"Sakuya, I..."

Remilia was cut off as the clock struck 6 PM, and time ground to a halt under Sakuya's control. According to a decades-old agreement, she was now off work for the next six hours, until midnight. But before she left, she still needed to wrap up a few small things.

First, her letters to Remilia and Patchouli. She took out a few pieces of paper from her desk and wrote out the instructions for anything that they might need while she was gone, then tucked them into her pocket.

Next, she walked the halls of the mansion, lighting and replacing candles where necessary.

Patchouli would want coffee while she was out, of course, so she prepared a pitcher of cold-brew and left it in the pantry. With a light tap, she accelerated it forward in time, so that the half-day of brewing it needed would pass in about five minutes. While she was in the kitchen anyway, she cut off a slice of cake for Flandre's dinner and left it on its own saucer in the icebox.

She stopped by the library, but Patchouli was sleeping. There wasn't any pressing reason to wake her, so Sakuya slipped her letter into the book in front of the magician and let herself back out.

And then, finally, she returned to her room to change into her new outfit. It was a very nice dress, she liked to think. She'd been sewing it in her free time for the past... three or four days, or six weeks, depending on whose temporal perspective you looked at it from. After she folded her maid uniform and put it away, she allowed the flow of time to resume. Remilia continued a sentence she'd started almost an hour earlier, to Sakuya's subjective experience.

"—don't think it is reasonable of you to expect me, a descendant of Vlad Tepes to pour my own tea, and...!" The vampire trailed off, as before her eyes, Sakuya seemed to change her outfit. "What have I told you about stopping time in my presence?"

The clock chimed the final tone for the turn of the hour, and Sakuya smiled. "My apologies, Lady Remilia. I was just taking care of a few last-minute chores. It's time for me to leave, but I've prepared a note to walk you through any of my duties that you might need while I'm out."

Remilia crossed her arms and ignored the offered note. "If you intend to go through with this foolishness, then go."

"... I will leave it on your desk, then." With a curtsey, Sakuya excused herself from the conversation, and with respect for Remilia's wishes, waited until she was out of view to stop time. After a quick detour to drop the letter of on Remilia's desk, she was out the door...

... and time resumed. She wouldn't pause it again until her night off was over. Now unfrozen, the door swung shut behind her, and a soft spring breeze blew as she walked down the path toward the front gate.

Meiling was standing guard as usual, but facing outward from the mansion, Sakuya was almost to the gate before the guard turned around to look at her over her shoulder. "Ah! Good afternoon." A look of surprise crossed her face when she saw Sakuya's outfit, but was quickly replaced by a smile. "Has it really been another ten years already?"

"It has, yes," Sakuya said with a smile.

"Wow. Time flies, huh?" Meiling chuckled as she pulled the gate open. "Pun not intended, I mean. What number's this one?"

"A hundred and fifty."

"... is that a lot for a human?"

"It is, yes."

"Ahh. Well, happy birthday!"

"Thank you, Meiling. I'll see you at midnight."

It was a long walk from the Scarlet Devil Mansion to the human village, but Sakuya was in no rush. For the next six hours, for the first time since her 140th birthday, she had absolutely no obligations... not even ones that could be delayed indefinitely with time manipulation.

The roads between the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the human village were little more than dirt paths worn into the ground. There weren't many humans willing to venture out this way, and the mansion's denizens were usually more likely to fly than walk. It was a relaxing route, though, a downhill path winding to the village through outcroppings of forest and lit by the setting sun, and Sakuya took her time and enjoyed herself.

6:46 PM – 4 hours, 38 minutes until the explosion
Soon, though, she was passing through the outskirts of the human village. The humans did like to huddle together out of fear of youkai attacks, but she had noticed the village spreading outward over the past few years, emboldened by the recent peace.

Already, she could feel curious eyes following her down the path. It wasn't surprising. Not many of the villagers had silver hair. Even though human fashion in the village had started to diversify a little, influenced by youkai trends, her Western-styled dress still left her looking a little out of place. And... practically everybody in Gensokyo knew who employed her by now. Already, she'd heard the word "vampire" whispered several times.

This was nothing new. The one constant in Sakuya's life, ever since she was very young, was that she'd never fit in with normal humans. Even here in Gensokyo, that was slow to change. Usually, Sakuya just did her best to ignore it. She would come into the village only to buy what the mansion couldn't grow or make itself—and between Patchouli and herself, that wasn't much—and only said what she needed to for her shopping.

