Early mornings used to be calming. The low chill that came from the winds and purple hues that light the sky as the sun had begun to rise. How beautiful the colors were years ago, now they were just a memory of someone from so long ago. Though time for the fox should be nothing, she’s lived through countless centuries and those went by in a snap of her fingers. But that was all before.. Before her beloved archon locked herself away.
Miko had spent many years waiting for Ei to make an appearance again when she first disappeared. After waiting everyday at the entrance of the shrine for over a few years, she realized that she wouldn’t be coming back anytime.
When you slowly lose hope that someone will come back, you begin to wonder if things change, if feelings change.
When a hundred years passed and there was no return of Ei, Miko tried to move on. There was plenty of women in Inazuma. There was the lovely lady that came all the way over from Watatsumi Island that would often come by and express quite the interest in Miko, often offering her to come join her for tea in the place she was staying in the nearby village. Of course, Yae never thought of actually agreeing.
“Though maybe this once would be fine. It would just be one time and she is quite pretty..”
Miko shakes her head, trying to shake the thought away. The thought lingers and she has been awfully alone, perhaps the one time she should indulge a little. Even if she’s suppose to be eternity’s servant, Miko is unable to serve eternity if that eternity doesn’t wish to see her.
When the lady from Watatsumi Island comes by the shrine again, Miko agrees to accompany her. The lady smiles at the acceptance and has Miko meet her down at the entrance of the shrine. Miko nods, almost a bit too excited but who could blame for it? An evening with someone, someone who wasn’t so bad looking and seemed just as interested in her as she was.
“Just for the evening, just for the night..” The repetitive thought reminded Miko, but would it be so bad if she repetitively saw the lady for evenings when she felt oh so alone. Surely it would be fine to do so.
Of course that thought seemed to diminish when the lady led Miko to her temporary stay in the nearby village. Holding Miko’s arm, talking and joking as she entered the quaint village home. The tea tasted delightful, and the woman smelled and looked quite pretty. Surely, this was fine and would be okay, just for a moment at least.
Months go by and having frequent meetings with the lady have made Miko slightly better. Though the ache in her heart still remained, like the sting from a shock of electricity. The Watatsumi lady must have realized it as well, seeing as though their last meeting was cut quite short. Upon returning to the shrine, a letter was presented to Miko. A very familiar emblem etched on the paper and the wax seal. And a message requesting her appearance to be made in shogunate’s castle.
A rush of awe and excitement seemed to rush through Miko. Did Ei finally return? Oh how Miko hopes. There’s no explanation Miko can think of other than her beloved archon wishing to see her.
With the pittering of her heart, she sets out to meet her archon. There wasn’t a specific time just a brief message that said that Yae Miko of the Narukami Shrine was needed by the Shogunate. So surely the time didn’t matter, and it wouldn’t be so bad to see Ei sooner than time permitted if there was a scheduled time she was needed.
Guards allowed her in with little hesitation and she found herself to be quite quick up the stairs. Perhaps she should slow down, just a little. A little more of a dignified walk would be expected of her.
Entering the halls, there’s slight differences but it stills familiar and all the same to Miko. The purple banners seem to be new, much different from the prior century. The adoring gold threading and impressive craftsmanship of them.
Footsteps, heeled shoes to be precise and a slightly familiar scent. But something odd, off about the smell and the way the shoes click to the floor and an odd smell comes off with the familiar scent.
“Miko..” That voice is so familiar, yet… it’s wrong. It’s hollow sounding and not at all what Miko had hoped to hear after so long. Turning around she’s met with a breathtaking sight, her beloved archon but it was all wrong. She looked like Ei, sounded, and even smelled like her, but it wasn’t her.
“Miko, it’s wonderful to see you again. I must apologize for my absences, I know that you must have missed me.” Her ear twitched, she missed her yes, but not whoever this imposter was.
