Book 10: Eternal Thunderstorm
Chapter 3: Stillness, the Sublimation of Shadow
Kamisato Estate, Narukami Island, Inazuma
Evening Time
Once Zeo's team and Akira's team returned to the estate together, they saw Raychel's team having a conversation with Thoma's team. "We're back!" Zeo greeted.
"Looks like you guys are done with Ayaka's remaining wishes." Raychel guessed. "I've just finished reporting mine."
"Actually, my task is complete while Zeo's team will have to wait for tomorrow to complete the remaining task." Akira informed.
"We're going to the Grand Narukami Shrine tomorrow to see how Yae Miko will help the swordmaster Domon." Aether said.
"Yae Miko?!" Raychel, Miriam and Paimon exclaimed.
"Hold on! That name is…!" Paimon began.
"Hai." Houki nodded. "Similar to our Yae Sakura. Maybe having a similar look as well."
"Oh?" Thoma mused. "And who is this Yae Sakura being similar to Yae Miko?"
"I'm also interested in hearing about it." Ayaka asked, still speaking from behind the screen. "But first, I would like to hear your report about the samurai and swordmaster."
"Very well then, I'll start first." Akira replied as she began her report.
And so, Akira gave her full report on how she and her team handled Kurosawa's problem, before Zeo and his team explained about Domon the swordmaster's situation, which will lead him to meeting Yae Miko tomorrow at the Grand Narukami Shrine. And since Yae Sakura was mentioned, Zeo decided to reveal Xross Drive Rebellion's existence and their mission.
"Whoa… I was not expecting that kind of information to be revealed." Thoma remarked.
"Other worlds beyond Teyvat… the Xross-Verse…" Ayaka added. "And Yae Sakura is from another world?"
"That's correct, Ayaka." Zeo nodded. "The same goes for Mei Raiden."
"And more importantly, is it true that Mei Raiden is the Raiden Shogun's counterpart?" Ayaka asked.
"Mhm." Akira nodded. "To be honest, we never expected her counterpart to exist here in Teyvat."
"I see… This world… no, this multiverse… is full of mysteries…"
"It sure is." Raychel agreed. "And he's planning on bringing Mei and Sakura over to Inazuma to help us."
"Is that so?" Thoma mused. "Does that mean I'll be needing Beidou's help to bring them over?"
"No, we have another method." Zeo replied, showing off the Trans Beacon. "Activating this device will create a warp point for the ones using the Trans Server. However, you can't warp back to the Trans Server, so it's a one-way trip."
"Also, we need to activate it at a safe location, or else those with ill intent will destroy it." Miriam added.
"I see." Ayaka noted. "In that case, you're free to use it near the Kamisato Estate. And since you've helped me fulfil two of the three wishes, you're free to stay here to rest."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Ayaka-san." Houki replied as she and the others smiled and bowed.
"You're welcome. And… there's also one more gift I would like to show you since we gained each other's trust."
"Oooh, a gift!" Paimon smiled with excitement. "What is it?"
"...It's this." Ayaka responded by finally coming out of the screen she hid behind and revealed herself to the team before bowing. "Master of Inazuma Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu, Kamisato Ayaka. Delighted to make your proper acquaintance, Xross Drive Rebellion."
Kamisato Ayaka
Cryo Element
Sword User
Kamisato Ayaka is a woman with pale skin, light silver-blue eyes with sky blue pupils along with a small mole under her left eye, and very light waist-length pale blue hair styled in a hime cut in front. Her hair is tied in a high ponytail by a black armored headdress accented with gold. The chin-length locks of hair framing her face are tied at ear-level with white accessories bordered with gold and fastened with bright pink cords tied in cloverleaf knots.
Her attire consists of a royal blue pleated knee-length skirt embroidered with an assortment of patterns, bearing gold accents and small white flower print with a pair of white shorts with a lace trim at the base underneath, and black geta sandals with ankle-length white socks decorated by pink cloverleaf knots at the back. She has a black breastplate with a golden Kamisato Clan emblem in the center and matching armor platings on the sides of her skirt. Underneath her breastplate is a loose elbow-length shirt with gradients of blue to white. Her cuffs and collar on her top are navy with a variety of gold stripes. She wears black sleeves underneath the loose shirt, sling over her middle fingers, and covering both of her thumbs. On top of her black sleeves are white armored platings lined by gold metal, tied together by red knots. At the back of her outfit is a large royal blue bow, tied together by her Cryo Vision and another bright pink cloverleaf knot. The lower half of the ribbons darken in color with gold markings of the same type seen throughout Inazuma. Lastly, she's also holding a folded out gold-navy fan that matches her skirt.
The team were not expecting Ayaka to reveal her true self and were in awe at her appearance. "Such beauty and grace…" Tsubasa thought. "I can see why the Inazumans love and respect Ayaka."
"So, what do you think, guys?" Thoma asked the team with a smirk. "Beautiful, isn't she?"
"Hai. She truly is." Houki replied.
"Thank you for the praise." Ayaka smiled. "Houki Shinonono, correct? Thoma told me that you also wield katanas, either in single or dual style."
"Correct." Houki nodded, summoning Amatsuku and Karaware, her sheathed katanas. "Though the kendo style is my specialty."
"Wait, you got Akatsubaki back?" Aether noticed in surprise. "I thought it was being upgraded."
"Yesterday after helping out Rey with her errand, Genjuro told me about the completed upgrades to Akatsubaki and Shenlong, and requested me to deliver them to Houki and Lingyin respectively." Akira explained.
"I also got to see Houki use her IS against the Abyss Order in Wolvendom. It was amazing." Raychel added.
"Genjuro?" Ayaka repeated.
"My uncle, Genjuro Kazanari. He's the commander of the Squad Of Nexus Guardians and one of the commanders of Xross Drive Rebellion." Tsubasa explained.
"Interesting…"
"Anyway, it's been a long day for you guys, huh?" Thoma observed the group. "Leave the cooking to me, I'll prepare the meals to serve before you can sleep."
"Ah, I'll help too if that's alright, Thoma." Ayaka requested.
"Sure. I could use some extra hands." Thoma smiled.
"Ah, before you do that, Thoma…" Lumine interrupted with her hand raised. "We need your help with something."
"What's up?"
"Do you know where we could find the Statue of the Seven and escort us there? We need to pray to it and earn the Electro Archon's blessings."
"Oh crud, Paimon completely forgot about that! It's the other reason why we're in Inazuma!" Paimon realized.
"Oh, that? It's actually in Ritou Island. And sure, I'll gladly bring you there." Thoma replied.
"Thanks, Thoma." Aether replied as he and Lumine smiled.
"You go with them, Zeo. The rest of us will help Ayaka with the cooking." Akira said.
"No problem, sis." Zeo nodded.
"And don't start eating without Paimon!" Paimon added.
Miriam chuckled in response. "Don't worry, they won't do that and will wait for our return."
"Alright, let's get going!" Thoma declared as he escorted Aether, Lumine, Paimon, Miriam and Zeo back to Ritou Island in search of the Statue of the Seven.
"Now then, allow me to escort you all to the kitchen so we can begin." Ayaka said.
"Please, lead the way." Raychel replied as she and the others followed Ayaka.
Ritou Island
Upon arriving at Ritou, Thoma led them to the Statue of the Seven where it's located at the north of the island. Fortunately they're able to reach there without any trouble thanks to Thoma accompanying them.
"Here we are, Inazuma's Statue of the Seven. Though it's kinda old and pieces of it fell off as time goes by." Thoma said as they arrived, where they saw the statue of a hooded woman along with a hollowed circle linked with six smaller ones behind her. "This is what the Electro Archon looked like in the past."
"Alright, moment of truth." Zeo said. "Aether, Lumine, you go first."
The Travelers nodded before approaching the statue and placed their right hands on it, causing the statue to glow.
"The world opens itself before those with noble hearts…"
A familiar sentence and voice rang within the Travelers' ears before the statue repaired itself glowing in blue aura, and a pair of purple energy orbs with an Electro symbol appeared before the twins as the orbs were plunged into their bodies, causing them to have purple Electro auras surging around them.
"And just like that, the Travelers gained the power of Electro." Paimon said. "Too bad GV isn't here to teach them how to use its power. But at least Tsubasa can teach them some Electro sword skills to compensate."
"So this is how the Travelers gain the Electro Archon's blessings." Thoma mused. "I wonder if you'll gain her blessings too, Miriam?"
"I should be able to since I'm a Shardbinder, but in a different manner. And I apologize if what you'll see might scare you." Miriam replied and approached the statue while the Travelers regrouped with the others.
"What do you mean?" Thoma asked.
"Paimon doesn't wanna answer, not to mention look." Paimon looked away and covered her eyes as Miriam touched the statue, causing it to glow once more and create another energy orb that turned into a shard.
Afterwards, the shard plunged itself deep into Miriam's chest as she winced in pain until her body glowed in purple Electro aura. "No wonder you mentioned the warning. Are you okay, Miriam?" Thoma asked with worry.
"Don't worry… I'm used to the pain since this happened three times already." Miriam assured as she calmed herself down while Paimon revealed her eyes again. "And I'm going to feel that four more times with the rest of the elements."
"Nevertheless, we got what we came for." Zeo stated. "Let's head back to the estate and have dinner before we go to bed. Your Electro training can wait for tomorrow after meeting Yae Miko at the Grand Narukami Shrine." That earned a nod from the others.
"Actually, can we buy some groceries first since we're here?" Thoma requested. "Ayaka could use them for later. And don't worry about the payment, I'll cover them myself."
"More groceries means more delicious food for later? Sounds good for Paimon!" Paimon nodded.
Aether chuckled. "Okay okay, don't get greedy. We need to eat, too."
"Let's get going. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can eat and rest." Lumine said as everyone left the Statue of the Seven to buy some groceries.
Akira's Narration: By the time Zeo and the others returned after paying the Statue of The Seven a visit, our meals are prepared for us to feast. Even better, Thoma also brought along some groceries so we can make more food for later. Never expected to be that much, but I'm not complaining. During our dinner, we shared to Ayaka and Thoma about the adventures we've had so far, which also includes our adventures in the Color-Verse. Ayaka's even interested in facing off against Tsubasa and Houki in a sparring match to which they kindly accepted her request... tomorrow of course since it's already nighttime and we need to rest.
