Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode

by SKOOLATOON

Reimu's mother was lost some time ago. Familial partings aren't uncommon, after all. Over a decade after her passing, Tsukiko Hakurei again awakens. Stacked against the mystery of her death and new life, and the immense change of the past years under her daughter's reign, she endeavors to reclaim the life she once lived, and more.

12. A Perfect Maid

The snow crunched beneath the two girls.

Up ahead, was the Scarlet Devil Mansion. The center boasted the grand clocktower which loomed down over the lakeside, a constant pinnacle to this stronghold's seat between the seldom-noted north-east plains, and Youkai Mountain to the south-east, or just south.

That said, the red, crimson design was accented almost cinematically by the white, diamond-like snow.

Sendai was no stranger to magicians and youkai hiding in plain sight with luxurious, albeit sometimes shoddily or shallowly designed homes, forts or manors. But, compared to what she had called a mansion before, this looked like a castle. It was great, with exterior walling that couldn't even be seen over.

'What would be a crappy fence… is instead almost the border to a territory, or something.' Sendai wouldn't say it, but the scale intimidated her. 'This makes every crappy mansion I've ever been to look like a fucking house by comparison.'

On the snowy path ahead, there was a small, shoveled cropping. It was the clearing before the front gate, and everything behind it.

"Mmm…" Reimu took in her mother's observant expression… "Yeah, you won't find much wood or shoji here, and it's probably because they couldn't figure out a way to make it red."

Sendai let out a snort. "Ah…? No shoji?" She supposed westerners wouldn't know the benefits and detriments of sliding paper walling.

Up ahead of them was a redheaded gate guard of some kind. She had a big, fluffy green coat on, and big mittens…

"Ha~h…" She let out a breath, into the base of one of her gloves. "Ah." Then, she sighted the girls...

"He~y." Reimu gave her a plain wave. "We're going i~n."

"...Who's she?" The green-clad guardian searched her gaze over Sendai's form.

'...I wonder if that fan girl lie will still work-'

"My mom." Reimu told her the truth, before her mother could think of lying. "Don't ask. Long story."

...The guardian furrowed her brows for a moment, smiling wider, before sizing up Sendai's form one more time…

"...Huh." Then, she let herself step back towards the wall. "That's-..."

"Hmm?" Reimu actually faced her, now. "What's up?"

"It's nothing." The woman gave them a bow. "Hong Meiling. If you don't mind… what's your name?" Her question was posed to Sendai.

...Sendai opened her mouth. "My name-"

"Tsukiko." Reimu spilled it. "Her name's Tsukiko."

'What is it with people and name-dropping me…'

Sendai slowly faced her. "If I get assassinated by europeans, it's your fault."

Grinning, Meiling waved a hand at her. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that...! But um..." Turning to the gate, she moved to open it. "I guess I won't ask any questions, for now."

"You might as well hear it from someone else." Reimu remarked. "We're gonna be going around town, so-to-speak. Someone's gonna hear an almost-full explanation, at some point. I don't feel like slowing down for every person we come across."

"Fair enough." Meiling supposed… "But, if you stick around long enough, expect me to harass you! Because I'm really curious, now!"

Reimu rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe there'll be a big meetup, or something."

Creak. Meiling cast the gate open with a single thrust of her arms. Heading back for her personal spot against the wall, she continued… "I almost thought you were sneaking Marisa in at first, but…" Her gaze met Sendai's. "I figure you're telling the truth, this time."

Reimu grinned at her. "I pretty much totally expected to have to blow her past you, but this is fine, too. How do you know I'm not pulling a fast one, on you?"

Leaning against the wall, she gave the two a dismissive wave. "Aa~h. Maybe it's just cold, and I'm feeling lazy…"

"Cold, you say…" Reimu didn't look like she believed her, but continued anyway. "If you say so."

The two came up towards the fountain in the midst of the shoveled stone path before the mansion.

CLANG! The gate slammed loudly behind them, without anyone's touch.

Sendai jumped, casting her gaze back to it. 'Hmm? Ah. Damn old trick…'

"Every door here likes to do that, by the way." Reimu shook her head. "After the third time, you'll get used to it."

The mansion yard was about as remarkable as yards typically went. The only thing different was the scale, the neatness of some of the paths and shoveling, and some of the flowers that bloomed in winter. 'Hmm. Neat flowers…'

The porch ahead was clean of ice, to Sendai's relief. 'Oddly accommodating, but that's nothing new. Gotta make sure the path to the meat grinder trap is nice and clean, come sleet or snow.'

Cr- crea~k. With a few uneven pushes, Reimu got the big, imposing front door open. "The~re we go."

Crea~k! Sendai gave the other half of the front door a big push, and it squeaked more than it creaked, as it whipped in on its hinges. '...Way lighter than they look.'

She stepped inside the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

True to her daughter's words, the inside, while decorated, was two things: red, and brutally straightforward.

The main lobby featured a grand staircase in the middle, leading upward. There was some negative space to the left and right of the stairs, featuring little more than some furnishings and vases.

To her broader left and right, huge halls followed the face of the manor, or so Sendai thought. The rightmost hall held a right turn. '...That would go outside, wouldn't it? That shouldn't be possible. Oh, gods…' She probably couldn't trust her innate spacial awareness, in here.

Maids bodied somewhere between adolescence and adulthood sighted the two, and upon noting their Hakurei garb, quit their plain chatting, and continued to polish the stair railing. 'Those maids… they're fairies.' Her attention was drawn to the mostly uniform, translucent wings on each of their backs.

Above them, a warm light shined down from the grand chandelier. Sendai took a good, hard look at the ceiling above it. 'What's that inlet, there…?' Over the entrance itself, there was a big, very slight incropping, visible in the plaster. The light tried to make it invisible, but the edges were just able to be made out.

"Welcome to red country." Reimu held out an arm, to the rest of the place. "It's really, really, red…"

'...Yeah, this is pretty garish.' Sendai wasn't sure what brought the obsession with red about, but she supposed the monochrome color scheme was fine.

Stopping before her, Reimu grinned big. "...We're gonna mooch." She declared. "They make some awesome food here."

"It's safe to eat here?" Sendai was immediately skeptical. "In a vampire's residence?"

"Western vampire." For some reason, Reimu clarified that. "And, yeah. I've eaten here a lot before, actually. They're nice, and they give me food."

...Getting closer to her mother, she continued. "They're probably looking for political favors, but just 'cause they feed me doesn't mean I'll give 'em any."

'Atta girl.' Sendai supposed she'd be satisfied with that… 'Wait, this is still-... shouldn't this be heavy youkai territory? So far, we were just allowed to walk in without a hitch.'

"That's awfully presumptuous, of you."

Sendai and Reimu turned between one another, finding a silver-haired maid there.

CLACK- THOOM… The door behind her slammed shut, a few flakes of frost billowing in the air behind her.

'Um…!?' Sendai wasn't sure if this was part of the normal greeting, or what…

Reimu wasn't bothered, however. "Well, it's not like you don't know, already."

...Her head slowly panned to Reimu. "That wasn't exactly what I was going for. You assume we have an ulterior motive."

"'Cause you do." Reimu allowed herself a smug look… "Now, feed me."

The maid gave an almost inaudible snort. 'Oh, hey, she can laugh, I think.' The stoic servant thing reminded Sendai of a few other times… 'She's a human, which seems… odd. Perhaps I should question her, later.'

"Very well." She consented to feeding them. "...If you ask me, you're becoming too comfortable, coming here."

"Yeah, yeah." This was nothing Reimu hadn't heard before. "Next time you stop by the shrine, I might pass you a bottle."

'That makes two of us…' Sendai agreed with the maid's 'too comfortable' comment. 'Out of all places I've been so far, I especially feel like I can't drop my guard here.'

...Before leading them further, the blue-white maid stopped before Sendai. 'Hmm?'

She gave a healthy bow, and held out an arm. "Welcome to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. My name is Sakuya Izayoi."

'Huh…' Sendai let her expression twitch a little at the expression of service.

SENDAI HAKUREI NO MIKO MODE

12

A Perfect Maid

Sakuya lead them down the left hall. They took the first left turn they saw, then the next right turn.

Crea~k. The doors opened automatically for the three girls, letting them out from the halls which one could endlessly gaze down. 'This place already feels fucking massive. Just how in-built is all of this!?'

"I was wondering…" Sendai was still very suspicious of this place, and healthily so. "What is the purpose, of this place?"

...While Reimu flicked her gaze up in the background, Sakuya focused on the question. "The purpose of a mansion?"

The levelness of her tone made it hard for Sendai to read snidery or otherwise from her voice. She replied equally plainly. "I feel like it's more than a mansion."

First taking a moment of thought, Sakuya then looked back at her. "You're right. It's more than a mansion. It's a home."

'Good.' She'd achieved effectively nothing within one minute.

"Honestly, what'd you expect…?" Reimu gave her a wry look back. "This place is pretty shady in its own ways, yeah, but they're not super hard to keep tabs on. Just relax."

They were now in the dining room. This large room followed the interior design of the hallways, and included another great chandelier beneath a raised ceiling. In fact, the ceiling was twice as high as the lobby's, even.

Grand windows sat to the left, big and ornate. Beyond them was Gensokyo's snow lands, framed by the perimeter wall in the lower third of the image.

"I'm just questioning the purpose of a youkai stronghold, practically on the horizon of the human village and the Hakurei Shrine." Sendai asserted herself further. "What's the game, here?"

...Sakuya looked back at her, before turning to her fully.

"Mo~m." Reimu gave her mother a chiding look.

Sakuya gave Sendai another bow. '...Hmm?'

"If I may apologize, on the behalf of my mistresses. We had no greater priority on relocation, than scenery. It was only when we got here, that we were familiarized with this land's customs. As you may understand, further relocation was… unacceptable, outside possibility, or both."

'Got a politician's mouth on her…' Sendai took note of how she spoke. 'Or, she might just be very articulate for no reason. She is a maid, afterall.'

Reimu agreed with that recounting. "Yeah. They pretty much just dropped in and acted like they owned the place. I put an end to that real quick."

...Sakuya rose from her bow. "You and the black-white, you mean."

"Well, yeah." Reimu now looked wayward… "Don't you got food to be making?"

"It's done." Sakuya replied.

At the almost-empty dining room table before them, there was steak arranged for Sendai, and Reimu was presented with a stack of pancakes.

Crunch. ...It was almost empty, because there was a single fairy there. She was very short, had poofy, orange hair, and was eating a half-burnt waffle.

"Oh, right." Reimu blinked at the food. "I forgot about that."

'You're instilling me with confidence, Reimu.' Sendai stared at the pre-made food in wonder…

"Huh. Do you have a staff, for this?" Sendai moved to sit at the very, very long dining table. "Food doesn't get made this quick, either."

"...You could say we have a staff." Sakuya supposed. "However, everything that requires a more… delicate touch, is left to me."

'Delicate touch' immediately brought one thing to Sendai's mind. "Murder?"

Sakuya nodded. "Well, yes. But, cooking, cleaning, and tending to the mistresses, in most cases."

'Oh. Wait…!'

The moment to reply to that quickly passed. Reimu scooted her own chair back, ready for pancakes… "Mmh. So, what'd you think? When you saw my mom walk into the shrine, that night." She also quizzed Sakuya.

"I wasn't there, at that moment." Sakuya shook her head… "I saw you dragging her into the trash, however. You sent me for chips, remember? Or, were you too drunk already?"

...Reimu gave her a vague look, both from cringing at remembering putting her own mother in the trash, but also to illustrate her confusion, as she recounted that night's events. "Well, why didn't you just pop-out and then pop back in with the chips? Why'd you go manually?"

...At that, Sakuya didn't have a good answer. "Well. The night was young, and I had a good buzz. I wanted to appreciate the stars."

Cutting into her pancakes, Reimu grinned. "You coulda done that anyway…! Whatever..."

"Wind doesn't blow when time is stopped, you know." Sakuya promptly returned. "So, it doesn't feel quite as genuine."

'...What exactly are they talking about?' Sendai felt like she somehow fell away from their terminology, at some point. 'Time stop? Pop-in, pop-out?'

"Time stop?" Sendai wondered aloud.

...Reimu nodded. "Time stop. Sakuya, Sakuya. Room cleaning, stop."

Suddenly, Sendai noticed there was an entirely new table cloth beneath her plate. 'What. Wh- how.'

"No." Sakuya refused. "That joke doesn't belong to you."

...Sendai chewed her steak piece as cautiously as one could chew a steak piece. 'That didn't answer anything. This Sakuya seems to be a friend of Reimu's, of some sort. Just like her and that rabbit girl, kind of. Reisen, was it?'

Once she was able to finish her piece, she tried again. "What do you mean, by that? Time stop…"

...Sakuya met her gaze calmly, with her blue eyes.

"It means just that." Sakuya's voice was heard in her left ear.

'What-'

Sakuya was now to her left, in the corner of the room.

When Sendai's eye met the windows, and the view of the outside world, she saw Sakuya on a distant tree.

'...Really, now?' She wasn't sure if they were illusions, or if she told the truth. 'That's not possible, though… for time magic to work like this. Right?'

She looked up, and saw Sakuya upside-down above her.

Before her, Sakuya was laying leisurely on the table.

Reimu looked up, and she was gone. "Hmm…?" It was in his motion, that Sendai just saw her disappear, the presence with her.

'Now she's-'

Sakuya was behind Reimu. "Napkin?"

"Ee- ah…" This made her jump slightly. "Don't do that, or I'll whack you."

"My apologies." Sakuya successfully passed the napkin to her. "I was feeling playful."

