Chapter 15: Of Memories with the Flame
Author's Note: Life's been catching up, and i have a lack of reviews ;_;
I guess i should reply more, but life... Well, i'll do my best if you do review.
So please keep Reviewing =3
Looking for another Beta-Reader besides Darwise, thanks for his help again!
[… Honestly…]
Laughing at Mokou, who was drinking sake like it was water, I once again refused the alcoholic drink that she had indulged herself in.
Mokou is a very good drinker. All around us were littered with the sleeping forms of much of the villagers, all of them had lost to Mokou's drinking capabilities and I was getting concerned about her rationality and if she was, if not already drunk.
[This is not what I would have expected… hic~]
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Hiccupping, Mokou placed an arm around Keine as the both of them clinked glasses once again. Miss Keine was a bad drinker, and once Mokou had finally coaxed her into drinking, she had become drunk after one bottle of sake.
[… So many things happened today…]
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Muttering to herself, Miss Keine waved an arm to prove her point and I joined her in looking at the village grounds. Just a few hours ago, the villagers were holding a festival and having a good time but now it was deserted, leaving only the three of us sitting alone.
It was a celebration to welcome Mokou and me to the village as well as a dedication to the spirits in a way. We held mass prayers and I conducted a small speech about the beliefs of the Hakurei Shrine which was eagerly anticipated by the people.
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The Great Hakurei Spirit would be proud as I believe I did finally manage to gather faith for her…
As a god's power derives from the amount of faith that is available to her, without any faith the spirit or god will not be able to show her virtues and power, essentially meaning the death of the god and spirit.
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[and it is… all your fault… -hic-]
[W-Why is it my fault…]
Waving my hands in a bid to defend myself, I pouted when Mokou grinned and drank another swing of sake.
[It is YOUR fault!~ but I never said it was a bad thing… hic]
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Grinning, Mokou materialized her flaming wings with a snap of her fingers and Miss Keine and I hurriedly backed off in order not to get singed. Dancing, Mokou invited Keine to dance with her and she grudgingly agreed to do so.
In her drunken stupor, she managed to maintain some rationality and she managed not to get hit by Mokou's flaming wings as they danced.
[It was a usual day… bringing the children out to play~ didn't expect that damn Rumia to appear thou –hic-… the children ran away~ and I… drove Rumia clear away~~!~ But… I found the Shrine Maiden who was wandering anyway~]
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Clapping to her silly but realistic retelling of the day's event, I shook my head when Miss Keine caught Mokou when she suddenly tripped, leaving her in Miss Keine's arms like a puppet.
[… Hic~ you saved the children Reimu… you… …]
[Made us… confess to one another…]
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Whispering softly, Miss Keine and Mokou both flushed and that deepened when they realized what position they were in with Mokou in Miss Keine's arms and they sprang apart faster than I could laugh.
[… Then… you ran away]
[… That was embarrassing too…]
Looking away, I dryly laughed but was stopped when Miss Keine hugged me and kissed me on the forehead.
[Remember, Reimu… you are human… like us…]
Joining her, Mokou winked and she too kissed me on the cheek before grinning at me.
[Just like… that, Reimu. You're human. Like us.]
[…]
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The laughter came slowly but soon, the three of us laughed happily in each other's company; three weird humans under the ever shining moon above us.
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It was morning when I woke up and gingerly touched my head, which was throbbing with pain.
[Ow… …]
Grumbling, I sat up to find that I was in a futon and I looked around to see whose house it was. To my surprise it was not Miss Keine's small home but rather in a small tatami room where I had slept all alone.
[… Where am I?]
Feeling like a ton of bricks, I managed to get up and excused myself from the room after folding up and putting the futon in the middle of the room.
As I walked along the wooden hallway I was greeted with a great garden at the end of it and I marveled at how beautifully it was arranged.
From the choice of the flowers to the positioning of the pond in the middle and the colors of the koi fish swimming in it. It was a work of art by itself and I sighed, happy that I could see this sight.
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[I see that you enjoy my garden, Reimu…]
Hearing a voice, I spun around and bowed my head to the owner of the voice.
[Y-yes I do… Miss… Hieda…]
Surprisingly, I could remember her name almost immediately and I enjoyed the small flicker of surprise on her features before she covered her mouth and laughed.
[Fufu~ I did not know I was so recognizable, Reimu…]
The owner of the voice was Hieda no Akyu, or Akyu of the Hieda Clan. She had purple hair and she was wearing a purplish kimono that fitted her perfectly.
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Although I still do not know why I remembered her perfectly, she seemed to have grown, like me and I felt a little overwhelmed at her demeanor, which was much more energetic than I remembered her to be.
