AN: I'm putting this here because I foresee that in the future, there will be some readers screaming into the review section that NO THIS IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED IN CANON YOU GOT YOUR FACTS WRONG like come on dude(s), look at the publish date. It's before Shogun was officially released in game and before any of us have any idea of her past and where a lot of Inazuma's history is currently either vague or ambiguous at best. Just chill and treat it as an AU, if that helps. Nobody is putting a knife on your neck and forcing you to read this anyway, right?

In any case, I hope you enjoy the story.

"He will be your servant from today onwards."

It was with furrowed eyebrows that she looked at the boy soon to be a man in front of her. He couldn't be much older than her. She asked for a capable person to be her servant from her father who couldn't be bothered to give a rat's ass about her, but she didn't expect him to be so uncaring to this extent.

She observed the person in front of her out of habit. Black hair and eyes with black pupils, he looks simply… ordinary.

And incapable.

"Greetings, milady, I am Kyosuke, or just call me Kyo. I will be serving you starting from today," The man with features as common as any Inazuman greeted with a cheery smile on his face, a stark contrast from the usual gloom and doom in her large family. It doesn't matter, he will soon learn that there is nothing worth smiling about in this place.

Her gaze wandered to the sword attached to his hip, a plain looking sword that she could have easily mistook as any other sword her family's soldiers are using. So this is the servant her father had given her?

What a waste of time.

"Don't slow me down," She replied with a bit more bite than she usually has before turning around and walking back to the training grounds. There is a war raging on and she is not planning to die a dog's death anytime soon.

She picked the naginata specifically made for her as she went through her katas, striking fast and hitting hard like she was taught to. Her new servant watched on from the side, not like she paid any attention to him in the first place.

He's not worth her time.

"Milady? I'm not sure if you realised, but there's a bit of a problem with the way you fight. A teeny weeny bit."

"I didn't give you permission to speak," She cast a glare so cold that it would have frozen the raging seas of Inazuma if she had a Cryo Vision. She could stand for many things, but insulting her strength and pride are not one of them.

"I'm afraid I have to, because the way I see it, you are cultivating bad habits that might cost you your life on the battlefield," He continued as though he hadn't heard her and she contemplated if she should just split his head with her naginata, and the rational part of her dismiss that idea because to kill the servant on the very same day that her father gifted her would probably be seen as rude.

Still, his words had caught her attention.

Without warning, she struck at her new servant, curious to know just what about him had caught her father's attention to assign him to her. He did insult her strength, so it's reasonable that she will retaliate to protect her honour, and if he died doing so…

Her father probably wouldn't be too angry that she killed his gift within the first hour of their meeting. Probably.

She didn't exactly know what happened next. Everything happened too fast for her eyes to pick up and the only thing she knew was that she felt her weapon being deflected with such force that she lost her grip on it. The next thing she knew, she was now lying with her back on the ground, a wooden stick pointing at her neck and the smiling face of her new servant beaming down at her and the sight of it infuriated her to no end.

"See? There are fatal openings in your katas, milady."

She opened her mouth to retort, only to clamp it shut because the fact that he won explained it all. She accepted the hand offered out to her with grace that she was taught the moment she was old enough to learn as a lady of noble birth as her new servant helped her stand back up on her feet.

"You are more capable than you look."

"I tend to have that effect on people," Her new servant let out a jovial laugh at her words. "But then again, I would have been a laughing stock if I lost to a ten year old little girl. I couldn't lose face now, could I?"

"...Eight."

"What?"

"I'm eight," She reiterated. "If you are going to be serving me, at least get my age right."

"Holy-" He let out a shocked gasp and she contemplated once more if it would be a good idea to just strangle him and be done with it, only to be reminded that there's no way that she could defeat him right now. "They are sending you out to fight in the war?! At eight?!"

"I am a member of the Kamino Clan. It's expected of us to fight."

"But you are eight."

She glared at him with as much contempt she could muster. She may be young, but she is by no means weak if that is what he is insinuating.

The weak have no place in the Kamino Clan. Death is the only fate awaiting the powerless and she is not going to die.

"Alright, alright, no need to glare at me like that," He raised his hands up in a gesture of surrender when he spotted her glare. "If you want, I can help you to perfect your fighting style, how about that?"

She wordlessly picked up her naginata once more and looked back at him expectantly. He annoys her with his mere presence alone, but she can admit that he is at least competent in the art of combat.

"Mei."

"Hm?"

"My name is Kamino Mei. I'm just making sure that a dunderhead like you knows the name of the master that you are supposed to serve. If you could get my age wrong, who knows what else you could get wrong."

The infuriatingly annoying man smiled back at her before giving her a formal bow and for once, she didn't find his smile as annoying as usual.

"Kyosuke, at your service."

She only managed to drag her body back to her room with sheer willpower alone. It hurts all over, she's bleeding and sporting bruises all over but she forbids herself from showing any form of weakness. The weak have no place in the Kamino Clan.

