Rain battered the top of my umbrella as I moved through the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, each step creating an audible “splish splash” while my feet sunk into the muddy ground. To most people, the bamboo forest would be an endless maze of emerald and brown, a cage trapping lost souls until they me their inevitable demise at the hands of dehydration or insanity.

As for me, I've practiced the routes of this places hundreds of times during my time working as a student as a student of the former lunar sage, Eirin Yagokoro, or “The Brain of the Moon” as some people view her as. Several months ago, I sought out Eientei in pursuit of medicine and astronomy, hoping that Lady Eirin would be intrigued by my presence enough to take me under her wing.

Naturally, my efforts were in vain. At least initially, as Eirin proved to be a very busy individual, and she wasn’t intrigued by my presence in the slightest. So instead, I turned to the rogue moon rabbit, Reisen Inaba, in hopes that she would be willing to teach me. To my surprise, she was open to the idea. But I would need to help her with medicine selling and herb gathering. As a result, I would spend most of my days navigating the bamboo forest I currently find myself in. At first, I would get lost constantly. That phoenix lady had to help guide me multiple times, much to my embarrassment in the face of constant navigational failure.

Eventually, I learned to use the position of the stars to judge my current positioning in the forest, which would guide me through the labyrinthine patterns of the trees. With enough practice, I could treat the constellations like arrows pointing my towards herbs or forest exists, greatly increasing my efficiency in the evening. As a result, Lady Eirin was quickly intrigued by my determination and unique talents, which would result in Lady Eirin tutoring me directly. Today, I was searching for various herbs like normal. Of course, there were the basics, like garlic and turmeric, but there were also exotic flowers like nightshade, which I always thought were toxic, but Eirin requested them for use in antidote creation.

While I was carefully gathering nightshade petals, I noticed that the surrounding area began to darken, and I could hear thunder above me. I starting running back to Eientei, but I was already too late. I had to quickly pull out the umbrella from my backpack and open it up to prevent being soaked by the torrential downpour that would arrive suddenly and forcefully. While the umbrella shielded me from the worst of it, the gusts of wind would frequently splash me with rainwater, quickly soaking my clothes.

When I finally made it to Eientei, my legs feel like rubber from the constant sprinting, and I’m completely out of breath. So when I finally caught my breath, I knock gently on the sliding bamboo door, followed up by approaching footsteps that slide the door open to reveal a familiar rabbit girl, who I greet with a tired wave and smile.

“Hey Reisen, I made it. Well, barely.”

Reisen chuckled. “Sorry about the weather, that’s unfortunately something not even master can control.” She stepped out of the way, allowing me to enter the House of Eternity.

“Don’t worry, I ain’t blaming you. I will say though that it’s hard to use the stars for navigation when you’re being soaked with every gust of wind.”

“That’s understandable. From the looks of things, the herbs you gathered don’t appear to be completely drenched, so they should still be usable.”

After drying off my feet, the two of us start walking through the noneuclidean hallways of Eientei, which would normally he used as a natural security measure against intruders.

“Hey Reisen?”

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did Lady Eirin require these specific ingredients? I’m aware she usually uses the herbs I gather for medicine, but she was vague when asking me to gather these. I think she said something along the lines of making something ‘otherworldly’?”

Reisen shrugs. “I’m not sure. Master hasn’t told me anything regarding her plans. Try not to worry about it though, I’m sure she probably needs them for an antidote or flu medicine.”

“Fair enough.”

As we get closer to Eirin’s office, Reisen suddenly raises her arm. “Wait. You probably shouldn’t enter master’s office while looking like a drowned rat.”

Reisen opens the door to a nearby closet and hands me a fluffy towel.

“Oh, thanks! I hadn’t thought about that, honestly.”

Reisen chuckles while she watches me dry off. “You can navigate a labyrinth using the stars, but you fail to notice the wet clothes on your body?”

I finish drying off and hand her the towel. “What can I say? Some things are better at capturing my attention than others.”

