"Holy mother!"
Byakuren's disciples had no sooner seen her then they all leapt from the deck of the ship, rushing to embrace her, their battle with Reimu and the others forgotten. Byakuren's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized each of them and opened her arms in shocked, joyous greeting.
"Murasa! Ichirin! Shou! Even little Nazrin! You're all here!"
"Mother Hijiri! Can this be real? Tell me I'm not dreaming!"
"It's real, my child. I'm here, I'm fine, and you are here with me. I hope that you've been safe and well, Shou."
"Mother Hijiri! It's been so long! I'm sorry it took us so long to free you..." Anything further Ichirin might have been trying to say was lost in a flood of blubbering tears. Shou and Murasa were not far behind her in being overcome by sobs, and Hijiri held the three of them, pressing their heads against her and letting their tears flow with a look of calm and caring benevolence on her face. Nazrin watched from a short distance away, sharing a smile and a nod with Hijiri, while Shinki wailed almost hysterically from the deck beside us.
"I'm so happy for them, Yumeko!" She sobbed. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"There, there, lady Shinki. It's very beautiful." Yumeko had produced another handkerchief for Shinki to use, a pink one this time. By my count that was at least three handkerchiefs that she had been carrying in her pockets.
Having floated high enough to see over the deck now, Byakuren looked over our assembly with an expression of stunned gratitude. "Did all of you... come this far, and bring all of this just for me? It's been a thousand years with no contact, I had imagined all of you had long since moved on. In all that time I had never been able to do anything to help you..."
"It's only because of you that we've been able to come together again, mother Hijiri! We've been separated for a thousand years, but during that time we were all working to try to free you! It took so long, but we never lost sight of the strength you taught us!"
"Ichirin... I... Murasa, is all of this true? It was never my intention to burden all of you with a thousand years of toil for my sake. Thank you, all of you, for all of the hardships you must have endured." She once again embraced her three disciples, who all clung to her wordlessly. Even Unzan joined them, floating about the gathering as a diffuse pink mist, surrounding and gathering even Nazrin into the embrace.
Seeing them all wrapped up in the misty arms of the nyudo, who had bowed his head in silence as they all gathered together, I couldn't help but laugh. I felt almost on the verge of tears myself. "Well Renko, we did it. Is this the scene you came all this way to see?" She grinned warmly and leaned against my shoulder as we watched.
Eventually, after a few minutes of holding her disciples in silence, Byakuren opened her eyes, and looked over those of us still standing on the deck. After glancing at each of us, her gaze settled on Shinki.
"Lady Shinki, do I have you to thank for guiding my disciples to me?"
"Yes, but only for bringing them here from the gates of Makai. They made it as far as my home on their own." She said, smiling brightly.
"Lady Shinki your nose is dripping. Here." Said Yumeko, producing a fourth handkerchief.
Hijiri smiled down at Shinki, whose tears seemed to be flowing even more steadily than those of her disciples and bowed deeply, dislodging Murasa as she did so. Her disciples floated to her sides, aligning themselves in what seemed like practiced and natural rank and file alongside her in the air.
"Murasa, who are all of these other humans you've brought with you?"
"Ah, that's right! Forgive me, mother Hijiri, I was so overcome with emotion at the sight of you I forgot the introductions!" Ichirin cried. "Unzan, would you please?"
Unzan and Murasa both descended towards us, the nyudo flattening out to support us and Murasa helping us onto his broad back. He then turned and carried us up to meet Byakuren in person. Up close, Byakuren both did and didn't resemble a human. She had absolutely none of the disconcerting feel of otherness that surrounded even friendly non-human magicians like Alice, but there was a sense of otherworldly calm and wisdom to her that also didn't feel like it was entirely of this world. The sense you got from staring into her eyes was the same as one might feel from dipping their fingers into a clear, pristine mountain stream. Calming and wholesome, but not exactly personable.
"Mother Hijiri," Murasa began, speaking again in the formal tone with which she had addressed the gate guard before entering Makai. "Please allow me to introduce you. This is Renko and this is Merry. These two humans were absolutely instrumental in allowing us to be reunited with you. It is only because of the kindness and hard work that they have given on our behalf that Ichirin, the Holy Palanquin and I are not still trapped in the depths of the Underworld."
