Chapter 19: Parsee
If there was ever a youkai in the underground more detested than Satori Komeiji, it was Parsee Mizuhashi. Deep underground, she guarded the bridge between Gensokyo and the Ancient City, allowing few to pass. Those that did were either fortunate enough to catch Parsee on a good day, or were simply strong or fast enough to barge past her. The ones that were foolish enough to attempt to outnumber her were met with a particularly cruel fate, when Parsee would sow the seeds of jealousy among their number, until they turned and destroyed themselves instead.
It was partially due to this universally agreed upon hatred toward the two that allowed for Parsee and Satori to become friends.
Not one person (human, youkai, or otherwise) had left or entered the underground in several months; not since before the resolution of the Rumia incident. Parsee had seen to that personally, violently assaulting anyone who dared to try and get past her.
Partly because of this, Parsee was quite surprised to see Satori approaching the bridge. "Tch... just be glad you aren't one of those oni. I might've torn your face off by now."
"It's nice to see you again too, Parsee," Satori replied, in her usual drawling voice. Satori stared back at Parsee with what only seemed to be mild interest, but it was something Parsee was used to. She could practically feel when Satori was probing her mind, and she'd long since stopped trying to complain about it. "You've been busy, it sounds like. I do hope you aren't going to stop me from going up to Gensokyo."
"You're going topside? That's a new one." Parsee had to restrain from laughing at the very thought of it. "Last I remember you telling me, you haven't gone up to Gensokyo in almost a thousand years. What, did the former hell freeze over?"
"Quite the opposite, actually." The barest hint of a smile touched the corners of Satori's lips. A rare sight, even Parsee had to admit, but it eased her worries somewhat. "Utsuho ventured up to Gensokyo some time ago, and never returned. I'm going to retrieve her, personally, before the former hell burns Chireiden to the ground."
"If she's not dead by now." Parsee remembered the day, some months back, that Marisa had come from Gensokyo, with Utsuho and Koishi by her side, to try and beg her for help to fight against The Voidborn. Parsee had attacked all three of them before she could even finish explaining what had called The Voidborn to the physical world in the first place, and sent them crawling back to Gensokyo with more than a few new wounds.
"The Voidborn?" Satori asked, interrupting Parsee's train of thought. "Then it's no wonder you've been attacking anyone trying to enter Gensokyo. Though you might have gone overboard, attacking Utsuho and my sister as well. You didn't think to ask what had happened?"
"If something up there caused her to show up, then I don't want any of them coming down here bringing that trouble with them. Or for that matter, letting anyone from down here alerting her that I'm down here." Parsee growled with irritation. What little she did know about The Voidborn was enough to tell her that whatever could have caused her intervention was nothing to be trifled with, and she wanted nothing to do with it. "I don't care what made them show up, either. But I'd bet there's nothing even left up there. Haven't seen more than a few people trying to get by since I chased those three off, and most of 'em lived down here to begin with."
"Then you should have nothing to worry about from me," Satori answered. "I've kept your secrets all these years, haven't I?"
"You're really that insistent on getting up there?" This time, Satori did smile unmistakably. Parsee sighed, and shook her head in resignation. "Don't blame me if you get caught up in whatever's been going on up there. That stupid bird is probably dead, anyway. Just be glad I didn't kill her myself."
"Someone needs to drag Utsuho back here, whether she's alive or not, and I doubted you'd let any of my other pets pass by without me to vouch for their intentions." It didn't take a mind reader to figure that one out, Parsee realized. "And now, I must say. I'm rather curious to see for myself what's happened in Gensokyo recently."
"Just don't go getting yourself obliterated, if you can help it," Parsee grunted out.
"What ever would you do with yourself if I died?" Satori stepped past Parsee and onto the bridge, and then placed a hand on the other youkai's shoulder. "I'll be back soon, Parsee. I have no intention of wasting my time up there for longer than I need to. I'll find out what's been happening, and then drag Utsuho home. And if she is dead? So be it. I'll get someone else to manage the former hell in her stead."
The words were cold but Parsee didn't even flinch. She had no doubt that Satori would do exactly as she said; she always did.