Shaking Mad Youkai Rabbit

What was that? So close. Sounded familiar. One of the rabbits? No, none of them. If it were, it would have been in the same room. Firecracker. Explosion. Yes, explosion. Then, if explosion, where did it come from?

Not from the forest. No, no, those mines are hardly set in place. Hardly enough firepower to create that loud of a boom. It would have to have been much closer. A lot closer. Then… In the compound. In Eientei.

No, couldn't have been. Who would it have been? Nonsense. Keep it together, Reisen. Where is your gun… Here it is. Under your pillow. Right. I put it there. Always put it there. Can't keep a long rifle under there, so will have to just use this.

Have I loaded it? Stupid question, moon rabbit, stupid question. It's always loaded. All rounds in the magazine, and one in the chamber. Good. Let's go check. Stupid rabbits probably did something, but what would it have been? Did something bad enough, might go ahead and plug one in head. They know not to be so stupid.

Gah. Smoke… So much smoke. Where would all of this smoke have… The princess's room… Master Yagokoro was there. She was, wasn't she? Yes she was. Along with strange bronze thing. Odd. None of my business, but still…

Wait, the princess's room destroyed? We were attacked. Fire spreading all over. Need to wake rabbits up. No, no, concentrate. Rabbits will handle themselves. Must serve for Master Yagokoro. Must find ones who did this.

Couldn't have been immortal human. Makes a point not to drag others into his dispute. She wouldn't have done a thing to harm the others here. She knows that her dispute is with Kaguya. Plus, damage seems to be similar to bomb of some type, not from fireball attack. Too much debris spread everywhere.

So, not her. Whom else? Start with obvious… Go check on those visitors. Most likely suspects. Alright, quiet as a the grave, Reisen…

Hrm, let's see… Other two are asleep. Will remain asleep, if Master Yagokoro's pill holds true. Will deal with them later. Turn attention towards those who may have assaulted mansion. Is someone else… Yes, there was one more…

Wait! That human is running! Coward must have been the one that did this! Why else would that one run? There is no real reason, so that must be the guilty one. Now to pursue and ensure that there is punishment for crimes committed.

What is this? Some sort of mechanical creation? Bah! Rearguard, I do believe. Shall be taken care of soon enough. Impressive firepower on it. However, one cannot shoot what they cannot see. And the insane know not what they see.

Difficult one. Hrm. Maybe she is not quite there in the first place. Oh well. Have much more important things. Like chasing that target down. Finding out why Master Yagokoro and the princess were blown up. Terrible thing… Only a monster would have done it. That human must be a monster.

Odd how fast that one can travel. Skirting through the bamboo… Lucky that no trap has been stumbled upon. Perhaps the human remembers the way whence it once trod? Wouldn't doubt it. I wouldn't doubt it. Probably trained for this mission. Most would have to. Few can hire such foolish people.

Just like them up there… Always the same. A smile on their face and a knife behind their back. A knife in their back. Terrible, terrible. Hated it. Oh, what I would give to not have to remember those things. But if I did not remember, why would I stay?

Master tries to get me to accept, but she doesn't understand. She isn't rabbit. She is lunarian. Rabbits are not as good. Wasteful. Disposable. Good only if there is not something better to turn to. Oh yes, I remember well. Toyohime was fond of using her pet to do such things.

I remember. Damn intrigue. Sitting, waiting. Hours, days, weeks? Do not remember. Waiting for the one time that those who lined up against her. Voices of reason. Or voices of madness? Heh, too easy to take out. Heads go squish after nice lined up shot.

So tired of it, though. Hated it. Delightful. Wonderful. Terrible. Horrible. But make another head go squish, if the human doesn't come out. Human knows I can do it, doesn't it? Yes it does, yes it does.

I can smell you human… Smell the blood. Tripped over something, didn't you? No, would have heard that. Stupid human must have cut itself on something. Yes. I will take care of you shortly, human. Reisen will.

Just like other things. How many assassins have I shot? How many have I stabbed? Oh yes, there were plenty… There were plenty. After all, lunarians are so pure, aren't they? So perfect. They live forever unless you snuff their light like a star going supernova.

So tired of it. How many have I killed? Must have been hundreds. Thousands. Not that they count most of those. After all, most of us rabbits. More rabbits on moon than lunarians. And who cares about stupid little rabbits, only good for cannon fodder and their appeal?

Nobody does. Don't you know, human, none of them care about us. None of them cared about me. After all, I'm just a precious pet. Precious pet… But only precious because I am good at what I do. Good at sneaking, good at attacking, good at killing, good at being quiet.

Still, you try to hurt Eiren. She actually wants to help… She wants to help me… She took me away from them. Stole away. Much better than being the servant of another. Can do what I want. Even if it is stay up at night. So hard to sleep. If I sleep, I dream. If I dream, I remember. If I remember, I want to…

Why am I sharing? Stupid human, I will find you sooner or later. You cannot go far. I can hear your breath, however faint it is. You are not so quiet as you like to think you are. Then again, perhaps you know this, and merely hope? Hope is a damned foolish thing.

