Entry 16: A War of Two Fronts


A reasonably sized group sat around the large, holographic table. Leaders from both Gensokyo and the Cosmic Era, preparing themselves for the battle to come.

"Everyone, let me first start by thanking all of you for coming," Lacus Clyne spoke. "To see so many allies before me... it's emboldening indeed."

Around the table stood many figures, including: Kira Yamato, Murrue Ramius, Natarle Badgiruel, Mu La Flaga, Athrun Zala, Cagalli Yula Athha, Andrew Waltfeld, Shinn Asuka, Hakurei Reimu, Kirisame Marisa, Motoori Kosuzu, Hieda no Akyuu, Hinanawi Tenshi, Kochiya Sanae, Yagokoro Eirin, Houraisan Kaguya, Reisen Udongein Inaba, and Yakumo Yukari.

"It's quite obvious that this fight involves more than just what's in arms reach," Natarle stated first. "Much of what you've told us already begs believe, but considering our lives for the past half a year, it's remarkably easy to accept."

"A good mentality to have," Yukari commented. "In Gensokyo, it is best that one abandons their old common sense for one that is more lenient to the supernatural."

Murrue nodded in agreement. "For now, though, let's go over what we know. Shinn, Lacus, and Cagalli, if you three would start us off?"

"Got it," Cagalli spoke up. "To boil it down to the basic of basics, the Cosmic Era was invaded by people from this dimension. Specifically, Lunarians, led by the woman known as Kishin Sagume."

"From what we heard," Shinn continued, "they have been doing this for the past three years, their time. Or... just Gensokyo time?"

"And it's not quite as simple as you might expect," Lacus added. "Rather than having just appeared at a single point and moved forward since then, the Lunarians have been jumping from one point in time to another. Rather than forward, they've been fighting by moving backwards in time, from one battlefield to another. One might think that simple enough, but... every time they've moved to their next battlefield, my spirit was dragged along, and dumped at one set period of time."

"February 14th, 70CE," Shinn muttered. "It's happened to me, as well."

"The Bloody Valentine Tragedy," Sanae said quietly. "As if that date couldn't get any worse for people..."

"So, wait," Reimu spoke up. "Does that mean you've been reliving the past three years for... how many times?"

"I lost count long ago," Lacus said. "I will say, though, that I have lived far longer than any human should have, Coordinator or otherwise." A sombre silence fell, before Lacus clapped her hands. "Now, shall we move on to the next article? Mu La Flaga, if you would?"

"Ah, right," Mu said, snapped out of it. "Roughly ten minutes before Cagalli and Shinn arrived, the Hakurei Shrine was visited by a girl from the Outside World, named Usami Sumireko. Said that the Outside was being attacked by Mobile Suits she described as 'Zaku's' and 'knockoff GMs', which, courtesy of Sanae, we've concluded were the same models of machines that the Lunar Rabbits were piloting."

"Which presents us with a choice, then," Kira spoke. "Or, more accurately, a split."

"Correct, Kira Yamato," Lacus said. "We cannot allow the Outside World to fall into disarray, and at the same time, we have a need to press the offensive front with the Lunarians."

"Playing defence and offence," Eirin noted. "Not an easy task, considering the forces you're up against. Tsukuyomi is a stubborn hard-hitter, and the Lunar Rabbits under the command of the Watatsuki Sisters are loyal to a fault. I'm afraid to say this, Shinn Asuka, but while your methods would work easily against someone was patriotic and self-centred as Sagume, it won't work out well against the Watatsuki's, if at all."

"But, I can't just..." Shinn tried to say, yet hesitated. This was war, after all, and he was, at the end of it, a soldier. If he couldn't kill, then...

"Then we just have to shoot to incapacitate," Athrun stated boldly. "Just because our enemy probably doesn't care for sparing lives, doesn't mean we should stoop to their level."

"I second that," both Kira and Reimu said simultaneously.

"I think it's pretty much a unanimous opinion," Murrue stated. "Now, though, is a matter of how we'll split up."

