Author's Note: Hey guys, thank you for reading. If you haven't read 'Lost Child' by Kagayaspirits, I suggest you to do so now. I'll wait. Anyways, this is a bit rough around the edges, as I simply expressed this all late at night, when I got to thinking. Anyway, I know that at least a few of you after reading 'Lost Child' wanted to know what happened after. It couldn't just end like that, could it? Well, I didn't think so, and made this. So, be gentle, read and review, and enjoy most of all.
Somewhere, in the dark, was a lost girl crying her heart out.
Alice had been in the darkness for so long, she felt the times in Gensyoko were simply memories, happy flashes of coherence in her muddled mind. They seemed so peaceful, so happy, she wished she could go back to them… Except for one thing.
Alice thought she was a strong girl. Not physically, as a youkai, that was guaranteed. She believed before that she was nigh impenetrable mentally or emotionally. She didn't have those annoying quirks like others like her, such as Lily White or Keine. No, she observed others as things not to be bothered with, mild disturbances. Apart from people who had proven their worth, what were the others? They could just be replaced, with a doll or five. After all, what bad was there in a world where, with a twitch of her fingers, was under her command? Dolls were much more effective, and it had made her much more stronger.
Except for one tiny weakness.
It was that thief who had stolen her vision of strength, the one who had made her leave that little opening in her barrier, the one who made her concentrate more on dollmaking when they had their eye caught on a precious book. Alice wished that was the only thing she had taken.
However, she did leave things too. Left her memory of a smile, left her wind-like scent in the air. Left that horrible notion of love that had wormed it's way into her heart, that caused Alice to be in this position. And her hat, which she left on top of her wardrobe. Alice wondered how it was. Had she been in this place long enough for the hat to start degrading? She hoped it didn't. Alice had secretly loved that hat.
That was a lie. She had loved the person that wore it.
And as Alice broke into tears, falling to the ground again, she knew that she always would, for the eternity that this accursed youkai life had brought upon her.
Rumia was wandering through Gensyoko, her daily business of absorbing the lifeforce of some of the fairies around, when a thought struck her.
She ran back to the forest, searching for that person she had found, crying on the floor a long while ago. Rumia searched and searched, until she finally found her, shrouded in a dark, miasmic cloud that Rumia had created.
"It's a win-win situation really, Alice Margatroid." Rumia said, more to herself, as the roiling cloud was soundproof. "You get to cry about your little friend, and I'll just slip in one night and consume you once you're weaker!" Rumia laughed, turning her back on it. With no sustenance, the one she had heard called Alice was very strong-willed. The whole time she was there, she hadn't decreased a bit in strength. That was fine for Rumia. She had always heard that the best things are worth waiting, and Rumia could wait as long as Alice could.
"Good morning, Miss Margatroid." Rumia called as she walked away. "I hope you enjoy your stay!" Rumia's laughter scared away the birds and fairies in the vicinity.
Marisa woke up crying. She had known that the dream was going to end while still in it. She had quickly wiped away the tears before they hit the pillow. She didn't want to ruin the bed in any way. This was just one morning in many that she had slept in that bed. She did so as a penance for her. The one she had taken for granted. Been clueless to. She never knew that Alice had feelings for her. The initial feeling coming from Alice, from a glance, would be anger at a thief. But Marisa knew more than that. Marisa could see deeper-
What was she thinking about!? Marisa brought her fist down, tears breaking through her eyelids. She couldn't see deeper, she hadn't known anything about Alice! How she felt, what she thought! Marisa had even talked about Reimu to Alice, talked about love right in front of her! What did she know about Alice?
"Marisa Kirisame." Alice's voice sounded right next to the bed that Marisa was in.
Marisa shot out of the bed with speed she didn't know she had, trying to find the source of the voice. Her still half-asleep body failed to respond and she crashed to the floor. In vain hope, she looked up.
Into the beady eyes of Shanghai. It had been prerecorded input.
Marisa laughed humorlessly, catching the sob that had risen to her throat. Of course it was Shanghai. Why would it be Alice? Not even a masochist could put up with what Marisa had taken Alice through.
"Would you like me to find you some clothes?" Shanghai's voice, now back to the magically produced voice that it reverted to. Marisa quickly looked down at herself. She had no clothes on, and Marisa remembered that she went to bed without her usual bloomers on, on a whim she… Couldn't describe. This wasn't usually like her.
