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Makoto smiled when Mt. Yougou showed up on the horizon. The two weeks trip to Liyue finally ended and she was back home; just a few more minutes and she would be able to leave the boat. Sometimes she believed she was the only one on Teyvat wishing for her vacations to end, but being far from Ei was painful. She missed her sister more than anyone else. She offered Ei to travel with her but, as usual, the kagemusha refused.
“Moh… and she won’t be waiting for me…”
Just a few people knew the Shogun had a twin, and because of that they avoided any situation that could reveal their secret. Even so, but wanted to travel with her sister and keep inviting her to the meetings the archons made.
Makoto sighed, her thoughts taking another direction and suddenly her chest started hurting. On past trips, she knew that the Guuji would be waiting for her at the port, but even that wasn’t going to happen that day. They argued the day before leaving Inazuma and both of them were too prideful to say the first word. And because of that, her arrival felt lonely.
She spent some time talking to the villagers from Ritou and answering some of their questions, to the despair of her guards. She ordered them to go home and rest, but their job was not to leave the Shogun until she arrived at Tenshukaku, so they ignored the order.
“How can you ignore the Shogun and be so calm…?” Makoto had asked.
“Because your sister is terrifying.” One of them answered. Her personal guards were all aware of their identities and had the bad habit of only listening to Ei. Well, that was understandable, they had been chosen by Ei herself and made sure the two men would be able to protect her. “And she told us that Her Excellency would get lost if we don’t guide her all the way home.” He added, in a playful tone.
“I won’t!” Makoto replied, but it was a lie and everyone knew it. “Moh… Ei, you idiot.” added, with a pout. “And you, too.”
They laughed… and Makoto decided to spend all day talking with the villagers and helping them in revenge.
* ** *** ** *
It was late at night when she arrived at Tenshukaku. Her guards never said a word but they were obviously tired and she wondered if Ei was really so terrifiying to prevent them from leaving their duties. ‘Of course she is’, she herself felt afraid of her kagemusha, sometimes.
“You’re late.” And there she was, her overprotective and little twin, with her arms crossed and an angry look.
“I missed you too, Ei-chan ~.” And kissed her cheek, the never-failing-technique to get Ei’s pardon. The kagemusha’s face became red and turned around with a ‘hmph’. She followed her twin around the palace, chatting about random stuff and exchanging the new information they got in the past two weeks… at least most of them, as Makoto decided to keep for herself what she had discovered about Khaenri’ah. Once in their room, the mood was calm enough for Makoto to bring up a delicate topic for her.
“Ei…” She mumbled, her voice being dubitative and insecure. “Have you seen Saiguu these days?”
Her sister had no idea of the argument she had with the Guuji and it was more obvious because of the strange look she received in response, but the answer took no time to arrive.
“Of course, we went on a picnic on Sunday, as usual.” And drew a little smile. Makoto loved that face, she wished many times to be able to capture that single moment for all eternity.
“Was she… fine?”
Ei stayed in silence for a while and Makoto waited patiently.
“I won her. That was strange. She seemed distracted.”
And that was true. As far as Makoto knows, Ei was so bad at the games they played that Saiguu used to make fun of it. The Shogun added a simple ‘I see’ and let the topic die with no more explanations. The kagemusha didn’t ask for more details, either.
* ** *** ** *
Makoto rolled in bed and hugged Ei, who was completely asleep and seemed to be having a nice dream. Meanwhile she could not sleep because of both the jet lag and the worries hanging around her head. She needed to discuss some topics with both Ei and Saiguu, mostly with the last one, but had no idea how to bring up the topic when she herself wasn’t sure how severe they were or how much of a hurry she should take.
She loved peace over all the things as it was the only way to enjoy every moment the life brings. And something was threatening to end with it all over the world.
When she finally managed to fall asleep, the nightmares started. Sadly, the sun hadn't risen still when the archon opened her eyes again. Her breath was faster than usual and could hear her own heart beats. Her dreams used to be quite accurate. She had some sort of intuition, and used to theorize about the upcoming events or movements the world would do. And usually she guessed them right. And that dream was somewhat one of the worst but most possible scenarios the world was going to deal with. Ei used to call her witch because she seems to predict the future, but that was far from the truth, she was just connecting one fact with another, just like setting a puzzle. The Shogun moved slowly not to wake her sister up and left the room.
“You look beautiful under the moonlight.”