And by next morning after having a nice bath and breakfast, we're all set to meet with Yae Miko at the Grand Narukami Shrine. Tsubasa decided to stay behind however because she wanted to spar with Ayaka first. Well then, I'd better get moving or I'll miss the exorcism.
Grand Narukami Shrine, Mt. Yougou
Daytime
After several moments of climbing up Mt. Yougou, the team reached the Grand Narukami Shrine at the top as the area was filled with Cherry Blossom trees. "So this is the Grand Narukami Shrine… How beautiful…" Houki remarked as everyone was in awe at the sight.
"And look at that large cherry blossom at the back of the shrine." Akira noticed.
"Anyway, we'd better hurry inside or we'll miss the exorcism." Raychel said as they quickly entered the shrine.
Once they reached the center of the shrine, they saw Junya, Nanako, the shrine maiden Inagi, and the swordmaster Domon who's still in despair due to his Vision being taken away. A door from a nearby building garnered everyone's attention as someone came out.
"Guys, that's…!" Akira said as everyone was shocked at who it was.
"Yae Sakura's counterpart… Yae Miko." Zeo said.
Yae Miko
Lady Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine
Electro Element
Catalyst User
Yae Miko is a tall woman with fair skin, purple eyes with prominent red makeup painted at the corners of her eyes, and thigh-length muted pink hair that is tied at the bottom, along with a pair of pink fox ears that are pointed downwards.
Her outfit is a unique and stylized variation of clothing inspired by the colors of a shrine priestess' traditional outfit, including a sleeveless hakui robe and sandals. She wears a golden head accessory accompanied by matching golden earrings that are attached to her ears by diamond-shaped studs. The right earring contains her Electro Vision wrapped in a complex drop-shaped piece and decorated by a small fan-shaped accessory at the bottom.
"Whoa…" The team were in awe at Miko's appearance as she slowly approached Domon, along with sharing a small glance at the team with a wink.
"She really does have a similar appearance like Sakura." Houki mused. "No wonder Junya-san was so excited. She has a really striking presence…"
"Also, is it just Paimon, or did she winked right at us just now?" Paimon questioned.
"...I'm sorry, what?" Zeo responded in confusion, earning a back to the head slap by his sister. "Ow!"
"Easy there, bro." Akira deadpanned while Raychel giggled. "You too, Aether."
"Huh?" Aether blinked.
Lumine giggled. "She's just joking, Aether. I know you won't do that."
"Do what?" Aether asked, causing his sister to facepalm.
"...Never mind."
"Keep away... Keep away from me…" Domon spoke in fear with his hands on his head and squatting. "I gave up the art of the sword... Please, let me go, I beg you…"
"He's even worse than what happened to Tejima." Raychel thought.
"His reaction is just like Kurosawa, but worse." Akira also thought.
"As you can see, Lady Yae, Domon has persisted in this state for some time now. He appears to see those who have lost to him in duels past, gathered all around him to persecute him." Inagi explained.
"Lady Yae, it must be a possession... right?" Nanako asked. "This is nothing like him at all. In the past, no matter what came his way, he would always face it with a confident smile."
"..." Yae Miko took a closer look at Domon's state before revealing her result. "I am sorry. It is clear to me that your sensei is not possessed by any evil spirit."
"So it was actually the result of his Vision being taken away just like what happened to the warrior from the village and the samurai instead of an evil spirit possession." Houki thought. "Whoever's currently in charge of the Tenryou Commission will pay dearly for this. If no one in Inazuma besides the Kamisato Clan will rebel, Team XDR will do it for them."
"What?!" Nanako gasped. "But... Then, d-does that mean he…"
"Hmm, yes. This is a change in the person himself." Yae Miko explained. "Unable to cope with the tremendous pressure he was under, he suffered a spiritual collapse. With his wits impaired, he finally descended into madness. As one who is thrown into the sea, though he fights back desperately against his predicament, it does nothing to prevent his descent into the depths. As for what has triggered this change, I believe it must be the loss of his Vision. For to be stripped of one's Vision is to be stripped of one's ambition."
"Stripped of his ambition...?" Junya repeated. "But, Lady Yae, even without his ambition, why should he suffer such a dramatic change? How does that explain his descent into madness?"
"Your school practices Meikyou Shisui Art, does it not?" Miko responded. ""Stillness of mind, freedom from all agitation"... What a fine notion that would be, if any in this world could ever hope to achieve it… There was once one who claimed to be indifferent to rank and reward, and who fled enraged when defeated by his junior. And then there was an aged swordmaster who was aggrieved enough that he crossed blades with a disciple he himself had taught. Then, what of the one who crossed blades with his own sensei and beloved fellow disciple, and defeated them both? Can one truly remain unagitated, of still mind, in moments such as these?"
"Lady Yae... I'm not sure I understand…" Nanako said in confusion.
"The path of the swordmaster is filled with twists and turns. It is no small undertaking to pursue the position of greatest swordmaster in the world. It requires one to take their sword firmly in both hands and cut down the hopes and dreams of others... even those of one's closest companions. Only a deep commitment to his ambition to become the best made it possible for him to rise above the pain of these encounters, to focus on the way ahead. When that ambition disappeared, he began to doubt himself. As he battled his growing anxiety... he slowly descended into the state you see him in now. Heh... Much like a certain fatally flawed friend of mine."
"Fatally flawed friend?" Aether thought. "Could Miko be referring to the Raiden Shogun since she has close ties with her? Huh, another clue to add for later."
"Poor Sensei... To think he's been suffering so greatly…" Nanako stared at Domon sadly.
"I'm sorry... It's all my fault…" Domon apologized. "Father, Sensei... Anzai…"
"That's enough!"
A man's shout coming from where the group first entered the shrine earned everyone's attention, causing Houki's eyes to widen in shock as to who it was. "Anzai-san?!" Houki gasped. "Why are you here?!"
"Anzai... Why are there two of you...? Is that you, or a ghost?" Domon asked with his sight being a bit hazy. "You're here for revenge, aren't you... I knew it would come... I never should have-"
"You're right to assume that my feelings towards you are far from kindly." Anzai sighed. "But I didn't come here to settle a score. It's been so long now that I made peace with it years ago. You did nothing wrong that day, I just... I couldn't face the humiliation. That's why I ran. I don't think most of the people you beat along the way would hold it against you. On the contrary, when you cut our ambitions short, we entrusted them to you, in the hope that they might carry you further. Now, I know that we can't place our hopes in you any longer, since you've been stripped of your ambitions, too… But that is no reason to strip them of theirs! "Follow the way of the sword all the way to the highest peak."You taught them that, didn't you?"
"But, what if one day... the same thing happens to them…" Domon questioned. "I put everything I had into trying to become the best... but what if it was all a huge mistake, right from the start? If there's a chance they'll end up like me one day, I'd rather they stay where they are now than go any further down this path…"
"...Have you asked them what they think?" Anzai gestured to Nanako and Junya.
"Sensei... After you rescued me from the hands of the pirates, I told myself I would follow in your footsteps for the rest of my days." Nanako recalled. "I can't know whether I will suffer in my future as you do now. All I know is that here and now, in the present, I wish to continue. I want to keep going until the day that I can stand before everyone with my head held high and announce that I, like my sensei Domon before me, am a master of Meikyou Shisui Art!"
"Nanako's far from the only one... Actually, all of us think that way." Junya added.
"Goodness... Well, I…" Domon responded in surprise after hearing his students' resolve.
"You see? You can place the ambition you once had in their hands." Anzai stated. "Being stripped of your ambition is something that's never happened to me, so I can't claim to understand it. But I do know what it feels like to have your ambitions crushed... that's what happened on the day that you so effortlessly defeated me. So, just as I once placed my ambitions onto you, it is time for you to release yours into their custody. You are not in the same position that I was. When I left, I had nothing to my name, but you have a great number of worthy disciples."
"...Well said, Anzai-san." Houki smiled.
"I... I understand." Domon nodded to Anzai before facing his students. "I am sorry to have made you worry for me and for the state of Meikyou Shisui Art. I no longer have the resolve to become the best in the world... the emptiness and suffering inside of me will not abate, so I cannot hope to still my mind and be free of agitation. But as your sensei, I shall commit to imparting unto you everything I have learned in my life so far. This is my promise, and I humbly ask Anzai, my senior, to hold me to my word."
"You can count on that." Anzai assured as Domon stared at him. "I'd be checking in on you occasionally anyway, just to make sure you hadn't lost your mind again. You can count on that. I'd be checking in on you occasionally anyway, just to make sure you hadn't lost your mind again… Well, don't just stand there staring at me. Say thank you to Lady Yae and then get yourself back home."
After the Meikyou Shisui Art disciples thank the head shrine maiden Yae Miko, they and Anzai left the shrine, while Team XDR stayed behind.
"So, even though his ambition was taken away, his disciples can take it over on his behalf. Guess that sorta solves this one, huh?" Paimon surmised.
"Yes, it seems as good of a resolution as we can hope for." Houki smiled before frowning. "But still, we can't let the Vision Hunt Decree and even the Sakoku Decree exist any longer. We have to do something."
"We will, Houki. We all will." Aether replied as he and the others nodded.
"Anyway, guess that fulfils Ayaka's final wish." Lumine deduced. "Let's head back to the estate and tell her the news."
"Travelers from afar, a moment, please. Lady Yae has some words for you." Inagi interrupted before they could leave as Yae Miko approached them.
"...So, my intuition was correct." Miko spoke to them. "The wind that blows from afar carries fresh life to these shores… For us to meet now is premature. Nevertheless, you set foot on these islands at precisely the right moment. Hmm... I have high hopes for you, little ones. Don't disappoint me." She gave a sly smile before heading back to the building.
"Yae Miko… you haven't seen anything yet. Just you wait…" Zeo thought and smirked. "Alright team, time to fly our way back."
Afterwards, the group flew their way back to the Kamisato Estate in their Wind Gliders. Fortunately, it was a short flight since the estate was not too far off.
