Predator and Prey
If a trees falls in a forest and nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?
A joke. A philosophical question. A metaphorical saying often used to make a point. Regardless, unlike said tree, everyone has heard this phrase.
Of course, the literal answer is quite simple: the impact of the falling tree still produces vibrations in the airwaves, but with no one around to pick up on those vibrations and translate them into the sensation known as "sound," the experience does not take place. So, both yes and no.
This is unimportant though. It is like the chicken and the egg debate: a thought exercise in which the literal answer doesn't matter. What matters is that it causes people to think critically.
Another question, one of a similar nature but far more important from a literal standpoint: if an unknown, unimportant, wholly insignificant youkai girl dies in the Wilds and nobody is around to see it, does her death matter?
Again, the answer is both yes and no. Yes, in that all deaths are tragic, that despite being no one of any real importance she was still a living, breathing, thinking, and feeling being who had done nobody any real wrong, who did not deserve what happened to her, and absolutely did not want to die. No, in that so very few people knew her name, knew who she was, thought of her after her death, and even those who would find her remains would be unable to identify her, leading her to be completely forgotten.
But she deserved better. At least the first of her killer's victims was known enough to be identified, to be remembered, to be mourned. The second wasn't allowed even that much.
Her name was Eternity Larva.
And she deserved so much better.
Her death came to her in a beautiful day during her favorite time of the year. Eternity loved the summer. She loved the Sun, loved the warmth, and especially loved how beautiful the wildflowers were. Though it had been a long time since she was a simple butterfly, flitting from petal to petal in search of nectar, her ascension into a youkai had not removed those instincts.
She had found a particularly vibrant patch of marigolds and happily dove in, seeking out the largest and the prettiest to put into the bouquet she was making.
Then Eternity paused. Something…wasn't right.
As flighty and absent-minded as they could be, many youkai had very acute senses when it came to nearby danger. Maybe it was their ties to Gensokyo's magic, maybe it was them picking up on subtle changes in the air, but whatever it was, when there was something bigger and meaner nearby, they tended to know.
Whether they then reacted by fleeing, going to investigate, or charging in bullets flying depended on the individual.
Eternity wasn't particularly reckless, and the change she detected made her very uneasy. Around her, her fellow insects had stopped singing, a sure sign that there was trouble about. What was more, there was a dry chill in the air, one that made her skin crawl, especially given that it had been a warm, balmy day.
What was more, she heard the sound of…slavering.
It was time to go.
Eternity's wings flitted, and she took flight, rising up above the field, eyes searching for the source of the danger.
And then she froze.
A line of solid black cut through the field, almost all the way to the center. It wasn't paint or any other kind of artificial coloring; the grass and flowers themselves were the source, all of them having withered and died, shriveled into black husks.
The line ended in a circle of black decay. And crouching in the middle of the circle was a…a creature.
It was humanoid, as were most creatures in Gensokyo. But it didn't seem at all well. It looked like a woman, one with disheveled dark green hair that hung around its head in shaggy clumps, the ends all dyed black. It wore a dress that looked like it was once been prettily made up with lace ribbons, but was now torn and ripped. Two massive black leathery wings hung limp from its shoulders, dragging on the ground. And its fingers were all curving talons that glinted as if made from dark metal. The creature was slouching forward, its arms hanging loose, its face hidden by its hair.
Eternity swallowed. There was no doubt about it. This thing was evil.
She turned to flee, fully intending to fly as fast and as far away as she possibly could.
But then the Death Monster paused.
And then, moving with unnatural stiffness but unholy speed, it twisted its head around so that it was staring right at her, a pair of burning scarlet eyes delving into her own, both of them wide with agony and madness.
Eternity's chest clenched from terror.
And then something hit her.
Something had to have hit her, though she didn't feel the impact. One moment she was hovering in the sky, staring at a monstrous red-eyed creature that was standing in a circle of shriveled grass, the next she was lying flat on her back in the field, looking up at the sky.
What?
Eternity tried to move, but found it difficult. Her arms were shaking badly, and would just barely respond. Her wings felt like they were convulsing, flopping around beneath her like a pair of beached fishes. And her legs…
She couldn't move them. She couldn't even feel them. It was like they weren't even there.
Eternity craned her neck the best she could. To her surprise, she couldn't see her legs at all. Were they obscured by the tall grass she was lying in? No, she still ought to see them. Now, why couldn't she…
She craned her neck a little further and saw the reason. Everything just above her belly-button was gone, sliced away. The stringy tendrils of her own intestines had fallen out into the grass, their tips rapidly turning black.
Oh.
In fact, most everything was turning black, from her own flesh to the field around her. The grass and the flowers were all drooping as their color darkened, the vibrant hue of life swiftly fading.
And then she heard a ripping sound.
The red-eyed monster rose up out of the dying grass in front of her. Its back was to her, its wings still dragging on the ground. In each hand was something long and bendy, something that looked like-
It was her legs. It was holding one of her legs in each hand, both of them shriveling up as well.
"Heh," the monster growled with a voice like a dusty tomb. It tossed her legs aside and slowly turned toward its victim.
As their eyes locked, Eternity wondered if she should be afraid. She had been afraid, right up until she had been knocked out of the sky. But she just felt…odd. Mildly curious at worse. It didn't even hurt.
It was cold, though. It was very cold.
The monster began to advance, wings dragging, metallic talons twitching. It crouched over Eternity and drew back one hand, a scythe-like talon extended.
Eternity could only stare back.
Then, before the cut came down, before her head was severed from her body, Eternity heard the creature say, "I needed that."
Eternity Larva did not deserve what happened to her at all.
But it didn't matter. Her death came just the same.
…
Credit had to be given where credit was due. Sakuya Izayoi had come through.
Alice Margatroid's house, which had for years been located in a small clearing within the Forest of Magic, was now nestled comfortably in an out-of-the-way corner of the Scarlet Devil Mansion's grounds. Not only that, but Alice's entire garden had been transplanted as well, with every single mushroom, flower, and herb exactly how it had been. A small grove of trees had been placed around her garden, cutting it off from the rest of the estate. If one were to squint, one could lead herself to believe that her house hadn't been moved at all, that it was still where it had always had been, hidden inside the Forest of Magic.
Of course, that illusion was immediately broken upon looking above the treeline to see the monolithic crimson mansion towering above. But nothing was perfect.
Meanwhile, Alice was busying herself around the house, readying herself for the tour of the library. If she was going to take over as Head Librarian. Then she would need to know everything about it, from its layout to how the books were categorized to any strange quirks and tricks that magical libraries were notorious for having.
As usual, Shanghai was hovering over her shoulder, barraging her with questions. "So are you going to be in charge of all the books?"
"All of the books in the possession of Remilia Scarlet. Which is a sizeable collection, but does not contain every book in existence."
"Which ones is she missing?"
"I do not yet know, but I doubt she intends to collect a copy of every book ever written, much less all of the duplicates. Regardless, her collection is still quite possibly the largest in Gensokyo, and represents perhaps the most thorough collection of written knowledge in the country."
"And you think you can find a way to cure Grandmother in there?"
"That is my hope, yes."
Then Shanghai brightened. "Does she have any storybooks, or just magic books?"
"Oh no, it has an adequate fiction section."
"Will you read any to me?"
"Certainly."
"And can I read any of them on me own?"
Alice thought for a moment. "I see no reason why not. Of course, you'll have to wait until I've gotten to know the library and its peculiarities. And obviously you would have to clear each borrow with me first, but-"
And then there was a knock at the door.
Alice paused. By her count, there were still several minutes before Sakuya was due to appear, and nobody could say that the Lunarian maid wasn't anything but punctual. How odd.
