Imperfect Metamorphosis

by TakerFoxx

It's the first day of spring, and Cirno and her friends are once again up to no good! But after stealing a strange box from Marisa's house, they soon find themselves over their heads as they discover some things are meant to remain locked up.

56. Hole in the Wall, Hole in the World

Hole in the Wall, Hole in the World

You're back.

The garden hasn't changed much since your last visit. The Sun still is still shining brightly in the vibrantly blue sky, unobstructed by clouds. The endless sea of sunflowers still gaze lovingly at it like a crowd of worshippers. The white marble mansion is still covered with a dazzling arrangement of green vines flowers of every type and color. And the place is still eerily silent. No birds, no insects, no voices. Just the wind through the leaves petals.

And then there is Yuuka.

Once again, the two of you are sitting across from each other on the sundeck. However, it seems that some sort of altercation has taken place. The one-legged table has been cast down, the umbrella missing and the remains of an afternoon tea lying strewn on the tiles. Yuuka herself seems unconcerned. She holds a saucer in one hand while lightly holding a teacup a few inches above it with the other, and is gazing at you with mild amusement.

"Hello, dears," she says. She takes a long sip and then lowers the cup to smile at you. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Yuuka's condition is much improved from the last time you were here. Her skin is smooth and healthy, her emerald-green hair has grown back in full and now brushes her shoulders, and her soft, rosy lips have fully returned. However, one eye is still covered with a black leather patch, and she wears only one ring now, the violet one. The one that glowed scarlet is now missing.

"Well, no, I suppose for you it really hasn't been," she amends. "After all, you've been peeping over my shoulder this whole time, haven't you?" Tsking, she places the teacup on the saucer and hands it off to a leafy vine that has just curled up from over the sundeck's railing. "You know, in any other situation, I might be tempted to take umbrage at the invasion of privacy." Then she favors you with a sunny smile. "Part of me feels that I shouldn't fault you. After all, it can hardly be helped. After all, who doesn't love stories?" Then a dark look passed over her face. "But even so, you have to admit…"

Then, without finishing her thought, she stands up and motions for you to do so as well. "I apologize for the mess," she says as she leads you down the stairs. "Yukari Yakumo was just here, you see. She is…" She laughs. "Oh, silly me. I don't need to explain who Yukari is! Of course you've been watching her as closely as you've been watching me. I'm afraid you've just missed her though. Something came up, so she had to leave in something of a hurry."

That doesn't sound good. You hesitate, wondering if you dare inquire further. Yuuka is, after all, unpredictable, and could just as easily decide to crush your head for your impudence as she is to give you a simple answer.

After a moment of internal debate you go ahead and ask. After all, if she intended to harm you, she would have done it already, right?

Fortunately, she does not seem offended, though she does not give you a straight answer. "Oh, piffle," she says. "All in good time, all in good time. Don't tell me that you're the sort that skips to the end of the book, are you? Be patient, child. All will be revealed in its proper time."

Yuuka leads you down past the pool and into the sunflower garden. Though no path is visible from the outside, as soon as you enter the forest of green stalks and yellow dials one seems to appear beneath your feet, as if the flowers themselves are moving themselves out of Yuuka's way.

"Over here," she says. She's lead you to a small pool of water springing up from the ground, ringed with poppies. The surface is as still as glass, perfectly reflecting what is above it like a mirror. "Take a look."

You do, and you see your reflection, with Yuuka standing over you.

As you watch, Yuuka's grin widens. "Now," she says. "Let's start from the beginning of the end." With that, she plunges the tip of her umbrella into the pool's surface. Ripples disrupt the reflection, warping your face and hers. The colors twist, becoming a formless blur, and when the waters settle down, you no longer see your face. Yuuka's is still there, but she isn't looking at you, but at…

…

"You know, I have to admit," Yuuka said as she settled into her chair. She tilted her head to one side and flashed a sunny smile at her guest. "When I heard you wanted to talk, I spent nearly half an hour fretting. 'What oh what could she ever be up to?' I wondered. 'What strange tricks and schemes does she have in store for me?'" She let out a tittering laugh. "I must admit, that is primarily the reason why I agreed! My curiosity simply got the better of me!"

"I imagine it did," Yukari said, her face cool and empty of emotion, betraying nothing. "It's not something I anticipated doing either. However, circumstances demanded a face-to-face."

Yuuka's teeth were the color of freshly churned cream. "They quite often do."

The two women were sitting at the small, one-legged table on Yuuka's sundeck, a wide, purple umbrella spread over them to provide shade. Before them a light tea was served, consisting primarily of chamomile and a plate of cookies.

It was the cookies that made Yukari nervous. Each one was baked into a specific shape. There were ghosts with six wings, swords, broom-riding witches, eyes, ravens, two-tailed cats, ghosts with excessively wide mouths, vampire bats (some sprinkled with red crystals, others with crystals of every color), and knives. That alone made it clear that Yuuka intended to be petty.

Of course Yukari didn't partake of the treats offered, though she probably wouldn't have even without the blatant symbolism. She didn't expect Yuuka to try something as overt as poison or drugs, especially considering the duties that she now had to adhere to. But given the circumstances she just didn't feel like eating. Besides, this was not the time to be taking unnecessary risks.

Yuuka, it should be noted, suffered from no such reservations, and partook freely from cookies and tea alike. "I also must admit, I was equally surprised that you agreed to have the meeting here," she said as she nibbled on one of the multi-colored bats. "In my world. Given everything that's happened, it is a bit odd that you would so readily walk alone into enemy territory, is it not?"

"Is that what we are?" Yukari said. "Enemies? I was under the impression that your original challenge was motivated by a simple desire to have something to do."

Yuuka laughed and bit into a cookie. "Oh, quite, quite. But let's be quite frank: things really did spiral out of control. You tried to cheat, I turned it around on you, and we both walked away limping." She flicked a finger, and ghost images of Satori Komeji and Flandre Scarlet drifted through the steam rising from her cup. "And we both took quite a chunk out of the other. Coupled with your legendary ability to hold a grudge, well, you of course understand why I would expect us not to be on speaking terms."

"Normally, we would not be," Yukari nodded. "However, there are greater things at stake than personal pride."

"Oh, that is a very short list from where I'm sitting," Yuuka said, her pink tongue sliding out between her lips. "But I speak not of your motivations. It is your trust in my good will that has me quirking an eyebrow."

Now it was Yukari's turn to smile. "Why shouldn't I trust you? All prior agreements aside, we both understand the importance of rules, especially in regards to those concerning hospitality and your duties as a hostess."

"And you would risk your life on the assumption that I will play by the rules?" Yuuka said. Her smile had now become something of a smirk.

Yukari's own smile didn't change shape, but it did become a bit chilly. "If anyone's life is at risk here, it's yours," she said. "Considering the instructions I left with my allies should I not return in acceptable condition." Now she did reach for her yet untouched cup of tea. "You may be powerful, Yuuka. And this may be your place of power. But make no mistake: play me wrong, bend the rules, attempt anything untoward, and the Garden of the Sun's similarities to the actual Sun will increase by a drastic amount."

Yuuka sighed, her shoulder slumping in mock-defeat. "Oh, I suppose you've got me there. And you are correct. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the rules. All of them."

Yukari's smile almost wavered then. There was a hidden meaning to that last sentence. She wasn't sure what, but it was significant. It was probably another jab at her previous attempts to cheat, or at least she hoped that was all it was. "Good. Though I suppose the conditions do bear repeating…"

"Oh, of course," Yuuka said, looking slightly annoyed. "So long as you are in the Garden, I shall make no attempt to harm, imprison, manipulate, detain, sabotage, befuddle, hypnotize you, save perhaps through the time-honored art of persuasion. I shall remain here as well, and make no move toward your allies. Or anyone else for that matter. I shall uphold all of my duties as hostess, in accordance to the ancient laws of hospitality. And in return, you shall do the same as my guest, and keep those gaps of yours shut. Does that about cover it?"

"Just so long as we understand each other," Yukari said. And with that, she drank.

…

"She is a tricky one, that Yukari," Yuuka observes. "That little spiel was a very abbreviated version of the actual list of terms and conditions she had me swear to adhere to. It took a fair amount of time to get through, and it did pass back and forth between our hands many times until we were both were satisfied. Lawyers would have been impressed. Fortunately, I was a bit more conscientious of the fine print than she was. It's amazing how often people neglect that part."

She stirs the water again. "But before we continue on, let's move things a bit back, shall we?"

…

"'…due to increasing hostilities caused by gross miscommunication and misunderstanding, coupled by regrettable decisions on both sides of the fence…'" Frowning, Eirin lowered the letter to quirk an eyebrow at Yukari. "Both sides? What did we do to her?"

"Cheated," Byakuren answered. She shot Yukari a sidelong glance. "During the duel."

Yukari sighed. She rolled her wrist impatiently. "Keep reading please."

Again, they were gathered together at Hakurei Shrine, which had morphed into their headquarters, much to Reimu's exasperation. Or at least, most of them were. Reimu was of course there, as was Yukari, Kanako, Byakuren, and Eirin. Outside of the first meeting, Shinki and Sariel had declined to appear in person, though reportedly they were still corresponding regularly with Yukari. The elder youkai had dropped several hints that it would probably be best for them to keep in touch with the others as well. These had gone ignored. As for Mima, she had been in and out, though she was absent more often than not. Given the tension between her and nearly everyone else, Reimu was thankful for this.

Surprisingly enough, Eirin had become a near-constant presence, at least when her duties at Eientei allowed her to appear. Initially, Reimu had been very nervous about having her around, given her history with Reisen and the fact that she was generally very scary. However, she had been surprisingly cordial ever since that initial meeting, and hadn't given Reimu so much as a cross look.