Kamisato Estate
After returning to the estate, they saw Ayaka and Tsubasa in their kendo attire taking a break after their sparring session while Thoma just watched. "Ah, welcome back." Thoma greeted the arrivals. "So, how'd it go?"
"The exorcism wasn't needed since it didn't involve an evil spirit. It was again due to his Vision taken away." Aether informed.
"I figured as much." Tsubasa remarked.
"But thanks to Yae Miko and Anzai-san, the situation was resolved in a good resolution. So we're satisfied with the result." Houki said. "As for Yae Miko's appearance… she really does look similar to Yae Sakura, except that Miko doesn't look like she's capable of wielding a katana like Sakura does."
"Then it looks like you've fulfilled my three wishes. Again, thank you for your help, Xross Drive Rebellion." Ayaka bowed.
"We couldn't do much more since their Visions were taken away, but we did the best we could." Lumine said.
"That's good enough for me and Miss Ayaka." Thoma noted.
"By the way… who won the sparring match while we're gone? Is it Ayaka or Tsubasa?" Paimon asked.
"Actually… it was a tie." Tsubasa answered. "I wasn't expecting her to be that strong despite her beauty."
"Looks can be very deceiving, Tsubasa." Zeo stated.
"Now then, back to the matter at hand." Ayaka spoked in a serious tone as everyone sat down. "You have now witnessed the pain of those deprived of their Visions... What are your feelings on what you have seen?"
"We'll let Aether and Lumine answer those." Akira replied as all eyes were on the Travelers.
"It seems to be a fate worse than death." Lumine answered to Ayaka.
"I hope they can one day be free from their torment." Aether added.
Ayaka sighed. "...Perhaps, in the eyes of a deity such as the Almighty Shogun, the lives of those who inhabit the world are inconsequential… Thunder's roar, lightning's flash, the wind's assault, and the rain's descent... all these things take place with no regard for the feelings of the common people. But I believe that surely you understand what they must endure."
"We definitely understand, Ayaka." Zeo replied as he and the others nodded. "And like we said before, we're here to put a permanent end to the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decree, and bring back the hopes, dreams, ambitions and smiles of the people of Inazuma."
"That's what I would like to hear, and I thank you for your aid." Ayaka smiled and bowed.
"And about that meeting with the Raiden Shogun?" Akira asked.
"Not to worry, I never forgot your promise. I'll do what I can to fulfil your request."
"So what's our next move?" Raychel asked.
"I've checked around the estate and the members of the Yashiro Commission are busy with their own tasks outside, so we're the only ones here." Thoma replied. "I told them it was a private discussion so they won't disturb us until we're done. But I'm going to check outside just to be sure." He stood up and left.
"A private discussion, huh?" Miriam mused.
"Hai." Ayaka nodded. "Please, feel free to ask any questions that's on your minds right now since we're alone."
"What kind of god is the Raiden Shogun?" Aether asked.
"The Almighty Shogun... I have seen her on but only a few occasions, most of them formal ceremonies." Ayaka answered. "She inspires awe, commands respect, and exudes a sense of absolute authority. But as I recall, there was something else about her that struck me even more deeply. It was her almost complete lack of any emotion. In that sense, she appeared to me to be less of a ruler and more of... well, an executive official, I suppose. Focused exclusively on her single goal of implementing Eternity, acting accordingly without feeling."
"A ruler with no feelings and emotion, huh?" Zeo thought. "Something must've happened to her in the past which caused her to act like that. Though Yae Miko mentioned a fatally flawed friend of hers… That's probably the Shogun since she and her are close. Maybe we'll ask her when we have the chance."
"Is no one else fighting the Vision Hunt Decree besides us?" Lumine asked.
"The issue is this... For the vast majority of people, the Vision Hunt Decree is something that has no implications whatsoever." Ayaka answered. "After all, it is but a tiny minority of people who receive Visions. Moreover, it is not unknown for Visions to spark jealousy in others. Because of this, the attitude of most people towards the Vision Hunt Decree is one of indifference."
"How can they be like that...? Hmph, Paimon's getting mad." Paimon frowned with her arms crossed.
"Nevertheless, in addition to us, there is also the resistance on Watatsumi Island."
"Watatsumi Island?" Akira repeated. "That's the island on the far left of Inazuma that kinda looks like a giant seashell?"
"Resistance?" Raychel repeated. "There's an army fighting the decree?"
"Correct for the both of you." Ayaka nodded to Akira and Raychel. "Many who have lost or fear losing their Visions have rallied together under Sangonomiya on Watatsumi Island to form a resistance group, with Sangonomiya Kokomi as their leader and strategist."
"Sangonomiya Kokomi…" Tsubasa mused.
"To say a little more about Sangonomiya... Historically, there has always been some conflict between them and the Shogunate of Narukami Island due to their different belief systems. But I do wonder whether there may be some other agenda behind their resistance movement, beyond merely fighting the Vision Hunt Decree…"
"So even Sangonomiya has secrets of their own…" Zeo thought. "If we have the chance, perhaps we can investigate Watatsumi Island for clues."
"Have you raised a formal objection to the Vision Hunt Decree?" Houki asked.
"Of course." Ayaka nodded. "We have tried on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, each time a proposal to repeal the decree arrives at Tenshukaku, it is promptly vetoed by both the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission, and subsequently scrapped… They invariably adopt a stance of unconditional support for the shogun's decisions. They have no interest in discussing anything. It almost makes one wonder whether they had a hand in the shogun's sudden decision to issue the Vision Hunt Decree…"
"Hmm… I think you might be onto something, Ayaka-san." Akira thought. "Looks like there's a snake or two within the Tenryou and Kanjou Commission which caused the Shogun to issue the Vision Hunt Decree without any further discussions."
"Any other questions, guys?" Zeo asked his team.
"Ooh, ooh, Paimon has a question!" Paimon waved her hand.
"Oh? What would you like to know, Paimon?" Ayaka asked.
"Have you got a plan yet? To fight the Vision Hunt Decree?"
"To be honest... we do not."
"What?!" Paimon exclaimed.
"Please, do not forget that challenging the Vision Hunt Decree is tantamount to challenging a deity. Coming to terms with that is already a difficult step to take." Ayaka stated.
"So what's our next move?" Miriam asked.
"Well, for the moment, all we can do is to try and reduce the harm that is being caused by this decree. For example, by providing Vision bearers with safe refuge, or manufacturing counterfeit Visions for them as a contingency measure."
"Counterfeit Visions?" Houki repeated. "People can make those?"
"Don't underestimate the talents of the craftspeople in Hanamizaka. To the naked eye, their counterfeits are indistinguishable from the genuine article."
"Is that how Venti and Zhongli got their fake Visions?" Aether thought. "Wait, never mind. They probably found another way since they can't travel to Inazuma."
"The problem we are facing right now is that Master Masakatsu, who was providing us with counterfeit Visions, has recently been arrested by the Tenryou Commission."
"Damn it." Zeo frowned. "They managed to find out about it."
"Yes." Ayaka nodded sadly. "We knew it was not a long-term solution and that it was only a matter of time before it would be exposed. But we cannot simply abandon Master Masakatsu."
"True. He has saved many others." Aether agreed.
"It is only right that he should be saved, too." Lumine added.
"Exactly, I feel the same way." Ayaka agreed. "But given mine and Thoma's identities as part of the Yashiro Commission, breaking him out of prison would risk dragging down the reputation of the entire Kamisato Clan should we be caught. That would only serve to cast suspicion on any future activity we might seek to attempt."
"And let me guess, that's where we come in since we're not a part of any Commission or Clan?" Akira guessed.
Ayaka chuckled. "By no means do we intend to place the burden of such a task on your shoulders alone. When you are ready, go to Hanamizaka at Inazuma City, and look for a fireworks shop run by the Naganohara family. There, you will find someone who can help you."
"And since it's gonna be a stealthy jailbreak, a small team is needed." Zeo deduced.
"Maybe a team of four?" Raychel guessed.
"Something like that." Zeo informed. "And I'm going for the jailbreak."
"Hope you don't mind if Lumine and I join you." Aether requested.
"Paimon wants to help, too!" Paimon added.
"Hmm…" Zeo pondered. "Well I know the Travelers are pretty skilled with their multiple elements, plus Paimon's pretty good at being a scout and can teleport. Okay, we can work with this."
"Then the rest of us will stay here and wait for your safe return." Houki deduced before facing Ayaka. "That reminds me, since you're done with your duel with Tsubasa-san, may I have a match against you, Ayaka-san?"
"I'd be delighted, Houki." Ayaka smiled and stood up. "You did say that you're very skilled in kendo. Show me what you can do."
"You won't be disappointed." Houki smirked as she stood up. "Let me change into my kendo attire so we can begin."
"And I'll be waiting at the training ground." Ayaka replied as she and Houki left to prepare.
"Okay, we're heading out now. Wish us luck, guys!" Zeo waved to the others as he, the twin Travelers and Paimon left for Inazuma City.
"Come back safely!" Akira said as she watched Zeo's team leave.
Inazuma City
Upon arriving at Inazuma City, Zeo and the others soon found the location of Naganohara Fireworks, but then noticed something amiss.
"Just hand it over, you don't want any trouble with me." A samurai named Okawara Goemon, who's with another samurai, demanded. "If you think your elemental powers are enough to resist the Vision Hunt Decree, then you'd better think again. Believe me, you're not the first of your kind we've encountered. And we've seen the same unpleasant outcome time after time. You'd best save yourself the trouble."
"Can't you make an exception? I just got this Vision, I won't even use it, I promise." A man named Hanshirou swore.
"So this is the Vision Hunt Decree in action, huh?" Paimon observed. "We can't just sit around and watch things unfold, can we?"
"Don't." Zeo ordered.
"What!? But-"
"I know, I want to stop him, too. But right now, our odds are stacked against us, so the best we can do is not cause any more trouble and let things happen. But I swear that everything will be back to the way it should be once the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decree are gone. Trust me." Zeo stated.
"...I hate to say it, but Zeo has a point." Lumine agreed. "We have to endure for now."
"I see…" Aether noted. "I still don't like it though."
"Neither do we, brother. Neither do we." Lumine replied.
"Alright, alright... Here... take it." Hanshirou reluctantly gave up his Vision to Goemon.
