A.N: Well, this took a while to come out with, but I got around to it. I'm on vacation now, but I can still write and post things. Me and Alice are doing fine and have seen some cool stuff, but I am kinda tired right now, so I will probably go to sleep after I am done typing this.
Sincerely with all the love you have given me,
~Talos Angel, the Fanfiction-Writing Yukkuri~
CHAPTER THREE: A CHANCE (of eternity!)
And so, the Moiyra Shrine's proud and powerful former goddess and apprentice priestess were pulling the cart back to their shrine with the four fairies in tow, satisfied that they had all done a good job stopping the vegetable army.
"Well...thanks for inviting us in for lunch." Cirno chirped, "Even if none of us are hungry."
"Hey, speak for yourself!" Star Sapphire belted out, rubbing her stomach.
"Eh...I just thought it would be a nice gesture," Suwako responded, "You don't actually have to eat it."
"Well, if you take the time to prepare it, we may as well eat it." Sunny argued, rubbing her stomach.
"Eh, Touche', I guess." Cirno responded.
"Please, we're inviting you over as guests," Suwako interrupted, "You can eat if you want to...or not if you don't."
And just like magic, they had all appeared before the Moiyra Shrine, gazing upon its vast structure that towered above the surrounding mountainous rocks and grass. Two massive wooden snakes adorned the gateway, gazing down at the arrivals as if they were tasty rodents.
"Woah! This is COOL!" Cirno gasped, pointing at the reptilian shrine, "You two actually live here?!"
"We sure do!" Sanae chimed cheerfully, "It's been here since before ma was born!"
"Really?" Star asked, "Even before...y'know...the oldest of the gods?"
Suwako shrugged. "This place was here when I was a tad, and my predecessor was still the Earth Goddess. It was ancient when my predecessor was born. I honestly doubt any living being knows exactly who built it, or exactly when."
"Maybe Yukari knows!" Cirno laughed.
Suwako sighed and shook her head. "I doubt she's THAT old. She would have to be a dinosaur or something."
Everybody chuckled at that thought as they headed inside the shrine, to where Kanako was meditating. The room was mostly shadows, dimly lit by a few golden torches nested in hanging bowls from the ceiling. Kanako slowly opened her dazzling, divine violet eyes to greet the visitors.
"My mother and daughter," Kanako beamed without even opening her mouth, "You have brought fairies with you?"
"Not just fairies!" Cirno shouted as the fairies posed dramatically, "The fairies who saved the human village from the latest incident!"
Kanako raised an eyebrow. "Incident? Yes...I sensed a disturbance in the very ground and life of Gensokyo..."
"It was vegetables," Suwko awkwardly responded, "Vegetables gone wild."
"Ah, that would explain it." Kanako sighed, "I will look into it. Judging from the way the power flowed, a single individual had animated ALL of those vegetables. I don't know who, though."
"Don't fret, my daughter," Suwako sighed reassuringly, "We've beaten their forces off, so I doubt they will try anything like that again so soon."
"Still..." Kanako whispered as she went back into deep concentration.
"You know, you should really take a break," Suwako stated with concern, "All of that power focusing might work up an appetite or make you tired."
"I'm the goddess of Earth, ma," Kanako retorted, "I'm sure I don't even need to eat or sleep."
"Just looking out for you," Suwako sighed as she followed the fairies over to a low table in the more well-lit room to the east. It was nothing special; just green walls, a brown wooden floor, and a tarp-flap door leading to a kitchen. The fairies were already seated on the floor at the table, while Sanae was nowhere in sight. Sanae burst from the kitchen holding a plate of teriyaki chicken and a pyramid of spring rolls, with a healthy helping of white rice and kalamari, with some banana flan for dessert.
"My, my," Suwako gasped, "You are a pretty fast chef, aren't you?"
"You could say I'm miraculously fast!" Sanae responded with a smirk and a wink.
The fairies stared and salivated at the hearty meal that lied before them, twitching slightly with anticipation.
"I aint wasting any more time!" Cirno shouted as she plunged her hands directly into the meal, scarfing entire handfulls without a second thought.
The other fairies wasted no time in joining Cirno in her feast, as rice grains and crumbs went flying in every direction.
"Weren't you NOT hungry a little while ago?" Suwako chuckled to Cirno.
"Changed my mind." Cirno blurted out in between bites.
Suwako and Sanae stood back and unblinkingly stared as the fairies vanquished the whole course in less than a minute.
"That was great!" Sunny cheered.
"Thanks!" Star chirped.
Luna child simply nodded, smiled, and licked her lips.
"Can we stay over?" Cirno asked excitedly.
Suwako shook her head. "Don't you fairies have a place of your own for the night or something?"
The fairies looked away from Suwako, turning their eyes in the opposite direction while fidgeting.
"...The short answer would be...'Not now.'" Cirno responded after a few seconds.
Suwako closed her eyes and nodded. "I understand." She whispered.
(TBC in Ch. 4!)
