Chapter 4: Yukari's Return
Back at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Ran began to panic the moment Yukari disappeared. At first she ran all over the library screaming for Yukari and looking under the tables and behind the shelves. Chen stopped coloring and decided what Ran was doing looked more fun. So now both Ran and Chen were running around the library frantically. This would have gone on for some time when Patchouli tiring of the commotion fired danmaku at the two of them stopping them.
Both Chen and Ran turned to face Patchouli with Chen holding her head in her hands a bit teary eyed and Ran glaring. "What was that for?" Patchouli approached the both of them with her hands on her hips. "Please cease your tiresome running around. First the Scarlet Devil Library is close to infinite in size, so you will never find someone hiding here and second the wards surrounding the library tell me everyone who leaves and enters and Yukari has clearly left." Ran looked at her and asked, "if these wards are so great how does Marisa always find a way to sneak in her". Patchouli pouted and said, "just because we know she's here doesn't mean we can always catch her. Well anyways Yukari could be anywhere in Gensokyo but she is most definitely not here and there aren't enough fairy maids in all the mansion to find her. Give me a bit of time and I can put together a tracking spell for you or you could continue panicking if you'd prefer."
When she finished Ran thought for a bit and then her face lit up in realization. "That's it! Fairy maids!" Before anyone could react, Ran grabbed one of the fairy maids and barked an order at her. The next thing anyone knew fairy maids were entering the library one after another until all the maids in the mansion were lined up in neat columns in front of Ran. Chen also stood at attention in front of the fairies with a playful grin on her face. Ran began pacing back and forth with her arms behind her back like an old general. "Fairy maids the mistress of Gensokyo is lost and we must find her. So all of you will be divided into squads and will search Gensokyo from top to bottom. We shall search from the depths of Old Hell to the heights of Heaven itself. We shall search from the forests to the hills and the valleys and we will find her. Some of you may die but that's a price I'm willing to pay. So fairies let's save Gensokyo". With that she led the fairies in a cheer and they were all about to set out when Remilia and Sakuya entered the library.
Remilia entered and immediately took charge. "What a wonderful speech Miss Yakumo, but none of that will be happening. Sakuya if you would". Sakuya stepped in front of the columns of fairy maids and spoke up. "You all have ten minutes to return to your posts or you will be fired and then killed." The fairies flew out of the library like the hounds of Hell were after them. After the fairy maids left Remilia approached Patchouli. "I've come to check on the status of that potion I requested. May I ask why the Yakumo familiars are cluttering up my mansion and disrupting my fairies?" Patchouli who had been staring speechless at Ran's strange antics began to explain. "It was discovered that during the last raid by the witch your potion was among those stolen. Everything was returned but Lady Yukari was hit with your potion and she seems to be smitten with that blue fairy Cirno who lives by the Misty Lake".
At that Remilia's jaw dropped before she recovered her composure. "While I am disappointed that I must wait for my potion what you have just told me is the most entertaining thing I've heard in years. So the mistress of Gensokyo is bound to the ice fairy? And from what I requested of the potion, she's stuck forever isn't she? What would happen if she were informed of the potion?" At that Patchouli spoke up. "If she were informed of the potion she would deny being under its effect. As long as the potion is active she will consider her feelings for the fairy to be genuine and would take any suggestions otherwise as a grave insult. There is a way out though built into the potion. Right now Yukari only loves the fairy because of the potion, and if the fairy were to break her heart now, then the potion would wear off and she would be her usual self again." At that Remilia glared at Patchouli. "I swear I told you that I wanted the potion to be permanent. I wanted no way for the shrine maiden to escape my love." At that Patchouli held up her hand to stop Remilia. "You didn't let me finish. The potion is quite permanent. Once enough time has passed and affection has been reached the affection generated by the potion will become the target's genuine feelings. If their heart is broken then, then they would suffer severe emotional devastation. I needed a way to restore the shrine maiden if her affection for you became too disruptive to Gensokyo."
Before Remilia and Patchouli could continue talking, Yukari reappeared in the library to everyone's surprise. She seemed to be holding something in and was fidgeting. As Chen and Ran approached her to see if she was alright her feelings burst out. Her face lit up into the brightest smile they had ever seen on her and she pulled them both into an embrace. "Oh Chen, Ran, the best thing has happened. I went and met Cirno and she accepted my feelings, and even better we are going to meet up tonight at the songbird's food cart for our first date. Of course it's a group date with her friends but it shall still be simply wonderful." At that Chen smiled and laughed, and Ran grit her teeth before responding. "That is wonderful Mistress. We shall have to join you tonight. I would love to meet this Cirno who has taken your heart, and we simply must celebrate." After Ran finished, Remilia spoke up. "What wonderful news. I hope you don't mind if Sakuya and I attend as well. After all the more the merrier as they say. Your love is the most fun, I mean joyous thing to happen in Gensokyo in so long and we simply must celebrate with you."
Yukari with her heart filled with overwhelming affection was not bothered by her familiars and the others joining. Blinded by love she took what they were saying at face value. Ran then spoke up. "Mistress your arrangement is not until tonight and we do have a lot of work to do before then don't we?" At that Yukari thought for a bit before responding. "You are right we do have a lot of work. I need to fix my hair, clothes, and makeup. Everything must be perfect. I'll blow Cirno away. Oh my I might even make her propose on the spot." After she finished she even giggled like a schoolgirl while blushing. Ran held her head in her hands. Chen clapped and cheered. "Woohoo Mistress and Cirno are together. I'm so happy for both of you." Remilia snapped her fingers and spoke up. "Sakuya prepare a changing room. As compensation for allowing us to accompany you we shall handle your wardrobe and makeup at no charge. Trust me you will be the most beautiful Yokai in Gensokyo when we are done with you". At that Sakuya curtsied and said "follow me." Then the group left Patchouli and Koakuma behind in the library heading towards the changing area with Ran holding her head in her hands. Far away at the border of Gensokyo an almost imperceptible crack was forming.
Welcome to Chapter 4! I am so grateful for the positive reception to my story so far. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to put together this chapter. I was hoping to get this chapter done and the classroom chapter, but I've been bust with renovations going on in my house. Also to be honest I am still brainstorming the classroom. Trust me it will be great once I put it together. Well anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as usual any reviews or feedback are most welcome. And I look forward to seeing you in the next one.