Author's Note: 2 Chapters for the price of one. No beta readers though. And yes, keep your reviews coming =D

The Shrine of Gensokyo

Chapter 18: Of Remembering

[Ya well, I came here to find Reimu!! I was ALWAYS!! A step behind her!]

Pouting, Suika grumbled as all of us prepared the futon to sleep on the floor. As Miss Keine did not have enough beds, she said we would have to camp out at the living room and in the end, everyone ended up there.

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[Why are you here again, Mokou!!]

Wailing, Suika's arms went up and down in protests as she hugged me in my own futon, totally disregarding her own.

[Erm… I thought you'll be cold, ya!]

Scratching her head, Mokou grinned as she snuggled to my right and away from Suika, looking away as she did so.

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[No fair! I WANTED TO SLEEP WITH REIMU!]

Like a small girl, I had to undress Suika's clothes and fit her in spare robes fit for sleeping and it did take a while as she had her sarashii tied on very tightly.

[Well, aren't you sleeping with her now?]

Smiling as she closed the door, Miss Keine's horns disappeared as she laid to the left of Suika.

[And why are you here, Keine!!]

[erm…]

[I am cold.]

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With that excuse, all four of us snuggled in and prepared for a long night's sleep.

[… are the both of you tucked in?]

Wriggling out of Suika's grip, I crawled to see the two fairies and I giggled to see them wearing small night-caps and tucked into small futons that were made of a few handkerchiefs.

[Well then, good night…]

Bending down, I kissed them on their forehead before sneaking back to bed.

Suika and the rest must be really tired as they all fell asleep almost immediately and were dead-asleep even as I pulled open the door and sat down on the steps, looking up at the moon.

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[… it's beautiful… and…]

It is my first time looking up at the moon in Gensokyo and all by myself ever since I've returned. Without my companions, my friends… it just let me feel a little lonely.

But, I'm past that now.

It is like what Miss Keine said, I am human… I have the right to be afraid… and like what Mokou said, I must never forget my goal…

[… Marisa… where are you…]

… It is like what the both of them, the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the villagers said as well, I am the Shrine Maiden, the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Hakurei Reimu.

I am not one of them, I am both…

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[… May the spirits bless Gensokyo…]

Clapping my hands together, I knelt down on my knees and prayed softly to the only God that I know of.

Perhaps it is not a god, but she definitely exists.

[I humbly offer this prayer to you, Great Hakurei Spirit… may my strength be yours…]

Saying the prayer that has been passed on to me by my teacher, I felt more refreshed when I stopped and I pledged to myself and to the Great Hakurei Spirit in my heart.

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[I will never doubt myself again… never will I abandon my faith and never will I lose sight of my goal…

To serve the people, the serve the spirits… to be the gateway between the two worlds… The duty of the Shrine Maiden and the duty of me being Hakurei Reimu…]

[No… by just being Hakurei Reimu…]

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Finishing my prayer, I slowly stood up and to my surprise and utter disbelief, a small amulet was floating in front of me, fighting against the wind as it glowed softly.

[Ah… I-Is this a sign?]

Taking the amulet and slowly opening up, I read what was written on the amulet. Shrine Maidens in the past had received prophecies but I did not expect to receive one so easily and readily after praying to the Great Hakurei Spirit.

Legends are told of her awesome powers and virtues that saved thousands of her followers but her power has waned over the past few centuries and it was not even certain whether she still existed, not to mention her power still existing.

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As the Shrine Maiden of the Hakurei Shrine, I had never once believed that the Hakurei spirit is not alive and well but this is the first time I had ever gotten a clear sign of her power. When I am praying, I can feel a side of me touching a strong spiritual sense every time without fail but always I am reluctant to place that source as the great Hakurei Spirit as there was lack of evidence.

Now with the smoking gun in front of me, I can safely and happily say that the Hakurei Spirit is always with us, residing in the Hakurei Shrine and giving us her strength.

[Great Hakurei Spirit, I thank you for your prophecy!]

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[Head towards Youkai Mountain, the last place Kirisame Marisa was seen…]

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[…]

Sitting by myself at the steps that overlooked the garden, I bit my lip so hard that blood ran freely and my entire chin was covered with blood.

[D-Damn…]

I was upset and furious for that Half-beast to get the better half of me with her simple words.

[Do I love my princess… of course I do…]

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Repeating that to myself, I took my hat off and placed it on my lap as I dropped the bow to the hard wooden floor.

I was glad that Udonge and Tewi was away scouting and that left only the two of us in Eientei.

[… to kill a person you love… it must be hard…]

The same words haunted me and I clutched my head in pain and disgrace.

What a joke, the most intellectual person in the lunar capital being defeated by a half-beast… an abomination…

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[What a joke… O-Of course I do…]

Even saying that out loud made me seem unsure about my reply and I stopped immediately. To even think that such a simple sentence could create such confusion and hesitation on my part is surely a mistake.

I am a genius… this should be nothing to me!

