SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 64 out, this is Chapter 65 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Pairings: Albedo/Sucrose, Zhongli/Mitsuko/Kazuha, One-sided Diluc/Mitsuko, One-sided Diluc/Jean
Disclaimers: Genshin Impact and Sailor Moon belong to miHoYo and Takeuchi Naoko-sensei respectively. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except the plot, I hope.
Chapter 65: Teyvat Arc: Omnipresence Over Mortals, Part Four
Shortly afterwards...
"Evil Spirit, Be Excorzied!" Mitsuko made use of her lessons from the Liyue Adepti and called forth a swirling pillar of Hydro-enhanced talismans to purify the heavily contaminated main hall of the Delusion factory.
"When she said she had training with Liyue's Adepti, I thought she was pulling my leg..." Gorou muttered.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Narukami Shrine...
"Repeat after me." Yae Miko spotted the Traveler was awakening. "'Three, two, one, one, two, three, ahhhh, ahhhh.' Come on."
"Three, two, one, one, two, three, ahhhh, ahhhh." the Traveler mumbled.
"Okay, that's positive." Miko nodded. "Your brain seems relatively unscathed, this is good news. It's just as well, really, with the amount of effort it took me to get you back here. Honestly, it was like you were glued to the ground back there."
"Miko, Paimon's been wanting to ask you about something." Paimon wondered. "How come you're acting so differently from when we first met you?"
"Am I?" Miko teased. "Maybe it's because I had the other shrine maidens leave. Anyway, I've always been like this. People show you whatever side of themselves they want you to see. I know this for a fact. Every side of me is the real me. People just like to define things in all sorts of arbitrary ways. This is a human society — at the moment, anyway — and I'm just doing as I please."
"Paimon didn't quite follow." Paimon mused.
"Study humans a while longer, my little friend." Miko giggled. "You'll see what I mean."
"How did you save me from The Balladeer?" the Traveler inquired.
"Paimon was so focused on the Traveler that Paimon didn't notice what you did to get Scaramouche off our backs." Paimon realized.
"What if I told you it was a secret art from the Grand Narukami Shrine, and that I had The Balladeer down on his knees begging for mercy in an instant?" Miko teased. "Would you believe me? Maybe you should be worrying less about that and more about how exactly you are going to thank me... no?" she prompted, seeing the Traveler's skeptical look. "Maybe some of your neural circuitry is less intact than I thought."
"Thank you ever so much, Yae-sama." the Traveler responded.
"I didn't mean you had to be so formal about it." Miko chided. "I need your actions, not your words.: The Delusions... they're still on your mind, aren't they?"
"Yes..." the Traveler admitted.
"You needn't worry." Miko assured. "The leader of Watatsumi Island took some troops to clear the place out: or did you forget that their head medic is also trained in the Adepti Arts? She's also issued a strict ban on the use of Delusions across the whole army. With their stronghold exposed, I doubt The Balladeer is stubborn enough to try and retaliate now on his colleagues' behalf. It would be more trouble than it's worth. I must say, I would relish the opportunity to watch the Fatui getting a taste of their own medicine. Anyway, that Sangonomiya Kokomi, she really outdid herself this time. I'd love to have another chat with her again in person, but alas, belief systems can be such a hindrance sometimes."
"A hindrance?" Paimon echoed. "Should you really be saying that as the guuji of the Grand Shrine!?"
"Anyway. I'm only telling you this to stop you worrying, so that you can focus... on something I need you to do for me." Miko ignored Paimon.
"So, this is why you rescued me?" the Traveler realized.
"You've... met her, right?" Miko asked.
"You mean the Raiden Shogun?" the Traveler inquired.
"I'm not talking about the puppet." Miko corrected. "I mean... her. You've met her, yes?"
"You mean... inside?" the Traveler trailed.
"The true Raiden Shogun, who meditates endlessly in the Plane of Euthymia to preserve her being." Miko nodded. "Her name is "Ei.""
"Mitsuko did say that the Shogun reigning in Tenshukaku is just a puppet." Paimon recalled. "Are you saying the real Raiden Shogun is the one that the Traveler met later? And does that mean that when the battlefield changed... so did the opponent?"
"But why go to such lengths?" the Traveler wondered.
"Because this is the Raiden Shogun's eternity." Miko replied. "Before pursuing the eternity of her nation, she had to reach eternity for herself. Since the physical body will eventually turn to dust, she replaced hers with that of a puppet. And since the spirit is susceptible to erosion, she placed her consciousness inside her sword, where she remains in a meditative state, free from all disturbances."
"So, that place that she carved open with her sword..." Paimon trailed.
"The Plane of Euthymia." Miko clarified. "Essentially, the world inside her mind. A place that typically only allows her existence. She shuts herself off in her inner world, leaving all the affairs of the outside world to be dealt with by a puppet who has a singular focus on the pursuit of eternity. This is the approach Ei has come up with for realizing eternity."