"Hm, wise choice. Alright, let's go!" Goemon said as he and his partner left the area.
"Sorry, sir." Zeo thought with sympathy. "But I swear to you that the Rebellion will… huh?" His thoughts were paused when Hanshirou looked around before sneaking into the back of the fireworks shop. "Hey, are you guys seeing this?"
"Paimon definitely did!" Paimon replied. "That guy didn't look unfazed, but why is he sneaking to the back of the fireworks shop like that?"
"Let's find out." Aether replied back as the group quietly followed Hanshirou.
Hanshirou sighed with relief as he spoke to someone while Zeo's team eavesdropped from behind. "Phew! Many thanks, Miss Yoimiya. If you hadn't swapped me a fake just now, I'm sure I would have lost it."
"No worries, Hanshirou! You put on quite the convincing performance!" The girl named Yoimiya smiled.
Naganohara Yoimiya
Naganohara Fireworks Owner
Pyro Element
Bow User
Yoimiya is a girl with a fair complexion, golden eyes with orange-red makeup painted at the corners, and shoulder-length light strawberry blonde hair that's tied into a high ponytail which messily sticks out in all angles along with many festival themed hair accessories; a small flower tattoo near her left shoulder and another similar tattoo patch around her upper left arm containing a red fish, flowers, and purple swirls.
Her outfit consists of a short orange-red kimono with only one sleeve worn. Her right sleeve is rolled up past her elbow and tied with a string while her left half of the kimono is draped around her waist. Her chest is wrapped up in sarashi, as are her left forearm and upper thighs, extending down to her right leg. A festival pouch hangs from her waist on the left, and her Pyro Vision is secured to her obi on her right.
"Ah, so that Vision you gave to the samurai was a counterfeit, huh?" Zeo spoke, earning Yoimiya and Hanshirou's attention.
"Wha?!" Hanshirou gasped. "W-Who are you?"
"Don't worry, we're just passing through Travelers. We're not with the Tenryou Commission." Aether replied with his hands raised.
"What's your name?" Lumine asked.
"Alright, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Yoimiya, the current owner of Naganohara Fireworks. It ain't much, but it's honest work, hehe. Great to meet ya!" She grinned.
"Practically everyone in Hanamizaka knows Yoimiya. She's the "Queen of the Summer Festival"! Without her and her fireworks, summer on Narukami Island just wouldn't be the same." Hanshirou added.
"Whoa, that's quite the introduction! Paimon loves fireworks! It's nice to meet you!" Paimon smiled. "Paimon's Paimon, and these are Zeo, Aether and Lumine."
Yoimiya giggled. "Stop it Hanshirou, you'll embarrass me! As for thanking me, you'd be better off thanking Master Masakatsu. He's the one that gave me the fake Visions in the first place. His handiwork allowed me to keep my own Vision. Whew, I can't even imagine trying to run business without it…"
"Yes, Master Masakatsu is a good man. It's too bad good people seldom get the recognition they deserve." Hanshirou said.
"Master Masakatsu!?" Paimon gasped.
"Huh? Do you guys know him too?" Yoimiya asked.
"Miss Kamisato mentioned his name." Aether replied.
"And she sent us to break him out of prison." Lumine added.
"You don't say! Then it sounds like the Shirasagi Himegimi has a plan…" Yoimiya mused. "Awesome! I've been thinking about breaking him out too recently. But if I just marched straight in there by myself, I'd probably get Miss Kamisato in a whole heap of trouble…" She chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. "So... what about if I join you instead!?"
"Anything you can defend yourself with besides fireworks?" Zeo asked.
"Well…" Yoimiya responded by summoning her signature bow, the Hamayumi. "I'm pretty good with a bow, both normal and Pyro arrows."
"An archer/demolition expert, huh?" Zeo mused before nodding. "Alright, you're in."
"I wonder if she'll get along with Guinaifen due to their love for fireworks?" Aether thought. "We might need to set up a meeting in the future."
"Also, Ayaka told us to go look for help at a fireworks shop. She must have meant you!" Paimon recalled.
Yoimiya giggled. "Seems like I've finally got a new job to do! ...Y'know, besides hiding Vision bearers in my shop, that is… So, Master Masakatsu is being held at the Police Station. I've already surveyed the area and found a way in."
"Whoa, talk about a reliable source. Seems we've got the right person on our team!" Paimon remarked.
"Not bad, huh?" Yoimiya grinned. "Hehe. Let's go as soon as everyone's ready. Don't worry Master Masakatsu, we're on our way!"
"Hold it." Zeo raised his hand. "I need to get changed first. Aether, the Serenitea Pot please?"
"You're changing in there?" Lumine questioned.
"I don't want to attract too much attention due to the Ziku Driver's noise."
"Ah, fair enough." Aether noted and pulled out the teapot. "Go for it."
"Thanks, Traveler." Zeo smiled and vanished into the teapot after touching and concentrating on it.
"H-He's gone!" Yoimiya gasped.
"He went inside the Serenitea Pot to get changed. It's actually a portable sub-space realm which is perfect for long journeys and camping." Lumine explained.
"Wait till you see the inside. It's huge!" Paimon added.
"Sounds like fun!" Yoimiya smiled. "Maybe I'll have a look someday."
"Okay, all done." Zeo appeared before the group, now changed into Kamen Rider Zi-O. "Call me Zi-O when I'm in this suit, Yoimiya."
"Ooh, you look so cool!" Yoimiya remarked with awe. "Are you some kind of masked samurai?"
"Kamen Rider, actually." Zi-O corrected while Aether put away the Serenitea Pot. "I do have a samurai form however, but I won't use it now since it's a stealth mission. That being said, lead the way."
"Gotcha. Follow me!" Yoimiya replied and escorted the team to the secret entrance of the Police Station.
Police Detention Center
"Uh... Now that we're inside, this place is a whole lot creepier than Paimon imagined... Eh-he…" Paimon said nervously after taking the secret entrance into the detention center and explored the hallways.
"C'mon, this way! As long as we stay quiet, we've got a good chance!" Yoimiya said as she continued to escort the team before stopping to face them. "I certainly wouldn't want to end up locked away in here. Let's find Master Masakatsu and get out of here. We should split up. I've got a "little present" to prepare for Master Masakatsu, hehe... I'll be right back."
"You sure?" Aether asked, earning a nod from Yoimiya. "Alright then, just be careful not to get caught."
"Yes, uh… you too!" Yoimiya replied before heading in.
"I wonder what that little surprise is?" Lumine pondered as they continued walking.
"Dunno." Zi-O shrugged. "But Yoimiya has a plan, so let's leave that to her. Though considering she's a fireworks expert, there's going to be an explosion."
"Oh. Well that makes sense." Paimon noted. "... Paimon hopes the explosion is small and not large."
"Anyway, let's get moving. The sooner we finish this jailbreak, the better." Zi-O declared as the team started running.
But then they quickly stopped and hide after noticing a couple of guards ahead. "Not good, there's guards ahead and there's no alternative routes." Lumine observed.
"Then it's time to learn the art of non-lethal silent takedowns. All you need to do is hit them on the back of their necks where their nerve points are located. And since you both have Electro, this should prolong their unconscious states without killing them." Zi-O said. "Now go quickly, Travelers."
"Mm." Aether and Lumine nodded, appearing behind the guards with an electro flash step followed by an electro judo chop to the back of the guards' necks to knock them out.
"Wow, good going." Paimon remarked as they regrouped. "But when will they wake up?"
"Probably around 30 mins to an hour, which is enough time for us to do this jailbreak." Zi-O answered. "Okay, moving on."
The team continued to venture deeper into the detention center until they stopped when Paimon noticed something on the far right that's guarded. "Talk about a big door... Seems we need to collect something shaped like a magatama in order to open it." Paimon observed.
"Then we'll have to come back later once we find the magatamas." Aether stated before the team ran left into the next room.
"Intruders!"
Unfortunately for them, they ran into more guards that surrounded them. "Well, so much for being stealthy." Lumine said as they prepared themselves while Paimon teleported to safety.
"Remember, just knock them out! We're not here to kill!" Zi-O stated with his X-Baton ready.
"Right!" The Travelers nodded as their arms and legs surged with purple electro.
"Get them!" The guard shouted as they tried to take down the team. Unfortunately for the guards, they were no match for them due to how skilled they are.
Eventually, all of the guards were knocked out cold, prompting Paimon to appear before the team. "Good work using your bodies against them instead of your swords." Zi-O praised the Travelers.
"Like you said, we're not here to kill." Aether replied.
"By the way, while Paimon was hiding, there's a platform you can use to go up a level. Maybe that's where we'll find the magatama for the large door." Paimon informed. "This way!"
Paimon escorted the team to the left of the room and found the platform. After using it to go up, they ran across another hallway before stopping and hiding when they saw more guards and traps ahead. The Travelers went with the silent takedown approach again and quickly knocked out the guards from behind while evading the electro arrows and falling ceiling traps until they stopped at the door at the end.
With the area secured, Zi-O and Paimon regrouped with the Travelers as they examined the door. "A sliding door, eh?" Zi-O mused before moving the door to the left, and saw some guards on their right glowing in electro aura along with a glowing electro armor at the end.
"These guys seem a lot tougher than usual." Paimon observed. "Paimon wonders if that armor over there has anything to do with the source of their strength?"
"Most likely." Zi-O replied. "Keep the guards busy while I shut down the glowing armor!"
"Right!" The Travelers nodded and went ahead to hold off the enhanced guards. The distraction allowed Zi-O to move towards the glowing armor unhindered and sealed the opening on its chest, causing the auras on the guards to vanish.
"What… Our auras are gone?!" The guard exclaimed in surprise, until he and the others were knocked out cold from behind by the Travelers, judo chopping the back of their necks.
With the area secured, the team went ahead to the next room where they saw more guards with a couple of samurai keeping watch over a sealed chest. "Guess we can't move on or get the chest until we deal with them." Aether observed.
"Good luck, guys!" Paimon said before vanishing while the team immediately engaged the guards. Zi-O fought the lesser guards while the Travelers fought the samurais. While the Rider easily dealt with the guards, the Travelers had a bit of difficulty with the samurais. Nevertheless, they managed to defeat them which caused the seal on the chest to vanish and Paimon reappearing before the team after the fight ended.
