Chapter 3: The Miko of the Narukami Shrine
The next morning, Cloud was waking up from his deep sleep. A warm breeze billowed in his room. He yawned and got himself ready for the day.
'A pleasant day… No rain for today it seems.' He thought, looking at the sky.
He got himself dressed in his clothes, ready for further tasks to do. Before departing, Raiden soon showed up.
"Cloud-san, I have a request for you to fulfill. Consider it a favor that I'll repay." She said.
"Very well, Lady Shogun. What is your request?" Cloud asked.
"I need you to go to the Grand Narukami shrine. It's located on Mt. Yougou." Raiden said.
She pointed towards a mountain up north. Cloud can barely see the mountain in detail due to the distance, but he could make out a large sakura tree growing at the peak.
"The shrine's located at the peak…near that sakura tree." Cloud deduced without asking.
"Yes. But that tree is no ordinary sakura tree. It's known as a Thunder Sakura, a tree blessed with the essence of Electro." Raiden explained.
"A Thunder Sakura? I've seen sakura trees before, but nothing of what you mentioned." Cloud admitted with surprise.
"Be warned that the shrine doesn't rely on a conventional path. You'll need an electrogranum, a collection of spirits whom are laced with Electro powers. They can be found from the various boughs of the Thunder Sakura. They look like this." Raiden continued, showing an image of a Thunder Sakura Bough.
Cloud memorized the image, remembering how they look. In appearance from a picture depicting them, they look like small wooden sprouts with few sakura plants growing on it. A curious shape was floating above it.
'This world has lots of interesting stuff to see. Maybe this might be better than my adventures in Gaia.' He mused in thought.
"Thank you for the tips to guide my way across. I'll go visit the shrine right away." Cloud spoke to Raiden.
"Wait, Cloud-san. I need to mention the person whom requested you to come over." Raiden quickly spoke.
This made Cloud stop quickly. He kept his attention to her, awaiting a name to be mentioned.
"The person in question is someone whom I know. She goes by the name Miko Yae. Ask the mikos up at the shrine for her presence. They will respond." Raiden said.
######
Having got all the details, Cloud had to use the teleport wave point at Konda Village. It made his travel to his next destination easier.
'I'm lucky to have found this teleport wave point. Otherwise, the travel could get exhausting.' He thought.
Looking north, he found the mountain which had a shrine built. He was able to see it from where he is.
'That must be the Grand Narukami Shrine. I need to find a way to get up the mountain. Raiden Shogun told me to search for the boughs that bore electrograna.' Cloud remembered.
Making his way on foot to the mountain, he followed the path leading to Mt. Yougou. The trip was proving to be calming for Cloud as he made his way across. It helped keep his mind distracted while the wind billowed at his face.
######
After some time, Cloud found himself back in the Chinju Forest. The ever glowing plants that were found there made it easy for him to identify his location.
'The map may not be as descriptive as a normal map since it feels like I'm looking at a bird's eye view of the nation. However, it does show a path leading up the mountain. If I can trace it around the Chinju Forest, I might find my way to the peak.' He thought.
Walking his way through the forest, Cloud ignored the various tanuki that were dancing and playing tricks. He didn't want to be distracted, though the creatures did perked his curiosity.
'I'll worry about those tanuki later. I have business to conduct at the shrine.' He reminded in thought.
Following an east bound path, it was leading Cloud higher up the mountain. Soon, he stumbled upon a strange growth from the ground. It was a recognizable branch with several pink petals with a strange floating item.
'A Thunder Sakura Bough… This must be what I need to find my way up.' Cloud thought.
Touching the bough, a strange object soon floated near him. It looked smooth in appearance, bearing a faint resemblance of a flower in the process of blooming. Cloud could feel a strange electrical sensation akin to tingling from the object encircling him.
'This must be the electrogranum. I can feel the Electro power from it.' He thought.
