Heaven was unnaturally beautiful during the day, but that beauty was increased at night, with the land being lit by moonlight and the lights coming from Celestials still awake during the late hours of night. Flandre was in hot pursuit of Tenshi, using her night vision and the light that came from the moon to find her way through these unfamiliar lands. She passed by many other temples not unlike the one Tenshi called home, surmising that they were the homes of other celestials who resided in Bhavaagra. Flandre kept her ridiculously fast pace in search of the blue haired celestial.
Before long Flandre skidded to a stop to get a grasp of her surroundings, she found herself at the outskirts of Bhavaagra, with no temples or homes nearby to speak of. Flandre walked around, turning her head in all directions in hopes of finding any sign of Tenshi's location until she heard the sounds of frustrated grunting and roars of rage. She turned her head towards the sounds origin and found Tenshi, who was standing in some sort of sparring arena; she was violently striking a practice dummy with a sword that had a completely golden blade. The dummy was of a humanoid shape; it was made of straw and wood and other natural objects.
With each swing of Tenshi sword splinters of wood and straw were sent flying in all directions as her attacks on the dummy became more and more ferocious with each attack. Flandre wordlessly took a seat on a nearby log as she silently watched Tenshi mercilessly slash at the dummy, as beads of sweat slid down her face and began to pant for air.
"Stupid parents…Never paying any attention to me…See if I give a damn!" Tenshi growled as she took another violent and powerful swing at the dummy, causing the head to break off its body, the head landing right at Flandre's feet. "I…I…don't need you…I don't need you or anyone else!" Tenshi cries as she continues her relentless assault, turning the once humanoid shaped practice dummy into a mere pile of straw and wood.
Tenshi roared once more, giving what once was the practice dummy one last powerful strike, causing its remains to fly in all directions from the strength of her attack. She glared at the exact spot that the target had once stood as she breathed heavily, wiping the sweat off of her face. She turned on her feet and paused once she saw Flandre sitting right in front of her. She stared at her with a scowl until finally continuing her way to the log where Flandre was situated at and sat down next to her, continuing to breathe loudly as she glared at the ground.
After a long silence Flandre spoke up, "Um…I-If it makes you feel better, I'll pay attention to you…"
Tenshi snorts at her offer, "I don't want or need your attention kid, or anyone else's for that matter. I'm strong…I don't need anyone except Iku…No one else…Only the weak need friends, I'm not weak, and I don't need your pity!" Tenshi yells.
Flandre looks at the Celestial with fearful eyes from her outburst, she gulps before replying, "Ch-China says that wanting friends isn't a weakness, and that it's a strength! And China's never ever wrong!" Flandre says with reassurance in her voice.
Tenshi glares intensely at her, looking down at the small vampire. "Don't preach to me about what's strength and what's a weakness! You're no smarter than any other idiot I've seen in the world so far; I don't want you as a friend! I only need Iku, and that's it! I don't need my damn parents!" Flandre jumps at Tenshi's loud voice.
"Why not…?" Flandre asks nervously, not being able to think of any other response.
"Because, no matter how hard I try, No matter how many injuries I receive, no matter how many tears I shed…They'll never pay any attention to me, as if I don't exsist…Feh…Look at me, telling some kid about my problems…I can't believe what I've been reduced to."
"…If it makes you feel any better, I break my toys sometimes so I can get my big sis's attention so we can play together and have lots of fun but…she hardly ever comes though…"
Tenshi laughs at this revelation, "Well, aren't we just two peas in a pod now? You do things to get in trouble just to get some attention. Oh sure its negative attention but its attention all the same. I can relate to that, I leveled a shrine once hoping my parents would finally give me any kind of attention…It didn't really work, all I got from that was a bunch of good fights…So I guess it wasn't all for nothing." Tenshi smirks as Flandre just silently listens to what she had to say. "You know kid…I was kind of a jerk to you before. I'm sorry for the way I treated you and your red head friend. You didn't do anything to deserve it; it was…just kind of a way to vent my frustrations I guess…So…I'm sorry. There, happy?"
Flandre looks at her curiously. "Oh c'mon kid, say something. I said I was sorry so-" Tenshi's sentence was cut off by a tight hug from Flandre. She gave her a baffled look in her confusion from the hug. Once Flandre released her from the hug, Tenshi asked, "What the heck was that for?"
"Hugs make me feel better when I feel sad; I thought it'd make you feel better too." Flandre smiles happily at a perplexed Tenshi. Flandre hops up from her seat next to her and asks, "You wanna go back now?" as she offers Tenshi her hand.
Tenshi smiles back to her and took her hand and stands as well, "Yeah, sure kid, let's go. Oh and kid? Thanks."