Paimon looked around the room until she noticed a ladder on the left of the room leading upwards. "Oh, there's a ladder we can use!" She pointed at the ladder.
"Then that's where we'll go." Lumine noted before looking at the chest. "But what should we do with the chest? I'm a little concerned that it belongs to the police here."
"I'm gonna have a quick look and see if there's anything valuable. The Mora stays, though." Zi-O approached the chest and began to search after opening it. Eventually, something caught his attention in the chest and pulled it out, or rather, pulled them out. It was a pair of special katanas; one having a white handle, katana guard and hilt with the kanji on the blade called Shirotsuki, and the other having a black handle, katana guard and hilt with the kanji on the blade called Kurotaiyou. "White Moon and Black Sun, huh?"
"What are you holding?" Aether asked as he and the others took a closer look. "Katanas?"
"From the looks of these, they're kinda special." Zi-O remarked. "Aether, Lumine, I think you should take these."
"Are you sure?" Lumine asked.
"It's fine." Zi-O nodded. "Plus, Shirotsuki suits you like the moon. Your brother can have Kurotaiyou."
"Well, those katanas do match our clothing." Aether remarked as he took Kurotaiyou while his sister took Shirotsuki. "They both need sheaths, though."
"Maybe we'll ask the blacksmith in the city to make those later." Lumine said as she and her brother dispersed their new katanas while Zi-O closed the chest.
"Okay, we'd better not waste time and get a move on. Up the ladder, Travelers." Zi-O said as the team immediately went up the ladder and moved towards the upper path along with jumping over a hole.
When they reached the second hole however, Paimon noticed something below. "Hmm... Doesn't that magatama shape look pretty similar to the grooves on the sealed door several rooms before?" She pondered.
"At least we found our key to opening it." Zi-O replied as they jumped down the hole before the Rider retrieved the purple glowing magatama amulet on a small shrine.
"We can't backtrack since there's no ladder nearby." Aether looked at the hole above.
"Then we'll have to go through there." Lumine pointed towards a path ahead with electro floor traps and a ladder at the end going upwards.
"Great… Elemental floor traps…" Zi-O muttered. "Well, let's get this over with."
After avoiding the electro floors and climbing up a ladder to enter the upper path, they found themselves in a room with more guards and samurais with glowing electro auras along with a sealed door on the left, a magatama amulet on the right, and a glowing armor in the north. "Paimon, think you can close the armor's opening to cut off the glowing auras from the guards?" Aether requested as the team prepared themselves once more.
"Leave it to Paimon!" Paimon saluted and vanished while the team engaged the guards. During the assault, the familiar appeared before the armor unhindered and closed its opening, causing the auras on the guards to vanish. "All done here! The rest is up to you!" She informed the team before she vanished to safety.
"That's our reliable familiar!" Lumine smirked as she unleashed an upward tornado infused with electro, sucking up the guards inside. "Aether, Zi-O!"
"Right!" Aether and Zi-O complied with the latter slotting his Ryuki Ridewatch onto his Zikan Gilade Ken Mode.
=FINISH TIME! RYUKI!=
=GIRI GIRI SLASH!=
The duo leaped into the air and delivered a powerful Geo and Pyro slash, causing the tornado to explode and the guards falling to the ground hard and unconscious. "Sorry, nothing personal." Aether said to the unconscious guards. "Paimon, you there?"
In response, the familiar appeared before the team, holding the magatama amulet. "Yup! And Paimon got the second magatama while you're busy!"
"Nicely done." Zi-O gave a thumbs up before the team noticed the sealed door on their left opening. "And there's our exit. Let's move!"
The team went through the door where they saw a guard watching over a hole at the end. After Aether immediately delivered a silent takedown on the guard, they jumped down the hole and saw another path with an opening on the left and a small shrine with the third magatama on it at the north end.
"Paimon will go get it!" Paimon said as she went to the shrine to retrieve the magatama while the others went to the opening on the left where they find themselves back into the large room with the sealed door and a couple of guards watching over it.
In response, the Travelers quickly performed silent takedowns on the guards before Zi-O and Paimon regrouped with them and stared at the door with a magic seal. Using the three magatama amulets they've collected, the seal and the magatamas vanished as the door opened up. "We're almost there, team. Just a little bit further." Zi-O said as they went through the door.
"Though Paimon wonders what's taking Yoimiya so long?" Paimon pondered. "She'd better not get lost in this building."
"Not sure, but let's just keep moving. She's bound to show up sooner or later." Aether replied until they reached several sliding doors. "These again, huh?" He mused before moving the sliding doors. Some to the left, and some to the right.
Moments later, they're able to reach Master Masakatsu's holding cell that's being watched by a couple of guards. The team hid themselves as they watched them closely and waited for an opening to free Masakatsu.
"(That's definitely Masakatsu, alright.)" Zi-O whispered, observing the old master.
"(What the hell are they doing to him? That's not right.)" Lumine frowned as they watched the master being tortured.
"Did you really think that little trick of yours could fool us?" A guard named Kinoshita asked the master.
Another guard named Maeda chuckled. "Locking you up was just the beginning."
"(Oh no... Those Tenryou Commission brutes are torturing him.)" Yoimiya said with worry.
"(If we don't come up with a way to break him out fast, then…)" Paimon said…before blinking a few times and turned left in surprise. "(Eh!? Yoimiya, when did you get back here?!)"
"(Shh!)" Zi-O immediately shushed the familiar. "(Remember, we have to wait for an opening to rescue Masakatsu. But you can look away from the torture if you can't handle it.)"
"(But… If anything happens to Master Masakatsu, our whole plan will have been for nothing…)" Yoimiya said with worry.
"Hey, you there! What are you doing!?" A woman's voice garnered everyone's attention.
"Ah! G-General Sara, ma'am!" The guards panicked and saluted to the female general approaching them.
"(General? Who's that?)" Paimon asked.
"(That's Kujou Sara, adopted daughter of the Kujou Clan of the Tenryou Commission.)" Yoimiya explained. "(She's also a general in the Shogun's Army. What's she doing here...?)"
"(Kujou Sara, huh?)" Zi-O mused as he observed the general.
Kujou Sara
Electro Element
Bow User
Kujou Sara is a tall woman with indigo hair cut into an uneven bob, pale skin, and golden eyes. On the side of her head lies a red tengu mask that resembles a crow's face with white accents, a black crest, and a hexagonal piece resembling a tokin.
Sara's attire is primarily black and white, with adornments in mauve, red, and gold. The Kujou Clan crest adorns various parts of her outfit. Her Electro Vision can be seen on a yellow bow attached to her belt, from which hangs a decorative black and white yuigesa (pompom sash). She also wears red and gold tengu-geta sandals.
"What were you two doing?" Sara asked the guards.
"W-We were just teaching him a little lesson... That's all." Maeda replied.
"Make way, let me have a look at him." Sara demanded, prompting the guards to move away as she observed the tortured Masakatsu. In response, she frowned and turned to the guards. "I'm sure you're well aware that torture is strictly against military regulations."
"Y-Yes, ma'am." Kinoshita nodding in panic.
"If you are unashamed of such disgraceful action, then you are also unworthy of the Tenryou Commission itself! Do I make myself clear!?" Sara scolded.
"Y-Yes, ma'am. I-It won't happen again!" Maeda also nodded in panic.
"Well well… it seems there's some honor in that general." Zi-O thought. "I think I found someone to trust within the Tenryou Commission. Just need to wait for the right opportunity for a proper negotiation. That way, we can figure out what's actually going on within the Tenyrou." He then turned to Yoimiya. "(Yoimiya, is your 'little present' all set?)"
"(You bet!)" Yoimiya grinned. "(I've already planted them after you guys went through the sealed door. And it should set off right about…)"
*BOOM!*
"What?!" Sara exclaimed as she and the guards heard the explosions.
"Was that an explosion!?" Kinoshita also exclaimed.
"I-It sounded like... fireworks?" Maeda pondered.
"Go and investigate! Now!" Sara ordered.
"Yes, ma'am!" The guards nodded and ran towards the source of the explosions.
"(Wow, Zi-O. You're right about Yoimiya using fireworks as her 'little present'.)" Lumine said.
"(Like I said, she's a fireworks expert.)" Zi-O replied.
"(And very proud of it!)" Yoimiya grinned. "(They're aren't just for festivals, y'know.)"
"(Sara's still there, though.)" Aether noticed the general still standing near Masakatsu.
"(Don't worry, I've got that part covered, too.)" Yoimiya assured.
"(And that is?)" Paimon asked.
*POW! CRACKLE CRACKLE... FIZZZZ!*
"Aaahhh!" The guards screamed… in pain?
"(Eh-he... Uh, Yoimiya... this is turning into a bit of a fireworks display, hehe…)" Paimon chuckled nervously.
"(You overdid it, didn't you?)" Zi-O sweatdropped.
"(Well... fireworks are my craft after all. Every batch has to be spectacular!)" Yoimiya sheepishly chuckled.
"(I'm beginning to think this wasn't only intended as a distraction…)" Aether sweatdropped.
"(At least those guards got what they deserved after torturing Masakatsu.)" Lumine pointed out.
"What are they doing?! Must I do everything myself?!" Sara muttered with gritted teeth and went to see the guards, leaving Masakatsu alone.
"(Look, the coast is clear. Now's our chance!)" Paimon noticed, earning a nod from the team as they stopped hiding and approached the master and freed him.
"Y-Yoimiya? Is that you?" Masakatsu asked as he looked at the fireworks expert.
"Master Masakatsu! Sorry we took so long…" Yoimiya replied. "Ugh... those awful guards!"
"Never mind that, we need to leave now before Sara comes back!" Zi-O stated as they were about to leave with Masakatsu in tow.
"Ahem."
Unfortunately, Sara was right in front of the group with her Inazuma Warbow aimed right at them.
"...Okay, I'll give you credit for turning around instead of going after the fireworks." Zi-O commented to the general. "But listen, Masakatsu is not in good shape right now. He needs medical attention immediately."