Women should just stay in the kitchen. Women should just stay home and have children. Women are weak. She heard that many times from her brothers but hearing them using those words to mock her hurts a lot more for reasons unknown.

She lost again in their spar. It's like no matter how much she trained she could never catch up to her older brothers, simply because she's born a woman, and that sparked a fury within her that she wants to unleash with no target to release upon.

She was about to reach and open the door to her room when she heard his voice. Oh great, of all people to see her in this pathetic state, it has to be him.

"Milady?"

"Go away," She rasped as she tried sliding the door open, only for her hands to fumble and fail because it hurts just to uncurl her fingers right now. She cursed within the confines of her mind, only to be rudely interrupted when she felt herself being picked up in a bridal carry and being carried into her room.

"Let me down," She ordered, even if she knew she was currently in no position to argue because she was about to drop dead on her feet.

"Who did this to you?" He asked instead. It's something that he will find out eventually since her brothers love to gloat, so she simply answered honestly.

"My brothers. As per father's instructions, we are to spar with each other every month to keep us on our toes. I've… never won. Not even once."

"He sure has a few screws loose in his head. Your brothers are like more than two times your age-"

She quickly covered his mouth with her hand and her eyes quickly darted around to scan their surroundings. They are in her room, the doors and windows are closed, there shouldn't be anyone nearby who heard them.

Okay, there are in the clear.

"Do you have a death wish?!" She hissed at him. "Don't even think about insulting father if you want your head to remain attached to your neck! What if somebody else heard you?!"

"I've only been here for two weeks, but I think I've seen enough to say that he's never been much of a father to you," He said in an uncharacteristically solemn voice as he gently lowered her down to let her sit on a wooden stool. He brought out a first-aid box as he gently began to clean her wounds and apply medicinal ointment on them. No words were exchanged as he helped her treat her injuries in the places that he could touch. She would have to get a female servant she trusts to help her with the bruises on her back later on.

"Do you like dogs?"

She looked up when she heard his unexpected question, and saw him pointing to a small clay doll of a shiba inu placed on her dresser. She gave a small imperceptible nod, this is probably the only "girly" thing in her otherwise bland room.

"I can get one for you if you like."

"Father does not permit us to have any pets," She informed him, remembering the time when she was five and asked for her father's permission to have a dog, only to be severely reprimanded instead.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I am a daughter of the Kamino Clan. We don't have time for pets."

"Well I know bullshit when I hear one and this is definitely it."

She cannot help but let out a laugh even when she tried her best not to.

"Don't let anyone else hear you say that."

"Of course, milady. This is our shared secret, aye?" He winked at her and somehow, her mood isn't as dark as before.

"How about I get a shiba inu for you?" He asked her with too much eagerness in his voice and she sighed.

"Don't be stupid."

He is stupid.

Her brain ceased functioning when she saw the little shiba inu puppy in her room, looking at her with expectant eyes and wagging tail. He looked just as expectant from where he was beside the puppy.

"It's cute, right? Milady? Helloooo, were you stumped by its cuteness as well?"

"I told you to not-"

"B-But it's a puppy!" He shoved the puppy into her arms as the little puppy began to excitedly lick her face with her trying her best to avoid it. "Look at it! Can you bear to say no?!"

"I'm not allowed to-" have pets in the estate, was what she was about to say, but the words died in her mouth before she could speak when she saw the puppy looking at her with those damningly adorable eyes.

She knew puppies were cute, but she didn't know that they were this cute.

"Fine, but we are not keeping it here. Have someone else raise it outside the estate," She relented in the end, knowing for certain that her father will slaughter the puppy if he ever caught wind of it just to set an example. He gave her a thumbs up.

"Already have it all planned out, milady. The place is nearby, we can go visit the puppy anytime you wish."

Maybe he's not that stupid after all.

She had worn armour before when practicing in the training grounds, but it never felt as heavy until today.

Today will be her first time participating in the war. They are representing their Electro Archon, the Shogun, in the war against Orobashi. Orobashi had for some unknown reason, ignored the boundaries and invaded Narukami, setting off a brutal war that has already been going on for a few years and will probably not end in at least another decade.

So many will die.

"I still think you are too young to be out there, but I cannot stop you, can I?"

"I am the young lady of the Kamino Clan, it is my responsibility, to the Shogun, the clan, and our people," She answered as he helped her into her armour with practiced ease. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and wondered if she should cut her long violet hair short. She liked her hair long, but it would probably get in her way in a fight.

"I can help you with this," As if sensing her thoughts, his hands took her long hair and began to braid them. "During my travels, I've seen female warriors doing this before going into battle. Don't worry, you will not be any less beautiful with this."

"I don't really care about that, all I need is strength," She replied but also cannot help but release a sigh, allowing him to braid her hair. Why is she going to war? Why are they even warring with each other?

"Kyo."

"Yes?"

"Why do people want to fight? Isn't war bad?"

"It can be for a multitude of reasons, really. For glory, fame, riches, or to protect what we have. The ones who instigate war usually are people who want something to change, be it for better or for worse, the ones who fight against it are usually those that are opposed to the change. It's a very generic outline of why humans always fight with each other, there can be other reasons too."