Today, though, she wasn't on the mansion's time. Sewing the dress had used up most of her personal supplies, so she stopped in at the tailor and bought a bolt of fabric. Unlike when she was on official business for the mansion, she took her time today, lingering in the store and taking her time to consider everything that caught her eye. After a little consideration, she added a few buttons, a length of lace trimming, and a spool of ribbon to her order, paid for it, and stepped out onto the street.

7:48 PM – 3 hours, 36 minutes until the explosion
Marisa was still young, but in her time, she'd seen some weird, unnatural things. She'd seen the barrier between the world and the living and the one of the dead weakened. She'd seen Taoists rise from their centuries-old tombs. She'd seen a fake moon, and a flying boat, and an underground sun. But this... this was easily one of the weirdest ones.

Below her rooftop vantage point, seated at an outdoor restaurant table along the street, was Sakuya. Only, she was wearing clothes. Normal clothes: A simple black dress with white gloves, and no headpiece or apron in sight. In all of the years since the Scarlet Mist Incident, nobody had ever seen her wear anything but her maid uniform. Nor had they seen ever seen her eat, outside of the occasional cup of sake or wine, let alone eat at a restaurant. If it weren't for the unmistakable silver hair, Marisa would think she was looking at a total stranger.

Next to her, Reimu crawled a little higher on the rooftop and craned for a view. Marisa just shook her head in disbelief. "Aya was right."

"This sort of feels wrong, doesn't it? Like it's the kind of thing you're not supposed to see?"

"Like the first time you're in somebody's bedroom or whatever, and you see all the stuff they usually keep private?"

"... just how many bedrooms have you been in?"

Below, Sakuya was finishing up her dinner, with her teacup in hand. She didn't seem to move at all, but Marisa's response to that question was still cut short when a knife slammed into the roof in between the pair. It was a cheap one, iron with a wooden handle—probably from the restaurant below, rather than Sakuya's private stock of silver daggers. There was a folded napkin tied around the handle.

Marisa stared at the dagger while she waited for her heart to slow down, then reached over and carefully unwrapped the napkin. On it, in neat handwriting, was a single sentence: I can see you, you know.

"Ehe. Um." Marisa grabbed the knife and tugged it out of the roof. "Let's... let's go say hi."

7:51 PM – 3 hours, 33minutes until the explosion
Sakuya was still calmly sipping tea when the two approached. The entire situation felt strange to Marisa. Sakuya obviously knew they were coming. They knew that Sakuya knew they were coming. But out of some unspoken agreement, all three just pretended that it was a chance meeting, and that Reimu and Marisa had just been out for a stroll when they bumped into the maid.

"S-so, um! Heya!"

When the two approached, Sakuya was watching the first few stars of the evening, and didn't seem inclined to look away. She took a sip of her tea before answering, "Good evening."

As casually as she could, Marisa sat the knife back on the edge of the table, and the three sat in awkward silence until Reimu said, "How are things...?"

"They're fine." Sakuya finally looked away from the stars to give the pair a knowing smile. "Is something wrong? You seem nervous."

"Well, it's just..."

"You didn't get fired or something, did ya?"

The blurted question made Reimu scowl at Marisa, but if Sakuya was offended, she didn't show it. "No, I just have tonight off."

"Huh. I didn't know that was a thing."

"It is." Sakuya maintained that unbreakable calm, and Marisa felt even more like she was seeing something she wasn't supposed to. Sakuya smiling was... rare. Like drinking, it was something Marisa only ever saw her do once or twice a year, when watching cherry blossoms or doting on Remilia. Seeing her sitting here, sipping tea at a restaurant and smiling at little day-to-day things like anybody else... it made Marisa uncomfortable on a level she couldn't quite explain.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the small group, and Marisa had no idea how to break it. She didn't really know what Sakuya did for fun. She actually, she suddenly realized, had never talked about anything but business with Sakuya. And 'business' in this case usually referred to mid-battle banter, or the occasional discussion of whatever pointless request Remilia had sent the maid on today. Given the circumstances, she'd just have to do the best that she could. "Having fun?"

"It's pleasant enough, yes."

"Well, uh, good." Marisa was suddenly aware that she and Reimu hadn't been the only gawkers. She caught a glimpse of Keine watching the trio warily from across the street, and she was pretty certain that the shimmering patch she'd noticed on a rooftop was the Three Fairies of Light. She had to hand it to Aya: Her newspaper kinda sucked, but she was the fastest gossip in all of Gensokyo.

