Moonless Eternity

Many of Ei’s people have equated her to the moon. When the shogun was ruling Inazuma, it was the line ‘you rarely see it in day to day life, yet is the most stunning thing you’ll see when you do.’ Ei supposes that still holds even as she takes weekly walks through the city. But Ei doesn’t really think those words are for herself, them being Makoto’s lingering presence that clings when everyone sees her face. Such is the case with being twins, though there has been one person who can see that yes it was Ei and not the puppet or Makoto.

“What dreary thoughts are you tossing around in there? Don’t try to act as if you aren’t, I can see it all over you Ei” Miko huffs out, frowning as she sets her cup of tea down on the table between them.

“Only what my people think of me Miko” Ei sighs out and Miko narrows her eyes some.

“Which is complete devotion and adoration” she presses and Ei gives a sheepish smile while letting her thumb run along her tea cup.

“Yes I know that now, but why do they insist that I am like the moon? It doesn’t fit me” Ei mumbles and Miko raises a brow.

“That is getting you sad?” she huffs out and Ei looks into her cup as her smile falls.

“The moon seems to fit Makoto more than me” Ei mumbles before Miko clicks her tongue.

“Now it makes sense” she sighs as Ei thins her lips.

“It’s just that Makoto always brightened up the room even in the most dire of situations. I only seemed to frighten or annoy them” Ei gasps out while rubbing at her brow. Miko shuffles a bit in her seat before rising her cup to her lips.

“Do you wish for me to list out why the moon fits you and not Makoto?” she drawls and Ei gives an unimpressed glare.

“No it isn’t necessary” she deadpans as Miko takes a gulp. Silence rings till Miko puts down her cup again with a smirk.

“Well that's quite unfortunate. I really love that idea. Could you indulge me then?” she chirps and Ei gives up on drinking her tea as she crosses her wrists on the table.

“Seems I don’t get much of a say. Go on” she sighs with a little pout. Miko clears her throat before raising a finger.

“You try to hide time and time again, just like the moon. You two wax and wane, never quite able to hide too long in the night sky” she hums and Ei quickly furrows her brow.

“My isolation makes me like the moon?” she mumbles before Miko wags her finger at her.

“Your lack of isolation” she presses and Ei shakes her head in disagreement

“But I was in my plane of-” Ei starts but Miko’s tsks has her stopping.

“For only five centuries. I won’t allow any more moments where you keep yourself in your head anymore. You know you really aren’t indulging much with this overthinking” she huffs out with a hard stare at Ei before Ei gains that sheepish smile back.

“I’m just not understanding Miko” she mumbles and Miko gives a dismissive wave.

“Because you’re using your brain too much. Honestly, how can you use your brain so much it has you becoming stupid?” she grumbles and Ei glares at her while crossing her arms.

“Miko” she warns and Miko hold her teacup close to her face with a huff.

“Fine fine. I’ll hold onto my list till I know you won’t try to pound it into submission with your thoughts” she huffs before Ei gives a deep sigh.

“If it suits you” she mumbles before deciding to see if her tea was still good or not.

The next time Ei was able to spend more personal time with Miko was within the night, both wrapped in nothing but nightgowns while sitting out to watch the moon. It hangs above the sacred sakura with just a sliver taken from it. Ei only pulls her gaze away from it when she feels Miko push her gown’s sleeve up to expose her arm. Miko sits and stares at it, gently tracing the multitude of scars on it. Ei slowly opens her palm when Miko’s finger gets to her wrist, and open invitation for Miko to either continue or finally take hold of her hand. Miko only traces a single fold line of her palm before intertwining their fingers.

“Your beauty is like the moon. Bright and mesmerizing even with the scars you possess” Miko sighs while bringing Ei’s other hand to kiss at her palm. Ei can’t help the chuckle that bubbles up in her throat.

“Are you still doing the similarities of the moon list? I thought you forgot about it” she chirps with a smile before cupping Miko’s cheek, ignoring the pout that springs up on her lover’s face.

“Now you are just being stupid. Didn’t I tell you I have perfect memory? I’ve even been retelling you the last couple centuries day by day yet you still think I would forget something” she grumbles as she nuzzles into Ei’s palm. Ei only leans closer before raising a brow.

“Didn’t you also say you were continuing that list once you knew I wouldn’t overthink?” she mumbles and Miko puffs out her chest a bit.

“And you aren’t” she chirps and Ei’s smile strains.

“So you hope” she presses and Miko gives a groan as her shoulders sag.

“Spit it out then” she huffs out as Ei takes her hand out their intertwined grasp. I raises it so her sleeve bunches at her elbow, showing off the scars Miko just traced.