"Come in," she called.
The door opened, and Alice found herself looking not at the icily beautiful visage of Sakuya Izayoi, but the warm and friendly features of one Hong Meiling, the youkai gate guard.
"Hello!" Meiling said, leaning in with a friendly wave. She was taller than Alice's door, and had to crouch a little to get through. "Just thought I'd pop by and welcome you to the family!"
Shanghai tilted her head in a quizzical manner. "We are part of another family now?"
"She was not being literal," Alice told her. And to the gate guard, she said, "And I thank you. I understand that these are not pleasant circumstances, but hopefully this will prove to be a mutually beneficial relationship."
Meiling beamed. "See? Already with the loads of big words that I only kinda understand. Just like Patchouli did! You'll fit in just fine!"
And with that, she was gone, letting the door swing shut behind her.
"To explain further, the word 'family' is often used in the metaphorical sense, referring to a collection of individuals who work closely and might even live together, rather than being of blood relation," Alice told Shanghai.
Shanghai's brow furrowed further. "Are we blood related?"
That…actually was an excellent question, one that Alice had not considered. Technically though Shanghai was of flesh and blood, she had become so through magic rather than sexual intercourse, so there was no way of knowing if they shared genetic coding.
"I actually am not sure," Alice admitted. "However, as I constructed your body and feel the considerable magics that I poured into it must in some ways be responsible for your transformation, that ought to be of equivalent to shared genetics."
"Okay," Shanghai said with a nod. She started to turn away, but then paused. "Are you and Grandmother blood related?"
"No, I was adopted. That is another definition of 'family,' albeit one more closely connected to the one concerning blood relation than the one that Miss Hong was-"
There was another knock at the door, this one softer, almost hesitant.
Alice frowned. She hoped that this wouldn't be a regular thing. "It's open," she said.
The door slowly creaked open, and the nervous visage of a redhaired succubus poked in. "Ah, h-hello," she said. "I'm, uh-"
"Ah, Koakuma, is it?" Alice said with a polite nod. "Please, come in."
The little devil hesitated, and then crouched down to remove her shoes. When she was barefoot, she stepped inside.
"You, uh, I don't know if you remember me, but we've met a couple of times-"
"I remember," Alice said. "My sincere sympathies in regards to the demise of your master. Patchouli Knowledge was a brilliant mind, and very well respected within the field."
Truthfully, Alice had never really cared all that much for Patchouli Knowledge. The few times that they had collaborated Alice had found her needlessly antagonistic and condescending. When she had voiced her thoughts to Marisa, the other witch had cracked up. "Aw, what's wrong? Worried someone might be doing your schtick better?"
That had been wholly uncalled for, in Alice's opinion. Certainly, she could be blunt and impatient at times, but never outright rude!
Regardless, this was not the time to bring up Patchouli Knowledge's personality flaws, and despite her faults, Alice did still respect her talent and intelligence, as did many other magicians, so she said nothing that was untrue.
Koakuma blinked, obviously not expecting such an overt show of respect. "Oh, uh, th-thank you." She then looked down at the floor, her hands wringing anxiously together.
Alice tilted her head. The little devil clearly had something on her mind, something that she judge to be other than Alice assuming the office previously held by her master. "Is something the matter?"
Koakuma winced. "Um, well, it's just…there's been talk around the mansion. About why you agreed to take the job, and…"
Alice was on her guard. She had anticipated a frosty welcome from the staff. No doubt many of them were questioning her motives. "And?"
Koakuma fidgeted some more. Then she winced and blurted out, "Is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"The Lady Shinki. Is she really dying?"
Alice couldn't help but gasp a little.
She had expected distrust. She had expected hostility. She had expected suspicions.
She hadn't expected her true reasons to already be known to the common denizens of the mansion.
Of course Sakuya already knew, but Sakuya had already swore to keep quiet, and she was one of the very few people whose word Alice felt had any value, so it couldn't have come from her.
She considered denying Shinki's condition, but lying had never sat well with her, no matter the reason. Besides, Shanghai was watching, and she wasn't about to set a bad example.
Alice took a deep, calming breath and slowly let it out. "Where did you hear this information?" she asked.
"I'm a devil, and I still have family in Makai."
Ah, right. That did make sense. Alice ought to have thought of that. "Shinki is badly hurt, yes. And yes, using your library's exhaustive collection of magical texts to find a cure is the primary motivation for me taking this job."
Koakuma blinked, and Alice noticed the glimmer of tears in her eyes. "Do you think you can save her?"
"I certainly intend to try," Alice said.
And then the little devil smiled. "Thank you," she whispered, grabbing onto Alice's hand with both of her own and squeezing it tightly.
Alice cringed a bit at the unasked for touch, but she squelched the impulse to pull away. "Of course."
Koakuma nodded once, but didn't let go. Alice's brow furrowed.
"Sorry," Koakuma muttered at last. She released Alice's hand and hurried from the house, the door slamming behind her.
"That was strange," Shanghai remarked.
Alice shrugged. "She's gone through a hard time. Demon familiars who have lost their masters are often left traumatized by the experience, and are often emotionally vulnerable afterward. Besides, my mother is well loved by all of demonkind. It is only natural that a devil would be concerned."
"Might she also feel upset that we are here, taking the place of her deceased master?"
Alice was impressed. Shanghai still had a lot to learn about the world and was naïve about a number of things, but she was quickly learning and developing good instincts. "Probably. But there is unfortunately nothing we can do about that, save for being respectful of her feelings but taking no-"
Another knock.
Alice sighed. She was swiftly being reminded why she had lived in a secluded forest up until now. "Yes, yes, come in."
The door swung fully open, and her guest didn't bother removing her shoes before walking in.
It was the mistress of the house, and technically Alice's employer, Remilia Scarlet.
Alice was immediately on her guard. She enjoyed cordial relations with Remilia, and while they weren't friends, per se, they were on the same side of things more often than not.
But Remilia was still a vampire, a species noted for their heightened emotional responses, and as both Sakuya and Reimu had stressed to her, Remilia had been emotionally distraught for some time now, for circumstances that were both entirely understandable but also…problematic, insofar as Alice's position was concerned.
Furthermore, as Reimu had taken great pains to point out when Alice had told her that she had taken over as Head Librarian of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, that was a position previously held by Remilia Scarlet's best friend. As such, she might have certain…feelings when it came to Alice taking up that position. And with the rejection of her sister on top of that, Remilia just might be more prone than normal to make rash decisions.
"Miss Scarlet," she said, casually putting herself between Remilia and Shanghai. "Welcome."
The vampire did not look at all well. Though her clothing and makeup was as immaculate as ever, there was a hollowness to her eyes and a tightness to her skin. If she were not up and walking, she could easily be mistaken for the corpse she had once been.
Remilia smiled with humor and without warmth. "And likewise," she said. "I came to welcome you to the mansion's staff, and thank you for agreeing to…fill this vacancy."
"Not at all," Alice said.
Remilia walked further into the house. It was then that Alice noticed that her batlike wings were not folded neatly behind her as they always were when she walked, but instead hung loose, their tips dragging across the floor.
"This is…of course…a very trying time for all of us," Remilia continued, not looking at either Alice nor Shanghai. In fact, she seemed to be speaking to herself. "We have…all taken losses. We have all…suffered heartbreaks. In these…difficult times, we must all support each other. We must…come together. As a community. To strengthen and…and to uplift one another." She finally looked straight at Alice, her empty smile widening. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Absolutely, Miss Scarlet," Alice said.
"Ah. I-I'm sorry, but that just…sounds strange, coming from you. Call me Remilia."
Alice bowed. "Of course, Remilia."
