Reunited Under the Moon

CELEBRATION

October 4, 2017

Tsukiuta Dorm Rooftop

Tonight was Tsukimi, a moon viewing holiday. The group members assembled on the rooftop to celebrate the holiday. The seniors were seated at a rectangular table that was covered with plates of rabbit-shaped dango and mochi, moon cakes, seasonal produce, and a large bottle of sake. The middle group was at the edge of the roof boundary. The juniors were situated behind the seniors occupied with their task at hand.

The seniors were busy drinking sake, but Kai and Haru were drinking less to ensure that the leaders wouldn't become too drunk and to supervise the younger groups. Aoi and Arata were fiddling around with the telescope that Kai had brought up to the roof while You and Yoru were stargazing, trying to find constellations. Kakeru and Koi were placing Japanese pampas grass(susuki) around the roof while Iku and Rui were lighting up lanterns behind the seniors.

"Everyone~! Let's enjoy the moon tonight~!" exclaimed a figure holding up a sake cup.

"The Demon Lord seems happy on a night like this." replies a figure on the right of the Demon Lord.

"Of course Kai~! Today is the day where the King of the Earth meet his one and only love, the Empress of the moon!"

Rui tugged Kai's sleeve and asked "Kai, what is Shun talking about? I thought Tsukimi was about celebrating the harvest?"

From Rui's and Kai's right, Haru replied "Ah, Shun was talking about the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival. During the Heian period, elements from the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival were introduced to Japan's Tsukimi."

"Oh, I know the legend of that holiday!" You boasted as he and Yoru were walking up to the feast at the table. He continued, "After an archer named Houyi performed a heroic feat, the people named him king. However, the king soon became a despot and desired to become immortal. He traveled far to meet a goddess for an immortality pill and had gotten it. But his lover, Chang'e, took it from him because she didn't want him, the cruel king, to continue to hurt more of the people in the kingdom. She ate the pill and fled the kingdom. As she fled, she flew towards the sky and landed on the moon. She later became the spirit of the moon. Houyi died after overcoming a fit of anger and soon became the spirit of the sun. The people of earth began to offer her sacrifices in honor of her deed."

"It doesn't seem like a good idea for them to meet, You," Yoru noted.

"Fufufu~ don't worry Yoru. The version of the legend that I will tell you has a nicer ending, but it's just as tragic."

"Oh, is the White Demon Lord is telling us a story? Shun, don't send us into a story again. Okay?" Kai insisted as he and Haru waved to the Six Gravity middle and junior duos to gather them around the table.

"Hai, hai. Shall we begin?"