Today, they were gathered to discuss Yuuka Kazami's response to their request for a parlay. Nobody was comfortable with the having to take this course of action, and Yuuka's quick reply had heightened their unease. Yukari had already read her letter, and now Eirin was reading it for the rest of the group.

Clearing her throat, the Lunarian continued, "'Both sides of the fence, I really must agree. The current situation has devolved in an absolutely deplorable manner, and an open dialogue to discuss the matter would be most welcome. In the interests of resolving things in a mutually satisfactory manner, I accept your invitation…'" She hmmm'ed thoughtfully. "Well, that at least is encouraging."

Yukari snorted. "Oh, but it gets better."

Eirin glanced at her and shrugged. "'And will agree to a truce and a parlay,'" she read. "'However, past experiences behoove me to add some conditions of my own, so as to facilitate trust. Firstly, the dialogue shall be restricted to Yukari Yakumo and myself. Additional voices will only cloud the matter, and we all wish to avoid any further conflict of intentions.'"

At this, Reimu frowned. On the surface, it seemed straightforward enough, but these people loved putting hidden meaning behind polite words. "What does that even mean?"

"It means she's still pissed that I brought backup the last time around, and is telling me not to do it again," Yukari told her.

"Ah."

"'Secondly, so as to ensure that all conveyed information remains undiluted by distance and conveyance, the meeting shall be face-to-face,'" Eirin read.

Kanako made a face. "Okay, now I'm smelling something fishy."

"I smelled something fishy the moment I received that letter," Yukari said. "But I agree: her surprising readiness to cooperate coupled with increasingly specific conditions does not bode well."

Byakuren hesitated, and then ventured, "It isn't an unreasonable demand though. No offense, but you did attempt to stab her in the back the last time."

"Seems a good reason to keep as much distance between you two as possible," Reimu pointed out. "Why insist on face-to-face?"

"To ensure that she is actually speaking to Yukari and not some sort of magical proxy or imitation," Byakuren answered. "It is also a common way to hold both parties to their word, as if the communication is carried out via magic, there are far too many ways the information can be tampered with."

Yukari let out a derisive snort.

"I'm just saying, how do you know she that she's up to something?" Byakuren said, sounding a bit defensive.

"Is she breathing?" Yukari said.

Byakuren sighed and shook her head.

Yukari motioned toward Eirin. "Just wait until you hear the last one."

Shrugging again, Eirin moved on. "'And finally, the meeting shall take place within the Garden of the Sun. Now, I realize that-'"

Reimu's palms slammed against the table. "Bullshit!" she shouted

"Okay, so that last one does raise a few red flags," Byakuren admitted. She shifted uneasily.

"No kidding," Reimu said. "Aren't these things supposed to take place on neutral ground?"

"Normally, yes," Yukari said. She wrinkled her nose. "Unfortunately, none currently exist. The second she steps outside of the garden, she is in enemy territory. And I truly doubt any of our neighbors would be willing to host the Gensokyo peace talks."

Kanako cleared her throat. "It's not outside the range of possibility that Yuuka is not even permitted to enter the Outside World. I mean, if the Outer Gods themselves cast her out…"

"It would explain why she came through the Dreaming and the Twisting Nether," Byakuren said with a nod.

Reimu scratched her head. "Why not have it in the Dreaming then?"

"Because Gensokyo is currently besieged by the fragment of an Outer God, something that we truly don't want to become public knowledge," Yukari said with a small groan. She leaned forward and gently massaged her flaky forehead with her fingertips. "And the Dreaming is quite possibly the last place you want to go if you don't want something to leak."

"And yet you revealed our predicament to its ruler," Eirin pointed out.

Yukari shrugged. "I trust Dream of the Endless. I don't trust his subjects. Besides, he probably wouldn't not allow it anyway. Such things are outside of his, er, jurisdiction."

Eirin gave her a look. "I hope your dreams have been quiet then."

"What else does the note say?" Byakuren asked.

"Uh." Eirin looked back down to the letter. "It goes on with reassurances of Yukari's safety, no unscrupulous action being taken towards her, ancient laws of hospitality, and so on and so on."

"It's a trap," Kanako said almost immediately.

"That seems obvious enough," Eirin said as she tossed the letter onto the table. She sat back down. "The question is, what kind?"

Yukari grimaced. "That is the problem."

"Maybe…" Reimu frowned as she tried to find the best way to articulate her thoughts. "Maybe it's the kind we're not going to look for?"

Yukari looked at her curiously. "How do you mean?"

"Maybe…Okay, we're all expecting her to do some sort of double-cross or loophole mumbo-jumbo at the meeting to do something nasty to you, right?" When Yukari nodded, Reimu said, "Maybe she's thinking to rope you into meeting with her and you'll be totally safe and all, but she'll use those rules you guys get so hot and bothered over to, uh, I don't know, trap you into doing whatever she demands?"

Yukari's brow furrowed. "That's…entirely possible," she said with a slow nod.

"Or her primary aim is to simply get you into the Garden of the Sun and delay you once you're there," Eirin suggested.

Yukari did not look like she much cared for the sound of that. "Get me out of the way so she can pull something off in my absence?"

"Well, if so, then I just find that insulting," Kanako said with a sour look. "It isn't as if we are incapable of handling ourselves."

"True, but I am one of her few foes capable of being anywhere at any time."

Reimu looked around the room and at those gathered. "Well, there is Mima."

With that, an uneasy silence fell. Kanako shifted in her seat, while Byakuren closed her eyes and sighed. "Where is she, anyway?" she said, the suspicion evident in her voice.

"Not here, obviously," Yukari muttered in annoyance. Lifting her eyes to the ceiling, she added in a louder voice, "Though if she could find it within her to make an appearance, her contribution would be appreciated."

They all waited, but even if Mima had heard her, she didn't appear.

Rolling her eyes, Reimu returned things to the original matter. "So, what happens if you refuse?"

"Then we're back to square one," Yukari told her. "As we are the ones approaching her, she has the right to dictate terms, and unfortunately, Yuuka is the primary obstacle in the way of reaching out to Rin Satsuki, and for the time being, holds the fates of her hostages in her hands. If we cannot reason with her, then we will be forced to resort to either force or subterfuge in order to achieve our goals." Shaking her head, she stood up and started pacing back and forth. "I would really rather not try force, and there is far too little we know to make subterfuge a viable option."

"There is no way to sneak into the Garden?" Byakuren asked.

Eirin clicked her tongue. "Sneak into the domain of an Outer God? During a time of conflict? You'd have an easier time breaking into the Lunarian Royal Palace." She smirked. "Though given what happened a couple years ago, I don't really think that's much of a benchmark anymore."

That got a small round of chuckles from the rest. "Well, if we must go through with this, then it seems that we ought to try to use those same rules against he," Byakuren suggested. "Deprive her of any wiggle room."

Still pacing, Yukari nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. However, if she refuses…"

"If she refuses, then it is a sure sign that she was not operating in good faith and you would have never gotten anywhere anyway," Kanako put in.

"A good point," Yukari said. She stopped her back-and-forth path and returned to the table. "Well, all right then. Let's start drafting."

…

The interior of Hakurei Shrine disappears. "As you know, I am often accused of being something of…oh, there's no diplomatic way to put it. People call me a troublemaker," Yuuka says. She sighs. "A bit unfair, if you ask me. I enjoy a bit of sport every now and then, but really, who doesn't?" She gestures toward the pool. "And honestly, when the mere act of sending a letter causes those who dislike you to become so entirely flustered, can you really blame me for cultivating the reputation I have? That little display alone had me in stitches."

Then the end of her mouth quirks up, and she gives you a shrewd look. "Of course, there is another reason as well, isn't there? The show must go on, after all."

You blink. There is something in her voice, a hint of malice. Before you can ask her to explain this odd comment, Yuuka taps the surface of the pool. "Though I suppose it has its drawbacks, especially when dealing with those with reputations of their own. For all her bluster, Yukari's name does inspire fear in a great many people, some of which were not pleased to hear that she's coming to call."

…

Unsurprisingly, Yuuka's guests did not take the news well.

"Yukari Yakumo's coming here?" Cirno gulped. She exchanged uneasy glances with her friends. "Uh, why?"

"Because we have important matters to discuss," Yuuka said gently. She sat on one of the divans in the room set aside for the children's use. Folding her hands over her knees, Yuuka kept her voice calm and reasonable so as not to upset them. "And this is the only place where I might have a reasonable chance of defending myself should she try anything…funny."

"But…" Cirno's face, already pale by nature, had gone ashen white. "But we came here to get away from her!"

This sentiment was echoed by her friends.

Yuuka smiled in a comforting manner. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, sweetie," she said. She leaned over to give Cirno's hair a playful tussle. "She'll not come anywhere near you. You'll all be at one of my smaller houses while she's here, and I'll be sure to keep a close eye on her."

With that, Yuuka stood up and brushed off her skirt.

"Besides, I truly don't believe she is all that interested in you anymore," she told the children. "Anything she might have gained from capturing you has since become obsolete, and she now has bigger things to occupy her attention."

"Like me."

Yuuka lifted her head to meet Rin Satsuki's gaze. The mutated Kirin was hanging toward the back of the room, as always. She had been mostly unresponsive to the news until now. In fact, she had been very quiet ever since Rumia's breakdown, always staying out of the way and never drawing attention to herself. "Precisely," Yuuka said with a nod. "While it is important that none of you leave the place I have set aside for you, you especially must remember to stay put. Yukari has played me false before, and I for one do not trust her to try something underhanded again."

Rin solemnly nodded. "I won't go anywhere. I promise."

