The Moon shimmered in its watery reflection. Coral tinted lotuses drifted, stark white against the starless sky. Clear notes hovered in the air of the pavilion before dissipating into the night, like sea foam.
Then her nimble fingers began to race across the koto. Leaping and twisting, tumbling and sprinting, twirling and simply just dancing, the music hopped lightly to its feet. Chaos and rapture, loneliness and contentedness, crashed over themselves again and again, in the insane whirlpool of music.
When her fingers could no longer pluck, they were trembling over the strings and ruby drops of blood were trickling from her calluses.
She absentmindedly began wiping them on her sleeve before she froze and dropped them. The twelve layered myriad shuffled back into place. She deeply sighed. Hydrangeas flowered beside the pavilion so she plucked a leaf, slowly collected her blood, folded it, and threw it into the pond. She turned back towards her instrument.
"Now, now, princess, one with a stature such as yourself mustn't throw away her precious blood like that."
Kagura whipped around.
A man with a fiery red braid held the leaf between two fingers. He had a pleasant smile but his eyes were leering and mocking. Kagura narrowed her eyes.
"Isn't that what your human… oh, what is it called, ah yes, teachers say? Teach? The heir of the very Moon itself? Ridiculous. But I digress. Your Highness, I am but the messenger of the Moon, Kamui, and I have come to retrieve you so we can return."
He held out a hand towards her. She stared at his clawlike nails and the wide palm outreached towards her. When she didn't take his hand, irritance sparked in his eyes although his smile remained perfect.
"Your Highness? Did you not call for the Moon tonight? Did you not long to return to your true hometown, the perfection and eternal happiness of the Moon rather than this… dirt hovel? Please don't be so difficult princess." His smile became thinner, and his eyes gazed upon her with the irritancy of a busy adult with an uncooperative child. Someone who has no time to waste on the little ones.
Kagura decided that she did not like him.
"Excuse me your Grace," and she casually threw a finger pick at his eye. His smile widened as he caught it with two fingers. He placed it and the leaf on the edge of the pavilion.
"Hmm, would you please enlighten me of your actions, your Highness?"
"You Grace, do you not agree that kinsfolk of the Moon must be civilized wherever they are?" He nodded, the smile dripping toxic. "Then you do agree that even here, upon this planet, kinsfolk of the Moon must be civilized however much of a 'dirt hovel' it is, yes?"
"But of course your Highness. However, please correct if I am wrong, but I do not remember throwing sharp things as being civilized."
She laughed dryily. "I am only doing the mere breathing of civilization visibly. But this is a response to you, your Grace. The finger pick is only a reflection of your actions."
He slowly grinned at her sardonically, almost lazily. "I see. I apologize for my behavior then, your Highness." He looked at her pointedly for an apology back.
"Your apology is rejected but please, continue."
"Therefore, I propose that I then try to convince you with words. If you give a hint of that longing again, which is your blood itself, then we will return immediately to the Moon." Looking like a pleased cat, he folded his arms smugly.
"... And how would you know that I am feeling that so-called longing."
He gave a nasty, nasty laugh that sent unpleasant shivers down her spine.
"If you are truly one of the kinsfolk of the Moon, no, the heir of the Moon, then you must be able to flawlessly play the koto while maintaining a conversation, at the very least. I have played the guzheng for centuries, so I can sense the changes of the heart through music and instantly call the carriage home."
She took a sharp intake of air. The stinging in her fingers, the weariness of her wrists, suddenly seemed more painful. She sneaked a glance at her hands and grimly saw the lacerations.
"Of course, if your fingers are too tired, then we only have to go back and treat them with magic," Kamui smoothly finished, a slyness entering his smile.
"No! I, I can perform." She quickly hid her hands within the swishing sleeves and recomposed herself. "But your Grace, isn't this rather unfair? While I must play and talk simultaneously in courtly manners, your Grace would only have to talk."
"I am only a servant and of course my hearing and talking is far from your own talent, your Highness. This would give me a fair handicap." The lies flowed like oil.
She gritted her teeth. There was no way for her to stay on Earth other than to win. If she forfeited, then she knew that this Kamui would spread the rumor like a wildfire among the nobles, both on the Moon and here. One look at his smile was enough for her to overcome any doubts; she must win at all cost.
"... Then I accept," she replied coolly, and gracefully settled back before the koto. Kamui sat crosslegged in front of her. She plucked a few strings, wincing as the strings cut back into the calluses.
"Well then, shall we begin," he said, more of a statement than a question, his eyes flashing sadistically. Her eyes hardened but she smiled sweetly.
"Of course."