and change her clothes, having given her a comfortable and simple aubergine-colored kimono. She herself had changed into a casual violet kimono once she had dismissed Kamaji, not wanting to work more than necessary in her apparent off-days. So, when Sara knocked on the door, five times as she always did, to signal she was ready, Ei gently sled it open, smiling warmly upon seeing the other woman rubbing her upper arm in an awkward gesture.
“My, my, you look good, Sara.” An understatement.
“Uh… Your Excellency, what was the matter? My brother told me it was an urgent personal matter,” She insisted. Ei sighed in defeat— oh dear, why didn’t anyone understand her?
“Nothing really bad. I just… wanted to see you…,” she blurted out, feeling her chest oddly fluttery at the sudden exposure, averting her gaze for a second. Sara’s lower jaw hung agape.
“... That was it?” She whispered, her voice revealing astonishment. “You sent an official order… just to- to see me?!” She exclaimed now.
Ei blinked twice. “Yes. And?”
Sara looked like she was about to gauge her eyes out. “Y-Your Excellency- I was sent to Ritō Harbor for diplomatic affairs. Work. I think you can imagine the sudden dread I felt when the message was delivered to me. I flew in the middle of a storm for you, and- and-”
“Your presence is worth a thousand rainstorms, Sara.”
“You cannot-”
“I am the ruler here,” Ei argued nonchalantly, her back against a wooden pillar in the corridor. “My word is the eternal law. And I was feeling terribly… bored here, daydreaming about past rainfalls, laughter and echoes of a transient youth. Your company is most appreciated now, even more when most of my servants are in their homes, sheltered from the storm.”
“But I’m not some kind of… of Mondstadtian squire, or Fontainian court entertainer, and…”
Ei’s brow furrowed, her voice dropping to a fragile murmur. “Could you be… mad at me, Sara?” she asked, lowering her gaze.
“Me?! Oh, Archons above, no, Your Excellency! I could never! This is a misunderstanding. I…” she sighed, cheeks blossoming like ume flowers in full spring. “I… might not understand your decision, yet I don’t question it. It’s just that… I don’t consider myself the best company and even less for someone of your status, admiration and rank. I’m just but a servant to your cause,” she spoke in a firm tone but lowly in volume.
Ei looked at her, eyes pleading even if it wasn’t voluntarily. “Sara, I want to be close to you,” she stated while leaning forward, sensing the same fluffy feeling paired up with a strange pressure inside her chest, by her sword—her heart. “Is it so bizarre that I desire company like any other being in this world? Serenity is the best companion to eternity, after all, and… I just want to spend this stagnant time and weather by your side.”
A pause. “Why me and not the Gūji-sama?” Sara spat out. Silence followed.
The question echoed in Ei’s mind. She was right… why her and not Miko? Her usual close friend who was just a messenger crow away from hoarding her futon and cushions with snacks and light novels, gossiping behind the maidens’ backs?
“I-”
Sara stopped her before she could reply, facial expression filled with dread. “No, Your Excellency, never mind. My apologies, I- I spoke out of place, not minding my business,” she backtracked, bowing down once and avoiding eye contact.
Ei just hummed as a reply, still thinking about the question as she contemplated the flustered General beside her, silence once again surrounding them. She knew Sara was beautiful, she might be socially inept but she wasn’t blind. But now, somehow in the somber darkness caused by the clouds, dressed up with one of her kimono, devoid of her usual military attire, Kujō Sara was gorgeous. She could only process this for a few instants, gaining the urge to gently tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. She discarded the thought, for it would only make her, kind of forced, guest, even more uncomfortable. How could she put Sara’s mind at ease without scaring her off or forcing her into her military position? She would know— she also wasn’t used to lighthearted conversations, idle time and experiencing everyday life as it was.
Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind, breaking the atmosphere with a triumphant grin. “Sara, would you like some desserts?” She asked, accidentally startling her.
“D-desserts? Your Excellency, if I indulge in that sort of thing, my mind will be-”
“I want that, Sara,” Ei insisted, interrupting the excuse she knew the tengu would say beforehand. “Please. Understand that this is not a formal occasion. Do not worry for hypothetical emergencies, for as I have covered every single possible scenario. Nothing will disturb our safety strategies, and nothing will disturb us either. Your brother will manage the reports along with Kamisato-dono and Hīragi-dono. I told him I would like some time to myself for a few days. He was as shocked as you were, but even the Shōgun needs time for herself. The Tengu General also needs it,” she clarified, crossing her arms. “I will not force you to lower your guard as an order, but at least think about it.” She softened her voice. “If you cannot do it for your own sake, do it for mine,” she suggested, eyes closing in a closed-lip smile.
After a few beats of silence, Sara finally yielded. “… As you wish, Your Excellency,” she replied. Ei opened her eyes and frowned.
“Oh, stop the formalities, Sara! It makes it sound like I am forcing you to do more work,” she protested. “Call me Ei. E-i. Or even by my family name if that makes you comfortable… and this might be an order,” she teased lightly.
Sara exhaled with her nostrils. “As you wish… Raiden-sama,” she finally blurted out.
Ei’s eyes lightened up. She could swear her Plane of Euthymia was lit up by lilac and lavender colors with how much joy she felt in that instant. She let out a soft chuckle and patted her shoulder twice. “Yes. That is it!” she praised. Sara was still stiff, but a little less than before. That was enough progress for the while. “I will ask the cooks to prepare some pastries, I will be right back.”
Sara nodded, still not talking, and stared at the kotatsu in the middle of the room, noticing some toys, boxes and more things surrounding it on the tatami. Ei just chuckled. “I made sure to bring some things from my bedchambers to spend the time with you,” she explained. “You can play with the temari if you wish while you wait.”
She turned around and walked downstairs, unable to hide the giddy smile all over her face. She was going to force Sara into having fun if she had to. Another battle won by the hand of the Electro Archon!