"...I know." Sara lowered her bow and stepped aside which surprised the team. "Leave, before I let my judgment get the better of me. He's indeed in serious condition, so be sure he gets immediate medical attention. But remember… Once he's recovered, it won't be long until I bring him right back."
The team were surprised at Sara's mercy. But it's probably for the best since they don't want to start another fight, especially if it's someone from the Tenryou Commission. "Understood." Aether nodded.
"And thank you." Lumine added.
"Alright, we're leaving now." Zi-O said as they immediately left with Masakatsu in tow while Sara just watched.
Once the team were outside and far away from the Police Station, they breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew! We're finally outta that creepy place." Paimon said.
"Yes... Finally, I've made it out of there…" Masakatsu agreed.
"Master Masakatsu, how do you feel? Can you hold on?" Yoimiya asked.
"Don't worry, I think I can make it to the infirmary without keeling over." Masakatsu assured.
"Thank you, all of you!" Yoimiya bowed to the team with gratitude. "I'll take him to get treated. I'll treat you to a round of drinks once this is all over!"
"Don't worry about us, just take care of Master Masakatsu." Lumine replied before Yoimiya escorted the master to the infirmary.
"Aether, teapot please? I need to get out of this suit." Zi-O requested.
"Gotcha." Aether complied, pulling out the Serenitea Pot before the Rider went inside after touching it.
Moments later, Zeo came out of the teapot and dusted himself off before Aether put the teapot away. "Well, rescue mission complete." Zeo said. "Though I'd better not tell Gaius about the jailbreak since he's going to be a cop someday."
"That's fair." Paimon nodded.
"We got lucky though thanks to Kujou Sara letting us go." Aether said.
"Do you think she was making up for how the guards were treating him?" Lumine pondered.
"It seems as though there are some okay people among the ranks of the Tenryou Commission." Paimon said. "Oh! Though Paimon would never agree with their actions in the Vision Hunt Decree, of course."
"True." Zeo noted. "But I think Sara would be a valuable ally if we're going to find the truth about the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decree due to her sense of honor. As grandmother said this…" He pointed to the sky. ""The enemy of my enemy is my friend." We just need to wait for the right opportunity to negotiate."
"Then we'll leave that to you, Zeo." Aether replied with the others nodding.
"Anyway, time to head back to the Kamisato Estate. We're done here." Zeo declared as the team made their way back to the estate.
"Oh, you're here!"
That is until Thoma called them over which garnered their attention. "Thoma? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the estate with Ayaka and the others?" Paimon asked.
"Actually, they went to the Komore Teahouse after the match between Houki and Ayaka. You guys should go too if you want to deliver the report." Thoma replied. "Oh, and don't worry about privacy, Miss Ayaka got that part covered."
"Alright then, lead the way." Zeo nodded as Thoma escorted the team to the teahouse.
Komore Teahouse
Upon arriving at the teahouse and inside a private room where Ayaka and the rest of the Rebellion were at, Zeo's team gave their report about the successful jailbreak, including Kujou Sara's act of mercy.
"I see, so Kujou Sara stayed her hand. It would appear she still has some honor to her." Thoma mused. "I wonder if we should try establishing contact with her... Perhaps we could coax out some information."
"Unlikely. Don't forget, Kujou Sara is also carrying out the Vision Hunt Decree. She obeys the orders of the Raiden Shogun without question." Ayaka stated. "In her eyes, Master Masakatsu is of no threat to the decree. This is why she was so willing to allow his escape. If our true motives were ever divulged, she would act against us without a second thought."
"Still, Sara's code of honor is an unexpected blessing." Tsubasa stated before facing Zeo's team. "Nicely done."
"No problem." Aether said as he and the others smiled.
"But I'm not gonna cross out Sara since she could be a reliable ally in the future within the Tenryou Commission, and might have clues about the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decrees. We just need to wait for the right opportunity to negotiate." Zeo stated. "Just leave that part to me, Thoma."
"Alright then, I'm counting on you, comrade." Thoma smiled. "We are now one step closer to victory... and we couldn't have done it without Yoimiya and the Rebellion!" He chuckled. "You guys are turning out to be even more reliable than we expected."
"Thanks for the compliment." Lumine smiled.
"However, we can't let our guard down." Houki stated. "We still have much to do and plan before we can make our next move."
"Houki is right." Ayaka agreed. "If we wish to mount any sizable resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree, there is still much to be done. It is time we make ready our next set of plans..."
"There's no need to rush, milady." Thoma said. "Things seem to have taken a turn for the better, at least. Not only have we rescued Master Masakatsu, but our list of allies appears to be growing. Ah yes, which reminds me... The Tenryou Commission seems to be making preparations for a "celebration"... They call it a "ceremony" of sorts. And the number of samurai out enforcing the Vision Hunt Decree seems to be waning. The days ahead may be more peaceful than usual."
"A "ceremony," you say? Why would such a task be left to the Tenryou Commission?" Ayaka questioned.
"I don't know, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with us. Anyway, with the Tenryou Commission busy with preparations, we should have a little more breathing room than usual."
"Hmm, you do present a good point. Being in a constant state of alert will only tire us further, so perhaps a period of rest is in order. Thoma, what would you suggest?"
"I'd say a celebratory feast is in order. Might I suggest a day of hot pot together! Funny enough, I learned a new "hot pot game" recently. I'm sure you'll find it quite amusing!"
Unfortunately for Zeo, Akira and Raychel, the moment Thoma mentioned the "hot pot game" made their faces pale with dread considering the last time they tried to play that game in the past, which ended in disaster.
"Hot pot game?" Paimon repeated.
"Simply put, every person prepares an ingredient to add to the hot pot." Thoma explained. "Once the meal begins, we add all the ingredients together. Then we take it in turns to close our eyes, pick an ingredient out of the pot, taste it, and guess whose ingredient it was. Anyone who guesses correctly can go again, and whoever finishes the meal with the most points is declared the winner. Tradition even has it that the winner receives blessings from the God of Hot Pot. Don't you think it sounds like fun? Hehe, I've been wanting to give it a try... In fact, I've already got my ingredients prepared after buying them at Ritou yesterday!"
"You really do wanna play, huh? You're on!" Paimon accepted before facing the others. "What about you… Wait. Zeo, Akira, Ray, what's wrong with you three?"
"Well…" Akira poked her index fingers together. "The last time Zeo, Gaius, Ray and I played the hot pot game, it was a disaster."
"It was so bad that we had to kill it and its contents with fire. Lots of fire." Zeo added.
"...The contents are purple and censored, right?" Houki guessed, earning a depressing sigh and a nod from Zeo, Akira and Ray, making her and the others sweatdrop. "...Oh."
"...Paimon's starting to have second thoughts about accepting the hot pot game." Paimon sweatdropped.
"N-Now hold on!" Thoma interjected with his hands raised. "I promise you that the ingredients we'll be using are harmless."
"Please do. None of us want to feel sick." Miriam insisted.
"You have my word." Thoma nodded and stood up. "Alright, I'm gonna prepare the hot pot! Hope you guys have an empty stomach!"
"...Just be glad that my brother isn't here to take part in the hot pot game." Ayaka said after Thoma left. "He likes to… put in whatever kind of ingredients he is fascinated with."
"Is it safe?" Raychel asked.
In response, Ayaka opened up her fan to cover her face in embarrassment, causing the others to sweatdrop.
"...Oh."
"Note to self: Do not bring over horrible cooks during hot pot games. It will not end well for everyone." Zeo thought.
Miriam's Narration: To be honest, it's my first time playing the hot pot game. It really tests our food pallete and knowledge of the ingredients. In the end however, Thoma won the game. Oh well, there's always next time, but we had a fun experience nonetheless. Afterwards, Ayaka and Thoma left to do their personal errands while we took the time to explore Narukami Island. This also gives the Travelers and myself a chance to learn more Electro skills. Good thing Zeo, Akira and Raychel have those kinds of videos on their Zikan Phones to study, in addition to the Blade and Den-O Ridewatches also having Electro.
The next day, Ayaka and Yoimiya needed our help with their commissions. And due to the size of our group, we split up into two teams; Zeo, Aether, Tsubasa and Houki to assist Ayaka, while everyone else including myself will help Yoimiya. By the time we completed the commissions, it was already evening, so we decided to rest for the next day.
…Unfortunately, that's also the day where our Inazuma campaign reached a difficult roadblock.
Kamisato Estate
Daytime
Inside the Kamisato Estate, Zeo finished activating the Trans Beacon for use while the others, except for Aether, Lumine, Paimon, Thoma and Ayaka that all left for Komore Teahouse, watched on. Once the beacon was in green light, a pair of figures appeared before the group from the beacon, revealing to be Mei Raiden in her Crimson Impulse battlesuit and Yae Sakura in her Gyakushinn Miko attire.
"Welcome to Inazuma, ladies." Zeo greeted as the duo looked around.
"Are we inside a mansion?" Sakura asked.
"Yes." Akira nodded in confirmation. "Owned by Kamisato Ayaka and Ayato, the latter being the head of the Kamisato Clan."
"Ayato went for a long business meeting while Ayaka, along with Aether, Lumine and Paimon went to Komore Teahouse to order some tea for takeout." Raychel added.
"I see." Mei noted. "Will they be back soon?"
"With the exception of Ayato-san, probably." Houki replied. "They did tell us to stay here and wait for their return."
"Anyway, I did hear your report about Inazuma's current state because of the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decree. And it's very appalling since it's harming innocent Inazumans." Sakura recalled.
"Hai. Especially to what happened to the ones that got their Visions taken away." Mei added. "We have to do something."
"And we will." Tsubasa replied. "But we need to wait for an opening before we can act. Ayaka's trying her best to find one."
"However, we did gain plenty of clues we can use to figure out the mystery of what caused the Decrees to exist." Miriam added. "But we still need a bit more before we can see the big picture."
"Guys! Guys! We've got trouble!"
Everyone turned around and saw Paimon appearing before them in a panicked state. "What's wrong, Paimon?" Zeo asked.
"It's Thoma! He's been captured by the Tenryou Commission and is being brought before the Statue of the Omnipresent God. And the Raiden Shogun will be there to take his Vision and plant it on the statue to mark the 100th Vision seized under the Vision Hunt Decree!" Paimon informed.