"So change is the precursor to war?"

"Hmm… I guess you can say that. When there is change there will always be people opposed to it, but change is inevitable; things will always change, it is the law of the world. How else will mankind improve without change? Contradictory, huh? Humans need to change to improve, but changes bring about opposition and opposition brings about war. It's a never ending cycle."

"So we will never have peace?"

"I never said that. Peace is definitely possible if people can finally put themselves in each other's shoes and understand each other, but we also cannot take peace for granted. You should understand it better than most, that we need strength to uphold peace too. Without the needed strength to protect it, the notion of peace is nothing but a joke. That's what we are doing now, isn't it? Protecting the peace of Narukami with our strength."

"Then… if there is somebody strong enough to never be defeated ruling over Inazuma, is it possible to achieve eternal peace?"

She saw through the reflection how his head shot up at her words in surprise.

"Eternal…?"

"Eternal," She affirmed. "Peace, for eternity. Like this, little girls who want to keep shiba puppies for pets can do so without the excuse of not being able to because they have to go to war. Peace through strength. The ruler should be strong, and the people weak, so they will never have the strength to oppose and bring about change. Like this, we can have peace, for eternity."

"That's… probably not a good idea."

"I don't see a problem with it. If the Shogun wasn't severely weakened after participating in the Archon War and is strong enough to simply strike Watatsumi with lightning and destroy Orobashi we wouldn't be fighting a war now, aren't we? If the Shogun is truly almighty Orobashi wouldn't have even thought about instigating a war. Strength is everything, and are you done with the braiding?" She asked impatiently, her carefully concealed nervousness about the war that she will be marching into soon not helping with her nerves.

"Soon, soon, you have very long hair, you know? I can only imagine how long it will grow into when you are finally an adult." He placated her and he looked up after he was finally done, only to have a confused frown marred his face when he saw her new look in the reflection through the mirror.

"Kyo? What's wrong?"

"You… suddenly looked a lot like… someone I knew."

"You mean with my hair braided?" She reached for her long braid as she turned from side to side to inspect his handiwork through the mirror. It's surprisingly good. "I like this new look though. You will help me braid my hair from today onwards."

"By any chance, does the name Baal mean anything to you?"

"What are you talking about?" She replied, a little annoyed. She knows Kyosuke has a tendency to spout weird things from his mouth from time to time without any form of context but why would she know of someone named Baal? What kind of stupid name is that?

"Nothing, probably just my imagination," He dismissed her words with a jovial laugh even if she can tell that his smile is a little strained this time. "Stick close to me later, milady. I will ensure your safety."

"I can protect myself."

"Fighting a war is different from the usual fights, trust me on this. Besides…"

He took something from within his pocket, showing the accessory in his hand before silently putting it away once again. Her eyes widened when she identified just what it was.

"You have a Vision," She stated in shock, but still having enough sense to keep her voice low because having a Vision is a big deal.

"Yup, so stay close to me. If things get rough I can bail you out of there, easy peasy."

"Does father know?"

"Nope!" He replied a little too cheerily. "If he knew, I would be forced to work directly under him now, wouldn't I? I don't like to rely on it much because it's a little too flashy, but I will use it if needed, so no worries, milady, you will be safe with me around."

"I want one too," She spoke softly. If she has a Vision, she will be stronger than everyone in her family, she will no longer be looked down upon.

She will no longer be weak.

"Don't worry your pretty little head over it. If it comes, it comes. If not, just be powerful enough to not need a Vision at all," His large hand patted her head without her permission and she scowled.

"Get your hand off me."

"Aw come on, you should act like a kid your age. I thought kids like this."

"I am not a kid."

"Whatever you say, milady, whatever you say."

Everything went by in a blur after the first shot was fired.

There was no time to think and no time to rest. Kyosuke was right to say that fighting a war is different because you are not allowed to stop swinging your weapon despite how tired you are until your enemies are dead and lying in a pool of their own blood. She doesn't have much strength and could only compensate with her skills when fighting against adults and truth to be told, she would probably be dead within the first minute if it wasn't for Kyosuke beside her.

"They are retreating! Push on!"

She saw how their enemies were retreating and she heard how her father, the general, gave the order to pursue. She pushed herself and spurred her horse to give chase as her father ordered despite barely managing to catch her breath, cutting down anyone in her way. The adults tend to underestimate her due to her age but she showed them why she was deemed good enough to be on the battlefield.

Even if she can begrudgingly admit that Kyosuke is the reason why she is still alive right now.

"Wait, milady, your horse is too fast-"

In her haste for victory and with the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she pursued the enemies even if it meant leaving Kyosuke far behind. Her horse is just that much faster.

In hindsight, that was a foolish thing to do. It was far too late when she realised that she had chased her enemies too far in and stranded behind enemy lines. It wasn't long before she was knocked off her horse and forced to fight Orobashi's supporters alone, her back against a tall rock cliff in a dark valley.

