Chapter Text
Sara was used to going to the shrine. After all, she paid her respects to the Almighty Narukami whenever she had the time. And if she asked the Guuji about the Shogun every time she visited, well, most people didn’t need to know.
However, she hadn’t come here for that. Lady Yae had summoned her to the shrine, on behalf of the Raiden. It made the vibrant red and white seem dull. Sara pursed her lips. The Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree were both over, so she wasn’t sure what order she could receive now.
A shrine maiden saw her arrive. “Madam Kujou, Guuji Yae is waiting inside.” She led Sara to the entrance of the main building. The maiden bowed her head and left.
The Guuji? She'd summoned her, but she didn't expect her to relay orders. Then again, the Raiden coming all the way to the shrine always sounded unlikely.
Sara closed the door behind her and barely saw a wisp of pink hair and piercing purple eyes before she bowed her head. She stared at the tea set on the table instead. The seniority, both in years and in rank, Yae Miko had over Sara sunk in now more than ever.
The fox lady chuckled. “Now, now, no need to be so stiff. Please take a seat.”
Sara took that as a cue to raise her head and met her purple eyes. The maiden smiled, making her look more approachable, the soft light from the windows illuminating the softness of her features.
They were both servants. Nothing to fear, right?
Once seated at the tea table, Yae seemed convinced she needed to do small talk. “How was the journey here? Not too tiring, I hope.”
Sara, on the contrary, wanted to cut right to the chase. “It was fine. What are the orders from the Shogun? I assume you are relaying them because of her busy schedule.”
Miko nodded, visibly holding back a smile. “Ei. Busy schedule. Sure.” Sara frowned at her, not quite understanding.
“What you need to do is investigate Serai Island. It’s a confidential research, so don’t take anyone with you. With the war out of the way, we have time to worry about older matters again.”
Sara waited for her to elaborate. She did not. Yae sipped her tea, the sweet herbal scent overtaking the entire room. What did Sara need to investigate, exactly? For how long or how far? Was there any reason for the investigation? Would she really be alone?
“Are there any more specifics on the request?”
“No.” Yae smiled with her eyes closed before she stopped indulging her. “Run along now.”
Sara gave her a courteous nod and left. The fox lady had always been unreliable like this. Sara would set foot on Serai Island tomorrow.
—
Sara had never sailed alone before, but it was a lot more peaceful than she’d expected. The sound and sight of calm waters, a salty but lukewarm breeze, was a serene scene for an early morning.
Until she reached the eternally stormy island. She ran a hand over her vision, its own soft crackling reassuring her.
Objectively, the lightning, a symbol of the Electro Archon, was a mesmerizing sight. Thankfully, it stayed in the sky, but the thunder did not. The rumble was loud and constant. The Tenguu would need a moment to get used to it.
Soon enough, she anchored her boat in front of the main island, the one with a great lake in the middle and the storm overhead. She had no way of knowing what time it was now, in the perpetual night of the island.
What she was surprised to find, however, was a dilapidated boat anchored not so far from hers. Had the Guuji sent someone to help her? The general felt insulted at first, but quickly thought the maiden probably simply wanted the success of the mission.
Until she saw the man leaning on the other side of the boat. Or rather, the Oni.
The only annoying, loud, troublesome Oni she knew. Arataki Itto.
Sara schooled her posture to be straighter than before. She couldn’t look down on him like she could to most people, but she still held her chin up when she got close enough. “Hey! Kujou Tenguu! Nice to find you here,” he practically yelled.
“Civilians are not allowed access here.” It was a confidential mission. If it was anyone else, she might’ve let it slide, but she didn’t exactly trust the forever boasting Arataki Itto with a secret.
“The fox lady sent me.” Itto didn't say anything more, confirming the identity of the "fox lady" to Sara. At that moment, something shattered in Sara’s mind. Why in the world would Yae send him? Did she believe orders from the Raiden Shogun were a joke? Send the biggest troublemaker of Hanamizaka and Inazuma city; was she insane?
Sara closed her eyes. She couldn’t snap at a civilian. She breathed in and out, slowly. She and Yae needed to have a talk when she got back. For the moment, she plastered the fakest smile.
Arataki stepped back. She couldn’t snap at him, but scaring him a bit was comforting enough. “I don’t assume she briefed you on what the mission consists of?”
Arataki regained his confidence and gave her a shrug. “Oh, yeah, investigating the machines, like how many there are, and destroy them. A confidential request.”
Sara doubted him for a second, before rationalizing: he wasn't known for his smarts, and probably couldn't think up something like this on his own.
Sara calmed herself before she could try redirecting one of the lightning bolts in the sky. Yae gave him the specifics. Of course.
She had no choice but to make do with what she was given, even though it came under the shape of someone who should be in one of her jail cells right now. “Well then, seeing as you are more informed than I, lead the way.”
“Oh, uh, that’s all she told me. As well as the fact you would be here and that I could challenge you to a rematch. Can I?”
Sara didn’t think she’d die young, being a Tenguu and all, but she realized today might really be the day.
“Sure.”
The Oni cheered, “Greatest day ever! Who kills the most, wins!” Sara stopped listening to him and scanned the surrounding area more precisely than before. There were a couple of wandering machines in the distance, as the demon had mentioned. She noted down the number. Around a dozen. Just walking or hovering. How old were they? Who brought them here or built them?
Arataki interrupted her, “You should stop taking your notes, because I’ll beat you by the time you look up.” He was already running.
Sara just then processed the meaning of his words. “Stay behind—“ She only had the time to see how he sprinted at two of them before crushing them with his geo bat. Rematch, of course. She agreed to it earlier. She went to the other side and shot three of them.
He had strength, but she had speed. She glanced at the other border of the lake. A machine carcass more behind him. He saw her, turned, and gave her a military salute.
They both killed the remaining machines. Six to six, a tie.
As the last machine fell, she heard a rumble. Not the thunder, but something under them. An earthquake. “Get down,” Sara shouted. She lied with her stomach on the ground, facing the water. Itto fell down, destabilized, after her, not so willingly.
Arataki pointed to the obvious environmental change. “The lake—it’s draining!” His usually sharp eyes were wide with fascination.
The earthquake was pretty light and quick, meanwhile the lake took a good while to drain. Sara noted it down, adding the fact it happened after they killed all the robots.
She observed the last machine she killed, electricity still crackling in it. It was long and slender, its eye fixed on her. Or at least she thought it was an eye on top of its head.
No face, no life. Just an eye and a will to fight until death. Nothing less, nothing more. Dedicating itself to its goal, and only that.
It made Sara think of it as an “empty existence”.
Strangely, she sympathized with it, which was odd since it resembled a plant.
A plant… At the comparison, she realized what all the machines had in common: a resemblance to different living beings.
She noted down her observation quickly.
“Uh, Kujou?”
“What,” she answered, not even looking up.
“There’s more.”
“More wh—“ she looked up and saw the machines, previously under water, coming to life. “Oh.”