Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Young girl.

A child stirred in her sleep, but didn’t wake. She was a young girl, maybe 10 or so, with long violet hair.

Excuse me, child. Can you hear me?
The girl stirred more, but still didn’t wake up.

Reimu Hakurei!

The girl’s eyes opened slightly, and she let out a mumbled “Mom?”

I’m afraid not… but can you hear me, then?

The girl sat up, looking around for the source of the woman's voice. “Who’s there?”

I am. 

“Who are you?” The girl stood, shrugging off blankets. 

I don’t suppose you’ve ever heard of Prince Shotoku?

The girl frowned. The name seemed familiar, perhaps something she’d heard in a history lesson, but she couldn’t say any more. The voice didn’t sound like a prince, as she understood most princes were male.  Was this a dream? 

Do you know what year it is? It’s hard to keep track, when you keep waking up at random. 

The voice had a tone that might have been laughter, but Reimu just blinked, confused. “Where are you?”

That’s a good question. I must be close to you, if I can hear you. I don’t suppose you’ve seen any temples around, probably of the Buddhist variety?

“Um… no?” 

I see… Well, something must have happened since the last time I woke up. I think I remember explosions, bombs dropping… 

Reimu stopped paying attention, instead climbing out of bed and grabbing a short wooden staff with a pair of paper tassels on it. She focused as she held it, trying to sense where the voice was coming from- was it a ghost of some kind? If so, she could send it on to its rest- or at least, theoretically she could. She’d been trained of course, but she hadn’t had much practice with her technique.

Excuse me?

Reimu looked up from shaking her staff back and forth. “Hello?”

I don’t suppose you could free me? You seem to be a priestess, albeit a young one.

“I’m not young, I’m ten years old!”

And last I checked, I was technically several centuries- though admittedly I haven’t been awake for most of it. Every so often I wake and can see what’s going on, but not for long. It’s this damn temple they built on top of my grave. For all the well-meaning idiocy… Ah, but I’m rambling. Young girl, Ms. Hakurei…

“Yes?”

Can you free me? 

“I’m not sure I should. You sound like some kind of evil spirit, so freeing you is probably a bad idea.”

That’s fair. Though I can assure you I’m not a spirit- I think the right word is ‘saint’, in fact? Though I suppose any evil spirit begging your help would be more than willing to tell lies that sound similar to my truth. The voice paused for a minute. I can offer you something in exchange for your help.

“That just makes it sound really suspicious!”

I know, but what else can I do? I can’t free myself, nor can I prove my honesty while I’m stuck down here. Ms. Hakurei, I can offer…

Reimu waited as the voice seemed to think things over. “You can offer what ?”

It seems… you’re lonely. Your most heart-felt desire is friendship. The voice paused again. I can be your friend, Ms. Hakurei. Or a surrogate parent, if that’s what you need? I think I’m reading you right. 

“What do you mean?” Reimu tensed up, looking around.

I can read the desires of a person, and I see yours. So lonely, left alone in a shrine with only an old turtle for company. You’re asked to keep quiet when he brings you to the village to buy food, to never say your name, to avoid the other children. 

“Genjii says I have to keep quiet for now, to be safe.”

I’m sure he means well, but that doesn’t make it pleasant. If safety is needed, I can protect you, too. All you have to do is wake me up.

Reimu frowned. “I… I shouldn’t.”

Probably not, admittedly. I can’t deny how suspicious this sounds.

Reimu nodded, but scanned around the shrine. The voice said she was under a temple, but there was no temple around, just her shrine. But she’d also apparently been asleep for centuries- maybe the words had changed meaning, and she actually meant the shrine?

Reimu let out a breath, and after swapping out her nightgown for her shrine maiden uniform, quietly slid open the door to the shrine and ducked outside.

Crickets chirped in the dark night, but there were no other sounds Reimu could hear. A cautious glance showed that Genjii was in the pond behind the shrine, apparently asleep. Good. Reimu climbed out onto the porch, and summoned a small amount of magic to her hand, forming a glowing ball of light- just enough for her to see in front of her.

Ms. Hakurei?

“I’m looking.”

Oh! Oh, thank you!

Reimu held the light in her hand, as she jumped down from the porch. She ducked down, light forward to try and see underneath the shrine. Genjii had warned her against playing down here, but she had on more than one occasion ignored him. It’s not like there was much underneath the shrine, just dirt and rocks. But if the voice was right, had she missed something? 

I think I can sense you getting closer.

Reimu glanced around, trying to see if she could sense the voice’s location- no good, but for a moment her light reflected off something metal and shiny. She squeezed underneath the shrine, heading for the object. “I think I found something.”

Wonderful!

The metal object turned out to be a hinge, part of a half-buried wooden box. Reimu tilted her head, then with a shrug dug it out and pulled it out from under the shrine. The box wasn’t very big, about the right size for a brush and ink kit, marked with a strange eye symbol. When Reimu closed her eyes, she thought she could sense power coming from the box. Was this what the voice meant by her grave? She’d heard of people who would save things like bones in boxes, and hadn’t the woman called herself a saint? Maybe it was a relic of some kind. 

Ms. Hakurei?

“Just a moment.” Reimu turned the box over in her hand. Should she even be doing this? She was a shrine maiden, after all-- wasn’t her job sealing and destroying evil spirits and monsters, not freeing what potentially might be one? But at the same time, the voice was right- she was lonely.

Reimu stood, closed her eyes, and with a grunt of effort, hurled the sealed box down at the front cobblestones. The box shattered, and white mist began to pour out. “There, you’re free!”

I am?

Reimu pointed at the mist. “Yeah, I just opened up your box.”

What box?

Reimu frowned, then stepped back as the mist began to spin, a pair of green dots starting to glow from inside. “This isn’t you?”

No… that’s- Ms. Hakurei, you need to run! 

Reimu stepped back, as the mist began to stack on top of itself, forming into a human shape. “What’s going on?”

I’m not sure, but that’s not me, and whatever it is, its desires are nothing but spiteful!

Reimu took another step back, bumping into the shrine. The mist twisted and filled with color, the green dots revealing themselves as glowing eyes as the woman took shape. She was lean, wearing a blue skirt and a white blouse, along with a white cloth scarf over long, stringy, green hair. Her skin was pale, almost white, and from her back sprouted a pair of violet feathered wings. In one hand she held a rusty knife, and rather than legs, she had a long tail made of mist. Her eyes focused on Reimu, glowing in poisonous emerald.

Even without much experience as a Shrine Maiden, Reimu could recognize what stood before her- a Vengeful Spirit, the ghost of someone who had died with enough hatred in her heart, that even death couldn't stop her. It took the hard work of a Shrine Maiden like herself to put such a spirit to rest, normally. But she was under the shrine, trapped, but not exterminated. Who…

Reimu was pulled from her thoughts as the spirit's eyes met her own, and it raised the knife. Reimu's own eyes widened, and she frantically brought up her staff with one hand, digging in her sleeve pouches with the other, and finding what she'd hoped- a handful of paper talismans, perfect for dispelling an angry spirit. She drew back and threw one of them, the paper slip zipping through the air like a dart, to stick to the spirit's arm. The talisman glowed, and a burst of sanctified electricity burst out to zap the ghost.

To Reimu's dismay, this didn't seem to faze the ghost, who gave the slip a momentary glance, before tearing it away and discarding it. Reimu hurled another, but this one didn’t even hit, as the ghost lashed out with her knife and sliced it in two. The ghost locked eyes with Reimu, saying something too quiet for Reimu to hear, as Reimu brought her staff into a defensive position. The two stared for a minute, neither moving, before finally Reimu broke, leaping forward and swinging out with her staff, tassels glowing with holy light. The ghost turned, catching the swing with her knife, shoving it away and grabbing Reimu’s arm. Reimu cried out, as the ghost lifted her into the air. Reimu’s arm burned with pain, and she thrashed, trying to pull free, but the ghost held her tight. The hand on her wrist almost felt like stone, as Reimu reached up and jabbed at the fingers with her staff. The ghost pulled her close, emerald eyes an inch from Reimu’s chocolate brown. 

“Where is Izumi?”

The ghost’s voice was cold and soft. Reimu flailed, shoving her staff forward through the ghost’s chest, but it just passed through harmlessly. Reimu pulled the staff back, staring at the tassels, still glowing with spiritual power. Shouldn’t they have done something?

“Where is Izumi?”

The ghost was louder this time, indeed she seemed more solid somehow, despite Reimu’s staff uselessly passing through her. “Let me go!”

“Where is Izumi? ” 

“I don’t know!” Reimu knew the name, of course- it was her late mother’s. But in the moment Reimu panicked, not wanting to risk the thing’s ire by saying she was dead. The ghost stared at her, before huffing and dropping her to the ground. The ghost turned away, stomping down the path and unfurling her wings. 

“Wait!” Reimu got to her feet, using her staff for support. The ghost didn’t turn.

Ms. Hakurei, what are you doing? Reimu thought she could hear the voice in her head tilting its head in confusion.

“She’s a ghost, she was sealed under the shrine, she has to be a big problem! I need to stop her!”

She just shrugged off everything you could use on her! 

“Not everything.”

Reimu turned back towards the ghost, watching as it took flight. She hurled a paper amulet, the glowing tag zipping away to stick onto her back- not zapping her, but marking her instead. Reimu then turned and ran back into the shrine.

Ms. Hakurei?

Reimu ignored the voice, instead heading deeper into the shrine. There- sitting on a velvet cushion in a place of worship- a crystal Orb, sparkling red and white to form the pattern of a Yin-Yang. 

What is that? I can sense power coming from it…

Reimu breathed out, and reached out a hand towards the Orb. “My heritage and inheritance- the Hakurei Orb.”

Reimu placed a hand on the sphere, for a second feeling raw power thrum through her, when suddenly, her vision went black.

Chapter Text

“Unworthy!” 

Reimu’s eyes shot open. She laid on the floor of the shrine, the Hakurei Orb still glittering in front of her. It wasn’t the only source of light, however- around her sat about a dozen glowing wisps of light. Reimu yelped and jumped to her feet, feeling strangely lighter as the wisps seemed to focus on her. Reimu reached for her staff, but she couldn’t see it- indeed, she could barely see anything besides the Orb and the wisps, the room around her had seemed to go dark as midnight.

