Sangonomiya Kokomi and Yae Miko. These two pinkettes were some of the most regal and famous names to be spread across Inazuma in terms of beauty and status.

Only outmatched by the Shirasagi Himegimi and Raiden Shogun if one were to judge based solely on popularity.

Such renowned ladies were currently meeting each other for the first time for what was said to be a "peace" talk between two head priestesses.

However, both were well aware of the real reason for this conversation.

Kokomi had already had information brought to her in regards to Yae Miko's apparent interest in a certain samurai who was thankfully not in Inazuma in the current moment, as Yae Miko was also fully aware of the feelings the Divine Priestess had from the intel she had gathered herself.

This had the two beauties with hidden sides darker than black sitting across the other with hypocritical smiles as they knew that they both were rivals. The lunch was rather peaceful overall to a certain point as both sides restrained themselves from souring the mood, though some snarky remarks couldn't be avoided.

"Lady Miko, what do you think of the accompanying wine?" Kokomi asked, maintaining a regal smile as she suppressed the dark aura from leaking.

"It's passable, but it's intensity really is too overpowering. The food from Watatsumi Island really does not fit my palate, though it's not all just about the food from there." She gave a backhanded remark, widening the smile on Kokomi's face more.

She had scheduled this meeting in Inazuma City to establish her claim over Kazuha.

With peace talks being solidified and a majority of the problems now simply just being integrating cooperation between the two armies, Kokomi could now focus on her own desires, meaning she wasn't about to let her one true love be snatched up by some ancient vixen.

"It's a specialty wine not from Watatsumi Island, but gifted to me by a dear friend we've both had the pleasure to meet. He brought it from Monstadt and I thought it'd be nice to share it to kindle a new friendship. It was his favorite if I recall." The recognized genius beamed as she explained, causing Yae Miko to freeze up right away. There was a moment of silence before she picked up the wine to take another sip.

"On second thought, it's actually not too bad. While Monstadt is rather far off, it does have some of the best wines so it's no wonder for someone to have this as a favorite."

"..."

Faced with the double standards Yae Miko was openly displaying with her one hundred and eighty degree change in attitude, Kokomi was momentarily speechless, before she closed her eyes to briefly adjust her state of mind.

"My, my. How easy it is for you to change your opinion on something. I wonder how fleeting your thoughts are for those around you. How fast it'd be for you to decide whether you actually like something or not."

The subtle jab was not missed as Yae Miko narrowed her eyes for a bit before returning to the serene smile that everyone expected of the Guuji Yae.

"Why of course I can change my opinion, but with all the years i've lived, I believe I've become able to understand myself and decide what it is I truly like and desire, unshackled by the throes of those young and not quite matured yet to find themselves…"

The crisp clang of a fork piercing through its target to reach the plate beneath rang loudly.

"Oh dear. Pardon my slip." Kokomi forced a smile, before responding. "I'm truly envious of such wisdom you may possess, but alas, I believe i'll never be able to reach your level of intellect, Lady Guuji. I'll unfortunately die while you continue to live on one day."

She feigned sadness and self depreciation before the leader of Watatsumi Island gave her a pitying look with a sad smile.

"I'm only so fortunate that i'll at least be able to spend the rest of my life with my dearest. I can only hope that you'll be able to enjoy your forever with someone able to stay that long with you…"

There was a slight snap as a crack appeared on the wine glass that Yae Miko was holding.

A long life was one that was usually envied by those who were mortal, but for a maiden in love, it was not something that they wished to be reminded of in regards to their chosen ones.

This was a sore spot for Yae Miko who had fallen in love a few times, but chose not to for many reasons beyond simply hiding her sadistic nature in fear of scaring away the ones she cared for.

For no matter how you may look at it, Yae Miko would be unable to properly fall in love, even if she wanted to. She'd be forced to watch her lover one day die and even if they were to reincarnate: it'd be merely her experiencing their deaths over and over, remembering them every time as they completely forget her once reborn.

"Miss Sangonomiya, I'm quite intrigued. It sounds like you have quite a strong bond with someone, no?"

