"Mitsuki! Use the artifact on her, quickly!"
"H-How? What do I...?"
"Just-AGH!" A loud, pained cry came from the man before he could muster out the words. Powerful elemental energy blew his way and knocked him off his feet and onto his back with an apparent thud. The sword once in his hand flew to the side, and the unknown gem in his hand briefly flashed a bright purple before losing its light. Mitsuki grabbed the artifact in his small hands through the cold cell bars, and looked it over quickly.
In his panic, a soft hand gently placed itself on his, easing their visible tremor. He froze and looked to his side, the woman smiling despite the weakness in her posture and paleness to her face.
"Mitsu, give me that artifact okay?" His worried eyes looked into hers. Somehow they contained the same amount of reassurance that he had always known since he was born. That he could trust her. He handed the artifact to her, and he watched her rigid movements as she dragged herself closer to the bars and leaned against them, and it was as if her remaining strength got blown out of her. But she managed to raise her head slightly, weakly smile at them and bring the artifact close to her face.
"I love you both, so much."
...
"Hello, Kujou Sara."
Mitsuki smiled innocently at the woman, who in a strange way seemed relieved to see him and his stupid, 'I have the upper hand' grin. She quickly masked it with her blank expression, and looked him up and down.
"Moriyama Mitsuki. For once I'm glad to see you here."
"Well I suppose I should feel honored," he tilted his head slightly and mockingly continued, "But I am not. Now, are we going to do the usual?"
"Yes," she replied quickly, "With all these rumors about—"
"I didn't know you still believed in those," he interrupted and teased, "What little pointless accusations have you heard in my absence now?"
Sara let out a heavy sigh and folded her arms across her chest. "It's too serious to be a simple accusation. Moving on, do you have any evidence of your expedition?"
"Yes," he pulled out a journal and handed it to her, "Though this expedition was less for exploring and more for resource gathering."
Sara narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously and took the journal from his hand, "You left for weeks just to gather some resources?"
"I am running painfully low on mora you see," he reaches into his open kimono and pulls out what appears to be a shimmering blue prism before pocketing it again slowly, "I sold a number of monster...collectibles and have the mora to prove so."
"Do you even have permission to do that?" She questioned, looking up at him briefly whilst skimming through his journal, "Many of these first couple of dates are outdated."
"Because that is my resource gathering journal," he shrugs, ignoring her first question, "And I barely use it."
"This isn't your usual expedition journal then, please hand it over." She closed it quickly and pushed it back towards him. With a roll of his eyes, he took it from her hand and tucked it away before pulling out a second one, a false one and handing it over.
"Where did you sell these resources to?"
"Archons," he sighed, "You are being very nosy this time, are you not?"
"Answer the question." She ordered firmly,
"A traveling merchant," he lied, "I do not know where she was headed to, though she required materials for who knows what and I sold them to her."
"Traveling—" She gripped the journal tightly, "And you didn't get her name? Where she might be headed?"
"No, why would I?"
"She could have very well been heading off to Watatsumi Island!" She then quietly muttered to herself, "How did she get past our borders without question...?"
"And?" He raised his brows, unconcerned for her visible worry, "That is my issue because?" Sara turned her head to look him straight in the eye, a noticeable anger bubbling in her gaze and tone.
"Don't you care even a little about the Almighty Shogun's wishes?"
"I think I made that quite clear." Sarcasm dripped from his reply, and the woman scoffed before pushing the journal against his chest.
"You're under suspension from any future expeditions, Moriyama. You are to remain at the Grand Narukami Shrine until I give Guuji Yae the permission to allow you leave."
"What?" He furrowed his brows in astonishment and watched as she began to walk away, "Sara you cannot simply suspend me—"
"I can," She quickly interrupts him, "Much of our army are preparing to take fight against the Watatsumi Army. Unfortunately, I cannot risk having you leave without a proper escort anymore."
"An escort? Do you think me a child?" His eye twitched in annoyance, and his voice raised ever so slightly, "Or are you simply worried I will cause trouble that none of your weak little stationary soldiers could take on?"
"Neither of that is the case!" She responded in a yell, throwing her arm to the side, "I just need you to be kept an eye on until this fight is over. After that, you are free to travel as you wish."
"Why until this fight? Why now?" He spitefully avoids her gaze, "You had the power to suspend me from traveling and yet you decide to do so it now?"
"I have my suspicions about you is all."
"And?!" It came out louder, and more hurt than intended, "Everyone has, and yet I stupidly assumed you were supposed to be the smarter one around here. Whatever you heard before, had it not all turned out to be a lie? And you knew it as well! What kind of blatant accusation has you so worried now?"
It all came out like a long winded version of his belief in her to deduce the truth of these rumors. It was probably the most honest and kindest thing he had ever really said to her—as sad as that sounded. She could not be honest or kind with him with his question however as she turned her back to him.
"Nothing to concern yourself with. I'll call a guard to escort you to The Grand Narukami Shrine."
