Today, Alice was feeling great.
Having totally recovered from her mana depletion, she had more energy than ever and was full of motivation. Quite frankly, she was pumped.
It was… not a mood that she often felt, and she was determined to put it to good use.
Thus, Alice once again found herself outside of the Forest of Magic, her destination looming on the horizon.
A trip to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, outside of a work capacity, was long overdue.
She should have visited Patchouli weeks ago. She had planned to visit Patchouli weeks ago.
Of course, that was before the days and nights she'd spent drafting out schematics, seeking to determine the true state of Shanghai's autonomy. And… of course, before she'd ended up in Eientei.
…There was much to discuss.
…
It was the perfect time of day to be outdoors. The morning sun had yet to reach a high angle, and, as she flew, a light breeze blew cool against both her skin and the fabric of her slightly lighter 'summer outfit.'
All of that, plus the fact that the path to the SDM rounded the edge of the eternally cool Misty Lake, led to an overall agreeable temperature.
It was a simple pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.
…
A bit of movement in the distance caught her eye.
From the Scarlet Devil Mansion, a speck appeared. Hovering above the ground, it moved rapidly in Alice's general direction.
Tensing slightly, Alice braced herself for the possibility of a fight, dolls assembling into formation.
As the speck approached, it rapidly grew recognizable, clothed in a familiar black and white.
It yelled in greeting.
"Oh! Howdy, Alice!" With all too much speed, Marisa zipped along the path before stopping just a few feet away. "I was just paying good ol' Patchy a quick visit, you know how it is, ze."
Alice relaxed her battle posture and looked pointedly at the sack that was slung over Marisa's shoulder. Yes, she knew exactly how it was.
"Please, do tell how the plundering of books factors into 'just visiting.'"
The blonde witch snorted. "Heh, I'm gearin' up for another project. It ain't my fault that she's got all the good stuff, ze!"
Alice sighed. "We really ought to do something about those sticky fingers of yours…"
Marisa gasped in mock horror. "And take away my most recognizable trait? No thanks!"
The dollmaker closed her eyes as if she had fallen into deep thought. "Mmm, perhaps a strong adhesive would do the trick…"
"Aaannnnndd that's my cue to leave!" Marisa began to gain altitude. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got loot to sort. See ya!"
And just like that, she jetted off into the morning sun, leaving Alice in peace once more.
How she had the gall to steal so casually, Alice couldn't fathom.
She just hoped that they wouldn't be on high alert over Marisa's little stunt.
…
Patchouli Knowledge was the epitome of a true youkai magician.
She very rarely slept, hardly ate or drank, and spent nigh uncountable hours engrossed in her pursuit of arcane mastery.
Known as the Unmoving Great Library, her mind devoured and committed to memory the contents of books at a startling rate. Fortunately, she had a nearly inexhaustible supply at her disposal, as well as a devoted assistant to curate such a collection.
Also known as the One-Week Witch, she was considered to be a leading expert on the Wu Xing magics. Fire, water, wood, metal, earth, sun, and moon. These elements were her domain.
Also known as the Asthmatic Shut-In, she… didn't get out much.
On that note, Alice could relate.
However, Patchouli was far worse in that department.
Whether it was due to the frailty of her body that limited the scope of her activities or because she simply had no interest in moving, it was unclear. What was clear was that it was truly rare to see the purple-haired magician outside of her library, let alone the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
…
But… just who was she to Alice?
To her, Patchouli was her elder colleague and the closest thing she had to an unofficial mentor. She was the one person that Alice could turn to for intellectual advice and be fairly confident that she'd come away with at least a nudge in the right direction.
…If only she'd stop calling her a greenhorn…
…
Meiling was in a chipper mood despite Marisa's recent incursion, and Sakuya diligently guided her to the library's double doors, just as she always had.
Perhaps they have grown accustomed to Marisa's thievery…
…
Well, whatever the case, she was grateful that her friend's antics hadn't reflected poorly upon herself.
With a small flourish, Alice directed her active squad of dolls, sans Shanghai, to open the doors so that she may enter.
Sure, she could have just opened it herself, but posturing was important.
As soon as Alice crossed the threshold into the library, she was met with an irritated yell.
"I said get outta he-!" The voice suddenly cut itself off.