"It's not just my personal belief, but the truth, Miss Miko."

Thinking about their time together, Kokomi gave a contented smile.

"Kazuha Kaedehara has been with me through some life and death situations despite him having merely been a soldier under me for a time. Through mutual support, we managed to aid and assist each other, leading to our relationship being stronger than ever."

"Is that so? It's rather perplexing to speak of such a strong relationship, when I recalled that Kazuha escaped Inazuma to be a part of a pirate ship. Unwilling to stay with you despite your stronger than ever relationship?"

"My dear Kazuha was concerned about such a bounty, someone allowed to be placed on him would bring even more unwanted attention to me, so he decided to not hamper me and leave until it was the right time to return for me." Kokomi stared intently at Miko as she spouted lies with the utmost composure.

"Oh, dear. I believe Sir Kazuha is already under my jurisdiction. He was quite fast to return to becoming a noble for the Shogunate, after all. Is it safe to say that there were some things you couldn't offer him that I ended up giving?" There was no illusion anymore as the two began to speak more directly about the matter of their meeting.

"Such things are simply the duty he believes he holds to the family that had raised him. Such obligations are unexpected after all. In the end, I've known him for a little over a year now, having assisted him with not only his safety but allowing him a way back into his homeland whenever he wished to return, something that you were unable to, because while you hadn't even heard his name, we were already fighting together in a war."

Kokomi's eyes began to glow a green that would have been familiar to the Mini Miko who was residing on Kazuha's shoulder in Liyue. Miko's words had triggered her, sending the rage that she had been suppressing in her heart all this while to rise to the surface. It was like the final moments of calm before the storm.

"He's mine. It has been this way in the past and it will remain this way in the future regardless of what anyone in the Tenshukaku can do."

"What if I refuse?" Miko also began to bubble with anger as a pink aura began to surround her. A dangerous flash of purple flashed as the two stared into each other's eyes, daring the other to do something.

Kokomi refused to stand down, even before the vixens declaration. Her body arched upwards proudly as she prepared to confront her. Her vision glowing brightly from her body.

She was no doubt inferior to her in terms of power, but strangely, she had been feeling much more powerful as of late. She even felt confident enough to take on Yae Miko who was only placed under the Raiden Shogun in terms of power. She had been working too hard all this while to be cowering in front of a new love rival just because she lacked strength.

The realization of Kokomi's unexpected strength brought a sharp glint to Miko's eyes before Kokomi spoke once again.

"Lady Guuji, has anyone ever told you that you're a peculiar person?"

"Pardon me?"

"The words you speak in regards to Kazuha, not just here but in general, is as if he's a possession of yours. I can understand those with high standings need to keep their subordinates under their thumbs, but surely you aren't intending to do the same when it comes to love?" Kokomi narrowed her eyes as she asked in a delicately sweet tone.

"... I don't understand what you're driving at…"

"I just think that you're an extremely dangerous individual."

"Dangerous? I've done nothing to suggest such a thing in comparison to someone who's first course of action was to wage war as if she was waiting for it all her teenage life."

The jab at the hobby Kokomi had kept was enough to make her wince. Remembering her slight feelings of euphoria when she was able to use all her knowledge to go against the Shogunate, but that didn't slow her down in the slightest.

"I've done nothing more than fight for what I believe in, instead of waiting things out til the end to finally act. However, Lady Miko, that's not the topic here. Aren't you forcing Kazuha to accept your everything?"

"!"

It was just a speculation with how the three meetings she had gathered info on between Kazuha and Miko came to her. She was merely making a speculation based on Yae Miko's history as well as Kazuha's character, but it accurately struck a thorn in her heart. Darkness clouded her exquisite face and the unease that had been welling up in her heart began to magnify under Kokomi's accusations.

As someone with an abnormal interest, Miko was well aware how different she was from others, especially in regards to what was expected of her. The bond she had clung onto with Kazuha was built on his ability to understand her needs and tendencies. However, it was one thing to understand something and another to accept it and Kazuha had shown no willingness to play along with such things.