"You, playful?" Reimu wiped the butter and syrup from her own face… "You're hard to read, y'know…"

Sakuya presented her default expression. "Am I?"

'...The door into here's already closed.' Sendai noticed. 'There's a tiny door at the other far side of the room. It probably leads to the kitchen.'

The fluffy, orange-haired fairy maid neared them… "Hehe~y, chie~f!"

Everyone silently turned to her. For her short stature, the fairy maid was considerably buxom…

"...Who's she!?" She jabbed her finger in the direction of Sendai. "She's like Reimu, but sexier!"

"No one to be concerned with." Sakuya answered for her. "Run along."

"But- chie~f…!" She whined, pursing her breasts together with her arms… "I wanna at least ta~lk to her. Is that too much to ask?"

"Probably, yes." Sakuya figured. She turned to Sendai as if to seek confirmation…

...Since she was just about done with her steak by this point, Sendai stood up. "Sure. I'll talk with you."

'I wanna see if there's anything different about these fairies.' The bust of this short one sort of clued her in, but she figured a little subtle interrogating couldn't hurt. 'Most of them are all really tall… except for this one.'

When she'd approached, Sendai realized she absolutely towered over her. '...She comes up to my stomach, about. Or, perhaps my breasts, but aside from her own chest, she seems very small in general...'

"Wo~w…" Strafing around Sendai, the fairy got a view at the sides of her contained breasts, past the weathered red apron Sendai wore habitually. "You're even bigger than Komi-chan… by a lo~t!"

"Is sex the only thing you think about?" Sendai was starting to think she'd made a mistake in bothering, however…

"I wish!" The fairy beamed up at her. "What about you!? With pillows like that, nnh…" She began to bring her arms up, greedily. "Do you mind if we… play, together?"

"If that's all you're interested in, I'm done with you." Sendai partially turned away, more interested in her chair again…

Stomping up to her, the fairy's grin turned malicious. "Hehehe~! Then, I'll just make you want to play with me! There's no way someone like you's tougher than Komi-chan!"

-+- Vs. Scarlet Devil Mansion Fairies -+-

...Stepping back, Sendai took in a breath of air. 'Sort of stale, here. Not sure if I like it or not…'

The fairy groped at the air. "Alright- c'mere, you-"

SLAP! A single Hakurei talisman met her face. "Wha-"

Pap! Sendai came up to her, and grabbed her by the collar with one hand. "Wh- ow- ow- ho- hold-"

Coming up to the big table, Sendai felt her adrenaline flare. 'Alright- now!'

WHAM! She brought the fairy's fluffy forehead down on the edge of the table, by shoving a palm into the back of it. "Kgh- gh-"

KR- CRUNCH! After thrusting herself back, she kicked the fairy's head into the table edge, wood sandal to her fluffy scalp.

Pi~chun! This was way too much for her, and she shattered to the force instantly.

THUNK! Sendai's sandal met the table, and it shook hard. 'Ah- whoops…'

Sendai obtained Citrus Pleasure Wand!

Sendai obtained 10 Yen.

...Furrowing her brows, Sendai looked over the orangish, pastel wand she found. "What the hell's this?"

"It's a pleasure wand." Sakuya supplied. "When active, it builds pleasure in whoever you touch with it. The fairies here use them to seduce their targets, more often than not… as well as get one another in the mood."

'I know fairies can be little devils if you let them… but here, they seem especially so, then!'

"That was good." Standing up, Reimu cast her arms back. "Haa~h…"

"I'm glad." Sakuya gave her a nod. "Did you enjoy it, too?" She turned to Sendai, as well.

She nodded. "Ah, yeah. That was really good…"

'I hate to admit it, but they make damn good food here.' Sendai looked for her drink briefly, before walking up to it and downing it. 'Aah…'

...Backing away from the dining table, Reimu faced her mother. "Hey. You want the full course tour?"

Sendai liked how she presented that, so she agreed on impulse. "Sure."

...Giving both girls a nod, Reimu began to move for the door out. "I'm gonna chat up Remilia real quick. You guys can go do your thing, for now."

Seeing through the idea immediately, Sakuya exhaled. "Keeping me busy, are you? Mmm…" Her monotone gaze met Sendai's. "Follow me, then. There may be some places of interest to you, here."

'Is that so…' Curious at this idea, Sendai moved to follow her. 'Lead the way, then.'

They followed Reimu out. And, with that, the three had left the mid-morning light cast by the sky, almost by the snow itself. They would not see it again for an indeterminate period of time.

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

After a few more turns through the halls, Sendai found herself alone with Sakuya. 'She's interesting, at least. I'm quickly growing bored of these… red walls, red carpets, and, eugh.' There was really too much red, for her interests.

"Do you like reading?" Sakuya asked an unexpectedly plain question.

...Sendai took a moment, caught off-guard. "Uh. Yeah."

Crea~k. The double doors at the back of this dead-end hallway opened.

They stepped inside, and Sendai looked up.

...At first, she was impressed at the scale. Then, she realized what she was seeing. Book shelves as far as the eye could see. 'What…!?'

"Voile Magic Library." Sakuya bowed, as if demonstrating it. "We mustn't be here too long. The lady of this place will be disturbed, if we make too much noise."

"...Is that so." Meanwhile, Sendai was still captivated by the sights before herself. "So many books."

Sakuya stifled a smile, at that. "You almost sound impressed."

"Because, I am!" Grinning up at them all, Sendai was happy.

'This feels like a magician's library... and, while magician's libraries can be painful and annoying, they occasionally do carry the token neat book. I totally need to raid- I mean… explore this. Yeah. Do magicians have check-out systems? Typically, the point of the library is to kill people with their smartness… so, usually they don't.'

"Don't open the books at random, now." Sakuya recommended, as she paced ahead. "Something unspeakable would befall you."

Snapped from her immersion, Sendai let her face fall a little… "I'm not that dumb."

...While Sakuya moved, Sendai began to jog after her. 'Still. This place…'

'It's so big.'

She couldn't see the ceiling, as it was blurred out by a red, brown haze of the dim library ambience. Only candle light kept the dark shelves illuminated, the massive space both parts weirdly lively, yet emanating the great feeling of creaking empty and loneliness.

"Hey…" Sendai looked ahead. "Does anyone actually manage-... this."

Sakuya was gone.

"...He~y." She held up a hand, and began to call out. "He~y!"

'...Really. That bitch ditched me. Ah, whatever.' She didn't really care, but it was kind of unexpected. 'Guess I'll backtrack. Don't feel like getting lost somewhere with magic books of doom.'

She looked back. A book shelf replaced the way out.

'Are you… kidding?'

She panned her head left. Then, she panned it right. She stared straight ahead.

'Where the hell am I supposed to go, now…?' Now she was lonely. 'There's not even any fairy maids back here. This sucks.'

Looking between two shelves, she had an idea. 'Hmm. Let's-...' Getting between them, she took some steps back, and then...

"Hup!" She leaped at once, arms streched out to begin her ascension up the shelf's side.

SHOOF! The books inside flashed green and slid out, ramming her in the gut. "Unh!"

Thud. She fell onto her back. "Aa- aanh…"

'Well. That-... that was embarrassing…'

"Shit." Taking a moment, she climbed back onto her legs, pushing against the ground to maneuver herself right. "So much for that…"

Then, something pleasant hit her nose. 'Uh- mmh…'

thump, thump, thump, thump. Heels softly pressed against the carpet nearby.

Sendai turned, expecting Sakuya. Instead, she saw a woman clothed in black.

Her hair was long, red, and little bat wings came from the sides of her head. "Hello~. Are you lost?"

'Succubus.' Sendai immediately recognized what this was, and her danger senses flared.

"No." She began to glare. "You may leave me alone."

The succubus was not impressed. "But why, though? Look." She stepped closer.

Sendai scrunched her nose harder. The succubus's smile was airy, as she leaned towards her. "I'm the assistant of this library's lady. You may call me Koakuma…"

"Are you, now?" Sendai kept her arms ready at her own sides… "What do you say you show me the way out, then?"

"Why, sure." Koakuma blew her a kiss. "Anything for a woman like you."

'I should just attack her, but…' Between the slight buzz she was getting from the sweet scent, and knowing where she was, she decided to relent. 'I'll wait.'

The scent was something like vanilla. 'This stinks…'

"What brings a woman like you here?" Koakuma inched closer to her, as they walked.

Sendai inched away. "That bitch of a maid abandoned me."

"Ooh?" Koakuma's eyebrows raised. "Aah, yes. That Sakuya. She is a bitch, isn't she? Always so cold."

'Stop acting chummy. That's already really annoying.'

"Up there." Koakuma pointed somewhere.

...Staring at her plainly, Sendai seemed annoyed. Eventually, she looked in the direction that was pointed out. 'Ah. Yeah, I see a ledge.'

"The way out is up on that floor." Koakuma smiled at her. "I could carry you up there, if you'd let me."

...Sendai nodded. "What if I don't trust you?"

...Koakuma gave her an innocent, yet knowingly obnoxious shrug. "We~ll. I could read you a story, maybe. If that's something you want."

Expression hard, Sendai folded her arms. "Sure."

"I guess I'll- wait, really…?" That response caught her off-guard. "I mean-... right away!"

thump- thump- thump- thump. Koakuma hustled off, to find a story she'd prefer to read.

...In the meanwhile, Sendai looked over the nearby bookshelves.

'These books.' Something immediately struck her as weird. 'They're arranged in volumes. Except…'

There were rows of red and blue volumes, stacked up along a nearby shelf.

Stepping up to them, Sendai held out a hand. 'Touching even the covers might be dangerous, but…' There were shapes, on the base of the lowest volumes. Each design took place across four or five books, golden creases creating a rectangle design.

Sendai felt the gold, glittery surface with her fingers, before placing her hand in the midst of it.

Fwi~sh! It glowed for a moment. 'Oh- shit…'

Shoof. "Ah?"

...All books with a similar red design had lit up a full red, sliding out partially.

Shoof. Then, they slid back. '...Um?'

...Sh- shoof. They began sliding in and out of the shelf, every couple seconds. 'Aa~h. I've discovered something. This shelf won't work, but...'

She looked at a nearby wall. 'If I climb the far wall with these shelf platforms, I could get out on my own.' There was even one column in particular, seemingly made for this purpose.

thump. thump. thump. thump. Koakuma was back, already. "He~y."

...Since Sendai said nothing to her, she held up a little book she'd found. "Lucky for me, a personal favorite of mine was nearby. Isn't that great, miss maiden?"

"Yeah." Sendai was positively elated.

Koakuma came closer to her… "So."

Her black tail came around her side, coiling up one of Sendai's arms. "Whose lap gets to be sat on? Mine, or yours?"

"I'll sit on yours." Sendai immediately requested the option that made the least sense.

"...Here." Stepping forward, Koakuma pulled Sendai along. "Should be a chair and table, right ove~r…"

Along the back wall, where Sendai actually wanted to go, was a small chair and table work station. 'Hmm…'

"There." In the dark gloom, Koakuma smiled warmly. "Let's sit."

The first into a chair was Koakuma, since she had elected to have her lap sat on.

...Sendai moved for a different chair entirely-

Koakuma's tail tugged on her arm. "Miss. My lap will be cold without you."

Giving a sigh, Sendai moved for her. "Alright."

fwish. Channeling dark energy to her butt and hips, Sendai almost leapt, falling backwards with force-

Crack! When she landed, the chair threatened to break.

"Ohn- eheheh…!" Koakuma grinned sheepishly at that. "He- heavy girl, huh…!?"

'Good.' Sendai grinned at her. 'That was kinda worth it.'

Koakuma had to awkwardly position her arms, to let Sendai see into her book. "An- anyway… here, honey."

Almost jestingly, Sendai stared down at the text, written in an unknown language… 'What the hell is-'

Her eyes met a glowing light. 'Wait-... what is-'

FWISH!

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

Sendai opened her eyes to an otherworldly shore.

"Aa~hn…" Her body stifled a yawn, her voice echoing out into the blue, luminescent evening. She was staring down at a half-written text.

'Alright, what the fuck. Did the book send me here…?' Sendai wondered...

Then, the woman's body raised from the obsidian chair.

This shore was comprised of blue sand, overlooked by unknown marble, bone-like masses and arches, looking out on a swirling nova of stars and solar gas.

'Seriously…' The view took her aback. 'What…!'

Looking down at herself, the woman groped one of her own almost unconcealed breasts. "Nn~h… damn."

The motion made Sendai's own chest churn. 'Wh- what the hell, stop that…!'

The body was scantily clad, her outfit a combination of black, flesh-like matrices, which eased up around the breasts, wrapping around them with broad strokes, but still somehow shielding the critical places.

An esoteric scent filled Sendai's senses, and the very hint of it was like a drug. 'Wh- wha~t… the fuck…'

Her body stepped towards the azure water of the shore, which overlooked an endless sea that lead into the stars.

Pop- pop- pop! Looking down into her hand, the woman saw heart-like glyphs form, flashes of yellow and pink flaring out from it. "Aghain…" For some reason, her speech slurred.

She thrust her arm up. "Hyah!"

KRIK- FWASH! Around her, a bubble of energy flared out, those heart glyphs bouncing off of the rims of a sphere that materialized around her. The energy burst also let out some kind of electric flare…

Once the saccharine, sudden energy died down, the body let out a sigh. "Ugh. Archival reports…"

Sendai learned Stun Meteor!

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

After a few more blinks, Sendai found herself again. '...That was- wh- what the fuck-'

Her heels now off, Koakuma had one leg snaked around Sendai, one of her hands now inside her red apron and feeling at her breasts.

"That's right. Lie back…" Her voice was in Sendai's left ear.

"What- the fuck-..." Her adrenaline began to kick in, as she tried to stand.

