Lethal Liquor of Seventh Heaven Part III: Genso-Lunar Fusion
The Waterfall of the Nine Heavens
"This is as far as we can take you," Minoriko stated to the group. "We are not allowed to traverse far past this point. We must return to the foot of the mountain."
"Thank you kindly for the shortcut," Mokou replied to them. "It cut out a few hours of our trip."
Around the center of the mountain, the Aki twins guided them successfully to the Waterfall of the Nine Heavens. The waterfall itself was massive, hence the name it was given by the youkai. The water travels down the Untrodden Valley, which is a river located miles down from their current location, further accentuating its size and glory. The youkai that arrive here know that they are getting closer to the summit upon basking in its view. With only a simple wave signifying their farewell, Shizuha and Minoriko took their leave of the waterfall, making their way back down the mountain and returning to the base. The colors changed from green to red-orange temporarily in their wake.
"Hmm... the waterfall seems to be a dead end," Sumireko pondered, a finger to her cheek as she surveyed the area. "Where do we go from here?"
"We have to scale the waterfall," Eirin said, looking up at it. Sumireko looked up just the same, her eyes widening the higher she looked up. The waterfall was mesmerizing, but massive; to scale it with the pressure it was bringing down, they were likely to drown.
"...We're climbing up the waterfall?" Sumireko said aloud. "That's a lot of counter pressure."
"Well, if you can't make it, it's not too late for you to turn around," Reisen joked. Sumireko puffed her cheeks out at the moon rabbit. Mokou stepped forward to the mountain, standing before the deep pond that the base of the waterfall crashed its waves upon. Looking up to the top, the summit was visible, and the waterfall led close enough to the top.
"If we can scale this waterfall, we should be able to see the tear," Mokou thought to herself with narrowed eyes. "I'm coming for you, Kaguya." She clenched her fist tightly.
"Mokou! Watch out!" Keine shouted. Mokou, who let her guard down for a second, was quickly grabbed by Keine and pulled away from the water. The sound of ringing steel filled the atmosphere almost a split second after; Mokou was nearly struck by a blade that managed to slice off a small lock of her silvery white hair. The both of them landed on their feet, looking at their assailant.
"Bringing a human upon our sacred land... you don't belong here," the sudden figure shouted. "Turn around and leave at once!" Catching a firm glimpse at their attacker, their appearance was very easy to determine: wolf ears, tokin hat, and a scimitar blade with a shield that had a maple leaf design on it. All of those things could only belong to the leader of the White Wolf Tengu, Momiji Inubashiri.
"It's the White Wolf Tengu..." Sumireko quivered. Momiji held her scimitar blade pointed out at Mokou before diverting her attention to Sumireko, pointing her blade at her instead.
"Die, human!" Momiji shouted, positioning herself forward before dashing off of the ground, kicking up dirt in her wake. Her speed was impossible to gauge. Sumireko unflinchingly pulled a Zener card from her waist, throwing it outward and treating it like a spell card. The card was a simple gold circle on a white facing, and with a sharp glow, a fiery force field was created surrounding her. This happened simultaneously with Momiji's strike, and the blade collided with the field. Flames sparked out from the velocity of her attack, and Sumireko struck a palm against the card to explode the force field around her. The attack threw Momiji back, but she was successful in deflecting the flames with her shield; a surprising feat, giving how small her shield was.
"Momiji, hold!" Eirin exclaimed to the Tengu, standing beside Sumireko. Reisen lined up on the other side of her, a finger pointed to fire a bullet at any given moment. "We're not seeking to trespass without reason. We must reach the summit of Youkai Mountain; Kaguya Houraisan has returned to the Moon and we're seeking to bring her back!"
"Princess Kaguya told me that you are taking this human through our mountain and defiling it with your impurities!" Momiji shouted back, swiping her sword at the air before pointing it forward. "I will not allow this to pass, even if I must defeat you all by myself! Prepare!" She dashed off of the ground yet again, using her full speed this time. Her movement was nigh-instantaneous; within almost a split second, she appeared behind Sumireko, although a few feet away.
"Spell Card: Expellee's Caanan!" Momiji shouted, her voice echoing through the trees.
"Sumi! Behind you!" Mokou shouted. Sumireko, who gasped in surprise after turning around, noticed Momiji charging her blade. It glowed with a large blue light, and with a quick swipe, the blade let loose a horizontal energy wave—through the use of her danmaku—that expanded the further it travelled. Eirin and Reisen were quick enough to dodge out of the way, but Sumireko was left stunned, reaching for a Zener card knowing full well that it would be too late. The unavoidable wave cut right through Sumireko, sending her flying back from the force of the attack. Rolling along the ground, she fell right into the deep pond, unconscious.
"Sumireko!" Keine shouted. Reisen, who landed right on her feet after dodging the attack, pointed her fingers forward and immediately fired off a concentrated shot at Momiji. Holding her shield up, Momiji predicted the attack and reflected the bullet, smacking it right into the face of the mountain. The ground shook from the explosion of the bullet as a small crater surfaced on the mountain. Letting little to no time for Momiji to breathe, she continued firing off a barrage of bullets; although they were weaker, they applied pressure to keep her locked down.
"The river!" Eirin shouted. Pointing outward down the stream through which the waterfalls waves travelled, Sumireko's body was caught by the current and it was being carried away. Judging by her wounds, she was not bleeding too much if at all, but the wave did cause some scuffing on her clothes.
"I will get her!" Keine volunteered. Removing her unique hat, her hair color changed quickly, and her hakutaku horns grew in. Utilizing the powers of her form, she sprinted along the water's waves, moving fast enough as to not sink in the water. Momiji, who reflected bullet after bullet, caught Keine trying to save the girl and attempted to evade the cover fire. Mokou, predicting her movements, managed to step in front of her just in time, halting her momentum and sending a flame-infused punch to her stomach, blasting her back into the rocky mountain face.
"Alright, dog girl..." Mokou faced Momiji, who was plastered to the rock wall. "We're getting up there, one way or another." Breaking off in a full sprint, Mokou ran along the water, repeating the same action that Keine had done. Mokou ran straight to the face of the waterfall; disappearing into the mist, it was only seconds after that she was running up the waterfall, looking to Momiji. The tengu managed to break herself free of the wall, meeting Mokou's gaze.
