The fireworks were a beautiful display. Izanami and Xiao had both enjoyed the firework show Yoimiya had set up for them. They had finished the sake and placed the ochokos back on the tray.

Just as they stood up, they heard yelling in the distance. When they were going to check out the situation, the man who owned the dango stall ran up the hill. The panicked expression on his face spoke volumes. "Lady Izanami, you must escape. The Tenryou Commission has arrived on the island."

"Of all the times..." She sighed.

"The others and I will keep them occupied as long as possible so you can flee."

"Thank you."

The man then walked up to her and gave her a bracelet that was colored and shaped like cherry blossoms. A beautiful white gem complimented the design. "My wife never believed those rumors about you for even a second. Because of you, I know she is at peace. Please, take this and run."

Izanami stared at the charming bracelet. "I..." She didn't want to take something that was his wife's. It could serve as a memento for him. But she understood why he was giving it to her. He wanted her to have it and she wouldn't refuse to take it. "I will keep it safe."

The man smiled before rushing back down the hill.

As the yelling crescendoed, the couple searched for a way off the island. They climbed down the cliffside and landed on the small sandy bank below. Ankle-deep in the water, they snuck around the cliffside. They thought they were in the clear, but a group of soldiers spotted them. "Halt!" One man shouted. Another aimed his spear at them and threw it.

Xiao was the first to react. He grabbed Izanami and used his vision to teleport them to a safer location before being pierced by the spear. He kept a tight grip on her even when they arrived in an area he wasn't familiar with. Because he was unfamiliar with Inazuma and its landscape, he had teleported them to a random location.

Izanami, on the other hand, recognized where they were. "This is Chinju Forest. We're not far from Kami Island."

"Will they not be searching for you there as well?" He asked.

"Only one way to find out."

Heading East, they trekked through the forest and along the cliffside until they reached the sea. They located the two trees that concealed the translucent bridge leading to Kami Island. However, they found more than that. Bodies of soldiers littered the ground. From the markings on their armors, she could tell it was a mixture between Tenryou Commission soldiers and Yashiro Commission soldiers. Seeing the bodies, she was afraid to cross the bridge. She could sense the danger as her fur stood on-end. She took a few steps back. "It's not safe here."

"Is there a place where we can go?"

Izanami could only think of one place. "Yashiori Island. That is where we can find the resistance."

"Can we trust them?"

"I...I don't know. They're the only organization who stands against the shogun. They oppose the Vision Hunt Decree, but I don't know their standing on the Shinigami Hunt Decree." Izanami turned to Xiao. "I know it's risky, but the resistance is the only safe place from the Tenryou Commission and the Shogun herself. I cannot continue to burden Ayaka with my selfish whim to remain on Kami Island. Baal may label her and the entire Yashiro Commission traitors."

Xiao agreed that it was a reckless plan, but he didn't see an alternative. "Seeing there is no other course of action, the resistance is our only option."

"Then let's not waste any time. I'll take us to Yashiori."

The shinigami transformed and allowed Xiao onto her back. She decided to take the long way out of fear that the Tenryou Commission would find them quicker if they traveled by land. Using her vision, she created pyro platforms and ran across the ocean's surface. She ran around Narukami Island and crossed over to Yashiori Island. She wasn't exactly sure where the encampment was, but she knew it was somewhere on the island.

After searching, they found the encampment on the northern part of the island.

It was now past midnight and she knew her large form would alert the resistance. Regardless, she approached the encampment located at Fort Fujitou. Men adorned in red armor were drawn to her massive form and they readied their weapons as she approached the encampment. They started yelling, demanding to know who they were.

From the corner of his eye, Xiao spotted a man stalking towards Izanami with his spear aimed at her leg. He leapt down from her back and deflected the weapon before it could pierce her flesh. Glaring sharply at the man, he jabbed his spear at him. "Keep your distance, mortal," he hissed.

The nine-tailed fox kept her guard up as she and Xiao were surrounded. She didn't growl nor bear her fangs at them to show she wouldn't harm anyone. Alas, they were still intimidated by her immense form. When she was about to revert to her human form, a figure pushed through the men and came to a stop in front of her. He turned his back to her as he shouted at the soldiers. "Lower your weapons!" At his command, they lowered their spears and backed away.

Izanami noticed the young man had canine ears and a tail. Never had she met a hybrid that wasn't half-human/half-adeptus. She was torn from her thoughts when he turned back around to face her. She stared into his azure eyes with her golden ones. What she saw was a glint of excitement and hope.

"I-I can't believe it. You're alive!" He smiled, tail wagging back and forth. "It's an honor to be in your presence, Lady Izanami."

The shinigami transformed and offered him a kind, gentle smile. "Forgive me for frightening you and your men. The mainland is more dangerous than I had anticipated and I was hoping to seek refuge with the resistance."

"As general of the resistance, I, Gorou, welcome you and your companion. Her Excellency will be more than relieved to know you're safe."

One soldier was clearly shaken up at the presence of Izanami. "B-But what about the rumors?"

Gorou frowned at him. "They are baseless lies. Lady Izanami would never kill innocent people. You are to treat her with respect."

