Azure Rain

A Different Path

Chihiro couldn't get up in the morning. Not only was she burning up, her body ached as though someone had thrown her off a cliff. Only half-awake, she decided the best course of action was to sleep.

When she woke up again, Ayaka sat on a chair next to her, a book in hand. Chihiro gave it a good look. It was the book she'd bought for her. Ayaka was already halfway through.

"How are you?" asked Ayaka, closing the book. Noticing Chihiro still staring at it, she smiled. "It's not often someone gifts me books."

"I feel fine."

Ayaka gave her a withering glance. "You're running a fever. There is no way you're fine." She looked at the door. "Brother thinks it was something you ate for dinner. I think sitting with him made you anxious and that made you sick."

"I don't think I was allergic to anything on the dinner table."

"That means I'm right," called Ayaka. Thoma and Ayato walked in. Thoma had a cup in his hand. Ayato ruffled Ayaka's hair as he passed her, and Ayaka set her hair back properly. Chihiro tried to pull herself up, but failed. Ayato walked over to her, and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Easy now."

He pulled her up and she leaned against the head board. Thoma held the cup out to her, and she took it from him, wincing at it. "This does not look like it tastes good."

Thoma flashed her a smile. "The more bitter, the better."

She downed it in one go, and then scrunched her nose. Ayato pushed something into her mouth, and the bitter aftertaste was replaced with sweetness. "Candy?"

"Mother used to do that for us," he said with a wistful smile.

Ayaka smiled as well, and Thoma and Chihiro shared a look, feeling like outsiders intruding on a precious memory.

Chihiro recovered in record speed, and she was also seeing more of Ayato now. She was so used to him that she didn't need to look up when he entered the room, having memorized his gentle footsteps. She remembered the old woman—Ayaka's friend—and wondered if this was how. Neither was she nervous around him anymore.

But when she asked him why he came by every night to talk to her, he said that they'd married for love and needed to act the part. But Thoma was still spreading the rumours down in the city, she'd pointed out. Ayato gave her a well-thought out excuse that she lacked the brain cells to understand. She shrugged. He could probably get away with anything at this point.

The next time Chihiro decided to head into Inazuma City, the first thing she'd noticed was how sombre it was. She decided to ask the receptionist of the Adventurer's Guild.

"What's going on?"

Katheryne stared at her. "The samurai have been taking Visions from the common people. Many fights have broken out over the last few days."

Chihiro considered this. She didn't know what it was like to have a Vision, and so she wouldn't understand what it was like to have one taken from you. You can't miss something you've never had after all. She made a mental note to ask someone later.

"What do you think of the Vision Hunt Decree?" A couple samurai nearby gave her a hard look and a raised eyebrow. She saw one of them scan her person for a Vision, and threw a hand over her mouth. "Of course, the Shougun's word is law."

The samurai moved away and she let out a low breath. Looking back to Katheryne, she saw her shake her head. "I am a biomechanical puppet. I am not programmed to respond to this."

"I see. That's... unfortunate?" she said, unsure what to call it.

Katheryne smiled. "That depends on how you look at it."