Meiling is thrown behind the Hakurei Shrine after trying her latest attempt at getting someone to train her.

She rubs her head, "I think she misunderstood me when I said I was after the power of the Hakurei." She slumps, "But it doesn't really matter. I should have known there was no cheap and easy way to strength. I think my old master told me that but that was far too long ago to remember."

"That was some fall.", a turtle says.

"Who are you?"

"An ordinary turtle. I looked over Young Lady Reimu when she was young and taught her the ways of the shrine maiden."

"A master!? You must have been really strong to have taught Reimu. Can you teach me?"

"Oh no, you look pretty experienced already to me. I only helped her till she could learn to fly and taught her the various duties she'd be responsible for. I'm no Martial-Artist or Magician."

"But I don't think I've ever seen you before. How long have you been back here?"

"10 years perhaps, though I don't pay the calendar much mind."

"10 years? Don't you get lonely? You used to help exterminate Youkai right? Isn't it boring now?"

"I'm over 1000 years old. I'd rather rest in peace then fight anyone."

"I guess that's good for a Youkai like myself then, hehe."

" If I may ask what brought you back here to this pond? I don't get many visitors these days. "

"Well..."

Meiling explains things, until this point, finishing with,"So I don't think Sakuya will ever see me as anything useful."

"It might be possible she's trying to teach you something and that's why she's so hard on you."

"Something Sakuya is trying to teach me... I'll have to think about that one. Thanks for the advice Genji.", she waves goodbye.

" Are you heading home that way? Be careful then."

"Huh?"

"Not long ago I felt a gravely evil presence heading towards that direction."

"Well it is a devil's mansion."

"No, something else."

XxXxXxX

Just a few moments ago a shadow of man cast over the Hakurei shrine, covered by umbrella.

"Young Maiden, you're with the clergy yes?" the source of the shadow scrapes something of his knife, "Tell me the whereabouts of the supposed Manner of The Scarlet Devil. I trust you will help me? I've really traveled a long ways."

XxXxXxX

Meiling soars through the air before gracing the ground in front of the SDM. "Looks like I got here before that evil presence. This must be the special visitor Sakuya was talking about. She must have called someone dangerous to make sure I'm doing my job." she gulps, "But if I fail might lose my job...

Then again, I'm basing all this on the words of a turtle. So I won't know if he's my enemy until I meet him. Until then I'll hold firm, focus my breathing and concentrate."

A man who can be mistaken as no other than Dio and Kourin walk the path to the mansion, with the latter covering him with an umbrella until Dio extends an arm in front of him. "Hold on a moment! I sense something unusual. Yes there's something strange about that guard, I'll afford her some minimal acknowledgment."

"You there, open the gate for me."

"State your name first!"

"My name? What makes you think you are worthy?"

XxXxXxX

Behind them, in front of the mansion Koa, calls everyone else outside, "It's him! It's him! He's really real! I was wrong! Rinosake was only called to hold an umbrella. Dio is real!"

Remilia, Flan, and Patchouli come outside.

The first says, "He already, I thought I still had time. I was even going to use the Tengu postal service to send wanted posters for Sakuya's mom!"

Flan says, "Look he's talking to Meiling."

Remilia points in Patchouli's face, "Told you Dio was real!"

"But isn't this bad news for you?", she says.

"Ah, that's right!"

Back to the gate, Meiling says, "So are you the great evil presence I was told about?"

"Great evil presence? I am the greatest in the entire human realm!" A flurry of bats flutter from behind him. Kourin ducks, "Careful with that."

Dio continues "It is only natural order all humans shall all kneel to me. If you won't open the gate, then I shall destroy it and anything in the way."

He walks forward.

"Stop there." Meiling says. Then herself walks towards him.

"Oh Instead of walking away you're coming towards me? How ungrateful of my patience, you know I'm a welcome guest of this establishment."

"But I can't punch your face in unless I get closer."

"Oh really-!" Hold on! those strange clothes, and this confidence, standing between myself and a devils mansion. There's no other explanation, Hamon! And that symbol on her hat. It must be a Dragon Stando! I can't recklessly engage her in the sunlight. But to think a meager guard would oppose me...

"Wait! Wait! Wait!"

Meiling says, "If what you said about human's is true then I can't let you pass. Behind me is a girl, a human girl, who made a promise to stay that way. So even if it angers the lady of the house, I can't let you pass."

Remilia shouts out from behind, "Go get him Meiling, teach him a lesson!"

"Mistress!" She looks back towards her enemy, "If even she's on my side, then I won't move for sure now."

Sakuya steps outside, "What's going on"

Patchouli says, "Apparently your father's arrived, and is fighting the gatekeeper."

"Father? Don't tell me!"

Dio says, "Then I suppose you leave me no choice."

Meiling strikes a fighting pose, "Fine but I must warn you I won't hold back."

Swirling balls of energy form a pattern behind her back. At the center of it all, one of Yukari's gaps open, with Marisa jumping out.

