I recently decided to dive a little deeper into Touhou lore and read a lot of the manga. "Wild and Horned Hermit" and "Forbidden Scrollery" were particularly great reads.
Yukari and Reimu have always been my two favourite characters and I found their relationship fascinating, so I wanted to write about how I imagined a friendship between them could develop in canon. Since it's supposed to be canon-compliant, I hope I got the characters at least mostly right..
As the story is set between late-2017 and.. now (March 2018) I wanted to write a more honest and straightforward interpretation of Reimu, who has become more relaxed and confident in how she feels about being friends with youkai.
PS. The complete work is already up on my ao3!
"How do you feel about Gensokyo?"
Reimu Hakurei, a shrine maiden who consorts with youkai, stopped sweeping the reddened autumn leaves as she briefly deliberated the source of the voice. Just briefly though, barely a fraction of a second, not even needing to match the familiar voice to an appearance.
"Ah, it's you." Reimu paused and resumed her sweeping. "Don't you ask that question a lot?" the shrine maiden nonchalantly replied, not fully indulging the youkai in her banter.
"I ask it in the hopes that one day you'll find a satisfactory answer for me." pressed Yukari Yakumo, the despicable youkai of boundaries. She wore a long, dark purple evening dress, one of her more casual outfits.
She was sat gracefully and rudely on the shrine's roof. Reimu couldn't help but flicker her a look. Yukari grinned.
"How do you feel about Gensokyo this year, then?" pressed the youkai.
Reimu sighed and continued to sweep for a few moments as she mulled over her response. "It's fine, isn't it? It's home. It's beautiful, there's good sake and good company."
"You're becoming more honest, Reimu!" Yukari suddenly popped out from a gap right in front of where Reimu was sweeping.
"I've always been honest, perhaps unlike you." Reimu, completely unsurprised, smirked "Anyway Yukari, you mind leaving that gap there so I can pile all these leaves into it? Thanks that's a big help." she began to sweep leaves towards Yukari, even knocking a few of them into the abyss-like gap Yukari had opened.
The youkai frowned and closed the gap, reappearing in the sky above Reimu instead. "So rude! I just cleaned in there! And to think I was considering finally inviting you round to my place."
"Yeah, right." Reimu laughed heartily and continued working. Compared to how things used to be, Yukari's intimidating presence was barely a bother to her anymore. It was becoming concerningly familiar. "Haven't you been hanging around me far too much this year as it is?"
"Don't be be so cold.. you know the cold puts me to sleep. We're friends, aren't we Reimu?" Yukari whined facetiously.
"Are we?" Reimu sighed and stretched her back. "Maybe some extra sleep will do you some good, it's almost your bed time isn't it?"
"I can't tell if you're trying to be warm or cold towards me! I'm impressed!" the youkai chuckled, poking teasingly at the large red and white ribbon in Reimu's hair.
"Yukari.." Reimu grimaced irritably, clenching her broom. "Do you actually want to help me sweep these leaves or did you come here for something?"
Yukari snapped her fan shut and popped up in front of Reimu again, smiling.
"We had a lot of fun this year, so I truthfully just came to bid you a fond goodnight! Try not to miss me too much."
Reimu tilted her head and stared Yukari in her deep golden eyes, trying to get a read on her. She had known Yukari for well over a decade now, but still couldn't tell when Yukari was genuinely happy or just pretending. She couldn't tell if it was worth even entertaining any kind of emotional attachment to the youkai.
It was frustrating.
Reimu huffed a tired smile and shut her eyes. She waved her hand, shooing Yukari away. "If we're friends, maybe you'll help to sweep the leaves next year too instead of only appearing when something suspicious is going on."
By the time she had opened her eyes again, Yukari was gone, leaving no signs at all that she had ever been there to begin with. What a lonely way to say goodnight.
Reimu sighed and continued sweeping leaves. "And yeah.. it was a fun year."