"Undying one! I will handle you!" Leaping from her crater, she fell down to meet Mokou. With several swipes of her blade, she tried to cut Mokou down with blade beams. Mokou drifted against the waterfall's waves, jumping straight up to avoid the beams that threatened to cut her down. The beams cut through the waterfall, stopping the waves temporarily as they crashed right back down. Skimming along the edge of the waters, Momiji intercepted Mokou's travel velocity, backhanding her quickly with her maple shield. Mokou had only partially blocked the attack, not able to defend herself right away. Mokou fell fast; stuck between the pond and Momiji, who was charging yet another slash. Mokou clenched her teeth and narrowed her eyes as Momiji reaped the air, sending the blade beam at Mokou.
"...Gotcha," Mokou said under her breath. Throwing her right arm out beside her, she discharged a small burst of flames, propelling herself out of the way of the beam's radius. Momiji, who couldn't see the dodge until it was too late, turned her head to Mokou, who was gliding down the waterfall. She grabbed Momiji by her dog tail, and she pivoted to Eirin, throwing her towards the ground. Eirin, who had an arrow primed and ready in her crescent-shaped bow, fired a fully charged arrow at the flying Momiji. The arrow was not meant to kill, however; magicked energy twisted around the arrow, and once it collided with Momiji, it constricted her, acting as a rope. She hit the ground hard, with her sword and shield falling down beside her. Reisen pointed her finger at Momiji as an act of security, and Mokou landed on the ground feet first next to the two with a loud thud.
"Secured," Eirin huffed. "Momiji, you're still as troublesome as ever, being so strict with your job like this." She watched as Momiji gnawed on the arrow coiling her, with no other way of freeing herself. She spun around in circles, growling loudly and complaining under her breath.
"Momiji, heel!" Reisen shouted. Momiji's ears perked up and she stopped moving, looking to the trio with a scowl.
"Undying one, with those damned Lunarians..." Momiji said through her teeth. "You may have defeated me here, but if you kill me, then you shall—"
"We're not here to kill you," Mokou sighed. "We're trying to get to the summit and you're literally preventing us from doing so, idiot." Momiji's ears drooped and she blushed out of embarrassment.
"...Oh," Momiji uttered. "Then... the human that was with you...?"
"She's fine," Keine shouted. She had put her hat back on and her hair reverted blue, with a semi-conscious Sumireko over her shoulders. Her clothing was wet from travelling through the river. "Still breathing, just a bit winded. She'll come to momentarily." She knelt down, laying Sumireko's back on the ground. Eirin approached on the other side, and the two examined her together to make sure the blade attack didn't do lasting damage.
"...Should've bombed instead of trying to dodge," Mokou joked under her breath, scoffing. She turned to Momiji, who looked back at her with a face that had a mixed emotion of regret and frustration. "Anyway, Momiji... what the princess said was incorrect information. We're not here to defile the mountain, although it's too late for that, I suppose." She looked at the face of the mountain, which was riddled with cracks and holes from their combat.
"Then why are you here?" Momiji asked blatantly. A confused expression was etched on her face.
"I'm actually here to get the princess back," Mokou confidently said, pointing at herself. Momiji heaved a heavy sigh.
"...Sounds like she doesn't want that," Momiji narrowed her eyes. "But, alas... I've failed my mission. Unchain me, so that I may show you a better way to the summit."
"There's a quicker way than scaling the waterfall?" Reisen asked. "Good. I hate surfing on heavy waves." She put her hands down, discharging all of the slight bullets she created. Eirin, who had finished checking on Sumireko, simply tapped the arrow that bound Momiji, and it disappeared in light aether. Scratching her ears and stretching her arms out, Momiji yawned, picking up her sword and shield. She placed both items on her back, where it was secure.
"I humbly apologize," Momiji said, bowing to Mokou. "As you know, I am bound by duty to protect this mountain and its inhabitants; I was too easily persuaded by the princess's words."
"C'mon, enough of that," Mokou said with a weak blush on her face. "Don't need all of the formalities... you're fine. Let's just get a move on already."
"Ugh. What happened, exactly?" Sumireko groaned, sitting upright. Keine continued kneeling down, making sure she was alright. Shaking her head, Sumireko stood up, dusting her large cloak off. There were some tatters from the blade's attack, but it was nothing she couldn't stitch up later.
"Ah, Sumireko." Mokou cracked a slight smile at her.
"Alright, human," Reisen coughed, narrowing her eyes toward Sumireko. "I'm asking you this as seriously as I can be; are you sure you're okay to press on? Momiji can easily guide you back to the realm of the Outside World, should you wish it, and..."
"I'm continuing with Mokou," Sumireko said, counting her Zener cards to make sure that they were all there. "I was caught off guard, nothing more... I can still go on." She held a smirk of determination as she flicked the brim of her hat.
"...You're hopeless," Reisen grumbled underneath a breathy sigh. "You remind me too much of that witch Marisa. Anyway, if you're sure... Momiji?"
"Yes, I'll lead the way to the top now. But you can't tell anybody about this shortcut, or else they'll die and so will you if I find out." Her words stretched to everybody, but they were mainly meant for Sumireko, one of the few humans that dared to traverse the mountain. They all nodded collectively, and Momiji turned to the mountain, pulling her blade out from her back. "There's a cavern on the other side of this waterfall. On my call, you are to dash across the pond before the waterfall closes." Following her instructions, everybody lined up at the edge of the pond, looking at the waterfall. With more flare than what was needed, Momiji spun her sword in her hand twice before lifting it up above her head, charging up for yet another blade beam.
"Here it comes," Mokou said aloud. Momiji's sword shone brighter and brighter, clenching her teeth from the sheer power she was charging up. Leaning her blade back, she finally swung it forward. The beam of the blade travelled at lightning speed. The waterfall was unmoving for a few seconds, but then the aftereffect of the blade's attack split the waters in two, carving a wide hole that opened it up like a curtain. On the face of the mountain was a deep and dark cavern, as she mentioned. They did not have ample time to cross.
