Chapter 1: A Brand New Moon

  There once was a god who lived alone on the moon to anchor the moon to the Earth. Even so, this god was a lonely god who craved the companionship of another, yet could only ever watch from afar.

  One day, as that god gazed longingly down to the Earth, he bore witness to a rabbit wandering the world alone. Much like himself, this rabbit was an outcast amongst its kind, forever cursed to a life of isolation. As he observed the rabbit’s journey, the god felt a kinship with this lonely mortal creature.

  The god decided they would reach out to this rabbit, no matter how far it was. With a letter crafted in moonlight, the god sent a message to the rabbit. The rabbit read the letter and learned that they had a distant companion in the form of a god. Delighted, they tried to send a response, yet no matter how hard they tried, they could not reach the god in their celestial home. Even so, the god was touched by this act, and so gave the rabbit a sign in the form of a shifting moon.

  The rabbit continued with the blessing of the full moon. Though their journey was difficult, they persevered in the face of hardship, knowing now that they were no longer alone. This cycle would continue, with each letter serving to light up the worlds of both the god and the rabbit.

  But one day, as all things did, life would change. A mighty winter struck the Earth, forcing all the mortal creatures into a state of desperate survival. With so little vegetation to feast upon, the rabbit soon grew weak. As the cold days went by, it had become so atrophied that it could no longer flee from threats. Exhausted and defenseless, the rabbit was attacked by a winter fox. Equally starved, the winter fox relished in the chance to consume the flesh of the dying rabbit. However, the moon god refused to let this happen. He forsook his oath and crashed down to Earth in a flash of light, driving off the winter fox and taking the sweet rabbit into his arms.

  Retribution for his actions was nearly instant. By choosing to break his oath, the moon god earned the ire of their fellow gods. Without the moon's guardian, the celestial body threatened to sail away from the Earth, leaving the world in disarray. As penance for his crime, the other gods planned to seal the god inside the moon’s core where he could never abandon their duty again. With a sad smile, the moon god gave a last farewell to the rabbit, satisfied knowing that it would live.

  Yet, the rabbit pleaded for the life of the god. It would give anything to ensure their friend did not have to suffer alone—not when they had finally met at last—but the gods were cruel, and the cries of a mortal rabbit fell on deaf ears. The moon was opened, and the moon god’s sentence was to be carried out.

  The rabbit refused to accept this. Just as the moon god was to be locked away for good, the rabbit prepared to make one final leap. Gathering all its remaining strength, the rabbit leaped up high, high into the sky. In a single bound, it crossed the great distance between Earth and the moon. Just as the moon god was to be sealed away, the rabbit soared past like a comet, taking the god’s place inside the moon’s core. In defiance of the gods, the rabbit swore an oath to forever hold the moon close to the Earth, all so that the moon god could finally be free.

  The gods were shocked, and the moon god despaired. Yet the selflessness of this rabbit touched the hearts of the once impassive gods. The moon god’s penance would be lifted, and the image of the rabbit would be carved into the moon, as the new guardian of the moon forever. It was given the name Chang’e, and granted the title of moon goddess, ascending beyond its mortal shell.

  Although the moon god was at last free from his eternal duty, he felt no joy without his one and only friend, and it is said that the moon god still wanders the Earth in search of a way to repay their old friend, so that they may be together once more…

  Like a diamond shining in the night sky, the full moon enraptured Soma in its beauty, and the young man found that he struggled to tear his gaze away from the celestial body. Beside him, his telescope—a gift from his mother—was set and primed for use, and yet… At that moment, he found that he would rather gaze upon the moon with his own two eyes.

  On many sleepless nights like this, the young man had found solace in the company of the moon. An eternal friend that came before him with all its wisdom, and one that would carry his memory long after he disappeared off the face of the Earth. It was the kind of friend one could vent their heart to and receive no judgment in turn. In a world as lonely as this one, there could be no better friend—

  “Talking to the moon again?”

  Soma flinched as a mature voice called out to him from the other side of the room. “Um… something like that…” he replied, turning around with a sigh. His mother, Maya, stood there staring at him with a playful grin. “Not much to do when I can’t sleep.”