[Seems like some of your memories are returning, Reimu…]
[It seems so, Miss Hieda…]
Following her meekly, I paused when she pulled aside another pair of doors to find Miss Keine and another girl sitting and waiting in the room.
[Ah, Reimu! You've awaken!]
[Miss Keine, good morning.]
Bowing to her and the other girl, whom I did not recognize, I sat on the only unoccupied seat after Miss Akyu sat down.
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[Mokou will be awake a little later, she's not good with hangovers despite being immortal.]
Smiling sadly, Miss Keine turned towards Miss Hieda and was about to speak when she interrupted her.
[It's alright, Keine. Reimu remembers me.]
[Eh?]
[Maybe her memory is coming back.]
Smiling happily, Miss Hieda poured a cup of tea for me before introducing the other girl that was quietly lapping up tea.
W-Wait… lapping up
[She's Momizi. Momizi Inubashiri, the white-wolf youkai]
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Reciting it easily, Miss Hieda poked the girl and she growled slightly before standing up.
[Hakurei Shrine Maiden.]
Patting her little chest, she jumped up and landed on the table before growling at me.
[Y-yes?]
Nervously, I inched away from her when suddenly, furry ears popped out from her head and a long wispy tail likewise grew out of her rear-end.
[I, Momizi have been sent here by the great Aya!]
[… Aya?]
[Yes, the great Aya! Ayaya~~]
Grinning suddenly, Momizi showed her teeth to me as she pointed a finger at me.
[The Great Aya wants an interview!]
[… interview?]
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Her words have me more confused than ever before and I rubbed my chin thoughtfully for a moment.
[I-I'm sorry… I just couldn't… couldn't…]
[EH! The great Aya is asking you!! WAIT!!]
Shaking her head and waving her hands up and down frantically, Momizi reminded me of a child being caught by her parents and I giggled at her flustered sight.
[STOP LAUGHING AT ME!!]
Crying now, Momizi ran away from me and collided straight into the person who had just entered, Mokou.
[Eh… what's the pup doing here…]
[I'M NOT A PUPPY! I'M MOMIZI! WHITE WOLF!]
[You're a puppy… see?]
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Laughing, Mokou picked her up by the scruff of her neck and lifted her up to meet her eye-to-eye.
[I AM A WOLF!!]
Struggling, Momizi seemed smaller than how I imagined her to be and she swung her hands frantically to hit Mokou but her hands are way too short to do that.
[That's enough, Mokou… stop bullying her…]
Hitting her on her head, Miss Keine took Momizi from her dragged Mokou with her to sit beside me.
[Here, I'm sorry…]
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Apologetically placing Momizi on the table again, Miss Keine smiled apologetically to the enraged White-wolf youkai that now really reminded me more of a puppy than a wolf.
[Hakurei Shrine Maiden! The great Aya will come and fetch you soon! That is all!]
Pouncing on me, Momizi growled once before she sped off in the wind.
[… She's definitely a puppy…]
Shaking my head, I was proven wrong when I heard her scream.
[I AM A WOLF!! MISS AYA THEY ARE BULLYING ME!!]
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I am sure everyone heard that and soon enough, giggles were head from the three of us for a solid 5 minutes or so.
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[I have recorded yesterday's event… it was amazing, to find a good word to describe it.]
Smiling happily with us as we sat on the wooden steps at the edge of the garden, Miss Hieda told me that the Perfect Memento Archives were going strongly and that the new highlight would be my reappearance in gensokyo.
[At first, when I heard rumors that you had returned, I was surprised but not shocked. It was entirely possible for you to return as the circumstances of how you disappeared were too… sudden, so to speak.]
Poring over her records with Miss Keine, Miss Hieda smiled apologetically as she handed me a listing.
[This is a listing of all the youkai in existence that I have recorded, it might be helpful for you… in remembering something or when they attack you, Reimu.]
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Smiling as she said so, she left me and Mokou to our own devices while the both of them pored over their records.
[Wow, this is tons of stuff…]
[you said it…]
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……………..
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[Hmm… from what I seen and heard, what's best for you is to head off to Eientei.]
[Eientei?]
[Mm, Eientei.]
After hours of searching and hours of me and Mokou poring over books regarding my past, Miss Hieda came up with that conclusion.
[You do want to know, at the very least how you left Gensokyo…right?]
Looking more flustered and tired than I had ever seen her, Miss Hieda apparently had not gotten over her frail body even after 14 years and at the age of 28, 2 years younger than me.
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She had indeed grown taller and more beautiful from the pictures that Miss Aya, the Crow tengu took of her 10 years ago but she maintained the same childish charm as before and when she smiled, it reminded me of a child's smile, all innocent and cute.
But there were heavy thoughts behind that calm and collected mind as she revealed to the three of us that she was worried she might not live past this year.
