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The water dripped down her head. It wet her hair, making a mess out of her clothes.
But it was refreshing. Relaxing. Nostalgic.
It reminded Ei of when she would explore Inazuma because she could and Makoto would join her, and she would laugh. And then they would hop around rocks and scale mountains, they would do anything.
She chuckled. She knew Makoto. She knew the Shogun.
“Oh. Ei, you’re drenched,” Makoto said. She stood at the beginning of the falls, watching as water splashed against Ei.
“So sorry. You should join me- it feels quite nice,” Ei replied, staring at the waterfall.
It flowed down, simply not staring back. It was so beautiful.
Makoto didn’t say anything. She did, however, tread across the stones and almost fall into the pond a few times.
She dipped her hand to test the water, flinching.
“It is cold,” Makoto said.
“ Refreshing , not cold.”
“Cold.”
Ei did not roll her eyes. It would’ve been impolite.
“Did you just roll your eyes?” Makoto accused without an inch of seriousness in her voice.
Maybe Ei did. Maybe she did not.
She spread her hand out to catch some of the mist flying overhead.
The sky was a bright blue today in the mountains.
“You might catch a cold.”
Ei looked on to Los Angeles city. She’d needed some time away, so Makoto drove up to the mountains.
“I won’t.”
Makoto sighed. She stumbled back to the dry grass. Pity.
Perhaps it was time to go.
“You have been sitting there for thirty minutes,” Makoto said. Ei shook her head.
“I just need time to collect my thoughts.”
“You said that fifteen minutes ago.”
Makoto glanced at her watch. Ei bit her lip.
She slowly began making her way back to Makoto. And she luckily didn’t trip!
They walked in silence, Makoto’s Toyota growing closer and closer the more they trekked.
And sure enough, they were riding in the strangely comfortable seats down the mountains and into the gray city.
“Makoto. Stop the car,” Ei blurted.
“Why?”
She glared at the man on the roadside. He looked vaguely familiar.
Amber eyes… deep as the rock and as bright as crystal.
Makoto’s eyes widened, too. She noticed as well.
And instead of stopping, they sped up abruptly.
From then on, they didn’t speak.
The monotony seemed to be getting to me , Ei thought.
Of course it was. She could not understand how Makoto enjoyed living in such a repetitive environment with nothing new at all.
Cars flicked by as usual. She’d been here for a week or so. It was quite difficult to adjust to such a… strange place.
“I am also lost in time.”
“You are not as confused as me, though.”
Ei did note that Makoto seemed to find some sort of comfort here. Maybe she liked such boring things.
Her mind wandered back to the man from earlier. She tried to remember other similarities.
Dark hair with tips glowing orange.
That wasn’t natural.
She shook her head. Don’t think about it. Probably a coincidence.
If at most it was a reincarnation…
Rex Lapis has faked his death once. There are chances he did it again.
Soon, they reached the parking lot of the apartment complex.
The two awkwardly sat in the lobby. Ei wasn’t walking. Makoto wasn’t.
Shuffling. People squeeze by them, raising eyebrows or suddenly becoming very interested in their shoes.
Ei waited. Makoto sighed, deciding to take the first step toward the elevator.
She found herself looking at the buttons again. Intricate, yet simple. There was so much behind it the average person wouldn’t think of.
And then it hit her. This wasn’t Teyvat. It didn’t feel like it. The world changed with the course of time and perhaps something else occurred.
“It’s been more than a few thousand.”
“I know.”
The elevator came to a stop. She follows Makoto back to room 627.
Once they sit down on the couch, they would have to talk. Ei knew they had to talk. They always did.
Ei usually asked the questions.
“Why does the number seem familiar?”
Makoto’s expression changed to a troubled one.
“You… you don’t remember?”
Ei didn’t.
“You must. It is her birthday, after all. I thought the coincidence was funny… I was not aware you did not notice,” Makoto said.
“Her?”
This time, Makoto’s face contorted into one of bitterness.
“Miko!”
Oh. Ei had almost forgotten about her… How?
She was at a loss for words. What would she say? I am sorry, I forgot about my best friend.
Not even best friends. There was much more.
Makoto simply sighed, opting to take a nap.
“It is my day off, I shall do what I wish.”
Ei fumbled with the remote. She lifted her head up to face the Television. Why was it placed so high on the wall, so much so that she had to practically crane her neck to see it?
Perhaps that was an exaggeration.
She then remembered.
That was not a coincidence. That was-
That was Rex Lapis. Or, the consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor: Zhongli. Walking down a mountain in Los Angeles, California.
Ei could’ve sworn her heart stopped. Then they really should’ve stopped the car-
“We aren’t as alone as I thought.”
It was a shock. What else? And her eyes brightened and everything became dreamy, in a surreal sense of euphoria.
That means that Miko could still be here- Somewhere. Out in the world.
The sofa felt soft, and it felt like something she knew. And Ei could see things that she used to do.
How Miko’s hair was softer than this, and how her eyes were brighter than the sky, and how beautiful she was, and how her teases and jabs would make Ei short-circuit.
And how mesmerizing Miko was whenever Miko did anything.
And how she loved her.
Ei shook her head. Not right now. There are better things to be thinking of-
But still, hope tugged at her heart. She couldn’t help but smile at the possibilities that she wasn’t alone- She wasn’t alone!
She felt giddy. This was incredible news. The Shogun must know!
But Makoto’s slow, quiet snores echoed through the small apartment.
And she left her alone. It is the least she could do.
She should sleep.
Ei slept.
~~~
When the familiar scenery of beige walls and cold bed came back to life, Ei decided that it was too early.
The window projected the bright dawn.
Nevermind. She’d slept for too long.
Yet still, there was no reason to really get up right now. Makoto had probably left by now.
And then she remembered.
Ei felt like screaming her lungs out. It’s not like she was angry or anything- quite the contrary. Her face lit up and her legs sprinted out of bed.
She glanced in the mirror. Same person as yesterday.
Except she was smiling. That wouldn’t be coming off any time soon.
Today, she would search for Miko. Maybe she’ll find her. Who knows?
Ei picked a random assortment of clothing, throwing them on and deciding they were presentable.
Finally, she gently added her hairpin. There.
The spare keys sat on the coffee table.
And she was ready. And very joyful.
The most awkward part? Jittering in the elevator.
She resisted the urge to pump her fist to the ceiling and exclaim “Whoop!” in public. Instead, she folded her arms and kept a semi-neutral expression.
By that she meant a very discreet and polite smile . It’s not like anyone would see it either!
The person accompanying her raised an eyebrow, before not-so-subtly moving to the other side of the elevator.
As soon as the doors opened, they parted ways. Ei excitedly sped-walk her way to a nearby starbucks.
She held her head up high, dramatically flicking her hair back. Then ignoring the stares people gave her.
Ei finally sat down on a table. She didn’t bring money, but that’s fine. She’ll just sit here anyways.
She waited. For fifteen minutes. Thirty. An hour.
“Excuse me- your Raiden Shogun cosplay is really good I…”
What? She snapped her head to the sound.
The person looked at her with beaming eyes and their phone tucked to their chest.
“Huh?”
Ei tilted her head.
Suddenly, a flash caused her to shut her eyes with a click. And when she opened them, the person was furiously typing on their phone. As soon as she looked up again, they dashed away.
Weird.
She narrows her eyes.
And then her breath hitched. Pink hair. Long, tapered at the end and tied with a simple white band. Ears long and amethyst crystals hanging off them.
Then she turned around, and two sets of purple eyes met.
Ei fought herself to say something. She did
“Miko!”
The woman tilted her head.
“Have we met?”