“Unworthy, impatient child! Why do you disturb us?”

One of the wisps rose to eye-level. Reimu backed up a step, looking around as the other wisps rose as well. “What’s going on?”

“How unfortunate to see the family name wasted on this child!”

“Now now, she’s only a child-”

“Then why is she touching the Orb?”

The spirits around Reimu began to argue. Reimu looked around again- most seemed to be rather pale, but a handful, including the one in her face, were brighter, and she thought she could feel power off of them. 

“Well, child? Why are you touching the Orb? Has that blasted turtle taught you nothing?”

“What do you mean?” Reimu frowned, reaching for the Orb. “I need it. There’s a ghost-”

“Are you not a shrine maiden? Simply drive it off and be done with it! That Orb isn’t for mere ghosts, it is a weapon of unparalleled power!”

“Well, somewhat paralleled. I think those crazy Americans-”

“Again, with you and your Americans! Perhaps if you hadn’t wandered out of the Border and into that unholy bomb. ”

“What was I supposed to do, leave those Kappa to die? And like you were any better, you-”

The spirits descended into further argument. Reimu frowned, then reached for the Orb again.

The wisp in front of her suddenly grew, forming into a young man just a bit taller than her, translucent and dressed in a blue and white priest outfit. He slapped Reimu’s hand away. “Do not touch the Orb, you upstart! I swear, children these days.”

Another wisp, one of the paler ones, shifted into a woman- also translucent, but with a blue and red robe, and bright red hair pulled back with a ribbon. “Be nice, dear! No doubt your ancestors would have acted the same if they’d known what you’d been up to.”

“Believe me, they did! ”  

Reimu shook her head, before turning to the two figures. “Who are you?”

The man shook his head. “You don’t recognize us at all. Shame…”

“To be fair, dear, we were dead before she was born.”

“Excuses! Izumi had more time with her than we had with Izumi, that woman should have used the time to educate , not run around playing with her friends.”

That name again, Izumi. Reimu’s eyes widened as understanding clicked in her head.

“You’re my grandparents?”

“Technically, we're more of a photograph, dear. But yes, we are. Your mother’s parents.” The woman smiled down at Reimu, as the man- her grandfather, harrumphed. “Should have been obvious… Who else would be hanging around the ancestral weapon?”

Reimu frowned, staring the man over. She supposed she could see the resemblance. “Is… is mom here, then?”

The woman paled a bit, before offering Reimu a smile. "Well, technically we aren't here either. You might think of us as living pictures, made by the woman who originally made the Orb to help power it. That said, why don’t we focus on the real questions? You’re a bit young for the Orb, aren’t you?”

“I need it.”
“Yes, the ghost. But don’t you have your staff and amulets? That should be enough.”

Reimu shook her head, then gave a brief description of events- how she’d heard the mysterious voice, how she’d found and accidentally unleashed the spirit, how her amulets and staff had been useless. The man and woman stood and listened, as did the other wisps, though none bothered to take human form. 

“And you say she asked about Izumi?” The man, her grandfather, frowned. “An old enemy perhaps, sealed away and unleashed by a foolish child-”

“Dear!” Reimu’s grandmother shook her head. “Certainly, Reimu was foolish, but we all are at one point or another. I married you , after all!”

“Yes, the greatest mistake you ever made.” The man, however, reached out and squeezed the woman’s hand. “Reimu, this is dangerous. I can’t say for sure about the voice you were hearing, but that ghost … You are still a child, dear. Untrained and unready. The ghost didn't attack until you did, so even oddities about her asking for your mother aside, perhaps it's not worth it."

Reimu frowned. “I… I mean, whatever mom had to do with it, the ghost had to have been sealed under the shrine for a reason. And I'm the one who let her out, so I need to do something about it.”

The two adults stood silent, then shifted back into wisp form. The glowing spirits of past Hakureis and their partners, huddled for a moment in conversation. After a minute, Reimu’s grandfather reformed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“It is unusual, but we suspect there will be a lot of unusual things in the years to come. Take up the Orb, Reimu Hakurei, and make us proud.”

Reimu nodded, as the man turned back into a wisp, and all the glowing lights flew into the crystal Orb. For a moment, everything went black save for the Hakurei Orb, which lit up bright as the sun.

And then Reimu opened her eyes. She lay on the floor in front of the Orb. She turned towards it, and this time when she reached out, she could pick it up. It wasn’t as heavy as she’d expected, despite being made of crystal. 

Ms. Hakurei?

The voice in her head had returned. Reimu  glanced around, still unsure where it had come from. It wasn’t the ghost, and it clearly hadn’t been one of her ancestor’s spirits. 

Are you okay, Ms. Hakurei? You seemed to go into a trance for a minute.

“I’m fine.” Reimu got to her feet, still clutching the crystal Orb. It felt warm in her hand, seeming to pulse in time with her heart. She looked it over, frowning. Were her grandparents in there? Or the photographs of them, or whatever? She'd have to ask Genjii to explain things better, later. For now though, she had to go find that ghost. Hopefully it hadn't gone far.

Oh! Your desires shifted a bit. Desire to prove yourself…  Not uncommon, but not something I can really help you with at this time .

"Maybe you can. You said you could sense the desires of that ghost, right?"

Reimu thought she could hear the voice shuddering. Yes… her desires were very spiteful.

"Can you still sense then?"

I can, Ms. Haku- Oh! How clever!

Reimu smiled. "If you help me find her, I'll do my best to free you."

Then let us work together for mutual benefit, Ms. Hakurei.

Reimu held up the Orb, feeling its power pulse through her. Genjii was still asleep, and with any luck, and the help of the voice, she'd have things taken care of without him ever knowing.

Chapter Text

She's up ahead, Ms. Hakurei. 

Reimu nodded in silent appreciation. The Forest of Magic was a dangerous place at night, too dangerous for her to risk talking. Genjii had told her the forest, so named due to concentrations of magical energy even higher than the rest of Gensokyo, was full of Youkai- and not just the so-called “civilized” Youkai like himself, who,  while potentially scary, could be reasoned with, but feral Youkai as well, essentially just beasts who would happily devour anyone they came across- Human, civilized Youkai, and Shrine Maidens alike.

Reimu held her Orb forward, letting its glow light her way forward. In her other hand she held her staff- she wasn’t sure how to use the Orb, admittedly, but according to Genjii there was little that a good thump with a big enough purification rod couldn’t deal with.

“Except that ghost…” Reimu murmured to herself. She paused, realizing she had spoken out loud, but after a moment of silence, decided there weren’t any monsters who had heard her and decided she might make a good meal, and so continued. 

Not far, now- I think, at least. Admittedly I haven’t used my powers like this before. 

Indeed, Reimu thought she could see something glowing up ahead. She let out a breath, then pushed forward through the foliage. Standing in a clearing, staring up at the sky, was the ghost. Her back was turned to Reimu, and soft white mist seemed to pour from her form. Reimu closed her eyes to focus. All she’d have to do, theoretically, was to hit the ghost hard enough to weaken it, at which point she could seal it into an object- usually something like a box would be preferred, something that could be easily locked physically as well as magically, but in a pinch, a rock or branch could be used- it would be weaker than a proper seal object, but hopefully it would be enough to last for Reimu to take the ghost back home and transfer it into something sturdier.

Of course, that relied on her actually weakening the ghost to begin with. Her staff and amulets had proven useless so far, but now she had the Hakurei Orb. Reimu let out a breath, and held the Orb up towards the ghost.

Nothing.

Reimu frowned. She brandished the Orb again, but nothing beyond the faint pulse of power she’d felt since picking it up. 

Maybe try throwing it at her?

Reimu paused. Was the voice serious?

Hear me out- a big crystal ball isn’t the most ergonomic of weapons, but it would make for a decent enough projectile, surely. It might even reflect back on a good throw so you could use it again.

Reimu tilted her head. The idea had merit, but admittedly, wasn’t it all a bit silly? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the Orb to shoot needles or bombs or something out of it? But if it could do that, Reimu had no clue how to do so. What she did know was that she had a big ball of holy spiritual power, and a big stick. 

Reimu bit back a sigh, then tossed the Orb into the air. It went up, and Reimu raised her staff in both hands, shifting her stance in preparation. She’d seen some kids in the Human Village play a game called baseball once, something with running around in circles while hitting balls with large sticks, and the Orb seemed about the right size for it. 

The crystal Orb fell, and Reimu narrowed her eyes. Time seemed to slow, and Reimu stepped forward and swung with all her might.

CRACK!

Reimu nearly fell over as her momentum spun her, and the Orb rocketed towards the ghost’s head. Just before it hit, however, the ghost ducked out of the way, turning and staring at Reimu. The Orb flew off, ricocheting against a tree and bouncing back towards Reimu. Reimu steadied herself, raising a hand to catch the Orb, only to cry out and get knocked to the ground as it slammed into her chest. 

Ms. Hakurei!

Reimu groaned in pain as she landed on her back. The Orb rolled off to her side, and she tried to reach for it, only to wince in pain. She hadn’t thought she’d hit it that hard, surely. 

The ghost approached, looking down at her with glowing emerald eyes. Reimu yelped, pain forgotten as she rolled to her side, away from the ghost. The ghost stared at her, eyes shifting down to the Orb as Reimu picked it up. Reimu held the Orb up as she rolled to her feet, pointing it at the ghost. 

“You shouldn’t have that.” The ghost’s voice was quiet, as her eyes flicked between Reimu and the Orb. 

“You shouldn’t be here!” Reimu shot back, and hurled the Orb at the ghost, swinging down with her staff to knock it at her. The ghost dodged again, eyes flicking back and forth to watch the flying Orb. As the Orb ricocheted off two trees and back to Reimu, the spirit flicked out her knife, knocking the Orb away, into the woods.

“Why are you following me?” The ghost glared as Reimu backed towards where the Orb had gone, glancing around to try and find it.

