Behold the Exalt:

Chapter Three: Divine

Leona stood up, she did understand. She understood better than anything she ever had in her whole life. It was sort of strange. If Leona was going to change Gensokyo she would have to, for the time being, play nice. That wasn't a concern right now though, bringing major change to Gensokyo could wait. She still needed to plan how and what she would change, new systems she would implement, new cultures, taboos, and festivals. Leona knew that the quickest way to turn a revolution into a disaster is to have no idea what to do when you win.

Leona would be Empress one day, but that day would not be for quite some time. Until then, she had other things to do like find a new outfit. Her current black shirt and pants were all too pedestrian, nothing fitting an Empress. She was a priestess of Sol Invictus, his representative in Gensokyo, and the striking gold and red armor that he wore would fit her nicely; before Leona could do all that, it was time to play nice.

"So…" Leona said, "Do you know where I go to make spell cards? I don't know much about magic."

Reimu sighed. "Voile Library in the Scarlet Devil Mansion," Reimu said, "The Scarlet sisters are nice enough, just don't cause them trouble."

"Alright then," Leona replied, "Though I thought that no one was allowed in there."

"I'll tell Remilia to let you use the library." Reimu said, "You may have to do a bit of work around the mansion, but if you're smarter than a fairy you should be able to handle it. You are smarter than a fairy right?"

"I might be too smart for my own good." Leona replied. Reimu glared at her.

"Marisa, do you mind flying her to the Scarlet Devil Mansion?" Reimu asked, "And don't cause trouble for them, we want them to like Miss..."

"Leona," she said.

"Right," Reimu said, "We want them to like Miss Leona."

"Yeah, sure," Marisa replied, "I've got plenty of books already."

Reimu turned to Marisa. "Marisa, I'm serious. If you cause trouble they will probably kill her."

"Hey," Leona said, "I don't die easy."

Reimu put a hand on Leona's shoulder and her face softened. "Listen, I know you just got a bunch of power and you want to test it out, but there is no way you could beat the Scarlet sisters or almost anyone in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. You have heard of the people there right?"

Leona had heard of them. One one hand, back when she was a mortal they were nothing she ever wanted to mess with. Right now, Leona was not a mortal but as much as she hated to admit, Reimu was right. Everything she had heard about the Scarlet sisters meant that if she tried to fight it would be a long time until she could leave that battle alive. Leona didn't have a choice in this though, if Reimu said she was going to keep the Scarlet sisters under control then Leona would just have to trust Reimu.

"Marisa," Reimu said, "Fly her to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, I'll have some tea ready for you when you get back." On the other hand, it would mean that Leona would have to ride Marisa's Chafing Stick again.


Evening that day in Gensokyo, gods and goddesses all across the land felt something. It was a strange occasion for all. All the deities had felt the gain of a new priestess, though none of them could figure who the priestess was or how they had gotten her. Sanae arrived home at the Moriya shrine after completing her chores with a rosy glow on her face and smile across her face.

"I'm home," she called, "You know, I'm only a half goddess, but giving me a priestess was so sweet of you." Suwako and Kanako gave her a blank look. "I'm sure you wanted it to be a surprise, but I could feel it when she became my priestess. Thank you both."

"Sanae," Suwako said, "We didn't give you a priestess, and earlier today we both felt ourselves gaining a priestess at the same time. We need to be there to initiate priests and priestesses, feeling ourselves just gaining one is worrisome."

*** Myouren Temple ***

"How is it a problem?" Shou asked, "If anything it means that we have an edge over the Moriya shrine, the Hakurei shrine, and the Taoists."

"It is a problem because you felt a priestess for you and I felt a priestess for myself at the same time," Byakuren replied, "If that happened, how do we know that the other temples didn't also feel this priestess?"

*** Hall of Dreams ***

"Then all we have to do is find her first right?" Futo asked.

"And how will we find this priestess?" Toyosatomimi no Miko asked, "She could be anywhere in Gensokyo."

"Well, we could pray to her right? She should be able to hear us." Futo said, " If we do that then she should be able to find us."

"Sounds good," Miko replied, "Let's get to it."

*** Forest of Magic ***

"But wait," Minoriko Aki said, interrupting her sister's dance of joy, "I just thought of something."

"Yeah, what is it?" Shizuha asked.

"Where's our temple?"


"So," Marisa said, "This 'exaltation' of yours, how powerful did it make you?"

"Well, so long as I put my mind to it," Leona replied, glancing at her palm, "I can learn and accomplish whatever I want."

"What?" Marisa said, a tinge of frustration in her voice, "You fight one youkai to the death and the sun decides you should become all powerful? I fight youkai all the time."

"Marisa," Leona replied, "Gaining more power involves unraveling cosmic secrets deep within a divine soul that I just gained. Learning enough about myself that I would even register to some of the powers in Gensokyo would take one hundred years at least."

"One hundred years?" Marisa asked, "Wouldn't you be a shriveled up old woman by then? You are still human, right?"

"Well no," Leona replied, "I am still human, but I am no longer a mere mortal. My natural life span has been extended by a few millenia. I will stay young and healthy for most of my life."

"I really should punch youkai more," Marisa grumbled, "By the way, how's the princess riding technique working for you?"

"It certainly chafes less, so thank you for that," Leona said.

"Really?" Marisa asked, "I can still feel you fidgeting. What's wrong?"

Leona turned away, a blush filling her cheeks. "My," Leona whispered, "My clothes are too tight around my chest."

"Limitless power and beauty?" Marisa laughed, "I really should punch youkai more. So how's-"

Leona screamed. A hundred voices had filled her head at once, screaming out for her name. "Down!" Leona shouted, clutching her hands to her head, "Take the broom down!"

"Leona?" Marisa asked, pitching the broom in a steep dive, "What's wrong?"

"You can't hear them?" Leona yelled. When Marisa was still roughly 30 feet from the ground Leona leapt off, landing on her feet with a thud. Leona stumbled forward, the weight of the voices pushing her to her knees. "Quiet!" Leona roared, birds scattered from the trees. "I am not your servant! I am not your tool! I belong to no one but myself, and I will not be pushed around! You want me to serve you? Then find me and prove your worth! I am the commander of my body and the captain of my soul! If I am to do these things than I shall command you!" Silence. Whatever voices that had entered Leona's mind had left. Leona breathed in deep, letting her head cool down.

"Leona, you're worrying me," Marisa said, aiming her mini hakkero at her, "What are you shouting about?"

"I heard people," Leona said with a slight shudder, "How did you not hear them? They were so loud."

"Okay, hearing voices is never a good thing." Marisa thought for a moment, "What did the voices say?"

"I'm not sure," Leona replied, "They wanted to know who I was, where I am, and they wanted me to join them."

"That's what you were shouting?" Marisa asked, "Well, Patchouli should be able to put some wards on you so that whatever came to you doesn't come back."

"Thanks," Leona said as Marisa helped her to her feet.

Marisa laughed. "All that power and you still need a shorty like me to help you up?"

Leona chuckled, "With some of the people in Gensokyo, you're going to be helping me back up for a long time."

*** Moriya Shrine ***

"Well," Sanae said, "That didn't go well. She seemed awfully angry for just being contacted by you two."

*** Myouren Temple ***

"What that means," Byakuren replied, "Is that we weren't the only people to feel her arrival."

*** Hall of Dreams ***

"Then we must leave at once," Futo said, "The other shrines and temple will know she's out there."

*** Forest of Magic ***

"I just don't get it," Shizuha said, tears streaming from her eyes as her sister gently hugged her,"All I did was ask if she wanted some sweet potatoes."