Link and Reimu walked across the forest until they reached a clearing. There, Link started talking:

"So, who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My name's Reimu Hakurei. And you?"

"I'm Link."

"That's quite the simple name you got there, Link." A small sweat drop formed on his face. Link started asking: "Just what was that back there? Was that girl really a monster?"

"You could say that. I suppose you don't know what youkai are?" Asked Reimu.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"It's a little complicated, then…I'll tell you more when we reach the shrine."

Link was a little scared to ask, but did it anyway: "Why did you save me?"

"'Cause it's my job" Reimu answered without hesitating. Link didn't quite understand what she meant.

"Your job? So, you're a guardian of this place?"

"Ehh…I don't really like to take it so seriously…" Reimu said. "But, yes, sort of."

On the horizon, a small residence could be seen. "There it is." Reimu pointed out. "That's my shrine."

Link observed it for a moment. "Nice place."

"Heh. Thanks." Reimu replied. "Let's enter before we get some more unwanted visitors…" Link gulped feeling kinda guilty.

"O-oh, I wasn't talking about you. Please don't take it the wrong way." Reimu affirmed, unaware that she was actually concerned of leaving a bad impression.

Link chuckled. "It's okay. Sorry for the inconvenience. Excuse me…" Link entered the shrine and Reimu quickly followed. It was just like a house, except the design was different from any he'd seen.

"Please wait here." It was a living room of sorts. Having said that, she left for the kitchen. Link sat down on a little pillow lying on the ground and began analyzing his surroundings. He found weird that most of the shrine seemed to be made of wood.

Reimu came back holding a tray with two cups. She left them on a small table just in the center of the room.

"Tea?" Reimu asked Link.

"Ah, thank you." Link responded, taking a sip from one of the cups…when he suddenly spitted it out immediately.

"Pfffffttt-AH! This isn't poison is it!?" Link exclaimed all worked up.

"*Sigh*…You already entered my house, don't you think it's a little late to be cautious? " Reimu expressed with a face of disbelief. "'I'd never contaminate the tea with poison in the first place."

Link felt really ashamed of himself. "I-I'm really sorry! Don't know what came over me. I was almost eaten today so, y'know…"

"I don't think that can correlate to poisoned tea, but it's fine. You don't get used to Gensokyo in a single night." Reimu said.

"Gensokyo? Is that the name of this place?" Link asked.

"Yeah. I suppose I could explain some stuff to you." Reimu put her cup on the table and began explaining.

"What you just saw was known as a youkai. An apparition that stalks humans and causes them all sorts of trouble. It's my job to exterminate them."

"Exterminate? But, that girl back there didn't look like she was…dead."

"Well, yes. We normally have a spell card duel to make things fair for everyone."

Link stared at her, dumbfounded.

"That means, that we don't go all out. It would be way too messy if that happened."

"So you use magic…I should've known that's what it was from the start, since I met that weird lady."

"Weird lady?"

"What was her name again…Yukari?"

Reimu frowned: "So it REALLY was her doing. That Yukari, always doing what she pleases."

"Ehm, so you know each other?" Link asked.

"Oh, well, something like that." Reimu put her hand on her chin. "The thing is, she only appears whenever she wants. Most of the time she's hibernating."

Link found this comical. "What is she, a bear?" He thought.

"I hope you're not in much of a hurry to leave." Reimu said in a direct manner.

"W-well, I know everyone's okay back in Hyrule, even if it pains me to make them worry…" Link thought about his friends and wondered how Zelda and Ilia were taking his sudden disappearance.

Reimu looked outside. "It's almost dawn. We better get some sleep."

"Are you letting me sleep here?" Link asked, doubtful.

"Well, you're already here." Reimu answered kinda coldly. "You can stay in one of the empty rooms."

"Oh…okay. Thanks." Link said. "'I don't know what to make of this girl. She was nice enough to let me stay, though.'" Link thought.

"Let's see if we can sort something out later."