Fwam
Ranna gasps for air, eyes wide from shock. As her breathing slows, she blinks and becomes aware of things. She finds herself on her knees on the ground. Not the floor of the school building, but a cold hard stone entrance. Slowly she looks up to see a large red torii.
Wait...what the hell? She instinctively turns her head to the right.
Bodies are strewn upon the ground messily in every way. Aesera is standing beside Kanako, visibly worried. Kanako is gasping for air, as if her lungs had suddenly decided to quit. As Ranna wondered what was wrong, the sharp sound of a slap rang out. She quickly turned her gaze to Vante, who had gotten up and slapped an unconscious Mystia. Ranna looked slightly puzzled, confused as to why he'd do such a thing to his sleeping partner. Upon closer inspection, Ranna could see the massive amounts of dark red that dyed the youkai's clothes. What...why...? She wondered as her gaze drifted to the side. There she saw a young winged girl, lying on the ground in an exhausted manner. As her eyes trailed further from Vante, she caught sight of Rhiseza and Youmu, who stood over top another girl Ranna didn't recognize. Close by she spotted Alyssa kneeling over Alice's inanimate body, her two dolls lying beside her, unmoving. Farther away, she spotted two standing figures, neither of which she recalled. As she squinted, she remembered the scene from before, of the woman and the girl on the rooftop. As she looked at their features she spotted a sword of pure darkness. As she looks at it, she feels something strange about it, like it's not an ordinary blade such as the ones Youmu wields. Ranna swiftly averts her eyes from it's alluring gleam. At the girl's feet is a girl with long purple hair, unconscious and unrecognized, just like the rest. Further from her are two more strange girls, both with wings, both of them sleeping. Near them stood Gale, and close by was Orin. Closer to Aesera was yet another unknown girl, lying on the ground unconscious. Why are all these... As she moved her gaze once more she spotted Nazrin and Newan, the former of which seemed to be in pain, similar to what Kanako was enduring. Near the two was another strange winged girl wearing all blue. Finally Ranna's gaze fell to her Partner.
Mokou lay on the ground, her broken body quickly regenerating at an alarming speed. The immortal inhaled and exhaled deeply, but not gasping as Kanako did. Slowly, her body rose from the cold ground and sat up to some degree, her arms holidng her up. She looked at Newan as she rose her hand to her face and tried to wipe the blood from it, causing it to smear lightly across her cheek. Then her eyes gazed directly at his, the moonlight reflecting a silvery light off them.
"...Thanks fer that..." She said, her voice serious as could be. She soon averted her eyes to look around, observing some of the same scenery Ranna had. With a sigh the immortal pushed herself up from the ground with a bit of trouble. As she rose to her feet, she stretched her stiff body and let out a groan. As she finished stretching, she glanced around, looking from one person to the next. Eventually she caught sight of Ranna. She gazed at her partner, then smiled weakly.
"Seems yer alright..."
Ranna looked slightly surprised. As if on it's own, her body moved over to Mokou, stopping when she had reached the general area around the immortal.
Ranna let out a raspy breath and looked towards Mokou "...What the hell just happened...?"
Just as Mokou was about to respond, another slap rang out. The two turned their gaze towards the pair closest to them. Newan and Nazrin.
Nazrin had just slapped Newan.
Neither of the girls really knew what the slap was for as they hadn't been paying any mind to the two. Ranna started to speak, but Mokou cut her off.
"Ey Ey, what da ya think yer doing?" She said in a slightly mocking tone. "Ya just got out o' a fierce battle and now yer slappin each other around?"
Ranna gazed around as Mokou gave the two a half-serious lecture. Then she caught sight of the leaving Rumia and Hirenko. Soon enough Mokou quieted down and watched as the pair left. The immortal just watched as they vanished into darkness, not saying a single word. After they had vanished, Aesera spoke up loudly.
Ranna listened to her intently. Then she thought about it.
Other self... She pondered. However nothing particularly came to mind. Without much care, Ranna shrugged off the thoughts and continued to listen as the group spoke.
As Vante spoke up and explained what he had been told, Ranna frowned.
"Not evil...?" She mouthed, her frown turning into confusion.
"So then Chaos isn't our real enemy" Mokou spoke out.
As Vante finished his speech, he asked another question.
Mokou looked shocked. and soon clenched her teeth.
