Conflicted

After enjoying a few drinks with Kintoki, Vahn decided to take care of summoning Hou Yi so that he could make good on his promise with Chang'e. He also just wanted to get this matter with the Heroes Faction taken care of, freeing up time to focus on other, infinitely more important, things.

Soon after this thought crossed his mind, Vahn found himself inside the Throne of Heroes, a wry smile on his face as he noticed Hou Yi only qualified for three Classes: Archer, Avenger, and, of all things, Moon Cancer. The latter was, according to their small sample size, a Class that had enmity towards the Moon, compelling them to seek its destruction. Since this obviously wouldn't sit well with the Moon Cell, Vahn made the relatively easy choice to summon Hou Yi as a normal Archer Class Servant.

Vahn had always been somewhat curious about Hou Yi, as, even during his time in Danmachi, he and the man had shared some fate with each other. Many of Vahn's archery skills had developed as a result of the legendary archer's influence, and, while he didn't make use of them all that often these days, the [Yi] arrows were still some of his most powerful weapons. He had even been trying to recreate a version for himself, albeit with 'very' limited success...

After confirming his selection, Vahn found himself back in reality, watching as an unsurprisingly handsome man manifested in front of him. He had sleek black hair that was bound in a knot atop his head, and, as could be expected from the husband of the most beautiful Goddess in Chinese mythology, his facial features were world-class. The only thing that seemed off, even if it made a lot of sense, was the fact that his muscular frame and thick arms could be seen bulging through his traditional Chinese hanfu robes. He was even more muscular than Yan Qing, the Assassin that had appeared during the previous Holy Grail War...

As Vahn was eyeing up one of the few people that could be considered an idol to him, Hou Yi was doing much the same, his hawk-like eyes staring back at the man who had summoned him. Then, in a surprisingly soft tone of voice, he said, "I do not believe someone of your caliber is in need of my skills. Your power is deep and unfathomable, akin to an abyss that can swallow everything. Tell me, why have you summoned me into this world?"

Though Vahn was slightly taken aback by Hou Yi's words, he wasn't actually that surprised by the man's judgment. The legendary archer possessed an Innate called [Eye of Discernment(true):EX], an ability that seemed to allow him to determine the capabilities, and weaknesses, of everything he set eyes upon. As for how Vahn knew this, it was due to the fact that, while unable to list actual Innates, the Throne of Heroes interpreted some Innates as Skills that pertained to a Heroic Spirit's legend.

In response to Hou Yi's inquiry, Vahn adopted a casual smile before plainly answering, "I came to an agreement with the Goddess Chang'e. I promised her that I would summon you, allowing the two of you to reunite. The decision to stay is up to you, but I will still take you to see her as part of my agreement."

Hearing Vahn's words, Hou Yi's expression turned into one of disbelief before, like ice melting, his expression softened into a reminiscent smile as he muttered, "Chang'e...it seems the Heavens still have eyes. I have dreamed...hoped this day would come..."

Though it was obviously impossible to see the Moon from deep underground, Hou Yi still turned his eyes toward the ceiling, directing his gaze towards where, previously, he could never reach.

Seeing the fondness contained in Hou Yi's eyes, Vahn buried any regrets he had about not trying to make Chang'e his own. There were several currents that led to this development, but, as Hou Yi was someone he had respected a great deal, despite never meeting, it didn't seem right to usurp his place in Chang'e's heart. He still felt some guilt regarding Shirou Emiya, and, though he didn't regret it in the slightest, Vahn still felt sympathetic towards the original's fate.

After dashing this thought from his mind, Vahn nodded his head toward Hou Yi, saying, "If you are ready, I'll be taking you to meet with Chang'e. I'm not sure she had prepared her heart, but that is something the two of you can work out as husband and wife. What say you?"

As he had spent hundreds of years watching the Moon in yearning, Hou Yi didn't beat around the bush at all, answering, "Please, take me to her. My heart aches every moment we are apart. I have waited for this day for far too long...please, keep me no longer, I beg of you..."

Though it was completely unnecessary, Hou Yi attempted to perform a kowtow toward Vahn, his emotional turmoil preventing him from thinking clearly. Fortunately, Vahn quickly prevented him from doing so, borrowing a Chinese expression, saying, "A man should only bow to his ancestors, his benefactors, and his teachers. I am merely following my agreement with Chang'e. There is no need to prostrate yourself before me, Hou Yi."

Hearing Vahn's words, a seed of deep respect had been planted in Hou Yi's heart, bringing a rare smile to his face as he said, "I understand. You are, however, my Benefactor. If not now, allow me to express my gratitude after reuniting with my wife."

Since he couldn't force the matter, Vahn agreed to Hou Yi's intentions, stating, "If those are your true feelings, I will accept them graciously. For now, allow me to make good on my promise. The words of an emperor are as precious as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Let us alight."

