Well, here is my entry for the IM position. I'm still working on it as I can't write everything in one sitting. For all you Mokou fans, don't kill me yet. Only the prologue is done. Second part is done. Still got to fill 1.2k worth of words. Finally finished with 2,001 words.
The year is 2050. The moon rabbits have taken over all of Gensokyo, led by Kaguya. Darkness consumes Gensokyo as countless inhabitants are killed by the takeover. There have been revolts to stop this dictatorship but all have been crushed. The story now follows Mokou as she is currently being held hostage by the moon rabbits.
I wonder what is happening... My head feels so groggy. Why am I even here?
"Wake up, wake up, wake up..." An unknown voice echoed through Mokou's head as she started to open her eyes. "Huh...? Where am I?" Mokou looked around her surroundings. She saw herself in a dark room chained up to a chair with a dark figure overshadowing her presence. "Who are you?" she replied.
"My my... you honestly don't recognize me at all?" The figure stepped closer to the light where the single light bulb was dangling above them. Upon closer inspection, the dark figure seemed to have long black hair with brown eyes.
"It can't be.... Ka? Kaguya?" Kaguya grinned. She kicked Mokou in the chest causing the chair and Mokou to fall down. "Oh, it seemed the white-haired bitch isn't too dumb after all," laughed Kaguya as she mounted her right foot on Mokou's chest.
Before Kaguya was able to continue, a loud blast from the distance was heard. Mokou was able to see a horned figure approach. "Keine?" muttered Mokou. The horned figure prepared another shot from a launcher. "Who goes there? You... you will be punished!" Kaguya yelled, "Guards, seize that person!"
It was too late for Kaguya to do anything. Another shot was fired from the horned figure, this time being a smoke bomb. The room filled with white smoke. No one could see much. Mokou could vaguely see a figure approaching and speaking to her. "It's Keine. Let's get out of here. I'll explain everything later," whispered the horned figure. She used a laser device to remove the chains around Mokou. They rushed outside the building and into the darkness on a motorcycle.
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My name is Mokou Fuziwara. My past has been bleak with a life of solitude. I am a loner who requires no help from anyone. I never saw the reason to ever depend on anyone else but myself. Everyone just gets in my way. Yet, look at me. I am being whisked away from danger by Keine, my best friend. Goddamn that Kaguya... I'll get her the next time around and crush her for good and put an end to all this nonsense.
The two girls continued to ride on the motorcycle. As they continue, Mokou spotted an abundance of drones the shape of moon rabbits. Gensokyo looked like a desolate wasteland filled with burned down buildings and rubble everywhere. They both remained silent throughout the ride. After awhile, Keine stopped the motorcycle.
"Well this is it," she replied. They both stepped off the motorcycle. Mokou looked around, puzzled. "There is nothing here. Why did we stop?" The ground started to shake and suddenly opened itself to a underground passageway. Metal stairs led the way down the passageway.
"That's why." Keine responded. They both start walking down the passageway arriving at a large center filled with computers, wires, and circuitry. The only lights that were seen were the ones that emanated from the computer screens. There were other youkai working on different parts of the room.
"Welcome to Underground Fort Operations(U.F.O). This is the center for all underground business. Currently, we are trying to find a way to stop Kaguya and free Gensokyo from Kaguya's robotic moon rabbits. We have researchers and agents working on sectors to find more information and sabotage Kaguya's plan." Keine answered with confidence. At the end of the room was Nitori who seemed to be working on a large super computer. Keine walked down the room while Mokou followed.
"So how's the situation, Nitori? Did you find anything interesting?" Keine asked. "From our agents, we have found out that Kaguya is still in Eientei castle. She seems to be controlling the robotic moon rabbits with a remote by an analysis of radio waves that are being sent to the robotic moon rabbits that she control. If the remote is destroyed or disabled, I believe everything should go back to normal. Plans are in order for a siege in approximately a few hours. We just need someone or a pair to infiltrate Eientei fortress to stop her from using that remote." Mokou stepped closer and slammed her fists on the computer desk. "Then I'll stop her MYSELF!" Mokou exclaimed. "She's MY enemy and my responsibility."