Koakuma held onto her tight, and tugged back. "Sorry~. I'm not done with you yet, miss. Ooh…"

Chu. Her lips met Sendai's cheek. It was at first itchy, but then began tingling. She left a rich, ruby lipstick mark on her cheek.

The book having long been discarded, Koakuma had a hand feeling at Sendai's abs from around her body. "Hehehehe~. You've already given birth once, I see. Not often have I ever worked with a real mother… especially in my line of work."

'Why am I so warm…!?' Gaze growing harder, Sendai began to push an arm against her.

"Hmhm…" Koakuma struggled against the arm pressing into her upper chest, but due to how much of Sendai's body she had capitalized, she was able to snake past it. Sendai's arm ended up around her back instead.

"Mmh." Swiftly, she planted a kiss on Sendai's lips. "Mhmhm!" Her head twisted, so the lovely red would mark Sendai's lips, and the kiss they shared.

'Ugh- get- get the hell off!' Her expression flared, as Koakuma wrapped her limbs around her, the warm body sinking into Sendai's. 'This- isn't fucking happening…'

"Mwah." Breaking the kiss, Koakuma smiled down at her. "Fu- fufufu~! It's too late…"

Pap! Sendai's palm clutched her face, and began squeezing. 'Like hell- it is…!'

The kiss of a succubus was a deadly mark, and the fact she'd let it happen was complete carelessness on her part. 'If I don't end this right now…!'

Standing from the chair, Sendai ran forward, towards the nearest surface- a bookshelf- to try and ram Koakuma into it.

"A- ahn!" Sendai squeaked, her charge stopping. Koakuma's tail had coiled up Sendai's waist, and brushed a certain sensitive region on the way.

Then, Koakuma's face slipped past the palm, and met her face again. "Mmh…" Now both of Sendai's arms were around the soft succubus. Her defenses were fully breached.

'Fu- fuck…'

fwi- fwish! Dark energy came up Sendai's arms in uneven jolts, and she pulled at Koakuma's hair-

Rii~p! 'Ha- haha!' She wasn't entirely unsuccessful at doing damage, at least.

"Nn- nnh!" Despite the pain, Koakuma kept the kiss going, trying to push her tongue through.

Between the groping, the friction against her lower region, and the kiss…

Thud. Sendai fell on her back. 'My- my body…!' She was losing control to the succubus. 'No…'

Lying there, Sendai felt her heart sink. Koakuma was now kneading her breasts with a flushed expression, nose-to-nose, and an aching need crept up Sendai's waist, the length of Koakuma's tail massaging her lower entrance. 'I'm- not letting, this bitch-...'

"Mwah!" Breaking the kiss, Koakuma smiled down at her. "Ju- just sleep. Hehe- yho- you know, yer such a pervy shrine maiden. How would you like a thick cock, in you? I can te~ll, you'd love being dommed. How's under my heels sound?"

If this went on, she'd be lost. Some succubus's pet, and perhaps a new slave for the mansion. Not only would she lose herself here, Reimu would lose her mother. Keisuke would lose his lover. Her life would be changed in an instant, leading to a slow, painful, shameful decline.

While Sendai's body laid still there, Koakuma brought her face closer. "Your body lights me on fucking fire. Wh- when I'm done with you, there won't be any of that hardass mom vibe left, honey. Isn't that so hot?"

Sendai had a headache. She felt this idea in her body, and through her growing arousal.

Despite the wet spot on her hakama, and the flushed, hot skin of her body, her heartbeat became not faster or slower, but harder.

'Keisuke-...' This youkai greed, she saw a million times before. She saw it when her life was first threatened, in her shrine. She saw it when her husband died in her shrine.

'Reimu.' She saw it the first time she tried to take Reimu out for training, and had to protect her. She knew Reimu would one day have to stand against it.

Youkai lived off of fear. And, throughout her life, she was afraid. Even with power, there was always something to be afraid of. Gensokyo was more dimensional than having the strongest fists, smartest magic or the wryest cunning. She began afraid for herself, and then she was afraid for her loved ones.

But, for youkai, their tool and lifeforce of fear was a double-edged sword. Fear gave way to frustration, and then anger. That was a fuel for humans all its own.

Sendai's spirit shined brighter: fueled by vengeance, wrath and anger.

Koakuma twitched. "Ah-"

Sendai lunged her face towards hers. "Rgh-"

CRUNCH! She bit down on one of Koakuma's long ears, and-

RI~P! She pulled.

Blood spritzed out. "Aa- aaa~h!" The scream of Koakuma hurt her ears, but brought her to her senses.

'Hah- haha!' Riding off the energy from that act, Sendai pulled on her, while on the ground.

Thu- thud! Koakuma's mature form rolled to a stop beside her. "Oh- ohw, ah-"

Sendai sprang up into a crouch atop her. She was bent over clumsily, a posture that strained her whole body, allowing her to loom down over the succubus.

Like this, she reeled an arm back. "Rr~gh…!"

WHACK- CRACK! She slammed down with two fists, one after another, into Koakuma's face. "Ngh- ahey-" Eyes winced, she pushed back against Sendai.

'This-... this is the problem, with youkai.'

WHACK- CRACK! Her body still surging with adrenaline, she slammed the limbs down again. Koakuma had tried to bite at a hand, but her head simply met the hard carpet harder. "Nn- nnh-"

'They don't empathize the same way we do.' Sendai felt her mind throb from anger. 'I can't believe I almost let myself forget that.'

WHACK- CRACK! Each vibration of her now limp head against the floor fueled Sendai to keep going, now.

'Willing to spend me for a meal, because of all the shit she couldn't- wouldn't realize…' It reminded her too much of the youkai she was used to fighting. Brutal, carnal, and absolute. They did as they pleased, and to them, a human life was nothing more than something to satiate hunger, lust or amusement.

WHACK- CRACK! WHACK- CRACK! Sendai's arms began to hurt again, like the last time she remembered doing this. 'Just- just… die, you god damn deceptive…'

Wham. Her last fist came down on the bloody face lightly. 'Love-... love's not a fucking game!'

She was hyperventilating, now on her knees, straddling the bleeding succubus. "Yo- yhou…"

If there was one kind of youkai Sendai hated, it was succubi. 'Not only do they just- retardedly, come up to you and try to ruin you… they play with your fucking heart and body. It's so fucking wrong. Love-... using the body like this, is just…' She thought of Keisuke again. What she felt when Koakuma touched her was not the kind of reminder of love she wanted.

Woosh. Tensing herself, adrenaline and heart pumping, she stood up. Then, she lifted her leg over Koakuma.

WHA- CRACK! She stomped her head into the floor, hard. 'Fucking die. Succubus piece of shit. Fuck-'

WHACK! Something blindsided Sendai. 'Wh- what!?'

Thud! She landed on her side. "Ah- asshole…" Taking a moment, she got back up…

There was no one around. '...Hmm!?'

She ran for Koakuma again, ready to stomp her or attack again in some way.

A book came out, whipping with almost invisible velocity. 'wh-'

WHAM! It hit Sendai hard enough to blow her away. "Eg- aah!"

Thud! She landed on her back. "Nnh-... go- god, dammit…"

'What the fu~ck!?' At this point, Sendai was just tired and pissed off. 'Why!?'

Fwi- shi~ng. A barrier formed around Koakuma's now bloody form.

SLA- SLA- SLAP! Her Hakurei talismans met it, stopped by it. "U- ah…" This visual made her stop, too.

...Tensing her entire body, Sendai stomped the floor.

Thunk. It was a pretty good stomp, all things considered. "Who the hell's the~re!? Show yourself!"

...No one came, however.

Her method of assaulting the succubus was brutal. It was raw, forceful, beastial and angry. Frayed emotions, flooding through Sendai like it was the very first time.

'You know your enemies better, than anyone else…' Sendai recognized how she fought. She had descended upon that youkai like a youkai herself. Clumsy, powerful, but effective. Not fast, but not slow. Not with great force, but enough force. It was weirdly balanced. 'My style right now… it's that of a youkai.'

...Sendai finally began to collect her breath. 'If this is the last time I see a succubi, it will be too goddamn soon. The next time I see this bitch… a youkai like this is the kind I remember hunting. She deserves death.' The punishment of death was her accepted response to youkai-inflicted cruelty. It's what she grew up with, and considering her old opposition, it was natural.

She stomped up to one of the tome shelves ahead. This one stretched up into the darkness of the ceiling, and judging by the coloration of the tomes- blue and red- they were made for her, or someone, to climb.

Pap! She angrily slapped the two tomes with glyphs, ready to get started with it. 'The exit better fucking be up there. I've had it up to here with this fucking hokey maze bullshit.'

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

The problem solving required to get through the jumping puzzle passed by in a blur.

Clack! "Hyup!" She made another jump that caused her heart to leap, sandals skidding against the dusty surfaces of tomes as she partially ran against the uneven shelf beside herself to make it to the next stack of extended tomes.

From here, she ran ahead- "Ha~h!" -and, she roared ahead to the balcony ledge.

Clack- thud! She dropped into a roll on landing. 'Aah… there.'

...Admittedly, the time she had to climb cooled her head down a little. 'Damn. I wonder if I'm gonna get a goddamn talking down to, over that. That'd be fucking ridiculous, but I see it coming…'

She marched past an arch comprised of shelves, and found herself in a well-lit clearing. 'Oh…?'

...There seemed to be a fairy congregation, here. However, they all sat quietly, seemingly minding their own business.

'What's this…' Sendai stared at all the cute girls, unimpressed. 'Quiet hour?'

She was really not in the mood to question any of them. 'Now I'm all in a bad mood.'

"Um…" A quiet, blue-haired fairy with a slender form came up to her. "Hi…"

Sendai immediately sneered at her. "Wha~t."

"Um. Here…" She held out a highly luminescent, yellow bottle. "Elixir."

...Sendai's gaze hardened. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

"N- no…!" Shy and scared, she began to cower away. "I- I, um…!"

A black-haired maid stepped up alongside her, rivaling Sendai in height, even in hair length. "Just shut up and take the goddamn elixir."

Sendai snorted. "Ooh…?"

'Got a mouth on her, for a fairy…' She had to admit, the fairy seemed to have a nice look and style.

"What's all this?" Since they were on this path of thinking, Sendai gestured to the other fairies here.

The black-haired maid rolled her eyes. "Well, we were going to all jump you up here, but the bookworm came up here and told us that'd be a bad idea, so…"

'...What the actual fuck is going on.'

Sendai just slowly shook her head at them. "So-... you're not jumping me now?"

"We were actually told to give you this fucking elixir, so just fucking take it." The sailor-mouthed fairy took it from her friend, and held it out towards Sendai. "Here!"

Sendai finally consented to taking it.

Sendai obtained Knowledge Blend Elixir!

"It was gonna be this awesome big fuckfest and everything, too." Shaking her head, the fairy began to walk back to her seat, at one of the tables. "Fucking librarian pet, can't do anything right…"

...Sendai didn't have much room left in her inventory. 'Man, I'm a hoarder. Hold on… ah, got one spot left. Wait, no, that dumb wand's there. Wait.'

Sendai found out Solid Water melted…

'Why the hell did I take a piece of ice with me, anyway? Oh, well.' She patted her bloated, tiny backpack. 'All good, now.'

"Wait-..." The black-haired fairy spoke up from her table. "You aren't taking it right now?" By 'taking' she seemed to mean drinking it.

Sendai didn't even justify that inquiry with a response, moving out the door with it. '...So? I just got molested, not fucking dissected. I'll hold onto it until I need it. Like that box of goddamn yukkuri mix...'

Maybe she'd have to think about using some of the things she acquired, at some point. '...Do I have one of that succubus's hairs on me? Maybe I could make a yukkuri of it and fucking kill it.'

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

A few seconds down the generic hall, and Sendai heard a second pair of footsteps.

She turned, seeing Sakuya there, walking with her as if nothing abnormal had happened.

...Sendai forced a smile onto her own face. "Hey."

At Sakuya's non-reply, she continued. "What was that?"

Since she still wasn't replying, Sendai continued again. "Was that your attempt at a fucking joke, or something?"

Still no reply. "...Reimu's right. You really do have a weird sense of humor."

"She called me hard to read, if I remember correctly." Sakuya gave a level stare back at her.

Sendai snorted. "Ho~h? That got you to talk…?"

When they were before a huge, decorated double-doorway, Sakuya stopped. Sendai stopped too.

"...I apologize." Sakuya offered to her. "I didn't think that would play out the way it did."

...Hearing this, Sendai paused.

"I hope you understand." Following up, Sakuya gave a short bow. "All this time, and I couldn't be confident in your identity. And… admittedly, I still am not."

'This was all on fucking purpose…' Sendai felt herself heat up again, but only a little. 'Just because she couldn't check my abilities herself. All because-...'

"I take threats like that seriously, you know." Sendai held forward her arms, and began to crack her knuckles. "Here I am, giving this unprecedented, big ass youkai factory a chance to prove itself at least neutral. And, here you are." Her body heated up as she spoke.

...Sakuya furrowed her brows, a little. "I didn't think it should have proved much of a problem, for you-"

"That's not really the fucking point…!" Sendai began to step towards her. "Do you think human lives are a fucking joke?"

'I just walk into here, you treat me all nice with Reimu around, and the moment we're separated you try to get me fucking trapped!' Her temper was rearing itself, again.

...There was no reply. Sendai kept going. "So, you tried to fucking trap me. Just to sate your own curiosity, you'd have me raped, and-... succubi don't fucking let people go, you know. That would be the rest of my life. Broken slut toy."

"Calm down." Despite her venom, Sakuya stood her ground. "If you weren't who you said you were, you would have faltered. That would have been that."

