Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

...It’s a normal day outside. Sunny, kinda mild. Mm... Living out here sure is fun. Quiet, too, as well as being peaceful. Though it does mean I have to frequently get some kind of travel since it’s a long distance to walk somewhere more populated... or more like it’d be awkward to walk, too. 

I look out upon the grassy yet somewhat mountainous planes, contemplating. About my life. About my friends. About my family. 

… 

You know-.

“Hey, Rajime?” Someone speaks up, catching my attention. I look over to see my friend, Kolar Relay. He’s a relatively well-built guy. Younger than I am, obviously, but still. He’s got slightly messy oceanic blue hair, his eyes being the same colour due to the ‘special contacts’ he wears. Fair skin, too. 

...Normally, a blue eye would be like... light blue, I think? I mean, I’ve got blue eyes myself, but I don’t wear contacts. Kolar’s eyes’re a dark blue, you see. Hence why I mentioned ‘special contacts’, but I doubt he even wears contacts, honestly. 

Regardless, I’m getting off-topic, aren’t I? He’s got a yellow jacket on, with a black stripe pattern down the sleeves, though he also wears yellow short shorts, as well as black and yellow gloves. Now, see, here’s the thing. He’s got metal legs from the thigh down. It’s... uh... kinda because of his parents, or something. He was in an accident, apparently, so his legs needed replacing. Somehow, he ended up with those. 

...Medical technology frightens me, sometimes... like... you see what I mean? How the hell do they just magically make stuff like this work ? It doesn’t help how Kolar’s ‘feet’ are curved. No, seriously, even his feet aren’t there. It’s unnerving because he doesn’t wear shoes. 

Ah... I’m getting distracted, aren’t I? I should introduce myself, too. I’m... Rajime, I guess. Rajime Naga... though my actual birth name is Rajimarin, everyone calls me either ‘Marin’ or ‘Rajime’ instead, because it’s easier. 

...I don’t know why Rajimarin’s my birth name, honestly... I mean, if I could, I’d ask my dad or mom, but... uh... 

… 

I’d rather not talk about those. Because I can’t ask them for anything ever again. It’s... a complicated situation.  

...Why’m I having the thought to introduce myself, anyway...? 

Oh, right, I was answering Kolar. Silly me. “Yeah, Kolar?” 

“Do you um... do you ever wear anything less gaudy than that...?” He gestures to my current outfit. Ah. Right, my outfit. Yeah, sometimes it’s called gaudy, and I can see why .  

...I wear a t-shirt that’s vaguely reminiscent of the Windows logo. Y’know, the red, blue, green, and yellow square thing? Yeah, that. I wear black-and-white shorts that just barely cover my knees, which’re split perfectly down the middle. 

...I also have a cap in the same style. Half black, half white... I’ve got blonde hair, too, and blue eyes as I’ve mentioned prior. 

Oh, did I mention my ribbons? My snakelike ribbons? Guess it’s ironic, given my last name, haha... 

Well, yeah, I have ribbons practically coiling around my arms and legs. They’re a pale blue, having this weird texture to them which makes them look thick, when in actuality they’re really thin. They look bumpy, but they’re incredibly smooth. 

...I like conflicting things, you see. Like, two things that just... contrast with one another, make you feel like you’re seeing something completely surreal... 

Anyways, let’s answer back. “...Not really.” 

“You’ll never catch him wearing anything that isn’t that. Trust me, I’ve tried, Kolar.” Trish tacks in to subtly jab at me. Oh, right, there’s someone else here. Trish Naga, my older sister, and uh... my only real family. Y’know, the only one I have left, given my... family’s status...  

Unlike me, she’s dressed really plainly. Just favouring a crimson long-sleeved turtleneck sweater, jeans , other than that, she’s plain, seemingly. But she’s really smart. Way smarter than I am.  

...She’s got pink hair and red eyes. Though, in her hair, she’s got these cute little yin-yang hairpins. Oh, and gloves. Black gloves, kinda like Kolar’s, but minus the yellow highlights on the palm bit. 

Anyways, yeah, as I was saying, she’s my older sister. She kinda lives with me, here. I say this, because she frequently goes outside on all sorts of camping trips and to properly get to know the surroundings better. 

...You know, that reminds me. Back home, we used to go camping all the time. I didn’t really like it, but it was good fun because I was with family. Trish was there, too, and she loved it, trust me, she’s a menace when it comes to roasting s’mores. And she does know how to spin a good campfire story, too... 

Oh, right, I... I moved here, from England, to Japan. To the countryside. It’s... nice. Beats moving somewhere more densely populated, like Tokyo. Nearest town or village isn’t that far away, either. Ironically, we moved to the prefecture of Nagano, which I say is ironic given the name of it. Lots of mountains. Pretty nice, honestly.  

And, hey, if we ever need something, Suwa’s not too far away. Relatively big city, but not too big, which is good. One of the more important shrines, the Suwa Grand Shrine is down there, too. There’s a lake also, which is... cool. Me and Trish live up on the mountains. Kolar’s more of a city boy though. 

...I’m still surprised we managed to get a home like this, up on this mountain. It’s got a nice view and it’s pretty big. 

Trish’s room is a constant mess, though. I keep mine clean. 

Y’know, that’s another thing. Me and Trish have this whole ‘conflicting existence’ thing going on around us... 

...Ah... I think I’m getting distracted with my own thoughts, aren’t I? Whoops. 

“Hey, Rajime, you’re spacing out.” Trish lightly slaps me on the face. “Don’t be rude.” 

“Wha-. Hey, hey!” I flail my arms, then go to slap her back as Kolar sighs. “I was thinkin’ about things, sis...!” 

“Sure you were.” She snorts, rolling her eyes. “Thinking about girls, I bet.” 

“...Trish, my mind’s not freakin’ dirty like that. Y’know these things.” I dryly stare at her, shaking my head. “Anyways, what were you going on about, Kolar? My clothes being too gaudy?” 

He jumps once he realised I regarded him, before he sighs out. “Y-Yeah, I... you just wear too gaudy of clothing. You stand out... a lot. Especially when you go into the markets and stuff...” 

...That’s true. But people do seem to like my outfit. “...People like how I dress, though.” 

“Yeah, because you look like you just walked out of a play or something.” Trish snorts yet again, giving my clothes a jab. 

“Yeah, and you look like a plain feakin’ Jane!” I jab her clothing choices, too! I can do that! You aren’t special...! 

“...Uh-huh.” She doesn’t care though. Big sisters, everybody. They’re cheeky. 

Kolar sighs, looking between us both. “Honestly, I-I'm... I’m worried that one day, you two’ll snap and start fighting with each other...” 

Trish raises a brow as she looked over at him in confusion. “Really, now? Kolar, you see, this is simple sibling banter. We’re not at each other’s throats.” 

“R-Right, right, I...” He pouts. “Not that I’d know how having a sibling feels like...” 

Oh, right, he’s the only son of his family. That uh... huh. Not sure how I forgot about that... 

Actually... “Say, Trish, you speakin’ about girls reminded me...” 

“Oh? So you were thinking about girls.” She grins, thinking she’s got me. 

“Oh, no, not at all.” I grin back, putting my hands behind my head. “There was this girl who came to visit the other day while you were out. Said she wanted to ‘see what was up with that weird house sitting by itself everyone talks about up on the mountain’, which of course, was our house.” 

“...Really? Someone actually got curious enough to wander up here?” Trish raises her brows, looking genuinely surprised. Yeah. “...Sheesh, guess we do stand out a bit up here, though. She a local, or...?” 

“Nope.” I shake my head. That’s the kicker! That girl was no local! She was from uh... Kanto, I think. Yeah, that Kanto area... just like... around there. Somewhere. Saitama, maybe...? Either that or Kawasaki... or somewhere else. Those two cities are the only ones I really know, in that region. Well-. Actually, I know Tokyo’s there, too, so... three, more like. “Kanto region. That’s what she told me when I asked her if she was a local or not.” 

“...Kanto?” Kolar’s tilting his head, this time. “That’s... huh. She must’ve gotten the train to Suwa, or something, but why’d she want to check your house specifically...?” 

Well... uh... “...She’s obsessed with the occult. Like-. Really obsessed, from what I could get in her tone.” I rub my chin. What was her name again...? Sumireko, if I recall...? “I~… I think her full name was Sumireko Usami? I’m not too sure on that, frankly. But she did give me her number.” 

“...You sly dog.” Trish begins smirking. “Wow. Not even been here for a few months and a random girl, not even a local to this prefecture , or from Suwa at that, gives you her number.” 

“I didn’t hit on her, by the way.” I decide to quickly put that out there just to reassure Kolar. “I’m not some lustful degenerate now, am I? Besides, I’m not seductive . You’re the more seductive of us both, Trish.” 

...The remark makes her get a good laugh out of that as she reels back, roaring with laughter. “Ahahahahahahaha~! O-Ohohoho! Man, that’s rich, coming from you !” 

Kolar gives her a worried glance, before trying to snap his fingers through his gloves, only to remember he still has gloves on for some reason. “O-Oh, um...” He stares at his gloves, quickly taking them off and placing them neatly in his pockets, then furrowed his brows. “But... Sumireko... Mmm... I swear, I’ve heard that name somewhere before...” 

“You have?” I tilt my head at him. 

“Well-. I don’t know if I-… If I have heard of her exactly, or not, but the name just sounds... weirdly familiar to me.” He thinks on it some more, glancing out the nearby window every now and then. 

...It never occurred to me to describe this room we’re in, did I? It’s a living room. We live in it. When we’re not asleep, that is. It’s traditional, as in wood floors and paper walling, oddly enough. I don’t know how these people make their buildings as well as they do, but the architecture styles interested me nonetheless. 

Back in England, we’d never get this kind of architecture. Namely because it rains. A lot. In fact, whenever it doesn’t rain, we just go ‘huh, that’s weird’ before continuing on with our day. It’s... really, really weird. 

But it helps to be exposed to new things, I guess... You know, this reminds me of a shrine’s interior, or a traditional Shinto shrine anyway, from pictures I’ve seen online. 

...It’s pretty nice, actually... 

...Right, anyways, uh... Kolar. “You think her name’s familiar? Uh... Internet, maybe?” 

He stares at me briefly, before clicking his tongue. “Ah, right! That’s where I heard of her! Online, yeah, yeah, now I remember...” Snapping his fingers, he tilts his head from side to side. “Yeah, it’s as you said, she’s obsessed with the occult, but she’s like... been to really weird places.” 

Taking a deep breath, he continues. “The uh... the places she goes to, I... It looks like Japanese countryside, but not. She also kinda claims that magic’s real and she’s some kinda psychic. I think.”  

“Oooh, psychic, huh.” Trish snorts, rolling her eyes. “Sure, magic’s real. Sure, she’s a psychic. Pfft.” 

“I mean...” I tilt my head from side to side. “That kinda thing interests me, honestly. Psychic stuff, magic, all of it.” 

“...It would.” Trish dryly stares at me, before sighing. “But still, uh... go on, Kolar.” 

“Right, right, I...” He trails off. “She’s kind of a big person on the whole occult part of social media, and stuff. She posts these really weird pictures, like... glowing orbs, really complex patterns of what look like magic bullets, orbs, rings, blades...” 

“Whoa, whoa, hold on, what?” I furrow my brows. “Do you uh... do you have any of these pictures on hand, or...?” 

“...I mean... it’s kinda similar to the kinda patterns you’d see in a bullet hell or something.” Kolar shrugs. “Search one of those up and you’ll see what I mean.” 

...I’ll keep it in mind then. “Uh-huh... so why would she come here...?” 

“Maybe she thought we were some kind of magical people , or something.” Trish jokes, shrugging. “But seriously, I dunno.” 

“Maybe she thought it was abandoned, or something?” I suggest myself. “Like... she said people talked about our house, up here. So she came by to have a look, despite it being up on a mountain, so she was clearly determined to look around here...” 

Kolar thinks on it also, humming. “...She gave you her number, didn’t she?” 

Ah... Oh, yeah, she did. I nearly forgot about that, whoops... “Uh... yeah, why?” 

“She might want to keep in some kind of contact with you. Maybe she thinks you’re some kind of, oh, I don’t know, youkai?” Kolar offhandedly offers his opinion, grinning. “I mean, what with the way you’re dressed, and all, you know...?” 

Oh, youkai? That’s... interesting, actually. “You mean those weird creatures from Japan’s mythology?” 

“Mmh.” He nods, looking out the window. “To be fair, you have the look of a youkai down, I-I think...? Especially with the... the house up on the mountain part, you’ve got the location down, too...” 

“Oh, boy, we’re considered cryptids. Nice.” Trish begins laughing once again, slapping her knee. “A~h. Good to know the locals hold us highly.” 

“...You’re both cryptids.” Kolar deadpans. “Contrasting p-personalities and um... outfits, and everything...” 

...True enough, I suppose. I brush my hair to the side idly, nodding in agreement. 

… 

“Ah...” Kolar suddenly realises something, his eyes widening. “I-. My parents’re probably wondering where I am, right now...” 

Oh, shoot, yeah, that’s right. I nearly forgot that Kolar doesn’t get to spend a lot of time up here, with us, but uh... yeah. “You should probably get going back home.” I look out the window again. “Guess the sun’ll start to go down soon, huh?” 

“Y-Yeah, I... sorry, I really want to stay longer, with you two, but...” He pouts, looking down. “School’s annoying...” 

“It is.” Trish folds her arms. “I mean, I don’t know the feeling, having graduated high school, neither does Rajime, but... y’know.” 

“Right... the school system’s different between here and England, isn’t it...?” Kolar blinks slowly, standing up and adjusting his hoodie, before throwing his black hood over his head. “It’s gonna get cold... s-so... bye guys.” 

“Bye.” I wave him off cheerfully as Trish just silently nods her head. 

Smiling, he leaves. I hear the front door open, then shut. Trish gets up and walks over to lock it...  

… 

I’m left alone in the living room. I close my eyes. Sumireko... Magic... Hmm. It’s weird.  

...That reminds me... I think I gave her my number, too. I actually made the smart decision of investing in a phone, whilst Trish got a computer. We kinda share both, so... 

I wonder if-. 

Bzzzzt!  

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. That... is one hell of a coincidence. I just remembered I gave Sumireko my number, now my phone rings... Ah... 

Reaching into my pocket, I produce my ringing phone, yet also pull out the slip of paper Sumireko gave me. The one with her number on. It’s better to write it down than just saying it to someone, since they can forget if they don’t write it down either. 

Flipping open my phone, I... ah, okay then. 

It is Sumireko who’s calling me. That’s uh... huh. Wow, that’s a really big coincidence. 

Well, might as well answer. It’d be rude to leave her hanging... “Hello?” 

“Hi!” I’m immediately greeted with her voice. The one I remember her having, anyway. “This is... Rajime, right?” 

“...Yeah. Sumireko?” I tilt my head to the side.  

“Mhm!” So it is her... alright, good. It isn’t a stranger calling me then. 

“Why’re you calling me, exactly...?” I wonder, idly scratching my neck with my free hand as Trish comes back into the room. 

“Oh, you know, just figured I might as well say hey, right?” She partially explains. “And to say thanks for letting me have a look around your home earlier, too.” 

“Ah, uh... You’re welcome?” I grin awkwardly, as Trish silently rolls her eyes at my awkwardness. I wasn’t entirely the best at talking to people. Sis is the one who primarily does the talking and stuff. 

I hear humming from the other end of the phone before Sumireko continues. “So I just wanted to ask you about a few things, too...” 

Oh, that figures. Okay, well... “Shoot away. I’m willing to answer if uh... if the questions aren’t, y’know, personal.” 

“Yeah, I know.” I hear her chuckle from the other end. “Firstly! Why live up on the mountain? It sticks out like a sore thumb and there’s been some rumours going around in Suwa about you guys, saying you’re ‘modern youkai’ or something.” 

People consider me and Trish to be youkai...? Huh, that’s a first... “Well... it’s quiet. It’s also got a nice view and... y’know, not having to deal with the hustle and bustle of city life’s there as a benefit, too.” 

“I can get that! Kanto’s a rea~lly popular place, as you know. Tokyo’s over here, as is Yokohama. So it gets busy a lot.” Sumireko brings up a valid point. “So, over there isn’t as busy as it is over here, but I understand what you mean regardless.” 

“Right...” I click my tongue. “Next question?” 

“Alright! What’s with your outfit?” A question about my clothes, huh... “Are they like... custom-made, or something? Why does your sister wear such plain clothes?” 

“To answer the first question, yeah, my clothes’re custom-made for me. More specifically my ribbons, because you won’t really see those in a department store or something.” I think about the next question as I hear her muttering words of understanding on the other end. “The second...? Well, me and Trish, um... we have this weird duality going on between us. I wear elaborate clothes, she wears extremely plain ones. I’m passive and tidy, she’s a bit chaotic and messy. You get what I mean, right?” 

“Ah, contrast, right, gotcha...” I hear her write something down. 

“What’re you writing over there?” Might as well ask, right? No harm no foul, as they say... 

“Just your answers to these questions, so I can make a blog post later about you two.” Oh. She’s... writing a blog post about us, apparently. “You two’d probably make for an interesting topic anyway, right? Trish, uh... she doesn’t mind, does she?” 

...I raise a brow at Trish as I remove my phone from my ear. “Do you mind if Sumireko posts a blog post about us...?” 

“...Not really.” She shakes her head. Ah, alright... 

“No, she doesn’t mind. She’s in the room with me.” I put the phone back to my ear to inform Sumireko.  

“Alright! Tell her I said thanks!” I hear her practically beaming on the other end. “Of course, consent’s everything for weird stuff like this! You two aren’t locals, right?” 

“...Nope.” I respond, my grin picking up more and more. “We’re from the west. England specifically, so... you know. Really far away.” 

“That is pretty far, huh...” She mutters something, before writing it down. “You know, I’ve had this thought on my mind, but you two remind me of a yin-yang. You’re the yang, Rajime, whilst your sister’s the yin.”  

...Yin-yang...? “As in that weird black and white circle thing?” 

“Mmm.” She just gives an affirmative hum. “It comes up a bit in the occult fandom, heh... Though it’s uh... more of a Chinese thing than a Japanese thing, the yang, you, represents stuff like being bright, positive, and masculine. Fits you pretty well, doesn’t it?” 

“...That does sound like me.” I actually consider it, as Trish raises a brow. 

“The hell’re you two talking about?” She wants to know, too. 

Ah... I take the phone from my ear to tell her. “The yin-yang circle thing. Sumireko says I’m like a yang whilst you’re a yin. She said the yang’s positive, bright, and masculine.” 

“...Yeah, no, you’re definitely the yang.” Trish snorts. “What’s the yin, then?” 

I put the phone back to my ear, only to hear Sumireko trying to see if I was listening. “Hello? Rajime?” 

“Sorry, sorry, just had to talk to Trish for a moment... What’s the yin represent?” I apologise, but still keep my cool. 

“Well, it represents the opposite. The yin’s negative, dark, and feminine.” Sumireko elaborates further. A~h, right, that’s definitely Trish, then. 

“So what’s a yin, then? She tell you or what?” Trish raises a brow. 

I talk back to her. “She said the yin represents the exact opposite. So... negativity, dark, and feminine. That’s definitely you.” 

“Oh, yeah, that really is me.” Trish gets a chuckle out of it. “I’m not an ass, though.” 

Oh, no. “Definitely not.” 

“Even though you two contrast each other so much, it still sounds like you’re a perfect match for one another. Yeah, no, you two really are siblings.” Sumireko comments on how I just spoke to Trish.  

“Right?” I chuckle a bit, as does Sumireko herself. “We also have this friend called Kolar, who lives in Suwa. Nice enough guy, though his legs’re metal from the thigh down because he was in an accident.” 

“Really? Huh, I think I heard about that, actually... It was a car crash or something, and some high schooler lost both his legs because of it. It was pretty brutal.” Sumireko brings up, which I furrow my brows at. 

“Huh... I heard he was in an accident, but...” I trail off, thinking about it some more. 

Trish has her brow raised again at me, folding her arms quietly. 

“You didn’t know? How long ago did you move there, to Suwa?” Sumireko questions me a bit more. 

“Only a few months ago.” I answer. Moving here to begin with was a bit chaotic, that’s all I remember about it. “About two or three.” 

“Oh. That accident was about eight months ago, then, so you wouldn’t have outright heard about it from the news or something.” Sumireko explains so I can understand why we never really heard any specifics about Kolar’s accident. “Still, it’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? How they were able to give him fake legs like that. Work just as good as real ones despite being big, thick strips of metal.” 

“...Medicinal technology terrifies me, honestly.” I give my opinion on the matter, awkwardly chuckling. “Half the things you can do and with all the various medicines in existence, I... It’s amazing, yet frightening, just what humans can do.” 

“Mhm~.” She laughs again herself. “I see what you mean. It’s interesting but pretty unnerving, the potential of the human mind, isn’t it?”  

Guess so. “Yeah, I suppose...” 

“Well...” I hear her begin a sentence, sighing. “I might as well stop bothering you. It’s getting pretty late, after all.” 

Right, right... yeah, I look out the window. It is starting to approach evening hours... It does get pretty dark in here at night, when we don’t have the lights on. 

“Right... Well, this was a nice chat anyway.” I smile. “Thanks for calling, Sumireko.” 

“Hey, just call me Sumi, alright?” I hear her snort from the other end. “Feels weird being called by my full first name. It’s what everyone else calls me.” 

“...Right, Sumi.” I chuckle again myself, scratching my neck gingerly.  

“Anyways, talk to you later, bye~!” Ending it off on a cheery tone, she hangs up. I remove my phone from my ear finally, being able to switch it off and slide it in my pocket. 

“...What was that about? Something about Kolar?” Trish decides to question me now that I’m not talking to Sumi anymore. 

“Ah... it’s just about his accident. Apparently, uh...” I glance out the window. “It was some freak car accident that happened a couple of months before we got here. Like five or so months. He lost both his legs from it.” 

“That so...?” Closing her eyes, sis seems to give it some thought. “I mean... yeah, sometimes, people talked about road safety and used some ‘big accident eight months ago’ they kept talking about as an example, whenever I went down to Suwa for groceries or whatever.” 

That’s... true, actually. I overheard some of that myself, but I never could figure out what people were talking about... It made me feel stupid, for not knowing, but now that I know... I get why people don’t talk about it so... openly.  

… 

We stare at each other momentarily, before Trish sighs. “Should we just skip dinner tonight...? I’m not necessarily that hungry, you know.” 

...To be honest? “Yeah, I’m not that hungry either.” 

“Right.” She nods, grinning. “Maybe we should just go to bed, then. Getting late, might as well get a good night’s sleep, for once...” 

Nodding in wholehearted agreement, I stand, beginning to move for my room. “Mhm. Night, Trish.” 

“...Night.” She says goodnight too, before heading off to the chaotic mess that is her bedroom. 

My bedroom’s nothing too special... It’s really clean, I have a desk with paper and pens and stuff on it, neatly organised, my closet, u~m... Oh, there’s a lamp here, and a bed with a white sheet. I... try to keep it relatively clean in here. 

...Now, while I would have a futon, I settled for keeping ties with the west, besides, I don’t see the appeal of sleeping so low to the ground anyway. I prefer sturdy beds much more. 

I know Trish sleeps in a futon, though. It’s especially weird, given how much of a mess her bedroom actually is ... 

Taking my shoes and hat off, I hop into bed, staring up at the ceiling as I slowly drift to sleep. I don’t even bother checking my phone for things like the weather tomorrow, either. I have a feeling I’m not gonna be doing anything tomorrow... 

Though, as I fall asleep, I could swear I heard a door opening, but I just figure it’s Trish making sure I’m asleep... 

I awaken slowly to a cool breeze. Did Trish open my bedroom window, or something...? I... It’s chilly...  

“What the hell...? Sis...?” I look around, rubbing my eyes. Slowly opening said eyes, I find myself to be in... uh... 

...This isn’t my bedroom.  

… 

I’m in the middle of the woods. What...? 

I feel myself. I’ve got everything on me. I have my shoes and my hat on. I feel my phone in my short pocket. 

Tiredly, I rub my forehead. “Where am I...?” 

Well, it’s a forest, there’s trees, but everything about this just feels... wrong. Weird, even. There’s some weird luminosity to the trees, and from what I can tell by looking at the sky, it’s night. 

...Or I think it’s night, anyway. It’s hard to see through the treetops... 

“What...” I look around, squinting. It’s... really dark. Extremely dark, actually. “What happened last night...?” 

It’s dark, but there’s faint particles of things flying around. I think... I think they’re fireflies, or something. Is this a dream? 

...I pinch myself to check-. 

Ow! Ow... Okay, yeah, no, this isn’t a dream. 

...At least that perked me up a bit, though. Ahah...  

Okay, so... important question first... where am I? What led to me coming here? Why am I here...? 

I... heard a door open, in my room, last night. I figured it was Trish, but... no. I don’t think it was. She wouldn’t check if I was asleep, like that. Maybe... 

...Oh. Maybe... Maybe I’ve been kidnapped and just dumped in the woods, for some reason. Uh... that’s pretty weird though.  

As I walk by on my own, rubbing my arms every now and then due to the odd cool breeze that blew by, I notice voices or... something in the woods. I stop, trying to get a better listen... 

“He~y...” It sounds like a young girl, from what I can tell. Maybe around her early teens? “I thought I heard someone out here... but there’s nobody. Darn... I knew it was a human, too!” 

...Eh...? Why specify that last part? Why is it so important? 

I peek out from around the tree I’m behind, to see more trees, and a bit of a clearing. Where I woke up. It’s some girl who looks like a child, with blonde hair like mine, but her eyes’re a deep red. She’s got a black and white dress on, plus there’s some weird red and white ribbon in her hair. 

...I also note the fact that her arms are weirdly held out as far as they could to her left and right. It makes her look like she’s acting like the letter ‘T’ when capitalised. It’s... weird. 

Weird to look at, I mean. I don’t know this girl, maybe she isn’t weird and she’s just speaking weird because she’s tired, or something... 

Just a thought. 

I debate internally whether or not I should approach this girl... then I notice something that should’ve been glaringly obvious from the get go. She’s flying .  

...No, seriously, she’s floating. In the air. Like she’s on some... invisible cross , or something. 

I’m also too stupid to realise that she’s looking this way. At me . “There you are~! Ahaha!” 

...I’ve been spotted... Damn. “...What... are you...?” 

She doesn’t even respond to me, but I notice the fact it’s gotten considerably darker a lot quicker. I can barely make out anything, that’s how dark it got... Okay, stay alert, I just need to-. 

Ah, there, I hear a whoosh to my right-.  

I deftly tumble backwards, rolling onto my knees awkwardly after doing a full roll as that ‘girl’ lunges at me from the shadows. Okay, what the hell was that for?! 

“Whoa, whoa!” I go wide-eyed, standing up properly again. “What was that for?!” 

“How could he dodge like that...?” She still seems to ignore my questions. “I thought nobody could see in my darkness!” 

Uh, honey, it’s called ‘paying attention to your surroundings and noises at any given moment’. It’s how I dodged that lunge of yours. 

...Of course, I don’t openly say that since I’m particularly alarmed right now.  

It’s still very, very dark though. “Who are you?!” 

“Can you please just sit still, right there, so I can eat you?” The ‘girl’ pleaded, going for another lunge as I roll to the right, dodging her. “Why’re you so good at dodging~?! It’s not fair~!” 

“As many people would say, it’s a skill difference!” I yell like a cheeky bastard, grinning. “You can’t hit me-.” 

Whilst I’m talking like an idiot , she lunges straight for me again, barely grazing the right of my torso. I-. Ooh, that stings, actually...! “Ah...!” 

“Is that so~?” Her voice sounds slightly condescending, for some reason... Mmgh... Ow, ow ow... 

I try to ignore the pain, opting to focus on any noise she made. I hear a whoosh to my back , and I whip around, throwing my fist out on instinct since this is a life or death situation . Didn’t she say she was going to eat me, or something?! 

The moment I do so-. 

Fwam!  

A large cylinder-like blast comes out of my fist, making me double-take. It dispels most of the darkness immediately, making everything barely visible again, even though there wasn’t that much of a difference, and it hit the girl sending her flying-. 

“Aaaaah!” She screams, as-. 

Bam!  

She goes flying into a tree. I... okay, that looked like it genuinely hurt, for her. 

But... still, what the hell was that?! “I-I-. What was that?!” 

I look at my hand in complete bewilderment as that girl picks herself from the tree slowly, whining. “Ooow... That hurt...! Meanie!” 

“Says the girl who’s trying to eat me, apparently...!” I shoot back, but decide to make the most of that random ‘attack’ of mine. I... I have no genuine idea what that was, but I can use it to my advantage. “There’s more of those where it came from! Just leave me alone...!” 

“Haaaa~h!” I hear her lunging for me again when-. 

Fwamfwamfwamfwam!  

Several arcs of weird spheres fly into her. They’re large, red orbs which soared out at a pretty fast speed, but disperse and crackle into red energy upon impact with this... person... 

“Ow! W-Who-.” The blonde girl looks around frantically, alarmed as more orbs smack her body, making her glow. “S-Stop it, I-.” 

FWAM!  

A large, relatively long red orb sends her flying away, into a tree again. This time, though, she doesn’t get up, seemingly unconscious. 

“What...?” I stare at where that girl went, slightly shocked. What just...? 

“Such a poor, innocent youth, being tortured by such a vile, impure creature...” I hear someone sigh out in frustration from above.  

Slowly, this... woman descends from above the treetops, looking rather displeased. She’s got some weird black hat on with a yellow moon visible towards the centre. Attached to it are these fluffy-looking orbs...  

Notably, she’s got very, very long orange hair, which just briefly travels past her back entirely. Her red eyes stare in that... girl’s direction, if it even is a girl or human at this point. Her clothes consisted of this ornate black dress with some yellow rims that I can barely make out in the darkness, though she seems to have a red... tabard on. I can barely make out what’s on it, though. A dark red sash is wrapped tightly around her waist, which gives her a traditional look to her, whilst having an aura of an imperial entity... 

...Being able to tell things from what someone wears is weird, but... her voice sorta reminds me of a mother, for whatever reason. 

“...Are you hurt?” She turns to face me, eyeing my form over. 

“B-Barely...” I stammer out, holding my side as she looks to where I’m clutching. “She clipped me, it... it stings, I...” 

“Hmh...” The woman frowns, glaring in the direction the girl had been launched in. “I suppose you’re quite lucky I came by when I did, young man. I was only passing by on a return trip from somewhere else...” 

Then she notices my clothes, raising a brow slowly. “...Are you from that village?” 

What...? “...What village...?” 

“...Ah.” Her brow lowers as she sighs. “...It appears you’re one of those people. Come with me.” 

Normally I’d argue about trusting a stranger, but... I think she’s the one who helped me out, so I think I can trust her...? 

I move to follow her, but she ends up lifting me off the ground, beginning to fly like that girl was doing as she carried me above the trees. “W-Wha-.” 

“Calm down, it’s alright...” She sighs again, looking down at me. You know, this would be awkward, because I’m pretty tall, but... she’s taller than I am. Or so I observed anyway. It’s the dead of night above the trees, above that... forest. “I won’t drop you. What you’re seeing right now is, in fact, quite real. I will take you to my home. You’re safe, now...” 

...I’m not complaining, but... this is still weird. I... ah... “W-Who are you, anyway...?” 

She pauses, looking ahead as she gently flew in a specific direction. I don’t know if it’s north, east, south, or west, because my sense of direction is screwed right now, but... I think she’s taking me somewhere safe. Keyword being ‘think’. Maybe she has the same agenda as that girl, but she’s more subtle about it. 

… 

After a moment, she glances back at me. “...You may call me Junko. You’ve seem to have stumbled upon some rather unfortunate circumstances...” Sighing, she decides to ask me a question next. “What is your name, young man?” 

Oh, yeah, that’s important. Uh... “...R-… Rajime.” 

“...I see. Rajime.” Junko nods at my name, smiling. “Do not worry, I have no intent of harming you, or doing anything terrible. Are you aware of who that girl was, exactly?” 

“Uhm...” I trail off, looking back in the direction we came from. “...No, not really... I don’t... even know where this is, or why she attacked me like that.” 

“...Ah.” She looks ahead again, calmly humming. “That was a youkai, you see. Not human, as you were presumably thinking.” 

“I-… Youkai?” I stare up at Junko again. She closes her eyes as she keeps flying. “They exist...?” 

“Here, they do. Where you come from, they don’t.” That’s... incredibly vague. “This is a land of magic and fantasy. Where those that are forgotten come... or so I have been told, at least.” 

...I... “W-What does that even mean...?” I’m so confused...! 

She looks down to briefly stare at me in contemplation. “I’m afraid I can’t explain it better than that, sadly, Rajime. What were you doing before you came here?” 

“I... I was just going to sleep.” I shake my head. “I wasn’t doing anything, really...” 

“...Hmm.” Junko thinks on it. “I suppose you may have been spirited away here, then. You are now in a land of fantasy. This land... is called Gensokyo. Though, the location we’re going to... it’s not entirely in Gensokyo. It’s more of a realm called Senkai, you see.” 

“Gensokyo...” I look ahead as I notice that the surroundings abruptly changed, without me even noticing as I stared at Junko prior. I can vaguely make out silhouettes of more mountains, hills, trees, and, you know, general scenery... “Is this Senkai...?” 

“Indeed.” Junko looks ahead still. It’s... still dark, but slightly lighter, I feel like. “It’s quite peaceful here, as no youkai tend to roam this land... Primarily, it’s for hermits, however I am no hermit. Instead, I am a sagacious spirit.” 

Sagacious... “I’m not... too familiar with any of that, but... being sagacious means you’ve got good judgement or something, right...?” I tilt my head. I’ve never heard that word actually be used before, though I’m vaguely familiar of what a sage is. I’m just going off of what I know for that word... 

“In a sense, yes, that is true.” She replies, smiling at me. “However, the true definition of the word ‘sagacious’ means to have or to show keen mental discernment and good judgement... to be wise and shrewd, to simplify it to a purer term.” 

“I... I see...” I awkwardly clutch the side where I was struck. It’s still faintly stinging, but it’s starting to go numb... “Tss...” 

“...Are you alright?” She glances back at me with a look of concern. 

“Yeah, just... it just stings.” I grit my teeth. I’ve scraped my knee and arm and other stuff before. I’ve even banged my hand on things, as well as my head. It stings for a while, but you feel numb after. “Alright otherwise, though...” 

“...That is a relief to hear.” Junko breathes out a sigh of relief as we draw closer to a faintly lit building. I note that there’s quite a lot of mountains around this... Senkai place. 

“Uh... Just asking, but what do you mean by hermit...?” I’m partially curious. She mentioned hermits, didn’t she...? “Like... hermit crabs, or...?” 

“No, but I can see the confusion around that, at least. A hermit...” Junko takes a deep breath, before exhaling. “A hermit is one who lives in solitude, as a religious discipline, or something else entirely. The reasons, you see, sometimes vary. They namely live in a form of seclusion. Though, I suppose, a hermit crab retreating into its shell can be considered a form of recluse.” 

Then, she seems to consider something. “...I suppose I am not too different from a hermit, myself. I live in a form of isolation, out here, but unlike them, I am not entirely secluded or alone, or opposed to having people visit me or actively going and seeking out specific people.” 

Ah... That’s very interesting, actually... I don’t say anything else, just watching as Junko flies over to the building we’ve been approaching the entire time. It’s one lit by candles, it looks like, but the flames of these candles were very visible from a distance... or faintly visible, more like.  

They’re in paper lanterns. Huh... This building strikes me as a very Chinese-styled one... It’s red and white, from what I can gather, with a slanted roof. It’s... also surprisingly large. Very large, actually, I just noticed. Looking around further, or trying to, makes me realise that this building was very long towards the back, though it was also particularly wide... 

“...This is my home.” Junko decides to elaborate for me as she touches down with the ground, the sounds of dress shoes clacking on stone audible... “Are you alright to walk?” 

“Yeah...” I nod as she gently sets me down, allowing me to properly stand. “It’s... uh... It’s pretty big.” 

At my reaction, she giggles. “Yes, it is, is it not? I took inspiration from the buildings one would typically see in the imperial era of China, a long time ago. It faces south, yet it also isn’t just one singular large building. Instead, it is several.” Moving towards the front door, she puts her hands together.  

Then, she notices the look I’m giving it. I’m just... intrigued by the style of architecture. Constructing things always fascinated me, as well as the little intricate things that go behind the construction process that keeps a building stable. “...You seem to be quite curious about it, am I correct?” 

“Ah-. Oh, yeah, um... sorry for staring at it so hard.” I awkwardly scratch my neck, grinning gingerly. “I was just always interested in different styles of buildings, as in their overall design and architecture, you see...” 

“...I’m glad you can appreciate such a structure styled as this, then.” She smiles at my interest in her home, even giving an appreciative nod. “I’m sure you would notice it’s perfectly symmetrical, were you to look down from up high. It is made from a mixture of lumber and stone, you see, the stone for the outer walls and lumber for the ones found inside.” 

I tilt my head. “It... is rather big for you to just be living here, on your own, though...” 

Junko nods at this, staring at the main entrance again. “...That is because, in the past, most of the wings in here would be dedicated to extended family units, though I constructed each of the wings to hold a different purpose. I have a library, my own chambers, a teahouse... various different areas for when I have visitors, you see. I keep it all tidy and clean by myself.” 

“By... By yourself?” For some reason, I have doubts about that... “It’s... really big, I’m imagining cleaning this would take all day...” 

“Hm, hm...” She hums, walking inside as she pushed the doors open. I follow suit behind her, as she had held one door open for me to pass through. “Well, it feels unmistakably pure in here, does it not?” 

...When she mentions it... there’s something about this place. It feels incredibly clean, which, in turn, makes me happier to look at it. More oriental paper lanterns light paths further in, which makes me notice she has a garden full of cherry blossoms in here with paths and benches underneath them. It’s nearly viewing season for those, if I recall... 

“It seems you have noticed, then.” She picks up on the fact I’m eagerly looking around, despite seeming very calm. “...Such is the nature of my ability, you see.” 

“Ability...?” I stare at her in confusion. What does she mean by ability...? 

“...I am able to purify anything. Lifeforce, materials... so long as it has a physical being, I am able to return it to a divine state, so to speak, before these things had a name. The materials you see here are overflowingly pure ones. Perfect, if you will.” She stares ahead at the cherry blossoms, having a larger smile on her face. “Of course, I have used this ability on myself. It is why I was able to easily neutralise that youkai you saw attacking you.” 

Purifying anything... “That sounds like an interesting ability to have...” I comment, considering this with a finger to my chin. “You said you can purify lifeforce...?” 

“Mmm.” Nodding, she turned to face me again. “However... Living beings such as yourself cannot stand being purified, save for very rare circumstances. But there are even fewer who can stand being extremely pure... Though, there is the odd case of fairies.” 

Ah...? “Fairies?” 

“...Fairies are truly strange creatures. They are beings of pure lifeforce, nature, and magic...” Sighing, she places her arms in her sleeves. “...They can work alongside being purified to be even more powerful than before, to, ironically, spread impurities.” 

...

Contemplating, she looks over at me again. “...Would you care for some tea, Rajime? I’m imagining you would prefer some rest, too, after today... Being spirited away the way you have, nearly killed by such a horrific, impure youkai no less...” 

She really likes purity, doesn’t she...? Um... I’d be rude to decline, b-but at the same time, I... erm... I don’t want to leech off of her, or anything... 

My answer...? “Sure...” 

“Very well.” She begins walking off through the garden as I begin following her. The stinging pain in my side’s gone numb, now. Which is a good thing, but... that means the skin there’s gonna bruise. How did they even hit me that hard...? That... girl, I mean, or that youkai girl I mean, more like, since Junko said she was a youkai...  

Sitting down in the teahouse, I find it to be very... oriental. There’re two cushions on the floor to sit on, as well as a relatively low table between the two... I’m sat on one end. I’m just waiting for Junko to return with the tea... 

...My mind drifts to what just happened today. It’s... all gone by so fast, it just feels unreal, you know? First thing’s first, I’m at home with Trish and we’re with Kolar. Then Sumi phones me just sometime after Kolar left... 

We chatted for a bit about me and Trish living up on that mountain, she brought up the yin-yang stuff, I remember that, but... then I went to bed. I heard a door open just as I went to sleep, but I figured that was Trish, then... next thing I know, I wake up in this place called Gensokyo, I get attacked by some youkai girl that looks like a child after a few minutes of walking, and...  

And then I’m saved by this Junko lady who claims to be a sagacious spirit, claiming to have the ability of being able to purify anything... 

… 

It’s... all just so surreal, all of this. Now I’m in Senkai, waiting to be served tea so I can calm down.  

But... I’m focused on one thing. That... that thing I did, to that youkai, just before Junko intervened to protect me... 

It... It was strange. I wanted to punch that youkai, in self-defence though, but instead I did some... weird thing. I launched a weird, large, cylinder-like blast at her... from my fist. I... that wasn’t normal, whatever that was. 

Was... that magic? No, I... I’ve never used any magic in my life, that can’t be right... But... I can’t think of any other explanation for that... 

… 

Regardless... I’m safe, now... I’m safe. I’m safe here. Safe here with a watchful eye on me. Junko seems nice enough, at least, if she’s willing to let me stay here for a while. 

...I can’t stop thinking about how much she reminds me of a mom. It’s... actually vaguely reminiscent of my uh... my mom, before... stuff happened.  

… 

You know, it’s funny. Despite being English, I use the American spelling of ‘mom’. It’s a thing I picked up, I guess... 

Actually, on the note of family, I-… Trish...!  

O-Oh, no, what if she’s here too?! She could be in danger, and-. 

...No, no, she’ll... she’ll be fine, I think. I dunno, I just have this gut feeling. Trish is... way smarter than I am, she can think of someway to survive youkai, I bet... unlike my stupid ass who peeked around a tree for too long and got spotted. 

Ah... I wonder if Kolar got home alright... No doubt he’d be looking for me and Trish tomorrow... 

These-... These really are some bizarre circumstances, aren’t they...? It’s like something out of a manga or anime, if I’m being honest... It’s just so unrealistic, but all of this is definitely real. That pain was real. Junko carrying me softly like that was definitely real. All of this is real.  

… 

Before long, I’m greeted by Junko exiting a nearby side room, carrying a tray. On it was a kettle, alongside two cups. “...My apologies for keeping you waiting, like this, Rajime.” 

“It’s no problem... I’ve just been using that time to think about things.” I smile at her as she approaches, lowering herself to gently set the tray on the table, before taking a seat opposite me. 

“...Things such as...?” She stares at me curiously, proceeding to pour both me and herself a cup. 

“Well... the events leading up to me getting to this point, really. I genuinely wasn’t outside or anything, I was just... sitting at home, with my sister and my friend.” I begin, looking down at my cup as I take it when she passes it towards me. I’m... not entirely too familiar with teas outside of milk tea, really... “...What tea is this, exactly...?” 

“Green tea.” She informs me, before gesturing for me to go on. “Your sister and friend, though? Were they at home with you when you went to bed, or...?” 

“...My sister was, but my friend went home.” I stare into the tea, before deciding to take a sip. It scalds my mouth at first, but... it’s got some flavour to it. I guess drinking milk tea eases you into teas. It’s... really hot, actually, but it is nice. “The tea’s nice, by the way.” 

“...I’m glad you can appreciate it.” Junko smiles, taking a sip herself. “Do you think your sister has ended up here also? What is her name?” 

“Probably... Her name’s Trish.” I respond immediately, looking up. “We’re sort of polar opposites, but she’s my older sister... and really the only family I have direct contact with.” 

“...Ah. I see. I’ll keep it in mind, should I travel out of Senkai, for whatever reason...” She hums, closing her eyes. “...What of your friend?” 

“If... If he got home, he should be fine, I think...” I place my tea down to think about it some more. “His name’s Kolar, by the way. Really nice guy, but somewhat timid and reserved about who he talks to.” 

Junko gives me a look of contemplation for a moment, before she decides to press for more details. “You mentioned that Trish is ‘the only family you have direct contact with’, just then. Why is that?” 

“Well... I don’t live in Japan, for starters. Or-. I didn’t live in Japan until a few months ago, more like.” I fold my arms, adjusting my sitting posture. It’s weird sitting down on the cushions like this, with my lower legs supporting my entire body, with my feet sticking out behind me. Also socks. I don’t get how anyone can sit like this, really...  

“...Ah, so you’re a more western outsider, then.” Junko considers this. “Where, exactly, were you from originally?” 

“England.” I just tell her outright.  

“England? Hmm. Quite a distance away from Japan, I must say.” Taking another sip of her tea, she hums idly. “Your sister moved with you, I presume?” 

“...Yeah. She couldn’t bear the thought of me being alone.” I sigh. That’s genuinely the reason Trish lives with me and even moved with me. “Truth be told... I’m really not keen on... talking to new people. You’re an exception, you saved my life and all that.” 

“I’m glad you think highly of me like that.” She appreciates the gesture, as I move to sip my tea some more. “...Though, you aren’t wrong.” 

… 

I might as well make one thing clear, too... “I um... sorta lied about my name, too.” 

...She raises a brow. “Did you, now?” 

“Well-. Rajime’s just what everyone calls me. My actual name’s Rajimarin.” I elaborate slightly. 

“...So Rajime works just fine, then.” Junko clicks her tongue. “I understand. Rajimarin is a nice name, but Rajime is easier to pronounce. Humans always were quite simplistic... though, I was one once, too, before my ascension to being a divine spirit.” 

Huh...? She was a human, once? “What do you mean...? You were a human...?” 

“...It’s quite a long story, you see.” She smiles, shaking her head. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the time to explain it right now, regrettably. However... I could tell you more regarding it sometime tomorrow, should you so desire.” 

“I mean...” I take another sip from my cup before continuing, tilting my head from side to side after I do so. “...I owe you my life, more or less, so learning more about you, uh... wouldn’t hurt, right...?” 

“I suppose that is true.” Exhaling, Junko closes her eyes. It’s also now that we’re here that I can properly look at that tabard she’s wearing more. It’s a bright red, with there being some intricate blue and yellow patterns. I’m fairly sure I can see a nine-tailed fox on that, too... which is interesting. I think it’s a nine-tailed fox, anyway. “...You may reside here, with me, if you desire to. I would quite like having someone to talk to without having to travel very far, if I’m being honest.” 

Say... Her mentioning the ‘travel very far’ bit makes me wonder... “What were you doing before you stepped in to help me, anyway...?” 

“...Hm?” She pauses at my question, before taking a moment to respond. “...I was merely returning here from one of my many visits to a manor called Eientei, deep within a bamboo forest, aptly named the ‘Bamboo Forest of the Lost’. I had heard your shouting during my return trip, so I decided to investigate, as it was particularly late at night. I’m glad I did, or... you would have...” 

“...Died...” I finish for her, blinking slowly. “...It’s weird, knowing that if you didn’t show up, I... I wouldn’t be alive, anymore. I wouldn’t know what was going on...” 

“Yes...” She frowns. “I’m quite against the death of innocents. Those who stand in my way or actively seek destruction of matters close to myself, however, I have no qualms with killing.” 

She sounded... scary, when she finished her sentence like that. Junko’d be fine with killing someone...? That just... I can’t imagine that.  

“Though, I didn’t kill that youkai, if that’s what you were wondering. I merely knocked her out through a rather intricate system called ‘danmaku’.” Junko assures me that she didn’t kill that girl, though. “Regrettably, they are necessary in Gensokyo’s balance, I believe...” 

“Danmaku...” I think about it some more. “Ah... that wouldn’t happen to be those red orbs that hit that girl, would they...?” 

“...That was my danmaku, yes.” She confirms calmly, pausing to take a sip of her tea, before firmly placing the cup down, then grabbing the kettle to refill her tea. “As I had said, it’s a rather intricate system, but my danmaku is wholly pure. You can make rather beautiful patterns with them, as I have observed, although mine are merely circles, nothing more, nothing less.” 

“...Just circles...?” I tilt my head. 

“Mmm.” Raising a hand to point at the wall, she shot a spread of red spheres from her hand, which crackle against the wall into energy. “If one is hit with enough of these, they will be defeated. It also hurts quite a fair margin, but is confirmed to be a mostly non-lethal takedown.” 

...Why specify ‘mostly’? I decide to press her on it... “Why specify mostly...?” 

“...My danmaku violates the rules put in place, you see.” She lowers her arm, taking a sip of her tea, before clearing her throat. “There are these things called ‘spell cards’, which are set ‘cards’ of danmaku to be shot out in specific patterns. The rules for them are simply along the lines of not making them impossible to dodge... and to not kill.” 

Noting my confused look, she continues further. “...Someone had particularly wronged me, so I have several of these spell cards which directly violate the no killing rule I just mentioned.” Sighing, she lowers her eyes. “I care not for those rules, most of the time.” 

...Then she stares at me, gaining an eerily serious expression. “I will not hesitate to use one of my lethal cards should someone threaten your life, Rajime. You are an... outlier, to humans. Most of them are ridiculously impure, to such ludicrous levels at that, though you... are different, I feel. You feel more... pure than all the others.” 

...I’m different...? “How so, exactly...?” 

“I feel as if there’s something more to you than you aren’t aware of. Tell me, has anything... strange happened to you, since you woke up in Gensokyo, exactly?” Junko passively asks me, placing her cup down to make direct eye contact.  

...Anything strange...? 

There... there was that cylinder thing I did with my fist, when I tried to punch that girl to get her away from me... 

...I might as well mention it. “...One thing. One weird thing’s happened that I just can’t get off my mind.” Thinking about it some more, I scratch the side of my neck. “Just before you showed up to... um... intervene, I tried to fight back against that youkai girl.” 

“...Go on.” She seems moderately intrigued by whatever I’m about to say... 

“When... When I punched, this weird, large cylinder-like blast shot out, which sent her flying back. It was also particularly dark, but that... that blast dispelled all of the darkness, meaning it was artificial...” 

… 

“I... I see.” She furrows her brows. “Yes, that is quite strange... Hmm.” 

“S-So... what does that mean, for me...?” I tilt my head, biting my lip partially. 

Taking a few seconds to consider it, she breathes in, before breathing out, giving me a soft smile. “...I feel as if there definitely is something you’re not aware of, of yourself that is.” 

“What...?” I’m confused... 

“Think about it.” She tells me, interlocking her fingers together... “You felt as if you were in danger, so you tried to fight back, and you briefly managed to. It bought you enough time for someone, me, to intervene and save you.” 

“But... what does it mean? I still... don’t get it.” 

Junko gives me a pondering look, humming a few times as she looked around momentarily, then back to me. “...As I said, this is something about yourself you aren’t aware of. You may have some inherent magical adaptivity I’m not aware of... which means you may have to develop this with time. Such a thing is rare to see, in an outsider human who only just arrived here, no less.” 

Thinking about it even further, she brings a finger to her lips. “...You are but an ordinary human otherwise, though, which makes you extremely unique. I genuinely do not wish for harm to befall you... so as such, I will kill anything that even remotely threatens you, without hesitation.” 

Um...! That’s a bit extreme, I think! “H-Hey, I-. Could you please not...? I don’t like the um... the idea that things are going to die, because people think I’m a threat. There’s... always the p-possibility of talking things out, r-right, miss Junko...?” 

...She calms down slightly, nodding. “I suppose there is... So be it, then. I will only break the rules should there be no alternatives. You have my promise that you can attempt to converse with any threats towards yourself, maybe even pacifying them... Though, I would say that’s rarer than an outsider like yourself, being able to properly talk things out without fighting.” 

...Is it really that bad, that you have to fight to get something to not happen...? 

That’s... concerning, actually.  

“Relax.” She notes my concerned expression, sighing deeply. “Nobody genuinely comes here that often, so there are no threats to your general safety currently, Rajime. Though... it would be dangerous were you to explore Gensokyo unarmed, should you wish to.” 

Ah... “I don’t exactly feel... comfortable carrying a weapon around, though. As in carrying it and all that, it’s just... the weight.” I shake my head.  

“Mmm... But you will have to get used to carrying some form of weaponry around, be it a physical weapon like a sword, or learning magic.” Junko insists I should consider some way of defending myself... which, honestly, is fair, given that display with that one youkai earlier... 

Before I can say anything else, she abruptly continues. “However, there are some magical enchantments which should allow you to carry anything in a bag or even in your hat. One would allow you to store items without having to feel their weight, so... hmm. I’ll see what I can do on that end, but I would consider a weapon. A shield might suit you, I believe.” 

“A shield...?” I think about it. I mean... a shield’ll let me be extremely defensive... 

“Indeed. The best offense sometimes is a good defence.” Junko smiles at me. “...You’re a person who dislikes conflict, aren’t you?” 

“Well, um... yeah.” I admit, sheepishly grinning. “I’d... like a world with no conflict, where everyone gets along...” 

“So naïve... Fufufu...” She giggles, shaking her head. “I suppose that gives you character. Though... we can never have nice things. Gensokyo may be a land of fantasy, but it still has its cruelties. Reality is crueller than fiction, as they say.” 

I scratch my head, thinking about it. I know she isn’t wrong, I know that... there’s no such thing as a perfect world, but...! I can dream and have faith, right? Nobody said I can’t! 

“...It’s rather late, isn’t it?” Junko notes, looking outside past me. “I have a guest room that you can use for the time being.” 

“Ah... thank you.” I bow my head, nodding appreciatively as I finish the rest of my tea. It’s still quite hot, even though a while’s passed. Huh... “I-… I genuinely don’t know how I can repay you for... for any of this, miss Junko...” 

She chuckles. “Please, don’t call me ‘miss’, Rajime. It makes me feel old. My name works just fine.” 

“R-Right, Junko...” I awkwardly laugh back, grinning with my eyes closed. 

“...How old are you, by the way?” She decides to ask me...? Um? 

“Uh... eighteen, why...?” I tilt my head at her. 

“...When’s your birthday?” 

“...Where’re you going with this...?” I’m confused, now... 

“I just merely wish to know, is all.” She smiles neutrally as we both stand up. 

My birthday... Mmmh... I think it was... “Thirty-first of August... Or just the last day of summer, I guess?” I shrug, not really thinking too much of the question... 

“...The exact day the season of summer ends, taking its vigorous heat with it...” Junko nods. “I see. I’ll keep it in mind, then.” 

...Why would she keep it in mind...? It’s only the middle of March... I think. Is it even March? I should ask. “...What month is it, again...?” 

“March.” She replies quickly. 

Oh, so it is March. Okay, good... that’s relieving. So I haven’t spontaneously travelled through time like in one of those bad and convoluted plots for manga, then. 

Well, at least this is a change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of cities and stuff, having to actively go out of your way to avoid living in suffering. 

...Only now there’s murderous things out to get me, it seems. I seem to be safe here, though, so... as long as Junko’s here, I... think I’m safe.  

And... she did say she doesn’t really get visitors, so I guess... I guess it really is safe to stay here. It’s like a safe haven, kinda... 

“...Ah.” She suddenly looks like she remembered something, looking at me neutrally. “I sometimes do get visited by a god, though.” 

...A god. “A-… A god?” I double-take. 

“Yes, you heard me correctly.” She lowers her arms to her sides. “...I’m on rather good terms with the Goddess of Hell, Hecatia Lapislazuli... or Hecate, as you might know her, being an outsider and all.” 

Hecate... Wait... “As in the Greek god...?” 

“So you’re vaguely familiar with her, then.” Junko nods. “Yes, that’s who I’m referring to.” 

...Oh. That sounds unbelievable, but considering the fact that people can fly here, I’m... honestly willing to believe that at this point. Also whatever the hell I did to that youkai girl, and uh... and Junko being able to shoot... bullet things. Danmaku. 

“...She comes by every now and then to have tea with me. We talk about what has happened, among other things.” Walking over to the door, she beckons me to come with her... which I do, because why wouldn’t I? “Sometimes she brings her favourite hell fairy, or a lampad if I am to be specific, with her, Clownpiece. I would advise avoiding interactions with her, for your sanity’s sake. I’d prefer you sane.” 

...Uh...? “Why...?” 

“Her torch can drive you to the brink of insanity, should you stare into it long enough.” Junko bluntly summarises, stepping out among the blossoms. “It would take a strong willpower to be able to resist staring into that flame. She doesn’t mean any harm to things her mistress or myself like or love. This would include you, I suppose.” 

As I follow her out, I feel a rush of calmness wash over me. Being out here, it just feels... nice. Soothing, even... 

“...Does being out here make you feel nice?” Junko turns to raise a brow at me, eyeing me temporarily. 

“Mhm...” I nod slowly. “It just feels... serene out here.” 

...She closes her eyes, nodding as well. “I understand what you mean. Sometimes I come out here when I have nothing else to do, to contemplate and think about topics that have drilled themselves into my mind, whatever they may be.” 

We walk over to another area of her home by cutting through the garden. It’s one of the structures towards the back left from the main entrance, which faces south. So... um...north-west.  

As we approach, she stares up at the building. “...This is where I sleep, though the guest room I mentioned earlier is also here.” Gesturing to two separate doors, she turns to me. “Mine is the one on the right, so I presume you can fill in the blanks from there. Rest assured knowing I’m right next door, so if you need anything during the night, do not be afraid to ask.” 

“Ah...” I stare at the door, blinking slowly. “Alright...” Then, I abruptly yawn. “Why do I feel so tired...?” 

“...The adrenaline from getting grazed by that vicious youkai must be wearing off.” She sighs, opening the door for me. “That... and I suppose you woke up in the middle of the night. Go have the sleep you should’ve had. Goodnight, Rajime.” 

“Thanks... I’ll... see you in the morning.” I appreciatively bow again, moving in the door. She shuts it behind me, though I don’t hear her lock the door, which is reassuring for thinking that she’s not gonna trap me here forever or something. 

...Inside is a medium-sized room. It's oriental and traditional, with lanterns lighting the room albeit dimly, with a futon in the middle. Guess I’m sleeping on a futon for once, then... I note a desk and a chair nearby, as well as a window showing a pretty nice view... 

Though, it’d be better if it was daytime. Then I could see more of the landscape than vague silhouettes of what I think was mountains and hills. And lakes... and plains. 

...This Senkai place sure is weird... but it’s safe from youkai, hopefully. 

Rubbing my eyes, I remove my shoes and hat, opting to sleep in my clothes for once. I mean... you never know, doesn’t hurt to be safe, does it...? 

I stare up at the slanted ceiling after I carefully slip under the futon’s covers, which is more prism-like since it’s slanted on both sides. The roof, I mean.  

...The futon is comfy, though. I can kinda get why Trish sleeps in this, but... mmh, I still prefer a western bed over this. 

I put my hands behind my head, trying to get comfortable. I’m probably gonna have to wash my clothes, soon, when I consider it... I’ve been lying on a forest floor earlier, so... it makes sense, doesn’t it? 

… 

I still can’t get over what’s happened today... I wonder how Kolar and Trish’re doing...? 

… 

… 

I find myself in a purplish void. I... where is this? Am I... Am I somewhere else now?! Do I just teleport when I go to sleep?! 

Talk about a-. 

“...Rajime?” 

...A voice makes me freeze on the spot. I whip my head around to look at where it came from, and... 

“...Trish?”  

I... why is she here? How’d we both end up here...? 

“Fancy running into you here.” She greets me, walking over. “...So you wake up in this ‘Gensokyo’ place too, or...?” 

“Yeah... I’m guessing you have, too.” I tilt my head, clicking my tongue. “Just our luck, innit, eh, Trish?” 

“Pfft. Yeah, getting abducted to some weird as hell fantasy land where deceptively cute girls try to bite your head off is right down our alley.” Trish snorts, rolling her eyes. “...So where’re you, exactly?” 

“...Ah... I’m in a place called Senkai, with a woman called Junko.” I scratch the back of my neck. “What about you...?” 

“...Some place deep in a bamboo forest. There’s this white-haired girl called Mokou. We’re sort of friends, I guess.” Trish shrugs. I see... wait, bamboo forest? 

“Bamboo forest... as in... the Bamboo Forest of the Lost?” I furrow my brows at her, as she blinks. 

“...Okay, what the hell? How do you know that?” Now she’s confused. Ah... 

“Junko said she was visiting a manor called Eientei there before she found me.” I scratch my neck.  

Trish’s eyes go wide. “Wait, Eientei? Mokou mentioned a similar place, called it a, and I’m not kidding on this, ‘weird clinic-hospital-manor-hybrid thing’. Her words, not mine, by the way.” 

“...Ah. Junko just called it a manor.” I think about it some more. “So... that’s interesting to know. Either that’s one hell of a coincidence that we both know about it to some extent, or... something weird’s going on.” 

“I’m more interested in whatever the hell this place is.” Trish pans her head around, throwing her arms up. “Purple. Just-. Everywhere you look, there’s just purple .” 

“...You think this is some weird dream where we can both talk to each other...?” I suggest, not really thinking about it. 

“...I mean... I ended up here by sleeping, so...” Trish folds her arms, her eyes glazing the magenta void over. 

“So did I...” I put my hands on my hips. 

… 

We both stare at each other and speak perfectly in unison. “Yeah, no, this is one of those cliché ‘talk to your sibling’ dreams.” 

… 

“You know... It actually is useful, having this available to us, though.” Trish considers, pocketing her hands. 

“Yeah... I wonder how Kolar’s doing.” I wonder aloud. 

As if responding to us talking-. 

“H-Hello?!” Suddenly, Kolar appears, looking dazed and confused. “Ah-. Rajime?! Trish?!” 

“Speaking of Kolar.” Trish turns to face him with a grin. “What’s the matter? You look panicked as all hell. Something try to eat you?” 

“Yes, actually!” He grimaces. “Several times!” 

“I-… Oh.” Trish pauses. “Oh. Okay. Uhh... You’re in Gensokyo too, aren’t you...?” 

“How did-… Wait, are you both in this weird place, too...?” Kolar’s now confused. Wow, this got weird really quickly.  

I put my hands behind my head, stretching slightly. “Mmyep. We’re here as much as you are, Kolar. We think this is a dream that lets us talk to each other when we’re sleeping, though.” 

“...That sounds like a horrible cliché.” Kolar deadpans. 

“We know.” Trish snorts, shaking her head. “But it’s useful, if that is what it is.” 

“Mmm... So, on that note, what’d you get up to? Where’re you holed up and praying to survive?” I decide to ask him... 

“This place called... um... the Scarlet Devil Mansion.” Kolar rubs his arm. “Some youkai was... trying to eat me, so I just ran until I... I just found someone to help. As it turns out, vampires exist...!” 

“Vampires.” Trish echoes, snorting. “Yeah, no, I’m friends with an immortal. Anything seems to be possible here.” 

“...I’m friends with a divine spirit.” I decide to throw in my two cents, or however that saying went. I’m guessing that Mokou person’s immortal, then...? 

“Ah... Well, I ran into this vampire called Remilia, she said she was just ‘perusing her manor’s perimeter’, but I feel like that’s a lie, for some reason...? She reminds me of you two, as in, her whole home’s European-styled, I think...” Kolar furrows his brows. “She had maids and everything... so I think... I got incredibly lucky, or something. She sent the youkai packing and offered to let me stay at her manor for the time being...” 

“Now the question is did she suck your blood.” Trish jabs a finger into his chest. 

“Um... well-.” He winces, fidgeting slightly as he tries to answer. “...Y-Yeah, she... she did. She offered to let me stay there so long as I um... entertained the other residents and helped out... but not as a maid, t-that isn’t my... my thing.” 

“It’d be yours.” Trish grins at me. 

“Oh, shut up!” I scoff at her. “Why’re you still insistent about me wearing a maid outfit...?” 

Seriously, this has been an issue for a long time, Trish! 

“Because.” She clicks her fingers. “...You’d look good in it.” 

“No.” I shake my head. “I’m-. I’m not embarrassing myself like that time you decided to wear nothing but shorts and a vest.” 

“Oh, that was one time!” Trish huffs, annoyed. 

“G-Guys...” Kolar shakes his head. “Now... Now really isn’t the time to be... bickering, like that...” 

...He’s right. Mgh... 

Trish rolls her eyes, pocketing her hands again. 

“...So... divine spirit, immortal, and a vampire. You,” Trish points at me. “Me,” She points at herself next... “...and you.” She then points at Kolar. “In that order.” 

“...Y’know...” I think now would be a good time to walk about weird things happening... “Something weird happened when I got attacked by a youkai. They like... have the appearance of girls, you know this, right?” 

“...Y-Yes, the one I ran from was a... yuki-onna, I think?” Kolar wobbles his hand from left to right. 

“...I nearly got shot by a rabbit.” Trish casually states. Wh-. How...? “Did you know that they arm rabbit youkai with laser guns .” 

...I won’t even ask. 

“Okay, so like... I tried to fight back against the youkai that attacked me, but when I went to punch her, some weird blast sent her flying away.” I explain vaguely what happened. “I have no clue what it was...” 

“...Oh, we’re talking about weird crap that’s happened?” Trish raises her brows. “Alright. I got set on fire, but when I touched my chest to try and pat it out, it went out on its own.” 

“Weird things...?” Kolar tilts his head. “I um... A lot of things that don’t make sense happened around me, I... I managed to dodge icicle shards that I... didn’t even see coming just by accidentally tripping and falling... It happened all the time until I bumped into Remilia...” 

“Weird~.” Trish snorts. “You think someone’s screwing around with our luck values or something? Like... if this was an RPG or something.” 

“I mean, it’d make sense if it was.” I snort also... but then shake my head. “But it’s not like we’re characters just being controlled by someone, right?” 

Kolar frowns, his face constantly shifting and producing sounds of displeasure. “Ngh... P-Please don’t talk about that, it just... feels weird, to have thoughts like that...” 

...Fair enough. 

“So... ah... Mokou gave me a cruddy sword by the way. It’s like... rusted iron. Said she took it from some dead dude she found in the past.” Trish casually reveals the fact she’s armed and dangerous in the real world. Oh. That totally isn’t unnerving. 

“Y’know, when you mention that, Junko said a shield would be fitting of me...” I rub my chin. “Wait... wouldn’t that play into our whole contrast thing?” 

“...Yeah, actually. You’re the more defensive one, I’m the more offensive one. Makes sense.” Trish shrugs, not really sounding like she cares, but at the same time, she does. 

Kolar blinks. “Ah... I was recommended to take up magic, or something... but I found a katana, so...”  

“That’d make you a hybrid between a magician and a swordsman...” I ponder more and more. “Maybe this is some elaborate setup?” 

“...Sure as hell feels like it.” Trish surprisingly agrees with me, huffing. “But if it is and someone’s pulling the strings... Please, for the love of any god, give me a good sword and not this... pokey stick thing made of iron.” 

Bringing a gloved hand to his mouth, Kolar gives something a thought. “Hey... what if we made this a thing...? Where... um... let’s say every three days, we agree to go over what we’ve done in that three day period here... Would... you two be in favour of that...?” 

I mean... “I’d be down for it. It’d let us properly learn from each other’s experiences.” 

“By ‘experiences’ you mean ‘near-death experiences’.” Trish monotones, dryly staring at me. 

“Well, I mean...!” I begin grinning incredulously. C’mon, Trish...! “I could learn more about Senkai, you uh... you could learn more about Eientei and that bamboo forest place, and Kolar, uh...” 

“I’d... probably figure out the mansion first, tell you what’s going on there, then I’d... probably be running around doing chores and errands. I’d learn as I go around doing them, so...” Kolar anxiously looks over to the right, sighing. “But it means I’m pretty much gonna be in danger all the time, or something... if I’m doing it alone, anyways.” 

“Right... so we should agree to go to sleep at least twice a week, more or less.” I joke, chuckling. 

“N-… No, sleep more than that. It’s bad for your health.” Kolar stares at me with a vain look. I was joking, Kolar...! 

“Screw sleep schedules.” Trish snaps her fingers. “Whenever I collapse is up to fate to decide.” 

...Kolar gives her a worried glance. I do too, actually. 

“...What?” Trish raises a brow. “Seriously, sleeping is the activity takes up most of the day. If you like... cut back on it, you’d have more time to spend during the day, believe it or not.” 

“...I know.” I deadpan, before holding my hands up in confusion. “But... no. Sleeping feels good. It’s good.” 

“...You two worry me sometimes...” Kolar admits, shaking his head as I feel heavier all of a sudden, everything beginning to go darker. “Ah...?” 

“Guess... that’s it... Night.” Trish calls it a night, flopping to the floor. I watch the void go completely dark as my senses also leave me... 

What a weird world, this is... 

Chapter Text

...  

...Ngh...  

My eyes drift open, pulling me back to the real world. That...   

Alright, so that was a dream, then... Guess the whole ‘going dark’ part was it ending, or something...  

Rubbing my eyes, I sit up. That... wasn’t half-bad, sleeping in a futon. I can see why Trish does it. I really can.  

…  

It’s morning, it looks like. My eyes trail to the daylight filtering through the nearby window, allowing me to see the greenery of Senkai outside. Mountains, trees, grassy plains...   

...At least I can see, now. Pretty nice view, honestly...  

As I stare out the window, my hand drifts to my side subconsciously, where that girl nicked me the other day. It’s... sore, but it’s not aching violently, at least. That’s a good sign...  

...I might as well inspect it. See if it’s bruised, or something. Nobody’s watching, so...  

Slowly, my shirt’s pulled up, slightly awkwardly due to me not wanting to crease or damage my ribbons in the process, but I pull it up gently nonetheless. Just enough to show the struck area.  

…  

Mmh... Yep, it’s bruised, alright... but hopefully it’ll heal in a few weeks, or something. It’ll heal on it’s own... I know bruises do, anyway. Not sure if she caused any internal injuries with that hit, but... I’ll be fine, I bet.  

...Slowly, I stand up. My hair’s a mess, it’s all knotted and scruffy when I run my hand through it. Then again, nobody really sees most of my hair, since I wear my hat.  

…  

Well, at least I’m alive. Guess I can really trust Junko, unless if she’s keeping me around for some other reason.   

It’s at this time I notice a nearby mirror, letting me get a proper look at myself. I look... really tired, judging from my face’s reflection. I should also try and wash my hair, where I can. I’m not too sure where to do that, though... so maybe I’ll ask miss Junko later.  

…  

Wait... she told me to not call her ‘miss’, because it makes her feel old. Whoops...   

But it’s not like I can help it, can I? It’s how I show respect at least. I respect her for stepping in and not just standing by to watch me get maimed before doing something.  

Hmm... I dust myself off slightly and straighten my clothes out some more. Turns out sleeping in your clothes is a good way to mess them up, ahaha...  

Oh, wow, I kept my sense of humour. I really am alive, then. Pfft... Alright, I think I’ve stared at my own reflection for long enough, I think.  

Moving around the room, I take my cap from the nearby desk, as well as slipping on my shoes. But before I properly leave to go meet up with Junko again, I stop, realising something. She... didn’t lock my door, did she?  

…  

Maybe she wanted to check in on me whilst I slept, make sure I’m alright or something... And, given how this is her home, it’d waste time were she constantly unlocking and locking that one door.  

She said that I might have something special to my name, but... I’m just a normal guy, aren’t I?  

That... blast I did, to that youkai, when I tried to fight back normally out of pure instinct and fear of dying...  

...Junko... said that I felt like I was in danger, so I tried to fight back on pure adrenaline. That resulted in that blast... I think? I don’t ever know how I’d harness something like that without being in peril again, but...  

‘You may have some inherent magical adaptivity I’m not aware of’... That’s what she said, if I’m remembering right. She supposed that I ‘may have to develop this with time’... but Junko also called it rare to see in an ‘outsider’.  

...Is ‘outsider’ a term used to refer to people who weren’t born in that Gensokyo place...?   

I hold my arm, scratching it with slight uncertainty. Youkai... must eat humans, or something. That girl... she said that she wanted to eat me, so... youkai eat humans, then.  

There’s probably some pecking order in Gensokyo I’m not aware of. Where me, an outsider, is at the bottom of it. It makes me wonder just how odd the balancing really is, here...   

However, that danmaku system does sound pretty interesting. I wonder if Junko’d be willing to teach me, if it’s possible for her to do so...?  

As I think about things related to survival and just everyday living from now on...  

Crea~k...  

The door to the room slowly opens with a gentle push, before I hear footsteps. I turn, alarmed if it’s a stranger, but quickly calm down when I realise it’s Junko.  

“...Ah. It seems you’ve awoken.” She smiles softly, calmly stepping further in. “Funny, I had just come to wake you, too. How was your rest?”  

...I might as well be honest. “It was nice. I’ve never really slept in a futon before, but Trish always did. I can see why she does now.” I admit, grinning with a hand to my neck.  

“...That’s quite pleasing to hear, that you slept nicely.” She breathes a sigh of relief, smiling still.  

“Though I did have a weird dream...” I begin, looking out the window again.  

“A weird dream?” Junko raises a brow, approaching the futon as she kneels down to straighten the sheets. O-Oh, right, I forgot to do that... That’s... my bad. “Do go on.”  

“Well, I met my sister in this dream.” I tilt my head to the side. “It was like a purplish void, but me and her could talk. She’s in Gensokyo too.”  

“So she is in Gensokyo also... Mmm, that’s definitely worrisome for both her sake and your own...” She turns her smile into a frown. Which is directly the opposite of ‘turn that frown upside-down’, mind you...  

“I mean... she’s smarter than I am, and she’s alive, at least.” I can confirm that much, but there’s a few other things. “Apparently some immortal picked her up in that bamboo forest place you talked about, last night...”  

“Immortal... Did she tell you who? If so, was it Houraisan?” Junko tilts her head.  

“Who...?” I tilt my head in kind, as she blinks. “No, it... it was a girl called Mokou. That’s what she told me, at least...”  

“Fujiwara, then... Yes, I’m aware of her.” She at least knows about Mokou. “A fire immortal, having gaining her undying nature after having drank a certain elixir a very, very long time ago. To be immortal is, in a sense, incredibly impure, yet also highly frowned upon.”  

Panning her head to the side, Junko gains a neutral look. “I believe your sister should be in good hands nonetheless, however. I had heard Fujiwara guides people through the bamboo forest... though I can’t say I’ve had many run-ins with her, but from what I have heard, she sounds to be quite reserved and doesn’t talk to people very often.”  

Huh... “Like a hermit?” I ask out of curiosity.  

“...I suppose that does sound similar to a hermit, yes.” Junko considers this, standing up after having properly straightened the futon’s covers and properly fluffing the pillow. “Though, with immortality, it’s not like you can make many friends, as everyone around you is mortal more often than not.”  

...I guess that does make sense, huh... I wonder what Trish did to catch this Mokou person’s attention, then...?  

“On that note... I should take you to Eientei, at some point.” Junko brings a hand to her mouth. “It wouldn’t hurt, in the case of an emergency, I believe.”  

“Didn’t you say it was a manor...?” I tilt my head at her again. I recall Trish mentioning that Mokou called Eientei a... and I’m quoting her on what she quoted Mokou saying, a ‘weird clinic-hospital-manor-hybrid thing’. Not my words, hers.  

“...In one aspect, it is, but it also serves as a place of medical importance. I hear humans travel out there for medicines and related things that they cannot get in the village.” Junko approaches me calmly. “...I don’t believe I told you there was a village, did I?”  

“I think you mentioned it, once... You asked me if I was from ‘that village’, when we first met, didn’t you...?” I think back on it. When I try and recall it, I think she did actually mention a ‘village’ once or twice...  

“...I wasn’t entirely too sure if you were or not, given your outfit, you see.” She regards my fashion choices, humming. “I suppose it made you look like a youkai, but I was confused, as there was another youkai attacking you. Then I had realised you were a human.”  

“...Ah...” I nod slowly, staring down at my hands, then at my ribbons, tugging them softly. “...I guess the ribbons make me stand out, don’t they...?”  

“Indeed.” Junko has her hands in her sleeves, thinking. “...I should take you to the village, eventually. I believe you may wish to get acquainted there sooner rather than later. There’s only one, as that village houses most of the humans in Gensokyo, you see.”  

“...Why specify most...?” Is there some who live outside of the village...?  

“...I could name a few, if you desire.” Giving me a neutral smile, she begins stepping towards the door. “There is a human who practices magic, out in the very same forest you first awakened in.”  

“Humans... actually live there...?” I find that really hard to believe...!  

“Mmm... though it’s because she’s quite powerful, for a human.” Junko brings up a good point, raising a finger. “Humans and youkai can be made equals through battles of danmaku. Not that I care for such equality. It only makes them equal if both ends can perform such feats.”  

“Now, moving on, there is also the Hakurei Shrine. To my knowledge, there is a barrier which keeps Gensokyo hidden from the Outside World, as everyone dubs the place you, among other outsiders, come from.” Junko stops stepping towards the door, looking back at me. “...There is a shrine maiden there, named Reimu. She is typically the one outsiders wish to see to leave Gensokyo, should they want to return home that is. Or so I have been told.”  

Return home?! “This... This Reimu could send me home, if I want to leave...?” I raise my brows. That sounds... far too good to be true, but...!  

“Mmm... Though, there is the matter of your sister, Trish.” Sighing, she fully turns around to face me again. “...I do not wish for you to leave without knowing how to defend yourself, either. I could take you to the shrine myself, but that might not be very wise at this moment in time.”  

“...Why not...?” I tilt my head at her, wondering. Why can’t she take me to the Hakurei Shrine...  

...She shakes her head at me. “...I had namely done something to irritate her. She wouldn’t be in a favourable mood to see me, right now.”  

...Oh. Well... huh.  

“But, regardless, I assume you’re not against staying for a while longer, is this correct?” Junko brings a finger to her lips, giving me a contemplative look.   

“I... No, not really...?” I furrow my brows, then decide to ask a question of my own. “Why... ask me that question specifically?”  

“Oh, no reason.” Smiling, she steps towards me calmly. “I just want to ensure your safety, is all...”  

...But she doesn’t stop approaching, instead stopping directly in front of me. Then, she leans close...  

“...Do you understand me, Rajime?” Her tone gets more serious, staring straight into my eyes...! W-What... the...? Why’d her tone of voice just take a complete one-eighty like that?!  

I’m forced to breathe out, flinching slightly as I step towards the desk behind me, stopping when I touch it. “W-What...? I-… Y-Yeah, I... I understand, but-...”  

“...I want your safety to be one of my highest priorities. You’re a very unique human. Impure, yes, but incredibly unique in my eyes, alongside being purer than the average human.” She doesn’t move back at all, still staring straight into my eyes with a very terrifying look as she approaches again, making me move further towards the desk, even forcing me to sit on it due to how close she was getting... “This motivation of mine came about after I had thought on your words, yesterday, alongside my responses to your words.”  

“J-Junko, you’re... s-starting to scare me, here...” I admit, still fidgeting under her heavy stare...  

“...Ah...” Her eyes widen, as she steps away from me, frowning. “My... apologies, I did not want to come off as that... I wanted to take a serious tone.”  

“I mean... you did come off as serious, but... also terrifying...” I grin sheepishly, standing upright and calming down slightly as her stare softens to a sadder one... Okay, deep breaths...  

“...That... Hmm.” Junko stares to the side briefly, contemplating what to say next. “Maybe I have lost touch with my emotional control, following my ascension to this status of sagaciousness...”  

“...Huh?” What’s she saying that for...?  

“Forget about that.” She shakes her head at me, moving to the door again. “Come, we have things to discuss... and I have a present you might enjoy, also.”  

A present...? I might as well see what she’s got me...  

Complying, I follow her out, but I think on her words. What did she mean by losing her touch with her emotional control...? What does she see in me that’s so... important that she’d be willing to get that terrifying about protecting me ...? I’m safe here, she knows that, too... so why...?  

Regardless, let’s see what she’s talking about...  

Well, this present um...  

I stare down at the shield in my hands, moving it slightly. It’s... pretty lightweight, but it’s circular, meaning I’d have to move it if I wanted to block, instead of just turning in the general direction of an attacker...  

Right now, I’m sat down. Junko’s sat opposite me, with both of us being in that teahouse again. This... This shield’s got a similar pattern to her dress and tabard engraved on it, fit with small moons and suns along the edges...  

It’s made out of some kind of metal. But I can’t exactly tell what metal it is since this thing is in pristine condition. Maybe iron...?  

“...That shield you hold... is one I had retained, from a past long since passed by.” Junko tells me, looking slightly somber as she finished her sentence, before shaking her head to rid the expression from her face.  

“Did... you use your ability to purify anything on this...?” I move the shield around some more. It just feels... so pristine , so clean... If it really is from a long time ago, then... why’s it look so new...?  

“...I see you caught on.” She smiles, nodding gently. “That has gone under the pressure of my purification. I have restored it to its divine state, before it ever had a name as a shield... though I don’t suppose you want to name it? It is yours, now, after all.”  

“Ah... a name...” I stare at it hardly, thinking about a good name... “How about Aegis...?”  

“...Aegis?” Junko tilts her head. “I believe Hecatia has mentioned such a name, once.”  

“...I think it was some kind of shield in Greek mythology, or something...” I think on it some more. I think it was Greek, anyway...  

“That would explain why I would have heard such a name be mentioned by Hecatia, then.” Junko seems to accept this, nodding. “I believe it is fitting, too, if this ‘Aegis’ were a shield used by the gods... I suppose this shield is, in its own right, divine. My ability would allow me to give birth to a god, should I so desire.”  

...Then she frowns. “...I would use this purification on you, but I’m not entirely too sure if you would be able to withstand it. As I had said last night... living beings such as yourself cannot withstand it, barring specific scenarios. There are fewer which can withstand the tedium of existing after purification and returning to a divine state.”  

“Didn’t you say something about fairies?” I distinctly remember her mentioning fairies, for some reason...  

“...I had mentioned them, yes, because they truly are strange with how they respond to my ability. They aren’t exactly living, but they aren’t dead, either. They’re playful and ignorant, childlike in a sense, beings made of pure magic.” She elaborates further into what fairies are for me. “It’s curious. You remember me mentioning that their lifeforce can be purified to make them even stronger than before, yes? But that is exactly the thing. For fairies, it takes little to no effort, since they’re so simple. With humans and youkai, I must take a different approach, especially humans like yourself, as you’re quite fragile otherwise.”  

“...I fear that if I attempted it, I would accidentally kill you, which I wish to avoid, no matter what.” Looking out of a nearby window, she places her hands on her knees, humming idly.   

“I’d... like to avoid dying, too, for my own sake...” I sheepishly give her a smile, rubbing the back of my neck as her head turns back to me.  

“Humans are strange creatures, as you would most likely think sometimes.” She closes her eyes, sighing out. “When prompted with an opportunity for power or influence, they’ll snap it up greedily, with no hesitation or consideration for the consequences of their greed. Most are control freaks, though there are few who can listen to reason and resist temptations, such as yourself. Have you ever thought about why people in power perform the actions they do, no matter how silly or unnecessary said actions may seem for you?”  

...I rub my chin, thinking about it. She has a point, honestly... A very good point, in fact. Then, I respond after a moment’s consideration. “Sometimes, yeah, I have that question running around in the back of my head. Some things leaders do seem... questionable. Human leaders, I mean, I don’t know a lot about how it is here or in Gensokyo...”  

“...Surprisingly, it’s actually quite similar in Gensokyo, I believe. Humans vie for power and influence alongside the youkai. Such impurities I do not meddle in myself, I have no say in it, nor do I care what they do in order to stop the other from having complete control.” Junko states, lowering her eyes and sighing. “It’s entirely unrelated to myself, more often than not, what they do. However, as of late, Hecatia has been trying to spread some of Hell’s influence into Gensokyo, I suppose...”  

Then, she looks directly at me, shaking her head. “However, my point still stands. Humans and youkai will destroy themselves and each other just to get a slight say in things. It’s rather chaotic, I must say... but I believe the ones actually in charge wish for Gensokyo to stay in a perpetual state of chaos. Youkai stop humans from advancing any more than they should, whilst the humans of Gensokyo stop youkai from having control over them and their kind. It is a symbiotic relationship that has gone on for a long time, I believe.”  

Huh... I wasn’t expecting to get lectured like that, honestly, but what she says... It does make sense. Not that... this kind of thing ever interested me. Politics, I mean, it’s just... eh... I don’t really like them. People just want to be in control, as she said. To have power, influence, control, all sorts...  

It’s some nonsense I never want to dabble in, that’s for sure. It’s why I stayed out of that kinda thing. Oddly enough, Trish does too. It’s one of the few things we agree on...  

Also, how did we get to here from talking about fairies and purification...?  

“It seems that has given you some food for thought, hasn’t it?” She chuckles, shaking her head. “Though I’m imagining you’d like some actual food.”  

Ah... right, I haven’t eaten anything yet... “Ahah... yeah, um... I’d like that.”  

“...Luckily for you, I was preparing some bao buns, earlier. I still have several left over.” Raising from her seat on the floor, she begins moving for that side room again... I think it’s a kitchen, now... “Wait here, please.”  

...I watch her enter the other room, before I inspect my present some more. This shield... I wonder why it’s styled so similarly to what she wears...? The nine-tailed fox is on it, but moons and suns line the rim, as I said, as well as an odd pattern that’s reminiscent of the golden rims of her black dress...  

It looks like it’s been delicately painted red, blue, and golden, too, to match her tabard’s colours. The moons are blue, whilst the suns are a golden yellow.  

...This... shield wasn’t the only present, either. There’s also this weird brown sack thing nearby. It’s more like a big pouch, if anything... But there’s a rope around its edge, which keeps it closed shut, but the rope looks like it’s meant to wrap around someone’s waist...  

Or so I think. It looks long enough for that anyways...  

I wonder why she’s giving me this...?  

…  

As I place the shield down beside me, Junko comes out of the door a moment later, carrying a bamboo steamer with those big white buns inside one-handed. They’re kneaded carefully at the top to have an intricate pattern which makes them point upwards towards the middle...  

They look... really good, honestly...  

Setting the steamer down on the table, she takes her seat again, nodding at me. “...Do you wish to use chopsticks for those, or...?”  

...You can use chopsticks for those?  

“...I take it you don’t, then.” She notes my confused expression at the thought of using chopsticks to eat them, getting a slight giggle out of it.   

“I... didn’t actually know you could use chopsticks, actually.” I tilt my head. “Have I been going about eating them wrong this whole time...?”  

I’ve had them before, but like... I’ve never used chopsticks. Never.  

“It’s entirely up to preference, I believe.” Junko offers her opinion on it. “You may eat them without using utensils like chopsticks, others may use them. Though, most of the time, those that don’t use chopsticks to eat foods like these... I believe it tends to come from a lack of expertise with them. Is this true for you, Rajime?”  

...I pause, raising a brow at her. “I mean... I’m not awful at using them, but I’m not that good at it, either. As in... I know how to use them, roughly.”  

“...Hmm.” Taking this into consideration, she sighs out, smiling softly as usual. I’m starting to notice that she tends to smile a lot. Softly, too... “If you wish, I could teach you little things, like this. I wouldn’t mind devoting some of my time to assist in bettering you as a person and preparing you with skills you’d need for everyday life, without realising you’re using them.”  

“Is that so...?” I know I said her voice reminds me of a mother, but... her behaviour, honestly, it blatantly gives me the impression that she is a mom, or something... Or was? I don’t know. I know I said she feels and sounds like a mom, yeah, but it’s never been that blatant...  

...Actually, on second thought, I guess the whole ‘kill to protect me’ thing she offered actually was kinda blatant too, but... at the same time, it was also slightly psychotic. Terrifying, as well. Especially with how... willing she sounded to actually go through it.  

“Of course.” Junko places a hand to her chest, keeping her smile up. “I am aware that you feel like you can’t repay me for what I’ve done for you, that you feel like you owe me your life, but frankly, you being here is enough of a repayment for me.”  

“Really now...” Looking to the side, I consider it as I click my tongue a few times, before glancing back at her again. “...You know... You remind me of a mom, with... the way you act, how gentle you can be, and how protective you are, and all...”  

At my words, she very visibly freezes in place...? Um... did I say something wrong, or...?   

But she also seems to quickly regain her composure, clearing her throat. “Y-Yes, I suppose so... Several people have compared me to one, in the past... Though I am-…" She paused again, contemplating her words, before grimacing. “... Was one.”  

Wait, she actually was a mother at one point...? Hang on-. Why’d she specify ‘was’ like that...?  

“Was...? As in... you had a child, once...?” I’m actually curious about that...  

“...In the past, yes. Though many years have passed by since that time.” Her eyes trail down, looking solemn.  

“What... were they like...?” I try and press for details, but she shakes her head, making me stop.  

“That is not important, now.” Moving her gaze back onto me, she smiles. “...Besides, your buns’ll get cold.”  

Ah-. Oh, that’s right...! “How’d you heat these up, anyway...?”  

“It’s not that hard to, honestly.” She gives a vague reason, before deciding to elaborate further. “Knowing how to purify flames has its benefit, wouldn’t you know.”  

“Omph...” I bite into one after picking it up. It’s sweet. Pretty sweet, actually. I taste a pretty sweet paste inside it... Might as well swallow before I ask what’s in these, because... well, I’d look stupid if I talked with my mouth full. “...What’s in these...?”  

“...Black sesame paste. It makes the buns sweeter than they already are... which I’m certain you’ve noticed, by now.” Junko informs me, gauging my expression and reaction to tasting it all the while. “You seem to enjoy it.”  

“Well, I mean... I did always have a sweet tooth.” Raising a finger, I look to the side. “...Sis always ate bitter or sour stuff.”  

“Hmm.” Considering this, she looks to the side. “I’ll keep it in mind for future meals, that you prefer sweet foods.”  

I-… Oh, okay...? “Um... thanks...?”  

“Do not mention it. It’s quite alright, dear.” Junko chuckles, before pausing. “...You’re fine with me calling you dear, aren’t you?”  

Uh...? “Yes...?”  

“Mmm...” She looks out of the window again as I eat the three buns in silence. There were three in the steamer, anyway...  

…  

“Tell me, would you like to go to Eientei or the aptly-named Human Village, first?” Junko poses a very good question. “I’m willing to do either... I need to gather some supplies, anyway, if you are to reside here with me.”  

...That village is literally just called the Human Village...? Weird name.  

Either that or someone got lazy with naming locations...  

But... frankly...? “I’d... like to go to the village, first. I mean, seeing other humans here might... calm me down, you know?”  

“I understand.” She hums, then notices me looking at the sack that’s beside me. “Ah, yes, I had neglected to mention that. Rajime, that is yours to keep. It’s to carry your personal belongings... I say this, since it’s bottomless. I have no need for such a thing, as I do not need objects or belongings, for I can store them here at home.”  

“Bottomless...” I stare at the sack in contemplation. “You mean that as in I can put as much as I want in here...?”  

