Work Text:
Where do old birds go to die?
Home , Kujou Sara would answer.
Sara likes to think of Inazuma as home, but Inazuma is too big of a nest for a small bird like herself. So, she looks harder for a home–at the corner of her cold house, at the old mansion of Tenryou Commission’s estate to which she was brought in after that event in her youth, at the training field laden with steels and weapons. And sometimes at the Tenshukaku, by the lone and straight back of the Almighty Shogun.
Sara has even tried to trace her roots. For centuries long in Inazuma, those of the tengu warriors belong and protect the forest. Sometimes, Sara wonders if home is in the forest or the mountain. But those, too, are not where she belongs.
At one point in her life, Sara realizes. It is a bitter realization she has to swallow; that there is no home for her.
One day, when Sara receives reports of a sudden paranormal disturbance at Chinju Forest near the old shrine, she is surprised to find herself thinking: ‘Even the youkai seem to have made a home at Chinju Forest’. Considering the legend of that place, no one really takes those reports seriously. Many people believe it is the work of the youkai and that it would appease on its own some time later–herself included–but Sara still has to make sure what the fuss is all about. As long as it doesn’t escalate into a major issue, Sara would be fine leaving them be. After all, she doesn’t want to be the one driving the youkai away from their new home.
The night Sara decides to investigate, the air is warm and dry. She passes along the quiet murmurs of the streams, and climbs the stone slabs of the stairs leading to the old shrine. At first Sara can’t see anything amiss. But soon, a flicker of light from a secluded part of the forest is seen, accompanied by the sound of laughter. She advances in that direction and is met with two figures swaying and tangled in each other’s arms. The yellow glow from a geo vision–now that Sara can see clearly–is gentle but bright enough to illuminate the space. The two figures are people Sara knows–Lumine and Miss Kamisato–and they are dancing . Although it is not a dance that Sara has ever seen before; it lacks the complexity and grace of Inazuma’s traditional dance nihon buyo but appears simpler and somewhat elegant. It must have hailed from a place outside of Inazuma.
Lumine and Miss Kamisato stop dancing and reluctantly part from each other, and their laughter slowly dies down. Both of them look surprised by Sara’s sudden appearance.
“Excuse me for interrupting. The Tenryou Commission has received news of disturbance within this parameter. The report states about ‘stray lights and the sound of giggling’, so I came to check. The folks are convinced that the youkai are involved, but I see. It is actually you two… ladies.”
Lumine is the first to speak, with a smile on her face. “We’re just having fun. Would you care to join us for a dance? And tea?” She asks, fapping the baby pink scarf she has around her shoulders. It looks weirdly flowy and delicate like a pair of wings. Miss Kamisato has one, too, and hers is baby blue.
“Dance and tea? In the middle of the night?” Sara couldn’t hide the surprise and just a tinge of amusement in her voice.
Miss Kamisato giggles, the sound of her laughter is clear and melodious like the chiming of the shrine bell in summer. She seems relaxed, more so than Sara has ever been in her presence. After all, they are not exactly friendly, and they have had their fair share of minor disputes in the past.
“Isn’t she an unruly one, Madam Kujou Sara? Look at what she has done to me–sneaking me away from home at night. Please do not let my brother know of this when you meet him next time.”
“You love spending time with me, even more so in the middle of the night,” Lumine defends herself. Miss Kamisato smiles and giggles again–childish and unlike the graceful Shirasagi Himegimi Sara has seen many times strolling the streets of Inazuma. Sara would have believed she to be drunk, but Miss Kamisato is not drunk; she is happy. And probably in love.
This whole situation, with Lumine and Miss Kamisato, is as warm and surreal as a dream. Perhaps the darkness of the night has that effect on people–to shed them out of the skins they wear during the day. Sara is afraid she has intruded at an inappropriate timing.
But her thoughts are interrupted by Lumine. “Oh, Sara. We made some cookies in the evening. With Thoma’s help, of course. He insisted we use sugar as the sweetener but I said we definitely had to use valberries as replacement. I mean, have you tasted valberries? Nothing is as divine as those translucent pink berries. And he also insisted on no icing. But why, I just think he lacks the imagination for it. He admitted defeat at the end, though, after Ayaka convinced him to let me put on icing. Come sit and have some of them. I’m gonna pour tea for you.”
There is a small plaid blanket laid on the ground. On top of it sit a teapot and tea cups made of white porcelain, and a plate of star-shaped cookies with yellow and blue icing. Sara suspects the choice of colors is made to reflect the two ladies. How unexpectedly cute.