'I would've faltered- and…!?' Sendai had little to speculate about what that meant. 'Really…'

"So, if I wasn't, I'd deserve to die, then." Sendai's headache returned. "Get turned into a cow, just because."

"It's not death." Sakuya's reply was level. "It's an employment opportunity, if anything."

'What!?'

"And who the fuck're you to decide!?" Lumbering closer, Sendai's fists were clenched. "You think you can play god!?"

'She has the brass balls- to look at me, look at me and Reimu, and say… 'oh, she doesn't deserve her mother. Break her, rape her! Why not'!?'

At her volume and presence, Sakuya took one step back. "...I decide based on the safety and well-being of the mansion. Nothing more."

Sendai stopped, not out of satiation, but from what a statement like that meant.

'These fuckers are after the land. They're after the people. They're after me, and Reimu. And, this girl… something's seriously wrong with her head.'

"...So." Sendai cracked her own neck. "Guess Reimu's still green, after all, huh."

Sakuya rose a brow. "Meaning?"

"This place deserves to be burned to the fucking ground." Sendai raised her fists. "If you think you can pass judgment on lives as you see fit, and risk people to becoming entrapped in your shitty ignorance… just because they mean nothing to you..."

Her whole body was tense, despite her motions. "I'll kill you."

'Everything I've fought for… this absolute idiocy, this cold shoulder, my family, her delusion and intentions shit on all of that.'

...Sakuya sighed. "What a hypocritical statement."

Sendai's temper flared. 'This blind piece of shit…!'

"I was thinking of this culminating in a spar, anyway." Cold and unfazed, Sakuya revealed her intentions. "...If you're all for it, that just makes this even more genuine."

Sendai roared at her, and ran forward. "Hrra~gh!"

'You won't be the boss of my humanity, Sakuya Izayoi!'

Sendai learned Phoenix Spirit!

-+- Vs. Private Youkai Exterminator, Tertiary Incident Resolver, Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion Sakuya Izayoi -+-

woosh. Instantly, Sendai felt her body tilt to the side instinctually. Three knives had roared past her, in linear lines. 'A- ah-'

woosh. She'd leaned out of the next salvo as she ran. 'I won't let- that stop-'

Woosh! She threw a powerful punch forward-

Sakuya leapt forward, the blow going straight between her legs, and through her skirt.

Woosh. Sendai began to turn. Using the Hakurei's shoulders, Sakuya did a great, clean flip straight over her.

Their eyes met. Sakuya was upside down for a moment, her cold, level blue eyes meeting Sendai's expanding glare. 'Holy shit…'

Click. Sakuya finished her forward flip, and landed audibly on the carpet, before the grand double door ahead. Pivoting around to Sendai with an expressionless face, she brushed her hands past her thighs, and knives seemed to gravitate between each finger, almost.

Legs tightly together, her arms stiff and spread, Sakuya stood with six brandished knives, standing as a beacon of cold, formal rigidity.

'Those knives…!' Glaring ahead, Sendai found her resolve after being wowed by that last maneuver. 'I'll have to watch out.'

She sprinted straight towards Sakuya. Seeing her come, Sakuya raised an arm-

Woosh! Feeling her heartbeat pump, Sendai tensed her whole body, sliding on her sandals out of the way of a carving swing of the daggers. 'Not yet!'

Woosh- woo- woo- woosh! Sakuya kept cleaving, snaking around to try and clip her, before doing a full spin, blades of silver leaving echoing trails in the air.

Keeping cautious, almost cowardly distance, Sendai saw her chance. Taking it, she lunged an arm forward while Sakuya stopped spinning.

Whack! Her fist met Sakuya's midsection. "Nnh-"

Thunk! Sendai's next arm came up her other side, striking Sakuya's stomach, and making her step back. "Ngh-"

whish. As opposed to Sendai's movements, Sakuya's slides were smooth and perfect, almost making Sendai forget where she went with each transition.

Whish! Flicking her ankle out, Sendai managed to connect with her, upsetting her balance with the glancing blow-

WHACK! Flicking her leg up with self-destructive reflexes, Sendai connected it with her ribcage. 'Hh- now, and-"

WOOSH! From her kick, she came down on her leg, unleashing a mighty overhead swing.

whish. Sakuya's body streamed the entire overhead swing, as she seemingly crouched down in one instant, faster than a second, a half-second, or even a millisecond. Sendai thought she hit her, but that was just the image of Sakuya her brain had seen there.

SHUNK. Sendai hardly had time to think about whether her swing connected or not. Sakuya had stabbed her in the direct middle of her stomach. "Hgh-"

Shu- SHUNK. She drove the silver blade deeper, and then-

Shink. She retracted it simply.

Thud. Sendai fell onto her side, holding her stomach. 'ow- ohw- nnh- wh- nhn…'

While she bled on the floor, a pool forming under her, Sakuya took a lazy step back. "Hmm…?"

...Pushing her limbs against the ground, Sendai began to get back up. 'Al-... alright- fuck-'

WOOSH. She looked to her side. Suddenly, Sakuya was now there, doing a cartwheel towards her-

WHA- CRACK! Her knees came down on Sendai's back. "Nngh- kaugh- kauf…!" Blood and saliva ejected from Sendai's mouth.

Then, Sakuya was gone.

Looking up, Sendai saw her before herself, twirling a knife around playfully. 'Thi- this fucking…!'

Despite the dripping down her abdomen, the massive, throbbing gash eating at her, Sendai stood up.

"I cannot lose." Sakuya spoke monotonously. "Remembe~r. The test is to see if you're really a shrine maiden, or not. No one needs you if you aren't."

...Standing up unsteadily, Sendai let out a shuddering exhale. 'God… dammit. What a fucking joke…!' After what she'd already been put through, this insult was a slap to the face.

"Think quickly, now." Sakuya began to advance towards her.

'If I'm a shrine maiden, huh…' Sendai reached for her waist… 'I've got an idea, then.'

Feeling her adrenaline surge at a constant high, she began to throw her arms with blurring speed, dark energy travelling up them. "Thousand Talismans!"

Fwi- fwi- fwi- fwi- fwi- fwi- fwi- fwish! A constant stream of bullet-like, soaring talismans roar towards Sakuya's form.

The sound of a paper shredder becomes audible, a knife forming in the air for every talisman, shielding Sakuya as she simply walked forward towards Sendai. "...I don't think a shrine maiden just flails their toys around so meaninglessly. You do know I'm human, yes-"

Sendai stopped throwing her talismans, and flicked an arm towards her backpack.

BANG. A shot rang out.

"Nghk!?" Sakuya's reflexes weren't faster than the shot, which pierced her own stomach in turn. "Kh- hh…!?"

Sendai dropped the modern handgun. "The way I had to learn about shrine maiden work- ngh… you- you fought youkai any damn way you could. Shrine maidens aren't good dead, and youkai- kaugh- don't look to be even…"

'A mean youkai is bad…' She glared over the maid, and marched forward to contest her. 'But, a broken human is worse!' Sendai would know.

Sakuya Izayoi was the defeated servant of vampires. Sendai was the pressured, harassed and angry victim of years of youkai aggression. The former used her holy blades and skills for naught, now a maid, and the latter used the mindset and darkness of youkai against them.

'The difference between you and me…'

"Kauf- you- ngh…" Sakuya grabbed at Sendai's throat, when Sendai came up and grabbed onto hers.

Wham! She thrust Sakuya against the wall, and brought up her other palm.

BAM! She punched it into Sakuya's forehead, smashing it against the plaster wall, redding it with a fleck of blood on impact. Holding on, she brought the same head back.

BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM! She slammed it into the wall again and again, trying to knock her out. A new fleck of blood smeared on the wall with each thrust. 'Are you sure you're fucking human, anymore!?'

WHACK! Slamming an arm down brutally into Sakuya's collar, Sendai sent her skidding to the floor. "Engh- enh…"

'The difference between you and me- is that I never succumbed. Even if we've both sacrificed something. Right now, I don't fight like a shrine maiden. And you… no longer serve against youkai, if you ever did.'

Crack! ...Sendai stomped down where she was. She wasn't there anymore, however.

She turned, and saw Sakuya reach behind herself, now behind her-

WOOSH. Sendai ducked under a full-length holy blade. 'Woah! Ngh- my stab wound…!'

Thud. Slipping back onto her rear, Sendai gazed wide-eyed up at Sakuya, who now had her other arm flicked back, ready to lash out. 'Oh- aah- move!'

KABANG. Sakuya fired a gun at her. It left a hole in the back of her red cloth apron, grazing and rending some of her leotard.

She only missed because Sendai flicked her leg up, having displaced Sakuya's arm and aiming as a result. 'Oh my god…!'

Thu- thud! Rolling into a stand, Sendai took in her form.

Sakuya stood with a Luger in one hand, and a magic broadsword, Claimh Solais, in the other. "Hh- hardy, aren't you…?" Sakuya's eyes were wide. "I haven't had this rush in a long time!"

'Are you fucking kidding me…' Sendai was understandably intimidated. 'Look at the size of that sword!'

Claimh Solais glittered in the hall's light, the light of the sun and the dawn of day radiating through the shadows of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

'She-...' Sendai saw the new flame in her eyes. 'She used to fight youkai.'

With both weapons ready, Sakuya began to strafe.

Sendai didn't even want to look away for her for a split second. 'Oh- oh, gods…! My heart's beating so hard!'

Sakuya slid forward-

WOOSH! Sendai ducked a swing of Claimh Solais, a streak of holy light trailing in the air over her.

In an instant, Sakuya was ready to swing it again, now crouched down with Sendai.

"Hup!" Sendai had to leap into a roll, deciding to close the distance-

WOOSH. Claimh Solais passed beneath her. 'Aa- aah!'

Ignoring the blistering, bleeding pain of her wound, she finished rolling, into standing beside Sakuya. 'Alright-'

FWISH! Sakuya slid back, dust kicking up in her wake.

FWISH! Kicking her heel into the floor, Sakuya did a half-circle strafe around Sendai in one motion.

Cla- cla- clack! Her heels pounded against the double door she'd positioned herself before, as she ran up it. 'What the hell is she-...!?' Sendai had whipped around to watch her.

Clack! Leaping from the top, she attacked.

BANG- BANG- BANG! Three shots came down from above-

Splack! One passed through Sendai. "Hgh- rrghaa~h-"

KASHUNK- SHISHUNK! Spiralling down, Sakuya awkwardly brought Claimh Solais into Sendai's side, before rending it back out, an explosion of blood splattering from the impact and subsequent rending.

Sendai stumbled away, her head getting foggy. 'go- gods…'

Reaching into her backpach, she drew the elixir. 'now now now now now'

"Mgh- kaugh- shk- nnhk…" She sucked on the elixir bottle, almost breaking the glass on her teeth as she downed it.

"What's wro~ng?" Sakuya sounded like she was having fun, now. "I've fought monsters times tougher than you a~re. A shrine maiden shouldn't be like that."

Cra~ck. The bottle shattered on the floor beside Sendai.

Her whole body was alight with azure, purple and white energy, her eyes aglow as the elixir's effects worked through her whole body. 'Ye- yes…! Holy fuck! I- I needed that…!'

Shi- shi~ng. From her back, Sendai drew the two katanas she had.

"Oo~h?" Smugly, Sakuya seemed to lean back. "Well, if you insist…" In this moment, Sendai could see Sakuya's bloody nose, and the bruises along her face, as well as the bloody hole in her abdomen.

'Alright…' Sendai watched her closely. 'If I-...'

Sendai ran at her.

WOOSH. Sakuya cleaved straight forward, with the intent to kill.

Then, Sendai's form was gone.

...Sakuya whipped her body around, looking behind herself for a moment.

Sendai appeared behind her.

CLA- CRACK! They both swung dead center on instinct, neither close enough to actually slice one another with this pass. Sendai's worn katana met Claimh Solais dead on. The victor of that encounter was pretty obvious.

The upper half of the worn katana embed itself in the wall, while Sendai reeled her arm back-

Whack! She threw the hilt in Sakuya's face, and it bounced off. "Nhn-"

BANG! Sendai wasn't sure where that of Sakuya's shot went, but she didn't feel anything. 'Gods-...!'

Swish! She swung her last remaining katana ahead, and Sakuya ducked the horizontal slash.

WOOSH! Sendai retracted her legs up to miss Claimh Solais's own wide slash, before she sliced down as hard as she could.

Swish! When she did, Sakuya slid under her, skidding on one thigh to pass beneath her.

Sendai turned-

KASHUNK! Claimh Solais met her side. Sakuya was already standing.

SHINK! In turn, she thrust her cheap katana into Sakuya's gut. "Kgh- kauhf- nngh- ow, ow…"

The holy sword burned like fire. 'Fuck, fuck, fu~ck…!'

Cla- clack. It slid from Sendai's side. Sakuya had let go of it.

Clack! The katana of Sendai's fell to the ground, no longer in a body.

WHAM! Sakuya bolted into Sendai's form. 'Woah- what the fuck…!?'

She had a hold on both of Sakuya's arms, as she did her best to try for Sendai's face. "Ngh- I- I'll gouge- your eyes…!" Her hands were moving, despite Sendai's arms, reaching up past her cheeks.

...While they awkwardly stumbled around-

BAM- Cla- clack! Sakuya thrust herself and Sendai into the double-door from the side.

They both flopped onto their sides, in a crucial hold with one another, landing on the floor of the mistress's bedroom.

Sendai saw Sakuya's thumbs near her eyes. 'Get- off- nnh…!'

Whunk. Sendai kneed her with the ground's help, and rolled away.