I didn't know what got into me at that point. It seemed like this was my problem, no one else. I just thought if I could stop Kaguya myself, things might return to normal. Yet, I know that I might fail again if I go in alone.
Keine slapped Mokou's face. "Are you insane? Who cares if she is your enemy or not? This isn't just your battle. This is OUR battle. You aren't the only one that Kaguya has hurt through all of this. Think of the inhabitants of Gensokyo who had their homes destroyed and have been either killed or severely wounded. Look, Gensokyo has changed. Whether or not you like it, going out alone will be suicide. We have to work as a team."
Mokou ignored all of what Keine just said and took two of the machine guns lying on the table. She fastened them to her back . "Well I'm lea?" Keine punched Mokou before she finished the sentence. She pinned Mokou down on the floor preventing her from leaving. "Stop being so ignorant. Do you want to get destroyed by Kaguya again? There are robotic moon rabbits patrolling around Gensokyo and they won't give you any mercy. I hope you didn't forget about what just happened. What makes you think you can take her on alone? "
"Because..."
"Because what? You never think things through. All your plans fail because you don't take the time to think it through. You always just go in head first, Mokou, I care about your safety. You should know that I've been trying to watch over you ever since we've met and protected you ever since." Keine loosened her grip and started to cry. "I just... don't want to lose you. You've been my best friend for so long now, Mokou. I can't afford to have anybody else be killed by useless bloodshed."
Mokou wrapped her hands around Keine to comfort her. "Look Keine, I'm sorry. I'll promise not to go out there alone. It's going to be alright." Keine stopped crying and smiled at Mokou, relieved.
I never knew how much Keine cared for me. She's like a parent I never had, watching over me. Without her, I might still be in pain. Luckily, the boss decided to put me and Keine on the infiltration mission together even though I wasn't an official member of U.F.O yet. We were told to invade the fortress in Eientei and stop Kaguya in her tracks by any means necessary. I couldn't have asked for a better partner in this mission than with my best friend.
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From our intelligence, we were told that the fortress was split into three layers. There is the outer layer of the fortress which holds the security equipment and surveillance devices. The middle layer has all the robotic moon rabbits guarding the entrances. The last and innermost layer is supposed to be where Kaguya resides. I just hope we can make it out of there alive. We were given supplies needed to help us get to Kaguya quicker. But it doesn't matter, as long as I have Keine, we will succeed.
Mokou and Keine rode a motorcycle in order to arrive at Eientei fortress quickly. They were told to infiltrate the fortress first and after that, the attack by the rest of U.F.O would commence to act as a diversion. The fortress looked like a large prison cell. It was like a large gray box filled with barred windows. After they arrived there, they quickly took out some radio frequency bombs. The outer layer holding the security cameras and laser defense system were disabled due to the conflicting frequency of the radio bombs. Mokou and Keine rushed inside the fortress.
"Right now we should be at the middle layer of this place." Keine deduced. She took a peek from the wall they were hiding behind and saw two robotic moon rabbits blocking the door into the next room. Keine faced Mokou and said, "Look, here's the plan. I'm going to rush in and distract them. You shoot them in the tail with the machine guns you got. That's their weak spot because their radio signal receiver is located in that position. Got it?"
"Uhh Keine..."
"What?"
"Look behind you." A large robotic bunny holding a plasma axe was behind Keine. It raised it's axe and swung it at Keine. Mokou quickly stepped in and pushed her away from the swing. Diving behind the rabbit while it was still pulling its axe out of the ground, Mokou manage to snap a shot off and take out the tail-receiver. "Thanks, you saved me out there," said Keine. Unfortunately the two robotic moon rabbits guarding the door heard the noise and went to go investigate to see what was the noise to see both Keine and Mokou. The moon rabbits picked up their guns and started shooting. Keine ran to the left which distracted the rabbits and she avoided the bullets. Mokou ran to the right and landed right behind them, shooting their backs in the process. The two robotic moon rabbits stopped functioning. The two girls proceeded to open the door just to see Kaguya sitting on a throne in the back of the room.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see you two here. Oh wait, I did. Ohohohohohoho.... and here you two think you can defeat the great Kaguya, ruler of Gensokyo." Kaguya proceeded to pull out two guns. "You two have much to learn." She started shooting at the two as they have already pulled out their guns the second Kaguya started shooting.
