Seija's footsteps echo throughout the serene halls of the Shining Needle Castle. Three days after her heart-to-heart with Shin, most of her various bruises and injuries have faded with only her left leg yet to fully recover; likewise, thanks to Shin's handiwork, all the tears and frays on her dress have been expertly mended. She paces the halls, vexed by her current dilemma.
No matter how much I rack my brain, I can't think of where to go next for information on how to reach the Moon. Eientei is out of the question at this point and Shin is also drawing a blank when I ask. And on that subject, why hasn't Hatate published an article in her paper about what happened? Shin says there still hasn't been even a footnote about it. Tengu love their scoops, not to mention her and Aya's rivalry; Hatate wouldn't let this opportunity go. Nothing's stopped either of them from writing about more minor events. I'm worried her spirit photography might reveal the truth of what happened, but at least if she does we'd know how to respond. This silence is really fishy.
Entering a guest room and flying through the window, the amanojaku sits on an inverted eave identical to so many she has before. Grey clouds form an overcast and the afternoon chill reminds Seija of the transitioning seasons, causing her to shiver slightly.
Putting that aside, the Choujuu Gigaku concert is tomorrow. Shin's been so excited talking about it the past few days, even going back to the village today to double check the details.
She cannot help but smile while recalling Shin's enthusiasm.
"Owowow…" Seija moans after chasing her partner halfway across the castle with her various bruises. She gingerly flies to the dining room while Shin walks below her.
The inchling, a smug smile plastered on her face, says, "Glad you're so energetic even while injured."
"Shut up and tell me about this concert already."
"How can I tell you if I shut up?" An instant after the words leave Shin's lips, she finds her face on the floor and legs in the air before tumbling over entirely. "Okay I had that coming," she says after picking herself up.
Seija smirks. "Anyway, what's the band? Do I know it?"
"They've been on hiatus for a little while, otherwise I would've taken you way sooner. They're called Choujuu Gigaku, a punk rock band."
"'Punk rock'?"
"Yeah! It's a two-youkai group: Kyouko Kasodani is the vocalist, Mystia Lorelei is the guitarist. They play music that comes straight from their souls, voicing their dissatisfaction with society. I figure you'd enjoy the style."
"I'll admit I'm intrigued, but isn't Mystia the one known for her singing? Kyouko's just loud."
"Mystia's singing could drive all the audience members insane."
"I fail to see the problem."
"You're hilarious," says Shin with the most emotionless tone she can produce.
"Now we're even on dumb jokes," Seija counters.
"Ignoring that, you are interested?"
"A band all about vocalizing the flaws of society does line up pretty well with our mission statement."
Though there comes a point where if the band is or becomes too popular, it contradicts itself. But Shin appears to enjoy their work, which is reason enough to check it out.
"Since it's a big comeback performance," Shin continues, "there's a lot of buzz surrounding it among various youkai sects. The possibility we might get seen by some we'd rather avoid is very real, so if you think we shouldn't go then I understand."
"Nah, ain't like they can attack us for only attending a concert. And I assume it's at night? Most attendees will be too focused on the music to make us out in a crowd."
"Yes!" Shin cheers, all her previous concern gone without a trace. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time, I've always wanted to go to a concert with you."
The amanojaku rubs the back of her neck. "Having me there couldn't change it too much."
"I disagree. You being there is what will make this the best one I've gone to yet, guaranteed!"
These words elicit an odd reaction from Seija. Welling up in her stomach is a sensation she has been experiencing in her conversations with Shin more and more frequently. She still cannot adequately describe it.
This feeling again… I don't get what it's supposed to be. Though, I can't say I'm against it being there.
"Suit yourself, then," says Seija, doing her utmost to act cool. "When will it be?"
"It's in four days, at sundown. I thought it'd be perfect since that would have been the last day of our week of laying low, but Tenshi's stunt and your leg will, like you said, keep us down for a little longer."
"I'll definitely be feeling well enough to go to a concert by that point, even if my leg isn't finished healing."
