Grand Time

Momo and Murasaki cut down the last of the tendrils blocking the entrance way and burst out into the castle's outside courtyard. A large crowd had already gathered there, including a number of terrified, Momo's parents and Aoki, Gina and Midora.

"Momo!" Her family cried out and rushed over as Momo returned to them, "Are you okay?"

"Not even a scratch guys." Momo smiled as she put Roko back down on the ground, "Murasaki's fine too aren't you?"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Murasaki said as she stood up stiffly, "I'm fine!"

"Hey now, I'm going to fall off if you stand all flat like that." Roko's teacher smirked as he clung his arms around Murasaki's neck, "There's not a lot to grab up here, you know."

"Sensei, do you know what's going on?" Aoki asked.

"Can't say that I do." Roko's teacher shrugged, "Haven't seen anything like it in all the time I've been alive and in no land where I've ever gone."

"Where's Akaza?" Momo noticed as she looked around.

"Akaza's still inside, trying to save as many people as he can." Momo's mother answered, "He went in there without anybody around to help him and he's been inside for a while."

"He should be out soon." Murasaki replied, "I saw him from across the castle leading a big group of civilians. He's seemed to pick up a few soldiers to help him but he doesn't have enough weapons to stay in there for long so-"

A loud blast alerted everyone to the crumpling of part of the castle walls. Akaza stepped out of the dust and called back behind him, "We've reached the outside! Everyone out!"

A flood of no less than 50 people followed him out of the castle, some a bit battered, a few injured and all of them terrified by this sudden attack. Despite being confused and frightened, Akaza lead the people with confidence and assurance as he guided them to safety.

"Momo. Murasaki. You're safe as well." Akaza said as he came over to them, "That's good."

"Have you figured anything out, brother?" Aoki asked.

"No. I can't understand what's happening. I doubt anyone can."

Roko raised his hands as he looked on at the tree that was taking over the castle.

"Yes? Roko do you know something?!" Akaza cried in shock.

"It's those damn gods." Roko scowled.

"Gods?" Murasaki frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The eldritch ones. The ones that create monsters. Momo you know what I'm talking about."

"You mean like the ones in that tomb?" Momo blinked, "Are you sure? This is a tree and it's not very...monster like."

"Well, my scan isn't working on it and my other spell is telling me that it's otherworldly." Roko said as he turned back to them, "I think that's pretty solid evidence."

"You've come across this before?" Momo's dad said, concerned.

"Not this specifically but close enough." Roko nodded, "I can't say I expected to see them on my trip here."

"Do you know how to deal with it then?" Midora asked.

"Best I can do is try and kill it." Roko shrugged, "I don't know how I'm going to kill a sentient tree but it can't be that different."

"I'll help!" Momo cried immediately.

"No, I will help as well." Akaza stepped up next, "We can mobilize the entire army, or what's left of it, and take it down together. Surely it can't withstand all of us."

"I'm sure it can't but there's another problem."

Roko pointed out at the hole that Akaza had came out of where white roots were already creeping out along the walls and floors.

"It's escaping the castle." Roko said, "And this castle's huge. We need somebody to keep the damn thing from taking over the rest of the town. Several someones."

"You want the army to keep the tree from escaping the castle?" Akaza frowned.

"I don't see any other force that can."

"What about you? Are you planning to go alone?"

"Well, if you don't mind me borrowing Momo, she did just volunteer. Anybody else is welcome to join, so long as they're willing to risk their lives."

"...Are you talking about me?" Murasaki frowned.

"Are you volunteering?"

"Of course. I can't let Lady Momo head into the castle alone with you."

"Well there you have it." Roko said as he turned to the rest of the family, "Me, Momo and Murasaki are going to go in."

"Just the three of you?!" Momo's mother cried, "That can't be enough! We can wait until-"

A loud crashing sound alerted everyone to the tree's topmonst branches breaking out of the skylight in the center of the castle, destroying the top of the castle as its branches continued to creep upwards, as if it was reaching for the moon in the sky.

"Time's running out so think fast and speak faster." Roko said as he turned around, "Anyone got a sword?"

"Uhh...there should be some in an armory outside." Momo nodded, "I can go there real quick and grab one for you."

"Thanks that'll-"

And in a flash, Momo was gone.

"-help..." Roko frowned, "How is she doing that?"

"It can't just be the three of you!" Momo's mother protested again, "Surely you can take Akaza with you or something."

"Akaza is the best person to lead the suppression efforts." Roko replied, "Unless you got someone else, Akaza."

"Mmph...With such an unusual opponent, I can't say I have someone in mind to replace me." Akaza bit his lip.

"So there's that."

"I'm back!" Momo cried as she suddenly appeared in front of them again, "I grabbed a few swords and some change of clothes."

"Clothes?"

"You weren't going to fight in your pajamas were you?"

"Well, if I had no other choice."

"Well, I wasn't going to. Come on, let's get changed real quick. Murasaki, you too."

A few seconds later, Momo and Murasaki returned in more suitable outfits. They were simple leather outfits, more meant for practice than for war but it was a few steps over the night clothes they were wearing.

"Got your sword ready?" Momo asked as she gripped the sword by her side.

"Of course." Murasaki smiled as she tied her sword to her hip as well, "Where's Roko?"

