Yuuma, slowly, hesitantly, lifted the cup to her lips. She braced herself, resolved to just get it over with, and downed the contents in one gulp. Every inch and piece of her throat screamed in agony, but she kept forcing it down, resisting the urge to try and spit it up. When she’d finally finished, she leaned forward, gasping with exhaustion.

Next time she met Yachie, she’d make soup out of her. She sat the cup down, reaching for the small whiteboard at the top of a pile of the same.

Done.
Go away.

The eagles around her nodded, nervously flapping away. They were timid, irritably so, and had been since Yachie’s kiss of death. Yuuma’s mood in the aftermath was not helping, but their cowardice only irritated her further, creating a death-spiral that Yuuma just didn’t have the energy to try and fix.

The otters had peeled her off the concrete, stuck her in a rickety wheelbarrow from the park they’d claimed from her, and put as much ceremony as possible in what amounted to a small, impromptu parade, bringing her up to the bridge where she’d first intercepted them before having great fun watching the wheelbarrow tumble into the canals. These were largely not the otters they’d been fighting all day, but fresh, bright-eyed recruits from other fronts, and the beleaguered eagles of the canal territory did little more than watch.

She could have just let her body be destroyed, but whatever damage the swordsman had done to her, it was having a lingering effect. She could still feel it was suppressing her ability to devour anything. While her external body had healed to the point she could fight again, if she was destroyed without her ability to devour, she might take a long, long time to reform. And Gouyoku morale was already in the pits with her just incapacitated; she had no choice but to deal with the indignities and keep her carcass running until her power came back. She’d never expected that she’d ever hate the idea of eating - not eating something generally considered gross, just eating in general - but Yachie’s blight still loomed through her, and made it a torturous experience. She’d still cough up charcoal from time to time.

Angrily, she threw the whiteboard away, making a dent in the far wall. All of the damn eagles were useless - fucking useless.

…Except for the one that brought in a stack of whiteboards. He was smart. He was destined for great things.

Yuuma sighed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling lights. She could hear the panicked voices of the eagles downstairs, and she just couldn’t be bothered to help, even though she knew whatever situation was unfolding was likely dire. This area was getting hemmed in, more and more too. The Keiga had been getting more and more aggressive, the Otters were eager for blood still, and with Yuuma incapacitated, other, smaller families had decided this was their chance to act, or that Gouyoku was no longer a good alliance to be in. She needed to heal up, and soon, or else-

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

Or else someone would find her. A black silhouette filled the room, with hair as dark as midnight. Yuuma groaned, knowing full well what was about to happen.

The leader of the Keiga family strode in, oozing smugness as only one who wore a cowboy hat could. “My, my, my. It’s really true?” The woman put her ridiculous boot up on Yuuma’s bed. “The undefeatable matriarch laid low. I never expected to see the big bad Yuuma hooked up to an IV drip!”

Yuuma flicked her a rude gesture, which Keiga scoffed at. “Come on, Yuuma. No sassy comebacks?” Saki Kurokoma grinned, clapping her hand on a broken leg and drawing out a gasp from the taotie. “Come on, cat got your tongue?”

Yuuma grabbed one of the whiteboards and began to scrawl out an angry response.

Asshole.

Saki looked at the board. Then at the stack of other boards. Then at the boards on the floor. Then back at Yuuma. Then the board lodged in the far wall. She could practically hear the gears turning in Saki’s head.

It started as a low chuckle. Then, it gained depth and throatiness, starting to fill the room. Before long, the pegasus was howling with laughter, at a level that threatened to level the building.

“I-you-thehahahaha! You can’t speak?! Oh man, that is hilarious!” She guffawed. “The sheep who got roasted so badly she can’t even bleat! Man, that is great.”

Yuuuma groaned, which broke into a cough. It was bad, but of all the people who could’ve found her, Saki was probably the best worst-case scenario. She loved a good fight too much to take Yuuma out, and she was probably here for something else entirely. Which meant at the very least Toutetsu would avoid taking a battering. Or at least an intentional battering - she already knew Saki’s bedside manner would leave her in a worse state than before she entered. Here 2 hear what did this?

“Yes, yes I am.” Saki beamed, grinning mischievously. “You’ll be cooperative, won’t you, Yuuma-chan?” Yuuma shuddered, her skin crawling.

Yama sent swordsman He cut me open. Yuuma paused. The throat’s Yachie The rest was ankle-biter. Saki leaned forward, mouthing out the words as she read.

“...Ankle-biter? Is that the miko I’ve been hearing about?” Yuuma nodded, prompting a tilt of Kurokoma’s head. “Did she come from the Yama too, or someone else?”

Yachie’s secret = ankle-biter. Kurokoma stared at the whiteboard. For several seconds longer than Yuuma expected, sounding it out several times. She leaned in closer to the board, supporting her weight right on one of the Taotie’s bruises. Through the pain, Yuuma wondered if adding an equals sign was a mistake and now Kurokoma was trying to calculate it. If she was, there was only so long before the pegasus overheated.

“Yachie’s… ankle-biter?” Kurokoma half muttered the question. When her face crested the board, it was pale, and sweating. “A-are… are you telling me… the miko is Yachie’s daughter?!”

And there was the burnout. Yuuma bounced the whiteboard off of Kurokoma’s head, only succeeding in getting a ricochet straight into her chest. Coughing, she pointed at the bandages around her bitten ankle, and Kurokoma examined it. “Ohhhhhhh! You meant literally. Ohhhhh thank the prince. Gave me a shock there, you know.” Another whiteboard bounced off her skull, and was even less effective than the first.

