The Oncoming Storm

~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library

The Oncoming Storm

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The Dratini Farmer:
Yakumo Residence, Gensokyo

For the first time in living memory, Yukari hadn?t had made a beeline for her bed or couch. Instead, she?s locked away in her massive library. For the last few hours, there had been strange lights and noises coming from inside the room. Ran was cooking her and Chen?s dinner when there was a knock on the door. Yuyuko?s gardener, Youmu, had been sent to deliver a package to the gap youkai. It was in a long and narrow box with a bit of weight to it. The half ghost, half human declines their invitation to dinner and quickly returns home to her duties.

Inside the library, Yukari stands in front of board plastered with papers. They all contain complex equations, diagrams of spell circles, and multiple charts. On the desk next to her, a Mosin Nagant laid with the chamber unloaded and a bayonet. Beside it, copies of Nitori?s notes were scattered about. Those contained drawings of a Ruger Blackhawk and Marisa?s spell cards. They were the designs of Marisa?s custom weapons. Due to the Ordinary Magician?s magic of choice being concentrated on light and heat, the spell cards had taken well to bullets. For everyone else, the magic was taking some time to iron out.

As she stared at her notes, she was steadily isolating the proper method. Absentminded, she reaches into one of her gaps and pulls out the package. Exercising extreme care, she unwraps it to reveal a katana. Even to the untrained eye, it was obvious that it was a masterpiece. Just above the handle guard, on opposite sides, a cherry blossom and a ying-yang orb were engraved. The balance was beautiful and the blade was perfect. It was the same weapon that Yukari had used during the first Genso-Lunar war. She had given it to Yuyuko to hold ever since the Spring Snow incident. She smiles a bit before she returns to work.

While she double checks her calculations, the gap youkai starts to wonder about another problem. Patchouli had recently asked her to ask Flandre to take some medicine that Eirin had made. It was supposed to cure her bouts of insanity but Flandre didn?t like taking any type of medicine. So Yukari had to convince her to. Remilia and Sakuya didn?t know about this yet since Patchouli didn?t want them to worry anymore about her. So, Yukari had arranged a day out of mansion to see if she could convince Flandre then. It was a little something to get both of their minds off the current situation. But it was more for Flandre. The gap youkai could tell that a sharp mind was being suppressed by that insanity. And she would be called up to use that mind in the upcoming conflict.

Yukari shook her head. She was already planning a General Staff and they haven?t even come up with a name for their defense. Then it came to her: the Gensokyo Defense Force. It was short and to the point. Next up was the organization. She had read a history on the American Civil War and was intrigued on how they organized their army by region. That would work for Gensokyo since it was so small. How to set the regions up came easier. The Scarlet Devil Mansion would be under Remilia, the Human Village under Keine, Eientei would be under Kaguya and Eirin, the Moriya Shrine under Kanako, Higan under Eiki, Hakugyokurou under Yuyuko, the Myouren temple under Byakuren, the Taoist temple under Miko, and the Forest of Magic under Alice. Remiu had made it clear that she would hold the shrine, so she was attached there for the foreseeable future.

Her cell phone began to vibrate, letting her now that she had a text message. It was from Nitori. The kappas had finally managed to reproduce a working SU-47 fighter. Yukari was pleased with the progress that the engineers were making in arming them. She texts back an acknowledgement. On the wall next to the door, a chart with readiness data was showing a 15% completion. Then the perfect method to contain the magic in the bullet hits her and she smiles again.

Hakugyokurou, Gensokyo

The group of operatives that Yukari had sent were sitting on the ground in the garden in a circle. For the past few days that they were here, they were treated as guests. The only restriction was that they were required to give their word that they would not try to escape. All of them agreed and were wondering what they would do after they wore out their welcome. The first thing they noticed was that the gardener was keeping a close, untrusting eye on them. And that she was skilled with both of the blades that she carried.

Right now, Youmu was practicing some of her high speed techniques. Yuyuko was walking towards the group, eating a Smores Pop Tart. They all tense up, expecting the worse.

?Now, now, don?t get all jumpy. I?m just here to enjoy the cherry blossoms.? Yuyuko was interrupted by her cell phone ringing. Checking, she reads for a second and puts the phone up. ?That was Yukari just now. She says that there?s no reason for us to keep all of you here anymore.?

The operatives tense up again and it?s even worse when Youmu starts to walk towards them.

?So, all of you have a choice. You can either stay here and fight alongside us or you can go home to your families and try to stay out of this mess. If you stay here, we can arrange to move your families here and give you a new home in the village. It?s not much compared to the outside world but it?s peaceful, most of the time. If not, Yukari can send you straight home and you can figure out what to do after that.? Yuyuko pauses. ?She wants an answer by tonight. I want all of you to know that I enjoyed having all of you here. Even Youmu liked having guests that helped with chores.?

As Yuyuko was speaking, Rumia had arrived. Ever since they were captured, the youkai had been visiting the operatives. Sometimes the conversations would turn into a confusing mass, but the operatives still enjoyed her company. They had even given Yuyuko a recipe for chocolate so that they would make some for her.

Hearing what Yuyuko had said, Rumia looked at them, wondering if they were going to leave. Every single operative, despite being a trained and seasoned solider, couldn?t help but have tears that matched the little youkai?s. They all began to think of ways that they would make her sad but weren?t having any luck. Yuyuko felt bad for delivering the message and left to call Yukari, hoping that there was a way to prevent this.

Washington, DC, United States

It had been a while since a thunderstorm this bad had hit the area. The Director of the CIA was standing under the Jefferson Memorial watching the river. His bodyguard was waiting at the car, keeping an eye out. After a few minutes of waiting, a man wearing an overcoat and fedora joins the director. He hands him an envelope and walks off. As soon as he?s around the corner, he disappears.

The director opens the letter and reads it. Then he pulls out a Zippo and burns it and the envelope. Kicking the ashes to be sure, he closes his eyes for a bit. Then with a sneer, he pulls out a prepaid cell phone and dials a number. Once he hears it connect, he hangs up and stomps on it. Picking up the remains, he throws it into the river.

On his way back to his car, he pulls out a lapel pin. Ignoring the tempest, he pins it on. Once inside the car, he orders his driver to stop at the closest coffee shop. He knows that the next few nights are going to be long and without sleep. He sits back in his sit and enjoys the wine that he keeps in the kick panel. He mindlessly rubs the lapel pin as he sips.

The pin is the same as the seal on the envelope that he had received earlier. He would never wear a pin like that on his own, but his plan required every bit of luck that he could get. And his benefactor did have a dash of narcissism. It still eluded his mind how someone that he never heard of could guarantee him the presidency of the United States. And why he trusted someone that used a seal with a fat catfish on it.

