Look to the Eastern Sky
Book One of the Clockwork Devils
Written by Achariyth
The night before Cirno learned how to freeze a goddess, Mokou, Duchess Fujiwara, crept through the night shadows of Eternity Manor's outer wall. Her eyes searched for her sworn enemy, Kaguya Houraisan. Her dad had always been a rampant skirt chaser, but Kaguya had no business turning Duke Fujiwara away so shamefully. Since that refusal, Mokou had dedicated her now eternal life to ending Kaguya's before the exiled moon princess reciprocated in bloody kind. However, thanks to the Hourai Elixir and its immortal gift, both women considered death to be a minor inconvenience.
Before Mokou could get her hands around Kaguya's throat, she had to sneak past her rabbit retainers. This night truly did have a thousand eyes and five hundred loud and gossipy mouths. If Kaguya found out that Mokou prowled the night, in the morning it would be Mokou, not Kaguya, covered in honey and staked out in the bamboo as an offering to Wriggle Nightbug's ant friends.
To Mokou's surprise, a pillar of moonlight opened up before her. She scrambled back into the shadows, as an ashen-haired woman in a white blouse and reddish jumper descended holding a sword in both hands. As the woman's feet touched the ground, her eyes opened. Mokou recognized the features as reminiscent of Kaguya's.
The moonlight woman frowned. "I see you. Step towards the light."
Mokou scowled and stepped closer, slipping a spell card from her pocket. If she ran, Kaguya would undoubtedly ensure she died tired. Maybe the woman would make a mistake and allow Mokou to knock her out before Kaguya could be warned.
The woman spoke through a moue of disgust. "You drank the Elixir."
Mokou's scowl deepened. "So?"
"Abomination." The pillar of light faded into a beam of moonlight, vanishing as the moon hid behind a cloud.
Mokou recoiled at the familiar accusation. "If you continue speaking like that, I will burn that smart mouth of yours shut."
Princess Yorihime Watatsuki laughed, dipping the point of her scabbard into the earth. "None here on Earth has been able to take as much as a hair from my head. I doubt someone as common as you could."
Common? As the last of the true Fujiwara of the Hokke sept, Mokou was the only direct kin to the taiko, or retired regents of Japan, still alive. In truth, because Mokou lived in Gensokyo, she was the only living Fujiwara eligible to hold any title at all. "Ask Kaguya how many times she's gasped away her last breaths, only to see her heart beat its last in my hand."
"An abomination and a murderess. I must leave before the taint of your being corrupts me. I pray this is the last I see of you," Princess Yorihime said, calling over her shoulder as she walked away from Mokou.
"Keep talking, and I promise you we'll meet again. It'll be a scream," Mokou called out. She sighed. Another night's work ruined. Turning around, she startled as an arrow point tapped her nose. Instinctively, Mokou's eyes defocused, crossing to get a better view of the broadhead arrow pressed against the tip of her nose.
"My dear Mokou," Kaguya said with a feral smile. She held Eirin's bow drawn, bowstring quivering under the strain, pointed between Mokou's eyes. "Come with me or I'll make you into a skewer for Rumia. Please, by all means, be a dear and resist."
Chapter 2 - The Character of Trouble
The word for trouble is drawn as two women under the same roof.
-The traditional warning Gensokyo fathers pass to their sons against two-timing and polygamy. Recorded with disgust by Lady Akyu Hieda, Ninth Child of Miare.
"Where is she?" Sanae Kochiya said, pacing in front of the Eternity Manor's courtyard gate. The Wind Priestess of the Moreya cast furtive glances towards the edge of the bamboo forest.
"Relax, Priestess Kochiya," Reisen, a lop-eared lunar hare, said. The current pet of the Watatsuki princesses, she was shorter than her namesake, the straight-eared Reisen Udongein Inaba. Forced to deal with a priestess of a wounded goddess, returning to the moon sounded more attractive every moment.
Sanae spun around, her hands twisting the snake charm in her hair. "I told you, Priestess Kochiya is my mother. Call me Sanae."
"Okay, Sanae, then," Reisen began, holding her hands out in front of her body. "Calm down. You're walking a groove in Princess Kaguya's stonework-"
Sanae glared at the exaggeration, flouncing into a quick turn. The priestess's footsteps slapped against the stone path.
Reisen shook her head, her smile growing strained. "Listen to me, Tewi said-"
The priestess whirled around, advancing on Reisen. The hare took a step back, keeping her outstretched arms up and in the space between the two girls. "I don't care what that joker said. She's hurt badly, I know it!"
