Keine and Mokou were still travelling to their next destination. After having success in Netherworld, another important piece of the plan who was the Heaven Judge, Eiki Shiki was the following person to convince.
Keine: "Do we have any yen left? I didn't want to charge anything to Youmu since she did seem really happy."
Mokou: "We are a bit poor to be honest at the moment. But that doesn't matter to me as long as I have you, Teacher."
The history beast became blushed remembering last night. Before going to sleep, Mokou made a magical firebrand on her back's skin as a sign of eternal bond and mutual loyalty after laying together.
Keine: "I-I appreciate that since I feel the same. But the point is... to cross Sanzu River we'll need coins. I have heard that the ferrywoman is as much beautiful as lazy and won't work without compensation. Even Eiki-Sama scolds her frequently for dozing-off at Mystia's Restaurant."
The phoenix girl giggles with a mischievous but charming grin.
Mokou: "It reminds me of some teacher in her true form~."
Keine: "Come on, Mokou. Since tonight I see you like if we were in mating season. We should focus! Pay attention to the task."
Mokou: "Fine, I'll take a private lesson as a punishment later. After all who knows what will happen in several days."
Keine: "You have a point there. I guess that we could start asking Komachi-Sama
(1) if she accepts any task as payment."
(1): Komachi is Eiki Shiki's second in command. Is curious how she could select as the Ferrywoman someone who is so carefree. Perhaps because the Judge likes her. It wouldn't be surprising due her quirky personality and incredibly sexy figure. She's wearing some sort of blueish yukata that marks her stunning adult body and has a bit of cleavage. Her hair is red, in a wavy short bob with usually two small half ponytails.
Mokou: "I have a plan, let's ask if we could do the job instead of her."
Keine: "I'm not on the side of such actions but seems like we have no choice."
They were reaching the Heaven Border because some relaxing water stream sounds could be heard and some souls in a form of will-o-wisps could be seen. The sky got a turquoise tone and in front of them was Komachi in a relaxed pose like a queen sitting on a throne, slacking off as usual with her reaper scythe. She was humming a catchy melody until the teacher and the phoenix approach. The reaper waves a hand with a kind smile on her face and then yawns of laziness.
Komachi: "Hmm? Oh, welcome!~ It's very strange to see people like you around here!"
Keine: "She's already in the mood of not working..."
Mokou: "Hello, I wonder if we can pass."
The beauty reaper extends her hand.
Komachi: "Two hundred yen for a cruise to the other side~."
Keine: "We are short at this moment and we were wondering if we could do your job in exchange. As a History Teacher I study much everyday to keep learning and I think I'm capable of doing this for some hours."
Mokou: "You can have some booze and run away from your boss. And we'll make an excuse if she gets us."
The red-haired woman yawns softly carrying her open hand near to the mouth.
Komachi: "No money means no drink, no drink means that I'm better here being lazy~. Plus the boss can get mad at you two. It seems like you never had one of her loooong looooong for hours, even days scolding. She will search even the smallest sin on you two. I've seen patient people ask me for a non painful and quick death after that. Come on girls, sit with me. Let's admire the landscape~. You aren't dead yet anyway. I would hardly believe that a Phoenix could be dead."
Mokou: "Seems like we haven't any options but to fight. She's not a bad person so... I feel bad but..."
Keine: "Stop, Mokou. Violence is not always the best answer. If we hurt Eiki Shiki's second in command our options of getting her help will be inexistent."
The phoenix girl heavily sighs.
Mokou: "My my, we better come with some other plan to reach the other side as soon as possible. Try telling her why are we here.
Komachi: "Is something the matter, girls? What are your names?"
Mokou: "I'm Fujiwara no Mokou, just a girl who lives at Bamboo Forest with this teacher. That's all you need to know."
Keine: "Keine Kamishirasawa. I'm officially her wife since last night because she did me a phoenix brand."
Komachi: "Aw, I hope I could bribe Eiki-Sama with something like that. So romantic! We are in a relationship but don't let anyone know it or it will be rumors. I'm Komachi, the Reaper! Nice to meet ya. Did you end here in your honeymoon journey by any chance?"
Keine: "This is not a pleasure journey, in fact..."
The Teacher explains the situation about the incident, Zan Hakurei and what was hapenning in every place of Gensokyo.
Komachi: "I see, so does it really affect us all? Even here?"
Mokou: "No one is safe. Reimu alone is not enough to solve it. We need your master's help and yours if you could."
Komachi: "In a lazy day like this... wait, I'll call for the boss! You should have started by there. Don't try to cross the river swimming or anything or you'll be traped in an Evil Eyes Hole for eternity. They will critic you in any mischievous aspect with phrases like "You bunch of lolicons" or "you twintailer" if you have hairstlyles like mine to give you an example. And if you like summer clothers prepare to hear "Hide these breasts!" Or "I almost can see your panties!". Anyway... allow me."
The teacher and the phoenix looked at each other and nodded.
Keine: "If Eiki-Sama can hear our story, we will be over here in no time."
