A/N: I'm not sure what compels me to continue this one... Maybe because I need to practice Touhou writing. Regardless, enjoy this second chapter of a once one shot.

Chapter Two

Exploration

The skies were clear, nature at its finest, unperturbed by machines.

The pure blue skies, unclouded by pollution like his home, fresh air and hardly a cloud in sight.

The flowers bloomed in excess, as Spring had finally made its appearance, Winter's cold embrace having melted away.

The trees sighed as the wind whistled through their branches, cherry blossoms fluttering about as one landed within Sephiroth's awaiting hand.

A light smile rested upon his face, as he said in admiration of the scenery, "Magnificent."

Reimu and Marisa, who had accompanied him on his exploration trip after the cleanup operation, had been lounging around as he observed the landscape.

Reimu said, "I didn't take you for a nature enthusiast. Although, your aura does have the strangest signature, almost as if it were attuned with nature's very being..." She also mused, mulling over such information.

Marisa pointed over to a figure in the western direction and commented, "Hey, look ze."

As the trio looked west from their perch on a tall hill, a small winged white figure could be seen flying towards them, shouting, "Spring has arrived! Spring has arrived! Take that Letty!"

With an amused expression, Sephiroth asked, "Who is that?"

Reimu responded, "That's Lily White, the Fairy herald of Spring. A unique type of fairy that is sighted at the beginning of every spring season, she bears the message of the season change, awakening any youkai and animals that remain in deep hibernation during winter through usage of subterranean vibrations created both by her voice and nature's system of communication.

Everytime she spreads her message however, she's never seen going the other way, and so no one knows where she could be living. Possible theories are that her lifespan is extremely short, and only lives long enough to announce Spring.

She's also incredibly popular with florists due to her ability to awaken spring plants by coaxing the seed's dormant spiritual energy into full bloom. Her very presence is able to initiate the growth of Spring, as she essentially awakens nature's power to change seasons."

Marisa looks at Reimu boggled, before she says annoyed, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Marisa snaps out of her trance, scratching her head sheepishly while responding, "Well, it's just that you've never seemed to be that knowledgeable on magic affairs, nor payed that much attention to Gensokyo's residents and their abilities, unless they're used in Danmaku..."

Reimu sighs, "Marisa, where do you think I go when I finish my Shrine chores?"

Shrugging, Marisa says, "I don't know, laze around at your shrine?"

With a deadpan look, Reimu says, "Besides my various exercise routines and martial arts, I spend time at the Library of Voile and the Gensokyo Chronicles Library. I've been researching magic uses and counters, as well as history to find previous incidents, or historical events that might cause new incidents to arise."

A laugh arises from Marisa, "And here I thought you really did just sit in your shrine all day-"

"You're really comfy, Onii-San!"

"Why thank you, Lily."

Reimu and Marisa looked over to see a most peculiar sight.

Lily White had paused by their location, stopping to sit on Sephiroth's lap as he was leaning against the tree.

Sighing in contentment, she said, "You're full of spring... It's comfy..."

Chuckling slightly, Sephiroth responded, "I see. I'm glad it feels good."

Reimu and Marisa burst out laughing at the sight of the fearsome soldier coddling a fairy, and continued rolling on the ground, their sides splitting as the Soldier and the Fairy looked at the two, confusion on their faces.

"O-Oh dear, that was priceless..."

"That was great, da ze."

As the two girls calmed down and returned to sitting, Reimu asked, "What did you mean by, 'You're full of spring,' Lily White?"

Taking a moment to ponder the question, she said happily, "Seph Onii is like a beacon of nature! It's like he's part of Spring!"

Sephiroth stroked Lily's head, eliciting a sigh of content, as he said, "I believe I can answer the rest of that. But first, perhaps some sake?"

As he pressed his hand down into the earth, four silver cups arose from minute particles gathered from the earth, as Lily said, "I can feel nature moving!"

As he took out a bottle of sake from his backpack, magically enhanced to have more space on the inside, he poured the drink into all 4 cups, as Reimu and Marisa looked shocked at his display. As the four raised their cups, they said, "Kanpai."

As the four took their drinks, Sephiroth continued methodically while stroking Lily's head, who had fallen asleep, sighing in her slumber, "What I just demonstrated was a request to the Lifestream.

As a Lifestream Operative, I am able communicate directly with the Lifestream, and to some extent, control and empower myself through it. The Lifestream exists universally, even if it can only be detected on planets with life, and is nature's very lifeblood, its system of communication and nutrition.

Lifestream Operatives are from planets who have Lifestream sentient races, those who have integrated themselves into it, or have species who truly coexist with it. For example,"

As Sephiroth continued explaining, the other two listening with rapt attention as Lily slept contently, he placed his hand upon the earth once again, before asking Reimu, "Do you mind if I grab something from the outside?"

