There was something bothering Ei.

Something that quietly pestered her when she fought during the night.

Creatures of darkness seemed to bleed into the surface.

Much like the ones that Kazuha had told her about once.

The ones that tore his mother apart before Ei could save her.

It was a quiet regret that nagged at her bones.

If only she was a little quicker, she could've saved her.

But it was a regret that shouldn't linger in her mind.

And yet, it was a regret that made her hold on to a broken blade.

A blade that was once a tachi.

Ei felt the weight in her hands and tested it.

The tachi felt strange.

Like it held a latent flame beneath the steel.

Ei took a closer look at the blade, noting the hints of jade ore embedded into it.

But the longer Ei held the worn pommel, the more she began to realize.

Kazuha's mother inherited this tachi.

And yet— the sword held evidence that it used to be so much longer.

How the pommel was longer than the average length.

How the pommel was slightly thicker than usual.

How it had constantly been repaired and reforged.

Over and over and over—

Its old form almost unrecognizable—

Yet still every bit of the weapon it once was.

It was absolutely no wonder why the sword was too big in Kazuha's tiny hands.

Ei brushed a hand over the rivets, to the elegant bird-like crest engraved in the pommel.

She knew this blade.

She had seen it before.

Hundreds and hundreds of years ago.

In the hands of a Phoenix that fought beside her once.

"You protected my family, Provided a home for my people. How could I not fight for the both of you?"

Ei never saw that Phoenix, even when Makoto brought her back after the Archon War.

As if each and every single Phoenix had suddenly disappeared from the clear skies.

To think that their blade would ever end up in her hands so many years later.

In the hands of a tiny baby Phoenix she now claimed as hers to care for.

The broken tachi clanked in her tight grip.

Ei closed her eyes.

Brought the pommel close to her lips.

And whispered a promise to a friend long long gone.

"I protected your family once, and I will not let anything happen to Kazuha."

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(Though vain and ridiculous as it seemed— because really, time was never kind— Ei had to try. She had to try.)

._._._._._.

Kazuha stood in front a glass.

His maple red eyes blinked.

The boy before him blinked with him.

Kazuha tilted his head, feeling his hair shift as he moved.

The boy before him moved, his own snowy white moved with him.

But why?

What was the boy staring at?

Why was the boy following him?

Kazuha didn't make a sound as he thought.

It was like he suddenly gained a friend—

Just like Ei and her sister.

Quietly, he bowed his head toward the boy.

A gesture of greeting his mother had taught him.

The boy followed his bow with him— as if to greet him too.

Kazuha was suddenly nervous.

He didn't know what to say.

How to introduce himself.

So he stood there.

Awkwardly.

And the boy also stood there.

Awkwardly.

His nerves slowly built, piling on worry upon worry.

Until Kazuha blinked once, and turned on his heel.

He ran away from the boy without looking back.

Ei might know what to do.

._._._._._.

Kazuha was adorable.

Absolutely adorable.

That much, Makoto knew.

The small Phoenix was such a curious one.

To watch him stand in front of a mirror in awe was almost enough to send her into a laughing fit.

But at the same time, Makoto was struck with a jarring realization.

Kazuha didn't know what a mirror was.

._._._._._.

Ei thought of a way to repair a broken blade she stored away.

Well, not really.

She didn't have one clue as to where she could take it to.

She had no idea how to forge.

It wasn't her specialty.

Nor was it Makoto's.

Surely Murata could help.

Weren't original Phoenixes born of Pyro?

Then again, Morax was closer and possibly a better option.

But she would have to leave—

A small tugging on her kimono pulled her to look down.

The little Phoenix was by her side, maple red eyes wide.

Ei blinked at him, and gently patted Kazuha's snowy locks.

"What is it, Kazuha?" she asked him.

He tugged insistently at her.

Beckoning her to follow.

Ei did nothing but follow the little Phoenix.

Down the halls to a large mirror in one of the rooms.

It was funny how Kazuha trotted right up to the mirror—

And pointed to the mirror.

Maple red eyes were rather bewildered.

"Look— A friend?"

Kazuha's voice still cracked in several places.

A slow sign of his progress in voicing his words.

Ei looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Then back at the Kazuha reflection.

Who looked up at her.

Quietly, Ei realized that she had no idea where to even begin.

But outwardly, she bent down to the little Phoenix, "Kazuha— That's your reflection. Not a friend."

Kazuha blinked at her.

Those maple-red eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open.

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"Oh."

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._._._._._._.

It later occurred to Ei and Makoto that they lacked something glaringly important.

They knew absolutely nothing about raising a child.

Much less a Phoenix.

So one could imagine their shock to find Kazuha floundering around.

With a pair of the purest snowy wings fluttering about.

The utter look of bewilderedness was plastered all over the Phoenix's face.

He scrambled to Ei's side with the widest maple red eyes, and spoke a single strangled word, "Help."

Ei knew exactly what he meant.

