And now, the predictable reaction that will happen in chapter 2 of this story. Whether you predict what happens in between, that's another story. Here you go.
I looked at all sides as the fighters who once fought alongside me now pointed blades at me. Their faces were all with hatred and anger, which made me almost shrink back.
"Moriguchi? Hiroyuki? Ooizumi?" There were many other soldiers I didn't recognize, but as I turned towards a circle of spears, they all looked at me with disdain as they drove spears closer and enclosed me entirely.
"We might have stayed silent, but that doesn't mean what the Shogunate has done to us has been forgotten." Ooizumi looked up at me, as he seemingly held command of the army and was the one who mentioned my arrest. "Aether, even you have warmed up to the Shogunate. We've seen you going around stalls, eating with her as if she didn't cause travesties to this place, your comrades, for years!" I could see the rage in his eyes: it was blinding, yet it was all I could see from around the places. "I couldn't do anything because you were guarded in one way or another by the Shogunate. But now, I wish nothing more than to see you befall the same fate my comrades had faced thanks to her."
"Wait, Moriguchi! Why are you going along with this?! You've got your wife waiting for you at home!" I looked at him, hiding behind the rest of the crowd surrounding me.
"I have her… but I can't stand to see you act like she did nothing to us… not now. She harmed us commoners too, and you acted like she was all friendly…" He was angry, but I could see the sorrow in his eyes.
"I couldn't relax, as people collectively forgot what the Shogunate had done to us. I couldn't…" Hiroyuki lowered his eyes as he pushed his spear to touch my stomach. I felt like I had the edge of spears at all points of my body as they surrounded me in broad daylight.
I closed my eyes, trying to calm down and observe as I heard Ooizumi's decree, "If you come with us, no harm will come to you or anyone else you care about," He spat out a lie. He couldn't take his frustration or anger out on Ei, so he decided that he would take me down first or torture me till he and the rest of the soldiers got the satisfaction. None of them had visions, from what my elemental sight could show. None of them had any sort of power.
"I don't want to hurt you all… Please, don't make me." I swallowed, as I felt power welling up inside me.
"Huh? You're looking down at us, just because you're a vision user?!" One of the soldiers jeered, and I felt blood falling from my chest.
"No. Because I'm stronger than when I was."
Without drawing my blade, I felt the Anemo on my fingertips as I sliced through all of the spears, having the spear tips fall to the floor. Then Zhongli's power, Planet Befall, I delivered to freeze them in place before I landed many of my hits to their chests and legs, knocking them out.
In 4 seconds, all of them were knocked out, save for Ooizumi. He was on his back.
"You were one of us. But now… you're our enemy." I saw him back away, as he looked at me.
"Huh?" This time, I pulled out my blade.
"Who knew that Aether was a traitor, pulling a blade at his soldiers? Kokomi will know what you've done, pulling blades at me. She'll know you for the traitor you are!"
He was spurting out, but with that sneer that made him insufferable to look at. I remembered his words all back then, about how he'd get back at her. I guess it was me who was in the middle.
I just ran, ignoring his yelling at me, using Anemo to fly past everyone in Ritou. The wind passed me, and even a few tears left my eyes, as I fled Ritou, feeling like all of the eyes had been laid on me as I passed. I passed the Commission, seeing red as I ran.
I ran and ran and ran, till I got to the first place I thought I could trust. The ponds surrounding the red gated island that was in the center of the Commission, and the peaceful swaying of the bonsai trees that surrounded the island. I went past the island, and straight to the door to knock. I breathed in heavily, as I walked back from the door.
"Just a minute, I'm coming!" I heard a familiar voice come to me, and then the sliding of the door as I finally locked my eyes on the Blue haired, silver blue eyed girl that held both respect and concern for me at that moment.
"Traveler?"
I smiled, despite myself, at her, and she looked confused as she looked at me.
"Ayaka, I need your help."
Sorry, short chapter. But yeah, again, this is a set up, and the sex will be the next chapter. I've mostly solidified an order as of now, so it'll be set up like it. Anyways, Aether is on his way to run through Inazuma, but this will be his first stop.