  “Oh I know,” Maya replied, standing up and chuckling as she spoke. “Sleeping pills didn’t help after all?”

  “Not really.”

  “Damn! I was sure that brand would work.”

  “That makes one of us,” Soma replied as Maya came beside him, staring up at the moon. He shrugged and turned to look right beside her. For a time, there was silence as the two stargazed together, occasionally broken by the distant ambiance of the city. That distant, warm glow contrasted against the cool, pale moonlight, creating a beautiful harmony of light and color.

  “You know…” Maya was the first to break the silence. “You could at least use the telescope.”

  “I know, I know. I was going to,” Soma replied, his cheeks turning the faintest shade of red. “I was just getting ready to.”

  “Right. You better use the damn thing! It cost a pretty penny!”

  “What do we have that didn’t cost a pretty penny in your mind?”

  “Haha, I guess that's true~” Maya patted Soma on the back, turning from the moon back to her son. “So… what’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing new.”

  “Yeah, figures…” Maya let out a sigh as Soma finally peeled his gaze away from the light of the moon, looking back at his mother’s face illuminated by the moonlight. And he saw… how tired she looked. A pang of guilt struck Soma’s heart, and before he knew it, he was hugging her.

  “E-Eh? Where is this coming from…?”

  “…Sorry.”

  “Well, don’t be! I’ll never say no to a hug.” She flicked Soma’s cheek, earning a glare in response. “Haha~ alright, I’ll leave you to it. Oh, right, dinner is in the fridge.”

  “Did you get takeout again?”

  “Yeah… sorry, I know you said to let you cook, but I was craving burgers!”

  “I… fine. It’s alright.” Soma shrugged as his mom pulled away and made her way towards the door. “Love you, Mom.”

  “…Heh. Love you too, Soma.” Maya waved and stepped out the door. “I’ll be out on business for a few weeks tomorrow. Make sure to get some sleep, at least!” With that, Soma was left alone with the moon once more.

  “I’ll try,” he muttered, turning back to the moon. He glanced at the telescope. With a shrug, he grabbed it and finally put the device to work. Through the veil of the atmosphere and the void of space, the telescope cast his vision forward to the moon. To gaze upon the moon from a distance was one thing, living like an admirer across space and time…

  But now, the young man felt as if for the first time in years, he could see the face of a dear friend. His heart was suddenly racing. As barren as the moon’s surface was, it was otherworldly. In the absence of everything, all that remained was tranquil beauty. The serene face of a sleeping god.

  He was smiling. He didn’t realize until his face had started aching, his jaw muscles asking for a moment of rest. Just a few more moments, he pleaded, but his body refused. He pulled away from the telescope, unsure how much time had passed as he massaged his sore jaw.

  Close, far, it’s beautiful either way, he thought to himself. He recalled a memory from a long time ago, of the first time he had the chance to stare at the moon. The infatuation that he and his father had felt as they stared into the stars side by side.

  Maybe… one more look.

  He leaned down, pressing his eye to the scope once more. Once more, his vision was cast towards the moon…

  There on the moon’s surface, he could see a person. He pulled away from the telescope in shock, blinking rapidly. He rubbed his eyes. Maybe I’m more tired than I thought… To see a person from such a distance, and with a home telescope at that… he shook his head. He was seeing things, he was certain. With a sigh, he looked back into the telescope. The person was still there. Soma’s eyes widened. Not only could he see someone on the moon, but he could see them with shocking clarity.

  They were not dressed in a space suit, but instead, a… bunny suit, like in an erotic magazine. They wore no protection to speak of, no suit, no helmet, just… that. Soma stared at them for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. I really am seeing things…

  He stared at the strange ‘bunny’ and snorted. A bunny girl on the moon. The joke writes itself, huh… he shook his head. If Maya was still awake, he’d have to tell her about this. Insomniac or not, it was a bad sign that he was beginning to hallucinate. He pulled away from the telescope. Or at least, he tried to. But just as he looked away…

  His eyes met the rabbit’s.

  It was only for a split second, and yet the young man found himself stumbling back in shock. He could still feel their piercing gaze looking into his eyes, nay, looking through them. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

  “W-What the…” Soma muttered. “I… I should… just lay down, huh…” He shook his head, pushing himself to his feet. He looked back to the moon, where the shape of the lunar rabbit could be seen on its face, failing to ignore the strange chill that ran down his spine.

