Alice found herself at the edge of a cliff of a tall mesa, overlooking a dry, red, and rustic desert. The space was filled with a complete silence. However, slowly, and in the distance she could hear a small mumbling. This slowly escalated into a mess of sounds that sounded similar to an orchestra warming up. Occasionally, she could hear words or phrases, punctuating the blank nature of the mesa's top around her.
She turned around to try to find out what this sound was, and on the other edge of the mesa she saw this haze of colors from whence the sound seemed to be coming from. She strained to see what it was, it was like the haze one would see from a desert trying to show a fake oasis. She walked towards it. More and more it sounded like very distinct words were being spoken in the confusion, and even though they were becoming clearer, it was as if they were in a different language. The colors as well, began to merge into shapes as Alice walked towards them, but she still couldn't make them out.
Suddenly, she noticed the scene, it was Marisa standing next to Reimu. Marisa saw Alice on the mesa top, and began waving her over, "Hey, Alice."
Alice stood frozen.
Marisa waved even more, "Alice~~~."
Suddenly, it was as if Alice had moved, and a wave of black wiped away the scene.
A giant Shanghai doll suddenly appeared in front of her, acting as a judge.
"What does she mean to you?"
Alice did not speak.
The Shanghai doll continued, "Why do you love her?"
Then the Shanghai doll merged itself into the black background, saying as parting words, "Why does she love you?"
In this way, Alice awoke. The sun beamed through.
It's almost noon.
She turned around to find her bed empty.
I guess Marisa must've gone downstairs already.
She beckoned for her dolls to come and dress her. Shanghai appeared very fast, and right in front of Alice's face.
She was startled by her own doll, "AH!"
Shanghai backed up, and then proceeded to collect Alice's clothes.
Alice caught her breath.
Wait, Shanghai...
She began to piece together the dream she just had.
She looked over at Shanghai, "Why do you want to know?"
Shanghai looked over at Alice, somewhat confused.
Alice waved, "Nevermind."
Eventually, she started to go downstairs, "Marisa!"
Silence.
"Marisa?"
She couldn't find her.
Eventually, she found that Marisa had left a note.
Went to Reimu's kzebai.
Alice thought back, remembering Marisa was talking to Reimu in her dream, but she could piece none of it together. She shrugged, and went into her study to attempt to read.
This failed after about five minutes.
Why do I love her? What do I see in her? What does she see in me?
She looked up, finding only silence to greet her. After a bit more of this, she went back to reading. Silence and reading, there was a lot of silence and reading. Eventually, she looked out the window, bored. Then she went back to reading. Eventually, she found something slightly interesting.
Alice spun around in her chair, "Hey Marisa, I-"
She realized the spot where Marisa sat was empty.
She put down the book and began to wander around looking at the empty house. In particular, she recalled a story from the outside world. Something about an old, rich man who was led around by ghosts showing him the world after he had gone. Alice looked in much the same way at her house. The only thing that stirred in the house was herself. The chair where she sat beside her was empty, the table where they talked was empty. The couch where she sometimes dozed off...
It was as if...everything had a meaning peculiar to Alice, but was otherwise empty in its experience unless it was with Marisa. Unless it was in some sense, shared.
Alice soon found herself at the dining table, staring out into the forest in a daze.
Why do I love her?
She looked around at her house.
Because, things would be empty otherwise, wouldn't they?
She sighed.
Wait, what is she doing at Reimu's?
She recollected her dream.
Those two? Is Marisa really that much of a player?
She glanced up pondering.
No, from my experience, Marisa's luck would dictate that I would've known about that by now.
She looked back outside.
Even so, why were they talking to each other? Could it be, since it was my dream, that I have insecurities about those two?
She paused, growing even more contemplative.
That I think those two could be together? Well, even so it says nothing about reality...
She looked over at the note.
But she did go to go see her, and not too soon after the incident with Patchouli the other day.
Alice began pounding her hands against her head, "ARGH, SHUT UP SHUT UP-"
Marisa entered the house.
"SHUT UP!"
Marisa and Alice glanced at each other.
Marisa blinked, "Whoa, I was only gone for a few hours and you're beating yourself up."
Alice's head fizzled onto the desk in embarrassment, "Shut up."
"I know, you already said that."
"Oh just shut u-" she stopped.
Marisa laughed and took placed her hand on Alice's head, "What's up?"
Alice shot her head up and immediately asked, "Why'd you go see Reimu?"
Marisa was smiling, and looked down to see Alice's quite serious face.
"Whoa, you look troubled, ze. I went to go apologize for the other day."
Alice's tense face immediately soothed, and she placed her head back on her desk, calming down, "Oh, so that's all."
She swung around to face Marisa, "Then, you won't mind if we go there, right?"
Marisa was taken aback, Huh, I thought I'd have a hard time convincing her, but it turns out things are working out pretty well for me today.
"Yeah! Let's go, ze!"
She grabbed Alice by the arm, pulling her outside.
"Wait, we don't have to, I mean-!"
Marisa shoved her out the door, "Too late!"