"WHAT?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Where's everyone else? Why didn't they protect Thoma?" Akira asked.
"Thoma was busy with something private until he was captured. That's why the others never saw it until a bystander told them."
"Damn it!" Zeo muttered. "Why now?!"
"Wait…" Houki began to realize. "The 'ceremony' the Tenryou Commission is preparing… It's today?!"
"Sure sounds like it." Tsubasa frowned. "This is not good, and we were doing well so far…"
"Ayaka was planning to go there to stop the ceremony, but Aether and Lumine decided to stop her and go in her stead." Paimon explained, "And before they left, they told me and Ayaka to return to the estate and relay the news to you guys. Paimon got here first due to how fast Paimon can fly."
"At least the Travelers made the right call to stop the ceremony instead of Ayaka. Because if she did go, it'll ruin the Yashiro Commission's reputation which will cause the Shogun to declare them as enemies." Raychel stated.
"However, this in turn will make the Travelers criminals instead." Miriam pointed out. "At least all of us won't be branded since we're not involved with Thoma's rescue."
"Still, we can't leave the Travelers and Thoma behind since there's a chance the Raiden Shogun and her forces will prevent their escape, so one of us will go and bail them out." Zeo stated.
"...You're going, aren't you, brother?" Akira guessed, shocking the team.
"Wait, you?!" Paimon exclaimed. "But you're the leader and founder of the Rebellion!"
"My sister and Ray will take temporary command until I return with the Travelers and Thoma." Zeo said. "Don't worry, I don't plan on dying here today."
"...That won't be necessary." Mei spoke up, earning everyone's attention "...I will go instead."
"Huh?!" The team exclaimed.
"Mei?!" Sakura gasped. "If you go, then…"
"I know." Mei replied in a serious tone. "A reaction will definitely come from the Inazumans and especially the Raiden Shogun, and they'll no doubt go after me instead of the Travelers. I'll think about what to do next once we've escaped."
"Are you sure about this?" Akira asked. "If you do this stunt, there's no turning back."
"I know. After hearing your reports, I have to go to Inazuma and set things straight. Something is definitely wrong with this nation, and I intend to solve this mystery. Don't worry, I'm ready. And Kiana and the other valkyries already gave me their blessings."
"Mei…" Miriam whispered.
"Wait." Paimon blinked when looking at Mei and Sakura. "When and how did you two get here?"
"Just now. Using the Trans Beacon." Tsubasa answered, pointing at the device.
"Oh. That explains it."
"We can't stay here because there's a chance the Tenryou Commission will snoop around the estate for fugitives." Zeo said, deactivating the Trans Beacon and stored it inside his Zikan Phone, then activated a holo-map showing Inazuma's map. "We'll have to find somewhere far away from the city to hide before we can plan our next move."
"...I have a suggestion."
A voice spoke nearby, earning everyone's attention and was revealed to be Ayaka. "Oh, there you are, Ayaka." Paimon noticed.
"Forgive me for being late." Ayaka apologized. "And I see that Paimon informed the news about Thoma's capture."
"Yeah." Raychel said. "I'm sorry that happened."
"It's alright, it's not your fault. If you really can't stay here for the safety of the Yashiro Commission, I understand. But if you're looking for help…" Ayaka approached the holo-map and pointed at an island on the far left of Inazuma. "Perhaps you can go there and ask Sangonomiya Kokomi for assistance."
"Watatsumi Island, huh?" Zeo mused. "And if I recall, she leads the resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree. "What do you think, guys?"
"We're running out of options after this, so we might as well take it." Miriam replied with the others nodding.
"Very well." Zeo nodded to them before facing Ayaka. "Okay, we'll head for that island and find Kokomi."
"Good. But before you find Kokomi, you need to find the resistance army." Ayaka pointed at a large island near Narukami Island. "You'll find them at Tatarasuna in Kannazuka Island. They wore the white and magenta army uniform. To reach there by boat…" She pointed at a small island on Narukami Island. "Find a Waverider Waypoint here. Only Vision Bearers can activate it in order to summon the Waverider boat for use."
"Hmm… so it's just like touching the Statue of the Seven." Miriam thought as she looked at her arm. "I wonder if I'm also able to summon it since I have blessings from the Archons?"
"Alright, we have our rendezvous point." Zeo noted, putting away his phone after turning off the holo-map. "Mei, meet us at that small island after rescuing the Travelers and Thoma."
"Roger." Mei nodded.
"Hm?" Ayaka then noticed Mei which surprised her. "...You look like the Raiden Shogun…"
"Hai." Mei nodded. "But I'm Mei Raiden, not the Raiden Shogun. Don't worry, Ayaka. We'll save Inazuma."
"...I understand." Ayaka nodded back. "Please be careful and come back to your friends safely."
"I will, and wish me luck." Mei replied before quickly heading towards Inazuma City.
"Okay, time for us to leave for the time being." Akira declared before facing Ayaka. "Kamisato Ayaka, thank you for taking care of us these past few days. We'll come back again once Inazuma is back to normal."
"I'll look forward to that day. But one more thing before you go." Ayaka approached Zeo and gave him her fan. "I want you to have this. It'll help you gain trust with the resistance army. Don't worry, I have some spares."
"Very well, I'll take good care of it, Ayaka." Zeo replied and took the fan. "Also, I wanted to give you this…" He then gave a spare Zikan Phone to Ayaka as the phone shared the same colors as her fan.
"A Zikan Phone… for me?" Ayaka responded in surprise.
"Call it a sign of trust from the Rebellion." Zeo smiled. "Plus, we can contact you at any time at a very safe distance. Just make sure to do that in private, okay?"
"I will, and thank you for the gift." Ayaka smiled back and accepted the phone.
"Before we leave, is it alright if I stay at the Grand Narukami Shrine?" Yae Sakura requested.
"You just wanted to see Yae Miko, don't you?" Paimon guessed.
"That, and someone needs to keep an eye on this island for any updates." Sakura replied. "I'll send you a message if something comes up."
"Fair enough." Akira noted. "Stay safe, alright?"
"I will, and the same to all of you." Sakura nodded before leaving for the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"Safe travels, Xross Drive Rebellion. And may our paths cross again someday." Ayaka said.
"You too, Kamisato Ayaka. Be safe." Zeo replied.
"And thanks again for everything! See you again soon!" Paimon waved before she and the team left the estate.
Inazuma City
A large crowd of Inazumans were gathered near the Statue of the Omnipresent God observing the executioner's block where the captured Thoma who's down on his knees with his arms tied behind his back and two guards standing near him in case he tries to escape. Eventually, all eyes were on the one arriving at the scene. The Electro Archon and ruler of Inazuma herself; the Raiden Shogun.
Raiden Shogun
Electro Archon
Polearm and Sword User
The Raiden Shogun is a tall woman with pale skin, purple eyes with light blue pupils and a beauty mark below her right eye, purple nails, and long, dark violet braided hair that becomes lighter at the ends. At the right side of her head is an ōgi-bira kanzashi (fan-shaped hairpiece) which is adorned with two pale violet flowers that resemble balloon flowers.
Her outfit consists of a shear dark purple bodysuit under an extremely short lavender kimono. The sleeves of her bodysuit completely cover her arms and terminate at golden rings on her middle fingers, partly covering her palms and the tops of her hands. The back and sleeves of her kimono are decorated with tomoe, flower, and wave patterns in shades of purple and gold. Her kimono is fastened with a crimson obi tied into a bow at her back. She wears dark purple thigh-high stockings with small diamond openings at the top and high-heeled sandals; her right ankle is adorned with two of the same flowers in her hair and on her kimono. A small red ribbon sits at her neck over her bodysuit, which covers her neck and shoulders but leaves open a window for her chest and upper back. There are also three objects on her outfit with the Electro symbol: a black pauldron on her left shoulder, a tasseled ornament at the front of her obi, and a fan-like ornament on her obi's bow.
With her hand raised that surged with purple electro, Thoma's Pyro Vision began to float away from him. But just as the Vision was about to reach the Shogun's hand, it was snatched by a trail of lightning as it landed in front of Thoma, revealing it to be Aether who used his lightning dash to intercept the Vision from being taken, which surprised everyone in the area. The guards were about to go after the Traveler, until they were knocked out from behind by Lumine who appeared using her lightning dash and freed Thoma using her Skyward Blade.
"Catch!" Aether threw the Pyro Vision to Thoma who caught it, prompting Lumine to pull out her Zikan Phone Blaster and created a wormhole behind her which shocked everyone.
"Thoma, escape through here! Hurry!" Lumine ordered.
"What?!" Thoma exclaimed. "But what about you two?"
"We'll stay and hold them off! We'll find our own way out! Just go!" Aether replied as he and Lumine prepared their swords.
Thoma took a moment to look at the situation before nodding at the Travelers. "Best of luck, Travelers. And please… live." Afterwards, he jumped into the wormhole before it vanished.
"Okay, that takes care of Thoma. He should be smart enough to find a safe place to hide." Aether thought. "All we need to do now is stall them until our friends can bail us out using a wormhole. Paimon and Ayaka should be delivering the message to them by now."
"To think we'd be fighting an Archon at a time like this, and it's our first time, too. Can we even survive before our friends arrive?" Lumine thought with worry.
The guards were about to surround the Travelers, until the Raiden Shogun spoke up with her hand raised. "Hold. I will deal with them myself." Under her order, the guards stepped away while she approached the Travelers. "Capable of using elemental energy without a Vision… You both are exceptions, it appears… Exceptions... the enemy of Eternity…" Her body surged with purple electro, briefly floating off the air and moving her hands close near her chest with the electro symbol on the center and an electro halo behind her. Once she moved her arms open which let out a massive aura, the force of her aura slightly pushed the Travelers back, prompting them to take a defensive stance. Then, a katana handle came out from her upper chest and pulled it out, revealing it to be a purple katana with an electro symbol on the guard.
"The Musou no Isshin?!"
"She's using it here?!"
"What incredible power…!"
The Travelers overheard the crowd talking about the Musou no Isshin the Raiden Shogun is currently wielding. If what they said is true about the katana's power, then the twins are in serious trouble despite having three elements in their possession. Nevertheless, their goal is to survive until the Rebellion arrives to help them escape since fighting the Archon is a losing battle.