Then the phone rings, bringing him out of his musings. It?s from his assistant back at the office. A bomb had gone off at a dinner that was attended by many of the highest officials. Both the President and the Vice President were severely injured, enough that they would not be able to perform their duties. The Cabinet was unharmed but the Director had amassed a large group of files that would ruin their careers. Immediately ordering his driver back to the CIA headquarters, he hides a sinister smile at how the catfish?s words had come true.

Morioka, Iwate, Japan

After scouting the ancient shrine and being turned away by NATO military police, Maribel and Renko had returned to the city. It was a long walk and they were both tired, so they stopped at the first restaurant they saw. Enjoying the pizza that they ordered, they were watching the news when it was interrupted. Reports of an attack on the President of the United States and his staff were flooding in from all the major networks. At that very moment, the most senior member of the administration, the Speaker of the House, was giving a press conference when he was interrupted. He was taken away by members of the Secret Service and the Director of the CIA took his spot at the podium.

For some strange reason, Maribel felt a sense of danger from him, even though he was thousands of miles away. And the pin that he wore on his lapel didn?t sit right with her. The man carried a large stack of files and was waving them around. Everyone in the room had gone quiet and was tense.

?I have documents here that show that the highest levels of government have been infiltrated by agents from Gensokyo. They are the ones responsible for the bombing tonight! We have given them ample opportunities to come into the international community to open arms! And this is how they repay us? Our national security is being attacked at this very moment! So, in order to make sure that no one else must be attacked, we are giving Gensokyo one last chance to turn over those responsible. Hear this Gensokyo: you have 1 week, I say again, 1 week to stand down for occupation. If you do not stand down, we will use all necessary military force against you. Do not be fools and fight, we have you out numbered.?

Maribel didn?t hear anymore, her head was spinning. Why was this man so set on destroying the land that she had come to love? Didn?t they understand that Gensokyo was hiding for a reason? And why were military forces already around the gateway?

Renko pulled out the map that they were using and was studying it. She had taken a course in military history and was trying to figure out the most probable avenue of approach. Then she remembered that they had given Gensokyo a week. It was going to turn into a siege.

?Mary, it?s a siege! They?re trying to stall for time, it?s just the United States for now.?

?But what about Russia? They?re still mobilized after that helicopter was stolen.?

?They still need time to gather all their forces and move into position. Remember those MPs back there? They were American and British. So NATO?s going to be doing the main push. At least that?s how I see it.?

?We have to go back.? Maribel was steeling herself. ?We can?t just stand here doing nothing.?

?It?ll take time to get supplies and get past that perimeter. We?re going to have to plan all of this out too. We could make in about 3 or 4 days if we go through the deepest part of the forest. And if we do make it there? What are going to do? We can?t really fight all of those armies toe to toe.?

?I don?t know.? Maribel sounded like she was getting more and more depressed. ?I don?t know but I still have to be there.?

Renko stepped forward and hugged her best friend. ?Don?t worry about that now. I told you that I would go with you to the shrine. I don?t care how long it takes but I?m going to get you there.?

They both look up when they see 6 CH-47 Chinook helicopters loaded with artillery and bearing the markings of the United States Army fly towards the shrine. On the ground, NATO Humvees were heading there was well. It was clear: the countdown had begun.

The Dratini Farmer:
Kappa Workshop, Youkai Mountain, Gensokyo-1 Week Remaining

Yukari had instantly arrived while the press conference was still going on. She sent out a mass text message to all of the faction heads to meet her there. One of one, they had arrived and were silently waiting. Yukari had also sent a text to Patchouli and Flandre, asking them to attend. Then she had opened a gap for Rinnosuke to attend.

Now with everyone present, Yukari began to speak. ?All of you heard the press conference just now. We have one week to get everything ready. As of right now, we have only the Americans to worry about but, we have concrete evidence that the Russians and the British will be joining too. And it wouldn?t be too much of a stretch for the rest of NATO to move against us.?

The gap youkai brought out a G36 rifle. ?Three days ago, I finally perfected the method of infusing spell cards and magic into bullets. This is one of the production models and many more different weapons will be available. The kappas have already started production and are about 60 percent done with the modifications. And we are starting to build an air force. All of the fuselages are done and only wiring and armaments are left to finish. Due to an incredible stroke of luck, we have also managed to secure a training manual for every aircraft we stole the designs to. The kappas, along with major help from Kosuzu Motoori, have condensed the manuals to only the most necessary of information. With the pilots I have in mind, they should be ready with two days of training. And all of you already know the chain of command and the organization of the Gensokyo Defense Force.?

She wave Patchouli and Flandre forward. ?I have asked Patchouli to create a spell that would create a large map of the surrounding area that would provide us with real time positions and descriptions of every single unit within a 35 mile range. She has succeeded and agreed to install it in every command post. Flandre has been taking medicine lately that cuts down on her bouts of insanity a great deal. Because of that, she?s also discovered an incredible skill with strategy and tactics of modern combat. She?s the one that will be running numbers and scenarios for the upcoming battle. Why don?t I let her explain what we?re expecting??

?From what Lady Yukari has been telling me, we?re going to be in for a siege until they get at least a 250 to 1 advantage.? Flandre sounded much more mature than usual. ?The tengus have taken pictures that show artillery being brought in, but the barrier should be good to stop it, as long as they don?t get in. The main point of attack?s going to be the Hakueri Shrine. We should be able to hold them off there and then counter with the Celestial artillery.?

While Flandre was giving the briefing, Patchouli was casting the map spell. Once it was set, she gave the vampire a thumbs up and stepped back.

?I can plan for attacks that come from ground forces and artillery. The tengus will have to keep the sky clear to prevent airborne and air assault units from getting in deeper. And we have to be on the lookout for special operation units that will try to bypass the main attack. The ones that are the most likely to succeed are the American Army Rangers and American Marine Recon. Until we can be sure that other factions are on the field, I?m not worrying about them for now.?

Flandre?s presentation left the room amazed and Yukari proud. The vampire was a really sharp kid that only needed a little help to reach her potential.

?But we also have to plan for a worst case scenario. If we cannot hold the Shrine, then we have to make them pay for every inch of land that they take. And we have to have a national redoubt, somewhere where we can make a last stand and hold out until we can figure out something. For that, I recommend Hakugyokurou, if Lady Yuyuko agrees. It has the ability to be easily defended and it would mess with the enemy mentally to fight in the Netherworld.?

Yuyuko nodded. ?If everyone else agrees, then I?m good with it too. But won?t that mean my forces won?t be on the front??

?That?s right, Lady Yuyuko,? Flandre nodded. ?For the redoubt to be truly effective, there have to be fresh troops ready for a defense. However, I do have an idea for your gardener. She does have a skill set that most of the outside world would find hard to counter: close quarters combat at high speeds. Patchy can explain more.?