Makoto jumped in fear and made an electro shield appear from her hand, just to realize that the one who talked was Saiguu.
“Do you want to kill me?” Replied the archon as she made the shield disappear.
“Of course not.” And the Guuji jumped to the balcony to hug Makoto. “You were having nightmares, so I came to see you.”
“...” A thousand years ago, maybe some more, the Guuji and the Shogun signed a linkage between the two of them in order to give to Saiguu more power and become the Shogun’s familiar. But it had some conditions and one of them was to feel all Makoto’s feelings. “I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t having nightmares on purpose.” Saiguu laughed and took a step forward while the Shogun raised her arms in order to receive the other girl surrounding her neck. In response, the Guuji wrapped around her waist. “I missed you, Your Excellency.”
But those words found no response.
“Makoto?”
“I thought you were mad at me.” This was one of Makoto’s worries and, probably, the least important and the one with the easiest solution. She only had to say: “I’m sorry.”
“¿Huh? Wait, what are you talking about…?” The confusion in the Guuji’s eyes was more than obvious and Makoto’s cheeks took a pinked tone. “Oh, I remember! Haha ~ I just forgot that happened.”
“But you weren’t at the port today and I thought…” Her words died as the Shogun lowered her head in shame. Saiguu’s laugh sounded loud enough to make Makoto blush again.
“You were waiting for me… Aww. But the new mikos came to the Shrine a few days ago so I couldn’t leave them alone, not today.” Makoto raised her head slowly, relieved, and the Guuji could not avoid but laugh again. “Let me make it up to you.”
And they kissed. It was a soft, slow kiss where they just tried to say how much they missed the other one. Compared to their long lives, they had been dating for a little time. The last two hundred years to be precise, and the time they could spend together was ocasional, so they felt like the first time they kissed; so shy, so nervous. Their eyes met and a smile glowed in their faces. And they stayed together, exchanging caresses, kisses and soft words, for a long time, letting Makoto forget about her nightmares and fears.
It wasn’t until they heard a sound not far from them that realized they could be seen easily. The laughter of both girls came at the same time and ran to the nearest empty room, feeling like kids for the first time in centuries. It was there, when feeling so good, that the fear came back, striking like a thunder, at the speed of light.
“Saiguu… We need to talk.” Makoto said, to the Guuji’s surprise.
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“Wha– no!” The Shogun frowned her forehead, not able to see any reason why the other girl would say that. “Why would I do such a thing?”
“That’s what humans say when they break up with their partners.” Saiguu felt relieved once Makoto assured her that wasn't what she wanted to do, then added in a joking tone: “Makoto wants to break up with me, I’m gonna cry! Evil!”
“I-I said nothing of the sort!” The Guuji was making fun of the archon, but the last one was too innocent to see it, really believing her girlfriend thought they were breaking up. “I-I love you, Saiguu!” Said, in a desperate tone. “You’re the one I love the most, I would never break up with you!”
Suddenly, silencence. And the Guuji started laughing.
“Oh my god how can you be so cute?”
Makoto felt like dying. Her face was pure red and her cheeks burned furiously, but felt somewhat relieved.
“You're an idiot…”
“I am, but the idiot you love the most.” They kissed again, before retreating to a serious conversation. “Well, what did you want to say to me?”
“We need to talk about that .”
* ** *** ** *
“You’re so cute!!” Makoto raised the little pink fox to the sky and turned on herself with a smile. “So small and fluffy, how adorable! Don’t you think so, Ei?”
The kagemusha looked at the little tiny fox with a mix of curiosity and disinterest but, finally, she touched the kitsune with a single finger. “She is but… since when are we interested in the new shrine maidens?”
“She may be my successor.” A voice behind them said out of nowhere. Both twins turned to face the Guuji. “That’s why I wanted you to know her. She is still so young and it would take many years for her to take my place, but it’s necessary for her to start relating with the Shogun’s circle.”
Ei’s face turned severe and Makoto could not avoid feeling somewhat guilty. Her sister’s ideal was the inmutable eternity and the idea of changes, even when it was just the one with the Guuji title, was something she disliked. She should have advised her before coming to meet the kitsune. Ei turned her back on the other girls and left the Shrine courtyard. Miko jumped from Makoto’s arms and followed the kagemusha.
“Miko, wait!” Saiguu tried to follow the kitsune, but she disappeared from sight. “Ah… that girl, she doesn’t know how to stay quiet. It 's so exhausting.”
