The Human Village.

A bustling little town, with what seemed to be a collective love for life.

It's morning. People walk from here to there, carrying groceries or goodies. Children play in the streets, before making their way to the schoolhouse near the center of the village. A man is pulling a cart full of rice to a marketplace. A couple sits outside the teahouse, having a chat.

I walk straight through the center of the north road into the village.

People naturally moved out of the way for me. They respect me, but that doesn't translate to appreciation. How they felt about me was rather the opposite of that, actually. They minded themselves around me out of fear, and nothing more.

I don't concern myself with their opinion of me. It's much too troublesome to be worried about how others think. What matters is how they act.

As per my usual routine, I make my way to the flower shop, not far from the town square. The shopkeeper knows me, and I know him - a fine gentleman. He too seems afraid of me, but he's decent at concealing it.

I've fallen into habit. Every time I enter the store, I give the man behind the desk the same greeting, he responds in turn. I comment on the flowers in his shop, he provides details. I make some purchase, or sell my own flowers, thank him, and leave.

Today is no different. We are familiar with each other, despite never sharing anything about each other. A silent acquaintance. Do I care about him? Perhaps, in the sense that he supplies and I purchase and vice versa, and anything happening to him breaks my routine. That is the extent of it, though. I know he wants nothing to do with me; he may not say it, but it's evident.

Nobody does.

That's what the flowers are for.

The ephemeral splendor of a blossom. The gentle swaying in the wind. The fragrance of a whole field of the beauties, gallantly standing under the sun. The dedication required to maintain them was well worth it to see these qualities. I can manipulate them, giving them all they need to grow in an instant, and they do. It's not a deadly or strategic ability like those of others in Gensokyo, but it's mine. Flowers are mine.

It's my love, my work, my meaning.

And it's better than anything a human could give me.

I've tried. Oh, how I've tried to get them to understand. When I first entered the village, guards attempted to send me the way I came. They yelled, they panicked, they fought, they lost.

It was boring. Not a one was any challenge. I didn't want to damage the place I bought flowers from, but I also couldn't let them inconvenience me so.

They sent the teacher after me. What's her name… Keine, I believe? She offered more difficulty. But ultimately, she couldn't compare either. They misunderstood me, my intentions. If I really wanted to, I could raze the village in an instant.

What good would that do me?

I don't want people to like me, I don't want them to accept me. I'm just here for the flower shop. That's not something I'd like to destroy, not of my own accord.

They can think what they like, though - as long as they don't get in my way. They have their thoughts, I have delicate beauties.

The only ones who aren't afraid are the children who don't know of me yet. They see me, they recognize a calming aura, they can smell the sweet scent of nature on me. Their parents haven't told them to avoid me, and so they are drawn to me like a butterfly to a honeysuckle.

They are nice, in their own way. I have to be careful not to instill fear in them. I do all I can, I treat them with kindness. I may play with them, or show them some of my purchases. I speak with them. At least, until someone notices, and desperately tries to get them to flee.

Of course, they do, leaving me alone.

It's fine, though, I'm not worried about it. I forget the children's faces as soon as I'm back at the Garden, anyways. You live long enough, and they all blend together.

Over time, they'll learn more about me from one place or another. All of the stories say I'm extremely powerful, it seems. I hear whispers when I'm in town.

"...Did you hear what she did to..."

"...She's here! Let's go somewhere else..."

"...It's her. The monster…"

I'm no monster, you don't have to be scared, I did nothing to whomever.

But I don't say that. I let my smile do the talking; a smile says more than words ever will. If I want fear, I'll act accordingly. An easy smile communicates that I hear what they say, and that I won't hurt them for it.

Perhaps they see it as an devilish grin. But it is the simplest of pleasantries, a show of kindness, that I have no ill intentions, that I'm not here for their head. If they fail to see that, then it is not worth trying to convince them otherwise.

Today, I decide to visit the shrine. Reimu's not like the other humans. She doesn't seem to harbor any particular disdain for me. What she shows is the same thing she shows everyone - the same level of annoyance, as if someone's presence is always a bother to her.

She speaks harshly and without pause, but that's true for all recipients of her speech. That's how I know she doesn't hate me like the people in the village. She treats me the same.

I always walk up the stairs to the shrine. It's incredibly rude to fly in, in my opinion. The least one can do is show some respect at the home of another.

Reimu is an interesting human. The town is bustling, but the shrine never so. She's almost always lying down within, or occasionally sweeping the grounds. It's like she doesn't know what it means to be active. And yet, whenever an incident comes around, she's always so hyper. I used to call this shameful behavior, but now I see that she is not so different to me; she prefers quiet to action, but fights when she has to. Still, she shouldn't shirk her duties so.

