Chihiro couldn't get up in the morning. Not only was she burning up, her body ached as though someone had thrown her off a cliff. Only half-awake, she decided the best course of action was to sleep.
When she woke up again, Ayaka sat on a chair next to her, a book in hand. Chihiro gave it a good look. It was the book she'd bought for her. Ayaka was already halfway through.
"How are you?" asked Ayaka, closing the book. Noticing Chihiro still staring at it, she smiled. "It's not often someone gifts me books."
"I feel fine."
Ayaka gave her a withering glance. "You're running a fever. There is no way you're fine." She looked at the door. "Brother thinks it was something you ate for dinner. I think sitting with him made you anxious and that made you sick."
"I don't think I was allergic to anything on the dinner table."
"That means I'm right," called Ayaka. Thoma and Ayato walked in. Thoma had a cup in his hand. Ayato ruffled Ayaka's hair as he passed her, and Ayaka set her hair back properly. Chihiro tried to pull herself up, but failed. Ayato walked over to her, and put an arm around her shoulder.
"Easy now."
He pulled her up and she leaned against the head board. Thoma held the cup out to her, and she took it from him, wincing at it. "This does not look like it tastes good."
Thoma flashed her a smile. "The more bitter, the better."
She downed it in one go, and then scrunched her nose. Ayato pushed something into her mouth, and the bitter aftertaste was replaced with sweetness. "Candy?"
"Mother used to do that for us," he said with a wistful smile.
Ayaka smiled as well, and Thoma and Chihiro shared a look, feeling like outsiders intruding on a precious memory.
Chihiro recovered in record speed, and she was also seeing more of Ayato now. She was so used to him that she didn't need to look up when he entered the room, having memorized his gentle footsteps. She remembered the old woman—Ayaka's friend—and wondered if this was how. Neither was she nervous around him anymore.
But when she asked him why he came by every night to talk to her, he said that they'd married for love and needed to act the part. But Thoma was still spreading the rumours down in the city, she'd pointed out. Ayato gave her a well-thought out excuse that she lacked the brain cells to understand. She shrugged. He could probably get away with anything at this point.
The next time Chihiro decided to head into Inazuma City, the first thing she'd noticed was how sombre it was. She decided to ask the receptionist of the Adventurer's Guild.
"What's going on?"
Katheryne stared at her. "The samurai have been taking Visions from the common people. Many fights have broken out over the last few days."
Chihiro considered this. She didn't know what it was like to have a Vision, and so she wouldn't understand what it was like to have one taken from you. You can't miss something you've never had after all. She made a mental note to ask someone later.
"What do you think of the Vision Hunt Decree?" A couple samurai nearby gave her a hard look and a raised eyebrow. She saw one of them scan her person for a Vision, and threw a hand over her mouth. "Of course, the Shougun's word is law."
The samurai moved away and she let out a low breath. Looking back to Katheryne, she saw her shake her head. "I am a biomechanical puppet. I am not programmed to respond to this."
"I see. That's... unfortunate?" she said, unsure what to call it.
Katheryne smiled. "That depends on how you look at it."
Chihiro wasn't sure what Katheryne meant by that, and she nodded, deciding to end the conversation there. She backed a few steps, and someone grabbed her by the waist. She started, and then looked up into gleaming purple eyes.
"Hehe, the look on your face is priceless."
She schooled her features and turned away from him, hiding her red ears with her hair. The action didn't go unnoticed by him, and his smirk widened in response. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
He waved a hand. "Had some business in the area." Ayato smiled thoughtfully, and Chihiro did not like that look on his face. "I'm heading over to see Kujou Takayuki after this. Care to join me?"
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked, clearly dumbstruck. "His son was supposed to be my fiance."
He shrugged. "All the more reason to show them how much we're in love, no?"
She considered it, and he waited patiently. "You... you'll protect me if something happens, right?"
He smiled and turned. "Come along and let's find out."