Remilia blinked. "I…heard of your mother's…infirmity. I hope…you can find…some way…of helping her here."
"Thank you. I do so as well."
"Just as I…also hope that you can…take some of the burden off of Sakuya's shoulders. She is…working ever so hard lately. Yes, ever so hard. And with P-P-Pa…" Remilia swallowed. "With no magician on hand, I fear the stress…is getting to her."
Translation: You damned well better justify your stepping into my dead best friend's shoes by helping Sakuya get my sister back.
"I intend to help in any way I can," Alice said.
"Ah, that is…so very good to hear."
And then Remilia's gaze flitted from Alice to a point just over Alice's shoulder.
At Shanghai, to be specific.
"Ah, this must be your daughter!" Remilia said. "I have…heard so much about her! My…belated congratulations."
"Thank you, Remilia," Alice said.
"I hope she is happy here," Remilia murmured. "And that you…take good care of her. After all…both of our families have suffered so much. It would be…such a shame if…yet another tragedy were to befall."
Alice's hand began to move stealthily to the small pouch she wore on her hip. "What kind of tragedy do you foresee, Remilia?"
"Oh, nothing in particular," Remilia said. "Perhaps the tragedy of, after all the bother around convincing you to step into Patchy's recently vacated shoes…well, slippers…you were prove yourself…a poor fit. That would be a great tragedy, wouldn't you agree? And as well all know, one tragedy often leads to others."
There was a fey light in her eyes, and Alice did not like the way the unstable vampire was staring at Shanghai.
"I have no intention of disappointing," Alice said. She carefully used her middle finger to push the pouch's flap aside and slip her hands inside.
And then Remilia blinked and suddenly looked away from Shanghai. "Well, you must have so much to do. I'll leave you to it, then."
And with that, she turned and hurried from the house.
Alice stood still for a long time, staring at the door. This…could complicated things.
"Mother?" Shanghai said. "What is wrong?"
"I am fairly certain we were just threatened," Alice said.
"Oh? And why?"
"Because Remilia is known for being very temperamental, even by vampire standards. And vampires are very temperamental creatures." Alice shook her head. "Shanghai, I want you to promise me that you will keep your distance from Remilia Scarlet, and never allow yourself to be alone with her."
"Why? Is she bad?"
"Good and bad are oversimplifications of entirely subject values, and irrelevant to this situation. What is relevant is that she is not at all emotionally stable, and likely to make an irrational decision. It's best to not provide her with the opportunity."
Shanghai looked puzzled. But before she could inquire further, there was yet another knock at the door.
Alice felt a sudden and unexpected wave of empathy for her predecessor. If she had this many visitors before she even started her job, then it was no wonder that Patchouli Knowledge had been so irritable.
"Yes?" she said, her tone clipped.
The door opened again, and to Alice's relief it was Sakuya Izayoi. Finally. "I see you have settled in," Sakuya said. "I trust you find your accommodations satisfactory?"
"Well, my accommodations are my home and how I furnished it, merely moved to a new location," Alice said. "So quite."
"Excellent. Let us begin the tour."
Alice then raised a finger. "Ah, before we do, an issue just came up that I feel compelled to address."
A single sharply trimmed silver eyebrow arched.
"Your mistress was just here, and left mere moments before you showed up."
There was no change in Sakuya's expression, save for a slight, very slight tightening around the eyes.
"She came in order to welcome me to the mansion's household," Alice said. "She also threatened me."
"Threatened you?"
"Politely."
Sakuya said nothing, though her body language invited Alice to explain further.
"I believe she has certain…opinions regarding my having taken over the office previously held by Patchouli Knowledge," Alice said. "I believe she feels negatively about this."
At this, Sakuya finally sighed. "Ah. I had feared as much."
"She was, of course, informed that you had hired me, and given ample time to come to terms with our arrangement?"
"Of course she was," Sakuya said, just a touch of irritation in her voice. "We had a lengthy discussion, and your presence here was not only cleared, but encouraged." She paused, and then added, "But…"
"She is a vampire," Alice finished for her.
Sakuya tilted her chin. "Do you feel unsafe here?"
"Yes, but it is a calculated risk. I do not wish it to escalate beyond that." Alice's eyes bore into Sakuya's own. "Especially where my daughter is concerned."
"Understood," Sakuya said after a beat. "I will ensure her safety, as well as your own. You need not fear my mistress."
"I would hope not," Alice huffed as Sakuya led her and Shanghai from the house out into the garden. As she did, she took another look at the mansion grounds surrounding them.
Well, insofar as threats go, an unstable Remilia Scarlet was at least something she would be capable of handling. And when it came down to it, perhaps moving to the relative safety of the Scarlet Devil Mansion was a smart choice. According to Reimu, the Shadow Youkai had reemerged, and Alice would not want for her and Shanghai to be alone in the Wilds should it go on another rampage.
Poor Reimu. She was probably out there right now, searching for it. Alice wasn't one to spare much concern to other people that could handle themselves, but she had lost one close friend already. She hoped that the shrine maiden would keep safe.
…
"No question about it," Kotohime Sonozika said as she and her partners crouched down over the body, or what was left of it. "It's the Shadow Youkai."
Reimu glanced up at her. She quirked an eyebrow.
"What?"
Shaking her head, the shrine maiden turned her attention back to the poor creature. As was the case of the harvest goddess, what little remained was barely recognizable as having ever lived at all, and at least the goddess's corpse had mostly been in one piece.
There was one sizeable chunk that looked like it had once been someone's upper body, with two arms and a torso. The head had been found nearby, having been severed from the neck. There wasn't anything past where the waist had been though, indicating a much more violent kill than Shizuha Aki. Two vaguely leg-shaped shriveled objects had been found not far from the rest of the corpse.
"Do either of you know who this is?" Reimu asked.
Kotohime frowned. She shook her head. "Even if I did, how would I know? We only identified Shizuha Aki because she was murdered at home and has surviving family."
"I'll touch base with the local youkai," Momiji said. "See if anyone's suddenly gone missing."
"Good luck with that," Reimu said. Wild youkai were notoriously unreliable when it came to keeping track of their neighbors. Many were loners, preferring to live solitary lives, and could go for months without seeing those who they considered friends. Unless a tight-knit gang or a fairy dance was formed, out of sight was often out of mind for them. Besides, with a kill this fresh, even a close-knit community probably wouldn't have noticed that anyone was missing.
As tragic as the murder was, more pressing to Reimu's mind was the murderer. She straightened up and turned her attention back to the murder scene itself.
It was a field of tall grass and wildflowers, no different from literally hundreds of others in Gensokyo. But this one was noteworthy because of the trail of decay that cut right through it. The Shadow Youkai's signature taint of death cut right through, withering all plant life in its wake. From a distance, it looked like someone had spilled a trail of tar.
Reimu took to the air so as to examine the path from above. Momiji joined her while Kotohime stayed with the body.
"Okay, so the Shadow Youkai entered the field through the southeast," Reimu said, pointing. They had followed the taint all the way from the Aki's tree root home. It had been depressingly easy. She moved her finger to the end of the trail, which was capped with a black circle, like the tip of a mercury thermometer. "It was walking right up to there, when it suddenly took flight." She then pointed down at the scene of the murder, which sat apart from the original trail. "And came down here."
Momiji nodded. "Pretty easy to see what happened. The victim was in the air, the Shadow Youkai spotted them, and flew up to take them down."
Reimu frowned. "Obviously not to cover its tracks. This thing doesn't seem to care about leaving a trail. More likely this was just for fun."
Momiji growled. "Monster."
"No arguments here." Reimu looked around. "But the trail doesn't keep going. It stops there, picks up again where it killed the victim, and then just disappears."