"The Eternal's not built for atmospheric travel," Waltfeld said, "so it'll have to be the ship to take the fight to the Lunarians."

"Getting it back up into space will be easy," Yukari added. "One little gap here or there, and poof."

"That just leaves the Archangel to handle things on Earth, then," Mu surmised. "Though, it wouldn't be too hard for us to work out some way to quickly get up to the moon of the need arises."

"You plan to cover 400,000 kilometres at the drop of a hat?" Cagalli asked sceptically. "You'd need a miracle for that to happen."

There was a strange, knowing silence between the residents of Gensokyo and the crew of the Archangel. One that was lost on the likes of Cagalli.

"Well, don't worry about that," Murrue said. "What we should discuss now, though, is who goes on what ship, and who stays behind in Gensokyo."

"It's simple, really," Reimu stated. "Those who crewed with the Archangel until now stay with them, and the same for the Eternal. The decision between the two falls upon people like Marisa and myself, who are more 'affiliates' rather than 'crew'."

"And I can already tell you're going wherever Shinn's going," Marisa spoke up. "So, in the interest of balance, I'll stick with Sanae and the Archangel."

"The princess and myself with go with the Eternal, while Reisen will travel with the Archangel" Eirin said. "I'm sure we can provide valuable tactical knowledge as former Moon Dwellers."

"I suppose this much is decided, then," Lacus said. "We begin this mission six hours from now, at 0700! Until then, your time is yours to use."

The room quickly emptied, leaving only Lacus and Yukari. Lacus attempted to take a step forward, yet immediately lost balance.

"My... apologies, Yukari," Lacus said weakly. "I... must not have my Earth legs, yet."

Yukari, in contrast to everything she'd shown to this point, looked sad. "You're running out of time, Lacus," she said softly, on the off-chance that someone was listening. "A human soul is not suppose to live as long as you have, not without a lifetime of training. You..."

"I'll be fine, my friend," Lacus replied. "It's just... a momentary weakness. That's all."

Yukari wanted to say it wasn't, yet bit the words back. Even if she said them, they wouldn't dissuasive Lacus from her mission.

As much as she tried to keep Reimu from forming emotional attachments to Outsiders, Yukari would be remiss to not call herself a hypocrite.


The 1AM air was chilly, despite it being the cusp of summer. Perhaps all nights before large-scale operations were like this.

Kira Yamato and Hinanawi Tenshi stood at the edge of the Misty Lake, looking up at the full moon above. To think, there was a direct line of sight to the 'enemy'.

"Getting nervous?" Tenshi asked. "You tend to stare off into space when you do."

"Can't really help it," Kira said. "Barely a day ago, I was an emotional wreck. Now, I'm going back out there to fight. It's... honestly kind of sad."

"Such is our life, unfortunately," came the sudden voice of Cagalli, as she approached the duo.

"Not going to try getting some sleep?" Kira asked. "From the sounds of it, you haven't had much chance to rest in quite a while."

"Right back at you," Cagalli responded, before looking at Tenshi. "I don't think we've properly met. Name's Cagalli."

"Tenshi," she responded curtly, before wrapping her arms around Kira's. "I'm not giving him to you."

Cagalli looked momentarily surprised, before she burst out laughing. "Oh... oh, you don't have to worry about that," Cagalli wheezed. "Trust me, it'd be way too awkward."

"Ouch. Right in the manhood," Kira muttered sarcastically.

After a moment, Cagalli's expression turned serious. "For real, though. There's something some people need to talk to you about," she said bluntly. "After all, this... might be their last chance."

"Their last chance? What do you mean?" Kira asked. In response, Cagalli waved a pair of people over, who approached hesitantly. As they got closer, though, he recognised them. "Mum? Dad?" he said hesitantly.

Caridad Yamato gave a small, sad smile. "Kira," she said. "I'm... so relieved to see you're alright."

Kira opened his mouth to try to speak, yet found no words came to him. Instead, with tears in his eyes, he ran up and hugged his parents.

