Author's Note:

Phew, a little bit of a wait on this one. Took some time fine-tuning it, but I'm happy with how this chapter came out. Hope you all are too!

~ STAGE 17: Retry ~

[START]

The next morning, Luka heard something that nearly made her choke on her egg rice.

"You—" she coughed, lightly pounding her chest, "—want to help me?"

Kasen nodded, calmly beating together her own bowl with a pair of chopsticks. "Yes, that's right." She replied, eyes focused squarely on making sure she properly mixed the soy sauce, egg, and rice in her bowl.

"But," Luka set her bowl down, "weren't you the one who wanted me to stop and give up yesterday?"

"Didn't I say I was in the wrong for that already? You didn't forget, did you?"

"No, I—ugh." Luka groaned. "Your complete one-eighty is kind of throwing me off here. What's the deal?"

"I just made up my mind on it. That's it." As if there was nothing more to say, Kasen cheerfully ate. Chewing so nonchalantly, savoring the flavor without a care in the world.

Luka took a minute to assess her current reality, just to make sure she hadn't somehow gotten transmigrated to some other fold of space-time where everyone but her was crazy. Alas, same reality.

"... Yeah, okay. Welcome to the party, I guess." If Kasen had chosen this on her own, it couldn't be helped. It wasn't like she was in a position to turn down help. Deftly handling her chopsticks and plucking some rice, "Can I ask why, at least?"

"Hmm." Kasen chewed thoughtfully. "Your situation is familiar to me, that's all."

"That's really it?" Luka eyed her.

"Aha…" She laughed sheepishly, but didn't answer.

Suspicious. What did she mean by that? Luka tried to guess, but lacked any foresight into Kasen's character to make a judgment. Maybe hermits simply had their own problems. Regardless, getting humbled the previous day did wonders for Luka's suspension of disbelief.

Chew, chew. The rice was a little bland by itself. Seeing how Kasen did it, Luka mixed the ingredients together vigorously, balancing the ratios with careful precision. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Let's finish eating first. A good breakfast is the cornerstone of any busy day."

Luka watched as the hermit heartily ate. Kasen's bowl was twice the size of Luka's, mainly because Luka had turned down the offer of a larger serving. Her image of hermits was that of someone who ate very little and meditated all day; a frail-looking bag-of-bones. Kasen contrasted greatly with that idea, her figure more full and healthy with some faintly defined muscle tone lining it. Maybe it was an outdated stereotype? Living alone did necessitate cooking for oneself, after all.

Finishing her bowl around the same time Kasen did, Luka clasped her palms together, "Thank you for the meal," then locked eyes with Kasen. "So, plan time?"

Kasen nodded. "Our end goal is to reach the top of the mountain and ascend to Heaven." Luka forced herself to not comment on how Catholic that sounded. "You're certain that's where Suika is, right?"

"It's the last place someone on the mountain saw her heading, as far as I'm aware. So, unless she got lost or someone stopped her…"

"No, she would have made it." Kasen stated matter-of-factly. "There's not much that can stop her if she puts her mind to something." She paused. "Or, so I've heard. Her reputation is quite infamous."

"I got that impression."

Kasen tapped her chin. "Of course, to get there ourselves, we'll need to pass through tengu territory."

Luka recalled her previous scuffle. "I'd like to avoid the violent route, if that's alright with you…"

"Do I seem like that kind of person?" Kasen scowled.

"Not really, but everyone here likes to fight all the time." Luka meekly gestured to herself. "I'm just a fragile little flower, you know?" If a journalist could knock her out cold, anyone higher up on the chain would probably break her in half with a sneeze.

"Hmph." Kasen cracked a smirk. "Indeed, you're very weak. Just another reason why we'll be going with a different approach. Something only I can do."

"Ooh, some secret hermit knowledge?" Finally, some of Gensokyo's magic turned for her benefit! "Let me guess, some hidden passage in the mountain even the tengu don't know about? Some special technique to hide ourselves as we sneak by, undetected?"

"No, none of those. It's actually much simpler."

"What is it? C'mon, spill it!"

Kasen smiled confidently. "We'll knock on the front door."

Luka remembered a certain discourse. 'It would solve a lot of issue if they just flew the eagles there.' 'Why don't they just fly on the eagles there?' Well, obviously because there'd be no narrative satisfaction to it. It would've been way too easy. Stories sucked if there was no conflict to resolve.