"Now, go!" Momiji said, pointing the blade towards the open cavern that she revealed. Without any hesitation, Mokou was the first one to dash along the pond, running along the water at high speed. Keine had already removed her hat, and in her were-hakutaku form, she carried Sumireko on her back, as she wasn't able to run across the water in her dazed state. Eirin and Reisen, who were running together, looked up to the mountain's summit. They could see a glimmer of light shining at the top.
"Kaguya's tear," Eirin said. Reisen nodded with her. It was still there, meaning they had plenty of time to reach her.
One at a time, they entered the cave. The only person that didn't pursue them was Momiji, who stabbed her sword into the ground.
"Proceed through the cave," she shouted, and it will take you to the summit. Good luck to you!" A smile stretched her face. "Tell the princess I said 'awoo!' She'll know what it means!" She waved farewell to them, and within seconds, the mountain's waterfall crashed down, concealing the cavern once more.
The inside of the mountain would have been impossibly dark, if it hadn't been for the dimly lit torches that hung up on the rocky walls. For better illumination, however, Mokou raised her right hand up about chest height and ignited her entire arm, the flames providing a great source of light. Slowly but surely, they proceeded up the path before them, which inclined upwards almost in a spiral.
"So... Mokou." Eirin finally spoke, her voice echoing somewhat in the cavern. Mokou, who was walking ahead of all of them, didn't turn back to look at her. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, leaning an ear for Eirin to continue talking. "Forgive me for being so blunt, but you know I don't believe you about using Sumireko's 'project' as an excuse for saving Princess Kaguya, yes?" Mokou hummed silently.
"...I figured," Mokou replied. "Your strong psychology makes me wonder what the actual psychics do for a living." There was a brief silence as they continued going upwards, and Eirin narrowed her eyes at her.
"Then," she huffed, "what is your true intentions?" It was with this question that Mokou turned her head over her shoulder, still continuing onwards up the spiral as she looked at Eirin.
"Is there an option for me to not tell you?" Mokou sounded combative. Eirin sped up to Mokou's side, clearly very frustrated.
"It is quite important that I know," Eirin demanded. "Knowing you, you're likely to harm the princess as soon as you see her to fulfill your sick antics."
"Eirin!" Keine exclaimed. Mokou came to a halt, turning to Eirin with a grunt on her face.
"I'm saying that it's none of your business as to why I'm saving her to begin with!" She thundered. The entire cave echoed quickly with her voice, and it was silent once again. Sumireko looked at the two with great concern, and Reisen folded her arms. "It's just... it's my responsibility, okay?" She turned away from everybody. "I'm doing this for her... to save her. Just don't worry about it." She proceeded onward up the path by herself, and everybody looked to each other for the moment. Sumireko was the only one to continue proceeding, and the rest of the group soon followed. There was silence for a while thereafter.
"Mokou... you really do care for Kaguya, don't you?" Sumireko thought to herself. "I can tell... you're so determined. You can hide it all you want, but..." She smiled, leaving her sentence unfinished on purpose.
The Wind God's Lake
After hours of climbing, they finally reached the peak point of Youkai Mountain. The landmark that they arrived in—the Wind God's Lake—was an extravagantly large lake that expanded for quite a distance. One unique aspect of being in close proximity of the lake was that the sun had been eclipsed, and the sky was bathed in an eerie deep purple coloration; an optical illusion created only for visitors of the lake. A few feet ahead of them, in the lake, was an odd scar in the middle of the air. That was Kaguya's tear, and it was a portal that they could use to transport to the Lunar Capital. It survived since its creation... something that could have only been held together Kaguya herself.
"...That's it," Eirin said. Mokou clenched her fist, snuffing the flames out. "That's one of Kaguya's tears. If we step through it, we should end up in the Lunar Capital."
"No hesitation this time, guys." Mokou looked back to everybody. "We're not leaving until we get Kaguya back."
"It's going to be so rare, seeing this capital for the first time... I'm so excited," Sumireko said. "Hopefully my ESP won't be too shoddy for them!" She laughed to herself. Mokou, without much to say, stepped into the waters of the Wind God's Lake. Despite its depth—which was an untold number of stories deep—Mokou's single footstep was unhindered. It was as if she was stepping on concrete. Everybody else went with her, and the water didn't give way. As Mokou was the first to reach the tear, she reached her hand out to touch it, and closed her eyes slowly as a warm light enveloped all of them.
The Lunar Capital
There was a long pause of silence. The water that was beneath them faded. The howling wind that enveloped them dissipated, and they were met with silence and darkness. Eventually, Mokou opened her eyes back up, and she tilted her head upwards. Looking at their surrounding atmosphere, the tear was successful; they arrived at the Lunar Capital, in an alleyway. Skyscrapers littered the dark city, with lights and signboards posted everywhere upon them. It was indeed a metropolis that Kaguya spoke of years ago, and their technology surpassed that of the Outside World dramatically.
The alleyway they were in led right out to one of the main streets in the capital, where flying vehicles were traversing above the ground. The other citizens—primarily moon rabbits—were walking on foot, if not travelling by vacuum tubes that brought them to various sections. Looking straight up, they could see that the city was in a transparent dome; looking past it, the Earth could be seen right through it.
"Wh-whoa..." Sumireko gasped, surveying the area. She the first human likely to set foot in the Lunar Capital. Eirin heaved a heavy sigh. Reisen was immediately met with dread upon arrival, her rabbit ears drooping. Keine already had a book out, writing down the environment that surrounded her, likely to tell the children back at the school in the human village.
"...Hoo boy," Mokou grunted. "How are we supposed to find Kaguya in this... mess?" She took two steps forward, looking down at the ground. Much to her surprise, the entire city wasn't built on concrete, it was built on metallic flooring that lit up with each footstep. "Ugh. This is too much for me already."
"Here," Reisen said, stepping forward. "I'll send out ESP waves to see if we can detect her." She shut her eyes tight before opening them up wide, glowing red as her ears acted like an antenna. Small invincible waves emitted from her, and it was enough to cover the block; but Kaguya was nowhere to be detected. She blinked twice, disabling the effect. "I've checked the area, but she's not here... I can only go so far."