“I suppose that’s true. But try not to let something like that happens during your visit with master. I don’t think she’ll be as lenient about something like that. Especially when you’re going through the delicate process of medicine creation.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

And with that, I open the door to Eirin’s office and step inside, where I’m greeted by a familiar, yet incomprehensible sight. Eirin herself sits at a large desk that’s surrounded by high-tech machinery whose purpose I can’t even attempt to describe. The multicolored chemicals and futuristic machinery serve as a harsh reminder that Eirin originates from an advanced society on the moon. I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of the Lunar Capital, but I lack the methods of visiting it, and even if I could, the lunarians would likely kill me on sight.

“Greetings, Eric.” Eirin says with a patient smile, her silver eyes scanning me up and down. She places her clipboard down for a moment to clear her desk, leaving behind a mortar and pestle and some other lab equipment. “I see you were able to retrieve the herbs and flowers I requested, even in spite of adverse weather conditions.”

“Indeed I did.” I say with a proud smile. “I hope we’re making a muscle relaxant though, because my legs feel really sore after all that running.”

“Not exactly, but at the same time, you won’t need to move much during our visit. Especially once we’re done.”

Eirin was always vague with her wording, outside of giving direct orders. I could see it in the enigmatic smile that would always be present on her face, hiding ulterior motives that were always just out of my reach. I don’t doubt Eirin’s genius, but I always wondered what she would hide beneath her veil of riddles.

“So, are we ready to begin?” I say while placing the containers of herbs and petals on the table.

“That is correct. We will begin the process like most medicines: grinding up leaves and petals in a mortar.”

I do as she says, grabbing a mortar and pestle to begin grinding up various herbs and nightshade petals into a greenish-purple paste that has a surprisingly pleasant scent. Eirin nods in approval and writes something down on her clipboard before continuing.

“Excellent, but this is the easiest part. Even the earth rabbits can succeed in this endeavor. Which means it is now time for the real test. Combining chemicals is a delicate and dangerous process, where even the smallest of mistake could lead to toxin production or even an explosion.” She focuses her gaze on my own. “Are you certain you wish to continue?”

I nod in agreement. “Of course. If I wish to further my knowledge, then I cannot back down in the face of danger.”

Eirin smiles. “Wonderful! I knew I made the right choice when deciding to make you my student.”

She gathers various chemicals from a nearby shelf and places them on the table. I can see some of the liquids shifting colors, while others sparkle underneath the moonlight filtering in through the bamboo walls. I then begin mixing the chemicals together. I’m not entirely sure what I’m using, but I do know that it results in a vial full of a sparkling, multicolored liquid.

To finish our work, Eirin retrieves a medicine dropper and extracts a small amount of the liquid, while I hold the bottom half of a white pill case. Once Eirin fills the pill with the multicolored liquid, I attach the top half of the pill case and place the pill in a small, cylindrical glass container. Once I seal the lid onto the container, a refrigerated gas fills up the container, making the pill hard to see inside of the container.

After a few moment, the gas clears, and Eirin takes the top off of the container. She the. Takes the pill and holds it up underneath the light, the liquid inside still vibrant and fantastical, looking like a kaleidoscope of colors when Eirin gave it a light shake, her smile widening while she hummed in approval.

“So uh… now that we’re done, would you be so kind as to explain what we’ve been doing? I still don’t fully understand…”

Eirin places the pill in my hand. “Now we begin a trial run. You requested something that would be easy on your sore leg muscles, and I have provided.”

“So it actually is a muscle relaxant?”

Eirin nods. “Of course, that is… one of it’s effects.”

“One of it’s effects?”

“Relaxants are not without side effects, Eric. You might feel slightly numb or tired.” “Alright, I understand.”

I swallow the white pill, and for a moment nothing happens. I look at Eirin in confusion, but right when I was about to question the pill’s legitimacy, I suddenly feel a wave of tiredness wash over me. I have to lean on the desk to prevent myself from immediately falling over, but it doesn’t help much. It’s a struggle to lift my head up as the world around me begins to spin and sway. Eirin’s voice sounds muffled and distant as she begins to speak.