"Hah! Just a kid."

"A feisty one too. Look, she killed the idiot Jun."

"Isn't she the daughter of the Kamino Clan Head?"

"Is she?"

"I'm sure of it."

"My, my, she's already such a pretty little thing now, can't wait to see what kind of beauty she will grow into when she grows up."

"Keep it in your pants, you perv."

She tried her best to ignore their words as she clutched tightly onto her naginata, her eyes desperately searching for a way to escape only to find none. She charged in with a war cry in one last desperate attempt to survive, only to be brutally knocked back and disarmed, pinned to the floor by the adults mocking at her as she struggled to free herself to no avail.

"Let go of me!" She screamed when she saw someone unfastening his belt. She got a slap to her face in response that had her slightly concussed. She closed her eyes and prayed. To whom, she doesn't know. All she knows is that she is begging for someone, anyone, to save her.

"Hey."

That familiar yet distant voice silenced the area in an instant. She opened her eyes, spotting her annoying servant standing at the top of the cliff above them. The enemy soldiers paused in their actions as well, a little spooked by how ominous he sounded, a far cry from the idiotic self he had always been in her presence.

And then, there was lightning.

Lightning crashed down, blasting the enemy soldiers back that were previously trying to do her harm. He stood in front of her with his back facing her without her knowing when, sword already drawn.

"Sorry I'm late, milady. This will be over soon."

She didn't reply because the enemy soldiers immediately recognised Kyosuke as a threat. To be able to manipulate lightning like that meant that he has a Vision and thus, a dangerous foe to be put down.

They never stood a chance. She watched in awe as her usually goofy and annoying servant cut them down with ease with lightning by his side.

So this is what it means to possess a Vision, to have power.

She really wants that power.

"Are you alright?"

Her thoughts were brought back to reality and she realised that he had already slaughtered them all. She nodded mutely while adjusting her tattered clothes, already torn in several places when those scums were attempting to defile her.

She looked up when she felt him draping his own haori around her, helping her to protect whatever modesty and dignity she had left. He patted her on her head and this time, she didn't bat his hand away like she used to.

"It's okay to cry. You don't have to put up a strong front all the time."

She had learnt very early on that tears are a sign of weakness and she cannot appear to be weak, which is why she never showed any tears and she couldn't remember the last time she cried. His words shouldn't have affected her but it still did. She couldn't control it when her tears started to fall and she couldn't control it when she started bawling her eyes out and crying into his shoulder.

"It's fine now, everything's fine now. Let it all out, you will feel better."

She cried even harder but he was right, she felt better afterwards.

It was a long trek back to their encampment and it was then she realised just how far she had pursued her enemies. He had to force his horse to keep running until it literally dropped dead in order to catch up to her. Her horse, on the other hand, had already escaped when she was knocked down from its back earlier, so they had to make their journey back on foot.

She knew she was too exhausted to make the way back, so she didn't object when he offered to piggyback her. She just lied there, resting her head on his back as the rain fell.

"It seems we will have to seek shelter. Are you cold, milady?"

"No," She replied as her thoughts still lingered on how he had commanded the lightning earlier. The more she thought about it, the more she found herself desiring to possess a Vision and so, by the time he found a cave for them to take temporary shelter, her curiosity had finally built up to the point it broke the figurative dam and she asked him that burning question.

"How did you get your Vision?"

"I don't really know. It's just there when I first woke up."

"First woke up?"

"I…" He scratched his head sheepishly, as if not knowing how to answer her question. "I don't remember who I was, really. All I remembered was that I suddenly woke up one day in a wooden house by the countryside. Everything's in a mess and I see dead people around me so I guessed my house was raided by bandits and they killed everyone off and I survived somehow. My Vision was just… there, so I picked it up and that was it. I really couldn't remember anything before that, so they probably hit me quite hard on the head."

She was taken aback, because she never knew he had a past like this with how optimistic he usually portrayed himself to be.

"Then your name…"

"I met an old wandering samurai not long after. He took me in, gave me a name, taught me his techniques for a few years before passing away and it was then I decided to travel and explore the world as it is. Although, I do wish I had woken up at a better time where we are not smack dab in the middle of an Archon War…"

"The Shogun already won the Archon War in Inazuma."

"Yeah but now Orobashi is challenging the Shogun for the title, isn't it? It might as well be the continuation of it. If Orobashi won then we would have a new Electro Archon. Doesn't that make this an Archon War as well?"

She nodded her head in understanding as they both crowded around the fire he had started to keep themselves warm. Soon, another thought crossed her mind.

"If you are so strong, why did you choose to come to work for my clan? There are better prospects out there."

"I needed money, of course. Before meeting you I managed to scrape by with a few odd jobs here and there. Ain't much, but it's honest work. However, with the war ongoing it's still not enough, a man gotta feed himself somehow. It was then I met your father and he said all I had to do is to take care of a little girl and he gave the right price, so here I am," He laughed and she felt like an idiot with the kind of response she received.

