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Reimu's Chapter: An Odd Gathering
"… Yukari…?" Hakurei Reimu awoke on her side snug in a futon, an arm sprawled out towards an old mentor…
"…? Where am I…?" she sat up, her hand running against the tatami mats that lined the ground, and immediately recognised her own sitting room. Weak light was shining into the windows from the autumn sun. The air was chilly, but someone had heated up the nearby kotatsu, warmth emanating from the burning charcoal pieces.
"… I'm back at the shrine…? Hmm…?" Looking down, she realised she had a clean set of a conventional miko's costume on. Running a hand through her untied hair, she next spotted a magenta yukata neatly folded in the corner, and very quickly remembered the incidents that had happened last night. We were fighting Yuuka, Komachi, Mamizou and Nue… And then Yukari was ambushed from behind… And then…
"I have to say… Although it'll brand me a pervert, changing the clothes of a pretty girl such as you is quite the exhilarating experience!" sang a voice as an unfamiliar blue haired woman entered the room.
Reimu instinctively hugged herself as she spun around, shocked at the sudden intrusion on different levels.
"Who are you? ! What are you doing here? !" she demanded of the woman.
"That's mean… Don't you remember me?" Kaku Seiga knelt down at Reimu's side, Reimu leaning away uncomfortably.
"… You're that wicked hermit!" Reimu recognised from one of the past incidents she had resolved. "Wait… What are you doing here? !" she drew up the covers of futon around herself, face flushed red. D-Don't tell me…! This woman… she…? !
"Don't worry, we're both girl, so you're technically still a virgin," Seiga smiled. Reimu instinctively reached for her spell cards, found she had none on her, and retreated further within the futon.
"Fufu…! Take it easy, I haven't done anything! … I couldn't possibly have, or Hourai-chan and Shanghai-chan would kill me on the spot…" Seiga lamented with a sigh.
"What…? Hourai? Shanghai? Who…?" Reimu's voice trailed off as her eyes found two very pretty, very life-like dolls, leaning tidy against the wall, their eyes closed as if they were resting. They were dressed in little laced gothic dresses with ribbons and bows, reminiscent of…
"… Aren't those Alice's dolls?" Reimu asked confusedly.
"Hourai-chan, Shanghai-chan~!" Seiga called out to them, "There's no point pretending, everyone's going to know sooner or later~!"
Reimu's puzzlement was replaced with surprise when, all of a sudden, the two dolls opened their eyes and sat up, Hourai stretching and yawning and Shanghai placing her hands and knees together, glancing sheepishly at Reimu.
"Greetings, Reimu-sama." "H-Hello, Reimu-sama…"
"... What the…?"
"So… let me get this straight… Even before that stupid Shiki Eiki was planning anything, you three were already up to your own little schemes?" Reimu interrogated the three girls sitting before her formally on their knees, Seiga airily to her left, Hourai boldly centre, and Shanghai nervously to her right.
"Yup~!" "That's right!" "H-Hai…"
"And that your… 'plans' are all independent of each other, but somehow they all involve me, Marisa, Alice and Patchouli being paired together in one of several combinations…"
"Yup~!" "That's right!" "H-Hai…"
"You," Reimu pointed to Shanghai, "You wanted Marisa and Alice to be together."
"Y-Yes, Reimu-sama, I hope you don't mind…" Shanghai twiddled her fingers together timidly.
"… I do in fact mind, Marisa happens to be my love interest!" Reimu deadpanned.
Shanghai suddenly changed tack, clucking her tongue in defiance, "Marisa-sama is so much cuter with Alice-sama…" she taunted.
"…! W-Why you…!" Reimu started at Shanghai, who was now pouting to the side rebelliously.
"T'ch… And you?" Reimu began with Hourai.
"Reimu-san, let me just first of all say that I wholeheartedly support a relationship between you and Marisa-san," Hourai offered, "I'd rather see Alice-sama together with someone more sensible, like Patchouli-sama," she finished.
"Er… O-Okay…" Reimu next turned uneasily to Seiga, "And you…?" she started hesitantly.
"I want to see you girls duke it out in catfights," Seiga answered with pure, unblemished sincerity.
