The Shrine of Gensokyo

Chapter 38: Protagonists

Original Concept by: ZUN & Shanghai Alice

Written by: wrathie

Author's Notes: Bumper Update!

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Throughout Gensokyo, I could sense the people fighting and rallying themselves on and I was so relieved and encouraged by their trust and faith.

I could not describe how I felt all this, but believe me I could just feel their emotions flowing through me as I prayed, sitting right below Yukari as she laughed crazily in the background, bullets spewing out of the gap all around her in clouds and clouds of death.

My barrier was still holding strong and I felt better that I was praying to the Hakurei Spirit, hoping for strength from her to survive this test, for gensokyo and it's people to survive the greatest threat it had know, both youkai and humans.

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I knew humans and youkai were working together, the image of Mokou, Mystia and Wriggle along with the villagers fighting hand-to-hand to ward off Yukari's foes was hope and motivation to me even now when I am praying with all my might and all my heart for the people.

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A shrine maiden when lost has only one option; that is to pray and pray I did… for all the people I care about, for the land and home that I loved.

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[Oh spirits… bless gensokyo…

Bless the people, bless the youkai

Lend them your strength, just like how I lent you mine…

Put your faith in them, just like I put my faith in you…

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Let them draw strength from you, just like how you draw from me…

So spirits…

Bless the people, bless the youkai…

Help them pass through the sternest test…]

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Praying and meditating in the perfect circle in my mind, I could swear I can make out the images of Miss Izayoi, Miss Knowledge, Remilia, Miss Meiling, Cirno, Miss Keine, Miss Fujiwara and all the rest struggling with the odds… and I hope that my prayer will reach them and that what I was doing was helping them…

Regardless if my prayer was answered or heard, I just hope that I mattered; no matter how miniscule my effort was, whether I was recognized or dismissed… I just hope I had done gensokyo right…

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No, that was wrong… my only hope is that Gensokyo to be saved, not for my deeds to go down in prosperity, forgive me… Hakurei Spirit for I have sinned…

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I fear that I had buried myself alive, sealing my fate with Yukari… but if that is so, so be it. If fate decrees that I am to perish in this small box of death, similar to the Pandora box in hindsight… so be it. Was I to be the hope in the box, sealed with the disaster… and the only strength that aids humans when it is released?

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Despite my words, I had not become someone that is brave enough to accept death; I still fear death like any normal person would be…

I still wanted to do so much… I had a promise with Suika and if I could, I would not want to break my promise with her…

but if my death could make a difference, I could still go through it. I'm sorry Suika… Please forgive me for my selfishness…

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But, I believe, and thus I am.

Hakurei Reimu…

So just let me pray…

As it is the only thing I can do, insignificant and weak as I am…

Please, Great Hakurei Spirit… hear my prayer… hear my selfish prayer for all the people,

People that I do not know, people that I do know and people that I have yet to meet…

Please, watch over them, I would give anything for them to be safe…

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Oh please, answer my prayer, Great Hakurei Spirit!

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[Sanae!]

Just as when all seemed helpless, Sanae seemed to rally enough strength within her to release a sudden gust of wind that lifted a few of the golems into the air and away from where I and all my dolls were guarding.

[Can you stand, Sanae?]

Helping her up, I managed to smile at her when she nodded, her mouth set in a determined line that made me feel relieved to have her beside me instead of facing me. Gods save the people or things that stand in front of Sanae today, she seems determined to prove a point, so much so that I could sense the threatening aura from her very readily.

But the Sanae that came to help me was no different from the normal Sanae I enjoy tea with at times, she is still clumsy and focusing too much on what was in front of her like usual.

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Up till now at least, this is not the Sanae that I knew, the perfect model of a girl was gone and replaced with this Sanae, a Sanae that is unrelenting yet merciful, determined and hesitant in striking the golems down one by one.

With each strike she would pray hard before her faith bullets erased the magical sigils that gave the golem live, an easy solution to an otherwise hard nut to crack.

Pulling my dolls in, I maneuvered a doll to pierce the rock skin of a golem while another pair to trip one that was trying to stand even with it's head blown off.

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[Hourai!]

Calling my favorite doll to my side, I placed my palm behind her and activated the magical spell that was written inside her.

[Curse Sign: Hourai Doll!]