The librarian stepped forward and opened her book. ?Humans have always been weaker physically than most of us youkai and have to rely on weapons to close the gap. With Youmu?s skill set focusing on close combat and speed, she would be a perfect counter if we took firearms out of the equation. So I?ve been developing a spell to achieve that. I have not come up with the right incantation. What I have come up with is a spell that disables long range air to air missiles and an automation spell for field and anti-air artillery. Due to the materials I used, we can call it the Copper spell for now. But I will need some time to get it ready.?

Yukari began to speak again. ?All of you can see that we have made great progress towards making ourselves a modern fighting force that can utilize magic. What we need now is for all of you to organize rehearses for your troops and weapons. The more we practice, the less damage and losses we?ll take. And one last thing, most opening attacks in war involve taking out the chain of command before the main engagement begins. Therefore, all battle butlers must stay close to their masters unless there are extraordinary circumstances.?

Beckoning Rinnosuke forward, she continues her train of thought. ?Rinnosuke has assured me that we have enough weapons to arm everyone in Gensokyo and plenty of ammunition. But due to an unforeseen mishap, we had to delay the movement of the big rounds, mostly the air to surface missiles for the Apaches. So the aircraft will be delayed for a bit. The Scarlet Devil Mansion has already been prepared to defend our airspace until the aircraft can contribute. But the most important thing is for all of us to be armed.?

There was no arguing with the gap youkai?s logic. And they had expected something like that, so they had arranged for the kappas to finish their personal sidearms first. It was painfully obvious that the paradise of Gensokyo was quickly being shattered.

Kourindou, near the Forest of Magic, Gensokyo-6 Days Remaining

Rinnosuke had always wondered when this day would arrive. But he had never expected it to happen when Gensokyo would be on the brink of an all-out war for survival. He sighed as he put his book down and wiped his glasses.

?I was hoping that you would have asked at a better time. I mean, who waits until the eve of a war to start cleaning their house??

?I cleaned my house plenty of times. It?s just that I have a lot of stuff that I keep just in case it?s important.?

?Like spare candy wrappers??

?You?re avoiding my question, Kourin.?

The shopkeeper kept drinking his tea to stall for more time. Once he was out, he had to give in. ?That medallion that you found was yours to start with. It was made for you shortly after your birth and has your family crest on it. It was obvious as soon as you were born that you had the ability to use magic. So your family began to look for a teacher to make you powerful enough to defend the village against youkai whenever the Hakueri shrine maiden wasn?t available. The medallion was made to increase your magical power and boost your other abilities. As long as you have it, you might as well use it for the war. Mima?s amplification spell can last for decades, so you don?t have to worry about it sputtering out at the worst possible time.? But something else was bothering him. He chose his next words carefully, ?Marisa, have you given any thought to talking with your father again??

Wordlessly, she pulls out an envelope and puts it on the desk. ?I want you to give him this letter if I don?t make it back.?

?No.?

Marisa just stared at him. She had never know him to be so forceful in all the time she knew him. But he had an angry look in his eyes and he had to steady his hand on the table.

?Don?t ever do anything like that again. You go into this thinking like that, it?s not going to end well. If you want that letter delivered to your father, you?re going to have to deliver it yourself. I am not going to give you any reason not to come back. Your father would be furious and I would too. And don?t forget that you still owe some on your tab.?

The magician was still speechless. But the one thing that she realized was that she was sounding like she had given up. She takes the letter back and puts it in her apron pocket. Grabbing her broom, she makes her way to the door. Pausing, she tips her hat. ?Thanks, Kourin.? Then she takes to the sky, not caring about the tears that flowed from her eyes,

Rinnosuke watched her go, remembering how she grew up. From the first day that he met her when he was working at her father?s shop, to her visiting him when he had opened his own, helping her get the supplies to fix up the old house that she had moved into in the middle of the forest, to getting somewhat annoyed at her and Remiu for their antics every time they came to window shop and upgrading the Mini-Hakkero. He wasn?t a religious man, but he prayed that both Marisa and Remiu would be safe during the upcoming struggle. And to add an extra bit of insurance, he walks to the back room and returns with a long and narrow box. Opening it, he pulls out a NTW 20 anti-materiel rifle. He admires the 20 x 80 mm round that he keeps in the box with it, a round big enough to be considered a cannon round.

That rifle had cost him a special favor from Yukari but had been worth it. She had told him that it would be enough to take down anything that came at him but had doubted his ability to lift it. He had ignored her last remark and carried off the almost 65 pound weapon one handed.

Outside the Hakueri Barrier, Northern Japan-6 Days Remaining

Ever since they got the warning order, the American 2nd infantry division had been on edge. They had heard about some of the things that had happened during the so called Gensokyo incident and now they were here, in their backyard. And not of all them were ready for this. For now, a vanguard had arrived and was setting up a line around what military intelligence said was the only way in and out of the area.

Several Forward Operating Bases were set up, with Signal Corps soldiers running around establishing communication lines and keeping an eye on every shadow. Infantry were going on patrol and bringing back reports of people flying in the sky. Artillery batteries were finishing last minute setups and were jumpy. Helicopters were flying overhead, careful not to pass the limit of advance and provoke the beginning of the war.

Momiji was taking care to stay hidden in the tree line, H&K MSG90 rifle at the ready. She can see that most of the officers and staff were staying within the deepest part of the bases, and that they were uneasy at being in this environment. She focuses on the radio operator next to them and memorizes the frequency of the radio. But what she can?t really understand was the satellite dish that one of them was carrying on his back. So she marks it as a priority target and moves on.

Paying special attention to the patches on the soldiers? soldiers, she finds that most of them are 2nd Infantry and that there are various other small groups. Some that she spotted are 101st Airborne, 82nd Airborne, 3rd Infantry, and some from the 1st Infantry. After an hour of scouting, she spots British Army elements arriving.

So far, the predictions that Yukari had told here were coming true. And that meant that the plans that Flandre had made were still good. Momiji was a little skeptical about the vampire?s strategy but followed anyway because of Lord Tenma?s asking.

Hearing a familiar sound, she looks up and spots Aya a far distance above, taking pictures of everything she could. The White Wolf couldn?t help but feel a sense of distaste at the Black Crow tengu. She really hoped that they wouldn?t be pair up together for the conflict, she was liable to knock her out if they were. Shaking her head, she returns her attention to the FOB in front of her.

She looks for a bit longer and then starts her trip back. Taking extra care to avoid the patrols, she finally makes it back into Gensokyo. Once she was past the Hakueri Shrine, she began to relax. The realization that she would be in actual combat was starting to dawn on her. But she was looking forward to it. As long as she had her sword and rifle, she was fine.

