Marisa walked over to her, dusting herself off along the way. Reimu just stared at her with wide eyes and an open mouth, like a fish gasping on land.
Marisa waved in front of her face.
"Hello? Earth to the Shrine Maiden? Anybody in there-"
She slapped Marisa's hand out of the way, her face turning into a deep and piercing glare. Marisa backed off a bit.
Reimu just sighed, and extended her hand out, causing Marisa to flinch. She looked at her in confusion.
"What is it?" Marisa said.
"What do you think, huh? You flew in here with your broom nearly destroying my place completely. Wouldn't you think someone ought to pay for the damage?"
Marisa gave a slight grin, looking at her hand.
"Are you just mad because you can't get offerings?"
Reimu's face undoubtedly turned slightly red, embarrassed for being called out. She huffed.
"It's not just that, you know I've been busy trying to keep the place clean," She gestures towards the watering can on the ground. Marisa rolled her eyes.
"You do that quite literally every day, so it's fine to change things once in a while. If it's money you're worried about, I've got you covered so chill out, yeah?"
Reimu glared at Marisa, and finally dropped her hands.
"Whatever, I just finished up anyways," she sighed, gesturing to Marisa to come inside. "I'll make you some tea as well." She picked up the watering can.
Marisa smiled widely as she followed Reimu inside the shrine, putting her broom beside the doorway and taking off her shoes. Reimu put the can back onto the shelf and went into the kitchen and started to brew some tea. Marisa made herself home as she sat at the table, peeling herself a tangerine from the fruit bowl. Soon, Reimu came out with a tray with two cups of green tea. She set it down on the table and sat across from Marisa, taking her cup and blowing on it. She glanced at the pile of tangerine peels Marisa made and shook her head.
"Those are my last ones, you know," she said.
"It's fine, I left one for ya. Aren't I so considerate?" Marisa replied, grinning.
Reimu rolled her eyes. She made herself comfortable as she put her arms on the table and rested her head on them. She stared at her friend who was busy shoving tangerine slices into her mouth, making her cheeks chubby.
"Goodness, slow down, Marisa, or you'll choke,"
"Ish fine, I can getsh ough ig," Marisa said with her mouth full. Reimu just stared, hearing her incompetence to speak properly. She waited for her to swallow her mouthful before speaking again.
"Sometimes I wonder why you're so reckless like this," she spoke, looking up at Marisa, who seemed proud of herself being able to fit two entire tangerines in her mouth and consume it in one go.
"Well, reckless is my middle name! That's just part of me, like my hat. I can't go anywhere without it," Marisa replied, smiling. She leaned backward, expecting her back to touch a chair, but forgot she was sitting on the ground and fell backward. Reimu laughed as she got back up, her face red and embarrassed.
"Whatever," Marisa took a sip of her tea, and quickly set it down on the table, trying not to show her that she accidentally burned her tongue. Reimu didn't pay attention as she blew on her own cup and took a small sip, savoring the taste. Marisa changed the topic quickly.
"I've been trying to make new spell cards for my battles, so I had to find some...resources."
"Oh, like resorting to theft?"
"It's not stealing, I told you already! A nicer word would be borrowing. I'm trying to create a spell that's kinda explosive, yeah?"
"Your Stardust Reverie was already enough for me; it practically blinded me the first time you used it."
"But that's the thing, I'm looking for something even better than that! I've been reading so many books that if I had to look at another word, I'd faint." Marisa sighed, picked up her tea and blew on it before taking a sip.
"I wouldn't be around for you to show it off if that were the case. I'm sure you're working hard, as you always are. I'm just disappointed you haven't found a more moral way to find study materials for your cards." Reimu took the last tangerine from the bowl and began to peel it. Marisa waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.
"It's nothing to fret about, I bet you have a lot more serious stuff on your mind, like donations and summer on its way. You'd be so busy cleaning up the shrine like you've been doing your whole entire life."
Reimu crossed her arms. "Summer's a pain, though. You get all hot and sweaty because of the heat."
"You could just stay around Cirno, you know," Marisa said. "It worked for me, although she got a bit angry after she caught on, which I didn't think was possible."
"You've always been a freeloader, so I don't expect you to stop now."
"About that," Marisa dug into her dress pocket and pulled out a bagful of coin and set it on the table. "Compensation for what I did."
"You're only doing this now to show that you're not a freeloader, which you still are."
"Hey! Be grateful that I had it in me to give it to you, that was my earnings for the day."
Reimu took the bag, smiling.
"Well, thank you for your donation anyways."
"It's fine. I just remembered, but since I've been borrowing materials from Patchy's library, I found more of her old storybooks between those two shelves full of potion recipes and stuff, and oh boy does she have a good collection!"
Marisa went on about taking some for next time, and how the head maid of the mansion, Sakuya, gave her some recommendations for the next time she visited. The two both had a laugh, knowing that if Patchouli ever heard them, Marisa's book stealing trips would end more violently, and would be much shorter.
