EIGHT

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SHE WHO WISHES TO RETURN

The ride on the way to the location of Kokomi and Kazuha wasn't that silent but not too loud either. Yoimiya thought of the oni who was like her brother, already missing his loud demands for a fight (which were mainly directed toward the general of the Decree).  But now is the time to worry about their other missing friends, Yoimiya thinks, looking up to the female clan head. For a moment, the image of a certain noble girl flashes through the fireworks maker's mind. The blonde shook her head.

"I noticed you were using Gorou's bow earlier," Y/N gulps, not wanting to think the worst. "How is everything back in Inazuma?"

"I'm a hundred percent sure Gorou's doing just fine!" Yoimiya reassures before adding, "it's just that he had to stay back to take the place of Kokomi while she was absent to help us. He gave me his bow, telling me he wanted a small piece of him to protect the priestess while we were gone," she smiles at the thought of the young general practically shoving the weapon into her arms with a straight, ninety-degree bow. 

Y/N chuckles as if showing relief. "I see. And how did Lady Kamisato react to you having to leave?"

The Naganohara looks up and turns a bright red to the point she could take the place of her bright red obi. Why, her faced matched her vision perfectly--we're talking about the gem itself! Y/N laughs behind her hand and watches the young enterprise owner fumble around looking for words. "What-- why would you think--"

Seeing as how Yoimiya would blow a fuse soon, the older pyro-user calms her down. "I was simply asking. I take it Thoma had to hold her back?" Yoimiya pauses and nods slowly.

"Both of them couldn't take us leaving, but accepted it still. Though, Lady Kamisato with her brother. . . that's a very different story," the eccentric girl deflates at the memory. Y/N decides that this would be best to cover in private, where they weren't being listened to.

"We're on our way to Kazuha and Lady Sangonomiya. Do you have any idea where Ayato could be?"

Yoimiya wasn't usually the type to be extremely observant, but she's noticed something about the clan heads of Kamisato and L/N. The woman across her always referred to officials by their right title: Lady, Lord, Master. Even to Ayaka, who insisted that it was alright. But towards the leader of the Yashiro Commission, she referred to him casually--no titles nor surnames. Yoimiya always thought that there was, or is, something between them, but she can't seem to tell. Maybe it was because they were both clan heads, or they were childhood friends--no matter how much Yoimiya tells her to leave it because it's an affair between two powerful noble, but the mind stays curious.

Sometimes when Yoimiya would accompany Y/N and they'd bump into one of the older clan leaders, she noticed how the older woman would slip her tongue and accidentally call who was supposed to be Lord Kamisato as Ayato. And by the way they interacted, they were certainly close.

The fireworks maker realizes she'd spaced out and shakes her head, finally looking up at the anticipating Y/N. "I- uh. . . no, I'm not sure," Yoimiya admits sheepishly.

"And how'd you get here? That's what I'm most curious about. . ." 

"Long story short, we may or may not have gotten ourselves in trouble with the Shogun on purpose sooo," when the younger girl puckers her lips and looks away, Y/N does a double take.

"I'm sorry you did what on what with who?"

"Nothing ma'am."

"Whose idea was this?"

"It was Lord Kamisato's but we all agreed wi-"

"Well he and I are gonna have a good word about this, warn him if you see him."

"O Archons, bless his soul. . ."

---

"So in short, you're at war with vampires and. . . these vampires took out your whole squad who was supposed to be with you to take us back to your base?"

"Yes, pink lady, I've gone over that twice now."

"My name is Kokomi, I believe I've also gone over that twice."

Hotaka sighs bit and nods his head. He looks out the very open view of the collapsed building. They moved to the second floor shortly after calming down "We can go over this more back in HQ. I was told to take you to our Shibuya branch, so we need to move out now, my. . ." the militant pauses, remembering the gruesome sight of his comrades being KIA. Nevertheless, he continues, "team and I cleared the vampires going to and from the route of Shibuya HQ. Can you guys walk?" The two vision bearers nod.

As the trio trudged on, Hotaka keeps a very wary stance and gaze while looking around.

Kokomi and Kazuha shared a glance at this and then back to the paranoid soldier. "Is something wrong?" the priestess asks the older man. Hotaka turns around but doesn't look straight at the Inazumans. He seems to be searching for something behind them.

"Yeah. . . yeah, no I'm fine," he absently nods his head before turning back around. Perhaps he was worried about the vampires that ambushed him earlier. Hotaka heaves out a sigh. "Let's keep moving. We're picking up the pace."

---

Jolt!

"ACK— aren't we going too fast?!" Yoimiya yelps as she was suddenly pushed sideways. Goshi and Shigure accidentally push into her and each other.

"At this hour, I'm afraid not. The sun will set soon, meaning that vampires will begin to be more active," Shinya hangs his arm out the open window as he says this.

Slowly but gradually, Guren presses his foot into the pedal. "If we don't find them by sunset, we're leaving. Do you agree with me on this, Y/N?"

"I don't mind. On one condition. We keep searching for them days after until I have definite proof we can stop looking. Though, I'm sure we'll still be able to find them," Y/N nods as she crosses her legs. Shinya snickers at her confidence.

"My, my," he sings. "Are you perhaps overestimating them? Or do you simply have that much faith in them?"

Yoimiya frowns, but decides to let the other noble answer.

"The latter. We got into a war with a god's personaly army, and said god herself. How we're all alive is no miracle. The Shogun is someone we're supposed to pray to, yet prayers we made were not answered. Faith and hope is all we can hang on to at this point."

Everyone in the jeep fell silent, wondering (and not wanting to see) what the clan head would be like if angered. It definitely wouldn't be a pretty sight.

———

1140 WORDS

IM SUPER SORRY FOR THE DELAY!! we had to go to hokkaido for the snow festival and then to nara so i could help with the cleansing at the otaminatsu!! i should've warned you guys but events have been endless here :((

i will be doing a reboot on a few chapters to change ayato's features so hang on for some spam notifs regarding updates :>


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