No way Yachies kid shes way too young. The last time a male jidiao had been seen anywhere in the Animal Realm had been hundreds of years ago, and by all accounts his and Yachie’s interactions had been more like a territory dispute than anything approaching procreation. …Really, there were very, very few dragons of any sort (hopefully one less soon if Yuuma had anything to say about it) and either living in the animal realm or her position as the Kiketsu Matriarch seemed to keep the few relevant bachelors away from Yachie. The idea of her doing a human was outright ludicrous on its face. Shes just some miko brat that Yachie bewitched I think.

“...I see.” Kurokoma said, after far, far too long spent trying to figure out ‘bewitched’. “So she’s the one who did the rest to you, huh? How strong is she?”

Yuuma… shuddered. She didn’t want to think about that. What the hell had that half-form been? It was stronger than she thought Mikos should be able to get. She’d fought her fair share of powerful spirits, even a few of the famous Gensokyan Peacekeepers after their deaths, and even then, that brief burst of power… And it was pure youkai extermination, but she was pretty sure that was a youkai miko. …What in hell was Yachie playing with now?

Kurokoma raised an eyebrow at the trembling taotie. “Wow… she’s that powerful, huh?” Kurokoma mulled it over, before grinning. “You think a good kick to her skull will break Yachie’s spell on her? Cos I kinda wanna fight her myself, maybe get her in the Keiga.”

Be my guest. Yuuma leaned back, feeling exhausted. Now will you go away?

Kurokoma looked over the board, assessing Yuuma. “...You’re really in a pitiful state, huh? Alright, I’ll leave you be.” She stepped up toward the window, preparing to fly, and Yuuma leaned back. Well, if the miko and Kurokoma duked it out, maybe there’d be one less problem for her to deal with either way. Hopefully the day would be relatively easy from here.

“Oh, just one more thing.” A piercing whistle made Yuuma’s eye’s shoot open, as the pegasus suddenly leapt at her. A small crew of wolves began to file in, carrying a few battered eagles and… oh no, not that. Anything but that.

The taotie tried to struggle, but Kurokoma gripped her horn like a vice, yanking her head upright. “Come on, Yuuma, you think I was just gonna let this moment pass?” She leaned down, squishing her face up against Yuuma’s and putting two fingers up in a v-sign. “No, this was always going to happen. Gonna post this up on the billboards you can see from the Gouyoku territory.”

The horse snickered, as the camera crew began a countdown. “Now, Yuuma, I’m sure you know what we’re doing, but just in case… remember to say cheese!”

Epilogue: Yuuma complete.
Loading Epilogue: Keiki...

Bishop stabbed his fork into the piece of chicken. He picked it up, looking at it cautiously.

“...Are you sure you want me to do this, Keiki-sama?” He spoke as if he was being asked to execute his best friend.

Keiki nodded, eagerly. “Yes, Bishop. I wouldn’t have installed that new system for you for nothing.” It had been the first thing she’d done, once she had finally gotten some rest. Well. Sleeping for three days straight, completely dead to the world, was a little more than ‘some’.

Bishop turned the fork over, looking at the meat disdainfully. “It just seems… unnecessary.” He said, glumly. “Isn’t more conventional fuel more efficient?”

Keiki resisted the urge to sigh. “Please, Bishop, just give it a chance, alright?” It wasn’t that he was wrong, technically. It was much, much less efficient than his internal combustion. But, to Keiki that was half the point of humanity. Efficiencies and inefficiencies balanced against each other, being able to rush or glide through the things they didn’t enjoy so they could revel in the ones they did.

A lot of her older models were all-efficiency, all the time. Endlessly focused on the results. They’d had to be, for her early conquests, when all they’d had was one clay pit to call a base. But it made adapting most of them to a fuller, more human life all the more difficult.

Most importantly, she had to give them things to enjoy. That meant giving them the functions to be able to enjoy them. No point in getting the time to stop and smell the roses if you had no sense of smell. Bishop was acting as a prototype of a new taste and digestion upgrade.

He eventually acquiesced, with a strangely sulky air. Some part of it made the statuesque soldier look more like a fussy toddler. Keiki bit back a chuckle, and set to work on her own plate.

She didn’t exactly get much time to enjoy it.

A nervous maid’s voice spoke up on her intercom. A human spirit who’d been living on the streets, recently recruited as a rescue. “Lady Keiki? Kicchou Yachie’s here. And she’s pi- she’s really mad.”

Keiki chuckled. Very, very tentatively, there was a basic agreement to allow certain members of the Kiketsu into Keiki’s territory. In the long term, it wasn’t supposed to include Yachie… but in the short, she’d been allowed to use it.

Keiki had been looking forward to the time when she would.

“Send her in!” She stuffed a bit more food into her mouth, knowing full well that she’d be busy talking for a while. “No need to intervene, Bishop; just keep eating.” The guard sagged, but did as he was commanded.

Yachie exploded into the room like a backdraft of flame. The jidiao was furious as she made her way towards the table. “Keiki. You know why I’m here.”

Keiki played innocent, to rile her up further. “Ah, Yachie, long time no see! I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The jidiao hissed, pulling out a mask. “Don’t play dumb. Asami found this in Reimu’s room.” She threw it down to the table with a clatter.

The sculptor goddess duly inspected the mask. It was a classic kitsune mask, porcelain white with red markings, and its surface was completely unbroken. Keiki looked up at the furious Yachie, and smiled innocently.

“Do you like it? Or would you have preferred if I made it a dragon? I could make one for you too, if you like.”

“Keiki.”

“I made sure to make the ears nice and tall, so when her horns grow in, they’ll still be hidden nicely.”

“Keiki.”

“And it’ll also stay on her face until she removes it, so her face can’t get exposed for her vigil-”

The jidiao roared, slamming her hands into the table. “Haniyasushin Keiki, why the FUCK are you trying to turn my daughter into a vigilante?!” Keiki grinned, sipping at her wine.