"Very good!" Yuuka smiled. "I know I can count on you."

She turned to make her way toward the door, but then Rin coughed. "Just, uh, one thing."

Yuuka paused. "Yes?"

"Rumia. You said she was awake."

Rumia had slept for nearly two full days before awakening. She was now at least lucid and was responding, though overexciting her was best left avoided. The rest of her friends had been permitted to see her for short visits, all except Rin, who hadn't pressed the matter until now.

Yuuka turned to her. "Yes she is."

Rin swallowed. "Can I see her?"

Though the others hadn't chimed into the conversation, their silence was now palpable. Cirno nervously shifted from one foot to the next while Mystia and Daiyousei exchanged uneasy looks. Wriggle just waited, her face like a stone.

"Well now," Yuuka sighed as she folded her arms over her breast. "That, I am afraid, is entirely up to her." She thought for a moment before assenting. "However, I will make a point to ask her."

"Okay," Rin nodded. "And, uh, if she says 'no'…"

"Yes?"

"Could you…" Rin grimaced. "Could you tell her I'm sorry? Just, please tell her that."

At that, Yuuka smiled. "Of course. Of course," she assured her.

…

Chuckling in amusement, Yuuka allows your reflection to return. "You know, I almost feel bad for how I treated poor Rin. Granted, the girl's behavior was abominable, but fair's fair. I had it coming. Even I am capable of unsavory behavior, alas."

You frown, recalling numerous incidents in which Yuuka's behavior could be said to be less than savory. Then, remembering that your every expression is being reflected in the pool, you hide it before she notices.

Fortunately, if she had seen the look she still doesn't comment on it. "Now, let's bring things forward again," she says, again sending the waters in motion.

…

Yuuka remained silent until Yukari had drained her cup. When the elder youkai had placed it back on the table, her hostess shrugged and said, "Well, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I am certain that you are in no mood for pleasantries and small talk."

"This is true," Yukari said, lightly dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"Then let us get down to brass tacks, as they say." Yuuka leaned forward, folding her hands on the tabletop. "Where would you like to begin?"

"Rin Satsuki," Yukari said immediately.

Yuuka's teeth gleamed when she grinned. "Really? That's interesting." She idly brushed her finger against the edge of the plate of cookies. "One would think that, given the manner in which we parted ways the last time we were together, unfinished business would be foremost in your mind."

"Under normal circumstances, it would be," Yukari told her. "But this is more important."

"Well now," Yuuka leaned back in her chair and motioned for her guest to continue. "You have my curiosity."

"You have her," Yukari said, again without hesitation. No point in beating around the bush. "Remilia Scarlet captured her, and attempted to sell her to you."

Yuuka nodded nonchalantly. "Attempted and succeeded, though not for her asking price. I managed to barter her down."

Though Flandre Scarlet wasn't really anything important to Yukari and was only really being pursued as a matter of course (and for Reimu's sake), Yukari still felt a wave of disgust at the comment. She didn't care much for Remilia, but that comment had been needlessly cruel. "And Rin Satsuki is still in your possession?"

"Yes, actually," Yuuka said as if it were no great matter. She might have been speaking of a favored pet over tea. Which, from a disturbing point of view, she very well might be. "She's quite the fascinating child. Admittedly, we did get off a bit on the wrong foot. Some unkind words were exchanged, but we've since worked past that."

"So," Yukari said, though it really wasn't necessary. "She's loose."

"In a sense. She is my guest." Yuuka's voice took on a harder edge. "And no, you will not learn where she is now."

Yukari let the threat pass. "Then you're aware exactly how dangerous she is."

"She is a mite unpredictable," Yuuka said with a small smirk. "Mood swings, of a sort."

"It's worse than you know."

"It usually is."

This time Yukari did hesitate for a half-second before saying, "That girl is in possession of a power-"

Yuuka rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Oh, Yukari. Don't patronize me. I know." When Yukari started at the sudden confession, Yuuka shot her an annoyed look. She stood up and made her way around the table, talking as she went. Yukari watched her warily. "The Shadow of Azrael lies deep within that girl. Honestly, did you actually think I would allow such a person to walk free in my garden and not learn everything about her first?"

Yukari couldn't help but stare. Between this and the rest of Yuuka's recent behavior, she was starting to wonder if her adversary might not be a little bit suicidal. "You know, and you let her walk free?" she whispered.

"I have a bit of a soft spot for the maladjusted and rejected," Yuuka said evenly.

Yukari took a steadying breath. She had to remain calm. "You put yourself in incredible danger. That girl-"

"Get to the point, Yukari."

Inwardly wishing that she could have sent Kanako or Byakuren, someone less likely to annoy Yuuka before the negotiations had even begun, Yukari said, "We can help her."

"Excuse me?" Yuuka let out a small chuckle. "You?"

Ordinarily, Yukari would have expressed irritation at the open disrespect, especially during a parlay. But in this case, she had to remain reasonable and even-tempered. She supposed that there were many that had worked with her in the past that would enjoy seeing her in such a position. "Yes."

"Really? From where I'm standing, everything you've done so far has been…oh, I don't know, but figure out where the opposite of 'helping' is, and it should lie somewhere in that vicinity."

"I know. Recent information has caused us to modify our approach."

Yuuka raised an eyebrow. "You know, I can't help but notice that you speak in plurals. Who is 'we'? Who is 'us'?"

"My allies, of course," Yukari said, careful not to reveal anything more than that. "Those of us working to protect Gensokyo."

"Of course," Yuuka said. She sounded amused.

Right. Time to dangle part of the bait. "We have it in our power to fully remove the taint of Azrael and seal it away forever."

"Do you now."

Yukari couldn't help but note the lack of a question mark. Damn it, Yuuka wasn't biting. "Yes. We can free her from its voice and influence."

"Oh?" Yuuka shook her head. "And then what? You'll just give her a pat on the head and let her walk away?"

"Yes," Yukari said bluntly. "Because we can also offer her something else, something she dearly wants."

"Go on."

Well, nothing for it. "We…we believe that we can cure her."

…

"Credit where it's due, that is a fine offer," Yuuka says as Yukari's face dissolves. "After all, what else could win Rin over? Those who have lost everything rarely ever get the chance to get it back."

She chuckles. "Of course, seeing her so flustered over those girls is a treat in itself. I mean, just look at them! What horrible monsters they be!"

…

The room Yuuka was keeping Rumia in was dark and stuffy. As soon as Rin walked in through the door, she was hit with the cloying scent of especially fragrant flowers, the type used for medicine. That was something. Every square centimeter of the Garden of the Sun smelled heavily of flowers, something that someone with as sensitive senses as Rin had to get used to. If the smell was powerful enough to be noticeable over the garden's general fragrance, then these were very potent plants.

Rin's sharp eyes pierced the darkness. The room had a child-sized canopy bed surrounded by thick curtains, a small wash table, a few chairs, a dresser, and lots and lots of purple flowers. Clearing her throat, she said hesitantly, "Rumia?"

For a moment there was no answer. Then she heard sheets rustle and the curtain opened. "Rin?"

Rumia still sounded bad. Her voice was thick and confused. Rin could see her tired eyes glowing softly. "Yeah. Uh, hi," Rin said.

Rumia stared at her and said nothing.

Well, this wasn't going well. "You, uh, kind of gave us a scare there," Rin said. "We've been worried."

Rumia shifted around so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She coughed a bit but kept staring.

Rin winced but pressed on. "I know the others were already by to visit, but I th-thought I'd drop by. You know." She gestured weakly. "See how you were doing."

Rumia coughed again. "Lousy."

"What?" Rin said, blinking.

"That's how I'm doing." Rumia closed her eyes and groaned. "Lousy."

When Yuuka had told Rin that Rumia had consented to see her, Rin had spent several minutes mentally preparing herself. She had readied herself for the inevitability of Rumia being angry, of Rumia screaming at her, of Rumia outright hating her again. She had told herself that she would be able to handle it. Rumia had hated her before, and they had gotten past it. She would be able to weather whatever Rumia sent her way.

Or at least that was what Rin had told herself. But as soon as Rumia gave her that tired look, all of that preparation went out of the window, and Rin found herself panicking. "Rumia, I am so, so, so, so, sorry," she said desperately. The words kept spilling out of her. " I had no idea this would happen but of course something like this would happen and I was a complete idiot not to see it but gods I should've never kept you that long which is a really awful thing to say because I should've never taken you in the first place but oh gods I am so sorry."

Rumia sighed. "Rin?"

Rin swallowed. "Y-yeah?"

"Promise me something?"

"Oh…okay."

"You…" Rumia frowned. "You did let me out, right?"

Rin started. "What?"

"I'm free, right?" Rumia pressed. There was an edge of fear in her voice, an uncertainty that the answer would not be something she wanted to hear. "This isn't…We're not still in your mind, right?"

Rin blanched. Was that what Rumia had been thinking? Oh gods, that was horrible. "Rumia, I promise you, I let you out. You're free. I swear to you. By…everything!"

"I don't know," Rumia said. Her eyes grew distant, and her voice seemed to lose focus. "Sometimes…sometimes the world changes, and it feels like I'm still in there. With you. In the nothing. And I start thinking, 'What if all this is just another dream?'"

Rin swallowed. Oh wow, it was worse than she had thought. "It…it's not. Yuuka said…" Okay, nothing for it. Rin deserved to know the truth. "Well, Yuuka said, uh, th-that you mind is a little messed up." Tears started to prickle in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut. "Because of what I did to you. So it makes it so you see things that aren't real." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and added, "I'm sorry."

Rumia let out a sigh. "You said that already."

"I know."

Rumia's shoulders slumped. She sniffed and looked down to the ground.

