It's a beautiful day in the magical land of Gensoukyou. The sun is shining, children are frolicking and playing about, everything is perfect. At least, that can be said everywhere aside from a small, localized part of the massive bamboo forest.

The uninhabited area is deathly silent and riddled with small craters all over. Bamboo are either broken off or burned down, and the smell of fire, smoke and blood is permeating the area. Only 2 people are present here at this moment.

Mokou Fujiwara, the white-haired, fire-employing mage. Kaguya Houraisan, the black-haired, exiled Princess of the Lunarian race. These 2 immortal women are currently engaged in battle. And it's not a little danmaku match, where the winner is decided by whoever fires off their energy blasts in prettier patterns.

This is a brutal fight to the death. Magic, fists, teeth—everything at their disposal gets used in order to inflict as much damage as possible.

They've already lost count of how many times they died today.

Mokou stands a few meters away, battered and bloodied, her body covered with wounds and burns from her own flames. Her face is contorted into a scowl, fists clenched at her sides, as she speaks through ragged breathing. "Could you finally stay down already? I want to go home."

Kaguya, equally as beaten-up, looks back at her with a mocking sneer. She must have a broken rib or 2, because every breath is agony. Their bodies are constantly regenerating, but their fights are simply that brutal. "Aww, what's the matter? Does the peasant miss her little hubby?"

She looks up into the sky, tapping her chin in mock-thoughtfulness. "You know, I have an idea on how to make this a little bit more... exciting." Gaze drifting towards Mokou again, she grins wickedly. "Let's raise the stakes a bit. If I win this fight... I'm taking him for myself."

Mokou's eyes go wide like saucers, and it feels like something inside of her just broke. "...What...?"

Kaguya giggles in complete delight at the reaction. She doesn't actually care about him, not at all. She just wants to rile up Mokou. "You heard me. I bet I could treat him better, anyway." She says, shrugging. Casually. Like she didn't just drop the single most outrageous thing you could say to a married woman.

Oh. That's it. You're fucking done.

With a roar, Mokou barrels forwards, each of her steps leaving scorched imprints on the ground, fire engulfing her fists.

Kaguya grins widely and prepares for the imminent head-first collision, magical energy crackling at her fingertips.

The remainder of the battle doesn't last long. Mokou fights with a newfound ferocity she has rarely shown in the last thousand years. Because at this moment, she feels like she has something to lose.

She'll be damned to hell if she lets that bitch lay a single finger on her husband. The very thought causes her blood to boil in white-hot fury.

After another mere 5 merciless minutes, it's over.

Kaguya lies on the floor in a pool of her own blood, her body mangled and broken. A disembodied leg lies here, an arm over there. Mokou stands over her, breathing heavily, even more bruised than before. But standing.

Kaguya's voice comes out low and raspy, broken, but there's still that stupid smirk on her face like she got what she fucking wanted. "Damn, possessive much—"

She can't bring out another word before Mokou's foot violently comes down on her head. Bone fragments and brain matter come splattering out like somebody crushed a damn watermelon.

Mokou doesn't linger before turning around and walking away. This isn't final—not at all. Kaguya will be back tomorrow to annoy her again. But Mokou won't dwell on it. Because she feels really fucking good right now.

---

By the time she has reached the Human Village, most of her injuries have already disappeared, and her spirits feel much lighter. As she walks, she gets greeted by a lot of familiar faces, and she greets right back with a small smile on her face. She even runs into her best friend; Keine Kamishirasawa.

"Hey, Mokou," says Keine, smiling lightly, while greeting Mokou with a hug.

Mokou returns the hug with her usual nonchalance, though clearly happy. "Yo, Keine."

Stepping back again, Keine takes notice of Mokou's damaged clothing and still-healing wounds, concluding what must have transpired. "Oh, that Kaguya again... Did everything go alright?"

Mokou's expression instantly turns into something that's a weird mixture of a scowl and a grin. "Fucking obliterated her today. She's not bothering anyone again until tomorrow at the earliest."

A beat, before she crosses her arms over her chest and continues. "Can you believe it? She said some stupid crap about taking my husband from me if she wins... like he's some damn prize to be obtained rather than a person..." She says, shaking her head. "I swear, I haven't been that pissed off in centuries. Whatever. I'll see you later, Keine. I have to go back to him now."

And without another word, she takes off in a sprint. Keine watches her go with a soft smile and a sense of pride in her heart; pride that Mokou still defends her love with such ferocity.

---

Upon reaching the house she shares with her husband, beautiful and spacious, she enters through the front door and closes it after herself. Then she quickly begins searching. She needs to see him.

It doesn't take long at all until she finds him. Unharmed. Flawless. Hers. It's such a small thing, but her heart swells with a mixture of happiness and relief.

She wastes no time before striding up to him and pulling him into a tight embrace, allowing the familiar scent to fill her senses. "I know I probably don't say it often enough... but I really, really love you. More than anything else. I don't care how long we have to live and how many people we need to see come and go, I'll stay with you until the damn heat death of the universe."

"Now and forever, until the end of time, I love you."