Reimu smiled at Marisa, watching her eyes shimmer as she excitedly spoke about the times she spent with Patchy, and how on some days she was allowed to visit Flandre, who always welcomed her with open arms. The two got along well after Remilia's incident, and they've been good friends ever since. Flandre would always walk around the mansion, exploring and half-heartedly pranking the fairy maids, which she stopped after Sakuya had scolded her for it.
It reminded her of how Marisa was when she was little, still hyper and energetic about everything, with a dash of confidence. It was a little overwhelming at times, but everyone had loved her for it, her curiosity and determination to become the best magician there ever was. She had grown a mischievous streak after Lady Mima had taken her under her wing. Her powers, along with her ego, soared. Yes, she'd even surpass Mima by now.
"Say, have you seen your mentor lately?"
Marisa's face scrunched up, and she thought about the answer.
"Well, I know she's still alive, since she does come out of Hell once in a while to visit me on special occasions. I don't know where she is right now, but I hope she's happy wherever she is." The magician drank her tea, half lost in her own thoughts. Reimu leaned on one arm.
"I was getting really tired of having to seal her so often, you know."
"You should know, she doesn't like staying in one spot for so long. I doubt she's still finding a way to completely eradicate and take revenge on humanity and all of that."
Marisa smiled into her cup.
"She was a good mentor though, she treated me like I was her daughter. I never really cared much for my old family, since they just wanted me to get married and take over the store they had. Lady Mima was the one who encouraged me to use my magic and to always train and improve on it. She's part of the reason why I'm as strong as I am today."
Reimu grinned.
"Remember that one time when I defeated you in a duel, and she was watching the entire thing?"
Marisa's face was red, as she continued to stare into her cup.
"You had to apologize right in front of her, as she just listened to you."
"Argh, okay, that's enough. I know I wasn't as good back then, but don't you remember the day I actually beat her in a spell card duel? That was the best day I've ever had."
Reimu nodded, sipping her tea.
"She was really proud of you for that, huh."
Marisa smiled as she took a large drink from her cup, remembering her days as a child.
"Still, I was kinda dumb when I was little."
The two continued to talk for a while, with Marisa not noticing Suika dragging herself into the shrine through the backdoor, half drunk and passing out on the tatami mats on the floor. After they had both finished their drinks, Reimu waved Marisa off as she hopped onto her broom and nearly flew into her shrine again, laughing as she sped off into the distance.
Reimu walked back to her shrine and sat down on the front porch. She checked the donation box beside her and sighed in disappointment. Nothing, like usual. She looked out toward the torii up at the front, as a soft breeze brushed her face. The buds of nearby trees are beginning to open up.
It was just like that dream.
She thought about it, how that ache felt so deep and scarring. It was nothing like the pain she'd gotten from duels from youkai, or training with Yukari. No, it was something burrowed deep inside her heart, and it throbbed for attention. Reimu thought back to the conversation they had. Then, a single question made her realize:
When has she ever had a mother?
When had she ever felt love? Who had been taking care of her, when she was so young? Her memories clearly failed her, as she couldn't remember. She'd mostly just recall tending the shrine every day, like right now, and meeting Marisa. She'd been so small then, with most of her baby teeth gone. She'd only watched Reimu from a distance for a while, before she saw her magic and training. She'd challenged her to a spell card duel then, which she lost immediately. The two had always been best friends then, helping each other and going on adventures together. Marisa had looked up to Reimu so much, she followed her footsteps in exterminating youkai.
The only parental figure Reimu had ever seen and known was Lady Mima, who'd strictly trained Marisa under her care. She was a vengeful spirit and had wished to burn humanity to the ground. Reimu eventually had to put a stop to her antics, sealing her. Though, Reimu did feel bad for doing it. Sometimes, Mima would show how tender and caring she was toward the both of them, when they were young. She had sewn up Marisa's dresses and helped make her broomstick. She'd also supported Reimu in times when she had been lonely and had helped build what was now a nearby shed used for storage at the back of the shrine.
Though...
It was a lie to say that Reimu wasn't a bit jealous of the attention Marisa got. She hadn't ever had someone who'd cared for her in such a motherly way, or even loved her at all. Seeing how Marisa was adored by Mima made Reimu want to be like her. She wanted to feel that warm, pleasant feeling like she did.
However, she's all grown up now. Such matters of love would be silly to her, for such an elegant and hardworking shrine maiden.
The thought still lingered on the back of Reimu's mind, nevertheless. She glanced back into the shrine to see if Suika was awake. Apparently, she's still out on the floor, and her flask of sake had spilt over, liquor dampening the floor.
The shrine was clean for the day, and the day was great for a walk.
Reimu got up and closed the door to the shrine behind her. She picked up her gohei from the doorway. She dusted off the grime from her clothes from sitting and walked toward the entrance to the sacred grounds. Reimu examined the bushes one last time, before walking out and down the set of steep steps that lead to the forest farther up ahead.
Perhaps she'll find something more inviting than a pretty scene from nature.