Soon, strange objects appeared in the air. Cloud felt a sense of displacement as though he was being drawn to it. He could compare the feeling to magnets. Adding to his observation, he noticed a strange thin line of electricity flowing from his body to the nearest object in the air.
'What are these objects? They look like crystals, but I feel as though my body is about to leap forward at them.' Cloud thought.
By instinct, Cloud felt the electrogranum react to his subconscious wish to move forward to the crystal. Soon, he was suddenly turned into a lightning bolt, blitzing through the air. It happened so suddenly, he didn't had time to process where he was heading. This momentarily stunned him in surprise, having no preparation or experience of what he did.
'Whoa… That was fast… Not to mention useful.' He thought with surprise.
Cloud noticed he reached up to a nearby cliff. He could see a stairwell leading up to the peak of the mountain.
'I may have to ask more info about this phenomenon. Perhaps the mikos know about it. Otherwise I may have to ask Raiden Shogun.' Cloud thought.
Soon, he discovered a curtain of tree roots forming a natural ladder. Grabbing on to the roots, he climbed up to a nearby cliff. A Thunder Sakura Brough was near.
"Here we go again…" He said, preparing for the sensation.
Using the electrogranum, he blitzed in the air like a lightning bolt. He soon landed on a nearby cliff with a stairwell.
######
The walkway to the peak was almost tiring, but Cloud didn't complain. It made him recall his time in Gaia climbing over 50 stories of stairs. This made him briefly snort, recalling a comrade complaining about the stairs.
'Barrett would be complaining about these stairs… Hope he's doing okay, along with the others.' Cloud thought, restraining his laughter.
The stairway to the peak was illuminated with several torii gates. They were forming a tunnel leading to the top.
'This is going to be a welcoming sight… I can tell due to these gates.' Cloud thought.
(Play Genshin Impact OST - Thoughts of Lightning)
Upon reaching the top, Cloud soon looked at the very sight in front of him. Beyond the final torii gate, a large shrine was shown. The shrine was huge, easily being mistaken for an Inazuman mansion. Several ropes with sacred sutras were seen hanging from the various sections of the canopy windows. It looked serene as the wind blew calmly. Cloud could see he was in a high elevation, though he had experience climbing mountains.
'So this is the Grand Narukami Shrine. In comparison to the city, this place feels peaceful. I can also sense an electrical force surrounding this place.' Cloud noted.
Feeling the pull from the ambient electricity, Cloud soon walked through the torii gate. A miko was seen near the wooden entrance. She was wearing the standard miko uniform consisting of a white kosobe, red hakama, white tabi socks, and okobo sandals with red straps. Her hair was brown and was tied in a high ponytail, leaving her bangs free.
"Hello, traveler. Welcome to the Grand Narukami Shrine." The miko said.
Cloud bowed respectfully to the miko in question. The sensation from the area around him was still tugging his mind.
"I see that you can feel the aura from this place, traveler. Do not be alarmed, for it is due to the Sacred Thunder Sakura tree that is causing such a pristine feeling." The miko said.
"Forgive me of my silence. It is as you described. The air here is so serene." Cloud apologized.
"Do not fret. Many travelers from around Inazuma and beyond often note of the aura here. What brings you here to the shrine?" The miko questioned.
"I'm here by request of Lady Shogun to meet with a person named Miko Yae." Cloud answered.
"M-Miko Yae? This must be important if Lady Shogun herself requested you to do so. Where are my manners? I'm Inagi Hotomi." The miko named Hotomi said.
"I'm Cloud." Cloud followed.
Hotomi led Cloud across the shrine. Looking around the area, he could feel the sensation growing stronger as he went around the shrine. Soon, upon his sight, a large tree was shown. It was indeed a sakura tree, but it had an ethereal glow at its base. The glow was a bright, cobalt blue color. The shape of the tree looked like a fox, complete with glowing eyes.
"Is that the Sacred Sakura? I can feel the aura of this place coming from that tree." Cloud questioned.