As someone who had been pushing things so far, even if it was light teasing, she was painfully aware that her personality didn't fit into the stereotype that someone like Kazuha would fancy, so she tried to counteract this by brute forcing with her pull and standing benefitting him greatly, though Kokomi was also on similar ground as her without having to worry about the complications of a mortal being with someone who would outlive them vastly.

"Lady Sangonomiya, keep your empty speculations to yourself. The relationship we have thus far is built upon mutual acceptance."

"Mutual acceptance? Oh my. Even if you say or do nothing at all, the disparity between both of your standings will hamper him and that'd really go against his wishes of freedom. Are you certain that Kazuha would be happy with you? Do you honestly believe that you wouldn't burden him with your position?"

"What did you say?"

Kokomi's probing ignited Miko's rage, the atmosphere between the two immediately turned tense.

This was never going to end well and the two knew that. It was only too bad that Kokomi had many more cards up her sleeve. She had come here merely to warn Yae Miko, showing her the difference between the two in terms of progress and she was successful. Even the Guuji Yae couldn't refute all the points she made.

"... It looks like it's impossible for us to be on amicable terms."

"Indeed. Lady Guuji, if you're willing to give up on my Kazuha, we can…"

"I've no interest in entertaining your sleep talk. You should return to Watatsumi Island if you're exhausted. "

"..."

"... I'll take him away with me soon enough."

"Give it a try then…"

After trading affronts, the two women finished their meals before finally concluding their battle and parted with one another.

Miko bit the bottom of her lip with an irritated expression.

She had been doubting whether or not she was truly invested in Kazuha despite the many issues that came with it, but her pride as a woman didn't allow her to lose to someone who was many centuries her junior.

She wanted Kazuha before, but now she would stop at nothing to have him.

Meanwhile Kokomi could only smile to herself, having fulfilled the goal she had set out to do as she could feel the anger emanating from Yae Miko. An angered enemy is a predictable enemy. Kazuha would come back in about a month or two which was an ample amount of time for her to enact her plan.

Little did she know, Yae Miko was just one of many obstacles for her to overcome.

Kazuha

"You know, Kazuha, you have a tendency to let others tell you what to do a lot." Mini Miko commented as Rosalyn nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, there's a reason for that… It's a lot safer and faster to simply agree and move on. Trying to resist too much will only end up poorly…" Kazuha whispered, not wanting for Keqing to hear him talk as they walked.

"Boo. Where's your pride as a man? You need to take control fully, not just one aspect of your life. Take this lady right now, inviting you to her home. There's a lot more to this than just making sure Sayu here gets proper sleep, you know?" Mini Miko tapped the top of his head with a stick she had manifested out of nowhere.

"Actually, I think she really does just care about kids…" Rosalyn interjected, but Mini Miko ignored her.

"This is your chance. If you don't become the assertive one, she'll be the one to take control of which direction this goes from here on. You have to be the proactive one!"

"I'm not too sure you should be giving any insight. You've been alone for quite a long time back in that other timeline…" Kazuha sweatdopped, giving her a look of skepticism.

"How rude! I'm perfectly sane, i'll have you know. I'm just pointing out the obvious here. She's going to have a room for Sayu to sleep in and then you'll be alone together. She'll avoid making eye contact, but keep making shifty glances towards you. This is proof that she's going to want you to try something with her." Mini Miko lectured him like he was a student, having manifested glasses out of nowhere to look the part.

"I forget that you write light novels."

"..."

"He has you there, Miko." Rosalyn commented, getting a harsh glare from the small kitsune.

"Silence! Look, if you don't believe me, then listen to the wind or whatever it is you listen to. See what it tells you what to do when the time comes." Mini Miko pouted, before disappearing underneath Kazuha's haori to move out of sight, looking rather upset.

The two could only smile wryly at the childish behavior before Keqing finally spoke up.

"Here we are!" The Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing announced, revealing a rather humble house slightly separated from the others. She gestured to him to follow before opening the door to let him inside.

"My bedroom is over to the right, but the guest room is right across. You should be able to sleep decently there with Sayu for the night at the very least." She crossed her arm, feeling proud for doing what felt like a good deed.

