[Stwongest] Touhou Writing Competition- Finished

Angel sighed as he wrapped an arm around his lover as they sat quietly on the edge of the bridge. The blonde-haired girl rested her head against his shoulder, looking down over the bridge into the abyss below, a blush on her face. She was none other than Parsee Mizuhashi, the guardian and princess of the bridge that connected Gensokyo to the Underworld.

Before Angel showed up to greet her, the hashihime was sitting alone on the bridge as she watched a festival go on in the Former Capital. She gazed upon the city with utmost loathing and envy, a surge of jealousy rushing through her. The bridge overseer would have been overwhelmed and would have to endure yet another lonely night until her lover gently hugged her from behind. The blonde girl’s face turned red as a beet at that moment once she realized who he was, and she closed her eyes as she rested against him.


The two met quite a while ago on the bridge, as Parsee rarely would venture elsewhere. Angel found himself at the bridge one day during his aimless wanders. His mood that day was frankly an awful one, and he decided it would be a good idea to venture into the Underworld, despite the fact that it was very dangerous for a human being like him to even think of entering. Not like he cared, however. He was feeling weary of the hustle and bustle of the Human Village and wanted some peace and quiet, so he wanted to spend some time at the bridge, which connected the world above the surface to the one below. He heard rumors around the village that the bridge was one that one ever crossed, and he figured that it’d be perfect for someone like him to spend some time at and contemplate quietly.


As he rested his arms against the railing and stared off into the distance in thought, Parsee walked up behind him and crossed her arms, glaring at him silently. When she barked at him, the young man jumped and turned to see her, surprised seeing another at the bridge. Raising an eyebrow, she lampshaded the fact about why he was even here in such a dangerous area. In response, he told her about how he was feeling weary of being around people who were in excitable and cheerful moods all the time while he was dealing with inner turmoil, so he wanted to spend time at the bridge in silence. The young woman’s eyes widened a tad in surprise, and then they softened hearing his tale. She saw no harm in keeping the young man company, as she felt that she could somewhat relate to him. She moved to stand next to Angel as they both watched over the bridge and got into a conversation, that being the beginning spark to their relationship.


The two began to meet each other at the bridge every day, both glad that they could actually find someone they could relate to. Over time, a sort of relationship began to bloom between Angel and Parsee. They agreed with each other one day that they had a lot in common and were a lot happier around each other, so they agreed to become a couple. As they confessed their crushes to the other, Parsee’s face had a heavy blush on it as she buried her face in Angel’s chest, holding him close as he rubbed her back gently, also blushing heavily. Feeling brave, he looked down at her as she looked back at him, and leaned forward gently to kiss her on the forehead.


Once he did so, Parsee’s green eyes widened with shock at the action before they closed gently. As they opened once, tears of joy slowly streaked down her cheeks as she hugged him even closer, his warmth, care, and affection toward her causing her to feel happier than she’s ever been. And Angel felt the same way as he himself started to cry tears of joy, running his hand through Parsee’s soft blonde hair with one hand as he continued soothingly rubbing her back with the other.


Currently, the two sat at the exact same spot where that moment between them occurred. Parsee’s eyes were closed as she recounted the memories between her and Angel and she sighed quietly. “Gabriel,” she spoke, opening one of her eyes slowly.


“Parsee?” Angel responded, smiling slightly from the fact that she called him by his real name with that soft voice of hers. It sounded like music to his ears. “Anything the matter?”


“I…I just thought about when we were in a similar position like this when we first started this relationship…” she whispered, looking up at him. “I-I cried like a baby that day…it must’ve been pathetic to watch me lose control like that…”


Angel then frowned, stroking her hair. “Quite the contrary,” he whispered back. “It’s nothing to be ashamed about, Parsee, crying like that…after all, I cried, too…we were both overcome with joy at that moment, and we’ve been happier together ever since then. Aren’t you happy about it…?”


Parsee nodded. “O-Of course I am. It’s just that…I’m surprised that you see worth in someone like me…someone doomed to harbor these feelings of jealousy and envy as long as I exist…someone doomed to loneliness…h-how could you love someone like me…?” she stammered, starting to shake slightly as her eyes grew hot with tears.


“How could I not?” Angel told her as firmly as he could, looking at her with seriousness in his eyes.


“H-Huh? G-Gabriel…w-what do you mean-


“Please, let me speak, Parsee…I’m in love with you because we just relate so well…never before have I ever connected to someone as well as I can connect with you…we both share similar thoughts and concerns, we both suffer from those negative feelings of jealousy and envy…the pain…it hurts lot, I know…”


Angel rested his forehead against Parsee’s and closed his eyes, holding back tears. Unable to hold back her own, Parsee said nothing as she took in every one of Angel’s words, sniffing quietly.


“The pain that I feel…in a way, it makes me stronger…” he continued, reaching for her hands. Noticing this, Parsee gently held his hands with her own and caressed them softly, coaxing him to continue his speech to her silently. “I want to be as strong as I can…for me…for my friends…and especially for you…I can’t let my fears hold me back…I can’t let you down…I just can’t…”


Completely and utterly touched by his words, Parsee smiled through her tears at him. “Geez…I had a feeling you felt that way, but…not as passionately as I assumed…” she sobbed. “I-If you’re going to push yourself to be stronger…t-than I want to be at your side at all times…s-since y’know…I love you, too…G-Gabriel…”


Sighing in content, Angel held the bridge princess close to him as he buried his face in her hair, taking in its softness and sweet scent. “Good…hope that clears things up…” he chuckled quietly.


“I-It sure did,” Parsee agreed, enjoying the warmth the two were sharing. They sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying the other’s company. It was then that Parsee spoke up.


“Gabriel…” she spoke quietly, a heavy blush beginning to appear on her face. “R-Remember the first time you kissed me? On the forehead?”


“Hmm? …Y-Yeah, I do,” Angel responded, blushing himself. “Why do you ask?”


“D-Do…it…” Parsee trailed off, looking off to the side in embarrassment. “A-Again…do it again…”


Angel smiled gently. “Don’t mind if I do, Parsee.”


As Parsee looked up at him, she gasped slightly as he leant in and pressed his lips against her forehead. A shiver of delight coursed through her body as she felt his warm and loving kiss and she couldn’t help but smile. It…felt so great to be kissed like that. She wanted more…


“Um…that felt really, really nice…” she muttered. “H-How about…”


Parsee pointed to her cheek.


“Here?”


At that, Angel pressed his lips to her soft cheek and kissed it fondly, then followed suit to her other cheek. Parsee’s face grew even redder, and Angel couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why kiss one when I can kiss both?” he teased her.


“O-Ooh you…” Parsee sighed as she looked at him, holding her hands to her chest. She looked around nervously some, before looking back at him, her eyes staring intently at his lips. Angel looked at her questioningly, before his own blush increased as she leaned in, bringing her face close to his.


“P-Parsee? W-What are you- mmm…”


He was cut off when she pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around his necks as she eagerly kissed him. Once he processed what was happened, he kissed back, holding her close. The kiss went on for about twenty seconds before the two pulled away from each other, staring into the other’s eyes in satisfaction.


“T-That was…something…” Angel whispered.


“Y-Yeah…it was, huh…” Parsee whispered back, resting her head against his chest. “Glad I did it, Gabriel…~”


“Me too, Parsee...” Angel told her softly, sighing in content as he held his lover protectively. “Me too…~”

In a land across the sea, there exists a sealed space forever closed off from this world and inside that space there exists many beings who are not human nor animal, beings called “youkai”, which are the embodiments of myths, phenomena, and everything supernatural, our story focuses on the paradoxical love between one of these youkai and a certain half-human half-youkai shopkeeper...

“I love you.” said Seija for the millionth time or at least that’s what I felt.

“Well I hate you so give it a break already” Said Rinnosuke the shopkeeper of a store called Kourindou located in ‘The Forest of Magic’.

“And that’s exactly why I love you, darling.”

“Don’t say that it’s creepy.”

“You just keep making me fall in love with you saying things like that”

“Tch. Damn amanojaku.” he said yet by then his hate had started to falter, being told about being loved so many times had made his mind a maelstrom of emotions, what he felt towards her wasn’t love, but by now he certainly didn’t hate her. Yet he felt that if he broke the statues quo then she would definitely hate him or feel betrayed by him or something like that.

