The morning after my rather trialing day came rather quickly and I wouldn't have been able to wake up if it weren't for Rumia and her taste for my arm. Only this time, she decided to chomp down on my left arm. She didn't tear any flesh or skin off, only left a big bite mark with youkai saliva on it. She seemed to be waiting on me to get up and was excited when I did. I guess youkai don't sleep much, but at least she stopped nibbling on me.

Rumia: "Reinhardt, you're up! I got a bit bored sitting in bed all night, so I got up and walked around the house. The dolls didn't really like me doing that, but dolls are nasty so I left them alone. So instead I decided to come to your room, but you were asleep and your arm was hanging out and I got a bit hungry... sorry if I hurt you." I was still half asleep, but she was so energetic like a little child.
Reinhardt: "Agh, it's fine. I should go and get ready anyways. Today's a big day, after all. Hate to miss it."
Rumia: "It is? What are we gonna do? Are we gonna find your friend?"
Reinhardt: "Actually, yeah we are. I'll go get ready and I'll meet you in the kitchen real quick, so wait for me there. Be careful though, don't go breaking anything now."
Rumia: "I won't."

After I got myself fixed up for the day as I always do and equipped all of my gear I would need, including my Mosin Nagant rifle, Natascha, I met Rumia, who was sitting nicely and patiently in the kitchen and helped the dolls fix some breakfast for us. I made some traditional western buttered toast and eggs that I found in Alice's pantry. Rumia enjoyed it, but couldn't help to comment on how it didn't quite match up with the taste of humans. I don't even want to know about how I taste, but she's a youkai and can't help it, I guess. Perhaps I could slowly wean her off of her youkai diet and put her on a diet common to humans instead, but that would require some time, effort, and the sacrifice of my arm to get anywhere with her. After we finished our meal, I made sure I had my stuff together and asked Rumia if she was ready to head over to the Hakurei Shrine with me.

Rumia: "Reinhardt, I don't like how the sun's so bright today. I dunno if I can come with you."
Reinhardt: "Hm, wait. I got something for you!"

I went through my bag and found my sunglasses case. I unzipped it and put the shades on Rumia's face and tightened the croakies on the back of her head to keep the sunglasses in place since it was a bit big on her head.

Rumia: "Wow, thanks! Now the sun won't be so bright to me and I can still see! I usually make this dark veil around me, but if I do that then I can't see very well and I end up bumping my head on things." I then noticed a slight bruise that she pointed to on her forehead.
Reinhardt: "Oh goodness, well then I guess we should get going now. It looks like it's already noon, or close to it."
Rumia: "Okay!"

I will admit, seeing Rumia with my shades on looks a bit out of place, but it helps her see without getting blinded. Maybe she should see the sunlight more often, then she won't be so blinded by the light. Other than her optical problems, she reminds me a lot of my little sister. So cheerful and nice, only she doesn't gnaw on my arm so much. Rumia seems to be a rather nice person to get along with. She's nice and polite, only whenever she gets a craving for human, I have to give up my arm for her to chew on. It's a bit irritating, but it seems to calm her down and she's very gracious for it.

We arrived at the Shrine's steps and I hauled myself up the long set of stairs while Rumia seemed to glide up them with no problem. I guess not only do youkai have lots of energy, but they seem to be able to fly as well when they want to. She was hovering about a foot off the ground going up the stairs while I could only manage a light jog up the stairs, considering the weight of all my equipment, especially my rifle.

We finally made it to the top and found Reimu Hakurei herself sweeping her porch off when she noticed us and instantly got her rod and yin-yang orbs out and flew toward us with a fierce expression on her face. I knew I couldn't reason with the "guardian of Gensokyo" so I got my Kappa's Taser out and shot at her. Surprisingly, the voltage really stops people short in their tracks. Reimu was momentarily stunned and even dropped her rod weapon. I saw a knob on the side of the taser that could turn up the voltage, so I decided to turn it on high and shot away as Reimu started to get her composure back together. Rumia quickly followed suit and used her own weapon arsenal (spell cards, but I don't quite favor that term) to prevent any escape from the onslaught for the poorly outmatched shrine maiden.