"Nnh." Sakuya wasn't very hurt by it, but she was forced to relent by the sheer force. "Stubborn beast. That was just about to be fun, too…"

"What- that the hell…" A small, winged girl stood from a nearby tea table. "Sakuya!?"

"What!?" Reimu was over there, too. "Aa-...!?"

Reaching along herself, Sakuya drew one more knife…

"Hehehe~!" Fully consumed by her adrenaline, Sakuya held this one knife hard, her white knuckles embracing it.

'Alright! I-...' Sendai's thoughts paused. 'She's not the same person she was a few moments ago.'

She looked to the hall outside. The holy sword laid abandoned out there, among other blades. At some point, Sakuya abandoned her luger.

In the end, Sakuya and Sendai were very similar, different sides of the same coin. The hunter who fell to her prey, and the hunter who succeeded through embracing the qualities of the very prey she hunted. At their core, they loved balanced control of a fight. Now, they would do anything to win.

This didn't necessarily imply anything particular for this situation, however. One still had what made them a legend to begin with, at this point in time. One knew what it meant to wield an azure spirit.

Her fists ready, Sendai ran at her. "Rrgh-"

Sakuya was at the side of her vision, for one moment.

SHINK- SHUNK- SHI- SHINK! Sendai felt pain all over herself. 'Aaa- aaa~h!'

She looked around. A knife was in every limb, of hers.

SHU- SHUNK. Sakuya thrust a her blade into Sendai's gut anew.

SHI- SHI- SHINK! Three knives came through Sendai's back.

Now, Sendai was crying. 'Are- are you… for- for real…'

Swi- swi- swi- swish. Sakuya flared past her form in a blur, from all different angles. "He~hehe~!"

SHANK- SHUNK! Then, she charged forward from the door, rebounding off three limbs. She hooked her silver blade into Sendai, before tearing a chunk of flesh out with it as she passed, her absurd stab unlike anything Sendai could imagine a knife being used for. 'Wh- aa- aah…'

Holy light, blinding light was emanating from Sakuya's form. She was now before Sendai, stumbling back, ready to throw her limbs back. "He- haha~! Ho- Holy Cross-"

Click. Remilia snapped her fingers.

…

Thud. Sakuya fell over, dropping her blade. "I- I… o- ow…"

"Mom!?" Reimu ran up to Sendai, who was on her knees now…

Already bloody and beaten all over, Sendai shook. 'it hurts… so- so bad…'

Thud. Sendai fell over.

"Mom- don't- no!" Reimu shut her eyes. "Ho- how-... wh-..." Before she began crying, she dug into Sendai's backpack for something…

...Remilia let out a sigh, her expression vague.

Pop. Reimu found a potion, and forced it into her mother's mouth. "Co- come on, seriously…"

"Mgh- mmgh- nnh…" Sendai accepted the liquid greedily.

Shi- shi- shink. Meanwhile, Reimu used her telekinesis to remove knives one by one, while using her hands for others.

Sendai learned Endured IV!

Sendai learned Powerful IV!

Sendai learned Secret of the Mad Maid * Poise!

Sendai learned Mad Maid's Kink * Rolling Kick!

When Sendai was healing regularly, and seemed to be stable, Reimu allowed herself to relax. "Ha- haa~h…"

...Then, she stood, turning to the rest of the room. "Re~milia~!"

Remilia gave her a mournful stare, as she approached. Next to her, Sakuya was sitting up, downing an elixir bottle…

"If it's cash you want, I'll give you it." Remilia folded her arms. "Look-"

CLACK! Reimu brought the gohei across her face. Remilia just stood there and took it.

CLACK- CLACK- CLACK! Swinging it back and forth, Reimu continued to stroke it across her face.

Remilia gave minor twitches to show she was being struck, and that she felt the impacts, lest Reimu graduate to actually painful attacks.

"Rei- Reimu…" Sakuya gave her a down look. "Please, stop…"

...Reimu seethed down at her. "And- what was your idea!? Make me wanna figure out a way to- to seal holy people!? Because I will, if you keep this crap up!"

"It's- all my fault…" Sakuya began moving to stand. "I'll take responsibility…"

"No! I wanna know, what the fuck happened, and right now!" She stomped before Sakuya. "Or both of you are going in a nice, big coffin in the ground!"

...Sendai grinned, staring ahead at this. 'God damn. That maid… she's really something else. I may not be at my fullest, but…'

Pushing against the ground, she began to get up. 'I hate to admit it, too… but she's been the toughest fight I've had back, so far. I was so sure again, that I was going to die, during that fight…'

'Either my resolve… deserves to go this far, or I just lucked the fuck out. Actually- the former's stupid… I'm just mega lucky...'

...Reimu looked back at her mother, who stepped up to them. "A- ah…! Mom- are you okay!?"

'Ah…' Sendai was jolted from her thoughts.

"As okay as someone who almost got raped and shishkebabbed by fucking psychos could be." Sendai revealed. "I raised some big damn problems I had with the way this place is run. And then, miss I-kill-for-sport over there decided to have a sparring session. You know. With guns, and knives, and swords. Really got the whole three-courser on that one."

...Facing Sakuya again, Reimu reeled a leg back-

Whunk! -and kicked her in the ribs. "Ohn…!" Sakuya let herself lie back from the blow.

"...Alright. Great." Reimu nodded at this. "What was your problem?" She faced her mother…

Sendai tilted her head back. "Well… in detail, she tried to have me raped by a damn succubus, to prove I was a shrine maiden. I told her that kind of playing god is bullshit, and dangerous. ...Her response was make me prove I was a shrine maiden, by fighting her, because she still didn't know who I was."

Reimu exhaled, already tired of this. "...For a perfect and elegant maid, that was the least perfect and elegant way you could've gone about doing that." She glared down at Sakuya. "And- what am I!? Did you think I was fooled, or something!?"

...Sakuya gave her an apologetic stare. "Ye- yes. I did. I wanted to- see for myself. For the mansion..."

...Reimu shook her head, stepping up by Sakuya's own head, and crouching next to her. "Why do you protect the mansion, Sakuya?"

"...Be- because…" Sakuya met her gaze. "I-... I care about this place. I'm bound by blood and oath, yes… but the- the mistresses are beautiful, and our companions… we're all close, here."

"So, you care about people, then." Reimu looked away, nodding at that. "...So, if you care about people… why do that? Like- why do things like that. Where someone could die, or get trapped or broken, a~ll of that kinda funny bullshit?"

Sakuya frowned at her. "It's to uphold our standards for dealing with threats. And- I couldn't be sure- esp-..." She stopped herself from going further.

"Couldn't be sure, huh…" Reimu nodded at that. "So instead of talking to her like a decent fucking human being, you jump her and try to kill her."

"I had- intended for sparring!" Sakuya yelled back.

"Who cares!?" Reimu threw her arms out. "Yeah- sparring with guns! Awesome! You think I'm dumb!?"

"Nn- no!" Sakuya was also getting tired… "It's just-... I- I didn't expect to get as winded, and… I lost myself."

"Winded because she fu-... she beat you up." Reimu began watching her swearing again. "What, didn't think she'd fight back, either? Were you just toying with her, then? I leave you alone for one moment, and- and you-..."

"Pl- please…" Sakuya held an arm up, and began to get up again, too. "Reimu-"

"If you actually managed to kill my actual mom, you'd be lucky if there was a single brick left of this place." Reimu got into her face. "If you got anything else to say, you better make it count, because we're gonna leave now."

"I'm- I'm sorry…" Sakuya apologized to her. "I'm sorry, Reimu."

"Sweet." Reimu nodded. "Bye."

...Sendai watched her daughter march out of the room, her face teary.

'Ha~h. Well. I guess it's best we tackled this shit now, at least. Guess Reimu really does have this place under her thumb… because that little girl over there has enough darkness in her to blot out the sun, and she's still biting her tongue.'

Sendai stepped up to Sakuya, who seemed to be actually teary herself.

'For how badass this damn psycho maid is… even she too kneels to Reimu's anger.'

"So you say you're sorry." Sendai spoke to her. "Considering how on the border this place is regarding ethics, I'd say you and your guys have a solid chance at making us not hate you again. Just, tone down the smug asshole thing, and the killing-people part, and y'know, share a few beers with us, and we'll see, probably."

'Normally my job's to just wipe all these fuckers out, but…' She looked over Remilia. 'She's not the kind of vampire I remember. Reimu seems to be staying her hand, too, and I might as well not fuck up whatever science experiment she's got goin' on over here. Still...'

...Since Sendai was staring at her expectantly, Remilia spoke. "And here I thought, today had gone so well. Almost too well. And, it was. It went too well."

Sendai almost wanted to laugh at how upset she seemed. "...What do you plan to do with her?" She gestured to Sakuya.

...Remilia heaved another sigh. "You know what?"

"In order to repay our new debt to the Hakurei…" She began. "Sakuya. I order you… to do as they say, until we agree on the debt paid, or the deal disavowed."

...Sakuya wasn't sure where she was going with this. "Mi- mistress?"

...That gave Sendai an idea. "You know what'd help make it up to me?"

Both the girls turned to her, and she smiled. "Give me a way to call your maid, anytime. And… she will have to fight by my side, and do deliveries and stuff. Maybe kill time, even."

...Remilia blinked. "That's-... well, I did say anything. I will have miss Izayoi's calling card passed to you momentarily, then. I suppose I cannot advise you on how to act with her, but…" She looked a little sadder. "Please, be… tactful. Tasteful, even."

"I will, probably." Sendai estimated. "...Well. It's been… it's been. See ya."

Sendai learned Summon * Sakuya Izayoi!

Sendai gained Sakuya Izayoi as a minigame partner!

Sendai gained Sakuya Izayoi as a drinking partner!

Sendai gained global access to the Item Box (via Sakuya Izayoi)!

'...I'll probably have to watch what I make her do. Overwork her too much, and she'll probably just flop over on me.' Sendai figured. 'I know I would.'

She was moving through the halls, on her way out.

"I don't even know why you bothered talking with them." Catching up to them, Reimu revealed she had eavesdropped on that last conversation. "I don't want to speak to them again."

"You were friends before for a reason, weren't you?" Sendai proposed back to her… "And, she really seemed sorry, at least. I figure we ought to forgive her, eventually. The mansion itself… well. I'll decide some other time."

'Too many unknowns. That place is-... it's a goddamn youkai commune is what it is. That's not a one-day project. The fact we shook the roots of it in a day is, whew. Hot damn.'

Crunch. They were now back outside, in the snow.

'That Sakuya was a character. Cold, psychotic asshole she might be, but she had a heart in her somewhere. As far as humans go, she just seems misguided. The youkai there, however…'

She gazed up into the azure sky. 'She was trapped by them. She was what happens when you succumb. A bittersweet life of servitude. It probably has its ups and downs, and, if I'll be honest, it's probably a damn sweet deal for her, all things considered. But, it's fucking wrong, and it's not the kind of life I'll lead.'

As much as she favored balance, letting herself succumb to something so mediocre was not only a fear-inducing prospect, but one she actively resented. 'My path will not be that lame. Sorry, Sakuya. I'm thinkin' you called it quits way too early, with magic and power like that. Then again, that's if I were you, anyway. I'm sure that life might suit you just fine.'

The gate was already open for them. Meiling was giving them a reserved stare…

"...Heya." Reimu gave her a semi-friendly wave, still fine with Meiling.

"Bye." Meiling's opinion on them was unknown, though. "...If any of you need it, I give massages!" It might be more okay than they thought, however.

They still wandered away from her. Sendai let herself become sedate, and she jested mentally. 'This was all a plot to make us buy a massage, clearly.'

Taking this moment, as they walked away, Sendai took stock of her inventory again. '...I salvaged that one katana. Down a potion, that dumb broken katana, and that gun. Lost the gun itself, too. Oh, well. She had a scary gun, herself. I mean, if I summon her, I could probably get her to use her gun on things...'

At the same time, Sendai figured she wasn't gonna summon her for a lot other than mundanities. 'Not to sell her short, but I like fighting alone… and, I'm trying to get better without relying on crutches. I'll only summon her for funsies, like clearing trash, perhaps. Or, if I think I'm way, way in over my head, and need someone else right the fuck away.'

Once they came up to the Misty Lake again, they stopped.

The sun was setting. An amber glow began to wash over the land, making Sendai feel more sedated, now… especially after she'd just expended all that energy in there.

They likely would have spent the evening at the manor had things gone better, but the very idea made Sendai uneasy. 'I wouldn't spend a night in a creepy sex dungeon, so I wouldn't spend a night in a creepy sex mansion.'

She took a deep breath. "So. Where next?"

...Reimu gave her a somewhat sad expression. "I shouldn't have brought you there. I was counting on this being a relaxing tour, and-"

"Aa~h, it's fine." Sendai waved it off. "Not your fault they're shady. Actually- do they have beer they could trade us? We could profit off this…"

...Now looking more neutral, Reimu questioned her. "Mom, there's not a lot they can trade us that'll make me not hate that they almost killed you."

Sendai held her arms up to offer a carefree shrug. "Well, yeah, but we might as well profit."

While they rounded the lake again, this time taking the right side of it, Reimu spoke. "The good news.. is that the next few places should refrain from trying to kill you. I guess we'll spend the night at Alice's, since she has actual accommodations for guests…"

'Who's Alice.' Sendai took mental note of the western name…

"Into the fire again, huh…" Smiling, Sendai stared into the distant horizon.

Reimu whipped her gaze to her as they walked along the sun-crested snow. "No. Next time someone gives you trouble, I'm just beating them up. This was supposed to be relaxed, not running you through a gauntlet."