"Yeah, after looking at it this morning, I agree. My only remaining concern is you flipping your room in your sleep again. Be sure to let me know if that happens, alright?"
"Will do."
Can't say I remember why I did that, though.
The smile on Seija's face is replaced with a frown and furrowed brow.
…Thinking about it, I still can't recall why that happened. I know something was bothering me but-
"To contemplate so much without taking action won't get you anywhere," says a voice that instantly annoys Seija.
Without turning around, the amanojaku replies, "Advice from a slovenly celestial rings rather hollow, wouldn't you say?"
Tenshi moves to sit down next to Seija. "And a retort from an amanojaku contradicting what I say only further adds credence to my words, doesn't it?"
"Says the supposedly enlightened being who goes around picking fights and causing problems. Maybe you're more similar to me than you'd like to admit?"
"Hardly. A celestial showcasing their power is the natural way of things, lest you forget your place."
"And what power do you want to showcase that it brought you down again so soon?"
"I mainly wanted to check on you and the inchling, to see if you still have all that determination after what happened when I was here last." Tenshi's tone softens slightly as she says, "Just know I didn't intend to drive some kind of wedge between you two."
"Don't flatter yourself. It would take far more than what you're capable of to separate the two of us. Now tell me your other reason for coming since I know you're not that altruistic."
"Well, I did happen to wonder if you had any interesting plans coming up. I've been down here for days and Shion's still busy helping Jo'on with her duties at Myouren Temple until tomorrow."
"If you're that bored, why not return to Heaven instead of loitering in Gensokyo?"
"That's, er, private business. Going back wouldn't be the best idea currently."
And what's that supposed to mean? Is something preventing her?
Before they can continue their conversation, Shin's voice calls out, "Seija, I'm home!"
"I'm out here!" Seija yells towards the window. "We also have an uninvited guest."
It does not take long for Shin to find the pair on the eave. They quickly catch her up to speed on why Tenshi is here.
"Let me guess," the inchling begins, "you got kicked out again?"
Tenshi fidgets with her hat. "T-that's not quite how I'd phrase it-"
"Pfffft, 'again'? Is there trouble in paradise?" Seija asks while chuckling.
"I'll be glad to defeat you like before should you persist in your ignorant insults!" As she says this, Tenshi stands up and puts a hand on her sword hilt.
Seija, rising up to meet her and looking slightly down at the shorter celestial, says, "Oh I'm so afraid of the heavenly delinquent. You were really pushing yourself before, do you honestly think you can take both of us at once?"
"That's enough!" Shin commands, moving between them. "I'm not letting you get yourselves injured again or damage my castle!"
"Hmph. I suppose a bratty child isn't worth the time anyway."
"Your little princess sure has you on a tight leash," Tenshi taunts. "What happened to the friendless amanojaku we all tried to hunt down?"
"You can't go a single conversation without mentioning how you want to find Shion like she's your little lost lamb."
"I don't appreciate your tone. Shion actually understands the value of my company, unlike you!"
Shin increases the size of her Miracle Mallet and smashes it onto the space between where Seija and Tenshi are standing, surprising the latter two. "I said that's enough! Tenshi, despite everything, I consider you a friend. So please stop sparking conflict every time you visit. Seija, I know she can be grating, but I would appreciate it if you could not enable her. If she truly crosses the line, we can deal with her then."
The amanojaku and celestial angrily glare at each other, yet both also wear confident smirks. They are in a mental tug of war, each side refusing to show even a drop of subjugation to the other.
"You don't have to like each other. Let's just avoid tearing the place down, alright?" Shin continues.
Without taking her eyes off of Tenshi, Seija asks, "Did you verify that the concert is still on for tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Apparently Choujuu Gigagku is even having a few guest musicians get involved. I'm curious who they could be, though I have an inkling."
"Oh?" Tenshi says with a raised eyebrow. "What's this about a concert?"
Shoot, maybe mentioning that with her around wasn't a great idea.
Shin explains the plan for tomorrow. All the while, Seija and Tenshi still refuse to budge from their positions.