“That is what bottomless means, is it not?” Junko smiles at my question, nodding. Ah... “I would advise you carry your shield on you at all times. Do not place it in that sack. Better safe than sorry, after all.”  

Right... “Of course, yeah, that...” I nod a few times, muttering. “Why’re you giving me so much...? I feel like I’m just leeching off of you at this point...”  

“...It’s not leeching if I’m the one willingly giving these gifts to you.” Junko wags a finger at me. “Silly boy.”  

...It feels weird to be called ‘silly boy’. But, then again, she is right. She’s willingly giving me all of this, just because she’s so interested in me... but what if she loses that interest...?  

“And as for why?” She seems to consider that heavily, closing her eyes to think. “...I suppose you remind me of my son.”  

...Huh...? “Your... son?”  

“That is a story for another time, I’m afraid.” Junko shakes her head softly, before standing up. “Come. We should depart soon, should you desire to visit Eientei afterwards. Days do go by quite quickly, I’m afraid.”  

...I guess I’ll ask her about her son later.  

I stand up myself after awkwardly tying the sack’s rope around my waist, grabbing my shield by the handle and then slipping my arm through the gap on said handle.   

Pretty light to carry, honestly, for metal... Maybe Junko’s ability made it lightweight, or something...?  

...I follow her outside, to the central garden area. There, she stops in the middle, turning back to look at me. “Come here. You remember how I carried you here, yes?”  

“Uh... yeah, why?” I think as to why she’d ask that...  

“...I will need to carry you again. It’s just for the sake of quickly moving to and from Senkai and Gensokyo, you see.” She holds her arms out towards me, beckoning me closer.  

When I move closer, she bends down to pick me up. The sudden motions throw me off slightly, but I regain focus quickly, as she begins flying gently yet quickly.   

...I feel wind barrage my body as the scenery eventually begins to change...  

Junko touches down on a path, covered by trees on either side. “...If we follow this path, it should lead to the village, I believe.”  

Really...?   

As she lets me touch the ground again, I sigh, sweeping some of my windswept hair out of my face, shivering. “Wind chill sucks...”  

“...Ah. My apologies. I was trying to go as gently as I could without discomforting you, but I suppose the wind cannot be avoided...” She sighs, before tilting her head. “You should consider wearing a scarf or warmer clothing, you know. Clothes that cover most of your skin like a sweater comes to mind.”  

...Yeah, that’d make sense... “Mmh... But I like my outfit, though.”  

“...Hmm.” Pondering on my insistence to wear my normal clothes, she hums. “Mmm~… I suppose I could try my hand at enchanting your clothes to be wind resistant. It would make flying more enjoyable for you, I believe.”  

You can enchant clothes to be like that...? I mean, I’ve heard of enchantments before in like... video games and stuff, but... that’s specific for an enchantment.  

...I guess Gensokyo does have magic in it, though, right...?  

“Don’t stray too far from me, either.” As she says this, she firmly clutches my hand in her own, gaining a more serious look. “...Wild youkai are known to attack humans on their lonesome, out here on these paths...”  

“...Really?” I tilt my head.  

“Mmm. If any do, I’m not hesitating to attack them.” As she says this, her eyes trail to some trees on her right. Raising her hand, she fires a few blue danmaku orbs between them with an annoyed expression.  

Fwafwafwam!  

“A-Ah?!” Someone yelps, audibly getting hit by them. “W-What the hell...?! That woman knows danmaku...! I’m outta here!”  

Then there’s the sounds of frantic footsteps, followed by many more.  

“...There. That should send a message for them to not consider anything.” Junko has a more cheerful look on her face now. “They know not to mess with anyone who knows danmaku like myself.”  

“Ah...” I nod a few times, blinking as she guides me down the path. Before long, I can see a big wall and a gate, with some guy in armour stood outside it... I can see houses behind that gate, though. “Is that...?”  

“...That is the Human Village, beyond that gate, yes.” Junko waves a hand at it, looking more neutral. “Primarily, humans do reside here, though I do remember there being some youkai living here in disguise also. Youkai do come to shop, sometimes, though I’m hoping we do not run into any troublesome figures here which may complicate things.”  

“...Troublesome figures...?” What does she mean by troublesome, I wonder...?  

“Powerful youkai that, if they see you, may attempt to take you from me. Or worse.” Junko closes her eyes. “I’m also hoping that the Hakurei isn’t in the village today, for whatever reason.”  

“Didn’t you say that Reimu person lived in a shrine...?” I furrow my brows.  

“Mmm... Look, up there.” Junko gestures over to a nearby hill, with a lone shrine-like structure sat upon it. “That is the Hakurei Shrine, I believe. It sits on the barrier hiding Gensokyo, which I believe I mentioned earlier, did I not?”  

Oh... that’s Hakurei Shrine, then...? “...I might want to visit it at some point. N-Not to ask if I could leave Gensokyo, but...” I think on it some more. “It might just be interesting to see a shrine up close, I guess.”  

“...Of course.” Junko puts her free hand at her side as she calmly steps towards the village gate, still tightly holding my hand and refusing to let go.  

When we get there the armoured man looks over at us. “...Halt. State your business.”  

He stares at Junko... then visibly furrows his brows at me. I can tell he’s not got the best armour on. It’s like... metal plates, with some leather-like armour underneath. Not sure how good that’d fare against a youkai attack, but...  

He’s not even got a helmet on, either. Isn’t it important to protect your head...? Asides from that, he’s unremarkable, green eyes and black hair.  

“Merely coming to browse the shops.” Junko states, still holding my hand. “...The same applies for him.”  

“...Right. Go in, I suppose, but watch yourselves.” He warns, cranking open the gate at a wheel I didn’t even notice originally. Or is lever the right word...? All I know is it’s one of those wheels with a handle attached to a chain, which when turned, pulls up the gate.  

...Also, what if nobody is here? Would the youkai just be able to open the gate themselves...?  

…  

Regardless, we step inside once it’s open, then Junko keeps guiding me down the main roads of the village. We occasionally stop to look at the various stalls and shops that’re here and open...  

“The village does sell quite a variety of items, as you can tell.” Junko glances at me, looking around. “...I purchase tofu from here, sometimes.”  

“Tofu...” I think on it. “I can’t say I’ve ever actually eaten tofu in my life, honestly.”  

“...I’ll serve you some eventually, then.” She smiles. That sounds... nice...  

I wonder what it tastes like, anyway? Tofu... I know a bunch of people outside of Gensokyo eat it because it’s... an alternative for meat, I think.  

I know some people fry it, or something... It’s like cheese curds from what I’ve heard, but instead of normal milk, it’s like... soy milk, I think?  

“...There is a teahouse here also, alongside youkai exterminators. However, we are not youkai, are we?” Junko explains further just into what’s in the village. “I know there is a fishery, too, among much more...”  

It’s pretty busy for this time. It's morning still, it looks like... I’m not sure if there’s any time differences between Gensokyo and Senkai, so...  

As we walk along, Junko stopped at a few stalls and the like during the walk, browsing and even purchasing a few things. Whatever she did buy, she put in my sack. For simplicity’s sake, maybe?  

I noticed that she did buy a substantial amount of tofu, actually. It was all packaged and stuff... as well as some sweets, like peppermint candies and lollipops... I wonder why she’s buying those-… Wait, no, I said I had a sweet tooth, that’s probably why.  

...I do notice some senbei and mochi among those, though. I can’t say I’ve tried senbei either, actually... Mochi I have, but not senbei.  

For rice cakes, mochi sure is nice, I’ll say.  

...Whilst she buys various... things , I decide to listen in on the various conversations of villagers as they pass by...  

“Hey, have you seen my cat...? I can’t find her anywhere...” Someone’s lost their cat, apparently.  

“...Sadly, no. Have you tried over there?”  

“I’ve been hearing rumours that something’s been going on regarding the tengu lately...” Rumours, huh...  

“Really? What, are they planning some invasion of the village, or something?  

“No, but like... someone said that they're planning something big. Hell if I know what it is, though...”  

...Those words make Junko look over in the general direction of the people who said them, before she shakes her head and goes back to browsing, eventually buying a... scarf . It’s a pale blue, like my ribbons, which she places in my sack. “...That one’s for you.”  

“Oh, uh... thanks.” I blink, genuinely not knowing what to make of her just buying me a scarf like that, before she also purchases a purple one.  

Eventually, my eyes focus on a pretty young-looking girl, maybe in her early teens, as she comes bouncing down the road, holding a basket. She’s got silvery hair with doofy-looking glasses on. In said basket is various things, like bread and uh... just general fruits and stuff.  

She doesn’t look like anybody too important, though, just a villager...  

But she looks noticeably unique when compared to everyone else. She’s even wearing a simple grey dress as opposed to the normal beige villager garb or a kimono that I see everyone else wearing.  

...Kimonos for the women or flimsy brown clothes for the men seems to be the general sense of fashion for villagers, barring that girl apparently. It... makes me stand out even more than I already do, Junko especially.  

...The girl pauses to look at me, but I look away before she realises I was watching her bounce along cheerily.  

Junko seemed to notice that I was, though. She has a patient look on her face. “Villagers... Mmm.” She hums, hands in her sleeves as we step away from the stall. “That girl was dressed strangely, for a villager, but I don’t believe she’s anyone important. Just an ordinary human living in the village, like all of the others.”  

“Really?” I tilt my head. “She just seemed... cheery. Really cheery, as if something good had happened. I guess I’m just paying too much attention to the life of the village instead of the stores you’re getting stuff from...”  

“...Reasonable, I suppose.” Junko steps further into the village, and eventually, we come across a more central location. It’s large and expansive, with stalls and storefronts all over the place... “Hmm... I wonder if...?”  

As she begins looking around, someone actually steps up to us both. “...You’re a strange face to see around here, Junko.”  

Junko paused at the voice, turning to look at who it was, as do I... It’s a woman with brown eyes and long silver-like hair, though noticeably lighter than that teen’s and with blue highlights instead of being just silver. She’s got a weird hat on, too, because it looks like some kind of building.  

...Clothes-wise, she’s wearing a dark blue dress with white sleeves, alongside a red ribbon under her collar... So it’s not like she’s wearing normal clothes when compared to the villagers. Who is this...?  

“...Ah. Kamishirasawa.” Junko smiles. “I’m merely browsing the various shops in the village, you see.”  

“...Right.” This ‘Kamishirasawa’ considers her words, before glancing at me. “And this is...?”  

“An outsider, wouldn’t you know it.” Junko answers before I even have a chance to reply... but then gives me the opportunity to. “Introduce yourself, would you?”  

“...Uh...” I glance at her, then nod slowly. “...I’m Rajime Naga, an... outsider, as Junko said.”  

“...I see. It’s nice to meet you then, Rajime. I am Keine Kamishirasawa, a teacher at the village’s school, though I also serve as the village’s guardian, on occasion.” Properly introducing herself, Keine bows her head slightly. “I had just noticed Junko here along with yourself, so I figured I might as well check in.”  

A teacher... I think on it. I can definitely see it, I guess... Keine’s voice is pretty stern, yet she also comes across as friendly.  

“When did you arrive in Gensokyo, exactly?” Keine decides to ask me, raising a brow.  

“...Just last night.” I scratch the back of my neck. “I got attacked by a youkai, but... Junko saved me.”  

“...Is this true?” Keine turns to Junko, still raising her brow.  

“His words are genuine, yes. I was returning from one of my many visits to Eientei when I heard his shouting. He’s living with me, for now.” Calmly, she elaborated further into what exactly happened yesterday. “...His circumstances are rather interesting, though his sister is also in Gensokyo, too.”  

“...It’s not everyday more than one outsider appears at the same time.” Thinking on it, Keine sighs. “What’s your sister’s name?”  

“Trish.” I reply immediately. “She’s sort of like my polar opposite, most of the time, but she’s not outright mean, just stubborn.”   

“Ah...” Her brows raise. “One of my friends had said they found someone called Trish the other day, but said that she refused to go into the village where she’d be safe. Does that sound like her?”  

“Friend...” I furrow my brows. “As in someone called Mokou, maybe?”  

Keine pauses, giving me a curious stare. “...You know of Mokou?”  

“Mmm. He had a weird dream last night where he and his sister could converse.” Junko elaborates. “I recall Rajime mentioning that an immortal found his sister wandering the bamboo forest last night. My initial thought was that Houraisan had left Eientei, for once, but instead it turned out to be Fujiwara.”  

“...Ah.” The teacher rubs her chin. “I see. I’ll try and talk to Mokou later then about Trish...”  

I-. I completely forgot to mention something to Junko. Kolar’s here, too. “Well... Trish isn’t the only other outsider who appeared with me...”  

“...Hm?” Junko stares at me in confusion. Keine does, too.  

“There’s also my friend, Kolar, he showed up in Gensokyo since he was in that dream too... I... completely forgot to mention him, sorry...” I apologise, shaking my head gingerly.   

“There’s nothing to apologise for. We all forget things, sometimes.” Keine gives me a soft smile.  

“...I cannot say that I have never forgotten something either, I suppose.” Junko’s got a grin on her face as well.  

“Ahah...” I awkwardly chuckle, before continuing. “Well, yeah, Kolar’s here too, but he said he ran into some vampire called Remilia...?”  

“...The Scarlet Devil?” Keine furrows her brows. “Now that is strange. I have heard of her humouring some outsiders in the past due to their relative harmlessness, however...”  

“How’s it strange...? Kolar said she offered to let him stay at her manor for a while, I think that’s what he said, anyway...” I decide to bring up what he said, if I can remember that weird dream right...  

“...It appears your friend’s gotten himself into a rough spot, then.” Keine frowns at me. Why...? “If the Scarlet Devil truly has offered him such a thing, then I believe he might be in danger of some kind... or she’s taken some odd interest.”  

“...I have heard of her, before.” Junko adds on, thinking about it. “But I don’t concern myself with that vampire’s affairs. It’s frankly none of my business, unless if it explicitly involves myself or that which I care for.”  

...That’s just a fancy way of saying that you’re not going to actively hate this Remilia person if she doesn’t do anything regarding me.  

“What kind of danger would he be in...?” I bite my lip. I don’t want him being exposed to any real danger, he’s... suffered enough as is with his lack of normal legs...  

“Well, he could be serving as her servant, or he could just be kept there as nothing more as a spare blood bag... Vampires are quite charismatic, as one would expect.” Keine keeps frowning, shaking her head. “Do you have any way of contacting him, at all? If so, you could warn him...”  

“Ah... well, when you mention it...” I scratch my neck. “Me, Trish, and Kolar all agreed to meet up in that weird dream every three days to go over what we know, if it’s possible... It was his idea, by the way.”  

The teacher crosses her arms, nodding. “I suppose that would work. Warn him, when that time comes, to not hang around for any longer than he should. His life is at risk with each second he spends there, or so I believe...”  

“Mmm... Now, Kamishirasawa, if you would mind, I was going to see if Reisen is around here...” Junko looks past Keine, her eyes restlessly trailing around the village square. If... this is the village square, I mean...  

“Reisen?” Keine gives it some thought. “I think she left a few hours ago, actually. Why? Did you want to see her about medicine?”  

“Mmm, no, not exactly. I just thought it would be wise to introduce Rajime to her. If she isn’t here, then she’s at Eientei.” Junko seems slightly disheartened by the lack of this ‘Reisen’.   

“Uh... who’s Reisen, if you don’t mind me asking...?” I feel like I’m being left out, here...  

“...Ah. She’s a moon rabbit who peddles medicines from Eientei to here in the village, for ease of access. Though...” Keine pauses. “Whenever she does so, she wears a disguise which hides her rabbit ears.”  

“...A moon rabbit?” I’m... even more confused, now.  

“As in she came from the moon.” Keine quickly clears that up... then notices my baffled expression. “...Things like this are normal in Gensokyo, however. I’m imagining it would be surprising for you to hear that there’s people who had, in fact, come from the moon.”  

...People as in several people.    

“Mmm...” Junko tilts her head to the side. “However, she has admitted that being surrounded by impurities for so long has made her an earth rabbit, instead of a moon rabbit. She’s not afraid to admit such.”  

“I suppose so... Impurity is highly frowned upon in lunar society, if I recall.” Keine nods in agreement, as Junko visibly scowls very briefly. I don’t think Keine noticed though... but I did. Did the lunar people do something that concerned Junko...?  

“...It is.” Junko regains her composure, sighing.   

Moving closer to us slightly, Keine tilts her head. “Is there anything else specifically you need from here, or...?”  

“...I... don’t actually know. I just came to see the village alongside helping Junko shop for things she needed...” I gesture to the sack tied around my waist. “Everything we’ve got is in here.”  

“An endless holding bag? I suppose that is a wise investment, if you were to do some shopping here.” Looking around, Keine’s eyes linger on one shop. “...I’d advise staying clear of there, for the time being.”  

“...Why?” Junko has a worried look, subtly stepping in front of me as she looked over also. “Is there an issue, over there? That’s...” She furrows her brows, squinting to see what the shop in question was. I do, too. “...It’s a florist.”  

“Mmm... I’m not imagining you’re aware of her, but there’s a rather powerful youkai in there called Yuuka Kazami, at the moment. I’d advise not going near there, as it might prove dangerous. This goes especially for you, Rajime.” Keine gives me a very serious look.   

“...If it comes to it, I’ll fight.” Junko’s eyes visibly flare with certainty. “A youkai does not scare me, Kamishirasawa.”  

“I know, I know, but... still. Collateral damage.” Keine reminds Junko, making her hesitate.  

“...Hmh, true... How bothersome.” Junko calms down, sighing. “But regardless, should she threaten Rajime, I will respond with force.”  

Ah... “Thanks, but um... I think I’ll be fine, maybe...” I scratch my neck, then remember I have Aegis on that arm, so I use my other hand instead.  

“...That is quite a peculiar shield you have there.” Keine seems to notice it, raising a brow. “Where did you get it?”  

“It was mine, from a time long since passed.” Junko cuts in before I can say probably the exact same thing, just without the last part.  

“Uh... yeah, it was Junko’s.” I confirm, showing the shield’s patterns to Keine.  

“...I can see that, with the suns and moons.” Keine’s eyes constantly shift between looking at the shield and looking at Junko. “The nine-tailed fox, also. It’s quite curious...”  

“Quite curious indeed.”  

All of a sudden, a new voice catches all three of our attentions. I turn towards it, only to find the source of the voice right beside me. It’s a woman who’s... around my height, got green hair, deep red eyes...  

...Looking down tells me they’re wearing a red plaid waistcoat, red plaid skirt, and a white shirt. There’s also a yellow ribbon near her collar...  

...I also step back because I realise this woman was right in front of me.  

“...Kazami.” Keine regards her. I-. Wait, this is that Yuuka person...?!  

They... um... don’t really strike me as terrifying, honestly. She sounds friendly and polite, from what little she’s spoken yet...  

Junko also looks ready to maim her at any given moment, but holds off from it due to, you know, collateral damage.  

I also just now notice the fact she’s holding some odd-looking parasol in one hand, and a yellow flower in the other. “...Good morning.” That’s... directed at me, isn’t it...?  

“Uh-.” I pause. Okay, um... just say it back, yeah, that’ll work... “Good morning...?”  

“Buying flowers again, are we?” Keine also attempts to join the conversation, giving Junko a look that I could only interpret as ‘roll with this, please’.   

“...Mmm.” Yuuka, which would be her first name I believe, looks down at the yellow flower she held in her hand... then back at me. “Quite.”  

...There’s... something about her gaze, something behind it maybe, I don’t know what it really is, but... It’s like she’s sizing me up, or something...  

“I see that we have yet another outsider here.” Yuuka has a gentle smile as she regards me. I... really don’t see her as terrifying. She just seems polite. “A curious one, however.”  

...Junko also seems to be unsure about this now, raising a brow in confusion.  

Um... “Curious how, exactly...?” I reluctantly ask. I need to try and roll with this...  

“There’s something about you that just feels particularly... how should I say, off? Then again, with outsiders, I suppose a lot is off.” Yuuka sighs, shaking her head.  

Then she regains her gentle look. “I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself. I am Yuuka Kazami... though I believe you would do well to remember my name, outsider.”  

“...Why...?” I tilt my head.  

“...Because it could be the last one you hear.” She grins, before giggling. “Hmm... Merely a jest, of course. Now... what is your name?”  

...Keine’s eyes widen slightly and she gestures for me to go ahead, looking kinda frantic...  

Why’s she so frantic? I don’t get any bad vibes from Yuuka, so, um...?  

“...Rajime Naga.” I introduce myself, then look at Keine, mildly concerned. “Um... Keine, why’re you so... frantic...?”  

“Oh, yes, I wonder why that is?” Yuuka gives Keine a smile. “It’s quite alright, Kamishirasawa. I have no intent on doing anything awful... yet. Or do I? Hm, hm...”  

“That-…” Keine sighs, crossing her arms. “You clearly want something, given how you’re actively talking to him.”  

...She wants something...?  

“Do I, now?” Turning to me, she has a smirk, then turns back to Keine. “Now what exactly would that ‘something’ be, hm?”  

“...Do you think I know?” Keine furrows her brows. “There’s something in your voice, there’s clearly something regarding him that’s got your interest.”  

...Junko decides to step in. “If you try and force this, do know that I-.”  

“Will step in and prevent me, yes, I’m aware of what you were going to say.” Yuuka cuts her off, nodding plainly. “...In truth, I had come over here because I believed I sensed an irregularity in this general direction. It turns out to be an outsider instead. How boring.”  

...Boring?  

“No offence meant to you, either. It seems I had gotten my hopes up for nothing...” Then, she eyes me momentarily. “... However.”    

“However what...?” I bite my lip. What’s she getting at...?  

“...This level of ‘irregularity’ is quite bizarre for an outsider.” She goes to place a hand on my shoulder firmly after embedding her parasol’s tip in the ground. “Strangely, it’s like a flower trying to blossom whilst on the verge of withering away.”  

...Keine watches her hand carefully. Junko’s just... quiet...?  

“Hmm.” Yuuka seems to look me over several times. “On the outside, you don’t seem to be anything too special. A plain, ordinary human outsider. However, on the inside...”  

I feel her grip tighten on my shoulder-.  

Fwizap!  

Her hand immediately retreats from me, a spark of lightning nearly singing her from where her hand was. “...Curious.”  

“...What was that...?” I pause, staring at my shoulder in complete confusion. I just... felt weird, at that moment... Like some part of me lashed out without thinking, that I was resonating with something in the air...  

“Oh, I would have dislocated your shoulder.” Yuuka casually smiles as if there is absolutely nothing wrong with that sentence.  

“You would have what?!” Junko snaps, her eyes widening.  

“...But it seems there was a force at play preventing me.” The green-haired woman shook her head, closing her eyes. “Which, frankly, is quite strange if it’s making even a youkai as powerful as myself hesitate.”  

Keine just looks... very confused, now. She stares at me, furrowing her brows. “...I thought you were an outsider...? I hadn’t known you could use magic like that...”  

I blink. “There’s... one thing wrong with that, actually.”  

“That being?”  

“...I have no idea how to use magic.” I grin. “If I could, I would, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve only been in Gensokyo for about a day at most.”  

“...Is that so? Hmm. Quite bizarre circumstances, then.” Yuuka plucks her parasol from the ground, twirling it over her shoulder with expertise.  

“But... I’ll tell you what.” I furrow my brows. “I felt... weird when that happened, though, when that lightning came off of me...”  

“You let off a brief magic signature, at that moment.” Junko places her arms back in her sleeves, seemingly calming down... “...A similar thing happened last night, did it not?”  

Yuuka seems more interested than she was before, now, but doesn’t outright say anything, just... expectantly looking at me.  

“Um... yeah, it did, kinda.” I scratch my head. “I don’t entirely know... what happened, but when I got here last night, I was attacked by a youkai, they hit me and were about to finish me off. When I tried retaliating with a punch, I... some blast of wind came from my fist, like a shockwave almost, it sent them flying back then Junko saved me...”  

Sparing Junko a glance, Yuuka seems to consider my words. “Hmm.” Then, her gaze on me hardens, taking a step closer. “What exactly did you feel when releasing that shock?”  

When I think about it... “It was like some part of my body was resonating with... something? I’m not genuinely sure how I did it.”  

“...I may have an idea.” She has a gentler look. “I believe that you unknowingly have your body adapt to the magic in the air at the time through your instincts, though you have no idea how to use it when actively doing something. It may very well be linked to your emotions, as well.”  

“His emotions and instincts...” Keine furrows her brows. “It would make sense, but it doesn’t explain why he can handle unleashing magic like that without proper preparation.”  

“...That is exactly what I wish to delve into. Humans are... strange, sometimes. They require rather delicate handling and easing into the usage of magic, not unlike a flower needing careful handling and watering, though there are a few odd cases.” Yuuka looks at the yellow flower in her hands momentarily, then tilts her head to look at me again. “You, Naga, have an odd talent. If you would not mind... I would like for you to visit me, so I may get you used to properly taking a hold of your latent potential. Countless humans blossom when they reach adulthood, though you... seem to be teetering between withering and blossoming, as I’ve said.”  

Junko glares at her. “...If I find out that this is some elaborate scheme to seriously injure or even kill him, then I will find you, no matter where you run.”  

“Frightening.” Yuuka rolls her eyes, seemingly not deterred by the threat. “...I have no intent of that, either. He has, as far as I’m aware, never purposefully hurt a plant or flower. I can judge such from his soul.”  

“...You can do that?” I blink, slightly disturbed.  

“Ahah... well, what do you think?” She grins back at me. I’m taking that as a resounding no, then. “Though do consider it. If I were you, I would wish to find a way to harness that potential as fast as possible, before someone attempts to hunt you down to stop you from ever unleashing such a potential.”  

“Where would I even find you if I wanted to?” She hasn’t told me anything regarding that...!  

“The Garden of the Sun.” She bluntly tells me, before pointing her parasol at me. It briefly touches my shirt, a sunflower forming on my collar... somehow. How did she...? “Consider that your formal invitation. Come alone.”  

Then, she turns around, floating off with flower and parasol in hand. My eyes just trail down to stare at the sunflower she placed on me. I even poke it a few times, before trying to remove it. It-…  

...It actually won’t come off. Huh...  

“...Hah...” Keine sighs a breath of relief once she was sure Yuuka’s gone. “That went... better than I thought it would. Thank you for playing along with that, it’s just... easier to try and appease her, rather than actively pick a fight.”  

“...It would seem so.” Junko stares at the sunflower Yuuka put on me in contemplation. “I’m... not entirely comfortable with her sudden interest in your potential, but... I don’t think I would be able to help you unleash it for your advantage, I’m afraid.”  

...I just keep staring at the sunflower, idly twiddling with it. “Well I can’t remove this anyway, so, um...”  

“...You can’t genuinely be thinking of seeing her, are you?” Keine has a look of disbelief. “Kazami is an extremely powerful, sadistic youkai. Beneath all that gentleness is just... it’s all just a façade. She’ll hurt you, Rajime, I don’t want that blood on my hands.”  

Still stroking the sunflower, I hum in consideration, scratching my neck. “I just can’t see anyone as being inherently bad. Sure, youkai hurt humans, but humans hurt youkai back. Who’s to say there can’t be some level of peace...?”  

“...Several people would have something to say regarding that.” Keine sighs. “Trust me, she’s lying to you.”  

Junko suddenly raises a finger. “...I argue to let him go for it, if he desires. Kazami did come off as... slightly rude, but she remained polite whenever she spoke to Rajime. She’s also clearly interested in him. She even said she had no intent to actively bring harm, I believe?”  

“...Lies.” Keine shook her head, frowning. “Kazami is an old youkai. Well-mannered, but deceptive. I genuinely wouldn’t believe most of the things she just said, were I in your position.”  

“...I actually believe her.” I cut in, biting my lip slightly before continuing. “The whole instinct and emotion bit... I think she was telling the truth on that, maybe. I mean, I’ve only used magic when I felt I was in danger, but I didn’t even know how to use magic. I was just... improvising off of fear and instincts, I’m pretty sure.”  

“I suppose I can’t convince you to rethink this, then.” Keine sighs, grimacing.  

“...If it goes wrong, don’t blame yourself, blame me. It’d be my fault since I’m the one actively going out of my way to see her, eventually.” I pocket one hand in my shorts, but keep rubbing the sunflower with the other. I don’t know, it just feels nice to do that, I guess...  

It’s definitely alive, too. I wonder why she placed a sunflower on my shirt specifically...?  

“...She most likely placed that on you so she can have a rough idea of where you are, I believe.” Junko stares down at it. “I’m not too... keen on scrying, or whatever this may be, but it could be that.”  

“It definitely is her keeping tabs on him.” Keine affirms, holding a finger up. “Kazami can manipulate flowers. That’s her ability.”  

Manipulating flowers... now it makes sense. “Manipulating flowers, huh...?”  

“Mmm. I would advise against trying to damage that, though.” Junko adds on. “She called that your ‘invitation’, did she not? Maybe, as long as it is still alive, so is her interest? Just a thought.”  

Ahh... “Possibly...?” I wobble my hand from side to side. I’m not really sure on it myself, still, so...  

Is it surveillance? A tracker? Just a display that she’s left her mark on me, or something? Is it simply just an invitation? And... more importantly... “...Where even is the Garden of the Sun, anyway...?”  

“It's not too far from the village, if you just head towards Youkai Mountain.” Keine points in a direction, which is to her right or my left, towards a rather... large mountain, actually. “Just don’t think of climbing Youkai Mountain on your own, however. The tengu patrols would stop you, if not the Moriya.”  

“...Ah. The Moriya. I had forgotten about them.” Junko lowers her eyes, frowning.  

“...I think we all want to forget about them, honestly...” Keine shakes her head. “They’re just... bizarre, coming from the outside world, and all. The gods are also bickering more often than not, not to mention their ambitions...”  

...Uh...? “Who’re the Moriya...?” I wonder aloud.  

“...We’re referring to Moriya Shrine, which is located up on that mountain.” Keine gestures to Youkai Mountain again. “There’s two gods there, and a shrine maiden not unlike Reimu, if you know who she is. In fact, you may even run into her here at some point... Her name is Sanae, if you ever want to keep her in mind. She sometimes come to the village to provide blessings, hence why I mention Sanae.”  

“...Oh.” I nod slowly. “I’ll... keep them in mind, I guess...?”  

“It’s for the best you do. Sometimes she goes out to resolve incidents.” Keine raises a finger... then furrows her brows. “...I’m imagining you’re not familiar with what an incident is, correct?”  

“Uh... yeah, that’s right...?” I tilt my head. What’s this stuff about incidents...?  

Junko offers a hand in explaining. “...From what I know, an incident is when someone, or something, actively disrupts the balance in Gensokyo through one action, or several.”  

“Mhm.” Keine agrees, giving her a strange glance for a moment, before focusing on me harder. “...There was an incident caused by an outsider in the past, I believe... Even you and others like you are included to be potential incident causers, so watch your step.”  

That’s... something to keep in mind. “Alright. I’ll... try not to somehow make half of Gensokyo blow up...?” I awkwardly grin. It's a weird joke to make, but...  

“...Oddly specific example to use there.” Keine nods, before smiling herself. “But it works nonetheless.” Then she turns to Junko, raising a brow. “I’m imagining you both’re off to Eientei, now...?”  

“Mmm.” Junko grabs my hand softly, instead of tightly, this time. “This has been a rather nice talk, Kamishirasawa.”  

“...It was until Kazami showed up, but I suppose so.” Keine sighs, giving me a worried glance. “Seriously, I’d keep a close eye on Kazami. You’d never know if she’s tricking you or not.”  

“I’ll... I’ll try?” I tilt my head. “I just... can’t see Yuuka as being inherently bad.”  

“That mindset, if you aren’t careful, is most likely what’ll get you killed or seriously injured eventually.” Keine shakes her head, turning away from us. “...As a human, you can never be sure of what a youkai is thinking or planning. It’s why I’m so concerned, if she genuinely sees something in you, then she may be planning to use you in some way.”  

“...I would have some stern words about that.” Junko narrows her eyes, gaining a slightly menacing tone to her voice.  

...It seems to make Keine falter for a moment, making her glance at Junko with noticeable worry on her face. “Yes, I... imagine you would, actually.”  

“I’m probably gonna visit her tomorrow if I’m being honest...” I admit, rubbing my chin. As much as I want to go today, that might be a bit... foolish, maybe? Trish’d usually say I’m really reckless, but I’m not that reckless...  

...I don’t think I am, anyway? I’m not a good judge of my own character, ahah...  

“...It would be wise to prepare for the worst, to be fair.” Junko nods at my hesitation to just outright go to the Garden of the Sun now. I think Yuuka might be waiting until tomorrow, too. Just to be safe.  

“Quite.” Keine gives me a glance, before properly turning around again and beginning to walk off. “I’ll leave you two to your own devices, now. Good luck with Kazami. You’ll most certainly need it.”  

“Right! Yeah, good luck...” I sigh, scratching my head slightly. “Not that I’ve got a lot of luck anyway...”  

“And one more thing. The Dragon God Statue’s eyes were red, starting not too long ago, meaning an incident may occur soon. Be wary.” Keine also hazards about... whatever that means, one of those incident things they briefly touched on earlier, before properly leaving.  

“...That incident may be something to look out for, later.” Junko gives me a contemplative look momentarily, before beginning to guide me in a direction. “...However, it’s not important right now. We should move. If we’re fast enough, I believe we should reach the bamboo forest before it hits dusk.”  

“Ah, right...” I begin following her, thinking about Yuuka some more... That whole encounter was... bizarre, I’ll say...  

Nothing too remarkable really happened on the way from the village square to... this in front of me. This... wall of bamboo.  

“...This is the Bamboo Forest of the Lost.” Junko gestures to it idly, before picking me up gently. “It’s easier this way. There is... some property to the forest which makes it seem almost infinite, eternal even. Though it’s all illusions, you see.”  

I try to look through it, but... it’s really thick bamboo. I can’t see anything inside...  

One look at the sky told me that the sun looks like it’s starting to set, now, though it seems to be entering dusk and not outright night.  

...It’s nice to look at the sky, sometimes.  

But... I nod my head a few times. “Illusions...?”  

“Indeed.” Junko begins flying through it with expertise, snapping any bamboo that just outright blocks our way forward. “It was meant to hide Eientei, the illusions. If we’re lucky enough, we may run into Fujiwara, maybe your sister too.”  

Oh, right, Mokou... and Trish. “Would they really be around here...?”  

“...Fujiwara guides people through the bamboo. Though, your sister claims to be staying with her, and if I recall correctly, Fujiwara lives in this very forest.” Junko elaborates further, her eyes snapping to things I don’t see in the forest. It’s... also really dark in here, the sun can barely shine through... “Can you see alright?”  

“Barely...” I squint, trying to make out anything. I do see the odd thing move ahead of us, or to our side, but they don’t actively do anything.  

“Give me a moment, then.” Taking a deep breath, Junko-.  

Oh, whoa...! It suddenly got way brighter! It’s a purple light, what did she-…  

...I look behind her to notice... I count about six, maybe seven, purple flame-like tails behind her. What are those...?!  

She seems to notice my bewildered staring, giving me a smile. “...That is my purity given shape. They are like flames, akin to ‘pure fury’, almost.”  

“Why fury?” I decide to question that part...  

“...It is a long story.” She sighs out, staring ahead, even turning her head and frowning. “I keep noticing youkai near us, but they move away. For the better, I suppose.”  

...My eyes trail to Aegis, making me clutch it tighter. If all goes wrong, hopefully I can... at least defend myself, or stall. One or the other...  

All of a sudden Junko jerks backwards-.  

Snap!  

A rope net gets pulled up into the bamboo above, a tripwire having set it off that Junko had flown through, yet quickly doubled back to avoid it.  

“...Show yourself, Inaba.” Junko stares ahead into the thick bamboo. When I look where she looks, I can see someone stepping out...  

“Aww, I thought it was Reisen...” It’s... I’d say a young girl, if not for the fluffy, white rabbit ears on her head. Dark red eyes, black hair... as I’ve said, white, fluffy rabbit ears... uhh...  

...Frilly pinkish-white dress, no footwear aside from white socks, and a carrot necklace. That... about sums her up. She also seems noticeably downcast about us not being this ‘Reisen’ I keep hearing about.  

“Oh, so this was meant for Reisen, then?” Junko begins menacingly smiling, looming over the girl.  

“W-Well, it’s just a harmless prank...!” She raises her hands, clearly unnerved. Junko called this girl ‘Inaba’, right...? Does she know who this rabbit girl is?  

“...Yes, a tripwire net snare is ‘a harmless prank’. I know it would take Reisen a while to get out of it, wasting her valuable time, especially when she peddles medicine to and from the village.” Junko monotones dryly, still being very menacing all the while... I’ve never seen her be this scary aside from when she said she’d protect me, so... um... she clearly cares about this Reisen person’s wellbeing...?  

“Well-. Yeah! It’s just me challengin’ her, keepin’ her on her toes...!” ‘Inaba’ waves her hands up and down repeatedly, quickly grinning to try and hide the noticeable fear that was on her face before. “Don’t need her gettin’ lazy wit’ her job!”  

Junko sighs, giving the rabbit a stern look. “You are aware this could also be triggered by Fujiwara, thus causing a mass fire in the forest if she’s feeling particularly reckless, correct?”  

“Yeah, but like-. Mokou’s not that stupid!” She defends, shaking her head. “...I don’t think she is, anyway... ah, don’t quote me on that, actually.”  

I’m just... sort of watching in complete confusion.  

“So who’s the guy there, eh?” This ‘Inaba’ gestures to me with her arms folded. “Some guy y’kidnapped?”  

“...No.” Junko deadpans. “He is an outsider who awakened in Gensokyo yesterday evening. I am caring for him, for the time being... or as long as he wants me to, anyway.”  

...She’s giving me a choice for how long I want to stay with her? I mean, I’d much rather prefer being safe while I sleep, so... y’know...  

“O~h, right, okay! Wait ‘till Reisen hears ‘bout this, though! She’ll ah... probably be real confused. Hell, maybe even the doc would be confused, too!” The rabbit girl nods a few times, still grinning.  

Uh... “Doc...?”  

“...She would be referring to Eirin Yagokoro.” Junko outright gives me a full name. Well that’s... interesting. “Eirin is... I’m not too sure how to word this, honestly.”  

“She’s a moon lady!” Inaba snorts, very simply explaining it. Moon lady.  

“...In a sense, that’s true.” Junko sighs. “She primarily acts as Gensokyo’s premier doctor and pharmacist. There are all kinds of medicines and drugs she can produce, such as sleeping aids or just rather effective cure-alls.”  

...Then she looks to the side in consideration. “Not that I would have a use for those. Sagacious spirit, as you know.”  

Yeah, Junko really wouldn’t have a need for medicine, when I consider it, would she...?  

“Myep!” The girl in front of us nods a few times. “So~! What’s yer name, bud?” She regards me, holding a hand out. Oh, a handshake... Feels weird to be offered one, because normally I’d definitely be the one offering it.  

“Ah... Rajime.” I shake her hand neutrally. “You...?”  

“Tewi Inaba!” Tewi grins, shaking my hand like an absolute lunatic. This... handshake is actually pretty awkward, considering the fact Junko’s still carrying me, we’re flying, and... yeah, it’s obvious why, actually. “Don’t you forget it either, Ji!”  

I-… Wh-. Ji? “Where’d that nickname come from...?!”  

“Long names’re borin’!” Tewi vaguely explains. “So yer ‘Ji’ t’me from now on, yeah?”  

...I’m... not against having a nickname. Junko just sighs. “...Now that introductions are out of the way. Inaba, would you mind bringing us to Eientei?”  

“O~h, yeah, you’re probably here to visit Reisen, ain’tcha?” Tewi looks to the side, beginning to fly off in a direction. “Yeah, this way! Don’t lose me now!”  

Whilst Junko flies after Tewi, I decide to idly question Junko on just who Tewi really is... “Who is Tewi, anyway...?”  

“...A rather infamous prankster, yet a well-known earth rabbit youkai.” Junko replies after a moment, remaining as neutral as she can. “As for why she’s well-known... Well, among humans, she’s been known to confer good luck.”  

...Sighing, Junko lowers her eyes. “But despite her rather... childish nature, I am aware of how old she truly is. That, and all of the other earth rabbits will only listen to her. And only her.”  

Normally, I’d ask how that adds up, but I’m the one who’s the polar opposite of Trish and wears weird clothing, among other various traits...  

“Heh! Well, yeah!” I hear Tewi call back to us. “Trus’ me, y’won’t get any rabbit youkai listenin’ to anyone who ain’t me, more often than not!”  

“...Mmm.” Junko hums, as we keep flying further into the bamboo forest, until we come across... a lot of charred and burnt bamboo, snapped up and thrown all over the place. “...Ah.”  

“What... happened here?” I worriedly look around at the sheer destruction this emits.  

“A~h... Mokou happened, actually.” Tewi shakes her head, stopping to look at all of the burnt bamboo. “It’ll grow back eventually, just give it some time.”  

Right...  

“...But that does mean we got a clear shot t’Eientei, now!” Tewi grins, picking up in speed as she heads through the clearing of just... burning bamboo. Some of it’s smouldering, and... yeah, it reeks of smoke, generally.  

“Fortunate, yet at the same time, disappointing.” Junko comments on the surroundings with a frown. “I normally quite enjoy the tranquillity of the forest, should rabbits or wild youkai not be attacking you, that is.”  

...I’m imagining it would be pretty peaceful here if it was like that.  

It doesn’t take very long before I’m able to spot some structure coming up. Junko’s... purity flame things did light the area up pretty well in this neat purple light for the entire time we’ve been here, so... yeah.  

It’s a very... very large-looking building. Styled like an ancient Japanese structure, too. Is... this Eientei...?  

As if listening to my thoughts, Tewi turns to me with that grin still on her face. “Welcome t’Eientei! Home of uh... of... u~h... stuff!”  

...That’s a pretty vague description.  

“...Home of the rabbits, Yagokoro, and Houraisan.” Junko shakes her head, sighing with annoyance. Okay, yeah, that’s... a slightly better explanation.  

...Actually... “Who even is this Houraisan person, anyway...? You mentioned them once or twice earlier...” I furrow my brows at Junko as she lets me stand on my own again.”  

“That’d be Kaguya!” Tewi looks to the side for a moment. “I mean, if she’s ah... mentioned her...” She glances at Junko. “Guess there’s no reason t’keep it a secret.”  

“...I had planned to explain if we run into her, here.” Junko places her arms in her sleeves as we step towards two sliding doors-.  

Oh, nevermind, they’re automatic doors. How...?  

“...Eientei’s also full of technology ‘n stuff! Lunar tech.” Tewi elaborates for me as to why there’s automatic doors here. Lunar tech...?  

“I had forgotten how innovative yet lazy some pieces of lunar technology really were.” Junko regards the door with an oddly narrow stare, as we step inside properly.  

...It’s actually pretty sterile-looking in here. The... reception area, I think it’s a reception area anyway, that is. White floors, walls, ceiling, bleak lights... Reminiscent of a hospital, almost. Is this style just for this room...? Since it... doesn’t match the outer architecture, I mean...  

“...Ah, can I-…" A different voice catches my attention, prompting me to look over. Junko does too, a wide smile on her face.  

...It’s another rabbit girl sat at what looks like a reception desk, though there’s a key difference in the ears between her and Tewi, as in her rabbit ears’re all crumpled and look... weird. Tewi’s are fluffy. There’s a key difference.  

Aside from that, she’s got... really long purple hair and piercing red eyes which... make me feel weird when I look at them, so I opt to not do that. If... I need to talk to her, that is.  

Clothes-wise, she’s dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt, a red tie with a carrot clip on said tie, a light red skirt I think I can see, because... y’know, she’s sat down behind that counter and all. I think I can also see a red belt, too...  

“Oh, um... Miss Junko, sorry, I just didn’t see you at first...” The unnamed girl bows her head slightly as Junko approaches the desk, motioning for me to do the same. Tewi just sort of... walks off somewhere else in the room. I don’t see her leave, but...  

“It’s quite alright, Reisen.” Junko smiles, hands together. I-… Wait, this is Reisen?  

“R-Right...” Reisen seems... noticeably worried about Junko’s presence, then her gaze lingers on me. “And you are...?”  

“Rajime, I’m an... uh... an outsider.” I pocket my hands, looking away awkwardly. “...Junko’s... taking care of me, I guess...?”  

“Ah... Alright, well, um... as you heard Junko, I’m Reisen...” Reisen nods a few times, then decides to guess why we’re here. “Do you need anything, or... have you just come to visit...?”  

“Just came by to visit and get Rajime acquainted with the manor, I suppose. Is Yagokoro available?” Junko tilts her head.  

“U~m...” Reisen thinks about it, before shaking her head in denial...? “I... don’t think she is, actually.”  

“...Why?” Junko stares at her in confusion.  

“Mokou came by earlier, carrying an injured girl in over her shoulder, I...” Reisen shook her head. “I think she was stabbed by a wild youkai, or something...?”  

...I pause on the spot, then look at her, getting more serious. “Did you see what that girl looked like? At all?”  

“Well she had pink hair-.” That’s all I need to know.  

“That-.” Junko notices my particular alarm. “Ah.”  

“...Um...?” Reisen’s confused. She doesn’t know, then...  

“...That’d most likely be my sister, Trish.” I lower my eyes, scowling. “What happened to her...?!”  

“I-If I actually knew, I’d tell you...!” Reisen winced, clutching her ears. “I think it was a wild youkai that stabbed her! I don’t know...!”  

“...Calm down, both of you.” Junko gives me a stern look, then Reisen the same look. “I have no doubt your sister will most likely be fine, Rajime... if it was your sister, anyway.”  

All of a sudden, a set of double doors swing open to my right, making us look over. Out steps... this girl with really long, white hair. In her hair’re these like... red ribbon things. They look like talismans. And by really long, I mean it goes down past her legs.  

Yeah, that’s how long her hair is. Otherwise, she’s got red eyes, wears a simple white shirt, and uh... pants. Or something like pants, anyway. There’s some straps that go over her shoulders... On the legwear is countless talismans plastered all over.  

...She looks incredibly pissed, for some reason. “Goddamnit... Of all the times for crap like that to happen...”  

...I glance at Junko, she sighs. “...Fujiwara.”  

Oh, so... this is Mokou...? She stops when her name’s uttered, prompting her to look at Junko. “...Oh. It’s you. Don’t mind me, I just... damn it.”  

She sits down on a nearby chair, scowling and shaking her head, muttering things under her breath I can’t hear.  

...Reisen seems mildly concerned at how angry Mokou looks, too... if this is Mokou.  

“Mmm... hard day?” Junko attempts to make conversation with her.  

“...Hard doesn’t even begin to cover it.” The strangely-dressed girl gives Junko a dry stare. I notice blood on her shirt... near her right shoulder. “Just when I think I’ve made a friend, I just... ugh...” She slouches, frowning. “I end up getting her hurt in the crossfire.”  

“...What happened to that girl you brought in, Mokou...?” Reisen meekly asks after making sure Mokou wouldn’t rip her head off or something for speaking. Also, this is Mokou, then...  

“I-. Alright, so...” Mokou takes a deep breath, holding her head with one hand, the other in her pocket. “You know that outsider girl I found alone the other day in the bamboo forest?”  

“Um... Yes, Trish, that’s what you said her name was, right...?” Reisen confirms that it was Trish who got sent here. Oh.  

“Yeah, her, so she was about to call it a day, normal human and all that, and I was taking her back to my place to sleep. On the way there, some youkai jumps us like a dumbass, I burned them, but they impaled Trish pretty badly. I uh... That’s who she was, that girl.” Mokou monotones, explaining.  

...I also have some words about that...! “O-Oh, no, then Trish, she-...!”  

...Mokou stares at me, narrowing her eyes. “Who the hell is he?”  

“...You’re talking to Trish’s younger brother.” Junko just bluntly explains who I am for Mokou.  

“I-. Oh.” She pauses, realising her mistake. “Crap, uh... Then that’d make you Rajime... Damn it, sorry, I just... didn't know...”  

“C-Calm down...!” Reisen pipes up again. “She’ll be fine... Master should be able to do something, if... that’s where you went, to find her...”  

“...What else would I have done?” Mokou just gives her a weird look, shaking her head. “Still... I feel awful. Normally, I... don’t really get attached to too many people, but I just... I said I’d try and keep Trish safe, but this happens and it’s just... so damned annoying!”  

...I hold my grimace when I feel a hand on my shoulder suddenly. “...I mean, I wouldn’t go counting me out yet, Mokou.”  

“Wh-.” The supposed immortal whips her head to me, then to whoever’s behind me... but I know who it is. “Oh. Guess I uh... got you here in time, huh, Trish...?”  

“...I’ve been stabbed with worse before.” Trish steps past me surprisingly calmly for someone who literally got stabbed by a youkai. “...Just a flesh wound, as some people’d definitely say.”  

Yeah, if anything, I’m way frailer than Trish is. She’s the one who does all the heavy lifting and stuff, but I do the more technical and finnicky things that require precision...  

...She’s smart and strong, I should say.  

“...Said flesh wound was five inches deep into your body.” Someone else shows up, also casually walking past me. Reisen’s ears perk up, whilst Junko has this neutral look on her face.  

“Yeah, sure.” Trish rolls her eyes at the newcomer.  

...It’s... a woman, with long white, maybe silver hair tied into a massive braid that trails down her back, wearing a red and blue nurse cap. They... wear a similarly coloured dress, red and blue, it having these weird star-like patterns. Constellations, maybe?  

Regardless, she seems incredibly neutral about what she just said.  

“...The hell have you been stabbed by?” Mokou seems genuinely concerned for Trish afterhearing how deep the wound was.  

...  

“I refuse to answer that question.” Trish grins.  

...When I’m looked at expectantly, I blink. “...I can’t answer that either.”  

“...I’m keeping you away from any and all blades, end of.” Mokou deadpans.  

“Given her physiology being in essentially perfect condition, her wound would have healed should you have just cleaned it up and stitched it.” The woman who I don’t know the name of regards Trish and Mokou at the same time. “...Though, I suppose the panic is understandable.”  

“So, yeah, as I said, been stabbed by worse, don’t worry if I do get impaled or something.” Trish nods along with this, hands pocketed... then begins grinning. “...Besides, worry’s not a good look on your face, Mokou.”  

“Says the girl who wasn’t even sure if she was bleeding out or not.” Mokou rolls her eyes. What... the hell does that even mean...?!  

...I’ve also just now noticed that Tewi isn’t even in the room anymore. She’s just... gone. Somewhere. I don’t know where.  

“...Though, I hadn’t known you’d taken an interest in a mortal, Fujiwara.” Hang on... is this that Eirin person Junko and Tewi both mentioned? “Is this a situation similar to Kamishirasawa?”  

“What? No.” Trish actually speaks up instead of Mokou. “I just can’t be bothered with people.”  

“...Yeah, what she said. Trish is just an outsider, Eirin.” Mokou pockets her hands... then glances at me, for some weird reason.  

...Eirin, as she’s now been named, also turns to me, having noticed Mokou look at me. Gee, thanks. “...And who would you be, exactly?”  

“...That’s my brother.” Trish monotones.  

“...I have a name, Trish.” I awkwardly grin, before shaking my head. “But in all seriousness, yeah, I’m her brother, Rajime.”  

“...I see.” Eirin doesn’t entirely linger on me until she notices the shield slid over my arm, raising a brow in curiosity. “...Where did you obtain that shield from, exactly?”  

I’m about to speak, when Junko decides to elaborate. “I had gifted it to him as a means of defending himself, Yagokoro.”  

“...Really, now? Why would that be?” Eirin pans her head over to Junko, subtly glancing at Aegis every now and then. “I hadn’t recalled you ever giving this level of affection to anyone who Isn't Udonge.”  

...I notice Reisen flinch out of the corner of my eye, looking down and trying to make herself seem busy.  

“Mmm... an outsider, he may be, though his circumstances are... certainly unique.” Junko vaguely explains everything they really need to know about me.  

“...Unique circumstances?” Mokou’s interested, now. “I mean, Trish managed to extinguish herself without my help once, and uh... she somehow didn’t even realise she was bleeding out, still standing upright and talking for a while before it hit her, but... Okay, yeah, no, that sounds weird as hell actually.”  

Giving Mokou a dry glance, Eirin pays more attention towards Junko. “...How exactly would his circumstances be... unique, if you don’t mind me asking?”  

“To begin with, he was attacked by a youkai not too long after finding himself in Gensokyo.” Junko begins, hands in her sleeves. “I am not too keen on the details, but from what I can gather, some youkai had attacked him and attempted to blind, or limit more like, his vision. He fought back... somehow, and when he tried to retaliate, something akin to a shockwave came from his fist, which dispelled all of the darkness... if it was darkness, anyway.”  

“...Curious.” Eirin gives me a neutral stare momentarily, before looking at Junko again. “Any other strange happenings?”  

“...Are you aware of a youkai called Yuuka Kazami? Able to manipulate flowers?” Junko decides to explain that whole thing in the village earlier.  

“Oh, that prick.” Mokou scowls.  

Sighing, Eirin nods. “Yes, I am aware of her... Why?”  

“We had bumped into her at the village. I was with Rajime, this time. Kamishirasawa was there also, so you can also ask her about this.” Junko begins, closing her eyes momentarily to recall what had exactly happened. “I was merely shopping. Just to give some context, Rajime is residing with me in Senkai following that whole issue with the wild youkai, and I had needed to go shopping regardless. Along the way, we had bumped into Kamishirasawa, then she had hazarded us about Kazami.”  

I might as well... you know, not be dead quiet. It makes me feel weird. “...Then... Keine noticed the shield here.” I raise Aegis for emphasis. “She called it curious, then Yuuka showed up immediately after.”  

“...Mmm.” Junko still sounds slightly sour about that whole encounter earlier. “She talked briefly, regarded Rajime as a ‘bizarre regularity’, or something along those lines, nearly dislocated his shoulder just to prove a point, only to nearly get zapped by odd sparks of lightning which even made her hesitate. Then... Then she talked briefly on his potential, then she left after giving him that sunflower there as an ‘invitation’.”  

...Oh, right, the sunflower... It’s still alive... or it looks like it’s alive, anyway.  

“...To be fair, the sunflower suits him.” Trish grins, piping up.  

“...Not the time.” I deadpan at her.  

I swear I just heard Mokou mutter something under her breath, before quietly sighing.  

“That aside...” Eirin sighs, shaking her head. “If that is genuinely what happened, then it’s certainly intriguing. You said you’re outsiders, correct?”  

Uh... “Yeah, why...?” I tilt my head. Trish has a brow raised.  

“...When did you both arrive in Gensokyo, exactly?” Eirin questions, looking between me and Trish.  

“...Yesterday evening, right?” Trish gives me a questioning glance. I just nod along with it. “Yeah, yesterday evening, but we ended up in completely different places.”  

“...You were just walking around in the bamboo forest until I found you.” Mokou adds after a moment.  

“And I had found Rajime being attacked by that first youkai in the Forest of Magic, if that’s what it was called.” Junko also adds, thinking.  

...That forest’s called the Forest of Magic, huh...  

“...One hell of an apt name for a forest.” Trish furrows her brows.  

“A lot of things are surprisingly aptly named, in Gensokyo.” Eirin clicks her tongue, before sighing. “...I’d like to investigate these unorthodox happenings. Having only arrived yesterday, you two shouldn’t even be able to feel magic, let alone know how to combat or use it.”  

“Now whilst that would be a good idea... Pretty sure I saw that statue’s eyes go red whilst I was in the village, once. Meanin’ an incident’s coming.” Mokou shakes her head, still having her hands pocketed. “And besides, Trish, you’re probably tired as hell.”  

“...I’m not-.” She actually stops to internally debate whether she is tired or not. “Actually, maybe I am just a little tired.”  

“You sure as hell aren’t immortal.” Mokou snorts, beginning to leave as Trish turns to me.  

“...See you around here whenever, I guess.” Trish shrugs, before following Mokou out of the door into the bamboo ahead.  

…  

Well, now it’s just me, Junko, Eirin, and Reisen.  

“Fujiwara does have a point... Udonge, was the Dragon God Statue...?” Eirin turns to Reisen for confirmation, who perks her head up.  

“Ah-? I... didn’t honestly get a good look at it, but I think its eyes were red...?” Reisen tilts her head to the side, unsure.  

“Kamishirasawa did mention its eyes were red, when we were about to leave the village for here.” Junko brings up, sighing. “...Though, I’m not too sure as to what this incident may be...”  

“Mmm. You can never be too sure, with incidents.” Eirin shakes her head, beginning to retreat back into Eientei’s depths. “I have important work to be doing... or, more like, had, before Fujiwara burst in with your sister.”  

...But she does spare me one last look. “Do consider dropping by, at some point. I would like to thoroughly examine that phenomenon, should you provide the opportunity.”  

“Ah... I mean, I’ll try...?” I’m not honestly sure if I would be able to...  

“I’m imagining Trish may take this opportunity, when she inevitably gets some rest.” Eirin resumes walking further into Eientei, getting further and further away... “I would advise you to consider it also.”  

…  

Then she’s gone down the hall.  

“Ah, I had almost forgotten...” Junko reaches into my bag, producing a senbei and that purple scarf she had bought earlier. “Reisen~. These’re for you.”  

“Um...?” She looks up to see the scarf and senbei on the counter, taking them. “Thanks...?”  

“Mmm...” Junko begins moving for the door, humming contently. “It’s getting late. Come, Rajime.”  

Ah, right... “Coming!” I go to follow her out the door after she leaves.  

“Hey, Rajime, right...?”  

...I stop, glancing back at Reisen. She’s staring straight at me, biting her lip. “...Yeah?”  

“Just... be careful, around Junko. She means well, but she can be... um...” Reisen trails off, unsure if she should continue...?  

“Terrifying? Yeah, I know.” I nod at her, which makes her sigh out.  

“Right, so you’ve experienced it first-hand too... Just be careful.” She warns me, frowning. “She’s not exactly the best with... handling her emotion. Just a word of warning.”  

...Mhm. “I know that, too...” I still can’t get how scary yet serious she was earlier today out of my head... It’s stuck there, now. Ehh...  

I go back to following Junko. Once outside, she picks me up, beginning to carry me as she flies back to Senkai, somehow. My mind wanders to everything that’s happened today...  

...Yuuka especially, I just... don’t know what to make of her. Keine says she’s not to be trusted, but I dunno... Maybe I can trust her...?  

And Trish... well, she has been stabbed by far, far worse, I still remember those few incidents when we went camping with some of our friends back home...  

...

Maybe I can afford to let my mind wander for a little while, because I think it'll take a while for Junko to get us home...  

...

Chapter Text

I... mostly thought about what happened today, if I'm being honest. Finding out Trish is alright was... one thing, albeit with a new wound. She always was one to get hurt, dirty, and rough I guess... I mean, she did stand up for me against some bullies once, and boy did she kick their asses!

Haha... Feels weird to be reminiscing on that stuff, though. Man, that was years ago... I bet she doesn't even remember it, but that's why I've always looked up to her. Trish, I mean. She's a bit of a loner, maybe a nihilist if she can be called that, but she's not outright ignorant of everything around her. She'll still stick up for people, and even though we don't really... see eye to eye on a lot of things, she still helps me.

...Be it with bullying or just general life. I don't honestly know where I'd be without Trish. It's funny... It's like that symbology with the twin snakes, a brother of the light, and the sister of the dark.

Actually, isn't it-... Wait, yeah, no, I'm not confusing it. Oops, that's me doubting myself...

...

I'm getting off-topic. I uh... yeah, I look up to Trish, but I don't like her getting hurt so much... Not that I'd know the feeling, I'm... surprisingly more aware of my surroundings than she is, but I'm not the most physically fit person. Trish, however, is.

Then again, being this slender helps with being more sneaky and just... generally lighter, if I'm being honest. Makes a lot of people underestimate you, too... I guess that weird girl from when I first got here was proof. I might look frail, maybe a bit... you know, weak, but I make up for it with reaction time and stuff.

And now that I have Aegis, the shield Junko gave me, um... I guess I can actually make use of that reaction time to retaliate if I'm attacked, or something. It does feel pretty powerful for a shield.

Err... Moving on, u~m... Yuuka! Yuuka, Yuuka... 

Hmm... Yuuka said she wanted to help me with my whole... instinct and emotion thing, because she figures it's linked to those weird... things I did when I was in peril. Keine said not to trust her, I know that, but... Yuuka just... genuinely doesn't feel malicious, or something. She's more... peaceful. Serene? Um...

...Actually, I think 'polite' fits better. She was polite to me, anyway. I just can't see her as a bad person. Maybe misunderstood? I don't know. Her ability of manipulating flowers is... kinda unique, and it also makes me wonder just what kinds of flowers're in that Garden of the Sun place.

Judging from the name, I guess sunflowers are a no-brainer, right? Ahah...

...

I forgot to mention it, but Junko's still flying and carrying me. I guess I'm just too... invested with my thoughts, or whatever. But this is stuff I need to think about, so... I guess it equals out. She doesn't seem like she wants to make any conversation either, so...

...

Back to the thoughts I go! Hehe... Reisen's words when I departed Eientei still... bounce around in my head, namely because they're really accurate.

...She also said them with... certainty. A lot of certainty. 'Not exactly the best with handling her emotion'. That's what she said, right?

I mean, yeah, I kinda... noticed that, actually. Not that it was hard to, it was actually really easy I mean, but um-. Yeah, um... yeah.

...I'm so awkward with talking about that... It just feels weird to. Dunno why it feels weird, that's the kicker. I think it's because Junko does genuinely remind me of my own mom, maybe? I mean... it could be that, but then again, she actually was a mother at some point in her life, so...

...

Back to Yuuka, though. Whilst she's um... offered to try and help me with that, however she can, there was also Eirin, she said she wanted to look into it too...

...I feel like Trish might take her up on that. Just... she's generally closer to Eientei, and all that. Guess living in that bamboo forest has its benefits, doesn't it? Especially with Mokou.

...Say, speaking of Mokou... I think I read something about a 'Fujiwara clan'...? I don't know when or where I was doing that, probably online a few months ago when I wanted to look into the past of Japan, but... yeah, the Fujiwara clan was something that came up. I remember it, too, since her last name reminded me. Fujiwara.

Does... Trish know? I think she does. She might.

...Hmm... Thinking like this is good. It helps me to vent out everything that I've just got bottled up in my head. Maybe I should take a few minutes of my day to compile these things... Or, better yet, what if I got a diary? It wouldn't hurt...

Actually... 

Couldn't I just do that on my ph-...

...Oh, right, I've... huh. Must've put my phone on the side back at home. Damn. Then again, not like I could've expected getting... sent here somehow. Bit of a shame though, I would've liked to take some pictures, and a phone's just easier to use in general.

I... always did like to stow away in technology, honestly. It simultaneously bewilders yet fascinates me as to how so much of it works and why so much of it is just... there, around us. O-Outside of this Gensokyo place, anyway, I'm not sure if there's anything like that here...

...Actually, I could ask Junko, when I consider it. She might know. "Hey, Junko...?"

"...Mmm?" She acknowledges that I asked a question.

"Is there any like... technology in Gensokyo, or not...?" I ask her awkwardly. "I know it's a stupid question, but-."

"...There's no such thing as a stupid question." Junko shakes her head, smiling whilst looking ahead. "And, as a matter of fact, I do believe there is some somewhere. If my memory serves right, there are kappa who live in a ravine near that mountain who are... quite adept at technology and making... ahem, interesting machinery. Questionable yet interesting, I mean."

...Wait, what?! "I-... Um, oh, okay? I just... genuinely didn't expect there to be any technology in this place." I admit sheepishly, scratching my neck awkwardly.

"A reasonable assumption. I believe you'd be interested in meeting them eventually, as all of their... bizarre creations are themed around things from outside of Gensokyo." Junko brings up, closing her eyes as she keeps flying ahead.

Kappa... That sounds familiar to me, actually. I think there was something about kappa in regards to mythology, or something...? Though, maybe it's more... reasonable to assume they're just youkai. Because, yeah, that's what everything who isn't a human is, apparently.

...Then again, there's gods, supposedly. Actual gods. Which reminds me that I wasn't really too into that thing. Religion just... doesn't appeal to me that much, honestly. Best way I can put it is that weak-willed people put their faith in something to make them feel more confident.

Ah... that might be a bit rude, actually. I do know a few religious people who're super nice, but man some religions are strict...

...But... I know there's a lot of Japanese gods, though. Shinto, and all that stuff, right?

Back to the point... I guess youkai is just an umbrella term. I'm willing to bet a lot of people misidentify things as a youkai, too. Maybe. Human error's something you've gotta consider regarding identification, isn't it? Like, for all they know, that could just be some human who looks weird or probably hates their life.

I mean, I mistake Trish for a demon or something when she wakes up early for whatever reason, sometimes. Seriously, she looks... very scary when she's tired. It's funny how I'm the one who's more of a morning person between us both, because sometimes she doesn't even wake up until late into the afternoon. Weird part is she doesn't even stay up late, because I know she goes to sleep around the same time I do.

...Then again, there were a few instances where she does stay up late into the night doing stuff on her computer. I know that because she laughs pretty loudly, and it wakes me up sometimes.

Ah... I notice that the surroundings start to change. I-. Okay, I've just gotta ask... "How exactly do we get here...?"

"...Hm? Oh, Senkai is merely reached through the belief that any given crack contains endless space underneath. It, in a sense, allows this realm to be accessed from just about anywhere." Junko elaborates... I-... A crack?

"Like... Uh... So this is like ants tunnelling into a crack in the ground...?" That... really is what it sounds like, if I'm being honest...

"...In a sense." Junko sighs. "Though, being compared to an ant is not befitting of us both. I would rather refer to it as the wind blowing through even the slightest crack in the window, or water seeping through and beneath various crevices of rock and soil. It's more akin to a cave being much bigger than it looks on the outside, would it not?"

"...Ah... I guess so." I consider that, bringing a finger to my chin. Wind and rain are some good examples to use... and I guess the whole 'much bigger than it looks' part fits really well. This place is hidden inside of cracks, after all.

...I wonder if that includes any and all cracks...? Like... cracks in a mirror, or small crevices you can't, if not barely, stick your hand in or behind...

Also, rain reminds me... I did like to listen to rain falling. It makes for good background noise to take my mind off of things. It's a thing I've had for years where if it was raining, I'd do something really quietly, or as quietly as I could actually, in an attempt to listen to it.

...It feels... strange. Why am I reminiscing so much...? Am I just nostalgic? If so, then Trish won't let me hear the end of it if she finds out.

Keyword being 'if'. I can keep it secret from her. After all, I like keeping secrets, be it my own or someone else's. Because secrets're meant to be kept secret, not thrown out in the open. Except for ones that need to be. Like horrible stuff that people want to be kept secret. That can be thrown out there for all I care.

"...You do seem to be thinking an awful lot." Junko decides to comment on my... well, silence, and visible pondering. Outside of when I asked her those questions and stuff.

"What can I say? Today's just been... pretty eventful, even if it doesn't seem like it..." Sighing, I lower my eyes, nearly yawning. Nope, resist the temptation to yawn... I'm not that tired.

...

Okay, maybe I am tired, actually, but it's not that late, is it?

...Is it?

"...I suppose it has been, for you." Nodding along to my answer, Junko gives me a soft smile. "However, these types of things are... quite common in Gensokyo." Sighing, her eyes lower too. "Outsiders getting hurt whilst being relatively powerless to fight back against youkai... It does sicken and irritate me. Sometimes outsiders fall into Gensokyo to only immediately be eaten by youkai, like you almost were."

"...Really?" That just... makes it sound like that happens. A lot. 

"Mmh." She grimaces. "Though, it is the circle of life here, in a sense. It's a cruel, sink or swim world for most humans. They're mostly cattle being led along... though I suppose some youkai are, in fact, in similar situations. However, it would be a shame if such a young man like yourself were to meet a similar fate."

Young man... I-... No, she's right, I... um... I'm an adult, yeah... Yeah, that's what I was gonna say, totally... totally not anything else...

...

God, I really am awkward.

Also-. I know I just said I'm not that keen on religion, but I still use a god's name in vain. Namely because it's too convenient not to, but we don't talk about that.

"I've also noticed that there's been rather... abrupt changes to your being." Junko abruptly comments...? Abrupt changes? What does she mean?

"...What do you mean by 'abrupt changes'...?" I blink.

"I mean that as in your body seems to be willingly accepting purity gradually. Divinity, in a sense, meaning you may have some attunement related to my ability that I wasn't aware of initially, but when I take a glance at your overall purity, I have noticed such a subtle change." Junko elaborates for me. Divinity, huh... "...I believe your body is accepting it due to being in such close proximity to myself. Before long, you may very well be a purified human, should your body be able to withstand it... though it may take months. Maybe a year, at most."

...Oh. That's... quite a while away, actually. Hmm...

"...However, it is there, do not forget that. Actual gods may notice that oddity in you, too. Hence why I would recommend steering clear of someone should you know they're a god." She also points out. Gods'll notice this...?

"Right..." I hold my arms. It's actually pretty cold, even with me being this close to Junko, alongside my ribbons, and stuff...

She... surprisingly touched down inside of her home, this time, not at the front door. 

"It has been a rather long day, hasn't it? I believe you may be better off getting some rest, instead of doing anything else..." She places a hand on my shoulder softly after putting me on my feet.

"Ahh..." I think about it, looking at where we landed specifically. Right outside of the bedrooms. So, um, yeah... "...Probably...?"

...She gives me a much more serious stare. I-. Oh. Um-. Yeah, uh-. 

"O-Okay, fine, I'll get some sleep..." I bite my lip as she nods in content. 

"Very good. Remember, I care about you, Rajime. I wouldn't like it were you to overthink things more than you should. A common saying I'm quite familiar with is 'there's no such thing as common sense in Gensokyo'. I believe you'd want to keep that in mind, too. It could help." She releases her hand from my shoulder, putting both hands in her sleeves, before getting ready to walk off elsewhere.

O-Oh, this might be a good time to... "W-Wouldn't you want this? It's... got all of the groceries and stuff we picked up in it..." I hold out my bag to her, making her pause.

"...Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten." Junko pauses, sighing with a smile. "Thank you."

As she takes it, she seems to notice something. "...You aren't wearing your scarf?"

...Oh. "I... actually completely forgot about it, sorry..." I admit, scratching my head.

"...Mmm. Here." She passes me the scarf after digging around for it inside of the bag, then gets ready to properly leave. "You'll have your bag back by tomorrow. Good night."

"A-Actually, one... one more thing...!" I call out for her again as I put my scarf on loosely, making Junko simply turn her head to look at me.

"...Yes?" She raises a brow.

"W-Would... Would it be alright if I got a diary, at some point? It's just..." I try and figure out how to say my next words. Words are hard. "It's just so I can keep a track of what goes on in my day, and all..." 

"That..." Pausing properly, she thinks on it. "...That may actually be a wise investment, should you remember to use it. Would you?"

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, I would!" I grin, nodding. "I mean, I want to keep track of what's happened in my life, and a diary's the best way to do it...! It'll also let me go over my thoughts more properly..."

...Junko clicks her tongue, giving it some consideration. "...I see. Alright, then. I'll try and find you a blank diary you can use tomorrow. It's late into the night, after all."

Right...

"...Now then... I'm imagining that's everything." Junko resumes her pace in the direction she was going earlier, leaving me at the door. "Good night, Rajime."

"Good night!" I call back to her, turning to the door and opening it, before heading inside. It's... how I remember it. Nothing's been touched or rifled through since this morning, it looks like...

Which, mind you, is actually pretty good to know. That this really is private and... you know, nobody can get into here. 

Though now that I've said that, maybe it is possible for someone to break into here, I just haven't been unlucky enough yet for that to happen, ahaha...

I-. Actually, no, I shouldn't joke about being unlucky. Because then I'd actually be unlucky and someone'd break in to... kidnap me, for some reason. Really shouldn't be something to joke about, that.

...I prop Aegis near the door, before taking my hat and shoes off again. As well as the ribbons, this time. I don't want to crease them, and I forgot to take them off yesterday too, so... whoops?

Oh well, sleeping on them for that one night wouldn't hurt, I'm pretty sure... And regarding the scarf? I don't really mind it, it's loose enough and it keeps my neck warm.

...

As I lay down in the futon again, I realise something. It'd be convenient if I had a shield for every kind of thing, as in, water, fire, ice, so on, right? But... at the same time, it'd be really awkward if I had to keep swapping between them...

...Maybe Aegis could just be its own thing? I mean, it is a purified shield, after all. Hmm...

...

Who am I kidding, I can worry about that later, right...?

Yeah... Yeah, I can.

With those thoughts in mind, I drift off to sleep...

You know... I would've expected to bump into Kolar again. Or maybe Trish. In the dream, I mean. But... no. They didn't show up here.

...Not yet, anyway. Maybe? Or maybe that's just me being hopeful.

It feels... weird. Really weird. To know that you're dreaming. Don't they call this 'lucid dreaming' or something...? 

...

Actually, I could dream about anything in here, when I think about it. Right now, it's just... a black void. Nothing too notable about it...

Hmm... It's pretty dreary, actually. U~m... Let's give it a bit of flavour. 

...I suddenly have a paintbrush in my hand. Why...?

I mean-. I always did like making stuff, be it a drawing or painting, and I'm way better than Trish is at it, but... I'm not the best at this kind of thing. I could pass for an above-average artist at best, I think.

...Pretty sure I could, anyway. You never know with this kind of thing, sometimes you see little things that just irritate you, so you go to change it, but no matter how hard you try, it just looks wrong, then even more wrong, until you just give up until tomorrow because it's that annoying.

Anyways, I'm 'you' in that instance. I'm... a bit of a perfectionist regarding that. Then again, wasn't there that thing about not all art being perfect...?

...The fact I'm acknowledging the fact I'm a perfectionist is one thing, but uh... it's just a fear of screwing up. Or being rejected. Sometimes both.

...

A-Anyways, moving on, um... let's just... try and ignore that fact. I mean, I know I'm alone, but there's a gut feeling that I just have someone watching me. Or someones. I don't know, it's a... pretty vague feeling. It's like eyes're being drilled into the back of my head, gaze... burning almost.

Ehh... That just sounded a bit too dramatic, just then. It's just like I can feel stares in here, no matter where I go or how hard I try to ignore it. That's what I mean by me feeling that there's someone watching me.

Let's just... try and ignore it. Probably my mind playing tricks on me, even though this is a dream.

...I'm also suddenly holding a pencil in my other hand. Why...?

I-. Oh, that's why. When I move it to try and draw something in the air, it just... made a bright white outline of the lines.

...Huh. I mean, it really stands out against the darkness... What background should I give this place...?

I mean, the void I was in before was purple, not black, so maybe this is my own dream...? Maybe that purple one is the one that allows me, Trish, and Kolar to talk to each other?

...I wonder if it is every three days we're thrown into that...?

O-Oh, right, I'm ignoring the fact I'm supposed to be... making a background. U~m... What to make, what to make...

...How about a little clearing in front of a river? I like the sound of flowing water, it's just... soothing. Maybe if I have it in front of me, I'll have a better dream? Worth a shot.

And who knows...? Maybe my dreams after this might not even be lucid ones. I might just have regular old dreams and wake up the next day.

So I begin drawing the river's outline with the pencil, then some trees, then some more stuff, and...

...

I have a bunch of white lines going all over the place, which make... a semi-coherent image? It just needs colour...

...My eyes glaze over the brush. What's this for, then...?

I move it over the river I 'drew'-.

Fwu~sh!

I-. Oh. Oh, okay. That-. Okay, neat...? That brush just made the river come to life. It's actually water. What...?

How the hell do these work...? Are these some special dream tools? If so, then... that's interesting.

...I paint the trees next, followed by all the grass and riverbank. It's... all coming to life, as if I'm creating it, funnily enough. As I said, I always did like making things. Not just art stuff, like drawings or crafts or... whatever, but I can also cook for myself if I need to. I'm... particularly a fan of baking cakes or cupcakes. Savoury and sweet stuff's my thing. I really like scones, too. Probably can't get those here though, which is... kind of a shame.

Wh-. Oh. Okay, that's... strange. When I wasn't looking, it seems I'm actually in the... thing I made. The river painting thing. It just expanded and grew to... regular sizes. To the sizes I'd expect in real life. That's... interesting.

...I made this. That's actually pretty nice to know, that this wasn't prefabricated, but this was something I drew and painted, now it's... something I can relax in.

"You're welcome for those tools, by the way." 

A voice makes me perk up. It's not one I recognise at all, it just sounds... smug, yet pretty calm. I'm not sure why I immediately thought smug, but it just sounds smug. It's also... feminine. Again.

I'm starting to get convinced that men are a rare commodity or something, because I've only seen two since I got here, those being that one guy at the village gate, and Kolar, because he's here too. I've not seen any others. Yet.

...Technically, I should include myself, but yeah, no, I'm not counting myself.

More importantly... "Who...?" I look around, trying to find the source...

"I'm right here." The voice comes from... right beside me. Wait, when-.

As soon as I look to my right, I'm met with something... relatively unnerving. It's a girl with this relatively smug yet unnerving smile on her face. I'm not sure why I think it's so unnerving, she's just... smiling. Other things to note are dark blue hair and eyes, sort of like Kolar's...

...I also notice the fact this girl has a white tail, meaning she isn't a human, though I guess that's a given because tail.

Clothes-wise, she's got a black and white dress on with similarly coloured orbs that're the opposite of the colour they're placed on, so like... black part of the dress, white orbs.

...They also vary in size, it looks like. There's a red nightcap on her head and... yeah.

She's also holding a book and-.

"...As much as I appreciate you looking at me so hard, I'd like it if you actually responded." She breaks my focus on her general figure, giving me a more dry stare. "I'm aware men could lack... discreetness, regarding that, though you..."

Wait, what-. "No-. I'm not looking at you like that, I just... I just like to take down every detail about whoever I meet." I flinch. I'm not... that much of an idiot...

"...Ah." The girl pauses, giving me a curious glance as she considers my words. "That's relieving to know, then. You outsiders are especially an odd bunch, I had just thought... Nevermind."

"Yeah, um..." I grin, scratching the back of my neck. "...Sorry? The design of your clothes did also sort of... interest me."

"Mmm. I could say the same for your own." Giving my own outfit a gesture, she regains her smug yet calm attitude.

Ha! Kolar called this outfit gaudy, but it is fashionable! Someone acknowledged it!

"Thanks." Smiling, I nod at her, before realising something. "Ah, my name-."

"Is Rajime Naga, yes, I know." She just casually cuts in and reveals that... she knows who I am. Wait, how-?! "Don't be so surprised. On that note, how about I introduce myself? It should make more sense how I know who you are, that way."

...I just nod quietly, still surprised over the fact she just said my name aloud.

"...I am Doremy Sweet, and I... whilst I would say rule, it's more akin to managing. I manage the Dream World, not as a ruler, but more of a zookeeper of sorts." Doremy introduces herself. I-... Oh, now it makes more sense... "There you go. As for how I know who you are, Rajime? Your name, among your sister's, got brought up by someone else in another dream."

"Someone else?" I'm confused now... Who brought me and Trish up...? The only ones who've seen or know about me and Trish both existing are...

...Actually, a lot of people do, when I think about it.

"...I believe you'd know her as Sumireko?" Doremy raises a brow. I-. Sumi?! Now it makes more sense...! "She said you and your sister had abruptly disappeared one day from the Outside World after she came to visit again 'the day after she spoke to you', seemingly without a trace at that."

"She came to visit again the next day...?" I blink, furrowing my brows.

"If I remember, she was hoping to talk to your sister, Trish." Doremy elaborates some more, flipping open that book... It's got a cute little bookmark that seems similar to her tail, which I just noticed. "That is when I had noticed your name in my dream journal. This has the dreams of everyone who has ever dreamt in their life, so I decided to pay your dream a visit when it was active."

"When it's active?" I'm confused, now...

"Right now, you're aware you're in a dream." She raises a finger, then looks at the scenery I created. "I took notice, of course, so I came over to talk to you specifically as this was the best time to do so. Your dream only becomes active once your actual body is truly asleep. You are merged with your dream self, at this moment in time, hence the heightened awareness of this world being a dream. However, this won't happen all the time. You'll sometimes not know you're in a dream, and you'll only vaguely remember what your dream self experiences."

"Oh..." I nod a few times. That's not hard to understand, honestly.

"...You catch on rather quick for an outsider, if I'm being honest." She comments on my understanding. 

"...Was it meant to be hard to catch on to?"

...

"You're quite a strange one." Doremy decides outright. "All dreams are, in a sense, loosely connected to each other through me. However, you seem to understand the concept of lucid dreaming quite well, and how to properly control a dream."

"...I've had some before." I reveal, tilting my head. "There was also this dream I had where I was able to talk with my sister and a friend of mine, yesterday..."

"Ah, that one." Doremy nods in understanding. "Yes, I'm aware of it, and what that dream entailed. You, your sister, and your friend have ended up in Gensokyo. You'd also like to use that space as a way to go over what you know every three days? I can arrange that, as it's relatively harmless."

"That dream journal must be really useful..." I give the book she's holding a brief glance.

"It's necessary to have if you were to do what I am to do on a daily basis." Doremy keeps her smug smile, but it grows slightly larger than before.

"...Guess that would be true." I opt to grin, sitting down in front of the river.

Doremy opts for sitting down, too. "Is this truly what you want your dreamscape to look like, from here onwards?"

"You mean it'll stay like this?" I tilt my head. What does she mean by that...?

"Indeed. It'll remain this way so long as you keep dreaming." Doremy informs me. Is that really how it works? If so, then... huh. "...Those tools I had temporarily lended you were a Dream Brush and a Figment Pencil."

As she says this, she produces the brush and the pencil again, allowing me a better look. The pencil's like... periwinkle and slightly red. There's a small sheep clip attached to the top of it, too. As for the brush, it's a purplish-pink, with the brush itself being black and white, though I get faint flashes of what looks like a rainbow coursing through it every now and then.

...It's also got a similar sheep clip attached to the end of the handle. Ah-. Oh, it just dawned on me, the whole 'counting sheep' thing... A~h, that's why there's sheep on them...

...Wait, I wonder if...? "What exactly are you, anyway, Doremy...?"

"Quite an abrupt question to ask. Though, I suppose there's no harm in answering it. I am a baku, a tapir-like youkai which can devour dreams or nightmares... You have no need to worry, though, I'm not here to eat your dream. In fact, I can even create another one for you if I wanted." She chuckles, shaking her head. That red hat's pretty long actually. I just noticed because I can see it trailing down past her back, as it rests on the ground, though the middle part sways alongside her head shake. "I suppose I have been regarded as the most dangerous youkai in the Dream World, however. I'll let you decide what to do with that information, hmm?"

...Dangerous? I mean... "You don't really strike me as dangerous, if I'm... being honest." I give it some more thought. "I mean, the whole eating dreams thing is... well, one thing. Also, a tapir... I can't say I've ever seen, or read about, an actual one."

"They're mostly docile." Doremy keeps her smug look. "Unless if you provoke them, of course. But you wouldn't. You're one to avoid conflict."

"How did you...?" I blink a few times. She knows I don't really like provoking people?

"...You generally present yourself as a gentle figure. You'd rather focus solely on defending instead of ever attacking, akin to a pacifist of some kind. Normally, that would be understandable, not many people strive for active conflict. However, since you're in Gensokyo... That line of thinking just won't do." She sighs. "Fortunately, you seem to have found rather... odd workarounds to fighting, though. As for how I know? Well..."

I take a glance at the journal she's got in her hands. It's still open, then I notice the fact she has Junko's page singled out, alongside my own. For some reason they're side by side...

"It seems you've noticed what I was looking at." Doremy comments on the diary, holding it over to me momentarily, before closing it. "I was just looking through when I had noticed that sagacious spirit had actively mentioned you several times in her dream. You specifically, nobody else. My, it's almost as if she's got some kind of obsession."

"An obsession...?" I blink a few times. I mean, I know Junko's a bit... overprotective, but obsessed? That... might be pushing it.

"Mmm. She's solely concerned with your safety. I typically tend to watch her dreams, every now and then. Namely because of agreements with a certain someone at this moment in time, though that's not important right now." She closes her eyes as I stare into the river some more. "...I noticed because you repeatedly came up a lot in her dream, yesterday. It was too interesting to not find out more about, though I suppose I have now."

Then, she decides to point something else out. "...You don't look like you're actively against my presence, either, which is strange for a human. I figured you'd be weirded out, maybe slightly intimidated."

"Why would I be intimidated?" I turn my gaze back to her, confused. "I mean, as far as I'm aware, you don't mean any harm... This dream stuff actually interests me, too."

"I suppose so." Her smug smile shifts into a more genuine one. 

"And... besides." I fold my arms. "Having someone to talk to's nice. I just... don't like being alone. It's one of my worst nightmares, to be somewhere dark and miserable, whilst being alone."

"...A fear of loneliness?" Doremy seems invested. "I suppose you have nothing to fear regarding that, then."

"For now, yeah, but..." I pause, wondering if I should elaborate further. I mean, there's a lot to elaborate on there, but let's go over the lesser details for now... "I'm... just also afraid that I'll turn people away from me, with my... well, with my personality, my ideals, and... yeah."

"Ah." She seems to understand why I'm so afraid of it. "...Though, it seems there's more you want to say, but you're actively fighting the desire to talk about it."

...How did she...? I mean, she isn't wrong, but...

"If you don't wish to talk about it right now, we can always touch on it later, I suppose."

Those words... Later? "Later? As in... you'll visit my dreams again?" I didn't think she actually would want to come back... I'm pretty boring, if I'm being honest.

"Between you, your friend, and your sister, you're far more curious." Doremy elaborates. "That, and... what was your friend called again?"

"Um... Kolar, why?" I blink.

"Kolar already has his dreams set straight." Doremy vaguely explains. What does that mean?! "As in, he can't lucidly dream very often. They're rather linear, if I'm being honest."

"Linear?" I tilt my head. "Why linear? As in... his dreams follow the same pattern?"

"More or less, they do." She flips open her dream diary to show me, leaving it open on Kolar's page this time. "They're linear as 'fate' plans for him to dream such things."

Right now, it says he's dreaming about how to better himself at talking to other people...? And... how to do chores. And stuff like that.

...Why?

"...Though, this 'fate' is instead the result of being enthralled to a vampire, which, in a sense, allows said vampire to control what he thinks and dreams about to a degree. He can still make his own decisions though, which is... partially bizarre in of itself." Doremy brings up. Enthralled to a vampire, huh...? Makes me wonder just what Kolar's actually getting up to. "However, I can influence these 'dreams' of his if I want to. I believe he might get bored of dreaming the same things eventually."

"Ah... I see." I scratch my neck. "What about Trish?"

"Your sister?" Doremy seems to give this some thought, tilting her head as her expression goes somewhat more serious, instead of being the normal 'smug and playful' aura she gives off. "...I'm actually having difficulties interacting with her dreams, let alone entering or even observing them. It's almost as if the boundary between her dream and the rest of the Dream World has been... tampered with, in a sense. This may be the doing of that gap youkai, as she's the only one who genuinely comes to mind. The motives behind such a tampering, however, is lost on me."

Then, she regains her regular look. "However, your dreams were wide open, alongside your dreams being considerably more lucid than any other dream. This is why I am able to freely enter and talk to you, and I'd like to be able to do so in the future. I may even be able to arrange something that'll allow you to talk to Usami, should you wish to."

"Yeah, I'd... I'd like to talk to Sumi." I lower my eyes. I feel... pretty bad that I had that conversation with her, then just... vanished the next day. Then again, there's no way either of us could've expected this to happen.

"Very well. I'll go over it with her and arrange accordingly. It may take some time, however." Doremy hazards me. "Because I also have to take your 'meetings' with your friend and your sister into consideration, too."

Ah, right, that... Man, she's... pretty nice, actually. "How can I even repay you for this...? For... For letting me meet with Kolar and Trish every three days, and um... yeah."

"...I can allow you to meet with your friend. I'm not too sure about your sister, though, because her dream's boundaries have been tampered with to prevent my interference. I may be able to pull some string and get around that rather puzzling complication, however, as I am the manager of the Dream World. As for repaying me? There's no need. This is my job, after all." Doremy closes her book shut pretty audibly, before producing a... pillow. "On this note... May I interest you in a Sweet Sleep Pillow?"

A what? I look at the pillow in her hands. It's... got frills on the edges, and there's some creatures which I'm assuming are tapirs wearing hats like Doremy's all over it.

Um... It does look comfy, though, but as much as I'd like to have one... "I've... not got any money."

"Who said I was selling it to you?" Her smile widens. "I'm willing to give one away for free, just this once. It'll allow me to keep in contact with you easier. Not a lot of people know this about the pillows, but they've been given special enchantments which will make them dream about the same thing - me. They're popular among humans and fairies nonetheless, though."

"Really...?" I give the pillow more of an examining look than before. "I mean, it does look comfy... Wait, but this is a dream, how will you...?"

"...I can drop one in the real world for you to use. I can easily come and go between the Dream World, Gensokyo, and various other places, so I'm not limited to just staying here." She smugly explains. Why's she so smug about everything, anyway?

But I don't think I'm really going to question it. Doremy's nice enough... I think. I mean, she is a youkai, so she might be lying to me because I'm a human, but... I want to believe her. I don't like to think people are lying. Hell, I don't like lying myself, it's awful.

"On the note of the real world..." She pauses, furrowing her brows. "...It seems you have a visitor."

Eh? "...Who...?"

"Mmm..." Doremy hums to herself for a moment, before placing a hand on my shoulder. "Not to worry, however. It isn't that spirit who's taking care of you, although..."

...She proceeds to open a small hole in the air, then expands it open. It shows... my bedroom - or the guest room Junko's letting me use more like - and... I'm there sleeping, but there's someone rummaging around in there. Wearing light blue clothes. And some weird veil thing, and this odd hair accessory... I can make out golden eyes, too. Who...?

"Hmm... Doesn't look like there's much in here." It's... a woman, it sounds like. She sounds disappointed. We can hear them...?

"Who is that?" I stare at the figure moving around in my bedroom.

"...A wicked hermit known as Seiga Kaku." Doremy elaborates, staring at this 'Seiga'. "She's most likely looking for things to steal from you, as you're living in Senkai, then when she does so, she'd most likely try and sell them back to you."

"...How long has she been there...?" I'm... slightly disturbed by that fact...

"Around a minute. However-." Doremy was about to continue when I watch the door to my bedroom fly open, then Junko floats in extremely menacingly and angrily. I-. Oh. Oh. "...That's exactly what I was about to mention. That spirit was aware this would happen at some point. She dreamt about it, at one point. Be it Seiga stealing from her or you. She's constantly checking to make sure anything specifically impure wasn't there, aside from yourself." 