With Hourai as the spellcard, I could draw magic and fire them with ease, provided Hourai is still around that is and the rubble beside us showed how elegant but simple that solution was.

[Alice, behind you!]

Sanae called out in worry but I was prepared for it, I can always see what my dolls see, sense what my doll senses and most importantly, they are independent dolls.

[!]

Sanae might have suspected that fact but she did not have proof. Yet I knew that I had finally mastered the art of creating an independent doll, though not without sacrifices.

With hourai circling me, I was reminded of how Reimu had pulled me from the gates of death back to the land of living and had given me the final clue on how to create an independent doll.

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It is as that chapter had said… truly one must give up something to achieve something of equal value.

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[Alice…]

[Ah, Sanae…]

Despite my fingers hurting in pain, I smiled and nodded to Sanae, who was looking at me worriedly, her gohei tucked between her armpits. She was concerned about me as she winced when I extended a hand to her, she must have noticed my swollen fingers as she clasped my hands inside hers, making me twitch a little in pain.

[… …]

[Alice…]

[It is nothing, do not worry over it. I'm youkai.]

Trying to ease her worry with my smile, I was afraid I failed as Sanae just looked guiltily at her own shoes

[…]

[Sanae, keep your focus.]

Crouching down so I could see her face, I was shell-shocked to see that she was biting her own lip in frustration.

[Alice, I will take care of things here, so…]

Placing a hand on my shoulder, Sanae smiled as she took to the air, raising her gohei up and softly chanting as she did so, it reminded me of Reimu chanting but her chant felt different than Reimu.

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With Reimu's voice, and the way she chanted, slowly and steadily, it created a kind of feeling that I described as soothing, calming to the soul but Sanae's voice and the way she chanted was different.

It was, if possible an almost opposite to Reimu, her voice was strong, determined and firm; generating emotions that made me feel strangely intoxicated with power and belief in myself.

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[Let the wind blow, the sea will divide to parts,

Let the chosen ones pass through…

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Follow my lead, for they will not harm you.

The wind will bend and even the sea will turn to dust…

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Come only when I will you, leave when I dismiss you

Be not filled with pride that I chose you,

Be not saddened if I abandoned you

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Follow me, as I tore asunder the sea, it's waves roaring,

Be not afraid,

My strength shall be with you,

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No matter who opposes your believes,

Never waver, never wander…

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Even if you have to journey through all this alone,

Wipe away those tears,

Show me your smile again,

For I shall be with you…

I will part even the greatest sea,

Call upon the strongest of winds,

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Come now, show me your smile,

The smile worthy of my protection…]

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Sanae glowed once, just once after her prayer but I felt that behind her voice was another, much more stronger and powerful one that was speaking through her.

A divine golden aura appeared around her and with a single wave of her hands, the earth shook like ribbons.

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[Miracle: Creating the Reed Sea]

It was indeed like a sea as the earth just moved as one, a gigantic tide that swept the golems and everything that was in their way just a stone throw away from my feet.

I was more than astounded, my jaw was dropping to the floor and Hourai and the rest of my children were gathered behind me in fear at the display of power.

[… she is going way overboard…]

I was sure I mentioned this before, but whoever stood in front of Sanae today was surely courting his/her death…

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[This is taking too long…]

I muttered to myself in my mind, they were hindering me, getting in my way…

Insolence! Insolent mortals!

In their ignorance they are disobeying my will, do not know they are just going to make it even worse? I will remake Gensokyo to save Gensokyo…

I pity Reimu, dear old Reimu… she thinks sacrificing herself would be enough… Speaking of the boundary between youkai and humans, not knowing the pains I went through to maintain the boundary between the both of them…

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Not knowing anything and claiming to know everything…

Pitiful… but I do find it brave.

Reimu, you have grown to be a wonderful women, one with wisdom and your own beliefs of life..

I wish, I wish I can watch you grow more, mature more… but there is no time for that.

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For me to throw you into the harsh realities of life is unfair to you, I would have liked you to have more experience and warning before… before this…

[… I'm sorry…]

My head hurts, my eyes hurt… my entire body hurts… my heart hurts, especially for Gensokyo… I feel your pain… but this is for your sake too…

Reimu, Reimu… I would want to ask you…

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If you could answer me… I want to know…

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Can you take the burden? Can you accept the responsibility of your words?