"But with your skills, you could go anywhere. You don't need to work for me, a little girl."

"That was the opinion you formed after you saw me using my Vision. Without a Vision, I'm just another ordinary swordsman, am I? Nobody other than you knows that I possess a Vision and how strong I truly am. Besides, how many can claim to have a cute little girl as their master?"

"I'm not a little girl." She emphasised, although that was obviously lost on her infuriatingly annoying servant.

"And she likes to act like a mini grown-up all the time! How cute!"

"You-!"

"And she always says that she doesn't eat sweets because sweets are for kids but she loves to eat sweets in secret when she thought that nobody was looking!"

"Wait, how did you know that?!"

"And then she tries to deny that she is a kid despite smiling like a little girl whenever she plays with puppies!"

"Kyosuke!"

"And then whenever her loyal humble servant tries to point out that she is still a kid and get her to stop living in denial she will try to shut him up through violence- AGHHH! LIKE RIGHT NOW!"

Like he once said, change is inevitable. Time brings about changes, be it for better or for worse. The only thing that didn't change is the cruelty of war. The war between Orobashi and the Shogun continues, with the Shogun weakening with each passing day. It is no secret that the Shogun was considerably weakened from the injuries sustained in the Archon War. Slowly, but surely, the Shogun is losing strength. It was one reason why Orobashi incited the war in the first place, this is the only chance it is going to get if Orobashi wanted to usurp the throne and become the new Electro Archon.

If her entire childhood was spent learning how to fight, then her entire life after she turned eight was spent on the battlefield. She is now known and feared by many as Kamino Mei of the Musou no Hitotachi. With her own blood and sweat and through the camaraderie she had formed with the soldiers she fought alongside with for so many years, she had managed to gain a large following of supporters among her clan's troops, enough to put her at equal standing with her siblings who had once bullied her when she was a weak child. Her father is on his deathbed and even idiots can tell that there will soon be a succession war regarding who will be the next leader of the Kamino Clan. She plans to win by a landslide, because in her family the winner takes all while the only fate for the losers is death.

To her, her family had never been much of a family.

As she grew up she found herself liking the concept of eternity. She had seen and experienced many things on the battlefield, like how fragile life could be and how the death of loved ones affected their families. To her, life is too short and fleeting, and she wished it could be longer. If she were to be the next leader of the Kamino Clan, then the first thing she would do would be to grant her followers an eternity of peace. She would be so strong that nobody would be able to oppose them, then they could live happily as they wish.

She found herself liking the idea of possessing overwhelming strength. Kyosuke was right to say that notions of peace are a mere joke if you don't have the strength to protect it. Strength is a good thing to have, she decided, because now that she is stronger than everybody else in her family nobody could say a thing when she decided to do things differently just because she can. She now has four pet shibas in the estate and nobody dared to say no, not even her father.

The only person who dared to say no to her would be that annoying servant of hers, but she tolerated it because it's Kyosuke. He was the first person to fight for her when she demanded it, to protect her when she was at her weakest, and had helped her in any way he could when she had nothing to offer. She would go so far to say that she wouldn't be here today without his efforts. The presence of war had resulted in people coming and leaving in her life but he had been a constant thus far, always there when she stopped and looked back.

She is turning sixteen. Her father is desperately trying to marry her off to someone she never seen or heard before in his last desperate attempt to get rid of her, finally recognising the threat she posed in the fight beneath the shadows as to who will be the next leader of the Kamino Clan. She is definitely not in his list of candidates, the dark horse in the family. His attempts will be for naught, she will allow him to struggle futilely just for a little longer because it amuses her.

Today is a rare day where there is no fighting or blood involved… yet. Better still, the rain that usually plagued this area of Inazuma is nowhere in sight. So, she decided to indulge herself with her favourite breed of dogs, patting them and giving them treats.

"Kyo."

Like usual, he appeared when she called for him.

"Fetch me some more treats for the dogs."

Kyosuke looked at the dogs, then back at her.

"Milady, you should maybe look at Kuro's size. I could mistake him for a cannonball with how fat he is, you feed him too much."

"But Kuro wants to eat," She pointed out, uncaring if she is the reason why her favourite dog Kuro is obese.

In the end, he still brought her the treats she requested anyway. Even after playing with her dogs she's still bored out of her mind now that there is no fighting to be done and no blood to be spilled, so she decided that she might as well survey the encampment, maybe even visit the beach to do some seagazing or something. Who knows, maybe she will get Kyosuke to catch some crabs from the beach and they can have something nice for dinner tonight.

She told Kyosuke to help braid her hair. She let her hair keep growing as she aged, to the point it nearly reached her feet. Kyosuke would be the one to braid her hair every single time before she marched out to battle. It's like a tradition between the both of them now, the only time she would let her hair loose is when she is off the battlefield.

"What are those?" She asked when she spotted a pile of letters on her table nearby.

"The letters from your suitors asking for your hand in marriage. I was about to dispose of them later."

