Four months ago
Seeing Yukari walk anywhere was rare, let alone with both of her shikigami. Seeing Yukari walk anywhere was rare, but some things, Yukari had learned, had to be approached with the proper decorum. And today's occasion was as serious as they got. Ran had warned Chen to behave herself, and the younger shikigami was obediently attentive. Even the fairies seemed to sense it, and gave the three a wide berth as they ascended Youkai Mountain on foot.
When they arrived at the Moriya shrine, there was small talk to get out of the way. Taunting remarks to exchange with Kanako. Ran sent Chen to play outside, and Sanae was polite enough to offer to watch her when she was prompted.
Altogether, twenty minutes of greetings, pleasantries, and formalities passed before Yukari and Ran were led inside the shrine and took seats across the table from the two resident goddesses. "So," Kanako said. "I admit that I didn't expect a visit from the Hakurei kami."
"Ahh, am I, now?" Yukari said, with a decided lack of reaction. "Most people these days prefer 'gap youkai.'"
"You and I both know that there's no such thing as a gap youkai."
"Very well. You young ones are always so impatient. If you're going to cut right to the point, I will too." Yukari gave a practiced sigh, and allowed herself the slightest of amused smiles. "Yes, I'm the kami of the Hakurei shrine. I've also come to propose transferring that position to Suwako's lineage."
Kanako raised an eyebrow. "The position?"
"The position of Hakurei kami."
Two disbelieving stares met Yukari across the table, and after a pause for effect, she continued. "Granting prayers, fostering faith... it's all time-consuming, and these days, I have my hands full keeping Gensokyo running. I'd rather not deal with it, honestly."
"But renouncing all faith like that..." Kanako said, skeptically. "That's suicide."
"Is it? I am a goddess of boundaries. I am the principle that empowers the Great Hakurei Barrier." Yukari interlaced her fingers and leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "As long as the residents of Gensokyo revere its power..."
"... then something like worship is an afterthought to you, huh?" Suwako finished. She'd materialized a frog from somewhere, and was now absently stroking its head.
"To put it succinctly, yes. I've been living like that for years. After Reimu's parents died, I removed any clues to my identity from the shrine, and left Reimu to her own devices apart from training. I've survived with very little worship for this long. Now... now, I just want to take the last step."
"Hmm, is that so?" Suwako said, holding up the wriggling frog and inspecting it. She gave Yukari a sidelong glance. "But why me?"
"Ah, I didn't say you. I propose letting Sanae be the next kami of the Hakurei shrine."
Kanako crossed her arms and scowled. "Why Sanae? What are you playing at?"
A slight gesture of Yukari's hand was all the signal that it took for Ran to address that question. She produced a scroll, and as she opened it, recited, "Of the currently unenshrined kami in Gensokyo, Sanae Kochiya has a 66.4% chance of accepting the offer, and an 83.2% chance of maintaining or improving the shrine's current status over a ten-year time frame. If the idea is proposed by Reimu and you encourage her, the numbers rise to 71% and 89.9%, which are the highest odds of success among—"
"Yes, I get the idea," Kanako said, cutting off the report with a wave of her hand. "I'm still suspicious that you chose somebody from the Moriya shrine, instead of an unattached kami."
"Well," Yukari said. "There are other factors to consider."
"Such as?"
"The position of Hakurei miko is traditionally passed down from mother to child."
"And?"
"Reimu prefers girls. And your Sanae, I believe, does not discriminate."
As a furious flush grew on Kanako's face, Yukari inclined her hand again. At that signal, Ran unfurled another scroll and explained, "In the past two centuries, 78% of adoptions within Gensokyo have been performed by stable couples. According to the results of six separate divinations, adjusted for seasonal variations, if Reimu and Sanae live together for six months, the odds of them becoming a couple are 73.1%. Projected to a year..."
"You think that they'll hook up if they live together," Kanako said tersely.
"... a 78.3% chance of a relationship forming, and a 91.9% chance of such a relationship lasting for the rest of Reimu's life, yes."
Kanako let out a long, slow sigh, and Suwako, with the frog now sitting in her lap, said, "The Hakurei kami is scary."
"Think of it this way," Yukari said, "If we do this, chances are very good that in twenty years, Reimu and Sanae will be married, the next Hakurei shrine maiden will be fully trained, Sanae will be a successful goddess in her own right, life in Gensokyo will continue as smoothly as possible..." She folded her hands in her lap. "... and all because we stood aside and let two young girls fall in love."
"After meticulously calculating the odds that they'd do so," Kanako added, with mounting disbelief at Yukari's audacity. She fell into contemplative silence, which was only interrupted minutes later with the sound of a loud splash from outside, followed by squeals of delight from Chen. Ran glanced worriedly toward the door.
"If we agreed to this," Kanako finally said. "If we agreed. ... what would you have us do?"
"Do? Well, very little. All I would ask from you is to guide Sanae in the right direction when the time comes."
Several more minutes of quiet thought passed. "They'd make a cute couple," Suwako commented, breaking the silence. Kanako glowered at her for this betrayal.
"Another important consideration, yes," Yukari said. Without any visible signal from her, Ran slid the two scrolls across the table, and the two rose to standing. "I understand that this is a big decision, so I'll give you some time to think on it, of course."
"How generous," Kanako said dryly.
"It's one of my many virtues. Thank you for your generosity in having us here today." Yukari gave a polite nod of her head to the two, while Ran bowed more respectfully. "Come along, Ran. Let's collect your shikigami before she empties the lake of fish."
"My Chen would never do such a thing..."
As the door closed behind the two, Suwako rubbed her nose against the frog's. "Ahh... the Hakurei kami certainly is scary."