Spotting Youmu going the opposite direction, Momiji gives her a small nod of acknowledgement. She had always been on good terms with the gardener and was interested in training with her in the close quarters combat style that Flandre and Patchouli were advocating. It did sound just like the style that she had always used but would be boosted by one of the librarian?s spells. All Momiji hoped was that she would make everyone she cared about proud and that they would be safe.

Courtroom, Ministry of Right and Wrong-Gensokyo Division, Gensokyo-5 Days Remaining

?You?ve changed a lot since the last time I sent Komachi after you.?

Being nervous was becoming an almost daily occurrence for Tenshi. And she had plenty of good reason to be nervous, as she was standing in front of the two people that she had ran away from for so long.

The Yamaxanadu had taken her seat on the bench, looking down at Tenshi on the floor. Her blue eyes stared right into the Celestial?s soul, almost as if she were putting together a legal brief. Her shinigami, Komachi, stood off to the side, stoically watching the scene before her.

Eiki reaches for a folder and waves it. ?All of your history is right here. What would I find if I looked inside it? Would you be the sort of Celestial that would inspire their followers or would you be the sort that would care only for the rush of front line battle??

Tenshi stayed silent, but did not break eye contact. Her grip tighten on her sword and served to steady her trembling.

?But if Yukari saw fit to give the chance to redeem yourself and you are actually trying to get your life together, then I will help you the best I can.? Eiki stands up and steps off her bench. On level footing, she?s even more intimidating. ?What you have to concentrate first is developing the application of your leadership abilities. Yukari has told me what you have studied and that?s a good start. So what I?ve come up with is the chance to speak with some of the best leaders of history so you can see and develop your own style.?

Komachi opens the door as Eiki and Tenshi exit the courtroom. She follows the pair as they make their way to the amphitheater. But something had triggered the shinigami?s danger sense. A pair of middle level clerical workers were passing them in the hallway when the hair on Komachi?s neck stood on end. She was still trying to figure out where it was coming from when the workers spun around and drew firearms.

The shinigami rushes forward and sweeps her scythe over the pair, cutting both of them. They pair falls, revealing body armor and radios. Seeing what had happened, Eiki draws her Colt Peacemaker while Tenshi has her Walter P38 at the ready. Down the hallway, more gunmen appeared and aimed at the trio. The Yama ran into an open conference room to the left and began to return fire. The Celestial ran in behind her and flipped a table. She then pushed the table out so that a little bit pokes out and gives Eiki better cover. Komachi had moved into the room on the opposite side of the hallway and was reloading her Tokarev pistol.

Eiki hears a noise to her left and sees a gunman charge at her. Too close to bring her Peacemaker up, she unleashes a devastating uppercut that has her hearing a cracking noise in her attacker?s jaw. She sees a tooth or two fly out before Tenshi riddles him full of bullet holes. Before the body can hit the floor, Eiki kicks it into the hallway, where it attracts a hail of gunfire. The Celestial hears something small and metal hit the way and sees a grenade land in front of her. Reacting instantly, she dashes forward and kicks it back. Her timing was good enough so that when it explodes, most of the shrapnel hits the gunmen, dropping four of them. But the blast wave also knocks the trio down. On her way to meeting the floor, Eiki loses her grip on her weapon and sees it fly towards Komachi. It lands in the middle of the hallway, too far for the shinigami to reach.

Seeing the Glock that was dropped by the closest gunman, she picks it up and sees that it had jammed. She pulls the slide to the rear and inspects the chamber quickly. The action clears the jam from the action just in time for another charging attacker. She puts two shots in him and slams the Rod of Remorse into the side of his head.

?Shit, I?m jammed!? Tenshi yells out as she backs up into the room and takes a knee. ?It?s a double load and it?s in there tight!?

Almost on cue, the remaining gunmen charge forward. The three are pulling out SR-2s when Komachi yells out, ?Lady Eiki, heads up!?

The Yama looks at her assistant and jumps forward when she sees her toss her Peacemaker at her. As soon as the revolver touches her hand, she spins the cylinder and puts two shots into each attacker. The gunmen had started to fire when they saw what she was doing but had ended up spraying bullets everywhere, forcing Tenshi and Komachi to dive to the floor. Reloading their weapons, and in Tenshi?s case, fixing their jam, they slowly make their way towards the downed gunmen. Kicking the bodies to make sure they are dead, they search them for any intelligence but fail to find anything.

Komachi takes custody of the souls and takes them to a secured area of the building. Eiki then orders the entire building to be placed under lockdown while every room is cleared and until they figure out how the gunmen made it in. Tenshi is given the chance to go to the meeting and uses it to her full advantage. Yukari is informed and passes on the information to the rest of the faction heads. The assassination attempt proved without the shadow of a doubt that the outside world would be the first to strike.

The Dratini Farmer:
Scarlet Devil Mansion, Gensokyo-5 Days Left

Patchouli and Koakuma were performing system checks on the missile defense grid while Flandre and Remilia were having a cup of tea and studying the magical map in front of them. Out in the garden, Meiling was practicing her daily Tai Chi routine but instead of using a straight traditional sword, she was using a Type 56 rifle. She had the bayonet extended and was becoming more and more comfortable with combining the firearm with her martial arts experience.

Remilia was still amazed by the change in her younger sister. The proud vampire would never tell anyone else but she was extremely grateful to Yukari and Eirin for helping Flandre out. Sakuya was sitting at a table off to the side, polishing her knives after cleaning her G36 and her service Karabiner 98K from the war. The fairy maids were performing their regular duties, such as bringing out tea and snacks.

A familiar gap opened up and Yukari walked out. Sakuya instantly had a tray of tea and snacks instantly ready for their guest. The gap youkai was a little jealous of how quick and efficient the maid was and wished her own servants were even half as good. Flandre had ran forward and caught Yukari in a quick embrace, which she returned with a pat on the head. Remilia gave her a nod of acknowledgement and took a sip of her tea.

?I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by,? Yukari paused. ?How are those scenarios that I told you about coming along??

Flandre nodded, ?I accounted for everything that I could think of. For the most part, if we can keep them at the boundary, then we have a good chance of stopping the entire invasion in its tracks. The boundary can reflect their artillery but not their infantry, cavalry or air units. We still have the Lunarians to count on but with the barrier up, they won?t be able to send many troops. The most that they can send would have to be maybe a battalion or a brigade. I know that they?re much more prepared for battle than we are but I doubt that even they can hold off entire armies.?

?That?s exactly what I expected from you, Flandre. It?s a very thorough analysis, but I have to throw in another variable.?

The entire room went quiet when they saw that Yukari had grown silent.

?The Great Barrier won?t survive the first battle.?

Everyone in the room was shocked at the announcement. Flandre began to go through the notes that she had taken when she had analyzed everything while Remilia kept staring at the map.

