It was bright and sunny, but he couldn't move. He felt he was still next to Tadashi. He opened his eyes to be tied up on the deck of the airship. They were in the air. He started to panic. Was Kibishi here? Was this one of the clan ships?
"Tsuki!" He looked at Tadashi. Before he could ask what was happening. A figure appeared from the hall of the ship onto the deck. She had tall heeled boots. A long coat and red cloths tied in a leather belt held by a rose shaped brooch. White cloths tied around her chest were held up by the cape she wore. Her fiery hair slightly covered a patch on her left eye. She looked upset, one hand on her sword in its sheath on her loose belt holding up the cloths. When she spoke, she had an accent.
"It's strange how a group of, what are ye? Humans? Demons and yokai? I ain't ever seen something as strange as this before! How the hell did ye get on my ship!?" She pulled out her sword. She was the one who tied them all up.
"We're just trying to get to Primrose! We didn't know this was your ship! We were sent out by Miss Lazhu of Clorina to find the artifacts of every wall. We're here to venture outside of the walls." Kiri exclaimed in a panic.
"Are ye talking 'bout that little Yokai girl who can sing very well? She told me something the other day. I got her letter when I landed. It's like she knew where I was. What was it? Some group headed outside."
"Y-Yes! That's us!"
"Yeh, but how can I trust ye?"
Tsukiyomi cautiously spoke up. "My pendent. It's Rose's."
The lady's eyes widened. She hurried over to look closer. "Well, I'll be damned. That is hers. Say, ye do look exactly like her apprentice hundreds of years ago, whatcha say yer name was?"
"Minakami Tsukiyomi. I was her apprentice. And I think that's why we're on this journey in the first place. One, to figure out what happened to her. Two, for the artifacts. Three, to figure out what's on the other side of the walls."
She put her sword away and with the swish of her fingers, the ropes released the group. "Well, ye can't argue with royalty. Guess I have no choice but to assist ye on the journey! The names' Auquirious Faxon! I'm a half demon, even though I don't look it! Welcome aboard!"
She ran back inside the ship only to make it move faster. Tsukiyomi lost balance out of the fear of the air and latched himself onto Tadashi. She was flying the ship up the wall over. They stopped suddenly at the top. They were at the top of the wall, all of Moonrose. Auquirious came back out.
"It's been awhile since I've had guests! This is basically my home. Somewhere where the winds are strong, somewhere ye can hide from the people who doubt ye. It's nice up here. But I bet it's even better out there!" She stood in the suns, she was glorious. It was as if the wind bowed to her. Tsukiyomi carefully walked towards her, the boat rocking under his feet.
"How can you be so open about being a half-demon? Wouldn't you be afraid of someone wanting to kill you?"
"Well, if ye ain't gonna kill me, might as well tell ye. I mean, ye seem to have a very good group here! I almost know everyones name now!"
"I'm a half yokai-"
"I knew that. And I thought I would never meet another halfling. Another mistake of an offspring that was never wanted!" She tilted her head and gave a smile, showing small fangs and gold teeth. She quickly set all the sails as they sailed straight above the walls, strapping down everything loose and running back and forth constantly to make sure she could sail and steer. It seemed she knew what she was doing, as she had done this for a long time. Out of nowhere she yelled from inside her office.
"TSUKIYOMI, TALL GUY-er…TADASHI! MEET ME IN MY OFFICE!"
The two exchanged a glance of confusion and did as she said, walking to the nice room in the back. They entered a room, a little room with portraits and paintings and treasures. Auquirious stood at her desk full of maps and notes and empty bottles. She swiped those aside though. Tadashi and Tsuki stood in front of the desk.
"I just had a silly thought. I sense you two have a certain relationship with each other.." Tadashi looked away and cleared his throat. Tsukiyomi turned red. It had been done, they had been caught. It was over-
"You two have a strong bond and trusting relationship between one another, I respect that!" Tsuki sighed with relief. Auquirious was right and very observant. He had learned to trust Tadashi. Although he still had guilt for treating Tadashi awful to begin with.
"On my ship, I do everything on my own, in my own power. I control everything. But when I saw you two, I realized that you led that group of yours. Tsukiyomi, I believe that you have a very excellent future ahead of you, of all of them two, and I wish to be a part of that. I will be joining you on this journey to the outside."
Tsuki smiled at her and the two left. Auquirious offered the extra rooms on the ship, they were nice rooms with single windows, a king sized bed, a dresser, nightstands, and anything else left in there. There was a whole kitchen and dining room on the ship near Auquirious's quarters. Her room was hidden behind a bookshelf in her office. There was a bathhouse under the ship with a storage unit and extra small bedrooms. Tadashi seemed happy stepping into the kitchen. He did love cooking after all.
After the small meal everyone had, they went off and did their own things. There were many training units and weapons on the ship left behind by Auquirious's old crew. Kiri practiced with her bow on wooden carved figures in a small room in the back of the ship, Karasu and Fukuro were sword fighting with one another, Mei Lian and Qingse sat together and talked in the dining room, and Auquirious stayed in her office.
