I made invitations for the dinner party and had them sent out immediately to only the highest humans and youkai in Gensokyo. I didn't know much about who would come, so I asked Patchouli to find the guests for me. The invitations would be sent out during the day anyway, so having my non-vampiric friend do this job for me was best.

Father used to have parties back in London for his business friends, inviting doctors and lawyers and fair ladies to eat and drink with him, but I was far too young to partake in any of it. Now that I was older (and the Mistress of my own mansion), I would do whatever I wished to set up this party. Sakuya mentioned how strange it was for me to be helping, as a normal Lady would have her servants do all the world, but I wouldn't have it. I love decorating and planning events.

The main dining room, used mostly by the maids and occasionally Hong, was messy and ill-fit for a dinner party. I helped dust and clean stains from the carpeting, got rid of cobwebs in the corners and shined up the best dinnerware. Soon the entire room was ready for guests, and I brought my favorite armchair from my bedroom down to settle at the head of the table, where I would sit. Everything was perfect and ready for the party that was to be the next evening.

At around six at night I awoke and prepared myself for the guests. I took my time: everyone knew that a proper lady showed up late. As I brushed my hair I heard Sakuya letting in some of the earlier guests and smiled: tonight was going to be wonderful. I decided to go against the rules of being fashionably late and rushed downstairs to meet them.

It was just Hong. My hands on my hips, I cried indignantly, "China, go back outside to greet the guests."

Hong shrugged. "Sakuya's already greeting them. Why do I gotta do it too?"

"Because I said so!" I sighed, placing a palm to my forehead. "Please, just go. Please?"

Hong cursed and turned to leave, and as she walked out the door Keine entered.

"I hear there's a party going on tonight," she said, looking around my mansion's foyer. "Nice place. It was terrible last time I'd seen it."

"I want to show the world I'm not a threat unless I've been threatened, myself," I explained, and then I motioned to the dining room. "Please sit and we will serve you once the other guests arrive."

"Let me guess: blood pudding for dinner?"

"For me, anyhow," I chuckled amiably. "Sakuya is kind enough to lend me some of her blood. I don't eat much, so she always makes it out just fine. As for what you and the others will be served… it's a secret. But you'll love it. Sakuya's a good cook!"

Looking placated, Keine consented to being seated at the large dining table and I stood out in the foyer awaiting Patchouli and whoever else she had invited.

The dining room was soon full of guests. Keine was the only one I knew, but there was a woman named Mokou as well as a group of friends who went by the names of Kaguya, Eirin, Reisen and their pet named Tewi, who was also given a seat at my table. The others were "regular people," as Patchouli called them, and were invited to show that vampires were not as threatening as the legends said. There were also a lot of people from the human village, but I greeted them as if they were equals.

I had them all served food I had known from my native England. I of course ate blood pudding and blood tea, but my beloved guests were all served the finest beef, hearty mashed potatoes and greens. They eyed the western-style food suspiciously, but a girl named Yuyuko dug right in and said it was wonderful, which prompted everyone else to eat. I watched them all, happier than I had been in ages.

"Big sister!" came a sudden cry.

"Flan!" I called, standing up immediately. My guests were surprised at my sudden alarm, and I chuckled and pointed to the closed door leading into the foyer, explaining, "Ah, my sister! She's been a little ill, so she was told to stay in her room. I guess she's feeling better!… Be right back!"

I found Flandre skipping through the foyer, followed by several fairy maids who unsuccessfully chased after her. One maid was already dead, and I thanked her inwardly for at least dying silently.

"Flan!" I hissed, easily catching her. I shook her shoulders, whispering, "Flan, I told you to stay in the basement! I -- we -- we're having a very important business meeting! It's very boring and you wouldn't like it!"

At that moment someone burst out laughing in the other room, and Flandre looked at the closed door wistfully.

"Sounds like it's fun," she said simply, shaking me off of her.

"Flan," I continued. "I mean it. Please go back into the basement and -- What is that??"

She held up a long, wrought-iron, gnarled staff with what looked like a spade on its head. "I found it in the basement! It makes things go 'kaboom' too!" To show me she pointed it at a nearby grandfather clock and decimated it.

At the loud noise Sakuya came in from the dining room and came to whisper in my ear, "I've explained to them what we're dealing with. I had to lie a little to prevent any fights."

I nodded but said nothing, eyes trained on my sister.