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Can you, bear everything by breaking down the boundary of humans and youkai…

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Can you, Reimu… do the impossible, like you always did… Surpass me even, with your strength, your charisma, your grace and your acceptance.

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Can you overcome the odds against you, Reimu, even if I stand in your way?

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Yukari's laughter suddenly subsided and I looked up in worry, something must be up, I sense her power stretching outside my border and me trying desperately to stop her from breaking through the barrier.

But it is amazing how powerful and determined she was, within a few seconds she had pushed her way through my pitiful barrier like it was paper and headed straight for her target.

I had trapped Yukari for a while, but it seems my power is not sufficient to trap her in…. I am foolish to believe that I could stop Yukari from escaping this makeshift prison.

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[… Reimu.]

Yukari's voice echoed in my ear and I looked up to see Yukari not rolling above me, she was seated in the same glowing throne of light that I had seen before, a long time ago when I first met her.

Above the steps of Hakugyokurou's I had faced Yukari for the first time, it seemed like just yesterday and very much a dream.

Who knew we would replay our past over Gensokyo, with the stakes so high once again.

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[… you, remember this.]

She dangled something in front of her before tossing it down to me.

[W-What's this…]

Grabbing the item, I could not believe my eyes while negative emotions surged through my veins as I sat down in a hurry.

[No… No…]

Clutching my hair, I ran my fingers through it in disbelief while my other hand pressed the item against my chest, disbelief the main emotion taking control of me while anger being a close second.

Try as I might, I could not calm myself down. The more I looked at it, the more I touched it the angrier and shocked I was that I was holding it.

How could it be? This…

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This belonged to Marisa, right? I knew it did… what is this nostalgic feeling overwhelming me? It's Marisa, is it not?

[… Do you? She's important to you, right?]

It was Marisa's mini-hakkero, an item that she actually cared and looked after beside her broom.

It was her most important treasure and it was in Yukari's possession.

My mind was racing like around a race course, trying to find a logical solution and reason to why it was with Yukari.

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[Do you want to know why?]

[Do you, Reimu? Do you?]

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The devil in Yukari's clothes whispered to me, blocking out everything else but her voice and an annoying buzzing sound that was making me very uneasy.

No, I must keep focused and not let emotions control me…

Marisa… why… why is the Hakerro with Yukari..

The most obvious answer and the answer that I was avoiding, sidestepping and running away from was that…

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Was that…

[heh… hehe…]

She giggled; a sound so disturbing that I felt shivers run down my spine at hearing that. She is truly a devil…

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Marisa couldn't have…. She couldn't… there is no way…

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[She put up a good fight.]

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I saw red and I moved without thinking, going straight after Yukari.

[YUKARI!]

Screaming my lungs out, I lashed out at Yukari with my gohei, slamming her against the barrier while she just giggled and laughed at me, mocking me and my pitiful attempt to get revenge, not even caring that she

Yes, revenge… I wanted Yukari to pay… for whatever she had done to Marisa…

My entire thought process was focused solely on that objective and everything seems hazy at best.

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[…]

But it all stopped suddenly and even Yukari was puzzled by how my hand, which was raised above me, prepared to strike her stopped and slowly lowered.

I thought I heard a voice calling out to me in my consciousness, a voice that I was familiar with and I was expecting to hear. Turning around I saw my two companions, the twin fairies holding their hands and glowing white, just like how I would too if I was praying.

The two of them, seemingly neglected again had something to tell me and was urgently trying to get my attention.

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[…]

It was like a song but yet not a song, it was something more than that. I knew what they were telling me simply by them being there, without speaking, without singing, they signified something to me and I knew that instinctively.

[I'm sorry…]

I apologized to Yukari and backed off, leaving her sitting against the barrier as my two companions returned to their usual position on my shoulders, fluttering their wings happily at the attention I paid to them.

Marisa's hakkero I placed back in my pockets as I closed my eyes and listened to them, the song and words they were conveying to me through their hearts.

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I must not let emotions get the better of me… I Must not, will not and should not… if I did, I am no better than Yukari, who had lost herself a long time ago…

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[feh…]

Sounding disappointed, Yukari bared her teeth and admitted.

[She put up a good fight…]

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Before I could ask her who she was referring to, Marisa or someone else, she snapped her fingers and smiled.