"Men are such shallow creatures," She cannot help but mock, knowing that the only reasons for those people to ask for her hand in marriage was either for the political power she wields, or for her beauty. For some, it is both, and she couldn't be bothered to deem them worthy of her time. When she was young and weak, everything she did was seen by men as pathetic. Now that she is an adult with unrivalled strength and the beauty to match, people kissed the very ground she walked on, praising her for any little thing as insignificant as having a beauty mark under her right eye, or for her long dark purple hair, or even for raising a puppy, anything just to get in her good books.

Shallow.

"Excuse me milady, but can you not insult me in my presence?"

She closed her eyes, not bothering herself to reply to Kyosuke's words because he is doing this just to get her to talk. Still, that reminded her. Kyosuke is older than her by seven years, it is past time for him to settle down and start a family but he had been devoting himself fully for her cause ever since he became her servant. He never had a chance to stop and rest.

Maybe it's time for him to settle down. It is the least she could do for him.

"Are you seeing anyone right now?"

"Hmm? Me? Do I look like I have the time?" He jested as he skillfully braided her hair with ease borne out of years of practice. "And well, starting a family is kind of counterproductive to the things we are doing right now, not to mention I haven't met anyone who made me want to spend the rest of my life with."

"All I have to do is to give an order and you can pick anyone you fancy."

"But that wouldn't be fair to any of the unfortunate ladies who I might pick, wouldn't it?" He said as he finally finished braiding her hair and added a beautiful flower shaped hairpin at the side of her head as a finishing touch. "Let's not concern ourselves with such trivial matters and instead, focus on what you might want to do at the beach later?"

"And how would you know that I wanted to go to the beach?"

"I've been serving you for eight years."

She rolled her eyes as she exited her tent. She didn't bring her naginata along with her because it would be too inconvenient for a short stroll to the beach, but she did bring along a sword out of habit. One can never be too careful in times of war.

"If only we could conquer what's on the opposite end of the sea," She cannot help but sigh when she spotted Watatsumi Island just across the beach of Narukami Island where they are at. If only the war could end, then she can finally start working on attaining eternal peace for her people.

"There's a God residing there, milady, one that gives even the Shogun trouble."

"The Shogun is not doing his job well as a God if even a mere snake could pose a threat."

"Yep, because milady can totally defeat a giant serpent, I get it."

"I will have your tongue cut for that disrespect."

"I was praising you!"

"I am not oblivious to your sarcasm, Kyo," She replied while feeling the cool sea breeze caressing her face. "That said, I wish I knew what it would take for the Shogun to grant me a Vision. If I had one, maybe I could really have ended this war by now."

"Visions are a manifestation of a person's ambitions and purpose. I'm sure an Archon would resonate and recognise your ambition soon."

"And yet here I am, the General of the main force of resistance against Orobashi's army without possessing a Vision when even some of the captains under me have one. What a joke."

"And wouldn't that speak volumes about your skills? To command people with Visions without possessing one yourself? Think positive, milady, think positive."

"It's a hindrance. If only I had the strength granted by a Vision, maybe there's hope that we could slay Orobashi without needing to rely on the Shogun. Right now, our God is weaker than theirs, that is the truth."

"Even if you are right, is it really fine to just insult our local Archon like that?"

"Not like the Shogun could hear me. If the Shogun could not stop this war then fine, I will do it myself."

"Huh, did you just make a Thanos reference?"

"What Thanos?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

"You and your nonsensical words. I couldn't understand you sometimes," She said as she sat down on a nearby rock. She tucked her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, allowing the wind to bring her thoughts far away. Times like this where she can just unwind and relax are rare when the battlefield is all she knows.

If only this moment could last forever, for eternity. If only there's a way for her to make it so.

"Kyo."

"Yeah?"

"I'm tired."

"Shall I escort you back?"

"I'm tired of this war. Isn't the Shogun supposed to be almighty? What use is there in believing in a God that cannot protect its people?"

She didn't hear a reply from him, but when she finally heard him, there was something different in his voice even if she cannot point out why.

"Are you… planning to take the Shogun's place?"

"If needed," She replied honestly because from how she sees it, the Shogun is just like the flickering light of a dying candle about to reach its end. Their God is getting gradually weaker as the years pass while Orobashi continues to grow stronger and bolder, it's just a matter of time before they lose the war and if that were to pass, none of them will meet a pretty end.

"Will you help me?"

She doesn't know what she was expecting, but she cannot imagine how she would react if he were to refuse. It's insane to go up against a God, much less their very own deity, but she cannot imagine doing it without him by her side.

He gave her his usual sunny smile.

"I will always be at your service, milady. The sun will shine on us again."

There it is, one of his usual stupid weird lines that he said with no context whatsoever. She felt her lips curling into a smile. A small one, because she cannot allow him to spot it or he will be smug about it and lord it over her for the entire day, but his promise does take a lot off her shoulders.

"I will win us this war," She promised. "Be it as the General of the Narukami Army, or the next Shogun, I promise you that we will win. Orobashi will be slain by my hands, and we will usher in an age of peace, for eternity."