It had been just under two weeks, now, since she’d first met Kicchou Reimu. She’d bounced back from her harrowing first day remarkably well, all things considered, and had started acting on her own, while she waited for her mother to arrange safe passage to somewhere away from the city. Sneaking into the other territories - from anywhere she liked; she was the intended benefactor of the Kiketsu safe passage agreement - and taking potshots at saving a few humans from the Gouyoku and Keiga. Even the maid who’d sent the message was one of Reimu’s rescues. The mask on the table now was a little gift Keiki had sent to help her along, and smooth her efforts over.

The sculptor goddess had been anticipating the inevitable moment when Yachie found out, and so far it did not disappoint. “She’s been practising her ambush tactics, no? I thought you’d appreciate her refining her skills.” The jidiao’s eye twitched, knowing full well that Keiki had deliberately used the term Reimu normally hated.

Yachie growled. “Refining her skills is one thing, but this is just brazen tomfoolery. If Kurokoma was there, or Toutetsu makes a sudden recovery, she could be killed.”

Keiki waved her concerns off. “Oh, I’m sure she’d just do that big crystalline thing I heard about if she had to. It worked last time, didn’t it?”

The mother jidiao didn’t shift from her position. “She doesn't even know what that ability is, or how to use it yet. If your whole meddling revolves around her using that ability, you might as well kill her yourself." She folded her arms. "It is one thing for my daughter to go out on these… escapades. But it is another thing entirely for you to be going about enabling her to do it further.” Her glare was positively venomous. “I will not abide you using my daughter for your little ploys. You are not her mother.”

An idea occurred to Keiki. She glanced over, to see Bishop starting to reach for a glass of water. Perhaps this was the perfect moment to test the digestion function under duress?

She gave a dramatic sigh, throwing her hands up in a shrug. “I suppose you have a point.there. I am not her mother, after all.”

The jidiao straightened up. “As long as you understand that, then there should be no-”

“But!” Keiki gave a malicious grin, and the jidiao stiffened. The sculptor goddess raised a single finger. “I won’t let you shut me out of her life entirely. After all… I am her father, am I not?”

Yachie glared at her, and Keiki beamed back. Out of the corner of her eye, Keiki took note of Bishop. He was sipping away at his water, an eyebrow raised but no further reaction. He naturally assumed it was a throwaway comment, or just a piece of hyperbole about her assistance.

Yachie broke first. She turned her gaze away, and her expression coloured. She muttered her retort, just barely loud enough for the people sitting at the table to hear.

“You… you have no proof of that.”

And there was the spit take.

Getting sprayed with spat water did nothing to improve Yachie’s mood. Watching Yachie get sprayed did a lot to improve Keiki’s.

She chuckled. “Well, that was what you used that little token for, wasn’t it? Not like there’s any other jidiao around. Reimu herself is the evidence.”

Yachie hesitated, realising just stating that had already been a costly mistake. She took a deep breath, and swore, quietly.

Bishop whirled his head around, stuttering. “I- you- what-”

Keiki smiled. She raised her hand, gesturing to her aura-dragon. It spat out a small, golden line, and she began to weave it into a moving scene.

“I’m not surprised you’re not aware, Bishop. After all, it was before any of the Haniwa Corps were even sculpted.” She chuckled. “At the time, the primary clay bed that I use to this day was firmly in the Kiketsu territory. Naturally, of course - the land used to be under the Sanzu river, and the otters love their swimming."

Yachie glared at her, but didn’t respond. The golden lines began to form into two figures; Keiki and Yachie.

“Many warrior-gods had tried, and failed, to bring succour to the human spirits of the Animal Realm. The humans from the age of science didn’t have enough belief in their physical strength against the myriad beasts, and they weren’t well-known across the entirety of the ancient world. And as soon as one started to gain prominence, he’d be struck down, and torn to pieces.” Keiki hummed, a sad expression on her face. “What they needed wasn’t a single warrior. They need warriors, in masses, who could be defeated without faith in their holy power being lost. And they needed enough ‘science’ behind them that the newer humans could be brought into believing them. Fortunately… ceramics, and ceramic armies, were well-known, as was the idea of artificial soldiers. Where a hundred warriors had failed… a sculptor could succeed.”

The Keiki figure took a knee. “So I sought to strike a deal. I showed Yachie some conveniences of ceramics. Offered to barter them to her, if she just let me make some resources for the humans to use.”

Yachie spoke up. “I wasn’t fooled. I knew you were up to something. So I tried to run a hard bargain against you. Stall you out.”

Keiki hummed at that. “...For a time, yes. It was proving rather frustrating, but if I could make even a few soldiers, then fate would turn. But what could possibly attract the dragon of the Kiketsu? What could she possibly want? And then… inspiration struck me.”

…In hindsight, that must have been it. That must have been the twist of history that allowed Reimu to be born where she was. Keiki could have made some deal otherwise, but the idea had been too sudden, the effect too great. The golden figure of Keiki held up her arms, producing an egg from woven golden strands and proffering it to the jidiao’s facsimile.

“I offered Yachie… a miracle. No strings attached, no knowledge on my part of what she would do with it. No conditions on what that miracle was. It could be an act of resurrection, a miracle of walking on water… and…” She grinned. “Of course, I mentioned that most famous of miracles. The miracle of the virgin birth.”

Yachie flinched. Bishop's jaw hung loose. Keiki waved her fingers, and the jidiao’s facsimile snatched for the golden egg.

“All of a sudden, the whole negotiation changed. It went from how she could try to hamstring me, to how far she could bend over backwards for that miracle. She was smart enough to wait a little past the hook, so for a while I expected she was planning to turn the whole Sanzu into wine. But… well, I never saw what she did with it, so I assumed I’d never know, or that if we ever came to blows, I’d have to kill her twice.” She sipped at her wine, chuckling. “But… when I heard that girl confess her real identity… It hit me all at once.”