“I…I come here for work,” Sara insists weakly. Her solid demeanor is crumbling down, quickly. There is something in the atmosphere that seeps underneath her skin and softens her, making her let her walls down.
“Yeah, yeah. I know. We are the work.”
Miss Kamisato smiles as she settles down beside Lumine on the blanket. “My apologies, Madam Kujou. We will try to tone down a little, lest it will cause you further trouble. Please take a seat and let us serve you tea and sweets. It is the least we can do as an apology after having troubled you to come all the way here.”
Before Sara can reason with herself, Lumine is already tugging at her wrist and she finds herself being led to sit before the tea and cookies. Soon, when the warmth of tea and the sweetness of cookie have settled on her tongue, Sara allows herself to enjoy the taste and the comfort they bring. It will only be for a short while, she tells herself.
Sara learns that Miss Kamisato and Lumine have been meeting here late at night for at least a week under the excuse of learning a dance from a faraway nation, and will continue to do so until Lumine has to travel elsewhere. They talk about random things and interesting things–Lumine mostly, while Miss Kamisato listens. About places outside of Inazuma that sound like a well-crafted imagination of a child. Sara wonders if they are actually as wonderful as Lumine makes it seem; they certainly sound different from what few books she’d read.
“Where do old birds go to die?” Sara blurts out suddenly, when at one point the conversation has mellowed down. Sara feels like it is the right thing and the right time to ask.
“Anywhere,” Lumine answers easily. “Birds sure do love to move, so I imagine they can die anywhere. Of course not in the sky because we never see them flying and then falling to the ground. But anywhere as in anywhere besides the sky. The possibility is endless.”
“Or with the loved one,” Ayaka adds following that. “Like the swallows. I read once that they mate for life. And I like to think they die by each other’s side as well.”
“Oh, that sounds so very romantic, Ayaka.” Lumine gets all starry-eyed at her, and Sara is convinced Lumine would have gone in for a kiss if not for Lady Kamisato’s firm hand on her thigh stopping her from any unwarranted display of affection. It is clear now that Lumine, too, is probably in love.
Sara has had an inkling that the two ladies are rather closely acquainted, more so than any of Lumine’s other acquaintances. To think that they are together, someone special to each other–Sara feels a conflicting sense of hopefulness and loneliness and jealousy.
In the darkness where the source of light is just enough to illuminate them, they both seem at home with each other. How nice , Sara thinks as she finishes her tea.
“Thank you for sharing your answers. The tea and the cookies were nice,” Sara says. “I have overstayed my welcome. I shall leave the two of you alone, then. But please be sure to not make a big fuss, or I will have to intrude on your alone time again.”
“We don’t mind intrusion, as long as you agree to dance next time. You are very tall and you have a beautiful figure, Sara. You’ll make a perfect dancing partner,” Lumine replies.
Sara has to stop her mind from wandering too much, and her heart from being too hopeful.
“Madam Kujou Sara,” Miss Kamisato calls just as she is leaving. “I heard from Lumine that you have expressed hope to pay me a visit. You could come visit sometimes, when you are not busy. We can play a game of Go together.”
Sara looks over at Lumine, who smiles mischievously behind her tea cup. “Why, you never said I can’t tell her that. And I think you and my Lady Ayaka here can be good friends in my absence. Well, you can count me in whenever I’m around.”
This is rather sudden, but certainly not unwelcomed. And Sara does indeed have been hoping to pay Miss Kamisato a visit for a long time now–she is just often too busy and has yet to muster the courage and the confidence to ask the young lady of the Kamisato Clan for her time.
“That sounds good, Miss Kamisato. I shall take that invitation. I will make sure to send a notice at least a day before visiting.”
“Of course, I shall look forward to that.”
Sara allows herself to smile a little, just a small quirk of her lips, but she hopes it comes out sincere. As Sara parts from the scene, she sees the way Miss Kamisato’s eyes widen slightly as her cheeks turn pink. Then, Lumine’s teasing voice is heard, mumbling something Sara cannot catch.
Sara hopes she will have the pleasure to be in their company again, someday. Perhaps.
She walks down the stone stairs and passes the quiet murmurs of the streams. She looks up at the sky. Birds do not fall from the sky when they die.
Where do old birds go to die?
At this moment, Sara cannot say she agrees with Lumine’s or Miss Kamisato’s answer. But it is comforting to know of those other possibilities. Because home may never be quite the same for everyone. One day, too, Sara may find her home. And her home may lie somewhere else.
Anywhere. Or with the loved one.