“I need to reseal you!” The Orb rolled out of the woods, bumping into Reimu’s foot. She reached down and scooped it up.

"What are you talking about?" The ghost faltered a bit, and Reimu took the advantage, leaping forward and smashing the Orb into her chest. The ghost hissed in pain, backing up and slashing at Reimu with her knife. Reimu ducked the swing, and pressed the Orb against the ghost again. The ghost growled and flinched back, and Reimu pushed forward, waving her staff as she prepared a seal. "You were sealed under the shrine, I'm putting you back!"

The ghost flickered and turned transparent. Reimu yelped as she fell through the ghost, landing hard on the ground. She rolled over and onto her knees, just in time to cry out and bring her staff up to block the ghost's knife. Reimu grimaced as she pushed back against the ghost, bringing her eyes up to meet the ghost's again. The ghost frowned as their gazes met. "Where is Izumi?"

Reimu blinked, as the ghost released pressure on her, still staring into her eyes. "This again?"

"Just tell me where she is!" The ghost stepped back, eyes zipping back and forth. Was she scared? Had Reimu's mother been the one to seal her, then? Reimu drew back a bit and prepared to whack the Orb at the ghost again, but she wasn’t looking at her, instead looking around the clearing. Was she looking for Reimu’s mom? Reimu didn’t know, but she was more than happy to use a distraction if it appeared to her. She dropped the Orb, and raised her staff in the air, feeling it fill with power. She shook it back and forth, chanting under her breath and focusing on a rock just underneath the confused ghost. It would only take a few more seconds, just-
The ghost whirled around, slashing down a hand and firing off a stream of energy bullets. Reimu yelped and dove for the ground, but two of the bullets slammed into her side. She cried out as they hit, her side growing numb with a surrounding layer of pins and needles. She tried to get back to her feet, but more energy bullets fired past her. Reimu barely managed to get her staff up to block them, and her Orb rolled in front of her just in time to block one from hitting her in the face. The ghost loomed over her, eyes glowing with fury. “How dare you.”

“I need to seal you… I need-”

Reimu cried out as the ghost picked her up by the shoulders. Reimu jabbed with her staff, more out of frustration than any effectiveness, as it again passed harmlessly through her. “Give me the Orb, girl.”

Reimu wriggled, but it seemed the only part of the ghost at the moment were the hands holding her up. “Let go!”
“Give me the Orb. You don’t know how to use it, you’ll just hurt yourself.”

“No!”

Reimu thrashed, managing to reach her toes down just enough to brush at the Orb, which had rolled underneath her. She felt at it, before drawing back her leg and managing to kick it- it wasn’t a particularly good kick, and the awkward kick left her toes smarting in pain, but it was enough for the Orb to roll into the ghost’s misty tail. She yelped, dropping Reimu. Reimu fell to the ground, rolling over to grab the Orb. She tried to get to her feet, but another energy bullet slammed into her shoulder, and she dropped it.

“Say you relinquish your claim! Give me the Orb, and we’ll be done with this!”

Reimu shook her head, then cried out as another energy bullet hit her, this one in the leg, knocking her back. The Orb rolled after her, and she scooped it up again.

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with, child! It’s for your own good!”

Reimu managed to bring the Orb up to deflect the next bullet, but the impact still knocked her back. The ghost stood wild-eyed, knife still at her side and one hand raised, another energy bullet forming in her palm. Most of Reimu’s right side had grown numb from the bullets, and she was having trouble moving that side. Still, she rolled to her feet, glaring defiantly. She hefted the Orb into the air again, and with another mighty crack , sent it rocketing at the ghost. “If you want it that bad, try and catch it!”

The ghost didn’t try to catch it, instead stepping to the side and letting it pass her. The Orb slammed off a tree and shot back the way it had come. Reimu tried to dodge, but her muscles felt unresponsive, and the Orb slammed into her. Reimu fell- and kept falling, as the Orb knocked her back, and down into a crack in the ground. The last thing she saw as she fell was the face of the ghost, terror-struck as she ran up to try and grab Reimu.

Chapter Text

Reimu awoke with a groan of pain. Everything was dark, save for the faint glow of the Hakurei Orb beside her. 

Ms. Hakurei?

Reimu grimaced as pain flooded her right side. The numbness from the energy bullets had worn off, it seemed, leaving stinging bruises, but thankfully they didn’t seem to have done more than that. 

Ms. Hakurei? Reimu?
“I’m here…”

Are you okay? I stepped back to let you concentrate, but then you…

Reimu shook her head. “I lost.”

I think I can sense you- you seem a bit closer to me, somehow? But it’s hard to tell. 

“What’s hard to tell about it?”

It’s… The voice paused as if thinking of an answer. After a moment of silence, Reimu decided to focus on figuring out where she was. 

Wherever it was, it was certainly dark. She seemed to be resting on what felt like a rope net, which certainly was better than going splat at the bottom of a deep hole- deep enough she couldn’t even see the moon or stars through the hole above.

Reimu closed her eyes and concentrated, and formed a small light over her finger tips, much as she’d done when looking underneath the shrine. She winced at the brightness, but after a moment for her eyes to adjust, she was able to take in her surroundings. She hadn’t been wrong about it feeling like she’d landed in a net- she had , albeit one made of silvery silk and covered in dust. It had a somewhat circular shape, and was attached to the cavern walls with gluey blobs of dust-covered silk. In fact, it kind of looked like-

Reimu screamed and thrashed, inadvertently sliding down the massive spider web and to the ground. She held up the Orb with one hand, her light glowing from the other, as she fearfully looked around- spiders didn’t normally bother her, but spiders didn’t normally set webs big enough for people . However, after a few minutes of watching, no spiders came to devour her- indeed, she realized the web hadn’t been sticky at all- like cobwebs at home, it had been covered with dust and rendered useless for catching prey- not useless, however, for breaking falls, and Reimu let out a silent prayer for that.

Hmm… This is odd .

“What’s odd?”

I’m… I’m thinking something has changed since I was last awake. Something big. Something I’m surprised I didn’t notice. But then again, this whole endeavor has been nothing but surprises. 

“What do you mean?” Reimu looked around the cave, catching sight of her staff on the ground. It had survived the fall intact, thankfully, coming to a rest next to what looked like an abandoned mailbox. She frowned, bringing up the light to examine it. There was a note pinned to it- Gone for the season, forward all mail care of Y. Kurodani, 121 Second Circle Way, The Underground.

The voice in Reimu's head had gone silent again, apparently thinking through its words. Let's say… someone knew she was going to die. But she felt her work hadn't been completed yet. And she was so adamant about it, that she found a way to keep herself alive.

"I think that's how vengeful spirits like the one that attacked me form. If by incomplete work, you mean literal undying fury."

I can assure you I am not an evil spirit. That said, I had work that needed completing, that would take longer than I had left. So I made some preparations.

Reimu frowned. "Okay…"

Nothing evil, I promise! But I had made a promise to protect my kingdom, something I couldn't very well do if I died. So with the help of a magician, I devised a clever spell- I would die, but through a bit of magic and a sword, I would, essentially, be able to resurrect when my kingdom needed me most. And when do you think I would be needed most, but a few days after, as my people tried to figure out how to go on without their beloved prince?

“Go on…”

So, I die, the spell activates, and a few days later, I feel myself starting to wake up. Only… someone, in a well-meaning attempt to honor me, decided to build a temple over my grave, and in the process… Well, I’m kinda locked in at the moment.

Reimu nodded. “So that’s why you were asking about temples?”

Indeed! I just need someone to temporarily deactivate the spells that inadvertently hold me here. I assume, I mean. There’s something weird I can’t put my finger on. 

Reimu nodded again. A glance around the cavern showed there was a passage leading out, and she thought she could feel a slight breeze from it. With no other options, she decided to head that way. 

So, I suppose if you’ve fallen underground, you might be closer geographically speaking to me? Perhaps there might even be a way to get to me in a roundabout way.

“Assuming I decide to free you after all, or even can.”

I’m sure you can. That said, I probably did make myself seem a lot more suspicious, didn’t I. 

“Just a bit.” Still, Reimu had to admit that the voice was more personable than that ghost had. Less questions about her mother and demanding her Orb, as well. “I’ll think about it. But I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be doing things like freeing undead liches from the grave.”

“Who’s freeing undead liches from the grave?”

Reimu froze as a voice boomed down the corridor. A glowing light appeared in the distance, and Reimu tried to peer and see where it was coming from.

That’s odd- a new person, but I can’t seem to read them- it’s as though they- Ooh!

“What is it?” Reimu hissed, as the voice seemed to yelp in pain.

She has some kind of mental defense that prevents my reading her desires! I’ve never seen such a thing before.

“Who’s there?” The light came closer, and Reimu dispelled hers, bringing up her staff in a defensive posture, her other hand holding the Orb. “Is that you, Koishi? I told you before, you’re not supposed to be out this close to the dig site.” 

Reimu started, as the speaker came into view- a massive woman, several heads taller than Reimu was, with black hair pulled into a short ponytail, a red uniform, and a curved sword strapped to her back. Most striking however, was the long red horn jutting out of her forehead. The woman stared down at Reimu, before grinning slightly and revealing a set of massive canines. “Well… isn’t that interesting. Could have sworn, I felt someone trying to poke my brain, but you’re no Satori at all. You’re Human. ”

Reimu yelped and stumbled back, as the massive woman reached out a hand and grabbed for her. She raised her staff and Orb. “S-stay back, Oni!”

“Rude, too. Don’t you know, that’s not how you greet a new friend? You’re supposed to do it like this .” The Oni jumped forward, grabbing Reimu’s staff-holding hand and giving it a firm shake. Reimu winced- the Oni woman was strong, strong enough it almost felt like her arm was being pulled off. The Oni let go, still grinning as she grabbed Reimu by the arm and started pulling her forward. “Come on, little Human. You shouldn’t be down here, you know, it’s dangerous for a skinny little thing like you!”

Reimu tried to pull away, but the Oni was too strong. She tried to press the Orb down on the Oni’s hand, but the woman simply grabbed her by the wrist, holding her so she couldn’t reach. “None of that, now. I know an anti-Youkai weapon when I see it. That’s also dangerous for skinny little things like yourself.” 