"Yes. That's the Sacred Sakura and the largest Thunder Sakura in Inazuma. We mikos are in charge of taking care of this shrine and tree for centuries. Even as years pass, the tradition remains to this day." Hotomi answered.
For reasons unknown to Cloud, he felt a sense of peace near the tree. It wasn't the same as the wind, but it wasn't invasive. Several flower petals from the tree fluttered in the air. One landed on Cloud's left shoulder. It was a heart shaped petal.
'This place is so serene… I never felt such a calm sensation from any place back in Gaia.' He thought.
Cloud was still looking at the Thunder Sakura in front of him. The tree to him was almost hypnotic, leaving him staring at it for a while. Due to his lack of attention, a miko soon made her presence known.
"Is there something I can help you with?" The miko asked.
Cloud turned to the owner of the voice. She had purple eyes with long, muted, pink hair tied at the bottom. Her outfit consists of a unique and stylized variation of clothing inspired by the colors of a shrine priestess's traditional outfit. She wears a golden head accessory accompanied by matching golden earrings. The right earring contains an Electro Inazuman Vision wrapped in a complex drop-shaped piece and decorated by a small fan-shaped accessory at the bottom. Her left earring is designed to mimic the right earring, with minor differences in the Vision portion. The earrings are attached to her ears by diamond-shaped studs.
"Yes. I was called here to look for a person named Miko Yae." Cloud answered.
"Me? Oh my. Who could be the one to request you for my presence?" The miko named Yae asked in a polite tone.
"I'm Cloud Strife. I was requested by Lady Shogun to see you for a meeting." Cloud responded.
"So Ei sent you to meet me. I'm truly surprised of my dear friend acting like this." Yae said, giggling with her right hand near her lips.
"You know of Lady Shogun?" Cloud asked in surprise.
"Why yes. I've known her for a long time. It has been centuries since we've known each other." Yae answered.
"Of course. Lady Shogun is a god-like person. It's no wonder she would live for such a long time. That would mean you're not human yourself." Cloud deduced.
"My, aren't we a smart one? What led to that conclusion?" Yae asked mischievously.
"You mentioned knowing her for centuries. A human normally doesn't have a lifespan to live over 100 years. Very few could reach at least 110 to 130, but never over 200. Plus, I could see a pair of ears that are not human on you." Cloud pointed out.
"My my… Aren't we with a sharp sight? Perhaps you have been looking at me with such a sultry mind?" Yae teased.
"Though I wouldn't want to continue with the teasing, I'm only here for a meeting. Lady Shogun told me to come here." Cloud said, dismissing Yae's teasing.
"Oh my. You're quite a focused person. I can see you wish to finish your task." Yae said, holding her sultry tone.
'Is this woman trying to act this way to get under my guard? I won't be swayed that easily.' Cloud thought.
"Since you've arrived here, I'll sent a message to Ei. She will come by to explain herself. The message may take some time so come inside the shrine." Yae said.
(Thoughts of Lightning OST ends here)
######
(Play Final Fantasy VII OST - It's hard to stand on both feet!)
Inside the temple, Cloud was sitting at a large guest room. He left his boots at the entrance, respecting the customs of the land.
"Oh my. So you know of the customs from Inazuma, despite being an adventurer. Not many would practice the common practices of our everyday lives." Yae said.
"You really like to entertain yourself, don't you?" Cloud asked bluntly with a poker face.
Yae giggled, seeing his expression. Cloud kept his poker face while she laughed.
"Quite blunt, but yes. I do enjoy teasing others, especially when they are seeking the truth." Yae answered.
Cloud kept his emotions at bay. However a stray thought snaked into his mind, finding Yae's teasing to be pushing his buttons.
''Sly as a fox' they used to say. How long will this keep going?' He thought.
Soon, Yae decided to mess around with Cloud. She soon tapped her laps in response.