She could even see the thousands of unspoken words running miles beneath his eyes.

She shared one glance with Makoto, unsure what to truly do.

Makoto's shoulders shook when she hid her lips with a hand.

"Maybe the Tengu could help?"

Because even she did not know much about Phoenixes.

Such creatures hid in such a way that much of their history was gradually forgotten by mortals and gods alike.

But… Ei was reluctant when it came to the Tengu.

Sasayuri was slain in a pointless war.

Well, pointless to Ei when it came down to it.

(Orobashi should've just disobeyed Celestia— but how crude of Ei to blame it all on cowardliness.)

Then Ei remembered the oldest among the Seven.

Surely, someone as old as him would remember.

To ask the God of Contracts might help.

Might.

But he was across the seas.

Too far to travel for such a young creature.

And potentially too dangerous.

In the end, Ei gently ran a hand over Kazuha's pillowy soft feathers.

In vain attempt to calm the slightly panicking Phoenix.

Ei could swallow her regrets for Kazuha.

"Let's… try the Tengu first before anything else."

._._._._._._.

The Tengu knew nothing about Phoenixes.

Nothing about their growth.

Their culture.

Their life.

The Tengu knew only legends and myths.

A tale so obscure within the history of Teyvat.

A piece of history that was nearly buried—

By the very hands of the Pheonixes themselves.

And yet, Shigure, the Tengu Ei had gone to, looked at her.

"I can teach him how to fly, but I can't teach him much else."

._._._._._.

Kazuha was definitely different from a Tengu.

His pair of soft white wings were larger than a young Tengu's two pairs.

Maybe even heavier than a Tengu's.

But Kazuha still listened.

He fluttered his wings at the edge of a mountain, nervously glancing down the high drop.

The gorge in the mountain served as a great spot to practice.

The open air and the soft hum of electro was comforting to Kazuha.

It was as if Ei was there to watch him from a distance.

Which was why Kazuha tried to stay calm under at the warm hand between his wings.

"Relax your muscles," Shigure's voice was firm and certain, "Spread your feathers. Let them catch the wind."

His wings shivered from the breeze that filtered through his feathers.

Kazuha couldn't help but cling a hand on to the Tengu's kimono.

Afraid of being blown away from such a simple action.

The hand on his back didn't move.

It stayed as a steady reminder to loosen up.

Kazuha could feel his tension coiling up too much in his shoulders.

So he stood there.

Gathering every ounce of his courage to let go.

To turn that strange feeling that weighed too much on his body.

Because surely, by now, Kazuha knew that he was fine.

Ei and Makoto would never leave him in the hands of someone they didn't trust.

It was only when he finally let out a long breath, relieving whatever odd coil in his own bones—

Did he realize that he was falling.

Kazuha blinked for a mere second.

Watched the walls of the mountain rush past him.

It was a rather lovely sight.

How the sky around him was a beautiful midday.

How the breeze hummed with the soft tinge of electro.

How the trees seemed to dance in the winds.

Kazuha blinked for a mere second.

Flapped his wings once—

And glided above Raiden Makoto.

Who watched him soar above her with a delighted laugh.

And glided above Raiden Ei.

Who watched him soar from the shadows with glowing pride.

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Well, that was until Kazuha flew right into a Yumemiru tree.

That was certainly a tangled mess.

._._._._._.

Kazuha met Ei's and Makoto's friends right after that little mishap.

It was beneath the Grand Sakura Tree.

Where the branches were at its fullest bloom.

Kazuha was picked off his feet the moment they arrived.

A Kitsune lifted him high in the air.

Her golden eyes peered up at the startled maple red eyes.

"So! You're the little one that our favorite shadow took in," she spoke.

Her voice was playful, but underneath, Kazuha picked out the scrap of grief.

"I didn't think you'd be this small."

Kazuha just stared at her, unsure of what to do.

"Saiguu," Ei's voice was a quiet demand.

Saiguu had laughed as she twirled around once and finally settled him down.

"Come now, Ei, it's just a bit of fun."

Kazuha certainly wasn't sure if being lifted up like a toddler and spun around was fun.

He certainly didn't like how ruffled his feathers felt.

Another hand came to help him flatten the mess.

An oni met him with a smile on her face, "Here, let me help you."

Her hands were skillful, and precise.

As if she had done this a million times before.

When he glanced at her, he saw nothing but a look of quiet nostalgia.

A look that spoke of a story that he had yet to hear.

Kazuha ended up wandering about.

Observing the Narukami Grand Shrine around them.

Ei and Makoto talked to Saiguu and Chiyo, the Oni.

Something about him and tips on raising him.

It certainly wasn't like he knew anything about that either.

After all, his mother wasn't around to teach him everything that came after this.

Only promised that he'd one day fly with wings just like hers—

So he had no reason to stay glued between Ei and Makoto.

Kazuha munched on a taiyaki Chiyo gave him.

The red bean paste was rich on his tongue.

But he paused in mid bite.

