Kujou Sara marveled at the barren but beautiful infinite landscape of the Plane of Euthymia. She'd naturally wanted to press the Shogun for more details, but she and Yae Miko had insisted that the true Raiden Shogun be brought into the discussion, an endeavor made much easier by taking the conversation into the Plane of Euthymia itself.

The methods by which Sara had been brought along were, frankly, difficult for her to understand. Yae Miko had bade her to meditate – something particularly difficult given the turmoil her mind was in – but once she'd managed to center herself, here she was.

Now that she was here, though, she was taken aback by the majesty of it all. The pinkish-purple sky, the scattered stone torii gates, the immaculately groomed sand beneath her feet… It was so breathtaking that she initially quailed against scuffing it with her clumsy mortal feet, only to relax once she realized that the mitsudomoe pattern in the sand quickly restored itself once her foot was removed. "It's so beautiful…" she whispered.

"Dull, if you ask me," Yae Miko countered, most certainly unasked. "Truly, why do you refuse to spruce the place up a bit, Ei?" Sara grimaced. Would it kill the woman to restrain her impudence before the Shogun for at least a minute or two?

Particularly since two Shoguns stood before them, now. They were identical, down to the very fall of each strand of hair – and yet, Sara realized she could instantly tell them apart. The one on the left, she was sure, was the Shogun she knew. The… artificial Shogun. Her countenance was emotionless and calm.

The other, Sara gathered, must be the true Shogun. While her expression, too, was placid, there was a warmth to it as she regarded the Narukami High Priestess. "You may adorn your home as you see fit, Yae, and I will do the same for mine."

The true Shogun – Ei, the Priestess had called her – turned her head to address Sara herself. "Hello, again, General Kujou! I do believe that we met once before? At the Iradori festival? When you- forgive me, when the Traveler purchased that darling figurine?"

"A-ah, yes," Sara stuttered slightly, struggling to keep the embarrassment she'd felt during that particular event from showing on her face. "That was you, then, Your Excellency? That is, not your shadow?"

"Indeed," the true Shogun agreed. "The festival seemed like an excellent opportunity to see a modern celebration for myself."

"And certainly, the debut of this season's lineup of light novels had nothing to do with it," Yae smirked. Sara was puzzled by the barb; why would Her Excellency have any interest in such banal things as light novels?

For whatever reason, though, the true Shogun coughed delicately into her fist before addressing Sara once again. "Be that as it may – please, General. Call me Ei. 'Your Excellency' must surely become tiring."

Never. Never would Sara tire of those words. "I could not possibly, Your Excellency! One as unworthy as I has no right!"

"Please, I insist," Ei said with a hint of sternness. "You and I will be working closely with one another, and I am certain that I would grow weary of the formality."

"As… as you command… Ei," Sara responded, haltingly. Then, hardly believing the blasphemy escaping her own lips, dared to add, "Perhaps, then, it would be fitting for you to call me Sara?" While it was out of the corner of her eye, Sara could have sworn she saw Yae's face briefly assume an expression of impressed surprise before the Priestess schooled it into her typical countenance of semi-amused disinterest an instant later.

Ei, for her part, graced Sara with a smile. As smiles went, it was slight, but even that was enough for Sara's soul to soar. "Of course, Sara. It would be my pleasure. I hope that the two of us will become friends."

It was all that Sara could do not to mentally shut down on the spot at the notion of becoming friends with the God of Thunder herself. There had been no room for friends in her upbringing. They were a distraction, she had been taught, an impediment to her training, an obstruction to martial excellence. But surely, if the Shogun herself desired it…?