"Please come over here, Strife-san." She requested.
"You can call me Cloud. Though why are you requesting me to rest in your laps?" Cloud questioned.
Yae procured what appeared to be an ear pick. Cloud knew what she was planning and felt nervous.
"A mimikaki? My ears are fine." He said.
Yae wasted no time and literally dragged Cloud's head on to her laps. She was soon using the ear pick on his left ear. The sensation was indescribable to Cloud as he had to suppress his voice.
'W-what is with this woman? Her usage of the mimikaki is almost otherworldly. I can barely hold my voice back due to how comforting this feels…!' Cloud thought in a panic.
Yae could see Cloud was struggling to hold himself back. Giggling from his predicament, she finally stopped cleaning his left ear. The swordsman was briefly panting and sporting a blush on his face.
"Teaser…" Cloud spoke, holding his poker face.
Yae didn't stop for she wasn't done. She flipped Cloud to clean his right ear. The moment the ear pick began doing its work, the swordsman could barely hold his voice back.
'It's…It's too much… Can't hold back…' He thought.
Cloud soon voiced a cry of pleasure before passing out from the sensation. He was too exhausted to stay awake and fell in a nap.
(It's hard to stand on both feet! OST ends here)
######
(Final Fantasy VII Remake OST - Flowers blooming in the church)
After some time, Cloud was waking from his sudden nap. He looked around, only to notice he was on Yae Miko's lap. She held a giggle, watching Cloud wake from his sleep inducement.
"Excuse me for my sudden fatigue." Cloud spoke suddenly, bowing in apology.
"Ufufu… Please calm yourself, Cloud. It wasn't intruding since I was the one cleaning your ears. The sensation must have been so serene that you fell asleep." Yae giggled.
Cloud looked down on the ground, trying to find interest to hide his blushing. Yae took notice and held her left hand near her mouth to hide her giggling.
"So, the cold swordsman does have a soft spot, but refuses to show it. I find it rather cute to see." Yae teased.
"Spare me, would you?" Cloud frowned.
Yae could only laugh in response as Cloud tried to fight the blushing. Red was still dusting his cheeks in response.
"Let's…get this meeting underway. I didn't come here to get teased." Cloud sighed.
"Back to business, I see. In any case, my friend should show up soon." Yae said.
Soon, a familiar eye pattern appeared. Raiden appeared from within, catching Cloud's and Yae's attention.
"Yae, I was requested to come here." Raiden said.
"Pleasure to see you again, Ei." Yae said.
"Yae! Don't casually speak my name with someone whom I don't know yet!" Raiden said, looking embarrassed.
"Don't feel so shy about it. It's been a long time since we last seen each other. It will not be a problem to mention your name to others, especially for this gentleman." Yae teased.
"You never change, even after all these years." Raiden pouted.
"I can be at times, since you know me so well. Plus, I'm rather jealous that you found a cute traveler." Yae continued.
Cloud could only give a poker face in response. He stayed silent as he watched Raiden and Yae talking like he was a prize to them.
'Am I some kind of trophy to them…? I didn't arrive in this world to be treated like this.' He thought.
Soon, Yae decided to further tease Raiden by forcing Cloud on her lap once again. This irked Raiden in response.
"What are you doing!?" She exclaimed.
"Don't you want to do the same thing?" Yae questioned.
Raiden remained silent, but her face showed a different response. She was blushing red in a shy manner. Her pride prevented any answer from escaping her lips.
'Mou… Why is she trying to tease me by acting this way? I don't have any thoughts of Cloud… Yet for some reason, it tugs me in my heart if he's being taken like this.' She thought.
Cloud was forced to dismantle himself from Yae. He didn't want to stay too long on her lap out of embarrassment. The miko was laughing as she could see both were having a blush on their faces.
"Can we just go back to the meeting at hand? And Yae, no teasing." Cloud said.
Raiden didn't realize it, but a sigh of relief soon came to her.