Roko trudged back to the group in his new clothes with a sour look, "I don't really like the feel of these clothes." Roko growled as he shifted around in his new outfit, "And I don't think I look good in them."

"They're traditional Momokan clothes." Momo giggled, "You look fine in them. More importantly, we have a side mission."

"Oh yeah?" Roko frowned.

"There's not enough weapons in the nearby armories for everybody. We need to get to the inside armories and send some weapons back or at least liberate those areas so others can get in as well."

"If we manage to kill it quick, we wouldn't need to." Roko sighed, "But I suppose we should play it safe."

"Right?"

"Alright." Roko said as he hefted his sword over his shoulder, "Say your goodbyes cause we're leaving."

"Bye mom, dad, sisters, brothers." Momo smiled, "We'll return as soon as we can."

"If things get dicey, I'll be sure to return Momo back out here safely." Murasaki bowed, "Even if it costs me my life."

"Any orders you want to give before you leave?" Akaza asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but if you're offering..." Roko smirked as he pointed over to Midora, "Restrain her if you can."

"Wait, what?!" Midora cried, "Why?!"

"Because this is your tree and I don't want you getting in the way out of some feelings of guilt or obligation. I don't know you well enough to say whenever you would but I'd rather not take that chance."

"So you're just going to restrain me?!"

"Trust me. This is also in case that you're not that type of person." Roko scoffed, "That said, it's up to everyone else how much freedom they want to give you. Just know if I see you running into the castle, good reason or not, I'm hitting you in the face."

And without another word, Roko began walking towards the castle. Momo gave a reassuring smile and followed Roko along with a mildly miffed Murasaki.

"So now that we're in the castle..." Roko sighed, "What's he doing here?"

"Well you need someone to carry the weapons don't you?" Roko's teacher laughed, "Besides, I'm not missing the chance to see you in action. Good material for training and what not!"

"You know I leave in like two days right?"

"Plenty of time to squeeze in some training."

"Can you even defend yourself?!"

"Are you seriously asking that question?" The old man laughed.

"Roko, this is one of the nation's oldest general and most valued teacher." Murasaki frowned, "Of course he can defend himself, even in his old age."

"All I've seen him do is make up names."

"Surely you've seen the results of your training for yourself."

"I've just bulked up a bit and that's it."

"Yeah! That's progress. What were you expecting?"

"Maybe a little bit more than some mass and a name after a week." Roko grumbled.

"Roko, sensei is very reliable, I can assure you of that." Momo chuckled.

"I won't even do any fighting." the old man laughed, "I'm too old to swing a sword seriously anymore. So I'm going to need you three to protect me while we're here."

"I still don't think we need you here, old man." Roko growled.

"Don't you talk to Rokusho sensei like that!" Murasaki snapped.

"Excuse me?" Roko frowned.

"What?" Murasaki looked confused, "You can't treat Rokusho sensei like that."

"His name is Rokusho?"

"Yeah." Murasaki frowned, "Did...did you not know that?"

"Not at all."

"You...you've been training with him for almost a week!"

"Yeah and everyone's been calling him sensei."

"You've never heard of him before?!"

"Nope."

"You never bothered to ask?!"

"Nope."

Murasaki looked like she was ready to explode but was having trouble deciding whenever it was out of anger or confusion.

"This is Mukuro Rokusho." Momo chuckled, "He was a former general of the Momokan Army, First Division and became a hero after fighting in many wars before retiring as a teacher."

"Really, you never bothered to ask for my name?" Rokusho frowned.

"Didn't care much." Roko scoffed as he began to walk off, "Not after learning about what kind of person you were."

Questions still hung in the air but didn't follow them as Roko lead them down the foyer and into the main lobby.

"Okay so where's the armory?"

"Well the one on the ground is to the left." Momo replied.

"'The one on the ground'? There's more than one?" Roko frowned.

"Yeah." Momo blinked, "There's one on the ground, one halfway up on the 6th floor and another at the very top."

"This castle is so big it needs three armories?!"

"What? That's normal isn't it?"

"Nothing about this castle is normal!"

"Well yeah, with the tree and everything."

"No, it was unusual before that!"

"Don't be rude." Murasaki scoffed, "Now come on, the armory is to the left, she said."

Roko turned left and was immediately met with a giant root blocking the entire hallway.

"Hm." Roko knocked on the solid obstruction, "Is there anyway around this?"

"Just cut through it." Momo said.

"How? This thing is huge."

Momo just smiled as she drew her sword and raised it, "Rally!" Momo brought it down and sliced the entire root in half, clearing the way for them.

"That's reinforcement magic." Murasaki explained, "It heightens certain aspects of your body."

"I always knew you had that spell." Roko said, "I didn't think it was that powerful though."

"It's as powerful as the mana you put in it." Momo smiled, "Plus I can use it on other people too."

"Well, that should help a lot." Roko nodded, "If I recall, you had rally, protect and now haste."

"Yep!" That's all three major flavors of reinforcement magic!" Momo grinned.

"And not to forget antidote."

"Y-You don't have to mention that!"

"Why do you know an antidote spell, Lady Momo?" Murasaki asked.

"N-N-Never you mind, Murasaki!"