"Change, change for me!"
"Ah? Sister Makoto, what are you saying?" Yae Miko was stunned. For a moment, she didn't quite understand what Raiden Makoto meant. "Change?"
"Of course, I mean change into a Little Fox, Miko." Raiden Makoto recalled how Yae Miko looked back then: a cute Little Fox with pink fur all over, who would only whine softly in her arms. She missed those past times.
"Sister Makoto... are you serious?" Yae Miko's face was flushed. She was the Guuji Yae of the Grand Narukami Shrine... How could she transform into her true form in front of outsiders? It was already embarrassing enough doing it in front of Paimon and Lumine.
"Of course. Wouldn't it be nice if I held you while we went to see Ei? That day..." Raiden Makoto's words triggered Yae Miko's memories.
That afternoon beneath the sacred sakura tree, Raiden Makoto had indeed been holding her. Fox Spirits have excellent memories; even though it happened when she was little, she still remembered it.
"Mmm..."
However, Yae Miko saw the Little White Snake showing off to her again, its ruby-like eyes holding a hint of provocation.
"Fine, since it's Sister Makoto's request, I'll indulge you." After Yae Miko finished speaking, she transformed into a fox right in front of Raiden Makoto. It was a fully matured fox, quite large, but still covered in pink fur.
"So, you're a Big Fox now." Raiden Makoto was momentarily stunned, but then she smiled and picked Yae Miko up. Yae Miko buried her head in Raiden Makoto's chest. At this moment, Yae Miko's size was nearly comparable to her own.
"Ying..." Enjoying Raiden Makoto's gentle petting in her arms, Yae Miko slowly closed her eyes. She thoroughly enjoyed this moment.
Since she was in her fox form, no one could see the shyness on her face.
The Little Fox who used to snuggle in her arms was so big now. What about her sister? She wondered if her sister had changed or grown taller.
Raiden Makoto was looking forward to meeting her sister. She felt very relaxed now; most of Inazuma's problems had been completely resolved. All that remained was the final Major Cleanup. Once that was done, Inazuma could return to normal development.
Paimon looked at Yae Miko being held by Raiden Makoto, and she couldn't help but feel a little envious. As if realizing something, she then looked at Lumine and blinked, seemingly hinting to Lumine that she wanted a hug too!
She and Lumine had known each other for so long, sharing life and death, yet Lumine had seemingly never hugged her, right?
She wanted a hug too!
However, Lumine was oblivious and didn't understand Paimon's hint. Lumine watched Paimon frantically blinking at her and asked confusedly, "Paimon, did you get sand in your eye? I'll blow it out for you..."
...
"Sister Makoto..." Paimon's young heart was dealt a heavy blow. She had hinted so obviously, yet Lumine didn't understand anything.
"Look at Lumine... she's so oblivious."
At that moment, Lumine flashed a slightly clueless smile at Raiden Makoto. That smile, in Raiden Makoto's eyes, made her seem even more oblivious.
"Paimon wants a hug too, Lumine, why don't you hug her?" Raiden Makoto immediately saw Paimon's intention and told Lumine directly.
"Ah?" Lumine was startled. So Paimon was asking for a hug? She genuinely thought Paimon had gotten sand in her eye.
"Sister Makoto... how could you say that directly? How... hateful!" As Raiden Makoto revealed Paimon's intention, Paimon's small face flushed crimson. At that moment, she even flew directly behind Lumine.
"They must be the Travelers who resolved the Liyue crisis, right? They are certainly extraordinary." Yae Miko's gaze fell upon Lumine and Paimon, feeling a bit curious.
"Yes."
To be honest, Yae Miko's current size was nearly the same as hers, making it a bit awkward for her to hold Yae Miko.
The Little Fox from before had grown so large—Raiden Makoto was filled with emotion.
But precisely because of this, Yae Miko was now fluffy, and holding her was extremely comfortable.
"Ying..." Just as Raiden Makoto gently stroked Yae Miko's head, Yae Miko let out a whine, then said angrily, "Sister Makoto... your Pet Snake... it... it bit me!"
"Ying... it bit me again... it burrowed into my fur... Ying..." Yae Miko was completely unaware that the dignity of the Great Shrine Maiden she had been for five hundred years was utterly gone.
"Sister Makoto!"
Of course, what did the Guuji Yae of the Grand Narukami Shrine have to do with her current state as a Little Fox?
Who knew that she was the Guuji Yae in the eyes of the Inazumans? No one knew!
She wanted to properly enjoy Raiden Makoto's warm embrace.
She was too familiar with what Ei was like. Ei was completely a Sister Complex. If Makoto and Ei met, where would she find an opportunity like this?
However, seeing that Yae Miko's reaction wasn't severe, she knew the Little White Snake was just playing around with Yae Miko.
"Little Snakey, come out, stop messing around. We're going to see Ei." The next moment, the Little White Snake quickly coiled around Raiden Makoto's arm, pressing tightly against her. Raiden Makoto felt a cool sensation and knew the Little White Snake had returned.
However, the Little White Snake seemed to be trembling slightly at this moment, as if in fear.
"Xiaobai, don't be afraid. I'm here. She won't cleave you again. Why did you lose your mind and kill Yuri back then?" Raiden Makoto sighed. If Sasayuri had survived back then, how could Ei have cleaved Orobashi in two with Musou no Hitotachi?
Sasayuri was her General at the time, and Ei's best friend. They often sparred together and had fought side-by-side on battlefields.
Sasayuri's passing also grieved her, but she didn't blame Orobashi. If it weren't for the erode, Orobashi wouldn't have invaded the East.
The erode was their greatest enemy.
"Sister Makoto... what did you just say? It... it's Orobashi?" Raiden Makoto's words revealed that the Little White Snake was Orobashi, who had been cleaved in half by Ei using Musou no Hitotachi during the Archon War, which shocked Yae Miko.
"Yes, but it seems to have lost quite a bit of its memory." Raiden Makoto nodded. "If I can be resurrected, of course, he can too..."
"Being resurrected without memory might be another way to fight the erode." Raiden Makoto sighed. "Ei sealing herself away is also a way of fighting the erode."
"Mhm."
"Then if Orobashi and Sister Makoto can both be resurrected... what about Lady Kitsune Saiguu..." Yae Miko suddenly realized something, and she looked earnestly at Raiden Makoto's face.
"Saiguu?" Raiden Makoto was startled, memories of Kitsune Saiguu surfacing in her mind.
She was her best friend and also her Retainer.
"Yes, could she also be resurrected..."
She could try.
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