“Darling shopkeeper. Fufufufu” she laughed giddily. On the other hand what he felt was truly love,and she could feel that Rinnosuke’s feelings towards her were starting to change, yet she had already decided to endure the pain of not opposing his feelings for the sake of her love.This paradox was so sweet yet so cruel simultaneously, that she could barely endure it but she braved on. “Do you truly hate me?”

“Why ask that now?” He asked but he could feel something in her voice, was it nervousness? Was it fear? He did not know what it could be, but he felt that he should be honest with her so he told her ”In truth I don’t know how I feel about you, at first I really hated you but now...” his voice trailed off. He looked at her and she was trembling, as he reached out his hand to comfort her and ask her what was wrong, she suddenly sprang forward and stole a kiss from him. “Huh!?”

Seija backed away almost instantly left the shop and took flight. “Why did I do that, now I’ll never be able to look at him in the face without remembering that stupid ki-...KISS.” By this point her face was a red as the sky around her due to sunset, and embarased as she was she couldn’t help but glance back and smile to herself.

Meanwhile Rinnosuke who was left all alone and confused in his shop, wasn’t able to think for a moment, long after Seija was gone he thought about what had just happened to him. “Why am I so flustered after just a kiss, it’s not like she truly loved me right? She was just playing around with me right? Could it be that I was deluding myself and what I felt was truly love?” Rinnosuke was asking himself these questions and many more, he spent hour after hour questioning just how did he feel about this paradoxical youkai girl... he eventually fell asleep, and in his sleep he dreamt.

He dreamt about many things, he dreamt about his past, a few years back, how he was shunned, until Mr, Kirisame took him under his wing. He dreamt even farther back to when he was a teenager, and then back to when he was a child, way before he even knew he wasn’t truly a youkai and in reality only half-youkai.

“...te me?” In his dream Rinnosuke heard a voice

“Huh?” said Rinnosuke realizing this was a memory yet being confused all the same, for he recognized everything around him and more importantly, he recognized that voice, it seemed he had heard it recently, but at the same time he had not.

“I asked ‘Do you hate me?’, so do you have an answer?” Rinnosuke lifted his face and he saw a youkai girl. Her hair was mostly black but it had red and white streaks here and there, and two little horns were poking out of her hair. Her eyes were red as cherries and she had this impish grin, that seemed somehow alluring to him.. this girl was most definitely the amanojaku Kijin Seija.

“I.. I don’t know” said Rinnosuke in a voice far too high-pitched to be his own.

Seija dropped her smile into a frown looked at Rinnosuke square in the eyes, and kissed him, however this kiss wasn’t like the one in the shop a while ago this one lasted longer, it was more intense, and somehow more desperate too, however it was full of emotion just like the one as the shop had been. “How about now?”

“I like you too Seija!” Said a young Rinnosuke, his face blushing just as hers had when she kissed him in the shop.

“I never said I liked you, in fact I hate you Rin-kun” Yet it was plain that she was happy just by looking at her face, how she couldn’t hide nether her smile nor her blush.

... And then he woke up, her face still fresh in his mind.

Rinnosuke prepared himself for when Seija may come choosing the words he would say again and again unsure of what to do, but she never showed up.

Marisa and Reimu came by and decided to steal some of his food (as they usually do), and increased their tab by quite a bit, but he didn’t care, he didn’t even notice until they had already left. His mind was too focused elsewhere, and he was filled with trepidation and worry, yet he still had hope, hope that Seija did indeed love him and it wasn’t just her amanojaku nature.

Just as he was closing the shop he was hugged from behind, the grip of the hug was strong as if fearing separation... or perhaps rejection. Rinnosuke waited until he was let go, turned around and faced Seija who had hugged him so tightly.

“Seija I... umm...” words failed him, all the speeches ha had thought about suddenly forgotten.

“Do you hate me?” she asked just as she had done so long ago, proving that she also remembered their first kiss, and that she still held the same feelings for him as she did back then.

This time Rinnosuke answered not with uncertainty, but rather with a kiss of his own, the first kiss he’d given of his own accord. Seija recieved his lips and responded in kind. Their kiss was so passionate and it lasted so long that when they finally separated they were both exhausted, then Rinnosuke said “Is that answer enough for you Seija?”

Seija looked at Rinnosuke with eyes full of love and answered “More than enough Rin-kun”, and they kissed again even more passionately, their lips pressed together once again, and this time so did their tongues, they grasped each others hands and as their fingers intertwined, so did their tongues, By the time they were done no trace of the sun remained in the sky.

They stared at each other in a giddy trance as though they had both been freed from all worry. And Seija whispered into Rinnosuke’s ear, as though it was a secret that only they could know “Now you know how I felt every time I kissed you” she looked at his face once more with her usual impish, provocative smile, and kissed him once again.

“She looks so peaceful when she’s sleeping,” she said, drawing back from the sleeping child’s forehead.

“Try not to push yourself too hard, we just fixed the tear up.”

Brandishing her closed fan, she laughed. “You worry too much; those wrinkles are going to catch up to all those scars one day—Ow! Ow! Cut it out!”

“Hahaha! Like I said, try not to push yourself too hard!”

The repeated powerful slaps to her back, accompanied with that belly laugh. The Hakurei shrine maiden’s age certainly never changed that part of her, even at her ridiculous age. Most humans would be counting the decades they’ve spent six feet under. 

“I seriously hope you’re not planning on discipline with that hand,” she winced, genuinely wondering whether that back slap dislodged something it shouldn’t have.

An awkward pause ensued, before the shrine maiden let out another mirthful laugh.

“I’ll be the best mother you’ve ever seen. Count on it, Yakumo.”


Looking up at the sky, Reimu groaned, as she soared through the evening skyscape. “Can’t she at least be a little more original?” she mused.

Earlier that day, she had been rudely interrupted from a late evening nap by a rambunctious, yet ordinary witch.

“Reimu! Wake up, you lazy git, c’mon!” someone had yelled, complete with spatter landing on her face. Thanks, Marisa, she internally grumbled, pushing away her visitor off her. Rubbing one of her eyes open, Reimu saw the impatient-looking witch crossing her arms, with a rare reddish-purple sunset behind her.

“What is it? I told you, I’m not cooking any more of your mushrooms for you,” she grumpily murmured.

“It’s way past dinnertime any—Dammit, no, look, we have an incident!”

Thus so, she found herself with her staff in one hand and a raring fist in the other, soaring up through the sunset.

“I can’t believe you somehow almost slept through midnight,” grinned Marisa mischievously. Honestly, she felt like slugging that grin off of that witch’s broom.

“No thanks to last night’s dinner that you so kindly scavenged for us.”

“S’not my fault you don’t have enough iron in your gut, I came out just fine!”

“No, that’s not—Never mind. So how are we supposed to find anyone again? Do we just go over to Hakugyakurou?” Reimu said, pressing on her temples.

“Yeah, we can ask the local spooks.”

“I don’t think there’s going to be any need for that,” a voice said to their side.

Both of them turned, finding the source of the voice to be one Ran Yakumo, accompanied by her shikigami cat, Chen. Reimu’s face soured as she saw them, though not from animosity. It was mostly just the intricately-forming spellcard circles behind them that she cared for. Suddenly, she was jerked backwards as a bullet stream barely missed her side.

“Stop spacing out, Reimu!” rebuked Marisa, as she let go of her partner’s robe.

“My bad,” she said, as she pulled out her sealing charms, and rolled out to avoid an incoming laser. With her sights locked onto the shikigami duo, she dashed around the streams of danmaku.

However, her attempts to close the distance were mostly in vain, as they kept a large radius away from her. The duo was difficult to pin down when they were together, she thought, looking down at them as she flew above.

Just as Reimu was about to pull out a spellcard, a tiny beam of light sliced through in front of her. The smell of sterilized air hit her, and she dashed backwards before the beam expanded into an enormous laser. The laser consumed her entire field of vision, and shook her about like an airborne quake.

Slowly, the beam narrowed into nothing, revealing Ran and Chen flickering in and out from a red and blue-tinged barrier. The originator of the laser swept down on her broom, pulling to a stop with a triumphant expression.

“Hehehe, what did you think of that one? Pow, right down the middle!”

“It was a good shot,” said Chen.

“Maybe we need to do a two-on-one next time?” smiled Ran, hovering near them.

“I’ll take you guys on any day!”