Yachie sighed. “...You figured that out, did you…?”

Bishop hummed. Keiki could practically hear the gears turning in his head. …Actually, she could hear them. He’d need a tune-up later. “...So that comment about being her father… it’s like in that religion the westerners like?” Keiki nodded. “If… if word of this got out… No. Even if it was just discovered that Reimu existed, and Yachie lost control of who was investigating it…”

Keiki nodded. “The whole Kiketsu Alliance could collapse, and if the full truth came out, every single animal in the entire realm would want Yachie’s head. Reimu - nice choice of kanji, by the way, ‘spirit’ and ‘dream’ for a child wished into birth in the realm of the dead - is the living proof of Yachie’s biggest mistake. The moment when Haniyasushin Keiki got a foothold in the Animal Realm.”

The jidiao trembled. Keiki could see it in her eyes - doubt. Fear. “If you - if you harm a single scale on her back -”

Keiki chuckled, shrugging. “Why would I do that to my own dear daughter? I want nothing but the very best for Reimu. So if she says she wants to train her skills in practical combat, I of course happily help shore up her disguise a bit.”

The sculptor goddess grinned. “Oh, and I haven’t told her, of course. After all, it’s still technically just a guess. And a card I could play later, if I had to. I’d assume the whole topic is taboo in the Kiketsu?” Yachie didn’t respond. “...Well. That says it all, doesn’t it? So… if she wants to train by hunting some wolves and eagles, I’ll happily say that, as her father, we should encourage her independence.”

There was silence, for a moment. Yachie took a long breath.

“Even… even if it proved to be a fatal mistake. Even if the entire realm would turn against me for that choice, if I got the chance to make it again… I would do it. A thousand times over.” She looked down. “Reimu is my daughter. And I will protect her.”

She looked down at Keiki. “And if you ever, ever, dare to breathe a word of this to Yuuma or Kurokoma or anyone else… I will use every last breath making you suffer. I’ll bring this whole realm down. No matter what it takes.” At length, she sighed. “You want to have Reimu train? ...Fine. But do not let her fall into enemy hands. When she goes through your realm to strike, you notify my forces, and let otters observe.”

Keiki nodded. “Oh, she’s too valuable to risk for either of us. There’s normally a distant haniwa escort as well.” She gestured. “Shall I get my staff to get a seating ready for you? Why don’t you join us, Yachie?”

The tortoise dragon took a deep breath, and sighed. “...Fine. We’ll talk terms.” She sat down at a seat next to Keiki, and the sculptor grinned.

Yachie was always the most negotiable of the animal realm leaders. Even if it was on shaky ground, she was an ally, at least for now. And when Reimu came of age, and managed to succeed her mother - after all, the Kiketsu were that nepotistic - the Kiketsu were as good as hers. Keiki smiled, pouring Yachie a glass of wine.

“...Though, I must admit, one thing bothers me.” Keiki hummed, as Yachie ran a finger around the rim. “Are you… not concerned about the Shrine? About her going to her other family…?” It had been bothering Keiki. If Reimu got too attached to her past life, she’d lose her future prospect for an ally. Yachie chuckled, shaking her head.

“Personally? I’m not too worried.” She raised her glass. “After all, those youkai-hunting weapons in her… they’re hereditary, right?” The sculptor goddess nodded, and the jidiao gave a sharptooth grin.

“Then the answer’s simple. I’m not afraid of her family at the shrine keeping her.” Yachie took a sip. “If the orbs have come to her… then there’s a good chance any family she could have had is already gone.”

Keiki nodded in agreement, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. It’d cause her no end of temporary distress, but her family being caught by the shinigami would only ensure Reimu came back to the Animal Realm sooner, rather than later. “Ahhhh, of course. Let’s hope that’s the case, shall we?” She lifted her glass. “Cheers?”

Yachie clinked her glass against the sculptor’s. “Cheers, Keiki. Cheers.”

It was around lunchtime when Eiki finally lifted the rod of remorse, and freed Inaba Akyuu from her prison. The Chronicler turned rabbit had bowed before her, uttered one last apology, saluted, and scampered away.

Eiki sighed. She hadn’t meant to go that far overboard, but… Akyuu had changed. And quite a lot, at that.

She didn’t even seem fully conscious of it - how light footed she was, for starters. As Eiki watched her bound away, she was taking strides that she never could have taken in her past lives.

And things she’d said while they’d been talking, just… bits and pieces of military lingo, coming from a mouth she’d never expected to hear it from. And she used ‘earth’ as a curse word? When had that happened?

In the end, perhaps it wasn’t surprising she had Re/Awakened. With such a dissonance between her two lives, it was essentially inevitable. And that didn’t make Eiki feel any better.

Slowly, the Yama got to her feet, walking out. There were other places she had to be today, after all, and… she didn’t want to become a looming presence over the poor girl. She’d already been through enough.

Slowly, the Yama made her way over to the hospital ward. A few of the rabbits saw her, and generally decided to keep a wide berth - undoubtedly a few had overheard the lecture she’d given Akyuu. Or perhaps the one she’d given Reisen, earlier in the morning. …Or the one she’d been giving Komachi as they arrived, when she found out exactly who was responsible for triggering Akyuu’s own state.

Still, there was one person who almost certainly hadn’t. As Eiki rounded the door, the Shrine Maiden looked at her in surprise, then gave a slightly-strained smile.

“Ah. Lady Eiki. Here for Akyuu, or here for the usual?”