(Flowers blooming in the church OST ends here)
"Now then. This meeting is regarding about you, Cloud. Your Vision is quite the oddity among all the Visions I've seen." Raiden said.
"Yes, it showed an image of the future. I did not know what it was, but I could tell it was significant enough for Lady Shogun to investigate her kingdom." Cloud said.
"Oh? Addressing her as Lady Shogun? Why not refer to her name?" Yae teased.
"No teasing." Raiden said, holding a paper fan.
"No need for the fan, Ei." Yae giggled nervously.
"In any case, that's the significance. Your arrival here in Inazuma has triggered events of which we need to revise. The constant affairs of the new laws implemented have been concerning." Raiden said.
"I have to agree as well. The Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees have been proving to be detrimental for Inazuma's existence. Has the foresight from Cloud's Vision really moved you this much, Ei?" Yae asked in a serious tone.
"I'm afraid so. It is a serious matter to address. This will be why I'm investigating both decrees. If found with sufficient evidence, I can have them abolished. It also means to throw away the new 'guests' that arrived last year." Raiden spoke.
"The Fatui… Those guys are an issue…" Yae spoke, showing a frown on her face.
'The same group… They seem to act like a group with divisions. Whatever their plan is, I won't buy it. Something about them and the cases of these mimic Visions seems to correlate each other.' Cloud thought.
Raiden and Yae looked at Cloud, whom was showing a serious, thoughtful expression. Both could tell he was thinking about the group, but do not know what he thought of them.
"It seems likely, but this group, the Fatui, may have divisions." Cloud spoke.
"Divisions? Like different groups?" Raiden asked with surprise.
"I'm not surprised if they do have divisions. Teyvat is a large continent so they may split within the seven regions. Inazuma is one example, since we're seeing strange events happening. I wouldn't be surprised if they're in the other regions outside of Inazuma." Cloud explained.
"It would seem that your theory is correct, Cloud… The members of the Tri-Commission have reported general figures of the Fatui arriving here in Inazuma. Whatever they're seeking, it is beyond my jurisdiction for the harm they've caused. I fear they may be after the power source within Tatarasuna…" Raiden said, hinting a tone of concern.
"Tatarasuna? I don't think I've seen that region of Inazuma yet." Cloud spoke with curiosity.
"That region was once used as a weapons production facility due to the technology development. A large blast furnace was built there, which helped with the productions of Jade Stones needed for weapon smelting. However, because of the war, I was forced to seal it off." Raiden explained.
"It's likely the Fatui may have breached the seal to find the resources there. I have a hunch they could be at the area at this very moment." Cloud dreaded.
"I fear you may be right, Cloud-san. I may wield power of the Electro element. The problem is, this barrier is not easy to dispel, even for me or Yae. To help overcome the barrier should Tatarasuna be compromised, I had my soldiers built Electro cannons. They have enough power to breach the barrier." Raiden followed.
"Okay then. We got a plan to dispel the barrier then. How does the cannon work?" Cloud asked.
"You need to infuse the cannon with Electro for it to work. After that, it will be operable. The cannons are strategically built near Thunder Sakura Broughs, making it easy to activate." Raiden explained.
"Alright then. So the plan is to infuse the cannons with Electro to have them shoot the barrier down. We can't shoot indiscriminately in it, can we?" Cloud asked.
"You're very astute for an adventuring person. In any case, the barrier has weak spots, which you can shoot at to disable it. Since the cannons are also built with the weak spots in sight, it shouldn't be an issue finding them." Yae explained.
"Alright. We got a plan to move forward. One last question though. Since Inazuma is the realm of Electro, will I encounter anything that is like an anomaly?" Cloud questioned.