Reisen blinked. Sure, fairies had attacked Suwako Moriya, but she failed to see how those little pests could have caused any significant injury. But she assumed she would react similarly to Sanae if Princess Yorihime was hurt. The lunar hare's eyes widened, however, as winds billowed beneath the priestess's skirts. As she shot into the air, a cloud of dust and leaves rushed away from Sanae's launching point. Reisen threw up an arm in front of her face as she rode out the buffet and shock.
As the hare watched the priestess pace her way through the skies over Eternity Manor, her ear twitched.
Don't worry about her. She's just excitable. The thought burst into her mind, as though someone had shouted it with a megaphone. In her mind's eye, Reisen saw the image of the sender, a tall long-eared hare with lavender tresses and red eyes.
The lunar pet smiled at the sending from her namesake. For the first time since arriving at Eternity Manor in the middle of the night, Reisen finally felt at home. The Moon was filled with the moon hares' telepathic chatter, and while the earth rabbits made up for the lack with silliness, audacity, and non-stop gossip, Earth felt oddly subdued without it. I thought you were busy.
I am. But that's no excuse for not telling me you were coming. Disapproval tinged Reisen Udongein Inaba's message. The elder hare was known by her nickname of Udonge.
Reisen winced, sending apology and shame across the link. Princess Yorihime insisted.
Terror and the instinct to run and hide flooded back across the hares' telepathic network. She's here?
Something's come up. Something major. You need- Reisen began, sending images of urgency to Udonge. Above her, Sanae cried out. Listen, I got to go. Sanae's seen something.
Fine. No more secrets, though. When I get there, you and I are going to have a long talk. No Tewi either, I promise. Udonge sent, attaching a wry smile and an empty cocktail glass to her words.
The carrot mojitos are on me. Reisen promised, laughing. The cocktail glass in her mind's eye filled with an orange liquid
You do realize she's getting away. The elder rabbit sent, bemused.
Reisen looked at the sky, searching for the speck that was Sanae Kochiya. Cursing, she bounded once, twice and again a third time before her legs launched her into the air.
"Let me in!" Sanae Kochiya howled. She pounded on the door to Eirin's medical clinic with both hands.
Two taller than average members of the Inaba Family Mafia, still in pin stripes, walked up behind the priestess. Each Made Bunny slipped an arm underneath the girl's shoulders and dragged her away. Sanae shook herself out of the bunnies' grip and rushed back to the clinic door. It opened, and Boss Tewi Inaba, still in her mobster outfit and golden carrot, stepped outside followed by two very feminine bunny-girls.
As Sanae and Tewi argued, Marisa whistled. "Oh I so want to shoot them."
Alice rolled her eyes. The two magicians walked through Eternity Manor's courtyard, a Shanghai doll in tow. "Cut that out."
Marisa palmed her elemental furnace, eyeing the crowd by the clinic door. "Just one little Master Spark? Please?"
"No!" Alice hissed. "What did they do to you?"
"Tewi found me while I was sunbathing, although where she found that ice is anyone's guess. So I start chasing her, and there's this flash of light, followed by more. The little monster had run me right in front of Aya's camera," Marisa said, glowering. "The next day, I'm Aya's newest Page Two girl."
In an attempt to bolster sales, Aya had tried a similar strategy to what certain British papers used, namely, printing pictures of scantily clad young women. Or in Marisa's case, not clad at all. The practice lasted for a time until Aya published a candid picture of Sakuya, whose objections were as sharp and pointed as the knives she used to make them. To both Marisa's and Sakuya's chagrin, the Sakuya issue became the only issue of the Bunbunmaru newspaper to be sought after by collectors.
"Little Bunny Fufu deserves a good roasting," Marisa snarled, squeezing her elemental furnace.
"And Sanae?" Alice asked, trying to change the subject.
"Who? Little Miss Perfect?" Marisa said, a small smile returning to her face. "If I had her-"
Alice shushed the witch and pointed towards where Tewi and Sanae had suddenly stopped their fight. Instead, the four girls of their group faced towards the East and pointed to a thick pillar of grey smoke growing on the horizon.
"What's that?" Alice said, squinting as she peered at the horizon.
Marisa shrugged, grabbing the doll master's arm. "Who cares? It's past the barrier."
"Have you no curiosity?" Alice said, as Marisa pulled on her arm.
"Sure I do. I'm curious as to Sanae's face when she sees we got inside the clinic when she couldn't," Marisa whispered, leading Alice past the priestess's turned back and to the clinic's door.
Alice stepped through the doorway, flashing a glare at Marisa. The witch held the door open with a showy flourish more often seen on a beau trying to impress his lady fair. "Cut that out."
"Got to make a good impression," Marisa cooed. "Don't want you to forget me when Suwako hooks you up with something tall, dark, and handsome."