"Zhongli also mentioned erosion." the Traveler pointed out.
"You mean Morax?" Miko was intrigued. "It's been a while since I last saw him. A surprising decision by Liyue's Archon. What a fascinating god he is."
"It seems like the Raiden Shogun's approach solves the problem Zhongli was facing though." Paimon noted.
"Perhaps... or you could take the view that she's acting like a little child, throwing a temper tantrum and locking herself in her room." Miko stated. "Don't you think? The grand notion of eternity she once held has long since given way to the eternity of her own definition. And ultimately, her eternity is defined by fear: the fear of loss."
"I'm still not sure what you want me to do." the Traveler admitted.
"The truth is... we are on the same side." Miko declared. "You want to save the people of Inazuma from the Vision Hunt Decree. So, do I. The only difference is: the Owner of the White Token and I share the same sentiments; we'd rather like to save this nation and save Ei while we're at it. The key is that the Plane of Euthymia represents Ei's inner world. Defeat her there and you may well have the chance to shake the Raiden Shogun's will."
"So, this is your plan to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree?" Paimon exclaimed. "Not by talking her out of it, or through an armed resistance, but by hopping inside the Raiden Shogun's inner world?"
"You're a fast learner." Miko nodded. "In short, this is the last chance to get Inazuma back on track. Otherwise, an eternity of darkness awaits."
"Why me?" the Traveler inquired.
"Don't you realize how special you are?" Miko scolded. "Remember, the Plane of Euthymia is a space where only she is allowed to exist. The fact that you could appear there tells us one crucial thing: that you have piqued her interest. Perhaps it's because she has never seen an individual who is so unpredictable in the face of eternity."
"Has no one else ever been in there?" Paimon wondered.
"None." Miko answered. "No one has seen the devotee of eternity since she shut herself away. In fact, no one even knows what it looks like in there. Your existence is more than just an opportunity. It's the very key to all of this. To that I say... well done, child, you did not disappoint me after all."
"Wait, you're leaving?" Paimon blinked when Miko strolled off. "Where are you going?"
"Anti-Raiden Shogun Training." Miko beckoned the Traveler to follow. "I've prepared a special program, just for you. Come along now."
After passing the training...
"So, how come you know so much about the Raiden Shogun?" Paimon wondered, the Traveler returned to the watching Miko.
"You mean me?" Miko blinked. "Perhaps it's because... I'm the Electro Archon's servant."
"Like Dvalin is to Barbatos?" Paimon exclaimed. "Never would have guessed by looking at you."
"It sounds like you'd be more persuaded if you saw me in my fox form?" Miko giggled.
"I'd like to see that..." the Traveler nodded.
"In your dreams." Miko teased. "More curious than my appearance is the fact that she and I don't see each other anymore, wouldn't you say? 'A nation to last for all eternity.' is a dream that she, I and the previous Owners of the White Token share. But I don't think that's the same thing as complete stasis. At some point, she started going down a path that became increasingly difficult for us, the Owners of the Red and White Tokens, to join her on. You know, Ei never said goodbye to us before she stepped into the Plane of Euthymia.: Perhaps it's just our wishful thinking, but I think she did this deliberately, as her way of keeping our friendship eternal. By neither saying goodbye nor seeing us again, our relationship will remain forever how it was... in her mind, at least."
"The Raiden Shogun is the wishful thinker here." the Traveler noted.
"Since we've embarked on two very different paths to eternity, I can either continue to maintain the status quo or do whatever it takes to bring her back on track, regardless of the cost." Miko declared. "Us, Token Owners, have chosen the latter because if stubbornly isolating herself in the Plane of Euthymia is her idea of eternity, then our duty as her eternal servants is to drag her back out of her own head and into the real world."
"Miko, you and Mitsuko's family sound like really great friends." Paimon gushed.
"I'm only telling you this so you can properly understand my plan." Miko explained. "Could you possibly spare the sentimentality for the time being? Anyway, that's enough chit-chat. Time for Anti-Raiden Shogun Training Phase 2."
After Part 2...
"How did we do?" Paimon asked, the Traveler returned to Miko.
"You did quite admirably." Miko noted. "I could see your determination and your hard work."
"So, do you think we're ready to beat the Raiden Shogun now?" Paimon asked.
"How do I put this..." Miko pondered. "You're no match for her at all. You are the most important part of the plan. I know what I'm doing. You don't think I'd leave you with no chance to win at all, do you? Speaking of... Traveler, what do you think of the resistance army's chances?"
"They're no match for her either." the Traveler admitted.
"You're absolutely right." Miko agreed. "Perhaps they occasionally best the Shogun's Army in open battle, but when they face the Raiden Shogun herself... considering even their Visions have been taken from them and embedded in the Statue, they are ultimately quite helpless. It is precisely because of their helplessness, because their Visions have been taken from them, that their will is all the more precious. In short, if everything goes according to plan, they may yet prove to be helpful."
"So, what is the plan?" the Traveler asked.
