Illusion Shattered

Thunder's roar, lightning's flash.

[narukamiis]

A smile remains present on Miko's lips 'pon hearing the woman's rebuttal, her tail further swaying to portray her enjoyment. Rather than approach any closer, she remains in her spot, becoming more comfortable ( and yes, enjoying the show). It's not often, or really ever that she gets to witness Ei train or fight to any degree and she'd actually be a liar if she said she wasn't interested.

That doesn't however, stop a warmth from flourishing her cheeks.

Nor does it cease her ears from rising from such truths that spew from the Kahemusha. Though certainly caught, she does her best to shrug it off and further lay upon the sill, violet eyes cast intently on each swing of the lance. "I'm not slacking," she says in an aloof tone, stretching her legs further. "It's simply time for lunch."

But yes, she is rather lucky but Saiguu and Makoto like her.

An excitement pools in her chest at her words, ears flicking as an idea pops into her minds. While the guards never catch her (and if they do, they often don't dare to say anything), she much has a better way to spend her time now. She hops down from her comfortable position, shifting back to her human form with an acute grin donning her features.

"Come with me," she coos as she steps closer. Though her tone is playful, Miko cannot deny the underlying hope that's residing just under. "You could use a proper break, 'Almighty Shogun'. Won't you have some tofu with me?"

Plus, this way she definitely wouldn't be lying to Saiguu.

[narukami-ogosho]

The moment she hears rather than sees Miko hop down from her perch, the Kagemusha opts to abandon her naginata. A rack on the side of the room is home to various other weapons that she used, and striding over took only a few moments before she deposited the blade into its rightful place. Her kimono's top half sits draped around her waist, and under normal circumstances, she would be mortified that she was caught in such a state-- the wraps around her chest gave her a sort of modesty, of course, but she never appeared in such a way to the public.

Thankfully, Miko was not the public, and she found herself uncaring of her appearance in that moment. Despite this, Ei felt a warmth flourish across her face as she borrowed the fabric of her loose sleeve to wipe at the sweat on her brow. A sigh followed suit as she grimaced at the slightly sticky sheen coating a majority of her body-- Freshening up would certainly be on her agenda.

"Lunch? Tofu again..." She mumbles under her breath, shifting her arms to slowly pull the kimono back to its rightful place on her torso. Violet eyes lift to meet the kitsune's gaze, and the slightest hint of a smile tugs at the corners of her lips. "I suppose I can. After all, I'm sure you'll starve to death otherwise." A roll of her eyes punctuates her teasing tone, adjusting the obi at her waist as she made herself presentable once again. "Let me guess. You told Saiguu you were leaving for lunch, and not that you were coming to find me?" Despite Miko's conniving nature, Ei was always able to read her-- just as the kitsune would be able to read her, she was certain.

@narukamiis

[snezhnayain-carrot-top]

“Kinda hard to not have a bad preconceived notion of you when you did abandoned my friend after creating him.” He says, crossing his arm.

[narukami-ogosho]

"The situation is far more complicated than it seems. My intentions were never malicious," Ei spoke quietly, brows furrowing just slightly enough to signal a change in her expression. "... He should be in control of his own fate. That is how it always should have been. Providing him with that chance was harder than I imagined it would be." @snezhnayain-carrot-top

[thewanderingpuppet]

“I’d argue they’re more important,” he mumbled. “Frogs don’t have opinions and can’t make judgements based on past grudges. I like them more than humans.”

[narukami-ogosho]

Ei paused in her ruminations, taking a moment to offer the boy a small smile. "You have a kind heart. But it is important to remember that each lifeform shares a necessary part of our world. One cannot exist without the other." The kagemusha pushed herself to her feet at that point, hesitating before reaching over to give the boy a gentle pat on the head. "Do not lose that kindness."

@thewanderingpuppet

[snezhnayain-carrot-top]

“I’m watching you.” He says, shooting the archon a look.

[narukami-ogosho]

"Do what you will." She turns her gaze away at that point, arms crossed over her chest. "I cannot offer you solace when you have a preconceived notion of me."

[narukamiis]

It is already approaching noon when Miko finally finishes the up of her daily tasks. Saiguu saw to keep her occupied all day, and the young kitsune idly thinks it's on purpose to keep her away from traversing far away ( to Tenshukaku, really ). Her nose scrunches as she sweeps away at nothing, long gone are lonesome sakura petals, instead cursing at time lost.

Her mind has already wandered not once, but twice to Kagemusha. While yes, she adores Makoto dearly, there's such a pull to her chest ( that she will deny ) when her thoughts drift to the Shogun's twin. In truth, she grew jealous in secrecy as Saiguu often got time to spend time with both, and her moments felt few and far between.

They weren't.