[S-Suika?]

A void appeared in front of the both of us and from it dropped out the oni that I called my family, Ibuki Suika.

[Reimu? AH! Yukari!]

Balling her fist, Suika was nonplussed by her being gapped and I had to wonder if she was used to Yukari grabbing and tossing her long distances after centuries of knowing her.

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[Old hag!]

She screamed at Yukari and was it me or did Yukari's face turn darker with her name-calling?

Suika, intent with getting to Yukari, endured all the bullets that Yukari sent at her but the first punch that was thrown, one so powerful that I could hear Yukari's bones crack and slammed her again to the barrier, creating cracks on it as I watched in awe.

That is one side of I would never want to face, I decided in my heart as the rage that was coming from Suika was horrible and terrible to behold, I felt faint even sensing the anger around her.

Yukari slowly stood up again with help of her parasol while Suika glared at her, relentless in her attacks all the way.

[… S-Suika.]

She croaked out, her voice a whisper but we heard it all the same, despite the sounds of bullets firing and flying through the air and I just have to ask myself once more…

How did it turn out like this, when had it gone wrong? Where had it gone wrong to force us friends and allies to face one another in a death match…

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No matter the prayers I said would the answer be granted to me… that I knew… yet there is hope within me that I would know, one day, somehow as Yukari laid broken in front of the barrier.

I was so sure it had finally ended and that Gensokyo was safe…

But she, the one with power over boundaries proved me wrong yet again…

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[… …]

Raising a hand, she snapped her fingers again and with the two of us watching, gaps appeared all around Suika, startling her for a moment.

[W?]

Hands reached out of those gaps, ghostly white and frail but strangely powerful as they overpowered Suika almost instantly, grabbing her small arms and holding her in place.

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[Suika!]

I rushed forward, Gohei at the ready but I too was restrained by those arms which just popped out of nowhere, while Yukari float slowly upwards to Suika, a menacing smile on her face but an unreadable expression in her eyes as she walked slowly, surely deliberately or were the injuries actually causing her pain?

Yukari looked like the grim reaper as Suika and I struggled with the bonds that caught us but we just could not get loose, my two companions were helpless, pulling at the hands and doing nothing significant and so I just prayed again, instead of losing myself to despair while Suika howled and swore at Yukari, making me flinch at the language the little girl was using.

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[Yukari you bitch!]

She swore again as Yukari stroked Suika's chin and whispered softly to her, her tone displaying interest but at the same time no emotion yet again, Yukari was like a robot, drained physically and mentally and supported only by her thought process alone, a process that had gone wrong..

Lost, in the maze of insanity..

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Oh gods, please Help Yukari…

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[Suika, you've lived for so long and yet learnt so little… can't you just open your eyes a little?]

[…?]

Her sudden calm demeanor shocked me and it shocked Suika as well, has Yukari came to her senses at last? Could she tell us why she did all this at long last? The veil that surrounded this incident, was it going to be raised with the perpetrator's explanation…?

[Gensokyo, is a wonderful place, both dangerous and beautiful at the same time. Youkai and humans, living together in a delicate balance that can never be disrupted… shielded from technology, cultural advances, cultural invasion and exchange of ideas… gensokyo is the last sanctuary for youkai… all thanks to one, single thing.]

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I held my breath and Suika surely did so too as Yukari paused but in a heartbeat she resumed her speech.

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[Gensokyo is the way it is now not thanks to chance nor thanks to anyone who lives on it's earth, she is untouched, unblemished and unscarred by other's ideas, invading into Japan as so did the Europeans.

We were not influenced by how they thought, how great their technological advances were when compared to us. We were not catapulted, like the rest of Japan into the industrial age… just for one, particular and important force that bind us.]

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I was tempted to answer Yukari's question for her but I was unsure, hesitant about how I should approach Yukari when she is in this sort of trance, it is not wise to actually confront her as it is…

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[Do you know why, Suika? DO you… or does it not matter to you, whether Gensokyo exists… you could return to Hell with Yuugi and the rest of the Oni's… they would enjoy your company and Gensokyo would not matter.]

She giggled while Suika just look flabbergasted before turning back and shouting to me.

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[Reimu! Don'cha get fooled by Yukari! I love Gensokyo too!]

