Chapter 8: You say it's summer
I shiver at my secrets
Winter still remains.
Bgm: Lord of The Netherworld (Shin Megami Tensei 3 Maniax)
[Hakugyokurou- Princess' Room]
A young girl wearing a blue dress and a black cherry to adorn her blood red hair, her skin was smoother than your average lady and her grey eyes showed despair almost as if welcoming death, a truly beautiful lady but, she hid a dark secret, her power to kill anyone in any way she imagined, her name is, Saigyoiji Yuyuko, The Princess of The Netherworld.
Yuyuko: Ohhhh I'm soooo booooored![Yuyuko complained]
Man: Saigyoiji-sama is something wrong?[A man appeared to fulfill Yuyuko's desires]
Yuyuko: Ohhh, Youki, life is so painful...[Yuyuko complained]
Youki: Any way I can help you with your problem?[Youki asked seriously]
Yuyuko: We've had this conversation before Youki, nothing you do will ease my suffering.[Yuyuko spoke hopelessly]
Youki: My apologies.[Youki bowed down]
The man called Youki was wearing a green vest over a white long sleeved shirt and white trousers, his white hair tied in a ponytail, he had two swords in his possession a long katana, this was the legendary Roukanken and a Konpaku family heirloom the Wakisashi Hakurouken. Then Youki retreated from the room with a stoic expression on his face. As he exits the room Youki encounters a young girl with a similar outfit to his own and a katana with a red sheath, her short, silver hair was held down by a black hairband with a black ribbon as decoration, this was Konpaku Youmu, Youki's granddaughter she looked troubled and spoke to her grandfather.
Youmu: Grandfather, why must we serve such a capricious lady?[Youmu asked somewhat angry at Yuyuko's apathetic outlook on life]
Youki: Because our family owes her. And this time she needs someone to save her from, forget it I need more information.[Youki interrupted himself before he spoke too much]
Youmu: Grandfather you are overworked! I believe that you should take a rest.[Youmu was angry that her grandfather was working more than herself when she was younger and in better shape to work]
Youki: Since when were you so gutsy Youmu?[Youki started to tease Youmu]
Youmu: Err. W-well since you looked ill, I decided to take my job much more seriously.[Youmu replied awkwardly]
Youki: Well! That is growth and you will grow more than even myself![Youki became happy about his granddaughter's progress]
Youmu: No way! I'll never be as good as you grandfather. [Youmu said modestly]
The two returned to guarding Hakugyokurou in peace until suddenly, a loud explosion could be heard from the garden, it could only mean one thing, the Saiyou Ayakashi had awakened once again and this time Yukari wasn't there to seal it.
Bgm: Cornered! (Raidou Kuzunoha)
Yuyuko: This is bad... Very very bad![Yuyuko said while sweating nervously]
Youki: Master Saigyoiji be careful, we don't know what the Saiyou Ayakashi may do![Youki warned Yuyuko with his hands on Roukanken]
Yuyuko: I know this already![Yuyuko replied from the other side of the room]
Bgm: A Suspicious Shadow(Raidou Kuzunoha)
[Hakurei Shrine-Hakurei Training Hall]
Meanwhile in the Hakurei Shrine, Akiko was taking the last trial before she could become a Hakurei maiden. Kaya and Makoto were waiting outside the hall, confident in Akiko.
Akiko: Umm, anyone there?[Akiko asked]
Male Voice: You who wishes to attain this power for what do you plan to use it?[The Male Voice asks]
Akiko: To protect my sister.[Akiko responds coldly]
Female Voice: Interesting, to see two Hakurei in the same generation. Did Reimu die already?[The Female Voice spoke while belittling Reimu]
Male Voice: No, she is still alive. Well anyways, you are to state your name and discard your old self.[The Male Voice ordered]
Akiko: MY NAME IS MAMUSHI AKIKO![Akiko roared with the same resolve as Reimu did. With a higher pitched voice of course]
Female Voice: Another Mamushi... Why do you all want to be a Hakurei so much do you really know what your fate is?[The Female Voice commented]
Akiko: Huh?[Akiko tilted her head]
Male Voice: Calm down, fear not you must only show us your prowess in battle before we can call you a Hakurei.[The Male Voice spoke in a gentle tone]
Akiko: Very well.[Akiko calmed down and was in less edge]
Akiko walked deeper into the hall, just like before the hall was dimly illuminated and had blood stains all over the wooden floor and ceiling. But this time more zombies came out and attacked Akiko.