“Haru. I’m here for Akyuu, mostly. …Though when the young Hakurei comes in, I do hope you’ll keep my previous lectures in mind.” ‘The usual’, as Haru put it, was the simple fact of how lopsided her work around the shrine was. She focused entirely on the extermination and hunting, to the point that not many villagers these days even knew the name of the Hakurei Shrine’s God. Eiki could, oh so clearly, imagine Haru focusing so much on what someone had to do as the Shrine Maiden, that her wayward daughter would never learn how or why.

Haru gave a weak smile. “Well… hopefully Reimu remembers enough of her past life that we can get to the less important stuff sooner. Kidding, kidding!” She wasn’t, but Eiki let it slide with a scowl in the Shrine Maiden’s direction. “...Anyway, I have to focus on healing up. Though… if you’re here for Akyuu, what brings you to my little room?”

The judge sighed, sitting down on a visitor’s chair. “...I’m worried about Akyuu. About… everything that’s happened to her.” She looked away. “There’s a risk she’s turning youkai-like, down to her soul.”

The shrine maiden hummed, looking up. “...But when she reincarnates, she could do it as a human again, right?”

Eiki sighed. “...Yes, but… unlike the others… some part of her memories will stay with her, and… that may lead her down a dark path.”

Haru chuckled, and seemed to regret it. “Well, Aunn was telling me the Yin-yang Orbs landed in the Animal Realm, so… I’m worried about Reimu, too. She may be a bit of a thug by the time I get to her.” She smiled. “I guess we’ll both be worrying about our daughters for a while, won’t we?” Eiki flinched, but didn’t object. She’d been as distraught as any of the biological mothers had been when Akyuu had gone missing, and when previous generations had needed some form of parental counsel, it had normally be Eiki who had stepped into the position. It wasn’t exactly an inaccurate assessment. “...And this… apocalypse I’m hearing about. Is it… really true?”

“It is, it is! Though we’re off to a good start already.” Both of the women jumped up, looking at the intruder. A blonde girl in a white robe was standing by the open window, grinning at them.

Eiki stepped defensively in front of Haru, as the latter struggled and failed to bend herself enough to grab some talismans. “Go. What are you doing here?”

“We-ell, I came to check in on the Hakurei, of course. Y’know? Because she’s gonna be super critical to the plan?” Go sat back on the windowsill, grinning sloppily. “I mean, we need her in one piece almost as much as we need the old man.”

“Old man?” Haru tilted her head. “Who do you mean?”

The mysterious girl waved it off. “Eh, suppose it doesn’t matter at this point… we need Konpaku Youki alive. But I’m not supposed to really get in the thick of it, either. Hence the soothsayer cosplay.” She waved her robed arms around, as if to indicate them.

Eiki stepped towards Go. “Not meddle? Why not?”

“Because the running theory is that whatever the apocalypse is, it comes into place and distorts fate. After all, it’s not like you’re reading that everyone’s gonna die within a week of each other right now, are you?” Eiki hummed at that. She knew from talking to Akyuu that she wasn’t lying about what she experienced, but… like Go said, there wasn’t evidence to support it.

“So… that’s why you didn’t stop me from putting my life at risk? To see if Akyuu could distort fate?” Haru’s voice had a tone of anger to it, but Go just shrugged it off. “Or was it for that glowing thing she did?”

“The Re/Awakening specifically, yeah.” Eiki sputtered. “Oh, don’t look so surprised, Yama. After all the tipoffs, are you that surprised that I know about that secret only the Yama are supposed to know?”

The Yama folded her arms. “You know, Go, if you’re trying to get me to trust you, blurting out classified information doesn’t help. Who… are you, anyways? A resident of Gensokyo?”

Go sucked in a breath. “Complicated answer, that. More complicated than I’m supposed to say. Let’s just say I’m… rather heavily invested in Gensokyo’s continued existence. And if all goes according to plan, well… you two will both not have to worry about your ‘daughters’ being thugs or soldiers.”

Haru turned her head. “And what do you mean by that?”

Eiki looked at her. “...You promised me that earlier, as well.” The yama folded her arms. “I want to know what you mean by it.”

The blonde girl chuckled. “Well… I can’t give away too much yet. But let me put it this way.” She snapped her fingers. “What I want is for Hieda no Akyuu and Hakurei Reimu to be restored back in place. For them to cast off their current selves, and return to being what they once were.” She looked out the window. “...Assuming they can save Gensokyo, my win-con is all the Immaterial Children fully ‘material’ again. But to do that, we need the help of a lot of things.”

“And what sort of things would those be?”

“We-ell, it’s hard to say the whole list.” Go shrugged. “Sorta making this up as it goes, a bit. So it’s hard to answer definitively."

Eiki had to protest at that. “Wait, what do you mean you’re making it up?!”

“Timey-wimey soul stuff isn’t my field. Heck, I’m surprised it’s anyone’s field.” The girl shrugged. “Sorta just trying to stack all the nonsense possible to get the outcome we want, you know?”

The two older women shared a nervous glance, which Go laughed off. “Relax, relax! Call it luck or fate, but so far we’re three-for-three of the Immaterial Children and the people we need lining up. At this point, it just seems like it’s all working out for us, you know? And if Reimu Re/Awakens, and saves the old man… well, that’s the biggest one done, we’re pretty sure.”

“Three for three?” Haru pulled herself up. “Who’s the third?”

“Oh, I believe that’s-” She paused. “Well, I won’t say where they are, but it's Konpaku's kid. She’ll probably be the next one to actually show her face around here.”

Haru groaned. “You know, you’re frighteningly vague for someone who claims to see the future.”

Go just laughed. “Well, sorry about that! When we’re dealing with fate-shifting, there’s only so much fortune you can actually tell. But hey-” She winked. “Anything’s better than nothing. Now, I’ve done my part, so I’d better be off.” She started pulling herself over the windowsill.