Reimu sighed, and clapped her hands impatiently. “Come on, cut to the chase, where’s the old lady?”

“Lady Yukari is waiting for Reimu near the mountain graveyard,” replied Ran. Under her white hat, the fox’s ears flicked towards the general direction. Reimu raised an eyebrow. “The mountain’s graveyard, huh?”

“Aw, wait, so it’s not an incident? Lame,” said Marisa with a pout.

“I’m afraid not,” said Ran apologetically.

“Let’s do more danmaku!” interjected Chen.

“All right!”

Then, in a flash, the witch left with her cat, leaving two behind. Reimu sighed. “I swear, being stupidly roundabout is her signature or something. Thanks, Ran.”

“Sorry to bother you.”


The grass rustled under Reimu’s sandals as she landed near the graveyard entrance. At the foot of Youkai Mountain, the graveyard sat silently, with countless tombstones surrounded by thick forest. “Village Grove of Memory” was scrawled on a sign, with the village’s name too worn out to be legible.

Reimu wandered in through the entrance, scanning for her caller. The graveyard seemed to be empty. Nobody but the spirits, and those aren’t great company either. Just as she was about to turn back, she felt a warm kiss on her cheek.

Immediately turning around, she found… nobody still. Exasperated, Reimu gritted her teeth. “Damn it, come out already, Yukari,” she called out, with more than a touch of annoyance in her voice.

“You’re late, Reimu!”

She turned around, expecting to see an amused border youkai. However, what she saw was someone entirely different. Clad in red shrine maiden robes torn up in places, with a black bodysuit underneath, a muscular woman glared at Reimu. Her toned arms bore countless scars from claw, teeth and blade alike, and her long black hair blew in a weak breeze.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Reimu snapped to attention, bowing down immediately and belting out a quick apology. The Hakurei maiden, whose dictionary was missing the word “humility”, almost prostrated herself before the scary-looking woman. A flood of emotions rushed through her.

“Never mind. Let’s just start,” the woman said, tightening some yellowed wrappings around her hands and feet.

Then, just like that, a lightning-fast blow landed on her side, destroying any emotional thoughts Reimu had had. The girl flew across the graveyard and crashed into a tree like a rag doll. Every limb and sense in her body shrieked in protest as she struggled to sit up.

Before she could, she felt a rough hand grasp her arm. “Reimu! Did you even wake up this morning?! Get up!” the woman yelled, pulling Reimu up. Her eyes blearily opened between the bangs of her brown hair as Reimu tried to steady her feet. Her mind screamed that she had to try to run; that was all she could do.

Her feet left the ground in a hurry, blasting herself as far away from the woman as possible. “That’s more like it!” the woman called out as she chased after her, an explosive energy trailing behind her. Reimu could see the woman becoming ever smaller in her vision. Somewhere in her chest screamed for her to stop, to go back, but at the moment her flight instincts had taken full control.

However, as Reimu cleared the height of the highest tree, she suddenly received a sharp jab behind her, sending her careening towards the ground.

“Nothing above the treeline! Come on, are you still asleep?! How are you going to survive those youkai if you can’t even get this right?!”

Yet again, she was yanked up, made to run around like a tailless lizard, and smacked down in a matter of seconds. After some time, however, she was managing to barely evade a few of the blows. Considering the woman’s fists as a danmaku pattern, Reimu tried to intuitively avoid the next one. Even so, her lungs were burning overtime as she skirted the blows the woman threw at her, flying through the forest like wounded prey.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, her mind came to a resolve. As a right hook came rocketing towards her, the world seemed to slow down. She twisted her body around the woman’s attack, and thrust her fist at her shoulder.

Unfortunately, Reimu’s pain had dulled out her senses enough that her hand never registered if it ever hit anything. Reimu’s dirt-caked outfit fluttered in the wind as her consciousness drifted in and out. Her failing eyes managed to look up at the brilliant purple sky before she blacked out.


One last border—!

A white and purple blur whizzed through the trees. Shortly after, a thundering crash was heard nearby, and a black and red one followed suit. The normally peaceful mountain was racked by the high speed chase.

The white and purple blur came briefly into focus, revealing a blonde-haired youkai, dressed in a torn up dress of those colors. Leaning backwards in midair, she put up a hand, and a magic circle swirled about it.

The black and red blur came crashing in not a moment later. A muscle-bound woman, clad in an unorthodox-looking shrine maiden outfit, came to reveal herself from it. Her wound-up fist then crashed into the magic circle the youkai held up.

Time halted briefly before the youkai was blown backwards into the ground, creating a huge trail of dug-up earth. The human screeched to a halt similarly, though she was still able to keep herself on her feet.

Silence pervaded the forest for a few seconds before the crickets could be heard again.

“Ugh… It’s my loss.”

“Hah. Hah hah. Haven’t met a youkai this strong before. You got a name?”

“Yakumo. Yakumo Yukari. I don’t think the infamous Hakurei miko needs an introduction, though.”

“Hah, haa. Great—I’ve never been good with words anyway. Oof, I’m gonna feel that in the morning. Let’s call a tie.”

“Agreed. Would you have any trouble getting back home?”

“I don’t need sympathy from no youkai—Erk!” the miko said, wincing as she tried to cover up her flank. Yukari could spot the red spreading from between the woman’s fingers, even from the distance that she was at.

Before she could make another snarky comment, however, she heard some footsteps approaching. Both of them tensed up; they were in poor condition to fight off anyone, human or youkai.

“Yukari-sama!”

Yukari’s face softened considerably, once the fox shikigami showed herself. “Oh, it’s Ran. Could you be a good girl and help us out here? Make some tea, or something.”


A kiss on her forehead.

That was the first thing Reimu felt when she woke up. The next thing was an unfathomable amount of pain searing through her entire body.

She screamed without restraint.

A good few seconds later, she recovered, though still breathing heavily. Her eyes were now wide open, and looking up at a smiling Yakumo Yukari. Her head was laid on the youkai’s lap, as if lulling her to sleep.

“So, did you get to meet anyone important?”

The youkai managed to intercept an outstretched hand headed for her throat. “Is… Is this your idea of a joke?”

Reimu’s hand struggled to escape Yukari’s vice grip, but even with her monstrous strength, Yukari felt the girl weaken faster than normal. Soon, the shivering she felt wasn’t a result of struggling.

“I-I… I didn’t… W-Why…” sobbed Reimu. At this point, tears were flooding down the side of her face, and she made no effort to stop it. She felt her entire body lock up, paralyzed from what had just happened.

“Why did you have to stop it?”

Yukari’s eyes were downcast. She lowered Reimu’s hand, and averted her gaze upwards. Nothing of the purple sky from before remained, only a black sky dotted with stars. Her memory, however, was still fresh, both in her mind, and on her body.

“In humans, the border of memory and reality is a frail one, comparable to wet rice paper. It’s a terrible flaw to have, though I guess it’s necessary for a human.”
“H-Huh? What?”

“Ah, never mind. Just cry your heart out.”

Yukari then turned her gaze away, and Reimu followed suit. Through her tear-soaked eyes, she could see that they were sitting near a grave, with a bundle of lilies near the headstone.

Upon it, one could barely make out the name “Hakurei”. The dates underneath the name were in even worse shape, being completely illegible.


“So you manipulated the boundary of memory and reality, just to pull this little stunt today? Reminiscing is fine, but I’ve never seen you this beaten up since the last time she was alive.”

“Come on, Ran, it was just a little bit of fun,” said Yukari, wincing as Ran dressed her wounds. She’d called the shikigami over to escort them both to their residence, where Reimu promptly proceeded to pass out.

“The Izayoi maid came for a ‘visit’ thanks to that purple sky of yours, too. Turned everything to shreds!”

“I don’t see anything out of place, though,” said Yukari, looking around the room that they were in.

“W-Well, I mean, she cleaned it up afterwards as an apology,” said Ran, exasperated. “Why are you so attached to her, anyhow?”

“Hmm? Reimu, you mean?”

“Yeah. I mean, is it really just because you were friends with the previous miko?”

“Ah, well, there’s a bit more than that.”


“Yep! Been married 20 damn years and I don’t even have a single kid.”

The Hakurei miko in front of her chugged the tea in one swoop, while Yukari’s tea stayed in her hands, with a confused expression on her face.

