-The next one is called Finders Keepers -The narrator said.
Sara has no idea how she ended up here.
-Sara this is about you! -Kokomi said.
She's a Taishou of the Eternal Inazuma Bakufu, an officer of the Kujou Clan and Tenryou Commission, a Tengu warrior.
She shouldn't be searching for children in damp and litter filled alleyways, let alone decide to keep them for herself.
Granted, there shouldn't be children in damp and litter filled alleyways in the first place, and it is her duty to ensure the safety and well-being of all people in the Almighty Shogun's domain, but still, she's relatively sure this isn't technically part of her job description.
-Wait, children? - Heizou asks.
-I have no information on children living like that - Ei says.
Sara looks away emberessed.
The first time she'd encountered the child in question, she'd been dealing with that lout Arataki being a public nuisance and the accompanying noise complaint for what must've been the fifteenth time that month, when a small rock had flown out of the alleyway and hit him in the head.
"Be silent. I'm trying to sleep in here!" had rung out, and the Oni had stopped arguing to look. It'd been just the opening she'd needed to restrain him and move him somewhere else to give him a citation for being a public disturbance.
-Wait, sleeping? Don't tell me its who i think it is - Ayato looks at Ayaka
-It is - Ayaka just smiles amused.
It'd been unmistakably the voice of a child, though. She'd made her way back to look. If nothing else, the child deserved a commendation for her diligence in helping her ensure that Hanamizaka remains a place of peace and quiet.
(If she was worried about the fact that a child was seemingly sleeping in an alleyway, well, perhaps that was a factor too.)
She finds nothing. Not even the slightest trace. She'd think herself to have imagined the whole thing if she didn't see the rock physically hit Arataki's head.
When she tells Kokomi about it, the next time they are free to spend time together, she kisses the corner of Sara's mouth, hugs her, and tells her that she's wonderful for worrying.
That doesn't do anything for Sara's worry, though. Failing to find the child means that the child is still sleeping in some alleyway.
That makes Sara lose her own sleep.
-You where so worried - Kokomi laughts.
-Wait! Kokomi and Sara are together? - Kirara asks.
-Yeah for about 6 months now - Gorou answers.
The next time, Naganohara has just held one of her firework festivals.
As enchanting as the fireworks are, and as captivating as they are, the truth is that Sara finds them slightly uncomfortable. They are loud, and bright, and they make her head hurt.
She has made a habit out of hiding away on the outskirts of the crowds, close enough to watch, but as far away from the noise and spectacle as possible.
It's as the performance finally dies down, and the crowds starts to scatter back to their homes, that she hears the whisper carried in the air.
"Aaah. Finally some peace and quiet."
It's the same voice she remembers from before, and her head snaps in its direction.
Yet again, an alleyway.
Ayato galences at the sleeping form of Sayu who was sleeping on the lap of Yoimiya.
When she enters, she finds the child, short and tired-looking, rubbing her eyes and preparing a blanket on the ground.
A mujina? No, Mujina don't have ears on their hoods. A curious outfit, then. "Greetings. I have come to inquire about your wellbeing."
The child jumps and spins around, eyes widening in fear.
"M-madam Tengu! Please don't punish me, I just wanted some sleep!"
The outburst makes Sara's chest tighten. She too knows the fear of punishment for resting. But why would this child fear her? Is she truly considered so monstrous that she would punish someone for sleeping in the rough?
-Oh I see who is this - Yae miko smirks.
Some people look at Sayu who is still sleeping.
A shuffle of cloth carries in the air, and when Sara snaps out of her thoughts the child is gone without a trace yet again, only leaving the blanket. She can't just leave it there. It will no doubt be gone when the small child gathers the courage to return. She picks it up and collects it in her arms.
"I will confiscate this blanket. For safekeeping. Should you wish it returned, you only need to come to me, and it will be in no worse condition than when you left it."
Only the echo of her voice against the alley walls respond. Kokomi has to comfort her more ardently this time.
Itto looks at Sara bc he knows what it feels like when children a scared of him.