"Junko was expecting this...? That's... huh..." I watch as this Seiga slowly freezes in place, looks at Junko, and the light from the lanterns abruptly flaring to life makes me get a look at the realisation on her face. This Seiga's a woman, it looks like. How did she even get in there? I kept the window shut, and... yeah.

"She was. Seiga's ability is to pass through walls. See that hole in the floor?" Doremy focuses on a part of the floor that... has a big hole in it. "That is a hole made by Seiga. She physically cut that hole with the hair stick you see her wearing. However, they close of their own accord after some time passes."

...That... totally isn't terrifying! Nope, not at all...!

"Leave. Now." Junko suddenly has those tail-like flames flaring behind her and-. Oh, yeah, there goes danmaku. Most of it somehow misses me. I... How the hell am I sleeping through that? 

Also, I say most, since it looks like some actually are hitting me. Junko's trying to avoid me as much as possible, though Seiga doesn't seem to care that I'm there.

"...A danmaku battle in such an enclosed space is... well, dangerous." Doremy comments. "I wouldn't be surprised if they-"

"Let's take this outside, shall we?" Oh, and the window's gone. Seiga just blasted it open and flew out of it, with an even angrier Junko flying after her. Um.

"-went outside." She finishes, sighing. "...You may feel stiff in the morning. Being exposed to danmaku for the first time is rather painful, you feel numb and the energy from the bullets would most likely overwhelm you immediately. I believe that your limit for these bullets is around a single spread of regular danmaku. So, give or take a few, around ten bullets is all it would take to immobilise, or defeat I should say, you."

"Oh..." I nod a few times as she closes the hole. "So, um..."

"You'll get used to danmaku pain with time." Doremy gives me a smile again. "In fact, you could even learn how to use it, if you wanted to."

"...I can...?" I tilt my head, considering it.

"Danmaku's a good way to reliably take down someone non-lethally." Doremy elaborates. Ehh... "...You seem opposed to it, though. You may need to learn that fighting is necessary for survival in Gensokyo eventually, Rajime."

"I know, but... I just don't want to hurt people." I reason, folding my arms. "Even after my family was... um..."

...I pause immediately. Did-. Did I nearly just talk about that? No, no, I don't... need to talk about that.

"...Your family?" Doremy raises a brow. 

"T-That's... That's not important..." I close my eyes, partially grimacing. "I don't... want to remember my family." The only member of my family that I actually want to remember is Trish. Hell, I don't even want to remember mom or dad... It's just...

It's just painful to think about them. To remember them. 

"The way you say that..." The baku mulls my words over, before hazarding a guess. "Abuse?"

"I don't... want to talk about it." I shake my head. "Not... Not right now."

"...Very well." She stops trying to push me about it, surprisingly. "Now I see why you fear being alone... It's for a feeling of safety, isn't it?"

Huh...? "Where'd that...?"

"It's the only reasonable assumption to make. You're afraid of someone hurting you if you're alone, aren't you?" Doremy closes her eyes, raising her brows as she keeps smiling. 

"Well, um..." I hold my arm awkwardly, before smiling back. "...If that's what you want to assume, then... um... yeah, go for it." 

"Though you aren't alone. You have people who care for you, clear as day." Opening her eyes again, she gives me a more examining look. That Junko lady, for one. I'm assuming your sister cares about you too."

Right... Right, yeah, that's right... Junko cares for me. She even said she'd... kill to protect me, which is still pretty unnerving to think about, but it's clear she cares. Trish does too, because I know for a fact she does...

"...Seems that's given you some food for thought." Doremy goes back to her normal expression of just being generally smug.

Let's... move the topic on. "You mentioned a gap youkai earlier...?"

"Ah, yes. I think she's most likely the reason I can't easily interact with your sister's dream. As I said, the boundaries for her dream had changed abruptly. Her name is Yukari Yakumo. Probably one you'd want to keep in mind, as she's one of the more important figures behind Gensokyo's balance. Not that I generally care for it, as I live in the Dream World, not Gensokyo." Doremy explains for me. Yukari Yakumo... "...I had heard that she sometimes spirits away outsiders in Gensokyo, however. She could very well be the reason you ended up in Gensokyo to begin with. She also tends to do mostly odd things nobody understands the meaning of, including her shikigami."

"...Shikigami?" What's that?

"It's akin to a servant or a familiar of some kind. Like a black cat or crow for a witch." Doremy gives an example, waving her free hand to emphasise it. "A shikigami is bound by a contract of sorts, and does as their master wishes. They grow stronger the better they do a given task, I believe. Yakumo's main shikigami is Ran Yakumo, a nine-tailed fox youkai, though her shikigami ironically has a shikigami called Chen, a bakeneko."

A nine-tailed fox, huh...?

"...A shikigami of a shikigami?" Now I'm confused... "How does... that even work?"

"I have not even the faintest clue how." Doremy reluctantly shakes her head. Huh... "However, people do often mistake shikigami for shinigami, funnily enough."

Wait, shinigami? "Shinigami as in... death gods?"

"Yes, the very same. In fact, there's one who frequents the Dream World as she's sleeping more often than not." Doremy casually brings up the fact that a literal death god sleeps a lot. What...?! How?! "Though, they're more akin to 'ferrymen'. Are you familiar with the Grim Reaper?"

Uh...? "Yes?"

"They're mostly identical to that, with the scythe. They ferry souls across the Sanzu River, which I'm sure you won't ever visit if you're careful enough, to be judged by a yama." Doremy explains further. "...I only know this because that shinigami I mentioned often rants about her job being incredibly boring in great detail. So she slacks off a lot, sometimes sleeping, sometimes visiting bars in the Human Village. You might see her eventually, her name is Komachi Onozuka, and trust me, you'll know who she is when you see her."

That's... totally not ominous. Okay, then. "I'll keep that in mind...?"

...

As I keep staring into the water for a while, I notice Doremy looking at what seems to be a watch. "...Ah. It seems it's nearly sunrise. I suppose having someone to actually talk to is nice, as you said. The dream versions of everyone can be rather... eccentric, at times. Though, most of my time tonight seems to have been spent here with you."

"Ahah... Sorry?" I sheepishly grin, apologising.

"You have nothing to apologise for. This conversation has more than satisfied me." Doremy shakes her head, exhaling. Ah... Really? I mean, I was the reason she spent so much time here, so I feel bad... "However, I would like it if you went over your escapades to me, or anything of note more like."

...Anything of note...? Well, um... "I'll see what I can do, but... I can't promise that I'll get up to anything... really noteworthy. Just surviving's one of my highest priorities right now and um... yeah." 

"I can appreciate that. It wouldn't do me any good if you were dead, either." Doremy looks more neutral than before...? "If you were under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be so concerned. Though, I presume you actually did make some bizarre shockwave on your first night in Gensokyo, otherwise you may not be standing here... or you would be, just majorly disadvantaged, maybe without a limb or two."

"...That's morbid..." I comment on how casually she just glazed over that... It doesn't sound like she cares if I do actually get hurt...

"...Ah, did I offend you? Apologies, it's just that I'm used to the natural order regarding Gensokyo." Doremy apologises, sighing relatively calmly. "I'm aware outsiders are mostly powerless against youkai and are often immediately attacked and killed by youkai upon entering Gensokyo, more often than not. Though, there are some other circumstances such as luck at play. Some outsiders may get dropped in or near the Human Village, which is regarded to be quite lucky. Or, in rarer circumstances, someone actually friendly to humans finds an outsider. Which is exactly what happened to both yourself, Kolar, and Trish if I'm interpreting the dream log for that joint dream of yours correctly."

O~h... Also, um... "I'm probably right in guessing you know about that... shockwave thing from... the dream log or whatever, right...?"

"...That is correct." She leans slightly closer...

"I um... I don't know how I did that." I reveal...?

"...I'm aware." Oh, so... she knew.

...

Man, this is awkward. Uh... "I'm... planning on seeing a youkai called Yuuka Kazami about trying to replicate how I did that...?"

"The once sleeping terror, now the Flower Master of the Four Seasons?" Doremy addresses her by Yuuka's proper title...? "...Hmm. I suppose she may be able to do something with you, though it depends on how willing you are to put up with her."

"...Did... you just call her by her title...?" I tilt my head. Do the more important people have a title or something...?

"Mmh? Well, yes, I did. Everyone who's more... important in Gensokyo's grand scheme have their own titles, which they're sometimes addressed by. For example, I believe you're familiar with the Scarlet Devil?" Doremy asks, just staring directly at me instead of anywhere else. She doesn't take her eyes off me once.

"Scarlet Devil... Yeah, it's someone called Remilia, why...?" I squint.

"That is her title. People, humans and youkai alike, are called these things because there's specific attributes about themselves which leads to the creation of their title. On another note, I am the Ruler of Dreams, for more obvious reasons." She explains, looking smugger than before. I mean, yeah, that one's... pretty obvious. "...However, that Junko lady has no title. Or, more like, she has no need for one."

"...She doesn't have a need for one? But... that's implying she's important." I furrow my brows. What's she getting at...?

"Junko is the only important figure who doesn't have a title, or a last name, as she's purified herself above the need for such a thing. In a sense, she's refined herself to such a level where she's abandoned her past name. Junko was never always her name, if I recall." The baku's eyes trail over to the water, her brows lowering slightly... "Back to the point, however, she is nameless. As are all things that are truly divine, you see, as they do not have names either."

"How do you know all of this?" I decide to ask her next.

"A past... incident regarding the moon has made me wish to learn more about certain people than I genuinely should delve into." Doremy vaguely elaborates.

"A past incident... about the moon? I've... heard roughly of what an incident is, but... who caused it?" I look directly at her.

She suddenly grins, looking me dead in the eyes.

"...I believe that's something you should ask Junko about. On that note... I believe our time's up. I'm sorry, I would like to talk longer, but you have things that need doing..." 

...Then, everything goes black...

Ah-.

I wake up with a jolt, realising that I'm not dreaming anymore. I-... Ow, everything feels... stiff.

...Why-... Oh, o~h, wait, the dream's coming to me. That's... probably the danmaku I was hit with whilst I was sleeping... Talk about 'feeling that in the morning', pfft...

...

So... a past incident that I should ask Junko about, huh... It feels considerably colder this morning too, so I tighten my scarf when I sit up.

...I then notice a certain pillow by the side of my futon. I pick it up, and there's a note on it. 

'I hope you enjoyed our talk. Consider this a parting gift from me to you, free of charge. - Doremy Sweet'

Ah, right... She said she'd give me one. That's... nice of her, I guess.

...I decide to place it where my other pillow is on the futon, then properly raise from my bed, still feeling stiff as all hell. I'm definitely going to be feeling that for a while...

Mmm... As I slip my shoes and hat on again, my thoughts drift to what else Doremy said in that dream. That whole title talk interested me, but the fact she'll keep coming back every now and then is... reassuring. That, and I... do want to talk about my fears to her. She looks like someone I can confide in, right...?

Then again, trusting people was... easily not my best skill. I'll trust anyone if I'm being honest.

...Ah... That Seiga woman was rummaging around in here. My eyes immediately glance at Aegis, which is still by the door. Good, she didn't... take that. I mean, she was only in here for a minute, before Junko came in and forced her out. She did look really angry. Junko, I mean... but I guess that's proof she does care about my safety. 

...Should I ask her about that past incident? I mean, I don't want to overstep any boundaries I don't know about, it might be a sensitive topic or something...

Slipping Aegis onto my arm properly, I scratch my head with my free hand, then rub my eyes. Waking up's a chore, sometimes. I'm sure Trish'd say that a lot. But it helps to wake up early in the morning, gives me more time to do things. I like to have a lot of time in my day, it's... pretty useful.

I go over what Doremy said some more as I get ready to head outside and try to find Junko. So there's a very lazy-sounding shinigami called Komachi somewhere, u~m... Yukari, she said that's a name to keep in mind... Who else...?

Actually, that 'wicked hermit', Seiga. She... might be someone to keep in mind. I mean, she literally just broke into my room, and I know what she looks like now, so...

...

I wonder if I'm ever going to accidentally run into that Hecatia person Junko mentioned, too? I mean, she did say Hecatia comes by to visit her every now and then... I wouldn't be surprised if I accidentally ran into her, one morning. Or afternoon. Or... evening. Depends.

...My eyes trail to the broken window again. That's... slightly annoying, honestly. I'm not one for manual labour either, so... me replacing it is out of the question.

Hmm... Maybe I should go wait in the teahouse. I'm not sure if Junko's actually here or not. She could still be fighting Seiga for all I know.

I move to leave, and the moment I do leave...

"Is that her?" I hear someone approach. "He~y, Jun... ko-sama...?" 

...

I look at whoever's mistaken me for Junko... It's um...

...How do I describe this outfit? It's like... Okay, you know the American flag, right? Put that on a dress. And stockings. Like, full-on stockings that even cover your feet. That's the best way to describe it.

It's a girl, too, who seems... way younger than I am. She's got blonde hair and red eyes... Actually, her hair's really long. She's also got a purple jester hat with a white star pattern on it, and... she's carrying what looks like a torch. It feels weird to look at, if I'm... being honest.

"Uh... wait..." She stares at me for a moment, blinking, then coming to a surprising revelation. "You aren't Junko-sama...!"

What...? "I'm not-."

"Who are you?! Are you a thief or something?!" She points that torch at me, which is lit mind you, and um-. Okay it's actually hard to try and look away from that-. "Answer me! Like, really, really answer me, or I'm gonna show you a... uh... a bad time? I mean, some people consider it a good time but-... Wait, that's not important! Just answer my question!"

...I notice wings behind her. So, clearly, not a human. They're like... insect wings, but she's not an insect as I can clearly tell. Or I think she isn't, anyway. They're translucent, sorta...

"C'mon!" She urges me to reply, which I probably should so-.

"I'm not a thief...! I actually live here!" I snap my gaze from the torchlight, opting to look to the side. I feel... I feel really weird. Like... Like something's messing with my head...

"Yeah, right! I know for a fact that only Junko-sama lives here!" I can vaguely make out a pouting face, as she tries to move the torch around to be in my view. But I just move my head from it, as tempting as it feels to look at it. "You're a thief, aren't you?! Ooh, just you wait until I tell Hecatia-sama...!"

Wait, Hecatia? Um... "You mean Hecatia as in... the goddess of Hell, right?" I actually bring Aegis up to my eyes to completely block any view of the torch.

"Yeah! Hecatia-sama's super great, and powerful, and stuff! She's aweso-." Suddenly, she pauses, sounding more annoyed. "Wait, why'm I telling you any of this?! You're just some no-good thief-."

"...I'm more willing to believe him here, honestly." A new voice comments. It sounds... feminine. A lot calmer than the blond girl, too. A lot more... mature. 

"Wha?!" The girl sounds shocked to hear this, so that means... Ah, hang on... Is that...?

"You can stop hiding your eyes, by the way." The newcomer tells me. I just... oblige, slowly lowering Aegis. I think this might be that Hecatia lady I heard about. Maybe.

...The moment I do, I'm probably granted with one of the most bizarre outfits I've seen since I've got here, if I'm excluding that girl in the stars and stripes literally just over there.

Speaking of which, she's not got her torch right now. Which is pretty relieving.

Oh, right, this person's outfit... Where do I even begin? For starters, it's a woman, that much is obvious, but her attire's really modern. As in, it looks like something you'd see someone wearing in city streets, or something. Red hair and eyes, some... odd red ball thing sat in a little hat on her head. It looks like a planet...?

...It's got a chain on it, which is linked to a collar that she's wearing, with two other chains branching off to a floating miniature Moon and Earth respectively. Okay, that's... got to be one of the weirdest things I've seen yet. Clothes-wise, she's... wearing a modern black t-shirt with 'Welcome Hell' written on it. There's also a red heart on it, as well as some other splashes of red that aren't really shaped like anything. And she's got a skirt on with three colours, those being red, blue, and green.

As I said, pretty modern-looking clothes. Which is surreal to see, compared to the outfits of other people that I've seen so far in Gensokyo and even here. It's not frilly or over-the-top or anything, it's just... modern. Which is pretty reassuring to feel, that I'm not the only one wearing very odd clothes.

"So, who are you, exactly?" She decides to ask me, remaining relatively neutral. I'm pretty sure she did notice me eyeing her all over for a pretty long time, but... either she doesn't care, or she's just being polite. One of the two, I think. "It's not everyday a normal human is at Junko's place. Did she convince you to work for her as a servant, o~r...?"

"W-What?" A servant? That's... a rather abrupt guess. "No...?"

"...Huh." The redhead tilts her head to the side, before grinning. "Judging by your clothes... You're not from Gensokyo, are you? Because nobody wears that sort of outfit, like, at all."

I might regret this, but... "So says the woman wearing similar clothing."

"What?!" The blond snaps, glaring at me. "You can't-."

"A-Ahahaha!" I actually amused the redhead, though...! "I guess I'm one to speak about that, aren't I? Then again, I'm the Goddess of Hell, and Hell uh... really doesn't like formal clothing if you catch my drift."

...So this woman is Hecatia, then. That's good to know. "...So you're Hecatia, then...?"

"O~h, you've heard of me?" Hecatia outright confirms, interested more.

"Well, Junko did... mention you, a few times." I reveal, scratching the back of my neck. "As I said, I'm... just living here, because she's letting me."

"O~h, so you heard from Junko herself, huh?" Hecatia nods, then gives me a more inquisitive look. "...What's your name?"

"...Rajime Naga." I introduce myself, putting my shield-less hand on my hat's rim.

"Right, right..." Her eyes trail over my ribbons next, presumably. "I mean, yeah, I can see it. Your ribbons there coil like snakes around your arms and legs. Pretty fashionable, honestly."

Uh... "Thanks...?"

"Don't mention it. If you're a friend of Junko's, you're a friend of mine, right?" She grins. I guess that... if she really wants to see it as that, then sure, I guess...?

"B-But, Hecatia-sama, what if he's lying-." The still unnamed blond turns to look at Hecatia, still doubtful and... honestly, she looks pretty confused that Hecatia's willing to just... trust me.

"He~y, don't worry, we can always confirm with Junko!" Hecatia reassures her. "Besides, it's not like he can do anything to us, right?"

"...Right..." She pouts, then still looks at me. She just seems... uneasy about me being here. I don't know why...

Also, Hecatia just... casually downplayed me. I mean, it makes sense, she is a god, whilst I'm a human, but... this girl too? Just who is she...?

"Oh, right, that's Clownpiece. But I just call her Piece, because it's way easier." Hecatia properly introduces me to the blond, despite her dismay.

"...I think it's obvious she doesn't trust me." I frown, looking away.

"I don't!" Clownpiece abruptly blurts out. "Humans're always lying to people and stuff, you can never trust them!"

"Though, what does it mean if I'm to trust him, then?" Hecatia gives the fairy a grin. You know, it is... interesting to actually see a fairy up close. I mean, I've obviously heard of them, there's a reason fairy tales are named fairy tales, after all. Fairies, or fae I should say, are usually pretty prominent in some...

"That-... Mgh..." She pouts, refusing to say anything else. 

...I just now noticed that she's actually pretty short. Clownpiece, I mean. Hecatia's around my height, if not slightly taller. Then again, she's floating. And she doesn't have shoes on, for... some reason. Which says a fair bit, honestly. I might be taller than she is. I can't exactly tell right now...

"So how exactly do you know Junko, anyway?" Hecatia decides to ask me...? "As in, like, why'd she bring you here to Senkai? Just so I can confirm with her, honest."

...Just so she can confirm... Right. "...Well, I woke up in Gensokyo... around two nights ago. I was attacked by a youkai and she found me, then... saved me from that youkai. As in she stepped in to stop the youkai by knocking them out. Then she brought me here for safety reasons." I give a brief explanation on what happened for me to end up here.

"So you're a relatively new outsider, huh? I mean, yeah, I can see why she would bring you here, honestly, instead of just throwing you in that village, or at Hakurei Shrine, or something." Hecatia nods at my explanation. I-. Wait, what does that mean?

"...Huh?" Clownpiece is also confused, it looks like...

"A~h... Story for later." Hecatia grins. Story for later... I mean, I want to know the details, but... "So what about that shield there, then? On your arm? I thought Junko said she'd never use that thing again."

"...I call it Aegis, she um... she gave it to me to use. I don't really like fighting if I'm being honest, I'm more of a fan of actually talking things out..." I hold the shield with my free hand, rubbing it slightly. I'm still pretty stiff from that danmaku I got hit with in the middle of the night, so... it feels awkward to do. I still feel pretty numb as well, which sucks, but what can I do about it? It's danmaku. I guess Doremy was right, too, I'm also aching like hell since this is my first time being exposed to it... though I didn't see a need to mention the aching.

"Aegis? Like that one shield? Didn't know people still liked to reference all that old stuff that happened." Giving me an even more curious look, Hecatia thinks about it. "Then again, guess the modern definition of it applies too. You're using it under Junko's aegis, right?"

Now Clownpiece looks absolutely lost. I am too, if I'm being honest.

"Uh... as in you're using it under her protection?" Hecatia elaborates. I-. Oh, that's what it means in more of a modern sense? That's... one hell of a coincidence, but I guess it does make sense, doesn't it...? "Moving on~... You don't like fighting? As in, you're a pacifist of some kind?"

"...If you're about to say 'that line of thinking won't do in Gensokyo', don't. I've heard it several times already." I deadpan.

"Pff-. It seems you're familiar with how Gensokyo exactly works, then. You can't really get peace there. Like-. The most peaceful day still has the odd bit of chaos going on somewhere." Hecatia did nearly burst out laughing at my abrupt remark, but held herself back. "Then again... I'm pretty sure you're not the only one who wants actual peace." 

"...Whah...?" I'm not the only one?

"You'll find out, I guess." She... completely refuses to elaborate further on the matter. Um...

...I'm about to press her, when-.

"...Troublesome hermit..." Junko suddenly descends from above, still looking relatively annoyed.

"There you are! Sheesh, I was wondering if you just up and vanished, or something." Hecatia regards Junko, who turns to look at her.

"...Ah. Hecatia." She lightens up, smiling. "It's nice to see you here. I have a s-..."

...Then she notices me and Clownpiece, sighing. "...Nevermind. It seems you've already met him."

"Yeah, but only because Piece started yelling." Hecatia shrugs. She only noticed I was here because Clownpiece yelled? I mean, she was pretty loud when talking to me, but... actually, no, she's right.

"So who is he?!" Clownpiece pouts. "I thought he was a thief, or something!"

"...Normal people can't reach this place because of it's location." Junko regards her dryly, shaking her head. "But, aside from that, he is Rajime. An outsider, wouldn't you know it, who's residing with me."

"Mhm, that's what he told us." Hecatia nods. I'm just... sort of listening along.

Junko sighs. "...My apologies for not being here. I just had to deal with an actual thief."

...I'm assuming that Seiga person is either injured or dead, now, judging from Junko's tone. I'm more inclined to the former, because... yeah. Hopefully.

"So why bring him here, exactly? Instead of, you know, putting him in that village or whatever." Hecatia asks Junko, raising a brow slightly.

"...I'm not particularly keen on how the village actually treats outsiders." Junko sighs. "That, and... I suppose his circumstances are more unique when compared to the average outsider's, too."

"Unique how, exactly?" Hecatia wants to know more, it looks like...

"I believe this would be best explained over some tea." Junko gives me a very subtle glance, which I notice because, well, she looked directly at me briefly, then begins walking off in the direction of the teahouse.

...Hecatia gives me a glance, too, before floating after her. I can still feel Clownpiece staring at me before I follow suit, then she does too once she realises she's being left behind. Flying. With her wings.

...Tea always was a good way to calm down, alongside it tasting good, if I'm being honest. And no, that's not because I'm English, I genuinely like tea for those two reasons.

You know... I was just reminded how much of a pain it was to properly learn Japanese, before moving here. I can read and write it okay now, but a few years back, I barely could. It was... agonising, if I'm being honest, but I guess that's the experience with learning a new language, innit?

Ah... That's me getting distracted with other things again... Right now, I'm having tea with Hecatia, Junko, and... I'd say Clownpiece, but she has some juice thing instead. I don't exactly know what it is, because she won't let me look at it, as she still distrusts me. How sad...

"Alright..." Hecatia looks directly at Junko after sipping from her cup, giving me a glance. "So what's the deal with your outsider friend here, then, Junko? Not like you to be this interested in a normal human. What makes him different than all the other dozens of outsiders that fall into Gensokyo?"

...Dozens?

"If you wish for me to be transparent and blunt... Then, would you allow me to tell you that he has an inherent latent magical ability? As in, it's there, he can use it if need be, but he can't always use it. That is why he's more unique compared to other outsiders." Junko explains outright. W-Whoa, she's... getting straight to the point here, isn't she...?

"Inherent latent magical ability, huh...?" Hecatia gives me a more interested glance, before grinning. "Alright, show me, then. Show me this 'magic' of yours, Rajime!"

I... I um...

"...I-... I can't." I deadpan. Seriously, Junko just said I can't use it all the time, more or less. Did Hecatia somehow not hear that part?

"Yeah, I bet you can't! Because you're a normal human guy who can't do anything!" Clownpiece sticks her tongue out at me, but...

"...Clownpiece." Hecatia addresses the fairy by her full name...! Her tone's also a lot more serious than before...! "Don't insult him. After all, he's normal, compared to us, though he's smart and considerably friendly, right?"

"U-Um... Yeah, I..." The fairy falters under the god's stare. I mean, I would too...! "That was um... uh..."

Whilst she fumbles over her words, Junko sighs. "Mmm... It's as he said, though. He can't always use it. It's entirely dependent on the intensity of a situation, his presumable stress at a given moment, although... Rajime doesn't seem to acknowledge the fact he's even using magic initially. He does it without thinking." She elaborates, but she doesn't seem that bothered by the exchange... "Or, in simpler terms, it's linked directly to his instincts and emotions. Several people, alongside myself, are aware of this."

"So... stress? Alright, so what if I were to-." Hecatia goes to stand up...

"Kindly refrain from harming him now. I'd like him intact." Junko just stops her with a more annoyed look. 

"Fine, fine, geez, I was just joking..." She sits back down, looking more apprehensive. Junko can... actually intimidate a god, it seems... Which might actually go to show just how powerful she really is. Because, you know, Junko and Hecatia know each other. That's why it's so unnerving to realise that.

Though, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna speak up about it... I'm just gonna stay quiet and listen. Because, you know, being respectful.

"Anyways~..." Hecatia proceeds to move the topic along, because... well, yeah, it's really obvious why. "That talk about magical ability stuff reminded me that some weird things are happening in Gensokyo again."

"Weird things are always happening there, Hecatia. Please elaborate." Junko gives her a dry look.

"I'm getting to that." The god deadpans, before proceeding to explain. "So there's some weird thing going on where one person can seemingly use another person's ability. Which, well, sounds really weird, right?"

"People can do what...?" How's that possible?

"That reminds me. That 'thief' I had mentioned prior to this was in possession of a rather bizarre item, which contained something representive of me. As it turns out, this item was linked directly to my ability, leading me to believe that this is very well one of those incidents that occur in Gensokyo." Junko sighs, before shaking her head. "...Not that it concerns me, however. It shouldn't concern you either, Hecatia."

"...Actually, it kinda does." Hecatia reveals. "Because if there's one of those things with your ability, there's probably one of mine too, right?" Then, she looks at Clownpiece. "Some other evidence also kinda supports that claim!"

"Other evidence?" Junko then expectantly looks at the fairy too. "Please, do elaborate."

"Well, I... found this earlier...!" Clownpiece grins, proceeding to pull out a... is... is that a card? Yeah, no, that is a card. It looks like a trading card if I'm being honest. It's got a design on the front that looks like a blood-red moon, but on the other side, there's... writing, I think.

Junko's brows raise. "...Ah. That is nearly identical to what that thief held earlier..."

"Right? So they're all cards." Hecatia nods, then gives me a glance. "Have uh... you found anything like those yet, or...?"

"...No?" I blink. "I mean, I only just woke up before I... bumped into you, so..." I scratch my neck, looking at the table awkwardly.

"Right, right... So, the only ones I've seen're Piece's and a few others." Hecatia shrugs. "Everyone in Hell seems to be trading them around like it's some sort of game."

"...Regardless of the fact..." Junko seems to consider the severity of this card thing... "It doesn't seem to be anything too sever. It's just harmless card trading is all."

"Card trading that allows you to get someone else's ability should you try hard enough." Hecatia reiterates, staring at the spirit.

Clownpiece has been... pretty quiet since she said she found that card. When I look at her, I notice that she's staring at it pretty intently. But when she notices that I'm looking at her, she hides it, pouting.

Okay then, keep your secrets.

"I understand that much, Hecatia. Though I still don't entirely see how this incident, if it is one, should concern me." Junko still isn't that interested in the incident.

"...Everyone in Hell is blowing each other up with danmaku violently in too many different ways for me to be bothered counting them all." Hecatia deadpans, sighing. "This incident might actually, y'know, put a halt to our plans."

At this, Junko seemingly snaps her focus to Hecatia, getting more serious. "...Do not mention what we have planned. Not in front of him."

...Not in front of me? That's just... made me more curious, now.

"Oh, right." Hecatia gives me a grin. "Sorry, private plans, y'know?"

I understand plans being private, but... I'd like to be in the know, at least. "...And... what if those plans concern me, like, at all...?"

"They won't. I promise." Junko quickly shoots that question down with no hesitation. I'm still pretty suspicious, though...

But, regardless, I sip my tea, then blink, staring into it as I change the topic. "...I was thinking of going out into Gensokyo today, actually."

"Really? Oh, that's actually perfect! I kinda want to gather some of those cards myself. Never hurts to have a supply, right?" Hecatia nods a few times. 

Junko, however, seems to have doubts about this idea. "...In the middle of an incident? May I ask why you want to leave Senkai, exactly?"

I might as well be honest... "It's so I can go see Yuuka. I... I just want to learn how to properly control my fear."

"Ehh... The mean sunflower lady..." Clownpiece sounds... slightly sour to hear Yuuka's name. I wonder why...? I mean, she called her mean, but... Yuuka's not mean all the time, right...?

"Oh, uh... her?" Hecatia seems to be aware of her, as she raises a brow. "I mean, if you've got a death wish, sure, go for it. I can always pull you out of the Sanzu River later, then you'd be a ghost."

...Oddly specific.

"As much as I would normally be against this..." Junko sighs, staring down into her cup. "...I feel as if there'd be no changing your mind, so I'm willing to allow this."

"Wait, really? You're not gonna try and stop him? I thought you'd shift into your usual overprotective self, Junko." Hecatia's shocked to hear this, for some reason... 

"Well, for one, I have faith in him. That, alongside the fact Kazami seemed genuinely interested in him, might lead to an unlikely scenario regarding her and a human." Junko elaborates further into the matter. "...It's not as if Rajime's your average run-of-the-mill human, either, is he?"

"You've already met her before?" Hecatia stares at me as I nod along. "Now it makes more sense... and yeah, I guess he isn't, if he's here instead of anywhere else."

Then, she decides to make a request. "Hey, so like, Rajime, when you go out later today, make sure to gather as much of those cards as you can? Please?"

"...What do you want with those... items exactly, Hecatia?" Junko has her brow raised now... I'm actually curious myself. Why would a Hell god want those cards...? Is she wanting to make a collection of them? A scrapbook or something? An album?

...I just realised those three examples are literally just the same thing, honestly, but I don't care. Maybe she just wants to expand her power to an extent...? I mean, you'd need power if you're ruling over Hell, right?

"A~h... They're just interesting is all. Besides, knowing what each and every one does is useful too, right?" Hecatia shrugs in return. Oh, so information gathering, then.

I have a question, actually. "...Why ask me, exactly...?"

"Because you're probably gonna have more luck than me." She 'reasons'. That makes absolutely no sense. How can I, a normal person, be luckier than a goddess. That-. What is the logic at play behind that assumption...?!

"...You're just being lazy. I know for a fact you could do it yourself, Hecatia. I even know Clownpiece could if she tried hard enough." Junko abruptly comments to my surprise. Yeah, she'd know, wouldn't she...?

"Maybe." ...I'm inclined to believe Junko, now. "But hey, it's like a test for him, right? Like... you know, an initiative test, or whatever you'd call it."

"...I suppose it could be." Junko, please...! "However, I'll only approve of this should he be able to use the cards he collects whenever he wishes."

Oh, that's... actually a reasonable condition to give. I mean, yeah, I'd like to use those cards! Could be useful for defending myself, if not for just general evasion of wild youkai. Who want to rip my face off and gnaw on my bones, feast on my flesh, so on so forth. You know, as is the norm in Gensokyo's wilderness, it seems.

...It's actually pretty violent and dark, if I'm being honest. Figuratively and literally, because seemingly nobody cares about outsiders like me... most of the time.

I say that last part since, well, Junko cares. So does that Mokou girl from yesterday, since she's uh... letting Trish stay with her.

...How the hell did Trish even manage that anyway? Somehow magically befriending an immortal. Like... I'm fairly sure I heard someone mention that immortals don't tend to make friends with mortal people. I completely forgot who said that, even though I most likely heard that yesterday, but it still makes sense when I think about it.

I don't mention Kolar and that Remilia person since... well, vampires and humans don't mix pretty well very often. Since vampires drink blood and all. I think Kolar'd be better off somewhere else, other than at that mansion... but I guess I could pay him a visit, at some point.

Anyways, uh...

"Yeah, sure, I can let that slide." Hecatia nods in agreement, then turns to me expectantly. "So are you in or not?"

I mean, it is something to do, alongside whatever Yuuka'd have planned for me... I also remember I have the sunflower on. Somehow... that was never brought up. Hell if I know why it wasn't.

My answer? "...Sure... Not sure how good I'd be at it, but... I'll just see it as a treasure hunt, or something." It helps with strengthening my desire to do it, if I see it as something lesser...

...Actually, now that I've said that, I'm probably going to interpret it as a colossal task. Because it is, if Hecatia wants me to collect every single unique one in existence. Then it'd be more akin to going for an achievement that requires you to collect one-hundred percent of the collectable items and stuff in a video game. Because that's literally what it is.

I've said 'because it is' twice now. In a really short timespan, too. Y'know, I always do like to repeat myself... Helps me to understand things sometimes, if I go over it a bunch.

"Yeah, why can't you just let me do it?" Clownpiece also brings up a pretty good question... "You trust me more, right?!"

"Mmm... While that is true..." Hecatia's eyes trail to the side, before she grins again. "I got a good feeling, y'know?" Then she looks back at me. "I can tell you've got some potential in there from one glance, deep down. Not hard to notice, but it's tucked away pretty good."

She can tell that from a single look at me? I mean, she's a god, yeah, it makes sense, but... really? Is it that obvious...?

"...Harnessing that potential is the hard part, however." Junko elaborates on what the pure issue is. "This potential is only made extremely apparent under high stress, as you know."

I-. Wait, did I just... refer to that as a 'pure issue' without thinking? Uh... huh. Well, abrupt yet unexpected pun is an abrupt yet unexpected pun, I guess. Can't help that, right?

...My eyes trail down to the sunflower. It's... still not wilted. That hopefully means Yuuka's still interested in me, which might be a good thing.

"Now..." Junko sighs, turning to look at Hecatia. "...I'd appreciate it if we went over our plans again." Then, she turns to look at me, then Clownpiece. "Alone, preferably."

Ah... alone... I want to know what exactly they're planning about, which is so private that it shouldn't be actively mentioned in front of me... But, at the same time, I want to respect privacy... Mgh, it's just so conflicting...! 

"Right, right." Hecatia nods, watching me stand with my cup as I begin leaving.

I'll... respect the privacy of their plans for now. It doesn't concern me, I think... Or, at least, I don't think it does. If it does, then, well, no harm no foul, right?

"...That means you too, Piece." Hecatia comments, making me look back to see a slightly annoyed Clownpiece flying out with that cup of... juice. Whatever juice it is, or liquid since I don't know if it is juice. It's a dark purple, it looks like. Can't exactly tell much else though... "Don't worry, you can spend some time getting familiar with Rajime!"

...That's a horrible idea, but I'm not against it... There's always worse, as they say. Actually, who even is they in that circumstance? Ah... I don't know, actually. Hmm...

Clownpiece doesn't really respond to that as we both go outside of the tearoom. She just opts for pouting.

...I settled for sitting on one of the few benches out here in the garden. Because there are some. It looks like they're cleaned regularly though, which is reassuring...

Hmm... My eyes move over to look at Clownpiece, who's just standing as far away from me as possible, still pouting. She... really doesn't like me being here, does she?

...Then again, might as well try and be kind to her. No harm in that, is there? "You can sit down, you know..."

"Don't tell me what to do!" She abruptly snaps back. Oh. Rude. "...But I guess I should. It's better than standing..."

I feel like she just doesn't want to listen to me or say thanks to me or... do anything regarding me that isn't some remark.

Sipping my tea, I watch her sit down on the bench opposite me, since it's the only really near one. It's starting to go cold now, since I'm out here... My tea, that is. I don't entirely know what I should do with it once I'm done either. Do I just keep hold of it, leave it here, or what?

...

Okay, let's... try and make some conversation. "So how's your day going...?"

"...I don't wanna talk to you." She huffs, looking away. Please, just... humour me.

Wait, maybe she still thinks...? "If you're still thinking that I'm some thief, I... I'm not. There's no way I'd be able to fool Junko. Not at all."

"Sure, maybe you aren't a thief, but..." Clownpiece looks directly at me, scowling. "I bet you're some spy or something!"

A-. A spy. Where did that come from? "...A spy?"

"Yeah! Don't try and play dumb!" Why's she so insistent that I'm a spy...? 

"...Who would even want to spy on Junko? Seriously, I don't know anybody who would want to do that. Hell, as much as that whole 'plans' thing she and Hecatia mentioned interested me, I'm still willing to respect privacy. Do you see me trying to listen in right now?" I fold my arms upon placing the cup down beside me, raising a brow at the fairy.

"You're not eavesdropping because I'm here!" She retorts. I-... Okay, that's a pretty good reason, honestly. But at the same time...

"Everything Junko's told you and Hecatia about me is true. I'm just an outsider, a plain human, insignificant, weak, frail, dumb, so on so forth. Not afraid to admit that." I close my eyes... then sigh. "...But, what she also said about my 'latent magical potential' or whatever it was she actually said is true. Not that I know how to use it. Comes and goes under extreme stress, which I know she said. I was literally attacked by a youkai on my first night in Gensokyo. If she didn't step in, I wouldn't be here right now. I didn't even know she existed, or where I was, or anything."

"Yeah, you're right! You're weak and stupid, and um..." She trails off, blinking. "Unimportant, uh... darn, you've actually said everything that comes to mind about humans..."

Pffft. I'm not wrong, though. The majority of humans outside of Gensokyo are incredibly stupid, aggressive, and most often don't know what they're talking about. I specify 'majority' since there's some good golden eggs among those uh... those cracked ones. Seriously, finding a genuinely good person these days is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I also specify 'outside of Gensokyo' since... well, I'm still not sure on how that type of thing goes here. Humans, that is... I'm not sure since they seem to vary.

...That, and everybody here looks human, so...

Also, humans like to boast about their strength and stuff, but it's just a bravado most of the time. People try and make themselves look big to scare others. Doesn't really fool the smart people though... like Trish. Whenever someone tries to intimidate her, she slowly turns to them, looks them dead in the eyes, but she doesn't say anything. She just... stares. It absolutely terrifies people. I think it helps that she's taller than I am, so...

Ahh... that's aside the point. "...Well, I don't like to call myself those, but it's true. Ever wondered why people are so aggressive? Humans specifically?" Not too sure about some youkai or whatever.

"...Whah?" I think I've managed to confuse her. Mostly because I'm smack-talking my own race.

"They're scared. Scared of the actual people in control." I grin. "They try and make themselves look big to hide that fear. I mean, I only know this because my sister's pretty smart. She knows how to actually intimidate people. I'm uh... not really the best at it. I mean, I can try, but it doesn't go right, namely since I don't really like conflict..."

"Oohh... My first thought before you elaborated was that you were some kind of youkai acting as a human!" The fairy nods, her hat jingling, because it has bells on them. Jester hats're weird. "...Wait, is your sister a youkai, then?"

"No, she's just a very scary person who nobody talks to, namely because they're afraid of her..." I pause, thinking about it. "...Except for some people. Like me, and a few others..."

"A few others...?" She tilts her head.

"Our outsider friend, for starters." I give an example. Wait, hang on. "...It'd probably help if I gave some names. My sister's Trish, that friend I just mentioned is Kolar. Trish is my sister, but she's the complete opposite of me. She's more blunt and crude, and she's smart whilst being a bit of a brawler. I'm more of a strategy and planning guy, whilst also wanting peace. Kolar's sort of a mediator. Pretty timid guy, plus his legs're made of metal. Whilst that does sound cool, it's uh... actually really inconvenient for him. He understands Trish's sentiment of being straightforward and getting rough, but he holds my ideas of being peaceful and strategic in some regard too."

"...What's your sister like? Um... Trish, that's her name, right?" I can tell she's getting more interested... Well that's good to see. Means I'm making some progress. 

"...She's violent, as I've said. Way she sees life is that if you want something, you've gotta fight for it, get physical. She's not really one to wait around for things, she's also... really impatient. But she can be pretty nice to people if they get on her good side, but it's really weird to see her being overly nice to someone." I explain further into who Trish really is for her. I'm probably the only person you can ask about that, too, outside of Trish herself. "...We bicker every now and then, different views and all, but she really wants everyone to be free and to do what they want. I want that too, but in moderation. As in, people can do what they want, but it can't be overly chaotic."

"Hecatia-sama wants people to have freedom, too..." Then, she pauses, her eyes widening. "Wait, why'm I telling you any of this?! Why am I letting my guard down, too?! You're probably deceiving me for info!"

...Aaand back to square one. Honestly... "...If you want, I could throw myself into Gensokyo's wilderness, get mauled by a youkai, then let you deal with the aftermath. Just say the words."

"Sure! Do that, I don't care!" She ignorantly nods her head.

"...So should I tell Junko that you're actively encouraging me to get myself killed?" I grin. I'm not wrong there, either.

"Ah-." That makes her realise the severity of me just willingly offing myself to prove a point. "Well, that, um...! You-... You're the one who offered to do that!"

"Still doesn't excuse encouraging me to do that though." I remind her, wagging my finger. 

"You meanie...!" She pouts. But not because she's angry at, or hating maybe, me, it's more general annoyance now. Which... might be a good sign. 

Okay, might as well ask her a good question... "...So do you still think I'm a spy, or whatever? I just... want to be friends, with you, that is. I don't want any hostilities between us."

"Hmm... I dunno..." Clownpiece rubs her chin, giving the concept of being friends with me... several thoughts it looks like. I hear her humming in positivity and negativity. "I mean, Hecatia-sama trusts you, so does Junko-sama..."

Oh, right... Honorifics. I don't really bother with those, if I'm being frank. I know the 'sama' suffix is one you use for people you should really respect... and I guess she's using them right. I'm not all that familiar with it, but I've been called 'kun' or 'san' a lot. Never 'chan', which is the one I normally expect. Trish jokingly uses it sometimes, but never that often...

...Come to think of it, Sumireko never addressed my by an honorific either, when I spoke to her. I wonder why? Maybe she just doesn't care, or something?

"I got it! Ji-kun!" She snaps her fingers. Speaking of honorifics, I'm a kun to her, apparently. That's nice. At least it isn't 'chan', because then there might be a complications.

...Then again, kun is generally the umbrella suffix for young boys or guys, like me. Kolar used it when we first met, but he addressed me as 'san', and Trish as 'kun', which was actually really funny the first few times around. 

But I digress. "...Ji-kun, huh?" I wonder why she chose 'Ji' specifically from my name? I personally prefer something like 'Ra-kun', or whatever. Rolls of the tongue better, but that's just my taste in nicknames, I guess...

Though, in English, I guess Ji fits better than Ra, because then you'd be referring to that one Egyptian god. And I'm not that.

"I don't wanna bother with long names." My-. My name is literally six letters long. What do you mean. "Or is it complex...?" How is my name complex?!

...I just stare at her blankly for a few moments, across the path, then sigh. "Alright, Ji-kun it is then. Also, if we're going off of long names, yours is longer, Clownpiece. So I'm calling you Piece-chan."

"Wha-. No! Piece-san!" She pouts. That... really doesn't fit. Like, it doesn't fit whatsoever. "Call me Piece-san!"

"...If I'm letting you call me 'Ji-kun', you should let me call you 'Piece-chan'. Or... would 'Piece-kun' work better?" I give it some thought. Whilst 'chan' might work, I feel like 'kun' is better... If I remember right, people address their friends as 'kun'...

...Oh. I used the wrong suffix. Dang, I'm not good at that...

"...Fine... Piece-kun. But nothing else." At least she settled on Piece-kun. That's good. "Okay?"

"You got it." I pocket my hands. I wonder where my bag is...? Ah... Junko probably still has it, actually. I did give it to her so she can unpack everything we bought yesterday, didn't I...? Might be one of the reasons she sent me out here, alongside talking to Hecatia about those plans...

...I actually wonder what they're talking about. Like, if she said to not actively talk about it in front of me, Junko I mean, then... it just sounds suspicious, dubious, and curious.

Huh. All three of those words end in 'ious'. I might go delerious from the curiosity...

...Oh, no, I did it again. Whoopsies. 

That-... That is actually a weird word. Whoopsies. How did it come about...? It just sounds like a silly word, but you can actually use it.

Then again, words are hard, sometimes.

"...I dunno why Hecatia-sama or Junko-sama trust you so much, Ji-kun." Clownpiece speaks up again whilst I think about words being hard. 

"It's Hecatia I don't understand. Junko... I sort of get why she trusts me." I bring my hand to my chin, giving it some thought. If I had to hazard a guess... "...She probably trusts me because I remind her of her own son." 

"Her own son...? U~h... I'm pretty sure she's mentioned that once or twice." The fairy blinks, looking to the side. Hmm. "...Awh, now I feel stupid. That's probably why Junko-sama trusts you so much..."

"...You're not stupid." I shake my head. "To be fair, you just misunderstood the situation, when you met me for the first time earlier today. It did surprise me though, being yelled at so early in the morning..."

"Yeah, uh... sorry? I guess?" She awkwardly grins, shaking her head. "I mean, I dunno, I still don't exactly... y'know, trust you, but... I kinda don't want anything bad happening to you, if Junko-sama sees you the way she does..."

...Hm? "What's that supposed to mean, Piece-kun?"

"Like... You said she saw you as a son, or something, didn't she...?" Piece tilts her head. I just realised I can refer to her as 'Piece' now. Well-. Piece-kun, but it's still Piece. "I um... If something bad was to happen to you, if that's true, I... u-uh..."

She looks genuinely terrified now. I wonder why...? "Is something the matter?"

"N-No, it's just... she might go... over the edge, if something like that happened... I-I dunno if you know this, but she can be really scary sometimes..." She's incredibly confident in saying that... almost as if she's actually seen Junko get angry before.

"You're talking as if you know how she'd react." I fold my arms, leaning into the bench some more. "Why?"

"Why...? Well, that's because-." She's about to continue, but-.

"I'm afraid that's not important, right now." Junko suddenly steps onto the path. Where did she...? "...It's a story for later, too." 

Piece freezes up on the spot. Where's Hecatia...?

A quick look around tells me that... she's nowhere near here. Is she still in the teahouse? 

...Junko notices me looking around. "...If you're wondering where Hecatia is, she's headed to the library I have here. If I recall one of the conversations we had whilst you were out here, your potential piqued her interest, Rajime, so she had gone to look into what the exact potential the average human has."

"...There's a book on something like that?" I tilt my head. Imagine if that was a thing like... everywhere in the world. You could just use some machine to check your potential and how likely you are to develop as a person in any aspect... Man, that'd actually be really, really useful.

"Mmm. There are books on a rather substantial amount of topics, either on Gensokyo, or other places, like the very realm we're in right now, Senkai." Junko elaborates on the books. I notice that she's holding my bag in her right hand... 

"Ah, that's... my bag..." I look directly at it.

"...I had forgotten to give it back to you when I was finished with unpacking its contents, as I was... preoccupied with other matters, as you know." Junko frowns. "My apologies."

"It's fine, not like I was going anywhere yet, anyway..." I rub my neck with a grin, reclaiming the bag when she hands it over.

...I quickly peek inside and rummage around to notice that there's a lunchbox in here, so I pull it out. Why...?

"If you're staying outside for a rather long time, like today, and you let me know, I can pack some lunch for you." Junko tells me, now smiling. That's... incredibly nice of her to offer. Man, I really do feel like a leech...

...Ah-. That reminds me, I need to make my bed... Ah well, I can do that tomorrow... if I don't forget, that is. Which I might.

"Uh... thanks..." I-It's... actually pretty weird to have someone pack me a lunch again... 

"What about me...?!" Piece pouts.

"...You never asked." Junko keeps her neutral smile. "However, I do have some sweets in reserve, as a result of a shopping trip just yesterday. You can have some if you wish."

"Yea~h!" The fairy pumps a fist in the air. 

Actually, just out of curiosity... "What's even in this, anyway...? Just so I know for later." I ask Junko, staring down at the packaged box. It's like a little paper parcel, with rope tied around it. It's got an R on it in ink...

"Hm? It's a mixture. There's some rice, some fish, alongside fruits and tofu. I figured you would enjoy those, am I correct?" She asks me, looking plain. Ah, that's what's inside...

"Yeah, I'm not against those... It's just because I wanted to know what's inside." I place the lunchbox back into the bag, then secure the sack around my waist. "When're you gonna take me to the Garden of the Sun, anyway...?"

"...In a while. Around midday, in fact. I'd believe you'd appreciate some preparation, because Kazami is not one to be taken lightly." Junko closes her eyes, stepping off in a direction as she takes my now empty cup, which I entirely forgot to mention. Guess I subconsciously drank all of the tea... "You have an hour, Rajime. Please do make the most of it, because I would, if I were you."

"Uh... right." I do recall Keine's warnings about Yuuka and her concern for me... being involved with her. But it can't go that badly, right? I still can't see Yuuka as a bad person, like, at all. Then again, maybe that is a facade she puts up around humans...

...Gah... I don't like doubting myself. It feels horrible to, but at the same time, questioning everything's the only way you're ever gonna get answers, ain't it...?

With that, Junko departs, leaving me and Clownpiece to ourselves again. So I might as well ask her... "...What were you going to say before? Before Junko cut in, I mean."

"Huh? Uh..." She looks in the direction Junko went, doubtful and hesitant. "...I don't... I dunno if I should actually talk about that, because if Junko-sama doesn't want me to, then..."

Reasonable. "Right, right... I just can't help but feel curious about that, though. It's like she's trying to keep this info from me, for some reason." I wonder what reason she could have for doing that, though? Is it to protect me? Is knowing that information dangerous, would it... would it hurt me? I've heard of 'words that kill' before, but... they don't actually exist... right? Right?

...I sure hope they don't. Because if they do, then... that'll cause a whole bunch of issues.

I'm still curious on a lot of things. Like, outside of Yuuka and whatever her deal is. Doremy mentioned a bunch of people in my dream last night. There's also that Seiga woman... I remember some names. Komachi, a shinigami... Chen, the shikigami of a shikigami... Ran, a shikigami and a master of another shikigami... and one 'Yukari Yakumo', who's apparently someone really important in Gensokyo's overall grand scheme of things. 

Doremy did say that the last one, Yukari, was probably the person who altered the boudnaries of Trish's dreams... which prevents Doremy's direct influence outright, though she said she can find workarounds for now... or something along those lines.

Ah... When I mention Trish, I remember that Mokou girl she was with. She looked... young. Beautiful, too, when I think about it. It's almost unnatural, weird to see... out of place, maybe? But her last name, Fujiwara... If I ever get the chance, or if I ask Trish to do it, I'll ask Mokou what her exact ties with the Fujiwara clan are.

...I also want to visit Hakurei Shrine, at some point. There's someone called Reimu there, a... shrine maiden, if I remember Junko's words right. It'd be nice to talk to her at some point... I think. I mean, I don't want to go back to outside of this place. After all, there's still that whole mystery regarding my um... latent magic potential or whatever, isn't there? 

And... another thing. That place Kolar went to. What did he call it, again? The... Scarlet Devil Mansion, right? Hey, hang on, Scarlet Devil... That's that Remilia person's title, isn't it? Scarlet Devil... Vampires. I'd probably like to see how he's doing at some point... if it's actually possible. He also said that place had maids and it's a European-styled manor. Apparently. I mean, if it is, then that's a selling point to me, because if it's owned by a vampire, that means it's probably old, and that means interesting building designs! I like those little details the Victorians had on their buildings, those little wooden or ceramic flourishes. They don't really serve any purpose other than aesthetic, but they make a building stand out among others. Those little things interest me.

...But... I'm probably getting ahead of myself, I think. That's a lot of things to do, too... so maybe I am better off getting a journal, or something. It'd help me to plan my priorities, get my thoughts together, and just... you know, generally rant. It might also be useful for, well, jotting down things for later. Journals actually have a lot of uses, when I consider them...

"I mean... yeah, maybe...?" Piece tilts her head, not really sure. "I dunno why she'd wanna hide it from you, though... Hey, maybe Junko-sama doesn't trust you as much as I thought!"

"...That, or knowing what the plans are could hurt me... or something regarding me, more like." I bring up a different possibility, snapping my fingers a few times to try and get some ideas... "She did tell me that she wanted my safety to be her highest priority, or something along those lines..."

"Hmm..." My fairy... 'friend' pushes a finger to her forehead, really giving it some thought. Even though I said I want to be friends, I'm... not that sure if she actually is my friend. Acquaintances, sure, but I don't know about friends. "...I got nothing..."

Oh. Unfortunate. Hey, hang on... "Maybe we could ask Hecatia why? Like, aside from it being plans between them, I want a reason why they can't just give me a vague idea of what their plans are..."

"Oh, oh, great idea, Ji-kun!" Piece beams. "Hecatia-sama'd probably be willing to do that... I think!"

You think.

"Well, I try, what can I say?" I shrug at the feedback for the idea, gaining a smill grin myself. "Where's your torch, anyway?"

"Uh... My torch?" She blinks at me, before searching her pockets. "I dunno, actuall-. Oh, wait, here it is!" 

Pulling that torch out from behind her, she waves it around in the air. The flame's like... a purplish-red. It makes me feel weird to look at still, and more importantly, where... was she keeping that, exactly? S-. Should I even ask...?

Actually, no, what I should be asking is... "Why does the flame of that feel so... weird to look at?"

"Huh? Oh, it drives people insane!" She casually states. Oh, gee, no wonder it feels odd. The sensation I get from looking into it is... like a calming one, yet at the same time, it makes me feel extremely invigorated and energetic. That's how strange it feels.

Also-. Wait, insane? I immediately pry my eyes from it, finding decent success in doing so. "O-Okay, that's... good to know for the future...! M-Maybe... Maybe keep it away when you're around me, Piece-kun?"

"Right, yeah, that..." She puts it away, making a surprisingly neutral face of... what exactly is that? Displeasure? I think it's displeasure. "I mean, it'd be a fun experience for you, but... mgh..." 

"...Being insane isn't 'fun'." I shake my head. "...More importantly, we were going to ask Hecatia about what that conversation was about plans roughly, and why they didn't vaguely say what they were to me or you."

"O-Oh, right, Hecatia-sama'd get mad if you were driven insane, I'm pretty sure..." Piece somehow just came to that revelation, too. How did she not do that initially? 

Regardless, I begin walking off in search of Hecatia, with Piece following behind me...

That... took considerably longer than it should've. Then again, the only areas I'm really familiar with here are my bedroom and the teahouse. Well-. The garden, too, yes, that's there, but I have to pass through that to get to the teahouse.

Also, allow me to put one thing into perspective. There's around fifteen different structures here. With different purposes. There's an entire building just dedicated to laundry, for some reason. Not asking why, but it's there. We did find the library, eventually.

"I didn't know Junko-sama had all this stuff..." Piece seems as surprised as I am. Other notable stuff was that one place was dedicated to gardening, but the tools and stuff in there don't look like they've been used for a while... Same goes for one area that had like... brooms, and other old cleaning utensils. Like the gardening equipment, they also didn't look well-used. I don't think Junko needs to bother with tools, when I think about it, especially regarding cleaning. She could probably just purify dust out of existence...

"...I didn't either." I give it some thought. "Just goes to show how big her home really is, though..." Could this place be considered a manor? I'd say definitely.

I saw a pretty homely living space, too. Like, just for general chilling out. There was um... I'm pretty sure they're called a kotatsu. There was one of those in there, alongside a few chairs. Other places were like... a kitchen, that's a given, but there were two, maybe three I think, of these buildings that I couldn't get into, because they were locked. Which is strange, because why would they be locked? Unless there's something private in there, I uh... I find it pretty strange.

...Hmm... How many have I mentioned now...? That's twelve, I think... out of the fifteen or so I noticed, anyway. The other three, if I recall, were like... Okay, one had cotton and fabrics inside, as well as a lot of sewing needles and dyes. Pretty sure Junko might do some sewing in there. Then again, the things in there don't look like they've been touched for a while... or used, more like, since they were free of dust.

"Yeah..." Piece flies in front of me, eyeing some of the books. "It's kinda big, actually. Bigger than I remember..."

"It's bigger than I expected." I admit, grinning. I know there was one area dedicated to bathing, that's a given for a home. There was also a hall-like space that looked... extremely traditional. There were odd, aged items scattered throughout it on pedestals. They looked like they'd been cleaned really recently, but I might want to go back to that space at some point. It was also lit by candles that gave off a pleasant scent, so, scented candles obviously. If my memory serves correctly, which it should since we were just in there, there were a bunch of candles gathered and lit in front of this stone structure. Which I think might be a shrine of some kind.

Shrine as in... not the Japanese kind, with the shrine maidens, but like a small stone shrine. That's what I mean by shrine. Makes me wonder what it's for, but maybe that's a question to ask Junko later...

"...I'm pretty sure at least three of um... three of those places weren't here, when I last came by with Hecatia-sama..." Piece glances back at me. Really?

"Which ones?" I raise a brow, interested.

"Uhh... Two of the locked ones were new. I don't think I ever saw the laundry place before though..." Rubbing her chin, she gives it some thought.

Meanwhile, I decide to ask another question. "...How long has it been since you last, you know, came here?"

"That's... hmm..." She furrows her brows. "A few months? I dunno, time goes by pretty quick sometimes, I think..."

A few months... Yeah, that'd make sense. "Maybe she was doing those parts of the buildings up when you came with... uh... actually, what is your relationship with Hecatia, anyway?" Me nearly mentioning Hecatia then actually reminded me... Didn't Junko mention something along the lines of Clownpiece being Hecatia's favourite, or something?

I-. Oh. Oh... I just remembered. She actually warned me about Piece's torch. How the hell did I forget that...?

"Huh? Oh! She's my master!" She cheerily grins, which is a clear sign she's getting used to me being around now... which is strange, since we've only been hanging out for around half an hour so far. Then again, she seems very... childish. Playful, maybe. Is it because she's a fairy, or something...?

I mean, regardless of that, she's not actively hostile towards me anymore. Which is good.

"Master, eh?" I rub my chin, taking a look at some of the books. They're... in varying languages. I swear I can see Russian for some reason. Why Russian?

Then again, I saw one or two in English, among a few in Japanese and Chinese. It's a hodgepodge of languages, a cacaphony of... culture, if you want to call it that, which I am.

"Yeah!" Oh, right, I forgot I responded to Piece momentarily, there. "So show her a little respect!"

"I'm showing her respect regardless." I pocket my hands. "She's the goddess of Hell, for one. That, and she's a friend of Junko's."

"Fair..." Her eyes also drift to the books. "I dunno what half of these say, the ones that aren't in Japanese, or Greek, that is..." Why Greek? I-. Wait, no, Hecatia's got a Greek origin, being Hecate. It'd make sense for Piece to know it, too.

"I can only understand the ones in Japanese and English." I scratch my cheek, then pull out a book in... what language even is this? It's just... a mess of lines... "...I think these're moonrunes or something."

"Moonrunes're stupid!" She sticks her tongue out at the book as I put it back, then grab a nearby one in Japanese titled 'The Gensokyo Chronicle - Ninth Edition'... authored by someone called 'Hieda no Akyuu'. It's... pretty hefty, actually...

"...What's this one...?" I briefly open it to have a quick look through. Some reading of the pages tells me... ah, it looks like it's a whole bunch of information about Gensokyo, mostly on youkai and stuff... "...Oh, this... Hmm. Junko won't mind if I borrow this, right...?"

"Huh?" Piece watches me put the book away in my bag. "I mean, yeah, Hecatia-sama takes some out sometimes, 'cause Junko-sama has books up here that she can't get in Hell..."

"Oh, then it's fine. Good." The chronicle seemed to list a bunch of names, too, but it seemed to spiral off and monologue at times. Most likely that Akyuu person's doing, given how they authored the book. Well-. I say 'seemed to', since I only briefly looked through it, just to see what it was about. Its contents'd be useful for me to just... have on hand, though. Might let me scan through it if I need to know something about... well, someone, right? I wonder if there're more books like this...?

After all, as some people'd say, information is power, isn't it? Knowing stuff like the back of your hand's how you survive what seems to be certain death...

...Actually, no, that's... a weird example to use. Knowing stuff extremely well is how you prevent horrible accidents from happening. Yeah, that's more like it... Knowledge prevents incidents.

Trish may be smarter than I am in some areas, like fighting or just getting tougher, but I'm smarter than she is in terms of planning and general learning. Actually, all Trish cares about is being menacing at any given moment, but I think she just doesn't like talking to people very often, unless it's necessary. Me and Kolar are an exclusion, of course, but I think she's willing to come out of her shell a little bit as of late, because... well, ending up in Gensokyo, willingly talking to Mokou...

When I consider it, Trish seems to get along with Mokou a fair bit. There's some synergy between them when I try and recall how they talked to each other that one time in Eientei... after Trish got stabbed by a wild youkai. Didn't Keine say something about Mokou too...? Maybe Keine'd be willing to talk about Mokou, if I get the chance to ask her. Junko's also familiar with the white-haired immortal, too.

...Still can't get over the fact Trish somehow befriended an immortal, but then again, Kolar caught the interest of a vampire. Meanwhile, over here, I uh... I have the interests of several people focused on me. Yuuka's a glaringly obvious one, but Junko is too, as well as Doremy, if she really wants to keep visiting me when I'm dreaming sometimes.

A-Ahah... On the note of monologues, from that Gensokyo Chronicle, I just internally monologued. How ironic. Guess monologuing's just a thing people do sometimes, myself included... not that I've done it particularly often. Kolar's more of the monologue guy if anything. Guy's always ranting about stuff at school and stuff, and how his parents are-... Were encouraging to get him a job as soon as he graduated second year. 

...Oh, right, Kolar's a second year high school student. Some people actually think he's a third year, but he's just a second year. Funny how the schooling system works in different countries, sometimes... He's seventeen, so he's nearly an adult. Hence his parents encouraging him to get a job. Meanwhile, I'm eighteen, and Trish is... well, believe it or not, she's nineteen. She's not too far from me in terms of age, and it's a funny misconception a lot of people have. Guess that's the deceiving height at play, eh?

...By that, I mean Trish is way taller than I am. She's about... nine feet? Yeah, she's tall. I'm around seven feet, Kolar's just shy of six. So not only is she incredibly intimidating, she's also tall! And-. Oh, wait, I'm monologuing again. Damn, I... really like to do that, don't I? Then again, a lot's going through my head right now. I'm still trying to adjust to Gensokyo and Senkai. Guess you can call that jet lag, or whatever.

Moving on... Hecatia. We're uh... still walking around the library. It's actually decently sized, being pretty long and open... but not too big. It doesn't feel like a maze, at least. A maze of... books. Upon books.

The moment I turn a corner-.

Thud! A-Ah-.

...Thud. I fall to the ground...

Ow...! What did I just walk into...?!

"Uh... oops. That's me not watching where I'm going..." Hecatia's voice followed by a sigh is the first thing I hear. I-... Did I walk into her and then bang my head...? What did I even bang my head on...?! "...You okay down there?"

"Ngh..." I pick myself up from the floor, shaking my head, still dazed. "Other than feeling like I just walked into a brick wall, yeah, I'm fine..."

"Alright, that's good. Means Junko doesn't have a reason to hurt me later." She jokes, brushing my shoulders off. "Still, that's my bad. Why're you in here, anyway? The both of you, that is."

"We-... We came here to see you, actually..." I rub the side of my head as I adjust my hat, still aching from walking into Hecatia then just... falling over. It... was her I walked into right? If so, then what's she made of?! Bricks?! Steel?! I-. Wait, she's a god, why the hell am I asking that? Of course she's going to be ridiculously durable.

"Oh, really? What do you need?" She grins, putting her hands on her side. I notice the fact there's just a book floating beside her. Do not question that, do not question that...

"W-Well, um..." Piece looks slightly awkward about asking. 

Alright, might as well be blunt. "...I was just wondering why exactly you didn't want me or Piece-kun getting even a vague idea of what those plans were between you and Junko..."

"Pfft-. Piece-kun?" She nearly gets a laugh out of how I referred to Piece, before shrugging. "Ah... That's not important. Why you and Piece couldn't be let in, huh? That's it? Well... I'm imagining Junko doesn't want you knowing because it's dangerous for you to know exactly what it is, Rajime."

I knew it. "...She would probably elaborate if it wasn't, then..."

"Mmm... Maybe. I mean, I know her pretty well, and she still probably wouldn't outright tell you what it is we're planning." Hecatia shrugs. Really...?

"What about me...?!" Piece pouts, since Hecatia hasn't explained why she couldn't know just yet.

"Getting to it, Piece." The god sighs. "I mean, originally, these plans didn't really factor him into the equation." She gestures to me for a moment, before continuing. "But now they do. So I kinda need you to not be against him, Piece, okay?"

"I-... Ohh..." Surprisingly, that's easy to understand for her. 

Wait, hold on... "...I'm pretty sure Junko said these plans don't concern me. She even promised." I raise a brow. "Did something change...?"

"Oh, uh... did she not mention it? Huh, weird..." Hecatia furrows her brows, before dismissing the thought with a head shake. "But, yeah, what me and Junko have in mind actually does concern you, somewhat." Please be certain about this. "Like... nothing should happen to you, if everything goes right, but still, you're something to factor in now, nothing'll probably change that for a really long time, either."

A-. A really long time. "...How long?"

"A~h... Few years? Decades?" Hecatia wobbles her hand back and forth. I-. What do you mean decades...?! "Actually, maybe a lot longer, I'm not that sure..."

You know what. "...Okay, sure. Decades. Centuries, even." I deadpan. "If I ask, you're just not gonna tell me regardless. Neither will Junko. So I'm just not gonna bother with asking."

"Great! I knew you'd understand!" She claps her hands together. "I mean, when you die, you can just hang out in Hell with me as a ghost. Not that it... uh.. Not that it's happening anytime soon, obviously, but... y'know, when it does happen."

I'd rather not dying at all, Hecatia. I'm pretty sure Junko shares that sentiment, too...

I know it sounds selfish of me, but if that Mokou girl's actually immortal, then... who's to say I can't become one? I-... Wait, no, I just realised how much of an impact that'd have on my psyche... Is that really worth it to just... not die? Like, at all?

...Maybe not. Hrmm...

"A~h... Moving on!" She snaps her fingers, pointing at me. "Junko probably told you that your whole uh... bizarre potential's interesting to me, right?"

...Huh...? "Yeah, she did. She told me you came here to look into that...?" I tilt my head. 

"Well I had some luck!" The book that was just... floating beside her abruptly flies towards me, making me flinch before it suddenly stops mid-air, flipping itself open. I thought she was going to throw that book at me, then... "Take a look!"

I look down at the page it's open to, which is in Japanese thankfully. Piece also peeks over my shoulder to get a look...

"The potential of a human varies. Sometimes it can be incredibly poor, other times... it can even break gods. Though, a human with extremely high potential is incredibly rare, but is not something to be ignored. Chances of them existing are slim, but still high. A notable example of this are the Hakurei shrine maidens, both past and present." It reads, but there's still some more... "...However, there are hazy records of humans with even higher potential than that of the Hakurei. Worn records state that these humans can create bizarre essences of elements if pushed to the absolute limit... or they can destroy them. Or, in fact, they may even be able to balance these essences, though there's only one record of this happening, and even then, it's incomplete."

...What... the hell...?

"...That create part sounds a lot like you, doesn't it?" Hecatia closes the book in front of me. I'm just... stunned... 'Create bizarre essences of elements'...?

That... actually does sound... somewhat true, I think. That shockwave, or wind blast I should say, that electrical spark that nearly zapped Yuuka that one time... The fact it made her, a supposedly powerful youkai, hesitate...

"Uh... Rajime?" She raises a brow, waving a hand in front of my face. I-. O-Oh, right, I probably look like I'm spacing out... "There you are! So, yeah, sounds like you, doesn't it? Don't worry, Junko told me exactly what the weird things you've done are."

"Creation..." I blink, furrowing my brows as I rub my chin. Essences... Creation... Just feels so familiar, those two words being paired together... not that I know why. It's lost on me. "What... did it mean by worn records?"

"Those records're rea~lly old." Hecatia holds the book in her hand this time. "Like... a thousand years old, maybe older. Way back in the day, before Gensokyo had all that barrier nonsense. I mean, I know what this book said is reliable, it was written by a disciple of one certain 'Hieropha'."

"Wait, Hieropha as in...?!" Piece's brows raise as her eyes light up.

"Yeah, the very same lorekeeper and former ruler that used to live in Hell. She kinda... disappeared one day, though. Dunno where she went, she never told me." Hecatia gives it a bit of thought. "I don't know where the disciple that made this book went either, when I think about it. They all just kinda disappeared... but I guess they were kinda frowned upon for their ideals."

"Wait, wait, I feel like I'm missing something here..." I furrow my brows. "Who wrote that book?"

"A human, funnily enough." I-... A human? "Aikido Tsumugi, that's her name. I'm kinda familiar with her... but she can't actually die. Not outright immortal, though." Hecatia elaborates into the author of the book. "Apparently she lives so long as light and darkness exists somewhere, so she can't really go anywhere without both. Always lurked in the shadows, she did."

"I... How? If she's a human, then... wouldn't she die of old age eventually?" I furrow my brows. 

"Originally, yeah, she would have. But Hieropha took an interest in her and... well, yeah, now she sorta lives in the shadows forever." Hecatia nods. I-. Oh. "You're... probably wondering who Hieropha is, too. Well-."

"Hieropha was a super cool lady who originally ruled over Hell before Hecatia-sama did!" Piece abruptly butts in. This 'Hieropha' was Hell's former ruler, then...? 

"...Yeah, what she said." The god grins at the fairy's abrupt words. "After I came in, she settled for keeping records on Hell, Gensokyo, and the universe itself. You see these here?" She taps that Moon orb, then the Earth, then that... red orb thing in her hat. I nod along...? "Imagine these, but like, in the thousands. Maybe millions."

I-. Oh, hell, that's... wow. "That many...?"

"Mhm. Before she showed up in Hell, she was originally wandering space for something. I'm not sure if she's even from this galaxy, actually. Somewhere in the universe, sure, but definitely not the galaxy Earth is in. Apparently they're all planets she's seen and recorded the history of. Her ability allows her to immediately ascertain the history of anything, but it's not her only one." Hecatia raises a finger, closing her eyes momentarily to take a deep breath, before reopening them and sighing. "She originally had five, but she split those off to four disciples. Aikido's one of them, being the Disciple of Shadow. There're three others, but I'm not that familiar with them. You've got the Disciple of Surprise, real wild card apparently. After that, you've got the Disciple of Time. Pretty sagely guy, kinda chill too from what I've heard. And then you've got the strongest of the four, the Disciple of Deception. Nobody knows who they are. I don't even know anything about them, Hieropha only had vague ideas of who they actually were, too."

Four disciples...? "And... judging from what their disciples of, that makes finding out what those other four abilities were pretty obvious, I think..."

"Yeah, it's really obvious. Hieropha could originally mess around with time however she pleased. She could surprise anyone, make them fail to expect the unexpected no matter how hard they tried. In fact, she could even lie to their face and they'd believe her. Light and darkness was also kinda her playground, too. She could use both however she wanted, whenever and wherever too." Hecatia summarises. Not... something I expected to hear today. "Hieropha's really old, though. I wouldn't be surprised if her age's done her in."

"But she's really nice to people!" Piece raises her hands in the air, doing a little leap. "She's super nice to all the other fairies in Hell, but she's kind to both demons, youkai, AND humans! Even though I don't get why she's kind to the last ones..." 

"Hieropha was just a very accepting and welcoming person. After all, it takes a lot to just enter her home, let alone meet her." Hecatia shrugs.

"...What do you mean by 'it takes a lot'?" I tilt my head in wonder.

"To start, there's like, a bunch of puzzles to begin with. You've also gotta prove your strength, too. It's what I did when I first went to meet her. Best part is though, she automatically lets you through after you've done all the trials and what have you. Well-. It's not exactly her that does it, but it's extensions of her will." Looking to the side, Hecatia grins. "Hey, Rajime, are you familiar with robots?"

I-. Robots. "...I'm familiar with them in theory and in practice, why...?"

"Hieropha has a lot of robots in her home. Well-. They're sorta robots, but they're built to cater to her and her guests' needs. Sort of like a safety policy. They pack a punch, though." Hecatia looks back at me, looking more neutral. "They're called Altercators. And... I'm pretty sure she did make one that's entirely sentient. Hell if I know what happened to it though, she never told me anything about it after a while, even when I specifically asked about it, which was weird. Maybe it got too sentient."

"Why're you telling me all of this, anyway, Hecatia?" I mean, it is interesting, don't get me wrong, but... why? What's the reason?

"If that sunflower lady doesn't work out for you, then I can try and find Hieropha. She'd definitely be able to show you how to harness that potential. After all, she's the one who recorded humans being able to use that potential as magic." Hecatia grins. I-... Ah, that makes more sense, I guess. "Bu~t it might take some time if I have to. I don't know where she is. She just... disappeared one day. She and her home disappeared."

"Yeah, I kinda miss her..." Piece frowns, looking down. Guess this Hieropha was someone she looked up to, then...

"Also... Hey, hang on, I don't know if you've seen this yet, or if Junko's told you about this." ...What's Hecatia getting at now? She removes that red orb thing from her hat, then... moves the Earth orb into it-.

I-. Oh. Oh, okay. That's... wow. She just changed hair and eye colour by doing that. She also looks a lot more serene, too... More natural. I don't know why...

...

"...What?" I just stare at her in confusion. I-. Whah? She looks entirely different now...! 

"I just changed body." She's... a lot softer with her voice now. Sounds more caring and calmer than before. Also-. Changed her body?! "...The Moon, Earth, and the Otherworld as represented by the red orb there, all represent my different bodies. At first, I was the same entity, a mixture of all three, though Hieropha changed that. She gave me control to switch between the three, to avoid confusion..."

"R-Right, yeah, okay..." I'm still baffled on the premise that she can just... change bodies apparently. Did her personality change, too...? Her voice is far more comforting now, if I'm being honest. "...How long did this Hieropha rule over Hell, exactly...?"

"That's... actually a question I can't answer." Hecatia frowns. She doesn't know...? "If I had to guess, perhaps for several millennia."

Millennium... that's a thousand years, I know that. Sheesh, this Hieropha's that old...?

"But, as for how she came to rule Hell, I know the answer to that. She had the previous ruler killed and took his place. Hieropha actually ushered in Hell's golden age, so to speak. Instead of punishing people for sins, she opted for reforming them instead, whilst giving them freedom to do as they pleased. Lenient, but not too lenient. Hell's gotten a lot better over the years, believe me, I would know." Hecatia gives Clownpiece a brief glance, then back at me. "...You could come visit sometime, if you desire. You don't have to die to actually go to Hell as a human, you know. I can take you there, or if you're daring enough, you could cross the Sanzu River."

Visiting Hell... You know, I never thought there'd be a day where I'd even think of such a thing. I've never done anything genuinely wrong in my life, honestly, so it just feels weird to be thinking about heading there.

Now... it could be dangerous. Demons and stuff, y'know, that's typically what's in a Hell, right? Lava, spikes, etcetera... But, if I'm under Hecatia's protection, then I don't think I'd have anything to worry about. Because she's Hell's current ruler, as its goddess. 

Still, I'm curious as to who this Hieropha lady really was... She sounds... interesting, if she was Hell's ruler before Hecatia. Actually, that brings up a question... "How'd you come to rule Hell, anyway...?"

"Huh? Oh, Hieropha just passed the mantle onto me when she figured I was ready. She knew her time as Hell's ruler was limited, so... she passed it onto the person she trusted the most, that wasn't one of her four disciples. Besides, they all went into hiding just some time before I was instated as Hell's goddess." Hecatia explains into the matter. So Hieropha passed the role onto her...? "After I became ruler, Hieropha settled for recording the history of not just Hell, but the Earth, Heaven, Moon, and even Gensokyo eventually. She knew about Gensokyo well before the barrier was put in place. A long, long time before that, as a matter of fact."

"I see..." I bring a finger to my lips. The topic's definitely interesting... "So Hell's more of a rehabilitation centre nowadays...?"

"Mhm." She nods. "I want to keep her legacy going, after all. She started it, I'm just continuing the process. I'd argue she was Hell's greatest... I'm honestly torn between saying queen and empress, but that's even including myself."

"Wow... I didn't know you looked up to Hieropha like that, Hecatia-sama..." Piece seems... surprised. 

She turns to her fairy, smiling. "Hieropha did many great things for Hell, Piece. It's clear why I look up to her the way I do. She truly made everyone in there free to do as they please, whilst keeping Hell's original purpose in mind. Even some of the yama miss her sometimes, I'm pretty sure."

"You keep addressing her as Hieropha..." I have another question to ask. "Do... you actually know her full name?"

Hecatia turns to me with a relatively neutral smile. "Her full name is Lubrae Hieropha. I'm sorry, I merely forgot to properly introduce her. I suppose talking about her just made me reminisce on the days she was in power... Rather pleasant ones, those were. Hell knew peace, whilst retaining its normally chaotic nature."

"...Lubrae-san, then." I nod. "I'd ask if it'd be possible for me to meet her, at all, but... you don't know where she went, as you said."

"I'm imagining she can't have gone too far from Hell. She's most likely still compiling the history of everything in the universe. Her records date back to well before humans even evolved." Hecatia tilts her head to the side. "I can attempt to look for her, if you want. The moment I find her, I'll let you know, okay? In the meanwhile, do you remember our agreement?"

Oh, right, the agreement... Those cards... "Yeah, gather all of the cards I can and give them to you later, right?"

"That's the ticket." She gives me a more pleased smile, briefly taking my hat off to ruffle my hair in such a quick and fluid motion that I can't even react, before placing my hat back on. Wh-. How the hell did she just-. "Good boy."

...Okay, that was weird. I notice Piece grinning. "...Don't you talk of this ever."

"Wha~t? That happens to me all the time!" She keeps grinning. I-... Ha~h...

"Still, don't." I deadpan.

"Ah... that might actually happen a lot, depending on who you hang around." Hecatia comments, keeping her smile. Really... Mmh. It feels weird to have my hair ruffled. I'm a grown adult.

That aside... "...What time is it, actually...?" Because Junko said she'd take me to see Yuuka at noon, I... don't actually know what time it is right now.

"Hm? Few minutes before midday, why? Going somewhere" Hecatia raises a brow.

"...Noon's when Junko'll take me to see Yuuka." I raise a brow back. Did... she forget that I was planning on seeing Yuuka today? No, she can't have...

"O~h. I thought that would've been... y'know, later on in the day. Ah... nevermind." She shakes her head a few times. Why would you think it'd be later in the day...? Earlier the better, as I like to say.

Actually, speaking of Junko, where exactly is she, anyway? I'm imagining she's probably looking around for me by now...

"You're probably gonna be needing this, too." Hecatia suddenly produces an... album. Where was she keeping that? Like Clownpiece, I... don't genuinely see any pockets on her. Actually, now that I think about it, Junko doesn't have any pockets either, when I try and recall how she's dressed. Which must be horribly inefficient. Pockets're too useful not to have, y'know?

I flip it open and notice that there's actually a lot of pages and spaces for cards. As for the design of this album itself, it's plain leather for the cover and normal paper on the inside. You could fit about... four cards per page, I think. Might be three, depending on where they're placed...

Not that I've held a card and... you know, seen it up close. Best I've seen was that card Piece had, the one of that... red moon.

"The cards'll stick on the moment you place them down. It's a funny enchantment I put on it. Like, they'll stick and not move around loosely, but you can remove them easily." Hecatia explains as to how it works. There's an enchantment for that?

"Right..." I close the currently empty album, then notice that there's a pretty detailed drawing of Hecatia on the front. Guess that's obvious enough for who it belongs to... and one hell of a reminder, too.

...It's actually pretty funny that I use 'hell' sometimes when referring to things. Since, you know, Hecatia's right there in front of me. But, honestly, the weirder part is... why I just feel so neutral about all of this. Under normal circumstances, someone would most definitely be flipping their... uh... sss~stuff...? Yeah, stuff, that's the word I want to use...

...

I don't like swearing in general, honestly, that's why. Trish let's loose a whole torrent of them on a bad day. Seriously, she's like a printer, but if you gave it a souped up... everything. F-bombs, s-bombs, the whole nine yards. On a good day, she'll say like, five at most, sometimes none. Actually, it's rare for her to not curse, if anything... Tends to avoid letting loose the grand flooding of swears when I'm in the room, because she wants to be a good sister. She also avoids saying them in front of Kolar, since he's still in high school. Even though I bet he's been exposed to them constantly, classmates or otherwise. People like swearing for the sake of swearing, sometimes.

"So is that all you came here to see me for? Because, like, I've gotta let Junko know about this too." Hecatia gestures to the book that's in her hand, currently. The one on potential by that 'Aikido' person she briefly mentioned.

Actually, talking of Aikido... "You... implied that you knew this Aikidio person, not just Lubrae-san, too."

"Hieropha'd probably tell you to just call her Lubrae, or Hieropha, or something like that. No need to use the honorifics." Hecatia shakes her head. Ah, is that so...? "I mean, I'd know."

"Right... but still, Aikido?" I tilt my head.

"Aikido, even though she was a human before, during, and after... whatever it was Hieropha put her through, she still hung out in Hell a bunch. Surprisingly, she got along with a bunch of the demons and souls, and what have you. Then again, it's hard to oppose a disciple of Hieropha's." Hecatia's eyes trail to the side, onto a bookshelf. "I'm pretty sure Junko has all of the books Aikido ever authored, namely because I recommended them to her."

"Aikido's an author, then...? How many books did she make?" I raise my brow.

"A bunch! Like, a bunch kind of bunch!" Very descriptive, Piece. Thank you for that information, I understood all of it.

"Well, if we're being specific, Aikido wrote around eighty or something before vanishing. Weird part is, they're all decently long." Hecatia gives me the exact number of books Aikido wrote... "Well-known author among Hell and the Earth. Pretty well-liked one, at that, though all of her books're old."

"...How long ago did she write them? When did her latest one come out?" I press for more details. I want a rough idea...

"Gee, real eager for info, aren't you?" She jokes, chuckling. "I can answer that. Last one was published around~... I want to say three hundred years ago? Maybe four?"

Four hundred years... Yeesh.

"Then again, she disappeared from Hell just sometime after I came into power, which was around the same time that last book of hers came out. Hell was pretty dark, honestly, so she could exist just about anywhere. As for why it was so dark? Well, it's because a few of the suns we had down there were... shot down a rea~l long time ago, whilst Hieropha was in power." Hecatia scowls very briefly when talking about Hell's suns, before regaining her more serene look. Whoa, she seemed... angry.

Um... judging from how she talked about that, maybe I should keep asking about Aikido. "What kind of books did Aikido publish, anyway?"

"To be honest, she published so many different topics and categories that I lost track. Some of her books're like, basic living guides for humans. Some others were these extremely complicated puzzles and riddles, even I had trouble figuring them out sometimes. She was good at writing, probably the best at it, actually." Hecatia considers, humming very briefly, before focusing on me properly. "But her more popular books were ones delving into potential and cognition. One, because nobody else would bother doing it, and two, because it helped people to better understand each other, including Aikido herself. She studied a lot of the souls in Hell, how they responded to certain things whilst being rehabilitated. Those were probably her biggest hits."

"Ah... So she wrote a mixed bag of topics, then?" I gathered that much when I heard 'basic living guides', immediately followed by 'extremely complicated puzzles', and then hearing that her most popular books were ones on 'potential and cognition', the latter being the selling point.

...Namely because who in their right mind would write books on psychology around four hundred years ago?!

"Mh~m, that she did. So is that it, then? No more questions?" She asks. I... don't particularly have anymore, if I'm being honest, so I shake my head. "Alright! Also, it's noon, and-."

Junko suddenly walks in, then right up to me. "...I would've expected you to be in the garden waiting, not here."

"Well, I guess I just... lost track of the time." I admit, looking to the side sheepishly. That whole talk was interesting... and maybe I did get too invested in it. That's another two names to tack onto the list of 'people who have been mentioned but not yet met'... How many're on there now, like... nine? Nine people? The only ones I can think of're like... Seiga, namely because she was here last night and I wouldn't have even noticed if Doremy didn't point her out, uh... Komachi, Yukari, Ran, Chen, because Doremy brought them up... This Reimu person, who Junko actively mentioned, like, twice I think, u~hhh... Remilia, since she's been mentioned a whole bunch by not only Kolar, but a few others... and now Lubrae and Aikido.

...

I have an odd feeling that this list will only increase as time goes on, and I don't like that particular feeling. I-. Wait, no, ten. There's also that Hieda no Akyuu person who authored that Gensokyo Chronicle book I have on me right now... I think her first name's Akyuu, since the 'no' means of, so... Akyuu of Hieda? I think that's how it goes when translated to English... or Akyuu Hieda.

...Japanese naming conventions are particularly strange.

"Yeah, we were just having a particularly nice chat about things. His potential, for one, but then it sort of spiralled off into talking about Hieropha and Aikido. You know who those two are, right?" Hecatia at least backs me up on that...

"...Ah. Yes, those two I'm aware of. Hieropha was the ruler of Hell before you were, I know this much." Junko nods in understanding. "Still having issues locating her?"

"Mmm~..." Hecatia nods, now frowning. "I've been trying to find her for like, what, just shy of a hundred years now? It's gonna be the hundredth anniversary of me starting the search for her, now. We're on the ninety-ninth year since then."

...A hundred years? "Didn't you say you took over from Lubrae about four hundred years ago...?"

"Actually, that is true. Why did you not start searching for her until recently, Hecatia?" Junko has her brow raised.

"A-Ahah, well..." She begins grinning, scratching the back of her head. "...I kinda forgot to. I was just incredibly busy with making sure everything in Hell ran smoothly, you know? I was preoccupied and distracted, never really got the chance until recently."

...I guess it would take a fair bit of time and effort to efficiently take care of Hell... since, you know, it's Hell.

Hecatia seems to notice my understanding, anyway. "See? You get it."

"I suppose I did distract you with my own agenda, too..." Junko closes her eyes, sighing. "You were talking of Tsumugi also?"

"Mhm." I nod. "Her books are um..."

"Unique? Yes, they delve into... considerably noteworthy topics, no matter how minor. She always did make her books affordable for anyone, honestly, sometimes even giving them away for free..." Junko closes her eyes. "...She was quite a contrast to the rest of Hell's society."

"That she was, being a human among, like, devils, lampads, and everything else." Hecatia places one hand on her hip. "Then again, I've not seen her in a few centuries time. Either she fled with Hieropha, o~r..."

"...She's somewhere else entirely, presumably in Gensokyo. There's not an incredibly high chance she'd be outside of the barrier, as she wouldn't have been able to use her magic of manipulating light and darkness otherwise..." Junko finishes for her, thinking.

"What makes you so certain about that...?" I tilt my head. "She could still be in Hell, right?"

"That... is rather true, actually." She at least considers that option... "...Although, it's rather unlikely. I'm sure Hecatia would have noticed."

"I probably would've, unless if she's hiding really well. Then again, there's always lampads running about on the streets of Hell. Even then, Aikido could quite literally be anywhere, as long as there's shadows for her to slip in and out of. This also includes places, like, Makai. And the Moon." Hecatia lists two examples, one of which I've never heard of, and...

"...T-. The Moon." I echo. How the hell would she get to the Moon?

"...I genuinely hope she didn't go to the latter." Junko seems moderately more sour upon mentions of the Moon. Why...? "Namely because humans need to breathe to live, correct? And, the last I had checked, humans cannot breathe on the lunar surface."

"Yea~h, that's true, I guess." Hecatia considers it... I mean, that's just... whoever thinks she'd actually be on the Moon is stupid. Like, no, seriously, Aikido's still a human, apparently, she wouldn't be able to survive... you know, on there. It's outlandish, mate.

Also... "What's Makai, exactly...? Not somewhere I've heard of before..." I scratch my chin. 

"It's like Hell, but not really." Hecatia, that's... incredibly vague. "Okay, uh... imagine Hell, but not as an afterlife or anything. That's genuinely what Makai is. There's demons and strong youkai there."

Oh. That makes... somewhat more sense?

"...Although, if you're hoping to go there, uh... don't." She warns me outright to not go there. "Don't get me wrong, some humans live there, but it's like... really harsh and rough. There's a toxic miasma in the air over there, too, so you probably won't even last a few seconds without proper preparation or protection. Then again, there's a whole bunch of items there that you can't really get anywhere else."

"...I see..." I give it some thought. "Would... it be possible for Aikido to be there, then...? You did say 'some humans live there', didn't you?"

"Nope!" Piece abruptly speaks up...? Hecatia turns to raise a brow at her, as do Junko and myself. "I-I mean, I talked to Aiki-san a few times, and she said she never wanted to ever set foot in there...!"

"...You remember her saying such a thing?" Junko seems moderately surprised, though I do see Piece rapidly nodding. "The memories of fairies astounds me, sometimes..."

"Though, I guess that does rule out Makai, then. She probably is in Gensokyo, somewhere, since that's the best lead we've - or I've, really, since I'm the one looking - got." Hecatia grins. That's fair... "I'm probably imagining she'd be around that Youkai Mountain place, or something. Maybe somewhere near the peak?"

"That high up?" Junko raises a brow further. "On that mountain, no less? What of the tengu and Moriya?"

There's a mention of the Moriya again... but tengu?

