Hey, next chapter ^^. I am pretty far behind for NaNoWriMo, but what the heck. It's fun =D. oh well, here goes.
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Chapter 3 ? The Lunar Sage
Katsuo rushed up the path and knocked on the door. Knock. Knock. A few seconds later, Okina opened the door.
?Oh Katsuo! What brings you here?? asked Okina
?Okina! This is urgent.? Katsuo was gasping for breath. ?There are some strange people in the village. They say they are looking for someone by the name of Princess Kaguya.? At this, Okina frowned.
?Kaguya?? There was the sound of footsteps as Kaguya rushed over.
?Yes? What do you need??
?Katsuo says that some people are looking for you. They call you by the name Princess Kaguya.? Kaguya froze. They can't be here so soon, she though to herself.
?They probably called me that because of all the Princes that try to marry me,? she laughed forcedly. ?Why don't I go over to the village and check it out??
?Alright,? Okina sighed. ?Just don't get into any trouble, you here me??
?Of course Okina.? She hurried off and headed towards the village.
?Can you go do me a favor Katsuo?? Okina asked.
?Depends on what it is,? Katsuo replied.
?Go and make sure she doesn't do anything irrational, is that fine??
?That should be alright, I'm heading back to the village.? Katsuo took in a deep breath, and then breathed out. ?Well I'll be off then!? Katsuo waved goodbye to Okina, and then rushed towards the village after Kaguya. Okina hoped that Kaguya knew what she was doing, and then shut the door.
Even before she reached the village, Kaguya could hear the unrest of the villagers. When she arrived, they pointed at the direction of the strange people. When she reached the place where the strange people were, she knew exactly who they were, and what they were doing.
There were three people. One, was a tall man brandishing a sword and wearing a white cloak with the symbol of the full moon on the back of his cloak. The second person, was a woman with a very similar outfit, except she wielded throwing knives. The last one, was very different from the rest. She wore a red and black dress with the pattern of constellations all over it. She wore a hat with a hospital cross on it, and she was holding a bow and arrow. Kaguya realized what they were here for. They were here to take her back.
The tall man approached her, and lowered his weapon. ?Princess Kaguya, you time of exile on Earth is over. You have atoned for your sin, and we will now take you back to the moon.? Kaguya sighed. She had almost forgotten about her exile, and her previous life on the moon. She was once a lunar princess; one of the Lunarians, a race of people that lived on the moon. And now they were finally here to take her back. But what about her life on Earth? The people? Okina? Could she just return to her home on the moon and forget about it all?
?We must hurry, Princess. The impurity of these filthy humans is starting to smell really bad.? The woman with the throwing knives was not at ease.
?Oh really?? the woman with the bow and arrow laughed. ?I've been down here for thirty years, and have I died from it yet??
?Please refrain yourself from joking around with purity,? the man said sternly. ?We still have to discuss what to do with you both once we return to the moon.? Kaguya remembered about how she used to view humans. She too was not innocent of treating humans as filthy and impure beings. At one time, she despised humans for their impurity, and how they destroyed and killed each other in a disgusting manner. The Lunarians strived for purity, to the point where they were obsessed about it. But after living around them for so long, she saw more than just the hatred among themselves. She saw relationships that they built with each other and the love that was shared. And to have it all taken away from her...
?Alright,? Kaguya sighed. ?I need to get some things, and then we will be off.? At this point, she began to walk back to Okina's house. It was time to say goodbye.
Knock Knock. Okina opened the door, to find Kaguya there. ?So, how did it go?? Kaguya walked right past him, and into his house. ?Uh... Kaguya?? She stopped and turned around.
?Okina, do you remember when we first met?? Her voice was filled with sorrow.
?Yes, what about it?? Okina was confused about why she would bring up the past right now.
?I told you that I couldn't return home anymore. Well, now I can. And my people are here to take me back.?
?Kaguya, you aren't...? He paused, and then the truth sank in. ?No, you can't... wait!? After all this time, he had cared for her and loved her as his own child. And for her to leave him now...
?I'm sorry, I have to leave. My people are here to take me back, whether I like it or not. I've enjoyed living with you Okina, but my time has come.? She began to walk out the door as Okina pleaded with her to stay. ?Take this.? She handed him a sealed container. ?This is my thanks to you for taking care of me. If you take it, you will never age, never become sick, and never die.? She handed it to Okina, who held it with shaking hands.
?No! Please Kaguya, don't leave me...? It was no use.
