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When she finally entered the Plane of Euthymia, it’s not what Yae expected when she got her chance. She’s greeted by the thick static in the air, the crackling energy of a god, an archon, billowing through the space powered with tension and… And something else. Something that Yae never thought she’d ever see. Not towards her.
“ Saiguu. ” Ei’s voice comes out darkly, that’s not her name . Her eyes aren’t lovingly gazing with affection as they once did, they’re looking right through Miko, and they’re staring at a ghost that’s not there. Ready to kill.
“So you came back…” A deep frown as she wields her polearm, filled with a pained resolve that shouldn’t be there, “Are you here to stop me…?”
“Ei…” Yae murmured softly, “oh Ei…”
Ei glowered towards them, ready to strike with the might of a god once more as if she were in war. Shadows taken over from where she stood with lightning crackling from her weapon.
What happened to you?
Yae quickly jumped to the side with a yelp, “E-EI WAIT! It’s not Saiguu!” She sputtered as she scrambled off onto her feet, she was most certainly not expecting a fight or else she would’ve gotten different shoes. Her words fell onto deaf ears as Ei’s eyes quickly shot towards once more.
Fwoosh!
Yae was positively she nearly lost her ear with that strike, stars trailing after as she made another swing.
“Ah! How about we-”
Yae shrieked again as she quickly teleported back farther, far away from Ei,
“I’m not here t-!”
Perhaps the mistake was that distance as Ei’s polearm crashed into the pillar beside her with deadly practiced precision. It was only after a long, long time’s worth of watching Ei practice everyday that Yae barely dodged, losing her footing in the process. Static and lightning tailed behind the spear as Ei slowly strutted towards her. Dark grim intentions clouded Ei’s expression as her footsteps came closer, and closer. Lighting flashed with each graceful step.
Even with murderous intent, Ei still carried herself with authority and nothing less than intimidation.
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
The click of her heels came, and Yae felt her ears pin back.
“Ei, Ei wait- wait, stop. Ei…” Her voice came out unsure and petrified, what happened? What happened? She never stopped looking at her like that as she came closer.
“IT’S ME MIKO!” She shouted, covering her face.
The clicking stopped and Yae peeked through her arms.
Ei stopped before her, the frown stayed on her features but something… something got through to her. Her eyes were looking at her. And it seemed that reality settled in as she stepped back. Eyes blinking wildly as they shot around then back at her. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped them from the sides of her body, almost as if she were trying to get a grip. A grip on reality.
Her mouth thinned as she stared at Yae for a long moment. Her breath slowly eased out releasing a tension she had been holding, then taking in the scene with the horror of what was actually happening, the reality coming to her.
“M… Miko?” She hesitantly said. Her gaze then dropped to the floor as she gripped the side of her hair, distraught painted all over her expression. The other hand covering her mouth as realization came crashing like a harsh tidal wave to her. Her gaze fell to the polearm then… to Yae.
She stared at her, frozen in disbelief.
“O...Oh archons. I almost…”
She looked sick to her stomach as she pulled on her hair, "I can't… I can't believe…" weakly she fell to her knees.
Yae let out a huff of relief as she sat up, "Ei…?"
She watched as Ei crumpled to her knees in, hands gripped into her hair as her body shook. Weak, she looked so… so pathetic. Nothing like the god who was ready to kill her just moments ago...
Yae slowly sat up, a noise had come from Ei, undecipherable to even her ears as she felt her body ease slightly. The sound was… Pitiable almost. Anxiety and fear had slowly dissipated from her, now concern and worry had come to replace as she got up to get closer to Ei.
Softly, she heard the softest, " sorry …"
"Are you…" Yae grimaced, asking if she was okay when she was on the floor losing her mind seemed utterly stupid as she cautiously kept her distance, yet… "There?" She settles on.
"Just… please just-" Ei whispered, whimpered , "just go."
"What?" Yae responded, "Ei, I finally convinced the Shogun to let me in, I-"
"JUST GO MIKO!" She snapped suddenly, electric shocks started crackling around her once more, her hair raising and Yae stepped back. The floor shook as lightning roared and clapped around the plane and came to life. Flash by flash, Yae felt her skin crawl.
The archon grasped onto her hair, bangs hiding her expression, but her bright magenta eyes peeked through. Her mouth opened to say something before-
[Emergency Protocol, Activated]
Yae's head shot up at hearing the familiar tone of the Shogun . A thick plane of energy rammed into Ei as it sent her flying to the center of the realm and trapping her with four other planes surrounding and boxing her in before Yae was suddenly pulled out.
She gasped as she fell on her back, the Shogun stood before her, arms crossed and disapprovingly. A deep frown crossed her features as she seemed to grip the cloth around her chest tightly.
"What did I tell you?"
Yae felt herself exhale, trembling in shock of what had happened, "why did she…?"