"They probably won't even notice she's lurking around up there, if we're being honest." Hecatia shakes her head, holding a finger up. "Aikido's always in the shadows, so it'd be really hard to notice her, as far as Earth gods go. I don't have any troubles with seeing her, but I know for a fact some others do."

"The Moriya..." I furrow my brows. "I've heard of them before, when Junko took me to the village once. Two gods, and... a shrine maiden, right?"

"Right you are." Hecatia confirms with a nod. "...Though, their maiden insulted my fashion sense once." I-. Pfft-. Whah? That was abrupt...

"She did, in fact, do that. On an unrelated note, though, I had managed to find a blank journal you could use, Rajime." Junko suddenly announces, pulling out a diary... Wait, what? When did she...? "...That is what I had spent the hour searching around for." Ah. "Although, I'm not too sure how it exactly got here. I don't ever recall purchasing a journal before, or being given one..."

...Okay, spooky spontaneously appearing journal, then. "Really?" I tilt my head. "You're... sure about that?"

"...My certainty regarding this is equal to the sharpness of my memory and knowledge." Junko gives me a more neutral stare. "I'm frankly puzzled as to how it showed up, as it's entirely blank, though there was a note and an odd pen with it. All it said was 'you're welcome' in Japanese. Nothing else of note regarding it... though I feel as if the penmanship is familiar."

"Familiar, huh?" Hecatia seems to give it some thought too, before shrugging. "Well, I don't know who'd just randomly give you a convenient journal to use. So what do you mean by 'odd pen'?"

"It's styled like the ones I'd usually find my precious Reisen-chan using in Eientei." Junko calmly states. I-. 'My precious Reisen-chan'? What the hell...? Why'd she talk about Reisen like that? Does... she respect her, or something? I mean, if so, that's a pretty roundabout way of saying it...

...Also, I just remembered, she addressed Reisen normally when she was, you know, in the room with Junko. But now she isn't.

"Still interested in her, eh?" Hecatia grins. "Y'know, you've got several interests right now, when I think about it. Two major ones only really come to mind though..."

...As she says this, her eyes trail over to me without the slightest trace of subtlty. Gee, yeah, I wonder what those 'two major ones' are, now.

"...I have my reasons for those interests, Hecatia." Junko squints at the goddess. "Both are entirely different circumstances."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but ever since... y'know, that day you've been fascinated with that rabbit for a rea~lly long time." Hecatia keeps grinning. 'That day'? What's she talking about?

"...I feel like I'm missing something here..." I blink, glancing between Hecatia and Junko. Piece has also... been pretty quiet, considering. She's only really spoken up a few times, but that was about Lubrae and Aikido... "What do you mean by 'that day'?"

...Junko immediately freezes on the spot, gives Hecatia a semi-serious glare, before turning to address me whilst looking a lot more calmer. Uh...? "...Merely my chance first meeting with Reisen-chan, Rajime."

"I-. Uh, yeah, right..." Hecatia seems slightly intimidated again. Okay, yeah, no, they're hiding something from me, that's obvious. Two things, that is. Whatever their plans were, and 'that day', whatever Hecatia meant by that.

"Wait, by 'that day', do you mean-." Piece is about to speak, but she's given pretty hard stares by both Junko and Hecatia, making her stop. She knows too...?! "U-Uh... Oh."

"...Story for later?" I raise a brow at Junko.

"Story for later." She settles on. Well that's... reassuring. If she's willing to at least talk to me about it later, then...

"Right..." I um... might as well move the topic on. "You mentioned an 'odd pen', right...? How's it odd? I mean, there's lots of pens outside of Gensokyo, so..."

"...Ah, yes, you see, I normally wouldn't question such a pen's existence. Under normal circumstances, however, as I see Reisen-chan use them more often than not." Junko furrows her brows. "I'm not entirely sure as to what it is, but the existence of that pen feels... altered somehow, though I don't have the faintest idea on how or why."

"So it's a spooky mysterious weirdly altered spontaneously appearing modern ink pen, then." I very bluntly summarise what it is.

"P-Pffft-. Ahahaha-. W-Where did that description come from...?" Seems I've amused Hecatia at least. 

...Meanwhile, with Piece, she looks like she's absolutely struggling to keep a straight face. "S-Spooky mysterious weirdly alte-. I-I can't say that, it just sounds so... so...!"

"Silly? Yeah." I pocket my hands. "I mean, if common sense doesn't exist, then I'm not using my common sense because I'm not questioning the spooky mysterious weirdly altered spontaneously appearing modern ink pen, you see."

"S-Stop saying it like that...!" Piece nearly bursts out laughing. Hecatia nearly does too, given how I repeated it with a straight face. 

"...Please don't call it that." Junko gives me a smile, at least. 

"Am I wrong, though?" I grin back.

"Not entirely." She produces the pen in question. Yeah, it's one of those pens. It's a clickable one, and it's... made of plastic. Not something I entirely expected to, like, see in Gensokyo. Or Senkai, I should say, since... well, yeah, I'm in Senkai, not Gensokyo. "...I'd rather you shorten that to 'odd pen', though."

"...Yeah, guess that'd be easier than spooky-." I'm about to say when my mouth's covered by Hecatia.

"Alright, alright, you don't need to say it for a third time. I'm pretty sure that'd break Piece entirely." The Hell goddess gives the fairy a subtle glance.

"...Indeed." Junko concurs, it seems. 

...Why did I just feel the need to use 'concur', there? 'Agree' probably would've worked far better...

...

Actually, what the hell am I even talking about? Why do I even feel a need to question that...?

"I'm not entirely sure what it does, although... it doesn't seem to be seperable from the journal." Junko notes something...? "Observe."

She raises the pen into the air, then throws it with... a surprising amount of force and dexterity.

Whoosh!

...Into the library it goes, sailing off into the distance...

...

I wait to see if I can hear it land, but it doesn't land... or it doesn't audibly make a landing noise, anyway.

"Now look back at me." Junko requests, so I comply, and...

...

Okay, how the...? The pen's just... attached to the diary. It's the same exact pen. What...?

"...How did you find this out?" I furrow my brows.

"The pen felt far too odd, so I left it and took only the journal with me. Then, to my surprise, it had appeared on the front page, attached when I wasn't looking. I'm not entirely sure how it does that." She stares down at it. I-. You're not sure?

"...Well, you can add that on to the 'weird things' about that pen, then." Hecatia observes, as if that wasn't obvious.

"Mmm. It's almost as if the pen and diary are inseperable... and are meant to be used together." Junko looks at me, holding them out. "It would probably do you well to have them, as I have no need for these."

Ah... right. I take them, then place the journal in... the bag, yeah, that seems right... I place the pen in my shirt pocket, though. I do note one thing whilst I was holding the diary itself, though... "...Pretty hefty for a journal."

"So you had noticed it too, then. It feels... heavier than the average one of those, like it has more pages than it's supposed to." Junko still sounds curious about the journal...

...Actually, I might as well make a note on something. I whip out the journal again, to the first page, and-.

...

"Wait, was it like this before?" I stare down at the front page in confusion. It's... got my name at the top of the page, but... there's some information about me too... I sure as hell didn't write that...

"...Huh?" Hecatia leans over to get a look at it too, then looks over at Junko. "Oh, uh... Hey, Junko, did you... write this stuff down for him, or...?"

"I hadn't... written anything in there." Oh, so she's as confused as I am. She even gets a look when I show her the diary... "...How strange."

"What's it say?! Lemme see!" Piece demands that I let her see it, so I show her. "O~h, yeah, that's weird!"

Okay, this diary's cursed or something. Either that or it fills up with people's information. Either that or it just... records things that happen to me. Why give me the pen, then...?!

What's written, however, reads as follows...

"Owner: Rajime Naga

A human outsider and the younger brother of Trish Naga, or I guess you could say that's me describing myself. Hey me who's reading this in the future. I'm currently living with Junko, a sagacious spirit, in Senkai after being saved from a wild youkai attack, and I'm... currently experiencing Gensokyo for the first time, having already experienced several oddities. Currently, I hold no title, whatever those are.

However! I have recently found out that I have this super weird potential! Or... I think I do, anyway. Sometimes I can use magic, but some people, like Yuuka and Junko, think it stems from instincts and my emotions. Not that I have any idea how to properly, like, use those, but it does make sense when I think about the times I've used magic... if it even is magic.

Right now, I'm equipped with a special shield called Aegis. Apparently it's one Junko owned in the past, but now it's found its way into my hands... or my arm, more like, since that's where it's held, haha.

I'm also planning to see Yuuka so I can try and make some use of my potential, after learning more about it from Hecatia, the sunflower on my shirt is proof of her interest as it doesn't seem removable, and it's still alive at the time of writing this."

...And that's how it goes. It's... written in the way I'd normally speak... What the hell is this...?

"When was this written, then...?" I'm... sort of unnerved that this diary just wrote practically all there is to know about me with no prompting...!

"It most likely wrote itself, though... May I see your penmanship?" Junko asks, raising a brow.

Ah, right... maybe...?

I try writing my name on the cover page... because it makes the most sense, doesn't it?

It-. Oh. It's actually pretty much identical to the way my name's written on there, when I look between my name on the cover, and my name on the first page...

"...Peculiar. There's no way you could have written in this... but that's certainly your writing style." Junko's really confused now... I am too! How the hell did it...?!

"Probably best not to question it." Hecatia settles on. "Hey, maybe look through the next few pages?"

"Ah, right... That's a good idea. Maybe there's some more...?" Complying, I flip to the next page, but... it's blank. "Blank..."

...My eyes trail to the top of the page. I wonder if...? 

I write in Junko's name, and-.

...

...

...

Wh-. Did I just space out...? It felt like everything went silent for a few seconds then, but my eyes're on the book, and... there's a whole lot more information below where I've written Junko's name...?

"...Are you feeling alright?" Junko seems... concerned? Why's she concerned...? "The moment you wrote my name in that book, you seemed to be in a trance... you didn't even respond to either of us three."

...I didn't? "...Huh... Everything was silent for me." I bring my fingers to my chin, thinking about it. Everything was... silent. Dead silent. I didn't hear anything.

"Maybe writing puts you into some kind of spell? Like, maybe that pen's enchanted to make you focus on writing everything you know about a given thing." Hecatia supposes, tapping the diary with her hand. "I mean, I've heard of those things before. Aikido used one once, I think."

...She did? If so, then... could it be that she's the one who...? No, wait, why would she do that? It doesn't make sense... she wouldn't even know about me, right? There's no way it's her...

"...Maybe hold off on writing for later." Junko hazards me. "If you started writing out in public and you weren't paying attention, I fear something bad may occur... or you may get into an accident. One or the other."

Ah, that's... true, actually. Maybe I should do it when I've got some time alone, or something... I am curious as to what I've got written down for Junko, though.

My eyes trail down at the page to read through the info I've written down...

"Junko

A sagacious spirit, apparently, but she's the one who pretty much saved me from a wild youkai, and is also the one currently letting me stay at Senkai. You know, it's weird, but she reminds me of my own mother, a couple of years back. Maybe it's her personality? Can't say for certain. She does treat me like a son, buying me things, giving me a place to live, and even making food for me, and she even said herself that I remind her of her own son. Meaning that, at one point, she was a mother, but she seemed to be solemn when talking about him... which is curious in of itself. Something must've happened, but I don't know if it's my place to ask her about it yet.

...According to Doremy, she doesn't have a title, unlike, say, Yuuka or Doremy herself, which is odd... but Doremy did also say that Junko doesn't have a particular need for a title, so I wonder why? Does she have a reason? Hmm... Only time'll tell, I guess.

...Moving on, she seems to be on relatively good and close terms with Hell, what with one of her friends being literally the Goddess of Hell herself, Hecatia Lapislazuli. I'm not sure if it's, as Trish would say, a 'cool' or a 'spicy' relationship. I have no idea why she says it like that, she just does. Also, by 'spicy', I mean if they're lovers or not, 'cool' meaning if it's more casual. I can't really tell, but they give me one of those vibes. Junko and Hecatia being lovers, I mean. Clownpiece is also just... there. She's like Hecatia's daughter, I guess, so would that make me something like Junko's son in this instance?

Junko, alongside her motherly appearance and demeanour, can be... pretty terrifying, if I'm being honest. Terrifyingly protective, that is. Though, Reisen did say that Junko's not particularly the best at controlling her emotions, or something along those lines. I can definitely see it, she even said she'd kill to protect me, if it comes to it. Which I don't want, like, at all. And during last night, at the time of writing this, she uh... she chased out a wicked hermit called Seiga Kaku, and it looked like Junko was expecting Seiga to show up... which makes me curious as to how she knew Seiga'd show up.

All in all, she's pretty nice, I'm pretty much trusting her with my life, after all... so I'm willing to do as she says, for the most part. She does, however, seem to respect my privacy."

...Damn, I wrote a hell of a lot more than what's been written down for myself... A lot more. It's like an encyclopedia page... which is interesting in of itself. Huh. Maybe this whole diary idea was a good thing. Well-. Diary doesn't feel fitting. It's like a hybrid between a notebook and a journal, right now.

I'll... write more entries later.

"...Y'know, you wrote a surprising lot about Junko." Hecatia does comment on the amount I've written down there. "Even if you were uh... spacing out, the fact you know that much already's sorta impressive. Also, what was that bit in the middle there?"

"...I-Ignore that." I close the journal immediately, looking away. Nobody needs to know about what I've written there, it's for my eyes only at any given moment.

Junko just has this extremely blank look. She's... staring directly at me, not doing anything else. I can't tell why her gaze is so blank. Is she surprised, or shocked, or confused, or what...?

Actually, wait, no this journal's like Wikipedia, but if it was written by me and it's meant for things Gensokyo-related instead of worldwide stuff.

...

That's given me a name idea, actually. "Uh... actually, given the amount of stuff I write in this, when I space out that is, it's like an encyclopedia... How about I call it Gensopedia, or something?"

Saying that seems to snap Junko out of that blank stare, as she jumps in place slightly. "Ah-. Yes, I suppose you may call it that, it is... fitting."

"...Okay, uh, Junko, are you feeling alright? You've just had this weird look for the past few minutes." Hecatia raises a brow at the spirit. "Did you see what he wrote in that middle part, or...?"

"...Potentially, yes, let's say I did." She gives me a slightly curious look again. Wait, she's not actively denying it. What. "...I'm surprised he came to the conclusion he did on that part, however."

She's not denying it at all! Was-. Was I correct in that guess, then?! The 'spicy relationship with Hecatia' part was actually a correct guess?!

"...What did he write there?" Hecatia wants answers, it seems.

"I'll tell you later." Junko very quickly shoots that down. Yeah, no, she really does know what I wrote and-... Hey, hang on, she's blushing. It's pretty faint, but I can see it...

...Well, with that implication, I think it's safe to assume that it is, in fact, a spicy relationship between her and Hecatia. I don't know how I did that. That's the first time I've even acknowledged that vibe.

"...Uh-huh, sure. I do actually want to confirm something with you, when you come back from dropping him off in Gensokyo." Hecatia gestures to me with one hand as I place Gensopedia, as I'm dubbing it, into my bag again. The pen goes back into my pocket with a smooth twirl, too.

"...Of course." Junko seems to have calmed down, now... "On such a note... Rajime?"

Ah-. Right, it's noon. "Yeah, we should probably go now, right...?"

"My point exactly." She begins to walk off, with me following behind her. "I'll be back soon enough Hecatia."

"Mhm." The goddess nods, waving me off. "Don't die now~!"

...Reassuring.

"Yeah, don't die, I've still got stuff I wanna ask you about!" Piece also blurts out, which earns her a curious glance from Hecatia. I wonder what she means by that?

...Ah well. Before I know it, I'm being carried into the air, away from the comfort and comparitively higher safety of Senkai, and into Gensokyo's wilds.

"...What did you mean when you wrote that middle part?" Junko decides to press me on that. "How exactly did you... come to that conclusion? In fact, I don't recall you ever bringing such a topic once."

"I didn't even know I got that feeling between you and Hecatia until a few minutes ago, when I thought about it. There's just something in the air between you two, I guess?" I shrug. I still have no idea how I didn't acknowledge it until recently...

"...Quite." She looks ahead, considering her next words, before smiling neutrally. "Although... you aren't wrong."

Pfft. Called it. "Thought so, judging how you reacted."

"Was it that apparent?" She raises a brow at me.

"...Yeah, it really was. To me, anyway. I don't think Piece put two and two together. Neither did Hecatia, somehow." Which... is actually pretty strange, thinking on it now. I'm fairly sure Hecatia should be way smarter than Piece is. After all, she's a god, Piece is a fairy, right?

"...Hecatia was always oblivious to when I tried to make a move, sometimes." Junko points out, looking almost reminiscent. She sounds... happy. Nostalgic, too, but it's a happy kind of nostalgia. Huh. "She still is today, too. Moving on... you seemed to know about that pest's invasion, in the midst of the night. How? I thought you were fast asleep."

"...Dreams are wild." I vaguely state, nodding to myself. Maybe she'll get that...?

"Ah. That baku's messing around then, it seems." Junko sighs. Oh, she knows about Doremy...? 

"I mean, yeah, she showed me what was going on in the real world whilst I was dreaming. I also felt the danmaku pain in the morning, so I know what she had shown me was real." I stare ahead as Junko flies through... a crack. I-. Oh, okay, that's... trippy. Whoa. It's like a whole mess of colours, and before I know it, we're in Gensokyo. I can tell because it looks way different... "Is that what you meant by cracks yesterday?"

"...Indeed." She retains a neutral tone of voice. "It's quite efficient, if I do say so myself."

"Hmm... How does Hecatia get there? The same way?" I tilt my head.

"Oh, no, she can appear there at any time." Junko denies. I-. Wait, how...? "...Senkai is classed as an Otherworld. much like the Dream World is. Gensokyo is classed as Earth, for apparent reasons. Hecatia rules over the Hells of the Earth, the Moon, and the Otherworlds... much like her predecessor, Hieropha, did before her."

"How do you know Lubrae, anyway...?" I wonder aloud.

"...I had originally gone to her for help on a matter, though she sadly couldn't do much about it. She did, however, allow Hecatia to assist me in my affairs. Hieropha could not get directly involved with them, as it would weaken her position as Hell's ruler." She explains. She originally went to Lubrae for help, but Lubrae couldn't help, so she allowed Hecatia to help instead? Huh... "Whilst Hieropha is extremely more powerful and imposing than Hecatia, she's old. Quite old, in fact. She could not do as many of the miracles she could perform for Hell in the past, as her age slows her down considerably. However, she was still wise. She taught me all she could, on how to efficiently finish my matters... though she vanished before I had learned the final thing she could have taught me. A pity."

"She taught you?" I scratch my chin. Lubrae sounds more and more like a teacher, when I think about it. A legendary one, having four disciples that wield four of her past abilities, she taught Hecatia a whole bunch, and she nearly taught Junko everything she could have done...

"Mmm." Junko hums in confirmation as we keep flying. I see a... well, sea of sunflowers, dead ahead. I know we passed the Human Village, at one point. I can see Youkai Mountain, too.

"...What was that last thing gonna be?" I decide to ask next.

...

...Um? "Junko-?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that at this moment in time. Not now." She shakes her head, looking solemn. Ah... Touchy topic, then...? "More importantly, we're here. Go see Kazami. I will return tomorrow morning, assuming she keeps you overnight."

Tomorrow morning, huh...? So, basically, don't die until tomorrow. Man, staying overnight in Gensokyo for the first time is gonna be weird...

"...Be safe, would you?" Junko warns me, before-. Ah-. Oh, okay, she's... hugging me. I didn't expect that, for some reason, so I just stand there like an idiot for a few seconds before returning it.

"I'll... I'll try." I awkwardly grip Aegis after she lets go. Hopefully, if all goes wrong, I should be able to defend myself, at the very least...

"Mmm... Maybe it would be wise if you kept a hold of this." Reaching into a-... Wait, she does have pockets in that dress! Huh, I thought she didn't... Regardless of that, she reaches into a pocket, and pulls out a... card. Ah, that's the same as the one Piece had earlier...

It's got those seven flame-like tails I've seen Junko with before, with a clenched fist between them as the image... or design, I should say. 

"What's this...?" I stare at it after she places it into my hand.

"...The card that pest of a hermit had last night, after I had... ahem, 'taught her a lesson'." Junko smiles slightly menacingly. So she took this from that Seiga person, then...

I flip it around. If I remember right, there's text on the other side...

Ah-. There is! It reads...

"Purified Strike

Annoyed at danmaku or people standing in your way? Well, with this baby, you can just purify their bullets out of existence, or badly damage people, depending. I mean, this card isn't meant to kill, after all, and even then, it's got a decent one-minute cooldown between purification strikes. Are you watching?! Because it's perfect for you non-lethal purely furious fans! "

...Talk about a weird description.

"Of course, it had no effect on me when used." Junko points out smugly, for whatever reason. "After all, I'm already a purified entity, so it's entirely useless."

Ah, I see... I pocket the card in my shorts regardless. "I see... I'll hold onto it, then. It might be useful..."

"It will. It could very well determine life or death." Junko gets more serious. "Please, use it wisely."

"I will." I tell her, before looking around. I... see nothing but sunflowers. Everywhere. There is, however, a path in front of me.

"...Very well. I'll be off then." Junko turns and begins flying away, as I start stepping through the paths...

...Might as well wander aimlessly until something noteworthy happens, I guess...

...

Chapter Text

Well, I can definitely say that, with the utmost certainty, I am lost. There's... just so many sunflowers. No... No matter which way I go. How do people find their way through this...? 

"Ehehehe!"

"Ahahahaha!"

Also, I mostly neglected it for the past... twenty odd minutes, but there's childish laughter every now and then. I did see a few relatively short girls dressed in... well, dresses and stuff, with wings and varying hair colours, flying by. Fairies, probably, so I just ignored them. It did make me jump, like, the first time around, but they're as common as the sunflowers at this point. I'm just surprised there's so many of them...

Maybe it's because nature's so rife here? I mean, I don't know much about fairies, but fairies're... well, embodiments of nature, or something like that, right? Though, judging from what I've seen of the average fairy, or more like the odd glimpse I caught of one, they look like children. I'm far taller than they are, but then again, they're flying everywhere. So I guess they have that going for them? Most also carried what... looked like sunflowers... Hey, wait, what if they got those from here?

If so, then... huh. Wonder what Yuuka would make of that.

...On the note of Yuuka, where even is she? She's the one who told me to come here, and I did, but I can't find her at all. It's like she's just done this so I can get lost in this... sea of sunflowers, as I'm dubbing it. This is not a garden, it's a literal ocean of flowers and greenery.

...

Then again, being this exposed to nature is nice, and-. Wait wh-.

Splash!

I very narrowly stumble out of the way of a rather abrupt orb of water splashing down from... nowhere? What did-?

"Prank failed, prank failed! Ahh, darn, that guy was paying attention...!"

"Bleh! Stupid humans and their attention spans...!"

"C'mon, c'mon, let's go see if we can prank Rare-chan, guys!"

Oh. A couple of blue fairies fly out from a nearby patch of sunflowers, away into the air... Also, Rare-chan? Weird name for a fairy... then again, I know next to nothing about how fairies name themselves, so I shouldn't be saying anything about that, really...

...I stare at the wet patch of floor momentarily, before shrugging and continuing. "Fairies... Weird creatures, if I'm being honest."

"Yes, they are quite strange, aren't they?" A familiar voice suddenly speaks up from beside me. "Although, they're fascinating nonetheless."

I turn to my right and see Yuuka. I-... When did she...?

"Don't look so surprised. You were so fixated on those three water fairies, that-" She abruptly raises her parasol, points it in a direction, and-.

Fwi~choom!

...A thin laser shoots from the tip of it, and I don't see where it goes, as it disappears among some sunflowers rather quickly, but-.

Pi~chun!

I don't know what that was, but it sounded like she just hit something and made it explode. "What-?"

"-those other wind fairies were about to prank you. It's relatively harmless, they don't mean any harm, but I'm imagining you wouldn't like such a thing, would you?" Yuuka neutrally smiles as if she didn't just do something. I-. Wait, did she just kill that one fairy? Why-? "And before you ask why I did that, they come back eventually, be it a few minutes, an hour or two, or a day. They come back, depending on how strong their respective nature is."

"Ah..." I scratch my chin. "...So they can't die, then?" 

"In a sense, as long as their respective nature still exists to some capacity, yes, they're undying. Immortal. For example, ice fairies. They're particularly strong wherever it's cold, like around yuki-onna, or in more... frigid climates. However, such a climate cannot be found anywhere in Gensokyo, except if you were to go somewhere rather high up, such as Youkai Mountain's peak." She proceeds to point her parasol towards the nearby, towering mountain. It... really is big, huh?

Something also just occurred to me... "How's this sunflower still alive, anyway...?"

"Hm? Oh, it simply lives so long as you do. It's also my measure of interest... I feel like it suits you, a sunflower, wouldn't you agree?" Yuuka doesn't even skip a beat in her explanation...

"How's that work? It living as long as I'm... y'know, still alive." I gently prod it with my finger. 

She simply smiles in response... "I believe that's something you don't need to know. After all, you humans are so keen to ask questions. I don't see a need to answer all of them, simply put."

That's... That's true. "Mmh... Yeah, people do ask a lot of questions, but that's because they don't understand things, I'm pretty sure."

"I suppose. On the note of questions... you come from outside of Gensokyo, do you not?" She firmly places her parasol into the ground, staring plainly at me. There's something about her that just feels... different than usual. She's still got that serene and peaceful air to her, but... there's something behind it that I don't get. Can't exactly tell what it is, either. And unlike Trish, I'm good at judging people from how they present themselves.

...Actually, there's a lot of things I'm better at Trish at, but she's better than me at a lot of stuff too. It's weird. I'm better than she is at words and more creative things, like drawing, but she's better at maths and a lot more technical things, like science and stuff. The list just goes on and on...

"...If you would answer my question instead of spacing out, I would appreciate it." She raises her voice, but her tone's slightly more dark a-and... there's... s-something terrifying behind it...!

"U-Uh, right, um... yeah, I am..." I flinch, namely because I wasn't expecting her to sound like that...!

"Very good." Yuuka's tone goes back to its regular polite, calm voice. "Now, tell me, how are the plants faring outside of Gensokyo?"

...Ah. That's... one hell of an awkward question to ask me. Um... I know they're definitely in a good spot, I like gardening don't get me wrong, but people're pretty much destroying the Earth and its natural beauty to... um... further their own agenda. Should I be honest, or not...?

"W-Well..." I give it some thought on how to word this... Maybe...? "I'm... gonna be honest about this, they're not doing well. Pollution's a major issue, plants're dying, and... yeah, there's no way I'm sugar-coating it."

She scowls. "...I see. Even more of a reason to slaughter humans, in my opinion."

W-Wait, what?! "S-Slaughter?!"

"Yes, slaughter." Pointing her parasol directly at my chest, she gains a more sadistic smile. "Humans are destructive of the nature around them. It's in their very being, their core essence. They care not for the flowers, for the nature, they take from others. After all... I am a youkai, surely you know this, don't you? My, you genuinely should have heeded Kamishirasawa's warnings, which I know she would do, if you hadn't trusted your instincts first. You really are quite foolish, you know that?"

B-But... "N-Not all humans are bad, r-right...?" Truth be told, this is... terrifying. W-What if she... kills me...?

"...Minorities do exist, yes, that is true." Yuuka lowers her parasol, still keeping her sadistic look. "However, humans still destroy, one way or another. Have you ever not trampled grass, avoided crushing a flower? Even if it was an accident?"

"W-Well..." I look down, giving it some thought. "N-No, I've done those, but even still, it's still an accident, isn't it...?! It's not like they did it on purpose!"

"Mmm. Not performed purposefully, no, but even so, they do it without realising." Sighing, she points her parasol at me again, this time pressing the tip right to my chest, then... trailing it up to my neck. "...You give off the aura of someone who has never harmed a flower intentionally. In fact... did you tend to them? The sunflowers seem to have a positive reaction to your very presence, at least."

I-... Whah...? "T-... The sunflowers? You can tell that...?"

"Of course. I can manipulate flowers, if Kamishirasawa hasn't told you that, which she most definitely would have. It's why I was able to place that sunflower upon you with ease." She reminds me. Ah, right... "...This also includes the ability to feel what they feel, what they think. Plants, after all, are alive, as much as you and I are. They're only dead when they wither from disease, age, or when their time comes. However, this girl, or my parasol as you may refer to it, is the only flower that never withers."

Her... parasol? It's a flower? I um... find that hard to believe, somehow, but... honestly, it's not the weirdest thing I've heard and seen yet. The weirdest thing was probably Doremy. Or that diary.

"...You don't seem surprised to hear such a thing." Yuuka acknowledges my lack of confusion or surprise, humming. "Now, tell me, what could be so strange that it makes you not question such a precious thing as her? Normally, you outsiders are prone to unleashing quite a flood of questions. You, however... are quite the opposite. You weren't as surprised or bewildered as I anticipated, when I had mentioned the slaughtering of your own kind that is. Why is that?"

"Well, I guess I've just... seen a lot." I think on it, clutching Aegis slightly. "I was attacked by a youkai on my first day in Gensokyo... or first night, more like, and I've just seen... a lot of weird stuff since then, even though I've only been here for... two days, counting today? It's like weird things're just attracted to me like a magnet."

"Not entirely far off the mark, I suppose... After all, you had produced an abrupt shock that even I, a rather powerful youkai, retreat from." She sighs, but still hasn't lowered her parasol from my neck... I can feel the tip of it pressing against me. Not hard, but not softly either. It's just sort of firmly pressing against it, which feels weird.

...Actually, I use that to describe a lot of things, when I think about it. 'Weird'. Especially when I'm talking about feelings, it just sorta slips out on its own...

"...Tell me. What is it you fear, boy? You humans all have something to fear, deep down. Some even fear me specifically, instead of youkai in general." Yuuka smirks. "Do you fear me? Is that why you're clutching that shield so tightly right now, hm?"

...I didn't even notice how tightly I was holding Aegis until she pointed it out. It's... a safety policy. Also-. "I'm pretty sure it's too early to be judging whether or not I should be afraid of you, right...? After all, I've only known you for a day, at best..."

"Mmm... True, you have a valid point there... however, do you still feel unsure, even after hearing what I think of humans such as yourself?" She's really insistent on getting a straight answer...

Also-. She addressed me as 'boy'. "I have a name, by the way. It's Rajime."

"Ah, yes, I had forgotten. Humans always were quite forgettable, especially outsiders, given their frequent appearances, even though they're more insignificant than a rodent... most of the time." Yuuka sighs...? Also, most of the time?

"...Implying there's been some outsiders you actually remember?" I grin.

"Not important. Your worst fear, now." I feel the parasol tip press into me slightly more... "...Or I may reconsider this 'deal' I made you, regarding your potential."

Ah... She really wants my worst fear that bad, huh...? Well-. It just... "...It feels silly to talk about that though."

"Even still, it gives me a rough idea of what to expect from you going forward." Yuuka ushers me to hurry up with my answer. "So speak. Now."

...I said it feels 'silly' because the whole fear itself is silly. Seriously, I'm not really that afraid of anything else aside from it. It's my only fear, when I give it a good think over... outside of being alone, that is. I'm still afraid of that, but I'm more scared of this... "...Astraphobia. T-There, that's... what I'm afraid of."

"...A fear of thunder and lightning? Peculiar." She didn't expect to hear that, for some reason... "Even after you used lightning to repel me?"

"Hey, I didn't... use that of my own volition or choosing. That was my instinct, wasn't it...? Purely my instinct, actually..." I reason, holding my hands up.

"True. I can't entirely argue against that now, can I? You were reacting on pure instinct and emotion. Fear." Yuuka lowers her parasol finally, and I let out a large sigh I didn't even know I was preparing... "Although, it is quite lucky you have such a fear. Gensokyo doesn't get many thunderstorms, typically. There is the odd shower of rainfall, which nurtures the flowers in this garden, but it's rather rare for it to thunder. It makes you unexploitable for other youkai... which is entirely perfect for me."

"...If you're going to try and cause a thunderstorm manually, don't." I grimace. I don't like thunder and lightning at all, it just... it just makes me lock up, it reminds me of... a certain day, about three, or four, or maybe even five years ago... I don't remember how long it was. What I do know is that it was thundering that one day, and it really messed up the way I saw them for every thunderstorm from that day onwards...

It's... terrifying. That horrible flash, the torrential downpour of rain pounding against me, the rumbling above... It's just so... scary. I know it feels silly to talk about my fear, like this, and I know the fear itself is silly, but... I have a good reason for having that fear.

...I don't want to remember that reason, though. I don't want to be afraid anymore... and if what Yuuka says is true, about there being barely any thunderstorms in Gensokyo, it means I'm in luck, that I can hopefully forget about it... or shelf it for a later date. Hopefully.

Then again, things don't come easy, I know that much...

"...You seem to be quite serious about that fear. My, it's almost as if you have some bad trauma regarding lightning..." Yuuka jests with a grin. I can tell she's joking, but... "Hmm. Your face has gone quite grim. I'm right, am I not? A traumatic event in the past is the reason for your fear. It's typically the cause for a fear like that to develop, if I'm being frank... Well, either that, or overwhelming existential dread, so take your pick."

"I... I don't want to answer that." I shake my head. "My greatest fear is lightning, that's it. Nothi-... Well, there is one other thing, but... you don't need to know that, I'm pretty sure."

"One other thing, you say?" She begins smirking again, leaning slightly closer. Ahh... I should've just kept my stupid mouth shut...! "I'll find out what it is regardless. Now, however, simply is not the right time... after all, you came to see me regarding your potential, correct? Your latent magical potential, that is."

"Um... Yeah, right, that's... why I came." I scratch my arm. Truth be told, I'm not sure what to think about Yuuka now. Maybe... Keine was right about her. Maybe I should've just gone to Eirin instead... that would've been far easier, probably. The fact she talked so casually about... killing humans, right in front of me... She is a youkai, but... what does she have to gain from killing humans? Is it how she feeds off of them? Or does she feed off of fear? I'm not too sure how it works, but it's something fear-related... 

Ah-. That's probably why she asked me what I was most afraid of...! L-Luckily, there's no way that someone can just... cause a thunderstorm, right? Except for the Japanese god of lightning, Raijin, I know he exists... Actually, hey, it's funny. My full name shares five letters with Raijin. The 'n' from my last name, and the 'r', 'a', 'i', and 'j' from my first name...

...Well, actually, if you rearrange my actual name, you'd get 'Raijin something-something'. Namely because my actual first name is 'Rajimarin'. Everyone just calls me Rajime for short, or Marin, or... well, Ji, in some cases. Nobody knows that yet, namely because I don't see a need to bring it up... then again, I'm not sure why I'm thinking about that now. Maybe I should tell Junko about my name at some point, as well as... actually, no, that other thing can wait for later, because it's something I'm not... that comfortable about coming out with.

"...Quite. Come along." She begins walking in a direction, opening her parasol and holding it over her shoulder, twirling it idly. "I know of a perfect location for this... It's quite isolated, anybody barely goes there, which is ideal for how I wish to approach this."

Isolated? Um... "Sure...?" I follow her, and off we go...

Eventually, I'm led to, as she said, a rather isolated area. It's like a little cove beneath the sunflowers, which is weird, but it's got sunlight, whilst being rather shady. It looks nice enough, and it's hard to notice if you're not actively trying to find it... I almost walked past it a few seconds ago, and I would have, if Yuuka didn't stop me.

"In here." She instructs me to go inside of the cove... "This is where I'll-... You'll attempt to harness your potential." 

...Well, might as well. No going back now, because Junko's not coming back until tomorrow to come get me... Crawling inside, I actually find it's pretty snug here. It feels right at home, too, because I've done gardening before, which means I've been surrounded with plants at one point. Among all these sunflowers...

Once I'm inside, Yuuka sits down on her knees to properly look at me from outside of the cove. I'm actually forced to sit down in here, since it's pretty weird to stand up... and it'd be really awkward to do that, too. "Your first trial... is to not leave that space for an entire day. Do not worry about thirst, I'm feeling particularly generous, so I may bring you some tea every three hours."

...Tea every three hours...? "You say 'may' as if you might... Like you're saying you won't sometimes."

"Yes, you heard me correctly." She sneers. "After all, you won't learn if you don't suffer for it."

...Fair enough... Well, I guess I can eat my lunch if I get bored of doing nothing but observing fairies and nature and stuff... I get a pretty good view out of here anyway. Also, um... how's she gonna make sure I don't leave this little area?

"I can tell you're probably wondering how I'll make sure you stay there." She places her parasol firmly in the ground, then some vines form around the entrance... Oh. "Those. And..."

She places her parasol towards my chest again. The sunflower that was there earlier rapidly withers and disappears into air, before being replaced by... a lotus flower? "A lotus flower. It'll remain alive so long as you remain there. I know I had said a sunflower was befitting before, although I think that a lotus flower may be more fitting at this moment. Consider it a change of opinion."

...Y'know... "Lotus flowers represent purity... but they also mean strength, and resilience, right?" I ask, rubbing its petals softly.

"Rebirth too. I see you're familiar with flower symboligies." Yuuka seems pleased to hear that. "Yes, the symbology associated with a lotus flower is entirely why I had chose it for this purpose. For this trial, you will be tested on your resilience, and your strength on resisting the urge to leave. Now... I believe I will be off. Don't worry, I'll be back with soem tea in a few minutes."

Ah... so she's going, meaning my time in here starts now... Say, actually... "What time is it now? Before you leave, I mean..."

"...I suppose it would be wise if you knew that. It's one in the afternoon." She tells me with a straight face. "...Though, I suppose you can use the sun and moon for that information. After all... they raise in the east, then set in the west. Then again, the flowers shift in the direction of the sun. That's all you need to know, and good luck."

Then she leaves, making it just me...

...

Well... I think I know one thing I want to do. Reaching into my bag, I produce Gensopedia. Considering that this pretty much is just a waiting game, I should fill this in some more...

Flipping it open, I move to a blank page, and think... Hmm... Let's fill in a page for Hecatia.

Producing the pen from my shirt pocket, I write her name and-...

...

...

...

Th-... Ah... Whoa, there's that feeling of spacing out again. Everything went silent, the rustling of sunflowers, the faint laughter of fairies, the wind... I notice there's more written below Hecatia's name, just like before.

I take a read...

"Hecatia Lapislazuli, the Goddess of Hell

Hell's current ruler, and its goddess. Usurped rulership of Hell after its previous ruler, Lubrae Hieropha, grew too old to keep doing it... or so I think she got too old, anyway. It's also been confirmed by Junko that she and Hecatia are in a really close relationship, but Hecatia strikes me as a more cool and casual type. I mean, she dresses really strangely for Gensokyo's standards, but not for mine. I'm actually used to people wearing clothes like hers, since... they're common outside of Gensokyo. Her clothes, I mean... or their type, anyway.

As the ruler of Hell, she's got subjects, obviously. Like her apparent favourite fairy, Clownpiece. Hecatia's pretty understanding and open-minded though, she gives me the feeling of a type of person who particularly likes personal freedom, and would do anything to let people keep their freedom. Aside from that, Hecatia's a bit... eccentric. Bizarre, too. There's apparently some plans between her and Junko that I don't know about, and they don't want me to know what they are. It's suspicious, simply put, but even so... she's willing to tell me about other topics, like Lubrae, and her disciples, like Aikido.

One more thing so far... she's able to swap between three bodies, consisting of the Moon, the Earth, and the Otherworld, with her hair and eye colours changing to blue for Earth and red for Otherworld. I'm not sure what her hair and eyes would change colours to if she was in her Moon body, since I've not seen her use that body yet, but I'm imagining it'd be yellow, for some reason."

...Hmm... Say, speaking of Lubrae just reminded me. Maybe I should...?

I write in Lubrae's name, then...

...

...

That... took a considerably shorter amount of time. Then again, I don't know much about Lubrae outside of what Hecatia's told me so far. Clownpiece too, I guess, she did have some things to say about Lubrae.

I do take a read of what I have written down, however...

"Lubrae Hieropha, the... uh... I don't know her title, actually, but I'm imagining it would be Hell's Lorekeeper, or something like that. I'll change this when I actually know what she goes by.

Lubrae was the previous ruler of Hell, before Hecatia came into power, but after she did, she acted as Hell's lorekeeper of some kind, documenting the history of not only Hell, but Heaven, the Earth, the Moon, and Gensokyo itself. She must be pretty wise if she's able to do that... but then again, Hecatia did say her main ability was to discern what the history of anything was, even if she took one glance at it...

Apparently, she came to rule Hell because she had the previous ruler killed, and she even taught Hecatia before passing the mantle onto her. On the note of teaching, she also taught Junko after she came to Lubrae for help on a specific matter she couldn't tell me about... or wouldn't, more like. Lubrae apparently couldn't get directly involved, due to her position at the time of ruling over Hell, according to Junko, meaning it must have been something pretty major...

On a much similar note, Lubrae had taught four disciples four of her five abilities. I did mention that Lubrae's 'main' ability was to discern the history of anything, right? Well, she had four disciples. Aikido Tsumugi, the Disciple of Shadow, who's the only one I'm aware of. There's three others, the Disciple of Time, the Disciple of Deception, and the Disciple of Surprise. Which makes me wonder... Lubrae sounds like a pretty sagely woman, a pretty accepting one, given how Aikido's a human, whilst her other three disciples are presumably youkai or demons.

...It's nearly been 100 years since Hecatia's started searching for Lubrae, even though Lubrae shortly disappeared sometime after Hecatia came into power, about 400 or so years ago. Then again, Lubrae ruled Hell for a few millenia. Maybe she just needs a break? I mean, I would too, if I were that old. Hecatia even supposed that Lubrae wasn't even of this galaxy, but still somewhere from further in the universe, though she's apparently surrounded by the planets she's recorded the history of.

Her records apparently date well beyond the time where humans evolved from monkeys, too, which is... curious. I wonder what history truly was like, before humans evolved... then again, I won't ever know until I meet Lubrae herself, which might... take a while."

...Okay, I take it back. That took barely any time to write, but at the same time, I wrote a bunch. How the hell did I...? Actually, no, let's not question the bizarre pen and journal.

...

I might be here for a while, actually...

Clink!

My thoughts're cut off when a teacup's placed in front of me on a saucer. I look up to see Yuuka's hand quickly retreating from the entrance, as the vines had slightly parted to let her hand through. "I told you I would be back. You may get another later, depending."

Ah... "Right, okay... thanks?" I grab the teacup carefully, bringing it to my mouth to take a sip...

...

Hmm. Pretty rural-tasting blend. Not against it, I drink more tea than Trish does, so I'm accustomed to more... odd blends and tastes. Like green tea, chai tea, black tea... Hell, I've even had sakura tea at one point, which is made from preserved cherry blossoms. it's nice, and we drank some to celebrate our move to Japan. Me and Trish did, anyway.

"...What type of tea is this?" I ask aloud, but... Yuuka's gone. Oh.

...Well, I'll find out later, I guess...

...

I'm... so bored. I don't know how long it's been, but I drank most of the tea whilst I was filling out Gensopedia entries... I namely filled out some entries for other people I've met... Like Keine, Clownpiece, um... Doremy, Seiga, and... Yuuka herself. Yuuka's the one I just wrote an entry for, too, it reads like...

"Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

A pretty poweful youkai who appears polite and as serene as a flower is, but much like a rose, she has her thorns too. Well, she's mostly got those thorns because of humans and their general disregard for flowers. In fact, she's... very sadistic-like personality deep down, as well as being... rude, even though she appears polite. Then again... I'm pretty sure that's how youkai are to humans in general, isn't it? I've not seen much proof otherwise...

However, despite the above, she seems to treat me somewhat differently? She's interested in my potential, maybe... impressed? I'm not too sure. She was pleased to hear that I'm familiar with flower symbology, and I think she might be more pleased to hear that I did do gardening as a hobby prior to arriving in Gensokyo... On that note, she seems to be able to understand how flowers or plants feel, given how her ability is quite literally manipulating flowers.

...Keine did warn me about going to Yuuka about my potential, but I don't care. I don't believe people are inherently evil or malicious, probably just misunderstood. I know it's the case for a lot of people considered to be 'bad' in the world. I just can't see Yuuka as someone who's genuinely evil. After all, she still seems to have a positive opinion of me... she said I've never harmed a flower intentionally, and she even guessed that I tended to them at one point, which is correct.

What I'm still surprised about is how the sunflowers in the Garden of the Sun apparently react well to my presence. Maybe that's why it feels so homely there? I have a theory... maybe she treats humans who mind or take care of flowers and plants pretty well? Like, gardeners, florists, those types of people, to name a few examples."

...And that's all I've got for her. So far, anyway, I'm sure I'll get more info at some point...

So... 

...

Hmm. I'm probably gonna repeat myself a whole bunch, but... this is really boring. I just-... I just want something to do, like, play a game or something. But no, it's just me sat in here, waiting for a day.

...I don't get how this is supposed to harness my potential, either, make it manifest... At this rate, I'm gonna go insane.

Oh well. It'll all be over eventually, won't it? Surely a day shouldn't take that long... and I don't think I have anything to be afraid of, either. 

"Whaddya mean you can smell a human but you can't see them?!" A random voice passes by, followed by footsteps.

"I'm s~aying I can s~mell one, but it's~ like they're invis~ible or s~omething! I know for s~ure they're around here, but... all I s~ee is damned s~unflowers~!" Another spits back. They both sound... oddly feminine, whilst a bit gruff. It's a weird kind of voice. The second voice seriously seems to have an issue saying anything that has the letter 's' in it. Like, they drag on the 's' way longer than they should.

...

Okay, maybe I do have something to be afraid of. Apparently there are youkai outside, but they can't find me.

"Hmph... Alright, well let's keep looking then! Maybe if we be persistent, they'll show up eventually!" The first voice settles on, but-. "Who the-?"

"Two youkai stumble about, in search of their quarry... though they find none." I hear what sounds like a book shutting. "A display of foolishness and struggle."

"...Are you making fun of us~?" I hear that second voice ask this new one. Compared to the other two, it sounds... older, far more mature, and... considerably calmer. It's not Yuuka, I know that, because I'd recognise her voice.

"...Interpret my words how you will. I merely call you two lost and clueless." I hear a book flip open... "Now, what exactly do we have here, then? A wolf youkai... and a snake woman. Hmh, yes, I see... a glorified slithering noodle and a girl who has issues with hair shedding."

...Those insults are actually pretty on the nose. They've not even made any mistakes when speaking, either, as in... they're not stuttering. For some reason, it gives me friendly tones...

"Oh, you're one to talk, nine tails!" I hear that first voice growl... I'm assuming that first voice is the wolf youkai, and the other is the snake one. Serpent woman, or something like that.

"Yeah! And hey, I'm not s~ome 's~lithering noodle', s~o shut it!" What I presume to be the snake woman shoots back.

"So you claim, but that is all I see here." The newcomer sighs. "Now, tell me, what if I were to tell Kazami that you were, say, messing up this very garden, hm? In search of a human, who has done nothing to it."

...What?

"Wait, you know where they are?" The wolf girl asks. I try and get a good peek past the vines at the scene, which I can briefly get... There's a brown-haired wolf girl with black eyes in what seems to be generic peasant clothes stood beside a person with nearly reptile-like skin, with red piercing eyes and green hair. They don't have legs, instead having this long tail...

My eyes trail to the third person who they addressed as 'nine tails' and... I-... O-Oh, that's... a nine-tailed fox. But not animal-shaped, she's human-shaped. They seem remarkably more memorable than the other two, wearing this extremely clean black and white dress, having bright blonde hair like mine, though she has piercing red eyes too... She seems to be wearing some kind of red scarf and... grey ribbons? They seem similar to mine, they loosely coil around her limbs every now and then...

But behind her are nine big, fluffy, golden tails... They're fluffed up behind her, but I can tell they're pretty long for tails.

...Maybe my fashion sense isn't the only of its kind here, though, given how she has ribbons similar to mine...

"Mmm~... Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Though, you're ignoring my threat... Either you're more foolish than I anticipated, or you're incredibly brave. And, by all means, I know it's the former." She very briefly glances in my direction, but the other two don't seem to notice that...? 

But... during that brief glance, she seemed to give me a reassuring smile. Who is she...?

"Ha, yeah right, that sunflower-hugging weirdo won't believe you for a second. You're just some random kitsune who's trying to lay her claim before we can, I bet." The wolf snorts, with her serpent friend chuckling behind her.

"...Random kitsune, hmm?" She seems amused by this... Why...? "Hmhm... Ahah... Nahah... Hah!" Spreading out her nine tails immediately, she closes the book she's holding, holding it in front of her mouth. "Fufufu~... Tell me, does the name 'Tamamo no Mae' ring any bells, you unfortunate sycophants?"

"T-Tamamo no Mae? P-Pfft... D-Don't make us~... laugh, kitty!" The serpent girl tries to laugh, but she's shaking upon the mention of the name... the wolf woman is, too.

...Wait... 'Tamamo no Mae'? As in... that Tamamo no Mae...?! O-Oh, maybe this is worse than I thought...! I-If she really is that youkai...!

I've... I've heard about her. She... manipulated a lot of emperors and high-ranking people in the past... Kings, rulers, all sorts. But... she's supposed to be dead. I-I read that she's supposed to be dead, Tamamo no Mae that is...

...

Maybe I'm thinking too deeply into this. Maybe she's just lying to make the-.

"...Emperor Toba." She mentions one specific name. That's... wait... that's the name of the person she made extremely ill, a long time ago... "He was the one who had sent two warriors to kill me, in the plains of Nasu, after I had made him so very ill. However, everything that followed was a mere ruse, a charade I entertained so I may lay dormant and plan... It would make sense for me to be in Gensokyo, does it not? It's the perfect place to lay low and hide, among so many youkai... None were any the wiser, outside of a select few."

"We don't care for history, blondie! There's no way you can prove you're Tamamo no Mae!" The wolf girl snaps at her, barking.

"...How uncivilised. Then again, with wild youkai, the general riff-raff... You're insignificant, cowardly, clueless. I see no need to prove anything to you. Now, pray tell, what is your retort to such an opinion?" She snorts, still keeping her composure...

"Alright, look, jus~t tell us~ where the human is~... and we'll leave." The serpent girl attempts to bargain...

"Who said I would offer up my information? I had seen where sh-... He went." She pauses, looking around for a moment. "...Hmm. I could have sworn I'd seen a girl... nevermind."

"Well, we outnumber you two to one, so spill it, kitty!" Cracking her knuckles, the wolf steps forward...

"...It may interest you to know that the human you're seeking... Kazami personally placed him here herself." The way she says her words have this odd... aura behind them. "She could have killed that boy, but she didn't. Instead, she gave him a trial, to remain somewhere in this very garden... Now, should I tell Kazami that, or should you do it yourselves? Because, by all means, that would be incredibly amusing to watch, as the life and hope leaves both of your eyes, as Kazami strikes you down for such a thing."

"Uh... Yus~a-s~an, maybe we s~hould actually lis~ten to her..." The snake girl looks around nervously. Also, I finally have a name. Yusa... the name of the wolf girl. 

Yusa's eyes snaps to her serpent companion. "What?! Come on, Tiza-chan, we're so close I can taste it! And... y'know, I've never tasted cat before."

"And you never will." Suddenly, the still unnamed fox is behind the wolf girl. "After all, youkai eat humans, not each other. That's plain cannibalism, and if you resort to that, then there is nothing to salvage. Begone from this garden."

"W-What the hell-." Yusa goes to turn around and lunge at this supposed 'Tamamo no Mae', only for-.

Wham!

The book is slammed over their head with an extreme amount of force behind it, making her stumble around a bit before...

Thud.

...Collapsing. Huh... 

...

The fox's eyes snap to the serpent. "Now, do you understand? Take your friend and go... or you'll find yourself in a web of lies you may never awaken from."

"O-Okay, okay, I'm going...!" Nearly crying, Tiza, which is what Yusa called her, picks up her wolf friend and starts slithering away, pretty much spooked...

...

W-What did I just watch...?

"Fufufu~... I know you're watching, too. Rajime, was that not what you told Kazami?" What-.

All of a sudden, the woman's eyes are directly in front of the cracks of the vines I was peering through, making me scramble back. "W-What?! W-Who are you...?"

"...Were you not listening?" She gives me a rather dry stare through the vines. "I am the one and only Tamamo no Mae... or am I? Fufufu~... You seem to have your own doubts on the whole matter. However, 'Mae Tamamo'... is too boring of a name to go by, now. Now, let's see here..."

...Giving me a more examining stare than before, she hums as I try and shy away from her gaze. "Oh, come now, I don't mean you any harm. If anything, I saved you from those two fools."

"Y-You... You could just be lying...!" I'm not that stupid!

"...Didn't your mother teach you to put your trust in the ones who protect you?" She grins. I-... M-My... my mother...

...

"...Ah. Touchy topic, it seems." She sighs... "Well, I at least know what naming convention to use now... and what name to use. You're not native to Gensokyo... or to Asia in general, as a matter of fact. No, you aren't at all. You're more of English-European descent... more so English. After all, most people with a hairstyle and eye colour such as yours tends to come from that area..."

"Y-You... can tell that from my hair and eyes...?" I blink. That's... creepy.

"Mmm. Most of the people who have blonde hair and blue eyes tend to come from northern Europe, after all." She smirks. "...Now then... I believe my name shall be Akane Shirogane. Befitting, is it not?"

"A-Akane... Shirogane...?" I stare at her uneasily. Just who is she, really...? She didn't have a reason to step in like that...

"Fufufu~... Quite, my dear Raji-chan." She gives me a grin. There's a hint of sickly sweetness behind it... I'm not sure what it is about her, but she genuinely feels unsettling... "Hmm... You seem to be on edge. Not that I can particularly blame you... after all, we youkai feast on humans, it is nature running its course after all. Hmm, maybe I'm saving you up now so you may be more appealing later? Fufufu~... Let that thought run amok in your head. With such a great youkai as myself... you can never be sure what really is the truth. All you need to know, however, is that you're involved with my plans."

"W-What do you mean? What do you mean I'm involved?! I've not done anything...!" I look about anxiously. What's she talking about?! I-I've seriously not done anything wrong! I've never even met her until now...!

"Fufufu~! Oh, you're simply too young to understand it." Akane holds her grin, leaning slightly closer into the vines. "But know this... Your family, the Nagas... they have ties running a long while back. Ties that I may, or may not, be linked to. Fufufu~... Would you believe me if I told you that your family is what allowed me to cheat death so very easily? Hmhmhm... Of course, this entirely depends if I'm telling you the truth or not."

"But-. But are you?" I blink at her. "Wait, how do you know my last name-?"

She sighs, shrugging. "How naive are you, you silly goose?" Who even uses that saying anymore? "...Do you genuinely expect me to speak the truth to a being as insignificant and powerless as yourself? Look at you, you're trapped in there until tomorrow. In fact, I could even break you out of there, take you to a... hm, let's say 'better place', no? Would you like that?"

"N-No! I want to stay here! I need to find out how to grasp my potential...!" I deny as firmly as I can, shifting further back into the little den Yuuka's placed me in.

"Oh? Potential? You mean that creation of essence tomfoolery?" Akane raises a brow, staring directly at me no matter how hard I try to shy from her view... It's like she knows everything I'm gonna do. It's... creepy. "Fufufu~... Nonetheless, you seem quite determined on the matter."

W-Wait... How...? "Why do you know about that...?"

"Hmm... Yes, I wonder why, too?" Akane merely grins. I can see her faintly grinning from beyond the vines... "Let's just say... wherever you've been, I've been, too, hm? And, before you go rocketing off questions as to 'how' or 'why', or any other nonsense, I'm not elaborating anymore than I am here. It's why I know so much about you inherently... and why your last name is Naga."

She must know a lot about me, then... Wait, if she's always been around me, then... "...You knew I'd be here, wouldn't you?"

"My, that's quite a bold guess, my dear Raji-chan." I hear her giggle at my response. "Full points, however, so you've got me there, child. Mmm~... I also know you're collecting those bizarre cards as an errand for Hell, no?"

"You know about that too..." I mutter, before clearing my throat... "Um... yes, actually...?"

"Hmm... Here." Her hand somehow weaves its way through the vines, holding... a card. "This... is a card of myself. It may prove useful for you, no?"

W-... What? Really? Hold on... "You're... contradicting yourself. You just called me 'insignificant and powerless'... why should I just believe you'll give me the card?" 

"Fufufu~... Good. It seems my presence is already having quite the effect on your mentality... In Gensokyo, and in life, you must doubt things more often than not. Know this well. Always have second thoughts." Akane's hand doesn't retract. "...However, I do genuinely want you to take the card."

"...Why should I believe you?" I repeat myself.

"Do you have a reason not to?" 

...

"Yes, actually." I start raising my voice. "For one, you could be deceiving me, and you also claimed to be Tamamo no Mae, which is impossible. She's supposed to be dead. Second off... you could be out to hurt me."

"...Clever... I suppose human minds work in quite fascinating ways, each one being different from the other..." Akane sounds... amused, I can hear her trying to suppress another giggle. "However, I was speaking the truth about the Tamamo no Mae part... or was I? Ahaha, eheh... Hm, hm... But I am not attempting to deceive you here. I wish for our relationship to be... on relatively good terms. After all, I had sworn myself to an oath, where I would... well, you don't need to know all about that oath just yet, do you? Take the card, Raji-chan. For it may help you in times to come."

...Hesitantly, I reach out to grab the card, and the moment I take it, Akane grabs my arm. "W-What're you doing?!"

"...Don't lose that." I see her red eyes flash directly against mine harshly...! Her grip's like iron, too! "I had gone through the trouble of purchasing it and everything... and, frankly, I don't wish to see my money wasted. Hmm..." She lets go of my hand, her tone and gaze going softer. "Maybe you would appreciate some company, too? I'm not quite sure if this is what she would want me doing, although-."

"He~y, who's that weird lady talking to?" I hear what I think is a fairy speak up from nearby, cutting Akane's sentence off.

"I dunno... it looks like she's talking to the sunflowers." Another observes.

"That's weird!"

"You're weird, Kirin-chan!"

"Blehh! You shut your face Damp-chan!"

"...On second thought, it appears I can't stay for very long... Fairies, you know? Quite the handful, despite their small stature." Akane rolls her eyes, opening her book again as she begins flying away. "May we meet again, Raji-chan... and hopefully, it will be quite soon."

"Wait-. What do you mean by 'she'?! Who're you talking about?!" I shout after her, confused. Who's Akane referring to?!

"That, my dear Raji-chan, would spoil the surprise!" She grins almost chaotically, before... disappearing.

...

She disappeared. Like, she flew up, then just... vanished. Without a trace. What... the hell?

...

Huh... Well, that sure was weird... But I can't shake a bad feeling that she's up to something... Just... abruptly introducing herself like that, with no warning, giving me that card... Just what is she planning? She briefly mentioned another person, a woman from the sounds of it, but I don't know who would work with Akane to watch over me in secret... Junko, maybe, but she's the only one who comes to mind, and I don't think she'd be willing to hire a youkai to do it. Akane definitely has her own agenda, but I don't entirely know what that agenda is... and I don't think she'll tell me, even if I ask nicely.

...

My eyes trail down to the card she gave me. My arm still feels sore from where she grabbed me, her grip, it... it felt crushing, there was an amount of strength behind it that was just... overwhelming, I guess.

It's got a drawing of a beautiful-looking fox with nine golden, large tails splayed out behind it. On this fox is a couple of stones, emitting what seems to be a gas... I flip to the other side to see the description.

"Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity

Getting tired of people not letting up? Not to worry, this card'll allow you to wear them down if you just keep dodging! Gradually, you'll release clouds of tiring poison that'll drain an enemy's stamina, allowing you to defeat them without firing so much as a singular regular danmaku pellet! Another neat little thing is that the more you graze, the better the toxins are! Don't worry, they're all non-lethal. Don't ask me how it works... ask Tamamo no Mae instead, she's the one who made the poison!"

That's... wow. Tiring poison...? I suppose that's a neat reference to the time Tamamo no Mae's spirit embedded itself into that one stone... and apparently, it let off some poisonous gas that killed whoever it came in contact with. Although... Akane referred to this as a card of herself...

...Maybe I'm doubting it too much, and she really is Tamamo no Mae. If so, then... oh, boy, I'm probably in deeper than I thought I am. This is weird... but I guess weird things're attracted to me like a magnet. 

Regardless, I pocket the card into the same pocket I placed Purified Strike in...

...

Well, now what...? Hmm...

Maybe I should just... focus on other things, yeah, that makes sense, right...?

...

Meanwhile... (Junko POV)

...Hmm. That was a particularly strange sensation just then... It's almost as if my perspective on things has... flipped on its head, almost. 

"Whoa, hey." Hecatia places her hand on my shoulder. A subtle gesture, but actions do speak louder than words. She's concerned, isn't she? "You sure you're feeling alright? Ever since Rajime's left, you've... been acting strange."

"It's just me worrying... even though I know he'd most likely be fine." I pause... In actuality... "No, he definitely is fine... but I cannot shake the feeling that something bad is happening..."

"I mean, he went to see Kazami of all people. No surprise you're worried sick." Hecatia shrugs... and frankly, it's fair enough. I had heard of her... 'reputation' among humans. A truly sadistic youkai with a disdain for humans... or, perhaps, her sadistic nature is merely an intimidation tactic. It's the likeliest option since, after all, youkai can feed themselves off the fear humans produce.

...Or so I have been told, at least. I know they may also physically feast on a human's body... flesh and all. 

More importantly. "I'm fine, Hecatia, I'm sure he's faring well, currently." I fold my arms, staring down at the tabletop in front of me.

"And how're you so sure about it? I mean, for all we know, he could be dead, buried beneath a bunch of sunflowers or something." Hecatia raises a brow at my... certainty on the matter. Truth be told, I'm not all that certain, however...

"I do have faith, Hecatia. That's my leading reason behind the confidence that he's perfectly fine." I close my eyes, smiling. Rajime is... quite a bizarre one, as far as humans go. He's definitely not dying of starvation out there, since I did pack that lunchbox for him...

"...Right. Right, yeah, you're probably right. I mean... I'm just worried that if he dies, you'd... uh... be really pushed over the edge. The final straw, last nail in the coffin, y'know?" Hecatia looks to the side. I can tell that she's worried, too.

"...Mmm. Quite. Though, I hadn't expected you to be worried about him. You've only just met Rajime today, after all." I give Hecatia a brief glance, as I take a sip from a nearby teacup.

"A~h... So you noticed that too, huh...?" She grins. "Well... yeah, I'm pretty concerned too. He's a good kid, maybe a bit naive or clueless, but his heart's in the right place."

"Yes, I'm quite aware of his particular ideals... He's not a fan of conflict." I contemplate continuing further. He is quite naive, his very ideals being proof of this. As far as I'm aware, conflict is necessary for Gensokyo to exist. Conflict between youkai and humans, I mean.

"Mh~m." Hecatia hums, giving a brief nod. "Y'know... on a related note, you're uh... you're really sure that you want to get him involved with... that? Junko, seriously, I dunno if it's a good idea. It might break his heart."

...Ah. That... I had entirely forgotten... Even though I feel more... appeased, I still want to get back at her. That wretched woman, sitting in isolation in the Lunar Capital, 'imprisoned'... Pftah, what foolishness. She's not imprisoned, she's only kept there to remain safe from me and the pure, unrivalled fury I would unleash on her, should I get my hands on her.

Of course... I am referring to my very mortal enemy, the very being of my grudge, Chang'e. I had gotten so close, that day... the day I had met precious little Reisen-chan. That sage... I had not anticipated her plans to stop me, sending such an impure rabbit... 

Although, it seems that fate has been kind and gladly aligned with me... I had read up on that potential, in Tsumugi's book. Yes... Rajime's potential does seem quite similar to that one, the creation of elemental essences... A wind shockwave, for starters, a defensive electrical reaction bolt that had nearly singed Kazami... It adds up quite well. I'm glad Tsumugi did record such a topic before her disappearance, because if she hadn't... then I would be quite lost and confused on what to do with Rajime as a result.

"Uh... Junko?" Hecatia snaps her fingers in front of my face. Hmm? Ah... I suppose I had been lost in thought for a moment there... "This is a serious question, like... are you sure you want to get him involved in that? It's one hell of a risk, since he might refuse to do anything."

"If he finds out, that is." I grimace. I don't want to lie to him, but... it is the only way I can think of. "Even so, he is still young... only recently becoming an adult himself, after all. He may not entirely understand at first, although with some time and dedication, I may be able to get him to understand. After all... he would be mortified to hear the pain and suffering that I have gone through, each waking day being one of agony..."

"Okay, okay, sheesh, no need to get all theatrical." Hecatia shakes her head. "I get your point, though. How're you planning to even go about it, anyway?"

"He, as a human, is full of impurities... Impurities that the Lunarians are scared of. Cowards, the lot of them, favouring their spick and span 'pure' culture... What a farce. We will do what we had done before... although this time, we know what to expect of them. Next time, we will not fail, Hecatia, know this well." I raise a finger, staring her dead in the eyes. "And this time, we will have Rajime on our side, a being so impure the Lunarians will feel tortured to even see him. Impurities are what make humans perfect, after all. They evolve and adapt, whilst the Lunarians refuse to consider such a thing. That is their downfall."

"So~... pretty much, you're planning on purifying him to be a being of pure lifeforce like you did with all those other fairies that one time, aren't you?" Hecatia interprets my words well, it appears. 

"That is my plan. That purification, when paired with that extreme potential of his, will certainly be a deciding factor in this long-running feud of ours, between Hell and the Moon." I finish with confidence. 

"Are you uh... Are you sure he'll be able to handle being purified?" Hecatia furrows her brows. "Like, what if you accidentally make him go 'poof'?"

Seriously, now? "Hecatia, who do you think I am, some careless buffoon? I will take every precaution to specifically prevent that from happening."

"Okay, fair, I should've expected that." She sighs. "But still, are you sure about purifying him?"

"I'm quite positive on the matter... It's as I said." I smile again. "I have faith in him."

...

"...Uh-huh. Sure." She grins this time instead. It seems she understands just how determined I am about this...

Hahaha...

...Are you listening, Chang'e?! This will be your downfall, sooner or later, no matter how long it takes, months, years, centuries, I shall always have the patience to see the life leave your eyes, to see the heat leave your fingertips, to cast your cold and shallow body into the always burning flames of Hell! Only then will I be satisfied! Only with your death, shall all this madness end!

...

Although... I would feel bad if I left Rajime alone. If I truly moved on... I suppose he's grown on me, even in the incredibly short time he's been here. Hecatia, too, we had spent so long working towards this... It would be quite... peculiar, saying goodbye for the very last time. And Clownpiece... Well, I suppose she has been like a daughter to me, too.

Even if Chang'e's death would satisfy me grandly, for all the suffering she had caused... I suppose I still have purpose, even outside of this extensive grudge of mine. And I suppose I have committed to developing my relationship with Hecatia in the downtime between the attempts to finally end Chang'e...

"Okay, Junko, be serious, are you feeling alright?" Hecatia speaks up again, sounding more concerned. "I-... Wait, are you... crying? Huh... Think that's the first time I've seen you do that in a long time..."

...Ah. It seems I am crying... Hmm... How long has it been since I had truly shed genuine tears...? It feels like ages have gone by, millions upon millions of years... I suppose this grudge has altered my sense of time dilation.

Finding my words, I respond to Hecatia. "...Even with Chang'e's death... I do not wish to move on. I still have more purpose outside of this endless grudge, even after righteous vengeance has been had, I... would miss you. Clownpiece, too, as well as Rajime." It has been... quite a long time since I've truly felt this burning sensation. Of love, that is... The rampant thoughts of vengeance and unimaginable fury had poisoned my senses over the years, I suppose. "You three... are essentially the closest I have left to family. I... I love you, Hecatia."

...

"A~wh!" Practically lunging over the table, Hecatia divebombs into me, wrapping her arms around my back tightly as we both fall to the floor. "Love you too, Junko."

This feeling is... nice. I am quite used to this feeling, this show of affection... Feng, my... first son, would sometimes do this, it's... mmm... nostalgic, in a sense. I also specify first... since I have Rajime, now. He reminds me so much of him, Feng, that is...

Maybe... I could enjoy this more, and go back to the life I should have had, before this grudge, before anything bad happened, before... before he took Feng from me... That vile man. I still do not forget him, even today, I constantly imagine his death in my head over and over... It's what drives me still. He was the one who took Feng from me, and by extension, Chang'e too. She was the one who had tempted him to do it... I know she did. But the fact he gave into her... They are both equally as vile and disgusting. Of course...

...I am talking about the very same man who shot down the suns long ago, weakening Hell as a result... Hou Yi. Chang'e's former husband... a wretched man who is as equally as wretched as Chang'e is.

...

I suppose I am letting those incessant memories distract me from enjoying the moment... After all, sometimes, the present is better to focus on than the past or future... and a stunning example is right now.

...I do hope Rajime is holding up fine in that garden... There's no way for me to tell his current state... but I have faith, still.

...

Meanwhile... (Rajime POV)

I... Whoa, I feel strange, it's like how I viewed things just went... ehh, like, it just got thrown off momentarily. It's like that feeling where everything just briefly stops and you acknowledge it stops, but when you look around, everything goes back to normal. It's one of those feelings.

...Hmm... Where was I...? Oh, right, I just finished up writing some more diary entries. Mokou, sis, Kolar, uh... u~m... Reisen, Eirin even though I know next to nothing about her, Tewi... Oh, Aikido, too, she's important... and now Akane, I guess.

...

I wrote a wall of text for Akane, too, but it's mostly just me talking in circles... or is it writing? Ehh~... Let's call it talking, since I write in first person here. It's mostly comprised of the question of who Akane really is. Is she Tamamo no Mae, like she says? Is she someone else entirely? I don't know.

...What I do know is that she sees me as something to keep an eye on... and she swore an oath, apparently. What the oath was for, however, I don't know... and she nearly mentioned someone, she'd been keeping an eye on me since... actually, I don't know when she started doing it, but I assume... when I first woke up in Gensokyo, maybe? Wait, no, Junko was there... she couldn't have... right?

...

A-Ahah, moving on... Aikido's entry is basically just what Hecatia told me, but the way I interpreted it. So basically Aikido was this super big author who wrote eighty books about eighty different things... I think. That's my assumption, anyway. She lives in the shadows, and she pretty much is a shadow herself. So... she exists as long as light and darkness exists, to create shadows, that is. I did also make a note that Hecatia's looking for her, alongside Lubrae, and that she thinks Aikido could be high up on Youkai Mountain...

Which I now know as 'comically large mountain', since it's the largest one I can see at any given moment. 

Trish's is pretty simple, it's just a recalling of who she is, how she acts, and... well, basically, everything I know about her. Which is a lot, me and her don't keep a lot of secrets from each other, only a few. Even then, those secrets're private or sensitive information, so we both know why we never mention those secrets. One of the very few things we agree on, that is, respecting each other's privacy.

...

Do I really need to go over and summarise what I wrote for all of them...? I mean, I could just say 'Eirin's a doctor I guess', 'Kolar's a friend of mine and Trish's', so on so forth, and be done with it. No need to go into too much detail... unless if I'm looking for something specific, right?

Also, I must've been writing for a while, since it's starting to get dark pretty quickly... and I've started to hear more people coming and going. Youkai, most likely, but also some fairies from what I've seen.

Hmm... Maybe I should eat my lunch now? I mean, I'm in a safe spot, there's no risk of me getting discovered for eating a lunchbox. Well-. More like 'dinnerbox' now, am I right? Ahaha...

What did Junko say was in here again? I know she definitely said rice and fish, uh... tofu too. I think there was one other thing...

Pulling the lunchbox carefully from my bag, I firmly place it on my lap. Still a paper parcel, still got a rope tied around it, and there's an R written on it carefully in ink.

Well... What am I waiting for? Carefully undoing the rope, my hands tremble slightly... well, they namely tremble because for one, it's cold, and for another, there's youkai all over the place, apparently.

C-C'mon, don't fumble with-. Ah, there we are...

I managed to undo the rope tie on it, then carefully removed the packaged paper. I'm... not too sure if I should damage the paper or the rope. Namely because I never really asked Junko what I should do with that after I open it.

Popping it open, I find exactly what she said inside. Cooked fish, that's somehow still warm, this really clean nice-looking rice... some shiny fruits, like, cherries and cut melon... Ah... Melon?

...My eyes especially pause on the melon. Melon... Y'know, I always did like melon. I liked the taste of it. Trish hated them, though. Never really understood why, she's missing out.

Regardless, the fruit's shiny and looks incredibly clean... And, lastly, there's... a bunch of creamy-looking square... ah. Ah, that's... that's the tofu she mentioned.

...

I'm not entirely sure if I'm for or against tofu, honestly, since I don't think I've ever tried it before. First time for everything though, right? Ahaha...

...W-Well... I see that she's kind enough to give me chopsticks. I-. Chopsticks.

I mean, I can use them, that's not the issue, I'm just far more used to using a fork or something.

...Slowly, I go to dig in, opting to try a bit of fish first...

"Mmm...!" I can hardly contain the taste. It's... really good! Somehow, despite being in there for a while, the fish is still the right temperature! Aside from that, it's... juicy! It's really, really good!

Okay, screw taking it slow! Picking up the speed, I start wolfing down pretty much anything meat-and-rice-related, not wasting any time. Another thing I can note is that the rice perfectly accents the fish, and... it's seasoned. With what, I don't know, but whatever it is, it's pretty damn good...

And... before long, I'm left with the fruits and tofu...

...I move to try some tofu first, still slightly apprehensive about trying it, but when I do...

"Hey... Do you guys smell that?" A voice cuts me off. It sounds pretty young... maybe a fairy.

Also-. Smell? I-... Oh. I... completely forgot about the scent this'd give off. I mean, it just smelt so amazing, that I got carried away...

"Yeah! I dunno what it is, though..." I hear another voice.

"Judging from the smell... I'd say some kind of meat, or something. Like... a fish? I think it's fish..." A third voice practically confirms that they're smelling what I'm eating.

...Ah, uh... well, this is awkward. What I don't expect to hear is...

"Meat?!" An oddly familiar voice catches my attention. Why is it so familiar...? Where've I heard that voice before...?

"Hah! Don't be stupid, Mystia-chan, there's no fish here!" That second voice nearly starts laughing, before I hear a pretty audible whack. "O~ww..."

"Yeah, but it could be some human eating fish, or something." 'Mystia-chan' retorts, before groaning. "Ugh, why'd I agree to hang out with you guys today? I could've been practicing my music with Kyouko..."

...Well, that's interesting. Slowly, I close the box I was given, placing it in my bag partially, before carefully sneaking to the vines to try and get a peek at the group I'm hearing...

"I thought you liked us, Mystia-san...?" That first voice pipes up again... All I know is that one of them is called 'Mystia-chan', whoever she is.

Slowly, I peek through the cracks in the vines, finally getting a good look at the group...

"Well, yeah, I like you, Wriggle, but that's it." Mystia, who's this girl with grey eyes and pink hair apparently, looks over at whoever Wriggle is... who seems to be another younger-looking girl with blue eyes, teal hair, and... are those antennae?

...Other notable features is that this Mystia girl seems to have pointed ears and... I'm pretty sure I can see pink bird wings. Oh, so she's blatantly a youkai, then. Anything else? Well... She's wearing brown and white clothes, but she has this hat on. One other thing I can note is that she has bird-shaped ornaments lining her hat and dress. Mystia, that is... she also seems to have really long fingernails, or that's the darkness of this night playing tricks on me.

My eyes trail over to Wriggle again. Like I said, it looks like she has antennae. Other things I can pick out is that she's dressed... surprisingly plainly. As in, white shirt with slightly unique-looking short sleeves, and baggy blue shorts. I can swear that she's wearing some kind of dark cape, though... But, other than those bug-like features, she... seems like an average human child.

"T-That's..." I see a green-haired girl pouting. She doesn't seem too noteworthy, outside of the fact she seems to be a fairy. Uhh... In her hair's a golden ribbon, she has golden wings, and she's got a blue dress with a white trim. Nothing too noteworthy otherwise...

"Don't let her keep you down, Dai-chan!" Someone flies up beside her, it being a girl with very bright cyan hair and blue eyes, dressed in a similar... well, dress. She seems to be a fairy, too, but she's got a blue ribbon in her hair, and... her wings... they're like shards of... something. I don't know what they are, but they're clearly not normal wings... I'm also given a nickname, 'Dai-chan'... "I still like you!"

...How'm I even seeing their eye colours...? Ah, well, let's not question it...

"...Thanks, Cirno-chan..." 'Dai-chan' seems to lighten up a little... and I'm given another name. 'Cirno-chan'.

...I tilt my head. They seem like a good group of friends, but wasn't there a fifth-.

"Hi, mister!" W-Whah?! I stumble back because someone just popped up in front of where I was looking out from...!

"W-What...?" I... I don't... I'm so surprised my voice is pretty quiet, but...

I try and get a good look at her, but it's like the darkness... intensified, or something. From what I can barely see, she's... blonde, like me, there's a red ribbon in her hair, but she's wearing... a black dress, or something. Something like that. She's got piercing red eyes, however, so clearly, she's no normal human... maybe a youkai.

Then again, as I said before, youkai's probably just a big old umbrella term everyone uses to address non-humans, if they don't have... you know, a specific species name. I know for a fact Junko addressed fairies as specifically fairies as opposed to youkai, Hecatia didn't call Lubrae a... youkai, either. Then again, I'm not sure if you could particularly call Lubrae a youkai, given what I know of her, and what Hecatia knows of her... 

...Pretty sure Reisen was also addressed as a moon rabbit... or, uh, an earth rabbit? What did they call her, again...? Pretty sure Junko and Keine addressed Reisen as one or the other...

Hmm. Thing to look into later, I guess. Still, uh... I guess there's specific, like, species of youkai, sub-species or something, whatever someone'd call it.

M-More importantly! I try and clear my throat the best I can, whilst remaining quiet... "Who are you...?"

"Who're you?" She tilts her head at me. I-. Wait, I just noticed something, why are her arms... up to her side? Like, it looks like one of those janky, stiff models you'd get when you spawn something in a game engine. What'd they call it again? A 'T-pose'? I mean, it looks like she's crucified, if I'm being honest, but she clearly isn't. So why...?

And... why is her voice so familiar?

"...Uhh... Rumia, are you feeling alright? You're... talking to, um... sunflowers." I'm pretty sure Mystia spoke up. Their voices're unique, and I can pretty much tell who's who... I mean, I'm pretty good at memory, I can recall things pretty well, like... stuff from... a few years ago, a few meaning, like, five. Maybe more. I can remember a lot, actually...

Trish, on the other hand, is like a snowglobe. Shake her and her memory goes all over the place.

I-. Okay, no, that's a weird example to use, when I consider it. She's... uh... hmm... oblivious? Either that or she cares more about the present and future. I... like to dwell on the past, the good parts of it, anyway, because who'd dwell on bad parts of history? T-That'd be... well, stupid.

"I'm not?" 'Rumia' just does a spin on the spot and nearly clips a sunflower with her arm. I'm pretty sure Yuuka'd be angry if she did hit the sunflower... so, yeah, maybe it's for the best she nearly clotheslined it with her arm, instead of outright smacking it. "There's a guy here!"

"I-... A guy. Wow. What, did the sunflowers make them?" Mystia sounds incredibly sarcastic, for some reason.

"U-Um..." Wriggle speaks up next, sounding... apprehensive, but continues regardless. "Maybe you should elaborate...?"

"Elaborate?! Leave it to me, I'm really good at collaborating!" Pretty sure that was 'Cirno-chan', whoever they are. Also-. Did they just say collaborating? I... Doesn't she mean elaborating, or something...?

"...I said elaborating-." Wriggle sounds slightly annoyed before I see something vaguely approaching at an undetermined speed towards the vines-.

Thwack!

...I think that was her hitting the vines at some speed. Namely because-. "Oww... No, I meant berating!"

...What even...? I feel... slightly concerned, for whatever reason...

"I-I'm pretty sure she said elaborating, Cirno-chan..." 'Dai-chan' speaks up again, sounding slightly awkward.

"O~h! Elaborating!" Cirno-chan snaps her fingers a few times. I'm still mentally concerned about her. "I thought Wriggle said 'E la berating', whatever that means! I thought it was, uh... what was that one language again, u~h... France?"

Ah, yes, my favourite language. France. Also-. What does she know about French? I mean, clearly not a lot, given how she doesn't even know what the name of the language is, but still. She's vaguely aware of it... why, exactly?

"I think you mean French. Besides, that's what the people from that one manor call it, anyway." Mystia sounds like she does not care in the slightest. Which is reasonable. "Besides, everyone here speaks Japanese... I think."

"Is that so~?" Rumia, as she's called, pipes up.

"Ugh-. Not that again! It took ages to get you to stop earlier!" Mystia snaps at her. I'm... taking that's a normal occurrence, then.

"Is that so~?"

"Damn it!"

...Ignoring that, I stare at the vines, specifically through the cracks, to try and see what's going on out there. To my surprise, I find that someone is trying to lodge their head through the vines. I mean, all I see is cyan hair, and that's a pretty telltale sign of who's trying to force their way in.

"C'mon, you stupid green rope things...!" My would-be invader of personal space does... not seem to know what a vine is, or how to get through them. How bizarre.

...

As amusing as watching her struggling is, I'd... uh... I'd rather her not invading my... you know, personal space, as I said. "...Um."

"Wh-. Hey, hey, hey!" She suddenly stops, retracting her head with a bit of struggling due to how far she wedged it in there, before pressing her face right up against the vines. "There is a guy in there! Ha!"

"Is that s-moh?" I hear Rumia's mouth getting covered by someone before she can finish her sentence. Probably for the better, because, like, I'm pretty sure this is the tenth time she was about to say that. It was the only thing that was audible outside of this uh... 'Cirno-chan' trying to force herself in here.

"...If one of you says 'there's a guy in there' again, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to hold myself back anymore." I hear a very annoyed Mystia, before there's general movement in my direction.

Tonight on 'how things can go very badly', this situation! Okay, okay, uh... get serious, game face, be as convincing as possible.

...

Oh, who am I kidding? I should just be myself. Best way to go about this. I do subtly draw Purified Strike and Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity, as the second card was named, keeping them just hidden under my leg, but still in arm's reach. Y'know, that reminds me of that one saying, keep your cards close to your chest...

But, in this case, I also have the opportunity to whack someone upside the head with a shield or punt them. And, let's face it, I'm not gonna do that. Namely because I don't like badly hurting people, or, uh... instigating violence. Don't get me wrong, I'd willingly fight back if I had to, but that's only if someone attacks me first and doesn't stop, even after I try and reason with them.

...Not that I've ever gotten into a fight, Trish does that more than I do, but still, I wouldn't hesitate to fight back if I see that bargaining or pleading's out of the question.

Still, situation at hand... this is youkai I'm talking about. Also two fairies, but there's three youkai here. I am severely outnumbered.

When in doubt, be casual. When all five're just... looking at me, I speak casually, totally without sweating whatsoever. "...Hey."

...That was just one word.

"...Okay, I take it back, 'guy' is the best way to describe..." The bird youkai, who I'm certain's Mystia, stares at me. "...whoever this is."

"Haha! So you admit it, Mystia!" 'Cirno-chan' seems smug.

"Shut it, Cirno." Mystia scowls in her general direction. Oh, so her name's Cirno... right. Then, clearing her throat, she focuses on me again. "...Are uh... you a human, or...?"

"...Shouldn't you be able to tell?" I raise a brow. 

"...He... He does have a point there, actually..." That green-haired fairy named 'Dai-chan' or something grins.

"...I can't. That's the thing." Mystia deadpans. She... can't tell? Do-. Do I look like a youkai that much? If so, then I've somehow impressed myself. "I mean-. Look at the way he's dressed, that just says 'youkai' all over, but he looks like a human. It's weird! Look at that shield!"

I mean... I know I'm weird. Also, yeah, the shield makes me stand out, I know. I mean, they don't seem any the wiser, maybe I could potentially act like a youkai when I'm in Gensokyo... Shouldn't be too hard, right? If anything, I could-.

"Hey, mister, are you a human? If so, can I eat you?" Rumia speaks up again and-...

...

Oh. Now I know why her voice is so familiar. She's the same youkai that tried to eat me when I woke up for the first time. The whole wanting to eat me thing, that's... uh... that's what made it click with me. Well this is awkward...!

She doesn't seem to remember me, though... Okay, screw it, be as vague as possible. "Maybe, maybe not. Although, I'd prefer you not attempting that. For your own safety, not mine." 

"...Okay, yeah, no, he's a human." Mystia grins. Wh-. How. How the hell did she determine that? "No youkai's stupid enough to acknowledge a question like that. He's also got a human scent."

...There's a scent?

"...Scent?" Cirno seems bewildered. "I dunno, all I smell is grass..."

"That's because you're a fairy... not a youkai, Cirno." Mystia just looks done with her. I mean, I would be too, she seems like an idiot. Cirno, that is. 

"Hey! My sense of smell's still pretty good!" Cirno does this one motion which looks like she's rolling up a non-existent long sleeve for her dress, which is obviously done for exaggeration. "Why I oughta-."

"...Kindly refrain from fighting in front of me." I shake my head. Also, seeing as how Mystia knows, I might as well come clean. "Alright, fine, I'm a human. But I know for a fact you can't kill me, eat me, or do anything like that." I also point at Rumia as I say that last part.

"...Why...?" Wriggle, that green or teal-haired bug youkai, seems confused. "If anything, you're trapped in there... What do you mean?"

"Because I'm not. I'm here until tomorrow." Closing my eyes, I begin grinning. "...Also, if anything bad happened to me, you'd be hunted down."

"Oh, great, he's one of those humans." Mystia deadpans. "Let me guess, the Hakurei'll hunt her down if she eats you." She points over at Rumia for reference. "Because she won't."

"...I never said anything about a Hakurei." I open my eyes again, still grinning. "I'm talking about Yuuka. She's the one who put me here, after all." 

"I-... Oh, her?" That seems to have deterred her a bit... but she isn't sold, I can tell.

"T-T-The flower lady?!" Cirno freezes on the spot, looking absolutely terrified. I mean, if I was her and knew about Yuuka, I would be, too.

"U-Um...!" Dai-chan, whoever she is, also seems considerably intimidated.

"Ah..." Wriggle looks... dazed. That's the best way I can describe it, honestly.

"...Who?" I've confused Rumia, at least. Well-. I was expecting her to be afraid of Yuuka, but this works too...?

Suddenly, Cirno grabs her by the shoulders, shaking her wildly! "The flower lady! The really, really scary one that lives in the garden!"

"O~h!" Rumia nods in understanding, before- "Aaa~h!" -flailing her arms somewhat wildly despite still having her body be in a T-shape. How she does that I will never know. I don't want to know, either.

But, as I said, Mystia wasn't entirely sold on that. "...And how're you so sure of that?"

Well, for one, she said that I'd be here in relative isolation, or something like that, which meant I wouldn't be bothered. I'm imagining she'd want to enforce that, too. But she doesn't need to know that. "Considering she's the one who put me here, I'm imagining she wants me to stay here."

...Not far from the truth, but not the truth entirely, so it'll work. 

"...Uh-huh. You're sweating bullets though." The bird gives me a grin this time. "So you're probably lying, or you're just imagining things. Probably the latter."

"Wait, if he's just imagining it, then maybe she's keeping him there for a bad reason!" Cirno abruptly blurts out. Oh, boy. "What if he's a prisoner?! We've gotta break him out!"

"...How do you know what a prisoner-..." Mystia's about to question it, before shaking her head. "Nevermind, but still, there's no reason for us-"

"I'll help you, Cirno-chan...!" Dai-chan abruptly cuts in.

"-to help him..." Mystia stops to give her a confused stare, before shaking her head. "I mean, we could just leave him there, and go home."

...I'd actually like that option, if I'm being honest. "I mean, I want to stay-."

"Ice Ki~ck!" I briefly see Cirno charging forward before-.

Bam!

...Oh. It appears she somehow broke through the vines.

I-.

Were they that flimsy? No, wait, they can't be... uh... hmm. Maybe she weakened them by barging into them earlier...? Yeah, that's probably what did it...

"Haha! Those vines weren't any match for the strongest!" Cirno boasts, standing up after she broke through. I just... sort of stare at her for a moment, before not moving an inch. Because, well, Yuuka told me to stay here, so I'm staying here.

Out of the corner, I also see something moving towards me, so I jump and hold a hand out towards whatever it is-.

Fwash!

"...What?" Mystia sounds disturbed. What did I-.

...I turn and see a frozen Rumia on the floor. Oh. That's... um... huh. What did-... Oh, I did that again, didn't I...? Add a third thing to the list of weird happenings regarding me... or, more like, the third case of random magical shenanigans.

"Is... she alright?" Wriggle also looks concerned.

"Hey..." Cirno looks at Rumia as she gets off the floor, then at me, before approaching and putting a hand on my shoulder. "I didn't know you used ice magic too!"

Ice magic...? I'm still shocked that I somehow did that. Before, it was like... a minor wind shockwave, then a defensive lightning bolt, but... I just froze a youkai solid. "...I-... I don't. These sort of things just... happen, around me."

"...Oh, now I get why you were in there." Mystia groans. "You were probably seen as dangerous, or something."

I mean, yeah, you could see it that way. But I might as well comment on one thing. "...Might I add that I don't control when I use magic, either? It's entirely up to chance and certain circumstances, factors that decide what, when, why, where, who, or how."

"...Eh?" I've somehow stumped Cirno. Which isn't that hard, judging from how much of an idiot she seems to be...

Ah-. That's actually pretty rude to refer to her as, u~h... 

...

I don't know any word other than idiot that can describe her. Stupid? Dumb? I dunno, I feel like idiot works the best, even if it sounds rude.

"...Really? Then how'd you do that, then?" Mystia has a brow raised. I mean, if I was her, I'd be confused as hell, too. "You looked confident in casting that."

"...I've never casted that before in my life. I can't even use magic normally." I stretch a hand out towards a nearby... uh... sunflower, I guess. Hopefully Yuuka doesn't mind... "Like, look, I'm trying, and nothing!" 

I've done everything I can think of, exerting my hand outwards, clutching, squeezing, doing all sorts of goofy hand motions that might look really stupid depending on who looks at them, the whole nine yards.

"W-Wait... Didn't Rumia mention a guy who um... c-could use magic, e-even though it seemed like he couldn't...?" Dai-chan abruptly speaks up. Oh, wow, I'm making a name for myself.

"Huh?" Wriggle turns to her in confusion. "She said that?"

"How did you forget...?" Dai-chan blinks.

...