“Not only that, but they say I don’t have any aptitude with the powers exclusive to the shrine maiden of Hakurei. They’re whispering about the “end of the Hakurei line”, or something. S’not my fault my siblings all died.”

“Oh, powers exclusive to the shrine maiden?”

“Yeah, hold on,” the miko said, rummaging around in her robes. She then pulled out a moderately-sized orb with a black and white yin-yang motif, and threw it towards Yukari. The youkai caught it gingerly, examining it curiously.

“Apparently it’s the go-shintai for the Hakurei clan deity. Hell if I know if that’s true, I can’t use it at all. Oh, be careful, the orb’s supposed to be an anti-youkai weapon?”
“I think you probably should’ve thought about that before you threw it at me.”

The miko laughed. “Hahaha! Well, you’re not dead, so I guess that shows how useful that thing is. Why don’t you try communing with it, who knows, maybe you could use it better than I do. That’d be hilarious. A youkai using an anti-youkai weapon!”

Yukari’s face turned pale as she listened to her visitor’s explanation and looked at the orb in her hands. She could feel her powers draining from just holding it, but something within her resonated with it as well. No, there’s no way.

She closed her eyes, and the orb began to glow, as she tried to commune with the deity linked to the shintai. Unexpectedly, she started to get a response, and before she could sever the connection, a bright wisp of light escaped from the orb.

Yukari’s eyes jolted open, and she saw the miko’s eyes similarly shocked. Without a sound, both of them agreed to scramble out of the way, Yukari dropping the orb as she did. The wisp flew around, before erupting in the air in a brilliant display of light.

“Hahahahaha! No way! You should take my place or something!”

“Ha, maybe then you’d actually get an heir.”

“—You know what…”


By the time Yukari finished her story, Ran’s face was as white as a ghost, trying to keep her composure.

“All I needed to do was work a bit of magic, take her place for a bit as a surrogate. The clan heads were certainly happier for it.” said Yukari.

“S-So she’s not actually a blood descendant, then?”

“She’ll always be her mother’s daughter, though. I just like to pop in on things every once in a while. You know how irresponsible I am.”

Before Ran could say anything in reply, a voice called out from outside the residence. “Ran-samaaaaa! I’m hungryyyy!”

Her ears perked up at her shikigami’s voice, and she turned to Yukari. “Go on, I’ll be waiting,” her master said. The kitsune hesitantly stood up, and bowed away, leaving Yukari alone with her thoughts.

A few moments later, she stood up, and walked to the adjacent room. There, the current Hakurei shrine maiden slept, and Yukari sat down next to her. She bent down, and kissed the young girl on her forehead.

“Sleep well, my little Reimu.”

Tiny ice crystals swirled peacefully down from the sky like feathers, transforming the world into a wintry paradise. A fairy’s wing brushed against a cedar, and the snow fell to the ground like powdered sugar, revealing the emerald needles underneath. It was an ordinary winter in the land of Gensokyo. An elegant mansion stood just beyond a lake shrouded in mist. The savoury scent of roast wafted into the surroundings. It came from a vampire girl, “Remilia Scarlet”, when she walked to the dining room while holding a plate of her homemade cooking wispy vapour still floating above it- straight from the oven. A warm smile crossed Remilia’s lips as she imagined the look on her little sisters’ faces, when they saw what she had made for them today. “Primevère” and “Flandre”, ah…such lovely names, she mused. Her little sisters, Primevère and Flandre, were twins. Primevère’s job around the mansion was to look after the flowers around the mansion, while Flandre looked after the basement and the empty library. Primevère and Flandre would often beat their little chests proudly, ecstatic grin on their face, and exclaim that no vampire hunter would ever have a chance at catching them. To this cute, child-like display, Remilia would smile sisterly and warn them to stay away from the village anyway. Every day, Remilia would comb her two sisters’ soft, fluffy hair, read bedtime stories and kiss them gently on their foreheads as they quietly fell asleep. Those days were filled with such carefree laughs, loving hugs and warm kisses.

Remilia entered the dining room, its fiery hearth blazing with warmth in the winter cold. She gently set the supper on the table next to an ornate rose vase with a soft ‘klunk’ and dusted her hands happily.

“Ah, Flandre~” a graceful elder sisterly smile on her face, “Did you have fun toda-…Eh?”
Flandre flew into Remilia at full speed. The jewels on her wing crashed into each other loudly like cymbals, tears streaming unhindered from her eyes.

“Remiii, Remiii--- Prim, she-she…” chokes Flandre, clutching to Remilia’s dress, her little body wracked with uncontrollable sobs, leaving stains on the white fabric.

“Take a deep breath, Flan. Tell me what happened”, asked Remilia sternly. Her voice strained as her smile fell; painful possibilities and wordless regret began to loop endlessly like a broken record in her head. Flandre sniffed.

Remilia paused; her eyes grew as round and wide as the full moon.

“Flan, stay here” said Remilia. Her voice clipped, as she rushed out the mansion door. A rose petal as red as blood fell onto the table.

A black spot rockets out of the mansion, Remilia smashes through the gate at full speed, steel wire sticking bloodily to the thin membrane of her wings. ‘Forget the pain’ Remilia thought as she shoved her tongue up over her front teeth, that was some warmth, some protection, and her wings beat like a hummingbird’s, the wind whistling in her ears. How far to the village? 5 seconds? 10? ‘Faster!! I must go faster!’, something pops in one of her wings. 'Almost! Just a bit more-'

A silver glint- ‘Woosh’ something very dangerous flew past her ear- stopping the vampire in her tracks.

Remilia gasped, pulling the night deep into her lungs. She stole a fleeting glance at a silver knife embedded hilt-deep in oak. Her head tilted mechanically-23.4 degrees. As she gazed at the row of houses along the street…

A man stood over a tiny body. A man with silver hair, a gaunt face and eyes the colour of dried blood, equipped with an archaic set of chainmail- an image out of old fairy tales, weapons glinting with silver. ‘Vampire hunter’.

Frame by frame, a flash of silver, and a sick, slick sound. Bone collided with a spiked mace. A crimson liquid spurts out, as warm as a kiss. The metallic tang of rusted iron.
A body of a little girl was swept away and slammed into the ground repeatedly as she lands roughly at Remilia’s feet. After rolling, the little figure stopped moving…completely.
“Prim!! Hang in there, Prim!!”

There’s no response. No, there’s not even a reaction. The sound of splashing…something thick, splashing…It wasn’t water. It was coming from Primevère…her blood, it spread and spread…

“Prim, hang in there! Open your eyes! Please, open your eyes!!” Remilia begged, tears trailing down her face.

Primevère twitches, hair matted with blood still seeping out of the wound on her head. “Onee…chan…” murmured Primevère a soft smile on her face, a sound more like wind blowing by Remilia’s ear than the endearing voice of her little sister.
“You’re awake!? Wait, I’ll—“

Primevère’s body sags.

“Prim... vère…? Primevère, stop joking around! Prim! Primmmm!!!”
Remilia kept shaking Primevère. Her sobs of grief and despair could be heard throughout Gensokyo, as her adorable sister’s head rolled around like a marionette with its strings cut. Just a pile of unmoving flesh.

“Somebody help…The blood…it won’t stop…” Remilia cradles her dead sister’s body in her arm like an infant, “Stop sleeping…Please, wake up…”

“Aw~ the bloodsucker has feelings”, the mocking voice of the vampire hunter snapped Remilia out of her grief. Remilia silently brushed Primevère soaked hair to the side with trembling hands, she slowly kissed the small body on the forehead one last time as she slowly raises. Her face shadowed, covered with her sister’s blood. Her dress, once white, is dyed scarlet.

“Oh, what’s this? The great Scarlet Devil herself has come to greet us? I thought you would be shaking in fear and begging for your life after having pissed your pants.” The hunter chuckled gleefully.

“People shake with fear and piss their pants when scared? I don’t know much about those things” retorted Remilia. Her voice was strangely calm; her eyes glowed eerily with insanity.

Remilia reached down into the pool of blood at her feet and drew out something taller than her, a spear crimson red with wicked barbs resembling a harpoon. She said with a devil’s grin:


A maid is watching as her master laid primroses on a little grave. The maid’s master always told her that she had found her on the day she was orphaned, a little girl in the rubble of a fallen house. The maid’s responsibilities at the mansion were to prepare food for the inhabitants, as well as her master’s little sister who lives in the basement. Her master had always told the maid that the little sister was sealed up in order to keep the little sister safe. Her master was a very troublesome person, others gossiped to each other about her master being a “spoilt brat”, the maid knew otherwise. After all, while her master had wilfully forbidden further questions regarding anything from the past; the maid knows that at night, her master would tremble like a child, reliving kissing a little girl on the forehead, trying to love a girl that no longer lived but in her dreams…‘Sakuya’ is the maid’s name- Evening Primrose, “Flowering night”.