"Ah, perhaps I can help!" Sumireko stepped forward, flipping her hair as she pulled out a quick Zener card, placing it betwixt her fingers. It was a green star, one that she stuck out in the air before her, leaving it there as it floated before them. Holding both of her arms out before placing one to her head, she stared intently at the card. "Try your waves now," she continued. Reisen blinked hard before sharply staring at the card with bright red eyes. Sumireko, at the same time, closed her eyes and kept them closed. Together, they channeled their ESP waves together toward the card, and the card amplified them back out at a greater radius, more than enough to cover the entire moon, let alone the city itself.
"Aha, there!" Reisen said, cutting her waves off. The card stopped floating and returned to Sumireko's hand, who returned it into her sleeve. Reisen blinked thrice, dissipating the glow her eyes gave off. "She's in custody of the goddess Sagume Kishin... at the Moon Palace." Her lips quivered as she could detect Kaguya's status. "She's not dead, but... she's dying." Mokou grit her teeth and clenched her fists, and Eirin folded her arms, showing much distress.
"...Of all people, Sagume?" Eirin whispered to herself. She looked to Mokou, who was clearly seething. Embers surrounded her, and her hair flowed from the pressure that she was giving off. With this clear intent alone, Eirin could easily tell that Mokou was indeed distraught by Kaguya's current state. "Mokou..." She thought to herself, feeling regret that she doubted her in the first place.
"...Lead the way," Mokou grumbled through her teeth. Reisen nodded. She seemed to have broken a slight sweat from channeling her ESP waves, whereas Sumireko didn't show any signs of strain. Moving out of the alleyway, they blended into the crowd, trying their best to act nonchalant.
Outside of the Moon Palace, near the center of the Lunar Capital
Kaguya was restrained outside of the Moon Palace, in a courtyard where Moon Palace Guards kept her intact. She was bound by her arms and her feet, her arms spread with her feet together. She kept her head held down, and she was unconscious, bridging life and death. Sagume approached her, walking down an ornate brick path that remained unchanged in comparison to the futuristic buildings surrounding them. With a hand to her face, she glanced at Mokou, who was desperately trying to recover from her wounds. The restraints put in place, however, slowed her recovery rate dramatically.
"Yorihime and Toyohime have left for an indeterminable period of time," Sagume thought to herself. "They won't be returning for a while, leaving me in charge of the Moon Palace." She was referencing the two Lunarian princesses who owned the Moon Palace, and were in charge of the Lunarian Defense Corps. As such, they were away on military business, training the rabbits to use as emissaries for future endeavors. She sounded comfortable and confident in herself, as she was the one to take charge of the Palace. "Lady Yagokoro did the right thing protecting you all these years. She knew if the Moon got its hands on you, this would happen... but I'm not going to execute you as they would." A sneer was drawn on her lips. "No, instead... I'm going to make you tell me about that Hourai Elixir, and punish you for every time you don't tell me." She chuckled to herself. From behind her back, a white wing extended itself on her right side. The wing expanded, small white feathers falling from it as they turned into charged danmaku bullet particles, aimed at Kaguya's seemingly lifeless body.
The front of the Moon Palace
Despite all appearances of the Lunar Capital, the Moon Palace had an oriental design to it, reminiscent of traditional Japanese architecture found in archaic parts of the Outside World. Watatsuki no Yorihime and Watatsuki no Toyohime, the two sisters that own the entire Palace, kept the design that way as they were quite used to it. As Mokou and the others arrived, they were met with large wooden doors that towered over them.
"There's no way they'd let me through the front door," Mokou thought to herself. "At the same time, those Watatsuki sisters appear to not be here, otherwise I would have been killed ten times over... just to play it safe, I'll leap over." Mokou turned to the others. Reisen was apparently channeling her ESP waves yet again, scanning the area. Blinking twice, she turned her head to Mokou.
"There are guards on the other side of this gate," she said. "We're not going to get to Kaguya without a fight... the lack of guards at the doorstep is a ruse."
"I figured as much," Mokou sighed deeply. "I guess we'll have to go around then, yes?" Mokou crouched down, preparing to leap onto the edge of the gate. Keine put a hand on Mokou's arm, stopping her from jumping.
"...No," Keine shook her head. "We'll need a distraction. Sagume will most likely target us if we make the most noise, giving you a chance to get Kaguya out."
"You're not appointing us as the distraction, are you?" Reisen asked, raising an eyebrow. Keine nodded to her, and Reisen shrugged. She seemed to be okay with being a distraction; she just was hoping it wasn't going to be involuntary.
"These Lunarians seem to enjoy their technology much," Sumireko said, "but let's see if it's strong enough to handle my extrasensory perception." She winked, unveiling a rainbow of Zener cards that surrounded her. Keine was quick to remove her hat, releasing her hakutaku form. Eirin and Reisen readied their bow and finger guns respectively, and Mokou turned back around, flames cradling her hands.
"Right, then..." Mokou crouched down again, fires emitting from her feet as she jumped straight up. Keine, who was right behind her, got a running start before ramming her head into the door, knocking it straight through. The doors collapsed on the ground, knocking up moon dust.
"Intruders in the Moon Palace!" Shouted one of the guards.
"Alert the goddess Sagume! They might be here for Kaguya!" Another shouted. Reisen somersaulted cleanly over Keine, landing in a kneeling position as she pointed her fingers outward, firing several magical bullets that exploded on the ground that the soldiers stood on. Eirin hopped right up with Mokou, who only stood there for a few short moments before vaulting towards the Moon Palace itself, crashing into the window on the third floor. Eirin drew three arrows through the use of aetherial energy, picking three targets separately. Homing in on them, she fired them all at once, and the arrows sought out their targets before piercing them through their bodies directly.
"There!" One of the Moon Guards shouted. They held a laser rifle in their arms, capable of firing plasma rounds that could melt flesh. She took aim at Reisen, who wasn't paying well enough attention to notice the oncoming attack. Charging the gun by holding the trigger, they released it to fire a barrage of bullets with supreme accuracy. Sumireko stepped in just in time, swiping a Zener card from midair and holding it outward in a single hand; the same golden Zener card that she used against Momiji. Swatting at the plasma bullets with insane speed, she knocked them all away without compromising the positions of her own allies. Throwing the card out to the last bullet, it intercepted its trajectory, reflecting it back to the Moon Guard that fired it. Not only did the bullet knock the plasma rifle out of their hand, but the gun exploded, taking them with it. Sumireko snatched the card from midair and returned it to her deck, laughing at the Moon Guard.