After a moment, it came again, much friendlier this time. "Oh, it's you, Miss Alice! I'm so sorry about that!"
Patchouli's familiar, Koakuma, emerged from behind a bookshelf, a stack of thick tomes in her hands. The books looked… incredibly heavy, yet she did not appear to be struggling in any way.
"It's just… That asshole of a witch literally just ran off with a whole load of books. Again!"
Koakuma sighed, the little pair of wings that flanked her head drooping slightly. "Ugh, I hate it when she does that! Doesn't she realize how much work it is to keep track of what she swipes?"
Alice didn't even try to get a word in edgewise. She knew better than to attempt to interrupt her when she got into one of her rants.
"It's like she doesn't have an ounce of consideration for anybody but herself! Why Master entertains her presence sometimes is beyond me."
The little devil made her way over to a small table, where she set the stack of tomes (and possibly grimoires) down with a solid thud.
With her arms free, Koakuma let out a cleansing sigh. A few short moments later, she perked back up, returning to her typical, effervescent self.
"Sorry you had to hear all of that! Welcome back!"
Alice nearly wanted to chuckle at how quickly she bounced back. "It is quite alright. I know very well the effect Marisa's kleptomania can have on others. Very well."
"Right!? Ah, anyways… Master's current interests have kept her in the East Wing. Shall I take you there?"
Alice nodded pleasantly. "I would greatly appreciate it."
"Alright, then. Allow me!"
With a pep in her step, Koakuma strutted off towards what was surely Patchouli's location.
Alice calmly trailed her.
The Scarlet Devil Mansion's library was rather large, so for her to be walking instead of flying meant that Patchouli had to have been relatively close by.
…
Alice… had always thought well of Koakuma.
Sure, she was technically nothing more than her friend's familiar, a witch's blend of a servant and a pet, but there was much more to her than that.
She was great at magic in her own right.
She seemed to harbor a bottomless well of enthusiasm, always giving her all into whatever she did.
Despite being a demon (and a succubus at that!), she never seemed to exhibit any of… those tendencies.
She was incredibly dedicated as a familiar and took her job as a librarian's assistant absolutely seriously.
She also had a snappy sense of style…
"Will you be staying long enough for tea?" the red-headed demon pleasantly asked.
"Yes. Tea would be lovely."
…
When the two of them approached Patchouli's location, the usual scene greeted them.
Fortress walls of books almost entirely surrounded the librarian's desk and chair. Only the upper portion of a lavender mob cap could be seen peeking above the stacks. A light cough could be heard, muffled as it was by densely bound paper.
Only from the very front could one gaze properly upon the master of the library.
She was pale as ever, skin even lighter than Alice's, and her face had an almost sickly quality to it.
So, nothing out of the ordinary, then.
"Hello, Patchouli." Alice greeted.
The lavender and lilac magician… did not respond immediately. At the turn of a page, she placed a bookmark into the book that she had been reading and set it aside. Then, she cleared her throat.
"Ah, Alice, the agreeable one. Welcome." She adjusted her posture, sitting up slightly straighter. "Come for another chat?"
"That is my intention, yes. You have the time, I take it?"
"I suppose I could make the time." As if to punctuate her answer, Patchouli began to float out of her seat, and towards a nearby table flanked by two armchairs.
As she settled into her new spot, she beckoned. "Come, tell me of your latest developments."
Alice joined her. "Oh, it's been quite an unusual month."
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Today, Eric was well on the way to feeling great.
The course of medicine that had been prescribed to him by those at Eientei would soon be coming to an end, and he could certainly feel it.
His pain was lessening. His range of motion was improving. The time that he could spend putting weight on the leg before needing something to lean on was increasing.
Hell, he didn't even need the cane anymore unless he was working or walking a great distance.
Which, at present, he was.
It had been a long while since he'd been to Kourindou. Today just felt like the right time to make the trip.
…
It was just after he passed through the village gate that something very peculiar caught his attention.
There, in the distance, was what appeared to be a rising plume of dust. It was difficult to make out what exactly was happening due to the stand of trees blocking the lower extent of it, but that just made it all the more strange.
And exciting.
As he approached, and the path began to wind itself around the trees, his anticipation continued to build. It was becoming recognizable now, and he was almost certain he knew what it was.