That was the thought Luka carried with herself as she rode an giant, car-sized eagle up the Youkai Mountain. It was too easy. Too simple. That should've soothed her nerves, but instead it just agitated them. Her life was rarely ever that easy. Something had to go wrong.

"Your squirming is making it hard for Kume to fly straight, you know." Kasen commented, standing upright at the front of the giant bird. She hardly budged against the turbulent winds. "Haven't you rode an animal before?

"They didn't exactly teach us how to ride giant birds back home." Luka complained. "I'm licensed for passenger cars, not cryptids!"

"You're not the one flying him, so just sit still. We'll be there soon enough."

Gripping a bird that was shooting up a mountain wasn't really easy, but she managed. She just had to push the thought of falling out of her mind, as usual.

"So, uh, you've got an actual plan here, right?" Luka called out. "Cuz I'm pretty sure the tengu are gonna notice—"

"Stop!"

A voice like a bark, the actors waiting for their cue shot out from the mountainous curtains; a pack of women with swords and wolf ears surrounded them from every angle. Each of them bore matching uniforms of white-and-black—a theme among the tengu, it seemed. What set these ones apart was what looked like small patches of light armor layered atop their clothing, as if they were expecting a fight. At their cry, Kume braked, flapping idly in midair.

"You are trespassing upon tengu territory!" One with short white hair stepped forward, raising a shield with a red leaf symbol on it. "Turn back immediately! This is your final warning."

Luka got the image of a pack of wolves, all baring their teeth and snarling. Seeing their reflection in the drawn blades, she knew she would have heeded their order instantly. Kasen, on the other hand, stood tall. "I am Kasen Ibara. I mean you no harm."

"A pleasure to meet you." The white wolf scowled. "Now leave."

Kasen shook her head, polite yet firm. "I'm afraid I can't. I've come to speak with Tenma."

At the last word, the wolf's ears twitched. An emotion between anger and fear flickered across her face. "Lord Tenma doesn't take guests. I suggest you—"

"They owe me a favor."

Before the white wolf could finish her sentence, Kasen extended an arm out and opened her palm. What emerged from it was something Luka could only describe as a 'feather'. It wasn't just some plumage, though. Its form reminded her of a storm; some black, cloudy thing that crackled with an otherworldly power. It even floated above Kasen's palm, as if it were some stuffy manager demanding attention.

The wolf looked like she'd swallowed her tongue whole and was trying not to choke on it. Hushed whispers started to erupt among the crowd that had formed around them, until eventually the head guard dog gathered her composure and cleared her throat.

"This... is not a trick, is it?" She studied Kasen's offering like someone trying to authenticate a bar of solid gold.

"I've no reason to play tricks on Lord Tenma, or their subordinates."

She watched Kasen's expression for a few moments, likely searching for some sign she was bluffing. None came. "The girl behind you?"

"A companion. She's currently accompanying me," Kasen glanced back at Luka, "but she has no need to join me in speaking with Tenma."

Luka didn't argue with that last sentence. (Hey, fine by me. Talk to the scary tengu boss yourself!)

"... Hrm. Come. We will need to sort this matter out at the village."

Just like that, with a single exchange the tengu security forces went from a converging attack squad to a loyal escort. Luka barely had enough time to blink.

Kasen glanced back at her, seeing Luka's shocked expression and smiling. "You'd be wise to trust my methods. I usually have a plan, unlike a certain girl who tries to fly to Heaven without even knowing how to fly."

Luka huffed, but bowed her head in defeat nonetheless.

Led by a pack of wolves, the trio flew further up, ascending higher and higher. The skyscraper-sized waterfall at the mountain's center splashed by, water reflecting brilliant and colorful light. Zooming by, Luka could see various other wolf tengu emerging from the waterfall to peer up at them as they flew by. Seeing their escort, none pursued, a few even returning to a small table on a cliff jutting along the side and resuming an odd-looking board game.

Racing by her previous record made Luka a bit anxious, as she watched the clouds above grow just a little bit closer.

"How high does this thing go...?" She muttered.

"Higher than Fuji, at least." Kasen commented.

"The tallest mountain in Japan? How'd Gensokyo end up with something so huge?"

"It's a long story. You could ask the goddess who lives at the top, if you want to know that badly."

"... I think I'll pass."

