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“Hurry up Aya! We don't have all day!”
“Calm down, Momiji-kun. And use honorifics for me. I'm your superior, you know.”
Gensokyo, a few decades less than 1000 years ago. On the foot of Youkai Mountain, admist a clearing.
“I'm not using damn honorifics for a lazy crow who barely even works but got promoted faster just cause she's a crow! And don't use kun on me!”
“Or what, Momiji-kun? What are you gonna do to stop me? Report me to your superior? I don't care. You're lucky I think your “abolish disqualities between tengus” ideals are funny.”
“...You were a close friend when we were still childs. You wanted to play with me and stay by my side even when your parents wanted you to get away from me. That's why you enrolled in the defense corp alongside me a few years back. Why are you like that now?”
Aya could only think of the discrimination Momiji suffered over their service so far while she got praised for inferior work. Wasn't even a particular case, wolf tengus were treated far lower than the likes of her. She herself was treated as lower than tengus of blue and brown feathers. It was sad, but it was a fact she had acepted by now.
So she looked sadly at her friend before shrugging.
“For someone who was just telling me to hurry up, you sure took your time speaking, Momiji-kun.”
“Tch. Not my fault you lag so much behind on an important mission. Not everyday I get those, and yet...”
“You mean I. That's why you get to tag along, after all.”
“Ah, whatever. We have to meet Hakurei-sama at the halfway point between the human village and the capital and escort her. Tenma-sama wants to have a meeting with her, and we're her first relay.”
“Wait, Hakurei? Can't that old hag go there alone?”
“Beats me. They did not elaborate in the letter you handed me.”
“Oh well, Momiji-kun. Guess I'll play the respectable-”“Yo!”-superior-huh?”
With barely a warning, a new girl appeared in front of Aya and Momiji. She was wearing sleeveless red top, knee-lenght white skirt, short sleeves that covered a quarter of her arms, a red bow, badly kept shoulder-lengtt brown hair, and oh so intriguing bright brown eyes.
The white wolf tengu was the first to break the silence.
“Who are you, human? We're here to escort Hakurei-sama. She wouldn't want a young girl like you to be hurt, so go back to the human village.”
“I'm Hikari. Hikari Hakurei. I've took over the role of “Hakurei-Sama” from my mother a few days ago. I'm guessing you two are the escort Tenma sent for me. Nice to meet you two!” Momiji was taken aback, while Aya smirked.
“Nice to meet ya, Hikari-chan. I'm Aya, and that's Momiji-kun. I'll take the lead and show you the way, Hakurei-sama. Be assured that you're within good claws.”
“Don't taunt Hakurei-sama like that, Aya-” Momiji was stopped as she felt an hand on her shoulder.
“It's ok, I don't mind Momiji, it's more fun talking like that anyway. You and Aya can just call me Hikari when your big guys aren't around!”
Momiji blinked. Aya was intrigued even further.
“...Thanks, Hikari. Since you got here a bit early, we'll be able to take our time getting to the capital.”
“Taking our time? No way!”
“W-what? But Hakurei-sa-I mean Hikari, we're your escort!”
“I know, but I don't like taking my time. Besides, I've heard that tengus are the fastest youkais out there, so it'd be more fun to race there, wouldn't it?”
Aya stepped in. By now, everything Momiji had to say was but a faint sound to her.
“Quite the proposal you've got there, Hakurei-sama. But you don't know the way, do you?”
“Not at all, but I can easily guess that it's up. A clearing like that near youkai mountain must be because tengus dive from the sky and into the earth, ain't that right?”
“Oh so clever you are, Hakurei-sama. I acept then. Don't mind Momiji-kun, dogs like her aren't why we're so famed.”
“Damn it Aya! Why do you always got to make things more complicated like that?”
“I already told Hakurei-sama to not mind, Momiji-kun. Besides, this race'll be over in a single second.”
“That's plenty of time. Ready, Aya?”
Aya's intrigue burst into excitment.
“Oh my, I like that face. Momiji-kun, give the start.”
Aya got into a starting position, while Hikari did not budge a centimeter. Momiji sighted.
“Fine, guess it'll be over faster if I comply. Start.”
In less than an instant, Aya took into the skies.
The Hakurei shrine maiden wasn't next to her, and certainly not in the front of her.
Looking down, she could see that Hikari was still down there with Momiji.
'How easy, she had not idea what she was getting into.'
Aya closed her eyes. The second was almost up, she almost reached the Tengu capital.
A breeze of spring flew by.
“Huh?”
In awe, Aya opened her eyes.
She was here.
Her hair flowed freely, unkept strands now where they belong.
Her eyes shone a wonderfully warm red from the sunlight.
Her smile.
It was full of confidence and wonder alike. The smile of someone who could break it all. The oppression she saw Momiji endure, the dreams she lost, the hopes that were torned apart. It was as if nothing was lost, like if her life could begin anew thanks to Hikari.
She was utterly mesmerized.
Oblivious of the future and anything else, she reached up her hand.
As if time resumed, Aya fell.
That shining light that gave her back all that she though she would never regain was fading.
Her heart stopped. Her eyes shut down.
*Clap*
Hikari took Aya's hand.
“Don't fall down to your death on me like that, Aya. We've just met!”
She did not find the words to say, and instead laughted away her heart.
Not letting go of her, Hikari dragged Aya to the capital. It was not a long flight, just a few meters away from that breeze.
They were very soon on the grounds of the Tengu capital, still holding hands.
“And here we are, Aya. You owe me lunch now.”
“I guess so, Hikari... Wait, what?”
“I beat you and saved you, didn't I? That's the least you could do for me now!”
Aya was now the one smiling dearly.
“You're right. Momiji won't be there for a while, so how about you enjoy this with just me?”
“I'd love to.”