/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45614915

A smile cracked the stone mask of the red juggernaut and a laugh reverberated through his thick belly that was echoed off the high-pitched throats of the gnomes that hovered in the air above still. Confusion made its home on Hana’s and Reimu’s face, Yukari’s was one of pensive anxiety, the sages and gods littering the field could only watch in a mix of emotions.

A shout replaced the laughter from the red giant who retracted his arm, letting the youkai sage fall limp, “Behold all ye unfaithful, witness the power of a Christmas miracle!”

A light poured form him, suffusing the women that lay defeated and battered. Hana felt her wounds melt away and even saw her damaged clothes mend. It didn’t just end there, she even felt better, better than she had ever since she was a child running around the fields with Aunn. It was clear that the others felt the same, Reimu seemed more youthful in the vigor that reentered her eyes, Yukari’s broken arms mended and a stress that one couldn’t see exorcised itself from her. The others felt something change, it was obvious even in the deep-seated skepticism they displayed.

The light seemed to exude from his very being, yet it wasn’t hurtful to look upon and instead it was gentle, as if her father was speaking to her. He spoke again as a small box fell from his sleigh and onto his hand, “take this Hana, it is your present.”

Hana hesitated a moment but held out her hand, the box unfurled itself on her palm, on it was a single ring. The ring was deceptively simple, silver or rose gold with two stones in it, one purple as the last lights of the sun and the other red as the heart of a flame. The radiant being spoke, “It is your choice to wear this ring, It is merely symbolic, it is the promise of peace between you and those you love. Of understanding and the will to trust, many sins have been committed under the name of misunderstandings and discord. They cannot be undone, but you can look forward and turn the strife of the future into a peace everlasting. It is your choice and always has been.”

Hana looked up, the light was dissipating into the air, the gnomes were as well as they called out a final cheer, even the sleigh was glowing now. Hana put on the ring without thinking, and the gems on it grew, one blue, one pink, one green, one golden, one black, one green, one of many different colors that only appeared white yet seemed the heaviest. It weighed her finger down, yet paradoxically made the rest of her body lighter.

The golden chariot vanished into the vortex it came in on, leaving the ring and the women she loved as mothers behind her.