It was a forbidden fruit of a most tempting nature. Sara, on more than one occasion, had found herself struck by profound loneliness, a desire to connect with someone on a personal level. Her mind would often then drift to the warm atmosphere she'd seen in the Kamisato residence on the rare occasions that her duties took her there – a notable contrast to the stark austerity of the Kujou compound in which she'd grown to adulthood. She'd wondered, from time to time, if she could find that personal connection with Kamisato Ayaka. Were they both not daughters of their respective households? Albeit by adoption, in her own case…

It was at that point in her fantasies that Sara would cut herself short. She had no place among the Kamisatos. Her own serious nature would chill that warmth she so admired. Better to turn her focus back to training – better for herself, and for them. Best to do the same here, as well. Focus on the business at hand. While it would undoubtedly need to be addressed later, the Shogun's overtures of friendship were yet another distraction. Somehow, Sara managed to work up the wherewithal to stammer out, "Y-you said that you and I would be working together. Your double informed me that I am to take her place as your shadow." Sara closed her eyes and shook her head, "I still struggle to comprehend how I am to do so. Or why it is even necessary."

Ei sighed. "I trust that the Shogun informed you of her nature? And of… my sister?" Sara nodded. "Recent events have forced me to reevaluate my pursuit of Eternity. I underestimated how severely my sister's death would impact that goal. There was a reason, you see, that the God of Eternity came into being as two gods instead of one. Something as enormous as Eternity cannot possibly be encompassed by the perspective of just one individual. Not even me."

"I think, deep inside, I knew this truth, even if I refused to accept it. That is why I created the Shogun. I told myself that only a perfect copy would be enough to take my place as the leader of Inazuma – but now… I think that what I really wanted was to replace my sister. To regain that lost perspective." Ei shook her head. "It was a foolish endeavor, and I used her poorly. I never sought her perspective, not that it would have done any good if I had. The Shogun has too much of me within her, and nothing at all of Makoto."

"She is not only me, however, a fact of which she recently made me aware. And therein lies hope. The Shogun has the potential to grow into her own person – to gain a new perspective on Eternity, one shared neither by my sister nor myself. But not here. Here, in Inazuma, she will be stifled. Constantly surrounded by the familiar, constantly forced to pretend that she is someone other than herself… Such is poor soil for the growth she needs. It is necessary for me to allow her to follow her own path. It is my hope that path will one day lead back here, and together, the two of us will finally reach Eternity." She lowered her eyes. "And if it does not… Well, I shall be no worse off than I am now…"

Seeing her omnipotent deity so wracked with self-recrimination and lack of confidence was not an easy thing for Sara to accept – but, in all honesty, none of this was. It was the reality of the situation, though, and even if her faith in the absolute perfection of her god was taking an uncomfortable pounding, Sara was nothing if not a compassionate woman. Ei was clearly suffering, and Sara wished that she could console her, reassure her that she was without flaw, the one true god of Inazuma. Something told her, though, that those words would not be welcome. Whether or not they were true, however strong Sara's faith in her deity might be, her deity seemed to lack that faith in herself.

"I will return," the artificial Shogun reassured her creator. "I will not forget the importance of attaining Eternity."

"But what if you're unable?" Ei pleaded. "This world… it can be dangerous."

"What possible danger could pose a threat to the God of Thunder?" Sara asked, honestly perplexed. She realized then, instantly, that she'd spoken rashly, and even before Ei spoke, she realized why.

"Whatever danger took my sister from me," Ei answered in a haunted tone, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "And the Shogun… she will not even have Makoto's defenses available to her."

"What do you mean?" Sara asked.

"If I am to travel freely beyond the shores of Inazuma, it will be necessary to limit my power," the Shogun responded. "The Archons of other lands may react poorly if they learn of another god's unannounced intrusion upon their lands, and it is my intention to travel clandestinely. While I may be an artificially created being, I am also, for all intents and purposes, a god. As I am now, I will not escape their notice. With the proper restrictions in place, however, I will be able to pass as a human Vision holder. I will be… vulnerable in many ways that I currently am not. While there is risk involved, I believe this to be a necessary restriction."

"If I am to be of use to my creator, I must find my own answer to Eternity," the Shogun explained. "Both she and I have restricted our purview to one nation for too long. The world has changed much in five hundred years, but these changes have come to pass without our notice. I intend to witness these changes with my own eyes, to see how the ambitions of mortals have brought them closer to Eternity."