The base of the thing came into view and confirmed what he'd been expecting.
It was a dust devil; a relatively small whirlwind that stretched skywards without a cloud to connect to, kicking up dust as it went.
The last time Eric bore witness to one was years ago. Back on… the Outside…
…
Such things always fascinated him. Weather phenomena in general fascinated him. Especially the unusual ones.
…
He… couldn't decide what was more impressive, the twisting, writhing column of dust or the group of children and fairies that had gathered to witness it.
Indeed, the crowd, which likely exceeded 30 individuals, was completely absorbed by the spectacle… and the game that had developed around it.
As if it was a test of bravery, child and fairy alike would take turns sprinting or flying through the center of the cyclone. The billowing gust would cake them in dirt and style their hair in wild, unpredictable ways. Not that any of their smiling faces seemed to mind.
On subsequent passes, they took to showing off; striking poses, or screaming absurd phrases as they did so.
All the while, those who looked on laughed and yelled in excited encouragement.
To his knowledge, this particular weather phenomenon did not last long. A fascinating, but ultimately transient experience.
However, Gensokyo had its ways of proving common sense wrong, and this was no different.
As soon as the whirl would begin to die down, a fairy would bring forth a new gust of wind, reinforcing the spinning motion of the dust devil.
This pattern, so long as the fairies held interest, would result in a perpetual roadside attraction. One that appeared to be slowly accumulating visitors.
The longer Eric watched, the more nostalgic he grew.
Had he been younger, he almost certainly would have joined them.
…
Well, he still had a destination to reach, and he wasn't particularly fond of the summer heat.
…They paid him no mind as he passed them by.
…
Eric… didn't think Rinnosuke considered him a friend in the same way Keine did.
He… couldn't quite put a finger on why. There was just something there that made him difficult to befriend.
Not that he hasn't tried!
But… Rinnosuke seemed to have a very particular set of people that he would ever give the time of day to. Otherwise, even if you were a customer, you were as interesting as a meager rock by the side of the road.
…
While both Alice's house and Kourindou were in the same general direction from the Village, Kourindou was located at the edge of the treeline, just off of the main road, while the path that led off towards Alice's split off at a later point, deeper into the woods.
The approach to the antique store was… a unique sight. As if the building itself couldn't hold all of the merchandise, there were heaps of items, almost like drifts of snow, around the exterior of the shop.
The exterior walls had a patchwork quality to them, as if the process of remodeling had been started and stopped many different times with just as many different materials. Luckily, the building still stood.
Speaking of the walls, they were littered with posters, signs, and other advertising materials. There was even… spray paint? Who would have thought?
…
Eric entered, door creaking as he did so.
There, behind the counter, sat the owner of the shop.
Rinnosuke was a tall half-youkai man. Even seated, he was not all that much shorter than Eric stood. Fluffy, light gray hair, so pale that it was practically white, topped his head. His style was rather plain, if utilitarian, but that did not hide the fact that he appeared to be rather strong.
Currently, he peered down through his glasses at an item that he was holding. A tool, whose purpose was not immediately apparent, occupied his other hand.
"Hello, Rinnosuke! How's it going today?" Eric greeted, adding a little wave.
The man in question… did not react. Instead, he set down the tool he'd been using and began to adjust something on the object with both hands.
"What are you working on this time? Another project?"
Rinnosuke fiddled with the object a little more before a satisfying clink suggested something snapping into place. The half-youkai sighed in relief.
He brought it up and moved it around in his hands, as if to double-check his work. Then, he set it down on the counter in front of him.
"It's a magical apparatus, purpose built to both amplify and focus one's magical energy," he stated, finally acknowledging Eric's presence.
"Though, it also possesses an array of additional features. Cooling capabilities, air purification, good fortune, radiation nullification…"
Now that it was out of Rinnosuke's hands, Eric took the opportunity to take a closer look.
The device was made of a wood so dark that it was nearly black. It possessed eight sides with eight symbols circumscribing the hole that lay in the center. Within that hole, fine red metal components, all linked together, could be seen.
It certainly looked magical. "Is that what your, uh, ability is telling you?"
Rinnosuke shook his head. "Oh, no. I don't need that to know what this does." His face remained neutral, but there was a confidence in his voice. "I designed it myself, after all."
"Really? That's awesome!"