"You've done so well," Haruma said softly. "As your family, we're so, so proud of you."

"I... I missed you two," Kira sobbed quietly. "I've missed you so much."

After a few minutes, things calmed down. "Okay, I'm... better now," Kira said, eyes slightly red. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Caridad said. "We'd be pretty lousy parents if we didn't console you. But, then again... what we have to tell you is... going to be rather harsh."

Kira had a concerned look on his face. "Well, it... can't be as bad as some of the stories I could tell you about my time here, I hope."

There was a mildly awkward silence, until Caridad produced a photograph from her pocket. "Well, first, we'd like you to see this."

Kira took the photo. On it, he was a brown haired woman with violet eyes, holding two newborn babies.

Tenshi peaked over his shoulder. "Say, that woman," she noted. "She looks kinda like you, Kira."

"She's... kind of familiar, too," Kira noted.

"Her name is Via Hibiki," Caridad said. "My sister, and... your real mother."

Kira... looked decidedly unsurprised. It wasn't that he wasn't surprised, it was just the fact that he was too use to odd things happening. "I... feel like I should be more shocked," Kira muttered. "Can I ask... what happened to her?"

"Blue Cosmos," Haruma answered sombrely. "Via's husband, Ulen Hibiki, was a leading scientist in Coordinator research. He had the goal of creating what is, in essence, the Ultimate Coordinator. To do that, he took one of the embryos from Via, and placed it in an artificial womb. That child was... you, Kira."

Kira showed more surprise than before, yet all the same, he didn't look overwhelmed by it all. "From... the sounds of it," he said hesitantly, "Via was against this?" His parents nodded in response. The question of 'what happened to the other child' popped into his head briefly, but a closer look at the second child in the photo caused him to draw a conclusion. That child, after all, had blonde hair and amber eyes. He looked over at Cagalli, who was just standing there, waiting for him to say it. "Are you... I mean, this is..."

"Finally getting that part?" she asked. "Gotta say, you're taking this better than I did."

Tenshi looked between the two, then the photo, before connecting the dots. "Wait, you're siblings?!" she exclaimed.

At the very least, Tenshi's overreaction got laughs out of everyone.

"Thank you, for telling me this," Kira said, looking back at Caridad and Haruma. "But, even then... even after all this, you're... you're still my parents."

The relief that washed over his parents was almost indescribable with word, as the two grabbed their son and pulled him into a tight hug.

Cagalli cast a glance at Tenshi, and noticing the rather lonely expression she had. An idea coming to mind, Cagalli grabbed the Celestial by the wrist. "Come on, you. You're getting in on this."

"Eh? What are you..?" Tenshi tried to say, before the hug between Kira and his parents opened, and wrapped themselves around her as if it was all planned from the start.

It was... remarkably warm. Tenshi wasn't sure if she could recall a time she'd felt this.


In the hanger of the Archangel, Athrun looked up at the 20ft tall machine that Suwako and Kanako had just brought in.

"So, this is the new and... improved, Hisoutensoku?" he asked, stretching the word 'improved' a bit. "It really does just look like it's been downsized."

"The only thing 'down' about it is its height, I assure you," Kanako stated. "It's power output remains the same. In fact, its smaller stature would make it faster and hit a lot harder."

"Double the value and half the size!" Nitori called out from the other side of the hanger. "Just the way we like it!"

Athrun chuckled lightly. "Still, how are we going to get the Archangel to the Moon when the time comes? Somehow, I doubt we can get our hands on a Mass Driver and a suitably powerful rocket."

"That is no problem at all," spoke an unfamiliar voice. Athrun looked, and saw a blonde haired woman dressed not unlike Yakumo Yukari, with the most noticeable difference being the nine fox tails she had.

"Ran-san, it's been a while," Suwako greeted. "I take it then that your going with the Archangel?"

"That is correct," Ran responded, before looking at Athrun. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Athrun Zala. I am Yakumo Ran. You've already met my master, Yukari-sama."

"The boundary manipulator?" Athrun asked. "So, you can use those same powers, then?"