"I… understand," Sara responded. She didn't, really – not entirely. Since the lifting of the Sakoku Decree, all the cultures of the world could be found practically on their doorstep as newly-reopened trade flooded into the nation. To learn of the outside world should not require their god to personally travel abroad… Then again, Ei had mentioned the need for growth. Perhaps that was a part of it.

And, to be perfectly honest, even if the Shogun merely wanted to sightsee, who was she to question the will of her deity? Or proxy deity, rather… It was still difficult to accept that the god she'd pledged herself to was a stand-in, but after meeting Ei, it was becoming easier and easier to spot the differences between the two. Her heart was torn as to which it owed loyalty to, and she had provisionally elected to afford them each equal standing.

"As the Shogun will be traveling incognito, she will require a new wardrobe, as well," Yae added. "I volunteered to arrange the clothing, of course, but for some reason the two of them were not particularly taken with my suggestions, if you can imagine!"

Sara could, indeed imagine, and was additionally treated to the unexpected spectacle of the God of Thunder rolling her eyes, hard. Her shadow, on the other hand apparently missed the humor entirely and in a serious tone added, "I am of the opinion that the High Priestess's suggestions would have attracted undue attention. It is my understanding that Tanuki and Kappa are not commonly found in other lands." Okay, maybe Sara COULDN'T imagine. Just what had the Priestess suggested? "The garments in question were also unnecessarily restrictive and potentially difficult to don and remove. I have decided to leave acquisition of appropriate clothing in your hands, General."

"It will be done, Your Excellency," Sara promised. She suddenly realized that she had never seen the Shogun clothed in any garments other than those she wore now. Her mind started to wander, as she imagined how the Shogun would look clad in something else…

"I would remind you to please ensure that the garments are quite ordinary," the Shogun reminded her, interrupting her reverie, "I wish to attract as little attention as possible."

Naturally, the outfits Sara had been daydreaming about were far from ordinary; she'd been handed the opportunity to play dress-up with the Shogun herself and was chagrined to discover that she'd been about to indulge her personal fantasies by dolling her up with the fanciest and most elegant gowns and kimono she could find. She blushed in embarrassment at her own private folly, and was annoyed to see Yae smirking at her, the aggravatingly clever woman undoubtedly having deduced the reason behind her rose-tinted cheeks.

What, exactly WERE common clothes among the women of Inazuma these days? She knew that many of the younger set favored abbreviated kimono-like tops paired with those horrendous baggy shorts that seemed to be all the rage overseas (if only the Sakoku Decree had been enacted early enough to keep those awful pants out of Inazuma…), but Sara vowed to take her own life before allowing the Shogun to disgrace herself with that particular fashion.

"To return to your original question, while the Shogun travels, I will need someone else to take on her duties," Ei explained. "While I do have a limited ability to fashion a temporary body of my own, it is much reduced in ability from what the Shogun is capable of. I sacrificed much when I shed my body five hundred years ago, and it was not a reversible decision. I would prefer to rely on it as little as possible."

Sara nodded her understanding. Regardless, there was still a big hole in this plan that Sara felt the need to address. "But be that as it may, I am in no way suitable to take her place. How am I supposed to fill the shoes of a god?"

"It does seem absurd, doesn't it?" Yae Miko chuckled. "I felt the same way, of course. But it is no joke. I'll confess that the puppet surprised me, when she approached me with the idea, but it was surprisingly well thought-out."

"In your veins runs the blood of the Tengu," the Shogun explained. "The martial prowess of your kind is legendary, and your skills are exceptional even by that lofty standard – all in spite of being raised by humans, rather than your own kin. Of all currently in Inazuma, I believe that you, and you alone, are capable of learning to perform the Musou no Hitotachi."

Sara's face paled. The ultimate sword technique of the God of Thunder? In one stroke able to strike down any foe; to annihilate an enemy so thoroughly that not even ashes remained… Sara knew her limits well, and she knew that it simply wasn't possible. What had she done to earn this unwarranted faith her god seemed to have in her?