"Oh Tenshi, you're back!" Iku exclaims in relief as both Tenshi and Flandre returned to the temple together, entering the dining room where Meiling and Suika had remained since dinner, Meiling also looking relieved at the two's return and gave Flandre a friendly smile. Iku gives her pupil relieved embrace, squeezing all the air that was in Tenshi's lungs. "Are you alright? Are you injured? Do you need anything?" Iku asks in rapid succession as she releases Tenshi from her hug.
"I'm fine Iku, I can take care of myself you know…" Tenshi answers with a hint of stubbornness.
"I know…but that won't mean I'll ever stop worrying any less about you."
"Oh knock it off Iku, you're embarrassing me…" Tenshi says as her cheeks begin to redden. "Anyways…Um, Meiling, Suika, I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you guys…Flandre here helped me realize that I was being a real brat, I've learned the error of my actions now and I hope you two can forgive me for my behavior…"
Tenshi's apology brought surprised looks from everyone in the room, but none more than Iku, who was pleasantly surprised by Tenshi's manners. "It's all good, water under the bridge and all that." Meiling answers as she approaches Flandre and puts an arm around her.
"S'all good buddy! Les drink on this heat warmin moment!" Suika slurs as she holds her gourd up, "To uh…friendship and sake!" she cheers, taking a generous gulp of the gourd's endless supply of sake.
"Well said Miss Suika! I don't believe I could put it in any better words." Iku says cheerfully.
"Uh, are you sure about that Iku?" Tenshi asks with a perplexed look. "Oh whatever, cheers."
Flandre yawns loudly, "Mmmmm, cheers…" she mumbles.
"Well, I'd say that's our cue to turn in for the night." Meiling says, picking up Flandre, who was rubbing her eyes with her knuckles.
"Yes, it is quite late…" Iku agrees.
"Awwwww! You guys are going to bed already!? You're all a bunch party poopers! C'mon, can't any of you stay up just a little bit longer for a drink?" Suika whines.
"Sorry short-stack, looks like its four to one." Tenshi says as a matter of fact.
"Oh whatever, you're all a buncha lightweights anyways! I'll just drink and have fun allllllllllllllll by myself, so there!" Suika pouts, chugging down even more alcohol, with drips of it running down her face.
The rest of them exchanged tired looks with one another before they all shrugged and left the drunken oni to her' own devices. Everyone except Suika had gone to their respective rooms, each of them falling asleep fairly fast as Suika continued to drink by herself.
The next morning everyone had woken up bright and early, with the exception of Suika, who was found passed out on the dining room table. Suika continued to sleep peacefully on the table, gripping her prized gourd like it was some sort of security blanket until Tenshi had insisted on waking her up, fed up with her using her table as a bed. She approached the oni, putting her mouth right by her ear, "WAKE UP YOU NO GOOD DRUNKARD!" Tenshi yells at the top of her lungs, causing the oni to roll off the table in surprise. She fell face first with a resounding thud.
The oni quickly stumbled to her feet, "Urgh…Why'd you go and do that!? I didn't want to be woken up so early!" Suika groans, rubbing her head in pain.
"Because Suika, I really didn't want to have an oni centerpiece for my table, especially not one who snores so loudly! By the way, ten o'clock in the morning isn't early!" Tenshi angrily answers with her hands on her hips.
"Oh yeah well…It's early to me!" Suika argues, smoothing out the wrinkles on her skirt.
"Oh please stop fighting, you two." Iku interrupts, sticking her through the door.
"Whatever, she started it." Tenshi grumbles.
"Say wha-!? I didn't start anything! I was sleeping peacefully, minding my own business and then POW! I have a blue haired witch screaming in my ear like some sort of deranged psychopath!" Suika counters.
"Well you started it by lounging on my table like it's some sort of sofa!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Enough of your bickering you two! Stop acting like children and behave yourselves!" Iku scolds, becoming impatient.
"Yes Iku…" The two said simultaneously in a monotone.
"Splendid! Now come out and bid farewell to our guests." Iku says in a familiar cheerful demeanor. The two sigh and do as she says and followed her towards the temple's exit.
The three of them exited the temple together, where Meiling was hefting their bags onto her back along with Flandre, who was perched atop one of the keystones sitting nearby the entrance of the temple. The two looked towards the three joining them.
"So you two will be leaving us now, correct?" Iku asks the pair with a hint of disappointment.
"Uh-huh! We still gotta see the rest of Gensokyo!" Flandre answers cheerfully as she hops down from her perch.
"I wish you would reconsider and stay with us a bit longer, but if you must go, I won't argue. Just keep in mind that you two are always welcome to visit!"
"Yeah, come and visit again sometime, heaven gets real old without any visitors. Maybe we can spar a bit next time you visit." Tenshi adds.