Keine deftly sprinted along the battlefield. Reaching the first soldier, they were paralyzed from the extreme speed and couldn't react in time. She hopped up to them, lifting her legs up and drop kicking them with great pressure, kicking them into a wall and knocking them through it. With the force she unleashed, she kicked off of the air and backflipped onto another soldier, maiming them with her horns. Noticing quickly that somebody had tried to sneak up on her and shoot from behind, she held the dying Moon Guard up as a body shield, allowing it to take the bullets for her. She then threw the body at the guards, which served as a clever enough distraction for her to appear behind the guard. She put her entire hand on the back of the guard's head, slamming it through the ground with great force.
"Hurry up in there, Mokou," Keine said to herself, wiping away a bloodstain on her cheek. "The Watatsuki sisters will catch wind of this, I'm sure of it... how bothersome."
Mokou, picking glass out of her arms as she jumped into the Moon Palace so brazenly, clenched her teeth and admired the architecture around her. The inside was well detailed; the walkway on the third floor could get a clear view of the ground floor from where she was, and a large tree grew in the center. Looking up, the tree seemed to grow for quite a few floors, all the way up to the roof. Mokou kept her hands in her pockets, calmly taking a breath in. Nobody was in her way now.
"...Here I come, Kaguya," Mokou said as she reached the end of the room. It led out to a parapet which overlooked the courtyard in the back, and once she reached the end, she looked over the edge. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a shaky gasp. Kaguya was splayed, and right underneath her were dried puddles of blood. Sagume, who seemed to have anticipated Mokou's arrival, looked up at her from the ground. She kept her hand on her face, and Mokou grimaced at her. She jumped from the parapet, landing only a few feet away from Sagume. Silence was stagnant between them.
"...Oh? A human?" Sagume scoffed. "What business do you have, trespassing this sacred area?" Mokou kept her left hand in her pocket, holding her right arm out to point at Sagume. She narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together, showing much frustration.
"I've come to take Princess Kaguya back," Mokou said clearly. "She's violated many laws returning to the Moon and we shall put her back in exile. So, if I were you, I'd relinquish her immediately." Sagume turned her head to look at Kaguya before facing Mokou yet again.
"Would you look at that, Princess?" Sagume said. "They said that they're here to return you back to your prison on that lowly Earth, where you belong." She laughed to herself, quietly at first before turning maniacal. Her laughter eventually subsided into a sigh of relief, and her smile dissipated to an angry frown. "How dare you," she spoke darkly. "You, a mortal from Earth, thinking that you have some power over me..." Mokou faced forward to Sagume, taking her hands out of her pockets. "On this imperishable night..." Sagume let her wing extend from her right arm, grinning sadistically. "Kaguya and her Hourai Elixir are a secret that must be unlocked eventually." Mokou raised an eyebrow at her.
"...You're going to interrogate her for the elixir?" She asked clearly. Sagume nodded, not wanting her words to turn against her.
"For me to be a successful goddess, I must have faith. Faith from the mortals that worship me... faith in all that are inspired by my power." She held her arms out to her sides, taking a deep breath in. "If they are blessed with this—the lethal liquor of Seventh Heaven—I could have limitless access to faith. I shall bless this world."
"Are you finished talking?" Mokou said angrily. Sagume's hands fell right back down to her sides slowly, looking at Mokou with a confident smirk. "Kaguya will never give up the Hourai Elixir to somebody like you, for one. If that's why you have her captured and detained like this, then you'd better let her go right this minute." Her arms flared up in heat instantly, and the ground around her was a circle of flames. "Or I'll put you down right where you stand!"
"Oh my!" Sagume laughed, her wing shedding feathers that surrounded her. "You threaten me? A mortal threatening a goddess? You deserve to perish here!" Mokou grunted loudly, taking a step back before dashing quickly towards Sagume.
"Eat my flames!" Mokou shouted, channeling her flames directly to her fists.
"Be careful!" Sagume shouted back. As soon as she mentioned that, Mokou's very next footstep—right out of nowhere—caused her to slip up. She lost her footing and nearly tripped over absolutely nothing. The explanation was through Sagume's unique power. Sagume took advantage and channeled aether energy into her feathers, transforming them into danmaku bullets to attack her. Mokou gasped and allowed herself to fall, and Sagume fired her bullets. Grazing Mokou's skin, the bullets missed, disappearing before they hit the Moon Palace.
"Shoot," Mokou said. "I remember this... Sagume can reverse events with her words." She rolled along the ground, hopping right back up to her feet. She was right back where she started. Sagume released more feathers from her lone wing. She held her hand up to her face, chuckling into it as she shut her eyes tight. She seemed to do that very often.
"As expected of a mortal..." Sagume sighed. "How are you even here, on this Moon...?" Her question could only be heard by herself.
"Talking to nobody?" Mokou said aloud. "Don't toy with me!" She ignited flames in her feet before jumping straight up into the air, looking down at Sagume to try and take the overhead advantage of her. She didn't look up at her in return.
"It's good that you could jump that high," Sagume smirked. "Just don't fall and get hurt!" Opening her eyes wide, a glimmer appeared as she closed out her sentence. There was a long pause before Sagume removed her hand from her face, letting it simply drop to her sides. Mokou came crashing down onto the ground not even a moment after, landing face first as dust rose from the sharp decline. It was unclear as to what force hit her, but it was successful in stopping her movements completely.
"...Grr," Mokou growled, coughing as the wind was knocked out of her. Sagume approached slowly, looking down to her enemy. She dropped her heel down on Mokou's head, burying her face in the ground as a fiendish smirk stretched across her devilish lips.
"What a travesty..." Sagume snickered. "I am going to get that Hourai Elixir, and you can't stop me." She grinded the heel of her brown shoes against the back of Mokou's head. "You should have known better than to come here, trying to save this scoundrel of a princess. If you can't even save her, then nobody can save you."
"Sagume Kishin!" A voice called out immediately, cutting off her evil sentence. It was Eirin, who called out to her from the third-floor parapet. Her bow was drawn, with arrow in hand. Sagume turned her head up with parted lips as she heard the familiar voice, noticing that it was indeed hers. Eirin threw her bow off to her side, forcing it to disappear into aether. With a glowing smile, she waved to Sagume, bowing respectively before leaping from the parapet.
