The Stringless Puppet 2 (Patreon)

The Stringless Puppet 2 (Genshin Impact, Wanderer/Scaramouche!SI)

Inazuma was what many would think the proud capital of the Shogunate should be. Big, tall, and particularly chaotic from time to time.

Since the Cataclysm had unfolded no less than 100 years ago, many developments had yet to be fully unwrapped and, with Ei busy with Meditation and the Raiden Shogun in charge of the situation unwilling to change from her main routine, it was reasonable to say that Inazuma was quite the miracle nation if it was to survive the next four centuries without a serious economic crash.

As my own boat arrived at the beach beside the large cliff tending to the Shogun’s palace, I took this opportunity to walk around and grow accustomed to the place. While most of the ‘modern’ Inazuma City had yet to fully form, some of the more traditional buildings and establishments were already there.

Such as the Yae Publishing House. I couldn’t remember if this was indeed something stated in the lore, or maybe I had just been unable to catch up to this detail in my previous life, but I had to admit that I could see Yae getting bored fast enough to found it so early on.

I took this opportunity to check on the current literature piece, and I was mildly disappointed that light novels were not big at this point… yet I found some interesting titles which I promptly bought as a ‘sacrifice’ to the Archon.

Keeping them by my left hand, I proceeded to go through the lengthy path to the Palace. By the entrance, the guards asked for documentation, eyeing me suspiciously due to my ‘odd’ appearance.

I didn’t need to do much beyond handing them the documentation the Shogun sent with the letter and, after a quick look and an exchange of nods, I was allowed inside the palace.

The place was huge- it made sense that ‘Auntie’ wanted this place to be a symbol of prosperity but also a nice place for her and my ‘mother’ to have a family of friends worthy to cherish forever. Then the disaster happened, and this became a symbol of eternal solitude.

There were no guards around as my fellow puppet and little sister was currently the only one living in this upper section of the palace. Speaking of the Raiden Shogun, I was soon walking in the meeting room, the ‘throne chamber’ as she sat in her pretty chair, waiting for this very interaction.

Admittedly, I feel much towards my sibling. She wasn’t blessed with the same range of emotional display that I was born with. I don’t know if Ei did this on purpose, or if she actually did a fuck up by copy-pasting her ‘current’ mindset when she first produced the puppet in charge of the country, but I could tell that this ‘half-irritated and half-scowling’ face was not meant to be a permanent expression in anyone’s face.

“Kabukimono,” She greeted quietly. “You were given a name when you were meant to be nothing.”

“Was I?” I replied quietly, blinking at the calm and yet stiff ruler of Inazuma. “What I know is that our mother meant to leave me be. If I wasn’t to be found, seals would have been used to keep me buried.”

“Your ‘burial’ as you call it should have been voluntary. Why did you accept freedom?”

“Because I am not a puppet. Same for you, Imouto.”

Her left eye ‘twitched’. “We were both created as puppets. Your existence should have been kept a secret.”

“Yet it was the undying nature of humanity that allows people to be curious and to prosper when Gods allow them to live by their own paths,” I argued flatly. “Say, when can I speak with my mother, imouto?”

“Our creator is not to be disturbed. Anything you wish to discuss about your transgression is to be addressed through me-”

“I don’t think so,” I rebuked mid-response, sighing at Raiden. “A child should be handled by their parents. It is a natural rule and a logical one. I refuse that my little sister takes charge of such a situation.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I am the Raiden Shogun-”

“By mother’s own wishes. Had she not been in need of a substitute, we wouldn’t be here to be and to talk. Alas, such ‘convenience’ bears burdens, such as parental responsibilities.”

“I reject your notion, brother,” Raiden stood up. “My wish is an order to you, so you will return to-”

“I am telling her that you have been purposely ignoring the Tatarasuna situation to be lazy,” I interjected again, smiling smugly. “And yes, I know what the motto of our wonderful family is as per our mother’s whims, but I doubt she would allow the matters involving a former foe to be disregarded to such dreadful degree. Don’t you think, imouto~?”

I could see a ‘hint’ of irritation flashing at my pressing, but I knew what buttons to exploit on my little sister’s cheeky and bratty self. And I could tell she was realizing just as much as I was telling her that I had her by the abstract testicles.

Yet, she had one last effort before conceding.

“I could just bar you from entering the Plane of Euthymia.”

“Yae can access it,” I flatly remarked, causing her to finally show surprise. “What? Stunned that your Aniki can be quite smart?”