Eiki started to approach her. “Now, you wait for a second-”

“Sorry, Eiki! Gotta jet. My trick’s only got so much juice.” She pointed at the Shrine Maiden. “Hakurei? Here’s hoping you get a recovery as swift as a shooting star, da ze!”

She slipped out of the window, and disappeared.

Epilogue: Eiki Complete
Loading Epilogue: Komachi...

Komachi hopped through a hole in the wall, cursing. A bullet whizzed by her ear - a real bullet, too. She’d really pissed them off, that much was clear.

The shinigami - now, ironically, the one running from her own inevitability - took off at a sprint into the bamboo forest. It didn’t matter what she was going towards, it mattered what she was getting away from, and that was two moon rabbits with murder in their eyes. They probably wouldn’t actually kill her, but not for lack of trying - she had a sneaking feeling she’d be better off dealing with whatever punishment Eiki came up with than the vengeance of the Inaba sisters.

And it had all been going so well. That doctor, Eirin, had approached her with a request. She’d presented a little button, explained what it did, and asked Komachi to be the one to destroy it. She was worried about the button activating haphazardly if they crushed or disassembled it, so she wanted it executed. And a shinigami with a proper understanding of the parts could cut it to ribbons in seconds, completely safely. Of course, Komachi was happy to help.

They’d called out the sisters, Reisen and Akyuu. Both of them had the glassy stares that only came from getting an earful from a certain Yama, and Komachi couldn’t help but sympathize - she’d gotten quite a talking-to this morning herself (and was probably due for another, even worse one, but one disaster at a time).

First, Eirin had to apologize for something else. It concerned a different piece of tech, a small fake distress beacon (Komachi had no frame of reference for what a real one would look like, but it had apparently convinced all of them). Supposedly the cause of the whole false moon mess.

Apparently the fake did what Eirin thought it had - which was detect two people and take them back to the moon. But not on who she thought it would. The biometric signatures it was set to detect were ‘anyone from Gene-Warren IN-8’. Both rabbits looked shocked at that, so presumably that was them.

Komachi had to ask, and gotten the gist that they were… essentially a designer breed? She hadn’t fully understood the explanation. But the point was that it was set up for Akyuu and Reisen to both touch it, and for them to be brought back to the moon, right up to the doorstep of a different pair of sisters, their former masters. Eirin suggested that Akyuu’s coincidental crash-landing right next to her sister was not an accident in its placement, but rather a (partial) success - that her drop-pod had been calibrated to land near Reisen, somehow.

She apologized for the disaster the night had turned out to be, and Akyuu had apologized for her own part in it - assuming that this Lady Sagume might have told her more about her intentions if she’d just asked. The mood was a bit awkward, and Komachi had been the one to salvage it - pointing out that if they hadn’t done what they had done, the Shrine Maiden would have bled out outside the Scarlet Devil Mansion, rather than be resting in Eientei. Everyone composed themselves a bit, and got onto the second piece of business.

First, Eirin had looked Akyuu in the eye, and asked her to explain what she knew about the button so far. Akyuu had obliged: It exploited something innate to vat-born moon rabbits, it served to bring them in line, Eirin’d created it before they’d gotten a sense of her personality, and everyone was very, very adamant she’d be better off not knowing what it did. To the point just telling her had been a threat, once. Eirin gave her a look, told her about what Komachi was about to do, and asked, one last time, if Akyuu wanted to know what the button did.

Of course, she said yes. Curiosity killed the chronicler, as it were. Eirin took a deep breath, and started to think through her response. There was a long, long pause.

Akyuu had asked if Lady Eirin was alright, and the doctor had stuttered. Apparently she was struggling to get her words out. It might have been guilt, it might have been worry about breaking trust, it might have been an adamant feeling of not wanting to tell her something so dangerous. It might have been a lot of things. It might have been similar reasons, or different ones entirely, that meant when Akyuu had turned to ask Reisen about it, she’d clammed up as well.

But Komachi found there was one thing that they definitely were: Annoying. And, well… she was curious herself, of course.

At length, she’d gotten irritated, and snatched up the button. She’d chided the two of them for not explaining things, saying that if she wanted to know, it’d be better for her to just know. And if they didn’t know what to say… might as well just show her.

And then she’d pushed the button.

What came out was a distinctly unpleasant series of tones. High, and tinny, and not even something resembling catchy. But tonal, like a little graph of something erratic converted into sound.

Akyuu’s eyes had glazed over, blank. Komachi already had a line in mind when she’d done it.

>Akyuu, from now on, end random sentences with ‘pyon’. And make it sound cute.

At once, Akyuu’s eyes lit up again, and she asked what happened. The other two nervously shared a glance, and Komachi hummed, disappointed.

And then Akyuu had turned to Komachi, with big, bright eyes, and asked did the button not work, pyon? …And immediately Komachi was having to stifle giggles. Akyuu belatedly caught what she’d said, and tried again. Confused pyons came out intermittently, and Komachi’s giggles turned into outright laughter.

Eirin had sighed, and with the proverbial band-aid removed, began to explain it in full. The explanation had a lot of choice words in it, the really fun kind you normally only here in psych-dramas. Like subliminal, ooh, that was a good one.

Put simply, the button - the sound it made, really, along with a psychic resonance - put a particular moon rabbit into a hypnotic state. Then, you could tell that rabbit pretty much anything, and they’d subconsciously be compelled to do it. The version Komachi had used was relatively mild - but there were more dangerous possibilities. Ones that’d compel her to see things differently than how they actually were.

Apparently it had been used to great effect to cut off rabbit rebellions in the past. One could essentially create double-agents on the spot, as long as you knew which rabbit had which code. And most of the rabbits were completely oblivious to the secret hidden in them. Eirin had created the button version as a precaution in case Akyuu had turned violent, but… believed it was unnecessary, now.

