~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library
The Oncoming Storm
The Dratini Farmer:
Youkai Mountain
A good way up the mountain, the kappas had set up workshops for their modifications. Right now, the kappas were unloading dozens of crates that Yukari had brought. Rinnosuke was finishing up a manifest of every new weapon that they received. Nitori had her hands full with designing modifications for Marisa and Youmu. While the half ghost was fine with waiting her turn, Marisa was hyped up at getting the chance to increase her already high firepower. In all of this commotion, Yukari almost didn't notice that Yuyuko and Eiki had shown up.
?Yukari, looks like your having a lot of fun here,? Yuyuko smiled. ?I don't think I seen you this busy for a long time. Where's Ran and Chen??
?I got them doing some other things for me. What brings you and the Yama here??
?We got an idea that might help. The weather's nice today. Why don't you take a walk with us, Yukari?? The yama beckoned her and walked into the forest.
Yukari and Yuyuko traded a glance and followed her. The trio was quiet until they had put a far amount of distance between them and the crowd.
?From what I can see, we have the tools and the motivation to make this succeed,? Eiki said. ?But right now, we would see be beaten back without the skills the outside has.?
Yukari knew that she couldn't counter that. ?I know that the first few weeks are going to be the toughest. But our motivation should get us through. Every nation on the planet is going to be coming for us, so we can't really ask any of them for training.?
?What about asking history for training?? Eiki asked.
Yukari's mind went blank. Even though she was accounting for every variable, she hadn't thought about doing what the yama had just suggested. Seeing as she had no authority in the afterlife, Yukari hadn't even considered it.
?While the other yamas are still badgering me about Gensokyo getting ready for war, some of them still owe me favors. If you can take advantage of it, I can get some of the best warriors in history to teach us some tricks. I have quite a few in mind.?
The gap youkai couldn't stop a smile from crossing her face. ?Then by all means. We're going to need every advantage we can get. Some of my shikigami have reported that we already have company.?
She turns around and points her parasol at a bush. A few seconds later, an operator stands up. All around the trio, more operators and agents stand up. They all have their weapons aimed at the youkai. Next to one operator, Rumia is busy eating a candy bar.
?How did you even know we were here?? one of them asked.
?Now, now. A proper lady does not talk to strangers. I believe that introductions are in order.?
?We are soldiers from-?, but the operator was interrupted by one of the agents.
?We are under no obligation to identify ourselves. You are under our custody, so we're the ones that make the rules here.? The agent snapped. ?I would put that parasol down, lady. Along with that fan and that funny looking stick.?
?Funny looking stick?? Eiki's voice was barely audible. Both Yukari and Yuyuko's hair began to stand on end. They could tell that the Yama was angry. So could the operators. ?You must be a glutton for punishment, to insult my office like this.?
?What office? All I see is a skinny little girl with a skinny little stick. You have no chance against my organization. I wish you would do some-? The agent stopped mid sentence when the sky began to suddenly get cloudy and thunder began to fall.
?You may not originally be from my jurisdiction. But you have insulted me in my house, and now you will face judgment.? Eiki pointed her Rod of Remorse at the agent. The writing on it began to change. Once it stopped, it began to glow. The agent tried to pull the trigger but the weapon was knocked out of his hand by the judge. The yama began to read off every sin he had committed in his life. At the end, she moved forward and slammed the rod down on his head hard.
?You are sentenced to send three lifetimes in the pits of Hell for your crimes. You are one of the worst souls I have ever judged. I fear that there may be no hope for you to ever reach enlightenment.?
Seeing one of their own being attacked the rest of the agents rushed forward to strike, but were cut down by kunais that Yukari had summoned from her gaps. None of the operators had moved and Rumia had stopped eating her candy bar.
?Anyone else feel like disrespecting my office?? The yama pointed her rod at each operator in turn. They all lowered their weapons and put their hands up. Yukari pointed at one of them.
?Tie all their hands together. Don't try anything funny.?
