Chapter Text
Ayato woke up in a cold sweat.
His hand shook so badly, his forehead wet with cold sweat. He felt like he had dreamed of something horrible and the dream was so terrifying that it felt like he himself was experiencing it.
Yet, he can’t seem to remember what he had been dreaming of.
It’s just a dream. He reminded himself, he then tried to roll out of his bed. However, as he tried to stand, his vision started to sway. He had to slam his hand against the wall to steady himself.
His hand shot up to cover his mouth, he felt like throwing up.
What is wrong with me today? Ayato screamed internally. However, before he can push himself further, Thoma, the angel he is, emerged into Ayato’s room.
“Happy Tuesday Morn- W-Whoa!”
Thoma yelped as he spilled the miso soup he was carrying. He caught Ayato’s body before he can fall to the ground.
“Feeling under the weather, my lord?” Thoma chuckled nervously. Ayato groaned, as he was about to try to stand up again. “None of that.” Thoma cooed and pushed Ayato toward his mattress.
“Don’t touch me… I have a wife…” Ayato blabbered.
Thoma blushed at Ayato’s comment. “How indecent! I’m only trying to help here, Milord!” Thoma huffed. “Also, what wife!”
Ayato at this point can only see a blob of orange and red, yeah… those blob are Thoma’s face. His vision was so blurry he might have mistaken himself as needing prescription glasses.
However, albeit feeling dizzy, Ayato chuckled. “I’m only j-joking…” Ayato slurred. He blinked a few times, as if that could try to help. “I can… still work.”
Although Thoma’s face has become a blob Ayato could still see Thoma rolling his eyes. “You better work that stubborn attitude of yours instead of pushing yourself when you have a fever as hot as the fire of hell.”
“Thoma! Was he sick?” Ayato can hear Ayaka’s voice and the sliding door being opened. Ayato groaned louder. Ayaka then frowned. “Did my appearance… make him sicker somehow?”
The second Thoma’s eyeroll of the day commence. “Don’t worry, he’s just being dramatic.” Thoma said as he covered Ayatos’ eyes with his hand.
“You better sleep, brother. Or I’ll make you!” Ayaka said. “Well, I’m going to take care of brother’s duties for the day then! I heard he has a meeting with the traveler today.” Ayaka beamed.
“I… let me… wor-“
“SHUSH!”
Thoma and Ayaka said in unison. With how cooperative his body was being, the bicker of Ayato’s most precious people beside him (which made him feel safe) and Thoma’s hand covering his eyes, he resigned to his fate… to not to work and sleep instead.
-
It was warm.
However, it is not the warmth he felt when he has his blanket enveloping him, there is no similar smell of laudry that Thoma had done surrounding him nor the warmth he felt when Thoma and Ayaka were huddled around him (at that time, they were scared of a not-so-scary (according to Ayato) movie that they watched together.)
It is the warmth he felt when once upon a night, he almost lost an arm, courtesy of the blade from the pyro fatui.
Ayato opened his eyes. There was fire all around him. The cities he had loved, the trees that he had grown accustomed to, were eaten by the fire. It is as if they were hungry and they thrive to destroy Ayato’s hometown. The food stalls he had loved to buy from (albeit Thoma keep scolding him for not buying too much sweets) had all been destroyed or fell over.
The voices that he loved to hear, of the people chattering, of the street vendors yelling to buy their stuff, had all turned into screams of help and cry of pain. His body screamed at him to help them, however, he realized he was being carried on Thoma’s back. He noticed that his retainer’s clothes had turned ragged, and there was a gash present on his shoulder.
“Thoma, stop!”
“No, milord. We can’t. We need to make it to safety first!”
As he was being carried, he saw an old man getting kicked on the back. He was then stabbed on his stomach, his plead turned onto screams, the turned onto a whimper which finally goes quiet entirely. The culprit is the pyro fatui. Ayato and the agent exchanged a glance.
