Heat Lighting [Scaramouche | Reader]

2 - and the world froze

"Not a light, not a sound
Threw my voice into the dark
But the dark had no remark
Just repeated what I said"
-Underground--Cody Fry- 0:09

—

A week passed since my encounter with Ayaka and her traveling friend. Now the ceremonial outfits were complete, fully embroidered. Currently, I was pulling a cart of them to the Yashiro Commission headquarters. The air was thick with fog as I got closer to the sea-bordered location. When I reached the front entrance, they let me in and pushed the cart the rest of the way for me. I knocked on the door to Ayaka's reception room, expecting to see Thoma open the door and say "wait one moment".

Yet when the door opened I was met with a frantic Ayaka. She looked at me and then deflated, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me inside.

"Ayaka? What's wrong?"

She pushed me down at the table in the center of the room, and sat down herself. Groaning in frustration, she gripped her blue hair in her hands. Finally looking up to me, Ayaka realized her actions had been "improper" in the Yashiro Commission name and started to apologize which I stopped her from doing.

"I've known you for so long I don't care Ayaka. What matters right now is why you're so pent up; can you tell me what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath and explained, "I cannot find Thoma. I've looked everywhere, and I worry he may have been caught by the Tenryou Commission."

My eyes widened, "The 100th Vision Ceremony..."

The barbaric decree was being celebrated today with a ceremony organized by the Yashiro Commission and presided over by the Tenryou Commission. The Raiden Shogun would be attending, presumably taking the vision personally to embed into the statue of herself.

"Well what are we waiting for? Ayaka we need to go to the city, come on!"

I grabbed her hand and we ran out of the Yashiro Commission headquarters toward the Inazuma City as fast as we could.

—

After booking it to Komore Teahouse, we met up with the traveler, Aether was his name. His flying companion Paimon waved at me sparing a long introduction. Ayaka was unable to do anything due to her status, but Aether and I could rescue Thoma. I was of relatively no use if anything escalated (which it would), but I was not going to give my friend up to the Tenryou Commission. We decided to meet back at Komore Teahouse, it was ground the Tri-Commissions would not fight on.

Soon the Travler, Paimon and I were at the Statue of the Omnipresent God. The ceremony had started, the Raiden Shogun was taking Thoma's vision as the crowd watched. Just as the vision went flying the Traveler sprung into action, taking it from the air while I worked to undo the restraints on Thoma. My fingers fumbled over the tight knots, nervousness getting to me as my brain couldn't function. I tried to summon my needles but electricity zapped my fingers and the Traveler took down some guards.

The crowd gasped as the Raiden Shogun began walking down from her post, her steps on thin air filled with the element of electro.

"Capable of using elemental energy without a Vision... You are an exception, it appears. Exceptions... the enemy of eternity."

She stopped midair and electricity surrounded her and the air around her. Slowly, she pulled a sword from her chest, pointing the tip toward the sky as the energy around her gathered in its form.

Her stoic face frowned, "You will be inlaid upon this statue."

She sliced the air, the very fabric of our world split with the wave of her sword and Aether and her disappeared leaving Paimon, Thoma and I speechless. The world seemed frozen, I looked around and Thoma was still on the ground but he wasn't breathing, Paimon was stuck in the air reaching out toward where Aether was. I looked around and the trees had to movement, there was no wind. Gazing over the crowd the people were frozen in shock, but I caught movement.