"Interesting. I suppose experiencing the surface's rudimentary music could fill some time. Shion might already know about this if Kyouko works at the temple."
"If you're satisfied with that information, you can leave," says an impatient Seija.
"I think I'm rather content to stay here a little longer. Unless you want to try and force me?"
"Far be it from me to inconvenience your greatness, peaches. I'm sure we can entertain each other somehow."
"This is gonna be a long day…" laments Shin.
The pressure surrounding Shin's living room table is heavy. She, Seija, and Tenshi are deep into the third and final round of their thirteenth game of Daifugō, all three of them having won four games so far. The rules are simple: whoever empties their hand first is the winner of the round and claims the title of daifugō, also known as the tycoon. Whoever gets last is the daihinmin, or beggar. The one with the most points at the end of the third round is the game's winner and ultimate tycoon. Players empty their hands by playing a card that is of greater value than the previous, with two simultaneously being the lowest number and a trump card that beats an ace. Whoever starts a trick, or set of cards played, can play whichever card they choose from their hand, also having the option to play two-, three-, or four-of-a-kinds. The former two force following players to match them or pass their turn, while the last of them causes a revolution that flips the card values. The tycoon acts as the dealer in the following round. Tenshi is the current tycoon with two points from placing last in the first round and first in the second round. Shin, likewise, has two points from placing first in the first round and last in the second round. Seija also possesses two points after placing second twice, making the score tied. Tenshi won the most recent trick, allowing her to go next. Her hand holds six cards, Seija's hand has eleven cards, and Shin's hand contains fourteen cards.
"You've put up quite a fight, amanojaku, but it's over," says the celestial. "My hand is too powerful to lose at this stage. How quaint, thinking you ever stood a chance against a celestial in anything! I look forward to you making good on your promise to admit I'm your better when I reach five wins. Prepare to grovel before me!"
"Bold words for someone one loss away from having to recognize that I beat them," Seija responds. "If you're so confident in your victory, play your cards!"
"Card Sign - Three-of-a-Kind!" Tenshi places down triple sevens, reducing her hand to only three cards.
Stupid celestial luck, she's been saving that for a decisive moment! I have enough in my hand to match the number, but their value is too low!
"Grr…" Seija growls.
"Hahahaha! Judging by your reaction, you have no way of winning now! Fear the might of-"
"Three queens," says Shin casually. Eleven cards remain in her hand.
"Huh?" Tenshi looks to the board and is taken aback by Shin's assault. "I-I can't match that!"
"Alright, so you both pass?" Once they nod, Shin starts the next trick. "Two jacks." She has nine cards left.
Shin, you're a lifesaver!
"I place two kings!" declares Seija with nine cards left.
Tenshi dramatically pulls two of her remaining three cards from her hand. "That won't help you! I play two aces! How poetic that your partner's cards would be your undoing!"
Since the tycoon gets to exchange any two cards for the beggar's best two cards at the start of the round, she waited to use those in order to spite me!
Shin parses through her hand and says, "I pass."
"She can't save you this time! Now lay down your pathetic cards and surrender!"
"Be careful what you call 'pathetic'!" yells Seija. "I play a pair of twos!"
"What?! That's impossible! You mean to tell you've been holding onto those trump cards this entire round?!"
"I was. As I only held two, there was no way for me to overturn your three-of-a-kind before. I was hesitant to use them at first, but just now you let something important slip: you couldn't match Shin's triple queens, so that last card in your hand isn't an ace like the other two. It's probably a different high value card you've been saving to either beat one of us or close out the round."
"Like that knowledge will help you! You have seven cards left and there's only one number that hasn't had at least two of its cards used-" The proverbial house of cards Tenshi is in comes crashing down as she realizes what's about to happen.
Seija cannot contain the maniacal laughter bursting from within her. "HAHAHAHAHA! CARD SIGN - REVOLUTION!" Grabbing four of her seven cards, she throws onto the table four fives, causing a revolution. Tenshi's remaining card might as well be dead weight in her hand. "Since I've reversed this game's hierarchy, I immediately get to start the next trick! I place two fours!"