  With a groan, Soma rose up from his bed. His dreams had been harassed by strange bunnies with creepy eyes all throughout the night, so unsurprisingly, the insomniac failed to get restful sleep. Still, restlessness was the norm for him, so he was soon back on his feet. Half-dressed and half-awake, Soma left his room and made his way downstairs.

  Although it was only the two of them living there, their house was not some small hovel or apartment. It was a manor, a soon-to-be family heirloom purchased by his father, about two years ago now. It was located in a perfect sweet spot between rural and urban, not too far from the city, and yet not too close either. He shuddered to think of how much money it must have cost his father. Regardless, when his mom was gone, the expansive manor felt more like a lonely prison.

  Soma shook his head. He was used to it. More importantly, he was hungry, and so he made his way to the kitchen… or so he had planned. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that the front doors had been left open.

  “Oh, come on, Mom…” Soma groaned. While leaving the door open wasn’t a particularly big deal, if a wild animal got in, it would be up to Soma to deal with it. He shut the door and continued on his way.

  It was then that he heard a crash in the kitchen.

  Soma flinched. Just my luck… he thought to himself. It would seem that a wild animal had entered the house after all. Or maybe his mom hadn’t left… He took a deep breath and started sneaking towards the sound. Please don’t be a bear… Maybe a squirrel? Something small? He peeked his head inside.

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  It was animals alright. Animals in the sense that all humans are animals.

  Immediately, he dipped back into cover as his face turned pale. Robbers!? It made sense. An isolated manor out in the country with (probably) no one home made a perfect target for any eager criminal. But… What about the security system…?

  Surely Maya didn’t turn it off and forget, did she? Soma refused to believe his mom, careless as she could be, was that careless.

  “You dolt! That could have been a priceless artifact!”

  “I think it was just a plate…”

  “An Earthling plate! For all we know, it might have been a cursed item with a demon trapped inside of it!”

  “Oh psssh, we could handle a demon.”

  Soma blinked at the sound of the robbers’ voices. …What the hell are they talking about? While the correct thing to do in this situation was to call the police, Soma found himself doing the exact opposite of that. He leaned past the corner to stealthily peek at the duo—He couldn’t help himself.

  It took everything to not stumble at the sight of them. He failed to get a good look at the two with his previous glance, but now with curiosity having taken the place of fear, he found himself utterly baffled by the sight of the two house invaders. It was a pair of girls who looked absolutely clueless for being a pair of robbers, and yet that was hardly what caught Soma’s attention.

  They were dressed in… bunny outfits. Not just any bunny outfits, but some of the most elaborate bunny costumes he had seen in his life, each topped off with a witch hat. One was tall and… healthy, and wearing an outfit most women would never be caught wearing in private , much less in public. The other was somewhat more modestly dressed, or at least as modest as a bunny costume could be, and both shorter and skinnier than her compatriot. They looked like sisters, going off the fact they each had white hair and red eyes… to say nothing of their certainly unorthodox appearance.

  …Bunny-dress house invaders? Soma thought, barely able to contain his disbelief. After a bunny-themed dream? And… the bunny hallucination I saw last night? He felt like he was being pranked. The only connection was bunny after bunny, and yet he could not possibly connect the three events in his mind.

  “At the very least, we shouldn’t leave signs that we were here,” said the shorter of the pair. She reached her hand out to the side, and much to his shock, a ball of light formed in her hand that quickly extended into the shape of a staff.

  Soma let out a gasp. He tried to cover his mouth, but it was too late. In sync, both of the strange bunny girls turned towards him. He ducked back into cover as fast as he could and prepared to make a run for it.

  Yet, in the time it took him to blink, one of the two bunny girls was in front of him. He barely had time to register her existence as he was slammed to the ground and restrained. Pinning him to the ground with only a single arm, the strange bunny girl locked eyes with him. Yet rather than hostility or suspicion, it was none other than surprise that filled her widened pupils.

  “Whoa… you really are an Earthling!”