?Ran had told me that there have been fluctuations finally appearing in the barrier. When I took a look and ran some tests, it?s obvious that it won?t last for much longer. The time it would be most likely to break would be after the first wave of infantry and armor attacks. Without the barrier to reflect artillery, we?re in for a bad time if we don?t do something. That?s where you?ll have to come in.?

?That changes everything,? Flandre had to sit down. ?We?re going to have more casualties, more land lost, and more damage taken. Why is it doing this so fast??

?I don?t know but it?s even more serious since I can?t figure it out. And we?ll have to go on the offense after the battle. This won?t end until we?ve taken enough land for them to realize that we can?t be pushed around.?

?How much would we have to take for that to happen?? Remilia had finally looked up from the map. ?Don?t you remember the first Genso-Lunar war??

?I knew from the start that it wasn?t time for us to expand back then. But we don?t have a choice in the matter now. Should we stand by, the outside will just continue to attack us again and again. We have to take the fight to them.? Yukari sighed. ?But I have another matter to discuss. I wanted to ask if I could have two guests of mine stay here for a little bit.?

?Are you getting rid of your shikigami?? Remilia sat up.

?No, I?m going to keep them for a while longer. But I have the feeling that we?ll be receiving two guests that share our feelings about this and will be willing to lend us some help. We do need all the hands that we can get.?

Lunar Defense Crops Urban Training Base, Dark Side of the Moon-4 Days Left

Since she had passed the Line of Battle training, Reisen was ordered to practice mobile warfare. At the moment, she was in a platoon that was composed of her staff. They had been tasked with attacking a town that had been designated as a bomb making facility. To make the mission tougher, it was taking place in the middle of the night with only very limited starlight to see.

Reisen had arranged her platoon into two groups, one was going to go in and clear the buildings while the other would support by fire. As they walked toward the town, they were arranged in the modified wedge, two columns on either side of the road. Reisen was in the middle of the columns, with her squad leaders behind her. She carried her regular rifle, feeling a lot better with the longer weapon than an officer?s pistol.

At the designated point, the two squads broke apart and began to head to their respective areas. Reisen was going with the support by fire team since it would give her the chance to keep her eye on the bigger picture and to adjust her forces accordingly. She had the signal operator stay close to her, keeping her in constant contact with the other squad. She checked the ammo in her rifle one last time and then waved her troops forward.

As she moved forward, it was quiet. The wind was blowing a little, making the leaves rustle in the night sky. Reisen?s breathing was starting to speed up, partly because she didn?t know what was going to happen when the shooting started. She kept looking around, aiming her weapon at every shadow that moved. What made it worse is that she had ordered the assaulting squad to maintain communication discipline until the attack actually started.

The sounds of gunfire suddenly rang out in the night. On the far left, between two buildings, the flashes of gunfire were moving in every direction. Since Reisen?s squad was still on the road, they immediately ran to the left side of the berm and dropped to the prone. The moon rabbit crawled beside her machine gunner and began to direct fire. She could make out her troops running towards a building and stacking up against the wall.

Reisen?s nervousness had left, replaced by the boost of adrenaline. She could see enemy troops begin to rush out of a building to the right, and directed fire in that direction. The gunfire forced them to fall back into the building and kept them from returning fire effectively. From inside the target building, there were flashes of light and the sounds of explosions.

?First team, stand by for mission update,? The signal operator had received a message from the higher ups. Reisen began to look around, a mission update usually meant that something didn?t go according to plan. She started to expect the worse and was looking for possible avenues of attack or escape. She heard her other team yell out clear and held fire when they rushed out.

?First team, a building to your east has been found to house opposing staff. Find and clear that building out.?

She finally began to relax again. A search and clear mission wasn?t as bad as having an entire company attack from behind. Getting her squad together, the moon rabbit moved toward the building. Once they were there, they stacked on the wall with her second in line. She motions the last one up and has her check the door. The door is cleared and kicked down.

They immediately rush into the first room, sweeping their weapons into every corner. Reisen kept her weapon on safe but had her finger ready to switch to burst in an instant. Once the first room was clear, the squad split up and Reisen led her team up the stairs. So far they had found nothing but were still staying sharp. Outside, the sounds of gunfire had gone silent, which meant that the action outside had ended.

Reisen takes a corner at high ready and comes face to face with an enemy staff member. She immediately switches from safe to burst and fires a three round burst directly into their chest. She kicks the body out of the way and rushes into the room. She instantly jumps back as a hail of gunfire was aimed at her. The rest of her team catches up and one of them preps a grenade. Reisen catches it and throws it into the room.

The grenade makes a loud ping as it bounces off the wall and she hears someone yelling. It goes off and the entire squad rushes into the room. They find that the explosion had taken out all of the staff in the room and had knocked a briefcase off a shelf. Reisen picks it up and looks at her pocket watch. From the door being breached to now, one minute and thirty seconds had passed.

Reisen has her team run down to the first floor, regroup and stack up inside. She yells out to make sure their own troops don?t shoot them and rush out. Seeing the other squad some distance away pulling security, she has hers reach the road and then gives the signal to run back to their rally point.

Once they had dashed to the rally point and got accountability, they formed up into the modified wedge and walked back to their patrol base. Reisen had tied the briefcase to her pack after she had done a preliminary search. The stars had finally come back out and were providing more light. It seemed to be a dream after all the fighting earlier. Then something fell in front of her and started to spark and smoke.

?Aw, shit.? That was all Reisen could do, tired as she was from all the running and shooting and she was suffering from an adrenaline crash. The grenade kept smoking and sparking then it just sat there, it turned out to be defective. Then gunfire came from their right side.

The moon rabbit dropped to a knee and began to return fire when a senior sergeant yelled, ?WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?! GET OUT OF HERE!!! RUN!!!?

Not having to be told twice, she got up and ran for all she was worth. The rest of her squad followed suit and struggled to keep up with her. She could hear the zips as bullets missed her by inches. Looking back, she counted her entire squad still following her. Then she ran into a tree.

Her helmet took most of the blow but couldn?t do anything for the embarrassment. Reisen shook it off and kept running. The run felt like it would never end but they finally reached their base. She gets accountability again and hands over the briefcase to the training officer. She decides to leave the paperwork until after she gets some food in her stomach.

She?s already dropped into a seat and was eating some bland rations when a messenger brought a communicator to her. She gives a nod of acknowledgement and answers the call. It was Toyohime and she sounded worried.

?Reisen, I?m sorry to have to interrupt you during your training, but we need the 4th to go into stand by status. Master Eirin has just called us and said that the outside world has given them a deadline to stand down. Right now, there?s only four days left. Your regiment will be the first on the ground to support the Gensokyo Defense Force until we can get the others ready. Be realistic, how ready can you be in three days??