—–
"Heeey, Reimu!" came another, much more familiar call from above just a few days later. This time it was Reimu's best friend since childhood, an extremely normal human magician named Marisa Kirisame.
As usual she wore a large black witch hat adorned with a white ribbon, and a short lock of her long blonde hair was braided. Seeing the two of them together was a pretty common sight at Hakurei Shrine.
"You've finally decided to come and keep me company! I've been bored out of my mind here." Reimu pouted, though her demeanour visibly relaxed as her friend approached.
Marisa laughed as she sat herself down at the bottom of the Shrine's Torii Gate "Aw sorry! Was Aunn not loud enough company for you?"
"Even though Aunn is around all the time now it still feels so quiet here after such a hectic year. Even the fairies' pranks haven't kept me excited. It's way too mundane." Reimu peered over to Aunn, who was sat loyally and patiently in the shrine courtyard as always.
Aunn Komano, the shrine's faithful Komainu, twitched her nose and playfully came to greet Marisa. Her curly teal hair looked almost like a storm cloud. "G'morning! It's getting colder, huh Marisa?"
"Yeah, yeah.. I've been hunting down mushrooms and warm alcohol for the winter. 'Cause you know.. that's happening soon." Marisa groaned and scratched her head.
Reimu sighed wistfully and shot Marisa a slightly annoyed look. "See, this is part of why I wanted to leave the seasons a mess.. for just a little while longer, you know?"
Marisa laughed awkwardly "I know I know! But incidents need to be solved, abnormal things shouldn't be left alone right? Yukari would have gotten mad if you had left that alone."
"It's not just about Yukari." said another familiar voice, as a taller pink-haired woman floated down and petted Aunn on the head fondly with her bandage-covered right arm. "It's about your duty as shrine maiden and the good of Gensokyo."
"Oh, hi Kasen!" Aunn grinned at the woman. Kasen Ibaraki was a wild animal taming hermit who was also a regular at Hakurei Shrine.
"I see, I'm suddenly popular today after you all abandoned me all week!" Reimu whined playfully. She ignored Kasen's mini lecture and continued sweeping the bottomless piles of red leaves from the shrine path.
"Don't feel lonely Reimu, at least Yukari visited you the other day!" Aunn reassured Reimu, not noticing the shrine maiden's playful intonation. "That was fun!"
"Fun? She was only here to say goodnight to me before her winter sleep. Komainu have such big mouths.." Reimu mumbled. Aunn grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head.
"Ho ho! Yukari was here? You've seen a heckuva lot of her this year huh!" Marisa chuckled, she had known Yukari for around as long as Reimu had. While Reimu was perhaps more familiar with the gap youkai, Yukari failed to intimidate Marisa much at all nowadays either.
Aunn nodded. "Yup! Just when you think you've seen the last of her you see her a whole bunch at once! Then just like that, she's gone again for a really long time."
Marisa squatted down near Aunn's face and squinted at her in disbelief. "I keep forgetting that you seriously have been here watching the shrine this whole time.."
Kasen sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's probably for the best if Yukari doesn't appear again for a while. Hopefully it just means Gensokyo will be more peaceful again for a year or so."
Reimu had fallen silent while the other three bantered about the boundary youkai. Her eyes glazed over with her thoughts in the clouds as she subconsciously continued brushing leaves, barely registering what the others were saying.
"How do you feel about Yukari?" Reimu asked out of nowhere.
"That's a weird question. She's okay I guess." Marisa answered without hesitation. "Kinda keeps to herself though huh."
"She's been visiting Hakurei Shrine every now and then for as long as I can remember! I still don't know her too well though." Aunn tilted her head and crossed her arms as she jogged her memory. "She is a mysterious one.."
"We're.. acquainted. I'm not very fond of her though." Kasen half-lied. It's true that she wasn't too fond of Yukari, but to say they were 'acquainted' would be an understatement. "Why do you ask?"
Reimu stared at the sky. Dead leaves continued to drift from the trees to her feet. "I found myself wondering why such an ancient youkai doesn't have any friends."