"Indeed. Though I cannot twist concepts in quite the same way, opening Gaps from place to place is easy enough for me," Ran answered. "I have already discussed matters with your captain. I shall get this ship to the Outside world, and then to the Moon."

"Then, for the next few hours, you're part of the crew," Athrun said, holding out his hand. "Glad to be working with you, Ran."

Ran took the hand, and shook it. "Likewise, Zala-san."


In a different part of the ship, specifically the mess hall, Yzak and Akyuu sat at a table, discussing 'certain' matters.

"I see. So that's the truth, then," Akyuu muttered. "My death is caused by the very thing we believed prevented it."

"Only as far as we know," Yzak said. "This ain't exactly our area of expertise. I'd give us about an 80% chance of being right. 90 if we want to be optimistic."

"Well, if it doesn't work out," Akyuu said, "then that just means that, in my next life, I might be able to do something other than dedicate my life to the Gensokyo Chronicles."

Yzak humphed. "Can't say I've met anyone so dismissive about death like you," he said. "Is it something that comes with age?"

"Only when you've got memories that date back more than a thousand years," Akyuu said. "Having a sense of duty to drive you is all well and good, but after a while, it becomes... taxing. Houraisan Kaguya and Fujiwara no Mokou at least have their mutual hatred of each other for company, whereas for me... All I have is the Chronicle. The human spirit, after all, is not suppose to last for centuries on end."

"That so?" Yzak asked. "What happens when a normal human lives longer than they should?"

"Assuming they don't turn into a youkai? Not a pretty sight," Akyuu stated. "The most appropriate phrase for it would be 'the lights are on, but nobody's home'. The body needs a soul that have a certain level of vitality in it. Let's say that it was you, for instance; your soul would depart your body, as if you died, yet the body itself would still be alive, and the soul without substance. A person both alive and dead, and a spirit incapable of going to any afterlife. A flickering remnant of ember in a pile of ash. Truly, the worst way a person could go."

Yzak had a worried look on his face. "Is there... any way a spirit can get their substance back? Return life to it?"

"You'd have to be a God in order to do that," Akyuu said. "A powerful God, one that deals in creation. That sort of God could also patch up a spirit that had been torn to shreds by anything."

Yzak pondered for a moment. "Somehow, I doubt a God that convenient is on speed-dial for anyone."


Up in the rafters of the Archangel hanger, Dearka and Sanae just generally... hung around.

"You're not going to talk with him?" Dearka asked. "Athrun, I mean."

Sanae shook her head. "I missed my chance for that a long time ago," she said. "I've... come to terms with that."

"That so?" Dearka said. "Must be weird from your perspective, this whole 'characters you grew up watching coming into your world' thing."

"It really was," Sanae admitted. "A part of me wondered about the idea of pursuing that old crush I had on Athrun-san, but... I guess the part of me that saw the idea as weird held me back from it, and now Kosuzu-chan's taken that spot in his heart."

Dearka hummed lightly. "Never really got the hang of this whole 'relationship' thing," he said. "Athrun and Kira make it look so natural."

"It really is strange, huh?" Sanae laughed. "But, I always thought you and Miri-chan would have hit it off."

"What, love at first stab?" Dearka barked a laugh. "Nah, don't think so. We may have buried the hatchet, but I get the feeling she's looking more to the future than I am."

Sanae looked at him inquiringly. "Then, what are you looking towards?"

"Honestly? I dunno," he shrugged. "Fighting's all I've ever really focused on. I'm not a brains guy like the others."

"Then, after this is all over," Sanae said, "if you need help finding a path, you can stay at the shrine. I'd like to help, is that alright?"

Dearka looked at her in surprise, and smiled. "Yeah. That'd be nice."


On the bridge of the Archangel, Miriallia sat alone at her terminal, tapping away. Her job right now was to put together a precise list of everyone that was going to be onboard when the ship took off.

Sighing, Miri rolled her shoulders, working out the kinks in her muscles.

"Still going at it, Miri-chan?" came the voice of Hatate, who gently floating in to the room.