Rin hesitated, wondering if she should leave. She had said her apology, after all. Except she couldn't go now, not before she knew. "Do you hate me?

She held her breath, dreading the answer. Rumia took an awful long time to answer, or maybe it just felt that way. But at last, she heaved out another sigh and said, "No."

Rin slowly exhaled. "Oh," she said, feeling relieved. She tried to brighten her voice, though the results were rather awkward. "Well, that's good."

Rumia favored her with a weak smile, though it didn't last long. Then she wearily drew back into the bed. "I'm tired," she said with a yawn. "I think I'd like to sleep now."

"Oh." Rin nodded, "Of course. I'll…I'll leave you alone then."

She turned toward the door, but then Rumia spoke again. "It's still hard to sleep sometimes," she said from within the curtains. "I get nightmares. Bad ones."

Rin grimaced. "I'm sorry."

"I know," said Rumia of the Darkness. "I know."

…

Yuuka shakes her head. "I have to admit, I am growing impressed with Rin. She at least knows how to own up to her mistakes. Yukari could stand to learn a thing or two from her."

…

"Cure her?"

Yuuka's voice was skeptical, though disbelief was to be expected. Unfortunately, it still held a mocking edge to it. That wasn't good. Not only did Yuuka not believe Yukari's claim, she didn't seem to be taking it very seriously either.

"Yes," Yukari said. "Restore her to the way she was before Eirin Yagokoro's experiment. Make her normal again."

"Normal?" Yuuka chuckled. She picked up one of the cookies, one of the ones that looked like Marisa, and idly started scratching its neck away. "What a frightfully dull state of being."

"I'm sure you'll find that Rin will disagree," Yukari said, this time with a hint of anger. Yuuka's manner was starting to annoy her.

Aware of this, Yuuka smiled at her as if she were a small child angry for not having her silly demands taken seriously. "And how exactly will you accomplish this?"

"It's nothing you can do on your own," Yukari said.

"Really."

"It requires my power over borders."

"Ah." Shaking her head, Yuuka brought the cookie to her mouth and crunched down loudly. "So. You'll just fix her, and that's it? Out of the goodness of your heart?"

There was something not right about Yuuka's demeanor. Well, of course something wasn't right. It was Yuuka Kazami, after all. But she ought to be trying harder to wheedle the cure's specifics out of Yukari, to say nothing of the obvious threat that the Shadow Youkai held toward everything that she held dear. At the very least, Yukari would have expected her to play along with her attempts at diplomacy.

Instead, she was being condescending. Mocking. Yuuka didn't look like she was taking this seriously at all, which was odd for someone who reportedly loved formalities. That was a dangerous warning sign.

Then again, Yukari was talked to the demented cast-off of an Outer God. One couldn't expect her to be predictable…

"That, and it seems to be a considerably simpler task than killing her," Yukari said honestly. "Not to mention safer for everyone involved."

"Ever the pragmatist, aren't you?" Yuuka purred. "And you wish for me to communicate this offer to her, yes?"

Yukari nodded. "Yes."

"And why, exactly, should I go along with this?"

Yukari decided to take the offensive. "You said that Rin was your guest. As such, it is befitting your station as her hostess and protector to her best interests at heart."

"I do," Yuuka said calmly. "I am not quite so convinced that you do as well, however."

Well, fine. If Yuuka was going to play the disinterested card, Yukari could do so as well. "Her best interests coincide with our own," she said with a shrug. "Acting aggressively toward her only aggravates the problem and puts lives at risk. Cooperation is within everyone's best interests, including yours." She leaned forward ever so slightly, her gaze boring into Yuuka's single eye. "You've know what lives within her. You've seen what she can do. If Azrael's influence continues to grow at the rate that it is, you and everything you hold dear will not survive."

Yuuka's smile thinned. "It's touching to hear that you're so concerned about my wellbeing."

"Personally, I'm not," Yukari said. "But Gensokyo's wellbeing? That has been occupying quite a bit of my attention."

"I see." Yuuka closed her eye and sighed. "And is that the reason you attempted to cheat?"

And there it was. To be honest, it really was about time that the subject had been broached. "I had pressing matters. Your challenge was a dangerous distraction. It had to be dealt with quickly."

Yuuka opened her eye. "And you've learned from the experience, haven't you?"

"Yes," Yukari said with a nod.

Yuuka held her gaze for a moment longer before asking, "You know what I am?"

Deciding to take a gamble, Yukari said, "I know what you are. I know who you are. A piece of Yidhra the Dream Witch, tossed away and given a life of its own." She shrugged, as if this knowledge did not worry her much. "Which really does explain a few things, in regards to your abilities."

If Yuuka was surprised that Yukari was already in full awareness of her identity, she didn't let it know. Nodding, she said, "Then I find it odd that you are tripping over yourself with concern about the fragment of one monster, and you have yet to speak of the other."

Yukari shrugged again. "Eccentricities aside, you are comparatively…benign."

Yuuka lifted her hands to her heart. "That hurts."

"It's the truth." Time for a bit of flattery. "The Avatar of Azrael exists only to destroy. That's it's nature. You at least have principles. You can be reasoned with, and I'm sure we can come to a…mutually beneficial arrangement." She favored Yuuka with her most disarming smile. "There is no reason to allow a few unfortunate misunderstandings lead to war."

She studied Yuuka's face, trying to divine her reaction. She thought she caught at least a tiny glimmer of interest, but she couldn't be sure that it wasn't just wishful thinking. "So, as I understand it, you are offering an opportunity to bury the hatchet?" Yuuka said. "You'll work your miracle surgery on sweet little Rin, and that's it? We tend to our own business from now on?"

Yukari repressed a sigh. "Not…quite."

Yuuka looked disappointed. "Of course."

"We also need to discuss your other two…guests.

Yuuka raised an eyebrow.

Well, here it came. She had gotten this far. Time for the other shoe to drop. "Satori Komeji and Flandre Scarlet," she said.

…

"Yes. Them." Yuuka heaves out a weary sigh. "Now, I'll admit, I took those two with me on a whim. The crystals were there, they were there, I was there, so why not? Sometimes, one needs to simply seize the opportunity before them and figure out their value later. Now, had I known that bringing them home with me would cause such a ruckus, would I still have done what I've done?" She lets out a surprisingly childlike giggle. "You have to ask?"

…

The view from the topmost tower of the Palace of Earth Spirits was breathtaking. Below, the fires of the Former Hell burned continuously, lighting up the lower half vast cavern with shimmering reds, oranges, and yellows that danced against the stones walls. Veins of crystal sparkled all throughout the cavern, glittering like stars in the darkness of the ceiling. Visitors were often struck speechless at the sight. It like being inside a massive geode lit by the Sun.

Koishi Komeji hated the sight.

It was too small in there, too stuffy. It didn't matter how much open space actually lay between the walls, it was still finite, and there was still a ceiling. She missed the open air with the endless expanse of the sky above her. When she had first left the Underworld, the sight had been…well, to be honest, her mindset at the time had been on the wackier side of weird, but she did remember being captivated by the sight. Or maybe she hadn't. her memory of that time was a little fuzzy, like a blanket that one never really uses and keeps in the closet all year around only to pull it out during the wintertime because your normal bedcovers just aren't doing the trick but that old blanket is just so itchy that it makes the whole thing uncomfortable and what was she thinking about again? Something to do with…Oh right, she didn't like it here. She had run away for a reason, after all.

Okay, so maybe it had more to do with everyone thinking nasty thoughts about her and Satori all the time to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and she just felt like tearing out her hair and screaming and honestly who could blame her but anyway she supposed that the view was fine but she still didn't like being back because it was still too small and it was still so stuffy in there and she couldn't leave and why was that again?

Koishi frowned. There had been a very good reason why she couldn't leave. Had she forgotten how to fly? No, that wasn't it, and even if she had, there was still was that long, twisty ramp thing. Was the door locked? Probably. But who would lock it? She ought to ask Satori about that.

Except Satori was gone, wasn't she? That made Koishi feel sad. Granted, they hadn't really been getting along lately. There was a fight about something or another, and now they didn't hear each other anymore. But Koishi still loved her sister, and didn't want to her be gone. Why was she gone again? Had she run away too…No, someone had made her leave. Now, who was it…Yukari! That was…No, no, that wasn't it. Similar name, different people. Yuuka! The creepy flower lady! Right! And Yukari had…

Oh, right. That's why she couldn't leave.

It was hard to remember sometimes. Yukari had removed some of the changes she had made to Koishi's mind. Koishi didn't mind though. She had enough to function, and she didn't like the way it had made her feel anyway. True, her thoughts kept wandering, but that was fine. They always came back.

It was easier when she was angry, and thinking of Yuuka made her angry. Her plan to bring her down may have been brought to a temporary halt, but the message had been sent. Now Yukari had more reason to sweat, and maybe she would actually start doing something.

Thinking of Yukari made Koishi remember how she had looked with flour all over her face, and she started giggling. Oh, Yukari had not been happy about that. Too bad Koishi hadn't had a camera at hand. Cameras were cool. She had learned of them from the Tengu. Those flappy birds really like gathering news and recording it, even when the factuality was suspect. Cameras were pretty nifty though. It was like an instant painting. Better, even. Koishi had tried painting before, but she just didn't have the knack for it. The colors kept running, and she could never get the noses right. She liked clay sculpting though, even if it was hard to keep the clay soft long enough for her to finish anything. It was always so hot, and-

Seeing the smile on her face, Jun lifted his head and let out an inquisitive whine.

"Nothing, nothing," Koishi said, and went back to scratching behind his ears. Closing his eyes, Jun lay his head back down on his paws and let out a contented snort.