  Dazed as he was, her words went in one ear and out the other. The taller of the two invaders, Soma found that her grip was like iron—far stronger than her appearance suggested. As she stared at him, he noticed her curiously white pupils. They were almost like—

  “Look, Kiana! He doesn’t have ears or anything! It’s so… weird!”

  “W-Wow… A… A real Earthling…”

  Kiana. That was the name of the shorter bunny girl approaching from the side. Her expression was star-struck as she looked down at him, looking even more fascinated than her sister sitting on top of him. Even so, Soma found himself surprised at how normal her name seemed when contrasted against her appearance.

  “Oh, sorry about her,” the bigger bunny girl said, noticing his confused expression. “She’s just a big nerd when it comes to you guys!”

  Soma’s brain short-circuited for a moment. Her attempt at an explanation only served to befuddle him further. Was this girl… trying to have a normal conversation with him? In this situation?

  “W-Who… are you, exactly…?”

  “I’m—”

  “W-Wait, Diana!” The shorter girl—Kiana—shouted out. “Be careful! Earthlings are dangerous… we need to restrain him first!”

  “…Why’d you stop me from saying my name if you were just gonna say it anyways?”

  “Ah… W-Well… S-Shut up, it doesn’t matter!”

  They’re idiots. That thought was the first that rose to his mind at that moment. Rude as it was, he found that he simply couldn’t disagree with the notion. Lost in his thoughts however, he failed to notice Kiana pointing her staff at him. His body was illuminated in a strange, warm, light, only to be flung through the air.

  “W-What!?” He cried as he slammed into a nearby dining chair. At the exact same moment, white chains appeared from nowhere, binding him to the chair. Though they were weightless, he found that he couldn’t budge an inch. “What is—”

  “There!” Exclaimed Kiana with a proud upturn of her nose. “He’s safely bound now.”

  “W-Wha—?”

  “Ohh, nice, Kiana~!” The taller bunny—Diana, it seemed—clapped her hands in praise. She then turned to him casually, leaning forward and locking eyes with Soma… seemingly failing to notice his far too immodest view of her chest. “He doesn’t really seem all that dangerous, though?”

  “Hmph. You fool… that’s the danger of Earthlings such as this one.” Kiana approached, taking her place at Diana’s side. She looked at Soma in a mix of caution and curiosity, inspecting him from head to toe. She nodded her head. “It is good he isn’t a black-haired Earthling. Those are the ones with the most frightening power. The more unsuspecting they appear, the stronger.”

  …What?

  “Oh, I see… it’s like how you get when you’re hungry but you’re too proud to say it, right? And then hit me with your staff!”

  What are they…

  “…D-Do you really have to say that right here!? It’s nothing like that, anyways!”

  “Oh, I see. Oopsie~”

  “You dolt…”

  Soma’s jaw had dropped long ago. Is this… really happening? “I’m… sorry… what is happening, exactly…?” Soma shook his head. “No, I’m probably still asleep, aren’t I? It’s been a while since I’ve had a lucid dream…”

  "…Kiana, what’s he talking about?”

  “He seems… confused.”

  Both girls looked at him like he was the odd one, and that little push was enough to break the dam of his emotions swirling inside his heart and mind.

  “No, no, no, that is not how this works!” He exclaimed. “Who are you!? Why are you in my house, dressed like… that!?”

  “…Are we dressed weirdly, Kiana?”

  “No, not at all. If anything, why is he dressed so conservatively…? It’s strange. Then again… hmm…”

  “I was thinking that too!”

  “Conser—what? What do you even mean!?” Soma let out an angry sigh more akin to a growl. “Are you trying to rob me or not!? Look, I don’t care at this point, I won’t call the cops, just take what you want and go!”

  “Sis, I think he’s getting mad.”

  “I can tell,” Kiana replied, sighing as she gently pushed Diana out of the way. “Very well, Earthling. I am the Lunar Rabbit Kiana, and this is my twin sister, Diana.” Kiana crossed her arms. “I do not know what you mean by ‘rob me,’ but fret not. We mean you no harm, Earthling.”

  "…So why am I chained up in my chair, exactly? God forbid how you did it!”

  “Well, magic, duh!” Diana exclaimed. Soma’s expression blanked.

  “…Huh!? That doesn’t explain a damn thing!”