"Well, someone has to," Miri responded. "Things are going to be getting chaotic before too long, after all."

Hatate landed behind her, with a sad expression Miri could see in the reflection on her screen. "Miri-chan, when was the last time you took a proper break?" the Tengu asked. "Even after the battle with Okina half a year ago, you've not taken time to slow down."

"What are you talking about?" Miri asked. "I've been taking breaks."

"Liar," Hatate stated. "You've taken work breaks, but you're not taking proper days off."

Miri's fingers froze over the keyboard. "I... I don't know what you mean," she hesitated.

In response, Hatate wrapped her arms around Miri in a tight embrace. "In a few hours, we're... going to be going off into what might be the worst fight any of us have faced," she said. "There's no guarantee that all of us will return. You can't just go in like this, having not had the chance to let your hair down."

"I..." Miri hesitated. "I can't. If I do, then... then I won't be able to pay them back. Tolle... Sai... I wasn't able to do anything to save them. Kira, Athrun, Yzak, and Dearka... Mu and even Flay now... They're all out there, fighting, and I'm... I'm just sat at a desk. How can I relax, when... when they're carrying so much weight?"

Hatate's wrap on Miri tightened. "Did you know? Before I joined up with you guys, I... didn't have much in the way of friends. I was barely even competition to Aya before I joined you. You guys... you're more than just my friends now; your like a family to me. So, seeing you like this... it hurts."

Miri placed a hand on Hatate's arm. "I know, but... I don't think I know how to slow down now," she muttered. "I've been... trying so hard to keep up with them, that I... I've forgotten what it's like to take things easy."

"Then, we'll figure it out," Hatate said. "Together."


Within the captain's quarters of the Archangel was the trio of Mu, Natarle, and Murrue, all sat around the desk with a glass of whisky each.

"This'll no doubt be the last drink of alcohol we have in a while," Mu said. "Well, not like we can drink on the job."

"Nor have we been drinking this stuff all that much," Murrue responded. "Last time would have been the night after Athrun defeated Okina, I believe."

"The toast to Sai's life," Natarle said, before letting out a small sigh. "We've come a long way since Heliopolis, huh? Gaining unimaginable things, and losing irreplaceable allies."

"Performing impossible tasks, and cursing the things we have no control over," Mu added. "We humans really have it weird, huh?"

"And to think, most of this turned out the way it did because there was one kid who was good at programming," Murrue laughed. "I wonder, how bad would things have turned out if we didn't have someone like Kira?"

"Well, we'd probably have all died at Heliopolis, for starters," Mu stated. "The Archangel would have been sunk at port, the kids would have been on lifeboats, and those of us that didn't die would have probably ended up on different ships, if the chance reached us in time."

"How morbid," Natarle muttered. "Then again, if it wasn't for those kids, I'd easily be more of a hard-ass."

The three shared a laugh, until there was a knock on the door. "The door's open," Murrue called out.

The door slid open, and in stepped a blonde haired boy and red haired girl, both dressed in ZAFT uniforms.

Mu felt a strange, familiar pull on his mental strings when he saw the boy. "You two are the Eternal's main pilots, correct?" Natarle asked. "Is there something you need?"

"Rey here wanted to speak with someone on this ship," Lunamaria responded. "Couldn't tell ya why, though. He's been awfully cryptic about it."

"You're here to talk to me, right?" Mu spoke up. "I've been meaning to ask you about something myself."

"So, you noticed it, then?" Rey asked. "Can't say I'm surprised. I'd expect no less from the Hawk of Endymion."

"Do... you two know each other?" Murrue asked, looking between them. Strange, she found, that the two looked remarkably similar. Related in some way.

"We've never met in person," Rey answered. "If anything, I'd be more surprised if you did know about my existence."

Mu had a concerned look on his face. "Please tell me you're not an illegitimate child of mine," he said in a sort of beg. "You look about half my age, and I worry about how that would work. Don't know if you want to hear this, but I didn't exactly have much of a sex life and 14."