There's a very brief awkward silence before I clear my throat. "Yeah, I'm that guy, in that instance. She attacked me two days ago - or nights I should say, and something like..." I stare at the frozen Rumia briefly. "...that happened."

"Let me guess, it was-" Mystia's about to say, but...

"-a shockwave of some kind." I speak perfectly alongside her, nodding. She just... pauses. "Yeah, I know, I'm the one who did that. All in self-defense, though, since she was the one who attacked me first. I didn't even fight back, initially."

"...You're one of those outsiders, aren't you?" The bird youkai raises a brow at me. I see 'outsider' is an umbrella term, too. Cool. I merely nod along with her words... "That reminds me, I met one the other day in the bamboo forest too."

"...Let me guess, pink hair, looks plain as all hell, and completely ignored you?" I grin, giving a pretty accurate description of Trish.

"...How-?" She seems genuinely disturbed that I know this.

"She's my sister, Trish. We both ended up here in Gensokyo, but we've gone entirely different directions. Namely because one, it's funny, and two, it's better if we leave each other to do our own thing." There's also Kolar, but I'm pretty sure nobody needs to know about him. Nobody here, anyway.

"Hey... These outsiders..." Cirno snaps her fingers a few times, trying to recall something... "Another one showed up at that manor too! Dunno who he was, but he had blue hair, and uh... his legs were weird."

Oh. So she's seen Kolar then. Well-.

"Is he your brother?" She abruptly asks me.

"...No." I shake my head. I mean, Kolar is like a brother to me and Trish, a little brother that is, but we're not related by blood. "Never heard of such a guy, either." They don't need to know his name. They don't.

"...Okay, what's your name, then?" Mystia decides to finally ask me.

...If we're being honest. "Wouldn't it be appropriate if you told me yours, first? After all, you all barged in here when you could've stepped away." I fold my arms. It's a late night and I'd like to sleep, if possible. I-. Not that I can safely sleep now, since the... vines are gone. Hmm.

Suddenly, she points her right hand at me and I get a close-up look at how long her fingernails are. I-. Oh, so the darkness wasn't making me imagine things, then. Speaking of, the darkness seems to be considerably less intense, now... "No. Your name first."

...I stare at her nails for a brief moment, slightly intimidated because they're actually pretty sharp too, before nodding. "If you insist. My name's..." Do I make one up, or...? Nah, screw it, go with my normal name. As funny as it would be to claim that I'm, like, Raijin or something, honesty's usually the best policy. "...Rajime. That's my name." No last name, namely because I don't want people to know my last name.

People I don't trust with it, anyway.

...Now. "Wouldn't it be fair if you told me yours? I told you mine, after all."

"Did I say I'd introduce myself?" Mystia raises a brow. "I'm not-."

"He~y, Mystia, can it!" Cirno very abruptly pipes up to tell her to shut up. Oh. Well that's... unexpected. Mystia just seems absolutely bewildered, which is pretty reasonable, considering that they seem to be friends.

"...Cirno-chan...?" Dai-chan seems confused, too...

"I think he's pretty cool! And besides, I don't know any humans who do ice stuff, even if they don't know how to use it properly!" Cirno places her hand on my shoulder again. The funny part is, she's stood up. I'm sat down. It'd be harded for her if I was stood up, which just goes to show how short a fairy is.

"Come on, he's just some human who froze Rumia. That's not cool." Mystia shakes her head. Wriggle just seems... generally apprehensive. Hesitant. She's not spoken that much, when I think about it.

"Yeah, but that's what you think!" Cirno points at her with her free hand. 

...I subtly slip those cards back into my pocket. Maybe I don't need to use those...

I-. Wait, I never put my diary away, where is it-.

"What's this...?" Speaking of Wriggle, she's holding up Gensopedia. Oh, that's where it is. "I mean, I can't, um... read it, so..."

"Leave it to me! I can read!" Cirno proclaims. I-... She can read? Huh, the more you know.

...She takes it off Wriggle, opens it to the first page, then immediately closes it. "...It's walls of words and stuff! That's boring!"

"It's my diary." I take it off her, flicking through it. "...I namely use it to make notes about people, such as what they do, who they are, what their abilities are, that sort of thing." 

Before long, a hand stops me from flicking through any further. I look up to see Cirno, who seems... confused. "Wait, that mentioned Clownpiece... How do you know her?"

"Hm?" I raise a brow. She's aware of Piece? If so, then... hmm. Maybe this could be used to my advantage. "She's my friend, why? Do you know her too?"

"Know her?! She's got the nerve to say she's stronger than I am, when I'm clearly the strongest!" Cirno begins getting angrier. Ah. That's why. Hmm...

...Well, Piece's torch does drive people insane, and I doubt anybody else can really... you know, do that. On the other hand, Cirno uh... I'm presuming she does ice stuff. Because, well, closer I look, her wings're like ice shards. That and she said 'Ice Kick' just before she broke the vines down.

Alright, let's go with... "Look at it this way. You're the strongest earth fairy, she's the strongest hell fairy." I raise a finger, before closing Gensopedia and placing it in my bag, then I secure it at my waist properly. "There's a difference."

"But I just wanna be the strongest in general, because I am the strongest!" Cirno folds her arms, finally letting go of my shoulder. 

"Hmm... Alright." I tilt my head. I actually... uh... want to go outside. Staying in here, alone at that, is killing me... The only real interaction I've had was when Yuuka occasionally came by to give me some tea, that Akane woman from earlier, and... yeah. I rest a hand on the lotus as I say this next question. "...Say, would any of you happen to be experts in flower removal?"

Long story short, they, along with myself, tried to remove the lotus flower, which went horribly. Because, like the sunflower before it, it won't come off. Even when Mystia tried to pry it off with her nails, it did nothing. Not even a budge, or a scratch for that matter, which is bizarre.

How did it get to this point? Well, I gave an explanation along the lines of 'I'm incredibly bored, this lotus flower is what allows Yuuka to know where I am, can we please take it off of me'. Surprisingly, they wanted to help remove it. Even Mystia, for some reason, though I think that's because Wriggle encouraged her. 

...More importantly... the unremovable lotus. I tried using my shield to gently dislocate it, but that went as well as all the other attempts, so I'm stumped.

During this time, I also learnt that 'Dai-chan' was short for Daiyousei when I asked what her name actually was. I'm pretty sure that just means greater fairy, which is a weird name to have. For a fairy, that is. The other four's names are exactly what I thought they were, but I also learnt that Wriggle's last name is 'Nightbug' and Mystia's last name is 'Lorelei'.

...Mystia didn't tell me her full name herself, though. Wriggle told it to me when Mystia wasn't paying attention, which is pretty fair. I'm more surprised there's a bug-... No, wait, she said she was a specific type of youkai, what was it...

Oh, right, a firefly youkai. I'm surprised a firefly youkai and a night sparrow, as Mystia's specific species is called as I've found out, are hanging out.

But... still, doesn't distract me from the fact that the lotus flower is unremovable, like the sunflower was. 

"Well, that stinks." I fold my arms, sighing. "I was actually wanting to go for a walk to clear my head..."

For some unknown reason, Cirno decides to sniff the air, before looking confused. "Nothing stinks, though?"

"I-It's a figure of speech, Cirno-chan..." Daiyousei points out. Thank you, that saves me the-.

"...Speaking has a number? I thought you only used numbers whilst speaking when you're talking about them!" Cirno furrows her brows, somehow even more confused. I-... Okay, not... not going to ask how she got to that answer, but it's cool beans.

...Heh. Cool. 

Actually, speaking of cool... I know for a fact she can manipulate cold, not ice outright. I noticed that the air, when she was near me, got particularly colder. When she went, say, five metres away, it got slightly warmer. It's faint, but that was noticeable. It'd probably me far more noticeable during the summer, when it's way hotter.

...I also somehow failed to acknowledge the fact her hand was freezing cold when she placed it on my shoulder earlier, but then again, there was a layer of clothing between her hand and my shoulder - my shirt. I noticed it when she, like, grabbed my arm.

"...It's hopeless..." Wriggle laments from the floor. Why's she on the floor, anyway...?

Actually, no, let's not question it. 

"Well, this was a laste of time, let's go take Rumia somewhere else before she thaws entirely." Mystia gets up to leave, but I have one last idea up my sleeve!

"Just a moment, actually, I had something come to me." I raise a hand, before gesturing to Cirno. "You, uh... Cirno, right? You can freeze things, can't you?"

"Yeah! Why, whaddaya need me to freeze?! I'll freeze it good!" She's determined, at least...

...I have curious eyes staring at me, too, so I'll be blunt. "Can you freeze the flower. Like, not me entirely, just the flower."

...

"...I could do that!" Cirno nods. "...I think."

...You think?

"...How did none of us think of that originally?" Mystia's somehow baffled. Actually, yeah, how did that never get brought up? Why did Daiyousei never bring that idea up? I'm pretty sure she's the closest to Cirno, out of anyone here, so she'd probably know Cirno could do that.

"I guess we were too occupied with brute force regarding, you know, taking it off." I bring a finger to my chin, before looking at Cirno properly. "...So how about it? Want to give it an attempt?"

"Yeah! Watch and learn!" She focuses on the lotus flower for a good moment...

...

She's... uh... really focusing on it.

...

When is she going to-.

"Freeze!" She suddenly grabs the lotus flower-.

Fwash!

It... freezes. Like, entirely, there's an entire lining of ice and frost covering it now, making it look a sickly blue.

...Huh. She didn't screw it up...

"Now!" Reeling her fist back, she lunges at... me-?!

Smash! Shatter...

...There's... pieces of frozen lotus flower all over the floor.

...

"Oh." I stare at the frigid shards that were produced. She got rid of all the ice on my chest, which is nice... and it means I'm free to leave.

"Uhh... Was that a good idea?" Mystia looks particularly concerned now... Yuuka won't notice if it was abruptly frozen, right? I heard that stuff can be alive whilst it's frozen, so who's to say the lotus flower's an exception? It's in a deep freeze, more or-...

...Actually, I guess Cirno shattered it. Hmm... Oh well, maybe she won't notice...? I mean, it's practically the middle of the night, after all...

Or, uh... do youkai not sleep? If so, then, u~h... that would be really, really awkward.

Oh well, freedom it is. Getting my things together, I drag myself out of the crevice, before dusting myself off. Ehh... okay, maybe wearing shorts wasn't a good idea. Not that I have any other choices, but still, I see why people who do more physical work wears, like, jeans or proper pants. I say this because my legs dragged across the floor and it felt horrible. I might've scraped my knee... ah well, I can let that heal later. 

Say, that reminds me, I also have that one impact on my side that's bruised - something Rumia did but she didn't recognise me, so that's... cool. I mean, she vaguely remembers me, that much is there, but I don't think she specifically remembered what I looked like.

...Speaking of, I see Wriggle and Daiyousei pushing the frozen form of Rumia along.

Hmm. I look over at Cirno and Mystia, seeing them argue about...

"Cirno-. He can't be in our group! He'd throw off the entire dynamic of us all being fairies and youkai!" Mystia pipes up. Oh, so they're arguing about m-... Wait, what was that first part?

"So what?! I can change the rules!" Cirno spits back. What're they talking about...? "And I wanna make Racheemay part of Team 9!"

...She somehow butchered my name horribly. Might as well fix that. "It's Rajime, Cirno."

"...You can't even get his name right." Mystia deadpans.

"What? That's what I said! Racheemay!" Cirno doesn't get the mistake her

"No, no, the 'chee' part sounds like a 'gee'. You've got the 'may' part at the end right, but the way you speak it sounds a bit off. Imagine you're talking about the month." I raise a finger, grinning softly. In fact... I even produce Gensopedia, flipping it open to the front page regarding myself. "Have a look at how it's written down."

I hand her the book, and her eyes just... stare hard at where my name's written down. "R-Rah... Rajee... Raji... me? Rajime?"

"There you go." I take the book back, closing it and placing it back in my bag. "That's how you say my name."

"...Sheesh, he reminds me of Keine..." Mystia mutters under her breath, but I hear it. So she knows Keine, huh...? I wonder how.

I mean, I could ask Mystia what she knows about Keine, but I feel like she doesn't want to talk to me specifically right now. Anybody else? I'm pretty sure she'd be fine with talking to literally anyone other than me.

Anyways... "What was that about a Team 9, anyway, Cirno?" I decide to ask her for funsies. Also curiosity, I guess. Being part of a friend group - or a group like this - might be a good way to make sure I don't get immediately maimed by lesser youkai. I should probably make somewhat of a name for myself, too... Nothing too major though, but enough of a respectable name to make wild youkai hesitate to attack me. After all, I just want to get by, to survive. That's my priority right now.

"Right, right..." Snapping her fingers a few times, she begins beaming, flying alongside me. "Team 9! Uhh... I'm the leader, I'm pretty sure!" Wh-. Why are you not sure about that? Fairies are... confusing. "Also in it is uhh... Dai-chan, Rumia, u~h..." She taps her head a few times. "Wriggle, Mystia, u~m... Clownpiece sometimes, I guess, but she's not like an actual part of the team or anything, so I dunno if she counts... Oh, there's also Eternity~, u~h... hmm..."

"Take your time. No rush." I pocket my hands. She's listed six people now, seven if I'm including Piece, as members of this 'Team 9' group. If I'm the eighth, then she might be a bit off at math.

"...Actually, I'm pretty sure that's it. I dunno if there is anybody else in our group. Dai-chan?" Cirno rubs her chin, looking at Daiyousei for confirmation.

"H-Huh...? Oh, well, um..." When she realised she's being asked for confirmation, Daiyousei looks over awkwardly, before shaking her head. "N-No, not... not really..."

"Yeah, there's nobody else in the group!" Cirno nods at me, still grinning. That-. My inner pedanticness wants to rename this group to 'Team 8', considering that I actually want to join the group and if I'm still not counting Piece, but at the same time, I don't want to sound rude.

"Well, eight's close enough to nine, right?" I remain overly neutral.

"...It is!" She nods again, somehow just realising that... "And hey, with you in the team, people'll stop calling us a 'bakantet' when Dai-chan's not around!"

...What does that word mean? 'Bakantet'... Ah... 'baka' means idiot in Japanese, and... the 'ntet' part is probably from quintet. I see... It's a play on words, then. That's clever.

"...Sure." I settle for smiling this time, taking my hands out of my pockets... and, say, I'm curious about something. "Why're you out here this late at night, anyway?"

"...Actually, yeah, why did we come out here, again...?" Wriggle looks over from pushing the frozen Rumia.

"U~h..." Cirno gives it some thought, furrowing her brows. "...I dunno."

"I'm pretty sure we came out here looking for Eternity." Mystia actually chips in with something helpful. "I mean, she's usually around here, right?"

Ah... so they're looking for whoever Eternity is. Well, I have no clue who they are, so... 

...Actually. "I was sat there for most of today. I might have seen them, so, uh... what do they look like exactly? This Eternity person, I mean." I might as well ask... No harm, no foul, right?

"Well, she's got blue hair, she wears green clothes, she's a butterfly fairy~..." Cirno pauses. "...That's pretty much all I remember about her, I think..."

"She's got a yellow two-pronged osmetrium on her head, too..." Daiyousei also offers input on the matter. 

Hmm... "Can't say I've seen anyone like that, sorry..." But, at the same time, it might be a good idea to know just what this 'Eternity' person looks like, in the case of me ever meeting them. Or her, I should say.

"Ahh, it's alright, Ji-chan!" Cirno casually flies up to put an arm around my shoulder. Oh, no. Not Ji-chan. "I'm sure we'll find her somewhere!"

"...Are you sure you don't have a last name?" Mystia abruptly asks me. "Last I checked humans have last names."

Oh, right, I made up a lie earlier that I didn't have a last name, when I was asked about it, like, twice. "Having one name is a new craze among humans outside Gensokyo." Not. "I was unfortunate enough to be one of the children who had to suffer a pitiful one-named existence." Not-. Okay, maybe my life was a bit pitiful, in the past, but still, not really.

"...You said last names didn't exist before-...?" Daiyousei's about to speak up, but I shake my head. She somehow gets the memo and goes quiet.

"I was overexaggerating about that." I also decide to add. "Some last names don't exist, I mean, not all of them."

They were uh... somehow dumb enough to buy that excuse. The one about last names not existing, I mean, when Wriggle and Mystia very clearly have last names.

...

"...Sure." Mystia doesn't press it further, at least.

And so, we keep walking...

...Yuuka might be a bit, uh... annoyed that I actively went out of my way to sneak out of that trial of hers. I don't think she noticed, though, so... hopefully everything'll work out.

I mean, I'm patient, but sitting for an entire day in complete silence and isolation? Agony. Pure agony. Like, I definitely would've gone insane in there if I didn't go for a walk or something.

I'm just hoping she doesn't-

"Going somewhere?"

-find out...

...Ah. I lock up on the spot, as does literally everybody else because we all know who that voice was.

In fact, I even turn to where the voice came from, which was behind us. As expected, Yuuka's stood there very menacingly, but she's not standing, no, she's menacingly walking. Walking with malicious intent? One or the other.

"Imagine my surprise, when I had come to check on you, that you had somehow subverted my expectations and found a way to sneak your way out." Yuuka regards me plainly as she steps closer, still extremely menacing. "...You can consider me both annoyed, yet impressed, that you managed to do such a feat."

"Well, uh..." I scratch the back of my neck. I'd prefer the others out of trouble... "...Yeah, that's... what happened. I mean-. Did you seriously expect me to sit in there for an entire day...?"

"Mmm. No. Although, I figured that if you were to leave, you would have been blunt about it." Yuuka shakes her head, before stopping not too far away from us. The others're still too afraid to look at her, I can tell Cirno's sweating bullets. Actually, do fairies even sweat?

...Hmm. Odd question at an odd time, I suppose. And probably a question I'm better off never asking, because it's stupid.

"...However, you had managed to cover it up from me, covered up the fact that you had left. I hadn't even known you left that cove." Yuuka squints. "How, exactly, did you do such a thing?"

"I-." I'm about to start a lie, but-.

"There's no need to lie, Ji-chan!" Cirno abruptly speaks up, suddenly gaining the courage to turn around and face Yuuka. "It was me! I did it, because I'm the strongest?"

"...Oh?" Yuuka has an unnerving smile now. "Ah, yes, I remember you. You're that silly fairy who claims to be the strongest, yet you're easily outsmarted."

"I'm not afraid of you!" Uh-. Cirno, maybe you shouldn't-. Ah... she's flying towards Yuuka, uh...!

"Cirno-chan, don't-...!" Daiyousei calls out after her, absolutely terrified. The other three also turned to look at Yuuka, too. I'm just... shocked.

"...Are you challenging me?" Yuuka raises a brow at the fairy, still not moving, still smiling ominously, and still... generally menacing. The air around her's changed completely...

"Yeah! So c'mon, fight me already!" Cirno's really insistent on a challenge...

...Yuuka embeds her parasol in the ground. "...Very well."

"Hah! I've been practicing a new Spell Card!" Wait, what's a Spell Card-. "Freeze Sign "Perfect Freeze"!"

She suddenly starts shooting lots of blue bullets, but Yuuka's... glowing...? I don't-...

Oh. Now she's a glowing ball, and really hard to keep track of. I can faintly see which one's her, but it's hard to tell which of the many orbs in the air is her. 

Some of the danmaku in the air freezes, before starting to... slide around like melting ice at random. Hmm...

Eventually, I see a ball of light manifest behind Cirno, and suddenly, Yuuka replaces it, with her parasol raised and ready to strike the fairy down.

Ah-. Wait, she's going to kill Cirno...! I want to intervene, but I'm not fast enough...! Um, uh... I really don't want her to die, though...! After all, friends stick up for each other, right?! 

But... I don't know how to-... Ah...?

...Aegis is... glowing. Wait, it looks... different. Way different... The pattern, it's not like Junko's outfit anymore, it's... like a sickly green, displaying two jade-like fangs... The fangs themselves look really glossy and shiny, and there's a white serpent on it...

...Other noticeable things is that there's a hazy, jade green rope attached to the shield, with a very sharp jade spike on the other end. Some green smog is coming off of it... When I pull the rope, it extends from the shield, but when I let go, it snaps back to the length it was before... as if the shield and the spike are being pulled towards each other...

Wait, maybe... if I hurry and throw it, like a grappling hook, I could get there in time to protect Cirno! And, if this works how I think it might, then that's definitely what'll happen!

I grab that weird rope-like thing with my other hand, swinging it around and throwing it towards the space between Yuuka and Cirno. I did it with a surprising amount of strength, too, since it actually went pretty far, but...

At the same time, it's pretty light. The rope, that is. The moment it makes impact with the ground there, I abruptly zip over to where the spike impacted right as Yuuka stabs her parasol down-.

Whoosh! Clank !

I... stopped the strike... still, the amount of force she put into it made me back into Cirno, making her stumble and stop in confusion. "Huh? Wha...?"

She turns, only to see me right in front of her, blocking Yuuka's parasol. It's taking a lot of strength for me to do this, so she should probably get out of the way...!

"...Hm?" Yuuka notices the fact that there wasn't an explosion noise, like the time she killed a fairy earlier just for the hell of it. "That shield... It's changed since you last had it on."

Suddenly, she steps back, noticing her parasol's pulsating with a green light. "And, from the looks of it, it's toxic. Very toxic, in fact. Maybe you have learned something after all... or, rather, you've discovered an aspect of your arsenal you never knew about."

"Well, I sure as hell don't know what this is..." I stretch slightly, since that abrupt jerking and pulling made me... well, stiff. That, and my arms ache from pushing against her parasol and the amount of force she put behind that strike. "...But I'm not letting you kill my friend."

"Your friend? Why, I'm unsure if you've noticed, but that's a fairy." Yuuka raises a brow at me, holding her parasol firmly until it stops glowing. 

"My fairy friend, then." I correct myself, standing properly. Aegis seems to have returned to normal, too, since the whole jade green stuff is gone... "I guess that triggered out of desperation to protect her, or something..."

"...Perhaps. I suppose you've completed your trial, then." Yuuka's... satisfied? Huh? "After all, I wanted to investigate what simply causes you to do those bizarre occurrences. Now I have a better understanding. Desperation, instincts, and fear. That's what drives you, be it one of those, two of those, or all three, to cause a feat such as that. However..."

...She then turns to address the other three, as well as Cirno, I guess. "Let that be a warning. Leave my garden, for another one of those miracles won't occur."

"Right, yeah, that's...!" Mystia quickly goes to help Wriggle and Daiyousei push Rumia away. "Let's go, guys...!"

"O-Okay...!" Wriggle agrees, with Daiyousei nodding in agreement.

...Cirno goes to follow them, but I place a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "...I'd like it if you stayed with me, Cirno."

"Huh? Well... okay!" She surprisingly stays by me, instead of flying away in fear of Yuuka.

"Normally, this disobedience, I would punish... although, I suppose I can allow it. Come." Yuuka starts walking off, with me and Cirno following her.

It's still night, but now, we're uh... on a hill. Somewhere. I don't know where this is. It's just a hill. I mean, there's sunflowers every now and then, alongside some spring flowers, like tulips, daffodils, daisies... yeah, spring flowers. Makes sense, since it is spring, specifically March, but that's whatever.

...More importantly, there is a table up here, alongside a rather plain-looking house. Which, in all honesty, I'm presuming is Yuuka's... assuming she doesn't sleep among the flowers.

I-. Okay, that joke might be in bad taste, but still, it's just a joke. 

Also, when I say a table, I mean a singular table. Just... it's like one of those steel garden tables you'd get in someone's... well, garden. It's simultaneously fitting yet disturbing to see here. I'm not sure why it's disturbing, either, because it seems so... normal. Maybe it's so normal it seems disturbing to see...

Regardless, it's also got steel chairs. Steel chairs, steel table, dead of night in spring? It's cold. Really cold. My scarf's barely keeping me warm, and I... should honestly consider investing in, like, more appropriate clothes. Don't get me wrong, my outfit works wonders when it's hot, since it's perfect for air flow and staying cool. In the winter, however...

...Let's just say I get colds very often. It's why I'm more of a 'stay inside' kind of guy. But I want to break free of that habit. After all, new place, new me, right?

Long sleeves're definitely up there on my investments list, and-... Oh, wait, I'm ranting. Silly me, getting carried away like that... Ahem.

I'm sat at the table, Cirno's sat next to me since, well, she came with me, and Yuuka's... opposite us. Other notable things, uh... there's a tea set. I have a teacup. Cirno has a cup of ice-cold water. I'm fairly sure she doesn't like hot things, so the water being absolutely freezing makes sense.

"So why exactly did you protect that fairy, there?" Yuuka raises a brow, posing a question. "You know they come back sooner or later."

"...I don't like seeing my friend die in front of me." I reason, holding Aegis as I look it over. Oh, yeah, I took it off. That jade green stuff was weird... why did it do that, anyway? How did it do that? Last I checked, it was just a purified shield. It shouldn't be able to do that. Not at all.

Like... the whole pattern and everything changed. It became green, it had a white serpent on it with jade fangs, instead of the usual nine-tailed fox and ornate patterns it had before...

...Hmm... That rope, too, it was like... strands of something. What that something is, though, I don't know... But that spike reminded me of a scorpion tail. Yuuka even said the shield became poisonous, or something, so maybe...?

Hey... Actually, if I ever see Aegis do that again, I'm calling it 'Strand'. Because of the rope thing, it looked like strands of corporeal fibers, but it looked like a gaseous substance... Like it's trying to piece itself together into a solid form, or something, but it can't. Well-. I could grab it, but I'm not sure how. It's like it was solid, but it also wasn't.

...I wonder what triggered that to happen, though? Seriously, I have no idea how it did that, it just... did. 

Welp, another thing to tack onto the list of 'bizarre inexplicable happenings'. I'm filling out an entire bingo board, at this rate. First that shockwave, then the electric bolt, then freezing Rumia solid, and now... Strand, whatever that was.

But... Aegis still felt the same whilst it was afflicted by Strand. It was the same shield and everything, although... it felt similar, yet new. Maybe... Maybe it's a configurement, or something? A mode... It wouldn't be unheard of, I've seen weapons having different modes and stuff in, like, fiction and stuff.

And I'm pretty sure this counts as fiction, even though it's real as all hell.

Ah-. I'm rambling to myself yet again. Wow, I really like to do that, don't I...?

"...So it would seem." Yuuka, fortunately, hadn't talked since I actually spoke. I'm pretty sure I saw her contemplating my response. "Although, are you certain you wish to be friends with a fairy as, well, stupid as she is?"

"Hey! I'm not stupid! Unlike all the others, I can read and write stuff and numbers!" To be fair, she does have that going for her.

"...Ah. Still, quite stupid, but not as stupid as I thought. Hmm..." Yuuka thinks about something, before smirking. "Alright then. What's five plus four?"

"Ha! I know that! It's nine!" Cirno proves that she can, in fact, do math. Huh.

"...Correct." Yuuka smiles. I have this gut feeling that she chose that maths question specifically on purpose... Oh well, best not to question it. "But, Rajime, are you sure?"

"I don't mind being her friend." I look up to take a sip of my tea from looking Aegis over. "After all, I don't like fighting, or conflict, or all that nonsense. I only do it if it's necessary, if I'm pushed to the absolute brink... or if I'm desperate, I guess."

"Mmm. Desperation was the driving factor for your protection of her." Looking down into her cup, the flower youkai's smile turns into a grin. "For a human, you're quite caring for those around you, which is bizarre in of itself. Normally humans are so full of themselves, so... what's the word I'm looking for...?"

"Arrogant?" I try and fill in for her.

"That's the one." She nods in appreciation. "You are... an exception. You're gentle, yet you can sting like a bee if need be. I presume you're familiar with the saying 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee', no? So I'll spare you the talk on that." ...I mean, yeah, I'm familiar with the concept, but I'd argue that saying applies more to Kolar... not that they know who Kolar is, anyway. The guy literally looks like a bee, wearing black and yellow all the time. "Your kind are... rather rare to see, nowadays. I have seen how most humans in the village act, often ignorant of those around them, only caring for themselves. You are a stark contrast, a minority... My, this reminds me of our talk earlier."

When she mentions it... "Yeah, it kinda does, actually."

"I dunno about humans... I think they're stupid." Cirno offers her input... before she realises what she said and looks at me. "Most are stupid, I mean...! Sorry, Ji-chan!"

...Ji-chan will never not make me cringe internally.

"Ji-chan, hm?" Yuuka, don't you dare. "...Nicknames never really interested me."

Oh, thank... anything that she's not interested in that-.

"However, I may refer to you as such, sometimes... Ji-chan." She gains a more devious and playful look.

"Honestly..." I sigh, closing my eyes. I mean, I'm fine with them calling me by that, if it's kept to a minimum in public, but... I just think 'Ji-san' or something like that would fit better.

"All jokes aside, I feel like I know what drives you to create such bizarre occurrences on a whim, without thinking or realising what you're doing." Yuuka places her cup down, looking me dead in the eyes. "...It's desperation, reflexes, and fear. Those three things are the same things which cause you to... well, do magic without knowing how. However, it seems their intelligibility - how easy they are to understand, that is - depends on how strong your willpower is. Right now, I would argue your willpower as being quite low. After all, you're a human, you get tired, it's late at night, these things are common factors of weakened willpower. But even with that, I now know what makes you do such things in an instant."

Willpower, eh...? That explanation is a bit wordy, but I think I understand it... "So, pretty much, it depends on how aware I am of a situation?"

"I see you understand where I'm going with this." Yuuka nods at my guess. Oh, so that's how it is...? "Your body is subconsciously realising how dangerous a given situation is, and depending on the suddenness of that scenario, it releases your latent potential. Since magic is rife in Gensokyo, it allows for flexibility in what magic your body chooses when unleashing its inner strength, and the scale of that spell. Of course, there are various types of magic, and I'm sure a magician would be far better at explaining it than I am..."

"I don't get it..." Unfortunately, Cirno is still but a fairy, so she does not understand what me and Yuuka are talking about. Truly sad times are upon us.

...Ahh... There's the tired me I know. When I usually get tired, I get snarky. The more tired I am, the more snarky I become. 

"You don't have to." Not too tired to start being vocally snarky, though. "I mean, it's more to regard me, and uh... magician?"

"Yes, magicians." Yuuka nods. What the hell is a magician. "They're considered youkai... though, sometimes, they were originally humans. I know of one, whom I've known for a long time... I'm sure you've not met her yet, although you may soon meet who I'm referring to."

...Uh? "Who're you talking about, exactly...?" I raise a brow slowly.

"Why, that would ruin the surprise." Yuuka simply smiles. "Don't you enjoy surprises?"

"Not if they're bad ones." I deadpan. I say this, because I've had multiple people say this, and the surprises were bad ones. Like the time Trish bought me an exploding cake. That day was awful.

Also-. The way Yuuka just said that reminded me of Akane, earlier. And speaking of Akane... she's still weird to me. I wonder if Yuuka knows anything about her...? 

"...You seem to have something on your mind. What is it?" She also seems to notice how troubled I am, at least, so that's a good segway into it.

"Yeah, I just... What do you know about Tamamo no Mae?" I very abruptly shift topics to that. Because, well, why not? Something to talk about.

...

"...Where did you learn such a name?" Yuuka goes oddly serious...?

"Someone earlier came by claiming that they were Tamamo no Mae, but they changed their name because... they said that name was too boring, so they changed it to 'Akane Shirogane'." I scratch my neck. I'm still getting the chills thinking about her... "There was something... really unsettling about her."

"Mmm... Let me guess, kitsune, nine tails?" Yuuka's expression doesn't change whatsoever.

"...Yeah...?" I tilt my head. Cirno's also just... watching in confusion and curiosity.

"Yes, she had come by here earlier... I hadn't the faintest clue who she was until she abruptly, and violently, poisoned a youkai to near-death, then left her to die. I have no idea where that youkai went, either, since they seemingly disappeared... Although, they did address themselves as 'Akane Shirogane', so we most likely saw the same entity." Yuuka frowns, looking ahead. "Her strength was... admirable, although she's ruthless, like a youkai from ages past."

When she mentions that last part, it hits me that Akane did sound pretty old. Pretty seasoned, I mean, like she's seen a lot. "She's gotta be pretty old..."

"That's quite an understatement. The legend of Tamamo no Mae runs centuries back. If we're to go off the assumption that this 'Akane' is the very same, then she's well over two thousand years of age, maybe three." Yuuka supposes, staring down at her teacup. I also forgot to mention it, but the tea she's poured for both me and herself is the same one she gave me earlier. It's a very... rural blend. Very rural. "...Therefore, she may just be toying with those she comes across... Although, she's supposed to be dead. Her spirit was supposedly shattered, yet here's a nine-tailed fox claiming she's the very same wicked youkai from long ago."

...I like how confused Cirno looks, namely because she has no idea what the hell we're talking about, probably.

"...In fact, Tamamo no Mae was one of the most feared youkai to exist, a long time ago... Or, as far as I can remember, anyway. She poisoned even the mightiest of leaders, corrupted their way of thinking with her beauty and sly charms... Many feared her. She even rivalled the likes of Shuten-douji and the tengu Emperor Sutoku, although all three were part of the Three Great Evil Youkai of Japan, a rather apt name although the best a human could come up with, I'm certain." Continuing, the youkai sighs. "I'm afraid that even I cannot match her in terms of terror."

...Really? Huh... Well, doesn't hurt to have more information about Tamamo no Mae - or Akane, if she is that youkai.

"Hmm... On the note of Shuten-douji, you may actually run into her, at some point." Yuuka also abruptly brings something else up. I-... Shuten-douji? Wait, 'her'?

"Isn't Shuten-douji a guy?" I blink.

"So the legends would say, though it's easy to mistake such a thing." Shaking her head, she smiles down into the cup. "These days, she goes by the name of Suika Ibuki. She is an oni, who is... well, as some mythology suggested, and from recent events, she's quite powerful."

"...Ah." Oni. That explains a fair bit. "So... tengu, kitsune, and oni." 

"I dunno who you guys're talking about... but I bet they're not as strong as I-." Cirno's about to speak, but-.

"Be quiet." Yuuka just blatantly tells her to shut up, which Cirno immediately obliges with. Not that I can blame her, Yuuka's terrifying... "...I'm talking to Rajime specifically. Save your words for later, ice fairy."

Hmm... Alright, so Akane... "Do you think Akane's really Tamamo no Mae?" I tilt my head.

"Yes and no. On one hand, there's no evidence to say she isn't. On the other, there's no evidence to say she is..." She pauses, giving it some more thought. "Although, if her strength is something to go off of, being able to effortlessly maim youkai the way she can, I would be more inclined to believe that she is the one and same member of the Three Great Evils. After all, Tamamo no Mae was a very deceptive being. I wouldn't be too surprised if her 'death' was an elaborate fabrication, just so she could bide her time in Gensokyo for her eventual return... which reminds me of this one vengeful spirit I knew in the past, although that's not important right now."

...Vengeful spirit? Hmm... Maybe something to ask about later.

"Although, maybe it would be wise to ask Ibuki herself, if she isn't drowning herself in alcohols." Yuuka smirks, shaking her head. "After all, if anybody would know about Tamamo no Mae, it would most likely be her."

I-... Excuse me? "Did... you just say 'drowning herself in alcohols'?" What does she mean by that...?

"Oni are quite heavy drinkers... and they're also very loud. In fact, they're the life of a party. Ibuki has a gourd which can turn water into sake, you see. And, even then, she's constantly drinking from that same gourd. I believe it's called the Ibuki Gourd." Yuuka explains just exactly what that means. Ah... right. "So, in a sense, she could drown herself in sake if she wanted to. Typically, she hangs around Hakurei Shrine, though she does often travel out to the village's many bars, or towards Youkai Mountain. Essentially, she could be anywhere."

"...I see." I scratch my head, briefly taking my cap off to do so.

...

We sit in silence for, like, a minute. Yuuka still seems... quite serious, though she seems calmer than before. Tamamo no Mae... I'm imagining that even someone like Yuuka might be worried about her going around, doing whatever she pleases. I mean, I'm worried, too... namely because whatever Akane has planned, it involves me, but she won't tell me anything, so it's obviously something bad...

"On a lighter note..." Yuuka goes back to her normal serene self, looking at me with a smile. "I may have something you could do tomorrow, too. Though, for right now, I'm imagining you want some rest, don't you?"

Uh...? Well, when she asks... "I... would actually like to sleep."

"Hm, hm, yes, you would. After all, it's not as if you could sleep in the safety of that cove anymore... Oh well. You may sleep in my home, over there." She points over at the quaint-looking house with her parasol.

Oh, neat. "Is... there a spare bed, or...?"

"Fufufu~... You naive boy. No." Yuuka smirks. "You sleep on the floor."

...Figures. I down the rest of the very rural tea blend and stand up, heading towards the house. "Alright, fine, I'll sleep on the floor." Then, I turn to Cirno. "...You can go back to the rest of your friends, if you want."

"Huh? Um..." She seems slightly unsure... "...I dunno... I wanna stay with you, but Dai-chan's probably wondering where I am..."

Okay, how about... "How about you go home, then come back in the morning?" I make her a compromise. "I'm sure it'd be easier that way."

"Hey... Yeah, you're right!" She beams. "Ji-chan, you're so smart...!"

"I try." I raise my arms to loosely shrug, as Cirno places the pretty much-finished cup on the table, before clumsily flying away.

"Bye Ji-chan! See you tomorrow!" She waves goodbye, properly leaving the Garden of the Sun.

...Hmm. She really does remind me of a little sister... then again, that reminds me, I was the youngest out of my siblings. I say siblings, since Trish isn't my only one. Trish was the oldest of us four, I was the youngest. We had a brother and a sister named Maroon and Epsilon respectively. You know, I never knew why mom and dad named Epsilon, well... Epsilon. It's a weird name, but then again, my name's unique too. I don't know anybody else named Rajime, and I don't know if there's anyone in the world named Rajime.

...I do know that Maroon and Trish're common names, though. But, still, that's aside the point. Having a little sister feels... weird, when I was always the little sis-... Brother.

...

Who am I kidding? People'll just find out eventually that I'm lying to myself... I'm a girl, I'll always be a girl. I know Trish feels the same way, since she's actually a guy... but it's fun to be the opposite gender. 

I'm just... scared of what people'll think about me if I do reveal it. Kolar doesn't know at all, because we've never told him. 

...You know, I always found it weird how our parents gave the name 'Trish' to a boy. Why they did that, I'll never know... and I mean that as in Trish was her birth name. Then again, I guess my name sounds masculine, too. Names are hard.

So-.

"Are you just going to stand there and fall asleep on the spot, or are you actually going to sleep inside?" Yuuka abruptly snaps me out of my stupor as she walks by, heading towards the structure too. Ah-... Oh, yeah, that's right...!

"Coming...!" I follow after her, heading inside as she does. The only thing I noticed is that it seemed like a traditional Japanese home, with potted flowers all over, before I just collapse on the floor whoa-. 

Meanwhile... (Akane POV)

All in all, that was quite a productive day. Fufufu... That boy doesn't even know his stake in the grand scheme of things, of my plans, of... her schemes. 

Speaking of her...

"...You know, I would have expected you to let him see you naturally, Mae." My mystery benefactor comments on my choices today. She's quite the enigmatic figure, opting to avoid talking to me directly... Instead, she talks behind a veil, of sorts. A truly mysterious and secretive figure...

And, currently, she's talking to me through that same bizarre veil, in my very own home, no less. It's as if she's behind me, but simultaneously ahead of me. It's quite a strange phenomenon, even for my standards.

"I'd rather you address me as 'Shirogane' now, 'friend'." I regard her with a squint. All I know is that it's a woman. Nothing else-... Well, I do know one other thing, and that it's they're the one who brought that boy - Rajimarin, or Rajime, Naga - to Gensokyo, then reached out to me to watch over him, in the case of that spirit making a mistake.

...Not that she would. I've observed how methodical and meticulous she can be. She's quite a sagacious person... although, I suppose that's because she's a sagacious spirit, fufufu~... How amusing.

"...Ah, yes, you had changed your name according to his... conventions." She understands the sudden change in identification, at least. "But, still, it does not change from the fact that you approached him earlier than you should have, Shirogane."

"So what if I'm early?" I shake my head. "I say that the earlier he knows about me, the better it is for my plans... and yours, whoever you are. Now, pray tell, how exactly did you come about my identity and whereabouts?"

"There's not entirely much you can hide from me, Shirogane. I'm aware of your past, although we've never met, we were both important figures in our own right. You are one of the Three Great Evils of Japan, and I was a respected figure elsewhere. Our paths have never crossed, but I am aware of you." She vaguely states. Wow. Way to explain how you knew my exact identity. "As for your residence? There's not much you can hide from me in that regard, especially not with my ability."

"Oh, come off it. I can hear the grin in your voice." I huff. Seriously, this is not a matter to be smug about...

"Even still, you're an important figure to Gensokyo youkai-wise, although you're not on the scale of, say, a sage." Of course. I'm aware of the three sages... the three that are currently known, anyway. Yakumo, Matara, and Ibaraki.

"Important? Pftah. I prefer 'extremely feared', thank you very much." I smirk back at the voice, shaking my head. I'm not particularly wrong, I know people still live in fear of me, of the things I have done to leaders from ages that have since long passed... "You should be aware of this, should you know so much about me."

"Yes, yes, I'm aware you're still quite feared... and I suppose there's no harm in allowing you flexibility in your role, either, Shirogane." They sigh. "Although you have that odd ability of yours, you still have ties to his family - the Nagas." 

"Mmm... I had met one of his ancestors a long time ago, quite a pleasant man, he was..." I can still vividly recall his features, too... He looked much similar to the boy I've been spying on, blonde, blue eyes, a frail and skinny build... Yet, at the same time, he was a very patient man, a very caring one. "One I had... adored. Potentially even loved."

...Or did I? Fufufu... Nobody needs to know the full truth. After all, the truth is what harms people... and the Nagas have Japanese roots about them, though most of the family moved to Europe centuries after I had met him. 

In fact, I still recall his name... Majiranir. People back then used to have such odd names... though, I suppose they were fashioned, back then. Appropriate. People had to sound important if they wanted to get somewhere in life, and as such, names like Majiranir's were born.

"...Majiranir. I'm aware of your involvement with him." My benefactor seems to know about him. How did they...?

"Why do you know of my relationship with him? That was confidential information between me and him only, and even then, I never told anybody my true identity outside of him. I know for a fact he didn't tell anybody who I really was either, since he..." I pause. No, that part isn't important. Not at all.

"Frankly, that isn't important, Shirogane. Not yet, anyway." They refuse to tell me how they came about this information... Tch... No, it is important, I-.

No, stay calm, Akane. You can find out one way or another just how they know... and when this benefactor eventually reveals who they are to me, I'll force them to spit it out. Each and every word of it. They may believe they can use me for their own game, but I'm aware that they plan of disregarding me, once my part is done...

They think they're safe? They're not. Not even the strongest of emperors was safe from me, so this benefactor is no exception. I will find them, and I will twist their hand. Though, frankly, I don't know where to start. They're so very secretive, so very... cautious. It's quite bothersome.

"...Very well." I settle on, before deciding to ask just one last question... "...But, tell me, why bring a Naga here? I know for a fact you brought that boy here, though he's clueless."

"I had only brought him here since..." They stop. Oh? "...someone else had planned on bringing his sister here, to cause general chaos. In order to balance this, I brought him here... It's a situation akin to an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object."

...Now why could that be, I wonder? "Allow me to take a guess... Both the boy and his sister have the same potential?"

"Close, but no. They do have similar potentials... but they key difference is that Rajimarin's potential is to create. His sister's..." They trail off abruptly.

"His sister's potential is what?" I raise a brow slowly.

"...It's to destroy."

...

Meanwhile... (Rajime POV)

Mmm... That was a good sleep... I feel a lot better now.

Sadly, I didn't have a lucid dream again, and Doremy didn't visit either, but... it was still a pretty good dream. It was about Hecatia, oddly enough, but I'm not sure why it was specifically Hecatia. 'Something something Hot Topic' is all I remember. No, seriously, that's the only thing that comes to mind...

Say, speaking of dreams, that reminds me... I've got that dream meeting with Trish and Kolar tomorrow, so we're probably gonna go over what we know so far there.

...Personally, I'm wondering what Kolar and Trish've gotten up to. Because I've been up to a whole slew of shenanigans, mostly regarding Yuuka, but there's also other things, like finding out about Lubrae and Aikido, as well as meeting Hecatia for the first time and... yeah.

Also Cirno. I'm imagining Trish is going to be really confused when I just say that I've 'met a little sister', and that's probably the best reaction she'll have...

...Of course, that's assuming she doesn't make a cheeky remark on it, saying that she's not good enough. Well-. If anything, it should be me who's saying that, since I'm her little sister - not really brother anymore - instead.

Still... I'm not sure if I want to keep going identifying as a guy, or come clean and say I'm a girl. It's a hard choice...

But then again, it's most likely a choice I can make, you know, later.

...

Ahaha... Alright, let's get up... I slowly open my eyes and raise my head to find that someone placed a blanket on me overnight. It's... one with a flower pattern on it. I'm imagining Yuuka did this for some reason. Hmm. Maybe she does care after all. 

I also look around to find that nothing on me's been touched, my clothes're still the same - since I slept in them, so they might look a bit creased or rough now - and... yeah. 

...Plucking the blanket from me, I neatly fold it and place it on the floor, before stretching. Since I completely collapsed, Aegis is still on my arm, as is my bag around my waist...

...And my scarf, my hat, my ribbons... 

Then again, given how I was sleeping on the floor, I guess I can overlook sleeping in my clothes just this once. And as much as I want to take a look around Yuuka's home - at her things, more like - she'd probably want to see me outside after I woke up.

So, I oblige, standing up and stepping outside, still a bit stiff from how I was sleeping last night, but it's all cool... No pain, no gain, right? Hahaha...

Broad daylight... Well, isn't that a sight for sore eyes? Hmm... I wonder if Junko's gonna know where to find me, though... I mean, Yuuka said she had something else planned for me to do, to try and harness my potential more... I wonder what that thing is, though. Is it gonna be some endurance test again, or will it be something entirely different...?

...Even still, I'm more interested in Strand, as I'm dubbing that green stuff. Whatever it is. It's just so... odd. Aegis can't do that, it shouldn't be able to do that at all, being able to change so abruptly like that...

...Or, maybe, desperation drove it to adapt to what I wanted, which was to quickly move and protect Cirno from Yuuka. Then again, I'm not the best at determining these things. Someone with decent knowledge on magic would be better at it, like a magician, as Yuuka had said last night...

Stepping outside, I see Yuuka sat at a table with... someone I don't recognise. It's a woman with blonde hair and golden eyes. Yet another blonde. Hm. I-. Wait, why am I even commenting on that? I'm blonde!

But, still, she's wearing unique clothing, that being a rather light blue dress, paired with long white sleeves and two pink ribbons. One's near her neck, and another's near her waist... or so I think, anyway. After all, I'm looking at this girl from a distance, to try and determine who she is... Still, there's some book in one of her hands, covered in a red ribbon. There's another, similar red ribbon in her hair, which I somehow failed to notice originally, and...

...Hey, what're those small things floating near her? They... look like dolls? If so, then that's impressive, getting dolls to fly.

...Y'know, closer I look, she gives me the impression of a doll herself, which is... creepy, but it's cool if she is one. I don't really judge people like that, because I'm not rude... or I don't try to be rude, at least.

"...So, that's what happened last night?" She seems to be talking to Yuuka about last night... or, more like, she's trying to understand what happened last night after Yuuka talked about it. "It's not usually like you to become this worked up over something, Kazami. Normally you would dismiss it."

"This time is... different. After all, if Tamamo no Mae truly is back, it's quite a concern." Yuuka seems... different today. She's more, how do I say this... unsure?

"You know her identity though. Why not ask Yukari to look into it?" The girl tilts her head. I-... Yukari? Wait, as in the same Yukari that got brought up not too long ago by Doremy...?

Hmm. This might be something I want to listen to, actually. I'm actually pretty close to them, so I can hear them, but I don't know if they've noticed that I'm... well, here.

"I wasn't the one who discovered her identity as Akane Shirogane. It was that boy I mentioned earlier, Rajime." Yuuka shakes her head, actually giving me some credit...? 

"...Ah. Yes, you mentioned him earlier." They nod at the mention of my name... "I'll admit, I hadn't expected you to take a liking to a human, especially not after what you say about them. But, at the same time, I can see why, for the reasons you named earlier."

"Mmm... He is different from the others, I can say that much with certainty." Yuuka's expression lightens a little, before taking a sip of tea again. Oh. More rural tea blend. "You remember when I mentioned his potential, don't you?"

"Yes... A human wielding magic so easily, without realising they're performing such a feat... It's nothing short of a miracle, or some enigmatic conundrum." Nodding, she seems to have her doubts about my... magical potential. "Did you not say he was an outsider?"

"Yes, yes he is." Yuuka nods along. How much about me did Yuuka tell her...?

"In that case, I'm more willing to believe that this is a currently inexplicable phenomenon. I hadn't thought the outside world still had humans of that potential." The girl with the dolls - I think they're dolls anyway - shakes her head. "...You mentioned his shield changed form out of desperation, did you not?"

Oh, boy, they're talking about Strand. Uh... Should I make myself known yet, or...?

"Hmm..." Yuuka brings a finger to her chin. "...I feel as if that's a topic which would be better talked about when he's awake, not asleep."

"...Is he awake, then?" Raising a brow, the blond takes a sip of her own tea.

"Not to my knowledge, after all, he's..." Yuuka turns her head and looks in my direction, and immediately acknowledges my existence. "Ah. It seems he's woken up whilst we were talking."

This prompts the girl to look in my direction, who raises her brows. "...Ah. So it seems."

I... uh... take this as a sign to approach. "Were you talking about me...?"

"Depends. Are you Rajime?" The girl shoots a question back.

"...Would you expect any other sane human to be out here?" I give a casual grin as I retort.

"Fair enough, I suppose. Your attitude reminds me of Marisa..." She trails off, briefly mentioning someone else, before shaking her head. "...In any case, yes, we were talking about you. Or, to be more specific, it was Kazami mentioning what happened last night to me."

"...Okay..." I take one of the free seats. There's four seats, so I settle for taking one between the two. Not that I can avoid it, that is to say, but I take a seat nonetheless. 

"Would it not be a good idea to introduce yourself?" Yuuka raises a brow at the mystery doll lady. Closer I look, those things floating around her are, in fact, dolls. 

"I suppose it would." She extends a hand to me. "Alice Margatroid. Of course, I obviously know you to be Rajime Naga, so that saves you introducing yourself."

...I take her hand, shaking it. "Right... Nice to meet you, Alice." She seems pretty friendly, all things considered, and she's clearly a living person, not a doll, since her hand's warm. "Are... those dolls?" I look up at the two dolls after releasing her hand, wondering something.

One's got blonde hair and blue eyes, sort of like me, but it's clearly feminine. It's dressed up in a black dress and white apron, with black sleeves. There's a light red bow on both the head and dress itself... And there's a different one wearing a crimson-red bow instead of the pinkish-red the other one's wearing. But like the other one, it's got blonde hair and blue eyes.

But, instead of wearing a black dress, it's more... dark purple, I can tell it's a different colour. 

"That's a keen eye you have there. Yes, those are two of my dolls, Shanghai and Hourai." Holding a hand up, both of the dolls float down directly in front of my face, briefly waving, before returning to Alice's side. I-... Whoa, that's cool... Did she do that?

"...Alice is a puppeteer who lives in the Forest of Magic." Yuuka properly introduces me to her further. "Though, she isn't a human, as you'd expect."

"...I was one at one point." Alice briefly pauses to correct Yuuka, before continuing. "But, yes, I'm not a human anymore. I'm more of a magician youkai now... Namely since being a magician allows me to have better control and understanding of my dolls, you see. That is why I had abandoned my humanity. Not that I talk to other people very often, anyway. Today is also one of my few visits to the Garden of the Sun, in fact, just to see how Kazami's doing."

"I see..." I tilt my head to the side. She and Yuuka seem to know each other, so... maybe there wouldn't be any harm in asking this...? "Do you two know each other?"

"We have known each other for a long time... Although, the first time we met wasn't particularly a good meeting." Alice lowers her eyes as she stares over at Yuuka. "Especially after all that genocide you did."

I-. Genocide. O-Oh, no... What did Yuuka do...? 

"They had it coming to them." Yuuka simply smiles. That's not helping the fact that Alice just brought up that you committed genocide against someone! "Makai denizens or humans... Genocide is still a form of game, is it not?"

Makai? Um... Uh...! Okay, no, there's something extremely disturbing about that, and it's the fact Yuuka's so casual about it...! 

"And if you were aiming for complete genocide... Pray tell, why did you not kill me?" Alice has a grin on her face, this time. I-... She was there when that happened? On the opposing end of Yuuka, no less...?

"Hmm? Oh, I simply couldn't be bothered finishing you off back then, like the rest of them." I feel like Yuuka's lying, for some reason. "And, after all, look where you are today, Alice."

"...So you say." Alice shakes her head, before turning to smile at me. "If you're worried about all that genocide talk, don't worry, those days are in the past. Right, Kazami?"

"...Yes, yes, I'm aware, the Hakurei would most likely attempt to exterminate me... Assuming she can, that is." Yuuka gains a grin herself. 

"She can and will." Alice corrects. More talks about this Hakurei... who I'm presuming is that Reimu girl I've heard about before. "But not just her. Marisa would also have something to say about that, I'm sure."

"Of course." Yuuka really doesn't sound all that interested. "Kirisame I have no concern for, she believes she can beat me with her own 'adaptation' of my technique. As a matter of fact, she 'adapts' a lot of people's Spell Cards, does she not?"

"She does. But at the same time, they still prove effective." Alice... actually sighs. "Then again, she is quite a kleptomaniac..."

Oh. That explains why they worded that the way she did, then. Also... "Who's Marisa...? I'm aware of the Hakurei, although vaguely, but I've never heard of this Marisa person..."

"We're referring to a girl named Marisa Kirisame." Alice starts off. "She and I... also go back a while, I suppose. Although, if you meet her, she may try and take your things. As I just mentioned, she's a kleptomaniac, as in she'll take absolutely anything. Spell Cards, possessions, magical related items... Or, really, anything that catches her eye and is rather flashy. She's like a magpie, if anything."

Like a magpie? I'm aware that they often go after shiny things, but still, not a bird I expected to get brought up.

"A magpie that won't go away." Yuuka adds on. "She's quite the annoyance."

"Yes, she really is... Even so, she won't outright try to maim you to get your things. She's at least subtle about it... though, keep an eye on her, should you ever meet her." Alice hazards me. "I'm imagining she'd attempt to take your shield, or your bag."

"I mean, yeah, Aegis is a purified shield..." I briefly glance at the shield in question, before shaking my head. "But, the question is, can she remove it from my arm?"

"She can and will, trust me." Alice's eyes lower. That... sounds like this Marisa stealing things is a common occurrence, then.  "Although, she won't take things she knows are extremely important to people, like mementos... or, more like, I haven't seen her do such a thing yet."

"Oh, no, she definitely would." Yuuka smirks. "It's as you said, you haven't seen her do such a thing."

"...I'm aware that it isn't impossible for her to do such a thing, but I still consider it highly unlikely. Even she has her morals still, as confusing as they are." Alice remains slightly neutral when talking about this. She must know that Marisa girl pretty well then. "Mmm... On the note of possessions, Kazami claims your shield changed entirely last night, just because you wanted to protect that ice fairy, didn't it?"

Oh, that? "Yeah, it did... I still think about it. I don't even know how it did that, because it shouldn't be able to do that... No, actually, it can't do that. I just considered it an ordinary shield, even though it's akin to a divine object." I scratch the back of my head with my free hand, briefly taking the shield off my arm to allow Alice to inspect it.

"Hmm... Divine object? You called this a purified shield, didn't you?" Alice briefly glances at me as she takes Aegis in her hands, running one hand along it. "I recognise these patterns... I recall Marisa mentioning that she actually met someone who wore clothing with a design similar to this, once or twice."

...Marisa's met Junko before? Hmm... "Was it a woman called Junko?" I tilt my head to the right.

"...Yes, I believe that's who she mentioned, but I can't say I've ever met her myself. Why? How do you know her?" Alice asks me, actually looking up from the shield.

Well-.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, which I'm not, but I believe she acts as his caretaker of sorts, akin to an adoptive mother." Yuuka very abruptly chimes in. I-... She's not wrong, honestly, but still, I can speak for myself...! "And, judging from his annoyance, I'm right."

"...You could have at least let him speak, you know. It's his topic." Alice monotones dryly, shifting her gaze at Yuuka to give her a look of disappointment, before looking back down at Aegis, inspecting it some more. "What exactly did the shield look like, last night? During that 'desperate block' of yours, I mean."

What it looked like...? Well, let me try and recall... "It turned to a sickly green, um... The pattern changed entirely too, it became a white snake with jade-like teeth, which was a very distinguishably different colour from the background green. Since, you know, it's jade. Aside from that..." My thoughts shift to the spear-rope thing Strand had on it... What do you call it? Uh... a rope dart, right? "It had this very... weird rope, attached to the shield."

"Weird rope how, exactly?" Alice asks me, not looking up from the shield. 

"For starters, it was like a mixture between gaseous and solid, as in, it looked intangible, but I could grab it. It reminded me of strands of fiber trying to piece themselves together, and it was green, like the shield itself." I explain how it was weird. "But on the other end of the rope, it was like... a spear head. A jade spear head, I mean, but it's like the dart or whatever you'd call it was attracted to the shield, and the strand rope could extend as much as it needed to..."

"Like a rope dart..." She interprets my words well enough, nodding. "I see. Yes, that is quite peculiar. I don't see any way that this would be able to-... Ah, hold on, I sense something."

...She can sense something...?

Putting on a more focused face, she strains her body slightly, even closing her eyes. "Mmm... Maybe this would-."

Fwash!

The shield abruptly flashes green, turning into Strand again. Alice pauses, looking down at the shield and seeming slightly stunned from the sudden change. Yuuka's brows also raise, as do mine. How did Alice just...?

"...Ah. So that's how it's triggered." Alice stares at it momentarily, before looking at me with Strand still active. "You activate that by wishing to be granted haste... It seems to resonate with the wielder's willpower to finish things quickly, or just to get something done particularly fast." 

I take a look at it, Strand seems... really potent, a lot more developed than compared to when I held it. Might as well point that out. "It didn't look that vibrant last night..."

"As I said, it resonates with the wielder's willpower. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other modes, shall we call it, that this could shift into... I've never seen such a piece of equipment before, either. As for why it looks so potent now... It may be because my willpower far exceeds yours, what with me being a youkai, and all." Alice supposes, bringing her free hand to her chin. 

"I... Alright." I look into the distance slightly. From up here, you get a pretty good view of the garden. I can see people flying around - fairies, probably, so nobody too important...

"Hmm... There's something else to this... what should you name it, actually? After all, it is your shield, isn't it?" Catching my attention with a question, Alice looks up at me from Aegis. 

"I already had a name in mind. Strand. Because of the... you know, strand-like rope?" I give her what I've thought of.

"Strand... Very well." She accepts the name. "But, still, there's something else to this which seems... interesting. It's almost familiar, like there's a certain flow of magic running through this... Would you mind if I made a note to make a copy of this shield for later?"

"Uh... sure." A copy of Aegis... "Why, exactly?"

"Its concept of being able to shift between modes intrigues me. Even then, I wouldn't use a shield." She explains. Ah... But why won't she-. "If anything, my dolls would be the one using the shields."

"Mmm..." Yuuka hums along, staring at Strand. "It is quite toxic when it's in that state, however. It produces a near-invisible green gas that makes flowers wilt and tear at the seams... Although, I suppose the same could be said if it applies to living beings in general."

"...Ah, yes, so it would seem." Alice also seems to just now notice that Strand is producing a gas. I can barely see it, even when I squint... "Still, it's interesting nonetheless..."

As she hands Aegis back to me, with Strand still active, I notice that it goes back to normal when I grab it. "Ah... It went back to normal."

"That's because you don't have a desire to move quickly, at the moment." Alice theorises, closing her eyes before noticing something else. "...What exactly are you wearing there...?"

Oh, she noticed my outfit, huh? "It's my usual everyday outfit, nothing odd about it." I adjust my cap for emphasis.

"...If it's what you wear everyday, it must be horribly inefficient in winter." Alice remarks dryly. Yeah, that's... fair. 

"I know it is." I nod solemnly. "But if I look too plain, I feel practically naked, unremarkable."

"I see your point..." Giving my outfit some thought, she snaps her fingers. "How about I make you a more efficient copy for colder days or months? As in, long sleeves, hakama, so you won't feel as cold when it comes to winter. Of course, you'll be fine in that outfit for the next five or so months, since it's spring... After all, whilst I am a dollmaker, I do also have the habit of sewing and making outfits."

O~h... I see, I see... "I might consider it."

"If you could come by my home in the Forest of Magic, I'd be more than willing to oblige with this. After all, while you do remind me of Marisa, you're considerably more reasonable than she is. That, and you understand things easier." Alice gives me a smile. Pfft.

"He doesn't steal things either, unlike Kirisame." Yuuka also points out. Yeah, I've never really stolen anything in my life... because why would I?

"True." The puppeteer nods at the flower youkai's words, as I just sorta shift in my seat whilst slipping Aegis back on my arm. 

So how does this work, exactly...? Do I just... wish that I want to go fast or-.

Fwash!

Ah, yeah, it's as simple as that, ain't it...? Huh. It's... actually darker and more vibrant than when Alice held it.

"It seems you're getting the hang of it... and, perhaps I was wrong about your willpower. Hmm." Alice comments on me changing Aegis to Strand... Ah... Maybe to avoid confusion, I should call it Aegis-Strand, or something. "Moving on... Tamamo no Mae - or Akane Shirogane as she goes by, now."

Akane... Yeah, who is she, really...?

"She... actually implied that she knew my family." I decide to reveal, but shrugging. "I've never met her in my life, though."

"Genuinely?" I seem to have caught Yuuka by surprise with this. "You hadn't mentioned that last night."

"It was late at night, and I was tired." I deadpan at her. "Besides that, she also gave me this card..." 

I produce Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity, the familiar gorgeous nine-tailed fox covered in stones still being what the drawing is. I still keep Purified Strike hidden, though. That's my ace in the sleeve, so to speak.

"Ah, that... I believe there's many of those cards going around in Gensokyo, at the moment." Alice even produces a few of her own, humming.

I get to snag a look at two of them. One's of... Hourai, I'm pretty sure, whilst another looks like Cirno. Like-. No, seriously, the drawing on the card is literally just Cirno.

"I'm not particularly sure if they can be considered an incident or not. On one hand, their existence is confusing and genuinely bizarre, but at the same time, they're not too harmful, since they're merely cards after all." Thinking on the cards, Alice sighs. "Although, we may see if it is considered an incident, depending on how Reimu and Marisa respond to them."

Reimu and Marisa, huh... "How so?"

"For one, they're both what people consider incident resolvers. As in, they usually, if not always, go out to stop an incident, should one arise." Alice elaborates into the matter just a bit, so I can understand it. Incident resolvers, huh...? "Of course, anyone could try to be an incident resolver if they try hard enough, or get bothered enough, but being one is... a rather tedious task, so most humans tend to steer clear of it and exterminate lesser troublesome youkai instead."

"Yes, yes, but whether those cards are important or not isn't the topic on hand." Yuuka puts our focus back on Akane. "Akane Shirogane... Supposedly, one of the Three Great Evils of Japan, Tamamo no Mae."

"I know of her vaguely, from what's written down about her... She poisoned and manipulated powerful rulers and emperors, did she not?" Alice tilts her head to the side.

"She did. But even outside of that, she's ruthless. She doesn't even seem to care whether someone's a human or a youkai or not. If they stand in her way, she attacks them relentlessly, be it with poison or a surprising amount of physical strength." Yuuka sighs. "And she seems to be quite fast, too...

"Fast and ruthless..." Alice repeats under her breath. "Yes, that certainly is concerning, should she actually be Tamamo no Mae..."

"But she didn't strike me as all that threatening or hostile." I bring a finger to my chin. "When I saw her, she actually seemed to help me by... uh... 'guiding' two youkai away from where I was yesterday. Emphasis on guiding, mind you, since it's more like she forced them to go away by scaring the living daylights out of them."

"Hmm... I see." Yuuka looks to the side. "From the brief appearance I saw of her, she did match the part, nine tails and the like..."

"The way she spoke made her sound well-experienced, she was really calm when talking to the lesser youkai, too. She seems to have a knack for lying though, and it's impossible for me to tell if she told me the truth at all when she spoke to me..." I think on it harder. There's so much about Akane I want to doubt, but at the same time, another part of me wants to trust in her. 

I know that's stupid, or naive, or both, but I want to give people more than one chance. I want to put my faith in them. After all, trust is a big thing in good relationships, isn't it?

"How exactly do you know these things?" Alice stares at me curiously. Ah... yeah, that sounds weird, doesn't it...?

"She talked to me, after scaring those two youkai away I mentioned before." I give a reason as to why I know this. "...Akane said that I'm important to her plans, but I have no idea why. All she mentioned was an oath and nearly mentioned someone else."

"An oath? She's certainly telling the truth if she mentioned an oath. After all, youkai, as well as gods, can't go back on oaths they swore themselves. Humans, however, can. It's in their nature to go back on themselves and doubt things. It's considered taboo among youkai and gods to break agreements, unless if they're genuinely outlandish, even for Gensokyo's standards." Alice furrows her brows. Youkai and gods can't break oath...? But... humans can... I see.

"To name an example, say if you and I were to swear an oath that you could come and go freely between the Garden of the Sun and anywhere else, whilst I was to receive your company in return." Yuuka brings a finger up to name an example, looking directly at me as she does so. "I cannot go back on that promise, and you would be able to come and go from here whenever you wish, so long as you maintained the agreement. The only one who can break that agreement is you, as the terms are acceptable."

Ah... "Now I understand it better." I nod to myself a few times... Actually, hey, maybe I could make a note of it in Gensopedia. Might add a little diversity to it, if I don't just limit it to entries on people. I could even fill in descriptions for locations and stuff, with pictures.

...Assuming I'm feeling up to drawing, that is. I could even make miniature portraits of people to use for... well, entries on people I've met.

Producing Gensopedia, I immediately whiz through a whole bunch of pages, stopping on a blank one about... Huh, is it just me, or does this diary have more pages than before...?

...Maybe it's my mind playing tricks on me. Regardless, I make a header of 'Terminology and Notes', then start writing down what an oath means in Gensokyo...

Not too long after, it looks something like...

"Oath - Basically, an agreement or arrangement where one person receives one thing whilst giving another to another person. Typically done by pretty much anyone, should the need arise. However, youkai and gods cannot go back on an oath. Humans can, apparently, but it's considered taboo to break oath among the divine and youkai. I wonder why..."

There we are. Alright, that's gonna be for when I have to refer to what something specific means. Or if I just forget something that's on a need-to-know basis.

"...What exactly is that?" Gensopedia seems to have piqued Alice's interest. "It seems similar to a journal, from what I can tell... But you seem to have written a lot inside of it."

"Mmm... Yes, actually, what is that? I had noticed that you had it before, but it seems I had forgotten to ask about it entirely." Yuuka's also curious about it... Ah, did I never tell her...?

Huh. Must've forgot, like she did about asking me.

Oh well, now's the best time to explain it. Better to explain to two people at once as opposed to one, right? "I call it Gensopedia, but yeah, it's like a journal." I flick it open to the first page. "It's weird though, see this pen?"

As I hold the pen up, they both nod, Alice commenting on it. "Yes, that seems to be a pen, of sorts... What of it?"

"...Not sure what it is about it, but whenever I want to write about a given topic, or interest, like... uh... let's say you in this instance, Alice..." I twirl the pen, pressing the top of it slightly as I begin writing down everything I know about her...

...

...

It took about a few minutes, but I wrote down everything I know about her so far. I even show her for emphasis. "...It makes me space out and write down everything I know about that subject."

"...Ah. Alright..." She seems vaguely disturbed, which is reasonable, considering I just used her as an example. I... actually wrote down a decent chunk, too.

I also keep failing to acknowledge that Shanghai and Hourai - her dolls - look like they're listening too. Are... they sentient? Or somewhat sentient? If so, then that's neat. Sentient dolls...

On the note of what I wrote down about Alice, whilst I say it was a decent chunk, it was mostly theorising things, like her dolls, Shanghai and Hourai. At the same time, I also noted the fact she was a magician, but that she was originally a human too... So, I can trust her. Because she doesn't seem all that bothered by my existence, unlike some youkai who try to attack me on sight...

"...Intriguing." Yuuka speaks up just to say one thing, before looking to the side. "...Ah. Well, this was unexpected."

"...Is something the matter?" Alice raises a brow, as she turns to look at where Yuuka's looking. "...Oh. I see what you mean."

"...Huh?" I tilt my head, also looking where they're looking. "I don't see what's..." Ah. There's two people flying over here, in this general direction.

...I can barely make them out, sure the daylight helps, but they're still relatively far away. One seems to be riding on... what is that, a broom? Said person's wearing what looks like a black and white outfit, with a pointy witch hat, and... the other's wearing white and red, and looks like... a shrine maiden? I mean, she's got the outfit, plus a stick thing. Wand. Actually, what's the term I'm looking for, starts with a 'g'...

...

Oh, gohei, that's it! Yeah, she's carrying a gohei by her side...

...Still, talk about a weird combination to see together. Witch and a shrine maiden.

Well, the one riding the broom seems to be blond, and the shrine maiden looks like a brunette.

Also, I'm assuming they're girls, since I've not seen any other guys outside of, like, two people still.

"You know how we mentioned Kirisame before? That's her." Yuuka points directly towards the... I'm pretty sure she's pointing at the witch.

...Well she definitely looks the part, that's for sure.

"And the other one's Reimu. You said you knew vaguely of her, or something along those lines, right?" Alice points out who the other one is. I-... That's Reimu? Oh, well, first impressions.

Closing Gensopedia, I stash it in my bag, and... should I send Aegis back to regular mode, or keep it in Aegis-Strand?

...Actually, Alice said Marisa knows about Junko, or what she looked like more accurately. I don't know why, but I have this gut feeling that I should keep the pattern as not Junko's. Because that'd be awkward to explain, I'm sure.

My relation to Junko, that is...

...

Still, hopefully I don't... you know, feel awkward and sidelined, and sit quietly all the time. I like to be involved... unlike Trish, who just ignores someone whenever they try to catch her attention. She doesn't really care if she's involved or not, unless if it's something really, really important.

Like, say, the aftermath of her punching three kids for covering me in glue and glitter without holding back whatsoever. Yeah, that kind of 'uncaring' nature. She did not give a damn about what happened there, and to be fair, she got away with it because nobody wants to mess with the best sister ever.

Ah-. That's aside the point, though, I just awkwardly twiddle with the jade dart of Aegis-Strand whilst waiting for those two to get over here...

And, before long...

"Hehey, Yuuka!" A rather casual voice is what greets me. I briefly look up to find that it's Marisa speaking... or who I presume is Marisa, anyway, which is the black-and-white-dressed witch. I mean, from the brief look I got of her, she seems to be around my age... maybe slightly younger, I don't know, I'm not good at guessing ages... "And uh... Alice, and... some guy?"

Apparently, I'm 'some guy'. Cool.

"...Kirisame. Hakurei." Yuuka greets them with what I swear is a strained smile. Why is it strained? 

"Greetings." Alice also greets them, before glancing at me briefly. Oh-. Yeah, I should just, like, nod or something...

"Yeah, hey." A more serious voice, who I presume is Reimu's, speaks up next. I take a glance up, and sure enough, it's the miko-dressed girl. Also, they're both girls, as I expected. "An incident's going on. It's these cards. Do you two-..."

...I briefly look up again and see that she's looking directly at me, whilst holding up a card of... Cirno. A-... Another Cirno card. What. "-three, I mean, know anything about them?"

"Not particularly." Yuuka shakes her head. "Alice?"

"Nothing from me either." Alice also shakes her head, before looking at me again.

"No, sorry..." I also shake my head. Might as well go with the flow... Also, I know I said I'd like to be involved, but this already feels awkward, and I'm pretty sure it's because I was already addressed, like, twice. Social situations are hard.

"...So... Alice, who's that, ze?" Marisa points at me casually. She's still on her broom, in the air. So is Reimu. They're both floating, which is surreal in of itself, but... honestly, that's actually an overstatement compared to like, half the things I've seen already.

"Ask him yourself." Alice shoots back. "Do you not even remember that you can just ask people who they are?"

"Yeah, but like...!" Marisa throws her hands up. "Why bother, ze?! You obviously know who he is! Besides, he looks... weird!"

I'll pretend she didn't just say that I look weird.

"...Marisa, you're just lazy." Reimu shakes her head. "He also heard you, which means he's listening, so he's just not responding to you. Hey, you, look at me."

...You know what, I might as well have fun with this. Complying, I actually look directly at Reimu. "...Yeah?"

"Wh-. Oh, you did not!" And, as expected, that somehow managed to annoy Marisa. Wow. "Why I oughta-."

Suddenly-.

Clonk.

...Reimu hit her over the head with her gohei lightly. "Shut it, Marisa, last thing we need is you blasting some guy into oblivion because you were rude to him."

"Wh-. But he ignored me, ze...!" Marisa grins.

I mean, Reimu's actually right, here.

"Because you deserved it." Yuuka actually adds. I mean, yeah, that too...

...Now Marisa settles for glaring at Yuuka. There we go.

"...Ignore her." Reimu tells me, shaking her head yet again. "So let's address what's blatantly obvious. You don't seem local... Outsider?"

"Mhm..." I just sort of give a half-nod. "Name's Rajime Naga, by the way. And you're uh... Reimu, right? I've heard about you, or... vaguely, more like."

...She just gives Alice a glance with furrowed brows, who simply gives her a neutral shrug. I'm pretty sure that's all the input Alice needed to give on that matter, really...

"...I see." Reimu's eyes drift down to Aegis-Strand, presumably. "What's that, exactly?"

Oh, boy, elephant in the room, elephant in the room...! "It's a shield, attached to a rope dart." I just act like nothing's wrong with it.

"I can see that. Why does it look like that?" Reimu changes her question, raising a brow.

"...It's a mode of the base shield. The rope dart was an added bonus." I elaborate, still acting like nothing's wrong. "The shield itself is called Aegis, but I call the rope dart Strand, because it looks like strands of something, doesn't it?"

"...Oh." She nods, giving it a more examining stare. "Are you a youkai exterminator, or something?"

What? "No?" I blink at her. "I only use it for self-defense. I don't even know anything about exterminating youkai, if I'm being honest."

"So it's just an elaborate defensive tool, then." Drifting slightly closer, she narrows her eyes at the shield, then at me. "How long have you been in Gensokyo, exactly?"

Uh... let's be honest here. "Nearly three days. This is my third day here, but I arrived around three nights ago." 

"...You've been here for three days, and you have whatever that Aegis, Strand, whatever it is." Reimu squints at me. "...Why do you have something like that, for such a recent outsider, exactly?"

Okay, big decision. Do I... be honest, and tell her that Junko was the one who gave me the shield... O~r... lie, and tell her I found it by sheer luck.

...

Who the hell would believe the former? Better to be honest, here. "...It was a gift from someone, originally, on my first day in Gensokyo... or, well, not really Gensokyo, but somewhere else."

"Somewhere else? Hmm... Senkai?" Reimu hazards a guess. "It's the first place I could come up with, but it's also the place that makes the most sense. I've never heard of outsiders being sent to Senkai immediately, though."

"Oh, no, I found myself in Gensokyo first, but someone took me to Senkai to keep me safe." I elaborate on the matter. "I mean, I was attacked by a youkai not even five minutes after getting here."

"...You must be one lucky guy, then. Barely any outsider survives a run-in with a youkai on their first day, especially the ones that roam at night." Reimu glances at Marisa, who's busy squabbling with Yuuka. I can barely hear the details of that conversation, but it seems like Yuuka's trying to provoke Marisa, for some reason. Then, sighing and muttering something under her breath, she focuses on me again. "Who took you to Senkai, exactly?"

Welp, time to throw a bombshell at her, assuming she's met Junko like Marisa has... which is a pretty far-fetched one, but whatever. "...A kind, sagacious spirit called Junko."

...

"What." Reimu just blinks at me after a brief moment of silence. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm joking, for some reason... but I just stare at her blankly. "You're... You're actually serious?"

"...Reimu?" Alice raises a brow. I'm pretty sure the very abrupt mention of Junko made Marisa stop her... whatever it was she was doing with Yuuka, and look over at us.

"Hey-. Did I just hear the name of that freakin' spirit, ze?!" Marisa's brows raise. "And did I just hear 'kind' be used t'describe her?!"

...Uh?

"Oh, now this seems like a quite interesting conversation..." I hear Yuuka mutter under her breath.

...Nervously fiddling with the dart again, I decide to point out one thing. "You're... saying that like Junko's a bad person."

"She is-..." Reimu hesitates, seemingly reconsidering her words mid-sentence. "Okay, maybe she isn't a bad person outright, but still, she's bad news."

"...She isn't." I stand up, clutching Aegis-Strand tightly. "She's been nothing but nice to me for the past three days. How would you know that, anyway?"

"Because, I've faced against her in the past. She tried to kill me without a regard for the Spell Card rules." Reimu bluntly tells me. Junko tried to kill Reimu in the past...?

"Hey-. Don't forget I was there, too!" Marisa also butts in. "And so was Reisen 'n Sanae...!"

I-. Reisen? Okay, that's definitely something to ask her about later, when I visit Eientei next. But, at the same time, I have no idea who Sanae-... Wait, Keine mentioned a 'Sanae' once, I'm pretty sure. Something related to the Moriya...?

"...Now I see the issue." Alice sighs, glancing at me again. "However, Reimu, if this Junko person is someone who'd attempt to kill you, why exactly would she not do so to him?"

Yeah, that's... also a really fair point. Where's the logic there?

"The circumstances back then were different. Back then, she was driven solely by fury and hatred, but she changed afterwards. I mean, Marisa, have you seen how she acts around Reisen lately?" Looking over at the witch, the shrine maiden raises a brow.

"Da~h... Can't actually say I've been to Eientei recently. Like, ever, ze." Marisa shakes her head. "I mean, I used to go around and see if Eirin needed anythin' from the Forest of Magic, but like... I've not been lately, because I've been busy with other things, da ze."

"You mean you forgot to go." Reimu corrects her with a sigh.

"I was busy!" Marisa grins awkwardly, insisting that she was busy and did not just forget.

Also, Eirin. I still have absolutely no idea who she is outside of 'she's a doctor'. Like, even with what Junko briefly told me about her, as well as Tewi I guess, I'm still confused and curious about her.

...Actually, I guess I'm confused and curious about a lot of things, really. 

"I suppose I have been around to Eientei for..." Alice gives me a very brief glance. "...reasons, but I can't say I've ever actually seen this Junko person, if not at all."

"Y'mean you go to Eientei for raw, crack cocai-." Marisa's about to say something she really shouldn't, when-.

Wham!

...I'm pretty sure Hourai just slammed Alice's book over Marisa's head.

"Ow...! Not cool, Alice...!" Marisa rubs her head where she was struck.

"You should just learn to shut up, Marisa. Maybe people wouldn't want to hit you if you did." Reimu shakes her head, but she's smiling this time. I mean, yeah, that was pretty funny to watch, actually.

"Yes, actually, she's right. If you learned to just be quiet, I wouldn't have done that." Alice lowers her eyes, but she's also smiling. "Not in front of the outsider, either, he doesn't need to know about your issues."

Ah, yes, not in front of me. Also, was Marisa just about to say 'raw, crack cocaine'? Not a sentence I expected to hear in Gensokyo, but it seems drugs can exist anywhere, if you try hard enough.

...Actually, I'm pretty sure plants can act as drugs, when I think about it. Like, uhh... mushrooms, as in the ones you'd find on the forest floor or something.

Not that I've ever done drugs. I'm clean. Trish hasn't either, namely because we both agree they're a waste of time and a waste of life. Well-. Not done drugs outside of medicinal ones. Medicine's just refined drugs, and-...

Oh, wow, I'm rambling about drugs. Who would've thought it.

"...Okay, ignoring whatever that was..." I sigh, shaking my head and sitting back down. "It sounds a lot like the Junko you're aware of, and the Junko I'm aware of, are two completely different people."

"Ah... Are you sure she didn't kidnap you or something, ze?" Marisa tilts her head. I-. "Because, like... I've heard rumours that she's been seen talkin' to a bunch of the children in the village and-."

Okay, no. "...Be quiet, you."

...That seems to have surprised her, since her brows are raised.

"...I should just consider gagging you, honestly." Reimu also considers a fun idea, turning to the witch again. "Seriously, Marisa, you should learn to have a filter on that mouth of yours."

"Dah... I know, ze, I know..." She deflates on her broom.

"I, personally, think that's a feasible idea." Yuuka, no. "After all, who's to say that isn't what happened?"

"Me." I pocket my one free hand, letting the rope dart dangle off the side of my leg. "Because if I consent to it, is it really a kidnapping?"

"...Regrettably, no." Yuuka actually relents. 

...Reimu has a brow raised now. "Here's a better question, what exactly are you? Are you a human, or a youkai?"

Well, that's a stupid question. "...I'm a human. For one, I can't fly. That, and all I have to my name is a shield and whatever's in this bag." I tap the bag for emphasis. 

"So you say." I don't think she believes me... Why's she so doubtful? "The way you dress is one thing, but another is that unlike most other outsiders, you don't seem like you got gapped in here by Yukari, but it doesn't feel like you got here by ordinary means either."

I-. Gapped. "...And what does that mean, exactly?" Also, there's a mention of that Yukari person again...

"As in, you didn't fall into a hole of some kind, or you didn't cross the barrier accidentally. That's what I mean." Reimu raises her gohei over her shoulder. "I've seen a lot of outsiders in my time, sometimes I send them home myself, sometimes I get Yukari to do it because she's often the reason they end up here. I've never really seen a case like yours."

Oh, well that's fun. Some cosmic entity sent me to what I can only describe as 'Fantasy Florida', where everyone except most humans can fly and do magic without a care in the world.

...I have no idea what compelled me to even utter that sentence, either, but the outside world is not good, and I actually prefer being here.

"Uh... So what you're sayin' is that someone other than Yukari brought him here?" Marisa tilts her head.

"Mmm. But I can't tell who, exactly, since I've never seen a situation like this." Reimu shakes her head in kind. "It's bizarre in of itself."

"...Well, whoever it was, I want to thank them." I look over to the side. 

"For being in mortal peril every waking day?" Yuuka grins at me.

"So says the extremely dangerous flower youkai." I shoot back at her, before continuing. "Outside world sucks. I like being here. Not sure what else there is to say, honestly."

"Really? The outside world, a place free of youkai and with all kinds of neat stuff, sucks, ze?" Marisa's not convinced by my words. "I don't buy it."

"Okay, you spend five days out there, and tell me what you experience." Turning to her, I shrug. "I mean, you won't believe it until you see it."

"Ah... Actually, I'd rather not." Yeah, thought so. She doesn't want to leave Gensokyo.

Also, I find it slightly amusing how Marisa's never introduced herself to me, and nobody's even commented on it. Not even Reimu has, but she's probably assuming that if I know who she is, then I probably knew who Marisa is too. Which wasn't a wrong guess, I did know who Marisa was through Alice. Well-. Yuuka, too, but mostly Alice.

"...Right." Reimu sighs. "I didn't come here to feel depressed, so let's get back to the point. Apparently these cards are circulating around Youkai Mountain, so I wanted to come and see if you knew what was going on with the cards, Yuuka, but by coincidence, you were here too, Alice, so was that guy."

Oh, I'm 'that guy' now, am I?

"...I'd like it if you didn't just call me 'that guy'." I lower my eyes, my voice going slightly dry.

"Yes, Hakurei, he does actually deserve a bit of respect." Yuuka also states, whilst somehow sounding extremely suspicious.

And I think I know why she said it like that, too.

"Far as I'm aware, he's an ordinary human outsider." Reimu regards me. Oh, so she determined that I'm a human and not a youkai. "Why? Know something about him that I don't?"

"...Kazami. Not now." Alice raises her voice, shaking her head.

"Oh? I was merely going to mention..." I note Yuuka's grin and immediately understand what she's about to say. So, might as well crash it before she can say anything, and say it myself. Makes it less awkward. 

"I can use magic." I very abruptly speak, gaining a grin myself. That makes Reimu double-take. Marisa, too.

Alice just... sighs. Oh, so Yuuka told her about my potential, huh...?

"Explain. Now." Reimu points at me with the gohei. 

"Y'kiddin' me, ze?! You're just a normal guy!" Marisa's amused...

"Yes, that's what I was going to say..." Yuuka sighs, looking partially disappointed that she couldn't have her fun with that. Yeah, no, if anyone's gonna say it, it's me.

"Well-. I can use magic, but it's not something I can do at the snap of my fingers." I even snap my fingers for emphasis on that... "I don't even control when I use it, either, it only really becomes known when one of three conditions are met."

"And those three conditions are?" Reimu's still got her brow raised.

"Fear, reflexes, and desperation. Those are the three conditions." I close my eyes partially, attempting to fold my arms. "So, what I mean is, I can only really use magic when I'm terrified beyond recognition, if I have to think fast in a life-or-death situation, or if I'm feeling extremely desperate. Kicker is, I don't even acknowledge it at first until it happens, and I actually cast the magic in question. It feels weird though, like my body resonates with something in order to do it."

"...Now I understand." Reimu lowers her gohei. "You're a human at heart, I'll give you that, but there's too many bizarre circumstances around you to not just leave you be."

And now I'm considered bizarre. How many times have I just been called something unique in the past ten or so minutes, anyway...?

"And, knowing you Yuuka, you were most likely planning on using him for something." Reimu then proceeds to raise her gohei to point it at Yuuka again. 

"Me? Using a human? Oh, whatever could you mean?" Yuuka innocently smiles. But, even if it seems innocent, she definitely was planning on using me for something, her tone was a dead giveaway.

"...I'm going to ignore that you just said that, Yuuka." I decide on, before tilting my head at Reimu. "What was that about not leaving me be, exactly...?"

"You know how I said these cards are an incident, right?" She raises that Cirno card again for emphasis.

"Uh-huh..." I nod along. She said something along those lines...

Actually, Hecatia did too, when I mention it. But she was... slightly more casual about it, I guess? Ah, well, incident is an incident... not that I know what they are exactly, or how they happen, or... yeah, but they're interesting. As a matter of fact, this is actually my first time experiencing one...

Well, one for the books, right? Haha...

"I'm still doubtful about it, but this incident isn't all that dangerous compared to past ones... or I don't think it is, anyway. After all, it's just these Ability Cards, as they're called. If you really want to use that magic of yours, an incident's probably the best place to do it." She pockets the card of Cirno away, as I consider it. Hmm... She might be right. After all, it looks like fun...

"Uh... Reimu, you're forgettin' he's a normal guy, ze." Marisa points out. I-... Yeah, she's right, too. I'm normal, and I don't have the best control over my magic...

"It's his choice." Reimu shrugs. "I mean, he could tag along with me. Or you."

"Wh-. No." Marisa deadpans, not liking the idea of me going with her...? Why? "He'd weigh my broom down, Reimu! I need this to be quick, ze!"

Okay, yeah, that's... reasonable. Hmm...

"Personally, I wouldn't mind accompanying Rajime." Alice speaks up. "He's like you, Marisa, only if you were less of an annoyance. And besides, I've seen you carry heavier things than a human on the back of that broom before, so why make an exception now?"

"Wh-. Hey, Alice...!" Marisa begins grinning awkwardly. "I've got my reasons!"

"Of course you do." Alice sighs.

"Hmm... This incident may be a change of pace compared to others in the past... And even then, I may be able to salvage a few rare flowers for my own collection..." Yuuka brings a finger to her chin. I... don't actually want to go with her, she's sufficiently unnerved me enough with the whole casual talk of 'genocide being a game', and stuff. And whilst she makes an exception for me, it's like... still really uncomfortable, especially when you're involved with the conversation involving casual genocidal entertainment! "Where exactly is this incident occurring? I don't believe you've told any of us that."

"Youkai Mountain." Reimu looks over at the largest mountain in question. "Not entirely sure where, but it's definitely taking place on it."

Hmm... Youkai Mountain...? Maybe I am better off going with someone. I mean, I've never been on that mountain, it's unknown to me for the most part. All I know about it is that the Moriya are there, and that there's tengu, whatever those are... Youkai, obviously, but I don't know much about them exactly. It's the finer details that're lost on me.

I also consider my other options... I could go with Cirno, I told her to meet up with me today again yesterday, assuming she didn't forget that is, so... she's an option, maybe...

There's also Junko, I could wait for her to get here then, like, ask her if we could look into the incident...

Or I could get suicidal and throw myself at Youkai Mountain just to see what would happen, and let's face it, that's not happening anytime soon. I may be a bit goofy, a bit wacky, maybe a bit stupid, but... I'm not that dumb. I know for a fact Trish isn't either, but I'm not sure if she'd want to be involved with this... whatever it is, an incident.

But, personally... "I'd... actually prefer looking around with Alice, honestly." I voice my opinion. "No offence, it's just that I trust her a lot more compared to anybody else at this moment."

"We barely even know each other, yet you trust me a fair amount regardless." Alice comments on my choice, seeming slightly surprised... although still mostly indifferent. It's there, though... and she smiles. "Although, I suppose saying that I was originally a human most likely influenced that decision to trust me."

"Fair enough." Reimu's generally indifferent to my choice, which makes sense. "Gives me less to worry about, too... especially since it's not having to worry about someone getting caught in the crossfire."

"Hmm... Very well." Yuuka seems marginally disappointed by my choice. I think she was half-expecting me to go with her, but uh... no. Not after the genocide talk. I'm not even sure if I can trust her, or if I was right putting faith in her to begin with, for that matter.

Still... I don't believe she's inherently evil, but even then, she's a youkai. I'm a human. I know they don't really mix, most of the time. I'm aware that there's some benevolent youkai that help humans out, but even then there's like... a lot of harmful youkai. Like, say, Tamamo no Mae, and stuff. 

Say, that reminds me, Yuuka and Alice never brought up Akane after Reimu and Marisa got here. I figured they would've, but... no. Then again, I guess I could've done that too, but I forgot for the most part. I was more worried about making a first impression... as silly as it sounds.

Feels weird that mythological creatures actually exist, like vampires and youkai, as well as concepts only heard of in fantasy like immortality and gods actually existing in a physical form. Oh, and fairies. Those too. But... still, it's strange to be this calm about it. Maybe I'm still in shock, or something...?