It seemed that she underestimated us, thinking she could just wipe us out in no time, but she doesn't realize that the both of us have God on our side. We slightly went overboard and I was the first to notice as Reimu was simply convulsing on the ground. I quickly ceased fire and managed to get Rumia to stop somehow. She said it was getting boring simply slaughtering food, despite the law of Gensokyo stating that you cannot eat native humans. I then told Rumia to stay put as I approached the helplessly shaking body.

Reinhardt: "I sincerely apologize for hurting you like this, Miss Hakurei, but I need to know something. Where is Yukari Yakumo and my friend Alice?" She was still convulsing too much to say anything without pain or clarity, so I waited in both pity and guilt. Much guilt. She eventually gained control over herself from the agony and pain though.
Reimu: " You fiend! I didn't expect you to be able to slaughter me so quickly like you outsiders would. I underestimated you, didn't I? I see you have enlisted some assistance from a local man-eater to take me down."
Reinhardt: "I like to have some company with me, especially when I know I might get in a fight. And also, I'm not like most outsiders. I actually overestimated myself and my friend here. I didn't expect that I would be able to take you down so easily with a non-lethal weapon like this."
Reimu: "Hah, so you call a youkai a friend? I thought you would've been eaten by her the first day you came here."
Reinhardt: "I wouldn't underestimate myself that much if I were you. I have a ways with words and I have faith in A God that's much unlike yours. I don't fail that easily."
Reimu: "It must be Someone I've never heard of before because I've fought gods before and I hardly had a scratch on me."
Reinhardt: "The first statement is true, however those 'gods' of yours aren't actually gods. There is only One God and He is The God I serve. All those others are simple youkai to me."
Reimu: "Well you're rather rude. First you beat me up, then you insult the very deities that watch over Gensokyo! What more will this outsider plague us with?"
Reinhardt: "I do apologize for hurting you as much as I did, but my faith is my faith. You can choose to believe or not. I won't force you, but I just want you to know that I have certain beliefs in order. That's why I refuse to use spell cards."
Reimu: "How can you ever hope to survive in this world then? You are surrounded by powerful beings that use spell cards and magic that is powerful enough to kill if they wanted to, but the spell card rules prevents this from happening. You should be grateful for me."
Reinhardt: "Well, for your information, I have A God that protects me from all dangers and He is all-powerful no matter what. And also, I have friends who care about me and are willing to protect me, which leads me to the question I was wanting to ask. Where is my friend, Alice?"
Reimu: "Well then, I'm not surprised that you would befriend the shy and hospitable one, especially judging where you ran off to when you first came through Yukari's gap."
Reinhardt: "Could you please tell me of her whereabouts? I would be rather gracious for an answer as much as my youkai friend would be rather gracious to feast on your carcass." Rumia waved at us ever-so-cheerfully.
Reimu: "The law of this land forbids that. I'm a native while you are not. I could easily convince her to eat you instead."
Reinhardt: "You're getting off-topic."
Reimu: "Alright, I don't know where she is. Yukari mentioned her one night, though. You won't be able to find her though, so I'm afraid you won't find Alice either."
Reinhardt: "Then where is Yukari, then?" I was getting slightly impatient.
Reimu: "Like I said, you won't be able to find her. She finds you if she wants to, so your chances of reuniting with your... sweetheart are slim to none."
Reinhardt: "You wouldn't dare keep your own friend hostage just to get at me, would you?"
Reimu: "Well there seems to be nothing against it except you, but you make a valid point. Yukari, you can release her now."

Yukari then suddenly came out of one of her portals and dragged Alice out with her. Alice had her hands tied up, but Yukari unbound them and we both instantly ran toward each other and embraced each other like we never have before.

Reinhardt: "Thank God you're okay, Alice! I missed you so much!"
Alice: "You must've gone through horrible things, Reinhardt. Yukari told me you were dead. " She seemed to concern herself over my bandages from the knife attack and my bites from Rumia.
Reinhardt: "Oh, don't worry about these. I would never die as long as I have someone to live for."
Alice: "God was watching over you the whole time? He protected me too. I decided to take a look at that Book of yours. I had a bit of trouble getting it open, but It taught me many things. I don't even know what to think about everyone else around me, but I let Marisa borrow it. Yukari took me before I could get it back for you, though."
Reinhardt: "Don't worry. I stopped by Marisa's to get it back."
Alice: "How did you convince her to take it back?"
Reinhardt: "She said it didn't interest her, even though she needs it." I didn't realize that we were just chatting away, when Yukari interrupted our intimate conversation.
Yukari: "Hey, I think that's enough chatting for now. I didn't come to give her back to you. She wasn't yours to begin with. I came to take you out!"
Reinhardt: "There is no way I am going back after all I've been through. I'm staying here! I already have friends here that like me for who I am." Alice and Rumia stood by my side to support me in the case that Yukari decides to retaliate.
Alice: "And for your information, Yukari, I am his and he is mine!"
Rumia: "He's mine too! I bit him first!"
Yukari: "Well, I'd hate to break the hearts of a quiet dollmaker and a youkai lower than humans, but an outsider is an outsider!"

