(Draft as published on FF.net)
***
Sunny Milk cringed as she carried the heavy jug out into the moonlight. She much preferred the daylight over the false moon her friend, Luna Child, kept grumbling about. Sunny couldn't tell a difference; the full moon still made the night as bright as those gaslight lamps the kappa made.
Either way, the Sunlight Fairy was certain that the sun should have risen by now. The missing sunlight itched against her skin like that powder Star Sapphire had once slipped into her shoes. Between the false moon and the endless night, something odd walked through the forest, and worse would follow in its footsteps.
Incidents like these took a toll on fairies. Something about the magic in the air brought out the worst in a fairy's mischievous nature. Even now, Sunny could feel that call. Some tried to find safety, but all too many took after Cirno's example, only to awaken days later sore and with a roaring headache. A few unfortunates never returned to play with their sisters and friends, sealed away forever during the clashes of magic and will.
"Star, Luna, come out here and help me," she called over her shoulder. Inside the living room, an overturned table slid further away from the door, and a brief flash of blue cloth peeked around the corner. "I can still see you."
The two fairies stood up from behind the table."You look like you've got it taken care of," Luna said, warily eying the open door.
"You promised to help. At least be a lookout," Sunny said. Luna and Star turned towards each other, sighed, and thentrudged outside. As the Fairy of Moonlight passed by, Sunny murmured, "Keep an eye on Star." Luna nodded curtly, keeping her hand on Star's shoulder.
"Hey, trust me for once," Star said, shivering in the warm night air. The Starlight Fairy's powers made her an excellent lookout; she just didn't tell her friends of the danger all the time.
Sunny pulled the cork out from her jug with a loud pop. "I don't like doing this," she said, dousing a white rag with red wine. She reached up on her toes and painted the lintel, or the fancy wooden frame above the door, with the dripping cloth.
"We saved up a long time for that," Luna said, planting her free hand on her hip. "This better work."
"Daiyousei said it would. This was how she made it through that Snowy Spring without a scratch," Star said, tilting her head as if she was listening to the wind. She pursed her lips and inched toward the doorway until Luna squeezed her shoulder.
Sunny wrung out the rag, taking care that each drop fell onto earth instead of stone or tree root. "What did she say to do next?"
"The offering," Luna said. She glowered at the ground and sighed. "At least it isn't coffee."
Sunny shook her head and upended the jug. Red wine splashed on the ground, making a dark stain even in the moonlight.
Star's eyes snapped open and she grabbed her friends by their arms. "Inside," she hissed, pulling Sunny and Luna into the tree house. The door slammed behind the trio.
***
Out in the Forest of Magic, illuminated only by fading danmaku flowers and the light of the moon, a red and white blur flew through the forest. Wherever it passed, danmaku fell still, and fairies dropped motionless to the earth like rain.
As the blur neared a great tree ringed with rope and tassels, the storm of danmaku slaked and fell silent. In that calm, the red-white blur stopped its relentless flight, and Reimu Hakurei landed on the grass surrounding the tree and frowned.
The lack of danmaku was just as suspicious as the false moon. She could only spare a second or two, but she had to check; Yukari would understand. Of all the places in the forest, it surprised the shrinemaiden that a great tree would be the focus for the eye of a danmaku storm. Trees such as the one that towered before her usually housed fairies, and it seemed that no fairy could resist taking a potshot at her tonight.
"Could the tree be sick?" Reimu murmured, reached her hand towards the tree. If so, she'd ask Yukari about it after the incident. Her eyes followed the trunk to the stained earth. Reimu's hand pulled back suddenly. Tracking the stain revealed a small wooden door covered in dull red.
Reimu stared at the stained tree and earth, laughing demurely behind her sleeve. To think fairies would know the old ways. Leaving the tree behind her, the shrinemaiden flew off into the Imperishable Night.