She doesn't seem to be on the grounds anywhere, so I assume she's still sleeping inside. It is morning still, after all.

While I don't visit terribly often, I do have a tendency to drop a coin or two in the donation box. I know she doesn't get much, and I don't have much to offer myself. But she's a human, she can't fend for herself like I can. She needs it more than me.

I slip one in, noting that the sound the coin makes when it hits the bottom isn't that of a coin hitting others.

This sound is evidently one of the more exciting sensations in Reimu's life. It never fails to draw her out of the shrine, no matter what she's doing. I may smell something cooking within, and she may come out at a moment's notice with an apron on. Other times, she might rush out barely awake with sleepwear on, looking like she can't even hold herself up.

She's fully dressed in her shrine maiden uniform when she emerges, looking fully awake, oddly enough. She looks at me, my warm smile. She knows my habit, and she invites me in.

"Want some tea, Yuuka? I've already got some prepared."

"Oh? You do? You weren't expecting me, were you?"

Reimu shakes her head and gestures to two other people, who are sitting down.

One, I knew well. It was Marisa Kirisame, the flamboyant witch, rather easygoing. Some might confuse this for childish behavior, but she's really grown up since I first met her. She's a powerful magician in her own right, but she often resorts to stealing spells, including my own, rather than producing her own magic.

The other was a face I had not seen in a long time. I'd almost forgotten she even existed; it must have been the very beginning of Gensokyo when I last spoke with her, some hundred plus years ago. She was hard at work back then, helping to set it all up.

Pink hair, bandaged arm, broken shackle, and of course, the large rose she always wears. Kasen Ibaraki.

"Yuuka?" she says in shock.

"It has been awhile, hasn't it, Kasen? You must have a lot more time on your hands now, to be enjoying tea with the shrine maiden."

Kasen shoots a cold glance at me. I get the feeling she doesn't really want to be talked about much, and her past certainly seems to be something she loathes others bringing up. She had always preferred to stay out of the spotlight, after all. So, I decide I'll respect her wishes.

Her face quickly changes to a more lighthearted expression. "Haha, you're right. Mmm, this does bring back memories, of that first time we met."

Reimu looks rather surprised. "You two have met?"

"I am a hermit, I've been around for a long time. It would be more impressive if I hadn't yet met the well-known flower youkai."

I giggle at her comment about time. "Have I got you beat in terms of longevity? I've been told before that I've lived for far too long, after all. By the yama, no less! But I've lost track of time myself, so I can't say for certain."

I finally take a seat beside Kasen, opposite Marisa and Reimu. Reimu pours some tea for me, and speaks again.

"Thank you for donating, Yuuka. It really is nice."

Marisa starts laughing somewhat obnoxiously. "Your only requisite for being nice to someone is them donating to you, huh?"

Reimu feels the need to defend herself. "Marisa, you're constantly bothering me. You too, Kasen. So when Yuuka comes in here all polite and donates, of course I'm going to treat her better!"

"Maybe if you were actually nice to everyone in the first place, or, I don't know, performed any of your regular duties as shrine maiden, you would get more donations."

"Do you come here to help me or yell at me, Kasen?"

"To yell at you, when you aren't doing your job."

Reimu let out a sigh of defeat. I was mildly entertained by the back-and-forth banter. There is a certain charm to simple people like Reimu that I enjoy. Kasen is more complicated, but still nice to speak with. Marisa… can only be described as Marisa. For all the wonders of flowers, there are some holes they can't fill, I think. They do lack a little in the social aspect.

I change the topic. "So what have you been up to recently, Miss Hakurei?"

"You know," Reimu says, making a gesture of indifference, "the usual. Solving incidents, and then being bored. I think I saw you just this past one. I was investigating at the Garden of the Sun."

"Mmm." I take a sip of tea. "Yes. I was going to shoot you down, but you were just looking out over the fields, and then fought some nuisance fairies. It seemed to me you appreciated the splendor of the Garden and fought to defend it. You too, Marisa."

"That ain't what happened at all! I couldn't give less of a crap what happens to your flowers. It's the fairies I was after!"

"So you're saying I should have ended your little incident solving adventure right there?" I give off a smug expression. Reimu and Marisa know the extent of my abilities. While they aren't afraid of me like the villagers, they do avoid confronting me when possible. That's likely for the best; I prefer to be left alone with my precious flowers, anyways.

"Too late now," Reimu was grumbling.

I chuckle lightly at that. While I maintain an image of refined elegance, it is always nice to tease those you are familiar with. And that's not many people, in my case.

Kasen was now standing up. "I believe I will be going home now, as I have other matters to attend to. Take care, you three."

She walks over to the door, looks back and smiles mysteriously, and leaves.

"I can't figure her out," Reimu sighs.

"I haven't either," I say, thinking about past encounters.