The wolves stopped at a thin opening in the towering mountain, carved in the shape of a tall 'U' by a smaller plunging waterfall. Threading into it, they followed, the dark hole seeming to cut out all light—

"W-Whoa, what the—" Luka complained, losing sight of where they were. Even the wolf tengu were hard to make out.

"Kume, just keep flying straight." Kasen spoke, unflinching. The bird beneath them seemed to understand, remaining steadfast. Through the darkness they went, until eventually a light broke through like sunlight at the break of dawn. They passed through it like an door, and into the open air.

What Luka saw from there frankly amazed her.

It looked almost like someone had crammed a city into a small canyon. Quite literally, in both size and architecture. A flowing river threaded throughout split apart a masterwork of vertical architecture. Though the mountain terrain it was balanced on seemed too precarious for humans to build, that clearly hadn't stopped the tengu. Supports and pillars made with what almost looked like modern architectural techniques, all placed in seemingly impossible ways to unhold an impossible, multi-layered city.

In a region like Gensokyo, it was as out-of-place as it could get for Luka.

"Welcome to the Tengu Village." The white wolf spoke. "Stay close, lest we presume ill intent."

Off they went, leading the way. Kume followed after then a bit hesitantly, seeming to glance up at Kasen. Kasen soothed the bird, before looking out at the grand city. She seemed just as surprised by how it looked as Luka, which made her feel a little less insane.

"They've certainly been busy, haven't they..." She mused aloud.

The group slowly descended into the city, floating over the top-most layer and flying past several small buildings. Glancing at their surroundings, Luka watched as several black-winged tengu zipped by. More crows, darting around from place-to-place, each one seeming busy with their own work. Notepads and scraps of paper flew around, buzz and chatter accompanying them. It seemed like everyone was too occupied with their own chaos to even slow down for the out-of-place eagle flying by. The most they'd gotten was a brief glance, followed by a highly familiar 'Not my problem' head shake before they resumed their daily work.

If one of the human villagers came here, their head would probably explode from sensory overload. As for Luka, she was feeling a little homesick again.

"Momiji Inubashiri!" A voice called, and suddenly someone materialized in front of them as if slicing into the space. Floating idly, A tall, lithe woman with long gray hair and alert wolf ears was glaring at them Her uniform seemed to match the other wolves but carried several small embellishments to it.

Notably, the moment her call came, all of the wolf tengu that had been escorting them heeled at-once. In particular, the white-haired one that had been leading them (presumably Momiji) flinched. "Great Tengu Gin." She bowed deeply.

Gin approached them, looking like she was about to bite someone's head off. "What's the meaning of this? Have you lost your wits?!" She glared at Momiji. "For your sake, I should hope you have reason to be escorting outsiders to our village like this!"

(What a hardass...) Luka thought.

Momiji winced, but forced herself to stand upright. "They bear one of Lord Tenma's plumes, Great Tengu."

That seemed to give the irate woman pause. Gin turned to Kasen and Luka, her eyes communicating an intense 'The hell did you just say?' energy. Meeting her glare with a calm and patient stare, Kasen produced the storm-cloud feather and held it for the woman to see. Almost instantly, she snatched it from Kasen's hand and inspected it with immediate suspicion, as if hoping she'd be able to crush the fake and expel the intruders right away.

"..." But, she didn't get that. Her expression slowly morphed from suspicion, to dawning realization, to a lesser glare than what she had prior. She turned it to Kasen once more. "Lord Tenma has not lent favors in centuries. Where did you get this?"

"If I were to communicate the history of your Temna's debt to me, I may end up saying too much. Just consider me a humble hermit and an old friend to your lord. It would be much less trouble to Tenma that way."

Kasen's words seemed polite, but they carried a sternness. She wasn't arguing her case. She was simply stating it, like harsh reality crushing a deluded sense of authority. Gin tried to match her calm stare, but it seemed even she was realizing Kasen was not bluffing in the slightest. This was her sincerely speaking the truth.

"..." Gin relented. "I will need to notify them of their arrival. Allow me to find you a place where you might rest until they are ready to receive you." With a gesture, she called the other tengu to her and began dispatching orders to them.

Watching all of that unfold so quickly, Luka felt a brief chill. "... Kasen, you're kind of scary."

Kasen simply smiled pleasantly as Gin called them over and led them to a waiting area.