Battles between immortals can be rather uninteresting to a return viewer. Sure, they’re flashy, with no regard for life between the two, but that’s exactly the problem. There’s no tension, no stakes. You can be pretty sure what’s going to happen every time.


Until someone decides to change the game.

---

A large and fairly colorful explosion appeared above the bamboo forest. A figure with flowing white hair, and quite a few red-white bows plummeted toward the ground, and was followed slowly by a figure with similarly flowing, but black, hair. Compared to the firsts sort of free-fall, the latters appeared to be floating gracefully. If one could see her face, a playful smirk would be the first thing you noticed.


Mokou sat up in the newly formed crater, and started brushing the dust off of her sleeves.


A familiar voice said haughtily, “Have you had enough? I honestly don’t see why you continue to fight me, seeing how much you lose.” Kaguya turned her head to the side, and added “Actually, I don’t even remember why we fight in the first place…”


Mokou, a bit taken aback at the audacity of the question, pointed her finger directly at Kaguya’s floating figure. “How could you forget? Do you not remember what you did to my father? I lost him because of your stupid, rigged requests!”

Kaguya brought her hand to her mouth, as if suddenly remembering. “Oh, yes, that’s right. You’re still up at arms about that? You must surely be over it by now, it’s been such a long time…”

“You’re damn RIGHT it’s been a long time!” Kaguya raged, her face turning a crimson red. “And it’s all been worth it to have a shot at you!” With this, Kaguya huffed of into the forest, her hands set aflame.


“I think I’ll count that one as a win” Kaguya said to herself, turning back toward her mansion of eternity.

---

That afternoon, a little after the sun set, Kaguya took a walk on the outskirts of Eientei’s premises. She was admittedly tired from the earlier battle, and had decided a nice quiet walk would benefit her. Heading toward her usual relaxation spot near a pond, she noticed that a familiar someone had beaten her to it. Kaguya paused for a second, shrugged, then went and sat beside the girl red bows.


Mokou didn’t react at first, but eventually glanced sideways to see the new arrival. “What, you come here to gloat or something? I’m trying to rest!”

“Oh, please.” Kaguya responded, looking straight ahead, with a continuous smug smile on her face. “You know this is a normal spot for me. I hardly think I’m the one to blame for this meeting”.

Mokou’s face blushed a deep red, and she yelled obstinately “Sh-shut up! It’s just a nice place, that’s all…” She pulled her knees to her face and sat staring ahead. Kaguya continued to sit calmly, pondering what Mokou could be up to. An uncertain amount of time passed, when eventually Mokou whispered…


“Hey Kaguya…”

“Mhmm?” Kaguya responded, uninterested.

“Do you ever get… lonely?” Mokou asked, barely audible.

Kaguya responded evenly, “Of course not, I live in quite the busy mansion, with many people who adore me. Eirin is faithful, Reisen is obedient, and Tewi and the rabbits are fun.”


“hmmm…” Mokou concentrated, then pulled her knees closer in. “It gets pretty lonely in the bamboo forest. I don’t really know anyone, aside from Keine, and she’s been too busy to even meet me lately…”

“Well that’s a shame. I can’t say I feel sorry for you, though.” Kaguya responded, a little surprised at the turn the conversation was going.


“I’ve never even fallen in love…. Have you ever actually fallen in love, Kaguya?” Mokou seemed to have to force out this sentence, as if embarrassed about something.

“I’ve had many lovers, if that’s what you mean. It was quite fun, back then…. Good memories.” Kaguya was getting fairly wary of the direction of the conversation, especially considering her conversation partner.

“THAT’S!” Mokou stood up straight, then blushed, and sat back down. Quietly this time, she said “that’s not what I mean. Have you actually ever loved someone? Mutually?”

Kaguya was a little taken aback at the question, not really wanting to get this philosophical in her relaxation time. “I haven’t really though…” She was cut off by Mokou.

“Because I’ve been thinking.” She said quickly, as if she wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. “I don’t really know anyone very well, and I’m alone in the bamboo forest. But you! We fight all the time! We know each other back to front!”

Kaguya was more than a little annoyed, but something was nagging her in the back of her mind. “What are you getting at, you infernal girl?” Kaguya asked loudly.

“I’m saying!” Mokou continued, crawling to Kaguya and pushing herself in Kaguya’s face, “Think about it! We’re perfect for eachother! Black and white, perfect foils! Opposites attract!”


Kaguya leaned back “Do you want to fight? Are you trying to piss me off? I beat you this morning, and I can do it again!”

“No! You don’t understand!” Mokou yelled, almost in tears. “I love you!”


The silence was overwhelming. Kaguya couldn’t really process what had just been said, and Mokou was waiting for a reaction. After probably around 60 seconds of complete lack of sound, Kaguya started to turn and leave. Then, Mokou desperately grabbed Kaguya’s shoulder, spun her around.


And gave her a kiss.


It was nothing complicated, and only lasted a few seconds, but it proved to Kaguya that Mokou was serious. “um..” Kaguya started, stopped, then turned and ran back towards Eientei. Mokou sat down, put her head in her knees, and remained silent.

---

Upon returning to Eientei, Kaguya went straight to her room, and lay down in her bed, hoping to get to sleep and not think about what had just happened. Unfortunately for her, sleep would not come easy.



“Have you actually ever loved someone? Mutually?”


Mokou’s word rang through Kaguya’s head. She couldn’t help but be bugged by them. After giving it some restless though, she came to the horrific conclusion that she had never loved anyone…


Kaguya’s eyes widened. She looked deeper within herself, and found not a trace of affection past simple friendship for anyone. She needed Eirin, appreciated Reisen, and liked Tewi, but she couldn’t think of anyone she actually loved. In her youth, (well, earlier youth thanks to the Elixir) she had just used men to get what she wanted, and then spent some time simply enjoying others misfortune.


“Do you ever get… lonely?”


Kaguya had felt honest in responding earlier, but she now doubted her answer. Deep down, she felt an supreme feeling of emptiness, only now emerging. This new feeling was obsessing all of her senses, until she wanted nothing more than to die.


That is unfortunately not an option for Kaguya.


In the depths of her despair, she seemed to realize something. Lying in her bed, staring horrified at her ceiling, her solution was right in front of her. Someone who was in the same situation as her, someone who truly understood her.

Kaguya rushed back to the pond.

---

Mokou had been laying exactly where Kaguya had left her, seemingly fast asleep. Kaguya, timid but determined, walked over to her prone body and gave her a nudge.

No answer.

Kaguya nudged her again.

Still no answer

kicked her in the side.



“Ow!” Mokou sat straight up, and started to form the phrase “son of a bitch” with her mouth, but was rudely interrupted by a kiss from Kaguya. Kaguya made this one last a while. The kiss seemed to fulfill her emptiness, and fill her with happiness.


Once the kiss ended, Mokou sat back in amazement. “Wha- “ she started, “I though….” She couldn’t formulate her words. Kaguya spared her by answering, tearfully.


“I thought about what you had said” She cried, “And I realized you and I are the same! I’m lonely! And I’ve never loved anyone!” She hugged Mokou, who was still a bit dazed. Kaguya continued, softly in her ear. “I love you Mokou, we exist for eachother! You and I will be around forever, we’re perfect!”.


All Mokou could do was lean into Kaguya’s arms.


And smile.

---

After that night, Kaguya and Mokou met every day at the pond, for months. They began each outing with a kiss, then spent the hours talking, and doing things that made them happy. Sometimes they would venture into the human village, other times they would just lay around all day. Eventually, Kaguya began to invite Moukou to Eientei, to the delight of the residents. While entertaining, their fights were usually fairly destructive, and Reisen usually landed the job of cleaning up. Now all she had to do was clean up dishes. At the end of their outings, they would kiss goodbye. The kiss was the best part to Kaguya, both beginning and end. The first kiss confirmed the love for the day, and the second promised more tomorrow. It filled the emptiness inside of her, and she was happy. Mokou, no longer lonely, lived in contentment with her new partner, no longer dreading her eternal life.