It only takes Miko a moment to haphazardly shove the broom into the storage shed, a distant call to Saiguu that she's off to get some Tofu. A lunch break is well deserved, she'll argue later with a twinkle to her eyes and the slightest pout. Not that it'll work on the Guuji, per say, but least if nothing else she has to try.

Sue her, for she escapes far beyond the busy streets in Inazuma city, forgoing her idea of 'food' in search of something -- or rather someone more interesting. Shifting to her fox form, she easily sneaks past idle guards, blissfully unaware to the kitsune's presence. She has half the idea to pursue far into Tenshukaku when her ears catch the faintest grunt.

With haste, Miko finds herself approaching said voice, soon taking perch in a nearby tree. A pleased expression takes to her face, entranced within moments before deciding to alert her presence. "Oh, slacking are we, Kagemusha?" And really, she's one to talk, all things considered. Her tail idly swishes behind her, a jovial gleam to her eyes. "I'm rather surprised!"

[narukami-ogosho]

Trouble seemed to find her, rather than the other way around. Miko's uncanny ability to appear whenever she was thought of could be quite the detriment to Ei's concentration, and she sucked in a sharp breath as the familiar voice called out to her from the nearby window. Violet eyes narrowed in the kitsune's direction, and a half-assed attempt at a frown completed her expression. Calloused hands immediately moved to pick up her naginata once again, making a flourish with the familiar weapon as she took her stance in the center of the otherwise empty room. "I don't want to hear that coming from you," Ei spoke, grunting as she made another strike that was as fast as lightning-- her expert touch had the ability to make her blade sing, and the fluidity of her movements made it look effortless. Anyone with even the slightest hint of combat experience, however, knew better. The amount of time put into her martial prowess had paid off, and she knew with certainty that she had the ability to overcome any opponent placed in front of her. "I've heard from Guuji Saiguu about your slacking," Another swing punctuated her words, brows furrowed. "You're quite lucky that both Saiguu and Makoto like you." Her next swing came to an abrupt stop as she paused, taking a moment to collect her thoughts before turning her head in Miko's direction. "You've already interrupted me. Are you going to stay sitting up there for the guards to spot you? I won't come to your rescue."

[thewanderingpuppet]

He hummed, another frog clambering up onto his head. He seemed greatly unbothered by them, letting the amphibians do as they pleased.

"How would frogs fit in to 'eternity'?" he asked, turning to look up at her.

[narukami-ogosho]

"Though they are but transient entities, their fleeting lifespans hold great importance." She spoke nothing but the truth-- as important as humans were in the mortal plane, the creations surrounding them proved to be just as vital. "Inazuma cannot be whole without every aspect being preserved. That includes the wildlife. Are their lives less important than the citizens?" Ei's question was purely rhetorical, and she expected no response.

@thewanderingpuppet

[kitsune-saiguu]

"Ei why would i interrupt you by calling for you when i can just find you instead?" Saiguu smirks

"as for what i'm here for...I just came to ask when are we going to have another picnic? It's always so nice to have a picnic with you Ei"

[narukami-ogosho]

"You have quite the ability for tracking me down. Is it possible you've passed that talent on to Yae Miko as well?" Ei muses, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Makoto has asked me a similar question. It's long overdue-- I quite like the idea. Maybe I can convince her...?"

[huntersoatharchive]

╰┈➤ (( "Hello! This is a new independent RP blog for Clorinde from Genshin Impact. If you're a RP blog yourself, please toss a like or a reblog so I can follow you/interact with you. Thanks!" ))

[narukami-ogosho]

"I thought I'd find you here."

@kitsune-saiguu

"I wasn't aware I was the subject of a search," Ei called out to the kitsune, a small smile gracing her features. "If you had called, I would have come. To what do I owe the pleasure, Guuji Saiguu?" @kitsune-saiguu

[narukami-ogosho]

Climbing the steps to the Narukami Shrine held a sort of cathartic effect on Ei-- at the top, she knew she would find the kitsune that had an uncanny ability to bring her peace... and slight annoyance at times. Not only this, but the environment had a tendency to be far less noisy than the streets of Inazuma City; her propensity for enjoying solitude often led her to seek out the comfort of serene hideout spots. No doubt, Makoto would come looking for her at some point. As she reached the peak, Ei paused to enjoy the scenery of the shrine itself. The towering presence of the Sacred Sakura always brought the smallest hint of a smile to her face, as the beauty it held was incomparable to anything else the lands offered. Before she had much of a chance to bask in the shade provided by it, her violet eyes managed to settle on the familiar figure of a certain kitsune. "Guuji Saiguu?" Ei spoke, an element of fondness lacing her words. "I do hope I'm not disturbing you by making an unannounced visit." @kitsune-saiguu (( Thank you for the like! Nice to meet you! Here's your starter. ))

[thewanderingpuppet]

He looked up at the roof. “I’d prefer it keep its hole,” he said, gesturing to the makeshift lake in the room.