With a gentle hop off Kume's back, Luka touched down on a wooden deck. Plenty of benches and places to relax, with something that looked bizarrely like a vending machine resting at one end. Once they had landed, Gin stepped in front of them with three remaining wolf tengu at her side.

"I will notify the appropriate parties of your arrival and of your appointment. Inubashiri and the others will watch you until my return. You are free to wander this deck, but no further. " With those firmly spoken words, Gin leapt into the air and soared off. The wolf tengu then entered a standby position, watching the three guests intently.

"..." Kume again didn't emote, but Luka got a feeling he was a little uncomfortable. He folded his wings, seeming to sit with a bit of exhaustion.

"I know, this won't take long." Kasen gently pet the bird's beak. "Just rest for now. Here, let me take a look at you..."

Luka decided to leave Kasen to look after her pet. Feeling a little thirsty, she made for the vending machine. A logo looking like a cartoon girl with a green cap flashing a thumbs-up and sticking her tongue out greeted her at the keypad. Otherwise, it looked just like a normal vending machine.

"... This place is so weird." Shaking her head, Luka fished through her bag, only... "Oh, right. Crap." Her lunch and also her money were gone, one of those a willing donation. With a sigh, Luka opted to instead spend her break leaning against the railing of the wooden deck and staring out into the village surrounding them.

Seeing it at ground-level only affirmed how similar to a modern city the place looked. It obviously wasn't a one-to-one comparison—the aesthetics still echoed those of the Human Village—but it almost looked like the people who built it were drawing technology and inspiration from outside of Gensokyo. A 'haphazard appropriation' might've been a good description.

The hustle-and-bustle seemed just the same, too. Though instead of cars zipping by on busy streets, most tengu in a hurry were simply taking flight in whichever direction. Everyone else simply walked, the chaotic mix of noise making eavesdropping on any single conversation impossible.

As she people-watched, Luka's eyes eventually lingered on a larger square building. The buzz seemed to concentrate around it, with tengu darting in and out every few minutes. There was some subtle differences in how each one dressed, but the general outfit seemed a match for Aya's. Tengu journalists, maybe?

Soon after she had that thought, a tengu walked out of the building with an exhausted groan and slumped shoulders. Her demeanor heavy, she leaned against a wall, almost looking ready to flop over and die. Luka stared blankly at her, eyes lingering purely by coincidence. Incidently, their gazes met and the respective stares reached the full distance, both participants sharing a thought: 'She looks familiar...'

…

"Oh, shit." Luka muttered.

Almost instantly, the crow was in her face, incredulous. "You?!" Practically teleporting over with her exhaustion nowhere to be seen, Aya was back again to annoy Luka. "You, how did you, why are you—"

"Hey, feather-face." Luka flashed a smile, tempering her irritation with the satisfaction of seeing Aya so flustered. "Figured I'd swing by the village and see some sights while I was here. Thanks for the bath, really helped me cool off. "

Fittingly, Aya's feathers looked very ruffled. Immediately, she began searching for some kind of answer to her questions, only to be greeted by an angry-looking white wolf marching up to them.

"Aya!" Momiji's voice cut in, quite literally, as she drew her sword. "That's quite far enough, crow!" She practically snarled.

"Oh, good. The ever-loyal faithful mutt of the Great Tengu." Aya made a shooting motion with her hand. "Can't you see we're busy? Go bark at something else."

Momiji growled (not really helping her dog comparisons). "You're the one intruding on official business! I won't have the information corps nosing around like they always do." A downright venomous glare. "This woman here is a guest, under the Great Tengu's order no less."

"'Under the Great'—" Aya coughed, shooting Luka a look and being met with a playful wave. Oh, she could get used to this feeling. "Are you serious? Is that Great Tengu of yours out of her mind?"

"How dare you! You prattling bird!"

"Flea-ridden dog!"

Their bickering continued, Luka sitting back and enjoying the show. It was nice to see Aya so out-of-sorts for a change, though this was probably about to erupt into a fight. Right as it seemed like it was about to, though, a voice boomed overhead.

"What I do is not your concern, Shameimaru." The source landed right next to them, revealing itself to be a returning Gin. Off in the distance, Luka saw Kasen glancing over, likely wondering why their contact had flown right past her. "'Out of my mind', am I? You had best know your place, crow. You don't have any say in this matter."