"Oh, no thank you Shanghai, I can get some, ze." Marisa responded, quickly throwing her clothes on. She looked around for her hat, until she remembered she left it at Reimu's, who had wanted to comfort her after another fruitless night of searching. However, she was looking at her hat right now, albeit worse-for-wear and dusty. She must have left it at Alice's house one day. She could see Alice, having to go to bed every day and watching it. What Marisa felt right now must have been a shadow of what Alice had felt. Marisa walked over to the wardrobe, retrieving the hat, wiping the dust off of it and wearing it. There was a trace of an aroma, that Marisa found strangely familiar. It was the one that she always smelt when she was around Alice. She had never noticed it, and she longed to be with her again.
"Marisa Kirisame, would you like me to put breakfast on?" Marisa's heart twinged with pain at the sound of Alice's voice again.
"N-No thank you, Shangahi, ze." Marisa said, wiping her eyes. She looked up to Shanghai, smiling weakly. "You know… Your master is such a strong person… To put up with me for so long… I… I have some things I need to do. I need to go." She fluffed Alice's pillows and straightened the blankets, making sure she hadn't messed anything up. Alice didn't deserve the messiness her house received.
"Very well. Take care." Shanghai bowed before leaving, deactivating itself in Alice's dollmaking room, on a shelf alongside Hourai. Marisa looked into the room as she was leaving, taking in the sight of all of Alice's creations. She then caught sight of her.
It was the doll. The doll that had been with her when she woke up that night. It was a wooden doll, but it was covered with a material soft as feathers. It stared back at her through beady eyes, it's mouth curled into her telltale smile, down to the last detail. Marisa quickly left, trying to stop herself from crying.
Outside was a fairly normal day, with fairies darting about, firing danmaku at each other, among the other activities of Gensyoko. It was as if nothing had changed… Marisa hung her head, walking up the steps of the Hakurei Shrine. She wouldn't offend the gods there by crying.
At the top, Suika sat perched, bobbing her head to a sake-caused tune that only she could hear, spitting gouts of flame at any of the fairies dumb enough to get close. Suika saw Marisa climbing the steps, and quickly jumped up, throwing a mix between a wave and a salute.
"Ooh! Hello, Marisa-chan! Nice to see you- *hic!* Today!" Suika slurred, attempting to fire danmaku at a passing fairy and tripping, tumbling down the steps. Marisa saw this coming, and stepped to the side, catching Suika's collar as she passed.
"Hello, Suika. Is Reimu in?" Marisa mumbled, pulling Suika up the stairs with her.
"Yes, she is. What's the matter?" Suika got to her feet, noticing Marisa's puffy eyes and absence of happiness.
"Oh, I….It's nothing." Marisa said, quickly wiping a hand over her face as they reached the top.
Suika quickly pulled a cup out, pouring some sake into it from her gourd. "Here, you look like you need this more than I do at the moment." Suika said, pushing the cup into Marisa's hands. Marisa paused, looking at the cup, before pouring it down her throat. Suika was right.
The irrepressible oni twirled in front of her, walking backwards as she readied herself. "Well, what are you and Miss Miko Reimu going to do today?" Suika said, grinning and giggling.
"No, not that. I just wanna talk to her, ze." The witch said, looking to the side. Why was Marisa embarrassed about what she had done? She wasn't one to think about the past.
"Shu-*hic*ure you are. You've been 'talking' to Reimu-chan quite a lot these days!" Suika giggled, taking a drink from her gourd. However, she walked into something, and forced the gourd into her mouth more, causing her to cough and splutter, covering Marisa in sake.
"Suika, I have killed people for less than that…" The obstruction turned out to be a very pissed Reimu, who went to grab Suika, who squeaked and dissipated into mist. The oni quickly materialized a few feet away, slowly backing away from them.
"I'll just*hic* leave you two alone… Hehe-" Suika was quickly hit with a needle square in the middle of the forehead, causing her to stumble down the many steps.
"Now… Marisa, please, come in." Reimu said, flashing a quick smile to her, gesturing to her abode. As Marisa passed the donation box, she hit it with her heel, smiling humorlessly.
"No donations, eh?" She said, looking to Reimu, who simply shrugged. "What a strange occurrence, ze." Reimu turned, chuckling.
"Well, I guess it can't be hel-" Reimu began, however, she heard a clap behind her. The miko quickly turned around, to see Marisa clasping her hands together. That meant… Reimu quickly looked to see a handful of notes in the box. She looked up to Marisa in astonishment. She had a grin on her face that Reimu hadn't seen for along while…
"I'mma need all the luck I can get, ze!" The thief said as she was tackled by Reimu. They both looked each other in the eyes, Reimu slowly leaning in with a smile that only Marisa had seen before. Marisa looked into Reimu's eyes with growing uneasiness. As Reimu's lips were about to touch Marisa's, the witch turned her head. "…No, Reimu. I need to find-"
"Alice, right?" The miko sighed, getting to her knees.