It was perfect.

---

“Book… book…”



What an idiot she is. Why’re we even here on the surface? Utsuho is too dumb to understand this kind of stuff, none of these books in this huge library would help out at all. It’s not going to work, if you ask me. Trying to get smarter is just going to fry her brain like an egg.



“Hey, Orin?” She looked up to me.

“What is it, Okuu? Did you get confused again?” I looked down at the book she was reading.

“What’s this ‘grammar’ I keep reading about?”



I internally sighed. I knew this was a bad idea, ever since she got the power from that god, she’s turned into a dunce- the power over nuclear fusion, at the cost of your intelligence and what made you a great person? That’s a horrible deal… She couldn’t solve a simple math problem to save her life…

I guess I’ll humor her for a bit.



“Grammar is what makes sentences correct, the structure of it.”

“Oh, I see… and is my grammar correct?”



Nothing about you is right. You’re an idiot and I hate what you’ve become.

I faked a smile, I couldn’t let her see that I was angry at her current form.



“Sure, your grammar is fine.”

“Cool, thanks Orin~”



I sighed and nodded. I wasn’t feeling too good, I had to go before I exploded on her.



“Hey, uh… I’m going to be heading back, Okuu. I’ll see you at home, okay?”

“Hmm? Why so early? Is something wrong?”

“No, just… feeling a bit sick.”



With that, I left. I couldn’t bear to see her like this for another moment. The person I could trust the most, who I cared for the most, who I loved the most, had been turned into an idiot who couldn’t do anything without assistance... it broke my heart seeing her like this…

---

“Oh… my head hurts… I read too much again… Hey, miss library assistant…”



“Hmm? Yes, miss Reiuji?”



“My head hurts, but I don’t want to go back yet… do you have something that’s easy to read?”



“Huh? Sure, let’s see… a manga should do it. Let’s see… I don’t remember seeing this one in our inventory, you can have it.”



“Thanks miss~ Oh hey I know that girl on the cover! It’s the blonde witch. I dunno who that other girl is though.”



“She lives in the forest with Marisa, too.”



“I see I see. It looks pretty nice so far.”



“Do you like it?”



“Yeah! But… what’s that thing they’re doing? That face touching thing.”



“Oh, that? That’s a kiss.”



“A kiss? What’s so special about that?”



“Usually, you only give that to the special person you really like. The person who you want to be with, to be frank”



“Really like, want to be with? Hmm…”

---

I open my eyes. Darkness. I sit up. Once again, tears stain my pillow. I sigh.



“That dream keeps happening… if I told her about my feelings… maybe… the Utsuho I love would still be here…”



Yeah, right… There’s no way she would have reciprocated…



Oh well… I doubt I can go back to sleep if stuff like this keeps happening… I can’t bear on it too much, I have work to do, to help fuel that bloody furnace Utsuho maintains.



I get up, wash myself off, get dressed, and step out of my room when the time has come, dreading another day of working for a cause I hate.



“Orin Orin Orinnnn!”



What the hell? That birdbrain is yelling this early? Jeez, how annoying.



“What is it, Okuu? Why’re you wearing the same clothes from yesterday? Were you outside all this t-“



She suddenly pulls me closer to her, and kisses me.



She’s…

She is…



I pull away when I feel Utsuho’s grip loosen, she isn’t the woman I love. Not any more she isn’t…



“Why did you do that.”

“I did it because I really like you. You’re the special person I want to be with.”



What? What nonsense is she babbling on about now?



“You don’t know what stuff like that means. You don’t understand it at all.”

“But the lady told me that you do those with the person you really like! And I really like you!”

“Yeah right. How can you, you don’t know what anything means.”



Before she can respond again, I go to the bathroom and lock myself in. I wash my face off again.



“You damn idiot…”



Tears roll down my cheek. Not only are you not the person I fell for, but now you’re insulting me…?! How dare you…

---

“Orin..? Did I make you mad again…? Don’t go… I thought you’d like it… I’m sorry I can’t tell you what I want…”

---

I didn’t dare step out of my room. I didn’t want to run into her again, at least not until I’m done with this pain…



Knock knock



Please go away, I’m not ready to see you again you idiot…



“Rin. It’s me. Open up.”



Lady Satori?



“Y-yes I’ll be right there!”



I unlock the door, let Lady Satori in, and then close it before anyone else can get in.



“W-what can I do for you, lady Satori?”

“Don’t pretend there isn’t a problem, Rin. I know what happened yesterday.”

“…she isn’t the same as the person I met when we both first arrived here… you know this…”

“She’s trying her best. That’s why sh-“

“N-no she isn’t! If she really was then none of this would be happening!”



I started crying.



“T-This is all that stupid god’s fault… if she didn’t come here, then Utsuho… s-she’d.. she’d…”



Lady Satori hugs me.



“Rin, listen to me… What Utsuho does, she does for you. She did it for you, because she didn’t think she deserved you.”

“W-what…? You’re probably telling the truth, but… I can’t really believe you…”



I don’t think I’m good enough for her…



“I’m sorry you think that… She really does… take rest today, if you’re sad… okay?”

“Thanks… I probably need it… I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay, Rin. Just get some rest, and then do your best tomorrow, okay?”

“I’ll try…”


“Miss library assistant lady…”



“Oh, miss Reiuji, you’re back so soon. What is it?”



“Well… remember that book you let me keep? I wanted to try that stuff on the person I really like, but it didn’t work…”



“W-what? Y-you kissed her?”



“Yes… I really really like her, but she pushed me away and… I hope she doesn’t hate me…”



“I’m sure she doesn’t… you just came off as too strong… I know, I have an idea.”



“Hmm…? What do you mean, miss library assistant lady?”



“I’ll help you get this girl.”



Help me…?



“Um… How so?” I ask her, unsure of what she means.



“Well… maybe I can give you tips so you can get a date with her.”



But she hates me as I am…



“Would it work…?”

“I think so. Are you worried?”



Very…



“A… bit. I’m afraid I’m not what she wants…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… before I received my power, I was… different.” I look down in shame. “Before, I was normal. I liked her, but… I didn’t think I deserved her. So… when the goddess came down, with the offer of giving me the power over fusion, I couldn’t say no… I thought that if I accepted it, that she’d love me. But… I was wrong… now I’m an idiot and she hates me, it’s all my fault…”



I started to do what I didn’t think was possible with this power- or should I say curse- of mine, cry.



“If you love her, you’d do anything for her, wouldn’t you?”

“I-I do love her, more than I’ll ever know…” I tearily nod.

“Then you’ll do your best to improve for her, right…?”

“Y-yes, I will..!”

“I’ll help then, miss Reiuji.”

“T-thank you… and please, call me Utsuho.”

---

Utsuho hasn’t been around in four days, not since she kissed me… I’m honestly a bit worried… maybe I was too harsh…



What lady Satori said keeps going through my mind… does Utsuho really like me…? If she did, then why’d she do something so stupid…?



I can’t focus like this… this whole debacle is messing with my mind… I’ll just go back to my room and rest some more… yeah that’s a good idea…



“Rin…?”



H-huh? Utsuho? I turn around, and see… she’s really well dressed, a lot more so than usual… It’s really… surprising…



“Hey, um, Utsuho…”

“Can I talk to you…?”

“yeah, sure.. what is it..?”



I kind of fear what she is going to tell me…



“I’m sorry about earlier… I should have told you about it, about what I was planning… I must have freaked you out…”

“I-it’s okay… I reacted poorly, I think…”

“It’s my fault… I made you react…”



W-what…? But…



“It’s… it’s okay..”



At least she’s taking responsibility for her actions…



“I guess… um… may I hug you, Rin…?”

“A hug..? Sure, I suppose…”

“T-thanks…”



She slowly steps to me, and then hugs me rather awkwardly. Silly…



“Umm… I have a question…”



A question…?



“Um.. what is it, Utsuho…?”

“Would you go on a date with me, Rin…?”



A-A date…? I-It’s not with the Utsuho I want... but… maybe she never left…



“S-sure!”

---

O-oh no she’s going to hit me in the head again…

…w-wait…



“S-sure?” S-she wants to, Even though I’m me…?



“Y-yes… I-it’s the least I can do… s-sorry for being selfish…”

“I-it’s okay. U-um… s-so we’ll do it tomorrow, o-okay?”