"Yuyuko?" Marisa quipped.
"Only Yuyuko?" Reimu quickly responded.
"Isn't that fine?" the blonde magician shrugged "Thinking about Yukari's social life is weirdly considerate of you."
Reimu rubbed the back of her head, becoming more visibly frustrated. "But isn't it weird? She's always right even after everyone distrusts her. So why is it so easy to assume the worst of her? Why does it feel like that's what she wants?"
"She IS a youkai. A super ancient one. It's normal for her to make humans and other youkai fear her, isn't it?" Marisa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
Kasen put a hand on Reimu's shoulder reassuringly. "You shouldn't worry about that anyway. It should be obvious from her mannerisms that she keeps her distance from people intentionally, don't let her waste your headspace too much."
Reimu pouted and resumed the monumental task of sweeping leaves.
"Why not just leave the leaves until after they've stopped falling? You'll be here until the snow has piled up instead at this rate.." Marisa tried to change the subject, watching Reimu's repetitive tedium in action.
"Haven't we had a conversation like this before? I have to keep the shrine path clear or no one will visit. And before you say no one visits anyway, I still have to keep myself occupied or I'll die of boredom."
"Boredom might be the only youkai you can't exterminate!" Marisa laughed.
"There's a boredom youkai?" Aunn tilted her head, confused. Marisa shook her head and patted Aunn.
Kasen put her hands on her hips. "That aside.. have you been taking proper care of yourself, Reimu? I know no one's visited in a while but I hope you've been keeping on top of your supplies."
"It's fine, Aunn nips out and brings me back food sometimes." Reimu continued sweeping, almost forcing herself to be diligent at this point.
"Lazy." Marisa grinned. Reimu rolled her eyes.
"Listen, if we watch the shrine for you for a while you can go to the human village to stock up. You shouldn't let yourself rely on Aunn for everything too quickly anyway." Kasen said in concern.
"I don't mind!" Aunn smiled sweetly.
"No, she's right." Reimu sighed as she set aside her broom and prepared to head out. "Winter is getting closer so I should really make sure I have plenty of supplies."
Marisa held out the large bottle of sake she had bought earlier "Hey! Buy some of this stuff! I did my research and people reckon this is as warm as it gets." she grinned playfully. "Buy a bunch, we'll drink it together when the weather gets real cold!"
Reimu smiled back at her friend. "You read my mind. Thanks guys."
The shrine maiden's thoughts and boredom kept tugging at the back of her mind though. She had taken an active role in things all year and she felt the urge to keep at it, desperate to keep the doldrums at bay.
As she walked towards the shrine entrance she hesitated and turned back. "Uhh, I hope you don't mind if I take a while. I want to visit a few people while the weather is still bearable." She clapped her hands together in a pleading gesture and winked at the others.
"Uggh I guess so." Marisa dramatically agreed and winked back.
"Don't you spend half of your time here anyway?" Kasen huffed a smile at Marisa.
"Don't worry Reimu, I'll stay!" yipped Aunn.
"You literally live here!" Kasen laughed.
Reimu smiled earnestly at the others. 'The shrine always feels more like home with pleasant company around' she thought, as she headed towards the Human Village.
—
Lugging around a bag of supplies, supplies which were mostly alcohol, Reimu plodded with purpose towards a corner of the Human Village she did not normally visit.
She approached one of the largest and most extravagant houses in the village. Perhaps it was more appropriate to describe it as a mansion. A few servants out the front of the house noticed Reimu approaching and bowed gently to her, one of them rushing inside to inform their master.
A young girl with deep purple hair decorated with a flower ornament approached as Reimu entered the house and set down her things. "Ah, Reimu.. I don't see you here often. I hope it's not something I need to be nervous about?"
Hieda no Akyuu, the Gensokyo historian with a photographic memory, looked at the shrine maiden with a slightly tired and irritated expression. After all, Reimu had a nose for trouble and the past year had already been an eventful one, to say the least.