“Of course, it’s been far too long..Ei. I’m glad to see you back and well I presume? You look just as stunning as ever.” Miko smiles, even if this Ei is fake she was still a lovely sight to see. The same looks and everything, minus the hollowness of the fake and the eyes, the eyes didn’t look the same as the real Ei’s. Perhaps just a misfortune in the light, or the fact that it seemed to just be a puppet. Ei had one before this one, but Miko never paid it any mind.
“If you follow me, we can sit together and have some tea. And converse with each other.” The lack of warmth in the voice or compassion almost drove Miko into a pout. No embrace or anything for this heartwarming reunion. This fake truly isn’t like Ei at all, the real would have given her the much longed for reunion she wanted, right?
The area where Miko was led was the same one where Ei and herself would sit and drink tea and eat delicious sweets long before her initial disappearance from the world. The fake Ei sits down on one of the cushions and gestures over to the other cushion. Tea was already waiting for the two. Taking her place, she looks at the other. Studying the face to see if something was wrong. Why would Ei send a puppet of herself to meet her? Why not come to see her on her own? Did she fear that Miko would be mad at her or did she just want to make a fool out of her? Whatever the case, this whole charade was starting to annoy her.
“Weather has been nice of late hasn’t it? I noticed this morning that the wind changed making the cherry blossoms from the shrine fall towards the upper areas of the city. It made me think of you. The pink petals flutter across the ground and around the statue at the base towards the Kujou clan.” The puppet rattles on, looking in Miko’s direction. Not showing even a sign of joy, it truly wasn’t her at all. Not even a shimmer of her true essence could be seen.
“I know you’re not the real Ei. I could tell by the way your voice sounds so different than hers and the way you smell is slightly off. I had hoped that maybe it was my memory being wrong, but I know my memory is excellent. I can retell 500 years of occurrences that happened without a single wrong in my retelling, so the only explanation was that you were another fake.”
The puppet, interrupted in the middle of her sentences, closes her mouth. It was odd, the puppet didn’t quite know what to say. It took a moment before she said anything.
“It seems that I couldn’t fool you. Everyone else seemed to be fine and assumed nothing was amiss whenever I showed up. One of my commands was to also talk with you and see how you were doing.” The puppet stares at the cup of tea, watching as the steam slowly rises. A small tsk is let out by Miko.
How cruel of Ei to pull this joke on her. Was this little joke supposed to be payback for all the years of Miko’s teasing and playing little pranks on her? It wasn’t nice to have the roles reversed, especially after disappearing without a word. How would Ei like it if she pulled a similar stunt?
“I should’ve known it was too good to be true. Why didn’t she come here herself? Is this supposed to be some sort of reward for being patient, hmm? Or perhaps a cruel joke?” As annoyed as Miko was, she should have been nice in her wording. Perhaps just a tad bit nicer, but with how angry Miko was getting it was a bit hard controlling her attitude.The puppet shifted looking up at Miko, in thought. She clearly didn't have a response for those questions.
“The Real Ei will no longer be in appearance. To preserve Eternity, she has decide to stay in her own plane of living. I will serve as the Raiden Shogun and protect all that lies in the nation no matter what happens. I was also sent to regain a relationship with you to hopefully reconcile a relationship.” While the words said had some form of emotion, the puppet made no such expression. Miko brows furrowed, Ei is what? To preserve Eternity she’s hiding away? Hiding away from her people? From those who care about her? From Miko? How inconsiderate of Ei to do, absolutely cruel and hurtful.
“I see, so this was all just some cruel joke. I should’ve known..” A small laugh leaves Miko's lips, the whole situation was laughable. Why would Ei wait 100 years to see her? Or come see her at all after 100 years. Love surely was a cruel thing.
“It seems that you can still talk to Ei, right? So tell her this for me, would you? That the next time “we” meet, be there. Or don’t ask to see me at all. That’s all” The puppet says nothing as she watches Miko stand and walk away. Perhaps she should have stopped Miko from walking away, should have said that Ei does harbor feelings of love for the convoy and wants to be with her now. But for some reason she doesn’t budge, not so much as a muscle moves. Eternity truly is far too cruel a faith for anyone.