Heat Lighting [Scaramouche | Reader]

7 - fatui

Kiss me
Kiss me with your eyes closed
Whisper that heart shows
All I want is you
-Puppy Princess—Hot Freaks—2:10-

—

The next morning I went to Nozomi for new clothes suited for exploring Watatsumi.

"Why are you going out, miss?" she inquired when I met her by the work station in the front room of the shrine.

Moving to put on the base items the black haired girl gave me, I replied, "I need to find Sango Pearls for the uniforms."

Nozomi smiled, her pink lips stretching with joy, "I think that's a great idea."

I nodded, "They are a rich symbol of the Island and the shrine, they are unique to each person and uniform."

She raised a brow but didn't say anything as I finished clasping the leather straps's metal buckles around my legs that held small pouches to store my findings and a knife to remove them from their shell. There was a metal plate of armour on one of my shoulders and a bag strung around the other. I wore a short tank top underneath a off the shoulder over-shirt secured with a leather belt. My accessories included earrings, a small chain necklace(I planned to find a Sango pearl to fashion onto a clasp that would hang off of it), and pearl bracelets gifted to me by Kokomi. The perpetual tattoo that had been zapped onto my neck almost a month ago complimented the red color of my red Inazuman shirt that had blue and orange flower patterning along with stitching of Naku Weeds into the pictures on the fabric. The shirt came down just below by shorts but above the leather straps on my legs.

I pulled the leather tight and looked back up to Nozomi who handed me a bento package.

"Please, eat this on your travels," she stated, bowing with her hands holding the fabric wrapped box.

With a warm smile to the girl, I took the box and carefully in my bag. Before she recover from her bow I closed in and hugged her. She let out a yelp of surprise, but wrapped her arms around me nonetheless, smiling on my shoulder. When I pulled back I put my hands on her shoulders.

"You hold down the fort for me while I'm gone," I leaned in to whisper to her, "but don't tell anyone where I've gone."

Smiling mischievously I put a finger to my lips and Nozomi did the same, signaling she would keep my secret. I gave her a quick hug and picked up some thread to take with me while walking over to the door, the sunrise just peeking through its cracks. Before I left I turned around.

"Still no sign of Kokomi," I asked, worry seeping through my tone.

Nozomi's sad smile was telling without any words coming out of her mouth.

"Not since yesterday I'm afraid, miss."

—

I spat on the ground after a bug flew into my mouth while I tried to pry a Sango pearl off of the shell it grew from. The iridescent pink pearl shined blue and purple in my hand as I put it in the pouch strapped to my thigh. The river that flowed from the pool underneath Sangonomiya Shrine rushed past me and I hopped over a few rocks to get to the other side. Soon, my bag and pouch were full of Sango Pearls and I ended up on the shore of Watatsumi eating the lunch that Nozomi handed off before I left. The sea water scent filled my nose and blew through my hair.

Inside the bento there was rice, sandwich wraps, grilled vegetables and some candy. I mixed the grilled vegetables and rice together with the chopsticks Nozomi provided and proceeded to eat the sandwich wraps. Humming in approval, I made a note to compliment her on her cooking when I got back. When the vegetables and rice disappeared down my throat, I got up and drank some water. Finally, my hand reached for the tiny candies she packed, underneath them there was a note.