With that, Ayato let go of Thoma’s grasp, and Thoma yelped. Ayato saw red, then formed not only one, but three clones to take down the pyro fatui.
When he finished killing him, the fatui’s nasty blood was splattered onto his pristine white clothes and shoes.
Thoma’s heart stopped when he saw a look of terror in Ayato’s eyes.
“What happened?” Ayato asked. He then looked around, before realizing something. “Where is Ayaka?”
Thoma’s breath stopped. He then clenched and unclenched his hand. “Ayato… I’m sorry, I-“
“Thoma, I don’t need your apology. Please just tell me where she is!” Ayato yelled. In that moment, it felt as if the time has stopped for both of them, as if the fire even willingly stopping for them.
Thoma fumbled for a bit, before finally replying. He needn’t to panic in this situation, his lord has taught him time and time again.
“She…” Thoma took in a breath. “She went to see the traveler, therefore I continue my duty while I accompany you in your room. That is before… the fatui attacked this city.”
“Why?” Ayato frowned. “Why do they wage a war against Inazuma? Do they not realize how this will affect their reputation? And how the other nation wouldn’t just stand by and watch?”
“My lord.” Thoma stated as he gazed directly at Ayato. Ayato could see sadness in Thoma’s eyes. No one would want to be in this occasion, after all.
“They had collected all the gnosis, and…” Thoma sighed. “They killed the Almighty Shogun.”
Ayato was supposed to be the one who’s composed, to be the one who knows what to do and what action should he take. But this time, he felt so hopeless. With the Almighty Shogun not here anymore, the Tenryou Commission would fall apart, that means, the majority of soldiers whose duty is to protect Inazuma. But then, he wished Sara could maintain a cool head doing Shogun’s order when there is really no one to command the said order anymore.
“Okay.” Ayato held onto Thoma, clutching onto his red jacket tightly. “Okay.” He repeated again, as if he doesn’t know what to say to that.
“My lord.” Softly, Thoma said. Softly, Thoma held Ayato’s trembling hands. “I’ll always be here for you, to protect you. Whatever your order is, I’m ready to carry it well, milord.” Thoma bowed.
Ayato sucks in a breath.
He’s right.
With Thoma here, the city not being entirely reduced down to ashes, and some people still fighting and hiding, it is not the end of the world yet.
He still have people to protect and a duty to carry on.
“Okay.” Ayato said, but this time, with much certainty. “Let’s go to the place where Ayaka and the traveler meet, we’ll find out what happened there and go from there.”
-
On their way, they are met with Sayu. On the first time in his life, Ayato felt intense relief when he was met the always-sleepy ninja.
“I know a place to hide.” Sayu uttered, running with them.
“We can’t go there yet, I need to find Ayaka.” Ayato replied. “Thoma?” Ayato looked back, only to find Thoma shaking his head.
“I’ll help you find Ayaka, milord. After all, I’ll be with you both until my last breath.”
Ayato sighed. He knew he would say that. “Alright. Sayu, how many members of the shuumaatsuban do we have left?”
“About 7.” Sayu replied. “But some members might still be hiding. Let’s think positively.”
7? That’s more than a half that had disappeared. Ayato cursed inwardly. When they were running toward the location, they are met with a family who was fighting the Fatui agents. The 3 vision holders quickly helped them.
“The Yashiro commissioner!” The father beamed, his tear-stricken face formed a hopeful smile. He was holding his 3-year old son who were crying. “You saved us!”
Ayato smiled. “Are you all okay?”
“My wife! She’s hurt!”
Thoma quickly scanned the woman who was clutching onto her stomach. Blood was spilling everywhere, and her hand were red with her blood. Thoma put off his jacket and stripped it onto a smaller cloth to bandage the woman’s wound.
“Okay.” Thoma stared at the woman’s wound that was covered with the red clothes. “It might help stopping her bleeding for a bit, but she still need immediate help and her wound have to be stitched.”