A twitch of pink ears caught the edge of his sight.

Kazuha whirled to look beside him—

Only to blink at a small pink furred fox seated beside him.

No, definitely a Kitsune like Saiguu.

Her fluffy tail seemed to wave a bit.

"I sat here for a while, you know."

And Kazuha blinked at her.

At a loss of what to say.

Her violet eyes narrowed at him.

"What are you? Some weird Tengu?"

Kazuha was really lost now.

He didn't have a single clue as to how to respond.

The Kitsune thumped her tail a little impatiently.

Clearly waiting for an answer.

Panicked, Kazuha glanced at his taiyaki and the Kitsune.

He never did share with anyone before.

Kazuha broke the tail of the taiyaki.

Handed the piece to the Kitsune.

And just smiled.

Violet eyes rapidly blinked at him.

Glancing back and forth between him and the tail.

Before she eventually gave in.

With a loud pop, a girl appeared beside Kazuha.

Dressed as like shrine maiden.

Her long strawberry hair curling around them.

The taiyaki's tail was already in her hand, half devoured.

"Hmmm, aburage is much better, but I can like this."

She polished it off a second later, eyeing him with her violet eyes.

"I'm Yae. Who are you?"

Kazuha felt his panic pick up again.

Because really— he wasn't sure how to talk to others.

Others who weren't Ei or Makoto.

But when he looked at Yae.

A Kitsune that seemed just as young as him—

His nerves settled a little bit.

And his meager confidence built just a bit.

"Kazuha."

His voice definitely cracked.

Still rasped.

Couldn't even be louder than a whisper.

But Yae's ears twitched and her eyes were bright.

"Kazuha," she echoed, her lips curling into a toothy (fang-y) smile.

"If you're a bird instead, do you think you'll taste good if I bite you?"

And Kazuha choked on his taiyaki.

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In the end, Yae didn't bite Kazuha.

Instead, she ended up making sure Kazuha didn't die from choking.

"You're kind of clumsy, aren't you," she said, rubbing his back.

She knocked on the base of his wings a couple times.

It was uncomfortable, but Kazuha let her.

He cleared his throat to say, "Don't you dare eat me-"

But none of those words were voiced.

Only breathed into the wind, far too quiet to be considered a whisper.

Yet, he knew it was his throat constricting and stealing his words.

Kazuha tsked, mildly annoyed about his constant struggle.

And somehow, someway, Yae seemed to understand.

Because she huffed with a lopsided smile.

"Don't worry, I can hear you just fine."

Her long pink ears twitched.

"I won't eat you."

And Kazuha believed her.

._._._._._.

Makoto taught Kazuha to read.

Taught him how to write.

Those maple eyes always glowed with such curiosity.

It was notable how quickly he took in his lessons.

Diligently practiced his characters and structure to near perfection.

A few more months, and Makoto would have nothing to teach him.

A few more decades, and he'd become a wonderful advisor.

Yet, there was a struggle that became glaringly obvious.

Kazuha's voice grated unhealthily in his throat.

Sounded fair too rough and ragged.

It made Makoto wonder if those years of forced silence had killed nearly killed it.

It didn't help that Kazuha constantly fell to his silent gestures if he ever needed anything.

Sometimes— the only sounds he ever made were almost missable.

A flutter of his wings here.

A shuffle of his kimono there.

Maybe a tiny cough around the corner.

Kazuha was nearly soundless.

Which is exactly why Makoto sat him down one day.

Had him finish a whole pot of tea she brewed.

And preened his feathers with her hands.

"Kazuha, tell me about your mother."

Startled maple red stared up at her.

Head tilted back and snowy locks uncovered his eyes.

The confusion on his face was as clear as day.

Yet, Makoto quietly tilted his head back.

Away from her.

And continued to brush her fingers through soft, soft feathers.

"Tell me about your mother."

Her voice was kind, yet firm.

Similar to an order that couldn't be refused.

Kazuha tensed up, but she placed a hand between his shoulder blades.

Right between the strong wings.

Nothing but a silent assurance.

Kazuha didn't speak for a long long moment.

Didn't ease up for a long long moment.

Until he cleared his throat and began.

His words scratchy and hoarse at its start.

"…Mother was—warm. Home."

Kazuha's shoulders slowly fell.

"Safe."

He was quiet for a while.

Until he tilted his head back.

His maple eyes oddly calm and certain.

"Like Makoto and Ei."

Makoto blinked at him.

A mere Phoenix that Ei took in.

A mere child that slowly grew up in their home.

Saw her and her sister like a mother he didn't have.

It warmed Makoto's heart, and stirred her quiet, yet overflowing joy.

For once, Makoto wanted this fleeting moment of calm to last as long as it could.

This moment of peace.

A mere moment in eternity.

She smiled at Kazuha.

Ran her hands through his hair.

And urged him to continue.

To continue speaking.

Practicing.

With a heart of a mother longing to hear her child's voice.

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"Tell me more."

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