Numbers began to spin around in Reisen?s head. Food, sleep, water, and ammo had to be considered. The regiment was 5,000 strong, and it would take a bit of time to get everything on the move. But they were Royal Foot after all.

?We can be at 100% readiness in three days, Princess.?

?Good. You should be prepared for a high number of enemy troops, armor, and aircraft. The GDF says that they should be able to keep the air clear but will have some trouble handling armor and infantry due to their low numbers. I?ll send you a full briefing later but you?ll basically going in to provide infantry support. Humans have evolved some since we left but it?s the numbers, not their ability or lack of, that we should be worried about.?

?Yes, Princess.?

?Reisen, make sure you do your best and come back. Yorihime and I miss having you around.?

With that, the royal cut the call off, leaving Reisen with her plate. Not feeling hungry anymore, she calls for her staff to join her in the HQ. She can tell that the next three days will be long.

The Dratini Farmer:
Mountain top, Bhava-Agra, Gensokyo 4 Days Left

The entire mountainside was full of artillery. Celestials were walking around, comparing calculations for their weapons. Just the amount of artillery that Yukari had given them was staggering, but the amount of ammunition that came with them was even more amazing. Tenshi sat on a rock higher up on the mountain, watching everything and eating a peach. She had been unusually quiet ever since she had come back from the Ministry of Right and Wrong.

She pulled out the Walter P38 that Yukari had given her. It had actually killed a living person. This was different that the earthquake incident. Or at least that?s what she was telling herself. Was the killing of spirits that were already dead the same as killing the living? She shook her head at the thought. That was a morality question, something that she had little time for nowadays.

But it still wouldn?t leave her alone. Intellectually, she knew that many were going to die in a few days, and that she may be one of them. That was the nature of war and there was no way around it. She had known that when she accepted Yukari?s offer. And it was still hitting her in the quiet moments, but had gotten worse since that attack.

?It?s bothering you, isn?t it, Eldest Daughter??

Tenshi turns around to see Iku behind her. The messenger had a scroll that was probably from the Dragon Palace.

?The fact that you feel guilt over killing another living being is a sign that you?re the right Celestial for the position. But you can?t let that affect you during combat. Especially when you?re responsible for others as well as yourself.? Iku handed her the scroll. ?The Dragon Palace has heard about your acceptance of leadership and sent you this. From what I heard in the dining rooms, there is some doubt about your abilities, even when Yukari Yakumo vouched for you.?

Tenshi waved that off. ?I don?t care about the gossip in the Dragon Palace. I won?t see them in the fight, seeing as how they?re too busy sitting around in those comfortable offices.?

?They do have a bit of influence with the Celestial family heads. Try not to anger them too much. This is a great chance that Yukari gave you but you can still throw it away if you?re careless. Remember that court politics play an important role in this, even though you are technically military and noble blood.?

?I thought that enlightened beings were above things like that? Is what I heard and studied about for so long a lie??

?I won?t go as far as to call it a lie. What I will say is that you haven?t exactly come in as the best in the class. There are some that are still angry about the earthquake incident and your attitude. Most of us have seen the improvement that you have made since then, but others still want to get you back. Most of them hold some very high ears.?

?If they?re so angry, they should come and fight me face to face then. I?ll show then who?s right.?

?There you go again, Eldest Daughter. That?s the exact thing that you want to avoid. Disagreements can?t always be solved with physical force. You?re on your way to learning that lesson, but at this time, it won?t be easy. Maybe that?s why Yukari chose you for this. Learning diplomacy may help you more than any beating or loss could.?

Tenshi had no response to that. Iku was always good at making her stop and look at herself. She still had no idea why Yukari had even wanted her to do this. And now Eiki was supporting here, even after Tenshi had beaten her shikigami so many times out of greed. The Yama hadn?t even reprimanded her after the attack for killing and using profanity.

It was starting to come together slowly, but Tenshi could tell that they wanted her to do something. But the question was what. And until she knew, there were only a few people that she can trust. And it began to dawn on her that all of this may be for the greater good. If it is, then is that what being a Celestial is really about? Was all the singing and dancing that everyone else had come to accept as their way of life just a distraction?

The Celestial was no stranger to philosophical arguments. That was what she had to study for the past few months in order to understand the Buddhist and Shinto religious texts that her father had given her. In her old mindset, she never would had worried about the balance between right and wrong, since she was a Celestial, she knew what was best from the start.

Then she went too far during the earthquake incident and finally got burned. But Iku snapped her out of her thoughts again.

?Don?t let anything I said make you doubt yourself. I know your abilities are right for this, you just have to have the determination and knowledge to apply them. The Dragon Palace doesn?t expect an answer from you about this, but be prepared for more messages. I?ll do my best to keep you posted about the atmosphere in the Palace, but do remember to try not making them any more agitated at you.? With a small nod, Iku turned and took to the sky again.

Watching her fly away, Tenshi still nibbled at the peach that she had forgotten during the conversation. One of the lower ranking members of her distant family came up to her and handed her a map. On it, it had the sectors of fire for every artillery piece on the mountain. They had a 360 degree sector of fire and had a range of all of Gensokyo plus 45 kilometers past the barrier, if the shells could pass it instead of being deflected.

She nods her appreciation and rolls it up to put in her apron. Then she hops off her rock and walks home, knowing that she still had more work left.

Kappa Workshop, Youkai Mountain, Gensokyo-3 Days Left

Every tengu present was amazed by what the kappas had made. The entire workshop had been expanded to make room for the air fleet that would serve to keep Gensokyo?s sky clear during the upcoming battle. Three types of aircraft were sitting in the hanger: the Russian SU-47 Golden Eagle, the American FA-18 Hornet, and the American AH-64 Apache. The only human in the bunch, Marisa, had her eye on the Apache due to the missiles and moveable heavy machine gun mounted under the cockpit.

Nitori was walking around one of the SU-47s. ?This is one of the most advanced planes on the planet. There are only about three of these outside the barrier while we have at least 5 full squadrons. It?s a work of art and my favorite to work on. Just look at the wings, aren?t they cool??

Nitori was about to continue when one of the other kappas shouted out from the back. Pulling herself out of her admiration, she walked over to one of the FA-18s. ?This one is not as advanced but is still a solid choice for our air forces. Right now, it?s one of the most common aircraft flying around outside. Its main advantage is that it?s just as good at ground attacks as it is at air superiority.?

Then she walked over to an AH-64. ?This is the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. This one is one of the most heavily armored yet most maneuverable helicopters ever used. It also has the ability to fire in almost any direction without having to move the entire helicopter. Perfect for someone that wants to have a massive amount of firepower right on the frontlines.?

Marisa started to jump up and down. ?Pick me! Pick me! All of you know how good I?m at blowing stuff up!?