"Ah, Lady Yagokoro... how unexpected!" A smile beamed across Sagume's face. "You have returned to the Moon, the same as the wench before you... What brings you back here, Lady Yagokoro? Is it for her?"
"Actually, Sagume... I was here to stop this mortal from trying to rescue the princess." She looked down to Mokou with a smirk.
"Eirin...!" Mokou muffled, trying to free herself from under Sagume's foot. Sagume only crushed her head more, sneering.
"I see... so this human is not with you." Sagume mumbled.
"No, we were planning on returning her back to the Earth... dead, of course." Eirin was giving off somewhat of a dark aura off of her. Mokou managed to see well enough to the side that she was being given a malicious look by the two of them.
"Well, now that you have returned... the Hourai Elixir. Are you familiar with it?" Sagume asked. Eirin looked to her with a smile on her face.
"Affirmative," Eirin nodded. "But, before I give you that information, Sagume..." Eirin pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. "Are you feeling well today?" There was a short paused, and Sagume smiled at her.
"Why, yes!" She chimed, with a broad smile on her face. "I actually feel very good toda—"
Her speech was cut short. Her eyes widened in surprise as she just realized what she had said. Covering her mouth with a gasp, her body shaking tumultuously. She had begun to feel very ill all of a sudden; her stomach started wrenching, and it was very difficult for her to breathe. It was a very strong illness, one that caused her to turn somewhat pale.
"...Almost too easy," Eirin said, clicking the pen shut and putting the paper away.
"L... Lady Yagokoro...!?" Her foot slipped off of Mokou's head as she had begun to feel woozy.
"I'll free Princess Kaguya," Eirin said to Mokou. "You can handle the rest as you see fit." Eirin stepped past the two, moving to Kaguya to see about freeing her from her fetters.
"Eirin... Yagokoro...! You shall peri—" Before Sagume could finish her sentence, Mokou reached her arm up and grabbed her by her entire face, silencing her. Mokou, who was clearly very angry, lifted her head off of the small indented ground, dirt and stains on her face. She growled at the goddess.
"There, there... I'll heal you, princess," Eirin cooed softly. She placed a hand on Kaguya's body. The restraints that held her together were halting her regeneration powers, but Eirin was able to heal her well enough for the bleeding to stop. She couldn't, however, break the restraints; it was held together tightly through Sagume, somehow. The sound of pummeling could be heard in the background as Mokou was using her own concentrated danmaku—the power of her flames—to knock Sagume around. She ignited Sagume's entire body with flames before dousing them out by slamming her to the ground, lifting her back up again.
"I'm sick of all you Lunarians," Mokou shouted, holding Sagume up by her throat with both hands, choking her. "All high and mighty... you think that just because you're a goddess, you have control over everything, don't you?" Her grip had gotten tighter.
"You're... all fools," Sagume managed, wincing. "With the Hourai Elixir, I can save humanity... nobody will die. Isn't... that what you wanted... Fujiwara no Mokou?" Mokou grunted, her arm starting to slack. "Release me... and I will grant you what Kaguya defied you. I will give you and all of the people you cherish this Elixir!"
"...Eternal life for everyone?" Mokou said, looking away from Sagume. "The people that I guide..."
"Mokou, stop! Her words! She's deceiving you!" Eirin shouted. Sagume, with enough strength, extended her wing out as quickly as she could. Mokou, who focused her sight on Sagume's wing, noticed the feathers extend out over her. The feathers quickly transformed into bullets and flew out at Mokou, piercing right through her body like blades through meat. She was forced to relinquish her grasp as she choked up blood, falling onto her back. The bullets disappeared before she collapsed.
"...Die, mortal...!" Sagume shouted with a gasping breath as she fell to her knees. Eirin reached out to Mokou from where she stood in a futile attempt, clenching her teeth. Sagume laughed weakly, fighting to stand up to her feet whilst turning her head to Eirin. Eirin quickly drew her bow and prepared an arrow in the bowstring.
"Do not take a single step!" Eirin warned. "I will not allow you to harm the princess anymore; my life will be taken before hers!" Her fingers were ready to succumb to temptation, wanting to fire an arrow at a moment's notice. Sagume continued laughing, just as hysterically as when she encountered Mokou.
"Lady Yagokoro... you have outlived the Lunar Capital. You have outlived Lord Tsukuyomi... and you left it all because this godless whore was exiled for her selfishness—to which you aided her in that." She put a hand to her face, still chuckling. "Now, you have the audacity to further defile the Moon by bringing this mortal here, and for what? To have them bleed all over this hallowed ground?" She extended her wing, her eye visible through her spread fingers that covered her face. "I will kill you, Eirin... just as I did to this human laying before me."
Eirin closed her eyes slowly, lessening her pull on the bowstring. She smirked proudly.
"...She's not dead," Eirin spoke up. Sagume raised an eyebrow at her.
"Pardon me...?" Sagume grunted. Right in her hands, Eirin's bow disappeared.
"The mortal that you 'killed...' the one that lays before you. She has already partaken of the Hourai Elixir!" Sagume gasped loudly, taken aback by Eirin's words. She looked down to Mokou, who had already stood back up. Her clothes were caked with blood spots, and she shook off the pain, giving Sagume a dark grimace. "N-No... it can't be... she already drank from the Hourai Elixir before me...? A mortal!?"
"Shut up!" Mokou scoffed, balling up a tight fist as she lifted it up as hard as she could to Sagume's chin, delivering a painful—yet satisfying—uppercut. It almost knocked Sagume off of her feet, but before she could fall back, Mokou grabbed Sagume's shoulder with her left arm to keep her stable before headbutting her. She then threw Sagume into the air, holding her right arm out so that it lined up with her trajectory. "Burn away! Spell Card: Imperishable Shooting!" At point blank range, Mokou created a magical leyline circle in her palms that hummed loudly before unleashing an untold number of fire-charged bullets onto Sagume's body. She screamed loudly in pain as the flames engulfed her blasting her out of the Moon Palace's courtyard in a smoky blaze. Mokou closed her hand to stop the bullets, hunching over and panting heavily. Eirin sighed in relief to her, turning back to Kaguya. The fetters that held her in place started to warp and twist, becoming weak as Sagume was defeated.
