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To Ayaka, Thoma was the sun. The moment he arrived at the back of two determined adventurers, he exuded a warmth that melted the ice around the Kamisato house. Entrenched in the emotionless traditions of being the perfect Kamisato daughter, the child from the city of freedom was the only one who would shower her with open affection. She was loved by her parents and her brother, but none of them had the same impact as diving into Thoma’s arms, blazing with the fire and exuberance he had for life. Even when they grew up and Thoma learned the rules and etiquette of Inazuma, when propriety and station wedged it’s wall between them, he always found a way to bridge that with humour and outlandish actions, sometimes making her laugh out during her lessons and incurring the wrath of her tutors. It had surprised everyone but her when he was granted a pyro vision.
She never understood why people had compared her to the moon. She had nothing in common with the beautiful celestial icon in the sky. Until she learned that the moon had no light of its own and what they saw was merely a fraction of the sun’s brilliance. And then it was apt, because for all the people that spoke about her, they never really knew her. Most of what they learned had probably come through Thoma, one of the few people in the Kamisato house that was both close to the two heirs and genial to everyone in the city, willing to chat and connect to people in all walks of life.
The day when someone came to tell her that Thoma was captured by the Shogun’s men, her world shuddered and froze. By the time the words had actually registered, cracks had started forming in the idyllic depiction she had of her everyday life. She rushed all the way to Komore teahouse, hoping against all odds that it was all a rumour. Because without the sun, the moon was nothing but a rock floating aimlessly in the expanse of space. And she could not survive the barren wasteland of her own loneliness.
By the grace of all that was good in the universe - not the gods, it was a god that caused this in the first place -, the traveler was there to lend a hand. Much as she was willing to throw away everything she was supposed to do in exchange for Thoma, when faced with the decision in front of her, she couldn’t break free from the chains that locked her in place. So she eagerly took the lifeline that was offered to her, surrendering her hope to the trustworthy hands of the foreigner.
Was he really trustworthy though? Or was it just her own cowardice? Hiding behind someone else in the time of great need. Just like how she always leaned on her family when decisions had to be made, never exposing herself to the potential consequences of her actions.
Thankfully, the outcome was favourable. It wasn’t the best - Thoma still needed to hide out in the Komore Teahouse - but it was a lot better than the alternative. She came to visit as much as she could, making sure that he didn’t leave prematurely or got too bored. But sometimes she wondered…Did he ever blame her or her brother for not stepping up when he was taken away? Did he think that he was just a disposable piece, not even worth the effort to protest his arrest?
Because she did. Every time she sees her reflection - in mirrors, lakes, or even the ice generated by her skill -, she’s reminded by what she actually is. A doll, with no agency of her own, encasing herself willingly due to her own fear. Nothing but a pretty ornament to be admired by strangers. After all, what was she outside of the guise of “Kamisato Ayaka: The perfect daughter of the Kamisato house”?
Still, she continued on, nudging that line a little bit each time she stayed a bit longer in the teahouse than expected, visiting more that what was considered appropriate - with Thoma’s presence, it was easy to lose track of the hours spent, and slowly toeing herself to the edge of the cliff. Maybe one day, his flame will infect her enough to melt her shell and show the raw person underneath. And she could be Ayaka, just Ayaka.