Rey's calm demeanour broke, as he cringed. "Did not need to know that," he muttered. "No, Mu La Flaga, I am not your bastard son. The truth is... a bit more screwed up than that." From his pocket, Rey produced three small data pads. "First, I want you to look at these, and tell me your conclusion."

Mu took the data pads, and looked at them. "DNA sequences?" he questioned. "Can't say I'm an expert on them, but..." Something about them caught his eye. As he looked closer and closer, he began to notice fewer and fewer differences between them. "Oh. Ohh, that's... Yeah, you weren't kidding."

"So, you figured it out?" Rey asked.

"Yeah, I think I did," Mu responded. "Three identical sequences of DNA between you, Rau Le Creuset, and... my old man, Al Da Flaga. You... you and Rau are clones of him, aren't you?"

This caused everyone, sans Rey, to react in shock. "That is correct," Rey said calmly. "The one level of genetic manipulation that remained banned, and the results of it are right here, before you."

"I always had a feeling that old bastard would be crazy enough to do it," Mu muttered. "So? What does that mean for you? You wanted to get something out of telling me, right?"

"You're not wrong, but..." Rey hesitated. "I don't know what I'd want from you. Ever since Captain Clyne took me in, I've had the freedom to choose, but... I don't know how."

"Rey, come on!" Luna said. "Haven't you always had choices?! Why would you feel like you're tied down like..."

"It's not our place to judge how someone feels about fate," Natarle said sagely. "The only one who truly understand your heart is yourself."

All eyes fell on Natarle at that point. "When did you become a philosopher?" Mu asked.

"Ten seconds ago," Natarle responded bluntly. "Try to keep up."

Mu gave Natarle the side-eye briefly. "Our... tactics officer's sudden philosophical tangent aside," he muttered, "she does have a point. It's not my place to decide what you should do with your life."

"But..!" Rey shouted suddenly.

Mu raised a hand, silencing him. "I may be able to do the impossible," he said, "but that doesn't mean I should be relied on to do it. Deciding ones fate should be left up to the individual, not others. Tell me, when you fight, what do you feel?"

Rey paused. "I... I don't know," he admitted. "It's... a job. Someone has to do it."

"And if not you, then someone else, who might do it badly?" Mu asked, to which Rey nodded. In response, Mu smiled. "Well, there you go. You're fighting to protect someone," he said. "You may not know who it is, and hell, they may not even know you exist at all. But, you're protecting someone. Think about the lives you're trying to save every time you pull that trigger, and think of piloting less as a job, and more as a duty. Got it?"

"What's the difference?" Lunamaria asked. "Isn't 'job' and 'duty' just different words for the same thing?"

"No, not quite," Rey said, looking deep in thought. "Treating it as a job is like... just being a cog in a machine. If it's your duty, then it's more... personal, right?"

Mu smirked, and patted the boy on the head. "There ya go. Make the job personal," he said. "An important thing you'd want to remember as well, kid: your genes only define you for so long. At some point, it's less about 'where you came from' and more about 'where you'll go'. How do you think I've managed to hold out this long?"


By the river connecting Youkai Mountain to the Misty Lake, an unusual trio of Flay Allster, Meer Campbell, and Kuzzey Buskirk, all stood before the grave of Sai Argyle.

"It's... true, then?" Kuzzey muttered. "Sai... and Tolle, too. They're both gone."

Flay nodded sadly. "Tolle put his life on the line to save Kira," she said. "As for Sai... We did everything we could to save him, but Matara Okina's machinations won out."

"That 'Secret God', right?" Meer asked. "Must have been hard, going up against a literal god."

Another nod. "The worst part was the fact that people that are now our allies; people that had their own baggage, were the ones we had to fight to save Sai."

Kuzzey grit his teeth. "I... I know I wouldn't have made much of a difference, but... Still, I should have at least been there..."

Meer put a hand on his shoulder. What was a person to say to someone who knew they couldn't have done anything, but regrets not trying to make a difference?