"Hello," I said, trying to bow with an appropriate level of dignity. "I'm Maeribel Hearn. It's nice to meet you."
"I'm honored to meet you," my partner said as she matched my bow. "My name is Renko Usami."
"A pleasure to meet you both, Byakuren replied, bowing just as deeply. I'm sure I will hear the whole story in time, but if you have been of assistance to my disciples, let me express my sincere gratitude now, along with a promise that I hope to one day repay the favour to you."
"Alright, that's enough of that. Everyone done talking?" asked a voice from beside us. It belonged to Reimu, who had flown up off of the deck and was floating not far behind Murasa with her arms crossed.
"Hey wait, Reimu, don't start without us!" Marisa called, zooming up to hover beside her on her broom. Sanae joined her a moment later. Murasa turned toward the three of them with a stern look on her face, but Byakuren laid a hand on her shoulder before she could say a word and eased her aside, striding past us in the air.
"You. You're the mastermind responsible for bringing all of these youkai together, right?" Reimu asked, pointing her gohei at Byakuren.
The saint looked at Reimu closely then blinked in surprise. Her eyebrows raised as she asked "That outfit... are you by any chance the Hakurei miko of this age?"
"That's right. I take it from your reaction that it really was my predecessor who sealed you away then. I'm Reimu Hakurei, the current Hakurei miko."
Byakuren stiffened slightly but spoke with the same sense of calm she had throughout. "Are you here to seal me away once again then?"
"I came here to determine if I should. The old Hakurei miko and everyone you deceived are all long gone now, but I won't allow a threat to the peace of Gensokyo to return to my world."
"What are you asking her for, Reimu?" Sanae asked, tilting her head in surprise. "She's the leader of a whole group of dangerous youkai. She has to be the bad guy. If not, who would get to be the boss?"
Byakuren's expression became grim as she turned to look at Sanae. "You seem to be a shrine maiden too, am I right?"
"I'm Sanae Kochiya. I'm less of a shrine maiden and more of a youkai hunter."
"A youkai hunter?"
"As of today! I've taken up exterminating monsters that do bad things to people."
Byakuren's expression settled into a grim mask as she turned toward Marisa.
"What about you over there?"
"Me? I'm Marisa Kirisame, an ordinary magician. I hear you're in the same business."
"Oh, a human magician? Is that common now? Has the world become a place where it's safe for humans to use magic? In my time because I had mastered these powers people came to fear me. I was hated and eventually sealed away in this prison."
"Hold on, that's not why you were imprisoned. I heard you were sealed for concealing the fact that you were sheltering youkai in your temple." Reimu interjected.
"I used my power to try to make a peaceful world where humans and youkai could live as equals. Whether I was persecuted for the means I used or the ends I aimed for makes no difference. Both were rejected by humankind."
"You can't just say somethin' like that and expect people to accept it! Humans and youkai aren't equal at all! Youkai are way stronger, so humans need protection. Well, they're stronger than most humans anyway. Not me." Marisa barked, interrupting.
"Yeah! And youkai oppress humans, tormenting and eating them!" Sanae cried. "Well, except for me. And Reimu, I guess."
"...I see," Byakuren said after a moment's pause, lowering her head solemnly. "Even if there are some humans willing to work together with youkai, the perceptions of humanity on the whole haven't changed in a thousand years, it seems. Even if youkai pose no threat to you, as humans you still wish to see them exiled, imprisoned or destroyed. Can you not see that the kami you serve, the devas and bodhisattvas I revere and the creatures you call youkai are all but one and the same? Why is it that some are celebrated and worshipped while others are excluded, persecuted, hunted and killed? Why should any be treated better or worse than humans? It is only because of the confusion and arbitrary nature of human thought that such divisions exist."
"What? What are you saying?" Sanae cried out in alarm. "Gods and youkai are nothing alike! Lady Kanako told me so!"