“The rain helped make this, and it keeps them moist. I don’t get sick, so it’s no problem to me.”

He then laughed dryly, mostly out of anxiety. “I don’t exactly want the Shogunate to see my room of frogs. That’s be embarrassing.”

[narukami-ogosho]

"As you wish." Her response is curt, though she finds it difficult to navigate the current situation. Peer to peer conversation is not her forte, and she is unfortunately very aware of it. "There is nothing to be ashamed of," Ei speaks quietly, allowing the frog in her palm to hop away towards the crowd of the others. "The serenity provided by nature cannot be replicated. Enjoy it." Though... there was not much 'serenity' to be had when the croaking seemingly became louder and louder as time passed.

@thewanderingpuppet

[narukami-ogosho]

"How long have you been hiding it?"

The Archon turns to face the source of the voice, her features remaining calm and collected. Though the question poses multiple threats to her secrecy, Ei steels herself for the coming response. "You're perceptive," She muses, violet eyes settling on the individual's visage. "Very well. Come. A visit to Tenshukaku is necessary to explain." @visionkept

(( Hello!!! Thanks for the prompt! Nice to meet you! ))

[narukami-ogosho]

╰┈➤ ❝ Like for a starter! ❞

[memesomething]

noticing.

"You're really happy."

"Your laugh is so... I missed it."

"So when did you meet them?"

"Hey. Want to talk about it?"

"That's not your usual order."

"I didn't think you liked (item/flavour)."

"Since when?"

"You're in loooove."

"Those scars... [Name]."

"How long have you been hiding it?"

"It's your favourite."

"I thought I'd find you here."

"This is your spot, right?"

"When you're upset, you do this... disappearing thing. You're doing it right now."

"Where did you go?"

"How are you feeling?"

being noticed.

"How did you find me?"

"It's been a pretty great day."

"I didn't know you knew that."

"That's... my favourite."

"Yeah, I've... I think I met someone."

"It's not like that!"

"It's just -- I fell."

"Oh my god. Lay off, okay?"

"I like to come here when I need to think."

"I don't know. Just needed some air."

"How do you notice this stuff?"

"You're not my mum/dad/parent."

"I didn't think anyone was coming."

"I didn't know if you'd actually show up."

"Thank you, by the way."

"Thank you, for being here."

"I don't know what I would have done if I'd been alone tonight."

"Better. Now that you're here."

[snezhnayain-carrot-top]

“I will fight the Shogun if she makes Kabuki cry. I may die during the fight, but I will fight.”

[narukami-ogosho]

"... I assure you, I have no intention of the sort."

[narukami-ogosho]

The whistle of a naginata’s blade slicing cleanly through the air disturbed the otherwise pristine silence of the grounds of Tenshukaku– though it was not uncommon for the clamor of training warriors to be heard throughout the confines of Inazuma City, Ei generally preferred to keep to herself in order to maintain her complete focus over her body’s movements. 

Distraction would cost you your life, after all. The battlefield was not a place to hesitate, nor was it a place to focus on anything but the opponent in front of you. In the flames of war, her signature naginata fit perfectly in the palm of her hands, and it functioned as an extension of her physical form rather than a weapon. 

A grimace crossed her features as she continued the motion of her swings, distracted only by sweat dripping into her eyes and causing a vicious sting. It was followed by a sharp breath as she brought her forearm to her face, sweat-slicked bangs sticking to her forehead. The huff of frustration that followed was uncharacteristic of her normal demeanor, but she found herself unable to care as she stepped closer to the wall in order to carefully lean her naginata against it. Muscles in her shoulders ached, and a calloused hand came up to rub at the tender flesh– now would be a better time than any to take a brief moment to regain her focus.

How long had she been here? The sun was well into the sky at this point, her violet eyes squinting in the blinding light as her pupils adjusted. It didn’t particularly matter, but… Ei found herself forcefully squashing the urge to leave in search of a certain pink-haired fox. @narukamiis

[thewanderingpuppet]

He turned away, complication filling his features. "Well...um...Everyone left Tatarasuna. I didn't really have anyone else. And there was this hole in the roof that never got fixed which created this pond. The frogs just moved in on their own."

He set the frog down, fiddling with the hem of his clothes instead. "I got lonely. Their croaking helps me sleep at night."

(Oh you have no idea)

[narukami-ogosho]

Though the Shogun would not outwardly show it, a pang of guilt settled low in her gut. A few steps took her closer to the boy before she crouched down to gingerly usher a lone frog onto the palm of her hand, seemingly unaffected by the slimy texture of its skin. "Animals are often more reliable companions than even humans," Ei spoke slowly, brushing a finger over the top of the amphibian's head. "... The shogunate's resources can be allocated to have the roof repaired. A healthy environment is important for both you and... them." She felt rather silly gesturing to the other... ninety-something frogs scattered across the room.