Either sensing Sara's distress, or more likely simply continuing her explanation, the Shogun continued, "No mortal can muster the destructive power of the Musou no Hitotachi. However, with training I believe you to be fully capable of mastering the speed and precision of the technique. Should you ever have cause to use it, the blade you shall wield will be the Musou Isshin, and the power shall be supplied by Raiden Ei, herself."

That was… more reasonable. Sara had observed the Shogun's technique firsthand, and had even practiced it in private. Mimicking the ability, she had to admit, was within her capability – or would be with a bit more practice.

"What of my appearance?" Sara asked. "I in no way resemble Her Excellency…" The Shogunate general was far from vain, and in fact rarely put any thought into her personal appearance beyond what was necessary to keep herself groomed and clean. She was aware that many found her to be attractive, but such distractions were irrelevant to her duties and so she paid them no mind. (Doing so was made all the easier by the fact that none of these supposed admirers possessed the bravery to dare to try to court her.) That said, however… It had certainly not escaped Sara's notice that in addition to possessing admirable power and wisdom, the Shogun was also surpassingly beautiful. Next to her radiance and magnetism, it was difficult not to feel quite plain.

"I will be assisting, in that regard," Yae Miko chimed in. "The Shogun already had a policy of keeping personal appearances rare. On the occasion that one becomes necessary, it is within my ability to cast a glamour upon you to give you her appearance. It helps that the two of you are of a very similar height and build." That was true enough… in fact, as greatly as it pained Kujou Sara to admit it to herself, she was even slightly taller than Her Excellency, a fact that often struck her as preposterous.

"And what of my duties as General?" Sara asked, half-dreading the answer. To be perfectly honest, her role as General suited her well, and it was difficult to imagine taking on any other career. And, setting aside any false modesty, she was very good at her job. She could think of none among her ranks more suitable.

"You will step down from your position as General, and will be appointed to the position of personal attendant to the Raiden Shogun," the Shogun bluntly confirmed her worst fears, and in a tone that brooked no argument.

"U-understood," Sara replied, unable to keep a tone of disappointment completely out of her response. "If I might ask, then – who will take my place?"

"It is our intention that General Gorou will take command of the unified military of Inazuma, should he be willing to accept the position."

"General Gorou?" Sara blurted out. Even as she did, however, the logic of it began to settle in her mind.

"You, yourself, have spearheaded negotiations to unify the military force of the Shogunate with that of Watatsumi, have you not?" the Shogun queried. "It is but one of many efforts to strengthen the unity of our nation."

Ei stepped in, then, "It is our intention to provide Watatsumi with very generous concessions in order to encourage them into the fold and make them more fully a part of our nation. By allowing their General to take command of the Shogunate forces, many of their apprehensions in regards to a unified military will be assuaged."

Truthfully, Sara's negotiations had hit something of a wall, in terms of unifying their militaries. The Watatsumi soldiers were understandably reluctant to swear loyalty to a general of the Shogunate. Actually stepping down from her role as general, however, was not something Sara had even considered as a possibility. Now that it was on the table, however, Sara instantly saw that it could be used to send a powerful message.

Additionally, if she were to hand over command to anyone, she could imagine no candidate more suitable than General Gorou. Even with his forces massively outnumbered, his expert direction of the soldiers at his command backed by the brilliant strategies provided by the Watatsumi High Priestess had stymied her on numerous occasions. "General Gorou is a fine choice," she admitted.

"Isn't he, though?" Yae Miko gushed. Was that… a wagging tail? Sara could have sworn that she saw bushy pink fur swishing behind the High Priestess out of the corner of her eye – but when her eyes focused on Yae more fully she looked the same as ever. "I do so look forward to having him close at hand!"