"Suwako's not running my love life," Alice snapped, shooting a frosty look at the witch. "Besides, she's uncon- Hey! Get away from her!"
Inside the clinic, at the far end of the row of beds, a grey haired figure in a red jumper stood over the sleeping Suwako Moriya, a hand settled on the child goddess's brow. At Alice's shout, the figure glanced up, rolled her eyes, and continued her ministrations.
Alice stepped forward, spell card and Shanghai doll at the ready. Marisa rushed into the room, squeezing past Alice before blocking the puppeteer's path with an outstretched arm.
"She's a lowdown dirty cheat at danmaku," Marisa hissed, her free hand cupping her elemental furnace behind her back.
"I learned from my teacher," the figure said without looking up. "As you would know." The ordinary witch had introduced the spell card duel to the Moon during the last Lunar war.
"What is she talking about?" Alice hissed. "Who is she?"
"Princess Yorihime of the Moon," Marisa said. "You know how Reimu can channel the gods? Moonbitch over there can do the same thing. Think of her as the anti-Reimu."
"Sweet-tempered, humble, and demure?" Alice deadpanned.
"Married."
"What business do two rude little commoners have with me?" Yorihime said, tracing a pattern on Suwako's forehead.
Alice seethed at the royal's words. In the proper light, she could be considered a princess herself. And unlike most royalty, everyone eventually bowed the knee to her mother. Ducking under Marisa's arm, she demanded, "What are you doing to Suwako?"
"I have no duty to explain myself to one so riddled with an unclean taint as you."
"Remember, she cheats," Marisa said, looping her arms around the puppeteer's waist.
"Unclean?" Alice said, balling her fists.
"Hey, Alice is quite clean. She bathes every day. I should know, I watch her all the time," Marisa called out. She placed her head between Alice's shoulder blades, ducking a thrown elbow by a moment. Alice sputtered, red-faced.
Yorihime rolled her eyes and knelt down. "A witch of death she is. If not for that, she would be more pleasant than you."
"Wanna rematch? Anyone Reimu can beat, I can beat faster," Marisa called out from behind Alice.
The red faded in Alice's cheeks as Yorihime's words sunk in. "I've not been called that in a long time." For a moment, the young girl of Makai appeared in her features. "But that still doesn't explain your presence near Suwako."
"I still owe my old teacher a service. We will need this Pure One's strength soon."
"Old teacher?" Alice said, blinking.
"You know her as Lady Yagokoro. Now will you leave me to my duty?" Yorihime said in a huff.
"No, we'll stay and watch you. Just letting you know that if you harm her, we won't hurt you. We will hand you over to her priestess," Marisa said, dropping onto a nearby bed. "I'll be pissed that Sanae gets the honor of thrashing you, but then you'll have to deal with the embarrassment of being beaten by Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes. I'd rather die myself, but it's your choice."
Yorihime closed her eyes and bared her sword, holding it out in front of her with cupped hands. As she spoke, a white aura cloaked her form. "Dream of the Endless, King of All Night's Dreaming, I ask you to release this goddess from your realm."
The aura moved from Yorihime to Suwako, before settling within. The frog goddess squirmed as though trying to burrow into the mattress. Yorihime watched as the girl's eyes flicked open.
"What did she do?" Alice asked, staring at the princess and the goddess.
Marisa snickered at Alice. "And you call yourself a magician."
"What's going on in here?" Sanae said, barreling into the room. Alice ducked out of her way.
"Sanae, keep it down," Suwako groaned as she sat up. She looked down at her clothes. "Ew, I'm in a hospital gown."
"Suwako!" Sanae squealed, rushing down the aisle and scooping up the goddess in a bear hug.
"Can't. Breathe." Suwako gasped, her arms flailing in Sanae's embrace.
Alice looked at Marisa. "I guess we should thank that princess."
But Yorihime was no longer in sight.
The clinic's door burst outward. Marisa fell through the space it once occupied, sprawling into the middle of the courtyard. Immediately, a crowd of rabbits surrounded her, watching the impending street theater. The bunny girls did have enough presence of mind, however, to part ways as Alice stormed through their circle.
Marisa backed away from the Rainbow Puppeteer, her hands held in front of her. "Alice, hold on-"
"You've been watching me while I bathe?" Alice said, shaking a fist. Her Shanghai doll swung an oversized mace appraisingly.
"Come on, you can't be serious. It took you like ten minutes to work up that anger," Marisa said incredulously. She leapt to her feet as the Shanghai doll swung at her leg in earnest.
"You spied on me," Alice said, red flooding her cheeks. She grabbed Marisa's collar and pulled the witch in close.
