Chapter Text
Walking around Seirai Island wasn't an easy task for Visionless humans, but Ei wasn't one and much less needed such an object. Somehow walking around the island surrounded by electro particles in the air relaxed her and, although it was difficult to have people there, she decided to cover her face just in case.
The feeling of the electric current in the air increasing with each step, the wind on her clothes and the eternal twilight. A place she found great to alleviate her need to keep fighting even at the end of some battles. Wouldn't be ideal if she couldn't control her impulses and began attacking her own people.
With her naginata in hand, she began the light movements, swift and powerful, but no less graceful. A deadly dance known to her and perfected over the centuries. It was so easy to lose track of time in that place; maybe it was only a few hours or even a few days, Ei wasn't sure, it's not like she could get tired like this and eating wasn't exactly necessary.
She didn't care. It was more natural for her to concentrate through martial arts, since she could feel her desires slowly calming down. However the sound of bushes moving and the low cry of some animal caught her attention.
Cautiously, she approached and spotted a badly wounded young fox, tethered in the bush, which, upon realizing it, began to bark aggressively. Ei dropped her weapon and quickly knelt down trying to free the little cub, but was met with growls and an attempted bite, which she deftly deflected.
"Calm down little one, I just want to help." The goddess showed a small smile and held up her hands.
The cub seemed to consider her words and stopped squirming. Ei smiled, after all, her soft voice always helped in these types of situations. Carefully, she began to break the branches pulling the thorns and plants of the cub who was still crying and panting, its fur covered in blood and dirt, making it difficult to recognize its color.
"Almost free, little one." The thorns of the bush were deeply embedded in the cub, which made it difficult to move without hurting it.
Ei didn't know what the fox had gone through to be that way or why she was on that island. There were no other animals to hunt, so she was probably surviving on tenkumo fruits and berries, as to what left her so hurt was a mystery. Then after a few minutes, she finally released the cub who fell exhausted and probably dizzy from loss of blood. Ei took off the head cloth, wrapping it around the fox and scooping it up in her arms; the faint growl was her warning of the cub's discontent.
“Don't worry, I'll take you to a safe place where you can tend to those wounds.” She might not be very good with words, but her sweet voice was actually very convenient.
The puppy huffed, closing its eyes, too tired to do anything. Ei picked up the naginata from the ground and turned to go back to Inazuma, when suddenly the sound of screams and footsteps of a group of people approached her. Great, all she needed was to deal with humans right now.
“You there, give the puppy back if you don't want trouble for yourself.” A large, muscular human, probably the leader, spoke up arrogantly. Ei couldn’t help but sigh.
"And how exactly are you going to get me in trouble?" Arrogance bathed her words, she had no reason to be humble. After all, she was a goddess. The fox on her arm began to tremble, probably recognizing the humans who had left her in that state.
"Are you blind? What can a single person do against ten?" Another man, thinner this time, spoke as the leader approached her.
"Wait a minute, she's quite pretty. It would be a shame—" Before the man could finish, the tip of the naginata had crossed his throat in mere seconds.
The other members of the group, panicked by the scene before them, screamed for their leader, and made the stupid decision to advance against Ei. A mistake that was paid with their lives. In the mere movement of her hand, they were cut in half, the electro power emanating from her weapon menacingly.
Ei shook the naginata free of the blood before turning her attention to the fox on her arm.
"Come on, little one, we have to take care of your wounds." The cub that had witnessed the scene looked shocked. Ei giggled, after all this fox was not a common animal.
She threw back the naginata, which simply disappeared into a golden haze, and swung her arm to open a galactic portal in front of her, which she walked soothingly through.
Before her was the great Narukami Shrine. The few priestesses in the place quickly stopped working to revere their beloved goddess.
"Your Excellency, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?" The priestesses bowed and Ei quickly motioned for them to get up. All this adoration always made her uncomfortable.
"Call Saiguu and tell her I have urgent business."
The woman bowed once more before hastily following her order.
Ei sighed, and her gaze fell on the cub currently passed out in her arms. Perhaps the teleportation was too much for the fox's already exhausted body. The goddess ran a finger gently over the cub's head. Even with the fur dirty and matted with leaves, Ei could see how soft it was, maybe when the little one was healthy and clean she would pamper her a little…
But for now, she had to at least keep it alive.
Saiguu soon appeared, the smirk on her face and the slight wag of her tail showed her interest. The kitsune had become a deity two centuries ago; her once orange, now completely silver fur was a proof of that.
"My lord, what a pleasure to see you so soon, walking among mortals. Did your post-battle euphoria end in less than a month? I'm really shocked" The kitsune's smirk was usually enough to make the goddess not take her words so seriously. Today though...
Ei shook her head, she still wanted to fight despite her calm exterior, her blood was boiling and after the last battle, if she could call it that, had only made the situation worse. Saiguu quickly changed her stance. It was not wise to provoke the goddess in those moments where all she wants is a little excuse to fight.
“I just came to deliver this pup to your care, apparently it's one of yours.” She pointed to the fox in her hand.
Saiguu quickly examined with her hands before indicating Ei to follow her into the sanctuary.
They headed to the kitsune's office, who hurriedly cleared the paperwork off the desk and Ei soon unrolled the fox and placed it on the table. The cub was still unconscious, its body was shaking and it was visible how difficult it was to breathe. Saiguu went back to examining the little fox, taking care of the countless wounds spread across its body. She sighed, pulling away from the table and facing the goddess.
"I can take care of her external wounds, however… she spent a lot of time on Seirai Island. Her heartbeats are irregular, and an extra minute in that place would have caused her to stop breathing. Even so the chances of survival are low, unless …” Saiguu bit her lower lip.
"Unless…?”
“Unless you make her your servant,” she replied hesitantly. “Your divine power should be strong enough to ease her internal problems and your company should be able to heal her in time."
"Hmmmm."
Being the servant of a god means being unable to go against their orders for all your life, thus losing part of your freedom. Unlike her sister, Ei particularly had no interest in having servants, and if the situation were otherwise she wouldn't hesitate to deny it. However…
Her eyes went to the cub struggling to survive, even though it was unconscious. And once again, her finger went towards the fox's head, lightly stroking the spot.
“Very well, I will do it."