~Touhou Sawayaka no Kaze~

「Refreshing Eastern Wind」

The Forest of Magic had not appeared to change. It was very much as though the human maid had appeared from a skyward direction and plummeted the civilisation into an eternal standstill.

However, some personalities had differed.

The oriental western magician sat in a corner of her residence, pondering over something and wandering about the house as an occasion she liked to do. She spun the broomstick round her finger vertically, whistling a tune that she had never heard of priorly.

'I wonder what everyone else is doing...'

A few cottages to the left was the residence of a fairer-haired magician, with a bright heart but a timid personality. Dolls encompassing her lonely presence buzzed constantly, cleaning up the abode with a flawless haste.

The twirling broom came to a stop. It was pointed at the wooden door.

'Hm...'

The puppeteer yawned. 'Just another day to do nothing, huh, Hourai?' The doll buzzed in response, eliciting a sigh from the magician, Alice. 'Something tells me I should go see how Marisa's doing, but...' Trailing off, she glanced at the cottage's window. A hat? No, it couldn't be… 'N-Never mind.' Waving her hand, Alice allowed one of the dolls, Hourai, to take the work she was doing on knitting. She didn't take much pride in her needlework, but for the dolls, the clothes were passable enough to look even the slightest bit attractive on them. According to herself, she thought, anyway.

'I-In fact, I'll go see Marisa for myself,' Alice spoke decisively, neatening her dress before approaching the door. Looking at the window, Alice swore she had saw a hat materialise again.

Doing her morning stretching, Marisa spoke openly to herself. 'See Alice, or don't see Alice, see Alice, or don't see Alice...' Her lip quivered, initiating her to pause for a brief moment and stare at the door, but a second or two later she carried on. 'I suppose Alice deserves something nice today… Maybe I could steal her a brand new grimoire from Kourin's...' Blinking miserably, her arms fell limp. 'As long as she doesn't know I stole it, she'd be impressed. Better memorise the price tag, huh, ze...' Cocking her head to the side, she reconsidered deeply.

The hat she saw earlier wasn't there when she stood at the door now closed behind. It was odd - Marisa wasn't the one to be some sort of stalker, or a voyeur of a kind, but… maybe something in Alice had sparked Marisa's interest. The puppeteer blushed, but hid her face somewhat when Forest passersby began to drift slowly along the path.

'M-Maybe...'

She gasped, the blonde-haired magician appearing from the ground. 'Happy New Year!' Marisa squeaked violently.

'Marisa, it isn't-'

'Let's go celebrate with Kourin, Alice!'

'But-'

'We can have a stack of sake and some onigiri to satisfy the mood! Why the hell not?'

Alice grumbled to herself. Marisa laughed, unevenly, softening up. 'Naw, Kourin's out of stock for alcohol and rice balls, so we won't be having any of those today.'

'Marisa, you're...'

'... Eh?'

'... embarrassing me, silly.'

Marisa's mood seemed to change profoundly.

'Let's just settle down for a bit,' Alice offered thoughtlessly, almost, and motioned to her cottage. Marisa followed curiously.

It was a bitter morning for the magician duo. As the wind caressed the inhabitants gently from out of the slightly ajar window, Alice sipped from a cup with indifference.

Marisa ran her mouth, as usual, which Alice seemed to become fond of.

'I see, I see...' was all that escaped Alice's lips for the current hour. It wasn't long until Alice had to cut in.

'I think I need a trip to the marketplace today, at any rate.'

'What? Why?'

'General groceries, needles that won't bend and falter after thirty minutes of using them, and...' Noticing Marisa's dreamy, provoking gaze, she sighed. 'Alcohol. For you, at least. I'm not interested in going all lunatic at this time of the season...'

'Is spring not the ideal time to get drunk, Alice?'

The springtime was certainly alight. For the month at hand, it showed a radiant strength among the flora decorating the Forest of Magic that was particularly uncanny for Alice to view.

'I-It's just that I don't want Yuuka angry today, b-because I might trample on the flowers...'

'Flowers? Yuuka?'

'E-Ehm, nothing. Let's move on. How was your morning?'

Her heart pumped for excuse after excuse.

In memory of the flowers she mentioned, there was a sloping hill, and conveniently decorated with…

'... Flowers.'

Marisa laughed as Alice sighed. 'Why don't we just fly, Alice?'

'I'm...' She began to think clearly to herself. Why hadn't she flown? Agitatedly, she looked to Marisa's side. 'H-Hey, where's your broom?'

Marisa glancing about herself. 'B-Broom? W-Waai-'

It was a bright morning to see a pair of magicians tumbling hesitantly yet hastily down a hill. A couple of friendly fairies watched with a mixture of amazement and humour. They laughed and giggled, until the blue fairy broke the silence governing fluent speech.

'Dai-chan, why are they going down that hill?'