"Look, I helped you out. Moonbitch was about to swat you like a fly," Marisa said, squirming against Alice's grasp. "Besides, it's not like I could get close enough to see anything."
"So now I'm flat?" Alice shouted. Reason had long given way to anger.
"Oh, don't you even go there," Marisa hissed. "Do you think I'm happy that everyone younger than me is also larger?"
"I'm sure I can find a drug for that," Reisen Udongein Inaba said, as she came close. "Complete in 'Modestly Large,' 'Yukari,' and 'Komachi's Jealous" sizes."
"Oh, Miss Playboy Bunny has to rub it in," Marisa snarled. Alice bared her teeth, but she calmed as she met the Lunatic Hare's red eyes.
"At least I didn't bare it all for Aya," Reisen said, ignoring Marisa's scowl. "Well, what little you have. Try not to get too jealous around the others, especially Remilia."
"Joke about the Mistress like that again, and I'll use you for Meiling's next rabbit test," Sakuya snapped as she drew close, Youmu in tow. The rabbit test was an early form of pregnancy test. Depending on the outcome, it could portend good news or bad news, but it was always bad news for the rabbit.
"Sakuya, please calm down. Everyone's on edge," Youmu said. She placed a hand on Alice's shoulder.
No one understood how the athletically graceful, yet girlish Youmu and the classy, mature Sakuya had bonded. Sakuya always claimed a lady should hold a few secrets, a point usually made upon a sharp edge. Those who cornered Youmu for her explanation had to sift through stammers and squeals. What was evident, even to the most blind, was that Youmu idolized the Scarlet Devil's maid, to neither girl's displeasure.
"Seriously, Marisa, chill. Everyone's watching you make a fool out of yourself and our meeting's about to start," Reisen said, backing away from the witch as she stared her down. With her ability to control emotions, the lunar hare diffused the situation and led the group into the great hall, where a familiar shrine maiden in red and white waved at the group.
"Over here," Reimu said
"Heya, Reimu, drink all of Kaguya's tea yet?" Marisa said as the group walked over.
"Good evening, Reimu. Have any idea as to what's going on?" Sakuya said.
"Reisen did say this was an incident. How about I beat on whoever crosses my path until someone tells me what's going on," Reimu said, raising an eyebrow. "I could start with you, if you're feeling froggy."
"And miss out on tea?" Sakuya said, yawning demurely behind a hand.
"So that's why Kaguya's getting together everyone who beat her," Youmu said, nodding.
"And Sanae too."
"Her presence I blame on some goddess's cruel whimsy," Reimu said.
"Stumble over a name in your prayers?" Marisa said.
"More like she forgot to say any," Alice said, laughing
"Funny. You two should go on stage," Reimu said.
"So, any thoughts about this 'incident?'" Alice asked.
"Not really. What's Kanako up to these days?" Reimu asked.
"She has been at the center of a few of them."
"Like a bad penny, she always turns up," Marisa said.
"She's doing what she thinks is best for Gensokyo, and if I so much as think you're maligning my goddess-" Sanae said, looming over the witch.
"Calm down, Sanae. Reimu and Marisa didn't mean anything," Alice said, crossing her fingers behind her.
"This time," muttered the priestess and the witch.
"Tread carefully. One of my goddesses was attacked today. Do you think I'm in the mood for this?" Sanae said.
"Ah, why's everyone so catty? Is there a boy involved?" Yuyuko asked, materializing behind Youmu.
"Lady Yuyuko, of course not!" Youmu stammered.
"Pity. Well, when you finally do bring a boy home, make sure he brings a brother or friend. It's only fair," Yuyuko said. Her lips pursed into a moue of disappointment. The Hakurei maiden choked on her tea.
"Just make sure he survives, this time," Yukari said, with Ran trailing behind her. The fox girl had her usual mysteriously playful smile.
"That's not fair, Yukari. He did say he wanted to stay with me," Yuyuko pouted.
"And you tired of him after fifty years or so."
"True, but those were fifty better years than he could have had while alive. I heard no complaints."
"Ugh, who wants to hear about a bunch of old hags reminiscing about their misspent youth," Remilia said as she approached. Yuyuko hid her displeasure behind her fan.
"Oh, look, it's the eternal child," Yukari said, scowling. "Maybe if you were mature enough to know what you were missing, you wouldn't chide us for our…entertainments."
"What's so entertaining about Rinnosuke turning you down again and again?" Remilia asked, her hands on her hips.
"I think that if I were alive, I'd want Mokou's gift. Old enough to have fun, yet young enough not to worry about aging. You know, like me, just alive," Yuyuko said, interrupting Yukari before the red-faced youkai could speak.
"That's the fun of being a god," Suwako said, bursting from the ground. "You can be whatever age that suits your fancy."