"I appreciate it, Lady Keqing. I'll be sure to pay you back for such hospitality." Kazuha bowed politely, getting her to wave her hand dismissively.

"No worries. It's just for one night. I unfortunately don't believe you did so much work without messing something up, but I respect your attempt." She quite rudely admitted openly.

There was a slight breeze from the door closing behind them that passed by Kazuha's ear.

"Ah? What if I do manage to perfectly fulfill my duties?" The ronin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hm? Are you trying to make a bet with me?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes.

"I wouldn't make bets I had a chance in losing with." He calmly stated, getting the lady in front of him to frown.

"I understand you're a member of Beidou's Crew, but it's quite haughty to believe you could have made no mistakes when those much more trained and qualified than you have made countless before. It's simply a part of being human." She reiterated with a disappointed look at what seemed to be an egotistical man.

"While that is true, I believe it's rather demoralizing for anyone to work under a superior who so expectantly waits for there to be a mistake made. I understand preparing for the worst, but it gets rather disheartening when heard from someone who's meant to lead."

"Hmph… you have a sharp tongue like your captain. Lady Ningguang always mentions how Captain Beidou is rather verbally skilled, but I didn't expect the same to apply to her crew members too."

"One's role in life does not showcase their capabilities. I believe you're rather quick to underestimate me, Lady Keqing. Perhaps there's something I can do to prove my capabilities to you."

There was a slight pause as the two maintained eye contact, before Keqing sighed and gave him an unimpressed look.

"If that's the case, then why don't we settle this on a more direct challenge instead of just simply going over documents. It's getting rather late, so it'll have to be something that isn't too time consuming." She suggested.

It was rather late at night, so Kazuha couldn't suggest a duel, so he looked around over the room they were in and spotted…

A rex lapis themed chess board.

Keqings eyes followed where his gaze was, before finding what he was looking at. Her face turned immediately red as she explained away the game set.

"A-ah. That was a gift from a friend. It's the only chess board I have so I have to make do with practicing on that only unfortunately." She stammered, looking incredibly suspicious with her denials.

Kazuha already knew the truth thanks to the unknown force that had his back.

"Why don't we play a game of chess then? Nothing too strenuous. Surely a member of the Liyue Qixing could overcome a simple pirate in such a game of wits, no?" Kazuha taunted, to which she immediately glared at him.

Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, the Ace of Liyue and second only to the regal and illustrious Lady Ningguang herself.

Kazuha, the ronin crew member of The Crux Fleet and potentially only second to The Legendary Pirate Captain Beidou herself.

The two were the aces of the people they were under and this situation was more than just the two of them now that the cards had been set.

It was a little known fact about the rivalry if not friendship between Beidou and Ningguang, so this could be seen as an extension of that.

"I don't believe that'd be quite fair if you put it like that. Couldn't you just make an excuse that our standings are quite different?" She asked with a smug smile, her confidence radiating.

Whatever the reward was negligible. What she wanted was a fair challenge to properly beat him in.

"Aha… I was merely giving some respect to your title, but I didn't expect you to take it so seriously." Kazuha remarked, taking a moment to go to the guest room she had pointed out to him to let Sayu sleep.

The small girl squirmed from the sudden lack of warmth, but he managed to tuck her in tightly to allow her to regain her comfort quickly before walking back out and moving towards the table under Keqings catlike gaze.

He then removed a black pawn and a black bishop from the board and sat on the side of black of the chess board.

"Huh? You're going to play without the pawn and bishop? That's incredibly confident but also a foolish mistake." Keqing glared at him, finding this insulting.

"I'm the one who suggested playing this game, so I'm fine with playing with a handicap." He spread his hands out over the chess board. "If you win, i'll stop working and use all of my resources and power as a noble to hire someone from anywhere you want to take my place, but if I win, i'd like for you to be the one who has to work under me as opposed to you being my superior for the remainder of my time here. Are you fine with that?"