Akyuu, for her part, was equal parts disturbed and fascinated. She could see why they’d all wanted to hide it from her - anyone who could read her mind about the former could probably pull the sound itself from her head. Maybe even put her in a hypnotic state with nothing, pyon. Eirin had nodded, while throwing a glare the giggling shinigami. The doctor said that many of the most common ways to neuter its effects - like blurring out the subconscious memory of the trigger, or distorting it - just weren’t going to be available to Akyuu.

But the next best thing was available. Though it’d take some time, her sister would be able to break the hypnotic effect, and there were ways to learn how to resist it, as well. Reisen had offered a supporting hand on Akyuu’s shoulder, and promised she’d happily teach Akyuu how to resist the effects, if she wanted to. Akyuu had nodded, and for a moment, all had been well.

And then… a terrible mistake. Partially on Eirin’s part, mostly on Komachi’s. Because both had spent a long time in work environments where closely working with one’s boss was inevitable, and there was an implicit level of understanding reached at a certain point in doing so - where there was no need for words.

But just because they both had that understanding with their own coworkers, didn’t mean those understandings were the same across them.

The doctor had gestured to the shinigami, and asked if you would, Miss Onozuka? And Komachi’s fun had been had, so she was happy to end it. She threw the little button into the air, prepared her scythe, and sliced through it. And then, she’d used her power over distance - the moment there was any space between the pieces, there was thousands of kilometers between the pieces. The fragments shot out the nearby window, and probably left orbit. Komachi was pretty proud of that.

Then she’d turned to the group, looking at her in abject horror. What? What were the stares for? …The realization seemed to not quite catch her. Akyuu had mumbled something, and Komachi leaned in to hear it, still confused.

And then Akyuu had looked at her, her face bright red, and told her that she hadn’t been fixed, pyon. Komachi blinked, and then it hit her. Oh. That ‘if you would’ had either been to hand it over or to undo the first hypnotic effect. It was in fact still in place, and what could have fixed it was probably past the ozone layer.

Hence, what Komachi was doing now - running like her life depended on it, which it very well may. She ducked and weaved through the bullets and the clumps of bamboo, and came out to a small clearing. Good, that meant she could really put in the strides, and get a bit of distan-

On her third step, the ground beneath her suddenly wasn’t. Komachi fell forward, smacking her stomach against the wall of the pitfall. She bounced backwards, gasping for air… and only barely catching her own scythe from drilling out her eye.

Quickly, the two rabbits caught up, silhouetted by the afternoon sun. Two sets of furious red eyes glared down at her, assuring her dissonantly that she’d be fine. The taller one assured her that Eirin could fix up anything she’d broken in her fall. And, coincidentally, she could fix up anything they broke, as well.

Perhaps Komachi could have gotten away with only a minor beating. A few bruises, a checkup at Eientei, and all would be well. But she wouldn’t get a chance. Because then the smaller silhouette had leaned over, radiating fury, and asked Komachi one question.

And that question was simple: if she had any last words before they beat her so hard Eiki would have to get another shinigami to drag her home, pyon?

Well. At least Komachi would get her last laugh.

Epilogue: Komachi Complete
Loading Epilogue: Kaguya...

Kaguya smiled, grabbing another piece of mochi. Once again, that especially clean and crisp taste filled her, and she couldn’t help but grin smugly. “Told you two that mochi pounded by Lunar Rabbits tastes better.”

Haru picked up a piece, looking it over curiously. “...Is that really because of the rabbits? Or is it because you got some extra-special ingredients in reserve?”

“We-ell, a little from column A and a little from column B.” The princess admitted. “We do have specially treated rice, but perhaps a better word is purified - if handled by impure hands, it just becomes high-grade rice, without that sharpness to it.”

Haru turned to the two rabbits in question, who were busy pounding a second batch of mochi. The smaller of the two was turning the rice over in her hands, while the elder was handling the mallet. The two had eased into a steady rhythm for the process at this point - most likely using a psychic link to time their movements,. “I see, I see. That’s why the new recruit’s the one actually hands-on? Because she’s the purest here?” She bit into the piece she was holding, murmuring in thought.

“That and she’s not that hearty. Pounding that much mochi would tire her out really quickly.” Kaguya smiled, taking another piece. “She’s safer that way.” She picked up the plate, offering it to the third guest. “Have some, will you? It’d be rude to them not to.”

The most immediate response was a glare. “I didn’t come here for a tea party, Kaguya.” She nonetheless took a piece, pulling back a bit of her ashen hair that nearly got caught in the treat. “I came here for answers. You said you had some new insights into the Immaterial Children Incident, didn’t you?”

Kaguya made sure to chew her piece extra slowly, as if contemplating a detailed response. Eventually, she swallowed. “Oh, yes, yes.” And then immediately picked up another piece.

The third woman’s hand was around hers before the mochi reached her mouth. She could feel it heating up, until both of their hands were ablaze. “This isn’t a game, Kaguya. A life’s already been thrown into tatters by this disaster. Don’t fuck around with me.”

Kaguya just pulled her hand away from her guest’s grip, and popped the still flaming piece in her mouth. “You know, you’re a natural at grilling, Mokou. You’d make a good team with them, I think.”

Fujiwara no Mokou growled, but did her best to straighten up. “...I’m serious, Kaguya. Please, do you know anything, or did you just call me to mess with me?”

Haru nodded. “We do indeed have new intel. Eientei found a whole new source, in fact.” The Hakurei Shrine Maiden smiled at Mokou. “One that might turn the whole case on its head.”

Mokou looked at Haru, trying to read her. She knew full well that Haru wouldn’t lie about this - though it did bother Kaguya a bit she was comparatively getting so much suspicion. “Oh yeah? And who is this brand new source of intel?”