[Lies, ALL LIES! YOU'RE A BAD LIAR, SUIKA!]

Yukari's howled was accompanied by her making her hands pull and twist the both of us.

[You don't care about Gensokyo do you, Suika? All you want is to have fun! Fun is all that matters to you, right? ISN'T IT! TELL ME!]

She screamed at Suika and she displayed more emotion then she seemed capable of a minute ago. Her voice was once again like a shockwave, slamming into me emotionally and I found myself unwillingly looking away from Suika just a little.

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[R-Reimu! Don't believe her!]

Suika panicked and she struggled valiantly with Yukari's hands before finally breaking free and flying towards me.

[It's a trick, Reimu! I love Gensokyo as much as you! As everyone!]

[Stop lying, Oni. The onis do not lie, but you aren't an Oni aren't you? You abandoned them long ago… when you came to live at the Shrine.

Admit it, Suika, you were not interested in Gensokyo in the first place. You were just interested in Reimu, the incidents that revolve around Reimu. You wanted some excitement and Reimu provided you with some…]

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W-Was it true?

I shivered involuntarily as Yukari's words hit home, hitting a part of me I thought was the strongest, my family bond with Suika, shaking my belief in her.

[Don't listen to her Reimu! Don't!]

Suika pleaded again but it seemed Yukari was the more persuasive of the two as I found myself doubting her more and more despite my unwillingness to do so.

Yukari, floating above the two of us lashed out at Suika angrily and Suika she turned to face her, her small frame shaking with anger and frustration.

[Come Suika! Tell me why, tell me why you would even care about Gensokyo? Tell me why you would not lend a hand till now? Weren't you drinking sake at a corner, laughing at the battle? TELL ME, SUIKA!]

Suika offered no defense; she barely moved or breathed as her back faced me and every passing second was pure agony, is she not even going to defend herself and was just going to silently accept all this?

Suika… please tell me it is not true? Was another pillar of strength of mine going to disappear just like that?

[Well? Speechless, aren't you? Claiming to love Gensokyo! You don't know anything!]

She slapped Suika and Suika had no answer, she just wiped the tears from Yukari's slap before slapping her own chest.

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[I am Suika, Suika Ibuki of the Ibuki Clan and, the Shrine Oni of The Hakurei Shrine.]

My eyes opened wide in amazement as Suika turned to me, offered a hand to me and repeated herself.

[I am the Shrine Oni, Reimu, I stand by what I said and I know what I did was right.]

She looked solemnly at me and I looked back at her, the trust in her regaining bit by bit.

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[we.. we promised, right, Suika?]

I uttered out suddenly and I blushed, thinking that how childish I seemed in remembering that promise I made with her.

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[Mm, we promised, Reimu. And an Oni doesn't break her promises, now watch this!]

Balling a fist, Suika punched Yukari squarely in the face and watched her tumble in the air in shock.

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[YUKARI YOU DON'T DESERVE TO ASK ME THAT!]

[I… don't deserve that?]

It was Yukari's turn to be under the microscope and she seemed to cower in fear when it was her turn. The tables have turned, when it is their turn in their spotlight they become the same helpless wreck Suika and I became, we hate being questioned and we hate our beliefs and ideals to be questioned most of all.

But amidst all of that, who really gave full thought into how they themselves appear to others? Who truly are you?

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What is the definition of yourself?

Who are you?

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I asked myself that before, a few days ago.

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I am Hakurei Reimu of the Hakurei Shrine… but first and foremost, I am Reimu and a person who loves Gensokyo with all of her heart.

One who detests fighting but who views it as inevitable…

One who wants the bridge between youkai and humans to be bridged…

And I… believe, thus I am, Hakurei Reimu.

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So who is Yukari? How does she view herself in front of others?

Who does she think she truly is? Was she just the Border Youkai of Gensokyo?

She claims that she maintains Gensokyo, looked after Gensokyo and more importantly understands and love Gensokyo, I can read it through her actions.

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But if so… why? Why is she doing this?

Can someone tell me why?

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[ENOUGH!]

Yukari screamed suddenly as she stood up, parasol in her hand but despite the bloodied face, the shaking hands, body and fingers, Yukari was giving off a dangerous and powerful aura as the cloud of danmaku around us suddenly stopped moving about, retaining their positions as Yukari's eyes gleamed dangerously red.

