Chapter Text
Makai, 1725HRS, Tatara Kogasa(K)
The buildings are tall. That’s all I can say, the buildings are tall and there are lights everywhere. There’s a shimmering shield cast around us, as according to Yumeko-san the air here is unsuitable for human life.
“Because of magic,” Enraku-san asked upon hearing that, “or because of smog?”
…then he had to explain what “smog” even was to us.
In the middle of the lights was a great palace, blue-and-white. There was already a silver-haired figure above it waving at us.
“Greetings, people of the Eastern Country!” she shouted. “I have been expecting you!”
Alice-san and Yumeko-san waved back excitedly.
“And you, my lovely daughter! I trust it was a rough time?”
“I’m alive, at least!” Alice-san called back.
We slowly land on the ground in front of the palace.
“Welcome to my humble domain, visitors. Now, I trust that we have a meeting today…”
Garden of the Sun, Makai, 1727HRS, Sanae Kotiya(I)
“Shouldn’t we meet up with our friends already? They must be worrying.”
“Kochiya-san, god alone knows where the safe zone was transported to.” Yuuka was caressing Shion-chan like… a cat. “We just got here- I’m not going out just yet.”
“My gods are probably worrying…”
Makai, 1726HRS, Tatara Kogasa(K)
The hall was big. The floor patterns were mesmerising. The roundtable we sat at was shining. I don’t have much wordsmithing knowledge- will go to school when this ends.
Shinki-sama tapped her fingers, face scrunched as if trying to think of something. “I don’t mean this as an insult… but… no, it’d still-”
“Please, go ahead.” Enraku-san interrupted.
“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “Where are your leaders? I distinctly remember who in Gensokyo had influence, and none of you fit the mark.”
Enraku-san started counting fingers. “Yakumo is dead-”
“Not yet, actually,” Houlen-san interrupted. “Part of her soul is glued to that green-clothed child up there.”
“- okay then, still in the ruins of Gensokyo. Ibaraki was taken here, but has gone missing. Same as Remillia. Same as Hijiri. Speaking of, she was driven mad and tried to kill us all-”
Shinki-sama raised a hand. “Wait, what?! Her of all people?”
“Whatever the Lunarians did, it was quite powerful.”
“Still… Hijiri-san never did have a single bad bone in her…I need a moment, if you please...”
We waited as our host tried to compose herself. Ten seconds, twenty, fifty, ninety… finally she raised her head once more.
“Shall we continue? Eientei was looted, with Eirin captured and Kaguya rescued but currently missing. The Moriya Shrine gods declined to come with us, saying that they wanted to find their child.”
“I really should have done a better job with the magic circle…” It was now time for Alice-san to sulk.
We crowded over to comfort her. By “we” I mean our host also moved towards.
Scarlet Devil Mansion, Former Gensokyo, 1725HRS, Reimu Hakurei(I)
We walked up the stairs in silence.
“I’m a failure,” the maid whispered. “Finally we know where she is- but no way to reach her anymore. Maybe if I had listened, just slightly listened…”
“We’ll get her back eventually!” Marisa replied. “She’s still alive after all- we have the cure safely back there- there’s still hope for everyone yet.”
We walked up the stairs in silence.
“Everyone?” the Hakurei shrine maiden called to us. Her voice slightly muffled by quiet sobbing.
“Bid our dear nation goodbye-”
“Over here!” A bullet brushes past her-
Footsteps, people running-
we draw our weapons and fire back-
the hallway bursting open-
squads of moon rabbits headed towards us.
“Evil-Sealing Circle!” A wave of ofuda fly towards our assailants, sending them flying back.
“I’ll cover!” !Sakuya yelled. “Activate the spell!”
Fumbling through pockets, dragging out the card-
a single bullet flying towards it, just as it started glowing-
a single knife deflected it.
“Dimensional Detachment!”
Then our vision was darkness.
Pandemonium, Makai, 1728HRS, Tatara Kogasa(K)
“Here’s the deal,” our host said, as she signaled for Yumeko-san to distribute the papers to us. Alice-san had her head bowed, as if thinking about something.
“Makai will shelter the refugees of Gensokyo, and we will send people to look for your missing brethren.
“However, if the Lunarians actually invade, we will lock our gates and not give you any more aid. You will have to stand your ground and fight.”
Meiling raised her arm. “May I speak up? If they actually show up, would declaring non-interference against them actually save Makai? Gensokyo did not pose any threat to them, nor provide any justification for their attack.”
Our host seemed to ponder on this for a while. “...I cannot justify to myself the deaths of my people for a conflict we did not ask to be involved in. But we will try to provide whatever else we can.”
“Madam?” I spoke up. “If we fail to hold them back, you’re just going to… sit back and watch?”
“The way I see it… if you couldn’t fend them off the first time, you probably can’t succeed no matter how many tries you get. I can’t risk opening the gates and getting invaded to accept a band of desperate refugees, forever wailing for their home yet unable- worse, unwilling- to go back for it.”
“Why can’t we beat them back the second time, I may ask?” I tried to keep my voice steady.
“Lack of equipment, lack of survivors, lack of morale…need I go on? By the time your people finally get to try again mine will be rioting on the streets-”
Alice-san suddenly raised her head. “Wait, I just realized something.”
“What?”
“The Lunarians tried to turn us into monsters targeted at the Outside World… we couldn’t retrieve everyone.”
“Ah, the devil’s sister,” our host replied. “This is not a good look for them.
“But in all honesty, what does it matter to us? Eirin had kept the operation under wraps until she was betrayed. Things went fine for you while the pieces were being put together- until it didn’t.”
“I don’t really know anymore…” Alice-san sat back down. “...but what even was their plan there…?”