Chapter Text
“Please..! I-I’ll do anything, oh Mighty Shogun! Please have- have mercy on me,” The man pleaded as he knelt on the ground between two Tenryou Commission soldiers who looked expectantly at the Raiden Shogun, awaiting her next order.
The pleading fellow on the ground had been caught trying to steal a few food items from Tsukumomono Groceries. Apparently, he had not been doing well financially and just wanted some food.
The Shogun’s eyes went to the ground and then to the tengu warrior at her side.
“What do you think we should do with him, Sara?”
Sara flinched, startled by the sudden question. She answered slowly, “I.. um…I believe we should do whatever you believe is right, Almighty Shogun.” The Raiden Shogun stared at Sara, her eyes piercing through the other. Sara swallowed hard while keeping her gaze straight forward, trying her best to maintain her composure. She rarely feels intimidated by other people but the Shogun is the one exception.
The silence dragged on.
“Very well. Lock him up for now. I will inform the Tenryou Commission of his sentence later,” she glanced back at Sara, “You two may go. Kujou Sara will remain with me.” The soldiers bowed before bringing the man with them.
Together with Sara, the Raiden Shogun moved gracefully up the steps of Tenshukaku.
Though one would think that the tengu warrior would be completely focused on the Archon that she had worshipped for so long, she was instead lost in her own thoughts.
After the Shogun had finished her supposed ‘break’, she began showing her face out in public more and even started to visit the Tri-Commissions’ Headquarters to view training first-hand or listen to reports from the Commissioners themselves. Most people, including Sara, were pleasantly surprised by this new change. Sara blinked slowly at the figure in front of her, somehow still slightly shocked that the Shogun was right there in front of her.
They made it to the side gate and the Doushin there, Asakura, greeted them on their way in.
“Go to the tea-table without me. I’ll be there in a bit,” the Shogun instructed her as she made her way to Asakura. Sara nodded and did as she was told. She glimpsed at the Shogun from the corner of her eye - the Shogun spoke to the Doushin in a low voice and he eventually left the area, leaving the two of them by themselves.
Sara looked at the two sakura trees on each side of the area, admiring all the different shades of pink. A single pink petal slowly glided down to her feet. Just as it was about to land on the ground, it turned over, revealing a much brighter shade of pink. Sara wondered, staring at the petal, ‘Inazuma really has changed in the blink of an eye.’
“Would you like to sit here or on the other side?”
Sara’s shoulders jumped slightly at the sudden question from behind her. She whipped around, trying to process the question and come up with a reply, “Uh… Y-You should decide first, Almighty Shogun. I will sit after you.”
There it is again - that blank stare from the Shogun that didn’t seem to end.
Wordlessly, the Shogun walked over and sat on the seat next to the railings. Sara quickly sat down in front of her, not wanting to make the Shogun wait.
“Would you like some tea or perhaps you'd like to try some Dango Milk?” the Shogun gestured to the tray filled with drinks in between them. Sara paused, thinking out loud, “Dango Milk? I didn’t think you were a fan of this kind of drink.”
The Shogun smiled slightly, replying, “I have a liking for sweet things. Here, let me pour you a glass of it.” Her brief smile caught Sara's attention but she chose not to bring it up.
As the Shogun moved her hands to pour the drinks, Sara appreciated the gracefulness that she always seemed to possess. ‘Dignified, graceful, wise and perfect… The Shogun really is amazing,’ Sara smiled to herself, thankful that she has such a leader to guide her.
Noticing that the Shogun has already started to sip on her drink, Sara swiftly followed suit, picking up the cup of Dango milk. She was unsure about drinking it but seeing the Shogun do so with no hesitation, she reassured herself and looked into her cup. After taking a sip, she closed her eyes, trying to find the words to describe it.
Opening her eyes, she commented, “It’s sweet.. but the texture is akin to.. porridge?”
The Shogun laughed softly, “Yes, it took me a while to get used to the texture as well.”
Sara gaped slightly. The Shogun’s laughter captivated her, never having heard it before. It sounded sweet.
“Is everything alright?” the Shogun questioned Sara, causing her to snap out of it. Sara shook her head slightly and sputtered, “Y-yes! I’m all fine.”
The Shogun looked as if she wanted to say something but held her tongue. She drank the last of her Dango milk and suddenly the air had changed. The calm aura that surrounded them seemed to disappear in an instant. Sara stiffened. “Right. I didn’t invite you here just for a chat and some drinks. Regarding your behaviour earlier, as the General of the Tenryou Commission, I expect you to know how to deal with situations in your area - especially those including criminals.”
Sara thought back to earlier when she couldn’t give the Shogun a proper answer. It was a simple question as well, one she would have no trouble answering usually. And then the embarrassment set in again. She actually didn’t think that the man should have been imprisoned for such a minor offence but she did not dare speak her mind to the Shogun.
As Sara thought about the man, she felt uneasy; She imagined the look on his face as he sat in one of the jail cells.
“Yes. I’m sorry for my inadequacy. It will not happen again, Shogun,” Sara apologised. She quickly regained her composure, not wanting to disappoint her leader again.
The Shogun nodded and stood up from her seat.
“You may stay here and finish your beverage. I have other matters to attend to,” the Shogun added before leaving swiftly.
Sara sighed and relaxed her posture. She rested her head and arms on the table as she grimaced. Being around the Shogun made her extremely self-conscious. The tengu took great pride in her ability to remain calm and confident no matter the situation she was in. Speaking her mind and taking the lead was supposed to be her forte and yet, she falters when around the Shogun.
Her mind wandered back to when the Vision Hunt Decree was still in order - she was determined to carry out the Shogun’s will as she seized visions across the Inazuma. However, that was not entirely the truth. There was a small flicker of doubt that grew each time she stripped a vision away from its holder.
Seeing the after-effects it had on those people - memory loss, sorrow, fear… it caused Sara a great deal of pain but she pushed those feelings down for the sake of her dedication to the Shogun. The immense feeling of relief she had when the traveller and Paimon convinced the Raiden Shogun to abolish the decree had honestly scared her.
Sara had not once doubted her god but on that day, she questioned her belief.
The tengu slammed her fist into the table. She stood up and walked off, not wanting to spend another second thinking about it. Sara let her feet carry her to where she usually goes to reflect on herself and calm down - The Grand Narukami Shrine.