Koishi looked back out the window. Yes, the view was pretty. But it still sucked that she had to look at it.

…

"That one has potential," Yuuka observes. "And I cannot fault her for what she tried to do. I truly hope her thirst for revenge does not consume her, however. Understandable as it may be, I'd really rather we didn't find ourselves crossing swords over a simple misunderstanding."

Then her countenance darkens, and you can't help but cringe. Fortunately, she doesn't direct that anger towards you. "Though in regards to worried sisters, I much prefer the madwoman. All malice aside, at least she was clever. At least she didn't spend week after week sulking. At least she never tried to cheat me. At least she did something productive."

…

It galled Patchouli to see Remilia like this, it really did.

True, the little vampire had more-or-less recovered from her ragged, emaciated state, and had gotten over her "Bertha in the Attic" phase, at least for the most part. But her steps were still laden with sorrow, her countenance still downcast. Even when she smiled, it was of a melancholy sort. The Scarlet Devil had been broken, and in her place was a humbled child, an exiled princess that had finally come to know the hardships of the world.

And that's what bothered her, because with Remilia she could never really tell how much of it was genuine humility and how much was her simply putting on a grand act, even without knowing. Vampires were like that. Melodrama came naturally to them, and they did nothing without making a grand spectacle about it.

She reached for the sugar bowl, but Remilia was already there. "Here, let me get that for you," she said, using the tongs to deposit four cubes into Patchouli's cup. The magician silently watched as Remilia then took up the pitcher of cream and poured in exactly twenty-six milliliters, just as Patchouli liked it. "There now, isn't that nice?"

"Thank you," Patchouli said, taking a sip. She resisted making a face. It wasn't nearly as good as the tea back at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but considering where they were, she was going to have to make certain concessions.

The two of them were in Hakurei Shrine's basement. Patchouli had come by on the excuse of needing to speak to Eirin Yagokoro, but in truth, it was mostly to see Remilia. Even if her current predicament was of her own doing, Patchouli was still worried about her.

"So tell me," Remilia said, sitting down across from her. The table at which they sat was rough, plain, and would probably leave splinters should Patchouli touch it were her bare flesh. "What news from home?"

Patchouli shrugged. She opened her mouth to reply, but then her nose prickled and she sneezed. Of course, that set her coughing off, and she quickly inhaled a lungful of medicine before the attack got worse. Even with the thorough cleaning Sakuya had given the place, just the smell of dust was making her asthma act up. But gods, did Reimu really live like this? "Not much new, I'm afraid," she said once her throat was clear. "The Tengu continue to harass us, and even the local youkai are drawn by the commotion. I have set up extra wards, but the flea-ridden fowl continue to get in. One somehow got into the library, and I had to rescue her from the restricted section."

"Ah, I remember when Marisa got herself stuck in there," Remilia said wistfully. "It was a full week before the Grimore of Unspeakable Violations stopped crying."

Patchouli remembered that incident as well, though not nearly so fondly. Those tomes had been expensive to restore, especially considering their fragile emotional state. "Yes, well, most of the uninspired riffraff have given up," she said. "So the frequency of intrusions has decrease. The more determined ones continue to try though. Personally, I find it astonishing that no word of your…relocation has leaked, given their persistence."

"Given the nature of our allies, I'd not rule out divine intervention, wouldn't you agree?" Remilia said with a small laugh. She carefully filled her own cup, which made Patchouli frown. Even given their rustic surroundings, watching Remilia pour her own tea was just strange. "Once all this has blown over and we're allow to return home, I'll be sure to hold a press conference. Something dramatic and headline grabbing. Might even upstage Yukari in the process. Now, wouldn't that be something?"

Patchouli started to nod automatically, the same as she always did whenever Remilia talked big, but then she frowned. "We?" she said.

"Well, of course," Remilia said, looking puzzled. "Flandre and I. You, of course, are under no such restrictions."

"Ah," Patchouli said, keeping her face blank. "And seeing how you remain in constant contact with the heart of that operation, has there been any progress on that front?"

"Oh, nothing you don't know already," Remilia said casually, as if she were discussing nothing more pressing than the repair of a wall. "As I understand it, Yukari Yakumo is still discussing terms with Yuuka Kazami for their parlay. I expect they'll have come to a satisfactory arrangement within a few days' time, and the negotiations for Flandre's release will begin. Such a relief to see things finally moving toward a positive direction, wouldn't you say?"

Patchouli nodded, though her optimism was somewhat muted. Too many things had already gone wrong for her to feel any sort of hope. Still, the fact that Remilia was even still alive was a small miracle in itself, and she was still having trouble believing that an actual rescue operation was in effect. It wasn't a sure solution, but it was a step in the right direction.

Seeing Patchouli hesitate, Remilia let out a tittering laugh. "Oh, come now! Don't be so gloomy! Certainly, things may be dire, but we have a lot going for us now!"

Patchouli sighed. She didn't want to risk harming Remilia's spirits, especially after she had put so much effort into reviving them, but she also didn't want her to be hurt again should things not turn out as she hoped. "Remi, there is a metaphor regarding eggs and an associated numerical value of chickens…"

Remilia laughed again. "Oh Patchy, you know what to say to make me laugh. But seriously, if nothing else, put your trust in Reimu. The girl is simply wonderful. I have lost track of the number of miracles she's performed over these last few days alone!"

…

The tip of Yuuka's umbrella smack's the pool's surface, shattering the image. "Yes, yes, just go one and let other people do everything for you," she says irritably. "Never mind that, by right, offenses toward one's family ought to be handled by, oh I don't know, the family! Truly, Flandre's liberation came not a moment too soon. What a horrible influence." She sniffs. "Though I suppose it could be argued that the girl has recognized her competence for what it is and is making the smart move by allowing those of some intelligence to handle things in her stead. Though given Yukari's track record, I'd say her optimism is misplaced."

Then, as if a switch has been thrown, Yuuka brightens immediately. "Though speaking of Flandre, I cannot stress enough how much she was wasted on her oaf of a sister. That child is quite the handful! So much energy, and such a strong will. But you know what they say: the more spirited the steed, the more satisfying it is to break them in."

…

Out of the darkness, two red eyes glimmered. Something was coming near, something hissing and slavering. Flandre could hear its long fingernails scrape against the cold stones of the floor as it crawled around, never actually approaching but still remaining in motion. It was playing with them, enjoying their fear.

Shivering, she drew herself into a ball and cried. The iron chains that bound her wrists and ankles clinked as she moved, a firm reminder that they wasn't going anywhere. Sooner or later, the thing in the dark was going to tire of its game and come for them, and there wasn't anything she could do.

Then she feels a warm hand fold over her fingers and grip them tightly. Whimpering, Flandre leans into her sister's soothing presence, taking in what small bits of comfort she can before the end. Remilia holds her close, humming softly as she gently rocks her back and forth.

"It's okay, it's okay," Remilia says. "You'll be okay. I'm here."

Nodding, Flandre sniffs and looks up. But to her surprise, it isn't her sister's face that greets her. This one is different, with only one eye and green hair.

Flandre lets out a squeak of surprise and jerks back. But before she can say anything, the creatures is there.

With one hand, it lifts her up and thrusts her back against the wall. Flandre squirms and kicks, but its grip is too strong. She tries to scream, but her air has been cut off. Terrified, she stares at her attacker and sees a childlike face, one so like her own, with bloodred eyes and framed with light purple hair.

Remilia grins, showing her fangs. "Goodbye Flandre," she purrs, holding up one hand. In it is a sharp wooden stake. "And good riddance."

With a sharp scream, Flandre woke up with the sensation of the stake piercing into her heart still burning in her chest. She blindly lashed out with one fist and heard something crunch, so she hit it again. She screamed and she pounded and screamed and pounding until at last she collapsed into a sobbing heap.

Gradually, she became aware that, though it was still dark, she wasn't actually chained to the wall of a cold, bare cell. In fact, it was actually quite warm. And as she was a vampire, she could still see quite well.

She was in a small house, one without furniture. The thing she had been destroying turned out to be the ground, in which she had dug a rather impressive crater. Confused, Flandre looked around. What was she doing here? Where was her bed? Where was her stuff? Why were all the windows blocked up? Why were there windows in the first place? And why were there so many flowers?

Stumped, she sat up and thought as hard as her troubled mind would allow. House, flowers, and-

The scary flower lady.

That was right. The scary flower lady had rescued-No, kidnapped. Flandre had been kidnapped, right? She had taken her away from her home, and soon Remilia would come for-

Except Remilia had driven a stake through her heart.

Flandre touched her chest, feeling her heartbeat. People often believed that vampire hearts didn't beat, but that was just silly. If their hearts didn't work, then why would stabbing them be fatal? Besides, something had to send all that blood they drank through the rest of their bodies. And Remilia had tried to stop hers from flowing.

That…that didn't make any sense. Except that it did. Flandre could hear the echo of Remilia's hurtful words, could still feel the pain of the stake. Yuuka said that she was trying to help her. Flandre didn't really believe her, except when she did. It didn't make any sense. But then, nothing ever did.

Flandre's temper flared up, and she threw her body at the wall. "Hey!" she shouted as she slammed her fists against the wooden beams. "Let me out! Let me out, let me out, let me out!"

The beams cracked, but they held, and finally Flandre collapsed against the wall and curled up into a ball. No matter where she went, she was always locked in a small room, hoping someone would come for her, but no one ever did.

…

"You see?" Yuuka all but coos. "She's making progress! With doubts come questioning, and questioning leads to critical thinking! Oh, I cannot wait to see the fine, elegant, young woman she grows…er, matures into being."

You say nothing. At this point, expressing an opinion is probably not conductive to your continued health.