The operator complied. After they were all tied, Yukari herded them back to the kappa's workshops. The looks of surprise on everyone's faces when they emerged from the forest were priceless. The kappas took a second to recover before they reached for their weapons and took custody of the prisoners.
?Did we miss a party, Yukari?? Nitori asked. ?We saw the thunder and the clouds but we didn't know what to do.?
?It's fine. We got surrounded by some outsiders. There were more, but they made the mistake of insulting the yama.? She turns to the captured operatives. ?Now, how about you tell some things about yourselves.?
None of them moved. They were still shocked at what just happened. The yama nodded her head. ?It seems that the effect of fear is still high in the outside. That's a fine trait to have. Makes you sharper. Let me ask you this: why do you think you're here??
They still gave silence as their answer. Rumia was at a loss at what was happening. Yukari knew that the darkness youkai didn't mean any ill will when she had lead the outsiders in. She had really considered the operatives friends. The agents, on the other hand, were cold towards her. She didn't think twice about those dead agents now.
?Have you ever heard of Gensokyo before?? Yukari asked.
Some of the operatives looked away, while others were still looking for an escape route. Yukari suddenly thought of a great idea.
?Nitori, check them for weapons.? The kappa motioned for some of her fellows to follow her and began to search their prisoners. After the kappas gave the all clear, Yukari had their restraints released. ?Since all of you are going to be our guests for a while, why not get comfortable??
She summoned a gap that lifted her up a little and sat.
?Go on. We won't hurt you. Here, have some tea.? Gaps appeared next to each of the operators, each had a cup of fresh tea. Yukari also gave some to everyone else. She sipped hers first to show them it wasn't poison. After a bit, they began to sip. Some of them even took their helmets and vests off. None of them expected to be treated so humanely when they were captured. Rumia had sat down next to them as well.
?From what your reactions where, I can say for sure that none of you had ever heard of Gensokyo when you woke up this morning. You can also see that we're not what you would call normal. Most of here are not humans. The only human here would be Marisa over there.? The magician waved. ?And then we have the half human, half ghost over here,? Youmu did a short bow. ?I know, that in the outside world, nobody believes in magic and monsters. But let me assure you, we are real. I can control any boundary you can think of. The yama is the one that judges your soul when you die. Nitori is one of the kappa.?
Yukari paused. She could tell that they were still in shock. The best thing to do would be to give it a few days to sink in. Countless possibilities swirled around her head until she found the best one.
?Since we really can't send you back after all of this, why don't all of you stay with Yuyuko? I'm sure that she won't mind.?
The ghost princess shrugged. ?It's not like I got anything else to do. I'm sure Youmu won't mind, now won't you??
The half ghost shook her head in resignation. ?No, Lady Yuyuko. Shall I prepare the rooms??
?Please do. And make sure we have plenty of food ready.?
Youmu bowed and took flight back to Hakugyokurou. Yukari finished her tea and stood back up. She nodded to the Yama and they both took flight. After flying for a few minutes, Yukari breaks the silence.
?Who do have in mind for teaching us??
?I got a few in mind. But first, we have to gather everybody we know can use this training to the fullest. I know that you have some books that teach us somethings, but books are no substitute for experience.?
?You're right. So who should we get first??
?I'm thinking that we should get someone from each group to be taught. That way we won't have to worry about a point being undefended. I think we can count on Remiu, Marisa, either Meiling or Sakuya, Youmu, Reisen or Eirin, probably Komachi, Sanae, Utsuho, Shou, Futo, Momiji, and even Tenshi. Once we can get them trained, they can train everyone else. I'm surprised that I haven't seen Ran or Chen lately.?
?I got them running some errands for me. They should be back soon.?
Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai, Russia
It was nighttime in the city. Even in the middle of the night, the city was alive with sound and light. A fox was running from shadow to shadow, with a cat following close behind. Every time a car passed by, they stopped. They came up to a chain link fence that had barbed wire on top. After making sure the coast was clear, both of them flew over the fence. They landed lightly and went on their way. They headed straight for the air field. Taking extra caution to avoid being spotted, they snuck behind a Russian officer. The man was at the end of supervising a guard shift and too sleepy to notice the fox changing shape. He only noticed too late when Ran grabbed him in a sleeper hold and dragged him into the shadows. A few minutes later, she reappears wearing his uniform and hides her tails in a backpack. She adjusts the uniform and clips the lower belt on the backpack for a better fit. Grateful for the fact that she doesn't have visible ears like Chen, she heads towards a Mi-24 parked on the runway. Chen reaches the helicopter first and clears it. Just as Ran is about to enter the heli, a guard out of the hanger near her. Ran pulls out a Colt 1911 and shoots him. Alerted by the gunshots, spotlights come on. Ran jumps into the helicopter and finds Chen already turning on all the controls.
?We got about 3 minutes before we can lift up, Lady Ran.?
Since the body of the guard was still in side the hanger, the searchlights couldn't find it. That would buy some time before more guards arrived. Ran looked out of the window. The guards were busy running around on the other side of the runway and hadn't noticed them yet. As more and more lights came on, Ran was counting down the time. At 1 minute left to takeoff, the radio came to life demanding to know why the helicopter was on.
?Chen, get on the side cannon and aim for the spotlights.?
The two tailed cat jumped out of the cockpit and ran to the machine gun on the side window. She aimed at the tower and, with one well aimed burst, took out the spotlight. The guards heard the shots and began to rush at the helicopter. Chen jumped to the other window and laid down suppressing fire. Ran began to lift the helicopter up slowly. Once she felt that the engine had finally woken up, she dipped and sped out of the base. The entire time, the radio was still going on and on.
?Lady Yukari's going to be pleased. Chen, go ahead and tell her we're ready.?
?Yes, Lady Ran.?
?Hopefully she should be able to tell us more about that bombing they're blaming us for too.?
The Dratini Farmer:
Kyoto, Japan
The afternoon before Ran and Chen's little adventure, a pair of close friends were having tea at an outdoor cafe. Renko Usami was reading a book while Maribel Hearn was studying a picture. A waitress snapped them out of their activities when she brought them more tea and crumpets. She also had a newspaper with it. She sat it all down and walked off. Renko reached for the newspaper but stopped when she read the front page.
?Mary...take a look at this.? She handed the paper to her.
As the blonde read more and more, her eyes began to widen.. Luckily, she had placed her teacup on the table before she read. Her hands where shaking so hard that she couldn't hold anything. Maribel stood up and walked away from the table. Renko quickly pulled out money and placed it under her teacup. She grabbed two crumpets and ran after her best friend. The wind began to blow and caught the newspaper. As it flapped through the wind, the front page head line was visible. In bold letters, it said ?Multiple Embassies bombed, rouge nuclear state of Gensokyo is blamed?.
Renko finally caught up to Maribel a few minutes later. She was tired from all of that running and had tears streaming down her face. She kept whispering one thing over and over again.
?It's not true...?
Hearing her with that tone broke Renko's heart. Renko rushed forward, spun Maribel around and held her tight. At first, Maribel was surprised at what had happened but seeing who it was, she began to cry into Renko's shoulder.
?They couldn't have done anything like. All of the people from my dreams, there's no way that it could have been them. It has to be a mistake.?
?There, there Mary. There's no way that they should even know about Gensokyo. But every other nation on the planet is screaming for revenge. There's even talk about war.?
?But that's too much. How could every embassy be attacked at the same time? There's too many of them.?
?I don't know. Even though that article was almost half the entire front page, there wasn't that much information. Are you feeling a little better??
?A little. I still need to find out what happened. I'm sorry. I know we were going to see that movie tonight but-?
Forget about that. You're right. Figuring out all this is more important. We should go ahead and get some supplies ready. If we have to go all the way to that old shrine up north, we need to catch the last train up there. We may even have to skip lunch, so here. This isn't much, but it's better than nothing.? She hands Maribel the crumpet. ?We should start by stopping by my place to get our bags.?