"...To be honest, I'd be fine with that." Sendai confessed. "I've had ta stake out and fight harder for longer. Just uh… as long as I don't have to fight anyone like that maid again, anytime soon. I can take my knocks, y'know."

Reimu's brows curled up. "It shouldn't be about taking knocks, though. Whateve~r. We're goin' somewhere to sleep, and you're gonna like it."

'...Guess I can't complain about that.'

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

Reimu floated ahead, as Sendai stepped into the thicket of the Forest of Magic. 'Wait-..'

In the setting of the day's sun, this great magical wood was beset by great spikes of ice, mounds of snow that featured varying depths and strange forms, as well as an azure speckling of 'stars' among the snowy canopy.

In the fall, most trees lost their leaves, but the Forest of Magic was always lush, which make it especially treacherous come snowfall, where the magic leaves were strong enough to hold even the weight of frost at bay.

"You mean to tell me this 'Alice' lives… in here." Sendai stared up at Reimu bluntly.

...Reimu drifted down to level with her mother. "Yeah." Then, she drifted back up, slowly...

"How." Sendai was pretty sure this was a death wish. "...Seriously, how."

Floating ahead, Reimu drifted out of the way of a low hanging branch, chunks of crystal ice frozen to some of the leaves. "What do you mean, 'how'? It's just the shallows..."

Sendai saw the branch she drifted past. The ice crystals pulsed with power, the tree's leaves feeding them, creating pulses of azure through them. "You ever been here, before?"

'I know Kourin has that shop at the cusp there, but that's literally a short jog away from the path to my- uh, our shrine. We're seriously going into the woods right now… and she even told me we were gonna relax! I feel naked without six other people behind me, in here!'

Stopping, Reimu grinned down at her. "You act like this place is serious. All we're gonna see is fairies, this time of year. Maybe some ice slime or yukkuris, or something."

"...That feels like a vast underestimation." Sendai wasn't sure about that.

"...Well, maybe a frost spirit or two." Reimu raised the ante, just a little. "Nothing a single ofuda won't take care of."

Sendai had to stop, because Reimu floated over a chasm of icy bramble.

'...Hey, wait, no.' She watched Reimu hover off gingerly. 'Hmm.' The enclave of spiky frost was long, but there were trees in the midst that offset the obstruction…

Crunch- crunch, crunch. Marching back in the snow, she began to darken her legs with her inner energy, and began to sprint.

Crunch- crunch- crunch! Coming to the edge, she stomped a leg into the ground to jump. "Hy- yah…!"

Crossing the chasm, she felt her heart rise in her chest. 'Wo- woah-'

Clack! She made it to a tree's frost-laden bark in the midst. Instantly, upon trying to work with it, Sendai found every part of herself slipping, unable to latch on. 'Ho- holy shit-'

CLACK! She'd slid around the tree trunk entirely, and kicked her sandal against the bark to distance herself from the tree. 'Ha- ahah, oh shit!'

Shoof. She landed in a bank of snow, just upon the incline of the other side of the chasm. 'Oh- oh, fuck…' The snow was deep. Very deep.

CRUNCH- CRUNCH! Flailing her limbs, she climbed out of the hole she'd buried herself in, and shoveled her way out of the snow with her mittens. 'Co- cold as fuck…!'

She practically had to swim up to the higher ground, her whole body trudging through the soft white mound, until she was free. "Ha- aah…"

Reimu had backtracked to her, having realized she'd lost her on the way. "Ah- hey! What happened…!?"

Sendai grinned up at her, shaking the snow chunks from her arm sleeves and hakama. "Ju- just… keepin' up with ya, is all."

'...I coulda sworn something would've been waiting for me, in the snow.' Sendai stared back at where she climbed out of.

"Wh- did you leap that gap…?" Reimu was taken aback by that athletic feat… "What. You know- I could just carry you across pits and stuff, right? Call out for me, next time…"

'Eheh. Kinda wanted to keep up in my own way, but…' Her brows furrowed. 'I could've sworn I had a better way of going about this. Maybe it's just because I'm not as strong as I used to be.'

They proceeded ahead in the azure and white. The magic canopy above them blocked out the remaining light, replacing it with its array of 'stars', which were actually both ambient magic particles, and shimmering ice.

'This place still eats light. But, the magic on this outskirt area… it's not nearly as intoxicating as it used to be. Missions in these woods used to be as much of a trial of not losing yourself as they were just naturally daunting.'

Shi- Shi~f. A shimmering sound was heard, when the two girls advanced deep enough.

Off the rim of a nearby, broken trail in an all but overgrown clearing, the snow stirred, the translucent, uneven form of a woman generating there.

"Ah. Ice slime girl." Reimu pointed at it like it was a wild animal.

Sendai tensed, but was confused. '...A slime just, showing itself in the open?'

"You." Sendai immediately called out to it. "What do you want?"

...The constantly readjusting, vibrating form gazed at her. "Au- uuh… hello~!"

"Why do you show yourself?" Sendai had a hand in her right arm sleeve. "Speak now."

"I- uuh…" Her voice was ill-defined. "Hello…?"

...Sendai whipped her gaze around herself, which made her look weirdly paranoid.

"You good?" Reimu asked her bluntly.

"...I guess." Letting herself become sedate again, Sendai found her composure.

"Mmh…" Ignoring them, the ice slime girl moved to a nearby snow bank.

'Why's this slime girl retarded.' She felt this was kind of anti-climatic, almost, which was the wrong feeling to have, but she couldn't shake it. 'This is… a big difference from fifteen years ago. Maybe it's just her?'

shoof. The slime girl collapsed into the snow bank, and began playing in it, making weird noises. "Nhu- nnh…"

Reimu began to float ahead, ignoring it. "C'mon."

'Provided, even the slimes I know would just fall apart to one ofuda, but they were a lot more… smart. Conniving and entrapping, even, such is their species trait. To graze like an animal… well, it just doesn't make sense. Maybe it's the ice?'

"Why was that slime girl… so dull?" Sendai decided to voice her concern. "They weren't always like that."

Reimu paused in the air before her, considering this. "...As far as I was always concerned, they were. The ice does kinda slow them down more than usual, but they're not usually really smart. You seemed like you were expecting a trap, or an ambush, or something. They kinda do that, but not really on uh… whatever scale you thought it was gonna happen on."

"...Huh." Sendai supposed it was just a natural change in the world, then. "What kinda traps do they pull, now?"

"Long story short, if you see a spring in the woods, don't bathe in it." Reimu summarized. "Or drink from it, for that matter. Some slimes do take the form of water, to lure in prey and, you know…"

"I do remember traps like that." Sendai nodded, finally finding common ground… "This whole forest used to be a huge shitshow. I feel like we should've gotten caught by things at least ten times, by now."

"...Huh." Reimu wasn't sure what to make of that. "...Anyway, slime traps like that are mostly just them taking the shape they naturally should, rather than any planned trap."

'So much for that common ground…' Sendai remembered the slimes that would take the form of people with actual accuracy, and then attack from behind when their target felt secure. Since they were slimes, they could rig up a whole area with themselves, and unleash a bind from any angle. 'That's why I was looking around. All this snow… we could've been in a strange spot. Then again, Reimu can just explode ofuda everywhere, so that kind of thing wouldn't even threaten her.'

Eventually, they came to a footpath that actually gave the impression of existing. 'The snow's light here. Someone's taken care of this path.'

"Ah, there." Reimu gestured ahead…

A very western-looking house sat there, with a clean sheet of snow comprising the lawn all around it. At this point, Sendai was very easily able to tell western design, but that still didn't explain what this was doing here.

There were already numerous steps in the snow before the girls. 'This area of the woods is weirdly well-traversed, even. I'm not very confident in this very… conspicuously clean house in the middle of a deadly forest. It feels like the biggest trap ever.'

Landing, Reimu marched up to the house. "Let's get inside and warm up. Especially you, since you really like to play in the snow."

Sendai snorted. "Warm up, huh."

...They came up to the front porch.

Sendai was very apprehensive of it. Even though Reimu stepped up it, she gazed upon it like a cat would at some tinfoil..

After some seconds, Reimu looked back at her, and gave her a mournful look. "They're stairs, mom."

'I guess they're safe, but…' A strange porch in the midst of the woods like this spooked Sendai in general.

Clack! She leapt, skipping the few steps up onto it. "There…"

"Wow." Reimu grinned at that… "Stairs, huh. Real scary."

"You have no sense of danger." Sendai monotoned back at her.

"Yea~h. It's because people don't put landmines on their porches anymore." This made Reimu grin wider… "The stairs won't kill you, mom."

Crea~k. Ahead of them, the front door creaked open.

A girl with short, blonde hair gazed out at them gingerly. "...I thought I heard someone talking, out here."

"Hey." Reimu gave her a little wave. "We had a hell of a day. Mind if we sit, for a night?"

Who Sendai assumed was 'Alice' snorted, at that… "Well, sure. At this rate, I might as well start an inn…"

"Awh. Come on now, there's only two of us." Reimu grinned at her… "I don't stop by that often."

"No, but she does." Alice gestured inside.

...Marisa was there, at a seat. Sighting the two girls, she began to get a huge smirk. "Oo~h!?"

'When the hell'd she get here.' Sendai gave her a vague look…

Since the door was open, Reimu marched on ahead. Sendai followed suit.

Immediately, aside from the plain central coffee table, Sendai took in the shelves on the right and left of the room. Small dolls gazed upon them, their eyes and heads focused specifically on her position. '...Uh. Good start. Guess she just wants to scare people coming in.'

Springing from her chair, Marisa lugged herself towards the girls, holding an arm up. "Awful coincidental, aah!?"

Pap. Reimu met her with an awkward handshake, in which Marisa threw both of their arms up and down. "He- hey, what's got you all excited…!?"

...After pausing for a moment, Marisa gave her a big smile. "Aw, nuffin'! I'm just excitable, s'all!"

Sendai felt weird, staring over them. '...Their interaction already gives off a strange energy!'

Then, Marisa came up to Sendai, holding out her arm for another handshake. "Hehe~y! Doppel-chan!"

...Upon meeting her hand, Marisa tried to throw her arm up and down, but ended up just rocking her own body instead.

"Guess Doppel-chan won't suit ya anymore now, would i~t, ze?" Staggered by this resistance, Marisa stepped back, adjusting her hat in the process. "I was gettin' kinda used ta callin' ya that, by now…"

"You two're already acquainted…?" Reimu looked a little left out. "How."

...Marisa turned to her, beaming. "We~ll. Let's just say I kinda got the jump on figurin' out who she was! An' before ya say, 'why didn't you tell me', I'll riddle ya this: would ya have believed me?"

Taking some steps back, Reimu adjusted her posture, looking placated. "Well- I guess not… but, hiding things isn't usually your specialty. Aside from your feelings and stuff, that is."

Marisa let her eyes flick up. "Awh, yeah, we're all sappy poets at heart. Woe's me. Ah…" She turned back to Sendai, a grin creeping up her face… "So! I tried ta headhunt her, and she almost hunted my head instead! An' then, I u~h…"

Sendai chose this moment to finally interject. "She's been challenging me, encouraging me to develop my skills against her."

At this notion, Marisa leapt back a little. "Whah!? Where'd ya get somethin' like that from!? I've just been ribbin' ya 'cause yer a lot fuckin' wimpier than the stories say!"

Sendai furrowed her brows. "Huh? What- like I haven't kicked your ass three times, now?"

Stalking up to her, Marisa got ominously close. "Ho~h, yeah? Y'think any 'a those-..." She let herself refind her words. "Ah, shit. Talked myself inta a corner, huh…"

Shoo~f. Reimu slid out a chair, and took a nice sit.

Alice took small steps towards her. "Yes, Reimu. This is what it looks like whenever you two spar. Verbally, or otherwise."

"Hey- who asked you…" Reimu gave her a fluffy rebuttal.

"Anyway!" Marisa recollected her thoughts. "I'm just tryin'a get ya warmed up, Doppel-chan! 'Cause really, it don't seem like yer even in first gear yet. Still parked in neutral!"

'What's that supposed to mean.' Sendai didn't know what a car was, or what car gears were.

"...So, you're trying to re-invigorate me, like you said you weren't doing." Sendai poked a hole in her teasing. "You're pretty easy to read through, you know."

Marisa just slouched. "A- aw, c'mon…"

"Marisa, if you get a thing for my mom, it's gonna be so weird." Reimu began to grin from the sidelines…

"The- the hell ya mean!?" Provoked, Marisa powered over towards her. "What, I can't rib a girl wit'out wantin' ta suck her clit?"

Alice sunk into the table. "Jeez, Marisa…"

'Wow.' Sendai felt displaced by their high energy. 'Everyone's friends, here. This is almost kinda magical. Is this what Gensokyo's gonna be full of, now? 'Cause, if it is… I don't think I'd mind, exactly.'

...As she stepped towards the table, she saw the dolls turn their heads with her movements. 'Okay- really though, what gives with the creepy shit. Is it a western thing, at this point?'

The room in general was rather plain, despite the still-harsh western design philosophies she could see. Although, it wasn't as harsh as the mansion, in that there were actually natural windows placed liberally around the front and back of the room.

At the very back was a counter, with cloth lain upon it. Shelves were hung above it, and stationed within the counter itself.

In the room's middle was the coffee table, where the girls were chatting.

Shoo~f. Sendai found a chair to claim, there. 'Mine.'

All around her, along the room's sides, were tiny shelf rows on the walls. These held the many dolls that looked at her.

...Once the girls around her had quieted down, Alice stared at her. "Reimu, who is she?"

"Oh." Reimu had nearly forgotten she had to do introductions. "That's my mom."

...Facing her, Alice simply blinked. "Pardon?"