"It took to the air," Momiji said. "Smart, but why now? Did something spook it?"
Reimu shook her head. "I don't think so. I've seen possessions before, and it usually takes some time for the possessor to get used to its new host."
"Meaning?"
Reimu turned their attention back to the original trail. "The original trail starts off not far from the Aki sisters' house, so I'm thinking the Shadow Youkai blew its way out right after killing Shizuha, but wasn't strong enough to maintain flight. So once it was out, it just took off in one direction, fleeing blindly. It only recently got control of Hina Kagiyama but didn't have full hold yet, so all it could really do was run."
She then pointed to sizeable blot at the end of the trail. "Okay, it stopped here to rest. The victim probably chanced upon it, and it saw and attacked."
Next she indicated the site of the murder. "She took the victim down here, and since there's no sign of any burrowing it must have been strong enough to start flying."
"Where did it go, then?" Momiji asked. "What direction?"
Reimu was already pulling a charm out from the pouch at her side. "Let's find out."
Holding the charm in front of her face with one hand, she waved her gohei with the other and whispered a quick incantation. The charm began to glow. She released it, and lifted into the air.
Then it burst, energy spreading out from it in a circular wave. The wave then contracted, forming a lens with shimmering multicolored energy stretching within.
The lens moved with Reimu, and she peered through it, searching the otherwise invisible magical energies in the air.
As always, peering directly at the magical energies that swam through Gensokyo's air was a dizzying experience. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope lens, and having every color occupy every single space at once. Reimu saw waves of color, sparkles, leylines, and all manner of sifting energies, so thick that it was hard to make out the solid world beneath it all.
But there was something new, something very conspicuous. Through the lens, it looked like a trail of noxious black smoke, one that shot off from the scene of the murder, first arching up shooting off through the sky.
Reimu checked the position of the Sun and consulted the map of Gensokyo in her head to calculate where their quarry was heading.
When she figured it out, her heart sank.
"Oh, no," she whispered.
"What is it?" Momiji said. "What do you see?"
"You're really not going to like it," Reimu told her.
Momiji growled. "Don't waste my time, Reimu! People's lives are at stake!"
Right, right. Reimu took a deep breath and said, "I think it's headed for the Youkai Mountain."
Momiji blinked once.
Just once, a slow shuttering and reopening of her grey, wolfish eyes. And in the scant amount of time it took her to do that, Reimu could almost literally see her processing all of the horrible implications of what Reimu had just told her.
And then she whirled toward the Hanataka Tengu and the GPF officers still investigating the murder scene. "You! Get in contact with Moriya Shrine and rouse the goddesses immediately! You! Contact Boss Tenma's mansion! You! Call up Lord Zora of the Kappa! Let them know that Captain Momiji Inubashiri is officially calling in a Class Black Emergency, and to initiate full evacuation procedures immediately!"
"E-Evacuation procedures?" said one of the wolves she had singled out. "But-"
Momiji immediately seized the impudent Tengu woman by the lapels of her robe. "The Shadow Youkai is headed for the Youkai Mountain right now! Think of the person back home you care for the most!" She gave the stunned woman a shove. "Now think of them meeting the monster that killed that poor creature at our feet and wondering why oh why didn't I give the evacuation order in time! Move!"
That did the trick. As the Tengu scrambled to let their home know of the monster headed their way, Momiji turned to Kotohime Sonozika, who was also relaying instructions to her people. "Captain, can you get ahold of your master? Her power would be invaluable moving my people to safety."
Reimu winced, but said nothing. Her personal grudge against Yukari could wait.
"Of course," Kotohime said. "In fact, she'll probably want to come down herself to confront the creature." Then she glanced over to Reimu. "Unless, there are some objections to her presence…"
Reimu scowled. "Piss off, Sonozika. Of course there isn't!"
"Just checking."
As Kotohime turned away to make the necessary calls, Momiji turned her attention to Reimu. "Shrine Maiden," she said. "You're our strongest weapon. If we encounter this creature before anyone else, would you be able to handle it?"
Reimu winced. "Well, that kind of depends on…a lot."
"Summarize."
"It recently possessed a new host, and its soul has apparently already taken a lot of damage. That'll make it unstable, fragile even. If I can catch it off guard, then maybe I can keep it down long enough to break those ties and free the host." She glanced over to the corpse. "On the other hand, its power is clearly growing, so if it gets even one good shot, then that's it for the Hakurei line."
"Well, fortunately you won't have to worry about that," Kotohime said suddenly, approaching the pair. "I just got off the phone with Miss Yakumo, and there's been a change of plans."
Reimu stared. "What?"
"We're too late. They're already found the Shadow Youkai's trail at the Youkai Mountain. We've been ordered off the hunt and instead are to assist with the evacuation." She looked to Momiji. "You and your people are to return to the Tengu Village. The evacuation is already underway, and they need all the help they can get."
"That quickly?" Momiji looked shaken.
"My congratulations on your people's efficiency. As for me, the GPF is moving to help move out the wild youkai on the mountainside. Given where the trail was found, they are the most at risk."
Reimu folded her arms. "And does the great and mighty Yukari have any orders for me to ignore?"
Kotohime shot her a withering look. "You can help whoever, so long as you don't go after the Shadow Youkai."
"And why should I not do my job?"
"Because the Founder is headed to confront it directly."
Reimu blinked. "Oh."
She wasn't sure how she felt about that. On the one hand, she couldn't exactly accuse Yukari of being a coward, and truthfully she was far more suited than Reimu to take the Shadow Youkai down, even if it galled her to do anything Yukari said.
Besides, she really didn't want to have to fight the Shadow Youkai herself. She absolutely would if she had to, but she definitely didn't want to.
On the other, there still was the off-chance that the Shadow Youkai would win. Reimu doubted it, especially if its grip over its new host was still unstable, but that possibility did exist. And if that happened, then losing Yukari would probably not be great for Gensokyo's future. Sure, Sariel would probably be able to handle the Shadow Youkai problem if it came down to it, but if Yukari were killed first, then the aftereffects weren't something Reimu liked thinking about. Yukari was so entwined to Gensokyo's existence that she didn't want to know what losing her would entail.
Besides, as much spite as she held toward her now, they did used to be friends.
"Fine," she said to Kotohime. "But I'm helping you guys. If something goes down, then I want to be nearby."
"Fair enough. Let us go then. We've delayed long enough."
But before they headed off, Reimu found herself glancing over her shoulder to the Shadow Youkai's poor victim, left behind dead and in withered pieces. She wondered who it was, what they had been doing, and if anyone would miss them. She wished that she at least knew their name.
…
Though the Tengu Village had not been directly touched by the catastrophic events that plagued Gensokyo at the start of the year, enough of the collateral damage had washed up against its borders that it was sincerely wished that the troubles were over and done with. True, that whole business with the robots had made for great entertainment, but nobody wanted the more horrific aspects that they were hearing about to come to their home. And when things had finally died down following the destruction of the Garden of the Sun, everyone had breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief at having escaped relatively unscathed.
It was sort of funny then how quickly such false notions of safety can be dispelled. One morning you wake up without fear expecting another carefree day, and the next blaring alarms are going off all over the city and people are saying that a murderous engine of death and destruction was on its way to kill every living thing in the most gruesome and final manner possible.
"Everyone, move quickly, move calmly, and move together!" Sanae Kochiya called to the denizens of the neighborhood she was in charge of clearing. "Take only what you need! Your lives are at stake, not your possessions!"