“Ah, it would appear that the dream pill is working as intended. Consider this a social experiment, Eric.”

I attempt to stand up, only for my legs to give out, prompting me to collapse into Eirin’s arms, who guides me over to a nearby futon while my vision fades.

“I apologize for tricking you, Eric. But this was the the only opportunity I had to see how a human would react in a land of absolute purity. Not to worry, you will be perfectly fine. If anything happens, you will wake up in an instant. Until then, sweet dreams…”

That’s the last thing I hear before everything goes dark, and my body suddenly feels like it’s falling through the floor, like I've lost my physical presence. My vision doesn’t stay dark for long, as I’m suddenly greeted by a void of stars and purple that takes a moment to stop spinning. My head and body finally stabilize, but I still feel disoriented by the sight of the neon purple grid beneath my feet. The endless void of space stretches out in every direction, and I can see earth bathed in a purple mist below me, and the moon straight ahead. The ground beneath me feels like it barely exists, like I’m floating, while also standing on solid ground.

Seeing no other option, I decide to start walking towards the moon, watching in awe as it slowly becomes bigger and more detailed as I approach.

“Hey.”

The sudden voice causes me to jump back in surprise, and I turn to see a purple-haired woman resting on a large pink blob like it’s a beanbag chair. A strange-looking hat extends all the way down her back, and she wears purple and black pajamas. The strange woman looks at me with a smug expression, like she’s used to these encounters.

“You know,” She begins. “The last time I saw people using this passageway, they were all a lot more prepared for what’s ahead. As for you, I’ve seen headless chickens with more awareness of their surroundings.”

I stare at her with confusion. “Uh… who are you?”

“I am Doremy Sweet, the ruler of the dream world you find yourself in. Eirin’s pills are truly magical, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, apparently so. I wish she didn’t need to trick me into performing some kind of ‘social experiment’ though. Which reminds me, what is this place, exactly?”

Doremy blinks. “It’s… the dream world.”

“Well, yeah, but what I mean is, why does it look like…” I give a sweeping gesture to the surrounding area. “…This? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“That’s because the dream world is a vast and sprawling location. Everyone views the dream world differently, but some parts of it are inaccessible to the general public. What you’re currently standing on is the Kaian Passageway, a ‘safe’ method of traveling between the Lunar Capital and Gensokyo.”

When she finished speaking, she waves her hand towards me, and the small pink blob that was floating around her hand drifts towards me, growing in size and knocking me off my feet, causing me to topple over onto the blob. After adjusting my position, I find that it’s soft and fluffy like a cloud.

“I figured you might want some comfortable seating during our chat.” Doremy says, watching me struggle with amusement.

“Thanks…? What are these things, anyway?”

“They’re the physical manifestation of dreams. Whenever a person wakes up, their dream stays with me in the form of those pink bubbles. Think of them like a chalkboard after all of the chalk has been cleaned.”

“What do you do with them? Are they just used as furniture?”

Doremy chuckles. “While they are comfortable, they’re also sustenance for me.”

“Wait, what? You eat them as well?”

“That is correct. I am the creator of dreams, but also the destroyer of dreams.”

“I see.” I say, wanting to steer this conversation back to the original topic. “So you mentioned that this is a passageway to the Lunar Capital, but how often do people or youkai use it?”

Doremy’s expression turns contemplative. “Hmm, the last time I saw this passage being used was over ten years ago. The Lunar Capital needed to use the dream world as a refuge, while four incident resolvers went to the Lunar Capital to assist them in dealing with a greater threat.”

This catches me by surprise. “The capital needed to hide? From what?”

“The purest form of anger.” Doremy explains bluntly.

“...Okay? Well, am I gonna have to avoid this ‘purest form of anger’?”

Doremy shrugs. “Maybe? I can’t read the future. What I can tell you though, is that your time here is limited. So I’m afraid I’ll have to end our conversation here.”