"Ah, the restraints!" Eirin gasped. Mokou turned her head sharply to Kaguya. The chains had broken suddenly, disappearing into light particles as Kaguya had begun to fall. Mokou swiftly rushed over to the falling Kaguya, sliding on her knees to catch her before she could hit the ground.
"Gotcha!" Mokou panted, cradling the princess in her arms. Kaguya's bloodstains have already dried up, and her wounds were starting to heal properly, thanks to Eirin's help. "Kaguya... Kaguya!" Mokou called out, shaking her steadily. Kaguya, however, would not come to.
"...She may have fallen completely unconscious," Eirin said. "We'll have to take her to the—" Eirin was cut off suddenly, as a Moon Palace guard flew through the door leading out to the courtyard. He landed on his face and tumbled along the ground, groaning in pain as he held his stomach. The culprits of the sudden intrusion were none other than Keine, Sumireko and Reisen, who ran through the door to meet Eirin and Mokou.
"Eirin! Mokou!" Keine called out. "We saw the spell card and came running... is Sagume Kishin defeated?" Mokou nodded in response, turning to Kaguya with a forlorn face. "Oh, thank goodness... and is Princess Kaguya well? Will she recover timely?" Eirin knelt down beside Kaguya, examining her wounds more clearly.
"She will be fine, of course," Eirin replied. "I will need to tend to her wounds as soon as possible. She cannot afford to remain in this state for too long..."
"...Eirin." Mokou spoke her name as she picked her head up to look at her. Eirin looked back at her with raised eyebrows. "I'd like to take her home with me."
"What!?" Everybody collectively said, excluding Eirin, whose only reply was a light gasp through parted lips.
"But, Mokou!" Keine started to speak worriedly.
"I believe that she can do it," Sumireko spoke. "Mokou came all this way—"
"Not happening," Reisen interrupted with folded arms. "Princess Kaguya is coming with us back to Eientei and we will give her the proper rest she needs. We didn't go on this wild chase just to have it happen again, and—"
"Understood. I'll allow it," Eirin replied to Mokou with a smile.
"What!?" Everybody repeated themselves, excluding Mokou, who met Eirin's gaze with her own.
"Eirin," Reisen said in an almost pleading tone, "we need to take Princess Kaguya back home! What if Kaguya wakes up and she tries the same thing again!?" Eirin looked to Reisen, her smile fading quickly.
"I said I'll allow it," Eirin replied in a harsh tone. "I trust Mokou with Kaguya this time. We've come this far, after all. With that having been said, Mokou..." She turned her head back to Mokou. "Please look after her until she decides to return. I will destroy you if you don't."
"U-Understood," Mokou stammered. For once, she actually felt nervousness creeping up in her; this was most likely due to the fact that Eirin would truly destroy her if it came down to it.
"Good," Eirin smiled. "Now, it's best if we get out of here. If the Watatsuki sisters come back and you're all still here, I cannot guarantee your survival." Everybody jumped up defensively. Eirin and Mokou stood up, with Kaguya being held in Mokou's arms. Beating a hasty retreat, they left the Moon Palace, unhindered by any guards as they have already been defeated.
Fujiwara no Mokou's Home
It had taken nearly a whole day's worth of travel, but with the help of Momiji Inubashiri, Mokou and company had finally returned to the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. By the time they made it, night had fallen and the Moon was looming over them. Mokou was the first to step home. She had carried Kaguya the whole entire trip, and she was clearly exhausted. Taking a left down the first walkway, she proceeded directly into her room, sliding the door open and laying Kaguya down gently into her bed.
"Ahh, finally..." Sumireko stretched, staying in the living room. "I'm... beat."
"You're beat?" Reisen said, sitting on the floor. "My ears are killing me... I'm exhausted." Sumireko sat beside Reisen, falling onto her back and sighing contentedly. Keine shook her head at them as she took her shoes off before entering, letting out a loud yawn. Eirin stepped in right after her, repeating the same action, although her yawn was weaker. She stretched her arms out above her head before letting out a strong sigh.
"Sumireko, I do have to return to the Human Village," Keine nodded to Sumireko. "Mokou has given us passage to sleep here in the guest bedroom for the night, but I will be returning early tomorrow morning to help guide you to the Outside World." Sumireko nodded from the floor, her body sprawled out.
"Reisen, do not rest long," Eirin stated. "We still need to get back to Eientei. Tewi's most likely worried sick; we didn't tell her we were leaving for so long." She was referring to another Moon Rabbit, Tewi Inaba, who was the leader of all of the earth rabbits yet still was under Reisen's rule.
"Tewi's probably fine," Reisen huffed. "Can't we just stay the night here? You don't really wanna leave Mokou with Kaguya all alone, do you?"
"No," Eirin replied quickly. "You and I both know that you and Tewi have duties that you need to finish at Eientei anyway. Tomorrow's the deadline for completion, and by tomorrow, I mean by midnight, Reisen."
"But, Eirin...! It's going to take three days for us to get back to Eientei!" Reisen complained, throwing herself back onto the floor. Eirin sucked her teeth.
"Then I guess you'd better get moving," she smirked tauntingly. "Or else it'll get worse the longer you wait." Reisen hopped up with a defeated groan, slipping her shoes back on at the doorstep. She stormed out the doorway, hopping down from the porch and started moving back to Eientei. "And you'd better be there before I do! I'm going to see Mokou off!" Eirin shouted at her. Whether or not she heard it was yet to be confirmed as Eirin walked back inside.
Mokou, still in her bedroom, stared intently over Kaguya while she slept. There was a pained expression on Kaguya's face, and Mokou frowned at her. She clenched her fists and looked away, shaking her head.
"Kaguya, you idiot..." Mokou whispered to herself. "You knew that the Lunar Capital was still hunting you, yet you went anyway and got yourself hurt... and for what?" The volume of her voice started to increase. She could swear that she was starting to tear up, but she choked it back and let out a shaky sigh.