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[B-But Miss Hieda, do not say things like that! I'll pray for your good health]
[It's no use… I feel it, my end is coming… is… just for how long can this body last… I've lived for near to the age of thirty… my previous incarnation barely made it to 35… I might not last.]
Smiling, Miss Hieda did not seem worried as she placed a hand on Miss Keine's shoulder.
[Miss Keine, I am counting on you to take my place… so that when I next return, I would be able to read about it…]
[Akyu…]
[I would be missing a grand age in Gensokyo, the return of faith… one that has been lacking for perhaps 50-60 years… two generations ago…]
Laughing, Miss Hieda did not seem bitter but that left such an impression on me that it motivated me to do more for her if I can.
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Patting the two fairies that were resting on my lap, I looked to Mokou to see what she thought and I shook my head to see that Mokou was sulking in a corner.
[Eientei eh, to that… stupid princess's mansion.]
Growling angrily, Mokou sulked till I crept over to pull her sleeves.
[It… wouldn't be so bad…]
[Says you, Reimu. She's such an annoying…]
Ending her sentence prematurely with Miss Keine glaring at her, Mokou growled again.
Thanks to Miss Hieda's records, I was able to recall lots more of Gensokyo in general and the people that I have interacted with in my past childhood.
Mokou's relationship with Houraisen Kaguya of Eientei was not great but from the records, after Mokou moved to the human village around 10 years ago, the number of encounters and fights between them had dwindled down to a handful per month.
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[… Alright, alright… we'll go.]
Sighing, Mokou got up and the decision was made just like that.
[I wish you success, Reimu… and… May you remember the past.]
As we left after Miss Hieda's blessings, I could not help but notice that she sounded very bitter at the end.
Something, three humans that were unlike humans decided in the mid afternoon sun and as the three of us flew towards the village, I could not help but feel a bit unwilling to let go of this life, this casual day that I had spent with the three of them.
It was like a normal day at the shrine back in Japan and I sincerely wished it to last forever.
But, reality… like always, pulled me back with its unforgiving hands.
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[Hey!! I can't lose to this!!]
Hearing laughter coming from the edges of the village, I headed over there and was surprised to see Rumia playing with the village children.
[Rumia can't lose!!]
Stamping her feet in frustration, Rumia was surrounded by girls that looked the same age as her and she stamped her feet angrily again in a show of anger.
[Hide and seek again! I never get caught! You never saw me!!]
Haughtily crossing her arms, Rumia was pacified by the oldest child of them all and she closed her eyes and started counting from 10.
[I'm coming in 10!!]
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The three of us, up in the clouds observed the situation calmly but I myself was only putting up an act and I was actually bursting with excitement.
The children were actually playing with Rumia barely a day after she had tried to attack them!! This was absolutely miraculous!!
Thanking the spirits and praying for their safety, I clapped my hands together and prayed to the spirits slowly and carefully.
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[May the spirits bless the little souls, untainted as they are from danger…
from temptations that will corrupt them…
bless them…
protect them…
I beg of you…]
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Ending the prayer, I saw the child who is seeking run straight forward and the next instant, tag Rumia almost immediately.
[Found you, Rumia!]
[…]
Looking to my two other companions, I saw Mokou struggling not to burst out laughing while Miss Keine just face-palmed and sighed to themselves.
Rumia was hiding herself in another orb of darkness…
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Rumia must have believed that as long as in the darkness, she is invisible to the naked eye and that would be true if the whole area is darkness. But as she is now, she just sticks out like a sore thumb, a big orb of darkness in the middle of nowhere.
No wonder she lost at hide and seek.
[No fair, No fair!! Again, Again!!]
Showing her temper again, Rumia flew off and once more, another round of hide and seek begins.
Still, as I looked on from above, the children and Rumia were having fun and it made me even happier that I had played a part in making this happen.
It is a small miracle but nonetheless a miracle nonetheless, that the adults would so easily allow their children to play with youkai. It reflects the trust and faith they have in me, the Hakurei Shrine Maiden and my words…
Should I be happy… or should I be burdened by that?
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[Where are we going, Mokou?]
Raising the question after leaving the village, I paused at the outskirts and waited for their reply.
It was going to be dark soon and I honestly do not like being outside in the dark.
[Why, are you afraid of the dark?]
[No…]
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Rebutting her, I ignored the teasing grin as I pointed to the two fairies that are hidden in my sleeves.
[They are… it makes them uneasy.]
[Well them, why don't we pray as we go along.]
Making that suggestion, Miss Keine clapped her hands together as the three of us flew into the bamboo forest. Her silvery hair suddenly lengthened and green highlights could be seen whenever the moonlight struck her.