"And you chose to be a little girl," Yukari said.
Suwako placed her hands on her hips and preened. "Sanae got her looks from me."
"From Kanako, maybe," Yukari said.
"You couldn't handle the competition," Suwako said, flouncing circles around Yukari. The boundary youkai rolled her eyes.
The door opened. A single rabbit resplendent in ornate robes stepped into the room. "Please rise for Their Royal Highnesses."
Alice and Marisa shared an inquisitive look as they rose to their feet, along with the rest of the room. Kaguya glided into the room, followed by Yorihime, Eirin, and Tewi. As the princesses' party sat in the seats at the front of the room, Eirin made her way to the center podium and motioned for the room to sit. "Thank you for coming. For those of us who have not met yet, I am Eirin Yagokoro-"
Reisen cleared her throat. Eirin looked ate her quizzically and then rolled her eyes. "That is, Duchess Imbrium, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Tsukuyomi Court to Earth, and seneschal to the Lady of Eternity Manor. Happy now, Udonge?"
"Quite," Reisen Udongein Inaba said, smiling. Eirin shook her head. Behind her, almost unseen, three rabbits pushed a bound Mokou into the room and to a chair hidden in the shadows.
"On behalf of the mistress of the manor, welcome to the manor. Please, take your pleasure in our hospitality. But beware. Molest the rabbits in any way," Eirin said, glaring at Ran before shifting it to Mokou. "Or use any danmaku at all, and we'll give you to Rumia in a doggy bag. If you're lucky, you might even be dead first."
Marisa whistled. "I never thought that Lady Kaguya would be so harsh."
"Princess Kaguya is not," Eirin said, emphasizing the new title. The duchess flashed a glare at Reisen before the hare could interject her correction. "The Lady of the Manor is far more pragmatic. But, please enter and enjoy yourselves. Only those with malice in their hearts need worry about the Lady's justice."
Alice whispered to Reisen. "What was that about?"
"Princess Yorihime gave Duchess Yagokoro and Princess Kaguya their Lunar titles back," Reisen said, elated.
"What does that make you?"
"Stew, if my retainer forgets her duties," Eirin said from her podium.
"Her Grace is such a kidder," Reisen said, sweat rolling down her brow.
"Cut that 'Her Grace' crap," the duchess said, glowering.
Remilia and Sakuya groaned. Remilia said, "Out of all the manors on earth, she had to come here."
"Relax, ladies, I have no need to resume our little play from the moon. There's no reason to beat you at your home," Yorihime said, shrugging.
"Remind me to introduce you to my sister. She could use a new playmate," Remilia replied, balling her fists at her side.
"Not now, you two," Eirin said, sighing. "Yorihime, if you could start your brief?"
"Where should I start?" the Moon's princess asked.
"At the beginning," Eirin said.
"-And continue to the end. Right," Yorihime said. Then, as if by rote, she spoke. "'In the beginning was the Word-'"
"Not that far back."
Yorihime turned to face the assembled crowd. "We all know that 400 years ago, Newton replaced the laws of magic with the laws of nature. Since then, magic has been on the decline on Earth. With the advent of the Apollo invasion, the decline affected the Moon as well."
"Thus the sanctuaries. Gensokyo, Fiddler's Green, the Kingdom of Prester John, the Seven Cities of Cibola, and the Otherworld are the best known examples. But this isn't about those, is it?" Yukari said.
"No. This decline has affected other worlds as well. Rather, other worlds have taken the laws of nature as well, and suffered the same decline. We call it 'Newtons Sleep,' even if most of those worlds would not recognize who Newton was."
"This is fascinating, of course, but I don't think we here have the power to reverse 400 years of decline. Nor do I think such pedantry is why you've come to Earth. And all this secrecy isn't to give Kaguya back her titles and place in the Court of Selene-" Remilia said.
"Tsukuyomi-" Yorihime growled, emphasizing each syllable.
"It could be Diana for all I care. Get to the point already, or I'm sure Flandre will tear this place down looking for me before you finish."
"Mistress, I would not be so eager to offer offense-" Sakuya said, her smile strained.
"You know my sister. How long do you think Meiling can keep her out of trouble?"
Sakuya's brow furled. "Two seconds?"
Remilia sighed and bowed her head. Youmu and Sakuya joined her in quiet contemplation. "Poor Meiling."
Yorihime bristled and snapped. "Fine, you're all likely to be attacked by a magic-sucking monstrosity that even Toyohime would struggle to escape from. There, happy?"