Of course once it was learned that the Shadow Youkai was again on the move and heading toward the Youkai Mountain, Yukari Yakumo had been immediately contacted. And to her credit, she had responded immediately. Gaps had been opened all over the city, gaps that would take the Tengu and any other residents or visitors to someplace safe. Now the residents of Moriya Shrine were coordinating with the Hanataka Tengu to get everyone through the portals. Sanae was in charge of the northern district, which was mainly made up of middle-class families. Kanako was heading up the wealthier district that surrounded the shrine at the mountain's peak, while Suwako was busy evacuating the poor.
Unfortunately, though she was well-respected and had plenty of help, the unfortunate fact of the matter was that Sanae was still a Human girl in her mid-twenties trying to get a bunch of panicked Tengu to follow instructions. She would have had an easier time getting cats to march in formation.
"Please, no pushing, no fighting!" she called as yet another scuffle broke out. "There's plenty of gaps for everyone! Just move…Hey, you! Knock that off! Stop crowding the gap entrance! Please, just-"
A pair of teenaged boys barreled right past her in their frenzied rush toward the nearest gap, not heeding her presence at all. One of their wings clipped her in the head.
"Ow!" Sanae winced and grabbed at her temple. "Watch it! And…Oh, for the love of…You and you! Stop fighting already! Okay, you go to that gap, and you go to that one! Seriously, in the time it's taken you to swing at each other, you could've-"
"Shrine Maiden Kochiya!" Suddenly Sanae's vision was filled with the flashing bulb of a camera, momentarily blinding her. "Inquiring minds want to know! How do you respond to the accusations that the supposed sighting of the so-called Shadow Youkai is nothing more than a manufactured crisis in order to force us through gaps that will implant tracking spells intended to curtail the freedoms we enjoy as Tengu citizens of Gensokyo?"
"Wh-What?" Sanae sputtered as she blinked several times, trying to clear her vision. However, she didn't need to see to know who was accosting her. That much was obvious. "Are you insane? Why the hell would we even want to do that?"
Aya did not so much as flinch. "People are saying that this is a scheme concocted by Yukari Yakumo and the Celestials in order to perpetuate a radical Celestian agenda."
"What people? When? This literally started just a few minutes ago!"
"There are some who say that-"
Aya was suddenly cut off in mid-sentence. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she slumped lifelessly into the arms of the wolf Tengu that had used the hilt of his sword to club her in the back of the head.
"Thank you," Sanae said wearily as the wolf carried Aya's unconscious form toward the nearest gap.
She turned back to the crowd, ready to continue trying to wreak some order upon the chaos around her.
Then a heavy hand fell upon her shoulder.
"Shrine Maiden," said another wolf Tengu in a husky voice. "We need to get you out of here. Right now."
"What?" Sanae gaped. "But I'm needed here, to help with the evacuation!"
"We'll handle it from here. But you need to leave."
"Why? What happened?"
Then she saw the fear in the wolf Tengu's grey eyes. "We just heard from Yukari Yakumo's Shikigami," he said. "The Shadow Youkai has already reached the Youkai Mountain."
Sanae gasped. "What? When? Where?"
"It is still being searched for. But the creature's taint now covers a large portion of the mountain's forested area, so we know it's near. Which means you are leaving."
Despite knowing that he was probably right, Sanae still cast a hesitant look over her shoulder at the ongoing evacuation, at all the terrified people trying to get to safety. She saw Tengu of every age and stripe, young and old, wolf and crow, all fleeing for their lives. And though they were Gensokyian youkai while she was a Human from the Outside World, they were still her people. She didn't want to just leave them, not when she could still help.
Then the hand on her shoulder tightened. "Perhaps I was not clear," the wolf growled. "You either come with me immediately, or I shall knock you out like that reporter was and carry you to safety."
Well, when he put it like that…
"All right," Sanae said reluctantly. "Let's go."
She turned and let herself be led to a nearby gap, but not without casting one more look over her shoulder, at all the people trying to reach safety.
She wondered if they had acted in time. She wondered if, when she came home, there were going to be faces that she was never going to see again.
…
Even the simplest of lives can end in truly spectacular fashion.
As the name implied, the Youkai Mountain was home to varieties of youkai, of Fairies, of spirts, all of them with their own ways and cultures, some forming large communities while others traveled in smaller groups, each depending on their species' social preferences.
And then there were the Yamanba.
Unlike their more sociable cousins, the Yamanba were solitary creatures, preferring the solitude that could be found deep in the forests that covered the mountain's sides, far from the bustle and hustle of more "civilized" youkai, content to live off the land and stay within their chosen territories.
Nemuno Satanka was one such creature. She lived deep within the forests that covered the mountainside, far from the civilizations that lay nested at the mountain's peak and at its foot. She lived with no one, was friends with no one, and could go for days without speaking or even seeing another sentient being, and she liked it that way.
Not that she was completely cut off from the comings and goings of Gensokyo at large. She had heard that something dark and dramatic was taking place, something that had gotten a lot of folk worked up. But that didn't bother her much. The concerns of the world were of little concern to her. She minded her own business and expected others to mind theirs.
At the moment, she was sitting at the mouth of the cave that she called home, tending her small iron cooking pot. It sat over a fire, its contents only just starting to bubble. Within was a simple stew of wild rabbit, tubers, and herbs, all gathered by herself. Humming softly to herself, she pushed the chunks around the broth with a rough wooden spoon and added another handful of herbs.
And then everything changed.
It was hard to describe exactly what had happened or how she knew. One moment everything was perfectly normal, and the next it wasn't. There was no sound to draw her attention, nothing moving within her vision. And yet all of a sudden the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood straight up, and a chill ran down her spine.
Nemuno's head jerked up. Her eyes darted this way and that, searching the surrounding forest for some sign of danger. She sniffed the air. Nothing.
What was that? It was like someone had unexpectedly touched her in the small of her back, making her whole body recoil. And Nemuno had fared for herself long enough to know not to discount her instincts. Even though she couldn't see anything out of place, there was most definitely something wrong. Something had intruded upon her sanctuary, something that she did not want near her.
As she sat and listened, a change occurred that she was able to identify, one that spoke of nothing good.
The forest fell completely silent.
People often speak of the quiet of the peace and quiet of the wilderness, often people who had never spent any significant time outdoors. As someone who had lived her entire life among the trees, Nemuno could tell you that the forest was one of the noisiest places to be, from the constant chatter of the birds to the chirping of the insects to the croaking of the frogs to the calls of predatory and prey alike, and that wasn't even getting into things like the singing of local fairy dances. You could always count on hearing someone at any time. It made for a good indication that all was well.
But not now. Now, the forest had lost its voice. Everything had stopped speaking, as if afraid to draw the attention of some new danger.
With the rest of her body keeping perfectly still, Nemuno's hand slowly went to the cleaver strapped to her hip.
And then, all at once, the sky above filled with the sound of flapping wings and panicked cries.
It seemed like every single bird in the forest had taken wing all at once. As Nemuno watched through the spaces between the branches, birds of every kind darkened the sky, from large raptors to smaller seed eaters, all of them desperately fleeing…something!
And then they were gone, rapidly flying away from the mountain as fast as their wings could take them.
Nemuno slowly breathed out. The grip on her dagger tightened and her eyes narrowed.
Something was invading her sanctuary. Something dangerous. And that angered her.
She moved quickly, dousing the fire with dirt and covering the pot with its lid to hide the smell. She then rose smoothly to her feet and ducked into the shadows.
Nemuno moved silently and invisibly, searching for the intruder. What she would do when she found it had yet to be determined, but she was not going to let the violation of her territory go unchallenged.
And then she found something.
Something was lying on the ground below, slumped up against a tree. It was a deer, a young doe. Or at least, what was left of one. Its stomach had been split open, its intestines spilling out. Another slash had nearly severed its neck in half, its lifeless head flopping to one side, held on by a sliver of flesh and fur.