"You two are welcome to join me if you'd like," Sakuya offered as she folded up her napkin and pushed her plate away. "I think I might go to the bar next."

Reimu shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Well, I don't..."

"The drinks, of course, would be on me."

"... I'm in."

Marisa hesitated. Normally, she'd say yes. Normally she wouldn't even hesitate. But this was a special occasion. Sakuya being on vacation meant... no Sakuya in the mansion. Which meant... which meant...

Which meant that it was a great day to be Marisa Kirisame, is what it meant. She fought back a grin as she fished for an excuse. "Uh, actually, y'know? I've got, uh, some magic experiments going on right now. And some... things I was gonna study with Alice, and you know how she gets if I stand her up!" Already, she was walking backward, broom in hand.

Sakuya cocked an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?"

"Yep! Yeah, never been better!" Before either of the pair could react further, Marisa was in the air, and soon, out of sight.

8:05 - 3 hours, 19 minutes until the explosion
The Scarlet Devil Mansion was surrounded by multiple layers of defenses. It was on a small hill, higher than most of the surrounding countryside, with no forest for a kilometer or so in any direction, making it easy to see would-be intruders coming. The walls around it were four meters tall at their lowest point, and since half of Gensokyo could fly, Meiling stood guard outside 24 hours a day.

Most people's knowledge of the mansion's defenses stopped there, but Marisa had a... vested interest in them. The mansion only had a handful of windows, and the main door was large enough that anybody entering through it would be spotted instantly. The few windows, including a single skylight over the library, had been heavily warded by Patchouli to raise silent, magical alarms the second they were opened. And then, assuming one crossed the plain without being seen, got past Meiling, flew over the walls, and found a way to sneak into the mansion, they still had to deal with the last, and scariest line of defense: Sakuya. With her time manipulation powers, it was almost impossible to spot her coming, and honestly? Marisa had beaten her in a few duels before, but she preferred to give the maid a very wide berth.

Which was why it was so nice that she was on vacation tonight.

Marisa kept her broom low to the treetops as she crossed over the forest between the human village and the mansion. As soon as it came into view, her broom skidded to a halt, and she rummaged in her many pockets until she found a small telescope. It wasn't too powerful, but it let her see what she needed to: Sure enough, Meiling was patrolling outside the mansion, vigilantly walking through the eastern garden.

Which was why Marisa was going to go west. She tucked the telescope back into her pocket and took off again, flying in a very broad circle with the mansion at the center, just over the horizon. When she was finally to the west of it, she turned and headed straight toward the mansion, skimming mere meters above the ground on her approach. With the mansion itself shielding her from Meiling's view, it was easy to go over the wall and land in the courtyard unseen.

It was a simple enough trick, but surprisingly effective. Really, the mansion was too big to only have a single guard, even one as attentive as Meiling.

Still, for most people, this would be as far as they got. Marisa herself got caught at this stage every now and then, because finding a way into the mansion could be time-consuming, and Meiling did her rounds quickly. Fortunately, this time she was prepared. The many balconies and patios of the mansion had doors, and while most of those doors had been fitted with locks over the past few years, she'd found one that wasn't on her last visit.

It was all a game. After another few trips, Sakuya or Meiling would figure out which door she was using and fix it, and Marisa would have to find another unlocked door, or a window that Patchouli hadn't warded, or a path down through the mansion's bell tower. For now, though, the doorknob turned under her hand, and Marisa stepped into the cool darkness of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

9 PM - 2 hours 24 minutes until the explosion
After spending the better part of an hour exploring, Marisa had only seen a fraction of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but she'd gotten a good idea of what it hid within. The Scarlet Devil Mansion, the accursed abode of a vampire, an ancient manor from the mysterious Outside World, was full of... parlors. Lots of parlors. In her exploration, she'd found eight of them so far, along with two bars, two guest bedrooms, an entire wing of servants' quarters, a solarium, three empty wardrobes, and a mezzanine.

These were not the sorts of ancient secrets she'd been hoping for. So far, her grand findings for this trip were two bottles of mystery liquor she'd swiped from a surprisingly well-stocked bar. But it made sense, she supposed. She knew where Patchouli, Remilia, and Flandre lived, and had her suspicions about Sakuya, and none of them were close to the area where she'd made her break-in. This was probably not the most highly-trafficked end of the mansion.

The interesting stuff, obviously, was closer to the main living quarters or hidden in the basement. A minor setback. She'd just head downstairs, strike out for a different area of the labyrinthine mansion, and...