“I can do that…” Sayu uttered.
“Not here, Sayu.” Ayato said, he then kneeled down until he was at the same level as Sayu.
“I want you to lead them to a safe place. You know our place, right?”
Sayu nodded.
“Good. Do led them there, if you met people with the same difficulties as this family, you can help them and lead them there as well. Today, we need to fall back and search for the survivors to form an alliance and fight back. I’ll come back to you when I have found Ayaka.”
Sayu nodded again, before turning her back. “Be careful…”
Ayato smiled and patted her head, they then parted ways.
-
The two men appeared at the place, it was at the Chinju Forest. The sights here were s horrifying as in the city, dead bodies were lying here and there. Ayato prayed that none of the bodies were her sister’s.
Ayato’s wish didn’t come true, as he saw a familiar figure lying on the grass. A red liquid was pooling around her. Ayato froze.
It can’t be blood, right? Even if it was blood, it could be the blood of her foe? Maybe Ayaka only fainted out of exhaustion. She’s strong, she can’t be defeated that easily.
Right?
Thoma felt like choking, his heart felt like it could burst out of his chest. However, seeing his lord froze, eyes wide and unblinking, hurt him more. He slowly held Ayato’s hand and led him toward Ayaka’s body.
Holding his breath, Thoma knelt down and checked her pulse.
Thoma noticed the gash on her stomach, and he decided to avert his eyes.
“Ayaka?” Ayato said, finally. He then knelt down beside Thoma, and held Ayaka’s cheek softly. Why… is it so cold?
“Ayaka? Wake up, please.”
No answer were heard.
“Ayaka? Please, if you wake up we will play your favorite hotpot game once a day, everyday.” Ayato shook her body softly.
No answer.
“Twice a day, then?” Ayato then tried to feel Ayaka’s pulse, as he brushed Thoma’s hand away.
Still no answer.
“Why aren’t you answering me? Don’t be a bad sister…”
“Mylord…” Thoma tried, but as he spoke, he realized he didn’t know what to say that could calm Ayato down. After all, Thoma didn’t know how it felt to lose a family, and Ayato experienced it thrice…
But why was Thoma crying?
“Ayaka, please.” Ayato clutched onto his sister body as he held her hand which showed no sign of her pulse. “Please, please, please, don’t leave me like this. Don’t meet father and mother without me.” Ayato buried his face onto her chest, hoping to hear anything. A beat is enough, even though it is weak, it is enough.
Yet, just like how Ayaka never answered him, even her beat didn’t answer to him.
He racked a sob, his whole body shaking. He kept clutching onto his sister’s bloodied clothes as if that could make her come back. Thoma tried not to sob loudly too, as he wiped his tears. He realized in the midst of this, that he too, knew how it felt like to lose a family.
After all, Ayaka is his family too.
The forest is quiet. There is no sound of the birds chirping, and the sound of people yelling, crying or screaming had stopped too. As if giving time and peace for Ayato and Thoma to process Ayaka’s passing.
“My, my, how noisy.”
Ayato’s head shot up, and Thoma’s body tenses. In front of them, came a person with ginger hair and a red mask, his uniform grey and he was wearing a red scarf. “What sad movies re you guys watching? I want to join too.”
“Kamisato Art: Suiyuu!’
A rain formed above Childe. A droplet could sting to pierce a skin. Childe avoided swiftly, drop by drop, as if it were a child’s game. Thoma could barely blink when he realized Ayato had disappeared beside him. He appeared behind Childe, pointing his blade toward him.
Childe laughed, and jumped backward. At that point, Ayato then kept attacking Childe, his motion fast and deadly, although Thoma noticed how Ayato lost his calm and elegancy in his moves. He can’t blame him thought, but if Ayato kept on going like this, he would only became tired and his moves would only be more readable.