Eirin sighed, shaking her head. "Yorihime…"
Alice watched the others. Without fail, excitement and murmurs rippled through the Gensokyo's trouble-shooters. Granted, life in Gensokyo tended to be too idyllic, with boredom being the primary cause of problems…
"Lemme guess, other worlds? So, more aliens? Is this a friend of yours? Or maybe Nue's?" Sanae asked.
"Hardly. If you would let me continue," Yorihime said, glaring at Remila. It was returned with full force. "I need to tell a bit more about history."
"The Arabs and other Mesopotamian peoples have stories of devils and presences that most of you could recognize as their version of youkai. Two of these are of interest, the Ifrit and the Blue Djinn. Said to be mortal enemies, their battles have been said to lay waste to many of the city-states of Mesopotamia, as well as the ancient empires of Mitanni, Atlantis, and Kassite Babylon. It is said by some that certain Mesoamerican disasters and Tunguska were signs of their continuing war.
"The Ifrit is considered to be just below the angels. Unmistakably female, she acts to protect humanity using 'miracles' that include fire from on high and control of lighting and hail. The mortal enemy of the Blue Djinn, many cultures sacrificed to her. It is said by some of the Catalans, once you pierce through the veils of myth, that the blood sacrifices of the Azteca were to lengthen the Ifrit's lifespan beyond 2012.
"The Blue Djinn, on the other hand, is inherently more destructive and ruthless. A trickster, ruthless and relentless as a Fury, he scourges any culture significantly advanced in the magic and spiritual arts. Few records exist, mostly because no culture visited by the Blue Djinn had much afterward but their eyes to weep. Based on what little lore we have, we think he is not an earthborn youkai.
"Both beings vanished a century ago, however, the Ifrit appeared for a short time some fifteen years ago. Five years later, small shrines in Southwestern Asia started disappearing to the whispers of the Blue Djinn. Some even attribute the destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas to him. Even so, the line of destroyed sacred sites leads toward Japan."
"Get on with it. How do we beat him and what can he do?" Reimu said. The shrine maiden quivered in her seat.
"While we don't believe that you are the Blue Djinn's final objective, you do have the misfortune of lying along its path. And I doubt you can convince it to play a round of danmaku," Yorihime said, focusing on Marisa.
"It worked on you," Marisa said with a smile.
"Only because death is anathema to Lunarians," Kaguya pointed out. "From what Princess Yorihime said, this Blue Djinn revels in it."
"Why do you think this Blue Djinn is alien to Earth?" Alice asked.
"Humans have to spend so much effort to keep from crumbling into barbarism and decline. There's no way they created this," Yorihime said, echoing the teachings of her master.
Out of the corner of her eye, Alice noticed Sanae bristling. The red-faced priestess stood up, but was pulled back to her seat by her goddess.
"Let them underestimate us," Suwako whispered.
"The barrier will protect us?" Youmu asked, looking around the room, almost pleading. "Won't it?"
Yuyuko set a hand on her gardener's shoulder to steady the girl. "The White Jade Tower will be safe regardless. I suspect that the hells will be too."
"That leaves tengu, humans, and youkai exposed if the barrier falls. If the Djinn even comes this way," Reimu pointed out.
"If he does, can the barrier hold?" Eirin asked.
The shrine maiden shrugged. "Without knowing what he's capable of, I can't say."
Yukari smirked. "I could help there. If someone could go to the clinic and tell Aya that it's her turn?"
Aya stormed into the room, wrapped in soiled quick clotting bandages. An arm was slung across her chest, secured by more of the Lunarians' magic-infused bandages. Ashen-faced, she walked in front of Yukari and shook a finger from her good hand in the boundary youkai's face.
"You," she sputtered, glaring at Yukari. As Ran tensed next to her, Yukari shrugged. "You owe me a new camera."
Alice shook her head. Aya never changed.
"One of the new kappa SLRs, complete with a set of wide and telephoto lenses, and that new filmless storage that Nitori's been working on."
The entire room shuddered at the thought of Aya with a telephoto lens.
"Why would you think that?" Yukari asked. She closed her fan, tapping it against the back of her wrist. Ran sighed and relaxed into a slightly less threatening stance.
Aya reached into her tunic and tossed a molten lump onto the table. "Call it a hunch."
Yukari said, "Prove to me that you earned it."
Aya paced across the room, cleared her throat, and spoke, a sly smile spreading across her face. "So there I was, no shi-"
"Without embellishment," Yukari said, sighing.
Upon Yukari's request, combined with the offer of an exclusive interview, Aya, crow tengu, photojournalist, and certified troublemaker, took to the skies. She searched for her quarry, guided by the Watatsuki sisters' most accurate information, finding the target in a lightly wooded field several dozen kilometers east of the Hakurei barrier.