"I knew I wouldn't like your answer!" Reimu got to her feet angrily, Seiga amused. "Sigh…" the shrine maiden put a hand to her throbbing forehead, "What I don't get is… Why all the sudden craze over pairings? You're doing it, Remilia's doing it, Shiki Eiki's doing it, and if Yukari's right, just about, oh I don't know, everyone? ! Why does everyone want to suddenly see the four of us get together?"
"Reimu-san, I have to correct you on one point, I'm afraid," Seiga interjected.
"… I know I won't like this either, but what is it?" Reimu tiredly asked Seiga.
"You're assuming this all happened recently," Seiga pointed out.
"I-It hasn't, has it…?" Reimu did not really want to know-
"Nope, it hasn't," Seiga popped Reimu's innocence, "There has been plenty of fanfiction circulating on the market shipping you girls… There have been groups set up dedicated to following your latest personal news... I think though that Marisa-san's slightly ahead in popularity… Reimu-san~?" Seiga savoured the effect of the truth on Reimu; Reimu was absolutely broiling red now.
"Give me names… And I'll show you blood!" Reimu looked up, seething.
"My, my~! That won't do, Reimu-san~!" Seiga waved a hand, "All these fangirls do it out of their love for you~!"
"It's love I don't need!" Reimu stomped her feet, Seiga chuckling, "I'm doing fine on my own! I don't need someone to thrust a love interest for me in front of my face- W-What now…?"
Seiga, Hourai and Shanghai's expressions had suddenly become sympathetic, "Are you… sure about that…?" Seiga asked.
"… What do you mean…?" Reimu asked hesitantly.
"Ah… I'm not sure if I should tell you, but…" Seiga rubbed the back of her head, genuinely reluctant, "Well… Your love for Marisa-san? That just happened to be a successful pairing by someone …"
"… Who did it?" Reimu demanded of Seiga.
"W-Well…" Crap, I shouldn't have even mentioned this… thought Seiga.
"Who did it? !" Reimu demanded even more urgently.
"Um… I-It was uh… You know the younger Komeiji sister? From the Underground?" Seiga glanced at Reimu cautiously.
"…!" Realisation hit Reimu, "So that's why I don't remember how it felt like to fall for Marisa…" she muttered to herself, "It's that youkai of the subconscious's doing…"
"You… don't intend to hurt Koishi-chan, do you…?" Seiga asked, secretly prepared to restrain Reimu if the answer was yes.
"… No… No I don't…" Reimu sat down melancholically, "Haah… So even my love's a set up, huh…?" she looked down as she tucked her legs against her body. Seiga, Hourai and Shanghai glanced at each other uncertainly. Poor girl-
"Remind me to thank Komeiji Koishi when I have the chance," added Reimu.
"Hey! So it's okay if the pairing is Reimu x Marisa? !" the three snapped at the wry shrine maiden.
"Speaking of Koishi-sama… I wonder where she went?" Shanghai wondered, "She got separated from us after we got lost in the portals…"
"Never mind her, what about Alice-sama? !" Hourai hovered back and forth restlessly.
"Is that how you three came here too?" Reimu asked her 'guests'.
"Yeah," answered Seiga, "That gap youkai may not have been in total control, but most likely Yukari-san tried to narrow down the possible destinations," she guessed, "In any case, I'd say ending up here is the best possible outcome, as compared to say… the Outside world, maybe…?"
"D-Don't say that!" Shanghai gasped, "W-What if Alice-sama was sent there? !"
Reimu got to her feet, "I'm worried about where the others went too…" she said, "We did agree to meet back here, but maybe I should go look for them instead…"
"And where would you start?" Seiga asked, "They could be anywhere for all we know."
"… Yukari," Reimu thought up, "I've got to look for Yukari. She may know, and if she doesn't, I'll at least have an easier time looking around with her help."
"And where would Yukari-san be?" Seiga questioned, "You don't think she could still be at the festival after Kazami Yuuka's attack, do you? If that were the case, it would seem to the villagers like Yukari-san was the one behind the chaos at the festival," she said, "It'll certainly explain a lot of things… Yukari-san is a powerful youkai after all."
"…! B-But even then, the villagers wouldn't dare to do anything to her, would they…?" Reimu worried.