"Oh we will Miss Iku! Thank you for having us, you two." Meiling says thankfully, as she secures her supplies. Meiling notices that Tenshi is in some sort of odd stance now, as she mumbles something quietly as she focuses her mind. "What are you doing?" Meiling asks in a perplexed state.
"She's providing the two of you with a quick ride home to Gensokyo." Iku answers for Tenshi, as she continues to focus on her activity.
Suddenly out of nowhere, two stones land side by side in front of Tenshi, landing with a loud thud. The two stones looked identical to those that sat by the temple's entrance. "Rocks?" Meiling asks skeptically, with Flandre looking at the rocks with awe.
"Not rocks, Keystones!" Tenshi corrects. "These bad boys will get you two to Gensokyo in a flash! The landing could use a bit of work though…"
"I don't know about this…"
"Oh come on China, don't be a chicken!" Flandre shouts, jumping on one of the keystones excitedly.
"Hong Meiling is no chicken!" Meiling shouts back, jumping on the other stone, though still looked nervous about using the stone as a way of transportation back to the land below them.
"Yo! Gimme one of those rocks! I'm heading back to Gensokyo too!" Suika shouts, carrying a small sack of things with her along with her gourd, which was strapped to her waist.
"It's not a rock! It's a keystone! Oh whatever, it's about time you've left anyways." Tenshi focuses once more and begins to summon another keystone.
"Yeah, well heaven gets really old and boring…Plus no one here can handle a drink here! I'm going to go visit an old friend in former hell, now those people can party!"
"Meh, have fun." Tenshi nonchalantly replies as another keystone lands nearby the ones she had summoned earlier.
"So uh…How do these things work? Do we say some magic words or something, like 'Rock away!'?" Meiling asks, interrupting Tenshi's exchange with Suika.
"No, this isn't some sort of magic carpet ride you know…" Tenshi sighs. "Look, just tell me when you're ready and I'll launch you two, got it?"
"Ready!"
"R-Ready…I guess…"
"Alright then, see ya two later." Tenshi casually says, she stomps her right foot into the ground, causing the two stones to fly over the edge. With Flandre laughing in a joyful bliss and Meiling screaming in sheer terror as the two keystones flew down to the world below. "Ah…Never gets old…Alright half-pint, you ready to- wait…what are you doing Suika?"
"Making your rock better!" Suika cheerfully replies as she holds both of her hands to the stone.
"How so?"
"By adding density! With this puppy, I'll be drinking sake with Yuugi in no time!"
"Miss Suika, I really don't think that's a good idea…" Iku says as she nervously looks at the keystone, which was becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second.
"Relax granny! I know what I'm doing!" Suika replies dismissively as she takes her palms from the keystone and jumps on. "Alright, let's do this!"
"Yeah…you sure about this half-pint? This seems really dumb…even by your standards."
"Just do it already!" Suika shouts impatiently.
"Alright then, it's your funeral. See ya." Tenshi stomps her foot in the ground as she did before, sending this keystone over the edge of the cliff, with Suika cheering happily as the stone plummeted down to Gensokyo with great velocity.
"Goodness…Do you think she'll be alright?" Iku asks with concern as she watched Suika disappear from sight.
"Eh, who knows? I'm sure she'll be fine…" Tenshi replies uncaringly, "Now let's go get something to eat, I'm starving." She says as she walks back towards the temple without even a glance back. Iku gives one last concerned glance before following after her.
"Wahooooooooooo!" Flandre shouts happily, obviously enjoying the ride unlike Meiling.
"Oh make it stop, make it stop, make it stop…Oh please make it stop!" Meiling screams as she hugs the stone for dear life.
Flandre looks up above her and notices an approaching object just above the two "Huh? Oh hi Suika!" Flandre shouts over the wind, waving to Suika as she plummets towards the two.
"Wah! Make way you two!" Suika shouts distressfully, waving both of her arms in the air wildly.
"Eh? What are you talking about Fla-GYAH!" Meiling shouts as Suika crashes right in between the two stones, causing both of its riders to be thrown off. Sending Flandre and Meiling flying in opposite directions as the two plummeted down to Gensokyo's surface.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading the latest chapter in this story, I appreciate the support people have given this since it's first post. I've finally made my first milestone of ten chapters! Thank you for the support so far on this story! For this segment of the story, I wanted to give Tenshi a bit more of a fleshed out character, rather than the old "Masochist Tenshi" that are common depictions these days. I always imagined her more of a person who just likes to fight, rather than just for the thrill of the pain and such.
Writing the dialogue between Tenshi and Suika was probably my favorite part of writing this chapter, as it just seemed to flow freely if you get what I mean. If there's any errors in spelling or grammar, it's because I rushed my double checking for this chapter, since either I post this today, or it didn't get posted for another three days...So if you find any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out for me so I can fix them, alright? Thank you for reading, I hope you look forward to the next chapter!