"Ey e'eryone!" She shouted to the group. "We need ta investigate Gensokyo. Check over things an stuff. We gotta make sure e'eryone's okay ya hear?" The immortal glanced around quickly, then spoke once more, looking towards each individual as she addressed them. "Kanako, you take the mountain. Make sure ta walk up so you can check over everything carefully. The last thing we need is an army o' corrupted Kappa an Tengu coming after us" She turned to Nazrin. "Naz, you go check out the Temple" Then to Alice and Alyssa. "...Alyssa was it? Can you tell Alice that she's gonna go check over the Forest of Magic" Then was Gale and Orin. "Gale and Orin will be 'eading underground. Make sure ta walk there and check e'erything over. The only thing worse den an army of corrupted Kappa and Tengu is a corrupted army of Oni" Next was Rhiseza and Youmu. "Youmu, you'll go to the netherworld"
Just then something clicked in Ranna's mind. She recalled the conversation she had had with Mokou days before.
"Ya know..." Mokou started, her frown fading as she gazed at the starry field above them. "Just because they're gone from this world...it doesn't mean they're gone forever..."
"When someone dies...they go to a certain place. Most go to the Netherworld..."
"So...just maybe...you can see them..."
Ranna's eyes widened slightly.
"I'll be headin' to the Human Village an' the Bamboo Forest" Mokou said, finally turning her attention to Vante and Mystia. "An Mystia..."
Suddenly Ranna interrupted Mokou with a soft whisper.
"Mokou..."
The immortal turned her gaze towards her partner and waited for her to continue speaking.
Ranna hesitated, but finally managed out her words.
"...The netherworld...you said that I could...see them there..." She said, her voice wavering slightly. She swallowed and looked Mokou straight in the eyes. Her multicolored eyes shone with determination. "I want to go there..."
Mokou gazed at her for a moment, then nodded silently. Her expression wasn't the sort of grin she usually responded with, but a more trusting and serious one.
Ranna smiled faintly, but warmly, and reassuringly.
Mokou gave her a small grin in response for only a second, then turned her attention back to the group.
"Vante and Mystia will check the roads and other, more reclusive areas of Gensokyo. Places ya should check should be the Road of Liminality, Nameless Hill, Garden of the Sun...hmm...where else..." Mokou says pondering this. Then, as if recalling something important, Mokou speaks up again. "Oh right! The Road of Reconsideration!" She glances around quickly before continuing. "Someone definitely needs to go there" She looks to Alice for a moment, then to Mystia. "...Alice and Alyssa should check the Road of Reconsideration after they've finished with the Forest of Magic. Hm...I s'pose going all the way to Muenzuka is a good idea aswell." She finishes, still pondering something. Then something on the ground below her catches her eye.
Mokou looks down to see Cirno sleeping sloppily and defenselessly on the ground below.
"Oh yeah! The Vampire's Mansion" As Mokou examines her surroundings more carefully, she realizes most of the residents of the Mansion are lying at their feet right now. Mokou bites her lip.
"Okay Scarlet Devil Mansion is also a place that needs our immediate attention" She says, remembering the corrupted versions of Cirno, Patchy, and Flandre. "...We'll need to keep them with us till they wake up, so we can make sure they're okay" She says as she glances at Sakuya and Rin.
"So right now, I think e'eryone is dying for some rest" Mokou says as she turns and looks towards the Shrine. "...We should try not to wake Reimu." Mokou says, sounding a little bothered by the thought of the Shrine Maiden waking up.
A soft sigh slips out of Mokou's lips as she turns back to the group, focusing her attention on Youmu. "Youmu, you'll be taking Ranna with you to the netherworld. She has some business there" Mokou grins as she finishes speaking.
Ranna looks down a little, but says nothing. Finally Mokou lets out a loud yawn. "Well..." She begins, stretching her arms into the air. "...If that's all, I'm going to find a nice patch of ground to lie down on" She says as she turns her back and begins to saunter away from the group.
Just then, Nazrin's condition worsens. She falls to the ground, cringing and contorting in pain. Her breathing quickens, becoming raspy. Tears form in the youkai's eyes due to the unbearable pain. Mokou turns and looks back at her with a frown. Ranna watches with a slight tinge of fear in her mind, but doesn't show it. The two of them remain silent as they watch, not quite know what to say or even do.