"She's eroded."
The fox envoy swallowed, before she slowly got onto her feet. She shook her head, "no, I… Archons, Ei. " She hissed under her breath, she rubbed her temples in exasperation. She couldn't believe what had happened, that's what Ei had been doing…? That's the sort of state she's been in…? Her eyes glared at the ground with her other arm hugging herself, she was under the impression that Ei was behaving like a child.
“Will she come out...?” Yae asked, "Please, I need to-"
“No. It’s my sacred duty to keep her.” Shogun answered immediately, “with every invitation… She might escape.”
“And it's my sacred duty to help her.” She shot back with a pleading expression, coming closer as her hand desperately clutched onto the Shogun, “it’s been 500 years. She can't be kept there forever. Shouldn't eternity be managed…?"
The Shogun gave her an emotionless look, then shook her head.
“Leave, Guuji Yae. And don’t come back.”
Yae didn’t listen of course. Of course she didn’t.
She stood in front of the Tenshukaku with new resolve this time, she knew what she was getting into. Centuries, it took centuries for her to finally figure out how to enter Ei’s plane and she wasn’t going to leave without answers, and most importantly…
Not without Ei.
When the Shogun looked up from her desk, Yae wasn’t lost in her expression. Perhaps there was more to the robot than she initially thought. Perhaps… That was the intent. And I thought you were a mere puppet. Yae couldn’t help but think.
And with a soft murmur into the Shogun’s ear.
The Plane of Euthymia is different. Yae’s ear flicked at the difference in tension from prior, it lacked the intensity it did before. However, the tone that surrounded the place was much more… Somber. Her eyes drifted to the center, still awaiting inside the contraption lies her dear friend…
She could feel herself bubbling with small anxieties, she knows Ei. She’s not stupid as to think Ei could possibly tear through the silly little cage if she truly so wished it. Yet… She didn’t, awaiting her, her back turned to Yae… So… She seemed so small, curled up on the floor.
The click of her shoes announced her presence, still, Ei stayed quiet and turned away.
Yae stopped in front of the cage.
“... What are you doing back here?” Ei murmured, after the small pause.
“For you.”
“You saw what I did there. Why are you back?”
“Ei… I know that wasn’t you-”
“ Don’t. ” Ei’s voice quickly became hardened, “ Yes, it was. It is me. Don’t deny it Miko- Don’t you see?” She slowly stood up from the floor, Yae could see her fists gripped with anger and frustration towards herself.
“Don’t you understand? I was going to kill you! And it’s going to happen again the second I lose it again! I was that…”
Her voice faltered, slowly going back to a soft murmur.
“... Leave. Just… Go. And please… Don’t come back…”
Indignant.
Red, hot, furious irritation spiked through the shrine maiden instantly, like electricity bursting inside of her with offense and shock.
“ What? NO!” She immediately spat out, her arms falling to the side. She immediately closed the space, getting closer to the cage. Ei heard her steps, turning around with a wide expression and… Yae saw her face. Terrified and she stepped back. Yae continued.
“ Why would I ever leave you? It’s been 500 years, I waited 500 years for you! Only to find out you… You’ve been doing this to yourself? You…” Yae growled.
She immediately searched around the cage, walking around and smacking the outside in frustration. Her eyes immediately locking in on the supposed lock on the outside.
“What are you doing.” Ei panicked as Yae seemed to have figured out the entrance, fiddling with the edges in irritation.
“Getting you out?” She responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, Ei shook her head.
“Nonono. Miko… ” Ei stepped far away her, pressing her back against the energy plane as far away from possible from Yae, “Miko, this was designed to hold me in- Don’t-”
“I don’t care.” Yae hissed back, “I don’t care. Treating yourself like this is far too cruel and a fate you don’t deserve. There has to be another way to handle this.”
A bzzt sounded and Yae gave herself a self satisfied smile before sliding open the cage. Her eyes slowly gazed up to meet Ei’s and the archon slowly fell down to her knees before her, pushing herself the furthest away possibly on the corner. So differently before where Yae was terrified and Ei stepped towards her.
With each step Ei couldn’t bear it, and Yae slowly kneeled in front of her.
“Let’s go Ei.” Yae gently said.
“... I shouldn’t. I’ll hurt you.”
“You already have.”
“And I’ll do it again.”
“Good work, you already did.”
Ei’s face twisted at that, “... I’m sorry.”
“If you are, then get up.”
“... But what if I lose control?”
“Then I’ll kick your ass again.”
Ei chuckled weakly, “you didn’t even last a second…”
Yae smirked victoriously, “But you came back, did you not?”
“What happens if I don’t?”
“What happens if you do?”
“I’ll cry. Again.”
“Good. I’ll be your shoulder.” Yae answered easily, her hand moving towards Ei’s and grabbing it.
“Let’s go home.”