Wait-. If I'm acknowledging that I'm in shock, uh... does that even count as shock...?

...

I'm rambling yet again. Okay, I need to stop that habit, it sucks.

Still, Marisa hasn't spoken, she's just giving me a weird stare.

"Alright. Well, we'll be off then." Reimu glances at Marisa, starting to float away. "Come on, you, we have an incident to resolve."

"Huh? Oh, right! See ya, da ze!" Marisa waves, before focusing on me whilst getting ready to follow Reimu. "And don't do anythin' weird to Alice!"

Wh-. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

"...Ignore her." Alice tells me after Marisa rockets off after Reimu, both girls picking up in speed as they go into the distance. "She's just like that, sometimes."

"...'Just like that'." I echo her words, blinking blankly. "I-. I wouldn't do anything weird regardless of the fact, it's... it's common decency, isn't it?"

"You'd be surprised how many people lack that. Barely anybody considers privacy, either. It's very annoying, especially when I'm trying to make dolls..." Sighing, Alice begins floating too. Because why wouldn't she? "Now then... How are we going to go about this, exactly?"

That's... a good question, actually. I stare at Yuuka as she remains seated. "I've decided against going. I was actually hoping you would go with me... though it seems I've been outperformed in a short time. Bothersome, to be sure."

"...The genocide talk was what threw me off." I point out, shaking my head, before turning back to Alice as I stand from the chair. "So... hmm... How strong are the dolls, exactly? I mean that as in physical strength..."

"I see what you're getting at." Alice floats down to me, Shanghai and Hourai beside her and... not holding anything. "They're quite able-bodied, I'll have you know. Although, it may require more... For now, allow me to carry you personally, we'll head to my home so I can gather a sufficient number of dolls for what I have in mind... since today, of all days, was the one day where I didn't bring as many dolls as I usually do."

Uh... "Define 'sufficient number of dolls'?"

"A lot." She gives me one glance, before picking me up relatively effortlessly and beginning to fly away with me in tow. Oh.

...That's still vague, and I'm slightly concerned as to how many dolls she actually needs...! A couple dozen?! A hundred?! Dare I say it, a thousand?!

But, for right now, I guess I can think about things, since I'm imagining it might take a while...

...

Chapter Text

I'm thoroughly convinced that thinking is one of the best ways to pass time in Gensokyo. Like, whenever I do it, time just seems to like... speed up, but during that sped-up time, I can go over what I thought about.

...Which is a weird thought in of itself, because why would thinking accelerate time until you, well, stop thinking consciously? I specify consciously, since my brain - or pretty much anyone's really - is thinking regardless of the fact. There's subconscious and unconscious thoughts too, those are fun, because you do them without realising.

Unless if they're not fun thoughts, and you have a morbid thought or something. Then it's rancid unconscious thoughts.

Also, Alice didn't pick me up bridal-style, which is... actually relatively alright. I mean, it'd feel weird if she did, but-. Ah, aside the point, aside the point...

...I really like going off-topic. It's a habit of mine... and probably an unhealthy one, alongside it being one I'm never going to stop having just... there in the background. Something in the back of my head's tugging at my mind to think about things in great detail, and I just... it's a weird thing.

...I use 'weird' to describe a lot of things, when I consider it. It's a vague term at this point... Maybe I should, like, expand my vocabulary or something, use bigger and more confusing words.

Like u~h... hmm... preternatural, funky, kooky... maybe even kink-...

Actually, no, that word's weird in of itself, because who uses it to describe something genuinely weird?

Anyways, back to the point, Alice carried me by my arms the entire way to... this forest. Actually, I think this is the same forest I woke up in... If so, then that's a fun throwback.

I-. Well, not fun, considering I almost got maimed and mauled violently, but still, it's a throwback nonetheless.

Still... three days have gone by now. I've also got that dream meeting tonight with Trish and Kolar, assuming Doremy's able to find a workaround for Trish's... bizarre dream boundaries.

My mind also drifted to those... cards. Ability Cards, as Reimu called them. I wonder just how many of them there really are...? Definitely something to look into, they might give me an edge in defending myself, or just being pretty good at evading and running.

Because, let's face it, there's not a chance in hell, or Hecatia's hell more like, that I'm fighting off a youkai that could be potentially stronger than, like, Yuuka or something.

I'm gonna admit, I was definitely lucky regarding the youkai I have met so far... and that's including Akane. Even if she is bizarre, she didn't feel... malicious. But then again, she confuses me, and she's probably a really good liar. I mean, she's got me doubting if she is Tamamo no Mae, even though she said that she is Tamamo no Mae. Or was, since she disregarded that identity. It makes me wonder who she really is, honestly, because she fits the description of that very same youkai. But even then, it's not like she'd tell me anything.

...She did give me that Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity card, though. I'm also reminded of Purified Strike... So, basically, I've got Akane's card, and Junko's card so far.

Cards. They're really strange... And I'm rambling about things unrelated to matters at hand.

...Well, my thoughts also did briefly go over Aikido again, as well as Cirno, and the Moriya... also tengu, whatever those are.

I mean, the Moriya's on Youkai Mountain, right? There's also a shrine maiden called Sanae... maybe I'll meet her, maybe I won't. But Aikido... Hecatia thinks that Aikido's somewhere high up on there. Hey-. Maybe if I go up there, then... then maybe I could try looking for Aikido, whilst helping to look for the cause of this Ability Card incident.

On the note of those, I could actually collect cards, too... I mean, if I have a big collection, then I can barter my way through just about anything. And besides, anything's a bartering system as long as you have your trusty bargaining chips. And by bargaining chips, I mean antiques, paired with overflowing charisma and confidence.

...Which I don't have. I mean-. The antiques in this instance are the two cards I have, but I have little to no confidence. I don't trust myself to do a lot of things on my own with at least one person watching me do it. And it should be obvious how much charisma I have, and it certainly isn't overflowing.

Still, my to-do list is looking a lot like running around and discovering Gensokyo at my own pace, checking in with Kolar and Trish every now and then, being involved with stuff, uh... collecting cards for Hecatia's album of them, and finding out how to know what's going on around me at any given moment.

...The last one'll never happen, if I'm being honest to myself, but I can dream, right?

Ah... alright, let's see what Alice needs... She's just calmly flying through the forest, ignoring anything else and heading in a direction. I also need to ask... "Where exactly are we going...?"

"My house. Did you forget that?" Alice spares me a glance, Shanghai and Hourai still trailing behind. I don't think any youkai want to mess with Alice... I mean, on the way here, I heard youkai-like noises, but nothing's jumped out at us. Maybe Alice is a deterrent in of herself.

I mean, I also heard the odd fairy, but still, no youkai've... tried to stop us. 

Also, I should respond. "Uh... yeah, sorry, it's just... busy days, you know?"

"Mmm... I'd imagine so." She understands what I mean, nodding. "It still must be quite a shock for you to end up in Gensokyo... though, it seems you've settled in well."

"It was pretty... um... well, disturbing, to wake up in the forest, instead of inside the comforts of my own bedroom." I look to the side. "I mean, I was terrified, but I was also... intrigued, after a while."

"How so?" Alice asks me, still flying ahead. Well, at least this is a conversation!

"Outside Gensokyo, I never would've thought magic would be possible. But now that I'm here, witnessing all sorts of things related to magic, youkai, actual magicians, flying humans..." I trail off. "It's got me feeling, uh... what's the word I'm looking for...?"

"Awestricken?" Alice fills in, tilting her head left and right.

"Yeah, that's the word..." I nod, snapping my fingers loosely a few times. "I'm not even sure what I should be surprised about more, since I've seen so much in only three days."

"I suppose that's fair in of itself." Sighing, she keeps going, until we... huh?

We've come into a clearing, and in this clearing, there's a white building... which is European-styled. That, in of itself, is odd. Or, maybe this is Alice's home...?

As if listening to my thoughts, she comments on it. "...This is my home, if you're wondering." Oh, so it is her home...? "We're only stopping off here briefly, although..." She pauses, giving me a more serious glance. "...Have you eaten anything today, at all?"

Uh-. Oh, when she mentions it, no, I haven't actually... I just look away very awkwardly so she gets the hint.

"...I see." Sighing, she drifts down towards it, allowing me to stand on my feet, before lowering to the ground herself. When we're both stood up, I get a pretty good comparison between our heights. She's shorter than I am, about a foot or so from what I can tell, but even then she lifted me like it was nothing.

...I mean, she is a youkai magician, but still.

"Come inside. It doesn't hurt to have breakfast before going about your activities... In fact, it benefits you, since going hungry would hinder your performance." Alice invites me inside, walking over to open her front door. The moment she does so, however-.

"Hey, Alice!" All of a sudden, someone calls out, stomping through the forestry...

Wait, stomping?

"...Hmm... I was wondering when she would show up." Alice sighs, turning to the person in question...

...I turn my head towards them too, and from the trees-.

Crash!

Or more like knocking over a tree, this big woman steps through, before abruptly shrinking down. I-. Okay, what? I have several questions. One glance tells me that it's an orange-haired woman with green eyes. Her hair's also pretty short, and she's got these two hair pins in, one of a large red arrow pointing directly up, and another of a pretty small blue arrow pointing down. 

Other notable things is that she shrunk down to around my height, but seems to be as young as Alice is... Maybe she's a human gone youkai too? I mean, the size thing's a dead giveaway she's a youkai, but still.

And her clothes... It's a reddish-blue dress with these large patterns on one side, the red side that is, but the blue side has a lot more intricate and smaller patterns. Very contrasting to look at, but also pretty nice.

"...Uh." I'm actually pretty unnerved by the fact that she knocked one of those trees over. I can see what look like dolls coming out from literally everywhere around Alice's house to prop the fallen tree away from her, well, house.

"Whew, guess I got lucky, eh?" The woman laughs, wiping her forehead, before noting Alice's expression of just general indifference. "Hey, c'mon, no need to give me that look...!"

"Sodatsu, what brings you here, exactly?" Alice raises a brow, also giving a name for me in the process... Sodatsu, huh...? Doesn't that mean 'grow' in Japanese?

"Well, I figured I'd just come around and thank you for those cloths, threads, and sewing needles. I needed those really badly, y'know? I mean, I can't fix my outfit without them." Sodatsu chuckles awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head, before noticing that I'm here. "Oh, who's he? Lost human?"

"Not quite. I brought him here." Alice shakes her head. "Sodatsu, this is Rajime Naga, a human outsider. Rajime, this is Sodatsu Chidjimu, a fellow magician who specialises in altering the sizes of objects and people."

I-. Size altering. Okay, yeah, that makes sense, considering she was taller than a tree a few moments ago.

"O~h, outsider, huh?" Sodatsu steps up to me, looking casual. "Hey, watch this."

Snapping her fingers-.

She just... vanishes? I don't-.

"...Sodatsu, now isn't the time for jokes." Alice sighs. Wh-. Where did she even go?! Did she shrink or something?! "Where did you even go...?"

"Right here!" A voice comments from the top of my hat. I-. Okay, how-? "Benefits of altering sizes, you can do just about anything!"

I see a speck of something fall from the rim of my cap, before-.

Oh, okay, Sodatsu reappeared in front of me, at my height again. "How small did you just make yourself...?"

"Smaller than an inchling!" Sodatsu casually smiles. "I mean, I could go, like, microscopic and terrify people with 'spooky hauntings'."

...What's an inchling...? Do I want to know? Also, microscopic. I'm imagining she could interact with bacteria or something, and even have a dramatic fight with one.

Still, weird to think about, and Sodatsu's bizarre already. She's already somehow more bizarre than Akane is, and that's saying something.

But she seems more friendly, unlike Akane. 

"...Y'know, Alice, I didn't think you'd actively go out of your way to catch a guy like this..." Sodatsu comments, bringing a finger to her chin with a big grin on her face. "You can't possibly be thinking of...?"

"I'm not." Alice dryly stares at her. I don't get-... Oh. Now I see the implication.

...I focus on Sodatsu, squinting. "It's-. It's not like that."

"R-Right, right..." Chuckling awkwardly, she shakes her head. "So what's that?"

She's... pointing at Aegis-Strand. Ah. Well, let's be honest. "It's a shield. Called Aegis. The rope dart thing's called Strand, so I call it Aegis-Strand whilst it's like this."

"O~h, Strand?" Sodatsu's eyes light up with what I presume to be curiosity. "Hmm... Lemme get a look at it, maybe I could..."

"I've already had a look at it, Sodatsu, there's no need for you to waste your time." Alice interrupts, shaking her head.

"Aw-. C'mon, Alice, you know my feel for certain magic's gotten better over the months!" Sodatsu grins, propping her arms on her hips.

"Whilst that is true, I'm still far better at it than you are." Alice still shakes her head. "I'm sure there's nothing else I need to know about it, either."

Actually, did I ever tell her Strand could do this...? Hmm... "Well, it can do this..."

Grabbing the end of the 'rope', the one with the jade dart that is, with my non-shield-bearing hand, I twirl the dart over my head, before flinging it into a nearby tree, and I zip over to the tree in question-.

Whoosh! Thud!

...Aegis slammed into the tree on its own, since it's pretty much bound to the dart. 

"Whoahoho! Neat!" Sodatsu grins at the abrupt movement. "Hey, that's actually pretty useful!"

"...We can fly, Sodatsu." Alice blinks at her.

"Well-. Yeah, but it's good for quick movement in an enclosed space! Or so I can gather, anyway!" Sodatsu's still impressed with it. "Besides, he's a human, we're magicians, so yeah, obviously you're not gonna see it as anything useful, but at least I can still acknowledge those things!"

"I suppose you're correct there..." Alice sighs. "Still, did you really just come to give your thanks, Sodatsu?"

"Well, uh..." Sodatsu looks over awkwardly. "...No, I was kinda hoping you were in. Some fairies ransacked and pranked my house last night. Needless to say, they're all terrified to hell and back now after seeing a giant woman nearly stomp them all into oblivion."

"Define 'giant'." Alice stares at her blankly.

"Oh, y'know... yay-high?" Sodatsu raises her hand and when she does so-.

Ah. She just... grew taller than the trees. And, mind you, they're pretty tall.

...

That actually would be pretty terrifying to be up against, if I'm honest. And it's also got me wondering. "Is... there a limit as to how big you can actually get...?"

"Uh... last I checked, not really! I mean, tallest I've ever gotten was, like, a small mountain, but even then it was because this one oni made me a bet." Sodatsu grins as she shrinks back down again, hands on her hips. She seems to be a fan of grinning... Actually, I don't think she's ever not been grinning throughout this encounter.

"Was it Suika again?" Alice raises a brow at her.

"...Suika... Suika, Suika..." Sodatsu furrows her brows, snapping her fingers a few times. "The name rings a bell, but... Oh, yeah, she could get huge too! It was fun being able to talk to someone who knew the joys of changing size!"

Suika? As in... Suika Ibuki, that one oni Yuuka mentioned? Shuten-douji? Okay, wow, that's not terrifying to know, that she can change size to be large, nope, not at all...!

"Bu~t, still, I bet I could increase in size all the way to Heaven, above Youkai Mountain!" Sodatsu has a very chaotic look on her face now. "Then again, I might like, get shot down by the tengu, or something. Mountain violations and all."

...What does that mean? Mountain violations.

"That's assuming the Moriya don't do it first." Alice sighs. Oh, the Moriya...

...Maybe I should dismiss Strand now, I don't really see a need to keep going fast-.

Fwash!

Aegis abruptly flashes back to its normal self, being the intricate patterns I'm familiar with.

"Oh, that thing changes modes too? Neat." Sodatsu whistles, impressed.

"Sodatsu, why did you genuinely come here? Was it so you could actually have a meal?" Alice interprets.

"Huh? Alice, you do know we don't need to eat food anymore, right? We're magicians, for crying out loud!" Sodatsu raises her brows at the puppeteer, before bringing a finger to her chin. "...Still, eating's nice, I guess, it still feels good."

"So that's what you were doing... Very well." Alice seems to be indifferent. "Originally, I was just planning on making some pancakes for both myself and Rajime... though, maybe I have enough pancake mix for you too."

Wh-. Pancakes? What? I mean, this is a European-styled house, I shouldn't be surprised if Alice is actually able to make pancakes, but... still.

"Aw, sweet! You're the best!" Sodatsu raises her fists into the air, pumped. "Thanksies, Alicey~!"

"...If you ever utter that sentence again, I won't do this." Alice warns her without any hesitation, looking far more serious and dry. Wh-. 

"N-Noted...!" Sodatsu actually recoils. "I mean, I meant it in a lighthearted manner, but still...!"

"Lighthearted or not, never call me 'Alicey'." Still staring at Sodatsu, Alice sighs. "You should know this, Sodatsu, it's the exact reason why I never call you 'Sod-chan', whilst Marisa does."

I-. Sod-chan. Probably the weirdest nickname I've heard so far...! Also, Marisa? 

"If she calls me that again, I'm shrinking her poofy hat." Sodatsu gets surprisingly steadfast. Huh... She gave me the impression of someone who's really chill, but the mention of Marisa seems to make her a lot more tired-looking. Maybe there's some bad blood between her and Marisa, or something. I mean, it's not any of my business, but it's something to note.

"Assuming you can even get your hands on her hat." Alice places her hands behind her back, whilst Shanghai and Hourai make something resemblant of amused expressions. Dolls, everyone, they can emote. I wonder if I'd be able to keep one for myself after this... and after me and Alice inevitably go our separate ways after the incident ends. I mean, she wouldn't mind losing one doll, right?

"Oi, you're talking to someone who can shrink down to ridiculous levels." Sodatsu snorts. "I can slip under the crack in her door, if I wanted. Or I could just bust her house down, but I like to keep things tidy, and I know she has random stuff in there that might be valuable. Also magic books."

"Mmm." Alice hums, turning to her door as I step over. "It's better if we talk inside, as it's warmer in there."

"Yup, don't want this conversation gettin' cold feet..." Sodatsu tilts her head, one of her hands running over that blue hair clip. Or pin. I can't tell if it's a clip or a pin, if I'm being honest... but I'm assuming it's a hairpin.

I might as well ask Alice one thing... "Your home, um... it's European-styled, right?"

"...Yes?" She turns to me, raising a brow. "I find them more appealing than the traditional Japanese ones. After all, Europe has a large variety of building styles, but this is more from the west of Europe. So, say, England, or France. Sodatsu's is the same, but she took inspiration from German buildings, I believe?"

"Ah... Yeah, it's German-styled. Like, y'know, old-fashioned." Sodatsu nods, still keeping her pretty easygoing-looking grin up. "I mean, I really only knew how to style it because of some books that're dated a couple centuries back, back when Gensokyo wasn't hidden from the Outside World..."

"I see..." Staring at the facade of Alice's house some more, I tilt my head. "I'm familiar with the style. I'm of European descent myself, after all, but it feels strange to see it in Gensokyo."

"I suppose it would feel out of place, compared to the style of other buildings, but there's a well-known mansion around here which is styled after a Victorian-era manor." Alice also brings up... Didn't Kolar mention something like that once...? Ah, hang on, I think I know what she's talking about...

"The Scarlet Devil Mansion, right?" I raise a brow. "I've heard about it, but I can't say I've ever been there."

"Hmm. Maybe I'll take you there after this incident finishes, or finds some conclusion. After all, I'm aware you're still learning about Gensokyo, and how life exactly works here for people like yourself." Alice gives me a smile, before turning back to her home. "If you're truly of European descent, you'd feel quite at home there, I feel."

...Maybe. I mean, I know a vampire lives there, and I know vampires drink the blood of humans... which makes me wonder if Kolar's genuinely alright over there.

I mean, he might be, and I'm worrying for no reason. Trish always did call me a worrywart, whenever something bad happened...

"Oh, oh, that reminds me, I haven't checked in with Patchy for a while now...!" Sodatsu raises her brows. I-... Patchy?

"...If she were here, she'd tell you to address her by her actual name, not 'Patchy', Sodatsu." Alice gives her a neutral stare, before the door just... opens. On the other side, it's revealed that a doll unlocked the door. Huh. Then, she gives me a glance. "Sodatsu's talking about a magician who lives in the very same manor, by the name of Patchouli... Although, both her and Marisa tend to call her Patchy, even though it annoys her."

"Ah-. Okay, yeah, if she's calling Patchouli that, then I'm gonna call her Patchouli." Sodatsu very quickly changes her mind about how to address this Patchouli person... 

I just need to ask. "What is it with you and Marisa, exactly...?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... that's not important right now. Right, Alice?" Sodatsu looks at Alice for confirmation.

"It isn't, you're right... For now, that is." Alice nods in agreement. "It's most likely a story best saved for later... and it's quite a long one. We don't have a lot of time ourselves, as we're going out to investigate the incident, are we not?"

Oh, that makes more sense...

"Wait, incident?" Sodatsu blinks in confusion.

"Those cards, Sodatsu. They contain people's abilities." Lowering her eyes at her fellow magician, Alice shakes her head. "I'm not sure how you forgot them."

"Oh, those! Yeah, now I remember..." Sodatsu nods a few times, before grinning. "Hey, I even managed to snag a few, but I don't need them."

She doesn't need them? Hmm... "Would it be alright if I have them, then...? I mean, me and Alice're the ones going out into the incident, and all..."

"I'll show you 'em during breakfast. I sure as hell don't need them... so I'll see if any tickle your fancy, eh?" Sodatsu gives me a grin, before stepping right past Alice and into her home. I swear Alice muttered something under her breath, before following, leaving just me outside.

...Hourai's still out here, looking like she's in a daydream of some kind, but Shanghai followed Alice. Just for the fun of it, I walk over to Hourai, gently grab her out of the air, and walk inside.

I mean, she definitely noticed that she was grabbed, since she's moving to try and break free from my hand, and... I actually see what Alice meant. Her dolls're pretty able-bodied, and it feels strong... durable. Hourai, that is...

Well, might as well let her go before she breaks my hand or something trying to get out. I release my grasp on Hourai, before she flies up, makes something that looks like a pouting expression, before flying off elsewhere in the home as I enter too...

Dining room. It's styled just like any other one I'd see back home, in England that is. Still feels weird to be in a home like this. But, if there's one things I've noticed, is that there's dolls everywhere in here. On shelves, on counters, in cupboards, you name it, they're there.

...How many dolls does Alice actually need...? How does she even control them all?

And, as it turns out, Alice wasn't kidding. Sodatsu can change the size of anything at any given moment. I swear she did it to a few dolls out of sheer boredom, alongside some cutlery and stuff.

...I'm more interested in the dolls, though. I'm not sat down at the moment, Sodatsu is. I'm on my tip-toes, looking at some of the dolls on a shelf. They're all dressed neatly and sat in a linear row, their positions pretty much identical. In their hands is a lance, as well as what look like small shields.

"If you're thinking about touching them, don't." Alice warns me from nearby. "They'll retaliate, and trust me, those lances aren't for show."

...Ah. I was going to try and hold one, but... that's good enough of a reason not to. Still... "Their designs're interesting though. Even though they look identical, I can tell there's some heart and care put into each one. I mean, no two things are truly the same, right?"

"Well, yes, of course." Pleased with my comment, Alice smiles. "I had made all of them, as you can tell. I suppose you could even say that I had placed my very soul into them... I'm glad you have an eye for such a thing."

"Even if that's true, uh..." Sodatsu points at one. "They all look the same, for the most part. I mean, there's a few variations, you've got that, but they're all like... the same size, Alice."

"That's because I use only the most efficient measurements in my designs." Alice gives her a glance, sighing. "And don't even think about enlarging or shrinking them, that'd reduce their efficiency."

"Wh-. Nah, I wouldn't do that...!" The size manipulator gives a very awkward grin in response to Alice's statement. 

...

"Okay, maybe I would, but still, not in here right?" Sodatsu raises a finger. "I'm not that stupid."

"I suppose." Ignoring her, Alice goes back to making pancakes, since that's what she's been doing for about the past... I want to say five or so minutes, but I feel like it's been longer. Time dilation is weird.

...Closer I look at the dolls, I notice that they're all staring directly at me. Whoa. Cool. Also creepy, but it's cool. I've always wondered what it'd be like if dolls were sentient... Now I know.

Backing off from the shelf, I take a seat opposite Sodatsu, who's fiddling with what looks like a small iron rod with odd engravings on the ends of it. She didn't have that before, but... now she does.

"What is that?" I decide to ask her, raising a brow. 

"Huh? Oh, ah..." She raises the rod so I can get a look at it. One end's opened up, revealing the inside of what I can only assume is an elegant-looking pipe. On the other end, it's sealed with his black cylinder, the odd rainbow-like particle bouncing off of it every now and then. It also seems to stick out in a curved shape from the pipe itself. "Size regulator. It's so I can keep control of how big I am. Or small. I've always got it in my pocket since it really doesn't have a use otherwise... but I do know it keeps the size of anything consistent with its original height, shape, length, and width. Pretty useful if you're someone like me, yeah?"

"Oh, I see..." I nod, bringing a finger to my chin. Size regulators... I can see how those'd be useful for someone like Sodatsu, who changes her height so often. "Wait... wouldn't that mean you wouldn't be able to change size whilst holding that, though?"

"That's what a lot of people think the first time around!" Sodatsu chuckles, showing me the open end of the regulator. "See this open end? If it's open, that means it's off. If it's closed, with one of these babies..." She pulls out a black cylinder pretty much identical to the one on the other end, sticking it in.

The moment she does so, the regulator begins glowing with a faint, luminescent magenta, occasionally shifting to red and blue. "...It's on, and I can't change my own size. But here's the kicker, nobody really knows how to make these suckers except for myself! I'm quite the tinkerer, I'll have you know!"

"Mmm. That is true, not even the kappa know how to make such a device." Alice comments from the side. 

"Y'know, I bet if I sold these things, they'd sell like hot cakes and warm sake in winter. Because nobody likes being shrunk or enlarged comically without warning." Sodatsu considers the possibility of making a business out of those. "Might be a good way to earn a quick yen, if y'know what I mean, eh?"

Yen. They use it here too, huh...? It'd probably be different styled, considering that from what I've seen, Gensokyo seems more old-fashioned and middle-aged compared to literally anywhere else. Then again, fantasy land.

Well, might as well respond. "Guess so... Hey, you mentioned you had some Ability Cards, right...?"

"That's what we're callin' em? Apt name." Sodatsu clicks her tongue, before nodding. "But, yeah, I got some. Here, take a look."

She pulls out four cards, sliding them over to me. "You really want to give me four...?" I mean, if she does, then that's nice, but...

"Don't worry about it! As I said before, I sure as hell don't need them! I've got my own creations to worry about, y'dig?" Sodatsu remains casual, still grinning as I pick up one card. It's got a rough drawing of Sodatsu on it, with a large outline around her and two arrows pointing upward. She's also got her fingers snapping on this drawing...

...I flip it around to get a look at the description.

"I'm Big, You're Small!

The power of a certain size-altering magician flows through you! Someone giving you trouble? Absolutely terrify them by increasing in size! Mind you, this also doubles your damage output, but it also makes you easier to hit. Fair trade-off, right? But still, chances are you'd wipe someone out before they can even hit you, with the damage this size increase can dole out. May or may not also include the ability to absolutely terrify people due to the size difference, but I see that as an added bonus!"

...Huh. That's... useful. My eyes drift to a few more.

The next one's got a... what is that, aquamarine? It's got an aquamarine swirl on it, which... looks like a kanji for... what is that, uh... misfortune? Misfortune. 

...I flip it over.

"Nagashi-bina Certified Spinning

With this card, you too can spin like a certain misfortune god! Now, whilst it does seem incredibly disorienting, maybe a bit... you know, sickness-inducing, the spinning actually has a good benefit behind it! Whilst everything might seem particularly harder to dodge and fight, if you graze any danmaku bullets, it gets sent back to the attacker with at least more than one-and-a-half times the force! Maybe more, depending on how fortunate you really are."

Okay, that description... I don't know if I want to be spinning all the time. I mean, that whole 'return to sender' deal is interesting, but... mgh, motion sickness...

Looking over at the third card, I find it to be what looks like a red orb with vein-like ribbons going all around it, and in the middle, there's an eye staring directly at me. In the middle of the orb, that is. Hmm... I flip that one over.

"Opened Third Eye

Now unleashed with the ability of these cards, you too can read minds like a satori! Or... well, you can't read minds, but this is pretty much more useful to know what you have to dodge at any given moment. It'll show the path for dodging danmaku for you, if you trust your instincts, more often than not... unless if you're facing someone whose mind can't exactly be read. Then you're toast, but hey, it's not like many people can't have their minds read, right?!"

...I'm sorry, what? I look between that Nagashi-bina Certified Spinning card and this Opened Third eye one. Those... pretty much go hand in hand.

And my eyes gloss over the last card, finding it to be a card of a white snake. It looks like there's space for something else on this card, since the way this is formatted, one half is a black background, and the other half is a white background. The white snake is on the black background, but it seems considerably solemn.

...I flip it over, just to see what it does.

"Solemn White Snake

The ability of a rather unremarkable white serpent, since it's been separated from its other half. Normally, there'd be a black snake to accompany this one, but I don't know what happened to it. Maybe if you had both cards, you could join them together to make something really good out of this? Still, this card allows you to gain more money by letting enemies leave, or by timing out their Spell Cards, than you would by beating them up. Pacifism really is a good thing sometimes, isn't it?"

...Solemn White Snake... Huh. That's a funny card. But the description... 'Separated from its other half'? 'White serpent'? 'Black snake'? That sounds a lot like me and Trish... Also, the talks of pacifism... Wait... "Is... this an Ability Card of me...?"

"Huh? Lemme get a look." Sodatsu leans over to get a look at the card I'm reading. "Oh, it's that one. That's useless, because who'd be insane enough to time out a Spell Card? Way quicker to uh... y'know, beat someone up." 

I assume Spell Cards are something to do with danmaku... but still. "I'm imagining this is related to me, since it's a white snake... My last name's Naga, and I have a sister who's the complete opposite of me."

"O~h, really?" Sodatsu raises a brow, as Alice steps over with two plates of pancakes in her hand, with a few dolls carrying a third.

"Sodatsu, I told you his full name not too long ago. You seriously have some issues with your memory." Alice shakes her head, placing one plate down for me, then the other in front of herself. "Have you been abusing those magical mushrooms again?"

"A~h... No. Y'know I don't use those for their uh... properties, Alice." Sodatsu grins as the dolls place the third plate in front of Sodatsu. "I mean, maybe, if I feel bored, but no."

...Ah. Mushrooms. 

"So you say." Giving the cards a glance, Alice raises a brow as she takes a seat. "Are these the ones you'd collected?"

"Mhm! Well-. More like somebody sold them to me, but they're mine, since I bought 'em." Sodatsu tilts her head... wait... She bought them from somebody?!

"...Where exactly did you buy them from? I'm asking, since it might point us in the direction of the people behind this incident." I raise a brow at her too.

"Ah, smart thinking, I was just about to ask that." Alice also speaks up, giving Sodatsu a glance.

"Around Youkai Mountain." Sodatsu gestures to a nearby window. "Y'know, the big 'oooh I'm so tall you'll never climb me because of the tengu and stuff' mountain with the gods and stuff. Yeah, that one. Actually, speaking of tengu, I bought those from a tengu." 

...That is somehow the best and worst description I've heard of Youkai Mountain yet. Also, she bought those from a tengu? I mean, I still don't have the best idea as to what those are, but...

"Hmm... Let me guess, Shameimaru?" Alice makes a guess.

"Pffft-. As funny as it would be to have bought those from that one asshole of a tengu, no." Sodatsu shakes her head. Wh-. Asshole of a tengu. 

"A-... Am I missing something here?" I give a worried glance at Sodatsu, namely because of her words.

"Aya Shameimaru, uh... 'honest, but not really all that honest, and true, but not so true either,' reporter and writer of the Bunbunmaru, which is a whole bunch of fake news, most of the time." Sodatsu gives me a name, grinning all the while. "Nobody really likes her, because she's always listening. Hell, she could even be listening right now, right outside the window. Something something 'heard it in the wind' is all I know."

"...If she's eavesdropping, she's getting the full force of my dolls without any hesitation." Alice gives the window a glare. O-Oh. "But, still, that's aside the point. Who did you buy them from, Sodatsu?"

"Uh... Someone called 'Iizunamaru'. I mean, that's all I know about her, but from what I could tell, she seemed to be a pretty high-ranking tengu. A great tengu, maybe, but I couldn't really tell." Sodatsu shrugs. 'Iizunamaru', huh...?

"So the tengu're involved with this..." Alice brings a finger to her chin, as I just start digging into the pancakes. Still weird to see pancakes here, but... not complaining about it, I love them.

"Mgh, yheah-." Sodatsu tries to speak with her mouth full for some reason, before swallowing. "Yeah, the tengu're definitely involved."

"Don't speak with your mouth full. That's something Marisa would do." Alice reprimands her on that, tutting.

"Ah-. I know, I know, I just..." Sodatsu pauses to get another mouthful, before swallowing and continuing. "I just know they're involved, 'cause that Iizunamaru lady I met said she made those cards herself, when I asked how she got 'em. Never elaborated why, she just... told me that."

"Okay, so we have a clear person behind the incident, then..." That's honestly all I got from that. "...And... all we know is that they're a tengu, and that they're called 'Iizunamaru'. Now, I uh... have a question, that might sound stupid, but..."

"Hey, no such thing as a stupid question!" Sodatsu gives me a reassuring grin. Right, right...

"Unless if your name's Sodatsu, or Marisa." Alice adds in with a grin of her own. I-I, pffft...!

"Ah-. Oi, Alice...!" Sodatsu turns to her with a more strained grin, struggling to hold back her own laughter. "Look, I know I asked some stupid things back in Makai way back when, but...!"

"You literally were the stupidest person in Makai back then." Alice keeps her grin. "Genuinely, you called Yumeko your mother, and the results afterwards were... something I can't talk about lightly, even today."

...Uh. "Who's Yumeko? Actually, what're you two talking about...?" I raise a brow. I don't have any idea what they're talking about...

"Ah, stuff from the past that isn't important now." Sodatsu does not want to elaborate on whatever that just was. "So what was your question, anyway?"

Right... "What's a tengu, exactly? I'm just not that familiar with them..." I'm curious about whoever Yumeko is, and what they were doing back in Makai, wherever it is, back then... but I guess it's a question for later.

"Oh, uh... hmm." Sodatsu furrows her brows. "Y'know, I'm not that familiar with 'em myself. Weird youkai, they are."

"They're rather territorial... and most, if not all, of them live up on Youkai Mountain." Alice comments what she knows about them. "I am aware there's some hierarchy at play within their ranks, but at the same time, it never really interested me. Most of the crow tengu just gossip and write newspapers, like Shameimaru, but there're white wolf tengu, who are more of the patrol and defense of the tengu. So, more like, wolf tengu are the fighters, and the crow tengu are gossips." She looks to the window. "...That isn't to say you should take a crow tengu lightly, however."

"Ohh..." I nod in understanding, taking a bite of my pancakes afterwards. Sodatsu's pretty much wolfed hers down, and Alice is going at a pace sort of similar to mine.

Actually, I might as well fill in some Gensopedia pages whilst I'm here...

Meanwhile... (Junko POV)

There it is again. That bizarre feeling of my sense regarding perception being thrown off... I wonder what's causing that?

Still, that's not what I need right now. Rajime isn't here. I can't find him. Where is he?! He must be around here somewhere, and if that youkai is trying to keep me from him, I'll show her no mercy! If I found out that she stood by, allowing him to get himself hurt, or worse, killed, I will show her far worse than what the depths of Hell could ever do to her.

No matter the size of this garden of sunflowers, I will find him, one way or another. And if he is not here, if I do not find even a trace of him...

...Then I have no reason to hold myself back anymore. I'll burn everything to the ground, with a fury as blazing as the sun itself. I will-.

"Oh, my, it seems someone's in quite the panic." A despicably familiar voice fills the air, making me turn and spot the same green-haired youkai from before, a deceptive smile plastered on her face.

"Kazami." I approach her near-instantly, the gap between us closing in seconds. "You know why I'm here."

"Oh, do I, now? The last I had checked, I couldn't read minds." She maintains that attitude.

"Do not play games with me, I'm not in the mood for such things." I lean over her, staring directly into her eyes. "Where is he."

"Ah, Rajime?" She closes one eye, drifting back slightly, but still seemingly relatively unconcerned as she turns to a few sunflowers. "Yes, I do wonder where he is also. Quite the mystery."

"No, you obviously know where he is." She's most certainly lying. "Tell me. Or I will show you unfathomable fear and destruction that not even the most intelligent of minds can consider to be possible."

...Kazami pauses to glance back at me. "Frightening, I'm sure. Though your words hold true as empty ones, for I feel as if there's nothing you could do to-."

Thud. 

The next thing I know, my hand's around her neck. "Do you consider me a joke? Because, Kazami, this is most certainly not a joke. And if you don't tell me where he is in the next minute, then you can tell this garden goodbye." 

"...Ah..." She stares down at my hand, then tries to remove it, failing horrendously. "...Quite the grip, you have there."

"I didn't come here to be flattered. What happened to him? What happened to Rajime?! What happened to my boy?!" I tighten my grip slightly, putting more force behind it. I can tell she's getting more and more terrified by the minute, I can tell she's never faced a being as powerful as myself before... If I wanted, I could kill her unconditionally. After all, youkai are such impure beings, surrounded by the stench of death more often than not... especially the malicious ones.

The benevolent ones, not so much, but that's aside the point.

"Your boy?" She has the audacity to keep speaking as if nothing is wrong here... I tighten my grip again. "Gh... F-Fine, very well, your strength is... nothing to laugh at, I can see this much... but still, would he not be better off doing his own thing? After all, you seem quite controlling of him, and-."

I tighten my grip even further, to the point that she nearly chokes. I don't even say anything this time, just to see if the point can be driven across solely with this level of violence.

"Are you trying to kill me? Do you know who I am...?" Kazami's attempting to bargain, it seems. She can bargain with her life and position all she wants, all I care about is the safety of Rajime. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not having a repeat of what happened so long ago... It will not happen again. It cannot!

"I do. You're merely a youkai, powerless in this situation and acting as if nothing is wrong. Rajime's whereabouts. Now." I raise my other hand, purple flames lighting in the palm as a pure light.

"Do you really think I'll just tell you...?" She squints at me, and I merely shoot several danmaku pellets into her torso. "Hnnh...!"

"Did I say you had a choice in the matter?" I stare at her with pure fury lining my gaze, as my grip tightens even further... After all, this is not a situation to mess around with, and I thought she would know this, too.

And, I feel as if I tighten my grip again, I may very well snap her neck. If she does not speak, then so be it... She will be slain, and I will move on in search of him. Nothing will stand in my way. Nothing. 

"Go ahead then, kill me. Rajime's happy doing his own thing, and I'm sure you would want him happy too." She's trying to worm her way under my skin...

"Do not talk as if you know me, Kazami. The only reason I haven't killed you, is because you're the only one I know who has had contact with him recently. Tell me where he is, and I won't slay you here and now." I make her the only compromise she's getting. Nothing more, nothing less, that's purely the only condition I'm giving.

"I'm still not telling you." She smirks. So be it, then, I go to tighten my grip further-.

"Stop this." A new voice stops, and a hand forces my hand off of Kazami's neck.

"Who dares to intervene?" I glare at the new figure, before finding it to be a nine-tailed kitsune, in this black and white dress, and attire similar to Rajime's... A red scarf, and grey ribbons similar to his... She's also blond, but she has glaring volcanic red eyes, in contrast to Rajime's oceanic blue. She's also carrying some odd book in her right hand, it currently being splayed open.

"You... Akane Shirogane. What brings you back here?" Kazami narrows her eyes at the figure, who simply places her hands in her sleeves. Shirogane, then?

"Stopping needless bloodshed." She gives Kazami a smirk. "After all, who will attend to the sunflowers, if you're gone?"

"...Fair point." Kazami sighs.

"Still, I'm not sure why you didn't just give her what you want. Are you trying to disrupt a delicate balance?" Shirogane raises her brow at Kazami, giving a stern look. "Of course, you wouldn't know such a balance, you've never felt such a thing before... Though, I'm aware she has, several times."

...What? "What do you know about me, exactly?"

"That you're essentially Raji-chan's carer and acting guardian." Shirogane simply smiles at me. "I must say, you do quite a fantastic job of it, too. You're respective of his boundaries and everything... although, maybe you're a bit too respective of them if you've allowed him to seemingly get lost from you like this." 

...Raji-chan? I assume she's referring to Rajime... in fact, he's the only person she could be referring to.

"That isn't true." I stare her down nonetheless. "Rajime wanted to go here of his own accord, and whilst I did initially express my concerns, he insisted. So long as I know he's happy and safe, I am the same."

"Of course, of course, you're the mother here, I'm not." Shirogane keeps smiling, before glancing at Kazami. "Now, Kazami, would you mind complying and telling her where Raji-chan is? Or do I need to poison each and every sunflower here?"

...Quite the threat to make. I had threatened burning them down not too long ago, although that was in my own mind. Shirogane, however, did not hesitate to make such a large threat in such a short amount of time... And, all the while, she made it with a straight-... No, she's not got a straight face, she's quite cheery. It's almost poisonous, her cheeriness.

Still, to make a threat such as that is... unexpected, to say the least. But, nonetheless, she seems to be on my side... Good. She isn't here to keep me from my dear Rajime, then...

"...Very well." Kazami reluctantly sighs. "...Rajime went off with a magician named Alice Margatroid. Presumably, he'd be somewhere around Youkai Mountain, as he'd gone with her to investigate an ongoing incident."

...

What?!

"...Ah." Shirogane sighs, tutting and turning to me. "Your boy's safe though, believe me. Margatroid can be trusted... and whilst she is a youkai, she was never always such. So, essentially, she's a human who went youkai. She doesn't attack humans though, if anything, she's friendly to them. So, as I've said, he's in safe hands."

"...You'd best hope you're information's correcton this. Or else." I approach Shirogane slowly, with intent. 

"Fufufu~... Of course I am correct. After all, I've been here the entire time, ever since Raji-chan had left with that puppeteer. Nobody noticed me, is all. Of course, I knew where Raji-chan had went, but I can't have you killing Kazami exactly. She plays an important role in Gensokyo as a whole, believe it or not. After all, the flowers would not bloom and blossom as beautifully without her." Shirogane raises the book to her mouth, to hide the already apparent grin on her face. I don't see a need for doing that. "You, however... Junko-san, was it not?"

"...How do you know my name?" I raise a brow.

"Not important." Shirogane lowers her book, revealing a smile behind it. "What is important is that you keep him out of trouble. Raji-chan, that is... but do not prevent him from investigating this incident. It's not as harmful as past ones, after all. Only step in should things go genuinely awry, should you come across him." Then she leans closer to me, her tone and voice lowering. "...He's important to both you and me. After all, much more is at stake with both his existence, and his sister's. Keep an eye on him."

...Now what is that supposed to mean?

She doesn't even elaborate, drifting back and regaining her calm demeanour. "But, I suppose this is all from me. Kazami, never do something as stupid as that again, and you, Junko-san, keep Rajime safe in a non-restrictive way, unless restriction is absolutely necessary. I bid you farewell."

And then she disappears... But her impurity remains. I sense it go from directly in front of us, then rapidly to the right, before shifting again towards Youkai Mountain. Whatever she just did, she made herself invisible... but I can sense her impurities no matter where she goes. She's quite rife with them, too, as is expected of a youkai.

"...Hmm. Certainly a troublesome figure, she is." Kazami seems mildly troubled with Shirogane's presence and sudden disappearance.

"Oh? After all, she had showed you your place. It was quite stupid to stand between me and my Rajime, Kazami." I remind her, raising a finger. "And let this be a note to never make such a mistake again... because next time, my fury will not be so merciful."

"...So be it. Now would you mind leaving this garden, and never coming back?" Kazami squints at me.

"Well, that entirely depends on what Rajime does. Should he come here again, I'm forcing my way through, and if you have anything to do with it, then..." I smirk. "...I suppose you can fill in the rest from there."

"Yes, yes, I'm aware. Leave." She points her parasol at me. Of course, I oblige, flying away...

...Still. Youkai Mountain... Hmh, maybe I am a bit too overprotective. I shall attempt to protect from a distance... or, at the very least, keep a watchful eye. The question is, though, where exactly is Rajime? I have a rough lead, although nothing too major or groundbreaking... How annoying.

But, as I fly away, I ponder an even more important question... Why is Rajime so important to her? As far as I am aware, she has no direct ties with him, and if Rajime knows somebody like here, he certainly hasn't spoken up about it... I'm fairly sure I would be a credible source of this, after all, as I'm the one looking after him. So why? What does Shirogane see regarding him?

...I'll force it out of her, if I ever get my hands on her. She seems to be quite the slippery individualy, being able to disappear like that... But the impurities of death and blood surround her like a plague, so she's quite clearly a very experienced youkai, from many, many years ago. And judging from her tails, she's a kitsune, or something along those lines.

I can worry about this later, however. I must find Rajime now.

Meanwhile... (Rajime POV)

Wh-. Ah, there's the weird feeling again... What's causing that? Do-. Do I want to know? Maybe I'm infected with some freaky super-virus that might kill everyone around me. That would be unpleasant.

...Still, I was filling in Gensopedia pages. And Sodatsu was badgering me about it non-stop. Like... she kept asking. Repeatedly. I even told her what it was, like, twice, but I think she somehow forgot. Then Alice tried to explain it in a dumbed down enough way for her, but she's still asking stuff about it.

...It's really, really annoying. But I'm patient... She'll probably understand eventually... I think. Anyways, what did I fill in... Ah, that's right, I filled in pages for Reimu, Marisa, and Sodatsu. Dumbed down version equates to that Reimu's generally fine with my existence, she's a shrine maiden that resolves incidents, and... yeah. Marisa is the same, except for the fact she's a witch or something, and sort of accepts me less than Reimu does, alongside seeming to know Alice relatively well. I did note how sour Sodatsu is whenever Marisa's brought up, though. In fact, it's one of the main points in Sodatsu's entry...

I did also note that abrupt mention of Makai and whoever Yumeko is, though. May be something important for later... and besides that, Sodatsu and Alice seem to know each other pretty well. I'd consider them good friends. Anyways, Sodatsu's entry is dumbed down to 'human gone youkai magician girl who can turn comically large or comically small at any given moment'. That's honestly all I need to know about her, I think. Alice is just 'dolls, like, a lot of them'.

...I should give dumbed down explanations more. They sound funny. Then again, I guess I can give very vague descriptions of people. Like, for example, 'star-spangled fairy'. And I'm fairly sure anybody can understand who I mean by those words alone. Uhh... hmm... 'Pure mom' is another that comes to mind, and that's also extremely obvious.

Ah... that can wait for later, though.

"So, uh... you done?" Sodatsu raises a brow at me. "Can I take a flick through it?"

A flick. "Sure, knock yourself out." I pass her Gensopedia casually, whilst she takes it and immediately starts flicking through the pages. 

"Ooh, so in-depth..." Well, she seems to be enticed by it. That's nice. She's... also reading and flicking through pretty quickly. Is she even reading it properly...? "So, ah... from what I can gather, these're like, your thoughts and what you know about certain people and... things. Keywords, ah... yeah, pretty good." 

...She passes me the book. Okay, I need to know... "Did-. Did you actually read it that fast?" 

"Huh? Oh, yeah, magicians can better read things like this than humans. Consider it a perk of changing race and uh... rejecting humanity, and... yeah! I mean, we could play Chess or something against ourselves. In our minds." Sodatsu grins. Oh, okay...

"...Sodatsu, we never rejected our humanity. We just evolved from the limitations of the human body." Alice corrects, staring at the size-changer with a surprisingly indifferent look. "Then again, I suppose it could be seen as that..."

"Yeah, yeah, you just don't want to say I'm right." Still grinning, Sodatsu puts her hands behind her head. "O~n the note of being right... I'm gonna be pretty righteous later and steal things from Marisa. Because, y'know, she stole stuff. From me."

"...Ah, yes, I had forgotten. What did she steal again, exactly...?" Alice tilts her head to the side, failing to recall.

"The materials I use to make my size regulators. And trust me, even if she is pretty crafty, only I know how to use those materials to the best of their ability. Sure, she knows they originate from Makai, but... I know their secrets. It's spooky." Sodatsu reminds her, with her face somehow being a mix between serious and casual. "And, hey, whilst I'm there, I could take a few magic books Marisa stole from Patchouli. I'm sure she'd appreciate that, right?"

"...I suppose she would." Alice nods in consideration, looking to the side. "Are you going about your usual method?"

"Myep." Sodatsu grins. "I mean, hey, if an incident's going on... she won't be home, if you catch my drift. Perfect opportunity for karma theft."

"Of course." Remaining indifferent, Alice just... nods again. "I wish you luck with that, Sodatsu."

"Mhm, yeah, I'll be careful, etcetera, etcetera." Sodatsu brushes her hair with her hand, placing one hand on her hip as she stands from her seat. "You take care too, Alice! And ah... you too, uh... Jirame."

What. "It's Rajime." I give her a dry look. "How-. How did you get Jirame...?"

"Don't ask, cute girl things." She does not want to own up to her own mistake. Ah. Also-. What in the fresh hell does 'cute girl things' mean?

"By that, you mean you forgot like an idiot and butchered it horribly." Alice corrects her yet again. 

"Hey-. I got it almost right!" Sodatsu raises her arms in the air. "Close enough, right?!"

"For you, I suppose." Alice has a small smile on her face. I see Hourai and Shanghai looking amused in the background, too, so they're there, I guess. 

"Ah, shaddup..." Sodatsu lowers her head, moving for the door. "Anywa~ys, bye~! Have fun resolving that incident stuff!"

...I mean, she gave me four cards, two of which sound incredibly ridiculous when paired together, a third that can make me large for increased damage, and a card which doesn't want me to cause damage, which is also most likely of me.

I also have Purified Strike and Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity, but Sodatsu didn't need to know that.

And, with that, I hear the door open and close, leaving just me and Alice.

...She just gives me a bigger smile immediately. "...You already have some Ability Cards, don't you?"

"Yep." I flash her the two cards, smiling myself. "I mean, hey, free stuff, right?" That and Sodatsu just got scammed, but the way I see it, she just gave me these four cards... and she didn't need them either, did she? So, yeah, free stuff. Definitely didn't just rob someone.

"I suppose it is better when it's free." Considering this, Alice stands herself. "...I also suppose we're best off heading out now. Since, you know, we only have so long in a day, and all."

O~h, yeah, that's right, the incident... Y'know, I was getting used to the homey, unnerving, and neat atmosphere of Alice's house. I'm pretty sure the 'unnerving' part of that mainly comes from the fact that there's dolls watching everything you do whenever you're inside. I say it's homey, since... well, it's cosy, what can I say? And everything seems so clean and tidy, too...

"How do you keep all of this clean?" I decide to ask her. I mean, if Junko can just purify dust or something, I'm imagining Alice has something she can do to keep it this tidy...

"Dolls." She just raises her finger. "That's all you need to know regarding that, honestly."

...I would kill to have a crew of dolls by my side. Well-. I wouldn't kill, someone per se, I'd more uh... politely convince them to give me a crew of dolls. Or let me have one. Dolls're fun.

Especially since looking at dolls or things like them help me to calm down. Back in the day, I used to have a hefty doll collection... not that the past is important now. I'm more worried about the future. Because unlike the past, you can't expect the future, and...

...I'm rambling yet again. What a surprise... it's a habit of mine, after all.

...Probably a habit of Trish's too. But unlike me, she's far more vocal about her thoughts. Chances are, if I was in the same general location of her, and I pretend to not be listening or near her, chances are I'd hear her ranting to herself.

Life never really liked my sister, honestly.

But that's not important! What is important is this incident! 

"Seems you've come to a conclusion with that little daydream of yours." Alice comments on my expression. I'm uh... currently blankly staring at a cupboard, before I look at her. "As I was saying... Come along."

"R-Right!" I hop up, moving to follow her as she heads outside, but I don't see anything different about her... "Where're all the dolls you needed...?"

"You'll see." She ominously smiles. What are the implications behind that. "Check your shoulders, would you?"

I check my right shoulder, and see what seems to be a lookalike of Shanghai, then I look to my left and see another one. I-. Oh. 

"I'm sure you can interpret what that means." Alice keeps her smile, drifting out of the door. "Now, would you please look behind you?"

...I slowly look behind me, and blink. That-. Oh, that's a lot of dolls...!

And, the next thing I know, I'm up to my chest in them-.

Okay, we... somehow managed to figure out how to go about this. I don't want to call this the most efficient way of doing this, but... it is. Dolls are pretty much armed all the way along my head and shoulders, clinging on tightly to my ribbons and clothing as they fly in the air, carrying me in the process. I count about twenty. Below me are dolls with shields, which Alice had dubbed 'the defense force', whatever that even means, but they're wearing more reddish dresses compared to the blue the others wear. 

Most of these are Shanghai-lookalikes, but I swore I saw a few Hourai-lookalikes, among some other dolls I'm not sure about. I think Alice called some 'London dolls' and some others 'Russian dolls', which also seem considerably different when compared to Shanghai and Hourai in general.

...So, basically, I'm covered in dolls. I also have Aegis on still, but I also have Strand active, since I keep throwing the hook at nearby trees to accelerate the process.

"...Hmm. In hindsight, this would be considerably far more efficient should I have had a Goliath Doll available." Alice brings a hand to her chin. "But... a doll that could carry a person easily and protect them would also be valuable, since the Goliath Doll is more offense-oriented... and that doll would most likely be smaller than a Goliath, yet bigger than the likes of my other dolls..."

"Having naming troubles?" I ask her. She's not too far away from me, flying along. We're uh... flying past what looks to be a lake. It's very misty. 

"I suppose." She reduces that hand on her chin to a finger. "Maybe the person could control the doll from the inside... or, more accurately, me. Hmm..."

Y'know, I might as well make a reference, or something. "How about Titan Doll? Or, uh... Vanguard." 

"Those... could work, actually." She takes it into consideration. "The meaning of Vanguard does hold true... as does Titan, since it would most likely be larger than the person - or target I should say - it would be guarding. I would rather go with 'Titan', though, since this concept wouldn't be oriented on offense... more so defending."

"Guess so." I tilt my head to the side. And, to further the reference, even though nobody except me is gonna get it... "Could it be dressed in like... emerald green, or something? Forest green?" I ask her.

"...Possibly. I can't say I've had a doll dressed in green before, however." Alice gives me a glance, as I throw Strand at a nearby tree-.

Whoosh!

Before me and the various dolls crash into it, they pull back, and Strand detaches, the rope snapping back to its original length. They learnt how to do that eventually. I mean, at first, we crashed into about three or four trees, but they're pretty good at preventing tree headbutting. Or tree slamming. Or anything impact-related regarding a tree.

"Are you asking for it to be green in reference to you?" Alice raises a brow. "I only say that, due to that Strand rope dart of yours."

Not far off the mark, but... "Nope, it's a reference to something else entirely." I shake my head, turning to face her, since the dolls do too. 

"...And what would that something be, exactly?" Alice raises that brow further. 

...How do I explain video games to someone who has most likely never heard of that before. Like, last I checked, Gensokyo doesn't have those. "It'd uh... be too complicated to explain right now, especially since I don't have an example on hand. Also, outsider thing, any outsider would know what I'm talking about if I asked them."

"...Ah." She nods. "That's understandable then. There is quite a lot about the Outside World which... confuses me, but it's still vastly interesting as to all the knowledge they have out there."

"...There is a lot of knowledge out there, honestly." I nod in confirmation. "But everyone's fighting each other with a knife to each other's throats and it's just... a lot to process. We've got war, we've got death, it's uh... really bad out there, and I hate it being that bad. But even then, I'm just one guy, not a lot I can do about that..."

"True. I've heard such before from outsiders before you. Is the Outside World genuinely that bad...?" She now seems vaguely concerned. Well, that... uh... hmm. 

"Yes and no, I think." I'm not too sure about it myself, but... "As in, there's a whole bunch of good, but also a whole bunch of bad, if you get what I mean."

"I do, yes. So what you're exactly saying is that there's both a lot of good and bad, but none of it is cancelling the other out?" She asks, to which I nod. "...Troubling."

"It's like..." I inhale, before groaning. "It's a whole bunch of conflict, and that really isn't my cup of tea. I'm more of a 'resolve things peacefully', with the power of democracy and stuff."

"I can tell." Alice nods with a smile. "...But, that level of thinking won't do you much good in Gensokyo."

"...I've been told that exact sentence at least four times now." I deadpan. "I know, conflict's necessary or something, especially with... danmaku, whatever it really is."

"Danmaku can be... quite complex." Alice stares ahead. "It can be used to shape beautiful, efficient patterns... or it can be used purely for one purpose, and that purpose is whatever the user desires. Be it to show off, display dominance in a certain skill, anything... even killing someone."

"...I was told that danmaku's non-lethal..." I furrow my brows. "How does that exactly make sense...?"

"Taking too much of it can paralyse someone permanently, and anymore of it after that point can even kill." Alice's face goes briefly serious. "...Not that I know the ceiling, and besides that, killing goes against the Spell Card rules put in place by Reimu."

Reimu? Spell Card rules...? "What do you mean?"

"There are certain rules at play behind danmaku. It must not kill and it must not be impossible to dodge. Those are the two main rules that come to mind." Raising a finger, she looks back at me with an indifferent expression. "...Although there are those who find workarounds, but still, breaking them is considered taboo, and anyone who does so is exterminated, youkai or human alike... or so I think, at least."

"So, basically, death penalty for one infraction?" I tilt my head.

"...Sometimes. I've heard of a few exceptions, and outsiders are one of those exceptions. Anybody can play dirty with danmaku against an outsider, and nobody really cares, unless if the outsider is a well-known and well-respected one. Like you." As she says this, she drifts slightly closer to me. "And, in a sense, you're my responsibility right now, seeing as how you're assisting me in resolving this ongoing incident."

...Huh. The more you know. I briefly pull out Gensopedia to make a note of that...

"Spell Card Rules - Essentially? Rules put in place by none other than Reimu herself. Mind you, my source for this info is Alice, and I'd be better off asking Reimu herself, but they essentially boil down to 'don't kill' and 'don't be unavoidable'. If you do, well, ding dong, your life is gone. Most of the time. I think. I say most of the time since Junko actively tried to kill Reimu with a Spell Card, apparently, but she isn't dead. Spooky."

Yeah, that works. I mean, I'll need to know this stuff for later, even in the incredibly odd and low chance I choose to learn danmaku.

...If anything, I'd prefer to not use danmaku or anything violent, really, but I'm not sure how long I can keep being a pacifist. I'm pretty sure I've been lucky this entire time, and I think my luck's gonna run out pretty soon. Especially considering I'm diving headfirst into an incident, but to each their own, I guess.

"Hmm. How many pages are in that journal of yours, exactly?" Alice expresses curiosity in the length of the almighty not-Wikipedia. Not sure why I just called it that, but...

"Uhh... huh, not sure, actually." I start flipping through it like crazy. Like, really, really fast. "There's... a lot more pages than there seems to be in here...!"

...Maybe I should consider investing in bookmarks or something. Because, knowing me and the amount I write, having a bookmark'd be a good idea.

Unless if I get used to Gensopedia enough to the point where I can tell where everything is, even though that's really unlikely, then uh... yeah, no, I won't need them.

Except, maybe, if I were to like... make copies of Gensopedia, and publish it as a book or something. Not that I'd know how to replicate a seemingly infinite-paged book, but still, something to keep in mind if I want to make a profit in here. I mean, the information I record could save someone else's life, probably. I'd be remembered as, like, the equivalent of one of those tutorial channels you'd see online, except I'm an author.

...Still, it'd make me more well-liked among the human population here, or something. Gensopedia'd probably need a bit of polishing up, though, maybe get rid of a few of my ramblings and... yeah, that'd probably do it, if I'm being honest. Otherwise, it's not-Wikipedia for me, and the insane ramblings of a normal guy for anyone else who reads it.

...Hmm. That right there? Thought for later, that's what that is.

"...So it would seem." Alice comments on my repeated page flipping. I'm doing that one thing with your thumb that allows you to go through pages really quickly. "There is certainly some magic at play within that journal... Although, I can't entirely tell what from a glance... but I'm sure Patchouli would know exactly what type of magic's at play regarding that book of yours, should she have a look at it."

Another mention of this Patchouli girl. Hmm... "What's this Patchouli lady like, exactly...?" I decide to ask Alice for fun.

"...Very studious. Serious. And, above all else, she doesn't appreciate interruptions, as whenever you'd speak to her, she'd be reading any kind of book, namely ones regarding magic, but even so." Alice gives me three different things to know. "Though, she rarely goes outside her library... but she has her own reasons for such a thing, such as health-related reasons. Asthma, among... a worrying amount of other things."

O~h, asthma. Also-. "...By 'worrying amount', how many do you mean, exactly...?" I bite my lip semi-anxiously. If I hear at least five, I'll just feel awful that someone has to live like that.

"For one, she's anemic, and I believe she's commented that she's deficient in some vitamins... either that, or it was something Eirin said." Alice sighs, her look shifting to a frown. "She's also incredibly weak physically, so if you were to say, hit her, or something along those lines, she'd actually be quite injured, even if it was a light strike."

"Oh, that's... awful..." I grimace. "How does she live like that...?"

"She has her ways." Alice's mood lightens a little, as we drift through the mist. Why's it so misty, anyway...? "We're actually quite close to the Scarlet Devil Mansion now... and as much as I would like to drop by and see how Patchouli's doing, we know exactly where this incident is coming from. Unless, of course, you're fine with a detour?"

A detour...? E~h... Oh, wait, Alice doesn't know, does she...? "As much as I'd like to, and learn, there's... one thing."

"And that thing is...?" Alice raises a brow, properly turning her entire body to face me.

So, uh... you know how I'm an outsider, right?" I bring a finger to my chin as she nods. "...And I have friends from outside Gensokyo. I also have a sister called Trish."

"I understand that, but I don't see how that's important..." Alice slowly furrows her brows, before coming to a realisation. "...Ah. Now I understand. They're in Gensokyo, aren't they?"

"Mhm..." I look ahead. "I've got some kinda contact with them, as in, I can talk to them every three days when I go to sleep. Special arrangement with the Dream World manager."

"The baku?" She seems genuinely surprised to hear this. "...I suppose it's not out of the question for her to humour such a thing. But why bring this up, exactly?"

"...Alice, I thought you were smarter than this." I joke half-heartedly, before clearing my throat. "...So, I came here to Gensokyo not by myself, but with my sister, and a friend of mine called Kolar. Why do you think I don't want to go to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, exactly?"

...

"I understand. Either your friend, or your sister, is in there." She interprets correctly! Yea~h! "But wouldn't you want to say hello to them, too?"

"It'd feel weird. And more specifically, Kolar's there. Whilst it'd be nice to see him..." I tilt my head. "...I don't want to interrupt him, if he's doing anything."

"Ah. Common courtesy, then. Why are they there, then?" Alice raises a brow. "The last I had checked, Remilia doesn't particularly keep interest in too many outsiders. Sometimes she humours them, in the odd case they're worth something to her, but most of the time they aren't." 

I... Hmm, that's a good question, actually. "I'm not too sure on the details of that myself... I don't think Kolar really knows either." Actually, I wonder if I might bump into him, if we're genuinely that close to that manor...

Might be something to bank on, I dunno. I mean, if it does happen, early meeting, right? Heh.

"Even so..." I click my tongue, looking around. "Why's it so misty around here, anyway?"

"...I'm not too sure, if you're asking me. In fact, I don't think anybody knows, since this mist comes exactly at noon, if not slightly later or sooner." Alice comments. I can barely make her out through the mist, but she's so close that it's also barely an issue. It's like... teetering on her being both visible and obscured by haze. But the mist is pretty thick. "However, what I do know is that this lake is called, simply put, Misty Lake."

"Huh. Bizarre, inexplicable mist. Neat." I grin, still being carried by dolls. Also, Misty Lake. Really apt name... but still.

I just randomly throw Strand into the mist for the hell of it-.

Thunk! Whoosh!

I~... hit something! Suddenly, I zip through the mist, with Alice rapidly following behind, before-.

Thud. 

My legs made contact with solid ground. I hit sand. Probably a lake shore, or something. Enbankment? I don't know, and I don't really care.

But what I do care about is that the mist seems to be lighter around the edges of the lake! Also the fact my legs're covered in sand because I kicked a whole bunch up onto me and the dolls around me, but a little sand never hurt anybody, did it?

...Outside of the fact it's coarse, irritating, and it gets everywhere. It's like... dust, but annoying. Unlike beach sand, however, this is lake sand. Probably subsidence from some... uh... rainfall, or whatever, and it's piled up to form this enbankment along the lake's rim. Pretty sure that's how that works, anyway...

Hmm. Still, solid ground, peace of mind, as I like to think!

Alice floats up beside me. "...What would you have done if that dart landed in the water?"

...Good question! "Swim, maybe? Or maybe fail horribly and you watch me float about helplessly for a few moments. No difference in that really." 

"Hm-." I nearly make her laugh! "Not particularly, no. The water's normally freezing cold, too... so I'm imagining it would be the latter. I..." She pauses, furrowing her brows. "I can't actually say I've ever heard of someone actually swimming in those waters."

Huh. Interesting to know. Misty Lake... Definitely an interesting place, surrounded by forestry, and-...

...It just occurred to me that I can see a mansion from here, towards the left. It's... European-styled, looks Victorian...

Well I'll be, that's probably the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Might as well confirm. "Uh... Alice, that manor over there, is that what I think it is...?"

"Hm?" She looks over where I'm looking, before looking indifferent. "Ah, yes, that's the Scarlet Devil Mansion. If we weren't preoccupied with this, I'd take you over there right now... and I suppose you have your own reasons for wanting to focus on the incident more."

Oh, right, Kolar. "True." I go to pocket my hands, before I remember there's dolls lined all over me where possible, so I can't. 

...I'd probably look really stupid if someone looked at me. Alice doesn't question it because she's the one who made the dolls. Sodatsu probably wouldn't either, because she knows Alice. And I'm not questioning it, because it works. Anybody else? They'd question it, or make some assumption.

"He~y! It's that puppeteer, and some... doll thing!" Speaking of anybody else!

A familiar voice was the person who just spoke, and I know immediately who it is. It's... very distinct. Sounds goofy, confident - maybe overconfident when I think about it, and uh... childish. It also got, like, pretty cold all of a sudden, so that's a giveaway and a half.

"...Ah." Alice turns to the newcomer. "You're that ice fairy."

Yep, there we go, it's Cirno, as I thought. Now if I could just turn, too...

...Why can't I turn around...? What voodoo magic is at play here?! I don't see what's-...

Ah. The dolls're keeping me in place and are actually stopping me from turning in any direction... There's also a lot more of them, and I'm pretty sure I'm obscured from view if someone was to, like, look at me from behind. Alice, why...?

"Hey! That's Cirno to you!" I can't exactly see what's going on behind me, but Cirno sounds pretty annoyed. Well, that's fun and all, but...

"...Let me handle this." Alice whispers as she floats by me. Oh, no. "Ah, yes, I had forgotten that was your name... Although, with fairies, I suppose remembering all of their names would be tedious..."

...I'm pretty sure some fairies would see that as offensive, Alice. I open my mouth to speak, but two dolls quickly stop me from doing that. I swear to-.

"I'm forgetful?!" And she's triggered Cirno, despite the fact Alice never said that. "Why I oughta...!"

"I didn't come here looking for a fight, however." Alice sounds extremely neutral. 

"Whah?! So you just came here to make fun of me and then leave!?" Cirno sounds even angrier. "You wanna mock the strongest?!"

"The strongest ice fairy? I suppose so." Alice corrects. "After all, I'm looking into an incident, I really don't have time to be doing this."

"Hmm... I'll let it slide, this time!" Wait, what? Cirno's actually...? "But!" There we are. "So long as you help me!"

"...So be it. What's the issue, exactly?" Alice expresses curiosity. It'd help if I could see them.

"I'm, uh... I'm looking for Ji-chan! I dunno where he, or she, I dunno what gender they were, actually... u~h... are." Oh. She's looking for me. I-. Of course, I told her to seek me out this morning... Oh, dear, I seemed to have forgotten about that.

"...I have no idea who that is, and I'm assuming you're going off a nickname." Alice sighs. "Do you know their actual name?"

"Uh... hmm..." I hear Cirno give it a good ol' think. "I dunno, I think... it was Najire?"

...Oh. That's somehow worse than when she butchered it yesterday. Ah, yes, my long lost brother, Najire. The Rajime-side of the Nagas is extensive and very confusing, you can very easily mistake me for one of my siblings.

...Not. 

"Hmm. Troublesome. I still haven't the faintest idea of who you're referring to." Alice sounds confused, now! "But, if I ever meet someone by that name, I'll let you know."

"...You're lying!" Cirno abruptly accuses Alice of lying. What. "You've gotta know where they are!"

"I don't-." Alice is about to speak...

"You do!" Cirno cuts her off. Oh, no. "I'm gonna force it out of you!"

"Oh, is that a challenge?" Suddenly sounding a lot more attentive, Alice uh... takes an interest in the challenge? "Of course, you won't be forcing anything out of me, although... I suppose a battle of bullets would be the best way to cool this situation down."

If that was an ice pun, I swear... No, no, let it slide, it was well-timed, I'll give her that... if it was a pun.

"Hah! Stupid puppeteer, you're facing the strongest!" Cirno boasts, then...

Fwa-fwa-fwam! 

...I hear danmaku, like, a lot of it.

Some even comes close to hitting me, though the dolls quickly moved me aside. Oh, so Alice is trying to avoid getting me hurt, it seems.

...

I really don't like them fighting, though. What if-.

"Freeze Sign! "Perfect Freeze"!" Cirno announces something...

"Darkness Sign, "Foggy London Dolls"." ...Then Alice does the exact same thing.

Okay, I really don't like the sound of that. Those're probably some super powerful attacks and I don't-.

Fwo~ar!

That... was a distinct noise. What-...?

"Be~ quie~t!" Someone else jumped into it, it looks like...! And from the looks of it, they're near me. When-? Wait, what-.

I see a purple cloud forming, out of the corner of my eye. The danmaku suddenly stops, and...

"Wha~!? No~!" I hear Cirno wail before-.

Pi~CHUN!

Oh. Cirno blew up, it sounds like. Fairies uh... do that, I guess? What even caused that, was it Alice's danmaku, or was it that... purple thing?

I also find myself to be a lot lighter now, the dolls... not restricting me as much as before... I blink, and look over at the newcomer, who was just barely out of my view to my left. 

...I find it to be... a relatively young-looking girl. Short, yet young, but... she doesn't seem natural, exactly. I'd say more artificial... Actually, on closer inspection, she has really smooth-looking skin. Untextured skin, that is. So... what is she, exactly? A doll, or something...?

Well she's certainly not one of Alice's dolls, I know that.

Uh... other things I can find. She's got a red ribbon in her blonde hair, as well as silvery-blue eyes, sort of like mine. In fact, she seems pretty much identical to me, build-wise, if not for the difference in height. Other than that, she's dressed in a reddish-purple shirt with red seams running along it, followed by a red skirt with... seams coloured similarly to the main parts of the shirt. Her shoes're the exact same. She's a very... red person, attire-wise, but I spy a pink bow behind her, so it's not just reds and purples.

...If this actually is a doll, seeing one who's fully, y'know, sentient would be wicked! I'm pretty sure I expressed my liking of dolls earlier. But she's larger than any doll I've seen thus far, so if she is one, I'd say she's a ventriloquist doll, or something.

She looks nice nonetheless, though. Cute, too.

Still don't know what that purple mist is... whatever it was, but the way I see it, I guess she gave me what I wanted, which was to prevent the fighting...?

I mean, she used some sort of violence to stop... violence. Hmm. Maybe I am going about this wrong... because if it takes violence to stop violence, then, uh... pacifism really doesn't look like a good idea now.

"...Annoying." Alice turns to the newcomer with furrowed brows. "Now why would you ruin that?"

"Because you're being way too loud, and I need to think!" The doll - still not sure if it's a doll or not - shoots, looking irritated. 

"...Ah? You're..." Alice seems to recognise her, as she drifts down towards me. Oh, right, dolls. "...Medicine? What exactly are you doing out here?"

...Medicine. Is that her name...? If so, then... weird name. Alice seems to be familiar with her, at least. 

"I came out here because of all these cards and stuff going around!" Medicine shoots her a simultaneously worried and angry stare. "But instead of finding cards and people to pass them with and stuff, I just got a whole bunch of bad luck instead, and-."

...Suddenly, she looks at me. "Why's there a human here?!"

...What?

"Ignore him." Alice just tells her to ignore me. "He's not doing any harm. If anything, he's assisting me."

"...Why's he covered in dolls?" Medicine proceeds to literally ignore Alice's request to ignore me. Huh. "Your dolls, no less?!"

"As I just said, he's assisting me... and this is the best way he can. After all, I trust him, he trusts me." Alice holds her book in one hand. Closer I look at it, it seems to be a grimoire... and thinking more about it, she's held that thing the entire time. "That, and I believe he's expressed curiosity in dolls."

"But that's what you say! For all you know, he could be plotting to steal and hurt your dolls, puppeteer lady!" She's not particularly... approving of my presence, it looks like.

...I also might as well speak up for myself. "I have a name, Alice."

"Oh, that's right." Alice nods. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

That probably would be a good idea... it'd also probably lessen hostilities, as is known to happen when one properly introduces themselves. Makes you look less suspicious or dubious. 

...Mind you, those words probably mean the same things, but someone can imagine the point I'm trying to make there.

So, I nod, obliging. "Name's Rajime... I uh... not to offend, or anything, Medicine... That's your name, right?"

"Yeah, and you'd do well to remember my name!" She pouts. Ah. Medicine it is, then. "So what were you gonna ask?!"

"Medicine. Calm down." Alice gives her a blank stare. "You trust me, don't you?"

"That's only because you make dolls!" Medicine holds her pout, briefly glancing at Alice with annoyance in her voice and expression, before focusing on me. "So?!"

Ah, right, I was gonna ask... "Are... you a doll, by any chance...?" I tilt my head to the side, though it's awkward to because dolls. "I'm just asking because-..."

"Because I'm what?! Stupid? Silly-looking?! Fake?!" She jumps to... rather surprising conclusions.

"What...?" I blink at her, furrowing my brows in confusion. "N-No, nothing like that. I just think that you look way too nice to be a human. I mean, humans don't have really smooth skin like that, right?" 

"...Huh?" I've... somehow managed to confuse her! "W-Well, duh, of course I'm a doll! You humans wouldn't know anything about looking as beautiful as I do!"

"I see. So why do you hate humans so much? I mean, you do hate humans, right...? I'm just judging from how you address me." I adjust Strand slightly, since holding it in place for so long was awkward as hell, what with all those dolls holding me in place...

"I..." She trails off, blinking. Medicine looks like she's trying to remember something... Which is most likely her reason for hating humans that much. "I was abandoned! I was a normal doll at one point, used by a ventriloquist, but they dumped me in a lily-of-the-valley field! I've hated them ever since, because I waited for a really, really long time for them to return!"

"...Ah. You were discarded, then." I bring a finger to my chin... "Although, if I were in that situation, I'd kill for a doll like you. Well-. Not exactly kill, per se, but you get what I mean, right?"

"...You would?" She seems thoroughly confused now! Alice also gives me a rather curious look.

Also, she's a ventriloquist doll, as I suspected. Well that's good to know.

"Well, yeah, not all humans're that bad. I mean, I like dolls, there's something about them that just gives me the feeling of..." I pause. "Honestly, I don't think there's any words I can use to describe it, but it's a positive feeling."

"And on top of this, he's particularly dismissive of conflict. It doesn't interest him whatsoever." Alice also points out. "...As opposed to the regular human striving for conflict with youkai, among other things, even themselves."

"...Really...?" The doll seems to at least give it some thought. She actually looks really cute when she's at a loss for words. I don't know why. "Uhh... Hmm..."

"If you don't want to trust me, and want to hate me for being a human, by all means, go ahead." I raise a hand for emphasis. "I'd like to be on a good note with you, but if you don't want to be the same with me, then that's fine."

"Mmgh...!" She doesn't sound like she knows what to say. Is... this a new sort of interaction for her? Interesting...

...Then, I stick my hand out. "But I don't mean any harm, I want you to believe me on that. So why don't we shake on it? A promise that I won't hurt you, or do anything weird."

Medicine eyes my hand with uncertainty at first, before moving to grab it cautiously, only for Alice to slap my hand down before she could touch me. "Hey, what gives...?!"

"...Had you forgotten about your poisonous body, Medicine?" Alice points out... wait, poisonous body?

"I-." Medicine freezes on the spot. "Ah...!"

"...I'm sorry, poisonous body?" I raise a brow. Now what is that supposed to mean?

"Medicine's ability is to manipulate poison... and I mean that as in she can use any type of poison. Snake venom, wasps, alcohol, spiders... the list goes on. Even the likes of opioids, such as fentanyl. Although, I suppose poison also extends to medicinal drugs. Though I'm best off not being asked about that. Eirin, however, would be, assuming you've met her by this point. But aside from that, I say 'poisonous body', because she's spent so much time around poisonous liquids and chemicals, she's essentially poisonous to the touch. And, as such, even a brief touch of her skin would make you inflamed... even if it doesn't seem like it."

O~h. That makes more sense...

...Still disturbing to know, however. "So what if I were to, say, wear gloves, and covered all of my skin?"

"That's... hmm." Alice brings a hand to her own chin, giving it a brief thought. "I don't particularly know the answer to that... but I'm fairly sure gloves would work regarding contact."

"Ah. Shame I don't have any gloves, then." I shrug, turning to Medicine as my head tries to go over other possible ways to show I don't have any ill will.

She's just... pouting with her arms folded. Seems like she's a mix between upset, uncertain, and annoyed. Weird combination of expressions, but not one I'm gonna question. 

Then I remember, she mentioned something earlier, didn't she? "So, um... Medicine, you mentioned something about bad luck earlier, right...?"

"Ah, yes, you did mention that... What exactly were you talking about?" Alice raises a brow, also expressing curiosity.

Medicine looks around for a moment, settles on me for a moment uneasily, before frowning and reluctantly explaining. "You know how I usually always have Su-san with me...?"

"That small doll that looks just like you?" Alice raises her brow further. "Yes, I'm aware of her. What about her?"

"I-... I got her stuck! I-I can't get her out, and-." Medicine brings her hands to her head, very visibly panicked. "I was trying to think of ways to get her unstuck before I heard that bullets and stuff, which I cut off because it was too loud and it prevented me from thinking!"

A small doll that looks just like her, eh...? Wait, hang on, this is great! "How about we help you out here, Medicine? We'll try and get your Su-san unstuck, how does that sound...?"

"You'll... You'll do that?" Medicine stares at me with doubt. "No, you're probably just gonna steal her, and use her as leverage against me! I know your type!"

Whoa, whoa... "I wouldn't do that. And besides, would Alice do that? I mean, she'd stop me outright if I had that in mind." I gesture to Alice, who gives a small nod.

"He's right. You know for certain I wouldn't do such a thing." Alice gives her a small smile. "And aside from that... I'm quite certain we should be able to get something done, regarding freeing your companion."

So this Su-san's sort of like a companion to Medicine, then...? I wonder if she has some sort of sentience, like Alice's dolls do. Actually, Medicine herself is pretty interesting... and I feel bad for her, being abandoned like that for who knows how long, in a field of lilies-of-the-valley in that way... Nobody deserves to be abandoned and alone like that, even if they're a doll like Medicine is. I can't... imagine how lonely she must've felt. She said she waited for her owner - the ventriloquist she belonged to - to come back, for how long, I don't know... It must've felt horrible, actually maybe even that's an understatement... Forgotten, like that.

...I suppose that's why she has this Su-san with her, then. To be a companion, so she isn't alone. At least she's on friendly-ish terms with Alice, or so I've gathered. Way I see it, she could do with a few friends... and maybe she just doesn't know how to interact with humans? I mean, she jumped to the decision of hating any and all humans, because of what one person, her previous user, did. She must be pretty inexperienced regarding communication with humans like me... and I want to prove that not all humans're bad. Sure, most of them are, but there's a few good eggs among the many rotten ones. It's those good ones you've gotta look for, in life. Or so I like to believe, anyway.

Anyways...

"Hmm... Fine!" Medicine pouts, allowing us to help. The~re we are! "This way..."

She begins floating off behind her, mumbling and grumbling something, presumably something about me if I'm being fair, but I ignore it and follow with Alice using her dolls to make me following her reasonably faster. Because, you know, that's how I've been travelling for the past, like, thirty minutes or so.

...I don't actually know how long it's been since we left Alice's house. Time dilation is, and always will be, weird. Might've been the atmosphere of the Forest of Magic, but I dunno...

...

Before long, we... come across a hole in the ground. That's obscured by some rocks. Why's there a hole here, exactly...? I notice the fact that there's rocks in this hole, too, and between those rocks is what looks like a small copy of Medicine. I can barely make it out, because the hole's deep, dark, and... yeah. But it's not too deep to the point where it'd prevent me from seeing the small doll, no, it's just that sort of depth. 

"Ah. Now this is bothersome." Alice comments, also peering down into it. Then, she turns to me. "I'm sure you can come up with something though, can't you?"

I mean... "I have one idea... but why can't you do anything?"

"I'm afraid my dolls won't reach down their. Namely because... Well, take a look for yourself." Alice instructs me to look at the dolls surrounding me with a flick of her hand. I see barely visible strings on all of them. Ah. "...The string wouldn't reach. That's why."

She controls all of them with string? Man, that must be tedious...

Anyways, my idea. "Give me a bit, I might be able to..."

Grabbing Strand firmly, by the dart no less, I...

...Hmm. How does Trish do it, again...? Oh, right. Wrap and tie it into a knotted loop of sorts, to the point where it'd be big enough to put a small object through it, yet small enough to the point where said object won't pass through. But the knot's really big, and over-the-top.

"What're you doing...?" Medicine stares at me in confusion. 

"Being innovative with what I have on hand." I tell her, making sure the ring is secured tightly at where it's tied. It's like a miniature lasso. "Now..."

Time to play doll fishing. Carefully, I extend Strand's rope part gradually, lowering it in one hand at a time, until-.

Clink!

Okay, good, it's at the bottom. Now... I keep a tight hold of the rope with one hand, squinting down. Jankily, I jerk the rope closer to the doll, which I presume to be Su-san, it dangling in the darkness with a barely luminescent green glow. Benefit of that green glow, is that it gives me a bit of illumination to work with down there. Hell if I know how it produces that glow, though.

...

...

...

Before long, I'm able to nudge one of the rocks Su-san's stuck between with the dart, then carefully do it again for the other. Then, not wasting any time, I make sure the ring goes over the doll in a quick motion, before I feel a force tugging on Strand. It's moving slightly more than before, and I take this as a sign to carefully pull it up...

...Which takes about a minute to do, to make sure I don't bash Su-san against anything, then subsequently drop her from the rope by being an idiot, and because she's moving about. This sort of thing takes precision...

And after that minute passes, I have successfully fished a doll out of a hole. I get a proper look at it, it has blonde hair and similar attire to Medicine. In fact, it looks just like her, and it looks annoyed. It's trying to get out of the ring I tied, and it's about as big as my hand...

I made the 'hook' part of the rope as big as my head. Guess I got lucky she didn't fall out mid-way, or something... but it seems she's tied herself into it by jerking around abruptly.

More importantly! "Here you go." I gently pass the rope over to Medicine, because I don't want to particularly run the risk of getting poisoned by touching Su-san, assuming she's similar to Medicine is with the whole 'poisonous skin' thing.

"I-... Wha?" She blinks down at the doll stuck in the rope of Strand, before forcibly untying it with... relative ease, as it proceeds to float up beside her. "Su-san~! You're back! I was so worried...!"

Strand's rope snaps back to its original length, and I flinch from how sudden it snaps back, as I could feel the vibrations on my arm when it did so, but I regain focus as I set my gaze on Medicine and Su-san, the former tightly squeezing the latter in a hug. Aw. 

"...Well, in actuality, I could have sent Shanghai and Hourai down there to retrieve her." Alice abruptly tells me, making me blink and turn to her... Wait.

"...You made me do that on purpose, didn't you?" I grin at her.

"Possibly. Who's to say?" She simply grins back. "I mean, you helped Medicine, as you wanted, didn't you?"

...That is true. Huh. 

"I guess... you aren't that bad..." Medicine focuses on me, squinting whilst still hugging Su-san. "...I dunno, I wanna say thanks, but... I also don't wanna." 

"You don't have to. Your happiness for having that friend of yours back's more than enough to satisfy me." I shrug, smiling neutrally. "And if you ever need help with anything, if you can find me, you can rely on me to help, be it with Su-san getting stuck again, or something else entirely."

"...Sure...?" She tilts her head, still relatively unsure. Medicine also looks like she wants to say something else, but... she's holding it back, for some reason.

"...Medicine, are you feeling alright?" Alice seems to have noticed how she looks. And by that, I mean the bigger doll is biting her lip semi-awkwardly. It's awkward because doll. That, and she keeps staring at and around me a lot.

"W-What?! I'm feeling fine!" She abruptly pouts, shaking her head at Alice.

"...You don't sound alright, but then again, you're stubborn to admit things around humans..." Alice sighs, also shaking her head. "Regardless, Rajime, we should probably take our leave. Incident to investigate, and all."

O~h, right. "Yeah, that sounds good..." Hey, wait, I just had a genius idea. "...Hang on... Medicine, you said you came out here looking for cards, and people to trade cards with, right?" 

"...Huh?" She blinks at me. "I mean, um... I guess I said that?"

Okay, cool. "Now, here's a proposition. How about you come with me and Alice? I mean, all those cards are an incident, after all. And besides..." I draw my six cards, then immediately begin spinning. "Whah-!" I~ forgot about that one...! Nagashi-bina Certified Spinning...!

That one is annoying so I pocket it, and I immediately stop spinning. "O-Okay, Alice, remind me to never pull that one out again." It's really disorienting!

"Of course." She seems slightly amused by my sudden spin. "...That one would be particularly disorienting."

"W-Whahaha?!" Medicine, however, fails to hide her amusement. "What was that?! You just started spinning like a dummy...!"

"...That was one of those cards!" I elaborate into why I just started rotating on the spot like I was possessed by a demon, or something. "It makes you spin, but it sends danmaku back at people sometimes. Also it makes everything feel immensely harder."

"...In Japanese?" She tilts her head.

"It has someone's ability in it." I dumb it down. "So, basically, that one was spinning. Like, a lot. I also have..."

I look at Sodatsu's card, titled 'I'm Big, You're Small!'. Well, might as well do it-.

Ding!

A random dinging noise similar to a coin being flicked rings out, and everything seems... suddenly a lot smaller. How big did this make me, exactly...?

...I look down... Oh. It at least tripled my height. I'm above the trees now.

"W-What?!" I hear Medicine's surprise. Surprisingly, that only increased my height. Not my length or width. Just my height, like I was stretched directly upwards. I'm like a large beanpole now.

"Yeah, some of these're weird!" I focus on the card again, before-.

!gniD

The ding plays out in reverse for some reason as I shrink back down to my normal height. Goofy cards.

...Actually, I might as well show Medicine the almighty 'Tamamo's Forbidden Toxicity' card. I figure she'll get a kick out of that, because poison. "Here, hold this." I just... pass her the card in question.

...She looks down at it. "...Huh? What's this-?"

The moment she grabs it and takes it from me, there is a large poison cloud all around what the hell.

"What-." Alice expresses her surprise, but I don't even think, hiding my face in my scarf until the poison subsides-.

Okay, note to self, never give Medicine that card ever again! I nearly got poisoned to unconsciousness, if I didn't hide my face in my scarf...!

Alice, however, was not so fortunate. She uh... got knocked out by the gas. Because, yeah, it's non-lethal poison. The card is, anyway. So she got knocked out because she was in it for way longer than need be.

...So, for now, I'm carrying her, since Medicine obviously can't, on the account of having a poisonous body and all. And if I can say one thing, Alice is surprisingly heavy. Heavier than I expected, anyway... I think it's the dolls. Because with Alice being conked out, they seem to be relatively... docile. Still.

"...Um... Oops...? I didn't know that'd happen..." Medicine speaks up, glancing at Alice as she floats beside me. The way I'm carrying Alice is with both of my hands and arms, because she's too heavy to one-hand. That, and I'm not very well-built, so I have to use two hands to carry her.

...I also may or may not have stuffed every doll that belonged to Alice into my bag, because a whole bunch of them just appeared when she passed out. I'm holding onto them for now, as a good person does.

"I don't think either of us would've known that'd happen..." I shake my head, struggling with carrying Alice slightly. I... was never the best at doing this kind of thing...! It doesn't help that I have to balance Aegis, too!

"...Are um... you sure you don't wanna take a break?" Medicine notes my particular issues with holding Alice. "You've been struggling for the past fifteen minutes."

Is that how long it's been? Huh. Well, we have been moving towards Youkai Mountain, albeit slowly, meaning I have no idea how close we are...

...Y'know what. "Maybe a break is in order... I'm obviously not able to carry her. And neither are you for... uh... poison-related reasons."

"Mgh..." She pouts. Su-san also pouts, mirroring Medicine. It's a funny little thing, that doll, it seems to do everything Medicine does. It's like looking at one of those funky mirrors you'd get at a carnival.

Gently, I set Alice down against a tree, before taking a seat beside her. Medicine takes a seat opposite me, and uh... Actually, how close are we to Youkai Mountain?

Briefly brandishing Strand as I raise from my seat, I zip above the trees with it by throwing the dart into the very top of one of the taller ones-.

Thunk! Whoosh!

...Bam!

My shield smacks into the bark as I cling onto the tree, peeking my head above the canopy. Let's see here... Ah, we're relatively close, actually. We're on... foothills, I think.

...I can actually see a decent amount of Gensokyo from up here, since it's at a slight incline. Huh. Neat.

"What was that about?!" I hear Medicine call up at me from below, so I look down, seeing her below the tree I'm on.

"Just getting a view of how close we are to the mountain!" I call back, before chucking Strand into the nearby ground, zipping on down-.

Whoosh! Thud.

My legs make impact with the ground, and now they ache. Fun. Well, at least I landed on both feet and not on my face like a dummy. "We're pretty close to it, actually."

"Oh..." She nods a few times. "Why're we going there, again...?"

"That's where the incident's originating from. Tengu're behind it, or so I assume anyway, and uh... yeah, that's all we know." I inform her, I... don't think me or Alice actually told her anything. Alice for obvious reasons, and I guess I just forgot to. Ah well.