That in itself wouldn't be so odd. Nemuno shared her forest with a great many predators, and often came across the leavings of their hunt. But what was odd was that the corpse, although mangled, was still whole. Nothing had taken so much of a bite.
The deer had been killed for sport.
Now Nemuno was growing angry. As a hunter herself, she had no reservations about ending a life to sustain her own, and respected the other predators' right to do so as well. But she had no tolerance for wasteful killing. The blatant disregard for life was nothing less than evil.
But there was something else that set this killing apart, something that was turning her anger to horror. The corpse was…well, it was decaying. No, not decaying, shriveling, the bloodied flesh around the cuts turning black, and the blackness spreading across the body. As Nemuno watched, the deer literally seemed to crumple into itself, blackening like a paper set aflame. Whatever had made those cuts was clearly cursed.
For the first time in her long and simple life, Nemuno found herself seriously considering abandoning her home.
And then something grabbed her by the head.
Nemuno shrieked as what felt like several frozen steel blades jabbed into her head around the crown, slicing into her skin and digging into her skull. The shriek was abruptly cut off when everything abruptly went cold.
But it wasn't the cold of ice, of snow, of winter air. It was the coldness of emptiness, of void, of death. It was the coldness that came from the absence of life, a horrible numbness that spread from where the blades sunk into her.
She tried to resist, to pull away, to fight back, to do anything. But just as the cold saps away heat, so did this sap away her strength, and she found herself incapable of moving. Even her voice had been stolen from her. Her cleaver fell from her now-lifeless hands to thump uselessly on the ground.
And then she heard a cold, dead voice chuckle.
Now her eyes had even lost the ability to blink, and her vision was growing fuzzy. Still, she could see something creep around in front of her. It was an arm, one that ended not with a hand, but with what looked like a talon, each finger a curving metallic blade, like a scythe. The blades were smeared with a black crust.
Blood. It was dried blood, blood that had blackened like the deer.
It paused right in front of her face, all of its ripping talons spread open.
And then it tore off her face.
Nemuno Sakata's life had been simple and good.
Her death was not.
…
Despite her criticisms of Patchouli Knowledge's lifestyle and misgivings concerning Remilia Scarlet's temperament, Alice had always been deeply impressed with the Scarlet Devil Mansion's library. But at the same time, she had always found it irksome.
The library was staggeringly huge, quite possibly larger than even the mansion's exterior, expanded unnaturally thanks to Sakuya Izayoi's power over time and space. The rows of bookshelves seemed endless when seen from above, and to those standing in the midst of them they towered far overhead, a seemingly limitless sea of knowledge and fancy.
And that was what galled Alice about it. Here was a treasure trove of knowledge, more than anyone could absorb even given the many lifetimes lived by its owners. And it was sealed off, locked away, accessible only to a privileged few. That just felt…wrong.
"Now obviously, you are expected to see to the entirely of the library's upkeep," Sakuya said as the two of them walked along. "However, some sections will require some extra attention, for various reasons."
"And those being?" Alice inquired.
"Well, for example, the Mistress is quite fond of Old English storybooks, as well as Victorian-era fiction, so those sections must always be in perfect order. Likewise, the botany section sees a lot of use from our gardeners, the culinary section from our cooks, and so on."
"Cooks? I thought your Mistress only consumed blood, prepared personally by yourself."
"She does," Sakuya answered. "The cooks are for the staff's meals, as well as serving any guests the Mistress might have."
"Ah."
"However, there are a few sections that are to be closely guarded, as they hold works only for an elite few."
Alice nodded. She had expected this, as while the library's exclusiveness galled her, every library had certain volumes that were either too valuable or too dangerous to be allowed to the common folk. In fact, they were at that moment passing by one such section.
"I assume you are speaking of the grimores of dark magic and eldritch knowledge?" Alice said as she peered down into the shadows spaces between the stacks. From within, vague whispers and babbles could be heard, just low enough to be mistaken for figments of her imagination if Alice didn't know better. Furthermore, she was fairly certain that there was something moving in the shadows, something long and sinuous.
"Naturally," Sakuya said. "Though to be honest, that section rarely sees trespassers. Those on the staff know to leave well enough alone, and any outsider that forces their way that far deserves what happens to them. No, it's the Mistress's exhaustive collection of erotica that will require the most vigilance."
Alice blinked. "Wait, erotica?"
"Yes."
"There is p-p-pornography kept here?"
"Of course," Sakuya said calmly. She frowned. "Miss Margatroid, please tell me that you are not going to object because of some archaic moral scruples?"
"Ah…" Alice blinked. "Well, I suppose not. It's just…not what I expected."
"From whom?"
Alice shrugged. "Well, Remilia. She never struck me as the…type." True, vampires were known to have many deviant tendencies, but Remilia always put on such an air of and proper behavior that the thought of her actually reading pornography, much less possessing the largest collection in private hands, was quite the stretch.
"The Mistress is long-lived even by the standards of her species," came the curt reply. "And has developed a number of interests. Just because she doesn't openly advertise all of them is not a sign of aversion."
"I suppose," Alice admitted. "It's just…" Suddenly something occurred to her. "Wait, Marisa has specifically told me of her attempts to get at Patchouli Knowledge's erotica collection! I assumed it was something small and hidden away. But if there is an entire section…"
At this, a rare smile tugged at Sakuya's lips. "Ah, that. I remember. If I recall, Marisa often helped herself to the works contained in this section, but after catching her during one of her heists, Patchouli accidentally let slip that she had a few works for her private use, ones not in these stacks. Since then, Marisa took it as a personal challenge to abscond with those works." Then Sakuya's countenance darkened again. "In fact, I believe this is what led Patchouli to sealing them away in one of her special crystal chests, which in its own way led to our…current difficulties."
To this, Alice didn't respond, but it did give her much to think about.
How many problems could have been avoided had Marisa simply not made a point to torment Patchouli Knowledge? Or what could have happened had it been her to open the box instead of Cirno and her gang? The Shadow Youkai would have never been unleashed, and while Marisa would have been devoured in Rumia's stead, Rin Satsuki would have been much easier to subdue, and no doubt Marisa would have been rescued in short order.
Further to the point, what if Marisa had taken the right box, if it had been nothing more than simple erotica that those infantile troublemakers had taken from her house? Well, Rin Satsuki would still be in a box, there would be no Shadow Youkai, Patchouli Knowledge wouldn't have been killed, Yuuka Kazami wouldn't have been lured from her garden, Shinki would never have been wounded, there would be no hundreds of casualties at the Garden of the Sun.
And Marisa would still be alive. She and Alice would probably be hanging out right now, talking, bickering, laughing, and joking as they always had. Even Shanghai might have come to life regardless.
It was a very troubling "what if?" to think about.
As the discussion seemed to be done, Sakuya continued the tour, leading Alice through the stacks.
"Now, the library does have many spells woven into it that directly see to its upkeep: dusting, the keeping away of pests, warding off potentially damaging moisture, that sort of thing," Sakuya said. "But with the loss of Patchouli Knowledge, those spells have deteriorated. As you will be in charge of overseeing the library's condition, I assume you will wish to restore these spells. I can show you their anchors, and I am sure we can find Patchouli's notes on their creation if you wish to modify them."
Alice nodded. "Thank you, but that will not be necessary." There was a side-table nearby, so Alice pulled a roll of paper from the pouch at her side and laid it flat. On it was a rough sketch of what she had in mind. "I have my own ideas on how I wish to maintain the library."
"Oh?" Sakuya came in closer. "Do tell."