She gave him a dry look, and fell into step beside him as they headed over to the Kujou household. As they walked down the streets, close enough to brush each other, Chihiro couldn't help but think it was a perfect picture—two young adults walking down the sakura-strewn streets. Young children were running around in the streets, adults shopped, a girl with two tails ran around with a package in hand.
"Why are we going there?" she asked, just as they reached the samurai just outside the Kujou household. Ayato briefly spoke to the guard, who headed inside.
"Kujou Masahito is heading to the front lines in Watatsumi Island. This is simply a show of respect from my side," he said, looking up at the house and then to the path that led to the gardens, almost as if he were surveying the scene to see if someone was watching them.
"Watatsumi Island?"
He nodded. "The Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island is rebelling against the Vision Hunt Decree. Narukami and Watatsumi are at war." He finally looked at her, as though satisfied with the silence of their surroundings.
She decided to throw the question to him. Lowering her voice, she asked, "What do you think of the Vision Hunt Decree?"
His mouth tightened briefly. "The Shogun's word is law." But Chihiro saw his hand flicker briefly to his Hydro Vision, before he let it fall.
"What would it be like to lose a Vision?"
His gaze softened. "It would be like losing a part of yourself." He didn't explain further, as the samurai had just returned. He nodded to Ayato, and headed into the house. Ayato followed, and Chihiro did her best to look the part of the elegant wife—an endeavour she knew she was failing miserably at. The only acknowledgement she received was a smirk from Ayato.
The samurai pulled aside a sliding screen, where Kujou Takayuki and his three children knelt around a table. Ayato and Chihiro took a seat opposite them. Cups of tea had already been poured, and swords were hung in racks near the wall.
"Yashiro Commissioner," said Takayuki. His gaze moved to meet Chihiro's. "And the runaway Hiiragi child."
Chihiro held his gaze, but Kamaji flinched. He threw her a discreet apologetic glance. Masahito refused to look her in the eyes, and a gentle touch alerted her to the presence of Ayato's hand over hers under the table. "She's my wife now. Not the Hiiragi child, but the Yashiro Commissioner's wife."
While Ayato had spoken with a smile and a light-hearted tone, Chihiro could hear a warning behind it, and that warning had not gone unnoticed by anyone else in the room. Takayuki shook his head. "What brings you here?"
"I came to deliver my respect, and wish you good luck." Ayato nodded to Masahito, who bowed.
"I will bring back victory."
Chihiro watched as they continued their talk about the Vision Hunt Decree and the issue with Watatsumi Island. Watatsumi Island was one of the furthest islands from Narukami, so it did make sense they weren't quite accepting of the decree. They probably had their own customs.
Sara was mostly quiet through the exchange as well, but Chihiro could feel the piercing side-eyes on her through most of the conversation. She'd heard the adopted daughter of the Kujou clan was a tengu, and wondered if it were true.
As they exchanged the last of their pleasantries, Ayato stood up, and Chihiro got up with him. "It was a delight to speak to you today."
Chihiro bowed, and together, they left. After they crossed the gates, Ayato turned to Chihiro. "Did you notice anything off?"
Chihiro hadn't observed their conversation that well, but if there was something off... "They seemed to be a little too invested in the idea of the Vision Hunt Decree. Nothing good could possibly come out of that decree."
He nodded. "Almost as though they have something planned. And they don't need to worry—after all, the Shogun's army keeps their Visions."
Chihiro opened her mouth to say how that sounded tyrannical, and then decided not to. Times like this, one should keep one's mouth shut.
"So, what do you think of Masahito?" asked Ayato, a hint of humor in his voice.
She gave Ayato a withering glance as they walked back to the Kamisato household. "Considering he's going to war, I'd have been stuck in his house with Takayuki. I would not have looked forward to that. He doesn't seem to be a pleasant old man. Masahito seems fine though." She waved a hand. "All honour and power and whatever."
"Kamaji seemed interested in you," Ayato said thoughtfully.
She frowned. "No. I wonder if he wanted something from me."
"Well, I'm sure you'll find out soon."
"Do you know something about this?"
Ayato smiled and shrugged. "Who can say?"
She fumed as he laughed and walked on ahead.
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