"Mmmh... Crow tengu're annoying." Medicine pouts. Has she had a run-in with a crow tengu before...? "No match for my poison, though!"

...Ah, yes, the poison. Nobody is safe from poison. Especially Medicine's poison. I swear she threw poison at like, three things on the way here, and I'm pretty sure one of those poisonings was a random youkai in the middle of the woods. Well, screw that guy in particular, I guess... 

Well, that, or he was just misfortunate enough to be in the way. Or she.

...Gender is incredibly inconsistent, still. I'm one of the few guys I'm aware of-. Well, I'm not, but nobody outside needs to know that. It's a closed door topic, and I'm the only one allowed behind that closed door. I don't know if I'm ever gonna reveal that, but... hey, if I can play this charade, so be it, right?

Not letting everyone know what cards you have in your hand's important, especially if you want to keep a low profile. Even if it's as something minor as gender, it's still something you've gotta consider...

...Akane might know if I'm actually a girl, though. I'm pretty sure she could see right past me if I did try to lie about my gender... Didn't she say something along the lines of swearing she saw a girl in the Garden of the Sun? Then she corrected herself to 'guy', which means she was most likely talking about me.

...

Okay, yeah, no, she definitely knows I'm a girl. She must... be really sharp. Either that or she has some cheating knowledge I'm not aware of. Then in which case, damn.

But anyways, waiting for Alice to wake up! Walking back over to where I was before, I sit down again.

...Medicine seems slightly interested in something though. She's... staring at Aegis. Wait, no, she's staring at Strand. Why's she looking at it so much?

Actually. I should speak up, instead of internally questioning it. That way I'll get somewhat of an answer. "Something catching your eye?"

"Your... shield, rope thing, whatever..." Her gaze lingers on Strand, as she moves up to try and grab it. Of course, I let her, and she picks it up effortlessly. "Is this... poison, or something...?"

Didn't Yuuka say that was poisonous, too? I mean her parasol pulsated with green when I blocked-... Oh. That's why Medicine's interested. Her whole thing is poison.

"...I think it could be poison, actually." I tell her, as she holds Strand's rope right up to her face, running her hands along it repeatedly, in an almost hypnotic motion, like she's in a daydream. "...You feeling alright, Medicine?"

"Huh?" She jumps, glancing at me, then at Su-san, who also seems slightly dazed. "Oh-. I'm fine! But I've never seen this kind of poison before. It's new."

New poison. Huh. 

...Holding her hand out, this green mist floats out of her hand, then envelops a tree-.

After a moment, the tree rapidly withers, then-.

...

Did it just disintegrate? W-What?! Strand can do that?! 

"Oo~h!" Her eyes widen, her mouth twisting into a gleeful smile. It's surprisingly ominous-looking, since she's happy because of poison! "That's a really, really strong one!"

...She briefly pulsates with green, before I make her let go of the rope with a light tug from Aegis. "Alright, alright, enough of that. Don't want you going mad with power on me... I didn't even know Strand could do that, though."

"...Is that what you call it?" She tilts her head at me.

"Mhm. It's because the rope itself looks like strands trying to piece themselves together. It's useful for being nimble in enclosed areas, because the rope pulls me towards the dart you see here." I tap the jade dart, some green gas surrounding my finger before I quickly flick it off and rub it along the grass. I do not want to poison myself with that! I don't know why I tapped it, either!

...I briefly look over at where that former tree was. There's just a sad patch of dirt there now, with nothing on it, except for holes where roots were. Yeah, no, I don't want to end up as green mist. 

"Oh..." Medicine understands, at least. "Well it can do that! The poison in it's super potent! Wait, why're you using poison like that anyway? You're a human!"

"...Honestly, I have no clue, it just sort of appeared yesterday evening. I don't even know why it's poison-based either." I stare at Strand for a moment, before dismissing it entirely as Aegis-Strand reverts into just Aegis. Maybe Aegis-Pure would fit better? Since, y'know, purified, divine shield, and all.

...Actually, yeah, when Aegis is in its normal state, I'll call it Aegis-Pure, since it's purely Aegis and nothing else.

"Hmm..." She furrows her brows, but I note that she's sat slightly closer to me, instead of being outright opposite me now. She's towards my left, and the temporarily passed out Alice is to my right.

"Mgh..." Speaking of Alice, it sounds like she's waking up! "What..."

As she rubs her eyes, they slowly open, focusing on me slowly. "...What happened, exactly...? How long was I out?"

"...First off, uh... I may have messed up and gave Medicine one of my cards that produced non-lethal poison. It knocked you out, but I was fortunate enough to cover my mouth." I explain the first part, raising one finger, before raising another. "...Secondly! You were out for around twenty-odd minutes. I uh... carried you over here."

"...I see. Thank you, I suppose... Where are all my dolls, exact-" As Alice asks her question, I just pull out my bag and flip it upside down, dolls pouring out of it like a flood. Suddenly, I'm knee-deep in dolls, which're dazed as all hell. "-ly... Oh."

...

We just sort of exchange silent glances as Alice stares at my bag, me, then all of the dolls in that order. I fish around for that bento box Junko gave me, Hecatia's album thing, as well as Gensopedia, among other things I had in there, like that copy of the Gensokyo Chronicle which I forgot about, from the pile of dolls, before stuffing them back into my bag of infinite tomfoolery. I don't actually know if there's a limit to what can be stored in there, but all those dolls sure as hell didn't fill it up.

...Actually, just for the hell of it, I pick up one of the Hourai-lookalikes and put it back in my bag, whilst Alice is busy blinking at her dolls idly. I'm pretty sure she didn't notice. Medicine didn't either, it sounds like, because she would've spoken up about it.

Closing my bag and tying it to my waist, I glance over at Medicine, watching her drift near me, whilst keeping her distance. It's like she wants to trust me, but her body's saying otherwise. She might warm up eventually, I guess, and I suppose her reason is because she's not used to liking a human. 

"Mmm..." Waving her hand around, all of the dolls suddenly become mobile, flying into various parts of forestry and around us. Some attach to me, but they're considerably less in number than before. "I should have expected that."

"...You mean you weren't expecting that?" I raise a brow at her. Was she really not-...?

"Not really, no. After all, it's not everyday you expect someone to store hundreds of dolls in their bag." Alice tells me with a straight face. Oh, yeah, that in of itself is fair enough, I guess.

Then we keep walking. Nothing noteworthy really happens as we walk or talk, outside Medicine throwing poison at several things I couldn't see.

...

...We eventually come across an open space, a clearing amongst the trees. Nice change of pace compared to the many trees, plus that one Medicine disintegrated with Strand's poison for no reason, in all honesty.

...On the note of Medicine and poison, I swear she poisoned at least four more things on the way to this opening. It took about two, maybe three, minutes to get to this space.

Actually, you know what this gives me the feeling of? Opening in the middle of the forest, travelling with a 'party', so does that mean-.

"Hey, bro! Sisters! You three over there, in the neat outfits!" A voice calls out for us. We just briefly stop to look around in confusion. Who...? "Yeah, you guys!"

"...Hm?" Alice looks over in a direction. I do too.

...It's a girl dressed in white, reddish-brown, and orange, with similarly coloured short hair. I... also spy cat ears in said hair, then my eyes immediately trail behind them in search of a tail. Lo and behold, there is a tail, with a peach, white, and grey colour scheme on it. 

She's uh... got a collar on, with a little bell on it. I also spot two wrist bracelets with the same little bell on it. It looks kinda cute, honestly... Then I notice something else, the fact she's holding a large coin in her left hand. What's that called again, a... a koban coin, I think...? I'm not that familiar with it, although... My eyes trail to the way her arms're positioned. Maybe... Aha! She's got her right arm in an almost beckoning position!

Then, by that logic, would that make her a maneki-neko? I've heard of them, I even have one in my room! They bring good luck! Or... so they're rumoured to, anyway. I only got reminded because of the coin thing, and even then, the arm thing could be a coincidence.

Even still. Cat. 

"Alright, maybe I've finally got some good customers!" She's grinning ear-to-ear. Her voice is also incredibly smooth, almost like a salesperson. "I've got some sweet cards! Looking to buy some?"

Wait, what? "Cards?" I immediately express curiosity. 

"Yessir!" She nods.

"I think this might be our first clue, actually..." Alice brings a hand to her chin, approaching the neko slowly. 

"Hmm..." Medicine stares at her with uncertainty. I mean, yeah, that's reasonable. Then she whispers something, barely audible so that only I can hear it, and the cat girl doesn't. "Wait, do any of us even have any money to buy them with...?"

That... is a good question, actually! I scratch my chin. "I don't have any... but maybe we could barter with our own cards. Or more like the ones I have, right...?"

"That's if you can do that, though..." Medicine mutters back, as I focus on Alice, who's still floating over to the maneki-neko.

"So, ya interested?" She has a simple smile when Alice gets close enough to her. 

"...You do know how dangerous those cards can be, right?" Alice raises a brow at her. "They're not... particularly something you should be playing around with."

"Someone else said that exact thing earlier!" They pout. Really? "At least five people've said that to me today!"

...Five. 

"But you want 'em too, don'tcha? You've got the look in your eyes, the desire!" She quickly gets back to trying to sell cards. "They ain't dangerous or anything either! Everyone in Gensokyo's collecting 'em, y'know!"

Well, I might as well get closer to her, too. "I've heard about that. Apparently a whole bunch of people're getting in on it like it's a trend, right?"

"That's correct, bro!" They do finger guns at me. Aw. "But uh... don't think about attacking me, okay?! I've already been hit enough today! And even then you won't get any Ability Cards out of me through violence! I've given this explanation enough before, so I'll give it right here and now before you try and force me to give them up! You can't nab 'em through force, you gotta give something in return, y'know? That's the basics of the free market!"

...I never was an economical guy, but I understand what she means. "I get that. Say, by 'something of equal value'... Would that also include Ability Cards of our own?"

"You have some of your own?!" She raises her brows, grinning wider. "Yeah, I guess those'd do it!"

Okay, cool, that's good to know. 

"...Are you genuinely thinking of trading?" Alice inquires, glancing at me briefly. "I'm more in favour of buying them directly. I did bring some yen along, after all."

...I turn to her and tilt my head. "How much did you bring exactly?"

"Several thousand." 

...Oh. Yeah, that'd do it, too. Money or cards. 

I also get a brief glimpse of the maneki-neko's eyes lighting up. They seem really enthusiastic about this. 

Say... "It'd help if we introduced ourselves, huh?" I bring a hand to my chest, whilst using the other to stretch my hand out. "Name's Rajime. Human outsider. That's Alice next to me, and over there you have Medicine. We're sort of going around looking into the cards as a group, if you get what I mean."

"Oh, I see! Well you're talking to an entrepreneur of the free market, Rajime-san!" Oh, hey, someone finally used the 'san' suffix to address me. "Name's Mike!" She quickly takes my hand to shake it, dropping her name in the process.

...Also, Mike. Which is a guy's name. Imagine if she's actually named, like, Michael or something. I also like... want to keep her close. I dunno, there's something about cats that're just neat. Meaning that if I grew older, I'd definitely be one of those freaky cat owners with, like, fifteen different cats.

I like having pets. They're good company.

"And, uh..." Mike pauses, deflating slightly. "...I might be sort of lacking in my current stock, because I've nearly been wiped out by everyone else who came by earlier. I came around here to look for some more..."

...Oh.

"How many cards do you have in stock, exactly...?" Alice tilts her head.

...Mike proceeds to quietly pull out two cards, lowering her head in shame. "I know, I know, it's not a lot, but this is how business works! People wipe ya out of your stock quickly if ya ain't careful!"

Awwh. I produce my six cards, and make sure to specifically not activate that 'Nagashi-bina Certified Spinning' card by placing it on a nearby doll, which begins spinning really quickly instead of me. 

...Alice just gives me a dry stare, but I hold my hands up. "Hey, it saves me from getting dizzy...!"

Her stare remains dry, before the card just floats in mid-air. Oh. Okay, yeah, that works too.

"Wha?! You really are a collector!" Mike eyes my array of cards. "Man, what I'd give to have those to sell...!"

"They aren't yours!" Medicine shouts from nearby. Oh, yeah, she still exists. She's just been pretty quiet. 

"H-Hey, hey, I know that...!" Mike flinches from her volume. 

...I turn to her. "Hey, Medicine, be nice to her. She's just down on her luck is all." I raise a finger, before turning back to Mike. "Sorry about her... Hey, just out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to be a maneki-neko, would you?"

...That makes her perk up. "Huh? Well, yeah!" Mike grins... then slouches slightly. "...Sorta. It's... It's complicated."

I mean, maneki-neko aren't usually coloured the way she is. What's the exact type of cat she's called again...? It's on the tip of my tongue, I swear-.

"That's unusual. Normally maneki-neko aren't calico cats, instead they're normally represented with pure white fur all over." Alice brings up. Calico! That's it... They're particularly fun cats.

Okay, let's throw this out there, then. "...How about you come with us, then? We can share the cards that way, and I'm collecting them to make a notebook of sorts. Scrapbook? Album... Whatever you'd want to call it." There's a proposition for her!

"...I-. Really?" Mike blinks, actually surprised. "You'd uh... You'd be willing to share the cards? Can't say I've heard of that yet... But it might be an opportunity for more business, so I'm in!"

Well, she's interested, at least. But what would Alice and Medicine make of it...?

...I turn to Alice, who has a neutral look. "...Normally, if we were to find someone related to an incident they would be, for a lack of better words, attacked. Violently. Personally, this is a fresh change of pace, so I'm willing to allow it." 

...I see. Good to know.

Medici~ne...? 

As I take a look at her, she seems generally unsure and conflicted. "Fine... But I'm only allowing it because Alice is!"

Ah. Cool. I turn back to Mike. "Welcome to the crew, pal."

"Alri~ght!" She claps her hands together awkwardly, since she still has to hold the coin with one hand. How she is doing that I will not know, because that is a big coin. "Thanks, bro! I won't let you down!"

Also, being called 'bro' feels weird. Maybe it's just me, but I've never been called that before. Not even by Trish, Maroon, or Epsilon. Which... reminds me. When was the last time I actually acknowledged my other two siblings...? I know they're doing well somewhere, back in England, but I'm not sure if they're gonna come visit anytime soon.

...Actually, they won't have anyone to visit, because me and Trish're in Gensokyo. So is Kolar. That's a shame, I really wanted to introduce them to Kolar...

Maybe in the incredibly low chance I leave Gensokyo, or if they somehow get here, then uh... Then maybe it'd be possible to still introduce them to Kolar? Even then, both chances're low.

...So, ah... I turn to Mike. "...What were those two cards you had, exactly?"

"Glad you asked! It's these suckers!" She produces two cards, and I get a good look at them.

One seems to be of a black figure holding a fan, or... something. It's shaped like a leaf. The only thing that really strikes me about this is the big grin on this person's face, plus the fact the shoes're red, unlike the person drawn on the card itself. There's also something in the background, resembling... wind I'm pretty sure.

...Weird-looking card. I take it and flip it over to have a look at the description...

"Gale Geta

A certain crow tengu reporter's ability now allows you to move faster. But uh... the more you have of this card, the faster you are. Maybe if you had, like, fifty or something, you'd be able to contend with the aforementioned reporter herself in a footrace? Haha, what a silly thought, you can't outrun a crow tengu! ...Right?"

"...That's... Shameimaru." Alice comments on the design of the card. I-. Wait, Shameimaru? As in Aya Shameimaru? The same one Sodatsu called, and I'm quoting her on this, an 'asshole of a tengu'?

...How fast is she, exactly...? You know what, nevermind, question for later, and one I probably don't want to find the answer to.

My eyes, however, trail over the other one. It's of a calico maneki-neko, which I assume is meant to be Mike. She-. She had an Ability Card of herself? 

"Okay, uh... Maybe I really only had one for sale. I mean, I was gonna sell this if I couldn't find anymore, but now I don't have to!" Mike hesitantly explains, scratching one of her cat ears. "Besides, this is my Ability Card! Y'really expect me to sell that off?!"

"...Isn't your whole thing selling cards?" Alice blinks at her.

"Well-. Yeah, that's true, but still! Only in an emergency!" Mike reiterates. Fair enough.

...I decide to flip it over, to see what it does.

"Maneki-neko with Good Business Skills

A certain maneki-neko's ability allows you to haggle and barter for a better variety of cards. Even if the person you're bartering with only has, say, two Ability Cards at the time. They'll suddenly have five, maybe more depending, for no reason. Don't ask me, or anyone else, how that works, because nobody knows. But hey, having more choice is a good thing, right?"

...Okay, that card's weird. Don't ask how the spontaneously appearing cards part of it works... Don't ask. Do not ask.

"Are we done yet?" Medicine sounds bored, probably from standing around so much. Su-san's still with her.

...It also just occurred to me that Mike has four ears. Not two. Four. How-. How does that work? Does having four ears give you better hearing...? I'd imagine it would, but... Maybe loud things would terrify her, because of how loud she'd hear them? Just a random thought I had.

Oh well. "Yeah, we're done. Let's move."

...I decide to keep Gale Geta, Opened Third Eye, and I'm Big, You're Small out for the hell of it. I mean, the first and second for general speed and evasion, and the third because it's useful for intimidation... Should someone actually be intimidated by a guy who triples his height abruptly.

That and being that tall is funny.

...I put the other cards away in my pocket though, then decide to pull out Gensopedia from my bag. Might as well make a few notes as we go, right?

In fact, I go to write Mike's name with the pen attached to the diary-.

...Huh, that's weird. My fingers stopped... All I've written is 'Mike' and nothing else.

Wait-. I never got her last name. That's why... and I guess I might as well ask if she has a title, whilst I'm at it.

...Come to think of it, I don't think Alice ever said anything about a title to me. Medicine too.

Well this is a good opportunity!

"...What're you writing there?" Mike tries to poke her head over my shoulder, or underneath, just to snag a look at what I'm writing. "Is that a journal?"

"Close, but not really." I briefly show her Gensopedia, flicking to a filled page, which just so happened to be my own. "It's sort of like a handbook for me to remember everything that's important. Like, say, people, certain rules, stuff like that. But to save confusion, I call it Gensopedia, since it's Gensokyo-focused."

"...Filling that in again, are you?" Alice raises a brow, also drifting closer.

"Oo~h." Mike nods, before grinning. "Hey, what if I helped you write that, then help you further by publishing copies of it? It'd be a good business opportunity!"

"You know..." I bring the pen to my lips, softly clicking on it with my tongue a few times, as one does with a pen. It's that distinct urge to do it. The pen click urge. "I did consider publishing it, but not because it'd make money. I'd publish copies because it helps people like me."

"That's an added benefit! There's no reason you shouldn't try and publish a copy or two!" Mike's really trying to encourage me to publish it...

"...Still, I'd only really publish it when it's done." I stare ahead, parting the pen from my mouth, pointing ahead with it. "Because what good's a guide if it's incomplete?"

"I get what you're saying! So, uh... when do you think you'd be finished with it?" Mike asks me simply. 

...If we're being honest. "Probably a really long, undetermined amount of time. Because mind you, I'm trying to go over everything possible. That'd take a super long time, judging from some of the things I've heard through other people. And I want to make sure I get things right."

...

"Oh." Mike deflates, before springing back up again. "But hey, two people working on it're better than one, right?! So whaddaya say?"

...I would actually appreciate some help in filling this out. Actually, hey. "I was actually going to fill a page in on you. Would... uh... you mind doing that? I mean, you'd obviously know yourself better than I do."

"Oh, really? Well that equals out nicely! Give it here!" She holds her hand out, before glancing at the big coin. "Oh, uh, would y'mind holding onto this for a moment...?"

...Ah, right, the coin. I'm imagining that'd cause some issues, so I take it as I hand Gensopedia and the pen associated with it over to her, and I feel... lighter than before. Confident, maybe. Is that what good fortune feels like? If so, then that's neat.

"Alright, there we go, so uh..." I watch her flick to the page I started to write about her on. "Hey, hang on, lemme fill this in..."

As she begins writing, I notice how dazed yet focused she immediately looks. Is-. Is that what I look like when I start writing in there...? Wow, it's... a really confusing yet intriguing sort of look.

...I begin walking in a direction, towards Youkai Mountain, and she actually follows. I mean, Alice and Medicine started trailing along with me, seeing as how we don't have any other reason to be here still, but even so.

"Ehh... Books..." Medicine makes a face at Gensopedia. "I never really understood the need for them."

"If I could interject, books allow us, along with others, to record our thoughts and ideas. Sometimes stories, other times magic, and associated topics like that." Alice raises a finger. "Each book, as I like to believe, has its own purpose. Of course, I'm a magician, so I may be biased about my opinion on them. However, Medicine, maybe it would help if you had a diary of your own? After all, it would allow you to keep track of the days that've gone by on the Hill of the Nameless. And see how Rajime's treating his own, he's using it to determine what to do, and what not to do, as well as what to keep in mind."

"...I guess." Medicine's expression doesn't change. Su-san has a similar expression but it's ridiculously cute-looking because of how small she is. It's just Medicine but small, but even then small is cute in my opinion.

...Unless if it's a wasp. Those are beings of pure malice and spite.

Also, Hill of the Nameless? Probably where Medicine lives... I should ask her about it later, if she's willing to tell me anything about it, that is.

...My eyes trail over Mike, who's just staring at Gensopedia and... not writing anything. I think that means she's done?

"...Whew... That sure was a weird feeling." Mike suddenly speaks, shaking her head and looking around, rather confused. I mean, that's how I felt the first time.

Speaking of which... "...I might've forgotten to tell you that it makes you write everything you know about that given topic. So, in your case, you just wrote about everything you knew about yourself." I point out to Mike, taking Gensopedia back from her as I hand her back her large coin. "Actually..." I glance at Medicine. "Why don't you have a try at filling it in, Medicine?"

"...I don't wanna." Medicine pouts.

"Come now, Medicine. This is how you repay his kindness? After all, he brought back Su-san for you." Alice reminds her, raising a free finger. That is true.

"...Su-san?" Mike glances between me and Alice, confused.

"That's the doll hanging around Medicine so much. Pretty much her best friend, last I checked." I also point out to her. "Just so you know."

"Aah, alright, gotcha..." The maneki-neko understands, at least.

"Mgh... Alright, fine!" Medicine slouches, defeaed with sound logic. "But if I find out you do anything bad with my info, I'm gonna hurt you!"

Okay, that's a threat in of itself. Cool. I just show her a slightly unnerved thumbs up, nodding wholeheartedly. Being poisoned to death is not up there on my priority list, right now. I don't even plan on using this info for anything outside of general knowledge and my own safety, for now.

...I want this to have only the truth in it, so I write a lot of uncertainties for pages I fill out myself, so there's bound to be errors since I don't properly know... anyone really. I'm just going off of thoughts. Mere mights and maybes. Nothing in there's set in stone to be correct, anyway.

So, I pass Gensopedia over to Medicine, and notice her snatch it from my hands, as well as the pen. Oh. Okay. I hear her briefly grumble something before beginning to write on a fresh page.

...Then she has the same look Mike had. What is it with that book and making people space out as they write...? Does it possess them temporarily to force out all of the information they have on a topic, correct or not? If so, that's... cool. Terrifying, but cool. 

"There it is again." Alice comments on Medicine's expression. "So it affects not only living, organic beings, but artificial ones like dolls also."

"Wh-. Wait, is that what I looked like?!" Mike raises her brows at Medicine's face. "It uh... huh..."

"Yeah, that was my reaction too, because I'm the one who wrote everything else in there." I gesture to Gensopedia, then to Medicine furiously scribbling words down. "...But I don't think I write that angrily. You didn't either."

"Guess everyone has their own style of writing, eh?" Mike jokes, trying to place an arm on my shoulder and getting... somewhat of a success out of that. I mean, she had to float up to do that, because she's way shorter than I am. She's a cat youkai, after all. A short one, at that.

...It's cute.

"...When her rage isn't directed at you, I suppose it can be... useful." Alice comments on the way Medicine's writing down things about her in my book. She's just scrawling very, very angrily. She seems like a really melancholy person, when I consider it. But the thing is, melancholy means sadness. She's just angry.

...Makes me wonder if she's sad when she's alone... Could be that, considering how she reacted about Su-san getting stuck down that hole earlier.

As much as I want to give her a pat on the head, there's several things preventing me from doing that. One is that she could like, probably melt my hand off with poison, another is that I'd get poisoned by touching her alone, and a third is that she'd get angrier, which results in more poison.

...I don't like poison, if you can't tell. It terrifies me sometimes, like what if I ate something poisonous, or what if someone stuck me with a poison blow dart?

That latter thing'll probably never happen, but the first...? Well, it could, depending on what I eat.

Y'know, that reminds me, why is it that the healthiest things always look so unappealing? Food, I mean. Like, some fruits and vegetables, don't get me wrong I love eating those, just look... bland. Like, they just look like a bunch of leaves thrown together, but they end up being rich in nutrients and vitamins and all sorts.

...It's weird. Nature's weird like that sometimes, I guess.

And-. Oh, wait, hold on, I'm rambling.

"Mmgh..." I hear Medicine pouting. "That was weird! I don't like that book!"

"Journal." I correct her, taking it back, taking care to uh... avoid anywhere she touched. I mean, it's not hard to tell, since some of the paper fades at random spots in the shape of a handprint, but I can read the ink that was written on it just fine.

...Medicine wrote a fair bit about herself, and I actually get a look at her full name-.

Melancholy. Her name is Medicine Melancholy. Did-. Did I not just mention something melancholy-related a minute ago? Huh. Weird.

Either that was a coincidence, or that was me somehow predicting the future... And let's face it, I'm never going to be able to do the latter. I'm no fortune teller or psychic, after all, so it's a coincidence... probably. Maybe. Funny coincidence to have though...

...Actually, I check to see if she has a title... 

...'Little Sweet Poison', huh? Yeah, I can see that.

I decide to go over whatever Medicine wrote down for herself, too, but briefly. I can always have a proper read later.

...Ah... It says here she was a large doll used for ventriloquism, so basically, the thing where someone makes a doll seemingly speak. She was abandoned in a field of lilies-of-the-valley, in an area known as the Hill of the Nameless... But it looks like she only recently became a youkai. Couple of years ago, actually, but before she became a youkai, she was apparently sentient, and waited for her owner to come back... Meaning she wasn't kidding. I feel awful for her.

...O-On a lighter note, Su-san's name is apparently short for Suzuran, which roughly means 'lily-of-the-valley'. I-. Wow. The more you know, huh...?

She obviously wrote down about her hatred for humanity, but something catches my eye, and that thing is that she's actively tried to poison the Human Village before, but was apparently stopped by someone... What? I-. Okay, wow, that's... something and a half to keep in mind. Another note catches my eye, and that it quite literally just says my name, with 'I dunno about him' written after it. 

...The sentence literally just goes- "Rajime... I dunno about him. He's a weird human, because he helped me get Su-san back, and Alice trusts him too." -and that's it.

She's... not sure about me. I can tell she wants to trust me, but her general hatred of humanity's tampering that desire to trust. Maybe if I keep trying to talk to her, she'll crack that habit. I mean, she's young, for a youkai, so she's impressionable...

...I also realise that sentence can be taken horribly out of context and in any way. I mean that as in I can make a good impression on her, that not all humans're bad. I can change her opinion, I bet, if I just give it a good old chunk of time and effort, then bam, she's got a fresh perception of people! Heh...

Well, I carefully flip over to Mike's entry, just to see what she wrote down too.

...Considerable chunks. I briefly gloss over some part that she actually didn't fully finish her training to become a maneki-neko. I-. Wait, she trained to be a maneki-neko? They aren't born naturally? Well that's one misconception I had that's been cleared up. Cool.

I also note the fact that she wrote down her occupation, too, and that she was, and I'm quoting her words on this, 'happily unemployed'. S-... She's happy to be unemployed? I'm not sure if that's depressing or something else entirely. Good for her, I guess...?

Bu~t at the same time, it says she's trying to get some business going whenever she can, and that these Ability Cards, her whole trade thing, was the next big thing. But then she quickly added that helping me fill out Gensopedia to make copies to sell was her next big goal in life. She uh... she sees me as a 'damn well good business partner', her words, not mine, which is neat to know.

...She seems like a pretty ambitious regarding anything business-related, then I note her ability. It's to beckon in customers or business, and she even put a little note after saying that it can only be one of those things, because of her incomplete training to be a maneki-neko. She does also briefly mention something about her coin and good fortune too, but that's innate to anything regarding maneki-nekos, since they're seen as good luck.

Y'know, if this pen truly does make someone write everything they know about themselves, or other topics, that means everything written in those two entries are entirely true. Medicine and Mike wrote them, after all... and I should add a little note saying that this was written by the subject themselves.

Is subject the right word? Probably, after all, they're the subject of the entry, aren't they? So it makes sense in my book and that's all that matters.

...I briefly jot down a note in each of those, saying they're the ones that filled out their respective entries, then glance at Mike's last name and title.

Ah, so her full name's Mike~... Goutokuji. She's a maneki-neko, obviously, and... uh... Wait, hold on. Goutokuji? As in... Goutoku-ji Temple? Either that's one hell of a coincidence, or... her last name's intentionally like that. It just hit me, isn't that the same place maneki-neko're believed to have come from? I know it has ties running deep regardign Buddhism, since it's a Buddhist temple right in the heart of Tokyo, but... Hmm.

...Topic for later. My eyes keep glossing over what she wrote down, before settling on her title. That's what I wanted to find. And it's... 'Lucky Charm for Prosperous Commerce'. Well, that's not wrong, for a maneki-neko. Pretty dead-on accurate...

Well, that's enough of that, I can give it a proper read later... Say, speaking of which, Alice. I turn to her. "Do... you want to amend the uh... the small entry I have of you? I mean, everything I wrote's not particularly correct, since... Well, you know, it makes me write what I know on a topic. Or what I think, at least, since I ask a lot of questions to myself."

"Hmm..." Alice considers it, bringing a hand to her chin. "I may as well. Pass it here, and-."

"Margatroid." A new voice makes Alice stop, looking dead ahead. I look ahead too, before spotting-.

...Is that Kolar. We just briefly lock eyes and he freezes on the spot. I just blink straight at him, but... he wasn't the one who spoke. He's far, far more reserved... and I don't think he'd actively approach someone either.

I do, however, note the fact he's holding a pink parasol pretty well, and that there's someone stood next to him beneath it. It's... a blonde girl, with a fluffy white-and-red cap on, with a red ribbon attached to it. I'm pretty sure the term for them is mob cap, but oh well. I note the piercing red eyes that vaguely glow, and... the wings. The wings. Oh, wow, those're... pretty. They're like two sticks protruding from her back, but there's these crystals seemingly floating off from them, glowing every now and then when light shimmers onto them.

...Okay, that's cool. There's a ponytail tied to the left side of her head. I do note how short she is compared to Kolar, around four feet tall, but she looks really young. I almost mistake her for a child, at first, because of that. She just looks... really young. Really, really young. She's dressed in a more... How do I say this, ah... A more fancy red dress and vest? There's a pink shirt beneath that red vest, and... uh... yeah, that's really it. I note dress shoes and socks, but aside from those, that's it.

...Oh, also the weird clock needle-looking thing, also with a red ribbon on it, but I'm willing to not question that. I have a transforming shield, so that clock needle is probably a weapon of some sort.

"...Ah. Izayoi. What exactly brings you out here?" Alice greets someone else who's here. Glancing over at where she's looking, I find someone with silver hair wearing two long braids down both sides of her face, wearing-.

...Is that a maid outfit. M-. It's a maid. What. I do, however, get a glance at the fact she's holding knives. Also what looks to be a pocket watch, but I'm not sure what a pocket watch has to do to stand out. Decorative flair, or general time-telling, maybe?

I mean, the maid outfit itself looks like a French one. Do not ask me how I know what specific countries' maid outfits look like, I just... I just do, okay? It's got short sleeves and an apron, and... yeah. Other notable things are stockings and a big white ribbon at the back of her outfit, just barely visible, and red shoes. Hm. Compared to Kolar, she's around the same height as him, if not slightly shorter. She's shorter than I am, that's a given, but still.

"Ah-." Mike sounds like she's just seen a ghost. I briefly look over and see her trying to hide behind me where she can. She's... also looking directly at the maid. I-. What's that about...?

...I'm more interested in whoever that shorter girl is, really. She's just smiling and-. Oh, she's looking at me. She briefly turns to Kolar and asks him something, it's inaudible due to how far away I am, but he glances at her and nods, saying something back.

...Hopefully it's something good about me, and not her asking if she can gut me or something. I mean, as funny as that concept is, no, it really isn't funny in actuality.

Besides, Kolar doesn't have a reason to want me dead. And he probably never will.

"Mgh... That maid lady's really mean..." I hear Medicine speak up slightly from nearby. Mean, huh...?

...Closer I look at her, Izayoi as Alice called her, she doesn't give me that impression. She seems more neutral than anything else.

"Investigating this incident. The mistress had shown a particular interest in it, so she had sent me out to collect some of these Ability Cards." Izayoi responds simply. "...Although, I didn't imagine you would be out here too, with one of the card distributors no less."

...I swear Mike just looked two times as pale when she got addressed. Why's she so afraid...? I also notice the fact that Medicine's trying to hide behind me, just out of sight too.

"Don't think I didn't see you either, Melancholy. You're especially strange to see out here." Izayoi also regards Medicine, somehow noticing her past me... Then, she focuses on me. "And, seemingly, a random human."

"Yes, well, originally, he was helping me investigate this incident. He's an outsider." Alice somewhat introduces me, but I just pocket my hands the best I can and stare ahead at this Izayoi figure. "And what of you? Why exactly is your mistress' little sister with you? And... who is that, exactly?" 

She gestures over at Kolar, as Izayoi glances at him. "...Ah, that's an outsider also, a surprisingly recent one. He's assisting around the manor alongside myself. He's... quite good at it, I'll say. As for the little mistress? Well, given recent events regarding a certain god... The mistress saw it fit to let her stretch her legs a little. Besides, he's made a considerable impression on her, and she wouldn't leave without him. That's why they're both here."

...I notice the fact Kolar has a little headdress on when she says this, and that's somehow the best thing I've seen all day. Outside of Sodatsu being herself, or meeting Medicine, that is. He's a butler. I mean, it does sort of suit him, he is... Okay, that's not important.

"...What's his name?" Alice raises a brow.

"Before I tell you that, what exactly is his name?" Izayoi also raises a brow, pointing a knife at me. Those knives shimmer very brightly, and I swear I saw more in pockets and under her dress. The faint glints give them away. Why does she have so many knives? Let me guess, she's a vampire and she can stop time, too-.

Wait, she can't be a vampire, it's broad daylight. Still, I don't know about the stopped time thing. Maybe it's a coincidence she happens to have so many knives.

...I do wonder why Kolar's holding a parasol, and why that girl next to him seems to be sticking by him under it, wherever he goes. Is she a vampire? I mean, Izayoi addressed her as 'little mistress', and if Kolar's there...

I-. I think I just put two and two together, and it... really wasn't that hard to, for once. So Kolar's helping out at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, he's told me that much, and if Remilia Scarlet is the mistress... That means the blonde girl's last name is 'something Scarlet'. Because, you know, she's the little sister of Remilia. Meaning she's a vampire too, and she's sticking under the parasol to avoid spontaneously combusting. That's... probably it, huh?

Also, Alice is looking at me. I'm looking at Kolar. He's looking at the 'little mistress', who's looking back at him. It's a very look-based scenario.

Alright, introductions, a~h... I mean, Kolar's there, so...

...I just had an idea. "...Alright, I can see I need to introduce myself, huh? Rajime Naga, that's my name." Then, I point at Kolar. "...Friend of that guy over there, dunno if he's told you about me and Trish."

"Wh-." Alice pauses, staring at me weirdly, before her eyes widen. "...Ah-. Is that Kolar?"

"Bingo." I nod at her.

Also, because his name was mentioned, Kolar actually stepped forward with the blatantly not a human probably a vampire girl. "I was wondering if you were going to say that..."

"...Rajime... I believe that name does ring a bell." Izayoi gives me an inquisitive glance, then turns her gaze to Kolar. "You know him?"

"Yeah, that's... That's Rajime." Kolar slouches his shoulders slightly. Closer I look, I finally notice the fact he has a katana sheathed at his waist. Oh, he wasn't kidding when he said he found a katana. It suits him, honestly. It has a faint scarlet pattern lining the handle thing, and all along the scabbard, too. It's intricate and looks... old. 

"Oh... He looks way different than I thought he would!" The girl beside him speaks up, making Kolar turn to her awkwardly.

"Well-. A lot of people get that impression when I try and describe him, Flan..." Rubbing his cheek, Kolar gives her a brief smile.

Also, Flan. So... hmm. Probably a nickname for her. Actually, speaking of flans makes me hungry, even though I had breakfast not too long ago...

...But what could 'Flan' be short for? I'll find out soon, I guess.

Mike still seems absolutely terrified, because she's still standing behind me. I also notice the fact Medicine looks really, really annoyed.

...Actually, before she does anything rash... "Hey, Medicine, if you're thinking about doing something, don't."

She actually pauses, briefly glaring at me, before calming down. "...Fine."

"...Well-spotted." Alice comments on my very brief show of perception. As one does.

I mean, I mostly thought to see if Medicine was doing anything because Kolar. Also Mike being terrified.

"...Um..." Kolar also just spotted the maneki-neko too, biting his lip. "Sorry about earlier...?"

"D-Don't talk to me...!" Mike hides behind me further. What the hell happened earlier.

...I give Kolar a very expectant look, and he's about to speak, when Izayoi steps in.

"I don't believe that's necessary to mention right now, Kolar." She shakes her head, floating in front of Kolar.

"...She seems traumatised half to death. What happened earlier." I want an answer. I'm pretty sure Alice does too, because she has her brow raised.

"Hmm... If you truly want an answer, then how about a Spell Card duel?" She directs at me.

...

"You do realise he doesn't use danmaku, the same as me, right...?" Kolar just gives her a blank stare. 

"...I was more so directing that at Margatroid than anybody else." Izayoi corrects herself.

"A Spell Card duel, hm?" Alice seems unusually fired up. "So be it. I am curious about what you did to terrify Mike so much, Izayoi."

"Very well. Five cards." Izayoi floats up into the air, with Alice following behind. And before long, I start hearing danmaku being exchanged, alongside the whistling of sharp objects cutting through the air.

...I briefly look up and see knives. A whole mess of knives. Of different colours, that is. They're all being thrown around in meticulate and careful patterns, though it does seem a bit abnormal every now and then... Sometimes she's throwing out five at once instead of, say, three. I don't know how she's doing that, Izayoi that is, but she seems particularly adept at it.

Also, Kolar. I lightly pat Mike on the head, then coast her into following me over to Kolar and 'Flan', whatever her name truly is.

...I get a glimpse of Medicine approaching with me, too, but she's keeping her distance.

Noticing me approach, Kolar stands up straight, adjusting the parasol slightly. "So, um..."

I have one question on my mind. I glance over at the short girl and give a soft smile. "I see you've been busy, huh, Kolar? Who's your friend here?"

"This is um... Flandre. Flandre Scarlet. You're familiar with her sister, Remilia, right...?" Kolar tilts his head to the side, to which I nod at. "Um-. Yeah, she's... her younger sister, and the little mistress of the manor."

"We're friends!" Flandre adds helpfully, pumping her fists into the air alongside that clock needle thing which I still do not know what it is. Dubious clock needles. Then she lowers her fists, looking a bit unsure. "...Best friends? I dunno, I'm still thinking about that..."

"W-Well, we're friends, and... that's all that matters, really." Kolar smiles somewhat more confidently than he usually does. Then he looks at Mike. "Um... Mike, was it...?"

"I-I said don't-." Mike's about to say, when Kolar extends his free hand to her. "Huh...?"

"I didn't have any control over that. That was all Sakuya." Kolar reassures her. Also, Sakuya, huh...? "I, um... You've met Sakuya, obviously, she's the other girl that's with me and Flandre. She's... the head maid at the manor, but I swear she cheats sometimes."

O~h, that explains the maid outfit, then. And it gives me a name to work with, which is nice.

"So, u-um... Who're you out here with...?" Kolar gives a brief glance in Medicine's direction, then above at the ongoing battle of bullets and knives.

"Well, I was here with Alice, the girl in the blue and white dress you saw not too long ago, at first to investigate the incident." I gesture above. "But then we ran into Medicine, who's the doll over there." I gesture to Medicine next, who's sat nearby with a pouting face. "...She's moody a lot of the time."

"...She looks cute!" Flandre observes. Well.

"I wouldn't recommend touching her, though." I raise a finger. "She's covered in poison. So if you plan to touch her... Make sure you cover your skin when you do it."

"And the last thing we need is you getting poisoned, Flan..." Kolar cautiously places his hand on Flandre's shoulder, frowning. "I mean, Remilia'd probably get mad at me if I did let you get poisoned, and that's if Sakuya doesn't do anything."

"Mgh... Fine..." Huffing, she folds her arms and pouts. 

...She gives me pretty childish vibes, which sort of reminds me of myself a while ago.

My eyes drift to Kolar's katana. "So... Katana, huh? Gotta say, it suits you, man."

"Oh, you noticed...? Well, yeah, I guess I did mention it that one time..." Kolar looks to the side, before drawing it. I notice that the scabbard is tied around his waist, sort of like my bag. The moment he holds it properly in one hand, four barely luminescent blue blades form in the air around him. The blade itself, however, is a scarlet red. "I-... I completely forgot it could do that, now..."

"O~h! That's the thing Patchy put on!" Flandre points at the blue blades in the air around Kolar. "...What do they do, again...?"

"I'm... pretty sure they let me keep attacking, even as I'm swinging. They're basically a safety policy in case if I miss, because it'll prevent people from punishing a missed slice." Kolar swings it slightly for emphasis, and not too long after he does that, the blue blades swing alongside him almost hypnotically. "...They're pretty easy to predict, though..."

"Right, yeah, that's it!" The vampire snaps her fingers a few times, before grabbing that clock needle with both hands, before blinking and looking pretty fluffy. "...What'd she call it again?"

"Hina, I think." Kolar stares at the blue blades, before flicking the katana to the side and sheathing it effortlessly.

I'm curious about one thing. "What's the actual blade itself called, though?" I express curiosity in that. "Not every day a blade's painted red." Unless if your sword's called the Murasama. Then it can be red.

"...I call it Zandatsu. You probably know why." Kolar grins at me, before glancing at the handle again. "But apparently it was used by a Japanese vampire hunter a really long time ago. Remilia only found it recently and decided to give it to me for fun. I mean... it's useful." 

...Japanese vampire hunter, huh? "I'm imagining that katana's strengthened with holy water, or something, if it was used to hunt vampires down." Also, Zandatsu's a funny name to use for that. And I know exactly why he named it that.

"...I think it was. Kinda. Sorta...?" Flandre stares at it, too. Mike also briefly peeks out from beside me to get a look at it. Medicine, however, does not seem to care. Which is probably for the better. She's more preoccupied with the duel going on above, as well as Su-san. "I dunno, I think Remi told me about it once..."

Remi, huh? 

"...Actually, you and your sister sorta remind me of me and Remi!" Flandre abruptly turns to me, grinning surprisingly chaotically. "Well-. You're sorta me, and your sister's Remi, I think..."

But then she glances at Aegis. "...But you use a shield..."

"Correction, divine shield." I hold it up. "...It's also called Aegis, and uh..." Wait, this is perfect. "Hey, Kolar, check this out."

"Check what-...?" He looks over at Aegis as I transform it into Aegis-Strand. His jaw just drops. "Wh-. What did you just-."

"It can change modes!" I grab the rope dart end of it, then twirl it around. "And this can send me flying in a direction, if the dart makes an impact with something. I... wouldn't recommend touching the dart itself, though, since it's toxic, and can apparently disintegrate trees with minimal effort." I briefly look over at Medicine, and sigh. "...Don't ask how I found that out, either."

"I... I guess we've both been busy, huh...?" Kolar stares at Aegis as I revert it back to its original state of Aegis-Pure. 

"We both have. I met the Goddess of Hell, so that was fun." I also casually bring up for absolutely no reason.

...Kolar just gives me a dumbfounded stare. "Well, um, whilst you've been doing that, I've... been getting used to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. It's like a maze in there... and sometimes I swear it turns itself into a maze of purpose. Also, you should see some of the fairy maids they have in there, they're... W-Well, I think bizarre's the best way to describe them, especially three certain fairies..."

"Yea~h! The Three Musketeers!" Flandre pumps her fists into the air again. Three Musketeers, huh...? "Crim, Sola, and Beeze! They're super well-known around Remi's manor because of how much work they get done, especially for fairy maids! Sakuya even commends 'em herself sometimes!"

...Fairy maids. That is somehow not the weirdest thing I have heard today.

"Y-Yes, thanks, Flan, I'm talking about those three..." Kolar gives her an appreciative smile. I can tell he seems a lot more confident around her. Which is weird, because he should be aware she's a vampire, but they seem to be pretty good friends. "Sola's considered the leader of the three, and she's an electric fairy. Even though she's the leader of the trio, she's... incredibly timid and shy. She doesn't speak a whole lot." Bringing his free hand to his chin, he continues explaining these 'Three Musketeers'. "Next you have Beeze, she's... the kinder of the three. But she's also really, really airheaded. Like really aireheaded. So airheaded she forgets what she's doing sometimes."

"She's also a wind fairy!" Flandre adds on, both hands still clutching that clock needle tightly. "So that's kinda funny, I think!"

"Yeah, she is..." Kolar chuckles quietly to himself, before moving on to the last. "And... then there's Crim. She's... really harsh, and are probably why their little trio group's so well-known. She's pretty old, for a fairy, being at around five-hundred years old. Actually, isn't she around your age, Flan...?"

"Oo~h, yeah, she is, that's why I remember her so much!" Flandre nods several times, her head jolting up and down with a surprising amount of speed and vigor behind it. "...Remi even said she's known Crim for a while, too, so she's kinda been there since day one, I guess?"

...Crim's around the same age as Flandre? Also, that means Flandre's over five-hundred years old too. Huh. Vampires. That also probably means Flandre, along with Remilia, were born in the early 16th century, which is a thought and a half. Meaning that's a long time ago.

"...But I dunno if she was the head maid before Sakuya was... It might've been someone else." Flandre furrows her brows fluffily. Why does she look so fluffy when she does that...? When she's confused, I mean, she just seems particularly huggable when she is. "It could've been Arashi, I dunno..."

"...You mean that woman who lives in the crimson house not too far away from the manor...?" Kolar raises a brow slowly.

"Yeah, her! Why? Do you know her...?" Flandre's confused even more now. I mean, she nodded, but she's still confused.

"Well, I've... ran into her, once or twice, when I was talking to Meiling..." Kolar stares ahead, twirling the parasol idly. "She's pretty friendly, even though she collects the blood of humans..."

What? "Collects the blood of humans...?"

"O~h, yeah, that's right!" Flandre nods, grinning. "Arashi's a tree who sucked up way too much human blood from war and stuff, and became a youkai because of it! She gifts Remi with a bunch of the excess blood she produces in order to keep good ties with the manor!"

...Okay, blood tree, then.

"...I'm pretty sure she called herself a 'jubboko'." Kolar gives us a more specific name than just 'blood tree'. "A-And besides, she only drains blood from dead people, not people who're alive... I mean, she seems to get along with Meiling, and she treated me nicely too, but..."

"That's what she was? Darn, I was thinking that she was a vampire of some kind..." Flandre pouts, stomping the ground slightly. It... actually cracks and vibrates, which is concerning. H-... How strong is she to do that...? "...Oops."

"Well, the more you learn, I guess." If we're talking of random youkai we've met, then Kolar's gonna get a kicker out of this. "...Hey, Kolar, you're familiar with Tamamo no Mae, right?"

"The... nine-tailed fox spirit? One of the Three Great Evils...? Yeah, I'm familiar with her... Why bring her up?" He tilts his head.

"I met a nine-tailed fox yesterday." I grin, pocketing my hands the best I can. "She goes by Akane Shirogane, which isn't actually her name because she just made it up to blend in with me for some reason, and she actively claims she's Tamamo no Mae. But uh... she's really weird."

"...Weird?" Kolar tilts his head further to the right. 

"Like... She said I'm important to her plans, so she seems like she wants to help, but she's really confusing about it. She's told me a whole bunch of things that I'm doubting are real or not, and I've only known her for a few minutes at least, if not slightly longer." I elaborate so he understands exactly what I mean. Akane is really confusing, since she seems like a pretty well-spoken and old youkai. She even had Yuuka doubting herself, for crying out loud...!

"...Huh..." Kolar tilts his head. "Oh-. Did you bump into Trish yet, at all...?"

"...Sort of recently. She got stabbed by some youkai but shrugged it off. I mean, she's been hit with worse before." I shrug. "So... about sometime during our second day here. Why?"

"I-. She was stabbed?" Kolar seems mildly concerned, but shakes his head. "T-That's not important if she's fine, though... Um... I actually bumped into her yesterday, before this Ability Card stuff started properly going around. She's got a friend who's a moon rabbit, now."

Oh, really? "Reisen?"

"Who?" Kolar blinks. Oh, so it isn't Reisen...? Actually, he hasn't been to Eientei yet? "No, she came by the manor the other day with this immortal girl called Mokou and a moon rabbit called Curo. We briefly chatted, but from what I could tell, Trish made a pretty big impression on that Curo guy..." 

"Oh, oh, I remember that! I was there! Meiling was too!" Flandre perks up at the mention of this event. "I actually like that immortal, she's super cool with all her fire and stuff, and she doesn't have to fear water like me and Remi do!"

...Huh. Water-. Wait, just water in general? I always thought it was holy water... Maybe holy water's more effective than regular water against vampires, then, but you can use normal water if you need to.

Still, this Curo guy sounds interesting. "Do you know anything else about him, or...?"

"Not really, he just introduced himself to me, Flan, and Meiling, and that's it." Kolar shakes his head. Ah, gotcha...

"Right, right..." I nod along with his head shake, before realising something. "...Who's Meiling, exactly?"

"She's the gatekeeper of the manor, but she's also the gardener. How she does both jobs I don't know, but she gets them done regardless. She's... really laidback and easygoing." Kolar folds his arms. "Still, she's a youkai, and a pretty good martial artist, so uh... if you ever meet her, just... tell her you're a friend of mine and that you're coming to visit. She'll understand. Hopefully." 

"...Didn't Meiling say there was someone screaming really loudly near the gate before we came here...?" Flandre looks at Kolar, just remembering something.

"I checked with Patchouli, she said it was a banshee. Why there's a banshee outside the manor, though, is lost on both of us. Probably a ghost that got ticked off by something, or, um... yeah." Kolar scratches his chin in thought. A banshee. Aren't those the really loud ones? Like, burst your eardrums kind of loud? With their very loud wailing? 

"We should deal with that on the way back! Aw, Remi'd be proud of us if we did!" Flandre leaps up on the spot slightly, grabbing Kolar by the shoulders as she does so, shaking him 'lightly'. I say lightly, since whilst it looks like, Kolar's getting jerked back and forth like he's in a washing machine.

"A-Alright, Flan, alright, we'll see what's up with it w-when we head back, b-but could you please stop shaking me...?!" Kolar's panic is very apparent at this moment. "I-I'm just worried you might break my neck or something-."

"...You can break a neck? I always thought it went snap? Like, 'krhrk', right...?" Flandre's somehow been confused by the prospect of breaking someone's neck. But at least she's not shaking Kolar like a maniac now, right? Heh.

"W-Well, snapping a neck means you're probably going to kill someone, and breaking a neck means you're very badly hurting someone, but it's not fatal if done right..." Kolar looks aside. Why does he know that...? "I-It's a key difference I like to keep in mind, sometimes..."

"...Okay, neck-breaking facts aside, uh... Anything else happen on your end that's particularly weird?" I ask Kolar, folding my arms loosely. "Because I still have a couple of weird things I'd like to mention."

"Well, um, outside of Arashi, that banshee, and the Three Musketeers, not really..." Kolar gives it a bit more thought. "Is there...? No, no there isn't. What else is weird for you, though...?"

"For one, this." I produce Gensopedia.

"...A diary?" Kolar blinks at it. "I didn't know you kept a diary..."

"...It's not a diary." I flick it open to show him, going through each page. "It's a compilation of information and stuff for me to keep in mind for anything regarding Gensokyo. Sort of like a safety net, if you will." 

"Oh! Patchy might be interested in that sort of thing, she's a really big book fan!" Flandre pipes up. There's yet another mention of Patchouli. Hmm. Maybe I should visit the Scarlet Devil Mansion soon... If not to meet Patchouli, but this Remilia person too. 

Then again, I might want to visit Sodatsu again at some point. She's... interesting, to say the least. Actually, hey, speaking of Sodatsu. "...I also met another magician by the name of Sodatsu Chidjimu, who can alter the size of just about anything, herself, objects, or other people, I'm pretty sure... and there's no limit to it either. Or she hasn't said there's a limit, more like."

"Sodatsu, Sodatsu..." Flandre snaps her fingers a few times, furrowing her brows. "...I think Patchy's mentioned someone like that once. I dunno, though, she rarely brings her up otherwise..."

"Can't say I've met anyone like that..." Kolar tilts his head. "...Then again, I try to not go outside the manor's perimeter too much. Today's an exception, of course, but still."

"Yea~h! You're not Remi's maid, you're my maid!" Flandre blurts out of nowhere, making Kolar wince. "Uh... whoops, sorry, forgot that's a touchy thing..."

"I mean, technically, he'd be a butler, because... you know, male." I pat Kolar on the shoulder. "Typically, maids're female, and butlers're just maids, but they're guys."

"O~h... That's the difference between them?" The vampire stares at me briefly, then down at the ground. "...I guess Kolar's my butler, then? Servant?"

"T-That's... better, I guess...?" Kolar looks relatively uneasy being called a servant, but I guess he's fine with it so long as someone doesn't actively mention it.

"You're the best butler I've ever had!" Wrapping her arms - and clock needle thing - around his waist, Flandre gives him a rather tight-looking hug. I-. Damn. "...And the only one, I guess, but...!"

...I like how embarrassed and in pain he looks right now-. Wait, pain? H-How tightly is Flandre hugging him, exactly...?

"F-Flan, you're... starting to get a bit too tight-...!" Kolar winces, actually struggling to breathe. How strong is she. That has to be the deadliest yet friendliest hug I've ever seen.

"O-Oh, oops, um-." Flandre lets go, looking very awkward. "S-Sorry?! I'm still getting used to this kinda thing, and...!"

"I-It's fine, just... warn me next time." Kolar breathes out, relieved. I can tell that hug was tight as all hell, because of how effortlessly Flandre just... did that. I guess vampire strength's something to be feared after all, huh...?

"Um..." Mike starts to speak up. "You... You mentioned an Akane, right, Rajime...?"

Hm? I turn to her. "Yeah. Why?"

"D-Does... Does she wear a red scarf and grey ribbons like yours...? Constantly carries a book~...?" Mike asks me, still slightly nervous from before, but she's reganing her composure now, at least.

...Also, to answer that question, uh... "Yeah, that... fits the description of the Akane I'm talking about. Why're you asking, Mike?"

"Someone like that... lives near the top of Youkai Mountain, I think. W-Way past Moriya Shrine and where all the tengu live... I only caught a glimpse of her once, but she muttered something like that as she passed by me, when I tried offering someone like that to look at my cards..." Mike looks up at the mountain that's looming way above us nearby. It's... really tall, actually. "All I heard was that it was on the same side of the mountain Moriya Shrine's on, but near the peak."

Near the peak, same side as Moriya Shrine, huh...?

...I do want to confront Akane on whatever she meant in the Garden of the Sun, when we met that one time. She's just so mysterious, so maybe if I seek her out, she'll see some obligation to honour my request, since I travelled up the mountain just to see her...

At the same time, though, I'm looking into this card incident... and I'm also doing this to try and find Aikido, see if she's on top of Youkai Mountain too.

...Maybe that's a thing I could do alongside this. Finding Aikido and Akane, that is, because if Akane lives high up on Youkai Mountain, she'd probably know about Aikido, too. If she's up there, that is. If she isn't, then I'll probably leave it to Hecatia regarding tracking down Aikido.

"...I guess you've got something to do, huh...?" Kolar grins, chuckling to himself. "When we're done collecting cards, I'm imagining we're heading back to the manor... Of course, t-that's if something else doesn't come up..."

"Yeah!" Flandre nods in confirmation, then pauses. "...I think?"

You think. Well, that's nice. Closing Gensopedia, I slot it back in my-... Actually, hey, hang on, this is a perfect opportunity to get another page filled in. "Hey, um... Flandre, wasn't it?"

"Huh?" She looks over at me, tilting her head. "What's up?"

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, as they say. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to help me fill this in. It's nothing too hard, all you need to do is write your name..." I quickly flip to a blank page, showing her it and holding the pen out. "...just in here, near the top. That's all you need to do." 

"...That's not how that works, though...?" Kolar raises a brow at me, but I shoot him a grin, shaking my head.

"Trust me, this pen does some weird things when it's used." I elaborate vaguely, watching Flandre take the pen and book.

...She gives the pen a brief look over. "I've never used one of these pens before... All I've used is an ink and quill before! Or a pencil!"

Ink and quill, huh? Pencils make sense, they had those back then, but if she hasn't seen a pen like that before, then... Well, she's old.

"They're everywhere nowadays." I tell her, folding my arms as I sit down on the grass. "They're a lot more convenient than quills, because the pen uses the ink stored in it directly to write. That's how I think it works, anyway."

"Maybe I should ask Remi if we could get more stuff from the outside sometimes... Some of the stuff Kolar's told me about sounds super interesting, especially all that video game stuff!" Flandre settles on a conclusion. 

Kolar's told her about video games, huh...? I can see why, she'd probably be interested in them. I mean, what with the whole childish vibes I get from her, and all.

She's not that childish, though, she's actually pretty reasonable. Like the little border between mature and immature? It feels like she sits right on the middle of that little border, for me.

"So, um... What do I do again? Just write my name...?" Flandre gives me a brief, fluffy, and confused glance.

"Just write your name. Pen does the rest, trust me, it's weird the first time around, but you get used to it." I instruct her. I say that 'get used to it' part because of me. I'm the one constantly using the book and writing little tid-bits of info down, so I'm getting used to the feeling of spacing out...

Still, having a book like this is good, where it forces you to write everything on your mind. Because that way, you're releasing a lot of pressure from yourself, and empties your mind for more stuff to come in, because you don't have to cling onto that information you're storing uselessly anymore. 

...I always like having a clear mind.

Still, Flandre gives Kolar a brief look, before going to write... and she's in a trance. As I expected.

For some reason her 'spacing out face', as I'm dubbing it, looks incredibly devious and immature. She's got her eyes lowered, her mouth in a half-grin, and her writing pace is... surprisingly fast, for some reason. 

"W-. Whah...?" Kolar just gives her a worried glance, then looks at me. "W-... What did you do to her...?"

"Don't worry, she's just in a trance, writing everything she knows about herself. It's so I have stuff to keep in mind later about her, should I ever come visit the manor you're at." I tell Kolar, looking over at him too. Mike's also sat down next to me, catching her breath. I also notice Medicine scoot a little closer, but still keeping her distance. She's far away, but not too far away. "It feels weird the first time around, but around the third or so time, you get used to using it." I'm pretty sure it's the third time. Whenever I've been writing lately, I've been noticing the spacing out feeling less and less.

I feel considerably more alert of my surroundings when I write now, at least. I think writing all those entries helped, huh...?

...

I settle for watching the ongoing danmaku duel above. It looks like it's nearing its end now...

"Illusion World "The World"!"

"Malediction "Hanged Hourai Dolls"!" 

...I see far, far too many dolls and knives to keep track of up there. It's also very, very bright to look at, and it's a beautiful mess of various colours. The shimmer of the knives in the air reflecting the sun, and the dolls moving in uniform yet unique lines all around.

It's mesmerising to look at...

"A~nd... done!" I hear Flandre speak up. "Ehn... That was weird...!"

Oh. I look over at her and stand up, taking the book and pen back. "Yeah, sorry, I... really should've explained that in greater detail. The pen makes you space out as you write and makes you write down everything you know for certain." I elaborate a bit more. "So, say I was to write down everything of myself, I'd be spacing out for a good few minutes as I write. Makes you write the truth, like a lie detector to a degree."

"O~h! That's interesting!" Flandre nods a few times, satisfied with that explanation. Okay, cool...

...I decide to briefly flick open her entry to get a read of it...

The handwriting's pretty neat. Like, really neat. It's in cursive, and... it's written decently well. I don't know how the hell cursive Japanese entirely works, but it apparently exists. There are, however, some parts written in pure English, which slightly complicates things.

...Wait, English? I stare at it, then look up at Flandre. "Did... you write in two different languages?"

"Huh? You can read those parts?" Flandre tilts her head.

"W-Well, Rajime's first language is English... As is his sister's..." Kolar points out. "T-They're not from Japan."

"Yeah. You wrote in English and Japanese. I can read both perfectly fine." My eyes go back to reading what she's written. So her name's 'Flandre Scarlet', I gathered that much, and her title is the 'Sister of the Devil'. I guess that fits.

"Ooh, right, I forgot that part... Darn." Flandre huffs.

Next, my eye trails over to what her ability is...

...

'Destroying absolutely anything'. Oh. That's... an ability and a half to have...! 

Other notable things she wrote down is that she's pretty sure she's around five-hundred years old, how much she knows about Arashi - whoever that truly is - as well as other people like her sister Remilia, this Meiling person I've heard about, Patchouli, and Sakuya. 

There is, however, an entire section entirely dedicated to her writing down how good of a butler Kolar is, and how good of a friend he truly is to her. I uh... actually see quite a lot in there, meaning Kolar's made a really, really good impression to her. It's also one of the few parts written in English, meaning only anyone who speaks and writes in English can read it, like me and Trish. Or Flandre herself, I guess.

I actually think she wrote down the English parts to try and hide more private topics, which is... actually pretty smart. I guess she sees what she thinks of Kolar as private, and that nobody needs to really know about it. So she wrote it in English in order to throw them off. Clever girl...

My eyes glaze over a few parts, because she mentioned a few other people. Someone called Koishi, whoever that is, alongside two others that particularly stand out to me. 'Yuuma' and 'Okina'. I have absolutely no idea who those two could be, same as that Koishi person, since I've never met them before. Flandre also mentioned Reimu and Marisa a few times in here, and I'm familiar with them. 

...There's something about that third name, Okina, that feels particularly off, but I can't entirely put a finger on why. Maybe it just feels familiar, when it isn't. I've had that feeling a lot, where I think I recognise someone, but it ends up being someone entirely different.

But from the way she describes those two Yuuma and Okina people, it reads like she's only met them really recently, unlike that Koishi person who she's written like she's known her for a while.

Well that's given me three names and a few questions for later, but-... Hey, hang on, this part...

I read over a part entirely in English. I'm not sure how I can describe it without actually reading it fully...

"So my sister Remi, right? She always kept me in the basement, and stuff, saying it was for my own safety, but... I don't wanna be in there anymore. Meeting Reimu and Marisa that time she spread the Scarlet Mist over Gensokyo sorta changed my view on things. We're not in the outside world anymore, nobody's gonna hurt me, and even if they tried to, I'd just blow 'em away! It also gets pretty lonely down there, but... I wasn't entirely alone? I guess? I mean, Koishi comes by to visit every now and then, and there's also Meiling... And now I have my own butler, Kolar! He's awesome at his job, and he's super nice to me! I've even seen him practicing his katana a few times, and he sometimes takes me through the halls if Remi allows it. Umm... Arashi also comes by, but it's really rare for her to visit, 'cause of all the disputes and stuff she had with Remi. She's still nice to me, though... I don't get it. I guess I did leave the manor recently, with that Okina lady in the chair, to beat up that Yuuma woman 'cause she was up to no good. But I did it 'cause she was apparently indestructible, which she wasn't. That was fun. I like going outside the cellar, 'cause it lets me learn so much about the outside world I never really knew. I've always been in there, so, um... yeah..."

...

That is really depressing to read. Still, it is sweet to know she has friends at least, and ignoring that one part about her leaving to beat up that Yuuma person, and that she isn't lonely because Kolar's constantly with her. 

...Reminds me of myself. I never really was an outside person following an event a few years ago, but even before then, I didn't like going outside. I preferred the warmth of the indoors... But now I prefer the indoors because it's safe, warm, and relaxing. 

While I'm at it, I add a note at the end of the page saying that this was written solely by Flandre herself. It also looks like she's noticed which part I was reading, and was looking away out of embarrassment. I just give her a soft smile, before closing Gensopedia entirely. No need to read anymore of that, because I'm afraid if I read another depressing thing like that, I'll start crying uncontrollably. 

...I should just sit down and read through Gensopedia at some point, go over what I know. Never hurts to check yourself.

Also I look up at the sky-.

...All of the danmaku's gone. Oh. Is it over?

"If you're wondering, yes, it's over." Alice suddenly speaks up from beside me. When did she-. I look over at her and find her scuffled, but relatively alright. "...It was close, however."

"Yes, it was close, although it was my victory in the end." Sakuya also just seemingly appears beside Kolar, nearly making him freeze up on the spot. Wh-. Where did she come from...? It's like she just teleported beside him. Then, she gives me a simple smirk. "Apologies, but I'm not telling you about what happened earlier."

"I can live with that, but I'll find out eventually." I close my eyes momentarily, before glancing to the side.

"Still, that was... enjoyable, to have a challenge like that." Alice exhales with satisfaction. "I always enjoy a particularly good challenge."

"...I suppose it was a change of pace, compared to everything else thus far." Sakuya also comments on the battle. 

"Oh, oh, Sakuya!" Flandre abruptly speaks up. "Rajime has a funny diary thing! Can I have one when we get back?!"

Well, I seem to have inspired her to take up the hobby of writing a diary.

"Why not ask Kolar, little mistress?" Sakuya raises a brow slowly.

"He wouldn't know where to get one, he's still new to Gensokyo!" Flandre pouts, latching onto my blue-haired friend, who just... sighs. 

"Hmm... True enough, I suppose. I'll ask the mistress later if it would be possible." Sakuya considers it, nodding plainly, before focusing on me. "...And what's this about a diary, exactly?"

"...Well, it's not exactly a diary..." I show her Gensopedia. "...It's more of a mixture between a journal and a handbook for me. Basically a compendium of stuff for me to know, or more accurately, stuff about people." On that note, I should update Kolar's entry later, and get Alice's entry eventually. I could also try and get Sakuya to fill her own out so it's easier for me, but... no. I've seen the amount of knives she has on hand, and judging from how terrified Mike is of her, I don't think I want to just up and ask her.

"...I see. Lady Patchouli would certainly be interested in such a thing. Do you have a spare on hand?" Sakuya asks me, raising her brow again. I just shake my head.

"This is the only copy of it. I'm planning on making copies eventually, if it's possible, so people can have them for general ease of access." I place it back in my bag, before securing the rope around it. "We should probably get going soon, we've got a fair bit to look into."

"Indeed." Alice looks over at Medicine. "...Medicine's also most likely getting impatient, too. Mmm... One second."

She proceeds to float over to Medicine, talking with her. I can't entirely hear what they're talking about, but it's regarding leaving I think.

Well. I turn to Kolar, snapping my fingers at him. "Well, catch you later, Kolar. I've got stuff to do, and there's not a lot of the time in the day."

"R-Right... See you later." He nods, idly twirling the parasol he's holding around. He's holding it correctly, at least, so it covers both him and Flandre. My eyes briefly gloss over his metal legs again, before I move away.

Mike also very gladly heads away from them with me, breathing a sigh of relief once we're near Alice and Medicine.

"...Are we done?" Medicine pouts, clearly bored out of her mind. "I don't like that maid, and I wanna go."

"I suppose we're leaving now." Alice gives Mike a brief glance, who's not practically clinging to me anymore. "I also suppose you'd appreciate it if we did leave."

"Y-Yeah, she's... terrifying..." Mike breathes out, giving Sakuya a last glance, before starting to walk away into the trees ahead. "C-C'mon, Youkai Mountain's this way..."

Well, here we go. I harness Strand and zip after her, with Medicine and Alice trailing behind...

Nothing really happened between here and getting up to Youkai Mountain. We've not really had any resistance outside of the odd fairy.

"...It's never normally this quiet." Alice comments on the low amount of people.

"How so?" I tilt my head, zipping along from tree to tree like some sort of flying squirrel. It's really awkward to tilt my head because of the momentum, but I manage it.

"Normally there are white wolf tengu all over the mountain, and even then, the crow tengu would be around, as are the yamanba, kappa, and yamawaro." Alice brings a hand to her chin, as Shanghai and Hourai float in the air beside her. "...Although, I suppose it's a good thing for us, since it allows us to scale the mountain relatively easier."

Hmm. True.

"...I like it being this quiet, I wish it was this quiet all the time!" Medicine speaks with annoyance. "Whenever I try to get some of the poisonous flowers that grow around the mountain, the tengu force me off!"

"Mmm, especially if I want to find materials for my next batch of dolls, they can be quite bothersome." Alice also comments on how annoying the tengu can be. "They're persistent, if not annoying. Especially Shameimaru."

"I hate her especially!" Medicine grumpily folds her arms. "All she does is tell lies and make stuff up!"

"...Most of the time, she does that, though I suppose there's a few occasions the Bunbunmaru has been correct..." The puppeteer shakes her head. "Still, I don't like Shameimaru either. I'm fairly sure there's only a few people who are willing to put up with her."

Shameimaru, the same one Sodatsu mentioned, huh...?

"...I dunno much about that..." Mike speaks up next, being right at the front of us all. "I read it sometimes, it's funny to watch what she makes up for content."

"If you see it as a game, it could be that." Alice considers, smiling.

I suddenly notice the trees stop, and I drop to my feet on the ground. The area dead ahead is like... an alpine meadow. We're also really high up now, I just noticed.

"Oh, this is the False Heaven Shelf!" Mike speaks up, looking dead ahead at the meadow. "It's near the Secret Heaven Cliff, if you uh... know where that is."

...I have never been on this mountain before. I see snow up here, and there's ice on the ground. I have to carefully walk if I'm not going to slip. Or I just-.

Whoosh! Shink!

Wait what did I just hit-.

Whoosh! Thud.

Oh. I cracked a lot of the ice with Strand, and now I'm sent flying forward with an alarming amount of velocity what-.

"Rajime! Stop-." I hear Alice shout after me, but she gets inaudible pretty quickly. I can see them flying after me though.

...Now, question, how do I stop myself on ice-. Wait. 

...I raise Strand and throw it into the ice, stopping all momentum going forward, then stop on the spot after a bit of spinning around the point I hit.

"...Okay, that was fun. Fast, but fun." I shake my head, regaining my sense of direction, before dismissing Strand. "Might be a bit sick, though, because that was really fast..."

"...You were going quite fast, actually." I hear someone contact the ground behind me, and it's... not a voice I'm familiar with. Sounds like a slightly gruff yet calm voice. I also smell tobacco smoke. A-. A fair amount of tobacco smoke, actually. "You would've fallen in to the Rainbow Dragon Cave, if you didn't stop."

...I turn on the spot to see a woman wearing relatively fancy clothing. They just look really rich. Still, purple ponytail tied with a yellow bow, red eyes, and... that's all I can gather from her face. I do see a smoking pipe shaped like a dragon part from her mouth the moment I look at her, though.

I get a brief look at her clothes. She seems to be wearing a dark red top with a lighter red jacket on top of it, lined with golden finishes and patterns. They look like wispy smoke, honestly. She's got a multi-layered skirt on with a white to purple gradient, the same golden patterns lining it as well. I also briefly note sandals, but aside from that, and the golden fan she's holding, not much else sticks out to me. 

"...Normally, I'd tell one of your kind to get out of here before you spoil my tobacco, but it's been spoiled enough with all the others that've been by." She gives me an examining look, before shaking her head. "...But I guess you're not any ordinary human either, if you managed to get all the way up here."

She speaks pretty informally and brashly. But... she's wearing such rich robes, and I swear they're made of silk or something. She gives me the impression of a higher-class person. 

Briefly bringing the pipe to her mouth, she smokes it again, exhaling out some smoke not a second later. It immediately stings my nostrils. "...So what brings you up here, exactly?"

"Ability Cards, miss... I'm looking into them with a few other people I'm with." I tell her, trying not to inhale too much of the smoke. I know that's bad for me, because... well, tobacco smoke, lungs, they don't mix well.

"Well, I don't have the damn faintest clue about them. They're not somethin' I need to do my business, either." She snorts, shaking her head. "I'm more into the gamblin' side of things, if you get what I mean by that."

Gambling...? Hmm... "Are you the owner of a gambling den, or something like that...?"

"Ahah... Sharp. That's entirely right." She holds her pipe to the side, giving me a smirk. "I'm surprised you actually got to that conclusion. Guess you aren't some rioter who came up to ruin things on the mountain."

"...Who're you, exactly...?" I might as well ask. No harm, no foul.

"...Name's Sannyo. But other folk call me Komakusa-dayuu." She surprisingly introduces herself. "Now then, who're you exactly?"

"Rajime Naga." I introduce myself plainly. "I'm just an outsider trying to get used to Gensokyo, but I can do more than most others can." Not entirely wrong either.

"...Heheh." She seems amused by my comment. "Well, the speed you were going on that ice was certainly proof of that, and the fact you weren't sick afterwards goes to show." Looking behind herself, and turning away from me, she stares dead ahead. I peek around her and see a big gaping hole. Was I going to fall into that if I didn't stop?!

...Also, I must've gotten pretty far from Alice and the others, because I don't see them behind me anywhere, yet. 

"Alright then, Naga. What exactly brings you, an outsider, up this mountaintop on a day like this?" Sannyo watches me carefully step over the ice to get a better look at that big hole in the ground. It looks like a cave...

"I'm looking into these Ability Cards, whatever they really are..." I wobble slightly on the ice, but find my footing and stand still beside Sannyo. Surprisingly, she's taller than I am. Really gives me the impression of nobility or a very high class individual... Also she reeks of tobacco smoke, but then again, she's always got that pipe in her hand. "You wouldn't happen to have any, would you, Komakusa-dayuu...?" I might as well refer to her by what everyone else calls her.

She gives me a neutral stare as she speaks her next words. "...Perhaps I do, perhaps I don't. It depends. Are you willin' to gamble something for them?"

Gamble...? "So there's no opportunity for trade or purchase?"

"Pffft-. Ahahaha! Don't make me laugh! You're far too early to be thinkin' about buying from me, kid! If you really want to buy cards, go buy 'em from a merchant in the foothills!" She laughs at my question, shaking her head. "Still, you ain't giving me the impression unlike those other humans and that mountain cop of a shrine maiden who came by earlier, so you can stick around."

...Oh, cool. Also-. "...Mountain cop of a shrine maiden...?"

"The Moriya Shrine's miko. Y'know, Sanae Kochiya." Sannyo looks at me as if I'm stupid. Ah... I'm familiar with Sanae, sorta. I know who she is roughly, but...

"Can't say I've ever met her." I bring a hand to my chin.

"Well she's annoying." Sannyo deadpans. "Her and her damned gods're annoying, that is, they're always interfering with my business, one way or another, with whatever conspiracy they have cooked up. Ever heard of a Moriya Shrine conspiracy?"

...A what now? 

She takes my blank stare as a resounding no. "Probably for the best y'don't. It's all sorts of weird shit in those."

...Swearing. Mmm. I still don't know what to think of her, and the swear doesn't help...

"Not a fan of swearing, huh?" She notices my disdain for it. "Them's the breaks, kid, people swear. I mean, I don't swear often, don't get me wrong, but I'm serious when I say there's real weird shit going on in anything regarding a Moriya Shrine conspiracy. There's a whole bunch of the damned things, too, some people say they made a nuclear bird for the hell of it, or that the one Buddhist place in all of Gensokyo is just an elaborate scheme for a Moriya Shrine takeover."

Okay, those sound ludicrous. "...I don't believe any of that for a second."

"Oh, trust me, a lot weirder's happened in Gensokyo." Sannyo takes a puff of her pipe again, before holding it out to me. "Have a smoke. Helps calm you down."

"I... I don't smoke, sorry." I shake my head, but she doesn't retract the pipe.

"...I wasn't asking you. I'm telling you to have a smoke." She insists, and... my hand moves on its own to take it...? What...? "See? Your body's taking my advice. Don't worry, it won't kill you, if you're not smoking it all the time. This is just a one-off, kid."

...It feels weird to be smoking, but... I bring the pipe to my lips and inhale-.

Ack-. Hah-! "Kauf-. Ugh, this is why I d-don't smoke...!" I really don't like the taste of tobacco smoke...! But... I do feel a lot calmer. "W-Whoa, that's... strong... Kaugh-. Cah-... Ah..."

"There you go." She takes her pipe back from my hands effortlessly, before taking a smoke of it yet again. "How old are you, exactly?"

"Eighteen." I respond without hesitation. Whoa, I don't know what that tobacco did, but... I feel way better. A lot more mellow.

"Heheh, I see, I see, so you're able to gamble, then..." Sannyo smirks, before asking another question. "...Where do you live, at this time?"

"In Senkai, with a divine spirit." Not sure why I'm answering so quickly, but... I feel great.

"...Would you like to gamble for some Ability Cards? Don't worry, I'll play fair, even though I'm the dealer." Sannyo asks me, producing a coin as she sticks her fan inside of her jacket. "We'll just do something as simple as a coin toss, if that's alright with you."

"Alright..." I relax my shoulders slightly, looking straight at her.

"Familiarise yourself with the sides for a moment." She shows me one side, and the coin's a green emerald colour. On one side, there's a snake head on it. "That's heads. And this is tails." She shows me the other side, it turning out to be a flower of some kind.

"So snake and flower..." I summarise bluntly.

"You can call it that too, I guess." Sannyo shrugs, before getting ready to toss it into the air. "Heads or tails?"

...I give it a brief thought, before settling on an answer. "Tails."

When in doubt trust flowers, right...?

"Very well. Let's see if your luck's decisive enough to pull a victory, eh?" She tosses the coin into the air, and it comes back down...

...It feels like a few minutes passed as it was in the air, but it was only a few seconds. It falls back down into the palm of her hand. She covers it, then stares at it. "...Hmph." She reveals it to be the flower side! Yeah! "Beginner's luck... Now, take any one card you see here."

Reaching into her shirt, she produces three cards that reek of tobacco smoke. Why was she keeping them there...? Actually, let's just not question it. Cards are cards.

I take a look at them. One's off a bass drum with a shockwave coming off the top of it, the second's of some kind of fabric on a black background with red arrows, and... the last one's got a singular girl dressed in pink, in a funny hat, standing with a plant in her hand, on her own.

That third one actually seems somewhat similar to that card of my ability, as in, it feels like there should be something else in the drawing itself, but it's just that girl.

Hmm... "Can I look at their descriptions...?" I ask Sannyo.

"No." She shakes her head. "Adds more of a thrill that way, wouldn't you think?"

...Guess so. I take that one of the girl in pink, then flip it over to see the description.

"The Mental Backup Dancer

A certain servant of a hidden god, on her own, without her dancing partner. Seems a bit lonely, doesn't she? Maybe if you reunited her with her partner in green, then you can get something really good out of this card. Other than that, this card provides a passive mental focus which allows you to see things coming easier. Or is it that the danmaku around you seems slower? Hmm, maybe that focus is a good thing after all."

So it is like my card, then... I see. I'll see if it's possible for me to find that 'partner in green' the card mentioned, if it's another Ability Card.

"Let's up the ante. It's clear you have Ability Cards of your own, don't you?" Sannyo asks me with a grin, placing the other two cards under her robes. "Double or nothing. You lose, you give me two of your cards. I win, you get two of mine. Deal?"

I'm feeling lucky... "Deal."

"Alright. Heads or tails?" She repeats her initial question.

...Imagine if I win this... If I don't, well, a loss is a loss. "...Heads."

Nodding, she flips the coin in the air, before it lands in her hand. She does the same as before, covering it, and then looking at it. She just freezes. "How did you-?" She's about to say something, but she hesitates and shakes her head. "Hmh... Your luck truly is stupendous, kid. You'd probably make for a good bookie at my den, I bet."

...I would, huh? "What makes you say that...?"

"Not important, just a gut feeling." Reaching into her pockets this time, she produces five cards. "Take any two of the five. You're good at this, kid."

Well, that's nice of her to say.

"...Not one for small talk, are you?" She raises a brow, chuckling. Ah, yeah, I should talk back, sometimes. "It's fine if you're not, I just like a bit of conversation as I do this kind of thing."

"Well, I just... don't know what to say." I look at the five cards she has. On one card, I notice something that looks like a blue-haired girl sticking her hands directly out in front of her like a zombie. There's also a talisman of some kind on her head, and she seems to be... eating a bullet. Literally eating a bullet.

...Gee, I wonder what that one does. The bass drum one's back, and uh...

I see one that's got a lily-of-the-valley on it dripping a purple liquid, which I assume is something Medicine-related. I notice another that has a lotus flower shining brightly on it, and um... One that seems to have a lavender-haired woman walking through snow, with little snowflakes in the air around her.

Obviously, I take the one of the zombie-looking girl eating a bullet immediately, because that's probably really useful. And whilst I want to take the Medicine one to give to Medicine... I'm interested in what that woman in the snow card is, so I take that too.

...As Sannyo puts the three other cards in her pockets again, I flip over the zombie girl one, and...

"Bullet-Devouring Jiang Shi

A jiang shi's ability to eat bullets and divine attacks. Tired of getting smacked by bullets in random positions? Do you want to spite the gods themselves? Don't worry, this little pal has you covered! When you use this card, you get a cute little jiang shi of yourself beside you, who eats bullets and anything divine! It's actually way more useful than you think, especially if you're fighting, say, a divine spirit. They'll just get removed from existence in seconds with this little buddy active! But uh... if the talisman on its head breaks, it explodes. So don't let that happen."

...Okay, wow, that's... something, for an Ability Card. A jiang shi, huh...? The name sounds familiar, but... I don't entirely know what it is. Oh well, I'll find out later.

Turning over the other one...

"Stepping Through Winter

A yuki-onna's ability to manipulate chill. Or, basically, just make it seem like it's winter. Snow? You can throw it at people! Snowballs? Better... How about a snow laser? Eh? That catch your fancy? I mean, with the manipulation of chill, you can make it your own personal winter wonderland, whilst everyone else freezes half to death because of how cold it got!"

...That's a concept. Also, a snow laser? What's that card talking about...?

"...Before you completely run me dry of cards, let's talk more... personal, if you want." Sannyo glances around, before focusing on me. "Look, kid, it's clear you've got some good luck. I'm gonna be entirely honest with you, there's no way you should have won that second coin toss, at all." 

...Huh? "What do you mean, Komakusa-dayuu...?" That nickname's a long one, but I might as well keep calling her that. 

"...Well, it should be obvious." She snorts, shaking her head. Oh, so she rigged that second one... "But you won it regardless. That took some serious luck, and I like that. As I said earlier, I run a gambling den and if you want, I could get you hired as one of the dealers there. If you earn me enough profit through making people gamble, I can keep you set for money. We both win there, right?"

She's... offering me a job, at her gambling den. And you know... having a job like that wouldn't hurt. It'd be good to earn some money.

"...And whilst I'm concerned about you getting harassed, and potentially attacked by the customers... I can try and set you up to be as near me as possible." Sannyo also considers. "After all, most, if not all, of the patrons at my dens're the youkai that live on this mountain. I'm more worried about the tengu, because the kappa would be fine with you there, I bet. The yamawaro, however, I have no clue. I'm low on bookies, anyway. I have Saikoro, alongside myself and two others, but that's it."

"Saikoro?" I find it weird how she addressed this Saikoro person by name...

"She's my right-hand at the dens, because she always makes people play at her tables due to her deceptive beauty." Sannyo explains for me. "...Her full name's Saikoro Rora, though. She's a jorogumo, a spider-like youkai. She's especially receptive of humans who come to gamble though, but she's not exactly had a human bookie working with her, yet." 

"Ah, I see..." I nod a few times, still considering it.

"But the thing is, she's always earning a profit out of the bets and games people play with her as the bookie. She uses special dice for any games that use dice, and she can manipulate dice rolls too, alongside good fortune and cards. Of course, she doesn't abuse that ability to completely rob someone, we have standards at my dens." Producing her fan from her pocket, Sannyo unfurls it, fanning her face slightly. "Of course, you'll fit right in. Also on the team, you have Daifuku no Kifujin, or Koun-sama, who's particularly fond of roulette and spinning games. She's a fortuna, a type of youkai who can most of the time do something regarding someone's fortune. That's why she's nicknamed 'Koun-sama', or 'Lady Luck'."

Lady Luck? Sounds interesting...

"And lastly, you have... well, technically, two people. There's Hoga no Okinaneko, a lion who guards all of the earnings we take, but she's like a house cat. You also have myself, but I'm the one who runs the dens and ensures it's a... ahem, 'gentlemanly recreational spot', as I like to call it." Sannyo tacks on. Okinaneko... Hey, that reminds me, Flandre mentioned an Okina in her entry, but... I don't think this is the same one. Wait-. Doesn't Okinaneko literally just mean 'big cat', when you seperate 'Okina' and 'Neko'? Huh. "But, lastly, you have Yokoshimana Negai. She's a dragon, wouldn't you believe it, but the thing is, she can grant wishes. Sometimes we let unsatisfied patrons have a wish from her, if we've wronged them in anyway, but there's always something else that comes with the wish she grants. Some sort of monkey's paw. A lot of the patrons call her Nejire-san."

...A wish dragon who adds monkey's paws to a wish? "That's a curious concept..."

"Mmm. But she grants wishes for the team and tries to limit her twists as much as possible, as to not hurt us in anyway." Sannyo also brings up, raising her left index finger as she takes another lungful of tobacco smoke. "If you're curious about any other details about this job, we could take this to one of my empty dens right now..."

Well this is certainly a proposition... I might take her up on-.

"Rajime! This is where you got off to?" Suddenly, Alice descends from the air, with Medicine and Mike behind her. "...Who's that, exactly...?"

"...Ah. Friends of yours?" Sannyo turns to me, raising a brow. "Why don't you introduce us?"

Might as well. "Hey guys, I just um... got caught up talking with this woman." I gesture to Sannyo. "Her name's Sannyo Komakusa. Sannyo, this is Alice, Medicine, and Mike..."

"Yes, thank you." Sannyo nods in appreciation, looking over the other three before her gaze stops on Mike. "...Ah. Goutokuji, wasn't it? Got bored of selling your cards down by the foothills, did you?"

"Oh, well, um..." Mike pauses, recognising Sannyo. "I... actually ran out..."

"Heh, I see. That's why you shouldn't actively go selling those cards to anyone you meet. I was actually smart with mine and refused to sell them to a lot of people who came by, because they ruined the taste of my tobacco." Sannyo briefly scowls, looking her jacket and top over, as well as her skirt. "Nearly ruined my outfit, they did..."

...Closer I look at her outfit, the more I notice slight cuts and scratches on it, like it's been damaged. And I'm pretty sure that's made of silk, too, so I'm imagining that might cost a bit to repair. I-...

...Wait, isn't that Saikoro lady Sannyo mentioned a spider youkai? Then... Sannyo probably gets the silk she needs to make her outfit for free. I mean, she's already paying Saikoro, isn't she?

At that, Medicine perks up. "Tobacco?"

"This tobacco, to be specific, which is grown with completely natural herbs found here on Youkai Mountain." Sannyo taps her pipe for emphasis, before smoking it. I notice Medicine focusing especially hard and... wait, no-. "Pfhah?!"

There's suddenly a lot of smoke exhaled from Sannyo, and I can't see in the ensuing smoke cloud. Because it was really, really big.

"...Medicine-." I vaguely see Alice turning to Medicine's figure. "W-Was-. Gh-... Was that entirely necessary...?"

"Yes!" I see Medicine nodding. "Blowing up all those fairies wasn't enough for me, I wanted something fun to happen!"

...Being unable to see is not fun. I just see Sannyo produce her fan again and start blowing all of the tobacco smoke away. "...I'm not quite sure what you just did, but that was impressive."

I mean, yeah, that is actually impressive, getting Sannyo to cough up that much tobacco smoke, somehow. It's burning my nostrils though and that's annoying.

"...Let's take this to one of my empty dens, though." Sannyo decides, beginning to walk off after fanning a good chunk of the smoke away. I um... just follow her as Mike coughs from all the smoke whilst following me, wanting to get out of there too. Alice follows after a moment, dragiing Medicine by a few strings.

"Waaa~h! No fair!" Medicine thrashes under the strings. That's somehow really amusing to look at, but I focus on following Sannyo instead...

Well, we're inside one of her 'empty' dens. I noticed a couple of buildings like this one on the way here, but inside, they're like a traditional Japanese gambling den. Not that I've ever been in one, but Trish has. She's better as a player than a dealer, because she knows how to bluff and lie. I always liked being in control of randomly-generated things, like a gamble, such as slots. Y'know, I actually played a lot of slot machine games, or games that featured slot machines I should say, alongside other stuff.

...Or, more like, I really liked abusing RNG in video games. Random number generation, that is. It's like luck, but predictable.

Right now, we're sat in one of the back rooms of the den, which is a lot more private than anywhere else.

"Alright, wait here." Sannyo tells us, before looking over at Alice. "...You, puppeteer, would you mind steppin' out here for a second?"

"...Of course. Why?" Alice obliges, stepping outside with Sanyo. Their voices get muffled after they do so, leaving me, Mike, and Medicine in this room.

"I'm um... gonna take a breath of fresh air, actually..." Mike coughs slightly into her hand, before stepping out of a door leading outside.

...

So now it's just me and Medicine. I can tell she doesn't want to talk to me, so I just... sit still, and wait. Maybe I can let my thoughts take over-.

"Hey, um... Rajime?" Medicine actually speaks up. I look over at her and see that she's taken a seat next to me. I... somehow failed to notice that. 

"What's up?" I tilt my head at her. "Do you want me to leave, too?"

"N-No!" She blurts, before blinking in realisation she said that, shaking her head. "I-I mean, I just want to say... sorry, I guess." 

Sorry? "For what?"

"For just being... you know, mean, and stuff. I've just hated humans for such a long time that it's... still there, even to the ones who're nice to me." Medicine looks down in shame. "You just wanted to help me and I insulted you and stuff... I-I can't take those words back either, and-"

"Medicine." I try to catch her attention.

"-Alice told me to try and give you a chance when you got split off from us, and-" She continues...

"Medicine." I raise my voice slightly.