"I-I'm sorry Reimu, once I find her, we-"
"Marisa, I want you to answer me a few questions."
"What is it?" Reimu gestured to the step up near the house, and Marisa sat down there while Reimu went inside, coming back out with two steaming mugs of tea. Marisa accepted one, taking a gulp of it as Reimu sat down next to her.
"Now, Marisa." Reimu said, sipping from her mug. "Why do you want to find that seven-colored idiot?" Marisa's eyes snapped open, why had she said that!?
"I… Because she's my friend, Reimu!" Marisa snapped back, with only a smile from Reimu as a response.
"Okay, now, why do you like me?" Reimu looked to her, leaning in. Marisa twitched, demeanor completely deflated.
"Well, because you're cool, and… We've done so much together, and I wish I had half the strength you have!"
"It wouldn't be because of this?" The miko lifted her arm, exposing her armpit and leaving Marisa with a confused look on her face. "…Nevermind. Well, as much as I like to hear that, it's just… Envy."
"What? N-No it isn-"
"Marisa." Reimu placed her mug on the floor, Marisa's already forgotten. Reimu leaned in close again, flashing that smile again. This time, Marisa's face told Reimu what she wanted. Her face changed again as she flicked Marisa on the forehead instead.
"Ow." Marisa said, clasping a hand there more out of confusion. Reimu sighed, shaking her head.
"You believe yourself to be a Love-colored magician? You barely know it…" Reimu mumbled. "No, as much as I want you under my futon, I can't…" Reimu looked down, dejected. "Pity…"
"Reimu, what do you mean?" This was totally going over Marisa's head.
"Marisa, do you want to see Alice smile?" Reimu said to her, looking back up. "Even before she was lost? Did you want anyone to tease her? Did you want her away from your side? Marisa?" Marisa avoided Reimu's stare, remembering the times that were implanted in her head as never-fading memories…
"Well… Maybe not…"
"You think so?"
"Mmm, I suppose. Why you ask?"
"Aww, just a little question and Alice-chan's soooooo flushed up!"
Seeing the puppeteer's face then… Set her conflicting emotions about her feelings back in check. She reverted to teasing her in relief… Seeing that red-tinged face…
"…But it's summer!"
"Go ask that Cirno to help you."
"Right, I forgot. Thanks Alice, love you!"
She had used those words so easily then… What would she have seen if she looked back…
"…I DIDN'T! WHY DO YOU THINK I WANT YOU TO STAY AWAY IF I'M STILL TALKING TO YOU, WHY WOULD YOU THINK I WOULD LET YOU EVEN COME HERE WITHOUT SETTING UP THE BARRIER? WHY WOULD YOU THINK I LISTENED TO YOUR RAMBLING ABOUT YOU AND HER!? WHY WOULD YOU THINK I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT HER AND HER BIRTHDAY? WHY!! DIDN'T I LOVE YOU ENOUGH!?!"
"Oh god…" Marisa placed her head in her hands, weeping bitterly. Reimu placed a reassuring hand on her back, rubbing it as Marisa's realization opened the floodgates of emotion. "I… I let the one I loved get tortured so much!" Marisa shook, tears wracking her body. "Why did she still love me? WHY!?" She slammed her fist down, the mug knocking over, covering the hand in hot tea. Through this, Reimu murmured to her comfortingly, her own heart gripping as she watched Marisa cry.
After a long outburst, Marisa stood up, gripping her broom tightly. "Thank you, Reimu. I can't begin to tell you how much you've helped-"
"Oh, never mind about that. Go, find that idiot, and make up." Reimu said, giggling as the witch's face screwed up in annoyance.
"Hey! I'm the idiot here, got it!? Don't slander her when you talk!" She broke into a run, jumping on her broom mid-run. "You get someone to love too! Or the Love-Colored Magician will have to sort you out!!" Her voice was already fading as she shot off. Reimu sipped her tea, smile still on her face. She closed her eyes, letting out a breath she didn't know that she was holding.
"Yeah, such acts of generosity aren't like me, I know." The shrine maiden said, not even needing to open her eyes to know Yukari had appeared through a gap. After the moon incident, it became second nature. "She left a big enough donation, okay?" Yukari leaned through, wrapping her arms around Reimu's waist.