'I don't know, Cirno-chan,' the green fairy replied, 'Do you know why they're going down that hill?'

'Eye don't know much f-f-fiolosifies, whatever that is, to know why they're going down that hill, Dai-chan.'

The green fairy nodded slowly, curiously. 'I see...'

For Alice, it was a wonder to run down the steep hill, dodging all of the flowers planted ever so mysteriously on the ground below. For Marisa, however, it was a nightmare.

'A-Alice! S… Stop it, z-ze!'

Alice only laughed, happily, too, and continued tugging Marisa's arm as they rushed freely down the flower-embodied gradient.

The puppeteer's laughter stopped immediately when her shoe made contact with an embedded protruding rock. Turning the happiness into panic, the magicians tumbled down to the nether realms, closer to the human abodes and the collated society of human and youkai alike. Even for Alice, in a disdainful moment like this, did she feel a thrill at the top of her heart.

'Marisaaaaaa!' she yelled, ambiguously in joy and in fright.

Thankfully for the duo, they didn't land with a thump. In fact, it was a thump, but a lighter one. The magicians were stopped by some sort of a border, webbing out like the frame of an umbrella. However, Alice only saw this border for a split-second, and it disappeared.

'A-Alice…?' Marisa enquired worryingly.

Alice was still in a daze, finding that rolling down a hill in Gensokyo wasn't always bound to lead to the very optimal places.

'I'm… I'm okay… and yoursel-'

Slowly re-opening her eyes, she noticed her arms had increased in warmth. The source of the goosebumps lay its head just against her chest, the side of its head at least, and was very well accustomed to it.

'Is it over…?' The person, Marisa, murmured wearily. Alice stared with awe, feeling now that her emotions could no longer be subdued. Holding Marisa tighter, she smiled.

'Yes, Marisa. It's over.' Upon looking up, where they now found themselves in a small wood, Alice caught a glimpse of a floral pattern enveloping the owner's dress, not far away, by a tree. The owner held an umbrella.

'Really…?' Marisa muttered.

Alice looked back to the black-white girl, rubbing her on the scalp affectionately. 'Yes, Marisa.' When she turned back to the tree, the figure with the umbrella was no longer there.

'I see… ze...'

Alice only felt herself chuckle. It was one day that she was most genuinely elated about listening to Marisa speak again.

From the short wood, the trip to the marketplace was quick. Of course, Alice wanted to fly to make it easier and not potentially graze or dirty her clothing. She felt the same about Marisa, too, but only lightly.

When they arrived, the afternoon taking its deeper toll, it was discovered the market wasn't very populated to Alice's surprise. They wandered together, neither magician wanting to unwantedly divide the transient bond between them, and bought what they thought they could carry the most of for when they left back home. Alice settled it with the knitting supplies first, and then she stocked on groceries before Marisa prowled away to buy sake. With a smile, Alice sighed, and waited patiently for the magician's arrival before they floated off.

In the air, holding the bags close to them, Alice and Marisa headed up the familiar hill. The green and blue fairies pointed the duo out yet again, but were saddened to see they weren't going to be entertained. Needless to say, the blue fairy stormed off back to Misty Lake in distress, causing the green sprite to become evenly distraught and fly after her, too.

'We're here,' greeted the puppeteer to her dolls as the door was nudged open. Shanghai and Hourai, the dolls, merely bowed to the two's return and continued on with the labour.

'Sorry, Marisa… I've gotten us completely worn out...' Not looking around, Alice dropped the bags as gently as she could and breathed a tired sigh. 'I really am sorry… I could have seriously hurt someon-'

An arm wrapped round Alice's nape. 'AAAAAAlice!' Marisa yelled cheerfully. In her free hand she held a bottle. 'C'mon, let's enjoy some sake!'

'But Mari-' Alice was interrupted by the bottle being put to her lips. Marisa was careful, she could tell, as only a small portion dribbled into her mouth. Moving the bottle away, Marisa smiled at Alice expectantly.

'I… I guess,' Alice mumbled, tasting the wine with care. Loosening herself with a second sigh, she received the bottle and took another swig.

'Euh… Marisa...' Alice dreamily gurgled. Marisa laughed, taking the sake back.

Sitting at the table, Marisa and Alice stared into their own bottles. They were of equal size, and Alice was curious whether this was the right amount of sake that would leave her in a drunken state but not to the point of going (as she tended to label it) lunatic.

Alice hiccuped. 'W-Well, Marisa…?'

'We drink.'

Alice tilted her head. 'Huh?...'

'No-one's going to interrupt us, right?'

'Well, I mean-'

'Go on.'

Alice gulped, hiccuping at the same time involuntarily, and took up the bottle in a hand. 'V-Very- hic -well, Marisa.'

And to their hearts' content had they drank.

Alice thought it would be coming to her sooner or later, and she thought right.