Luka expected Aya to pick another fight, but when she turned to see the sparks she found something else. An expression she'd never seen Aya wear before. Like a heeling, anxious dog that had just been whipped, Aya seemed to shrink in the Great Tengu's presence. "A-Ah, you heard that. I—I just thought that, perhaps..."

"'Perhaps' what?" Gin's eyes narrowed.

"This girl, she's clearly not... supposed..." Aya grew smaller and more quiet with each word, almost whispering. It felt like Gin's very presence was suffocating her.

"You can stop there." Gin cut her off. "It isn't your job to think. Follow orders as you are told. Is it that difficult for you to remember?"

Growling, snarling, she tore into Aya. It didn't help that, physically, Gin towered over the black-haired tengu. Her words were coldhearted and overbearing, and she looked mere inches from reaching out and mauling Aya with her teeth. A giant wolf glaring down an injured bird stupid enough to come close. Aya said nothing against her, merely stepping back and lowering her head.

"I..." Aya struggled.

Gin's voice reminded her of a knife against a grindstone. "Do you need a reminder?"

Finally, Luka gave in to her itch.

"Actually," she stepped between the two with a relaxed smile. "this is all one big misunderstanding."

At once, all three pairs of eyes turned on her, their glares mutual in their single target.

"What?" Gin boomed.

Luka swallowed. (Okay, poker face. Let's try this again.) "See, I scheduled a meeting with Aya previously. We had an interview planned yesterday you see, and certain events made it difficult for me to meet with her, and I ended up forgetting..." She glanced back at Aya.

Gin looked at Aya for confirmation. The crow tengu froze, her gaze meeting Luka's. "Ah, y-yes... We did."

"An... interview." Gin squinted.

"Yes, exactly! Since I missed it the previous day, and now I was suddenly showing up unannounced, it caused a bit of confusion for Aya." Luka bowed politely. "I'm sorry for the commotion, I really didn't know how to speak up about it when things escalated there..."

Gin seemed to warily study them both, as if searching for a reaction. Luka held her ground, wearing a trustworthy smile for as long as she could.

Thankfully, as she started to worry Gin was going to crack her lie wide open, a savior walked over. "Excuse me, what's going on here?" Kasen said, an eyebrow raised.

Kasen's arrival seemed to snap Gin from her thoughts. "Nothing. A trivial matter hardly worth mentioning." The Great Tengu frowned at the two. "Regardless, this really is not the time to be catching up on an interview. You can settle the matter later, after I have taken her to where she needs to go."

Luka's inner self let out a sigh of relief. (Phew, now we segue into—)

"Actually," Aya spoke up, "if you don't mind, ma'am, we can do a walk-and-talk." (What are you doing?!)

Gin looked frustrated, like a manager being asked some stupid question at closing hours. Her brow furrowed. "... Fine. But when I say, the interview ends. Is that clear?"

"Like a crystal!" Aya forced a salute and a smile.

With that, Luka and Kasen climbed atop Kume. Gin, after dismissing Momiji and the remaining wolf tengu, took flight and led their way. Following closely behind was Aya, floating next to Luka at the rear. With the tengu village flying past them, the interview began. Naturally, the tengu didn't play soft with her questions.

"If I might add it onto my 'original questions'," Aya snuck a glance at Gin, confirming the Great Tengu wasn't watching or listening, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm actually a tag-along here." Luka jutted a thumb to Kasen. "She's here to see the 'Tenma', or something." She raised her hands in surrender. "Not my plan, ask her."

At the word 'Tenma', Aya tensed like Luka had just vocalized the name of some eldritch entity. She snuck a glance to Kasen, who looked back and smiled innocently. "A meeting with Tenma... I see." Oddly, Aya's pen didn't start writing, and she merely gawked at her own blank notebook in consideration. "I'll opt to not poke into that for now." She tapped her pen against her chin, going silent for a few seconds.

Luka blinked. "Wow. The great Aya Shameimaru's out of questions already?"

"Thinking of which to ask first, thank you!" She glared. "... I'm also just a little surprised, is all. You remembered 'our deal'." A shady glance aimed at Gin. "You could've easily forgotten it completely, or just let it go unmentioned. Why bring it up like that?"

"I dunno." Luka shrugged. "It'd bug me if I didn't."

That was as far as Luka understood it. It was an itch. She scratched it. That was all.