"I made it just in time! I'm going to make sure Meiling looks good here." Marisa points her Hakkero at him.

Looking at this tag team attack spectacle of light, the Vampires face suddenly turns blue.

Meiling's fists burn with blue fire, and the Hakkero charges as far as it can go.

"Wait, Wait Wait! Stop Stop Stop! It's me! It's me, don't attack! I'm Rinosake!", Dio yells in a new voice.

"He's stranding right beside you, I won't fall for such a cheap-"

"He's telling the truth!" another voice yells.

"Sakuya?"

Meiling Powers down, and Marisa says, "I'll just carefully slip back where I came from." Disappearing back into the gap.

Sakuya lands next to Meiling, "Sorry for not telling you before, this turned into much more of a mess than I expected."

"But... but... how?"

"I think it's best we come inside, and I can tell everyone together. Alice you better come to."

"Huh?"

Alice steps out from behind a tree.

XxXxXxX

After that they all gather inside around a table.

Flan asks, "So is he really your dad?"

"No." Sakuya says.

He takes the wig off, "It's just me, no need to detonate."

"2 Rinnosuke!?", Everyone says.

Patchouli says, " It's a puppet. The real Rinnosuke that is."

"What?"

"I mean the one dressed as Dio is the real Rinnosuke , and the one that's dressed as Rinnosuke is a puppet."

Alice says, "Of course another magician would figure it out."

Koa asks, "But why do all this?"

Sakuya says, "Well you figured my plan out to fake having a dad, so I worked in the puppet angle to fool you. Not bad huh?"

Remilia dry's her eyes, "Does this mean you're not getting married?"

"Why would you think that?"

Everyone looks at patchouli, "I didn't say she was getting married. Only that it was a human custom."

Sakuya says, "Everyone satisfied now?"

"No way!" the SDM cast continues speaking in unison.

Flan says, "You still haven't told us why you faked having a dad!"

"Well the truth is I've rather lost touch with my human side, but I heard from Patchouli that meeting parents is supposed to be an important thing for people you feel close too, so in secret I hired the only guy I know to play my father."

Meiling asks Kourin, "Then why did you act so aggressive?"

He rubs his head, "Sakuya said to put up a tough front and not drop character or I might be mistaken for food."

"Is that so..."

Sakuya says, "So everything is alright now?"

Meiling says, "So I was useless after all then. Not only that, I only ended up getting in your way." She stands up and turns around, "I'll be on my way then. I'm sure you can find a nice ornament, or give a fairy a little Gi to do my job."

"Stop right there." Sakuya grabs her hand.

"What? You don't need to lie to me Sakuya. I know you don't want me here."

"You really want me to say embarrassing things in front of everyone huh?"

"What?"

"Well the truth is ever sense I was a little girl I've always looked up to you..."

"That's not possible! You're the head maid, Remila's right hand, who has awesome powers, and gets to say cool and mysterious lines."

"But who's the one who taught me all that! Who carried me around while I dusted. Who trusted me with rare tea bags from her home country to teach me to make it. Who used up their rest time to train me to fight. "

"That was so long ago I nearly forgot." she rubs her cheek, "But it was the mistress who saved you and really wanted you to stay."

Sakuya says, "I'm thankful for that and and to you but honestly, my feelings for you changed after I became an adult."

"My Laziness offended you that much!"

"No you idiot! Your lazy attitude helped me a lot. It taught me workers are still people, and I didn't need to give up my life because of my servitude here. You taught me it was okay to relax, and play games. You taught me it's possible to enjoy your work. "

"I don't think you learned that relax part one very well."

"That's not the point. Or well it kind of is... The reason I acted so professional is because I wasn't sure how I was supposed to treat you between my feeling back then and now."

"So you threw knives at me?"

"Yes, I was really selfish, and had you work alone because I was too nervous to talk to you directly so I guess I used that as a bit of a game. It's not that I didn't care about you doing your job, it's that I cared more about you as a person faults and all. But I was indecisive for too long and finally drove you away."

Sakuya lets go of Meiling and wipes her eyes.

Meiling walks away without saying anything, Sakuya hearing her footsteps trail off.

...

...

...

Suddenly Sakuya feels herself rise into the air, "What, How!? I heard you walk away."

Carrying Sakuya on her shoulders Meiling says, "Hehe, that was just the puppet. Think of it as a little revenge. Now come on lets go!"

"Go? Go where?"

"I thought we might do a little dusting."

"Alright." Sakuya wipes her eye, "If that's what you want."

"Come on, who wants to do work?"

"Don't get reckless, and don't you dare look backwards!" Sakuya pushes her skirt down.

"I don't think I could turn my head like that if I try."

"Well don't try!"

"There they go." Patchouli says, "I'd say the library could have some peace now this is all done, but I think I'm about to have another regular coming inside more."

Flan asks her sister, "So is this a happy ending?"

"Why don't you ask Patchouli?"