Reimu thought she heard the voice in her head say something, but she couldn’t quite make it out at first, too focused on trying to break free as the Oni half-escorted half-dragged her through the tunnel. 

Ms. Hakurei, what are we looking at? I can't tell with her shields up.

"An Oni." Reimu whispered under her breath, hoping that the voice could hear her but the Oni couldn't.

An Oni? Oh dear. I, erm… Ms. Hakurei, when I finally awaken, I will make sure your grave is well taken care of. I’m sorry.

Reimu blinked, then tried to thrash her way free anew, but the Oni was too strong, only pausing to grab Reimu by the waist and slip her under her arm. Reimu tried to press the Orb against the Oni’s leg, but her clothing apparently was thick enough to prevent it from harming her, at least not without the force of a good hit behind it. 

“Humans, in the Underground! And out here of all places- usually when one shows up, it’s with escort and in the city itself, not wandering around out here!” The Oni chuckled to herself. “You didn’t lose your guide or something, did you?” 

“Let go!” 

“Are you severely depressed? I know a few of my peers will go up to collect the suicidal, try and cheer ‘em up with a night on the town. Not quite as good about it as the Haradashi were, before they disappeared, but it’s a decent way to live, I think.”

Reimu didn’t pay much attention, instead trying to wiggle her way out of the woman’s grip. There was a light up ahead, more than the lantern the Oni had been carrying. Indeed, they soon stepped into a large open cavern, full of broken stalactites and a strangely metallic smell, that after a moment Reimu recognized as blood. Her eyes widened, and she beat her fists on the Oni’s side, to no avail. 

“Please stop, little Human. As much as I’d appreciate a massage, now’s not the time. You really shouldn’t be here, no one is, save for the recovery team. I’m gonna have to report this, then if I’m lucky it’s gonna go all the way up to Lazuli, and then she’s gonna get on my case, and I really don’t feel like dealing with that.”

“Too late for that, Konngara.”

Reimu craned her head to see where the second voice came from- a massive bronze mirror mounted to the wall of the cave. It was surrounded by signs of excavation, tools and broken rock all around, as though someone were trying to dig the mirror out. A grinning woman stared out of the mirror, like a reflection with no one on the real side of it. The Oni let out a sigh, and set Reimu down on the ground, though she grabbed her by the shoulder before she could run off. “What happened to ‘Stop playing around with the artifacts’, Kikuri?”

“I’m not playing, I’m just using the convenient Call Mirror to tell you how busted you are, Konna dear.” The woman giggled and stuck out a tongue at the Oni, who growled. “The Ministry of Right and Wrong is in bad enough financial troubles that they’re making you dig out and reuse all that obsolete equipment from the former site, you think they’re gonna keep on a useless guard?”

“How am I useless? A Mortal appears and I catch her!”

“You’re supposed to prevent them from getting in, Konna dear.”

“I’m an Astral Knight, not a fence ! And don’t call me Konna!”

“And I wonder which one would save the Ministry money? I’m so looking forward to seeing you fired.”

“You’re just a real bundle of joy, you petty middle-manager.”

“It’s what I do, Konna dear.”

“Gh! You…” The Oni growled and walked over to the laughing mirror.

Ms. Hakurei, are you still alive?

Reimu blinked, realizing the Oni had let her go. “Oh!” She gave a glance, as the Oni started arguing with the woman in the mirror more furiously.

Now might be a good chance to run. Just be glad you ran into an Oni employed by the Celestial Bureaucracy, that explains why she hasn’t eaten you yet.

“I guess?” But Reimu didn’t really care that much, focused as she was on running off. There was a passage on the other side of the cavern, and there seemed to be light and wind coming from there.

“And another thing, I actually have to work for a living!”

“Konna dear-”

“You sit all day in your office in Heaven complaining about recidivism rates and cost of reincarnation, meanwhile I’m busy in the Mortal World handling the day to day-”

“Konngara-”

“-and all the while you're just lording over people who aren’t even in your chain of command-”

“Konngara, Runner!!”

The Oni whirled around, just as Reimu ducked down the far passage. "Little Human, wait!"

Reimu didn't wait, instead closing her eyes and running faster. She wished she had a place to stow the Orb and her staff, much like she had for her amulets, and she held them awkwardly as she sprinted. The Oni yelled something, but she was drowned out by the mirror's gleeful laughter, shouting about how much trouble the Oni was in for.

“Can you sense anything?” Reimu looked around as she ran, but she couldn’t see any branching paths or even anywhere to hide, not unless she thought she could squeeze behind the occasional pickaxe or shovel she passed.

Only the Oni, and she’s running after you now. Very quickly, too. The voice in Reimu’s head paused for a moment. I’m going to try something- I’m not sure it will work, my gift is to be able to hear desires, not be a Satori. But then again, I’m clearly able to talk to you, so…

“If you have an idea, do it!”

Right away!

Reimu could hear the Oni’s footsteps falter for a second, though only a bit later she was running again. I’m sorry, Ms. Hakurei. No good, and, erm… I  may have discovered where the Oni got her psychic defenses. 

“What?”

I tried to poke into her brain a bit harder, to get through her shield and talk to her. But I got a response message from the Ministry of Right and Wrong warning that it’s a Divine Sin to mentally manipulate an employee on official business.

Reimu nearly fell over in shock, only managing to stay on her feet when she caught sight of the Oni’s light behind her. “How is this official business?”

Technically we're trespassing, and she's a guard? Also, I’m sensing more people in front of you- mostly desires for dinner, booze, and paychecks.

Reimu ran into an open cavern, squinting at the brightness- the cave had been filled with glowing crystals backed with mirrors, making it bright as day. There were people working, hauling strange artifacts and breaking up rocks. Every single one of them was an Oni, with various large horns and all of them much bigger than Reimu. Thankfully, none of them were looking her way, so she sprinted in and looked for a place to hide. 

She’s coming!

Reimu looked back and forth, before finally setting eyes on what looked to be a blue chariot. She dove into it, hiding underneath a blanket just in time for her pursuer's footsteps to enter the cavern.

“Anyone seen a Human come this way?”

Reimu held her breath as she could hear the other Oni stop their work and speak. No, none had seen her, thankfully, going by all the negatives. 

“She’s gotta be here, only place for her to be is in here. Gotta find her, before Sariel finds out-"

“Before Sariel finds out what , Konngara?

A new voice entered, one with a strange effect Reimu couldn’t place- something powerful , far more so than the Oni.

“Sariel, Xir! An intruder!”

“An intruder, Konngara?”

Whoever this Sariel was, Reimu could feel their power, even hiding as she was. She pulled herself into fetal position, arms and legs wrapped around the Orb, praying that whoever this was couldn’t hear her pounding heart.

“Is that what I heard Kikuri gibbering over just now? You really musn’t take her that seriously, Konngara.”

“The intruder is Human , Xir. A child by the looks of her- it isn’t safe for her to be down here.”

“Perhaps she’s simply a lost soul? One deceased who ended up making a wrong turn and ended up drawn to the old site?”

“I don’t think so, she smelled pretty alive.”

Reimu grimaced and bit back a whimper. Could the Oni smell her now ? How long until they found her?

“Well, guard the door and call for a Satori. I think that would take less time than scouring the place manually. I’d help, but I really must be off.”

“Xir?”

“I have a meeting with Lady Shinki in Makai.”

“Oof. If you don’t mind me saying so, Xir, I don’t envy you.”

“I don’t envy myself either, Konngara. She has a habit of canceling on me… But still, such is life.” 

Reimu held her breath as the power came closer, closer- was Sariel getting into the chariot? She thought she could feel their footsteps through the floorboards. “Take care, Konngara. If things don't take too long, I'll come help you find your Human."

“Good luck, Xir!”

Reimu closed her eyes, as she felt the chariot rumble and start to move. Sariel hadn’t noticed her so far, and she hoped that wherever they were going, it wouldn’t take too long- and more importantly, that she’d be able to escape unnoticed.

The chariot seemed to be picking up speed, the rumble of wheels against stone loud in Reimu’s ears. At least it probably would drown out her breaths and beating heart. After a few seconds, Reimu risked a whisper. “Hello?”
Ms. Hakurei, what’s going on? You’re moving fast, I’m having trouble keeping track of you. 

“We’re going somewhere. Somewhere called Makai?”

Makai? Ms. Hakurei, you need to get out of wherever you are, right away! It’s not safe!

“It’s already not safe for me right now.”

Reimu, this is different! You’ll have to risk it, get out of there! Rei-

The voice was cut off as the world around Reimu shifted . For a brief moment, it felt like she was being twisted inside out. She tried to scream, but couldn’t, as glowing stars filled her vision.

Chapter Text

Now, pay for the sins you've committed!

Stand up, face your fate like a man!

It's no good, when the book's been a'opened

To pretend that you don't understand!

Reimu's eyes flicked open. Whatever had happened, that brief moment of twisting, had ended. She was still wrapped up in a blanket, hiding in the bottom of a chariot next to this Sariel person, who was apparently singing to themself.

Now, pay for the sins you've committed!

Your Angel stands out by the gate!

When the debts that you have are all called up,

Look towards your inev'table fate!

Reimu decided to risk a glance outside, carefully lifting up the blanket and peering up. The person driving the chariot, Sariel, was nothing like Reimu had ever seen- They were tall, even taller than the Oni had been, with long blue hair and pale skin, along with lavender robes. Most striking were their wings- six of them, massive even folded to their back, with white feathers that shimmered with rainbow light. 

Reimu bit back a cough as she turned to look out the back of the chariot- her throat was starting to tickle a little bit. She had no clue where she was now, but it certainly wasn’t in the cave anymore- the chariot drove over black ice, shiny with glowing patterns underneath. The air had a reddish, foggy tint, and had a strange smell Reimu couldn’t quite place. They seemed to be in a city of some kind, as Reimu could see buildings on either side of the chariot, the glassy ice forming streets. How did that work, wouldn’t everyone slip?

Now, pay for the sins you've committed!

But it’s not yet too late for a turn!