Mitsuki felt a bit lost at what to do. If he didn't come back, would Kokomi and Gorou assume he had been captured? If he waited out the battle, would they stupidly reveal their alliance on accident?
Even if he somehow managed to return to Watatsumi Island in time, he'd have to help the army fight back, and he'd immediately be labeled as a criminal. He would likely not be able to return, and the manpower against Watatsumi Army would increase more than it has already.
"Sara—" he cut himself off, and luckily she seemed to not have any intent on hearing him out, continuing her brisk walk along Inazuma City's path. Passerby's looked at them, mumbling to each other about what they just heard, and glancing over at him. It wasn't unusual to see the two quarreling, but it had always been confused as something more playful than anything. Now it appeared more serious, as Mitsuki's expression did not contort with that evilly satisfied grin—but rather an annoyedly twisted expression. She had won against him this time.
The soldier came to him quietly just moments later, and only ordered him to follow and started for the Grand Narukami Shrine. Unsurprisingly, Mitsuki did not want to accompany this random Shogunate samurai to the place he loathed the most. He was almost a hundred percent sure that his least favorite kitsune would be there too. But if he didn't, he'd have to deal with Sara again, and he would rather deal with Yae than her.
Much to his relief, the samurai did not escort him further than the beginning steps to the shrine, to which he just stood there and made sure he would actually walk up.
"Go on and report to your boss," he nearly yelled at him with clear anger in his tone, "Tell her I will not move a single millimeter from here if she is so convinced I am up to no good. Then when this silly war between the Shogunate and those vision bearers are done, I will bring ruin to her first."
The man frowned but did not reply. He was sure that Sara had ordered him not to respond to any type of comments he'd try to make. For once, one of them seemed to obey that order. Exasperated, Mitsuki turned and headed up the stony path—a sudden wave of an old memory hitting him like a rush of water.
It was like a brief static, before he remembered first coming here. Even now as an adult, he could just barely reach the wooden red overheads of the path. As a child he would initially admire the scenery of the falling blossoms, and the distant view of Inazuma City. Mitsuki kept walking.
He got to the top, and some of the maidens cleaning up the area turned to gasp at his arrival. He recognized a few of them, but there were some missing faces from the last time he was here. That was...at least up to 5 years ago. Static, again—but he forced it out of his mind whilst trying to ease his throbbing head by pressing his fingers harshly against it.
"Mitsuki—" one of the shrine maidens greeted, "W-Welcome. How can we help you?"
He did not wish to speak to them, though he did not hate them as much as he hated Guuji Yae. His lips remained sealed as he looked away from them.
"Ah, you've arrived."
Ugh, that annoying voice.
He watched as Yae Miko came into view, smiling away as usual whilst putting a curious finger to her lips. Her analytical gaze briefly glazed over him and she let a small chuckle slip from her lips.
"I was told you were to return here for a few days...It is great to see you again, Mitsu~"
"Do not call me that," he grimaces and turns his head away from her, as if just meeting her gaze would cause him to lose his temper, "I cannot understand why I had to stay here of all places."
"Well really, who else would take you?" She teased quietly before taking a few steps towards him, "It was either with me or you sleep in a dingy, dark little cell for the next few days."
"You act as if I would not have easily chosen to sleep there instead."
"Oh, Mitsu, you wound me."
The shrine maidens who had paused in their work glanced between each other nervously before trying to continue to work whilst the two-or rather Mitsuki-bickered with Guuji Yae.
"So, tell me all about your expeditions."
"Why?" He clicked his tongue, "All of a sudden you are interested in my endeavors? Not going to tease me and mock my ideals?"
Yae kept that knowing smile on her face, to which he again, quickly looked away from. She knew Mitsuki struggled with many internal issues. Issues that he would simply lock away and pretend were not there, spitefully barking at her to push her and those around him away. It was effective, considering how much worse it got as he matured. Ah, she can almost remember just a while ago he was still a short little thing, more expressive and with less control of his emotions. Enough that she could easily tell what he was feeling. Now it took a little more time to understand the change in his eyes or expression, but he was still quite the open book to her.
"Mitsu, I never mocked your ideals."
"I am the only one who remembers you thoroughly scolding me for over training? Overstudying?"
Is that what he thought it was?
"Alright, look...It's been a while since I have last seen you is all. Surely you can agree that we have a lot of catching up to do, no? Even if you hate me as you claim, you end up coming back at some point. Ah-" she stopped him with a raised finger before he could try to interrupt her. He obeyed, though hesitantly and she took a second to ponder over something before her eyes lit up, "I think we should go out into town and have our own little party."
His eye twitched in annoyance again. A party? With just him, Yae, and those nosy ears around him?
"No." He refused, "I would rather sit here staring into space."
"Oh come along now," Yae was quickly at his side, grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him along with her strong grip, "I wonder where our first stop should be." She ignored his struggling movements to pry himself out her hand, and her mouth watered at the thought of a delicious meal.
"Let go! Hey, I cannot leave the Shrine, remember?" He remarks, attempting to convince her, and they fall on deaf ears as she keeps walking, "Yae?? HELLO?"