While cleaning Yūko’s warehouse, Watanuki encounters Akari, a cat-woman carrying a paper lantern. She appears every year at this time. She gives Watanuki the "ground cherry" lantern and disappears. Yūko tells Watanuki and Dōmeki to attend a celebration with the lantern. They join a procession of monsters, all holding similar lanterns and arrive at a giant blossoming tree. Watanuki lets go of the lantern and they are recognised as humans. The Monsters chase them, but they are helped by the Karatsutengu of Ame-warashi but still cannot escape. At the last minute, they are saved by the little fox to whom Watanuki gave the arrow of virtue. The tree fills the lantern with nectar which is why Yūko sent them on the dangerous errand.