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[May the spirits bless you, may the spirits bless us… lend us your strength… like we lend you mind.]
Her voice, carrying her wishes to the spirits spurred me to pray as well and I followed her lead to follow my faith and pray.
[Spirits, hear my prayer… from the bottom of my heart…]
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Dropping altitude sharply, Mokou stomped the ground once and shouting loudly, summoned a small crowd of rabbits before her.
[W-Wha…]
[Heh, never thought I'd come here for help so soon.]
Bitterly, Mokou bit her lip but she bowed to the rabbits and I and Miss Keine followed.
[Hey, I need to see your Princess. Tell her it's Mokou and I've brought a guest, will cha?]
Narrowing her eyes, Mokou balled a fist and flung a fireball at the bushes that was surrounding us.
[Will cha? I'm asking politely here.]
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Answering the fireball was a yelp and from there, jumped out a white rabbit that was dressed in a frilly pink grown.
With her dark red eyes and the black hair that she was sprouting, she was definitely a youkai rabbit and from how the rabbits all jumped behind her, she is the leader of the rabbits.
[Te-Tewi?]
Remembering the name from the archives, I paused and registered the information for a moment. We were at Eientei, home to the Immortal Lunarians, the sworn enemy of Mokou.
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[Mokou!! Usausa~ the princess thought you were coming and here you are usa! Come!! Come!! Follow me and I'll bring you to the Princess!]
Giggling madly, Tewi motioned for us to follow her and it was only until all the rabbits were away did I finally take a step.
[That stings, you know, you stupid bird.]
[Same to you, little rabbit. You know, Akyu likes rabbit meat so maybe we can skewer this one.]
Grinning malicious at the equally grinning Tewi, Mokou formed a large fireball in her hands but she was stopped when Miss Keine poked her and shook her head.
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[Not now, Mokou… we have to find Kaguya.]
[That's right Usa!]
[… tsk… I'll fry the rabbit later.]
Following meekly behind them, I slowly walked while the two fairies, now flying in front of me, dove into my hair and started pulling at it to get my attention.
[It will be alright… I think…]
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Nervously, I looked up at the full moon before praying softly in my heart.
[… it was like Miss Hieda said…. I wish to know my past… all the memories… I want them back… all of it…]
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[Fufufu~]
Sitting uneasily in front of the two hostesses, I shivered when I heard Miss Yagokoro's laughter when presented with the question.
[… well, wouldn't you want to know?]
[Yes I would.]
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Answering confidently, I nodded to her and I settled down again, embarrassed at my outburst.
Upon entering the magnificent building that was the home of Houraisen Kaguya, I was overwhelmed by the treatment by the little rabbits and I quickly found myself being brought forward to meet Lady Kaguya and Miss Yagokoro, alone.
That unnerved me but as I sat down, I relaxed somewhat as Lady Kaguya did not look imposing. To the contrary, she smiled and invited me to sit down in front of them and poured a cup of tea for me.
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[Reimu…]
She did not change much, she still had the same long flowing hair and the same flawless skin that was synonymous with her. Wearing a purple kimono, she indeed looked like royalty if not a very young and immortal one.
Sitting beside her, with her silvery hair in a large braid and wearing a white and black kimono, was Miss Yagokoro Eirin, the physicist and doctor of Eientei and of the human village.
She was a much more imposing side then Lady Kaguya and she never strayed from her side even once.
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[It is such a blessing to see you again. After you left, things quickly got boring.]
Sharing her woes with me, Lady Kaguya giggled in a silly fashion when Miss Yagokoro coughed once.
[Oh Eirin, it's been a while since someone visited…]
[…]
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Sternly shaking her head slightly, Miss Yagokoro's eyes visibly narrowed as she glared at me just like I was her enemy.
[Reimu… your sole purpose here is to find out about your past… isn't it?]
Narrowing her eyes, Miss Yagokoro stood up and crossed her hands, a gesture that stated that she was unhappy with me.
[… I do know the past. I remember some of it. But… for now, I would like to know… why I left. Why…]
[You left the Gensokyo you love? Fufu~]
It was a rude awakening but it was an awakening nonetheless and I felt faint, all sensation leaving my body and strong arms catching me.
[REIMU, REIMU!!]
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[Are you really sure? Reimu!]
[This medicine is potent stuff…]
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[say Eirin… will I ever remember?]
[… hard to say.]
[… am I making the right decision…]
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[That doesn't concern me.]
[… this is your medicine.]
[I am confident in it's effects.]
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[Cheers.]
[Are you sure you want to drink this, Reimu?]
[Yes… After all, I am sick of this life…]
[Don't say that, Reimu… we, all of us will miss you…]
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[… Thank you… Yukari…]
[and…]
[sorry…]
[For letting you down…]