?Goodbye Okina,? she whispered as a goodbye. And then she was gone. Okina collapsed onto the floor, as tears were streaming down his cheeks.
?Gone...? he whispered. He dragged himself to his futon, and laid down, as he remembered the day he had met her, and his life with her. He considered opening the container and taking the contents of the jar. To be immortal, and never die... He pushed the temptation out of his head. Without her, he was simply... nothing. Being immortal would not help his problem whatsoever. He closed his eyes, and he never woke up.
Kaguya walked along the path to the village, tears streaming down her cheeks. It wasn't easier for her either, but she knew she had to do it, unless she wanted the entire village destroyed by the ?purification? of the humans by the Lunarians. She was almost halfway there when she was stopped by the woman with the red and black dress. ?Princess, I am sorry for what happened those years ago. I never got a chance to apologize...?
?It's all right Eirin, it has been a while after all.? Eirin gestured for her to sit down, and they both sat down on the grass.
?Do you still have the portions of the Hourai Elixir that I made for you?? Eirin asked. Kaguya thought for a moment.
?I gave them both away. One, I left with the man who had taken care with me. The other, I left it with the Emperor of this land,? she sighed. ?I suppose you want it back?? The legend of her beauty had even reached the emperor himself, who came to see her once. She gave him the Elixir as a gift, but refused to marry him.
?Hmm, that could be problematic... no, it should be fine. One or two immortal humans shouldn't be too much of a problem. I doubt either would take the elixir, definitely not the man who took care of you; it's the only memory of you he will have left. And neither the Emperor, he will only draw attention to his land. Being immortal isn't being free of pain.?
?It seems that your wisdom as the lunar sage hasn't worn off,? Kaguya smiled. Eirin was once known as the lunar sage for her genius-level intelligence, until her exile for creating the Hourai Elixir. The Hourai Elixir a forbidden drug that could make one immortal. She had made it for Kaguya, and as their consequence was to be exiled to the Earth. They both had a quick laugh, but then the thoughts of their situation sobered their spirits.
?I hope you know that I have no plans of going back to the moon,? Kaguya told Eirin.
?I expected that you would say that. Why return to someplace that strives for purity, when we have become tainted by impurity on this Earth? We would become outsiders if we returned. At the same time, we cannot remain here as the Lunar Emissaries will easily find us.?
?But where then can we go? If we cannot return to the moon nor stay here, then what other option do we have??
?The answer is simple. To hide ourselves where the lunar emissaries cannot find us.?
?But where to? I know the powers of the emissaries, and they will not be fooled easily.?
?You do not need to worry Kaguya, since it was my responsibility for creating the Hourai Elixir and getting you into this mess in the first place, it is my responsibility to get you out. We will go to a faraway land where they cannot find us, and we will use your powers of manipulation of eternity to stop our history from occurring, and conceal our existence from the emissaries.?
?Wait, you've already planned this all out?? Kaguya was surprised that Eirin had already come up with a plan, but then again, Eirin was the lunar sage. But then, Kaguya noted a problem. ?Alright then. But what are we doing with the emissaries that are trying to get us back to the moon right now??
?Oh, don't worry about that,? Eirin snickered. I've already dealt with them. They think that you have already returned, and they are already on their way back. Kaguya and Eirin had another good laugh, but then Kaguya remembered something.
?Before we go to this land, I need to get something. Come with me.? The pair got up from the grass, and Kaguya led the way. She went back to Okina's old house, the place where her life on Earth had all started. She entered through the door, and then went to the back of the room. She pulled out a hidden panel from the wooden floor. She began to pull out a bowl, a jeweled branch, a robe, a large jewel, and a shell. The treasures from the Five Impossible Tasks were hers.
?Oh, so you have gotten some treasures from your time on Earth?? Eirin was surprised to see all the objects from the legends that she had heard about before her eyes.
?Yes,? Kaguya replied. To her, the objects really weren't important. But it was the time that she had with Okina that gave her reason to keep them.
?Well, that's interesting. I suppose we shall be off then.?
?Alright then, we're off to...? Kaguya paused for a second. Eirin had forgotten to tell her where they were going. ?Uh... Where exactly are we going Eirin??
?A faraway land by the name of Gensokyo,? Eirin smiled. ?The place where the Youkai dwell.? Without another word, they left Okina's old house, with Eirin leading the way. Kaguya thought about looking back, but she didn't. No time to go back to the past. But instead, the future was before them. However, they did not notice the girl that was staring at them.
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And they're off to gensokyo =]