“My scars are nothing like the face of the moon. Mine come from battles and wars fought so fiercely they are immortalized on my very own form” she hums slowly and Miko raises a brow.

“And how do you know that isn’t true for the moon?” she mumbles and Ei pouts a bit.

“Because I remember how I got them. The moon probably doesn’t” she huffs and Miko narrows her eyes slightly.

“Do you remember the stories of each and everyone of them?” she presses and Ei quickly thins her lips.

“Maybe not all of them” she mumbles and Miko rolls her eyes with a small smile.

“See? The moon still holds scars even if we or it doesn’t remember how they got there” she chirps softly as Ei looks back to her arm, eyes tracing a specific scar.

“I do remember this one” she mumbles as if she was in a trance. Miko thins her lips before tracing the long scar, it even being partially hidden in the rest of the sleeve.

“That one was from the cataclysm, wasn’t?” she hums quietly and Ei gives a small nod.

“Within my rage and grief I started attacking anything that so much looked like a threat. One of the mortal’s machines were able to land a hit before I left nothing left of it” Ei whispers and only looks up when Miko rests her forehead against hers.

“That’s why it spans nearly your whole arm. You very rarely have anything that long. Not even your fight with Orobashi was able to strike you like that” she mumbles softly and Ei gives a strained smile at the specific battle.

“No, just another way for him” she stutters out and Miko gives a sigh.

“And one we aren’t thinking too much about. Come on now, we need to sleep in order to see the dawn together” she ushers as she stands, hands out to help Ei to her feet.

“Right, of course Miko” she hums softly before taking Miko’s hands and letting her gently guide her to bed.

Miko gives out another comparison while watching Ei train late into the night, the half moon starting to appear in the sky. Ei finishes her last exercises with a flourish of her polearm, the arc completely following the curve of the moon behind her.

“The both of you fight quite gracefully. So much so it adds to your ferocities” Miko drawls and Ei frowns slightly as she puts away her polearm.

“What are you saying Miko? Me and who?” she hums as Miko almost skips to her side.

“The moon” she chirps and Ei crosses her arms.

“And how in the world is the moon fighting? It’s just there in the night” she huffs lightly and Miko lightly bumps into her.

“And the night is known to be dark. Yet it cuts through as cleanly as your blade Ei. Graceful and efficient” she hums and Ei rolls her eyes with a small smile.

“I think you’re just reaching for anything to compare me to the moon Miko” she chirps out while moving to grab at a towel to attempt to ride herself of sweat.

“If that thought makes you feel better I suppose I’ll let you keep it” Miko gasps out and Ei looks over her shoulder to see that Miko hold a hand to her heart.

“You just don’t want to admit I’m right” she drawls with a smirk and Miko narrows her eyes at her.

“No you’re not, but you rarely look at yourself in the mirror so I understand why you can’t see it” she huffs and Ei raises a brow.

“You are wanting me to get a bigger ego?” she mumbles and Miko tilts her head some in thought.

“Maybe. It would be a change of pace from all the gloom you try to keep hold of” she hums and Ei gives a pout.

“I’m not gloomy” she huffs and Miko gives her an unimpressed look.

“There’s not a soul you could convince to believe that” she deadpans and Ei relents with a sigh.

“Alright fine Miko. There’s no need to go for my throat” she mumbles and Miko lets out a laugh before the two return to tenshukaku’s halls.

As time passed, Ei noticed Miko slipping up on a few dates which was quite odd with how organized Miko has become. In fact, one of those instances happened the next time they meet. In the early parts of the week the two planned to eat at Miko’s favorite restaurant in the afternoon, yet it was when the crescent moon rose that Ei realized Miko wasn’t coming. For hours she sat alone, only ordering a sweet or two to pass the time before she gave up with a heavy heart. If not for the off chance of running into her leaving her publishing house the night would have been completely ruined. Of course, the pain sparks into frustration for Ei when she caught Miko.

“If you didn’t wish to show Miko you only needed to tell me. I waited all the way till now for you” she huffs out with a glare that immediately puts Miko on edge.

“Waited for what?” she mumbles and Ei only narrows her eyes more.

“What do you mean ‘for what?’ We were to have lunch together at your favorite place. You can’t expect me to believe you forgot, you never forget anything” she strains, not wanting to raise her voice and have even more people stare at them. Miko on the other hand looks at Ei in horror.

“That was today?” she gasps and Ei shifts her weight a bit at the unusual tone she gives.

“Yes it was” she mumbles and Miko quickly grabs at Ei’s arms, guilt clear in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry Ei. I-it seems the days are molding together” she rushes out and Ei replaces her frustration with concern. Miko never mixes the days up. He concern only rises when Miko pulls away to cough a bit.