Sara takes it upon herself to find the child.
It isn't much, nowhere near the harm she has done during the vision hunt decree, and perhaps even a bit self serving, but she doesn't know what else to do. She'd ignored how her actions harmed people before, she can't just ignore this and let it happen again.
Kokomi supports her, at least.
Well, she supports the idea in spirit, if not Sara's plan. "You should let it happen at its own pace, Sara." She says. "If you just rush in and pick her up like a puppy you'll probably just scare her again."
It's true, of course. Kokomi is usually right about most things. She hasn't spent any part of her childhood without people caring for her. however. Even though Sara doesn't want to hang that fact over her head, she lacks perspective on the matter.
Which is to say, against her advice, Sara still keeps searching the alleyways whenever she is on patrol.
Soon enough, they cross paths again.
The child, as tired looking as ever, curled up into a ball in the far corner of an alley infested with litter, doesn't even notice Sara as she approaches.
"Should you wish, I would return your blanket to you."
As before, Sara's voice makes the child jump. As before, Sara's chest aches.
For a few unbearable moments, they just stare at each other. Then the child rubs her eyes again. "Why? Didn't you take it for evidence?"
She shakes her head. "Sleeping in alleyways is not a crime under the Almighty Shogun's law. As
such, it would be evidence of nothing. I took it for safekeeping. I know from experience that things left in the open will often be confiscated by those that would take them for themselves. As I said, however, I will return it to you, should you wish."
"Okay. It's uncomfortable sleeping on the ground, so that would be nice."
As she turns around, the child follows her. Some glances are thrown their way as they walk, but thankfully no one seems to takes notice.
-I think some people know who was Sayu - Thoma laughts.
-Yeah they probably looked at you bc you are from different commissons - Shinobu said.
"If you do not mind me asking, how did it come to be that you live in alleyways?"
It's a private question, one that Sara herself would be deeply uncomfortable answering, but it is a necessary one nonetheless.
"Oh, I don't live there. I just sleep in there so no one will disturb me. I need to sleep to grow tall, like you."
Some of the people who work for the Yashiro commission snort of laugh.
A dismissal, then. Fair enough.
"Should you prefer, I have a guest room in my place of residence. It would be less likely to suffer disturbances as well as more comfortable to rest there."
The child stops.
"Why?"
Why indeed. Sara didn't need to offer that, even if her intention had been to help.
"No one should be sleeping on the ground in alleyways. Least of all children."
The child brings a finger to her chin. "But where else would I sleep. Everyone bothers me if I go somewhere else."
"I promise you that there will be no disturbances, should you choose to make use of my guest room."
Again, the child nods. "Okay."
As she tucks the child in, despite her protests that she "needs the space to grow", Sara places a plate of two rice balls next to the bed.
In the morning, the rice balls, and the child, are gone, but Sara's chest finally feels just a little bit lighter.
-Oh my archons. You took Sayu home - One of the shrine maidens said.
Sara looks away blushing.
Over time, the child migrates from Sara's guest room to her office.
Sara only asks why once. The child, Sayu, as she's introduced herself, just shrugs. "Because you're really nice and quiet, and nobody bothers me when I'm here."
Sara doesn't know what to think of the fact that her chest grows tights and her eyes grow blurry
when she manages to process the words. Takayuki always emphasised that she was a Tengu, and always told Masahito and Kamaji to stay away from her.
Sayu thinks that she's safe.
Ei frowns at the mention of Takayuki.
Yae miko and Itto look aat Sara. They are both Yokai, they understand.
(If a spot in Sara's office has been suddenly turned into a space appropriate for a child to sleep in, and if she had recently demanded that her office be kept more silent than before, then surely that is within her rights as the inhabitant of the office, is it not?)
Kokomi think that it's funny. She calls Sara a "mother hen" and bemoans that Sara has robbed her of her chance to be a "stay at home mother".
Sara doesn't get it. Sayu is sleeping in Sara's guest room (well, her office, as it were), not Kokomi's, and while Kokomi would no doubt make an excellent parental figure, she only visits Sara when things are calm on Watatsumi.
