#𝗙! 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗫 𝗩! 𝗚𝗜 ✧in which a child is raised by the almighty shogun after being abandoned. after growing in age and loyalty, any enemy of eternity becomes an enemy of hers.
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"So you met the shadow," a softer voice said. He was fiddling with a leaf as he and the traveller sat on the coast line.
The blonde looked at the anemo user in bewilderment. He had yet to tell him about the encounter. He had assumed that everyone thought he had just come across a significantly stronger opponent, which wouldn't be wrong.
"Someone of your skill set wouldn't have put you in such a state if it was just a Tenryou Commission soldier," the other replied knowingly. He watched the leaf float away, "the wind told me so."
"I guess so." Aether exclaimed, as a long sigh came from his lips, "It's just that, she and the shogun have baffled me."
He got a hum in return, "How so?"
"They don't... they don't feel alive. Like real people — or should I say, like a real archon in the shogun's case. "
The silence urged him to continue.
"The way this shadow person fought was similar to that of the shogun when I went to that dark place we fought at, and when I fought her in that place, she seemed a lot more alive than the one at the statue."
"I know what you mean," Kazuha admitted.
The blonde turned in confusion.
"When I was being pursued here, before I got onto the Crux, I was being chased by members of the vision hunt decree. One of them sounded off." Kazuha continued, "Just as I got onto the ship, I saw a tall silhouette standing in the trees, but neither I nor the wind could sense any life in it."
"I see."
"Well, if anyone were to know what is happening, it's most likely Yae Miko, unless you want to confront the Raiden Shogun herself, of course."
Aether chuckled worriedly, "No thanks, I'll pass."
The anemo user laughed, and the traveller turned and went on his way to the Grand Narukami Shrine.
﹌﹌﹌
"Are you sure that you're not here just to see me?" The fox lady teased as the two stared at her with disbelief.
"Hey! This is serious, lady! " Paimon stomped her feet in the air.
"Alright, alright. What do you need from me? " Aether started to explain how he had found something odd about a certain pair of people and how he thought she'd be the best person to come to for information.
The pink-haired woman stood there with amusement dancing in her eyes.
"I'm surprised you figured it out so quickly, and here I thought I'd have to explain it all from scratch." She dramatically said, "As a reward for finding it out, I'll tell you everything you need to know."
Her playful expression was overcome by a surprising seriousness,
"You are on the right line. The raiden shogun and this 'shadow person' you speak of are in fact not the real people."
"I KNEW IT—"
"shut up paimon, no you didn't—"
"The ones you see are just mere puppets. The host's are inside certain objects. Both are inside their signature weapons. The place you were sent to, traveler, was the Shogun's eternal plane of euthymia. They both reside in their own subconscious. " Her ears seemed to droop lower and her straight face contorted into a frown.
"Both live in isolation from the world for two simple reasons, to maintain eternity and because Ei told her to do so."
"Ei?"
Yae looked shocked for a second before she burst out into laughter.
"Silly me! I let her real name slip! The REAL Raiden Shogun's name is Ei, and 'The Shadow' is [Y/N] [L/N]. [Y/N] was taken in when she was around four, and she was trained to become the best fighter alongside her. By around fifteen, her puppet had been made and the vision hunt decree was put into full motion, and I've never seen her again since. "
A smile rose to the woman's features, "I believe you can stop this madness. Ei is being incredibly immature and unfair, especially towards her daughter."
"DAUGHTER?!"
"Whoops! I let it slip again! Well, they have a mother-daughter relationship, or rather had. I doubt they've had contact in a while, but I bet they'll be longing for it either way. "
She put her hand to her chin in thought.
"I recommend you find [Y/N]'s puppet and get into her subconscious." "She isn't very difficult to interest, after all, she is but a child," she said fondly.
The pair nodded and started making their way out.
"Oh! And travellers, rest assured that the real her definitely isn't as scary as Ei made her out to be. " The fox lady chuckled and walked into the building, leaving the travellers questioning her statement.