  “Likely, this Earthling has not encountered Lunarian magic before, Diana,” Kiana explained.

  Amongst other things!?

  “But before that, we cannot risk proceeding without the proper countermeasures,” she continued while Diana tilted her head curiously. “Fufu… worry not, my dear sister. I have a foolproof spell that can charm any Earthling, or so my tomes say! He’ll be under my command in no time.”

  Soma’s face paled. As quickly as things had moved along, it was hard to forget or disprove her use of magic. If she truly did claim to have such a spell…

  “Ohh! That’s my sister for you!” Diana clapped her hands excitedly. “I’ll leave it to you then~” Kiana gave her a proud smile, conjuring another ball of light much like the one from which she had called her staff. But as it took shape… Soma felt like his head would explode.

  “Behold, the spellbook from which I learned such a spell. Earthling magic is truly special, is it not~?”

  Soma recognized that ‘spellbook,’ and knew it was no spellbook at all. What she held in her hand was, in fact, a manga—a Japanese comic, for the uneducated—and a romcom at that.

  “That’s—” Soma began, only to be interrupted as Kiana took his cheek in her hand without warning. She leaned in close, close, closer, far past the boundaries of his personal space. “Wait, what are you—”

  And without a word, she pressed her lips to his in a kiss.

  Not just any kiss, either. Without hesitation, this strange bunny girl pressed her lips fully into his, her soft, delicate lips taking his in her own. Soma’s face brightened to the color of a tomato, caught off guard by the sudden gesture. His heart rate accelerated, now pounding like a drum as the adrenaline raced through him. Meanwhile, her small and dainty hand continued to caress his cheek.

  At last, Kiana pulled away, a faint strand of saliva stretching between her lips and his. His jaw dropped, no words leaving his lips as he stared at her in a mix of shock and bewilderment.

  "There. With that, this Earthling is under my command~” Kiana claimed, proudly flipping back one of her lengthy twin tails. Diana looked curiously at Soma in the meantime, tilting her head once more.

  “Are you sure? He looks more paralyzed to me.”

  “Hm hm. Merely a side effect. The spell takes time to take effect, of course.” Kiana turned back to Soma, and with a smile, took him by the chin with the tip of her index finger. “Isn’t that right, Earthling~?”

  “D-Did you just… without… Did you just kiss me!?” Like an angry dog, he barked his words at her, flailing in his chair. “That’s sexual assault, you freak!”

  Kiana’s face turned blank. Diana blinked. Soma could only stare in disbelief.

  “U-Um. Y-You understand, right, Earthling…?”

  “N-No!? I don’t understand a goddamn thing that has happened since you got here!”

  “Kiana, I don’t think it worked.”

  “But… But it’s foolproof… Why!?” Kiana fell back in shock as Diana smiled awkwardly at her twin. “D-Diana, you try!”

  “Okay~”

  “What!? Can you stop igno— Don’t you dare—!”

  Diana took his cheeks, her hands more intense than her sister’s. With a playful smile, she closed in for the kiss. Just like Kiana before her, Diana fearlessly pressed her lips into his. Unlike Kiana however, her attempt was more forceful and assertive, pushing herself against him while he was pressed into his chair. She pulled away slowly, licking her lips as she looked him in the eyes.

  “How do you feel?”

  “I… I don’t even know how to answer that.”

  “Do you want to worship, love, and adore me as your newfound master?”

  “N-No?”

  “Didn’t work, Kiana.”

  “But that’s…!?” Kiana collapsed to her knees. “D-Diana… I believe that this Earthling… is on another level…”

  “E-Eh!?”

  “What? Okay, stop, stop, just…”

  Soma froze mid-sentence. His eyes shot towards the manga still in Kiana’s hand. The gears in his head began to turn, clicking together until…

  “Hmph.” At that moment, Soma’s lips curled into his best attempt at a cocky grin. Caught off guard, both bunny girls looked at him, surprised. “She’s right, you know,” He began, “You see… I… am just an ordinary human, trying to blend in as a side character!”

  Diana was unphased. Unsurprising, of course, as she lacked the knowledge her sister seemed to have, but she was not his target. When she turned to Kiana for guidance… the smaller rabbit girl’s face had turned pale white.