No one in the room could disagree with that statement. The last time that Marisa had gotten in a spellcard duel, she had blown up half the Bamboo Forest. Some of the kappa had been in attendance and still had burn marks on their hats from the Master Spark explosion.

Nitori rummaged in her backpack of a few seconds and pulled out a set of keys. She tossed them at Marisa, ?We knew that you would want it. So it?s yours. Make sure you read the condensed manual and get some practice flying around before the bullets start to fly. And you?ll have to come up with a name for your helicopter and a call sign for the radio. Make sure you have them as soon as you can.?

Leaving Marisa to play with the controls under the watchful eyes of her new crew chief, Nitori led the tengus back over to the Su-47s. ?I?ve spoken with Lord Tenma and he has given me a list of tengus that he would want as squadron leaders. First up, Aya Shameimaru will head the first SU-47 squadron and Hatate Himekaidou will head the second.?

Both tengu step forward and begin to look around in their aircraft. Nitori kept reading off names that would make up their respective squadrons and moved on to the FA-18s. Yukari had stopped by and was watching the proceedings from inside the chief mechanic?s office. When the kappa was done and had returned to the office, she wasn?t surprised.

?I know that we?re getting closer to the deadline but we have made a lot of progress.?

Yukari nodded, ?We?re ahead of the schedule that Flandre worked out for us. How has that map that Patchouli installed been??

?It?s been a big help with organizing a lot of the squadrons. And it?s an added bonus that we can keep in touch with everyone else too.?

?I?ve received confirmation that both the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the Celestials have their artillery ready. The Lunarians have already started to mobilize but have to wait until the barrier falls for them to actually arrive.?

?Have there been any developments in the outside world lately??

?NATO has still been reinforcing the line more and more. From what some of the tengus found, they have already set up forward operating bases and artillery positions. But, a majority of the troops have heard about the legends and have seen some of us flying around. So naturally, they are sacred to a point. Most of their officers have dismissed it as just rumors but the ones that have seen us are trying to research the old texts to find our weaknesses.?

?I hope they don?t try to make me bow. I really don?t want to have to go through another incident like the one at the village again.?

?You mean the one where your hat fell off and fly away??

?This is my favorite hat! I can?t let anything happen to it, even if it?s just sitting on my head.?

?I?ll have to make sure to keep Chen away from water and for Ran to have a full meal before she goes out. I don?t want her to become distracted by one of those soldiers offering her some tofu.?

?So have you chosen what weapon you want us to modify for you??

?I decided to do it myself and keep it a surprise. It?s going to be a masterpiece, I can assure you that.?

?Fine. I think you made a good call with giving Marisa one of the Apaches. It?ll take some time and effort but her spellcards are a perfect match. She?s going to do a lot of damage when we get her out on the frontlines.?

?She needs something to keep her mind off the stress that this is causing. Rinnosuke texted me earlier to tell me that she was having doubts about surviving this.?

?That doesn?t sound like her. The Marisa I know wouldn?t be thinking about anything like that. She would be treating this like a game or another spellcard duel.?

?It means that she?s matured way too fast since all of this happened. I noticed it in others as well. The last thing we want is for her to be burned out so early. That?ll affect Reimu too.?

?Are you really only concerned with Reimu??

?Of course not! I care about everyone in Gensokyo. Why else would I do so much without asking for anything??

?I?ll probably never know the real answer to that question. What I do know is that you always have a reason for everything you do and we never figure it out until everything?s done.?

?You make me sound like a chess master, Nitori.?

?If the shoe fits, Yukari. Isn?t that exactly what we need the most now??

The Dratini Farmer:
Outside the Great Hakueri Barrier, Japan-3 Days Left

The perimeter around the Hakueri Barrier was tight enough to keep anyone from entering or leaving the area. Or at least it was before Russian forces had arrived. Almost at every control point, arguments in Russian and English could be heard. But only from the officers and senior NCOs. The rest of the enlisted from either side were content with sitting together, sharing cigarettes and trading candy from their MREs.

Maribel and Renko were hiding in a bush a few dozen feet away from two captains that were locked in a heated argument. Something about jurisdiction had brushed the Russian one the wrong way and led to him yelling.

?Listen, American, I don?t care what your orders are! This is our command post and WE will man it without YOUR interference!?

?I will not have you come here and yell orders at my men like that! They are my responsibility, so take it up with ME! COME AT ME, BRO!!!?

Both the Captains lunge at each other but are restrained by their NCOs. Renko can?t help but stifle a laugh as both officers start to kick at each other, still yelling at each other.

?I WILL BEAT YOUR ASS, DAMNED RUSKIE!!!?

?COME OVER HERE AND I?LL SHOVE YOUR CAPTIALISM DOWN YOUR DAMNED THROAT, AMERICAN!!!?

The rest of the soldiers just kept going around with their usual business, not really paying attention to their commanding officers about to kill each other. It really did seem that they were not surprised to see it going down like this.

Renko was wanting to stay and finish watching the rest of the spectacle but knew that she and Maribel were on a timeline. For the past day and a half, the pair had been scouting around for a weak point in the perimeter. So far, they had had little luck. But with the arrival of the Russians, some checkpoints were being distracted by all the hostility.

Deciding that they had done enough for the day, Maribel and Renko head back to the old inn that they had stumbled across. After they had walked for about two hours, they arrived. The inn didn?t get that many visitors since the legends of youkai and paranormal activities usually kept people away. The innkeeper was happy to have company and had asked no questions when they requested a room.

Once they had made a quick meal and were sitting in their room, they began to sort through the headlines of the day. Every newspaper that they had gotten their hands on was reporting on the massive troop movements from all over the world. And even though they had were both moving against Gensokyo, the United States and Russia were having another of their usual arguments.

The United Nations was trying to prevent the hostilities but with the entire Security Council still riled up about Yukari?s visit, it was meeting stiff resistance. NATO had already announced that they were already prepared for the outbreak of hostilities and would put boots on the ground with ease. In the United States, every division was placed on standby status, National Guard units were being ordered to federal active duty, and operations all over the world were put on hold. The entire manufacturing sector began to switch to wartime production.

After they had finished eating and reading, Renko brought out the map that they always carried. She had circled the Hakueri shrine and marked the FOBs that they had found. But the map wasn?t what had her attention right now. Ever since yesterday, Renko had noticed that Maribel had been becoming paler. She was also starting to feel a slight pain in the head. Even though the psychologist hadn?t said anything, it was obvious to her best friend.

?Something big is about to happen to the barrier, isn?t it? I can see it in your face, Mary.? Renko studied her closely. ?You?ve been getting pale and it looks like your head?s been hurting.?

?I keep on seeing cracks in the sky towards the shrine. They look like they?re starting to spread every time I look at them. It?s been making my head hurt a little but I?m alright.? Mary reached into her bag and took two aspirins. ?We?re starting to run out of time.?