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[That will be all from you, traitor!]

Raising a hand like she did early, Yukari growled the spellcard I remembered from one of my nightmares…

The Arcanum…

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[… Yukari's Arcanum…]

Snapping her fingers, Suika was suddenly swallowed by a gap and in the next moment, a split second afterwards, Yukari muttered to herself.

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[Danmaku.

Bounded.

Field.]

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The cloud of danmaku literally exploded into life with a loud whooshing sound and they bullets all converged in the centre of the cloud with a brilliant flash of light, so bright that it illuminated the sky and blinded me for a moment.

But I wished it would have blinded me a moment more.

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[S-SUIKA!]

Falling from the sky, her body full of burn marks and a cloud of dust accompanying her on the way down was Suika, her clothes ragged and her eyes closed, knocked out.

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[SUIKA!]

I screamed in anguish as I watched Suika fall from the sky, helpless to do anything as I had trapped myself and Yukari inside the barrier… I had… I had underestimated Yukari yet again… why…

[WHY! YUKARI!]

I lost myself totally and snapped out a few spellcards continuously.

[Spirit Sign: Fantasy Seal!]

The colored orbs filled with me strength and I repeatedly sent them to pummel Yukari, not giving a care in the world if she was hurt, I wanted her to feel the same pain Suika felt when she struck her with her spellcard, I wanted her to feel the same pain Suika has, I wanted her to suffer!

To suffer the anguish I am feeling right now!

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This is not danmaku, not anymore… not anymore when dodging the bullets is not the objective!

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[! Suika!]

I looked up suddenly and to my surprise and shock there was Suika, dropping from the sky like a ton of rocks and I swiftly flew up and caught her.

[Suika! Oi! Wake up!]

Slapping her in the face, my nose turned away from the smell of burning clothes and it dawned on me how badly hurt Suika actually was.

[MAAAN~~ Suika! You sure got beat up this time!]

I am a tengu, I do not panic but that was close, I could have dropped her in mid-air but that would be silly and disastrous to do not to mention that Suika would probably kill me the next time she sees me… well… perhaps just a little peek up her hakama?

Wondering to myself, I cautiously pulled at the ends but Suika twitched uncomfortably.

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[… man Oni's sure are tough… to even move after that is amazing… Hmph, well that doesn't stop me anyway!]

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Who knows who could take Suika out, no doubt the strongest youkai in Gensokyo…

Well, I did know of a few who could do that…

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Whipping out my fan, I sent a freak gust of wind to level another group of golems that was emerging from the swampy grounds near the Hakurei Shrine.

[Ayaya~~ Looks like Yukari's serious this time…]

Shaking my head, I scanned around for help, anyone who could take care of Suika in the meantime, I have photos and articles to write!

Calling a few more of my crow subordinates, I sent them in several directions all at once, scanning for anyone at all while I just slung Suika over my shoulder and took out another spellcard with my sparehand.

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[Breeze Sign "Opening Winds of Tengu Road"]

The wind cleared a path for me almost immediately, knocking anything that was in the way into the air to be picked apart by more of my subordinates.

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[Aya's coming through! The Bunbunmaru can't be late!]

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[Squall "Sarutahiko's Guidance!]

With the power of the wind surrounding me from any attack, I dashed forward with the speed worthy of the fastest in Gensokyo and out of sight in a split second.

[So just get out of my way!]

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[S-Suika!]

At the human village, I dumped Suika in the care of another bird youkai that I knew, Mystia Lorelai and wasted no time in interviewing her.

[Why are you in the village?]

[Suika~~Suika~~~]

Ignoring me however, she fussed over Suika with her petite little hands despite me tapping my foot in annoyance.

[Oh get out of here!]

Flapping my fan, I blew a pair of foxes that was pouncing towards us and they found themselves instantly on top of a nearby tree.

[~~Aya~~~is~~amazing~~~]

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Puffing my chest out, I used my charm on her, persuading her to loose her lips a little, any bit of juicy information is information after all.

I am a reporter, nothing must escape me! It is my duty to report everything to the masses of Gensokyo!

[Be quiet! I'm interviewing here! And now Mystia, why are you in the village! Aren't they afraid of you? Why are you helping them! You eat humans right]

Waving my camera impatiently, I took a few shots of Mystia fussing over Suika, looking at her eyes and tickling her while taking notes of the possible bird and oni relationship I could write about in my free time.

