On my first day as the new shrine maiden, I was greeted by my predecessor's last.

The Hakurei shrine was clearly unswept; fallen leaves were scattered on the stone path leading up to it. This came as no surprise– the past shrine maiden had been dead for some time now. Her body, clothed in white, had been returned to the earth, and now I was to take up her duties.

Approaching the shrine itself, I noticed the wooden donation box. Its shine was a sign that it had been polished recently; one, two weeks before her death, perhaps. Giving it a quick rattle, I found that it was empty, and that her effort had been wasted.

A broom leant against the shrine's wall, and I took note of it, as the grounds would have to be swept once I was done cleaning up inside. I wondered if she had swept the grounds often. Maybe all the leaves had been disposed of before she set off on that fateful extermination, and they'd fallen in her absence.

I passed into the shrine and to the area of worship. The serene stone face of the shrine's god greeted me gravely as I approached. Her hands were folded in a sign of blessing. I stood before her in reverence for a few moments before leaving to enter the shrine maiden's living quarters.

There, I glimpsed the life that my predecessor had left behind.

The room was small, but the sparse decorations made it seem bigger than it really was. A few brightly coloured spellcards lying on the floor caught my attention, and I glanced at them before letting my eyes wander around the room.

A low wooden table was in the center of the room. A few chipped cups and a teapot rested on it. Opening the teapot, I saw tea within– but it was cold, its warmth having fled while the shrine waited for its shrine maiden's return.

The only other object on the table was a framed photograph. It had been taken during spring, when cherry blossom petals showered from the sky and littered the ground. I recognized her by the red-and-white shrine maiden outfit she wore. Though slightly reluctant, her smile was sincere. Surrounding her were various people, all female and ranging from pretty to inhumanly beautiful. Feeling intrusive, I looked away.

On the floor, a sewing needle with a bright crimson thread looped through it was stuck into a pincushion that lay near an old grey blanket. The blanket's middle had a small hole and a patch of red fabric sewn on by the thread half-covered it. I would have to finish her work later once I was done with the sweeping.

A few books were haphazardly strewn around the room. The only one I recognized was The Gensokyo Chronicles by Hieda no Akyuu– the others were about magic and youkai.

The next room had a fireplace for cooking; now, it held only ashes. Lying nearby was a sack of rice, and near that was a cabinet of cooking and eating utensils. Some were old while others seemed newly bought. There was only enough food to last a few days– I would have to make a trip to the Human Village in the near future.

I moved on to the sleeping area. Her futon was still laid out on the ground, with three slightly crumpled shrine maiden outfits and sarashi strewn nearby. Like the rest of the place, it was messy. Perhaps she had been a lazy person.

The remainder of her quarters only served to confirm that thought. There was very little furniture, and whatever worldly possessions she had were not organized, instead placed wherever it was most convenient for her. It seemed oddly lived in, but was rather lonely at the same time. For the Hakurei shrine maiden led a solitary life– but if so, who were those people in the photograph?

Back at the room where I started, I placed the sack containing my possessions on the table, next to the photograph. I felt uncomfortably like I was mocking that smiling girl and her life, entering her home and taking her place.

"So, do you like it?"

I turned.

Standing before me was a beautiful, strangely familiar youkai with long blonde hair and piercing violet eyes. Swiftly opening her paper fan in one elegant movement, she covered her smile to hide her amusement. It worked, for whatever amusement she had failed to reach her cold, cunning eyes.

"Oh my. There's no need to grip your gohai so fiercely, you know– it's almost like you want to attack me. You don't, do you?"

Her unspoken threat hung in the air icily. I decided against responding to it.

"What are you?"

"A youkai. As for who I am, the question I believe you intended to ask, I am the youkai of boundaries. As for what my name is, the question I believe you intend to ask, it is Yakumo Yukari. A pleasure to meet you, Hakurei shrine maiden."

"A pleasure to– no, wait. What are you doing here?"

Her fan snapped shut, but her inexplicably infuriating smile remained.

"My power over boundaries is an important factor in the upkeep of the Great Hakurei Barrier, which happens to be very relevant to this shrine and to yourself as the shrine maiden. I may also accompany you in solving incidents that are of a large enough scale to warrant my attention. We will be working closely together in the future, shrine maiden– very closely. Besides, unlike you, I can manipulate the Great Hakurei Barrier. I could make it shatter and obliterate every last being, human or youkai, in an instant. Now, wouldn't you, as the good little shrine maiden you are, want to keep an eye on me?"

She had given no proof that she could carry out her threat, but I believed her nonetheless. As I did not know what to say, I stayed silent.

Sighing, she closed the distance between us, her long white dress rustling as she moved gracefully.

"I suppose it is best if we continue that conversation once you have adjusted to life as the Hakurei shrine maiden. You still haven't answered my question, by the way. So, do you like this place?"

"…I suppose," I mumbled, turning to glance at the sack containing my possessions. As my eyes slid over the photograph sitting beside it, I realised why that youkai seemed oddly familiar.

Pointing to it, I asked, "That's you, isn't it? In the photograph."

Her narrowed eyes followed mine, and she nodded.

"So, you knew her, then. The previous Hakurei shrine maiden."

"Yes, I did."

Her smile had faded and her voice had lost its threatening edge, but I couldn't read her expression.

"What was she like?"

"Stubborn, lazy, talented, honest." She paused. "She treated youkai and humans equally in both rudeness and kindness."

I waited for her to go on.

"At times she was surrounded by humans and youkai alike, all attracted to that fairness in the way she treated them. In the end, though, she was alone. She'd always been alone in her heart."

I looked back at that photograph. The girl's smile seemed so genuine. Apparently knowing what I was thinking, the youkai continued.

"Even if she was happy back then with us by her side, she was never truly attached to anything or anyone. She stayed like that till death."

I looked her in the eye.

"What was her name?"

For the first time, I glimpsed a hint of regret in the youkai's eyes.

"Hakurei Reimu."

A/N: This is a oneshot, but I might update it with some scenes I wanted to write but that I couldn't really fit in. Anyway, read and review! Image is from wallpaperfly and you can find it by googling "Reimu back"