Youkai Mountain, Gensokyo
For the first time, the kappa engineers were in awe. Yukari had managed to steal an aircraft from the outside. Ran and Chen had landed the helicopter in an open space near the kappa workshops. The gap youkai had left to deal with other pressing issues. Every kappa in the area was swarming the prize, taking panels apart, taking pictures, and staring at the controls. As the news spread, everyone from all over Gensokyo had to come see the machine for themselves. The fox youkai still wore the Russian Army uniform, but had replaced the service cap with her regular twin pointed hat. Chen had the service cap and was enjoying some miso stew.
Nitori was taking a panel off the side wall when she was hit with inspration. An idea popped into her head the same moment another kappa lost hold of a modular and let it fall on Nitori's head. She looked down and saw that Nitori had a certain look.
?Ran! Hey, Ran!?
The kitsune looked up from her handgun. ?What is it, Nitori? Is something wrong with the helicopter??
?This outfit you're wearing, it's the one you took off that guard right??
?Yes. From what Lady Yukari told me, it's a dress uniform. They use it whenever they have to promote an image.?
?Maybe we should have our own.?
?What??
?It's a great idea! We can have our own uniforms! That way, the outside world can know we're serious about defending Gensokyo. And we can look great while we're doing it, too!? The kappa was boucing up and down on the balls of her feet. ?We should ask Yukari what she thinks. I'm sure she'll love it.?
Ran knew that once the kappa was hooked on an idea, there was no letting go.
?Fine. Let me call Lady Yukari and see what she says.?
The kappa bowed and ran back to the helicopter. Ran pulls out her cell phone and dials Yukari's number. After a few rings, the gap youkai picks up.
?What is it, Ran? I hope there aren't any problems.?
?No, Lady Yukari. Nitori got an idea and wanted me to pass it by you.?
?Go ahead. This might be fun.?
?Nitori saw the uniforms that the outside world has for their military. She got the idea that we should have something like that as well. She seem really motivated by the idea.?
?...?
?...Lady Yukari??
?Do it.?
?Come again, Lady Yukari??
?Do it. That sounds like a wonderful idea. Does she have any styles in mind yet??
?She really seemed to like the Russian Army one I stole off that officer the other day.?
?Hmm, Russian Army might be a good start. But, I want to show her a few before we settle. Tell her to come up with more ideas and that I'm going to bring some of my own as well.?
?Yes, Lady Yukari.?
?Tell me, are you and Chen well rested??
?We are, Lady Yukari.?
?Good. Go ahead and head out to that next point I told you about. Remember to give me a call when everything's ready.?
?As you wish, Lady Yukari.?
The line went dead. Ran put away the cell phone and found Nitori.
?Lady Yukari seems happy with the idea. She says she wants you to come up with a few designs and that she's going to bring some of her own.?
?That's great! We can do so much with this! We add a...?
Ran just stood there, listening to the kappa shoot off ideas. Nitori's energy was enough to bring a smile to Ran's face.
The Dratini Farmer:
Higan Riverside
The group that was waiting next to the river was one of the most random. Each person was a representative of their faction, tasked with learning as much as possible from their teacher. The group was made up of Remiu Hakueri, Marisa Kirisame, Sakuya Izayoi, Youmu Konpaku, Reisen Udongein Inaba, Komachi Onozuka, Sanae Kochiya, Utsuho Reiuji, Shou Toramaru, Mononobe no Futo, Momiji Inubashiri, and Tenshi Hinanawi. In front of the group, Yukari and Eiki were a little off to the side, talking amongst themselves.
?Are you sure they're ready for this, Yukari??
?We got the best people for the job here. Just look at them if you don't believe me.?
?All right. Is everything ready??
?I brought plenty of crates and ammo cans. We're fine.?
?Well, time's up. Let's go ahead and do this.?
Yukari turned to the group.