Soon, the sky above them turned dark, everyone went back inside or to sleep, except for Tadashi and Tsuki. The sky was clear enough up high that they could see the stars. They laid on the deck, their hands together. Tsukiyomi ranted about his thoughts, Tadashi listening.
"I've been thinking a lot. About a lot of things. Like, the sky, where do the moons go when the suns come up and where do the suns go when the moons come out? Where do the stars come from when the sky turns dark, why does it turn dark if the moons are so bright. And oceans. The waters were once clear and clean, I've heard of the oceans, they were big. Where are they? And what about the lakes and bodies of water in Moonrose? What's in them, at the bottom? And above the stars? What's outside of the sky,why are we here, is this earth? It doesn't feel like earth. How do we breathe on this planet? How do we-"
"Tsuki, do you know any stories? I'd love to hear it." Tadashi asked. Tsuki didn't mind being interrupted. He thought for a moment, remembering a story. A memory of his mother telling him it occurred to him.
"The stars remind me of a memory of my mother, she told me this story as a child. I would stay up late just for her to finish it. SHe made up this story based on something true about Tsukiyomi, the god of the Moon. Even though I know the true story now, hers was better. She told me that Tsukiyomi was a very beautiful and handsome man. He had a sister and a brother, Amaterasu and Susanoo. Amaterasu was a beautiful goddess of sun and Susanoo was god of Seas and Storms. Tsukiyomi and his sister were always together, since they both were night and day. But Tsukiyomi was sad. He wanted to see the sunny sky and clouds. And his sister wanted to see the stars and the moons. But there was no possible way for them to switch sides. They had to do their jobs. One day, though, the god and goddess of creation, Izanami and Izanagi, told them they could see the things they wished to see but the siblings had to be careful. As for Izanagi and Izanami, they took over the sun and moon. The two siblings were desperate to separate and see the things they longed for, but it went wrong. The sun was too hot and bright for Tsukiyomi and he burned into the sun, as for Amaterasu, it was too dark and cold for her to see and she died, lost in the darkness. Izanagi and Izanami had to forever take their jobs but didn't know how, and that's why there are Three moons and two suns because they didn't know what they were doing."
There was silence under the stars for a moment. Tadashi laughed a bit and looked at Tsuki.
"I liked it. I can see why she made it up. The true story behind all three is much more different."
"I think she told it to me so I wouldn't be afraid of the dark. That I should know that the suns and moons would always be there. They would be my light if I was ever afraid."
Tsuki nuzzled his head on Tadashi's shoulder.
"Tanabata."
"What?"
Tadashi's accent was good. The words he spoke came out smooth. "Tanabata. It's celebrated to commemorate the romantic story of two lovers represented by the stars. Vega and Altair, who are only allowed to meet each other once a year as long as the skies are clear. It happens during the lunar moon. The Tanabata story tells of the annual reunion of the two lovers in the Milky Way. It originated from a Chinese legend and made its way into Japanese folklore long ago. Amatsumikaboshi is the god of stars. But I do know Amaterasu is the most powerful goddess out of all the others."
Just thinking about Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu's close relationship made Tsuki see that he could relate that with his and Tadashi's relationship, besides the siblings part. How close that had gotten so quickly. Tadashi's eyes reminded him of the suns, his eyes glowed in the night like the eyes of a cat. And Tadashi had said that Tsuki's eyes were like the night sky, like the moons that reflected its lights and made everything look blue. The only difference between Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu is that Tsuki and Tadashi swore to never break apart and leave each other. Tadashi said he would never leave Tsuki again.
Tadashi sat up. "Remember how the moons had only reflected their light on us as we danced on the palace roof? Doesn't it look just like that here?" Tsuki smiled and sat up too.
"Tadashi, are you asking me to dance? Because the world right now is as bad as it is."
Tadashi nodded and stood up, helping up Tsuki.
"Please Tsuki, dance with me again, pretend the world doesn't exist for one moment. Pretend there's music, the music that played when we danced. Play it in your head."
Tadashi grabbed Tsuki's hand and spun him around. Tsuki wasn't ready but got in place quickly. Tadashi hummed slightly. One, two three, one two, three, one, two, three. Tadashi lifted him up and spun him in the air. Tsuki's feet landed on the ledge of the deck as Tadashi held his hand. He walked on the ledge, not even looking down. He looked at Tadashi, who was smiling. The smile he would only show Tsuki. Tadashi spun him once more as they slowed down. Tsuki's arms were on Tadashi's shoulders, his were around Tsuki's waist. Tsuki never thought he could fall in love with someone this kind, this gentle. Someone who would kiss him under the three moons. Tsuki rested his head on Tadashi's chest.
"It's late," Tadashi said, "We should get some rest. Tomorrow we have a long journey through Primrose." Tadashi carefully picked up Tsuki and carried him to the back of the ship, into the bedroom they were staying in. He set Tsuki on the bed, taking off his blouse, then Tsuki's. He walked to the other side of the bed as Tsuki got under the covers. Tsuki curled up next to him as he kissed Tsuki's forehead once again. "Goodnight, Tsuki."