A set of footsteps echoed from behind, catching only Meer and Kuzzey by surprise. Flay, however, turned around calmly. "Hina," she said. "I was starting to wonder why you weren't on the ship."

"I've... had a bit on my mind," Kagiyama Hina admitted. "Thoughts I needed to sort out myself."

Flay felt as though she had an idea of where this conversation was going. "You're staying behind, then?" she asked.

Hina nodded. "I'm... not like Reimu-san, Marisa-san, or Sanae-san. I lack the strength to fight on the front lines like they do. Nor am I as determined as Kosuzu-chan or Hieda-sama to see the fighting up close. I'm just... a pestilence god that would bring misfortune on to the crew."

Flay opened her mouth to say something, yet found she had no argument to make. "I wouldn't be able to convince you otherwise, could I?" she asked. "I'm... sure Sai would have tried to find some point to argue, but..."

"You knew Sai?" Kuzzey asked. "How?"

"We were... close, for a time," Hina answered bashfully. It wasn't hard for Kuzzey to draw the right conclusion from that.

"So, what's all this mean, then?" Meer asked. "Pestilence god? So, what, you absorb misfortune? Or do you dish it out?"

Flay and Hina shared a brief look. "Yes," they both said.

Meer gave the two a flat look. "Walked right into that one, huh?"

A short laughter filled the air. "Still, I don't want to just sit back and not contribute," Hina said. "To that end, Allster-san, there's something I want you to have."

From one of her pockets, Hina produced a small case, and handed it to Flay. She opened it, and found it contained two vials filled with an ominous, familiar black substance.

"What is that?" Kuzzey asked, leaning over. "It looks kinda like tar."

"Misfortune," Flay realised. "This is condensed misfortune, isn't it?"

"It is," Hina admitted. "The Lunarians have a strong aversion to impurities, which is what allows them to live as long as they do. With Eirin-sensei's help, we concocted... this. Ironically named 'Purified Impurities'."

"You went for that name solely because it was contradictory, didn't you?" Meer said.

"Eirin-sensei's idea," Hina said. "I was personally wanting to go with 'Condensed Evil'."

"Edgy," Meer muttered.

Hina paid little mind to the comment. "Allster-san, this is the best I can do to help," she said. "Please, don't let anyone else die out there."

Flay held the case of vials close to her chest. "I'll do what I can," she replied. "I may not be the strongest part of the team, but... I won't let them down."


Within the hanger of the Eternal, Shinn Asuka and Hakurei Reimu sat and watched as the Kappa salvaged parts of the Destiny to retrofit onto the Impulse. A sort of 'Destiny Impulse', they called it.

"This might be my first time seeing this kind of work up close," Reimu commented. "It's certainly different."

"That's one way of putting it," Shinn laughed. "I need to ask, though; how do you plan to fight? I mean, we're going to be in space."

"Please, this isn't my first time to the moon," Reimu said. "Or my second, really. Fighting up there's no problem for us."

Shinn opened his mouth to say something, yet closed it a second later. "Never mind," he said. "I should know better than to question how you can fight in space, where there's no oxygen."

"Well, we did also do battle in a... what was it called again? Anoxic zone? Something about a lack of air underground," Reimu added.

Shinn looked fittingly shocked. "How is it that I've died more than you?" he asked. "I may be a Mobile Suit pilot, but at least I have several inches of armour plating and a suit designed to handle the vacuum of space."

"Well, there was one time I was dragged to Hell," Reimu said. "Would that make us even?"

A small sound escaped Shinn's throat. "Don't be surprised, Shinn," he told himself. "This shit obviously happens more than you know."

Footsteps echoed behind them. "My, but you two get along well," a familiar voice said. "Enough to make me a bit jealous, I think."

The two looked back, and had expressions of fear and exasperation. "What do you want, Yukari?" Reimu sighed. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something?"

"Don't worry, I won't take long," Yakumo Yukari said. "I just wanted to ask the young man a question."

"So I'm 'young man' now, and not 'Eloper'?" Shinn muttered. "Fine. Ask your question, then."