"No! You can't seriously-"
"Two threes," says Shin, unaffected by the shenanigans around her. She now has seven cards. Since both Seija and Tenshi have one card remaining, neither can respond. "One eight." No response. "One seven. Two sixes. Two tens. One ace."
Death. Seija and Tenshi fall to the floor, holding a nine and a king, respectively.
"That's two points for me," Shin continues. "Since you both have one card left and Seija is next in the turn order, she gets second while you, Tenshi, are the beggar. I win the game with four points, beating Seija's three and your two. That means I'm the first to reach five games and the winner overall."
The defeated players say nothing.
"The last time I played this was with Reimu and Marisa when I was living at Hakurei Shrine. Marisa taught it to us; she read about it in a book from Suzunaan and had us use these weird outside world cards she 'borrowed' from Kourindou. Since it requires a minimum of three players, I could never ask you to play, Seija."
Sitting up, Tenshi asks, "Why do you have these cards, then?"
"I always beat them and eventually they got sick of it, so they stopped playing and let me keep the deck."
"Wait a minute," Seija interjects, "did you just hustle us?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Anyway, since I was the first to reach five wins, that means you two get to make dinner tonight," says the inchling, sounding satisfied. "I've got something else to work on, so I'll see you then." She goes to leave the room, but stops short at the entryway. "A word of advice: card games, like danmaku, are all about power. And overestimating your own power to the point of ignoring a smaller opponent is just begging for the rug to be pulled out from under you." With that, she is gone.
Seija and Tenshi turn to each other, mouths agape.
The latter breaks the silence first. "I take it we agree to never speak of this again?"
"Yes, yes we do."
The dinner following Seija and Tenshi's humiliation at Shin's hands proves to be lively. The former two argue constantly, blaming each other for perceived problems with the meal.
"Just because you reverse everything doesn't mean you need to undercook the meat," says Tenshi.
"I'm sooooo sorry I've failed to appease the palate of her greatness," says Seija between bites. "Why not go home and- oh wait, you can't. A shame, that."
Shin, for her part, greatly enjoys the food. While the fighting pair certainly do not like each other, the inchling likes to think the two's shared loss and incessant feuds help them understand one another a bit more.
"The sheer disrespect you constantly feel a need to show is truly sad," Tenshi muses. "It's okay to admit you were wrong and start anew. I could maybe put a word in for you in Heaven. Who knows? You might be let in some time next millennium."
Seija makes a showy display of putting her hand over her mouth. "How considerate! Sadly I'd rather spend twice as much time in whatever version of Hell we're on at that point then spend another day with you, let alone an eternity. My sincerest apologies."
"I can really feel the love," says Shin. "Will this be your only night with us, Tenshi? You certainly make things, uh, louder."
Tenshi rises to her feet after finishing the last of her food, which she ate surprisingly fast given her many complaints. "It's above a celestial to suffer this kind of disgrace a moment longer. Luckily for your companion, I'm feeling generous today. I will be departing tomorrow morning to find Shion and after that will likely see you at the concert. I'm going to explore the grounds a bit more before retiring for the night." She struts off without a goodbye.
"Remarkable how she barges into people's homes and does these things without permission."
"Her confidence can't be questioned, that's for sure," says Seija.
"I'd rather put up with this than fight her, though. To be honest, part of why I didn't try to stop her from staying was the fear of something happening to you."
"C'mon, you really think we can't take her?"
"It's not that."
"What is it, then?"
"Seeing you plummet through the sky… it scared me to death. You were in real danger and I don't know what I would've done if Marisa hadn't also been there."
Only now does the weight of Shin's worry hit Seija. The amanojaku looks down. "…If we're exchanging secrets, I felt similarly back during Sekibanki's ambush."
"But we won that easily."
"At the end, yeah. But for that brief moment when she had me restrained and I saw Kagerou take you into the forest, I saw red. Drew on strength I didn't know I had. In retrospect, there was no point during that where you were even in a fraction of the danger I was after fighting Tenshi, but that's not how it felt at the time."