Suddenly, an earthquake happened making the ground to shake, even some fissures were opening. The creature that attacked the Hakurei Barrier fell from the sky making a colossal noise proportional of its size. It was impossible to determine what it was at that moment. In fact, it was a shapeless horror with tentacles and eyes everywhere, only four horrible limbs could be distinguishable, used by it to move across the terrain. The voice of Zan Hakurei could be heard from nearby.
Zan: "The Ultimate Last Word ritual won't ever happen! Perish, Eiki Shiki! You and the Heaven. Now go, Adephagos! Reduce everything to mere dust! Cosmic Sign: Particle Beam!"
Keine: "That being must be the one Remilia did talk about when we did met her at the Misty Lake!"
Mokou: "At last, something to burn! I was getting rusty already, you know."
The creature fires a red particle beam from its mouth. Keine reacts summoning a spell.
Keine: "Reincarnation: Returning Bridge Ichijo!"
A giant circle of red amulets form surrounding the beast. Its beam is reflected and reappears from behind striking it. Mokou becomes a phoenix and enters through the monster's mouth.
Mokou: "I'll destroy you from inside! Possessed by Phoenix!"
After channeling the spell becomes one with the monster to start burning it from inside. An inmense pain was felt by the white-haired woman since she was sacrifying one of her lifes to stop the beast. A terrible explosion ocurred and the monster was reduced to a pulp.
Mokou: "Resurrection!"
The phoenix reappeared at the teacher's side, shruging.
Mokou: "Honestly, is big but only in size."
Zan: "Did you think that my spell would have so low durability? Your fire can't melt it!"
It started regenerating quickly. Both women gnashed their teeth.
Mokou: "Damn it, I'm not letting it! Hollow Giant Woo!"
The phoenix girl starts firing in five colossal barrages different colored magical bullets in many angles that explode in the creature to prevent it from regenerating.
Keine: "It's not enough, Mokou! It must have some weak point... but where?!"
Mokou: "What?! With this power and just doesn't work like if it was nothing?!"
The ferrywoman comes back flying with the judge behind.
Eiki: "What is THIS THING?!"
Komachi: "I don't know, boss... when I went to search for you this thing wasn't here!"
Keine: "We are trying to stop it, otherwise it will destroy the heaven!"
Mokou: "Our enemy was aware of our moves. Komachi-Sama, remember what we did told you. Does Eiki-Sama knows the story?"
Eiki: "I know it by you and Hecatia-Sama! And now that the enemy calls to my door, It's our time to take part on this!"
Zan: "No heaven, no hell! No Youkai, no suffering, no need to be judged! The new order shall be put today! Specially because I know what your intentions are!"
Keine: "This voice... show yourself, coward! You are not worthy of wielding the Hakurei Name!"
Zan: "I'm here, with you, history beast. You and the old hag thought that the Ancient Ultimate Last Word Ritual would stop me! But in the end with no heaven nor hell you won't have the necessary pieces!"
The beast regenerated completely and then Eiki raises her sword.
Eiki: "You shall be judged, damned ruffian! Komachi, is time to work, no slack-off!
Komachi: "Fine, fine. But pay me this with some booze later, okay?"
Zan: "Thanks to your friend the Phoenix it did learn a explosion spell. Come on, Adephagos! Blazing Sign: Doomsday!"
The monster started to gain heat to an extent that the ground was even burning. A big fire started and the beast became red.
Keine: "This is bad... we must think quick! Attacking it won't help, it will just explode before."
Mokou: "I can possess it again."
Eiki: "That will do, Komachi will help me to exile it."
Mokou: "Let's go then. Possessed by Phoenix!"
The white-haired woman becomes one with the monster again.
Mokou: "It's... stronger than before! I need help! Ugggghhh...."
Keine: "I'll help you to contain it! Three Treasure Swords, come!"
A brilliant silver blade appears in front of the Historian. She wields it and starts performing colossal cuts to sectionate the beast's limbs and tentacles, trying to buy some time for her companions. Komachi and Eiki were chanelling some sort of powerful spell meanwhile and the enemy counterattacked firing a gigantic flamethrower through its mouth the attack reached Keine and the rest of the party directly. Severe burns were made to the girls and they ended kneeling down. Behind, everything was burning. Things weren't worse because the professor could summon another "Returning Bridge Ichijo" in time.
Keine: "Tch... my entire body hurts! Komachi and Eiki-Sama! C-Can you continue?"
Komachi: "We are ready to expel this aberration! Eiki-Sama, give me your orders!"
Eiki & Komachi: "Last Word: Reaper Judgement!"
Komachi slashed the Adephagos with her scythe cutting it in half, then Eiki opened some sort of dark hole that exiled the two halves of it. The monster was trying to save itself in a desperate last try. Mokou was expelled from its body due not having more endurance and reappeared at Keine's side. They looked at each other and then nodded.
Keine & Mokou: "Last Word: Bonding Sacred Fire Brand!"