Right as she says that, the world around me begins to twist and distort, rapidly turning into the surface of the moon. Doremy’s body looks faded, but she still has her smug expression.

“Good luck, Eric. You’re going to need it.”

And with that, I find myself laying down on a beach of smooth, white sand. Next to me is a perfectly still ocean that reflects the stars and earth above. Turning around, I can see an orchard full of peach trees, each containing giant, nearly spherical peaches. Honestly, I was half-expecting one of them to burst and drench me in peach juice while I was walking through the orchard.

After walking for a few minutes, I find myself at a gray platform in front of a red archway attached to a huge metallic wall, with the barrels of mounted machine guns visible from the ground. On both sides of the arch are two red and gold banners.

Intrigued by the beauty of the capital, I was about to take a step inside when a light blue-haired rabbit wearing a fancy uniform and a rifle on her back suddenly rushed out of the arch, her eyes widening when she sees me. Before I could reach, she pulled the rifle from her back and aimed it at me, the bayonet inches from my throat, causing me to raise my hands in surrender.

“W-Woah, wait! I’m not a threat!”

“That doesn’t matter!” The rabbit yells. “You’re a security risk, so you need to come with me immediately!”

The moon rabbit falls in step beside me and presses the bayonet of the gun against my back. It’s not enough to hurt, but it’s enough to send a message. As such, we start briskly walking across the streets of the capital, where I can see a sprawling metropolis of low-rise buildings and market stands. As we get closer to the center building, I can see a variety of temples, indicating a significant religious presence on the moon.

Finally, the moon rabbit ushers me into a palace-like building on the moon, complete with elaborate interior design and fancy decorations. She practically shoves me into a lounge area, where two woman are seated. One of them has purple hair that’s tied into a neat ponytail, and she wears a regal red dress with a strap over her shoulder, a gold, sword-shaped belt buckle, and the gold-studded velvet hilt of a katana rests in her hand. The woman beside her has sandy blonde hair that flows down her back like golden silk, and she wears a royal purple dress with a strap on the opposite shoulder, a gold belt buckle with a shape I don’t recognize, and an ornate fan in her hand. She also wears a white bonnet with a purple ribbon attached to it.

Immediately, the two woman turn to me, their eyes wide with surprise. The purple-haired woman in the first to speak up, her hand tightening on the hilt of her katana.

“Rei’sen, what is the meaning of this? Why is an earthling here?”

The rabbit, who I now know is Rei’sen, withdraws her rifle from my back and salutes the two women. “Lady Yorihime, Lady Toyohime, this human was found attempting to trespass onto the Lunar Capital!”

The blonde-haired woman looks at me with intrigue, lazily fanning herself while she speaks. “Oh my, a trespasser? Such bravery from a defenseless earthling, it’s almost admirable, if not foolish.” She pauses for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “Hm? You appear to be in a state of purity. That shouldn’t be possible for an earthling…”

The purple-haired woman abruptly stands up and marches over to me, giving me a glare that could melt steel. “Who are you, and who sent you?” She asks bluntly, looking like she’s having to restrain herself from cutting me open in an instant.

I gulp nervously and attempt to slowly back away, only for the woman to maintain her close proximity. “Hey now… I don’t really want to be here either, I was tricked by Eirin into taking some weird dream pill, and then I ended up here!” I attempt to explain, my face visibly sweating.

The woman looks unamused by my explanation. “You expect me to believe that Lady Eirin would willingly give a random earthling one of her most powerful medicines for the sake of treating the Lunar Capital like her own personal playground? I suggest you choose your wording carefully, human. Because you’re dangerously close to being erased.” She subtly tilts her katana, allowing the blade to perfectly reflect my terrified face.

Meanwhile, the blonde-haired woman giggles from her seat. “Now, now, Yorihime. I don’t believe the human is lying. Don’t you see the lack of impurity? Only Lady Eirin could produce something capable of providing temporary grace to someone covered in filth and impurity.”

