The Phoenix's Clipped Wings | Kaedehara Kazuha

Chapter 27

Phoenix couldn't help but admire the stars her eyes twinkle with a bit of light as she sees a shooting star fly past.

She smiles at this before glancing to the side, "Paimon, is something the matter?" She looks behind her to see Paimon carrying someone thing in her hands.

"Um, Paimon thought that she would apologize." She flies over to the [H/C] haired woman who is a bit curious.

She holds out a paper to her and Phoenix gently grabs it and looks over to it. A smile grows on her lips as she studies the drawing.

"Um, Paimon didn't know what to give you so Paimon drew you...." She trails off, poking her two fingers together in a nervous way as she avoids Phoenix's eyes. "I hope you like?"

Paimon feels a hand on her head and she looks up to see Phoenix smiling at her. Paimon could feel her face heat up from shyness as she gives a lopsided smile at the older woman.

"I absolutely adore it, Paimon. You sure do have a natural talent at drawing." Phoenix looks at the drawing one more time before storing it away.

Gesturing Paimon to sit down in her arms she does so and looks up at Phoenix.

"I can sense that you're a bit anxious, is it because of Inazuma?"

"Paimon is just worried that things can go bad and Aether can get hurt." Paimon pouts. "But Paimon will make sure nothing will happen!"

Phoenix smiles at this, "do you want to know something?"

Paimon nods her head, "everyone is this world has a flame inside them and when they take the courage to stand up against their fears and the unknowns of the world, their flames grow."

"For example, your flame continues to burn brightly as the journey goes on, depsite everything that had happened, you continue to stay by the traveler's side. And that's takes a lot of bravery and determination."

"So," Paimon tilts her head to the side, "what happens when the flame goes out?"

A hint of sorrow is in Phoenix's eyes as she looks down before looking up at the stars. "When the flame goes out, a person's reason to go on vanishes or it means that they're no longer in this world."

"So, what about yours?"

This question surprises the woman although Paimon doesn't take notice of this. She thinks for a bit before answering, "I suppose, my flame no longer continued to burn brightly when my life changed dramatically. Seeings how my old friend was killed and I was forced to leave my home land, leaving the only life I had ever known."

Paimon frowns as she listens in awe. "So, did you get your flame back?"

"Hm, you could say, although it doesn't burn as brightly as it used to, my reason to go on did."

She smiles as she remembers the day Fu Hua pulled her up from her misery and gave her a reason to go on.

'Mourning like this will get you no where! I'll give a reason, train, train until you're certain you can take down the Raiden Shogan and free the people of your home land!'

"She gave me a reason to go on." Paimon rubs her eyes as she feels sleepy after their long talk and Phoenix take notice of this. Cradling the white haired pixie in her arm, she carries her like a mother would to her newborn.

"How about a sing you a song until you fall asleep?"

"I will like that." Paimon says quietly as she shuts her eyes.

"Some deserts on this planet were oceans once, somewhere shadowed by the night, the sun will shine."

—

"Paimon slept sooooo good last night!" Paimon said cheerfully to Aether who only smiles at her cheerfulness.

They were reaching Inazuma and soon, it would mean that he and Paimon would have to depart from everyone. Kazuha wanted Phoenix to stay behind, seeing that it could be dangerous for her to just walk back in.

And well, you could say Phoenix was not very happy but she trusts Kazuha's intentions so she agreed to stay behind.

As Beidou was talking with Aether on the deck, Phoenix, who wore a dark veil to hide her identity, she spots a long haired blonde flipping a coin out of boredom. She stares at him and it seems like he takes notice and looks up and their eyes met.

"[Y/n]. You know we should stay out of sight." Kazuha's voice from behind her makes her break eye contact with the blonde.

She steps down just as she notices the blonde starting to walk in her direction but stopped by Beidou who wants to introduce Aether and Paimon.

"Come, we should go back to my room so the soldiers don't take notice of us." Kazuha tries to pull her away but she wants to stay and listen in, she still had something she wanted to give to Aether.

"In a moment, there is still something I want to say to the traveler."

After a few minutes, their conversation was down and seeing that this was her final chance to speak with the traveler, and despite Kazuha's quiet complaints. She gets off the boat and slowly approaches the blonde.

"Aether," he turns around and flinches as he realizes that Phoenix was out in the open.

'We have little time to chat, the soldiers are getting suspicious.' She pulls out a feather thanks it to him, 'don't fret, only you and I are capable of seeing this, everyone else sees something else. With this one, I'm able to momentary help you if I sense any danger you're way.'

"Good luck out there." She turns back.

The taller blonde watches her, his eyes narrowing at her as if he was in thought.

—

A/n: I have planned out another Kazuha x Reader but don't expect it to be all happy, it's all angst :>