Her lips twitched as Raiden failed to find the right answer to that cheeky prodding, but instead of speaking about it, she just waved her hand and… a portal opened between us.

“I will tell her you forced me.”

“Who’s ‘her’?”

…

“Our… Mother.”

I smiled giddily. “I promise that I will not sell you out, Imouto.”

Ah yes, nothing beats bullying my imouto a bit before facing our mother. And as I stepped forward through the gate, I was instantly greeted by the Plane of Euthymia. And this place was… Wow.

I wouldn’t say I could feel it connect to me, but I could ‘understand’ it as my essence was from Ei herself- the creator of this realm meant to represent her inner self where she preserved her integral self.

As I moved forward, I saw her in the distance, still meditating and clearly unaware of my presence. I would have thought that Raiden’s input would have awakened her but… I was soon standing in front of Ei. Her eyes were closed, her face showing focus and I leaned very close to ponder on what I could do to her.

Temptation demanded a permanent marker, but I had none of that as it wasn’t available at this time. I could just be a bit creepy, stare at her for a while and then- her eyes snapped open.

“Hi kaachan~!”

Good news, despite her lethargic self, Ei’s capacity to jump and scream were on top of her game. The bad news is that she almost skewered me with her fancy lance. After a rather tense ‘reunion’, I managed to get her calmed down enough and even offer the light novels as a gift to ‘butter her up’ for the ensuing conversation.

“Just to make it clear, you were summoned to speak with the Raiden Shogun because you… were found?”

“And did stuff to safely improve the Mikage Furnace.”

A slow nod came from Ei as she fixed herself in her seat. “I assume that’s all you were doing once you were found.”

“I would say I had a run-in with a troublemaker. A foreign agent from Snezhnaya that tried to infiltrate Tatarasuna.”

This little detail raised the alarm on Ei’s mind. “And?”

“I have successfully forced him to retreat. Despite how those can be meddlesome and persistent, I have shown him that limb-loss is indeed a good deterrent for people like him.”

Despite some unease, Ei nodded at this. “Nonetheless, the fact that the Raiden Shogun thought you were not to leave the Pavillon if found is quite… odd.”

“You did program her to respect your view of Eternity, mother,” I argued quietly. “And since you never did much but merely mention me to her, she probably combined both thoughts to rationalize what urged you to leave me there.”

She sighed, “I see. I guess I will have to check her prerogatives and add more lines.”

“It’s alright, mother. At least you managed to find this detail before this caused any worrisome outcome.”

Ei… smiled. “And I should thank you for this… son.”

I admit I let my jaw fall at this. Did Ei just recognize me as her baby boy? Did I just get my ‘betrayal’ reversed? Am I a good boy, mama?

After that pleasant conversation, I was let out of the Plane and I gave a look to Raiden as she gave me a quizzical look.

“I was right. But worry not, mom’s going to give you more context for this sort of stuff.”

I didn’t add more, already plotting what new project to entertain in Tatarasuna as I was freely leaving the Shogun Palace. Yet, while I was happily freed from the worrisome clash with my ‘little’ sister, I realized that something was staring at me from…

ABOVE!

Mid-staircase, I turned around and looked up. Seeing a familiar figure watching from above with a smug and most amused look. One bestowed usually on a predator, yet channeled within the womanly beauty held by a certain pink-haired kitsune miko.

Yae Miko looked absolutely terrifying in that spot, and she got a solid shiver out of me as I knew she had canonically wanted to destroy Scara from the very beginning.

I frowned at her, staring back at her little threatening display and… smiled deviously as I had the perfect counter for that sort of standoff. I took some air in my lungs and-

“Calm your tits, flowerhead! I prefer to do science than to do lewd kitsunes!”

Yae Miko looked absolutely flabbergasted by my words, almost tripping off the edge of the rooftop she was standing on but… I was already bolting away before she could get the chance to zap me.

After all, I doubted she was going to let me live now that she knew I was aware of her cute birthmark.

Luckily for me, I made it back on my boat before the pink kitsune could have gotten to me. I got off and soon started my trip back to Tatarasuna. I had much to do and…

Much to prepare about as I knew the Tsaritsa were hardly going to let us be now that I proved I could ‘hurt’ some of their bigger pieces in the chessboard.

—-------d-d-d-d—-------

AN

Auntie Yae is a foxy lady, but she is still adorable if bullied the right way. Raiden-Imouto is equally easy to bully, while Ei-mama is just one headpat away from getting a super-loyal Scara-SI.