"Yae," Ei said warningly. "We do not wish to scare him off…"

"Yes, yes, I'll behave," the Priestess waved her off. "At least, until it's too late for him to back out…"

Very suspicious, if Sara was to be honest – but it was none of her concern. For now, at least. And there was something else she wanted to know. "If I might ask… what will my duties be as attendant to the Raiden Shogun? When I'm not impersonating her, I mean." Playing attendant to a woman who technically did not exist? Kujou Sara chafed at the idea of remaining idle – but what else could she be doing?

"Oh, a few errands here and there," Yae responded airily. "You'll need to ensure that the Shogun's chambers are clean and free of dust, pop into town every now and then to buy light novels, run the nation, nothing too complicated."

"Run the what?" Sara asked, incredulously.

"The Priestess exaggerates," the Shogun spoke. "For the most part, the Tri-Commission has done an admirable job in governing Inazuma. My direct intervention was rarely required. When it IS required, however, that duty will fall to you."

"It will fall to all of us, Sara," Ei corrected. "You, Yae, and myself. I do not plan on remaining as isolated as I have for the past several centuries. I will still need considerable time to contemplate Eternity, but do not be afraid to call on me, as needed." Then with what Sara could have sworn was a hint of bashfulness, "Or… even if you merely wish to talk..."

Sara wondered what to make of that last addition, but her thoughts were interrupted by the Shogun. "Additionally, you will be required to remain vigilant as to the actions of the Tri-Commission. The kind of deception they engaged in under the influence of the Fatui must not be allowed to happen again."

"Understood," Sara acknowledged. She did not expect that any among the Tri-Commission would be brave enough to perpetrate such blasphemy as falsifying reports to the Shogun again anytime soon, but it would be important to set up an infrastructure to prevent even the possibility in the future, as the sting of previous punishments faded and those with treasonous agendas once again became emboldened. Politics were not Sara's strong suit, but intelligence gathering, espionage, misdirection – these were important military concepts, and could easily be applied here, as well. Yes… between establishing and maintaining an intelligence network, schooling herself in the necessary protocols to competently represent the Shogun in her governmental obligations, fetching light nov- that is, performing whatever other errands Her Excellency might require… her time would, indeed be filled.

Yae clapped her hands together. "Very well! It appears that the matter is settled. Let us return to the Tenshukaku. We have much to do before we can send the puppet on her merry way."

As I wrote this story, I occasionally wondered if I was getting a little too invested in having Sara take the puppet Shogun's place. Is it really the best or most logical available option?

For example, why doesn't Ei simply make another puppet? In one of her voice lines, she as much as states that it's fine to treat the Shogun roughly because, if she breaks, she can simply make another. I had a couple of reasons for dismissing this idea. First off, both of the puppets she did make wound up going their own way, and one of them became something of a monster. I doubt she's eager to try her luck with a third.

Another reason is that I doubt it's really that easy to make a puppet with the powers of a god, regardless of what it said in her voice line. If it was, what's to stop someone from making an army of god-puppets? I doubt that Ei's the only one smart enough to make something like the Shogun – there's gotta be a good reason why others do not do the same. Something like that would have helped Khaenri'ah a lot more than an army of "field tillers" would! So, why the voice line? Most likely, Ei simply wants to make it clear that there's no need to be gentle with the Shogun. She's a tough lady, and can take care of herself!

So, Ei can't or won't just create another shadow. This means that she needs someone else to do the job. Yae and Sara, I felt, were the two best options among the characters we know. Both of them have talents that make them suitable candidates. In Yae's case, being a Kitsune means that trickery and illusion are right in her wheelhouse. She's already working two jobs, though, as High Priestess and as the owner of Yae Publishing, and would likely be reluctant to abandon either.

Sara has a job that's important to her, as well – but is devoted enough to give even that up if the Shogun were to ask. She is also a warrior by profession and by nature, which gives her a lot in common with the Ei, who is also a natural warrior. One of the things the Shogun's people know and admire her for is her power as a warrior, and Sara would have a much easier time living up to that expectation than Yae.

I felt that a team effort would be the way to go, with Sara in the starring role and Yae as support.