Hoped for ages. No help ever came. Had to help self. Other rabbits… Other rabbits did the same. Couldn't speak up. Why would they speak up? They'd just hurt themselves. No point, no point… We all knew it was time.

I wonder what your master hopes to accomplish human. Oh, I hear your breath hitching. Going to deny it, maybe? Or are you going to proudly boast who it is? I don't know which would be more pitiful. Probably the latter. If you must be an assassin, be a decent one instead of a human that loves to brag and boast.

Although, such people are always so fun to take down. The greatest stress relief it is, you know. Just watching them pass by in front of you as you slowly squeeze the trigger, painting their entrails over the wall and the brain on the ceiling.

Maybe I won't put yours up against the wall first. No no. You tried to hurt innocents. Master does not have anything to do with you, nor does the princess. If that shield is truly with you, I doubt it was willing. She is a princess, yes? Or maybe it is a fake. But Master does not seem to think it.

No matter. I will take care of you. …You know I can see better in the dark than you, human. I can smell better, I can hear better, I can taste better… I will find you. Just one mistake, and I'll be on you in a flash. There is nothing that you can do and stop me, little human. For tonight, the rabbit is hunting.

Like the snap of the bamboo underneath your feet. Oh yes. Heard that plenty of times. Tewi loves playing tricks on me, after all. Like my old Master used to do. Yes, yes. So many bones, snapping just like a twig. It's not that hard, you know. Just a little twist, and they all fall right down, limp as an Earth rabbit's ear!

Only thing I wonder is what your fear smells like. Bad thing about being prey. We don't know how the fear of others smell. But tonight… Tonight you are prey. I am predator… I am the predator.

Master was a predator too. She didn't care about those under her. Everything was under her though; everything. But you know that… Stupid assassin. Why I speak? Wish I could not… Could not… Eiren been helping. You tried to take Eiren from me. You will die.

I hear you clearly, human. So fast you try to run. Not fast enough. I know this forest. You know nothing. Amateur… How could an amateur have done this? How could one have broken into my home, Master's home, and ruined everything so easily? Reisen has been careless. Reisen shall not be careless again.

Aha! Stupid human finally been careless. Found one of Tewi's traps I see. Good. Love that little rabbit. Hate her too. But will love her for a little bit. Now, next, I will see what it is that you have been left…

Oh, poor little human. Caught your leg in the steel claw, didn't you. Be thankful, lest your foot treed upon a Bouncing Betty. Actually, you shouldn't be thankful. Now that means I get to send you on. Yes, yes… For Master, and for the princess.

Do not spout off your lies, human. You say that you did not try to do anything. However, it is so easy for a trained agent to say such a thing. Lies are easy… Oh so easy. Maybe it was just something planted in the back of your head. Pitiful thing, that. Not even being allowed you true purpose…

I would extend you my sympathies, but I have none. However, I believe I shall spare you this much, frightened little human. Stupid little assassin. Trying to take my Master away. Succeeding… The princess will heal herself, but Master may not. Too late; too late. You cannot go any farther.

Yet, I cannot take you back. Master would have preferred that. Master Eiren… But she may not be there. Or you may try again. Who knows what trickery you may have under those folds. What sorcery has been placed upon your body. A bomb, waiting to go off. Figuratively, or metaphorically.

I hate you, you know that? Forcing me to do this to you. There is no other choice… Even if you are a weak human. I am still a soldier, though. I choose whom I serve now. I… I will do my duty. Even if it means greater pain for me, I will still perform what I must.

Ah, recognize this, do you not? I am not some ancient youkai, human. I care not for the trivialities of fighting with swords or magic. My eyes may blind you with madness, but it does nothing to you. Then again… One would have to be mad to go so far as to attack my master. You are mad by denying what is so obvious. What it is that you have done.

In the end, it is not with elegance or grace that I send you off. There is little point in crawling off or crying for help. Those with you do have the rabbits to deal with. And there are so many…

In the end, you are just a mad dog. A dog that I am putting down so that you no longer hurt others. The shrine maiden would understand; after all, who would be so foolish to attack us? If not… I will accept my punishment. As long as my Master is ok, I am happy. …And if that is not the case, my Master must be avenged instead.

Then… Maybe I can sleep. Won't be able to sleep with peace. But I couldn't sleep at all with you still alive. No. But one single bullet will change that. Then I won't be worried about your eyes staring at me, haunting me. Shaking eyes… mad eyes. There… There will be no more eyes after this.

Be still, otherwise I may take more than one bullet. After all… I am a professional. I know how to make you die with one hit. It stands to reason that I know where to shoot in order to draw it out.

So be it. I have seven bullets… Let's see how long you live.