away [ yae miko - raiden ei ]

IV

« ... what ? »

« i asked you if you think everything you're doing is worth it.
is the final result really going to be THAT great ? aren't you just ruining everything ? »

Ei was confused, perplexed.

why would Yae ask her this ? she was pursuing eternity for the sake of Inazuma.

« of course that's worth it. by reaching eternity Inazuma will last forever and - »

Yae sighed. « no, i don't think you understand. is it really- » the kitsune emphasized the last word « -worth it ? Ei, i don't think you understand — nothing can last forever. now, let's imagine you succeed in reaching eternity. what is actually going to remain ? »

Ei kept listening. she didn't understand what Yae meant with that speech. did she want her to give up on her goal ? didn't Yae want Inazuma to last forever ? wasn't Yae against change ?
the archon and the kitsune were looking intensely in the eyes, as if they were exchanging words just by that visive contact.

« with this, i mean that the present Inazuma is dying. so many people are dying, and economy isn't going well, since this nation is closed and there aren't many ways to import products from other nations here. everything is falling, Ei. » Yae assumed a harsher tone, as if bashing the electro woman.

in a certain sense, she was. Inazuma was falling because of Ei's decisions, and Yae didn't want to assist to her nation being destroyed.

she was going to make Ei use her head, bring her on the right path once again, as she has always done throughout the years, as servant and family of the archon.

« what is gonna remain ? since so many people are dying and the economy is declining ? everything around Inazuma is gonna change, except our nation itself. and then ? will Inazuma be an empty shell, which accommodates an empty nation ? »

Ei widened her eyes, as she understood Yae's intentions. the kitsune wanted to persuade her in giving up her goal, as she tried to guess earlier. "i won't let her. i worked hard and am still doing so, i won't let her do anything."

« that's enough, Yae. i finally understand that coming here was the worst decision i've taken in a while. i will now be leaving - »

« what is it, Ei ? can't handle the truth being exposed right before your very eyes ? »
Yae knew that what she had just said may have gotten her in trouble, but she didn't care. she needed her friend to understand the real consequences of her actions.

« shut up, Yae. your behavior is starting to get insolent. »

« i'm not trying to be insolent, Ei. i'm just stating facts. if you do reach eternity, Inazuma eventually will cease to exist spiritually. yes, physically it'll still be there. but what matters most is the spirit. if someone's, or something's, spirit cease to exist, it's like they're empty. is this what you want, Ei ? » Yae got up from her bed, walking right in front of the other woman, now facing her.

Ei assumed a nervous expression, while gritting her teeth trying not to lose her cool.
Yae's speech wasn't senseless.

Yae was right ... but somehow Ei couldn't bring herself to agree and stop everything. she has been working on the process of reaching eternity for a very long time, and she wasn't going to give up so easily.

« Ei ... » Yae went back to her usual calm tone « please, stop this. you're not going to get something out of this. please, never use the Shogun again and start presiding over Inazuma yourself. you can't escape from change. it is an inevitable thing, and sometimes even necessary. i know what you went through, and — » Yae was about to go hug Ei but the archon took a step back, still looking at Yae right in her eyes. the kitsune sighed and her lids half-closed.

« i think you still need time to process our talk. how about you go back in your precious plane of euthymia and consider everything we've discussed about today ? » said the pink haired woman, watching Ei as she was about to storm out of the room.

« i will. and by the way, nothing will change. i will not give up my goal so easily, just so you know. » pronounced those words, Ei opened the door of Yae's chamber and hastily walked out of there, the priestess' words still running wild in her mind.

"what am i supposed to do now ..."

she walked out of the shrine and once she got far from mount Yougou she slowed her pace, to calm down and clear her head.

and also to observe the scenery. since she was always closed up in the plane of euthymia she didn't often get a chance to properly live her own nation.

it was a nice night. there was a gentle breeze and the moon lighted the path leading to Inazuma City in front of her.

"the right path ..."

Ei noticed there weren't people around. it was so ... empty.

"empty ..."

as she arrived to the outskirts of Inazuma City, she heard two little kids talking about the "outside world".

« Midori, do you think one day we'll be able to see what's on the other side of the ocean ?? »
« i hope so !! i heard there's a place where there are such high rocks that they can even reach the clouds !!!! »
« wow !!! »

Ei sighed. she decided to take the backroads to reach Tenshukaku as she wasn't in the right mood to see the citizens talk and to deal with them.

later on, she reached Tenshukaku and finally closed herself in her chambers.

she closed her eyes and once she reopened them she was finally back in the plane of euthymia again. she really needed to think about everything that happened that day.