"Y-Yessir!" The man saluted.

Xiao and Izanami followed Gorou into the encampment. He took them to one of the many tents set up within the makeshift settlement to speak with them in private.

"There were rumors you perished after trying to escape Inazuma. I'm glad to see you're alive, my lady," Gorou said.

"Please, call Izanami." The snowy-haired girl smiled at him. "You said your name was Gorou, correct?"

"Yes."

"I believe I've heard Kazuha mention you."

"You know Kazuha?"

She nodded with a giggle. "I do. He's a friend of mine."

Gorou gaped in surprise. "He never told me he knew you. Now that I think about it, not many people have seen you in the flesh. This...This is truly more than an honor. Never did I believe I'd get to meet you in person."

"You're too kind, Gorou."

The canine's attention was drawn to the silent Xiao. "If I may ask, who is he?"

Izanami glanced at her beloved yaksha before answering his question. "This is Xiao. He's an adeptus and the person I cherish the most."

"An adeptus and a shinigami..." Gorou hummed in fascination. "With the two of you as our allies, the resistance will definitely be able to stand against the Raiden Shogun. But that is only if you and your companion are willing to join us. Even if you don't, you're still welcome to stay. We won't let the shogun touch you."

"We appreciate it, Gorou."

"I must inform Her Excellency of your arrival. She will be overjoyed. Feel free to walk around the encampment to learn your surroundings. And if any of the soldiers disrespect you, come find me right away."

"I will."

Once Gorou left, Izanami spun around to face Xiao. She knew he had been listening the whole time and chose to be silent. Stepping towards him, she grabs his cheeks and tugs on them with a pout. "I know you don't like mingling with mortals, but you could at least show an ounce of kindness. A small "thank you" can do miracles."

Xiao grabbed her hands and pried her fingers off his cheeks. "Speaking of mortals, you used to be one. You told me you learned about emotions and human customs from watching your worshippers. Was that a lie?"

She sighed and shook her head. "No. The moment I became a shinigami, I was a blank slate. Although I could recall small bits and pieces of memories from when I was human after a couple hundred years, I couldn't feel anything. I felt...empty. Not even my past memories could make me feel something. Watching my worshippers allowed me to regain my emotions." Worry soon rose in her chest. "Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

The adeptus could feel the turmoil of emotions. Among those emotions was anger, but it wasn't because he didn't learn the truth about shinigami until now. He was angry at this so-called "friend" who forced her into the role of a shinigami but was oddly grateful. Although what they did was horrible and tragic, he was happy to have met Izanami. That wouldn't have been possible if she was mortal. "It is a surprise, but I am not angry."

Relief washed over her. "Thank the Archons..." She wiggled her fingers that were ensnared in his hands. "You can let go now, Xiao."

"Not yet," he responded. "There is another question I want to ask."

"Go ahead."

He gripped her hands tighter. "Will you lose your immortality once you are no longer a shinigami?"

"I would imagine so, but that is another reason why I am searching for an alternative way out. If I can keep my immortality and end the sacrificial cycle, it'll be quite the victory." She tilted her head with a smile. "Now, how about we take a walk around the encampment?"

Xiao nodded and was escorted out of the tent by Izanami. Side by side, they walked around the encampment. They were greeted by a few soldiers, but not a single one showed ill-intent. As usual, the shinigami did all the talking. The adeptus was never one to converse with mortals unless he had to.

Eventually, their journey around the encampment led them to the outskirts. They relaxed by the seashore as the sun rose.

Xiao sat on the sand and removed the kitsune mask that was still secured on his head. He placed it in his lap and watched Izanami scour the shore for seashells. He wasn't sure why she was picking up seashells until she collected enough and came to sit by him. "What do you plan to do with the shells?"

"I want to make you something." She fiddled with the blue and purple shells. "Children would often bring necklaces and bracelets made from seashells as offerings. Each one was unique and beautiful. I wish I could show you one."

"Is my attire not to your liking?" He asked.

She snickered at his question. "I'm not making it to improve your appearance. You're already handsome enough."

The yaksha's cheeks ignited a deep crimson at her compliment. He turned his head to hide his red cheeks from her.

Izanami was aware of the effects of her words, but she didn't tease him. Instead, she continued organizing the seashells. "I thought about making you a necklace, but you already have one. And then I thought about a bracelet, but the problem with that is it might break in battle. So I've decided to make you a charm. Of course, I'm missing some materials. I can probably find them in the camp, though."

Xiao turned his head back towards her. "You seem untroubled by those who target you. Do you not fear them?"

"Not really. With the resistance and you by my side, I have nothing to fear. I too can stand against the shogun and her loyal lap dogs." One by one, she aligned the seashells in the sand. She placed the blue shells together in one line and the purple ones in another. As her fingers brushed against the surface of the shells, her ears twitched when she detected approaching footsteps. Turning her head, she glanced in the direction of the sound.

The yaksha noticed her diverted attention. He followed her gaze and saw a figure heading straight for them. He recognized the ears and tail from anywhere.

Izanami got to her feet as Gorou made his way over. "You're quite the busy person, Gorou."