Yukari readied a spell card, along with Alice and Rumia as Reimu barely managed to make it to her front doorstep. I simply ran toward her and tackled her with my hands strangling her throat. My skin felt like a thousand needles were piercing the surface and irritating me and slightly stronger pain shot through my already-present wounds, but that didn't stop me from attempting to strangle Yukari to death, however, she blasted me backward as both Rumia's and Alice's spell cards started up.

I quickly hauled myself up and loaded my Mosin Nagant, lunatic insanity getting the better of me. Either my aim was bad from my mind being under the influence of rage and adrenaline, but I hit Yukari's right shoulder instead of her head with one of my rifle rounds. Everyone stopped in both fear and awe of my choice. I would regret finally using my rifle. My instrument of pain, destruction and death. I'm glad at least the shot wouldn't kill her.

Yukari yelled in pain on the ground with her shoulder bleeding out on the ground. I instantly dropped my weapon on the ground, myself on my knees kneeling over with tears flowing from my eyes. All I could think of was guilt and the pain that weighed on my heart in tons. I cried prayers of repentance and asked God for forgiveness several times over, as if I was going to hell for what I have done. I couldn't stop the sorrow and guilt inside of me, but I managed to get myself up with my head down in shame and walked toward Yukari, who was holding her shoulder to try and prevent her bleeding.

Reinhardt: "Yukari, I'm sorry! I didn't know what came over me!" I didn't know what else to do at that point. After all, I never shot a person before with a legitimate brass round.
Alice: "There's no time for that, Reinhardt! We have to get her to Dr. Yagokoro quickly! I'll grab your gun. Don't worry, I'll be careful with it."

I didn't let the guilt overcome me for too long. I would let this opportunity be my redemption for my name. I picked Yukari up from behind the knees and her ribs (heavy, this woman is!), being careful around the shoulder I shot. Alice, Rumia, and I headed down the stairs with Yukari in my arms. Once she got over the majority of the pain, she started to give me nasty looks and curse me. She even yelled at me as we were taking her due south toward a bamboo forest, but she couldn't do much without hurting herself. All movement shot pain through her shoulder, so she couldn't walk efficiently or have enough concentrated energy to fly, as if I would know anything about the power to fly.

We soon arrived in the bamboo forest after getting cursed at and spit on by the supposed "most powerful" youkai in Gensokyo. I had to apologize to her several times until she got bored with yelling at me, saying it hurt to do so. Alice led us through the forest with slight determination. We then arrived at a large Japanese-style building and entered. We had no time to look around, but the building was full of long hallways with rabbit people walking along the corridors. Alice asked some of them where Dr. Yagokoro would be. We made several turns and opened a sliding door to what looked like a proper pharmacy and clinic. Dr. Eirin Yagokoro looked like she was checking inventory and was surprised at our abrupt entrance and Yukari being held in my arms with her shoulder covered in blood.

Eirin: "Oh goodness, what has happened here?"
Alice: "No time to explain, we need assistance with Yukari's wound immediately!"

I'm glad that Alice could think for me and knew the weight of the situation while my mind was still scarred and mixed with guilt, anger, and sorrow. Mostly guilt, but I made up for my rage-induced act with me carrying Yukari all the way over to Eientei. I couldn't think straight, of course, but at least I could help. That's the only thing I should need to do in the first place. I would have to leave the apologies for later.

I quickly, but gently set Yukari on a cot in Eirin's clinic as Eirin grabbed some medicine and a roll of bandages. Lord, forgive me for my haste and wrath taking action before my thoughts and words. My angry self did not know any better and I must make up for it by assisting my enemy instead of hurting her. I ask for strength that I will have more control over myself next time. If there is a next time.