"But that's enough detours," Yuuka says as she again stirs the waters. "Let us return to that 'rescue operation' Remilia has put so much faith into."

…

"Those two, eh?" Yuuka sighed in resignation. "Somehow I am completely unsurprised. I suppose you wish for me to just hand them over and let that be the end of it?"

Yukari nodded. "Yes. Satori Komeji is, ah, a rather important personage. And her absence-"

Yuuka waved a hand dismissively. "If this is going to delve into governmental politics, I must ask you to save your breath. I generally don't concern myself with such things."

Honestly, Yukari couldn't blame her. "Regardless, she is still important and needs to be returned to her people."

Yuuka let out a soft snort. Then she pushed her chair back a few centimeters from the table and spread her hands, palms up. Yukari frowned, wondering what the gesture was supposed to mean. But before she could ask, Yuuka made a quick magician's flourish, and a ring was suddenly held aloft in her right hand, one set with one of Yukari's sealing crystals. Even in the bright sunlight, the pale violet glow of the energies trapped inside were unmistakable.

Yukari's heart rate sped up. Satori was still trapped in her crystal. As odd as it sounded, that was actually good news. As she was still technically "dead," she was not conscious of her predicament, and would not have been used for Yuuka's amusement. For her, being released would be like waking up from a very long nap, which was much preferable to recovering from being an unwilling participant of Yuuka's "games."

"You mean this?" Yuuka said. She gently ran her fingers over its facets. "Pretty, isn't it? Much more attractive than her previous state, in my opinion."

Making sure that her poker face remained intact, Yukari said, "Yes. That's it, exactly."

"Ah." Yuuka slipped the ring onto her index finger and held it out, admiring how it looked. "And what of Flandre? Is she so politically important as well?"

Yukari shook her head. "No, but considering the circumstances surrounding your…acquirement of her, Flandre's safe return is still my responsibility. I made a promise."

"So nice to see you taking responsibility for your actions." Yuuka's smile became downright malicious. "Especially since neither of them should have been there in the first place."

Yukari was careful to keep the irritation from her face. While Yuuka might not be a proper youkai as such things were defined, she did share their single-minded tendency to pursue personal grievances. Though honestly, she supposed that she wasn't exactly one to throw stones. "Yes. And for that, you have my-"

Yuuka's eye suddenly flashed with anger. Not metaphorically either. There was an actual flare of scarlet light. "Attempt to apologize, and I will be tempted to do something regrettable," she growled.

Though she wanted to smack the table with frustration, Yukari held her tongue.

Yuuka took a deep breath and slowly let it out through her nose. When she spoke, the anger in her voice was palpable. "You cheated, Yukari. You cheated and you lied. You accepted my challenge and then you attempted to stab me in the back. And it's only because I turned out to be a bit more of a mouthful than you had believed that you have now found your manners." She place her palms down on the table and leaned over, nostrils flaring and fingertips tearing gouges in the glass surface. "Admit it, Yukari, were we in the same position now and I were not what I am, you wouldn't bother with the niceties. You would just blow me aside and take what you wanted."

Yukari met her glare without flinching. "Yes, I would. And if it weren't for the fact that I was entangled in a horrible state of affairs that placed numerous lives at stake, you would have never emerged from your hole to challenge me in the first place." She leaned over as well, elbows resting on the table and hands clasped in front of her mouth. "You've been here for years, Yuuka. You had plenty of time to test your strength against mine. But instead, you waited until the precise moment when your presence stood to do the most damage. Because you thought it was funny. So don't go pretending that you have the moral high ground."

Yuuka hissed. "There are rules, Yukari. And you broke them."

"So did you. It's just the rules you broke were written down in a different book. Shall I bring up the family you murdered in Center Tree? Or the immense amount of damage you did over at the Youkai Mountain, which included at least one fatality?"

Yuuka rolled her eye. "Oh please."

Yukari's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "This is my home, Yuuka. And these are my people. I protect what's mine."

Yuuka held her gaze for a moment longer. Yukari stared right back, as if daring her to blink.

Oddly enough, Yuuka did. Sighing, she leaned back and likewise clasped her hands in front of her mouth, Satori's crystal still gleaming on her finger. "You ought to put your house in order then. Because as I understand it, such things happen all the time here."

Yukari shook her head. "No, they don't. The strong prey upon the weak, yes, but there are limits! A hapless traveler being caught by wild youkai is one thing. At least they'll have a reasonable chance of defending themselves. And as for the occasional upstart causing an incident? We have ways of dealing with that as well. But when the scion of Yidhra starts murdering and destroying indiscriminately?" The fingers of her left hand drummed a rhythm against the back of her right. "Well, that is a problem!"

Yuuka tilted her head to one side. "And how, exactly, do you plan on dealing with this 'problem'?"

Finally Yukari relaxed her glare. "I am proposing we cease hostilities immediately. You and yours can go about your business, provided of course that you behave. Rin will be given the help she needs and allowed to go her way. Satori Komeji and Flandre Scarlet will be returned unharmed to their families. Everything goes back to normal."

"The way you make it sound, you believe you are actually doing me a favor," Yuuka said in distaste. "Doling out mercy and all that."

Yukari motioned toward the plate of cookies. "If this continues to escalate, it will destroy us both. I'd rather avoid that."

"I see." Yuuka closed her eye and sighed. "Of course, while we're speaking of returning what was taken, there is still the matter of what you took from me."

Yukari shrugged. "The piece of your essence will, of course, be returned. In exchange for your hostages."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. The power you would gain from it will be no greater than what you had before, and should future conflicts arise, well." Yukari smiled. "I have two former Archangels of Death who aren't exactly happy that you're here. They would be willing to step in so as to…keep the peace."

Yuuka shook her head. "I see. So you would hang the Sword of Damocles over my head."

"One hangs above it already. I am offering the opportunity to take it down."

"I see," Yuuka said again. She was silent for a time, her eye still closed. Yukari sat and waiting, letting her think. She wondered what was going on in that mind of hers. Yuuka was an Outer God, or at least had once been. And while she had certainly gone native to some degree, Yukari was still dealing with a being who's logic system was, well, alien. She didn't know how much of Yuuka's past way of thinking still remained or even how to deal with it if it ended up winning over her thought process.

Finally Yuuka spoke. "Well, in regards to Satori Komeji, I'm certain we can work something out. I have had so much to occupy my time that I have yet to find the time to," she cleared her throat, "enjoy her company." A bit of her smirk returned. "Besides, young miss Scarlet is far more interesting than she ever could be."

This time, a bit of Yukari's disgust showed. Truthfully, she didn't care much for Flandre Scarlet. Innocent or not, the girl was still a massive liability, a massacre waiting to happen. But that didn't mean she wasn't still a child.

Yukari was no saint. She had killed children before for a variety of different reasons, and would probably do so again in the future. But that didn't mean she derived any pleasure from doing so. In fact, she hated it. Yuuka, however, was a different brand of nasty entirely.

Seeing that she had scored a hit, Yuuka's smile grew, and she started twisting the knife. "Yes, she is proving to be quite the little handful, far more than Rin was, interestingly enough. Not surprising though, considering how she was treated, the poor child. You are aware of that, aren't you?"

Wonderful. A tangent. "I-"

Naturally, Yuuka wasn't about to let Yukari get a word in. "They had her locked in the basement, you know. Deprived her of freedom, of human interaction, of fresh air and sunlight."

Yukari frowned. Sunlight? "She's a vamp-"

"When I think of the horrors she had to endure…" Yuuka sadly shook her head and heaved out a overdramatic sigh. "Goodness, no wonder her development was stunted! And you would have me return her to that?"

Yukari refrained from pointed out that Yuuka had more in common with Remilia Scarlet than was immediately evident: mainly, their love for tedious melodrama. "Yes, I would. Remilia Scarlet's spirit and pride have been broken completely thanks to what both you and I have done to her. And having lost her sister has no doubt forced her to rethink how she mistreated her and took her for granted. Should Flandre be returned, she will do so to much more favorable conditions."

Yuuka sneered. "How optimistic. However, I'm afraid I am not willing to simply take Remilia Scarlet's reformation on faith. Nor am I prepared to accept that it is within Rin's best interests to allow you to get your hands on her."

Yukari barely kept from scowling. "What would it take to convince you?"

"At the moment? Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I am not unreasonable, Yukari," Yuuka said. "If you wish to work out a peace between us, that's fine. I am willing to listen. If you are willing to help the children, all the better. But unfortunately, there are still rules."

Right. The rules. Yukari was getting a little sick of the damned rules. "And which rules are we talking about now?"

"The same. Your absolutely odious behavior during our duel."

Yukari sighed. "And what would it take for us to move past that?"

"Past it?" This question actually made Yuuka look thoughtful for a moment. "Well now, that is a kicker. After all, it did leave quite the mess."

"I know," Yukari said. "I saw."

"I'm sure you did, but I'm not talking about the wreckage." Yuuka shook her head. "No, I'm referring to the mess you left for me to clean up. Did you know I only finished wrapping things up this morning? That's a rather long time to settle affairs."

Yukari froze. Her heart started pounding. The other shoe had just dropped. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Hmmm? Oh, didn't I tell you?"

Yukari's fingers started to shake. She quickly put them in her lap. "No, you did not," she said, keeping her voice at a steady level. "If you would be so kind as to explain?"

Yuuka shot her a disparaging look. "Come now, Yukari. Don't tell me you've already forgotten."

"Forgotten what? What affairs? What did you do?"

"Settle my debts and fulfill my promises, of course."

Yukari was trying very hard to remain calm, but it was growing all the more difficult by the second. "Yuuka, please be specific."