?There?s only so much we can do until we can pass that perimeter. But I have found a spot where we should be able to sneak in. Check this out.? Renko points at a heavily wooded area a bit from the path. ?The forest here is extremely thick for about half a mile. As long as we stay together, we should be able to sneak past their patrols and bases. After that, it turns back into normal woods. Our best bet would be to try to figure out their patrol patterns and then we can go from there.?

?How long will it take? The deadline for Gensokyo?s surrender is in less than three days.?

?At least two days. I would feel better if we had more but you?re right. We also have to make sure that we don?t get caught. I doubt we can do anything useful if we stuck in a holding cell somewhere. The perimeter is about 4 miles from the shrine, so we?ll want to aim for the early morning to avoid the hottest part of the day.?

?I?m so happy to have you with me.?

Renko couldn?t help but blush. ?It?s nothing. I?m just using what I learned in those military history and tactics classes.?

?Still, I wouldn?t had made all the way out here without you.?

?You?re starting to talk crazy again. Next thing you?ll say is that you?ll want to go to the moon and talk to the Lunarians next.?

?I?m sure that the Lunarians can take care of themselves. But I?m surprised that everybody didn?t start freaking out when they showed up at the UN.?

?People probably thought that they were from some country that nobody ever heard of. They do tend not to pay attention if it doesn?t affect them.?

?I know, but it?s still sad. Too bad they won?t care until people start to get killed in this war.?

Renko stretched her back out and pulled out the camera that she took with them. ?It?s a good thing I remembered to bring this. But I have no idea why I did in the first place.?

Maribel couldn?t help but laugh. ?You?re always forgetting things. But I?m sure having it won?t hurt. It?s not heavy after all.?

The inn began to shake a little as a company of tanks passed on the road nearby. It didn?t really bother them since it happened all the time now. Renko brought up the map again and Maribel moved to seat next to her. They studied the map, looking for more weak points until they both fell asleep leaning on each other.

Human Village, Gensokyo-2 Days Left

The entire village was deserted. On a day like this, the market would be full of shoppers and vendors. But almost everyone in the village had evacuated to the Moryia Shrine. Only a few of the men had remained and formed a militia that fell under Keine and Mokou. They were armed with M-1 Garands and M9 pistols. Keine had allowed her schoolhouse to be used as armory and readiness center.

Outside the village, Mokou was practicing some of her spellcards and close range attacks. She had recently been thinking about a new spellcard that she could activate with just a finger snap. With Yukari?s gift of a H&K 416, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Mokou stands in the middle of a clearing and holds her hand out. She snaps her fingers and sends a long spark flying from them. It heads directly for a tree and explodes on impact. The explosion rips the trunk apart and catches every tree in a 40 meter radius.

She?s satisfied with her work and decides to watch the kappas as they arrive to build defenses for the village. Mokou is amazed by how fast they work. In less than 2 hours, they had dug tunnels, trenches, and placed traps all over the place. In the town plaza, Keine was overseeing her militia?s training.

The schoolteacher stood in the watch tower and was counting how long it took a squad to clear a building. On the other side of the plaza, the other squads were getting their ammo and water sources ready. Coming in at just under a company in terms of strength, they would be boosted by the fact that they would be fighting for their homes. But even then, they wouldn?t be able to hold off entire divisions by themselves.

Keine was well aware of that fact. And it was made even worse when she remembered that she had taught every single one of them when they were children. She also remembered how Flandre was forced to revise her predictions when Yukari had revealed that the barrier would fall during the battle. The icy feeling in her gut told her that her company would be the one to take most of the casualties.

Looking out at the horizon towards the shrine, she can see most of the easy avenues of attack. From what she knows about history, she can make a good guess of which ones they would charge them from. Infantry wouldn?t pose a horrible problem, but still needed a good amount of attention. If armor and artillery were able to target the village, it was all over.

At least Akyuu and Kosuzu had been able to move all the books to the Scarlet Devil Mansion to be watched over by Patchouli. Volie was one of the biggest libraries in all of Gensokyo and would be defended by heavy field and air defense artillery. As long as the history and knowledge of Gensokyo were safe, then they could survive even a devastating defeat.

Mokou had finally returned from watching the kappas and had climbed into the tower with Keine. They stood silently together for a few minutes, then Keine had to ask her the one question that was bothering her.

?What are you going to do if you get captured??

?I?m not worried about that,? Mokou put her hands in her pocket. ?I?m going to be watching your back during the battle, so I won?t let anything like that even have a chance of happening. After all, I can take a few bullets with no problem.?

?You know that I can?t stand for you getting hurt. Even if you can?t die, I don?t want to see you in pain.?

?Every time I fight with Kaguya, I kill and get killed. This type of fighting shouldn?t be worse than that. That moon princess sure can come up with some creative ways to kill someone.?

?But doesn?t it hurt every time it happens??

Mokou had to pause. She couldn?t dodge the schoolteacher?s question forever. ?It hurts a lot. Every time I die, not all of me comes back. I try so hard to bring it all with me, but it never happens. I always feel empty for some reason. But one thought always goes through my head: I don?t want to go.?

?I didn?t know.? Keine turns and hugs her. ?Just promise me one thing: that you?ll never forget about me.?

?I promise.?

Down on the ground, the squad that was clearing out buildings were done and sitting in the shade. Rinnosuke had come out and was issuing extra equipment to the militia members. After that, their training was done for the day and they went to eat.

Rinnosuke had become interested in one of the towers that the kappas had installed in the village and was asking them about having one installed near his shop. The kappas were eager to build another one and promised that they would have one up by the end of tomorrow. He did request that it be camouflaged and be ready to use as a sniper?s nest.

His thoughts eventually returned to Marisa?s predicament. He did do his best to motivate her to have something to fight for but was still worried about her. He decides to pay a visit to her father since he was in the village anyway. It takes him a moment to remember where his shop was at but eventually found it. Taking a deep breath, he walks in.

The shop is deserted, just like the rest of the village. Rinnosuke still remembers when he used to work here. Walking to the back, he finds it just like outside. He walks upstairs and still finds nothing. He sees a door that had a star on it and realizes that it was Marisa?s room. Poking his head in, he?s surprised by what he finds.

The entire room is full with books. But they?re arranged in neat piles and have no dust on them at all. The bed is still neatly made. But a box with a crest was sitting open on the desk. On closer inspect, it was big enough to hold a spell book. It didn?t take Yukari level intelligence to see that.

Seeing nothing else, he decides to leave. He won?t be able to talk to him since going to the Moriya Shrine will take more time than he can spare. It takes a while to get back, but when he does, he pulls out his rifle. He cleans it again and enjoys a cup of tea. Looking at the clock, he starts to feel an icy feeling in his stomach.

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