Yukari's smile shifted into something ominous. "Tell me, then: How did you get back to the Cosmic Era?" she asked. "The Beast Spirits of that realm should have torn your soul to shreds. The chances of you surviving the Animal Realm alone were not merely 'impossibly close to zero'; there was no way you could have survived, period."

"You did WHAT?!" Reimu yelled. "Why the hell would you do that?!"

"My reasons are, as of recent, irrelevant," Yukari said. "I needn't say more."

"You were against the Hakurei Shrine Maiden being with an Outsider, weren't you?" Shinn asked. Yukari looked momentarily surprised, but nodded with a knowing smile. "Figured as much. I've had plenty of time to think about why you did the things you did. In the end, it all boiled down the simple fact that I'm an X-factor; an unknown."

"My, how sharp of you," Yukari said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd wonder if you were starting to think us similar."

"If we're not similar in at least some regard," Shinn continued, "then why do you look like your heart's about to break?"

The words hung like led and struck like an arrow. Yukari's expression became largely unreadable. "Perhaps it was a mistake to strike up conversation," she muttered, and began to walk away.

Before she could leave the hanger, however, Shinn spoke up once more. "I was saved," he called, "by a Goddess who loved humans, there in the Animal Realm. She patched up my shredded soul, and when she saw an opportunity, launched me through a hole in the Boundary you overlooked."

There was a brief pause, and no doubt, Yukari had muttered something ineligible, before the door closed behind her.

It was something unseen by all, but one could tell easily that there was now some sort of kinship between the two.


An alarm began to blare. 0700 hours had been reached.

Aboard both the Archangel and Eternal, everyone was at their stations; from the mechanics in the hangers and engine rooms, the CIC operators at their desks, and the pilots in their machines.

At the camp set up on the shore of the Misty Lake, those that would remain watched on as the two ships took to the skies. From Mayu Asuka, Miyu, Kagiyama Hina, Cirno and the rest of Team Nine, Kazami Yuuka, and the Moriya Gods.

"This is a message to all operatives!" came Lacus Clyne's voice. "We are now beginning the greatest battle of our lives. It would not be remiss of me to say that the fate of the entire world hangs on this coming conflict.

"I will not lie, for those of us from the Cosmic Era, this isn't a fight to return home. We've already lost our world. But, we can still defend this one; we can still call it home!"

From there, Murrue picked up the speech. "This coming war will be the most dangerous we've faced yet," she said. "The Lunarian forces will give us no quarter. Their foot-soldiers may very well be fighting against their will. We'll have an uphill battle ahead of us, trying to spare what enemy pilots we can while making sure they won't turn around and shoot us in the back. It'll be hell, but if we don't fight like this, then we'll be no better than the enemy we seek to defeat."

"This war will be agregious," Lacus continued. "The odds of any of us dying out there are much higher than any of us would like. But we mustn't falter! Should we give up now, no doubt will the Lunarians wipe out everyone that calls Gensokyo -nay, calls Earth home! For them, we must fight!" Cheers erupted from everyone who was listening. Lacus allowed herself a small smile, relieved to have such comrades. "Captain Ramius, if you would do the honours?"

"By all means, Captain Clyne," Murrue responded. "Yakumo Yukari and Yakumo Ran! You may open the Gaps!" At her order, two tears in reality formed, one in front of each ship. "From this point on, we are not fighting as Naturals, Coordinators, humans, or youkai; we are as one. One home, one people. This mission shall be named accordingly, and I sincerely hope to see each and every one of you again once this is all over. Now..."

"Operation Genos: Start!"


A/N:

And... title drop! You know, I find it rather amusing that the title of this series is actually a typo that I decided to run with. The original plan was to call it 'Operation Genso', which would have made sense in a general thematic sense, but when I was setting up the folder for this, I accidentally put the o before the s, and here we are.

Well, at least 'Genos' still works thematically (definition being kin, species, lineage, family, ect.), so all is not lost there.

Now, let's head onwards. The final fights are coming up, after all.