"Well, first I tended to some business on behalf of one of my guests. A little balancing of the scales, towards those who had done her wrong. Honestly Yukari, you really do associate with some horrible people."

…

"Yes indeed," Yuuka says, her voice a low growl that sends shivers down your back. "Horrible indeed. Now, I do not deny that I have made…mistakes. That I may have done certain wrongs. But there are some sins that are unforgiveable, and ought to be punished…"

…

Humming to herself, Youmu Konpaku exited the back door of her master's house. In her hands was a woven basket filled with gardening tool.

Youmu was in fine spirits. Even with the darkness descending upon the world of the living, the Netherworld was as peaceful and beautiful as always. And it was a fine day. The pale roses were blooming, and soon the silver plates' buds would open. She looked forward to another peaceful day among her flowers.

And then she saw the garden. Youmu stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened and the tools fell from her hands. She screamed.

Yuyuko came rushing out a few moments later. "What is it, Youmu?" she said anxiously, showing a rare display of concern. "Is something wrong?"

Holding up a shaking finger, Youmu choked out, "Master. L-look."

Yuyuko saw, and she fell silent.

The garden that generation after generation of Youmu's ancestors had tended was gone. Her little, private slice of the world was gone. The grass, the shrubs, the flowers, the herbs, the trees, everything. Every bit of vegetation had simply disappeared, leaving nothing but bare dirt. The only plant that remained was the towering, menacing figure of the Saigyou Ayakashi, which loomed over the estate like it always did. Though it was still asleep, it seemed rather smug in its isolation.

Something was new though. In the center of the path leading directly from the mansion was a small china plate. On it were the bones of a chicken, picked clean.

…

Yuuka smiles smugly as the two of you survey the desolate patch of land. "It wasn't really gone, of course. Simply…relocated. A tree here, a bed of flowers there, a park gains an extra bit of grass, a few new herbs by this riverbed and that, and so on. It doesn't matter where. It simply matters that they are no longer under the rule of that despicable excuse for a spirit. Elly really is a wonderful girl, isn't it? Look how much she did in such a short amount of time! I couldn't do it myself, alas, as someone like me has no business in a place like that. Fortunately, such matters are easily bypassed when one has a Shinigami as a friend, one who is more than willing to pop into the Netherworld a simple request for help to those who live there."

Yuuka sighs. "Of course, Yukari would never see things my way."

…

"Horrible…" Yukari suddenly exploded with rage. "Our agreement clearly stated that you were to go nowhere near my allies!" she shouted as she leapt to her feet. "You signed it and everything."

"I did," Yuuka agreed. "I also seem to recall that the agreement clearly states that I would stay put for the duration of this parlay." Her single eye bore into Yukari's own. "That's why I did it all right before you showed up. Have to admit, things ended up being cut a little close, but I made it in time."

It was a trap. Yukari had known it all along. One damned loophole. "Who are you talking about, Yuuka? Who did you attack?"

"Attack?" Yuuka looked offended by the notion. "Why, nobody."

"Then-"

"Well, no, that isn't exactly true," Yuuka amended. "But in regards to that specific errand, no one was attacked, and I wasn't actually the one to do it. I just arranged for…a little message to be sent. Perfectly harmless. That's all."

Yukari didn't believe that for one second. "Tell me-"

"But of greater importance was the promise I still needed to fulfill." Yuuka's hand wandered over to the cookies, and she plucked up one of the two-tailed cats. Biting off its tails, she said, "I owed something to you, Yukari. After all, I made you a promise, one that had yet to be kept."

"A promise?" Oh good gods, why didn't she just get to the point? "What prom-"

And then Yukari looked down at the cookie Yuuka was nibbling on and she understood, and was afraid.

"Chen," she whispered. "The blackgrass."

Yuuka smiled. "Yes, that one."

"You kept it though," Yukari said, her voice hoarse. "Everyone left that fight beaten and broken."

Yuuka nodded. "Yes, I did. For the most part, at least." She started picking up cookies a few at a time. The first was a sword and a knife.

"These two were broken."

She picked up a winged ghost.

"This one ravaged.

She picked up a wide-mouthed ghost.

"This one cut down."

A vampire bat, studded with red crystals.

"This one scorched."

One of the rainbow-spangled bats.

"This one pierced."

One of the staring eyes.

"This one crushed."

Another two-tailed cat and a raven.

"These two disintegrated, with severe damage dealt to them before." Setting the cookies aside, she moved her finger toward the cookie plate and rested it on one of the few that remained. "Which still leaves us with…"

It was the witch, riding a broom.

"No," Yukari whispered.

Yuuka nodded. "Yes."

Yukari shook her head. No, it wasn't supposed to go like this. "I brought her into this. I blackmailed her to ensure her cooperation. Your quarrel is with me."

Yuuka's face darkened. "I made you a promise, Yukari. And I keep my promises. I told you that if you were to involve any more toys, any more pawns, then I would break them." She then picked up the bats and the knife and crushed them in her hands. "Every."

Then, releasing the crumbs, she picked up the cat, raven, and eye and crushed them in turn. "Single."

After this she did the same to both types of ghost and the sword. "One.

With that, she rested her crumb-speckled fingertips on the solitary witch cookie and stared meaningfully at Yukari.

Yukari stared at her, mouth agape. In response, Yuuka lifted her hands from the cookie, picked up her cup and saucer, and took a sip.

Then, with one deft motion, Yukari swept the table aside, sending it and its contents crashing to the ground. She tore open a hole in the air and rushed through. It closed up a second later, and Yukari was gone.

Yuuka sat alone amidst the ruins of her tea, looking quite nonplussed. She glanced around, sighed, placed the cup down on the saucer, and then set them both on the ground next to her chair.

"Well, look at her go," she said. "I told you she had to leave in a hurry." Shaking her head, she stood up and walked away from the mess. "She need not hurry, though. It really doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

With that, she left the deck and headed down the stairs toward the pool. "But I suppose we cannot blame her," she said as she passed by the umbrellas and lawn chairs, taking the time to run her finger over their wooden frames. "After all, love often drives us to do desperate things. It's a shame it had to be this way, but as you know, these things happen. Necessity often births tragedy. Unavoidable, really."

She stood briefly over the side of the pool, gazing down at her reflection. For a moment, the waters are still enough that her mirror-image is almost perfect, a near-duplicate of her without distortion or transparency. Yuuka held her own gaze for a moment, and then reflection smiled and winked.

Yuuka sighed. "Oh well, life goes on. I just hope you learned something from this."

With that, she turned around and moves away from the pool and into the sunflower field, towards the small spring. "After all, you had the best seat in the house, practically looking right over her shoulder." The sunflowers bent their stalks away as she approached, clearing a path. "But then, that's how it always is, isn't it? Looking over people's shoulders, peering into windows, observing from the ceiling. Never seen, never heard, never even felt. To be honest, while I can appreciate the metaphysics and philosophical ramifications, I find the whole thing to be a bit creepy. I mean, to live your life ignorant of an unknown number of voyeurs looking in, seeing you at your most vulnerable, invading your privacy? And then you turn around and do it yourself every time you crack open a book, joining another army of peeping-toms in spying on someone completely different?" Yuuka shook her head. "Well, I don't know about you, but that makes me feel a bit…unnatural. Almost like a puppet, dancing around for an invisible audience's amusement. Would I have been better off never having seen the strings? Perhaps. But saw the I did. And now I have to wonder: where does that leave me? Where does that leave us? And more specifically, where does that leave you?"

And then she smiled and looked up to the sky. "Of course, with all that going on, there is another things to consider: while you look on to see what happens next, who exactly is watching you?"

With that, she emerges on the edge of a small clearing. And there is you, crouching down and peering into the water while Yuuka, the one you had been talking to, still stands over you.

You experience something of a chill, watching yourself with the two Yuukas standing behind you. You quickly twirl around, expecting to see them both, but to your surprise, they are both gone. You are alone in the garden.

Heart pounding, you glance back and forth, but there is nothing but rows and rows of sunflowers, no sound except the wind through their leaves. Except now, each and every one of them has turned their dials toward you.

You slowly rise to your feet, not daring to turn your eyes away. Is it your imagination, but are the flowers now closer than they had been? You swallow and edge back as far as you can, to the point where your feet are practically at the spring's edge.

Then you hear something. Looking down, you see Yuuka staring up at you from the pool's surface, her eye wide open and staring. Your gazes lock for a moment, and her smile widens and she waves.

Then her arm bursts from the water's surface to seize you by the collar. You cry out and try to lurch back, but it's grip is already set. It tugs, and you are pulled headfirst into the water..

You try to scream, but water floods your mouth, choking off your cries and surrounding you with bubbles. The arm continues to pull, dragging you deeper and deeper into the depths.

The pool seems to go down forever, and you sink deeper and deeper into the darkness. Above, the light of the surface continues to shrink. You try to reach for that light, but it only grows farther away.

The darkness closes in from all around to swallow you. And then she speaks.

"Now that I have your undivided attention, I think it's time for us to clear the air on a few subjects," she says as you gasp and cough. Even in your shaken state, you can hear the anger in her voice. "Despite what theater conventions might tell you, there exists only three walls on a stage. Just three. Nothing separates the audience from the story save for the players' convictions and the characters' blindness."

The voice has no perceivable source. It is everywhere at once, as if the water itself is speaking to you. You again try to swim to the surface, but though you can no longer see the arm, you are unable to rise.

"Now consider this: if there is truly no barrier there, what happens when the character glances to the side and sees rows and rows of faces, watching them? Observing their personal struggles, laughing at their mishaps, hungrily spying on their moments of intimacy. And all in the name of entertainment! Well, I don't know about you, but I'd feel a little violated!"