"We all prefer to play to our strengths," Alice said, pointing out the construction plans and the detailed grid she had made of the library. "And my talents always strongly leaned toward automation."
The plans were for a specific type of magical doll, each one preprogrammed with a specific set of tasks, along with a set of failsafes in case they encountered anything out of the ordinary. The grid marked down each doll's job in the library and how Alice planned to cover its maintenance and protection.
"You wish to create a staff of maids of your own, using your dolls," Sakuya noted.
Alice nodded. "Correct. Doing so will not only solve the problem of the library's maintenance, but also allow me to quickly learn its layout, as my eyes will see through theirs." She glanced up at the maid. "Now, I understand that you might have some concerns regarding both the mass-production of these dolls, as well as having so many entities suddenly inhabiting a space that previously only had a couple of individuals."
Sakuya frowned. "I do, actually. Your idea has merit, but like you said, I have concerns. However, that discussion can wait. For now, I will show you your predecessor's private workspace, which is now yours."
Sakuya led her to the very back of the library. There, nestled directly beneath the great pendulum that swung back and forth on the wall, was a door, a door that Alice had entered a fair number of times, the door to Patchouli Knowledge's private the study. Sakuya unlocked the door and opened it.
It was just as Alice remembered: a veritable museum of magical instruments, a vast collection of regents and alchemical ingredients, and a bizarre collection of odds and ends that served no purpose other than to be looked at, from the skeleton of a great reptile that hung suspended from the ceiling to the glass displays of various minerals and crystals. At the far end was a large fireplace, with a pair of overstuffed easy chairs set before it.
It was a little too gauche for Alice's tastes. She understood the necessity of having a number of tools and regents nearby, but she was no collector, not the way Patchouli was. She had only just taken to decorating her own home, and that was because Shanghai liked pretty things. To have so much stuff lying around to be looked at by so few struck her as indulgent in the extreme.
"Now obviously, you will probably wish to redecorate according to your personal tastes." At this, Sakuya cast a meaningful look at Alice. "I have no objection to this, but I believe it's best to not mention this to the Mistress, as she might feel strongly regarding the removal of her friend's presence."
Alice swallowed, but she nodded. "Understood. Another discussion to be had."
"Indeed."
"For now, this will do fine," Alice said as she walked around, looking at the various displays and tools. A bit crowded for her liking, but workable. "At the very least, everything I need is within reach."
Sakuya frowned. "Everything you need?"
"Yes. Researching a cure for Shinki." She turned her attention to the worktable, taking mental stock of all the regents and materials she saw there. "I wish to begin immediately. There is no telling how much time she has, so it is imperative-"
Sakuya cleared her throat. "Ah. Well, your desire for haste is understandable, but I'm afraid that must wait, as I actually have a more pressing job for you."
Alice blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"I require a new pocketwatch," Sakuya said bluntly. "Or lacking that, some other means of channeling my power, a device capable of everything the old one was, if not better. In fact, I have a few modifications I would like made."
Now Alice was starting to get a little annoyed. "A new pocketwatch," she said in disbelief. "You want me to put off saving my mother's life to make you a new pocketwatch."
"Yes."
Normally this would be where Alice would turn on the ire and sarcasm, but given who she was talking to and why, she had to at least make an effort to be diplomatic. "Miss Izayoi, I understand that losing the previous model no doubt has made your duties more…stressful, but my mother's life is on the line. Surely this could wait."
And then Sakuya's already chilly visage turned downright artic. "Ah. Perhaps I was not fully clear. I apologize." Clasping her hands behind her back, Sakuya advance forward, moving closer and closer into Alice's personal space, making the puppeteer back up in reflex. "Miss Margatroid, understand that the sudden increase of difficulty in my duties as Head Maid is secondary to my mind. Right now, the most pressing crisis to this household is Mistress's state of mind. Not only is her best friend dead, but her little sister is gone. I intend to reclaim Flandre, by any means necessary."
Alice gawked at her. "You are going after Rin Satsuki? That's suicide. You're-"
"I am still speaking," Sakuya said, her tone polite, yet firm. "Yes, I will go after Rin Satsuki, but I do not intend to do so recklessly. I intend to prepare and arm myself any way I can, and that includes a new channel for my power over time and space." A cold fire flashed within the Lunarian's icy blue eyes. "Make no mistake, I will bring Flandre home, willing or otherwise. And you are going to do everything you can to help me prepare."
"But-"
"Let me make myself clear: when you signed that contract, you became a member of this house's staff. I am the head of staff, in charge of this house's day-to-day operations. Which means you are now officially my employee. As such, you will do as I say."
Alice was dumbstruck. She had anticipated personality clashes within the Scarlet Devil Mansion. She had anticipated resentment and distrust from Patchouli Knowledge's friends and associates. She had anticipated threats and possibly even sabotage.
She had not anticipated Sakuya Izayoi pulling rank and treating her as a base employee and to do so with attempted intimidating, and she had especially not anticipated for it to actually work.
Alice had always respected the exiled Lunarian's ability and intelligence, and knew her to be someone to not suffer fools lightly. And she fully understood why there were many who feared Sakuya. But in their past dealings, they had always been collaborators on a project, equals who each offered something different. And if they did end up butting heads as two strong-willed personalities were wont to do, then Alice had no trouble pushing back if pushed.
But now the balance of power had shifted, and she hadn't even realized it. Because Sakuya was right. Alice had signed a contract. She was officially an employee of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and all employees answered directly to Sakuya.
Dear gods, what had she gotten herself into.
"You will be permitted to research whatever you like to save your mother, and we will be more than happy to provide anything you might need," Sakuya told her, speaking down to her like she would to a lowly dish-scrubber. From her apron she extracted a detailed model of her old pocketwatch. Placing it on the table, she slid it meaningfully over to Alice. "But in exchange, you will make this your top priority. And if you wish to begin as soon as possible on your own projects, I suggest you get to work on this. Immediately."
…
The Youkai Mountain was large even by the standards of the Outside World, over a hundred and twelve square kilometers at the base and reaching over three kilometers high. Its sides were a living ecosystem of roaring waterfalls, stony caves, and thick forests, all teeming with life.
And now roughly three square kilometers of that forest was now dead.
The taint was stark against the vibrant forest like an ugly blotch of black ink on a tapestry of green, a field of death in what was only that very morning a teeming world of life. Nothing within had survived, from the trees to the foliage to the fungi to the birds to the animals to the worms in the dirt. All within had either died from the Shadow Youkai's fatal presence, if they weren't ripped apart by its bare talons.
Ran Yakumo stepped from one of her master's gaps into the field of death, ready for war.
A pulsing violet barrier surrounded her, and several orbs of energy orbited around her on all sides, each one ready to start blasting at the slightest sign of aggression. On one arm she carried a shield of solid vibrainium, and in the other a spear of the same metal. Secreted upon her person were a number of other weapons and devices for her to use if the worst should happen and she find herself in contention with the Avatar of Azrael.
It still didn't feel like it was enough.
Ran surveyed the murdered forest around her. Though the trees still stood, their trunks and naked branches were all black, their leaves having already turned to dust. A few had fallen and shattered into ash upon impact. Even the weaker spirits of the air had either fled or were destroyed.
How quickly had this been done? Had anything within had time to flee?
Ran swallowed. Then she said, "Master, I'm in the circle. The Shadow Youkai was here, but I do not see it."
"The same," Yukari's voice spoke from the air. She was currently at the other end of the circle of death, arrayed much the same as her. "From what I can tell, this happened a little over an hour ago."
An hour? That long? "Shouldn't the field of taint be…bigger then?"
"Perhaps it left, or went underground."
A long hiss of air escaped through Ran's fangs. "Damn. If it did, I don't know how we'll find it."