He successfully ruined the mood with his next words.

"My my, why do I feel like I'm witnessing the rise of a tyrant and playing a vital role in doing so. Why do I have a feeling that you will lock down Inazuma's borders with storms and lightning after you become the Shogun in order to create an utopia of eternal peace?"

It took her a lot of self-restraint to not bury him alive.

A few more years passed. Some things changed, some things remained the same.

She is now the leader of the Kamino Clan. Her siblings had tried to overthrow her in their fight for succession but she is simply better. Now, her word is law within their clan and anyone who tried to say otherwise met their end by her sword.

Like she feared, the Shogun is undoubtedly weakening and the war is about to reach its climax. This wouldn't do, it seems that she would have to take action soon to guarantee the lives of her people. They absolutely cannot afford to lose the war or everything that they were trying to protect for so many years will go up in flames.

The day came sooner than she expected. She was as nervous as the day she first stepped onto the battlefield because this time, the Gods are participating as well. It was only when she looked back and saw Kyosuke standing right behind her with that usual sunny smile did her worries finally eased itself.

And when the war finally erupted and resumed at Yashiori Island, it was brutal. No other words could properly describe it. People which she had known and fought alongside for years were dying before her eyes. Life is just so fragile on the battlefield and even her usually stoic mask is starting to break when she sees her people losing their lives at every passing second. She had seen some and had been through countless harsh battles, but none as brutal as this. The Gods' participation had caused much more devastation than needed in their quest to ascend to that vaunted seat of power as the Electro Archon.

She can see why the Shogun won the Archon War and was crowned as the Electro Archon. Even in the Shogun's severely weakened state Orobashi was not having an easy time. However, even she can tell that the Shogun is losing.

"Fall back!" She gave the order to retreat, knowing that all was lost when the serpent managed to sink its fangs into their Shogun. The Shogun is still fighting back but she could not spare the attention to care right now. She had to at least try and allow as many people as she could to escape and survive. It is her duty as their General.

Lightning descended as Kyosuke ripped through the battlefield like a force of nature, pushing back the opposing Sangonomiya forces and buying time for their forces to escape. The rebels from Sangonomiya have a few who possessed Visions as well and are making moves to stop Kyosuke, but he soon mowed them down and rejoined her by her side.

"Milady, you need to move! It's too dangerous out here! We are going to be overrun!" He shouted over the din as he held off the brunt of the enemy forces alongside her.

"We need to buy time for our people to escape!" She shouted back as she cut down her enemies by the dozens, showing them why she is Kamino Mei of the Musou no Hitotachi. It's just a matter of time before the Shogun falls but it's also a matter of how much time they can buy for their people to escape before their God inevitably falls.

As their General, it is her duty to protect her people.

She doesn't know how long it took, but the loud screech from Orobashi had everyone on the battlefield taking a pause. It was then she saw how the serpent had managed to impale their Shogun with its fangs, its poison slowly weakening their deity to the point of death, and they are witnesses to the fall of the Electro Archon. A bright purple light emanated from the Shogun that blinded everyone. She tried squinting her eyes to catch a better look, only to make out a very faint outline of a very small object being slowly ejected out from their Shogun.

"Gnosis. It's the Gnosis, Orobashi is trying to steal the Gnosis."

Kyosuke's shocked gasp of a whisper caught her attention and even through that blinding light, she saw how that look of shock soon turned into one of grim determination.

"Kyo?" She asked as a sudden wave of dread washed over her even if she didn't know why. He never sported that kind of look before. She could faintly make out that usual annoying smile on his face through that blinding light and feel his hand patting her head as though she is eight again.

"I promised you that the sun will shine on us again, didn't I? We will win this war."

It appeared to her almost in slow motion despite taking place in just a fraction of a second. He disappeared in a bolt of lightning, charging towards where Orobashi and the Shogun are high above. Even through the blinding light, she saw how he reached out for the origin of the light, the small object about to be ejected from the Shogun.

And suddenly the light was gone. When her eyes finally adjusted themselves, he was free falling and crash landed in front of her, his arms and legs twisted in obviously wrong angles.

"KYO!"

Her cry was drowned out by Orobashi's enraged screech, piercing enough for everyone to have no choice but to cover their ears and drop to their knees. Even then, she could somehow make out what Kyosuke was trying to say to her, his right hand tightly clenched as though grasping something.

"Take it."

She quickly crawled and reached out to him, and he finally let go of his clenched fist when their hands finally met. What he held was an object smaller than the palm of her hand which weirdly resembles a chess piece that the few Fontaine citizens whom she had met before love to play in their free time. She grabbed onto it and suddenly, she was screaming.

Power. Raw undiluted power.

She could feel it and she instinctively knew that the power flowing through her veins was the power of the elements, the power of electro coursing through her. She doesn't know how or why, but she knew that this must be what belonged to the Shogun, the Electro Archon, and the thing that Orobashi was trying to steal before Kyosuke interfered.

"Are you… planning to take the Shogun's place?"

"If needed. Will you help me?"