If Kokomi hits perhaps a bit closer than entirely comfortable when she giggles between kisses and says that Sara just wants to parent by herself, as if she is some Jealous hen that doesn't trust her child with others, well, she doesn't need to know that.
-Aww - Gorou says.
Sara galres at him.
In the end, she is content with things just staying as they are. That, of course, means that they don't.
One evening, jsut as she's about to leave her office, cradling a still sleeping Sayu against herself as she moves to the door, Lady Kamisato opens it and scrambles in.
"Madam Kujou, please excuse the rude entrance, but I have a request from the Yashiro Co. . ." When she actually looks at Sara, she stops in her tracks.
"Oh. Sayu. So that's where she's been. . ."
-This was when Sara found out who was Sayu - Ayaka giggles.
Sara blinks.
"You know of Sayu?"
Lady Kamisato blinks back.
"You know Sayu?"
It's Sara's least favourite kind of conversation. The open-ended one, where there's no cue on whether she should speak, let alone what to actually say.
She pushes onwards.
"Indeed. I found her sleeping in an alleyway, and I have since taken upon myself to be her caretaker. To do otherwise would be most inappropriate."
Lady Kamisato blinks again, slowly. Then she starts laughing.
Sara looks emberessed while Ayaka just smiles.
Sara knew this was what would happen. It's been some time, of course, but during her teens this was the inevitable result of her trying to weave her way out of awkward silences.
When lady Kamisato finally stops, she's smiling. Not mockingly, though. Kindly.
"Madam Kujou, to think that there are those that would accuse you of being unkind."
Sara's cheeks grow warmer. It's silly, perhaps, to be embarrassed by such a statement, but Sara isn't used to people calling her kind, nor for doing what's right.
She clears her throat.
"I apologise, lady Kamisato, I did not hear your purpose in coming here." She titters again.
"I came here with a request from the Yashiro Commission for aid in locating a Shuumatsuban agent that has been absent for some time. It seems that you've already got that covered though, Madam Kujou."
Sara's thoughts run still. Shuumatsuban Agent? Her brow creases in confusion.
-You didn't notice Sayu was an agent? - Thoma says.
-I tought that she was just a homeless child!
"I do not understand."
Sayu stirs in her grasp, yawns, and turns around.
"Oh. Hi, miss Ayaka. Are you here to see miss Sara?"
Sounding as tired as ever, but in clear recognition and familiarity nonetheless. For a third time, lady Kamisato titters to herself.
"Well, Sayu, I came her looking for you technically. I see that you are in capable hands, though."
Sara feels so confused that she wouldn't be surprised if her head was physically spinning on her shoulders.
"I don't. . . I do not understand. If you are a member of the Shuumatsuban, why were you inhabiting alleyways?"
Any attempt at appearing stern falls apart as Sayu burrows into the feathers in her nape and yawns.
"Like I said, I didn't live there, I just slept in there because people would leave me alone. I need to sleep to grow tall, like you."
She yawns again, and Sara can feel her steadily fall into slumber again, her body growing heavier in Sara's arms.
The shrine maidens just smile fondly.
Lady Kamisato steps forward. "I can take her off your hands, Madam Kujou."
Sara shakes her head. "No. As I said, I have taken it upon myself to be her caretaker. It is only appropriate that I carry her." Sayu mumbles into her neck as she shifts her grip.
When she looks up, lady Kamisato is smiling, her hand holding the door open.
"Very well, Madam Kujou. You'll trust me to close the door, I hope?"
As Sara walks out, she herself smiles.
Kokomi will probably know every detail about this long before she gets to tell her about it,
somehow, and she'll never let Sara hear the end of it.
As Sayu's arms grip her tighter, though, Sara can't stop herself from thinking that it will have been worth it.
-Not a mother hen, huh? - Kokomi smiles teasingly.
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Heyyo:D
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter too:)
Sorry if my English is not the best, it's not my first language:(
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