Yorihime sighs, but reluctantly backs off away from me, allowing the blonde-haired woman, who I presume is Toyohime, to stand beside her.

“Well,” I begin. “Now that I've met you two, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Eric, a student of Eirin and astronomer in Gensokyo. Well, rookie astronomer, that is.”

Toyohime’s eyes sparkle. “Oh my, how intriguing! I've always enjoyed seeing you earthlings study the stars. I recently read a book about you connecting certain stars to form images of cookware and humans!”

Yorihime looks uncomfortable. “Sister, this human is still a security concern. We can’t treat this like a vacation.”

Toyohime turns to her sister with a wide smile. “Relax, sister. Having fun once in awhile never hurts anyone!”

“Is that why you continue to eat peaches despite my concerns for your sugar intake?”

Toyohime starts laughing again. “It’ll be fine! You’re a girl too, Yorihime. A few extra curves wouldn’t hurt you!”

Yorihime’s eyes go as wide as dinner plates, and her face burns a deep shade of crimson that rivals her outfit. Meanwhile, Rei’sen’s eaes twitch nervously as she exits the room. “SISTER!” Yorihime shrieks. “Have you no shame?! You can’t just make such scandalous comments like that in front of a guest!”

I take this moment to tease Yorihime, as risky as it may be. “So if you two were alone, it would be fine?”

Everyone goes silent for a moment, then Toyohime bursts out laughing. She has to clutch her sides to prevent herself from toppling over. Meanwhile, Yorihime looks like she’s about to combust.

“You… You insolent little…!”

Right when Yorihime looks like she’s about to draw her sword on me, she suddenly deflates, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

“…Endearing.” Yorihime says through gritted teeth. “Regardless, we need to do something about the human until her can wake up. We cannot allow him to aimlessly roam the Lunar Capital.”

Toyohime thinks for a moment, and then she turns to me while beaming. “I know! Let’s show him to one of our kitchens! I think he’ll find the machinery inside fascinating.”

I stare at her in bewilderment. “Uh… I guess? But I’m not much of a chef…”

Toyohime giggles. “Nonsense! The machinery will help you. If the moon rabbits can handle it, then so can you!”

“Is that meant to be an insult towards me or the rabbits?”

Yorihime sighs. “The rabbits. The last time the rabbits attempted to use the kitchen, they all ended up compromised after an incident involving lunar herbs.”

Toyohime laughs. “What she means is that they were all stoned! It was hilarious!”

“Okay… but what do you want me to make? Even if I had any real cooking talent, I don’t know your preferences.”

Toyohime claps her hands together. “Oh, I know! How about a dessert? I’ve always found sweets to be such a joy for the tongue. It’s like happiness in an edible state!” She casts a side-eyed glance at Yorihime, who was giving her a disapproving look. “Don’t look at me like that, Yorihime. Don’t you sometimes find yourself intrigued by Earth’s culinary arts?”

Yorihime crosses her arms. “Why would I ever show interest in a filthy, impure-“

She’s interrupted by a loud, echoing growl from her stomach. Her hand immediately flies to her stomach while her face heats up again. Meanwhile, Toyohime bursts out laughing.

“Oh, sister! You may act all cold and tough on the outside, but your stomach is just as intrigued as I am!”

Yorihime looks away with a bitter expression on her face. “…Fine. I suppose it is better than standing around and doing nothing. Come with us, Eric.”

Toyohime lunges forward and links her arm with mine, walking alongside me with surprising strength, to the point that she’s nearly dragging me along the floor. I’m then brought to a large kitchen full of machinery similar to what I saw in Eirin’s office, with an ornate dining room attached.

“Here we are!” Toyohime declares, releasing my arm to gesture grandly towards the pristine equipment. She then sits on the counter and fans herself while watching me with excitement. “Now, show us what you’ve got!” “But… I don’t know any recipes!”

Yorihime shrugs, watching from the side. “I’m afraid that doesn't matter now. Give it your best shot, and we’ll see what happens.”