Makoto laughed out loud and then looked at the Guuji with compassion. “She was the opposite in my arms.” Saiguu shrugged and smiled while looking to where the little girl disappeared.
“Well, it’s not like Ei is going to leave her behind so I can stay in peace for a while.” And turned to face her girlfriend. “Would I have the pleasure to invite the Almighty Shogun to a tea?”
And they spent some time together, chatting about trivial stuff and enjoying some tea and handmade sweets. Moments like that just happened once in a while and for them were like treasures. Of course, they exchanged some kisses and soft touches but their time was so limited that they barely could go further.
When tea and sweets had disappeared, Makoto rested her head in Saiguu’s knees and the last one started petting the Shogun’s hair. They stayed in silence and enjoyed the sense of peace that the other’s presence gave to them.
“Sometimes,” that was Makoto, turning her body to face Saiguu with a smile. “I wish Ei's sense of eternity was more than a simple utopia, just to stop and make those moments last forever.” The Shogun’s voice sounded tired and weak, something that only Saiguu knew and it came from a while ago. Makoto loved Inazuma with her heart, but after so many years being the Almighty Shogun, she was tired. Wars came one after another, traitors and corruption also were impossible to end, and her ideals were questioned one time after another. If Ei wasn't there to end their enemie’s lives, the Shogunate would have fallen a long time ago. “I’m far from being a good ruler, you know.”
“You’ve told me that many times before, Your Excellency.” Saiguu touched Makoto's nose with a soft smile. “And my answer will keep being the same as always, too.” She made a pause, lowering her fingers to Makoto’s lips. “You’re a great ruler, Shogun, god, archon… no matter what name you want to use. But you can’t control everything. Not everyone has good intentions, Makoto, and you can’t fight with that, just… protect the ones who need you by giving them peace and prosperity. And… let Ei and I take care of the hardest part. We are a team, we are here to do what you can’t.”
“That 's not…”
“That’s the truth.” The Guuji said, leaving no time for the Shogun to reply. “You understand the human mind in a way no one does, and that lets Ei be prepared for the battle. You can predict nearly everything just by watching their expressions and movements, do you know how impressive that can be?” By then, Makoto had some tears in her eyes and turned her head not to be seen. “Just remember you’re not the only one in this shogunate. If you make a bad decision, we’re here to advise you, to cover you or to stop you from whatever, and if something happens, it’s not only your fault, it’s everyone’s. Hey…” She moved a lock of hair from Makoto’s face to discover the tears. “You’re not alone, don’t forget that.”
They stayed in silence for a while. Makoto needed those moments from time to time, when her energy was low and her thoughts threatened to block her mind. Lately, her headaches have become more common. And her safe place was wherever Saiguu was. She felt peace with her sister, too, but could not explain some of her worries to her, as Ei would worry even more.
They were about to kiss again when a strong blow put them on alert. The two missing girls appeared in front of them in no time.
“I’m tired of this pink thing! Here, back to her owner.” And throwing the little kitsune directly to Saiguu’s arms. Miko seemed to be enjoying that moment. “She even scratched me! Are you sure that thing is made to be a maiden? You should let her free in the forest.”
“Come on Ei, she is just a little girl, don’t be so harsh with her. And she seems to like you.” The kitsune waggled her tail rapidly in response. “See.”
“However, I’m done for today, let’s go home, Makoto.” Ei didn’t wait for a response, just left the room. Makoto stood up and fixed her clothes before turning to Saiguu.
“I guess that’s everything for today. We should wait a little more to ask Ei for that favor, don’t you think?” Both agreed on that point and they waved goodbye.
When the twins were nowhere to be seen, the little kitsune jumped from her master’s arms and disappeared for a while, returning just a little minutes later in her human appearance. She still had little power and could not hold that form all day, as she needed a lot of concentration and ended up very tired, that’s why the only one seeing her in the human form was Saiguu.
“It was very fun!” Said the little girl, jumping over the Guuji’s arms.
“But you made Ei-sama get mad, what did you do to her?”
“I did nothing!” She protested, but at the questioning look from the older one, Miko put both hands behind her back and moved one foot from one side to another, slowly. “She wasn’t paying attention to me, so I followed her around and jumped on her many times. I just wanted to play with her, you said I have to be her friend.”