“F-fine by me, Utsuho.”



She hugs me. I can’t help but blush.



“w-wuh?”

“B-birdbrain… i-I’ll see you tomorrow then, okay?”



“R-right! O-of course!”

---

I’m sitting here, waiting for Utsuho to come for me… I decided to wear one of my nicer dresses, because I want to look nice for her… I hope it works…



Why did she tell me this anyway…? I’m guessing she does like me… but why me..?



Knock knock knock. “Um, Rin…? Are you ready?”

“Y-yeah, I am.”



I sit up, and go to open the door. She’s there, wearing a long dress. I blush.



“d-do you like it?”

“Y-yeah, it’s pretty…”

“T-thanks… Um… let’s get going?”

“Y-yeah, Utsuho”



I hold her hand, and kiss her cheek.

I think I was wrong… this is the Utsuho I know. She never changed, but I did. instead of keeping my heart open to her, i sealed it off... i was wrong. Now... I hope we can start something nice together, with each other.

Minoriko pulled the wool blanket tighter around her shoulders, edging as close to the fire as she thought was safe. Sleet clattered against the window, demanding entrance. She stirred the pot of vegetable stew cooking over the fire, glancing out the window. The orange glow brightened the room, and the flurry of ice obscured everything outside. Shizuha was out somewhere in the cold, bringing back food and supplies from some youkai merchants. It had been a long time since she left... four hours? Five? The sun hadn't been out for days.

Minoriko longed for autumn to come back, even for spring. The inhospitable cold made Gensokyo feel like an enemy, a silent arctic wasteland waiting to devour young gods in depths of ice and snow. The icicles hanging from their roof were spears, thrown by unknown winter spirits, and monsters lurked under the snowdrifts.

The door rattled slightly. Minoriko got up and ran to open it, hoping it wasn't Cirno playing pranks again. The cold wind struck her as she pulled the door open, strewing snow inside the house. A little red fox bounded away into the ocean of whiteness. Shizuha was nowhere to be seen.
Sighing, Minoriko shut the door and returned to the fireside, jabbing the firewood with the poker in frustration. A burning log collapsed into tiny red-gold embers, reminding Minoriko of the beautiful leaves Shizuha loved painting in the fall. Maybe I'll ask Shizuha to make more of them yellow this year, there are enough red fruits in fall that more yellow would be nice. Or a pretty deep copper...

Minoriko jolted awake, jumping back away from the fireplace. Something banged loudly against wood behind her. She gathered her blanket around her, glancing around the room. The door was shaking. She opened it quickly, turning her face aside from the gust of snow. Shizuha stumbled inside, dropping a cloth-covered basket beside the doorway. Minoriko slammed the door closed, rushing to help Shizuha out of her snow-laden coat. She set a bowl of slightly overcooked stew on the table, then wrapped her blanket around Shizuha's shoulders.

"Minoriko, you didn't fall asleep by the fire again, did you?" her sister snapped, examining a small burn on the blanket where a spark had presumably hit it. Minoriko nodded, ducking her head in apology. "What are you thinking of? You could have been hurt! You could have..." Shizuha trailed off, looking to the side. Minoriko hugged her, grinning.

"I'm just glad you made it home alright," she whispered, kissing her sister's forehead. She scampered away to pour her own stew, pretending she couldn't hear the rest of Shizuha's scolding.

-

Shizuha's hands moved lightly over the pile of flowers, twisting here and there. Minoriko watched carefully, trying to copy her. The stems of the buttercups slipped out of knots, and the stems of the violets broke. "Finished!" Shizuha declared, holding a ring of yellow and purple in the air. Minoriko hurried to finish hers, weaving the stems together roughly.

"Finished!" she mimicked as she tied the ends together. She held up her masterpiece, and several buttercups fluttered back to the ground. It wasn't as flawless as Shizuha's, but at least it hadn't come entirely undone this time. Shizuha smiled, and placed her own flower crown carefully on Minoriko's head, brushing a golden curl out of her face. Minoriko giggled, crowning Shizuha as well. Another buttercup fell loose, getting caught behind Shizuha's ear. Shizuha laughed, twisting a lock of hair around the golden flower to hold it in place.

"Ready to leave now?" she asked, gazing calmly at the horizon. Minoriko pouted, and stood up abruptly.

"I will be, give me a moment first. I'll be right back!" she assured her sister, before running to the other side of the meadow. She skipped over the dandelions, buttercups, violets, and small flowers she didn't know the name of, toward the flowers growing near the riverside. White daffodils and blue and red tulips greeted her there, swaying gently in the wind. She carefully broke the stems near the base, making sure to take only flowers that were growing too close to others, leaving the patch with plenty of color left. Arranging the flowers in her hands into a nice bouquet, she walked back to Shizuha, skipping slightly. She picked a few wildflowers on the way, tucking the small purple blossoms into her bouquet. Shizuha was still sitting in the grass in the same place, fidgeting with her dress.

"Minoriko, where did you get those from?" Shizuha exclaimed as she approached. "I've told you to be careful about taking flowers from anyone else's garden..."

"No, Nitori said that I could take as many as I wanted! I didn't do anything wrong." Minoriko pouted, scuffing her feet on the ground. "Besides, I wanted to have some pretty flowers at home so you'd smile more, so I had to get the best ones."

"Silly girl. Having you around is enough to smile about." Shizuha stood, then patted her on the head and straightened her flower crown. She started to walk back to their house, and Minoriko followed, skipping again.

"Why do flowers come in so many colors?" she asked, looking carefully at the different tulips.

"They wouldn't stand out as much if they were all one color," Shizuha explained.

"Why aren't there green flowers?"

"Green flowers would just look like bunches of leaves."

"Why aren't there brown flowers?"

"There are brown pansies."

"Why aren't there black flowers?"

"Don't you think black flowers would be ugly?" Shizuha made a face.

"No, I don't!" Minoriko protested. "I think there should be flowers in all colors, I can't imagine any ugly flowers." Shizuha smiled again. They were already home. Minoriko handed the bouquet to Shizuha, opening the door for her. She kissed Shizuha lightly on the cheek as she passed. "Thank you for the wonderful day!" she sang, running away to look for a vase for the flowers.

-

Minoriko skipped through the fields, humming to herself. A light breeze ruffled her dress, a welcome relief from the harsh summer sun. The rosebushes were finally bare, golden sunflowers replacing them. Shizuha was waiting in the apple orchard, staring up at the treetops. "Shizuha, Shizuha!" Minoriko called, swerving to dance around her older sister. "Summer is leaving!" Shizuha didn't seem to notice her, tracing a pattern with her finger on the palm of her other hand. "Shizuha, big siiiister, listen, listen!"

"Don't taunt the summer gods too much, Minoriko. You should think about how sad you are when winter comes, and be more sympathetic," Shizuha absently chided. Minoriko pouted, still skipping.

"Soon I can help all the delicious vegetables grow enormous!" she sang, swinging her arms out to twirl like Hina. "Are you practicing to paint the leaves, Shizuha?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to design a new pattern. This year, they'll be so pretty, everyone will have to admire me! I'll beat your vegetables this time!"

"But leaves aren't yummy! Not like potatoes, and carrots, and yams, and pumpkins, and apples, and--"

"And those things aren't pretty, either," Shizuha snapped. She went back to tracing patterns on her hand, shaking her head so her bangs fell loose and hid her face. Minoriko shrank back, sitting down in the grass with her back to Shizuha.

"I just wanted to be able to make everyone happy. Doesn't nice food bring people together and make everyone happy?" she said under her breath, picking at a rock in the ground.

"Isn't it enough that you're always the one invited to the harvest festivals, that you're the one the humans look to for help, that you have that much more power? Can't you ever give me a break?" Shizuha's voice was harsh, but also trembling with weakness, punctuated by a few small, discreet sobs. Minoriko turned to see her sister crying, her open palm now wet from tears.

"Don't you understand, Shizuha? I really love your fancy leaves. I've always looked up to you for the work you do. That's why I like competing with you," Minoriko explained, taking Shizuha's hand. "It's the beautiful colors that come to mind first when humans think about fall. There are smaller harvests all year round, but your leaves are unique..." Shizuha pulled her hand back, and glared up at Minoriko with teary amber eyes. "I'll tell the humans all about your work, and get them to ask you to the festival too, so please don't be sad..." Minoriko whispered, kissing her sister on the cheek. Shizuha looked up at her again, anger gone from her face.