Quiet pride filled Aya as she landed behind an old tree, snapping pictures silently. Everyone knew that when the best in aerial photography was needed, you sent a blackbird.
The Watatsuki's 'monster' stood in front of Aya, white-haired, but not aged, still muscular and clad in a white-trimmed blue coat of ten thousand nails, an exotic brigandine cloth armor. A darker blue jack-of-plates sat over the coat, paired with two white vambraces and his arms. In his hands rested a long scepter-like flanged mace, with a small set of red and blue globes set in the mace's handle. Aya zoomed in as close as her lens could get, snapping pictures until the camera's rewinder whirred into life. Pocketing the used canister, she slipped a new one inside.
A single silvery disk, no larger than an adult's hand, shimmered upright into existence next to the stranger's head and radiated a diffuse blue glow. Aya watched as the disk rippled like snow landing on a pond, her finger pulsing her camera's shutter release. A bead formed in the center. Drawing away from the disk as though stretched, the teardrop shaped bead drew the mass of the disk into itself before launching itself in an eye-searing streak akin to a danmaku laser.
Above Aya, the base of a branch as thick as her arm blew into splinters. As leaves rustled, she rolled away, dodging the falling wood. The crow tengu smiled. "So much for secrecy. This could be fun."
Out of the corner of her eye, Aya saw more disks form, ringing the stranger. Reaching behind her, she pulled her maple fan free. Swinging it down at the earth, Aya's wind burst launched several "tengu pebbles," or medium-sized rocks, into the air.
With her camera still recording stills at crow tengu speeds, Aya commanded a pebble to fly into a silver disk. It shattered into a dust spray, but not before sending the solid disk shimmering into an indistinct mist.
Three disks rippled in response, their teardrops lashing out. Two shattered Aya's pebbles, while the third slammed into the berm. Its heat washed over the crow.
"Let's see just how good you are," Aya called out. She took to the air, and swooped at the Djinn. Silver tears launched themselves at her. Grazing was not an option due to the heat, but her crow tengu speed allowed her to slip and slide away from the fire. A wide smile lit up the crow's face, as her shutter worked mercilessly.
She heard the whirring as her camera rewound. Changing out the canister for new film, she continued to weave through the fire, darting closer to the armored man as fire and flight allowed. She taunted, "Is that all you got?"
The demon god held his mace towards Aya, wrapping his free hand around the base of the handle. The head glowed, and pulses of blue light shot out like glowing crossbow bolts. Smoke rose wherever the light hit earth. Aya smiled, dodging and taking pictures as she could, until one puff of smoke rose from her hands.
"You shot my camera," she yelled, pocketing the melted lump. For the first time, Aya returned fire, kicking up sprays of dirt all around the man's feet. Bolts and danmaku flew past each other, as the crow tengu spiraled closer.
An iron hand grabbed her leg in a vice grip. The skin beneath his fingers chilled, sending tendrils of numbness throughout her leg. Aya swore; she had drifted closer than she had thought. Swinging her fan, she called upon the wind.
The wind failed to head her call, as the Djinn's free arm blocked her swing. Pain shot up her arm. It had felt like she had smashed into kappa-made rebar. With her good hand, she fingered a now glowing spell card stashed in her belt. A murder of crows clawed at the Djinn's eyes, allowing her to kick free.
As Aya landed and rolled to her feet, she tossed the spell card away. The crows of the Dark Daymare vanished, and she drew upon the wind once more.
Her spell card, Wind God Hidden Among the Tree Leaves, kicked up walls of dried leaves between her and the intruder. Aya turned away, hobbling on a still-numbed leg.
Behind her, heat and a giant whooshing sound crackled into life.
"The film," Aya said, swearing. Her film was heat-sensitive. Glancing behind her, she saw walls of flaming leaves rushing at her. The crow leapt into the air, taking flight. Behind her, a pillar of smoke rose into the sky.
Aya finished her tale triumphantly, smiling at the center of the room. Her eyes darted about, seeking the rapt attention of her audience.
Reimu yawned, propping up her head with her other arm. "If you wanted to lose so badly, you could have talked to me." Aya's face fell as the room exploded in laughter.
Yukari giggled demurely behind her fan. "I hate to say this, but I think you earned your camera."
The laughter died abruptly as many a young woman resolved to wear shorts underneath her skirts.
Aya's confidence returned in full force. "And those pictures of Ran we talked about? For the swimsuit issue?"
As blood drained from many a face, Ran leaped to her feet, slamming her clawed hands against the table. "Hell, no!" Yukari snapped her fan closed, slashing the air before rapping the fox's knuckles. Ran pulled her hand back, sucking on her knuckles.
Don't be hasty, Yukari said through her fan. She turned towards the crow photographer and flashed a slight grin.