“And you will be, but Ei-sama is… quite a difficult person, you know. You must be careful with her. She won’t hurt you, but… Things can go problematic at any time. She is not known for being a patient person.”
Miko puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms, replying “but I want to be her friend!”
“And that’s why you have to listen to me, little.” She sat the little girl between her legs while starting to comb her hair. “You’ll be Ei-sama’s familiar only if she agrees, and there is no way she will accept it if you're bothering her all the time. It’s a necessary step for you to be a Guuji someday. If you can’t accomplish that first goal, then I should look for another successor…”
“No! Ei-sama will accept me as her familiar! I swear!” Replied, moving her legs up and down while her face looked relaxed and happy. “I won’t disappoint you, Guuji-sama!”
* ** *** ** *
“Here, Ei, I took some sweets to you.” Makoto opened her handkerchief were she wrapped some of Saiguu’s handmade sweets. “She prepared them for us, take one.”
“Thank you…” The kagemusha mummbled, taking one of the sweets with a little smile. She loved them, but ate them from time to time, when a guard brought some to Tenshukaku or the Guuji herself made them for the twins.
They were halfway from Tenshukaku. No guards accompanied them, as usual. Only Makoto had personal guards and they only followed her when she had to travel far away from Inazuma City. Makoto had a bad sense of orientation and used to get lost, that’s why Ei decided not to let her travel alone. But Makoto took some walks alone either way as she sometimes needed her time to put her thoughts in order. If she was about to get lost, a little storm would be born in the sky, just in the place where she was at that time and made it easy for both Saiguu and Ei to find the lost Shogun.
“You seemed to dislike Miko, is she that bad?” asked the archon to her kagemusha, with a soft smile.
“That’s not…” Ei frowned and looked apart for a while. “She is so cheerful and carefree, and seems to be enjoying any time. She is cute and fluffy. But…” No more words came from her mouth, no matter how much time Makoto waited.
“You fear what she represents.” Finally added the older twin. She got a nod. “You know that… your idea of eternity is just impossible to accomplish, right?”
“There must be a way. I don’t know how, or what cost it would have, but if I can arrive at it, then no one will suffer again. Isn’t that the best?”
“I’m not sure of that…” They had many differences in their ideals and they used to fight because of that, but Makoto felt not like arguing that they, she just wanted to… “Hey! Where are all the mochis? Moh… Ei! You ate them all?”
“They were delicious.” The kagemusha replied, with no sign of regret in her tone. “See, if they were eternal, they would never be...” She was about to say, just in time to see Makoto closing her umbrella.
“Cheater! Bad sister!” And tried to hit her sister with it. “You could have left me at least one.” But Ei avoided any movement her twin did. Makoto finally gave up and Ei laughed softly. “Moh… If it wasn’t you I would be very mad.”
“That’s why I love you, onee-chan.” Ei used her ultra-rare smile, full of happiness and joy, the one that made Makoto feel the most fortunate person in Teyvat to be able to see it.
“You’re so unfair.” Makoto replied, in a lower tone.
“By the way, now I understand why Saiguu was so distracted the other day.” Those words took Makoto’s attention, as she never thought about that again. “She only mentioned she had new maidens but… with that little pink thing around, she must be tired.”
Makoto laughed and nodded, but she just realized it too. That made her smile grow a little. “We had an argument a few days before my trip to Liyue. I was worried she would still be mad at me, that’s why I’m happy to know she was just distracted because of Miko.”
“Saiguu and you had an…? Why?” Ei wasn’t really worried, it was more like curiosity, as the two girls never used to fight. They seemed to be in perfect harmony.
“T-that was… my fault…” The Shogun admitted, in a low tone. “I was… jealous of a maiden… t-they seemed so close… and I said some bad things to her.”
“Bad things? You…? The most terrible thing you’ve said in a thousand years has been ‘idiot’ and always talking about me.” And Ei doesn’t even care, it was fun to see her older twin ‘mad’, as she was unable to be angry for more than a minute. It was only an exception, and it was when talking about corruption in Inazuma’s clans. Just in that case she became a real monster. “And Saiguu hasn’t been angry, has she?”
“Oi! I can say cruel things, too.” But both girls knew that wasn’t true and started laughing at the same time. “Maybe I told her I wouldn’t talk to her anymore.”
“Wow, so harsh, she must’ve been crying night and day.”
“Shut up!” Makoto’s face was pure red, but they kept laughing all the way back to Tenshukaku.