?Listen up, everybody. You're here to learn from the some of the best warriors in history. The Yama has been generous enough to pull some strings at her office to make this possible. So, without further ado, here's your first teacher.?
A ghost that was floating above the river began to float towards them. Once it was over the ground, it began to shift shape. It shifted into the form of a man that was no taller than five feet three inches. He seemed to be the farthest thing from a rampaging soldier. There was no malice from him at all, just the feeling of a friendly neighbor.
?This is Simo Hayha. He fought during the Winter War. This war took place during the larger Second World War almost 70 years ago. He is known as one of the most accomplished snipers in history with more than 500 confirmed kills with a rifle just like this.? Yukari holds up a Mosin Nagant. ?Lt. Hayha also knows how to defend his home from invaders. He has agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to come down here and teach all of us about the art of sniping. I hope we can all make sure to make the most of his time.?
For the next few hours, everyone was taught how to snipe and use their soundings. Unsurprisingly, the moon rabbit caught on quick. She followed close by Sakuya, much to everyone's surprise. It almost seemed like she had prior training.
When the training was done, and Lt. Hayha had returned to his daily routine, everyone was sitting in a circle. They were just relaxing after a tiring day. Reisen was stripping down a Mosin Nagant while Marisa was studying a chart of gunpowder ratios she had picked up from the kappas. It was obvious that she looking to add more firepower to her custom rifle when it was finished being made. Yukari had walked off to make a few calls while Eiki had to return to her duties. Momiji was sharping a bayonet and Sakuya was polishing her knives. None of them noticed that Youmu and Komachi had fallen asleep leaning on each other.
Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, Russia
The headquarters of the Sukhoi Aviation Corporation were in an uproar. The day before, an entire file cabinet had disappeared into what could only have been described as a purple gap. It wasn't just any file cabinet, this one held blueprints for almost every major military aircraft they produced and even some experimental ones. The Federal Security Service was all over the building, checking every nook and cranny. Members of the military intelligence agency were also snooping around.
The Kremlin was also on high alert. This incident, combined with the recent theft of a Mi-24 from one of their bases near the Pacific Ocean, had them baffled and angry. The security footage from the base didn't help any either. One camera showed a fox and cat flying over the security fence, another showed a blonde woman with a funny looking twin peaked hat and white and blue dress dragging a guard behind a corner. But it was what the women had behind her that got their attention. It was at least nine fluffy, cream colored tails. The Director of the GRU had just briefed the president of Russia on what was now known as the Gensokyo Incident. GRU agents had intercepted transmissions from various CIA and NSA locations discussing the matter. Along with the bombing of almost every embassy worldwide that was being blamed on Gensokyo, the threat of war was marching forward every second.
Once all of this news got to the higher levels of the Russian government, the Ministry of Defence had all troops go into standby. All across the Federation, leaves were canceled, reserves were call up, and factories were given a warning to start making preparations to go into war production. But this did not go unnoticed. Across the ocean, the United States also went on standby. Then the rest of NATO followed. Like a set of dominos, every nation on the planet went on standby. Deadlocked legislative bodies began to make progress in bills and laws. Economies began to switch to war footing. Even Switzerland was readying for war.
United Nations General Assembly Chamber, International Territory, New York City, New York, United States
The General Assembly Chamber had the same atmosphere as a high school after a lost championship. Every delegate in the chamber was on their feet, yelling at the top of their voice, pointing fingers at those they believe responsible for the current state of affairs. The Secretary-General had failed to calm down the raging diplomats. What everyone in the room noticed was that the breakdown of the two main groups fell along Cold War era allies. Then the room went silent.
In front of the room, a purple gap had appeared. Out of it walked Yukari, Eiki, and Eirin. They each had their assistants with them. Ran, Komachi, and Reisen walked behind their superiors and began to scan the room. The Secretary-General stood up, spilling his coffee.
?What do you think you're doing? This is a meeting for official representatives of the United Nations only!?