"I've got a tasty, er, tasteful one-piece picked out just for you," Aya said, beaming.
Ran crossed her arms in front of her chest and glowered at Aya. "You. Will. Pay!" she announced to the entire world.
"When you got it, flaunt it," Aya chirped happily, flouncing. She made a box with her fingers and framed a red-faced Ran inside. "Work with me, now. Snarl for the camera."
Ran flashed the tengu a row of sharp, pointed teeth. Yukari leaned over and whispered in Yuyuko's ear. Both ladies hid their laughter behind fans.
"You can forget about that if you didn't bring those pictures, though," Yukari warned sternly. Ran's ears perked up.
Aya sighed, dropping her shoulders. "The heat ruined most of my pictures." The crow girl smirked as she swaggered towards Ran. Placing a single index finger on the fox's nose, she purred. "But I did save three stills. Are you ready for your close-up?" Ran snapped at the tengu's finger.
Aya laughed, nodding towards Eirin. Eternity Manor's seneschal picked up a short-handled hand bell and rang it three times. Yorihime's pet Reisen entered the room, carrying a thick manila envelope. She shivered as the assembled worthies crowded around her.
Marisa swiped the envelope out of the hare's hands. Teasing the three photographs out, she passed two to the crowd. Reimu claimed the last from the witch.
"So that's what he looks like?" the shrine maiden murmured. She turned the picture randomly, scowling.
Alice peered over Reimu's shoulder. Reddish-black blotted out most of the picture, but she could still see a blue figure among silver streaks.
Marisa made a moue of disgust as she traced a streak. "There's no beauty to this."
"It's not danmaku," Youmu said, pointing first to the silver and then to the black patch. "Could danmaku do that to Aya's film?"
Alice shook her head. "If it did, we wouldn't have to worry about her candid photography."
Youmu and Sakuya shuddered. Even with the threat of Sakuya's knives, the crow reporter still harassed them in the search for the perfect snapshot of the two girls together to inflame her readership's fantasies.
"What do you think that is?" Reimu said, tapping at the silver streaking across the page.
"I bet you'll find out soon enough," Sakuya said, glaring at Aya. Reimu raised a single eyebrow.
"What does Gensokyo do every time there's an incident?" Alice said. Her Shanghai doll climbed up her shoulder, her ribbon and eyes peeking out above Alice's shoulder.
"They leave it for the Hakurei maiden and her pet witch," Reimu said, sighing. "I swear, no one in this land can solve their own problems."
"Admit it, you like it that way," Marisa said. "I know I do, except for the 'pet witch' part."
"If the pointy hat fits-" Reimu said.
"Honey, if I wanted to, I'd have you wrapped around my little finger," Marisa said, draping her arms around the shrine maiden and purring softly in her ear. "Just say the word."
"How about 'restraining order,'" Reimu said, picking up Marisa's arms and setting them down on Alice's shoulders.
A skin-crawling howl tore through the manor, echoed in turn by a choir of canine voices. The rabbits in the room screamed, hiding beneath chairs, underneath tables, and inside cupboards, while Reisen Udonge Inaba held tightly to her namesake. Marisa, Reimu, and Alice spun into a circle, spell cards flaring and at the ready.
Yukari's eyes narrowed as she split the space in front of her. Reaching a manicured alabaster hand through the ribboned portal, she pulled a thick pile of white fur and cloth into the room. A wolf solider sprawled to the floor.
The wolf shot to her feet, ramrod straight as she saluted fist to chest. "Ma'am, Private Kaede reports, Ma'am."
Yukari rolled her eyes, dipping into an ever-so-slight curtsy. "I only rate a private now?"
The wolf tengu, little more than a young woman barely grown out of her puppydom, dropped her salute. "Sergeant Inubashiri's compliments, Ma'am. An intruder has been sighted near the Wandering Village."
Rabbit ears, once hidden in fear, sprouted from the furniture like weeds. Alice's pulse quickened at the words. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see smiles growing on Marisa and Reimu's faces.
Yukari's fan quickly covered her smile. "Thank you, private. What do you say, ladies? Shall we take a look at our gentleman caller?" Behind the soldier, a multi-eyed portal appeared between two red ribbons.
"Bet you that's the first one she's had in years," Marisa whispered. Alice tried desperately not to smile, but the Shanghai doll on her shoulder trembled, her painted smile brighter than normal.
Yukari motioned to Kaede, who spun on her heels and walked between the ribbons floating in the air. Behind her, the room emptied through the portal.
Before Eirin disappeared, she called out, "Don't forget the live bait."
Three rabbits picked up and unceremoniously hurled Mokou through the portal.