Eric studied it a bit more. "I didn't know you could build stuff like this."
The shopkeeper adjusted his glasses. "Years of experience." He pointed to his creation, dubbing it the "Mini-hakkero."
Mini-hakkero… Why does that sound familiar?
Eric rubbed his chin in thought.
Y'know, it looks kind of familiar, too…
Then, it struck him.
Marisa!
Marisa used a device like that!
"Hey, this is kind of a crazy question, but doesn't Marisa Kirisame have one of these?"
A ghost of a smile threatened the practiced neutrality of Rinnosuke's face. "This one and that are the very same."
"Oh- What? What's it doing here, then?" There was no way that Marisa would relinquish an item like that.
"Maintenance. With as much as she abuses it, regular maintenance is required to keep it properly calibrated."
Eric tilted his head. "Calibrated? What happens when it's not calibrated?"
Rinnosuke answered plainly. "Catastrophe. Can you even fathom the power that a miniature star can hold?"
"...Point taken."
…
Shopping in Kourindou was equal parts fascinating and frustrating.
On one hand, there was so much to look through and such a wide variety that it was exactly like a treasure hunt trying to find something interesting.
On the other hand, there was so much to look through. Heaps and heaps of objects lovingly piled atop one another or densely packed onto shelves made it almost impossible to access one thing without disturbing another.
Eric just wanted to browse without risking a mountain collapsing onto him…
Despite that, Eric was having fun.
Most of the merchandise here was outdated, but that just fit the look of the store perfectly.
There was a shelf full of nothing but dusty toys and kids shoes. Another shelf was dominated by VHS tapes. They had been phasing out before he ended up in Gensokyo, so he wasn't all too surprised to find them here.
A bucket of floppy disks here, bundles of old newspapers there. A box of records, though he didn't have a record player.
He… actually had a decent selection of hourglasses. Eric didn't really need one, but always liked the way they looked.
An entire pay phone somehow found its way into one of the corners, as well as a stack of old televisions.
There was a sword lodged into one of the piles of assorted junk.
Rinnosuke, this is definitely a shopping hazard!
There was a lot of antique glassware and decor, quite a few of which Eric could definitely see Alice decorating her house with.
…
Then, he spotted it.
At the bottom of one of the secluded back shelves, stuffed between what appeared to be an electric can opener and an oddly proportioned lion plush, a particular bauble caught his eye.
It was… a butterfly. The beautiful fusion of blue and yellow wings stood out against the drab colors that surrounded it.
He knelt down to grab it, a very deliberate motion, such that he would put the weight onto his better leg.
It… wasn't necessarily a heavy piece, owing to its relatively small size. Roughly an inch wide, it fit comfortably within the palm of his hand.
As he raised himself back into a standing position, he took a closer look at his find.
His initial observation had been correct; it was a butterfly. Inset blue and yellow stones glinted in the light, equally as pleasing to the eye as the polished metal that made up the framework of the design.
Turning over in his hand, he observed a metal pin built into the back of it.
Oh. So that's what this is.
It was a brooch, and quite a nice one at that.
Eric did not consider himself to be an expert on jewelry, but even he could tell that this was a good piece. There was a certain elegance to its form, a high degree of quality to its craftsmanship.
It felt solid in his hand.
And… It reminded him of Alice.
The particular shade of blue mirrored the blue of her eyes, and the yellow matched the color of her golden blonde hair perfectly.
Heh, maybe this is what she'd look like as a butterfly…
…Maybe it matched a little too perfectly…
…Oh well, he just had to buy it now. There was simply no other option.
The plan was set. He would buy the brooch, and he would give it to her as a gift.
…Would she like it? Would it clash with her style? Did she even wear jewelry in the first place?
He hadn't ever seen her wear jewelry. Well, besides those rings she uses for her dolls.
There was only one way to find out.
…
A short time later, Eric once again found himself standing at Kourindou's front counter. With one casual motion, he set what he intended to purchase onto the wooden surface.
There were only two items: the butterfly brooch, and a neat little rock that he'd found.
…To be fair, it was a pretty cool rock.
"Hey, Rinnosuke!" he called the man over. "How much will these two run me?"
The shopkeeper pulled himself away from his work, tinkering with what appeared to be a… vacuum of some kind? He stepped over to the front counter.