?We're the official delegation from Gensokyo. There's some words we have to have all of you.? Yukari replied coolly, her gaze promising a verbal beat down. ?It seems that some nations...have decided to invade Gensokyo's sovereign land without any provocation or just cause.?
The room exploded into an uproar. Fingers were pointed in every direction. One of the Russian representatives took his shoe off and began to bang it on the table. The American representatives were pointing at the Iranian delegation. Eiki and Eirin stood behind Yukari, both were amazed by the behavior of the delegates. Yukari's voice cut through the roar.
?A few days ago, a team of soldiers and spies were captured on Gensokyo's sovereign territory. The spies were killed when they tried to capture me and the Yamaxanadu.? She motioned at Eiki. ?The soldiers were captured and are now staying occupied in the Netherworld.?
?The United States of America has no part of any of these. Gensokyo is a rouge state that has attacked every embassy on the planet. That attack was an act of war!? The American representative was on his feet. ?Gensokyo should stand down and pay restitution for their crimes. What right did you have to attack our bases??
?The bombing of every embassy on the planet is an unfortunate event. But, no one in Gensokyo was responsible for any of that. I give all of you my word that this is true.? Yukari paused. ?The Great Hakueri Barrier may be weakening. Our presence here is evidence of that. The Barrier has kept our world separated for a time. Gensokyo was meant to be a haven for youkai. Humans have always feared the unknown. Even with the time that has passed and the advances they have made, they still have that one fear. Perhaps it was foolish for me to have thought humans had advanced.?
This uproar was even louder than the other ones. Yukari was a realist, but had held out hope for a peaceful resolution. But this killed those hopes. Now all she could do was buy enough time to be able to mount a defense against the coming war.
?I have studied the history of the outside world. I have seen for myself how history has been influence by rash decisions and human nature. There are rumors of war in the air. An unprovoked war is the worst war of all. I had thought that this organization was meant to be used to prevent wars.? Yukari knew that she was baiting the lion but kept on. ?It doesn't seem that anything has changed since the last world war.?
?See here, I cannot allow you to keep insulting us in this way.? The Secretary-General had gotten on his feet. ?The United Nations was founded to promote diplomacy. You have no right to judge us based on your false accusations.?
The American ambassador stood up as well. ?Gensokyo must learn their proper place. It may not be long before armed conflict arises.?
The room went quiet.
?I would suggest that you study the duties of your government, ambassador. The Constitution of the United States of America outlines that only Congress can declare war and that only the President can order troop movements.? Yukari's voice was icy. ?We youkai do not appreciate threats, especially empty ones.?
The Russian representative laughed. ?Gensokyo is smaller than any nation represented in this room. In an all-out war, how do you plan on not being overrun in the first hour??
?Lunar technology can help prevent that.?
Every head turned to the rear of the room. Walking down the aisle was Yorihime and Toyohime Watatsuki and their bodyguard Reisen. They had the foresight to leave their weapons but still had that dangerous aura.
?Lunar technology has been proven to counter anything the Earth can muster? Toyohime wore a proud look. ?It was also responsible for the malfunctions of that foolish Apollo 13. It was by our master's mercy and grace that the spacecraft returned.?
Eirin nodded. ?While it is common knowledge that an explosion in the oxygen tanks was one of the major problems, think about the cause. Do you really think oxygen tanks explode on their own? The mission was doomed to fail from the start. Look at the name.?
?As representatives from the Lunarian people, we are here to pledge our help to Gensokyo. This declaration is in effect immediately.? Toyohime had a peach in her hand. ?This includes military and material support.?
The American delegate's face was becoming more and redder as time went on. Now with the Lunarians taking part, Yukari had to begin to account for them as well. But she already had a general idea of what to do.
?Your technology cannot stand against the Lunarians. Not even NATO has a chance,? Yukari glared at the American. ?Sending spies into the land that I maintain wasn't one of your best ideas. In some places, that's a declaration of war.?
