~Eastern Retrospective of About a Month~
"Well, ladies and additional ladies, we did it. Three whole months without the Human Village being destroyed." Keine smiled wearily and poured Kanako a glass of aged plum wine.
"And I'm glad we managed it. You know, there hasn't been a day when Sanae wasn't out doing some heroic deed or another," said Kanako. She took the bottle and poured out a glass for Miko. "She didn't even spend a day in bed when she had that cold! And those doomsday cultists caught it off her!"
"Those poor saps. I didn't have any trouble knocking them senseless with my bare hands." Miko couldn't help but smile as she accepted the bottle. "Byakuren, you won't want any of this, right?"
"There's tea as well," said Keine. "Here, let me give you some."
Byakuren held out her glass and winced as the tea raised it to a painful temperature. "Thank you. Now, I don't mean any offence, but we shouldn't let this be about personal accomplishment. We're all working for peace and love and closer ties between humans and youkai-"
"You mean to protect humans from youkai," said Miko firmly.
"That is important to an extent," Keine piped up, "but the relationship doesn't have to be a one-sided one of fear and hatred. Anyway, let's not get into-"
"Do you want an eternal war?" asked Byakuren. "Because it sounds like you want an eternal war."
"Don't your beloved youkai need an eternal war to survive?" said Miko smugly.
"I-! No! Weaning every youkai in the world off fear is completely plausible!" snapped Byakuren.
"Sort of like how it's plausible for Shou not to forget that pagoda?" smirked Miko.
"Anyway," began Keine.
"You know perfectly well she had it with her that day! The newspapers lied!" said Byakuren angrily. "And besides, it was you who had to repair some sacred teapot using chocolate spread."
"It was PEANUT BUTTER, you tosser!" screamed Miko. "Need I remind you it was one of your lot who lost the Jewelled Tree?!"
"Anyway," began Kanako.
"Shou did nothing wrong! It was your legless wife who sneezed that tree right into the sodding canyon!" roared Byakuren.
"Honestly, this is the problem all you idiots have!" Miko ranted. "You come up with all these pie-in-the-sky plans for putting the world to rights and ending all society's problems, but no practical solutions grounded in reality!"
"Moving on from that," began Keine.
"Grrrr…" fumed Byakuren. "And just what would you call a practical solution? Turning the village into a military dictatorship which just happens to be led by you?! Don't try and lie to me, Miko, you just want a neverending war between youkai and humans so you can unite everybody under your banner!"
Miko scoffed. "And they call you the good-natured one."
"All right, then. Swear on your honour as a Taoist that you don't have any desire to fan the flames of violence and make yourself the leader of Gensokyo."
"…Um." Miko considered it. Then she drew her sword and laid into Byakuren.
Keine put her head in her hands. Kanako poured her some sake.