Bless Ayato, he realized this. So he stopped, and took in few breaths to calm down. Childe only laughed and sneered at Ayato. “Is that it? Come on, give me all you have!” Childe bellowed, letting out his crazed laugh for the forest to hear.
Thoma watched Childe warily, then he glanced toward Ayato who looks tired. “My lord.” Thoma said. “I know you’re angry. But we can’t fight him, let’s just go.” Thoma whispered. “Please.” He added. He didn’t want to lose another person whom he considers as his family, again.
“If you want, you can go first.” Ayato said as he straightened his back. At those words, Thoma’s breath hitched. Ayato materialized his water sword again. “I’m going to kill this orange fatui.”
“HA! I heard that!” Childe yelled, sounding unamused.
Before Thoma could argue, Ayato advanced again. But, as Childe was too busy parrying Ayato’s attack, Childe didn’t notice the two clones attacking him from behind. Cursing, Childe kicked Ayato on the stomach, and Ayato jumped backward.
Ayato felt proud when he saw a cut on Childe’s side. Even though Ayato was clutching onto his stomach.
“This is getting interesting.” Childe said, and Ayato felt a spark of electricity in the air. In a second, as Childe touched his vision, Ayato and Thoma felt a gush of air from Childe’s direction. They had to cover their eyes. Ayato’s eyes widened s he saw his opponent had put on his mask and his clothes had become dark grey. He advanced too fast, as if he were lightning himself and Ayato barely realized Childe was only few inches in front of him, putting his hand onto his stomach.
“A gift, for me.” Childe whispered toward his ear.
“AYATO!” Thoma yelled. The retainer then got up and tried to attack Childe with his polearm. Childe punched Ayato in the gut and he was thrown backward, hitting the tree in the process. Ayato gasped weakly, when he clutched onto his stomach, he noticed something strange.
A purple, strangely shaped mark.
He saw how Thoma was kicked on his side and was thrown backward as well, but as Ayato was about to yell, he felt electro coursing through his body, electrocuting him. The source came from the mark, and then the electro stopped as Thoma lay limply on the ground.
“W-what…” Ayato shook a bit. He held the mark on his stomach tightly.
“Neat isn’t? the mark is called riptide.” Childe proudly says. He then stepped onto Thoma’s chest. “Whenever I hit an enemy, the person affected by riptide will get electrocuted.” Childe smirked and looked down at Thoma. “Like this.” The ginger raised his foot.
“NO!” Ayato commanded his clone to form beside Childe, but too late. Childe had stepped hard onto Thoma’s stomach and another electro shock went through Ayato’s body, making both men yell in pain. The water clone then scattered toward the floor before it could hurt Childe. Like his water clone, Ayato also fell toward the ground in pain.
No… why can’t I protect anything? Ayato stared at Childe with hatred, his eyes teary. “I’ll kill you…” Ayato muttered, even though his body is still shaking from the pain. “I swear… I’ll kill you.”
But in the midst of that, Childe phone rang. He sighed, opened his phone, sees the call and rejected it. “Seems like the doctor had finished doing his business.” Childe muttered, before putting his phone back to his pants. “It was fun playing with you guys. But I have to go.” Childe then materialized his electro polearm, and to Ayato’s horror, he put the tip onto Thoma’s chest.
No.
No, no, no. Not again, please!
Thoma’s head lolled weakly to the side. He then smiled at Ayato, the edge of his lips bruised. He mouthed toward Ayato.
“…with you… until my last breath…”
Ayato’s mind went blank as Childe stabbed Thoma, he screamed so loud he thought the whole Inazuma could hear. He didn’t know if it was from the pain of the electricity coursing through his body, or the anger he felt when he lost the family he found years ago. His cheek was wet with tears. He willed his body to move, but he can’t. So he only reached out with his arm toward Thoma, hoping to hold his hand.
Yet, even that he cannot do.
Ayato’s eyes went blank, if he lost the people he was supposed to protect, what is there to live for, then?