?The United States has never had any involvement with the detachment that you claim invaded your sovereign land.? The delegate had to pause to keep himself from blowing up. ?But to attack American soil with cowardly bombs is an act of war. We would be well within our rights and obligations to declare war on Gensokyo. Not to mention that irresponsible use of nuclear power that we detected.?
?As I said before, those bombs are not the work of anyone in Gensokyo. What information can you provide that proves that we had anything to do with it? And what gives you the right to question our use of nuclear power??
?Our investigators have found evidence that points to your people. We are not required to share any information with you. The United States is the leading nuclear power on the planet, we are the only ones that can be trusted to use it responsibly.?
?Even if I had this?? Yukari reached into a gap and pulled out a folder. She walks up to the Secretary General and drops it on the desk. The man opens the folder and begins to read the papers. As he reads, his face gets darker and darker.
?What is the meaning of this, ambassador?? He finally asks. ?These documents are reports from your Central Intelligence Agency.?
?I demand that those papers be handed over. No one in this room has the clearance to-? As the diplomat moved forward, he was stopped by Yukari?s umbrella being pointed an inch from his face.
?Do you really believe that just because Gensokyo is separated from the outside world, that we?re weak and stupid? That we proud youkai have dulled in our peace? We can and we will fight off any threat. Especially if we have to do it in self-defense. Come and try to take our way of life.?
With that Yukari turned and summoned one of her gaps. Wordlessly she walked in, followed by everyone else. The Lunarians walked back to the rear of the room and opened their own gap. Seeing that he was the target of everyone?s attention, the American representative left the room.
The Dratini Farmer:
Scarlet Devil Mansion
In a rare moment of calm, Sakuya was in her room. Remilia had decided to turn in early since she had stayed up all night researching weapons with Patchouli. The librarian was busy having her assistant help with building defenses. Flandre was off at the shooting range with Marisa. It felt weird to have nothing to do. Since the fairy maids now knew how to clean and cook, she decided to clear out her wardrobe. As she pulled out clothes that she had forgotten she even had, the memories began to flood in. Her past was something that she could never forget, much to her frustration. Then it all hit when she came across one certain outfit.
It was an old one indeed. A peaked cap, a long coat, and matching pants were on the hanger she pulled out, all in a dark blue. On the other one, a white shirt with a black tie and a belt. Under the empty spot, there was a box, one coated with dust. She opens it and finds a pair of spotless white gloves and another belt. Attached to this belt was a sheathed knife. A false bottom revealed ankle high polished black boots. When it was all put together, there was no doubt that it would make a fashionable and practical uniform.
Sakuya knew better than to expect that her past would stay hidden. She looked through another box, this one had a shadow box. In the shadow box, a large assortment of ribbons and medals stared back at her. A picture fell off the box, it was an old black and white one. Seeing it sent a jolt through Sakuya?s heart.
Metzingen, Weinberg, Germany, 1936
For a summer day, it was cool in the area near Metzingen, Weinberg. A small mansion was set on a small hill. Around the mansion, soldiers wearing the uniform of the German Army stood guard. Inside the mansion, high ranking officers from the German military were looking at designs given to them by the man sitting in the armchair in front of the window. Near the door, two soldiers stood guard. One of them had clear blue eyes and silver hair. She stood at perfect parade rest but held a pocket watch in her left hand.
?I hope you can appreciate the amount of work I have put into these designs,? the man in the armchair said. ?These are the masterpieces of Hugo Boss, fashion designer extraordinaire! A uniform that has style to last one thousand years! A uniform that will represent our great nation for the rest of time! A uniform that will strike jealousy into the hearts of all our enemies! ?
The officers nod their heads and seem satisfied with the designs. One of them adjusts his glasses, ?The designs seem to look good. But I would like to see them in action before I can give my approval.?
Boss stands up and walks to a closest. He pulls out one of his designs. A long overcoat and matching pants in a dark blue color. With a pair of ankle high polished boots and a peaked cap, he lays it on the table in front of the officers. After he gets a white shirt and tie, he places them along with a knife and belt. He looks at each of the officers but shakes his head. He goes to the two guarding the door and eyes them. The one with silver hair catches his eye. The designer accounts for her shape and calls an assistant. He hands her the clothes and points to a room down the hall.