The ending has yet to be written,

Prove me wrong, demonstrate you can learn!

Reimu managed to choke back a cough. That weird smell seemed to be bothering her a bit. She grabbed part of the blanket and pulled it over her mouth, which seemed to help a little bit. 

The chariot was slowing down. The buildings seemed to be fancier and older now, though Reimu couldn’t place the architecture- it looked nothing like the Human Village, all stone and blocky. with some buildings even taller than the guard posts around the village palisade. The buildings were replaced by a grove of brown and red trees, as the chariot came to a stop. Reimu ducked down under the blanket, as Sariel stepped off the chariot and shouted something. After a moment, Reimu chanced a look, and not seeing the Angel, cautiously climbed out of the chariot, letting out a choked cough.

M- -kure-    -re y-  the-

Reimu frowned, concentrating as she thought she felt the voice trying to reach her, but it was all broken and faint. She shook her head, and took a peek out from behind the chariot. Sariel was talking to a blonde woman in a red maid outfit. The maid woman was leaning against a sheathed sword, giving the Angel a cautious look.

“I’m not saying that you don’t have an appointment, I’m saying that Lady Shinki is not meeting with anyone at this point.”

“Are you telling me she's canceled again? !"

The maid shrugged. "Internal affairs, I'm sure a bureaucrat like yourself can understand."

"This is the third time this month!"

"Such is the nature of being a god of Lady Shinki's caliber."

Reimu's nose itched, and she rubbed at it. Whatever that smell was, the irritation was getting worse, and she couldn't help herself as she let out a sneeze. The conversation stopped, and Reimu covered her mouth. Sariel stepped behind the chariot, catching sight of Reimu. "Hello there."

Reimu wanted to run, but couldn't- she was transfixed by the Angel's gaze. Sariel knelt down, and took Reimu by the shoulder. "One of Lady Alice's friends, I'm guessing? You're about her age."

The blonde maid also came around the side of the chariot. "Doubtful. Lady Shinki is quite particular about who is allowed to see Mistress Alice."

"A classmate, then?

"Mistress Alice is tutored at home. This child is an intruder." The maid drew her sword, a straight golden blade that shimmered with iridescence. “I’ll get rid of her.”

“Erm, I don’t think you need to go to such extremes…”

“I’m not going to stab her, Sariel. Just prod her along.” Reimu was jerked back to reality by the maid poking her Orb with the tip of her sword. “Begone, child. Visiting hours are over.”

Reimu backed up, still clutching her Orb and staff. “I-”

“Don’t make me call the guards. I’m letting you off easy , letting you leave.”

Reimu backed up further, looking between the maid  and Sariel. The angel didn’t seem to be paying her any attention. “You know, it’s funny, Konngara had also found an intruder, just before I left.”

“Many of them today, it seems. Keep moving, girl!”

Reimu coughed, and the maid, seemingly run out of patience, marched forward and grabbed her by the shoulder. Before Reimu could speak, she’d been shoved through a gate, which locked behind her. Sariel and their strange chariot lay on the other side, out of reach. 

-s. Hak-    - espo-  -Can’t f--

Wherever this Makai was, the voice in Reimu’s head was clearly having trouble reaching her. Perhaps it could be considered fantastic that it could even get this much out to her, though it didn’t exactly do her any good. It certainly wasn’t in Gensokyo. Not with the red fog, the black starless sky that still seemed to leave things at roughly twilit brightness, or the glassy ice that made up the pavement. To Reimu, that seemed the strangest of all- it was clearly ice, too soft to be glass and radiating cold, but not cold enough to bother her too much, nor was it slippery. 

Reimu coughed again. The tickle in her throat was still there, and if anything felt worse now than before. She had to get a move on. She spared one last glance towards the chariot, but Sariel and the maid were gone. 

Reimu started walking. She had been in the courtyard of what seemed to be a palace of some kind, all sapphire spikes pointing up out of the ground. The city surrounding it seemed a bit more homey, if unfamiliar. People were going about their business, and most didn’t seem to pay much attention to the young shrine maiden in their midst. Those who did shouted for her to buy their wares, but quickly moved on when she didn’t turn to look at them, seeking other patrons. In that way, it wasn’t too different from her occasional trips with Genjii into the Human Village. 

“Hey, watch it!”

Reimu yelped as her staff, which she’d slung over her shoulder, bumped into someone. She turned to apologize, only for her eyes to grow wide at the sight- humanoid, but certainly not Human, not with those red feathered wings and glowing gold eyes. 

“Watch where you’re swinging that thing, brat! I don’t go around town with anti-child charms on my stuff, what’s your deal, huh?”

Reimu stammered an apology, and backed away from the creature. The creature rolled her eyes, and melted back into the crowd. Reimu glanced around, and realized with a start that the woman hadn’t been the only non-human about. As far as she could tell, everyone was some variety of youkai, demon, or something else. Even the most humanoid of them seemed off, somehow- Reimu knew there were Humans who Transcended into Youkaidom as a result of all sorts of factors, some of them considered unnatural or unholy. Many Humanoid Youkai at least, according to what Genjii had said, seemed to at least be friendly to members of their former species, but that was back in Gensokyo, not Makai.

Reimu let out another sneeze, and clutched her staff and Orb closer to her. She had to get out of there. She needed to get  back home . At this point, the stupid ghost under the shrine was barely on her mind, not when she was surrounded by potential monsters. 

“Hey kid, you lost or something?”

Reimu sneezed, and tried to pretend she hadn’t heard. In the Human Village, she’d always had Genjii with her, and one of his rules had been to stay near and not talk to strangers. Reimu had heard enough horror stories about kids being abducted and never seen again, and while she strongly doubted things were as bad as he had claimed, that had been in Gensokyo, not Makai.

“Kid! With the big crystal Orb! I know you heard me!”

Reimu sneezed again, and rubbed at her nose. It was getting harder to breathe. What was going on? She shook her head, closed her eyes for a moment, and started walking faster. She peered back, catching sight of a woman following her. She had long blonde hair, red facial tattoos, and a pair of violet bat wings on her back. Their eyes met, and Reimu turned away and started to run. 

-s. Hak- -- -- - er- ar- --

Reimu could barely make out the voice that time, not that it mattered, concentrated as she was on ducking around people’s legs and goods. A few people shouted at her, but she didn’t pay attention. She had to run- she could hear the blonde woman pursuing her, shoving through the crowd and leaving calls of annoyance in her wake. Reimu considered throwing the Orb at her, but she didn’t dare- if she missed and hit someone else, she could bring down the wrath of the crowd. 

Reimu looked side to side, trying to find somewhere she could possibly duck into to hide, only to be racked by a coughing fit. Her throat burned, and her vision was starting to turn red around the edges. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, it almost felt like she was choking, as the red fog coiled around her. Was that what was causing this? 

Reimu stumbled, dropping her Orb and staff to the ground. She fell to her knees, and tried to push herself up to her feet, but couldn’t. The red in her vision was turning black now, and it was getting harder to focus. It had to be the red fog. Reimu reached for her staff- there was a minor charm she had been taught to ward away bad air, usually meant for funerals, maybe it would help a little bit? It had to, because she was out of other options. Reimu stretched out, but the staff seemed so far away, and she couldn’t quite see it now. Everything was too dark. 

Reimu let out one last choking gasp as darkness embraced her, her staff and Orb just out of reach.

Chapter Text

“My lady!”

Reimu’s eyes snapped open. She stared up at the familiar sight of the shrine’s ceiling. She was wrapped in her own blankets and still in her sleeping clothes. From the corner of her sight, she could see Genjii plodding in on his stubby legs, a tray balanced on his shell. Reimu groaned, and sat up. Had everything been a dream? 

“How is the Orb, Lady Hakurei?”

“The Orb?” Reimu looked down, and saw that she was holding the Orb in her lap, the crystal yin-yang pattern glowing gently. "I must have resealed the ghost then!"

"Ghost, my lady?" 

Genjii strode over to her, bowing slightly for her to take the tray of breakfast. Reimu smiled and happily took it. "It was a dream, then!"

"Indeed! And now that the Orb has accepted you, I shall tell you about its powers!"

Reimu started eating, glancing over at Genjii as she did so. “What kind of powers?”

“Well, to start with, it’s powered by a tiny fairy that will grant you wishes.”

“Really?”

“Indeed, my lady! Give it a try!”

Reimu set down her food, and picked up the Orb in both hands. “What do I-”

Reimu yelped as the Orb dissolved, leaving a tiny woman with pink hair and glittery wings standing in her hands. The fairy looked up at Reimu, and smiled. “Good morning, Reimu! I see you’ve finally freed me!”

Indeed, the fairy’s voice was the same as the one that had been in her head. She’d been there all along! Reimu lifted the fairy up to eye level, smiling. “So, do I get to make a wish?”

“As many as you like!"

“Hmm…” Reimu set the fairy down on the breakfast tray. “How about… Oh! Can you switch out my breakfast for something else? Like some cake?”

“Not a problem, Reimu!” The fairy fluttered up, and in a flash of sparkles, Reimu’s breakfast was replaced with a perfect slice of strawberry cake. Reimu clapped with glee, and the fairy took a bow. “What next?”

“Ooh! What about… the donation box outside, have it stuffed with money!”

“Easy enough!” The fairy snapped her fingers this time, and Reimu stood, carrying her cake, to go check the donation box. Indeed, the box was full of coins and paper bills, not just the Mon and Yen common in Gensokyo, but others- Yuan, Dollars, Euros, even a small pile of cowrie shells. Reimu took a bite of cake as she ran her fingers through the money. 

“You know, I can do a lot more than that, Reimu! Money and food is easy, but I can do so much more, if you only ask! To understand the principles of the universe, the very secrets of Transcension, even the destruction of Earth, if you wanted!”

“Now, now, what sort of person would ask for that ?” Genjii chuckled as he wandered outside, the fairy on his back. 

Reimu thought for a moment. “I mean, I kinda live on Earth, so I probably don’t want to destroy it. But I could subjugate it.” Reimu grinned. “My next wish- I wanna become queen! I wanna rule the world!”