“You’re so noisy.” Childe commented, and because of Childe remark, only then did Ayato notice he was sobbing loudly.
“Meet my buddy, Orca.” Childe then raised his hand, and a gigantic Whale came out from the ground, its big body nearing toward Ayato. Ayato squinted at it, and willed his body to move, again.
Yet, just like how he called out Ayaka nor Thoma’s name, it woudn’t respond.
“Goodbye.” Childe waved his hand and he went away.
Ayato stared at the big creature, glaring at it.
“It’s fucking whale…” Ayato then looked to the side. “Idiot.”
With that, the orc- whale, hit Ayato’s body and he felt like every singe one of his bones was broken. Ayato only saw darkness.
-
Ayato woke up with a heavy headache.
His body was wet with cold sweat, and he felt like puking.
“Happy Tuesday Morn- Whoa!” Thoma, who emerged into his room, was shocked to see his Lord’s pale face. He then went out, got an empty basin, and gave it toward Ayato, who threw up all his dinner toward the basin.
Thoma helped putting his strands of blue hair behind his ear. And Ayato grimaced as he saw his puke.
The puke make him want to puke again, therefore he puked.
“Whoa, whoa, there there.”
Thoma stroked Ayato’s back, and something dawned upon Ayato.
The incident… the fatui attacking them, the fight with the idiot who calls a whale ‘orca’ instead, him being useless in protecting Ayaka and Thoma…
Was it all… a dream?
He then stared at Thoma, for so long that Thoma averted his eyes from Ayato’s gaze. Thoma then yelped when he felt his cheek gets kneaded on by Ayato.
“Mylord! Why?”
“Are you real, Thoma?”
“W-wuh!? Of course I am!” Thoma protested.
“Thoma! Was he sick?” Ayaka emerges into the room. And Ayato tenses, his gaze then lingered toward the miso soup Thoma was carrying, it was placed on the floor.
“You better sleep, brother. Or I’ll make you!” Ayaka said. As Ayato’s vision were not blurry now, he can see Ayaka putting her hands on her waist. “Well, I’m going to take care of brother’s duties for the day then! I heard he has a meeting with the traveler today.” Ayaka beamed.
“NO!”
Ayato shouted too loud, that it silenced both of them instantly. Ayato then stared at Thoma, and the miso soup beside him.
“Happy Tuesday Morn- W-Whoa!”
Thoma yelped as he spilled the miso soup he was carrying, as he caught Ayato’s body before he can fall to the ground.
(If it is a dream, why am I experiencing the same thing? Why is everyone behaving the same way?)
“Thoma.” Ayato stated, and Thoma stiffly looked at Ayato, tense. “Did you say… Tuesday morning?”
“Y-yes!” Thom answered. “B-because, it is a Tuesday morning?” Thoma smiled nervously.
What is happening…? Ayato’s head grew dizzier. He then clutched onto his blanket tightly.
“I’m going to be the one meeting the traveler today.” Ayato stated.
“What?” Ayaka questioned. “Brother, you are still sick! Let me go with you!” Ayaka interjected. Ayato then looked at his sister, and the image of her lying on the ground, lifeless, with a big gash on her stomach, appeared in his head.
“No.” he stated, willingly closing his eyes to make the image in his mind disappear. “I’ll be okay. I’ll go alone.”
Ayaka and Thoma then looked at each other worriedly, they then looked toward Ayato. “You’re still feeling unwell. If you suddenly pass out, no one’s going to carry you. Let me go with you.” Thoma said.
“…with you… until my last breath…”
“No.” Ayato answered, Thoma looked taken aback. “I’ll go with one of the guard instead.”
Thoma looked hurt, but he nodded instead. Ayato wanted to pat his head and say that he means well, he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Thoma nor Ayaka. He wanted to erase that expression of hurt by tickling him until he smiles.
But now, he just let Thoma go to inform the guard.
He has to figure out what’s happening.