"Well, that's why we're partners, right? We watch each other's backs. It's comforting to know you'll always be there for me."
Seija scratches her face and averts her gaze to avoid embarrassment. "So what was this mysterious task you worked on while the brat and I made dinner?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Shin says with a knowing look.
"Far be it from me to pry. Is this something to look forward to or dread?"
"You'll have to wait and see."
What's cooking in that devious mind?
"If you won't talk, I guess I don't have a choice but to wait," says Seija. "Let me change the subject to something that's been bothering me: Hatate. What do you think her angle is?"
"You mean how there hasn't been a single article about what happened?"
"Exactly. There's no reason why she wouldn't have already published one. Even if she used her ability to find out what really happened, it'd be out in the open by now."
"It's very suspect, I agree. Fortunately, I have an idea regarding that."
"Lay it on me."
"A reunion concert like this tends to get press coverage, right? Hatate might be there."
"Or Aya or both. And in the former case, it won't be of any help."
"True, but we don't have anything to lose by looking around while we're there."
Seija crosses her arms to think. "Alright, say we do find her: wouldn't it be incredibly suspicious to ask her about this?"
"I neglected to mention it before, but punk rock is a genre that originated in the outside world. And who do we know from the outside world that loves to see various events in Gensokyo? Someone who's constant prying into things that aren't her business wouldn't attract any suspicion?"
"Oh you've got to be kidding me."
"If you can think of a better plan, I'm all ears."
"Fine. But are you sure you're okay with wasting time at the concert to do this? You've been talking about wanting to see it nearly non-stop."
"If Sumireko does the investigating for us, we don't lose any time. Worst case scenario, we don't find anything out and enjoy the show." There is a fire in Shin's voice as she says, "Believe me, I have zero intention of missing this."
The last time I've seen her this pumped was when she explained her plan at the fireworks festival.
"Then let's get ready for a boring day tomorrow!"
True to her word, Tenshi departs for Myouren Temple after breakfast the following morning, though not before one last verbal sparring match with Seija. Each walks away self-assured that they won.
"With that waste of space gone, we should get started early," says Seija, performing some morning stretches after putting the dirty dishes up. Her left leg is closer to full capacity but still noticeably sore.
Need to make sure I don't overexert myself.
Shin nods. "First we should visit Mokou and ask if Sumireko mentioned going to a concert. Maybe she also has an idea of what happened with Hatate after we left Eientei."
"You said the concert begins at sundown, yeah? That gives us about eleven hours."
"Yep. The location is around halfway between Myouren Temple and the human village, so no matter where we go it won't be far."
"Time to move out, then."
"Let's grab our hats so we can disguise our faces if necessary," says Shin.
All it really does is hide my horns since anyone who knows me would recognize the dress if they got close, but it's better than nothing.
Hats in tow, they set out at a brisk pace towards the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, which happens to be in the same direction as Myouren Temple anyway. It is visible to them in the distance while flying by, along with a stage being constructed on the road between the temple and the village. After thirty minutes of flying, they reach the entrance of the forest.
"Now for the hard part, finding that stupid immor-" Seija cuts herself off when she sees Mokou casually walking on the path below them, hands in her pockets. "Never mind."
"Wonder where she's going?" Shin asks.
"There's no one around at the moment, so this is as good a time as any to ask our questions."
The duo descends to meet the immortal. Mokou tilts her head at the sight of them but does not appear bothered.
"Yo, doing another raid on Eientei?" she asks.
"Not exactly," Shin responds. "We wanted to ask you something: did Sumireko mention anything about going to a concert last time you saw her?"
"What, do I look like her personal assistant? I don't know everywhere she goes."
"So is that a no?"
"…She invited me to tonight's Choujuu Gigaku concert yesterday. I had already been asked by an acquaintance to help with the pyrotechnics, so I was going regardless."
"An oddly practical use of your talents. Why head out so early, though?"