"I'll answer that. Yes, there are anomalies around some parts of Inazuma. Two in particular are of immediate concern. One is called Balethunder, in which the climate is filled with damaging Electro. Standing in such a region without an electrogranum for a long time will kill the victim. There's also another called Electro-water. Unlike a simple current of Lightning channeled in water, this anomaly has constant Electro energy coursing in a body of water. Do not fall into any bodies of water that are glowing with Electro. Victims of this anomaly, even Electro Vision bearers have suffered quick deaths when immersed in those waters." Raiden explained.
"This will be challenging, I can tell. Since you two have given advice on how to navigate and avoid these anomalies in question, I'll put that into good use. The map that Lady Shogun gave me should provide some details about the region in heading to." Cloud said.
Cloud unfurled his map. The region known as Kannazuka appeared.
"Kannazuka… So that's where I need to go." He said.
"Yes… 'The hill where no gods reside…' It's still in neutral territory since the forces from Watatsumi Island have been constantly trying to reach the furnace. My forces in turn try to keep them back, resulting in our stalemate. Neither mine nor Watatsumi's forces have been successful in claiming the region. Be careful out there, Cloud-san." Raiden spoke with concern.
"Oh? I didn't help but notice you seem to care for our new arrival so much. Is he that important to you?" Yae questioned in a teasing tone.
Raiden could only blush in response. Cloud, oblivious, shrugged his shoulders in confusion.
'I hope this doesn't become a common occurrence when Yae shows up. I doubt, even with my stoic expression, that I would resist her teasing.' He thought.
######
The meeting ended without much of an issue. Cloud was pouting, having dealt with enough of Yae's teasing with Raiden. He sighed as he sat near the porch of the shrine, calming his mind. His arms were crossed.
'Never thought I would meet someone who would not only go through my mental blocks, but also tease me like a kid… I was least expecting that, but it matters little.' He thought.
Raiden soon came to Cloud. She could see he was still pouting, evident by the blush on his face. This made her giggle silently, not alerting him. She soon sat down near him.
"I apologize for my friend's teasing. She tends to speak with her mind loose." Raiden said.
"It's of no concern. Though I was surprised of her personality. Not very fitting for a miko for that matter." Cloud noted.
Raiden soon giggled, getting Cloud's attention. He tilted his head in response.
"My friend has been like this for centuries. She may be wise, but it never stops her sense of humor. Even if people attempt to understand her, she often misleads them with a different act or personality just for laughs." Raiden explained.
"As the phrase goes, 'sly like a fox.' Somehow, I had to voice that out, since she feels like a fox." Cloud spoke.
Raiden laughed in response. She found Cloud's commentary description of Yae amusing.
"She is actually a fox spirit, called kitsune. This land was once under guardianship by a nine tailed fox. Yae is a descendant of the same fox spirit whom guarded this land." Raiden said.
"That would explain the subconscious feeling. Nevertheless, it was rather surprising, if not, embarrassing." Cloud noted.
"A lot of guests often report that when first meeting Yae. She may be a teasing person like an older sister in figure, but she means well." Raiden reassured.
"That's nice to hear… In any case, how will I reach Kannazuka? The island is off the shores of Narukami." Cloud asked.
"I have prepared a boat to help get you there. It will take you to the Kujou Encampment. I'll have Sara-san direct you to the camp, where she'll provide a pass with her signature on it to ensure you can leave the premises. Be warned that outside the encampment, a war is going on. Not even the rogue samurai or bandits will be the only encountered enemies you'll face there. Watch out for Watatsumi forces. My forces have a red sash while those from Watatsumi have a blue sash." Raiden explained.
"I'll be careful." Cloud spoke.
"You may have to go to the port city of Ritou. Sara-san will escort you to the boat, where she can lead you to the encampment. Since you have the Travel Pass, you won't be hindered by the Tenryou Commission members. It contains my signature so my forces won't cause trouble to you." Raiden spoke.
Cloud nodded in response. Though he was doing a mission, it gave a sense of respite from his past memories. Raiden herself found Cloud's presence to be welcoming. She felt the need to be close to him.