Kasen and I have spoken before. The first time, it turned sour rather quickly. She felt I was getting in her way, she had important matters to attend to, etcetera… I was just trying to be pleasant. "Other matters" is always her excuse, it seems, to drop out of a conversation at any time. But I wasn't having it, then.

So we fought, nearly to a standstill. Ultimately, I emerged victorious, though. She's gotten a lot more respectful since then, and I think I have done the same towards her as well.

I think about this, when Reimu spontaneously jolts up from her seat.

"Another donation!"

I didn't hear anything. She must have finely attuned ears. Curious, I decide to follow her as she checks to see who it is.

Marisa remains seated with a disinterested look. "I don't really care who it is. Reimu'll either invite them in or tell me all about it."

I pause before even standing up all the way, and look at Marisa. "You may be right. But I think I'll take a look anyways."

I hear a bit of what Reimu is talking about with the person outside. It's not a voice I know of, but then again, that doesn't mean it's a random nobody. Something about writing a book…?

I go out through the door and assume a position next to Reimu, who doesn't notice, apparently. It's only when she sees the stupefied look on the donator's face that she figures it out.

The visitor is a fairly small girl with purple hair, wearing traditional clothes in yellow, green, and red. She doesn't look very old, but I can't say for sure - I certainly look much younger than I am. Despite appearances, I can feel an aura of maturity, of sorts.

She starts stuttering out a response. "I-I think I sh-should-d go…"

"Oh my, it looks like I have a poor reputation. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. I was just enjoying some of Reimu's tea inside." Trying to salvage this interaction, I give her a very warm smile. You have nothing to be afraid of, dear, it says wordlessly.

It doesn't look like that comforted her very much. Naturally, my reputation of power precedes me. Unfortunately, nothing else about me is important. But she couldn't know much more about me than any other villager; she must be fearful by nature.

Reimu stifles a giggle, from the looks of it. "Yuuka, this is Hieda no Akyuu. She may not look it, but she's a very influential person. She's the writer of the Perfect Memento in Strict Sense - a book detailing all of the important residents of Gensokyo, their habits, what to be careful of when interacting with them, and so on. So, she's heard a lot about you, and has to trust her sources, not having met you first hand. Also, cut it out with that smile. It looks more sadistic than kind, you know."

"Aww, what happened to the pleasant attitude you had with me before, Reimu?" I tease the shrine maiden.

"I can only be nice to one person at a time, any more is too much. That person is always the most recent donator, who in this case, is Akyuu."

I force a pouting look, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible for the cute little "Akyuu" before me. She seems to be accepting that I'm not going to attack her.

"Alright," I say with an innocent tone, "I'll head back in and continue with the tea. How about you join us, miss?" Looking at Akyuu again, she stares blankly at me before slowly nodding.

"Wonderful~"

I walk back into the shrine and take my former seat. Reimu sits where she was, as well, and Akyuu follows suit in where Kasen was.

Reimu asks Akyuu a question, and pours her some tea. "Oh yeah. How'd you even get here, Akyuu, and why come? You don't normally go out of the village, it's dangerous."

She nods. "I asked Keine to escort me. I need to speak with you on business."

Reimu sighs in exasperation. "I never look forward to this. Alright, where do we need to pick up?"

Marisa sees the look of slight confusion on my face and explains, "Yeah, Akyuu comes over every once in awhile to make an update to her book. She needs to keep track of all the new faces in Gensokyo, so she talks to Reimu as a source, since she's fought most of 'em." She then turns to Reimu and Akyuu with a look of interest.

Those two are already deep in conversation, and Marisa is listening intently, adding in snippets of information to fill in gaps in Reimu's accounts. I'm pleased Akyuu has overcome her fear, or is at least ignoring it, but now nobody is paying any mind to me or my existence; it makes sense though, I don't really keep up with the goings-on in Gensokyo, so I have nothing to add.

I suppose it's time for me to leave, then.

I get up and make my way for the door. I look back at the other three, all still very invested in their conversation, and none of them seem to notice or acknowledge my exit.

That's quite alright. I don't belong with humans, and they certainly don't want to associate with me.

Not that I'm upset by that. That's how it's been for hundreds of years. That's how it always will be, and rightfully so. Humans and youkai are instilled with the knowledge that the other kind is afraid of them, despises them, hunts them. But when they can't kill something they hate or fear, they tend to stay as far away as possible. It's a law of life in Gensokyo, and it's my lifestyle.

I would go so far as to say that I love it - my lifestyle, that is. It will always bring me pleasure. It's simple, it's peaceful, it's surrounded by the thing I love most, flowers.

And I don't care if people avoid me for it. I don't have power over what people do, I can't make them like me. I've come to terms with the fact that people will not want to like me.