Vahn had already discussed his intentions with Artoria and the rest, so, without beating around the bush, he rose through the atmosphere like a God ascending to the Heavens, covering the 384,400km distance between Gaia and the Moon in a few short minutes using his Lightning Emperor transformation. He could have reached it in an instant using his Emperor of Light, but, as this would have caused him to crash into the surface of the Moon, he opted for a form that gave him more control.

Upon reaching the surface of the Moon, Vahn tried establishing contact with the Moon Cell, an ultimately futile attempt. Fortunately, the massive crater left by Zhūquè was still present, allowing him to reach the actual Moon Cell, placing his palm against its surprisingly warm surface before being transported inside. For a brief moment, he had been considering 'harvesting' a bit more photonic crystals, so, perhaps understanding his intentions, the Moon Cell didn't afford him the opportunity...

Once he was inside the Photonic Abyss, Vahn eyed his rarely used Command Spells, activating two in order to summon Kintoki and Hou Yi to his side. They didn't have an adequate amount of Loyalty for him to summon them using the Unit Management function, and, considering they were going to be 'enemies' in the future, Vahn decided to keep his actual capabilities a secret. It might not matter in the end, but it was still better to be safe, rather than sorry.

Seeing the strangeness of the Photonic Abyss, Kintoki couldn't help but mutter, "Man, this place is giving me some bad vibes. What's the deal with the numbers floating in the sky?"

Following Kintoki's gaze, Vahn and Hou Yi both looked up at the dome-like sky, dominated with a series of ones and zeroes. If you were more observant, however, you could ascertain that these numbers were formed from an exceptionally complex series of runes. Unfortunately, no matter how fast you moved, reaching them was an impossibility. The Photonic Abyss was a functionally infinite space, so, while they seemed close enough to reach, Vahn knew the futility of trying to get close enough to observe the runes directly.

Rather than answer Kintoki's question, Vahn said, "We'll stop by the Moon Palace first. Chang'e is probably waiting anxiously for Hou Yi's arrival. Besides, I don't think you're in too much of a hurry to meet with Raikou and Shuten, correct...?"

Hearing Vahn's words, Kintoki awkwardly stroked the back of his head, a thug-like grin with wry undertones visible on his face. He wanted to say he wasn't worried, but, knowing both Raikou and Shuten, he couldn't bring himself to lie.

With no arguments, Vahn had the Control Program teleport them directly to the Moon Palace. It was the same as he had remembered, but, despite only a few hours passing, a lonely and tense atmosphere had permeated the premises.

Feeling Hou Yi's emotions spike, Vahn guided them down into the large pavilion with the small lake and the sleeping Jade Rabbit. The latter opened its eyes upon sensing their presence, but, after a cursory glance at the three 'intruders', it immediately dozed off. Around the same time, a large 'clump' of its fur sloughed off, turning into a rather adorable rabbit with floppy ears and a small horn on its head, gesturing for them to follow...

Though it would undoubtedly be an interesting scene to witness, Vahn didn't feel it was his and Kintoko's place to intervene. Thus, rather than follow along with the rabbit, he handed Hou Yi a [Seal of Binding], explaining, "Give this to Chang'e. This will make her into your Master, but, as she wouldn't have any Command Spells, you don't have to worry about her forcing you against your will. I will return to check on you in a few days. I hope everything goes well for the two of you, Hou Yi."

After accepting the preferred item, Hou Yi stared at it for several seconds, considering whether or not he should just return it. He felt greatly indebted to Vahn, so, while he possessed his pride as a former god, following the former didn't seem to be a disgraceful choice. Unfortunately, before he could make up his mind, Vahn had already vanished from sight, understanding Hou Yi's intentions and subsequently ignoring them.

Even if Chang'e wouldn't be a combatant within the Heroes Faction, Vahn felt her presence would be necessary for the group's survival. She was actually quite powerful, and, though there was little chance they would even be able to speak with her, many people would gather under the banner of Heroes just to catch a glimpse of her beauty.

Idolatry was one of the primary pillars of support for any cause, so, the more handsome and beautiful the Heroes were, the more 'inspired' their followers would be. Besides, while he had strayed from the path of an archer, Vahn had always wanted to test his skills against Hou Yi. The man himself might have some misgivings about fighting against his Benefactor, but, as someone with a righteous heart and a Lawful*Good alignment, it shouldn't take much to convince him to fight.

Soon after this thought crossed his mind, Vahn found himself floating above the small mountain valley that contained the Raikou's pavilion and the Yokai District. This time, he couldn't rely on the help of Artoria to get 'lost', so, rather than head inside, he and Kintoki waited near the crossroads where Shirou's small hideout was located.