“Okay then…”

And so, I get to work. I grab a few peaches from a nearby cabinet, alongside a few other ingredients. I then experiment with the machinery to try and produce something that at least looks edible. Eventually, I manage to cobble together a basic peach cobbler, but I accidentally bump a button that’s attached to some kind of laser device. The device powers on and then zaps the cobbler, making it grow slightly larger than it was before.

“What the-?! Why do you even have a device like that?”

Toyogime ignored the question, instead dropping down from the counter and slowly approaching the dessert while visibly salivating. “It's so beautiful…”

Even Yorihime looks surprised, but she’s trying to hide it. “Control yourself, sister. But… I suppose it does look acceptable.”

“It is? Huh, didn’t think I’d actually make something you two would enjoy. Can’t say I’m complaining though.”

I serve the cobbler to the two ladies at the table, and the both start eating. More specifically, Yorihime starts eating gracefully, while Toyohime starts devouring it like a wild animal. It’s actually kinda surprising to see someone of her status acting like this. Although, she does seem to have a carefree personality, so it’s not that surprising.

“Woah. I wasn’t aware that Toyohime liked peaches so much.”

Yorihime snorts. “That’s an understatement. She spends most of her days reading books or eating peaches.”

The two finish eating, and Toyohime leans back in her plush chair, patting her stomach with a look of satisfied bliss. “Ahh, that’s nice.

Aren’t peaches such a joy, sister?”

Yorihime gives a reluctant nod. “It was… adequate.” She then abruptly stands up, dusting off her dress. “But I would like to speak with Eric in private.”

“Oh, uh, sure…?”

Yorihime leads me into a small side room, and then turns to face me. “Eric, do you truly believe that you are equipped to handle any potential adversity you may experience in Gensokyo?”

I blink a couple of times in confusion. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be.”

“Because I could see the fear in your eyes.” Yorihime says bluntly. “Even after things had calmed down, your limbs were shaking, and you have been mostly quiet during your visit.”

I scratch the back of my head awkwardly. “Well, you are an intimidating woman…”

“Exactly. So what happens when you encounter someone less lenient than I am, but is equally dangerous?”

The two of us stare at each other in silence for a moment, but then I suddenly develop a risky idea. “I’ll subdue them.” I say with a smile.

“Subdue?” Yorihime asks with a raised eyebrow. I then reach over and start ticking her sides. Immediately, her eyes widen. “Hey, stop! W-What are you…?!” I tickle up towards her neck, and she starts twitching. Despite her efforts, a smile slowly spreads across her face. “I-I’m warning you! I… mph… I’ll… hehe… ahahaha… you’re gonna make me…” “HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Yorihime completely loses it. She crumples to the ground in a fit of manic laughter that echoes throughout the room while she wriggles around on her back like a turtle on it’s shell.

“Haha… okay… stop…!”

I finally release the poor woman, allowing her to catch her breath and stand back up, recovering from a few residual giggles. “Alright, I understand now. It would appear that you have a very… unique, method of dealing with threats.”

And so, the two of us return to the dining room, where we’re greeted by Toyohime with a wide smile. “I can’t believe it. An earthling made stone-faced Yorihime laugh! It’s a miracle!”

Yorihime looks away with an uneasy smile. “Yes, I suppose he did.”

That’s when my body begins to feel numb, and my vision begins to waver. “Huh? What’s happening to me?”

Toyohime frowns. “Aww, your dream is coming to an end.” She says with disappointment in her voice. “It’s a shame, I was hoping you could stay longer.”

Yorihime nods in agreement, turning to me with a gentle smile. “I’m not supposed to say this about earthlings, but… I’m really glad you came to visit today, Eric. Stay safe out there, alright?”

I nod, feeling disappointed by my abrupt leave as well. “Thank you, Yorihime and Toyohime. Will I ever see you two again…?”

Toyohime beams. “Actually, you might be able to! In fact, I have the ability to-“