"Mistress, we are serving dessert now to keep things calm. Forgive me for serving them without you. But please restrain your sister." Without leaving room for me to ask for help, she was off to serve my guests some chocolate cake. My stomach rumbled: blood pudding wasn't very filling, and chocolate cake sounded very good, especially since I knew that Sakuya had baked a second cake just for me and my sister, this one with blood in it. Just then a thought struck me:

"Flan!" I cried, taking her shoulders again. "Flan, will you go with me downstairs? Sakuya has baked us a lovely chocolate-and-blood cake. I know how you like chocolate!"

Throwing her arms, and her staff, into the air, Flandre exclaimed, "Chocolate cake times! Are you for serious, big sister? Real cake? I haven't had cake since we were back home!"

I kindly ushered her towards the door to the basement. "Yes, real cake, little sis! Now go clear off a table downstairs to put it on. I'll eat with you!"

Fortunately she complied and went down into the basement, singing, and I rushed into the kitchen looking for Sakuya.

I found her icing the cake and whispered, "Sakuya, where is the blood cake?"

"Here, Mistress," she said, nodding to her cake. "I already served the guests their cake. This is yours. I assumed you would use it against your sister so I started icing it."

"Very good. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to spend the rest of this evening in the basement with her. I'm afraid of angering her by leaving."

She nodded. "You'd better tell your guests this and apologize. This dinner is very important." Suddenly she kissed her finger and touched it to my forehead. "Good luck."

Hurrying into the dining room, I found my guests looking anxious, no doubt wondering about my absence. They looked slightly happier to see me return, not covered in blood or whatever they expected, and I raised my glass of blood to them.

"A toast to all of you!" I cried to them, and they raised their cups of sake. "For trusting me enough to come here. I'm afraid, friends, that I cannot stay the rest of this evening with you. My sister, ah… my sister needs me. Please excuse me." I went back into the foyer without listening to their replies and immediately down into the basement.

Flandre was still singing when I found her, twirling her staff. I gritted my teeth: that staff belonged to Vladimir, which meant it belonged to me now. But I knew the consequences of trying to take it, and forced a smile: "Hello, little sister! Sakuya will bring us the cake any moment now."

"Cake, cake!" Flandre sang, jumping as she danced.

"Yes, cake!" I cooed, as if she were a baby. "And -- oh, I think I hear her coming now!"

Indeed Sakuya showed up behind us, carrying the large chocolate-and-blood cake. She had put candles into it for an extra treat for Flandre, who always enjoyed birthday parties. I don't know if it was anyone's birthday that day, but nonetheless it made her happier still.

Sakuya cut me a piece and I waited for my sister to receive her piece to start eating. Before Sakuya got her knife into the cake again, Flandre reached down with her bare fingers and tore off a large chunk before forcing it into her mouth and humming pleasantly. Sakuya's jaw dropped a little with disgust, and I quietly excused her to take care of the guests.

"Is it good?" I asked after taking a few bites of my own slice of cake.

Flandre nodded and took another chunk out of the side. "It is lovely!" she cried, bouncing in her seat on the bloodied sofa. "I love it, I love it! We should have cake more often!"

"Maybe we will!" I agreed to please her. "Just ask nicely and be good, and the cake fairy will come to make you happy!"

"Really, big sister?" she asked, eyes huge. "A whole fairy just for cakes?"

"Y-yes! A whole fairy, governing only cakes and other sweets!" I decided to make it into a story. Maybe the sugar would hype her up, but perhaps a story would calm her back down again. "Her name is Yume, which means dream. Yume the cake fairy was born from the mother of all fairies, Yousei the Great One."

"What do they look like?" she asked dreamily, settling down quickly.

"The Great One dresses all in gossamer, and wears a flower on her head. First fairies were only for nature, but they quickly realized they would have to govern other things as well. And thus the cake fairy was born out of a chocolate-chip cookie, off to make children happy everywhere."

"Wow!" Flandre gasped, clapping her chocolaty hands together. "Will I meet her someday?"

"S-sure!" I said without thinking. I quickly realized what a bad idea it was and said, "Well, let's hope, anyway! She's highly elusive, only showing up for the very BEST children! Will you be good so she'll show up?"

"I will be good, big sister! I will, I promise!"

"Very good!" I cried, slapping my hand against hers. "Now finish your cake. I need to go upstairs and say goodbye to my business guests."

Flandre complied and finally I was given permission to leave.