A few minutes later, the silver haired soldier walks back in wearing the uniform. Seeing the fit and the way it looks, the officers immediately agree to the designs. After the required actions, Boss has a photograph taken of himself with the silver haired woman that was the first wearer of his most famous line.
A few months later, she still wore that same uniform on the field of battle. She had used strange abilities to keep herself alive in some of the harshest battles of the Second World War. These abilities had not gone unnoticed by those higher ranking officers with connections. Being transferred from an ordinary infantry battalion to a division that focused on dealing with paranormal matters. Little did she know that the transfer that took her from the front lines would also bring her onto an intercept course with the person that would change her life forever.
After she had fought in North Africa during the desert campaign, the mission that she would never forget was handed down to her. It all started as a regular day in the desert: heat, sand, wind, more sand. She was cleaning and inspecting her weapon when she was approached by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. He handed her an envelope bearing the seal of the Ahnenerbe, the paranormal organization founded by Heinrich Himmler. In it, a map of a region of France was included. A letter detailing the mission held a picture of a red mansion.
One week later, she found herself at the gate of the mansion. She had her usual uniform, along with her Karabiner 98k rifle, and the numerous silver knives and bullets that she hid in every pocket. The gates swung open without any resistance. As she walked by, she ignored the plaque that hung on the post next to the gatekeeper?s hut. The plaque was inscribed with ?Ecarlate Diable Manoir?.
Youkai Mountain
In one of the clearings near the kappa workshops, a small group of kappas were working on a plane. Nitori had broken into the computers that Yukari had brought her and was almost finished having her fellows build it. One particular design had caught her eye, so that was their first order of business. Known as the SU-47, it was famous for its forward swept wings. This one was painted a mixture of red, white, and black.
Seeing a certain magician heading towards them, Nitori reaches for the box she kept next to her workbench. Placing it on the table, she waves to Marisa. The human had an eager look on her face as she eyed the box. Inside it, a scoped Mosin Nagant and two revolvers sat. But the rifle had a larger barrel than any of the other ones Marisa had seen. The revolvers were the same way as well.
?I took the ideas that you gave me and mixed in some things I noticed about your magic,? Nitori said. Pulling out a small carton of ammo, she shows Marisa a giant round. ?This is a .50 caliber round. I modified the rifle that you seem to like the most and added a few new features. But the real art is in the bullet.?
Nitori walks to an empty clearing and loads the rifle. She aims at the tree and pulls the trigger. From the barrel of the rifle, a rainbow colored tracer bullet flew forward and exploded when it hit the tree. The explosion was large enough to tear apart the closest 10 trees. She lays the rifle down and picks up the revolvers.
?This is a Ruger Blackhawk. This weapon is known as a revolver. As you can see, the number of shots are limited. The reload speed is also slower than other weapons. But the power it has makes up for all of that."
Raising the revolvers, the kappa fire two shots. Both bullets flew forward and exploded in more rainbow displays. "What do you think?"
Marisa was speechless. Truth be told, she was a little let down when she first saw the weapons, but now she was in love. All of that firepower in her hands. Nitori handed her a pistol belt with a shoulder strap.
"Take this Sam Browne belt and a couple of boxes of my custom made ammo. But keep this in mind: do not use anything other than the ammo I made with these guns. And make sure to always have at least two boxes on you at all times. Yukari`s orders and all that."
"Thanks, Nitori. Anyway, where's that annoying youkai?"
"No idea. Knowing her, she could be anywhere."
The Dratini Farmer:
Just a little announcement. My story's having to be put on hiatus since I have been changed to active duty status today. But I promise that I'll be writing more in the meantime, it will be much slower update wise.
EDIT: I'm back, just with a little less weight and a little deaf (due to a mortar simulator going off by my hasty fight position and my ear in the middle of the night.) So let the story continue.