"Mother. Mommy." Reimu clarified very well.

"But- why? How!?" That didn't really solve any of Alice's questions. "That sort of thing… it doesn't just happen."

"It did just happen. We're workin' on it." Reimu waved off her concerns. "And I swear, if you try to get to the bottom of it yourself, I'm turning you into a doll. Last person who tried that almost made me go nuclear on them."

...Furrowing her brows at that, Alice tilted her head. "That's rather curious. You'd disallow me any investigation?"

Reimu nodded. "Yeah. Sakuya already tried to kill her, and her outfit's still got the stab wounds to show it. Among uh, other things…"

Snorting, Sendai got up to show off her outfit's disrepair. "Yeah, check all this shit out."

...Upon closer inspection, Alice's eyes widened. "What…? I see the cuts, but… there are so many healed wounds, here. Are- are these bullet holes? And what happened here?" She felt at Sendai's abs, where there was a big chunk of her red apron and black leotard missing.

...Sendai felt curious. "Hey. Mind checkin' if one of those bullets came out the other end? Kind of a problem if it's stuck in me, after all."

Across the table, Marisa had a bewildered expression. "Yo, yo, the hell're you doin' gettin' shot up fer…!? Who'd ya even fight who uses a gun?"

...After briefly giving her form a once over, Alice seemed unsure. "Well, u~m. Maybe one, or two. I actually can't very much tell, from the differing residues, and… this outfit of yours has seen better days. Where did you get this?"

"An old village clothier on north main used to do all my orders." She told her. "Last I checked, that place isn't even around anymore."

"...Ah." That made Alice step back a little. "Hmm."

"Hey…" Reimu spoke up. "Alice. You can make clothes and stuff. Fix her things."

...Alice's stare in return to her was dry. "Elegant as ever, huh. Well, sure. I still have some cloth from the spares I've made for you, so… that's that. But, the rubber for the leotard…"

"Ya got a block 'a rubber." Marisa added helpfully.

...Alice sighed. "I was going to charge for the rubber, you know. It's not the most important aspect of an outfit ever."

Sendai begged to differ. "Without it, I'd be walking around in just this apron and hakama."

"Well, you could have a bra, or something." Alice considered.

"I have a sarashi on under this." Sendai began to grin at her… "Look, if the rubber's pricy, I'll probably be able to pay for it."

'...A youkai clothier is probably a really good clothier.' Sendai had to admit, she'd rather outsource outfit creation to a reliable youkai vendor than a human one. 'This one seems to be a magi, of some sort, if this place's mana is anything to go by. And, if she makes Reimu's outfits, it's probably safe enough. Fingers crossed, anyway.'

The money offer placated Alice. "...Mmm. I'll also need your outfit, to refurbish it, and make copies."

"Since we're staying the night, that won't be a problem." Sendai figured. "Unless you need it for longer than tonight… which is, yeah."

"I actually won't." Alice gave her a smile. "Tonight should be all I need."

'Ahah. Only figures, being a youkai, I suppose.'

"Oo~h…?" Marisa began to grin at the idea she formed. "Are we gonna see ya runnin' 'round in yer undies?"

"Probably." Sendai replied bluntly. "...Why."

"Hehehe~!" From her chair, Marisa began to smirk. "Maybe we'll get ta have a manly, passionate bathhouse battle, ze!"

'Oh, gods. Be quiet, you…'

Next to Sendai, Alice already had a tape-measurer out, calculating portions of her body. "What was this about Sakuya, again?"

"Oh yeah!" Bolting from her seat, Marisa changed gears completely. "You got a freakin' death wish!? Fightin' Sakuya, of all people! Wait- was it danmaku, or…?"

"I was shot with a gun, and this," Sendai brushed a huge gash in the left side of her clothing, "this was from a sparkling sword."

"A wat." Marisa's eyes lit up at that concept, and she began to round the table. "Oo~h, lemme see…"

"I'm still getting pissed just thinking about it." Seated with her arms folded, Reimu began to look dissatisfied. "Hopefully they stop being so full of themselves, over there. They seriously could've killed her."

'...Really, the problem was more how they just seemed willing to doom or kill anyone on suspicion, or so long as it was convenient. I don't feel like letting that kinda shit fly.' She'd cooled way down since then, but the memory was very fresh. 'Fucking succubi. Next time I go back there, my priority number one is carving her a path back to hell.'

Holding a hand out, Marisa felt Sendai's parts rough, parts smooth skin where the holy blade cleaved into her. "Makes me wonder the hell Sakuya was thinkin'..."

"The mansion did give me a-... calling card, as compensation." Sendai revealed. "I can summon that Sakuya anywhere I want."

...Marisa's eyes widened considerably. "Dude. Use it, ze!"

'...Well, she does have to obey my any order, or something.'

From her pockets, Sendai drew a nondescript ace card, fit with a graphic of a watch on the front face, and a scarlet, tri-angular design on the back.

Channeling her mana into it, Sendai focused… then, she thrust the arm with the card up, mana surging up it visibly. "Power!"

Fwish! As she sat in her chair, she lit up with grey energy that encapsulated her, as she thrust the card into the air.

The other girls took some steps back, as writhing, tangling fluxes and vague, foggy light flooded from the top of the card…

Shi~ng. As the light faded, a form was revealed within it.

Cli- click. Sakuya landed on her heels, after seemingly flipping from the light. "...At your service." Her eyes closed, she gave an initial bow to anyone applicable, before opening them. "...Ah."

"Holy shit ya weren't kiddin'..." Slowly, Marisa stalked up to Sakuya… "Hey there, chief-a'-dust. How ya doin'."

...Sakuya gazed around the room in vague confusion, before shooting Sendai an expectant look.

"I summoned you so we can look at you." Sendai summarized.

"She summoned you so I can give you round two." Reimu began to hover into the air menacingly…

"It'll be round none if you two have it in here." Alice warned them. "Go play in the snow."

...Closing her eyes, Sakuya stood stock still, completely neutral.

The idea of having to go back outside placated Reimu. She leaned into the coffee table, instead. "Mmh…"

Outside Alice's windows, the faintly luminescent gloom of the magic forest casted the home within an eventful, otherworldly glow.

"Aw…" Marisa invaded Sakuya's personal space. "I think she's sleeping, ze."

...Opening her eyes, Sakuya shot her a vaguely disturbed look. Marisa's hat bumped her face, and she had to lean away.

'This is ridiculous.' Just seeing Sakuya again had initially put Sendai internally on edge, but the way she was acting now was eerie in a different way.

Even though Reimu was calmer now, she was still cold towards Sakuya. "Mom, why'd you even ask for a summoning card or whatever…? She nearly killed you."

"...Because she nearly killed me." Sendai gave her a smile. "If she can nearly kill me, imagine what she can do to random village muggers."

...Reimu resisted grinning at that. "That'd- just actually be murder. Don't do that…!"

"I'd exercise restraint." Sakuya decided to defend herself verbally, on impulse.

...After today, Reimu was visibly very skeptical of this.

"He~h?" Gaining a wry look, Marisa slid Sakuya's headdress from her head, for no good reason. "Only I get ta kill Reimu's mom, stabby."

"When'd this become a competition…!?" Reimu began to stand up. "No one's gonna whack my mom…!"

Sakuya reached for her headdress, but Marisa already put it on top of her own hat. "...I hadn't realized, that the situation was this far-reaching."

Reimu snorted. "Yeah- you don't realize a lot of things, do you."

'...In truth, I half accepted the card because she was strong, but also because, for a strong person, she's quite unique. She might be a bit of a psycho, but I can tell she's more than just a psycho. Her youkai pals could burn in hell, but she's-... well, human, after all.'

...She then looked to Alice, who seemed receptive of the growing social encounter before herself.

'I'd never really pegged myself for a social person.' Idly, she watched the three girls bicker and mingle. 'It's good to see Reimu's got a lot of friends. I'll have to talk one-on-one with this Sakuya, sometime.'

-+- Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode -+-

==x==

x / Sendai Hakurei No Miko, the Shrine Maiden who Beats People Up

INVENTORY:

X Sub-weapons:

Magic Replicable Mana Molotovs - A Marcus Kirisame invention. A simple prefabricated spell that allows the user to conjure holy/water elemental mana molotovs. The liquid creates a swath of holy flames on contact with any non-treated surface.

ITEM CRASH: Hydro Storm - Holy/water elemental rain, though it doesn't burn like the molotov's mixture. Basically a modified rain spell; it lasts a few seconds and can only be used outside. Deals holy damage to youkai.

Hakurei Yin-Yang Orb - It makes a mean pinball when maximized! When at terminal velocity, the orb also does magical damage.

ITEM CRASH: Fantasy Heaven - Tapping into her dark mastery, Sendai temporarily becomes more youkai-like at the expense of her sub-weapons and becoming more vulnerable to holy damage. Her attacks become partially darkness elemental.

Hakurei Talismans - Throwable projectiles. Also referred to as ofuda. Deals holy damage. Most effective on youkai or other greater dark/moon beings.

ITEM CRASH: Thousand Talismans - Sendai throws a lot of talismans at once straight ahead. Cheapest item crash for Sendai to cast, but leaves her vulnerable and is difficult to aim.

Hakurei Axe - An origami axe created from folded talismans and reinforced by holy magic. A heavy weapon that breaks easily, but can deal high physical holy damage when used well. Also able to be thrown as a makeshift heavy projectile.

ITEM CRASH: Thousand Blades - Sendai floats into the air and creates a revolving ring of Hakurei Axes.

Chronicle of Gensokyo - A copy of the Chronicle of Gensokyo, lended to Sendai by the Hieda family. Some magic work from Marcus let Sendai replicate it as a projectile to throw at enemies. Spins around and flails its pages everywhere, which deal holy damage when they cut foes.

ITEM CRASH: Holy Spark - Summons multiple copies of the Chronicle of Gensokyo, creates a magical circle in the air, and fires a huge, rainbow colored laser. Takes awhile to set up…

Rusty Stopwatch - It doesn't seem to work anymore.

ITEM CRASH: It's probably best not to experiment…

Dragon Palace's Flintlock - Shoots a weak stream of electricity which arcs into an enemy. More useful as a distraction or last resort accuracy weapon.

ITEM CRASH: Vol Fulger - Generates a ball of lightning around Sendai's form defensively.

Rebound Stone - A magically replicable stone that bounces off surfaces. Doesn't work well with soft surfaces or open spaces. After awhile, it breaks, too. Deals physical holy damage.

ITEM CRASH: Evil Sealing Circle - A series of rebound stones are cast into the air, creating a shaft above Sendai which is filled with powerful holy energy. Once the attack ends, the holy energy splashes through the entire room. May seal foes.

Holy Salt - It's holy salt. Deals holy damage when you throw it in someone's eyes.

ITEM CRASH: Sodium Geyser - Creates a geyser of holy salt. Sendai'll never run out of cooking salt again!

X Pocket items:

[Elementary Backpack] - Young student's backpack. Really tiny, and looks cute on Sendai. Uses no inventory space- being inventory itself- and provides four item slots.

(1x) Potion - A potion used to restore health. Basic, but the best choice for human users. Provides heavy health regeneration for some seconds.

ITEM CRASH: Evolution - Heals the entire party, as if they were all given a potion. Equal to a Mega Potion, but consumes an item crash use to produce these effects.

[Tiny Bag] - Uses no inventory space. A small bag, for small goods. Provides four inventory slots, but every time an item is taken out, the bag gets smaller. After four removals, the bag becomes Plain Cloth.

Tauriner - Experimental medicinal restoration item. Restores 'spirit energy'. In Sendai's case, it restores a single item crash use upon consumption.

ITEM CRASH: Unknown

Yukkuri Production Kit - A kit used for creating yukkuri, which obey the user. Consumable with ten uses. Comes with DNA kits for Reimu, Marisa, and Alice types. Life catalyst is bundled with this item.

ITEM CRASH: Unknown

High-Quality Bottled Water - Refreshing and pure.

ITEM CRASH: Unknown

(x4) Pocket Lint - Dust friends. Uses no inventory space. Can be combined with nine hundred ninety five other Pocket Lints to create something cataclysmic...

ITEM CRASH: Ragnarok Theorem - Inflicts a random status effect on a random target. Cannot instantly kill or doom. Cannot cast Auto-Life.

218,250 Yen - Money used to purchase goods. Takes up no inventory space.

ITEM CRASH: Midas' Rain - Makes it rain money in a wide radius. Value of currency is proportional to damage done on impact. Does more damage the wealthier the user is, up to a cap of one hundred thousand yen. Has more range and duration the wealthier the user is. Deals non-elemental physical damage. Not fun to clean up afterwards…

Blue Flexi-suit - One-piece swimsuit with removable parts, for easy access to bodily regions. Offers no protection. Made of a mysterious, ticklish material…

ITEM CRASH: Unknown

Oni Fight & Drink Guide - Brutal text that archives some oni traditions, as well as one's personal bias to the sword. Teaches Sendai Gravity Flash and-

ITEM CRASH: Unknown

Ruby - Takes up no inventory space. Has no practical value, but may be sold for 250,000 Yen to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and for ~300,000 Yen to a jeweler.

ITEM CRASH: Firaga Burst - Summons an orb of flame over the battlefield, which rains down balls of fire that ignite everything. Expert-level fire magic.

Daffodil - Common white or yellow flower. Most common flower in the universe.

ITEM CRASH: Purify - Heals party of all status ailments.

(two slots remaining)

(one tiny bag slot remaining!)

