[ Oh, that's right. The woman was a literal god in their world, wasn't she? ... okay, he didn't necessarily forget that part. But he'd been given a pardon by the Electro Archon, herself, who told him to forgo the formality. There was a reason that Cloud didn't bring up his initial encounter with the Raiden Shogun...and it'd only been recently that he met her again before they all parted from Nippon. He stops walking to turn and face Ayaka.

They still had a ways to go, and they'd only just started. But stopping here and there wouldn't hurt. ]

Only recently. First time we met, it was a duel. Sword versus Polearm.

[ It technically wasn't a lie. He's just omitting the part where he was faced with her Musou Isshin. Most that witnessed that weapon were marked for death. He's well aware of that now. Despite this, he knows how surprised Ayaka looked and sounded hearing him speak so casually of her. So he huffs with a light smile. ]

She insisted on Ei. Trust me, [ shrugs ] I fumbled on what to call her at first.