This is the Cirno News Network with a breaking news story! We here are on site with the oldest turtle in Gensokyo that is actually a turtle. However, even that is called into question by the various exploits that have been purportedly accomplished by both him and the various shrine maidens through Gensokyo's history. Is this ancient reptile more than meets the eye? Observation and questioning for the past five hours has proved this to be an obvious yes, as we have never met such a recalcitrant turtle that has such a majestic beard. We will get back to you upon any further updates, such as whether it shares that hair under its armpits or anywhere else.

Thank you, and enjoy the show. This has been THE STRONGEST! Now back to your irregularly scheduled fic.

Shh… Don't move much, little human. Don't move much at all. You were in a terrible, terrible shape when I saw you. So much hurt and injury placed upon this poor body of flesh and bone. It is a wonder that you managed to survive at all.

No, you are safe. There is no one who wishes to kill you. Everything is safe… You are among friends. Or rather, a friend. Those who are with me are keeping an eye out until I can let you sleep some more. But first, I must ensure that your injuries are healing. It would be rather poor of me if I failed to do that, especially as you are in our circle.

Indeed, that rabbit did a number on your body… It is a sad thing, whatever she did. My, I would have hardly recognized you as a human if I did not have other means of telling. My sisters have been watching you, ever since you met one of us. We've been mightily intrigued by you.

Oh, the horror of what she did. There was much of your pale body that was bruised. Indeed, more than not was beaten and bashed until you looked as if your very skin had become a miasma. But do not worry. All of that is now gone… All of that.

Even your jaw has been restored to you. Quite the fatal hit that you took, to the face. Such a crude weapon… Why is it that they the others seek to tarnish what is beautiful with cold weapons of iron and fire? It is just the same as those on the outside, except that they are more honest in their falsity. The plastics and the other hideous things that are so unnatural, smoother than even the most tossed of pebbles. Fake beauty it is. Not something truly lovely.

Well, perhaps I am a bit obsessed. But the form of a living being is quite wonderful. Even if you aren't the most exciting of specimens, the sheer amount of hurt that you have recovered from… It would be miraculous, if it weren't by my hand.

It has been quite a while, if you must know. My powers may be thorough, but they take some time to have any sort of effect. Perhaps it has been a few days… Or perhaps it has been a few years. Time always does pass funny when I am around. Even with all of my sisters, I cannot keep track of the wondrous, sublime flow. Then again, time is different for us than it is for you, little human. Isn't that right?

No no no. It is not yet that time. Not yet time for you to see. Your eyes are not quite done with their healing… I wouldn't want them to be damaged further, would I? Especially if you see me, or one of my sisters. The shock might be a bit too much for you to handle.

Ohoh… Would you like to know why that would be the case? Well, I don't really have to tell you… After all, I'm just here to help you. I am here to make you feel better. I am here to make you better. I don't ask for anything at all… Nothing except for you to relax and to let me speak to you. To let my words softly ring in your ears.

Yes, yes, good… Just relax. There's no one else here but the two of us. Well, yes, my sisters are here as well… But they are just the same as me. We are parts of a whole, not distinct and not separate. So for one of them to be here, it is just the same as if I were here. We are all the same, when it comes down to the specifics.

Now, don't wiggle too much now. If you do, you might injure yourself once more. I would not like it if such an ugly thing was to happen. Such a terrible thing, having the bone fall out of socket or pierce through the healed skin. It's good to see you agree with me. Nod along, yes, just nod along… Follow the little light on the back of your eyelids. You needn't worry about anything else but my voice and whatever it is that I tell you.

Oh, tut tut. There you are worrying again. There is nothing to worry about, little human. So long as you are with me, there will never be anything else for you to worry about. After all, the rabbit could hardly find you in my home. No one can find you here, so deep in the forest. So deep that even the youkai do not dare penetrate into my domain.

Am I exaggerating? Perhaps. Or do I merely speak the truth, and you barely are capable of understanding? A little hiding hole, with the boundary protected by my own? I suppose I speak with words too large for your tired mind, and concepts too grand for its limited scope. I shouldn't trouble your conscience with such things. After all, the more I encourage you to speak, the harder it is for you to simply lay back and relax.

Maybe, instead, I will tell you what it is that I am doing here? That will allow your mind to rest easy as you simply watch the light and watch me. Listen to the wind as it flows along, and listen to my voice as it does just the same. Just go ahead and ease off.

I'm so glad to find one like you. So weak and pitiful that you need what it is that I offer. After all, there are few that could do what it is that I do for you. And I'm afraid that the best one is not going to be helping you, little human. The magic that can be used to return your body to being alive and well… I can feel it lingering in your flesh. So crude, it was. But my help you will receive. There is a price, though. A small little fee that I would ask of you.

Oh, worry none about it. I've helped many others before. They may have complained about it at first, saying that it was too this or too that… Although, they never complain in the end. Everyone always enjoys it so, the transformation. To become healthy and whole… And then something else.

No, no, do not fret. Do not try to raise your body in an attempt to gaze about. You are perfectly fine. Actually, you feel nice. …Isn't that right? Good, good… Just listen to me, dear. Let me work my magic on you. Just rest and let me talk. Then you will be healed, my friend. Then you will be whole.

Where to begin, though; where to begin. It isn't often that I have to speak to others for any length of time. Words may be eloquent, but at the same time they are insufficient. Unable to carry the meaning I so dearly wish to impart. There is more to speech than words, though. The slightest twitch of the ears or touch of the hair imparts more than anything your tongue would be capable of.

Oh, I suppose that would be a good place to start. I am not one of those youkai that live deep in the woods. No, they would not venture here. This is the home of my sisters and I. Just a small band of faeries that live deep in the forest: that is what we are. Nothing dangerous at all.