Zombie: Oaaarrrgh HhhhhhaAaAaaaAkuuuuUuUrrrEeeEIIIii.[The zombie groaned]
Akiko: What a bother! Divine Treasure!Yin Yang Orb![Akiko chanted her attack]
This time Akiko dispatched the zombies without much effort with two yin yang orbs that evaporated the zombies. She was truly talented.
Akiko: How much longer I'm getting bored from all these weaklings..[Akiko was bored from the weak opponents that came towards her in large numbers]
Female Voice: This time you will fight someone very powerful like yourself, just don't get yourself killed by accident.[The Female Voice snarked at Akiko]
Male Voice: Come forth! Shingyouku![The Male Voice summoned the same demon that fought Reimu to fight Akiko]
Shingyouku: I SEE, YOU ARE REIMU'S SISTER! THEN FINNISH FASTER THAN YOUR SISTER, SHE WAS A WEAKLING WHO GOT LUCKY WHEN SHE FOUGHT ME!
Akiko: You're loud. If sis was a weakling for you then I'll end this in a flash![Akiko smirked confidently]
Bgm: Maiden's Capriccio~Dream Battle[Touhou Series]
Akiko: Ascension to Heaven Kick![Akiko shouted as she slid into the giant yin yang orb and somehow lifted herself into the air to somersault-kicking the orb]
The orb tries to tackle Akiko as she landed, but mysteriously the orb passed through her almost like if she wasn't there. Akiko warped away behind the orb and sunk five needles into it.
Shingyouku: AAAAAAAARRRG![The orb roared]
Akiko: Yes! Right on target![Akiko smirked while three more needles appeared between her fingers]
Akiko suck three needles into the orb again while teleporting around it. After a few seconds the orb bursts from being left like a pincushion. Akiko held back the urge to laugh.
Bgm: Overcoming The Sadness(Raidou Kuzunoha)
Male Voice: Just a few seconds short of a minute.[The Male Voice spoke shocked at Akiko's speed at clearing the trial]
Female Voice: Why are so surprised? There is only one Hakurei that did this in more than a minute.[The Female Voice spoke while referring to Reimu's slowness during her trial]
Akiko: Uhhh, what do I do now?[Akiko asked while tilting her head to the left]
Male Voice: You leave the training hall as Hakurei Akiko, the 34th Hakurei Maiden.[The Male Voice said in a serious tone]
Female Voice: Unlike Reimu, your powers are genuine and are actually useful for more than just fighting.[The Female Voice spoke while belittling Reimu]
Akiko: Don't. Diss. My. Sis.[Akiko said quite angrily]
Male Voice: Yu? That is enough.[The Male Voice was distorted and Akiko couldn't understand all that he said]
Akiko: I shall leave now then.[Akiko said as she walked out of the training hall]
In the outsides of the training hall, Akiko noticed Reimu walking towards the shrine with a lifeless expression on her face. She knew that she didn't want to talk and would get violent if pressed. During dinner Akiko spoke of the trial while she prevented her father from pressing Reimu. After eating and bathing the family retreated into their rooms. Reimu was in her bed sleeping but she didn't have a good dream...
Bgm: Dagda's theme( SMTIV Apocalypse)
Reimu: Where am I?[Reimu asked the nothingness]
Voice: You are awake now my queen.[A voice echoed in Reimu's head]
Reimu: Who are you!?[Reimu asked angrily]
Voice: I am that I am. You who knows nothing will understand, nothing.[The voice spoke once again with a strange quote]
Reimu: Make sense dammit![Reimu was very angry for not understanding]
Voice: Go into sand and the dust in the skies, go now and embrace your true self![The voice shouted while the nothingness starts to distort]
Reimu: What!?[Reimu asked and suddenly, everything went black]
Reimu wakes up sitting on a throne, she notices that she's wearing a black dress that reaches her feet, her nails are longer, she has bone wings and a tail, a black sword stood next to the throne. Where was she? And other questions flooded her mind at the moment. But then, a woman with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail wearing a red dress and a black cape with a prism design in the inside entered the room with a familiar young man with white hair and wearing a school uniform whose hands were tied to his back at the woman's side.
