Chapter 18 Orihime and Hikoboshi
Lumine's POV
Night time had come, and we had arrived at the Star Festival.
"Wow", Paimon said in awe. "Everything looks so pretty! And there's so many yummy looking food! So, where should start first?"
"Traveler", I heard a familiar voice call out to me.
I then looked up, and spotted a two familiar faces.
"Ayaka, Ayato", Paimon greeted as they came up to us.
"Greetings, traveler and Paimon", Ayaka greeted. "Yoimiya told us that you two were back in Inazuma. It's wonderful to see you again, especially during the Star Festival."
"Indeed. Also, Yoimiya told us is that you arrived with a Fatui Harbinger."
As Ayato said these words, he turned to look at Childe.
"And that harbinger is you, I presume", he asked.
"You presume correctly", Childe replied, before holding out his hand to Ayato. "I'm Childe, no. 11 of the Fatui Harbingers. And you are?"
"Kamisato Ayato", said person replied, before shaking Childe's hand. "I am the head of the Kamisato clan, and the commissioner of the Yashiro commission."
"Is that so", Childe asked, before looking at me. "You really have a lot of friends in high places, don't you comrade?"
"Comrade", Ayato asked.
"That's what Childe calls the traveler", Paimon revealed.
"Is that so", Ayato asked. "I didn't know that you were so 'friendly' with a harbinger, traveler."
"Anyway", Paimon started, putting an end to the conversation which had gotten awkward. "Yoimiya told us that the Star Festival is held to celebrate a pair of lovers from a myth. Can you tell us more about that?"
"Why tell you, when we can show you?"
After saying this, Ayaka suddenly grabbed onto my hand.
"Follow me, traveler", she instructed.
Then, we followed her through the crowd, and stopped when we arrived at a stage.
"Just watch", she said. "And the story of the Star Festival will be revealed to you."
Just after Ayaka said this, someone walked onto the stage.
"Greetings everyone", he greeted. "Today is the Star Festival. Therefore, allow me to tell you all the tale of how this day came to be."
After the narrator said this, a woman dressed in a extravagant kimono walked onto the stage.
"Once upon a time, there was a goddess named Orihime", the narrator said. "Orihime had the power to weave rainbows, and would do so for her father, Tentei, the god of the sky."
After saying this, a man also dressed in an extravagant kimono walked onto the stage.
Then, 'Orihime' passed a rainbow coloured cloth to him.
"My daughter", he started. "The rainbows you weave for me are always so beautiful."
"Thank you, Father. That makes me happy."
After saying this, Orihime looked down sadly.
"What seems to be troubling you, my daughter", Tentei asked in concern.
"I apologise if I sound ungrateful, father", Orihime apologised. "I am honoured to weave rainbows for you. However, because this task keeps me quite busy, I have been unable to meet anyone I could potentially fall in love with."
"I see", Tentei said.
Then, he began to think, before seemingly getting an idea.
"My daughter", he started. "Please come with me. There's someone I would like to introduce you to."
After saying this, Tentei grabbed onto his daughter's hand. Then, the narrator walked onto the stage again.
"Wanting to make his daughter happy, Tentei took Orihime to down to earth, to introduce him to a man."
After the narrator said this, a man dressed in farmer's clothes walked onto the stage.
"My daughter, allow me to introduce you to Hikoboshi", Tentei said. "He is a simple cowheard, but he is a good man. I'm sure he will make a fine husband."
After this, the narrator walked onto the stage and began speaking again.
"As soon as their eyes met, Orihime and Hikoboshi fell madly in love with each other. They soon married, and became completely lost within each other. All the two wanted to do was be with each other. However, because they were so busy spending time with each other, they neglected their duties. Orihime no longer weaved rainbows for her father, and Hikoboshi no longer paid any mind to his cattle, allowing them to roam all over the land. Eventually, this made Tentei angry."
After saying all of this, the narrator walked off the stage, to reveal Orihime and Hikoboshi standing fearfully in front of Tentei.
"Orihime, Hikoboshi, I brought you two together in order to make my daughter happy. However, ever since you two got married, you have neglected your duties. Because of that, I forbid you from seeing each other anymore!"
After saying this, Tentei grabbed onto Orihime's wrist and began pulling her away from Hikoboshi.
"Orihime", he called out as he reached out to her.
"Hikoboshi", Orihime called out. "Father, please don't do this!"
"Tentei did not listen to the pleading of his daughter and son-in-law", the narrator revealed. "Then, he took out his hairpin, and tore the sky in two! The gap this created was so wide, it would be impossible for the lovers to cross it on their own."
Having been separated from her love, Orihime fell to the ground with tears in her eyes.
"Father", she started as she looked up at Tentei. "I beg you. Let me see Hikoboshi!"
"If I do, you two will only neglect your duties again", Tentei stated.
"If you let me see him, Father, then I promise you that I will never neglect my duties again", Orihime promised. "Please, Father. I love him."
"Upon hearing his daughter's plea, and seeing her saddened expression, Tentei decided to come up with a compromise", the narrator said.
"Very well, my daughter", Tentei said. "Then I will make a deal with you. If you promise to continue your duties, then once a year, I shall allow you to pass this tear in the sky and see Hikoboshi."
"Really", Orihime asked hopefully. "But, the gap is so large. How will I pass it?"
After Orihime asked this, Tentei waved his hand. Then, a bunch of origami birds held by puppet strings were released to the stage floor.
"You can use these birds to cross the gap", he revealed. "Now go, for they shall only be here until the end of the day. Afterwards, you will only see Hikoboshi once a year."
After hearing this, Orihime gave her father a sad smile.
"Thank you, father", she said.
Then, she began running over pile of birds.
"Hikoboshi", she called out.
"Orihime", Hikoboshi called out.
Then, Orihime jumped into his arms and he spun her around. The lights on the stage dimmed, and the narrator walked back onto it.
"And so, that is the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi", he said. "We celebrate this story once every year during the Star Festival. Tonight, look up at the stars, and perhaps you will see the two lovers."
With that, everybody applauded as the narrator took a bow.
"Look up at the the stars, and perhaps you will see the two lovers? What did he mean by that?"
After Paimon asked this, Ayaka suddenly grabbed onto my hand.
"Come with me, and I shall show you."