“Miko are you alright?” she presses and stops from embracing Miko when she puts up her hand.

“Yes I am. Would dinner be fine?” she mumbles and Ei thins her lips, but decides not to push.

“Back in tenshukaku. I don’t really want to sit in there anymore” she grumbles and Miko nods as she soothes out her clothes.

"Alright. I’ll get the food and we’ll meet back in tenshukaku” she hums before leaving Ei there to stew in her thoughts.

Ei continues to watch Miko as the month continues on, Miko still saying she is fine as more and more events get missed. But one night before bed finally has Ei drown in concern. They sit out and watch the moon like usual, it barely a sliver of light in the night sky now.

“I never realized how many scars you have. Where did you get this one?” Miko mumbles and traces her hand on the cataclysm scar. Ei frowns as she turns to look at Miko directly.

“I thought I told you already. It was just about a month and half ago too” she grumbles and Miko rolls her eyes.

“You must be jesting. I would have remembered if you did” she huffs and Ei straightens as tension rises in her.

“Miko, do you remember what we were talking about that night?” she mumbles and Miko gives a dismissive wave.

“Something silly I’m sure” she hums and Ei shakes her head.

“No, please tell me in detail. If I’m remembering it wrong I want to make sure” she rushes out and Miko raises a brow at Ei’s seriousness.

“Alright then. We were talking about… about something…” she mumbles as her brow furrows. Ei feels her throat tighten the more time passes.

“Miko-” she eventually speaks up before Miko snaps her fingers.

“About scars” she fumbles out and Ei thins her lips.

“Do you remember that or are you just guessing?” she presses and Miko looks to her lap in both confusion a fear.

“I… I don’t remember what we were saying then” she eventually confesses and Ei gently clasps Miko’s hands in her own.

“What is wrong Miko?” she gently whispers and more fear rises in Miko’s eyes.

“I barely remember Saiguu” she stutters and Ei feels the panic start to rise in her.

“Miko this could be-” she starts but is cut off when Miko breaks out into a horrendous cough. Ei lightly rubs at her back as Miko is wrecked through the fit. When she pulls her hands away, they both stare in horror at the blood soaked sakura petal that rests in her palms.

“Erosion. It’s erosion, Ei” Miko croaks out and Ei tugs Miko into an embrace to keep herself as calm as she could be.

“Stay in tenshukaku, Miko. I will do everything to cure you. I’ve escaped erosion so I can do the same with you” she rushes out pulling back to see Miko looking frantically at her hands.

“Who was that leviathan? You fought him and a tengu of yours-” Miko fumbles out but is cut off from a desperate kiss from Ei.

“Miko, please listen to me” Ei pleads when she pulls away, pain clear in her eyes as tears start rolling down Miko’s cheeks.

“Ei, this can’t- I would never-” she starts but is cut off by her own sobs.

“I will cure you of erosion. I won’t lose you too” Ei stutters quietly while holding Miko through her tears and coughs.

Ei doesn’t sleep for the next few days, any possible free time is spent forging or reading on her puppetry. It seems like each and every passing day Miko forgets more and more, even forgetting who Ei was. That strikes Ei the hardest but Miko’s death would kill her. Ei can help her recover her memories if she’s still here. And that thought keeps Ei from being swallowed whole in her darkest time.

Each night, almost at midnight, her guards tell her they saw Miko out in the gardens. Ei would meet her there, staring at the moon, to usher her back into bed to rest some more. Though she does give Miko some time alone, knowing she doesn’t like that someone has to be at her side. She has never liked anyone seeing her at her weakest. Not even Ei herself, though she doesn’t put up as much of a fight.

But the darkest night, where the moon was swallowed by the night, is when it all changes. Miko was sighted in the gardens and Ei finally constructs the vessel for Miko’s consciousness. It took a few more minutes but now she can safely keep Miko at her side. Once she has Miko in it she can craft the perfect puppet for her and they will escape this nightmare together.

Ei’s heart races as she sees Miko’s head slumped down, panic sparking through her veins. She nearly drops the delicate vessel in her haste to Miko’s side. And the sight she sees takes her breath. Miko was covered in blood and sakura petals. It was so many petals it was like the spring, where you couldn’t see the road from the amount of petals. Yet this sight tears Ei’s heart than soothes.

All Ei could do as hold the love of her life, her kistune, her Miko, in her arms one last time as silent tears roll down her cheeks. Yet at this very moment, Ei now understands how the moon and her are alike. Time and time again, for an eternity, they will be swallowed whole by the very things they fight against. For the moon waxes and wanes. And the scars are stories better kept hidden.

And within the next moment, there was no more Miko. No more Ei. For both died in that moonless night and all that remained was a puppet with the face of a god to watch over a moonless eternity.