"You both will be inlaid upon this statue." The Shogun declared, slashing the air in front of the Travelers, causing space around them to crack and darkness to engulf them. Then a gravel floor materializes underneath the Travelers and several torii rising from the ground and the scenery shows a dark red swirling vortex at a far distance.
"Lumine… where are we?" Aether asked as they looked around.
"I think she used her katana to warp us to a dimensional space." Lumine replied. "At least she prioritized the safety of her people, so we're free to fight at our full strength."
"I see." Aether noted as they saw the Raiden Shogun approaching them. "But… is our full strength enough to stop her though?"
"I'm not sure. But we have to stall her until our friends arrive. Get ready!" Lumine replied as they prepared themselves.
"You both are that which is furthest from Eternity. Exceptional. There is much to verify about you. Now… face me." The Raiden Shogun said before performing an electro rush slash at lightning speed.
The Travelers tried to block the attack, but the powerful force of the strike pushed them back several steps and broke their guard. As the Shogun was about to perform another powerful slash, the Travelers created Geo shields on themselves for protection. But even that wasn't enough as they were easily shattered, sending them flying several metres away before crashing.
The Travelers slowly stood up despite taking heavy damage, but their exhaustion shows that they're running out of time and couldn't afford to take another hit. "Lumine… I don't think… I can last much longer…" Aether said in exhaustion.
"Me neither…" Lumine replied in the same state. "One more hit… and we're done… Any ideas…?"
"Well… I think I can pull off an Elemental Burst… Can you…?"
"I should be able to… so let's give her… everything we've got…"
"Mm." Aether nodded as he and Lumine took their stances with their bodies surging with Electro, Geo and Anemo.
"So they decided to risk everything in one strike." The Raiden Shogun noticed before taking a stance with her body and katana surging with Electro at full power. "Very well… I shall also respond, as the moment of judgment has arrived. Divine punishment will be administered…"
The area shook violently due to the auras of the three fighters as they're about to unleash their strongest attacks to decide the battle. Eventually, the Travelers made their move by unleashing a combined Gust Surge filled with Anemo, Geo and Electro as the massive upward tornado moved closer to the Raiden Shogun. But right before the tornado touched her, she retaliated with one powerful electro slash that obliterated the tornado with ease which shocked the Travelers. Then the Electro Archon went for the finisher with one more powerful Electro rush slash before appearing several steps behind them. And once she swiped the Musou no Isshin to her right, a powerful slash was inflicted on the Travelers, causing them to drop their swords and fall unconscious with no strength left.
With the battle decided, the dimensional space vanished as they were warped back to the Statue of the Omnipresent God at Inazuma City as the Inazuma crowd were speechless and in shock as they saw that the Travelers were unconscious with heavy injuries while the Raiden Shogun was unharmed. However, the Archon was not done yet as she approached the unconscious Travelers, preparing to finish the job. Once she got close, she raised her katana that's charged to full power…
*CLANG!*
…until the katana was suddenly sent flying off the Shogun's hand and landed near the statue, right before she could swipe her weapon down. And what she and the crowd saw the one responsible completely shocked everyone to their very core, especially the former. "What…?" For the first time in a very long while, the Shogun's eyes widened in utter shock as the one who disarmed her weapon… looks very similar in appearance.
But in actuality, it was Mei Raiden who arrived in a lightning flash-step and performed an upward strike using Aether's Prototype Rancour and Lumine's Skyward Blade to disarm the Shogun's Musou no Isshin. Afterwards, she pulled out her Zikan Phone Blaster after planting the Prototype Rancour to the floor, and created a wormhole below the Travelers and herself before looking away as the wormhole slowly sunk them in. Mei gave one last glance at her counterpart as her and the Travelers disappeared into the wormhole before it vanished, leaving the crowd and especially the Raiden Shogun speechless and in shock.
"It can't be…" The Raiden Shogun thought in shock. "Makoto…? Why… Why are you here…?"
Meanwhile at a small island near Narukami Island, the Rebellion were waiting near the Waverider Waypoint that's currently active thanks to Miriam. She also was able to summon a Waverider, a small boat powered with adeptus energy. Zeo's also currently in a call with Ayaka about Thoma's rescue.
"I see. Thanks for letting us know, Ayaka. Glad to hear that Thoma's safe." Zeo said.
"Actually, I should be thanking you for rescuing him. He really is a dear friend of mine." Ayaka replied. "But I'm even more concerned about Aether and Lumine. No doubt the Raiden Shogun will fight them, and they don't stand a chance despite having multiple elements on their side."
"Yeah, you're right about that. Let's just hope Mei shows up to bail them out of trouble."
"I hope so, too. And yet, I'm still worried that her actions will impact the Inazumans and especially the Raiden Shogun."
"Also true." Zeo noted before they noticed a wormhole from below appearing before them. "Ah, I gotta go. Mei is about to arrive with the Travelers. Good thing Paimon told us that the Serenitea Pot has an infirmary ready for use. Stay safe, Ayaka."
"You too, Zeo. And thanks again for the phone." Ayaka replied and ended the call.
And once Mei and the unconscious Travelers appeared while the wormhole vanished, the team were shocked at how badly injured the Travelers are after their fight against the Raiden Shogun.
"My god…" Miriam whispered with her hands covering her mouth.
"Aether! Lumine!" Paimon quickly flew over to them.
"Check their pulses for any reaction, Paimon!" Akira advised.
"R-Right!" Paimon nodded and touched Aether and Lumine's necks for any response. "Well… Paimon can feel their pulses, but they still need medical attention."
In response, Mei briefly used Aether's Zikan Phone to materialize the Serenitea Pot. "Can anyone bring the Travelers to the infirmary?"
"Sis, Ray, Paimon, go in the teapot and help them. The rest of us will continue the mission. Mei, I'll take care of the teapot until further notice." Zeo ordered.
"Right." The four in question nodded as Akira and Raychel approached and picked up the Travelers and their swords before they and Paimon touched the teapot to warp inside.
Afterwards, Mei approached Zeo with the teapot in hand and gave it to him. "Here."
"Thanks." Zeo nodded. "So I'm guessing the crowd over there, especially the Raiden Shogun, were shocked at your arrival?"
"Hai." Mei nodded back. "I just became a bigger target than the Travelers, especially after I disarmed the Shogun's purple katana using their swords. I can feel so much power coming from that katana."
"No wonder the Shogun defeated them and Kazuha's friend. Both her and her weapon are powerful." Houki remarked.
"Guess fighting her in our current state is out of the question." Miriam added.
"Are you really sure the Shogun's not our enemy, especially what she did to the Travelers and Kazuha's friend?" Tsubasa questioned.
"Inazuma will be in a state of panic if we kill the Shogun. We're here to figure out what's wrong with her and this nation." Zeo stated. "Besides, Yae Miko did mention a 'flawed friend'. And guess who that is?"
"The Raiden Shogun?" Houki answered, earning a confirmed nod from the Rider. "So you're assuming something must've happened to her in the past?"
"Right again." Zeo nodded again. "Fortunately, Yae Sakura is heading for the Grand Narukami Shrine to ask her some questions."
"No wonder Sakura wanted to see her." Tsubasa realized.
"Anyway, I think we overstayed our welcome. We need to leave before the Shogun's forces find us." Miriam stated.
"Alright, everyone in the boat! Miriam, you got the controls!" Zeo ordered.
"Understood." Miriam replied as everyone boarded the Waverider before she took control and sailed off the island.
"Ayaka-san, Thoma-san, Yoimiya, please hang in there while we're gone." Houki thought while giving one last look at Narukami Island. "But I promise you that we'll be back to finish the mission. Inazuma's dreams, ambitions, smiles and freedom, we're taking them all back."
Grand Narukami Shrine
Meanwhile, Yae Sakura with her hood on finally arrived at the shrine as she saw Yae Miko finishing her conversation with a fellow shrine maiden. "So this is my counterpart… Never in my whole life would I get a chance to meet her. The wonders of the multiverse…" She thought before noticing a chance to speak with Miko without any interruptions. "Excuse me. Are you Yae Miko?"
"Oh? And who am I speaking to one that covers her face?" Miko responded with her eyebrow raised.
"Let's just say… you and I might be more in common with each other than one might think." Sakura replied and removed her hood, which made Miko's eyes widen in complete surprise. "My name is Yae Sakura the shrine maiden, and I have some questions about your close friend, the Raiden Shogun."
Chapter 3: Stillness, the Sublimation of Shadow
End
Author's Note: Well… this chapter really is something, huh? And it's also the most anticipated one that I've wanted to write for so long. And now for the highlights…
First is Aether, Lumine and Miriam gaining the powers of Electro thanks to Inazuma's Statue of the Seven in Ritou Island. Next is finishing off Ayaka's last wish which involves meeting with Yae Miko. Then is the prison break with Yoimiya along with an encounter with Kujou Sara, who might be a potential ally to the Rebellion if they play their cards right. Ayaka's and Yoimiya's character quests were mentioned as proof that the Rebellion participated in those commissions. And then crap hit the fan when Thoma was captured, forcing the Rebellion to withdraw from the Kamisato Estate and to look for the resistance army at Tataratsuna, but not without using the Trans Beacon to warp Mei Raiden and Yae Sakura to Inazuma. While Sakura head for the Grand Narukami Shrine to meet with Yae Miko, Mei quickly went to Inazuma City to rescue Aether and Lumine who were defeated by the Raiden Shogun after helping Thoma escape using a wormhole with his Pyro Vision back in his possession. And Mei's appearance before the Inazumans and her counterpart were in complete and utter shock, especially for the Shogun who in her mind, thought Mei to be her long lost sister Makoto. After Mei regrouped with the others near the Waverider Waypoint, Akira, Raychel and Paimon escorted the Travelers into the Serenitea Pot to heal their injuries while everyone else escaped Narukami Island by Waverider boat in search of the resistance army, and later on, Sangonomiya Kokomi. Hopefully the Rebellion will still be able to solve Inazuma's mysteries during their stay at Watatsumi Island.
Anyway, that's all for now, so stay safe and see you next chapter!