"-Mike also said I should try trusting you a lot more, and because you got Su-san back for me, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry-."

"Medicine." I raise my voice slightly more, and she pauses. "...I'm not mad. I was never mad. I understand why you hate humans so much, your previous owner ditched you in a field of lilies-of-the-valley, trust me, I get it. I noticed how distant you were from me all the time, so I figured I might as well try and ease you into opening up by respecting your boundaries. Not a lot of people do that these days." 

"You... You're not mad?" She looks and sounds confused.

"Nope. Not at all." I give her a smile. "I think you could do with some friends, Medicine, and I'm willing to be your friend. Of course, it's all based on what you want. If you don't want to be friends, so be it, I'll leave you be."

"Really...?" She doesn't sound like she believes me at first, but then she actually smiles. "But... no. I wanna be your friend. Su-san does too, I kinda wanna break this shell of hating humans... But um... I've done so much bad stuff to other humans in Gensokyo, I dunno if they'd forgive me for that."

"Well, if they see us being friends, they'll probably see that you've changed, I bet." I tell her, shaking my head. "After all, that's the way things work, isn't it?"

"...I guess, but..." Medicine stares at me plainly for a moment, before abruptly lunging at me and wrapping her arms around my chest. "Thank you...!"

Whoa. "Hey, don't mention it." I'm more concerned about her poisonous body, but from what I can feel, she's only touching parts of me that're covered with clothing... If I get poisoned, though, I'm gonna be kinda annoyed. Not at her, just at how her body works. I can't fault her for having a naturally poisonous body, y'know.

...Suddenly, I hear the door to the room open, and see Sannyo in the doorway. "...You know what, I'm not going to ask. Come out here, kid, I want to go over more specific details about that thing I told you earlier."

Ah, alright... Medicine lets go of me as I stand up, following Sannyo into a more main room. I notice that Alice isn't here, so I decide to ask her. "Where'd Alice go?"

"The puppeteer?" Sannyo gives me a glance. "She went outside to go find that maneki-neko you were with. Now... let's discuss my proposition. Do you need some more time to think, or shall we just jump into it?"

Hmm... "I'd appreciate it if I had a few minutes, I just have a lot to think about." I decide on. Today has been a day, if I say so myself.

"Understandable. Take the seat opposite me when you're prepared." Sannyo casually walks over to one of the low tables, taking a seat as she starts smoking her dragon pipe again. 

Okay, let's... clear my head first, and when I'm ready, I'll sit down with Sannyo.

...

Chapter Text

Okay... That should be adequate enough time for thought, I guess. 

Rubbing my head slightly, I step over to the table Sannyo sat at, before sitting opposite her. She looks up, parting the pipe from her lips to smirk. "I'm takin' that as you've prepared, then. Alright. Also, I'd normally chide you for wearing shoes whilst you're sitting down, but I can let it slide this time. Just know that for the future."

...Ah, right. "That's... my bad."

"As I said, I'll let it slide." Sannyo stares directly at me. "So, let's get straight to business. How familiar are you with cards? And I don't mean those there Ability Cards you got from me before. I mean actual cards."

Actual cards? Well... "I played a lot of card games outside Gensokyo. I could argue that I know how to play blackjack, alongside poker." I bring a hand to my chin. "I used to play it a lot with my siblings, namely because we were all bored and we wanted to feel how it was to play a game like that. We even betted some of our money, sometimes."

"Mmm. Had you won any of those?" Sannyo raises a brow.

"...A lot. My luck was um... really something else." I look to the side. I nearly won the lottery, once, because dad decided to let me choose a lottery ticket just for fun. He always treated me nice in the weirdest ways...

"Ahah, that's exactly what I'm looking for." Tapping her pipe at me, she holds her smirk from before. "The only other dealer I have who specialises in cards is Saikoro, but even then, she prefers playing dice games like cee-lo. I specifically made her familiar with that game due to a certain incident regarding a few people cheating with it... So, she plays that, alongside any other dice games, like balut, which is poker, but with dice, as well as craps. Even though it requires more than one, she can handle all of the roles affiliated with it."

...Huh. Gambling games always have funny names, don't they...? Also, this Saikoro woman must be one hell of a multitasker, if she's able to do that. 

"...Although, I may consider settin' you up directly behind Saikoro, or Kifujin. Your luck would play off well with both of them, and Saikoro'd be willin' to assist if you want to specialise in cards. Kifujin'd probably just be interested in your luck. I'm not setting you up with Yokoshimana due to her... bein' a bit bizarre, at times, when a human comes up here. And obviously, Okinaneko's our house cat, who also doubles as a guard for all of our takings... and I suppose she handles the money side of things, too." Sannyo explains a bit more about the team to me. "Or, of course, I could set you up near myself, since that's where it'd be the calmest, and I don't have any tables near me. That's always where it's calmest, if you're willin' to put up with tobacco smoke invadin' your nose every few minutes."

...Well. "...I'm... not particularly a big fan of having tobacco smoke burning my nostrils, but... if that's where it's calmest, I could probably learn to put up with it...?"

"Heh. You're alright, kid." Sannyo nods. "Movin' on, though, the dens only open on specific days, and fortunately for you, we stay shut on holidays and the like. Or if a major festival's goin' on, if I don't decide to open up a temporary den at the festival."

Hmm... I nod along, but I'm curious about one thing. "Why do you smoke so much, anyway...?"

"Why do I smoke?" Sannyo snorts at my question, before leaning over the table slightly. "...My ability's to control people's minds with my tobacco smoke. You were under the influence of that ability not too long ago, and I could control you right now if I wanted."

...

Oh. That's disturbing.

Content with my nervous look, she chuckles. "Heheh, of course, I wouldn't actively go out of my way to hurt a potential patron, or one of my team, with that ability. I guess you count as the latter. Oh, and as for when you were under the influence? Well, it was during that little gamble of ours, after you took a smoke of my pipe." Tapping it and taking a puff again, she breathes out to the side. "...Of course, I only use it in my dens to prevent the frenzies that'd usually happen at other establishments. This den's strictly professional, and I don't want any tipsy patrons lashin' out at my bookies."

...Then she pauses, looking back at me. "Still, not an impossible chance of it happenin', hence me wantin' to set you up near someone who can protect you if that does happen. Like Saikoro or Kifujin, or myself. And whilst the former did used to eat humans and all that, she's different, because the amount of fear the humans in the village give off down there's more than enough to sustain her, and I'm lookin' into other alternatives to human meat. She's friendly, though, I insist."

Youkai can change like that, huh...? "What about Kifujin?"

"Kifujin? Well, she's got her Wheel of Fortune. Her type of youkai are benevolent ones and feed off of faith. So she's like a god, but not really. She's just extremely lucky, so much so, that people confuse her for a god of luck, or somethin' silly like that. So if I place you with her, she's bound to treat you well. Besides, her kind help humans who suffer from heavy misfortune. Of course, she does the roulettes of the dens, since her Wheel of Fortune is somethin' else nobody has, and even then, only she can use it." Sannyo smirks, fanning herself with her fan slightly. "She even sells supposed luck boosts, which as far as I'm aware, haven't actively boosted anybody's luck inside the dens. I bet it's because Saikoro prefers fair games and wants equal fortune between every patron. So basically Kifujin just scams 'em, but she doesn't even know she's scammin' 'em. Pretty sure those boosts to luck become active outside the den, though, so it probably is Saikoro's doin'."

...Luck boosts, Wheel of Fortune... Benevolent youkai. She feeds off of faith. Wow, um... "Kifujin sounds like a pretty friendly person, doesn't she...?"

"Guess she is. She's friends with a bunch of the kappa around here, as well as a few of the gods. Except the Moriya, she despises them as much as I do for meddlin' in my affairs." Sannyo chuckles to herself. "...Heheh. Still, she'll treat you nicely, maybe even buy snacks and drinks for you at some point, that's just who she is."

I see... "And what's with Yokoshimana, exactly...? What do you mean she acts weird around humans?"

"Ah, that oni in the room?" Sannyo snorts, before closing her fan and taking another inhale of her pipe. "...She acts almost possessive of 'em, and gets real creepy. She really wants 'em to wish somethin' from her, even though I've told her no. Maybe she just needs a friend, or somethin'. After all, she's how I got my pipe, the dragon on it is of her."

...Oh. Huh. That's an interesting fun fact. 

"At the same time, though, she forces herself to act like a big sister of some kind to them. It's not because she wants to hurt 'em, after all, her kind lended their strength and life to make sure Gensokyo remained. Pretty sure she's a descendant of one, too, and one of the last ones at that. She has a brother and a niece, though... I think her brother was named Ryuu Gatuko or somethin'. Even then, they sure as hell don't look the same, and it's been a real long time since Ryuu came by the dens to visit Yoko, anyway."

"Yoko?" I tilt my head.

"It's what me and the other bookies call her, because who's gonna bother pronouncin' her long as hell name?" Sannyo stares at me, before shaking her head. "You should probably get used to calling her Yoko, too. And before you ask about Okinaneko, she'll be real friendly with you right off the bat. After all, she's the house cat, and she sure as hell acts like it. She might even come sit with you whilst you're on the job dealing. I'm sure she'll warm up to you in no time, even if she is a lion."

A lion, huh? Wait... Didn't Sannyo mention her patrons're the residents of the mountain? If Akane lives up here, then... "Have you ever had a patron who's a nine-tailed fox...?"

"...That's a specific question to ask." Sannyo raises a brow at me, pausing whilst going to take another smoke. "...But I suppose, maybe, there is someone like that among our patrons." There is?! "Hmm... Allow me to guess who you're referrin' to. Blonde, red eyes, grey ribbons, red scarf? Wears a fancy-lookin' black and white dress?"

"Yeah, that's her..." I nod once. "Is she a regular...?"

"Ahahaha! Kid, my dens gather all-. Most of the mountains residents - namely tengu, kappa, and their distant yamawaro cousins - but the Moriya sure as hell don't set foot in here. Kifujin makes sure they don't, either, because, well, she hates 'em. And she doesn't just hate them because they meddle with my dens' affairs every now and then with the random things they do, she has her reasons." Sannyo laughs at my question, before shaking her head. "Still, she's a regular, but nobody knows her name. Everyone just calls her Tammy-san, and she's a demon with her bluffs when it comes to card games like blackjack or poker. Not sayin' she's bad at everythin' else, though." 

Ah...! So Akane does go here, then...!

"But why do you ask that, anyway? You know her or somethin'?" Sannyo takes a brief glance at me, then at the window.

"I know her... well, vaguely? I mean, we've met, and she's... pretty bizarre." I fold my arms. "If I were to put into words... I'd put her as overwhelmingly neutral, yet a terrifyingly wicked being."

"Mmm. She does claim to be that one youkai. Y'know, Tamamo no Mae?" Sannyo furrows her brows. "I sure as hell can't tell if she's lying or not. I don't think anybody can, but that's why everybody at the dens calls her Tammy-san. They know her, because she's been coming to them for a real long time, kid. Do you know her actual name, or...?"

"...She told me to call her Akane Shirogane." I tell her, looking aside for a brief moment, before focusing back on Sannyo. "But I'm not sure if that's her actual identity."

"Huh. I'll hold you to that then, kid." Sannyo points her pipe at me, before closing her eyes. "...I'll let you know if anythin' else comes up towards your first day, kiddo. You are still interested in this job, right?"

I mean, if it lets me meet Akane... or at least allows me a chance of that happening, then... Yeah. I nod. "I am. I mean, I need money if I'm going to survive, that's a no-brainer." That too. Money's everything, innit...?

"Thought you were." Sannyo stands from her seat, and I take it as a sign to stand up, too. She walks over to me, then looks me up and down. "...You'll probably fit the part, too. But what from that puppeteer told me, you're lookin' into these Ability Cards, aren't you?"

"Um... Yeah, that's right, why...?" I stare at her blankly for a moment as she chuckles.

"You're probably better off heading towards the top of Youkai Mountain, kid. I've heard a few things, and apparently, they're coming from around up there. Bet you any money the tengu have something to do with it." Sannyo walks over to a window, looking out of it. "...Heheh. Either that, or it's another Moriya Shrine conspiracy, which I'm sick of. And I can always introduce you to the team later, after all this nonsense with the cards get resolved. So remember, kid-. Actually, no, callin' you kid makes you sound like you're underage, and if someone takes that the wrong way, then that'd be bad for business. You said your name was Rajime Naga, right?"

...Yeah? "That's right... Why?"

"...Rajanaga-san. That's your nickname when you're at the den. Each of the bookies there, myself included, have nicknames of some kind. For example, Yoko's nickname is... well, Yoko, or Nejire-san among the patrons. Kifujin's is Kifu, Koun-sama, or Lady Luck. And Saikoro's is... well, Kumo, which literally just means 'spider'. They got lazy with nicknaming her, if I'm gonna be honest with you, but she gladly accepted it." Sannyo lists the nicknames of her other bookmakers. "...Then you have myself as Komakusa-dayuu, then yourself as Rajanaga-san. I can't exactly call you kid due to... certain implications from my kind's past."

Her kind's past...? "What's that supposed to mean, exactly...?"

"You don't know? I suppose I haven't actually told you what I am exactly, though, have I? Heh... I'm a yamajorou, kid, which is like a yamanba if you're familiar with what those are."

Yamanba? "I'm pretty sure those are... mountain women, right?"

"Well, everyone else calls our kind 'mountain hags', but you're right enough I guess. Thanks for not tryin' to offend though, rarely anyone minds their words nowadays. Heheh..." She chuckles, turning to me properly and stepping over. "Yamanba are real antisocial dumbasses though. I'm far, far more sociable than those lot'll ever be, because I actually have business I want to undertake, y'know. Still, that's aside the point I'm tryin' to make here." Taking a deep breath, she draws closer, then looms over me slightly, and I'm immediately hit with the stench of tobacco... "...Yamanba, and yamajorou, take lost kids as their own to raise. Do you get why me callin' you 'kid' is bad for business, now?"

...They do that...? I mean... "Y-Yes, Komakusa-dayuu."

"Good." She leans back and steps back a few times. "...But... I guess I still did do that, once, though."

Wait, what? "What do you mean...?"

"...Why are you even asking that? I think the implications're obvious enough even you can infer what I mean by that." Sannyo snorts at me. "If you mean 'who am I talking about', then it's Yoko. She's way younger than her brother is, she's twenty after all. I just stumbled upon her lost and confused one day, and she was twelve back then, so I offered to let her stay at my dens in exchange for her working for me. I mean, she's of age as far as dragons are concerned, and she's good at getting people to sympathise, so they gamble at her tables. Y'know how I mentioned her brother Ryuu, right? He's way older than she is. Probably around fifty, I'd be willin' to bet my money on. Hell if I know how he found out I had his li'l sister, though. Said somethin' like 'Kiketsu', then didn't elaborate on any other question about it. Still, she's been with me for a good couple of years, Yoko. No clue who her niece is though, Ryuu just told her she had a niece one day and didn't elaborate on that either."

...Ryuu sounds like either the laziest person in the world, or the most secretive.

"Then again, I'm pretty sure she'd appreciate havin' someone her age working alongside her. Saikoro's way too old and Yoko feels awkward talkin' to her. Kifu, ah... Yoko does like talking to her, but still, Kifu'd talk her head off about luck and Yoko's not really that interested in that. And Okinaneko's our house cat, and I'm essentially her foster mom, or somethin'. She talks to me, but it's awkward since we don't really have any connection. So you bein' there might let her be a bit, y'know, less weird about humans, plus she could open up some more. She's real quiet outside of the dens and at home, too."

Is that so...? "Um... Alright, I'll keep that in mind...?" I look towards the back room we came out of.

"I'll tell the others that you're gonna be joinin' us in the future, but you're not gonna meet 'em yet, because, well, of this incident or whatever you're lookin' into. Nice folk though." Sannyo reassures me, smirking. "Oh, and your first day's tomorrow. The den's open today, but I don't want to just throw you in there, so you get today ro prepare, if another incident doesn't happen before it. I can tell you can hold a conversation pretty well, and you're at least obedient and mindful of what you say. You'll fit right in there, I know I've said that before, but it's true. Now, then about what I said earlier... Where'd you like to be put, exactly? Near me? Saikoro? Kifujin?"

Well, um... Let's think it over. I'd probably work better if I was near Sannyo, because of the pressure it puts on me, and that I know she at least cares for my safety, but... I'm not too sure if I could handle the smell of tobacco smoke constantly. Saikoro... I mean, whilst it is reassuring to know she doesn't attack humans, it doesn't change the fact she still eats them, because Sannyo hasn't hinted at her changing that. All she said was that she was looking into alternatives. But then again, she also said Saikoro's friendly, so... hmm. 

And lastly, Kifujin... I'm not sure about Kifujin, but I'm leaning more towards her than Saikoro, but less than Sannyo. She has good fortune stuff, she feeds off of faith, people mistake her for a god... And she helps really misfortunate people too. Sannyo said she'd treat me well if I was put near her...

...

Ah, what the hell. "I'd... prefer it if I was near you, Sannyo." I can put up with the smell of tobacco violating me every five minutes, can't I?

"Heheh, alright, kid. The dens open irregularly, though, and I only open 'em up on certain days, depending on the availability of you and the other bookies, as well as any personal matters I might have, so there's no complications between any of us. That day's a Wednesday, too, so after this Ability Card craze hopefully dies down tomorrow, the regulars'll start coming back on that day. You might even see Tammy-san, or Kurayami-san." Sannyo chuckles, stepping past me for a moment, before walking back over to me. "Oh, right, I haven't told you who that is yet. She's another regular of the dens, but she's been comin' for years, even since before I started takin' care of Yoko. Everyone in the dens, patrons and bookie alike, knows her. Her name's Aikido, though, and only me and my dealers-."

Wait, what?! "Aikido? As in... Aikido Tsumugi?"

"Huh. You know your stuff. Yeah, the very same. She's been coming since about... I'd argue ten or so years ago." Sannyo starts fanning herself again, lowering her eyes slightly. "But as I was saying, only me and my dealers know her actual name though. She wants to keep a low profile. That's what she told me, anyway, so I started callin' her Kurayami-san, the word itself meanin' darkness. You might see her there on your first day, or if you go to the very top of the mountain, as that's where she lives. The tengu don't even dare to bother her, either, because she's so well-known in my dens. How'd you learn her full name, anyway? Someone tell you? You read one of her books, or what?"

"Someone told me, yeah, but... It was an old friend of hers. Like, really old." I bring my arms up to put them on my hips. "Did Aikido ever tell you she was friends with the Goddess of Hell?"

"...Once or twice." Sannyo nods. "There's no way you've spoken to that god, though."

...

"...Wait, wait, hold on, no kiddin'?" Sannyo blinks in surprise, as I just nod. "How? Did you go to Hell or something then come back?"

"Sort of, but not really. You know how I said I'm living in Senkai with a divine spirit, right...?" I scratch the back of my neck as she nods. I've got an itch there and it's annoying... "Well, said divine spirit happens to be a friend of the Goddess of Hell, who I happened to bump into whilst she was visiting, and she told me about Aikido."

"Huh. Small world." Sannyo snorts, before closing her fan and placing it in a pocket. Then, she steps behind me, and I feel a hand placed on my back. "Don't you worry though, kid, you're in good hands. You're lookin' at around seven-thousand yen an hour, which is pretty high for a job. But all the other bookies get paid a lot more, because we take so much. You do well, I bump your pay up, it's as simple as that. Any rowdy patrons, you let me handle, because you're gonna be near me. You're in good hands, kid, I promise."

"I know that, you um... You really care about my safety, huh?" I tilt my head at her, smiling.

"Well of course. You're part of the gang, after all, but if word gets out that a human was hurt at one of my dens, there'd be a whole web of complications following that. Especially regarding the Hakurei and Moriya, because it could give them an excuse to shut my den down." Sannyo leans slightly closer to me, her face going slightly serious. "...Hence why I insist that I should handle it, and whilst you should sit back and keep working. If I can't handle it, then Okinaneko probably will. She's protective like that, and if she doesn't, and if Tammy-san or Kurayami-san are there, they'll step in. And believe me, nobody likes to be on the bad side of either." But then she regains some of her cool. "Though, I'm sure you won't have any problems. It's always real calm around me, kid, because of all the tobacco smoke. I influence their behaviour, so to speak."

"Oh, um, well, yeah, that'd be bad too..." I blink at her, scratching my neck again. That itch isn't going away... Mgh. I hate it when that happens. "But I'll take your word for it...?"

"Good boy." She steps back, taking a brief smoke again, before straightening her jacket slightly. "Honestly, I need to get Saikoro to mend this outfit again..."

"How'd it get that damaged, anyway...?" I decide to ask her.

"Oh, you know, people throwing knives at me, among danmaku of varying kinds. Also lasers, rocks, literal moons, the whole... everything. I'm still pissed about this too, because this jacket is my favourite. If I remove it, I feel naked. Damned shrine maidens, witch, maid, and immortal..." She scowls, muttering that last sentence under her breath.

...I'm pretty sure when she says 'maid' she's referring to Sakuya, meaning Kolar's been by here already. Witch probably means Marisa, or something, since she's the only witch I know, and um... shrine maidens? Plural?

"...That damned Moriya maiden came by earlier, if you're wondering. She ruined my outfit further, her and her stupid gods, always meddling and trying to ruin my dens..." Sannyo seethes. Oh. I can tell she's really angry. "But to think the Hakurei had the audacity to do such a thing as well!"

Oh. Reimu's been by too. Well, um... that's cool to know? "And... immortal?"

"Some white-haired girl who dresses like a guy for some reason. For crying out loud, she wears pants, and not a skirt!" Sannyo gives me a very vague description, still irritated about getting her dress ruined. "She almost burnt my attire off of me, and the other two that were with her just watched! Seriously, I need to give them a piece of my mind, too!"

...Wait, white-haired girl, pants, nearly burned Sannyo's jacket off...

A~h, she's talking about Mokou. And the other two with her... One must've been Trish, I bet. No clue who the other was... It could be that Curo guy Kolar mentioned, he was with Trish before, right?

...Let's not ask anything about that though. She might get annoyed at me for being Trish's brother. Also the girl dressing like a guy thing, uh...

...

Let's not dwell on that either.

"And I'm not gonna be able to get in touch with Saikoro until at least way later on today..." Sannyo huffs, looking at where her jacket's been cut, as well as her... skirt and top. I-. Wow, she uh... really got cut up in a bunch of places. Then again, that's the issue with silk, innit...? It's not that, y'know, durable. Rips easily, and it's a pain to fix. I know that because I have silk curtains in my bedroom, and they rip every now and then. 

Still, she turns to look at me, smiling. "Unless, of course, you wouldn't happen to be proficient in sewing, would you?"

Hmm... I can sew, actually. Trish sucks at it. You know how I mentioned how my silk curtains rip every now and then, right? Well, uh... I'm the one who fixes it. Trish tried and she somehow butchered it beyond belief, and I had to get new ones because of how badly she did it. So I decided to take up sewing, and... well, let's just say Trish was never sewing anything ever again after I learnt how to do it. 

Whilst I was thinking about how to respond to that, Sannyo chuckles, presumably examining my face. "Heheheh, just a joke, don't worry about that. Nobody at the den's going to see me today, anyway. Well-. The bookies'll see me later for pay and about our next opening date, which we've already decided on, and they'll probably ask why I'm all roughened up. That's when I'll ask Saikoro after everyone else leaves if she can fix my outfit for me. She's a spider youkai, after all, and her silk's richer than any other spider's."

...I mean. "I can sew, but..."

"Oh, you can, huh? Didn't expect that, since you're a guy and all." Sannyo snorts, taking what has to be the thirteenth puff of her pipe. 

...Okay, I might as well be honest. "That's... the thing..." I click my tongue, before biting my lip the next instant. Do-. Do I want to tell her? I haven't even told Junko yet, and if I tell Sannyo, I should immediately tell her when I next see her... 

I have to come clean eventually, after all.

"...Hmm?" The yamajorou raises her brow, her mouth slightly open in confusion. 

Do I say it? Do I keep it bottled up? I-... I don't-.

...

No. Let's be honest for once, about who I really am. "I'm... not a guy. I'm a girl."

...

Sannyo just has this straight stare at me. Her eyes aren't even moving, she blinks, but outside that, no movement. I can see the confusion and surprise on her face. She really thought I was a guy, huh...? I guess it's easy to get to that conclusion, then...

People probably do the same with Trish, honestly.

"Y-." She begins to speak, before pausing. "You what? Huh... Haha... Ahahaha! You sure had me fooled!" She begins... laughing... Does she believe me...? "H-... Heheh... Well, you sure don't sound like you're jokin', and closer I look, guess you do seem more like a girl." She leans her head closer to look me over, before moving back again and standing straight, regaining her composure. "...But. You didn't correct me at first, you went along with my assumption if anything. Now why's that?"

"Well... Hiding my identity, for one...? I mean, if someone has my gender confused, then..." I trail off, holding my arm awkwardly. "O-Oh, and um... I just feel like identifying as a guy fits better for me than a girl."

"...Ah, you're one of those lot. Well, not really, you have your reasons for doing it. Your name's masculine, and even then, you dress like a guy. Who wears shorts in spring? Only guys do. And you said you were eighteen, yet look at your build. You certainly don't look like a woman your age." Sannyo points out several things about me. "Flat-..." She pauses, eyeing my chest for a moment. "No, wait, you have somewhat of a chest, which is rare for an adult. Damn, you're petite though... How many people do you exactly have fooled with that?"

...

She takes my silence as an answer. "...A lot, then. And let me guess, I'm the first person you told about who you truly are?"

...I nod, sighing. "Well, I figured you might as well know, since... well, you're sort of my boss now, right...?"

"Reasonable enough, I guess. Well, I don't really mind what gender you are. Keep presentin' yourself as a guy, or tell people you're actually a girl, I don't care. I'm respectin' it, don't get me wrong, and I know you have your reasons. Still a part of the team nonetheless." Sannyo also nods, folding her arms. "...Speaking of, do you want me to tell them that too, or...?"

U~m... "Yeah, probably, if I'm gonna be working with them... But when we're in work, I want them to treat me like a man, not like a woman. Just to keep appearances up, you know...?" I give her a grin, idly fiddling with Strand.

"I get it, kid, really, I do." She gives Aegis a brief glance, before deciding to point something else out. "...Weapons aren't allowed in the den itself, either. I understand you use that for self-defense, most likely, so you can keep it under your side of the table. I let my dealers keep weapons for self-defense, in the case of patrons being too rowdy, that nobody can handle them. Just so they can protect themselves."

"...Really?" I blink at that. The dealers keep weapons under the table...?

"Heheh, it's the same in a few of the other dens, kiddo." Sannyo stretches slightly, before relaxing her shoulders, placing her pipe in her mouth but not removing it this time, keeping it in her mouth with sheer lip strength. If that's... a thing. She walks behind me, then uses both of her now free hands to place on my shoulders, which is slightly elaborate. "I'm sure Yoko'd appreciate you bein' a girl, too. Gives her more of a reason to open up. Kumo too, I guess. Kifu doesn't really give a damn regarding gender, she doesn't discriminate. Okinaneko's... Well, she'll warm up to you no matter who you are. She's the house cat, after all. But even Okinaneko and Yoko keep a weapon, of some kind. I mean, Okinaneko scratches someone which stings like all hell, trust me, I'd know, and Yoko has a mallet. Where she got it from's lost on me, she just had a mallet one day, and I let it slide."

...Okay, then. "So... Let me get this straight, no shoes, at least one weapon's kept under the table, and um... Is there anything else I need to know...?" I tilt my head slightly. She doesn't move from behind me, but I feel her hands shift slightly.

"Mmm, not particularly. You get breaks, but they're at certain times. The dealers know when their breaks are, and they follow a particular pattern. It goes like myself, Yoko, Kifu, then Kumo. This, of course, means you'd go for your break after Saikoro goes for hers." Sannyo informs me, rubbing my shoulders slightly. "...You feel awfully tense, you know that, right?"

"...I do? Huh, guess I didn't notice..." My shoulders've been tensed up the entire time, when I pay closer attention. Sannyo has... a really light grip on my shoulders, but it's soft too. Caring, yet there's a hint of something else.

"...Need another smoke?" I can hear the grin in her voice. "Might clear your head a bit."

"I don't like smoking, though. I thought I said that already...?" I move my head to try and look at her, and I see her grin.

"I'm joking. Sheesh, you have a real serious personality... Learn to take a joke, because in this work, you have to, especially if it comes to banter with your players." Sannyo warns me. I guess that is true... I should just relax.

"...Guess so." I slouch my shoulders some more, breathing in deeply. I feel a slight tickle in the back of my throat, but I just ignore it. My neck's still itching, but not as bad as before.

"...But even so, there is one thing that has been worrying me... About Yoko, that is." Sannyo's hands tense on my shoulders, her clutch getting tighter. 

Something about Yoko...? "What would that... um... be...?"

"You're aware of that hole you were seemingly about to fall into, right?" She asks me, to which I nod. "...That's the Rainbow Dragon Cave. Rumour has it there's some ore inside it from ages ago, apparently from the era of the gods themselves. It's a cave that holds the power of dreams... Although, not many people can go down there, as it's extremely deficient in oxygen. So, needless to say, if I hadn't gone to stop you, or if you didn't stop yourself more like, and had fallen in... You most likely would have suffocated. Gone. It's far too hard to breathe in there."

I-... If I didn't stop, and... fall down that... I would've suffocated to death...? That's... Um...! G-Good to know I stopped myself before it was too late, I guess?! But at the same time, knowing that...!

"...Of course, I protect it, since I had made some arrangements with a certain god to do so, though I have my own reasons as of recent. Her name is-." Sannyo's about to speak, but-.

Creak...

...The door to the den opens, and Sannyo immediately looks over, alongside myself. "...I presume I have yourself to thank for this, Komakusa?"

In steps a woman, with dark blonde shoulder-length hair, with red eyes, dressed in a red top with white sleeves, a black ribbon tied securely around her waist, and a yellow skirt. There's these weird glowing, luminescent crystal things covering her body... Ah, are those magatama? Hmm. They're all over her skirt and line her top. There's also these weird orb-like decorations in her hair, with a massive one sat behind her head seemingly, buried in her hair. There's also a pattern on her skirt and top reminiscent of a magatama too, those being green and dark red respectively.

...What I'm more focused on is the fact she's carrying an unconscious Alice and Mike under either arm. Wh-. What happened to them...?!

"...Ah, Tamatsukuri. Welcome." Sannyo smiles, before noting the two unconscious people. "...Oh, my. Whatever could have happened to them?"

"...I found them in the Rainbow Dragon Cave, and I had to force them to turn back. Which you were supposed to stop people from entering, as per our agreements, Komakusa." I can tell she's not happy...! I also find it weird how she was already barefoot, but that's not important. "I suppose the same could be said for those nine that came by earlier, at seemingly random times."

...Nine?

"So it would seem." Sannyo lets go of my shoulders, turning to face this Tamatsukuri properly. "This is who I was talking about - Misumaru Tamatsukuri."

"I'm not here for formalities, Komakusa. Why were they down there? Were you being ignorant? Did you not consider it your problem?" Misumaru, as she's been named, immediately lays into Sannyo. She's... really stern. Then, she pauses to look at me. "...Who is he?"

...People really just like to address me as a guy, huh...? Sannyo momentarily pauses, giving me a glance, before elaborating. "...This is someone I'm hiring for one of my dens. This is Rajime Naga."

At the mention of Naga, she visibly double-takes. "N-... Naga? That's... a name I haven't heard in a long time." Her... tone just took a complete one-eighty. "Though, that isn't important now... I will have questions for you in particular later, Rajime." Misumaru addresses me with that stern tone again, but I can tell there's something else behind her voice now. What is it? Curiosity? That's what it sounds like, but my gut's saying something else...

"If you're thinking about convincing him to resolve incidents, don't bother, he already knows what he wants to do for a living. And besides, being a part of my den's dealers pays better." Sannyo takes her pipe out of her mouth. I have no idea how she kept it in that entire time. She is really good with that pipe, damn...!

...That is yet another sentence that can be taken horribly out of context, and I should probably think before I... 

...

Was I just about to think that I should probably think before I think? What-. Oh. I-.

...Okay, that's confusing, let's not open that can of worms.

"That still doesn't change the fact you actively allowed people to enter the cave." Misumaru chides her, still not relenting.

"...Before you continue, allow me to say that I did give them fair warning about the cavern. But they're the ones who actively went inside. And frankly, our agreement doesn't say I have to actively prevent people from enterin'. If they beat me up, and I can't stop them, then they went in of their own volition. That's what we agreed upon, I'm fairly certain, Tamatsukuri. And if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me." Sannyo gives her a dry stare.

"...Need I remind you that I'm helping you to stop people from entering that cave?" Misumaru gives her an equal stare in terms of dryness. "Especially regarding that dragon ward of yours, and your concern about what's inside the cavern itself potentially harming her."

...What? What's inside the cavern...?

Sannyo immediately snaps her stare into a cold glare. "...Do not mention that, Tamatsukuri. I'm fully aware of the concerns associated with Yoko, and that dragonsbane down there."

...Uh... Dragonsbane? "I... feel like I'm missing something, here...?" I just blink slowly between the two.

"Don't worry about it." Sannyo assures me, but...

"...He has a right to know, Komakusa. After all, if he's going to be working with you - with your daughter, he must know. It's not healthy to keep such a secret either." Misumaru decides against it, before looking at Alice and Mike under her arms. "...Although, I must place these two down somewhere first. Obvious reasons as to why, and all."

...I'm imagining carrying two people under your arms would complicate things.

"Back room, to the left." Sannyo gives her a room. "...That's where another friend of his is. They're looking into these Ability Cards."

"Genuinely? Hmm. Alright, I'll be back in a moment." Misumaru acknowledges this, before moving quickly towards the back room on the left...

...

"Whah? Who're you?!" I hear Medicine, at least. So she's still there.

"Not important." Misumaru replies, before I see her coming back. "...Now then, apologies for that brief delay, but I shall explain what exactly is down there, and why Komakusa is so concerned for Negai's safety."

Sannyo sighs, taking a seat nearby at the same table from before. I just sort of stand up straight, directly in front of Misumaru. There's... a considerable size gap, in my favour. She's about six feet tall, I'd reckon, if not slightly shorter than that. But even then, she's still got this really imposing and stern presence, almost like some kind of big boss figure.

...So, um. "...What's exactly down there...?"

"...A dragon-eating centipede princess. Or, simply put, an oomukade." Misumaru very bluntly summarises what is down there. "But to my knowledge, all she's doing is mining the ore that can be found there, which she must certainly shouldn't be doing. That ore is far, far too precious to use for any purpose that isn't something related with divinity, such as my magatama. Outside of that, though, the fact an oomukade is there in the Rainbow Dragon Cave got Komakusa concerned enough about her own ward to stop others from entering it, especially Negai, the very same dragon she's fostering."

...Sannyo remains quiet, putting her pipe in her mouth and wordlessly exhaling smoke from her nose this time, instead of her mouth. I think that's just to replicate what a dragon typically does, which is blowing steam from its nose.

"Komakusa's afraid that Negai might be killed and eaten by that centipede. Which is reasonable enough for concern in of itself. She fears what would happen if Negai were to ever enter the cavern one day, and never return." Misumaru elaborates further. "...She's terrified by the prospect, deep down, although she doesn't show it on the surface. It became her motivation for guarding the cavern, as of late... Although, it seems it wasn't enough motivation to actively stop others from entering."

"...The safety of Yoko, for me, comes above all else. I've prohibited her from stepping foot near that cavern, no matter what. Everyone else? I don't really care. They're stupid enough for stepping foot in that cave to begin with, if they're mortal. The lack of oxygen'd kill them." Sannyo shrugs from her seat. "After all, that's what the Hakurei did, alongside all those other people."

"I understand that much, but I'm not a fan of people's graves being in such a hallowed place of the gods. I'm also not a fan of their graves being in a mountain in general either, Komakusa, be it their remains from being attacked by a youkai who doesn't care about the air levels, or their oxygen-derived corpses." Misumaru places her arms behind her back, looking over at the den owner with a very stern expression.

"As I said, them entering and me not being able to stop them isn't my problem, Tamatsukuri. They do that of their own volition, and I had warned them before, as I said. I'm still honouring our agreements." Sannyo stands from her seat, looking more annoyed than before. "...Now if you'll excuse me, I'll need some time to myself. Feel free to talk with the ki-. Rajime however you want."

...She nearly called me kid, but she actually stopped at the last minute and addressed me by name, before leaving to a different back room of the den. That earns her a curious glance from Misumaru, before she focuses on me.

"Honestly, can you believe her?" Misumaru huffs, turning to me. "I genuinely don't want people suffering that fate in the mountain's oxygen-deprived caverns, but her disregard for anyone's safety except her own and Negai's is working against my desire for that."

"Well, people are like that, sometimes... I mean, family're more important than strangers are, aren't they...?"

"...I suppose so, but even so. It's common decency. You wouldn't allow someone to blindly march towards their death, knowing full well what's ahead of them, would you?" Misumaru poses me a question, stepping closer to me, whilst staying at a slight distance. 

...I open my mouth to respond, but before I do, she cuts in. "You wouldn't. I can tell from your voice, and from the type of person you are, Naga. Your clan and their history are... interesting. One I may have had relation to, in some sense. Not in the way you may expect, however." Then, she looks over to the seats at the table me and Sannyo were sat at not too long ago. "...Shall we have a seat? As good as it is to test your endurance with standing still, it is far more comfortable to sit down, is it not?"

Ah, right... "That... probably would be a good idea, actually..."

Obliging, I take a seat at where I was sat before, as Misumaru takes the seat beside me. The moment I do so... "Have you had any bizarre events happening as of recent? Such as creating magic that doesn't seem to make sense for your standards?" ...she immediately presses a rather specific question onto me.

...

"How...?" I stare at her, dumbfounded.

"I know a lot about your people. Your ancestors relied on me for divine magatama, at a time." Misumaru specifies as to how she was affiliated with my family. "...But your clan also runs quite a long way back, predating Gensokyo by a very large margin. Every Naga has a bizarre aspect about them. They either have an inclination to either create... or to destroy. Some partake in creative arts, others destructive. I'm aware you're one who's more familiar with creating. Which is good, I suppose, I'm inclined to favour your kind."

What's she talking about...? How does she know all of this...?! "W-Why do you know this much...?"

"A certain nine-tailed fox told me about this, but I believe you'd be familiar with her as Akane Shirogane." Misumaru mentions someone very specific, and someone I'm very familiar with, despite only meeting them for a short period. "She's a... particularly strange one. I can tell she has some affiliation with your family also, but from what era, however, is lost on me. It must be a particularly old one, from ages long since passed... She also claims to have an accomplice assisting her, though even she doesn't know who her supposed benefactor is." Misumaru brings a hand to her chin, before shaking her head. "Although, this is aside the point I'm trying to get across. You seem to hold an abundance of potential, even more than the last Naga ancestor I've seen with this level of latent strength... The issue is, however, you don't seem to know how to control it, or even use it consciously for that matter. Tell me, have you found a sort of... trigger, yet?"

A trigger...? When she mentions it... "I've noticed that my instincts tend to trigger that above... all else, really. There's also desperation and fear, but... it's more in my reflexes."

"Your instincts? That gives me something to work with, at least." She stares at me for a moment, before noticing something else. "...I see you've been trying to work on it with a certain flower youkai, but she doesn't properly understand how a Naga works, especially one from your side of the family."

How a Naga works...? "And... you know...?"

"But of course. Alongside crafting magatama for them to use, I also used to help them in taking a hold of their magical potential. Finding out what triggers it, so to speak, was one major part of my training... But you see, every Naga always has six triggers, not just three." Misumaru raises a finger, before holding her hand out, a magatama in her hand. "...Hold this, would you? It'll allow me to probe the deepest of your unconscious, to find the other keys you are missing."

The other keys I'm missing...? I'll admit, I am curious. If Misumaru genuinely has ties running back to my family, then...

I oblige, grabbing the magatama carefully in one hand. It's a vibrant, oceanic blue, glowing a slightly brighter shade. When I grab it, it glows even more, and I see Misumaru close her eyes and focusing.

"Now, let's see..." Taking a deep breath, she sits completely still for a few moments... "...Justice..." Justice...? She remains in place for a few more seconds, before continuing. "...Adoration..." Her face tightens slightly as she keeps still on the spot. "...Hope." Suddenly, her eyes shoot open, and she breathes out. "Those are the three other triggers you're unaware of. Do you understand exactly what that means?"

Um... "...No, not really...?"

"Justice means when you feel particularly confident that something is wrong, you'll do anything in your power to stop it. Your potential works alongside this." Misumaru moves to take the magatama back from my hand, which I let her, and she pockets it. "...Adoration means that, with every ounce of adoration someone gives you, be it for your strength or general being, you'll grow more confident with your abilities. And lastly, hope... Be it your hope, or someone else's entirely, as long as you have that, you can most likely always access your abilities.

...That sounds like a cliche and a half. 

"I know it sounds like that, but..." Misumaru gives me a neutral smile. "It's the truth."

Wh-. "Did-. Did you just read my mind-?" I'm sort of concerned if she did-.

"What? No, leave that to the satori." She laughs to herself, before shaking her head. "I merely have good intuition. I am a god, after all, and you're just a human. It's not hard to infer what you're thinking right at this moment." That's... um... cool, I suppose...? "To you, yes."

...

She just did it again.

"...Now, then..." Misumaru places her arms on the table, looking at me some more. "How long have you been in Gensokyo, exactly? I can tell you weren't born here, since there aren't any Nagas remaining in Gensokyo at all. They had all moved to the outside world before the barrier had been put in place."

Well, um... "I've been here for a few days, with my sister, Trish, and... a friend of mine called Kolar." I scratch my neck, because I still feel that itch. My throat also feels ticklish...

"...Ah. Your sister?" Misumaru expresses interest in Trish almost immediately, before turning away to mutter something entirely inaudible... then she turns back with furrowed brows. "...Your friend's last name wouldn't happen to be Relay, would it?"

Uh...? "It is, why...?"

"Then that's come true, then..." Misumaru mutters something, bringing a hand to her chin as she sighs. What does she mean by-. "That's not important right now, though. What's more important is getting you acquainted with your abilities and potential."

Is that the third time she's just predicted what I was thinking? Am I really that easy to read...? Oh, I should respond, actually. "How exactly would you go about that...?"

"Well, unlike Kazami's 'training', I actually know how a Naga works. I've trained a few in my time, though it was namely regarding my potential-unleashing magatama." Misumaru smirks, making herself seem imposing. She's done that then, huh...? "...It's actually quite simple, if we're going to be honest here. I know what your triggers are. Desperation, fear, instincts, adoration, justice, and most importantly, hope. These are what allow you to create essences, so to speak, and to create impossible-defying possibilities."

...That sounds really cool honestly. Creating something that can beat impossibilities... That can defy logic... Oh, that's really exciting to think about, actually! Maybe-. Maybe I could bring back-...

...

No. I can't bring them back. They're gone, they always will be. You can't create new life to replace old... Well, that is how nature works, but still, not in this case.

"...It seems this has given you some food for thought." Misumaru regards my neutral face. "Though, I did know your father."

...Huh? "You... knew dad?" How's that possible...?

"Magatama." Misumaru smiles. "They passed down the magatama I had given to them for generations. It allowed me contact with some, as a divine, disembodied voice though. I couldn't really project myself to them, otherwise they would understandably freak out. The Nagas live in a world without youkai or magic now, after all, such a large amount of potential going to waste... Though, you're different. You and your sister, I mean, you've changed back to the old ways, which is quite nice for me. Hmm... Hold on, did your father not pass down-...?"

Her smile fades as she realises I don't have a magatama on me. I... never really had a magatama. Didn't know what one was at first, and I only found out from this one video game where you play as an attorney who is really, really good at bringing out all sorts of crazy things during a court case.

"...I can't sense it on you... Hmm. How bothersome." Misumaru frowns, before visibly feeling around herself. her dress, her skirt, her pockets, everywhere. "And to make matters worse, I seem to have misplaced my special magatama for situations such as this at home... How very annoying."

Magatama...? "My dad always did have something weird hanging from his neck. Looked like a magatama, when I think about it. But... he's not here anymore, and before he left, he gave that magatama to Epsilon, who's my other sister, not me, Trish, or Maroon, my brother."

I figured he would've given it to Trish, but thinking back on it, I swear he gave that magatama to Epsilon. And... I have no way of contacting Epsilon. Or Maroon. Like, at all.

"...Still, I can teach you other things that still hold relevance to this topic." Misumaru settles on, closing her eyes for a few moments. I hear her humming in thought. What does she have planned-? "...Justice. Do whatever you feel is right, no matter how much people say otherwise. If you do that, then it'll allow you to create a more favourable outcome, as opposed to a doomed one."

Justice... "Basically... Go with my heart says?" I think on that...

"More or less, that is what I mean here." Nodding, she moves her head to glance down at the table. "A spirit of goodwill and righteousness works directly with your power. Of course, my unique magatama for this situation would do all of these things for you. But, perhaps, maybe it is better for you to learn on your own. After all, you seem particularly adaptable to harsh situations, are you not?"

...Not entirely wrong, I'll say. I mean-. I've only adapted to a harsh situation... a few times. Like when mom and dad-...

...Why do I say mom, anyway? Guess the internet desensitised me. I should be saying 'mum' or something, but 'mom' just sounds better. Personal preference, anyway. I mean, there's... no way I'm saying 'mother' or 'father'. If anything, Trish would say that. Not me. Can't be bothered. Shorter words are, the better, right...?

Then again, I rant to myself a lot. Helps me build stuff up in my head.

"...I'm taking your silence and expression of thought as a yes, then." Misumaru settles on, reminding me that I did not respond to her at all. "Still, I don't particularly have much time to train you. Komakusa claimed you, and your friends, were looking into these Ability Cards, aren't you? Frankly, I'm glad we can converse like this, instead of fighting. I've had enough of fighting for today, I've already been shot at far more than what's necessary, and even your two friends who had passed out in the Rainbow Dragon Cave due to the lack of oxygen, were worn out for fighting me. I had to bring them here, where I felt other presences, or just the presence of Komakusa in general, so they'd remain safe. I am glad to hear you're part of their little group, however. I also noticed that there was a fully sentient doll in there...?"

"Oh, that's Medicine." I awkwardly fold my arms. "She's... sort of strange. She hates humans, but she doesn't particularly hate me. I mean, we made up not too long ago, or more like she apologised which prompted me to tell her it's fine. I can't entirely fault her for jumping to the conclusion of hating me either, she just hates humanity end of."

"...Ah, she's that doll, from the Hill of the Nameless." Misumaru nods in understanding...? "I've been there once, recently, and I observed her gathering poison from the lilies found there. There was enough to kill even the strongest of men, if not severely paralyse them, so I came to the conclusion her ability was to manipulate poison to an extent. Needless to say, I stayed clear of her, for if I were to fall to her poison, it would be... most unfortunate."

Yeah, I'd imagine. If Medicine's ability to gather poison like that has a god worried, then... It must be really terrifying.

...Not to mention she can manipulate Strand's poison, too. Maybe I should keep Aegis in its pure state if I ever have to fight alongside Medicine... Just so, you know, I don't get poisoned to death by my own weapon.

Because that would be comedically terrible. Actually, it'd just be terrible in general, but still, my point still stands.

Actually-. Dying in general is terrible. Not only for me, but for uh... a few others. Like Junko, primarily, I fear that she'd lose it if I did die, or something...

"Just so we aren't going to stand here in silence until something occurs..." Misumaru catches my attention by clearing her throat. "...I'd like to inquire about that shield of yours. That's a particularly divine object you wear on your arm... How did you come across such a thing...? I've never seen or felt anything like it in my life."

"Well, it's... purified, for one." I contemplate mentioning Junko, but decide against it. "...A good friend and carer of mine gave me it, she's the one who purified it to a divine state. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but... I know it's useful."

"A shield is certainly useful for not only defending yourself, but for being a focus of sorts for magic also." Raising her hand over to touch Aegis, Misumaru does so with ease as I just... hold it out for her. "This metal is pure, reinforced brass... No, it's not brass anymore... It's akin to the Dragon Gems that can be found in the Rainbow Dragon Cave..." 

As she just sort of... runs her hand over it in a curious way, she glances up at me. "What you hold here must be the pinnacle of its kind, for I believe it's impossible to copy such a thing. The patterns are intricate, regal and divine themselves, though it seems to bode well with your impure, mortal presence... It's almost as if the shield was meant to be used by you, and you alone."

"Is that so, huh...?" I bring my free hand to my chin, since Misumaru's practically got hold of my other arm through Aegis-Pure. "I mean, it can shift depending on my will..."

"...It can do such a thing?" She seems surprised to hear this, which is... understandable. It's not everyday you hear about a shapeshifting weapon. "Would you mind showing me?"

"Sure..." I focus. What did I-. Oh, right, I want to be speedy-.

Fwash!

Aegis flashes in a jade-green burst of light, as it becomes the familiar emerald snake pattern with glaring red eyes I'm used to. The rope dart also manifests in my other hand, for the first time. Before, it'd just sort of... dangle in mid-air, and I had to grab it carefully.

"Ah-." Misumaru's brows raise in awe. "Yes, this certainly is a divine relic. I believe it may even hold more power and potential than my magatama! This is far beyond the Dragon Gems, at this point, even weaponry made from those cannot shift shape like this! It's like a mixture between the ore you'd be able to find scavenging around in Makai, the Dragon Gems in the Rainbow Dragon Cave, and materials associated with Heaven and Hell...!"

She's... completely bewildered by it. And by bewildered, I mean she's astonished and amazed at the same time. 

"A-Ahem." She clears her throat, regaining her imposingly serious presence from before as she releases my shield. "As I was saying... Perhaps it is a rather good thing this shield is the only of its kind, and that it cannot be outright copied. It makes me wonder..." She trails off, before pausing. "No, nevermind that. There's no way that is true..."

Uh...? "That?"

"Oh, a mere legacy that's well-known among the higher beings of Gensokyo, especially the sages and gods." Misumaru smirks, closing her eyes. "The aptly-named Tales of Creation, Destruction, and Mediation. There are... many of these tales, I cannot list them all myself, but I am familiar with a few, especially one regarding three humans appearing one day, each picking up a select weapon. A descendant of creation, clad with a circular shield around their arm to protect and create like yourself, a descendant of destruction, armed to the teeth with the sharpest and largest sword possible in order to cut down anything in their way, and lastly, a descendant of mediation, specialising in a myriad of techniques and spells, to make sure balance remains." Then, she sighs, opening her eyes again. "...And as much as I would like to say you're that 'descendant of creation', it's not possible. It's rumoured they only appear once every ten-thousand years, and that when they do, a conflict like no other is born."

"So it hasn't been ten-thousand years...?" I tilt my head.

"That's one of the two reasons." Misumaru furrows her brows. "The other reason is that, ten-thousand years ago, the three descendants were killed, and had no children of their own, seemingly mysteriously. Therefore, that tale should be finished... But I have heard rumours about reincarnation being possible on that ten-thousandth year, and that time might be soon. But, of course, this means that you cannot be that 'descendant of creation', since you're already born and alive."

...Guess that's true, too. Still... Mysterious deaths, huh...? Creepy.

"...What are you two talking about...?" Suddenly, Medicine! I-. Wait, Medicine?!

"Hm-?" Misumaru pauses, looking over at her and realising she overheard that. "...Merely discussing a very old tale with Rajime-san. Do you want to hear about it, also?"

...Rajime-san? I thought she'd just call me 'Rajime'. I mean, she gives me that vibe to address people by just their name. 

Medicine seems to contemplate Misumaru's offer, at least, before shaking her head. "No..." She then turns to me. "Alice and that... um... cat person woke up!"

Cat person. D-. Did she forget Mike's name? I might as well remind her... "...Don't you mean Mike...?"

"...Is that her name?" Medicine tilts her head. "I thought that was a lie... What girl's named Mike...?"

...Honestly, fair enough. Mike is a weird name to have, if you're a girl. Like how my name's Rajime and I'm also a girl, but nobody in this den, except for Sannyo, knows that fact. I also play it off like I'm a guy, too...

Also, if I run into Junko later, I need to tell her I'm actually a girl. I'd feel guilty otherwise, if I kept her in the dark and she found out on her own one day...

Some secrets're meant to be kept secret, but... not if it's important for you to be truthful with someone.

"The maneki-neko is named that, apparently." Misumaru nods helpfully, smiling. I mean, yeah, she is. 

"...I guess..." Medicine looks down, then back up at me, looking hurried. "But c'mon, Alice said we gotta go! This incident might end soon!"

"If I may, I could give you a pointer." Misumaru raises a finger, then steps over to a nearby window, looking out of it, then up. "...Turn your search towards the top of the mountain, if you're looking for the true masterminds. They aren't in the Rainbow Dragon Cave." 

True masterminds, huh...? "I'll keep that in mind."

"Now, chop chop." She turns back to me, her face expressing seriousness and her voice filled with an imperious tone. "You don't have all day. Oh, and if you see a lunar rainbow tonight, that's the work of one of the masterminds."

Okay, that's helpful... I turn to Medicine, and nod. "Alright, let's go."

"Yeah! C'mon, Alice and the cat're already outside...!" Medicine rushes out of the door, leaving me to follow. Misumaru gives me a nod, before turning away and heading towards the room Sannyo went in before. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Masterminds means there's multiple, since she used the plural. How many're we talking, anyway, two, three...? Four?

Well, we'll find out, I guess...

"So that Misumaru lady uh... brought us to that den?" Mike asks me as she floats alongside Alice. "Just 'cause we passed out in that cave?"

"...I'm imagining it's good she did..." Alice sighs, frowning. "I may have gotten... overzealous, in there, and overexerted myself just to beat her."

"Ah... You 'n me both." Mike solemnly lowers her head. It's starting to get a bit darker now, too... I see dolls carrying unlit torches, and by torches, I mean the ones people set on fire for light, not the electrical ones. 

...Because those don't exist here, as far as I'm aware. Very medieval. Very spooky.

"I thought you guys just went for a walk!" Medicine furrows her brows and folds her arms, also flying. I'm just zipping about like an idiot with Aegis-Strand, slamming into-

Thud! Bam!

-trees. Like that.

"...Are you sure you don't want me using the dolls again?" Alice asks me with a raised brow, drifting closer to me.

...I slowly turn to her, and raise a brow right back. "Last I checked, you used those dolls to lock me in place. And I prefer being able to move my limbs like I'm not possessed, thank you very much."

"Hmm, fair enough." She nods, drifting ahead...

It's also a lot colder up here, and wind chill is barraging me non-stop. It genuinely sucks, but I'm pretty sure I can grin and bear the cold... I mean, I wear shorts in winter for crying out loud. My legs have been covered in snow a lot and I've gotten frostbite from it multiple times. Well-. Recently, anyway. We didn't really get snow in England, due to how close me, Trish, Maroon, and Epsilon lived to the sea. It was like... rain, high wind, take it or leave it.

Anyways, it's colder, because we're getting closer and closer to the peak. It's very open up here, and I swear we've passed a few odd structures here and there... Also a few caves.

...Speaking of caves, I do want to look into that Rainbow Dragon Cave at some point, even if Misumaru said there's practically no oxygen in there.

I mean... There's always preparation, right? And besides that... who the hell are we going to run into up here? Because of all the cold, I don't-.

Thud! Bang!

Oh, I slammed into another tree with my shield. I'm getting really good at doing that. Using Strand itself is hella fun. 

Anyways, yeah, I don't think there's anybody actually-.

"What the hell's with all the noise over here...?" I hear... a surprisingly familiar voice? Sounds boyish, sort of done with life...

...Oh, wait, I know who that is. It's Mokou, right...? Why's she up here?

"...Huh?" Medicine stops. Mike does, too. Alice just... also floats forward slightly, and before long-.

Fwoom!

...There's fire. Coming from someone's hand. I immediately see an illuminated Mokou, since it is pretty dark up here now, but not dark enough to the point you can't see. Still, Mokou's there. Feels weird seeing her agai-...

...

Wait, if she's here-.

My eyes immediately trail to the left, and I'm greeted with a familiar face, whose eyes are also focused on me. 

"Oh, damn. Didn't expect to see you up here." She immediately addresses me without a care for anything else, stepping over carefully. When she passes by Mokou, I see-.

...That is a really, really big sword, what the hell...?! Is she compensating for something?!

"...What?" Mokou watches Trish just walk past her, before her eyes focus on me. "Oh. Huh. It's you, and..."

...Her eyes shift to Alice next, and her brows raise. "Damn, the puppeteer too? Guess you guys aren't the people we're lookin' for, then..."

"Mokou." Alice greets her with a neutral smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"...We've seen each other five days ago." Mokou deadpans, before looking to someone on her right. "Hey, Curo, get the hell out of the shadows and talk."

...I just hear a sigh from somewhere, before seeing a shadow of some kind blur out of a nearby tree, before dropping to a halt beside Trish. She just looks over at this 'shadow' and snorts. I-.

...Wait, Curo? As in... Curo Sabaton? The same one Kolar mentioned...?

"Of course." I'm greeted with a male voice, but it sounds overwhelmingly done with life. Even more than Mokou is, somehow. But at the same time, there's a tone of neutrality behind it I can't put my finger on. 

When I'm able to get a good look at this guy, I see that it's... a rabbit boy. He's got the rabbit ears and everything, but his eyes're obscured behind this emerald green visor which gives off a barely luminescent light in the dark. Other than that, he's wearing a jet black, buttoned up suit with a pearl white shirt and green tie underneath, alongside dark, skin-tight combat leggings. The other thing I note is raven black, neatly cut hair, almost as if it was cut solely to avoid being grabbed, due to how short it is. And the ears... They look fluffy. Like, really fluffy, but his skin's pure white. Pure white.

"...Curo...?" I hear Medicine mutter something, before tilting her head. This somehow makes 'Curo' look over at her, raising his brows.

"Ah, you..." Somehow, his brows are visible, even with that visor on. The visor itself is like a mixture of black and grey material, seeming rubbery, yet also incredibly firm. I see some buttons on the side of it, labelled with symbols. "You're that doll... Medicine, wasn't it?" Then I look at his hands, and oh boy am I glad I did. In his hands are two sleek, black pistols, with little rabbit ears where the sights should be. I see a little scope between the two ears, but the guns themselves seem really futuristic...

...I also faintly make out an engraving of 'J' on one, and an 'R' on another.

I hear Mike groaning slightly to herself, uncomfortable. Probably because of how weird this guy looks, but still. 

Anyways, Trish. "...Hey, sis." 

"T-." I make Alice double-take. "That's your sister?"

"Yeah." Trish snorts, bringing a finger to her nose to scratch it. "I'm his big sister. So if any of you want to keep your sorry little heads, then-."

"...Trish, they're my friends." I deadpan at her.

"Oh, right. Still, doesn't hurt to have a bit of motivation, doesn't it?" Trish gives me a grin, patting her large sword. How the hell is she carrying that without breaking her back...? It's like... twice her size. "I can uh... also tell you're wondering how I'm carrying this sword."

"Physical boosts on behalf of Eirin, or whatever she told me." Mokou butts in, giving Trish a dry stare. "...I still have no idea why you decided to let that pussy upgrade your sword like that."

Pussy...? What?

"Hey, bigger means more fun." Trish raises a finger. "...Also more chaos. And more ways to absolutely terrify people. I mean, would you want to fight someone carrying this big as all hell sword, which I have named Sparda, mind you, who knows how to use it?"

"...Trish, you and I both know I would burn that sword to pieces." Mokou still keeps her dry stare. "Or metal sludge."

"True, I guess." Trish shrugs. "But what can you do? Big sword means big di-... Damage. Yeah, damage."

She almost messed that sentence up entirely. I also decide to ask. "...What were you about to say just then?" I also decide to give the most terrifying thing possible after saying that sentence. A smile. Trish should know what that means, right...?

And I'm right! She's immediately sweating. "U-Uh... Not important."

"...Hmh." The rabbit, supposedly Curo, steps between me and Trish. "Not everyday I hear her unnerved. You said she's your sister, correct? Then that would make you Rajime."

So Trish told this guy about me...? "Well, yeah, that's right..."

"...I am Curo Sabaton." He does a little bow. "A lunar rabbit, and servant of Lady Trish. I suppose that also makes you 'Lord Rajime', or something to that degree."

...What. Lord Rajime. I just turn to Trish. "...Servant. Okay, explain."

"What's there to explain? He's my servant. I mean, he swore loyalty to me, and everything." Trish just shrugs. Again.

"...Why is he your servant?" I decide to rephrase my question.

"Eientei didn't particularly... suit my interests, any longer. And, besides this, Lady Trish has assisted me with matters that are... How should I say, personal?" Curo raises a hand for emphasis, before twirling a pistol off-handedly. He's not even looking at it. What. "And her unique gimmick, if you will, furthered my interest in serving her. Of course, I could serve you, also..."

...He looks at Trish, raising a brow. She just blankly stares at him, before her own brows raise in realisation. "Oh, you're-. You're looking to me for uh... confirmation? Curo, I'm pretty sure I told you, and I quote, do 'whatever the fuck you want, whenever the fuck you want, and however the fuck you want'."

...Aaaa~nd there's the Trish I'm familiar with. Three consecutive swears. That's another three pennies to the swear jar...

Honestly, if I had a pound for every time Trish swore, I'd be a millionaire. Hell, ten pence, one pence, I'd still be filthy rich. I specify 'filthy', since the methods I got that cash are, in fact, filthy.

"...Ah. Yes, now I remember..." Curo nods once, before feeling around in his pockets. "I swore I had another one around here..."

...As he searches for whatever it is he's looking for, my eyes trail over to Mokou, Alice, and Medicine, who seem to be chatting about something regarding the incident. Mike just seems to be absent-mindedly staring off into the distance, for uh... for some reason.

Anyways, uh... I decide to make some small talk with Trish. "So... Mokou said something about physical boosts...? Is that how you're able to hold that sword without snapping in half...?" I tilt my head. Seriously...

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She grins, tapping her shoulder slightly with the sword. "Seriously, you should get them too, they rock. Picking up an entire tree's easy!"

...That's concerning.

"Especially if the tree's thrown at you in particular..." She rubs her chin with her free hand, slowly furrowing her brows. "...And then someone throws a bomb at you..."

Okay, what the hell does that mean?

"And then that same someone decides to throw a literal rabbit at you just because you didn't leave when they asked..." She keeps rubbing her chin, furrowing her brows even further. "And then they throw-."

"Okay, I get it. But... still, physical enhancements, Trish?" I bite my lip. "I like my body the way it is... You should too."

"Pfft, really? Only pansies do that. Eirin gave me the raw crack cocaine, dude, I'm stronger than ever! Also a bit of the cyborg enhancements Curo has, to increase my perception and all that crap, but that's an added benefit." Trish grins, chuckling to herself. "I've got nanomachines, son."

Nanomachines. Hmm. I have heard about them, and that they can be used for medical science and a whole bunch of other shenanigans regarding the human body. "Still, I'm... not a big fan of having some foreign substance inside me." I tell her, shaking my head.

"Oh, come on." She tuts. "They're sick. I've never felt better, honestly. Like, watch this." Lowering the sword to the ground, she takes a deep breath and-.

Whoosh!

...She-... She just hurled that gargantuan sword into the air, with only slight preparation. 

"...Lady Trish." Curo turns to lower his eyes at her, pausing his search for a moment. "What did I tell you about throwing Sparda into the air like that...? I'm fairly sure Udongein told you the exact same thing, as did Yagokoro. And Houraisan. And Mokou herself. And Kamishirasawa, and-."

"Gee, Curo, shut up." Trish gives him a sour stare. "I'm trying to have fun, and show Rajime how sick it is to have these enhancements in my body."

"...Noted." He focuses on me, gives me a brief look of sympathy, before sighing and going back to searching his pockets. "Now, if it isn't-."

...Whoosh-. Thwip!

...That was the sound of Trish catching Sparda, as the sword is apparently named. "See?! That was cool!"

I guess that is cool. But I focus on Curo. "What're you looking for, exactly...?"

"A personal concoction of mine." Curo elaborates. "...In more precise terms, it's the ultimate medicine to ever exist. Not even Yagokoro can make a drug like this, because only I have the materials necessary to make it. I personally call it Black Sabbath, in reference to my last name, Sabaton."

...Isn't a sabaton like, an armoured boot, or something? I just caught that... And I'm fairly sure 'curo' means to perform with care, or to take care of something. Huh.

Basically his name just means 'take care of your feet with armour', or something. That somehow makes no sense, yet some sense, because stubbing your toe is the worst. Especially on a coffee table. Trish erupts like a volcano when she does that... and it isn't pretty when she does, either.

"Now, it should..." Curo's eyes light up as he produces a vial with a black, fizzy liquid inside. "Aha! This is the Black Sabbath, you see. I made it fizzy so it's easy to drink, I know outsiders prefer fizzy things these days... But I can make it in other flavours. Don't ask how. What you should know, however, is that the medicine I hold in my hand here can cure even the deadliest of viruses, plagues, infections, and poison. It's a miracle cure, if you will."

"Yeah, nerd stuff aside... Hey, you wanna know one of the ingredients?" Trish cuts in with a smirk on her face, to which-.

Pap!

Curo slapped her. "Be quiet, you. My recipe is top-secret." Wow.

"Okay, okay, sheesh, you and your weird concoctions..." Trish sighs, rubbing where he slapped her on the cheek. "...All I was going to say is that mochi is involved." 

"...Ah. That's reasonable, then." Curo brings a hand to his chin, apologising. "My apologies, milady."

"...Do not call me 'milady', Curo." Trish deadpans. "It makes me sound like I'm fifty."

"Mmm. But you are my lady..." He pouts. "It's only reasonable I show due respects. It's what I was taught back at the Lunar Capital, with my former mistress, anyway..."

"Lunar Capital? Former mistress...?" I raise a brow in wonder, before coughing into my hand. I-... I didn't expect to cough, but...

"Mmh?" Curo glances at me. Well-. He looks at me. His visor makes it hard to tell where he's looking exactly, since it obscures his eyes. "The Lunar Capital is... well, the capital of the Moon. It's where the Lunarians reside, and where I resided, for a time, serving my mistress... Though, unlike Udongein, I was not some 'frilly pet' of the Watatsukis. I was too noble. No, instead, I served another well-respected figure, who... is regrettably imprisoned, that being the Moon goddess, and Hourai immortal, Chang'e."

Chang'e... Why does it feel like that name rings a bell-.

...

Why do I have such a serious sense of déjà vu right now, actually...? It's like... I should know of her, but I also shouldn't. It's... a really, really strange feeling.

"Whoa, you uh... You feeling good?" Trish expresses a bit of worry. "You just kinda... spaced out, when Curo mentioned Chang'e. I mean, he told me this story like, five times, each time with little new parts about his uh... relationship with her. as well as his loyalty, but... I didn't react that way."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine..." I shake my head, dismissing the feeling the best I can. "Just... a sense of déjà vu, you know?"

"Ah. Yeah, that crap's weird." Trish nods in understanding. "You met Kolar's master yet?"

His master? "You mean Flandre? Yeah, I've met her. I actually met Kolar himself earlier today."

"Oh, damn. Still, they're a good pair for each other. Kolar seems alright with taking care of her, being her butler and what-not, even though she's a goddamned vampire. Funny what fear does to you, it desensitises you eventually, don't it?" Trish pockets her free hand.

"...Ah, yes, the younger Scarlet..." Curo smiles. "She is... quite enjoyable, albeit bizarre. I can tell she doesn't have much opportunity to talk to others... Still, Kolar-san seems to have a considerable influence on her, from what I can deduce."

"Yeah, leave the nerd stuff for later, Curo, we're not breaking any bads yet." Trish makes a reference that I'm pretty sure nobody, barring me, understood. "...Nor are we blowing up any drug cartels, nor are you teaching me to make drugs. Y-. You aren't teaching me how to make blue drugs, right?"

"...Y-... Your thought process confuses, astounds, and bewilders me as always, Lady Trish..." Curo shakes his head, slightly unnerved by Trish's words, whilst also being really confused.

"Oh, sweet, exactly the way I like them." Trish chuckles to herself, brushing her pink hair to the side slightly. "...So what the hell're you going to do with that Black Sabbath vial, exactly?"

"...Uh... Ah, that's right." Curo sighs. "I can't believe I had gotten caught up in conversation... It goes to show how little I converse outside of necessary briefings and communication among other rabbits, Yagokoro, and Houraisan regarding sensitive information, Earth-born and Moon-born alike."

Houraisan... "You know, you mentioned a Houraisan before. Who's that, exactly...?" I express interest in whoever this Houraisan person is.

"She's a fuckin' pussy!" Mokou shouts abruptly, much to the confusion of the others.

...Well that's helpful.

"I mean... Yeah, not wrong." Trish actually agrees with that. "She's just holed up in Eientei's inner depths waiting for random shit to happen. Or if she gets bored. Also, uh... by that, we're talking about Kaguya Houraisan. Former Moon princess, immortal like Mokou is, u~h... Very secluded. You'd like meeting her, you have a lot in common. I mean, hey, if you want, I could get you two set up for date-."

"No." Curo denies her, pointing a pistol at her with surprising speed, before twirling it into a pocket. "No. That... That would just be a disaster waiting to happen, I'm certain..." Regaining his composure, he shakes his head. "Ahem, ignoring that attempted matchmaker disaster in the making... Lord Rajime? Here." 

Extending his hand out, he... offers me the vial of Black Sabbath. "It looks really fizzy... How did you make medicine fizzy?" Seriously, that's impressive.

"Sabaton secrets." He gives me a neutral grin as I take it and examine it. "And besides that... Whilst I do primarily serve Lady Trish, I will also serve you where possible, if necessary. Consider my strength yours, if the time demands it."

"Yeah, basically, he's saying he can make super drugs for you." Trish nods. "Like, say, cocaine squared. Or if you're having a bad day, he can hook you up with some special devil's lettuce."

...I swear... I place the tube of it into my shirt pocket, turning to her. "Trish, need I remind you what I think of drug use for stuff that isn't medicine?"

"It is medicine though, Rajime." She nods. "...Very good, addictive medicine."

"...She isn't wrong. All of the drugs I create, sometimes with assistance from Yagokoro, are medicine no matter what, be it cure-alls, sleeping powder, vision-enhancing candies, mints that make you breathe ice, restorative mochi, virus-killing dango, spicy yet sweet tea that makes you breathe fire... I try to make most of my medicines into sweet things."

"...What the hell was that mint one? What was that tea one?! What the hell does that mean?! That's not medicine, those're bio-weapons...!" I blink at Curo in surprise...!

"The mint kills heartburn, and the tea clears your body and mind." He adds helpfully. "...But all the earth rabbits use it to play pranks on each other. I also give those mints to ice fairies just to see what would happen, if I'm bored. Hell, I even give that spicy tea to Mokou every now and then. She likes it, even if she erupts into flames moments later."

...

"You scare me." I settle on.

"Fair enough." He accepts this, at least, as Trish snorts.

"Wait until you see the 'Super Miracle Mooncakes'... Boy, do they pack a punch." Trish begins grinning slowly. Okay, do I want to know what those do...?

"Lady Trish, you-. You know those are still experimental..." Curo expresses genuine concern. "Did you genuinely consume one whilst I wasn't looking...?! Was that why you had crumbs around your mouth that one time?!"

"...Maybe." Trish gives Curo a neutral smile, before putting a hand on his shoulder. "All it did was give me this elated feeling for like, three hours, before I felt depressed for an hour afterwards."

"...Hmm." Curo furrows his brows, considering this feedback... "It seems I'm going in the right direction with their purpose, at least..."

Bloody hell, he must be one hell of a chemist in his free time...

"Now the question is, have you ever thought about sake that makes you extremely sober? I have a prank I want to play on someone." Trish gives him a question. Um. Before she asks him if he can make a bomb out of a liquid...

"...What exactly does this... Black Sabbath taste like? Just so I know, if I ever need to drink it..." My throat feels sort of parched, actually, and there's not only an itch on my neck, but on my back, too. It's one of those really, really annoying itches that happen all over your spine and stuff, too... That's annoying. 

"It tastes like grape wine." Curo tells me. "...But I did mix some strawberry into the mix. I'm experimenting with flavours, obviously, and all of my goods are experimental regardless of the fact. They're not certified to be safe, but... they're safe more often than not due to a special ingredient of mine. Not that I can tell you, of course, a superb chemist like myself needs his secrets much like a magician does."

"Why... are you so good at chemistry, exactly...?" I decide to ask him...

"Are you familiar with the tale of the Jade Rabbit?" Curo asks me. Um... not really...? "If not, allow me to explain. If you were to look at the Moon from down here, on the Earth, you would see a rabbit. Said rabbit is myself, of course, since that rabbit is believed to be the companion of Chang'e, which I was for a time. Especially in Chinese mythology, apparently. That is... my origination, after all, since I was born of the Earth at one point, but I rose to the Moon with my mistress, the perfect companion, the perfect servant, the perfect protector and fighter, and... the perfect rabbit in general." As he points his right hand directly up, his head moves to look at the nearby moon, too. It's... very bright, and full. Very full. "...Some say that beside me, on those markings, is a mortar, and in my hand is a pestle. It's also believed that is what I used to pound the elixir of immortality, none other than the Hourai Elixir itself, which is not only how Chang'e achieved immortality, but Houraisan and Mokou also. There may have been an instance where I had drank the elixir, too, but I can't remember much about that. My memory is... quite clouded, with many things. My cousins, nephews, and nieces of various moon rabbits who seemingly appeared one day without warning... They all attempt to follow in my footsteps, pounding mochi in hopes of one day pounding medicine, but there's no replicating my knack for it."

...Sheesh, that's heavy... "Do... you miss being up there?"

"What? No." Curo snorts, shaking his head. "I hated it up there. It was very authoritarian, very strict. I hate that. I like freedom. I want freedom. My relatives are slaves, up there, forced to do the bidding of the Lunarians. I hate that aspect. We aren't just servants, we have lives. I have a life. I have a soul, feeling, emotions, and a sound body and mind. That's what makes me alive and free. And besides, I'm pure to the bone, even spending so much time among the impurities of Earth, the one place the Lunarians refuse to touch without a plan. And I'm willing to sabotage any plans they have in order to purify this land to force me back to the Lunar Capital." He grips his fist, scowling. "...I also want to punch the Watatsukis in the face, multiple times for what they did to me, but that's a story for another time."

...Watatsukis? What the hell did they do to Curo...? Who even are they...?

"Basically the Lunarians are racist against anything impure." Trish summarises for me, grinning. "Except for some, apparently there's a few good eggs, or whatever the hell you'd say."

...I mean, she's right, that is what I would say.

"Mmm. My combat mentor, for one, is a forbidden warrior. I... particularly miss him. Lady Chang'e, too... She was always bright and cheerful, always having some wisdom for me..." Curo warmly smiles, hugging himself slightly as his breath goes shaky. "I miss her, I miss her soft embraces, I miss the head pats for jobs well done, and-."

"Okay, don't go weird on us, Curo, I still need you for later." Trish reminds him, sighing. "Look, I get you like, adore your former mistress, and what she did for you, but I'm your lady now, right?"

"Yes, yes, I know, I just like to reminisce on the good days of the lunar society..." Curo also sighs. "...You wouldn't mind patting me on the head, though, would you...?"

"...Curo." Trish deadpans.

"I-I'm just saying!" He flinches slightly. "I just... like a reward, after a job I do that goes well..."

...I think I can make a judgement on his general character, now. He presents himself as a pretty assertive, confident guy, but deep down, he's a really big softie. I mean, he just went super soft when he said he missed being hugged and being patted on the head. He's also extremely sentimental regarding Chang'e... Curo seems proud to have been her companion, though. 

Still, not sure what to think about slavery on the Moon. Or racism towards impurity, as Trish said. The Lunarians sound like one hell of a problematic civilisation, if you ask me...

I mean, Curo sounds really smart, if he's able to come up with experimental drugs that Eirin can't make. And as far as I know, she's the best doctor around... and the only one. I think.

"Okay, look, Curo..." Trish pinches her temple. "...I'll give you a hug after we get back to Eientei. It's getting late, and that lunar rainbow market crap was weird anyway..."

"Really?" He perks up, his ears jumping right up as well. They're fully extended, and... they're actually really long. And thick. "Y-You really mean it...?!" They look super soft, I just wanna... nuzzle into one. Man, Trish has it lucky... Where's my fluffy bunny rabbit to snuggle up to...?!

"Sure." Trish rolls her eyes, muttering something under her breath.

"Thank you, Lady Trish!" Curo bows in appreciation, glad. Wow. Trish uh... really made an impression on him, didn't she...?

"Yeah, whatever." Trish ignores him, before focusing on me. "So~... Did Kolar tell you I'm running a bar now?"

"You're what?" I blink. Kolar never told me that...! 

"D-. Did he not? Oh, for the love of-..." She grits her teeth, before shaking her head. "I told him so he could specifically tell you if he ran into you, which he did. Did he forget, or something? Fucking hell, Kolar, I specifically told you to tell him that when you ran into him..."

"Must've forgotten, then." I nod... then furrow my brows. "But still, a bar? Really, Trish?"

"Yeah. It's called Outer Heaven, and it's near the square of the Human Village. It's just... down one of the back roads. Basically, I own it, and Curo helps me to run it. I mean, he swore loyalty to me, after all, so I might as well put him to work. Lessens my own workload." Trish smirks, looking up at the nearby moon. "He handles all of the finance and stuff, I hate maths. Also I have no idea how properties work here, but that's aside the point."

"Quite." Curo twirls out the pistols again, idly spinning them in his free hands. "...Though, I also double as the security. Lady Trish is the barkeep and waitress. Outer Heaven itself is... quite homely. It's akin to one or two of the lunar sake bars that I used to go to in the Lunar Capital."

...I'm more interested in those pistols, honestly. "...What is it with those pistols, anyway...?"

"Oh, these?" Curo flips them into the air then firmly catches them correctly. "They're my special pistols. They shoot lasers, instead of bullets, but they're pin-point precise most of the time, assuming my ability doesn't interfere with their being. This one's named Jouga-" He holds up the pistol with a 'J' engraved on it... "-and this one is Rototsuki, given to me by my mentor." He then raises the other pistol, which has an 'R' engraved on it. So Jouga and Rototsuki...? "They're... special. Unlike the other myriad of weapons used by lunar rabbits and earth rabbits, my pistols can be customised and upgraded to do more than just simply shooting bullets or lasers. If I wanted, it could shoot flowing water, streams of fire, hazy ice, strong wind, solid rock, electric bolts, basically any element. I can even shoot bullets that alter one's perception of reality, if I wanted to. I mean, it's like staring into a moon rabbit's eyes, but twofold. You'll be driven insane in minutes."

...Okay, cool. Trish clicks her tongue. "So, basically, he can abuse the elements with his pistols. But that's not all. See his visor? That's the only one of its kind, because nobody can apparently replicate that thing. It'll allow Curo to see anything, and when I mean anything, I mean anything, no matter what you're wearing, how fast it is, or how hidden it is, Curo can see it."

Okay, cool! He has super vision...!

"Yes, thank you, Lady Trish." Twirling his pistols with dexterity back into his pockets, Curo places his hands on his hips. "...So, am I correct in presuming you came out to look into these... bizarre Ability Cards also?"

"Yeah, that's... right. Didn't one of you mention something about a lunar rainbow market...?" I tilt my head. I'm pretty sure one of them mentioned that...

"Oh, yeah, funny thing actually." Trish speaks up. "...Apparently, not only is the moon full tonight, but there's a lunar rainbow too. There's an entire market around the top of the mountain, and we went there, me, Curo, and Mokou, but that was weird so we just left instead of buying anything and before someone else could harass us about taking the cards we gathered. I mean, I dunno, you might like going up there, even if it's cold as balls. Bu~t you should probably see what a certain crow tengu's up to, and I don't mean that asshole Aya."

There's another mention of Aya. But... the tengu, huh...?

"Mmm... We actually came out here chasing a fox youkai. A kuda-gitsune, if I recall." Curo furrows his brows. "...But for the life of me, I can't seem to find her, even with my enhanced vision."

Well, that's troubling, but it's not really my problem, is it...?

"But still, check with the tengu." Trish tells me, smirking. "They deserve to get beat up."

"...Why?" I blink at her. What did they even do to her...?

"Fake news." Trish nods once. Oh. "...One of them spread fake news about me, and I'm pissed about it."

"I thought I told you barely anybody reads the Bunbunmaru, though...?" Curo gives her a concerned glance.

"Yeah, but it's still slander." Trish gives him a stare. "...Slander against me. I hate that. I figured you would too, Curo, since it's specifically slandering my name, and you swore loyalty to me."

"...Ah. Well, yes, that... is correct..." Curo nods slowly, looking to the side...

"Then be pissed about it, for fuck's sake!" Trish throws her arms up, nearly accidentally flinging that huge sword into the air again, before stumbling to correct herself with its weight. "Fuckin'... ugh. Big swords are too clunky."

"...Why didn't you get a smaller one...?" I tilt my head to the side. Seriously, Trish...

"I mean, yeah, I could've." Trish gives me a raised brow. "But dude. Big sword. Who wouldn't want a big sword? It looks badass. Sort of like Curo's pistol tricks. Actually, wait." She turns to Curo, grinning deviously. "Do the introduction, Curo."

"I've... already introduced myself..." Curo actually looks embarassed...? What does Trish mean by 'do the introduction'...?!

"Do the introduction, Curo. Y'know, the one you did when you met me for the first time." Trish places her free hand on his head, ruffling his short hair and bunny ears. That... makes him perk up.

"A-Alright, fine, fine, Lady Trish..." Sighing, he steps back, clearing his throat.

"Oh, hey, you might wanna take a look at this, actually. He rarely does this at all. I've only seen it once, but..." I hear Mokou speak up, followed by the sounds of shuffling feet. I glance over and see that literally everyone else is looking at Curo expectantly.

"What exactly is this...?" Alice raises a brow, intrigued.

"Curo has literally everything planned for any encounter. Watch." Trish points, grinning. I can tell she's giving Curo a look that just says 'don't screw this up'.

...

Is he going t-.

"Yue Tu, ex-leader of the Phantom Ravi Elite." Curo's visor flashes to a bright, piercing red as he starts twirling his pistols at ludicrous speeds. He even fires a few, muffled lasers, just for show. Or I think they're for show, since I swear he hit at least four people in the shadows with those. "Also known as... Curo Sabaton." He flips a pistol, which I think is the one named Jouga, then fires it seemingly midair at something in the shadows around. "This might be the last face you'll ever see... So learn it well." He fires again, seemingly at nothing, but then a moment later, a noticeable impact was heard as something crackles. "The loyal companion of the lunar goddess Chang'e, the first moon rabbit, the Jade Rabbit themselves... Those are all me. You'll never compare to a living legend like myself, and my twin pistols will be the judge of that. Now draw!"

...I'll have to admit, that was... impressive. I have no idea what he shot at during that speech, either.

"...That was..." Alice pauses, trying to think. "...Excessive."

"That's the second time I've ever seen him do that, now." Mokou keeps her hands in her pocket. "First time was when Trish met him, also for the first time or whatever. Second time was right now."

"What... uh... did you even shoot at...?" Mike expresses some slight concern.

"Fairies. Youkai. You know, lesser beings that hold no importance. Alive or dead, they matter not. Mere hindrances for the future, they are, so I suppose you could say I'm... alleviating the problem?" Curo twirls his pistols back into his pockets, smirking. "Of course, none of those were tengu or kappa. If they were, that would cause problems. Besides, from what I could gather of them, they seemed to be overly generic anyway. Unimportant entities who only care about killing humans, those were. I can't particularly have that, now, can I?"

"...What was that impact, though?" Alice expresses slight concern.

"...Probably an electric fairy. They don't react well to my lasers." Curo stares off to the side idly.

"Yeah, they all go 'crack-oom' surprisingly quietly, all you hear is a cracking noise, and then they detonate into a field of electricity. It's uh... amazing to look at, but a son of a bitch to walk through later. Especially if you're trapped on the other end, and trust me, those don't go away for a good while." Trish speaks like she's had a first-hand experience with that... Guess I'll take her word for it...?

"They really don't." Mokou sighs, lowering her eyes.

"I'm not even going to ask." Alice shakes her head, before giving Medicine a glance, who's just been... quiet. "What did you think of it, Medicine?"

"Huh? Oh, um..." She bobs her head back and forth, seemingly giving it thought. Su-san does the same, from what I can spot of her. "...It was cool, I guess?"

"Mmph." Curo sounds like he's pouting. Oh-. Whilst he's here, and whilst I have the opportunity...

I whip out good old Gensopedia from my bag. "Hey, um... Curo, you wouldn't mind filling out a page for yourself in this, would you...?"

"...What the fuck is that? Where'd you get a diary from?" Trish raises her brow slowly. "I didn't honestly think you would write a diary."

"Well, it's more of a handbook, so I have things I can go over later, but it's also a diary, I guess..." I respond to Trish's vulgar statement with a lower voice.

"Ah, is that so? Well, I would love to." Curo holds his hand out to take Gensopedia, and its funny pen. "...Hmm. This reminds me of the pens at Eientei... No matter. What do I need to do, exactly?"

"Just, uh... write your name in one of the blank pages. Trust me, the pen does the rest..." I give him a ginger smile. 

...He gives me a brief glance, before moving the pen to write his name, and...

...

There it is. He just has a very focused expression, if it can be called that. His eyes're hidden, but his mouth is pursed into a very serious look. 

Trish also seems to have noticed. "...Holy fuck, what did you do to him...?"

"It does that. I had nothing to do with it." I give her a grin. "That pen makes you write everything you know about a topic. It's uh... spooky." 

"Yeah, no kidding." Trish waves her hand in front of Curo's visor, to get no response. "What the hell... Bloody spooky, impulsive pen and book, those are."

"But the way I see them, they're useful." I shrug. I know they're useful, too. I got Flandre to fill an entire page on herself out, as well as Medicine and Mike.

"...Damn. I need me one of those, now..." Trish mutters, clicking her tongue. "Then I could get Curo to force people to write in it, by forcing their hand..."

Well, that's a thought, but... "...I'm pretty sure it only works if they willingly write their name down. Like Curo did."

"...On that note, I'm done." Curo announces. "What a bizarre feeling..."

Oh, he's done, eh...? "How long'd that take you, exactly?" I swore that took, like, no time at all...

"A few minutes. I'm a fast writer, I'll have you know." Curo simply smiles. Well, that's fair enough, then. He hands Gensopedia back over to me, as well as the pen, then I have a look at how much he-...

W-Wow, okay, he wasn't joking, he is a fast writer. He wrote at least six pages of A5 paper in a few minutes. That's... seriously impressive. I'm pretty sure this is A5 paper, anyway. Also, six pages means a lot of information.

"Okay, anyways, uh... I'm sure as fun as it would be to have Mokou throw her entire life story in there, me and Curo have a bar to get back to, and Mokou has a... whatever it is to get back to." Trish gives Mokou a glance, who nods.

"Yeah, sorry. Maybe if you ask me tomorrow or something, I'd fill it in then. I mean, no harm, no foul." Mokou shrugs. "Still, sorry. Can't help it. Got a moon princess to fuck up."

"Oh, that's what you're doing, then." Trish snorts. "How much do you and her fight, anyway...?"

"...Trish, I can't even answer that question." Mokou deadpans in response. "You know I can't, either."

"I guess that's true, huh. Alright, let's go. Been fun catching up, Rajime, but peace." Shaking her head, Trish begins heading down the mountain, lugging that big as all hell sword behind her. Sparda. Funny name for a sword. Curo's following behind her, and his visor went back to an emerald green. Mokou also begins following too. They're making some conversation, but it's getting fainter, and fainter, until I can't hear it at all. All I heard was that Mokou was going to kill someone.

...Well that's nice. N-. Not for whoever's dying, but... good for her, I guess...?

"...You know, I can't believe that's actually your sister." Alice speaks up after a moment. "You have my condolences."

Ah... "It's not all bad. She's nice when she wants to be..."

"You two act nothing like each other though!" Medicine folds her arms, huffing. "She's so vulgar, and, and... and weird!"

I guess she is that, too. "That's... just the facade she puts up around others. In private, she's a whole different person entirely, believe me, I would know."

"Mmgh... I guess you'd know that..." Medicine slouches slightly, accepting my words. Well, good to know she's accepting me more and more as a friend.

"Whoa, uh... Huh." Mike looks between me and Medicine. "Did something happen between you two, or...?"

"T-That's not important!" Medicine spits out at her, making the maneki-neko flinch. "Why?! Do you think it's weird?! We're just being... f-friends! There's nothing weird about that! I can make friends however I want, can't I?!"

"Y-Yeow, no need to be so tight about it, sis...!" Mike raises her hands defensively, as I hear Alice chuckle from nearby. I look over at her, and see her by my side.

"...I can see you've got Medicine to crack her shell, at least." Alice speaks quietly enough so only I can hear it, still partially chuckling. "I'm glad. Medicine can be quite pleasant, if you can push past her poisonous, thorn-like aspects."

"Yeah, she's... nicer to me now, at least. I can see that much." Adjusting Aegis slightly, I spin the rope dart in my hand. "So, um... moving on... What next?"

"Well, Mokou told us that if we wanted to find out what exactly's happening, we should head to the very peak of Youkai Mountain. We're almost there anyway, so it shouldn't take too long..." Alice looks further up at the peak, sighing. "...Hopefully. But there was the matter of a certain great tengu being up here. You recall who Sodatsu mentioned, don't you?"

Who Sodatsu mentioned...? U~m... "Iizunamaru, right?"

"Yes, exactly." Medicine raises a finger. "...Apparently she's the chief of the crow tengu, and she's one of the masterminds behind the distribution of these cards. Mokou wouldn't tell me how or why, though... Or either of us three."

"...Trish mentioned something about a lunar rainbow market." I decide to speak up on. "She said that's happening at the peak too, and..." I pause. "...Apparently someone was trying to harass her, Curo, and Mokou about taking the cards they had collected. No idea what that means though."

"Hmm... Let's head to the top of Youkai Mountain, then. We'll find answers one way or another." Alice settles on, before floating forward, before glancing at Mike and Medicine as she passes. "...You two caught all of that, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Mike nods, following her. Medicine just sort of... drifts back to be near me. 

"...What's that?" She expresses interest in the vial of Black Sabbath that Curo gave me, sticking her head really close to my chest to look at it. "Did that weird rabbit guy give it to you...?"

"It's medicine." I nod at her. "...Not you, obviously, but you know, drugs."

"Oh..." She furrows her brows at it. "...I can make medicine sometimes. I think."