"... Oh?" That didn't seem to satisfy Aya. Actually, she was scowling all of a sudden. "A trade, is it? You want something from me?"

"The hell did you get that idea from?"

"Hmph." Aya shook her head. "Just name your price, and I'll pay. It'd bother me if I left that debt hanging over my head." She clicked her pen impatiently.

Seeing her staring so intently like that, Luka got the impression Aya wasn't going to back off. With a sigh, "Info for info, then. We can talk tengu trivia while we interview."

"Hoho. Intelligence on us, I should've guessed." Aya looked as if she were adding a sticky note to a conspiracy board.

"... I'm seriously gonna have to ask you to clear out whatever mental image of me you've got. It's not that serious."

The 'interview' largely ended up being a normal conversation. Luka questioned her about general tengu culture, with Aya mostly answering with surface-level responses.

"Hanataka tengu, wolf tengu, crow tengu, Great tengu… These sound like job descriptions." Luka commented. "Wait, this village isn't like one big company, is it?"

Aya shrugged. "Finances, security, information, management. Everyone has their job and what they do. It's… how our society works." Luka sensed an underlying frustration hidden beneath her words. "Isn't it similar in the Outside World?"

"I dunno. I worked in a bar back home." Luka glanced back at Gin. "But, it might be closer than you think."

"Hm." Aya frowned.

"That aside…" Luka said. "Is it fine for you to be telling me this? This 'inner-workings' stuff feels a little dangerous to be throwing around."

"Eh, this much is public knowledge already. I haven't told you anything we didn't already forward down to that recorder in the village."

The rest of their conversation centered around Luka. This time, a more honest recap of Luka's reasons for climbing the mountain. Aya listened dutifully, her pen moving briskly as they spoke. There was probably going to be a weird headline within the week. Luka was just going to have to endure it.

"I see, I see… This is juicy stuff." Aya nodded thoughtfully. "I don't get the odd timeline, but the memories sound like those of a mountain youkai." She studied Luka. "Of course, I don't recognize you, and I've seen plenty of important faces…"

"Yes, I get it, I'm unimportant. You're very clever and original."

"I actually wasn't trying to insult you that time…" Aya turned a page. "Still, a possible connection to one of the Big Three… That's pretty interesting."

…

"'Big Three'?"

"Ah," Aya's eyes widened, and she seemed to feel a glare on her from Gin. "Um, I might've said too much there. Basically, they were really powerful and important, and we don't really talk about them anymore."

"No, that's not it." Luka spoke, her words feeling almost automated. "'Big Three', you said that wrong."

She felt it. Eyes focusing on her. Kasen's, Aya's. Maybe even Gin was looking back. Luka's head was ringing, like someone had swung at a bell.

"... What do you mean?" Aya asked, expression deeply uncomfortable. She seemed torn between pressing her pen to paper and pulling it away.

"It's…" The ringing grew louder, drowning out all thought, turning everything around her into a vague blur. "... three? No, not three, but…" She felt like a maniac, fixating so hard on the number. She had no reason to.

So, why did it feel wrong?

Gin's voice silenced the noise. "Enough. The interview stops here."

The world came to a stop and returned to form. High above the tengu village, at the canyon's edge, the howling wind snapped Luka to attention. Turning, she saw a hole like a gaping maw that opened into the rock wall. A path like a linear hall stretching into darkness.

"Guess we're here, then." Luka looked to Kasen. "So, I'll be waiting here with Kume…?"

"No." Gin spoke before Kasen did. "You will also be meeting with Tenma."

All three of them widened their eyes, Luka's going the widest.

"... Sorry, what?" Luka said.

"I'm not repeating myself. You're coming with me, just as Ibara is." Not even pausing, Gin stepped into the cavern and folded her arms.

"Is that necessary?" Kasen asked. "I thought the Tenma didn't take guests? Surely they only need to see—"

"This is a direct order." Gin spoke, resolute. Her unwavering eyes reminded Luka of a regal, loyal hound. She simply stood, unmoving, and offered no further comment.

She could feel the stare from Aya. All Luka could offer was a confused shrug. Kasen, for her part, seemed deep in thought.

"Come, then." Kasen said, stepping from Kume and into the stone cavern. "It's best if we don't keep our host waiting." She gently stroked Kume's beak once more. "Stay here, I'll be back in just a moment."