Mokou rubs the back of her head listlessly. "I don't exactly leave the forest often, so I'm visiting a friend in the village while I'm out. Gonna explain where you're going with these questions? Doubt it's only a burning curiosity about the girl's day-to-day location."
"We're not exactly the most trusted youkai around," says Seija. "Sumireko can ask questions we can't for us."
"If you're endangering her or abusing her good will, we're gonna have problems. I don't care what I owe you."
"Calm down, we're not planning to put her in any danger. If anything, you might be able to save us the trouble of going to her: do you know why Hatate still hasn't put out an article about what we did last week?"
"Has she not? I don't read the paper," says Mokou with a shrug. "Not like I'm in a good location to receive it."
"Let me rephrase for her," Shin interjects. "What did you say to Hatate after going back to Eientei that night?"
"Nothing. She wasn't even there anymore. I figured she already got the info she wanted from other sources and used that spirit photography thing to fill in the blanks. If she went back and asked questions later, you already know the cover story I gave Eirin."
That's even more suspicious.
Seija turns to her partner. "Shin, there have been new issues of Kakashi Spirit News since then, right?"
"Yeah. Since we don't get any and the Scarlet Devil Mansion is close by, I always read over the papers delivered there since Meiling is still asleep at that time in the morning. Same with Bunbunmaru News."
"So Hatate's actively producing articles but hasn't written one about this?"
"Maybe she decided against writing an article?" suggests Mokou.
"That doesn't line up with those reporters' way of doing things."
"Look, I really don't care. I told you what I know so I'm gonna move along. If I hear anything about this and see you tonight, I'll tell you. Later."
Mokou saunters off in her signature way, leaving the duo alone.
"We at least got confirmation that Sumireko would be there tonight," says Shin.
"It was easier to find out than I expected," Seija admits. "We've got over ten hours to kill now."
"I guess we go home and wait until it's time?"
"Or…" Seija flashes a mischievous grin, "we check out the stage grounds early."
Shin responds in kind. "I like the way you think."
No more deliberation is necessary for them to fly off to where the stage is being constructed. They arrive in less than ten minutes, moving to the ground and hiding in the bushes to avoid detection by the workers. All of them are kappa hurriedly transporting and assembling parts. The main platform is mostly finished, standing at two meters tall. Constructs on either side and a frame from which to hang the curtain are works in progress. Combined with that are pipes being inserted into the platform from underneath; they are designed to let out sparks and fog for dramatic effect once the performance begins.
"Make sure everything's up to snuff!" shouts a twin-tailed, blue-haired kappa acting as the leader. She wears a green hat and a blue dress with a dozen pockets. On her back is a backpack nearly the size of her body, blue and covered in pockets like the dress. Seija and Shin recognize her as Nitori Kawashiro. "The Prismriver Ensemble is offering a generous payment and we have a reputation to maintain!"
The Prismrivers? They aren't members of Choujuu Gigaku.
"Looks like my hunch was right," Shin whispers.
"Oh, about the guest musicians?"
"Uh-huh. Choujuu Gigagku host their concerts on the road late at night due to their almost underground nature. The whole point is to appeal to societal outcasts and give a raw, unrefined performance. When I saw this much publicity and found out a whole stage was being propped up, I knew a more influential group was behind it."
"Does this compromise what it is you enjoy about the band?"
"I wouldn't go that far. If the music keeps the same soul it had before, then I don't care who's helping or what stage they're on. The Prismriver Ensemble makes quality music, too. My only concern is the two not meshing well."
Another pair approaches the stage while Seija and Shin are whispering, but instead of sneaking in, they march proudly. Or rather, one marches proudly and the other, despite being much taller, stays hunched over behind the first and is close enough to be her shadow.
Is that-
"As I expected, performances on the surface use stages that pale in comparison to those used in Heaven," Tenshi says while examining the perimeter.
"It's smaller than the one from when Jo'on and I perfect possessed everyone, but still very big," says the girl behind Tenshi. She has dark blue hair and a matching bow with a grey short-sleeved hoodie and blue skirt, no shoes to speak of. All of her clothing is randomly adorned with various bills and eviction notices. On her wrists are golden bracelets a bit thinner and looser than Seija's own. She holds a patched cat doll in her right arm and a chipped cup in her left hand.