Reimu smiled gently at the girl, "There's something I'm curious about, that's all. I was hoping we could chat?" she briefly held up her bad of freshly bought goodies as a peace offering.
Akyuu, not really sure what she meant but still curious, beckoned Reimu to follow her through to her main room.
The two sat around a small tea table. Akyuu's servants bought out some red tea before scurrying off and leaving Reimu and Akyuu alone.
Reimu pulled a big bottle of sake out from her pack and waggled it playfully in Akyuu's direction.
"You're old enough to drink now, right? I brought this for you if you want it." she grinned.
"That's.." Akyuu rolled her eyes slightly. "Are you messing with me?"
"Hey, I don't know if you're supposed to avoid drinking when your new body is still a child or whatever! If you don't want it I'll gladly keep it. It's supposed to be really warming in the winter."
Akyuu huffed and gave Reimu a tired smile "It's just a question people ask me a lot. But.. thank you, I will take it since you offered." she took the bottle and neatly set it to the side before turning back to Reimu. "So, your reason for visiting?"
Reimu smiled warmly at Akyuu. "How do you feel about Yukari?"
"Yakumo?" Akyuu leant her chin on her hand.
"You have to ask?"
"I have a deep respect for Miss Yukari." Akyuu stated confidently.
"Besides your reincarnation thing you're a pretty normal, powerless human.. but Yukari doesn't seem to scare you at all."
"Of course not. As a sage of Gensokyo she is one of the most reliable resources on the details of Gensokyo's history." Akyuu calmly explained, as if she had recited the sentence many times before.
"Reliable?" Reimu tapped her finger on the table as she thought. "So, you trust her?"
"I'm not sure I would go that far." Akyuu smiled sheepishly. "She is reliable, but only because we rely on each other to accurately record Gensokyo's history. She wouldn't dare allow harm to come to me, because my job and ability is too important to her. It's like a business partnership, you know?"
"So.. you look up to her as a sage and still do not consider her trustworthy?" Reimu rubbed her forehead, struggling to put her confusion into words.
"I have known Miss Yukari for hundreds of years, and she has played some kind of role in almost every major turning point in Gensokyo's history - since its very creation. Yukari is the kind of youkai who demands respect, but that does not mean I trust her as one person to another."
"Geh.. you old people are so unnecessarily complicated." Reimu grimaced, staring a very calm Akyuu directly in the eyes.
"Weren't you just asking if I was old enough to drink yet?" Akyuu tilted her head and smiled playfully.
Hieda no Akyuu, the ninth and current Child of Miare, is a girl with an unfortunately short lifespan of only around thirty years - but the unique ability to be reincarnated every century or so with a complete and perfect memory of all her previous lives.
"If you want to know more about Miss Yukari, maybe you should actually read the Gensokyo Chronicle sometime." Akyuu boasted proudly, flicking her hair.
"I'm good, thanks.. the only books I can really get into are those mystery stories by Agatha Chris Q. No offense by the way, your work is more impressive in its own, historical way." Reimu mumbled as she began to collect her pack.
"None taken." Akyuu smiled gleefully. "Is that all you wanted to ask, then?"
Reimu took one more swig of the red tea offered to her and stood up, stretching. "Curiosity has driven me to wanting to know if anyone actually trusts Yukari or sees her as a friend. I guess you don't."
Akyuu gave Reimu an uncomfortable smile. "What a strange thing to think about, you do care too much about youkai. But you're right, I don't. I think the only people I know of who have are.."
"Dead, I figured."
"That gives you a lead, at least." Akyuu giggled.
Reimu huffed a smile before grabbing her pack and turning to leave. "Yeah, I was planning to stop by Hakugyokurou anyway. Thanks again, Akyuu."
Akyuu gave Reimu a friendly wave. "You should visit more often, I'd like to interview you again for the Gensokyo Chronicle again sometime."
"Sure, let's say I owe you one." the shrine maiden waved her hand nonchalantly as she left.
