Falling Sakura

"When destiny beckoned, I heeded its call... Like flowers, we bloom and we fall."

Angela found a gift laid before her.

It was a vibrant bouquet of sakura heralding the arrival of spring. This was her reward for saving an injured fox that found its way into the shrine courtyard. To show its gratitude, the fox picked out an assortment of her favorite flowers.

Angela carefully placed the sakura in a glass vase and soaked the stems in water to prevent them from wilting too quickly. They both had much in common. Born with an unknown illness, Angela's life up to this point could only be seen as a miracle. Her father, as a Shrine Guardian, was swamped with work and could not tend to her for most of the day, so she stayed in a small section of the shrine's courtyard; a flower plucked from its branch, still in bloom, but waiting for its inevitable end.

Angela awaited that looming day without sadness, but rather a sense of guilt. As a Shrine Guardian, her father had endless matters to attend to. Angela was unable to help her father and saw herself as a burden. Playing quietly in the courtyard was the only thing she could do for him.

Until that little injured fox appeared. Nursing the fox back to health became her purpose, and the fox became her sole companion in her confined world.

It is said that those with chronic illnesses learn to be good caretakers themselves, and under her care, the fox had a quick recovery. But one day, the fox decided he could no longer keep his secret. As he took human form, he explained that he was no ordinary fox, but a kitsune. And as fate would have it, this kitsune was also the missing Shrine Guardian of the Nishi-tsuki Shrine. However, Angela noticed that Lancelot was different from her father. He had chosen to reject the role of a Shrine Guardian. Despite walking among humans, he intentionally kept his distance and stayed out of their affairs.

"Why do you want to protect the world?"

Lancelot asked with great curiosity. He couldn't understand why she, who seldom stepped outside, cared so much about the world beyond the shrine. Even with such a fragile existence, she still exerted what little strength she had to help others.

Why indeed... But Angela never thought about her reasons. Her father, as a Shrine Guardian, inherited the responsibility to protect the world. Perhaps she wanted to follow in his footsteps? Perhaps she wished to make do with what little time she was given?

Angela gazed at the light filtering through the corner of the courtyard and listened to the chimes swaying to the gentle breeze. Those were all likely answers, however, there was nothing complex behind her determination. She just wanted to protect this beautiful world.

Although Angela could not leave the shrine, she eagerly learned of the world from the shrine's visitors. She heard the heartfelt wishes of the worshippers, the inspiring tales of the brave adventurers, and the homesick stories of the weary travelers. The world was truly a wonderful place. If only she could see it with her own eyes; if only the spring could last a little longer...

But that was not something even the gods could change, and plucked flowers are destined to wither.

Angela was taken by her illness not long after... yet somehow, her eyes opened again. After her death, her guilt-stricken father made the ultimate sacrifice and used the last of his power to imbue her soul into a shrine doll. She never thought that her father would ever break his oath to the world for her sake.

But that only made her more determined to do what she always wanted to do; protect the world like her father had done. And so, the human Angela withered, but a new guardian blossomed.

The sakura that were once beyond her reach now bloomed effortlessly at her fingertips. Angela walked towards the beauty of the world, and it in turn welcomed her embrace. She spent her new life visiting places ravaged by war, helping anyone that she could. Gradually, she came to realize that the real threat to this world was not the people fighting their wars, but something far more sinister.

These mortals were being lured by something no human could resist; a power from the Underworld that Angela could not face alone.

But she would not retreat.

She would not abandon this world.

Spring arrived, and all was right. The Nishi-tsuki Shrine would find its Shrine Guardian, the blade of the righteous would find its master, and Angela would find her champion.

There was a knock on the Shinonome Shrine door. Lancelot, with a sakura branch in hand, had found his way back.

For the first time, his path was as clear as the spring day.