"This thing isn't subtle, Ran. And it no longer has Rin Satsuki's obnoxious talent for remaining unseen. Believe me when I say it will reveal itself, and soon. Keep looking."
Ran stepped onto the field of taint. It felt like cold ash beneath her feet, breaking and shattering to dust with every step.
Then something crunched under her foot.
Looking down, Ran lifted her leg to see that she had stepped upon someone's arm, or at least what was left of it. A withered black corpse was on the ground, barely distinguishable from the rot that surrounded it, the stiff and flaking remains of its garments still clinging to it.
Ran's mouth thinned out. A wild youkai, no doubt. The mountain was full of them.
"Ran? You've stopped. Why?"
"Found a victim. Youkai woman, by the look of it."
"Shame. Anything the corpse can tell you?"
Ran knelt down. "Not much. It's withered pretty bad, but…"
She frowned. Huh, that was odd. The shriveled skin of the corpse's head lay black against the skull, except for the actual face, which didn't seem to be there at all. "I think it ripped her face off."
"Charming," Yukari said curtly. "And in character."
"And also…" There was something poking out from beneath the body, something that wasn't covered by taint. She pulled it out.
It was a metal cleaver, one with a big of bright ribbon tied around the handle. "She had a weapon, but it doesn't look like she had the chance to use it. It killed her quickly."
"As is expected. Keep moving."
Leaving the poor unfortunate's body and possessions behind, Ran resumed her search. At the very least she knew that the Shadow Youkai had been physically present where she was standing.
All of her senses extended, Ran continued to advance, searching for any sign of where the Shadow Youkai could have gone. Had it taken to the sky again? Had it gone underground? She was fairly certain that it wasn't present anymore, but she was not about to bet her life on that supposition.
Then she paused. Her acute sensitivity to magic was tingling, all of the hairs on her neck standing straight up.
She searched the area, sometimes using her weapon to break apart the dry crust of the earth and overturn it. There was no mistaking it.
"Master, I think I have a clue," she said.
"Oh?"
"I'm picking up some remnant of magical energy, magic not from our quarry."
"One of her victims, perhaps? One that tried to fight back?"
"I don't think so. This doesn't seem violent. It kind of feels like…"
Ran inhaled deeply through her nose. The dry, dead air made her sneeze, but she kept at it, carefully analyzing every scent.
Death. Death was the most prevalent. The cloying scent of ash. That was to be expected, so Ran discarded it and kept picking apart everything that remained.
And there it was, the telltale spark of magic. And not only magic, but magic that she recognized.
Oh no.
"Master, I think I know why the Shadow Youkai is gone."
"Then tell me."
"It did not leave, Master. Instead…I think something else was tracking it, something that found it first." Ran shivered for reasons that had nothing to do with the cold. "And I think the worst-case scenario has come true."
…
A little over an hour earlier…
How she had missed this.
The broken, corrupted, mangled, and utterly evil creature known primarily as the Shadow Youkai, constructed from a minor goddess's possessed body, a Human child's tortured soul, and a genocidal Fallen Angel's essence, was not at her best.
First, upon her initial ascension, her rampage had been halted by Gensokyo's Most Dysfunctional and her will broken, sealed off in the deepest reaches of the subconscious of an empty husk of a body, one that eventually took on a will of its own and became a diminutive youkai girl. And for sixty years, she had been stuck there, fuming in obscurity while being powerless to do anything about it.
Then she had been freed, and gifted with a potential new host, and a gloriously powerful one at that! Unfortunately, said potential host was somewhat unique in being able to confront her directly, and the ensuing battle had not gone well.
Then she had been forced to muck around in a deranged dreamscape playing nice to the world's most obnoxiously violent and contentious immortals. Honestly, she ought to be gifted with everything she desire just for having to put up with those two for so long.
And then she had spent an agonizingly long time being burned alive by the untapped rage buried deep within Rin Satsuki.
And then, after several pain-filled weeks of work, right when she was about to spring her trap and finally take what she was due, she was forcibly ripped out of Rin Satsuki and the husk both and torn to pieces.
And when she finally recollected herself and gained some measure of control, she found herself in an insignificant local deity, one barely deserving of goddesshood, and by then she had been wounded so deeply that her hold was a tenuous thing at best. She was very unwell, in mind, body, and soul, and far from whole.
But the killing! Oh, the killing!
Yes. This was still sweet.
Dropping the body and face of her most recent prize, the Shadow Youkai pressed forward. She didn't have anywhere to go, to be honest. With Rin Satsuki denied her, it was only a matter of time before Gensokyo's defenders found her again, and in her current state, she would be able to do little to stop them from destroying her completely.
But she intended to make them bleed before they did, and to earn their wrath until they arrived.
She moved through the forward, watching the life either flee or wither. She needed another kill; and she didn't care what. Human, Fairy, youkai, animal, god, whatever. If it moved, she wanted to kill it.
Where am I though?
She paused. She was on…a mountain? It was a mountain, right? She had just flown forward until she ran into a forest, and that forest had been rising up on a slope, so that would indicate a mountain, right?
A mountain. There was something important about a mountain, something in the shattered memories of both her host and herself, something about…
And then chains of glowing green energy burst from the ground all around her, wrapping themselves around her limbs and body.
Shocked, she lashed out, slashing at the chains with her killing talons. Even in her reduced state she still had power, and several were cut in half and dissolved.
It did her no good, as more only appeared to replace them. Her wrists were bound, as were her thighs and ankles, then her biceps, her torso, her neck, and her shoulders. More chains struck at her talons, wrapping around each individual finger and forcing them apart.
The Shadow Youkai tried to take flight, but the chains suddenly retracted, slamming her into the ground. Screaming and thrashing, she lashed out again and again with her power, killing every single living thing in over a kilometer radius.
But the more she fought, the more the chains tightened, and she was too broken to keep up the resistance. The strength was literally squeezed from her until she had nothing left.
Finally she collapsed, the power coursing through her no longer equal to the rage that fueled her. She was trapped. Helpless.
Damn it, not again!
"Ahem."
Blinking, she craned her head up as much as she could. Hovering over her was an apparition, a spirit of a woman, a woman with flowing green hair and aristocratic features, a woman dressed in a shimmering blue robe with a pointed blue hat, both adorned with golden representations of celestial bodies, a woman with piercing sapphire eyes and a cruel smile, a woman whose lower body was nothing but a tail of vapor.
Despite all the damage done to her mind, the Shadow Youkai recognized her immediately.
"You!" she spat.
"Me," Madam Mima said pleasantly. Her lips spread in a truly malicious smile. "Hello, dearie. I believe you and I are long overdue for a little heart-to-heart."
…
So hey. It's this story's eleven year anniversary. Woot.
And you know what? There's only one-and-a-half arcs left. So if all goes well, that means only a few years left, which is very long by normal fanfic standards, but seeing how the end is nearer than farther, that is…something.
Which means this is a good time as any to make a little announcement.
So hey, you know how often I've talked about wanting to become a published author, how I took a few years off to write my first book? Well, that is done like I said, and I'm still working on how to get it published.
However, I also talked of another project I wanted to work on, an adventure story that would combine pirates, vampires, and dinosaurs. This was originally put on hold when my computer was stolen, which included all the work I had done so far. However, I've decided to go ahead and return to it, and release it for free online, chapter by chapter like I do with my fanfics.
And it's been live for the last few months.
So yeah, I now have accounts on fictionpress, wattpad, royalroad, and archive of our own. Tomorrow I'll update my profile to have all the necessary links, but until then, be sure to check out Blood Island by TakerFoxx, on whichever platform you wish!
Until next time, everyone!