—
It had been quite a while since Reimu had last visited the Netherworld, let alone Hakugyokurou. To say it was a little out of her way would be an understatement, but she hadn't realised just how far away it was until she had finished floating lazily up the seemingly endless Hakugyokurou Stairway.
'I forgot how much of a pain this was. Why.. is it so.. long.. they must really not like living visitors.'
"Tch.." she tutted audibly as she landed at the top and wandered lazily towards the ghost shrine. As usual for the late-year, the place was almost empty - save for one young looking white-haired girl who was tending to the gardens.
Hearing footsteps, the girl span around with a jerk, gasping quietly before quickly calming down. "Oh, it's you Reimu." Youmu Konpaku, Hakugyokurou's diligent half-human half-ghost servant, briefly bowed her head to Reimu. "You actually surprised me.. you almost never visit for leisure so I was worried yet another incident was taking place."
"You still have to spend so much time gardening even at this time of year?"
"A good gardener's work is never truly done. My responsibilities extend to cleaning the gardens too." Youmu smiled tiredly, though she never seemed truly overworked or unhappy. "So, what brings you here?"
"Is Yuyuko around? I wanted to talk." Reimu jostled the pack she had slung over her shoulder. "And I have goodies."
Youmu eyed Reimu suspiciously. "She's inside.. what's with the sudden generosity?"
"I want to talk to her about Yukari, and I didn't want to be rude about it."
"That's surprisingly forthright of you.. I'll be sure not to disturb then. It's good to see you, by the way." Youmu smiled sheepishly.
"Likewise, come to Hakurei Shrine for hanami next year as usual."
"We always look forward to it!" the gardener beamed and waved fondly at Reimu as Reimu headed towards the shrine.
"Pardon the intrusion.." Reimu removed her shoes at the shrine entrance and relaxedly looked around for Yuyuko, quickly making herself at home. "Hello?"
"Come on through." a peaceful, sleepy voice called from the main room. Reimu obliged, walking through to the main room and waving nonchalantly at Yuyuko, who was resting at the tea table. Reimu calmly joined her and the two smiled at each other. A sort of thin but uneasy tension lingered.
Yuyuko Saigyouji was an ancient death-manipulating ghost princess, who was extraordinarily powerful and dangerous towards humans. On first appearance it may be difficult to tell, but despite the sky blue clothing and fluffy pink hair her aura of death was usually intense enough to keep most humans and weaker youkai well away.
"My my.. So like you Reimu, to so quickly invite yourself in and make yourself at home at a dangerous shrine like this." Yuyuko stared directly into the shrine maiden's eyes, as if to test her mettle.
Reimu smiled calmly. "Of course. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Are we?" Yuyuko responded with the same response Reimu had given to Yukari the other week.
"Mhm." Reimu nodded. "Have you been growing your hair since I last saw you?"
Yuyuko giggled and held her fan over her mouth playfully. "You noticed!"
The tension between the two lightened. Yuyuko had always found Reimu's fearless confidence to be endearing - in fact a lot of powerful youkai did. Even though she was only a human, it always felt refreshing for the ghost princess to spend time with someone she saw more as an equal.
"So, Miss Hakurei, what brings you all the way to Hakugyokurou today?" Yuyuko set her fan down on the table and rested her cheek on her fist, relaxing a little more. She then suddenly jolted up and shouted. "Youmu! Please bring refreshments!"
Reimu waved her hand as if to say 'no thank you, I'm fine', but Yuyuko insisted. Youmu was in the room with a tray of tea and snacks almost instantly regardless. She had evidently been waiting outside the door with it waiting for the instruction.
"Thanks.." Reimu grinned apologetically at Youmu. The gardener smiled pleasantly back. She bowed politely and backed out of the room, returning to work.
"She is so good to you." Reimu took a sip of tea. "She's a much harder worker than I am."
"It's her job." Yuyuko stated plainly, though there was a hint of pride in her intonation.