"A general's job is never done, even off the battlefield," he replied. His eyes trailed over to Xiao before returning to the shinigami. He cleared his throat as his left ear twitched. "C-Could we talk somewhere in private?"

"Sure." She kneeled down and grabbed the shells. In the process, she casted a small smile in Xiao's direction. "Will you be okay by yourself?"

"I am no mere child who needs supervision," he remarked.

"No need to get snappy." As a farewell, she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be back soon."

Izanami left the shoreline with Gorou. The general escorted her to the watchtower that was closest to their position. They climbed up the ladder and reached the top. There was a man standing watch, but he was dismissed by the canine.

Once the soldier was gone, Izanami shattered the silence. "This wouldn't happen to be about Narukami Island, would it? Because if it is, I don't think I'll be much help. I only returned a short while ago."

Gorou shook his head. "I didn't pull you aside to learn about the current status of Narukami Island. It's more of a...personal matter."

The shinigami's pointy ears perked up in curiosity. "Really?"

The general's cheeks were turning red. "B-But now I'm not so sure I want to ask because of how embarrassing it is."

"If you think I'm going to make fun of you, you're wrong. What do you want to know, Gorou?"

Gorou steeled himself and asked, "I-I noticed your tail is well-kempt. I've been trying to keep mine tidy, b-but it's been difficult. What's your secret?"

Izanami was more than taken aback at the question. She was shook to the core with surprise. Never did she expect him to ask her how she kept up her appearance. "Oh, well, um... To be honest, I haven't really done anything with my tail."

"No way..." Gorou gasped. "B-But it looks so neat!"

She put the shells down, swung her tail around, and lifted it with her hands. "I guess I never really thought about my tail's appearance until now. I mean, I guess it looks fine. I've never groomed it before, but I have had people comb it for me because they wanted to." She dropped her tail and met the general's gaze. "Are you self-conscious about your tail?"

"Something like that..." He rubbed his cheek with his finger. "It's a weird thing to be worried about, isn't it?"

"Not at all," she smiled. "Your tail is a part of you therefore you want to look presentable. In my opinion, I think your tail looks fine."

Gorou sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. I never really get to ask anyone because, well..."

"Hybrids are few and far between," she finished his sentence. "I understand. I wish I could be more helpful. Perhaps we could—"

"General Gorou!" A voice bellowed. The two peered over the wooden railing to see a soldier. "Tenryou Commission soldiers have been spotted along the northeastern shore."

"Don't let them near the camp." Gorou turned to leave and jumped down the ladder. He rushed off with the soldier to deal with the encroaching threat.

At the exact moment Izanami stood up, she sensed a minor disturbance in the breeze. Before she could turn around, she was teleported across Yashiori Island. She didn't even struggle against the person when she recognized them right away. "You could make a living of transporting people places, Xiao." She turned around to face the adeptus. When she did, it was at that moment she realized they were inside an abandoned house. Walking past him, she peered out the window and recognized where they were. "Higi Village..."

"The encampment is unsafe," Xiao bluntly stated.

Izanami spun around quickly in shock. "How is it unsafe?"

"Their ranks have been infiltrated by the enemy."

"You're certain?"

He nodded. "Yes. A small group of soldiers was searching for you. However, a small error in their attire gave them away."

"Then we have to tell Gorou!"

As she went to run out of the tattered house, Xiao grabbed her wrist. "It would be reckless to divulge such information at this moment. There could be more we are not aware of."

Izanami weighed the possibilities. One outcome would be all the enemies would be eradicated from the resistance, but the other outcome could result in an opposite effect. It's possible if they were to reveal the truth, the other enemies who infiltrated the army will go into hiding among the soldiers. However, she couldn't let this go unknown by the general. "We should still tell Gorou. The least we can do is make him aware of the spies, and perhaps we can come up with a way to deal with them."

"What a stubborn woman," Xiao huffed out.

"And you're a stubborn man!" She snapped back. "Take us back to the encampment."

"No," he hissed.

She groaned in annoyance. Yanking her wrist out of his grasp, she walked to the door. "Then I'll walk back!"

The yaksha felt a muscle twitch in his cheek. He hasn't had many arguments with the shinigami, but he knew for certain she knew how to get her way. "Your obstinate determination can be quite infuriating at times."

She didn't say anything and walked out of the front door. She made her way to the outskirts of the abandoned village. She reached the cliff that overlooked the gorge. She couldn't fly or glide, but she could create makeshift pyro platforms to cross the ravine.

One by one, she created platforms under her and carefully made her way over to the opposite side. She stopped halfway across when she spotted rebel soldiers running towards the cliff. She wondered if something had happened and they were looking for her, but the thought fled her mind when the five men aimed their crossbows at her. She summoned her fans to block the bolts as they flew towards her. She was able to block all of them except for one. The last bolt was aimed lower than the others and pierced her thigh.

The pain and impact of the bolt resulted in Izanami to stumble. The pyro platforms keeping her suspended extinguished and her body plummeted into the gorge below. The last thing she heard before her body plunged into the water was Xiao shouting her name.