X Armor:

x Body: Hakurei Maiden Combat Outfit: DP - The shrine maiden outfit of the miko who came before. Made for a large bust, and bolsters both martial offense and blunt defense. Features a hakama bottom for easy leg movement, and a black leotard so the upper body can move easily.

x Misc:

Reinforced Apron - A royal red, reinforced cloth apron. Defends Sendai a little against incoming magic and blunt physical attacks.

Nothing.

Nothing.

x Weapon: Cheap Katana - Nine uses remaining until it breaks - An average-sized blade, made from folded iron and molded into… relative practicality, rather than perfection. Cheap and disposable.

==x==

GROWTH ABILITIES:

X Body

Endured IV - Sendai has forged her body through a long cycle of training and combat. She's still not much stronger, but she knows what immense pain feels like.

Powerful IV - With constant, repeated motions and strength training, Sendai has built up her body to strike fear into the land's youkai. Hits are becoming closer to her former strength...

Dark Affinity - Inherently, Sendai has channeled inner, dark feelings for most of her life. Grants 50% dark resistance.

Holy Rage - When in Fantasy Nature style, Sendai is 50% weak to holy sources of damage. Also confers 100% dark resistance and curse immunity.

X Soul

Heated Spirit IV - A building fragment of the resolve she used to wield. Allows Sendai to use four item crashes. At the end of every fight, she regains one use. Recharged by sleeping, or gaining new resolve.

Sub-Weapons - Sendai's gathered a lot of stuff over the years that she can throw at people when she's out of ideas. Magic is ingrained into her body to allow her to replicate certain objects as long as she has enough mana. Becomes unusable when all item crashes are used up.

Item Crash - Draining attacks that create stronger casts of Sendai's sub-weapons. Usable with any item in Sendai's inventory, although if she's not ironed it out it can be unpredictable...

Rebellious Soul - Able to channel her magic to her limbs, which takes on the form of dark enchantments. Reduces damage where she applies it, by strengthening the body itself.

Phoenix Spirit - When angered or at critical health, Sendai's adrenaline rises gradually regardless of her momentum in the fight, letting her pull off critical techniques easier. One may harm a phoenix's body, but they can't harm its pride.

Secret of the Mad Maid * Poise - When Sendai has high anger and adrenaline, she knows how to hide her pain from gunshots or knife stabs, refusing to stagger or wither as easily. However, every one of these attacks she resists will drain from her adrenaline.

Terrain Essence - Sendai can use the environment to deal devastating damage to her enemies. Executable off of walls, the ground, big objects; by lifting tables or chairs, etcetera. Boosts in power the less item crashes Sendai has used.

Weapon Essence - Melee weapons gain decisive maneuvers which deal immense damage. Allows Sendai to use swords semi-properly.

Essence of Finishing - Downed enemies are very vulnerable to extreme attacks, as Sendai's discovered. Follow-ups on downed enemies can now be critical hits, as long as Sendai's spirit remains full. Works with weapons, too.

Essence of Wreckage - When enraged or pushed to the edge, Sendai's follow-up on downed enemies becomes a lethal, relentless onslaught of fists and power. Heavily demanding on her body, and leaves her expended for awhile after use. Wasteful, unskillful, powerful technique. Learned by observing Ex-Keine perform a similar attack...

Essence of Assimilation - When in Fantasy Nature style, Sendai attempts to consume the body of dark-elemental beings. Kills the target. Refills health, item crashes, and Fantasy Nature duration. Sendai inherits target's life force as a result. Bonus power deteriorates over time unless kept fed.

X Technique

x Misc:

Misc Abilities - Skills that don't necessarily go with a style. Often utilitarian or shared.

Candy Confetti - If Sendai has candy in her inventory, she can cast it into the air stylishly. Uses 50% of small candies in Sendai's inventory. Skips random encounters with fairies, and lowers fairy aggression levels. Duration and effect depend on how many candies are spent. Works less well on Scarlet Devil Mansion fairies.

Summon * Sakuya Izayoi - Summons Sakuya Izayoi. Allows Sendai to access the item box anywhere. Allows Sendai to request her for recreation. Allows Sendai to summon her to fight alongside her.

DETAILS: Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion - Sakuya has a variety of styles. They reflect her progression through life, and as so, ascend in power and utility. Most are rarely seen, however.

o Dawnstar Style - Rarely seen.

o Assassin Style - Light knife and dirty fighting tactics. Light physical projectiles. High tendency to use danmaku, especially when requested.

o Solace Style - Wields a Luger and Claimh Solais. Stance for taking down greater youkai and some vampires. Rarely seen.

o Perfect Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion - Sakuya stops time often and instantly eradicates most foes. Includes powerful counter-attacks, and visceral supplementary damage to her attacks. Rarely seen.

x Youkai Style:

Youkai Style - Sendai's default post-revival style. Has a mixture of youkai techniques and handy things she's learned. Gained its namesake after she defeated her daughter, and unlocked some of her inner potential.

Dark Power - Sendai accents her body with dark magic, reducing incoming damage and heightening outgoing damage when she wills it.

Quick Step - Sendai slides on her sandals to avoid an attack, jolting her muscles to evade. Pretty much muscle memory to her, at this point.

Dodge Retaliation - A technique remembered through battle against Marisa Kirisame. After quick stepping, Sendai can instantly retaliate with a thrusting punch. Only effective when spirit energy is high.

Flying Kick - When running, Sendai can throw herself into a double-legged kick that smashes through defenses, and is not interrupted by minor sources of pain or knockback.

Mad Maid's Kink * Rolling Kick - Sendai half-cartwheels, and half-flips forward into an enemy, striking with each of her sandals at the end of her roll. Not as effective as Flying Kick, but easier to control, and hits multiple times. Doesn't pierce defenses as easily. Sidegrade skill to Flying Kick.

Slide Leap - One of Sendai's classic abilities, from her memory. Has two parts. Begins with Sendai sliding along the ground, from which she may launch herself into the air with a kick.

Youkai Buster Combo - A series of ambitious punches aided by kicks, which gives most foes little time to recover and staggers often. Includes a series of hooks, and finishes with a dark-accented overhead punch that launches most foes.

Dark Uppercut - Sendai can uppercut to get to higher places, and also deal high dark damage on impact. Launches foes.

Konpaku Shot Stopper - An ancient Konpaku defense technique, first used against matchlock rifles, now adapted to be effective against handguns and shotguns. Allows Sendai to execute a decisive maneuver when near firearms users, as well as disarm them. Only effective when spirit energy is high.

Youkai Cunning: Revenge Value - Enables Sendai to follow-up melee attacks with a strike or a grapple, using the momentum her body receives. Doesn't work if she's knocked back.

Faze Step - Lets Sendai move forward while being immaterial to intruding entities for a short time. She can only go at a set distance and speed when she does this, and she's vulnerable afterward. Does not let her pass through walls. Probably some mangled version of the regular Hakurei teleportation technique...

Tengu Rush - An old Tengu technique. It's a charge accompanied by two whirling wind blades, propelling the user forward some distance. Makes her highly knockback resistant while it executes. She's not used it once, yet...

x Fantasy Nature Style:

Fantasy Nature Style - Style adopted whenever Sendai casts Fantasy Nature. Uses dark power and an amalgamation of youkai abilities.

Scratch - Basic attack. Deal dark elemental damage over time on incision, which may expand incisions. May be inflicted by any limb; claws not required.

Anti-Glide - User moves at impossible, awkward angles to avoid attacks and projectiles. Provides limited flight.

Air Giant Wheel - Spinning inhumanly fast on an invisible axis, the user unleashes a torrent of deadly scratches. Prevents retaliation with harassment.

Midair Doom - Arching back, Sendai unleashes a sphere of intersecting slashes. Mid-air finishing move. Launches foes.

Gravity Flash - Skidding along her stomach, Sendai scrapes the floor in a circular motion, before sending out a wave of crushing magic all around herself. Ground-based finishing move. Space elemental magic.

Stun Meteor - Balling up in the air, Sendai comes down on a target, encapsulated in an orb of non-elemental, lovely energy. May stun targets. May launch foes.

==x==Ω==x==

Ω Marcus Kirisame, the Middle-Aged Magician

INVENTORY:

Ω Pocket items:

(2x)Hi-Ether - Restores enough mana for even high-tiered youkai to be able to appreciate.

Paddleball - Here comes the paddleball!

(2 slots remaining)

Ω Armor:

-o- Body: Comfy Robes - Familiar, aged robes. Comfy and easy to move around in.

STATS:

50% fire resistance.

50% electric resistance.

50% ice resistance.

-o- Misc:

Enchanted Dreamcatcher - A trinket that halves the effectiveness of debuffs on the user.

Nothing.

Nothing.

-o- Weapon: Magic Bazooka - Collapsible magic bazooka. Can fire lasers in a variety of elemental flavors, but works best with non-elemental magic. Uses currently mastered elements.

==x==

SKILLS:

-o- Items

Replicable Packaged Bomb - No one's certain how many he has. Tosses a cardboard package, which detonates into danmaku, with the potential to launch and stagger targets.

-o- Ice Magic

Glacier - Erect a tall ice blade. Heavy physical ice attack.

Ice Shard - Spawn ice in an enemy's form. Moderate ice magic. May freeze targets.

-o- Fire Magic

Firaga - Lob a short-range fireball mortar. Heavy fire magic that ignites. Preceding tiers are homing fireballs that have a chance to ignite.

Fireball - Generate a fireball in an opponent's form. Moderate fire magic that ignites. Not to be confused with Fira or Fire, mechanically weaker spells that precede Firaga.

-o- Water Magic

Bubbles - Summon bubbles under an opponent. Gets them wet and stuff. Might lower their physical attack…! Good setup for electric moves, too…!

Bubble Burst - Expert water magic. Summons a lot of bubbles under a lot of opponents. Still gets them wet. Also still might lower their physical attack…!

-o- Other Elemental

Quake - Disrupt the earth, and create a not-so-sharp spike of rock. Moderate physical earth attack.

Thunderbolt - Summon a myriad of thunder strikes to converge on a single target. Advanced electric magic. May stun foes. Hits three times.

Mana Drain - When able to access the opponent's mana, Marcus is able to pull it away. Magnet elemental magic. Usually initiated by a non-elemental orb.

-o- Non Elemental

Non-elemental Orb - A flexible non-elemental orb that may explode or simply dissipate. When dissipated, the mana may infuse with enemies and intertwine with their mana pool, allowing for Marcus to follow up.

Magic Resistance - Buffs an ally against magic. Starts at forty percent resistance, but tapers off to nothing over time.

Magic Shield - A non-elemental shield which absorbs all magical attacks, as long as they're not draining, death, or magnet related.

Lucky Star - Non-elemental star that bonks people on the head. Very random damage.

Star Shower - A rain of non-elemental stars which hit a crowd of foes for very random damage.

Cold and Gold - A danmaku non-spell which Marcus can create from an influx of magical energy.

-o- Ability

Elemental Control - Marcus has general mastery and control over non-elemental and elemental mana manipulation, allowing him to do some freeform manipulation for whatever he feels. Mastery and flexibility of freeform control depends on how many spells of that elemental branch are known.

Telekinesis - Semi-decent magical control of objects and matter; more specifically, spending mana to move objects. Works on clothes, too!

Magical Mastery - Marcus has access to any lower tier of attack he's currently mastered, if he needs to use such for whatever reason. As in, he knows Firaga therefore the preceding levels come innately, etcetera.

==x==

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

ANOTHER PRETTY FUN CHAPTER

we had a fun serious disagreement with a touhou and it was perhaps one of the few ways one can do a sakuya fight without it being total bullshit

and sendai ended up in a LOSING POSITION anyway when sakuya actually let go of nearly all restraint, up until that point she was just like half-testing sendai and half ready to kill her on instinct, but she also wanted a good FIGHT

and yo she got it but she paid for it

now she has to race RC cars with sendai and drink beer

also koakuma got flattened dude

i like how i keep giving sendai tools for dark noob style but she hasn't even popped it so that she could use the last upgrade she got

not that she can recognize when she gets upgrades for fluffle molester style since she can't even remember the times she uses it…!

already this story has gone for like a fraction of vanilla sendai's size and the plot is wiggling towards the place it was! but honestly this is pretty fun XD and the plot is getting where it needs to be for the given moments so hoh

the sakuya fight actually was weirdly succinct for how much shit went down in it, probably because instead of spell cards everyone just kinda did fighty things and smashed each other's faces into walls

it was around 8-9 pages, which is so far like the upward limit of the length of a fight in this fic so far

also now i don't know why but it's a lot easier for me to let sendai get fucked the hell up, probably because the pace is so much more open-ended

SADLY we know the MC cannot simply EXPLODE AND DIE FOR GOOD DUDE but they can still be put through immense pain

and then there's reimu's constant halloween spooktackular, in which her mother constantly nearly dies to her growing dismay

the sakuya fight was also on a completely different scale than the mook fights, and since we HAVE mook fights now, it REALLY SHOWS TOO. like, before i could imagine a reader would just feel like there's absolutely no reason for sendai to have two katanas, a gun and a bunch of healing items, because human villagers and fairies and koakuma don't mean shit to her

but THEN WE MEET SAKUYA

and really the only way to actually make a beatable sakuya would be if she went insane enough to not just instantly slice your throat, or rotate you upside down over a jagged table corner, and of course that is super context dependant, 'cause otherwise she will just do that and that'll be the end of you

even then you'd probably need like mad auto-life and shit to deal with her liberal manic use of it regardless of her sanity... she's really QUITE A MATCH

this was a fun subplot that really just kinda happened - w -

oh yeah by the way quick note for people moving ahead: i revised the reimu fight in chapter 10 to be more impactful to make up for how kinda early it is

...it's not super relevant to the overarching story or anything but it's more revealing and i think it's fun

as always, see you all next time!