Nitori notices the trespassers and instantly becomes aggravated upon recognizing them. "No one's allowed to be here while we're working! A poverty god's misfortune is the last thing we need in a construction site!"
Shion Yorigami recoils a bit at the declaration, but Tenshi says, "You should be honored I'm even here, and that extends to my companion."
"Try replacing 'honored' with 'bothered' and you're right on the money," Nitori responds, already exasperated. "I don't mean any offense, but this is an important gig. Please come back tonight when any problems caused are no longer our legal concern."
"Being so obsessed with money is a sin, kappa."
"And so is unnecessarily disturbing others' work."
"I'll leave you to your meager work for transient profits, then," says Tenshi. Nitori does not say anything in return, immediately returning to work. "The surface has really gone to the dogs if no one shows any respect for a celestial."
"W-well," Shion says shakily, "Nitori's a youkai and not a human, so maybe that makes her blind to all your amazing attributes?"
"You're probably right." Tenshi puts an arm around Shion's neck. "One day everyone will come to see things the way you do!"
"I hope so!"
I feel like I'm gonna be sick. The last thing that brat needs is someone stroking her ego.
Shin taps on Seija's shoulder and says, "We should get going."
"Why the sudden rush?"
"Nothing ever works out well for those who are near the poverty god for too long. Our luck will take a nosedive if we don't leave."
"If you say so." Seija begins walking away, but a root she failed to see earlier catches her left foot, making her trip and fall. "Agh!"
It had to be my left foot!
The noise does not go unnoticed by Nitori, Tenshi, and Shion, who all turn to where Seija and Shin are hiding.
"Stupid reporters!" Nitori yells. "This area is off-limits to everyone!" She manifests a stream of water and shoots it at the duo's location, blasting away the bush and drenching many nearby trees. However, there is no one there she can see. "Huh. I could've sworn…"
Covered by loose leaves, Seija and Shin's inchling-sized bodies remain undetected. Both are completely soaked and chilled to the bone by the light breeze. They get up once they confirm the kappa have refocused on their work and Tenshi and Shion have left.
"You alright?" Shin asks.
The amanojaku rings out her hair and clothes. "Ugh. Quick thinking on your part. Let's just go home for now."
"Sure, I'll turn us back- uh…" Shin examines her person and the immediate vicinity, unable to locate what she is searching for.
"What's the matter?"
"Do you see my mallet anywhere?"
Oh no.
Both scan the area and come up with nothing.
"I think Nitori's attack blasted it out of my hands the moment I finished activating it," says Shin, mild panic in her voice.
"It couldn't have gone too far. Would it still be normal size or did it shrink down with us?"
"Normally it shrinks while I'm holding it but otherwise stays the same. Since it was knocked away at the moment of use, I think it'll still be normal size. I can activate it either way."
"Alright," Seija says with a nod. "If it's normal size, it'll be easier to find. Let's check everywhere still wet from the attack."
The duo's small stature slows their ability to scour the area, similar to their experience back in Eientei.
"What's the worst case scenario here?" asks Seija while they walk.
"If we can't find my mallet, we're stuck like this," Shin explains. "The only ways to return to normal are for me to use it or for it to run out of power. In the latter case, I'd still be small since this is my original size. While the magic is being applied to you, it will consistently lose a slight amount of power for the duration."
"I imagine that low power drain will last a long time."
"Likely at least a few months."
"Fantastic. Let's keep looking."
Their searching proves fruitless over the next ten minutes.
I'd much rather not be tiny for months, though if I'm with Shin the whole time it wouldn't be so- What the heck am I saying? Get those weird thoughts out of here, being small means you can't enact your plans, Seija!
Eventually they spy a shimmer of gold on the ground amidst the trees.
There it is!