"Do you want to check the place out?" Seiga proposed.
Reimu looked at her, puzzled, "Are you offering me help?" she asked.
Seiga got to her feet as well, "Well… I need to look for Koishi-chan too, not to mention these two children need to reunite with Alice-san," she glanced at Hourai and Shanghai.
"Seiga-san… You've had a real change of heart, haven't you?" the two dolls remarked.
"Oh? Oh, don't get me wrong," Seiga turned away as she stretched her arms casually, "It would seem that in this particular instance, my given role is not that of antagonist, but companion. I had no choice…" she dismissed, "Sigh… Really, I want a word with the scriptwriter," Seiga joked, "I'm much more comfortable being evil and stuff."
"You've been a poor villain so far, though…" Reimu keenly observed, and Seiga stumbled on her words, blushing.
"T'ch… I really hate this side after all!" she snapped as the others giggled.
"And you two," Reimu turned to Hourai and Shanghai, "The next time you see Alice, just come clean with her about your sentience. You know… show her your love more directly."
"… Eh?" the two dolls were surprised by suggestion.
"I don't really get the need for all these sneaky schemes, but it sounds to me like you just want Alice to be happy," Reimu stated, "So… just be honest with her. Going about it in such a roundabout way is just silly," she remarked.
"B-But our roles as puppets…?" Hourai and Shanghai hesitated.
"I'd say you've long outgrown those roles," Reimu smiled gently, Hourai and Shanghai gasping in realisation. "In fact… I'd consider the two of you youkai now, so that means I'm supposed to exterminate you for all the trouble you've caused me!" Reimu mocked anger, and the two dolls cringed to her amusement.
"Sorry to interrupt this heart-warming session, but do you hear that?" Seiga suddenly said, holding out a hand for the others to be quiet, "Someone's outside…" she whispered, indicating towards the door. Reimu, Shanghai and Hourai became alert. Was someone eavesdropping…?
"… Hmph!" Seiga plunged her hand through the door like water and caught hold of something. A chuckle came from beyond the door, and suddenly with a yelp, Seiga was reeled outside with a single, smooth motion.
"S-Seiga-san? !" the other three startled.
"Woah there! Certainly didn't expect that!" a high-pitched, half-drunk voice cheerily forced its way through the door as they were slammed wide open.
"That's quite a nice trick you've got there, getting at me straight through the door!" a petite, flat-chested girl with long, ginger brown hair stood triumphantly with her legs apart. One hand was proudly on her hips, the other hoisting a lividly embarrassed Seiga easily at the knee; Seiga's skirt was flipping over her body, exposing her black lace panties.
"Oooh… Semi-see-through too!" the petite girl's reddish brown eyes disappeared behind her rancorous laughter, "This is quite the wicked catch I've got today!" her laughter grew even more rancorous.
"W-Why you…! Let me go! Let me-" Seiga, upside down and furiously blushing, stopped struggling when her eyes rested on what rested upon her captor's head: two long and sharp horns, woody like antlers, sticking away from each other at an obtuse angle.
"...! A-An Oni? !" Seiga exclaimed.
"Ibuki Suika!" Reimu demanded, "Let Seiga-san go!"
But Suika did not. Her eyes simply turned to study Reimu silently, causing some unease in the shrine maiden.
"… Glad to see that you're safe, Reimu," the foremost of the Oni devas said seriously, disarming Reimu's guard.
Seiga, face still flushed with anger, burned the image of the loli Oni before her into her mind. She wore a white buttoned blouse ripped sleeveless, and a large purple skirt once covered with sheer, although that was mostly gone too. There were shackles and chains on her wrists, on her ankles, about her waist like a belt, and even at the end of her long hair, none of which seemed to cause the Oni discomfort. Like Reimu, she sported a large red ribbon behind her head.
One of these days, I must humiliate her back! Thought Seiga viciously.
"So, Reimu! Is my room still the way I left it?" Suika was asking, an elbow propping her body as she lay on her side at ease. The others were seated around the kotatsu.
"You never had a room here, you freeloader!" Reimu snapped back, "You just crept in here and festered like mould!"