It was raining bullets as each of them avoided the other person's shots. No one seemed to show signs of weakness. The battle continued. Danmaku rained upon the fortress but no one was shot. Days have passed by and they were all getting tired by the rigorous fighting. Neither side looked like it was going to give in. However, Keine accidentally tripped due to exhaustion causing one of the bullets to hit her right through the abdomen. Kaguya took this opportunity and rushed towards Keine, arm-locked her, and pointed the gun at her head.
"Game Over, Mokou. Unless you want Keine dead, drop your weapons." Mokou, in fear that Kaguya would shoot Keine, dropped her weapons. Kaguya grinned in delight.
"See Mokou, you don't have the upper advantage. And here I thought I was actually afraid you might pull something on me and become U.F.O's trump card. Why else would I lock you up? But it doesn't matter, you can never defeat me. I'll always be one step ahead of you in every way. It's a shame that it's going to end like this, my foe." Kaguya laughed maniacally as she held the gun at Keine's head. While Kaguya was bantering, Keine slowly pulled out a trigger from her shirt pocket with her teeth.
"I... wouldn't... get... so... cocky... yet, Kaguya," muttered Keine. Keine proceeded to push the trigger button by smashing the button with her teeth causing a massive explosion to come from her body as she had bombs all over her combat vested body already. Kaguya suffered brutal wounds all over herself. Keine had suffered fatal injuries and there was blood coming out from all over her body. Shocked, Mokou rushed to Keine to check if she was fine.
"Keine, are you there? Speak to me," yelled Mokou. Nevertheless, Keine didn't give a response. Her pulse was gone meaning she was most likely dead. Mokou cried as tears poured from her eyes down her cheeks to Keine's face.
"No... this can't be true. It just can't. After all we have gone through, why does it have to end like this. Keine... you can't be dead, you just can't." Mokou placed her hands on Keine's lifeless cheeks and then placed her body on Mokou's back.
Mokou looked back at the wounded Kaguya. She then dug through Kaguya's pocket to find that the remote had already been destroyed by the explosion. She then placed handcuffs, made of indestructible steel, on Kaguya's hands and called for backup to haul her to the U.F.O prison.
Mokou walked outside and saw many youkai and U.F.O members rejoicing as they saw the robotic moon rabbits lifeless and the normal moon rabbits running away due to the captivity of their precious leader. She couldn't help think if the sacrifice of a friend was well worth it. Nevertheless, she and the other U.F.O members returned back to their base.
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1 Year Later...
It's the anniversary of Keine's death. As I stand over my friend's grave, I can't help but think that maybe it would be better if I died instead of her. This guilt I feel is so agonizing. Even after a year, I still feel like the whole thing is my fault. Maybe if I did something to protect Keine, she might still be alive.
Mokou stood over Keine's grave as tears fell like raindrops from a storm. She felt a tap from her shoulder and turned around. It's Nitori. "Do you need a tissue?" She asked. Nitori took out a tissue and wiped it all over Mokou's tears. "Thanks. I don't know though. There is a part of me that still says Keine's death was my fault but how was I supp-" Nitori hushed Mokou by placing her finger on her lips.
"Look, don't blame yourself. No one would have expected that to happen. It just... happened. Look, I know I'm not the best person to explain this but I bet that the last thing Keine would want is for her best friend to be making a big fuss over this." Nitori gave out a large sigh. "The other guys from U.F.O and I are going to head back. Take your time as long as you need."
Nitori starting walking back but turned around after a few steps. "Oh, and I'm sure wherever Keine is, she's probably very proud with you of everything you accomplished." And with that, Nitori left Mokou in order to head back.
"Very proud ehh," whispered Mokou as she pondered those last words of Nitori. She then took out a picture from her pocket that contained both Mokou and Keine having fun in the grass and placed it on the tombstone. "Well my friend, wherever you are, I wish you are having a good time right now."
Mokou started walking down dirt path back to the base where she saw a silhouette of a horned figure in the distance. "No, it can't be." Mokou starts rushing towards the silhouette with great speed in high hopes that maybe, it's someone she recognized.