"...Most likely because she knew you would come and save her." Eirin opened up the door completely and made her way in, catching Mokou off guard completely. She turned around fast to find Eirin with her arms folded, looking to Kaguya before she glanced at her.
"Er... what makes you say that?" Mokou asked. Eirin approached her side, looking down to Kaguya.
"Mokou, I cannot tell if you're being naïve or if your pride is getting to you," Eirin spoke plainly. "But our entire trip through Youkai Mountain as well as storming the Moon Palace was not done under the premise of you saving her to return her to Eientei. You have a heart for her." Mokou, who was trying hard to hide her intentions, looked down at Kaguya; she decided that it was time to give up the façade.
"...Alright, already," Mokou complained. "There's a lot I regret. A lot of time where she wanted to spend time and I denied her that..." She scratched the back of her head. "So, when she killed me a week or so ago... I've felt nothing but regret. She was trying to make me feel as sad as she was." Clenching her fists, she shook her head lightly. "...Maybe I do have some feelings for her after all."
"...I'm glad you admitted that." Eirin smiled at Kaguya. "Now, given her diagnosis... she should awaken very soon. Just allow her some time to rest, and please rest yourself. Keine told me that you've been awake the whole week that you were supposed to be resting after your death." Mokou looked away nervously. "So, you would do well to get a good night's sleep. I'm returning to Eientei, so I hope you take care of the princess." Eirin turned away from Kaguya and Mokou, moving to the door. Mokou continued looking down at Kaguya, her eyes drooping into sadness.
"...Have a safe trip," Mokou said, before Eirin shut the door behind her. She knelt down to Kaguya, taking her hand and holding it tight. "...Sleep well, princess. I'll take care of your wounds in the morning." She released her hands after some time, standing back up and leaving the room.
The following morning...
"Mmngh..."
Mokou groaned as she laid on her living room floor, as she had nowhere else to sleep. She had given her bed to Kaguya, while Keine and Sumireko slept in the guest bedroom. As she continued to lay there, she rubbed her eyes, opening them slowly. A great pressure had overcome her.
"Huh...? What—" Opening her eyes immediately, she found the culprit of the pressure.
Kaguya Houraisan.
"Get up, Fujiwara no Mokou." Kaguya said in a sing-song tone. She was sitting on Mokou, smiling down on her.
"Wh... Kaguya? I'm not dreaming, am I?" Mokou rubbed her eyes harder, and Kaguya was still sitting on her. It was, indeed, a reality. "Kaguya! You're awake!" For once in a long while, Mokou smiled brightly.
"It's about time you woke up… you're too used to sleeping in, aren't you?" Kaguya grinned. Mokou raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.
"What are… you doing on me, anyway?" She asked. Mokou's voice woke Sumireko, who emerged from the guest bedroom to see what the commotion was all about.
"Mokou? Is everything alright?" Sumireko called out. She clutched a pillow between her arms, nearly stumbling as she saw Kaguya and Mokou together on the floor. Sumireko dropped her pillow and covered her face with a gasp, blushing rather heavily. "Oh... s-sorry."
"W-Wait, Sumi," Mokou said, waving her arms apprehensively. "It's not what you think! We're just—"
"Aww, Mokou, you're blushing again, just like you did in your sleep..." Kaguya teased, poking Mokou's nose. She flinched almost immediately.
"K-Kaguya! Get off of me!" Mokou grunted right back. Kaguya, of course, would not remove herself from Mokou's body. Sumireko sheepishly tried to backstep into the bedroom, but was stopped by Keine, who waltzed out with a tired look on her face.
"Good morning—agh! What are you doing!?" Keine jumped up.
"Heeeey!" Mokou shouted. "Kaguya, c'mon! Get off!"
Needless to say, their reunion went just as expected… and the two were very happy to see each other again.
The End—
…?
Later that night…
"See you again, Sumireko, Keine!"
Mokou escorted Keine and Sumireko through the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, taking the two to the Human Village. Although the escort was unnecessary—as they've explored the Bamboo Forest many of times—it gave Mokou time to converse with the two as she wasn't sure if she'd ever meet them again. Waving goodbye, she watched as they made their way to the Human Village, where Keine would escort Sumireko back to the Outside World.
"Ahh… there they go." She sighed to herself, shoving her hands into her pockets. Turning around, she headed down the path that led into the thick of the forest. "At least it's a beautiful night to walk through the forest… hmm?" She stopped, as somebody was approaching her.
"…Ah, there you are, Mokou." Surely enough, it was Kaguya. She followed Mokou here.
"Kaguya? What are you doing out here?" Mokou asked, removing her hands from her pockets. "You should be at my house, resting." Kaguya shook her head, brushing a lock of it behind her ear.
"I, well… still have not properly thanked you for saving me from Sagume Kishin's clutches," Mokou scoffed at first, putting her hands back into her pockets again as she couldn't help but smile. The two proceeded into the woods together, set on returning to Mokou's house.
"Why are you even thanking me?" Mokou asked. "Didn't you want this all along?"
"A simple 'you are welcome' would have been a much nicer gesture," Kaguya fired back with a sigh. "You do enjoy playing hard to get, I suppose…"
"…Fair enough," Mokou huffed, shrugging off the statement. She stopped cold in her tracks suddenly, and Kaguya, who was hardly paying attention, walked right into her. Mokou turned around to see her before she fell over from the bump, reaching out to catch her arm. As she did, she pulled her close and took both of her hands. A full-faced blush covered Kaguya's face from the swift movement. "You want me to be more forward? Fine." Mokou took a deep breath. "…I love you, Kaguya Houraisan."
There was a long pause as Kaguya stared at Mokou with wide eyes, breathing in softly.
"…Mokou?" Kaguya sighed shakily. She wasn't sure how to respond to such a movement and just intertwined her fingers with Mokou's. "Y-You are joking, are you not? T-To make such a vulgar advance is so—"
All it took to silence her, for once, was a kiss. Mokou was quick to plant one onto her lips, to which Kaguya was not afraid to accept it. Holding each other with a tightly wrapped hug, the imperishable night was over.
Yet, in the distance…
"All of that just for a kiss…" said the Crow Tengu, Aya Shameimaru, as she managed to capture an image of them using a polaroid camera. "Hehe… you're one desperate princess after all, Kaguya Houraisan."