With a look of astonishment before being replaced with mirth, she said, "The barrier won't mind. Speaking of, why does she let you go through so easily?"

"Fellow nature lovers?" Marisa joked.

Sephiroth drew from the ground a small holographic device, such technology having been commonplace back home and promptly turned it on within a few seconds, and drew up some illustrations. Continuing with no time wasted,

"Currently, you exist within what you know as the Solar System. Much of it however, as humans here would have known in the 1800s when you said Gensokyo was created, is currently unknown. Various other solar systems and planets exist in those unexplored regions, which is where I'm from. Planet Gaia."

A drawing of a planet, practically overrun by nature but also extremely advanced in scientific technology showed up on the projector.

Closing the device and allowing it to sink back into the earth, thus returning it to nature, he continued his explanation, "As for why the Barrier allows me through, whoever made it made it with pure Lifestream energy, formed from the very power of the earth. As a Lifestream Operative-"

"It authorized your entry?" A voice resounded from from to the right of them.

An eye shaped hole within the fabric of space time ripped itself open, colored black and purple with red eyes throughout the space, as a woman was standing within, the bottom half of her body concealed.

Long blonde hair was coiled upwards into her red ribbon adorned mob cap as dark golden eyes gleamed with mirth and mischief. She wore a purple Chinese-style tabard with various Trigrams over a pale pink Western-style dress. A pink parasol also remained held within her left hand. Yukari Yakumo, the Gap Youkai, and the Founder of Gensokyo.

Grinning, Yukari says, "How interesting it is to find a newcomer to Gensokyo, especially one as unique such as yourself, mister Sephiroth. I'd always wondered what exactly we'd been using when we created the barrier~"

Reimu stands indignantly and exclaims, "Wait, you were eavesdropping? Why you-"

Sephiroth holds a hand up, and Reimu falls silent, grumbling as she does so.

"Is there something you require, madam..?"

With her fan concealing the lower part of her face, she said cheerfully, "Yukari Yakumo, Youkai of Gaps, Founder of Gensokyo."

As Lily mumbled cutely while napping, he responded, "Well then miss Yakumo, is there something you require?"

Chuckling, she countered, "Oh, nothing right now. I just wanted to see you. Enjoy your stay in Gensokyo, ciao~" She finished as she disappeared into her gap.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Reimu said, "You would not believe how annoying she is..."

Marisa, who had been silent for a while, mumbled, "Yukari sort of unsettles me, ze..."

"She doesn't seem particularly annoying or frightening. Mischievous she may be, but a long life is guaranteed to twist one's perception of entertainment."

As the four cups had been drained of their contents and the bottle was put back, the cups melted back into the earth, sorted back to their original positions.

"Shall we continue our exploration?" Sephiroth asked.

As his two companions nodded their consent, he gently shook Lily White, "Lily, wake up."

As Lily's eyes drowsily opened, and she yawned cutely, she said, "Onii-San..?"

"Lily, we have to go. I'll see you another time."

At these words, she seemed saddened, as her wings drooped down, and her eyes became blurry.

A hand rested upon her shoulder, "Hey, listen."

As Lily wiped her tears, she looked up to see Sephiroth kneeled down to meet her height. He said, "I'll find you again next Spring, alright? That's a promise."

She brightened up and exclaimed, "Really really?"

With a look of amusement, he responded with, "Yes, really really."

Floating upwards, she hugged Sephiroth around the chest and said, "Ok Onii-San! It's a promise!"

Hugging her back before ruffling her hair affectionately, he said, "Farewell, Lily."

As she flew off, she yelled back while waving, "Bye bye Onii-San!"

As she returned to her job of announcing Spring as Sephiroth kept on looking off in the direction that she flew off into, Marisa commented playfully, "You're really good with kids, aren't you ze?"

Reimu likewise teased, "Perhaps he's just interested in younger girls?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not."

As he released his four wings, he took off down the hill, heading straight for the bottom. Before he jumped, a grin could be seen on his lips.

As the two girls smiled and took off flying after him, Sephiroth had but one thought.

Life is pleasant.

Elsewhere...

A dark room, a throne of crimson.

A figure sat atop the throne, toying with the strings of fate as she attempted to find the string connected to her goal.

Finding the correct one, she intricately weaved it into a meeting, a meeting with a newcomer.

"Sakuya? Prepare the dining room for three guests."

"At once, Ojou-Sama."

A laugh resounded throughout the room, as the woman whispered, "I wonder newcomer, how will you fare against the Scarlet Devil?"

Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil, chuckled once more, as she closed her eyes.