“Sure thing, boss!” The fairy snapped her fingers, and the ground around them began to rumble. A massive Yin Yang Orb pushed its way out of the ground, carried by a pair of stick-like legs. The Orb creature was taller than the shrine, and it turned to gaze down at Reimu. It knelt down, and Reimu hopped up onto the top of the Orb, Genjii and the Fairy following after. As the creature stood, Reimu turned to the fairy. “Can you give it a hat? I think it needs a hat.”

“Ah, nearly forgot!” The fairy waved her hand, and a large fedora appeared on top of the Orb, an equally large feather tucked into the band. There was enough room on the brim for Reimu to sit down. Genjii sprawled out next to her, the fairy on his shell, as Reimu pointed forward. “Let’s start with the Human Village!”

“Excellent idea, Reimu!” The fairy cheered as the Orb creature stood to its full height, and began stomping off down the path, crushing everything in its path.

“And when I’m queen, every day will be a cake day! And I’ll have so many friends, and it will be just wonderful!”

“I don’t know, my lady. I think you might be thinking a bit small…” 

Reimu turned to Genjii as the turtle spoke. “What do you mean? I kinda have to start somewhere if I’m going to be queen.”

“Why be queen though?” The turtle gave an uncharacteristic smirk, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. The smoke swirled, forming into the grinning visage of the green-haired ghost. Before Reimu could blink, the ghost snatched the fairy, holding her up. “I think I’d make a much better master, don’t you?”

“Indeed, Ms. Ghost!” The fairy seemed just as cheerful as ever, as it twirled in the spirit's hand. “What would you like to wish for?”

“You mentioned something about destroying the Earth, right? Let’s try that!”

Reimu reached for the fairy, but the ghost laughed and pushed Reimu away. The Orb creature paused, and shrunk into itself, turning completely black with a strange distortion around it. Reimu fell, only to be grabbed out of the air by the ghost, who hovered over it all. “Don’t you want to see what happens when a black hole runs into a planet, Reimu?"

Reimu screamed and beat her fists against the ghost’s arm, but her blows just passed through with no effect. Below, the world seemed to flex and twist, as the ground and forest were pulled into the black hole. Reimu felt the wind rush past her, as the very atmosphere itself was pulled in as well. “You’re insane!”

“I know! Isn’t it fun , Reimu? You should have given me the Orb when you had the chance, then we could have had even more fun!” 

Reimu screamed again, as the world disappeared into the void, leaving nothing but herself and the madly laughing ghost.

Chapter Text

M- --kur-   -r-  --   -  -- n’t-

Reimu could breathe. That was the first thing she noticed. Her throat no longer burned, and while the air still smelled a bit funny, she could breathe as easily as she could back home. Was she back home? The last thing she remembered was falling to the ground, reaching for her staff and Orb, sensing someone over her-

“Sleep well, kid?”

Reimu’s eyes shot open, and she rolled over to see the blonde woman with the facial tattoos standing over her. Reimu yelped, and tried to grab her staff and Orb, but couldn’t find them. 

“Looking for these?” The woman gestured to the weapons in question, sitting on a table. “Nice Orb, by the way. Had a hard time picking it up, the charms on it are so potent. Probably classifies as a war crime, not gonna lie, so that’s pretty neat.”

Reimu slipped her hand into her sleeves to grab some paper amulets, but the woman clicked her tongue at her. “You know, I’d expect you to be a bit more grateful. I did save your life, you know. Got all choked up on the Miasma, woulda suffocated to death if I didn’t put a spell on you.”

Reimu paused, then gingerly brushed a hand against her neck. She couldn’t feel anything, but she could breathe. “Thanks…”

“Yeah, see, that’s how you should be acting. Though I suppose you didn’t realize it was me, so I’ll forgive you for being an idiot.” The woman shrugged. “Anyway, I figure now, you owe me. Fair’s fair, isn’t it?”

“I suppose?”

“As you should.” The woman grinned, and sat down next to Reimu. “Name’s Elis. You?”

“Reimu.” Reimu sat up as well, taking in the woman. Besides the facial tattoos and wings, up close Reimu could see she had a wicked set of fangs and glowing red eyes.  

Elis took in Reimu’s examination, grinning. “For the record, yeah, I’m a vampire." Elis smiled wider as Reimu paled a bit. “I don’t drink blood though- Not the natural stuff, at least. I like the artificial stuff in the market better. I’m weird like that. Though I hear people in the Mundanity make artificial fruit stuff that people prefer to real fruit, so it’s not without precedent.”

“Okay…” Reimu backed up slightly, fingering her amulets. Could she make it to the Orb and staff if she hopped up and ran? Still, she supposed that Elis had saved her, and if she had wanted to eat her, couldn’t she have done it while she was asleep?

"Anyway, you're Human. Human, and not native to Makai, given how you were choking to death on the Miasma. Which means you might be useful for a little idea I have. And seeing as you owe me…" Elis grinned.

"How do you mean, useful?" Reimu frowned, as Elis stood up. The vampire walked over to Reimu's staff and the Orb, wrapping her hand in cloth and scooping them both up.

"How good are you with this abomination of a weapon?"

Reimu shrugged. Elis tilted her head, then shrugged as well. "Doesn't matter, I suppose. Shouldn't be a problem. Main thing is, Human and unfamiliar. I can use that." Elis passed Reimu her weapons. "Come on, it's not a far walk."

Reimu stood, holding the Orb close to her chest. "To where?" 

"The YuugenMagan."

Elis lived on the outskirts of the city, near a large ruin. "I'm a bit of a treasure hunter, you see. Grew up exploring those things, looking for interesting stuff. Not much there, anymore, but it's good practice. Just gotta remember to reset the traps afterwards." Elis shrugged. "Shouldn't be any traps where we're going though."

"Where are we going?"

"Like I said, to the YuugenMagan. It's a beast, lives near the Gensokyo Gateway, and more importantly, it's supposed to be guarding treasure, free for the taking by anyone bold enough to try.”

Reimu’s eyes widened. Maybe this was how she could get home then- help with Elis’s treasure, then go through the gateway and back to Gensokyo. “What do you want me to do?”

“Had an idea from a book I read once. Buncha dwarfs went up a mountain to rob a dragon, but the dragon smelled them coming. So they went and got a thief of some other kinda dwarf, the dragon didn’t recognize its scent and let their guard down, and they robbed the dragon blind.” Elis paused. “And then there was something about a battle between the dwarfs and everyone they pissed off on their trip to the mountain. Think it was about who got to keep the treasure or something, I dunno.”

“Okay…” 

“The good news for you though, the thief survived! I think. And the YuugenMagan isn’t as smart as a dragon anyway, so it’s probably safer.” Elis grinned and patted Reimu on the back.  “And if that doesn’t work, you use your toy war crime to scare it off.”

“Alright…”

“It’ll be fine, kid. Just do what Elis tells you, and no one gets hurt.”

It wasn’t a difficult journey, mostly just walking down a path through a forest and away from the city. Like the other trees Reimu had seen, these were all brown and red, with strangely crystalline bark and crimson foliage. The unmelting ice was replaced by red packed dirt and dead leaves, though the red fog still persisted, if lighter than inside the city. 

“Makai’s a pretty nice place, usually.” Elis seemed to be making idle chatter as they walked. “ ‘couple concerns about the government lately, but that’s always the case, even in the Mundanity. And in any case, I’m about to be a whole lot richer, once we’ve got the YuugenMagan’s hoard.”

“Is there anything I should know about it? The YuugenMagan, I mean?”

“If you have to fight it, aim for the eyes.” Elis shrugged. “Best if you don’t have to fight it, though. I’ll send you in first, see if it ignores you. If it does, run in, get the goods, get out. Simple as that.”

“Alright.” 

Finally, they came to a fork in the road. There was a sign, written in blocky glyphs Reimu didn’t recognize, though after a moment's consideration, Elis pointed down one of the two paths. “We’ll head that way, towards the Gateway. The YuugenMagan is supposed to be near it, and as long as we don’t get too close Sara won’t yell at us."

“Who’s Sara?”

“Not a problem, so long as we don’t see her. Don’t worry about it.”

Reimu could hear something humming up ahead, and as they turned a bend, Reimu saw a massive stone structure- almost like a trifold made of granite, decorated with red spikes and a spiral pattern in the middle. The spiral glowed with dozens of violet pinpricks along its course, and Reimu stopped to stare. “Is that the Gateway?”

“Yep.” Elis grabbed Reimu’s shoulder and started pulling her off the road. “No Sara, but also no time to gawk. Not when we have a YuugenMagan to burgle.”

Reimu let herself be pulled away by the vampire, though she kept her eyes on the gateway as long as she could. 

“Shouldn’t be far now. You’d think that thing wouldn’t be good at hiding…” Elis muttered to herself as she guided Reimu through the crystal-barked trees. “You see anything?”

“I don’t even know what it looks like!”

“Trust me, you’ll know when you see it.” The two finally came to a clearing at the foot of a large hill. A cave dug into the hill, large enough that one of the small storage buildings around Reimu’s shrine could have fit. Elis drew out a star-tipped wand, muttering to herself in a coarse language as it began to glow. After a moment, she turned to Reimu and nodded. “Should be right in here. Take a couple steps in, see if you get a reaction. If you don’t, great.”

“If I do?”

“Then we see how good you are with that Orb, huh?” The vampire grinned, fangs glinting, and Reimu backed up a step. With a sigh, she steeled herself, and with one hand on her Orb and the other clutching her staff, started into the cave.

Even with such a large opening, everything soon went dark, and Reimu summoned a light to hand, palm facing out to aim it. So far there was nothing but stone. No sign of treasure of any kind, but also no sign of monsters, either. A bit further on, and Reimu came across what seemed to be a massive wooden wheel, nearly twice Reimu’s height, with oddly curved spokes and what looked like a brass frame tied to it. Was this the treasure Elis was talking about? If so, Reimu had no clue how she’d get it out. Reimu frowned, and turned away to check elsewhere. Soon she came across another wheel just like it, then three more, laid out in a star pattern ringing the outside of a large cave. What were the things? 