Woman: My Queen, Flandre Scarlet reporting the capture of the last member of the resistance, Izayoi Sakuya.[The woman identifying herself as Flandre bowed down to Reimu]
Sakuya: Reimu how could you do this!? You murdered and devoured Remilia and destroyed the Hakurei Shrine, why!?[Sakuya asked not wanting to believe in what he just said]
Reimu?: Because they were weak and they got in my way. I just wanted to live a quiet life, but nooo, I had to become a guardian of this damned place! I'm sick of it, I'm sick of it all![Different voice spoke when Reimu tried to speak her innocence]
Sakuya: That's not true! The real Reimu would never say that![Sakuya didn't want to believe what he just heard]
Reimu?: No, the Reimu you thought to be real would never say that, I'm the true me hence I can say what I want! I'm so strong that there is no one that can stand up to me![Reimu tried to speak again but, the other voice spoke for her]
Sakuya: I trusted you![Sakuya started to cry]
Reimu?: Then it was your fault that I betrayed you, you were too naive![The other voice spoke on her own this time as she scolded Sakuya]
Reimu: (What's going on!? I can't speak!)[Reimu thought without talking to prevent the voice from acting]
Sakuya: Reimu... What happened to you?[Sakuya spoke between his tears]
Reimu?: Enough! Execute him in front of the entire Capital so that they learn their place![The voice ordered]
Flandre?: Very well my Queen.[The woman calling herself Flandre took Sakuya with her]
It all went black for a moment, then suddenly Reimu awoke in a classroom wearing a different uniform than usual. A blonde girl with a witch hat and a white school girl uniform was standing in front of the blackboard.
Bgm: Po Town(Pokemon Sun&Moon)
Girl: My name is, My nAme iS, mY NaMeee IiIiiiiIiisssssSSS, mAriSa kirissssSsAaaammmmmEeeeE.[The girl spoke in a distorted voice]
Reimu:(What the hell!? This is Marisa!? But she said she was a- wait, she lied she was Mima. What the hell is going on!?)[Reimu thought]
The scenery distorted into into a formless blob of blood and the girl calling herself Marisa melted into a black slime. Every thing was distorting and Reimu heard an earsplitting scream it sounded like, her own voice but something was off...
Bgm: Corridor(Persona 4)
Voice: GYAHHH! No! Stop! Help! Makoto![The voice spoke in fear]
Reimu: No! I don't want to remember this I wasn't born by this point! Stop![Reimu shouted]
Sakuya?: But you were born from this..[A voice like Sakuya's spoke emptily]
Remilia?: This is how your mother bore you, bastard...[The voice that sounds like Remilia spoke annoyed]
Reimu: Stop! No! This isn't real! My mother never suffered this! My father is![Reimu covered her eyes while shouting]
Sakuya?&Remilia&: That one right there...[They said pointing at the man raping Kaya]
Reimu: No! I'm a human! Not related to THAT![Reimu was clenching her head in pain]
All the apparitions looked at Reimu with a dead expression and said in a robotic unison and dry tone:"Yes, that is your true father..."
Reimu: No! I won't accept this![Reimu shouted]
Reimu grabbed her sword from what seems to be nowhere. And slashes the apparitions but, it has no effect.
Akiko?: It is futile to negate the truth... There is no escape. Give up...[An apparition in the form of Akiko said sadly]
Reimu: No! Gyaaaaaaaahh![Reimu screams while everything goes black]
Reimu: *Gasp* It was a dream? But it all seemed real...[Reimu woke up in her futon panting heavily]
Akiko?: It was real... Queen of The Black World...[An apparition appeared right besides Reimu]
Reimu: What!? This-this-this- no. NOOOOOO![Reimu screamt again]
"It all fades to black, all hope is lost and everything you saw was a lie."[An unknown voice spoke confidently]
Note from the author: Yo, Jouhei here. This chapter starts with a trial for Akiko this time as she needs more screen time and to showcase just how much weaker Reimu is in this universe. The nightmare scene was more foreshadowing of what awaits our heroine. But, what was the dark figure? Who IS Reimu in this universe? And when will these questions be answered? Find out next time! On Alternate Results in an Oriental Story!(ARiaOS for short) Hope you give me feedback!