Reimu smiled playfully. "It would probably make her really happy if you showed your gratitude more."
"I do!"
Seemingly caught off guard, Yuyuko became a little embarrassed by her own response. Her face pinked slightly and she sighed, but smiled gently. "You're as formidable as always."
"Anyway.. I want to talk to you about Yukari." Done with pleasantries, Reimu cut to the point.
"Would it not be more straightforward to speak to Ran about these sorts of things?"
"A shikigami who won't listen to her master will only be punished. I'd rather not cause that kitsune any unnecessary stress."
Yuyuko giggled and nodded. Ran Yakumo was an extraordinarily powerful kitsune contracted to be Yukari's shikigami, and Yukari had no issues punishing Ran for acting or speaking out against her orders.
Reimu pulled one of the large bottles of warming sake from her pack and placed it on the tea table with a satisfying thunk.
"Besides, I brought you a gift for the winter."
Yuyuko quickly glanced over the bottle, then looked at Reimu again. "Is this a bribe?"
"Sure, if everything has to be that deep to you."
Yuyuko smiled sweetly "I'm a ghost, I do not need warm alcohol."
"Then be a good master and share some with your half-human gardener." Reimu insisted, pushing the alcohol towards Yuyuko.
Yuyuko laughed and took the bottle "I'm kidding anyway. High quality sake like this isn't too bad at all for an impoverished shrine maiden like you.. Enjoying this while watching the snow fall is a wonderful way to spend the cold months. Thank you."
"It's nothing. There were a lot of incidents over the last year so I was able to gather a lot of faith and donations."
The two exchanged smiles again. After a brief silence, Yuyuko sighed, finally giving in. "So.. why do you bring up Yukari all of a sudden? You've known her for over a decade. That's.. quite a while in terms of your short life."
"I want to know how you feel about her. Do you respect her? Rely on her? Trust her?"
Yuyuko blinked, her eyes slightly widened. She was evidently surprised by the question.
"My.. That's possibly the most specific and personal question you have ever asked me.. Where is this coming from?"
"For now, just answer please."
"All right then. Let's see.." Yuyuko's eyes glazed over in thought, she leant on her hand and stared at nowhere in particular, fiddling subconsciously with her fan. She took a sip of tea before continuing.
"Yukari and I go back a very long time.. in fact, I believe she has known me for longer than my own memory stretches. I was a human before I died you know.. and I simply don't think human memory is capable of remembering hundreds of years, let alone a thousand."
Reimu nodded patiently, keeping her gaze fixed on Yuyuko. This was the most melancholy Reimu had seen the ghost in quite some time.
"To say I rely on her would be wrong though, we live our own lives and I often go for months.. or years? Without seeing her. Our relationship is nothing like that. Maybe it used to be.. I don't know, but it isn't anymore.
I do respect her though, of course. I think anyone who doesn't respect that woman through either admiration or fear is a fool."
Reimu agreed. As Akyuu said, Yukari was an influential youkai who demanded respect. Still, she decided to press regardless. "So what if she does little to make you admire or fear her?"
Yuyuko giggled. "You're a special sort of truly fearless shrine maiden, Reimu. But you would not be here in the first place if you didn't at least admire Yukari, am I correct?"
"Mm. Point. She doesn't make it easy though." Reimu rolled her eyes irritably, making Yuyuko laugh again before she continued.
"You and Yukari have more in common than you think. You both treat humans and youkai on a case-by-case basis.
But anyway.. Yukari makes it very easy for me to admire and respect her. She makes it easy for me to trust her too, because above everything else she is my cherished old friend."
Reimu subconsciously clenched her fist as she stared unblinking at Yuyuko, and digested the fact that someone had called that intolerable youkai 'friend'. It wasn't unexpected; she already knew that Yuyuko and Yukari were old friends, but hearing her say it awakened a strange, lonely feeling in Reimu's gut.
"Have you.. seen Yukari's emotional side?"