The Liyue Qixing was not lacking in money at all, but they still had to budget if they wanted to be able to pay for everything that was coming soon. The amount it'd cost to hire someone for a month on such short notice that was capable of doing their job was possible, but it'd be an unnecessary blow to their finances.

"What a strange reward, but a handicap? You're really going to go against me without a pawn and a bishop?" She scoffed, not even caring for what could happen if she were to lose since the odds were so incredibly stacked in her favor. "Sometimes it is wiser to know where the line is. I know as an adventurer, you tend to take many risks and try to surmount any obstacle. In chess, even against novice players, you don't take out pieces. Handicap is given in a form of allowing time limits or two players playing against one player, but not only are you giving up pieces, you're allowing me to play white. You want to let me go first? You're really clueless, huh?"

Faced with the analysis she had given, Kazuha could only smile, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, smirking as he gave her a warm gaze, gesturing towards the board.

"Well? Are you going to play?"

"Kazuha, what are you doing…?" Rosalyn asked in a worried tone. She was a novice, but even she knew this was really pushing things, especially in regards to how he usually behaved.

"I believe this is me becoming more proactive. It appears everyone is taking me too lightly so I need to have some semblance of control if I wish to face my ancestors…" Kazuha whispered under his breath as Keqing stared at the board in contemplation before sitting down.

"What's your purpose in life, Kazuha?" She asked, making her first move.

"I'm a simple man. I wish to live my life as freely as possible, enjoying what the world has to offer before one day getting married and having a child to leave my legacy with." He answered, taking his own time to move his own piece.

"Wait. Then who is Sayu…?" Keqing looked up with a look of surprise momentarily before Kazuha held his hand up.

"I was simply tasked with being her teacher. She's staying with me until we return back to Inazuma. For the time being, I am her sensei. You didn't give me a chance to explain that back there."

"Ah… apologies." Keqing blushed heavily, realizing she had made many assumptions, before regaining her composure and making her own move. "Is that perhaps why you're in the Crux Fleet? Are you perhaps interested in Captain Beidou?"

"She's merely a dear companion of mine. While she has many qualities I desire, I don't believe it's right for me to pursue her if she has no interest, so we are merely good friends." Kazuha answered without missing a beat, having been asked this question many times by others.

"I see…"

The two continued their small talk as the game went on deeper into the night.

"Check." Kazuha spoke up, getting a confused look from Keqing.

"?! That's his queen… What an idiotic move! He did that just to get castling?" She thought in her head. "What's his plan…?!"

"No bishop and a pawn. Now you've lost your queen too. Are you that confident or are you hoping to get lucky?" She asked with a sigh, feeling as if she gave him too much credit.

"I believe i'm already lucky enough as is, being invited here to play a game alone with the Yuheng herself." Kazuha smiled brightly, getting a scoff from her as she took his queen.

"Check." Kazuha said again, moving his knight into position to take the king.

"He plays without hesitation. I'll move my king to front and escape… Wait, but if I do that…!" Keqing's eyes widened as she noticed what had happened.

"I don't think about what i've lost already in the past, because that's only a part of a larger process. Once you make it out of things alive by going beyond and above your means…. There's still a chance for you to win. After all, a winner's a winner as long as he captures the king." Kazuha gave a slight monologue as he recalled everything he had lost since the fall of his clan all the way to his clash with the leader of his country. "Checkmate."

"He… sacrificed his queen to ultimately have me lure my king to his side and finish the game…!" Keqing was rather shocked to witness her loss, before she looked up at him with some mild admiration.

"Kazuha. I heard that Inazuma was in a civil war. The traveler mentioned a near death experience where she would have surely died, but thankfully a friend was able to prevent that, albeit barely escaping death himself…" She recollected the Traveler who was here three days ago who was visiting to complete some commissions. "I thought it was somewhat reckless for someone to try and defend against a god and now he's here in front of me ready to fight another. Do you think you can walk on such a tightrope with such a carefree attitude? If you slip once, you'll die."

Kazuha didn't respond immediately as he maintained an almost cheshire like grin while the two watched each other from across the table.