Both hold their hands together and Keine's Phoenix Brand on her back started shining in a dazzling crimson light. The Three Treasure Sword was blessed by Mokou's Holy Fire. White flames were surrounding it. The Teacher jumps with the rest of her strenght cutting the rest of the creature in pieces until it was finally sealed.
Zan: "The Adephagos can't die! Your efforts are futile! Soon, it will return! Hahahahaha! Is the creature who devours the impure beings. It and I... we will reform this reality soon enough. And it will still growing, learning! Next time it shall be impossible to destroy it!"
Keine: "Did he said... Adephagos? The world-eater? But wasn't that just an ancient lost legend to scare the kids?"
Mokou: "That thing we just did fought?"
Eiki: "Was that a real world-eater? I thought that they were way more titanic."
Komachi: "I need a break... huuuh..."
Keine: "According to the size I remember this must have been nothing more than a baby, if he's right, this won't be the last time we'll see it... is not like any enemy we fought before."
Eiki: "Call me when the time comes. Where do we have to meet?"
Keine: "Hakurei Temple. We will fight our enemy from there."
The Judge showed a faint grin on her vissage.
Eiki: "Long time without seeing Hecatia-Sama. Komachi, we'll extinguish the fire. You can have your alcoholic drinks later... with me of course. I need a bribe to ignore your transgressions while being drunk."
Komachi: "Nice! Now I'm motivated! But we'll have to think on what to do with that terrible monster."
Mokou: "So... can it learn from our attacks?"
Keine: "I'm afraid that the spells we did use won't work again. If we face it again it must be the last time, otherwise... you imagine the outcome."
Mokou: "I see..."
Eiki: "Thank you for your collaboration, professor Keine and Miss Mokou. We shall compensate you. But we have to ask you to leave since we must do fire extinguishment labors."
Keine: "Sure, it's an honor to have you at our side."
Mokou: "We should return to Hakurei Shrine and think what to do next, Keine."
Keine: "Let's go. We'll have to share all we know about the Adephagos to plan a strategy in case we can't do the Ritual in time."
After that crude battle they abandoned the place, with their tasks accomplished. Now all that was left was Remilia Scarlet gaining the help from Youkai Mountain and Moriya Shrine factions and Ran Yakumo locating Kasen Ibaraki and Okina Matara, the rest of the known Gensokyo Sages.
Mokou: "I need a break, teacher."
Keine: "Night is falling upon us. So we should search for a place."
Mokou: "No full moon? What a pain, I miss your true form and your playful side."
The teacher blushes hardly again, crossing her arms.
Keine: "I'll let you out of this for now just because kids aren't hearing us!"
Mokou: "This place... wait a moment, Keine."
Keine: "Why do we stop here?"
There was some sort of noble manor. Its architecture was very similar to a small oriental castle. But everything was in ruins. The phoenix girl sees a shashed banner, time has made it almost impossible to recognize.
Mokou: "Do you distinguish this emblem?"
Keine: "It's... the Sigil of the Fujiwara Family, your family."
The white haired woman sighs with some pain. Looks at the place with painful nostalgia printed on her face.
Mokou: "That's right, my family. All dead because of Kaguya's schemes... I was the only one who did survive."
A wooden swing was still there. The phoenix girl sits on it and starts balancing a bit.
Keine: "In many works of art, and even on literature, the Swing is a symbol of Nostalgia and Memories. Is commonly associated with the dusk, because that time of the day bring us that feeling very often. From a better past..."
Mokou: "You are the only reason of why I wouldn't get back to the past if I could."
Keine: "Mokou..."
Mokou: "At least I wanted to visit my home one last time, Teacher. We can spend the night here if you want."
Keine: "I... prefer to not set you in any place that can cause you pain."
Mokou: "I'm a grown up woman now. I don't fear the past anymore and much less the Future. Let's go to my old room."
Across the corridors in shambles some small paintings were on the walls.
Keine: "I could try to restore them with enough time. I can't distinguish their faces."
Mokou: "My sisters and my parents were the ones on the paintings... more memories are coming back. Over here, Keine."
At the end of the hallway, a door leads to some sort of room, with a bed worthy of a princess and many toys scattered, an old little bottle was there. It was the Hourai Elixir's container. The elixir that made Mokou to become inmortal. Everything was covered by dust and the pass of time. But one music box was on the ground. Mokou took it and opened it. Suddenly a calmed melody sounded, like a lullaby. In that moment, the apparently unbreakable phoenix shed some tears, falling into her knees. Keine would embrace her. Mokou corresponds to her affection.
Keine: "Your teacher will always be with you. As that and as your Wife, you won't be alone anymore."
Mokou: "Thank you, Keine... you are my guest tonight. I guess I wasn't prepared to hear this lullaby again after all. Make yourself at home, sleep at my side. Tomorrow we shall go to help Reimu. She and Yukari will save us all, but I won't let them to have all the fun."
After reviving the past for some moments, the phoenix closes her eyes on the Teacher's arms until falls asleep. Keine would remain at her side, keeping the promise from the Holy Phoenix Brand on her back.
TO BE CONTINUED...