  “B-But that means…!” Kiana began, stepping back in fear. Diana’s eyes widened in alarm, looking between the two of them in bewilderment.

  “That’s right. I’ve been hiding my true power all along.” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs (thankfully unbound by the chains). “You two have amused me for the time being, but I… am growing, uh… weary. Yeah. You see, I am a special… Earthling… who died and was reborn as… an Isekai protagonist, meaning that I have suuuper awesome overpowered abilities!” He resisted the urge to cringe at his own words, but they seemed to have the desired effect.

  “T-The Isekai protagonist!?”

  “I-Is that bad!?”

  “It… It could not be worse!”

  He had no idea where he was going with this. Any sane person would see through his bluff in an instant. But… either they were playing along with him, rendering his plan moot, or they were actually falling for it. So maybe, just maybe, he could…

  …I don’t know, actually. I doubt the police can do anything , he realized. Whatever, I’ll figure it out as I go. He cleared his throat. “So why, exactly, should I not… deliver retribution for this affront? Kissing without consent is a crime here on Earth, after all.”

  “Um—”

  “W-Well—”

  “Okay I’ll spell it out for you—let me out of these damn chains already! …B-Before I let myself out, that is.” Kiana and Diana shared a look. They stepped away, reconvening a distance away from him as they whispered to each other in secret. Before long, the chains receded back to wherever they came from as the bunny girls returned, rendering him free at last. With a sigh, he stood up and stretched, before glaring at the two rabbits.

  “Okay! Thank you. Now that that’s been dealt with… why exactly are you two in my house?” It was clear they weren’t robbers, nor did they… seem to mean him harm. He could forgive the kissing, awkward and uncomfortable as it was. Truthfully, at this point, he just wanted this over with. The two rabbits—who continued to keep their distance—watched him nervously, as skittish as the creatures they resembled. “Look. I’m not gonna hurt you or something.” Not that I could if I wanted to… “But like. This is my house . Why are you here?”

  “Well…” Kiana began. “That would be because—”

  “We were hungry,” Diana answered instead, cutting Kiana off. Kiana froze suddenly, before her face turned bright red with embarrassment. Diana seemed far less bothered, offering a shrug instead.

  “…What are you two, strays off the street?” Soma muttered, crossing his arms. Maybe wild animals weren't too off the mark after all… Although it was a joke, the look they gave him made him wonder if he wasn’t too far off the mark. He pursed his lips.

  "We… are…” Kiana began, once more taking the spotlight. Her eyes darted back and forth, clearly trying to think of an answer. Her eyes suddenly lit up with an epiphany. “…Ambassadors sent from the moon to explore and engage in Earthling culture!”

  “…We are?” Diana asked, only for Kiana to elbow her. Soma raised an eyebrow.

  “…Right,” Soma replied, crossing his arms. “Go on?” Emboldened, Kiana regained her earlier confidence, stepping forward with a smile.

  “Us Lunarians have been split off from Earth for so long that we have no idea what human culture is like! As our celestial neighbors, it only makes sense for us to get to know each other.” Kiana then pointed a dramatic finger at Soma. “And you are our point of first contact!” Soma glanced at Diana, who could only offer a shrug.

  “So… what does that mean?”

  “It means we would like to work with you!” Kiana crossed her arms and nodded confidently. “A powerful ally like you working with diligent lunar rabbits like us would be the best of both worlds. We would have a place to stay, and you would get two capable assistants for your ordinary life!”

  “…Um.” Soma blinked. “Are you… is that… huh.” He considered it for a time. Did he really trust these two idiotic, suspicious, supernatural rabbit girls? He looked first at Kiana, and then at Diana. He fell quiet as Kiana and Diana shared a nervous look with each other.

  “…From the moon, you said?” Soma asked, at last breaking the silence. Kiana nodded. “And you aren’t lying about that? Really, genuinely from the moon, exploring space and all that?”

  “Of course!” Kiana replied, tilting her head. “What reason would there be to lie about that?”

  Soma took a deep breath.

  “Then you can stay… on one condition.” Kiana and Diana’s eyes both lit up at his words.

  “I want you to take me to the moon.”