"I will always be at your service, milady. The sun will shine on us again."

She promised that she will win them the war. Thus, she cannot allow herself to lose.

She opened her eyes and suddenly everything just seemed so much clearer. She is now able to see things with much greater clarity. She could feel power that was never there sparking at her fingertips as though it had been a part of her all along.

She now has the power to end this war.

"Begone."

She obliterated the Sangonomiya forces in front of her with a single swing of her naginata, the power of electro ripping through time and space itself. She spotted the baleful glare of Orobashi and she glared back in return. She leapt into the air, somehow knowing that she will not fall as her newfound power allowed her to easily take flight.

It's time to end this. The previous Shogun may not be able to do it due to its weakened constitution, but it is different for her. She is the Shogun now, she will protect her people with the power of lightning at her side.

"Musou no Hitotachi."

A powerful shockwave rippled as she slashed everything in a straight line that extended from her thundering blade. She descended back onto the ground after that attack. She could not care about that traitorous snake, knowing for certain that it is now truly and thoroughly dead. No, what is on her mind is another person entirely.

"Kyo! KYO!"

"Hey…"

She managed to find him, lying among a pile of corpses and that usual goofy smile still on his face. She immediately rushed up to him and knelt down by his side, frantically trying to do something to stop the inevitable. He had always been her constant, she cannot imagine an eternity without him. She is now the Shogun, a God, surely her newfound powers would be able to stop this, right?

"D-Don't say anything. T-There must be s-something I c-can…"

"Even Gods... cannot prevent death..."

"Shut up. SHUT UP! I WILL CUT YOUR TONGUE!" She screamed as she tried her best to stop the bleeding. What use is there in being a God when she couldn't even protect the person closest to her?

"I… knew it… You are her… Heh, I actually served a God… Can't believe it…"

It was then her thoughts flew back to that day when she was eight years old, when he first braided her hair. She remembered he had a shocked look on his face when he first saw how she looked with her hair braided.

"You… suddenly looked a lot like… someone I knew."

"You mean with my hair braided? I like this new look though. You will help me braid my hair from today onwards."

"You know me? From even before meeting me?"

She would never get an answer. His only reply was a large smile, the same one she remembered when they first met, and she watched as that smile slowly etched itself permanently on his face as his Vision started to fade in colour.

He was supposed to watch her build an utopia of eternal peace. He was supposed to help her make it a reality.

What meaning is there in eternity, if there is no longer anyone by her side?

"Your Excellency, it's time."

She opened her eyes. It seems that she must have dozed off sometime after she sat on the chair. Kujou Sara stood before her in a respectful bow.

"You have collected the 100th Vision?"

"Yes, we have caught the 100th person as per the Vision Hunt Decree. Per your wishes, we are holding a ceremony to mark this milestone."

"I will be there shortly."

Kujou Sara bowed and left, leaving her alone to her thoughts. She stood up, passing by the mirror hanging on the wall and spotted her long hair that was done into a braid. Even after thousands of years had passed her hair never looked the same without him braiding it, it just felt different. Things had never been the same after he was no longer capable of serving by her side. Sometimes she would still turn around to look back out of habit, expecting to see that same annoying goofy smile only to be painfully reminded by his absence that he is no longer by her side.

She is all alone, just as how she was before she met him.

He had said that Visions are the manifestation of a person's ambition and purpose. Inazuma is finally at peace now, but that peace wouldn't last forever, not with what Tsaritsa is planning and the truth of Celestia. Her vision of eternal peace can only be possible if people are content with what they have in the present, and that is only possible if they don't have ambitions for ambitions is the precursor to strife, and Visions are the embodiment of ambitions. Visions are in the way of her attaining her goal of eternal peace, that is the answer she came to after so many years.

Thus, the Vision Hunt Decree. That, and also because even she, a God, is powerless in the face of death. However, something else might prove otherwise.

Visions, the miracles of God. It's a small glimmer of hope that she only managed to come across after so many years of research, but with her powers and a large number of Visions on her side, maybe he can come back to her once more. The hope is miniscule, but she is willing to dive into the deep end and try.

Her feet brought her into a private room that only she is allowed to enter. Within the room is a large electro crystal and within it, the only constant in her life that had accompanied her through her eternity. She placed her hand on the crystal, closed her eyes, and rested her forehead against it, sharing a portion of her power to ensure that his death continued to be delayed once again before she heads out for the ceremony. She cannot reverse death, but she can delay it before it comes. The Vision she now wears on her that used to be his had not totally faded in colour, indicating that she had managed to somehow succeed in delaying his death before he truly passed on by putting him in stasis within that electro crystal almost two thousand years ago.

"Soon, Kyo, we will be reunited. Wait for me."

Peace had arrived in Inazuma, peace that they had fought so hard for. He can finally be by her side once more after she is done collecting all the Visions within Inazuma's borders. She can show him what they have accomplished, the fruits of their hard work, and that they are so close to attaining an age of eternal peace like she had promised. They can be together again with him by her side.

This time, for eternity.

~END~