Marisa sat upon her thighs, Alice's lap, and stared into the puppeteer's eyes with a distant aura of whimsicality and flightiness. To Alice's dismay, Marisa not only was sitting on her lap, but her legs held both of Alice's together, wrapping round them, leading their…

soft

spots to be touching.

Alice winced sharply, noticing the sensation flooding from under her dress reaching maximum. 'M-M-Marisa!' she yelped, immediately hiccuping.

Marisa didn't refrain, continually staring into Alice's irises, and leaned forward to drape her arms round Alice's neck.

'G-Guh!' Alice yelped again, atmosphere intensifying. 'Marisa, we shouldn't...' The witch's stare was demanding. Alice shuddered, leaving some time before her shoulders sagged and her facial expression no longer contorted in anxiety. The increasing radiance coming from Marisa was too much for her to bear.

Alice, gathering her jumbled thoughts, started again.

'M-Muh...' … Before easily interrupted.

It was a kiss that seemed to last for decades.

At the very least, Alice was able to cherish it for decades, as her memory led to remembering lots of significant things of the past, however irrelevant they truly were. Or was that meek ability something not to be proud of? In the mindset of Alice, this loving kiss was enough to be embedded inside of her for history. How warmly the lips connected, how tightly yet wondrously Alice was held by the collar: it was all so potentially memorable.

'Marisa...' She was able to breathe normally when they withdrew. Her heart was content than ever before, and it wasn't yet complete with her own fulfillment. Still drunken, Alice managed her words.

'I-I've left you alone for so long, haven't I?' she stammered, trying to place her syllables effectively. 'Marisa, I… to tell you the truth, I've always wanted you...'

Marisa nodded carefully, just as carefully as the sake was previously fed to Alice. Alice continued. 'I always wanted you… to be on my side… to be with me...' Her tears failed to be held back. 'Marisa, I… I...' Her dress, tarnished with a drop or two of rice wine, was enveloped in the drenching moisture of a few gentle teardrops. Alice's face drew closer. 'I love you.'

Marisa watched in shock. She was certainly the dominant at the time, but the way the words lifted from Alice's tongue brought her to a sense of wonder that made her think that Alice could simply speak in her place. She didn't need to say anything - as long as those three confessing words remained in place in the spring air.

Clearing the congestion in her chest, Marisa breathed a clear breath. Her eyes consisted neither of drunkenness and silliness together, but a romantic glow lay inside each of her pupils. A new, affectionate glow. 'Alice… I love you too, Alice,' she affirmed brightly. 'Stay with me for however long I live. Please.'

Alice, taken slightly aback, nodded slowly. 'Yes… Yes, Marisa. I'll do that for you. For that's who I am… a person rightfully able to take her place as your lover.'

And reluctantly, when their lips were close enough to meet, they embraced. A strong wave of emotion flooded them both, expunging them of pure, bitter loneliness, and even the dolls, technically inanimate, were surprised to see them this way.

Alice's hands gently writhed over Marisa's clothed body, feeling each sensitive part and eliciting a gasp or a moan. Marisa returned the etiquette, equalising the pleasure. The woman with the dress patterned in flora stood by a tree, watching the window from a small distance, faintly smiling at their every move.

The spring that was once an average spring, containing no specialty at all compared to the other springtimes, had become something else for Alice.

Before the blossoming view of the trees, Alice sat, waiting, for her usual customer. She stroked the window pane she had set the chair near to, her love overflowing in her in-depth thoughts even before they were meeting today. Marisa claimed she had to settle something with Kourin - owner of the shop at Kourindou - which happened to be a debt of sorts. Alice recalled the words from last night.

'Twelve grimoires, a magical key to the ephemeral door towards Heaven, some wands that were long gone of use but were antiques for customer attraction, a Bunbunmaru newspaper that incidentally had a glyph inscribed in it by some obnoxious youkai, a poisonous false variant of the Hourai Elixir, and...' Alice remembered watching Marisa's counting fingers. 'I don't remember anything else.'

Alice chortled to herself. Marisa sure was the jester.

'What are you laughing at, Ali-chan?'

Alice twisted round to the door, frowning. 'Subtle,' she responded when her composure was clear.

'I knew it, ze. You're going to be thinking a lot about me.'

'Lovers always think about each other, don't they? What's with the -chan, 'Mari-chan'?'

'Heheh. I thought it'd suit you.' Marisa grinned.

'Mari-chan will do for you, then.'

They walked in the open. Marisa swung her feet as she stepped forward, cheerfully but nonchalantly.

'You're looking awfully happy today, Mari-chan.'

'I know.'

Alice smiled, blushing. Slowly edging closer to Marisa's side, Alice brought her arm round and held the witch close, hugging her from Marisa's right arm, and lightly leaned her head onto her lover's shoulder.

'This is sweet,' mused Marisa.

'I know it is, Mari-chan,' Alice replied, and smiled brighter than she ever had in a long while.