"At the expense of my little flower bud's nuturing!" Yukari whined mockingly, chuckling as her hands were slapped away. Reimu, acting annoyed, couldn't control a small smile that escaped her restraint.
"I'm not your flower or anyone else's." Reimu responded, turning to face Yukari. "Anyway, I know the saying. 'If you love someone, you have to let them go', right?"
"You do realize that the other part of that is 'If they love you back, they'll return'…"
"I know she'll return."
"Ufufufu~ What's with the sudden confidence?"
"Well," The miko looked around, sweeping her arms for effect. "She didn't take anything." She began to walk back into her house, picking up the mugs. "Well, come in for some tea, you can't just go." Yukari bounded from her gap, with a packet. "Oh please, such crude tea leaves, let me treat you to some REAL tea…"
Marisa was hurtling around at breakneck pace, trying to find the elusive Alice. A dark figure shot past her, and even at Marisa's speed, the person shot past without time for a glance. Marisa quickly lit up a ball of magic, alerting the person as she turned around. It was Aya!
"Well well, if it isn't Marisa. Care to give some details into you and Reimu's relationship now?" She smirked, flipping out her quotes book.
"No, I need to find where Alice Margatroid is!" Marisa went to leave but Aya's statement stopped her.
"Hmm… I've heard that in my book somewhere… If only I could find it…" Aya teased, ducking a magic burst.
"I will help you find all the dirt you want on people if you help me." Marisa pulled out her mini-hakkero, spinning it on her finger. "If not, we can find out if the annoying reporter is fast enough to outrun a Master Spark-"
"Okay okay! Your offer is adequate! I will point you to the right way." Aya flipped through her quotes book, mouth slightly moving as she tracked the writings down. Every second seemed like a minute for Marisa, impatiently waiting. "There! A one Wriggle Nightbug says that Rumia has been boasting about her prize catch, shrouding her in darkness. She said that Rumia found her lost in the Forest of Magic, and she's waiti…" Aya trailed off. She was talking to no one. Marisa was hunting down that youkai as fast as she could. No one was going to stop her from getting Alice back.
Punch.
"Is that so~"
Punch.
"Is that so~"
Punch.
"Is tha-" Rumia was abruptly stopped as Marisa grabbed her by her collar, lifting her off the ground. Marisa had been trying to get the location from this youkai, but apart from giggling, the annoying thing had only said that infuriating line. Marisa shoved Rumia against the tree.
"TELL ME WHERE ALICE IS! I NEED TO SEE HER!"
"Is that so-" Punch. Rumia's shoulders shook as she spat out a mouthful of blood. Marisa punched the tree out of anger, tears coursing down her face. She grabbed Rumia again, throwing her to the ground as the mini-hakkero was shoved against the side of the youkai's head.
"If you don't TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, the only thing you'll be eating is a Master Spark!!" Marisa shouted, the force from the hakkero lifting her arm slightly. Rumia turned her head to Marisa, cocking her head to the side and a deranged look appeared on her face.
"IS. THAT. SO!?" She shouted, before her voice was dwarfed by the roar of the Master Spark, point blank. Marisa quickly grabbed her broom, shooting towards the dissipating miasma of darkness that the forest was plagued with. "ALIIIIIIIIICE!!!"
Alice sat back up, after a stream of tears and a wave of grief overwhelmed her. She had felt a shake in the ground, or at least she thought. It reminded her of the ferocity of Marisa's Master Spark… To have Marisa use it to protect her when they fought together… It made her feel-
She stopped. The darkness seemed to lighten… What was happening? Alice stumbled, trying to back away from the light that was appearing. "N-No…" Her voice rasped. "I don't want to go back! No!!" She suddenly saw her object of grief, and her world stopped for a split second, her face stopped in shock
"….alLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!" Marisa screamed out, making a quick drop. The nose of the broom smacked into the ground, sending Marisa flying into Alice. Alice's form was rigid, frozen in place with shock. Marisa shed tears of gratitude, slowly moving. "Alice…. I found you…" Alice slowly started to move, pushing Marisa away.
"No…" Alice began, quiet at first, but then increasing in volume. "No… No, No No NO NO NO!!" She said, standing up quickly and pulling out a seal paper. "YOU CAN'T! I DON'T WANT TO FEEL SAD ANYMORE!!" She slapped the seal onto her, the Hakurei Seal providing instant movement to her home. In a white and red flash, she had gone. Marisa quickly grabbed her broom, rocketing towards Alice's house. "I'll help you yet, Alice!" She shouted, holding on for dear life.