Before Marisa could do any of that, the sound of approaching voices came down the corridor. Her well-honed instincts kicked in, and without even thinking, she ducked into a nearby doorway and out of sight.

"When's dinner?"
"I dunno, an hour or so! If you keep whining so much, I'm gonna eat your portion!"
"No faaaaair."
"Oh! Um. Waitwaitwait, I want to clean this thing!"

Oh. Fairy maids. Marisa peeked around the corner, and sure enough, there they were. A snow fairy, a wind fairy, and a flower fairy, all in maid outfits. The flower fairy was facing a sconce on the wall, and lifted a feather duster to give it a smack. If you squinted, it almost looked like cleaning. "There!"

"Suckup."
"Y-you're just mad because Ms. Sakuya likes me best!"
"She does not!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Marisa stepped out of her hiding spot, arms crossed over her chest as she looked at the three. They stared back, surprised. "Since when do you guys clean?" Sure, she'd lost her hiding spot, but seeing a fairy doing something like work was novel enough to be worth it.

"Y-you're not supposed to be here!" the snow fairy said accusingly.

Marisa just shrugged. "Yeah, well. ... really, though, what's the deal?"

"We all clean!" the snow fairy sounded offended now. "But... mostly Petal does, because she's a suckup."
"A-am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are t—"

"Huh, I figured you'd do even less than normal, now that Sakuya's not around."

The fairy argument stopped mid-syllable, and they all turned to look at Marisa again, stunned. "Ms. Sakuya's... not here?"

"Yeah. I mean, like you said. I'm not supposed to be here."

"The head maid's not here." It was the wind fairy this time. Judging by the cautious way she mumbled the words, and the mix of awe and terror with which the other two looked at her, this was nearly blasphemous.

"That's what I said."

All three fairies glanced around uncertainly, then one lifted her feather duster and dropped it to the floor. It landed with an almost inaudible tap, but all three flinched and anxiously looked around. When nothing came, one of them repeated, a little more confidently, "Th-the head maid's not here..."

The wind fairy hovered up to pull the glass globe of the sconce from the wall, then hurled it to the floor with both hands. It shattered, and still, nothing happened. "Th-the head maid's not here!"

The flower fairy—Petal—shifted her weight uncomfortably. "We really shouldn't make a mess, though..."

But the others weren't listening.

"The head maid's not here!"
"THE HEAD MAID'S NOT HERE!" The wind fairy ripped a curtain from one of the permanently-closed windows, draped it over her shoulders like a cape, and took off running down the hall. The other followed behind her, waving her feather duster in the air and leaving a dust cloud behind her.

"... huh." Marisa scratched her head and watched the retreating forms of the fairies, while Petal just glared up at her.

9:10 - 2 hours, 14 minutes until the explosion
Once she disengaged herself from the wounded-acting fairy, Marisa decided to stop by the library before striking out for unknown territory. It was a short walk away to the main door... which was a bit of an experience. The massive door was usually propped open when she visited as a guest, and when she wasn't a welcome guest, it wasn't really her preferred entrance route. She had to brace her feet against the floor and tug with both hands, but it begrudgingly swung open, releasing the musty smell of books.

The library was as timeless and unchanging as ever. Bookshelves covered the tall walls, and even more books sat in tidy piles in accordance with sorting rubrics that only the residents understood. Koakuma was nowhere to be seen, and at the single desk in the center of the room, lit by a shaft of moonlight from the single window overhead, sat Patchouli.

Patchouli, sleeping with one cheek smushed against the table and her arms hanging limply by her side.

Marisa had actually sort of intended this detour to be a social visit, but it looked like that wasn't happening. She crossed her arms in the doorway and considered this. She didn't want to get too distracted with books—that, she could do another time—but... might as well make the best of things.

She took a seat at the desk, across from Patchouli. The smell of warm coffee still drifted from the cup in front of her, and Marisa grabbed it without a second thought. Coffee wasn't really her thing, but she'd visited the Scarlet Devil Mansion often enough to know that anything edible that wasn't red would be delicious. She sipped it with one hand, while she leafed through the book in front of the librarian with the other. Something about crystals, something something, blah blah blah... it wouldn't be her first choice under most circumstances, but it seemed pretty good for a freebie. Once the coffee was gone, Marisa stretched, then raised the book to Patchouli in a silent farewell and pocketed it.

Right. Time to get to exploring.