Behind them, the summer sun dipped toward the horizon, marking the end of another day of their long wait for fall. A few flower petals fell from the blooming apple trees around them.

-

The Harvest Festival was ending. Humans and youkai left with baskets and bags filled with fall produce, sold by local farmers. Minoriko had a hand in growing all of it, and was bursting with pride. Shizuha had been able to show off her leaf painting, and apparently had taken a few more mundane commissions. They stayed sitting on a bench at the fairground, sipping apple cider and watching everyone else gradually leave.
"Thanks, Minoriko," Shizuha muttered, and Minoriko pretended not to hear. She knew Shizuha would prefer it that way. Minoriko looked around sadly. Shizuha had knocked most of the leaves down off the trees already. They were nearly bare, but from a distance still shone in glorious gold and copper tones. The sun dyed the sky red to match them, sinking away for the night. The day was ending, and another autumn heyday as well. The rest of the year would still be fun, though, as long as her sister was there with her.

"It's been a really good time, hasn't it, Shizuha?" she mused quietly. Shizuha seemed to nod, but it was so slight she might have imagined it. Minoriko snuggled against her and kissed her on the cheek, wishing they could stay there watching the sunset forever. There were too many other fun things to do, though, so she finally stood up. "We'd better get home now, right?" she asked, twirling in a circle and watching her skirt billow around her.

"Yeah, I suppose we should..." Shizuha sounded reluctant to leave. She traced the edge of the bench with one finger, a thoughtful look on her face. Eventually, she stood up as well, taking Minoriko's hand. Even when winter came again, they would spend it together.

Yuuka greeted the sun with a smile, it was a great day, a bright day. The perfect day to spend her time watering her flowers.

“Yo, Yuuka!” A voice came.

The flower youkai turned her head to the familiar voice.

In the midst of the sunflowers stood Marisa Kirisame, one hand askew in front of her in a salute, vivid, amber eyes shining in her direction and a radiant grin gracing her face.

‘How bright…’ So bright she could swear all the sunflowers in her garden had turned to look at the magician.

“Ara, this is a rare sight~ Did you lose your way?”

The girl chuckled.

“As if!” Her brows furrowed a bit. “I’m looking for Alice, have you seen her?”

“I can’t say I have, but if she isn’t home then maybe she’s in the Human Village.”

Marisa nodded negatively, her shoulders slumping a bit as her previous grin was replaced by worry.

“She isn’t there… She has been gone for 5 days and I’ve searched everywhere for her. I’m worried that something happened…”

Yuuka put her hand on her chin, pondering.

“Well, maybe she went to visit Makai, it’s her home after all.”

“But why wouldn’t she tell me about that? I mean we…” She trailed off and inquired quietly. “Have I screwed up somewhere…?”

The flower youkai waved her off with a smile.

“Even if you have, Alice wouldn’t stay mad at you for long, of that I’m sure.”

Red tinged Marisa’s cheeks.

“Like you’d know!”

“Oh, but I do.” She chuckled. “Just give her time, she’ll surely come back.”

The blonde girl sighed in defeat.

“If she doesn’t return soon, I’ll go to Makai myself and bring her back.”

“Ooh, such a gallant knight Sir Kirisame is~!”

“Shuddup!” Her cheeks were burning red once again. “Anyway, if you see her tell her that I apologize for what I’ve done, whatever that was…”

“Will do, have a safe trip~!” She waved the girl goodbye as she flew off on her broom.

Putting her watering pot down, the youkai waited until the witch was out of sight.

She pushed the door into her home and suddenly, darkness. Nothing but a tiny speck of sunlight entered her cottage.

It wasn’t that Yuuka didn’t like sunlight, in fact, she reveled in its warm, bright light; not unlike the sunflowers in her garden - it was the sun that truly made her feel alive.


And that was exactly why Yuuka had covered all the windows with curtains thick enough to prevent it from slipping inside: throughout her life she had learned that things wither without it. No plant, no animal, no living being, not even night youkai could survive without the sun.

Yuuka opened the door to one of the few rooms in her tiny cottage. It used to be the room where she cared for her indoor plants, but now she dedicated her full attention to a particularly rare and beautiful flower. Her fingers gently ran through her new acquisition.

“How are you today, my precious flower?”

A silhouette moved her face away from Yuuka’s fingers as if her very touch burned. It was all she could do. Vines bounded her neck, legs and arms, their thorns burying into flesh, trails of dried and fresh blood trailed down her limbs, the red contrasting with the porcelain of her skin.

“Don’t touch me, you disgusting hag!” Alice’s voice was like poison.

A chuckle was Yuuka’s response.

“Oh~ how rude you are today, little Alice! Could it be you’ve finally sprouted some thorns of your own?”

Then, with a sudden and strong movement, Yuuka pulled the girl forward, her fingers burying themselves into Alice’s chin, positioning the magician’s face mere inches from her.

“You may struggle all you want but it will do you no good.”

Red beads trailed down Alice’s pale neck, but there was no pain in her face, only anger. Defiant blue eyes glared at red ones.

“I will never love you.” The doll maker spat. “You’re a crazy maniac, no one will ever love you!” She chuckled with disgust. “You’re pathetic, I pity you.”

So beautiful, her flower was. Dark circles under her eyes, the red adorning her white skin, her dry and cracked lips… and those relentless eyes. So tired and yet so strong, truly the most perfect of the flowers.

Yuuka smiled back, a broad and long smile, the portrait of insanity.

“Even diamonds, so strong and sturdy, can be crushed with a single movement of my hand. What makes you think you’re any different, dear?”

And before Alice could utter a sound, Yuuka covered the puppet master’s lips with her own, her fingers constricting on her chin, keeping her in place.

She bit Yuuka’s lips, the kiss tasted like blood. It always did.

It was pointless, she knew that very well, and yet Alice struggled, she struggled with all her might against the offending grip. The thorny vines constricting her didn’t hurt her anymore; she could no longer feel them.

But her sight was becoming clouded and she forced her eyes closed, sending the watery beads rolling down her cheeks. Against her whole being she started crying, her body shaking with each sob. Helplessness was a dark pit swallowing her whole.

Yuuka broke the kiss and observed her, her crazed smile still present.

‘Beautiful.’

Things that bend to the lightest of the touches were boring, but when they struggled and squirmed, only then was their true beauty revealed. The semblance they displayed, rebellious and primal, the incessant way they tried to fight back, how pleasant it was to admire them after they had been broken and twisted into nothingness.

Blood trailed down her lower lip and she casually cleaned it with the back of her hand.

“I will break you and you will be mine. It’s just a matter of time, my dear.”

“…Marisa…” Alice sobbed quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

“She won’t come.” Yuuka answered as she straightened herself up and made her way to the door.

“…Marisa…” Tears fell freely from her eyes.

And in the quiet darkness of her cabinet, a door was shut with finality.

Yes, Alice’s sun would not come for her and Yuuka had learned that everything shriveled without it.

Score: 4/10

Review: Ship. I'm not sure I like the implication of real people being in it either.

Score: 5/10

Review: Ship, although pretty indifferent about the characters.

Score: 6.5/10

Review: Ship. Rinnosuke x Seija is fucking hilarious though so I give points for that.

Score: 6/10

Review: Ship. I think the bartender is a funny character. But seki's head should have fallen off.

Score: 7/10

Review: I liked that it was well written, but it was far too long.

Score: 2/10

Review: Ship. And far too short. And grammar is broken.

Score: 7.5/10

Review: Didn't really have any emotional investment in the character, although I guess it is difficult with a short piece. Slightly confused by some of the sentences, especially the last paragraph, but overall I thought it was a nice story.

Score: 5/10

Review: Ship. Story didn't really interest me, and the non-closure was both good and bad at the same time.

Score: 6/10

Review: Ship with plot twist. Would have been a higher score if Kaguya wasn't such a sucker and Mokou had a proper reason for doing it.

Score: 7.5/10

Review: This one was pretty cool. Although the characters felt a little off at first, especially with things like the -nee honourifics. It was good that it was in first person, however, as I quickly engaged with the characters.

Score: 5/10

Review: Ship, and the punctuation, white space and constant stuttering annoyed me. But it was funny, so it balances out I guess.