"Goodness, is that the time?" Miko dodged the Traveler's question. "I have another guest to receive today. We can talk more back at the Grand Narukami Shrine."
At the Grand Narukami Shrine...
"We can talk here." Miko renewed the conversation. "You asked me about the plan — in fact, I've been mulling it over for quite a long time. Before one makes a plan, what is the most important thing one must do? You must understand the situation you are facing. The Vision Hunt Decree was obviously devised as a means of manipulating the Shogun, the ones behind it knowing full well her susceptibility as a puppet with a single-minded focus on eternity."
"The Fatui did it to create the demand for Delusions." the Traveler stated.
"This is the strongest piece of evidence we have to go on." Miko agreed. "Now, we also know that every aspect of the Vision Hunt Decree's promulgation and execution has been enthusiastically spearheaded by the Tenryou Commission from the outset."
"Ayaka was saying that every time they submitted a petition against the Vision Hunt Decree, the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions would veto it straight away with no negotiation." Paimon reminded.
"The Tenryou Commission is working for the Fatui." the Traveler concluded.
"It's all too clear that both the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions are in some form of collusion with the Fatui.: Miko concurred. "Thus, the current situation is that our Fatui antagonist is still at large, has the two rogue Commissions wrapped around their finger, and is distributing Delusions from the shadows. Unfortunately, given that said antagonist is under the protection of two Commissions and the Raiden Shogun, we would be rather hard-pressed to track them down."
"So, what should we do?" Paimon asked.
"It will be easier for us to start with someone from Inazuma." Miko stated. "So, my plan is... to incite rebellion in the Tenryou Commission. I don't mean betraying the Shogunate; I mean, inciting a certain someone to betray the Tenryou Commission. If we manage to convince her, I'm quite sure we'll be able to get you another audience with the Raiden Shogun."
"Who is this 'certain someone'?" the Traveler frowned.
"I'll give you a clue: she's currently in charge of the Shogun's Army, she visits the shrine at this time every month, and she is our guest today." Miko informed. "She also appears to be standing right behind you."
"Don't move a muscle!" Sara barked. "You've got some nerve showing up here in the shrine when there's an active warrant for your arrest! Don't even think about trying anything. Surrender now, you're coming with me to headquarters. Seize them!"
"It seems that you're forgetting, this is the Grand Narukami Shrine." Miko stepped in. "Use of force here is strictly forbidden. Before you proceed, which of you would like to face criminal charges for dishonoring the Shogun?"
"Guuji Yae... please tell me you are not sheltering a wanted criminal here?" Sara moaned.
"We are just friends; I don't see what sheltering has to do with it." Miko explained. "Tell your subordinates to leave, we have things to discuss."
"Guuji Yae, I'm a little curious — does it not also dishonor the Shogun to hide a wanted criminal at her grand shrine?" Sara questioned.
"You are the same as ever, Kujou Sara." Miko giggled. "No one can match you when it comes to loyalty to the Shogun."
"As a servant, loyalty to the Shogun is my duty." Sara declared. "And as a warrior, I dedicate my life to following the way of the Shogun."
"Even though she will one day seize your Vision, too?" Miko inquired.
"The Vision Hunt Decree is the Shogun's chosen course, and I shall not question it." Sara stood firm.
"It's tragic..." Miko sighed. "Such wholehearted devotion, rendered meaningless by circumstance. Have you been kept in the dark? Or are you the only one left in the light?"
"Lady Guuji, I need you to be direct." Sara insisted. "Tell me exactly what you mean."
"The Vision Hunt Decree is a trap." Miko answered. "Part of a Fatui plot to bring Inazuma to its knees. And your masters, the Kujou Clan of the Tenryou Commission — they are the ones keeping the truth from reaching the Shogun."
"You're saying the Kujou Clan... betrayed the Shogunate?" Sara stammered.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Miko nodded.
"Guuji Yae, your allegation is not only dangerous but ridiculous." Sara protested. "The Tri-Commission has served the Shogun since ancient times and remains absolutely loyal to this day. Ever since I was adopted by the Kujou Clan, I have seen and heard nothing but pure devotion toward the Shogun. At every level of the Tenryou Commission — especially from the head of the clan, Kujou Takayuki. He reveres the Musou no Hitotachi more than anyone. My own respect for the Shogun pales in comparison to his. How could he ever even dream of acting against the Shogun?"
"Three days." Miko stated her condition. "Come back here in three days, and I will show you the evidence. As a Guuji, there's one thing I know very well: people believe whatever they want to believe. Some things you do not see, simply because you do not wish to look. And so, it falls to me to place the truth before your eyes, in all its ugliness."
"Three days?" Sara accepted the terms. "I'll be here. But if I don't see any evidence, I will demand a formal apology for slandering the Kujou Clan. Also, they will have to come with me."
"Wonderful." Miko nodded. "Then I'll see you in three days. I look forward to it very much."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Grins* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.