[Loving her… that is my expression of love…]

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Keeping her in Eientei, shielding her from those provocative stares, the pain of seeing people that will leave in front of her eyes… I know that her life is eternal but her friends are not…

Shielding her from hurt, from harm… that is how I express my love. Every decision I make is for her sake… is that not love?

Of course it is not love…

[It… is as she said…]

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Putting a hand over my face, I, Yagokoro Eirin wept for the first time since Hakurei Reimu had left Gensokyo… When she left, she had left the Princess all shattered and heartbroken that her friend was away and she wept for days on end. It is not that she has not seen her share of deaths but among all the people she knew, she assumed that Hakurei Reimu would be the last person to disappear.

I could not ignore that… Knowing that I played a role in her disappearance and why she did, I could not ignore the fact and kept the truth from the Princess.

But I did… I kept it from her in fear that she would never forgive me…

I kept her in Eientei in the pretext that it would not be safe for her to leave the place… to focus on her power rather than her relations with people.

I wanted the Immortal Bird to stop bothering the Princess and I took every measure possible to repulse her efforts from meeting her or facing her… and it seemed to have worked after I cajoled the villagers to accept Mokou as the doctor of the village.

In the process, the Princess has grown considerably… so, where is my sin? Where did I sinned? When did I go wrong? Why had I failed… did I not do that for love?

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[… eternity shall only breed loyalty and from loyalty… eternal trust…]

The same words that came from my mouth now haunted me like nothing ever before and I cringed when I thought about it.

All the calculations, plans and beliefs were all false? They were… mistakes that I made in my moment of rashness? My display of… love.. is not love?

H-How could that be…

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[… have I truly… walked the wrong path?]

[Why yes, Lunarian.]

A sudden unfamiliar voice woke me out of my reverie and I instantly leapt to my feet.

Protect the Princess!

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My first thought was to do that and my hands rose in front of the room where her body lay. It would take a while for her to resurrect from my wound and despite how I had shot her myself, she is still my Princess and I remain forever loyal to her.

[… Y-you!]

Under the moon, several crimson bats formed around a singular point and from there, emerged the Princess of the Night, the Eternal Youthful Remilia Scarlet, Mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

[You devil…]

[Correction, it is vampire, lunarian. So… what would it be? As beings who gain strength from the moon, we can be call relatives.]

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Laughing, she held her arms wide as she gently floated down to touch the ground, a smile on her pale features. Her fangs were showing and she grinned menacingly when another form teleported beside her in a split instant.

[… Mistress…]

Bowing, the Perfect and Elegant Maid, Izayoi Sakuya held a restraining hand on her Mistress's shoulder as I just looked on, complementing my next move.

It would be easy to take care of the vampire with a single silver arrow through the heart but the Human, Izayoi would be a different ability. With the lunar dial, a device she took from the Lunarian capital and her own innate ability to stop time, she might get me before I even raise my hand.

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[… What is it, the Princess is… engaged…]

Worriedly looking into the room at the collapsed figure, I bit my lip again as the two forms walked ever closer to us.

Curses, just when Tewi and Udongein is not around…

[… I am here to speak with the Princes… what's left of her, anyway.]

Laughing at her own joke, Remilia Scarlet showed her claws to me as she miffed unhappily in my direction.

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[… Haven't you heard of the unspoken rule, that the Servant NEVER rebels against the master? What an undisciplined servant you are… Our Sakuya would never do that.]

Crossing her arms, Scarlet grinned even more when Izayoi bowed gracefully and nodded, a small smile on her face as she drew a single knife out.

Her smile creeps me out but I was sure my smile was having the same effect as I laughed and laughed.

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[WELL… so you've overheard us…]

Perhaps, in the light of all of eternity… I have perhaps… lost my only rationality… how fitting.

[Heh.. HEHE… HEHEHEHE!!!]

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It is another dream, another dream that I wish I could have remembered… but I did not. It concerned… someone with a funny, white and purple hat….

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[Hey, Reimu…]

[…]

[Reimu… wakey wakey~]

Patting my shoulder, the person prodded me awake and as I squirmed in my futon, I felt a warm object nuzzle up into my bed and push it's cold nose into my stomach.

[T-That's cold!]

[Ahh… you woke up! Yippee!!]

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Clapping her hands excitedly, the form eagerly pulled me out of bed before hugging me tightly.

[Reimu, Reimu! Today's the day… today's the night… Let's go together, alright?]

[I'll appreciate if you would not speak in rhyme, old lady in time…]

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Yawning, I played around as I tried to get my bearings straight and who was the form that was wearing the funny shaped hat.

[Aww now, it's no fun if you aren't ready to play! Let's go lazy maiden, we need to be ready for the big day!]

[… w-who are you… to say what you want… pray tell… for I am unwound for today…]

[Honestly…are you surely awake? Let me reveal myself, by having a play!]

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Laughing, she placed two strong and familiar hands over my eyes and turned my round and round before stopping.

[Reimu, good morning~]

Smiling at me and only supported by a small thin red border, a familiar looking woman smiled warmly at me.

[W-Who are you-]

Author's Notes: well, the rhyme is a little odd..