-s. --- --ei - - - -----

The voice in her head was so faint now, Reimu barely managed to hear it that time. She had to get back to Gensokyo. She had to find and seal that ghost, she had to find and free the voice in her head… how long had she been gone? Had Genjii woken up by now, and seeing her gone, went looking for her? What were the chances he might end up finding her, out here in this mysterious world? Reimu shook her head, and did another sweep of the cave. Nothing but the wheels. With a sigh, Reimu decided the best thing to do was see if she could move one of them- if they weren't the treasure, maybe they were hiding it in some way? Reimu went to the nearest wheel, braced herself, and tried to push it. She hadn't quite realized how heavy it would be, and nearly slipped and fell rather than budging it. Reimu steadied herself, then jammed her staff underneath the wheel, to try and lever it forward. 

The moment her staff touched the wood, however, it glowed with holy light and discharged into the wheel. Reimu was blasted back by a rush of wind that left her skin tingling with static as the wheel started to light up with golden electricity. Not just that wheel, but all five of them started to glow and vibrate. Reimu got to her feet just in time to see the wheel’s hub open, revealing a furious red eye. The eye focused on Reimu, and for a moment it glared at her, before with a thunderous roar, the wheel began to roll towards her. Reimu yelped and ran for the cave entrance. The other wheels started to shake and roll, their own hubs opening to reveal furious red eyes. Reimu screamed as she burst out into the opening. Elis, who’d been waiting by the entrance tapping her wand against her hip, raised her eyebrow, only to yelp and jump back as the five wheels tore out of the cave after Reimu. “Holy crap! ” 

Reimu risked a look back as she ran, as the wheels began to hover. Lightning shot between their frames, linking them into a glowing golden pentagram, all five eyes staring down at Reimu. Reimu held up her staff and Orb in some semblance of defense. Elis ran up to her, wand pointed out. “Okay, plan didn’t work. YuugenMagan caught you, and looks pretty angry.”

“ That’s the YuugenMagan?!?”

“What, never seen one before?” Elis gave a cocky grin, but Reimu could see her sweating nervously. “Well, plan B. Aim for the eyes, kid!”

“What?”

Elis chanted something, and several glowing missiles formed around her wand. She swept it down, sending the missiles straight for the monster’s eyes. The creature roared as the missiles hit, and Elis let out a hiss of satisfaction.  “Like that! Have fun!”

“Wait-” 

Elis didn’t wait, instead letting out a puff of smoke as she changed into a bat. The bat squeaked at Reimu before zipping off. Reimu tried to yell something, only to scream as a bolt of lightning struck the ground right in front of her. She turned, as the YuugenMagan loomed over her, eyes sparkling with electricity and spite. Lightning coursed between the five eyes, bundling into a knotted mass of energy at the center of a rough pentagram. 

Reimu backed up, and jumped as another bolt slammed into the ground next to her. It was shortly followed by dozens of glowing energy bullets fired from the pupils of two of the eyes. Reimu ran, swatting at the bullets with her staff in an attempt to protect herself, but there were so many… the only thing that saved Reimu from being splattered under the hail of bullets was how small she was compared to the beast, able as such to weave between streams of fire, barely grazing past as it adjusted its aim.

"What kind of creature are you?" Reimu yelled at a searing heat ray lanced down from one of the eyes. Reimu only barely managed to dodge it, in the process taking a stinging energy bullet to the arm. It hurt far more than even all the ones the ghost had hit her with combined, but the alternative was burning. Even now the eye was sweeping the ray across the ground to try and scorch her.

One of the eyes lowered down to cut off Reimu’s escape, and on instinct she hurled her Orb at it. The Orb smacked hard into the rim of the wheel, prompting a visible wince and a hail of energy bullets. Reimu dove to the side to avoid them, coming up in a roll just as her Orb bounced back to her, knocking aside bullets as it flew. Reimu grimaced, hefted back her staff, and smacked the Orb as it approached, sending it rocketing back at the eye. This time it hit it straight on, and the entire YuugenMagan shuddered. For a moment, all the attacks tapered off, the heat ray, the bullets, even the creature’s noise as the YuugenMagan stared down at her. The Orb flew back to Reimu, and she put out her staff to deflect it down to the ground, slowing it enough for her to pick it up. The creature stared down at Reimu, its five eyes meeting her two. The knotted lightning that bound the eyes together flashed, briefly forming a roughly humanoid shape. Was it trying to communicate with her? However, after a moment, the shape disappeared, and the pentagram of lightning vanished, the five eye wheels dropping to the ground and rolling back into the cave.

Reimu stood for a moment, rubbing her shoulder in an effort to ward off the stinging sensation left by the energy bullet. She wasn’t going to complain about the beast cutting off its attack after only one good hit, though it did leave her confused. A wild beast or non-civilized Feral Youkai might act similarly when hunting, deciding that she wasn’t worth eating if she proved too dangerous, but she was on the thing’s turf . It had been defending its home, and it was clearly some amount of intelligent. What…

Reimu shook her head. She supposed it didn’t matter. She heard something overhead, and looked up to see a small violet  bat fluttering overhead. The bat descended, and with a puff of smoke reformed into Elis. “Nice job, kid.”

“You left me to face that thing alone!”

“I had confidence in you. Either that, or I wanted to make sure you didn’t die in vain by getting the treasure while the YuugenMagan was distracted.” Elis shrugged. “Or at least I would have, if there had been any. Remind me next time to assume anything that succubus says is a lie.”

“O…kay…” Reimu paused, before turning to leave. “Well, I hope you have better luck next-”

Elis’s hand shot out, grabbing Reimu’s shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Reimu tensed, clutching her staff and Orb. “I mean, there wasn't any treasure, but I still helped you out like you asked, so…”

Elis circled in front of Reimu, eyes glowing slightly. “So you thought we were square, huh?”

“Yes?”

Elis gave a wicked grin. “Here’s the thing. I saved your life. Not your one afternoon’s work, your life. Therefore, you owe me your life. Indeed, I was going to be generous to you- Fifty years indentured servitude, leaving you a decent amount after for yourself. A real bargain, don’t you think?” Elis put her other hand on Reimu’s shoulder, leaning down on her, fangs nearly at Reimu’s nose. “And since I’m so generous, and you’re an idiot, I won’t add on a few years extra for your insolence. Now say ‘Thank you, Ms. Elis!’”

Reimu slammed her Orb into the vampire's stomach, holy light flashing and knocking the vampire down with a shriek of pain. Reimu didn’t bother to check her handiwork, instead sprinting away as fast as she could, back the way they’d come. She just had to get back to the main road, and from there to the Gateway. Reimu caught a sound from overhead. A quick glance showed that Elis had shifted back into bat form and was chasing her. Reimu dug through her sleeves and pulled out a few paper amulets, blindly throwing them back. Another scream followed shortly by a crash indicated a hit, just as Reimu burst from the trees and onto the main road. There- the Gateway stood, humming gently. Not far now, she just had to-

Reimu gasped and choked as her throat seemed to catch fire. Red fog swirled around her, and the strange smell of it intensified as she slowed. Reimu glanced back, seeing a smirking Elis peeling a paper amulet from her arm. “Nearly forgot, didn’t you? I’m the reason you can breathe. ” Elis tossed the amulet aside. “Ten more years, I think. Five for the escape attempt, five for the amulets.” Reimu dropped the Orb, pressing her hand to her throat, as if to try and relieve pressure. She raised her staff, trying to remember the air clearing charm, and managed to choke out a few syllables of it before she was cut off by an energy bullet slamming into her gut. Reimu fell, choking, as Elis approached, wand pointed at Reimu. Reimu closed her eyes, barely managing to cough out the rest of the charm. For a moment, her throat seemed to clear, before another bullet smashed into her staff, shattering it and ending the spell. Elis moved her wand down, towards Reimu’s heart. “Your choice, brat. Submit, or die for the debts you’ve accumulated. I know what I’d prefer, but I’m not that picky.” 

Reimu glanced behind her. The gateway was so close, barely a few meters away. Could she make it if she tried to run? Or would Elis just shoot her dead the moment she tried? Reimu managed to climb to her feet, her Orb rolling up to her feet as she stood. Elis’s eyes glowed as she adjusted her aim. “Well? What’s it gonna be?” Reimu looked down at the Orb. Her vision was starting to blur and turn red at the edges already. She closed her eyes, biting her lip, and made her decision. Reimu shoved the Orb forward, and lashed out a kick, launching it at Elis. Elis yelped and dodged, twisting to watch as the Orb flew off. “Seriously?”

Reimu said nothing, as the Orb bounced off a tree and came back at her. She simply braced herself, and held out her arms as the Orb slammed into her. It hurt, but it worked, and the force of the Orb sent her flying straight through the Gateway. Even as her vision went black from pain and lack of air, Reimu couldn’t help grinning at Elis’s indignant look.

Chapter Text

Sunlight. 

Reimu stared up at the roof of a cave. Daylight leaked down through cracks in the stone, warming on her face. She could hear wind and faint birdsong. And most importantly, none of the weird smelling red fog.

She was home.

Reimu groaned as she sat up. The Orb sat next to her, as did the bottom half of her staff, the top half presumably still in Makai after being shot off by Elis. The Gateway glowed in front of her, and Reimu tensed a bit, but after a few moments of the vampire not hopping out to drag her back to Makai, Reimu got to her feet. 

Ms. Hakurei! You’re alive!

Reimu smiled at the sound of the voice in her head. “I am.”

Thank the heavens… 

Reimu started walking- the cave’s entrance wasn’t far, and as Reimu stepped out into the sunlight, she laughed. Not only was she back in Gensokyo, but she could see the shrine itself! The cave with the Gateway was in the mountains past the shrine, down below Reimu could see the shrine and the pond behind it, only a few minutes away by brisk walk. Reimu picked up the Orb and the remains of her staff, and began heading home

Ms. Hakurei, I’ve been doing some research while you were away. 

“Research?”

I’ve been feeling like something’s been off since reawakening. To start with, I’ve never had the power to speak to people mentally, like I’ve been doing to you this night and morning.