"Hey! I object to that!" the Oni protested, sitting up, "If I were mould, I'd be a drunken mould!"
"You idiot!" Reimu slammed her hands on the table, "So! What brings you here?" she demanded Suika, "Last I heard you were in Heaven."
"Well, it was a great party, but everything else was rather dull…" Suika mused, lying back down, "You two dolls really alive then?" she suddenly asked of Hourai and Shanghai.
"Y-Yes, we are…" they both replied.
"Hmph… cute…" Suika smiled. Then she eyed Reimu seriously, "After that joke conference at Hakugyokurou, there were suddenly these rumours that you were dead," she revealed.
"What? ! Wait… You were at that conference?" Reimu was stunned.
"Yup… Everyone was there," Suika shrugged, "And then after that, word reaches me that some massive fight breaks out in the Human Village. People were going 'Reimu-sama was spirited away!' Thankfully it was just a misunderstanding…" Suika took a swig of sake from a large blue gourd she had hanging on her belt.
Reimu blinked at Suika in surprise, "Were you concerned for me?" she asked, a bit touched.
"If you were dead, I was wondering if I could have your house," Suika joked, and laughed in delight when Reimu snapped at her as expected, "Haha…! Relax! Your place is the best for viewing flowers, and it won't be the same without its hostess!" Suika grinned.
"This is a shrine, not a feasting spot!" Reimu nonetheless smiled, "And anyways, if I really did die, Yukari won't let anyone else have this location because of the Hakurei barrier… Speaking of that gap hag," Reimu glanced at Suika, "Did you… hear anything about her…?"
Suika shook her head.
"Sigh… Where could she be…?" Reimu pondered.
"You're looking for her?" Suika asked.
"I'm looking for a lot of people, actually, I just figured finding her first would be for the best," Reimu said, "We were all scattered after that 'big fight' at the festival."
"Well then, looks like I've come at just the right time!" Suika sat up again and thumped her chest, "I'm just the person you want!"
"Eh? You're going to help me?" Reimu asked.
"Hey! Don't look a gift horse in the mouth…" Suika grumbled, taking a swig.
"Haha… Sorry. How do you intend to help, Suika-san?" Reimu inquired politely.
Suika extended a hand then flicked in a finger, and at once Reimu's skirt blew up, revealing her white frilly bloomers.
"Hyah! W-What are you doing? !" Reimu pulled down on her skirt, "I-I'm really going to exterminate you one day!" she glared at a laughing Suika furiously.
"Hahaha! Relax! There's a -hic- method to this madness!" Suika insisted, "Ever gone fishing?" she suddenly asked.
"…? What are you saying?" asked Reimu, puzzled.
"Well, you know how I can gather things with my powers, right?" Suika asked, and Reimu nodded, "I may not be able to reel in your friends if they're too far away, but I can at least feel the counter-pull when I try," Suika smiled.
Reimu, Seiga, Hourai and Shanghai looked at Suika in wonder as they realised her meaning, Suika's grin growing wider.
"So! Let's go find your friends!" the Oni gave her sake gourd a toast.
Chapter End
Omake
It was late in the morning at Hakugyokurou, and the autumn air was chilly, though windless. Saigyouji Yuyuko had brought back an injured Yakumo Yukari and set her up at one of the guest rooms to be nursed back to health.
"Yukari-sama?" announced Konpaku Youmu as she entered Yukari's room, bringing her porridge, "I've brought you food- Yukari-sama? ! W-What are you doing? !" Youmu nearly dropped the tray.
On her bed with her head propped against a pillow, Yukari lay helpless, her loaned robe fluttering openly about her pelvis, revealing (since she did not have any to change into) her lack of underwear in a most glorious manner.
"… Trust me, it's not my doing," Yukari deadpanned, completely unamused, "I can't stop it either-"
"I-I'm sorry! I had no idea this was going on! I-I'll just leave this here!" Youmu quickly left the tray on a side table, and in a flash she was out of the room, the image of an exhibitionist Yukari traumatically etched in her mind.
"… Listen to me, dammit…" Yukari mumbled with feeble fury, "… When I find out who's doing this, I'm going to kill her…" Yukari powerlessly seethed, robes still blooming about her flower.
Omake End