The Great White Fox

Chapter 2: Mountain Ox

The Traveler's eyes opened to the feeling of rain on their face, thunder rumbling in the distance, but it felt so far away. They felt wind blowing gently, and with their eyes to the sky, they could see the gray haze that was now covering Inazuma City. Far above, the storm that engulfed the nation was not swirling around the islands, but it rather seemed like they were pushing inward, until above the city the clouds seemed to crash against a barrier, forming an upward funnel with the clouds spilling into the sky. The storm was being held back it seemed, and while the few people who were around muttered to themselves about it here and there, everything felt... at peace. 

The city was  like a haven from the storm, though the rain reached the streets, The Traveler could tell that it was much worse elsewhere. Turning, they didn't think there was time to contemplate the storm or its nature, surely someone could simply tell them... and so they climbed through the city, walking its streets, step by step. And yet something felt so strange, as if somehow the storm meant everything, and nothing. Here, walking the streets of Inazuma, the storm was nothing but clouds in the distance, it was like... the storm wasn't 'here'. But stopping, and looking back into the sky, The Traveler stared at the clouds rising into the sky, and felt as though this was something more important, something beyond what they could truly be a part of. It felt like looking into the sky, they were standing over the world itself, and forced to confront the immense vastness of it. 

It took a moment, but they managed to take a deep breath, and continue the path until they reached Tenshukaku. The guards didn't even question their arrival, pulling their polearms upright, as if to signal they were able to enter. 

Inside The Traveler found The Raiden Shogun in the center of the room, on her knees, as if meditating. Her hands on her thighs, eyes closed, unmoving. Standing behind them, was Ei, seeming to have come forth from her domain as she stood over the Shogun. She looked up, seeing The Traveler at the door, and simply said "Traveler, you're here."

The Traveler walked forward, and noted that there were more people in the room. Yae Miku was here, and Kujou Sara, and even the Kamisato Siblings. To have this many of the upper class of Inazuma here, wasn't really a good sign. Notably absent was Kokomi, or in fact, anyone from Watatsumi Island at all. 

The Traveler took a look around in case anyone else of note was here, before turning back to Ei. "I hadn't intended to come here for the reason I did, but it seems you have problems."

The Archon nodded her head, and looked down at The Shogun. "Yes, it's all she can do to hold back the storm. We do not know where it has come from, or why. Some external force appears to be creating it, and from every direction, it is directed here, to the city."

The Traveler's first thought that came to mind was voiced, a short "The Fatui..." but Ei shook her head at that. "This, is beyond what they are capable of. Even taking into account that they are now in possession of the Electro Gnosis... even using the Raiden Shogun as my focus, and with the Gnosis still within my reach, the storm that we created was nothing like this. That storm had one intent, to keep outsiders away. And even still, those who were brave or foolish enough could manage to find their way to Inazuma nonetheless. This storm is... something different."

Ei slowly reached a hand out, as if to place it on The Shogun's shoulder, but as it got close, there was a sudden jolt of electro, and she withdrew her hand quickly. "The storm that is engulfing this nation, seems driven by emotion. I cannot say why I feel that, but it is as if the very air around us is, electrified with emotions. The people of Inazuma have felt it... as if anger, sorrow, are tangible energy lingering around us all. Miku has a, different way of wording it..."

Yae nodded, smiling at the Traveler as she always did. "If a storm were made of emotion, what would each part of it represent? If you ask me, Thunder is akin to Anger, like the thrashing of rage. The rain, is like tears of sorrow. The wind, is like a determination to see something through. Those are what I feel from each part of the storm."

The Traveler gave that some thought for a moment, and looked down a their hand. They realized, they were trembling, clenching their fingers into a fist to try and calm themselves. They realized, that was the best way to describe what they had been feeling as they walked through the city. The storm felt like, more. It wasn't itself alive... but it sure felt like the extension of a life. 

"Then what could be causing it? If not the Fatui... and The Abyss, I don't see them attacking in that kind of way. And from what I know about them, none of this would align with their motives anyway." With a shake of their head, they gave a shrug.