Marisa quickly stepped off the broom, running the rest of the way to the house. However, something stopped her. "Alice's barrier!?" She said, pushing against it. She heard Alice's voice, coarse from misuse and crying. "Y…YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE!!" The intensity of the barrier increased tenfold, Marisa having to move off of it, severe burns on her arms. She calmed herself down, gathering her power.
"I'm sorry… I need to see you." The mini-hakkero in her hand glowed, with yellow mist emanating from it. She had to focus, mutter the incantation… Gather her thought of her love- Marisa gasped as she saw a picture of her and Alice, when she had pushed Alice and herself together to hide from Reimu at the library… A warm, dark red color flared from her, and the mini-hakkero erupted in restrained energy, ancient runes circling in rings around it. She pointed it at the barrier, and screamed.
"MAGICANNON: FINAL SPAAAAAAAAAARK!" A massive golden beam struck the barrier, laced with bolts of dark red. The barrier barely held as the beam crashed into it, and Marisa could hear Alice's screams as she struggled to hold the barrier. The beam finally ended, and the mini-hakkero, now singed and blackened, dropped from her hand as Marisa stumbled towards the house, pushing weakly against the barrier. "I can't stop… Alice…"
Alice slumped to her chair, managing to hold a shadow of the barrier together. Shanghai slowly floated towards her master, concern in her face. Alice looked to her doll, slightly glad to see something that she could remember. Shanghai stood there, silent, then her mouth opened. The voice she heard made her heart stop.
"You know… Your master is such a strong person… To put up with me for so long… I… I have some things I need to do. I need to go." Shanghai said, in Marisa's voice. The shock caused her concentration to break along with her barrier. She quickly walked out to meet Marisa.
Alice could feel fear in her heart at the figure stumbling towards her. She could hear Marisa and Reimu in her head.
"…Nnnn….Marisa…"
"Reimu….."
"Nnnnnnnnn…"
"….."
"MARISA!!"
"REIMU!!"
This built her anger, and she turned to Marisa. "NO! WHY WON'T YOU STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE! STOP HURTING M-"
Marisa, oblivious to the screaming, used her waning strength to get to Alice. She smiled, and placed her hands on Alice's shoulders. Alice stopped her outburst, looking to Marisa with surprise. Marisa used this opportunity to take her chance. She leaned in, planting a kiss on Alice's lips. It was held for a moment, with Marisa trying to express all her feelings for Alice with that single kiss. She pulled back, with Alice completely dazed, a mixture of stupor, surprise, and… euphoria. Marisa smiled, feeling her vision go slowly.
"Alice, I love you." She said, falling limp in Alice's arms.
-
Marisa slowly woke up… In Alice's house. Was it all a dream!? Her first fleeting panic was dispelled as she noticed the appearance of the room. It was the guest room. She quickly got out, stumbling before she felt the strength return to her legs. She had to see Alice. She walked through the house, ignoring Shanghai and the other dolls that came to greet her. She pushed open the door. "Alice…" She called out.
Alice was slumbering deeply, her face calm… Finally. Falling to her knees, the witch simply watched her peaceful form, content with finally seeing Alice's face again. Marisa remembered Reimu's words, and she smiled. She really did love Alice, didn't she? And Alice still loved her, why she still did, Marisa did not know. Marisa leaned in close, her nose brushing against the puppeteer's. She had better get started, trying to make up for all her lost time…
Alice had reacted to Marisa's touch, slowly waking… To Marisa's kiss. Alice went completely rigid in shock and embarrassment, her eyes snapping open, but the feel of the witch's lips caused her to relax, her eyes slowly closing again, reacting by deepening the kiss. As it had ended, Alice's voice sounded out sleepily. "No… Go, please…" She still hated her!? "…I look horrible, I need to freshen up…" Marisa laughed, flashing her grin that felt so good to be back on her face.
"No you don't… You look so beautiful right now." Marisa said, a blush appearing on her face that didn't put a single mark on the crimson face of Alice. Marisa felt herself getting pulled into Alice's arms. Alice closed her eyes, holding Marisa like she could disappear in a single moment.
"Don't… You leave me. Don't even think it!" Alice said, nestling her head on Marisa's neck. Marisa could feel the wetness of the puppeteer's tears, and held her close.
"I will never leave you. I swear on my life." They both held each other, finally entwined together by love.