We are hardly the types to be pranksters, my friend. No, we are not that type of fairy. Of course, you wouldn't know it, but we are hardly related to those little things that flit around. The three small beads of light that live in the rafters of the shrine are nothing compared to us. Just immature children are what they are.

We would take them in, if we could do such a thing. It would be wonderful to add them to our ranks. To teach them the veracity of our story, our song… But those three are too fickle and too magical to join us. Just the same as the rest of the fairies, they are. Nothing good would come of them joining, just the same as if they were the other fairies that flit about this land.

You might say that, indeed. We are special, compared to the others. Faeries, fine and fickle we may be, but we still are high above those lesser beings who can barely hold themselves together or stay alive. They haven't the power… They haven't the strength to be something more.

Such a travesty of our kind, wouldn't you agree? It makes me… It makes me feel sorry for them. I would dearly wish to have them join and become one of us, but I cannot. I have tried in the past, but such an action always seems to backfire.

Too bad that even my sisters sometimes disagree. I remember this one… Oh, why did she go astray? Tell me, friend, does anything seem remiss in leaving this abode? You may not be able to see, but is the company not pleasant enough? Is the thought of staying with our sisters all the time so horrid that one would flit away as if they were a stray leaf on the breeze?

The poor dear probably had a great shock in her head. She hasn't been the same, not at all. Ever since the Yama spoke to her, she always was awkward about the rest of us. Until one day she just up and left, after saying the most dreadful of things.

Of course, friend! I do not see why she would leave either. After all, you've said it yourself. This is hardly something to rebel against. Nothing decadent at all. Just a little faerie doing her best to help a stranger who had the misfortune to anger a youkai fond of those ugly implements.

No matter. We will find her again, someday. And… And she will rejoin us. We will remind her of how beautiful this relationship is that we all share. There is nothing wonderful about running away from your family, is it? Leaving your sisters to be so sad… Why, if I didn't love her as if she were myself, there would be lots of things I'd like to do to her.

Not that I don't plan to do many things to her already. I will just have to heal her, as I am healing you. She is sick, my dear. Quite sick. Even after I gave her a form so wonderful compared to that ungainly one she once possessed… You would think that she would appreciate it more.

Oh, that little detail. There is no need to worry your little head over it none. It's just a tad bit of nonsense, and nothing to do with you. It is just a little procedure that I am going to have to do to her. A little talk and a little bit of spellwork. I am sure that I can persuade her of the righteousness of my argument.

Still on about that? …Oh, I see. Triggered something, didn't it? A memory? Familiarity? Something else? I wonder… You've met her. You've met my sister. Our sister. Do tell, sister. That would be such a wonderful gift to give us when you join our family.

Don't make me laugh too much, little friend. This involves you now. Of course, you were going to be involved before, but I wasn't to let you worry your pretty little head over it none. Now, though? I should be a bit more honest…

Well, of course I lied. We are fae, after all.

Now, sister, do calm down. This is something I have done time and time again. After all, where else could I have so many sisters, especially when I have no mother? At least, not a mother as a human like you would think. No. Instead, I have magic itself to bear me and sustain me. It is that which I am using upon you.

You see… I cannot truly heal you. I am no witch doctor or shaman. Instead, I am merely letting the magic within me flow onto you. I am letting it sink in, ever so slowly. It will eventually take a hold of your body… It will take hold of your ugly life.

Oh, don't disagree with me now. You've been doing so well, listening to my words and agreeing with whatever I said. Whatever you may have been before, you can be sure it was ugly. Slowly trodding upon the dreary mud just the same as the rest of your brethren… The rest of the humans. It is a wonder that you don't faint at the sight of something that is so much purer. So much more beautiful. So much better.

That's how I begat my sisters. They were but other poor dears that were lost in the woods all by themselves. Just like you, in fact. Lost with no way to go, and lost in their hearts. They don't know what they want, so I gave them direction. A map so that they would find their way out of their fortress of solitude, and deep into the forest with the rest of us. I gave them the same direction that I have, the direction you will have, and the direction everyone should aspire to have.

You shall have it. The beauty that the sisters of mine all have. The unending energy that comes from magic. The power of the glamour, perhaps, shall be yours as well. All you need do is relax and let my magic take you away.

Then, you can join us every day. Months from now, you can frolic with the rest of us all of the time. Out in the forest, high above the trees… Dance with others who were once mortals such as yourself, and were given the gift of my very being. You will join us in our ring, and you will be happy. There will be nothing more that will bother you.

Do not worry, friend. Lily will take good care of you.

You have fallen at the hands of the moon rabbit Reisen, who delivered a grievous wound upon your body. Separated from your companions Ruukoto, Koishi, Kikuri, and Elis, you find yourself awake deep in the Forest of Magic and in the hands of Lily the White. With no other way to escape, you fall to her clutches, and are slowly transformed over months into one of her sisters.

Lily En-

What is that, sister to be? you hear something? Smell something? How odd. How quaint. You do not have our nose yet. You would not be able to tell anything is coming that I couldn't. That we couldn't. Do not trouble yourself anymore. It was hard enough to calm you earlier… Just be a good sister and stay…

What is it, sister? You smell it too? Something hideous floating along in the breeze, perhaps. Another concoction created by one of the magicians properly. Just wait and pass by. They cannot harm― Khu!

Oh dear. what was that? I just felt― Khaf khu! My poor throat… What is this? We can't get sick… We can't. …This is someone designed― Khak!

I can… I can see it now. Sisters, don't breathe, please don't. We can just get out of here… Get away from the damn― khef! Kha Khruu!

…Gas…