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"I must apologize for having to meet you in my office. I didn't have the chance to properly prepare for guests," Eirin Yagokoro said, leaning on an elbow in her chair.
"Oh, it's no problem at all, Master," Watatsuki no Toyohime replied. "I'm grateful for your hospitality in whatever form it may take."
Eirin's stony face cracked the tiniest smile. "There's no need to be so formal. I haven't been your teacher in millennia."
"Yes, but you're always our beloved Master!" Toyhoime exclaimed.
"Hm. I'm flattered." Eirin turned her chair to properly face her guest. "Is it not a problem for you to visit again so soon? It's only been a short number of years since your last."
"The business with the pyramid and the stone goddess was entirely under my purview, so the higher-ups let me come down here to tie up any loose ends." Toyohime gave a small chuckle. "Thank goodness, too; there might not even be a Gensokyo to visit had they let Sagume handle this one!"
"Yes, she was always one to take the nuclear option..." Eirin gave a small sigh. "In that sense, she reminds me of myself in the past... it seems the princess's love for this world may have rubbed off on me just a tiny bit after all."
"Oh, Master, even at your harshest I don't think you were ever really like her..."
"Well, of course," Eirin said with a low chuckle. "Had I felt the need to destroy Gensokyo to save the Lunar Capital back when I was there, it would already be gone." Seeing Toyohime's face turn at this remark, Eirin changed the subject. "By the way, did you travel here alone?"
"Oh, no, my sister came as well. I told them it would be safer to have her as a bodyguard given recent happenings."
Eirin raised her eyebrows. "And yet she's not here with you now?"
"She told me she had some personal business to attend to," Toyohime replied. "Oh, I hope my dear sister isn't getting herself into trouble..."
"Interesting perspective," Eirin remarked. "Personally, if I had to pick one of you that I'd rather keep my eye on myself, it would be you, Toyohime,"
Toyohime pouted. "Master!"
Watatsuki no Yorihime crested the last few stairs with slow, careful steps, and found herself in front of the torii that signified the Hakurei Shrine. No voices could be heard, just a gentle breeze through the trees. She stood for a moment and took a breath, then began to walk towards the shrine building.
Her steps began with purpose and determination, but slowed as she neared the front entrance, extending the trek for as long as possible.
It wasn't the Earth's kegare that had the lunar princess apprehensive; she knew that the Lunar Kingdom had the technology to remove any traces of impurity left on her person without causing problems. Rather, Yorihime's trepidation came from the imminent meeting with Reimu Hakurei, the shrine maiden she faced in battle on the moon all those years ago. Ever since that clash, and Reimu's subsequent stay in the Lunar Kingdom, Yorihime had never forgot the Earthling miko, and found her mind wandering to the infamous red-white many times.
I can't believe that after all this time Toyohime got to meet her and I didn't, Yorihime had thought after learning her sister faced off with Reimu very recently. Upon learning that Toyohime was going to visit Gensokyo to ensure that the issues with the Asama Purifying Mountain were truly solved, Yorihime insisted on accompanying her, almost entirely so she could finally meet Reimu again.
And yet, with the long-awaited reunion just moments away, the unflappable princess felt thoroughly flustered. What if Reimu hated her for what had happened all those years ago? What if she didn't want to see her? Doubts floated in her mind, and it was a feeling she was neither used to nor comfortable with.
Even her very next action had her thinking and rethinking. Should she just go knock on the door? Wait, generally one brings a donation to a shrine, right?
Before Yorihime could ponder her course of action yet again, though, her nervous thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the shrine's front door sliding open. Through it stepped Reimu Hakurei, looking the same as ever, her straight black hair gently moving with the wind, her face in her common expression of no particular emotion.
"Oh, so you're who the komainu was freaking out about," Reimu said upon setting her eyes on her visitor. "You are... let's see... the moon princess, um... Toyohime? No, that's your sister... um..."
Yorihime startled at suddenly facing her long-missed crush, attempted to gather herself. "I am-"
"Yorihime! That's it! Watatsuki no Yorihime, visiting from the moon." Reimu had a triumphant smile on her face. "I have trouble matching names to faces sometimes. Could never truly forget someone like you, though."
Yorihime blinked, a slight red tint creeping onto her cheeks. "Y-Yes, that is correct," she replied. "It has been a long time, Reimu Hakurei."
"I'll say. I was kind of surprised that I didn't run into you when I ended up on the moon a bit back." Reimu crossed her arms. "So, what, here to pick a fight?"
"Wha- no! No," the normally regal princess sputtered, her composure long since gone on vacation. "I just... I came to..." She swallowed. "How... are you doing?"
Reimu raised an eyebrow. "How am I doing?"
"That is, I mean-"
Suddenly, Reimu dropped her arms and visibly relaxed. "Honestly? Pretty fine now that I know you're not here to cause trouble. Considering how you took care of me on the moon? I could imagine way worse surprise guests."
Yorihime felt relief well up in her heart at hearing that, as well as another feeling that she wasn't quite able to put the words to. "Thank you, Reimu."
"Oh, it's nothing. Why don't you come inside? I'll put on some tea," Reimu said with a genuine smile.
Yorihime took a slight bow. "I would be honored."