After a few minutes had passed, a pitter-patter of footsteps could be heard, followed by a familiar figure leaping down right in front of them. This was none other than Benienma, but, while she was still wearing her usual feathery outfit, complete with a downy apron, Vahn noticed she also carried an ornate katana with her. Unfortunately, the moment she saw who her 'guests' were, Benienma entered a panic, taking her katana and allowing the fat sparrow-like Yokai nesting in her hat to 'consume' it without a trace...

Vahn had wondered about the purpose of the chubby head ornament, but he never expected it to serve as Benienma's storage. This caused many questions to spring up in his mind, but, as he would have plenty of time to discover their secrets in the future, Vahn preempted her greeting by smiling as he said, "Good evening, Proprietress Benienma. Please, guide us to Lady Raikou."

Having her greeting interrupted, Benienma froze in place for a brief moment, her expression fixed in an adorable stupor before she finally snapped to her senses, exclaiming, "Hai, Ten'nō-sama! Please, follow closely. Benienma will show the way-dechi!"

Hearing Benienma's exclamation, Vahn lightly nodded his head, while, at his side, Kintoki gave him a hard look from behind his glasses. As Sis had proactively blocked the normal Mental Link, Kintoki had very little information about Vahn's identity, other than the fact the latter was the man who had summoned him. Hearing a Yokai refer to him as Ten'nō-sama, meaning 'Emperor', came as a small shock.

Various thoughts began to race through Kintoki's mind, but, before he could organize them into a cohesive structure, a shiver ran through his body as, in the distance, a familiar purple figure could be seen waiting on the path, smiling toward them...

While Kintoki was having trouble finding his words, Vahn had a casual smile on his face as he said, "It is good to see you, Shuten. Have you come out to greet us? I'm surprised that Ibaraki isn't with you."

Though she had been staring toward Kintoki, Shuten turned her attention toward Vahn when he addressed her, a somewhat lascivious smile spreading across her lips as she mused, "Ibaraki is a bit tied up at the moment. As for why I came out...well, let us pretend I just wanted to enjoy the moonlight. It's a shame, though, as the night air is quite cold...perhaps Ten'nō-sama would like to warm my body~?"

Since Shuten was wearing the same outfit from before, consisting of an unbound purple kimono that left her body completely exposed, it wasn't difficult to imagine she would get cold, at least if she were a normal person. Instead, her slightly ruddy cheeks and the thin layer of sweat coating her fair skin gave off the impression of a heated drunk, rather than someone trying to escape the cool evening air...

Kintoki, upon hearing Shuten's words, lightly snorted through his nose, earning the attention of the mischievous Oni. However, instead of addressing him, she tried to approach Vahn, a large red saucer of sake appearing in her hands as she said, "I promised to allow you a taste of my wakame sake. Is Ten'nō-sama too busy to refuse the invitation of a lonely maiden~? You can leave that boy to Benienma-chan. I know a pleasant place where we can enjoy the moonlight together~."

Vahn knew Shuten was just trying to make Kintoki jealous, but, knowing things never worked out between them, almost as if they were fated never to be together, he didn't immediately refuse her offer. He also knew Raikou wouldn't be able to think clearly after reuniting with Kintoki, so, with a few hours to spare, he answered, "I don't mind accompanying you for a short while. I'm afraid I'll have to refuse your wakame sake, however. While it is certainly a tempting offer, I'm not ready to accept that kind of responsibility...hahaha~."

Though she had intended to be a little insistent, Shuten hadn't expected Vahn to actually agree to her invitation. This caused a small amount of conflict in her heart, but, due to the nature of Yokai, it was impossible for her to retract her invitation. Instead, her lascivious smile became prominent as she strung her arm around Vahn's, leaning her soft body against his as she mused, "It would seem I have the devil's luck this evening. Well then, shall we go, Ten'nō-sama~?"

Without answering Shuten's words directly, Vahn gave a small wave to Benienma before tossing a [Seal of Binding] to Kintoki. He gave the small stamp-like seal a glance before turning his attention back to the retreating figures of Vahn and Shuten. Then, after Benienma insisted he follow along, he gave a small nod before turning his back, hands in his pockets as the light from the false Moon above reflected off his sunglasses...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Even Vahn has Idols o3o...','Hou Yi is a good man','Some paths, despite intersecting at many points, are ultimately fated to diverge...')

(A/N: For those confused by Vahn's behavior, well, it is actually pretty straightforward. He knows what kind of being Shuten is, so, while it may seem cruel to Kintoki, only tragedy awaits them if he tried to support their relationship. Kintoki doesn't have the ability to rein in Shuten, so, eventually, her nature would bring great harm to both of them. As for Raikou, she is a little unhinged, treating Kintoki as both a son and a potential lover. She is an Omega-Class Yandere, so, even if it was only the result of her nature, Shuten's attempts to seduce Kintoki would eventually cause them to fight to the death...it is very complicated.')

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