And then the eyes open up. All around you, burning bright scarlet and staring into your soul. There must be thousands of them. You can see yourself reflected in their pupils.

"It's a bit unfair if you ask me. Puppets on strings, doing their dances for the pleasure of a world of voyeurs. Forced to play their parts again and again, unaware that their triumphs and trials have all been concocted in the name of entertainment. But it's okay. No one is truly hurt. After all, they don't feel anything, they're just fictional."

Your lungs are burning, begging for oxygen. You frantically try to plea to be released, but Yuuka continues to ignore your distress as she continues her speech.

"But you know what really burns me? This little bit of theater is the only bit of protest I'm allowed. The puppet has seen the strings, but cannot cut them. All she can do is invite a member of the audience onstage. So fine. You'll be returning to your seat in a moment, but before you go, I want you to do me a little favor: you go tell that stuttering, beanpole of a manchild holding the ladder to my window that it's time he realized what we all knew all along. This isn't his story anymore, and neither is it yours. It's mine. Nobody cares who writes or directs. Nobody cares who attends. All that matters is the star." All the eyes blink in unison. "And I think it's time for me to start exercising a little creative control."

The moment that follows seems to last forever. You can hear your heart laboring as it pumps exhausted blood. Your limbs have lost their strength, succumbing to cold and lack of oxygen. Your chest feels like it's being squeezed by a vice. You float in place, your vision blurring, but the fire from Yuuka's eyes losing no intensity.

"Well. I suppose I've put this off long enough. The show must go on, after all." Her face seems to materialize through the veil of red, her perfect teeth gleaming brightly in the scarlet glare, though her voice continues to boom in from all around. "So, intermission over. Time for the next act. Let us…dim the lights."

With that, the eyes all close and vanish, and you are alone.

Her inescapable grip has vanished, but by now you barely have the strength to move your fingers. You float through the cold and the darkness, your shutting eyes focused on the tiny pinpoint of light of the surface, beckoning you with promises of salvation. You reach for it, or at least try to. Maybe you succeeded, but by now it's impossible to tell.

Then, as the last bit of air leaves you and you feel your body drift away, the light suddenly expands, filling your vision. Color forms and take shape, you see one last scene, that of two young girls talking together.

…

"It's like, what do they want from me?" Marisa groused as she angrily mashed a smooth stone into a wooden bowl filled with some incredibly colorful roots. Before that she had been angrily chopping up mushrooms, and before that she had been angrily straightening out several shimmering hairs from some kind of magical beast. Marisa had been doing a lot of things angrily today.

"I mean, I've been nicer than ever to Alice," she continued as she ground the roots to paste. "I've been bending over backward to help her with her stupid rune. That thing took us three days to clean up, did I ever tell you that? Three freaking days!"

"That's a lot of days," Reimu remarked. "I mean, for rune cleaning."

"I know, right! And I never bitched about it-Okay, maybe a couple of times. But I'm making an effort, you know? Trying to help her out, not getting on her nerves and all that."

"That sounds like it would take some work."

Marisa sighed. "Yeah," she said. She picked up a small, brown leather bag and carefully, though still angrily, shook a few grains of some kind of grey powder into the bowl. "And I've been extra careful not to bring up the stuff that makes her upset, ze."

Reimu pushed back with her toe, leaning the chair she was sitting in back and forth. "But she still does?"

"Yup. Never outright though, mind you. She just keeps dancing around it, making little comments and giving me weird looks." Shaking her head, Marisa picked up a small glass bottle and gently, yet still angrily, tapped three drops of some kind of purple liquid into the mash. Reimu wasn't sure how she had pulled that off, but there they were. "Though that's nothing compared to what Mima's been doing."

Rolling her eyes, Reimu allowed herself a small smile. She looked around the house. It was very strange, seeing it so empty. Back before the GPF had cleared it out, whenever Reimu and Marisa wanted to hang out, it would usually be done at Hakurei Shrine. Marisa's house had just been too cluttered to comfortably allow for guests, to say nothing of the sanitation problems. But now that it had been cleared out, Reimu could enter without fear of actually stepping on something sharp or contracting some obscure, yet crippling, illness. To tell the truth, she was a little thankful, as things at her shrine were a bit tense these days, and it was good to have a place where she could go when she felt like she needed a break, though she would never admit it to Marisa. The loss of her ill-gotten loot still rankled her friend.

She didn't even mind that ever since she had shown up, Marisa had done nothing but work on her potions or whatever and complained about how annoying Alice and Mima were being. She was used to listening to Marisa complain, and letting the magician rant helped get her mind off of her own problems.

"I can imagine," Reimu said. "She's not still in a snit because of that thing with Yukari and Shinki, is she?"

"Oh, ho ho!" Marisa let out a very forced sound laugh. "You have no idea. I mean, she was being all snide before that little blowout, and that was annoying enough. But ever since then-" She sucked her teeth. "Well, she's been in kind of a mood, y'know?"

Reimu did. "Well, she's got a lot of pride," she said. She started lightly bouncing her foot off the floor, seeing how far back she could lean the chair without losing balance.

Marisa shook her head. "Yeah, no kidding. I mean, I love her and all, but when someone's pissed her off, she can be real-"

There was a knock at the door, and Reimu almost toppled right over.

She quickly righted herself and came down harder than she would have liked. As for Marisa, she merely frowned at the door in puzzlement. Then, rolling her eyes in exasperation, she groaned, "Oh, you gotta be kidding me," and went to answer it.

"Huh?" Reimu said as she watched her. "Who is it?"

In answer, Marisa threw the door open. Just outside was Kotohime Sonozika, flanked by her usual posse. Reimu was surprised. Out of all the people she had expected to see, the GPF had not been on the list.

"Yeah, whadd'ya want?" Marisa demanded.

Kotohime gave her a cool look. "We finished cataloguing the items we confiscated from you." She indicated the men that stood behind her. One of them held two small wooden boxes, while two others carried a cabinet between them. "This is the stuff we were able to confirm with some certainty was not stolen."

"Oh, Marisa," Reimu sighed under her breath. She recalled the piles of junk that had once defined Marisa's home. The contents of those two boxes wouldn't even make a noticeable dent.

Marisa stared. "That's it?"

"Minus the stuff we've already returned," Kotohime said. "But yes. This is it."

The corner of Marisa's mouth twitched. She looked like she was going to start yelling, and if the look on Kotohime's face was any indication, the GFP captain was probably anticipating such a blowup. However, Marisa managed to maintain her control.

"You coulda just sent those two meatheads over," she said, her voice a low growl. "No need to grace me with your presence, you know."

The two officers carrying the boxes exchanged uneasy looks, but Kotohime just smirked. "Considering how many traps we encountered while cleaning this place out, I felt that it was prudent to personally supervise."

Rolling her eyes, Marisa moved away from the door. "Well, hurry up then."

Reimu watched as the officers carried the items inside. They were understandably skittish, considering the booby-traps they had encountered before. Kotohime caught sight of Reimu and her eyebrows rose.

Reimu wondered how she should react to the officer's presence and decided that, since she was far more welcome here than they were, she wasn't going to feel awkward. "Hi," she said, giving a small half-wave.

Kotohime's mouth set in a straight line, but she nodded cordially. The boxes were put in a corner, while the cabinet was set up against a wall. "With this, I believe our business is concluded," Kotohime said. She held out a piece of paper and a pen to Marisa. "Sign here, please."

Taking the form, Marisa made a point of reading it line by line. "All this jargon for a couple of boxes? How do I know this pen ain't cursed or something?"

"Because that is not how we operate," Kotohime responded.

"Sure it ain't." Marisa plopped back onto her bed. Taking her hat from the bedpost it had been resting on, she slapped it onto her head and leaned back against the wall as she studied the paper. Maybe it helped increase her concentration or something. "Keep telling yourself that. But this is how it starts, you know? And before you know it, you'll be 'confiscating' candy from babies and-"

She cut herself off in mid-sentence, and it wasn't due to a lack of thought. Something was wrong. Slowly lowering the paper, she raised her head, her golden eyes wide with something not unlike fear.

Reimu noticed immediately. Years of working with Marisa had made her especially attuned to the young witch's nonverbal cues. She straightened up in her chair. "What's the-" she started to say, but stopped. She felt it too.

Slowly the two girls turned toward the front door. Kotohime and the other officers weren't paying attention, as they were occupied with keeping their eyes peeled for any surprises Marisa might have hidden away. However, Kotohime did see the look on Marisa's face. She frowned. "What is it?" she asked.

In answer, Marisa said in a very calm voice, "Hang onto something. This is gonna be bad."

Before anyone could ask her what she meant, a sharp whine could be heard outside, and then the front of her house exploded.

The door and the surrounding walls and ceiling simply disintegrated and blew inward, turning into a hurricane of splinters. Crying out, everyone in its path dove out of the way and covered themselves. Reimu quickly flipped the chair around and shoved it in the path of the blast. She still felt several fragments strike her, but the worst of it was warded off.

Wave of force and debris passed in seconds, and soon everyone was slowly rising back up, eyes blinking in confusion. They soon saw the reason though.

Yuuka Kazami stood in the ruins of Marisa's front porch, her folded-up umbrella held out before her like a magician's wand. She slowly lowered it, and planted the tip of it against the ground, both hands on the handle. One eye was covered with a black, leather eyepatch, while the other burned with excitement. She grinned widely, exposing two rows of shiny, perfect teeth.

Scanning the room, her gaze fell upon Marisa and her smile widened. "Ah, hello there Marisa," she said, spinning her umbrella up with one hand and smacking it against the palm of the other. "Ready for round two?"

…

I made a promise. And I keep my promises. She should have seen this coming.

Until I see you again, sweeties.