Before they can finish their approach, the sound of a slow violin solo from close by causes them to stop short. It produces a melancholic melody that resonates with the soul. Both partners find themselves entranced, taking in every single note. Each one to reach their ears is a call to let go of their worries and goals, to allow themselves to be enveloped by the music forevermore.
Who's playing that…? All I want is to keep listening…
…
Snap out of it! This must be a youkai's ability!
Seija manages to resist the enrapturing tune, however Shin is not as successful.
"Where are you going…?" the inchling asks, sitting in the grass.
Pulling her partner to her feet, Seija says, "C'mon Shin, we need to keep moving! Your mallet is right over there!"
"My mallet, right…"
It'll take at least a minute to drag her over there and I'm not sure how long I can keep moving. Dang it, think! …Hm, that might work provided my powers aren't too diminished by my size.
Seija puts one of Shin's arms around her to help keep the inchling steady and starts walking as quickly as they are able. The violin's tune becomes clearer the closer they get. Before she succumbs to the music, Seija attempts to reverse the tone and pitch of the song. All she accomplishes with her small stature is making it sound a bit off-key, however that reduces the effect enough that they make it to the Miracle Mallet.
"We're here. Now you just gotta use the mallet and make us big again," says Seija, placing Shin's hand on it.
"But… I don't really wanna do anything…" Shin collapses in Seija's arms. "Can't we just stay together like this forever…?"
"W-what?! I-"
With Shin on the brink, the music abruptly stops.
Huh?
"Peculiar," says a calm and collected voice from the same direction the music came from. "It suddenly went out of tune. Can't have that happening the day of a performance."
'Performance'? And the instrument was a violin. That has to be Lunasa Prismriver.
"There you are! Everything okay?" asks a slightly younger sounding voice.
"I was practicing out here so nobody would be affected by the music," Lunasa explains. "It was going well when my notes suddenly sounded off-key."
"You're right, that's weird. Should we examine your violin with Merlin and Raiko?"
"There's nothing else for it, I suppose. Let's go."
Lunasa and the other voice, who Seija assumes to be Lyrica Prismriver, fade away.
"They're gone, wake up," says Seija as she gently shakes her partner.
"Mmngh…" After a moment, Shin slowly opens her eyes to see Seija's concerned face staring down at her. "Seija? What happened?"
"You fell under the spell of Lunasa's music. We managed to reach your mallet, so you can return us to normal size now."
"Huh? Oh, right!"
Shin touches the Miracle Mallet and focuses, causing it to glow. A moment later, they rapidly expand to human-size.
"That was a very unlucky string of events," says a mentally worn-out Seija.
She wasn't kidding about that poverty god.
"I don't remember much of what happened while the song was playing," Shin says as she stretches her arms over her head.
That's… probably for the best.
Standing up, Shin continues, "But this doubly confirms that the Prismriver Ensemble is behind the event tonight. And that guarantees we're on the right track with thinking Hatate will show up."
"How do you figure?"
"Raiko Horikawa. If you recall, she's one of the tsukumogami my mallet created. She's known for abusing the news to give the band publicity. There are even rumors that the break-up and reformation the Prismrivers had four years ago was entirely staged by her, as that's when she officially joined."
"You're suggesting everything about this event was set up to maximize publicity, including attracting Choujuu Gigaku fans?"
Shin taps her head with her right index finger. "Exactly. I don't know if this collaboration is entirely in good faith or not, but no matter how you slice it there's zero chance Raiko wouldn't make sure all the major news outlets are covering it."
"You're very familiar with the inner workings of show business."
"Years of living alone means you find ways to fill the time. You said yourself that knowing how a society works is the best way to subvert it."
Something tells me this is less about our mission and more her just being into this kind of thing.
"We confirmed everything we needed to, so why don't we go home and relax until the concert?" asks Shin.
Cracking her neck, Seija replies, "After how eventful this morning was, no objections here."
Their departure is swift so as to avoid any further unwanted attention. So swift, in fact, that neither notices the slightest rustling of bushes near where they found the mallet. A certain tengu with protective ear muffs around her neck steps out, excitedly writing notes.