Luka really didn't like how this was going. Why was some hotshot tengu boss suddenly taking an interest in her? Was she simply screening her?

Luka surrendered. "Sure." If she said no, she didn't doubt Gin might execute her where she stood. Cautiously, she stepped into the cavern, looking back one last time at the confused and thought-ridden expression on Aya's face as they stepped into the darkness.

Through the hall they walked, the sound of shoe against stone clicking and clacking as they went. She expected to see torches or lights further down, but as the light of the outside faded away in the distance, she realized none were coming.

"Kinda dark in here…" Luka looked ahead at Gin's silhouette. "You, uh, have a light?" No reply. Gin continued walking as if she hadn't heard her. "Kasen?"

"I could," Kasen said, "but I believe it wouldn't do us any good."

"We're in a dark cave. How's light not going to help?"

"Look closer."

"At what—"

She'd done it unconsciously, half-thinking. Just a small glance at their surroundings, which she probably shouldn't have. What was once a void of dark walls on both sides had morphed into something else. Clouds, black as pitch, like staring into a hurricane. Something roared and rumbled through them, like a ravenous demon ready to leap from the shadows and tear them apart.

There was no cavern. There were no walls, no floor, no ceiling. A storm. They were walking through the inside of a storm.

"W—" The realization she was standing on nothing made Luka stumble, almost falling to her knees, into the storm, only for a bandaged arm to snatch her own.

"Don't lose your head." Kasen scolded. "Misstep carelessly in Tenma's domain, and I can't guarantee what may become of you."

Luka wasn't sure she wanted to find out. "Sorry, thanks."

Gin was polite enough to wait for Kasen to pull Luka upright before continuing. They walked, and walked. Luka soon lost track of which direction they were going as the storm stirred around them malevolently. Up, down? Left, right? Direction became meaningless, obscured in its entirety. Yet Gin marched forward with purpose, never once doubting where she was going.

Eventually, the Great Tengu came to a stop. Luka couldn't see any landmark or identifying point, but Gin studied the clouds in front of her with clear discernment. Producing Kasen's feather, she reached out and began to dust at it. Swiping cleanly, like with a brush, the clouds in front of her were dispelled one stroke at a time. Gradually, something began to pull its way into existence, prying free from the storm.

A door, almost like that of a normal office door. Gin turned the knob, stepped inside, and gestured for them to follow. Kasen moved without hesitation. Luka, after a pause, followed.

Through that door, they stepped into a room. It was too difficult to make out specifics; everything was draped in black, like silhouettes. Just at a glance, it reminded her of an office. A large desk in the center that looked almost like it belonged to a chief executive. Behind it, she could see the storm through what looked like a window. It almost looked normal.

Luka's foot bumped into something.

"Huh?"

It toppled. Falling, its silhouette crumbling to the floor. She realized immediately it was about the size of a person. The shape fell so fast, before she could make it out, and fused into the shadowy floor with a muted fump. Shocked, her gaze shifted to the rest of the room.

There were others. All throughout the office. People-sized towers, some slumped over, all their silhouettes clearly on-display. Organized, even. Quite a few were littered on the desk, split into pieces.

Then, a sound from the desk.

"You're starting this rather poorly."

It wasn't a voice, but Luka heard the words. Like white noise translated to language. Luka snapped to attention, and realized something was sitting in front of them. A shape, but she couldn't identify it. She almost thought it a person, but its form swirled like an ashy storm cloud. Darker, more foul than even the one outside.

It took her a moment to realize the storm had eyes. And it was glaring at her.

"You're dismissed, Gin." Its 'voice' was like thunder; just a single sound, yet it communicated much more. Nodding at its words, Gin stepped back through the door and closed it. Luka swore she heard the click of a lock engaging.

"Tenma." Kasen spoke. It felt like she was trying to take their eyes off of Luka. "How long has it been?"

The storm, Tenma, swiveled to Kasen and surveyed her. Luka couldn't read their emotions, but she got the feeling they weren't pleasant.

"Kasen." The thunder rumbled. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Author's Note:

I started playing Honkai Star Rail recently. I could never really get into Genshin Impact, but I'm having a lot of fun with HSR. I really like the female Trailblazer's design and voice acting. She's a really funny character, and she also reminds me that I need to finish Disco Elysium...

Urgh, the backlog keeps getting longer every day... And Street Fighter 6 is next month too, help...