“Akyuu.”

“Bless you.”

“No, no, no…” Haru pointed at the younger of the two rabbits pounding. “Inaba Akyuu, Reisen’s little sister. She’s the new source.”

Mokou looked over at the two rabbits. “...What does some recent moon escapee know?” Mokou turned back to her. “Wait, did she find evidence the Lunar Capital were responsible for moving the Immaterial Children?!”

“Oh, better than that.” Kaguya said. “She’s one of them.” Mokou went wide-eyed. “And on top of that, she’s the Child of Miare.”

“Verified by the Yama herself.” Haru said, nodding. “The Hieda’s daughter, who came to Gensokyo by escaping the moon.”

Mokou nodded. “That’s a breakthrough in and of itself! So, does that mean the others were turned into Lunar Rabbits too?” She turned. “If we can find them, then-”

“She wasn’t done, you know.” Kaguya said, cutting off Mokou with a needling tone. “There’s another reason she’s important. As the Hieda… she has perfect memory. Memory unaffected by alterations to history.”

Mokou’s furrowed her brow. “So… what does that mean?”

Kaguya sighed, putting up her hands. “I swear, Mokou, you’re the dullest detective in the world.”

“What it means is that she remembers history from before. From when all the Immaterial Children grew up together, as humans.” Haru smiled at Mokou. “And she even remembers why the Immaterial Children Incident happened.” She saw Akyuu look over, nervously.

Mokou was on her feet in seconds. “You mean-” She grinned. “You mean she can clear Keine’s name?!”

“We-ell…” Kaguya hummed, putting her feet dramatically. “Maybe, maybe not.”

The momentary brightness dimmed to a dull, angry flame. “What does that mean, princess? If she can remember, surely she didn’t say Keine did it, did she?”

Kaguya looked up at Mokou, grinning impishly. “That’s exactly what she said, in fact.”

Mokou glared, smoke starting to billow out. “...No. Keine would never. Not. Ever.”

The exiled princess chuckled. “Oh, but she showed us her memories herself. In fact, not only did they say that Keine did it, but that you were an accomplice as well. Well, Mokou, do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Mokou leapt to her feet. “Yeah, that all of that is a load of bullshit! I’d never do something like that!” She glared over at the two rabbits, who had stopped their pounding to move into a panicked, defensive position. “Let me at her, I want to have a little discussion with this Akyuu.”

“Now hold on a second there.” Kaguya stood up. “Akyuu is the newest resident of Eientei. I will not have you assaulting one of my pets just because you don’t like what you hear. If you want to have a go at her, you’ll have to go through me, first.”

That… brought a pause. Mokou turned to her, confused.

“Eh? Don’t the rabbits normally guard you, not the other way around?”

Nonononono she was so close- Kaguya did her best to mask her expression. “Well, she’s a very important rabbit, after all. And Haru asked me to make sure she’s safe.”

“Haru-” Ah, earth it, that was a mistake. Mokou turned her attention to the Shrine Maiden in question, who was focusing her attentions on the intricacies of the powdering on her mochi. “...Right. Haru? You’ve been one of Keine’s biggest defenders. Is all this about Keine doing it all on purpose really true?”

Now it was Haru’s turn under the microscope, and disappointingly, she faltered too. “U-um. She hasn’t lied, but… there’s missing context really. Stuff that… kinda flips the whole situation around.” She couldn’t meet Kaguya’s pleading gaze.

Mokou quickly put two and two together. “You mean… there was a reason she had to do it?” She turned to Kaguya, grumpily. “...You were just trying to pick a fight, weren’t you?”

Kaguya did her best to give a mischievous chuckle, even as she felt her opportunity slipping. “Ah, just a bit of your classic style of entertainment, that’s all.” …It was really to make sure she was burnt down before she saw the truth, so she didn’t get overexcited and do something reckless to hurt Akyuu, or go one a rampage into the human village. That was what Kaguya had been aiming to prevent, and that she was frustrated, definitely. …And she’d flay any rabbit dumb enough to suggest something like her being lonely instead.

At length, Haru looked up. “...I know you want to find Keine. But while this evidence doesn’t give us any answers on where she is, it changes the case entirely. It’s something we can give her when we do find her. A lifeline to pull her own heart back together.” The Shrine Maiden smiled. “And it was Kaguya who was insistent on you being one of the first to hear it directly.”

After a moment, the rabbit starring in the debate leaned around the door she’d half-hidden behind. “...And, um. Miss Mokou? Kaguya’s been hoping the story’s true as much as anyone. And I think she's been lommph-” Her sister had silenced her quickly from behind, when she’d seen Kaguya’s glare at the two of them.

Mokou sighed. “So that’s the truth of it, eh…” She scratched her head. Thinking.

Eventually, she let out a sigh. “...Akyuu, right? You better get back to pounding that mochi, bunny.”

Akyuu looked at her, confused. The immortal gave a slow grin, as she set her hands aflame. “Cos I’m gonna be grilling you for every detail after I’m done putting the fussy little princess to bed.”

Kaguya stood up, feeling more exposed than she’d like to be… but it had gotten there in the end. “Well then, Mokou. Shall we blow off some steam?”

The phoenix-girl grinned. “I’m only giving you one round, then it’s back to business. So you better make it one to remember, alright?”

The princess grinned back, stepping outside. “Oh, I’m sure it will be. While you’ve been chasing your tail, I’ve been coming up with very… memorable ideas. I think you’ll enjoy them.”

She smiled, reaching into her pocket… and pulled out a Spell Card. The one that would be oh-so perfect to get under Mokou’s skin.

“Divine Treasure ‘Jeweled Branch of Hourai -Dreamlike Paradise-’!”

Epilogue: Kaguya Complete
Loading Epilogue: Haru...