"Of course, because it looks like I'll have to control the strings of my own fate."

Snippets of the Past

"General Kujou! The skeleton of Orobashi is moving! We have to escape! The resistance is pulling out their trump card!" A soldier cried out to her.

He wanted to run away in the face of such a massive behemoth that so utterly dwarfed them that it was comical to think that they could face it, but there loyalties as soldiers of the Shogunate prevented them from doing so as they looked to their leader for guidance.

It wasn't supposed to be this way…

It was the final push from the Shogunate to finally break through the resistance. She had met the enemy General on the battlefield and after an intense battle between two excellent long range archers, she had managed to finally pierce his heart, causing the enemy army to immediately scatter.

She was somewhat saddened from having to end such a respectable warrior, but this was war and such things were not something she had the privilege to dwell on.

She ordered all her troops to continue moving forward, ready to capture or kill all enemies that stood in their way to claim victory for the Raiden Shogun, but only a few hours of marching in and they found themselves at a loss for words.

The ground began to rumble as if something massive was coming towards them, but they couldn't tell what.

All of a sudden there were cries everywhere as a massive silhouette engulfed them, crashing into her army and immediately extinguishing any lives that were unfortunate to get caught underneath it.

Orobashi no Mikoto, the Watatsumi Omikami, an opponent from the era of the Raiden Shogun in her prime years, now revived as an empty skeleton that now crushed any that opposed it.

"The priestess kept something like this a secret…?" It was unfeasibly. Tampering with the corpse of those long passed was a taboo and for the priestess of the once god to do it herself…? This was blasphemous to think of!

Sara gnawed her bottom lip in anger as she stared up at the towering affront to the Archons.

"To think they would resort to something so outrageous as defiling the dead…! Troops! Retreat! This is not something we can handle without the aid of Her Excellency!" She yelled as loudly as possible, her voice carrying with it a loud crack of lightning as her vision glowed brightly.

This drew the attention of the undead snake god as it turned towards her, seemingly drawn by the light of her vision.

"Makoto…" A deep and guttural growl emanated from it, but Sara didn't have an inkling of what it wanted, she however noticed that the massive snake was now going directly towards her.

"Tch…" She immediately unfurled her wings and flew high up, confirming her suspicion as Orobashi immediately tried to follow her up into the air.

She did her best to stay close enough to draw the snakes attention as her army retreated, giving them time to make it back safely. She couldn't completely fly away from the reanimated creature as it would likely then target those within it's reach, so Sara had to act as bait to draw its attention for as long as possible before making her own escape.

It was a dangerous game of tag as she maneuvered her way around the jaws of what was once a god until she could confirm that the remainder of her army had made it out safely.

She prepared to make her own retreat, before the unthinkable happened.

The world suddenly became brighter as she felt her entire body become wracked with pain in an instant.

"?!" What had happened?

In her focus to keep the attention of the once deceased Orobashi, she had completely neglected to avoid the other aspect of Orobashi: the lingering resentment he had in the form of the endless downpour and crashing thunder everywhere.

As she fell, she couldn't help but look towards the sky at the crackling thunder.

Beneath her was the snake with his maw wide open, ready to consume her and up above was the symbol of power she had always followed ever since she had regained her vision.

It was irony in a twisted sense that this was how she died, but she couldn't help but smile somberly about something else in regards to the fact that she was dying.

"Don't you dare die on the battlefield, Kujou Tengu! You still owe me a duel!"

Her eyes closed as she couldn't help but feel regretful.

"It seems like you win this one, you idiotic oni…" were her last thoughts as the entire world became dark.

An update right after the last? What?

Yes, because This was supposed to be a part of the last one, but it was too chunky so I had to split them so it didn't feel too bloated.

You guys don't know how many rewrites and surgeries I go through with these things and it always ends up feeling like it's lacking in the end.

Oh well. I hope you enjoy some progress because my main issue with Kazuha was always trying to have a reason for him to become less passive.

Tell me how you think and join the discord to talk to me in a more freeflowing way. I'm lonely.

Other then that, I hope you all enjoyed.

Arrivederci.