4

It's amazing how the size of something changes based on where you are. For example, a gnat from far away is just an annoying speck. But when you get closer and closer to it, you're able to discern much more about it, like an actual size, its color, and (in the case of other creatures) its gender.

Or, how big a house is in the distance, compared to how it is when you're inside it.

I felt a sense of insignificance as I walked through the halls of the Hieda Mansion – apparently, the Hieda Bloodline (of which Akyuu descended from) was one of the wealthiest families in the village, and more than likely, in all of Gensôkyô. In a way, it made sense, especially if they owned the fields outside of the town – the fields extended for almost a league in either direction, and even at this time of year, there seemed to be harvesting going on.

"This way, please." The head maid (the same one I was talking with earlier) showed me a door near the middle of the building. She knocked twice, and called, "Hieda-sama, you have a visitor." Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and directed me inside.

In the center of the room was a square table with many different scrolls and papers on it, and books to either side. There were a few bookshelves filled with books as well, but otherwise, the room was sparse. There were some cushions near the table, however.

"Please sit," the maid smiled. "The young mistress will be with you shortly."

I sat down across from the "empty space" – that is, the spot where it appeared that someone had been sitting and writing. Curiously, I peered at the documents on the desk. It seemed that many of them were written in older writing, but overall, the documents seemed to be some sort of record.

"Mimi-san, did you say something?" A voice called out from an adjoining room. "I'm a little busy, so I apologize if-"

The person rounded the corner, and the voice's owner made herself known. It was definitely a young mistress – her outfit reminded me of wa-lolita, and her hair was short and violet, with a pink flower adornment on it. She didn't look much older than me, to be honest.

When she noticed me, she cut her sentence short. Her eyes narrowed as she sighed.

"Well?" she asked. "You needed something? I'm quite busy, and don't have much time to finish."

My tongue twisted for a moment. "S-sorry! Hakurei-san said that you'd be able to help me." I tried to explain what I knew – that I had woken up in this world, that I didn't know how I got there… and my conversation with Reimu and the witch-girl, Marisa. Her expression during this entire explanation seemed bored, as if she had heard this story millions of times before.

After my explanation, she closed her eyes and said, "So basically, you traveled through the Hakurei Shrine Border from the Outside World, and you don't know how."

Wow. Way to generalize it.

"Does this happen often, Akyuu-sama?" I was genuinely concerned – if this was a common event, there was that much higher of a chance that I could go back. She gave me a sharp look, and responded, "Don't call me 'sama'. It sounds so… ugly."

Okay…?

"As for the commonality of this, many people travel through the borders. Not many of them end up directly at the Hakurei Shrine, but I suppose it's not impossible." She sat down in the cluttered space across from me. "A good number of people end up as Youkai food, however. Count yourself lucky."

I know I've heard it before now. This word was common at home in occult clubs and mythology. "Youkai" – something like a spirit or a demon that attacks humans. Was that also the same in this world?

"I don't know your situation," Akyuu continued, "but there's not really an easy way to go back."

Huh?

"Wait," I said, nearly choking. "I thought you said that people come from my world all of the time?"

"Yes," she answered, "but a good amount of them prefer this world, so they end up taking residence in this village." She started writing on a paper in front of her, and continued: "The only ways that you could get back right now is if you -a-, find out how you got here and reverse the process, or -b-, somehow find Yukari-san, and ask her nicely to send you across."

"Wait, Yukari?" Wasn't that the woman with the space-zippers?

"Oh, you've met her?" Akyuu looked up, but continued writing. "She's known as the Gap Youkai, and she watches and controls the boundaries of Gensôkyô. Along with some other powerful youkai, she's the reason that our worlds are separate." She looked back at her papers, making a difficult face. "But, like I said, it's unlikely that you'll find her."

"Why… is that?"

She looked up again, this time stopping her writing hand. "Because she doesn't usually stay in one place for too long." She stretched her arms, and continued: "Yukari Yakumo-san does not 'exist' in the same way that humans, or even most youkai, exist. In short, she stays in those zippers until she wants to do something." She looked at me with a very heavy look. "So, unless you have a surefire way to find her, which I doubt you do, your best bet is to recreate the circumstances that brought you here."

Easier said than done. I hardly remember when I came here, let alone how. My memories seemed spaced, like there were gaps in it. Between when I got to the shrine and when I woke up. Between leaving my house and going to the shrine. Even the wish I made at the shrine was forgotten; but why? Why were those memories the ones that I forgot? Maybe just before waking up here, sure, but everything else?

I felt at a loss. If I couldn't find Yukari, my only other solution was to "recreate the circumstances", which wasn't something that I could do…

So, is that it? Am I stuck here… like the rest of those humans…?

Maybe it was time to settle down. I hear that other worlds are a great place to retire… right before college.

College… Now that would have been fun to do.

"Ow…"

Huh…? Was there something about college?

"Are you okay?" Akyuu's voice was calling to me, but for some reason, she wasn't there anymore. That is, in front of me – rather, the whole room had become a messy spiral of colors.

"College…"

For some reason, that word stuck out in my mind. But it hurt when I thought about it – not like a headache, but like something was stabbing directly into my forehead.

"Whoa!" I felt something on my shoulder, then something on my face. "You're bleeding! What's wrong?"

And then, silence.