“Right, you listen to people’s desires, you said.”

Exactly. And, well… once you disappeared, I tried to find a way to help you. I tried calling to you a few times, and when I couldn’t hear you back, I tried to talk to someone else. Obviously I couldn't talk to that Oni, just reading her too closely brought up her defenses and that warning. I could read the desires of the workers, but I couldn't speak to them. I tried to contact your guardian, the turtle you live with, but couldn’t speak to him, either. As far as I can tell, you’re the only person I’m able to talk to like this.

"Huh, really? That's odd."

Indeed. But there's more. I don't think you'll be able to free me, Ms. Hakurei.

"Why not?"

The voice paused for a moment. I'm not in my kingdom anymore. I'm no longer buried under a temple, I'm not even sure where I'm buried.

"What do you mean?"

I think… I think I'm stuck in a kind of transition. Something happened, my grave was transported to this place, this Gensokyo. But the temple wasn't. And yet, I'm still trapped underneath it, unable to escape. The voice laughed a bit. The philosopher dreamt she was a butterfly, and the butterfly dreamt she was a philosopher. But until she knows which one she is, she's stuck in the ground, unable to get out and check.

Reimu frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."

That's fine. You've done more than enough already. I've missed having someone to talk to.

Reimu smiled softly. She'd finally descended enough that the pond behind her shrine was right in front of her. She couldn't see Genjii, but it was already far enough into the morning that he'd have woken up already, and no doubt noticed her disappearance.

I don't know how long I'll be able to stay awake, Ms. Hakurei. The spell I put on my tomb meant I'd awaken when needed, but if my experience shows, once I no longer am, I go back to sleep.

"What do you think you woke up for?"

I'm not sure. Usually I get some kind of indication, but the first thing I saw when I woke up was you. The voice paused. I wonder if that's why I can talk to you? Maybe you needed me.

Reimu made her way around the front of the shrine. No sight of Genjii so far, perhaps he was inside making breakfast? Reimu stepped up onto the porch, sparing a glance to the empty donation box, before opening the door. "Genjii, I'm-"

Reimu froze. The old turtle laid on his back, unmoving. Reimu dropped to his knees, checking the turtle for life signs. 

"He's alive, Reimu. For now."

Reimu looked up, eyes wide as she stared into the emerald-eyed visage of the ghost. The spirit grinned, and tapped her knife against her hands. "He's been worried sick about you. I had to put him to sleep before he exhausted himself looking for you."

Someone just appeared out of nowhere, Ms. Hakurei! 

The voice's warning came too late, as the ghost pointed her knife at Reimu. "Izumi is gone, isn't she. The queen is dead, long live the queen."

Reimu said nothing, instead raising the Orb, putting it between herself and the knife. The ghost stared for a moment, then lowered the knife. "You did well to survive, Reimu Hakurei. Now, do the smart thing. Hand over the Orb, and we'll go our separate ways."

Reimu tightened her grip in the Orb, and lifted the broken remains of her staff. "I'm not giving it to you."

"You think because you survived falling down a hole you're tough? You really don't get it, do you." The ghost's eyes flashed. "You're a child. The Orb is a weapon, a potentially deadly one, and your reaction to it is to play kickball ."

"And giving it to you would be any better?"

"It would be." The ghost raised her knife again. "Give me the Orb, Reimu. You're dealing with things you don't understand."

"I understand enough." Reimu dropped the Orb and kicked it at the ghost. The ghost flicked to the side in a dodge, slashing down with her knife to fire off a spread of energy bullets. Reimu dove out of the way, bringing up her half-staff to send the Orb back at the ghost as it rebounded off the back wall. “You were sealed under the shrine. I’m putting you back.”

"You know nothing! ” The ghost shrieked, as she brought her hands together, firing off a glowing lazer at Reimu. Reimu tried to dodge, but the beam hit her in the chest, knocking her through the door and back out the shrine. She landed hard, pins and needles running through her chest from the blast. The ghost hadn't tried to hit her with anything lethal, but that wouldn’t matter if she got hit enough to get paralyzed, and the ghost used the knife. Reimu got to her feet as the ghost floated out of the shrine, knife raised. Reimu’s Orb rolled up next to her, and she picked it up, watching the ghost as she approached. “If you want it so bad, why don’t you just take it, huh?”

“The Orb is tied to your bloodline. I need either blood or consent to use it. I kill you, the supply of blood and thus time to use the Orb is temporary. You hand the Orb over, I have it as long as I choose. Simple as that.” The ghost raised her knife. “It’s a win-win. I get the Orb. You stay safe at home, alive.”

Reimu hurled the Orb at the ghost. The ghost dodged, though the Orb clipped her knife, knocking it away. Reimu swung her staff at the Orb as it rebounded, sending it ricocheting towards the ghost, hitting her this time. The ghost shouted in pain as she was knocked back. Reimu didn’t let up, hitting the Orb into the ghost again and again, driving her back, away from the shrine, and towards one of the smaller outlying buildings around it. “I won’t give you the Orb! And I’m never letting you out again!”

“Idiot child, you don’t know what you’re dealing with!”

Reimu lashed out a kick, sending the Orb into the ghost’s stomach. The ghost flew into the side of one of the small sheds, passing through the door as she flicked intangible. Reimu ran up, half-staff raised and glowing as she began to chant. Even broken, it still had power, and Reimu hoped it would be enough.

The ghost opened the doors of the shed, stepping through, only to be knocked back as Reimu kicked the Orb at her again. The ghost fell against the back wall of the shed. She glared at Reimu as she approached, eyes glowing. “You don’t know what you’re doing, kid.”

“I know enough. I’m Reimu Hakurei. Daughter of the woman who sealed you, and I’m the one who’ll seal you again.”

The ghost’s eyes widened, as Reimu slammed the door to the shed shut. Holy light crackled from her staff, flying off to zap the shed. The shed glowed, as Reimu drew out her last paper amulets, and slammed them against the door. One last flash of light, and it was done. The shed had been sealed, the ghost trapped inside forever.

Reimu let out a sigh. The Orb rolled up next to her foot, and she bent down to pick it up, along with the ghost's fallen knife. For a moment she thought she could hear the ghost banging her fist from inside the shed, before it went silent, leaving nothing but birdsong and the wind.

Is it over, then?

“It is.”

The voice in her head seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Then I suppose my time with you is at an end too, Ms. Hakurei.

“Are… are you sure? Can’t we figure something out?”

I’m already feeling myself fall back asleep. Like I said, I’m not sure you can reawaken me, not unless you can build a temple somewhere, then somehow convince my grave that it was underneath the whole time.

“I…”

It’s fine, Ms. Hakurei. Like I said- I awaken when I’m needed. Magic works in mysterious ways, so I won’t pretend to know how this all works. But for what it’s worth… I hope that we meet again, someday. 

Reimu nodded. “Thank you.”

The voice didn’t reply. Whoever she had been, she had gone back to sleep.

“My lady?”

Reimu turned, as Genjii plodded out of the shrine. “My lady, what happened here?”

Reimu smiled, as she clutched the Orb to herself. “It’s a long story.”

Chapter Text

But that night, as Reimu slept, the shed began to shake. With a flash of green light, the door was forced open. The ghost shoved her way through, silently shutting the door and replacing the amulets behind her.

Kosuzu Motoori looked up as she finished the paragraph. She gave Akyuu of Hieda a questioning look, before turning back down to the page.

She made her way to the forest, pausing when she heard something- the cries of a young girl. The girl was short, dressed simply, save for the pointed hat on her head. "Are you lost, child?"

"No, I'm not!" The girl screamed and ran, but the ghost flicked intangible and flew in front of her. 

"Why don't you tell me your name?"

The girl stopped, shaking, but glared up at the ghost. "My name is Marisa Kirisame."

"Okay…" Kosuzu frowned, then slid the book across the table back to Akyuu. "Do Reimu and Marisa know you're writing fanfic about them?"

“It’s not fanfiction.”

“Are you sure? You know what Reimu did to that Tengu she caught making Tijuana Bibles, right?”

Akyuu smiled wanly. “I’m aware, Kosuzu. And this isn’t fanfiction. It's a historic reconstruction.”

“How do you mean?”

Akyuu stood, turning around and pulling down something from a nearby bookshelf. She held it out to Kosuzu. “Despite my best efforts, the Gensokyo Chronicle is full of holes. I’m more often than not reliant on second hand reports, and that’s just on the things contemporary to my incarnations. Anything that happens in between one of my deaths, and my next incarnation learning how to write…”

Kosuzu took the book, flipping through it. “The Scarlet Mist Incident is the first one you have here.”

“It was hard to miss, admittedly. But it wasn’t the first, not even the first in this incarnation. You just read about one, after all.” Akyuu shrugged. “Or at least, as best as I can reconstruct from limited information, and most of that comes from Lady Toyosatomimi.”

“I thought that was her!” Kosuzu frowned. “How did she talk to Reimu, though?”

“She still doesn’t know, and it seems that during the Divine Spirit Swarm incident, she tried to contact Reimu, but couldn’t.” Akyuu paused, then sighed. "Here's the thing, Kosuzu. I also tried to talk to Lady Hakurei about this. I asked her directly, and she…" Akyuu trailed off. "I don't think I've ever seen her so upset. Something happened back then. Something that changed her.”

“Something bad?”

“I’m not sure. But whatever it was, it was big enough to change things. More than just the Spellcard System, something fundamental to the nature of Gensokyo was altered. I need to know what.” Akyuu paused, shuffling through her notes. “I’ve narrowed it down to five Incidents, including this one. None of them were very big compared to what we’re used to- no one blotted out the sun, no one threatened nuclear meltdown, no one tried to manipulate the weather, and you know how many times that has happened. I remember the third and fifth of these Incidents, but I don’t really want to think about the latter, and I didn’t even know the third was one at the time.”

“What did you think it was, then?” Kosuzu stood, hands pressed on the table and leaning forward.

Akyuu grinned. “Patience. I’m still researching, but once I’m done I’ll have more for you.”

“Can’t you tell me anything?”

“Not yet. You’ll just have to wait warmly while this girl is preparing.”