Rinnosuke cocked an eyebrow before peering down at the objects with thinly veiled disinterest.
"100 yen, take it or leave it."
"Wha- really? That's cheap!" Really, it was cheap. Typically the man was one to price up his merchandise.
The half-youkai leaned one elbow on the counter, picking up the butterfly brooch with the other hand. "This is a brooch. Its original purpose was to act as a fastener for clothing, primarily cloaks and the like. Nowadays, there are far more efficient means of achieving this, rendering brooches functionally obsolete."
He set it back down on the counter and picked up the small rock. It was vaguely rounded, relatively flat, and completely smooth to the touch.
"And this is a rock; a chunk of basalt smoothed down by millennia of flowing water. It has no purpose other than decoration."
The rock joined its companion on the counter. Rinnosuke leaned in.
"You've brought me two items with no serious functional value. 100 yen is the absolute highest that I could justify charging you."
Ah… that sure did sound like the Rinnosuke he knew. More obsessed with the purpose of items than anything else.
"Alright, then. Deal."
With the money handed over, the transaction was complete.
Rinnosuke went back to what he had been tinkering with before.
Eric… took that as a sign that he should leave. There was no use trying to converse with him while he was absorbed in a task.
As he opened the door to exit, he could make out a voice. It sounded like it was coming from another room.
"Daaaaad, Aunt Marisa is picking on me again…"
Rinnosuke snorted. "Come, little one. Let's go get some lunch, hmm?"
A smile crossed Eric's face.
Heh, at least he can be a good dad.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
"I see," Patchouli declared as she gingerly set her teacup back onto its little plate. "That is… quite the active month."
Alice… didn't dive too deeply into… certain details… but otherwise she had given her friend a fairly complete summary of what she'd recently experienced
"And… It appears that you still have yet to fully embrace your nature as a magician. Still clinging to your bygone humanity."
Alice sipped at her own tea. That was a common thread lately; Patchouli suggesting that she truly act like the youkai that she was..
…
Alice may have been a youkai, but she had never intended to become inhuman.
"Time spent on unnecessary habits is time wasted, as I'm sure you are aware. Every minute you spend sleeping is a minute farther behind that your research has fallen."
She was aware, and part of her berated herself for the inefficiency..
However, she… could never bring herself to do it. It felt akin to abandoning part of her identity.
"I will take it into consideration." And that was all she would say on the matter.
"As you always say." Patchouli shook her head, lilac purple hair swaying.
…
"What do you make of Shanghai's possible expressions of elevated autonomy?"
"There are several possibilities, a number of which may be of particular interest to you…"
~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~
Hey, hey! If this feels like a filler chapter, that's because it 100% is. It's even in the chapter title. We've got an antique store, and we've got Patchy who, uh, I guess counts as an antique?
There were a couple of things and interactions that I wanted to touch on before I start getting into the next arc. That, and I figured that instead of just having a couple of weeks pass completely off-screen, I'd include a couple of things that happened during that time.
I think Kourindou would be an awesome place to shop IRL. Like, imagine a flea market, thrift store, or antique mall, and then make it even more of a treasure hunt.
Now, there's a few reasons that I think are behind Kourindou not getting a whole lot of business.
Rinnosuke set up shop between the Human Village and the Forest of Magic, so there's not very much foot traffic, and most villagers aren't too keen on venturing out that far. The selection of goods is totally random, and mostly made up of Outside stuff that has fallen into Gensokyo somehow. And… Rinnosuke himself is a bit rough around the edges.
Man's not a big fan of functionless decor, apparently.
Patchy is old, yo! At least, compared to her fellow magicians, she is. And she really leans into it. I think that picking her brain would be the closest thing you could get to googling something in Gensokyo.
And Koakuma… There's like, a shred of info on her in canon. I just like the idea of a good-at-her-job, enthusiastic Koakuma… who is so done with Marisa's very existence.
I didn't get too far into the weeds with the magician talk. I just figured that whatever theories they had would end up being too complex for regular people (a.k.a. me!) to understand.
We'll be back with your regularly scheduled protagonist bonding next chapter.
Thanks for reading! Review if you want! Have a good day!
~~~~~~Reviews~~~~~~
James Birdsong: TY! Let's hope for another 13 good chapters!