"Probably? Not for a very long time though." Yuyuko pouted and raised an eyebrow. "That's a very strange question, but old youkai like us just don't have many things to get emotional about anymore. We're mostly just drinking buddies!"
"That sounds like a lie." Reimu glared at the ghost suspiciously. "Still.. I think you must be the only person currently active in Gensokyo who calls that woman a friend, even though she obviously enjoys drinks with other youkai and humans." she irritably drew circles around the rim of her tea cup.
"Does that bother you? Do you not consider her one, even though you're the youkai shrine maiden?"
Reimu rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that."
She sighed and composed herself a little better before continuing.
"For whatever reason, she intentionally treats me in a way that makes it difficult to admire or trust her. How can I see her as a friend?"
"Something is clearly bothering you."
"I'm not trying to hide that. What bothers me is that such a lonely youkai refuses to let people trust her or get close to her. But she doesn't do that to you?"
"It's not that complicated, Reimu." Yuyuko calmly explained. "Not only have I been friends with Yukari for as long as I can remember, I am a youkai myself. I shouldn't have to explain to you that youkai can only exist so long as humans fear them. Why would she allow herself to get too close to humans?"
"I'm different too!" Reimu retorted, beginning to sound a little exasperated. "You said it yourself, I treat humans and youkai on a case-by-case basis just like Yukari does.
Nothing is more important to me than keeping the balance of Gensokyo. If I thought it was necessary I would do something to raise the fear level of youkai myself, maybe even become a youkai. And there's nothing I detest more than humans who willingly become youkai."
Yuyuko paused for a moment, before starting to giggle and then bursting into laughter. "..Pfft. Ahahahaha! You're such a strangely intense child Reimu, I can see why Yukari is so endeared to you."
"I'm not a child." Reimu stuck her tongue out at Yuyuko playfully and laughed a little sheepishly herself.
The ghost giggled and pointed her fan at Reimu mockingly "Compared to the lifespans of youkai like Yukari and I? You'll live and die a child, Reimu. Still.. if you ever truly wanted it, there are ways to extend your lifespan without becoming a youkai."
"I know that. I'd honestly rather not become a youkai at all. I'm simply willing to do whatever it takes to protect Gensokyo."
Yuyuko's expression then softened into a fond smile "But goodness, you truly do love Gensokyo, don't you?"
'How do you feel about Gensokyo?' the question Yukari asked Reimu all too often echoed in Reimu's mind. The answer had never seemed more obvious, but it was always so hard to answer when Yukari was the one asking in her unreadable levels of sincerity. Suddenly, Reimu felt relaxed again, like a weight had been lifted from her chest.
"I suppose I must do."
"You suppose? Reimu dear, did you came all this way to waste my time asking questions you already know the answers to?" the ghost princess fanned herself, looking down on Reimu slightly.
"Apologies for interrupting your extremely busy autumn afternoon." Reimu responded with an unfazed smirk.
Seemingly satisfied with the banter, Yuyuko snapped her fan shut and took a deep, calming breath in. "This seems like a conversation you really should have had with Yukari herself.. but much like Yukari I truly love the gesture of sharing alcohol with company, so I will forgive you for now." she winked at Reimu "If you were to share a drink with her when the springtime comes, I'm certain she would appreciate it too. She says some interesting things when she gets drunk!"
"Yeah, yeah." Reimu smiled gently at Yuyuko. "Thank you, I mean it." she politely finished the tea she had been served and stood up, preparing to leave.
"Leaving so soon? Won't you drink with me and watch the red leaves die?" Yuyuko wore a sweet, welcoming smile.
The miko shook her head gently. "Another thing I have in common with you old youkai is I suddenly realise how lonely I've been the moment company leaves, even if it's not my idea of pleasant company." Reimu hoisted her pack over her shoulder and smiled warmly at Yuyuko. The ghost responded with a defeated huff.
"See you for hanami next spring, Yuyuko. And tell Youmu she's gotten better at making tea."