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[Mystia~~came~~to~~help~~ Shrine Maiden~~says~~~it's~~~okay~~~]

[Really! Now that's a surprise, who knew Reimu would say that!]

Rubbing my chin, I dropped the previous topic and took up another almost immediately, the cogwheels turning in my mind at the possibilities.

[So Reimu says it is okay!]

[mm~~ Shrine Maiden~~ says~~ she wants~~ to know~~more~~ about~~ us~~]

..

[Sweet! Now pose for the camera~~]

Grinning at the scoop I got, I took a picture of Mystia tugging at Suika's top before taking off into the air, ready to confront Yukari.

[Scoop scoop! I got a scoop!]

No one gets in the way of a scoop, not even Yukari!

..

..

[… what is going on up there?]

Feeling a shiver run down her spine, the Goddess, Yasaka Kanako looked up and her expression turned to worry. The large surge of dangerous power was not a façade, something is going terribly wrong above them and she was powerless to stop it, something which is extremely extraordinary as she was a Goddess.

Bearing her full power around her, she shot towers of glistening light at the border set above them but to no effect whatsoever as the barrier just shrugged it off as if it was nothing.

A displeased expression appeared on her face and it only worsened when the onbashira logs that was fired repeatedly at the border bounced off harmlessly.

..

[How could she have so much power?]

Marveling and cursing at the power of the border, she wondered what was going on as the sky darkened with the border in the middle of all the chaos.

[… so, what's up?]

Murmuring over her shoulder, Yasaka Kanako seemed to have talk to no one in particular but sure enough, a voice replied her. A woman's voice, not tinged with worry but rather quite chippy, as if she was anticipating this all the time.

[I have faith in that child.]

..

[Now, are you really…]

Showing that she indeed have sarcasm in her divine personality, Yasaka Kanako sighed and sat on her onbashira logs before waving both her hands up to the sky.

[If she fail…]

[…]

She warned the invisible figure as her brows furrowed even deeper, showing the lines characteristic of an elderly woman. She was tiring, her strength depleting by the moment as her faith was used to bombard what was left of her enemies invading force but still they won't quit, never falling back and always fearless. It even made her feel a little desperate.

..

.

[mm… Gensokyo… as we know it…]

[… will disappear… what is she up to? Why, at this critical moment must she lose herself?]

..

A moment of silence passed between them before another voice spoke up.

..

[Did you plan all of this?]

A childish voice but it was replaced with a darker, experienced voice that spat venom at the two of them.

[DID YOU?]

The true Moriya Goddess, Moriya Suwako showed herself in all her glory, gone was the childish figure she used to keep her strength up. She was desperate; her precious Shrine Maiden was in danger.

..

..

[… perhaps it is fate, that she would be overwhelmed by herself… her inner feelings of regret, hurt, disappointment and pain… perhaps that is all.]

[How can we trust you? You did nothing! You just stood there and watch as if it is none of your business! You are not worthy of that name she call you by! Kanako she did something! I did something too… insignificant as it seems… BUT YOU DID NOT! WHY MUST WE TRUST YOU!]

The emotions poured from the frog goddess as she wiped her tears away, it was unbefitting a goddess to weep but she was feeling the strain and the stress on meeting her imminent end at the hands of someone she knew and trusted.

..

[…]

[I… I have always been with her. From the start till the end, always watching beside her just like you, Moriya.]

She spoke again, invisible to all but to the two goddesses and even to them, she was faint, transient and not quite real.

Only they could see the sorrow from her but at the same time, the pride she had for the other one.

..

..

[Perhaps it was the child I nurtured for so long that caused this… perhaps it is all of you who caused this… it does not matter. What matters now… is that…]

[She will pull through this…]

[…]

..

..

[She will pull through her darkest hour after facing her true inner feelings, the anger, despair and the hatred she thought she had abandoned before. She must face her true self…]

[What if she fails! What if she fails!]

..

..

[She will not fail…]

..

..

The transient figure just laughed, her voice cheerful as she looked up at the darkening border.

..

..

[The Hakurei Shrine Maiden, never fails…]

Author's Notes: That's why she is the protagonist. Well, R&R!