Reimu, on the other hand, shrugged indifferently. "I've exterminated my share of gods too."
"As expected of the Hakurei miko. You treat all beings the same, without distinction, yet you wish for them to live apart, just as your predecessor did. My apologies, but although you yourself live in an enlightened manner, your ideology is completely incompatible with my own. I seek to introduce a new way of being to the world, one where people of every kind can live in harmony together. If you stand in opposition to that, then I must firmly resist you. I will not be sealed away again."
"That's fine by me. Your way of thinking is too dangerous to allow to spread across Gensokyo. I'll seal you away here just as my predecessor did."
"And I'll help her!" Sanae cried. "Lady Kanako and the other gods aren't monsters! They exist to protect humans from wicked creatures like you!"
Byakuren looked toward Marisa with a forlorn expression. "And what of you, human magician? You have walked my path and known the judgement of humanity upon the power you have claimed to protect yourself. Do you not agree that peace between humans and youkai would be preferable?
"Nah." Marisa replied, not even taking a moment to ponder the question or its philosophical underpinnings. "Humans don't want to go to the trouble of becoming something else to stand on equal footing with youkai. You aren't one anymore, so maybe you wouldn't get it. Besides," she said as she tugged her hat down over her eyes and donned her most belligerent smile. "I like Reimu. I'm not gonna let you beat her up."
"I see," Byakuren said, floating backward and unfurling the scroll of rainbow light between her hands. She exhaled slowly then took a deep breath. "The nature of humans has not changed in my absence. They are still, in their hearts, stupid, shallow, selfish, greedy and unforgiving creatures!" Her voice resounded, magically amplified, and the pulse and glow of the light in the center of the Realm of Truth seemed to grow in time with it as a low, thunderous rumble resounded across the skies.
"We're with you, mother!" Ichirin cried, diving into position before her.
"We'll never leave your side again!" Murasa cried, joining her.
"We'll fight to the last to protect you." Shou declared, placing herself at the point of the wedge facing off against Reimu and the others.
Even Nazrin took up a position above the rest, carefully watching as the humans and youkai squared off. Unzan began hustling back toward the ship to drop us off, a tension rising in his muscles that was perceptible beneath the softness of the clouds.
Byakuren brought all of their motion to a halt with a gesture, laying a hand on Ichirin's shoulder, then stepping forward, brushing Shou and Murasa out of the way.
"No. This is my battle. It is my beliefs alone that stand in opposition to those of the humans. Let my power speak in defense of the light of the Dharma. All of you have a more important task to pursue. You must protect the lives of these two humans and Lady Shinki and her attendant. This fight may well be a bit intense."
"But mother Byakuren, we..."
"I understand, Murasa. Fear not. A thousand years ago I made a mistake in not standing up for what I knew was right in the face of persecution by the small minded and ignorant. I will not make the same mistake again. Go now." She said this forcefully, with a tone that, while still calm, carried with it the weight of authority. Murasa seemed about to protest further, but Shou laid a hand on her shoulder.
"The holy mother has spoken. Let us not shirk our duties. Murasa, let's see what you and Unzan can do to try and move the ship to safety. Ichirin and I will do what we can to protect everyone from harm. Such is Hijiri's will."
Rage and shame played across Murasa's face, but she bit her lip and turned back toward the Holy Palanquin, making her way toward the shattered remnants of the wheelhouse. Riding on Unzan's back, we returned to the deck as well, to stand beside Yumeko and lady Shinki as Shou and Ichirin took up positions on either side of us.
In the sky above us, a short distance away, Byakuren and the three humans who had announced their intentions to exterminate her squared off. Reimu held her gohei at her side, with a number of ofuda between the fingers of her right hand. Marisa was tossing her trigram furnace in her hand, flipping it and catching it as she switched her riding position on her broom to side-saddle. Sanae held her wand in hand and seemed to be trying to decide what pose would look the most intimidating, swapping between standing with her arms crossed and aping a variety of stances taken from old manga.
The tense silence that filled the air was shattered in one bellowing cry as Byakuren nodded her head and said simply, but with great force:
"Now then, let's begin. Namusan!"